grv. Downtown Apartments, the Freeway, and School of Medicine and Health Sciences. Buddy
alarm clock: *didn't ring!*
Catherine: *struggling to wake up, spent most of last night studying for an exam* *fumbles for the clock*
alarm clock: *come to think of it, it's not telling the time either*
Catherine: *bleary squinting, CUSS! Flurry of motion that results in her hammock flipping* *THUD* *CUSS MORE! Runs around getting dressed and pulling her hair back. NO time for breakfast! Grabs homework for her classes today, grabs the keys to Buddy, grabs her cell phone, mad dash for the door!*
Buddy: *is that sad little dirty grey Kia sitting by the curb... with a ticket under the one wiper that he's got*
Catherine: Oh, for the love of... *snags the ticket, will pay it after class!* *quick check to make sure Buddy hasn't been Booted*
Buddy: *no boot. But that tire's kinda flat, like every other morning. And evening...*
Catherine: *no time to fix, is LATE for class! Door unlocked, stuff in Buddy's passenger seat! Key in ignition after getting in, shutting door, and buckling up!*
parking dude: *wanders past blearily, stops to frown at her and point at the car, his mouth moving soundlessly*
Catherine: *puzzled, rolls down the window*
parking person: You have a flat, kid.
Catherine: I'm also running super late, Norman... I'll drive slow, promise.
Norman: *scowls* Take your bike. That thing's a death trap.
Catherine: I wish I could.... I sold Bubba to buy Buddy....
Norman: *facepalm and grouching about staying in New York*
Catherine: Sorry... *carefully pulling away after rolling the window up and starting the car*
Buddy: *you mean trying to start the car? Doesn't even turn over*
Catherine: ....Figures... *sighs and reaches to fish her bus pass out of the glove compartment*
Norman: *flips the hood up and does something to the spark plugs* Now try.
Catherine: *tries to start Buddy again*
Buddy: *choke! Whimper, whine. BACKFIRE. Run...*
Catherine: *cheers!* Woohoo! Thanks, Norman! *makes a mental note to make chili and share a thermos with the parking guy*
Buddy: *choke choke choke whimper grumble*
Catherine: *rubs the top of the dashboard* C'mon, Buddy.... I just changed your oil yesterday.... Just hold on till I can get enough saved up to get you to a real mechanic.... *seriously doubts Buddy will live that long, but she can hope, right?*
Buddy: *backfires on Norman in passing*
Norman: *hack hack grouch*
Catherine: *cringe* *will include homemade cinnamon rolls too* *sighs as she thinks about the cheesy, dinky little used car dealership she first spotted Buddy at, and about how she had to budget and scrape together every last penny, even borrowing money from Lizzy.... Thinking of that reminded her of how her younger sister had taken one look at the Kia and said "I didn't think you'd buy a piece of crap, Cat..."* *sighs again and gently patpats the dash* I don't think you're a piece of crap, Buddy....
Buddy: *sounds like dying*
Catherine: *meep* Oh, no.... Please don't die, Buddy! Not on the highway, at least! *worridly checking the gauges*
horn: *honks furiously behind them*
Catherine: Eeep! *will try pulling over to the shoulder to let the angry driver behind her by* *is already planning on calling her professors and apologizing*
Buddy: *choking, rattling, and wheezing. And then a very odd sound as the driver blares their horn in passing*
Catherine: *praying furiously that Buddy lives long enough to get to a repair shop, 'cause she really can't afford a tow truck right now!* C'mon, Buddy... don't die on me....
Buddy: *engine settles down to a sad and quiet wheezing*
Catherine: *breathes a sigh of relief, will do her best to navigate traffic and get to campus*
Buddy: *drifts into the school parking lot, his flat tire making flapping sounds and his engine wheezing softly like breathing*
Catherine: *looks for a parking spot, doesn't have much hope*
Buddy: *bumps into the curb and quits*
Catherine: *eep. Tries to get Buddy's engine to turn over again* C'mooooon.... I know I didn't leave the lights on last night....
Four strapping young guys: *start pushing the little car over toward that spot nearby, laughing as they go*
Catherine: *sheepish grin* *once Buddy's parked, she'll get out* Thank you.... Do you guys like cinnamon rolls? *might as well share what she's gonna be baking after class....*
ringleader: *grins* You sure you can afford to give stuff out?
other guys: *laugh*
Catherine: I'll be baking a batch after class anyways....
ringleader: Well, since you insist. Didn't your class start an hour ago?
Catherine: Unfortunately.... *sigh* My alarm clock died sometime last night....
ringleader: *chuckle* You know Hooper can see this lot from the classroom.
Catherine: *sigh* At least I haven't missed any of his classes yet..
ringleader: Wednesday is Biology first class.
Catherine: .... *eeeks and grabs her stuff, before running to get to class, even though she knows she's missed half of the class already*
Later in the day, after classes...
Catherine: Craaaap! Crap crap crap! Laaate! *RUNNING across campus to her adviser's office, was supposed to meet with her ten minutes ago!*
Buddy: *laying on his side*
Catherine: .... *stomps her foot* Come on! This is NOT cool!
Buddy: *has paint on roof. 'Dead Car!'*
Catherine: .... Now that's just mean.... *will not cry... will NOT cry....*
Buddy: *sad little sigh from his flat tire*
Catherine: *sighs as well, will call her adviser and explain why she's running so late, and promise that she'll be there as soon as possible. Manages to keep the upset wibble on her face from seeping through to her voice*
adviser: *gently explains that she has to go to her son's soccer practice at six*
Catherine: Can I reschedule for Friday then? I don't have any classes....
adviser: //Well, I might be able to squeeze you in over noon.//
Catherine: Thank you so much! *no, she won't get much sleep, more than likely....*
adviser: *gently* //Try to relax a little, alright? You're no good if you burn out.//
Catherine: Yes, ma'am....
adviser: //I'll talk to you later.//
Catherine: Thank you again... See you on Friday.
adviser: //See you.//
Catherine: *hangs up* *soft sigh, will get Moofy the Laptop out of his case and look up the nearest repair shop* *knows she'll have to cut back on internet and possibly drop her texting plan for the next few months*
big black dude: *pauses to shove that sad little car back onto its wheels* #@$@#@$@#, that's a dumb@@#$#@ thing to do.
Catherine: *blink blink* Thank you....
dude: *grins and winks* Major Bobby Epps. Hey, where's the nearest Quicky Mart?
Catherine: A couple blocks from here, sir... *points in the direction of one of her favorite stops on her route home* I stop there a few times a week...
dude: *grins more* Gonna grab that new NASCAR highlights disk they're only sellin' here in DC. *turns to go the way she indicated* Have a good one.
Catherine: *nods* You too, sir... *will turn her attention to seeing if Buddy's willing to start on the first go*
Buddy: *willing! Engine nearly sounds like it's cussing as he struggles to respond*
Catherine: *gentle patpat for the dashboard, will head to the nearest filling station, because she just KNOWS Norman will point out the flat tire.... again...*
Buddy: *limping along, wheezing, sighing, and groaning*
Catherine: *driving very gingerly, and avoiding all the busy streets*
Buddy: *picking along the back alley Cat has turned down. So slowly and painfully...*
derp on motorcycle: *whips around a corner and goes ripping on a straight course to T boning the Kia and maybe putting a sizable dent into Cat!*
Buddy: Shh@#$@#! *twists....
And a beat up grey robot is holding the young woman in one hand as he falls onto his back to avoid the biker*
Catherine: *doesn't even have time to react beyond letting out a startled shriek*
Buddy: *laying on his back with Cat held to his chest. Is shaking as he groans softly* Maaan... *slow, quiet cursing*
Catherine: *is also shaking and trying to figure out what the *BLEEEP* just happened* 0_0
Buddy: *finally lifts his head weakly* You... you okay?
Catherine: *hesitantly* Y-Yeah.... *just a bit pale*
Buddy: Good. *looses hand to let her go* Gimme a mo... 'n I'll change... change back.
Catherine: ... Okay... *moving to get down.... and then her knees are giving out on her and her butt's meeting the ground*
Buddy: *small whine* Katie?
Catherine: I'll.... be okay......
Buddy: *rattly sigh* Good... slag... Losin' it... again.
Catherine: *deep, shaky breaths. Is trying to make sense of this* *quietly* My car's a ginormous robot...
Buddy: *very quiet 'heh'* Nah... runt. *then groans and turns back to the Kia. Parked with a tire on her binder*
Catherine: ....Still bigger than me....
Buddy: *silent now but for the sad wheeze of his engine*
Catherine: ....You're.... parked on my binder.... *half suspects she's gone crazy*
Buddy: *no response*
Catherine: ... *moving to get to her feet as she realizes that the robot that became her car had what almost looked like scars around his waist* *hand on the front quarterpanel* *quietly* Let's... Let's go home....
Buddy: *weak little whispery sound as though in reply*
Catherine: *slowly moving to get what belongings she can picked up and put back into the passenger seat, before she's sitting in the driver's seat and driving the super long way home, the way that avoids all the major roads and highways. Yes, it takes a lot longer, but it's less terrifying. When she pulls into her usual parking spot, this time parking diagonally, which is what she probably should have done last night, she's gently patting the dashboard again.... and then she's hiding her face against the steering wheel and having a breakdown*
Buddy: *silent but for the soft ping of a cooling engine. But then her sobbing seems to reach through his fog and he's shuddering* Katie...?
Catherine: *quietly, in between shaky gasps* That was too close.... *had a very good scare and is reacting to it now that the shock's worn off*
Buddy: Hey... I saved ya. *gentle teasing in that deep but weak and shaky voice*
Catherine: *quietly* Too close.... I... don't feel so good...
Buddy: *worried little hitch* Yer hurt? *sounds like he's going to cry*
Catherine: *shuts her eyes and fights down the panic attack* *softly* No... Just.... Just give me a bit.... *deep breaths, deep, slow breaths*
Buddy: *shifts her seat just a bit, moving it in slow, painful little hitches till it feels like she's being hugged*
Catherine: *taking a few more minutes to calm down* *then* Crazy %&$%$# motorcyclists.....
Buddy: *weak and quiet* Heh...
Catherine: *soft chuckle* *gently patpatting Buddy's dashboard again*
Buddy: *wheezy sigh and slowly moves his seat back the way she'd had it*
Catherine: *quietly* Thank you.... for saving me.
Buddy: *soft purr that trails off to silence*
Catherine: *softly* Get some rest.... *already making plans to cancel her internet service, and dropping the text part of her cell phone plan. Will use the money she'll save to try and get Buddy fixed up, but first and foremost, he needs a car cover. Yes. Something sturdy, to keep the rain and snow off of him....* *will move to get her belongings*
Buddy: *silent but for the soft engine pings*
Catherine: *quietly, as she moves to head up to her apartment* See you in the morning, Buddy.... *she has afternoon and evening classes on Thursdays....*
Norman: *wanders over, hunkers down to look at that tire. And then puts a paper under Buddy's wiper*
The next morning....
Catherine: *still a bit pale, but definitely not shaky as she moves to head down the stairs to the street. She canceled her internet service, and dropped the texting package with her cell phone, so now it's time to take care of Buddy's needs*
neighbour across the hall: Hey, did you see that chase on the freeway yesterday?? *all excited*
Catherine: What chase on the freeway? When was this?
neighbour: It was on the news, special bulletin. Giant robots chasing each other down the freeway. And they changed into cars.
Catherine: .... I don't own a TV, and I took the long way home last night.... *small frown at the mention of giant robots, thinking of Buddy*
neighbour: Oh. *blink blinks and then relates the chase in detail, including the guy who got pitched onto the road and the girl that got tossed around like a doll*
Catherine: *cringing by the time the neighbor's done relating the story*
neighbour: *and then yelps and goes after his cat, who is a forty pound slab of orange tabby and white terror*
Catherine: .... *soft snerk, headshake, will head for the street level then*
Buddy: *looks like he's sunk slightly on his shocks. Actually, looks like he's sleeping the sleep of the pained and exhausted*
Catherine: *sighs and snags the note Norman left. Reads it, even as she fumbles for her phone, intending to call a tow truck to keep Buddy from getting too worn out* *parks her butt on Buddy's hood while she does that*
Buddy: *slight start as she sits, and then a very soft groan*
Catherine: *startles and stands up* Sorry....
Buddy: Shhhh. Just... startled me. *faint voice is friendly*
Catherine: *moves to sit on the curb, glad that she's wearing jeans today* *quietly* I'm gonna call a tow truck.... so I can get your tires replaced.... *frowns at her phone* Apparently, we missed a lot of excitement on the freeway yesterday....
Buddy: Hmmm?
Catherine: *quietly relays what her neighbor told her, though she'll leave out the parts about the guy who ate pavement and the girl who got tossed about like a doll, since those parts really bothered her when she heard them*
Buddy: ... Yellow?
Catherine: That's what I heard.... I don't have a TV.... Don't have a radio either....
Buddy: *soft squeal. Squeak. Blurt. Static* *sigh* Me... either.
Catherine: *reaches to gently patpat his front bumper* I could walk down to the corner shop and get a paper, if you want....
Buddy: *quiet sigh* Jes.... wish... could remember... why that... sounds important.
Catherine: *small, concerned frown* *softly* Well.... Maybe I can help you try and remember....
Buddy: *soft shiver and some wibbly sounding static* Whoa... slag... was that??
Catherine: *worried* Buddy? Is everything okay?
Buddy: Dunno.
Catherine: *moving to get to her feet, slight snerk* Tow truck's here...
Tow truck operator: *giving Catherine a 0.o look* Lady, were you talking to your car?
Catherine: *sticks her chin out* What of it?
Tow truck operator: .... *headshake, moves to get Buddy onto the back of the tow truck, which reads "MacKenzie Towing"* *can be heard muttering "And that's the most sane person I've run into today.... Good grief. Sis wasn't joking...."*
Buddy: *just backfired despite the engine not being on* *black smoke everywhere*
Tow truck operator: *coughing* What the heck?!
Catherine: *eeps and scoots over to the truck bed*
Buddy: *very soft wheeze*
Tow operator: *coughing and muttering curses as he moves to make absolutely sure the car he's supposed to be bringing to the shop is secure*
Catherine: *worried* *reaches up to gently touch Buddy's wheel in what she hopes is a reassuring way*
Buddy: *another quiet wheeze, and then a second backfire* Ugh...
Tow operator: .... *giving Catherine a "WTS" look*
Catherine: Is he on there securely? *trying to distract the operator from Buddy's backfiring*
Tow operator: .... Yeah..... *moves to head to the front of the truck*
Catherine: *softly* I'll be by to get you from the shop after they call me.... Shouldn't be too long.... *gentle patpat of the wheel*
Buddy: *suddenly shaking* Don't leave me, Katie.
Catherine: *blink blink... and then she's hurrying to ask if she can ride along* *on being told yes, she's hurrying to get in on the passenger side of the tow truck. There's a McDonald's next door that she can borrow wifi from, darnit.*
Later, at MacKenzie Auto Repair....
Catherine: *sitting as close to the bay as the mechanics will let her sit, typing away on her laptop as she looks up information about the incident on the freeway from the night before*
Buddy: *groggily refuses to open his hood*
black haired lady mechanic: *frowning and trying every trick she can think of to get the hood open*
Buddy: *SHUT!*
mechanic: *mutters a curse in Scottish* Beau! Go get mah plahers. Ah th'nk th' catch 's stuck....
Catherine: *looks up* *frowwwn* Hey, I thought I was just getting new tires for Buddy.....
mechanic: *as the tow operator goes to get tools* Yeah, but Ah jes' wanna make sure y'u ain't drahv'n a deathtrap.....
Buddy: *and then he's coughing, black smoke spewing from his tailpipes in painful bursts*
Catherine: *on her feet*
mechanic: *startled curse*
Buddy: *smoke stops, but now he's unable to control the shuddering and wheezing*
Beau: What the heck?
mechanic: *says similar, but in a far ruder way, is trying to find some way to stop whatever the heck's wrong*
Catherine: *hurrying over* *or she was till Beau grabbed her around the waist* Hey! Let go!
Buddy: *makes a soft mechanical sound of pain as he fights to stay awake*
mechanic: *trying to find out what caused that sound*
Catherine: *STOMPS on Beau's foot, earning a startled curse from the tow operator* *wiggles free and moves to put a hand on Buddy's quarterpanel*
Buddy: *very faintly* Help... *and then he's unfolded and is laying sprawled and still on his face*
mechanic: *startled, skitters back*
Catherine: *worried* Easy, Buddy.... Everything's gonna be okay.... *moves to gently touch the downed robot's face*
Beau: Holy.....
Buddy: *no response, but is leaking smoke*
Catherine: *attention going to the mechanic* Help me help him!
mechanic: .... Ah... Ah ain't qualifahed t' work on no robots.....
Beau: *slipping into the office, is going to call the number his cousin gave him*
Catherine: Please! He's hurt and needs help! *trying so hard not to cry*
mechanic: *looks at the robot, seeing the scars around his midsection, and all the salt corrosion* *looks to Catherine and sees just how worried the redhead is* *quietly* Ah.... Ah'll do wh't Ah c'n....
Beau: *letting the phone in the office hit the desk. Was just informed by someone that there's a *BLEEPING* WAR going on, thank you very much!*
dog: *lifts his head from where he was laying on the mechanic's coat in the corner, his ears perked toward the office*
mechanic: *getting her tools and setting to work on attempting to repair the injured robot*
Beau: *looking just a bit shaken as he emerges from the office* Denver..... There's.... There's a war going on...
Denver: *muffled, has a wrench handle in her mouth* 'Course th're 's, Beau.... Stink'n war's BEEN on....
Beau: Not that war.... Those robots that were on the news last night....
Catherine: ....Oh, no.... *hands to her mouth* *scrambles for her laptop and navigates to the first news site she can think of*
dog: *sits up over there on the coat, growling softly as he picks up on the unease in the garage*
Denver: *as she works* Down, Fluffy.
Fluffy: *ears back and lays down again, but his eyes are watchful and wary*
Catherine: *read read read, worry, fret*
Beau: *gone to the reception area and turned on the TV* *and then* Oh, unholy mackerel..... *eyes all but glued to the screen as he watches a very beaten and battered-looking robot seated in the chair at the Lincoln Memorial*
Denver: Wh't's wrong, Beau? *doesn't like that tone. It worries her*
Beau: The giant robots.... One of 'em's trashed the Lincoln Memorial!
Catherine: *quietly* The news sites are saying his name's Megatron.... *and saying it just gives her the chills*
Buddy: *slight twitch as she speaks the name*
Fluffy: *suddenly on his feet and barking as only a German Shepherd/Bloodhound cross can bark, his hackles up all along his back*
Catherine: *looks up from her searching*
Denver: *looks up, wary now*
Buddy: *moving slowly as he groans painfully* What... Katie?
Denver: *acks and skitters back again*
Catherine: *on her feet and moving to touch Buddy's face* I'm right here.... *yes, that is a bit of fright you hear in her voice, Buddy*
Buddy: *manages to flop onto his back* ...S'wrong? *pained brown eyes blink at her wearily*
Catherine: *quietly* I'm scared.... *moving to sit close to him* Something's happened.... I don't know what, but something's happened....
Buddy: Y'... *groan and shuts his eyes for a moment, then tries again* Y'said... 'Megatron'.
Catherine: *quietly* He's... defiled the Lincoln Memorial.... *tilts her laptop so Buddy can see the screen*
Buddy: *frowning as he tries to understand what he's seeing, but then gasps as Fluffy gives a roar and bounds toward the door*
Fluffy: *fury incarnate as he barks at the top of his lungs*
Denver: *moves to make a grab at Fluffy's collar. Something inside, she's not sure what, is screaming at her to get her family to safety, and that includes the mix-breed dog that arrived on her doorstep as little more than a ball of fur*
Buddy: *up on one hand and his knees now, a mirrored visor sliding down over his eyes* ...Katie, run!
Catherine: *trying to get to her feet.... but it's not fleeing that she has in mind* I'm not leaving you!
Buddy: Go! *can feel footsteps approaching!*
Fluffy: *howl of rage as he rears and paws, straining against Denver's hand on his collar*
Catherine: Not without you!
Denver: Beau! Get th' truck goin'!
Beau: *runs to do so*
Buddy: #@$@#$#@ it! Just go, girl!
Catherine: *stubbornly* Not without you!
Buddy: *turns back toward the garage door and clenches his fists as massive legs appear out there*
Catherine: *holds her laptop close to her chest, and holds her breath without realizing it
legs: *suddenly fly out of sight to the tune of a thunderous boom!*
Fluffy: *roars right back*
Buddy: *flat on his back*
Catherine: *ducks and shrieks*
Denver: *bodily hauls Fluffy to the truck*
***
Ratchet: *about to berate Wheeljack for using too much boom, not enough precision, when she sees something in a nearby garage* .... It can't be..... *moving to try and gently guide Skymine towards the garage*
Wheeljack: It got the slaggin' job... done? *hunkers down to peer over through that garage door without getting closer yet*
Ratchet: *hesitantly, her voice quivering slightly* Hello? Is everyone alright in there? *moving to carefully look in the garage*
Wheeljack: *looks for the Decepticons she threw something at and sees them far in the distance and getting further. Scoots closer to the garage* ...He's outta it, Ratch. *looks at the red-haired human*
Catherine: *starting to hyperventilate as she panics and tries shaking Buddy's arm* Buddy? Buddy?!
Ratchet: *scanning, even as she reaches for the cover to her storage compartment*
Fluffy: *comes barrelling out, ready to kill! Oh... Sits and looks up at the big yellow bot and the big white ones, a little nonplussed*
Wheeljack: Yipe! Oh. Heh. Hey, ain't you cute. *pet dog*
Fluffy: *...he is wagging his tail*
Ratchet: *will get Perceptor out of her storage compartment*
Perceptor: *looks around cautiously, and then up at his girlfriend's face* ...What just happened, Ratchet? *got stuffed in the compartment at the first hint of danger*
Denver: *is that low stream of cursing from by the truck*
Catherine: *trying frantically to get Buddy to wake up*
Ratchet: *quietly, sounding just a bit spooked* Jazz.... Has been found....
Perceptor: *optics wide, and then turns his head toward that worried voice* Oh dear. How is he functioning? *tries to get down*
Skymine: *quietly, as she flexes one fist that bears big patches of pink paint* Bad Sentinel.
Ratchet: *quietly, to Perceptor as she moves to gently set him on his feet* I'm not sure.... *will gently patpat Skymine's hand*
Catherine: *shaking and nearly hysterical now*
Perceptor: *scoots into the building and puts a gentle hand on the human woman's shoulder* Excuse me, please, Miss...
Catherine: *startles badly, shrieking*
Perceptor: *hands over his head as he turns and bolts*
Denver: F'r th' love 'a! *moving to grab Catherine, will try and get her away from Buddy* *and be met with fierce resistence as the red-haired woman struggles*
Beau: *hurrying to help restrain the terrified woman* Eeeeasy, Lady.... Nobody's gonna hurt ya.....
Ratchet: *gently rubbing Perceptor's back* *quietly* Everything is alright.... I'm here.... *to the black haired woman and the blond man* We mean you no harm....
Denver: Th't's *oof* All well 'n good.... *cringes as Catherine wallops her* But d' aneh 'f y'all 'ave anehth'n' t' calm 'er down?
Wheeljack: *reaches in and sticks Fluffy in Catherine's face* Puppy?
Fluffy: *huh? Oh sure. SLURP*
Catherine: *stunned into silence and stillness*
Denver: ....
Beau: ..... *snerk*
Fluffy: *okay, down now*
Wheeljack: *sets him down, and then inserts herself into the garage to have a look at the bot on the floor* Daaang.
Ratchet: *quick scan of the building's dimensions, and then she's quickly and carefully ushering Skymine and Perceptor inside*
Wheeljack: *looks up as her friend peers over her shoulder, then moves out of the way* He's pretty bad, Ratch.
Skymine: *sitting in the corner. Has found a tarp and is holding it to her poor sore face and foggy optics as she makes small happy sounds*
Ratchet: *quietly* Then we should get started on repairs.... *slight frown* Though it seems someone started that already....
Wheeljack: *gives a quizzical look to the humans who are here*
Denver: *quietly* Well, y'u trah tell'n th's spazz th't y'u ain't qualifahed....
Wheeljack: Heh. You mind if we use your space? We've got a kid with acid burns besides this mook.
Denver: Go 'head.... *quieter* 'T ain't lahk Ah c'n stop y'all.... *moves to bring Catherine to the office, since that will keep the redhead out of the way for now*
Perceptor: *watches the women go, and then looks up at Ratchet* *quietly* Will we be able to help your friend?
Ratchet: *quietly* I hope so, Perceptor.... I really hope so.... Wheeljack, you take care of Skymine.....
Wheeljack: On it. *turns toward the youngster that she loves. Stops to watch as the human man approaches Skymine*
Beau: *has a yellow box in his hands* *quietly* Here.... This'll help stop the acid.....
Wheeljack: *optics twinkle* Thanks, buddy! *gently coaxes Skymine to lower the tarp, and then applies the powder* Good thing you got that ceramic plating, kid. *vocalizer statics* Bad enough... 'Bee.
Skymine: *hugs Wheeljack as the inventor starts to sob* Bad Sentinel.
Beau: *small nod* *quietly* I'm sorry for your loss.... *will gently patpat the part of Wheeljack that he can reach*
Wheeljack: *looks down at him. Huskily* 'Bee was just a kid, and so was Sam. And now... they're just gone.
Beau: *quiet as he continues to gently patpat*
Wheeljack: Poor... lil' yellow bug. *cries more, then squeaks as Skymine glomps her*
Beau: *soft gasp as he realizes that the lady robot is talking about the yellow robot that was in the fight on the freeway the other day*
Skymine: *turns her head toward him quizzically, and then picks him up and hugs him too*
Beau: *startled sound as he's picked up and hugged*
Ratchet: *turns her attention to repairing Jazz's injuries, though she'll pinch the bridge of her nose for a few moments*
Perceptor: *touches her gently* Tell me how to help.
Ratchet: *quietly listing off Jazz's injuries, and what's been repaired so far* *pauses for a moment as she scans the injured mech again* *softly, with disbelief* There's.... a shard of the Allspark.... in his spark compartment....
Perceptor: *freezes, and then scans to see for himself* My stars, that's the only reason he's still running. *face falls* Oh dear. We currently have no access to most of what he's going to need. Do you think it will be safe to leave him here when we go to join Optimus?
Ratchet: *quietly* I don't know..... And I don't know how long it would take to transport him to where the equipment and parts are....
Perceptor: Will we be able to do enough to stabilize his condition before we go?
Ratchet: All we can do is try....
Perceptor: Indeed. *looks around for the humans and sees the black-haired woman standing at the door to the smaller room, her hand on the head of the dog* Excuse me, Miss.
Denver: Wh't all d' y'all need, tool-wahse?
Perceptor: *softly* Oh, we have tools, Miss. Though my... er... *BLUSH* Though Ratchet may need parts other than her redundancies. I was actually wondering if you would object to our injured friend and the youngster staying here till we are able to return for them.
Skymine: *calls over from where she just let Wheeljack go and is trying to wrap Beau in the tarp* Kick Sentinel's @#$@#@.
Wheeljack: Not with your eyes like that, kid.
Denver: Ah'll close up th' shop.... 'N 't sh'ld be safe 'nough.....
Perceptor: *quietly* We are unsure as to when we will return. *haunted sadness in the little scientist's mild voice*
Denver: *hands on hips* Th'n git goin'. Th' sooner y'all git, th' sooner y'all c'n git back.
Perceptor: *startles and steps back, then turns to help Ratchet with those repairs*
Denver: *moves to check on Beau, then she'll laugh at his predicament before heading to close up the shop*
One hour later....
Wheeljack: No. Skymine, you gotta stay here.
Skymine: No no! Go!
Ratchet: *gently* We'll be coming back soon, Skymine...
Skymine: *stoops and lifts the garage door, then steps outside* Go!
Ratchet: *moves to gently usher the youngster back inside*
Skymine: *shrugs her off* No!
Wheeljack: C'mon, kid, we don't have time for this...
Denver: *sitting on the hood of the tow truck* Stubborn gal, ain't she? *so amused*
Ratchet: *trying again* Skymine, we need you to stay here and guard Jazz....
Skymine: *launches into the air*
Wheeljack: Ack! $#%$#%#@!
Ratchet: *curse!*
Ironhide: *pauses as he stops by the garage, his gaze upturned* ... Isn't she blind?
Ratchet: Only visually, but we still need to.... *pauses* What are you doing here, Ironhide? *so confused now*
Ironhide: *holds out bundled son* Finding somewhere safe to leave Chrome.
Ratchet: ...
Beau: *managed to escape the tarp* *comes to see who the cranky yellow lady is talking to* ..... Holy....
Ironhide: *looks at the human* You're in charge of this place?
Beau: Er... No.... I just work here... *doesn't he look a bit familiar?* Lemme go get Sis.... This is her shop. *hurries back inside, and moments later, after a brief exchange of words, Denver's heading outside and looking UP*
Denver: *blink blink* C'n Ah 'elp y'u?
Ironhide: *gently lays his bundle inside the shop without noticing what lays under those tarps on the floor* This is my newborn son. I want to leave him here till I come back.
Denver: ... Alrahght.... *as if today couldn't get any weirder....*
Ironhide: Thank you. His mother is somewhere in the neighbourhood, and will come if he needs something. *straightens and looks at Ratchet as he says that*
Ratchet: *small nod, though her lips are pressed thin for a moment*
Ironhide: *looks back to Denver and nods his head* Thank you. I'll see about beating some money out of the US government to reimburse you.
Wheeljack: *facepalm*
Denver: *snerk* Alrahght.... Y'all stay outta too much trouble, y'u 'eah?
Ratchet: .... Easier said than done with these two....
Wheeljack: Haha. Your kid's out of sight. *flips to rally car and zooms off*
Ironhide: *shrugs and follows*
Ratchet: *sighs and shakes her head before moving to transform* We'll be back as soon as possible.
Denver: Alrahght.... Wh't sh'ld Ah do 'bout th' Princess? *tips her head towards the office*
Ratchet: Keep her quiet and calm.... And make sure she eats something.
Perceptor: *from her shoulder. Bright and weary* Doughnuts, perhaps.
Ratchet: Perhaps something with a bit more nutritional value....
Denver: Gotcha... *chuckles. Thinks Perceptor's alright, for a robot*
Perceptor: *softly, forgetting the audience* Should we go, love?
Ratchet: *nods* The sooner we get those parts, the better.... And we still have to track down Skymine.... *moves to help Perceptor down from her shoulder*
Perceptor: *softly* I have a feeling that we may need to do other things first. Look at the news.
Ratchet: *looks* *if she were human, she would be pale now* Oh, no.....
Perceptor: *touches her gently* Let's go. Optimus expects us.
Ratchet: *small nod, and a quick prayer, before she's putting a hand to the storage compartment cover, a wordless question in her optics*
Perceptor: *softly* I will ride in your cab, if it's alright.
Ratchet: *small nod, gently sets the scientist on his feet before transforming* *will open her cab door*
Perceptor: *nods to Denver, and then hops into the driver's seat and carefully fastens his seat belt*
Denver: *nods and moves to close the garage door, hoping that things will work out alright*
((written with random_xtras))
Continued here.