Nexus. The Black Dog. Home Again, Home Again and Caldera Announcement

[dens_extra_pups]

Link: *just brought Vi home*

Rhinox: *looks over and gives a slight grin* Spazz, I thought you said your family didn't run to good looks?

Spazz: *looks up from her datapad* Whuthuh? *follows his gaze and snerks* Good grief, look at those big cute optics.

Vi: *looking around and re-learning where everything is. And just did a rude hand gesture to her sister*

Link: *soft amusement for the little femme at his side* Hey... *arm around her shoulders tightens just a little bit*

Vi: *slight brat grin* She'd be worried if I wasn't a pain in the skid in some way.

Link: *chuckles as they walk further inside*

Rhinox: *as they reach the bar* You realize you're not going to fit in the apartment anymore, right? *polishing human size glasses*

Vi: ...Crud. *no, she didn't realize that till just now*

Spazz: *rubs where her nose would be if she had one, and then looks back to her datapad* Nem's still got another empty room.

Vi: *perks up at that, her "ears" standing up* Really?

Spazz: Yeah. She's got six rooms up there, counting our apartment. *optics go absent as she focuses on the datapad, which she's plugged into*

Link: *gives the small green femme a curious look, but then turns his attention back to Vi and Rhinox*

Vi: I'll ask her in a bit. *attention going back to Rhinox. Blinks a bit and snerks when she sees that the green mech's got a certain accessory on his head* She feelin' better then?

Rhinox: Has been for awhile. I just didn't want her straining connections that weren't solid yet. *there's a grin in his voice, and showing slightly on his face now*

Vi: *soft "heh". Snerks when Rhinox's visor gives her a sleepy razz* Same to you, kid.

Link: So you and she are kind of in the same state of function right now.

Rhinox: *looks up* You're damaged, Vi?

Vi: Naw... Link means that I'm still sleepin' a lot 'cause of all the new feedback.

Rhinox: *relaxes and nods* Yeah. I hadn't thought of that. *turns his head to look toward Nemesis, who is over exchanging BS with a red Ironhide*

Vi: The WakeJumper where Link's from said it'd get better eventually. *wrinkles her nose a bit out of habit. Will look where Rhinox is looking and snerk softly*

Rhinox: *turns his attention back to her* I'll have a look at you after my shift's done.

Nemesis: *without looking around as she starts to mix a drink* She can use that room. But I don't have anything to put in it.

Vi: *small nod, and a slight frown* Guess that means a shopping trip...

Link: *quietly* I can get you a couch like the one you used last night. Lumen got too big for his awhile ago, and it's been jamming up our storage space ever since.

Vi: *expression brightens, and then she's hugging Link*

Link: *hugs back, his cheek coming down to rest gently on her head*

Rhinox: *glances at that, and then exchanges a glance with his wife*

Spazz: *slight smirk as she resumes her work*

Vi: *happy little sounds. She's still not quite sure why, but there's just something about Link that makes him nice to be around. Plus, his armor is interesting to touch*

Link: *holds her for a bit, but then gently lifts her up by the waist and settles her on a bar stool* I'll go get the couch. *green optics study her face as he smiles at her*

Vi: Okay... *small smile, though she's starting to get distracted by the surface of the bar stool*

Link: *steps back and seems to shift sideways and blur as he vanishes*

Vi: *saw that, and now she's blinking a bit and puzzling over that disappearance, since it definitely didn't look like a PINpoint trip*

divaShot: *down by the base of her stool* Here, Mal. Let me put this tutu on you, and then you can do whatever you want to me. :3

Rhinox: *pauses and looks down* ...

Spazz: *very soft snerk. KNOWS how this is going to end*

Vi: *looks down* *blink blink, SNERK*

Mal: *lets the tutu be instated on her person, and examines it thoughtfully, thinking that the two full layers of filmy skirt don't look too bad. Then looks up at her husband with the evil grin that her new face makes her capable of*

DivaShot: *knows he's in for trouble, but darnit, it's worth it to see Mal in something cute like that* *half-cringe, waits*

Mal: *points* Bunnies!

DivaShot: *fell for it, looks*

Vi: *struggling not to snickerfit*

Mal: *jumps on her husband's back* Wanna nom your chips! *chews on his head!*

DivaShot: Eeeeeek!!! *RUN*

Vi: *laughs herself silly and has to hang onto the bar stool*

Rhinox: *shakes his head* Alright, those two are occupied, so everyone else should have some peace and quiet. *yes, despite all that frenzied shrieking*

Kriti: *sleepy snerk* Derps.

Spazz: *brbsniggerfitdie*

Rhinox: *goes to peek at Pooka's bed down in the corner under the bar and sees that he, Lucky, Dinobaby, Lumen, and Kouji are still sound asleep* *chuckles and returns attention to glasses*

Link: *back, the couch sitting beside him on the floor and a grin of sheer amusement on his face*

Vi: *blink blink* What's so funny?

Link: *turns around to display the tiny seeker clinging to his back like a ruby-eyed tree frog*

Vi: *blink blink* *SNERK*

Dance: *skreeks at the snerk*

Link: Sunhalo knows where he is, but I didn't tell Lu.

Vi: *dirty rotten chuckle* Derp's gonna flip.

Dance: *looking around with big-opticked wonder, skreek skreek skreek, click*

Link: *walks over and sees if the newspark is interested in going to see Vi while he transports the couch into place*

Mal: Nom your chips! *rides on shrieking husband past Link feet*

Link: *glances down, and then looks over his shoulder again*

Dance: 0.0 *watches the brightly-colored thing go past*

Link: Reach for him, Vi.

Vi: *will do so, earning a bit of protest from the Seeklet*

Dance: *wants to see what that brightly-colored thing is!*

Link: Quick, somebody give me coordinates for the room.

Rhinox: *does so as he watches that baby Seeklet*

Link: *takes the couch and vanishes*

Dance: *puzzled looking around now, skreeeek?*

Rhinox: *quirks a brow ridge* You have a problem?

Dance: *skreek and clickstorm! Where'd the nice-sounding guy go?*

Vi: *slight cringe as Dance gets a bit loud*

Link: *back!* *grins and reaches for the little Seeklet* Time for you to go home?

Dance: *reach for Link!* *so much skreeking!*

Link: *takes him and smiles at Vi, still looking vastly amused* I'll be right back.

Vi: *small nod*

white Dinobot: *comes walking in through the door of the Black Dog just then, sidesteps divaShot, and makes his steady way to the bar* *isn't prowling today. Instead looks like he's walking a bit uncertainly but very proudly*

Vi: *slight headtilt as she watches the white mech*

Rhinox: *pauses as Dinobot's altered manner catches his attention. Narrows optics and studies the other mech, and then goes wide-eyed and starts pouring a drink* It's happened. She finally got big enough to separate.

Vi: *blink blink* Congrats, Dinobot.

Dinobot: *PINpoints up onto the bar and studies the silver femme with a slight frown, his laser eye expanding and contracting as it focuses* *then his brow ridge raises over his normal optic* ...Vi?

Vi: *nod, looking just a bit smug*

Dinobot: Hrrrn. What did you do?

Rhinox: *thumps him with the glass and gives him the drink* She got a spark, to begin with.

Dinobot: *brow quirk*

Vi: *another nod* Got a shell upgrade the other day.

Dinobot: I sssee. *startled blinking at Rhinox as that mech thumps him again* What? Oh. *optics light and he drinks his drink*

Vi: *snerk* *turns her attention to examining the bar top*

Rhinox: *quietly* What's her name?

Dinobot: *once more looks amazed, slightly overwhelmed, but very proud* Caldera.

Spazz: *looks up* ...Volcano that just blew itself up and went to sleep?

Dinobot: *growls at her*

Vi: *soft chuckle, is running her fingers over part of the bar top now*

Link: *comes walking in, his expression curious as he examines the big afghan in his hands. Absently steps over divaShot as that eek dance runs past underfoot*

Vi: *one "ear" is flicking as she studies the bar top. Is kind of keeping track of DivaShot*

Link: *stops next to her* Some golden guy said that you were going to need this. *turns the blanket over and studies the Autobadge knitted into it* ...What is it?

Vi: *looks* *snerk* One of the blankets from the crazy fangirl's factory.

Link: Blanket... *eyes widen and he holds it up by one edge* ...A blanket big enough for us. I see it now.

Vi: *nod* The whole factory got started 'cause Den kinda misunderstood just how big of blankets Galvatron Prime's allies were needing.

Link: *lowers the blanket and gives her a quizzical look* Galvatron Prime?

Vi: *nod nod* He washes dishes here sometimes, to raise money for repairing things from the war in his reality.

Rhinox: Sometimes? Try four days a week. *polishing glasses again and keeping an eye on a crouching and very thoughtful Dinobot*

divaShot: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Vi: *slight optic roll* *attention goes to DivaShot* o_0

Link: *follows her gaze* What?

Vi: *nonchalantly* Mal's abusing her spouse again.

Link: *frowns. Then looks at the other staff and patrons and their lack of response* *frown deepens*

Vi: *fighting off the urge to yawn* It's about as much abuse as Wake puts up with from Eclipse. *in other words, it's nothing to worry about*

Link: What are they? I'm only picking up one spark signature. Is Mal like you were?

Vi: *nods* And I think she's happy the way she is. *shrug, one hand going up to absently rub at an optic* They're wordmates... 'N the priss can hold his high grade better than anyone thought.

Link: *leans back against the bar with his elbows on it. Serious look* You weren't happy?

Vi: *shrug* I'm alive, 'n I was alive before. Mal's alive too. 'N her priss loves her. About had a panic attack when Mal upgraded her shell so she wasn't in a toy body, 'cause he was so worried that something had happened to her.

Link: So you both started out in strange kinds of bodies. *thoughtfully watches the noisy progress of the pair again*

Vi: Pretty much... 'n as viruses, too. *soft chuckle* Mutt shared the love with the psycho Megs of the walking feather duster's reality. 'N I got started when Grape Face tried to purge Paranoia from his processor by transferring her to his medical drone. Didn't work. *dirty rotten chuckle*

Link: Viruses, huh? So you take over other bots?

Vi: Not an actual takeover. More like we become the annoying head voice that just won't go away.

Link: *corner of his mouth twitches up in a grin* And then what?

Vi: Then, the poor schmuck who got infected's lucky to have a moment's peace. *sagely nod* That's what happened to the guys who tried to pick up Scattershot.

Link: So it's just a mental link used for a prank?

Vi: 'S how Mal 'n I use it. Spazz uses it as a way t' help Rhinox with patients.

Spazz: *looks up* I used it for a lot of things. But we can reproduce with it too. Mal was an infection I gave somebody I used to know. Vi came from the voice in Mutt's head.

Vi: *nod* 'N Paranoia came from Mutt's headvoice too.

Spazz: Obviously, dork. If you came from her, and you came from Mutt's headSpazz.

Vi: *razz*

Spazz: *snigger*

Link: So you're one of their sisters too?

Spazz: *shrug* Actually, I'm the original.

Vi: *nod* What she said.

Link: *turns his head and studies Spazz*

Spazz: *looks back, head tilted with curiosity* And I'm one of Frenzy's Sewercons. Or I was. I got a new bod too.

Link: Huh. *looks at Vi* I don't hear any voices in my head.

divaShot: AHHHHHHHHHHOOOF!

Mal: Ow, slaggit, ya glitch.

DivaShot: *apologetic and fussing over Mal now*

Vi: *shrugs as DivaShot apologizes repeatedly for running into a table leg* I didn't infect you.

Link: *distracted by Mal and divaShot, and trying so hard not to laugh. Which results in a few comical faces*

Vi: *soft snerk, and then she's pulling a few funny faces herself as she tries not to yawn*

Link: *hears a little squeak and looks at her with concern* You need more reboot and defrag time.

Vi: *grumbles a bit. Isn't used to needing downtime yet*

Rhinox: Well you've got her a bed. Why don't you take her to it?

Link: *simply* There's no one else up there.

Rhinox: *blinks and looks up*

Vi: *bit of a sheepish expression is a go as she studies the bar top again*

Rhinox: *and then it clicks and he's looking over to the little sitting corner between the levels of the bar* Showtime, will you play chaperon for Vi and Link?

tShowtime: *looks up from her book* Sure... *will move to approach*

Link: *smiling again as he offers Vi a hand down from the stool*

Vi: *small grin as she's helped off the stool*

tShowtime: *so much amusement on her face*

Link: *arm around Vi's shoulders as he pauses to look at the lovely little jewel-like femme who is grinning at him* What?

tShowtime: You two are adorable.

Vi: ... *RAZZ*

Link: *lifts a brow ridge, but then turns his attention to Vi* Do you want to walk or 'port?

Vi: Walking's fine.

Link: Alright. *glances to tShowtime* Do you need a hand off the bar?

tShowtime: I can manage, but thanks. *moves to head for the ladder*

Vi: *more razz, will snuggle against Link*

Mal: *makes her husband scream again* *cackle*

DivaShot: *having a bit of a panic attack as he watches Mal pretend to eat a jumping spider*

Link: *as he guides Vi toward the stairs* And that's really happy husband and wife behaviour?

Vi: Yeah. You saw how Mal came to the priss' aid when he needed it. and he's a Predacon. He'd give his life to protect her.

Mal: *behind them* Whoops, where'd it go?

DivaShot: *squealing like a little girl*

Mal: Stop dancing, you're gonna step on her! *dives to rescue bug*

DivaShot: *fussing and having a conniption fit*

Mal: *gets bug and then inadvertently rolls into tShowtime's legs*

tShowtime: *blinks and looks at Mal* ...

Mal: *looks up, razzes, and then runs off toward the door cackling and holding her cupped hands aloft*

DivaShot: *flails and runs after*

Link: *had stopped to look over his shoulder. Blinks and then starts laughing as he sees divaShot's last action*

Vi: *chuckle* See? *yawn* *grumble*

Link: *nods* *then glances back to where Rhinox has paused in his glass polishing to hug and cuddle Spazz* He and Rhinox are both telling their mates that they love them.

Vi: *nod*

tShowtime: Just in different ways. *small smile as she thinks about how Mirage says the same thing*

Link: *there's his grin back* And WakeJumper says the same thing to Eclipse by picking her up and shaking her gently when she's gotten to rambling too fast to move her fingers.

Vi: *snerk* Mutt's mate does it by winging a wrench at his head when he does something really stupid.

Link: And Mutt? *last glance at that thoughtfully gazing Dinobot on the bar*

tShowtime: He picks 'Clipsie up and cuddles her.

Link: Something like Rhinox, huh? *guides Vi around a bay Optimus who has paused to ponder the hereafter*

tShowtime: *as she follows and nods to the Optimus in passing* Yeah... Except Rhinox has had more time to spend with his mate. *quieter* WakeJumper's only been back for a little over a year now.

Vi: *small nod*

Link: *surprised look for tShowtime* Back?

tShowtime: *nods* He got yanked to the feathery Dinobot's reality and was stuck there for awhile. That's where Vi came from originally.

Link: *looks at the little femme under his arm* So you're only a kid?

Vi: Kid, nothin'... *might sound more convincing if she didn't just yawn*

Link: *slight frown, but his support for her never falters* Are you going to make it?

Vi: *stubborn* Yeah.

tShowtime: *rolls her optics a bit* Vi, stop. There's nothing wrong with being carried when you need carrying.

Vi: Says the femme who likes to sit on her courter's shoulder. *grumble grump*

Threnody: *absently from where she's sitting in a booth with a book and a sleeping Runt* Beau.

Vi: *bhuh? Looks* *blink blink*

tShowtime: *slight quirk of a grin*

Perceptor: *as she goes past in Kup's arms* Beau. The fellow who is courting you.

Link: *watches them go past, his optics dancing with his grin of amusement*

Vi: ... Okay then.

tShowtime: *snerk*

Link: *turns the grin to Vi* So... *lifts brow ridges. Is she up for a ride?*

Vi: *grumping at herself now for that massive yawn she just let out* *and reaching to be picked up*

Link: *gently scoops her up, and then finishes the walk toward the stairs at his usual long legged lope* Slag, wait... *turns back toward the bar, and is hit in the face by the forgotten blanket* ...Oof.

Vi: *startled squeak when the blanket hits Link in the face*

tShowtime: *laughing heartily at that, will move to pick up the blanket once it falls*

Link: Okaaaay. *chuckling*

Vi: *circulating air and trying to get the jumpy feeling to go away*

Link: *looks down at her, his grin fading with sympathy. Holds her reassuringly closer as he turns and heads up the stairs*

Vi: *gonna hide her face against you now, Link*

tShowtime: *gentle, soothing clicks as she follows*

Link: *down the hall and through the door of Nemesis' apartment, his feet making soft sounds on the textured metal of the floor. Steps over some Pooka toys as he brings Vi down the inner hall to the room that's next to the one which has become Rhinox's family's apartment* Here we go. *lays her gently on the folded over couch*

Vi: *soft, not-quite grumbles about needing to reboot as she curls up on her side*

Link: *takes the blanket from tShowtime, and then gives it to Vi* Do you want this?

Vi: *small nod, will soon be curled up beneath the blanket*

Link: Oh, so that's what it's for. *hand on her back, as though he's starting to say goodbye*

Vi: *sleepy mumbling*

tShowtime: *as she moves to sit down on the floor nearby* If you want to stay awhile, go ahead.

Link: *bit of uncertainty as he looks down at Vi* She's alright now.

Vi: *clicks softly and turns so she can grab Link's hand*

tShowtime: *soft snerk*

Link: *jumps just slightly* Huh? Hey, Vi? *gentle hand wiggle*

Vi: *sleepily* Don't go. *snuggle*

Link: *quietly* But you're okay now. *and way younger than he thought you were, though he's not showing his disappointment*

Vi: *snuggle* Don't want you to go...

tShowtime: *as she turns her attention back to her book* You know, not all realities have new bots that start out as sparklets. There're realities where new bots are adults with full programming. *noticed the difference in how Link is reacting to Vi now that he knows how old she is*

Link: *turns a slight, puzzled frown to the small femme as he wonders where that topic came from and how exactly she'd picked up on his feelings*

tShowtime: *serious* I know a gal named Mistfire who stops by sometimes. She's always been an adult, even though she's not much older than Vi. The only time she and her mate really had a problem was when he did something stupid and risky during a very dangerous time in the city they were living in. *as an afterthought* And she and her mate were bonded before she was even an Earth year old.

Link: *a bit embarrassed now* *rubs the back of his head with his free hand* ...How did this subject come up?

tShowtime: *simply* I noticed how you've been acting ever since you found out Vi's age.

Link: Oh. *looks around, wondering why the floor never gets hungry when you want it to and why he can't teleport away from someone that's holding onto him*

Vi: *sleepily* 'F I'm just a kid, then so's Mistfire, 'n Scattershot's a fraggin' &$#%$#.

tShowtime: *trying not to blush at the obscenity*

Link: *kinda just skipped try and did it* *squeezes optics shut* Ayy...

Vi: 'Sides... Nem's young too... 'n she wasn't even close t' my age when she got Pooka.

Link: I... *am blushing to the point that it shows*

tShowtime: Besides, if her age still bothers you, there's nothing wrong with having a long courtship. So don't go running off and never come back.

Link: *lifts his chin a little* We've only met twice.

Vi: *soft chuckle* Show started datin' her guy after the first meeting.

tShowtime: *okay, NOW she's blushing*

Link: 6_6 9_9 Vi?

Vi: *innocently* Well, she did... 'n Rhinox wanted t' wring Mirage's neck.

Link: You're of Decepticon stock, aren't you?

Vi: Few generations removed, but yeah.

Link: *face palms with his free hand* I'm sunk.

Vi: *snerk, snuggle*

tShowtime: *chuckle* Maybe. But at least she's loyal.

Link: Maybe I was just out looking for a good time. *hand still over face as he talks*

Vi: ...

tShowtime: *raised brow ridge*

Vi: Bull.

Link: *looks down at her, brow ridge quirking*

Vi: If you were just lookin' for a good time, you wouldn't bother with followin' datin' rules.

Link: .>_o Smartaft.

Vi: *smug grin* You know I'm right.

tShowtime: *chuckle* And I wouldn't be up here chaperoning.

Link: *quiet sigh as he settles down to sit by Vi's bed, then gives both femmes a grin that shows his chagrin at being read so easily*

Vi: *smirk, scoots closer* *happy, sleepy sigh, splatsleep*

tShowtime: *soft chuckle, reads her book. Thinks Mirage might like this book too*

Link: *puts his head down on the couch and catches a little defrag time himself*


Down in the bar


Spazz: *hands behind her back as she watches a spark float over overhead*

((Written with random_xtras))