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Post by Skyfire on Nov 23, 2023 19:06:00 GMT
Characters Appearing: Skyfire, Open Location (s): Maccadam's Earth Oil House Timeline: After "A Job For Skyfire" Plot Summary: Skyfire takes some R&R - a rarity for him. Who will he meet?
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Post by Skyfire on Nov 23, 2023 19:31:53 GMT
Maccadam's was a place where even the straight-laced Skyfire had been able to relax back in the Golden Age. He remembered times back in the day where Mac himself would serve at the bar; and the rumors even then, during the very beginnings of the Decepticon uprising long before the War, that Maccadam himself was not only a part of the structure, but a True Prime, one of the Thirteen. It wasn't impossible, of course. Nor was it wholly impossible that Maccadam's Old Oil House existed partly outside of the continuity of space-time. But all that didn't matter anymore. Cybertron, for the time being, was lost to their people.
Bee had been right, of course, that Skyfire was fixated on the actions of the Decepticons who'd escaped the G.H.O.S.T. prison. He had a task to complete now, one he was doing fairly well at. He wasn't a Constructicon, or a bot like Grapple or Hoist; but he could certainly follow the ideas. And with the ongoing research into the construction of a new Space Bridge, they'd be able to transport the Decepticons straight to the far side of Earth's Moon, from whence they'd be unable to return without surrendering. But that was a secret, and one that Skyfire locked in his memory bank so that if he found himself in an impaired state, as he often had leaving Old Mac's, he wouldn't accidentally let that slip.
He sat down at the bar, and reached into a compartment, laying a couple Energon credits down. He waved to the bartender bot. "Half-and-half, energon and natural. No rocks."
The swirling glass of purple and black liquid was placed in front of the large mechanism, who nodded after taking a sip. He was hunched over the bar, watching whatever program was on TV, without paying much attention to it, or anything else, really.
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Post by Hot Rod on Nov 23, 2023 21:44:58 GMT
There was no way. It was impossible...wasn't it?
A Maccadam's on Earth? In Autobot City?
How did Hot Rod not know about this? How was this even possible?
Hot Rod was a little hesitant as he walked into the bar and looked around. Looked like the Cybertronian Equivalent of a Veteran of Foreign Wars bar.
Was it just like the old place? Hot Rod wasn't sure but he was glad he found it.
He was also glad when he saw a familiar face.
"Hey Skyfire. Good to see ya!"Greeted Hot Rod.
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Post by Skyfire on Nov 24, 2023 4:43:35 GMT
Skyfire looked over when Hot Rod spoke up and nodded with a smile, indicating for the younger bot to join him. He wasn't level-headed, he wasn't organized. If anything, Hot Rod was the antithesis of everything Skyfire had ever been; but he was an ally, and even a friend to the large ex-Seeker. "It's good to see you too, Hot Rod."
He waited for the younger bot to join him and order, then turned to his companion. "I can only assume you've been having adventures lately, since you're not complaining of boredom. What have you been up to, my friend? Anything of interest?"
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Post by Hot Rod on Nov 24, 2023 5:27:48 GMT
Hot Rod shrugged as he got a drink of Energon. "Well I started dating that cute femme Clematis. She's amazing." Hot Rod explained.
He took a sip of his drink. "Oh and Optimus says he's got this job in mind for me.".
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Post by Skyfire on Nov 24, 2023 22:21:43 GMT
Skyfire nodded at Hot Rod's comments about Clematis; somehow, he wondered if the young female mech would be able to calm Hot Rod down. Realizing that was unlikely, he smiled and took another sip of his drink. "She is a good friend, yes."
He was in here trying to keep his cogitation engine from fixating on his former wingman, but the thought of Clematis both made him think of Starscream holding her captive, and of the influence he had over Nightshroud - in spite of the fact that her turn to the Decepticons was started by his own actions. He looked into his glass for a moment. "Treat her well, Hot Rod. She deserves nothing less than your best; and remember, I know what your best looks like." Obviously, there was more to his comments than what Skyfire was willing to talk about.
At the comment of Prime having a job for the younger mech, Skyfire nodded sagely. "Good. Prime has been taking a more direct leadership role and moving away from G.H.O.S.T. recently. His trust in you is well-founded." He didn't mention his own task, of course; there were too many prying ears.
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Post by Hot Rod on Nov 24, 2023 22:59:04 GMT
"Oh. You know her?" Hot Rod asked. He probably shouldn't have been surprised. Skyfire seemed like the kind of bot Clem would be friends with.
"I already am." Hot Rod said in response to Skyfire's request to give her his best.
But it was Skyfire's next response that took him aback.
"You...you really think so?" Hot Rod asked. Besides Bumblebee and Optimus no one had ever really said Hot Rod was reliable and trustworthy. Hot Rod assumed most Autobots assumed he was a screw up and a hothead. Megatron sure seemed to think that.
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Post by Skyfire on Nov 25, 2023 0:30:53 GMT
Skyfire nodded at the comment about him knowing Clematis. "Yes, I do. I also met Nightshroud, before the breakout." He left his culpability in that event unspoken; when Prime felt that Hot Rod needed to know about how that had come to pass, the younger mech would find out; either that, or if Clematis told him. "I was facing Starscream down when he took her hostage. Had it not been for both Soundwave and Barricade, he would not have been able to escape. My concern for her safety is the sole reason he and I both have intact shells, as well."
When Hot Rod affirmed that he was doing his best by Clematis, Skyfire's nod was more sagelike. There were times he found younger bots to be erratic, and their lack of a defined function at construction to be frustrating. But at the same time, he was a scientist. The large bot respected new thoughts, new solutions, new discoveries, and new perspectives. Even when those new things frustrated him in the moment, he respected them. "You could do no less." An ancient phrase enshrined in the annals of Cybertron, to be sure, but one well-suited to the situation.
He smiled a bit and nodded at Hot Rod asking for confirmation of Skyfire's trust in his abilities. "Certainly. You give your all to any task which you are assigned, regardless of the outcome. You certainly can be impulsive and strong-willed, but in my experience, those impulses are all in service of a greater good. Frankly, we can all be stubborn at times; and not everyone can balance that with conviction or ability as you often do."
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Post by Hot Rod on Nov 25, 2023 2:13:25 GMT
Hot Rod looked somber.
"You really mean it don't you?" he muttered. "...Not a lot of bots say that to me. Bee and Optimus may think it but they never say it... Thanks Skyfire"
He took a sip of his drink. "Maybe I should call Clematis and see if she wants to come over for drinks.".
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Post by Skyfire on Dec 1, 2023 3:14:49 GMT
Skyfire nodded - he wasn't the kind of mech inclined toward lying. He could be either jovial or grim, but he was always honest. He thought for a moment about Hot Rod's self-doubt, and after a microcycle of quiet consideration and another mouthful of his drink, he shrugged. "To those of us who were residents of Iacon and served functions for the Elders directly, praise was something rarely given. In other cities, that was less the case; especially in those places where the prime function was competition. The war may have changed much, but very few of our social relays are young enough to throw for new stimuli."
When Hot Rod suggested calling Clematis to join them, Skyfire smiled. "Certainly you should. She'll help to prevent this night becoming one where a couple of old veterans end up overcharged and talking about the past - or worse, possibly waking Metroplex's core consciousness and getting him in the same state to start talking."
He was trying to make a joke, of course; but his relative lack of experience at it and poor verbal timing sometimes made it difficult for him to put that across well.
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Post by Hot Rod on Dec 1, 2023 19:42:47 GMT
Hot Rod pulled out his comm unit.
"Hey Clem. You there?"he asked.
"You wanna come to the Maccadams in Autobot City? Not as good as the one in Iacon but it's still nice.".
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Post by Clematis on Dec 1, 2023 23:11:55 GMT
It'd been a fairly chill day for Clematis. She had the day off work, but had found herself tending to the various flowers she kept around her hab suite. While fake plants were easy to care for, by which she didn't have to do a thing, the azure and lilac femme liked to grab some real ones from time to time to take care of. The latest addition to her collection had been a few sunflowers that she kept in small containers with a little water to keep them alive just a bit longer. Sure it was difficult, but if Cybertronians could care for humans then they sure as heck could care for some flowers.
Just as she'd sat down, gazing at the sunflowers in wonder she was startled by the sudden comm she received. <<"Oh hi, Roddy! What's up?">>
Clematis listened as Hot Rod continued to talk, asking if she was free to meet him over at Maccadam's. The femme smiled brightly, giggling a bit. It'd been awhile since she'd been over to Maccadam's, and while he was right that it wasn't quite the same as it was in Iacon it was still something just a little familiar to make Autobot City feel like home. <<"Awww~. Do you miss me already? Hee hee. Of course I can come! I'm at my hab suite right now, but I can be over in just a few minutes.">> She couldn't help but tease the mech a little bit, but that's just how happy he made her by simply asking her to hang out. Wasting no time at all, she got back up and left the apartment complex where she lived. Maccadam's wasn't a terribly far walk for her, but there was a slight pep in her step as did her best to not skip there merrily.
Once she arrived it was very hard to not spot Skyfire in the room. Her friend towered over nearly everyone she knew, and as tempted as she was to rush over and greet him she wanted to be nice and meet with her boyfriend first. It was only made easier when she realized that Hot Rod was sitting with Skyfire, and with a small giggle she rushed right over.
"Roddy~! You didn't tell me you were with Skyfire!" The azure and lilac femme sat down right beside the red mech, smiling up at her much taller friend. "It's been awhile. How've you been doing?"
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Post by Skyfire on Dec 20, 2023 1:43:59 GMT
Skyfire gestured to the bartender for a second drink while Hot Rod went off to call Clematis. It had been a while since he'd energized like this; and his long damaged emotional coprocessor recognized that, sending signals to his cogitation unit. In human terms, he was aware of emotions that he hadn't fully felt in decades. That was one of the dangers of over-energizing - that emotion circuit could easily overflow its buffer. He sat back, letting the oil soak into his old joints.
When Clematis joined them, he turned to her with a smile when she commented on the two of them together. "Hot Rod and I have known each other for a few cycles, yes."
She asked how he'd been, and he thought for a moment. With the mood he was in and being energized and oiled, his subterfuge program was mostly disabled. "Physically, I have been well. Otherwise, I have found myself unable to drop my concerns about the escaped Decepticons and their actions. I needed to get my mind off it for an evening. I can no longer have a significant effect on past events; the energy expenditure would be far too costly."
There were moments of impishness in Skyfire, this was one of them. He wondered how his two young friends would accept the fact that he had previously been able to affect the past.
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Post by Hot Rod on Feb 3, 2024 4:19:46 GMT
"Good to see you Clem" Hot Rod said when his girlfriend entered the building. He gave her a quick kiss.
He listened to what Skyfire said, about wanting to do something about the escaped Decepticons.
"Yeah." Hot Rod said "I wanna do something about them soon but it's not like we have much options right now. I know Clem really wants to see Nightshroud again."
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Post by Clematis on Feb 3, 2024 21:19:49 GMT
Clematis couldn't help but chuckle as Hot Rod kissed her, smiling brightly at both him and Skyfire. She was really wanting to see how her friend was doing since she hadn't seen him since the jailbreak, but it was clear that even now Skyfire wasn't handling the whole situation well as it was. Even eight months later, he was struggling to deal with the whole escaped Decepticon situation and had wanted to get away from it for the evening.
And naturally her boyfriend had picked that very moment to mention Nightshroud.
Clematis looked to them with an awkward smile. Of course she wanted to see her sister! She was worried about her especially after that whole incident with her twin getting hurt, but given that Clematis hadn't felt her go offline it was clear that she was fine. As long as Starscream was treating her good and taking care of her, that was good enough for the azure and lilac femme. She just couldn't forget how happy Nightshroud felt when she found her adoptive sire; how worried she'd been about him. Clematis was glad to have seen the feeling appeared to be mutual, but despite what she knew to be true, Skyfire was still terrifying that day. He'd wanted to hurt Starscream so badly. He'd wanted to outright kill Starscream. The femme felt so horribly torn. She understood why everyone hated Starscream and wanted him locked up.
But she couldn't forget everything he'd seemingly done for Nightshroud, or how he'd somewhat begrudgingly protected both her and Hashtag in the tunnels during his escape.
"Of course I want to see Nightshroud.. spend time with her like we used to, but we can't change the past. All we can do is try to help make things better.. not just for ourselves but for everyone." Clematis really didn't want it to come to the Decepticons being re-captured, but she was just a single voice in a sea of bots who rallied for it. The azure and lilac femme truly believed there had to be some other way of handling things, but neither side wanted to budge. The Bots called for the capture of the Cons, and the Decepticons refused to cooperate. There was no winning that argument. "But.. we don't have to talk about the Decepticons tonight. You said you wanted to get your processor off that topic tonight, Skyfire.. so maybe we could talk about something else instead like.." She paused for a moment, deciding what to even bring up. "Halloween's coming up soon. Only a matter of time before the humans start making everything out of pumpkin spice."
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