036 [Private + Anon Texts]

[soggypastry]

[Private Text to: Hope and Vanille; locked]

You two doing alright?

[Private Text to: Talim; PGC Filter]

I'll be in Mahogany tonight. Are you and Ironhide still in town?

[/private]

[Anonymous Text; unfiltered]

When you've been in this world long enough to see and do everything it has to offer, what's left? How do you spend the rest of your time here when there's nothing left to do?

Comments

[ action?!? ] Also Ironhide will probably be tagging after me.

[colorsofthewind]

[ The sun has just set, and there is a tiny wind priestess and a not in any way tiny Autobot-turned-human hanging out outside of the Mahogany Center. The former is watching her Emolga warily approach the latter's Growlithe.

The fire pokémon is a bit too rowdy for Sanput, and he skitters away to hide behind Talim's legs. ]

[ action?!? ]

[show_my_cannons]

[Yeah, there's no way this guy could ever be "tiny". He's built like a linebacker on growth hormones, dressed in black, and looking grim as hell.]

[Which is sort of ruined by the Growlithe rolling around at his feet, wagging her tail and grinning a big, doggy grin.]

[ action! ]

[soggypastry]

[Lightning is true to her word. It's not long after sunset that the clip-clopping of hooves echoes through the tiny town, and a Rapidash comes into view from the west with his rider astride his back. The unicorn slows to a stop a few paces away, letting Lightning dismount and walk the short distance over to the waiting pair. Talim gets a nod and Odin comes over to sniff at Sanput, while Ironhide...well. He just gets sized up by Lightnig. Big fellow, isn't he.]

You sure this is what you want to do? There's no backing out of this once you're involved.

[ action! ]

[colorsofthewind]

[ Talim gives Lightning a nod in return, as Sanput scurries his way up onto her shoulder to hide behind her pigtails as per usual.

This is Lightning's job, so she'll stand quietly for a bit. So feel free to skip me from now on. ]

[ action! ]

[show_my_cannons]

[He straightens up. That kind of look doesn't need any translation. His jaw sets.]

If I were afraid of fighting, I would not have been a soldier for millennia.

It is no different, here.

[ action! ]

[soggypastry]

[A soldier for a millennia, huh. Her six years pale in comparison, and though Lightning frowns a bit, the set to her shoulders is peaceful enough. She inclines her head in a nod.]

Right. [With that, she extends a hand. Shake?] Welcome to the PGC, Ironhide.

[Just. Like. That. She leaves the "I sure hope you know what in you're in for" unsaid. He probably wouldn't listen anyway.]

[ action! ]

[show_my_cannons]

[He nods back, both eyes -- scarred and non -- focused on her. The big soldier heaves himself to his feet, and holds out a hand in return. Good thing he learned how to do this.]

That easy, huh? Things that bad?

[ action! ]

[soggypastry]

[He gets a shake with as firm a grip as she can manage. Yes it's that easy no it's not that bad. Yet.]

More like we're boosting our numbers before things get that bad. That, and... [she inclines her head in Talim's direction, the faintest hint of a smile making one corner of her mouth quirk upwards.] You come highly recommended.

[Talim trusts him. That's enough for now.]

[ action! ]

[show_my_cannons]

[He doesn't try to crush her hand, or show off anything like that. It's not really in his nature, anyway. Her words get another brief nod.]

Makes sense. Wise of you.

[He tracks where she's looking, and nods again.]

Yeah, just do not let her take you into the air. It is... difficult.

[Ironhide no, that's just you and your flying phobia.]

[ action! ]

[soggypastry]

[Difficult, huh? That earns a curious eyebrow raise, but not much else. There's other things to discuss besides potentially reckless travel methods.]

I'll keep that in mind. [She sweeps her bangs out from her eyes, then continues:] What sort of team do you have? Are they capable of holding their own in a fight?

[Not "are you", but "are they"? Where does she stick you, man...]

[ action! ]

[show_my_cannons]

[No, not really. Ironhide just hates flying more than anything. Talim did fine.]

[He scowls off into the distance, thinking.]

Napalm is made of rock, Egg is similar. Cannons has cannons. They are capable.

I would not work with any less than warriors.

[ action! ]

[soggypastry]

[Rocks and cannons and warriors. Okay then. Lightning nods faintly, fingers tapping her hips.]

Alright. Stay with Talim for now, and keep your team in shape. I'll give you a call once I've got you on a squad. [Same as Katara and Sasuke. She just needs to figure out where to put him. Maybe with Talim on a more permanent basis?] Any questions?

[ action! ]

[show_my_cannons]

They will be in shape.

[He glances over at the girl, like he's double-checking for her confirmation. He has no plans to leave the area, or Heather, yet. But...]

Where do I contact you, if I need to?

[ action! ]

[soggypastry]

[Where does--oh, right. She pulls her gear from a pocket, tapping through a couple of screens before turning it so he can see the screen, and her contact info written out on it.]

Send a message to that number if anything comes up. I'll come to you or send someone to help out.

[Depending on the situation and where he is at the time, of course.]

[ action! ]

[show_my_cannons]

Anything? You expecting trouble soon?

[Regardless, he gives the contact info a once-over, before pulling out his own gear and punching it in.]

[Better this way, then trying to remember it offhand.]

[ action! ]

[soggypastry]

No, but we'll be better off if we make sure it's not trouble than if we let it become trouble. We don't exactly have an army to throw at a problem here.

[Nip the problem in the bud, cut the head from the snake before it becomes a hydra...things like that. Better safe than sorry.]

[ action! ]

[show_my_cannons]

Hn. Know that feeling. You are smart to plan, for the worst case.

[Oh, he knows. That sort of planning would have helped a lot, back home.]

[If they'd had any kind of warning, that is.]

[ action! ]

[soggypastry]

[Shrug.] Maybe. I just call it experience.

[Experience enough to turn her head when Odin snorts and paws the ground; somebody wants to get back on the road now, Trainer!]

Doesn't hurt to have plans, anyway. [A sigh, and she turns back again.] Even if we never get to use them at the rate things are going.

[ action! ]

[show_my_cannons]

Fair enough.

[He gives her another nod, then holds out his hand again. The horse's attitude doesn't take a genius to decipher.]

They may improve. Call, when you have need of me.

[ action! ]

[soggypastry]

[Lightning inclines her head in a nod back, giving his hand a firm shake.]

I will. Good luck on the road, both of you.

[Or wherever they go. She lets go of his hand, turning and giving Talim a nod and short but sweet pat on the shoulder unoccupied by her Emolga, before she walks back to her horse. Time to get back on the road herself.]

[ action! ]

[show_my_cannons]

[He shakes her hand, firmly, as well, before stepping back. He has to step over his Growlithe to do it, but he remains standing, until she's out of sight.]

You too.

[There's the barest beat of hesitation. He doesn't... say this to many people. Or any people, really.]

[But he inclines his head to her again, the gesture just shy of a full salute.]

Ma'am.