mtmte, rwn. The /Lost Light/. New Connections

[dens_extra_pups]

Nightwish: *playing with a coordinate finder as Deluge and Tailgate's avatars run around and tease Rung*

Rung: *avatar is trying to catch up to the younger bots', is playing at being scary for their benefit*

hDeluge: *laughing muchly and making sure Tailgate's avatar won't slip off his back*

hTailgate: *clinging with all her bitty might and laughing as well*

Tempest: *dancing around the child avatars and singing with a soft, throat pulsing, "Peep peep peep". Picked up singing from his hugmonster cousins, but he's not too good at it. At least not compared to them*

Cinnabar: *up on the table, and filling the whole room with trills and warbles and joy*

Kriti: *issa happy yap where she's hanging onto the funny peep who sounds like Daddy but looks sorta like Unca Raoul*

Ratchet: *avatar is helping Kriti keep her balance. The proud papa is currently sitting nearby and snuggling Doctor Roxanne*

Lyra: *decides baby is okay. Will bounce over to sit by Cinnabar and sing with him*

Moofy and Fred: *following baby and arguing*

Annie: *ISSA BOSS!* :D

Outsider: *coming across the floor toward his nice man. Has his chin on the floor and is pushing with his feets* *funny little beeps of amusement as he comes*

Kriti: *yap yap yap!*

Nightwish: *makes a startled sound and sits up a little straighter, her hair falling over Rodimus' face where he's sleeping with his head on her legs*

Ratchet: *glances over* What's wrong?

Rodimus: *bit of a squirm*

Nightwish: *very surprised* I just scanned Rung's reality coordinates.

Rung: Hm? *looks up from the ship model she's working on*

Nightwish: *looks over toward her friend, her mind working furiously* Remember when you said you thought some people started acting differently toward you the day Rodimus used you for sparkeater bait?

Rung: ... *lips pressed thin as she nods* Yes.

Nightwish: You feel like they were changed somehow. But they weren't.

Rung: ...But that would mean...

Ratchet: *sitting up a bit straighter now, concerned*

Nightwish: You're not an Exile, but you and the native Rung got switched by all the subspace related explosions that day.

Rung: ...

qBrainstorm: *from where he's serving as a couch for Nightwish and Rodimus* And you're only finding this out now? I thought you were supposed to be super smart.

Rodimus: *sneezes hair out of his face, then reaches up to push it away* *sleepily* Rung hadn't finished what she came here for before today.

Rung: *ducks her head and circulates for a few moments, asking Primus for guidance*

Rodimus: *drowsily sits up and looks around* Come on, guys. It's not like we're losing her. How many Jazzes are usually in this reality on any given day?

Nightwish: *can't help it. Has to snerk at that*

qBrainstorm: *snort*

Rung: *quietly* The native Rung... The one who was supposed to be here... Is male.

Nightwish: Is that significant?

Rung: *quieter* It is, because even though Cyclonus cares for Skyquake, she feels he is too young for her...

Nightwish: *eyes go wide as she hears a tremble in Rung's voice* And the bot that was acting differently toward you... is Cyclonus.

Rung: *small nod*

Rodimus: *brows slightly lifted as he gives a soft whistle* You mean, the other guy...

Rung: *quietly* I thought he was just wanting a friend who he could talk to about hobbies... *intakes hitch softly*

Nightwish: *startled* Do you think he remembers bots having two genders?

Rung: *looks up quickly, optics wide behind her glasses*

Rodimus: So let's see if we can't meet up with our alternates.

Dr. Roxanne: How will we find them?

Rodimus: ... Good question. *frowning now as he thinks*

Ratchet: Well, we've got the coordinates for the reality Rung's from... There might be a way to contact the Lost Light of that reality.

Nightwish: ...I can hear Brainstorm theorizing already.

qBrainstorm: Well it sounded like her kinda thing.

Ratchet: ... I think we'll need everyone who knows anything about the multiverse working on this...

Tailgate: Um. Primus can't just tell us?

Brainstorm: *appears as the door slides open. Is being held by the scruff by Dreadwing* Um, did anybody try just calling the other crew?

Ratchet: Would that even work? I'd think they're using the same frequency we do...

Brainstorm: Well... you see...

Rodimus: What did you do to my ship????

Ratchet: Brainstorm, what did you do?

Brainstorm: Ummm...

Kriti: *yaps at Aunty and rocks in place!*

Ratchet: *stern look for Brainstorm*

Brainstorm: Percy and I were trying to prove the theory of alternate realities. Then we met Nightwish and forgot about it.

Rodimus: *teeth clenched* What. Did. You. Do. To. My. SHIP!?!

Brainstorm: It can make calls like your cellphone can now. All my brilliant work... punked.

Nightwish: Is that why you were so pouty when I just used my communicator when I went to the Dead Universe?

Brainstorm: *wounded look*

Ratchet: How soon can we get that call made?

Brainstorm: As soon as this overpowered oaf puts me down.

Dreadwing: *turns and hands her to Road Train*

Brainstorm: *sighs as laughter erupts from inside the room*


Ten minutes later


Nightwish: *in Magnus mode and standing hipshot beside Rung and Cyclonus as she waits for the call to go through*

Rodimus: *sitting on her shoulder* I can't even remember when I drew that.

Nightwish: Whatever.

Rung: *looking a bit anxious now as she waits*

Cyclonus: *silently supporting the smaller woman*

call: *has a bit of static for a few moments more before the viewscreen focuses on an identical room filled with a similar group*

rwnUltra Magnus: *frowning sternly* //Who are you, and what are your intentions in contacting us?//

Nightwish: I am Ultra Magnus, formally appointed officer of the Tyrest Accord till Tyrest gave it the office. Now serving as second in command of the deep space vessel Lost Light. We're calling to talk to Rung.

rwnUltra Magnus: *most probably wouldn't notice the slight twitch in his right optic setting* //If this is some kind of joke...//

rwnDrift: *quietly* //I don't think it is, Ultra Magnus.//

Nightwish: Your eye's twitching, Minimus Ambus.

rwnUltra Magnus: *startled flinch before he can stop himself*

rwnRatchet: *amused snort back where she's standing by Rung and Cyclonus*

rwnDrift: *doing his best not to snerk. Has his hand over his mouth to hide his grin*

rwnCyclonus: *will usher Rung to the front without a word*

Cyclonus: *looks at the slender copper mech and then looks down at the bitty bot sitting on her arm*

Nightwish: *quietly* Rung, did you notice anything different about how people responded to you after Rodimus used you for bait for that sparkeater?

otherProwl: *peeks into the bridge, but stays out of sight*

boy Rung: *quiet for a few moments, then he's nodding* *softly* //Yes. I had noticed that.//

Nightwish: *gently* That's because you were blown out of your reality.

boy Rung: //...// *boggling now* //B-But that shouldn't even be possible!//

Nightwish: *soft snort* Things like that happen more often than you'd think.

girl Rung: *quietly* Ultra Magnus is telling the truth.

boy Rung: //... Oh... Oh, goodness!// *just figured out what's going on*

rwnRatchet: //Rung? What's wrong?//

boy Rung: *quietly, sounding very shocked* //The me who sounds different... is the one who should be here, and he's where I should be.//

Nightwish: *gently but firmly* She. Yes. Primus brought her here to learn things she needed.

rwnRatchet: //...// *soft 'heh'* //I told Ambulon that we couldn't be the only ones...//

rwnUltra Magnus: *frowning a bit at Ratchet, but not the "I need a word with you later, in private" frown*

Rodimus: *softly, to Nightwish* Something must've happened to the me from that reality... Look how sad their Drift is...

Nightwish: The female sparks are the ones with golden sparkles.

rwnRatchet: //...// *both brow ridges up at that*

boy Rung: *quietly* //I-Is there any way... Is there any way that the switch could be undone?// *has felt out of place since the sparkeater incident*

Nightwish: No problem. Just grab anything you want to take with you, and I'll come and get you. *slight smile* Your sister repaired the broken Ark.

girl Rung: *ducks her head a bit, blushing*

boy Rung: *bit of a sheepish smile now* //Ah... I... did likewise.//

rwnUltra Magnus: *much frown for you, Nightwish* //What proof do you have that we can trust you?//

Rodimus: How about the fact that she kicked Overlord's stupid *aft*? *and he was being so good, too*

Nightwish: *hand on boyfriend* Rodimus, you promised.

Rodimus: *mumble* Sorry...

rwnDrift: *soft hitch of intakes*

rwnUltra Magnus: *expression goes pained for a very brief moment* //I will oversee the personnel exchange.//

Nightwish: Have your people encountered an interdimensional nexus called the Backwater yet?

rwnUltra Magnus: //... The Backwater?//

rwnDrift: *blank look*

rwnRatchet: *ditto that*

rwnCyclonus: *silent, but that seems to be his default mode*

boy Rung: //I don't believe we've encountered that...//

Nightwish: Alright. Prepare for incoming. *looks to Rung to see if she's ready*

girl Rung: *small nod*

boy Rung: *hurries off to grab the datapad and the chips he purchased on Hedonia*

Nightwish: *takes girl Rung's hand, gives Rodimus to Cyclonus and Tsubasa, and then teleports to the other bridge*

rwnUltra Magnus: *so much frown*

rwnRatchet: *went to grab some energon*

rwnDrift: *watching the viewscreen, a bit of wistfullness and longing in his posture*

boy Rung: *coming back, and he's not alone*

rwnTailgate: *wibbling and clinging to Rung* But you can't leave!

Nightwish: *gives girl Rung a gentle nudge toward the minibot* Tailgate, stand down.

rwnTailgate: *looks to the person who spoke, more wibble, reluctantly lets go of boy Rung*

girl Rung: *hesitates for a moment, then she's moving to comfort the distraught minibot*

rwnTailgate: *surprised squeak as he's hugged, and then he's clinging to girl Rung*

rwnCyclonus: *will move to bring them both to Swerve's*

Nightwish: *looks at the subtle gladness in the old warrior's body language, and then looks down at boy Rung*

boy Rung: *quietly* They'll be alright now?

Nightwish: *softly* I think they're very close to being Conjux Endura.

boy Rung: *very surprised now* *quietly* Why... That explains so much...

Nightwish: And that Rung is a Primus servant now.

boy Rung: *startled look*

rwnUltra Magnus: *throat clearing sound*

Nightwish: *turns toward him, brows lifting slightly over golden eyes* Leftover damage from that nanocon attack?

rwnUltra Magnus: *sooo not impressed with you, Nightwish* *to boy Rung* Stay safe.

Nightwish: My mentor wants to say something to you, Ultra Magnus.

rwnUltra Magnus: ... Your mentor?

Nightwish: Yes. *lifts her hand, opening it as she does so to reveal the tiny bot who'd been quietly resting in it*

Minimus: *sizing up his counterpart for a few moments* *then* Do not trust Tyrest... And do not allow him to utilize the killswitch.

rwnUltra Magnus: *surprised* Tyrest is alive, then?

Minimus: *nods* He is... He's built a base on the lost moon, Luna-1. You'll find it at these coordinates. *provides the location of Luna-1*

rwnUltra Magnus: And the killswitch you mentioned?

Minimus Ambus: *quietly* He means to kill all the cold-forged sparks in existence.

rwnUltra Magnus: ... He won't succeed.

Minimus: *small nod* See to Tailgate's education. He needs someone to hero worship...

Nightwish: When you get there, don't hesitate to call. Backup will prevent the deaths of many good bots.

rwnUltra Magnus: *small nod* And I suppose we should keep Brainstorm away from the killswitch as well?

Minimus: *deadpan* Distract him with something shiny.

rwnDrift: *very soft snerk*

Nightwish: *doesn't turn toward the sound of a Brainstorm protest from the screen behind her*

rwnUltra Magnus: *glances to Nightwish* I take it Tyrest wasn't behind the redesign in armor?

Nightwish: No. I went to a better designer.

Minimus: *seriously* She is my successor. And so far, she's done exceptionally well at upholding the Tyrest Accord. I don't foresee any complications in her ability to continue enforcing it, either.

Nightwish: *humorous glance from behind her poker face*

rwnUltra Magnus: ... I see. *not sure what to make of what his counterpart is saying* *glances again to Nightwish* Who were you before you became Ultra Magnus?

Nightwish: Who I still am when I'm off duty.

rwnUltra Magnus: ... And that would be whom?

Minimus: *seriously and sincerely* My daughter.

Verity: *from the screen behind them* //HEY! Don't I get a say in that, you losers!?//

Nightwish: *without turning* Shut up, Verity.

rwnUltra Magnus: *very soft intake hitch*

Nightwish: Get the stick out and go get her.

Verity: //YEAH!//

rwnRatchet: *back with energon for rwnUltra Magnus and Drift* Go get who?

Verity: //Me!// *sitting there on the other Ratchet's shoulder*

Nightwish: *at the same time* The juvenile delinquent on the screen behind me.

rwnRatchet: *looks* *and then she's snerking and setting the energon she got down where it won't get knocked over* Why am I not surprised? *amusedly* I'll be right back. I have to go get something from Swerve's...

Nightwish: *quizzical eyebrow*

rwnRatchet: *dodges the frown rwnUltra Magnus gives her as she scoots out the door again*

rwnDrift: *quietly, feeling a bit of amusement at the situation* And it looks like Skids and Smokescreen both owe Swerve and me money...

Nightwish: *turns the quizzical eyebrow to rwnDrift*

Minimus: ... How did Swerve manage to keep that secret?!

rwnDrift: *moving to reach for the energon rwnRatchet left for him* He managed it because he really wanted to shut Smokescreen up about the teasing. And because she's his roommate.

Nightwish: *to her mentor* You didn't know about the cat ours keeps till I told you.

Minimus: ... You have a point.

rwnDrift: *soft chuckle* Swerve kept Verity's presence quiet from the rest of the crew, too. I found out on accident, when Ratchet was working on an armor upgrade for her disguise.

rwnUltra Magnus: *too busy pinching the bridge of his nose to contribute to the conversation*

Verity: //Wait. Disguise? No! Down, Benny! I'm allowed on the bridge right now!//

rwnDrift: *nods* It was Rodimus' idea... We have over two hundred Autobots on the ship... Who would notice one more?

Verity: //No. DOWN! Why didn't I get one of tho... DOWN!//

Red Alert: *mooches into sight to explain to Benny that Verity's NOT asking to go down*

rwnDrift: !

Nightwish: *frowns* Is something wrong with your Red Alert?

rwnDrift: *quietly* Red Alert blames himself for Rodimus leaving... and hasn't left the quarters he chose across the way from Swerve and Verity's... The only reason we know he's still alive is because Tailgate talks to him through the door.

Red Alert: *frowning into the screen now* //At least he's still got his head. Where did Rodimus go?//

rwnUltra Magnus: That's what we've been trying to find out.

Red Alert: //Why did he leave? Shhh, Mavis.//

rwnDrift: *quietly* He left after Red Alert found that Overlord was in a slow cell attached to the ship... The cell's gone now...

Red Alert: *winces. Quietly* //Ah. In this reality he remained.//

rwnDrift: *quietly* I noticed. Please excuse me. *moves to leave the bridge*

Red Alert: *looks at rwnUltra Magnus* //Is Swerve in suite 43?//

rwnUltra Magnus: *nods* That's the one that he and... Verity reside in. *had to remind himself not to use the name that is on the door of the habsuite*

Red Alert: //Coming aboard.// *vanishes from the screen and takes both the loud song and the colourful creature called Benny with him*

rwnUltra Magnus: ... *looks to Nightwish and Minimus Ambus*

rwnRatchet: *bringing a teal and gold minibot slightly bigger than Tailgate with her as she returns* The game's up anyway, Verity.

rwnVerity: And whose fault is that? *sooo not amused*

Verity: *gleefully from the screen* //It's my loser sister's fault! No, not you, Serena. The other dork.//

Nightwish: How many people are on the bridge now?

rwnRatchet: *quick headcount* Here, there's six, counting me. *looks on the screen and counts* On your side? I count six... Plus a very big cat and some kind of lizard?

Rodimus: //Awk! Down, Cuddles!//

Cuddles: *peeping happily. Found Bubby! Must GROOM!*

Nightwish: *sighs and turns to look* Fifteen hugmonsters, three glimmersprites, a Xaxian fluffy cuddle pony, and four wetabugs. Besides what you noticed. Way to follow protocol, people.

Verity: //You didn't count Clyde!// *waves her robo pet*

Nightwish: *facepalm*

rwnVerity: *snerk*

rwnUltra Magnus: *such a headache he'll have later. He can already tell*

Nightwish: Cyclonus, please get them out of there?

Cyclonus: *nods* //Very well.// *moves to begin ushering pets out to the hall*

rwnUltra Magnus: ... *watching the swift and effective exodus of the pets from the bridge with amazement*

Nightwish: *turns back to her hosts* Any questions? *absently cradles Minimus in the crook of one arm*

rwnRatchet: You mentioned an interdimensional Nexus... Is there any way we might be able to get there sometime?

Nightwish: *produces a book and what looks like a bronze amulet* Keep these away from Brainstorm and Whirl.

rwnRatchet: *reaches for the items* Will do.

Nightwish: Get Whirl 'Whackamole'.

boy Rung: *is that very soft, muffled snerk*

rwnVerity: ... Seriously? 'Whack-a-Mole"?

Nightwish: *forms holoscreen* Whirl, tell the nice bots about whacking moles.

Whirl: *sleepily* //Love that *bleeping* game...//

rwnRatchet: *can't help it, has to laugh*

rwnUltra Magnus: *facepalm*

rwnVerity: ...Everyone in the world's insane.

Minimus Ambus: *dryly* Whirl, please lift your head so that our hosts can see you, and tell them where you are?

Whirl: //Can't. Comfy. Snugglin' Nebulung.//

Nightstrike: //At home. Fam'ey.// *big yawn*

Nightwish: If you lift your head you'll see girl Ratchet.

Whirl: //...// *sleepily lifts her head*

rwnVerity: *boggling* No way. That's Whirl?!

Nightwish: Yes. That's what female Whirl should look like.

Whirl: *head back down* //Still want boobies.//

boy Rung: *blushing now* O-Oh, my.

Nightwish: Whirl, we've discussed that. You don't need human secondary female sexual characteristics.

Whirl: *soft 'thrrpt'*

Nebulung: *voice so deep that it's nearly felt instead of heard* //Would it hurt her to have them?//

Nightwish: It's not time to discuss that now, Nebulung.

Nebulung: //Alright. We're at the parking lot, if you wanna come over later.//

Nightwish: I probably won't be able to make it tonight. But I'll see you soon. I should sign off now.

Nightstrike: //S'uddup a'ready, den.//

Nebulung: //Mountain King out. See ya, Maggy.//

rwnUltra Magnus: *much frown*

Whirl: *soft snort, signs off with a click*

Nightwish: *closes the window and looks at rwnUltra Magnus*

Minimus: The number of Whirl-initiated incidents has been reduced greatly since she got her game.

Nightwish: And since she became the official penalty for some offences.

Minimus: We've had fewer inter-crew incidents as well, as a result. *because NOBODY wants to be on the receiving end of Whirl's integrated tools*

Nightwish: Of course, she poses no threat to the peace at all since she and her daughter have moved in with her boyfriend.

rwnDrift: Was that who we heard with her?

Nightwish: It was. He's the blacksmith of a construction and rescue team.

rwnDrift: *small nod*

boy Rung: *quietly* She seems happy.

Nightwish: *looks down at him, those molten gold eyes softening* *softly* Of course. She has everything she needs.

boy Rung: *small nod*

Nightwish: *expression resumes sternness as she turns her attention to rwnUltra Magnus*

rwnUltra Magnus: You mentioned calling for backup. What's the best way to do so?

Nightwish: *pulls out a little plug-in component and offers it* Multiversal communicator. You know Minimus Ambus's frequency.

rwnUltra Magnus: *nods and accepts the offered component*

Minimus: Strongarm also is able to access the frequency.

Nightwish: *startled look down at him, her mouth slightly fallen open*

Minimus: I felt it was necessary, in the event that I am unable to respond.

rwnUltra Magnus: *has run through his rosters of Strongarms and is frowning deeply* Which Strongarm is he?

Minimus: She is an Enforcer with the DenYa Coalition, who traveled to the Quadriate sector on her supervisor's orders... In order to... relax. *still has a hard time saying that word*

rwnUltra Magnus: ... There's that r-word again...

rwnRatchet: *pointed Look for rwnUltra Magnus, which gets mirrored by rwnVerity*

Minimus: I brought a book that I find helpful when I need to... you know. *pulling out a chip with a copy of his favourite book of statistics*

rwnUltra Magnus: *small nod*

Minimus: *will offer the chip wordlessly*

rwnUltra Magnus: *accepts the offered chip* *will scan it*

Nightwish: We should return.

Minimus: *nod of agreement*

rwnRatchet: Stay safe.

rwnUltra Magnus: We'll be in touch.

Nightwish: *slight smile for rwnRatchet, and then a nod for rwnMagus and Drift* *offers her unoccupied arm to boy Rung*

boy Rung: *will reach for the offered arm*

Nightwish: *brings him and Minimus back to her own ship* //You're not as ugly as a lady, Ratchet.//

Ratchet: //...Do I want to know?//

boy Rung: *looking around. Nothing looks different... but it feels familiar. It feels like home*

Nightwish: *incredulous glance at Ratchet as she turns back to the screen* Till we meet again, Ultra Magnus, Ratchet, Drift.

rwnUltra Magnus: //Until we meet again.//

rwnDrift: //Safe travels.//

rwnRatchet: //Don't do anything stupid that can't be repaired.//

Rodimus: *looks up from where he's sitting on a control panel* I'm growing out of that. Really.

rwnRatchet: //...Are you sure about that?//

Rodimus: *points to himself* This? Actually wasn't my fault for once. And Signal Lancer's got the monopoly on stupid.

rwnRatchet: //Ugh, don't remind me...//

rwnUltra Magnus: *again with the throat clearing sound*

Nightwish: Lost Light signing off.

rwnUltra Magnus: //Lost Light signing off.// *closes the connection*

Tailgate: *is a small hand touching Rung's*

Cyclonus: *studying Rung impassively as Tsubasa peeks from between her horns*

Rung: *quietly* I'm home.

Tailgate: *hopefully* Do you like raptors? 'N babies?

Cyclonus: *just silently walks over and offers Rung a new model kit*

Rung: I've not had a chance to meet any raptors... Or babies, but I would like to. *attention going to the model kit* *quietly* Thank you, Cyclonus.

Cyclonus: Would you care to come and meet Tempest and Scourge?

Tailgate: *happy little bounce* That's our other baby and our pink raptor! ^_^

Rung: *looks up with a smile* Yes, I would like that very much.

Cyclonus: *nods, will herd Tailgate and Rung off the bridge*

Nightwish: And now I have to go rescue one set of twins from the trap that the other set put on my office door. Do you want me to put you down anywhere, Minimus?

Minimus: I need to get a book out of my quarters... I was going to show it to Strongarm.

Nightwish: Do you want to teleport? *walking off the bridge now, leaving her fiancé and Ratchet*

Minimus: Not this time.

Rodimus: Wonder which set of twins got trapped?

Ratchet: I'm sure we'll find out soon enough. *will gently lift Rodimus and bring the former captain to Swerve's for a quick bite to eat*

((written with random_xtras))