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[electricevolution]

 

⚡ Elecman here.  Leave a message and maybe I’ll get back to you. ⚡

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[electricevolution]

Elec is silent for a moment. Somehow it's not very surprising to hear those kinds of things. And a lot of what he's saying echoes sadly for the experience of a Robot Master from his own world. It's something Elec's thought a lot about.

"It's because humanity is kind of selfish. It doesn't usually come from a bad place. Just a... place of ignorance. They're like parents who are too young to figure out how to really raise the kids they brought into this world," he shrugs, turning over to his dresser that has an assortment of accessories and beauty products scattered over it. He picks up a thin yellow headband he usually uses to keep his bangs out of his face when he does his synthetic skincare routine.

"A lot of times they don't really think beyond what our 'purpose is'. That of course we are perfectly happy doing just our job and duties. But... we're more then that. We have desires and wants. We want to explore ourselves, we want connections," He turns to Megaman again and brushes his unruly fringe back out of his face and slides the headband on. He offers him a grin and steps back, "That's why it's important to have a place you can 'turn off' who you are and and do things like dress up in clothes you like, or find a hobby that has nothing to do with your purpose, or just watch movies with your siblings."

[hub_network]

Hub stared speechlessly at Elec, mouth working but nothing coming out. He felt like he ought to defend Lan and Lan's father and everyone, but... enough of it lined up with things he'd very guiltily done his best not to think about, that he simply didn't know what to say.

Then he blinked, because Elec was turning around and sliding a yellow headband onto his head. Hub just stood there unmoving for several seconds afterwards. His entire life before this point had not at all prepared him for this moment, and he didn't know what to say or do or think.

He blinked again, then several more times before he lifted a hand to lightly brush his fingers across it. It was new, it was something done just because, it-

A laugh bubbled out of his mouth, though he didn't know if he wanted to smile or cry. When he lowered his gaze back down to Elec, his cheeks felt warm again, though he didn't know what to say now, either. He hiccuped out another laugh. "I-"

He fidgeted with his own hair that had been pushed back, caught off guard and almost overwhelmed at the notion of just...doing things that had nothing to do with Lan or net battling or protecting Lan's family's home. Of people like him choosing to have a space all of their own and just... doing whatever came to mind...?

He'd never even thought of doing that before, not really. Even since he'd arrived here, he'd spent the vast majority of his time continuing to pass messages amongst the programs, because that's what he'd used to do when Lan was sleeping. Having a place to just... exist, with his-

He flinched again, his hand curling away from the headband and towards his chest. "I-" He moved his mouth for a moment. "I promised not to ever tell my- not to ever tell him who I was. I don't really-"

[electricevolution]

This kid has it rough. HAD it rough. From what he's gathered so far he's a virtual AI, who probably didn't exist in a state outside a virtual world, outside the purpose of being a virtual helper.

Is that better or worse then the fate of a robot master?

He decides the two are not comparable except for the fact that they both, inherently, kind of sucky situations. But his own situation and outlook have improved a lot here. He's not sure how or if those improvements could ever really translate to his situation back home... but that's a bridge for another day. Right now he wants this kid to feel like a kid. He should be able to freely explore this new dimension, both in the whole new world aspect and the literally he's in an actual 3D plane of existence, freely and to his core's content.

"You... wanna talk? We can put off the makover game for a little, why don't you sit down," he gestures to the little living area of the room. There are a few chairs around the little table Elec had been at, a squishy red couch and assortment of bean bag chairs.

[hub_network]

Hub nodded wordless relief and smiled a wobbly but very real smile at Elec. He didn't know what he wanted or needed, but... being able to have company soothed a bit of his jangling nerves.

He moved to the furniture and paused, blinking in puzzlement at the bean bag chairs --what exactly were they, decorations?-- before moving past them to sit on the couch. He made a startled little noise when he sank into the cushions. The sensations were-

He twisted his head to look at Elec with wide optics, not even knowing how to verbalize this feeling. That soft things were... they were nice. He looked back at the couch again, lightly dragging his fingers across the fabric with an expression that warred between pained and awed.

He didn't know why his optics itched and burned, and he blinked rapidly before looking up at Elec again. "You said Rock is your brother?" His voice came out tighter and more strained than he wanted it to, and he tried to soften it with an attempt a smile, but...

"What- what is it like, getting to have that? That he knows. You both know." He looked down at his hands, and was distantly surprised again to see them without his gloves hiding his artificial skin. "I always wondered..."