step one: stop fighting robots

[wreckers]

Who: Verity and OPENish
Where: Autobot Clinic
When: Noooow??
What: The fallout of this
Warnings: Injuries, TBD.


[ Once she shook loose from Arcee, Verity bagged out. She was not inclined to trust anyone let alone someone closely associated with Prowl, on good terms or not, but she trusted Arcee to run interference long enough for her to clear out of there. Running away happened to be one of Verity's talents and one she took immediate advantage of when the opportunity presented itself. ]

Shit - shit.

[ Burning rubber screeched on the metal floor of the clinic followed by a loud crash when a disoriented Verity slammed into a nearby steel utility table; spilling all kinds of equipment onto the floor. The clinic was dark - of course it was, everyone was off getting stupid at that party at the forum. Verity swore louder as she staggered up and waved her arm wildly in front of a motion sensor near the doorframe that brought the lights back on.

I fucked up, was all Verity could think while stumbling through the clinic wildly searching for anything that looked human friendly. ]

Enough people on this rock they should have painkillers or someth- hnng.

[ Verity stopped near a minicon sized gurney. She pulled herself up and once she was sitting felt the full force of what a little scuffle with something rip snorting pissed off and over thirty feet tall did. The plates of her armor retracted back until she was down to her clothes. Stomach rolling as she took rapid shallow breaths close to hyperventilating, pulling her shirt up to find angry red and purple bruising covering her entire right side. She cringed, looking down to see the inflamed mess that was her foot that twisted awkwardly at the ankle.

Winded, Verity collapsed on her back. Leaving her armor in pieces around her on the ground as she tried to steady her breathing. ]

Comments

[wreckers]

"Don't ask me to say he's something more on the inside because I was knocked inside him and that's why I have three stitches stapled into my head." Verity tapped her temple.

"I was going to call him a 'dissident' but that might be a little too personal when the authoritarian state is on two legs and standing right in front of me." Verity said, aware of if nothing else than Prowl and Optimus were not exactly seeing eye to eye right now. "Sorry, former authoritarian state. Go democracy."

Verity raised her fist only for it to fall back limb in her lap. Blood loss mixed a fresh concussion meant her sass was running on fumes.

"And hey, I'm not going to dictate how anyone is going to adjust after four million years of total war except maybe 'not like that'," She adjusted on the gurney with her complexion still clammy and soaked in sweat, "But if you want my two cents: Keep this in-house."

[optout]

"He's--..." You caught him mid sentence, Verity. Okay, maybe...maybe he needs a new way to phrase that. "He's changed, certainly. But he's still Prowl, the way you remember him. ...Somewhere."

It's almost as if Optimus is searching for that too. The Prowl that didn't insist the fight was still going, enough to chase Verity down and harm her. They'd been friends, and in the end he'd still hurt her.

Although a small part of him does raise a fist to imitate hers, if...out of pure curiosity. YEAH GO DEMOCRACY he can hear Prowl groaning from here.

"Everything said now will be kept confidential, Verity. Whoever you want to know about this is your decision. I"m just one of the choices." Although that didn't mean Prowl was off limits. He certainly already knew. "Do you need anything?"

Dad's going out.

[wreckers]

Verity bit her lip and tucked her head with her chin touching her chest in an effort to stem the smile creeping across her face when she saw Optimus attempt a power fist that bordered on self-effacing. It made him look meek. It made him look as vulnerable as he might very well be under all that plating. Made him human. She blew air through her teeth in a suffocated laugh and raised her head, nodding.

"Just one thing." The small hint of a smile faded. "Whatever happens - I'm the closed loop. Prowl nearly datamined more than the trials and I need you to know that it stays with me. Away from anyone looking to raise hell on this rock."

Verity pointedly did not specify any potential hellraisers as simply Decepticons - or Autobot.

"I think Prowl believes loyalty is really his last saving grace - and on that, we agree. You and I will share words later."

[optout]

Seeing that smile, no matter how well hidden it was...it was reassuring. Proof that he was doing at least one thing right here. Although what she says does make him contemplative. It would be safer out of Cybertronian hands, certainly. It had been so far.

If they could just keep that secret, then there'd be no issues.

"Alright. I'm trusting you with it's care. Maybe if I can talk sense into Prowl--" There's...slightly less confidence in that sentence, but he's certainly putting on his best act. "--it'll be between us."

...

There's a soft vent at the mention of a talk. "I guess we will. But until then..." he glances at the armor that's...probably seen better days. "You might want to put in an order for an upgrade. Just in case."