video ;; action | 4TH WALL EVENT

[show_my_cannons]

[So remember how Ironhide had been lost in the wilderness earlier?]

[That's not a problem anymore. Because guess who can suddenly turn into a truck? That's right, this guy. A truck that is currently plowing through trees and bushes and whatever might be in his way. BEEP BEEP MOVE OUT OF THE WAY.]

[As soon as he gets into some clear space, be it a town, or a pathway or anything reasonably clear of tall, cumbersome trees, the truck skids to a halt.]

[And transforms.]

Hah! About time this has happened... Now.

[He rolls shoulders the size of a small family car.]

Let us get on with this. Tracking the girl should be simple. Or... hn. Simpler.

[STOMP STOMP STOMP off goes the giant robot through the town. Whichever town you might happen to be in.]

[Interrupt him? Y/N?]


((ooc: replies will come from heavyweaponsbot for icon purposes.))

Comments

1/2

[misterbrief]

[Well uh this is probably the last thing he was expecting to roll in his path today

no pun intended

actually, yes it was]

2/2

[misterbrief]

[...so he sort of...decides it might be a good idea to stop the giant mutant car truck vehicle thing since you know, sound logic right?]

What the in galaxy do you think you're doing stomping around like that! [GOOD START.]

[show_my_cannons]

[Ironhide actually stops, miraculously enough. Stops, and glances down.]

Saffron. I have an appointment to keep.

[misterbrief]

And who would keep an appointment with a hunk of junk like you? [He's so machine racist.]

[show_my_cannons]

That is none of your concern, is it?

[misterbrief]

[Y u gotta be so tall, he feels like his neck is going to snap from looking straight up. And he's going to raise his voice, just because he was questioned and he doesn't like that~]

You listen here- [While he's yelling, his Joltik pops its head out of his hair where it had been taking a nice nap. Oh he's yelling again, didn't it teach Vegeta not to be rude and yell all the time? So it crawls out of his hair and places itself right on that huge forhead of his-] I'll make it my concern if- [In which he gets interrupted by getting zapped by his own Pokémon.]

[show_my_cannons]

[He's not going to make it any better.]

... there is an insect on on your --

[Too late, Ironhide. He grunts, and nudges the human-looking thing with his toe.]

Head.

1/2

[haveyouseenalittlegirl]

[And suddenly giant robot goes by? Harry just watches because what.]


.....well that's new.

2/2

[adoptivemother]

Is that a pokemon as well?

[Jodie is still new to this.]

[heavyweaponsbot]

[Hold up. That guy looks... vaguely familiar. The woman, not so much. He halts, and glances back over a massive shoulder to where they stand.]

...

I know you.

[Sort of.]

[haveyouseenalittlegirl]

[Harry glances over at his wife, who shrugs in confusion.]

...

Do you?

[heavyweaponsbot]

[He grunts an affirmative, crouching down a little to better peer at them.]

...

You are Heather's parent.

[haveyouseenalittlegirl]

Yes. I'm her father.

[Indicates the woman next to him.]

And this is her mother. Jodie Mason. She's just here for the day we're guessing.

You know Heather?

[wheeljackofalltrades]

[Well look who just happened to be passing through. Wheeljack on his way to an Energon mine--or something like that. Or he's letting the road lead him. Either way, his wheels are on the pavement as he makes his way through a town...probably at a higher speed than should be allowed.

...Okay, worst at cover, Ironhide, really. Even Bulkhead does better.

Don't mind if Wheeljack skids to a stop in front of you, flashing lights.]

Hey gramps, low-profile mean anythin' to ya?

[heavyweaponsbot]

[That is the ugliest car he has ever seen. Ever. But it's hailing him, and it has a signal. Given that he's never seen it before, or heard that voice...]

[Yep. His cannons whir to life.]

Who is this?

[wheeljackofalltrades]

[Sir, you wish you could look this good.

But when those cannons whir to life, Wheeljack thinks that's incentive enough to show himself, transforming into his robot mode, his own cannons (much less impressive) out and ready.]

Who wants to know.

[heavyweaponsbot]

[It's a regular Mexican standoff here.]

[But, as soon as Wheeljack transforms, as soon as he sees the optics, and the symbol on his chest, Ironhide relaxes. The cannons power down, and he rolls his shoulders in a shrug.]

Ironhide.

Who are you?

[wheeljackofalltrades]

[And, when Ironhide lowers his, so does Wheeljack. The name alone is enough to satisfy him.]

Ironhide. Can't say I expected the new paintjob.

[An eyebrow perk, as he looks the bot up and down.]

The cannons fit, though. From what I've heard.

...Name's Wheeljack.

[heavyweaponsbot]

What new paintjob...?

[He narrows his good optic, looking the other 'bot up and down, slowly. The frame type is different... not what he's used to seeing.]

[Honestly, it looks a little like... like Cliffjumper did.]

I have not heard of you.

[neonnerd]

[That STOMP STOMP STOMP is certainly attention grabbing. Particularly for one who has heard that stomping many times.

Although if he can hear it, it can clearly be picked up by the residents of this little town, and so it's a slightly disgruntled Ratchet that follows the sound, still in his vehicle mode, until he finds the fully transformed Autobot.]

Are you trying to draw attention to yourself?

[heavyweaponsbot]

[And Ironhide... stops.]

[He freezes in place, every single piston and panel going utterly still. That voice... He never thought he would hear that voice again. After Chicago... this place...]

[He knows that voice perfectly. The one he'd missed, almost above all others. Does he really, really dare to hope?]

[In the end, he does turn. The pause is too long, and the look on his face more implies Ratchet just cracked him across the head with a steel pole than just made a smart comment. The sight of that neon paint is --]

[He doesn't even have words for it.]

... Ratchet?

[neonnerd]

[The longer the silence goes on, the more uncomfortable Ratchet get, and the more he fears that something is terribly wrong.

Ironhide may generally be the silent sort, but he's not one to ignore a direct question, particularly not one that combination between teasing and scolding. And particularly not one from Ratchet.

He's about to speak again, to question the other further, when Ironhide finally turns to face him. His expression prompts an immediate reaction from Ratchet; he transforms, unwilling to remain in his vehicle mode when something must indeed be wrong.]

What is it? What's happened?

[heavyweaponsbot]

How long...?

[It's all he can manage to say, once he finally finds his voice. He hates how weak and small it sounds. How rough and cracked around the edges the words come out. Air cycles through his vents -- a "deep breath", in his terms.]

[Finally, he takes a few steps forward. He's always had that limp, but the weight of his thoughts right now make it all the more pronounced, all the more difficult to hide.]

... How long have you been here...?

[It's not how he would normally act. He knows that. And he knows, out of all the Autobots to arrive, Ratchet would know it instantly. Even so... he can't keep himself from reaching out. From clasping a hand heavily down on his old friend's shoulder.]

[And gripping it.]

[Tightly.]

[neonnerd]

[Given everything they've been through, Ratchet is not easily unsettled, but hearing that tone in Ironhide's voice is most definitely a reason to be unsettled. For what must have happened to cause it, and, on a more personal note, for Ironhide.

Even through his concern for the other Autobot and his growing worry about what's happened, Ratchet's optics are drawn to the limp. His focus is instantly on how Ironhide is walking, finding the weaker spots and comparing them to the last time he saw Ironhide walking.

It's only when Ironhide's hand grips his shoulder that he processes that Ironhide has finished his question. There's something Ratchet missing, quite clearly. The weight and importance behind Ironhide's words make it impossible to miss, even if the other's tight grip wasn't a very large clue.

And even if the question itself didn't make Ratchet pause to look around, and realize that he has no idea what town they're in.]

Where is 'here'?

[heavyweaponsbot]

[It only distantly registers that Ratchet's armor is the wrong color -- it's not the green and white he last saw. Which matters little, he's more used to seeing the neon yellow instead.]

[Once more, he doesn't immediately respond, his good optic flicking over the familiar frame. Every line is as it should be. Everything just as he recalls it being. Except the paint...]

No matter. I will... hn. I will try and explain. Later.

[His hand never budges, the fingers never loosening their grip. This is a presence sorely missed -- every time he'd ached in the mornings, every time a joint seized up, or a limb snapped. This constant companionship, this relied-upon friendship. He doesn't have the words for how much this means, seeing the medic again.]

[Seeing his oldest friend again.]

[His head bows a little, words hovering on the edge of speech before he throttles them back, shoulders shifting uncomfortably.]

You are not the color you last were... [Not the best thing to start talking about, but they need to start somewhere.] Where were you, last?