Close encounters

[10_20_15_5_50]

Who: Subzero, Hiro, Sam.
What: A chance meeting, away in the woods.
Where: On the path to/from the outdoor theatre in the Northwest.
When: Shortly after Subzero’s leg got reattached.
Warnings: Possibly language. Good job, Sam.


“I’m telling you, a lot of the charm of drive-in theatres---even if ours isn’t strictly a drive-in---is that they’re a little bit old-fashioned. It doesn’t need lasers, and it doesn’t need fireworks, except okay maybe fireworks for special occasions but as those’d be exceptions that’s beside the point.” Sam shook her head and turned up her hands, smiling but still attempting ‘adamant.’ “Point is, instead of a pre-show show there’s social time. Look at opening night! It was nice to have that time free for people to check in with each other, fuss over seats, fuss over snacks, fix some skirts up… Resounding success, and a little like the way movies at the movies used to be.”

She glanced at the path so as to be sure she wouldn’t be tripped by any treacherous roots or rocks before turning her attention (and eyes!) to Hiro, unwilling to miss the teen’s reaction.

“When I was younger, there were sometimes wait screens with trivia, but no ads before a movie began.”

Comments

[10_20_15_5_50]

Ah, but would the big guy prove to be as much of an out-and-out brat? Only time would tell.

Rolling her eyes at her housemate's showboating, Sam considered finding something---a sock, perhaps---to throw at him, but decided against it, as it was at least a good example of the categorization she'd mentioned and not overly obnoxious.

Yet.

"Me? Around seven months. Him, a little less. More like... Five?" She glanced to Hiro for confirmation or correction, before shaking her head at Subzero's second question. "Native to Earth's icy north and still, at times, horribly homesick. That said, I was wanting to ask: according to your GPS, what should be here?"

[diagnosispuberty]

You mean "brat" in a very affectionate way, don't you, Sam?

Still, Hiro is genuinely excited to get to teach a (big cool enormous metallic possibly-flight-capable) new arrival all about cool science things, and is already plotting to get his hands on as many informational programs and books as humanly possible.

The question gets a shake of his head, and mercifully Hiro sits down again. "Nah, I'm from Earth too. Not the same as Sam's Earth, though. Til I got here I never met any robots bigger than a person."

[greater_than_zero]

Brat is entirely possible. You'll just have to wait and find out.

"Months? Hn, sounds like I'm going to have to relearn how time is tracked too." So both from this "earth" place huh? He'll definitely take any information Hiro is willing to share. He'll make a quick and eager student.

As for GPS? "Well..." He looks around at all the trees. "The outskirts of Vos, actually. Nice place, full of flight frames here...there. Primus it's strange to see it like this. Don't get me wrong, all of this," said with a very gentle gesture at the trees...that may or may not include the two sitting in his palms, "it's fascinating, but it's...wrong too."

[10_20_15_5_50]

While Hiro's wording prompted a sidelong glance, Sam didn't comment on it, but instead nodded in sympathy as Subzero spoke. "The time thing is some hassle. I'm figuring what the date would be by day count, but I know it's not actually accurate because the day/night cycle here is longer than it is on Earth. Also, I have been negligent in not learning Cybertronian time measurement. Spoiled by everyone who's been to Earth, I guess---I gotta get on that." She turned her hands up, apologetic.

"For what it's worth, I can kinda get you on the 'wrongness,' or at least an idea of the weirdness. When he," she jerked her head towards Hiro, "and I stumbled onto the fact we were from two different Earths with two different histories, it was like 'uh, okay, so the cities that I know of aren't all those cities, for a start.'"

[diagnosispuberty]

"We're on a planet-based cycle, mostly. Rotation of the planet, rotation of the solar system, position of the moon." Hiro nods thoughtfully, propping his chin in his hand as he slowly meanders his way up Subzero's wrist (again). "Super nature-based. Kinda funny we've stuck with it for this long."

Hiro frowns a little, thoughtfully, trying to imagine if instead of this weird Cybertron place he'd been placed in a San Fransokyo where everything is juuuuust slightly...off. Then he gets distracted by the idea of all the Cybertronians trying to ride the trolley and just chuckles to himself.

[greater_than_zero]

Zero nods. "Probably something much easier to follow when on your planet, I'm sure."

He gave Hiro a curious glance, but instead asked another question. "So since you are here, where are you staying? And...what do you use for fuel? I...can't imagine energon mixes well with organic bodies."

[10_20_15_5_50]

"Yeah..."

Following Subzero's gaze to her housemate, Sam shrugged and answered: "The Hub. Some of the apartments there are sized for humans, and any that aren't already occupied are open to be taken, so I just sort of settled into a neat one I found was free. It's actually really nice. And,"

Oh.

"I'm trying to think of a way to answer that that doesn't sound kind of awful... but there may not be a way, so I'm just going to be blunt?" She brought her hands up to shoulder height, before allowing them to fall to her lap. "Some plants, some animals. Herbivores eat mainly plants, carnivores eat mainly other animals; humans are omnivores, and so can eat a wide variety of things."

[diagnosispuberty]

Hiro adds cheerfully: "Plus they've got appliances and everything." This is said very casually, like he hasn't turned each and every one of these appliances into a moving, semi-sentient robot.

Oh dear, poor Sam, answering the awkward questions. Hiro is only trying to help when he interjects: "Most organic species -- uh, the ones we eat -- have lower mental processing capabilities than humans? If...that helps?"

[greater_than_zero]

Give him a moment to process that, and then he'll look properly horrified. They eat other organic beings? Not other humans, though...that'd be like...him eating his drone! That's just...disturbing.

"I... see. I...guess I don't know what I was expecting..."

[10_20_15_5_50]

At least he'd been warned it would sound 'kind of awful,' even if 'kind of awful' might've been a mild understatement.

"I don't know what you were expecting, either, but I'd like to stress that it isn't as indiscriminate as it might initially sound. Eventually you'll learn some about how food's prepared, and sort of see... even if there are some parts of it you'll probably forever regard as kind of... well, probably horrible. This isn't helping." Burying her face in both hands, Sam tried not to laugh and succeeded before straightening to look Subzero in the optic again. "Thing is, we gotta eat. Food isn't just energy for an organic body---it's raw materials, too. Different foods are better or worse sources of the things the body needs to function, so the wider the variety is generally the better, but trust me, there are taboos. Anything self-aware? Widely recognized as off the table."

Through force of will she did not flinch, though the phrasing was unintentional.

"So to speak."

[diagnosispuberty]

Hiro's trying his best to think about this from Subzero's point of view -- not only are there large, complex organic life forms, but some of them eat each other. Sam's trying her best to tiptoe around the fact that honestly, parts of this whole carnivore thing are legitimately horrifying, so he butts in with some science jargon to try and lessen the blow.

"Pretty much all life forms do that to some extent, though, even the herbivores, though they stick to the plant stuff. Goes back to that whole complexity of the species thing -- the more advanced and powerful an animal is, the more other animals it can hunt as prey."

Then he pauses and amends: "Well, up until humans. We're pretty much the only species that has enough cerebral processing power to conceptualize wide-spread civilization, so even though technically most apex predators could totally eat us, we're top of the food chain. Unless you're lost in the woods with a bear."

Another pause. "This...isn't helping, is it?"

[greater_than_zero]

Zero is just looking between the two of them with a bright opticed stare. That is so....gross...and weird....and neat...and horrible....and amazing...and terrifying....and fascinating. And dear Primus he can’t seem to get his processor to settle on a feeling about this.

He finally cracks a smile as both realize that what they’re saying “isn’t helping.” He chuckles softly. “Yes and no. I’ve concluded that large organic life forms are at once terrifying and fascinating....to pick two of the various descriptors running through my mind at the moment.”

[10_20_15_5_50]

"'Terrifying' for the first. Man," Sam twisted to the side, a smile very like her wiseass grin surfacing as she addressed Hiro. "I don't know about you, but I feel like that's an achievement. And that we are doing well on the whole 'represent humanity' front."

Turning her attention back to their new friend, Sam let her smile spread a little wider. "Flattered, really, and so strongly hoping we can scare up some National Geographic sorta stuff for you. Context? It's a publication that spotlights life---animal and cultural---in some of Earth's most interesting regions. The same people produce video documentaries from time to time, too, though for the time of now we will try to answer whatever questions you've got best we can... between questions of our own. Here's one: were you heading anywhere?"

[diagnosispuberty]

Hiro's grinning widely, bouncing a bit on his heels, then pulling a face. "Yep. Totally terrifying, right here. Gonna eat all your quadrupedal mammals." Cue more dinosaur sounds and walking around Subzero's hand.

Then, plopping back down cross-legged: "We'll show you all the shark week ones. Especially Megaladon! That one's the BEST."

[greater_than_zero]

"Uh-huh," He thinks Hiro is getting a little too much enjoyment from his confession. Not that he can blame the kid, really. "Terrifying" someone as big as him must feel like quite the accomplishment.

"That does sound neat, I'd like that, if you can find any." He really is curious to learn all about organic life forms.

[10_20_15_5_50]

The dinosaur sounds prompted some head-shaking from Sam, though said head-shaking was half-hearted. Hiro did, after all, do some highly entertaining if probably inaccurate dinosaur impressions---and his enthusiasm won him points with her.

"While we haven't got any to show you yet, we can show you where we'd have showings---shark week stuff needs to be shared, so we'd probably put out an 'anybody interested?' announcement." She stretched, still sitting, and gestured the way she'd been walking with Hiro. "We were on our way to the theatre. Got one set up to accommodate you tall dudes and the short set."

[diagnosispuberty]

Excuse you, Sam, Hiro's dinosaur sounds are definitely accurate as well as awesome. Rude. But he cosigns his roomie's explanation with a nod, running to the tips of Subzero's fingers and waving wildly in the proper direction.

"It's this way! Took us like a whole day to build it, even with all you bot-y types helping."

[greater_than_zero]

Whoa, child! Watch how far out on his fingers you go, he doesn’t want to drop you! But he does push to his feet to turn the direction indicated. “A theater, huh? I think I’d like to see that.”

[10_20_15_5_50]

"Mmhmn." Sam folded her hands, radiating satisfaction. "A pretty nice one, I think, though since I sorta pushed the project I may be a bit biased. To be totally objective? It's at least a very good jury-rig job. And the viewing deck is sweet."

She looked to where her comm drone was rising in response to Subzero's standing, the carry-all hanging from it swinging but still secure. "I was wanting to do some afterthought touch-ups on it today. Bit of paint; nothing big---but I digress. Moving back to movies, one nice thing is that anything we've played at the theatre we can send to your drone, though it's a short list so far."

[diagnosispuberty]

Hiro is a great balancer, okay, he's not gonna fall-- alllll right Subzero is standing, time to fall back into a sitting position right quickly. "Uhhhh, it's awesome. Objectively awesome."

He's not the least bit biased because it was his first major project in Haven, nope, not at all. "Plus it's super education for all non-Earthly types."

[greater_than_zero]

“I’m sure it’s quite amazing. What have you watched there already?” Probably nothing he’s familiar with, at least, he’ll be stunned if he is, but it’s a good way to keep conversation going as he walks off down the path with his new friends.

[10_20_15_5_50]

"Tremors, a horror movie. It was pretty well-received. We've got some other shows, but haven't bothered with converting files of them for playing on the drones. Yet. It's amazing how 'nothing I need to do' can become a long list of 'stuff I should do,' even with more hours in a day." As she spoke, Sam waved her drone closer, until it came close enough for her to pull her carry-all free. She set the bag in her lap as if aboard a bus, opening it to give the contents a casual once-over. Everything she'd needed was still at the top; all was well. "We'll have you down for any documentaries, but I gotta ask; any other genres you're especially interested in?"

[diagnosispuberty]

"Bunch of giant worms in the ground." Hiro adds hand motions to explain this further, of course. In case Subzero was curious. "Oh man, you've gotta see some of the other old monster movies. They're so cheap and bad and great and terrible."

[greater_than_zero]

“Horror movie, hm?” He gives a thoughtful nod as he listens to the explanation of the movie from Hiro and then to Sam’s question about what sorts of movies he’d be interested in.

“I’ve never been a big movie watcher really. Most of my time is spent in my lab or on other projects.” He’s just going to leave “projects” very vague, okay? Okay.

“But...I guess if I had to choose...hmm...I guess I’d pick comedy, but not the stupid humor, more the witty, thoughtful, and clever kind of humor.” Sorry, no slapstick for him, thanks. Seriously, though, he’s had little enough reason in his life to laugh, and as movies are meant to be an escape, comedy is perfect for him.