Backwater Nexus. The Black Dog. A Riot of Ironhides, and Saving A Legacy

[dens_extra_pups]

Ironhide and dliIronhide: *two old men with wild hair and beards, and a scar over one eye. Identical scowls. One's drunk more of his beer than the other though as they sit and people watch at one corner of the top of the steps into the Black Dog on a quiet evening when the spooks are just starting to rattle in the bush across the field and over in the subdivision*

greying soldier: *approaching the stairs. Has short-cropped hair, a scar over one eye, and a five o'clock shadow. Pauses and scowls at the two wild haired men he sees*

dliIronhide: *notes the scowl and burps down at it*

Ironhide: *elbows him*

dliIronhide: *returns the favour!*

soldier: *stinkeye at the burp*

dliIronhide: *frowns down at him* Get that stick out of there.

Ironhide: *snorts his beer, and then holds his nose and stinkeyes his brother too*

soldier: *snorts and moves to scale the steps* *not the fastest climber, but he's certainly far from slow, and it isn't long before he's on the top step*

dliIronhide: *showing his wife images of this*

dliDenver: *much amusement, thinks her husband is more attractive than the soldier*

Ironhide: *giving the mugs to Tarantulus*

Tarantulus: *amused chortling as he gets a good look at the soldier, then he's taking the mugs inside*

soldier: *scowls at the bouncer's retreating back before turning his attention to the other two men on the step*

dliIronhide: Keep starin'. I might do a trick.

Ironhide: *snort*

soldier: *rude hand gesture* Buff this.

dliIronhide: *leans toward the other man and sticks out his chin* Who's gonna make me?

Ironhide: *amusement growing*

soldier: *cracks his knuckles* I'm considering it.

dliIronhide: *grin is not nice* Where's yer army?

Ironhide: *sudden sound of disgust as his phone rings. Glances at it and mutters a curse*

dliIronhide: *scowls at him* What?

Ironhide: My old lady says she'll kick my aft if I get any damage.

soldier: *dots visibly* *then* Upsetting females is generally unwise. Especially when they are more than capable of fighting back.

Ironhide: She can remember being Blackout.

soldier: ... *boggles*

dliIronhide: Mine's a Flashpoint. *sticks out his chin again*

Ironhide: *snorts at him*

soldier: ... Who the scrap is Flashpoint?

dliIronhide: *growls* Denver?

soldier: ... *blank look*

Nemesis: *chooses that moment to punt Flashpoint right out the front door for shooting her in the aft while she was bending to wipe the floor with Pooka* And don't come back for three days!

hsvFlashpoint: *string of Scottish obscenities as she picks herself up off of the ground*

Ironhide and dliIronhide: *whooping at her gleefully*

hsvFlashpoint: *rude comment in Thetacon. Someone's been studying!*

'Hides: *rowdy catcalls and grins*

hsvFlashpoint: Get dented!

solder: *more snort, tells the red femme something very insulting in Scottish Gaelic that has the flier boggling*

dliIronhide: *stares at the guy with scowling, interested, surprise* Where'd you pick that *bleep* up?

Ironhide: *distracted from heckling Flashpoint to look at his brother, and then over to the new guy*

soldier: Learned it with the new assignment. *sticks his chin out a bit*

dliIronhide: *leans forward slightly* Where's that?

soldier: *silent for a few moments, then remembers what Jazz told him about this 'Nexus'* S.H.I.E.L.D.

dliIronhide: *interested* You know a Legacy?

soldier: *nods, frowning* Kid's why I'm with S.H.I.E.L.D.

dliIronhide: *lifts his voice* LEGACY! Stop stealing D'Coda's strawberries and get over here!

Legacy: I'm not stealing them, 'Hide! D'Coda said I could have some! *will come over, though*

soldier: ... *brow up*

dliIronhide: *looks down the stairs at her, and then perks and holds out his arms* Let me hold your little sister.

Ironhide: Little sister? *looks*

Legacy: *will climb the human-sized stairs and bring a furry baby over to dliIronhide*

kvLegacy: *happy squeaks!*

hsvFlashpoint: Aww! *grins and gets a picture of the cute to show Starscream later*

soldier: *dots visibly, frowning slightly*

dliIronhide: *shares baby love with his wife, then looks at the new guy and stands the bitty on his lap* This' one way of sayin' Legacy.

soldier: *small nod*

kvLegacy: *gonna kissy the big!*

Legacy: Hi. *small smile for the soldier, can tell he's a bit confused now*

dliIronhide: *turns his face slightly away from the kissy, then turns the bitty to face the new guy* *nods toward the little blonde teen in the soft blue and green dress* That's another one.

soldier: *quietly* The one I know's a quiet guy.

dliIronhide: Ah, another one of those. *looks back to the bitty*

kvLegacy: *squeakerfit, big grin*

soldier: *digs his wallet out and pulls a picture from it. Briefly visible is a Washington D.C.-issued ID and a badge that proclaim the bearer's name to be "Eric Ianson"*

Ironhide: Flashpoint, what'd you do?

hsvFlashpoint: *soft snort. Saw the ID and badge* *to Ironhide* Shot Nem 'n th' aft whal she was bent ovah 'n usin' Pooka t' mop th' floor.

both Ironhides: *momentarily distracted as they stare at her*

Ironhide: You shot the bartender?

Eric: *STARING at hsvFlashpoint in shock and awe*

Tarantulus: *shoves hsvAir Raid out the door*

hsvFlashpoint: *one-shoulder shrug* Seemed lahk a good ahdea 't th' tahm. *will grab a hubby* 'Sahds, we's got a mission t' git t', 'n we's gonna be gone f'r awhahl.

dliIronhide: What're you doing? *frowns and helps kvLegacy dance on his knees*

hsvFlashpoint: *seriously* Th' doah t' th' othah sistah realiteh t' ours 's fahnalleh open 'gain, 'n we's goin' t' Diego Garcia t' scope th'n's out.

dliIronhide: *sits up and hugs the bitty* *quiet and gruff* You'd better get going. Wave to your aunty, Legacy.

kvLegacy: *squeakerfit, waves with BOTH hands!*

hsvFlashpoint: D'aww. *grins and nudges Air Raid*

Air Raid: *huge grin!* I can't wait to get one of those! *waves back!*

Legacy: *very quiet chuckle*

hsvFlashpoint: Ah'll let th' ol' farts know y'all're 'eah. *will bring Air Raid home*

'Hides: *exchange a glance, wondering if she means the two 'Hides in hsv will come to the bar*

dliIronhide: Nah. Tomorrow's pit day. They'll save their energy for that.

Ironhide: Ah. *turns and frowns at Eric* Get over here and sit down.

Eric: *snorts and moves to sit down with the other two men*

Legacy: *knows she won't get her bitty alternate sister back yet, will move to join dliIronhide and Ironhide as well*

Ironhide: *gentle arm around the girl's shoulders as he leans past her slightly to look at Eric's picture*

picture: *shows a green-eyed blond man with a buzz cut, Eric, and a black guy with dreadlocks, as well as a pretty black lady with close-cropped burgundy hair. From the angle of the woman's arm, it seems she's the one taking the picture. The blond man has a shy smile on his face, and the guy with dreadlocks is giving him a one-armed hug*

Ironhide: *slight frown of concern* What's wrong with his eyes?

dliIronhide: *leans over to look, also frowning as he now cuddles kvLegacy close*

Eric: He's got contacts in. It's safer that the rest of the US population doesn't know he's not normal by their standards.

Ironhide: *arm around Legacy's shoulders gets noticeably protective*

dliIronhide: *scowl*

Legacy: *quietly* He's X-Positive, isn't he?

Eric: *quick glance to the girl, nod* More to it than just that.

Ironhide: *gently rubs her shoulder* *gruffly* Like what? He get hit with the *beeping* Tesseract?

dliIronhide: *hits him on the shoulder for cussing around the bitty*

Ironhide: *elbow to brother ribs*

Eric: *moved like he was going to sock Ironhide on the shoulder, but the other guy beat him to it* *nod* Kid's fighting it, even with what it lets him do.

dliIronhide: *quietly* Legacy. Legacy. Legacy.

kvLegacy: *chirp? You wants babby?*

mtmteLegacy: *just ganked a fuzzy from behind you, dliIronhide* Thrrpt. Notta genie.

Eric: *startles and curses, hand going to his hip on reflex*

Legacy: *startled squeak as her other alter sister announces her arrival*

Ironhide: *reaches around Legacy to grab Eric's wrist* Calm down, numbbolts.

Eric: *so much scowl for his counterpart*

mtmteLegacy: Thrrpt.

dliIronhide: *scowling at the dark-haired girl* Genii? That's how I call Oppy.

mtmteLegacy: *talk to the hand* *is gonna cuddle and love upon her fuzzy alternate*

kvLegacy: *squeakerfit!*

Legacy: *quietly* I could call the one from Lumen's reality...

dliIronhide: *soft and gruff* He's probably asleep. I just wanted this bolthead to see someone similar to his Legacy.

Eric: She's not like the kid I know.

mtmteLegacy: That Leggy's got all his marbles.

dliIronhide: *reaches back and grabs the slender girl around her waist, then adroitly moves so that she and the bitty are now sitting on him and being hugged* *to Eric* You on this frequency? *recites a comm channel*

Eric: *nods as the dark-haired girl squeaks and snuggles* *will indicate the ear-piece he's wearing*

dliIronhide: *tells him mtmteLegacy's story over the comm*

Ironhide: *is studying that boy in the picture*

Eric: *expression a bit grim as he listens*

Legacy in the picture: *seems to be getting protected by the guy with dreadlocks, and is also hiding behind Eric slightly*

Ironhide: *gruffly* At least he's not going to wind up Exiled somewhere on his own. *arm around Legacy still protective*

Eric: *confused glance toward Ironhide*

Legacy: *will explain* Exiles are people who are either written out of their reality for some reason, or who have had their reality end suddenly. *quieter* I was written out when I died in my reality of origin.

mtmteLegacy: *serious* Jazz is gonna cry.

Ironhide and dliIronhide: *quizzical looks for mtmteLegacy*

mtmteLegacy: Not much time left.

dliIronhide: Time for who? What do we need to do?

Eric: *quietly* Remember when I said the kid was fightin' the Tesseract?

both 'Hides: *suddenly quiet*

dliIronhide: *looks at mtmteLegacy, wondering if she can help*

Legacy: *quietly* He's dying, isn't he?

Eric: *small nod* Each time he saves an Autobot, it makes him sick... Last time, he was in a coma for a month.

dliIronhide: *gruff and quiet* Kid? Can you help?

mtmteLegacy: *headshake* I can't. Boss says not allowed. Says gotta be someone else.

Ironhide: Is He saying who it is?

dliIronhide: Oppy? Scattor? *remembers that the boy is organic* ...Charlie?

mtmteLegacy: *headshake* Says it's spoilers to tell.

Eric: *surprised that the other two men are wanting to help his friend*

dliIronhide: *deep scowl as he cuddles his armload of Legacies* There anything we can do?

mtmteLegacy: Pray.

dliIronhide: *broad shoulders slump*

Ironhide: *sighs and pinches his nose*

mtmteLegacy: *tips her head back carefully, absently humming as she asks Him for information she can tell the people* *then* ... Jazz needs new jumper cables.

dliIronhide: I'm calling Hormah. *cocks his head* She wants to know what model.

mtmteLegacy: *names off the model*

dliIronhide: Ones for humans. *silent a moment* She says what else.

mtmteLegacy: Macaroni and cheese.

Legacy: *at the same time* Mac 'n cheese.

Ironhide: *reaches for kvLegacy* How about you two go make some?

dliIronhide: That one in the beehive shaped thing of long macaroni.

mtmteLegacy: ...Not allowed in kitchen.

Legacy: ... I am though. *small grin*

kvLegacy: *squeak?*

Ironhide: Legacy'll do the cooking. You can mix.

Eric: *sits up a bit straighter suddenly, hand going to his ear-piece*

everyone else: *watching him*

Eric: *gravely* Legacy rescued Ratchet.

black man with dreadlocks: *is the one from the picture. Is also running over to the 'Dog from the direction of the question square* 'Hide! We gotta scramble!

Legacy: *moving to get up* I'll get started on the mac 'n cheese.

Ironhide: *letting Legacy go with a pat as he watches the others*

dliIronhide: We've got lotsa time.

Eric: *worried and confused* But...

Legacy: *to Eric* You can set your PINpoint back to the moment you left. *to dliIronhide* I need to make everything. She *indicates mtmteLegacy* wasn't joking when she said she's not allowed in the kitchen.

dliIronhide: *grunts and urges her to go*

black man: *fretting and worrying*

Eric: *as Legacy departs in a PINflash that has kvLegacy squeaking* Jazz, circulate.

dliIronhide: *gives mtmteLegacy money* Go buy that candy you like. The kid'll like that. *looks at the package that just appeared via Nexus Post, then grabs it and shoves it at the black guy* Here, Jazz.

mtmteLegacy: *squees and goes to do as instructed* *as she departs* WakeJumper's gonna hafta sit on Ratchet! *gleeful gigglefit*

Jazz: *confused blinking as he accepts the package* What's this?

Eric: Something that'll help Legacy.

Ironhide: AED apparatus.

Jazz: ... *and then it clicks*

dliIronhide: What's he saving you yahoos from? *frowns at Eric*

Eric: *bluntly* Going offline. Kid calls it "Pulling".

Jazz: *quietly* He does some freaky door thing and brings a spark on the brink'a goin' out ta the infirmary on the Helicarrier... The way he does it makes a brand new body, too.

dliIronhide: What's killing 'em? *scowl*

Eric: In my case, it was Sentinel Prime shooting me.

Jazz: *quietly* Megatron ripped me in half. 'n Chromia, Arcee, 'n Elita were fightin' in Egypt when they got Pulled... WakeJumper came in wrong 'n his shell burned up in atmo.

Eric: Leadfoot and Sideswipe were attacked by humans with Cemetery Wind. I suspect Ratchet will have a similar story.

dliIronhide: *sudden growl* Cemetery Wind? *hand to his PINpoint* Gimme your reality coordinates. Those ... creeps... 're making life miserable for my family. I can't do anythin' about that, but maybe I can help yours.

kvLegacy: *nommin' her tail*

Jazz: *recites the reality coordinates*

Eric: S.H.I.E.L.D.'s got someone high up on the command chain who found out who's responsible. Harold Attinger of the CIA.

dliIronhide: I ain't after that chamberpot. I'm after Lockdown.

Eric: ... *growls*

Jazz: *frowns at dliIronhide* Why can't ya help yer own family?

dliIronhide: I'm Exile. *looks up as Ana stops behind him*

Ana: *only scowling and looming a little bit*

Eric: *brief nod of greeting*

Jazz: *raised brow*

kvLegacy: *muffled squeakerfit, wants to know where Sissy and Other Sissy went!*

Ironhide: *gives baby his knuckle duster*

dliIronhide: *does a bit more poking at his PINpoint, then nods to the guy in the black robe that just ran over from the direction of the field* Let's see if this'll work. *makes sure he's touching both Ana and Ibrahim, and then presses the button*

Eric: *surprised grunt as dliIronhide, Ana, and Ibrahim vanish* *and then he's smirking as he realizes what's going to happen*

mtmteLegacy: *returns with a pop* Ironhide, Ana, 'n Ibraham're gonna kick some booty! *gleecackle*

Jazz: *fretting now* Three organic peeps against Lockdown?

Eric: *reaches and slaps Jazz on the back of the head* One of them's me, you yahoo.

Ironhide: And one's a steel toothed Imperial Russian Ogress.

mtmteLegacy: *snickerfit* Gonna squash the derp. 'N Agent Mask'll kick Attinger's butt!

Eric: *smirk* Good.

Ironhide: And Ibrahim might be human, but his people gave the Bedouin a run for their money. *checks on kvLegacy and his knuckle duster*

kvLegacy: *gnaw gnaw gnaw, yawn*

Ironhide: *rocks baby slightly*

mtmteLegacy: *to Eric and Jazz* Optimus is safe. Gettin' fixed up, 'n made a new friend, too.

Jazz: *relaxes just a bit*

Eric: *nod* Good.

mtmteLegacy: The other 'Hide's not always squishy, too.

Ironhide: *snorts as he continues to baby rock* He's not all squishy any time.

Eric: ... *raised brow*

Jazz: Huh?

Ironhide: *lifts his head as he hears the pipes start up inside the building* He's techno-organic.

Eric: *attention going to the pipes*

kvLegacy: *quiet squeaks and mewls. Do not like the new sound*

Ironhide: *hand over one bitty ear, and presses the other against his chest as he rocks her*

mtmteLegacy: Denver pipin' victory to her husband 'n friends. *nod*

Eric: *very soft snort*

Ironhide: *jerks his head at mtmteLegacy, inviting her to sit by him where dliIronhide had been* *to a big black bot who has loomed up out of the darkness with a little green sparklet in a woven pocket and a slender golden Seeker standing silently at his shoulder* Scrap off, Ironhide.

lbIronhide: *snort* Get bent, Ironhide.

Eric: You first.

Jazz: ...

lbMira: *sleepy clickerfit*

lbIronhide: *finger points to Ironhide* Was talkin' ta that chump, but you can too.

Eric: *sticks his chin out* Would love to see you make me.

lbIronhide: *murmurs to Mira* That guy needs schooling. *sets the bitty on the stairs*

lbMira: *bitty crow of challenge, will move to tackle Eric*

Eric: *startled curse, wasn't expecting to be tackled by the green bot*

Jazz: Awk!!!

Ironhide: *quickly* That's a little baby, don't hurt her.

Eric: *kinda busy trying not to get hurt himself!*

lbMira: *if the right one don't get ya, then the left one will!*

lbIronhide: *watching with an absent arm of affection around his bigger daughter*

mtmteLegacy: *as she parks her butt next to Ironhide* Siccin' a Pit Fightin' champ on the derp's low, 'Hide.

lbIronhide: He's only gotta say "Uncle".

mtmteLegacy: Won't.

lbMira: *sitting on Uncle now, chirp!* :3

lbIronhide: *to Eric* She wins.

Eric: *quiet grumble*

Jazz: ... *jaw drops, and then he's cracking up and having to sit down as the sheer absurdity of the situation catches up with him*

lbMira: *will kissie Uncle!*

Ironhide: Let's sit inside. I wanna hear your story.

lbIronhide: *hunkers down and chirps to his little one* I'll get the tab.

lbMira: *reaches for Papa, will chirp to Sissy*

Nova: *quiet chirp in reply*

Eric: *will sit up once the bitty is off of his chest*

Jazz: *has to wipe at his eyes, is hugging the bundle containing the AED unit to his chest*

Ironhide: *on his feet and offering his free hand to help Eric up as he cradles baby Legacy in the other arm*

Eric: *still grumbling quietly, but accepts the help up*

kvLegacy: *yaaawn, snuggles*

lbIronhide: *telling his bitty she's utterly amazing as Nova watches in interested but aloof silence*

lbMira: *itty bitty chatterbug!*

Ironhide: *jerks his head to tell Jazz to come too, then glances to make sure that the older Legacy's coming* I feel like coffee.

Jazz: *getting helped up by mtmteLegacy*

Eric: *interested perk at the mention of a drink he's come to like*

Ironhide: *to Eric, indicating the green sparklet* She's only about the same stage as this little one, but she's been learning to fight since she learned to walk.

Eric: ... *boggle*

Ironhide: *as he leads the smaller people inside* You have a Mira where you come from?

Eric: *shrug* If she exists, she's not in S.H.I.E.L.D.

Jazz: *gonna hang onto the AED unit until he's told to set it down, and only if he's actually MADE to set it down, kthx*

kvLegacy: *gonna snooze against the nice big*

mtmteLegacy: *absently humming something now*

Ironhide: She's from Showtime and Sunstreaker. *stops by an empty table and only grumbles slightly as lbIronhide lifts him and kvLegacy up*

Eric: ... *quietly* Sunstreaker never mentioned he was seeing anyone, at least not while sober. Showtime was killed near the start of the war.

lbIronhide: *as he offers to pick him up* That sucks.

Eric: *as he consents to be lifted* Nobody's really sure what happened... Just that Sunstreaker was brought in to see Ratchet one day, and was crying for her. I was getting a torn line repaired when Sideswipe brought him in. *which is how he knows*

mtmteLegacy: *gonna float up to the table* Show was sick... Mira survived their transport being blown up.

Ironhide: *quick look and a bit of a smile for mtmteLegacy* You know where she is?

lbIronhide: *now ready to lift Jazz*

mtmteLegacy: Punchin' Ordnance in the head for flirtin' with her.

Eric: *jaw drops* That scrapheap's still alive?!

Jazz: *wibbly snerk*

Ironhide: She's alright, then. *walks over to the smaller table sitting on the big one*

mtmteLegacy: Doesn't have a Lumen to bootshop, 'cause Wake never met Eclipse.

lbMira: *chirps and looks around for Bubbies*

Ironhide: Does Eclipse exist? *glances up at the pretty blue waitress and orders coffee*

mtmteLegacy: *headshake* Not anymore. Went down fighting alongside Bluestreak.

Ironhide: *grump* That sucks.

Eric: *also orders coffee*

mtmteLegacy: Was Blue's kid 'cause she found her by the Well.

lbIronhide: *pokes Jazz* Order.

Jazz: *startles* *was distracted by story* Er...

mtmteLegacy: Needs Java. Gonna need the energy soon.

Showtime: Coffee all around, and java for the inorganics?

Nova: No thank you.

mtmteLegacy: *points to Jazz* Needs energon-noms. Will get sick later if not.

Showtime: Gotcha. *looks at Nova* What's yours?

Nova: *shakes her head, refusing fuel*

lbIronhide: *growls at her and orders her a Cybertron Sunrise*

Showtime: *nods* *to Mira* And you?

lbMira: *chirp trill chatter at Aunty!*

Showtime: BBQ gummi ham bites. Got it. *glances at lbIronhide and grins* And a gummi ham steak. Anything else? *looks at everyone at the table*

Eric: *headshake*

mtmteLegacy: *grin*

Showtime: *grins back, and then walks toward the bar, gently smacking the butt of the guy busing tables as she passes him*

Tarantulus: *awks*

Jazz: *can't help it, snickers*

mtmteLegacy: Had dirt on his butt. *giggle*

lbIronhide: *snorts, his faded old optics twinkling*

Ironhide: Never mind that. I want to hear boltbrain's story.

mtmteLegacy: *thrrpt*

Eric: Before or after the slimebag shot me?

Ironhide: All of it. *gently rocks the sleeping bitty in his arms*

Eric: *will begin recounting the story of how Optimus' team came to Earth, since that's really where things get interesting*

Jazz: *chimes in with what happened right after Megatron dropped the two halves of his body* One second, I'm fallin, 'n stuff's goin' grey, the next, there's this flash'a light, and I'm suddenly surrounded by humans, 'n this little blond guy's doubled over in a corner 'n hurkin'.

lbMira: *chirp chirp chirp trill* Blarg!

mtmteLegacy: *quietly* First is last, and last is first. *gonna try ganking kvLegacy now*

Ironhide: *gentle swats for mtmteLegacy's hands* Keep talkin'.

Jazz: *nods to Mira* Was makin' a lotta that sound. *to Ironhide* Turns out Legacy had been taken ta the infirmary 'cause he was complainin' 'bout hallucinations, 'n Fury ordered him ta go. Leggy's hallucinations were 'bout the Mission City battle, 'n watchin' me.

Eric: We didn't know that Jazz was still alive. Ratchet couldn't get to his shell because of heavy fire from the Decepticons...

Ironhide: So that's why you're meatbags.

Eric: *stinkeye* Meatbag this. *seems to pixelate, and then there's a human-sized version of lbIronhide scowling at the human*

Ironhide: The guy that went to kick Lockdown's aft does it better.

ToSIronhide: *black scowl, is about to smart off when he gets a mug of coffee shoved in his face by Showtime*

Ironhide: *soft snerk and a grin*

Showtime: *hands out coffees and Javas* *also makes sure that Nova and Mira have noms*

Nova: *grudgingly takes the sunrise and gnaws on it*

lbIronhide: She says thanks. *frowns at daughter and is ignored*

lbMira: *excited chatterstorm, will try and stuff as much of the BBQ gummi ham pieces in her mouth as she can*

ToSIronhide: *amused snort at sauce covered babby*

Jazz: *soft snicker* D'aww.

Ironhide: *sips coffee* Keep talkin'.

ToSIronhide: *in between sips of coffee, will tell about the Egypt battles, interrupted a few times by Jazz pointing out who each of the dead became, though Jetfire was not amongst the ones "Pulled" by Legacy*

lbIronhide: *rumble* Why not?

Jazz: He chose ta go... *quieter* Legacy tried ta pull him 'n ended up needin' a blood transfusion.

Ironhide: *winces, and then glances up at a passing matte black bot* Jetfire's always a pain in the aft.

Jetfire: *rude hand gesture*

Ironhide: *snerks and drinks coffee*

ToSIronhide: *snort* Crotchety old git.

Jazz: *sputters his Java*

mtmteLegacy: Warlady Blackout's second in command. *reaching to poke Jazz*

ToSIronhide: *will return to human mode and resume the story*

lbIronhide: *interrupts* You have Chromia?

Ironhide: *smile gone, scowl on his coffee*

Eric: *nods* We also have Arcee and Elita. Legacy pulled all three of them.

lbIronhide: *deep sigh*

Eric: ... *raised brow*

Jazz: *dots visibly* *then* You don' got a 'Mia?

lbIronhide: *gruffly* I do. But she ain't the one from my old reality. *pokes Ironhide* His didn't come to Earth till Ironhide died and the meatbag that got his memories married somebody else.

Ironhide: *SCOWL*

Eric: *quiet rumble*

Jazz: *wince* Bet 'Mia wasn't thrilled 'bout that...

Ironhide: *shortly* She's got Jazz now.

Jazz: *jaw drops*

Eric: ...

lbIronhide: *blink. Hadn't known that. Absent stink eye for Jazz*

Jazz: *so completely and utterly flabbergasted*

Ironhide: *jerks his head toward where a tall, strong black woman is sitting on the edge of the stage with her arm around the shoulders of a pretty silver-blue sparklet a little bit bigger than Mira*

lbMira: *excited noises. She sees another bitty!!!*

lbIronhide: *lifts his little one down and lets her go without wiping the BBQ sauce off of her*

lbMira: *beeline for the stage, clicking and chirping excitedly*

lbIronhide: *watches as the other sparklet looks up and replies to Mira in a voluble and gregarious manner* What's her name?

Ironhide: Platinum Rose. *coffee slurp*

Jazz: *not entirely sure what to make of the news that he's got an alt who hooked up with Chromia*

Eric: *will slurp coffee and study the bar crowd*

Platinum Rose: *tasting Mira's fingers and talking to her about the flavour*

lbMira: *telling Platinum Rose all about the noms*

lbIronhide: *gruffly* Tell the rest of the story.

Eric: *nods and resumes telling the story, up to the point Sentinel Prime shot him with the acid gun*

Ironhide: *without looking up from his cup* Glad I missed that.

lbIronhide: *grumble of agreement*

Eric: I learned the hard way that one of the S.H.I.E.L.D. medics is a Quadriate mech. Came to swinging, and he swung back...

lbIronhide: WakeJumper?

Eric: *nod* Kid's alias is William Johnson. Never have figured out where he picked up the accent he has though.

lbIronhide: *frowns at him* Accent?

Eric: *nods* Kid talks like some of the science team members, and like that one Royal Air Force guy in NEST.

Jazz: *distracted from brain break* *snerk* Will? Picked it up hangin' 'round with Fitz, Simmons, 'n the rest of the science division.

lbIronhide: *grabs Russell, who is here to get a midnight snack for Serenity* *shakes him slightly to make him talk* Sound like that?

Russell: *startled string of not-curses*

Eric: *snort* No.

lbIronhide: *drops Russell on the floor and looks around, then snags a dope in a long striped scarf and shakes him* How about this?

Nova: *lifts brow ridges*

man: Would you kindly unhand me?

Eric: *snicker* Yup.

Jazz: *snort*

lbIronhide: *drops scarf man on the floor*

Ironhide: *holding his nose because his coffee went up there just now*

Eric: *more snicker*

mtmteLegacy: The Doctor's used ta weird stuff. *nodnod*

lbIronhide: *stuffs fuel in his mouth and talks that way* He is weird stuff. *looks at her, and then offers her money* Go buy the kid a doll.

mtmteLegacy: *as she takes the money* 'Kay! *will vanish with a pop*

Jazz: *soft snerk*

kvLegacy: *is now purring as she sleeps*

Ironhide: *curious scowl toward Eric* Kid likes dolls?

Eric: Won't admit to it, but he's usually got a couple'a little string things in his pocket.

lbIronhide: *reaches into his own pocket and pulls out a two foot tall string doll made of soft, brown and white, cotton and wool yarn. Shoves that at Jazz*

Jazz: *startled sound*

lbIronhide: My son makes 'em. Here.

Jazz: Er... Thanks. *carefully shuffles the AED until he can reach for the offered doll*

lbIronhide: *sticks it in his hand*

Jazz: *will study the doll curiously*

Eric: Finish your Java, Jazz.

Ironhide: There's still time. The stuff probably just went into the oven.

Eric: *quiet rumble*

Legacy: *arriving in a PINflash*

Ironhide: *blinks* Unless she cheated.

lbIronhide: *snort*

Legacy: *blink blink* Who cheated?

lbIronhide: Squishbrain thought you'd just put the fuel in the oven.

Ironhide: *salute!*

Legacy: ... So using a wish to speed things up is cheating? *will offer a lunchbox-sized stasis chest* Lumen was making candy, so I stuck some of what he had finished in the box as well.

lbIronhide: Your sister went to get other stuff. *pauses and tilts his head, then rumbles laughter*

Legacy: Well, the more candy, the better, right?

Ironhide: What're you lookin' at, rustbucket?

lbIronhide: *salute* *and then shows the feed he's getting from dliIronhide as Denver begins to play a triumphant metal piece*

feed: *cute little blonde-haired pixie doll twinkling brightly in front of a dumbfounded Lockdown as a massive black mammoth with four tusks and a jewelled collar rampages in the background*

Eric: *rowdy comment*

Jazz: Daaaaang!

Legacy: *blink blink* What reality is that?

lbIronhide: *nods to Eric and Jazz* Theirs. That's Ana in the background.

Legacy: Ooooh. Whose doll?

lbIronhide: *snerk* Ironhide's.

dliIronhide: *steps into sight in bot mode, watching impassively as Lockdown does the freaky face gun thing at him*

Legacy: *blink blink* When'd he get a doll?

mtmteLegacy: *returns with a cackle* Locky's gonna get schooled!

lbIronhide: *thumb toward dliDenver* She bought it for him. It's a battle drone.

feed: *yelp from Lockdown as a hooded form leaps into sight and lashes an adamantium scimitar down on his gun, hacking it off at the base*

Ironhide: *dryly* That hadta hurt.

mtmteLegacy: *cackle* Ibrahim got his gun!

Eric: *stiffens for a moment, hand going to ear piece* Yeah, Fury? Yeah, I'm watching the news. No, that's not me. I'll explain later.

Jazz: *snickerfit*

lbIronhide: Good thing Logan didn't go along. That'd really break Fury's brain.

Eric: *still talking to Fury* Whatever, Fury. At least this way, the guy's dead, and Agent Mask can worry about humans instead of Cybertronians.

feed: *pixie just fried Lockdown's circuits*

Eric: ...I want a doll. *growls* I wasn't talking to you, Fury. *ends the call*

lbIronhide: *watches Lockdown judder on the feed, and starts softly playing 'Harlem Shake'*

Eric: *sets coffee down, applauds with a wicked smirk*

Ironhide: *frowning silently as he watches dliIronhide, in human form again, walk up and jam a broken off pipe through Lockdown's chest*

dliDenver: *has changed to a different metal piece*

lbIronhide: Killed by a dolly in a pink dress. *so much satisfaction in his voice*

Eric: Couldn't have picked a better end for the *bleep*.

Legacy: Good riddance to bad rubbish. *nod*

mtmteLegacy: Primus'll sort him out. *nod*

Jazz: One less killer for us ta deal with later... *small nod*

dtTracks: *gallops into the bar, tripping over his own feet* Something HUGE just appeared over the building!

Legacy: *meep*

Eric: *on his feet*

lbMira: *bwees at the squishie*

Platinum Rose: *little frown and moves in front of the pregnant lady with the pipes*

somebot from the stampede that just went out: It's the Knight's ship!

bar patrons: *all yelling and happy or yelling and curious now*

Eric: ... *snort* They brought their spoils here.

lbIronhide: They live here. *knocks back the last of his java, and then quickly licks his plate clean before getting to his feet and going to see if Mira will come with him to see the ship*

lbMira: *reaches for Papa, chattering away happily*

lbIronhide: *snagga babby and go to look*

Platinum Rose: *looks at her aunties quizzically*

Emily: *glance at dliDenver to see if she's coming*

dliDenver: *finishes piping and moves to exit the stage*

Emily: Let's go see what they did.

dliDenver: Alreadeh saw 't all. Ah jes wanna go fuss ovah mah 'usband.

hsvTracks: *laughter as he calls inside* Ironhide, your brother has another dog for your son!

lbMira: *chirp! Heard "dog"*

lbIronhide: *goes to see* It's some kind of turbofox.

lbMira: *chatter chirp clickstorm*

young steeljaw: *scared, but ready to listen if someone just says something she understands*

lbIronhide: *hunkers down by the hogtied animal*

lbMira: *happy bwee turns into a worried one when she sees the critter's tied up*

lbIronhide: *pulls the end of the cord to let the steeljaw go, then grumbles as he gets licked*

lbMira: *back to happy sounds*

dliIronhide: *busy greeting his wife*

dliDenver: *greeting husband by kissing him 'til things spin*

Ana: *thumping on somebot for trying to fly up and look at the ship*

Ibrahim: *leaning on his sword and smiling at the crowd*

Eric: *coming out of the 'Dog* *impressed sound as he sees the ship*

Ibrahim: *looks up at the taller man with calm on his thin face* We've sent the others where they needed to be, but the knights are still aboard.

Eric: ... *jaw drops* So it's not just a legend?

Ibrahim: *soft chuckle* No, friend. It's not a legend. *says the name of the ship*

Eric: *completely and utterly floored*

dliIronhide: *gruff as he walks over with an arm around his wife* We cleared out anything it didn't need. You know how to fly, right? *asked this last of Jazz*

Jazz: Yeah... Dunno if I can reach the controls though.

dliIronhide: ...Right. *deep thought, and then kisses his wife* Stay here.

dliDenver: Ah ain't goin' nowh're.

mtmteLegacy: *joins the crowd outside, recites a set of coordinates*

dliIronhide: *nods and vanishes*

Ironhide: *looks at mtmteLegacy* You save any of those Werther's for the kid?

mtmteLegacy: Didn't eat any of 'em. Not for me. *will get the big bag of Werther's hard candies and the big, soft fleece doll out of her shopping bag*

Eric: *soft chuckle* The kid'll like that.

Legacy: *waits until Eric has the doll tucked under his arm and a hand free to give him the small stasis chest* Next time you're in the Nexus, you can bring the box back.

Eric: *nod* Alright.

mtmteLegacy: *will give the candy to Eric*

somebody: Oh *DELETED*! It's a Mira!

crowd: *gone!*

Eric: ... *looks*

Jazz: Bhuh? *looks*

lbIronhide: *looks up from the steeljaw and sniggers*

lbMira: *chirp?*

Ordnance: Sayyy, is that a bar? Ouch! What was that for, babe?

Ironhide: *hand over face to hide his amusement*

Mira: We don't have time ta hit the bar, *deleted*.

Platinum Rose: *repeats that, yes she does!*

Emily: *too amused*

Ordnance: ... That's just mean.

Mira: Look, you heard the guy. We gotta rush a couple'a yahoos back so they can deliver somethin'.

dliIronhide: *back by wife* I never said anything about rushing.

dliDenver: *leans on husband*

Mira: *stinkeye for dliIronhide* You've never had ta deal with this *beep* in a bar.

dliIronhide: Wanna bet?

Ordnance: *looking around* So where's this Eric squishy?

Eric: *snort* That'd be me, Ordnance. Good to see you're still up to your old %#$%$#.

Ordnance: Huh? *scans the guy curiously, his face showing his confusion*

Eric: *transforms to root mode by way of explanation*

Ordnance: *totally unprintable* No way! I ain't going to any world that does that to bots!

Mira: *growls and backs up, doorwings showing her nonverbal agreement*

Ironhides: *ded*

tosIronhide: Tough %$#%$#%. And it was either this, or I could'a gone to the Well.

Jazz: It ain't the planet that does it. You jes' gotta be too stubborn ta die, 'n a friend'a ours'll notice ya...

Ordnance: Huh. *looks up* ...Is that what Mira's supposta fly?

dliIronhide: *wiping tears from his eyes* Yup. *snerk more*

Ordnance: Buddy, that ain't "some ship".

tosIronhide: Well, it's our way back to Earth.

Ordnance: *looks at Mira and tells her the name of that ship*

Mira: *UNPRINTABLE*

lbIronhide: *helpfully* With Dinobots included.

Ordnance: *staggers slightly*

Mira: ... *jaw. DROPS*

Ordnance: *then recovers himself* Grimlock owes me money. How do we get up there?

dliIronhide: He's been hanging upside down for a couple hundred years. Keep your distance.

Ordnance: Nahhh.

tosIronhide: *snort*

Mira: Screw that. *moves to head for the ship*

Ordnance: *grabs her and leaps up to the roof of the Black Dog, and from there to the ramp of the ship*

Mira: *SUPER DUPER UNPRINTABLE*

Jazz: ... They bonded or somethin'?

mtmteLegacy: Just claimed. Mira's too scared to bond.

dliDenver: She needs t' git ovah 'erself 'n bond 'im alreadeh.

Jazz: After we take care 'a Legacy.

Ordnance: *bellows down gleefully* You comin', or what?

Platinum Rose: *calls back with much talkiness!*

Ironhide: *snerk*

tosIronhide: *returns to alt mode, grabs Jazz, gets the coordinates for the ramp, PINpoints up*

Jazz: *barely has time to yelp with shock*

Ironhide: Think he *peed* himself?

dliIronhide: *amused* Nearly.

Legacy: *dryly* Are all of your alternates mean like that, 'Hide? *not addressing any specific Ironhide*

dliDenver: *snickerfit*

dliIronhide: *wry look* You've met Alex. *in other words, that one's a wimp*

dliDenver: *more snickerfit*

lbMira: *squeaky commentary*

Ironhide: *shakes his head, and then looks at Platinum Rose as she yawns* Bed?

Platinum Rose: *big sigh and hopeful look*

Emily: Yup. Bed.

Ironhide: *hands kvLegacy to the silent Nova, then steps back to his family* Later, losers. *gone*

kvLegacy: *snuggles against the big holding her now*

Nova: *kneels there and wordlessly studies the tiny, fluffy child*

kvLegacy: *still sound asleep and purring quietly*

hsvTracks: *watches the ship vanish* There they go.

Legacy: I bet Fury'll have words.

mtmteLegacy: You make dumb bets.

Ironhide and dliIronhide: *funny looks for mtmteLegacy. Can't believe somebody could say something even remotely mean to Legacy. Even if dliIronhide does it himself*

Legacy: Oh, go snuggle Steve.

mtmteLegacy: *thrrpts*

dliDenver: Wh't 's 't wit' Legacys 'n big stupid gahs?

mtmteLegacy: *thrrpts at dliDenver, too* Pot, Kettle!

Nova: *looks up and foresees dliDenver's reply* *offers kvLegacy to Legacy so that the gentle girl can escape the coming storm*

Legacy: *wide eyes, will scoot for the safety of the inside of the Black Dog after grabbing the offered kvLegacy*

lbIronhide: *decides to take his bitty and the new pet home*

dliIronhide: *settles down on the bottom of the human stairs to watch the fun as his wife vents her thoughts on mtmteLegacy's comment*

((Written with random_xtras))