[ He hears the sigh though - and that tone. That's enough to cut through his anger, at least, so that he reluctantly turns the comm back. Still angry, just less. ]
Then there's more to it than you think, because while I held it, everything was...different. And I don't mean in terms of understanding what could and couldn't be controlled.
[beat. how does he even begin to explain...?]
I- understood things. Not about machinery, but...everything. There was so much chaos out there, but I saw patterns, applications to things I hadn't even considered before...[he makes a little 'hnh' laugh]...and I think I may have gotten carried away, if I held on to it any longer.
Are you telling me...is that how you normally see the world, Hiro?
[ He's not sure what to make of that question. It's puzzling enough that the rest of his anger kind of drains away, replaced by - well, what? Confusion, but with something else underlying it. Like Cal's asked what's simultaneously the most confusing and most obvious question in the world. ]
What, you mean looking at things like a normal person? Dude, that's called - [ he struggles for the words; psychology isn't his strong point ] - I dunno, like schema in robots? You don't have to see the exact same style of chair to see it's a chair.
[ So, yes. Completely normal for him. He pauses again, hung up on something else Cal said... ]
I mean, it's chaotic and noisy, sure? The world is just a pain like that. Everyone feels like that. Don't you?
There's a difference between 'noise' and that. [but he decides to take a slightly different approach;] You had a lot of trouble relating to people growing up, I'm guessing? Getting annoyed with them for not 'getting' things that you could, in a matter of seconds. Things that made sense to you, and seemed impossible for them. No wonder you needed a challenge.
[-and, ah, maybe he shouldn't have said that. his expression turns a bit rueful]
Let's just say it's all for the best this doesn't happen again. All right? I'd rather not linger on what kind of projects I could come up with if I'd had that kind of perception for more than a minute.
[ Hiro winces a bit - not at Callaghan, but rather at his own memories of being a very, very lonely kid in school. "Had a lot of trouble relating to people"? Try "never figured it out once in fourteen years." ]
I wasn't good at people. I thought it was just - I dunno, I was just fast. But if it's weird even to you...
[ He's awed? And a little scared at the same time? Being a smart kid is fun when he assumes that adults are just dumb in comparison. This ... this makes him sound more like some kind of alien freak that doesn't even think like a human being. He swallows for a moment and lets the feeling pass. Better to be an alien freak than normal.
Still gonna give Robert a bit of a stinkeye though. ]
You saying you'd go crazy with my kind of brainpower? Wow, thanks.
[ Missing the point, possibly, but at least he's not angry. Ironically, he's less angry about having his intelligence stolen than the technokinesis, despite the former being way more intrinsic to everything than the latter. Mostly he still can't quite comprehend it. ]
I wasn't good with people. Believe it or not, teaching wasn't my first choice of career. You, on the other hand, have a 'natural' superpower, if such a thing exists.
[freak? not so much. with the worst of the conversation over, Robert's relaxing - slightly - and doing his best to continue with the whole treating-Hiro-as-a-peer thing. considering he's actually opened up a hint about his personal past, so far so good.]
I didn't say I'd go crazy. I'd probably get used to it over time.
[which is exactly what he's afraid of. maybe he should end things here...]
But I'm sure you have better things to do then hear me ramble. I've said what I needed to, and...[the briefest of pauses]...for what it's worth, I am sorry.
[ Superpower. An actual, legitimate superpower, enough that it can be stolen the same way a Porter-given one can be. And he's 100% sure that the Porter didn't do anything to advance that past what he had at home; he'd notice for sure, the same way he has ungodly flattening headaches whenever his powers are off. Which - actually explains a lot of things. Why he gets headaches wearing limiters when his brother seems unaffected.
He is gonna be insufferable once he adjusts to the concept. ]
... You too, huh. Seemed to do okay by the time I met you. [ Minus the obvious issues. He quiets for a moment; Callaghan doesn't seem to want to continue the conversation, and Hiro's not in the mood for much either. But ... dammit, he's curious, and now that he's no longer angry, that loneliness creeps back in. ] Did you have any friends? Growing up?
[ Consider that question to be acceptance of Callaghan's apology. ]
casually delves in to the manga canon because screw it
[ If you hadn't immediately pissed Hiro off, Cal, he'd probably have been happy to talk to him with a warmup. ]
Yeah, I know how that feels. People just decide you did something wrong and there's no reason behind it. Machines, you probably screwed it up yourself.
I WILL MIX PERSONAL CANON WITH THIS AND CAL'S WIFE DYING OF SICKNESS SO HELP ME
Machines, too, you can fix; a lot of times they just need a bit of attention before they're up and running again. Do it right, and they're better than ever.
That can be a bit harder with people. [and what little smile he had falters a bit] Sometimes you can't figure out what's wrong until it's too late to do anything.
[the word is short, soft, and almost warning. there is a fine line between pity and sympathy, and it's one that, perhaps, Robert Callaghan has some difficulty understanding at times.
but after a moment, he manages a quick smile, as though trying to be reassuring. he can recognize when he's toed a line]
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microbrobotics) wrote2025-01-08 05:19 pm
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There's nothing else to take. I've only got one.
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[beat. how does he even begin to explain...?]
I- understood things. Not about machinery, but...everything. There was so much chaos out there, but I saw patterns, applications to things I hadn't even considered before...[he makes a little 'hnh' laugh]...and I think I may have gotten carried away, if I held on to it any longer.
Are you telling me...is that how you normally see the world, Hiro?
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What, you mean looking at things like a normal person? Dude, that's called - [ he struggles for the words; psychology isn't his strong point ] - I dunno, like schema in robots? You don't have to see the exact same style of chair to see it's a chair.
[ So, yes. Completely normal for him. He pauses again, hung up on something else Cal said... ]
I mean, it's chaotic and noisy, sure? The world is just a pain like that. Everyone feels like that. Don't you?
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[-and, ah, maybe he shouldn't have said that. his expression turns a bit rueful]
Let's just say it's all for the best this doesn't happen again. All right? I'd rather not linger on what kind of projects I could come up with if I'd had that kind of perception for more than a minute.
[it'd just hurt when he had to give it back.]no subject
I wasn't good at people. I thought it was just - I dunno, I was just fast. But if it's weird even to you...
[ He's awed? And a little scared at the same time? Being a smart kid is fun when he assumes that adults are just dumb in comparison. This ... this makes him sound more like some kind of alien freak that doesn't even think like a human being. He swallows for a moment and lets the feeling pass. Better to be an alien freak than normal.
Still gonna give Robert a bit of a stinkeye though. ]
You saying you'd go crazy with my kind of brainpower? Wow, thanks.
[ Missing the point, possibly, but at least he's not angry. Ironically, he's less angry about having his intelligence stolen than the technokinesis, despite the former being way more intrinsic to everything than the latter. Mostly he still can't quite comprehend it. ]
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[freak? not so much. with the worst of the conversation over, Robert's relaxing - slightly - and doing his best to continue with the whole treating-Hiro-as-a-peer thing. considering he's actually opened up a hint about his personal past, so far so good.]
I didn't say I'd go crazy. I'd probably get used to it over time.
[which is exactly what he's afraid of. maybe he should end things here...]
But I'm sure you have better things to do then hear me ramble. I've said what I needed to, and...[the briefest of pauses]...for what it's worth, I am sorry.
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He is gonna be insufferable once he adjusts to the concept. ]
... You too, huh. Seemed to do okay by the time I met you. [ Minus the obvious issues. He quiets for a moment; Callaghan doesn't seem to want to continue the conversation, and Hiro's not in the mood for much either. But ... dammit, he's curious, and now that he's no longer angry, that loneliness creeps back in. ] Did you have any friends? Growing up?
[ Consider that question to be acceptance of Callaghan's apology. ]
casually delves in to the manga canon because screw it
Some...not too many. I found things like machines more engrossing, anyway.
WHY NOT
Yeah, I know how that feels. People just decide you did something wrong and there's no reason behind it. Machines, you probably screwed it up yourself.
I WILL MIX PERSONAL CANON WITH THIS AND CAL'S WIFE DYING OF SICKNESS SO HELP ME
Machines, too, you can fix; a lot of times they just need a bit of attention before they're up and running again. Do it right, and they're better than ever.
That can be a bit harder with people. [and what little smile he had falters a bit] Sometimes you can't figure out what's wrong until it's too late to do anything.
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... Who? What happened?
dammit chrome
...Abigail's mother got sick when she was still very young. But that was a long time ago.
[and this whole 'treating Hiro as a peer' thing has now backfired along with everything else.]
I'll let you go. Like I said, I'm sure you have better things to do.
[yyyyep that's his way of saying 'this conversation is over']
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I'm sorry -
[ And that's it. That's all that comes out. ]
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[the word is short, soft, and almost warning. there is a fine line between pity and sympathy, and it's one that, perhaps, Robert Callaghan has some difficulty understanding at times.
but after a moment, he manages a quick smile, as though trying to be reassuring. he can recognize when he's toed a line]
Take care of yourself.
[and then he cuts the feed.]
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