Nexus. Black Dog and Seaspray's Home. Another New Beginning.

[dens_extra_pups]

Hormah: *just bought a puffy sleep sack and is busy tucking tPerceptor and his teddy bear into it as she sits by the bar and ignores a knock down drag out tiff between Mutt and his wife over on the corner with the human size tables*

tPerceptor: *half-asleep, is murmuring equations as he curls up around his teddy bear*

Hormah: *lifts him off the bar moments before Nemesis slams her hand down between the combatants, then settles him back and finishes tucking him in before gently pulling the draw cord around the top of the sack to keep him and his bear snug*

tPerceptor: *quiet little sigh as the sleep sack reflects his own body heat back to him*

Hormah: *smiles, and then reaches up to poke Mira where the bitty is sitting on her shoulder and talking to Smallfoot as the young couchbot sticks close and shyly watches goings on in the bar*

Mira: *squeak, chirp, chatter*

Hormah: Whatchye t'inks, b'y? Percy look some comfier 'n he did wit' t'at blanket? *grins at her smallest daughter*

Smallfoot: *looks over Hormah's shoulder at the little mech, and her dark eyes smile softly at sight of the contentment on his tiny face*

Mira: *studies tPerceptor before nodding* He's gotta warm.

Hormah: *soft deedle of a chuckle* Ye wants one o' t'ese?

Mira: *considering look, then nods* Get one for Sissy, too?

Hormah: *glances at Smallfoot, and then turns back to Mira as she shakes her head* I's t'inkin' t'ey works best fer little bits. Could git one fer Bbbrl, t'ough.

Mira: *headtilt, then nods* One for Unca's Mira?

Hormah: *lifts brows* I'll ask Uncle. *without looking up as someone reaches over her toward her bowl of botagetti* Shouldn' ye be seein' t' yer girlfriend, Jets?

Jetfire: ... *frown* What 'appened t' Seaspray? *plating starting to flare out as the old jet worries*

Hormah: *as Smallfoot softly clicks her sympathy for Jetfire* Go see. She's to home.

Jetfire: *nods and heads out*

Mira: *quiet clickstorm*

Hormah: *quietly, as she offers the little green sparklet a spoonful of botagetti with one hand and tucks Perceptor into her pocket with the other* It'll be alright, girls. Seaspray's jes' some abroad.

Smallfoot: *sighs and leans against her mother, sad brown eyes watching the door*

Mira: *nomphs the offered spoonful* *quiet* Unca worried.

Hormah: I knows it. *offers blitzbread for a tiny hand*

Mira: *more soft clicks*

Hormah: No bread? *gentle look for the bitty*

Mira: *so much worry on her face*

Hormah: *softly* Quit purdlin'.

Mira: *click*

tPerceptor: *murmuring equations in his sleep*

Hormah: Ye knows Seaspray's alright. *gentle tap to the panel over her pocket, because she's learned it reassures Perceptor. Though he sounds like he's having a very good dream at the moment*

Mira: *more clicks, then she's rubbing at her optics. Seems someone didn't nap quite as long as she should have earlier*

Hormah: *sets down the blitzbread and the spoon, then pulls out another little puffy sleepsack, this one in the green sparklet's favourite colour. Shows it to her little one*

Mira: *soft bwee, will reach for the sleep sack* *likes the pretty green color and the light green, cotton lace around the top*

Hormah: *soft chuckle, will hold the sleep sack open so that Mira can climb in if she wants* Ye likes t'em frills? Legacy put t'em on t'ere fer ye.

Mira: *nod* Uh-huh. *gonna try and climb into the nice sleep sack*

Hormah: T'at's called tattin', she's after tellin' me. *holds the bag steady for the bitty*

Mira: *soft little hum of acknowledgment, is gonna curl up in the sack and have a doze*

Hormah: *as she lays the sack down gently on the bar by her bowl* Do I pull the string?

Mira: Uh-huh.

Hormah: *does so gently, then glances around and finds Mira's doll. Adds this to the sack as she clicks softly*

Mira: *itty bitty purrs are a go as she resumes her nap*

Hormah: *grins and resumes eating and ignoring Mutt and Eclipse, who have returned to full tool toss*


meanwhile, over by the harbour


gulls: *standing on top of Seaspray's hall and shrieking at each other about fish guts*

Jetfire: *PINpoints to outside the door* *forever glad that he helped Seaspray move here and away from that dank old Venice cathedral. For one, the atmosphere is less depressing, for another, he doesn't feel like he needs a new anti-rust coating after each visit*

gull: *drops part of its lunch, and then screams at him when his shoulder catches said lunch*

Jetfire: *grumbling obscenities as he reaches up to flick whatever landed on his shoulder off of his shoulder*

gulls: *swoop down and fight over it as it lands*

Jetfire: *rumbles displeasure, will move to knock on Seaspray's door*

gulls: *only answer* *no wait. Somebody is keeking up there and getting closer fast. The gulls are going to be even noisier here in a moment!*

Jetfire: *looks up, ready for a fight if necessary*

Ember: *flash of falcon wings results in panicked gulls screaming and scattering in all directions. Gleeful keeking just gets louder as he arrows through the cloud of shrieking scavengers*

Jetfire: *amused snort* *will turn attention to the door again, knocking once more before checking to see if it's unlocked*

door: *opens, and then a tentacle gently tastes Jetfire's hand as it finds it on the door handle*

Jetfire: *soft chuckle, will gently patpat the tentacle*

baby ohmu: *opens the door further and peers up at him with happy, bright blue eyes. Waves tentacles with excitement at seeing him*

Jetfire: *relaxing just a bit. If Kida is calm and happy, then whatever's wrong with Seaspray isn't too worriesome*

Kida: *offers him a half chewed loaf of dried out French bread*

Jetfire: *will accept the bread, because he knows the baby ohmu will forget about it after a short while, and it's cute to watch the kid dance with glee upon being presented with fuel* Where's Seaspray, Kida?

Kida: *wraps a couple tentacles gently around his hand and then leads him through the entry room and into the bigger room where Seaspray lives and sleeps*

Seaspray: *sprawled in her nest of pillows, hugging a new one of black Lu skin to her chest. Her ears are flat and sad, and she looks utterly exhausted*

Kida: *lets go of Jetfire and goes to join Seaspray in the nest*

Jetfire: *quietly* Seaspray?

Seaspray: *slight start, and then she's sucking in a deep breath before turning onto her side, putting an arm over Kida's back, and peeking up at Jetfire with quiet tiredness that is out of character for the robust and hearty young woman* Jets. Hey.

Jetfire: *moving to sit beside the nest* What's wrong, lass?

Seaspray: *small sound, and then puts the black pillow into his hands*

Jetfire: *quiet, worried rumble*

Seaspray: *softly* I don't even want to look at meat again for a really, really long time.

Jetfire: *will put a hand on her back and rub gently* *will also tuck the pillow back in with Seaspray, rumbling softly all the while*

Seaspray: *hugs the pillow and the concerned baby bug, hiding her face as her shoulders shake. She's still wearing her dress up outfit, and the rubbing hand on her back will feel fur matted from laying down for a long time after being wet*

Jetfire: *will continue to rumble softly, offering wordless sympathy and comfort*

Seaspray: *sudden skittish flinch as something thuds heavily from the little room at the end of the building that is Sparta's*

Jetfire: *looks up and growls*

Seaspray: *quiet and dull* It's just the kid trying to remember which way's up. He wouldn't stop trying to make me beat him up, so I gave him some of Nem's special*

Sparta: *thuds again, rattling the building as he makes a confused and garbled sound*

Kida: *quietly amused sound*

Jetfire: *quiet rumble, turns attention back to comforting Seaspray*

Kida: *wriggles loose and walks over to the sea-side door, then opens it and calls*

Seaspray: *curls up slightly*

Jetfire: *gentle backrub*

Seaspray: *quiet grumble as Kida calls again, then sighs and pulls herself to a sitting position, her pillow still held close*

Kida: *gives another coaxing call*

Jetfire: *remembers the half-loaf of bread Kida gave him earlier, will get it out and call for the baby ohmu*

Kida: *insistent and pleading call*

Seaspray: *sighs* *quietly and wearily* She's been trying to get me outside for the past two days.

Jetfire: *quietly* She's worried about ye, lass.

Seaspray: *face on her pillow*

Kida: *call!*

Sparta: *thud* Buh???

Jetfire: *can't help it, will snerk*

Seaspray: *without lifting her head* He's probably still trying to find me and get me to beat him up.

Kida: *calls louder!*

Jetfire: *soft engine rumble* I could knock some sense int' th' lad if ye'd like.

Seaspray: *wearily* It wouldn't make me feel any better than hitting him myself would. *in other words, the crazy rookie's trying to cheer her up in his own glitchy way*

Sparta: *massive clatter from his room* *silence* *SNORE*

Jetfire: *quiet rumble as he thinks this over*

Kida: *comes back and wraps a tentacle around Seaspray's wrist. Calls and pulls*

Seaspray: *tries to remove the tentacle without hurting the baby*

Jetfire: *will try and help with that, clicking softly all the while*

Kida: *starts to get upset. Reaches out more tentacles and starts making fussy sounds*

Jetfire: *will try offering the half-loaf of bread to the baby*

Kida: *do not want! Cry!*

Seaspray: *sighs and pulls herself to her feet*

Kida: *such an upset baby bug. Even dry bread can't make this better*

Jetfire: *soft rumble, will get up as well*

Seaspray: *walks over toward the door that faces the harbour, the sea breeze ruffling her matted and unbrushed fur as she reaches it*

Jetfire: *will follow, absently wondering to himself if it would be bad manners to offer to brush Seaspray's fur*

Seaspray: *looks out over the busy harbour for a moment, one hand lifting absently to return Captain Arrow's wave as the big stony man walks past on his way to the Black Dog* *but then she's turning and hiding her face against Jetfire as the old Seeker gets near to her*

Jetfire: *quiet rumbles as he hugs her*

Seaspray: *arms around him as she clings in a way that's alien to her usually assured nature* *voice a quiet keen* I don't want to let you go.

Jetfire: *just a bit confused now, but will rub her back* Let me go, lass?

Seaspray: I'm nineteen, and my mother's dead. I have to get my daughter. *shudders and mutters disgust for the whole thought, but then takes a deep breath* You can't give me one, so I need to find some idiot who can. *sounds like she just said that she has to drink sulphur*

Jetfire: ... *quietly* I'll help ye find a lad.

Seaspray: *scrunches her face* *mutter* I don't even have anything to pay for one.

Jetfire: *quiet rumble as he thinks*

Sheol: *sees him as she strides past with a big kite in one hand and her R2 unit in the other* *waves the hand with the R2 in it!*

Oscar: *COMPLAIN!*

Seaspray: I only had one brother, and I don't know what his wife is, but she's not Lu. She didn't have any men to trade. And I sure can't trade Sparta.

Jetfire: *rumbling suddenly ceases as an idea comes to him*

Sheol: *pauses and looks at him uncertainly when he fails to respond to her wave* Jetfire, sir?

Seaspray: *looks up at the end to rumbles*

Kida: *don't mind her, she's eating a gull*

Jetfire: *brief nod to Sheol* *to Seaspray* There might be a way t' git a daughter without havin' t' try and find a guy.

Seaspray: *blank look toward the young Destron girl* You mean Scarecrow's gas? Doesn't that need a guy anyway?

Jetfire: Sheol's not a gas babbeh.

Seaspray: *forehead creases with confusion* She's not?

Sheol: *has set kite and pet down and is picking feathers out of Kida's mouth*

Kida: *wriggles gleefully*

Jetfire: *headshake* She's a fountain babbeh. Like Pink.

Seaspray: ...Fountain?

Jetfire: Aye. Blackout'd know more 'bout it.

Seaspray: *ears flick* Can't you tell me anything? *then pauses and sniffs* Ugh, I need a bath.

Jetfire: I c'n go talk t' Blackout 'bout lettin' ye know 'bout it...

Seaspray: *just found a snarl in her fur* Ewww. Huh? Oh. Sure. Excuse me. *darts inside and shuts the door, horrified that as the topoff to a cruddy day she's gone out with stinky fur*

Sheol and Kida: o.o?

Jetfire: *will offer Kida the half-loaf of bread again* Sheol, c'n ye keep an optic on Kida?

Sheol: *looks at the baby ohmu* Does she need a sitter?

Kida: *nomma bread as she goes and lets herself into Seaspray's house*

Jetfire: ... Maybe not. *snerk*

Sheol: Do you know that Sparta's drunk?

Jetfire: Aye. *nods*

Sheol: Alright. Do you need me for anything else?

Jetfire: Nay. I's goin' t' speak ta Blackout.

Sheol: Alright. *looks down as Oscar bumps into her leg, then thanks him and takes her kite from him*

Jetfire: *will make sure he's clear of the building before taking off*


two hours later


Jetfire: *returning from talking to Blackout, has more bread and some vegetables with him*

Sparta: *sitting beside the main door of Seaspray's house, looking dazed but deadly serious*

Jetfire: *can't resist, will reach to poke Sparta between the optics*

Sparta: *groggy growl* Stoppit. I'm guarding the door so the boss can sleep.

Jetfire: Outta my way, lad.

Sparta: *puzzled blinking, and then points to the door* I made sure I wasn't in fronna it, 'case I passed out again.

Jetfire: *soft snort, will head inside*

Seaspray: *half buried in her pile of pillows, hugging the newest one as she sleeps the sleep of exhaustion and bath aftermath. Is wearing her loose sleep pants, and her fur is damp but brushed*

Jetfire: *will sit down beside the nest and wait*

Kida: *sound of wallowing from the bath*

Seaspray: *moves slightly in her sleep, instinct telling her to check on the baby, but her body insistently claiming its rest*

Jetfire: *moving to get up, will leave the vegetables where Seaspray will see them. Then he'll go to fish Kida out of the tub*

Kida: *is a back sticking from the water as he comes in*

Jetfire: *amused rumble, goes fishing*

Kida: *surprised squeak and waves the tub scrubbing brush as he lifts her*

Jetfire: *soft chuckle* *will give scritchies*

Kida: *happy sounds and tries to reach to clean the tub some more*

Jetfire: *will cradle the baby ohmu in one arm, and let the water out with his free hand before setting Kida back in the tub*

Kida: *scrub scrub scrub!*

Jetfire: *rumbles and watches*

Kida: *gets the tube niiice and clean. And then tastes it to make sure*

Jetfire: *so much rumbly chuckle, will offer the baby some bread*

Kida: *huh? Ohhh, noms!* *takes the bread and tastes it, then gives it back and climbs out of the shiny tub*

Jetfire: No?

Kida: *finds her big green piece of chalk and prints on the concrete floor* "Will see sea."

Jetfire: *soft chuckle* Alright.

Kida: *goes trucking out of the little bathing room, waving her chalk expressively*

Jetfire: *will get up and head back to the nest*

Seaspray: *sleeping, but it's her usual belly down comfortable curl. Her face is cuddled against her new pillow*

Jetfire: *will get comfortable and rumble/sing a quiet song*

Seaspray: *rolls close and winds up with a Jetfire leg for a pillow. Sleep gets even more relaxed*

Jetfire: *will keep watch over Seaspray while she sleeps, processor going briefly to the bottle he's got in a secure hold* *went and spoke with Blackout, who told him to go talk to the guardians of the pool. He wound up being dragon kissed, but they let him have the water*

Kida: *is the sound of a spectacular breech out in the harbour. Murlock laughter and cheering follow*

Jetfire: *soft chuckle and more quiet singing*

whale song: *comes from the harbour, followed by an even louder splash which heralds surprised shrieking before the murlocks start laughing again*

Jetfire: *soft rumble of amusement. Knows Kida's having fun*

Ax: *notices the open door and peers in to make sure everything's alright*

Jetfire: *continues to sing, even as he waves to Ax. There's no trouble here*

Ax: *nods, and slender hands flash into speech* [Should I close the door?]

Jetfire: *headshake*

Ax: *makes an okay sign and then waves and trots away*

Seaspray: *sucks in a deep breath and stretches* Mrrph. Huh, fell asleep.

Jetfire: *soft chuckle* Did ye have a good rest?

Seaspray: *turns onto her side with her arms in front of her* It was alright. How long was I out?

Jetfire: *slight shrug* I was gone fer two hours.

Seaspray: Hrrm. *stretches again and then sits up, absently running her fingers through the fur on her belly* It took me nearly that long to get ungross. Do you see my brush?

Jetfire: *will look around and scan for the brush* *soft rumble as he reaches to pick the brush up out of the nest of pillows*

Seaspray: Thanks, old man. *takes brush and starts trying to brush her back* So what did Blackout say?

Jetfire: Told me t' speak t' two embodiments o' death.

Seaspray: *pauses and stares at him*

Jetfire: *will explain about Serendipity and the dead Ironhide*

Seaspray: *grunts as she works on her back fur. Quiet amazement* Blackout commands Death?

Jetfire: Somet'in' like t'at.

Seaspray: Huh. So what did they say?

Jetfire: *soft chuckle* T'ey let me bring ye somet'in. *will get the bottle out of his compartment and offer it*

Seaspray: *sets down her brush and takes the bottle. Studies it, and then looks at Jetfire*

Jetfire: *will explain the fountain's properties*

Seaspray: *uncertain frown* So I'd still carry the baby the usual way?

Jetfire: Aye.

Seaspray: *frown deepens* I wouldn't be able to fight. And... could I raise a daughter by myself?

Jetfire: Ye wouldn't be by yerself, lass.

Seaspray: *quizzical look*

Jetfire: 'Less ye don' want me 'round.

Seaspray: *mouth falls open* I... what? I thought we were just what kitty Skyfire calls casual snuggle buddies, not anything that'd be raising kids together.

Jetfire: *quietly, seriously* I'll be the warmt' at yer back.

Seaspray: *gasps* *quietly* But I'm just organic. I'm not even going to be around very long.

Jetfire: T'ere ain't anyone else I'd consider offerin' t'at t'.

Seaspray: *tries to say something. Tries again, and then gives up and leans her head against him instead*

Jetfire: *will gently rub her back and rumble softly*

Seaspray: *leans for a moment more, but then sits up and looks at him with eyes and ears full of questions*

Jetfire: *quietly, as he leans to gently touch his forehead to hers* Yer mine.

Seaspray: *also quiet, as her hand touches his* Don't we need witnesses?

Jetfire: *soft rumble as he remembers that* Aye.

Seaspray: *leans back and looks at him* What do you want to do? ... How official do you want to be?

Jetfire: *seriously* I want t' be by yer side fer all th' days ye've got.

Seaspray: *winces just slightly* I think I'd like staying by the sea better than living in the canyons.

Jetfire: *small nod* I c'n still take off 'n land 'ere.

Seaspray: *normally tough and bluff young women can wibble, see?*

Jetfire: *soft rumble, will give back rubs*

Seaspray: *leans against him, but then grunts as he hits a tangle in her fur* Ouch...

Jetfire: *apologetic sound, will work on gently untangling the tangle*

Seaspray: *offers brush* *quietly* Even if you weren't going into contract with me, it's cool to brush me.

Jetfire: *blinks and then chuckles as he accepts the brush and continues to work on dealing with the tangle* *is soon gently brushing the fur on Seaspray's back and rumbling quietly*

Seaspray: You're marrying me for my fur.

Jetfire: Fur's jes' a bonus.

Seaspray: *soft hum of laughter* Bonus to what?

Jetfire: Yer smarts, fer 'un t'ing.

Seaspray: *hums again* Yeah right. Nineteen year's worth of how not to sink. *pauses* Hormah's a pastor.

Jetfire: *blink* Aye, she is. 'N ye've got 'nough common sense t' not lose yer head inna fight, too.

Seaspray: That's part of not sinking. *looks down* I better get dressed. But my good stuff's still filthy.

Jetfire: *soft rumble, will check to see if he has any wishes in a jar or not* *pleased sound as he finds his jar still has one wish left* *will offer it to Seaspray*

Seaspray: Buh? How did you go through that jarful so fast?

Jetfire: Feedin' Hoojib babbehs.

Seaspray: *humming as she takes the wish* Old man, you're a suck.

Jetfire: Aye, but I's yer suck. *chuckle*

Seaspray: *ducks her head and tries to keep from humming at his words. Twitchy ears give her away*

Jetfire: *soft rumble* *everything's alright in the old Seeker's world, so he's content*

Seaspray: *shakes her head, and then wishes her good clothes clean and Jetfire shiny* *or as shiny as mat black can get*

Jetfire: *more rumbling*

Seaspray: *shoulder checks him as she gets up, and then heads for the bathing room to change into the other clothes*

Jetfire: *chuckles and moves to get to his feet*

Seaspray: *out a moment later, buckling her armband on and making faces*

Jetfire: Somet'in' wrong?

Seaspray: No. I'm just used to saltier water.

Jetfire: *soft snerk*

Seaspray: Thrrpt! Do you see my other shoe?

Jetfire: *will look around for the shoe*

Seaspray: *checks Sparta's room and then comes back* I haven't seen it since I took the bath. Where's stupid? He's probably hiding it.

Jetfire: *pings Sparta's comm*

Sparta: *pings present and functional*

Jetfire: //D' ye know where Seaspray's shoe went?//

Sparta: *present and functional*

Seaspray: *think think* Oh right. I told him to watch the door. *goes and sticks her head out the front door, then snorts*

Jetfire: *soft snort* 'E's plastered.

Seaspray: *comes back, ears at their sad slant again as she carries the overcharged rookie back inside* He was also sitting on my shoe.

Jetfire: *soft rumble*

Seaspray: *brings Sparta to his room and dumps him gently on the mat that takes up one end of the narrow little space, then reaches down to buckle her shoe before returning to Jetfire*

Jetfire: *snickering as he thinks of the processor ache Sparta'll have when he wakes up next*

Seaspray: *quietly, as she goes and picks up her new black pillow* I'm ready.

Jetfire: *offers his arm*

Seaspray: *looks up from pillow and takes arm, her ears trying to stand up in a grin*

Jetfire: *pings Hormah's comm as he gets his PINpoint out*

Seaspray: The front door's still open.

Hormah: //Yer quarter.//

Jetfire: //Where're ye at, lass?// *moves to lead Seaspray out the front door*

Hormah: //Same place I was to when ye was seein' me last.//

Jetfire: *chuckles* //Jes' checkin'.// *okay, no he's not*

Hormah: //Yeah. Sure.// *snerk*

Seaspray: *swings the door shut and clicks the lock, then hangs the key on her heavy jewelled belt*

Jetfire: *razzes Hormah over comms, will glance around to see if Kida's nearby. Doesn't want to leave the baby ohmu behind if he can help it*

Kida: *nerping along with a Yuffie and a big crate of imported yarn on her back*

Yuffie: *laughing as she's carried*

Seaspray: *quiet affection* Looks like somebody decided I'm okay and it's time for her to go to work.

Jetfire: *chuckles* Aye.

Kida: *accepts a nom from a passing Nexusite without stopping*

Seaspray: *quiet hum* Let's go, old man.

Jetfire: *more chuckle* Aye. *will bring her to the Black Dog*

((Written with random_xtras))