[Tussle?! Tussle, is that you?!]
"Oh, bless every enemy I've ever made, they're fine," he mutters, then answers in the next breath. "Snow, are you three or one?"
[Three, we're fine. We were in the van but it's, uh, stuck.]
"Stuck how?"
[Stuck as in we're surrounded by debris and can't drive out? Thrasher's in the front seat, he's trying to figure out how to drive the thing, but we think that we might not be able to go over the rocks without popping a tire.]
Okay, stuck in debris. Thank whoever is watching over them or put them in this situation that they took care of the interns. The interns being safe is much more important than Tussle's own safety.
If those kids got hurt, they'd instantly know this isn't a simulation!
Granted, they might already know, but denial is a good painkiller.
"See if you can find some landmarks or coordinates. I'll head to you when you got that."
[Okay. Uh, only thing right now is some big sign that says 'Great Savings', only some letters are missing and it looks... looks like blood got on the bottom.]
"Don't go near the sign, I'll see if I can find you. Puzzles are trouble, mazes even more. Over."
The radio doesn't give a response, which means they know to listen, which is good. Right now, he's got to, er, finds someone? There's rescuers, but would they know where a niche sign is?
He looks at the people who helped him, finally giving them his attention.
Soldiers, with much more survival-based gear than his own, and uniform outfits of black and pale blue. The blue must mean something, then, or they're fighting blue-colorblind enemies. Earpieces, which means the radio is quick for them. Each has a handgun and a rifle, clearly the assault ones that Tussle has always wanted to learn to use properly, just so he can understand why people feel safer with them.
Unfortunately, he hasn't taken more than basic gun safety classes, and Pearl insists that he take a few training courses first. He trusts that more than he trusts his ability to not get into trouble he can't figure out.
"So, uh, you lot know about a sign with blood that says 'Great Savings' but looks worn?"
The soldiers all turn simultaneously to a man in their midst, taller than most by a few inches and with a thin blue cloth around his neck. The captain, he thinks, given what was said earlier when they helped him.
"Yes. Are there any others you saw before the collapse?"
"Buddy, I don't even remember how I ended up under rubble, so as far as I'm aware, it was me and only me."
The man nods sharply, turning his gaze away and starting to make gestures to his underlings. The soldiers move into action, arranging into a formation that seems to pivot around the captain and Tussle. Several get into a couple of large trucks parked outside the large amount of rubble.
Seems something collapsed, likely a building, and they were checking for survivors. Lucky him, he woke up when they were there, or they'd likely have walked right over.
Or driven over, which would've hurt.
Tussle finds himself pressed along a moment later, the bodies of the soldiers acting as a natural guide for him. He doesn't particularly mind, though a part of him wants to dash out of the formation just because. His impulses, albeit strong, are easily kept at bay at the thought of finding his interns.
~
[Hey, do you see a big group of people coming with some trucks?]
"Uh, light blue on their outfits, three trucks, classic soldier-like survival gear?"
[ARE YOU HERE?!]
Three seconds later, three shapes come barreling down the road towards them, moving fast from the shadows of an underpass.
Tussle rushes out of the soldiers' midst, sprinting towards his interns. His heart practically aches with the relief that he found them.
"Hey! You lot okay?"
The four slow as they reach each other, the trio circling him like wolves around a rabbit. Or ducklings.
One of the two.
"Yeah, we had snacks and water, and the van's got a bunch of new stuff, but you weren't there. Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I was stuck, just a bit, and this lot helped me out. Let's see if they got something to get the van free, alright? Then we'll make a plan of action."
He can feel the stares as he turns towards the way he came, facing the group he walked with. The interns are suspecting, as he worried, and now he has to deal with that, but if there's one thing he's good at, it's avoiding responsibilities that he never wanted to begin with.
And whatever is going on, the only ones he knows know where they are is the soldiers and their captain.
"Your people are fine?" The captain calls out as they get closer, the formation around him spreading to keep an eye on the surroundings. "We have medical if they need it."
"Nah, they were in the van and they'd start with that if they did. We might need help getting the darn thing out of the rocks, but that's about it."
A gesture sends three soldiers off towards the trucks, probably to start doing just that.
"I'll need to report this when I return. What names should I use?"
...
Tussle really likes this guy. That's- A guy who gives plenty of space to not say things, who makes it clear why he's asking before he asks... Tussle could outright lie and chances are good the captain would write the given names even after hearing two of the four real ones.
"Tussle for me, then Thrasher, Snow, and Sparky," he introduces, nodding at each of his interns in turn. "We're a team that got separated, not that we're too clear on how. Don't know what we're doing next, either, so unfortunately not really able to say what business you can put for our presence."
"You were stuck; that's enough for the report," is the response.
"Aw, that's sweet of you. Kids, what do we say to people like the captain?" He's joking, smile very nearly a smirk, and is waiting for said 'kids' to directly call him out for bein-
"Thank you!"
"Thank you, sir!"
"We appreciate that a lot, sir."
Or he can just keep having weird things happen to him. He keeps his face from reacting, still smiling just as mischievously.
"...You're very welcome. We'll head off once we get your vehicle free of the debris." The captain walks off, and the interns follow Tussle away from the strangers.
Tussle wants to speak with them in private.
Far away from whoever might hear when he calls them out for not calling him out!