missiondeterminant | [IC Inbox

[He doesn't think twice about her clothes other than to commit 'Howlers' to memory in case it's useful later, and to note that it's slightly odd attire for the weather. But she seems fine with it so he doesn't comment, and although he doesn't return the smile his expression is on the lighter side of neutral.]

I'm getting used to traveling from island to island. It isn't as bad as it seems.

[So, basically, of course he could make it.]

Where are your plants?

[ Slightly odd attire is pretty much her thing, so. At least she's consistent. ]

Must be nice. I've been stuck here since the shift, but- I got the orchard. Can harass Sorrow whenever I want. It's not so bad.

[ Even if sometimes she does miss her house and her friends and... a lot. It's fine. ]

They're over here, [ she answers, leading the way to a little grove of her own that she's made. There's a handful of bushes of pink Rosa rugoas on one side and to the other, there are some very sad, drooping marijuana plants. ]

You're stuck here?

[Maybe she can't swim, or hasn't been able to find a boat? But it seems odd, and he follows after her to the area she's maintaining.

The roses are nice, considering they're an entirely different kind than the ones Amanda tended to, and they look pretty happy. The marijuana plants, on the other hand...]

They do seem unwell. When did they begin declining?

Yeah. Can't swim and so boats are just like terrifying floating death contraptions.

[ It's more than just being unable to swim but she's not about to get into that. Taako turned her into a bird so she could fly away but she still panicked too much when over the water to get very far. ]

A couple weeks after the shift. I thought with some care they'd be alright but... I don't know. They're not wilting, at least, just. Not healthy.

Many of these boats are not suited to these waters even if you can swim.

[Which is surely totally reassuring, but at least her fears aren't unfounded?]

Still, I could help you get to one of the other islands if you ever need it.

[And okay, as for the plants, he wanders a little closer and looks them over. If they're not wilting, and surely aren't wanting for water in a place like this, a mineral deficiency in the soil is probably the culprit, right? He's... Absolutely not made for taking care of plants, but it seems like a logical guess.

But how to test that? He could sample the soil, which would probably help, but it would also draw questions. Then again, from their previous conversation Rose is very low on the list of people Connor would be concerned about knowing that he isn't human. He weighs options for a moment, but even considering the choices in this case means that really, he's already made up his mind.]

Most likely the soil composition is the problem, especially if the decline in condition occurred after the change in location. I can analyze the chemical makeup of the soil, but the process may seem... Strange.

[He'll just see how she reacts to that before continuing.]

Yeah. Hard pass. I mean, thanks for the offer but- I'm fine here.

[ She actually appreciates the honesty. ]

You think so? I didn't imagine the soil changed all that much but maybe... The Rosas started doing better, after all, since they're made for waterfronts.

[ She tilts her head a little at the word 'analyze' but doesn't seem opposed to the notion. ] Do what you gotta' do, dude.

[Well that's a suspicious response, but Connor decides to let it go for now. The offer's there, and he might've pressed further if he weren't hoping to rely on her goodwill concerning the very nonhuman feature he's about to demonstrate.

So he just nods, kneeling next to one of the sad plants and picking up a pinch of soil, rubbing his fingers together to let most of it filter out before touching the remaining sample to his tongue. A readout comes up immediately, and he relays the soil's chemical makeup to Rose.]

I'm not entirely familiar with what these plants require to thrive, but perhaps someone else can use the information to tell you if there's something lacking.

[ Did he just

lick the dirt. Yeah, he. That's totally a thing that just happened. While it's a little odd, she doesn't seem too put off by it. Just a quirk of a brow in interest and slight upturn of one side of her mouth. ]

Hey, thanks. I can maybe ask Carlisle. He'd probably know better than me.

[ Okay, she's. She's gotta' ask. Sorry, Connor. ]

That's a pretty neat party trick. Is it just on soil, or...?

[Well, that's a pretty mild response, all things considered.]

Liquids and powdered substances, mostly. The soil is fine enough to be usable.

[And he gives her an appraising look for a moment.]

You don't seem bothered by this.

[ She's seen a lot stranger in the last four years. A lot stranger even before then, really... ]

Am I supposed to be? I think it's kind of cool.

[ It's also ridiculously difficult to resist the temptation to ask him if it gets in the way of making out or anything but pretty sure they're not at that level yet.

Someday. Someday, she'll have enough friendship points to know. ]

I won't, like, tell anyone either if you're worried about that.

I get yelled at a lot for it.

[It's... Maybe just slightly petulant, because he can be and also because geez, it is a useful feature! Why can't other people--besides Rose, apparently--see that? But Rose is definitely scoring more points on Connor's scale of worthwhile people.

As for her last offer--]

I would appreciate that, thank you.

That's dumb, [ she just outright says. ] But I guess people do get kind of weird about stuff that's not 'normal.'

[ It sounds like she has a little personal experience there, hm. ]

So I get it, not wanting others to know. Most people here are pretty cool since we're from all over though.

That's what they've been claiming.

[He rises back to his feet, clearly not super convinced about Rose's last statement, although he is pretty sure she's speaking honestly from a personal perspective.]

It does seem there's little outright aggression, but I've only been here a short time and have already seen things that... Concern me.

[ Claiming. He's right, in a way. People make a lot of claims at what they're okay with but there's a reason she didn't tell anyone what she was for so long still. Even fewer know the depths that she'd sunk.

People can say they're 'okay' with things but are they really? ]

Concern you how?

They way they talk about the Null that's still here, referring to it as a 'synthetic' rather then as a Null, despite the Null being specifically who they have issues with. Discussions of the Door and whether it's alive enough to give orders, as though that's all that matters. The fact that few people can come up with an actual reason for siding with the gods, and those that have often based their decision on information provided to them by the gods themselves. Some people couldn't even keep their own stories straight in their attempts to explain their objectivity.

[And then, suddenly, he realizes he's kind of gone into a small rant despite his voice remaining pretty much calm the whole time. But it's frustrating, and he's really not impressed with most of the people he's met here, let alone convinced they wouldn't suddenly turn on anyone they might in the future decide are potentially too like the Null.

He also really doesn't like the discussion of potentially living beings only being worth what they can be useful for, and that's an entirely separate issue but just as important of one.]

I just call it Name, [ she says, after giving his words a moment to sink in. She'd listened to it all quietly, stopping what she was doing to give him her attention. His voice didn't change at all but she could tell it was clearly something he needed to get off his chest.

Also, she's kind of honored that he told her at all. All things considered. ] That's what it wants to be called, so. It is a Null though, just like I'm a yokai even if I hardly act like one.

As for The Door, I don't know. I'm curious about it - if it is another god, mostly. I'm not planning to go home though so I don't care about trying to figure out if we can tell it what to do. I guess it would seem kind of shitty though, yeah, that that's all some people are focused on. I'd rather work with it if possible.

With the gods, I dunno. I'm subjective as hell about it and I know it. I like them for my own reasons and kind of in the minority there.

[Although Connor really did need to just kind of go off for a moment--and certainly needs to do more talking at some point--he feels almost... Embarrassed, maybe, at having done so to someone who's basically a stranger. So he's totally quiet while she responds, staring at one of the sad-looking plants as he listens, hidden LED cycling yellow.

He notes her opinions on the different matters and dislikes the last one, but at least she seems to recognize that her reasons are subjective and that's fine; he disagrees on sheer principle about liking the gods, but her having some sort of specific personal reason why she does is different from just the blind following some here seem to be partaking in.

And he does like her answer about the Door, and about Name, although he only addresses one thing in specific he definitely didn't miss her mentioning--]

A yokai?

[He knows the word and what it means, but he's not going to assume any specifics considering this place.]

Spirit. Apparition. Demon. There's a lot of different words for us, but- Yeah. That's me.

[ Sometimes she thinks to four years ago when no one knew. How it took her two to tell anyone. Now? Anyone is welcome to the information. It's strange. ]

Don't look like one, huh? Or act like one.

All of those words mean vastly different things depending on language and culture.

[So he can't say whether or not she acts like one, but he's being pedantic just for the sake of clarity. He understands the sentiment well enough, his expression softening a little.]

But I would not have, at first glance, presumed you were anything other than human. It seems to be the default assumption here in general.

[He says the last statement with a tone that's just faintly lighter than neutral, not stating anything outright just yet but feeling it's okay to go ahead and drop a hint.]

Good to know I'm doing a good job of blending in still.

[ She not's actively trying anymore though these days. She still hasn't quite reached the level of comfort of having her ears and tail out whenever but... Maybe someday, he'll get to see. Just like maybe someday, she'll get to be fascinated with his LED. ]

And it is the assumption most people make. But I've found it interesting how often we're all wrong.

Why did you choose to try to blend in?

[Even if she's not doing so as purposefully anymore, it still seems she's letting people assume she's human and Connor's interested in why. He is, after all, doing the same thing.]

It's a bit of a non-issue here since, like I said, most people are pretty cool. But back home? My kind are hunted.

For good reason, admittedly. A lot of us are fucking awful. Kill and eat people, that kind of stuff. I don't [ not anymore, at least, but let's not get into that ] but most hunters don't seem to care about much beyond the fact that I'm a yokai once they find out. So I got a glamour, decided to just lay low and live among people best I could.

[Connor is quiet several seconds at that, taking it all in and unable to avoid drawing parallels between her situation and his, along with everything going on in his world. As she describes them it isn't as though yokai and deviant androids are exactly comparable--almost all deviants he's aware of are only dangerous out of self-defense--but he doesn't know enough to say that maybe her species isn't just doing what it has to. Besides, it's not like humans aren't often horrific just for fun.

He weighs options and possibilities for another second or so, the moments feeling much longer for him as his processor speeds up and stretches out his sense of time, but he comes to a decision.]

I mentioned the conflict in my world when we last spoke, between humans and machines; the machines--androids--have begun to develop emotions and free will, which many humans consider a threat. Therefore those androids are being hunted down, and so some have taken to blending in with humans themselves.

[He hesitates just another moment, before pushing the brim of his beanie up just enough on the right side of his head to reveal the soft blue glow of his LED.]

Considering the sentiments of some of the population here, it's seemed like the best course of action to continue doing so for now.

[ She squints at the LED and gives a gentle tilt of her head to get a better look at it. A very canine sort of gesture. Not that he knows she's technically part canine yet. Maybe soon, really, since they seem to be sharing. ]

I'm sorry, [ she says, first and foremost. ] People defintely are a little... unpredictable when it comes to stuff they don't understand. [ Like machines suddenly developing feelings. But if made in man's image, what did they really expect? And if was so unfathomable to them that humans and demons could be anything close to the same; nevermind the fact that she's seen humans more like demons than her own kind. ]

Your secret's still safe with me but- I'm glad you told me. I'd like to think you're obviously different enough from the Null it wouldn't be a problem but, y'know. I get it. Kind of an awkward place to be in.

[ A beat. ]

Is that the only thing? That shows that you're an android, I mean. Other than the dirt thing but you probably just don't go around licking stuff for fun.

[ Or, like, if he does no judgement. ]

[He watches her reaction carefully, both with his eyes and his scanners, for any indication she might be faking her understanding and sympathy, but she seems to be genuine.

So he nods, in both gratitude and agreement, pulling his hat down again as he answers.]

My blood is blue, although if a situation arises in which that's apparent to people then I likely have larger concerns than being revealed to be an android.

[Like that there's no replacement thirium or other important components here. He really needs to figure out what to do about that, but replacement parts and the like for non-biological beings doesn't seem to be much of a priority here, which is another thing he's noticed and filed away mentally.]

[IC Inbox | Hadriel]

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