[ He has no idea where Hiro and Tadashi live, to be honest. He probably could have asked, or snooped around, or something, but just using the network is what comes naturally to him. He's a netnavi, after all; his physical body is something of an afterthought. ]
I thought your room would be neater if you could float technology with your mind, but perhaps you're not up to that yet.
[ The stress of handling the fire, rescuing a civilian and almost getting caught up in it himself - that's a lot of strain on a teenager.
But boy that's a messy room. He feels this weird urge to clean it...parental instincts again. It's a familiar sensation, though - talking to someone like this. Almost comfortable, like he's back in the past again. Back home. ]
Good.
[ 'Not good company' - he assumes that Hiro doesn't want to talk about the fire, or anything else they'd discussed that night. So, instead, he has other things to discuss.
A little ball of purple energy starts gathering on the communicator's surface. There's a pop and it forms into something that could fit comfortably into Hiro's palm.
It wriggles its feet a little and succumbs to gravity's pull, sliding down the screen to land on the bed. It bounces, and seems surprised that it does; it lets out a 'meep'. ]
I didn't come here to talk you to death, so I've arranged some other entertainment.
[ The little mettaur virus stares at the bed and cautiously begins moving forward, exploring this new and strange territory. ]
[ That's no less impressive the second time around. Hiro bends down to look at it more closely, fascinated by it despite his current mental state. Where the heck did the material for it even come from? Magicman acted like it wasn't tech, but it sure looks physical enough. He reaches out tentatively with his mind (and past his headache) to see if his technokinesis can freeze the little guy (gently) in his tracks. ]
Where does the material come from? They can't just appear out of thin air.
[ The fact that he's asking that question shows that he's at least feeling a little better since Friday. ]
[ The virus responds to the technokinesis oddly. The mental pressure from Hiro's power doesn't stop it, but it does turn its focus on him as if it's expecting some kind of order.
A faint, strange signal nudges at Hiro's mind. A tiny, distinct voice. ]
I believe they carry some form of technology from my own world. There's a technology called dimensional areas -- they're projected fields that allow things made of data to interact with the physical world. These viruses are still data - but their properties are specialised. Each one generates its own field that allows it to act as a physical object.
But that is, of course, my best guess. My file wasn't very specific on it.
[ Hiro jolts at that. He's not usually any sort of technopath - he pays for his utility and fine control by lacking the ability to interface with tech directly. This is the first time he's ever heard a machine talking inside his head. He nudges carefully, suggesting that it come closer. ]
Huh. Maybe that'd be a better alternative to microbots for Ruka's holograms...
They seem to just generate it all by themselves. Like a kind of radiation. I can't say for certain, though.
[ The technokinesis seems to be a kind of attraction for it; it moves closer, staring intently, studying his face. There's a certain intelligence there.
The signal it provides isn't really understandable; it's a kind of murmured babble, a fuzzy presence similar to his ability to sense the awareness of machines around him. It won't strain him, but it's a gradually growing tickle on his mind that probably feels odd. ]
Hmm.
Our powers seem to interact strangely. That's interesting. I wonder what this one will learn from you.
[ He gives it a mental command, a very simple one - just to look down, then up again - and that, too, is something Hiro can sense. A stronger version of that gibberish that overrides the fainter one, for a brief moment. ]
[ Weird. Totally weird. And more importantly, a pleasant distraction from everything else going on. He half-closes his eyes, focusing in on that strange gibberish. It's kind of soothing to listen to in the same way that he's adjusted to hearing the background hum from his powers being on all the time. ]
I usually can't hear machines talking. It's more of a hum.
They're...I wouldn't say sentient. But they learn incredibly fast when new stimuli is presented to them - faster than I expected, actually. When they have other information to process, they seem to forget their basic instincts.
They have voices, of a sort. I think they're viewing your power as a kind of uplink, something they can send to.
[ There's no actual speech, nothing to make out - at least for Hiro - it sounds like random noise strung together, the beeping and chirping of a system. Warped and distorted, but there. The little virus has stopped completely to stare at Hiro as if looking for something.
Magicman laughs, a little bit, after a moment. ]
It's recording your features. But since it doesn't really know how to do that, it's just giving me random information that it's taken from the environment.
[ Darn. Well, he didn't expect much. Languages were never his strong suit anyway. He keeps the "uplink" open, so to speak, but lets the rest of it relax; his head is protesting even a small effort right now and he doesn't want to push it too hard. ]
Guess I would be too if I saw something weird. Can it learn how to do that? Or is it too limited?
[ It does sound like a voice, from a distance - almost. It's like some kind of audio-based magic eye picture, becoming more distinct as it's left unfocused.
Which is probably a little aggravating. ]
It could learn to decipher the amount of information it's getting and sort it into proper categories, yes. If I left it long enough, it probably would.
I suppose I could speed up the process by letting it eat another virus that's more specialised for surveillance and seeing if its dominant trait was passed down by consumption, but that would be a little morbid. Not to mention sort of cruel. [ I mean, look at how cute these viruses are.
He materialises another virus, the same size as the first, and it proceeds to do circles around the room, apparently enjoying the amount of space. ]
I do think there's a limit on what they can learn, but basic functions like sorting information are probably a very simple task.
[ They're too cute for cannibalism. Hiro assumes that "eating" in this case is more of an anthropomorphization, but ... wow, he'll skip it for today. ]
Yeah, uh. Don't have them eat each other. I was just curious.
[ Speaking of which, he reaches out to nudge at the flying one too. ]
Viruses consume each other because of their base instincts to reproduce - and they consume navis, and other data, in their drive to survive, to multiply, to destroy. Viruses are inherently dangerous. It's just a little more jarring to think about when they look like cute little RPG enemies. ]
Well, they're viruses. It's what they do, eating data. They'd be dangerous if I couldn't control them. If they're left alone, they multiply exponentially, and...well, they're like many insects that exist in the physical world, in that regard. They swarm.
[ The flying one has a different kind of garbled murmur, more scattered and infrequent pulses. Hiro's nudge attracts it; it begins to circle his head, curious. ]
So all this material in your room. I assume it's for your current projects? It doesn't look like it's all for improving the prototypes you'd used before.
[ What is that soft material on the bed, anyway. He doesn't recognise it at all, really. ]
So, no leaving one with me so I can study it, huh.
[ That's what he gets for thinking viruses are cute. Oh well. He glances around at some of the junk in the room. Some of it is microbot stuff, mostly on the side where he's rigged up a 3-D printer, but most of it isn't. And the stuff on his bed specifically is for the tiny collection of Bayminis he was working on. He nudges one of them awake with his powers - AKA switches its power switch on with its powers - so a squishy little bot around six inches high waddles over to the little hard hat virus. Hello. ]
These are helperbots I was working on. Based on a design my brother made.
Oh, if you'd like to study one, I'd be happy to leave something with you. They follow my orders, so I could just order it to listen to you, or just override its base instinct to reproduce.
Besides, I want to get my old equipment set up soon, so it's not like they aren't a good subject to study. I'll need to recreate the coding from scratch, but...it's all data, so it's not like I need a mechanic.
[ 'And it'll be a good distraction for you', is what he doesn't say.
The mettaur meeps, startled, and sprouts a pickaxe from nowhere. It gently prods the little helperbot with it, rather than trying to hit it. ]
Are they made specifically for medical usage, or more generic assistance?
Okay. Yeah. In that case, I'd be curious. As long as it won't get out of hand.
[ He really is curious, even if it's dulled. Meanwhile, Baymini blinks down at the axe with some confusion. Should he be retrieving this tool or what? ]
[ He's honestly worried about Hiro's mental health right now (and that just gets him right in the chest because, well, he's doing netnavi things, this absentminded caretaking of humans; it's almost a routine. he's fallen back into that pattern so easily) but he's also aware that he doesn't have the right to ask. No proper clearance, so to speak. ]
Very useful. [ The mettaur meeps again, seeming to determine Baymini as 'not hostile or edible', and the pickaxe flashes and dissolves into data. Hiro will be able to catch it literally compressing into pixelated fragments and returning to the virus' main body if he looks closely. ]
They'll be helping you with your other project, then? The microbots. Unless you have anything else you're working on currently that you feel like telling me about.
[ He keeps scanning the room, looking for more points of interest, hooks to talk about that keep Hiro involved in the conversation. He's pretty sure the last thing he needs right now is a total lack of engagement. ]
[ There's a higher-pitched, more panicked little 'meep' sound before the virus realises it's not going to get damaged by a little poke.
It kind of headbutts Baymini's hand in something of a return gesture, very softly.
The flying virus, meanwhile, lands on Hiro's shoulder with a little bump. It's a very light pressure; almost nothing. Like a tiny plastic model. ]
Armor? Are you planning on doing some more heroics in future? Or perhaps some very dangerous science experiments. [ He sounds genuinely curious, though there's a hint of something else in his tone at the mention of heroism, like he's not quite sure what he feels about it. ]
[ Another muffled squeaking noise, but the mettaur seems to enjoy the hug.
Magicman's expression softens imperceptibly when Hiro says that, when he cautiously reaches out to pet the little virus on his shoulder. Some things stay the same way everywhere, it seems. Hero teenagers included.
The little virus nudges its 'nose' up curiously, touching Hiro's finger in return. It feels like some kind of pliable material, with a smooth texture. A little like malleable plastic. ]
Ah, you have a team. It's always better to work with friends.
[ Less lonely, for a start. But he doesn't say that. ]
Would you like to tell me more about them? [ If it makes Hiro feel lonelier, then maybe not. But he must like them quite a bit, to go off and be heroic with them. ]
[ Good, cause it sure is getting cuddled. Baymini pats the little virus' head and says There, there.
Hiro continues to pet his shoulder buddy gently with a couple fingers. It makes him curious about that projection again, and how it makes material ... Maybe he can figure it out if he spends more time studying then. ]
They're all real nice. I guess I should call them Tadashi's friends originally, since he introduced me to them. But I like them too. It's nice to have friends for once...
[ Someone didn't have any at all before they came along. ]
[ The mettaur peeps quietly, apparently satisfied with its care. It's just kinda hanging in Baymini's arms.
The little virus wiggles from side to side, apparently enjoying the contact. If Hiro presses hard enough - not enough to hurt, just enough to exert a little more pressure than usual - he can actually see the virus' surface ripple a little to reveal some kind of complex, bizarre grid formation. ]
Well, with an intellect like this...You got bored of school? [ His own operator was never a delinquent, but he'd preferred to spend his time reading, coding...building and sewing, too. Rather than socialising very much.
[ He does try that, being careful not to hurt the little guy. Huhhh. Gently, he pets the virus in a couple more places to see if that pattern repeats itself. ]
Bored is one word for it. I skipped about five years and graduated early.
[ So, even worse: he was a tiny little kid among all these bigger ones already jealous of him for his smarts. ]
[ It does. Something about physical pressure seems to disrupt whatever is making the virus present in the real world; it's obviously still composed of data. ]
Ah, a prodigy. [ He states it with no emotion; it's just a fact. To skip that many years and graduate means he has an intellect that is far above people in his age bracket -- far above most people just in general, really. ] I'm not surprised you lacked friends, then. Humans are cruel, especially to those they don't feel are deserving.
[ There's a hint of bitterness in his tone. It holds something personal for him, too. ]
Though with nothing much to fill your days, I have to wonder how you passed your time.
[ Cool. Supercool. He'll have to experiment later.
His expression clouds a little. He doesn't like to discuss what happened during his school years. ]
Yeah. They are and they were. But I had my brother and we built all kinds of things together. We'd usually sneak into the expo at SFIT once a year too - it was right around the end of the year anyway, which was about when I hated school the most.
[ He notices that change in expression; it just confirms what he had assumed, out loud.
Some part of him remembers someone not too different from Hiro, in a factual kind of way. A distant memory with no emotion; something that will never be returned.
But that's long, long past. An old, scattered memory. ]
The bond between you and your brother is very strong, I see. Just to look? Or to do other things? I'm not too familiar with what goes on in expos; the ones my operator wanted to go to were usually too far to visit.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
microbrobotics) wrote2025-01-08 05:19 pm
no subject
I thought your room would be neater if you could float technology with your mind, but perhaps you're not up to that yet.
[ The stress of handling the fire, rescuing a civilian and almost getting caught up in it himself - that's a lot of strain on a teenager.
But boy that's a messy room. He feels this weird urge to clean it...parental instincts again. It's a familiar sensation, though - talking to someone like this. Almost comfortable, like he's back in the past again. Back home. ]
Good.
[ 'Not good company' - he assumes that Hiro doesn't want to talk about the fire, or anything else they'd discussed that night. So, instead, he has other things to discuss.
A little ball of purple energy starts gathering on the communicator's surface. There's a pop and it forms into something that could fit comfortably into Hiro's palm.
It wriggles its feet a little and succumbs to gravity's pull, sliding down the screen to land on the bed. It bounces, and seems surprised that it does; it lets out a 'meep'. ]
I didn't come here to talk you to death, so I've arranged some other entertainment.
[ The little mettaur virus stares at the bed and cautiously begins moving forward, exploring this new and strange territory. ]
no subject
Where does the material come from? They can't just appear out of thin air.
[ The fact that he's asking that question shows that he's at least feeling a little better since Friday. ]
no subject
A faint, strange signal nudges at Hiro's mind. A tiny, distinct voice. ]
I believe they carry some form of technology from my own world. There's a technology called dimensional areas -- they're projected fields that allow things made of data to interact with the physical world. These viruses are still data - but their properties are specialised. Each one generates its own field that allows it to act as a physical object.
But that is, of course, my best guess. My file wasn't very specific on it.
no subject
Huh. Maybe that'd be a better alternative to microbots for Ruka's holograms...
no subject
[ The technokinesis seems to be a kind of attraction for it; it moves closer, staring intently, studying his face. There's a certain intelligence there.
The signal it provides isn't really understandable; it's a kind of murmured babble, a fuzzy presence similar to his ability to sense the awareness of machines around him. It won't strain him, but it's a gradually growing tickle on his mind that probably feels odd. ]
Hmm.
Our powers seem to interact strangely. That's interesting. I wonder what this one will learn from you.
[ He gives it a mental command, a very simple one - just to look down, then up again - and that, too, is something Hiro can sense. A stronger version of that gibberish that overrides the fainter one, for a brief moment. ]
no subject
I usually can't hear machines talking. It's more of a hum.
no subject
They have voices, of a sort. I think they're viewing your power as a kind of uplink, something they can send to.
[ There's no actual speech, nothing to make out - at least for Hiro - it sounds like random noise strung together, the beeping and chirping of a system. Warped and distorted, but there. The little virus has stopped completely to stare at Hiro as if looking for something.
Magicman laughs, a little bit, after a moment. ]
It's recording your features. But since it doesn't really know how to do that, it's just giving me random information that it's taken from the environment.
It's very interested in you.
no subject
Guess I would be too if I saw something weird. Can it learn how to do that? Or is it too limited?
no subject
Which is probably a little aggravating. ]
It could learn to decipher the amount of information it's getting and sort it into proper categories, yes. If I left it long enough, it probably would.
I suppose I could speed up the process by letting it eat another virus that's more specialised for surveillance and seeing if its dominant trait was passed down by consumption, but that would be a little morbid. Not to mention sort of cruel. [ I mean, look at how cute these viruses are.
He materialises another virus, the same size as the first, and it proceeds to do circles around the room, apparently enjoying the amount of space. ]
I do think there's a limit on what they can learn, but basic functions like sorting information are probably a very simple task.
no subject
Yeah, uh. Don't have them eat each other. I was just curious.
[ Speaking of which, he reaches out to nudge at the flying one too. ]
no subject
Viruses consume each other because of their base instincts to reproduce - and they consume navis, and other data, in their drive to survive, to multiply, to destroy. Viruses are inherently dangerous. It's just a little more jarring to think about when they look like cute little RPG enemies. ]
Well, they're viruses. It's what they do, eating data. They'd be dangerous if I couldn't control them. If they're left alone, they multiply exponentially, and...well, they're like many insects that exist in the physical world, in that regard. They swarm.
[ The flying one has a different kind of garbled murmur, more scattered and infrequent pulses. Hiro's nudge attracts it; it begins to circle his head, curious. ]
So all this material in your room. I assume it's for your current projects? It doesn't look like it's all for improving the prototypes you'd used before.
[ What is that soft material on the bed, anyway. He doesn't recognise it at all, really. ]
no subject
[ That's what he gets for thinking viruses are cute. Oh well. He glances around at some of the junk in the room. Some of it is microbot stuff, mostly on the side where he's rigged up a 3-D printer, but most of it isn't. And the stuff on his bed specifically is for the tiny collection of Bayminis he was working on. He nudges one of them awake with his powers - AKA switches its power switch on with its powers - so a squishy little bot around six inches high waddles over to the little hard hat virus. Hello. ]
These are helperbots I was working on. Based on a design my brother made.
no subject
Besides, I want to get my old equipment set up soon, so it's not like they aren't a good subject to study. I'll need to recreate the coding from scratch, but...it's all data, so it's not like I need a mechanic.
[ 'And it'll be a good distraction for you', is what he doesn't say.
The mettaur meeps, startled, and sprouts a pickaxe from nowhere. It gently prods the little helperbot with it, rather than trying to hit it. ]
Are they made specifically for medical usage, or more generic assistance?
no subject
[ He really is curious, even if it's dulled. Meanwhile, Baymini blinks down at the axe with some confusion. Should he be retrieving this tool or what? ]
Generic. I built them to fetch and carry.
no subject
Very useful. [ The mettaur meeps again, seeming to determine Baymini as 'not hostile or edible', and the pickaxe flashes and dissolves into data. Hiro will be able to catch it literally compressing into pixelated fragments and returning to the virus' main body if he looks closely. ]
They'll be helping you with your other project, then? The microbots. Unless you have anything else you're working on currently that you feel like telling me about.
[ He keeps scanning the room, looking for more points of interest, hooks to talk about that keep Hiro involved in the conversation. He's pretty sure the last thing he needs right now is a total lack of engagement. ]
no subject
Baymini lightly reaches out to poke the mettaur in return. ]
It's mostly those two ... I was working on some armor too.
[ Hence the larger pieces of carbon fiber and metal in here. ]
no subject
It kind of headbutts Baymini's hand in something of a return gesture, very softly.
The flying virus, meanwhile, lands on Hiro's shoulder with a little bump. It's a very light pressure; almost nothing. Like a tiny plastic model. ]
Armor? Are you planning on doing some more heroics in future? Or perhaps some very dangerous science experiments. [ He sounds genuinely curious, though there's a hint of something else in his tone at the mention of heroism, like he's not quite sure what he feels about it. ]
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Hiro glances at the virus on his shoulder, reaching out tentatively to pet it. ]
Heroics. My and my friends, we were superheroes back home.
[ Not that he feels like much of one right now. He froze up bad on Friday and he knows it. ]
no subject
Magicman's expression softens imperceptibly when Hiro says that, when he cautiously reaches out to pet the little virus on his shoulder. Some things stay the same way everywhere, it seems. Hero teenagers included.
The little virus nudges its 'nose' up curiously, touching Hiro's finger in return. It feels like some kind of pliable material, with a smooth texture. A little like malleable plastic. ]
Ah, you have a team. It's always better to work with friends.
[ Less lonely, for a start. But he doesn't say that. ]
Would you like to tell me more about them? [ If it makes Hiro feel lonelier, then maybe not. But he must like them quite a bit, to go off and be heroic with them. ]
no subject
Hiro continues to pet his shoulder buddy gently with a couple fingers. It makes him curious about that projection again, and how it makes material ... Maybe he can figure it out if he spends more time studying then. ]
They're all real nice. I guess I should call them Tadashi's friends originally, since he introduced me to them. But I like them too. It's nice to have friends for once...
[ Someone didn't have any at all before they came along. ]
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The little virus wiggles from side to side, apparently enjoying the contact. If Hiro presses hard enough - not enough to hurt, just enough to exert a little more pressure than usual - he can actually see the virus' surface ripple a little to reveal some kind of complex, bizarre grid formation. ]
Well, with an intellect like this...You got bored of school? [ His own operator was never a delinquent, but he'd preferred to spend his time reading, coding...building and sewing, too. Rather than socialising very much.
They'd helped each other. ]
no subject
Bored is one word for it. I skipped about five years and graduated early.
[ So, even worse: he was a tiny little kid among all these bigger ones already jealous of him for his smarts. ]
no subject
Ah, a prodigy. [ He states it with no emotion; it's just a fact. To skip that many years and graduate means he has an intellect that is far above people in his age bracket -- far above most people just in general, really. ] I'm not surprised you lacked friends, then. Humans are cruel, especially to those they don't feel are deserving.
[ There's a hint of bitterness in his tone. It holds something personal for him, too. ]
Though with nothing much to fill your days, I have to wonder how you passed your time.
no subject
His expression clouds a little. He doesn't like to discuss what happened during his school years. ]
Yeah. They are and they were. But I had my brother and we built all kinds of things together. We'd usually sneak into the expo at SFIT once a year too - it was right around the end of the year anyway, which was about when I hated school the most.
no subject
Some part of him remembers someone not too different from Hiro, in a factual kind of way. A distant memory with no emotion; something that will never be returned.
But that's long, long past. An old, scattered memory. ]
The bond between you and your brother is very strong, I see.
Just to look? Or to do other things? I'm not too familiar with what goes on in expos; the ones my operator wanted to go to were usually too far to visit.
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