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]

Okay, okay ...

[ He goes along with Megaman peacefully enough. Fortunately, they're already in his bedroom, so it's just a few feet before he flops into his bed. He could definitely do with a nap. And some water. And maybe a snack ... ]

Sorry, I lost track of time. It was too much fun.

[megabytes]

[Oh thank god. Once Hiro's laying down he sits on the floor next to the bed, settling in. If Hiro asks for anything he'll go get it for him because he is going to fuss but otherwise he's staying right here to keep an eye on him. Just in case.]

I know, I was having fun too, it's just...you need to be careful. I don't know what could happen to you in there.

[For the record - yes, a big part of him visiting Hiro's comm as often as he could when he was stuck there last month was him being paranoid about Hiro's safety. Now he's gonna be even worse.]

[microbrobotics]

[ All he really feels like doing is lying with his head nice and cushioned while he waits for the room to stop spinning. But he should probably get water and some painkillers. ]

It's not like I can't get back out again. This is even safer than I was before.

... Why do you worry so much about it?

[megabytes]

Bad things can happen to humans in the cyber world. You might not be able to get out fast enough. You might not be able to get out at all.

[microbrobotics]

Bad things can happen to me in reality too. I'm safer having a failsafe like this.

[megabytes]

Hiro, you don't understand. I've seen what can happen. You're not made to handle the cyber world, you need to be careful.

[microbrobotics]

... What happened?

[megabytes]

These people...they used these machines that can send a human consciousness into the cyberworld so they could synch themselves up to their navis. So they'd fight better. They lost. They had to be hospitalized - some of them ended up in comas.

[He curls up a little, small and scared. He remembers fighting them all too well. They were all bad people, especially Hinoken, but...he didn't want to hurt them like that.

And then Lan had almost...]

Dad said they were all lucky.

[microbrobotics]

[ Hiro shivers a bit at the thought. ]

It's different, though. I"m not unconscious in the real world.

[megabytes]

That makes it even worse, Hiro! This isn't just about backfeed, it's actual, direct injuries. You could be deleted in there!

[And humans don't get to restore from backup. Megaman knows that pretty intimately.]

[microbrobotics]

I'll be careful, okay? And it won't happen. B-because I have you.

[megabytes]

[Megaman just puts his chin on his knees. He wishes he could be that confident. He had been when Lan had had to use Pulse Transmission, and he'd been so, so wrong. And it'd been his mistake - he'd gotten cocky, he hadn't paid attention, Lan had almost died and it would've been his fault--

He whimpers. What if he messes up again? What if, next time, he can't get his operator out?]

[microbrobotics]

[ Oh man, that was not the intended effect. He'd wanted to soothe Megaman by letting him be able to help Hior ... but wow that backfired. Tentatively, he reaches out to hug the Navi. ]

I'll be really careful. We can make backup programs to eject me if an emergency comes up.

[megabytes]

[He uncurls himself just enough to hug back.]

Promise?

[microbrobotics]

Yeah, absolutely. I promise I won't get hurt in there.

[megabytes]

Okay. Good. You better not.

[.........]

...if you do, I'm changing all your passwords.

[microbrobotics]

-- Hey!

[megabytes]

Well if you're gonna just get yourself hurt--!

[microbrobotics]

Fine, fine, I'll deserve it. But it's not gonna happen.

[megabytes]

Good!

[Apparently all he needed to distract himself was to treat Hiro just like





and now he feels like a terrible person.]

[microbrobotics]

[ Good job there Megaman. He pauses again, looking at him. ]

You okay?

[megabytes]

...yeah, I'm fine. Just...just thinking.

[microbrobotics]

About what?

[megabytes]

It's nothing. Really.

[This blanket is very interesting, clearly he should stare at it intently.]

...you know, we never actually did the other thing you asked for.

[microbrobotics]

Huh? What was that?

[ He's forgotten already. ]