B R E A K

Breakdown: You're stunning.

She froze. He had moved, she thought. Her heart pounded hard in her chest. Star would have turned around and ran far away from him, but she stayed where she was, behind the tree. Her lavender eyes trailed over his frame, noting the weld seams all over it. She nervously looked up at Breakdown. There was nothing in his optics but hollowness. He was in pitiful condition. Star gulped as she pulled out her courage.

“ You’re Breakdown, aren’t you ? ” the 18-year-old inquired aloud, “ We have met before in the past, not sure if you remember me. I’m with the Autobots, but I’m not here to harm you or anything. ”

The last sentence made her felt stupid for a second. Come on, he’s big, he could just crush her into paste. But she then recalled he did get harmed, by humans. She wasn’t there in the scene, but she heard from Bulkhead that a man by the name Silas took control of Breakdown’s body, every movements and thoughts. It was frightening of how humans could go just to feed their desire.

“ Do you remember your partner KNOCKOUT ? ” 

                    A SINGLE YELLOW optic focus on her. The light flickering as it narrows. Walk away, the urge eats at him. To hurry quickly to the haven of his temporary home. That faded red building tucked among old trees. Straw and dirt littering the floor, a scent of oil and earth. A comfort to him now. From the yawning doors he’d be able to see the old house by the mountain road. Hear the sound of Dead End’s engine at rest as he sat tucked away in his corner. The quiet curses of Bonnie as her wild red hair bounced and shined under the slanted sunlight. Fussing with notes, and wires, and bolts. A safe place. The idea of it soft and familiar, though melancholic. 

This situation was like needles and hissing. The weight of her gaze felt heavy. It burned on his frame. Breakdown hates it. Fear and uncertainty. His spark whirrs and calls out, reaching for the bond he shared with the other stunticons. It is only Dead End who reaches back, the only one who can. 

He nearly leaves. Turning, stepping forward. The earth groaning under his weight. It is his name that gives him pause. The sound of it unfamiliar on her voice, and he decides he hates that even more than the feel of her eyes on him. 

Bulkhead’s human, he considers, but that doesn’t seem right. Too quiet, his’ always made so much noise. Again he considers leaving. It is a name, that again, stops him. It is not his. It belongs to another. The thoughts of red hair haloing a soft face melting into red paint sparkling under the sun and red rings on black. 

@bbreakpoint started following you! 

Sunstreaker doesn’t so much as look up, when the other mech’s spotted, though he does shift a little closer to Sideswipe. 

The red twin has no such concern, perking up a bit, even giving a wave. “Who’re you?” he chirps.  

El gave a sad frown. The only reason she came over here wasn’t here? It was such a long walk to get over here, too. The girl wasn’t even sure that this mech would pass any messages along either. Though maybe Knock Out had a telephone? Maybe she could call him? 

“Is there a number?” she asked this time. At the very least, if Knock Out had a phone, going back to the cabin wouldn’t have felt like a colossal failure. They could just talk there. 

                    WEIGHT SHIFTS FROM pede to pede, uncomfortable under her gaze. Thoughts are allowed to shift about in his processor without really taking hold. He’s unsure, the language lost on him. A comm signal, he thinks, maybe. Something like that a human wouldn’t be able to use. He’d seen humans contact the base before, but the method is unknown to him. Something about those tiny devices they hold up to their head. It only works for the base’s main console though. 

@bbreakpoint·· has been spotted.

“ !!! ”

She recognized the mech from her hiding spot. No doubt, he must be Knockout’s partner. But, isn’t he dead ? The red mech told her himself that he went offline. It has already been 4 years since his ‘death’. Star was terrified, but excited at the same time. Knockout would be more than delighted to find Breakdown alive and safe, but was it safe for her to come forward to this giant being ? The breaking of the twig was loud enough to reveal her presence as soon as she stepped on it by accident.

                    WELD SEAMS ITCH beneath the mud, drying earth pack onto his frame. Digits run rough over them. Pain, warm and dull, does not register. Only the feel of uneven metal, where he’d been pieced back together. She did her best, a quiet reminder that feels empty in the end, she did her best. They’re healing, and she can only do so much. She didn’t have his experience.

          It feels like they’ll always be healing. 

Again, El felt confused. He looked really upset. Why? She was honest like he wanted, wasn’t she? And all she did was ask for his name. Had she done something wrong? Did she say the wrong thing? Maybe the best thing to do was find someone else…

“Where’s Knock Out?” she finally asked. Knock Out was nice, and he was certain to help her out here. He was smart, too. Maybe he knew what she did to make this new mech angry. 

                    SHE KNEW HIM? Finally something like panic was setting in.  ❝ Dunno. ❞ He’s a little too quick to reply. It’s honest though, he’s not sure. While KnockOut had been busy with whatever task was needed of him here on earth, Breakdown was occupying himself with the rare chance for some off-roading.