There was no denying how pissed off Hiro felt right now. He was often pre-judged. Nobody really knew how difficult it was, to actually be something like him.
What did those artificial humans go through? Nothing compared to him. He was a twisted flesh of machine and human that barely functioned as one with the weakness of both. Just enough, to be incredibly unsettling when gazed at. He zoomed his artificial eye onto the girl he was playing with. He could tell the relief she felt at him being gone.
The emotions tumbled through his systems, causing minor glitches to his operation. Well, that was easily fixed anyway. He had one program that was sadly, a necessity to his continued survival when he became like this.
emotions off
At once his systems started to run more efficiently. Metabolic processes returned to predictable routines that allowed easy synchronisation to his artificial systems. His eyes became empty, as he observed everything analytically. He didn't feel any -emptiness-. In fact, he couldn't remember any of those situations where he laughed, or cried. They were all locked away in that mesh of inefficient biological systems. A hindrance then of any value. Did it really matter if he didn't feel anything?
This was not the time for emotion. They always side tracked him.
The situation was analysed. He detected a major surge, which indicated something as strong as an AI must be around. It seemed to have altered the code of various machines, 'for fun'. (much like he did) though right now, he couldn't understand what fun was. He vaguely understood it to be a stimuli for biological systems.
There was a very high probability it was the host that the fairy spoke of. Given how the fairy considered him, it would only result in conflict.
Without emotions he had to work out what would be the better gain. Clearly acting in a destructive way towards the digital fairy in the presence of her host, was suicide.
He completely isolated all his systems. However he could not be certain that alone would protect him. Brute force level hacking could compromise him. An AI was exponentially stronger then he was... it would only be a matter of time, especially if a digital fairy tried to do something to him.
Hiro looked at that strange flower-girl again. she was displaying an emotion. Shock? something like that to a human boy. He felt a brief pang of.. something from his biological systems, and quickly adjusted the blocking program. What was it he wanted from her again? He couldn't recall.
He had run out of logical reasons to be here. Still... there was an... obligated to at least say goodbye to her.
"Hi" said Ben. "Do... I know you?" There was something familiar about her.
Steven stared. "I-" Oh God! What could she do? Still it was Ben. Not everyone at once. She didn't really want to hide from her friend... now that he was right before him. "I-It's me... Ben," She said anxiously. "Steven." the confession was difficult, and she almost wished she could take it back.
Ben gasped. "Oh boy... the sun finally got you today?" He was surprisingly sympathetic.
"Um- actually. I've... been this way a while. I Just.. hid it."
Ben widened his eyes in surprise. "You mean I was talking to a chick all this time?!"
"You were talking to me!" She said angry. "Northing's changed and I'll still kick your ass in Star Speeder Four!" she clenched her fists a bit.
"Wow wow... um.. okay." Ben said trying to calm her down. "So um... why the dress?" he hoped that wasn't a bad question.
"It's not a dress. Just leave it.. okay?" Steven glanced around, feeling eyes on her. Hiro had returned from wherever he was.
"Princess, I must leave," he said with a vacant expression in his face.
Ben sniggered and glanced to Steven. "Princess?"
Steven pushed Ben slightly. "Shut it," She said annoyed.
"Oh.. not saying anything," Ben glanced around trying to pretend he wasn't there though not doing a good job of it.
Something looked really wrong with Hiro. Steven wasn't quite sure what it was. He looked like some sort of zombie, and it really creeped her out. "Are... you okay?"
"Functional," He replied.
Steven recalled how he was after that boot up... he wasn't sure why, but he felt some kind of obligation to talk to another transformed person. Hiro seemed to be in trouble, and whatever it was, it was unsettling her. "Can I talk to Hiro for a bit Ben?"
Ben smirked just a bit.
Steven made a serious face. "It's really not what you think."
The boy raised his hands. "Okay okay... I'll go about beating your score."
Hiro looked ambivalent at the exchange. Complex human interactions. So unnecessary.
Steven looked to Hiro. "Look... I know you have done 'something' to yourself. The way you went from fear to... nothing after that reboot, didn't feel right."
"Observant of you. I am capable of dialling down the emotional centers of my brain." He said.
"Why?" asked the flower girl concerned.
"I believe you only need to look at me to work that out. I could not cope with what I have become otherwise. I am not human, or machine. They are also incompatible with each other when integrated as intimately as I am."
Steven stared at Hiro... is this why he was so unsettling to her? That he wore this mask, not just upon others but also himself... she pitied him.
"We are not un-alike, princess," He said with a cold logical tone.
"W-what?"
"You are also caught between two worlds. Neither plant, nor human. You will suffer the consequences of these two completely different natures, and all it's indignities" the cyborg explained. "A flower does not feel emotion at what it does. Just like a machine."
Steven bulked at that. Was... that really true? In a way wasn't that what she feared, being impregnated by pollen? Were her two natures at odds with each other? She wasn't sure Hiro had it right with her.. it was strange, but she didn't feel she suffered... not yet anyway. "Hiro... listen to me. You can't shut out your emotions. You'll just become a.."
"A machine?"
"yes!"
Hiro shrugged. "I am a machine."
Now Steven was really creeped out. What happened in the last few minutes he was gone? Or was this due to his reboot? He mentioned he was hacked...
Hiro glanced around. "I really must leave now. I am under threat. I just... wanted to say it was... interesting being with you. It almost felt... normal. Not a day I have had since the change."
Steven looked at those cold distance eyes.
Hiro.. turned as if to go then stopped. "Access attempt detected on 92.168.2.23..." A brief emotion came out of his biological systems. He could only describe it as.. D'oh? Had he left the arcade quickly, this may not be happening. He just had to say goodbye to the flower-girl didn't he?
The cyborg seized up... unable to move. All his run time was being devoted to blocking the signal against the superior AI. "Estimated breech in... 30 seconds." he said with a detached look to Steven.
The flower girl stared. "Hiro?" He was being hacked? What was going on? She understood someone was trying to 'access' him, but why didn't he just unplug his receiver? "Turn it off!"
"I can not," explained Hiro very slowly as his head twitched. "The connection is integrated to my biological systems as well. Twenty seconds to breech." His voice was slurring a bit. "Get...me out of here. I need... distance... it will disrupt.. the signal..."
Steven grabbed hold of Hiro (Silently praying Ben didn't see this), supporting him and tried to get him out of the arcade. She didn't really know what was going on, but the cyborg was being attacked. guiding him was awkward, but he wasn't quite as heavy as she expected.
"ten seconds... more distance..." Hiro said almost pleadingly- despite the lack of emotions.
Steven left the arcade with him. "Hiro I swear if this is a trick I'm going to be really annoyed." she said angrily.
