science is fun [closed]

[wrathfulkhan]

Characters: Tony Stark, Gene Khan, Raine Sage
Date: Early September
Location: The labs in Stark Industries
Situation: "Hi, I'm Tony Stark, and welcome to Jackass." Hey you know those crazy-ass rings of insane phenomenal power? We should test them. For science.
Warnings/Rating: Idiot teenagers attempting Mythbusters science with technology beyond either of their ken. Watch what happens. someone's prolly gon git hurt and it's prolly gon be gene

So, things are weird.

Not much weirder than usual, granted, but weird all the same.

The weirdest thing, though, is that Tony has agreed to work with Gene. Doing science. Ring science. The last one's still locked up in Tony's possession, of course, and a good thing, too. But they both decided that they ought to test the effects of using only one at a time...just in case.

There's a whole section of the lab they have to themselves, which is great, because Gene is going to need a lot of room and a lot of test dummies to test out all the rings' powers.

Comments

[highprofilerichkid]

Looks like. [Tony checks something off in his notebook.] Okay, now take the gauntlet off, and see what happens. If the armor stays formed up, try making the helmet or something disappear and reappear.

[Tony looks like he's almost entirely forgotten the awkwardness of the situation. This is way too much fun. It's like a puzzle!]

If that works, then try dismissing it completely, and we'll see if the gauntlet stays. Hmm... I think it should. Yeah— Rhodey said Zhang didn't have the armor on anymore when he showed up, but we still had the gauntlet. Oooh, do you think that means you'd be able to summon the armor again after dismissing it, even if you're not wearing the gauntlet? [TONY SERIOUSLY CHILL OUT.]

[wrathfulkhan]

[The Mandarin gives the universal gesture for 'Calm ya tits, ya fucking psychopath'. He then removes the gauntlet, and the armor remains. It's weird to see Gene's hand sticking out of the armor like that. He tries to make the helmet disappear, and succeeds for a second...before there's a flash of light and the armor disappears like smoke. He puts the gauntlet - which remained with the ring sitting on it - back on and armors up again, and looks at Tony. The helmet doesn't show expression, but he's canting his head as quizzically as possible.

He is having fun, despite himself. Testing the limits is...good?] I don't think it sticks around if the rings are gone, [he says.] Maybe it's too unstable without them.

[highprofilerichkid]

[Tony stifles a snicker when Gene takes the gauntlet off - look at his little tiny noodley human arm sticking out of the armor like that! - but when Gene starts running through Tony's tasks, his attention returns to the SCIENCE at hand. Speaking of hands:]

Can I see the gauntlet again, on its own?

[wrathfulkhan]

[YOU WILL NOT LAUGH AT ME!!! Gene dismisses the armor. He looks a little perturbed by Tony's request, and, after some marked hesitation, hands it over.] What're you going to do with it?

what light through yonder window SCIENCE

[highprofilerichkid]

[Tony doesn't answer, nor does he bother to ask for Gene's permission before sticking his own hand inside the gauntlet. There's no time for social niceties, he has science to do!

He wiggles his fingers around, and peers down into the gauntlet.] Oh, whoah, [he says, after a couple seconds.

The gauntlet is much bigger than his arm, and his arm ought to be rattling around in it like a pencil in a mason jar. And yet, it seems to fit perfectly. It feels like his fingers extend down into the gauntlet's claws, even though that should be impossible. And it looks like his arm fits snugly inside it, even though that's definitely impossible. His eyes are telling him that with absolute certainty that the gauntlet is way too big, and they are also telling him with absolute certainty that it fits his arm just right.

Tony's going a little cross-eyed trying to reconcile the conflicting data, and it's making his brain hurt. This must be what it feels like to see a real-life blivet.]

Dude, have you seen this? [Tony waves his gauntleted arm excitedly.] I think I'm getting seasick, [He says happily.] Check it out.

tony pls

[wrathfulkhan]

[Gene stares at him suspiciously. It's very weird how exciting Tony finds this - it's like walking up to a bird and telling them excitedly about how neat flying is. To the bird, it's a fact of life, not an object lesson on the Bernoulli principle. Gene's never really had to think about it before - that's just how the armor works.]

Of course I've seen it, [he scoffs.] That's normal. That's just what it does. [It's all wibbly wobbly spacey wacey, to use the scientific term.

The real explanation is probably something more horrifying like it fucks with the user's nerves and sense of proprioception because nanobots or something, but, either way, that's just how the damn thing works. And Tony waving the gauntlet around like a flag is making him antsy - not because he thinks Tony will damage it, but because Tony has it and he doesn't, and he doesn't like feeling that vulnerable.]

science

[highprofilerichkid]

[Tony looks a little hurt that Gene doesn't share his enthusiasm.] Well, I've never seen it.

[He flexes the fingers a few more times.] Zhang could summon the armor even though he didn't have the dragonseed. Does that mean anyone can do it?

no tony

[wrathfulkhan]

[Oh, don't make the face! Stop. Stop it!

At the mention of Zhang, Gene's face totally shuts down.] It's plausible, [he says, his voice a shade from being icy. He means, it's plausible, but don't attempt it.]

but science

[highprofilerichkid]

[Hearing the coldness in Gene's voice, Tony glances up and finally notices how uncomfortable Gene looks. He clears his throat awkwardly and slides the gauntlet off, passing it back to Gene.]

Right. Okay. Um... Okay, the second ring. Energy blasts, right? Now, if you...

[...And thus follows an exhaustive battery of tests and measurements, some of which have an obvious purpose, and some of which could only make sense to Tony Stark. He has Gene test the rings together in various permutations as well as alone, moving up through the set, slowly approaching the more powerful rings.]

no

[wrathfulkhan]

[Tests, tests, tests! This is kind of exhausting! Plus, Gene's starting to get a headache. Not like he's going to tell Tony that, though. Maybe it's just because he didn't sleep well, or because a lot of these tests are really annoying. Most of them are actually...kind of fun, though.

After a while, they've progressed through the first six rings and have arrived at the seventh - the crimson ring. Gene's wary of using it, given his and Tony's prior history with it. Gene has a pretty bad track record of using it against Tony.]

We can skip this one, if you like, [he concedes.]

yes

[highprofilerichkid]

[Gene's right: Tony's none too pleased to have arrived at his least favorite ring.

He looks uncomfortable. But he hates the idea of just skipping over one of the rings, especially now that they're getting into the more powerful rings that he knows less about. His words are a little clipped when he asks:] Can it do anything other than mind control?

[wrathfulkhan]

["Can it do anything other than mind control". There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio..! Gene resists the urge to be very, very annoyed at the question, because Tony really ought to know better.]

It can create illusions, or show people things, [he says, delicately "forgetting" to remind Tony that this ring was how come he'd gotten to see the Gene's Life is Terrible Show.] It can answer any question. It told me that Bianca had disappeared during the bombings.

[Smirking:] It's telling me now that you're a huge nerd.

[highprofilerichkid]

[Forcibly inserting memories into someone's head is not 'illusion' or 'showing people things,' Gene. That is not just a pretty light show. THAT IS DEFINITELY MIND CONTROL OKAY. Do you want him to revise the question to 'can it do anything other than shove a psychic blender in someone's brains'? He was trying to be tactful.

All this SCIENCE has put Tony in a pretty good mood, though, so he doesn't let it get to him.

He rolls his eyes at Gene's taunt, smiling a little, and crumples a loose piece of notebook paper and throws it at him.]

Answer any question? So can it tell me if you're an enormous buttmunch? Oh, wait, never mind, I already know the answer.

[wrathfulkhan]

[Oh my God THAT WAS LIKE ONE TIME. And he wasn't even talking about that anyway, so there.

Gene catches the crumpled paper and wings it back at Tony, still smirking.] No, it won't tell you anything.

[highprofilerichkid]

I'm lucky I'm a supergenius who doesn't need Space Wikipedia, then, [Tony says loftily. He catches the paper, but as it has failed in its mission to hit Gene in the face, he has lost interest in it, and sets it aside.]

But if it can answer any question... [Tony looks Gene dead in the eyes and, with absolute seriousness, asks:] How many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootsie pop?

im so sorry. im trash. absolute garbage and so is this ship

[wrathfulkhan]

[The ring lights up.] Two hundred and fifty, as a rough average, [Gene says after a moment. Then,] So, who even licks tootsie pops anyway? It's not like they're those big cartoon lollipops. I always just put the whole thing in my mouth.

[Pause.]

huehuehuehuehuehue

[highprofilerichkid]

[Is Gene for real? Tony was just kidding...

But he gets distracted from tootsie pop science by Gene's... licking comment. He grins.] Oh, yeah? [he says with a raised eyebrow, snickering quietly.

And then he coughs and blushes violently.

No. Just stop. Tony. Stop saying words.]

[ruinsprofessor]

[And it's at this point that Raine knocks on the door, very briefly, and pushes it open, sticking her head in. She takes in the teenaged boys, the violent blush, and raises her eyebrows, but makes no other comment on that. For now.]

Is this a bad time? I can come back later.

MOVE ALONG, NOTHING TO SEE HERE

[wrathfulkhan]

[What. Wh--what? Why is Tony going bright re--

Gene runs back through what he just said and practically winces. Wow. WOW. Wow. Before he can say anything to mitigate the situation or potentially make it worse, the door opens and HEY there's Raine.]

Uh...no, now's probably a good time, [he says, knowing his ears are beginning to burn and deeply thankful for the distraction.]

[highprofilerichkid]

[OH THANK GOD, RESCUE.

He has no idea who this woman is, but he is so glad to see her.]

Yeah! Now's a great time. Now is fine. Hi, I'm Tony. [Did he say that too fast? It sounded a little fast.

And he's still blushing, because now he's thinking about all the much cleverer and much worse things he could have responded to Gene with. He has never been happier to have missed the opportunity for a witty quip.]

[ruinsprofessor]

[It was definitely too fast not to be suspicious, but she's... not going to ask what she missed. Teenaged boys being ridiculous explains just about everything in the room, honestly. Raine quirks a smile, and comes the rest of the way into the room.]

Raine Sage. Hello, Gene. [And a little wave to acknowledge him, because she does remember him kindly.]

I'm a healer, primarily. I'm looking for assistance in analyzing and reproducing something I brought with me from my world. Would either of you have an idea where to start?

[If one of them can't help, maybe they'll point her at someone who can.]

[wrathfulkhan]

Raine, [Gene says, inclining his head and hoping she doesn't notice that his ears are bright red.

A thing! Yes. A thing. Let us see the thing, haha!]

I could take a look at it, [Gene offers.]

[highprofilerichkid]

[WOW YES. THAT THING. LET'S LOOK AT THAT THING THAT RAINE HAS.]

Oh, uh, yeah, sure. What is it?

[Gene offers to look at it - whatever it is - and Tony nods.] Can the ring analyze it?

[ruinsprofessor]

[Boys you are not making ignoring... whatever you were doing... easy.]

[Raine pulls a small, amber-colored oblong from one pocket, crosses to hand it to Gene. He'll find it a bit squishy, and pineapple-scented, if he's paying that much attention.] It replenishes magical energy, in a pinch. I'm down to my last. Given how many things have gone wrong lately, I'd like to have the backup if at all possible, but gel crafting isn't something I've studied.

[And she tips her head a little to one side, curious.] The ring?

[wrathfulkhan]

[They have noooo ideaaaa what you mean! Nothing! Nothing was happening!

Gene examines it. Well, shouldn't be too much trouble, right? And a real test of the ring's abilities - what can it tell him about something not even native to its own universe?

He displays the ring for Raine when she asks about it.] We're testing it out. It should be able to analyze this and tell us what it is.