Backwater Nexus. Various Locations. Of Alternates and Dragons

[dens_extra_pups]

Fowler: *blinks as he studies the tiny bot that's hugging his leg, trying to figure out if it's male or female, or if it's a baby and so the gender won't matter*

davEclipse: *so much excited yap in Minicon! Found another Smushy!*

Fowler: *decides to just trying to address the hugger* Er... can I help you?

davEclipse: *deedle chirp squidget, sunny grin!*

Fowler: *face palms* *quietly* I'm sorry, the translator doesn't seem to be working for me, so I have no idea what you said.

davEclipse: *makes a sound like an old dial-up modem, looks around. She'll try and find someone who can translate!*

Fowler: *quiet sigh as his shoulders droop. Can't even remember why he wandered to the Backwater now*

davEclipse: *gonna hug your leg with one arm, and yap in Minicon, with the occasional Cybertronian word, and a few mentions of "Smushy"*

Bender: *wanders over to see what all the deedling's about* [What's up, kid? I don't think the squishy guy likes the hug.]

davEclipse: *perks at sort-of-familiar language!* [We're kind of having translation problems. He's an alternate of my favorite human, and I was trying to explain that, but I have a hard enough time with Cybertronian, and the Earth languages are way harder for me so I haven't been able to communicate with anyone except in writing and I accidentally left my datapad at home...] *Bender, you just kinda opened a can of worms... Good thing she's little, huh?*

Bender: *long stare* [Let me guess, your name's Eclipse.]

davEclipse: *startled mid-ramble, blinks and nods* [Yes. My mentors said I was already saying my name when I was only a few cycles old but I don't remember doing so. I mean, it was a long time ago and all, but still...]

Bender: *quiet snort and then a long pull from the bottle in his hand* *to Fowler* She says you're an alternate of her favourite guy, Bill.

Fowler: Fav... orite? 0_o;

Bender: *snerk* There are worse things than being admired by a lady.

Fowler: *face in hands and mutterings*

davEclipse: *chirps and deedles, then beeps* [Do you have a version of me where you live?] *curious now, is asking both Fowler and Bender*

Bender: [Both of us live in different realities than we started from. He's never mentioned an Eclipse where he lives, but there's a young guy one where I live now.]

davEclipse: *startled sound, earlights going yellow with surprise*

Bender: *quiet snerk at that* [Now what?]

davEclipse: [A guy me?]

Bender: [Yup. He's a compact.]

davEclipse: *clearly, in English* Woooooooow.

Fowler: O_O?

Bender: I told her you're single. *to Eclipse, ignoring Fowler's yelp of protest* [Kid hibernated awhile before he was born. He's already chosen his wife.]

davEclipse: *gonna bap you for what you said to Smushy's alternate, Bender!* [Don't say stuff like that when it's not true!] *huffs a little huff of annoyance, earlights going greenish in her annoyance* [So he's a Bulk, then? Who's his wife? Is it anyone I would know or is it someone I haven't met yet?]

Bender: *unrepentant laughter* [Don't hurt your hand.] *another long pull on his bottle* [Dunno if you know 'er. She's a Quadriate.]

davEclipse: Thrrpt! Mean! *yup, she's got a limited English vocabulary, but she's pretty expressive when she needs to be!* ... *sounding the new word out slowly* [Quadriate? Is that a sector on Cybertron or one of the moons that nobody ever told me about?]

Bender: *blinks at her, his laughter stopping abruptly with shock* [You're *beep*ing me. You've never heard of the Quadriate colonies?]

davEclipse: *huff* [I spent a lot of time in stasis, so sue me! We don't always have enough energon to go around.]

Bender: Huh. [Here, hold on.] *sets down his bottle, then pulls out his datapad and a chip. Puts chip in the pad and then works a bit before watching the screen for a few minutes* Calm down, Bill, I was joshing.

Fowler: *groan and a half veiled look of reproof*

davEclipse: *headtilt, curious about what the other Minicon is looking up. Will let go of Fowler's leg and chirp curiously*

Fowler: *steps AWAAAYY*

Bender: *snorts at him, and then takes the chip out of his datapad and offers it to the smaller Minicon* [Here, this has histories of the Quads from different realities.]

davEclipse: *accepts the chip, will scan it and study the data quietly for a few minutes* [Bleh. I don't want a WakeJumper. I love my] Smushy.

Bender: *laughs and grabs his bottle for another drink* [WakeJumpers don't squish.]

davEclipse: [I like the squish.] *will thrrpt at you, Bender, and give you your chip back*

Bender: *snort* [Kids these days. Ungrateful scraps.]

davEclipse: *thrrrrrrrrpt!* *deedlebeep! Learned that one here!*

Bender: *another snort* [I'm made from Unicron.]

davEclipse: *HUFF*

Bender: *offers her his bottle by way of apology*

davEclipse: *will have a sip from the bottle, then pull a funny face, give herself a shake, thrrpt at Bender one more time, and head home to pass out in her bed behind the main computer console*

Bender: *much laughter* Corrupting the innocent is so much fun.

Fowler: ...What did you do?

Bender: *shows him the bottle* It's a soft drink. One made for bigger systems than ours.

Fowler: You tin-plated turkey.

Bender: I'm a drunk. Get it right.


meanwhile


Nightwind: *looking around thoughtfully, seeking for a lone organic lady of the right size and shape to bring to introduce to Bill Fowler. She and Bender have decided that the poor guy really needs someone to take care of him*

yDenver: *on her way out, came to get a delivery for Thanksgiving set up for the Autobots of her reality*

Nightwind: Ex-excuse m-m-me, m-m-may I ask a-a-a question?

yDenver: *startles and gives Nightwind a slightly spooked look* Er...

Nightwind: *responds to the spooked look with an "EEEEEK!" and a panicked scoot away from it*

someone: *oofs as they're bumped into, is a female voice*

Nightwind: *more panicked sounds as she lands on her skidplate, and then a frightened black visor is looking up toward the voice*

woman: *is smaller and plumper than yDenver, with dark hair styled into a messy bun. Looks human but for the fact that her eyes are orange in color* *gently, in a slightly accented voice* Are you alright? *offers her hand to Nightwind*

Nightwind: *flinches away slightly, but then makes a visible effort and stops herself* *nod nod* I-I'm o-okay.

woman: Do you need hilf? *concerned*

Nightwind: *shivering lessens as she studies the woman curiously* Is that German? Or Feen?

woman: *blinks, then face-palms at herself* German. I must be more tired san I thought.

Nightwind: *head tilt and an interested bit of beeping to herself* Are you tired?

woman: I think so... If I am slipping back into se language my moeder used.

Nightwind: *more beeping and an excited flail* You're related to a Bathilda! And a Senaijii!

woman: *blinks and raises a brow* Yes... My parents.

Nightwind: *more flailing and beeping. Excited little mechanic!*

woman: I'm sorry. I do nicht understand.

Nightwind: *meeps and pauses, then bounces slightly and scrambles to her feet* Sorry. My name's Nightwind, or Layali, whatever. What's yours?

woman: My namen ist Rosalie Ecray. I prefer Roz.

Nightwind: Are you an only? *so curious*

Roz: *shakes her head* I'm se oldest of five.

Nightwind: Ohhhhh. *squeaks and startles as she gets a ping over comms* Oh yeah. I forgot I'm supposed to be looking for a girl for Bill.

Roz: ... Bill? *curious now*

Nightwind: *another startle, and a scoot away from Roz. A long look follows, and then she remembers past fear reflex and comes back* My mate's friend, Bill Fowler.

Roz: Und he ist single? *has kind of been trying her luck with the Nexus singles pages, but she's had no luck, and hasn't been too impressed with some of the guys on there*

Nightwind: *nod nod* He's all alone. We're trying to find someone to take care of him, because he and his friends' reality ended.

Roz: Ach, sat ist nicht gut. *fretting quietly now*

Nightwind: He's tall, kind of mid brown, and really, really squishy.

Roz: *quiet for a few moments, then she's made her decision* I vould like to meet him.

Nightwind: And he doesn't talk very much. ...Really?

Roz: *nod* Ja.

Nightwind: *happy beeping as she offers her hand* They're over in the square.

Roz: *will reach for Nightwind's hand* Sen ve should nicht keep sem vaiting.

Nightwind: *takes the hand and leads the organic lady out of the Black Dog and toward the square* Bender says he used to talk a lot. But for awhile after the bad things happened he couldn't talk at all.

Roz: *frets quietly* Vas he hurt?

Nightwind: *quietly* Not physically.

Roz: *lips pressed thin for a few moments as she nods her understanding*

Nightwind: *squeaks and quail chicks with her hands over her head as something big steps over and drips on them*

Roz: *startles and moves to protect Nightwind, looking up warily*

big green guy: *never even looked down. He appears to be totally focused on the Black Dog*

Roz: *head shake, turns her attention to comforting Nightwind*

Nightwind: *bibble, jibber, deedle, SHIVER*

Roz: *soothing murmurs in German*

Nightwind: *little sobby sound of static as she hugs herself*

Roz: *offers hugs*

Nightwind: *gasps and looks up at the organic lady, but then leans her head against the other woman and tries to stop shaking*

Roz: *more soothing murmurs, gentle hugs are a go*

Nightwind: *circulates air deeply* S-sorry.

Roz: *gently* It's alright.

voice: *male and very gruff* What set her off?

Roz: *looks up, stance shifting slightly to one of protection again* One of se bigger bots stepped over us, und se vere vet, und dripped on us.

guy: *boxy grey bot a lot like Nightwind, only he's got a single black eye like an eye patch. He's holding a bottle in one hand, and despite his lack of features his concern is clear*

guy 2: *big African American guy who looks like he recently lost a lot of weight very fast. He's also looking concerned. And haggard. And sad*

Roz: *slight frown as she studies the pair* Who are you?

Nightwind: *softly* My mate and his friend. *has perked. Pat pats Roz with one hand while reaching for the grey guy*

guy: I'm Bender. *despite all the gruff he sounds kind*

Roz: *small nod, will move so Nightwind can go to Bender* Roz Ecray.

Bender: *quick look at his wife, to which she replies with a nod* *look goes to Roz and he gives a very slight head jerk toward the human man even as he hugs Nightwind comfortingly*

Roz: *very slight nod, will turn her attention to the human man* Haf you eaten dinner yet?

Fowler: *blinks at her, and then frowns slightly as he very visibly thinks* *slightly sheepish look* Think I walked off on it, ma'am.

Roz: Ach... Come vis me. I vill pay for your dinner. Or vould you prefer dinner at Poppy's?

Fowler: Er... I was going to a movie with these two. *nods toward the bots, who are beeping softly in what sounds like private laughter*

Roz: I haf a PINpoint, und I can bring you back here in time for se movie.

Bender: *looks up* Supper's at the theatre. We got Bill's favourite.

Fowler: *blank* My favourite?

Bender: Yeah, the one you always eat. The super poppy burger.

Fowler: *expression lightens* Oh yeah. That's a good burger.

Roz: *grins and nods in agreement* Especially vhen se egg yolks are nice und runny.

Fowler: *slight perk* They're always the way you ask for them. Their cook knows his business.

Roz: *nod nod* Ja. Und se poutine side dish is good, too.

Fowler: *face crumples slightly in distaste* Not really my thing. I usedta like the chili cheese fries.

Roz: Ah. *small nod* Vell, sveet potato fries are also an option.

Fowler: *cheeks darken just slightly as he rubs the back of his neck and looks down* *quietly* It's not the spuds that worry me.

Roz: *blink* *then understanding dawns on her face* Ah... *small nod*

Bender: *throat clearing sound, and then apology as Fowler jumps* So yeah. We've got supper 'n a movie waiting. You wanna come too?

Fowler: *gives his friend a suspicious sideways look*

Roz: *curiously* Vhat movie?

Bender: 'Mega-mastiff-tron vs Optimus Hound'.

Fowler: O_o

Roz: ... *puzzled brow raise* Vhat?

Bender: *gruffly* Transformers played by dogs. The humans're played by kittens.

Nightwind: *nervously excited little bounce*

Roz: *very soft snerk* Alvright, sen.

Fowler: *cautiously* Sounds like a hoot.

Roz: *nod* Ja. At se very least, it vill be a good ending. *smile*

Nightwind: *shyly* Would you guys like a ride?

Roz: Sure. *gentle smile for Nightwind*

Nightwind: *soft, excited beeping as she steps away from Bender*

Bender: Alright, folks. You better step back.

Fowler: *absently puts out a hand to guide Roz away from the bots even as he frowns quizzically at Bender*

Roz: *puzzled expression as she lets Fowler guide her away from the bots*

Nightwind: *transforms... And where a small bot had been now stands a gorgeous, full-size, royal purple Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren!*

Fowler: *incoherently patriotic as he boggles*

Roz: *startled blurt of Draconic*

Bender: *chuckles and walks around to open the trunk* I have my seat.

Roz: *puzzled look for Bender*

Bender: You guys sit up there. *points to the cab*

Roz: *small nod, will move to guide Fowler to the passenger compartment*

Fowler: *shaking his head as he opens the driver's seat for Roz. Clearly thinks Bender's nuts*

Roz: *trying to get Fowler to sit in the driver's seat*

Fowler: *gives her a puzzled look, but then understands and looks away* All respect, ma'am. I'd better not.

Roz: *concerned, but will do her best to hide it* Ah, alvright.

Fowler: *weak smile that's too tired to even be embarrassed as he puts his hand on her arm to help her inside*

Roz: *small smile for Fowler* *will also gently patpat his hand, then move to sit in the driver's seat*

Fowler: *pats the door gently, and then steps back as it closes. Pauses to give Bender another funny look before walking around to get into the passenger seat*

Bender: *is that hearty razz that gets a funny muffled sound to it as the trunk lid closes*

Roz: *soft snerk and a head shake* He reminds me of mein Tante.

Fowler: *was that a "razzafrazzin'?*

Bender: *muffled* I'm a drunk! Get it right!

Roz: At least he did nicht set his drink on feurer.

Nightwind: Oh, that one's not flammable. It's just a soft drink. *kicks into gear and revs, her engine a powerful rumble under her hood*

Roz: *soft snerk* *quietly* If mein Tante Yau vas here, she vould still try.

Bender: *muffled snort* The oldest Yau tried, and it didn't work!

Roz: *more snerk*

Fowler: And then her giant pants husband got all uptight. *soft snort*

Roz: Giant pants husband? *confused expression is a go now*

Nightwind: *moves a panel on her dash even as she revs. Shows an image of a white-haired old lady laughing up into the face of a massive dragon man as he holds her and a tiny blue baby on his hand and frowns down at them*

Roz: *soft gasp when she sees the white-haired old lady*

Nightwind: Eeek! *stalls and then starts up again*

Fowler: *jumped a foot at the gasp and squeal, is now giving Roz a spooked and quizzical look*

Roz: Sat lady ist mein Tante Yau!

Fowler: *blinks, and then grins slightly* Is she, now?

Roz: *nods* Ja. Vhen mein Vater und meine Mutter died, she left. Yau Fei vas told in eine Notiz sat she vas se new Matriarch of se Yasu clan. Nobody knew vhat happened to Tante Yau...

Bender: *calls over the revving* She comes here every Sunday with her old man and baby.

Roz: ... So sey are verehelicht?

Bender: The whole Black Dog witnessed it!

Roz: *small nod* Good. Tante needs somevone to fuss over.

Nightwind: *shows an image of the big dragon looking slightly panicked as he reaches down the front of his chest plate*

Roz: Vas ist das? *puzzled*

Nightwind: He landed too fast, and she fell down to his belly.

Bender: *shout of laughter*

Roz: ... He ist kitzlig? *amused*

Nightwind: Mmmhmm.

Bender: *more laughter*

Roz: Und knowing Tante, she vould take advantage of sat. *amused headshake*

Nightwind: He was saying something about wiggling. *slight forward start, and then a stop*

Roz: *soft snort, looks to see if there's something to be concerned about*

Bender: What are we waiting for?

Nightwind: Bill doesn't have his seatbelt on yet.

Fowler: O_O *click*

Roz: Ach! *quickly buckling up as well*

Nightwind: *and away she goes, across the square and then down the road, heading toward a happy movie of heroic dogs and kidnapped kittens!*

((Written with random_xtras))