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Who: The Vision and you!
Broadcast: Fleetwide video
Action: Windrose
When: Today!

[The video clicks on to an unusual-looking man with maroon skin and a yellow gem set into his forehead. Though he's been a familiar sight around the Windrose, the Vision doesn't tend to post much so he wouldn't be surprised if there are many unfamiliar with him.

This is a special occasion, however. There's even what looks like a cake in the background.]

There was a slight time differential between my last memories of home and the calendar here. Namely, I seem to have missed the month of June entirely. Given that lack, today is the three hundred sixty-fifth day since I was created.

Accordingly, there is cake and ice cream on the Windrose for any who should care to visit.

[He pauses and furrows his brow slightly.]

I cannot vouch for the taste of either, but I assure you they received the highest ratings from the shops they were purchased at.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Well, you can take pictures of whatever you want! So if you want pictures to remember them, there you go. Or because they're pretty.

[GRIN. Just a little evil.]

So you should definitely take a picture of your special friend.

Because girls normally like having their picture taken if they feel pretty. Just so you know. Because then it makes us feel even prettier.

[His expression hovers between confusion and concern - it's a little hard to tell because he doesn't have eyebrows.]

I don't know that I'm able to judge whether a person or a thing is "pretty". Is it enough if I find them enjoyable?

And as she continues he looks down, smiling at the floor.]

I, ah, already have.

Well. Um.

So if you think your friend looks nice, that means she's pretty. But you also gotta understand that sometimes girls don't feel pretty. So times like that, sometimes telling us we're pretty is a really nice thing to do! But other times it just sounds like you're full of shit and being patronizing.

But anyway, taking someone's picture when they feel pretty is awesome. And if you're not sure, the easiest way to tell is if like she's wearing makeup and it's all neat and not messed up? Because most of us don't like having our picture taken if we're not like ready to step out and look awesome.

Ooooooh! You should show me!

[The Vision pays careful attention to what she's saying, nodding at appropriate points.]

More simply put, a compliment when it is obvious she has spent time on her appearance wouldn't be out of place. [He'll just have to try not to sound patronizing - which is likewise hard to tell. Great.]

Ah, if you press this button--

[He indicates how to enter the gallery mode on the camera, and it's a little selfie of the two of them on the other side of the cargo bay.]

Yep! That means you noticed that she put hard work into how she looks, and lots of people don't. Because I think lots of people don't get it, but being pretty is really hard work, and hard work should be appreciated! So if you're sincere and say she looks really good, that's a nice thing to do. [And really, she can't imagine Vision not being sincere.]

And if she's looking all messy and like she's been having a bad day, your best bet is to see if she wants a hug and just ask if you can cheer her up. Asking doesn't hurt. Unless the person you're asking is a jerk, but you wouldn't like someone who was a jerk so you'll be fine.

[She looks at the picture and makes a little squee of delight.] You're so cute together!

[Being insincere isn't something he has any skill at, anyway.] I perceive all life as beautiful, as much because of its imperfections as anything else. I do see how others might not, in certain circumstances. [Like when they're out on bad weather without a jacket or something. Nobody wants to be called pretty after that. (He's pretty sure he saw that in a movie.)]

No, I wouldn't call her a "jerk". On that note, though, I'd take anything Mr. Stark says with a grain of salt, should you speak to him. [Because he does like Tony, albeit in a very different way, but he could see how Wrath could get off on the wrong foot with him very easily.]

Ah--thank you, Wrath.

Um yeah so word of advice, until you know your special friend like really well and talk about stuff like that, you probably don't want to like really talk about her imperfections because it sounds bad. Okay so there's this thing that assholes do where they say a mean thing but make it sound kind of like a compliment and you don't want to accidentally sound like that.

I think I talked to Tony once a long time ago and he was kind of a dick, so whatever. [Shrug.]

Oh, certainly not. I was speaking in generalizations; I'm aware most humans don't perceive these things the same way I do.

[That's Tony, all right.] Please don't take it personally. He isn't the most patient of individuals, but he respects competence in many forms and has a positive working relationship with the military.

Okay, that's good.

[Another shrug.] I'm used to certain kinds of people thinking I'm a fucking moron. If they change their attitude just because they know I'm a good soldier and I could twist their head off, that's not really impressive.

But I am sure Tony is a nice person. He was probably just having a bad day. And I do my best to be kind to everyone.

He does have a good heart [~~and it doesn't even have metal in it anymore~~] and wishes to do right by the world--and he's often in a position to do so.

[How to explain Tony.] I suppose the best way to describe him would be if you have ever interacted with the very wealthy who were born into wealth and power, then increased it through their own works.

Oh, so he's like a Onekid. Oh...

[No wonder he's a dick. The only okay Onekid she's ever known is Foxtrot.]

Rich people are fucking crazy. But I guess they're rich for a reason and that's why they are in charge.

[That must be her version of trust fund babies.]

In his case, his father's company grew very rich based off weapons manufacture; he ran it for many years after his father's death when he was young. When he discovered the weapons weren't being used exclusively by who his board of directors had told him--namely, that they were being sold to terrorists--he cased production, created his own defensive armor, and destroyed all the caches he could find that had fallen into the wrong hands.

He doesn't hold political power, but he does hold a great deal of clout in society.

So he got his money from his parents. [Yep. Onekid.]

I guess that's a good thing for him to do, though. But it's not like the government people really run anything. It's the rich people and the big corps, right?

Oh yes, though he's managed it to help it grow further since.

[He tilts his head.]

Corporations and the wealthy have influence, certainly, but in the America of my time the government is the most powerful force. Is yours more a figurehead, then?

[Shrug. She doesn't know Tony, she doesn't have a reason to argue about this.]

The mayor is the head of Bifrons too.

[Well that seems...corrupt.]

One would think the responsibilities of one would leave no room for the other.

[Awkward shrug.]

That's above my pay grade.

The mayor saved the city. He designed the dome. And made the ports so that people didn't get infected with the plague as much.

[Frown. She rubs her forehead, trying to parse an internal conflict again.]

But Beverly says that's a lie, that's not what the ports do.

I certainly believe that's what you were told they do. And without more data on your specific plague, I wouldn't be able to tell, either.

[And he frowns, but it's his more usual concerned one rather than the angry expression he had before.]

Wrath, is this conversation giving you a headache?

Beverly figured it out, so you should ask her. She's really smart about medical stuff, so...

[She looks a little uncomfortable about the question.]

I'm just confused.

I will. She'd have a far better idea what to look for than I would, I think.

[Wrath they talked about this.]

Do you feel comfortable explaining it to me?

[She stares down at her hands for a minute, trying to think how to put it into words.]

I'm a soldier. I'm good at my job. Only the mission matters. The mission is to protect Proles at all costs. The mission is to be loyal. The mayor saved us. He wants what is best for us.

[Unsteady breath.]

He's a lying piece of shit and I fucking hate him. How are both those things true?

[She closes her eyes for a minute.]

I think I'm gonna barf.

[~~No, don't barf, that would be a waste of good cake.~~ The Vision reaches out to rub her back.]

Please, take three deep breaths. You're safe here, Wrath. See, here is Officer Snuggles. [He gestures the fox over with a quick command to give her something warm and fuzzy and friendly to clutch if she needs to.

He's not even going to touch the subject matter until she's not quite so upset.]

There. Is that better? Take another deep breath.

[Yep, she sure does clutch Officer Snuggles and breathe into his fur until she stops feeling like her brain is going to melt.]

Yeah, I'm good.

Good. [He gives her shoulder a squeeze, since her hands are clutched around the fox.]

You've come up against a contradiction in your mind. It's as if someone were to insist to you that Officer Snuggles is red. You know he is white, that he is a naturally white fox from a planet known for white foxes, and that he has always been right. But if everyone around you insists he is red, refers to him as red, and tells you that you are wrong when you insist he is white, you may begin to believe he truly is red. When you look at him, you get a headache, because you see he is white, yet your mind tells you he is red.

Does that analogy make sense to you?

Yeah, I get it.

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