mbv and Nexus, NEST HQ and a hut near a park, Family Matters
Rachel: *carefully doing a bit of modification on Optimus' shell* There. Once we have this finished it'll be like a built in baby carrier. *and Soli will be much safer than she is strapped to her father's front*
Optimus: *nods, though that's the only movement he's willing to do at the moment* Thank you, Ratchet... *A bit quieter* Perceptor mentioned that Desinex and Sharpshot are still with us... How that's possible... I'm not even going to ask.
Rachel: There were already two of them in that spark. *last few adjustments* You're going to be a little wider around the waist, even in human mode.
Soli: *laying in Elita's arms and frowning*
Optimus: *Soft snerk* I can blame it on holiday cooking, right?
Elita: *ducks her head to hide her snicker, focuses on clicking to Soli*
Rachel: *chuckles* I guess so. If anyone notices.
Soli: *tiny squeak*
Optimus: *Clicks to Soli, affection for his adopted daughter clear on his face*
Soli: *turns head slightly. She can hear her parent spark.... Though this one she's snuggling near sounds okay too*
Optimus: *soft chuckle* Are we done? *why no, he's not in a rush to get his daughter tucked safely away*
Rachel: *opens and shuts the cover panel a few times, then pokes at the padding* Yup. All done, papa 'roo.
Optimus: *Soft razz for Rachel, moves to sit up and from there he's moving to stand on the floor*
Rachel: *sitting on the edge of the table he'd been laying on, squinting as she watches him*
Elita: *Fussing at Optimus a bit as she carefully transfers Soli to him*
Optimus: *fussing right back, even as he gently tucks Soli into the compartment*
Rachel: Hey, guys? Save it for when Soli's not around?
Optimus: *ducks his head, and checks to make sure Soli's comfortable in the compartment*
Elita: *Sheepish*
Soli: *all curled up, little optics shuttered*
Optimus: *carefully transforms once he's closed the compartment*
Soli: *soft little squeaks change to a tiny purr that is just barely caught by the receivers in the compartment*
Rachel: How's it feel, Chief?
Patrick: *hand over where the compartment is* *small nod, gives Rachel a thumbs-up*
Rachel: Good. *grin*
Joe: *comes in* Sir? You wanted to know when I'd be going to the Nexus next.
Patrick: *glances to Joe* Er... Yeah...*a bit of a sheepish grin that indicates he forgot all about asking the younger male to tell him*
Elita: *soft snerk, excuses herself with the intention of checking on how Destiny's handling the current situation*
Joe: *uncertain as he sees his older brother's expression* Sir? Is this a bad time?
Rachel: *you can't prove she's snerking. Nope*
Patrick: *headshake, makes sure his shirt collar is not popped, because no matter what the frat boys say, popped collars just aren't professional-looking* I'm ready to go...
Joe: Alright. *getting out his PINpoint and bringing them to a run down hut in the park near the sign*
Patrick: *confused look, takes in the surroundings*
Joe: *transforming to his bot mode* *quietly* This is where we meet.
Patrick: *blink* *just as quietly* You and the Bumblebee you mentioned?
Joe: Yes, sir.
Patrick: *small nod* Makes sense... this is an easy place to get to from other realities...
Optimus: I crashed not far from here. *perks and turns toward a sound, then smiles when he sees the black bayformer femme who's looking uncertainly at Patrick as she pushes someone smaller behind her* It's alright, Bumblebee. This is Patrick Oberson. He's my new CO.
Patrick: *nods to the femme* It's a pleasure to meet you, miss.
Bumblebee: *shifts her weight, joints creaking as she leans on a heavy cane* Er... hi.
Oriana: *peeks out from behind her with a quizzical beep*
Optimus: *face lights right up, and he's holding a hand out to the little one* Oriana?
Oriana: *oh hey, that looks like a hug waiting to happen*
Optimus: *staggers slightly and then holds the little femme close* She's beautiful, Bumblebee.
Patrick: *small smile, moves to carefully sit down nearby, so he's not intruding on the family moment*
Bumblebee: *shy and uncertain, but sighs as Optimus comes to put an arm around her. Leans against him* *quietly* She's safe. Nobody suspects anything. Though they were all afraid she'd go nuts and attack or something, and the captain had to order Scanbar to stay away from her.
Optimus: *frowns a little and tightens his hug around both femmes*
Bumblebee: It's alright, though. She follows the captain around and tries to eat his blue datapad. Or tries to play with Songstop and Redeco. I think she's going to be alright.
Oriana: *listening to Optimus' chest with a contented expression*
Patrick: *steals a quick glance at the family, soft snerk when he sees how Oriana and the younger Optimus are positioned*
Bumblebee: *sends a quizzical look his way*
Patrick: *quietly* She hears something familiar....
Bumblebee: *looks at Optimus*
Optimus: It's alright. He's another me.
Bumblebee: 0.o Sir.
Patrick: At ease... *amused, even as he stretches his legs out in a very un-librarian-like manner*
Optimus: *quietly* I said that Oriana was Bumblebee's creation. ...What I didn't say is that she's my clone.
Patrick: *raised brow, headtilt*
Bumblebee: *optics lowered* I'm the last Autobot from my reality. And the enemy can only be stopped by a Prime. In my reality Primes are born. *wibbles* *quietly* I can never go back. But that doesn't mean I have to give up.
Optimus: *gently rubs her back*
Oriana: *looks at her and then squeaks and hugs her*
Patrick: *Quietly, seriousness in his expression* As long as there is someone still willing to fight for what they believe in, all is not lost.
Bumblebee: *serious* I just wish.... *hides her face on Optimus*
Patrick: *concerned, moves to get up, though he seems a bit unsure of his movements currently*
Optimus: *explains* The Decepticons wiped out humanity.
Patrick: ... *looks a bit ill now*
Bumblebee: *nodding, but then forces herself to stop hiding, though the guilt makes her shoulders slump* I just found out my CO hasn't crossed over, too. Or at least he comes out of the Matrix. He was there when Oriana came online.
Optimus: 0_o
Patrick: ... *blink blink*
Bumblebee: *faceplates heat with embarrassment* He looked really really surprised.
Patrick: ...He hasn't crossed over... *trying to work this out... will get back to you eventually*
Bumblebee: He's a ghost.
Patrick: ...so it's not just my reality that has ghosts... huh...
Bumblebee: No, sir. I've met some from two other realities, too.
Patrick: ... *looks a bit brain-broken now*
Bumblebee: Though two of those are Allspark messengers, and one's an Allspark guardian. So they're supposed to be crossing back and forth.
Patrick: ... Allspark... Messengers?
Bumblebee: *nods* They carry messages from Primus. ...And guide lost sparks across.
Patrick: ... *makes a mental note to speak to Brawn about this and see if the once-offline mech knows anything*
Bumblebee: .... *earnest* It's not a glitch. You can ask people at the Black Dog or the Primus sanctuary.
Patrick: I believe you... There's someone back where I'm from who was once offline... and now he's back... I don't know if he spoke to a messenger or not, however...
Bumblebee: *blinking* ...He got to come back?
Patrick: *nods* He returned, and for awhile, was posessing a drone body as a ghost... then something happened at the Black Dog involving an Allspark shard... I wasn't there, so I don't know all the details...
Bumblebee: *looks at Optimus*
Optimus: *gently* It might not be possible. And we have Oriana.
Patrick: *quietly thinking of Soli's mother, his hand going to gently rest over the compartment where the sparklet is nestled*
Bumblebee: *leans her head against Optimus' chest* I know. Sometimes... sometimes it's just time for people to go.
Patrick: *Quietly* That doesn't mean it hurts any less...
Bumblebee: *shakes her head, and then makes a tiny keening sound as Optimus rubs her back and rocks gently on his feet*
Optimus: *looks like his spark's being ripped loose, but he comforts the femme as best he can while reassuring Oriana*
Patrick: *lost in his own thoughts, thinking of the friends he's lost because of the war*
Bumblebee: *just cries quietly a bit, and then rests against Optimus for awhile before she pushes away and wipes at her optics* I have to get back. The captain's already antsy about me coming to the Nexus.
Patrick: *still deep in thought, wonders if he should speak to Colonel Franklin about setting up a memorial or not*
Optimus: *gently kisses her on the forehead, then hesitates and kisses Oriana too* Be safe. I love you. Both of you.
Bumblebee: *wipes tears again, then gives him a brave smile and leads Oriana out of the hut and away*
Optimus: *watches her go, and then stands lost in thought with his shoulders sagging*
Patrick: *notices the quiet after a few moments, blinks and looks around*
Optimus: *face holding his loss, yearning, and pain*
Patrick: *knows that look all too well, moves to put an understanding hand on Optimus' leg*
Optimus: *startles and looks down at his older brother, then sighs and rubs his face* I hate letting them go.
Patrick: *nods* I know what you mean... You care deeply about them, and you don't want them to get hurt... but at the same time, you know they have to be free to choose for themselves...
Optimus: *goes to one knee, resting his arm on the other* *quietly* Bumblebee needs to be there. I... don't understand that. But she says that the person who told her was very firm about it.
Patrick: *small, confused look*
Optimus: Like I say. I don't understand that.
Patrick: ... Maybe if you asked her about it sometime?
Optimus: I did. She only says that the her universe depends on it.
Patrick: ... Huh...
Optimus: *sighs* Should we bring home some cookies and other fuels?
Patrick: *small nod* yeah..
Optimus: *offers him a hand* Want a ride on my shoulder?
Patrick: *nods, moves to climb onto Optimus' hand* Just be careful getting me up there... *quietly* I've got Soli with me right now...
Optimus: I know. *gently sets him on the perch, then rises to his feet and heads for the Black Dog*
((co-written with random_xtras))