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.

[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.

[nobasisinfact]

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

[buildsomething]

The magic thing? Yeah, go figure.

[nobasisinfact]

How far has anyone gotten in identifying that component?

[He feels a bit dirty even potentially acknowledging that the possibility of the supernatural existing is real ... again.]

[buildsomething]

No idea, you'd have to ask one of the magic types. I'd hope one of them would mention if they'd figured it out.

[nobasisinfact]

So, as far as is known, no one is working from that end?

[buildsomething]

I mean I'm sure someone is, I personally just don't know about it.

[nobasisinfact]

[If Tony could hear him he'd have heard a suffering sigh.]

Have you heard of sacred geometry, theoretically?

[buildsomething]

Can't say I have. I take it we're not talking fractals?

[nobasisinfact]

Sacred geometry is a belief that ascribes sacred meaning to geometric shapes. Those found in both nature and those that are human-made. It can be found in temples, churches, mosques and even forests. It's based upon the belief that God is the geometer of the world.

There are also certain groups that subscribe to it having, magical properties and can be found in several rituals dating back earlier than the 1500s.

While I don't particularly believe in the supernatural, given this place's apparent penchant for it, it's possible that the correct sigil could assist in neutralizing the magical component of the illness.

[buildsomething]

Okay, but how would you even figure out what's the correct thing? I'm not going to just start chalking shapes around and hope that one of them works.

Isn't that the kind of thing you'd need some magical ability for anyway?

[nobasisinfact]

I have extensive knowledge on the subject, and there's a strong possibility the local library would have books on the subject.

The practice itself is more procedural based then innate ability.

[He might be cringing at that comment. There is no such thing as an innate ability for the supernatural because it doesn't exist. This whole conversation is drilling a hole in his soul; but if this is really his and Alex's delusion, there's a strong case for this to work.]

If you know the correct ritual and proform it properly, then, in theory, it should work.

[buildsomething]

So this is something you could do, is what you're saying.

[Having someone who knows what they're doing is always preferable to trying to teach someone new. At least as far as something like this is concerned.]

[nobasisinfact]

Concievably.

[It hurts so much to be talking about doing something like this, but if no one else is working with the man on this and it'll potentially help ...]

[buildsomething]

Okay, so. What do you need?

[nobasisinfact]

Space and something to practice on that isn't living.

[The rest of the materials he can get hold of himself.

Though really, Tony might want to find Richard's sanity, because he's now sure he lost it in that five-day coma.]

[buildsomething]

Would a nanite sample work?

[nobasisinfact]

Possibly. Organic would be better in this case.

[buildsomething]

Hard to have an organic sample with the nanite infection that isn't attached to a person.

[nobasisinfact]

I'll see what I can do with just the nanites.

[buildsomething]

I mean, what's the worry about trying it on a person?

[nobasisinfact]

I would prefer not to experament on human subjects.

[buildsomething]

My point here is that I'm offering. I'm infected. Unless we're talking like, possible loss of life and limb.