Chapter 3: With These Hands That Will Not Bleed ...

[nanocerancowboy]

[ACTION - A (In and Around 458 Stone Street, Late Afternoon/Evening, OPEN TO ALL)]

[Gat is coming home from his shift at the Mayfield Fire Station when he notices that there's mail in the household mailbox. Curious, Gat retrieves the envelope inside. It's addressed to him ...]

What's this?

[Opening it on the spot, Gat pulls out a photo of-

Comments

[nanocerancowboy]

[Gat picks up that there's someone staring a hole through them as he passes by. He stops and turns to look over to the woman.]

Somethin' wrong, ma'am?

[nanocerancowboy]

'S'alright, ma'am. I ain't offended.

I'm an android, a synthetic life-form. Where I'm from, folks like me're called CASTs.

[duck_duck_laser]

[Housewife that she is, Dakki's been keeping herself busy with keeping the house in proper order. Today's mission? CLEAN THE BATHROOM.

Yuck. But it has to be done... and when it's done, she's sure that she hears someone with heavy footsteps moving around downstairs. Aurica's light, so it's probably Gat, so....]

Hey, welcome home! I just spent the last HOUR scrubbing that toilet, so I'm gonna tell you now-

[He's got his armor back. He's got his BODY BACK. She's only halfway down the stairs at this point but it does not matter. She vaults the banister, takes off in a dash immediately after landing, and just about tackles him into a hug.

He can take it. He's got armor.]

Gat! Gat! You got it back! You're you! They gave you back!

[nanocerancowboy]

[Well, this is certainly a nice change compared to how Aurica seemed frightened by how he'd regained his original body. Even if Dakki's tackle actually causes him to stumble backwards and nearly fall over-she's only a few centimeters shorter than he is, and she had a running start besides. But it's okay! After all, Dakki has airbags.]

[At first, Gat arms are spread at the elbows slightly as he receives the tackle-hug. Then, somewhat gently, he brings his arms round her back to hug her in return.]

Yeah. Startin' to feel more like myself again.

[duck_duck_laser]

[Hey, Dakki knew just what to expect from actually-has-his-body Falk Gatt. Joy is a valid first reaction!]

It only came in the mail NOW? I checked it this morning! There was nothing there for you! How'd it work? How'd it feel?

[And then she withdraws from the hug slightly, expressing her second reaction by thumping a fist on his chestplate.]

...jerk! Getting your body back before me!

[Mild jealousy. She's laughing through it all.]

[nanocerancowboy]

Seems that way. I reckon th' post office 'round here does afternoon deliveries-

[Before he can answer Dakki's questions about what it was like to regain his normal CAST body, she's already thumping him on the chest. He can tell she doesn't mean it out of malice, and chuckles a little bit.]

Ain't like I could help what they sent me. But it was-strange. You know how it feels when you're switchin' clothes whole horse? It was ... sort of like that. But it went deeper. One minute, I had a heartbeat. Then, I didn't. Felt somethin' in my head changin', thinkin' an' feelin' more like I used to.

[He looks at her more directly.]

I s'pose it's ... kinda hard to describe in words.

B

[weaponsparked]

[Of course the Autobot has to drive past the robot.]

[At which, he slams on his brakes, stopping a few feet away. Despite being a car, he gives a good impression of staring.]

[nanocerancowboy]

[That definitely gets Gat's attention, and he stares right back. That ... doesn't look like any sort of car which fits with the technology and style of this town. Which means it has to belong to someone who was kidnapped. ... Or so he concludes.]

[Gat can't help but walk up toward the car. Slamming on the brakes like that just isn't normal, though inwardly he can't help but wonder if he freaked out the driver with his recently regained body.]