robothell | [ INTRO LOG ]

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[ INTRO LOG ]

You don't know how you got here. One minute you were walking, sleeping, maybe dead -- then you're here, your feet suddenly carrying you down an empty street. Where's here?

Any Cybertronian would recognize this as their home planet, Cybertron, but it's not a Cybertron they've ever known. It has all the familiar hallmarks, but none of the specifics -- the city isn't one anyone here could identify, and even at a glance it's obvious that no one's set foot on the planet's surface in hundreds of years. The city and its surrounding areas all bear the marks of devastating war, of dust and rust collected over centuries. With no one in sight -- right at first, anyway -- there's plenty to explore. In fact, if you start walking, you'll find that your feet may just carry you in one particular direction.

A) The crater.
On one edge of the city is a massive crater left by some wartime weapon that seems to have taken out a large chunk of the surrounding metropolitan area. At the center of the crater it's broken through the surface of the terrain to reveal what looks like it might be a promising energon deposit. There is some strange but native vegetation growing around the edges, too, that no Cybertronian would be able to identify -- small, metallic, brittle-looking sprouts that bear a curiously organic-looking fruit of some kind that doesn't look like it's intended for consumption by any natives of the planet. In one rocky nook of the crater, light catches on the surface of a pool of water, which seems strangely out of place on Cybertron. On closer inspection, it seems that somehow an underground water source has formed a spring in the crater.

B) The center of the city.
If you follow where your feet seem to want to carry you, you'll find yourself in the middle of the ruined city. It seems that the center of the city was once home to a massive forum, and some of the pillars and structures still stand. At the very center of the forum is a massive, elaborately constructed fountain, although it has now long since run dry of whatever used to fill it. One of the low, inner walls of the forum has a terminal embedded in its surface, although it looks curiously ancient, out of place with the rest of the city, and unlike the rest of the technology still left around, there doesn't seem to be any way to power it on or operate it. There are a few scattered pools of water and a few of the strange metallic plants in the city, too, but they're not quite as plentiful as in the crater.

The planet was obviously once home to a massive network of communication relays, but those have all been long since destroyed. However, with the bits and pieces left behind and a few determined minds, it wouldn't be too hard to build a working, if rudimentary, one...

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That... voice.

He isn't exactly nearby when he hears it. But with the quiet, it's easy enough to hear. Besides, he would have to be deaf not to recognize it. Even from a distance. Even from this distance. His whole body jerks like a string has been pulled, and the big bot turns on a heel.

He knows that voice.

He knows that voice.

His steps are quickening, even while it feels like his spark is going to pulse right out of his chest.

"Optimus!" A few more pounding, desperate steps because the dream, the memory of all that isolation is driving him on. "Prime!"

Don't let this be another dream--

He doesn't hear it at first, nothing but a mumble that his audials pick up, swiveling a bit. It gets him to stop, if only because it sounds so much like his name.

Ear pieces twitching slightly more, he picks up something else.

"Prime!"

And that, that was clear enough to get his head to turn, seeing Ironhide running towards him. Blue optics light up, relieved to see not only a familiar face, but one of his most trustworthy friends.

"Ironhide."

Optimus's usual calm tone had some warmth to it, turning fully to face him as he approaches.

Ironhide all but slams into Optimus at full speed. He skids to a stop barely a foot away and... and the look on his face is that of someone looking at the face of Primus or something along those lines. Beaming. Relieved. Overjoyed and threatening to break because of it.

"Prime!" Maybe if he says Optimus' name enough he'll stay this time. "What're you -- you're here! Primus, I can't--"

His words get tangled, and he comes up short, ventilation systems working hard and big hands hovering. Unsure of where to go.

"It's you, right? Really you?"

While Optimus was more than happy to see Ironhide as well, he had to admit the bot was a little too excited to see him, even with the hero worship. Something must have happened, and his first instinct is to think that Starscream messed up on Cybertron.

Shocker.

"Ironhide."

His voice is as calm as always, placing a hand on the other's shoulder.

"It is good to see you as well. My trip to Earth had to be cut short for..reasons. I left Prowl in charge--" not his best idea, but we'll roll with it "--but what has become of Cybertron?"

Calm is probably something he could use more of right now. Because he looks utterly overjoyed, practically vibrating at the seams. Both his hands lift, pressing to Optimus' chest, as if he expects him to literally vanish if he does anything else.

He's real. He's here. This isn't a dream.

Which just makes what Optimus says all the more odd. The look of excitement on his face turns abruptly to confusion. Prowl...? Earth?

"What?" He shakes his head. "Prime, what're you talkin' about...? There's nobody on Cybertron..."

As Ironhide's hands press to his chestplate, his expression (or as much of one as he can show) only turns more confused. While he expected the bot to be overjoyed at his homecoming, this was...this was more than just six months.

Ironhide's acting like he hasn't been back for centuries.

"Did something happen, Ironhide? I left Cybertron in Starscream's care...I hope that wasn't a bad decision on my part..."

Starscream HOW BAD DID YOU FUCK UP.

Centuries, days. Hours. He wasn't sure how long -- except he did, sort of. Trion said four million years, hadn't he? Which meant... which meant he hadn't seen this face in four million years.

His hands press a little more firmly. Like he's trying to hold Prime in place. He shakes his head.

"No, you..."

What.

Left Cybertron in Starscream's care?

The look on his face suggests Optimus just punched him in the face, rather than announced the future. "You... what...?"

He hadn't expected Ironhide to react like that. Sure, the bot was recovering from amnesia, but he knew all about what was happening with Cybertron. Knew about the Camiens, Shockwave's plan, and how Starscream was elected leader of Cybertron. He was there for it.

So when he sees that face, his eyes can't help but widen.

"Ironhide?"

There's the tone of concern in his voice, as if he didn't understand. This was all common knowledge, right?

"Prime... I don't --"

He shakes his head, like he's trying to shake off the weird, confusing information. His weight shifts in closer, without his realizing it. Prime is familiar. Prime hasn't changed.

It's really him. So why...

Why does this feel like another bad dream?

"I don't understand what you're talkin' about."

"..."

Optimus stops in his tracks, figuratively. Ironhide wasn't playing dumb, then again...he never DID. But this was genuine confusion, and not just about their situation.

"Ironhide. What is the last thing you remember?"

"Trion took off," he answers, instantly.

He doesn't look away from Prime. Not once. There's nothing in those earnest optics but sincerity. Well, that and confusion. As he talks, anger creeps into his voice.

Ironhide has always worn his spark on his forearm. Now is no different.

"Left me an' 'Streaker alone. Abandoned us! I hit him once, but... wasn't good enough. He still got away."

...While Optimus would be the first to defend Alpha Trion (mentor figures could do that to you), he certainly wasn't surprised that the wizard 'had other things to do' and left them there.

But this wasn't news to him. He'd heard this before.

"Ironhide. The war is over...."

"Wha...?"

He released Optimus like his plating was red hot, stepping back from him. He looked more like Prime had just punched him in the face than anything else.

How... could it be over? How could it be even remotely over? They were just--

"I don't understand, Prime."

Help.

Well, if we're being real with each other, yes, its very much like Optimus punched you in the face, Ironhide.

"I know it sounds strange, but I am from a time much later than you. And you are saved from being stranded on Cybertron. And the war does come to an end."

"Later...?"

He doesn't know what to make of this. They'd all been fighting not even a week ago, and now? Now he was supposed to believe things were just over?

He looks away for a minute, his jaw clenched, body tense -- anger warring with uncertainty and gratitude. Because at the end of it all, Optimus is here.

Optimus is here.

"I wanna believe you."

A hand goes to his shoulder, trying to ease the soldier's internal battle with himself. He can only imagine what's going on in the other's head. All that time he can't account for, with his amnesia on top of it...

"I can tell you the whole story once we're situated. But for now...I need you by my side."

A simple order. Something Ironhide could probably use.

"Can you do that?"

"I..."

He's floundering a while longer. Unsure of what to say or how to answer. He can't understand any of this. Why this is happening -- how it's possible. Or...

That's an order.

His head lifts, and he meets Optimus' face finally. "Yeah, Prime. I can. 'Course I can."

That's more of the Ironhide he knows. His voice turns warm, welcoming as he pats that shoulder, before letting his hand eventually drop.

"We'll figure out this mess as soon as we figure out where...and when we are."

There's a moment before Prime drops his hand. When Ironhide lifts his own to touch it. As if to reassure himself it's real.

"Good plan," he agrees, and rolls his shoulders. "What's the next move?"

Ironhide can't see it, but there's a small smile underneath that faceplate. After his current time on Earth, Ironhide's a sight for sore optics.

"We investigate what happened here. I assume it wasn't your handiwork."

If he were looking at him, he'd have seen it. But for now, his attention is focused forward. Toward the rest of the strange planet.

"Nah," he drawls. "If it was me, there'd be more stuff uh... on... fire."

There's a content hum from him as they walk, looking at the rubble, and how very not-on-fire it is. "I don't know. I didn't think it was your flare."

OPTIMUS THE DAD JOKES HAVE TO STOP.

Feel free to hit him for that, Ironhide.

"... Did you really just say that, Prime?"

He won't hit him. He couldn't. Not outside of a friendly brawl, or some other play fight situation.

He will, however, knock his shoulder into Optimus' side. Hard.

"...Let's pretend that didn't happen."

Haha yeah he knows he's not the funniest clown in the car you don't have to tell him twice. He's going to quickly attempt to change the subject, though.

"We're going to need to establish a base."

"Too late. I ain't forgettin' nothin' no more."

Sorry Optimus, he'll never let you live it down. Because he loves you, really. He snorts, and casts around.

"Well. Sure got our work cut out for us."

B

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