ANH 'verse. Hoth. Christmas for Kia

[random_xtras]

((Continued from here))

Kia's hugging Murphy like a big doll when Random gets back from his unexpected trip, her voice soft and sleepy as she tells the little black Minicon one of the stories that Scavenger told her while he was with them. It's a comforting tale about a brave hero who led the Transformer people to freedom and taught them to respect other living beings. She doesn't know why the story of Optimus Prime makes Primus so sad, but she can feel him encouraging her as she tells it.

Comments

[astrotechmech]

Random is staring flabbergasted at nothing as he walks into the room, the bags almost forgotten in his hand. It's only the colder air of the room in Hoth that snaps him out of it. Once he does, he looks at the bags and then at Kia as if coming out of a daze.

[random_xtras]

She looks up as she hears his footsteps, but her bright smile fades slightly when she sees his expression.

"Random?" she asks, a bit frightened as she wonders if something bad has happened. Murphy adds his own soft query to hers as he snuggles her.

[astrotechmech]

Random looks back at the door, then down at the bags, and then at her with a confused expression on his face. "I'm not dreaming, am I?"

[random_xtras]

She blinks, then tightens her grip on Murphy as the Minicon wriggles and offers to zap him and check. "Noo... or at least I'm not, and I'm talking to you. I can run a scan and check."

[astrotechmech]

"That won't be necessary. If it was a dream, it wouldn't actually tell you." Random goes over to sit down next to her.

"Here, this is for you," Random says, offering her her gift, apparently deciding that if it is a dream he'll talk to the medics in the morning to figure out which type of fuel caused this weirdness.

[random_xtras]

'Oh! Then yes, that's them!' Happy beeps.

Kia's just listening as she examines the treasures laid on Random's lap.

[astrotechmech]

" . . . This is the weirdest dream I've ever had."

[random_xtras]

'Christmas Elves don't work in dreams,' says Murphy. 'If you saw one you were awake.'

[astrotechmech]

It seems Murphy doesn't seem to think that Random still thinks he is in a dream, and Random is not going to remedy that.

"Do they always live in multiversal hubs that break my processor?"

[random_xtras]

"Really?" Her own optics go enormous for a moment, and then she looks at the pile of cookies in Random's lap. "Oh wow...."

[astrotechmech]

"Really," Random confirms.

[random_xtras]

"And we're just supposed to eat it?"

[astrotechmech]

"Refined energon like this is fine. If you randomly find energon, I wouldn't recommend eating it."

[random_xtras]

"Yes. See how his joints go? And these extra joints here?" Her optics are shining with wonder as she points these features out.

[astrotechmech]

"Hmm." He has seen transforming dolls before, but this one looked COMPLETELY different.

[random_xtras]

"He's got such a pretty little face." One slender fingertip touches that part of the toy gently.

[astrotechmech]

Random remains silent as he mentally compares the doll to like things he has seen.

[random_xtras]

"I think it's full of little things." Kia tilts her head to try and peek inside without getting in his way.

[astrotechmech]

"Maybe." Random pulls the bag open further, letting her see part of the inside. He then reaches inside to pull whatever is inside out.

[random_xtras]

"Tools?" Her brow plates draw together quizzically.

[astrotechmech]

"Maybe." Random examines the case he pulled out, turning it over and then opening it as well.

[random_xtras]

"I think it's a code breaker," says Kia at last, her finger tapping on the thing in her hand thoughtfully.

[astrotechmech]

Random arches an optic ridge at the thing in his hand before turning to her and taking a better look at the thing in her hand.

[random_xtras]

She holds it up so that he can see it better, and says quietly, "One of the guys had one that time you brought me to the workmech's lounge. He was using it to listen to Nebulan music."

[astrotechmech]

Random thanks her for that and takes advantage of the better viewpoint.

He shakes his head. "Tech differences always have been tricky."