heavyweaponsbot | 10th Transmission

[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?

[Nope. He hasn't.]

[He's right behind Xanth, and when he stops, one of Ironhide's hands rests on his shoulder. Lightly. He doesn't say anything, though.]

With... other books on creatures? That would make sense. Ratchet kept his books like that.

[Ironhide's hand on Xanth's shoulder provides comforting weight; it's grounding.]

Y-Yeah, just... th-this place is... h-huge.

[Might as well begin where they are, then. Xanth steps out from under Ironhide's hand, throws him a small smile, and then starts the search for the Books on Creatures section.]

[He's... actually sort of proud that Xanth pulls away. Good for the boy, standing his ground like this.]

[Ironhide nods, and limps after him, scanning shelves.]

[This would probably go by faster if they could find a librarian, as Xanth is pretty sure there is one, but that person doesn't seem to be around. Manual searching, it is.

Eventually, Xanth spies a book regarding toads. Toads and frogs are kind of similar, right?]

M-Maybe it's-- d-down here?

[And he starts down the aisle, looking for anything on frogs, rather than toads.]

[If Xanth had someone with him who'd actually spent a lot of time in a library, it might help. Instead, it's a millennia-old soldier who was more at home on a battlefield than anywhere else.]

[He follows behind, peering over the boy's shoulder in between scanning shelves.]

That is a frog there. Why not that one?

[That's a toad, Ironhide.]

Um...

[Xanth picks up said book and examines it. Dang that really does look like a frog.]

I-I, uh, I think it's-- a-a toad, a, actually.

[He peers over Xanth's head, glowering at the book.]

... And?

A--And, I, uh, I-I'm, I-I think they're... d-different.

[Why else would they have different names, right? Then again, lots of things have different names...

Xanth tucks the book under his arm, but he glances down the row of shelves.]

But they look the same...

[They're animals. They can't be that much different. Seriously.]

See anything else?

[Xanth just shrugs. He doesn't much get it, either. Still looking along the shelf, he runs his fingers across the spines.]

U-Um...

[Come on, come on...]

Oh!

[He pulls one book out. There's a frog on the cover not unlike the one sitting on Ironhide's head, and across the top reads Frogs 101. Eyebrows lifting hopefully, Xanth holds the book up for Ironhide to see.]

Hmn.

[He peers at it, the good optic flicking over the cover, the title... and then he nods.]

Good work. We will use that.

[Xanth smiles, pleases, and then sets the toad book back on the shelf. It's out of order, but toads and frogs are so alike. Who'll care?

(Protip, Xanth: the librarian already doesn't like how you stained his floor with blood. He'll care.)

He tucks the book under his arm.]

G--Great! Sh--should we, uh, h--head back then?

[This is just another reason why they need Ratchet. Someone has to keep these boys in line.]

Yeah. C'mon.

[And you know what? Xanth is going to get picked up.]

[SCOOP

Hey, Xanth's not arguing. He kind of likes being carried by Ironhide, actually, and he's learning to climb up as Ironhide grabs him.

Quickly, he's secure up on Ironhide's shoulder, book in tow.]

[And, frankly, Ironhide doesn't mind doing it. Not that he'd ever admit it.]

[He'll march all the way back to his room, carrying Xanth like it's nothing at all.]

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