[Like the previous video, this one looks to take place in the Victorian era, or thereabouts. It doesn't take place in the lab of the earlier though. Rather, it looks like some sort of sitting room; Helen is sitting in a chair in the middle of the room, John kneeling on one side of her and James standing behind, while Tesla draws up a needle from a vial that looks for all the world like it's full of blood.]
It's ready.
[The comment is Tesla's, as he crosses over to stand at Helen's left side, needle in hand; Nigel comments from somewhere off screen before Helen has a chance to answer Tesla's comment.]
You don't have to go first. John or I could have a go first.
[This is clearly directed at Helen, although it's James he speaks up next.]
He's right. No need for unnecessary heroics. The side effects are completely unknown.
[There's a pause, as Helen offers a smile.]
Thank you, gentlemen. But this experiment was of my design. I shall be the one to prove its worth.
[John takes Helen's hand at that, and the look he offers her is very much one of concern, and more than that, a concern born out of love.]
Helen. You're certain?
[There's a pause, as Helen looks back at him, and while there's reason enough to think that she's also nervous about what might happen she absolutely means to go through with it.]
We've risked too much to turn back now. We need to know.
[There's a pause as they share a Look, and then Helen turns back to Tesla, with a nod.]
You may proceed, Nikola.
[Tesla doesn't nod, but he does step carefully forward, brushing Helen's sleeve - which had already been rolled up some - out of the way as he brings the needle in just shy of piercing her skin. And there he stops for a moment, glancing up at Helen as if for confirmation. It's only when she offers another brief nod that he gently slides the needle her arm, depressing the plunger. Helen gasps a little, at that, although whether it's to do with nerves or something with the Source Blood itself is another question entirely.
Either way, Tesla doesn't stop until the plunger slides home. And no sooner has he done so when Helen cries out, eyes going wide and hands clenching around John and Tesla's. For a long moment, she stays that way, breathing hard and apparently unable to do much else, although she does briefly glance over to John, concern and distress written on her face. But eventually, whatever pain has resulted of the experiment recedes, leaving Helen ... entirely unchanged.
In fact, the only real effect seems to be that she's a bit wobbly when she climbs to her feet; John helps steady her without so much as second thought, although as she doesn't seem to have quite regained her capability for speech, James speaks up instead.]
Slightly more anticlimactic than I would have expected.
[Tesla shrugs in answer.]
It's hardly as if anyone has done this before.
[And thus, it's not like they have any idea of what to expect either; over near the other side of the room John murmurs something to Helen, his words pass mostly unheard, but her response is clear enough.]
No. No, I'm alright. Please, continue.
[John lingers a bit longer, but after an encouraging nod, he turns to Tesla.]
If you're ready?
[Tesla nods at the question.]
Of course.
[John takes the seat at that, Tesla drawing up another syringeful of blood. As before the injection seems to be distinctly uncomfortable. This time though, the reason becomes abruptly more apparent. While Helen seems to have been left unchanged, no sooner has the needle left John's arm when he abruptly vanishes in a curl of orange smoke, leaving the other four surprised, and then concerned; a burst of conversation follows, everyone talking over each other as they try to figure out just what has happened.
A few minutes later, there's a knock on the door and John enters, looking a little sheepish, and explains that he seems to have be transported elsewhere with little more than a thought; once the burst of conversation the injections continue. James is next (to no apparent effect, though he complains of a mild headache) and then Nigel (who promptly fades out of sight, though his clothes remain visible, leaving him a very odd sight until he manages to figure out how to flicker back into view.)
And then it's Tesla's turn. Since he can't very well inject himself Helen takes over instead.
Like all the others, the injection seems to be distinctly uncomfortable. Enough so that even he can't help but cry out, eyes gone wide and unseeing, as he grips the arms of the chair hard enough that the wood begins to creak, just before he passes out. Unsurprisingly, this prompts a round of concerned noises from all the others present; from the sound of things they're very nearly to asking whether or not they'll need to resuscitate him, and if so how when he finally gasps, stirring to life even as his fingers grow into talons.
In the background, Nigel swears, and James echoes the sentiment in slightly less crude terms, as Tesla's eyes snap open. They're not human eyes either. Instead, they're dead black, and full of an entirely unnatural hunger; rather than speak, he rises from the chair with an almost preternatural grace, gaze flickering to each of the others in the room, sizing them up almost as a predator would prey.
The video cuts out.]
((video link: 6:06 - 7:34 [and then into headcanon]))
cw: needles, physical transformations, mild body horror(?)
It's ready.
[The comment is Tesla's, as he crosses over to stand at Helen's left side, needle in hand; Nigel comments from somewhere off screen before Helen has a chance to answer Tesla's comment.]
You don't have to go first. John or I could have a go first.
[This is clearly directed at Helen, although it's James he speaks up next.]
He's right. No need for unnecessary heroics. The side effects are completely unknown.
[There's a pause, as Helen offers a smile.]
Thank you, gentlemen. But this experiment was of my design. I shall be the one to prove its worth.
[John takes Helen's hand at that, and the look he offers her is very much one of concern, and more than that, a concern born out of love.]
Helen. You're certain?
[There's a pause, as Helen looks back at him, and while there's reason enough to think that she's also nervous about what might happen she absolutely means to go through with it.]
We've risked too much to turn back now. We need to know.
[There's a pause as they share a Look, and then Helen turns back to Tesla, with a nod.]
You may proceed, Nikola.
[Tesla doesn't nod, but he does step carefully forward, brushing Helen's sleeve - which had already been rolled up some - out of the way as he brings the needle in just shy of piercing her skin. And there he stops for a moment, glancing up at Helen as if for confirmation. It's only when she offers another brief nod that he gently slides the needle her arm, depressing the plunger. Helen gasps a little, at that, although whether it's to do with nerves or something with the Source Blood itself is another question entirely.
Either way, Tesla doesn't stop until the plunger slides home. And no sooner has he done so when Helen cries out, eyes going wide and hands clenching around John and Tesla's. For a long moment, she stays that way, breathing hard and apparently unable to do much else, although she does briefly glance over to John, concern and distress written on her face. But eventually, whatever pain has resulted of the experiment recedes, leaving Helen ... entirely unchanged.
In fact, the only real effect seems to be that she's a bit wobbly when she climbs to her feet; John helps steady her without so much as second thought, although as she doesn't seem to have quite regained her capability for speech, James speaks up instead.]
Slightly more anticlimactic than I would have expected.
[Tesla shrugs in answer.]
It's hardly as if anyone has done this before.
[And thus, it's not like they have any idea of what to expect either; over near the other side of the room John murmurs something to Helen, his words pass mostly unheard, but her response is clear enough.]
No. No, I'm alright. Please, continue.
[John lingers a bit longer, but after an encouraging nod, he turns to Tesla.]
If you're ready?
[Tesla nods at the question.]
Of course.
[John takes the seat at that, Tesla drawing up another syringeful of blood. As before the injection seems to be distinctly uncomfortable. This time though, the reason becomes abruptly more apparent. While Helen seems to have been left unchanged, no sooner has the needle left John's arm when he abruptly vanishes in a curl of orange smoke, leaving the other four surprised, and then concerned; a burst of conversation follows, everyone talking over each other as they try to figure out just what has happened.
A few minutes later, there's a knock on the door and John enters, looking a little sheepish, and explains that he seems to have be transported elsewhere with little more than a thought; once the burst of conversation the injections continue. James is next (to no apparent effect, though he complains of a mild headache) and then Nigel (who promptly fades out of sight, though his clothes remain visible, leaving him a very odd sight until he manages to figure out how to flicker back into view.)
And then it's Tesla's turn. Since he can't very well inject himself Helen takes over instead.
Like all the others, the injection seems to be distinctly uncomfortable. Enough so that even he can't help but cry out, eyes gone wide and unseeing, as he grips the arms of the chair hard enough that the wood begins to creak, just before he passes out. Unsurprisingly, this prompts a round of concerned noises from all the others present; from the sound of things they're very nearly to asking whether or not they'll need to resuscitate him, and if so how when he finally gasps, stirring to life even as his fingers grow into talons.
In the background, Nigel swears, and James echoes the sentiment in slightly less crude terms, as Tesla's eyes snap open. They're not human eyes either. Instead, they're dead black, and full of an entirely unnatural hunger; rather than speak, he rises from the chair with an almost preternatural grace, gaze flickering to each of the others in the room, sizing them up almost as a predator would prey.
The video cuts out.]
((video link: 6:06 - 7:34 [and then into headcanon]))