The Kid of Steel

[The camera comes into focus on a familiar (to some) chiseled jaw. Kon smiles and gives the camera a little wave.]

Hey, guys. Been a while, huh? Well, for me. I've got no clue how long it's been here. Anyway. I'm back! This place seems about the same.

Right. People who weren't here before? I'm Kon. Or Superboy. Either one works. Yeah, I'm related to Superman, if you were gonna ask that, and yeah, I can fly. So can my dog.

[Krypto, on hearing Kon mention the word dog, wanders over, looking curious. He barks at the camera and wags his tail. Kon goes over and scratches Krypto's head before looking back at the camera.]

So how's everyone been?

[Locked to friends from before he left.]

Hey! Who's still around? What'd I miss?

[It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... a guy who looks quite a lot like Kon, but older, and with different hair. Krypto seems to be perfectly all right with the situation, if his tail's furious wagging is any indication. Kal-El pets Krypto's head before standing up and smiling that biiig super smile at the camera. He is wearing a blue and red spandex costume with an S on the front and a long red cape in the back.]

Hello. I'm Superman. I'm here in Superboy's stead for a few days. I hear he's a warden here? I can't say I've heard of this place before now, but I'm sure Superboy's judgement is... [He pauses for a moment and frowns.] Well, he probably knows what he's doing.

But I suppose you all would have seen him more recently than I would have, right? How's he handling it?



[ooc: Fourth wall away! He can take it.]

[Okay. Kon takes a deep breath, then turns on his camera and smiles.]

Uh, hey everyone. It's me, Superboy. [Obviously.]

So, the thing with Rex. That was... that was pretty bad. And I helped with stopping him, cause I'm a superhero. And that's what I do back home. The bad guys do something evil, with mind control or a death ray or something else just as bad, and me and my friends save the day.

[His face gets a little more serious.]

Of course it doesn't go smoothly all the time. People die. Good people. Heck, I died. Luckily, the staying-dead rate isn't as high as it should be, but still. Not everyone comes back. And every time, it hurts.

It hurts even when it's not a friend or a loved one. Even when it's one of the villains. Even when they do come back. Even when you know they will. Losing people? Hurts. And no matter who it is, they've got someone who'll miss them.

[He stops for dramatic effect, then looks straight into the camera.]

That's why we don't kill. It's not our job. We save the world, we hand criminals to the cops, we've even been known to testify in court, but we don't kill. And we shouldn't here either. I'm talking to the Wardens and Inmates alike. Killing? Wrong. Always. Full stop.

And yeah, I get that there's not always a choice. I get that sometimes it's more complicated than that. Sometimes, good people have to do bad things.

But if there's any other way, even here, where death isn't permanent?

You take it.

That's all.

[Locked to Tim]

[Kon drops the happy look because hey, talking to friend, and agh, this is stressful.]

Oh my god, your dad is scary. Obviously. He asked me to do what Superman does. Me. You know, in the being an example or inspiration or whatever to everyone. I don't know if I can.

...Clark would have done the whole "Don't kill" speech better.