sweethymns | ʜᴜᴍᴀɴ ᴀғᴛᴇʀ ᴀʟʟ

[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.

Oh, well. Some do.

[Ai looks somewhat troubled.]

There are psychics that might specialize or rather, only have one ability. I'm a strange case since I have multiple ones like you saw, but... Ah.

I just don't do mind reading anymore. It's stressful.

[Strange how she labels it stressful, while Connor was quite literally designed to read people well. To gauge their emotions, to estimate accurately what their thoughts might be.

He supposes it's just part of his personality, wrought from what he was made for.

Connor looks curious, questioning.]

How so?

It's like...

[Her giant rice bowl is finished and while she isn't getting more grains, she's continuing to pile marinated salmon into her bowl. God.]

... Like when too many files are being uploaded to a device! The device slows down and its functions start to suffer.

[Ai's trying to make a helpful analogy ok]

[Oh my god how much does this human eat. The calorie count is pretty impressive.]

So you mean that it becomes something like a sensory overload for your brain.

[She doesn't have to use technology analogies for him to understand, though he appreciates the attempt.]

Too many thoughts all at once then?

[Another nod as she looks at her bowl instead of Connor for a second.]

It's worse in crowded places. I could have worked on turning it on or off and just honing in on one target's mind to read, but...

Too many voices in the head. You start to forget which one is your own.

The human brain can only process so much information at once. It's highly limited in comparison to many things -- no offense, of course. It's simply how you're made.

[But with all things, humans and androids alike are adaptable. And so-]

But have you practiced one-on-one with someone before?

Yeah, our processing power must be really small compared to yours.

[And here she sincerely agrees, what a dope]

I did, but honestly, I don't really need it. I don't mind struggling to figure things out about other people.

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