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

[megabytes]

There's a big difference between thinking of someone as a person and thinking of them as a human.

[microbrobotics]

[ He shrugs, lightly, and bows his head. ]

You really think I'm that shallow?

[megabytes]

...you already called me human.

[microbrobotics]

That doesn't mean I think of you differently!

[megabytes]

So why did you call me something I'm not?

[microbrobotics]

You - you were human. You're not any more?

[megabytes]

Of course I'm not! It doesn't matter what I used to be, I'm a navi!

[microbrobotics]

That's perfectly fine! Navis are completely amazing too!

[megabytes]

[Hiro's words hit him like a punch in the core. Is that...is that really all that matters to him...?]

Hiro...w-why do you like me?

[microbrobotics]

Because you care for me. We like a lot of the same things, and you stick up for me. We talk about everything... You know how many people I have in my life like that?

[megabytes]

[He shakes his head, gaze locked on his feet.]

...'m sorry...

[microbrobotics]

You're my best friend. You were before I knew about this and you still are now. Nothing's changed.

[megabytes]

...promise?

[microbrobotics]

Absolutely.

[megabytes]

[His initial response is ruined by another sob. He's pretty much a trembling wreck that's just barely keeping it together right now. Honestly, if he were actually capable of crying, he probably would've broken down a while ago.]

Y-you can't tell. Not ever.

[microbrobotics]

[ He makes a "cross my heart" gesture across his chest. ]

I promise. It'll be our secret.

[megabytes]

Good. G-good, I...I...

[And that's about where he finally hits his limit. A whimper is the only warning Hiro gets; one second Megaman's standing a couple steps away, and the next Hiro's gonna find himself with an armful of navi flopped against him.

He still really doesn't want to be here, and he's still very uncomfortable with the way Hiro made him feel trapped earlier, but both of those are overridden by the fact that he just really, really needs an operator to take care of him right now.]

[microbrobotics]

[ Hiro's just a kid himself, but he sure does feel bad about causing all this. That means he'll do everything he can to try and make Megaman happy again. He holds the Navi close, just holding on as tight as he can. ]

Hey, you've got me too. I'm your surrogate operator, right?

[megabytes]

[He tenses up when Hiro puts his arms around him, but he doesn't try to pull away again. He needs the contact too much right now. As long as Hiro doesn't do anything to make him feel cornered again, he'll stay put.]

Y-yeah. Yeah, I know, I just...

[That's just kind of part of the problem, here.]

[microbrobotics]

Just what?

[ He leans his head against Megaman's shoulder, gently. ]

[megabytes]

Y-you're gonna think about it now.

[microbrobotics]

Not that much.

[megabytes]

Doesn't matter. You're gonna think about it. [He lets out a shaky whimper.] I won't be normal anymore.

[microbrobotics]

Dude, you weren't normal to me to begin with. We don't really have anything like navis back home.

[megabytes]

But you thought I was normal for a navi.