Double Features (IC)

[Aoiroo]

"I don't think so, if this was a recent thing they probably would of upgraded to DVDs. The technology is far to old to have really anything to do with the gruevasion. It does sort of wonder how long they were looking for this thing in the first place."

Looking at the scene again she let out a sigh,

"This might be troublesome in the future, because if you really are an unholy mix of nanobots and grue cells you might be subseptable to grue manipulation."

[Fox]

"Mm," Dragonfly hmmed, nodding at Silhouette's words. "Good - that's a good consideration. I cannot be sure without taking the nanites apart - or spending half a year studying biology - but I suspect the nanites control the cells, and the cells let you change shape. But this implies that you have a lot of these cells and nanites...more than the VCR could give you. Replicating...mm. Probably no small part of you is technically Grue, now. Or Grue-like. Diff - it's difficult to tell. I could try to talk to the nanotechnology in you but that's...risky. I'd rather not."

Ejecting the tape and powering down her odd little power device, she tapped the now-inert VCR with a screwdriver. "SHADOW, not 'DARKNAZI'. Suspect I was right - this must be from...mm. Almost the dawn of the VCR. 70s, 80s? Can't - I can't speculate as to why your friend had it in her basement. Stockpile, trophies, saferoom...she was just a collector, for all I know. Or a packrat."

She glanced around the shelves and tables of her workshop, grimacing a little. would understand that last one

[Carces]

"Oh man..."

Creature Feature, in blatant violation of the "No Touching" rule, crumpled backwards, leaning on the closest sturdy structure he could find. This wasn't the first time that the possibility of the shapeshifting was dangerous to Vance, and he was prepared to hear bad news. However, the possibility of Grue manipulation? Or nanobots of unknown programming active in his body? And Replicating? It didn't take a scientific genius to understand that there were a great number of possible scenarios in which whatever was happening was dangerous to those around him.

If that was the case, Vance had to know. While it was most likely dangerous to proceed with an investigation of what was going on inside, the price of ignorance was simply too high.

Creature Feature mustered all of the resolve he could when he addressed Dragonfly.

"Please, ma'am... I gotta know what's going on inside me - especially if it can somehow put other people in danger. If we gotta do something risky, I-I'll take that chance."

[Aoiroo]

Sil looked at Vance as the seriousness of this started to sink in. It was tough but nessicary, powers always had to come from somewhere and ignorance was dangerous in such instances. Still, there might be some middle ground here,

"If talking to them in his body is dangerous, can't you just draw some blood. It won't take much since there are probably a ton of cells in even a little bit of blood."

She looked at him for a second again,

"Though, we might want to try on a body that's a little less durable. Dragonfly, do you think you can pull up guitar guy on youtube, I haven't heard Cannon Rock in a while."

[Fox]

"Mm. Good idea. Not as good as the real thing, less likely to hurt him."

Dragonfly dug around under a table for her medical kit, the screen pulling up youtube and running down the list until it found something appropriate - just a guy, his guitar, and tasty, tasty music. Her sound system was surprisingly good, and she had to stop herself from pausing and miming a chord or two. love a new spin on a classic - priorities - play later tonight - entertain the neighborhood cats

[Carces]

Creature Feature bobbed to the music with a confused look on his face.

"Well, that's great music and all, but I don't see how it'll help with the investiga... oh! OH! Duh!"

Vance slapped the side of his fishy head for his braindead moment. Seconds later, the form of the Beast of Black Lake shifted into a young guy with a cap, still adorned with Vance's goofy grin. He held out his hands in anticipation of a wicked-awesome electrical guitar to presumably fall from heaven. No such guitar materialized.

"Aww man. I was kinda hoping the guitar was part of the ensemble." Creature Feature rubbed his hand on the back of his head and through what bits of newly-acquired hair were not hidden by the baseball cap.

"Do you have a needle or somethin'? I'd rather not bleed the old fashioned way, if I can help it."

[Aoiroo]

She looked at his hands then the guitar on the screen,

"That would of been pretty awesome to be honest, plus we could of tested how long items you make when you transform actually stay. This will have to do."

Swiping the hat off his head she spun it on one finger before humming a few cords of the song on the tv,

"It'd be really awesome if you could actually play like him because of the transformation, that's doubtful though. What you do as monsters is justifiable because movie monsters are hard as heck to kill, or at least are supposed to be, but muscle memory isn't something so easily mimiced. Speaking of which, have you joined any fighting classes, I can kickbox and teach you throws, but I don't have the time to teach you full on fighting and learning in you're human form might be useful if you're ever caught in a situation where you can't transform. Which considering the parameters is pretty darn likely, especially since you still don't have an ipod."

[Carces]

Vance reflexively reached out for his hat before realizing what Silhouette was up to and sinking his hands into his pockets. He shrugged to his mentor as he grinned a bit.

"Y-yeah, I'm still working on the video bit." Creature Feature chuckled nervously. Losing an employer before she had a chance to give him anything resembling a paycheck made purchasing electronics a little more difficult than usual. Between school and his newfound crime-fighting career, getting another job was a difficult task.

Fortunately, Creature Feature had considered the need for fighting lessons already, and had stocked up on a number of old Kung-Fu movies to even out his "studies" of the monster films, to get a wide variety of watchable combat techniques in the comfort of his own home. He even snagged some old camcorder videos of "Heroes!" the reality program where amateur cameramen follow self-proclaimed Freedom City heroes as they took down criminals, with little thought behind the safety of the camera's operators. There were sure to be a few martial art types in there.

And yet, somehow he doubted that Silhouette would be impressed. Ah well. Just another thing to add to the To-Do list. Being a superhero sure was hard work!

[Fox]

Dragonfly tilted her head, pulling a large black case out from under the table and pulling it open. "Manifestation of physical, unattached objects would have been curious. Very interesting...please tell me if it ever happens. Don't have a guitar here, unfortunately. Violin, double bass. Would prefer to keep them safe. Very old. Expensive."

She finally found what she was looking for, turning back towards her guests holding a large syringe. "Roll up your sleeve and hold still," she ordered, in the cold, detached tone of voice usually reserved for mad scientists and crazed doctors. "Will only take a moment."

[Carces]

Vance grimaced at the sound of Dragonfly's tone of voice and the size of the syringe. While obviously brilliant, there was a very real possibility that the scientist was not all there. Didn't she admit to not having her expertise in biology?

That just made the question of what the purpose of the large syringe in the workshop an unsettling one. It was best not to think about it.

Vance rolled up the sleeve of his newly-created blue shirt. Taking a moment to decide whether it would be prudent to watch a person coming at him with a stabbing implement, Creature Feature turned his head away after extending his arm, deciding that the image of the needle was most likely worse than the actual blood drawing itself.

[Fox]

Dragonfly was, at least, fast and efficient - being stuck with a big needle wasn't very pleasant (as she well knew) and she tried to keep it short. should probably say something comforting - not the motherly type - not sure what I could possibly- ah - that should be enough

The syringe now containing a (slightly more than) generous sample, she muttered something uncomfortable about how there were some bandages in the kit she'd just been rooting through, emptying the blood into a beaker and...just staring at it, intently, little lights dancing behind her eyes.

[Carces]

Creature Feature was wrong. Not looking at the needle didn't make it any less painful.

"Augh!"

As soon as the needle was removed, Vance grabbed his arm, rubbing it vigorously. "Geeze, doc. Awfully enthusiastic with that needle, aintcha?"

Vance looked down at his arm as he continued to rub it. There'd definitely be a bruise there later, at the very least. Aren't you supposed to disinfect everything before taking blood anyway? With alcohol swabs and whatnot? Creature Feature grimaced as he imagined the possibilities, deciding that he might get lucky if he only got a bruise from the ordeal.

He peered over at the fruits of Dragonfly's effort - the blood sample within the beaker. Confused, Vance tilted his head and squinted hard at the beaker, trying to see whatever it was Dragonfly was seeing.

"Is... uh... everything alright?"

[Aoiroo]

Sil sat back and watched the whole ordeal quietly as Dragonfly stuck Vance up and he at the very least didn't do anything terribly embaressing. Dragonfly seemed completely absorbed in examining the blood afterwords, so Sil took the opportunity to reach into one of her pockets and pull out a small sealed packet with a sanitary wipe. She didn't have medical training persay, but looking over two three year olds had gotten her into the habit of carrying such things around and it was one of the few things that she could fit in her pockets that were thin enough to change dimensions when she did.

"You're going to have to give her a few seconds."

Pulling the wipe from the packet she had the small hole clean and covered with a torquiose bandage with several little pictures of a blue spotted cartoon dog.

[Fox]

"Don't have a doctorate," she absent-mindedly replied, tilting her head at the sample. interesting - must have been an accident - no can't have been look at - almost elegant - slapdash - you little bugs are fascinating After a long couple of minutes, the little lights behind her eyes died out and Dragonfly stood up straight, rubbing the back of her neck. "I...it's...interesting. The design work involved is...mm." rambling "Mm. Sorry. Just...it...so many ideas...." rambling!

"Sorry. Sorry. Good news: stable. Safe. Won't eat you alive, won't overpopulate, won't let foreign cells run...what's the phrase. Amok." She waved a hand. "Somewhat tamper-resistant. Difficult to tell without -" don't say 'autopsy' - don't say 'autopsy' "- ...investigation I'm not equipped for, but from the behavior and design I suspect they tap into your nervous system. Explains the need for screens - specific stimulus for a specific task...mm. Regardless. Likely difficult to control consciously. Maybe not impossible...not sure. But safe otherwise."

[Carces]

"Uh, thanks, Sil..." Creature Feature blurted as he looked down at the cartoon-decorated bandage. It was odd to think of a serious crime-fighting guru-ninja like Silhouette as being a fan of cartoons.

Probably best not to think about it... Creature Feature thought to himself uncomfortably

As Dragonfly finished her unusual investigation, Creature Feature nodded tensely and breathed out a sigh of relief.

"Well, that's good, then." Vance exclaimed as he backed away from Dragonfly's workspace. "I was worried that it might... w-wait, my nervous system? Like, my brain?!"

Vance's eyes were wide with shock, but they did not betray even half of his internal, panicky state. Silhouette had warned him that the shape shifting might possibly cause insanity. And what about that Grue mind-control thing that both of them were talking about minutes before? The gears in Vance's head started to turn as his imagination set out to work against the young hero, coming up with more disastrous scenarios.

Opening his mouth, Vance started to speak before stopping himself. The non-doctor had stated that this was safe. It had suddenly struck Vance that hearing the quasi-doctor's definition of "unsafe" would not help matters much. Instead, he opted to let out a barely audible whimper.

[Aoiroo]

Sil was more or less relieved by the news, though Vance didn't seem so because of the very last part. Sil let out a sigh then grabbed onto his shoulder for support,

"It means that you have to conciously will yourself to transform for it to happen. That means you have complete control over when and where you transform and that the nanobots aren't going to act against your will. That's a good thing, a very good thing. A lot of the time, when a lot of heroes get there powers, they have hurt people around them because they weren't able to control them."

She let out a sigh then she looked Vance in the eyes,

"You have a distinct advantage in that sense, and also that you are not particularly powerful considering the standard of the city. If anything happens that you might be forced against your will to do anything bad, there are a dozen or so heroes who can show up and stop you in your tracks without breaking a sweat, and another dozen who can break whatever mental grip whoever dares has on you. Not to mention myself, who will personally punch whoever tries to do anything like that to you in the groin."

[Fox]

Dragonfly tapped a finger against her leg, pondering that. "Possibly untrue. Suspect alien cells have been altered...nanites certainly capable of regulation. Can probably manifest a surprisingly vast array of powers, with correct stimulus. Unsure of limits...would need extensive study or original creator's notes to be sure. Mechanisms for certain effects are unknown, but if they can be replicated by his--"

She paused, blinking, looking back and forth between Sil and her (apparently somewhat panicked) companion. "....but, ah, unlikely. And, yes, conscious control. Can 'lock down' changes with concentration and practice, I believe. Also...your brain, no. ...yes. Sort of. Widespread colonization of grey matter is dangerous...degeneration concerns, rejection, insani---mm. Nanites have very careful safeguards against it. Minimal intrusion, contained to secondary or lower-function pathways. Only what they need to do their job. Input only," she stressed, "cannot effect mental changes. Certainly not against your will."

[Carces]

"That's a... That's a definite relief." Creature Feature breathed a sigh of relief again after Dragonfly's explanation. "I suppose I'm rather lucky, then."

After a few long breaths, the cheerful smile returned to Creature Feature's face. He exclaimed in his excitement"And that means I can keep fighting crime! Right, Miss Sil?"

Vance celebrated and cheered. The whole thing was like a dream come true. If what the scientific genius said was true, and there was little doubt that it was, whatever was in those needles was in control. No mental changes. No insanities. No gruesome deaths or horrible biological explosions! Vance was in control.

Looking at Silhouette as he grinned from ear to ear, he knew he could use whatever this power was for the good of Freedom City and the world. Just like so many brave and stalwart legends before him, he'd be a Freedom City hero.

He turned back to Dragonfly. "Thank you again for all your help, doct... Er, Ma'am!"

[Aoiroo]

Sil glanced at Dragonfly, she was probably going to have to ask some things about what she was going to continue to say whnen Vance wasn't around.

"Well that settles that, which takes us to the next order of business."

Reaching into the plastic bag the VCR was in she pulled out an orange notepad which she flipped through for a couple of seconds before getting to her entry,

"On August 23rd of this year, between approximately four and five pm, the Video Head on twenty seventh street was visited by several armed and masked men. It was then thoroughly searched, but they did not find what they were looking for and instead abducted the owner a Ms. Lindsey Lights. It has been two months since this incident, and Ms. Lights has not been found. If it's a shadow investigation for finding this piece we can be certian that they probably haven't done a good job of interrogating her since we still have this and they do not. Do you think you can look into this?"

She also looked down at the VCR, which they didn't need to really exist at all anymore,

"Also, you can keep this, you can gut it completely, use it for research or whatever, we do not need this thing to be functioning anymore in the least. Especially since this is probably the only one of it's kind too if they really wanted to get there hands on it."

[Fox]

Dragonfly blinked, brushing a lock of hair out of her face. "Two months old...mm. Any other information on Ms. Lights? Medical conditions would be ideal...required medication, health concerns...."

Her mind wasn't really waiting for an answer, racing as she tried to piece together possible solutions with what she had. 27th - the Fens - poor neighborhood - high crime overworked police force - records news investigation notes - call in a favor at the PD?

[Carces]

"I dunno about any medical conditions..." Vance thought out loud while he mused about what he knew of Ms. Lights that could be of use. "Oh, but she did have a lightning cat. It looked like a real cat too, until, y'know, she picked it up and started firing lightning at the SHADOWy guys. Then it looked all cat-terminator-robot-gun and stuff." Creature Feature stroked his chin knowingly as he recounted the details of the cat to the best of his ability.

Unfortunately, it seemed to Vance that it was unlikely someone would get a license to own a robot-lightning-cat. Even then, a pet license probably wouldn't tell you much about a person.

[Aoiroo]

"Ms. Lights was in her late sixties, and in pretty good shape. She didn't smoke, didn't drink and seems to have outlived her last spouse. It probably helps that she was most likely a superheroine of some sort because you have to be in very good shape to fight crime even if you had powers. Which she probably didn't, if she needed a lightning cat."

That last part was one thing Vance never had to worry about but Sil did. The nightly raids proved to be good exercise but she still had to do regular cardio as well as some old flexibility exercises she used to do in middle school.

"I've been having a hard time getting info on her, but I'm sure there's probably a website that lists heroes based on there range of activity. For her it was probably something from the sixties to the late eighties probably before the Moore Act."

[Fox]

"Lightning-based in the pre-Moore years..."

Hmming and tapping her finger, Dragonfly pondered and puzzled. Turning her attention to the large array of computer screens she pulled herself up onto one of the precious few clear spots on the main worktable, folding her legs and resting her hands like she was meditating. Lights flickered and danced behind her eyes as the screens - slowly at first, but accelerating to a dizzying pace - started cycling through information: old articles, grainy news footage, and what looked suspiciously like the sort of extensive police records that civilians weren't supposed to have. hate to call in that favor - for a good cause - goodness knows what criminals would do with a retired superhero

When she spoke, her voice was - disturbingly - echoed by the speakers scattered around the warehouse, some of which seemed to be muttering snippets of thoughts or numbers that weren't really part of what she was saying. "This may take a little bit. There's soda in the kitchen to the right of the screens."

[Carces]

"Uh... thanks."

Vance had often associated the echoed sounds of a surreal technological presence with the dangerous psychotic AIs that were common in a number of science fiction horror shows. Despite the fact that the scientist was a friend of Silhouette and had managed to help him so far, Vance couldn't help but consider the similarities to the situation.

He ventured over to the kitchen, grabbing a can of soda from the fridge and popping it open before returning. He silently perused the screens until he found the still-running movie of "Revenge of the Wolfguy". He smiled as he recognized the movie's place, as a young woman was putting on her easily-broken high heels to take her midnight stroll in the safety of the incredibly dense fog.

As entertaining as a good horror film was, Vance did his best to remind himself that it might also be prudent to take the opportunity to assume a good night form - especially since things may take a while, and there was no telling when he'd be going home. While the guitar guy's image was an inconspicuous fit in the outside world, the ability to blend in was somewhat overrated in a warehouse filled with extraordinary and wondrous scientific devices.

[Aoiroo]

Sil just took a second to find an unoccupied chair and take a seat for the first time in a while. She glanced at the kitchen but let out a light sigh. As tempting as soda was she couldn't really partially remove her mask. Though it looked like it could be rolled up from the front it was actually sewn into the collar, making it really, an attached part of the costume that one would have to take off the top part from the back to remove. It was something she thought up becuase of the fact that someone pulling at her mask was a real possibility if she was ever knocked unconcious.

Glancing at the screen she tried to follow the flow of information but only caught bits and pieces of what was flying before she decided it was too much of a headache to watch. Instead she looked around at the place. There were probably a couple new projects in the work, she hadn't visited in a month and not she had come back asking favors. Given, there wasn't much she could do. She knew a couple of heroes, but far more of them knew her as Carrie then as Silhouette, and it would of been rather awkward explaining to any of them why she had a contraption like that in the first place. This almost instantly made her glance at Vance. Maybe she should give him lessons on lieing because he's learning an awful lot of secrets for a boy his age to keep. Not that she was a good liar herself.

Letting out another sigh she glanced at Vance and a question emerged. It was a simple question, but it was something that probably needed more thought then he might of put into it,

"So, what are you going to do next?"