Hannibal's house that Jono seems to have laid claim to, Wednesday evening

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal spent some time in the cellar choosing just the right wine for the evening, then wandered out into the media room on his way upstairs. Jono was sitting in the middle of the floor, bits and pieces of electronics scattered around him, contrasted with a neat line of tools.

He stood and watched, knowing Jono would catch his presence and curiosity, and willing to wait in case it was delicate.


[OOC: For the one mentioned! Also open for calls or texts or whatnot.]

Comments

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal handed it back. "It is definitely a bit more of a coup. Although that would leave us in a different sort of race - whether you'll finish the work before we can make it moot." It was a race you couldn't lose, Jono. How was that for a change of pace?

[furnaceface]

//Not completely moot,// Jono mused. //I imagine I'd be able to fine-tune my control more thoroughly if I use my powers than I ever could with subvocalizations and the like. Even with my body in one piece, it'd be far more convenient to be able to control something like this with a thought. Especially for the more fiddly things, the hard-light constructs and whatnot.//

He slotted the smaller piece in his hand into a larger compartment, and then connected a few of the wires before reaching again for the chest-piece.

//I think it's work I'd like to finish one way or the other, honestly. Not just because fine-tuning it to work with my powers would make it more difficult for the wrong person to just take off with it.//

He glanced up at Hannibal again, thoughtfully.

//Voice recognition for certain people, perhaps...//

[sharp_as_knives]

"Perhaps even attunement to specific minds," Hannibal suggested. "If such a thing is possible for non-telepaths." He grinned. "I believe we have quite a research project on our hands, overall."

[furnaceface]

//It'd be... an interesting piece of work,// Jono agreed as he tinkered away. //You know... I could probably put something together just for you, if it came to that. A shield unit of some sort, or flight, like this one.//

He clicked one more piece into place, and then held up the two halves of his collar, without any of his hardware fitted inside.

//In the meantime, try this on?//

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal eyed it skeptically; there was a glint in his eye, but anyone that didn't know him well would see nothing but seriousness. "I don't suppose we could alter the style a bit?" Did it come in plaid?

[furnaceface]

//Doesn't go with the cut of your trousers, does it?// Jono met that deadpan with one of his own. He had one hell of a poker-face. //Actually, I was thinking of taking it in to get it detailed. A naked woman or maybe just some racing stripes, what d'you think?//

[sharp_as_knives]

"What about something more abstract?" Hannibal suggested. "A duplicate of that painting in the music room, perhaps?"

Very abstract.

[furnaceface]

Oh yeah. Super abstract.

//Because the goal is to look intimidating,// Jono replied reasonably. //And I don't imagine many people are intimidated by that one, exactly.//

It helped that Jono wasn't exactly sharing the story behind it, granted.

[sharp_as_knives]

"And they are by stripes or naked women?" Hannibal paused. "Given American society, you may have a point on the latter. Still, perhaps we'll leave it as something more subtle." He reached for it and examined how it went on before trying it. "Basic black, if you must."

[furnaceface]

//Is this you encouraging me to embrace the all-black look?// Jono was smiling to himself a bit as he pieced together the other components for the collar. The ones that weren't going in just yet. //Because I can live with that, if you are.//

It went with everything!

[sharp_as_knives]

"If you must," Hannibal repeated. He fitted the collar on and shifted it around. "How is this?"

[furnaceface]

//You tell me,// Jono replied, standing and reaching for the side, giving it a little shake. //Is it comfortable? There's nothing sticking you anywhere, is there? It should be snug, but not so snug you can't move.//

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal nodded. "Nothing sticking me, no. A bit roomier than it should be, perhaps." He demonstrated by shifting it easily to one side.

[furnaceface]

//I had broad shoulders,// Jono replied, by way of apology, giving the collar a bit of an experimental side-to-side shake himself. //Still do, really. Just... less.//

Significantly less.

//We can adjust that. Probably. Maybe some kind of bit that... screws in, or... hm...//

It was a work in progress.

[sharp_as_knives]

"Something like a vise," Hannibal suggested. "That will allow you to tighten or loosen it, then lock in place. Although hopefully more comfortably," he added, amused. It shouldn't need to vary by more than a few inches; Hannibal's shoulders were reasonably broad, too.

[furnaceface]

//Hopefully more comfortably,// Jono agreed. //Now I just need to figure out how much leeway to give. Somewhere between where I was and where I am? Less than where I am, in case of being stuck in a female body or the like again?//

He didn't think he'd end up big and blue again, at least. But stranger things had happened.

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal shrugged and took the collar off, handing it back. "As much variation as you can give it without adding bulk," he suggested. "With this island, there's no predicting what form you might be in while needing it. Although should you try using it as a snake, I would appreciate a warning first."

[furnaceface]

Oh, but imagine a tiny snake in a giant hard-light mecha construct.

IT WOULD BE SO PRECIOUS.

//I'll work on my serpentine sign language,// Jono replied, tone a little wry as he took the piece, and then reached for a grease pencil to start leaving a few guide points on the collar. //Wouldn't want to surprise you with a flying viper in the middle of a crisis.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"If you're mentally coherent enough to use it, you can manage a figurative tap on the shoulder," Hannibal pointed out.

[furnaceface]

//But where's the fun in that when I can just snake-o-copter my way by like that one in that Disney take on Robin Hood?//

Because, yeah, Hannibal would totally get that reference.

//Actually, that sounds like fun...//

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal did not get that reference though Sir Hiss was the awesomest.

"Snake-o-copter?"

[furnaceface]

//Balloon over his head, using the end of his tail as a propeller,// Jono explained, mostly distracted as he charted out the changes he was going to need to make to his collar. With a bit of a squint, he glanced up again. //I wonder how much I can fit in there while still leaving room for my power to pass by if need be.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"I'm not sure if I'm more bemused by a snake being a helicopter or by the idea of balloons in Robin Hood." Hannibal gestured at the collar. "You mean when you're whole or have this working off telepathy, to allow you to use both it and your natural abilities?"

[furnaceface]

//It's a cartoon,// Jono pointed out. //Robin Hood's a fox, Little John's a bear. I think the Sheriff of Nottingham is a wolf, but he looks more like Little John with a tail, to me...//

Thanks for that, Jono.

//But either way... yes. Even if I'm healed more, I'll need to... er... vent, at any rate. I'm not certain if I should make a point to leave most of the hardware out of the chest now, so that I can alter it later, or just cross that bridge when I get to it.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"I had hoped it wasn't live-action," Hannibal said, amused. Because that poor snake. "How much more or less functional would altering it now make it, and how difficult would the changes be later on?" It was less of a question and more of a suggestion of considerations.