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

[neonnerd]

I rather think it is of some matter.

[He's a little disconcerted at finding himself in a place that he doesn't recognize, and he can't remember when he started driving into it.

But if Ironhide says later, he will wait. If only because Ironhide's manner is still greatly concerning. He's acting as though they have been apart for quite some time, and not as though they had spoken less than a half hour before.

Were this another Autobot, Ratchet wouldn't be quite as concerned, but this is Ironhide. He knows the other well, and this - Ironhide is not one for public displays of affection, especially not this long, without extenuating circumstances.

Still, with Ironhide's hand remaining firmly on his shoulder, Ratchet can't help but return the gesture, resting his own hand on his friend's shoulder. At the moment, it's as much to reassure himself as it is for Ironhide.]

I am the color I have been since we first arrived on Earth. [There is a note of disgruntlement in his tone, if only because he doesn't understand why Ironhide would be commenting on paint, of all things.] En route to NEST headquarters, returning from Egypt. Surely you couldn't have gotten that far ahead of me, I stopped only for a moment.

[heavyweaponsbot]

From... Egypt.

[He says it like he can't believe it. And, in a way, he can't really. Egypt seems like another lifetime ago. All of it does.]

[And now...]

[Now here lies another problem. If Ratchet can only recall Egypt, he knows nothing about what followed. About Sentinel. The betrayal. None of it. Only Ironhide knows the full extent of what happened.]

[And it's up to him, to decide if he explains.]

[His fingers dig in. He shakes his head.]

Yeah... I remember that. Long time ago now. [Another slow shake of his head.] C'mon then. Best... get someplace out of the woods.

[In case this wears off and they change back -- they won't be lost that way. And, not to mention, he can put off explaining for a while.]

[neonnerd]

[And now Ironhide is repeating him, as though unable to comprehend what he is saying. No, there is nothing about this that Ratchet likes.

He hadn't stopped for long at all, only to investigate a species of plant he hadn't seen before. Granted, it might have been a bit longer than Ratchet had realized, given his absorption in the plant, but it certainly couldn't have been long enough for Ironhide to forget where they'd been coming from.

Nothing should have caused that to happen, given the events in Egypt, barring some particularly specific injury.]

Long time ago now?

[Now who's repeating who? There's shock in his voice as he looks closely at Ironhide, as if attempting to determine what's happened merely by observation. Which - well, he is.

But still, he moves to follow Ironhide.]

[heavyweaponsbot]

[He nods, as he walks. He keeps his gaze straight ahead, but always stays within scanning distance, within touching distance, of the medic with him. He doesn't want to move any faster, any further away, than that. It's incredibly sentimental and foolish of him. But he can't bring himself to stop.]

[It's been too long.]

[A year is too long -- how strange that sounds, to someone who's been alive so long.]

Yeah.

[How does he even begin to explain this?]

This place. It does... things. Strange things. I was here... years. Before now.