sweethymns | ʜᴜᴍᴀɴ ᴀғᴛᴇʀ ᴀʟʟ

Did you not eat at all today?

[It's a legitimate question! But one that trials off, almost forgotten, when she returns with clothing in-hand. He takes the shirt, holding it up and reading the text across it. He has no real opinion on it (it seems like it'll fit him, and it'll be easy enough to move in), and he's silent for a moment or two.

He then lowers his arms to look at her.]

It looks like it'll fit me fine, so there shouldn't be a problem. But how much did this shirt cost you?

[joke

connor's head]

Ah.

[Okay, so that at least reminds her that she's talking to an android; she can see the joke fly over his head and hit the opposite wall.

But she waves it off.]

Don't worry about it. You can change in the bathroom. Thank you for setting up some of my food!

[Her eyes are laser-focused on having delicious marinated salmon over rice. She's been waiting for this! It's almost more exciting than finding an android from the FUTURE]

[Must he treat this shirt with the upmost care? Surely, because it's obviously a very expensive article of clothing and she's very kind to let him wear it. He just nods, smiling a little, and disappears into the bathroom for a moment.

Coming out, he's wearing the t-shirt, with his bloody clothes folded neatly in his hands. He places them near where he's left his jacket, and wanders over to the table where Ai's seated to eat. He takes it upon himself to draw up an empty chair and take his own seat.]

So, now that food and clothing is settled [DOESN'T HE LOOK SO FASHIONABLE....], I thought we might continue our prior conversation.

[She's made her salmon rice bowl, with the fish arranged in a flowery pattern, topped with some wasabi and seaweed strips. Of course, she's already attacked it so by the time Connor is done changing, about a third of the bowl's contents has been consumed. Ai looks up at the android with stuffed cheeks and chewing and trying to register his new appearance.

It's... Well... Look. At least it fits.

She continues to chew and digest and nods at Connor. She swallows and takes a deep breath. And then scoops another bunch of rice with fish and stuffing her mouth as if she hadn't eaten in days. An index finger is held up as she tries to speak with a muffled voice.]

1 min'...! Eatin'.

[Like a squirrel...]

[Yes, the shirt fits. It sure... does.

But Connor blinks in surprise at the zest directed towards her food. The way she's stuffing her face, practically wolfing down the contents of her bowl. He's told to wait and he will, straight-backed with his hands in his lap, watching her eat. He's fairly certain he's never seen a human eat quite like this before.

He waits. But then:]

You should chew your food. Eating too quickly will give you indigestion, not to mention heighten the risk of you accidentally choking.

Hm?

[That breaks her focus and she swallows, takes a drink of water from a tall glass before she replies to Connor.]

I am chewing. I'm really fast at it, that's all.

Not that I'm saying you're wrong though. I'm just used to eating fast since I burn calories really quickly compared to most people.

[Oh? That's interesting. Connor puts his elbows on the table, leaning forward a little with interest.]

I see. Is that because of your unusual abilities?

[She nods through another bite and properly swallows again before replying.]

That's mostly it. I'm applying a lot of brain power especially if I'm emitting my own energy like that to apply it to an intense process like the healing I did for you.

[That make sense, of course. The more energy exerted, the more required to recover, to replace. The fact that every meal of hers must look something like this, he thinks, would be the only natural conclusion to come to.]

And so we loop back around to my original request for information. Will you tell me what it is you do, exactly? Where these 'brain powers' of yours come from, and what they consist of?

Right...

[Chopsticks stir at a portion of rice as Ai contemplates on how to answer. She opts to be as straightforward as possible even if the logic of it may not work for an android.]

I'm what they call a psychic. The definition of that is broad I know and I happen to have a broad range of abilities compared to other people in that categories. I was born with my powers and I can do anything from healing, moving and twisting objects that are bigger than myself or just emit pure energy.

[Connor doesn't operate only on logic — instinct and emotion still come into play in his everyday life. And yet one can hardly blame him for his immediate reply.]

Psychics don’t exist.

[This, of course, contradicts what he had seen happen to him when he was in the alleyway, bleeding out. He shakes his head, as if trying to reconcile this with what he knows.]

That is, I’ve never heard of one, never seen proof of one existing until today.

[She nibbles at a piece of fish looking apologetic.]

To be fair, I never heard of an android that has your sort of autonomy and independent action until today either. It is what it is I guess! You're really lucky I found you.

[It’s a good point, but it wasn’t his point. Connor brings up a hand to scrub very briefly at his face, then drops it back down on the table.]

I think in this case I have no choice but to accept what you’re telling me as the truth. But you say you’ve never seen an android until today—

[It would make sense. 2016. Too far back in the past — and some of what he saw on the internet, a lot of it didn’t match up to what he knew. He wonders if it’s really just the past that he’s wandered into. Temporal and spatial phenomenon, leading him into some strange version of the world he doesn’t recognize?

It would explain the… psychics.]

You’re not afraid of me? Not even a little bit wary?

[There's a mild look of surprise at his question.]

... Should I be scared? [Her head tilts in confusion.]

I mean, you were hurt after all. I didn't think about whether you were something or someone to be afraid of or not...

And you carried my groceries...

[He looks surprised for a moment at that response, eyes widening slightly and leaning back. It’s— well. It’s very trusting of her to think that, to accept him into her home without knowing anything about who he is. (Or what he is, as many would think.) It’s not as if he hasn’t met those who were similar-minded when it came to androids, just wanting to help in the end (he thinks of Hank, and wonders what he’s up to right now); but this is different. She hasn’t even the faintest idea of the sort of android that he is. In this world, he shouldn't even exist.

It’s… strange.]

Humans are generally quick to distrust what they don’t understand. It can be… frightening, I imagine, to meet someone like myself for the first time, with no frame of reference to help aid the shock of the revelation.

But you seem to not mind it at all.

...

[Ai is silent before she sets down her chopsticks which were made of a sleek metal material.]

There's a lot of unknown things in this world that humans aren't aware of. There's already a lot of conflict over minor differences.

[She hovers her hand over the chopsticks and they begin to shudder. And then they bend at a 90-degree angle as if it were made from taffy.]

I'm probably one of those things people wouldn't understand. What they would find frightening and distrustful.

[He watches the chopsticks warp and bend, with the look of someone who's seeing it for the first time. His brow cinches, and he has to wrench his eyes back up to Ai.]

You're implying that your kind stays hidden from the rest of society?

[More threads of connections coming together. That would explain why she didn't want anyone to see them in the alleyway.]

In the larger context, we do.

[Ai returns the chopsticks to their original form although there's a small dent from where there was a dent.]

I mean, people know psychics from stories and such and there are even minor ones that make a business out of it. But people here aren't aware of how widespread it is.

[He considers this for a moment. It’s the opposite of what the situation was back in his proper time — androids were not at all in hiding, yet he shares a passing similarity with Ai. Being something that others distrust, something they don’t quite understand.

He understands what she meant, now, when she said he was lucky that she found him.]

It must be difficult, to remain mostly in the shadows. I can... understand, in my own way.

[But, then, he offers her a small smile.]

But I’m glad you came out of them to aid me. I owe you for that — and I’ll owe you more, I’m sure, before all of this is through.

Oh! I mean, I wanted to help and even if I don't quite get how you work, I thought... Um, it's hard to explain.

[She seems flustered at his gratitude as if she's unused to it.]

I think I was able to hear something in your voice? That made me think you were... Alive? Somehow?

[He tilts his head a little at her reaction, though he supposes it's a good thing -- this is how she takes to gratitude: positive, but unused to it.

But, ah. There's something funny about her saying that. Surprising again, a little ironic, enough to actually elicit a small chuckle from Connor. It sounds wry, fleeting.]

I was very distressed at the time.

[A beat.]

What do you think, though? Now that you know what I am? Do you consider me alive?

Hmmm.

[She thinks about his question while taking another bite of rice.]

I mean... You're asking that question so that seems like an "alive" thing to do. Or is that something you're just able to ask or...? Then again, anyone can ask that even if they're built or not...?

[You can probably see the imaginary short-circuiting going on here]

I think you're overthinking it. The question doesn't pertain to what I've been programmed to do or ask.

[He's honestly curious what she thinks. She seems the open-minded sort, from the very short amount of time he's known her.]

I'm just curious about your first impression. It's been a point of... contention where I'm from.

[Connor has such vivid opinions or observations too. It really does blur the line for Ai who squints at him.]

You're so... [She makes circular gestures with her chopsticks trying to find the right way to say what's on her mind.]

I mean, I'm not very good at reading other people, to begin with. So to me, my first impression is that you're an existence who wants to live and wants to learn. And maybe that's more than enough for me.

Edited 2018-06-06 01:26 (UTC)

You're not wrong about that.

[It's not a full answer, but it does describe him accurately enough.

Still, it's good enough to move on. He raises a brow in her direction.]

You said you can't read people well. But don't psychics read minds? If one is to adhere to the stereotypes.

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