@sparrow; video

[flowlikewater]

[ The video feed opens with a very closed in camera angle of Genji in his full cyborg armor attire. It's impossible to tell what his expression is and it's very much the point. His back and shoulders seem awkwardly stiff, like he forgot how to seem casual all of a sudden. ]

I have... a question. What is the usual protocol when someone here discovers they may be developing an 'ability'— [ Finger quotes and all. ] —that they did not have before? Because—

[ Genji’s words are cut short abruptly by a shriek that could only belong to his darling roommate. Then hurried steps across hardwood floors can be heard before the phone is seized from Genji’s hands and into view comes Hana, who looks a bit red-nosed and glassy-eyed. Her brows are furrowed as she peers into the camera, frown pulling at her lips. ]

We. Need. Help!

[ Then the view switches to the phone’s outer camera, which reveals that their surroundings - their apartment - is just crawling with vines, leaves, flowers, everything. In the center of this view is Hana’s neon-lit, super souped up gaming rig, which the plants are slowly creeping onto. ]

Genji has plant magic now and— eh-chyi [ that’s a sneeze, apparently ] I’m dying. They’re attacking me!

[ It's obvious now why Genji was so visibly awkward. He clears his throat, it sounding like static through his helmet modulation. ]

It is not quite as... urgent, but. Any advice or assistance would be appreciated. [ He picks off a little plant seedling that was growing in the crevices of his armor. ] And maybe any recommendations for good allergy medicine as well...?

Comments

[flowlikewater]

Well, some of these are quite literally alien. Your immune system is probably just not familiar with the pollen or bacteria.

[ He's not a doctor or a scientist, but you pick up on a few things when you've spent a good chunk of the past decade being tinkered with by people with tons of PhDs.

Genji sighs again and leans back on his heels. ]

I do not think this will do much. Maybe you should take Pacchan and your computer to a hotel for a few days?

[bunnyhopped]

[ tfw your best friend and your uncle are flirting or something?? please let her live???

In any case, Hana shrugs at both Cisco and Genji's reactions to her reaction before she takes to peering over the edge of the couch's backrest as Genji is promptly cuffed - then she's glancing over to where her rig is, hoping that the power dampening stops the plants' rampage onto her precious machine. Sure enough, it does, and Hana gives a stuffy sigh of relief. Relief that is interrupted at Genji's comment and also by another onslaught of tiny sneezes. ]

Huh? Wait, do you even have a real back?

[ That's a joke, she knows he does. But what a weird question?? She turns to Cisco then and says, ]

You didn't happen to bring a back scratcher with you too, did you?

[bunnyhopped]

Nope.

[ is she telling the truth?? We just don't know! ]

[franciscoramon]

[ That second between when Cisco puts the cuffs on Genji and when all the plants go limp and still is a very long one. The sigh that Cisco lets out when all the vines stop wriggling around is undeniably one of relief. He might have acted confident, running over with these, but it's clear just from that reaction that he wasn't entirely sure it would work. Not everyone here has powers that mimic metahuman abilities closely enough that his tech can work on them. He knows for a fact that those cuffs do absolutely nothing on magic users, for instance, like Taako or Lup. ]

This is only for now. I can replicate the power-dampening tech on something less-

[ And now, thanks to Hana and her teasing, Cisco has to pause to really go through his entire vocabulary for what synonym is going to sound the least BDSM. Thanks for that, Hana. ]

-less, um, obstructive.

[ When Genji says his back is itching, and makes that small rolling movement with his shoulders, the corner of Cisco's mouth turns down in a frown. He knows exactly what's happening, has felt the exact same thing as he was designing and building these cuffs, testing them on himself. ]

Yeah that's sort of an... unfortunate side effect. Never heard anybody say it's an itchy back before, but you can expect a sort of overall icky feeling. It's not gonna get any worse, but it's not gonna go away, either. Not while you've got those bad boys on.

[ He shoots Hana a you're not helping look when she asks if he brought a back scratcher - just a quick look and a widening of his eyes, though there's a fondness in it, too. ]

No, but if you keep sassing I'm not gonna give you your present, either.

[ A threat he clearly doesn't intend to follow through on, because immediately he fishes in his pocket and pulls out a little single-serving (?) packet of anti-histamines, lobbing it over in Hana's direction. ]

Wouldn't mix that shit with caffeine unless you want a trip straight to the astral plane.

[ And then, as if on cue, Cisco is the one who sneezes - there really is an insane amount of pollen in the air. Sniffling a little, he turns to Genji and asks: ]

Okay. Now. What the hell happened?!

[flowlikewater]

[ This is giving him flashbacks to when his father or brother had to go bail him out of the drunk tank when he was younger. Although with decidedly less visible disappointment.

At least the cuffs won't chafe his wrists. He fiddles a bit as the strange feeling kind of settles over him. It's like... a mild pressure, a foggy sort of haze. Almost like he's lost one of his senses.

And he playfully rolls his eyes at Hana. ] About 60% of one, yes. Where do you think the tattoo—

[ He pauses and looks down at the glowing blue of his handcuffs. ] Oh, yes. It's suppressing that too.

[ As Cisco chats with Hana for a second, he ponders the implications of this. Thinks about how mad it would probably make his brother too. At least here, he's with friends he trusts.

After Cisco sneezes he turns back to look at him. He fiddles with his arms in a hapless sort of attempt at a shrug. ]

I... don't know? I noticed I was developing some kind of ability within the past couple weeks. It wasn't this— this. Until yesterday.

(video) un: shigeru miyata

[mysophobic]

[ Well this is...something. Shigeru isn't exactly sure what he expected but it wasn't this?! He looks a bit alarmed at first but he'll offer a small smile. ]

I can come over and try to help out, if you'd like? I-I might even be able to cure Hana of her allergies, and maybe get rid of some of those plants.

video;

[flowlikewater]

[ Oh no, Shigeru seeing all of this... Genji's face is definitely red now. ]

I, ah— I think if you can help Hana that would be great. I think we've got the... bigger issue contained for the time being.

[ Aka the handcuffs Cisco brought. ]

[flowlikewater]

[ Gintoki is definitely giving Genji a better impression now. People have to make a living, right? ]

I can't think of anything right off hand. Unless you're also a doctor and can help Hana with her allergies.

video;

[mysophobic]

[ He smiles happily there and then, just to make Genji feel a little less embarrassed. ]

It's a...really great power for you. It suits you. [ Even if the circumstances of it are a bit wild, Shigeru can definitely see Genji using his powers for nothing but good. ]

I'll come over then? It now okay? I can help you clean up too.

[bunnyhopped]

[ His explanation does check out, she thinks, but that doesn't make things suck any less. ]

But—

[ And there's another sneeze. ]

I don't want to leave until we figure out how to help you...

video

[bunnyhopped]

[ Look at this face. Please help her. ]

ShigeruI'mdyinghelpme...

[bunnyhopped]

[ Even in her ailing state, Hana manages to catch the packet like the MVP that she is. She's examining it as she comments, ]

Honestly a trip straight to the astral plane sounds great right about now...

[ And she'll just sort of melt into the couch as they try and figure this stuff out. ]

It's like, Genji woke up today and all the plants were just, okay time to dial it up to seventeen.

video

[mysophobic]

[ Oh no that face?! Don't worry Hana Shigeru is gonna help! ]

I'm going to help, don't worry! My powers should actually be able to fix your allergies in general.

[ He can reform her cells so that they don't release antihistamines upon plant pollen contact. ]

[flowlikewater]

[ Leave it to his dear boyfriend to make him feel better and flustered all at the same time. He wants to cover his face but he can't with his hands currently bound.

So he just smiles a little sheepishly. ]

Thank you... I just hope I can figure out how to get a handle on it soon. And you can come over whenever you like. We're just trying to make it... manageable.

[flowlikewater]

[ Ah... Genji tries to hide a small little smile. He knew for all her protesting, it was mostly in jest. ]

I have full faith we can figure this out. Maybe I just need to meditate throughout the night.

[ He figures passing into the Iris would make answers easier, but he has not the enlightenment of his Master. Yet, anyway. ]

[mysophobic]

Is...is that why your hands are bound? [ He frowns a little when he sees the cuffs on his wrists. ]

That's...suppressing your powers, right? [ He doesn't sound very happy about that either. But after his last encounter with such a device it's no secret that he doesn't really...like them all that much. ]

But I'm going to come over soon. [ He's actually already getting up from his seat to do so. ]

text; @altin

[bringbackgold]

It'll just...take time to control from what I've seen.

[ But wow ]

That looks more destructive than the other time I've seen people get powers.

[flowlikewater]

[ Ah, he never wanted to upset him... ]

It is, yes. But it's just temporary and I agreed to it. So don't worry. [ He shifts a little. ] I want to be able to control it.

[ He smiles a little tiredly. ] Then I'll be waiting for you.

[bunnyhopped]

i don't have time otabek im going to DIE

[ she's being dramatic ok ]

[bringbackgold]

Take something for allergies? I'm sure someone at a pharmacy can give you a good answer on types of medicine.

And I don't think you're going to die.

[naturallywavy]

I'm touched you have that much faith in me already to think for the slight second that I'm a doctor.
_{[ He's not smiling, but his voice sounds more friendly at least. ]}

I'll be over in a second to deal with the main problem here.
_{[ it's you, Genji. You're the main problem. That's what he doesn't say. ]}

[naturallywavy]

I mean.. that's fine. I don't really nag about him either back home myself.
_{[ He doesn't. Well, he doesn't all the time. He has before though. RIP Zura who has to hear it all. ]}

[franciscoramon]

Your dragon spirit?

[ He'd seen it only in a dream, but it surprises Cisco, that that ability also can be suppressed by the cuffs. There must be some part of it that came from Genji's DNA. That was the only explanation. Which is a fascinating thing to think about - for another day.

Cisco opens his mouth to joke why didn't you tell me sooner?!, but he thinks better of it. He would have to be the multiverse's biggest hypocrite to say that, even in a teasing and fond way. Hadn't he hid his powers from everyone, for not just a couple weeks, but for months? And even if Genji seems to be handling all of this with relative calm, that doesn't mean he isn't scared. Perhaps he's just hiding it better.

The last thing that Cisco wants is for Genji's first experiences with these powers to be anywhere near as awful as his own first experiences with his. He would do just about anything, to prevent that. So he just smiles, nodding, sympathy in his expression as he sets his hands on his hips and surveys the room around them. ]

You can't go off to the astral plane yet, Hana. I think it's gonna take all three of us to clean up this mess. Unless you want your place to stay like this.

[ There were vines everywhere, and flowers, too. The effect is surreal and beautiful for now, but the quicker it gets cleaned up, the more damage to the structure of the house and it's furniture they can prevent. There's just one complication to that.

He fishes in his back pocket, pulling out a little swiss army knife and glancing nervously to Genji. Chewing his lower lip, he walks over to a little tendril of vine curling around the front door handle. ]

I'm gonna test somethin', okay, Genji? You just, um. Tell me if you can feel this.

[ And, with the quickness and resolve of ripping off a bandaid as fast as possible, Cisco cuts off the little vine where it branches off, looking at Genji to see if he winces, if there is some kind of connection between his body or mind and the vines themselves, even with those cuffs on. ]

[mysophobic]

O-Okay, if you're sure. [ He doesn't really like it but he knows Genji is in good hands with Hana there and him coming over shortly. ]

I'll bring something to eat too. [ Because using all that magic is probably exhausting?! But Shigeru will show up a half an hour later with a bag filled with delicious smelling food. He'll give a little knock on the door waiting for Genji to answer it. ]

[flowlikewater]

Yes, I believe so. It's a very odd feeling. [ 'Only a Shimada can control the dragons' after all. The ability to tap in this power quite literally running in the family makes about as much sense as anything else.

He gives Cisco a tired little look. ]

I was waiting until I understood it better before I mentioned anything but, well. It apparently decided that for me.

[ He watches Cisco curiously. Genji hadn't felt it when he fiddled with the plants, but he wonders...

But he feels nothing when Cisco does it and shakes his head. ]

I do not think I am 'connected'— [ He tries to finger quotes but forgets his hands are bound, just making an odd little gesture. ] —in a literal sense. I think I am just... influencing it? Inspiring growth? The worst yet best case of green thumb?

[ A pause and he looks to Hana. ] Do not start calling me that, by the way.