ic Visiting Hours (IC)

[Gizmo]

"Oh, ha. Well, I wouldn't have minded that much, but my brother tends to be a spazz about that stuff." She paused for a long moment before offering, "It was my dad, for me. Don't actually know the guy that well, but yeah. Long line of magic, French super-soldier types, apparently." She took one hand off of her cup to brush her black bangs away, ignoring them as they slipped passed the bandanna covered ear to land back in front of her eyes. "Still getting used to the whole 'powers' thing."

[Fox]

She raised an eyebrow. "Probably a shock. Seems to get a reaction of...." Dragonfly paused, searching for an appropriate word. "....disturbance. From people who discover or develop powers. Have a hard time judging...always had mine. Actually weaker now than it was when I was young. Don't really have a baseline for...mmh. 'Normal'? Still. Will try to help if you need anything."

[Gizmo]

"Oh, hey, no, I'm fine! I mean, stuff happens, right? Whatever." Jill waved he free hand dismissively back and forth through the air in front of her quickly. Her cheeks coloured slightly in embarrassment, but her crimson mask and deep skin tone managed to conceal it well. "So. Thanks, still, but it's cool." The offer of assistance actually meant a lot to her, but she felt a irrational but insistent need to look good in front of the wildly successful technical genius.

[Fox]

"If you're certain," Dragonfly replied, peering into her now-empty coffee cup to make sure it was truly dry. "Offer stands. Mostly only good at building things, but will lend a hand if it's ever wanted."

She pushed herself back upright, stretching a bit. "French super-soldiers, you said? Do you speak it? French, I mean."

[Gizmo]

"Thanks," Jill repeated, this time more quietly, genuine gratitude colouring her voice as a small smile pulled at the corner of her mouth despite her attempts at composed aloofness. "French? Oh, ah, no, actually. Like I said, papá cut out before I was born. Supposedly for our own good, but it's not like the evil wizards didn't try to kill us anyway and wow does that make me sound like a crazy person when I say it out loud," she grimaced wryly. "Anyway, spoke English and Spanish growing up, and I'm pretty good with Latin these days, but there wasn't anybody around to teach me French. Men, huh?"

[Fox]

Dragonfly snorted in agreement. "Fathers. Mmh. A shame, though. It's a beautiful language." She hit the elevator button, frowning. "May be slightly biased there. Admit I don't speak either Spanish or Latin. Latin is...for the magic? Uneducated guess. Seems a common theme in magic-users I've met so far."

[Gizmo]

"Hm? Ah, no, the Latin is for the medicine, actually!" Jill chuckled, tossing her cup in the receptacle located next to the elevator. "Textbooks, that sort of thing. I'm not really a... eugh, spellcaster? I guess? I'm still magic, apparently, but I control it the way other metahumans control fire or magnets whatever. Kinda cheaty, but." The younger woman shrugged, gloved palms upward. She'd begun doing some research into the specific nature of her abilities, but hadn't made much progress. Her brother was no help, and the few relevant books she'd found in the Claremont library had proven surprisingly temperamental.

[Fox]

"Aah. Poor assumption, then. Apologies. Surprised, though." The elevator dinged and the doors opened, Dragonfly stepping inside and waiting for Jill before pushing the button for floor 9. "Suspect not many people learn a whole language for their medical studies. Not unless they're forced to. Could be wrong...not sure what college requirements tend to be. Still. Shows dedication." There was a good amount of respect in her voice - medicine may not be an area she knew much of, but studying things to dedicate yourself to a craft...that she knew, and considered worthy of complement.

[Gizmo]

Following Dragonfly into the elevator, Jill pursed her lips. "Pfft, you don't have to apologize, c'mon." She ginned ruefully as the elevator doors closed and they began moving downward. "Actually learning Latin is the sort of thing a legitimately crazy person would do, so s'flattering more than anything." Her expression grew more serious as her mouth set in a hard line. "I do okay, but I'm not super smart like you guys, so I have to work at it, right? Not going to wait around until somebody else says I'm ready to learn how to save lives."

[Fox]

Dragonfly just rolled her eyes, but she smiled a little. "Smart enough, obviously. And 'super smart' isn't always worth the cost." The elevator ride down was only a couple floors, accomplished in no time. She stepped out into a hallway, leading Jill past some empty rooms and offices. "But a good philosophy. I like it. Doesn't waste time. Makes sure you live on your own terms - very important."

She opened a door into a reasonably-sized office - one whole wall was almost entirely window, with a pretty good view out into Hanover. A large, wheeled whiteboard sat against one wall, covered in scribbles and equations that seemed to make liberal use of symbols not found in most textbooks; every other available surface was covered in widgets, parts, and half-completed devices or diagrams. The desk, especially, was almost completely dominated by a large flat platform turned upside-down, the base plate missing and exposing a lot of machinery that...seemed to continue, impossibly, several feet right down into the desk itself. "My...office," Dragonfly noted rather unnecessarily. "Feels weird to say...mmh. Anyway. Not much special, but private, and comfortable. Nice view."

[Gizmo]

"I hear that," Jill agreed emphatically as she followed Dragonfly out of the elevator and through the hallway of the new floor. "'Living on your own terms'. Definitely an 'easier said than done' scenario, but the studying thing I've got down, at least." There was a weary note in the teen's voice, but it was mingled with enough self-aware humour to avoid coming across as bitterness.

She moved about the office a bit, murmuring appreciatively at the view of the city before glancing over at the desk and pausing. "Wow, you really weren't kidding about that 'bending the laws of physics' thing, huh?"

[Fox]

"'Live is pain,'" Dragonfly wryly quoted, tilting her head. "'Anyone who says differently is selling something.' Look forward to one day getting my own tour, however. Your hospital, or whatever you decide to use your skills for." She paused, and then grimaced. "Sorry, didn't mean to sound like...not intended as pressure. Encouragement, maybe. Wishing you success for some definition of the word. Not...don't always phrase things well." Sighing, she followed Jill's gaze to the platform.

"Mmh. Yes. ....funny to hear from someone who's magic. Tinker with that off and on. Part of a set of four...want to see what they do?"

[Gizmo]

"Little pressure's a good thing, yeah?" Jill grinned lopsidedly. "I appreciate the vote of confidence, anyway. And I get having trouble saying what you mean sometimes, too," she added with a commiserating sigh. Sometimes it felt like the only time she wasn't letting her mouth get ahead of her brain was when she was avoiding revealing anything at all.

"Touché. At least I'm bending the laws of physics the traditional way!" the coltish teen laughed. "Go for it, now I'm all curious."

[Fox]

"Hmph," Dragonfly snorted, opening a closet - also piled high with gizmos and gadgets, most of them obviously not complete - and pulling out a matching pair of platforms. "Magic. Lucky you don't wake up with tentacles or something. Turn people into frogs all you want," she ribbed, setting the pair up near each other and standing on one. "I...will stick with science." She hit a little switch in the corner of her platform; both machines, in perfect sync, made a sound like a capacitor charging up....

....and nothing happened. The young woman scowled and gave her device a swift kick.

Suddenly there were two of her, one on each machine. Both Dragonflies flickered now and again but seemed awfully solid and real, lightly illuminated from below by light escaping through the seams of the physics-warping craftsmanship underfoot. "Not quite perfected yet," started the Dragonfly on the right, frowning. "Still slightly unstable."

"Still," countered the Dragonfly on the left, head tilted. "Designed to work as a system of four. To be expected."

[Gizmo]

"Well, now I'm all glad I didn't put on the sexy spiderweb corset this morning," Jill drawled as Dragonfly pulled out her equipment and went about setting it up, ineffectively attempting to stifle a laugh as the petite inventor delivered a quick thump with her boot. "Sorry, that was just kinda cuuuuuoh my goodness, there's two of you." The healer placed one hand lightly on her chest as she blinked, looking back and forth between the pair. "And you're both- that's, uh- is this like that thing with the cat in the box?"

[Fox]

"Mmh. No, Schrödinger's cat is more a commentary on the absurdity of--"

"Not...really important," the other Dragonfly interjected. "Platforms...mmh. It's a trick. With a lot of physics. Reality is...flexible. Platforms...convince reality that they all exist in one spot, and so should everything above them. Reality believes them, and I exist in more than one spot at once, independently. Contained divergent reality. Both of 'me' are real, can touch things, move things. Think, feel."

The interrupted Dragonfly was tapping a finger on her leg, but nodded. "With one major problem. Effect is local. Can't...mmh." The pair raised an eyebrow at each other, frowned, and played a quick game of rock-paper-scissors. The loser sighed and put her arm out to her side, beyond the edge of the platform...where it promptly disappeared, dissolving away into thin air. "Can't actually exist beyond the platform. Platform can't be very large, either. Power requirements are...unkind." The 'first' Dragonfly - the original - reached down and flicked a switch, the duplicate shrugging as she twitched and disappeared. "Still working on it. For a good cause. Original idea was to play a multi-instrument piece of music solo, if you can believe it. Project...evolved."

She reached down to turn the platforms back on their side, shoving them toward the closet...and then paused, blinking. "Sexy spiderweb....?"

[Gizmo]

"Uh. Wow. That's, uh... You just made that?" Jill leaned back against the far wall, obviously impressed and a bit flabbergasted. "Corset," she replied absently, still focused on the platforms for a moment until she managed to switch gears. "I- oh! Oh, Dios, sorry. I make dumb jokes sometimes. My family is pretty... outgoing, sometimes I don't adjust for public." She tugged at the bottom of her long sleeved midriff top self consciously. "This shirt seemed like a totally good idea until I actually have to have a two minute long conversation with anybody wearing it," she admitted, her cheeks taking on a ruddy hue. "I wouldn't actually- I mean, okay, I maybe had a goth phase a few years ago, but that stuff wouldn't even fit anymore. Hello, containment issues!" After a beat, she shoved her palm into her face. "I make dumb jokes when I'm flustered, too. Sorry, sorry."

[Fox]

Dragonfly had turned a nice red herself, eyes a little unfocused as her brain (ever helpful) paid very close attention to everything Jill had said. She got her faculties back under control eventually, though, and fumbled with getting the platforms back into their place until the worst of the blush had faded and she felt a little better about turning around and having her face seen again. Well, half-seen, anyway. love my visor - pick something safe to comment on "The shirt is...fine. Probably a little cold, but looks good on you. Not like some heroes don't...wear less. Most won't judge like the receptionist. Though admit I try to dress more conservatively in public myself; never know what people might think. Can always save 'just the overalls' for when I'm alone. Comfortable and lack of shirt's sleeves is safer but not really...hahh. Mmh."

for the love of - change the subject - you were asked a question? "Ah. Not really...didn't quite 'just make' the platform." She coughed, pointing at the open and unfinished platform on the desk. "Developed them on and off for the last...mmh. Six months? About that. Fairly limited. Has given me a couple insights into a smaller, portable design that could project 'copies' at a short distance...power requirement would be enormous."

[Gizmo]

"'Just the'-? Argh, now I'm doing it." Jill rubbed the bridge of her nose thoroughly before removing her hand from her face and spreading her arms emphatically. "Okay, no more awkwardly over-informative wardrobe talk. Gah. So, how about that science, huh?" Composing herself with some effort, the coltish teen took a slow breath. "You've got a way to be in two places at once. That's- I mean, I don't even have to tell you, but that's freaking huge."

[Fox]

Dragonfly grimaced. "Good plan. Science." focus "Not that huge - stuck to one spot, remember. Poor range, large power drain. Interesting as an experiment but not too useful or practical yet. Might be huge if I had a way to make it smaller, portable. Longer-lasting. Underlying technology is very, very dangerous - would never market it or supply it to the public. Limits ultimate utility. Unfortunately true of a lot of what I build. Just not safe in the wrong hands."

[Gizmo]

"Okay, first? You are so full of it," Jill insisted, crossing her arms under her chest as a vaguely amused smirk pulled at her lips despite her attempts to look stern. "There is no way you're so astoundingly smart that you built that and simultaneously so dumb that you don't know how freaking cool that is." The taller girl's expression flickered to one of legitimate concern. "Second, though, are we talking 'dangerous in the wrong hands' or 'dangerous to the user and I'm being my own guinea pig'? 'Cause that bit where one of you winked out of existence makes me nervous."

[Fox]

Dragonfly frowned, making a face at the incomplete machine on her desk. "It isn't done," she noted, defensively. "And too limited. Not practical or useful outside very specific applications. Good for showing off, but not...cool would be something with more utility. Light-weight, useful somehow. The projector idea. Power cells wouldn't last longer than a few minutes at first but it would at least be something...."

The taller girl's expression flickered to one of legitimate concern. "Second, though, are we talking 'dangerous in the wrong hands' or 'dangerous to the user and I'm being my own guinea pig'? 'Cause that bit where one of you winked out of existence makes me nervous."

She suddenly clammed up, working her jaw as she tried to find a way to phrase things. "Dangerous is...mmh. Very dangerous in the wrong hands. Underlying technology has...other possible applications. Abuses. For the user....that isn't....not really....." She hesitated, shifting and looking a lot like she was trying to find words that made things seem as reasonable as possible. "No side-effects. Current working versions have....vanishingly small odds of catastrophic failure?"

[Gizmo]

Jill gave Dragonfly a long, flat look as he raised her hands in a gesture that implied a barely restrained urge to throttle something. Taking a deep breath, she let it out slowly before steepling her fingers under her chin. "Okay. 'Fly? Dear?" she began, her voice slightly strained, "That is not okay! As much as I like the idea of having more of you around, instantaneous oblivion is not an acceptable risk! Does anyone else even know you're working on this?"

[Fox]

Dragonfly wasn't really making eye contact, an effort greatly aided by her visor. "Not really 'instantaneous'," she noted, muttering. "Process would take at least several-...mmh. Not helping? Not helping."

She took a breath and tried again. "Proceed...very carefully, and am well aware of the risks. Never involve myself, physically, in any testing unless I'm nearly certain nothing irreversible will happen. Use mannequins before that. What mannequins I have left, anyway. Flight project is going through them at alarming rate. Ending up with a lot of kindling. Not very....sorry. Tangent?" She winced. "Not as reckless as it sounds. Consequences of accident or failure are...occasionally severe. But less likely than a car accident or injury while stopping crime. And nothing - nothing," she emphasized, finally looking Jill in the eyes again, "gets used in the field without extensive testing and failsafes. May...very infrequently endanger myself. Very infrequently. Not going to endanger anyone else."

[Gizmo]

"Not helping," Jill confirmed, narrowing her eyes slightly behind her bandanna mask. The widened again, a little taken aback, when Dragonfly looked back up, surprised by the vehement conviction in the inventor's voice. "I didn't mean- I'm not worried about anyone else, I'm worried about you," she insisted, unwilling to concede the point entirely. "Look, just... if you're going to try anything really dangerous, give me a call, okay? My forcefields are pretty sturdy and I'm pretty sure I've worked out how to regrow limbs with my healing powers. Not that that's an excuse to take dumb chances!" Reaching into her jacket pocket she retrieved a nondescript, convenience store cellphone. "Here, I'ma give you my super-secret, unlisted Jill O'Cure number."