ashwantstobattle: (in a world we must defend)
Ash Ketchum ([personal profile] ashwantstobattle) wrote2023-02-08 08:27 pm

IC Contact







Voice | Text | Picture
quark_assassin: (Studious | Skeptical)

[personal profile] quark_assassin 2023-04-14 08:51 pm (UTC)(link)
Dustin sighs in mirror, although his is definitely one of exasperation rather than fondness. There's not anything he can do to stop him - the kid isn't his responsibility nor his priority. At least Ash has the more sensible-sounding Pikachu to look out for him and (hopefully) keep him safe.

"I can get them to do that," Dustin answers, picking up the leads and giving them a critical glance over. He'd assumed he could just have Pikachu hold them and transmit current that way, but if his electrical output was concentrated on his cheeks, it probably wouldn't be very comfortable to pinch them with a set of alligator clips. He ponders for a moment, then reaches into his bag, shuffles around for a moment, pulls out a handful of scrap wire and a makeshift wire stripper. A couple seconds of cutting and twisting later, and the naked wires with frayed ends are gripped in the alligator clamps.

Ignoring Ash entirely at this point, Dustin turns to Pikachu on the boy's shoulder, holding up the leads for the little alien to examine. "Not a finished or ideal product, obviously," he admits. "I'll have a better design for next time. Can you keep the live ends pressed against your cheeks?"
quark_assassin: (Hurt | Knockout)

[personal profile] quark_assassin 2023-04-17 04:36 pm (UTC)(link)
Probably. Dustin seems mostly unconcerned, flitting around the prototype as he attaches various peripherals and checks on others. Testing and monitoring equipment - he doesn't anticipate that this will work as efficiently as it could, but that's because he doesn't have any way to judge the sort of output Pikachu produces. The multimeter crimped into the other end of this makeshift circuit will do most of the work in helping Dustin figure that out, even if the other parts fail.

...Or that was the plan, anyway, except that Dustin has deeply underestimated Pikachu's capabilities. It's not just enough current to burst the plastic wall of the tank as the acidic liquid inside instantly boils over - it's enough to pop every resistor in the testing circuit running in parallel, error out the multimeter, overcome the internal resistance of the multimeter, then jump straight into the hand Dustin is holding it with. And, thanks to his own mysterious conductive properties, his resistance is much lower than any of those other parts in the way.

There's a crackle, bang, Dustin's vision flashes white, and the next thing he's aware of is the fact that he's on his back halfway across the room with the partially-melted multimeter still gripped tight in his hand. He just lays there for a bit, too dazed to move.
quark_assassin: (Agitated | what the actual fuck)

[personal profile] quark_assassin 2023-04-20 03:23 pm (UTC)(link)
Dustin's thoughts are slow to catch up to the situation, which is, itself, rather concerning. He's aware of the acrid smell of ozone mixed with something burnt - singed hair? His whole body aches, like he's pulled every muscle at the same time. There's a particularly bad pain in his neck. Dustin unconsciously reaches up the hand not rictus-gripped on the multimeter to rub at the underside of his jaw, and finds a set of conspicuously swollen, irritated knots on either side.

ASIS chips are damaged, he realizes with a wince. They should self-repair, but it's still pretty alarming that Pikachu can carry enough of a jolt to harm them; it's not like this is the first time Dustin's ever been electrocuted, after all, so he's aware of the risks and consequences, except he's always been cautious enough to avoid something quite this severe. The fact that he acted carelessly this time is a rough blow to his pride, almost as bad as the shock itself.

Naturally, he directs all of that anger at himself outward. "Does it fucking look like it?" Dustin snaps. Annoyance sharpens his thoughts and drives him to action, shuddering as he lifts himself onto his elbows. "Why the fuck would you--"

His teeth click together into a grimace to cut himself off. Not their fault. Dustin takes a moment to squeeze his eyes shut and suck in a breath, in an attempt to calm his nerves. It sort of works.

"...Is there no way to moderate your output?" he asks after a moment, voice quiet but noticeably tense. "Or is it always...that."
quark_assassin: (Flustered | really don't know about this)

[personal profile] quark_assassin 2023-04-23 09:11 pm (UTC)(link)
Dustin doesn't move to action immediately at the warning - partly because his muscles are still pretty tense so he physically can't, but mostly because the threat is coming from Pikachu, who is the one that just put his ass on the floor in the first place. Instead he locks up, a flicker of fear passing through his eyes as the little alien stares him down. If that had been an accident, what would an actual, directed attack do to him? Dustin's still trying to process what kinds of parameters would result in his electrical bits getting fried without outright killing him, but he'd like to avoid figuring out first-hand if they can be adjusted to fatal levels.

Ash's intervention is, therefore, timely. Dustin releases a breath he hadn't realized he was holding and shakes his head, flinching at the soreness in his neck. "No shit," he grumbles, but his poor temper doesn't stop him from relenting a moment later, his gaze dipping to the ground at his side. "I...should have implemented more safety barriers. Gotten complacent working with alien electronics, apparently. Serves me right."

He pauses for just a moment in silent annoyance at himself.

"...What happened?" Dustin asks, glancing up to quirk an eyebrow at Pikachu. "With Lysandre, I mean."
quark_assassin: (Surprised | oh | whoops)

[personal profile] quark_assassin 2023-04-24 06:20 pm (UTC)(link)
Dustin listens with narrowed interest, although he does end up using most of Ash's explanation to give himself time to physically recover. A few kneads of his hands so he can release the fried multimeter, a quick once-over to make sure he didn't skid or crack his head on the floor or something, then with a groan, Dustin hefts himself back to his feet.

There's...honestly a lot about that story that doesn't make a lot of sense to him. The names, mostly, though Dustin can infer a lot by context. A 'Pokemon' is the same sort of alien Pikachu is, that much he knows already. A 'Legendary' would be some kind of special subspecies, then - like an elder dragon in mythology. Greninja is probably another one. The fact that all of this mess involved some kind of special alien-boosting power and mind control technology would have absolutely been a sticking point for Dustin months ago, but it's a testament to how fucking bizarre things can get on this planet that, now, he just accepts what this ten-year-old is telling him at face value. Ash has superhuman abilities related to his connection with a specific species of alien? Sure, why not. Probably explains why he seems barely affected by Pikachu's electricity.

What takes him more off-guard, actually, is the apology. "What--no, don't," Dustin says, blinking rapidly. "I should have done more preliminary tests to determine Pikachu's output parameters before diving immediately into a demonstration. That's my fault for not doing basic fucking research."

He waves his hand in a dismissive circle near his face - a sort of agitated gesture, but from the way Dustin's face reddens, he's still mostly annoyed at himself.

"Besides," he continues in a huff, "The final product should be able to handle him at overload, with some room to spare. I'll use this to make sure it does."
quark_assassin: (Judgement | you get just one eyebrow)

[personal profile] quark_assassin 2023-05-15 07:04 pm (UTC)(link)
Dustin just waves Ash's explanation off at this point. No use trying to assign blame anywhere (especially not when it's so much easier for Dustin to just blame himself and get on with his life), corroborating data points involving robots or otherwise. It's when Ash gives him a number that Dustin actually perks up - and looks properly annoyed.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm not gonna die," he says first at Pikachu's fussing, before narrowing his attention in on Ash. "--Is that an estimate, or have you actually measured his output before?"