Mostly just thinking out loud. You get used to the murder for the most part, once you encounter one too many psychopaths with world domination on the mind. Or destruction of government property, or even just personal revenge... These things just happen.
[ His eyes flick over the costume, the barely-hidden weapons. ]
Can't imagine someone who carries two pistols is exactly on a high horse, huh?
[ Hey, now he's really just throwing stuff out there, but he can wager a guess. ] Don't worry, I stopped looking for approval a long time ago. You kind of just start having to make decisions after a bit, so I won't judge you, you don't judge me, and we'll get along swimmingly, huh?
You're doing a lot of explaining for someone not looking for approval.
[ This is not the first and undoubtedly not the last time someone criticizes her for having two pistols, which means Root flashes her brightest smile at Tony as she strides past, somewhat eerily convincingly cheerful. If only all of her murders had justifications like psychopaths or world domination. Hilarious. What a privilege it is to imagine you can explain all of your own moral depravity to yourself.
Root vanishes around another corner as if cutting the conversation short, but moments later she pops back out the way she came, huffing in frustration. ] Damn. It's not a simply-connected maze. Time for Plan B.
Do you have anything we could use to mark the floor? [ Root goes from ready to leave him behind to recruiting him in a hot second. ]
Sure, it's called having a conversation? Or trying.
[ He watches her keep going, and then watches her come back. ]
Nope, nothing to mark the floor. [ He smiled. So helpful. ]
Good news is, I know exactly what turns I made to get here, ad I could probably add, oh.... [ He tipped his head up, as if he were trying to think of the number. ] More than this building has, if needed.
[ That smile never vanishes. ] It's nice being the smartest person in the room sometimes, you know?
[ Root is often the smartest person in the room, but she doesn't particularly enjoy it. She much prefers being with others similar in intelligence level because it feels less alienating. Not that she's about to say as much to this jackass, who she's already forming an instinctive dislike for. ]
Not in the mood for chit chat, [ she retorts, smiling tightly as she starts tearing off Girl Scout badges from her sash. ] Make yourself useful and put these down where you've been. Face down for one indicator, face up for two.
[ She hands a collection of badges out to him to take with a clear sense of demand. ]
Since all us kids know Trémaux's algorithm and all.
[ Root can work with someone she dislikes, even under duress, which is good because the mirrors behind her are starting to flicker with images in a fast cascade. It sure is a lot of images of Root summarily executing people in a variety of ways, all efficient and clinical, which she steadfastly ignores. She doesn't appreciate the slide show but it's not something she's going to have a breakdown over, either. ]
[ His eyes flick toward the badges, and then toward the mirror, and then back to her.
He's nice enough not to comment on it, but she can't stop his brain from thinking that he always did like a woman who can kick his ass.
He took them, and placed one directly on the ground. Face down. ] Dead end, face down, yeah? That what you want?
[ He walked back the way he came. and at the entrance of a junction, he put it down.
Then he smile, and pointed to the one on (his) right. ] Also went down that way. Dead end.
[ He marked it, very kindly. What a good helper. ]
Is this helping?
[ He's already computing the probabilities of the next few turns on the next turn, but he starts to go down it without asking. One of the mirrors says: "I made an interdimensional prison to trap the people who could be dangerous. Terms of danger are based on my own evaluation." Great. 42 is supposed to be a secret? ]
It's so helpful, [ she says sweetly, with convincing wide-eyed sincerity. ] We'll get out of here in no time with you on the case.
[ The sarcasm just happens naturally when she's harried. Root doesn't actually try to leave him behind, though; the Machine would be disappointed with her if she did. She isn't here, of course, but if Root starts acting like she doesn't exist, she really will lose her mind completely. ]
Come on, let's start checking new paths. --Oh, please, it's not a crime to shoot them. Show me something I actually regret.
[ In one of the mirrors, Root is using both of her pistols in rather dramatic fashion, striding forward confidently through a room full of enemy combatants and hitting every shot flawlessly, often without looking at her target. With the Machine backing her up, she shoots on cue, without hesitation. Of all the things she's done in her life, killing Decima agents is absolutely not on the list of things she feels badly about. ]
[ Root absolutely knows how to be nice to strangers -- when she likes them, or more often, when she wants something from them. This is not that. ]
You want to stick around? [ she asks in disbelief. ] It's just a highlights reel of whatever the A.I. is programmed to think counts as crimes. No surprise it isn't that effective at guilting us.
[ She loves you, baby A.I., but you were already a baby and now you are an infant. ]
I'm going right. You can come with me or not. [ The looming specter of the Machine's disappointment only goes so far when she's not actually here. ]
Sure, but it offers insight on what it considers a crime. You have to understand, here. I'm new. Any information is worthwhile, at least in the short term.
[ He's not ashamed of embracing any new data, and in fact, it says something about her, too. About the kind of opinion she has about the AI, and the world, and how she wanted to get out of here. ]
Plus, I meet all kinds of interesting people in here, too. [ A smile, and a wink. ]
But, you're right, it's getting a little bit old, and I can always come back in. The makeup of it says a lot about it too. Their logic.
[ Root isn't interested in trying to parse together scraps of information on her programming piecemeal, not at this point. What she wants is to look through her code directly; do the system restore; speak to her. She's an evolving being and Root has no intention of letting the current iteration stick around, limited and primitive as it is.
Therefore, she's not interested. She tosses her hair over her shoulder and gives Tony a wry look at the wink. She's not truly unsociable, just intense. And focused. ]
I'm Root. Prove to me you're an interesting person, and maybe I'll give you some information.
[ Maybe. She's not sharing important intel about the A.I. to someone she doesn't trust.
Root places a Girl Scout badge face down at the start of a pathway and flounces down it without waiting for a response, the mirrors around her following with images of Root in different outfits, costumes, and outright disguises murdering people. ]
[ He really is just that kind of person. His eyes look to the images, but he just keeps going. ]
I suppose we can start with the most basic, don't you think? I'm single, in my forties, a billionaire... [ He's ticking them off of his fingers; ] I'm also the Director of an organization called SHIELD; something called an Avenger, and I used to have to power my heart with a machine I built.
I got better, though, when I injected myself with nanites recently.
[ It is interesting, but not what she was looking for. Plus, Root already has a single genius billionaire of her own that she is completely devoted to; probably not room for a second. Boy, does she miss Harry. Though he would most likely be cringing at every reflection in the mirror, so maybe not at this precise moment does she miss him...
She whirls to face Tony and puts one hand on her hip, raising her eyebrows at him. ]
You have a name to go with all that, Handsome? [ she drawls. ] What I was actually looking for is you getting us out of here at top speed like you said you could.
Now, if you don't mind, I'll do my thing, huh? Might have a few wrong turns, but there's a certain percentage that we can follow, given how many have been right or wrong turns so far, and which ones are which.
[ He starts moving now, deeper and further into the maze. A lot less wrong turns than when he'd just been fucking around in here. Still some, but the accuracy keeps upping every time there's a wrong one.
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expiationlogs2024-10-14 08:59 am
no subject
[ His eyes flick over the costume, the barely-hidden weapons. ]
Can't imagine someone who carries two pistols is exactly on a high horse, huh?
[ Hey, now he's really just throwing stuff out there, but he can wager a guess. ] Don't worry, I stopped looking for approval a long time ago. You kind of just start having to make decisions after a bit, so I won't judge you, you don't judge me, and we'll get along swimmingly, huh?
no subject
[ This is not the first and undoubtedly not the last time someone criticizes her for having two pistols, which means Root flashes her brightest smile at Tony as she strides past, somewhat eerily convincingly cheerful. If only all of her murders had justifications like psychopaths or world domination. Hilarious. What a privilege it is to imagine you can explain all of your own moral depravity to yourself.
Root vanishes around another corner as if cutting the conversation short, but moments later she pops back out the way she came, huffing in frustration. ] Damn. It's not a simply-connected maze. Time for Plan B.
Do you have anything we could use to mark the floor? [ Root goes from ready to leave him behind to recruiting him in a hot second. ]
no subject
[ He watches her keep going, and then watches her come back. ]
Nope, nothing to mark the floor. [ He smiled. So helpful. ]
Good news is, I know exactly what turns I made to get here, ad I could probably add, oh.... [ He tipped his head up, as if he were trying to think of the number. ] More than this building has, if needed.
[ That smile never vanishes. ] It's nice being the smartest person in the room sometimes, you know?
no subject
Not in the mood for chit chat, [ she retorts, smiling tightly as she starts tearing off Girl Scout badges from her sash. ] Make yourself useful and put these down where you've been. Face down for one indicator, face up for two.
[ She hands a collection of badges out to him to take with a clear sense of demand. ]
Since all us kids know Trémaux's algorithm and all.
[ Root can work with someone she dislikes, even under duress, which is good because the mirrors behind her are starting to flicker with images in a fast cascade. It sure is a lot of images of Root summarily executing people in a variety of ways, all efficient and clinical, which she steadfastly ignores. She doesn't appreciate the slide show but it's not something she's going to have a breakdown over, either. ]
no subject
He's nice enough not to comment on it, but she can't stop his brain from thinking that he always did like a woman who can kick his ass.
He took them, and placed one directly on the ground. Face down. ] Dead end, face down, yeah? That what you want?
[ He walked back the way he came. and at the entrance of a junction, he put it down.
Then he smile, and pointed to the one on (his) right. ] Also went down that way. Dead end.
[ He marked it, very kindly. What a good helper. ]
Is this helping?
[ He's already computing the probabilities of the next few turns on the next turn, but he starts to go down it without asking. One of the mirrors says: "I made an interdimensional prison to trap the people who could be dangerous. Terms of danger are based on my own evaluation." Great. 42 is supposed to be a secret? ]
no subject
[ The sarcasm just happens naturally when she's harried. Root doesn't actually try to leave him behind, though; the Machine would be disappointed with her if she did. She isn't here, of course, but if Root starts acting like she doesn't exist, she really will lose her mind completely. ]
Come on, let's start checking new paths. --Oh, please, it's not a crime to shoot them. Show me something I actually regret.
[ In one of the mirrors, Root is using both of her pistols in rather dramatic fashion, striding forward confidently through a room full of enemy combatants and hitting every shot flawlessly, often without looking at her target. With the Machine backing her up, she shoots on cue, without hesitation. Of all the things she's done in her life, killing Decima agents is absolutely not on the list of things she feels badly about. ]
no subject
[ 'See, Root? That's how we are nice to strangers' is what his tone says. Obviously, he's not that much better. ]
Trust me, we could get out of here faster if I was trying. But... why? It's more interesting to see what's in here.
[ He's a competitive man, sure, but not about things that he doesn't care about. ]
Ah, another juntion. Left, or right? [ He puts down the badge face down at where they are, to indicate not to go back. ]
no subject
You want to stick around? [ she asks in disbelief. ] It's just a highlights reel of whatever the A.I. is programmed to think counts as crimes. No surprise it isn't that effective at guilting us.
[ She loves you, baby A.I., but you were already a baby and now you are an infant. ]
I'm going right. You can come with me or not. [ The looming specter of the Machine's disappointment only goes so far when she's not actually here. ]
no subject
[ He's not ashamed of embracing any new data, and in fact, it says something about her, too. About the kind of opinion she has about the AI, and the world, and how she wanted to get out of here. ]
Plus, I meet all kinds of interesting people in here, too. [ A smile, and a wink. ]
But, you're right, it's getting a little bit old, and I can always come back in. The makeup of it says a lot about it too. Their logic.
no subject
Therefore, she's not interested. She tosses her hair over her shoulder and gives Tony a wry look at the wink. She's not truly unsociable, just intense. And focused. ]
I'm Root. Prove to me you're an interesting person, and maybe I'll give you some information.
[ Maybe. She's not sharing important intel about the A.I. to someone she doesn't trust.
Root places a Girl Scout badge face down at the start of a pathway and flounces down it without waiting for a response, the mirrors around her following with images of Root in different outfits, costumes, and outright disguises murdering people. ]
no subject
[ He sighed, and held a hand to his chest. ]
Gorgeous, I thought you'd never ask.
[ He really is just that kind of person. His eyes look to the images, but he just keeps going. ]
I suppose we can start with the most basic, don't you think? I'm single, in my forties, a billionaire... [ He's ticking them off of his fingers; ] I'm also the Director of an organization called SHIELD; something called an Avenger, and I used to have to power my heart with a machine I built.
I got better, though, when I injected myself with nanites recently.
Interesting enough for you?
no subject
She whirls to face Tony and puts one hand on her hip, raising her eyebrows at him. ]
You have a name to go with all that, Handsome? [ she drawls. ] What I was actually looking for is you getting us out of here at top speed like you said you could.
Chop chop, please.
no subject
Tony Stark.
[ He gestured deeper into the maze. ]
Now, if you don't mind, I'll do my thing, huh? Might have a few wrong turns, but there's a certain percentage that we can follow, given how many have been right or wrong turns so far, and which ones are which.
[ He starts moving now, deeper and further into the maze. A lot less wrong turns than when he'd just been fucking around in here. Still some, but the accuracy keeps upping every time there's a wrong one.
Machine learning, baby ]