genessia | two seconds (video)

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So I'm in a bit of a bind. I don't know who I can trust around here but at this point I don't have much a choice.

[She holds up the glowy harness she seems to wear all the goddamn time. The glowy bit, however, is wavering a little bit.]

Battery's low, and the charger is still in my flat in London. Without going into too much detail, this thing keeps me anchored to reality, and when it dies I'll turn into a living ghost until it can get charged up again. I'd REALLY like to avoid that. It's not pleasant.

It just runs on electricity, so I can't imagine it would be too hard for anyone who actually knew what they were doing to figure out what the voltage conversions would need to be. I'm not really an engineer, though, and I don't want to short it out.

I don't have a lot of money but I'll, ah...owe you a really big favor, if you can help me out?

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I can help, no charge or favor needed. Come to Capsule Corps in Nova City. Name's Trunks.

[He recognizes an emergency when he sees it. Hopefully he's skilled enough as an engineer, even if he isn't his mother.]

You're a life saver! I'm actually also in Nova City, so I should be over in a minute or two!

[She eyed the flickering light on her chronal accelerator and hesitiated. Couldn't waste any time right now, but not in the normal meaning of he phrase. Blinking around all the time strained the battery and it'd be awkward if she ran out on a sidewalk somewhere.]

Maybe more than a minute or two, but soon!

I'm in no hurry. And if I can't help you, I can think of at least 3 people right off the top of my head we can ask.

I'll meet you in the lobby.

Right!

[Jogging over! Not blinking all the goddamn time takes a lot of self restraint, but she manages it.

She wandered in, peering around for her would-be savior.]

[Capsule Corp fit in pretty well in Nova City, the building's traditional round design not seeming out of place aside from it being smaller than the skyscrapers surrounding it. As soon as someone walked inside, an electronic chime sounded somewhere in the modern and clean shop-section. Different displays of Capsules (mostly empty) coded by color for storage-capacity, along with a small desk that served as check-out and service-counter. Closest they had to reception, and leaning against it was the man from the video screen.]

No trouble finding it, right? Welcome to Capsule Corp. Also, I should mention I'm one of the Deputy-Guardians here for Nova City. Since you seemed wary of who to trust, in the video.

I don't like being suspicious of everyone but this is a strange situation, you know?

[She held out one hand.]

Lena Oxton. Pleasure to meet you. Usually I go by Tracer.

[Taking the hand, Trunks kept his grip warm but firm. Friendly and professional.]

Would you prefer Tracer then, Ms. Oxton? I'm Trunks Brief, owner here of Capsule Corps and one of the deputy guardians in Nova city. I've been here a little over a year.

A pleasure. Oxton or Tracer are both fine.

[Depends on how formal he wants to be. Tracer's grip was equally firm, though it was hard to tell how warm it was, with her gloves.]

What does being a gua-

[And then the battery gave out, just for a second, and Tracer vanished. She flickered about the room for a few seconds, vanishing and appearing helpless, before it switched to the backup battery and Tracer reappeared, ten feet behind Trunks.]

-rdian en...tail...wow. Okay I guess I have less time than I thought.

[He'd probably stick with Ms. Oxton for now then, out of politeness sake. The flickering and vanishing had him turning to follow as much as he could. Then turning around, all business mode.]

In a minute. Does that...whatever it is have to stay attached to you? You said it runs on electricity?

[Gesturing that she should follow, as Trunks lead the way to one of the work-rooms in the back.]

I'll also need you to describe your charger as much as possible, in terms of what it looks like.

[Her physical form was flickering as it slid across complex four dimensional topography unseen to the mortal eye. There was no way to keep track of her, really.]

It's a chronal accelerator, and I don't have to wear it as long as I'm near it.

[Proving her point, Tracer unbuckled the accelerator and pulled it off over her head as she followed Trunks to the work room.]

It had like a little stand thing that just plugged into the wall. There was a bit that plugged in here and here when I just put down on it.

[She turned her thing upside down and pointed out two little slots on the bottom that looked sort of like USB ports.]

I used to know what the exact voltage was but it's been so long since I had to think about it I just plain can't remember!

[That he couldn't follow her was more worrying--it wasn't just a matter of speed, and he couldn't follow her via ki sensing either. Now he really wished his mother was still around, or the Doctor known as Bad Dog. He'd likely still be putting in a call to Rose later.]

Right, okay---make yourself comfortable.

[There were chairs around, although they were functional more than anything. Taking the device from her to carefully set it on the workbench nearby. Examining the ports, before Trunks pulled over a laptop, a small storage box, and took his own seat. While he wasn't the genius his mother was, he'd learned from her and knew how she thought--which meant using her programs was simple. Pulling up one of her more specialized diagnostic programs on the laptop while he searched for a cord that might fit one of the ports on the device.]

I'm sorry, I'm probably going to have to ask you some prying questions, Ms. Oxton. What can you tell me about this, besides that it runs on electricity? What did you mean by it keeps you anchored in reality?

There was a malfunction with an experimental fighter jet I was piloting that was supposed to have the ability to teleport.

[She sat down, looking around the workshop curiously.]

I'm not exactly a theoretical physicist, but as I understand it, ever since the accident my body is not tethered to the present the same way everything else is. If I don't have something holding me down, as it were, I tend to flicker back and forth in time, disappearing for hours or even days on end. Even when I'm present I'm like a living ghost, unable to touch anything.

[There wasn't much to see really, beyond what someone'd find in any workshop. A tray of small capsules, along with some half-built and connected pieces to something. A some papers scattered on another table, and a few tool boxes. At least one area was set up with magnifier and focused lights, for fine delicate work.]

I'm not a theoretical physicist either, sadly.

[Murmured while pulling out a cord, and testing to see if it was compatible with the device. Then plugging it into the laptop for the diagnostics to run. At least for a basic scan of power-source and type, and any obvious details.]

But I am familiar, at least somewhat, with time-travel. Mostly from experiencing it myself. I'm not sure who here left IS familiar with it, at least among the people I trust.

[A half-smile.]

Guardians are basically responsible for keeping the peace in the cities, sort of like, but not actually, the police. It's an elected position. But it does mean, as a deputy, my job is help people in trouble. That's why I figured it might help you feel reassured, in who to trust a bit.

Honestly I'd probably be helping even if I wasn't a deputy.

[Trunks' analysis probably would show that the device Tracer required would be no more complicated than a laptop's AC adapter. The chronal accelerator itself, however, was a FAR more complicated machine.

As to him talking about the jobs of a deputy, she actually seemed pretty pleased with what she was hearing.]

So you're basically an official hero! That's good, the world could always use more heroes.

[He wasn't expecting the diagnostics to be easy--but it could give him the basics, including what kind of voltage and power to use to charge her device. For now, that was more than enough. Fishing once more in the box, pulling out an adapter, and another cord. Checking the ports, before plugging the Chronal Accelerator in to charge.]

I agree.

[A small smile, fond--he'd grown up on tales about Earth's Greatest Hero, Goku. Then again, Trunks had also been called one before even if he didn't think of himself as one.]

But I also should warn you, that in this place you need to be careful with how you use the term. Mostly because there is a world where basically the main conflict is between Heroes and Villains. As in, official institutionalized heroes and villains. We have some of both of them, here--and unfortunately as long as the villains behave and follow the rules--they get a clean slate.

[A hint of frown, turning to her and serious.]

Not that all of them seem to follow that though. We had one who set up a few different attacks, and he's since gone to ground. But his whole schtick seemed to be pointing out the hypocrisy of heroes and villains, and depending on others to save you.

[One hand raked up, to brush through his bangs. A sign of agitation.]

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