LET'S [test] DRIVING

[cava]

IT'S THAT TIME AGAIN, YOU KNOW THE DRILL. Here's a few options, all stolen shamelessly from previous iterations.

> The Park. Man, what a nice day out. Why not enjoy it? I'm sure -- shit, yep, there's some echo monsters or whatever they're called.
> The Mall. Exactly what it says on the tin! Dodge the hordes of teenage mallrats or take part, whichever suits your tastes.
> Rainy Day. Agh, it's fucking awful out. And is it raining those vermilion things?? Now you've got an Echo to contend with on top of everything else. Find some shelter, quick!
> Arts and Crafts Fair. WILL THE KITSCH OVERWHELM YOU


or make up your own whatever this is basic and just for the purposes of getting a new test drive up.

Comments

[stagnantair]

Huh...?

[He stoops a little, when Luke waves him down, because kids like being talked to at their level. He figures that's what the kid wants until he explains.]

My eyes are doing what...? I'm not---

[Wait, this is a kid. He can't be older than what, seven or eight? He should just play along.]

Yeah. I'm part cat, part robot.

[songoftimeandtimeagain]

[Luke makes a soft 'whoa' and one hand reaches out, as if to poke him and see if he was made of metal. He catches himself however and snatches his hand back, eyes blinking up at Gavin almost bashfully.

He rocks back and forth on his feet, looking Gavin over, trying to spot any rivets or a tail he might have missed earlier.]

Can you do anything else weird?

[stagnantair]

I can.

[He's obviously messing with the kid, eyes flashing neon again as he leans against the plexiglas wall of the bus stop.]

But only when the sun's out.

[songoftimeandtimeagain]

[Luke's head jerks up to the sky, glaring at the dense wall of drizzling clouds above him. Or at least he would have if rain hadn't...y'know...fallen from those same clouds and gotten in his face.

His expression scrunches up comically and he shakes his head, fat water droplets flying off his pointed ears. His head bows once more, and he tries to dry his eyes by ineffectively dabbing at them with his drenched sleeve. Dejected and a little embarrassed, Luke mumbles a reply at the sidewalk.]

Aw....how come?

[stagnantair]

I run on solar energy, from the sun.

[Gavin don't be meta.]

[Wait did he make the kid cry.....]

Maybe you'll see it later.

[songoftimeandtimeagain]

So how're you moving now?

[No! He's not crying! There's literally water everywhere it's RAIN cause it's raining he's not crying. >:C

Luke brightens up a bit at the promise, but then suddenly his face goes still. His Grandpa had told him repeatedly that things were different here. It was a big city and they didn't know everyone. He was supposed to be careful and not follow strangers.

He takes a step or two back, suddenly very wary.]

Okay, but I'm not going anywhere with you.

[stagnantair]

Backup batteries.

[His brows raise a little then, and he tries not to laugh. It's one thing to have an adult accuse you of something like that, but when kids do it it's... just kind of adorable. In movies, anyway.]

Don't worry about that, bad guys kidnap kids. I only use my powers for good.

[songoftimeandtimeagain]

[Luke doesn't respond for a considerable length of time. He just stands and stares at the would be cat-robot intently, as if trying to unnerve him into telling the truth.

Eventually he blinks though, and his stance softens again. He turns around and picks up his bike again, maneuvering it around to face Gavin then tossing one leg over. He believes him well enough, but he's taking a precaution just in case.

Once he's settled half on his bike again he finally speaks again.]

So what are your powers?

[stagnantair]

[Gavin's eyes flash, and he gives him a small smile. He's glad the kid is wary of strangers at least.]

I can reconstruct people's brains and nervous systems, but anyone can learn to do that.

[songoftimeandtimeagain]

[...Rearranging people's brains is SUCH a bad guy power. Luke's face immediately morphs into a suspicious glare, and he leans away from Gale just a little bit.

He doesn't say anything. But he also doesn't leave. He knows he probably should. He should just bike home right now and see if what Grandpa was making for lunch. But more strongly than that he feels like he needs do something about the evil cat robot in front of him. He just has no idea what.

His fingers tighten and flex around his handlebars, and he wonders if the robot is made of stronger metal than his bike.]

[stagnantair]

[He leans against the bus stop.]

But like I said, I'm completely powerless in the rain.

[songoftimeandtimeagain]

[It's decided then. He has to put a stop to you now, before you regain the ability to MESS WITH HIS BRAINS. His expression takes a determined glint to it, but at first nothing seems to come of it. He turns his bike away, making a large circle and picking up speed. He comes around in a wide arc, at first looking as if he'll zoom right past Gavin. Then, at the last minute, he lets out a nonverbal shout and makes a sharp turn, plowing straight into Gavin.]

HYYAAA!!!

[Of course the impact sends him tumbling dramatically over the handlebars and headfirst into Gavin's chest. He's not wearing a helmet, but as evidenced by his actions, Luke's got a pretty hard head.]

[stagnantair]

[Gavin was incredibly unprepared. He was sure the kid was just riding away, had even shrugged it off and looked up at the sky--]

[When Luke dives head first into his torso.]

What--!

[His eyes flash again, more permanent this time as he tries to keep from staggering over, the impact of the bike and the small child painful, thank you very much, as well as righting Luke so he wouldn't fall or hurt himself.]

Ow--