come along to the great unknown

[redshitlord]

Who: RiD Sideswipe and YOU
Where: the CRATER then CITY
When: NOW
What: An Actual Child arrives on the planet of manchildren and... well.  Things happen.
Warnings: POSSIBLE SPOILERS FOR THE NEW CARTOON?? that's about it.


[SCENARIO A - CRATER]
This... is not the scrap yard.  Not even close.  It looks a little like Earth at first -- what with the plant life and everything.  So for an instant, he thinks maybe that's what it is.  He made a wrong turn, or this is some sort of joke Grimlock is playing.  Dumping him off in the wilderness to see who can get back first.  That would make sense.

Sort of.

"Okay, really funny," he grumbles into what he thinks is his comm unit.  "You win, you're hilarious, whatever.  Strongarm put you up to this, right?  Because of the whole patrol-taking thing?"

There's no answer.  No nothing.  Just silence.  Which... he likes to pretend makes sense if they're mad at him for some reason.

Except when the red bot staggers out of the little copse of scrubby plant life, it's... apparent this is nowhere near anything like Earth.  It's not like anything he's ever seen before, actually.  He actually stumbles a little, staring around him in wide-eyed shock.  He keeps his comm pulled up, just in case.    Just in case some Decepticon had the ability to mess around with his head or make him hallucinate or whatever Bee had been babbling about.

"C-C'mon!  This really isn't funny!  I was kidding about that part!  Bee?  Grims?  I'll take Strongarm even!  Throw me a word here!"

More silence -- heavy and cloying and a little unnerving after so much time in close quarters with other bots and humans.  After a life (albeit a short one) spent living in the middle of a big city.  There's just so much nothing, it boggles his mind trying to pick up any familiar sound at all.  The next word out of him is a little shaky, at odds with his earlier, brash, shouting.

"... guys?"



[ SCENARIO B - THE CITY ]
... it doesn't get any better when the lanky young bot arrives in the city proper.  In fact, it gets worse.

The last time Sideswipe saw Cybertron, it was restored.  More or less.  Bots everywhere.  Life everywhere.  Enough to where they needed a police force to mitigate things.  But this... this is just wrong.  He can recognize it as Cybertronian, but that's it.  It looks like the place has been through a war, compared to the Cybertron he knew.

That thought, for someone whose "serious action" is only dodging authorities and collecting rogue Decepticon criminals, is horrifying.  He actually stops in his tracks, staring at the shell of a building on the edges of the city, looking it up and down in what is pretty much mute horror.

"This is... this is so not okay."

It's about all he can say.  The building is all he can stare at, stupidly.  Not even thinking to watch his surroundings.

This is not how he wanted to come home to Cybertron.  Not in the least.

Comments

red....

[planate]

"Ah. Well. You might be out of luck, here." he shrugs casually.

Pipes does notice Sideswipe's demeanour, though.

"If it helps, we're not the only ones here."

I WAS REALLY TIRED...

[redshitlord]

"Wh -- what are you talking about? What happened!"

No, that doesn't really help. If other bots are here, then why does the planet look like this? It shouldn't. There should be nothing wrong with this place...

Aside from maybe a toppled statue -- whoops.

adorable

[planate]

Woops!

He holds his hands out. "It's okay. I was told that this isn't the Cybertron we know. That's what most of the science-y types here have figured."

Which is good, considering it mean Starscream didn't actually manage to ruin everything.

[redshitlord]

The stunned, nervous look on his face suddenly turns skeptical.

"How is that supposed to be 'okay', exactly?"

Because that sounds weird and twisted and -- how is he supposed to get back?

[planate]

"It means we're not in the beginning, middle or end of the war, Cybertron is actually alive this time, none of the Starscream's have any claim to power... I could go on."

Seriously Sideswipe, where's your optimism??

[redshitlord]

"It was just fine when I left it, though!"

Sorry, Pipes. Last time he knew, the only Decepticons were the weirdos on the prison ship, and everything was A-Okay on Cybertron. Which included no broken buildings or --

"Did you just say Starscreams? Like -- more than one?"

Like the universe needed more than one high-heeled freak.

[planate]

"Yeaahhh... I think there's a few alternates..."

He decides not to mention the Megatrons, but also neglects to mention to Optimii. Good job, Pipes.

"There's no war here, though. Uh, not any more, anyway. We're all in the same boat; looking to get home. I promise when it happens no-one will get left behind."

...

"Actually, I think we can flip a coin on Starscream."

[redshitlord]

"Alternates?"

Sorry, Pipes, he's sort of dramatically focused on that part. Because there are so many questions and there's only so much room in that stupid pointy head of his. "What are you -- who even are you?"

Sure, he can see this guy is an Autobot, but beyond that?

"... You're saying Starscream is here?"

[planate]

"Yeah but so are a ton of other Autobots! I know this is overwhelming and I probably didn't tell you in the best way and I'm sorry but there's no good way to break the news."

He vents heavily.

"My name is Pipes. I know it doesn't seem like it right now, but everything isn't as bad as it seems. Do you know Drift? Or-- or Ratchet? They're here!"

It would probably help greatly to say Optimus is here, but then he'd have to mention Megatron, which probably wouldn't go down too well.

[redshitlord]

"But didn't he just -- fall into a pit or --?" He makes a few helpless gestures, because hell if Sideswipe paid attention in basic Cybertronian History 101. "No one's heard from him since the war ended and everything!"

It's sort of reassuring to hear from another Autobot. Even one who's fumbling with the explanations. At least Pipes seems honest and earnest about it all. Which scores a lot of points with the kid.

"Sideswipe." He blinks a few times. "Ratchet's here? Seriously? I thought he -- " But then the excited look of a kid who heard Santa's Grouchy Cousin was here turns to disdain. "Yeah, I know Drift. Mister--"

There's a pause, as Sideswipe puts his fingers under his nonexistent nose like a mustache. "Honooooorrrrr."

[planate]

Pipes just stares for a moment then bursts out laughing.

"Got it in one! As for Starscream... well, I don't know. He walked into me and didn't murder me so maybe he's had a change of spark. Sort of."

He makes a hand gesture, wiggling his fingers. Who knows with Starscream?

[redshitlord]

"Yeah or maybe he's lying. They lie all the time to get on your good side," he says, defensively. He folds his arms, too, almost sulking.

All of Steeljaw's smooth talking sort of jades a person to Decepticons being truthful.

[planate]

"I had considered that," he nods. "I don't think he'll have a chance to find out, though. Too many Autobots around."

Pipes is just assuming that Starscream isn't stupid enough to pull something with three Megatrons and two Optimii around.

[redshitlord]

"Autobots being around doesn't even stop them, you know. They're sneaky."

Or something. Besides, if it's just Starscream and some Autobots...

[planate]

"Don't I know. I think this is a bit different than it was during the war, though."

[redshitlord]

"Well, yeah! It's over. But they're still acting the same!"

Like he'd know. All he'd seen were the convicts. Not the real deal.

[planate]

"Well, it's only been... what, a few years?"

He shrugs.

"Point is, even if they want to act out they're outnumbered pretty severely."

[redshitlord]

"What...? Really?"

He'd thought it had been longer than that. But, then again, this is Sideswipe we're talking about. Not the brightest spark.

"That's never stopped them before..."

[planate]

"I know, and you're right to be suspicious. Very good."

He claps his hands together.

"Point is! You're not alone here! Which is an exponentially better than the other options, right?"

[redshitlord]

"Uh... yeah, I guess. Unless Strongarm's here. Then we're all sort of screwed to the bench."

Although, right now, he wouldn't really mind seeing her regulation-happy face.

Which just went to show how screwed up this all is.

[planate]

"I don't think they are..."

Whoever this Strongarm person is, they sure sound like a Cool Dude. Anyone who managed to get a good name usually is.

[redshitlord]

"Good. You'd know if she was here though, because everyone'd be marching in formation and praising the Almighty Rule Book or something."

Wow, Sideswipe, it's like you don't like your sibling teammate or something. You'd think you'd have learned by now.

[planate]

"I'm sure she'd be flattered to know how much you like her." he snorts.

[redshitlord]

"Yeah, right. She'd probably say it was 'against protocol' or something."

[planate]

"Oh, goodness!" he laughs, "She's one of those? Delightful!"