Log: Vision & Maeve WHO: Vision & Maeve (NPC Villain) WHAT: Vision walks into a trap. WHERE: The Station Roof WHEN: Backdated to March 10 RATING: PG STATUS: Completed
Her meeting with Julie had been a nice one. She'd been right about the young woman reminding her of her own daughter, but didn't feel like bringing up the comparison. But her true interest was her appointment with the man with the intriguing profile picture. She didn't want to pre-suppose anything, but she thought he might be like her.
And if he was…
She sat on a deck chair and looked out at the view the rooftop afforded her, a shawl draped around her shoulders in an attempt to ward off a chill she felt but didn't actually effect her. All part of a million different lines of code designed to make her appear human. Maeve clocked the near silent arrival of her companion immediately, but waited to actually turn her head in acknowledgement until he was in her line of sight. She smiled and stood and offered her hand, palm down. "Why, hello, good sir. Your little picture on the machine doesn't really do you justice."
Vision suggested the roof just in case the new arrival was dangerous. He didn’t want to subject the boys to danger, but he also didn’t want to be outright suspicious. The woman seemed polite enough and said she needed help so he wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt. Still, the roof was a neutral place just in case. He took her hand and smiled. “I suppose you are wondering why I look like this,” he said. “I’m a synthezoid.” He released her hand and gestured to the seat she vacated when he arrived. “Go ahead and sit if you like. I brought my phone. I suppose you have yours as well?”
A tingle of energy went through her fingers when they touched. Contact was established. Now to see if she could navigate the pathways in his mind. Maeve smiled disarmingly and sank to the edge of her seat again. "I was rather curious, but I'm afraid I still don't really know what a synthezoid is. Are you another machine? Like this device?"
She pulled the government provided antique from the little bag looped over her wrist. The closet she'd found was full of clothing her size, but she hadn't changed just yet. Really, though, it would be nice to wear something other than a waist cinching corset for however long she was in this strange place. "Have you been here long?"
“It means I’m part android,” Vision explained. “Part machine, yes.” He showed his own phone then though he didn’t really need it to connect to the network or search Google. Still, it would be useful to demonstrate for her. “I’ve been here over a year,” he answered. “I have my two children with me.” He smiled when he spoke of Billy and Tommy. “You found the network, which is a good starting point. It is how all the arrivals in the building keep in touch here, but the phone can do a much more.” He flipped his over and started showing her various things, but, most importantly, Google. If she could figure out Google, the world was at her fingertips.
She didn't actually have to be all that attentive, but she was extraordinarily good at feigning interest in incredibly boring topics—especially if they came from men. And while Vision wasn't strictly a man, he'd clearly been built to resemble one. For all anyone knew about her, she was from a past long, long before now, so she could be forgiven for stealing glances and outright staring. As directed, she began to carefully type in things like "weather" and "mariposa", knowing one would be mundane, and the other would simply bring up butterflies. Her saloon wouldn't exist for another few decades, if it did at all in this particular world.
Once all of that was done, she set the phone in her lap and turned to Vision. "I do hope you'll forgive my curiosity, but if you were made and you have children, does it mean you're capable of the… act of creation? I've never met anyone like you, Mr. Vision, and I find I'd quite like to know more. Know everything."
“Oh, no,” Vision said, sadness showing in his eyes. “My wife is magical. She created our children with her powers.” Someone else might have found the question inappropriate, but Vision was a fact finder and found nothing wrong with it. “Wanda isn’t here. She was sent back many months ago.”
Her programming incorporated these factors faster than human thought, so when she leaned in and lightly touched the back of his wrist in sympathy, it was just about as genuine a thing as could deliver. That she could use the contact the strengthen her connection was simply a bonus. "I'm so sorry to hear that. It doesn't make a lot of sense to me, all this business with the energy or force that brings us here, but it's never fair to be kept from the people we love, and who love us in return. I… lost my daughter that way. She was"—Maeve smiled sadly—"taken from me much, much too soon. Have you and your boys been in this strange place long? I still can't quite fathom just how… different things are now."
“I am sorry about your daughter,” Vision said immediately. He was human enough to feel empathy and could commiserate. “The boys have been here longer than me, but I’ve been here over a year.”
She heard her slip, and figuratively held her breath—Vision had never explicitly told her his children were sons. Either he hadn't noticed, or he was playing her just as effectively as she was him. Curious. Maeve continued to hunt through the pathways of his system, gleaning more information as she went. "Those poor darlings. I hope their mother was here while you weren't. How do you find it, in this fascinating city? It was little more than a mining town in my time."
“She was,” Vision replied. “Thankfully.” They had other family, but Vision preferred he or Wanda be present for them. “The city is wonderful,” he told her. “Very robust with things to do. I take the boys exploring often.”
All this blather, and she was almost there, right at the heart of him. "And what's been your favorite place to take them? What have they enjoyed the most?"
“We enjoy the aquarium quite a bit. So many amazing creatures to look at and learn about.” Vision smiled warmly. “The boys are naturally curious so I try to take them places that will stimulate them both physically and mentally.”
There.
"You sound like an excellent father." She smiled warmly at him and took his hand, raising it as if to study the back of it.
Her face fell into a neutral expression, and she dropped her hand away, and stated clearly, "Freeze all motor functions."
Vision didn’t have time to think before his system slowed and he was frozen in place.
"Oh," Maeve purred, satisfaction giving a hard edge to her growing smile, "we're going to have such fun. Now, darling, why don't we begin with you telling me all about this place's infrastructure, and who I need to be careful of. No need for words, love. Everything you know I'll know. Everywhere you go, I'll be right there with you. And I wouldn't bother trying to tell anyone—you're mine now."