MTMTE. The /Lost Light/ and Terra. New Encounters Part 4

[dens_extra_pups]

continued from here



later


Nightwish: *looks up as she gets two pings, one irate and the other gravely concerned* *soft snerk* My baby sister's father and my human sister are wondering where I went.

Mythryl: Oh, dear. I would advise letting them know as soon as possible.

Nightwish: Figure of speech. The one's impatient for me to go pick her and our mentor up, and the other just likes to keep track of me.

Mythryl: ... I see. *small nod*

Nightwish: *stands up, and then looks at his bright-eyed niece, who is sitting and tracing around the Minxie secretary* Okay, fine. I need a guide, but only if you can show me a good place to eat for organic and bot people.

Land Skimmer: *looks up from the tracings that she intends to be the first step of making a Minxie doll* I know a few good places. They cater to bots and to Xaxians and Minxies as well. *grin*

Nightwish: How about people that need type purple-blue-green rations?

Land Skimmer: There's only one place that really specializes in those. *nod*

Nightwish: Is it any good? *turns and offers a hand to Mythryl*

Land Skimmer: Yup. They serve really good rations.

Mythryl: *chuckles as he accepts the offered hand*

Nightwish: I'll see you later, sir. Thank you for the assistance.

Mythryl: You're very welcome, Ultra Magnus. Enjoy your stay. You as well, Tailgate.

Tailgate: *looks over from watching Tempest bounce about as he whistles to the babby raptor*

Tempest: *looks up because little Daddy did. Cheerful greeting for the big man he sees there! Then he scoots into the carrier nicely when little Daddy asks him*

Mythryl: *chuckles and waves to the two little people before moving to see what some of the other city bots are up to*

Nightwish: *grins at Land Skimmer, and then heads out of the office herself after snagging Tailgate and nodding to Clover, who is already busy putting things away and straightening up again* Are you serious about this cylinder of wheels being a history book? *takes it out and looks at it*

Land Skimmer: *nods* Yeah. It's Xaxian. *shrug* They do things differently.

Nightwish: *turns a wheel and peers through one of the little holes at changing symbols and images* This is a gag, right?

Land Skimmer: Nope.

Nightwish: *looks at her for signs of leg pulling*

Land Skimmer: Like I said, Xaxians are weird.

Tailgate: *content to cuddle Tempest's carrier as they're both tucked under Nightwish's arm*

Nightwish: *sidesteps a massive foot* That's not what you said.

Land Skimmer: Uncle Mythryl was still in audio range. *brat grin*

Nightwish: 0.0 You're a Lizzie alright.

Land Skimmer: ... Who's Lizzie?

Nightwish: Remember what I said about other realities? *gets griped at over comms as she comes in sight of the ship*

Land Skimmer: ... Right. *still a bit confused, but will let the matter drop for now*

Nightwish: "Lizzie" is how they say Land Skimmer in some realities. *stops short as she sees both Brainstorms, and something HUGE over by the ramp* Do I want to know what's happening there?

Land Skimmer: *looks* ... Wonder what Brainstorm's up to with Road Train?

Nightwish: *blinks* That's a Road Train? I understand the stories now.

Nightwish: *sends a comm message to the human girl she sees sitting at the top of the ramp and cuddling Memoranda* //Verity, what's up with the Brainstorms and Road Train?//

Verity: //Ours tried slipping Road Train a couple of roofies. Didn't even faze him. So guess who the next test subject was?//

Nightwish: //I'm afraid to.// *still walking slowly toward the ship* //Never mind. I think I know.// *watches Rewind lay down to peer down over the edge of the ramp at Brainstorm as she lays and tries to make a snow angel on the tarmac*

qBrainstorm: ... *snickerfit*

Nightwish: *stops next to the old shrink* What did you do to your namesake?

qBrainstorm: Introduced her to Road Train.

Nightwish: *looks up at the massive, drab coloured guy* Hi.

Cyclonus: *coming down the ramp to collect Tailgate and Tempest, Scourge bouncing happily at his side*

Land Skimmer: *boggles*

Nightwish: *unbothered by Road Train's silent glance, she turns her attention to her brother and the youngling and two Seekers walking behind him* Hi, guys. You're free to go play. *grins a much wider grin than the one she's been using for Land Skimmer and Mythryl* *offers Tailgate and his Tempest*

Cyclonus: *small nod as he accepts Tailgate and Tempest*

Dreadwing: *looks to Skyquake, wordlessly asking his brother what he wants to do*

Skyquake: *shrugs his wings and jerks his head slightly toward Cyclonus. Why not just stick with the Wing Leader's second, since she wants to go with the human girl and the small guy*

Dreadwing: *small nod*

Nightwish: Do any of you need credit? *looks from one to the other of the big Seekers who follow her*

Dreadwing: *quick tally of the credit he and his brother have between them*

Skyquake: *looks at the tiny amount* -Does she want us to buy something?-

Dreadwing: -I'm not sure.- *slight frown*

Skyquake: *glances at Cyclonus to see what his answer will be*

Cyclonus: *simply* I have enough credit for everyone.

Nightwish: Okay. *kisses him on the cheek, and then kisses Tailgate and Tsubasa. Squeezes Scourge's hands gently as the youngster uses them both to grasp one of hers*

Tsubasa: *happy little squeak from where she's clinging to Daddy's arm, then looks shyly at that stranger there*

Land Skimmer: Aww! She's so cute!

Nightwish: *grins again* That's my youngest sister. Tsubasa.

Tsubasa: *hides face on Daddy arm*

Cyclonus: *quiet rumble*

Land Skimmer: Awww. *grin*

Nightwish: *gives Cyclonus a very gentle push* Go have fun.

Scourge: *looks up at Cyclonus, all bright-eyed with excitement*

Cyclonus: *will move to lead Skyquake, Dreadwing, and Scourge off to find a good place to refuel*

Nightwish: *grins, and then looks up at Rewind. Offers to catch him if he jumps*

Verity: Ambulon's bringing Minimus.

Nightwish: *arms full of Rewind who is teasing about smooches* Great. Where's Chromedome?

Verity: Getting a day bag ready for Memoranda. *amused*

Nightwish: *looks at the little turkey in her arms* Tell her to hurry up. I'm about to unleash the horde.

Rewind: *worried frown* On it, bosslady. *sends an urgent message to his wife to hustle her skid!*

Chromedome: *hurrying over to the ramp, was just adding one of the blankets to the bag* I think I have everything...

Verity: Here. *offers Memoranda to Chromedome*

Chromedome: *thanks Verity as she moves to cuddle Memoranda close*

Memoranda: *belly laughs and waves at Verity*

Nightwish: *flips Rewind over onto her back, and then reaches up for Chromedome* Here, jump.

Rewind: Wow! *cling!*

Chromedome: *just a bit hesitant to jump*

Nightwish: Here, I'll catch Memoranda first.

Memoranda: Huh? *looks down, realizes the game, and cheers*

Rewind: *waves to his daughter and laughs* It's alright, Chromie. She caught me!

Road Train: *walks over, picks Chromedome up around the waist, and sets her gently on the ground*

Chromedome: *startled squeak*

Nightwish: There we go. //Ambulon, are you here yet?//

Ambulon: //Just about. Perceptor wanted to talk to Minimus about something, and I'm trying to convince him to hurry up, too.//

Nightwish: *changes channels* //Red?//

Red Alert: //Yes?// *only sounds minimally distracted today!*

Nightwish: *slight smile to herself* //Is your family ready to disembark?//

Red Alert: //Yes, I do believe so.//

Nightwish: //Great. Teleport with them to the infirmary, grab Ambulon, Minimus, and Perceptor, and then teleport everyone to my coordinates.// *sends them*

Red Alert: //Yes, Ultra Magnus.//

Nightwish: *looks up as qBrainstorm nudges her* Yes?

qBrainstorm: *nods toward Brainstorm and Road Train* She's got a Governor now. She won't be up to trouble.

Nightwish: A Governor? *looks up at Road Train, who is setting Brainstorm onto her feet with infinite patience as she giggles and falls on her face each time*

qBrainstorm: *nods* To keep an optic on her, and to keep her safe.

Nightwish: *brow plates lift with surrpise* You went out and hired her a sitter just so she could have RnR?

qBrainstorm: *headshake* So she can exist safely in society.

Nightwish: You know we'll be leaving in a few days, and probably not coming back for a long time, right?

qBrainstorm: It'll be good for Road Train to experience new things.

Nightwish: Oh. *pings Rodimus* //We've got a native coming with when we leave.//

Rodimus: //We do? Sweet!//

Nightwish: *explains the situation, absently catching a happily leaping Memoranda as she does*

Memoranda: *jumps from Aunty Maggy to the nice old fart with the singy pet*

Rodimus: //... Wow. Cool.// *can you hear the grin in his voice?*

qBrainstorm: *acks and catches the tiny being* 0_0

Memoranda: Heya, man! What's kickin'? *massive Blaster grin*

Rewind: *looks up from talking with wife about a downloaded map. Cracks a grin behind his mask* Go easy on the guy, Meme.

Nightwish: //Yeah. I kinda wish we could keep the old bot that brought him. This guy's something else.// *shows picture of oldbot with Memoranda*

Rodimus: *snickersnort* //He looks terrified of Memoranda.//

Nightwish: *looks up* Are you alright, Brainstorm?

Memoranda: *finger nommin'*

qBrainstorm: She's so tiny!

Nightwish: *laughs* Well look at her parents.

Rewind: *looks up again* Heyyyy...

Chromedome: *also looking up* Hey!

Nightwish: You are tiny people. *and her grin is affectionate*

Red Alert: *just brought Perceptor, Ambulon, Minimus, Swerve, and Firestar to the end of the ramp*

Road Train: *glances toward the sound and the suddenly there people. Resumes standing Brainstorm up*

Swerve: *trying not to urk!*

qBrainstorm: *just taught Memoranda a swear word!*

Rewind: *added to his daughter's miseducation*

Chromedome: *startles badly*

Ambulon: *looks about as queasy as Swerve*

Minimus: *circulating slowly*

Perceptor: *clearly quite startled by the sudden teleportation*

Worf: *letting the world know that he is an abused babby! What a way to ruin a nap!*

Memoranda: *peeking over the side of the nice old guy's hand with a doubtful look for the newcomers*

Firestar: Calm down, guys, it's just us. *pat pats Swerve*

Verity: ... What the *BLEEP* was that?

Nightwish: That is three different curses that you people just taught a baby.

Rewind: *quick look at his wife to see how she's going to react to that*

Chromedome: *boggling, and then she's facepalming*

Minimus: ... I'm surprised she hadn't already learned them.

Rewind: What's that supposeta mean?

Nightwish: *catches a leaping babby, and then offers her to her parents* Go have fun. Take Brainstorm and her Governor with you.

Chromedome: *as she reaches for Memoranda* Wait, what?

Nightwish: *indicates the silent hulk that just carefully picked Brainstorm up by one arm and poked her to see if she's awake* Her governor. From what I just read, there are members of the local society who are even buggier than her, so it's common practise to hire somebody to keep an eye on them.

qBrainstorm: *nods, and then he's sighing as he gets a comm* And there goes the neighborhood.

Nightwish: *looks up at him from watching Rewind and his family walk off* What happened? Do I need to call my people back? *absently reaches for Minimus*

qBrainstorm: No. One of the bots I work with got turned around and confused. She just asked me to help her find where she is.

Nightwish: *brows up*

Ambulon: ... How can someone not know where they are? *concerned, even as he brings Minimus closer to Nightwish*

qBrainstorm: Torque can't read, and has no sense of direction. Unless she sees familiar landmarks, she gets lost very easily.

Nightwish: Torque??

qBrainstorm: *nods, even as he comms the woman to let her know he's on his way, and that she needs to turn on her beacon* She's a hard worker, and a very kind person.

Nightwish: *quietly* And was hurt worse than the one I've met. *louder* Why hasn't anyone given her a mini-marauder?

qBrainstorm: ... *blink blink* *slowly* Nobody ever thought of doing that. *looks to one side* She's close by, at least.

Land Skimmer: Hang on. *opens cockpit and clicks*

Nightwish: *turns and scans the girl for the first time. Lifts brows as she hugs Minimus* *absently* Ambulon, your hugmonster's crying.

Ambulon: *acks and works on trying to coax his hugmonster out*

Worf: *responds to his nice man's voice, but is still crying. Abused babby is!*

Land Skimmer: *has a mini-maurader baby snoozing in her cockpit* *will take the babby out of her cockpit, trilling softly*

Red Alert: *surprised squeak*

Ambulon: *will tap along his chest armor, talking quietly to Worf*

Nightwish: *as Worf pops out of Ambulon's armour, still loudly crying* My reading indicates that this pup is a rare colouring.

qBrainstorm: *boggling as he gets a good look at the mostly black and white-accented pup* He is. I haven't seen that coloration in quite some time. Hold on a moment. *will head for the side street that Torque is apparently on. Is still in visual range as he gently coaxes a tall, burly tan and navy colored woman out from where she had hunkered down*

Land Skimmer: Freddy makes pretty babies. *grin*

mini-maurader pup: *yaawwns, and shows his impressive lack of teefs*

Firestar: *overcome by soft laughter* Red, Swerve, look. He's adorable.

Red Alert: *quietly curious* What is he?

Swerve: He's tiny! *laughs*

Nightwish: Do you know what a dog is? This is how the bots of Terra say pet dog.

Red Alert: *blink blink* Oh.

Swerve: Wonder how big he'll get?

Land Skimmer: About the same size as a shoulder angel.

Nightwish: *holds her hand a distance from the ground to show that Shoulder Angels are as tall as she is*

Swerve: *jaw drops*

Firestar: *reaches up to gently touch the pup's belly*

pup: *squirms and cheeps*

Firestar: *grins and looks toward qBrainstorm and Torque* Torque at least doesn't make a bad looking female.

Torque: *clinging desperately to qBrainstorm's arm as she's lead over to the group, is stuttering badly about how things changed and she didn't recognize any of the landmarks qBrainstorm pointed out to her to look for*

qBrainstorm: *gently reassuring Torque that she was going the right way, and that there is something small and cute she should say hello to*

Land Skimmer: *to the pup* Chico, there's a pretty lady here to see you. *grins as Chico starts cheeping earnestly. Will set the pup on the ground, aiming him at Torque*

Chico: *cheep cheep cheep, will try and dance around the feet of the pretty lady*

Nightwish and Firestar: *both grinning widely at the cuteness*

Worf: *stopped crying when he heard the cheeping, is now peeking over the edge of his nice man's hand to watch that big babby with surprised eyes*

Verity: *leans against the nearest bot with a slight smirk on her face as she watches Chico dance*

Torque: *soft sound of delight, will let go of qBrainstorm to crouch down and click to the mini-maurader pup*

Chico: *losing his mind with glee* *cheep cheep cheep!!!*

Land Skimmer: *grin* We can start training him in about a week. He's just been weaned.

Ambulon: *looks up curiously* Weaned?

Firestar: *leaning against Red Alert as she watches the baby animal*

Land Skimmer: *nods* He's learned how to find his own food, and his mom stopped feeding him part of her food a few days ago.

Ambulon: Ohhh. *looks down at Worf as the baby hugmonster sneezes and makes an amused sound about it*

Torque: *showing that she's just as gentle with small creatures as her counterparts as she carefully scritches Chico's chin*

Chico: *LOVES YOU PRETTY LADY*

qBrainstorm: How much is he?

Nightwish: *attention goes to Land Skimmer* *is absently rubbing Minimus' back now*

Land Skimmer: Hang on... Lemme ask Dad and Jackknife. *slight headtilt as she comms her dad and older brother*

Nightwish: *gently chivies everyone away from the end of the ramp, and then comms and tells the bots on board the ship that everyone with a name beginning with the sound Y or Z and having Red Alert's mark of approval can disembark*

crew members: *those that fit the call are soon moving to disembark*

Chico: *cheeps at the peeps he can see*

Torque: *bit of a squeak as she sees people exiting the ship*

qBrainstorm: *gently* I know this is a big change, but this is an okay change. Mythryl would not let them disembark if they were going to cause trouble.

Nightwish: What we consider trouble, I've already seen your people to regard as a quiet day.

Torque: *startles and looks over*

Nightwish: *smiles reassuringly at the bigger woman*

Torque: *shy smile*

Chico: *cheep cheep cheep!!! Love on me, pretty lady?*

Land Skimmer: Dad says Chico will cost *names the price, which is very fair for a mini-maurader*

Nightwish: *reaches into subspace at the same time that qBrainstorm reaches into his*

Torque: *distracted from people by loving on Chico*

qBrainstorm: *raised brow ridge as he realizes what's going on*

Nightwish: It could be a gift from your visitors. *lifts her brow plates back at the old shrink*

qBrainstorm: *quiet snort* Alright.

Nightwish: *takes out the right amount of credit, and also a few golden energon candies*

Land Skimmer: *blink blink* Ooo, pretty.

Nightwish: Have one.

Land Skimmer: *will hold out her hand, then*

Nightwish: *gives candy, then offers one to Torque and to qBrainstorm*

Torque: *quiet* Th-Thank you.

qBrainstorm: Thank you, Ultra Magnus.

Nightwish: *grins slightly, but then frowns and looks up at the stream of bots coming off the ship in neat alphabetical order* Alright, this is C, where's my older sister? Signal Lancer! Where's Disturbia? And stop poking that hugmonster.

Signal Lancer: We have no idea, Boss.

hugmonster: *hops and trills* *don't ignore me!*

qBrainstorm: We? *raised brow ridge*

Nightwish: *sighs and looks at Red Alert* Will you look for my sister? I know she didn't get off the ship. *attention to qBrainstorm* Yeah, there's two of them there, though you can't tell by the size.

Red Alert: *nods and moves to head back into the ship*

qBrainstorm: A gestalt then?

'Nightwish: Late separated twins. *watches Chico playfully try to chase the hugmonster*

qBrainstorm: Ah... *small nod* *slight frown as he notices something that seems 'off' about the medic that accompanied Minimus. Will scan the mech, blinking a bit as he realizes what's wrong*

'Nightwish: *slight frown of her own* What's wrong?

qBrainstorm: *quietly* Why are you letting the poor medic suffer?

Nightwish: *automatically frees an arm from Minimus to put it around Ambulon's shoulders as she turns and scans him* Suffer?

Ambulon: *frown* If you're referring to the fact that I'm an incomplete part of a gestalt...

Nightwish: I don't see any stress to his systems. *looks up at qBrainstorm*

Minimus: *concerned frown for Ambulon*

qBrainstorm: To leave him with an open link... *headshake*

Nightwish: *frown of concern* I'm not detecting any stress.

Land Skimmer: *wibble, will move to give Ambulon a hug*

Ambulon: *surprised sound, awkward movements as he tries to figure out how to hug back without squishing Land Skimmer and without slipping free of Nightwish's arm around his shoulder*

qBrainstorm: *mutters something about not even knowing how to give a proper hug as he shakes his head*

Torque: *quietly humming to herself now, even as she loves on Chico*

Worf: *informs Land Skimmer's hugmonsters that he's a BOSS!*

Nightwish: //Of course he doesn't know how to give hugs. They're just now learning how to react to having two genders.// *makes the hug a group hug*

Minimus: Oof...

Land Skimmer's hugmonsters: *trilling and then the big male is scampering out to show that HE is the BOSS!*

qBrainstorm: //...// *brain broken expression*

Worf: *snaps his jaws from where he's sitting on his nice man's shoulder* *SO BOSS*

Nightwish: *quick summary of Cybertronian life and culture before, during, and after the war as she lets go the hug and cradles Minimus again*

qBrainstorm: *positively shocked by what he's learned*

Land Skimmer: *quietly scolding Mark for being a brat*

Mark: *snaps his jaws and hisses*

Worf: *tells him!*

Sunstreaker and Drift: *over on the edge of the spaceport* GIRL POWER! Bahahahahaha!

Torque: *startles and looks that way*

Mark: *growls. Gonna put you in your place, little man*

Ambulon: *trying to get Worf to settle down*

qBrainstorm: *so much brain break as he tries to work things over in his processor*

Sunstreaker and Drift: *now singing Spice Girls*

Nightwish: *dryly* As you can see. Some aren't adapting very well.

Torque: *gonna try to protect Chico from the noise*

Verity: *wrinkles her nose* I gotta introduce those two to Paramore.

Nightwish: No. //Drift, Sunstreaker, what did I tell you two about being a public disturbance?//

Drift and Sunstreaker: *meep and vanish*

Bob: *scoots after them, chittering happily*

Torque: *blink blink, moves to follow Bob*

qBrainstorm: *quick to touch Torque's arm, thus distracting the quiet woman*

Nightwish: Torque, would you like to come with Land Skimmer, Minimus, Verity, and me? We're going to eat.

Torque: ... *blink. Blink* *quietly, as she nods* Ch-Chico can come t-too?

Nightwish: *quizzical look for Land Skimmer*

Land Skimmer: ... Oh! *has an idea. Gets a bit of orange colored flimsy and carefully ties it around Chico's neck*

Chico: *curious cheep*

Nightwish: What's that?

Land Skimmer: It's a collar. It'll do until he gets a harness.

Torque: *distracted by the pretty on Chico's neck*

Nightwish: Can't she just carry him?

Land Skimmer: It'll keep other people from trying to buy him off of us.

Nightwish: Ah, I see. *surprised glance toward Ambulon as she hears him singing softly to Worf*

Worf: *laying on his belly in his nice man's hand with his chin down and his legs stretched out behind him*

Mark: *got pounced by sister, is currently trying to assert that HE is BOSS MONSTER*

Ruby: *Um, nope. Will play fart tag with her brother*

Nightwish: *brows shoot upward as she smells that*

Land Skimmer: Ugh! Ruby! What'd you eat this time?

Mark: *complaining*

Worf: *gone to hide inside his nice man*

Red Alert: *is that panicked yell from inside the ship*

Torque: *startled squeal, hunkers down*

Nightwish: *shoves Minimus into qBrainstorm's arms, and then vanishes*

Firestar: *darts toward the ramp, but then gets dizzy and falls to her knees* //Red!?//

Minimus: *trying to figure out what just happened*

Torque: *head down as she circulates rapidly*

qBrainstorm: *moving to talk soothingly to Torque*

Chico: *cheeps and loves on the pretty lady*

Verity: What the *BLEEP*?

Swerve: ... I have no idea. *moving to help Firestar*

Land Skimmer: ... Did someone just scream like a little girl?

Nightwish: *reappears and sits on the edge of the ramp to rub Red Alert's back and talk to him*

Disturbia: *is a trail of gleeful giggling as she takes off to go find the other Seekers from the ship*

Firestar: Red... *leans against Swerve and tries to get her head to settle down so she can get up and go to Red Alert*

Swerve: *will help Firestar over to Red Alert*

Red Alert: *helm lights flashing rapidly as he rambles and trembles*

Nightwish: Shhhh, Red. You're safe. The ship's safe. Look, here's Star and Swerve. *kisses him gently on the helm*

Red Alert: *looks, will reach for family*

Firestar: *hugs and hides her face against his shoulder* You're giving me static.

qBrainstorm: *as Torque starts to calm down enough to focus on petting Chico* It may be a good idea for Red and his family to forgo an excursion into town.

Land Skimmer: *worriedly* Is he gonna be alright?

Nightwish: *glances up at the old shrink* He wouldn't like that. He's our Chief of Security. *to Land Skimmer* He'll be fine.

Land Skimmer: *as qBrainstorm boggles* Does he need a hugmonster?

Nightwish: *slight smile* He has one. And he has Firestar.

Firestar: *just slapped him in the head to make him stop flashing back to finding Overlord aboard the ship*

Red Alert: *startled squawk*

Swerve: *knows what to do here! Will poke a piece of cookie at Red Alert's mouth*

qBrainstorm: ... Is he damaged?

Land Skimmer: *attention back to Torque, will show her how to pet Chico's belly, which the mini-marauder is currently showing*

Chico: *happy pup!*

Nightwish: *slight shrug* He's a security model. *chuckles as she hears Red Alert sputter startled laughter and protest something one of his family members just said*

qBrainstorm: ... 0_o *does not compute*

Nightwish: *gives him a quizzical look*

Red Alert: *ready to go. Wants to bring his family to see the museum* *will move to offer assistance to Firestar as Swerve moves around to support the woman's other side*

Nightwish: *helps them down off the ramp, then looks up at qBrainstorm again*

Firestar: *shakes her head free of teleportation fuzz, and then looks at Red Alert* Do you think we should teleport there?

Red Alert: *considering* That may be the most efficient method to arrive.

Firestar: *arms more firmly around his and around Swerve's shoulders* I'm ready.

Red Alert: *will bring his family to the museum*

qBrainstorm: ... If he's a Security model, why doesn't he have Shoulder Angels?

Nightwish: *smiles her slight half smile* Because he's not a Quadriate, or a bouncer.

Verity: *hunkered down and taking her turn to poke the roaming hugmonster* Are we going to go eat anytime this year?

qBrainstorm: Hmm...

Nightwish: *still with the quiet half smile* We don't have pet badges. And I suspect that the animal races of Cybertron are extinct. *sudden bark over comms* //Ratchet! RnR! Now.//

Ratchet: *just cursed on an open commline*

qBrainstorm: ... Who was that? They curse like a rookie.

Nightwish: *blinks and looks up at him sideways* That's our Chief Medical Officer. His boss. *pats Ambulon, who seems to have decided he's one of her party*

qBrainstorm: *snort* Still curses like a rookie.

Ambulon: *one with his facepalm*

Nightwish: *dry amusement* Not all races view cursing as an art form. //Ratchet?//

Ratchet: *grumble* //Fine. I'll be out soon.//

qBrainstorm: //Hustle, mech, or you'll end up with a lousy tour guide.//

Ratchet: //And just who do you think you are?//

qBrainstorm: *deadpans* //The boogiemech. Quit stalling.//

Nightwish: *smirking a bit as she sends Ratchet a quick rundown on the old shrink who reminds her of some Ratchets she's met in the Nexus*

Ratchet: *can be heard grumbling long before he's seen*

Doctor Roxanne: *walking beside him, clad in a pretty civilian suit of soft green* *as she looks at the printouts that he gave her* The museum has a history of medicine in this quadrant. And a place which serves snacks for bots and food for organics.

Nightwish: *grins when she sees them, then turns to her party* Should we get started?

Minimus: *nods* The sooner we arrive, the better.

Land Skimmer: Yeah! *grin*

Torque: *shy little smile*

Nightwish: Where did Verity go now?

Verity: *just up ahead* Hurry up, slowpokes!

hugmonster: *has scaled Torque's leg and is currently inspecting her waist*

Nightwish: *as she guides the larger woman after Verity, she nods toward the chirpy little monster* Friend of yours?

Torque: *small headshake* W-wild h-hugmonster.

Chico: *cheeping and talking to the hugmonster*

Nightwish: Well I think he likes you. *looks over at Land Skimmer where she's walking by Ambulon* Which way?

Land Skimmer: This way. *will move to lead the group to Norton's*


meanwhile, at the museum


Firestar: *staring up at the metallic skeleton of a massive, toothy horror* That's a marauder?? 0_0

Red Alert: *boggling*

Swerve: Whoaaah. Cool. *grin*

Benny: *is a pretty male shoulder angel of the Stringer strain. If he were a corn snake from Earth his colouring would be called "cremesicle". Has a picture in his hands that his master gave to him and told him to find the bot in that picture and help them* *soft trill to his mate. Do you see the new master, Beauty?*

Beauty: *is a black on black female shoulder angel of the same strain as Benny. Dark and intelligent eyes study the bots in the room before looking back at the picture that her master gave Benny. One more visual sweep of the room has her pausing and trilling softly. She sees the new master, Benny. He looks scared of the bones*

Benny: *worried sound as he looks the way she's looking. Master shouldn't be scared of bones. Master needs comfort. We need to go, but old master said to be careful*

Beauty: *quiet, worried huff. Yes, old master said to be careful, but she's not sure how to say hello to new master*

Benny: *perks and offers her the picture. Hold this, Beauty*

Beauty: *will reach for the picture*

Benny: *gives, and then flops down on his belly and makes funny and cute sounds as he worms toward the new master and new master's family*

Firestar: *hears the sounds and glances toward them. Soft snerk of surprise* Guys, look.

Red Alert: *slight start at Firestar's snerk, will look where she's looking* *blink, blink!*

Swerve: *looks, and then he's laughing*

Benny: *wormy wormy wormy, cute cute cute! Reaches the bots, and then rolls over and shows belleh in a way that no other shoulder angel strain ever does* *belly is softly coloured and beautifully patterned*

Firestar: *hunkers down to look at the friendly pet's collar* Are you lost?

Red Alert: *concerned, will also move to look at the pet's collar* If someone has lost their pet, we should help them reunite.

Beauty: *soft trill, sees what you did there, Benny! Good idea!*

Firestar: *quietly, as she turns and looks at Red* This is your name and picture, Red Alert.

Red Alert: *surprised* What? But I don't...

Swerve: Hey, there's another one here. *will hold his hand out to Beauty*

Beauty: *will approach, still holding the picture*

Firestar: *looks up* That's a female. *and then she pauses and puts a hand to her ear, her brows lifting*

Red Alert: Firestar? *worried now*

Firestar: *smiling now* One of the locals wants you to have a pair of assistants trained in law enforcement.

Red Alert: *so surprised!*

Firestar: That's Black Beauty, and this guy is Beneficial Entity.

Benny: *looks up, wondering if he's in trouble* *soft, asking trill*

Beauty: *headtilt, soft trill*

Red Alert: ... *small nod* I wonder if they have nicknames?

Firestar: The bot that bought them says that Benny was named when he got caught in a security field as a baby. He thinks Beauty could have done with a less obvious name.

Benny: *relaxes and makes happy sounds* *not in trouble!*

Beauty: *amused huff, will nuzzle Benny. You're silly, mate.*

Benny: *wriggles happily* *look, Beauty, the one petting me is a lady. This family has a Matriarch!*

Firestar: *offers a hand to Beauty* Hey, you. I think your name fits pretty well.

Beauty: *will politely and gently nuzzle the Matriarch's hand. Hello, Matriarch*

Benny: *sudden sound of concern as he rolls over and puts his head to the Matriarch's chest. Sad song. Matriarch is hurt!*

Firestar: *looking at Benny with a quirked brow* Is he crying?

Beauty: *worried sound, will gently fuss over Matriarch*

Red Alert: *meeps*

Benny: *nuzzles Matriarch, and then nuzzles master* *decides on an encouraging song*

Swerve: *quietly* I think they both think you're hurt, 'Star.

Firestar: *surprised look for the minibot* You think they somehow know about my spark damage?

Benny: *goes and headbutts the bones to show master that they're not alive*

Red Alert: *acks and moves to discourage Benny from headbutting the bones*

Swerve: They're acting like hugmonsters. *small nod*

Beauty: *soft trill*

Firestar: But the local Brainstorm called them shoulder angels.

nearby museum security guard: *looks over* Huh. Haven't seen a Stringer that color before.

Swerve: *looks up at the much bigger bot* They're acting like giant hugmonsters.

security guard: That strain's known for it. *shrug*

Swerve: Huh. *looks at Red Alert*

Firestar: I'm alright. *gently pushes on Beauty's muzzle, asking the pet for some space*

Beauty: *will nuzzle Matriarch's hand again*

Firestar: *rubs Beauty's chin and looks up at the security guard* How do you tell Stringers from other shoulder angels? Other than how they act?

security guard: Stringers have bigger jaws and heads than most other strains. They're shorter and stockier, too.

Firestar: *studies those parts of Beauty*

Beauty: *does have a fairly good-sized head in relation to her body*

Firestar: I've never seen a shoulder angel, so I can't tell the difference. *blinks and looks at Benny, who is making a pleased sound as he offers her a tiny blue booklet that he found just inside the marauder bones exhibit* What's this?

Benny: *knows bots love these things. Is very pleased to have found such a nice gift for Matriarch. Trills cheerfully at Beauty about how great he is right now*

Beauty: *will trill back. Yes. That is a good gift*

Red Alert: It looks like a booklet. *slight frown*

security guard: Oh, hey, that's a copy of Gunner's 'Blue Book'. *grin*

Swerve: *blink* Gunner's 'Blue Book'? *confused*

Firestar: *looks up at the guard quizzically, noting his expression* There's nothing in it. It's just thin blue plastic. *is holding the book with the spine to the left, like the majority of the human books she's seen*

security guard: You're holding it sideways. Butt of the book goes to the bottom.

Firestar: *looks down at the booklet and turns it that way, then opens it again* It still looks blank.

Benny: *watching Matriarch and wondering why she hasn't already made marks on the little thing and put it into somebody's mouth. Or laughed. That's what usually happens, right, Beauty?*

Beauty: *soft trill, wonders if Matriarch has never seen such a thing before*

Benny: *huh? She's a bot!*

Red Alert: *frowns and scans the book*

Firestar: *also holds it down for Swerve to see*

Swerve: *tries to figure out if there's some trick to the book*

Benny: *helpful and informative chirp. Just found a stylus!* *offers it to master*

Red Alert: *blinks and reaches for the stylus*

Benny: *much chirping, whistling, and gesturing!*

Firestar: *frowns at him, then glances at Black Beauty, and then at the security guard*

security guard: Touch the stylus to the first page. *sagely nod*

Firestar: *slight frown, but holds the open booklet out to Red Alert*

Red Alert: *will hesitantly touch the stylus to the page* *slight frown as all that happens is a mark appears on the page*

security guard: Got any words of wisdom? *grin*

Firestar: *sudden narrowing of optics as she catches on to his mood* Are you jerking our chains?

security guard: You're supposed to write in it, and then make someone eat your words. *so amused*

Swerve: ! *and now he's laughing*

Red Alert: *not sure why that's funny*

Firestar: *facepalming, and then snerks softly. Quietly* Inferno would have loved this.

Beauty: *nuzzles Matriarch at the same time Master puts an arm around her*

Firestar: *clears her intakes and hides her face against Red Alert's shoulder* *quietly* Sorry.

Red Alert: *will gently rub Firestar's back as Beauty croons softly*

Benny: *protective stance as he looks around to see if he can bite whatever hurt Matriarch just now*

Swerve: *will also give hugs to Firestar*

security guard: *not looking at the family, to give them some privacy*

Firestar: *after a moment she lifts her head and wipes at her face with the back of her hand* *quietly* I'm alright. But we should probably find somewhere to sit down. *yes, she's wiped out again*

Benny: *chirp chirp chirp crooooooon*

Beauty: *trills and croons*

Red Alert: *small nod* Alright.

security guard: There's a grotto just down the hall and to the left.

Firestar: Is it good for people watching?

security guard: It's right off the main passage. *nods*

Firestar: *looks up at Red Alert* *quietly* Let's go.

Red Alert: *small nod, will gently guide Firestar to the grotto*

Swerve: *helping on Firestar's other side*

Beauty: *moving to follow*

Benny: *trucks after his family, and then stands by the mouth of the grotto to people watch and sing till master decides it's time to move out*

((Written with random_xtras))

continued here