robothell | ( OPEN ) the problem with history

( OPEN ) the problem with history

who: senator shockwave & YOU (and also a guest appearance by optimus prime) 
where: his lab. also the forum at night.
when: sometime. probably.
what: shockwave does things he shouldn’t.
warnings: nope!

i.

Shockwave is most often found in his lab, various remains of half started projects with the minimal resources they have available scattered around the area. His most precious and pressing project is the holographic map of the city and surrounding area - as far as he’d managed to get out of the city before being pulled back by some unknown compulsion. If he cannot map the entire planet, then he’ll make what he does know as detailed as possible; there’s notes about soil composition and guesses as to what the ruins were, if they’re too far destroyed to tell from looking. It remains constantly on, the projection spinning in the middle of his lab for lack of anywhere else to put it.

His other main project, however, is something he’s not willing to share. It’s a half formed idea, born of a failed project he had so much hope in a million or so years ago. But he only works on it in spurts, grabbing a seemingly random datapad out of the stacks he’s managed to accumulate to jot down a few notes before moving on with other work.

Most days find him in a good mood as well, and today is no different, although he is looking very intently at a datapad, occasionally looking up at what appear to be cans of various colors of paint. A literal vanity project, if you will. But he’s more than happy to be disturbed by whoever or whatever comes to his door.

ii. closed to optimus prime

"Meet me at the forum tonight. Around eight. - Shockwave"

He’d thought it was a clear enough message to Optimus that needed no followup. Optimus would come, as he always did when Shockwave requested his presence. Although here it was different - there was no need to plot to overthrow the government, and the lack of one both amused and bothered him. Everyone seemed to know their place, worked in the organization they were familiar with. Military procedure, defaulting to the chain of command.

As a civilian, Shockwave found little comfort in that, even if Optimus was heading the faction Shockwave would have joined when pressed. But at the same time there was a sliver of realization that his work could be his own, as it was back on Cybertron, with no need for him to answer to anyone if anyone questioned him. Regardless, the focus here was not his relief in the freedom to do as he pleased, but meeting Optimus. Valeria’s conversation still stuck in his head: Whatever's involved in initiating a romantic relationship for your species, you should do it to Optimus. Simple enough, and something Shockwave certainly didn’t have any objections to, the question was Optimus, as it always was.

But he wasn’t going to find out if the other bot returned at least his physical attraction - if not emotional - by sitting around in his lab. So inviting the other for a simple nighttime stroll it is - now he simply had to wait for the other to show.

Shockwave had waited for Optimus any number of times in his life, what was one more?

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"Shockwave?" Nautica knocked on the door frame in passing as she invited herself into the lab and immediately went to peer over his shoulder at his datapad (or around his shoulder, given their respective heights.) He wasn't the only one with obliviously friendly boundary problems.

"What are you working on?"

"Nautica!" Is his enthusiastic response, greeting her with a grin. At her question he gestures at the cans with the pad. "Paint. A personal project, but I've been wearing these colors for so long I'm certain I prefer them on other people."

I play characters who would notice that he and Optimus happen to share a paint job right now and could put the pieces together. I also play Nautica.

"Oh? Have you picked out new colors yet?" She snatched a can off the table and looked inside. "I suggest purple."

It was objectively the best color, after all. There was no reason anyone would object to Shockwave going around in purple.

"I have to be creative," he admits, setting the datapad aside. "I'm limited by availability - we don't have the proper materials to create our own at this point, so I'm left with what we have." His mouth twitches upwards for a brief second, reaching out to grab a teal.

"I haven't used purple in quite a while."

Shockwave was right on that part. The simple message was enough for Optimus--he really would have never refused him unless it was absolutely necessary. Although for once, Optimus isn't sure why he's being summoned. He regularly visited the lab that he and Val worked at, and then made sure to keep an eye every once in awhile. He trusted Shockwave, but the thought of losing him again was heavy on his mind.

And maybe just the thought of seeing him again was like going back in time. Back before the Senate had take a scalpel and twisted whatever remained of his friend. It let the guilt strip away from him for a second, because here they had all the time in the world to catch up. To do what they couldn't because of the Institute. To say that his feelings were...strong for the Senator was an understatement. You don't wait for four million years for a coffee partner.

But he'd never admit that to himself. Not on his own.

It isn't long before Optimus arrives, perhaps a tad fashionably late. "Shockwave." And already, there's relief in his voice. As if this is the first time all over again.

Edited 2015-04-16 04:39 (UTC)

Seeing Optimus at the lab wasn't enough, not with Valeria's careful eye and knowing glance that told Shockwave she knew he hadn't taken her advice to spark yet. He was beginning to understand the benefits of belonging to a species that didn't create smaller versions of themselves, even as intelligent as she was.

Things with Optimus aren't as simple as she makes it out to be, as much as he wished it were. Making an attempt on a romantic relationship with him, however, is. Finding out if his attention would even be wanted is the primary goal of the evening, and, well. Shockwave is hardly subtle. But he can at least try not to overwhelm Optimus from the beginning.

Speaking of-- Shockwave brightens when he hears his name, an easy smile passing over his face as he turns towards the other.

"Optimus. Thank you for coming."

Optimus. Still Orion, but also more than Shockwave could have ever hoped for. Shame about the loss of the shoulder treads, however - he'd rather liked those.

Even just seeing that smile--despite how often he visited the lab to check up on him, it was enough to leave him breathless for just a moment. Thankfully, the faceplate hid most of that, delaying the reaction by only a mmoment of silence and nothing more. Like looking back in time with each glance.

He mentally makes a note to remember it, to remember him as he was.

"Of course. My schedule isn't the busiest as of late. With Rodimus with his crew, my power is strictly limited to my own men." And even they tended to wander off on their own with no real direction.

He falls into place beside the Senator, feeling a bit...expecting, now. Was something the matter? Did Shockwave find something out in the lab and wanted to report it to him? "So. May I ask to what I owe this honour?"

"Rodimus," he repeats, mouth curing up at the ends. "Named himself after a trend, didn't he. Nominus, Optimus." Well he wouldn't be a match for Optimus in Shockwave's mind - but no one could, so it's hardly a slight against Rodimus. And as they'll never meet because I play them both, he won't be able to judge the shit out of him either.

But onto the meat of the matter. Energon. What have you. Ignoring Val's words, even if they motivate him, Shockwave moves to lessen the amount of space between them, one arm smoothly sliding in Optimus' so they can lock elbows.

"Walk with me? I'll explain as we go."

"He was...inspired." That's the correct way to put it, really. And not say 'yeah some Decepticon asshole decided to trick him into thinking he was a prime in a frat-boy identity crisis'. But in the end, he had earned the title in Optimus's eyes. So there was that. There's a certain warmness at the topic of Rodimus--he'd certainly been one of the brighter parts of the war.

He doesn't have long to dwell on that, though. Shockwave was never one to dawdle, and his eyes widen slightly as the senator hooks arms with him, turning to look into those eyes.

"Of course." What else could he say? The gesture was...not unlike Shockwave, although it did send excited jolts through his spark nonetheless.

"Lead the way, then."

"I see." Well, there are worse people to look up to, clearly. His smile is still encouraging and gentle. The path he takes is away from the city, out towards the outskirts where their bare attempts at clawing out something resembling a living space doesn't interfere too much with the view of the stars above.

"Back on Cybertron, this would have been a rare sight. It's beautiful, isn't?" He says, referring to the stars above while also making a gesture with his free hand that includes Optimus. But back on point: "I've been recently informed in none-too-gentle terms that I have, perhaps, not been as honest as I should have been."

Thanks, Valeria.

While Shockwave gestures to both the sky and himself, Optimus is certainly only going to pick up on the former. After all, clearly the cosmos were far more majestic than he was--he wasn't even a considerable option. "It would be. I can't remember the last time I saw the cosmos quite like this." His eyes keep trained on them as they walk, only enough until his attention is called back to Shockwave.

"Shockwave?" That part worries him a bit. Shockwave being less than honest...it almost seemed foreboding. There's caution in his voice.

He keeps on trying, goddamn it. What does he have to do? "It'd become distorted by the time I was forged, and only got worse. Jhiaxus was never too concerned about it, but I'd always missed the chance to stargaze from Cybertron. Other planetary skies just don't feel the same."

Off topic, bring it back to the point, Shockwave. He pauses, once they've gotten out far enough.

"About my own feelings, Optimus. You need not be worried." Er, well. Overmuch. "I've promised to be more... forward, and true to them in the future."

Not be subtle, honestly.

"Seems like this world is granting us so many things that have been lost to us," looks like Shockwave's not the only one being subtle. The only difference is Optimus knows when he's doing it. Whereas he can't pick up on anyone else's.

His eyes cast down, knowing full well that Shockwave had always lived by his emotions. His feelings had often gotten him in trouble, and that had often separated him from the rest of the Senators. So being honest about them...well, call Optimus curious.

"This is a first--" it's said humorously, finally looking up. "I had always thought that was one thing you never hesitated on."

"Knock knock."

Surprise. It's not a knock. It's just a big jerk barging into the lab and leaning in the doorway. Looking as happy as ever to be in the senator's presence. Because hey. Guilt was a weird thing. It made everything all twisted up and awkward.

And...

Hard to figure out, if the conversation with Pax-slash-Prime was any indication.

Yet, here he was. Checking in on the source of the problem. Exterior source, anyway.

"Okay, great, you're still alive. My work here is done."

"Roller!" He brightens, setting aside the datapad. "Come in, please."

Don't be a stranger, buddy.

His expression goes from suitably bored to curious, actually quirking an optic. For a second, he debates shrugging it off and saying he has somewhere else to be.

"What, not busy?"

But he pads in a couple steps, anyway.

"Working on paint. It's not pressing."

He does want to be pretty though. Well, beautiful, but he'll take 'pretty' here, if it's all the same.

"What?"

He gives the other bot the most skeptical look in the known universe.

"You're... working on paint. We're stuck here in this weird city forever, and... you're working on paint."

"It's a side project," he says, without divulging the real project he's working on.

"A side from... what? What's there to even do around here?"

It's not being nosy. Really, it's not.

Shockwave would indeed be disturbed today, but not at his door. There's the sound of something large bumping around the air ventilation. Not too loudly of course - Skids isn't a shoddy vent crawler, but a little noise manages to escape that one could pick up if they were looking for it. A few moments later, the metal grille of a vent is unscrewed from the inside and wiggled out of place. Red hands grip it carefully and set it against the inside wall of the vent.

Skids sticks his head down briefly, taking a brief 360 degree overview of the lab. It was filled with little projects, but devoid of the one making them. Odd.

A less curious Autobot may just turn right around and keep going. Who knows what evil science lies in this lab? Skids is a rapscallion of the ninth degree, however, and lands onto the floor without making a sound. The door was slightly ajar - so he's assuming whoever was in here would be back shortly.

He goes for the datapads, tilting his head as he turns one over to look at the notes.

Shortly indeed, as Shockwave's finishing up his conversation with Brainstorm - the other has a few good ideas, and many more that would be troubling to anyone with a moral code. He'll have to keep one eye on him when he can, but something makes him think Nautica is far more likely to voice a complaint.

So when he finds someone in his lab, standing over his datapads, Shockwave's first instinct is anger. But then it registers who it is, and anger fades into amusement and joy.

"I'm beginning to regret teaching you how to apply what you've learned, Skids."

But god, is he happy to see you.

Skids wasn't a paragraph into the datapad's contents before he hears heavy footsteps begin to signal someone approaching closer and closer.

As the door opens, Skids finds himself not quite believing his eyes. It was almost as unbelievable as showing up an alternate dimension of Cybertron and Brainstorm concocting a time travel machine.

"Shockwave?" the datapad actually clatters onto the table. He was caught with his hand in the cookie jar, so to speak. He approaches with a critical eye, examining the Senator before reaching out to lightly tap his arm - as if to double check that he were real.

"It really is you - that would explain why you'd keep so many copies of 'Cyclical Fluctuations in Subterranean Energon Deposits'," he says the lengthy header with the most genuinely puzzled robot airquotes he can muster. Humor is surely the right response to this, right?

Shockwave lets him - he's used to the uncertain response thanks to both Optimus and Trailbreaker's reactions. But a smile spreads over his face when Skids speaks. He's always had a soft spot for him, and doesn't waste time gathering him up in a hug once it seems the reality has settled in.

Sorry Skids.

"It's good to see you." Yep, just going to hold him up in the air for a bit. "You never know when you're going to lose a copy."

That doesn't happen often to him, but hey. Always be prepared.

Holy shit Shockwave that's quite the crushing attempt you're calling a hug!!! Skids squirms before managing to free his other arm to squeeze onto Shockwave's shoulders with.

Yet, all the emotion, the familiarity of being with his old mentor leaves him speechless save for a grunt of surprise. He was back - somehow, tangible and everything.

He only finds words come to his mouth after his feet find solid ground again.

"Ok, we're almost officially caught up on our hug quota," he remarks, rubbing his lower back before his expression brightens,"You know what? I feel like we need to have this reunion somewhere than isn't a dark lab - no offense," he jabs a finger,"I'll follow you."

Maybe one of the times Shockwave isn't holed up in his lab he'll walk into his best friend.

No, wait. The other one. Enemy.

Sentinel is way past pretending to still give a shit about his situation - since they last met he'd pretty much been through the equivalent of being dropped into a blender and left on the high setting for a few hours then strangled and stabbed a few times. Unlike before, he has no interest in trying to poke at Shockwave, instead opting to try and awkwardly... pretend he doesn't notice the senator.

Boy, this sure is an interesting alley he's suddenly determined to back into. Maybe he won't actually end up with broken robot bones!

Yeah, fat chance, Sentinel.

"You know," he says, incredibly smug at the first look of Proteus' Prime since their unfortunate earlier encounter, "I think you've seen better days."

"Haven't we all?" he says, nonplussed.

"This isn't really the time to be concerned about repaints."

Though Sentinel would happily murder a guy for a buff and polish.

Okay, June's seriously impressed with Shockwave's lab. She was impressed with Val's, too, but there's something particular about Shockwave's space that makes an impression on her. She stops and stares up at the holographic map projection in slight awe for a while before she actually wanders over to talk to him. She rolls the thinning sleeves of her sweater up and gives him a wave, smiling.

"Hope you don't mind a visitor," she calls, brushing a lock of hair from her face. She's missed Shockwave's company lately; living with Trailcutter leaves her far from lonely, sure, but she's never really connected with anyone else here the way she has with Shockwave. He's just so easy to talk to, and that's refreshing around here. "I thought I'd stop by and check in. How are things?"

"June!" He says, brightening up as he looks up from his work. Or down, as the case may be. He doesn't miss a beat, however, leaning down to offer her a hand to step on so she can get a better view at most everything. Let it never be said he isn't a gentleman when it counts.

"Well enough. I've been working on a side project."

Paint. He's been working on paint.

All these handsome robots, so polite. June takes the lift with a pleased smile, peering down at his work from her new perch, and glances back with a slightly skeptical but mostly curious look.

"It's awfully colorful. So what are you developing, exactly?"

It does look like paint, but for all June knows this is some weird Cybertronian thing. She doesn't know, okay.

Soundwave's taken to shadowing Shockwave around the lab when they're there; his presence is soothing, and they like the illusion of having something to do. They're used to having to dedicate most of the day to scrounge up barely enough energon to get them through it, and they dont know what to do with all this new free time. Soundwave hovers over the map briefly, dipping their fingers in and out of the hologram, then wanders over to the paint cans.

"What is... Why do you have so much paint?"

He's become used to Soundwave's presence, hardly bothered by the their presence, nor their questions. He might be a scientist and a politician, but he is also a teacher. Discouraging inquisitiveness never did anyone any favors in the long run. At that particular question, though, Shockwave smiles and laughs, setting his work aside.

"It's time for a much needed repaint, Soundwave. While I'm fond of these colors, I've spent far too long with them."

A new paint job every week. That's his thing.

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( OPEN ) the problem with history

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GUEST APPEARANCE

BEST APPERANCE

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f is for friends who do stuff together

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