heavyweaponsbot | 10th Transmission

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?

[Ironhide grunts, and tilts his head to try and look up at the frog in question.]

Guess I have to. It will not leave me alone.

[It is pretty affectionate.]

G--Guess so.

W-We should-- start now, th-then, to-- to get this l-little guy set up?

[Maybe someday the frog will realize there is no way to sneak into Ironhide's main intake, and give up. But for now, it's going to keep frog-walking around his head.]

[While he puts up with it. For C4's sake.]

Yeah. C'mon. Best get moving.

[With a solid nod, Xanth heads back towards the door, then steps out. Since he's sure Ironhide's not far behind, he holds it open for the old 'bot.]

[He has to duck a little bit, but he steps out, joints all creaky as usual.]

[At least it's not far to the library. He's starting to feel the urge to refuel until he gets overcharged enough to pass out.]

[Have you been refueling regularly, Ironhide?

As Xanth pushes open one large door to the library, his shoulders tense. He hasn't set foot in the library since the... incident.

But it's okay. This is just the library. Just a house for many, many books.]

Wh-- where, uh, d-do you-- think th-they keep the... the books o-on frogs?

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