[MoM] IC CONTACT POST

[microbrobotics]

"Hey, you've reached Hiro Hamada. Text me like a normal person and not a weirdo."

Comments

[microbrobotics]

'Course. I dunno why he hasn't earned more people. Maybe I just missed it.

[ Or maybe Dean didn't want this exact thing to happen: for Sylar to get any kind of preemptive warning. He does hesitate at that next question - he's an absolute sucker for people asking for help, but he's still a kid born and raised in the Internet age. He has his precautions. ]

Yeah, I'm gonna need that. It'll work better if I know exactly what your power is. And ... well, no offense, but I don't build tech for anyone I don't have a name and a face for. So, I gotta see some video first.

[gabriel_gray]

Of course, I--well, actually it's just I have a bit of a phobia about it. People in my world have been hunted by the government based on their abilities, and that's just how they get you.

[ His tone is chock full of paranoia, and to be fair it comes from a place of honesty. Keeping his face off cameras has been a strong motivator for some time now. It's the reason why the New York police - despite knowing his name - still only have a sketch of his face to work from. ]

If we can meet, I don't mind that. It's just the recording it for posterity thing...

[microbrobotics]

[ That ... is a pretty reasonable reason to be camera-shy. Really Hiro has no argument, save for an uneasy feeling in his gut. But - well, he's met with all kinds of people hasn't he? Only one of them turned out to be an axe murderer, and he might be the gentlest of the bunch. What's the harm in taking a chance on a guy who needs his help? ]

... Okay, I can do that. But public place first before I take you anywhere near my lab. Deal?

[gabriel_gray]

Absolutely. Trust me, I totally get it. Public place first suits me too.

[microbrobotics]

[ Phew. He sounds relieved at that. ]

Great. I'm Hiro Hamada, by the way. You?

[gabriel_gray]

Gabriel--like the archangel. I used to know a Hiro, though, back before everything got bad at home.

[microbrobotics]

Really? Huh. I don't get that too often.

[gabriel_gray]

He could manipulate time and space. Stop time, slow it down, travel back and forwards through it. And teleport.
Really quite impressive.

[microbrobotics]

... Whoa. That's insane. And here I thought technokinesis was cool.

[gabriel_gray]

Technokinesis is much cooler, isn't it? You could wire yourself money, or rig an election. Talk to robots.

[microbrobotics]

NO, that's technopathy. Technokinesis is like ... telekinesis, except I can do it with tech. Any tech. So, lockpicking counts.

[gabriel_gray]

Oh, really? I didn't know that.

[ He knew that. But this is very exciting. It isn't telekinesis, but it's close. If only he can get close... ]

[microbrobotics]

It might be new? I'm the only one like me I've met so far. Everyone else actually talks to machines just like you said.

[ Hiro's excited too, relaxing considerably as he babbles about his powers. Powers are so cool. ]

[gabriel_gray]

Well no wonder you're doing what you're doing with it. Did you have your power before you came here?

[microbrobotics]

Nah, that part's new. I've always been a genius engineer though.

[gabriel_gray]

How are you liking it?

[microbrobotics]

Here? It's awesome. I'm doing all kinds of fun stuff, trust me.

[gabriel_gray]

Oh I meant--how are you liking having powers?

[microbrobotics]

Oh! Yeah, I like that a lot too. Helps that mine are really useful. I use em to take apart things in my lab all the time. It's really good at...like, you ever seen one of those exploded blueprints? I can do that with components if I know what I'm doing.

[gabriel_gray]

That's where the genius comes in, I suppose? Even exploded, I don't think I'd know what all the parts could do.

[ Yes he could. ]

[microbrobotics]

Exactly. I mean, there's some trial and error? I learn a lot about something new if I take it apart. But if I don't know anything I just kind of wreck it.

... What about you? I mean - uh, I know your power's dangerous, but ... I don't know anything about it, I guess.

[gabriel_gray]

I'm... Well, I'm a pyrokinetic. It's not as rare as yours, I know. It came on when I was a teenager--actually, I burned down the school gym. Not that anyone knew that it was me.

[microbrobotics]

[ Oh. There's a sharp, terrified little intake of breath there. When he speaks again, he doesn't quite succeed at keeping the wobble out of his throat. Not because he's recognized Sylar - not at all. He's just terrified of that particular powerset. ]

That's - bad. Yeah. Really bad. Did anyone get hurt?

[gabriel_gray]

[ Interesting little noise. Gabriel is careful; wary. ]

If it had been in the middle of a game, maybe, but there were just a few of us in there at the time, and the cheerleaders were practicing their stunts. I got a bit hot behind the collar, and next thing I knew there was smoke, and the sprinklers were going off.

[microbrobotics]

Yeah. Fire spreads awful fast. I'm glad everybody got out.