TPF. Autobot Base and Wesson's house. Poker and Red Bull.

[dens_extra_pups]

Aerial: *sitting on the floor and playing poker with David, Tidal Wave, and a shy white femme named Tsubasa*

Tsubasa: *sitting gracefully with her crutches to either side of her as she considers her cards*

Tidal Wave: *hunkered like a Japanese child, with his knees up by his audios* I will bet.

David: *considering his hand* I-I bet. *puts his bet on the mat*

Meezer: *baps at Daddy's hand lovingly* Mrrrowww?

Aerial: Rise you two. *sets six Thinsations Chips Ahoy cookies on the mat*

Tsubasa: You aren't even playing by any method, are you? *frowns at him slightly as she puts in her own bet*

Aerial: *intent on cards* Method?

David: *puts in enough cookies to match Aerial's bet* C-Call.

Tidal Wave: *peers down at David* What does that mean, Uncle David? I have forgotten.

David: I-It means Aerial has to show his cards. And if you want to stay in, you have to put in enough chips to match his bet.

Tidal Wave: *hand hovers over the tiny cookies as he counts, and then he carefully hands the cookies to David*

Aerial: *grumbling as he shows a full house.

David: *sets Tidal Wave's bet with the rest of the cookies* *shows his hand, which is a slightly better full house*

Tidal Wave: *shows his flush*

David: *looks to the only person who hasn't showed their cards yet*

Meezer: *also looks, ears perked* Mew? Mrrrow meeeooow meer?

Tsubasa: *calmly displays royal flush*

Aerial: Not again!

David: *chuckles and pushes the winnings over to Tsubasa. Between the two, they've won every hand, alternating between Tsubasa and himself*

Tsubasa: Thank you. *takes the cards and starts shuffling as Tidal Wave carefully begins to divide the cookies equally between the players again*

Jazz: *looks in to see what's up. Has Virago on one shoulder, and Yau Fei on the other* 'Sup, cats?

Aerial: Playing a game Lt. MacKenzie showed us. *glances over and grins as he spots the tiny Two Wheeler on Jazz's shoulder*

Tidal Wave: *looks up curiously*

Jazz: *curiously* What game? *moving to see if he can get a better look*

David: F-Five card p-poker.

Tsubasa: *flips cards as she waits to start dealing*

Meezer: *gonna flop on Daddy's lap and purr now*

Tidal Wave: It is very enjoyable.

Jazz: C'n we git in on the game?

Aerial: *leans over to count the cookies in front of him, then looks at the other piles* Do we have enough chips? We have less than half what we started with.

David: *SO MUCH BLUSH*

Jazz: ... *connects the dots, snickerfit*

Aerial: Oh, that's where they went? *leans over to try and look in David's mouth*

Tidal Wave: *pushes him back, frowning slightly* *has grown to be very protective of his uncle in the week that he's known him*

Yau Fei: What're ye usin' fer chips? *curious*

Tsubasa: *lifts the empty box to show it* Human fuel wafers.

Yau Fei: *blink blink* Never seen fuel wafers like t'at.

Tsubasa: *looks thoughtfully at the box*

Virago: *jumps down from Jazz's shoulder* Were they in the mess?

David: *quietly* R-raided the kitchen.

Virago: *little bounce on her slender feet, her skirt swishing softly* I'll bring more. How many boxes?

David: Er... *looks to Aerial and Tsubasa*

Tsubasa: Two more boxes should be plenty.

Virago: Alright! *darts away in a swish of inexpensive satin*

Jazz: *moving to sit down carefully*

Yau Fei: *moving to climb down*

Jazz: Hey, lemme help. *will gently help Yau Fei*

Aerial: *pokes her on the back as she comes in reach* Is that your protoform?

Yau Fei: Awk! *flame*

Aerial: *squeals and backpedals*

Tidal Wave: *frowns and puts a protective hand over Uncle*

David: *blink blink*

Yau Fei: *blistering vituperation*

Jazz: *laughing and being no help at all. You'd think he was another kid*

Meezer: *soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur*

David: *looks at Aerial* Don't touch without permission.

Aerial: *peeks over his hands from where he's curled up and hiding from the scary bonfire girl*

Yau Fei: *string of Ifiri and a rude hand gesture*

David: *frowns at Yau Fei* That's enough.

Yau Fei: ... 'N who the 'ell 're ye? *scowl*

Tidal Wave: My uncle. The pastor.

Jazz: *taking the boxes from Virago* He's the bridge, baby girl.

Yau Fei: *so much scowl, will cross her arms and huff*

Tsubasa: We have seven players. Do we need an even number?

David: No. We just needed more than two.

Meezer: *happy kitty, sleepy kitty, purr, purr, purr*

Virago: *sits down in a floof of skirt, and starts unboxing cookies* *quietly* Goodie.


control room


Ratchet: *checking on sparklets and babies. Also shoving Smokescreen back behind some crates since the young soldier fell asleep while chatting with Predaking*

Torque: *laughs at something Mira says, resists the urge to hip-check her like he would normally since she's still got her arm in a sling*

Mira: *cheerfully bickering with Torque about some old bet or something similar*

Optimus: *sitting in her chair and watching Euroclydon soak up Mira's every action as 'Treasure Planet' plays on one of the side screens and the local news scrolls down the main screen*

Kae Yau: *sitting nearby with Quincy's container in her lap*

June: *in a rocking chair, rocking Thomas and Little Bob as she watches the movie*

Lori: *sitting on the floor. Intent on the movie, homework long abandoned*

Hot Rod: *scaled Pansy's Papa's back again!*

Denver: *curled on the end of the couch between Kae Yau and June, her eyes sleepy as she smirks at the movie and feeds Orion*

Poe: *rustles feathers and sits on Mama's shoulder* *is protecting the squeaky!*

Optimus: *rocks Panacea and Sam slightly, and then chuckles at her husband and future son in law*

Hot Rod: *on top of the world! Chirp chirp chirp!*

Nebulae: *sitting on the other end of the couch, totally engrossed in one of Raf's textbooks*

Flashpoint: *snuggled against the nice, warm big, is having a nap*

Predaking: *sound asleep in his bed, one hand over Flashpoint*

Optimus: *watches Alana and Mitsy chase a recalcitrant soldier across the corridor behind the balcony, then smiles down at the girliness session that is Girul and Frieda talking dresses, jewelry, and boys*

Ultra Magnus: *wanders in from one corridor and out through the other, his armour gleaming with fresh washing and polishing*

Megatron: *follows, poking himself in the belly with wonder*

Mira: *distracted from what Torque was saying*

Muhlisha: *ambushes Ultra Magnus and Megatron!*

Predaking: *sleeps through the shouts of surprise*

Flashpoint: *crackles quietly and snuggles the warm big*

Mira: *moving to save her mate*

Bumblebee: *blasts a victory song and then doubles over laughing before asking Two Bad what they think of it*

Two Bad: *issa chirpatron!*

Kriti: *sneaking up on mate, intends to grabsnog him*

Shockwave: *is a soft explosion from the depths of the bunker*

Bumblebee: *reaches back and gets mate "ribs"*

Kriti: *squawk!*

Mira: *gonna try grabsnogging her shiny mate*

Ultra Magnus: *quietly trying to dissuade her, because they're in public*

Optimus: *looks at her husband as he walks over* It's so quiet. I'm not used to our new roster yet.

Ratchet: I'm sure in time, things will get rowdier. *chuckles and touches his forehead to hers*

Optimus: *soft sound at the gesture of affection, and then points Ratchet's attention to the super nova scene, which always makes him laugh till it hurts*


out in the desert


Wesson: *as he drives toward his place with a lady in the passenger seat of his truck* You sure all that stuff's gonna fit in the house?

Maria: It'll fit. I've worked in smaller kitchens than this one.

Wesson: *looks at her with surprise* Really? The guy that came 'n showed me how to do the gas pipes said he'd never seen any smaller than that.

Maria: He prolly never lived in a New York City studio apartment.

Wesson: *eyes back on the road* You have?

Maria: Yeah. During college, me and one of my friends shared an apartment. If we wanted to use the oven, we couldn't open the fridge or dishwasher. If we wanted into the fridge, we had to sit on the oven and part of the counter.

Wesson: *side frown* Dishwasher?

Maria: *nod* Yeah... Big, clunky thing that leaked half the time, so we ended up doing dishes in the sink most nights.

Wesson: We don't have one've those.

Maria: That's okay. I can wash dishes in the sink, no big deal.

Wesson: You sure?

Maria: Yeah. It's not like I don't know how to.

Wesson: Alright. *and then he's slowing as he sees an old GTO sitting by the road with a certain red tail hawk sitting on it as a grey haired man examines a map spread out on the roof of the car next to the bird*

Maria: *blinks and looks to see why Wesson's slowing down*

Old man: *looks up as he hears another car approaching*

Wesson: *stops the truck and leans over to call past Maria* You lost?

Billy: *yells at Dad, feathers poofing gleefully*

Old man: Ah th'nk Ah mahght be. Ah'm trah'n' t' git t' Jasper. Mah boy's stationed neah th're 'n 'e ain't feelin' so good.

Wesson: *slight frown* The army base? Or the robot base?

Old man: *nods* All Ah know 's 't's neah Jasper.

Wesson: *glances at Maria*

Maria: *considering look* Maybe I should go with him...

Wesson: *protest* You still have two days off.

Maria: I can't read a paper map. I have no depth perception. *frown*

Old man: *wondering if the couple will give him directions or at least tell him which way to turn to get heading the right way*

Wesson: *frowning back at Maria* You know the coordinates?

Maria: *blink, nods* Yeah. I have to, as part of the job.

Wesson: *looks at the old man* They know you're coming?

old man: *nods* Ah spoke t' th' General 'n charge 'f th' Autobot base.

Wesson: You got any proof?

old man: *nods* 'E gave me 'n authorahzation code t' give t' th' base wh'n Ah got t' th' edge'a town.

Maria: *absent frown* That's the standard procedure. *looks to the old man* I can tell you how to get there from here, if you'll provide the code.

old man: *now it's his turn to frown* All due respect, miss, mahnd showin' me s'me ahdentification?

Billy: *decides to hop into the truck cab through the open window*

Maria: *hand on pocket* You first.

old man: *blinks, chuckles and gets his wallet out* Yes, ma'am.

Maria: *will study the man's ID, a slight smile coming to her face as she sees he's a veteran of the Persian Gulf War* *offers the man a good look at her own ID* Everything looks in order here, Captain MacKenzie.

Mason: *as he studies Maria's ID* Lahkwahs, Lieutenant Ross. *will tuck his driver's license away when Maria hands it back to him, mouthing the authorization code*

Maria: *small nod* *quietly, so Wesson doesn't hear* B-46 is where Jasper is. The base is just north in A-46.

Mason: *nods* 'E did. Th'nk y'u f'r y'ur assistance, Lieutenant.

Billy: *pecks at her shirt button*

Maria: Ack! Billy!

Billy: *looks up with those golden eyes, then nibbles the button again* *preening you!*

Mason: *facepalm* Crazeh bird.

Wesson: You have no idea.

Mason: Ah'd best git goin'. Th'nk y'all 'gain f'r y'ur 'elp. *salute*

Maria: *salute* Drive careful, sir.

Mason: *chuckles and lowers his hand* Ah will, Lieutenant. *moving to get into the car*

Wesson: *waves, and then pulls away and heads the truck toward the turn off that leads to the two rut track which ends in his rented piece of land*

Maria: *absently* Wonder if he's related to the Colonel?

Wesson: *absently* Beats me.

Billy: *talky sounds*

Maria: *thrrpts at Billy* No comments from the peanut gallery.

Billy: *quizzical sound as she tilts her head to look up at Maria's face*

Wesson: What's she still in here for? *leans forward* You wanna jackrabbit?

Maria: I have no idea... and where'd we get the jackrabbit?

Wesson: *speeds up slightly and there's a thump* Right there.

Billy: *quiet sounds regarding the thump*

Maria: ... *snickerfitdie*

Wesson: *pulls over and stops, then gets out and goes back to pick up the big hare he'd seen sleeping in the middle of the track*

Maria: *in between snickers* So, soup or stew?

Wesson: I don't know. You're the food expert. *shows her the jackrabbit* What do I do with it? How do you want it carried home?

Maria: ... Well, let's just stick it in the ice chest for now. I'll get it ready later.

Wesson: *grabs that extra plastic grocery bag that they didn't need for the meat once Maria went into the second store and found the reusable thing she wanted to use instead. Sticks hare in bag, puts bagged hare into the chest* Throw Billy out already.

Billy: *issasleep*

Maria: *will move to stick Billy out the window*

Billy: *wakes up and flaps her wings in protest, screaming loudly*

Maria: Tough luck, Billy. Out you go. *will encourage the hawk to take off*

Billy: *flies away, still screaming*

Wesson: *shaking his head as he gets back into the driver's seat* I gotta stop getting animals, they all turn out bonkers.

Maria: *snerk*

Wesson: *silent now till they finally reach the end of the track and he pulls up in front of the tiny house on wheels* Home sweet home. Ignore the cat on the roof.

Maria: *laughs* Pete is a crazy cat.

Wesson: Least he has an excuse. Maine Coons're supposed to climb. *out of the cab and grabbing the big box that contains the new kitchen shelving unit* This ain't fitting in there like this.

Maria: *moving to unbuckle and get out* So now we get to be creative.

Wesson: *looks at her, ignoring cat from above landing on his shoulder and kissing the side of his face* We take it outta the box and bring it in piece by piece.

Maria: Yup.

Wesson: *sits the box down across the empty fire pit, and then comes back for the ice chest full of perishable groceries* I'll get this outta the sun.

Maria: Alright. I'll get started moving stuff into the kitchen.

Wesson: *opens the door, showing that it'd never been locked, then brings the ice chest inside*

Maria: *absently humming as she works on getting everything out and laying it neatly on the ground around her*

Wesson: *back out* Shouldn' we build it inside?

Maria: I want to make sure we've got all the parts first.

Wesson: Right. *back to the truck and looks in* Guess we wait to bring all this in till we've got a place for it.

Maria: Yeah... *squints as she carefully checks everything against the instruction sheet*

Wesson: *found the mesh tube kitty condo that Maria got at the pet store* The heck's this?

Maria: *looks* Something to keep Pete entertained.

Wesson: *looking at the package* This ain't gonna fit in the house.

Maria: It's not for inside the house

Billy: *swoops in and sits up on her branch perch at the peak of the roof in the front. Cross ruffling of feathers, and then starts surveying her domain*

Wesson: No?

Maria: It can be hung from the eves.

Wesson: Ah. In the back. Like Billy's house's in front. *vanishes around the house*

Maria: *chuckles* *back to work organizing everything*

Wesson: *back a few minutes later, cellphone to his ear as he frowns* *has no Pete with him*

Maria: *has sorted every piece, is pleased that there are no missing parts* *looks up* *blink* What's wrong?

Wesson: There's a bull back there. I'm tryin' ta find out whose it is.

Maria: Oooh. Wait. A bull?!

Wesson: *nods, frowning more deeply as he listens to the phone*

Maria: *frowning and moving to go around to the back of the house*

bull: *scrawny, red, humpbacked beast with long, drooping, crumpled ears. Busy cropping the scrubby grass over the grey water patch*

Maria: ... Holy scrap.

bull: *looks over toward her questioningly*

Maria: *moving to see if the bull is friendly*

bull: *lowers his head slightly and stretches out his nose, blowing loudly as he tries to catch her scent*

Maria: *moves a little closer*

bull: *snotty wet bully nose in the face! Blow blow sniffff* *LICK*

Maria: *squeak!*

Wesson: *charges around the house to defend!*

bull: *LICK the lady*

Wesson: The heck?

Maria: *squeaks again and tries to discourage the bull from licking her*

bull: *stops and backs away a couple steps sideways, then looks at her*

Wesson: *goes over and pushes on the bull with his hands* That's my lady, you jerk.

bull: Mmmmm.

Maria: Wonder where he came from?

Wesson: There was an old guy that had a ranch about fifteen miles south of here where he raised pedigree Gir cattle. He died a few weeks ago and his son came out and sold all the cows for beef. Seems this one got missed somehow and left.

Maria: ... So you just got a four-legged lawnmower.

Wesson: Yup. Sheriff says he's mine.

bull: *trying to sniff Wesson's face now. Seems a bit puzzled till he gets his head shoved away, then he mmmms and looks at Maria*

Wesson: I'll get 'im a drink.

Maria: *chuckles and moves to scritch the bull's ears*

bull: *deep sigh and shuts his eyes*

Wesson: *back with a gallon bucket of water*

bull: *nosebucket! Slurrp*

Maria: I guess we should look into some kind of enclosure for him to sleep in.

Wesson: *frowns as the bull tries to keep the empty bucket and get more water out of it* Don't tell me I gotta haul more water out here now.

Maria: *frowns a bit* Well... I don't know if there're any wells nearby....

Wesson: Nope. I get all my water from town.

Maria: The base gets water from a well, but during the monsoons, we collect water from the roof.

Wesson: *eyes his roof as the bull rolls the bucket around and asks it quietly for more to drink* *then perks and heads for the prickly pear patch* This'll have to do for now. *starts breaking off pads and stripping off the skin with the pocket knife Maria just bought him* Bring 'im here. See if he'll eat this.

Maria: *will move to try and herd the bull over*

bull: *not sure what she's doing. Keeps turning and looking at her*

Wesson: *pauses and frowns as he watches* Pull his ear.

Maria: *will do so, gently*

bull: *follows her obediently*

Maria: *leads the bull over to the prickly pear patch*

Wesson: *sticks a peeled pad at the bull's face*

bull: *sniff sniff. NOM*

Wesson: There we go. *peels more*

bull: *eats six pads, and then he's happy*

Maria: *chuckles*

Wesson: *puts the last peeled pad into the bucket, then sets the bucket down and wipes his hands on the bull* Alright. Let's get back to the important stuff.

Maria: *nods* Yeah. Then I can start cooking dinner.

Wesson: *glances at his watch to see the time* It's only three.

Maria: It's gonna take me awhile to get everything prepped and cooked.

Wesson: Oh.

Pete: *sticks his head out through the window on the top floor of his new house so that he can look down at his peeps*

Maria: Plus, we still have to get the kitchen set up.

Wesson: *shoots Pete with his finger* Right. Let's get to that. *turns and grins at Maria, waiting for her to catch up*

Maria: *moving to get the pieces of the kitchen set*

Wesson: *helps, marvelling aloud that he should have kept his mouth shut about getting more animals*

Maria: Murphy's law strikes again. *chuckles*

Wesson: *razzes her and sets to work according to her instructions*

((Written with random_xtras))