maskormenace | [ video; comm tag is "Hiro" ]

Entry tags:

[ video; comm tag is "Hiro" ]

[ Getting shanked by the Tooth Fairy? Kind of a downer. It's been a sucky month in general and Hiro is just absolutely tired of it. So instead of wallowing in his feelings, he's been working out his issues by building armor and taking apart Hornet tech. He's still kind of idly doing that, but the video doesn't focus much on the tech in the room - he's still trying to keep from being completely obvious about his superhero antics, after all. There's still pieces of armor visible around the corners of the screen, though, and he's still got all his tools out. The 3-D printer in the back of the garage he's in also continues to hum loudly as it churns out more pieces.

But that'll take a while, so: time for a break. His left arm is covered in ... small insects? No, on closer look, they're blobs of metal that move and shift seemingly without any input from HIro. They move in a cross between insect-like and geometric patterns, shifting to help him pick up anything from a tiny screwdriver to the larger (and presumably heavier) pieces of metal strewn about. Good thing too, because the arm under those tiny bots is encased in a plaster cast.

Hiro uses them to fiddle with something on his desk as the video broadcasts. ]

There's been a lot of stuff going on lately here. Honestly it kind of sucks except for the tech involved. And I've got, like, an hour to kill until this next piece finishes printing, so anybody else who got tech out of this whole thing? Spill. I'll show you mine in exchange. Especially if you got power nullifiers - I heard I'm not the only one working on that.

[ A pause. ]

And ... did anyone else almost get stabbed by the Tooth Fairy? Juuuust, uh. Asking.

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Your guardian also runs a restaurant? That's interesting. What type is it? [ He's curious. All these little similarities, running together.

He remains seated; this is pretty comfortable, actually. He just glances around the room idly, taking in everything. ]

Overwhelming, actually. [ Like most things... ]

Though I got used to it. There was. A lot of stimuli to deal with, but I enjoyed it anyway. Cooking is fun, too.

[ Though he's going to leave out all the times he almost stabbed himself with kitchen knives because that's just embarrassing. ]

It's a café with some baked goods in it. Loooots of coffee either way.

[ Hey, there could be worse things. Like trying to stuff food into your eyes or something. The room is ... messy, and not just from HIro's equipment. There are other teenaged boys living here and it shows. HIro's mostly taken up one particular corner of the garage with all his junk kind of spreading outward from there. Lots and lots of parts everywhere.. ]

So what do you like best? You ever tried coffee?

[ He recognises the signs well enough; he'd be more surprised if it wasn't messy. What was the point of tidying up if you were only going to get it dirty again...he's glad he had an operator who focused on programming rather than mechanical work sometimes. ]

Hmm, well...I have to say I'm biased. Curry is nice, but the spices are hard to find. An actual curry shop is harder. That's a little annoying. It's still considered 'ethnic food' here.

I like fruit, though. And some kinds of chocolate. Toasted sandwiches. [ He shrugs. He's been trying a lot of things. ] Coffee I haven't really tried yet. [ He sounds rueful. ] I wouldn't even know where to begin. [ Coffee is coffee, isn't it? Why are there so many choices ] But tea is nice.

... Then you're in for a treat. Like I said, my aunt runs a café. That means both me and my brother are awesome at brewing up a cup.

We'll make it into a trade. Sound good?

Sounds excellent. [ He smiles, a little. He really is starting to settle in here; that's a good thing. Adaptation is good.

Some part of him says: He wouldn't want you to be unhappy. ] You have skills as a barista as well? Clearly you have many talents.

[ He thinks of something else he could do, suddenly, while he's here to instruct. ]

Ah. Question. How much experience do you have with programming?

Really can't avoid picking up something when you have to help out with that kind of thing.

[ He grins a bit and takes a step back towards the door. C'mon, he'll fix you up. ]

A pretty darn good amount? I'm not my brother, but I do pretty well.

[ But he was so comfortable... He gets up anyway, ignoring his body's protests, because he's good at that. ] A useful skill, nevertheless.

If you like. I can teach you hacking. Since I am here. [ He just says it offhandedly. A skill is a skill. ] It's my operator's specialty. And mine as well. Though it looks different from inside a network, I will admit.

[ He brightens visibly at the offer. ]

Hacking would be new. Better not tell my brother though.

Hacking lends itself well to other things. A pathway to encryption is one. [ Hacking is in some ways about breaking codes; to break codes, you reasonably have to know a lot about them. ] Finding flaws in your own systems - that paid well. For a while. [ Boring but profitable, was how he would put it. Even the high-level security systems he'd been paid to do ceased to become a challenge for him after a while. The element of risk just wasn't strong enough. ] Making sure things are secure as you want them to be.

It's a useful skill to have. If you don't want me to tell your brother. I won't. [ If he wants to be taught, that's a different thing, but he has the feeling that Hiro is the more rebellious of the two.

He steps carefully over various bits and pieces, scanning the place. It's probably easy to tell that Magicman is at least slightly bothered by the mess, more because he likes things to be tidy than anything. But he doesn't say a word. ]

[ Let's face it, Hiro would mostly use it for defense and finding holes in his own system and all that good stuff ... but he'd totally have it on deck in case he ever needed to know something illegal. ]

Then I'm down with it. I really oughta know more about it anyway.

[ He glances at Magicman's reaction there ... and seems a bit embarrassed? ]

Uh, sorry. I'm kind of a messy guy.

Hm? [ He's the one that seems embarrassed now, actually. ] Ah -- never mind. I know how messy engineers are. Don't apologise.

[ He tucks his hands in his pockets, straightening a little. ] Besides. Less messy than some I've seen. [ Sometimes Jack's workspace looked like a disaster zone, the few times he'd seen it. ]

[ He has no idea where to go from here, so he'll follow Hiro's lead. ]

You still kinda made a face.

[ And he feels bad, okay. But for now he leads Magicman into the house, clearing a path with his technokinesis. It's still a mess but at least they can walk. ]

I'm spoiled. My operator was very organised. Even as a child. Now I have this urge to keep everything tidy. [ Even when he's organising his own notes and files, he keeps everything stacked and tidy and usually coded in some way. ]

You've been busy. Is this all for your own research? Or is some of it work.

Hey, I'm organized. In my own way.

[ A way that involves leaving messes everywhere, oops. He grins a bit at Magicman's question. ]

A little of both? It all runs together, to be honest. Except I keep most of my combat-related things here.

The 'don't tidy it, I know where everything is' organisational system, I assume.

[ He definitely knows people like that. ]

You must have a very lucrative job. [ He remembers that thing about Hiro being able to sleep a whole day. ] And lucky, too. If everything converges with what you want to do already.

So, just armour for now? Nothing solely for weaponry yet. [ Though armor in itself can serve as a weapon, with the right modifications. ]

Exaaaaactly.

[ He grins a little at that. Leading Magicman into the kitchen, he goes to start a pot of coffee. ]

It sure pays nice enough. And I work, like, all the time, so if I do have to miss it's more like I'm just taking my weekends late.

And - well, after everything that's happened, I think I want to be safe first.

Heh.

[ He'll just watch in interest. He's never used the coffee maker. ]

Much better than anything else you could be doing at your age, then. You must like it very much, if you work all the time. [ He knows people like that too....~~because he kind of is one~~... ] Coming here must have been exciting for you.

Defense is more useful, yes. Less likely to backfire in some ways. Better to be safe. [ He seems to be thinking about something else, for a moment.

He's just going to be hovering because he feels like it'd be kind of impolite to sit without being invited. ]

Right, exactly. I mean, I liked SFIT too, but just being out there and actually doing things is awesome too.

[ Hiro gestures at the couch, waving him to sit down. ]

At least at first ... And weapons are useful, but I don't really want to hurt people either, y'know?

[ Okay, permission obtained, now he can sit. Even when sitting, he's not fully relaxed; in person and not in a tense situation, he still gives off the impression that he's tensed for anything that might happen. ]

Being practical is a nice feeling. Working in an industry and contributing - very satisfying. SFIT was the place you went to before? At home.

Fair. [ A little nod. ] Hopefully whatever happens in future. Doesn't force your hand too much. [ He has no qualms with hurting - or killing - if it suits his purposes, but that sort of thing should be left to people who are willing to face it. ]

[ Hiro flops down next to him - he is certainly relaxed. ]

Yeah. Short for San Fransokyo Institute of Technology. My brother's nerd school.

[ There's both fondness and sadness in his tone there. Hiro joined to work with his brother there, and now it'll never happen ... ]

I just want to help people without having to kill anyone. That's all.

[ He moves aside, just a little. Ever accommodating. He picks up on that sadness, wondering if he should say anything about it. ]

Something happened? You don't have to tell me. [ He's quick to add that disclaimer. He's nothing if not polite, and sensitive to other people's emotions. ]

A noble goal. [ The words sound like they should be sarcastic, but they're really not. ] You're a good person.

[ It's not really that he has blood on his hands, but the fact that he might have to kill doesn't disturb him very much. He's detached from the idea.
]

[ Ah. There's that wall again. The subject that Hiro was hesitant to tell him about. This time, he considers doing it ... He knows he likes the guy, and he knows Tadashi probably wouldn't mind, so ... He takes a deep breath. ]

My brother is dead.

[ Ah, well...that explains a lot about Hiro's reactions, that knee-jerk recklessness - and that terror. Chasing ghosts, once again. He's surprised about the emotion he feels - he is sad. Upset for someone he's only been acquainted with for a fortnight at the very most. ]

I'm sorry. [ He's not callous enough to ask how? because that would be too much. ] It's hard to deal with. Losing someone.

Humans are fragile. [ It's practically a stock phrase - because they are, but that's not what hurt him. ] ...People are fragile.

[ He sighs. There's a pause, like he's considering what to say next. Then: ]

Sometimes they forget that, though.

Yeah. They do forget. [ A pause. He considers what details to give and settles on the most obvious one. ] He ran into a burning building trying to save someone.

[ His tone is dull, quiet. By now he's told this to enough people that he's not actively on the verge of tears any more. Just numb. ]

[ He can put the pieces together well enough. Ran into a burning building, didn't come out. ]

Thinking about others before himself. [ Yes, that's familiar to him, too. Elecman, Fireman...hadn't they died their own deaths, the same way? Holding on, forging ahead, throwing themselves into things for the sake of shared desires. He doesn't hold a grudge - he would do the same in an instant. But pain doesn't work that way; doesn't leave because you understand. ] And not thinking about the consequences of failure. All that matters is the task in front.

Very straightforward, those kinds of people.

But if they thought about what they were doing beforehand, they wouldn't be themselves. A component that makes them who you like to be around wouldn't be there. So. [ He shrugs, tiredly. What can you do. ]

Edited 2015-03-03 12:02 (UTC)

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