sg, Autobot Base, Surprising Meeting
oTarantulus: *just walked out of the Black Dog... and into a plant in sg*
Desinex: *startles as she nearly runs into him, steps back* ... *raised brow ridge*
oTarantulus: *gives the dark blue femme a nonplussed look and steps back himself* What... where? *quick glance around without taking his attention from her*
Desinex: *slight headtilt as she studies oTarantulus, before she's nodding to herself and moving back down the hallway*
oTarantulus: *watches her go, his expression going to utter bewilderment. Peers out of the hallway to see what's going on in the main part of the plant*
Ratchet: *conked out on the couch, is enjoying the quiet of the plant while Bumblebee and Bulkhead are on patrol*
oTarantulus: *well, he recognizes that face... Steps out of the hallway and shoots a glance at the rafters before proceeding*
soft footsteps: *coming down the hallway that Desinex went up*
oTarantulus: *turns quickly and looks toward the sound, his back to the wall by the opening to the hallway as he peers back the way he came*
Elita: *being ushered in by Desinex, a puzzled look on her face at the other femmebot's actions and insistence* Desinex, what's going... *trails off when she sees oTarantulus* ...
oTarantulus: *great, another stranger* *brows draw together in a slight frown as he looks at the femmes*
Elita: *slight quirk of a smile on her face as she gets over her surprise* Did a door not go where it was supposed to?
Desinex: *just ganked Elita's PINpoint, and took off for a certain island in another part of Detroit*
oTarantulus: *head lifts very slightly* *quiet voice, but very familiar to the yellow femme* It appears so. I don't think I'm dreaming.
Elita: *small nod, does recognize the mech's voice, if only because she was talking to his counterpart about something when Desinex dragged her out of her room* From what I've heard, it happens...
oTarantulus: Yes. I've... seen the result of it happening. Once before. *reaches behind himself to pat the bottom of someone who is clinging back there unseen and sleeping* *voice is slightly rougher, and much flatter in its intonations*
Elita: *blinks* *quietly* Oh? *has a hunch, but only a hunch, that there's someone sleeping on the mech's back*
oTarantulus: *nods. He's not as talkative as the guy she knows who may look and sound similar*
Elita: *small nod* *softly, so as not to disturb whoever is on the mech's back* Going by your looks, I'm guessing you're an alternate to a friend of mine....
oTarantulus: *slowly* My name is Tarantulus.
Elita: *nods* So is my friend...
oTarantulus: *brow ridges lift* ...Does he wear a cloak?
Elita: *nods* I saw that what he had been wearing had been burned in spots... So I got him a new one...
oTarantulus: *silent nod. Yes, a much quieter, and even more watchful guy than she knows. Glances toward Ratchet*
Elita: *attention going to the medic when he lets out a particularly loud snort. Soft chuckle*
avWakeJumper: *soft sound, snuggles against his guardian's back*
oTarantulus: *hand goes back again. Very quiet clicks as a watchful, protective gentleness comes to his largely wary and unemotional face*
Elita: *will move to gently nudge Ratchet until he turns onto his side*
Ratchet: *no longer snoring, is still enjoying his stasis nap*
WakeJumper: *soft clicks, settles back into sleep*
oTarantulus: *watches Elita, then cautiously stalks over himself and looks down at the old medic
Ratchet: *looks quite peaceful, despite the soft rattling of his intakes*
oTarantulus: ...He's damaged. *Elita will be able to see the sleeper on his back now, and the way his spider legs are cradling the small youngling*
Elita: *quietly* Most of us are, in some way... *boggling slightly as she sees the brightly-colored youngster*
oTarantulus: *slight, wary frown* Was there fighting?
Elita: I haven't seen any, if there was... *slight quirk of a grin* The local Sentinel did learn something important over Halloween....
oTarantulus: *look turns sharp and twice as alert* What was that?
Elita: *simply* That he was wrong.
oTarantulus: *frowns deeply, but then his expression clears as he finds a memory* Right. Your Sentinel... is still like he was before Archa Seven.
Elita: *slight nod* The one from this reality is currently on Cybertron. I don't think he'll cause trouble for anyone here, or for your alternate.
oTarantulus: *frown returns as he contemplates someone causing trouble for his brother*
Elita: If you've met Oppy, then you've met the reason for that...
oTarantulus: *has met Oppy. Not sure how to make the connection and understand what she's saying. The bewilderment shows past his usual wary, frowning, lack of expression*
Elita: *gently* He's very protective of his friends.
oTarantulus: ...Optimus is?
Elita: *nods, trying to hide the slight flicker of pain that just crossed her face. Knows that it's not likely that the local Tarantulus will ever go back to being Optimus, but she's trying to keep that from bothering her*
oTarantulus: ...What's wrong? *more lost now*
Elita: *softly* It's nothing... I just have a hard time letting the past stay the past sometimes...
oTarantulus: I... don't understand. *expression blanking again, though his optics still hold bewilderment* Most of my memory files were lost before I came back online.
Elita: *quietly* The Optimus here... is the reason Sentinel and I were able to escape the spiders... We thought he was dead...
oTarantulus: *expression suddenly very still* Right. Like me.
Elita: ... *soft rush of air* *will not fall apart... will not fall apart... is falling apart, darnit*
oTarantulus: *shivers slightly, and then reaches down and slaps Ratchet on the side, instinctively seeking help from one who in his reality has a lot more answers than he has*
Ratchet: *startles awake and falls off the couch with a clang*
oTarantulus: *wince flinch scowl*
WakeJumper: *awake! And staying silent and still. Doesn't recognize this place at all!*
Ratchet: *on his stabilizing servos* *confused frown as he realizes this isn't the local Tarantulus he's looking at*
Elita: *quick to wipe at her optics with the back of her hand, a habit she learned from being around Sari*
oTarantulus: *slight trembling that he tries to mask* *jerks his head at Elita* She needs help.
Ratchet: *small nod, moves to gently rub Elita's shoulder, will talk to her quietly and soothingly*
Elita: *cycling air quietly and not looking at Tarantulus or his passenger*
WakeJumper: *slight shiver, is scared by the strange sounds, sights, and scents of this place*
oTarantulus: *reaches back and gently pulls WakeJumper into his arms, then holds the youngling close as he watches Ratchet interact with the yellow and pale blue femme*
WakeJumper: *gonna cling and hide his face against you, Tarantulus*
Ratchet: *soothing murmurs as he takes a cue from Elita and doesn't look at the orange and black youngster*
Elita: *soft sigh as she gets control over her emotions*
oTarantulus: *watching Ratchet and Elita as he protectively cuddles his son*
Ratchet: *going to help Elita to the nearby chair* *quietly, to oTarantulus* Can I get you anything, fuel wise?
oTarantulus: *quietly* WakeJumper, are you hungry?
WakeJumper: *small headshake, is going to keep hiding. Wants to go home and hide under his tarp*
oTarantulus: *soft clicks for WakeJumper* No. We don't need anything.
Ratchet: Alright. *will go get Elita some fuel, since he suspects (rightly) that she hasn't refueled today*
WakeJumper: *keeping silent. Ratchet is still scary to him*
oTarantulus: *shakes off confusion and flashback and looks up* Is Tarantulus here?
Elita: *quietly* He was just leaving to go to work when I talked to him....
Showtime: *quietly* He'll be home later...
Tarop-tim: *looking around from where he's all but glued to his mother's shadow* *clickstorm*
oTarantulus: *head goes up, and he turns toward the clicking*
WakeJumper: *peeek* *very soft clicks, can see you, Tarop-tim*
Tarop-tim: *expression brightens as he stands up straighter, more clickstorm*
Desinex: *will move to give Elita her PINpoint back*
Showtime: *has no cloth or screen over her optics today. She's trying not to squint in the increased brightness compared to her home* What brings you here, Tarantulus? *is letting Ratchet know what this particular Tarantulus' story is*
oTarantulus: I walked through the door at the Black Dog, and came here. *calmer now that he sees a friend*
Showtime: *slight frown* How odd...
oTarantulus: *deep frown* I wonder where...
oSentinel: *cry of fear as he winds up not where he expected to be!*
oTarantulus: *over there and putting an arm around his friend!*
WakeJumper: *quiet click, hides his face against Tarantulus again*
Showtime: *gentle clicks as she moves to offer comfort to the frightened mech*
Ratchet: *concerned frown, can see that this is a different Sentinel from the local one* *quietly* Everything's alright.... *will move to see if he can at least get people sitting down so nobody falls on their skidplates*
oTarantulus: *moves to turn his shoulder toward the red and white medic, till he sees that Sentinel trusts the mech. Will let Ratchet herd them across the room toward the sitting area*
Ratchet: *will gently insist on getting oSentinel seated, clicking softly all the while* Easy... Everything's going to be okay.
oTarantulus: *settles beside his friend, and then offers WakeJumper to the shaking mech*
oSentinel: *circulating deeply, but perks hopefully and offers his arms to the youngling. Loves WakeJumper, he does*
WakeJumper: *will go see Sentinel and cling to the mech*
oSentinel: *doing as Sari has taught him, and thinking of something other than how scared he is. Is thinking of how scared WakeJumper must be. Cuddles the little bot and rocks him slightly, optics lowered*
oTarantulus: *arm around his friend's shoulders as he looks around at Ratchet and Elita*
Elita: *concerned, wants to say something, but isn't sure she should, lest she startle oSentinel*
Ratchet: *quietly offering reassurances*
Showtime: *soft clicks as Tarop-tim moves to offer cuddles*
oSentinel: *quiet and quizzical look for Tarop-tim* ??
oTarantulus: *softly* He's my brother's creation.
oSentinel: *voice small and uncertain, frightened but kindly* He's a...
oTarantulus: Protoform. Yeah.
oSentinel: *quiet clicks for Tarop-tim*
Tarop-tim: *soft clicks and gentle snuggles. Definitely takes after his mech-creator, though the influence of his carrier is obvious in the shape of his optics and helm*
oSentinel: *arm around the youngster, bringing WakeJumper up against him in the process*
WakeJumper: *very slight peek, almost unnoticeable smile as he sees who is snuggling as well*
Tarop-tim: ^.^ *soft, happy clicks*
Showtime: *small smile as she watches the snuggling*
oTarantulus: *relaxes and is nearly smiling, but is just too serious for that. Looks up at Elita and Ratchet again*
Elita: *quietly* Is he going to be alright?
oTarantulus: *also quiet* He's alright now.
Elita: *small nod, wonders to herself if this is what could have happened had she fallen with Optimus*
Ratchet: *quietly, concerned* What happened?
oTarantulus: *ruby optics flick toward the old bot* He walked through the door like I did.
Ratchet: *slight frown* That's... not quite what I meant...
oTarantulus: *browplates quirk as he understands* //He saw the roof of a cavern come down on two of his friends. A long time ago.//
Ratchet: *flash of shock in his optics, before realization dawns on his face*
oTarantulus: //He thought they both died, but only Optimus did.//
Ratchet: *quietly* //In this reality... Optimus was left behind... Elita never forgave our Sentinel for insisting on leaving...//
oTarantulus: *arm tightens around ovSentinel's shoulders as his frown returns*
Ratchet: //She never wanted to believe that Optimus was dead... The local Tarantulus... insists he is...//
oTarantulus: *nods* //He is.//
Ratchet: *small nod, optics dimming slightly*
oTarantulus: *looks down to check on WakeJumper*
oSentinel: *totally focused on the youngsters*
WakeJumper: *doesn't want to look around, is snuggling*
Tarop-tim: *telling ovSentinel about all the pretty flowers that he's seen on the island he calls home*
oSentinel: *listening intently, the interest clear in his pale optics*
Tarop-tim: *tells about the flowers that he's seen in the Nexus as well*
Showtime: *gently, to oTarantulus as something occurs to her* Have you tried PINpointing home?
oTarantulus: *looks up again* There were three of us at the Black Dog.
Showtime: *puzzled blinking*
oTarantulus: *sees the puzzlement and frowns* I can't go back without her.
Showtime: *understands now* *nods and lets Tarantulus know so he can relay the message*
Myrrh: *is that soft, calm voice from the entrance to the hallway* Tarantulus? Sentinel? Are you here? *steps forward, a tiny white femme with Elita's face and large, soft green wings*
oTarantulus: *nods* Now we can go back.
Showtime: *smiles and nods*
Elita: *surprised expression is a go*
Tarop-tim: *looks to Myrrh, smile*
Ratchet: *blink blink, has never seen anyone quite like Myrrh*
WakeJumper: *peeeeks* *soft click*
Myrrh: *walks over to stand beside her mentor and her brother, those calm, heathery reddish grey optics going to Elita* I was created from BlackArachnia.
Elita: *small nod, still looks a bit surprised*
Myrrh: *looks from her to Ratchet, patient and calm*
Ratchet: *just a bit confused*
Myrrh: *tilts her head slightly* What's wrong, Ratchet?
oTarantulus: *has lost interest in the Autobots now. Myrrh is here to talk to them*
Showtime: *has pity on the poor, confused medic, will explain Insecticons to Ratchet over comms*
Myrrh: *looks back and forth between the two Autobots, her feathery antennae waving slightly*
Ratchet: *gives Showtime a slightly bewildered look, is more confused than before*
Myrrh: Why is it so confusing?
Showtime: *going on a hunch* Probably because we don't have anyone born the way you were, Myrrh... Even with Nexus access, most of the bots here haven't seen much more than what's in this reality...
Myrrh: *slight smile* The Multiverse only has two bots born the way that I was. Both of them are me.
Showtime: *surprised* Oh...
Myrrh: *gentle clicks to Tarop-tim, explaining that it's time for her to take her dad, uncle, and brother home. Then looks up at Elita* Ultra Magnus has read the letter.
Elita: *quietly* Good....
Tarop-tim: *slight pout, but will gently snuggle ovSentinel and WakeJumper before moving to get up*
Myrrh: *gentle touch for Tarop-tim* He'll be calling soon. He plans to come to Earth.
Elita: *surprised by that*
Myrrh: *quietly* I think there will be things repaired then.
Elita: *small nod, will worry about that when the time comes*
Myrrh: *calm smile that is reassuring* *gently* Primus is pleased that things are finally happening.
Tarop-tim: *gentle clickstorm as he moves to help oSentinel and WakeJumper up from the couch*
oTarantulus: *smile for the young bot as he too stands, gently takes WakeJumper from oSentinel*
oSentinel: *holding WakeJumper's hand. Is relieved to know he's going home*
WakeJumper: *very soft click, snuggles*
Tarop-tim: *quick glance at Showtime, who nods* *invites ovSentinel to come pick flowers sometime*
oSentinel: *thanks Tarop-tim, but isn't too certain*
Elita: *quietly, to Myrrh* Finally happening?
Myrrh: *nods* Yes. He's straightening things out a little. *looks up and checks on her dad and her uncle and sees that they're standing and looking at her as they wait*
Elita: *slight frown, is going to puzzle over this*
Myrrh: *pat pat* You'll see. *steps back and touches oTarantulus and oSentinel's legs, then PINpoints them all home*
Showtime: *will gently patpat Ratchet on the arm, before she and Tarop-tim are returning to the island, where Dahlia is chasing dustbunnies*
Ratchet: *soft snort, and then goes to see if he can find a way to dim the lights of the plant somewhat, in case Showtime visits again*
Elita: *watches the medic go, before she's moving to return to her quarters. Will check on Drifter once she's there, and then settle next to the youngster as she writes a letter*
((co-written with random_xtras))