driftfleet | Twin Roses Mingle

[He nods.]

Yes, that's correct. My timeline is generally identifiable by the alien attack on New York City in the early twenty-first century. It's currently the year 2018 for me, if that means anything to you. I live in a largely isolated facility in upstate New York, though I've traveled to many areas of the world.

Oh. [He doesn't remember Rem mentioning an alien attack in any of her history lessons about Earth. So maybe his Earth will be safe in the future. Then again, her lessons did get cut abruptly short.] That is one specific way to tell your Earth from other Earths.

I have to say. I've never had that problem before. No one has ever heard of the planet I'm from. [Which is a good thing that there hasn't been multiple people stranded on a literal desert planet.]

Unique events are the best method I've found for differentiating them, though I'm sure it's hardly the only way. [It does kind of suck that an alien attack is the best unique event he has, though.]

I can't say I have, come to think of it. Do you miss it much? Or do you enjoy the opportunity to travel to other places? [It's both for the Vision, but then, he's known some people who just pine for what they've left behind.]

Well, I hope soon you have a better unique event past aliens attacked. Sounds pretty scary to me.

[Vash shrugs at the question about his planet.] The planet itself? Not really. I've always been a drifter so moving from place to place never bothered me. [Also, the planet SUCKS.] But I do miss some of the people there. It may sound strange but I wish some of them could be here and see some of the places that we've visited. [Particularly the ones that died. He wants them back now.

He chuckles lightly after that last statement.] Although I suppose maybe that's a bit odd. I probably shouldn't wish for them to get stuck on some weird alien show where their lives are constantly being messed with and put on display.

Well. I should hope we do get to that point as well. [~~Just think, soon it'll be the Infinity Gauntlet timeline, because that's so much better.~~]

No, I understand that very well. It's true that most of my own friends have been here at one time or another, but--even so, there's much I'd like to share.

[His expression falters a bit.]

And it's not as though our lives aren't under scrutiny at home, either.

Oh? Are you on television at home too? [Says the man who from a world without television or superheros.]

[He smiles just a little bit.]

I have been. I'm something of a public figure there, when I go outside the Avengers' facility.

Oh yeah? [Vash knows the Avengers are a group of heroes, but he briefly wonders if his bounty would make him a "public figure" at all.] That must be difficult. To always have people's eyes on you. I can only imagine how tiring that could be. [What with the running for your life. Oh wait, that might just be him.]

[The smile is still there, but now it's strained, and he closes his eyes for a moment. There are times, most of them recent, when all he's wanted is a little privacy, and the things he's had to do to get even that make him feel guilty. But then he shakes his head and opens them again, clearing the impinging memories form his immediate consciousness.]

It was inevitable, I think. I'm too visibly different from baseline humans not to draw attention, and my chosen career would put anyone in the spotlight. Frankly, I've always felt I blend in better here on the Fleet. Androids aren't exactly common here, but nonstandard appearances aren't nearly as unique as at home.

[Vash smiles softly.] I think I can understand that. I have been lucky in looking human so it's easy for me to fit in at a glance back home. The fact that here in the fleet so few people even raise an eyebrow to hear someone isn't human is refreshing.

I do get a few odd questions about being an android, but largely from those who are not familiar with the term. I think it does help that there are so many here that are exceptional in their own ways: if they already see themselves as living outside the box, what difference if you or I are a bit further from the baseline?

[It's a large part of why this place had in many ways been more of a home than, well, home.]

May I ask how you identify, if not as human?

Yes. I actually think what could be classified as a normal human may actually be the minority on this fleet at times. Even those who call themselves human seem to excel in their own unique ways. [Yuri may not agree with him, but Vash finds his ice skating exceptional in an almost inhuman way.]

Ah-- [How does he identify?] I suppose the best way to describe myself is an Independent Plant. Not a tree! [He's quick to add. Having learned that's what most people first think of.] The world I'm from there are-- [Things? Creatures?] Plants and they're, well, you could call them terraformers. Life and technology mixed together to be able to help create a world that's safer to live.

I was-- [Evolved? Created?] --born from one of those. [Vision can probably easily pick up by Vash's tone that while he's trying to act calm and collected, he's not actually overly comfortable talking about himself in this way.]

I would agree. Perhaps the Atroma and their audience enjoy watching exceptional persons thrown into what they consider a "normal" experience? Strange as a space reality show may be to most of us.

[The Vision, on the other hand, looks delighted at that description.] That's a highly noble purpose. Is that why you didn't mind the gardens and such from the Windrose when the ships combined?

For my part, I was originally designed to destroy all life on Earth. [He says this in an awfully casual tone.] Fortunately, my programming was heavily modified before I was ever activated. Now, there's little I enjoy more than being surrounded by living things.

Maybe. I don't really understand the idea of watching people live their normal lives for entertainment. So maybe that's what makes it interesting.

[He chuckles at the idea that he likes the gardens because his sisters are terraformers.] No. That's not the reason. I just really like flowers and plants. They're beautiful and we don't have a lot of variety back home. [They had basically none.] So it's amazing to see how many different kinds there are.

[Wait. Did he say destroy all life?] Ah--- well. I'm glad your original design didn't stick? You did say you're an Avenger, right?

[He hesitates a bit that that. "Watching people live their normal lives for entertainment seems to have struck something deeper in the Vision than expected.] As it happens, I--think I would watch that. But not for entertainment. More as a sort of stand-in for my own experiences. A "normal" life? I doubt it will ever come my way.

[He shakes his head as if to clear it and blinks.] Yes, I did, and yes, I am. I saved the world the day after I was awakened. [He touches the stone set into his forehead, which briefly glows a bright yellow.] It turns out that particular father of mine was not counting on the influence this stone would have. it's called the Mind Stone, and while there's still much I don't understand about it, one thing is clear to me. It likes to be surrounded by life. And so, therefore, do I.

[He smiles, finally.] Hence my own dedication to the gardens.

[Vash spends a moment to take in what Vision says. His world never having the luxury of television means he's never given it much thought.] You know? I never thought about it like that before. If that's the case I could see why someone would find entertainment in watching us. [He honestly hadn't thought about that before.]

That's a pretty big job for a one day old. Saving the whole world. Pretty sure I just laid around and cried when I was that age. [He peers at the Mind Stone as Vision touches it.] It does, huh? I can't blame it. I find life pretty amazing too.

You have my full permission to grow as many plants as you want on this ship. Not that you really needed it.

[Hey, when he was figuring out relationships, he got a lot of hints from romantic comedies and soap operas. And romance novels, admittedly.] Or perhaps they think it's hilarious when the augment glitches turn us into children or pets or whatever the flavor of the week is. One can never tell.

[He smiles a little.] It would be a difficult task for anyone. I won't claim I didn't have a great deal of help.

[And his smile gets even bigger.] You are the Captain. I promise not to bring on more than our current water supplies can readily handle.

[Vash would never willingly admit it, but he got his romantic ideas from romance novels as well. Really terrible romance novels.]

Saving the world is a lot easier I can imagine with help. I am glad to hear that you did it with help.

[Vash just grins in turn as he suddenly pictures a ship filled to the brim with plants and flowers. He likes it.] I suppose as long as we have enough water to live on that sounds like an idea.

Do you think you could give me some tips on taking care of some geraniums? I have some, but I think I could be doing a better job at taking care of them.

I'd be more than happy to help. It's important to get the light level just right, and not to overwater them--

[And he'll devolve into plant care tips.]

[Vash will happily take notes and comment now and then. As they bond over plant care.]

Twin Roses Mingle

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