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[knaval]

[hello, america! there is a very large autobot on-screen-- looks like in his brief time away he hasn't forgotten how to balance the camera right! if riptide is good at anything, it's getting attention for himself! he's sitting on heropa beach and the angle shows that even without standing he's a good 20ft tall.]

Heyooo! I'm back, apparently. This planet hasn't changed much. Is the world still ending? I remember that being a thing. We should have an end of the world party if it is! Or one celebrating that it's not the end of the world if it isn't anymore! I've been in a void for a long time, a guy wants to get inebriated, y'know?

[a beat, then:] Oh, can someone show me how to drive? I can turn into a car now as well as a boat. Pretty cool. I won't do it drunk, promise. Maybe.

Comments

[adamantlyardent]

What?

Oh. To check who was in the house. I know you hate Darin and everything.

[beat.]

Look. I'll just...I'll go to the beach. Is that preferable?

[knaval]

Oh. Thanks, it's not on sight or anything though. I don't think.

[whatever, just makes it easier for him, rather than having to go pick her up then come out again.]

Sure. We can meet here. I'll stay Cybertronian so you can see me, then go human.

[adamantlyardent]

[agreeable enough!! even if it did mean having to go out into the light of day and be seen. at least she can be seen by someone she cares about!]

Riptide-!

[as per usual, big shiny robots draw a crowd, and she must bounce up on her toes and wave for his attention among the lot of them, undoing the effort of big hats and dark sunglasses for anonymity.]

It's me!!

[knaval]

[jokes on the people who surrounded him, riptide didn't really entertain them beyond a few comments and when he sees cece... he changes immediately and pushes past them all, running to pick her up into a big hug.

this is a big thing, you know. he doesn't like being touched in hugs by nearly anyone else.]

It's you!

[adamantlyardent]

[boy if he hates hugs already...how about tear-soaked ones because by gods, the waterworks are almost immediate upon contact.

dangling in tall-boy hold, she wails a few muffled, utterly incomprehensible things into his shoulder as she clings, only lifting up her head to breath and hiccup a few words of coherency.]

Thought-! You'd be gone forever!

[knaval]

[he's not a fan, but it was to be expected of cece. besides, he'll give her a pass. she's done more than enough for him to warrant one.]

Sorry... [he says, a little awkwardly.] We can, um, try and do something about it? With the thing. If the other thing isn't a thing.

[adamantlyardent]

What-?

[she lifts her head to breathe, slacking her hold to let herself get set back down. she dabs at her eyes with the back of her hand before recoiling at the sight of...a lot of her makeup smeared on his shirt...

this brand was supposed to be waterproof...]

Thing? What thing, now? Is there something else now?

[knaval]

[if riptide has noticed, he's at least nice enough not to comment. that air of not really caring about much and unfettered...ness still hangs around him.]

No, the Porter thing I mentioned. We don't gotta talk about it, but! It's a thing.

[adamantlyardent]

Oh that-- [a weary scoff.] No. No, I don't care. I don't want to talk about that, it's all just circular, speculative nonsense and I--oh!

[she doesn't so much change gears as do a 360 spin off one track and onto another, digging into her purse.]

I still have--what you left, hang on-- here--

[out comes that little Important Vial he had left behind for her. she holds it out.]

I've kept it in a secure box. [that Darin made.] So it wouldn't, like. Break or leak or anything. Here...

[knaval]

Wuh-- wait! You're not meant to give it back! [he holds his hands up, trying not to be offended by the gesture.] You keep it forever!

[adamantlyardent]

Huh-? Oh, I--[she flusters, drawing it back to herself, alarmed.] I, I didn't know that, I thought--I mean, I just assumed you meant me to hang onto it until you'd return! Sorry!

[knaval]

I didn't know I was going to leave! I would've told you if I'd known!

[adamantlyardent]

[INCREASE FLUSTER.

a bit shrill:] I don't know! People make! Make contingencies here! You know! And besides, why would I expect to be--be given something important to, to keep! You know?! Considering I'm all--enrgh! [vague hand flail gesture at herself.]

[knaval]

I DON'T KNOW WHAT CONTINGENCIES ARE!

[adamantlyardent]

[she squeals, ducking and clapping a hand over and ear.] I'M SORRY-!!

[knaval]

No! I'm sorry! I le-e-eft you! Ugh!

[he groans, slapping a hand to his face. it's gone very, very red.]

Life was so much more simple before this stupid planet came into it!

[adamantlyardent]

Omigods ugh SORRY that I make your life so complicated or whatever! [indignant, she turns away from him to scrub at her face and put the Important Item Whose Name I Forgot It's Robot Stuff Idk back in her purse.]

[knaval]

It's not you! It's the stupid fraggin'... Porter, or whatever! Ugh. [he huffs, then rubs his face.] You wanna get some food? I'm hungry.

[adamantlyardent]

[immediately:] Yes. Please. Somewhere else? [scowling in the direction of onlookers.] It's so noisy out here, I can barely think.

[knaval]

Right? I miss that about space. Quiet.

[he huffs, then hooks his arm around hers.]

Come on. Show me a good place, I don't remember anything.

[adamantlyardent]

[relief settles in thanks to being securely clung to his arm, and after a few paces Cecelia is back in control and can more deftly lead the way along the boardwalk and away from the touristy section where the bulk of the noise is at, and in fact...

behold: the hot dog vendor of yore, the one they visited ages ago.]

Will this work for you?

[knaval]

[riptide's still as protective as he always was, not against roughly shoving people out the way when they get too close. he's skinny, but his height is an advantage; people don't bother with someone so much taller.]

Hell yeah. Haven't had a dog hot in ages! [...] Hot dog. That one.

[adamantlyardent]

[gods, she hates hot dogs. they smell odd, the texture is off-putting, their origin is...egh. she can respect the resourcefulness of not putting good materials to waste, but don't put them on her!

yet she will eat this gods damned hot dog with her tall, weird, sometimes-metal friend and not fuss a word about it, because she'd rather this than not have him here at all. if that's the sacrifice this chaotic world wants, she'll take it with gusto and mustard.

while they sit on a vacant bench on the far end of the boardwalk, where the beach starts to cross into private property, she dabs at her mouth with a napkin and tilts her head to give him a sidelong glance.]

Were you back there all this time, then? Back in the war?

[knaval]

[unaware of cecelia's vast and compassionate sacrifice, riptide happily munches on what he gets while he sits next to her, considering her question.]

No, it's over. [he hums, pausing in eating for a moment. if there was anyone he'd make an effort not to be disgusting for, it would be cece.] For a while now, actually. Last thing I remember was quantum jumping into another universe with the rest of the Lost Light.

...

...Jeez, I hope the war isn't still on in that new universe...

[adamantlyardent]

[a touch flippant:] Would that all sorts in any realm be sick of war! But it seems about the only thing commonplace among them all.

[she huffs, scraping the toe of her shoe along the wood below and the grains of sand scattered atop it.]

We've lucked out in lacking such nonsense on a grand scale for a while, at least. Freak incidents aside. I suppose scale is important to put it in perspective.