Shield 02 | video

[tactilekonesis]

[Today, Kon's standing outside the Talon, a renovated movie theater that currently serves as a coffee shop and hangout for teenagers... in Smallville, Kansas.

Needless to say, he looks kind of speechless as he turns the screen to show the marquee and then the outside of the building before focusing it back on him. He coughs, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose before he quietly says:]

I know you guys've said you've started seeing stuff from your worlds... well, you can add me to that list. This place here's the Talon. It's a coffee shop, though I haven't bothered to go inside yet.

I'm kinda afraid it's locked or something. [Not that it'd really be a bother for him, what with his heat vision, but he certainly had to keep up the illusion of a smalltown boy from Earth.] But if it's got food, I'll definitely be taking it down to the safehouse later.

[He stops, opens the door, and blankly stares as a basketball pummels him into the face. Wait, since when did the Talon come equipped with those?] OW! [He rubs his face, even though he was more surprised than hurt by SUDDEN BASKETBALL TO THE FACE.] Where the hell did that come----

[Voices interrupt his cursing. Around the Talon, it's the voices of rambunctious teenagers talking about their after-school plans: writing articles for the school newspaper, figuring out how to get drunk in a dry county, events for this week's church youth group, the best way to tip over the cows in Mr. Stein's yard.... Despite the normalcy of it all, there's one conversation that makes Kon shudder.

They're talking about "meteor freaks," the kids who were powered by kryptonite, the alien rocks that fell from Krypton several years ago in Smallville. Although no one's ever been able to prove that Kon WAS one, they weren't able to disprove it either. They wonder about his origins for a minute, before launching back into their original conversation.

Kon presses his lips.] ... Is it just me, or are there voices in the area too?

Comments

[video]

[terezi_pyrope]

[she is licking the screen on her CAT and enjoying the tastes.]

You sound like you're having fun!

And you're right about the voices. For every place brought here, that seems to come right along.

Although...those voices talking in the background sound like they're pretty rude! These are the kinds of people from your world, right?

[video]

[tactilekonesis]

[Kon laughs nervously.] Good. I'd hate to think that I'm hearing things...

Yeah, they're just the kids from my hometown. They don't usually mean anything by it.

[fortune_sought]

[Sophie is looking at the strange place in Kon's broadcast with interest--until he takes the sudden basketball to the face] Oh my goodness, are you all right? Nevermind the voices--what threw that object?

so sorry for the slow!

[tactilekonesis]

I have absolutely no idea. [Kon peers inside the Talon, but there isn't a single soul to be found.]

... I think it's one of those things that can't be explained.

No problem!

[fortune_sought]

[Sophie frowns severely] Yes, that would be like this town. [but what strange voices! she wonders what they're talking about, but first things first...]

I don't believe we've met. I'm Sophie Hatter.

[tactilekonesis]

I don't think we have, yeah. I'm Conner Kent. [He smiles, trying to be polite:] It's nice to meet you, Ms. Sophie.

Hopefully your time here hasn't been that bad so far?

[fortune_sought]

[her scowl implies otherwise] It's nice to meet you as well, Mr Kent. And I'm afraid it has been. This is the third time I've been brought here, but it seems that, once again, they've made it difficult to get out.

But nevermind that for the moment. Do you see food inside that coffee shop?

[tactilekonesis]

Th-third time? [Hoo boy. That's not something Kon really wanted to hear.

He holds the screen steady as he steps inside and glances around. The fridge's locked, but everything else seems to be in place.] Yeah, it looks like it's stocked. I'll unlock the fridge and send everything to the safehouse pretty soon.

[fortune_sought]

Yes. [but she doesn't want to scare him, so she adds:] Though I'm certain we'll find a way out again.

Oh, thank goodness. [Sophie sighs in relief at that sight] Would you like some help? Where exactly are you?

[tactilekonesis]

I hope so - and this time, hopefully third time's the charm.

[It takes Kon a second to respond, since he's not too familiar with Luministi's geography yet, but...] I'll be fine, but if you want to see it for yourself, we're right next to the movie theater.

[fortune_sought]

Agreed.

[but she gives him a look at that] You can't possibly mean to move all that food on your own! I'll be there shortly.

[in fact, she's already setting out]

[tactilekonesis]

Actually, I---[He sighs. It's useless to protest at this point, so Kon'll just wait for Sophie. In the meantime, he'll unlock the fridge and the pantry and leave it open for her.]

[fortune_sought]

[it isn't long before Sophie pokes her head uncertainly into the Talon, wondering if she's going to get a basketball to the face herself. but when that doesn't happen, she strides inside] Mr Kent! Are you still here?

[tactilekonesis]

[He nods, floating a little so that she can see him better.] I'm right here! Um, you can call me Conner, by the way. Mr. Kent's a little too formal for me, ma'am.

[desertdaggers]

Well, it should be an ordinary lock, right? We can get that open easily enough. So on the whole, that sounds like good news.

[He tilts his head for a few moments, then jerks back when the basketball hits Kon, eyes wide] …hah! Well, that's… a bit more than voices, isn't it?

[tactilekonesis]

[Kon rubs his cheek, but it's pretty obvious that the basketball didn't even leave a scratch.]

Just a little bit, yeah. At least there's more food here for the others. I'll be fine without it, but I'm not sure about anyone else.

[desertdaggers]

[…oh, huh. That's curious- could be he's tougher than other people, for whatever reason.]

I can manage on small rations for a while, but… not forever. I'm glad you'll be alright, though… and you're sure? [He tilts his head, looking a little concerned.]

[tactilekonesis]

Very sure. [Kon nods.] If I'm anything like my dad, I'll be fine until we get everything up and running again.

[desertdaggers]

Good. Your family must be pretty tough, then. [He nods.] Hopefully that won't be too much longer… I wish I knew more about how this place operated.

[tactilekonesis]

Me too. I know you guys have been here longer than I have, but it's not anything like my world.

[desertdaggers]

I don't know if there's anyone who's come from somewhere else much like it.

[tactilekonesis]

It wouldn't hurt to ask around. I've only been to outer space once, but that was on another planet... not like this.

[desertdaggers]

That's true! Even if we don't find anyone, we'll still learn something about each other.

Ah, really? Even so… what was it like?

[tactilekonesis]

[Crap, Kon was supposed to NOT tell people about his outer space adventures...]

It sucked. [Blunt Kon is blunt.] I was only there to take back my friend and kick some alien butt, so I did what I said I would and came home.

[desertdaggers]

[well it's not like he'll tell anyone from Kon's world…]

Ahhh, that's too bad! I haven't heard a lot, but it sounds like it ought to be a lot more exciting.