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Who: The Vision
Broadcast: Fleetwide
Action: The Caprine
When: At the Shuffle, evening of the 20th

[He doesn't appear immediately on the Caprine, of course. First he's rudely deposited onto the hospitality deck of the Marsiva, but although he grasps the reality of the situation quickly enough it takes some time to process it all - the uncovered memories of his time here, the juxtaposition of his new situation with the events at home, and then a crushing disappointment as he scans over his newly-acquired communicator and realizes he can't put in a transfer to the Windrose, because his ship doesn't seem to exist anymore.

So that's how it's going to be.

He figures it won't be long before he's assigned to a new ship, and sure enough he's popped over to the Caprine in all his maroon-skinned android glory. He shakes the confetti off and pulls up a video broadcast.]

Good evening, members of the Fleet. I am the Vision, recently of twenty-first century Earth and one of the Avengers, if that means anything to anyone. [Yes, he's still technically an Avenger, even if he's been a bit AWOL lately.] If there's anyone here who knows me, I'd like very much to know that you're here, and please don't hesitate to ask me if you'd like anything from me. I seem to be on the Caprine this time around.

[And then he looks a little wistful.

Does anyone know how long it's been since I was here last? It's been two years for me subjectively, but I'm aware that often has little to do with time passing in the Fleet. I was on the Windrose. [Captain of it, in fact.]

Thank you.

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Vizh! You're here!

[She looks a little different than he'll last remember - her hair's still brown, not the pumpkin color she'd dyed it to go into hiding.]

This place really is collecting us...

Wanda.

[Different or not, the warmth in his voice is real, as is his smile.]

I'm glad to see you, despite the circumstance.

[She might not be his Wanda--or she might not be her just yet. If there's one thing he remembers about this place, it's that time is mutable. And even if she's as different as can be, the sentiment remains. He's truly glad she's here.]

As I recall, the Atroma does seem to like us, for whatever reasons it claims to have. May I ask if you've been here long?

A long damn time. [She smiles at him. She feels unexpectedly moved to see him again and to hear that he remembers his time here. Everyone who had been on the ship before her had disappeared but Makie came back and now Vision. Actually, Wrath had too, but she's gone again. Kitty should probably worry more that they weren't in their own worlds, but she's been playing these games a very long time and who can bother with disclaimers anymore? It's always good to see family.] But welcome back.

We had some technical difficulties with the Windrose. Remember the Three Twins? We got locked out of the controls and the ships were set on a collision course and then suddenly we became the Twin Roses instead of just all dying.

It's good to see you, Kitty. [And it is, judging by his sudden smile. He wasn't sure there'd be any of his friends from other worlds here, especially with his ship gone. At the explanation, he looks concerned.]

I--am certainly glad the ships didn't truly collide, but that seems rather--

[Words fail him for a moment.]

I suppose our hosts didn't provide an explanation for their violation of the laws of physics?

It's really good seeing you. It's been years. [Which might be more helpful than "a long damn time". She can probably come up with even more detail if she checks some notes. She's sure he's been gone longer than Winn though and she can't seem to keep the running tally of how long it's been since she's seen him out of her head—1 year, 2 months, 9 days.]

Mm, nothing clear of course. I think maybe it was because crews had fallen pretty low. It happened to the Pathstone and the...the something with Gold in the title since the new ship is Goldstone. It was maybe a year and a half ago? That's how Vash and I ended up as co-captains. Kurt and Makie are still here.

Congratulations on your promotion. [So Wrath is gone, then. He hopes she's managed to make things better back home, and that she has friends there that can help her. Selfishly, though, he's glad there are at least a few familiar faces left.]

It's been several years for me, as well. Things have been quiet at home, which as you can imagine I hardly see as a good sign.

Would you have room for a former captain, do you think?

Thanks. [It feels a little silly so long after she got it and she never wanted it. She wanted Vision to stay and Wrath. But it still means something coming from him.]

And I thought you'd never ask. Plenty of room. [And if there weren't he'd just have to wait until she could put in for an upgrade. Maybe strong arm someone else into it too so it could be done faster.] I want to hear all about it. Dangerous quiet times and all.

[And he barely has to think about it - there's quite a lot about his new life he's been keeping from nearly everyone, but would he feel all right speaking to Kitty about it? Of course. For one, she's not going to report him to any international committees for breaking treaties, or at least skirting the breaking of treaties.

There are so many rules of his own society that don't apply here, it's refreshing.]

I'd be interested to hear what's been going on in the Fleet as a fair trade, I think.

[Does any of his garden remain, he wonders? His kelp tank? Officer Snuggles? It's strange how he didn't remember to miss them back home, but in some ways the Fleet is more of a home than the Avengers facility ever was.]

What does your current crew look like? I've been given the Engineering augment again, I believe.

Two weeks? It's a little hard to keep track of the days.

[She's always a had a soft spot for him, and that warmth is still there, but that something more that grew between them in Scotland isn't there yet.]

I'm sorry you're back, but it is still good to see you.

[He doesn't quite conceal his surprise at that. Two weeks isn't very long at all, by his reckoning.]

It is, especially if you stay on the ships. Which one have you been assigned to, if I may ask?

[No, she's definitely younger than he remembers from his most recent experiences. Not necessarily a bad thing, he reminds himself.]

I couldn't agree more. Believe it or not, I've actually been here before. It's not a bad place, if somewhat outside our normal experiences on Earth. We forget it all when we return home, which is disappointing.

[International committees almost never want to talk to her. It's true!]

I think that could be arranged. It's been a lot. The crew is great though. Sara is new but she reminds me of someone. [Herself. Natasha. It's a former assassin party up in this fleet.] Mikuno is very new and still trying to figure her out. Vash has been in the fleet since the beginning. I don't know if you knew him or not. Remy joined up. I'm collecting mutants, though still not quite a full set. [Jean isn't with them or Wanda even if she isn't exactly a mutant.] And then we have Yuri. He's the one you protect if something goes down. [She smiles a little.] Ironically I think we have all the main positions covered except security. [In a space battle with the augments being the way they are that's problem. In a hand-to-hand battle, they've got it covered.] Winn was covering our engineering after you left. When he left I switched to engineering since Vash was also a pilot. [She manages to say that evenly.]

Do you want to come over? Catch up? Have some bacon kelp? [He'll be happy to see everything from his garden is still there. They had to keep the bacon kelp going! In fact, the garden has expanded quite a bit. It combined with all the medicinal herbs Anders and Wolfe had growing on the Three Twins. The slugs are still around, hanging out in some of the tanks. Officer Snuggles was a fixture for awhile, but when Wrath returned she was assigned to another ship and never came back to the Twin Roses. Last Kitty heard the fox had disappeared with her that time. But Kitty has a direwolf pup from Robb and Remy has several cats roaming the ship.]

Vash is the one with the blonde hair and red coat, is he not? [He has vague memories of seeing the man around, if nothing else. In some ways it's been a lifetime for the Vision - either objectively or subjectively, he's still very young.

Not young enough that he misses the implication of Winn leaving.] Oh, Kitty. I'm so sorry. [The thing with a friend leaving, or someone more than a friend in her case, is that you could never know for sure. Would they return to their own lives, having remembered nothing? Would she ever see him again? And if she did, would he even be the same person or remember what had happened before? The terrible part was that it was almost certainly a "no", but only almost. The sliver of hope could be terrible.]

I'd love to. I don't remember if I ever told you, but that kelp was from one of the very first planets the Fleet ever visited. It's good to hear it survives.

The Tourist. [She laughs. The Tourist is full of, well, tourists.] It's such a strange name for a ship.

That seems to be how everyone feels? But I have learned not to ask too many questions or I'm going to be very confused.

[There were conversations about talking ponies that could cook and multiple Sams and Buckies; things got weird super fast.]

I can't pretend to know the naming conventions of the passenger ships, though if you visit the Iskaulit, that one we actually picked up from a race of aliens some time ago. It's something of a community center now, if things are as they were before. [He pauses.] I was on the Windrose before, but it seems to have collided with the Three Twins and become the Twin Roses. I'll likely return there soon enough.

[He remembers the talking ponies and wonders if anyone's brought up Wanda's own other-universe existence as a mutant yet, but perhaps that's a conversation for later, once they've both settled in.]

On the one hand, taking things slowly will help you to absorb it all better, it's true. On the other, sometimes it's best to jump in the deep end, so to speak.

That's the guy.

[She nods at his apology and mouths "thanks" more than she says it. She's been working on moving on. Even seeing the one with the blonde hair and red coat, but Vision gets it exactly. The hope is hard. And seeing someone like Vision coming back with memories—as great as it is—reminds her of it and makes her question trying to move on again.]

I don't think you did, but it makes sense. That plant has some history.

[He must be at least halfway decent as a co-captain, then, if Kitty's sticking with him. The Vision nods smoothly, both to acknowledge Vash and in response to he silent thanks. They can always talk about it later if she wants to.

Mention of eating reminds him, though, and he smiles again ruefully.]

Do you know, I still don't require food? But I always wanted to collect edible plants regardless. One never knows if a "glitch" from our hosts will affect the food supply, or the oxygen recyclers.

[Bruce recognizes the ship behind Vision and after some trial and error manages to find the Avenger, admittedly awkwardly once he realizes he doesn't know what to say to him. He approaches with the usual slightly uneasy step, waving with a quick gesture for good measure.]

Vision!

[The Vision looks up from his communicator and a look of genuine surprise flashes over his features. Now here's someone he hasn't seen in...a lifetime.]

Dr. Banner?

[No, it's definitely him.]

I'd apologize for intruding upon your ship, but our hosts will do as they will, I'm afraid. May I say it's a pleasure to see you?

I've thought about asking to move. The crew of the Tourist are nice, but there are so many people from home here that it feels strange being alone.

And I'd...feel better being around someone familiar.

[Someone who could act as a psychic anchor point if she needed one. Wanda's never once lacked that since her powers awoke - first she had Pietro, then the Avengers. But now...

She doesn't want to admit on camera that the prospect frightens her, but it does. Deeply. Still, she manages a wry smile.]

This already feels like the deep end. Everything's so new.

[Space is cool. The weird gel food not so much.]

[There's genuine relief on his face when Vision recognizes him. Maybe it's silly to assume that being on the Fleet would change that, but Bruce isn't sure what to expect. The amount of time being transported seems to suggest makes him think he could be in a whole different dimension, and who knows what that would mean?]

I'm glad it's really you. And it's definitely not my ship.

[Maybe the captain he spoke to? That seems right. Or, as everyone keeps saying, the Atroma's.]

When did you get here? You- you were on a different ship?

[He nods. He'd been on a ship with Natasha, initially at least, and that had helped him adjust rather well. He speaks gently.] You're welcome anywhere I go, and I know the others from home would feel the same. [Okay, maybe that's awfully confident of him, but he would dare anyone to say otherwise to his face. It's true that the Vision has at least never been afraid of her powers - no small thing.]

It is, and we don't even have the benefit of drifting in space to allow you time to adjust. I'd imagine the planet isn't exactly a comfort, either. [The planets they visit seldom are.] Though if it's any comfort, it did seem the last time we were here that the majority of passengers in the Fleet wouldn't see, ah, abilities as anything to set us apart. In a way we're among our own people already.

[He gets a smile in return and the Vision hijacks one of the chairs on the bridge to sit down on. People tend to be less intimidated by him when he isn't hovering around for some reason.]

I arrived here a few hours ago, in fact. Yet as soon as I did, I regained memories of this Fleet. I've been here before, and some of the others remember me. It's a strange sensation.

You've already been here.

[Well, there's that theory falling into place. He can't help it, he's already intrigued by the whole concept.]

When? Do you know how you got those memories?

I have.

[That's a trickier question than it seems, thanks to the time differential between the Fleet and home, so he chooses his words carefully.]

Under normal circumstances I'd simply place the credit or blame on this. [He taps the Mind Stone, which briefly flares in response.] But in this particular instance, I believe it has something to do with the augment. It's been opaque to my inspection, but I'd be very interested to explore it with you, if you'd like.

[The idea of Science With Dad is actually very appealing to him.]

Regardless, I was here for--it was nearly two years, I think. I arrived shortly after I was created; at some point I was sent back home and experienced time passing there, and then I returned here with no time here having passed. Then I returned again, with more time having passed in both places.

[He furrows his brow, because that does sound confusing.]

Er, I can make a diagram if you prefer.

Do I have to put 'the' in front of your name or can I just call you Vision... or Vizzy? Are you cool with Vizzy. Or Sion. Okay, I realize I'm being ridiculous so I'll stop. [Freya is never going to stop being ridiculous.]

I don't know you. I'm just naturally curious.

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