abraxaslogs | [closed] run fast don't stand in the sun there's too much work to be done

No, but, an adult-sized harness and lead--

[That's a joke. He trails off because it's a joke. Viktor watches Alucard for another moment, as if making sure that it's going to land before he turns back to the slide, using a pair of tweezers to gently place the cover over the sample and slot it into place.

As usual, Alucard is right that they don't have the luxury of time, or the ability to carry this out to the letter of scientific ethics. He peers into the microscope.]

And our subject is otherwise unharmed?

[Because that is what Viktor is mostly concerned about, right now. The well being of Quincy.]

[Viktor, Alucard is the last person to be talking kink to.

Alucard just shakes his head, his attention seemingly on Quincy entirely after that bad attempt at a joke. Quincy's decided he is done with attention from the dhampir at any rate, and has darted off to join his fellows.

A little speedier than usual, but huh.]

He seems to be moving faster than his usual pace, actually.

[Which is noteworthy. He healed. And he's fast. That's two things at once, not just one effect.]

[He senses that the joke doesn't quite land and instead concentrates his efforts on focusing the microscope. It doesn't take very long to get the image that he wants, and he alternates between peering through the lens and taking some notes on a nearby pad. It's only when Alucard mentions a potential second effect that Viktor pulls back.]

That seems notable.

[The sample on the microscope slide isn't going anywhere, so Viktor pushes his stool back and scoots the wheels towards the table with the mouse cages. He peers inside, wondering if the mouse is, indeed, moving more quickly, or if they're both just imagining it.]

We'll have to get an actual measurement. I don't suppose you charted his normal speed?

Early on, I noted how fast they run on the wheel and what motivates them.

[The cage with the wheel is beside the other cage where Quincy and his other friends currently reside. It doesn't take much effort to scoop the mouse up and place him on the wheel.

There's no need to offer some cheese as motivation. Quincy hops on the wheel, and after a few moments of debate, the little mouse starts running. And running.

Alucard blinks. Then looks over to Viktor.]

Healing and speed. That's two elements happening at the same time. That hasn't happened before.

Stamina, as well.

[He checks his watch--makes note of the time, and reminds himself to also note when the mouse stops. See if it's any different from his usual jaunts around the wheel. Alucard, for his part, seems surprised that this creature seems to be getting the entire package, though he's not sure what that means for the eventual, aforementioned, scaling up.]

What do you think? Just luck, to have received two effects? Everything so far has been fairly random, perhaps this is an extension of that.

I don't know what to think yet. Once is happenstance, after all.

[Quincy is still going. Still having the time of his tiny mouse life.]

We'd need to test it with one of the other mice. But I'd like to see what's under the microscope. I'll keep time with him.

[Yeah, that mouse is. Still going. Well, Viktor isn’t going to stop him, so he’ll just keep an eye on things and make a note of when he stops. He takes another moment to turn a few knobs on the microscope, and then scoots his stool so that Alucard moves in.]

It’s focused. You can have a look.

[Upon peering into the lens, it’s easy to see that the blood is, perhaps, darker than what one might ordinarily see. Viktor has a few theories about it, but he’ll wait for Alucard to provide commentary, first.]

[Quincy's having a great time, thank you for asking.

Alucard's learned how to look at his blood under the microscope with an objective mindset since this all began. At first, he was unsure. Uncomfortable. It was wrong having a part of him outside himself beyond his control. His skin itched at the thought.

All it is is blood though, contrasted against regular blood. And it is interacting the same way as it always has. The entire sample changes to dark red, and then bounces back to the normal color, burning through whatever vampiric elements are present. It makes sense. To be a vampire is to have your blood change entirely. For a war to overtake your body and something foreign win out. So it is with half-vampire blood, only the whole of the other wins out like some kind of math problem.]

It's the same as it ever was.

[And Quincy, it seems is starting to slow. Not that this isn't remarkable. Two consistent traits lasting for longer than expected is important. Massive.

And--]

Perhaps we should see if someone else also has the same two traits?

I thought as much.

[It's not imbuing the mice with abilities that's the problem--they've already proven that Alucard's blood has various properties, in that regard--it's isolating a desired effect, making the effect stick, and then scaling upward to a human subject.

That's where they're currently stumped, and it seems like a lot to be stumped on. Viktor reminds himself that something like this is going to take time, even if he doesn't have much to spare.]

Yes, I think Quincy has earned a break. Jonathan next?

Yes, I think so.

[There's a rotation on the mice, just to keep things fair. It takes very little time for Alucard to return Quincy to the group cage, and to fish Jonathan out. Of the group, Jonathan is the most unhappy when it comes to his turn, and Alucard has taken pains to find means of apologizing after. Three pieces of cheese and letting the little thing ride around on his shoulder seems to be the best peace offering for the time being.

So the rest of it goes. There's enough of Alucard's withdrawn blood for a few more experiments, and he's careful with the volume taken as he always is. Then the needle, then waiting and--]

Puncture wound healed immediately.

[Jonathan usually whines when it takes too long for the injection site to close. He hasn't, so onto the wheel it is. There's a moment's hesitation, and then the mouse begins to run.]

Same speed. [Which suggests--] We need to check with Arthur next, but I think the effects are evening out.

[His tone is flat. Or at least, trying. Because in all of it is the tiniest, tiniest quiver of hope. That this part, this little part, is working. That whatever made the effects random isn't. And in it is the effect they need most.]

[Once the microscope is freed up, Viktor takes another look and scrawls a few more notes into his book before sliding his stool back over to the mouse cage. He lets Alucard handle most of the injections, a deference to the fact that being able to experiment on his blood at all is a privilege.]

The healing is becoming more consistent.

[It's not out of the question that the subjects are adapting--settling into the temporary imbuing of these abilities.]

Do you think that they're stabilizing due to repeated exposure?

Which is what we're after.

[Viable. It is viable, and that is a victory in and of itself.]

That or my blood is adjusting to being outside of my body. It's difficult to say. [The wheel turns with good speed as Jonathan has a good jog, leaving Alucard to drum his fingers worriedly against the table.]

We need to hope it's my version. I don't want this to take a while to even out in your body. Especially if you start floating.

If it wears off on the mice, it stands to reason it would wear off on a human subject as well. Again, scalability.

[Viktor shrugs a little. So much of this is still a shot in the dark, and he's starting to think the amount of blood that's actually needed is going to be beyond what Alucard can actually provide.]

I'm going to keep working on a way to isolate the regeneration. There has to be something.

[closed] run fast don't stand in the sun there's too much work to be done

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