Tinsel Strength
This one bit when I glanced at the prompts for last Wednesday in tf_speedwriting Pearls!bunny hopped up and begged me to write this, but I locked it away, covered my ears, and went "La la la la!" until I was done fighting with the spook_me entry. (Didn't win the fight, but ... I'd call it a draw.)
Sat down with pen and pad yesterday to finally write it. Got about 10 minutes in when my father called. "Hey, find me that bottle of 'mycin I had and bring it down the barn." Oh goody. "Oh, hey, while you're down here, help me dose this pig."
Get back up to the house, find my pen, "Hey, I'm almost done down the barn. Go hook the truck up to the trailer for me." Dammit, you're borrowing George's truck. I hate driving George's truck. Makes your 3500 look small and I can't see the trailer hitch to line up right. Half an hour later, it's "Hey, before you go back in the house, help me unload these chickens and swap pigs around. Oh, and come down the barn with me to work gates for me."
I love my father, my whole family, and the farm. Really, I do. But damn if it seems like every time I sit down to write, something comes up to demand my attention!
ANYWAY! Better late than never. I figure, I probably spent about an hour and a half actually writing/plotting, even if it took over 24 hours to actually get it written. I, apparently, am not allowed to write short even when I have the pen in my hand and the bunny hopping up and down madly with a complete scene.
===
Title: Tinsel Strength
Warnings: Silliness, OCs
Rating: G
Continuity: Bayverse AU (Why oh why is the bunny giving me outtakes when I'm trying for actual scenes?)
Characters: Barricade, OC Kate, OC Mariposa
Disclaimer: Besides, not mine? Umm, don't drink while reading if you are very good at picturing crack.
Prompt: 27 Oct 2010 "Tensile Strength"
“What … is this … slag?”
Barricade plucked a few of the shimmering strands off one of his audios. He tried to flick it off, growling when it clung to his talons.
Kate's nostrils were sucked in hard, and she nearly bit through her lower lip trying not to laugh. “It's Christmas tinsel,” she giggled. Barricade gave her points for the effort, if not the follow-through. She reached over the railing and plucked the offending bits of metal from his hand.
“It's July,” he pointed out. “Now, I may not be from around here, but ...”
“I found it in the thrift store. I thought Mari might like it for her art projects.”
Said youngling was currently hiding behind her genitor, with that sheepish smile a child gets when they have been caught doing mischief, but had way too much fun to feel sorry. Given that Mariposa was a seven foot Seeker spawn, and her genitor was a barely-tops-five-feet human female, she failed, miserably.
“I am not an 'art project',” he groused.
“Papa says you're a piece of work, though,” Mari chirped. Kate froze, her face contorting as she fought to restrain her laughter.
“Mari, dear,” she squeaked out, “why don't you go find a bag or a box to put all this in. We should really get it off before it gets into his air intakes.”
“Okay!” Mari trotted down the stairs. “Would he hack it up like a cat with a hairball?”
“Mariposa!” Kate nearly choked on her laughter.
“Yes, Mama.”
Barricade growled, but held out his arm so that Kate could climb over and start gathering the tinsel. “I would think she'd be more worried about you, Kitten.”
“Oh, hush, you,” she said winding strands into a ball. “She didn't mean any harm. And you are all black; it's a natural base for silver.”
“So help me, if any video or stills of this get out …,” he rumbled.
Kate hooked one leg around his shoulder strut so she could reach the joints of his back panels. “She doesn't have the capability to do that wirelessly yet, and she wouldn't tell anyone but us anyway. Skywarp is already likely well aware, given how fast he bugged out for patrol, but the first person he'll tell will be his Trine leader, and Starscream will keep him in line.” She dropped handfuls of tinsel into the box Mari held up to her.
Barricade considered his options. “So, instead of this being spread around the entire Deception army, I merely have to worry about the Air Commander using this as a nice little piece of blackmail.” He groaned. “Are you done yet?”
“Almost,” she answered. “Just … hold still so it doesn't work down into your joints any more than it is. This stuff never breaks except when you want it to hold and pull out.” She started humming as she picked stray bits from his neck and shoulders.
Time to start planning his revenge. “So.”
“So.”
“You bought her this stuff.”
“Mm-hm,” was the absent reply.
He tilted his head to the side at her insistent pushing. “And you're not groveling because …?” he growled, pitching his voice low for effect.
“Because I believe a child's natural abilities should be encouraged.” She dropped the last handful into the box and started wiping off escaped fragments while Mari escaped with her prize. “And I think it's wonderful how Skywarp has taken such an interest in her artistic talents,” she continued, leaning back to meet his gaze.
His optics narrowed. “He has, has he?”
Kate's smile was far too innocent. “Oh, yes. It's a very good thing, given that he is family and Starscream was recalled to the Nemesis. Just the outlet for a creative youngling. Why, just last night she asked me to pick up some more supplies next time you took me to town. Paints, glue, glitter, large pads of paper, stickers, all sorts of things.”
Barricade's answering grin held far too much malice to be safe for anyone, especially a certain member of the Seeker persuasion. “Well, then. Perhaps I should take you into town when 'Warp gets back from patrol. For Mariposa's benefit, of course.”
Sat down with pen and pad yesterday to finally write it. Got about 10 minutes in when my father called. "Hey, find me that bottle of 'mycin I had and bring it down the barn." Oh goody. "Oh, hey, while you're down here, help me dose this pig."
Get back up to the house, find my pen, "Hey, I'm almost done down the barn. Go hook the truck up to the trailer for me." Dammit, you're borrowing George's truck. I hate driving George's truck. Makes your 3500 look small and I can't see the trailer hitch to line up right. Half an hour later, it's "Hey, before you go back in the house, help me unload these chickens and swap pigs around. Oh, and come down the barn with me to work gates for me."
I love my father, my whole family, and the farm. Really, I do. But damn if it seems like every time I sit down to write, something comes up to demand my attention!
ANYWAY! Better late than never. I figure, I probably spent about an hour and a half actually writing/plotting, even if it took over 24 hours to actually get it written. I, apparently, am not allowed to write short even when I have the pen in my hand and the bunny hopping up and down madly with a complete scene.
===
Title: Tinsel Strength
Warnings: Silliness, OCs
Rating: G
Continuity: Bayverse AU (Why oh why is the bunny giving me outtakes when I'm trying for actual scenes?)
Characters: Barricade, OC Kate, OC Mariposa
Disclaimer: Besides, not mine? Umm, don't drink while reading if you are very good at picturing crack.
Prompt: 27 Oct 2010 "Tensile Strength"
“What … is this … slag?”
Barricade plucked a few of the shimmering strands off one of his audios. He tried to flick it off, growling when it clung to his talons.
Kate's nostrils were sucked in hard, and she nearly bit through her lower lip trying not to laugh. “It's Christmas tinsel,” she giggled. Barricade gave her points for the effort, if not the follow-through. She reached over the railing and plucked the offending bits of metal from his hand.
“It's July,” he pointed out. “Now, I may not be from around here, but ...”
“I found it in the thrift store. I thought Mari might like it for her art projects.”
Said youngling was currently hiding behind her genitor, with that sheepish smile a child gets when they have been caught doing mischief, but had way too much fun to feel sorry. Given that Mariposa was a seven foot Seeker spawn, and her genitor was a barely-tops-five-feet human female, she failed, miserably.
“I am not an 'art project',” he groused.
“Papa says you're a piece of work, though,” Mari chirped. Kate froze, her face contorting as she fought to restrain her laughter.
“Mari, dear,” she squeaked out, “why don't you go find a bag or a box to put all this in. We should really get it off before it gets into his air intakes.”
“Okay!” Mari trotted down the stairs. “Would he hack it up like a cat with a hairball?”
“Mariposa!” Kate nearly choked on her laughter.
“Yes, Mama.”
Barricade growled, but held out his arm so that Kate could climb over and start gathering the tinsel. “I would think she'd be more worried about you, Kitten.”
“Oh, hush, you,” she said winding strands into a ball. “She didn't mean any harm. And you are all black; it's a natural base for silver.”
“So help me, if any video or stills of this get out …,” he rumbled.
Kate hooked one leg around his shoulder strut so she could reach the joints of his back panels. “She doesn't have the capability to do that wirelessly yet, and she wouldn't tell anyone but us anyway. Skywarp is already likely well aware, given how fast he bugged out for patrol, but the first person he'll tell will be his Trine leader, and Starscream will keep him in line.” She dropped handfuls of tinsel into the box Mari held up to her.
Barricade considered his options. “So, instead of this being spread around the entire Deception army, I merely have to worry about the Air Commander using this as a nice little piece of blackmail.” He groaned. “Are you done yet?”
“Almost,” she answered. “Just … hold still so it doesn't work down into your joints any more than it is. This stuff never breaks except when you want it to hold and pull out.” She started humming as she picked stray bits from his neck and shoulders.
Time to start planning his revenge. “So.”
“So.”
“You bought her this stuff.”
“Mm-hm,” was the absent reply.
He tilted his head to the side at her insistent pushing. “And you're not groveling because …?” he growled, pitching his voice low for effect.
“Because I believe a child's natural abilities should be encouraged.” She dropped the last handful into the box and started wiping off escaped fragments while Mari escaped with her prize. “And I think it's wonderful how Skywarp has taken such an interest in her artistic talents,” she continued, leaning back to meet his gaze.
His optics narrowed. “He has, has he?”
Kate's smile was far too innocent. “Oh, yes. It's a very good thing, given that he is family and Starscream was recalled to the Nemesis. Just the outlet for a creative youngling. Why, just last night she asked me to pick up some more supplies next time you took me to town. Paints, glue, glitter, large pads of paper, stickers, all sorts of things.”
Barricade's answering grin held far too much malice to be safe for anyone, especially a certain member of the Seeker persuasion. “Well, then. Perhaps I should take you into town when 'Warp gets back from patrol. For Mariposa's benefit, of course.”