san_fransokyo | I'm the lonelier version of you

[Hiro never would've thought he'd go from tacitly ignoring Callaghan running loose in the city to actively harboring him in his friend's mansion basement, but, well, here he is - standing in front of an innocuous bookshelf in the main foyer, taking a deep breath and counting to three before tipping a copy of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead just slightly out of position. In chintzy spy movie fashion, the bookshelf shudders and rolls out of the way to reveal the secret elevator that will take him down to Fred's "basement" - something more like a jet hangar combined with a laboratory, if those kinds secret bases also came with a posh minibar in the corner.

As he steps inside, he pushes a button to activate the comm that goes to the lower floor.]

I'm coming down.

[It's not much of a warning, but he's found it helps to have some kind of preemptive alert before somebody barges in. At least it avoids anybody getting swarmed by angry microbots when they step out of the elevator.

He probably looks comical when the doors open again and he walks out, carrying a duffel bag as long as he is tall over one shoulder and a doggy bag emblazoned with a cheery maneki-neko and a thanks! in the opposite hand. He looks around, and when Callaghan doesn't immediately appear raises his voice.]

I, uh, brought gifts -

[He makes an effort to smile; this place is safe, but as Baymax has noted (in slightly more medical terms), losing a leg and living underground in a starkly utilitarian space with no windows will mess with anybody's head.

And frankly, it's hard to feel anything but sorry for the guy right now - even if he keeps the sentiment to himself.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[well, that has a humorless smile.] There's nothing 'kinda' about it. [the place he had been living- well, that's compromised. at best. he'd been starting a few vague safehouses, but they're far, far less safe as of late.

all told, this is probably the most comfortable place he's had in a while, windowless underground bunker or not.

he doesn't-quite-limp over, but he doesn't hurry, either. if he moves at a walk, the microbots can account for it, but anything faster is awkward. at least it isn't far to go, but he only gives the bag a brief once-over before looking towards what else Hiro has brought.

huh.]

Is that what I think it is?

It's what it looks like. [Which should be obvious, and he knows Callaghan's a smart man, so no need to state it outright. He eases the prosthetic down onto the counter and runs his hands over it, prodding at moving parts that simulate real muscle action, tipping a heel that rotates around something close to a magnetic servo - congratulations, Robert, now you have the opportunity to make your own tech a part of you.

~~Not that that hasn't already happened, in a way.~~]

I did research before putting this together. The actual machinery is top of the line - it'll do anything you could ask of a limb you grew yourself, maybe more, too. It's lightweight, durable, and made of good materials, so it'll last a long time.

[Maybe it should be a surprise he did this at all, but he's not going to say anything. He'd rather just treat it as a given...one of those situations where somebody had to do something.]

The real challenge is...responsiveness. Making it accept signals as well as the real thing. Which would normally require a highly delicate surgical procedure and a lot of PT, but since we don't exactly have that option...

[He shrugs. He's still watching Callaghan, surreptitiously, looking for - something. Approval?]

Well, look. For now it has highly sensitive smart skin patches you can attach, and a fiber-optic interface, which is good, don't get me wrong. But if we could figure out how to tap into whatever it is that lets you control those without the mask...

[His eyes flicker briefly to the microbots, and then back again.]

[it's a good build. Robert reaches for it as well, the microbots beginning to make their own grab before practice pays off and they retreat. he barely has to look at them to reign them in, anymore, which could be a good sign.

could be.]

And you made this yourself? In your garage?

[that's- even with 3d printing, that's pretty impressive. there's a few pieces he could see require some tweaking, and he's already thought of something, turning his hand palm-up. a trio of microbots skitter in to it, and he curls his fingers to keep them in place.]

Until it can be isolated, what do you think about using them as a conduit? Find a way to sync a cluster in to its systems, and have them translate the signals. It may suit their need to be remain close, as well, without necessarily being so...conspicuous.

[Hiro tenses slightly when the microbots make their exploratory grab across the counter, not so much a tensing as a twitch of his shoulders and a second where he holds his breath, not turning his head to look directly at them but glancing sidelong nonetheless. And then they withdraw just as quickly. His eyebrows go up, and for a second he flashes a grateful look, but that, too, disappears quickly. No point in making it awkward.]

To be honest, I had to take some of the work to the lab at school. It's better equipped. But most of it...yeah. Most of it happened in the garage. [He shrugs.] Then again, so did most of the equipment for the team.

[He grants Callaghan his own space to explore, plunking himself back down into a seated position on the bar stool with one leg tucked under himself and the other dangling. Just watching. Contemplating. Taking in the microbot proposal thoughtfully.]

I mean, yeah, in theory it'd work. Might need more than three, nerve impulses are a lot of data for a little robot to channel, but with the fiber-optics...as long as we can work it into whatever system it is you have with these things, yeah.

[A pause. Hiro swallows and takes a breath.]

- But it also means that if you ever wanna separate yourself from these things, you'll also be separating yourself from control of the prosthetic.

It could.

[and he lets the microbots rejoin the mass.]

But I'd hope that by then, we'd have something else prepared to take over at that point, even assuming we...can get to there in the first place.

[he doesn't know if they can, honestly. at least- not without help. some sort of scanning to figure out the signal, the source, and...how to affect it without a repeat of the docks...]

We'll find a way to fix it. Make sure nobody else gets hurt.

[Said with a tightening of his jaw and an abrupt fierceness he hasn't felt in a few months now, not since an eternity ago when they talked on the beach, and with a sidelong glance and an emphasis on nobody that seems to indicate Callaghan himself is included in the number of people who don't need to get hurt this time. Hiro doesn't want a repeat of what happened at the docks, either.

He'll halfheartedly tell himself it's because he couldn't deal with the guilt or Tadashi being disappointed in him again, but it's probably a little more than that.

After a second, though, he relaxes.]

For now, though, that's not why I came. You and me - [He raises a finger and even grins a little.] - are going for a little walk. Outside. You need some vitamin D, old man.

Hmh.

[that...isn't a sound of disagreement. that's a sound mostly made because he's seeing that toughness in Hiro, that...strength he remembers seeing before, but hadn't recognized, initially. it's...well.

it's quite remarkable, to tell the truth, but he doesn't comment on it. instead- have a tilt of the head, Hiro.]

Are you sure that's a good idea?

[inside is safe. inside is shielded. outside is...]

[Inside is gonna make you go stir crazy, Robert. Hiro knows this from experience. Listen. Hiro lets out a dismissive pfshhh, smirking like he's sharing in some private joke.]

Do you think we practice our super-moves out in the street? Dude, no. I know you haven't been outside since you got here, but there's a garden out back with a privacy wall three times your height, and Fred's dad even installed drone-jamming tech. We do all our drills out there when we have spare time. Nobody's the wiser.

[He hefts the prosthetic up insistently, fixing Callaghan with a stern look—one that, for a moment makes him look uncannily like his brother if Tadashi had been chastising him, though he probably doesn't realize the face he's making. Runs in the family, apparently.]

Put the leg on. We're going outside.

[okay but...inside in a lab...that's a safe place where he can be and/or feel productive...

...he seems dubious, but with a final sigh, begins to push himself up. the microbots are automatically moving to compensate, and there's what seems like an inner fight as he 'explains' what he wants- it's only a few seconds before they get the gist, quickly snaking the leg in to position. he tenses as it's secured, but it doesn't seem painful.

that done, the microbots mimic the hand gesture he makes towards Hiro.]

Lead on.

I'm the lonelier version of you

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