heavyweaponsbot | 10th Transmission

[Ironhide doesn't sound injured or worried or angry or anything, but he doesn't usually call for help like this. Xanth almost asks if he's lost another lobster, but then he remembers that Ironhide probably doesn't have them anymore.

That's sad.

Still, Xanth shoots a quick message to Ironhide:]

I-I'll-- be right th--there.

[And then he's off!

By "up here" he can only assume Ironhide means his room, and so in a few minutes, there's a knock on Ironhide's door.]

[The door opens. And there's the big guy himself. Looking... disgruntled.]

[Why, you might ask?]

[There is a frog on his head.]

[The worry drops out of Xanth's expression, leaving only confusion in its place.

Xanth points up at it. Opens his mouth. Closes his mouth. Bites his lip. Pulls his hand back. Scratches his cheek.]

Is-- that's--

Wh-why do you have... a... a-a frog?

[Ironhide just continues to look disgruntled with the entire affair.]

It followed me from the springs.

U-Um.

[Xanth would reach up to try and take it, but even if he's noticed a little bit of growth lately, he's still nowhere near tall enough to reach Ironhide's head.]

D-Do... do you... w-want me to-- p-put it back?

[Because he will! If Ironhide wants him to!]

[Ironhide's good optic tracks up, as if trying to see the little frog perched on his head. No such luck.]

... No.

[He pauses.]

There... something I should... be doing? To look after it?

O-- Oh.

[Ironhide wants to keep it. That almost seems strange until Xanth remembers the frog he had on the Elegante. A different sort of frog, to be sure, but frogs are frogs.

Xanth puts a finger to his lips.]

U-Um, well, it-- i-it needs a-- a place to... s-stay, like, a, a cage or-- s-something, and you... y-you need to-- to feed it. I... I-I think they-- e-eat bugs, b-but I'm not... sure which...

[There are so many kinds of bugs, Ironhide.]

Yeah...

[He sounds a little sheepish about it. He wouldn't keep the thing around if it didn't remind him so sharply of C4. And, therefore, his missing partner.]

[He sort of hunkers down a little as Xanth talks, listening to him.]

Where do I find these things?

U-Um... w-well you-- you catch bugs like-- flies a-and ants and things j-just by leaving out r-regular food, so, th-that's not... so hard.

I-I think you-- you might have to build a--a cage, though. I-I mean. I don't-- I don't think th-there'll be any p-premade.

B-But we-- we could a--ask around?

[He just sort of... gives Xanth a blank look. Catch bugs? Build a cage? Really?]

[And then he looks down at his hands.]

[That's not going to be easy.]

Right. Got... it.

[Xanth follows Ironhide's gaze. No, it won't be easy - Ironhide's hands are gigantic. A handful of frog for Xanth would only be one frog, but Ironhide could easily fit five, six, eight, fifteen...]

I--I can-- I can help!

Um.

I-I mean, I, a-at least-- with-- th-the cage? I-I'm-- I'm not th-that bad with a h-hammer...

[Meanwhile, the frog busies itself crawling all over Ironhide's head. It's like it's looking for something.]

Good. That will work.

... Knew I called you for a reason.

[Yeah, okay, that gets a mostly proud (slightly sheepish) grin.]

S-So I guess-- I guess w-we should, uh, g-get that cage, f-first? It's, uh, k-kind of a... a roamer.

[but where is it goooing]

Probably...

[He tries to catch it, as it wiggles away from his hand, looking for some armor seam or joint.]

It is... hmn. Curious.

I-- I guess it just-- l-likes you?

[It's kinda crawling everywhere. It hasn't even noticed Xanth yet, or so it seems.]

Hmnf. And I liked C4 better.

[The frog croaks in indignation. And settles on one of Ironhide's head-crest-things.]

H-He was, uh, a-- a little more-- w-well-behaved.

[Frowning thoughtfully, Xanth chews his lip.]

D-Do you... think you can t--train f-frogs?

Yeah... he was.

[He says it sort of forlornly. Yes, he does miss C4. No, he won't say so out loud.]

Train it? How?

Um-- I-I don't know. L-Like a-- a dog, I-I guess? Are-- a-are frogs even th-that smart?

...

Ratchet would know.

[Yeah, Xanth thinks. Ratchet would know. He knew damn near everything, didn't he?]

Y... Yeah.

B-But, um, there's-- th-there's gotta be books o-on frogs in... i-in the... library...

[Ironhide agrees -- Ratchet does know everything. Which was helpful.]

... I could go and look. Or ask around.

[Since he's not sure if Xanth would want to go back in there, after what happened.]

[Xanth bites his lip and thoughtfully looks to the floor. Then, he looks back up and tries for a smile.]

W-Well, uh, two-- t-two heads are b-better than one, r-right? I-I mean, it, i-it cuts down s--searching time.

[As long as they don't go back in that room, he'll be fine. Not great, but fine.]

[He looks at Xanth for a long moment, clearly debating how best to respond to that.]

[Finally, he nods.]

We will go together. Figure it out... somehow.

[Xanth's smile gets a little brighter.]

Y--Yeah.

I-In, in-- in the meantime... a-are you gonna-- g-gonna carry that guy a-all over?

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