51 - A Boy and His Dog - Action/Phone (Post-Zombiefield)

[ceasetoexist]

A.On Patridge Street
[Hey Patridge Street. You might have noticed that, since Sunday, there's been something that looks just like a massive wreck firmly placed in the middle of the street. It's hard to tell what the hell it could have been at first, some kind of vehicle obviously, but otherwise indecipherable with how much the thing has been wrecked. Bits and pieces of metal and machine work have been flung all around the street, with one massive ball of twisted, burnt metal at the center of it.

Next to this metal is a young boy, about twelve, just squatting in front of it. Staring at it, emptily. Lost.

Occasionally, he puts a hand against the ruined metal hull of whatever it had been. But he never says a word.

Bug him?]

B. Phone

[There's a small sighing sound, like someone trying to gather their courage before speaking. And then.]

Hey.

I know I'm not, like, the best person in the world, or the most tolerable in this hole, but.....look, I just....

[Pokey stops again, taking a few breaths before quickly just getting it out.]

I need help.

Anyone been to Partridge Drive? You know that giant hunk of blasted scrap metal over there? Yeah. That scrap metal is mine. Thing is, I'm not strong enough to....you know. Move it over to my house so I can fix it. So I need people who can...help move it to my house.

And...I might need some help, with some of the finer mechanical parts for being who're scientifically inclined. I mean, I can do most of it, don't get me wrong, I can do it pretty much by myself but....not all of it.

[Agitated. Defeated. Drained. The boy's voice is pretty hollow after all that's happened this week, to be honest.]

...I don't have much to offer. I guess....all I can do is say I owe whoever helps me one and...pay them back someway that way. I mean...I've got a lot of talents so hey it shouldn't be too hard but....

I need help.

[And then one last breath before finally, he's able to manage out.]

Please.

Comments

[getsciencedone.livejournal.com]

....Fried?

As in...fire?

[...GLaDOS is starting to actually feel sorry for your AI....Dying in fire is not fun.]

There may be something in those files then.

[godisachild.livejournal.com]

[Pokey audibly shudders over the line. It wasn't fire for Josephine, but whenever he hears that he can't help but think to around this time last year with the hazmats...]

No. Not fire fried. The bastard hit her with lightning bolts.

[getsciencedone.livejournal.com]

Lightning bolts....

[What....]

Some "magic" person I suppose.

[Okay yeah. Magic vs. Science now.]

I'm sure we can get her up and running again. Does she have a name?

[godisachild.livejournal.com]

Pretty much. Seen psychics do it too, but I guess he's a wizard. Some tool calling himself Black Mage. He smells like a combination of dead fish and a burning trash pile.

[He's sure they can get the mechanical part up and running in a few months. The AI is what he's really worried about.]

Yeah. Josephine.

[getsciencedone.livejournal.com]

He sounds revolting.

[GLaDOS meanwhile is thinking things over. An AI...if the machine was destroyed by lightening...]

When can I come and see the parts?

[godisachild.livejournal.com]

Yeah, he's pretty gross. I liked him better when he was on fire.

Whenever you have the time.

[getsciencedone.livejournal.com]

Most people are better that way.

[Looking over and picking up some papers.]

I can come over now. It's probably best to try and fix her as soon as possible.

[godisachild.livejournal.com]

I'll give you that for some of the people here.

...You got that right. It's still going to take awhile but...the sooner the better.

I don't want to leave her waiting.

late tag is late. :(

[getsciencedone.livejournal.com]

Alright. I'll come over.

[And she'll be knocking on the door when she get's there.]

np

[godisachild.livejournal.com]

[And Pokey'll answer it, looking up cautiously at GLaDOS. It's not like he hasn't seen her before SINCE she murdered him. Hell, she teaches one of his classes. But this is the first time he's been alone with her, or her within striking range, since then.]

Hey.

Do you have your own tools, or do I need to get something for you?

[getsciencedone.livejournal.com]

I have a few things with me. Depending on what I find I may need more later.

Where is it?

[GLaDOS meanwhile doesn't seem to notice his cautiousness.]

[godisachild.livejournal.com]

[He's still cautious, but this is also for Josephine's sake, so he doesn't hesitate too much before coming outside and leading GLaDOS to the tarp he has Josephine under, removing it.

The machine is a mess at the moment. It's certainly seen better days because whoever got to it? Really did a number on it.]

...You think you can do anything?

[getsciencedone.livejournal.com]

[Looking it over.]

Possibly. You built her I take it? Show me how you installed the AI in and I'll see what I can do.

[godisachild.livejournal.com]

Most of her, yeah.

[And he'll go over the process of how he built and installed the AI. It's fairly simple, considering it was the first major product he ever tried, and GLaDOS in general wouldn't have too much trouble following or working with it.]

[getsciencedone.livejournal.com]

[She nods and sits down, looking over the parts. And for a while she'll tune out the rest of the world, save for a few simple questions about parts.

After that. She'll pick up the damaged part she needs.]

I'll need a computer. You won't be able to turn her on here, you'll have to rebuild the shell first. But until then you can put her on a computer and the programming can be worked on there.

[godisachild.livejournal.com]

...I don't have one. Not a personal one. Know a girl who said she's lend us hers for it though. Names Ruri.

[getsciencedone.livejournal.com]

Yes, that should be good then.

[godisachild.livejournal.com]

Awesome.

[But his heart isn't really into it when he says that, and he gently lays his hand down on the hull, staring at Josephine. He almost pets it, for God sake.

Josephine wasn't just his machine and weapon, she was his pet, and friend, and home. His world, really, for a long, long time.]