video | un: iron.man

[buildsomething]

[The video flicks on to Tony's tired face, though he actually looks pretty good, considering that he's still mildly sick. He grins at the camera, though, the pleased look of someone who's managed something.]

Hey, so. For anyone still caught with this plague thing, I've got a...well, not a fix. A work around, maybe. A focused EMP seems to deactivate the nanities long enough for some of the symptoms to fade, at least for a little while. It doesn't get rid of the things entirely, but it should give you a nice break from feeling like shit.

I'd like to thank my lovely assistants for working with me on this.

[The camera pans across the workroom to focus on the couch, and the two bodies sprawled on it. The eagle-eyed might recognize one (or both) of them as Bucky Barnes, but the way they're both just kind of slumped in a heap makes it kind of hard to tell. It's not that large a couch.

One of them twitches slightly, and there's a snort as Tony turns the camera back on himself.]

That's it for now. I'm still working on a more permanent solution, but magic is really not my thing. Someone else wants to have a crack at that part, be my guest.

[A sudden crash comes from what seems like the vicinity of that couch, and Tony gives the screen a sardonic look before the feed cuts.]

Comments

[buildsomething]

Kinky. I'm not sure we're at the safewords step of a relationship yet.

[buildsomething]

[Tony just snorts.]

Yeah, I bet you would. But my point is, you could put him to work.

[nobasisinfact]

Do you have a rough estimate of how long the nanites are disabled?

[buildsomething]

Not yet. Minimum of half an hour, though from the sounds of things the EMPs get less effective every time you try them.

[wingedman]

He's... [Sam wiggles a hand.] Starting to get sick, not that he'll ever admit it.

[Sam has A Type.]

[nobasisinfact]

Disappointing, but that would make sense concidering the other factor involved.

[anotheroldsoldier]

He's the one who needs the haircut. I went to the barber last month.

[anotheroldsoldier]

[Bucky is pretty relieved he's lasted this long without falling into a coma, but still. A 'hey, that's great' probably wouldn't be welcome right now when he feels like death warmed over. It doesn't feel great.]

Plenty of people have. [He waves a hand vaguely.] I volunteered. He's a friend.

[anotheroldsoldier]

We ain't kids who need managing, Steve. [Someone's cranky.]

[anotheroldsoldier]

I'm fine, Steve. I feel better than I did a couple days ago. Not sure if it'll be a permanent fix, but I'm still awake. [He hasn't collapsed yet, that's something, right?]

[anotheroldsoldier]

Todd. [Jason gets a slight smile when Bucky pulls out his phone to try and salvage his reputation a little.] Gonna live, unfortunately. Doesn't always feel like it, but I'll be back out to boss you around before you know it.

[latrodectus]

I don't know why you ever let it get long.

[latrodectus]

Hopefully they'll see this.

[ Natasha has a very specific skillset, and magic is not part of it. The less spoken of that once incident involving Doctor Druid, the better. ]

I've gotten no compliments on my bedside manner.

[krasnaya_vdova]

[It takes a bit for her to respond, but texting while sick and half-delusional is a skill. Albeit without the energy for sarcasm.]

Thanks.

How are they doing?

[Bucky & Bucky, she means.]

[nostalgiabomb]

It's, uh. Pretty extensive. The cybernetics and mods, I mean.

[ Peter's never really gotten the specifics from Gamora, but he's reasonably sure she has modifications throughout her body, and if knocking out the nanites or whatever also means knocking out something super, astoundingly important, then maybe this isn't a viable stopgap. ]

How long's it good for?

[nostalgiabomb]

Yeah, I know.

[ And there's one person in particular that Peter has in mind when he says that. It goes unseen, but his jaw clenches briefly before he forces his tone back into something more conversational. ]

Still. Friend or not, that's pretty ballsy. I've got a buddy back home who's constantly tinkering with new weapons and tools. Seriously awesome stuff, a lot of the time, but I still wouldn't let him within fifty feet of me unless he was absolutely sure it wouldn't blow up in my face.

[seeingscarlet]

Are you sick?

[Should she...make them all soup or something? That's a kind of olive branch, isn't it?]

video @ frankenstein

[jolting]

Yeah, I figured an EMP would help. I've also been using a device that detects nanites in a body, which has been helpful in diagnosing.

I'm afraid I don't have a suggestion for the magic side of this hybrid. The most powerful spell I know of was used and it didn't work. I have seen magic successfully used to eliminate something created by combining magic and science, so if you know someone able to use magic willing to consult, maybe we can put our heads together.

[livingsymbol]

[Steve frowns a bit more.]

I guess not.

[livingsymbol]

[For Bucky, the serious concern is still there in Steve's expression.]

If you're sure. You think it's really stopping that virus?

[anotheroldsoldier]

No, just keeping it at bay temporarily. There's a magic component, I don't think anybody's cracked it yet. [His expression grows a little more serious, because he might say he's fine, but he knows he's not. Not for long.

He switches over to a private line after a moment.]

[private]
If they don't figure this thing out, I'm going to fall into a coma like everyone else. I left paperwork on the kitchen table granting you power of attorney over me and my assets, in case I'm out for a while.

[anotheroldsoldier]

Anything is better than lying in bed, doing jack shit except waiting to go into a coma. [And he won't admit it out loud to a stranger, but he trusts Tony the way he doesn't trust a lot of people. This isn't his world's Tony, but he's become inner circle, so to speak, earned Bucky's trust and respect.]

I'm no genius, and I don't know anything about magic except that I hate it, so playing test subject is all I can do while I'm still awake.

[anotheroldsoldier]

I don't. Least not that I can remember.

[Barring that period of time where he had no choice in things like that. One of the first things he did when he got his head back was cut his hair, and at this point in time, he's kept it short.]

[buildsomething]

[Tony arches an eyebrow, but just nods once, looking thoughtful.]

Still working on figuring that out. Minimum half an hour, so far.

[buildsomething]

You'll forgive me if I'm not shocked.

[From what he knows about his Natasha...]