(no subject)

[bzarcher]

A log from WoBC, involving Heat and Quick.


It takes a certain amount of daring to sneak into Skull Fortress and
steal things from Dr. Wily's private pantry off of the kitchen, even
for a Robot Master. Heat isn't actually that good at it, but after
repeated practice, he's much better than he used to be. Whistling
warmly, he leaves the pantry door open, and starts looking for what
he'd like to take with him on his next trip to the volcano...that
won't be missed.

Things are always, always missed. Sometimes it's easier to ignore
the missing items than other times, but unfortunately for our
favorite Zippo, today doesn't seem to be one of those days. You see,
Heat Man isn't the only Robot Master that occasionally filched
goodies from Wily's 'private' stash of goodies in the pantry..
Actually, it can be argued quite well that just about every RM
swiped things sometimes. But the only reason Quick Man notices today
is because his arrival to 'borrow' a few things coincides with Heat
Man already being there, and the speedster stops dead in his tracks
in the doorway, blinking owlishly. Hey. Wasn't -he- supposed to be
swiping things instead?

"What are you doing?" Yeah, like Quick wasn't up to the same thing.

Heat actually jumps a bit! "Ack! Hey!" He then turns, embarrassed,
arms full of things...and two ceramic containers next to him.
"Oh...um...nothing! How're you, Quick?" Blushing, Heat rubs his
helmetless head, trying to look innocent.

The innocent routine, for the moment, doesn't ... quite work. No,
for blue eyes narrow ever so slightly, pinned accusingly on his
shorter sibling. Oh ho. "Not too bad. What's with all this stuff you
got?" Quick Man was now curious, and curiosity for the resident speed
demon was never a good thing. What -did- he need all that stuff for?

Heat meets the blue eyes with wide, deep green ones. "Oh.
Um...well...ah...um..." Heat's brows knit, and his bangs flick over
his eyes. No use hiding it...sorta? "I was..um...going on a picnic?"

"With Dad's munchies?" Quick thinks long and hard on that (a few
moments, for most people), frowning a little. He wasn't stupid,
generally, just a little scatterbrained. And something didn't quite
add up. Why was Heat so nervous if that's all it was? He leans
against the doorframe, one eyebrow raised. "Oh really. You sure
you're not up to something?"

Heat laughs, a little too quick and light to normal. "Well...ah...I
wanted to use the really good stuff?" He then sets things into the
container and wrings his hands a little. "Why would I be up to
something?"

Quick Man is quite steadily growing more and more suspicious. Well,
at least it was snacks and not say, nuclear warheads that Heat was
trying to sneak off with. but the question remained: WHY? "Aren't you
worried that Ballade One and Two will get annoyed? And why are you
acting all sneaky? C'mon, you know you can tell me if you're up to
anything!" Trust in Quick Man. Believe in his inherent goodness. If
he has any.

Heat ummms, and leans in, gulping slightly. He actually -hadn't-
considered what they'd do if they caught him. But...he whispers
quietly. "What if I said I was gonna take this stuff and go meet
someone?"

Hrm! "Well, I'd probably then ask who it was you were gonna go
meet." That was a strange thought. Did Heat have a girlfriend? Or
hell, a boyfriend? Never know, these days. Quick wasn't quite sure
what to think about that particular idea. Eyebrows rise again.
"Nobody that's an enemy, I hope."

Heat coughs -really- hard at that 'enemy' remark. "Umm...no..she's
not...I don't think, anyhow...and she's a girl."

Quick Man didn't particularly like the sound of that. If Heat wasn't
-sure-, should he really be taking the risk? "Ah-huh.. So who is this
mystery girl you're swiping Dad's stuff for? Gotta be pretty
special." Don't think you're getting away that easy.

Heat blushes! "She's amazing.....her voice, her walk...her
feathers..."

Feathers? o_o "She's a bird?" Insert quick scan through memory files
for avian reploids or androids who might not be considered an enemy.
Quick draws a blank pretty fast. Blaze was a Hunter, that Osprey
chick was a 'forcer ... there weren't many -female- bird-types that
he was aware of. "What's her name?"

Heat suddenly gets a bit serious. "If I tell you, you have to
promise you won't freak out. I don't need you raising a racket."
"Me? Freak out? Nah, I'm cool. Who is she?" Quick Man is totally
trustworthy.

Heat leans in juuuuuuuuust a bit more. "Um...her name is
Blaze...she's a phoenix..."

"WHAT?!" So much for not making any noise. Quick clamps a hand over
his own mouth after the exclamation to cut off the tirade that would
have followed, instead stepping the rest of the way into the pantry
and shutting the door quickly and quietly, then reaching out to seize
his brother by both shoulders, crouching just a little to look him
square in the eye, not a little panicked. "Are you nuts?!" Whispered
hiss. "She's a Hunter, man! She'll rip you apart just to see you e-
ring!"

Heat actually puts his own hand over Quick's for a second, too.
"Shhh! Shhh!" Then, he is seized. "Eep." It takes a moment for him to
get back onto his pins. "No! Listen....she went through a -lot-
during the merge...she's not who she used to be. She just..."

Somehow that fails to calm the alarmed Quickster. "Dude! Heat! Once
a Hunter, always a Hunter!" A lot of people went through a lot during
the merge. Quick Man himself found out that in these two universes,
he was entirely and utterly unique. Not a good feeling, when looking
at others who had their opposite number alive and well. "A lot
changed during the merge, yeah, but -jeez-, Heat! What if she's using
you, huh?" Worry worry worry.

Heat speaks, even quieter than before. "...not when her other self
was a Maverick." Then, he stands a little straighter. "I know she's
not using me. She didn't even want me around her at first...she's
trying to shut out the whole world, really....except for me."

Quick Man blinks blandly. "Maverick?" You'd think he'd never heard
the word before. He does however finally let poor Heat go, leaning
against the closed door. He wasn't quite comforted about this idea
just yet. It smacked of conspiracy to Get The Old Man. Or old woman,
depending on which side of the Universal Hiccup you happened to be
on. "You sure? I mean ... it's a big risk, yanno.."

Heat looks up at Quick with a total sincerity. "I have never been
sure about something in my whole life as I am about her."

"What are you gonna do if Dad finds out?" Or hell, one of the
Elites. Punk. There's a frightening thought, what if Punk found out?
Quick really didn't want to see one of his brothers get pulverized
for a not-hunter-almost-maverick birdlady.

Heat sighs. "I don't know. Appeal to his sense of tragic romance,
maybe? That -might- actually work for Dad. Or maybe have Heat-chan
run interference to Dr. Alberta. Past that....the Elites have their
own little things, right? I'm sure I could try to talk them into
something...'cept maybe Punk. In that case, I dunno." However, he
then pauses. "But if you don't -tell- them...that's only you or me
here who know anything...well, Heat-chan suspects I met a girl, but
she doesn't know who."

Quick Man really didn't know what to do. Speaking up and telling
Wily would likely lead to punishment for Heat, but -not- telling has
a chance, however small, of putting a lot of things at risk. "She's a
smart girl, yanno. Maybe you should tell her, if only so you have a
backup plan in case things go to hell inna handbasket." Dear Wily,
what was he doing? "So if anyone asks, you could just say you're
bringin' her stuff instead of trying to think up an excuse."

Heat blinks. "That's a really good idea..." He grins. "Thanks,
Quick..."

Quick Man did the same thing a lot, except he didn't generally have
anyone to bring stuff to. Ah, love. Thank Wily it's not something he
intended to get involved in any time soon. The Quickster still looks
very worried though. "Keep your head above water though, okay? I
don't want you getting hurt over all this stuff." He still didn't
like it. Not at all.

Heat nods, firmly. "Trust me...I don't want me getting hurt either.
She'd kill me."

"That's what I'm afraid of," Quick Man replies morosely, eyeing his
brother.

Heat grins. "Trust me...that won't happen. I trust her."

Quick Man didnt' LIKE trusting people. It always caused trouble. He
groans, rubbing his eyes with one hand. How does he get involved with
these things? And WHY HIM? "I hope so. Better get the rest of
whatever you were swiping together, rumor has it B 2 might be
dropping by later to pick up some stuff for Grandma."

Heat blinks. "She is? Wow. Is our Ballade running for the hills yet?

He usually tries not to be in the same city..." He then grins.
"Though It'd be nice to hear how Grandma's doing."

Quick Man grins. Evilly. "We haven't told B1 that she's coming yet.
Nor did we tell B2 that he's still here." Assuming they both didn't
panic..

Heat ohhhs, softly. "...that could be interesting."

"It promises to be interesting at -least-," Quick chirps cheerfully,
rummaging around through the stuff in the pantry cheerfully. Where
the hell did all the chocolate chips go? "At the very least we'll get
to find out how Grandma's been doing."

Heat nods calmly, grinning, and then suddenly blinks. "Hey...wait.
What are -you- doing in here?"

Quick Man starts guiltily, then shrugs. "Looking for those gourmet
chocolate chip thingies I always find in here. They're -worth-
getting caught for." His one true love. Sugar.

Heat shakes his head, and can't help but laughs. "Oh, man...well, I
won't tell if you don't."

Quick Man didn't need wimminz! Although Snake Chan was really cute.
He never thought he'd think scales would be appealing, but.. "Works
for me." Finding a bag of the little wonder-morsels, Quick covertly
pockets them for later. "If I had any courage at all I'd just ask
where the heck they buy them from, and save the risk for other
things."

Heat chuckles. "But on the other hand, this is more fun, right? And
easier on the wallet."

"Assuming I'd actually pay for them," is the amused reply. Quick,
pay for something? Maybe. "Anyway, you go have fun with your
birdlady. I'll run interference if anyone asks." And with that, he
reopens the door and heads off on his way. Lots to think about now.

Heat simply smiles, and packs the last container, speaking even
though Quick is gone. "...thank you."