Vision lay on the training ground, the echo of Diana's last words resonating through him: "We'll continue to push your limits, both physically and mentally."
He could still feel the sting of the ground beneath him, the ache in his muscles, and the lingering sense of exhilaration.
The clone raised his gaze toward the setting sun, watching the orange hues bathe the island in a warm glow. His mind was a sea of activity. In his Mind-Scape, his mental clones filtered through the near limitless knowledge he had absorbed.
Processing every technique, every nuance of movement, every bit of combat wisdom Diana had showed him, he was quickly learning and organizing them all.
But even that seemed…small now. For the first time since he had awoken, the weight of his existence bore down on him in a way it hadn't before. He was a clone, a being created from something, or someone—, else.
His past was a blank slate, by design of his previous life's wishes. His future was a mystery. He was still adapting to his new life, to his new identity, however he still needed to answer the major question.
What did he want to be?
The question hit him like a punch to the gut. It had been simmering beneath the surface since his awakening but had now become impossible to ignore. Who was he? What was his place in this world?
Vision slowly stood up, his body slightly aching as he stood, watching as Diana began sparring with one of the Amazons. He felt a bit embarrassed. When they first started sparring, he had been sloppy, disjointed, his actions were mechanical and unnatural.
But with Diana's help and guidance, he had evolved quickly. That was Vision's greatest skill, constant, swift evolution and improvement. Every hour, every minute, every second, he was evolving, growing smarter, stronger.
His application of his knowledge grew more swift, more clean as he was guided, and his foundations were slowly growing more firm, his instincts more sharp.
And with all of that, Vision realized, was why Diana had been so relentless. She was molding him.
But why? That was the question lingering in his mind. He wasn't like the others in the Justice League. They had their lives, their histories, their motivations. He was a blank slate. A powerful one, sure, but blank nonetheless.
Vision thought back to the spar with Diana. It was the first time in his short existence that something had felt truly authentic. The clash of fists, the fluidity of movement, the way his mind had quieted as his body began to react on its own, all of it had been a revelation.
In that moment, he had felt alive. But how could he recreate that, how can he shape himself?
Vision closed his eyes, reaching inward, sinking deep into his Mind-Scape. It was a vast mental construct, a sprawling landscape where the clones of himself worked tirelessly, analyzing the data he had absorbed, cataloging every piece of information he encountered.
But now, he wasn't interested in the knowledge or the techniques they were sorting. No, he wanted to speak to…himself.
In the center of his Mind-Scape, Vision stood before a reflection of himself—a mental projection of his core being. The clones quieted, stepping back as Vision approached his reflection, his true self.
"What do you want?" the reflection asked, its voice calm but probing.
Vision stared at it for a long moment. The answer wasn't simple. He had been created with no memories, no purpose. He could be anything, do anything. His power was immense, and yet…he felt directionless.
He felt lost, knowledge without meaning was dangerous, hazardous, and Vision wanted to be anything but. Although he didn't know exactly what he wanted to be, he knew he wanted the world to be a better place.
"I want to belong," Vision said finally, the words coming slowly as if he were discovering them as he spoke,"I want to have a purpose. To understand my meaning."
The reflection tilted its head slightly, "You have power beyond most beings on this planet, in this Universe. You have almost all the knowledge and power you need to shape the world in any way you see fit. But what do you see fit?"
Vision remained silent, the question hanging in the air. What should he do? He had thought, initially, that simply learning to control his abilities was enough.
But Diana's training had shifted something inside him. It wasn't enough just to exist, to learn, to absorb knowledge. He needed to apply it, to act.
"I could destroy," Vision said quietly, more to himself than to his reflection. The environment changed, an illusion of a massive war, explosions, death and destruction littering the land.
"Or I could protect." Vision said, the illusion shattering and turning into field, a field with all of the Justice League members, flying and moving around like a unit, protecting civilians from danger.
Vision's thoughts lingered on the League, and their proteges. The way they protected the world. Each of them had strengths and weaknesses, yet all of them, Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and the others.
They had something he lacked. They had a connection to the world, a reason to fight for it.
Did he?
"I want to protect this world," Vision said, more firmly now, "I want to make it better."
The reflection smiled faintly, "Then how will you do that?"
Vision frowned. That was the crux of it, wasn't it? He could join the Justice League, fight alongside them, use his powers to stop threats as they did.
But was that enough? Would that bring about the change he desired?
"No," he murmured, shaking his head. "It's not enough to just fight. The world needs more than that."
He had absorbed enough knowledge of human history to understand the patterns of conflict, the endless cycle of war, peace, and war again. It wasn't enough to just stop the next villain, to avert the next crisis.
Look at Gotham? Batman locked up villains in Arkham Asylum time and time again, yet they always escaped, always moved back to crime, and always wrecked havoc. It was an endless cycle of death and destruction.
Humanity needed something more, a shift, a change that would break the cycle, and Vision would become that change.
Vision opened his eyes, the illusion shattering and the reflection nodding with a smile on its face before Vision returned to the real world. The sounds of the Amazons sparring had died down, and the training ground was mostly empty now, save for Diana, who stood nearby, watching him with quiet intensity.
He walked over to her, his steps slow but purposeful.
"I've been thinking," he said, his voice steady, though his thoughts were racing, "About what I want to do. About what my place is in all of this."
Diana raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue.
"I don't just want to be another fighter," Vision said, his gaze meeting hers. "I want to do more. I want to make the world better. Not just by fighting, but by helping shape it into something…greater. A utopia, maybe."
Diana studied him for a long moment, her expression unreadable. "That's a lofty goal," she said finally, "One that many have pursued, and few have achieved."
Vision nodded, "I know. But I have the power to make a real difference. And I think…I think that's what I'm meant to do. I've been given these abilities for a reason. I can help the Justice League do more than just protect the world, I can help them improve it."
Diana's eyes softened, and she placed a hand on his shoulder, "You have potential, Vision. Great potential. But the path you're talking about isn't an easy one. It's not just about power. Politics, Economics, Human Psychology, building a so called Utopia is near impossible with all of these variable factors. We are all emotional creatures Vision."
"I know," Vision replied, "But I'm willing to try. I don't have a past, but I can shape my future. And I want that future to be one where people don't have to live in fear of the next threat. Where the Justice League isn't just a shield against danger, but a force for real, lasting change."
Diana smiled then, a genuine smile that lit up her features. "You remind me of someone," she said softly, though she didn't elaborate, "Alright, Vision. If that's what you want, then I'll help you. But you need to grow first, understand your powers more, face challenges you can't imagine, and once you're ready, we'll begin."
Vision nodded, feeling a sense of determination settle within him. For the first time, he had a goal, a purpose.
He would fight alongside the Justice League, yes, but more than that, he would work to create a world where they wouldn't have to fight so much.
A world where peace wasn't just the absence of war, but the presence of justice, equality, and prosperity. As the sun finally dipped below the horizon, Vision felt a calm resolve wash over him. His path was clear now, and for the first time, he felt truly alive.
He would help make this world a utopia.
And he would start by proving himself, both to the Justice League and to himself.