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capeandcowl2013-01-30 02:23 pm
ex_engineers208) wrote in capeandcowl2013-01-30 02:23 pm
Entry tags:
eight □ video. joint.
[ The video opens on a sub-basement laboratory of the Xavier Institute. There stands who else but...Sydney Greenstreet? He gives the audience a small, knowing smile as he stands there in his rotundity in a black suit, holding a cigar. ]
Mm hmm hmm. I distrust a man whose trust for other men is determined more by his trusts than his distrusts. There is no trust without discretion, and in that scrutiny we develop the distrusts that determine our interactions with the world at large. I do like a man who tells you upfront that he distrusts you, saves the time of founding a trust that only disguises the true distrust present.
[ Once he's done he gives his audience a very stern look that holds for all of five seconds before it starts to crack, erupting into a hearty laugh. When he continues, his voice is different, now a rich, purring baritone that may sound familiar. ]
I'd like to present to you the X-Club's latest invention, a new take on an old classic... [ He fusses with something on his wrist, and his black suit turns with with a small red fez on his head that's more Casablanca than Maltese Falcon, until finally the illusion dissipates to reveal the slightly hunched form of Hank McCoy. ] ...the image inducer!
[ Hank straightens himself to his proper height, and the camera pans out to accommodate, now including Madison Jeffries in the picture to his left. ] This baby brings back memories. It works by projecting a hologram over its wearer, allowing them to appear however they like, and voice modulation to complete the disguise. Back in the day, those of us whose mutations were more visibly apparent used to use these to facilitate our free movement through society. These days, it doesn't really come up as often.
[ Madison cuts in, fiddling with something behind his back -- his hair looking a little off, pulled away from his face. ]
We still reckon it’s a highly utilitarian tool that might come in handy for imPortkind, if we iron out the kinks. Uh. We got a handful of secondary and tertiary projects bein’ worked on; most a’ them are distraction-like. "Distraction-like" only in that we have other primary projects, but they all have their applications. No matter how seemingly frivolous.
Actually! [ Hank nudges Madison with his elbow with an excited grin. ] Why don't we show them that other one we finished yesterday?
Aaah. [ For a second, Madison looks rather uncomfortable -- mortified, mostly. ] We don’t gotta show them everythin’. [ Hank spreads his arms, his smile growing wider. ] Ohhh, none of that now! There's no need to be shy.
[ Madison throws him a mildly despairing look, then reaches behind his head to pull off what appears to be a rubber band; his hair falling down in a rather luxurious, white-streaked wave. Hank beams. ]
He’s buyin’ me a haircut later. Entirely worth it. [ Madison sighs, blowing a loose strand away from his face. Vaguely, with a wave: ] It’s a, uh. Hair thing. T’sall. Enzymatic overdrive a’ follicular cells, yadda yadda. Whatever. Guaranteed to give you hair like Ka-Zar overnight! [ Hank says it with a wink. ]
Anyhoo, we’re on the tail end a’ publishin’ the results a’ the headline project, but if y’wanna donate a hint a’ tissue for the sciences... it’d be much obliged, yeah? There were some concerns last time it came up that I wasn't... [ In the mood to deal with. ] ...available to answer, that we'd like to be more upfront with now. What we're looking for for is proof of physiological connections between imPorts that are absent in the native populace, so obviously we'll need a reasonably sized sampling pool of imPort volunteers.
So, y’know, with that lil’ hint a’ clarity -- please? We got cash, alright?
[ They both give big, slightly desperate smiles for the camera before the feed cuts. ]
red is madison, blue is hank
Mm hmm hmm. I distrust a man whose trust for other men is determined more by his trusts than his distrusts. There is no trust without discretion, and in that scrutiny we develop the distrusts that determine our interactions with the world at large. I do like a man who tells you upfront that he distrusts you, saves the time of founding a trust that only disguises the true distrust present.
[ Once he's done he gives his audience a very stern look that holds for all of five seconds before it starts to crack, erupting into a hearty laugh. When he continues, his voice is different, now a rich, purring baritone that may sound familiar. ]
I'd like to present to you the X-Club's latest invention, a new take on an old classic... [ He fusses with something on his wrist, and his black suit turns with with a small red fez on his head that's more Casablanca than Maltese Falcon, until finally the illusion dissipates to reveal the slightly hunched form of Hank McCoy. ] ...the image inducer!
[ Hank straightens himself to his proper height, and the camera pans out to accommodate, now including Madison Jeffries in the picture to his left. ] This baby brings back memories. It works by projecting a hologram over its wearer, allowing them to appear however they like, and voice modulation to complete the disguise. Back in the day, those of us whose mutations were more visibly apparent used to use these to facilitate our free movement through society. These days, it doesn't really come up as often.
[ Madison cuts in, fiddling with something behind his back -- his hair looking a little off, pulled away from his face. ]
We still reckon it’s a highly utilitarian tool that might come in handy for imPortkind, if we iron out the kinks. Uh. We got a handful of secondary and tertiary projects bein’ worked on; most a’ them are distraction-like. "Distraction-like" only in that we have other primary projects, but they all have their applications. No matter how seemingly frivolous.
Actually! [ Hank nudges Madison with his elbow with an excited grin. ] Why don't we show them that other one we finished yesterday?
Aaah. [ For a second, Madison looks rather uncomfortable -- mortified, mostly. ] We don’t gotta show them everythin’. [ Hank spreads his arms, his smile growing wider. ] Ohhh, none of that now! There's no need to be shy.
[ Madison throws him a mildly despairing look, then reaches behind his head to pull off what appears to be a rubber band; his hair falling down in a rather luxurious, white-streaked wave. Hank beams. ]
He’s buyin’ me a haircut later. Entirely worth it. [ Madison sighs, blowing a loose strand away from his face. Vaguely, with a wave: ] It’s a, uh. Hair thing. T’sall. Enzymatic overdrive a’ follicular cells, yadda yadda. Whatever. Guaranteed to give you hair like Ka-Zar overnight! [ Hank says it with a wink. ]
Anyhoo, we’re on the tail end a’ publishin’ the results a’ the headline project, but if y’wanna donate a hint a’ tissue for the sciences... it’d be much obliged, yeah? There were some concerns last time it came up that I wasn't... [ In the mood to deal with. ] ...available to answer, that we'd like to be more upfront with now. What we're looking for for is proof of physiological connections between imPorts that are absent in the native populace, so obviously we'll need a reasonably sized sampling pool of imPort volunteers.
So, y’know, with that lil’ hint a’ clarity -- please? We got cash, alright?
[ They both give big, slightly desperate smiles for the camera before the feed cuts. ]
red is madison, blue is hank
no subject
[She doesn't want to make it sound like her friendships with others from her world are trivial, but even here they just... aren't very close. Still.] John came and went a dozen times. We had maybe two weeks together after working things out before he left for good more than a year ago. Boston was here for a while and I heard the Stranger was here before I arrived. [She neglects to mention her father. That would just open old wounds.]
no subject
Sounds might fleetin'. A dozen?
no subject
Mm, yeah. Something like that. Maybe a few more, maybe a few left. Just like him to come and go, though. Especially after working things out. [She huffs out a quiet "asshole."]
no subject
Are y'lookin' for the next time the guy shows up? Ain't harborin' a grudge?
no subject
[She actually has to think about that for a second.] No. I've loved him most of my life. If I were going to hold a grudge against him, it wouldn't be for leaving.
no subject
[ beat. ]
You're talkin' about the guy like he's your soulmate.
no subject
[That catches her off guard. For all that she has always thought they'd end up together, she's never thought of it like... well. That.] I... it's. It's complicated.
no subject
But, uh. I get it. Sorta. Y'like him. That's what matters, yeah?
no subject
I have a partner now. James is similar to him in some ways, but he's not a replacement. I wouldn't want him to be.
no subject
[ hesitates. ]
Oh. Glad things're workin' out for y'two. I mean, if you're happy ― y'are?
no subject
no subject
Y'never worry about what'll happen if the old guy comes back?
no subject
Sometimes.
no subject
Tryin' just ain't enough sometimes, y'know? It ain't close.
no subject
[But she wants to make this clear. A little strained:] I'm not suggesting that's how it is now. We have our ups and downs, but I'm happy for the most part.
no subject
[ tightly: ] Bein' happy?
no subject
I just fear I'm getting too old for games -- not all games, mind you. Just. Enough of them. [A pause while she rubs her neck.] I think we see eye-to-eye. I'm hoping for the best.