Audio; UN: username

[fuelingfire]

For those that might be interested, I have through considerable effort figured out how to tweak these devices into allowing the display of color video and images beyond sepia.

[There is a steady tap tap tap, like a claw on metal.]

Which I would demonstrate, save that this is a physical change to the device and requires me to put in several very small items to function. Thus if you have interest in seeing each other in color, I can be found at the Second Time's The Charm shop, which sells these communicators, for the next several days. Make an appointment. As I am generous, I will not charge for my considerable time and efforts in this, though I will not refuse donations. You will have to turn your device over to me for a bell or so, there's no way around it. If you refuse, you may purchase another, I can update that one, and you may turn in your old one for recycling.

Technically I can't refuse anyone who asks for my aid. But if you are rude, violent, or otherwise not on good behavior something unpleasant may happen to your device while my talons are in its guts. Try to at least feign civility.




[OOC: The first watch update is here, IN LIVING COLOR. Lahabrea absolutely must get his hands on a watch in order to upgrade it. While this interaction can be handwaved!! you may also come visit Lahabrea and have it done in person for delicious CR! He won't refuse anyone, and he'll take into account rude people at least making an effort at being polite. Upgrades are freeeee! Make an appointment (in this thread or inboxes or etc I don't mind~) and come get your color upgrade!

Although he didn't mention it in this notice, he's willing to teach others how to do this as well, so other people can do upgrades! If you're interested, find an excuse to ask him! I welcome any and all assistance; the more hands I get the faster I can do future upgrades too!]

Comments

[bloodwit]

[ viren's face scrunches slightly with the reasonable explanation. he places his watch into lahabrea's outstretched hand, proceeding to take a seat upon the offered chair. any difficulty with wings is neatly maneuvered purely on account of nearly a year of practice. he does note that the confession of shocks sates some curiosity in regards to the other dragon's element. ]

It's fine. [ he says curtly, leaning back into the chair. ] If I break it, I'll purchase a new one, and you won't hear from me again.

[ whether he doesn't share that having his watch particularly heat resistant is out of spite, or something more, remains nebulous (both, probably - he'd cut off his own nose if it meant spiting his face). it's not as if he's gone to lengths to keep his own element a secret - he's had fire spill from his mouth on more than one incidental occasion. ]

[ he gestures at lahabrea, and by consequence, his workspace. ]

How long do you think this will take?

[fuelingfire]

If broken due to carelessness, a replacement will be quite expensive, as it will be the second time I am working on it. Fear not, that is a stipulation all must endure, not merely you.

[If proper care is taken surely it won't be much of a problem! Surely! But if it becomes a problem, like most artisans, he'll likely be rather wroth over having his work undone. Craftsmen of all stripes can be a picky lot.

The watch is quickly opened, exposing numerous tiny gears, flickering energy sources and glowy bits that defy explanation. A small series of wooden and velvet boxes are set out. One of them smells faintly of blood.]

It varies. Ordinarily a half bell or so.

[He pauses, then frowns.]

Half an .. hour, I believe the local terms are. Extreme distraction requires greater working times. Dragon claws were not made for such fine work, it takes a bit more time than mayhap mortal hands would require. You may stay and observe as you wish, or travel hence and return afterward.

[bloodwit]

[ viren sighs, and then nods. ]

Very well. I'll wait.

[ -and so he will, as patiently as he can, without even standing up and pacing. he's waited through longer sermons without falling asleep at the pew; the old man can manage half an hour. his gaze sweeps the store, noting the pair of perusing customers. ]

[ if he glares hard enough in their direction to ward them off, they shouldn't be of any extreme distraction, he hopes. ]

[fuelingfire]

[Happily the other customers seem more excited about some new case that just came out, 'Underground chic' or some nonsense that Lahabrea just tunes right out.

Along with most everything else for that matter. Viren's closeness doesn't seem to trouble him at all, nor does it interrupt his focus on what he's doing. It is indeed delicate work, and more than once electric welding is required, and there's that smell of blood again when some tiny crystals are switched out for other tiny crystals--

Time passes. He is as efficient as his hands and size allow him to be. There is a test or two, now and again, for seeing if color is actually working.]

Myr is interested in photographing his garden, in color, for others.

[It's obvious, by the time the Ascian speaks up again, tone distracted, that he's finally wrapping up his work.]

For obvious reasons he will need assistance in this. He may not ask for help.

[bloodwit]

[ the scent of blood immediately has viren's attention, gaze discretely snapping back to the dragon's work. he'd watched idly for some time, even if he failed to understand the required technology behind it all. ]

[ - but what's more is lahabrea's comments about myr, which is something viren hadn't expected to hear. his demeanor becomes marginally chillier (comparatively; despite being a dragon of fire, it's usually cold), his expression stony. ]

Is that right?

[ he gets the meaning behind the point of saying such (as much as viren probably wouldn't enjoy receiving some smeary, poorly lit pictures of myr's garden). an eyebrow lifts, and he leans forward just a touch in his seat in mock interest. ]

Please don't tell me that why you put all your considerable time and effort into upgrading these watches. So that Myr could take pictures in color for others.

[fuelingfire]

Nay, I did not consider that a blind man would even begin to be interested in such a thing.

[That's bald honesty, he still is puzzled by it quite frankly. Myr can't even begin to utilize it for its intended purpose, he'd just have to guess and be constantly reminded of his limitations, why go out of one's way to seek that out?

But he'd turned none aside who maintained civility, and wasn't going to refuse simply because of visual problems. If he notices the change in expression, it's not remarked upon - and since his gaze turns on his work, it's likely he hadn't seen.

A negligent pair of tweezers are waved slightly.]

Were I intending something only for him, it would be a scanning module to convert printed text to speech, be it books or signs, not merely what is written onto the devices themselves. Useful, practical, and opening paths to things he could enjoy beyond vicariously through others.

[And yet there's nothing in his words that suggests he's begun any such task. It wouldn't be difficult, in theory.. but color had not been worked on for a blind faun, no matter how amusing his company.

Putting a few components back into their final places is quick, easy and practiced.]

[bloodwit]

[ truthfully, viren had felt a flash of singing jealousy at the mention of myr - not because of any closeness he could suspect of lahabrea and the faun's relationship (not that he didn't notice that he called him myr, not his full name, after all), but that altering a watch to capture images in color, and then making some grand show of it in donating upgrades to the populace at large...

well. it would be ostentatious, thoughtful, and certainly over-the-top; thus, a damn good gift idea, hypothetically. he wish he'd thought of that. ]

[ with a thin smile, any superfluous coolness since dissipated, ]

I see... I'm sure you could engineer further practical advancements for these devices, should this be a pursuit that you wish to continue.

[ but also, ]

Is there some charity here, or cause, that you would like to see donations go to? Besides your own.

[fuelingfire]

[At least, for the moment, there seems to be no need for jealousy - if Lahabrea's interested in Myr, it isn't enough to bother with making him a very special present such as that.

Using his name is enough as far as Lahabrea's concerned.]

I may, if only for myself. I admit the audience for this has been smaller than anticipated, which is beneficial to me but does not get the work out into other hands.

[He did not like people!!]

Mm. If you have no desire to leave money in my hands, then give none. The work has no intrinsic cost I insist upon, knowing any and all enjoyment gained from it later is entirely and solely due to my generosity is ... quite a bit of payment alone.

[There is a brief flick of long, cloth-wrapped tail, tone briefly pleased with himself. Dragons and pride.. maybe it really is enough.]

[bloodwit]

[ viren makes an apparently understanding noise at that, mm - he would claim the very same, after all, though not quite out of any genuine pride. ]

The options aren't mutually exclusive.

[ viren draws out a small item from a coat pocket, the item of which is wrapped in something like a microfiber cloth. he has half a mind to toss it onto the table, callously, but can at least be mindful of the delicateness of lahabrea's workspace. instead, he holds it out for the other dragon to take. when he opens the cloth, he'll find that it contains a minute, precisely cut pyrope gemstone. ]

[ it's something, anyway. ]

[fuelingfire]

[There's a lengthy pause when he's offered a tiny glittering spark of crimson. It might be insulting to many, such a small gem for what must be so much hard work!

Lahabrea is not one of these people. Garnets were maybe not the most expensive gem, but he was partial to the entire family, and size was rarely as important as the work put into it. A gift is a gift - and not to be scorned. After a long moment it's plucked up between capped talons and set on the table on one of the many white cloths, where it gleams under the half-dozen lights he'd had set up.]

Mm. Your craftsmanship, or something you picked up?

[Either was honestly about the same in its regard.]

[bloodwit]

[ viren considers that question - not unpleasant, in a way, that the other man would guess that he might have a knack for the work. or, otherwise, he can somehow twist it to be demeaning, as an implication that he would want to waste the time it would take to master the craft. he realizes he's overthinking the casual inquiry.

with the garnet having switched hands, he folds his hands in his lap, pristinely-kept claws clacking against each other to come to a rest. he leans back in his chair again, resuming his observations.

with a slight hike of an eyebrow, ]

I'm not especially skilled in lapidary, no.