MTMTE. Lost Light. Day two 5

[dens_extra_pups]

Continued from here




elsewhere, out on the plain by the river


Nightwish: *looks at Rodimus, who is sitting comfortably in the open maw of a dead marauder that's laying on its side* *tweaks one of his feet, which are sticking up comically* You look awfully comfy for a guy that just about hurked his entire tank because WakeJumper sat on you and made you eat a piece of marauder fuel pump.

Rodimus: Ugh. Don't remind me.

Nightwish: *snerks and tweaks his foot again, but then looks up with a quizzical scowl at something up in the air* *conversational tone* Hey, Roddy?

Rodimus: Hm?

Nightwish: When you promised to protect these carcasses from all comers...?

Rodimus: ... What's coming? *moving to sit up*

Nightwish: *points as a spot becomes visible to normal optics* *still calm* Dragon.

Rodimus: ... Dragon? *boggling*

Nightwish: *databursts him an image of the beast as she sees it, and of just how big it is* Yup.

Rodimus: *jaw drops* Call Maelstrom back and warn everyone else!

Nightwish: *grabs him and leaps aside as a wash of flame bathes the place where they'd been*

Rodimus: *yelps and begins swearing*

Nightwish: *next leap separates her from him, and now she's saying words too*

Rodimus: *MORE SWEARING* *will try and either evade the dragon's flames or try and get on the creature's head*

Nightwish: //Maelstrom, a *bleeeeping* dragon just came down on our heads!//

Maelstrom: //Scrap! How big?//

Nightwish: *gracefully leaps to avoid a talon slash as she sends an image of the beast* //You never mentioned anything like this!//

Maelstrom: *CUSSING* //Calling for backup! Try not to get eaten!//

Nightwish: //I don't think I could've thought of those things myself. What the!!?? RODDY, YOU ARE NOT A LIGHTER!//


elsewhere


Legacy: Roddy, staaahhp! You is not Bic lighter! *giggles and starts talking to her doll*

Bruce Banner: *looks up, his expression saying just how creeped out he is*


back to the river bank


Rodimus: *holding onto the dragon's head* //I'm gonna burn this son of a *BEEEP*// *just burst into flames*

Nightwish: Rodimus! You idiot! I can smell your insulation burning! *changes to jet and screams up toward him*

Rodimus: *holding on for all he's worth, even as the dragon bellows in pain*

dragon: *vigorously shakes its head, and then paws at it*

Rodimus: *uses up his supply of flammable fuel, lets go and begins to fall* *quietly* Scrap...

dragon: *darts its head at him, but is distracted by that jet that just clipped it with a wing. Scream of fury and pain*

alarm klaxon: *sounding from the city*

Nightwish: *transforms to bot mode and hovers in front of the dragon's face* You wanna pick on somebody your own size, *bleep*??

dragon: *face partially burnt, and boy is it maaaad* *will try and snap at the creature in front of it*

Rodimus: *wincing and looking up with concern*

Nightwish: *hands held at her sides clench into fists. There is a split moment of silence. And then she bursts into glowing golden energon flame of incredible power*

dragon: *ROAAAAR*

Maelstrom: //What the *BLEEPING BLEEPITY BLEEP*?!//

Nightwish: *pours out MORE power, using all her reserves!*

Quasar: //Watch out for its tail, brother!//

Whirl: *is that insane cackling overhead as she circles in vehicle mode*

Rodimus: *taking shelter under one of the dead marauders. Knows a prospective boom when he sees it!*

Fortress Maximus: Nightwish!

dragon: *suddenly, loses its head*

Whirl: *startled obscenity as she's nearly knocked out of the air by a huge chunk o' critter clipping her rotor*

Mountain King: *dazed expression on his face as he grabs Whirl and holds her close*

Siren: *startled sound as she hits the ground and then sits up* //That was the Living Mountain! Quasar, that was the Mountain!//

Quasar: //I don't believe it...//

Fortress Maximus: *shielding Jade Dragon with his body as he crouches in front of her*

Rodimus: *quietly* That... was awesome. *and then he's wobbling and his optics are going dark*

Fortress Maximus: Where's Nightwish? *looks all over at the ground, but then startles as the femme in question swoops down from where she'd been before the explosion and lands next to Rodimus* *mouth falls open with surprise*

Siren: *also expressive of shock*

Nightwish: Rodimus, you stupid JERK!

Rodimus: *quietly* 'M sorry... wanted... to protect...

Maelstrom: *separating into her components*

WakeJumper: *hurrying over to scan Rodimus*

Nightwish: *gently lifts her captain* *quietly* I told you I don't need protecting.

Rodimus: *soft sound that's a mix of pain and discomfort*

Nightwish: *looks up as WakeJumper nears, and her golden eyes are glistening slightly with tears* We won't be able to watch the carcasses.

WakeJumper: We've got 'em. Get him to your medic.

Nightwish: *nods and vanishes with a swish and a slight flash*

Fortress Maximus: *startles* Nightwish? Rodimus? *looks at his teammates*

Quasar: ...The Living Mountain.


The Lost Light


Nightwish: *appears on top of the Lost Light and looks down at the bot in her arms, then thinks of everything that Ratchet's dealt with this morning already and aims for the Nexus as she jumps again*


Black Dog


Tarantulus: *pings Rhinox, will also call the yellow Ratchet who frequents the Nexus* *hurrying over to see if he can help*

Rodimus: *very slight twitch. Isn't any closer to being awake, but his shell is reacting to the trauma*

Nightwish: *looks around* What am I doing here? I was aiming for the Sanctuary.

Rhinox: Hormah's not home. Let me see what he's done this time.

Nightwish: No. You don't have what he needs. *showing her youth as concern for Rodimus makes her act a little irrationally*

Tarantulus: *gently* We can at least make sure he's comfortable. I called for Ratchet, too.

Nightwish: He's half melted. His shell's sticking to me. *firms her chin as it tries to tremble* I should go to WakeJumper's hospital!

Tarantulus: *about to point out that Ratchet is more experienced*

Rodimus: Nnn! *shell reacting to the pain and shock now*

Ratchet: *arriving with Shockwave, since he was in the middle of a discussion with the Lord High Protector*

Nightwish: *attention snaps to Rodimus at his groan, and she actually looks frightened*

Rhinox: Ratchet! The kid's gone into shock. She's not making any sense.

Ratchet: *hurrying over and scanning* She's not the only one. We need to get Rodimus on spark support STAT.

Shockwave: *moving to help, will talk quietly and soothingly to Nightwish*

Nightwish: *blank stare for Shockwave, and then a sudden perk as that proud chin actually trembles* *offers her fiancé* Please. Save him.

Shockwave: *will carefully support Rodimus* *to Ratchet* We can use my lab. *to Nightwish* Come with us. I fear he may panic if he awakens in an unfamiliar infirmary.

Nightwish: *a trifle mechanically* Yessir. *hand out to make contact for the trip*

Rhinox: *watching with a frown of concern as he prays*

Rodimus: *choked sound*

Ratchet: *will bring everyone to Shockwave's lab*

Shockwave: *moving quickly, will gently set Rodimus down on one of the work tables, even as he instructs Ratchet on where the spark support units are located*

Nightwish: *backs out of the way, startling and whirling as she backs into something that moves*

Fangfire: *soft hiss, and then puts a foot on the younger female's shoulder* Shhh.

Nightwish: *blankly turns her head back to look at Rodimus again*

Rodimus: *looking a bit small there, as Shockwave and Ratchet work, first on getting his shell cooled down enough to touch, then on getting him connected to spark support*

Shockwave: *quiet 'tsk' as he works* I do not understand the function of having been sparked with a modification that causes damage to the one who utilizes it.

Nightwish: *quietly* They didn't approve of the special powers when he was born.

Shockwave: *shares a surprised look with Ratchet before looking to Nightwish* What do you mean?

Nightwish: I mean bots that showed an ability that didn't connect to their alt mode were offlined. The government didn't want them.

Shockwave: ... *quietly* How... Misguided.

Ratchet: *scowling and shaking his head* *sighs* His shell's not meant for the kind of abuse he's put it through.

Nightwish: *a bit of her usual snap back in her voice* It was the same government that made your alternate into a freak, and drove Whirl nuts. *gently shrugs away from Fangfire and comes to hover and look at Rodimus*

Fangfire: *hisses and hunkers down, not liking the conversation*

Shockwave: *quiet, disapproving rumble*

Ratchet: It may be best to build him a new shell, from scratch.

Rodimus: *in deep, medically-induced stasis, but his spark's still beating strong. His shell, as Ratchet put in a nicer way, is toast, however*

Nightwish: *looks at Shockwave* You did it for me. So give him a body that can keep up with his spark, too.

Shockwave: *small nod* I believe I have some samples I was working with at one point that may be best to utilize in his shell.

Nightwish: *still hovering, she folds her knees up and hugs her legs, then rests her chin on the knees* *absently* Give him that stuff you salvaged from Sixshot. That'd make his day.

Shockwave: *very soft chuckle* There is more than enough to make a suitable frame. *will move to begin work on Rodimus' new shell*

Ratchet: *will make sure the young mech's spark stays steady and stable*

Nightwish: *just hovers there and watches over the bot she loves*

Ratchet: *gently* Your word mate will be fine.

Nightwish: *glances at him, and then turns her attention back to Rodimus* We're not married.

Ratchet: *surprised expression is a go* You aren't?

Nightwish: *shakes her head* Our Ratchet says I'm too young.

Ratchet: *small frown* You're older than two vorns, correct?

Nightwish: I'm twice that.

Ratchet: *soft snort* Then I may need to have a word with my counterpart.

Nightwish: *quietly* I don't know. He may be right. Roddy and I still have a lot to work out.

Ratchet: Such as?

Shockwave: *absently humming as he works*

Nightwish: He's still trying to protect me. And I've just stepped into the CO2 position. *absently glances toward where a monster baby just climbed up her mother's back and is happily surveying the world*

Ratchet: That may be the only way he can think of to show he means it when he says he loves you.

Nightwish: *turns her head to look at Ratchet* *quietly* I can see how he feels about me.

Ratchet: *slight shrug* Then he may just be reacting, or he's trying to impress you.

Nightwish: *small chuckle that lacks humour* Just the fact that he's not afraid of me impresses me just fine.

Ratchet: ... *slight frown as he studies the mech on the table* He may worry that he's not good enough for you, then.

Nightwish: o.0

Ratchet: Try looking at things from his perspective. Someone really awesome happens to say they find him aesthetically pleasing, and that they want to be more than friends.

Nightwish: *blushes invisibly on her dark face and looks back to Rodimus* Actually, I think I just walked up and kissed him.

Ratchet: ... Or does that. Either way, to Rodimus, that probably seems like it's too good to be true, and he's afraid that if he allows himself to accept it as true, things will fall apart and he'll be left looking the fool for getting his hopes up.

Nightwish: *frowns, but then straightens up and turns to look at Shockwave* Make it so I'm not taller than him anymore? Give him a slightly deeper voice, and slightly darker colours. And make his face less boyish.

Shockwave: I'll have to see what paint colors we have...

Ratchet: I think there might be some that would work at the Autobot base.

Nightwish: And for the love of mercy, don't give him a motorhome for an alt mode!

Ratchet: *can't help but snerk at that, knows where Nightwish is getting her inspiration from now. Will put a call in to the Autobot base*

Shockwave: And I will make sure that he's capable of taking a shock without harmful aftereffect.

Nightwish: *BLUSH*

Perceptor: *arriving with the paint, and a few specialized parts* *looks a bit uncomfortable with being in Shockwave's lab*

Fangfire: *gives the red scientist a friendly poke* *likes him because he's friends with Tsubasa*

Perceptor: *startled squeak* A-Ah, he-hello, Fangfire.

Fangfire: *tilts that big blind head* What'sss wrong?

Shockfire: S'wrong! *bounce bounce!*

Perceptor: N-nothing. You startled me with unanticipated friendly contact.

Fangfire: Oh. *stands and transforms, then pats him soothingly on the shoulder with one hand*

Nightwish: *watches all this with absent interest* *then, to Ratchet* Besides, our Ratchet's got a lot going on right now.

Ratchet: Hm? *curious now*

Shockwave: *humming changes tune as he begins working on internals, absently thanking Perceptor as the mech brings over parts*

Nightwish: *nods* He's got a new daughter, and a stowaway brother that just found out he's a father. *more quietly* And we found Orion.

Ratchet: *blink blink* Where was he?

Nightwish: *slight half smile* You know that Optimus that Seaspray the Lu had living with her?

Ratchet: ... *soft snerk* So that's where he got to?

Nightwish: Till Rung got him back for us.

Ratchet: *very soft chuckle* That's good.

Nightwish: *nods* And we found Elita on Terra.

Ratchet: *surprised*

Nightwish: *lifts brows* And she knew him. They'd been dreaming about each other as kids.

Ratchet: Huh... *quietly* What is Terra like?

Nightwish: *curious look* Don't you have a WakeJumper?

Ratchet: *nods* He won't talk about his homeworld though.

Nightwish: Ahh. *offers the medic a databurst*

Ratchet: *accepts the databurst* *quiet whistle as he goes over the data*

Nightwish: *sent him a comedy show recording as well as data about the world and its weather patterns and flora and fauna*

Ratchet: *softly* If this is anything like what WakeJumper, Thundercracker, and Calypso remember...

Nightwish: It's different from what I've heard of from another WakeJumper. *quick glance toward Rodimus as she senses something from him*

Rodimus: *fighting the sedation*

Nightwish: *settles on the side of the table and presses buttons to lift the sedation while leaving the painkiller in place*

Rodimus: *comes online babbling about being sat on and don't let WakeJumper get him again*

Ratchet: *one with his facepalm*

Nightwish: ... *light fingerflick between Roddy eyes* Oh yeah. I forgot to mention that the bots of Terra eat other living things.

Ratchet: *as Rodimus' optics flicker* ... What?

Rodimus: *bleary blinking and a muzzy grin as he thinks he can see Nightwish*

Fangfire: Other living things taste good.

Nightwish: *gentle touch for Rodimus' face* Hey. Can you hear me?

Rodimus: *dazedly* You're pretty.

Nightwish: Can you hear me?

Rodimus: *look of concentration* Think so?

Nightwish: Good. You're an afthat.

Rodimus: *quiet as he tries to work this out in his head* 'M noooot.... Prowl's a bigger afthat... Called me a coward...

Nightwish: We're not talking about Prowl. We're talking about the idiot that got his lips melted off.

Rodimus: *very slight movement of brow ridges* ... Huh?

Nightwish: You're melted, Roddy. Like a bad taffy.

Rodimus: ... *slowly* S'at why my head feels funny?

Nightwish: *folds her arms and scowls at him*

Rodimus: *quiet for a long while* *then* 'M a frag-up.

Nightwish: *winces at the sadness in his voice, and then cautiously touches his face again to be sure he's not soft anymore*

Rodimus: *quieter* C'ldn't save Nyon... fragged up 'n front'a the pretty lady...

Nightwish: *shakes her head and then glances over to see how much of that body's been redone yet*

Shockwave: *working on what will become Rodimus' new face now*

Nightwish: *quietly calls to the cyclopean scientist*

Shockwave: *looks over from his work*

Nightwish: Let's move him now. It's not pretty, but it's got what he needs.

Shockwave: *glances at Ratchet*

Rodimus: *distracted from sad* We goin' on a trip?

Nightwish: *also looks at Ratchet, waiting to see what he says*

Ratchet: *will scan Rodimus, nodding when he sees the mech's spark isn't distressed anymore* It should be safe to move him.

Nightwish: *attention back to Rodimus* Stay offline this time, alright? *starts pressing buttons again*

Rodimus: *groggily* Mmmkay. *settling back into stasis*

Ratchet: *raised brow ridge* How do you know so much about working that device?

Nightwish: *presses the last button and looks up, brows lifting* I just watched you do it.

Ratchet: ... *LOOK for Shockwave as the scientist chuckles*

Shockwave: It's one of the things that makes Nightwish special, Ratchet. She's an exceptionally fast learner.

Nightwish: *brow quirk* I thought the local Nightwish lived with the Autobots.

Ratchet: She does. She just tends to emulate her mate.

Shockwave: A pity we can't augment Skywarp's intelligence.

Nightwish: ...You mean she acts like an idiot?

Ratchet: She finds it amusing to grab her mate while flying around inside a tornado, and kissing him until his processor stops working.

Nightwish: *face palm* Euch.

Shockwave: It normally doesn't take long. *was that sarcasm?*

Nightwish: As I said. Euch.

Ratchet: Let's get Rodimus transferred.

Nightwish: *quickly moves out of the way*


A few hours later


Nightwish: *sitting in the quiet recovery room, watching Rodimus' new face as he sleeps*

Rodimus: *dreaming peacefully, at least for a little longer. Then, his dreams are turning to the dragon, and he's waking up with a yell and a good deal of flailing*

Nightwish: *holds him down, though it's just a tiny bit harder than it used to be* Roddy, snap out of it, you afthat.

Rodimus: *circulating air as he remembers the flames and the pain* *flinches as some of the monitors protest his distress*

Nightwish: *gives him the familiar flick between the eyes*

Rodimus: Awk!

Nightwish: *soft chuckle* Can you hear me now?

Rodimus: *blinking a few times* ... What the #$#%$%?! *boggles*

Nightwish: Huh? Oh. Did he upgrade your optics too? *looks* Yes, he did.

Rodimus: Who did? *bewildered expression* And what happened to my voice?

Nightwish: *grins at the sound of that voice, then turns his head toward the wall and the mirror there* Remember when you asked how I saw you?

Rodimus: I remember... *and then he's boggling as he gets a good look at himself*

Nightwish: *hand gently rubs his chest* Well there's your answer.

Rodimus: ... Holy %$#%$#%$.

Nightwish: *golden eyes dancing* Very pretty. :D

Rodimus: *can feel his faceplates heating as he blushes*

Nightwish: //Ratchet, he's awake. May I unhook him from the monitors?//

Ratchet: //Is he calmer now?//

Nightwish: //He's calm.// *still gently rubbing Rodimus' chest*

Ratchet: //Then go ahead and unhook him from the monitors.//

Rodimus: *quiet engine rumble*

Nightwish: *stops the soothing chest rub and starts to unclip the monitors*

Rodimus: *pout* *liked the chest rub*

Nightwish: *unhooks the last wire, and then stands and catches his hands to pull him to his feet*

Rodimus: *slight stumble as he finds his feet*

Nightwish: *smiles up at him. Yes, up! You're half a head taller than her now, Rodimus!*

Rodimus: *blinking a bit and trying to wrap his processor around this* Er...

Nightwish: *lets go his hands and slips her arms around his waist as she cuddles close* Oh, this is nice.

Rodimus: *confusion banished for now, will stand and cuddle Nightwish*

Nightwish: *quiet sigh* The Shockwave that upgraded me made you a body that can withstand your gift. *looks up with a grin of mischief* He used an empty Sixshot body for the base.

Rodimus: *blink. Blink!* *grin* Cool.

Nightwish: *blushes at that grin and hides her face on his shoulder* //Shockwave, I think you might have made him too pretty.//

Shockwave: *doesn't look up from scrubbing tar off monster babies in the nursery* //Nonsense.//

Rodimus: *curious and trying to figure out why Nightwish blushed*

Nightwish: *as he lifts her face she blushes again* What?

Rodimus: Why're you blushing?

Nightwish: *lifts her brows* You are a dork. I said you were pretty.

Rodimus: Okay then... *will cuddle more*

Nightwish: *happy little shiver of a silent squee, but then sobers* We better get back to the 'Light *before anybody else reports and Ratchet and Red start worrying.

Rodimus: *soft sigh* Yeah...

Nightwish: *rubs his back to cheer him up* Don't worry. It won't happen again.

Rodimus: *quiet engine rumble is a go again* I hope not... I kinda remember that it really hurt to use the flames.

Nightwish: *soft chuckle* Try it right now.

Rodimus: *quick look around to make sure there's nothing flammable in the room*

Nightwish: *looks up at him, her hand still rubbing his back* Ratchet and Shockwave put a protective field around the equipment, in case you woke up flaming.

Rodimus: *soft snerk* Alright. *will focus on flame generation, absently noting that his reservoirs of flammable liquid have been topped off as well*

Nightwish: *triggers her teleport just as he triggers his flame, so that they appear in a mighty ball of fire upwind of Jazz's book reading*

Jazz: *datapad goes flying and Jazz is unprintable!*

Rodimus: *turns the flames off and looks around* *blink. BLINK. Looks down at his frame* Whoa.

Jazz: *mouth hanging open as one of the book copyists hands her back her pad* Roddy? What the slag was all that?

Rodimus: *looks over and grins* I got upgraded.

Jazz: *shakes her head* The painted flames wasn' enough?

Rodimus: Hey, don't diss the paintjob. *chuckles* The upgrades mean I won't cook myself using my abilities anymore.

Jazz: *surprised* You mean you're one'a those cats with the fancy powers?

Rodimus: Yeah... I'm not a point-one percenter, though. Just someone who came online with an ability outside my alt mode.

Nightwish: Ratchet says you are stronger than average, though.

Jazz: *grin* Wicked! *then glances toward the sound of rapidly approaching chopper blades* Oh oh, here comes Whirl.

Whirl: *excited/panicky rambling about Rodimus and Nightwish vanishing*

Nightwish: //We're right here, Whirl. On the ship.// *and she's still cuddling and rubbing the Roddy back*

Whirl: //... NEVER MIND ABOUT THE ALARM.//

Nightwish: *lifts her head and looks up at her fiancé* Think we should go report to Red and Ratchet?

Rodimus: Prolly...

Whirl: //...When'd Roddy get a shinier aft?//

Nightwish: *big grin* //Shocky's got yours all ready too.// *teleports down to the infirmary*

Whirl: //... *squeeeee*//

Nightwish: *looks around the infirmary and snerks quietly at First Aid conked out sitting at Ratchet's desk*

Rodimus: *very soft snicker as he sees First Aid*

Ratchet: *coming to the main part of the infirmary with the intention of checking on First Aid and then going back to finish Tailgate's examination*

Nightwish: Look, Ratchet! Shiny! :D *leans back, one arm still around Rodimus' waist, the other making a sweeping presentation gesture*

Ratchet: What the? *boggling as he looks at Rodimus* What happened?!

Rodimus: *shifty eyes* I set myself on fire.

Nightwish: *face palm* Yeah. That.

Ratchet: ... *facepalm* You used your ability, even after being warned what would happen.

Rodimus: *sheepish grin*

Nightwish: Okay, if you were faced by something like this... *sudden holographic closeup of the Living Mountain's face* ...What would you do?

Ratchet: *startled sound similar to a squeal*

First Aid: *tips his chair and is startled feet waving behind the desk*

Rodimus: *jaw drops*

Nightwish: *shuts off the hologram and goes to save First Aid*

Ratchet: *circulating and shaking* What the pit was that?!

Nightwish: *as she picks up the softly protesting and questioning First Aid and cuddles him* The thing we blew up. The guys said it was called the Living Mountain.

First Aid: *rubbing his visor and feeling totally out of it*

Nightwish: What did you do to 'Aid?

Ratchet: Firewall upgrade. *quietly* I hope there aren't any more creatures like what you encountered.

Nightwish: *frowns and hugs First Aid absently like a dolly* //WakeJumper?//

WakeJumper: //'Sup?//

Nightwish: //Why didn't you tell us about that big winged thing?// *lifts brows slightly as Rodimus falls on his face*

WakeJumper: //Because I didn't know about that thing, and neither did the rest of my siblings.//

Nightwish: //What?// *walks over and stands First Aid by Ratchet, and then steps further and heaves her captain to his feet*

First Aid: *leans on Ratchet and dozes off again*

WakeJumper: //The Living Mountain was a story! A sparklet story!// *sounds like she's bibbling*

Nightwish: //Hey. Circulate. And Rodimus has been repaired, by the way.// *looks at Rodimus as he mutters about longer stride and higher centre of gravity*

WakeJumper: //...// *soft clang*

Nightwish: ... //WakeJumper? What was that?// *rubbing Rodimus' back again*

Rodimus: *happy engine rumbles*

Ratchet: *SUCH a Look was never leveled at the Captain before*

WakeJumper: //'M okay.//

Nightwish: //What was that clang? Don't tell me you're sitting on people and force feeding them still warm body parts again.//

Deluge: *pings Nightwish's comm*

Nightwish: //Yes?//

Deluge: //We might need a transport. Wake's parked her butt on the ground and won't get up.//

Nightwish: *notices Ratchet's expression* Ratchet, what's wrong? //What? Can you arrange it, or do you need my help?// *turns head slightly* //Tell her that her husband's calling for her.//

Deluge: //I'll see about arranging it. I think she was worried about your captain.//

Ratchet: *annoyed huff, as he turns to go back to his examination*

Nightwish: //Awww. Alright. Nightwish out.// *leaves Rodimus standing and follows Ratchet and First Aid* You old rust bucket. What is your problem?

Ratchet: *stinkeye* *mutters something about rewarding bad behavior*

Nightwish: *understanding shows on her face as it comes to her mind* *quietly* I was not. The poor guy needs a little encouragement, especially after coming face to face with that thing. *more quietly* And Ratchet? I think you're wrong about me being too young to marry.

First Aid: *soft murmur as he curls up in the corner where he'd been gently dropped*

Ratchet: *raised brow ridge* Oh?

Nightwish: *speaks gently and calmly* Two of your alter-brothers have told me that they think that anyone over two vorns is of age. I know you're concerned about my and Rodimus' maturity levels. *looks back over her shoulder as she hears the clatter of the captain going down again, then turns back to Ratchet* *softly* Did you know he feels like a failure?

Ratchet: *frown. This does not compute*

Nightwish: *knows it's alright to tell this to Rodimus' doctor, and trusts that old doctor to handle the information the right way* He has since the day he had to kill his people instead of rescuing them.

Ratchet: *small frown and a nod*

Nightwish: And now he's afraid of failing to win the heart and hand of someone who means... *looks down and feels glad that her blush doesn't show* *throat clearing* ...Means as much as he does to me. *looks up again* How would you feel if someone told you that you couldn't be with Doctor Roxanne?

Ratchet: *stops, thinking of what the JD doctor means to him, especially after she and Kriti used him for a bed last night*

Nightwish: *waits, and then glances toward a soft murmur from First Aid* //Rung, are you busy?//

Rung: //Not currently, no. Torque is preoccupied with sharing her snacks with Rewind, Chromedome and Memoranda.//

Nightwish: *quietly* //First Aid's just had a firewall patch, and it's not agreeing with him very well. He's calling for you in his recharge.//

Rung: //Oh, dear. I'll be right over.//

Nightwish: //He's in Ratchet's office on the floor.// *turns her attention back to her mentor* *quietly* Ratchet?

Ratchet: *softly* I see your point.

Nightwish: *smiles that smile that's only for people that she loves* So you take away your objection?

Ratchet: *nods*

Nightwish: *goes over and stoops to kiss him on the cheek in impulsive thanks, then turns and hurries out to the main room, only to laugh as she sees Red Alert speaking encouragingly as he tries to help Rodimus find his centre of balance*

Rodimus: *trying his best to keep upright* You're calm today, Red.

Red Alert: Don't worry about me. Try and find that centre of gravity.

Nightwish: *steps over and offers her hands to Rodimus*

Rodimus: *will reach for your hand, Nightwish* This is harder than I thought it'd be. *sheepish grin*

Nightwish: *soft grin* You'll get it. Did you tell Red what went down?

Rodimus: Most of it. *nod*

Nightwish: *looks down at Red Alert's smiling and content face* *to Rodimus* //Wow. It looks like he's found his happy place.//

Rodimus: *snerk*

Red Alert: *quizzical look, but then perks* I think I hear the hunting party returning now. I should see if I can get a tooth for Inferno. Is there anything else you want me to know, Rodimus?

Rodimus: Yeah. Don't light yourself on fire to fight a dragon.

Red Alert: 0.0 I should think not. *nods to Nightwish, and then turns toward the door*

Nightwish: //By the way, Roddy. Ratchet stopped saying no.//

Rodimus: *blink. BLINK!* *GRIN*

Nightwish: *grins back* Want me to work out all those slight misalignments I can see in your spinal strut?

Rodimus: Sure.

Nightwish: *pulls his arm around her shoulders and leads him out of the infirmary*

((Written with random_xtras))

Continued here