video

[jericoded]

Is this really it?

[The half-incredulous tone of a guy who is obviously gearing up for an impassioned speech of some sort, but still valiantly fighting the urge.]

A handful of paperwork, [and here he holds up his own file folder,] a mark on the wrist, and an assignment to placate us?

[Someone's vlogging, because as he walks past a nearby burn barrel he tosses his file into it and doesn't even watch the sparks fly up as he continues on his way. Something about symbolically burning the whole damn thing down to the ground comforts Markus enough that he moves on from suggesting outright revolt. For now.]

I'm not moving into a stranger's home, so no one living in De Chima #004 has to worry about a new roommate. And if anyone would like to be a dating app developer, the position is currently up for grabs.

Anyone of a like mind, I'd appreciate your perspective.

Comments

action;

[subroutined]

[ Green doesn't really have anything to say to that, so he just. Moves on. ]

D'you want to see the open rooms? See if you like either of them?

action;

[jericoded]

Sure. [Wasn't going to about five minutes ago, but now he feels sort of obligated. Not in a bad way...just in the usual way.

He follows Green over to the bedroom and asks, apropos of seemingly nothing,] How long have you been awake?

action;

[subroutined]

[ Green takes him upstairs to the first unoccupied bedroom, on the East facing side of the house. He turns on the light to show it's stock furnishings, bed perfectly made and untouched. ]

Hm? I told you, I don't sleep.

[ Does Markus somehow know that he was recently deactivated and brought back online? ]

action;

[jericoded]

[Takes a moment to look over the room, though he's not really that interested. Scanned it already.] I mean your self-awareness. Unless you weren't built with directives?

action;

[subroutined]

[ He isn't 100% sure what Markus means by "directives," but he thinks he can get the gist of it from context.

A somewhat guilty look crosses his face that perhaps wouldn't have preceding his encounter with Hux. ]

I've... since I came here, I've decided to stop being the man I was programmed to be. I changed my name, and have started writing new behavioral protocols.

action;

[jericoded]

[That explains the moniker on the network.

Markus nods to himself, noting the halting tone indicating discomfort. It might be better not to press if he's newly deviant, or whatever the equivalent is for Green; here, with no one to hunt them down, they can take their time to figure things out and they should.]

That's impressive.

[He turns around.] May I see the other room?

action;

[subroutined]

Yes, of course.

[ He leads the way to the South facing room down the hall. This next room looks much the same, except maybe it's a little smaller due to the angle of the roof. ]

This room has more closet space, I think. I don't know how much you have that would need storing in a closet...

Re: action;

[jericoded]

I try to be minimalist, though it doesn't always end up that way, [Markus provides absently as he takes in the room. Furthest from the stairs, but furthest from the other rooms as well.] Which room was yours?

[subroutined]

[ Green smiles. ] I know what you mean.

It's just down here, on the right. [ He leads the way out of the empty bedroom and down two doors to his room. Like he mentioned, there's not much decoration. The main features of the room are a computer desk by the window, and a murphy bed surrounded by bookshelves, on which are various knickknacks Green has picked up during his time here. Some are sentimental, like pictures of his friends Red and Blue. Others seem random. A glass bowl full of bottlecaps and pull tabs from soda cans, for example. A child's toy.

Green stands by the foot of the bed, giving a small gesture to the room. He looks proud of what little he's accumulated, at least. ]

[jericoded]

[Functional, for the most part...but there is personality. Pure machines have no need for items lacking practicality, and if there is a use to a bowl of recyclables, Markus has no idea what it could be. The beginning stretches of someone trying to find their own likes.

Markus can't help but feel proud and a little envious, at once.] I like it. [He points.] You have pictures. [Novel, really; androids have no use for photographs.]

[subroutined]

[ Ash turns to follow the direction of Markus' pointing. ] My friends. [ He smiles, moving to pick up one of the picture frames. It's of Red and Blue, with the tops of Pikachu's and Eevee's heads poking their way into the shot. ]

That's Red and Blue. They're the ones I named myself after. [ He laughs, a simple, recorded laugh, but it sounds almost genuine. ] And their pets wanted to get in the picture, too.

[jericoded]

[Their pets looks a little bizarre, but by far not the strangest thing Markus has experience today. He tilts his head to look at the photos; Red and Blue. Hm.] Are they androids?

[subroutined]

No, they're human. They just have colors for names. I think that's fairly normal, where they come from.

[ Or at least, that's what Blue had told him. ]

[jericoded]

And you chose Green to fit in?

[subroutined]

Red suggested I choose my favorite color.

[ That's a yes. ]

[jericoded]

It suits you. [Because you picked it, dude.

But Markus doesn't want to pry; he's got a big world to explore after all.] Well, I don't want to impose on you any further. I should probably get going.

[subroutined]

Alright.

[ It's easy for Green to accept someone else dictating the terms of their interaction. He would just as easily accept Markus staying as long as he liked. It's not like he had anywhere else to be that day, or night. ]

I hope you'll come back. You can anytime.