followingprotocol - Tumblr blog

[followingprotocol]

[[Casually cleaning the dust from this blog after... two months?!?!

I hate hurricane season. Beryl knocked out our internet, then the cable/internet company had some sort of issue with our area when they tried to fix everything.

Well, anyway, I'm back. Chase is back. All is good. Send me stuff!]]

[followingprotocol]

Chase had briefly considered opening his comm channel to listen in on the conversation at the bus stop, but immediately dismissed the notion. If Flicker needed him, then the young bot would let him know.

It was hard to sit on the sidelines and let his son find his own way, but Chase had learned a lot from observing Chief Burns's relationship with each of his children, especially Cody.

Allow them to make mistakes, allow them to learn things in their own way, at their own pace, applaud their accomplishments, be there for them if things go awry, love them unconditionally....

The sound of an approaching bus pulled Chase from his thoughts and he watched apprehensively as the vehicle pulled level with the little group at the stop, then vented in relief as it continued on down the road. A short while later, his comm came to life and the sound of Flicker's voice made him smile.

<<On my way.>>

The police bot reversed out of his parking space, but rather than driving back down the road and having to make a U turn just to reach the bus stop, he transformed into his bot mode and walked casually down the sidewalk until he reached Flicker's side. Placing a servo on his son's shoulder, he smiled at the pair of humans.

"Hello, my name is Chase. It's a pleasure to finally be able to meet you."

The weight behind Flicker's words made Chase's spark sink. It hurt to remember what the young mech had endured before having the luck of landing in Chase's life, and it hurt to imagine the same sort of things being done to another innocent right here in town.

Angling his mirrors to keep the small group at the bus stop in sight, the police bot pulled into the parking lot of a nearby fast food place. Chase had a feeling that, at this point, his presence alongside Flicker would do nothing but make the mother apprehensive. He wouldn't approach directly until his son gave him a sign that it was alright to do so.

[followingprotocol]

"My thoughts exactly."

Chase fell in step behind Katana, keeping himself busy with one optic on the terrain behind them for any sign of pursuit and one on his companion and the path ahead.

Chase felt somewhat guilty as he watched Katana moving ahead of him. Speed was one of the main attributes of his own altmode, but the risk of leaving crushed vegetation in the shape of telltale tire tracks behind just wasn’t worth it.

Hopping to climb over the fallen tree, Chase looked back the way they’d come. Intermittent sunlight reflecting off of something in the distance caught his optic and he gave an involuntary flinch as Katana paused and spoke.

“Of course…. Let me know if I can be of assistance….”

Sunlight on the water, that’s all it was. The police bot vented a small sigh and turned to look ahead. Trees blocked much of the view, but he spotted the tip of a rocky outcropping jutting skyward just above the treeline.

“Perhaps we can make for that.” He gestured to the rock, “or do you think it would be too obvious?”

[followingprotocol]

Chase considered for a brief moment.

“Hm, I suppose the ocean does fall outside of Griffin Rock’s town limits… Very well. As long as no harm comes to anyone on the island, I cannot see an issue.”

@followingprotocol: “I do not believe giant sea creatures are eligible for pet registration with the island…”

[sorry, I know it’s a different verse, but I had to]

             “Ye worry too much. Plus, it’s going t’ chill with me in the ocean, there won’t be any harm in that right? And it can easily live at the deepest points of it, it won’t bother anyone that way!”

[followingprotocol]

Wow, already? Where does the time go?!?

[followingprotocol]

ATTENTION

If you see this you are OBLIGATED to reblog w/ the song currently stuck in your head :)

[followingprotocol]

The thing people need to understand about High Tide is that he’s used to working with war hardened soldiers, warriors, and other tough mechs and femmes that generally won’t follow orders unless they’re delivered with authority and without hesitation.

He tones it down a lot once Cody and Heatwave call him out on his behavior and he finally realizes that the rescue bots aren’t the same type of mechs he’s used to being in charge of.

[followingprotocol]

Chase felt somewhat guilty as he watched Katana moving ahead of him. Speed was one of the main attributes of his own altmode, but the risk of leaving crushed vegetation in the shape of telltale tire tracks behind just wasn't worth it.

Hopping to climb over the fallen tree, Chase looked back the way they'd come. Intermittent sunlight reflecting off of something in the distance caught his optic and he gave an involuntary flinch as Katana paused and spoke.

"Of course.... Let me know if I can be of assistance...."

Sunlight on the water, that's all it was. The police bot vented a small sigh and turned to look ahead. Trees blocked much of the view, but he spotted the tip of a rocky outcropping jutting skyward just above the treeline.

"Perhaps we can make for that." He gestured to the rock, "or do you think it would be too obvious?"

Chase studied his handiwork critically, making sure that the fallen tangle looked as natural as possible before turning to follow Katana.

One good thing about escaping down a grass covered trail was that there was no need to obliterate ped prints left behind in soft, wet, earth. Hopefully, they would be able to find a new place to hide that wasn’t surrounded by telltale dirt.

Catching up with the speedy femme, Chase kept his voice low as he spoke.

“Have you seen anything that looks remotely promising yet?”

[followingprotocol]

The weight behind Flicker's words made Chase's spark sink. It hurt to remember what the young mech had endured before having the luck of landing in Chase's life, and it hurt to imagine the same sort of things being done to another innocent right here in town.

Angling his mirrors to keep the small group at the bus stop in sight, the police bot pulled into the parking lot of a nearby fast food place. Chase had a feeling that, at this point, his presence alongside Flicker would do nothing but make the mother apprehensive. He wouldn't approach directly until his son gave him a sign that it was alright to do so.

Ah traffic, a motorist's worst enemy. Perhaps the mayor had ended his speech within the allotted time frame for once, although it was highly unlikely.

Turning his attention to the pair at the bus stop, Chase drew a heavy vent.

<<Not as much as I would like to...>> He hesitated for a brief moment, searching his internal files for proven facts. It wouldn't do to influence Flicker's opinion based solely on suspicions that he and Chief Burns were beginning to have.

<<The family is relatively new to the island, the child is currently enrolled in a daycare program attached to the elementary school...>>

He noticed the woman glance up and spot him, he also noticed the boy flinch as he was drawn closer.

<<..... Recently, the boy's teacher has noticed him becoming more withdrawn during their daily activities.... and she's reported seeing fresh bruises along his arms when she reminded him to push his sleeves back while washing his hands. He's told her he doesn't know where they came from, but he's also begged her not to notify his parents about them.>>

A loud honk behind him startled Chase out of the dark thoughts that had risen while telling his story. As he rolled forward to catch up with the flow of traffic, he shifted his mirrors to look back at Flicker and at the two still waiting at the bus stop.

[followingprotocol]

Ah traffic, a motorist's worst enemy. Perhaps the mayor had ended his speech within the allotted time frame for once, although it was highly unlikely.

Turning his attention to the pair at the bus stop, Chase drew a heavy vent.

<<Not as much as I would like to...>> He hesitated for a brief moment, searching his internal files for proven facts. It wouldn't do to influence Flicker's opinion based solely on suspicions that he and Chief Burns were beginning to have.

<<The family is relatively new to the island, the child is currently enrolled in a daycare program attached to the elementary school...>>

He noticed the woman glance up and spot him, he also noticed the boy flinch as he was drawn closer.

<<..... Recently, the boy's teacher has noticed him becoming more withdrawn during their daily activities.... and she's reported seeing fresh bruises along his arms when she reminded him to push his sleeves back while washing his hands. He's told her he doesn't know where they came from, but he's also begged her not to notify his parents about them.>>

A loud honk behind him startled Chase out of the dark thoughts that had risen while telling his story. As he rolled forward to catch up with the flow of traffic, he shifted his mirrors to look back at Flicker and at the two still waiting at the bus stop.

Chase remained silent as they pulled away from the rescue site. Letting Flicker decompress and gather his thoughts allowed the police bot to do the same as they drove the familiar streets.

Looking around, he was pleased to see so many things that reminded him of just how far his son had come from the frightened, insecure little mech he'd once rescued from a storm.

Yet, there was still that tiny piece of Chase's spark that feared a day was coming when Flicker would be indifferent instead of excited when he came home from patrol, or that he would rather keep the events of his day to himself rather than happily chatting while helping Chase clean up, or worse still, feel like he was getting too old for gestures of affection. Flicker's hugs had become something Chase looked forward to the most upon arriving back at the firehouse.

The comm-line coming to life broke into those unpleasant thoughts and Chase managed to shake them away.

<<Heatwave and Blades might have had time to get there, unless they were guilted into staying with Boulder for the latter part of Mayor Luskey's speech at the baseball field. I suppose we shall find out once we get home.>>

[followingprotocol]

Chase studied his handiwork critically, making sure that the fallen tangle looked as natural as possible before turning to follow Katana.

One good thing about escaping down a grass covered trail was that there was no need to obliterate ped prints left behind in soft, wet, earth. Hopefully, they would be able to find a new place to hide that wasn't surrounded by telltale dirt.

Catching up with the speedy femme, Chase kept his voice low as he spoke.

"Have you seen anything that looks remotely promising yet?"

“No problem.”

Chase fell into step behind Katana and shifted so that he could watch behind them and keep track of any movement further out. Bending at the waist to pass beneath a low hanging mass of twisted branches, he reached up to tug the entire mess closer to the ground.

“There, that might discourage any pursuers from trying to follow this particular trail.”

[followingprotocol]

"No problem."

Chase fell into step behind Katana and shifted so that he could watch behind them and keep track of any movement further out. Bending at the waist to pass beneath a low hanging mass of twisted branches, he reached up to tug the entire mess closer to the ground.

"There, that might discourage any pursuers from trying to follow this particular trail."

Chase barely managed to conceal his surprise when Katana suddenly appeared right in front of him. Nodding in silent agreement, he briefly stepped back to the cave to retrieve the cloth he’d left spread on a rock the night before and tucked it away in his subspace. Then he led his companion back to the grass channel he’d been looking at earlier.

“I’ve found numerous deer trails through the grass, but this one leads southeast. Perhaps taking it would somewhat conceal any trail of crushed vegetation that I might leave behind?”

[followingprotocol]

Chase remained silent as they pulled away from the rescue site. Letting Flicker decompress and gather his thoughts allowed the police bot to do the same as they drove the familiar streets.

Looking around, he was pleased to see so many things that reminded him of just how far his son had come from the frightened, insecure little mech he'd once rescued from a storm.

Yet, there was still that tiny piece of Chase's spark that feared a day was coming when Flicker would be indifferent instead of excited when he came home from patrol, or that he would rather keep the events of his day to himself rather than happily chatting while helping Chase clean up, or worse still, feel like he was getting too old for gestures of affection. Flicker's hugs had become something Chase looked forward to the most upon arriving back at the firehouse.

The comm-line coming to life broke into those unpleasant thoughts and Chase managed to shake them away.

<<Heatwave and Blades might have had time to get there, unless they were guilted into staying with Boulder for the latter part of Mayor Luskey's speech at the baseball field. I suppose we shall find out once we get home.>>

Hearing Flicker call out, Chase had to fight the impulse to drop what he was doing and run to assist.

That was not a request for help, let him work.

Flicker had begun to take much more initiative during these sessions, and while Chase was proud beyond measure, there was also a tiny piece of him that was disappointed not to be needed as much.

The sound of scrabbling paws pulled him from his reverie in time to see the cat shooting off in the direction of the park and he made a mental note to tell Flicker where it had gone if someone in the area came forward with a missing cat claim.

When Flicker's all clear came, Chase, again, had to squash his immediate urge to double check. He trusted his son's judgement.

"Excellent. And I believe I am finished as well." Chase knotted the loose end of a string of police tape around a small pole he'd stuck into the ground, completing the cordon he'd made around the dangerous area while Flicker had been working inside.

"Let's head back to the firehouse and get some rest."

[followingprotocol]

"Being small is fine and all, until you get in over your head and drown, little bot." [@highflygingcon]

“Fortunately I have devoted teammates and friends to help prevent things like that from occurring.”

[followingprotocol]

Chase frowned.

“I do not see any problem with our team being on the more compact side. We work very closely with humans, and if we were any taller than we already are, it could put them in danger.”

[followingprotocol]

Chase barely managed to conceal his surprise when Katana suddenly appeared right in front of him. Nodding in silent agreement, he briefly stepped back to the cave to retrieve the cloth he'd left spread on a rock the night before and tucked it away in his subspace. Then he led his companion back to the grass channel he'd been looking at earlier.

"I've found numerous deer trails through the grass, but this one leads southeast. Perhaps taking it would somewhat conceal any trail of crushed vegetation that I might leave behind?"

“You’re welcome.”

Chase nodded and gave Katana a brief smile. “Certainly. I will be right here.”

The policebot knew there were many different reasons, other than combat, that a bot might choose to wear a battle mask. He also knew that whatever Katana’s specific reason was, was simply none of his business. He would respect his companion’s privacy.

In the meantime, he took a few steps in the opposite direction of the way Katana had gone and began examining a narrow channel leading through the nearby foliage.

[followingprotocol]

Hearing Flicker call out, Chase had to fight the impulse to drop what he was doing and run to assist.

That was not a request for help, let him work.

Flicker had begun to take much more initiative during these sessions, and while Chase was proud beyond measure, there was also a tiny piece of him that was disappointed not to be needed as much.

The sound of scrabbling paws pulled him from his reverie in time to see the cat shooting off in the direction of the park and he made a mental note to tell Flicker where it had gone if someone in the area came forward with a missing cat claim.

When Flicker's all clear came, Chase, again, had to squash his immediate urge to double check. He trusted his son's judgement.

"Excellent. And I believe I am finished as well." Chase knotted the loose end of a string of police tape around a small pole he'd stuck into the ground, completing the cordon he'd made around the dangerous area while Flicker had been working inside.

"Let's head back to the firehouse and get some rest."

//Starter for @followingprotocol!//

"Wait, I think someone's over here!"

Flicker trod over to the collapsed wall in his dinomode and pointed his antennas at the large pile of debris. A few pieces began to tremble, and soon they started hovering in the air.

The young mech had heard a small noise from the pile. He feared that a child had been buried underneath when the building had come down. However, when he moved one of the bigger pieces of concrete out of the way, a cat appeared. As soon as it had struggled itself free, it fled, seemingly uninjured.

Flicker vented in relief. He would later check if anyone had filed a missing cat report. Now he continued to take the loose parts of wall apart until he was certain there was no-one trapped.

"All clear." Flicker transformed back into his bot mode and exited the remains of building through a narrow crack. He wiped the dust off his visor and looked at Chase who'd been waiting outside.