Cutscene: Helpless (Un-Betaed Preview Draft) (Patreon)

Cutscene: Helpless

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April 18, 2011

4:39 PM

“-he PRT still refusing to confirm or deny allegations of ABB influence in these attacks desp-”

No.

“-ougarton Abbey star, Courteney Dockery, in financial hot w-

No.

“-ext time on Law & Order: PRT. Check your loc-”

No.

“-rove it, I sawed this boat in ha-”

No.

“-oes Mayor Christner intend to address the attacks on this city with his current st-”

No.

“Tonight on Mock Trial with Judge R-”

No.

“-scape from Protectorate custody, with the aid of subordinate Oni L-”

No.

“-eath toll from what is being called “The Brockton Central Hospital Massacre” have been lowered from the initial estim-”

No.

“-st time on Los Amantes Clandesti-”

No.

“-agic in a coral reef is not just the reef itself, but the importance it holds in the entire tropical ocean eco-”

No.

“-ime Scene: Scene of The Crime, a Chad Dylan Cooper producti-”

No.

“-nother episode of Young Eidolon right here on Cartoon Ne-”

A set of stormy gray eyes blinked slowly, allowing another thought to penetrate the assembly line of rejections. The image of a boy in a bright green cloak, tattered jeans and a metal mask striking a pose surrounded by several other colorful characters was reflected in those same eyes as triumphant music blared before fading out.

...Yes. 

It was a curious hand that lingered on the remote, finger hovering over the channel button for a few moments as he held his gaze on the screen. As of right now, it showed a commercial of several young children of different ethnicities bouncing through the air for some pointless reason. Theo didn’t pay it much mind, apart from wondering in what fictional universe could a group of children so excited about easy-peel tangerines be found?

His eyes glazed further over as he eased back onto the couch, some annoying TV spot about bullying coming up immediately after and doing its utmost to send him to sleep. He let out a yawn, free hand rising up to scratch his butter blond hair as he placidly waited for the commercials to pass. 

In a few moments, they would be airing a rerun of Young Eidolon, a cartoon all about the titular Triumvirate member’s heroic misadventures as a preteen wannabe hero named Eddie Long, the entire thing set in a more modern environment than the famous hero’s actual late 80s debut. More than likely, it was one he hadn’t seen yet. 

The idea, design, and even the animation style of the show had been shamelessly copied from the production company’s equivalent on Earth Aleph, some weird show involving aliens. Rip-off or not, the show was still one of Theo’s favorites, not that the teen had much time to watch it in the first place.

Really, it wasn't very often that Theo Anders found himself in front of a TV, especially not with any sense of freedom to watch what he wanted. His father made very sure of that. After all, why rot your brain with pointless entertainment when he could be bettering himself, ‘proving his worth’?