Nexus and hpVerse. Zoe's Store and Great Lakes Refugee Camp. Helping Out

[dens_extra_pups]

svRatchet: *came to the Nexus with Athena to get her a doll. Is currently telling the little bit about everything she points at and asks about*

Mall: *is busy, though not too many Cybertronians around today. The Ratchet who's bonded to Optimus Magna nods to Ratchet in passing, and cracks a wry smile as he catches sight of Athena* //Hmmph. At least yours is cute.// *and then he's gone*

svRatchet: *can't help but snort at that. Will explain who the other him is to Athena, who has gone still and is staring, wide-opticed* *nods in passing to one of the soldier-type humans he's seen on occasion around the Nexus and gets nodded at in return*

Sal: *busy arranging dolls in the window of the little shop that Zoe Walker's doll factory keeps here in the mall. There is one ten foot tall G1 style Optimus Prime, several rag Seekers of various techs, and some soft dolls of indeterminate type made from soft, pale blue and pink fleece*

Athena: *boggling a bit at all the different types of dolls. Soft, inquisitive chirp*

svRatchet: *chuckles* Those are different types of dolls.... Should we go in there and see what else they have, Athena?

Athena: *looks to Papa, considers, and then nods* *wants to see these dolls up close and learn about them!*

svRatchet: Alright then... *heads for the shop*

Sal: *looks around from where she's finishing up the arrangement of the smaller dolls, which are about four foot tall* *grin* Kin I help you?

svRatchet: I'd like to get a doll for my daughter.... *indicates Athena, who is now looking around and quietly taking in everything she's seeing for later review* She's never seen so many different types of dolls before... *fond, slightly staticky chuckle*

Sal: *grin widens a bit as she looks at the sparklet* How old is she?

svRatchet: Only a few days....

Athena: *studying you now, Sal. See that itty bitty bundle of curiosity study you?*

Sal: D'aww. How advanced are your babies? *glances measuringly at the dolls lining the walls of the shop*

svRatchet: The sparklets are a bit more advanced than human babies, for the most part.... *chuckle* But they're pretty similar. *and he wouldn't have it any other way*

Sal: Can she walk? I know some realities the newsparks can't.

svRatchet: She holds onto things for balance sometimes when she does feel like walking, but usually, she prefers to be held by either myself or my mate...

Sal: Got it. Not too big. Do your people use soft blankets and wash cloths?

svRatchet: *nods* Sometimes, that's the only way to get the little bits clean.... And all of the youngbots like soft things... *thinks to the number of times he's seen Stiletto curl up around a rolled up blanket, and all the times he's seen one of the Aerialbots cling to their blanket*

Sal: *over to a box and takes out one of the pink and blue dolls. Holds it out to Athena* How's this, hmm?

Athena: *big optics are a go, soft, curious clicks as she reaches for the offered doll. Wants to see what this is and understand its purpose!*

svRatchet: *chuckles* How much?

Sal: This one's twenty dollars. Wool fleece, so it's not something good to eat, even if it does have blue on it.

svRatchet: *soft, amused snort. Knows exactly what the shopkeep means. Has actually had a taste of the blue, plastic-based "fleece" himself* *will get money out of one of his storage compartments*

Sal: *shows Athena how the doll's soft eyes catch the light, then cups her hands over them so that the sparklet can see that they glow in the resultant darkness*

Athena: *surprised clicks at the glow-y eyes*

svRatchet: Would it be possible for me to get three more of that type of doll?

Sal: *shrug* No problem. I've got two boxes of them. You want mostly pink or mostly blue? *Athena's is mostly blue*

svRatchet: One has to be pink.

Sal: *grins at Athena, and then walks over to poke around in the box and pull out a doll that's primarily the soft, pastel pink, with some blue accents. Then looks up to Ratchet for further orders*

svRatchet: *nods* That'll do. *so amused that Magenta has a set preference for color already, and it shows*

Athena: *has gone quiet to study the doll in her hands*

Sal: Same colour for the other ones, or more blue for them?

svRatchet: Whatever you grab will be fine. Only one of the other new arrivals really has a set preference for a specific color at the moment. *chuckle*

Sal: Alright. *lifts out two more dolls* Hmm. Is eye colour important? This one's got green eyes.

svRatchet: It's not important. *knows that the dolls will be loved regardless of eye color*

Sal: Okay. Got a bag?

svRatchet: I do. *nods and gets one of the reusable shopping bags that Kathy insisted on giving him out of storage*

Sal: *carefully pokes the dolls into it, then offers it back to him* American dollars?

svRatchet: *nods and offers the money* We live in Detroit in our reality.

Sal: Thought so. Seen your kind before. *goes to the till to get the receipt and change*

svRatchet: *amused snerk*

Athena: *looks up from studying the doll to click curiously*

svRatchet: *to Athena* There are other versions of me running around the multiverse. The shopkeeper has seen at least one of them, or people from their realities.

Athena: *slight headtilt, thinks to the other Papa she saw, click*

Sal: *brings the change and the receipt over and offers them*

svRatchet: *as he takes the offered change and receipt* Thank you.

Sal: Thank you. Enjoy. *offers a little energon goodie for him to give to Athena*

svRatchet: *chuckles as he moves to give Athena the energon goodie*

Athena: *blink blink, soft little chirp as she works out how to hold onto the doll by tucking it under her arm so she can grab the goodie*

svRatchet: *amused sigh as he sees the headlock Athena's got her doll in now* *will move to head out of the shop*

red and white bot: *sidesteps and apologizes absently as he comes out of the shop, but then stops and stares in open mouth, white opticked shock* What the...!!!

svRatchet: *backs up a couple of steps* *blink blink, soft snort*

Athena: *studies this other red and white bot, is still working on nommin' the goodie*

svRatchet: *so amused* No, you're not seein' things.

Ratchet: *blinks at the voice and then frowns and folds his arms across his chest* *dryly* Then my processor finally cracked under the strain.

svRatchet: More like you walked into a multiversal hub. *will attempt to scan this other him though, just to be on the safe side*

Ratchet: ... *facepalm* Right. It's been so long since I read any news feeds from Cybertron that I forgot about all the Multiverse hype in 'em.

svRatchet: It's not all hype....

Athena: *finishes her nom, soft clicks*

Ratchet: *dryly* Obviously. *looks at the small white and red bot in his alternate's arms* ...Don't know you, though.

Athena: *quiet little click*

svRatchet: This is my youngest daughter, Athena....

Ratchet: *quick look up to the other Ratchet's face* Daughter? That's a human word for someone you created or adopted.

svRatchet: *nod* Athena is Arcee's and my creation. Her older sisters are adopted.

Ratchet: *intakes hitch and his expression falls as he looks down* Arcee? *quietly* She's still functional where you come from.

svRatchet: *another nod. Will reach to gently pat this other him's shoulder*

Ratchet: *shutters optics* The one I know's been in the hospital at Iacon since before Omega came online.

svRatchet: *quietly* Don't give up hope.

Ratchet: *frowns a bit as he looks up again, and there is weariness and sorrow in his expression* It's... been a long time.

svRatchet: *seriousness in his optics* Things will work out. Even if, right now, they seem pretty hopeless.

Athena: *reach, patpat in an imitation of Papa's earlier action*

Ratchet: *looks down again, studying that tiny new bot* Have the Reapers attacked where you come from?

svRatchet: Reapers?

Ratchet: *looks up* Organic aliens that strip whole worlds bare of resources.

svRatchet: *frown* No.... We haven't had those..... *but now he's searching the multinets and forwarding the information to Optimus*

Ratchet: We just finished destroying the mother ship that attacked. *looks down again as sorrow and worry show very strongly on his face*

svRatchet: *quietly* I've let the current Magnus know about the Reapers....

Ratchet: *mouth twitches slightly* Ultra Magnus is alright.

svRatchet: *slight quirk of a grin* He's not the current Magnus in my reality.... Optimus is....

Ratchet: *head whips up and his optics are wide and his chin is dropped*

svRatchet: Ultra Magnus appointed him.... Even though he doesn't think he's qualified for it.

Ratchet: *slowly, stammering* Right... you never had the Reapers. So Optimus... *old bot needs to sit down now*

Athena: *worried clicks*

svRatchet: *gently* Let's get you sitting down... *offering assistance to his alternate*

Ratchet: *settles gratefully on a bench, and then rests his elbows on his knees as he intakes deeply. Is shaking*

svRatchet: *making sure his alternate isn't going to keel over from shock*

Athena: *more quiet, worried clicks*

Ratchet: *quietly, and blankly* ...Optimus is Magnus. *face crumples*

svRatchet: *quietly* In my reality, he is.... *keeping a close optic on his alternate*

Ratchet: In mine... he died because I couldn't leave my post.

svRatchet: *gentle patpat of his alt's shoulder, is at a bit of a loss for words*

Ratchet: Starscream tore him apart trying to get the Allspark from him, and then... Optimus broke it somehow-shattered it. *shaky intake rattle* I was keeping Reapers off a civilian refugee camp. His spark was extinguished before I got there.

svRatchet: *quietly* The pieces of the Allspark are probably scattered all over Detroit, or wherever it was that the battle happened....

Athena: *considering something. Will wiggle a bit and attempt to jump to the other Papa. He looks like he needs hugs*

Ratchet: *startles as he carefully catches the sparklet and her doll. Then sighs and looks down again as he holds her close* Detroit's gone. And... I know about the shards. *sounds so sick, sad, and guilty as he says it*

Athena: *snuggle*

svRatchet: *about had a spark attack when Athena jumped to his alt, though now he's focusing on what the mech is saying* There might still be a chance...

Ratchet: *looks up* *quietly* ...If I can come here, can you come with me?

svRatchet: I should be able to... But let me take Athena home... I'd rather not put her in danger.

Ratchet: *gaze drops to the little one, and then he lifts her and gently rests his battered chevron against her tiny one* *softly* Be safe.

Athena: *snuggle, click*

svRatchet: *soft clicks as he reaches for the sparklet*

Ratchet: *hands Athena over, his optics absently searching for Arcee's features on her little face*

Athena: *little bitty pout as she waves bye bye before she and her creator vanish in a swish and flash*

Ratchet: *still staring with wide optics, a hand over his chest, when his alternate returns*

svRatchet: *offers a large-ish crate* Here...

Ratchet: *mouth closes as he blinks and tries to get his vocalizer going. Finally* How the slag...???

svRatchet: Personal teleportation device... There're free ones in the bowl under the optic sore of a sign.... But if you're willing to spend about six American dollars, there're better quality ones with more features for sale in the vending machines.

Ratchet: *blink blink more* ...I walked through the portal in the corner of my tent.

svRatchet: It's generally a good idea to have a back-up plan...

Ratchet: Hrrm. Yeah, I guess. But I'm broke.

svRatchet: I've got credits.

Ratchet: *frowns and considers, but then nods* Where's the store?

svRatchet: The vending machines are over by the sign.... Just do yourself a favor, and don't look directly at the sign. *money out and offered*

Ratchet: ...And the better ones? Ah. *creaks to his feet* I see it. *walks past his alternate toward a little shop two down from the doll one*

svRatchet: *soft sigh, grabs the crate of botmato mud and moves to follow his alternate*

Ratchet: *just bought a model of teleporter made especially for bots to integrate as a mod... from that skinny little girl Wheeljack behind the counter* *frowns at it thoughtfully, and then pops open a panel behind his EMP generator*

svRatchet: *amused headshake*

Ratchet: *catches the motion from the corner of his optic and looks up with a quizzical frown*

svRatchet: It's nothing... *so amused*

Ratchet: *quirks brow ridge* Yeah... right. *attention back to installing his new mod*

svRatchet: *so amused, but will keep quiet for now*

Ratchet: *finishes tinkering* Alright. *flexes hand and arm* I've got the teleporter.

girlJack: *lights flash cheerfully behind him*

svRatchet: Alright. Let's get going then.

Ratchet: Grab on. *lowers arms and frowns absently at the ridiculously cute little Japanese fanart tech Wheeljack*

Wheeljack: *twinkles back at him, so utterly amused by a grouchy old version of her classmate*

svRatchet: *hand on the crate, and his other hand on his alt's shoulder*

Ratchet: *brings his alternate to the screened off corner of a tent that flaps in a lonely winter wind. Scowls as he looks around* Hmmph. It's gone.

svRatchet: The portal?

Ratchet: *nods toward the wall he's frowning at* Yup.

svRatchet: Figures... *not at all surprised*

Ratchet: *hmmphs again, and then steps out from behind the screen and glances toward the spot where he parks* Good. Bumblebee's asleep.

little yellow...tank?: *parked in a corner of the tent. Not a peep coming from it*

svRatchet: *raised brow ridge as he sees the yellow.... tank?*

Ratchet: *glances at alt* Try not to wake him up. *heads for door*

svRatchet: *small nod, moves to follow.... after leaving a can of the botmato mud where it will be found easily*

Ratchet: *pauses just outside the tent, his hand back toward the other medic as he looks around. Then nods and leads the way to another small but bot size tent a few feet from his*

svRatchet: *looking around*

camp: *quiet in the night, and bitter cold with winter wind. Over to the East the still burning remains of a monstrous ship can be seen looming against the clouded sky*

svRatchet: *boggles at the size of the burning ship*

Ratchet: *heard that jaw creak. Turns toward it* Yeah. That's the one that destroyed Detroit.

svRatchet: *obscenity that would warrant Arcee kicking his skidplate all over Detroit if she heard it*

Ratchet: *clank of a hand hitting the back of his alternate's helmet* Keep it down! Do you want the humans to see you?

svRatchet: *startles and bites his lower lip*

Ratchet: Now come on. He's in here. *hand on the carefully zipped shut door of that other tent*

svRatchet: *moves to follow*

Ratchet: *leads him into a little porch of sorts, then zips the door shut before unzipping the door that leads into the main part of the tent* *stops short* ...Elita One...

Elita: *looks up* *quietly* He's sleeping. *then sees the other Ratchet and blinks*

svRatchet: Er....

Elita: *on her feet and looking dangerous*

Ratchet: *hands up* He's a friend. Stand down. And go get some stasis rest.

Elita: *does so reluctantly and scowling, then slips past svRatchet and out of the tent*

svRatchet: *just a bit rattled*

Ratchet: *looks at him* She got hold of a spare protoform sometime during the fight. She was supposed to go back with Ultra Magnus' crew, but it seems she kicked Sentinel in the gearbox and decided to stay.

svRatchet: .... *pinches the bridge of his nose and snerks*

Ratchet: ...In front of Ultra Magnus and Jazz.

svRatchet: *muted his vocalizer, but that's not stopping the rattling from his silent laughter*

Ratchet: *slight grin, but then sighs and looks down as the sound of soft coughing comes from the human size bed in the center of the room near the gas space heater*

svRatchet: *frowns and moves to see what the setup is*

human man: *laying on the bed, his dark hair tousled and touched with grey at the temples. Is wearing a clear oxygen mask and breath is rasping as he sleeps propped up on pillows and cocooned in blankets*

svRatchet: *small frown, scans the human, though he strongly suspects he knows who he's looking at* *frown deepens when he picks up on the severe chest congestion, and the weak sliver of spark* *quietly* He's techno organic....

Ratchet: *nods* *voice low as he goes to one knee by the bed* I was examining an Allspark shard in the morgue, next to a small protoform Black Arachnia had left there. The spark ignited that spark shard. *gentle hand over his captain as Optimus coughs again without waking*

svRatchet: *small nod* *quietly* His chest is severely congested too....

Ratchet: Viral pneumonia. The humans don't have a cure.

svRatchet: All there is for it is to make him as comfortable as possible...

Ratchet: We're doing that. Humans like to be warm and wrapped up. *takes his hand away as Optimus quiets*

svRatchet: *small nod* *going over some of his notes from when Prowl was ill*

Ratchet: The human medics are monitoring his organic systems. *bows his head with a sigh*

svRatchet: *moves to gently patpat his alternate's back* *quietly* He'll be alright. Just give it time.

Ratchet: He wouldn't be in this condition if I'd been able to get to him in time. *scrubs face with an angry motion*

svRatchet: *firmly* You're doing the best you can, and you did everything you were supposed to. Don't beat yourself up with the 'woulda, coulda, shoulda's.

Ratchet: *scowls and shakes his head without lifting it. Plainly is pained at not being able to repair his Prime*

svRatchet: *now it's his turn to bap an alt. Does so lightly, so as not to disturb the sleeping Prime, but makes it count*

Ratchet: *slight flail, but doesn't fall over. Hand to whapped spot and scowl to alternate*

svRatchet: *a bit sternly* Focus on the now, mech. He's alive, and that means that you can help him.

Ratchet: *quiet anger* But I can't help him!

svRatchet: *gearing up for another bap* Not talking like that, you can't.

Ratchet: *bitter scowl as he gets to his feet and grabs his alternate's hand* Then you tell me how, wiseaft!

svRatchet: *seriously* Get your head out of your exhaust port, for starters.

Ratchet: Still waiting to hear something useful!

svRatchet: *very quietly, remembering the despair he felt when Mistfire nearly died human* Don't quit trying. I know things seem hopeless right now, but he needs you to keep going. He looks up to you.

Ratchet: *blinks. And then looks down at the man in the bed, only to startle as tired blue eyes smile up at him before closing again*

svRatchet: *slight quirk of a grin as he sees that*

Sari: *from over by the door* Oh, hey, Ratchet. Guess what? He wanted to eat!

Ratchet: *ducks head* .>_<.

svRatchet: *blink blink*

Sari: *pauses and rubs her glowing blue eyes, then looks again. Slowly* Aaaaalright. Is somebody gonna explain this?

svRatchet: Er.... *looks to his alternate*

Ratchet: *gruffly* You're dreaming. Go back to bed.

Sari: *hands on hips* Nice try.

svRatchet: *quietly* Never works... *now how does he know that?*

Ratchet: *grumble grump* Sari, leave me alone to talk to myself in peace!

Sari: *stomps foot* No! You're NOT listening to what I said!

svRatchet: *goes over the girl's words, soft chuckle*

Ratchet: *scowwwwl* Sari...

Optimus: *yawn* Drink of... water?

Ratchet: *bang, turned around and looking anxiously for that drinking bottle!*

svRatchet: *looks around, will point out the drinking bottle if he sees it*

Ratchet: *grabs it between thumb and forefinger and carefully holds it where Optimus can get the straw*

Optimus: *takes a couple sips, then gives a knowing and tired grin to the old medic before conking out again*

Ratchet: *anxiety clear on his face* Sari... his blankets need fixing...

svRatchet: *moves to fix the blankets himself. Has clearly had practice tucking humans into blankets properly*

Ratchet and Sari: *both wearing slightly gobsmacked expressions as they watch him*

Optimus: *soft cough. Ratchet didn't put his mask back*

svRatchet: *soft clicks as he gently puts Optimus' oxygen mask back into place*

Sari: ...So how come you're so much better at that than our Ratchet is?

svRatchet: *quietly* We interact with humans on a regular basis where I'm from.... And Mrs. Fanzone is still recovering from an accident a few months back...

Sari: *sudden sad look as she holds one upper arm* Mrs. Fanzone, huh?

Ratchet: *growl gone from his voice* We still might find her. Don't... give up hope yet.

Sari: He's so sad, even if he tries to cover it up.

svRatchet: *gently* If she's anything like the one I know, she's alive, and doing all she can to help out, wherever she may be.

Sari: *wibbles, but nods. And then meeps and steps aside as a muscular form pushes in through that inner zipper*

Fanzone: *back turned to the interior as he shoves someone back out* I don' really care what yer job's supposeta be. Anybody dat tries ta assassinate anybody in here's gonna wish dey were never born. So geddout!

svRatchet: *frown, scan*

Fanzone: *running on too much caffeine and too little sleep, also packing around some stress. But he's healthy otherwise. Is wearing a mixture of military gear, including an Army helmet* *then turns, and lookit that beard!* *blink* ...Somebody wanna explain ta me how Ratchet managed dis?

Ratchet: ...No.

svRatchet: ... Not really.

Fanzone: *looks from one Ratchet to the other* Well I know it ain't me. *scowl*

Sari: Nooo. I'm seeing them too.

svRatchet: *quietly* It'll be less of a headache if it's not explained.

Fanzone: *crosses his arms over his chest* Sure. Right. *then focuses on Optimus and his expression changes from ire to quiet concern* How's 'e doin'?

Ratchet: Sari says he wanted to eat today. *slight, sad but proud grin as he says it*

Fanzone: *perks* Dat's good. Dat's real good.

Sari: *peeks toward the door, then looks up at Ratchet* I better go check on Bumblebee.

Ratchet: *nods* He was sleeping when we looked in at my tent.

Sari: ... *looks at her watch* Then it's probably time for dreams. See you! See you, Mr. President. *scoots*

Fanzone: *grumble gripe* ...Mr. President, huh!

svRatchet: *mutter* At least he's sane.

Ratchet and Fanzone: *both give him a quizzical look*

svRatchet: *grumbling softly about crazy ladies and pains in the skid*

Ratchet: At least yours isn't a coward and an idiot.

Fanzone: What he said. *dark scowl*

Optimus: Whispering makes it hard to sleep. *faint chuckle*

svRatchet: ... *soft clang as he facepalms*

Ratchet: *ducks head and looks at Optimus* Want us to shut up and clear out?

Optimus: No. Just... talk. *bit of a grin, though his eyes are closing again already*

Fanzone: *just gives Optimus a concerned frown*

svRatchet: *bit of a frown as he puts a call through to SwindleCo and explains the situation as he understands it to whomever answers*

Zoe: //Give me coordinates, and I'll have fifty crates of human emergency rations there in a click.//

svRatchet: *checks his PINpoint and provides coordinates for just outside the tent*

Fanzone: *through the inner door and out of the tent as a startled shout comes from outside* What da...???!!!

Ratchet: ...What is it? What's happened? *protective crouch by Optimus*

svRatchet: *quietly* Supplies.

Ratchet: *straightens slightly, frowning* ...Supplies?

svRatchet: *nods* Emergency rations. *will get the SwindleCo card he keeps in a compartment out and offer it to his counterpart* I know the name seems a bit dodgy, but name aside, they're trustworthy.

Ratchet: o.0 A Swindle that went into fuel and food instead of weapons?

svRatchet: *nod.... and a slight grin* Pretty good fuel, at that... *is thinking of pizza with pickles and softboils now*

Ratchet: *slight thoughtful look* That can you left by Bumblebee?

svRatchet: One of the types of fuel they sell. *pats the rest of the crate, which he's perched his skidplate on at the moment*

Ratchet: Huh. Is it good oil?

Zoe: //Ratchet? Do you need anything else?//

svRatchet: *as he explains to his counterpart what all is in the fuel* //They'll need a couple crates of botmato mud as well. I'll pay for it myself.//

Zoe: //We've also got oil bars.//

Ratchet: *boggling* Energon?

svRatchet: //Nahh.// *to his counterpart* I didn't believe it at first either.

Ratchet: And you can afford fuel with energon in it?

svRatchet: *nod* In between selling scrap at the Nexus mall, and the occasional freelance repair job.... *and that prize he took in the antique auto show with his Model T*

Ratchet: Hrrm. I owe you.

svRatchet: *snort* Like slag you do.

Fanzone: *comes in, eating a blue banana* Dunno how yous did dat, but t'anks.

Ratchet: I'll owe you if I slaggin' well want to! *scowl*

svRatchet: *bap!*

Fanzone: *looks up and snerks, then goes to sit by Optimus*

svRatchet: *points at the SwindleCo card* The frequency works anywhere, and they deliver.

Ratchet: *growls, grumps, and rubs his head, but tucks the card away*

svRatchet: Oh, and don't worry if you don't see the delivery person... That's normal for the company. *so amused as he says that*

Ratchet: o.0 Do I wanna know how they pull that off?

svRatchet: To be honest, I don't even know.

Ratchet: Huh...

Kup: //Ratchet, you coming home any time soon? We're supposed to put those new cupboards up. Or did you forget?//

svRatchet: //I'll be home soon, Kup. Just making sure of a few things here.// *will databurst his counterpart with a comm frequency* Keep in touch.

Ratchet: Will that work between realities? *o.0 frown*

svRatchet: It should... *thinking of the time Deepdancer got called by Fixer*

Kup: //I'm trying to make sure Magnus doesn't hurt himself by starting the job without us.//

svRatchet: //Sic the sparklets on him if you have to.//

Kup: //Showtime and Blurr hauled them all off to some learning place.// *sounds so grumpy about that. Likes having his grandbitties close*

Ratchet: Alright. *pause. Frown.* Thank you.

svRatchet: *nod* Stay safe. *PINpoints home and is soon arguing with the other oldbots over the fine art of cupboard hanging*

((Written with random_xtras))