DT Serum, Primary Testing In Progress

Ashton laughed. "Oh, and you aren't funny?"

Sam nodded. "Okay. Thank you." he said politely. Paul held Primus's hand as they walked, cattering happily with Primus and Sam.

"Nope.  I'm normal," Shuni said cheerfully.

Primus let Paul hold his hand, listening quietly.  Once they got to the school, he leaned down and took Bitty Kitty.  "You be good at school today, okay?"
Shuni hugged Paul tightly.  "See you after school!"

Paul nodded and hugged everyone, even Primus and Ashton, before he waved bye and scampered off to meet his friend and race inside together.

Ashton smiled a little. Paul was a young and innocent kid, and that made him strangely happy to see.

"Kids," Primus grumbled.  "Ashton, could you look after Shuni for the afternoon?  Sam and I are, ah, heading for the lab."

Ashton nodded. "Yeah, sure." He looked at his little brother. "What do you want to do, Shuni?"

Sam nodded a thanks to Primus. He sort of got the impression the older guy didn't like labs or scientists all that well, and so the kid was indeed thankful for Primus being willing to walk him there.

Shuni thought about it.  "I want to do what you want to do," he decided.

"So what's up with the bot that you need Ally?" Primus asked.

Ashton laughed. "Well, how about we head back to the park?" He suggested.

"Huh? Oh nothing's wrong." Sam answered with a smile. "I just like helping her. Ally's been teaching me how to service the mechanical tools there, and I am hoping it'll help me make better and better bots in the future."

Shuni brightened and nodded happily.  "Yes, yes, let's go play!"

"How long do you think you'll be?" Primus asked casually.

Ashton smiled and walked towards the park. "What game do you want to play when we get there?"

Sam thought for a long moment before he shrugged. "Don't know. Usually, Dad just takes me home when he goes to pick Paul up."

"Can we play the game of hiding and seeking?" Shuni asked hopefully.

"Ah."  Primus walked a bit.  "I'll see if Ally's good with you staying then I'll come get you.  I have an errand to run."

Ashton nodded. "Of course. You want to count first or me?" He asked once they got to the park.

Sam smiled a little. "All right. And Primus? Thanks for getting Paul at least to school. I... I know something is wrong with Dad, but I know it will mean a lot to him that you looked after us."

"I can count first!" Shuni offered, excited.  He couldn't count very high, but he could fake it.

Primus rested his hand on Sam's shoulder.  "He's having a rough time right now, but he'll be alright in the end.  I can promise you that much.  Besides, I know that if I didn't look after you mangy lot, either the Doc or True would kill me, whichever got to me first."

Ashton smiled. "All right. Just remember, no peeking!"

Sam smiled and laughed some at that. "I don't think you see yourself as it, but I think you're a good big brother, Primus." He said honestly.

"No peeking!" Shuni promised then turned to a tree and covered his eyes.  "One..... Two...."

The corner of Primus' mouth crimped upward in a smile.  "Thanks.  You're not too shabby of a little brother."

Ashton smiled and silently went to hide.

Sam smiled happily at Primus. He walked quietly now, and trusted Primus would talk if he wanted to. Sam didn't want to accidentally put the red head off.

Shuni got up to fifteen and got stuck.  So he counted to fifteen twice then called, "Ready or not!  Here I come!"  He took off running, looking for his brother.

Primus was satisfied to walk in silence, but he stayed close to Sam, not dropping his hand as quickly as he normally would.  When they reached the front of the lab, he opened the doors.  "Lead the way."

Ashton was pretty good at hiding, and smiled as he heard Shuni pass him by in his search.

Sam nodded and led Primus to the elevator, saying hi to the receptionist as they passed. Sam pressed the button and they went down to the basement lab.

It took Shuni several minutes, but at last he spotted Ashton.  "There you are!" he declared, pointing.

Primus said nothing as he followed, but the deeper the elevator went, the tenser he became.  It was fine.  It was just a scientist's lair.  Not mad scientist, good ones.  The dorky TV kind.  Nothing bad was going to happen... He jumped when the elevator dinged.

Ashton grinned and stood. "Good job, although you did walk past me several times. Ready for me to count now?"

Sam gave Primus's hand a small squeeze. "It's okay." He tried to reassure Primus. "The only scientist here right now is Ally, and she probably wouldn't even be able to speak straight too you she's usually that shy." He let go of the older guy's hand and walked down the hallway to her office.

Shuni stuck his tongue out at Ashton.  "I still founded- finded- I spotted you!  Yes, I wanna hide now.  I'm going to hide really, really good."

Primus huffed out sharply.  A kid was forced to comfort Him.  Now that was weak.  He shook himself and followed Sam down the hall.

Ashton laughed. "Yes, you found me." He closed his eyes and put an arm over them, leaning against a tree as he counted. "One... Two... Three..." All the way to thirty.

Sam knocked on the door. "Dr. Ally?" he asked. The short, blond, freckle faced woman appeared and stammered a warm greeting to Sam.

"Sup, kitten?" Primus asked languidly, leaning against the wall.  "The kid here wants to play around with the tech gizmos here and keep an eye on you.  I've got other things I need to do, so you got time to make sure he doesn't break anything on himself or the gizmos?"

Shuni scampered off as fast as he could then ducked in a different direction.  He spotted a clump of bushes and scrambled under it then through to the other side. No, not a good spot.  There!  There was good.  He ran toward the small restroom building.

(Not find him, please?)

Dr. Ally jumped when she saw Primus, and shakily adjusted her glasses. It took a minute, but she eventually stuttered out a promise to keep Sam and everything safe. She was not a people person; that much was painfully obvious. It didn't help that people taller than her usually intimidated the short scientist, and that wasn't exactly hard to come by.

Ashton finished counting and started his search. He first looked through the playground. No, not there.... Ashton then looked through a garden area.

"Cool.  Later, little dude.  Don't do anything I would," Primus said, offering Sam a fist bump.

Shuni snickered as he watched Ashton.  He could see almost everything from his hideaway behind the short wall leading into the girl's bathroom.  He'd see when Ashton started his way and could find a better hiding spot.  
"Hey, what's this?"
Shuni jumped and spun around, his eyes going wide.  His muscles froze.  A wall to his back, a wall to his right, enemies before him and to the left.  There was no escape.  He whimpered softly as the biggest of the five boys laughed and reached down to grab the front of his shirt.
"Look at this!  It's the little kitty boy!" he crowed to the others.

(Not yet, Ashton...)

Sam nodded. "Stay safe!" He wished Primus before he fist bumped him back.

Ashton continued to methodically look through the garden, under bushes, behind trees, and whatnot.

(As soon as Shuni calls out or screams.... Ashton will probably be there soon after, and in a very scary mood....  )