Forums » General Roleplay » Sands of Time (1x1)

Sure enough, the hum of two engines could be heard driving down the road, and Chris headed for the entrance to peer out. "I see 'em coming. They'll be here in thirty seconds." He hesitated.

"Um, Clutch, can you back out to clear a spot for the new model? Thanks." Clutch huffed but did as he was asked. "We've got a four car garage here," Chris explained, "but it gets a bit tight when one of the cars doesn't actually need fixing."

The trailor soon pulled up to the garage and quickly enough the dark purple Ferrari was unloaded and propped in place as Chris' father waltzed in. "So, what d'you think?" Bill asked, his attention on Chris, who in turn glanced at CD.

"Uh," said Chris. "It's a purple Ferrari..."

From outside, Clutch could be heard bellowing his answer: "You're making a mistake!"

CD grunts.

''This is more than a dark purple Ferarri. This is my sister, a rouge AI gone crazy. Shes just dead to the world because her core is delayed in processing orders due to her unusual systemic build.'' CD replied.

And as she finished, the Ferrari crunk up on it's own loudly, and the blue eyes open, looking around silently, scowling. ''What the...Who are you people?!'' It hissed, attempting to back away, though looking a bit dazed and lost, and its movement was still sluggish as the core was still extremely cold.

''Are you all allies?!'' The dark purple ferrari snarled, still trying to back away, but not getting anywhere due to a delayed brake system of very complicated wires wired in a way that the signal to them had yet to move the tires.

Bill Sanders leaped into action, after hearing out CD's comment and seeing the look of fear sweep over his son. He tapped the hood on the purple Ferrari to get her attention.

"Looky here, miss Ferrari; my name's Bill Sanders and I'm the owner of this here garage. Which you're currently in right now. Seeing as how you're my guest, I'm planning to take good care of you; you're in amazing shape and I think I can see some issues already forming. Also, backing up probably isn't going to work since you've still got the trailer behind you and a few tire blocks behind your front and rear tires."

Chris grinned, seeing his father at work with an AI. It was like taming wild horses: a thing of beauty. He glanced nervously towards Clutch to make sure the boisterous AI wasn't going to chime in with something, but Clutch sat meekly in the driveway.

She somehowe growled in reply. ''And my name 54092.'' She hissed, but ended up falling back to sleep and shutting down, core still too cold to work, eyes shutting. Her hood was icy cold, even with the bits of rust.

''I'm guessing she only awoke becayse her core had a charge left. But it looks like she's out again. See? I told you she's beyond sour. If her tires were freed I bet she'd be moving around. Of course, I can't see anything, but as you can tell she's pretty good looking for being 19yrs old in human years. At least her guns aren't active!'' CD giggled. ''But I wouldn't think you'd guys want her to shoot at you if she wakes up again.''

"540092," Bill muttered under his breath, as though the number sounded familiar. "She'll tame soon enough, if I'm careful with her--guns or no. And Chris? I don't think I need to say this, but please don't mess with the Ferrari. Besides, it looks like you've got your own...ah, project to take care of." The glint of humor in his father's eye was rare, and Chris nodded.

"Yes, sir. I'll clean up after myself, I swear."

"It's not the mess I was talking about; it's about your penchant for fixing cars that won't fetch any money." Bill said, heading into the house.

Chris sighed and rolled his eyes when his father couldn't see him. "See what I have to put up with?" he mumbled. "I'd almost rather take on 54 than my dad."

''At least I'm 'tame' on my own.'' CD retorted. ''Why did he sound like he knew 54?'' She asked Chris, puzzled. ''54 is pretty rarely seen until now. I'm guessing someone shipped her to the dealership after thwy found her or something...'' She inquired. ''But 54 doesn't look like she'd be answering anything.'' She noted.

54 was silent still. She did have a nasty dent somewhat visible on her back bumper, where her license plate simply stated 'A54092' in black letters. She was apparently from Missouri, though the name looked like it had been taped on by someone.

Chris shrugged, then realized belatedly that CD wouldn't see it. "Um, I don't know. That's my dad for you. He's been in this business longer than anyone and he pretty much knows everything about anything car related--make, model, manufacturing numbers... It'll probably take him a while, but if he's heard of 54, he'll remember it."

Under his breath, Chris added, "for better or for worse."

"Um, can I come back into the garage?" Clutch called from outside. "I'm...lonely.

Chris laughed. "Fine, but don't hit anything." He did take a quick loop around 54, observing the dent and any other dings she might have had. "I gotta admit, she's really in good shape. Was she manufactured before or after you, CD?"

''She was made after me, and uses my old engine. I'm guessing she drove pretty good until the freeze put her out of order for awhile. I bet she still thinks the wars going on...Didn't you hear how scared she sounded? Like she thinks she's still fighting for the enemies..'' CD inquired. ''I can hear her core, but it's beeping sluggishy. But what do we do if she awakes?'' She said, as 54 starts to stir again, engine revving up louder, eyes opening slightly.

"Um, we're gonna need a boot if she tries to take off like that. Because if she panics, she's going to take out more than just a wall." Chris glanced at the WRX still sitting quietly at the far end of the shop. "Clutch, can you do damage control or something?"

Clutch huffed and then hesitated."You want me to run diagnostics on her when you think she could lose it at any minute? No!"

"But Clutch, if you use the wire, she'll be able to see the date and time and stuff. Please?" Chris wheedled.

Clutch still hesitated. His AI sensor pinging faintly as he approached the waking 54. "Uh, if I lose the cable, you owe me a new one--AND a carwash. The double deluxe with wax and extra shine."

"Fine," mumbled Chris. "Just do it already." Clutch had already begun extending the wire as Chris grabbed it and threw open 54's hood.

54 jolts awake, growling somehow again, engine rumbling a bit. Her engine was a modified version of an older model, with a hole in the spot where the small core rested. Her tires squealed, but she didn't budge. Her blue eyes opened and she glares angryly, annoyed. ''H...hey! What are you messing witg under my hood?!'' She snapped, still paniced, and freaking out throughly. Just not getting anywhere, however.

Clutch beeped in panic, but to his street credit, he didn't back up. Chris gritted his teeth, leaned all the way into the engine--praying the hood didn't shut on him--and then connected the wire.

"Clutch, you're on."

Clutch went silent as he forced a data download that would bring a snail up to speed

Chris watched and waited, spinning the AutoWrench around his finger anxiously, not wanting to say anything as that might distract the process.

54 flinched a bit, but her tires slowed until they were at halt again, though slimmed slightly and had singed underneath. CD listens to the commotion, tensing up. 54 remained silent, but her core itself was going berzerk within, still sending delayed signals of wanting to attack. This left her frozen to her spot, too frightened to move her tires, and too hesitant to use he guns.

Chris took a deep breath and braced himself for the worst. "540092, we don't mean you harm. We just want to help you, and we can't do that if we're afraid you're going to, ah, attack us first. I promise that no harm will befall you. We just want to fix you up a little."

He waited for the backlash, unsure of what might happen next. Clutch even flashed his fog light in an uncertain manner.

Internally he spoke to 54. "It's true, what the human says. I was originally a lemon of a car and he fixed me up to run good as new. Better even." Not that he'd ever say this to Chris' face directly. "So please, please don't shoot him. Or me. I can't spare a flat."

54 hesitated again, her core still going berzerk, starting to pull her engine into straining. Could she really beleive they meant no harm, even though the other humans she had known had frozen her? Her core, however, was still cold. Leading her to falter and shut off again, falling silent, core shutting down from the cold. A cold that seemed to come from the fact her whole engine block had frost everywhere, and wouldn't melt, even when the engine tried to warm up.

''Is she ok?'' CD piped in worridely.

Chris waited until 54 quieted down before peering back into the engine. He winced as he touched something and was burned--but not by heat.

"Her engine temperature is really low," said Clutch suddenly. "Below freezing, low. I think she was kept in a freezer or something. So if we warm her up, she might be okay."

Chris shook his hand and scowled. "You could have warned me of that before I leaned into the engine."

"What, you didn't feel it for yourself? The lack of heat it gives off?"

Chris shook his head and then stopped flailing his injured limb around. "Alright, then, her core also looks frozen. That and the ice and condensation is probably what's causing the delayed responses and signals. We need to warm her up, but gradually. Too much at once and something can break."

He looked around for a space heater.

''I'm guessing she keeps shutting down because she's cold. Does she not have any antifreeze?'' CD asked. ''I mean, no one has really tried to fix her because she hates being messed with...'' She added.

54 stirs awake again, the ice staying put. A gun slowly slides out from her undercarriage really slowly. She fires a bullet that hits one of Clutchs tires, and the gun quickly slides back underneath before anyone could notice it.

CD heard it and flinched. ''Clutch, tires!''

Clutch's personal alarm activated, whooping and beeping and flashing--a sound that would drive a slumbering man out of his bed in the dead of night--now rattled the garage.

"She hit me!" he yelled over the alarm. "She hit me! Oh my tires! My rims...! How could you?!"

Chris clapped his hands to his ears. "Clutch! Turn off your alarm unless you want my dad to come down--!"

Too late, Bill re-entered the scene. "What's going on down here? Chris! I told you not to mess with 54! What'd you do to her? She's....frozen!"

"I didn't do anything. She shot a gun at Clutch and she needs antifreeze and talk to CD--she knows more about her sister than either of us."

Bill glared at Clutch. "You--end your alarm. Now."

Clutch went silent and yet the sudden silence seemed louder than the previous cacophony. "What happened?"

54 turned back on, snirking. ''Hey, you asked for it. No one dares to touch my core or mess around with me unless I allow them to. You are so wrong if you dare to even think I am just like my sister. I earned my title for a reason, and that reason is from causing a rukus to anything and everything. I am somewhat frozen because the fools that were with CD decades ago froze me to shut me down. Such shame their timely plan is ruined with me back on, hm?'' 54 hissed, though her voice was wavering from the cold. ''Obviously no one intended it to be that CD would remember what got her into her worn out state. And if you foolishly beleive I'll tell you what happened, your out of luck. I tell no one nothing, no matter how tough they try to be.'' She sneered, scowling.

CD yeeped, and silenced her own engine so it was a low humming sound.

Bill held his hand out to Chris, indicating he'd like to hold the AutoWrench. Chris handed it over, and then took a step back, eyes wide. Was he going to see his father go ego-to-ego with an AI

"Listen up, 54...I've done a fair bit of research myself. I understand you betrayed your intended purpose--probably not surprising given that you probably caught a virus. BUT, I will not have any rogue cars in my garage. You might have met Clutch. He and I have talked about behavior. You might notice he actually behaves around me. Well, he once was like you."

Clutch cut loose a small bit of static, embarrassed from being used as an example.

"I have no qualms about disassembling you to factory parts and then reassembling you as I see fit. If you don't cooperate, that is. Otherwise, I'll make a deal with you. Leave my garage standing and don't shoot anything or damage anything, and I'll treat you well. What do you say?" Bill twisted the AutoWrench, seeming completely unperturbed by whatever 54 might respond with.

54 flinches. ''Hmph...Fine.'' She hissed, though her attitude seemed unphased. Her engine stutters from the cold and stalls again, and 54 falters. She struggles to stay on, though barely suceeding.

''Yeesh, no wonder she hates everything.'' CD muttered. ''I'm in the ocean for 56yrs and I'm not even that bitter.'' She added. ''Given that I'm rusty and blind...Though she has my old engine. I don't really remember much about besides the basics. But she caught a virus? Never heard that...'' CD said.

54 remains silent, seeming to refuse to speak any further it seemed. Though small static blue bolts lit up dimly from her sides, a hidden crystal lining.