70. [DREAM/DREAM/DREAM/DREAM]

[foolishwren]

[So while the rest of Johto alternately panics, cries, or rushes around trying to capture as many of the soulstealing insects as possible, there are dozens of souls floating around in that dream limbo, drifting in and out of each other's slumbering thoughts and visions. Whether it's nightmarish flashbacks or just those dreams where you're at school

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[show_my_cannons]

[There's a good few crests on his head, in case she needs something non-mobile to hold onto. His audio receptors cycle every so often, his facial expressions twitch his faceplates around... Yeah, that's probably the best place to put a hand you didn't want to be crushed by accident. Barring that, there's probably a good scar or two on his shoulder itself to hold onto.]

[He swings around to face the indicated building... and just... stares. Is she serious? Can he hit that? That's like asking if a human can breathe air.]

... Can I? Hmnf. What do I look like? An automated turret?

[And, once again, Ironhide prepares to take out a building. It's going to need more firepower than just the shack, but he certainly has it in him. Lifting his arms, he glances at her with his good optic. This close up, the damage to the other is particularly nasty-looking... she could probably even see the half-melted shutters twitching.]

You should get down. Climb down a couple plates.

[There's a few good ridges in his back she could use. And... of course, more scars.]

[foolishwren]

[Although she doesn't say anything, she can't help but sort of... wince sympathetically at the sight of the torn metal gracing that eye. Could things not made of flesh and blood feel pain? She never really thought they could, but... then again, she'd never met something made of metal that had conversations and used sarcasm and talked of war and torture and dead comrades before...]

[But the suggestion snaps her back to attention.]

Right! Uh--

[Okay, now to find footholds-- fortunately, looked like there were plenty. Somewhat stiffly, she starts to shakily make her way down, bracing her feet against the ridges and feeling sort of like a spider must feel when it's climbing up a human being. ... She just hopes he's not the type to SWAT. Because that could get UGLY.]

[show_my_cannons]

[Oh, it hurt. It still sort of hurt. But he's become adept at ignoring the pain of old injuries. He sort of had to, given the circumstances surrounding the war.]

[He turns his head to watch her, waiting until she's safely ducked down behind his broad back, before turning his attention back to the building. He can feel her clambering around. There's an urge to shake his shoulders, but he firmly squashes it down.]

[Then. He sets himself. Checks his targeting sights...]

[And opens fire.]

[The recoil from each shot shakes his big frame, but his aim doesn't waver. Ironhide's been doing this long enough to know exactly how much each shot is going to offset his sight, and compensates accordingly. Rounds chamber, fire, and reload in a smooth succession, until the building begins to collapse in on itself in a pile of fire and rubble.]

[Through it all, the old Autobot just grins.]

[foolishwren]

[And thus was the fall of the Borley Haunted Mansion.]

[Even under orders to stay down, she can't help but peek just a little over the autobot's massive shoulder-- because dammit, if that godforsaken building is gonna go down in flames, she wants to be able to see it.]

[And when she does, it's exactly as satisfying as she thought it would be. With a grin big enough to match Ironhide's, she sloooowly creeps back up into her previous spot.]

You? Are officially my hero.

You would not believe how long I have wanted to do that.

[show_my_cannons]

[He watches the building fall with a neutral expression. He might feel more if he knew what that place was, but it hardly mattered, now. As she climbs, he glances back at her again, trying to focus his scarred optic on her.]

Why? What was that place?

[There's no sense in reprimanding her. The danger has passed. She's perfectly safe up there, now.]

[foolishwren]

Only the most annoying place ever to exist in any world, anywhere. ... Ever. ... In history.

[... Not to mention one that she still had nightmares about, even now... though she wouldn't admit that. But between the mocking voice, and that ringing red light that crept around corners like poison gas...]

I've died there more times than I can count.

[.... wait, 'died'. What.]

[show_my_cannons]

... Huh. If you say so. Not in the mood to argue.

[Then he blinks, swinging his head around to stare fully at her. It's a long, silent stare. Like he's trying to figure out just what he heard her say.]

[He must have heard wrong.]

What...?

[foolishwren]

[At first she just sort of stares right back at him, owl-eyed. ... And then she realizes what she just said. Whooooops.]

UH-- ...

[It's easy to forget to police your language in your own dreams.]

I mean, you know... in dreams.

... Nightmares.

Whatever.

You get the idea.

[Although that still begged the question of why anybody would dream of dying in a place they merely deemed 'annoying', but...]

[show_my_cannons]

[Ironhide just keeps staring at her, his expression blank. It doesn't really look as if he's buying that.]

[... then again. He is standing in the middle of a psychotic amusement park, after being turned into a human and told he's going to be dog-fighting strange creatures that hide in balls and transform periodically. So what does he know?]

So now what? We just stand around, blowing things up?

[foolishwren]

[Yeeeah, she'll just... um... not be talking about that anymore. Yep.]

[However, it's his next statement that makes her pause thoughtfully. Then, ever so slowly, she turns her head to look back up at him with a grin that's as wide as it is mischievous.]

... Wanna kick over a rollercoaster?

[show_my_cannons]

[Oh, we'll discuss this, young lady. Just not now.]

[Ironhide scowls, considering this carefully. He lifts one of his cannons, examining it. There's still a few rounds left before he'll have to make more. The other one just needs a few hours or so in the sun and be fine...]

How big is it?

[Ironhide, are you seriously considering this.]

[foolishwren]

[DARNIT.]

[Her grin only grows before she points off to the spindly-looking structures off at the edge of the park. They're huge, but honestly look like a decent TAP could send them all crumbling into piles of tracks and stilts... like a house of cards.]

[Her face says it all: oh my god PRETTY PLEASE?!]

[show_my_cannons]

[He follows her pointing finger, gauging the distance with another scowl. Well. Not too far away. And it's not as if he has anything better to do right now, anyway.]

[Ironhide shrugs his other shoulder, and starts limping off in the appropriate direction. Smashing things is sort of cathartic, after all. And since they started, he hasn't been thinking of the other place he was -- seeing the body. Seeing the wrecked colony.]

[He'll get there. But he'll go his own, limp-stomp speed, dammit.]

[foolishwren]

[YESSSSSS.]

[This is like getting to go spend the day with the cool relative who lets you break stuff when at home you're not allowed to do anything. She clambers back all the way into her previous position, bracing a hand against a ridge on the side of his head for balance.]

[She's somewhat tempted to say 'I DIED OVER THERE TOO' but is smart enough to bite it back. Instead, she asks something that's been bugging her ever since he showed up.]

So how'd you get in here, anyway? Since I guess we're like... in my head right now. And you are way too complicated-looking to be a figment of my imagination. I'm not this creative.

[show_my_cannons]

[He's a little busy picking his way over the rusty grates to pay her position much attention. Not that he's unaware of it.]

[He glances at her, though, and snorts.]

I walked.

[Because in Ironhide's worldview, that's all there is to it. He walked in here. Except...]

There was a door. Some kind of foolish warning on it. I broke it.

[foolishwren]

[She can't help but snort at the bluntness.]

A warning, huh...

[It rings some old bells... but honestly she'd rather not dwell on that. Point is, he's HERE.]

I guess that makes sense... I guess you're pretty much set, but... for most people, this place isn't safe.