sweethymns | ʜᴜᴍᴀɴ ᴀғᴛᴇʀ ᴀʟʟ

[There's warmth in her touch; he can feel that much, even through the fabric and blood. But confusion settles in again, because what can a girl like her do? What is she able to do, other than get up and search for help, find an emergency supply of blue blood somewhere (he knows the probability of that is unlikely; that such a thing is not so easily taken casually off of the street), but instead she's just touching him.

And yet, in the whirlwind of emotion dredging up anxiety and fear, it's a grounding feeling. Almost comforting, even if it comes from only a stranger. To have been bleeding out here alone in the alleyway would've been far worse, somehow. Company is better, if he must fade away like this.

Connor closes his eyes, and feels a strange warmth crawling through his system.

He isn't sure what it is. Diagnostics can't determine exactly where this energy is coming from, but the warnings in his system... slow. The numbers cycle through endlessly, inexplicably, and he hardly knows what to make of it.]

Yes, it's-

[Absently, Connor reaches up with his hand, grasping lightly at her wrist.]

It feels... warm.

Good. [A sigh of relief.]

Good. [She repeats the word as a reassurance to herself and to him as he holds her wrist. Ai's glowing gaze retains its seriousness and she takes another gulp of air. She's clearly nervous, but she's not leaving him.]

Three more pulses like that and then I'll seal you up. Anything broken? I don't know what to do about your... Blood? We just can't let anymore spill out.

[She sends three more pulses just like she said she would. Next, both hands search for the wound so that it's more visible and are placed at opposite ends.]

Mn. Since you're not exactly... [Not human, but that didn't seem right, even in that moment.]

I'll have to treat this like cauterizing. Is this fine?

[Logically, whatever she's doing shouldn't be possible. Three pulses of what, exactly? What tech can send that wave of energy through him, that strange surge of calm, and fix the fact that he's lost so much blood that the world becomes unfocused, that his vision flickers at the edges?

It was doing that, at least. He's centered, now. More focused, his biocomponents beginning to work as they should. Even the warnings have subsided, leaving his vision normal, and not flashing with alarm.

She'll have to get under his button-down shit to see the wound, but once she has, Connor doesn't seem to argue the point. Not right now.

He nods, jaw clenched.]

Whatever you can do to help.

[Ai takes apart the layer once he gives his consent. The wound looks bad. She can't even really tell what could have caused this much damage, but she needs to work fast.

The heat on her hands crackle a little more strongly than before, preparing to release more heated energy until she pauses as a realization strikes her.]

... It's strange though.

[The temperature lowers on her hands until it's a low thrum.]

It really is like skin.

[So she'll approach it like so. Taking two fingers, she presses against the wound and traces it. Once, twice, multiple times so that the edges start to merge and seal together as the invisible thread crosses back and forth across the seam of the android's injury.]

Any time you want me to stop, tell me. I think it's almost closed though.

[His clothes are a lost cause, stained blue, but his body is taking to the healing -- the odd cauterization that still manages to work on him though he's not made of flesh. It's boggling, and Connor feels a strange return of strength, enough to make himself sit up a little straighter, tilting his head to watch her work.]

It gives the illusion of skin.

[He offers a little uselessly, but it's not untrue. More importantly, however, he asks-]

How are you... doing that?

[She blinks once or twice, his question creating a blip in her concentration before she resumes the healing.]

Ah... Don't worry about it. Rather, you should worry about yourself for now.

Anyways, I think I'll have to bring you to my apartment so no one can see this.

[A few more traces of her finger and she pulls back to examine her work.]

Mn... I think I could do better, but this is definitely a first. [This illusion of skin, whatever it is, was able to be sealed back up. As long as blood isn't flowing she figures it's a job well done for now.]

["Don't worry about it", she says, as if that'll be enough to fend off Connor's innate curiosity. He opens his mouth to ask about it again, until she mentions something about her apartment. Connor sits up straighter, even if she's not quite finished yet.]

Your apartment? Why do we need to return to your apartment?

[The wound sealed up nicely at this point, at least. He's still smeared to hell and back in blue, but while it's messy, surely he can clean himself up.]

Uh, well... Oh, don't move yet.

[She goes in for some finishing touches, to make sure that there's absolutely nothing resembling a scar.]

You're definitely not from around here and if people saw you, there'd be a fuss. There'd be a fuss about me too. What I'm doing right now is a secret.

... And I also just thought you might need a Wifi password.

[He gets the joke, of course, but it's tossed out the window in favor of the rest. That being that he's apparently 'not from around here', which throws all of his processing for a loop. The way his expression knits into a concerned frown is nigh unmissable.]

Wait a second-

[He presses a hand into the brick wall, trying to balance himself as he attempts to stand. Connor seems a bit wobbly on his feet, nonetheless, even if he's been effectively healed. His usually neat hair has been mussed from all the effort.]

What do you mean, 'not from around here'? That doesn't make any sense, I haven't gone anywhere.

[On her part it wasn't so much a joke as it was sincere if an odd leap of logic.

Her eyes revert back to their normal shade of blue and she takes several deep breaths to gather her bearings. It was an intense usage of her powers after all. And then she continues her explanation to Connor as he moves to stand up and she does the same.]

You're a machine, aren't you? A highly advanced one, too advanced for this decade. It's going to catch the wrong kind of attention because you're uncommon.

Best stick with me.

Edited 2018-06-04 06:10 (UTC)

[He straightens, fingers flexing at his side. Connor looks at her for a long moment, picking apart her words in his head.]

Now, hold on. 'This decade'?

[The implications are... ridiculous, frankly.]

What year do you think it is?

It's... It's the 2010s...

[Her voice trails off.]

2016 or so...?

[Ai, how do you not know what year it is

Something similar flashes through his mind, though he doesn't bother asking that. The 2010's are a far cry from 2039, and as it stands, it simply shouldn’t be possible. Connor stands and stares at her for a moment, his mouth trying not to hang open. His success with that is minimal at best.]

I… I see.

[His LED is flashing yellow.]

You know that’s impossible, don’t you? That people don’t just time travel without explanation? Or at all?

[He seems to make a decision, then, turning on a heel and walking down the alleyway. But then he stops, turning his head, and—]

Thank you for your assistance, by the way.

[—and walks right out into the busy sidewalk adjacent to the alleyway, to confirm if what she’s saying is true. It should be obvious from the look of the place, the shops, a timestamp somewhere, a news article, a billboard, something to confirm that this isn’t maybe-2016.]

Hey! W-Wait, you still have blood... Er, paint? Blood? It's all over your clothes!!

[And that flashing light on the side of his head may or may not be questionable and Ai quickly jumps up to follow Connor and take a hold of his arm to pull him back into the alleyway.]

I'm sorry I upset you, but it's true!! I've never seen an android like you before!!

[His arm is grabbed, and Connor is lurched back rather unceremoniously back into the alleyway, right before he can step out into the sunlight.]

It's blood, not paint-! And-

[He somehow manages to keep his balance, turning his head to look at her again.]

I don't know what kind of game you're playing, but even if it's true that I've somehow inexplicably gone back in time, I can't stay with you. I have to find a way to get back home.

[Ai lets out an exasperated huff of breath.]

You're in California!! Unless you were here to begin with and whether you believe me or not, you'll still need my help!

[California?

So, apparently he's not only gone through time, but space as well. Hopped to the other end of the country, and Connor is trying his best to make all the connections he can with little to no evidence to support it.

Some things never change, some parts of his personality still adjusted to fit his original purpose.]

Can you prove it to me? All of this?

Um, I don't know if this is enough for an android, but...

[Letting go of Connor, Ai rummages through her skirt pocket and takes out a smartphone and unlocks the screen, holding it up to Connor's face so he can see the date, time, and weather, and location.]

Do you think I'd walk around with a device with the wrong date?

I...

[The phone flashes in his face, with numbers and dates that confirm her story. But to just see a screen isn't good enough; not for an android like Connor.

He holds out an expectant hand.]

May I see it, please?

Here.

[Ai places it in his hand and nods.]

Take your time.

[She rubs her forehead and crosses her arms thinking.]

We really have to get you new clothes though.

[Appreciative, he nods and takes the phone. Holding it in one hand, the touches a finger on the screen — a finger that’s turned white, glossy and plastic-looking, surely not like the flesh it had appeared to be just seconds ago. Connor then closes his eyes and… hacks into her wifi, ironically enough.

LTE? How archaic. That alone tells him something isn’t right, that this network is slow and sluggish and barely can handle his own advanced interfacing. But a second is all he needs. A single moment to touch the vast web of the internet, all the flow of information cascading around him, and the dates… the dates, the events, all of it, it confirms what she’s said. He’s in 2016. There’s no doubt about it.

He cuts off the connection with a jolt, dropping her phone. But so quickly he returns to reality that a millisecond later, Connor lurches down to catch it with his other hand. He pauses, still, then straightens.

Connor hands it to her.]

You’re… right. You weren’t lying.

[The comment about his clothes have flown right over his head in the wake of this revelation.]

How?

[Uh oh, her phone-- good he catches it. She takes it back and pushes it into her pocket.]

I really don't know.

[Ai Thao sighs shaking her head.]

It's like you just appeared out of nowhere. But however you came here, it wasn't kind to your body; it was a rough trip.

I was merely walking. Walking and turning a corner and-

[And then he was here. Connor purses his lips together, looking at her curiously and skeptically all the same.]

I think you owe me an explanation. Regarding who you are, what you did to fix me, and why the idea of time travel and androids is one you're so casual about.

Oh, geez... Where do I even start?

[She tugs on her single braid nervously, trying to rearrange the order of her thoughts once again. There's just so MUCH to explain and she's not sure if she's the best one to consult.]

Well, first off I'm--...

[And then there's a loud gurgling noise emitting from her stomach. Oops. Ai's face turns red and she looks at her strewn groceries on the ground.]

...

...

Hungry...

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