105. FOURTH WALL POST [Action for Saffron City, anywhere in Saffron City! Video's okay too]

[foolishwren]

<sub>[You know what?]

[Heather's not even sure why she TRIES anymore.]





[So done. So done.]</sub>


Here we go again.


... Yes, Cooj, I still love you.

Just not right now.

Comments

[foolishwren]

<sub>[... If nothing else... that black truck is a sight for sore eyes. Especially now that she can remember it clearly.]

[She smiles as it pulls up. Just a little.]</sub>


That... is Cujo.

Say hi to to Ironhide, Cooj.

_{[The big slobbery zombie dog obliged by throwing his head back and letting out a howl. ... One that sounded distinctly eerier than a Growlithe's howl, but... WELL IT STILL SOUNDED SORT OF DERPY AND CHEERFUL, AT LEAST?]}

[show_my_cannons]

[The truck grunts, and hauls itself upright, transforming as it goes. It sure is Ironhide -- as big and cranky as he always is. Even when he's miraculously himself again.]

... That is not your canine. That is... hng. That is a thing.

[Thank you Ironhide, for your astounding statement of the obvious.]

[He growls a little, in answer to that howl, folding his arms over his chest. That wasn't what her dog looked like last time he saw it.]

[foolishwren]

Yeah, well...

_{[She kicks a pebble in Cujo's direction (which he immediately chases) and gestures up to the Autobot.]}

As you can see... it's one of those weekends.

... And apparently this year, the place decided to try and make me all nostalgic by turning Cujo into something from home.

/swaps account for icons

[heavyweaponsbot]

Yeah, I can.

[He lowers his hand once the dog runs off.]

Up you get.

[He figures getting up and away from the animal for a while might... be a good idea. Since he remembers perfectly well that time in the Amusement Park.]

[foolishwren]

_{[The smile grows a little. This is one thing-- among few-- that she really looks forward to during these weekends. Returning the mutilated Cujo to his Pokeball (he might be a monster, but she doesn't want him to wander off and get pulverized by another Pokemon...), she steps up into Ironhide's hand.]}

So you finally got to Saffron...

... Does this mean we get to start training once this random junk is all over?

[show_my_cannons]

[He waits until she's all the way in his palm before he raises up again, his joints popping and hissing until he's upright.]

[Honestly, he has no idea how he got here, but he can't really complain, can he? He made it out of the woods. Literally.]

Yeah. Not sure how, but... here I am.

[He snorts, but he nods.]

Sure thing, kid. Soon as I am less likely to step on you.

[foolishwren]

Time and space always go kinda funky in times like this.

_{[She reaches out to hang onto his thumb in order to steady herself as he rises.]}

And... yeah.

I'm not nearly cocky enough to suggest we start right NOW.

[show_my_cannons]

Suppose that I should be grateful for that, in this case, hmn?

[He lifts her a little more, to better peer at her with his good optic. She seems all right... zombie dog aside.]

Good. Because I do not intend to mangle you.

... Just bruise.

[That's a joke, Heather. He tried.]

[foolishwren]

_{[It's okay. She sort of understands his sense of humor now. You know, after all this time.]}

Bruisin' builds character.

[heavyweaponsbot]

Heh. Yeah, guess that is true.

[He holds his hand up to his shoulder, almost without thinking.]

So. What is it we do now?

[foolishwren]

_{[Being so high up in the air and standing on a living being might be kind of nerve-wracking for some people, but in Heather's case... it's probably one of the first times she's felt safe today. It's hard not to, so far away from the ground. Which is where she's used to running into bad things.]}

Hang out, I guess?

We could go level some buildings I guess, but I doubt the locals'd appreciate that even if everything goes back to normal.

[heavyweaponsbot]

[Even if he hadn't lifted her onto his shoulder, there is no way on this earth he would allow harm to come to this girl. Whether she likes it or not, he sees her as his responsibility -- his charge. Something important to him.]

Hang... out?

[Even if she is utterly mystifying half the time.]

How does one... hang out?

[foolishwren]

_{[Although she's always felt good about the fact that she can fend for herself... sometimes it is really nice to have someone watching out for you.]}

Oh, come on.

Don't tell me you've never heard the phrase 'hang out' before!

[heavyweaponsbot]

Heard it. Never known what it meant.

[He sort of let things like that blow over his head, honestly. Human slang was hard, okay.]

[foolishwren]

_{[How do you even EXPLAIN the term]}

Okay, so it's like...

... Just... spending time with? Doin' nothing in particular? I guess?

[heavyweaponsbot]

Hn, is that all?

[Hi tilts his head. And then glances at her out of the corner of his good optic, smirking slightly.]

If that is all, then there is someone I will take you to.

[foolishwren]

_{[She pauses, blinking.]}

... Someone?

[heavyweaponsbot]

Yeah.

[And this is probably the happiest Ironhide has ever looked since arriving in Jhoto.]

[Which just makes things even sadder.]

Ratchet.

[foolishwren]

... Ratchet?

He's here?

_{[Not that she knows much about him... given that Ironhide isn't exactly the chattiest when it comes to his past (or... you know, ANYTHING), but she's heard the name.]}

[heavyweaponsbot]

Yeah. Found him wandering about. As usual. He is always prone to distraction.

[Man, this is probably the chattiest he's ever been about Ratchet, too.]

[He's actually excited.]

[foolishwren]

No way!

Where is he?

_{[She starts looking around, as though she just... DIDN'T NOTICE HIM. As if she'd be able to miss a second giant robot on the scene...]}

[heavyweaponsbot]

Back that way, back the way I came. Told him to stay put.

[He glances in that direction, and there's an undeniable note of fondness in his voice.]

... Not about to let him wander off. Not after... hn. Things.

[Boy, is he in for a surprise when he finds out this is only temporary.]

[foolishwren]

_{[... :c Ironhide baby you KNOW how these weekends work...]}

Well jeez, let's get moving, then!

I've never met any of your friends before!

_{[Unless you counted Cliffjumper, of course.]}

[heavyweaponsbot]

You met Cliffjumper.

[None of the others ever showed up here before.]

[And... it's probably because of this, that he's not thinking this through too clearly right now.]

Hold on, then.

[foolishwren]

Well yeah, but didn't you say you didn't know him till you met him here?

_{[She holds on obligingly, grasping one of the non-moving parts of his head. The last thing she wants is to get thrown off because that is a nasty drop.]}