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]

She opens her mouth, then frowns and closes it as she catches Murphy's hand to keep him from applying the zap. "I guess you're right."

Then she's looking at the bag and sniffing the scent of it with curious delight. "What is it?"

Murphy wants to know too, to judge from all that rapid fire beeping.

[astrotechmech]

"Open it," Random says simply, not wanting to spoil a surprise in this instant.

[random_xtras]

She gives him Murphy and takes the bag, then opens the drawstring and has a cautious peek. "Ohhhh. Tools!" She pulls them out and sets them in his lap with Murphy. "And... a dolly!" It follows the tools. "And all these good smelling things. And... a book!"

[astrotechmech]

Murphy gets a raised optic ridge in warning and then he's watching her react with a small smile on his face.

[random_xtras]

The Minicon beeps softly as he picks up the doll and hugs it, asking if Random found a Christmas Elf and saying how long it's been since any of those people have been seen in the galaxy.

Kia's too busy looking at her book to really pay attention to what her small friend is saying.

[astrotechmech]

Random goes wide opticked. "They're not beings this tall, black furred, and have pointed audios, do they?" Random asks, motioning just how tall.

[random_xtras]

'No', says Murphy. 'They're a little taller than a Minicon, with hair only on their heads, pale skin, and wise eyes.'

[astrotechmech]

" . . . That's what I meant."

[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]

The black Minicon tilts his head back and studies the larger mech, then says slowly that he's heard that the beings in question came from another reality, but that he's never heard of multiversal hubs.

[astrotechmech]

"Oh good. If I'm not dreaming, then I'm insane!" Random replies sarcastically.

[random_xtras]

Murphy shrugs and says that if there's more than one reality, why can't they overlap? Doesn't mean he's heard of it before.

[astrotechmech]

"Thanks for the support," Random remarks flatly.

[random_xtras]

Murphy just zaps him.

"Hey!" protests Kia, one of the lovely smelling little shapes halfway to her mouth. "Murphy, don't do that!"

[astrotechmech]

"Yeouch!" Random glares at Murphy before making a grab at him, so he can put him on the floor.

[random_xtras]

The Minicon beeps and flails in protest, asking if Random can't see he's awake now.

[astrotechmech]

Random glares at him a moment longer before depositing him on the ground. Won't help the insanity.