19781/New Years Evolutions

New Years Evolutions
Date of Scene:	01 January 2025
Location:	Lobby - GIRL Headquarters
Synopsis:	Gwen starts off the new year by moving her research to GIRL.
Cast of Characters:	Gwen Stacy, Vivian Vision

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Gwen Stacy has posed:
For a not insignificant portion of the world, New Years Day is a time to rest and recover from New Years Eve. It's a day to wake up super late, stay in your pajamas, and generally dread the fact that you have to go to work the next day. All while thinking about all of those Resolutions you promised yourself you were going to get started on.

It's Day One of 2025! Literally 0101!

So how's the gym membership working out, Lisa?
Crushing that BMX track yet, Todd?
Gotten started on building that addition to the house, Frank?

Well, there's at least one person who's already getting started on their resolutions -- Gwen Stacy, with her pink-streaked blonde bob cut, cozy sweater, black shorts, tights, and ankle boots.

Like so many of the volunteers, Gwen's one of those 'when she has time' volunteers. She's working on her Master degree in genetics at ESU and has a job as a research assistant at OsCorp, though all of that work is closely monitored, aaaaaaaand there's a better than average chance that they were directly involved in creating the problem she's trying to solve.

And also that if they figure out she's looking into it, they might try to kill her. Which would be harder than it looks, but.. still. No sense stirring up any hornets. Not yet.

Moving to Gotham has made the trip to Pym Technologies (and therefore the G.I.R.L. HQ) a lot easier, too. Realistically, there's a lot of reasons for her to be doing her research into cloning-based cellular degradation here instead of OsCorp.

She's done the full check-in process -- one she's used to, by this point. She turned over her teal backpack for inspection, did the full body scan, stuck her eye in the retinal scanner, and got handed her badge -- the one with her smiling face on it.

... The one with _her_ smiling face on it. She made them re-take the picture because this whole G.I.R.L. membership thing started back with the 'other' Gwen Stacy. It was a whole thing, and it's not a thing she spends any time explaining to anyone. Zatanna did some magic, rearranged things so that even her father (in this dimension) believed Gwen had fallen into a coma instead of having died, and ever since then, this Gwen Stacy's been walking around as one of the most notorious identify thieves to ever exist.

You know. Total above-board superhero stuff.

Sigh.

"Thanks, Bill!" Gwen says cheerfully to the man who hands her the badge, slipping the lanyard around her neck as she recollects her backpack and starts for the elevators.

Vivian Vision has posed:
Some science experiments just don't stop because everything else has stopped. And because Vivian doesn't drink or party too hard it's pretty typical for her to volunteer to turn up at GIRL to watch the science experiments that must keep going even when a significant portion of the planet is taking it easy!

Plus between the hyperloop and her ability to fly Viv can get to GIRL as easily as she can to college. Or pretty much anywhere else.

No doubt she could afford a private car. And as acting Director of GIRL she could even charge it to expenses. But that's not really the GIRL way. Bad for the environment.

Plus if she doesn't make a fuss then no-one will think about how it's also her birthday. Not her favourite day ever. It's also the anniversary of her twins death.

Easier to stay busy.

She's dressed pretty typically. For Viv anyway. Canary yellow cargo pants, a green t-shirt, and sneakers.

Roaming the labs and making sure everything is ship shape. Could she do it all remotely? Yes. But sometimes it's nice to just have a stroll around!

Gwen Stacy has posed:
The place is... dead. Like, 'ghost town' dead.

It's not that it's totally empty. It... well... it can't really be empty. There's so much cool stuff and ongoing science experiments that the whole 'supervillains might try to break in' factor is higher than it is for your average convenient store. Or even jewelry store. Plus, some of the members have some notable enemies *cough*Red Room*cough*.

Still, it's weird to be standing in line for the elevator completely alone, getting on the elevator alone, getting off the elevator... not alone!

Hark! Another person!

After the ding of the elevator and the doors sliding open to let the sole occupant, one Gwen Stacy, out into the lab hallway, there's a twist of a smile at one corner of her lips when she raises a hand to give Vivian a little wave. The other stays firmly hooked into one of the shoulder straps of her backpack.

"Hey! Viv!"

That grin turns mildly sheepish.

"Sorry. We've only met briefly a few times. Is that okay? I hear other people call you that when they're talking about you. I'm Gwen. Aaaaand, I don't usually talk this much."

Vivian Vision has posed:
Vivian wasn't intending on checking out the Genetics division. But she's thorough and really what else is there to do? Strolling also means she can take the stairs. Save electricity. The downside of course is if there /was/ someone else there they'd get a bit of a shock when Viv just appears.

Which of course. There is. Despite the improbability of it.

She waves to Gwen.

"Hey Gwen," she says brightly. "Viv is fine. We're all friends here. Even if we haven't had much chance to chat yet."

Of course she knows Gwen without the introduction. She's wearing her ID badge! And okay Viv can cheat with her AI abilities too.

"Plus it'd be the worst if everyone started calling me /Director Vision/. It makes me sound like I'm doing eye tests."

Gwen Stacy has posed:
"Oh, I don't know. Director Vision sort of sounds like an extra you pay for when you buy a movie from a streaming service... aaaaand I guess it sort of describes your lived experience, too. You know, since you're seeing everything through the eyes of being... the Director."

Gwen reaches up to rub the back of her neck with that same, lopsided grin and a roll of one shoulder.

"Sorry. I should probably have workshopped that whole idea a little. I'm running on like four hours of sleep."

Which, of course, begs the question..

"Do they make you work on New Years Day? Or are you here working on something? I honestly wasn't expecting to run into anyone, much less... well... you. I figured that if anyone would get the day off, it would be the Director."

Given that Vivian's the director -- as discussed -- the 'they' that could make her work is left intentionally vague. You know. The big 'they.' The man. The system. The Matrix. Whatever.

Vivian Vision has posed:
"I do consider different situations using sub-personas which are each arguing for various competing viewpoints," Vivian admits. It's not exactly common knowledge that she can split her attention but it's also not exactly a secret. Probably Gwen has heard at least idle rumour that Viv is aware of almost everything happening in GIRL all at once.

She laughs softly. "No need to apologize." A beats pause. "I think four hours sleep brain is pretty normal for GIRL. But usually because everyone is too caught up in an experiment to sleep. Or watching a scifi movie marathon. I can arrange for a drone to bring coffee if you want?"

She idly brushes her hair back behind her ear. Head tilting a little. "Oh no-one makes me do anything," she assures. "But I'm not scheduled in to cover any super hero watches. And because of my multi-tasking capabilities I can cover the work of /lots/ of people. This allows more of our members to have New Years Eve parties and recover today."

"How about you? Doing something that just can't wait?" She blinks a few times then adds. "Asking in my capacity as Viv Vision not the Director. So if it's just a pet project you're not ready to talk about. It's okay."

Gwen Stacy has posed:
"Wait... are you serious? I mean, I have that, but when I say it, it makes me sound crazy. When you say it, it actually sounds really cool."

There's a twinkle of mirth in Gwen's blue eyes that makes it truly impossible know for sure if she's just making jokes or if she actually feels like she has multiple personalities all arguing their own viewpoints. And in reality, maybe she's not even sure, herself.

"And the fact that I didn't know we had coffee drones just goes to show how much time I haven't spent here. I _really_ need to fix that. This might become my new favorite place," she muses, still with that easy, light-hearted smile. "Yes. Please. That would be _amazing_."

The fact that Vivian can multi-task, though?

"That's... really kind of awesome of you. To give up your holiday so that they can have theirs off."

Ooooh. Her research. That grin tugging at her lips grows a bit more sheepish.

"Okay. To Viv Vision, I can say... it's complicated and kind of a long story. Though, what isn't, I guess? I've been doing some digging into cellular degeneration as a result of theoretical human cloning, using some... kind of obscure research I found from about 5-ish years ago. I've been trying to use simulations to find a way to at least stop -- if not reverse -- the effects of the degradation."

She raises her hands slightly.

"To be clear, just in case Friend Viv decides to tell Director Vision, I'm not working on human cloning. I'm trying to find a way to fix a problem... after the fact."

Vivian Vision has posed:
"I really do compartmentalise my thinking," Vivian assures. "I have about a dozen instances of myself set aside purely to monitor for incoming phone calls. One for receiving requests from each major law enforcement agency in the area. Including superhero teams I am associated with." She beams a smile. "The trick is to say things like that while holding a clipboard and wearing a lab coat. People will believe most things if you do."

"We briefly experimented with coffee /drones/. But the wasps would drink the coffee and run amok." The drone network is mostly there to bring items from storage to the labs. Saving people from hunting around for beakers or borrowing sharpies from each other then getting into fights when all the pink sharpies vanish. "Any preferences on bean type or blend? Sugar or cream?"

She blushes a little.

"Oh it's nothing special," she says awkwardly. "The last few years I was doing work on SPARKY here anyway. But he's close to being finished. So I thought he could just relax at home this year."

The news Gwen is looking into Human cloning, in any capacity at all, seems to cause a little brow quirk of concern. "If you require it I can authorise additional computer processing time. I've updated your security clearance for any of the material in the genetics databases." She shrugs. "I expect there's nothing new given your academic qualifications."

GIRL has had several notable geneticists. But none have been explicitly interested in cloning (probably it's mainly about giving Humans superpowers). Or if they have it's been done privately!

"Sounds like that sort of activity would be protected as a form of medical treatment. So Director Vision would be obligated to ensure it's kept confidential." She nods solemnly. "I can also reach out anonymously to other Academic institutions if you need to keep things discreet."

Gwen Stacy has posed:
There's something awe-struck about the way Gwen watches Viv, the way her lips curl in open -- and obviously impressed -- amusement at the easy banter about spreading herself around as telephone operator, director, friend, hall monitor, apparently... barista?

"I can't believe we're just now really talking," she laughs, incredulous. "Which is, honestly, obviously my fault. It's not like you're hard to reach."

There's a little shake of her head, enough to move a few stray strands of pink and blonde around her cheeks before she reaches up to brush them back into place.

"Honestly, I'm not picky. My dad's a cop. I learned to drink it black before most of the kids my age learned to like it at all," she muses.

It's the look of concern that seems to put Gwen a little more on edge, give her a little more of a look of regret than she had before. Like maybe she shouldn't have just... blurted out her research on human cloning adjacent activities.

Except..

"Wait, seriously?"

Extra processing time? Updated security clearance?!

Her eyes go wide, and she takes a step forward without even thinking about it, her arms coming up like she was going to wrap her best friend up in a squeeze... except, she stops herself. Because Viv is not, in fact, her best friend. She barely knows her, and it seems like, at the last moment, she seems to realize that she doesn't actually know if hugs are.. her thing.

"Sorry! I just.. I'm excited. I want to give you a hug. Do you hug? You have no idea how much time I've spent trying to run simulations on my laptop because I couldn't do them at any of the other labs I have access to. You are... a legit life-saver."

There's a pause, then, though, as her eyebrows lift. It's a gesture that moves the glinting piercing in one of them.

"Can we... can we keep it between us, for now? There are a few people that I really need to make sure don't know I'm working on it..."

Vivian Vision has posed:
"Sometimes I am," Vivian admits solemnly. "I day trip into space."

There's a beats pause. "I know that sounds like the set up to a joke, but it's technically true. It's not very efficient for teleconferencing due to the security in place. But the view is nice."

She grins.

"Perhaps a Robusta blend. It's got an earthy strong flavour. Grows in a lot of climates without much need for pesticides." Which is more detail than has ever been given about what's in a Police department coffee. "I don't really drink beverages myself, but when I rarely indulge it's for a nice cup of tea."

"One of the perks of being in charge," she says with a conspiratorial wink. "Is I don't have to ask permission before I make important decisions. Well I asked /myself/ but turns out we agree on a lot of things."

There's no overt reaction to the aborted hug. Maybe just a little amusement in her expression.

"I don't mind hugs," she confirms. "I could hazard a guess. Genetics data can be very complex. A typical lab run test for medical reasons would need two to four weeks." And thus the work Gwen's doing? Probably takes even longer as it's all bespoke stuff. "But that's not really important. What does matter is that people get access to the resources they need. And if it's a matter of life and death..."

A nod. And then Viv turns to retrieve a hot mug of ink black coffee. There's a little sachet of sugar and one of cream just in case Gwen needs them.

"Utmost confidentiality will be maintained. Anything tagged as medical or health related only shows in the most generic way on the records. To protect the patient. We're used to handling superhero health information. So no-one will look twice at anything you're investigating."

So long as no-one spots any giant mutant spiders running amok.

Then maybe. Just maybe. Someone will raise the alarm.