Veiled Malice

Daisuke Seto, otherwise known as Mashin-kun to a select few, (far too few, if one were to ask him) had seen better days. Although fine physically, he wasn't the best he'd ever been emotionally. Ever since waking up in that hospital, his world had been a roller coaster of frights. Not that he would have done anything else, or given his powers back, but one would think that life would eventually get easier. Leaving Japan had been an adventure in and of itself. The gangs were bad enough, (especially that Kenji jerk) but then he'd faced off against Doc Otaku, that weird robot guy. The little nerd-perv had tried disec... desec... taking him apart in order to find out what made him tick! As if that wasn't bad enough, those girls that always hung around him had turned out to be robots themselves! (He'd been getting along so well with Aya, too) And talk about full of himself! That guy could talk the ear off of... well, him, he supposed. His ear had to be harder than a rhino these days. But he'd eventually got free (thanks, Aya ) and hid out in Doc Otaku's own lab, hitching a ride in the back of the ship the child prode... perdo... smart kid was using all the way to Freedom City. Getting captured seemed to be a past time for him now. Well, at least he hadn't been "captured" this time. Not really. Okay, maybe he was unable to leave, but that didn't mean he'd been captured! No sir! He walked into this situation all on his own. Who didn't want to see the circus? Even in Japan, they had things like them, only he'd never had the money to go. So when some guy off the street told him he could get in for free, how could he say no? Now, of course, he wished he had. There was nowhere to go here, and the guys running the operation didn't seem to care that he had people to help, or that he'd beaten up an entire gang of hoodlums by himself. (okay, not the entire gang - some of them had fallen into a drainage ditch and got sucked into the bay) So here he sat, trapped in an indis... indust... unbreakable cage, helpless to help the helpless. Even worse, he was bored out of his mind!

"Just taking in the sights." Eric jogs out in front of Megan and turns around, now running backwards. "And I do like what I see." A sudden comotion from behind Megan catches her attention. Two more of the boys previously laneside started to harrass a few of her friends. The PE teacher began running over to break it up, but all of a sudden, the third boy ran in front and tripped Mr. Cuthbert. Megan saw clearly what happened, but all anyone else saw was a blur of motion and some laughter.

"Just taking in the sights." Eric jogs out in front of Megan and turns around, now running backwards. "And I do like what I see." A sudden comotion from behind Megan catches her attention. Two more of the boys previously laneside started to harrass a few of her friends. The PE teacher began running over to break it up, but all of a sudden, the third boy ran in front and tripped Mr. Cuthbert. Megan saw clearly what happened, but all anyone else saw was a blur of motion and some laughter.

"Just taking in the sights." Eric jogs out in front of Megan and turns around, now running backwards. "And I do like what I see." A sudden comotion from behind Megan catches her attention. Two more of the boys previously laneside started to harrass a few of her friends. The PE teacher began running over to break it up, but all of a sudden, the third boy ran in front and tripped Mr. Cuthbert. Megan saw clearly what happened, but all anyone else saw was a blur of motion and some laughter.

Next time, on "Robots of our Lives"... Yeah, we've strayed a bit, but since Heridfel is having the reunion with his younger self and all... yeah, let's go. :)

Next time, on "Robots of our Lives"... Yeah, we've strayed a bit, but since Heridfel is having the reunion with his younger self and all... yeah, let's go. :)

Next time, on "Robots of our Lives"... Yeah, we've strayed a bit, but since Heridfel is having the reunion with his younger self and all... yeah, let's go. :)

Okay, my first post will be up here tomorrow, but for right now, V_M needs food and sleep.

Okay, my first post will be up here tomorrow, but for right now, V_M needs food and sleep.

Okay, my first post will be up here tomorrow, but for right now, V_M needs food and sleep.

Grim's sudden outpouring of emotion caught Renichi off guard, and he could only stare at the wall beyond her as she crushed herself up against him. His hands slowly came up to embrace her, unsure as he was. Then he broke down as well, releasing a breath he hadn't known he was holding and laughing a few times between hiccups. Even the fact that all of it was reflex - unecessary - couldn't reach him now. "Thank you," he says, his voice barely raising over a whisper. "Thank you so much. I'm so much more than okay. Thank you."

Grim's sudden outpouring of emotion caught Renichi off guard, and he could only stare at the wall beyond her as she crushed herself up against him. His hands slowly came up to embrace her, unsure as he was. Then he broke down as well, releasing a breath he hadn't known he was holding and laughing a few times between hiccups. Even the fact that all of it was reflex - unecessary - couldn't reach him now. "Thank you," he says, his voice barely raising over a whisper. "Thank you so much. I'm so much more than okay. Thank you."

Grim's sudden outpouring of emotion caught Renichi off guard, and he could only stare at the wall beyond her as she crushed herself up against him. His hands slowly came up to embrace her, unsure as he was. Then he broke down as well, releasing a breath he hadn't known he was holding and laughing a few times between hiccups. Even the fact that all of it was reflex - unecessary - couldn't reach him now. "Thank you," he says, his voice barely raising over a whisper. "Thank you so much. I'm so much more than okay. Thank you."

The flight over was everything Nanowire thought it could be. Just holding Grim made his heart, or whatever passed for that particular organ these days, beat a little faster. Her enthusiasm for seemingly everything on the way over made him more sure with each passing second that his recent changeover from villainy (which he'd been rubbish at anyway) to heroism (not perfect, but he seemed to have natural aptitude at it) was the right one. But the spectre of what she'd think about him the way he was weighed heavily on his mind. Could a girl like her ever feel anything for a machine? And if not, how could he explain that he would one day be better? As she looked up at him, though, wonder twinkling in her eyes, all those concerns were swept aside. Once at Gravitor's garage, Nanowire's anxiety piled on itself again once the man told him to leave his armor there. At least he thought it was armor. As to where it went after he took it off... well, he'd have to cross that bridge when he came to it. "Ah?! No... I mean..." Damn, get it together, man! he ordered himself mentally. Her gesture at showing him what she really looked like touched him the way few had before. Only Daisuke, in his innocence, had been able to reach him that deeply. "No, listen... you trusted me with what you look like, and... I was going to do the same... it's just..." He shook his head, trying to get his thoughts back together. "There's something about me I think you should know. I'm not... I'm not... Ah hell, let me just show you." One unnecessary deep breath later, Nanowire's armor popped open, and a hiss of compressed air escaped from the cracks, misting the area and stirring up some loose papers. The main chest section hinged upward, revealing a medium-sized Asian boy inside. His arms and legs were still restrained by the appropriate limbs of his mecha, but even so, Grim could easily see that not everything was how it should be if he was simply encased in a suit of armor. First of all, wires of pure silvery metal connected to the side of his neck, where cracks in his skin were clearly visible. The chest plate had no way to see out, either. There were no viewscreen or eyepieces. But more than anything, the boy's inhuman nature was confirmed by the fact that his arms were not connected to his shoulders. They had actually separated off, placed into the arms of his "armor", only connected to the rest of his body by the same type of wires that were in his neck. Suddenly, the rest of the outer surface broke open along the lines, allowing his arms and legs to reconnect fully to his body. The wires retracted into his body, and then were not wires at all, but liquid nanomachines, returning to their owner. Once free of its creator, the armor seemed to sag, collapsing in upon itself before melting into unrecognizable junk. All that remained was the Asian boy. His hair was unkempt and stuck out in all directions from it's encasement. The worst kind of helmet hair, but somehow endearing on his lean frame. His grey eyes and smooth skin betrayed none of the machine nature he'd displayed only moments before. His clothes were plain, just some blue jeans and a white T-shirt - more in keeping with the 50's (if he'd slicked back his hair) than the 70's. He appeared nervous, naked without his armor to protect him, waiting for Grim's final judgement. "So... this is me." The once-human boy waved at Grim lamely. "Hi, my name's Renichi Sonada."

The flight over was everything Nanowire thought it could be. Just holding Grim made his heart, or whatever passed for that particular organ these days, beat a little faster. Her enthusiasm for seemingly everything on the way over made him more sure with each passing second that his recent changeover from villainy (which he'd been rubbish at anyway) to heroism (not perfect, but he seemed to have natural aptitude at it) was the right one. But the spectre of what she'd think about him the way he was weighed heavily on his mind. Could a girl like her ever feel anything for a machine? And if not, how could he explain that he would one day be better? As she looked up at him, though, wonder twinkling in her eyes, all those concerns were swept aside. Once at Gravitor's garage, Nanowire's anxiety piled on itself again once the man told him to leave his armor there. At least he thought it was armor. As to where it went after he took it off... well, he'd have to cross that bridge when he came to it. "Ah?! No... I mean..." Damn, get it together, man! he ordered himself mentally. Her gesture at showing him what she really looked like touched him the way few had before. Only Daisuke, in his innocence, had been able to reach him that deeply. "No, listen... you trusted me with what you look like, and... I was going to do the same... it's just..." He shook his head, trying to get his thoughts back together. "There's something about me I think you should know. I'm not... I'm not... Ah hell, let me just show you." One unnecessary deep breath later, Nanowire's armor popped open, and a hiss of compressed air escaped from the cracks, misting the area and stirring up some loose papers. The main chest section hinged upward, revealing a medium-sized Asian boy inside. His arms and legs were still restrained by the appropriate limbs of his mecha, but even so, Grim could easily see that not everything was how it should be if he was simply encased in a suit of armor. First of all, wires of pure silvery metal connected to the side of his neck, where cracks in his skin were clearly visible. The chest plate had no way to see out, either. There were no viewscreen or eyepieces. But more than anything, the boy's inhuman nature was confirmed by the fact that his arms were not connected to his shoulders. They had actually separated off, placed into the arms of his "armor", only connected to the rest of his body by the same type of wires that were in his neck. Suddenly, the rest of the outer surface broke open along the lines, allowing his arms and legs to reconnect fully to his body. The wires retracted into his body, and then were not wires at all, but liquid nanomachines, returning to their owner. Once free of its creator, the armor seemed to sag, collapsing in upon itself before melting into unrecognizable junk. All that remained was the Asian boy. His hair was unkempt and stuck out in all directions from it's encasement. The worst kind of helmet hair, but somehow endearing on his lean frame. His grey eyes and smooth skin betrayed none of the machine nature he'd displayed only moments before. His clothes were plain, just some blue jeans and a white T-shirt - more in keeping with the 50's (if he'd slicked back his hair) than the 70's. He appeared nervous, naked without his armor to protect him, waiting for Grim's final judgement. "So... this is me." The once-human boy waved at Grim lamely. "Hi, my name's Renichi Sonada."

The flight over was everything Nanowire thought it could be. Just holding Grim made his heart, or whatever passed for that particular organ these days, beat a little faster. Her enthusiasm for seemingly everything on the way over made him more sure with each passing second that his recent changeover from villainy (which he'd been rubbish at anyway) to heroism (not perfect, but he seemed to have natural aptitude at it) was the right one. But the spectre of what she'd think about him the way he was weighed heavily on his mind. Could a girl like her ever feel anything for a machine? And if not, how could he explain that he would one day be better? As she looked up at him, though, wonder twinkling in her eyes, all those concerns were swept aside. Once at Gravitor's garage, Nanowire's anxiety piled on itself again once the man told him to leave his armor there. At least he thought it was armor. As to where it went after he took it off... well, he'd have to cross that bridge when he came to it. "Ah?! No... I mean..." Damn, get it together, man! he ordered himself mentally. Her gesture at showing him what she really looked like touched him the way few had before. Only Daisuke, in his innocence, had been able to reach him that deeply. "No, listen... you trusted me with what you look like, and... I was going to do the same... it's just..." He shook his head, trying to get his thoughts back together. "There's something about me I think you should know. I'm not... I'm not... Ah hell, let me just show you." One unnecessary deep breath later, Nanowire's armor popped open, and a hiss of compressed air escaped from the cracks, misting the area and stirring up some loose papers. The main chest section hinged upward, revealing a medium-sized Asian boy inside. His arms and legs were still restrained by the appropriate limbs of his mecha, but even so, Grim could easily see that not everything was how it should be if he was simply encased in a suit of armor. First of all, wires of pure silvery metal connected to the side of his neck, where cracks in his skin were clearly visible. The chest plate had no way to see out, either. There were no viewscreen or eyepieces. But more than anything, the boy's inhuman nature was confirmed by the fact that his arms were not connected to his shoulders. They had actually separated off, placed into the arms of his "armor", only connected to the rest of his body by the same type of wires that were in his neck. Suddenly, the rest of the outer surface broke open along the lines, allowing his arms and legs to reconnect fully to his body. The wires retracted into his body, and then were not wires at all, but liquid nanomachines, returning to their owner. Once free of its creator, the armor seemed to sag, collapsing in upon itself before melting into unrecognizable junk. All that remained was the Asian boy. His hair was unkempt and stuck out in all directions from it's encasement. The worst kind of helmet hair, but somehow endearing on his lean frame. His grey eyes and smooth skin betrayed none of the machine nature he'd displayed only moments before. His clothes were plain, just some blue jeans and a white T-shirt - more in keeping with the 50's (if he'd slicked back his hair) than the 70's. He appeared nervous, naked without his armor to protect him, waiting for Grim's final judgement. "So... this is me." The once-human boy waved at Grim lamely. "Hi, my name's Renichi Sonada."

Silver coating, but yeah, he's a machine boy. One thing- he still needs clothes. The metal just covered what was already there, not... er, took anything away. I hesitate to elaborate further. :oops:

Silver coating, but yeah, he's a machine boy. One thing- he still needs clothes. The metal just covered what was already there, not... er, took anything away. I hesitate to elaborate further. :oops:

Silver coating, but yeah, he's a machine boy. One thing- he still needs clothes. The metal just covered what was already there, not... er, took anything away. I hesitate to elaborate further. :oops:

The boys moved around almost nervously as the class approached. It seemed like they were trying to keep something secret between them, and slid their semi-circle closed just as Megan passed. One of the group stuck out, as well. He looked older than any student in high school. Though possible that he was simply in different classes then her, or that he was a TA, but Megan was fairly sure neither were true. There was one thing she heard, though - "There she is". Suddenly, one of the guys from the circle was beside her, keeping up with her easily. His name didn't immediately spring to mind, but she knew he was a senior on the lacrosse team. He was handsome in that rugged, outdoor fashion, but there was something seriously wrong with his eyes. They were glassy and unfocused, like he'd been hit in the head recently and was just now shaking it off. The leer on his face was slightly worrying, too. "Hey there, Meg," he said, or fairly slurred. "Having fun running? Wanna race?"

The boys moved around almost nervously as the class approached. It seemed like they were trying to keep something secret between them, and slid their semi-circle closed just as Megan passed. One of the group stuck out, as well. He looked older than any student in high school. Though possible that he was simply in different classes then her, or that he was a TA, but Megan was fairly sure neither were true. There was one thing she heard, though - "There she is". Suddenly, one of the guys from the circle was beside her, keeping up with her easily. His name didn't immediately spring to mind, but she knew he was a senior on the lacrosse team. He was handsome in that rugged, outdoor fashion, but there was something seriously wrong with his eyes. They were glassy and unfocused, like he'd been hit in the head recently and was just now shaking it off. The leer on his face was slightly worrying, too. "Hey there, Meg," he said, or fairly slurred. "Having fun running? Wanna race?"

The boys moved around almost nervously as the class approached. It seemed like they were trying to keep something secret between them, and slid their semi-circle closed just as Megan passed. One of the group stuck out, as well. He looked older than any student in high school. Though possible that he was simply in different classes then her, or that he was a TA, but Megan was fairly sure neither were true. There was one thing she heard, though - "There she is". Suddenly, one of the guys from the circle was beside her, keeping up with her easily. His name didn't immediately spring to mind, but she knew he was a senior on the lacrosse team. He was handsome in that rugged, outdoor fashion, but there was something seriously wrong with his eyes. They were glassy and unfocused, like he'd been hit in the head recently and was just now shaking it off. The leer on his face was slightly worrying, too. "Hey there, Meg," he said, or fairly slurred. "Having fun running? Wanna race?"

I figured Mashin-Kun had just gotten "recruited", so had not yet met up with any of the other acts. (He doesn't even have his own poster... :cry: )

I figured Mashin-Kun had just gotten "recruited", so had not yet met up with any of the other acts. (He doesn't even have his own poster... :cry: )

I figured Mashin-Kun had just gotten "recruited", so had not yet met up with any of the other acts. (He doesn't even have his own poster... :cry: )