Pocket Reality. The Mansion. Chromia's Birthday Gift

[dens_extra_pups]

Chromia: *slowly making her staggering way up the stairs. In between the cake, and Mira and Lumen showing off their combined knowledge of fun drinks, she's pretty well sloshed. In fact, the soldier can't remember the last time she celebrated her birthday so thoroughly*

Vector Prime: *standing at the top of the stairs, a slightly amused expression on his face* Can you hear me, Chromia?

Chromia: *has to hang onto the rail to stay somewhat upright* *bleary squint* Maybeh?

Vector Prime: I've moved your things to the garage. Your quarters are there now, though we need to find you some more suitable furnishings.

Chromia: ... *blink blink* Huh... *slight shrug. At least the garage won't be frilly and hard to keep clean* 'Mkay... *will slowly turn so she can head back downstairs*

Vector Prime: *gently* Would you like assistance in getting there? *doesn't twitch as Sunstreaker loudly protests from the cellar Desinex's offer to give him a decorative scar*

Chromia: ... Mahght need 't...

Vector Prime: *opens a portal with his sword, and then puts a very solid and living hand under her elbow in offer of assistance*

Chromia: *going to do her best to stay upright on her own*

Vector Prime: *guides her through the portal and into the garage, where her things sit in neat heaps around a TF size version of one of those thin, self inflating camping sleep mats. Over to one side is a massive box, garishly wrapped and beribboned* My future self procured the content of yon package, but Lumen and his creation are responsible for the presentation.

Chromia: *blink blink* Huh? *headtilt as she sees the box* ...

Vector Prime: *gently leans her against the nearest wall* I will leave you now to your rest. Happy birthday, Chromia. *bows and steps back toward the portal*

Chromia: Th'nks, VP... *making her unsteady way towards the box now*

box: *big, cube shaped. SHINY*

Chromia: *bit of an amused snerk at the shininess of the box* *will carefully begin unwrapping it, intending to save the paper for one of the human holidays Showtime mentioned*

ribbon: *in the way of taking off paper. Includes a stick on bow bigger than Chromia's head*

Chromia: *mutters about revenge against Lumen, will save the ribbon for that* *and stick the bow on top of her head*

ribbon: *has a neat little knot that is easy to unfasten under that big bow. Is good fabric ribbon, with shiny woven in*

Chromia: *will start on the paper once she's gotten the ribbon off and stowed in subspace*

paper: *nice sturdy stuff, and comes undone easily. Not much tape used to hold it*

Chromia: *pleased sounds as she notices how little tape was used to hold the paper in place. Will carefully fold the paper once she's gotten it off of the box, and then it's joining the ribbon in subspace*

box: *mummified in packing tape* *and smiley stickers* *and heart stickers that are smiley*

Chromia: ... Ah'mma kick 'is slagg'n aft. *amused as heck* *will work on getting the packing tape off*


several moments and flailing and cussing sessions later


box: *is no longer wrapped!*

Chromia: *arguing with that last piece of tape that somehow wrapped itself around her hand*

tape: *finally gives up the fight and the ghost*

Chromia: *mutters something impolite, will turn her attention to opening the box*

box: *contains... red bubble wrap with heart bubbles!* *also much glitter*

Chromia: ... 'F th't kid weren't so cute, Ah'd 'ave words wit' 'er ma. *knows Lumen is no friend to glitter, unless it's in cake* *will see if she can carefully tip the box onto its side, so she can get the contents out without falling on her skid or falling into the box itself* *suspects Lumen is around here somewhere, waiting for just such a situation*

box: *tips, and something inside grunts!*

Chromia: *startled sound at the grunt, backpedals a few steps* 0_0

box: *contents silent now*

Chromia: *cautious now as she edges closer to the box and tries to get a closer look at what's inside* 'F th's 's 'un 'f Lu's jokes...

box: *all that may be seen is the bubble wrap. And the glitter. There's a little heap of that now by the opening of the box*

Chromia: *going to brave being covered in glitter, will move to try and get the box's contents out*

bubble wrap: *loosely wrapped and crumpled stuff surrounds a solid core. ...Which somewhat resembles a mummified body folded with knees to chest*

Chromia: 0_0 *startled curse*

body: *slight movement of the shoulders*

Chromia: *hurrying to try and help whoever it is that's in the bubble wrap* *completely forgets her revenge plots against Lumen*

bubble wrap: *resists valiantly, but finally the mummy opens at one end to reveal a pair of sturdy red feet*

Chromia: *feels like she got sucker punched in the tank, and now her hands are trembling slightly as she works to free the 'Bot in the bubble wrap*

'Bot: *soon revealed to be an Ironhide hog tied and gagged in the ribbon, his optics snapping fire over the fabric that covers the lower half of his face. Expression changes to shock as he sees who just unwrapped him*

Chromia: *will get the ribbon off of Ironhide's face first*

Ironhide: 'Mia?? Mah 'Mia? *strong chin trembling*

Chromia: *gently, her hands still trembling a bit* Easeh, Ahrnhahd... Le's git th' rest'f th' ribbon off'a y'u.

Ironhide: *voice a soft rumble of disbelief* 'Mia... But they said y'u still had stuff t' do.

Chromia: *quietly, as she works on freeing Ironhide* Been 'elpin' out wh'revah th' team's needed...

Ironhide: *winces and rubs his wrists as they're freed, then pauses and stares at his hands* ...Th't hurt.

Chromia: *bit of a soft snerk, will poke Ironhide in one of the spots she remembers as being particuarly ticklish*

Ironhide: *automatic yelp and grabbing of her wrists. And then he stares at her* Ah'm alahv...

Chromia: 'Eah, 'n ev'rywh're but back 'ome.

Ironhide: *stares a bit more, but then pulls her close and hugs her hard there in the heap of vanquished ribbon and bubble packing*

Chromia: *soft, pleased sound, arms around his waist*

Ironhide: *just holds her for a long time, but then takes a hand away to wipe away tears that he'd growl at the mention of* Ah missed y'u, 'Mia.

Chromia: *quietly* Ah missed y'u, too, 'Hahd. *more hug, is also listening to his spark*

Ironhide: *gentle hand strokes her back as he cuddles her close* W'ut is th's plahce?

Chromia: Neah 's Ah c'n tell, 't w's s'me 'uman famileh's manor 't 'un point... th'n 't became paht 'f a pocket realiteh, 'n grew t' fit Cahbertronians comfortableh... Perceptor maght be able t' tell y'u moah, but Ah dunno 'f 'e's even 'wake rahght now.

Ironhide: *slight perk* Perceptor's here?

Chromia: Yep. Ah th'nk s'me serious slag went down f'r 'im though.

Ironhide: *lifts head just enough that he can see her* He ain't th' gah fr'm where we come from?

Chromia: 'E 's... 'E jes' ain't th' same 's 'e w's befoah.

Ironhide: *slight scowl of concern* Poor gah...

Chromia: 'E's doin' bettah th'n 'e w's befoah, 't th' last place th' team w's livin', 't least.

Ironhide: *scowl changes to a frown as he studies her face and seeing how charged up and how close to shut down she is* *softly, as his fingers touch her wrist* Y'ur tahrd.

Chromia: *quietly* Ah'll be alrahght. *snuggles against him*

Ironhide: *brushes fingertips against the cover to her wrist dataport* *softly* Show meh whatall's ben happnin'?

Chromia: *makes the cover retract as she nuzzles his chest*

Ironhide: *gently unspools the wire and plugs it into his own wrist, then shuts his optics off as he falls into the familiar, loving space that is her mind*

Chromia: *will share her memories from when she found Perceptor wandering alone, to the private school, and right up to the party earlier today*

Ironhide: *soaks up the data and looks it over, and then shivers slightly as she inadvertently shares her overcharge along with memories* *gives her a gentle wash of half remembered Allspark song in return*

Chromia: *very soft, contented sigh, is soon nodding off*

Ironhide: *wrapped in familiar love that he thought he wouldn't see for an eternity, he soon follows her into dreams there on the wreck of his wrappings*

((Written with random_xtras))