Day 41: Lunch

[perfectrecord]

Just as von Karma started to enter the doorway leading to the Courtyard to look around for anyone remotely resembling his daughter, that pretentious lunatic's voice rang out over the Intercom, heralding the approach of lunch time. Right away, the damned nurse practically dragged him back into the cafeteria and towards the serving tables, telling

Comments

[oil_connoisseur]

[LUGGERS! ♥ Waking up irritability from here.]

Megaton had walked into the cafeteria with his hands braced on his hips, and began eyeing off the occupants of the room with an irritated exhale. His nurse made a similar noise, briskly walking off to retrieve what he assumed would be yet another plate of food.

Humans had to refuel so often. Due to the nature of the way body utilized its fuel... not all of it would be used, and there would be an unfortunate by-product of the entire ordeal.

Megatron could not help the involuntary face of pure disgust.

There were many humans in the vicinity, some small, some short, some brightly coloured, some with appallingly strange head fur, ah, hair, but which one was -

Yes.

Standing tall, proud, and decidedly intimidating in comparison to the rest of the human population, Lugnut seemed to watch the room with a thoughtful gaze. Quite the novelty for Lugnut. It was interesting that the Quintessons had given him a human form that scaled back to his Cybertronian size. There was a possibility that they might have to create bodies that were relative to the original framework, otherwise the processor would try to move parts that were not originally of that size construct.

...had Lugnut's body belonged to a human? Had Megatron's own? It was a disturbing thought, but 'something' couldn’t exactly created from nothing. Had his human body lived a life? Worked, refueled, procreated - had slept, there always seem to be sleep - and had previous health problems, judging by the way he had fallen 'asleep' so easily earlier?

Limbs rigid, Megatron couldn't help but note it might make sense. It would be far easier to place his processor data over an existing consciousness, than to concoct a way to create it from scratch. The realisation was greatly disturbing, and made the condition of his recent humanity a greater threat, but did offer a glimmer of hope. They might have kept his Cybertronian form.

Stopping less than a metre away from his subordinate, his head swirling with possibilities, Megatron drawled, "Lugnut."

[hailmegatron]

Lugnut had watched the human approach with growing hope in his spark, and the voice decided it-- it was without its usual mechanical overtones, but it was, it was...

Dropping his crutches, Lugnut thudded down to his knees, fingers curling against the floor as he knelt to his liege, head bowed.

There was so much he wanted to say, so much swirling inside of him, reverence and worship and hope and adoration-- he could hardly think at all, let alone think of what to say first.

"... Lord Megatron," he tried, looking up with something like reverence in his usually blank face. "I... What do you wish of me, o glorious one?" He bowed his head again, and saw that his hands were trembling. Why was he trembling? He clenched them into fists, trying to still them.

[oil_connoisseur]

If Megatron had any doubts before, Lugnut's move to utter subservience had confirmed it. Despite the different body, there was a familiarity in the way he held his newly discovered hands, not to mention the posture was the same - Lugnut, not matter how low he could drop to the ground, was never able to bring his shoulders down with the rest of his body.

"It is you." Megatron’s voice was cool and almost blank, concealing the slight grip of relief he had felt when Lugnut had began to speak. His prospects were suddenly not so grim. Between Lugnut’s brute-force and Megatron’s speed, there would be few literal humans within the facility who could stand up to either of them - the Quintessons and whatever surprise they held were another matter entirely. If Blitzwing truly had also been captured, his presence would be a helpful addition.

Megatron walked forward, to stand directly above Lugnut.

"I wish for you - " He halted, eyeing the crutches that had clattered to the ground, and Lugnut's bound foot. "What did you manage to do to yourself?"

[hailmegatron]

"Of course it is, mighty Lord Megatron," Lugnut said, head still bowed worshipfully as he watched Megatron's slipper-clad feet approach, relief welling up in him at his liege's presence. "I have yearned to return to your side every moment I have been trapped here." (There was a funny feeling in the top of his chest, too, as if everything was pulling tight and choking....)

He tried to ignore it, and found it rather easy to in the rush of hot shame when Megatron commented on his current condition. "... I kicked in a door, so that Scourge and Blitzwing could look for blades in the room beyond," he said, lowly. "It broke some of the struts in this body's foot."

[oil_connoisseur]

It was encouraging to know that Lugnut’s loyalty was as reliable as ever - even in the face of Cybertronian-to-human transference - but, unfortunately, a broken foot would be quite a setback in Lugnut's fighting prowess. Of course, there was the possibility that Lugnut could use his wooden walking supports to disable any humans that would stand in their way.

...not nearly as terrifying as he had hoped. Bordering on laughable, in fact.

“Ah,” Megatron grunted, disgusted, pressing his fingers roughly against his temples. The processor-ache from earlier seemed to be returning in full-force. "You’ve procured weapons?"

Megatron would have usually let - or coaxed, might be the more accurate term - Lugnut from the floor by now if it had been a normal circumstance, but it would do the Quintessons to see that he was a force to be reckoned with. A show, to demonstrate that his subordinates were so utterly loyal to his cause that they would kneel at the mere sight of him. Megatron still was not sure where the exact video feeds had been set up, but he knew they were watching.

[hailmegatron]

"Yes, my lord! Knives-- Blitzwing has them-- and I have a bludgeon I found the first night. I don't know if Scourge has anything. Would you like any of them, my lord? I could give you my bludgeon tonight..." He dared to glance up at Megatron, his offer sincere. What of his own safety? Megatron's was of far greater importance!

[oil_connoisseur]

"Considering your slight incapacitation, it may be wise to protect yourself first," Megatron said dryly, folding his arms across his chest. A weapon was a great necessity, but Megatron should at least be able to move out of the way of an attacker - Lugnut would not necessarily be able to do the same. Megatron was not going to loose one of his more favorable assets in such a pathetic manner. That being said, he was not sure how well Lugnut would be able to hold himself up on one of his crutches, whilst using a bludgeon with his free arm. An entertaining thought, if not a useless one.

"Your offer of sacrifice is appreciated. As always, your loyalty will be greatly rewarded." Megatron was pleased that Lugnut never seemed in need of a literal reward, because at the moment, the greatest gift he had to offer was half of his potential fuel.

...knowing Lugnut, his subordinate probably would be quite overjoyed by this prospect. It was 'food for thought', as the humans seemed to say.

[hailmegatron]

Bowing to Megatron's wishes, Lugnut murmured, "You are kind to think of my wellbeing, o wise and generous Megatron." He'd have to make sure he stayed by Megatron's side-- more than normal-- until he could find a weapon for his lord; if Megatron was harmed while Lugnut was there... it would be inexcusable. "Serving you is reward enough for any truly loyal Decepticon."

[oil_connoisseur]

"Hmm." Megatron was about to say more, when his obligatory human female attachment returned, clutching a plate stacked with fuel.

"Mr Hamilton! Did you do this to Mr Youngberg?" the nurse snapped, handing Megatron his tray. He took it in amusement, watching as she leant over to help Lugnut up.