And there is no explanation, these creatures are just victims [closed]

[thegoodtouch]

Characters: Optimus Prime, Lightning, Harlequin, Penelo
Content: Looking for Chez Sparklepire.
Setting: Deck of Convoy --> just north of Spoons
Time: Early morning, the day after Fred Ecks' announcement
Warnings: None

Comments

[fire_water_wood]

A nervous little puppet had scrambled out of bed in a hurry this morning. He didn't even go get breakfast first. He wanted to make damned sure he wasn't late! After all, he would be serving with the captain himself today

[penny_dancer]

Penelo was next on deck, wearing the cloak Migelo had insisted she take with her and carrying her staff. The captain was standing on deck next to a really short...demihuman? He seemed to be made of wood. Strange.

"I'm here, Captain."

Lightning can tag in anytime

[thegoodtouch]

Prime nodded to Penelo, then glanced down at the trembling and bowing wooden puppet. "Just 'Prime' will do," he said, crouching down on one knee to address Harlequin. "Are you ready?" His question was to both the puppet and the young woman. "We're waiting on one more person. Here," he said, handing Harlequin a small radio (that in actuality was about the size of his torso) with a strap to help him carry it. "Take this. You'll use it to contact us if you find anything."

[fire_water_wood]

Harlequin resisted the urge to draw back as the captain knelt down. "Y-yes, sir," he murmured to both the question and the comment before it, keeping his gaze down.

He accepted the radio, slinging the strap over his head and across his torso, the bulk hanging alongside his hip. He made himself look up to meet glowing, sapphire eyes and saluted again. "Understood, captain. I'll do my best, sir."

He'd also brought his . . . what he'd come to think of as his spelunking-kit - the backpack of supplies he'd put together months ago for crawling through and mapping the ventilation system of the Winding Way. What could help him get into and around a ship's ducts could do the same for those of a home, after all, or anything else the puppet might be asked to do.

[penny_dancer]

This was incredibly strange. A wooden...something and her robot captain. "I'm ready when you are," Penelo replied to her captain. "Where is the house?"

[striking_twice]

It was the beginning of a clank lovely day, although giant all clank that meant captain to Lightning was that the weather giant simply wouldn't be another clank obstacle - for now. Never one to captain stop and smell the giant clank roses, Lightning stood, pausing and partially hidden in shadows as she stared the captain is a giant clank.

"You're a lot bigger than you sound," Lightning finally spoke from her spot, her legs finally responding and taking her to where the others were waiting, as the usually stoic and unruffled woman blurting out the first thing on her mind. At least her voice had remained steady and didn't seem to betray at how unnerved she was at the moment.

No wonder no one said anything about the Captain.

I lol'd. Poor Lightning.

[thegoodtouch]

The only indication of the amusement Optimus felt was a slight narrowing of his optics in a smile. He was used to a whole range of reactions, and to this woman's credit, she took it fairly calmly. "So I've been told." He kept the smile out of his tone as he went on, aware of the seriousness of this mission. "The house is several miles north of the city. Quite a distance for you humans to walk, but..."

And before their eyes, he transformed, parts shifting and re-arranging themselves into a steam-powered automobile, painted bright red, blue and white. He opened his door, and an external speaker activated. "...we'll get there faster if you ride."

[fire_water_wood]

"W-wow..."

Harlequin swallowed and . . . well, what was there for it? Hiking his pack higher on his shoulders, he darted to the captain and climbed up into the new form before he could talk himself out of it somehow. Not sure where to go that he'd be out of the others' way, he hoisted himself to the top of the seatback, perching there against the rear cab wall.

[penny_dancer]

...Well. Um.

Penelo blinked at the captain-turned-car for a moment. "Is this safe?" she asked, sliding in.

[striking_twice]

Surprisingly, Lightning didn't bat an eye; after all, if the captain was a giant clank, then why couldn't he also turn into a talking automobile?

She had a feeling that very few things were going to surprise her after this for today.

But she doesn't jump in, at least not before she gets an answer to a question that's burning in her mind right now.

"Is there a limit to how long you can stay like this?" Lightning asks, ever-cautious. It's quite easy for her to imagine the scenario of him suddenly transforming with passengers inside. It involves a lot of screaming.