MTMTE, Nexus. Terra and the Black Dog. Relationship Woes Part 1

[dens_extra_pups]

Rodimus: *still snickering quietly as he tells qBrainstorm all about how Minimus hadn't sent a wake-up ping, and how he himself had gone to make sure the micron was alright... only to find Minimus buried in a heap of blankets with someone the size of a tall human* No idea who it is, either. *snicker* He's gonna be so slagged off that he messed up his schedule.

qBrainstorm: *content crabbiness on his face as he leans over a big can of hot oil and engex with half shuttered optics* What was he doing when you saw 'im last?

Rodimus: ... Heading toward this big lady and saying something about a paragraph being wrong?

qBrainstorm: *powers his eyes down and warms his hands on the mug* You think every woman on this planet's a big lady, kid.

Rodimus: Well, compared to me, they are! Wait, no. Kia's smaller than me, I remember that much now.

qBrainstorm: *snorts* Ask Ultra Magnus who he was talking to.

Rodimus: *huff* You're no fun.

qBrainstorm: I was inventing new ways to have fun while you were sitting and glowing on a field. Ask her.

Rodimus: *THRRRPT. Huff. Sulk*

qBrainstorm: You can ask... or I can smack your face into this drink. *yup. He wants to know too*

Rodimus: *thrrpts and moves to get up* Seriously. You're no fun. *will head for the door once he's standing*

qBrainstorm: *turns and looks at him incredulously* What the slag did you do to your communicator?

Rodimus: *looks over his shoulder and gives the old counselor a smirk* It's more fun to ask in person, because then I get cuddles.

qBrainstorm: You just got through telling me she's not on the ship.

Rodimus: I've got wheels, mech.

qBrainstorm: *mother of all stink eyes* Get back here and call the woman.

Rodimus: *grin is ALL brat* Make me. *AND GONE!*

qBrainstorm: *reaches over the bar for the bottle of fizzy, and drinks it himself*


meanwhile


Rodimus: *searched the ship over once more, and then headed out to see if Nightwish was anywhere in Terra or the surrounding areas. Is starting to get a bit worried by the absence of the iridescent woman*

bot: *hails him as he goes down a festive street* Hey! Hot Rod?

Rodimus: *startles and turns toward the voice*

bot: *about the size of an average Cybertronian soldier unit, medium blue in colour with green accents* *wide, surprised grin as he steps forward* It IS you. Where have you been?

Rodimus: *trying to speak, mouth opening and closing, but no sound coming out*

bot: *easy laughter as he reaches up to pat Rodimus' arm* Are you drunk already? Or wait... are you new?

Rodimus: *quietly, shocked disbelief in his tone* Clutch?

Clutch: *grin returns* Yeah, Clutch. *and then a frown* ...But you're starting to creep me out. What's wrong?

Rodimus: *will pull you into a hug now, Clutch. Oh, and cry*

Clutch: *meeps, and then pats him awkwardly and clicks* *still isn't sure whether the bot hugging him is an adult or a baby fresh from the fields*

Rodimus: *quietly* It really is you.

Clutch: Err... Yeah. Why shouldn't it be, Roddy?

Rodimus: *voice is shaky, but he's not letting go from the hug* Nyon was destroyed...

Clutch: *quietly* Yeah. I remember that too. We died, and got moved.

Rodimus: ... Got moved?

Clutch: *confused and quizzical look* Yeah, to New Nyon, out in the desert. You can live there too.

Rodimus: *soft sigh, lets go of the bot he hasn't seen for a very long time* No, I can't.

Clutch: *confusion grows, and then clears into understanding* You didn't die back then. And you're not new now.

Rodimus: That, and I have a quest.

Clutch: How did you escape the blast?

Rodimus: ... *optics dim* *quietly* I'm the one who set it up and set it off. *bracing for anger*

Clutch: *gape of shock* What??

Rodimus: *backing up a bit, half-expecting to get punched* I'm the slagger who set up the charges and blew Nyon off the map.

Clutch: Whyyyyyyy?

Rodimus: *shutters his optics and quietly begins explaining about the war, voice cracking a few times*

Clutch: *stares blankly up at him once he's done*

fist: *cracks Rodimus right in the back of the head*

Rodimus: *yelp, pitches forward*

foot: *catches him in the side*

Clutch: Tender, stop hitting him!

Rodimus: *So much brain break, all he can do is lay on the ground and cry*

hand: *grabs him the shoulder and jerks him up*

female voice: *gruff amazement* He's crying.

Clutch: You sucker punched him! Right after he owned up to doing something that had to totally grind gears!

Rodimus: *shaking and crying even as he's made to stand upright*

hand: *shakes him*

another hand: *yanks him away and tucks him against somebody's side*

Red Alert: You'd better start talking. I want to know what you did to him.

Clutch: He did it.

Red Alert: *silence is clearly one of his Looks of disbelief*

Clutch: I'm not kidding. We didn't do anything to make him cry. He's the one that told us what he did to Old Nyon.

Rodimus: *optics white as he begins rambling and crying anew, as well as apologizing*

Red Alert: *reaches over and smacks him upside the head*

Tender: Oh brother. *grabs Rodimus away from Inferno and hugs him, ignoring the alarmed trills of the two Stringer shoulder angels* We're not mad at you. Get a grip.

Rodimus: *crying and trembling now*

Inferno: Give 'im back now. 'E's our cap'n.

Clutch: Captain? Of what?

Red Alert: The Cybertronian exploration ship, the Lost Light.

Tender: Who put that hot rod in charge of something?

Inferno: Th't's jes' mean.

Red Alert: He was a Prime at one point.

Tender: *just dropped the former Prime on his aft*

Rodimus: *soft "oof" as he lands*

Clutch: Seriously??

Red Alert: *frown* It isn't something that would be joked about.

Clutch: *quietly* Back when I lived where there were Primes, we made all the jokes we could. It beat crying.

Rodimus: *babbling quietly now, tears still on his face*

Red Alert: It's no joking matter. *leans down and flicks Rodimus between the optics*

Rodimus: *startled squawk, blinking a few times as he resets*

qBrainstorm: *impatient sounding ping*

Rodimus: *out loud and over comms* Bhuh?

qBrainstorm: //What'd she say, kid?//

Rodimus: //... I haven't found her yet.//

qBrainstorm: *snorts and hangs up*

Inferno: *hunkers down and looks at Rodimus quizzically* Y'u talkin' ta somebody?

Rodimus: The local Brainstorm wanted to know if I'd asked Nightwish something. *moving to sit up carefully, so he doesn't bonk his head against Inferno's*

Red Alert: Nightwish isn't on planet. Can I help?

Rodimus: ... She's not? *so confused*

Red Alert: She left this morning.

Rodimus: *frown* Where'd she go? I was gonna ask who's snuggling Minimus.

Red Alert: *barest trace of a smirk* That's probably Strongarm. They went to his room to look at his statistics collection.

Rodimus: ... *snickerfitdie*

Inferno: *bright baby interest* Were th'y 'uggin' 'n kissin'?

Clutch: *as Tender staggers backward laughing* Your friend's snuggling Strongarm?

Rodimus: *to Inferno* They were in a blanket nest. *to Clutch* Yup.

Clutch: *ded!*

Inferno: 'R y'u tellin' Gramps?

Rodimus: ... *brat grin is a go* I will now. *pings qBrainstorm's comm*

qBrainstorm: *grumble*

Rodimus: //I know something you don't knowwwww!//

qBrainstorm: //Me too. I drank your fizzy.//

Rodimus: //... You're a slagger. Maybe I won't tell you who Minimus is snuggling.//

qBrainstorm: //I can just go look.//

Rodimus: *squawk* //It's that Micron lady Strongarm!//

qBrainstorm: *pause* //What?//

Rodimus: //Minimus is snuggling that Micron lady Strongarm!//

qBrainstorm: *starts laughing uproariously*

Rodimus: //I'm not lying!// *huff, sulk*

Clutch: *looks at Rodimus' expression* That's the Roddy we knew and loved.

Tender: *snort*

qBrainstorm: *wheeeze. Guffaw!* //Strongarm's no micron!//

Rodimus: //Like scrap she isn't! She was in a big shell before, but now she's barely bigger than Minimus!//

qBrainstorm: //That's because she's organic, dipstick!//

Rodimus: 0_0 *out loud and over comms* She's what?!

qBrainstorm: //Strongarm's organic.// *snork, chortle, snigger*

Rodimus: //But... But....// *so completely and utterly brain broken*

qBrainstorm: //Dipstick.// *click*

Rodimus: *to Red Alert* Strongarm's organic under that armor!

Red Alert: *stares at him for a brief moment, then frowns* Does Minimus know?

Inferno: *comparing ladders with Tender*

Rodimus: ... I have no slaggin' clue. *will try and call Nightwish*

Nightwish: //No time for snuggles or bar hopping, Roddy.// *sound of a grunt* //Behind you, Optimus!//

Rodimus: //...Wait, what?//

Nightwish: //What do you need?//

Rodimus: //Strongarm's organic under her armor!//

Nightwish: //Huh? Wait. ...She is. I hadn't noticed.//

Rodimus: *boggling* //You mean you didn't know?!// *so shocked*

Nightwish: //I looked at her armour. It hasn't been opened in a thousand years, Rodimus. And she was wearing Kaiju origin insignia. Organic people aren't on record as living there.//

Rodimus: *out loud and over comms* Kaiju origin?

Nightwish: //Ask a Terran about Kaiju.// *another grunt*

Rodimus: //...What're you doing?//

Nightwish: //Just helping Optimus with something.//

Rodimus: //...What're you helping him with?// *curious*

Nightwish: //A discussion he needed to have. ...Hmm. I did do a scan, now that I look. She scans as... a Schattenfee? No. Close, but different. Think fast, Optimus.//

Rodimus: //...Where are you?//

Nightwish: //Cybertron.//

Rodimus: *squawk* //And nobody told me you were going?!//

Nightwish: //You said, and I quote: "Mmmsleep'n."//

Rodimus: *SO MUCH SULK* //I didn't know you were going on an adventure.//

Nightwish: //Rung said you were needed there, anyway.// *grunt*

Rodimus: //...I am?// *so much concentration as he listens* *dawning realization crossing his face as he remembers Clutch and Tender* Oooh.

Nightwish: //Gotta go. I'll see you soon. Love you.//

Rodimus: //Love you too, 'Wish.//

Red Alert: What did Ultra Magnus say, Rodimus?

Rodimus: She'd scanned Strongarm... Strongarm's got Kaiju Origin marks on her armor.

Red Alert: Hmm. *frowns and looks toward the ship, but then shrugs* She isn't causing any disturbance.

Rodimus: Somehow, I don't think she would. *turns his attention to Tender and Clutch. Then he's whooping and moving to tackle the large femme*

Tender: *curses like the Terran Quadriate that she is!*

Clutch: *cackle*

Red Alert: *shakes his head at his shoulder angels and takes his little brother to go see the baby monster on display at the zoo*

Rodimus: *thumping on Tender and laughing the way he used to as a younger mech*

Tender: *gives as good as she gets, just as she always did*

Clutch: *gleefully adds himself to the tussle in his old hot rod way*


few minutes later


Rodimus: *chortling and half-supporting Tender, and is supported by her as Clutch leads them to Rodimus' habsuite* I missed you crazy-aft slaggers.

Clutch: You really need to come to Nyon before you leave. *pauses to blink at that scowling, horned, being who just stepped out of a habsuite* *sunny grin* Hi!

Rodimus: 'Sup, Cyclonus? *grin*

Tsubasa: *bright little squeak from her pouch on Mama's chest*

Cyclonus: *irritably* Deluge and Tailgate are being held at the local precinct with Grimlock.

Clutch: Drunk tank?

Tender: *thoughtful scowl*

Rodimus: *snickerfitdie* Wow. That's the last place I'd think Tailgate'd wind up in!

Cyclonus: *SO not amused* I'm going to retrieve Deluge and Tailgate. Grimlock can get himself out.

Rodimus: *helpless snickering as he sags against Tender*

Cyclonus: *optics narrow, and fast as can be, she's reaching out and giving Rodimus a flick between the optics*

Rodimus: *YELP!*

Clutch: *watches the purple woman stalk off down the corridor* Wow, the respect was palpable.

Tender: *snorts again*

Rodimus: *rubbing between his optics* Nah. That's just how Cyclonus is. She and Tailgate're from the same era on Cybertron, so they've nearly become sisters.

Clutch and Tender: *sniggerfitdie*

Wheeljack: *panicked scream sounds through his habsuite door*

Clutch: *on the ceiling*

Rodimus: *cuss, bolts down the hall toward Wheeljack's habsuite*

Wheeljack: *sitting on the floor by his and Bluestreak's recharge slab, holding his head and sobbing quietly*

Rodimus: *worriedly, as he moves to crouch by the inventor* Wheeljack?

Wheeljack: *looks up, his eyes white with distress. Is shaking so hard that things are rattling*

Rodimus: *sending out an SOS for a medic, also sends coordinates* Wheeljack, talk to me. *hands on the smaller mech's shoulders*

Wheeljack: *quietly* I was just dreamin' 'bout the time Prowl blasted my head off.

First Aid: //What is it, Rodimus?//

Rodimus: *seriously, concerned* //Wheeljack had a bad memory. And I'm not seeing any sign of Bluetreak. She might be in the vents.// *soothingly* He can't get you here, and if he tried, he'd be squished by WakeJumper and her siblings.

First Aid: //Bluestreak's downtown with me and Eclipse.//

Rodimus: //...Oh.// *pause* //Wheeljack's still spooked though.//

Wheeljack: *quietly* I know the 'Cons'd got his head. But still, he was my friend. And suddenly it was just BLAM! You know what I mean?

Rodimus: ... *quietly* Kind of. *remembering Doubledealer now*

Wheeljack: *holds his head and makes a bibbly sound* And then I woke up here.

Rodimus: ... But I thought Jazz and Ironhide brought you and Bluestreak here.

Wheeljack: *quietly* Ask your girl.

Rodimus: ... *will do so* //Nightwish, didn't Jazz and Ironhide smuggle Wheeljack and Bluestreak on board?//

Nightwish: //Need an extra hand. Rung's coming to our place to get you.// *click*

Rodimus: ... *frown* Wheeljack, will you be alright giving a couple of friends of mine a tour of the ship?

Wheeljack: *quiet mumble. Then burps and snerks softly*

Rodimus: I'll even tell ya where I stashed some special goodies.

Rung: *looks in* Rodimus?

Rodimus: 'Wish told me you'd be coming... Why don't you and Wheeljack show Tender and Clutch around?

Rung: *quietly* I'm still needed on the battlefield.

Clutch: *poking Wheeljack and getting griped at. Seems the scientist is over his scare*

Rodimus: *pings Wheeljack's comm* //Snacks are hidden in the bench in booth thirteen at Swerve's. CinnaSeekers, and a couple other goodies.// *to Tender* Play nice. I like Wheeljack.

Tender: Whatever, Hot Rod. *snorts at him*

Rodimus: It's Rodimus now. Get it right.

Tender: *snort*

Clutch: See you 'round, Roddy.

Rodimus: See you later, Clutch. *to Rung* Let's get going, then.

Rung: *nods, will put a hand on Rodimus' arm and PINpoint him to the where and when of the battle* *squeaks as she's nearly clipped by a piece of debris from the metrotitans doing battle, one of which is pitch black*

Rodimus: *very creative as he swears, having witnessed a sky full of little green bots, the battling metrotitans, two gestalts walloping one another, and bots all over the place doing battle*

Nightwish: *soars overhead, glinting in the light*

Hardhead: *bumps into Rodimus as he dives for cover from a massive foot*

Rodimus: *more swearing as he pulls Hardhead and Rung to safety* *to Hardhead* What the *beep* is up with the black metrotitan?

Hardhead: *as he shrugs away Rodimus' hand* It's dead. And we're all gonna be too, if Optimus 'n Bumblebee don't stop Shockwave from turning Cybertron into a *beep word* black hole!

Rodimus: ... *UNPRINTABLE*

Rung: *looks ill at the idea*

Primus: *Rung must bring Rodimus to these coordinates*

Rung: *as Rodimus blinks, she's nodding and programming the coordinates into her PINpoint* We shall return, Hardhead.

Hardhead: *already blowing the spit out of that 'Con who's reciprocating* Whatever.

Rodimus: *snerks, then he and Rung are PINpointing to the coordinates*

Megatron: *leaps, and then makes a small sound of pain and topples as smoke goes up from the hole through his chest*

Starscream: *wearing his shiny new body, but only thinking of kicking Jhiaxus' aft*

Bumblebee: Megatron??? *trying to wiggle out from under the fallen giant*

Rodimus: What the *beep*?!

Rung: Oh, dear! *moving to try and help Bumblebee and Megatron*

Bumblebee: Rodimus? Rodimus, help me! Help Megatron!

Rodimus: *moving to help as well, completely and utterly brainbroken* Scrap, I forgot Megatron's a lead-aft. *lifting the former Decepticon leader*

Megatron: *hand comes up and grasps Rodimus' arm* *voice weak and shaky* Help me... Get to the inner room.

Bumblebee: No. Megatron, you're hurt! You need to lay down and let us find a medic.

Rodimus: *silent as he listens for what Primus is saying*

Megatron: *speaks firmly despite his weakness, and there is a weary strength behind his words. And there is peace in them* You've helped me, little yellow bug. Now let me have my dramatic departure.

Bumblebee: *tears down her scarred little face* But...

Megatron: *turns toward the door, through which comes the sound of a shot and a grunt of pain from Optimus* Bring me, Hot Rod.

Rodimus: *quietly, to Bumblebee* Just make sure no glitch-aft shoots me in the back while I'm helping Megatron.

Bumblebee: *tearful nod*

Megatron: And Bumblebee...

Bumblebee: *looks at him*

Megatron: Thank you.

Bumblebee: *cries and takes up guard position opposite to where Starscream is looking down with shock at the super-armoured Jhiaxus that he just sworded to death with swords he hadn't known he had*

Megatron: *already trying to go to the inner door, but he has no strength*

Rodimus: *helping by supporting the big mech on the way to the door*

Megatron: *hears Optimus saying something to Shockwave and snorts* No one wants to hear about your mid-life crisises, Optimus.

Optimus: *turns his head slightly from where he's laying on his belly on the floor* I'm trying to tell him why what he's doing is a bad idea.

Megatron: Why tell, when showing works better. *looks toward his former lieutenant and holds up the Autobadge that he'd picked up earlier* Do you see this, Shockwave? What you're doing is not "All are one". "All are one" is this. *puts the badge on above his wound*

Shockwave: *falters, but then shakes his head* No! You're trying to confuse me!

Rodimus: *quietly* No, he's not.

Optimus: No. We're trying to talk to the man who helped an inexperienced young cop, and who protected an idealistic miner with a dream. Do you remember sitting in the park, beside the bar that was never open? On that broken bench.

Shockwave: *stares at him, and nods slowly* The rocking was so annoying. I finally repaired it myself.

Optimus: *laughs softly* And you did a good job. *serious again* You did many good jobs, Shockwave.

Shockwave: *quietly* From mending benches, to this. ...What have I become? *looks at the mechanism wired into his chest*

Rodimus: Can you turn that off?

Shockwave: *shakes his head* There is no off. *looks at Optimus, who has pulled himself shakily to his feet* You'll have to stop it with your gun, Orion.

Optimus: *softly* No.

Shockwave: *nods* And then run.

Megatron: *expression grim as he looks at the purple mech*

Rodimus: *frowning muchly now*

Optimus: *makes the shot, and then turns and helps Rodimus hustle Megatron away* Rung! Bring Bumblebee and Starscream! *calls coordinates and then triggers his own teleporter*

Megatron: *gasp/wheeze/squeak of protest as they come out in a relatively quiet part of the ruined city, beneath an overhang of rubble*

Rung: *arriving seconds later with Bumblebee and Starscream in tow*

Rodimus: ... *worried now* Where's Nightwish?

Optimus: *as he gently lays Megatron down* Where she needs to be. Easy, Megatron.

Megatron: *optics dimming, but he's still able to give a smirk to the horrified Starscream*

Rodimus: *starting to understand how things like Megatron appearing as a newspark came to be*

Bumblebee: *quietly* Megatron?

Megatron: *hand twitches as he tries to move it. Instead he smiles at her slightly* *and then his eyes are dark and his colour is fading away*

Bumblebee: *gonna cry. Can't help herself*

Rodimus: *softly* You'll see him again someday.

Bumblebee: *softly* Till all are one.

Optimus: *looks up* *quietly* The battle's over. Rodimus, please take Rung home.

Rodimus: *nods* See you soon, Optimus. *will PINpoint Rung back to the Lost Light, and then pull one of the chairs in the seldom-used officer's lounge over and gently guide Rung to sitting in it*

Rung: *turns her head and looks toward the window as though she's seeing someone there*

Rodimus: *moving to park his skid in another chair and lean forward*

Rung: *quietly* We've made it back, Nightwish.

Rodimus: *looks up, still slumped forward* 'Wish is here?

Nightwish: *appears while turning away from the window* *quietly* Right here.

Rodimus: *startled yelp, topples off his chair*

Nightwish: And you think the pink waiter at the Black Dog is high strung...

Rodimus: *before he can stop and think his words through* At least I'm honest about things!

Nightwish: *folds her arms across her chest and just looks at him, her face inscrutable.

Rung: *quiet squeak*

Nightwish: *speaks without looking away from Rodimus* Go on, Rung. I know what the boss is saying.

Rung: *wants to stay and try and mediate, can tell both Rodimus and Nightwish are upset*

Nightwish: //Let him have his say, Rung. You need to recharge anyway.// *hand gently indicates the door*

Rung: //I...I do not think I should leave at this time, Nightwish.//

Nightwish: *presses her lips together and looks back to Rodimus*

Rodimus: *optics narrow slightly*

Rung: *hugging one arm and ducking her head. Will call for help after listening for guidance*

Nightwish: *quietly* I've never lied to you, Roddy.

Rodimus: Then why didn't you tell me about all the scrap going down on Cybertron?

Nightwish: Because you were asleep.

Rodimus: What else haven't you told me?

Nightwish: *still quiet* I've told you everything Primus told me to tell you.

Rodimus: *optics a bit bright now* *circulating rapidly*

Nightwish: *silent as she watches him with those molten gold eyes*

Rodimus: You couldn't have told me that Nyon got relocated here?!

Nightwish: ...o.0 *looks at Rung*

Rung: *both brows up*

Nightwish: *back to Rodimus* The whole city?

Rodimus: Clutch and Tender wouldn't lie about that!

Nightwish: *softly* Wow.

Rodimus: ... You... didn't know? *so shocked now*

Nightwish: *shakes her head*

Rung: *quietly* Primus wasn't sure how you'd react... *quieter* One of the reasons Rodimus was meant to come to Terra was to reunite with Clutch and others he lost.

Nightwish: *firms her chin against a tremble, and wonders if the storm has passed*

Rodimus: ... *frustrated sound as he struggles to find words to express how he's feeling, hands going to his helm*

Nightwish: *nope. Not over* *quietly* I tried telling you everything I was doing, but you only wanted to hear if I wanted to go to Swerve's or play sims with you.

Rodimus: *frowwwwwning*

Rung: *has a bad feeling Rodimus is about to find out what a pede sandwich tastes like*

Nightwish: *looks evenly back at the frown, though it's plain from her expression that she's hurt*

Rung: *softly* Rodimus? It's your turn to talk.

Rodimus: *more frustration in his expression now* What is there to say?! She doesn't trust me!

Nightwish: *flinches slightly and stares at him with disbelief* *quiet intensity* I do too. I trust you with my life, and my feelings. And I trust you to never listen to me!

Rodimus: *storming off at that. Will head to Swerve's*

kvJazz: *is up here on the stage at the invitation of his alter sister. Just as the captain comes in, he points to the mech and launches into a spirited delivery of 'Hound Dog'*

Rodimus: ... *about face, will go find someplace else to sit and sulk, then!* *will grab the PINpoint he ganked from someone and PINpoint to the Black Dog*

Black Dog: *hopping. Cheerful talking, laughing, arguing, and at least one person singing*

DivaShot: *moving to approach the big mech* Table, booth, or bar?

Rodimus: *startles*

Mal: *sniggerfitdie from where she's sitting with her elbows on her husband's head*

Rodimus: What the scrap?!

DivaShot: It's a simple enough question.

Mal: *distracted by the sound of a clank and a male yelp over to one side* *laughs out loud* Panacea found 'im.

DivaShot: *looks over there and snerks* I told him he shouldn't be skipping work.

Mal: *as the clanks and yelps continue, to the accompaniment of ferocious female vinegar* That ain't what she's beatin' his head in for.

Rodimus: ... What the *beep*?! *looks where the waiter and the tiny bot are looking*

tlRodimus: *trying to protect his head as a white femme with a black chevron bangs on it with her fist and curses*

tlPanacea: *finally stops hitting him, then insults his coding and calls him indigestion of Primus before turning and stalking away*

tlRodimus: *rubs his head and sighs, then turns back to his meal*

Rodimus: ... *brain-broken expression is a go*

Mal: FaaaiiiiilRod. Seriously. *snerk*

Rodimus: ...I'm gonna make sure he's alright. That looked painful.

DivaShot: *snickerfit* She's done worse in the past.

Mal: *speechless as she clings to his head and cackles*

Rodimus: 0_0 *scampers toward the other him's table*

tlRodimus: *looks up as Rodimus gets near and grins widely* Brother!

Rodimus: You alright? She hit ya kinda hard...

tlRodimus: *rueful chuckle* She's hit me harder. And I had this coming. *silibacon in mouth*

Rodimus: ... *as he moves to sit down* What do you mean?

tlRodimus: *leans on his fist* I did something stupid and life threatening, and thought it'd be funny to blame it on my best friend.

Rodimus: ... What'd you do? *intrigued and a bit worried*

tlRodimus: Jumped off the back of a ship and tried to land on an enemy General. *lifts brows*

Rodimus: ... *snerk* That's awesome.

tlRodimus: In hindsight, it was the stupidest slagging thing I could have done.

Rodimus: No... The stupidest slagging thing you could've done was light yourself on fire while trying to burn the enemy.

tlRodimus: Pansy could fix that.

Rodimus: ... Who?

tlRodimus: Panacea. The gorgeous piece of machinery that just gave me these dents. *points to his head with one hand, and puts more fuel in his mouth with the other*

Rodimus: ... o.0 You're mental. *says the guy who melted his lips off*

tlRodimus: *brow quirk as he takes a drink from his mug, then sets it down* How ya figure?

Rodimus: You put up with someone who's capable of denting you!

tlRodimus: *expression very clearly says that he doesn't get what you're talking about*

Rodimus: ...

tlRodimus: Nearly everyone I know is capable of denting me if they try hard enough.

Rodimus: *amused snerk*

tlRodimus: And most of the ones that try don't have as good a reason as Pansy does. *oooo. More bacon*

Rodimus: *headshake* Never thought another me'd be blinded by new love, too.

tlRodimus: *so amused* Pansy and I've been together for over nine million years.

Rodimus: ... *jaw. DROPS*

tlRodimus: *quietly* We bonded the day she came of age. Three kids here, one on the other side.

Rodimus: ...

tlRodimus: *nods toward a bot that just climbed up onto the larger table that his table's sitting on* My son. Skytrail. Don't worry if he doesn't say hi. He doesn't talk to me either.

Skytrail: *is a white bot who bears an uncanny resemblance to Optimus Prime, other than the lack of truck kibble* *eyes are smile colour blue as he glances up at Rodimus on his way to the smaller table*

Rodimus: *boggling*

tlRodimus: *hits the handle of his fork and launches some silibacon into the gape*

Skytrail: *watches with an elbow on the table*

Rodimus: *startled squawk*

tlRodimus: *high five with his silent son*

Rodimus: *gonna sulk a bit now, even as he nomphs silibacon*

tlRodimus: So what's your problem anyway, kid? *helps self to some of the fuel on the platter Skytrail brought*

Rodimus: *more sulk* I don't want to talk about it.

tlRodimus: *to Skytrail* And I can't even ask you if I was that whiny, because you left too fast to know.

Skytrail: *gives him more scrambles*

Rodimus: *SULK* *huff*

tlRodimus: *addressing himself to the fuel* Is she pretty?

Rodimus: *changing the subject* So why does Skytrail look like Optimus?

tlRodimus: Because she was Pansy's mother. Stop changing the subject.

Rodimus: I'm not! *sulk*

tlRodimus: *eats and waits for what he said to sink in and get the usual reaction*

Rodimus: ... HEY. No fair asking about girlfriends! *huff!*

tlRodimus: *blinks* Okay. Not the usual reaction when somebody finds out who my mother in law was.

Skytrail: *looks amused*

Rodimus: I've learned weirder things than that.

tlRodimus: Yet my being married for as long as I have made you try to catch flies. *amused*

Rodimus: *huff, sulk*

tlRodimus: *amusement shows in the conversational tone that he now employs* Do you know an angry looking old red guy with a toad on his shoulder?

Skytrail: *watching somebody behind Rodimus*

Rodimus: 0_0 I'm doomed.

qBrainstorm: There you are. *grabs Rodimus by the scruff bar and hauls him out of his seat*

Rodimus: *YELP!*



Continued here