Inbox: Mask or Menace

[megabytes]

"You've reached the comms device of Megaman.EXE. I'm not available at the moment, so please leave a message and I will respond as soon as I am able! Thank you!"

Comments

[microbrobotics]

[ Hiro's expression shifts the moment he feels the wifi go back on. That ... oh. Now he can feel the way back out, as easy as taking a couple steps. He concentrates for a moment, fading from sight ...

And then there's a thump outside the comm as Hiro goes sprawling face-first onto the floor. ]

[megabytes]

[As far as he's concerned, you deserved that faceplant, Hiro.]

Next time you go messing with a device's settings, make sure you've changed everything back before you try to leave. Especially when you mess with something like whether or not wifi is on.

[microbrobotics]

[ He sits back up with a soft groan. ]

That was it? That was why?

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Yes, that was it. I just...did you really not even try to check what you changed before you texted me? That's just common sense!

[microbrobotics]

I-I didn't think about it! I haven't been doing this very long!

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It's basic debugging! You make changes, you stop getting the result you expected, you go back over your changes and test their effects to see if one's responsible! You're an engineer, you should know this!

[Sorry Hiro. He yells because he cares.]

[microbrobotics]

[ Ow, right in his pride. He winces. ]

I'm sorry! I was scared!

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So was I! When I got your message, I thought you'd been hurt! Instead you were just--

[He lets out a frustrated yell, reaching up to clutch the sides of his helmet. Forgot that he might be waking up other people in the house? Probably.]

Dammit, Lan, can you just think before you do something!

[microbrobotics]

[ Hiro goes quiet for a moment, unsure of how to react to that. ]

I'm not Lan.

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[And he just looks confused. Guess who has no idea what he just did.]

I know that! Where did that even-- don't change the subject!

[microbrobotics]

You just called me Lan!

[ He should probably take that as a compliment? But frankly he's feeling a bit attacked right now. ]

Look, I'm new to this, okay? Can't you teach me this stuff?

[megabytes]

I...I did?

[It really is a compliment, in a way, but wow does Megaman feel bad about doing it. Hiro might remind him of Lan a lot, but that's not why he likes him; it's part of why he gets along so well with him, but Hiro's a great person in his own right. Megaman doesn't want him to start thinking he's just some kind of replacement.

It also drives home just how he's been acting. God, did he really just start getting on Hiro's case the same way he does to Lan when he does something stupid and scares him? What is wrong with him?]

That was...I...yeah. Yeah, I'll teach you. Sorry.

[microbrobotics]

[ He suuure did. And Hiro's making some moderately upset faces because of it. When Megaman relents, though, he forces himself to relax a little. ]

It's okay. I mean, you're right, just ...

... You miss him, don't you?

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Well, yeah, but...

[He is just so uncomfortable right now. What is he even supposed to say after doing something like that? He's not even entirely sure why he did it.]

[microbrobotics]

[ He's quiet for a moment more, thinking. And then he materializes in the comm again, so that he can talk to Megaman face to face. (And maybe shake a few more Lan associations if Megaman isn't in the comm while Hiro's outside.) ]

What's he like?

[megabytes]

[Oh Hiro. If only it was that simple.

He glances up for a moment when Hiro plugs back in before looking away. This is so awkward. It doesn't help that he's honestly not entirely sure how to answer that question. He knows Lan inside and out, and he's pretty sure he could accurately predict what he'd think of certain things or how he'd react to certain situations, but actually putting that into words? He's never had to do that before, at least not to someone who hasn't actually met Lan. Where is he even supposed to start?]

He's...excitable? Energetic? ...he doesn't like having to sit still, always has to be doing something. I mean, it's not like he doesn't sit around and relax, or read or watch TV or anything, he just...he needs something to be engaged in or he gets bored, or goes a little stir-crazy. [He frowns.] It's part of what makes getting him through a school day so hard.

[microbrobotics]

[ He's got to try, at least. Starting by summoning up a puffy bit of data to sit on as he listens to Megaman. He wishes Lan were here - not just for Megaman's sake, but also just to meet the kid. He sounds great. ]

I know how that feels. When everything's slow and boring, it's a pain to concentrate.

[megabytes]

[Megaman doesn't sit down just yet; he's gotten himself a little too worked up for that. Instead, he starts walking around a bit as he talks.]

I don't think he even tries. [Aaaaand he's off. Strap in, Hiro, this is gonna take a while.] Oh, sure, if it's a lesson on programming or virus busting or something he likes then you can bet he'll be taking notes and asking questions and being the most diligent student you ever saw. Everything else? Doesn't care. He just sits there and daydreams, or sleeps, or whines about how bored he is, or...or anything but pay attention. And then he complains when he gets in trouble for it!

[He lets out a frustrated sigh - this time there is audio, but none of the body language he showed earlier - and reaches up to rub the bridge of his nose. Navi headaches might work differently from human ones, but stress is stress and he's had plenty of time to pick up some habitual mannerisms.]

He's supposed to be starting sixth grade and I swear, I don't know how he even got into middle school. He almost never does his homework, he fails more tests than he passes, his grades are abysmal...I don't know what to do with him anymore! I've tried everything! I remind him of his homework all the time, I try to help him study, I do my best to keep him on task, I just-- I try and try but he never listens!

[Can you tell this particular rant is a common one? You might want to cut him off quick, Megaman can bitch about this subject for a looooooong time.]

[microbrobotics]

[ Yeah, he can sense that. It still kind of stings because some of those things? Could probably be describing Hiro. Minus the bad grade, anyway. Hiro had aced everything immediately if just because he'd learned that he got out of it faster if he showed he could do it. He suspects Lan could be the same way if he figured that out too. ]

What does he like?

Let's just pretend that I didn't say "middle school" back there

[megabytes]

[Sorry, Hiro, he kind of assumed you were more of a model student than Lan is. His only real experiance with kids who skipped grades are Shun, Enzan, and Yaito; Yaito prides herself on being a perfect student, and while he only knows the first two outside of school, Enzan is...intense.]

Huh? [The question pulls him up short. Successful derail is successful!] Oh. Programming, mostly, and netbattling and virus busting. Um, art class. Soccer, too. And skating, he has shoes with detachable inlines and he skates everywhere.

[microbrobotics]

Can't he do any of that at school? Or use it to get through stuff he hates? That's what I did.

[megabytes]

I've tried that already, remember? I told you about his last summer research assignment. He didn't even finish that. [Granted, there was a rather urgent interruption...] He just uses it as an excuse to focus on what he likes to do and ignores everything else.

[microbrobotics]

Then maybe there's something else. I dunno. Maybe school isn't right for him. I hated school ...

[megabytes]

I don't know what else there could be. Schooling up through ninth grade is mandatory, so he can't just stop going. Besides, he wants to be a scientist, like dad and gramps. He'll at least have to get into a college of technology to do that.

[microbrobotics]

... You're worried about him, huh.