mbv, Wesson Family Residence and the /Ark/, Surprises
Pete: *inna basket, onna counter* Mrrp mrrp? *looooking at the floor*
Maria: *looks up from her recipe researching*
Pete: *is looking at a pea on the floor, and talking about it*
Maria: *Chuckle* You silly thing... *Will get up and go grab the pea*
Pete: *chirps, ears perked. Is it gonna try to run away, Momma?*
Maria: *Bending down to pick up the pea, absently wondering when it got away*
Pete: Mrow, mrrpt. *and then he turns and looks at the patio door, even though he's been ignoring the blizzard all day* Rrraow?
Maria: *Looks up* Is something there?
Pete: *jumps down and goes to look through the glass at the skinny little white long hair cat that's hanging from the screen and howling along with the wind*
Maria: *Surprised blurt of Portugese, then she's moving to get the poor thing that's clinging to the screen*
white cat: *wet, bedraggled, shivering pitifully, and crying with a loud Siamese voice*
Maria: *Grabs one of the towels used for drying hair after rain or snow from off of the bench, will wrap the white cat in it, talking gently to it* Shhhh... You'll be alright...
white cat: ROW ROW ROOOOWWWW!
Pete: Mrrrpt? *ears perked, will gently nuzzle the white kitty after Mama closes the door, doesn't like the yuck either*
Maria: *Soothing murmurs as she gently dries the poor cat off*
white cat: *is clearly elderly, and very thin. Looks like a Balinese with those big blue eyes and that voice, but if he is his points are such a faint blue that they hardly show* *lays his head down and stops crying for a bit. Looks pooped out and a little shocked*
Maria: Poor thing... *Will move to get the laundry basket, yes, the one with all her clean clothes neatly folded, situated near the heater. Will then gently tuck the white cat into it*
Pete: *Will love on you now, white kitty! Snuggles and purrs are a go*
white cat: *sighs and shuts his eyes, then starts up a thready and rusty sounding purr*
Maria: *Will make sure the heater isn't too hot, and then get started on making something for the newcomer. While she's doing that, she'll call her husband and let him know about this*
Pete: *Issa snuggle thunderpurr*
Wesson: //White cat, huh?//
Maria: Yeah... He's a skinny little thing... Prolly someone's housecat....
Wesson: //Wonder what they were doin' letting him out in this.//
Maria: No idea... He might'a slipped out the door and freaked, or he might'a flown the coop on the way to the vet's....
Wesson: //Hmm. Nobody went out today that I know oWHOOPS!//
Maria: John? What happened?
Wesson: *same calm voice* //Ice.//
Maria: ... Are you alright? *Worried*
Wesson: *chuckles* //Yeah. I know how to fall.//
Maria: *Relieved* Good....
Wesson: *gentle razz and another chuckle, and then there's the sound of the front door opening*
Pete: *Ears up, can hear Papa* Mrrrpt! Mrrrowww!
Maria: *Attention going to the front door* We're in the kitchen...
Wesson: *rumbles his deep chuckle* Of course you are. Hey, Petey ain't gonna come say hi this time? *stamping snow off his boots and dusting off his coat before he hangs it up*
Maria: I think he's keepin' our guest company... *chuckles as Pete 'talks'*
Wesson: *comes in wearing cammo pants and under shirt, feet and arms bare. Grins as he goes to greet his wife first* So how was your day?
Maria: Pretty quiet, till Pete spotted a pea... *more chuckle*
Wesson: *arms around her in a cuddle* A pea?
Maria: Yeah... Prolly from last night when we were cooking... *Snuggles close* He was sittin' in his basket and talkin' up a storm... *Chuckle*
Pete: *Will tell the not-cat about the good noms Mama is making*
Wesson: Awwww. *kisses her gently on the cheek and then lets her go and walks over to hunker by the laundry basket*
Maria: *moves to finish making the white cat something to eat*
Pete: *'talks' to Papa, telling him about the not-cat* *Puuuuuurrrrrrrrrrrr*
Wesson: *silent for several minutes, and then...* Oh $#@$#@ no.
Maria: *looks up* What?
dry little voice from the basket: What? I'm not welcome at my own family members' home?
Maria: .... *Boggling*
Wesson: *hand to his face as he slowly shakes his head* I thought you were history, Glit.
white cat: *sits up* I am. It's just ongoing.
Maria: *looking brain-broken now*
Wesson: *scoops the little critter up and then stands and turns to his wife as Pete scrambles onto his shoulder* Maria, I want you to meet Soundwave's older brother.
Maria: ... Hi.... *Soooo very brain-broken right now*
Glit: *blue eyes twinkling wearily as he lays in Wesson's arms* Hello, my dear. And a belated welcome to the family.
Maria: *As Pete chirps and balances on her husband's shoulders* Thank you.... Wait... You're Rumble, Frenzy, Laserbeak and Ravage's uncle then?
Glit: *facepaw* You mean they're still around?
Maria: And how....
Glit: Well... it'll be nice to see Ravage again. If I can convince her I'm not a chew toy.
Maria: Not gonna happen... *chuckle*
Wesson: *soft rumble* She's littler than you are now, Glit.
Glit: *looks up at him* You're joking.
Maria: Nope... And she's happily married t' Steeljaw...
Glit: ... Who's that again?
Maria: One of Blaster's kids.... Big, orange floofball of a cat... *chuckle* Pete's gonna be just as big someday....
Pete: Mrrrpt!
Glit: Blaster... wasn't that Soundwave's rival on the channels?
Maria: ... I have noooo idea... *looks to her husband*
Wesson: *smirk* Nope. He was Soundwave's wannabe on the channels.
Glit: *rolls eyes, then sighs and puts his head down again*
Maria: *Concerned* Maybe we'd better get you to Doctor Ruteger or Doctor Anderson....
Glit: Not tonight, dear. This is just the reaction to nearly freezing my fuel lines solid.
Maria: *Wince* That... sounds painful.
Wesson: >_o Oh yeah. *gently rubs the old catbot's back* Can you take in organic fuel?
Glit: *doesn't lift his head* Mmmhmmm. I understand that lovely smell is intended for me.
Maria: *Attention back on cooking, so she doesn't scorch anything!*
Wesson: You want any help, baby?
Maria: *Names off a few ingredients that need to go into the cream of rice, but which are just out of her reach in the pantry*
Wesson: *over he goes, Glit in the crook of one arm and Pete perching on the same side shoulder*
Glit: *is surprised but not unpleased to find himself being carried about so carefully. Chuckles with amusement as packages get set beside and on top of him*
Pete: *Protesting about not having any room on Papa's shoulder! Issa FLOOF*
Wesson: Hey, what's your problem, fuzzball?
Pete: Mroow mrrrrpt hmyaa...
Wesson: *chuckles and takes down a package of the little tiny cookies he and Maria made the other day, then comes out of the pantry to bring his wife the things she wants for the cream of rice* Did you hear this fuzzy complaining?
Maria: *looks, and chuckles* I think he's upset that there's no room for him to stand.... *Will get what she asked for, and then try and talk Pete into sitting on his basket on the counter*
Wesson: He stands on me all the time. *lowers himself near the counter basket, and also adds one of the little cookies to it*
Pete: *Cookie! Will hop down and purr as he nibbles on the cookie*
Wesson: *chuckles, and then pops one of the little dinochicken flavored shapes into his own mouth and chews. No, Maria hasn't broken him from eating the homemade cat food yet*
Glit: What's this now? *head lifted as he sniffs* What are the two of you eating?
Maria: *As she works* Dino chicken-flavored cookies...
Glit: Dino chicken? *trying to get his face in the bag as Wesson tries to keep his face out of the bag*
Maria: Yeah... It's something that we get in the Nexus on supply runs... John, I don't think a couple cookies would hurt him. *No, she's not looking*
Wesson: That doesn't mean he's gotta stick his face in the bag. Other people are eating them too. *grinning as he grouses*
Glit: I want to analyze them!
Wesson: So take one.
Glit: *uses a paw to do so, then studies the tiny heart shape with interest before sniffing again* They smell lovely, and my scanners indicate them to be very nutritious.
Maria: *pleased chuckle*
Wesson: *eats another, and then whistles for Maria to look at him*
Maria: *looks over from adding the finishing touches to the cream of rice* ?
Wesson: *holds up a little cookie, poised to toss it into her mouth*
Maria: *Chuckles and opens her mouth to try and catch the cookie*
Wesson: *tosses it gently but skillfully*
Glit: *watching this, one paw resting absently on his cookie*
Maria: *is soon snacking on the cookie*
Pete: *Thunderpurr. Mama and Papa are being silly!*
Wesson: *grins and looks over at Pete* 'N I suppose you want another one, huh?
Pete: *Sits up and puts on the cute*
Wesson: Whaddya say?
Pete: *Squirms so he can park his butt on the basket and sit up, before putting his paws together*
Wesson: Aww, Maria, he did it on the first try. *gives cookie to the leggy kitten*
Maria: Awww! He's gonna out-cute Steeljaw one of these days... *Will get a bowl and fill it with cream of rice*
Wesson: *shoots her a humorous and play offended look* What are you talkin' about? He's a heck of a lot cuter than Steeljaw!
Maria: *Laughs as she moves to set the bowl where Glit can reach it easily*
Wesson: *lays the elderly medic in the basket beside Pete, then rubs the kitten's ears and picks him up*
Maria: *Will move the bowl before she starts getting dinner ready to be cooked*
Pete: *Happy kitty*
Wesson: *rubs his cheek on the kitten's head, then croons to him softly*
Glit: *frozen in mid nom to stare at this*
Pete: *issa leggy thunderpurr monster!*
Glit: What... are you doing?
Wesson: *snerks at him and continues loving on his kitten kid*
Maria: *from where she's cutting up dino chicken to make soup with* He's bein' a suck, is what he's doing... *Chuckle*
Wesson: *sneaks over sideways and rubs his cheek on her instead*
Maria: *Will poke a carrot at her husband's mouth*
Wesson: *snerks and backs off a little* Is that a hint? *last cuddle for Pete and sets him back in the basket by the still staring Glit*
Maria: Maybe... *more chuckle, glances out the window* Days like this, I'm glad there's a generator runnin' the base...
Wesson: *looks that way too from where he's washing his hands* It snowed a lot last winter, but it never got like this. *takes the carrot and starts to chop it*
Maria: No kiddin'... Maybe this is the backlash from that...
Wesson: *frowns and gets another carrot* That happens? *pauses as he realizes the carrot is purple. Looks in the bag* ...You ben shopping at the farmer's market again, huh?
Maria: Yeah... Either that, or it's that El Nino thing kickin' our butts... 'N yeah, I did...
Wesson: *waves the purple carrot at her* So that's supposed to look like that? *eyes back to the window*
Maria: Yes, it is. *cutting up celery now*
Glit: *blink blink. Feels brain broken as he resumes eating his food and snuggling the affectionate kitten*
Wesson: *tastes purple carrot* *lifts brows* Huh. *ducks head to kiss wife on cheek and then resumes carrot preparation*
Inside the Ark
Slipstream: *curled up under a table in his family's quarters, sound asleep*
Thrust: *having a bit of a nap nearby, will wake up at the first sound he hears*
Sidewinder: *looking down at her feet where she's sitting on the edge of her bed. Circulates deeply, and then tries to stand up. THUD*
Slipstream: *slight hiss and sleeps more*
Thrust: *Awake and on his feet! Will hurry over to Sidewinder and check her over for injury*
Sidewinder: *scowling and curled up slightly with shame and anger*
Thrust: *hesitant clicks as he moves to try and help her back onto the berth*
Sidewinder: *turns her head and looks at him, her optics dull and dark*
Thrust: *Will send a ping to the medics, and continue to try and get Sidewinder back on her berth* *is half-expecting to be cuffed for doing so*
Sidewinder: *no reaction. No snarl. No sharp look. No complaining. Nothing*
Rachel: //What did the darn kid eat this time?//
Thrust: //It's not Slipstream this time...//
Rachel: //What's wrong, then?//
Thrust: *Will describe what he's seen, while silently cursing himself for not being a medic*
Rachel: ... *changes frequencies* //Hey, guys, who's on duty in the med ward?//
Russell: //That would be me... Is something wrong?//
Rachel: *quietly* //I think Sidewinder's given up.//
Russell: //...Slag... She's in her family quarters, right?//
Rachel: //Yup.//
Russell: //I'll be there momentarily. Any idea what triggered it?// *is getting his field kit*
Rachel: *sighs over the comm* //Other than being a Seeker and finding herself helpless now for several weeks?//
Russell: //...Skylar's not even that high-strung....//
Rachel: //Skylar was born before the real 'Con hardwiring started.//
Russell: //*Sigh* Calling Skylar for help isn't an option, I'm guessing?//
Rachel: //Do you think it would help? She only listens to Xiaobei.//
Russell: //And Xiaobei's still loopy, isn't she?//
Rachel: *pings the newly bonded Warlady*
Xiaobei: *Absent, curious sound. Was asleep*
Rachel: //Sidewinder's dying.//
Xiaobei: //...// *And then she's PINpointing to Sidewinder's quarters*
Sidewinder: *back on her bed. Still inert*
Xiaobei: *scooting over to her second, will grab the other femme a bit roughly* [Sidewinder, respond.] *using The Voice*
Thrust: *wants to go and hide, but at the same time, he knows that probably isn't the smartest thing to do*
Sidewinder: *emotionlessly* [Responding.]
Xiaobei: [Your orders were to rest and recover so you could return to your post as quickly as possible.]
Sidewinder: [Recovery failure.]
Xiaobei: [For what reason?]
Sidewinder: [Condition has not changed in three months.]
Xiaobei: *going to fight dirty* [So you would let yourself die in such a dishonorable way?]
Sidewinder: [Honor is already dead.]
Xiaobei: *Still fighting dirty* [Recovery takes time, and effort. If you are not even willing to try and fight to recover, then you are a coward.]
Sidewinder: *turns those empty optics toward her leader and databursts the efforts she's been making over the months, and the failures*
Xiaobei: *Will forward the information to Russell as the medic arrives* [You have been trying to reach for the stars... When you should have been reaching for the first step to start with. Focus on the smaller pieces of the larger picture, and use the failures to grow stronger.]
Sidewinder: ... [Getting off the berth is reaching for the stars?]
Xiaobei: [Focus on being able to sit up under your own power for now. The time will come when you will be able to get up off of your berth without needing to rest immediately afterwards, but it will not come if you give up now.] *Gives Sidewinder a Look* [I did not train you as my second just for you to stop trying when things seemed impossible, Sidewinder.] *Quieter* [And if what Comet says is correct, it was your idea to save me, even knowing how powerful Megatron was at the time.]
Sidewinder: [I did my duty. But now I am no further use.]
Xiaobei: [You went against my orders... and you were right to do so. Your son needs guidance like that, not from an Autobot, and not from a ground soldier. Thrust may be a flier, but he is only a Conehead. He doesn't know the things that Seekers should know.... And I still have need of someone to watch my six.]
Sidewinder: [That sparklet is my greatest failure.]
Xiaobei: [He is untrained and untested. You were quite similar at his age.]
Sidewinder: *starts to speak, but instead abruptly switches into stasis*
Russell: *moving to scan the Seeker*
Thrust: *Quietly* She does that a lot...
Xiaobei: *small nod* I see... *will indicate that she needs someplace to sit. Intends to stay by her Second's side*
Russell: *Will get Sidewinder hooked to an energon feed, and do what he can to strengthen her systems*
Xiaobei: *doing her best to keep her discomfort at being so far away from her mate hidden*
Sidewinder: *unaware of her visitors now, but her hand is seeking for that body that sometimes lays close to hers during the dark and closed in nights*
Thrust: *Quiet clicks as he moves to gently touch her hand*
Sidewinder: *head turns toward him and she settles down*
Thrust: *now used to spending time kneeling by a berth, has locked his knees so he won't topple over*
Russell: *Relays what he's seen to Rachel*
Rachel: //I see I should have tied them both down.// *exasperated and amused*
Russell: //Xiaobei cares about her team.... Even bonding funk's not enough to keep her from trying to be there for them...//
Rachel: *sigh* //Let Prowl go, would you? That's got to be agony for them.//
Russell: //I'll get him untied... Xiaobei's trying to hide her discomfort...// *Will PINpoint back to the medbay*
Prowl: *There a couple of minutes later, will situate himself next to Xiaobei's chair*
Slipstream: *peeks through the door and scowls at that crowd of strangers in his home. Will go and crawl under the couch to sleep in protest*
Rachel: //How long's it been since Sidewinder's seen the sky?//
Russell: //... Probably since just before Slipstream was born...//
Rachel: //No wonder she's given up!//
Russell: //...We'll need to move her someplace where she can see the sky easily...//
Rachel: //I'm standing by my window, and I can't see the bird feeder, let alone the sky.//
Russell: *in plotting mode* //Would there be enough room in the atrium, do you think?//
Rachel: //No question of that.// *pings Skylar*
Skylar: //What's up?//
Rachel: //Would the very faint light of a blizzard obscured night coming through skylights be enough to help a dying Seeker who's lost her will to live?//
Skylar: //...How soon can you get her moved?//
Rachel: //Russ is there with his PINpoint.//
Skylar: //Get her moved, and make sure she's comfortable.// *Unintentionally terse*
Rachel: *bites off an ironic verbal salute* //Russ, Skylar says to get her to the atrium asap.//
Russell: //On it.// *Will have Serenity try and coax Slipstream out from under the couch in the meantime*
Slipstream: *sleeps on and ignores* *also holds onto bottom of couch so that Thrust can't pull him out unawares*
Serenity: *Soft sigh, will just bring the seeklet and the couch with her in that case*
Russell: *Has brought Sidewinder, Thrust, Prowl, and Xiaobei to the atrium*
Thrust: ... *Both brow ridges up*
Sidewinder: *dimly awake. Enough to turn her head. Drops quickly back into recharge*
Thrust: *keeping a couple of sensors on the couch, and the rest on Sidewinder*
Sidewinder and Slipstream: *sleeping deeply. Sidewinder's is a little too deep for normal. But at least she's under the sky. Get a load of that stuff out there, Thrust*
Thrust: *looking up, boggles at the white stuff*
Serenity: *Also looking up* ... Yuck. *will get snuggled by mate after he finishes making sure Prowl and Xiaobei are comfortable in one of the nearby sitting niches*
Thrust: *Watches the medic and his femme leave for the medbay, before turning his attention to Xiaobei and Prowl. Once he hears them settling into a sleep cycle, he's moving to carefully lay down next to Sidewinder*
Sidewinder: *vitals improve slightly, as they have for every night since the Conehead has come to live with her and her son. Will rest quietly now till morning*
((co-written with random_xtras))