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Post by Nicholas Bee on Nov 15, 2022 6:10:57 GMT
Nick hated his days off.
Not that it was bad to take a well-deserved break. In fact, he looked forward to that part. But honestly? Being around his uncle was a pain in the ass. All he wanted to do was sit around, and watch TV before work. Sure, they'd never been the "Hey let's go to the movies!" or "Hey, want to play catch?" sort of family... But the older he got, the more annoyed he'd become at having an uncle who was just so uninterested. Not that it mattered much, he guessed, the new Transformers issue was out that day so he had an excuse to get out.
And that's where he'd been before taking the long treck back home.
The backroads of Witwicky were relatively quiet that day. Allowing him to flip through the comic book's pages while only keeping a brief look over his shoulder as he did. It wasn't like many people came out this way anyway, except farmers. Which he guessed his uncle technically was, though he rarely saw him doing much in the way of farm work. "Wonder if they could use help at work?" He asked as he came near the garage.
He stopped and considered it for a moment. But not that he was basically standing in the middle of the road. Too busy considering if Bill would kick him out for not taking a day off.
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Post by Bumblebee on Nov 19, 2022 2:23:13 GMT
Nick may not enjoy days off, but they were rare commodities that Bumblebee actually got to enjoy. At least, that's what he'd like to think but he'd had quite the extensive downtime up until late. It'd been about keeping a low profile and staying out of G.H.O.S.T's radar until the time was right. When he finally got a mission he was ecstatic about finally being able to get out there and doing stuff, but he quickly realized just how much he missed that downtime. Not that the Terrans were bad! It was that he wanted to be much more useful to the Autobots and out there tracking rogue Decepticons. One day he knew he'd be able to. Bumblebee just wished that it would be five minutes ago.
He'd left the Malto household for a bit just to drive around, clear his thoughts a bit before starting the next round of training for Twitch and Thrash. If he didn't have some sort of plan in mind, who knew how things were going to go today. Granted the Terrans, much like their human allies, were quite unpredictable and hard to reign back in once they'd gone off the rails. Had the yellow mech been like that when he first joined the war? Primus he'd hoped not.
Driving down the backroads, he had barely been paying attention to him when he all of the sudden spotted some kid standing in the middle of the road. Startled by the 'sudden' appearance, Bee swerved out of the way, swinging around so that he faced where he had just come from. His holo avatar sat in his driver's seat, staring the kid down in surprise. Rolling the driver's side window down, the holo avatar leaned out just a bit. "Hey! You really shouldn't be standing in the middle of the road like that. Someone's going to end up barreling through and hurting you like that." Like he had almost done by accident. "Aw never mind.. Do you need a ride or something?"
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Post by Nicholas Bee on Nov 19, 2022 3:19:19 GMT
Nick nearly jumped as Bumblebee swerved out of the way.
Shit. There he goes again, almost causing accidents! Great job, Weyland. A part of him wanted to also cuss out the driver. But then he saw the car… And what a beautiful car it was. Ho-ly. If Nick knew who he was ogling he may have even been more bouncy than he was. But he decided to rein it in right now, after all, he did have an apology to make.
“Sorry man, I guess I just got my head in the clouds like usual,” Nick replied, putting his hands in his hoodie very casual. “Nice moves back there by the way. You think about taking this beauty racing? I bet its horsepower is insane.”
Of course he was a little surprised by his question of needing a ride anywhere. He looked thoughtfully back at his job, then up the road and thought of the long walk ahead of him before shrugging. “Eh, my uncle would say don’t get in cars with strangers,” he then pointed. “But I will take my chances with the badass car.”
It wasn’t like Nick had a lot to fear. He was a tough kid and could put up a fight if need be. Something he considered as he climbed into the passengers seat.
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Post by Bumblebee on Nov 19, 2022 15:42:46 GMT
It took every ounce of willpower for Bumblebee to not laugh at this kid's statement of whether he went racing or not, and he still failed. Of course he did! He'd won all kinds of drag races and the like, though he could only get so much praise for that considering he wasn't human and supposed to be in hiding. Winner by name, not by trophy. Either way, the Autobot still won and at the end of the day that's what he cared most about. It was all about the recognition. He couldn't be a hero in the battlefield right now, so that was really the best he was gonna get for the time being. Surely some kid out there saw him as a hero of the racing kind. "Oh, you know it! I've won all kinds of races."
Though Bee did have to give him credit. Whoever this uncle of his was must've taught him well if he'd told him not to hop into a car with a stranger, though that didn't seem to deter the kid at all. Quite the opposite, even praising Bee's alt-mode in the process. The first thing the kid would notice was the fact that when the passenger door opened, Bumblebee's holoform didn't lean over to pop it open for him. The second? The fact that every time 'Bumblebee' spoke, the dash screen seemed to display a sort of.. synthesizer? It mimicked his speech, showing the wave pattern on the display. Eh. Sometimes humans didn't notice the fine details, or at the very least didn't question them. Bumblebee would just have to hope for that, and if the kid found out pray to Primus that he'd at least be smart to keep his mouth shut.
"So.. where are you heading? This is a pretty long road for a kid to be traveling down all on their own."
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Post by Nicholas Bee on Nov 19, 2022 18:17:58 GMT
Nick grinned. Of course he raced? Good, because he’s probably have to chastise him if not.
Honestly he might have asked to see it in action if he wasn’t sure he’d get grounded. His uncle was extremely strict about things and not getting into trouble was one of them. “I bet you do with this kind of power at your disposal,” he explained. “I’d love to take a look under the hood one of these days. I’m a mechanic… Apprentice anyway! I bet the engine is…”
Oh. Nick noticed the flashing of the dashboard.
Cool, he hadn’t realized the guy was Cybertronian but he did have to play it cool. The last thing he wanted was to come off as some sort of crazy person. Instead, he just was as casual as he could be about it. “Oh cool, so you’re Cybertronian too. Are you from the city?” He asked curiously. “We don’t get a lot of you guys out here. Not until recently anyway. I gotta get my excitement from comics.”
He held up his for emphasis ironically Bee WAS on the cover.
Oh right, where did he want to go? He checked the time. His uncle was at the bar right now, so he doubted he had to be home. So where did he want to go? “Normally I’d say home. But my uncle is probably at the bar,” at noon… “I didn’t realize how late it was. Maybe I’ll head back into town if that’s cool?” It was a bit of a drive but still.
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Post by Bumblebee on Nov 21, 2022 0:09:32 GMT
Take a look under his hood? Oh heck no. Bumblebee appreciated the offer, but no one was getting under his hood unless they were a medic and he was in need of a repair. It wasn't that he didn't trust the kid, but Bee didn't want him to accidentally break something. Yeah, humans could be good mechanics but what did they know when it came to Cybertronian mechanics? That and it would sorta give his position away, not that he wasn't already risking it just by offering to give this kid a ride.
Once he was all buckled in and settled, Bumblebee went tearing down the road leaving nothing but a cloud of dirt behind him. He tried to think of how to start this conversation, but when the kid flat out knew who he was Bee slammed on the breaks, swerving a bit as he came to a halt.
"Whoa whoa whoa.. Dial it back there a second." Weakly he chuckled, trying to not freak out. "You think I'm a Cybertronian? What makes you think that?" It was by no means difficult to tell that the Autobot was trying to cover up his identity, but this was definitely not good if this kid already knew.. especially when he read the comics. Primus he didn't need this on top of trying to stay undercover and train the Terrans. Bumblebee sighed hard, letting his holoform fade. "Look. Don't tell anyone about this, alright? I'm supposed to be lying low right now, and I can't risk having you blow my cover. I need you to promise me you won't say a word to anyone about me, got it?"
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Post by Nicholas Bee on Nov 21, 2022 1:11:57 GMT
Nick crossed his arms with a smirk.
Oh yeah, this guy was FAST. He couldn’t imagine going like this on the regular but in a good way at least. Either way he was more focused on the admission, first he’d felt satisfied a little bit… But the other made him super confused. Like why would someone want to be in hiding?
“Sorry bro, I’m just really good at spotting it. I want to be a Cybertronian interpreter or a Cybertronian historian,” he then cleared his throat, and decided to use some of his not perfect, but impressive Cybertronian. ”It is a pleasure to meet toast. My name is Nick.”
Wait… Yellow and black paint job. Super fast. Nick took a second glance at his comic and let his eyes bulge a second. “Wait, holy shit. You’re Bumblebee. Ha, I knew you weren’t dead!” He said with a tad more enthusiasm. He couldn’t believe he was sitting there with a legend. “Don’t worry man, no sweat. You’re talking to the kid who managed to keep the fact he lived alone for three months secret.” He laughed.
But damn, he was here in Witwicky? What in the world…? “Wait, what are you doing in Witwicky? The like, capital of boring?”
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Post by Bumblebee on Nov 21, 2022 23:55:12 GMT
Primus.. Why did something like this have to happen now of all times? Being a good scout meant being careful, and this kid was clearly far smarter than he'd given him credit for. Then again, there seemed to be quite a few of their human allies that were like that, and now the number was only growing. Bumblebee knew that Optimus would want to know about this, but the last thing he wanted or even needed right now was that reprimand that he'd been too careless. Of course, if this kid meant well with everything he was saying then maybe knowing who they were.. who he was wasn't such a bad thing.
Wait.. knowing who he was? Oh no that was bad! As the kid, or Nick as he called himself, began to get excited Bumblebee immediately started to hush him. Thankfully, it seemed Nick was understanding and willing to keep his secret. Though that in itself was kinda worrisome. Alone for three months?! Sure humans could fend for themselves, but Nick was just a kid. How was he supposed to fend for himself and the like? It'd be like a sparkling's first day on Cybertron expecting them to do full on scientific research. They already had Wheeljack to fill that niche, though he had to admit Wheeljack did come up with some handy inventions including those drones of his. If only he knew that one of the Terrans had scanned one of them as their alt-mode. Bee would never hear the end of Wheeljack's excitement. "Thanks for agreeing to keep it secret for now. I'm on a top secret mission, and if word gets out there that I'm still around then there's gonna be a lot of trouble. Though I gotta ask. Where did you learn Cybertronian?"
And there it was. The question he'd been dreading. "I.. It's part of my top secret mission."
Could he really trust Nick with the information about Twitch and Thrash's existence? Nick seemed trustworthy enough, but it was also his job to protect the Terrans. What if something happened to them because he let the info slip?
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Post by Nicholas Bee on Nov 22, 2022 0:21:39 GMT
Strange. A lot of trouble? But why?
Bumblebee for all intents and purposes was a decorated war hero, or should have been. It was hard to believe anyone would want to track down and hurt him, right? Yet he could tell he had caught the scout off-guard so he wouldn’t bother him with a thousand questions. He knew top secret meant that he shouldn’t know about it and wanted to be fair.
Oh right, his question. “Oh, I taught myself Cybertronian. I must have bought a dozen books on your language off of Amazon,” he explained honestly. “I’m not just a comic reader, or whatever. I wanted to really learn all I could. I know it’s a little weird, but… It’s fun!”
He only said it was weird since plenty of people said it, and that he was wasting his time. From his uncle who was concerned that he’d never actually get good work in the field, to kids at school who said he was really strange. “Don’t worry about your secret mission by the way. I won’t ask. I’m sure it’s pretty big if it’s got you stranded out here,” he laughed a little. “I just can’t believe I’m talking to a legend. Like I had so many questions for you and the rest of Prime’s team. But I bet you’ve heard them all before…”
After all, he doubted he’d be the first in this situation.
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Post by Bumblebee on Nov 24, 2022 1:57:56 GMT
There were some questions that were just better off left unanswered, and none knew that more than Bumblebee. Yes it could be frustrating, but sometimes the answer just isn't something you want to hear. In his case, this was a mission of great importance. If G.H.O.S.T ever caught wind of him still online and kicking, the first thing he'd have to do is answer to them and that would jeopardize everything. For now he needed to stay out of sight as best as possible, even if that meant living in a barn with two Terrans. Cramped, but still functional. It helped that he liked them as well as their human hosts. No. Their family.
"Ah, Amazon. Seems like you can get just about anything from there, or so I've seen anyway." Not that Bee was a shopper or anything. He just had human friends that did, or.. would've if Amazon had been a thing during the war. If anything he just looked for sweet decals and the like that he could keep inside his vehicle mode. Maybe some leak proof cup holders for when the Malto's needed to go on a long ride and insisted on bringing a drink with them. Primus he hated the feeling of his interior being junked up though. Next person that tried to eat a powdered donut inside him was going to have their face bashed in with his door. "Either way, sounds like you've found a pretty good reference. Not quite as good as the real thing, of course."
Still, it was good to hear that Nick wasn't going to spill the beans and keep his secret safe. The other part, however, reminded him all too much of Alex. Much the fanboy, though Nick seemed a bit more subdued than Alex was. Sure Alex had his moments, but the moment he let his guard down that's when he struck.. with a box of things to autograph. "You're not gonna find a better time to ask, and we do have a bit of a drive before we get back to the city. Why not hit me up with some of those questions now, Nick?"
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Post by Nicholas Bee on Nov 24, 2022 3:47:05 GMT
Nick smiled a little proudly at that.
At least, he liked to think a compliment from an actual Cybertronian was a big perk. Especially considering what some others - again his uncle included - thought of it his choices. Especially given… “Thanks. I uh… I do my best anyway with reference. Uncle David thinks it’s kind of a waste of my time,” he explained. “He thinks I should spend my time with a “real job” that “makes real money”. But I like it, learning about this stuff makes me happy. I even have a YouTube channel about it “Bot Talk”.”
God, he probably sounded more and more like a nerd, didn’t he?
Wait, he could actually ask questions? Nick had assumed that the mech would feel bothered by it. Though he perked up a little bit. Eager to at least get some of the short list out of the way. “Oh! I guess I didn’t think you’d actually want to hear them,” he chuckled nervously. “So - I guess the biggest question I have is… Is it true that Megatron and Prime are actually working together? I know that’s the big rumor but I find it super hard to believe. Guy had it in for Earth for like - a decade.”
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Post by Bumblebee on Nov 25, 2022 3:23:45 GMT
And just what was wrong with doing something that you loved? Bumblebee knew that money was a factor, but if humans could make money doing what they loved then what was the problem? It was kinda refreshing to see that considering that was never a chance Bee had himself, nor did many other Cybertronians. There was a war to be fought and Decepticons to be stopped. There wasn't any time for fun and games, even though that didn't stop certain bots from making that time for themselves anyway to escape the war for five minutes. If only everyone had had that luxury, but humans seemed to have it made in that regard or at least they were very good at making a show of it when possible.
"Hey if you've got something you like to do and it's not harming you or anyone else, I say go for it. What's the worst that could come of it?"
Though Bee wasn't the only one with questions. Nick had them too, and the kid's first question came as no surprise to the Autobot scout. As he rounded a corner, he sighed a bit. "It's a bit of a long story, so I'll give you the short version. Basically, yeah. Megatron's on our side now. At the end of the war he decided to join forces with the Autobots in an effort to save our kind and put an end to the war. It worked, but there's still many Decepticons out there who didn't appreciate their former leader's actions. Now we just have to find them and put a stop to them before we see a resurgence of some kind."
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Post by Nicholas Bee on Nov 25, 2022 6:02:52 GMT
Nick felt a little jolt of joy when Bumblebee said that.
Hearing that from a hero of his was definitely the type of thing that would make him feel good, after all. He didn’t get a ton of encouragement, not because his uncle was cruel, but because he just wasn’t great at it. Either way… “That means a lot coming from you. And I agree,” he did make a small face. “I guess I just try and make him happy because of where I’d be without him sometimes. My uh… My parents aren’t in the picture - and he didn’t have to take me. But he did. But sometimes I just wish he’d let me be me.”
He knew sometimes that was hard - especially with a disability like his. But he tried not to think too hard on it.
Nick shuddered at the thought of a resurgence. He couldn’t imagine what things might be like if they did have one… Honestly he had to imagine they wouldn’t be great. “That’s a scary thought. Things starting up again,” Nick explained honestly. “My grandfather died fighting alongside you guys according to Uncle Dave. He was a brave guy though he didn’t work too closely with any of the bigger guys like you. But I can’t imagine losing people like that again.”
But on a lighter note. “So - there’s one thing I’m actually dying to know about you specifically but it’s kind of silly,” he explained honestly. Tapping his index fingers together. “Did you really transform into a bug like the old cartoon? Like, why? Especially if you’re a racer. Like… Were you just a fan of Herbie?” He teased.
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Post by Bumblebee on Nov 28, 2022 3:27:22 GMT
Oof.. That was rough. Bumblebee wasn't going to press about why Nick's parents weren't around, and it wasn't his place to decide whether his uncle was doing a good enough job as a parent or not. As sucky as it is, Bee didn't have the full story, but at the same time how could he ignore the kid's feelings in the matter too. Clearly this was something that bothered him, and maybe it was something that needed to be addressed between him and his uncle. Either way, it was still not Bee's place to judge and make that call. It needed to come from Nick. "That sounds difficult. Maybe.. when there's a good time you can talk to him and tell your uncle how you're feeling. I can't say for sure it will help, but it's better than keeping it bottled in."
Bee knew exactly what bottling things up could do to a bot, or a human for that matter.
Either way, it didn't make the scout feel any better when Nick mentioned how he had lost loved ones during the war. So many lives were forever changed including innocent humans and bots. It wasn't fair to them, and doubly so for the humans. Their choices as Cybertronians were now inflicted upon an undeserving species and planet, and now they had to suffer as well. They could only do so much to rectify that, and Bumblebee knew Optimus was trying his best. What was most baffling was the concept of Megatron, the Megatron.. willing to do the same. "I wouldn't wish that on anyone, and I'm sorry about your grandfather. With any luck we'll be able to stop down the rogue Decepticons and put an end to things before it's too late." If only Optimus would let him, but he knew why he couldn't help..
But then, that name.. That name had to be uttered. "Ugh.. Herbie.. If I had shanix for every time I was compared to that guy. Look, nothing against Herbie but that's not why I changed my vehicle mode. I loved my previous alt-mode but to go undercover and stay off the grid I needed a change. Just so happened this form's quite nice. Speedy, too." Speaking of which.. "Hey, you wanna see how fast I can go?"
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Post by Nicholas Bee on Nov 29, 2022 3:05:01 GMT
Nick nodded along though he thought he’d probably have a snowballs chance in hell.
He didn’t really talk about the way his uncle failed in some ways because of that. The last thing he wanted was social services showing up at his house one day and uprooting the life he was building. And he knew if they did, there was a good chance between the drinking and other things… Well. “Maybe… Sometimes I wonder if it’s just easier to put up with it. Honestly shouldn’t even be dragging you into this,” he admitted. “You probably think I’m an angst hog.”
Nick decided not to comment further on his grandfather or the Decepticons.
After all, he knew absolutely nothing about that as his grandfather had died a long time before he was born. But he did have to giggle a little as the Autobot sat there and kind of clocked Herbie. Of course he felt a little bit out out by the little race car. But Nick couldn’t help but find some humor in it. “If it makes you feel better, I was never a fan of Herbie. I always thought it was silly. Especially the one with Lindsay Lohan.” He explained jokingly
Wait, did he want to see how fast he could go? Was that even a question!? “Are you serious? Is the Pope catholic? Let’s go!”
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