Everything was somewhat hazy as B-64 regained some semblance to consciousness, like a thick fog obscuring his vision despite having no real octave nerves.
His muscles felt weak and deflated, his entire right leg cramped like hell, and there was the faint sound of mechanical whirring coming from within. Nothing, not a single piece of information showed up on his visors hud, which had never happened before.
His vision slowly, but steadily, grew clearer. He found himself slumped somewhat haphazardly against a tree trunk, several scratches lining the side of his inner thigh. He gripped his hand together, feeling nothing.
And then he began to hear the faint sounds of the wind, sounding far in the distance yet so near that he could feel it. He could hear the faint sounds of voices coming and going, as though someone were waiting for him.
He could feel himself slipping into unconsciousness, feel his hardware and awareness start to gain errors, and in a desperate bid to stay conscious, he sent a Boson charged electronic signal through his entire body, shocking him into full active mode.
His vision snapped from foggy to crystal clear, his hearing perfect and he could feel everything. Every small blade of grass and every small gust of wind brushing against him.
"We can't wait much longer." He heard Mason say. Just by the volume and sound B-64 could tell that he was rather close. Gripping against the stump he was laid against, B-64 pushed himself up into standing with a grunt.
"Finally!" A little voice said, Hannah. From the sound of it, it came from behind him, and B-64 quickly swiveled around.
Mason was standing against the now upright, yet still damaged, car that Mistress Red had damaged. Axel was just underneath it, his tail and legs the only thing visible while he tinkered with the inside of it.
Marissa was waiting beside Mason, a frown etched onto her face as she stared at the ground in quiet contemplation. Hannah quickly rushed towards him, the plip-plop of the sandals suddenly stopping as she effectively tackled his leg with enough force to almost make him stumble backwards.
Mason smiled as he saw that, finding it all together really cute. B-64 looked around awkwardly, not knowing how to truly interact with the child in this situation. Marissa turned her head, grinning broadly.
Mason turned his attention to his friend underneath the car. Axel was adamant that he could repair the surprisingly little damage done to the undercarriage and engine with just the box of tools in the trunk. As it had turned out, his mother had left a red tool box filled with different tools that Mason had no idea what they were called or what they were used for.
B-64 limped over to the rest of them, little Hannah hanging off his metallic hip as he hobbled forward and giggling as she flopped around like a napkin in the wind. He produced a trill that sounded almost like a greeting, but much more avian.
"Hell yeah, finally done!" Axel announced, shimmying his way out from under the dark recesses of the undercarriage. He whooped into the air, holding a wrench up like it was the last savior of the world.
Mason did not understand, nor want to understand, how Axel managed to fix their car with just a few tools, but if it worked, then it worked. Giving a soft smile to B-64, Mason hopped into the vehicle and inserted the key into the ignition.
With a pause for some dramatic effect, Mason turned the key softly. A sputter, the nothing. Mason frowned, turning the key harder than before, and getting it to sputter thrice, before dying.
Axel looked at the car again, a crestfallen look now descending onto him. Just before he started to curse himself, and most likely the world out, he was interrupted by the car suddenly gaining life as the final key turn by Mason sent the engine purring.
Axel grinned in excitement and total success, feeling pride start to rise, "Yes! Yes! Yes!!" He yelled into the air like that Dr. Frakenstien in that one scene.
"Nice." Was all that Marissa had to say, brushing her hand against the muddy car window. The dirt fell apart as her hand brushed against it. She gripped the door handle and silently opened the door and got inside, an expression between happiness and sadness imprinted onto her thin face.
Axel shrugged and happily skipped to the open trunk and threw the wrench inside. He hummed an old cartoon theme song as he closed it, skipping to the other side of the car and getting in opposite to Marissa.
B-64 quickly followed suit, urged on by Mason. He entered the passenger side door with Hannah still clinging onto him and singing, which was actually rather pleasant and not that annoying.
Mason helped B-64 peel her hands away from his legs and placed her in the middle of the backseat. There was no booster seat in that car because the only one they had were with his parents.
Mason sighed, rubbing his fingers on the leather coated steering wheel. He shouldn't think about that. They had already spent enough time there, they should leave to where they were meant to go, to Little Rock Village.
If there were any towns that were going to survive what had happened, then it was the cobra town with twice as many guns as people.
Mason stared forward, looking at the steep hill that led to the main road. It was just steep enough to have the possibility of the car tipping over, and for them not being able to push it upward. He had to go fast.
Mason sighed one last time, turning to look at Axel, Marissa and Hannah, "Everybody ready?" He asked, all besides Hannah knowing what he was going to do. They all nodded anyways, Marissa waiting to see what happens, and Axel being terrified of the bad outcome despite already being in a crash.
With one final nod to B-64, Mason stepped hard on the gas pedal, flinging dirt backward and jumping the car forward. The clearing allowed a good hundred feet around, so he had plenty of space to work with.
As the car sped up, Mason gripped the steering wheel harder. He tensed up as the tires peeled against the hard rock, although not puncturing. He pushed harder still, getting the front bumper over a precarious rock.
The tire tore into the soft brick that surrounded some of the rocks, gaining some traction but losing momentum. He didn't look at the speedometer, he just focused on getting the front wheels over one of the rocks so that the back wheels landed flat against the sloping surface, and allowing them to get onto the road.
But the faster he went, the more the mud brick below the tires started to degrade and slide away, losing their place on the side. B-64 quickly pushed open his door and flung himself out.
He landed hard against one of the rocks, stinging as a pointy edge sunk into his paws. There was no time for that though, and B-64 quickly rushed behind the car. He pushed with his shoulder, activating his shield and pushing against it with that shoulder.
It started to gain traction, then B-64 slipped against the mud brick.
His metallic knees scraped against the rock, creating a sound that was worse than nails on a chalkboard due to the metallic composition of his legs. Cringing as it stung his ears, B-64 kept his shield up, making sure the car was in the same place.
B-64 quickly got back onto his paws, activating reserves in Boson Energy and letting that help him. With the added strength and power, B-64 slowly and steadily pushed the car up the steep side.
With a final push with his shoulder and clawed hand, the front wheels got over the small lip of the road. Progress, and B-64 wanted to make moer. He pushed harder still, his hand now getting sore from the exerted pressure and the Boson Energy stinging his blood.
In a final push, the car got over the lip, and Mason was able to drive safely onto the road. He cheered along with his friends and sister, who was about as clueless as a pocket knife, but still happily cheering along with the rest of them.
B-64 sighed, letting his Boson levels die and power down. His muscles were already a bit weak, and with the added strain of the energy, they were completely shot. With some difficulty and help from Mason, B-64 shot over the top lip.
And landed directly on top of Mason.
"Oh, hi." Was all that Mason said, a soft grin and what looked like the beginnings of a blush appeared. B-64 trilled lightly, pushing himself off of Mason and bounding straight up like a bunny high on twenty different drugs.
Mason had a more difficult time getting up, as when B-64 landed on him, it knocked the ever living wind out of him. The thing was heavy, and more importantly, quite good at cracking backs, which left Mason a hard time getting up from the asphalt.
Marissa smirked as she opened the side door, walking over to help Mason up from the asphalt. She knew what it felt like, but there was something much more licentious growing in that mind of hers.
"Uhh, let's go!" Axel yelled from the interior of the car, and Mason couldn't agree more. With a soft blush and an aching back, Mason hopped into the driver's seat of the car, and B-64 went to the passengers side.
Mason carefully maneuvered the car to avoid the crash site and to not the hill that the road went against, Mason stepped onto the gas and launched the car to Little Rock, determination in his heart.
____________________________________________________________________________
Dontcha just love it when something comes out of nowhere, right out of left field, and is rather jarring in the large scheme of things? I don't, and I don't think that you do either.
Ehh, whatever. I finished this chapter, so I'm happy I got that off of my back.
In other news, and this is not an excuse, with Covid-19 going around, things have been a little hectic. I've not been able to write anything because of certain things that have happened involving it.
Oh, and Mason and the gang are eighteen, just to make that clear. And the supposed age gap with B-64 that is somewhat implied will be addressed, and then thrown out. Won't say anymore though..
So, yeah. Thanks for still reading!
~ Candle