(no subject)

[selflesslight.livejournal.com]

So you might have noticed there's a big ol' robot parked out back of the bunker at the Cooper farm. It's large and green and looks very battered.

Approach it, and one of two things happens.

Either you came during the day, and Val Bell is sitting on its head with a good book and a bowl of apples, or you came during the evening or night and it is apparently deserted. 'Apparently' being the key word.

What'll it be?

Comments

[shockinglycute.livejournal.com]

It is daytime, and someone small and yellow is checking to see if this new addition to the landscape is edible.

Sadly, this does not seem to be the case.

[selflesslight.livejournal.com]

A glowing white tentacle reaches down to Pikachu's level and waves hello.

Val turns the page in her copy of Freedom and Necessity.

[shockinglycute.livejournal.com]

fjdsklfsdjkl!!!!

FLEEEEEE!

It hides behind an available Mecha Thingy.

And then peeeeeers out, eyes wide.

[selflesslight.livejournal.com]

The tentacle turns its end from side to side as though looking for Pikachu, and then withdraws slowly back to the mech's head, apparently disappointed by the lack of any adorable yellow critters in the vicinity.

Why no, she's not stifling a giggle up there. Not at all. You're just imagining things.

[shockinglycute.livejournal.com]

...

"pikaaaa..." It is now creeping out, looking around for further ambush by Things That Glow. And sniffing the air.

[sworntoalostgod.livejournal.com]

Oliver arrives in his van. He has a few supplies in the back - cold remedies, ibuprofen, muscle relaxants, paper, pencils, some more blankets - which he'll distribute in the morning. He's also got some other cargo in his van which he's determined not to think about.

The giant robot proves a very good distraction. With a small glowing ball of flame above his right hand to light his way, Oliver examines it, puzzled and wary of coming too close to it.

"Hello," he greets, on the perfectly rational assumption that, since the last robot he met talked to him, this one might.

[neraiutsu.livejournal.com]

No response.

It's possible the robot is sleeping.

Alternately, it's possible it isn't autonomous.







Was that shadowy figure always leaning against the corner of the bunker like that?

[sworntoalostgod.livejournal.com]

Ah well. Oliver turns to enter the earth bunker and--

-- shadow!

Long combat training means Oliver falls into the beginnings of a defensive stance before he stops himself. He holds his right hand closer to the form.

"Hello?"

[neraiutsu.livejournal.com]

Distinguishing features: long brown hair, eyepatch, soft friendly smile.

"Hello."

[sworntoalostgod.livejournal.com]

Oliver smiles - friendly but, as ever, reserved.

"Greetings, sir. Come to inspect this newly-arrived marvel?"

[just-marley.livejournal.com]

It's daytime when Marley approaches.

"You've got a giant robot now?" Marley asks, standing at the foot of the robot.

[selflesslight.livejournal.com]

"I'm watching it for Neil. Seen him around? He's from the future. Got an eyepatch. Stevie's fixing up this hunk of scrap for him."

[just-marley.livejournal.com]

"Haven't seen him, no." Marley feels he'd remember a man with an eyepatch. "Mind if I join you up there?"

[selflesslight.livejournal.com]

"Sure."

She extends a tentacle down to Marley's level and makes a little platform on the end of it.

"Hop aboard. I don't suggest climbing this thing. If it gets any brokener than it already is, Neil's gonna kick my ass."

[just-marley.livejournal.com]

Marley steps onto the platform, lightly (he worries, on some level, that the platform will break).

"Yeah, it looks like it might need, er, some repair."

[95-tan.livejournal.com]

Windows 95 has been waiting for this moment. There is nobody on the thing, and possibly nobody inside the thing. And most everyone has gone inside to warmer pastures.

It is filthy. Surely nobody will mind if she works on that!

[neraiutsu.livejournal.com]

Well.

It doesn't look like there's anyone around.

Unless she happens to turn around and glance back at the bunker, in which case there's somebody standing in a convenient shadow. Watching her.

This is not creepy, Neil. Not at all.

[95-tan.livejournal.com]

Cleaning, cleaning, la la, cleaning cleani-

INTRUDER DETECTED

Somewhere in the milliseconds between her having her back to him and her having her front to him, the feather duster she was using got replaced by a sword. Fancy that.

[neraiutsu.livejournal.com]

He straightens up, taking his hands out of his jacket pockets in the same motion, and offers her a friendly smile. Now that he's a few inches further forward and out of the bunker's shadow, a few distinguishing features become visible: eyepatch, long messy brown hair, gloves.

(There's a pretty good distance between them - ten or fifteen feet. The sword isn't a threat until she's close enough to use it.)

"Sorry, did I startle you?"

[95-tan.livejournal.com]

...

Well, she recognises him, anyway. The sword vanishes and the duster comes back out.

"Lurking in the shadows at night can be considered suspicious behaviour," she informs him.

[no-devo-quotes.livejournal.com]

O hay there, large robot, how are you? Still not evil and/or not causing massive destruction?

SONIA IS ONTO YOU

She is not sure she approves of its current use as a combo seat/apple holder. It might explode or something.

[selflesslight.livejournal.com]

Val does not seem worried!

She spots Sonia and waves. "Hey there!"

[no-devo-quotes.livejournal.com]

"Hey." She returns the wave.

"You sure that thing's safe?"

[selflesslight.livejournal.com]

"Yeah. My brother's working on repairing it. If shit was up, he'd know."

[no-devo-quotes.livejournal.com]

...well, that's good enough for Sonia.

"Mind some company?"