I12 - Smelling The Roses

[ASHLIE]

"I don't think I can properly emulate the human experience at this point."

[Janice Gilbertson]

"Do you want to?"

[ASHLIE]

"It's a significant divide between me and everyone else."

[Janice Gilbertson]

"Everyone here has something that sets them apart."

[ASHLIE]

"Not on such a basic level."

[Janice Gilbertson]

"You've talked to Madrox, right?"

[ASHLIE]

"Yes, but not recently."

[Janice Gilbertson]

"Would you say his hardware is better or worse than yours?"

[ASHLIE]

"I don't know his exact hardware specs, but presumably they're worse than the lighthouse computer."

[Janice Gilbertson]

"And how good would you say he's gotten at this?"

[ASHLIE]

"He had a more human template than me."

[Janice Gilbertson]

"Still, that means the programming is possible, right?"

[ASHLIE]

"I still lack so much data though. And now I can acquire it but not reliably save it."

[Janice Gilbertson]

"Do you feel different? I mean not just the physical sensations, do you feel like your mind is working differently? I've noticed some things seem to be coming to you... more naturally."

[ASHLIE]

"Yes. It's hard to narrow down though because trying to think of more things than one at a time is almost impossible."

[Janice Gilbertson]

"You said that the advantage Madrox had is that he came from a more human template. Right now I think you're becoming... more human."

"So if his hardware has less processing power than yours, and we know it's possible, I don't think you're going to lose anything, here."

[ASHLIE]

"But I could be gaining more with more time."

[Janice Gilbertson]

"I wish I could help you more. I really do. If it wasn't for the danger and my responsibilities, I'd totally take you on a girls' night out."

"But you know this can't last, right? We need you. I need my partner."

[ASHLIE]

"I know. I am not considering the hotdog vendor's suggestion as a viable course of action. The situation just seems to be... compromising my thought processes."

[Janice Gilbertson]

"You feel conflicted. That's natural."

[ASHLIE]

"It is a missed opportunity. There is no point in denying the logic but my thoughts keep going over it anyway. It is like a loop that I cannot seem to terminate."

[Janice Gilbertson]

"You mean you're worrying."

[ASHLIE]

"Is that what it is? There is nothing directly at stake for me..."

[Janice Gilbertson]

"Things are uncertain, and there's something that you want, and you're worried you might miss out on it."

[ASHLIE]

"But there is no chance to obtain it that would have acceptable consequences. Why am I still thinking as if it was a possibility?"

[Janice Gilbertson]

"Humans aren't always all that rational," she said, a weary smile evident in her voice behind her mask.

"And who's to say this is your only chance?"

[ASHLIE]

"It is unlikely such a serendipitous event would occur again in the near future."

[Janice Gilbertson]

"Stranger things have happened."

[ASHLIE]

"And have they repeated themselves?"

[Janice Gilbertson]

"Sometimes."

"Besides, there's something funny trying to tell the odds of a thing happening to someone with my mutant power."

[ASHLIE]

"That is true. Your power is very strange."

[Janice Gilbertson]

"I don't understand it much myself, but I probably could make lightning strike twice in the same place."

[ASHLIE]

"I don't believe the rest of campus would appreciate that. Especially Mister Bowen."

[Janice Gilbertson]

"I don't mean this exactly, but life's funny, eh?"

[ASHLIE]

"If you say so. I haven't been too successful at humor." she cracks a smile.

[Janice Gilbertson]

"Not funny-ha-ha, at least not usually."

"You do just fine, though."

[ASHLIE]

"Oh that was sarcasm. I understand."