[ INTRO LOG ]

[robotsatan]

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...

Comments

CRATER

[taselikeabee]

The first thought Bumblebee had was a question of how long he had been out. Cybertron, the last he knew, was pretty much a barren wasteland - utterly terraformed and there wasn't a true city left standing. All of this... Bee would only be able to confirm that Shockwave had been stopped or he really was dead. That was what happened, right? The searing pain and then suddenly the lights went out? All evidence lead to that conclusion: chest plating still scorched and there's a distinct lack of a badge.

Truth was, Bumblebee had no idea what was going on. The place reminds him of how desolate Cybertron was before all of the crazy nonsense happened. Then again, weren't their lives essentially defined by crazy nonsense? Whatever the case, Bee really did need some answers and that was what created the urge to press on. It was a vain hope that someone would be around, but hey... Again. Crazier things have been known to happen.

Bee did stop at the crater, frowning and shifting on his legs with uncertainty. There were things on this Cybertron growing that likely shouldn't be. However, wasn't that the same for Cybertron right as everyone started to return? The thought occurred to him that Ironhide talked about his vision of the future, but he never mentioned this.

He groaned, hands on his face. "Just once... Just once I'd like something simple to deal with!"

[luckyfaceplate]

Bumblebee had always been one to stand out among the other Cybertronians. Sometimes metaphorically, but this time...physically. His yellow plating was easy to spot in the barren wasteland, and...if Optimus hadn't known better, he'd have sworn he was seeing things. But he's damaged, certainly, and...

How does he approach him...

"Hmm. You're beginning to sound like me."

His voice is soft, as he approaches Bee from behind, looking down at him. Nothing but guilt floods those optics, pain that he wasn't able to save Bumblebee, even more so after he'd done what a Prime couldn't.

"It's good to see you again, old friend. You have...no idea."

[taselikeabee]

His yellow plating was ironic, honestly. One would think that an espionage agent wouldn't have such vivid colors. Right now Bumblebee certainly stuck out like a sore thumb, pardon the human expression. Hearing someone approach, he didn't have to completely turn to guess who it was. Those steps... The voice.

Optimus. Orion... Whichever he was right now.

"Do I?" he snorted, half amused. "Is that a curse or a blessing?"

It was hard to tell, honestly. There was no one greater to aspire to, no one that could inspire more. Yet Optimus seemed just as lost as the rest of them. Maybe, in the end, they were really all too damaged by this war. However, that wasn't the most pressing question, was it? Bumblebee heard it more than saw it. The strain in the Prime's voice was too apparent. He'd heard it too many times.

"Yeah... Kind of needed to see you earlier I think," Bumblebee said then added: "Did he pull it off?"

[luckyfaceplate]

That's what made Bee all the more the best saboteur. Anyone who could pull off canary yellow and still sneak around had talent.

But the moment Bee speaks, his plating settles, as if for a moment, wondering if he was seeing a mirage in this abandoned wasteland. He just had to hope that he wasn't hallucinating the voice too.

"It depends on who you ask." The reply was just as dry and witty, taking a step or two closer.

To say he was lost was an accurate assumption. With the war over, and Megatron now an Autobot, he had trouble finding just what place a Prime had in the new world they had to build. He wasn't the leader Cybertron wanted. And with his friends and close ones dying around him...Bumblebee included...it was hard to tell if you were worthy of even the Prime title.

But he knew just what Bumblebee was talking about. "No. In fact, you were the key to stopping him, even after your..."

Passing.

[taselikeabee]

"Death?" Bee answered for Optimus. "But me? I don't think I managed to do anything."

He was shot before anything of significance happened. Sure maybe it was Bee's plan that worked, but he, himself, didn't do anything. That was the frustrating part. Not the fact that he died, but that he did so without doing anything worthwhile. Perhaps that was how life really was. Utter disappointment.

"What happened."

[luckyfaceplate]

"You did more than you know, Bumblebee. Your words...what you said to Megatron, they affected him. Affected him more than four million years worth of what I did." A hand reaches out to him, feeling that he actually IS there, and not just some illusion.

There's pain in those optics--Bumblebee should still be alive. He needed to see what he'd accomplished. Instead, change came at the ultimate price.

"Megatron took upon the Autobot badge by your inspiration, and Shockwave became who he was once more. Dark Cybertron is no more, and we can finally start to rebuild."

[taselikeabee]

Optimus would be able to put a hand on Bumblebee if he'd like. However, Bee was turning around with wide optics. To hear that Megatron turned... In the next instant he gave a huffy laugh. He didn't believe a word of it.

"Megatron? An Autobot? You don't have to tell tall tales, Optimus. I can handle the truth."

He was a grown Cybertronian, after all. Small, but fully mature. Bee wasn't really able to inspire people like Megatron or Optimus Prime did. Yeah, he managed to get them to all work together, but that was a temporary thing. It happened more than once in the past.

haha nerd

[planate]

Pipes doesn't recognise Bumblebee all that well, to be honest. He didn't get out much during the war and while he knows names and vaguely what the Popular People look like, he doesn't pick up on Bumblebee with his different armour.

Like the friendly fucking asshole he is, he wanders over, holding one of the weird fruit things, "You know, considering there's no explosions or anyone shooting at us, I'm gonna put this on on the bottom of the top ten weird things list."

ur a nerd

[taselikeabee]

All was well. Bee wouldn't recognize Pipes as someone that was on the Lost Light. In fact, he didn't necessarily mind having someone clearly so friendly come right up to him. In fact, he sort of had to agree. Hearing the statement, he grinned. Just a little.

"I guess there's a first time for everything, right? Or maybe we just haven't been here long enough for someone to start shooting."

um excuse

[planate]

"I'm cautiously optimistic."

He tilts his head, visor brightening. That's a smile for those with no face.

"Dead Cybertron aside. You know, you look familiar. Have we met before?"

[taselikeabee]

"I think we could all use some cautiously optimistic types."

After all, all doom and gloom didn't get them anywhere. Prowl being Prowl didn't help. Perhaps if more people were like this guy here, then things wouldn't have gotten out of hand on Cybertron. Did it really matter, though? Everyone was alive and hopefully well.

"Name's Bumblebee. You?"

[planate]

See, the name he recognises.

"Bumblebee? Like, leader Bumblebee?"

Shit. Shit. "Uh, Pipes. Sorry for the. Informal. Ness. Sir."

[taselikeabee]

Bumblebee waved his hand out.

"It's fine. Don't worry about being all formal and stuff."

No one else did and that suited him just fine. Bee wasn't a real leader. Not now anyway.

[rodders]

That is a sentiment Rodimus fully agrees with, because today is shaping up to be a Day. He'd really like to stop running into people who are supposed to be dead - which is why he's stopped in his tracks, just sort of staring at Bumblebee. Give him a moment.

A moment longer.

Okay, now he's got this as he slides down the crater rim until he's even with the erstwhile former leader of the Autobots.

"Hey Bee. No offense, because it's good to see you, but aren't you supposed to be dead?" Don't lie, Bumblebee, you're super glad to see him again aren't you. And, well, since they hadn't seen each other since the words on the balcony so long ago: "What's with the change of frame?"

[taselikeabee]

Just hearing Rodimus is enough to make Bumblebee groan. He pinches the space between his optics before letting his hand slide down his face. As much as Rodimus is his friend and comrade... There are just some issues Bumblebee takes with Rodimus and his sense of duty. Overall, though? Bee is glad that the crew of the Lost Light is alive.

When he turns, Rodimus should see the remnants of the damage first hand. "THat because I am supposed to be. Or it sure as hell felt like it."

No, he hadn't seen the guy since the Lost Light had left Cybertron. It takes a moment for the question to register anyway. He looks at his own frame and then back up at Rodimus.

"Oh that... Yeah Megatron crushed me pretty good when he first came back. Got an upgrade when I was out."

Which is super ironic, considering what side Megatron is on now.

[rodders]

That's rude, Bee. And Rodimus can see the damage with his own eyes, wincing slightly. Yeah, sure looks like Bumblebee got blasted through the chest and should be dead. The missing badge doesn't escape his notice either - mouth deepening into a frown since he knows where that particular autobrand is. Ugh.

"I'm not really sure blue's your color." Helpful. "But it's nice to see that you're not. Dead, that is. Although--"

Oh boy does he have news for you about Megatron. Not that he knows that Bee already knows about Megatron. He's a bit behind the times, okay.

[taselikeabee]

"Thanks for the fashion advice, Roddy," Bee replies with an optic roll and all.

The yellow and blue kind of do clash, yes. That hadn't been the more pressing issue at the time, however. They still had to deal with what had been threatening Cybertron and the universe's very existence at that juncture. So sue him for being more concerned about actual problems!

"And it's nice to see you have about as much tact as a sledgehammer when it meets a wall..."

[rodders]

"Hey, no problem. Guess you could always hope Atomizer shows up - he won't shut up about color theory if you even mention the word 'paint' in front of him." Believe him, he's experienced this first hand and couldn't escape. "Er, so, have you been filled in what's all gone down since you--" A gesture at his own chest, where the shot would have been if it had hit him.

As for his tact, well: "You know me, Bee." Tact is not his style - he's never really seen the point.

[taselikeabee]

"I'll pass on that, thanks," Bee replies, having no interest whatsoever in keeping appearances anyway. "And knowing you comes with more trouble than problems solved."

It's the truth, anyway. Despite Bumblebee calling nearly everyone on the Lost Light his friend, there are points of contention. Rodimus and his lack of foresight is kind of one of them. That leads to even more problems. Usually. Still, it's good to see him and the others. Bee isn't one to deny that.

"Optimus has told me a little. Not sure I believe him."

why did you want this sire

[staygoldponybot]

Bee might've heard Starscream blow something up, the resulting yelling and then Starscream flying away.

Maybe he didn't, the crater is fairly large after all.

Regardless of if he heard it or not, there's still a large (maybe familiar) golden robot slowly but surely making his way to the edge of the crater, no doubt to climb out and get to the city. He's not hard to miss considering his history with the Autobots of Cybertron and the fact he's sparking and leaking energon everywhere.

Simple, indeed. Maybe this is the robot afterlife, seeing as they're both dead. Maybe it's... robot hell.

because yellow bots

[taselikeabee]

Bumblebee hearing anything is probably enough to make him jump. The area looks abandoned, right? Noise means that something is going on or that someone else is close by. That means there's only one thing to do, being the idiotic noble thing that he is and that is transforming and zipping off towards the sound.

He stalls seeing who is stumbling around. That guy is supposed to be dead too. Bumblebee knows this. He had been there. He had seen it all go down. However, Bee isn't sure how to take it all, you know? he, himself, is supposed to be dead. Metalhawk had been dead and then brought back to live... So why not Sentinel?

Either way, it doesn't matter. Bee is transforming back to his robot form and makes his way to the once Prime.

"Sentinel? Are you all right?"

are you sure it's not masochism

[staygoldponybot]

Well, it hurts like a BITCH but Sentinel hates showing weakness, so.

"Nothing I can't handle," He'll just elect to ignore all the horrible energon and broken armour. Okay. Okay. "What's the situation?"

Please, god, tell him you know what's going on, Bumblebee. Please.

[taselikeabee]

"Because anyone can handle leakage all over the place..."

It just sort of slips out. Bee doesn't mean it intentionally. He cringes, knowing that he could get a look for it and frankly? Bee doesn't want to explain. Exactly.

"Where? Cybertron... When? Can't be sure. Time and space don't seem to matter much here."

[staygoldponybot]

It does get him A Look. He had noticed he was leaking everywhere, thanks. If he starts getting swimmy, Sentinel decides, he might make an effort to collapse on Bee. Asswipe.

"And how did you come to that conclusion?"

Despite his accusatory tone, he's actually genuinely interested. All he did was show up then get blown up.

[taselikeabee]

This time it's Bee that gives Sentinel a look.

"For starters? I'm dead. You don't take a blast to the spark chamber and live," he snorts. "Then there is the fact I ran into Optimus earlier. He explained what he knew and filled me in on what happened after."