[open] Salvage and squeeing on the shore

[birdlady]

Who: EVERYBODY IT'S A LAKE PARTY
What: Clean-up! Chao rescue service! Other stuff! Open log!
Where: The lake
When: March 9-15
Warnings: Let's hope the lake Gyarados isn't pissed off about the spaceship that landed in its house...

Just as she said, Melia was at the shore of the lake in the early afternoon, already directing her bodyguards around the scattered, remaining pieces of the Egg Carrier littering the ground. What she really wanted to do, though, was find those Chao. It was a bit selfish of her, she thought, to be more concerned about finding the cute critters than cleaning up the lake, but she did have a good reason. She had to make sure they were all right in the aftermath.

And she wanted to pet one. Or all of them.

((This is a catch-all 'do stuff at the lake' log! Go nuts!))

Comments

[inspirethewires]

"I'm trapped in an unending state of existential dread and self-loathing over realizing the enormity of my past wrongdoings and careless disregard for those around me, as well as my physical recalibration to a body separated entirely from the biology I know and understand."

It spilled out, deadpan and clinical, while Hajime continued trying to find a good grip on a massive, thick metal plating that had jammed itself into the ground. The little metal plates making up his brow ground together in an imitation of furrowing.

"But, I'm doing it outside, now. So. Better, I guess."

[megabuster]

"Er... yeah," Rock replied. This was off to a great start.

He went to help Hajime, grabbing on to the metal plate with him to help pluck it out of the ground. He didn't know how much strength Hajime commanded as a robot, and Rock happened to have enough to spare.

"We'll turn you back," Rock tried to reassure him.

[inspirethewires]

"That would be nice."

Ah yes, you can tell by all that enthusiasm how much faith he has in that.

"Still, there are bigger things than me for you to concern yourself with. I understand."

[megabuster]

Setting the plate down carefully, Rock clapped Hajime on his shoulders, looking him right in the optic sensors. "We're going to help you, and we're going to get you back to normal. I promise." He didn't even think, it was just his instinctive reaction to seeing Hajime like this. "I..." Rock's hands dropped, and he looked down, a feeling of shame washing over him. He couldn't meet Hajime in the eye. "I'm sorry... I said I'd watch your back, and I let you down..."

[inspirethewires]

The touch got a flinch out of Hajime: not to many people had made physical contact with him since his transformation. The surprise at least jerked him into making eye contact while Rock spoke, and as the shame hit the blue bomber, he felt a low burn gathering somewhere inside him, more like acid than fire.

"No--no, you didn't... I just... I got careless, running off on my own, trying to play hero, trying to... to prove something... If I'd just listened from the start, you guys wouldn't have had to worry about looking after me, and it all would have gone better."

[megabuster]

"I guess we both have something to be sorry about then," Rock replied. "When Eggman wakes up, we'll make him fix you. But until then, I'll help you in any way I can. It's the least I can do," he suggested.

[inspirethewires]

"He might not be able to." Hajime looked over the lake, where the fruits of their efforts lay in pieces. "We... we did our job pretty thoroughly. There's nothing left for him to use."

[megabuster]

"He built it in the first place," Rock explained. "He can build it again."

[inspirethewires]

"But--but then he could use it to hurt people, again. I can't just--"

He pulled back. Rock was only trying to help, shooting everything down off the bat was being disrespectful.

"Th-thank you. I'd like to believe... well. I'd like to have my body back, but... I just don't want to get my hopes up." Though, getting hopes up was all he'd ever wanted to do before.

[megabuster]

Rock shook his head in response to Hajime's cynicism. "I understand what you mean, but hope... is important too. I'm going to believe that you'll get turned back to normal, and I'm gonna do whatever I can to make it happen. So don't give up hope yet!"

He then smiled sheepishly. "I guess it's kinda weird of me to be explaining this to you of all people."

[inspirethewires]

In a way, it hurt worse, having to be reminded why he had to keep hoping. Similar pep talks had fallen from his own lips more than once, and now he stood numb to that same advice.

"Mm... I suppose I'm a bit of a hypocrite. I can... I can believe in you, I guess, if not myself. You'll do your best, I know."

[megabuster]

"You work really hard trying to cheer people on and make them believe in themselves when they're down," he said. "So now it's my turn to cheer you on."

[inspirethewires]

"...That's... really kind of you to say." Even if he might not have done a great job, he couldn't deny he'd worked hard at it. "Hah. If cheer squad stays together at all, you'd be a great member."

[megabuster]

"You think so...?" Who are you and what have you done with Hajime That was something he never expected to hear from him of all people.

[inspirethewires]

"Mm. You... you have a... a bright spirit. One that's eager, and full. I couldn't see it before, but now I know it's always been there." It wasn't like the squad had an arduous selection process in the first place, but now at least he saw what an ass he'd been to robotic members.

[megabuster]

So... What Kai said was true. "Well maybe I will. But for now, I'll be here to support you!"

[inspirethewires]

Hajime watched Rock and his earnest spirit, for a moment, before looking away. "When a person loses faith in themselves, it can assure their defeat. Having no expectations means nothing will be lost.

"Someone else's faith, though..." On his own, it was his own blame. But Rock shouldn't bear the brunt of future failures.

His posture straightened (easy enough in this stiff body) and he ducked into a bow. "I'll try not to let you down."

[megabuster]

"Same here," Rock told him, bowing back for him to return the respectful gesture.