Living Machines

Chapter 7: Hot Spring Grove

Starshine nipped Blue's arm once more for good measure... Lila could only shake her head, "You shouldn't be changing just for stunts."

Blue shrugged, "Sorry, but it was worth it." Lila narrowed her eyes, "Worth your life?? Really??"
Blue huffed, "Alright, sure, but if I had stayed human, one of you would have been off balance. Either that, or waiting for me to-- What the hell!!?" He yelped as Starshine used magic to lift him off his feet, and upside down.
   "Blue, it was fun, yes. But the next time you try that, I'm taking your key and putting it in my glovebox... Which locks, by the way."  Lila stated plainly. Blue was set on his feet, and already walking at this point, "Fine, but I'm still not waiting for you slowpokes!!!"  Starshine and Lila looked at each other, and shared a shrug, running to catch up. Starshine transformed, and opened his doors, riding next to Lila.

Lila grabbed Blue like nothing and threw him in the back seat while she hit the front, and grabbed Starshine's wheel.  Starshine did the driving, but Lila was enjoying this much. Blue was complaining, of course, but would occasionally stop complaining to give directions... Then he'd start complaining again.

Starshine knew where to go, and a magic bubble formed around Blue's head to silence him. "Thank goodness...!" Lila groaned. It was a little cute, but still... Also rather annoying. She put her head on Starshine's horn and "HOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNK!" Lila sat straight up, "Oops. Hey, I got you to talk... Well, sorta... But you do make noise!" She laughed. Starshine sputtered at her, tilting on his suspension. "I get it. It's alright. Not everyone has to have words... Your powers, though, kiddo. I've never seen it before. Ever. And... I once had a magician for an owner!"
         'Meep!' Went Starshine's horn. It was almost like a giggle, in tone. He pulled into a bit of a rocky grotto, the entrance hard to see. But once inside, there was actually greenery around them, the plants hiding a natural hot spring. Starshine stopped and opened his doors.

Blue tumbled out, stripped his clothes save for his bottoms and cannonballed into the spring.
Starshine and Lila had much more patience, even after being splashed...

The hot spring was like nothing Lila had experienced... Not like any waxing, any upgrading, nothing. She felt her whole body relax. She didn't even care that she was soaked. Blue was relaxing, eyes shut, and Starshine more or less seemed to sleep, gold stars occasionally swirling around him and lifting him up when he slumped.

"Sleeps a lot, does he?" Lila asked. Blue snapped his eyes open, "Yeah. Suppose I would too. I mean, I don't do the tricks and all. But if I did, I'm sure it'd be taking up my energy, too."
Lila smiled, "You two really do make a good team."

Blue shrugged, "I guess maybe. I mean... I'm pretty good at pissing him off." He then chuckled, "Though sometimes, I do it on purpose." Lila grinned, "Brutally honest of you." Blue shrugged, "I'll admit I'm a tailpipe most of the time." Lila crossed her arms, "Even a tailpipe has his sweeter side, though." 
     Blue raised a brow and smirked, "What, you been sniffing tailpipes? Ew." This earned him a playful shove. "Kid, you wanna see ew, fill up with diesel!" Blue teased, "You fill up with diesel!!"
"No, you!"
"Ladies first."
"Oh, no, no, youngsters need to experience the world!"

"Well, you must've filled up with diesel somewhere, eh, Found-on-roadside-dead?" A female voice came out. Starshine immediately perked, growled, and stood at attention... Blue rolled his eyes, "Midnight. How... Pleasing to see you. Again. Say, how's the whole human life treating ya?"

Midnight was a woman, about Lila's age, dark green hair and eyes... But she had... A certain vibe Lila was not liking. Lila really didn't like it when she bolted at Starshine, and pulled the boy by his shoulders. "Turn me back, you little whelp!!! Turn me back!!" Starshine looked absolutely ghost-pale.

Blue spoke lowly, "It. Was not. Starshine." He stood and began making his way out of the pool, taking a big brother stance, " Let him go." Midnight growled, "He's the only one who could have! And he will pay for it!! He'll pay dearly!!"
Blue snipped, "And that's why he's not turning you back!! You keep threatening him like that!!"

Lila popped in, "Excuse me, but... Who-...?"
Midnight stopped tormenting the pointy eared boy long enough to see Lila, "Oh, wow... I'm surprised, Lila... You know anything about a certain Dodge Ram you replaced in 1992?"
Lila's eyes widened, "Wait, it wasn't my say! Our owner retired, and-" Midnight growled and threw Starshine aside.
   At first she came at Lila, but as the stars caught Starshine, his hands and eyes began to glow gold and green, respectively.  Blue even stepped in front of her, as well. "Didn't you hear the lady, it wasn't her choice! Humans choose these things, not us!"
Starshine released a field around Midnight, and the field held her still as he lowered onto his feet. He stepped between the truck and the Escape, and pointed off into the distance, eyes narrowing behind his glasses, and his ears leveling.
"I'll get you, boy... Your little friends won't be around... And I'll get you good..." She chuckled, with a grin crossing her features, twirling a small digital camera on it's strap on her wrist, "Ever heard of beast hunts??" She laughed and did walk away, the only direction the field would allow her to.

Blue winced, "Shitty attitude... Pretty face..."
Lila tugged his robotic arm, "What. Was. That. About!? Starshine!?"
Starshine winced... He didn't wait another second... His hands began to move around, forming an orb of light...