[Well, looks like he can't just walk across the courtyard to Robotnik's apartment anymore now... which may just be for the better (for Robotnik). But within the next half-hour he turns up at his new shop and looks around after letting himself in (or being let in, depending on how rigorous Robotnik is about that).]
Nice! This sure looks like a better place for the kind of projects you handle. You must've been having a field day ever since we got access to that Viergean nanotechnoloy... unless you're more of a traditionalist?
[Robotnik's new place of business/home is a pretty stark-looking warehouse that's not inviting in the least, but at least it's open for business. There's a small number of drones floating around here and there, and eventually Robotnik turns down the music and emerges from the back.]
Are you kidding me? I've been trying to work out something like that for years. I'm almost a little annoyed it basically got dropped into my lap, but you work with what you have to work with.
[If he ever gets home (which he still plans to figure out) he's going to absolutely take the credit for the tech he brings back.]
Hah! Amazing. I get how it's like a smack in the face when you've been working your ass off and then the finished thing is just handed to you by someone else, but take it as a reward for putting up with all the bullshit here.
[He smiles at the drones, excited to hopefully take a few copies home with him today.]
I don't assume to added nanos into these, though? If not let me know what else you've been up to.
[He shakes his head, then snaps his fingers. A drone comes to hover next to him, and he pats it gently.]
Not these, no. They're fine as is. I would like to figure out a way to incorporate the technology, of course, but I'm intending to do that in a separate line.
[He has his plans and concepts, and knows exactly how he wants them to work.]
I've been sort of switching between replicating these and trying out various concepts here and there with other things. Nothing too fully-realized; I do have the shop to deal with as well.
[Hijikata nods along, giving the drone a little smile too. What Robotnik says sounds good to him, after all the saying "haste makes waste" surely also applies when it comes to adapting and perfecting plans and projects.]
Business is going well, then? That makes me glad. A decent mix of order fulfillment and personal development is about as good as it gets, regardless of where you are.
[He's... really just parroting his Prismal commanding officer right now, because he himself is a hopeless workaholic whose idea of "self-realisation" is to defend the damn city tooth and nail. Isn't that sad? Not if you ask him! Anyway, time to bring out the copycat charm.]
Have you actually used one of these before? Do I just, uh, aim it at the drone and... think about copying it?
It's going about as well as I'd expect the business to. Frankly I wouldn't really even care if I didn't get any business, because, well, look at all this space I have to work with. That's the actual important part.
[He pats the drone again, then sends it over a little to a space where there shouldn't be anything in the way, just in case the charm thing needs exact precision.]
I haven't tried one of those, but I doubt they're going to sell it to you if it's that obtuse. There's plenty of time to just experiment and see where it goes. I'd say try the obvious first and then go from there.
[He does pretty much exactly what he described, but nothing happens.]
Hang on. I'll look it up.
[A mere minute of scrolling through the network later and he lets out an annoyed snort.]
Really? You have to say "meow" to copy something? Are you shitting me?
[He's clearly vexed at being roped into a dumb act like this, but what can you do! He puts his focus back on the drone, holding the necklace in his hand.]
Meow.
[Bam! Immediately there's an identical copy next to the original.]
Well, at least it worked. I assume all the ones you have right now have you as your primary command center; can you change it to the program on my device for this new one? Then I'll try maneuvering it around a little.
Oh, they knew exactly what they were doing when they made this. There is absolutely no actual reason you have to do that except for the creator's amusement.
[It does make a copy, though, and that's always interesting. Before doing anything else, he approaches the copied drone and just basically grabs it out of the air, giving it a good inspection.]
Well, what do you know. An exact copy!
[He pats it, lets it go back to floating, and turns to the device on his wrist, pressing buttons on his glove.]
Okay, control on this one is noooowwww... transferred to you. Give it a try.
Pisses me off that Lumi's just been getting away with this nonsense... or else the manufacturers. But well, he's retired now; I'll let it go because put the whole store up for grabs.
[He watches Robotnik do his thing, then nods and opens the program on his device. He gives some simple commands, making the new drone fly back, forth and sideways, then gets a tad more adventurous and lets it circle around its hovering original.]
This is really great. At some point I'd like to commission a pair of those gloves you use, along with some lessons, but for now this will do nicely. Where's the camera mode... ah, here.
[He's very satisfied with the quality of the footage that gets delivered to his screen, even if it's just his and Robotnik's own faces.]
Looks great to me! Solid work, Doctor, really. I'll copy another one and see how I can handle two at one, and if there are no issues I'll be out of your hair. I think I want to leave it at just a couple at a time for now.
Of course it's solid work, all I do is solid work. It's mildly annoying to see that it can just easily be duplicated just by a stupid magic word that I didn't create, though.
[He laughs, but... well, yeah, these things took a lot of hard work to create in the first place and here magic can just poof things into existence even without learning if you know where to go or what to buy. He didn't even get the satisfaction of creating the thing that made it possible! What a world.
He shakes his head, watches the new drone fly around, a perfect duplication of the original. Magic is certainly something.]
But that's understandable. It takes a lot of... coordination to run more than a few at a time. Of course, I don't have any problem with it, but I also built the damn things, so I just happen to know them inside and out. I'll get to sourcing the parts for another pair of control gloves one of these days.
[Regarding the ridiculous simplification of arduous processes by gimmicks like this charm, he means. He waits for Robotnik to bring over the other drone - he still wants to have two different copies for comparison's sake.]
Still, without your hard work we wouldn't have any drones to duplicate! Actually do you want to keep the charm when I'm done? It'll probably be more helpful to you than to me for now. You can duplicate the gloves and whatever parts you run out of for your other projects.
[This... really kind of takes the joy out of inventing, doesn't it. But on the other hand it'll save them so much time and Chroma!]
[Alright, time to try it a second time. He waits until he's satisfied enough with the first copy, then snaps his fingers, and another drone makes a beeline towards him, essentially identical to the untrained eye.]
That might be useful, actually. If you've got no use for it, I'll gladly take it off your hands.
[Annoying to his pride or otherwise, he can't argue with efficiency.]
[Hijikata is more amused than vexed, though. He has already done it once, so at it point it doesn't really get more embarrassing. He gives the second drone another dry "meow", and once again the copy simply poofs into existence next to it. By now they know what to do, so once Robotnik has adjusted the new copy's settings to take its input from Hijikata's device he starts maneuvering both around at once.]
How do I make it follow a target? Like this?
[With Robotnik's help he gives one copy the command to follow the other, which he flies through the warehouse. One half of the now split screen shows the camera view of the drone he's steering (he finds it easier to do this via first-person POV), the other half shows the footage the drone on autopilot is transmitting as it follows.]
I think I'm getting the hang of it... it's intuitive enough.
[He gives both drones the command to return, which they promptly do, then plucks one after the other out of the air and manually turns them off - there's probably a more elegant way of doing this, like making them land somewhere and shut themselves down, but this just seemed easiest right now.]
I'll practice some more at the beach; there shouldn't be many people at this time. Oh, yeah... if they get sandy or dirty, how should I clean them?
[Both drones are, of course, damn good at what they do, and it is pretty fascinating to see just how exact copies they are of what he'd designed. Definitely not the way he ever expected to manufacture anything, but clearly it seems to have done the job.
He makes sure to give all the necessary pointers, a sort of brief tutorial of working with multiple, subtly different drones.]
While many of the things I design are essentially just complicated enough for me to handle, these in particular are technically designed so others can use them. They're not particularly obtuse. You seem to be catching on just fine.
[He, of course, still has a connection to the drones on his wrist device even with the control transferred, and he makes sure to give the details a once-over. Definitely working just fine.]
Surface wash is fine for dirt, and they don't tend to pick up much on the inside. If you do somehow end up burying them in the sand or something, just have them open everything up as if for maintenance. They should be able to shake it all out.
I'll try me best to avoid getting them that messy! It's just, well, you never know in this job. Anyway, that sound easy enough.
[He unceremoniously sticks the drones into his kimono sleeves, then hands the needlessly ornate copycat charm to Robotnik.]
I don't actually know how many uses it has left - usually Lumi would only top them up for one use at a time, but he said he gave me "the maximum", whatever that means. Since he was super busy at the time I tried to check online, but there were different accounts of other people who got the same deal - might be 30, 50, or 100 uses. I guess we'll find out. Don't hold back in any case; the only thing I'd really want to copy would be more drones if one of these gets irreparably wrecked.
It'll be fine. They're designed to get a little messy sometimes. It's just part of the job.
[He takes the charm, turning it over in his hand and trying not to squint too much at the drones just being... shoved into sleeves. So it goes. The charm is definitely unnecessarily decorative, but at least it's useful.]
I'll make sure to start with the most important things. Then I can go from there, and when it runs out it runs out.
[((iiiiiii think i did a bad job of explaining how big the normal non-toy drones are, my baaaad))]
[OH OOPS... but no problem; more awkward things have happened in Gintama!! It kind of looks like Hijikata is packing melons in his tightly stretched sleeves right now, but he's unpertubed. If people in the street have a problem with this they can mind their own business.
Unless Robotnik has a bag for him or something.]
Good, good. I know you'll use it well, that's why I'm happy to leave it with you. You're not some moron who'd replicate a hundred cheesecakes or whatever.
[This more or less concludes their business for now... he's very pleased to have acquired the copy drones before the next disaster. He pats one of them through the fabric under his crossed arms.]
If I get to put them to use any time soon I'll let you know how it went.
[Technically, Robotnik has some bags, since this is a shop and all, but since Hijikata seems to know what he intends to do here he's not questioning it. Follow your weird dreams.
He lets out a laugh, setting the charm aside for study/later use.]
I'm going to guess you know someone who would do just that.
[With business done, he waves him off, but at least he's not being hostile about it.]
Great. Go test those out. Make sure to give me all the data you can.
(no subject)
[Well, looks like he can't just walk across the courtyard to Robotnik's apartment anymore now... which may just be for the better (for Robotnik). But within the next half-hour he turns up at his new shop and looks around after letting himself in (or being let in, depending on how rigorous Robotnik is about that).]
Nice! This sure looks like a better place for the kind of projects you handle. You must've been having a field day ever since we got access to that Viergean nanotechnoloy... unless you're more of a traditionalist?
(no subject)
Are you kidding me? I've been trying to work out something like that for years. I'm almost a little annoyed it basically got dropped into my lap, but you work with what you have to work with.
[If he ever gets home (which he still plans to figure out) he's going to absolutely take the credit for the tech he brings back.]
I've been performing a number of experiments.
(no subject)
[He smiles at the drones, excited to hopefully take a few copies home with him today.]
I don't assume to added nanos into these, though? If not let me know what else you've been up to.
(no subject)
Not these, no. They're fine as is. I would like to figure out a way to incorporate the technology, of course, but I'm intending to do that in a separate line.
[He has his plans and concepts, and knows exactly how he wants them to work.]
I've been sort of switching between replicating these and trying out various concepts here and there with other things. Nothing too fully-realized; I do have the shop to deal with as well.
(no subject)
Business is going well, then? That makes me glad. A decent mix of order fulfillment and personal development is about as good as it gets, regardless of where you are.
[He's... really just parroting his Prismal commanding officer right now, because he himself is a hopeless workaholic whose idea of "self-realisation" is to defend the damn city tooth and nail. Isn't that sad? Not if you ask him! Anyway, time to bring out the copycat charm.]
Have you actually used one of these before? Do I just, uh, aim it at the drone and... think about copying it?
[Magic, how the hell does it work?]
(no subject)
[He pats the drone again, then sends it over a little to a space where there shouldn't be anything in the way, just in case the charm thing needs exact precision.]
I haven't tried one of those, but I doubt they're going to sell it to you if it's that obtuse. There's plenty of time to just experiment and see where it goes. I'd say try the obvious first and then go from there.
(no subject)
[He does pretty much exactly what he described, but nothing happens.]
Hang on. I'll look it up.
[A mere minute of scrolling through the network later and he lets out an annoyed snort.]
Really? You have to say "meow" to copy something? Are you shitting me?
[He's clearly vexed at being roped into a dumb act like this, but what can you do! He puts his focus back on the drone, holding the necklace in his hand.]
Meow.
[Bam! Immediately there's an identical copy next to the original.]
Well, at least it worked. I assume all the ones you have right now have you as your primary command center; can you change it to the program on my device for this new one? Then I'll try maneuvering it around a little.
(no subject)
[It does make a copy, though, and that's always interesting. Before doing anything else, he approaches the copied drone and just basically grabs it out of the air, giving it a good inspection.]
Well, what do you know. An exact copy!
[He pats it, lets it go back to floating, and turns to the device on his wrist, pressing buttons on his glove.]
Okay, control on this one is noooowwww... transferred to you. Give it a try.
(no subject)
[He watches Robotnik do his thing, then nods and opens the program on his device. He gives some simple commands, making the new drone fly back, forth and sideways, then gets a tad more adventurous and lets it circle around its hovering original.]
This is really great. At some point I'd like to commission a pair of those gloves you use, along with some lessons, but for now this will do nicely. Where's the camera mode... ah, here.
[He's very satisfied with the quality of the footage that gets delivered to his screen, even if it's just his and Robotnik's own faces.]
Looks great to me! Solid work, Doctor, really. I'll copy another one and see how I can handle two at one, and if there are no issues I'll be out of your hair. I think I want to leave it at just a couple at a time for now.
(no subject)
[He laughs, but... well, yeah, these things took a lot of hard work to create in the first place and here magic can just poof things into existence even without learning if you know where to go or what to buy. He didn't even get the satisfaction of creating the thing that made it possible! What a world.
He shakes his head, watches the new drone fly around, a perfect duplication of the original. Magic is certainly something.]
But that's understandable. It takes a lot of... coordination to run more than a few at a time. Of course, I don't have any problem with it, but I also built the damn things, so I just happen to know them inside and out. I'll get to sourcing the parts for another pair of control gloves one of these days.
(no subject)
[Regarding the ridiculous simplification of arduous processes by gimmicks like this charm, he means. He waits for Robotnik to bring over the other drone - he still wants to have two different copies for comparison's sake.]
Still, without your hard work we wouldn't have any drones to duplicate! Actually do you want to keep the charm when I'm done? It'll probably be more helpful to you than to me for now. You can duplicate the gloves and whatever parts you run out of for your other projects.
[This... really kind of takes the joy out of inventing, doesn't it. But on the other hand it'll save them so much time and Chroma!]
(no subject)
That might be useful, actually. If you've got no use for it, I'll gladly take it off your hands.
[Annoying to his pride or otherwise, he can't argue with efficiency.]
You can still do the honors with this one.
[He doesn't want to meow with an audience.]
(no subject)
[Hijikata is more amused than vexed, though. He has already done it once, so at it point it doesn't really get more embarrassing. He gives the second drone another dry "meow", and once again the copy simply poofs into existence next to it. By now they know what to do, so once Robotnik has adjusted the new copy's settings to take its input from Hijikata's device he starts maneuvering both around at once.]
How do I make it follow a target? Like this?
[With Robotnik's help he gives one copy the command to follow the other, which he flies through the warehouse. One half of the now split screen shows the camera view of the drone he's steering (he finds it easier to do this via first-person POV), the other half shows the footage the drone on autopilot is transmitting as it follows.]
I think I'm getting the hang of it... it's intuitive enough.
[He gives both drones the command to return, which they promptly do, then plucks one after the other out of the air and manually turns them off - there's probably a more elegant way of doing this, like making them land somewhere and shut themselves down, but this just seemed easiest right now.]
I'll practice some more at the beach; there shouldn't be many people at this time. Oh, yeah... if they get sandy or dirty, how should I clean them?
(no subject)
He makes sure to give all the necessary pointers, a sort of brief tutorial of working with multiple, subtly different drones.]
While many of the things I design are essentially just complicated enough for me to handle, these in particular are technically designed so others can use them. They're not particularly obtuse. You seem to be catching on just fine.
[He, of course, still has a connection to the drones on his wrist device even with the control transferred, and he makes sure to give the details a once-over. Definitely working just fine.]
Surface wash is fine for dirt, and they don't tend to pick up much on the inside. If you do somehow end up burying them in the sand or something, just have them open everything up as if for maintenance. They should be able to shake it all out.
(no subject)
[He unceremoniously sticks the drones into his kimono sleeves, then hands the needlessly ornate copycat charm to Robotnik.]
I don't actually know how many uses it has left - usually Lumi would only top them up for one use at a time, but he said he gave me "the maximum", whatever that means. Since he was super busy at the time I tried to check online, but there were different accounts of other people who got the same deal - might be 30, 50, or 100 uses. I guess we'll find out. Don't hold back in any case; the only thing I'd really want to copy would be more drones if one of these gets irreparably wrecked.
(no subject)
[He takes the charm, turning it over in his hand and trying not to squint too much at the drones just being... shoved into sleeves. So it goes. The charm is definitely unnecessarily decorative, but at least it's useful.]
I'll make sure to start with the most important things. Then I can go from there, and when it runs out it runs out.
[((iiiiiii think i did a bad job of explaining how big the normal non-toy drones are, my baaaad))]
(no subject)
OH OOPS... but no problem; more awkward things have happened in Gintama!!It kind of looks like Hijikata is packing melons in his tightly stretched sleeves right now, but he's unpertubed. If people in the street have a problem with this they can mind their own business.Unless Robotnik has a bag for him or something.]
Good, good. I know you'll use it well, that's why I'm happy to leave it with you. You're not some moron who'd replicate a hundred cheesecakes or whatever.
[This more or less concludes their business for now... he's very pleased to have acquired the copy drones before the next disaster. He pats one of them through the fabric under his crossed arms.]
If I get to put them to use any time soon I'll let you know how it went.
(no subject)
He lets out a laugh, setting the charm aside for study/later use.]
I'm going to guess you know someone who would do just that.
[With business done, he waves him off, but at least he's not being hostile about it.]
Great. Go test those out. Make sure to give me all the data you can.
(no subject)
[He gives Robotnik a thumbs-ups that's made only slightly awkward by his ridiculously bulging sleeves.]
And hell yeah, do I ever know enough morons...
[They probably both do. He sighs.]
Good luck with your other projects, then, Doctor. Until soon!
(no subject)
[He nods, then turns and disappears towards the back of the warehouse. Time to test this thing out.]