diademlogs | (CLOSED.) the all-consuming fire

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(CLOSED.) the all-consuming fire

Who: Jiktor (Jayce + Viktor) & Karlach
Where: Jiktor Workshop
When: Sometime after initial Cube appearance.
What: Two scientists delve into the concept of Infernal machinery.

Warnings: Body horror?

( when she had promised to return later, karlach had thought that she would have been there sooner. back to see jayce, to make the acquaintance of viktor, and to show them the wretched fucking contraption in her chest. it's just that—things happened. a lot of things.

and then karlach found herself second-guessing the idea. what if there was no solution? what if there is no one here who can work with infernal machinery and never will be? what if obstacles were falling into her way because of it?

well, fuck that. that's not who she is.

karlach calls jayce to set up a time to come see the both of them. then she arrives promptly on time or maybe even a little early. don't worry about it. the important thing is she's knocking on the door of their trailer. right now. )

Hey!! I'm here to show you my tits!

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[ The trailer looks much the same as the last time she visited, minus a large phallus painted on one side. In its place are smaller artistic endeavors: simple outlines of interlocking gears, wrenches, hammers - some of these look as though they were interrupted mid-sketch and abruptly shift into equations. Jayce made sure to schedule this appointment during a day when their assistant isn't in, expecting Karlach wouldn't appreciate her problem becoming a teaching moment.

With her loud pronouncement, the door swings open quickly to a slightly red-faced Jayce. ]

Welcome back. [ He'll step out of the way for her to enter. The fish tanks have multiplied, as has the mystery goo. There's shelving for the tanks, although some still sit on top of the workbenches. There's design work hastily pushed to one table in the corner, the top papers seem to show plans for prosthetic limbs.

Jayce himself isn't much changed, although he might have recently trimmed his hair and beard. He waves in the direction of his partner. ]

I heard you and Viktor already met.

We did, yes.

[Though she may not have made the connection. Viktor seems unfazed by the way she announces herself, not that he's especially emotive. Perhaps he's more curious about what she might think, to realize that Viktor is Jayce's mysterious partner. He's hard to miss once she enters, perched on a stool that's clearly been adjusted to accommodate his height, the Hexclaw perched over his shoulder mid-solder.]

Jayce has given me some of the details.

[He waves one of his primary hands vaguely into the air, as if to indicate that he's received broad strokes. Better to keep things focused on business, if the way Jayce flusters is any indication.]

( the sound that karlach makes is a breathless little "ah". like all of the air escaping from a balloon.

what she had expected was teddybear-like jayce and another nerdy type that she could tease and embarrass. lighten the mood. keep it from getting serious, especially if they've got to start addressing her expiration date. that is, however, not at all what she's looking at.

no, she's looking at that fucking thing from the lake! the thing that looked like it could be some kind god-avatar! fuck! )

Oh, shit! It's you!

( good gods, if she had known she would have been far less rude to him last time. whoops! hopefully he didn't mind her too much.

there's a weird excited feeling in her stomach though. she's not sure why, but there's something much more hopeful about this endeavour if this is the duo at the helm. the two of them really remind her of both omeluum and blurg, another mismatched pair of brilliant minds. )

Sorry about last time! I'm Karlach.

( because she has to introduce herself personally.

then, hastily and maybe even a little clumsily, she sets a small basket down on a surface near jayce. it's nothing special—just wrapped sandwiches and some bottled water and soda—but karlach knew she had to bring something. it's one of those things. if you're gonna ask someone for a favour (especially a big one!), you gotta show your own sincerity. )

Brought this for your time.

[ Jayce gives Viktor a curious look, he'll ask him what the apology is for later. He also peers with curiosity at the basket, offering Karlach another sheepish smile. ]

Thanks, you didn't have to...

[ Bring anything. If he had known she might, he probably would've tried to dissuade her (especially since he's the only one of this pair that can eat or drink), but it's a little late for that now. He'll pick up the basket and place it inside a little mini-fridge for now, before reaching for a thick pair of long leather gloves to slip over his hands and forearms. ]

You can sit or stand, whichever is more comfortable. [ He waves at a stool, then glances at Viktor with a nod for him to go ahead and start asking questions. Jayce is the one with experience with blacksmithing, but hellfire is new to the both of them. ]

[They exchange a wordless glance, and Karlach might get the sense that Viktor is telling Jayce they'll discuss it later. He wants to save her the embarrassment, knowing that she's putting herself in a vulnerable position, asking for help from them. If Viktor could offer a reassuring smile, he would.

He lets Jayce accept the gift, mostly because he's not going to be able to use it. It's a nice gesture, regardless.]

We appreciate it.

[Viktor will let her get comfortable, whether that's standing or on a stool. Usually, he's the one being examined, so there's some slight hesitation, now that he's the one asking questions.]

It may be best to start at the beginning. The nature of this...engine.

( the first thing that karlach does is walk back towards the door of the trailer, pulling it wide open and shoving a small metal piece from her pocket underneath to keep it open. while the two of them don't know yet what they're getting into, karlach knows that they're going to need a well ventilated area.

when she eventually opens up her chest, it's going to get hot and fast.

viktor seems like he might be fine, especially judging from the fact that he doesn't grab any gloves, but the heat might be a problem for jayce. )

You're going to want to protect your face too.

( she remarks, moving back to the stool to finally take a seat on it. )

I don't know the ins and outs of this thing, but I'll tell you what I know.

( her hands lift to her top, hooking underneath the hem to pull the shirt off in one smooth motion. she lets it drop to the floor and out of the way. her bra is still on, but the removal of the shirt lets both of the scientists see what has been done to her. her skin is littered with scars, with tattoos solely for the purpose of marking her as one of zariel's, and then there's the augmentation.

her shoulders are covered with small circular vents to release heat and steam and there is a small metal access port on her left breast and on the left side of her back. her infernal engine can be seen underneath her rib cage, pulsating bright orange with a rhythm akin to a heart beat. burning like a flame in a hearth. )

Down in the Hells, they pulled out my heart. Replaced it with this thing. Don't know why it works at all. It doesn't pump blood. It pumps out Infernal flame—hellfire.

( it's easy to guess that's why fire constantly flickers over her hair, skin, horn, and talons. )

Hellfire's hot. Hot hot. Can't contain it with just any kind of metal and not just anyone can work with it. It's got to be Infernal metal, something that take the heat and won't instantly melt.

( then she glances towards the door, face pulling into a frown. )

Everyone else. . . Everyone else this happened to, they burnt up from the inside. Mine's only a little more stable because I found someone back home with some skill at Infernal machinery. He helped patch it up a little.

[ Jayce was practically raised in a forge, he has a relatively high tolerance for heat compared to his tolerance for cold. So there's a raised eyebrow and some hesitance when she mentions the need to protect his face, but she did call this hellfire, and he's seen enough strange things at this point to be concerned that that isn't an exaggeration. So, he ends up grabbing a welding mask from a hook and securing it on.

He's glad for it hiding his uncomfortable look when she does what she initially promised and literally shows them her tits.

His discomfort transmutes quickly from embarrassment to actual discomfort when he sees the way her body has been altered, the painful scarring and the bolts and metal clasps fused directly to her skin, and he's glad again that the mask hides his reaction.

As promised, the trailer quickly heats up, and when she opens the panel - her ribs, it's like standing in front of a blast furnace. The mechanism that beats within, it's both awful and beautiful - something impossible functioning. Impossible alive.

Jayce turns to glance at Viktor through the visor before saying anything. ]

[Viktor, notably, does not move to protect his face or anything else, really. He will, at least, unwind the blue and red scarf cloak from around his shoulders and set it a safe distance away. Then he waits, and watches.

The biology of it is fascinating, to say the least, and Viktor resolves to approach this as clinically as possible, even as the scars and the way the mechanism is integrated into her anatomy speaks to a much larger story. Despite the blast of heat, Viktor manages to move closer, though he doesn't dare reach out to touch.]

Is it painful?

[It looks painful, and Viktor is hesitant to engage with it, not knowing how his own magic might react. He does feel the warmth of it, at least, though not to the extent that he needs protection--at least not at the moment.]

Perhaps we could pick up where he left off--what was his approach?

( as soon as karlach opens the access port on her chest, peeling away the skin to reveal the large fiery and mechanical heart underneath her ribs, the temperature within the trailer rapidly rises. the open door is the only thing that keeps it from becoming immediately suffocating. the engine gives off an impossible amount of heat, far too hot to be functioning inside any living mortal. hotter than any blast furnace or forge.

by all rights, karlach should have already burnt up from within. the only thing that has been holding that reality at bay is the protection of the relic—which still seems to extend to her here. if not for that, she would been engulfed by flame the moment she arrived in the diadem. )

Yes. All the time.

( karlach answers honestly. while she might not so easily admit that to others, there's no point in hiding it here. it fucking hurts. it hurts every day. it hurts so bad that sometimes she can't sleep, feeling like she's fighting back being swallowed by the flames. )

If he had the material to work with, he said something about making a case to insulate it? Or enchanted coolant. Force it to contain the heat better?

( or that's how karlach understood it. dammon had the know-how and skill, but not the material to make it happen. )

[ Beneath the mask, Jayce winces, his resolve to find a viable solution doubling despite the daunting nature of the hellfire machine. The intensity of the heat forces him to remain in place, unable to approach to get a better look like Viktor might be able to, although he has concerns for his partner as well. This is entirely new for them, and they still have no idea about the true limits of Viktor's body. ]

We might need to pursue both options. [ he answers, intentionally shifting back toward the rear of the trailer. Pulling cranking a latch, the back 'wall' opens up to allow more airflow. ]

Finding and testing different materials will take time. [ Researching what's already available, and exploring diffusion zones - but it doesn't sound like time is something she has much of.

Another glance at Viktor, before reaching for a journal and pen to start writing things down since he can't be the one to get a closer look. ]

Coolant as a stopgap?

[Viktor will let Jayce keep the pen and paper far away from this heat. He can be the one to examine Karlach up close, though the longer this goes on, the more uncomfortably warm he feels. It may not be long before this space becomes unbearable.

He'll refrain from touching, for now, but he knows his curiosity will get the better of him.]

Yes, something to absorb and dissipate the heat.

[Though he knows that's only part of the problem.]

We'll have to look for something in the diffusion zones, I think. For a more permanent solution.

( holy shit.

holy shit! holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit.

despite her best attempts at controlling the temperature of her engine, trying to keep the heat relatively low (as far as the engine goes anyway), a few excited tufts of steam release from the ports along her shoulders as she feels a sudden rush of emotion. karlach feels like she can't breathe. like she's going to pass out.

is she even awake? is she dreaming? is this really happening?

karlach hadn't been nursing any particularly high expectations—her request is something of a long shot. she knows that. it wouldn't have been surprising if the both of them quickly determined that there was nothing they could do to repair it. she would have understood and accepted it.

—except they're not.

both of them seem ready to delve into figuring it out. karlach can feel as her eyes get hot, tears starting to well up there. )

I can't believe it…

( she breathes out, voice full of grateful wonder. )

Whatever you need. I'll find it.

( that's a promise. )

[ When he notices her eyes getting glassy, Jayce instinctively tries to step forward. He's forced to abort the movement almost immediately, glancing between her and Viktor again from behind his mask. His smile can be heard in his muffled voice.

Her hope is infectious, but he has to push back the shadow of self doubt.

All they've ever wanted to do was to help people. They need that purpose again, now. ]

I can get started combing the forums. The stormchasers might have leads. Or the researchers in Sanctum.

[ They've only recently been allowed access to the latter avenue. ]

[Her excitement is understandable, and it might be contagious if Viktor wasn't more than accustomed to tempering his expectations. It will be good if they can help her--but he doesn't expect it to be easy. Searching diffusion zones for a particular need can often be like looking for a needle in a proverbial haystack.

A stop-gap in the meantime will be something, at least.]

We can help you.

[Find it, that is.]

If you need me to accompany you to a diffusion zone, I'm happy to do it.

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(CLOSED.) the all-consuming fire

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cw: nsfw linked images

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we are still sorting out magical coolant details...

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