re_alignment_logs | (no subject)

WHO: Hot Rod & Ironhide
WHERE: Prima's Quadrant
WHEN: A little after the Pillar's destruction
WHAT: The Pillar left a parting gift...
WARNINGS: N/A

     He had been in a slight daze as to whatever had happened after he'd made contact with that part of the Pillar, but he at the very least knew for certain that it had been taken care of. Now if only he could just confirm that everyone else was all right and got out of the Core in one piece.

     Maybe it was also that he was tired out from holding off hordes robotic wolves, and everything just compounded now that things were done. Were they done? Hot Rod knew he wouldn't be able to relax until he knew for sure.

     He didn't notice the odd trails he was leaving behind at first, how the floor beneath his feet became oddly discolored, or the walls he brushed with his hand to steady himself as he made his way out of the Prima's temple. Emerging finally, he felt at least some weight lifted from his shoulders when he saw that the pillar that had stood at the center of the Junk Pile was now but a stump, the rest somehow eroded away from where it had stretched high towards the Lambda that threatened to split the sky.

     "...we did it..."

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"I thought that thing quit changing bots," he muttered, also peering at the spot Hot Rod's hand had been. He poked at it, but the frost didn't leap onto his finger.

Weirder.

Big shoulders rolled in a shrug. "You feel it at all? Any colder or anything?"

It didn't spread, but the frost and part of whatever material the wall was constructed of crumbled just a tiny bit from that prodding. Hot Rod eyed it, shaking his head.

"No, I...don't feel any different at all. I thought it was weird though, when we were down there. I had to make contact with the pillar again, help distract it so that the others could take care of the parts that had spread within the Core. It didn't seem like anything much had happened to me, then."

"Well, there's that, I guess."

It'd be more worrisome if there were physical effects on the kid. Right? If Hot Rod was suffering because of this. That would be worse.

But then he went and kept talking, and Ironhide resisted the urge to bury his face in his hands.

"You touched it?" he asked. "The thing that's been givin' us five million different kinds of problems? You went and touched it? The scrap made you think that was a good idea?"

That tone said enough even without the gestures being made. Hot Rod managed not to flinch. He knew why he did what he'd done, and Ironhide didn't.

"Yeah- I had to!" He wasn't going to mention that the first time he'd done so was on accident...and could have been potentially bad if Rose hadn't been there with him. "-it was the only way we could do anything, otherwise!"

"You had to."

It didn't come out accusatory, he hoped. He wanted to make sure he'd heard right, mostly. His head lowered, optics flickering in thought, as he folded his arms.

He was really not the one to handle this.

"Maybe we should get you to see a medic or somethin'."

     Hot Rod nodded firmly, about to lean a hand against the wall before he stopped himself. He let his arm fall to his side as his gaze drifted towards the ground, as though he could melt the ice that marked it with a look.

     "It wasn't just me. Some of the others did the same. ...I wonder if anything happened to them..."

     A medic. "What good's that going to do?"

"If somethin' happened to you, it probably happened to the others, yeah."

He watched the younger Autobot, frowning. He really didn't know what else to do, here. He wasn't a scientist. He wasn't really a researcher, even. It was probably best to hand it off.

Big shoulders twitched in a shrug. "Somethin' more than I can do for you."

That didn't exactly make him feel any better about the situation. If he froze things by the briefest contact, what might the others be going through?

Realizing that Ironhide was trying to help somehow at least, Hot Rod lowered his head, shoulders sagging with a sigh. "I didn't... Sorry. Maybe you're right...."

"Yeah, I am."

Except he really wasn't sure if he was right. But he had to pretend he was, at least, confident. It worked out better that way.

"C'mon. Let's get movin'."

Hot Rod nodded, too tired to argue, and hey, it was better than any ideas he had, given that he had none to begin with. He motioned for Ironhide to lead the way, still mindful on keeping some distance between them.

Well, now they just had to hope there was actually a medic on hand. They seemed pretty few and far between, the last time he'd been in their area. All the more reason for him to keep out, when he could. If they actually had someone there, maybe there was a chance of getting Hot Rod's problem solved.

He jerked his head back the way he'd come.

"Walk or drive?"

Belatedly, Hot Rod wondered about that as well. He figured, if anything, Ironhide would know better than him who all was yet around. The only one that he'd ever spoken with himself was Glit, and that felt like so long ago.

"Let's take a drive. I've been walking enough today." That and he hoped that maybe there was the off chance that he wouldn't freeze things if he went fast enough. ...well, he could hope, anyway.

"Right. Don't go speeding off."

Part of him was sure the kid would, even if he gave the warning. Just because that's what kids did. Especially when they turned into cars like that.

His own vehicle mode was a lot less stylish. More like a tank, than anything.

     Aw come on, Ironhide! What was the point of driving if you couldn't speed?

     The warning was met with the faintest smirk, which was an improvement from his earlier mood, if only fractionally. He dropped down into his alt mode.

     "I know you can't keep up with me, old man. I'll give you a head start."