Telling our Stories

Haybail actually started listing Autobots off in his processor to narrow down who it might be.

Rodimus was the closest there was to becoming a Prime, and Alexis' question brought the memory of his older brother back even if she hadn't intended to do so. He growled lowly, letting the memory play out before he responded to the girl's question.

"I wouldn't abandon Cybertronians who need me. Plain and simple."

He wouldn't allow others to feel abandoned the way he had.

'Wait-'

She wanted to ask something, but stopped herself. She wasn't sure if Wheeljack knew what he would do if Megatron did something unforgivable.

(Also, he'd like there to not be any more shouting when most of the base is recharging, and he figures that will be more likely if he just rolls with it.)

'...I don't know...'

Life. Real Life. In a way that Caine had never seen before.

A bustling city like so many others, it's inhabitants following their familiar routines. Birds chirped, cars honked, and most didn't spare a second glance to the school girl who had her phone held up and close to her.

Caine goes silent and practically still as he watches it all. Digital eyes wide and focused; hungry. Awed. Cataloguing.

".....it's beautiful." He murmurs up to her when Alexis checks in on him.

'You should see it at night or when it's Christmas time.' Which was sadly several months away. 'It's entirely different beast.' Alexis paused and took a couple of quick glances, looking for her friends and trying to explain Caine to them.

And with that to grease the wheels of their introduction, the adventure began!

All in all....it wasn't a bad one. The randomization meant that things were as much of a surprise for Caine as it was for Astrid. Allowing the AI to actually get that 'adventure experience' he'd never really had before. Especially since he basically stuck to his "bard" role, refraining from using his greater powers to insta-solve any problems or puzzles they came across.

To say the teenager was in her element was an understatement. Any puzzle they encountered, she knew what to do very quickly, especially ones that blocked the path and needed two people to complete it by going off seperate paths. As for fighting, it was different using a controller to actually being there. In the fight, she dropped one of her swords a couple of times, so she just decided to javalin throw one at the enemy and let the NPC finish the quest.

When all was said and done, Astird sat at the top of a grassland hill, taking in the gentle breeze before falling on her back to rest and look at the sky. She was smiling. She was happy.

At this point, Sprite's largest obstacle would be Sprite. It wasn't the specter of Vector Sigma she needed to outdo, it was that of herself. Of that practical lightning bolt she'd become in the pursuit of ultimate speed; at the cost of her well being. Achievement in ignorance.

'I'll surpass you. I'll surpass you. I'll surpass you. I'll surpass everything. I'll cross every boundary-' Fourth turn.

'Because I'm the fastest!'

But the light dims slightly. "We are not the Decepticons, Starscream. I am aware of how Megatron has chosen to command, but fear and raw power are no replacement for trust." Trust and faith, no matter how unearned Optimus may feel that faith can be at times.

And as quickly as those words left his mouth, Starscrea quickly shut himself up, lips curling in. Not from regret, but he couldn't afford to be kicked out of the Autobots. He would have nowhere to go. In a way, they were his shield. A shield he couldn't hold, but he was trying. At least he was following basic orders. Inhis first mission, he called the Autobots his friends. Did he mean that?

"Couldn't sleep?"

"Midnight snack...? Without me!?"

"Looks like we're both night owls."

"Go back to bed."

"Smoke break? This late?"

"Looks like we'll both be tired as shit in the morning."

"Not sleeping is my thing actually,"

"Don't tell me we both had nightmares."

"Honey, it's late."

"I woke up and you weren't there."

"Sleepover where no one sleeps, imagine."

"I can stay the night if you want."

"You'll have serious bags under your eyes at this rate."

"It is peaceful this late....isn't it?"

"Wanna put on a movie and hope we doze off?"

"We gonna start an insomnia club?"

"Please try to get some rest."

"Don't make me tell you what time it is."

"Let me guess....rough night?"

"Look, I found some sheep we can count."

"Let's try decaf coffee right now..."

"Might as well do something fun if neither of us are sleeping."

"Worrying all night isn't going to help you."

"We could try cuddling? It helps me sleep."

"Sleep or no sleep....same bullshit tomorrow."

"Wonder if anywhere delivers at this hour..."

"Take out??? Oh a food coma- you're a genius."

"The stars are lovely, aren't they?"

"I have sleep meds, but clearly they didn't work."

"Dream of anything?"

"Being tired and unable to sleep....now that's some bullshit."

"Warm milk and cookies- could be worth a try?"

"Maybe you'd sleep better if you stop doomscrolling."

"You can tell me if something is wrong....but if not... I'm fine just hanging out in the dark."

From @digitaloptiics: Todays adventure was something Alexis, or Astrid, was all too familiar with as an avid gamer before landing in the Circus. A medieval setting where a Kingdom had been overrun by an evil. Or in this case, goblins. And it was up to the group, to find a hero to save its people. Easy enough. Well, hijinks here, hijinks there, place the blame on Jax, and Astrid found herself alone. In a forest. A haunted forest. At night with a full moon and the sounds of werewolves howling filling the air. Did that traveling merchant say a witch lived here too? Perfect. Well, best pedal forward and stick to the path. Maybe she'll find a crossroads or an inn? At least that was the plan, until Astrid stepped into a trap and was now hanging upside down in a tree by her ankle. It keeps getting better. '...Erm...hello...?' ~ Alexis for A Knight

The trap is cut, almost as soon as the girl speaks. It seemed like she'd land on her head, but a split second before they would happen, she was caught.

The brave knight was a fallen spirit, made up of a cape, greaves, and a horse. Little to be had, a light French accent an stores. Little to be had, a light French accent shapes that hint muscle, though empty polygons are all that sit under the armor.

'Thanks.'

Astrid didn't know if she should put herself down or not. Would that be rude? When was being cradled by her saviour too long?

“Kinger is surprisingly capable… When he’s able to focus.” So far, Pomni hadn’t been able to replicate the moment she’d shared with Kinger in the darkness of the haunted manor they’d ended up together in, but it didn’t shake the jester’s faith in him. If the Circus was dark all the time, rather than the technicolor migraine it was, Kinger would be the most level-headed out of any of them - whether that was due to his age, his time spent in the Circus, or just his personality was another mystery that would likely never be solved.

“I dunno about paintball, but show Jax an ear of corn and he’d jump into the rafters to get away with it.” She felt a little bad for laughing, everyone had their own irrational fears, but… seriously, corn?!

It was nice to have someone she could talk to, not trying to deliberately antagonize her or try to boost her morale when she didn’t want or need it or hiding away in their rooms to avoid facing their current reality. Just a regular conversation, like a couple of humans. 

It almost made her forget that she was currently a jester talking to a giant robot.

He was the one who found him screaming on top of the circus tent, begging for someone to help him and screaming why he had been abandoned by his own unit. He didn't know what he did wrong. He was their leader, and yet they've just left him here, looking like this. True, not the worst avatar in existance but this wasn't him. He missed his black hair and more slim figure. But any of those thoughts quickly washed away when...

'Corn.' He paused, trying to process what Pomni just said. 'The jack-rabbit who tries to make our lives even worse around here, is afraid of corn?' Starscream laughed. Just burst out laughing and slapped his knee. Probably the first time he's laughed since arriving here a few weeks ago.

Some of the series, he recognized- whether by brief descriptions he'd been told or simply seeing their advertisements. Others, such as 'K-ON!', he had no clue about.

"I suppose I'll have to check out 'Star Racers', then. I must admit, I'm more of a fan of the modern adaptation of Full Metal Alchemist..." And Witch Hat Atilier had stunning animations. "Personally, I enjoyed 'The Red Ranger Becomes an Adventurer in Another World', as well as 'Secrets of the Silent Witch'."

Moments to be grateful he had his mask up at all times..at least the faintest trace of a burn on his faceplates wouldn't rise beyond the guard. A small clearing of his vocal synthesizer cleared the sensation.

"No, Sprite. They are a friend. When we Autobots first started engaging more with humans, they...helped with translating social customs." That was the easiest way to put it.

Was not something Sprite thought she was expecting to say to the Optimus Prime, but she never expeted to him say he watched the genre. Or any type of human television. But, knowing Optimus would need to understand customs on Earth to fit in and protect it, it shouldn't have been a surprise.

"Hmmmmm, no idea? I know what I would've made the informant be, but since it's random I don't-"

Caine begins to tell her as they walk into the crowded starting point for the adventure. But he never gets to finish because there's an attention grabbing blast of laughter and cheers. At the center of which, is indeed some sort of wolf man.

"That's right everyone, your boy Phily is back here for one last quest! And looking for some adventurers to join me for the ride!"

Caine just stares for a few seconds before he's side glancing Astrid,

Best be quick before an NPC raises their hand or paw to take the quest. Awkwardly shuffling through the crowd, giving a quick look back to make sure Caine was following, Astird raised her hand as she managed to squeeze through a trio of gummy-crocodiles. She didn't give it much thought. No one here seemed to fit the typical RPG style.

'We'll join!'

Then there was the obvious holiday-maker spots. Large monuments of someone clearly important to the city and the towering city hall itself. 'Never been in there,' Alexis commented to herself. When they reached the school, a teacher waited at the entrance, making sure the students stuck to the dress code whilst they either put their bikes away for jumped off the school bus.

With a roll of her shoulder again and quickly stretching out her legs, Sprite made her way to the starting line again with a brisk walk. She was trying her best to not let the temptation get to her. It might not be serious on the surface to more experianced racers, but they had to start somewhere.