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+---- Thread: ONN - The Deep End, with Pffthalft (/showthread.php?tid=5877)
ONN - The Deep End, with Pffthalft - The Vision - 04-09-2017
Quote:Continued from "A Complicated Business
A middle-aged white man with purple antennae is sitting in a nice suit at a glass desk. Between his arms resting on the desk is a single, blank sheet of paper, which he occasionally pretends to glance at. A purple stripe at the bottom of the screen read: "Island Destroyed"
"Hello again. We are just now getting reports of a tragic incident. An island 200 kilometers away from Costa del Sol was completely destroyed in a freak storm. Fortunately, most of the township of-"
The man frowns, then says with a forced neutral voice:
"Rando... Le Terz..."
The man regains composure.
"...were able to evacuate via ferry. The refugees are just now arriving at Costa del Sol, claiming they were rescued by a group called the Avengers. We have Colar Bear on the scene. Colar?"
The screen splits. The new half shows a rainy Costa del Sol harbor. A swarm of refugees are in the background, helping each other off boats. Most of them have bags under their darkened eyes, and they are all skinny beyond description. In the foreground stands the Coca Cola polar bear, wearing a purple poncho and holding a mike. After a brief pause, Colar Bear speaks.
"Hi, Pffthalft."
"Colar, can you tell us what exactly we're seeing here?"
The screen fills with Colar Bear's half of the screen.
"Well, as you can see here, Pffthalft, it appears that most of the township of Rando Le Terz has evacuated the island. Many of the refugees are saying that before it was destroyed, the island was hit by a freak storm which was causing massive destruction. Many also report that an unknown group of Primes had just arrived in the town. It is unclear who gave the call for the complete evacuation of the island, but we do know that there were two policemen who helped get everyone into the boats before the island was destroyed by the freak storm. I don't know if you can see, but if you look closely, many, if not all of these refugees seem to be experiencing signs of withdrawal, and many of them have been asking for sugar. It's unclear what exactly happened."
Halfway through, the screen fades to an aerial photo of an island which is now one big crater, seawater pouring into the center.
"Do you know anything about this group of Primes, Colar?"
"As of now, Pffthalft, we know very little. We know that two of them were arrested for disturbing the peace. It can only be assumed that the other Primes were there to rescue them in some way. We're actually getting some reports that this group of Primes were engaged in conflict with the local police force. One refugee even described a green and yellow man flying around in the storm, disrupting evacuation efforts and attacking the police. We also heard reports that the organization called the Avengers arrived on the scene. If these reports are true, this would mark the second appearance of the Avengers. They were last seen in conflict with the anti-Pokemon terrorist Lord Carlton. Their involvement in this incident is not yet known."
"Tell me more about this storm, Colar. Do we know if this was natural?"
"We don't know yet, Pffthalft. The weather near Rando Island is often rainy and foggy, but a storm of this level is unprecedented. It is highly unlikely that the storm was natural, as many citizens describe lightning pivoting towards the center of the island. And as you can see in the aerial footage, the island was completely destroyed, while the boats leaving the island were completely unharmed. The extremely contained nature of the storm implies something much more sinister."
"Well, I'm just glad that the people of Rando are safe. Thanks, Colar."
"Thanks, Pffthalft."
The screen once more fills with Pffthalft's face.
"Details are still developing on the incident at Rando le Terz. You can read more on our website, www.onn.com/deeps. We pray for the refugees of the island. Ne-"
The footage cuts, and the replay button appears.
RE: ONN Deeps - Breaking News - The Vision - 05-07-2017
Quote:Continued from "Chapter 7: Dawn of Justice"
A middle-aged white man with purple antennae is sitting in a nice suit at a glass desk. Between his arms resting on the desk is a single, blank sheet of paper, which he occasionally pretends to glance at. A still frame of the "Superhero argues w/ police!!!" video. The caption reads, "Avengers or Anarchists?"
PFFTHALFT:
Welcome back to the Deep End. I'm your host, Pffthalft. A controversial video has gone viral on Omnitube, showing the Avenger known as "the Vision" having an argument with a police officer. It's hit a million views today and has divided the room on subjects such as the effectiveness of our police force and the recent increase in vigilante activity. Joining me tonight are Clark Rogers, political correspondent at the Global Bugle, and Bruce Stark, professor of law at Wayne University and author of "Justice is Blind." Thank you for joining.
Shot of two more people at the table - each have a glass of water that they will never touch. The one of the left is Clark Rogers, who is wearing a blue collared shirt with rolled-up sleeves, a white tie and glasses which, if you look closely, are clearly fake. Then you have Bruce Stark on the right, who is wearing a red shirt and gold tie. He has red-tinted sunglasses and a cane resting on the table - blind. They both smile and nod - Roger's is awkward, but Stark is charming the pants right off of everyone watching. Pffthalft speaks.
PFFTHALFT:
Let's start with you, Clark, since you are an outspoken supporter of the Avengers' activities as of late. What do you think about the video? Have the Avengers gone too far?
Cut to Clark Rogers. Nametag fades in beneath as he speaks.
CLARK:
I think it's unfair to make judgments right now. As it stands, we have very little information about the conflict that happened on 146 Asimov Avenue. There were a lot of civilians that were hurt, and the Avengers themselves seemed exhausted. Yet no weapons were found at the scene. The perpetrator - whoever it was - was clearly a very dangerous woman. I think that people could have been even more hurt if the Avengers had not intervened, maybe even died. Perhaps these aren't the defenders we asked for, but these are the defenders we need.
Cut to shot of all three.
PFFTHALFT:
What do you have to say, Professor?
Cut to Bruce Stark. Nametag fades in as he speaks.
BRUCE:
I agree with Mr. Rogers that the Avengers prevented a disaster on Sunday, but my point still stands - what we saw in this footage was an undermining of the law. This "Vision" distorts the law to resist arrest and even outright disrespects a police officer. This kind of cavalier attitude is exactly what promotes criminal activity. When people take the justice system as a joke, people are encourage to believe that, if you're good-hearted, the law doesn't apply to you, which is just not true.
Cut to Pffthalft as he speaks.
PFFTHALFT:
You mentioned that the Vision "distorted" the laws of Costa del Sol. We do see him telling Officer Barnes the reasoning behind his actions. Could you elaborate on that?
As Bruce speaks, the screen fills with footage, the banner underneath still saying "Avengers or Anarchists?" Captions underneath, partly covered by banner. A small black box in the corner says, "Filmed by Omnitube User cavenglok113". The captions are repeating what the Vision says at the beginning of his legal speech. No audio from the original video is heard.
BRUCE:
Well, what the Vision says is technically correct. The system is set up like that because usually the foreign affairs office has responded before the people in question have passed immigration and left the city. If the Avengers had left the city legally, and the foreign affairs office hadn't responded by then, in that case what they would have done would have been perfectly legal. But they. Didn't. They boarded aircraft that was several meters below the minimum height of large airborne transports, and flew off without so much as flashing a passport. The Avengers routinely ignore sovereign borders and inflict their will wherever they choose and who, frankly, seem unconcerned with what they leave behind. They still have yet to answer for their part in the Rando Le Terz crisis. That's an arrangement the people of Costa del Sol can no longer tolerate.
CLARK:
Frankly, implying that the Avengers should have gone through our hour-long immigration process on their way to stop an ongoing crisis is absurd.
The screen shows Pffthalft and Rogers.
CLARK:
That's not why they're there. They're not there as a systematic measure, but as an instinctive response to danger. It's like criticizing self-defense.
BRUCE:
That's not what I'm sayi-
CLARK:
Yes, I know, but-
BRUCE:
There needs to be some sort of-
CLARK:
Yes, I agree. I agree! We need to make another arrangement with the Avengers that benefits both parties involved.
Shot of Clark and Bruce arguing.
BRUCE:
Why should we defer to an organization that has repeatedly disrespected our own laws?
CLARK:
Because all they have done is try to help us. And it's true that they leave a mess every time they operate-
BRUCE:
And who cleans it up?
CLARK:
That's why I'm saying we need to cooperate with the Avengers to make sure they are held responsible, not shun them for trying to help.
PFFTHALFT:
Okay, let's move on. Mr. Rogers, you've stated in the past that perhaps the Avengers signify a departure from traditional law. What do you mean by that?
Shot of Clark.
CLARK:
Well, at the time I was doing an interview about a terrorist attack in Cinnabar Island. Things change. Society changes, the law changes, and with that, crime changes. What we are seeing in Cinnabar and now in the Costa del Sol Inner Archipelago is a rise in terrorist activity. The real threat in terrorist attacks is not the attack itself but the speed at which it occurs. They are unpredictable and incredibly fast. The system we have can respond quickly, but it is becoming clearer and clearer that it doesn't respond quickly enough. The Avengers, because they operate outside of the law, are not restricted by the very thing they are trying to protect. According to witnesses, they arrived minutes before the devastating storm at Rando Le Terz, and within the same minute of the disturbance that was heard at Asimov Avenue. They simply are faster than we are.
BRUCE:
But that's the problem. They arrive very promptly, and I agree that's the kind of response time we need. But they leave just as quickly and disregard the consequences of their actions. They need to be held responsible. And if they cannot bring themselves to do that, perhaps we shouldn't welcome them at Costa del Sol.
PFFTHALFT:
Well, I think we can agree on one thing. That cape is a little much, don't you think?
All three laugh.
CLARK:
It is a bit gaudy.
PFFTHALFT:
Alright, Professor Wayne- I'm sorry, Professor Stark, and Mr. Parker, thank you both for joining our panel tonight.
CLARK:
Thank you, Pffthalft.
BRUCE:
It was a pleasure.
The screen centers on Pffthalft.
PFFTHALFT:
Next, the mysterious attacks around the various Verses may prove to be connected, according to a recent report by the Empire. What are these Dark Chips and where have they come from? Stay tuned.
Fanfare. Footage ends.
RE: ONN - The Deep End, with Pffthalft - The Vision - 12-05-2017
Quote:Continued from "Knight Night"
A middle-aged white man with purple antennae is sitting in a nice suit at a glass desk. His chair appears to be slightly tilted. Not enough to really notice, but enough to make one subconsciously tilt their head ever so slightly to adjust. The banner underneath reads, "Dark Data"
PFFTHALFT:
Welcome back to the Deep End. I'm your host, Pffthalft. Imperial forces report a decrease in Darkling activity, noting that many seem to be more sluggish than before. Authorities still advise that citizens exercise caution and to report any encounters with Darklings or the Dark Chips they carry. They further advise that you should, under no circumstances, touch any Dark Chips, as what they do is not quite clear.
The banner changes to read, "Prison Riot Quelled". The camera shows a chaotic scuffle at the surface of Impel Down. Several Primes seem to be fighting criminals and bickering with each other.
PFFTHALFT:
In other news, reports are coming in of prison riots on the surface level of Impel Down. There were relatively few police casualties. Authorities mention the involvement of the vigilante group known as the Avengers. Though the report is unclear on the nature of their involvement, several anonymous sources say that the Avengers were actually assisting the security forces in recapturing many of the escaping prisoners.
A mugshot of a muscular, broad-jawed man with a permanent scowl. He has short black hair and a number of scars. He has a tall, imposing appearance, despite only his face and shoulders showing. The left half of the screen shows the front view, and the right half shows the side view.
PFFTHALFT:
While they were largely successful, thanks to the efforts of the local vigilante group, a number of very dangerous criminals escaped.
A mugshot of a bald man, also with a set scowl. He is considerably shorter than the broad man from before. He seems to be looking to the side, unwilling to look at the camera. Again, the left screen show the front view, and the right the side view.
PFFTHALFT:
The Costa del Sol Imperial Police Force warn the public that, until these people are apprehended, citizens remain indoors and be aware of any suspicious individuals.
A still shot of Avengers Island from the sea. The tower is a mess, and the iconic "A" is on the beach, burning.
PFFTHALFT:
Speaking of the Avengers, next up we have this photo taken by a fisherman. What happened? What happened to the vigilante group? And what does this mean for the controversial reputation of the Avengers? This and more after these messages.
Fanfare. Footage ends.