@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]

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.

[bunnyhopped]

[ Is Cisco suggesting that Hana... clean up around the house...?

If she could sink further into the cushions of the couch, she would. Except that she absolutely perks up, even sits up at Genji's comment. ]

Oh my god. That's it, that's your name now that you have plant super powers. The Green Thumb!

[franciscoramon]

And are you sure nothing happened this morning to catalyze all this? Bad dreams? Feeling stressed about work? Or did you get some really good news? I mean- you know my powers get triggered by fear- [ He darts a quick glance at Hana, remembering that he hadn't brought all that up, when he told her about his powers. He'd been focused on keeping it positive, and mentioning that his powers are in some ways linked to his PTSD is the opposite of that. ] -but Eddie's come from feeling, like, protective. Like a feeling of duty and responsibility, you know? It could be any kind of emotion or environmental factor that caused all this.

[ Now that he knows there is no connection between Genji and the plants, Cisco starts the work of tearing and cutting the vines away from the front door, at least. They're going to need better tools to deal with some of the thicker vines, but he wants to make sure they can get in and out, at the very least. As he works (with no sign of help from Hana, thanks a bunch), he continues chatting away, doing his best to keep things bright and banter-y and funny, because he's still a little worried about how Genji must be feeling right now. ]

That's right. If you've got powers now, you need a name, too. The Green Thumb's good, Hana. Love the concept. Except it sounds like Genji doesn't dig it, and also I gotta admit, there's a guy I knew back home who went by The Green Arrow who was a real dick sometimes, so I'm kinda off 'The Green Blank' names.

[ Cisco wrenches at a particularly thick-skinned vine clinging to the lintel of the door, teeth gritted as he suggests: ]

Lemme hit you with this: The Vine. It's simple. Descriptive. And... it means... we can do memes.

[ He does manage to get that vine free: the force of it does, however, send Cisco toppling over very ungracefully onto his butt. The things he does for friendship... ]

Yeahhhhh we might need to call in some professionals for all this.

[flowlikewater]

[ Genji thinks about it... this really only started becoming a problem after the 'date' he and Shigeru had at that kink expo. Which.... oh. Hm. Well. That's nice and awkward.

Genji clears his throat and shrugs, a little flushed suddenly. ]

'Good news,' I suppose. I haven't really had the chance to meditate the past few days either...

[ He sighs and looks up to the ceiling. ] I shouldn't have opened my big mouth. [ He's not really bothered though, just finds it amusing. There's no point in turning this into some dire affair. Just another hurdle for him to leap over, nothing he hasn't done before.

...not literally, but.

Genji chuckles though. ]

I wouldn't want to be tied down to a single color anyway. I might decide to go back to my old black and red color scheme one day, then it would just be confusing.

[ Genji goes to sit on the arm of the couch and looks over at Hana, speaking in a stage whisper. ] There goes Cisco and his old man references again. We need to get him up to speed.

[ Genji winces with him. ]

Some people expressed a desire to help over the network, so you don't need to trouble yourself. I appreciate it though.

[bunnyhopped]

[ To Cisco's fortune, perhaps, Hana doesn't quite catch what he says about his power being triggered by fear - or if she does, she doesn't give any indication of it. She's a bit out of it, having sneezed and coughed and been so congested basically since she'd gotten out of bed this morning that her head has been feeling woozy and full of static.

The Vine reference, however, definitely does not escape her notice or her desire to react. ]

Wait. Vine? Like, those old school video clips? Wow, that's ancient history, Cisco.

[ There's certainly a hint of affectionate teasing in her voice, though, however raspy it may be from her current condition. ]

[franciscoramon]

[ Cisco is relieved, when Genji says it was something good, that perhaps had led to all of this. Cisco hopes he's right - that he's telling the truth, and that whatever it was had been the actual cause. He's curious, of course, but Genji's answer seemed pointedly cryptic, so he isn't going to pry. Yet, anyway. He'll wait until Genji's not handcuffed and the house isn't a disaster. Cisco doesn't want him feeling cornered.

And he is also glad, when Genji leans over and starts making fun of him for his outdated references, calling him an old man. Not because he enjoys being mocked, of course (though he knows it is entirely without malice, and doesn't mind nearly as much as he pretends to). But it is a good sign, that Genji is feeling okay enough to crack jokes. That his sly sense of humor is still there, and he's feeling okay enough to crack wise. ]

Listen, you know what? You two wouldn't know ancient history if it bit you in the nose. Vine is timeless! Timeless, I tell you!

[ This poor boy is from 2015, no one tell him how short-lived this thing he treasures really ended up being. ]

And it's a good name, anyway! I was gonna keep brainstorming, but now I've made up my mind. You're the Vine and that's that.