grv. MacKenzie Repair, Lamont Farm. Battle Training
Continued from here.
street: *quiet this morning. A heck of a lot quieter than usual. As a matter of fact the whole neighbourhood is too quiet. There are two things out of place on the street. One is the police car in the McDonald's lot with the two nervous looking cops in it.
The other is one big #$#@$#@$@ robot standing like a statue over by MacKenzie Auto Repair*
Denver: *fiddling with the coffee maker. She spent the night conked out in the bed of her pickup, and she's definitely not all the way awake*
Beau: *is that snore from the cab of the tow truck*
Catherine: *curled up with a few blankets, is snuggled close to Buddy, since she got up sometime in the middle of the night and moved from the couch in the waiting area*
Chrome: *pats the other being that's sharing the old sleeping bag his daddy had put him to bed on* Energon?
Fluffy: *yawwwwwn. Eyebrow quirk*
Denver: *bleary blinking, looks to the 'little' robot that was left here last night by the big black guy*
Chrome: *big sigh* Energon...
Fluffy: *sighs and gets up. Goes to Denver and sits with one paw uplifted as he asks for a Milk Bone*
Denver: *soft chuckle, scratches Fluffy's ears, and gets a Milkbone out of the box by the coffee pot* *quietly* Y'ur a good dog, Fluffy....
Fluffy: *wags his tail, then brings the cookie over to the little bot and puts it into his hand*
Chrome: *looks at the cookie, and then blinks at the furry guy*
Denver: *snerks, and pours herself a cup of coffee, adding a couple of sugar packets to the contents of the mug*
Chrome: *wibble* Energon?
Fluffy: *gives him a WTS look*
Denver: *apologetically to the little guy* Ah ain't got a clue wh't th't 's....
Chrome: *curls up and fusses to himself quietly*
Denver: *kinda feels bad for the little guy.... Will try and find something that might help, though she's not sure what would work....* *wanders past the doors, stops short, backs up, and looks to make sure she didn't imagine that giant %$%#$% robot standing out there*
Blackout: *sees she's been noticed and very very slowly lifts her hand to point at the door*
cops: *bullhorn!* Freeze! Put both hands where we can see them!
Blackout: ... *complies, her eyes flashing an angry purple*
Denver: *ignores the cops, will move to head for the small door next to the big garage doors*
cops: *trying to figure out what to do now, since they just called for backup and were told to go bleep themselves*
Denver: *looking up at where she's relatively sure the big robot's face is* C'n Ah 'elp y'u? *yes, she's very likely risking her life, but since the robot didn't open fire.... that's gotta be a good sign, right?*
Blackout: My... son... is hungry. *sounds as though she's not sure of that word*
Denver: *blink blink* Lemme git th' doah open f'r y'u.... *moves to put action to words*
Blackout: I do not want the law officers to shoot. The ricochets might hurt the sparklet.
cop: Denver, what are you doing? Get away from that thing!
Denver: *as she moves to head back inside to open the door* 'F she wanted t' kill us, we'd be dead alreadeh. *inside, and opening the door quickly*
cop: *bullhorn crackles* Do you know what those things have done to Chicago?? Get out of there!
Denver: *scowls at the cop* Ah w'ld LOVE t' see y'u make me.
Beau: *groggily wandering over to see why the door's being opened*
cop: It's not safe!
Beau: *bleary blinking, looks at the big feet in front of him* .... *looks up* .... *raised brow*
Denver: 'F Y'all're so dang worrehed 'bout me, c'me 'n git me. *hands on hips, SCOWL on face* *gets the door open more*
Chrome: *just crawled out under the door, Fluffy a drag on the end of his blanket*
Blackout: *picks the sparklet up, and then gets him hooked up with a feeding tube from her tank*
Chrome: *contented small sounds as he snuggles and drinks*
Blackout: *carefully shakes the dog off the blanket and gives it to her son*
Fluffy: *wanders over and pees on the cop car, then comes back and sits by the big bot*
Beau: *blinking* There's 'nother giant robot here.... *just now realized what he's looking at*
cop: *awkward silence* ...Is that a friend of yours, Denver?
Denver: Th' blond doof's mah brothah.
cop: *silent finger points upward*
Denver: *shrug* She ain't shoot'n....
cops: *exchange a glance, and then wince as their radio crackles and pull the car away*
Blackout: Good. *attention back on Chrome*
Fluffy: *yawwwwwn*
Denver: Beau, Ah'mma git th' othah gal s'me breakfast... D' y'u want anehth'n'?
Beau: Er..... McGriddle if they have 'em....
Denver: *small nod, will move to grab her wallet, wincing as the door slides up with a loud bang* Sh'ld git th't darn th'ng fixed....
Blackout: *absently looks inside, then blinks when she sees the battered grey robot that just startled and groaned at the sound from the door*
Buddy: *slightly panicked, can't remember where he is*
Catherine: *shifts position and murmurs as she sleeps*
Buddy: *startles and slowly turns his head to look toward that sound so close to him*
Catherine: *pale, and even though she's sound asleep, there are clear, dark circles under her eyes. Her hair's frizzing badly, and her clothes, the same ones she wore the day before, are rumpled and wrinkled*
Buddy: Hey... *sounds raspy, weak, and tired as he looks around and spots that blond guy* Why ain't Katie in bed?
Beau: *slight start, looks* Er....
Denver: *as she emerges from the office* We di'n' know 'f 't'd be safe f'r 'er t' go 'ome.... Not wit' 'splosions 'n giant robots runn'n 'round.
Buddy: *worried frown* Giant robots?
Blackout: *hunkers down to look at him* Megatron and Sentinel are taking over.
Buddy: *sees giant robot!* o.0 $#@$#@#@!
Catherine: *shifts position again* *mumble* Five more minutes....
Beau: .... *frowns at Blackout* That....doesn't sound good....
Blackout: *gives Beau a curious look* You haven't watched your information feeds?
Beau: Not since last night..... *frowns and goes to turn the TV on*
Denver: *to Buddy* 'Ey, 's she vegetarian, vegan, 'r does she eat lahk most people?
Buddy: *yanks his attention away from that great big robot and blinks at Denver* I dunno how most people eat...
Denver: .... Ah'll git 'er a breakfast sandwich th'n.... She c'n pick off wh't she won't eat.... *moves to head for the McDonald's next door*
Buddy: *lays back with a weary sigh, and then hitches and gives a groan of pain as he kinks something a way it doesn't want to go*
Beau: Easy.... The yellow lady that was here last night went to get stuff to fix whatever's wrong....
Catherine: *groggily* Gotta....fix Buddy's tires.... *sooo out of it*
Buddy: Yellow... lady? *manages to put a hand on Catherine* Shhh, Katie.
Beau: *nods* She was kinda ugly.... but she and her friend fixed what they could without parts.....
Catherine: *settles back into uneasy sleep*
Denver: *hurries back* Micky D's 's closed up tahght.... But Mistah Lee's still got 'is shop open.... *holds up a container of steamed buns*
Beau: *frowns* But Mr. Lee doesn't sell those....
Denver: 'E w'ldn't let me bah th'se instant breakfast th'ngs.... *a bit sheepishly* 'E 'nsisted....
buns: *wafting good smells around the shop*
Buddy: *hand over mouth. Will NOT get sick. Will NOT!*
Fluffy: *smells buns, goes to the dog food bag and sticks his head in*
Catherine: *barely opening her eyes as she smells something unfamiliar but pleasant* Huh?
Buddy: *perk* Katie!
Catherine: *moving to try and sit up* What smells good?
Denver: *offers the container of steamed buns, has one in her mouth currently*
Buddy: *watches in quizzical silence, his olfactory sensors shut off so that he can't smell the dead organic things*
Catherine: *bleary blinking as she reaches for one of the steamed buns* *headtilt as she sees the container of what looks like cabbage*
Denver: *muffled* 'S kimchee.... Pickled cabbage....
Catherine: *slight frown as she works out what the other woman's saying* *will reach for the kimchee*
Denver: ... *swallows her bite of bun* Girl, y'u're nuts...
Buddy: Hey, watch what ya say ta my friend.
Catherine: *paying Denver no mind, is reaching for the chopsticks that she noticed, will chow down on kimchee, kthx*
Denver: *headshake, attention going to the television screen* *pauses as a news rerun shows the yellow robot that had stopped by, along with the big black robot and several other robots, reluctantly getting onto what looks like some strange combination of space shuttle and alien ship. The news footage then cuts to the strange ship being blown up.... and then she's dropping the container of steamed buns* No!
Beau: Denver? *going to see what upset his sister* *horrified look as he realizes what's going on*
Blackout: *gruffly, embarrassed by the emotionalism of the human bugs* What's wrong?
Beau: The robots.... The ones that were here last night.... were exiled... but their ship got blown up!
Blackout: The Autobots?
Beau: *nods after reading the ticker at the bottom of the screen* Yeah.... *bites his lower lip*
Blackout: *calmly, as she looks down at a small fist dinging against her chest armour* Ironhide is alive.
Beau: .... But their ship got blown up....
Blackout: That doesn't matter. *surprised head tilt at the affectionate little croon that was just aimed at her*
Beau: .....
Denver: .... *quietly, and firmly* We gotta git outta 'eah....
Catherine: *looks up from finishing breakfast* But where would we go?
Fluffy: *checks on his people, sees food on the floor, and growls at Denver for being messy before going to check on the baby*
Denver: .... We c'n go south.... *moving to get the tow truck situated, intends to load Buddy onto it*
Beau: *moves to pick up the container of steamed buns, musing to himself about the fact that none of the food landed on the floor*
Blackout: *looks at Denver as she reaches down to set Chrome on the floor* What are you doing?
Chrome: *blanket over his head. No babby!*
Denver: Gonna git th' grey gah off'a th' floor...
Blackout: Why?
Denver: 'T ain't safe 'eah f'r aneh 'f 'us, 'specialleh not 'im.
Blackout: I'm here.
Chrome: *BRRAAAAKKKK* *giggle*
Catherine: *blink blink*
Denver: ... *considering* But 't ain't safe f'r th' li'l bit eithah....
Blackout: *obviously this human bug doesn't know anything about her* I'm here.
Denver: So c'me wit' us.
Blackout: *humans are such illogical little specks of gross* *stands and steps out into the center of the street. And then transforms* Fine. Get in.
Chrome: *clapping at Mama's great trick!*
Beau: *blink blink* ....
Catherine: .... Huh....
Denver: *gonna try and wrap Chrome in the sleeping bag and get him tucked safely in the cockpit first*
Chrome: *will do what the nice human lady wants him to, though he's still got his own blanket over his head*
Blackout: *straps him down, and then sticks out an arm and hauls the grey bot into her cargo hold*
Buddy: *scared sounds!*
Blackout: Shut up, Jazz.
Catherine: *blink blink, moves to get up and patpat Buddy's arm* I'm right here, Buddy.... Everything's gonna be okay....
Blackout: That's Jazz.
Catherine: *quietly, and a bit firmly* Well, he's 'Buddy' to me.
Blackout: Whatever. *stops son from pressing buttons by making the buttons vanish*
Buddy: *gasping and shaking softly, his eyes closed*
Catherine: *moving to climb in beside Buddy once he's settled, will snuggle against him, both seeking and giving comfort*
Denver: *moving to help Fluffy into the helicopter*
Fluffy: *hops right up, and then looks around with interest*
Beau: *moves to get in and sit down so he won't fall over on take-off*
Denver: *the last to get on*
Blackout: *just snaked out little metal cables and strapped everything down*
Fluffy: *howwwwwl!*
Catherine: *startled squeak*
Beau: *'meep' expression, doesn't lose his grip on the container of steamed buns... though now he's trying to stuff one into his mouth since his stomach just reminded him he hasn't eaten yet*
Denver: *a bit panicky now* Seatbelts ain't s'posed t' 'og tah people!
Blackout: ... What? *impatient*
Catherine: *having a minor panic attack, pay her no mind*
Buddy: *quiet and hoarse* Let 'em go. #$#@$#@@ let 'em go.
Blackout: I don't want them squishing.
Buddy: Shut the doors 'n let 'em go.
Blackout: ... *does so*
Chrome: *still wearing his seat belt up there in the shotgun seat, though*
Catherine: *head on knees, deep breaths! Deeeeep, slow breaths!*
Buddy: *gentle hand on her back* Shhhh-Shh, Katie. *so much gentleness in that poor ragged voice*
Fluffy: *just shook himself and went to lay on Denver's jacket*
Denver: *calming down, will tell Blackout the name of the first town she can think of as being remote enough and safe enough to go* Beau's 'n mah aunt 'n uncle live outsahd 'f 't, on a farm....
Blackout: *rising into the air with a beat of mighty rotors* Just tell me what direction.
Denver: South bah south-east, till y'u git t' Intahstate 75, th'n 'ead south....
Blackout: *levels out and takes off*
Buddy: *just yeeped and startled, then groaned and whimpered*
Catherine: *hunkering down even more and scooting back so she can lean against Buddy*
tube: *there where her hand will bump into it. It's poking out from the floor and has inserted itself into Buddy's side*
Catherine: .... *slowly lifts her head to look at the tube*
tube: *pumping something glowing and pink*
Buddy: .>_<. *groaaan*
Catherine: ...What the.....
Blackout: Don't touch it.
Catherine: *warily* What are you doing to him? *worried, yes*
Blackout: Feeding him.
Buddy: *just passed out*
Catherine: *acks and moves to get up to fuss over Buddy*
Blackout: He's suffering from energon deprivation. Probably why he doesn't seem to remember his own name.
Catherine: .... Energon?
Blackout: Yes.
Chrome: Energon!
Blackout: You're full.
Catherine: .... What is energon?
Chrome: Nomma!
Catherine: ... *raised brow*
Chrome: *turned in his seat. Tries to explain again* Om nom nom. Hit the spot. Ahhhhh!
Catherine: *very soft snerk, before she's moving to carefully sit down next to Buddy again*
Denver: *raised brow* 'E sounds lahk 'e's been 'ang'n 'round Beau's 'n mah cousin, Dallas.....
Chrome: *turns those bright blue eyes onto the dark-haired lady and looks at her curiously*
Blackout: I wouldn't know. I don't live with him.
Denver: Huh....
Beau: *quietly* I tried calling Dallas yesterday, when stuff started going crazy...... I got told that there's a war going on.....
Blackout: Obviously. *goes silent as the tube retracts from Buddy and vanishes into the floor* *then gives a piercing metallic screech*
Denver: *startles* Wh't th'?!
Catherine: *flinch, quail chick impression!*
Beau: *on his feet!*
jet fighter: *screams past and circles around again*
Blackout: *more screech*
Chrome: *very still as he listens*
Catherine: *staying silent and still*
Denver: *doesn't realize she's holding her breath, is anticipating the worst*
Beau: *tense and nervous*
Blackout: *screeches again, and watches as the jet pulls ahead of her. And then she EMPs it to death and watches it transform as it tumbles out of the air*
Denver: Wh't th' 'eck?! *trying so hard not to cuss around a kid!*
Blackout: *figures she's just cursing, and so makes no reply*
Beau: What was that just now?
Blackout: A Decepticon scout named Acid Storm.
Beau: .... *frown* Was he or she following us?
Blackout: He came to see how I was doing, so I told him my navigational systems were non functional. He said he'd bring me back to base, and as soon as he lowered his guard and turned his back I killed him.
Denver: *hand to mouth*
Beau: ... *wince wince wince*
Blackout: *continues onward, banking slightly*
Denver: Whah kill 'im? Y'u c'ld'a jes disabled 'im....
Blackout: He was an enemy. *starts dropping in altitude, aiming for that little airstrip with the big quonset hanger*
Denver: Still.... *moves to see where they're landing*
Blackout: *not landing. She just obliterated that landing strip*
Denver: Wh't th' %($&%$(&$#?!!!!
Blackout: *as she rises again* That was the base.
Denver: ..... *shares a 'Holy crap." look with Beau*
Blackout: *heading toward the highway that was mentioned now, and is soon following it*
Beau: *moves to see how Catherine's holding up. ...And then will quickly retreat and let Denver deal with the tears that are steadily falling, since girls crying is something he's never been good at dealing with! Scoots to sit by Fluffy*
Fluffy: *using dog food for pillow. Is bored dog laying there guarding Denver's jacket*
Denver: *talking quietly to Catherine, or is trying to.... and then she's getting frustrated by the redhead's lack of response* *sits down nearby to frown and think about a way to deal with the crazy lady*
Several hours later, above a sprawling farm in the boonies of Alabama....
Beau: *sitting in the pilot seat, up in the front by Chrome* The practice field should be big enough to land in....
Blackout: *watching humans boil out of buildings and decides to warn them off* *human voice amplified* Stay back. Keep clear of the practice field!
Beau: *watching his cousins and their teammates clear out, chuckles softly*
Denver: *startles awake, rubs at her eyes. Totally didn't mean to fall asleep, yo* 'Re we th're?
Blackout: *no reply as she drops softly to the ground* *sits a minute, and then puts out an arm to remove Buddy from her cargo hold and set him down to one side*
Catherine: *gonna wake up sore.... has been sleeping at an awkward and uncomfortable angle*
Buddy: *startled flail, and then disoriented blinking up at the sky*
Denver: *soft snort, moves to get up. Will go to try and get Catherine to wake up as well, and be met by sleepy resistance.... So she'll bodily haul the other woman out of Blackout's cargo hold*
Beau: *moving to unbuckle and get out of the pilot's seat*
Chrome: *squirming and whining till his mother frees him, and then he's gleefully running to jump out, only to sit and examine the dirt with great interest*
Fluffy: *stretches and sits up on the jacket, but hasn't been told to get out*
Denver: *whistles for Fluffy, is half-supporting, half-carrying Catherine at this point*
Fluffy: *jumps out and goes to Denver*
Blackout: *transforms and stands up, Beau and dog food in one hand, and the blanket and sleeping bag in the other. Drops those last on her son*
Catherine: *groggy and protesting that she can walk just fine*
Denver: *ignoring Catherine and nodding a greeting to the blonde woman that just hurried over with a pair of brawny strawberry blond men in her wake*
Blackout: *just standing and watching all this indifferently*
Chrome: *jabbering away under his blanket and the beat up old sleeping bag*
petite woman with short grey hair: *following the younger people over, will frown up at you, Blackout*
Denver: She ain't a threat, Gran'ma.... *carefully transferring Catherine over to the older of the two men*
Buddy: *soft groan from where he's laying over to one side. Turns his head* Katie... Katie?
Fluffy: *looks toward the groan and the whispers and whines quietly*
older strawberry blond man: *blinks and moves to gently set Catherine next to the grey robot* 'E-Eah....
Catherine: *groggy* 'M okay, Buddy..... *snuggles against the one person she feels safest with right now* *soft sigh*
Buddy: Where... we at? *is shaking again slightly, but feels a bit too hot*
Catherine: *quietly* No idea.....
Denver: *as she and the grey haired lady approach* We's jes' outsahd Tannehill, Alabama.... We's gonna be safe 'eah.....
Blackout: For a few days, maybe. *still standing there over her son, a mighty metal colossus with her arms folded across her chest*
grey haired lady: *surprised expression that's mirrored all throughout the small crowd that's gathered*
Denver: We's safer th'n 'f we'd'a stayed 'n DC.....
Blackout: Not really.
blonde woman: ...Y'all came fr'm DC.... 'Cause 'f th' fahght'n....
Denver: Yep.... *frowning at Blackout now* Jes' wh't d'y'u mean?
Catherine: *quietly* She means they'll find us....
Blackout: I mean Megatron and Sentinel Prime intend to bring Cybertron into Earth orbit, and enslave the lot of you.
Buddy: *tense now as he listens, and getting warmer*
Catherine: .... *frowns.... and then meeps as she realizes why her back feels warm* *turns to put a hand on Buddy's armor* He's overheating.... *worried*
younger of the two strawberry blonds: *heads for the garage without a word*
Blackout: *indifferently* Probably some virus. *gaze continues on the humans of this place*
humans: *most of them seem to be around the same age as the strawberry blond that went to the garage, and female. All of the humans seem to be a bit wary of Blackout, but curious as well*
Denver: *frowning muchly* Th'n we need t' take th' fahght t' 'em 'n show 'em we ain't gonna stand f'r th't.
Blackout: *loses interest as Chrome starts making strange little sounds* Have fun with that.
Catherine: *giving Denver a "WTS ARE YOU ON?!" look* Are you insane?! That'd be suicide!
Denver: *scowls at the redhead* Fahn. Y'u c'n jes' sit on y'ur butt 'n do nuth'n. Th' rest 'f us, th' 'uns who care 'bout othah people- *interrupted as Catherine scrambles to her feet and unleashes a tackle that sends both women rolling. The tussle is intense, with many punches being thrown, and much hair pulling*
Blackout: *watches for a moment, and then leans down and knocks them apart with a finger flick, as though they were bugs*
Catherine: *startled sound, is already sporting what looks like an impressive shiner*
Denver: *wipes at her split lip, glaring daggers at the redhead* Wit' 'r wit'out y'u, Ah'm goin' t' bring a bit 'f Southern 'Ospitaliteh t' th' enemy.
Blackout: What are you going to do, bug? Try and make them laugh themselves to death?
Denver: *scowls at Blackout* Ah c'n shoot, 'n Ah ain't scared t' git down 'n dirteh 'f Ah need t'.
Blackout: ...'Down and dirty'?
Beau: She means she won't fight fair. She'll go for any weak points she can find, and blast the crap out of them with a shotgun if she has to.
older man: *pushes through crowd to put a hand on his daughter's shoulder* Not 'lone, Denver won't. Ah'm c'm'n' wit'cha.
Blackout: If she means what she was just doing... That was so pitiful that I nearly purged my tank.
Denver: *GLARE*
Catherine: *has moved to fuss over Buddy, is ignoring Denver for now*
Beau: *frowns* Well, none of us are soldiers....
Blackout: I can tell. *so much dismissal in that deep alto voice. And so much indifference*
Denver: *more glare* We'll manage. *to the younger strawberry blond man* See 'f y'u c'n git th' grey gah 'nt' th' barn, Jake....
Jake: *small nod, will move to do that, even as he brings a bottle of engine coolant over*
Blackout: You'll be so much goo under the Decepticons' toes.
Denver: .>/ Th'n wh't d' y'u suggest we do?
Blackout: Learn how to fight.
Chrome: *falls over and kicks, squealing*
Blackout: *picks him up and wraps him in his blanket* You. Go to sleep.
Chrome: Mama. *snuggle*
Denver: *sarcastically, crossing her arms over her chest* Guess we's jes' gotta ask th' neahest armeh base f'r th'r 'Giant %&$(%#$ Robot kill'n course'.
Beau: *is one with his facepalm*
Catherine: *kinda staring at you now, Blackout*
Some of the crowd: *doing likewise*
Blackout: Make some practice bots. I'll show you what to do. *bemused look for her son and peeks at the head that he just pulled his blanket over*
Chrome: Ahboo!
Blackout: *eyebrow*
Beau: .... *and now it's his turn to direct people as he understands what Blackout's saying. Will instruct some of the other farmers to bring any piece of equipment they have that no longer works and can't be sold anyways.... Yes, Uncle Matt, even the old combine*
Matt: *nods and goes to get one of the tractors hooked up to the old combine*
Jake: *going to try and figure out where to put the coolant in the grey robot*
Chrome: *insistent!* Ah BOO!
Blackout: *looks at him. Has NO clue what the sparklet wants*
Denver: .... *raised brow* Ah th'nk 'e's want'n t' play peek-a-boo wit' y'u....
Blackout: *turns that eyebrow toward the human*
Denver: Beau's 'n mah cousin, Dallas, plays peek-a-boo wit' aneh baby th't ain't scared'a 'im.... *will explain the game*
Blackout: ... *sets the sparklet on the ground*
Chrome: *whines and flails his arms* Ahboo!
Denver: *moves to lift the blanket on Chrome's head*
Chrome: *crow of delight* Ahboo!
Blackout: *goes over to feed Buddy more energon*
Buddy: *flinches and flails slightly as the tube gets him*
Denver: *chuckles and plays peek-a-boo with Chrome*
Catherine: *moves to gently smooth Buddy's forehead, worry clear on her face even with the shiner she's sporting*
Jake: *blink blink, will offer Blackout the bottle of coolant, since she seems to know where stuff like it should go*
Blackout: What do I want with that?
Jake: *quietly and slowly, trying to keep his stuttering to a minimum* 'T't's engine c-coolant.... Ah-Ah ain't s-sure wh're 't g-goes....
Blackout: Do I look like a medic?
Buddy: *weak blinking as he turns his head to look at the boy with those pained brown eyes*
Jake: *small headshake* *softly*J-Jes' thought y-y'u m-mahght kn-now.... *attention going to Buddy, and the pretty redheaded lady smoothing his forehead*
Buddy: *raspy and weak, but trying to be heard* C.. coolant?
Jake: *nods, before deciding to try and offer the bottle to the grey robot*
Buddy: *can't get his hand to listen to him. Another soft groan* Katie... help... help me drink?
Catherine: *small nod, moves to grab the bottle, thanking Jake in the process. Will carefully hold it to Buddy's mouth* Ready?
Buddy: *opens mouth, his nearer hand curling into a thumbs up*
Catherine: *will slowly tip the bottle so coolant goes into Buddy's mouth and not all over his front*
Buddy: *grimaces and seems to gag, but manages to get the entire contents of the bottle down*
Catherine: *going to fuss over you a bit more, Buddy*
Buddy: *shivers a bit, and then cries out with pain as the coolant hits sore places in his tank*
Catherine: *fuss!*
Jake: *moving to get the big flatbed, though he's not sure how he'll get Buddy onto it and moved to the barn, where there's more protection from the elements*
Buddy: *gasps, and then purges his tank*
Catherine: *startled 'eek!'*
Blackout: *takes her tube back, though none of the energon came out. She would rather not waste the energy, or wind up killing her mate's friend*
Jake: *back with the flatbed trailer and another tractor... now what?*
Buddy: *gasping and shaking hard*
Catherine: *fighting off a panic attack and trying to figure out what to do*
Buddy: *and then he gags again, though nothing comes out. Whimpers as the spasms strain body parts that are sore or frail*
Catherine: Easy... Everything's gonna be okay.... *who is she trying to reassure?*
Blackout: *pauses a moment, and then very deliberately turns her back on the damaged bot*
grey haired lady: *moving to see if she can help the redhead out* *as she passes by Blackout* Ain't y'u gonna 't least 'elp git 'im ont' th' flatbed?
Blackout: I'm not looking at him while he's in that condition.
grey haired lady: .... *looks to some of the girls that are gathered* Go git th' hose.
tall brunette: *hustles to do so!* *hurries back with the hose and gets it connected to the spigot outside the barn. Then it's just a matter of getting Buddy sprayed down*
Fluffy: *oh crud. Gotta PEE* *growl grumble*
Hazard: *is that big Mastiff barking at the chickens on the roof of that nearby shed!*
Fluffy: *turns his head toward the sound, and then goes and nose bumps Denver. Hey, boss. Strange dog*
Denver: 'Azard won't 'urt y'u, Fluffy.... 'E's a friend....
Fluffy: *friend? Okay. STILL GOTTA PEE*
Chrome: Ahboo!
Denver: *back to playing peek-a-boo with Chrome*
Hazard: *done scolding chickens, will meander over to see what's going on....Oh, hai, unfamiliar dog! Waggatail*
Fluffy: *looks over. Not hostile, just preoccupied*
Buddy: *another weak cry of pain, and then passes out*
girls: *working on getting Buddy cleaned up, team effort, yo!*
Hazard: *will move to inspect the funny metal thing that sounds like people* *and then head for the back yard of the house when he's bored of that*
Fluffy: *boss... boss... boss...*
Denver: *tips her head after Hazard* 'E'll show y'u wh're t' go, Fluffy....
Fluffy: *looks at her, and then follows the other dog*
Chrome: *sudden massive yawn and rubs his optics* Mama...
Denver: *looks to Blackout* Ah th'nk 'e's readeh f'r a nap....
Blackout: *glances at the sparklet, and then stoops and scoops him up*
Chrome: *happy sounds and snuggles*
Denver: *chuckles* 'E's a cute li'l bit.....
Chrome: *then looks down at Denver and waves* Bye, Dal.
Denver: *blinks as she realizes what she was just called* Dal... 'E's met Dallas....
Blackout: *wrapping son up again. Doesn't realize... or maybe doesn't care... that Denver's talking to her. Could be a combo of the two*
Denver: *looks up* Oy! Di'n't y'u 'eah wh't Ah jes' tol' y'u?
Blackout: *glances down at the human* I heard you.
Denver: Mah cousin, Dallas, serves 'n DC....
Blackout: So...?
Chrome: Dal!
Denver: *stubbornly* So, 'e prolleh knows wh't's goin' down.....
Blackout: What more of 'going down' do you need to know?
Denver: *about to point out that Dallas probably knows a bit about the best way to attack the Deceiver-whatsits when her attention goes to a rowdy rebel yell* *facepalm* Well, we's got th' stuff t' make th' train'n th'ngs....
redneck neighbors: *not only brought busted up farm equipment, they brought busted-up cars that won't run*
Blackout: He needs a bed. *walks over to the barn and inserts sparklet into that soft stuff through that upper door*
Denver: ...Which 'un?
Beau: Guess she meant the baby.
Denver: Prolleh.... *looks to her brother* Th' torches 'n stuff 're 'n th' usual place, Ah'm guess'n.... Le's git th's stahted.
Beau: *nods his agreement and moves to get set up for a massive build*
five hours later
Blackout: *just got finished showing these humans how to kill a human in three unarmed moves, and a Decepticon in four*
Catherine: *wrapped in a couple blankets and resting against Buddy. Was sick earlier after watching Blackout dispatch one of the training dummies*
Buddy: *on a heap of hay with a tarp tucked over it now. Is thrashing just a little as his temperature remains too high*
Catherine: *trying so hard to think of a way to help Buddy, but her own urking earlier, paired with stress-related exhaustion has made her head foggy*
Denver: *discussing something with her grandmother*
Blackout: *sternly coaching the people who are still on the field, making darn sure they know what constitutes proper hand to hand combat*
Crome: *running around like a little crazy thing with a handful of hollyhock plants in one hand and the head off the scarecrow in the other*
Jake: *coming to see if maybe there's a better way to get coolant into Buddy*
Blackout: *pauses and studies a feed she just picked up, then transmits it in near life-size hologram. Chicago is burning*
Denver: *CUSS as she sees that*
Hattie: .... Th' soonah we git goin', th' bettah. *frowning*
Blackout: *and then shifts to the feed that her mate just sent, of heading toward Chicago as fast as possible, right behind that big aft yellow hummer*
Beau: .... They're okay..... *relieved grin, right before he knocks his training partner aft over honesty*
Blackout: *gives the pair a disgusted look, and then checks on her son before turning her attention skyward*
Chrome: *pauses to admire his flowers, then goes 0_0*
Beau: What's wrong? *looking skyward as well*
Chrome: *backfire* *runs off*
Beau: Hey! Come back here! *will chase after Chrome now*
Blackout: *looks down and aims a kick at him* How do you expect to be any good in battle if you can't even focus on training?
Beau: *drops into a startled crouch*
Blackout: *sudden shot upward, and then lifts off to catch the small flyer that she just blew out of the air. Does something to him that stops his angry cursing, then does a few more things that render him crippled* *sets him on the ground* Here. Kill this.
Beau: *hesitates for a moment, then his expression's hardening and he's moving to put to practice what he's learned*
Blackout: *looks at the others, silently giving them the same command*
several of the adults: *moving to do likewise*
Blackout: *watches in silence, then picks up the body and rips the spark casing out of it before turning toward the barn* I suppose you're as good as you're getting.
one of the redneck neighbors: 'Ey, Autobot.... When d' we roll out?
Blackout: *without turning* Call me Autobot at your peril, organic slime sack. And I do not roll anywhere. *into the barn*
Catherine: *sticking close to Buddy, and looks like she may not get much sleep. Is pale, which just makes the shiner she got from her tussle with Denver all the more prominent* *quietly, to Blackout* What's up?
Blackout: *throws down the body* Parts. *turns to go back out of this nasty cramped little place*
Catherine: .... *and now she's getting up and going to be sick out behind the barn*
Chrome: *watching Matt tinker under a truck hood, and listening to what he's saying. Looks at Dixie as she comes over* He's @#$%&@#.
Dixie: *raised brow* 'S 'e, now?
Chrome: *points with his flowers and repeats what Matt is saying word for word*
Dixie: *very quiet chuckle* *gently* Th't ain't angreh words.... Th't's pray'n....
Chrome: *blink blink. Offers her the flowers*
Dixie: *more chuckle as she accepts the offering* Th'nk y'u, 'on... *will re-plant the flowers later*
Chrome: *looks around, and then goes to sit with the dogs in the shade and maul his scarecrow... well, what's left since someone took the pointy part away from him*
several neighbors: *now loading their guns.... all of them.... daaang, that's a lot of guns....*
Blackout: *stalks over and pulls Matt out of the truck*
Matt: *startled 'ack!* *blink blink* S-s'meth-th'n wrong?
Blackout: *shoves a part that looks very much like the second hand part he was trying to make work at him*
Matt: *grin* Th-Th'nks. *holding onto the part now*
Blackout: *stuffs him back where she got him from and walks off again*
Matt: *back to work! Will get this truck running yet!*
Jethro: Th't's outta a dead robot.
Matt: S-So? 'T f-fits.
Jethro: ....But 't came fr'm a dead robot....
Matt: 'F-F y-y'u w-want a r-runn'n' t-truck, 'ush y-y'ur m-mouth.
Blackout: *launches and takes off*
Hattie: *heading over to her ancient beast of a truck, gets a box out of the glove compartment*
Matt: *to Jethro* S-Staht 'er up.
Jethro: *moves to do so.... and then both men are making surprised faces as they realize that the truck is running a LOT better than before*
Blackout: *back a few moments later and throws down a handful of MREs*
crazy-aft, survivalist neighbor: *dismayed sound as he realizes his supplies have been raided*
Jethro: *startled curse as he gets beaned by an 'Apple Crumble' MRE*
Blackout: That should be enough fuel for you. *turns to walk off again*
Hattie: *moving to get everyone organized and ready to go* *is getting helped by the mothers in the group, as well as Denver*
crazy-aft, survivalist neighbor: *raising a stink, at least until he gets a softball winged at his head by one of the Lamont girls*
short, somewhat chubby redhaired neighbor: Put a sock 'n 't, Garrett! Y'u've been 'ang'n ont' th' darn th'ngs f'r yeahs! Mahght 's well put 'em t' use.
Beau: Yeah, this could be the @$@#$@ end of the world!
Denver: *nods* Wh't 'e said. *divvying up rations, and sending younger cousins to get water bottles*
Chrome: *just got a can and opened it to find 7 crackers and 2 chocolate creme discs* Buh?
young girl of about eight: *gonna see what was in the can too* Huh....
Chrome: *pokes a cracker at her mouth*
girl: *surprised, will nom though*
Chrome: *okay, that's what he wanted to know. Dumps the rest of the can contents into her hands, and then has a bite of the can* ^_^
girl: *grins and finishes the bite in her mouth* Looks lahk we both git snacks th'n....
Chrome: Nom nom. ^_^
Dixie: *looks over to check on her youngest* *surprised, will come see just what the children are getting into*
Chrome: *looks at her, and then picks up the other contents of the ration he opened and offers her the cans* Nom!
Dixie: *will look at the cans* Beefsteak, peanut buttah spread, 'n slahced peaches... *chuckles*
Chrome: *going to open that can there now. Takes one from her and does so, then looks in* ...Ewww.
Dixie: 'Eww' 's rahght.... Call'n th's 'beefsteak's a crahm 'gainst 'umaniteh.
Hazard: *interested look*
Dixie: *whistles for the dogs, intends to give the sorry excuse for meat to them*
Hazard: *yay!*
Fluffy: *puzzled look for Dixie. Yes?*
Dixie: *gonna send one of the other kids for a couple of bowls, and when the kid returns with said bowls, will divide the 'beefsteak' up* *sets the bowls on the ground* Alrahght, y'all c'n eat.
Fluffy: *confused. He can only see people food here*
Hazard: *trots over, will sniff at the stuff in the bowl.... and then upend it. That's not noms, Ma...*
Dixie: *cracking up*
Chrome: *looks up from opening the peaches* Buh?
Dixie: Alrahght.... *will offer the empty can to Chrome in exchange for the peaches*
Chrome: *looks in the can, then looks up at her* *perfect accent* Uh oh, bettah wash 't up.
Dixie: *laughs more and moves to rinse the can out with the hose and water spigot*
Chrome: *has the peaches open and is fishing them out and poking them at the mouth of the little girl when she gets back*
Dixie: *offers the rinsed can to Chrome* 'Eah, 'on....
Chrome: *offers the can of peaches in trade* *and then produces the Milk Bone that Fluffy gave him the day before*
Fluffy: *whoa, what? Heyyyy*
Hazard: *ears up as he smells cookie*
Dixie: *blink blink* *snerk* 'S th't a dog biscuit, 'on?
Chrome: *bites onto the edge of his new can to hold it, and then breaks the Milk Bone in half before offering one piece to each dog* Nom.
Fluffy: *takes very politely, not touching the hand with his mouth*
Hazard: *waggatail, kissies!*
Chrome: *falls over, flails, and laughs*
Hazard: *gentle nosing of what sounds like baby, but doesn't smell like baby*
little girl: *wants more peaches, Momma*
Dixie: *will share peaches with her daughter*
Chrome: *chews his can and readjusts Hazard's face wrinkles*
Hazard: *decides this is funny looking and funny smelling baby, then. It acts like baby, and sounds like baby* *whuff*
Chrome: *has forgotten the last can. Doggy wrinkles are too interesting* *and then he's holding up a roasted tick*
Dixie: Oh, good grief.... *will check Hazard over for more ticks*
Chrome: *sits up to watch. And tells her just what Dallas told him about the bitey bug that was stuck to one of the other soldiers' leg that time*
little girl: *gonna play kick with the peanut butter can now*
Dixie: *relieved expression as she finds no additional parasites in any of Hazard's wrinkles or on his body*
Chrome: *has found matches, excitedly offers them to the lady*
Dixie: Th'nk y'u, 'on.... *quickly pocketing the matches*
Chrome: Burn th' @#$#@#'s tail. :D
Dixie: *raised brow*
Chrome: *grins more, and then looks toward the sound of whoops and revving engines*
Dixie: *looks as well* Guess th' rowdies'll be 'ead'n out soon....
Chrome: *waves* Don't let the door hit your aft on the way out!
Hattie: *yelling at everyone to settle the &%$*& down and get going, even as she, Beau, and Matt cram into the cab of her ancient pickup*
Bubba Joe: *fishtails his way down the driveway in his General Lee clone, his massive speakers booming as he goes. The song? "It's the End of The World as We Know it"*
redneck neighbors in the green truck: *blasting "Dueling Banjos" as they follow Hattie's truck and the General Lee 2*
survival guy's dorky hummer: *packed like a fish can, and full of whoops as it roars along at the rear of the convoy*
Dixie: *silently prays for everyone's safe return*
Chrome: *looks up at her, and then starts repeating what Matt was saying while working on the truck*
Dixie: *small nod of agreement*
kids of various ages, including the softball team: *moving to help get things cleaned up*
Chrome: *yawns and rubs his optics* Mrrrrrrr.
little girl: *hugs Chrome* Nap tahm?
Chrome: *looks around and wibbles* Daddy.
Dixie: Ah'm sure 'e's okay, 'on....
Chrome: *starts looking like an upset baby who wants his parent* Daddy!
Dixie: *looking around for Blackout in the hopes that the robot woman will know what to do*
Blackout: *way over there in the middle of the field*
Dixie: *fingers in mouth, sharp, shrill whistle*
Hazard: *barks*
Fluffy: *sits up and looks at Dixie*
half the kids on the playing field: *look at Dixie. The others are looking at their own mothers*
Blackout: *shows no reaction whatsoever*
Dixie: *frowning now* *to one of her daughters* Go see 'f th' news channels 'ave aneh info 'bout th' stuff goin' on up north.... *moves to speak to Blackout*
Fluffy: *just realized his people are gone!* *worried dog! And then comes back and sits down to guard the big car baby*
Dixie: *already halfway to the spot where Blackout is*
Blackout: *pays her no attention*
Dixie: *once she's standing so she can look up at Blackout's face* 'S y'ur 'usband gonna be okay? *yes, she thinks the broken robot in the barn is the robot baby's dad*
Blackout: *looks down at her with a frown* What does that mean?
Dixie: *raised brow* Y'ur sweet'eart? *is trying to figure out how to explain*
Blackout: I have no 'sweet'eart'. *wondering just what the human is talking about*
Dixie: *well, shoot. Now what* Boyfriend?
Blackout: ...I have no friends.
Dixie: ... *frustrated sigh* Well, 't aneh rate, th' li'l bit's look'n f'r 'is Pa....
Blackout: *flicker of understanding in that utterly alien but savagely beautiful face* Ironhide is going to Chicago.
Dixie: ....Oh.... *small frown as she tries to think about what to do now*
Blackout: *turns and looks toward her son* He's sleeping now.
Dixie: Ah'll see wh't tahps 'n blankets Ah c'n scrounge up th'n... *moves to do so*
Blackout: He has his blanket. Some of your hatchlings are tucking it around him.
Dixie: *blink blink* 'Atchlin's?
Blackout: *disgruntled look* Sparklets?
Dixie: ....
Blackout: Grubs...
Dixie: .... Th' kids?
Blackout: The undeveloped things. *as some little boy yelps* Those.
Dixie: *facepalms and goes to see what caused the yelp this time*
boy: *trying to get his finger out of her youngest daughter's mouth. Had tried telling the little girl that she couldn't sleep by the baby robot*
Dixie: Lizzie, let 'im go.
Lizzie: *eyes snapping, but obeys*
boy: *grouches at her and examines his finger* Hey, coooool. BLOOD! Ma, look! *runs off*
Dixie: *face.palm*
Lizzie: *crawling under the coarse old parachute with the robot baby*
Dixie: *sighs and goes to make dinner. Something that will feed everyone... Chili, maybe, or stew....*
((written with random_xtras))
street: *quiet this morning. A heck of a lot quieter than usual. As a matter of fact the whole neighbourhood is too quiet. There are two things out of place on the street. One is the police car in the McDonald's lot with the two nervous looking cops in it.
The other is one big #$#@$#@$@ robot standing like a statue over by MacKenzie Auto Repair*
Denver: *fiddling with the coffee maker. She spent the night conked out in the bed of her pickup, and she's definitely not all the way awake*
Beau: *is that snore from the cab of the tow truck*
Catherine: *curled up with a few blankets, is snuggled close to Buddy, since she got up sometime in the middle of the night and moved from the couch in the waiting area*
Chrome: *pats the other being that's sharing the old sleeping bag his daddy had put him to bed on* Energon?
Fluffy: *yawwwwwn. Eyebrow quirk*
Denver: *bleary blinking, looks to the 'little' robot that was left here last night by the big black guy*
Chrome: *big sigh* Energon...
Fluffy: *sighs and gets up. Goes to Denver and sits with one paw uplifted as he asks for a Milk Bone*
Denver: *soft chuckle, scratches Fluffy's ears, and gets a Milkbone out of the box by the coffee pot* *quietly* Y'ur a good dog, Fluffy....
Fluffy: *wags his tail, then brings the cookie over to the little bot and puts it into his hand*
Chrome: *looks at the cookie, and then blinks at the furry guy*
Denver: *snerks, and pours herself a cup of coffee, adding a couple of sugar packets to the contents of the mug*
Chrome: *wibble* Energon?
Fluffy: *gives him a WTS look*
Denver: *apologetically to the little guy* Ah ain't got a clue wh't th't 's....
Chrome: *curls up and fusses to himself quietly*
Denver: *kinda feels bad for the little guy.... Will try and find something that might help, though she's not sure what would work....* *wanders past the doors, stops short, backs up, and looks to make sure she didn't imagine that giant %$%#$% robot standing out there*
Blackout: *sees she's been noticed and very very slowly lifts her hand to point at the door*
cops: *bullhorn!* Freeze! Put both hands where we can see them!
Blackout: ... *complies, her eyes flashing an angry purple*
Denver: *ignores the cops, will move to head for the small door next to the big garage doors*
cops: *trying to figure out what to do now, since they just called for backup and were told to go bleep themselves*
Denver: *looking up at where she's relatively sure the big robot's face is* C'n Ah 'elp y'u? *yes, she's very likely risking her life, but since the robot didn't open fire.... that's gotta be a good sign, right?*
Blackout: My... son... is hungry. *sounds as though she's not sure of that word*
Denver: *blink blink* Lemme git th' doah open f'r y'u.... *moves to put action to words*
Blackout: I do not want the law officers to shoot. The ricochets might hurt the sparklet.
cop: Denver, what are you doing? Get away from that thing!
Denver: *as she moves to head back inside to open the door* 'F she wanted t' kill us, we'd be dead alreadeh. *inside, and opening the door quickly*
cop: *bullhorn crackles* Do you know what those things have done to Chicago?? Get out of there!
Denver: *scowls at the cop* Ah w'ld LOVE t' see y'u make me.
Beau: *groggily wandering over to see why the door's being opened*
cop: It's not safe!
Beau: *bleary blinking, looks at the big feet in front of him* .... *looks up* .... *raised brow*
Denver: 'F Y'all're so dang worrehed 'bout me, c'me 'n git me. *hands on hips, SCOWL on face* *gets the door open more*
Chrome: *just crawled out under the door, Fluffy a drag on the end of his blanket*
Blackout: *picks the sparklet up, and then gets him hooked up with a feeding tube from her tank*
Chrome: *contented small sounds as he snuggles and drinks*
Blackout: *carefully shakes the dog off the blanket and gives it to her son*
Fluffy: *wanders over and pees on the cop car, then comes back and sits by the big bot*
Beau: *blinking* There's 'nother giant robot here.... *just now realized what he's looking at*
cop: *awkward silence* ...Is that a friend of yours, Denver?
Denver: Th' blond doof's mah brothah.
cop: *silent finger points upward*
Denver: *shrug* She ain't shoot'n....
cops: *exchange a glance, and then wince as their radio crackles and pull the car away*
Blackout: Good. *attention back on Chrome*
Fluffy: *yawwwwwn*
Denver: Beau, Ah'mma git th' othah gal s'me breakfast... D' y'u want anehth'n'?
Beau: Er..... McGriddle if they have 'em....
Denver: *small nod, will move to grab her wallet, wincing as the door slides up with a loud bang* Sh'ld git th't darn th'ng fixed....
Blackout: *absently looks inside, then blinks when she sees the battered grey robot that just startled and groaned at the sound from the door*
Buddy: *slightly panicked, can't remember where he is*
Catherine: *shifts position and murmurs as she sleeps*
Buddy: *startles and slowly turns his head to look toward that sound so close to him*
Catherine: *pale, and even though she's sound asleep, there are clear, dark circles under her eyes. Her hair's frizzing badly, and her clothes, the same ones she wore the day before, are rumpled and wrinkled*
Buddy: Hey... *sounds raspy, weak, and tired as he looks around and spots that blond guy* Why ain't Katie in bed?
Beau: *slight start, looks* Er....
Denver: *as she emerges from the office* We di'n' know 'f 't'd be safe f'r 'er t' go 'ome.... Not wit' 'splosions 'n giant robots runn'n 'round.
Buddy: *worried frown* Giant robots?
Blackout: *hunkers down to look at him* Megatron and Sentinel are taking over.
Buddy: *sees giant robot!* o.0 $#@$#@#@!
Catherine: *shifts position again* *mumble* Five more minutes....
Beau: .... *frowns at Blackout* That....doesn't sound good....
Blackout: *gives Beau a curious look* You haven't watched your information feeds?
Beau: Not since last night..... *frowns and goes to turn the TV on*
Denver: *to Buddy* 'Ey, 's she vegetarian, vegan, 'r does she eat lahk most people?
Buddy: *yanks his attention away from that great big robot and blinks at Denver* I dunno how most people eat...
Denver: .... Ah'll git 'er a breakfast sandwich th'n.... She c'n pick off wh't she won't eat.... *moves to head for the McDonald's next door*
Buddy: *lays back with a weary sigh, and then hitches and gives a groan of pain as he kinks something a way it doesn't want to go*
Beau: Easy.... The yellow lady that was here last night went to get stuff to fix whatever's wrong....
Catherine: *groggily* Gotta....fix Buddy's tires.... *sooo out of it*
Buddy: Yellow... lady? *manages to put a hand on Catherine* Shhh, Katie.
Beau: *nods* She was kinda ugly.... but she and her friend fixed what they could without parts.....
Catherine: *settles back into uneasy sleep*
Denver: *hurries back* Micky D's 's closed up tahght.... But Mistah Lee's still got 'is shop open.... *holds up a container of steamed buns*
Beau: *frowns* But Mr. Lee doesn't sell those....
Denver: 'E w'ldn't let me bah th'se instant breakfast th'ngs.... *a bit sheepishly* 'E 'nsisted....
buns: *wafting good smells around the shop*
Buddy: *hand over mouth. Will NOT get sick. Will NOT!*
Fluffy: *smells buns, goes to the dog food bag and sticks his head in*
Catherine: *barely opening her eyes as she smells something unfamiliar but pleasant* Huh?
Buddy: *perk* Katie!
Catherine: *moving to try and sit up* What smells good?
Denver: *offers the container of steamed buns, has one in her mouth currently*
Buddy: *watches in quizzical silence, his olfactory sensors shut off so that he can't smell the dead organic things*
Catherine: *bleary blinking as she reaches for one of the steamed buns* *headtilt as she sees the container of what looks like cabbage*
Denver: *muffled* 'S kimchee.... Pickled cabbage....
Catherine: *slight frown as she works out what the other woman's saying* *will reach for the kimchee*
Denver: ... *swallows her bite of bun* Girl, y'u're nuts...
Buddy: Hey, watch what ya say ta my friend.
Catherine: *paying Denver no mind, is reaching for the chopsticks that she noticed, will chow down on kimchee, kthx*
Denver: *headshake, attention going to the television screen* *pauses as a news rerun shows the yellow robot that had stopped by, along with the big black robot and several other robots, reluctantly getting onto what looks like some strange combination of space shuttle and alien ship. The news footage then cuts to the strange ship being blown up.... and then she's dropping the container of steamed buns* No!
Beau: Denver? *going to see what upset his sister* *horrified look as he realizes what's going on*
Blackout: *gruffly, embarrassed by the emotionalism of the human bugs* What's wrong?
Beau: The robots.... The ones that were here last night.... were exiled... but their ship got blown up!
Blackout: The Autobots?
Beau: *nods after reading the ticker at the bottom of the screen* Yeah.... *bites his lower lip*
Blackout: *calmly, as she looks down at a small fist dinging against her chest armour* Ironhide is alive.
Beau: .... But their ship got blown up....
Blackout: That doesn't matter. *surprised head tilt at the affectionate little croon that was just aimed at her*
Beau: .....
Denver: .... *quietly, and firmly* We gotta git outta 'eah....
Catherine: *looks up from finishing breakfast* But where would we go?
Fluffy: *checks on his people, sees food on the floor, and growls at Denver for being messy before going to check on the baby*
Denver: .... We c'n go south.... *moving to get the tow truck situated, intends to load Buddy onto it*
Beau: *moves to pick up the container of steamed buns, musing to himself about the fact that none of the food landed on the floor*
Blackout: *looks at Denver as she reaches down to set Chrome on the floor* What are you doing?
Chrome: *blanket over his head. No babby!*
Denver: Gonna git th' grey gah off'a th' floor...
Blackout: Why?
Denver: 'T ain't safe 'eah f'r aneh 'f 'us, 'specialleh not 'im.
Blackout: I'm here.
Chrome: *BRRAAAAKKKK* *giggle*
Catherine: *blink blink*
Denver: ... *considering* But 't ain't safe f'r th' li'l bit eithah....
Blackout: *obviously this human bug doesn't know anything about her* I'm here.
Denver: So c'me wit' us.
Blackout: *humans are such illogical little specks of gross* *stands and steps out into the center of the street. And then transforms* Fine. Get in.
Chrome: *clapping at Mama's great trick!*
Beau: *blink blink* ....
Catherine: .... Huh....
Denver: *gonna try and wrap Chrome in the sleeping bag and get him tucked safely in the cockpit first*
Chrome: *will do what the nice human lady wants him to, though he's still got his own blanket over his head*
Blackout: *straps him down, and then sticks out an arm and hauls the grey bot into her cargo hold*
Buddy: *scared sounds!*
Blackout: Shut up, Jazz.
Catherine: *blink blink, moves to get up and patpat Buddy's arm* I'm right here, Buddy.... Everything's gonna be okay....
Blackout: That's Jazz.
Catherine: *quietly, and a bit firmly* Well, he's 'Buddy' to me.
Blackout: Whatever. *stops son from pressing buttons by making the buttons vanish*
Buddy: *gasping and shaking softly, his eyes closed*
Catherine: *moving to climb in beside Buddy once he's settled, will snuggle against him, both seeking and giving comfort*
Denver: *moving to help Fluffy into the helicopter*
Fluffy: *hops right up, and then looks around with interest*
Beau: *moves to get in and sit down so he won't fall over on take-off*
Denver: *the last to get on*
Blackout: *just snaked out little metal cables and strapped everything down*
Fluffy: *howwwwwl!*
Catherine: *startled squeak*
Beau: *'meep' expression, doesn't lose his grip on the container of steamed buns... though now he's trying to stuff one into his mouth since his stomach just reminded him he hasn't eaten yet*
Denver: *a bit panicky now* Seatbelts ain't s'posed t' 'og tah people!
Blackout: ... What? *impatient*
Catherine: *having a minor panic attack, pay her no mind*
Buddy: *quiet and hoarse* Let 'em go. #$#@$#@@ let 'em go.
Blackout: I don't want them squishing.
Buddy: Shut the doors 'n let 'em go.
Blackout: ... *does so*
Chrome: *still wearing his seat belt up there in the shotgun seat, though*
Catherine: *head on knees, deep breaths! Deeeeep, slow breaths!*
Buddy: *gentle hand on her back* Shhhh-Shh, Katie. *so much gentleness in that poor ragged voice*
Fluffy: *just shook himself and went to lay on Denver's jacket*
Denver: *calming down, will tell Blackout the name of the first town she can think of as being remote enough and safe enough to go* Beau's 'n mah aunt 'n uncle live outsahd 'f 't, on a farm....
Blackout: *rising into the air with a beat of mighty rotors* Just tell me what direction.
Denver: South bah south-east, till y'u git t' Intahstate 75, th'n 'ead south....
Blackout: *levels out and takes off*
Buddy: *just yeeped and startled, then groaned and whimpered*
Catherine: *hunkering down even more and scooting back so she can lean against Buddy*
tube: *there where her hand will bump into it. It's poking out from the floor and has inserted itself into Buddy's side*
Catherine: .... *slowly lifts her head to look at the tube*
tube: *pumping something glowing and pink*
Buddy: .>_<. *groaaan*
Catherine: ...What the.....
Blackout: Don't touch it.
Catherine: *warily* What are you doing to him? *worried, yes*
Blackout: Feeding him.
Buddy: *just passed out*
Catherine: *acks and moves to get up to fuss over Buddy*
Blackout: He's suffering from energon deprivation. Probably why he doesn't seem to remember his own name.
Catherine: .... Energon?
Blackout: Yes.
Chrome: Energon!
Blackout: You're full.
Catherine: .... What is energon?
Chrome: Nomma!
Catherine: ... *raised brow*
Chrome: *turned in his seat. Tries to explain again* Om nom nom. Hit the spot. Ahhhhh!
Catherine: *very soft snerk, before she's moving to carefully sit down next to Buddy again*
Denver: *raised brow* 'E sounds lahk 'e's been 'ang'n 'round Beau's 'n mah cousin, Dallas.....
Chrome: *turns those bright blue eyes onto the dark-haired lady and looks at her curiously*
Blackout: I wouldn't know. I don't live with him.
Denver: Huh....
Beau: *quietly* I tried calling Dallas yesterday, when stuff started going crazy...... I got told that there's a war going on.....
Blackout: Obviously. *goes silent as the tube retracts from Buddy and vanishes into the floor* *then gives a piercing metallic screech*
Denver: *startles* Wh't th'?!
Catherine: *flinch, quail chick impression!*
Beau: *on his feet!*
jet fighter: *screams past and circles around again*
Blackout: *more screech*
Chrome: *very still as he listens*
Catherine: *staying silent and still*
Denver: *doesn't realize she's holding her breath, is anticipating the worst*
Beau: *tense and nervous*
Blackout: *screeches again, and watches as the jet pulls ahead of her. And then she EMPs it to death and watches it transform as it tumbles out of the air*
Denver: Wh't th' 'eck?! *trying so hard not to cuss around a kid!*
Blackout: *figures she's just cursing, and so makes no reply*
Beau: What was that just now?
Blackout: A Decepticon scout named Acid Storm.
Beau: .... *frown* Was he or she following us?
Blackout: He came to see how I was doing, so I told him my navigational systems were non functional. He said he'd bring me back to base, and as soon as he lowered his guard and turned his back I killed him.
Denver: *hand to mouth*
Beau: ... *wince wince wince*
Blackout: *continues onward, banking slightly*
Denver: Whah kill 'im? Y'u c'ld'a jes disabled 'im....
Blackout: He was an enemy. *starts dropping in altitude, aiming for that little airstrip with the big quonset hanger*
Denver: Still.... *moves to see where they're landing*
Blackout: *not landing. She just obliterated that landing strip*
Denver: Wh't th' %($&%$(&$#?!!!!
Blackout: *as she rises again* That was the base.
Denver: ..... *shares a 'Holy crap." look with Beau*
Blackout: *heading toward the highway that was mentioned now, and is soon following it*
Beau: *moves to see how Catherine's holding up. ...And then will quickly retreat and let Denver deal with the tears that are steadily falling, since girls crying is something he's never been good at dealing with! Scoots to sit by Fluffy*
Fluffy: *using dog food for pillow. Is bored dog laying there guarding Denver's jacket*
Denver: *talking quietly to Catherine, or is trying to.... and then she's getting frustrated by the redhead's lack of response* *sits down nearby to frown and think about a way to deal with the crazy lady*
Several hours later, above a sprawling farm in the boonies of Alabama....
Beau: *sitting in the pilot seat, up in the front by Chrome* The practice field should be big enough to land in....
Blackout: *watching humans boil out of buildings and decides to warn them off* *human voice amplified* Stay back. Keep clear of the practice field!
Beau: *watching his cousins and their teammates clear out, chuckles softly*
Denver: *startles awake, rubs at her eyes. Totally didn't mean to fall asleep, yo* 'Re we th're?
Blackout: *no reply as she drops softly to the ground* *sits a minute, and then puts out an arm to remove Buddy from her cargo hold and set him down to one side*
Catherine: *gonna wake up sore.... has been sleeping at an awkward and uncomfortable angle*
Buddy: *startled flail, and then disoriented blinking up at the sky*
Denver: *soft snort, moves to get up. Will go to try and get Catherine to wake up as well, and be met by sleepy resistance.... So she'll bodily haul the other woman out of Blackout's cargo hold*
Beau: *moving to unbuckle and get out of the pilot's seat*
Chrome: *squirming and whining till his mother frees him, and then he's gleefully running to jump out, only to sit and examine the dirt with great interest*
Fluffy: *stretches and sits up on the jacket, but hasn't been told to get out*
Denver: *whistles for Fluffy, is half-supporting, half-carrying Catherine at this point*
Fluffy: *jumps out and goes to Denver*
Blackout: *transforms and stands up, Beau and dog food in one hand, and the blanket and sleeping bag in the other. Drops those last on her son*
Catherine: *groggy and protesting that she can walk just fine*
Denver: *ignoring Catherine and nodding a greeting to the blonde woman that just hurried over with a pair of brawny strawberry blond men in her wake*
Blackout: *just standing and watching all this indifferently*
Chrome: *jabbering away under his blanket and the beat up old sleeping bag*
petite woman with short grey hair: *following the younger people over, will frown up at you, Blackout*
Denver: She ain't a threat, Gran'ma.... *carefully transferring Catherine over to the older of the two men*
Buddy: *soft groan from where he's laying over to one side. Turns his head* Katie... Katie?
Fluffy: *looks toward the groan and the whispers and whines quietly*
older strawberry blond man: *blinks and moves to gently set Catherine next to the grey robot* 'E-Eah....
Catherine: *groggy* 'M okay, Buddy..... *snuggles against the one person she feels safest with right now* *soft sigh*
Buddy: Where... we at? *is shaking again slightly, but feels a bit too hot*
Catherine: *quietly* No idea.....
Denver: *as she and the grey haired lady approach* We's jes' outsahd Tannehill, Alabama.... We's gonna be safe 'eah.....
Blackout: For a few days, maybe. *still standing there over her son, a mighty metal colossus with her arms folded across her chest*
grey haired lady: *surprised expression that's mirrored all throughout the small crowd that's gathered*
Denver: We's safer th'n 'f we'd'a stayed 'n DC.....
Blackout: Not really.
blonde woman: ...Y'all came fr'm DC.... 'Cause 'f th' fahght'n....
Denver: Yep.... *frowning at Blackout now* Jes' wh't d'y'u mean?
Catherine: *quietly* She means they'll find us....
Blackout: I mean Megatron and Sentinel Prime intend to bring Cybertron into Earth orbit, and enslave the lot of you.
Buddy: *tense now as he listens, and getting warmer*
Catherine: .... *frowns.... and then meeps as she realizes why her back feels warm* *turns to put a hand on Buddy's armor* He's overheating.... *worried*
younger of the two strawberry blonds: *heads for the garage without a word*
Blackout: *indifferently* Probably some virus. *gaze continues on the humans of this place*
humans: *most of them seem to be around the same age as the strawberry blond that went to the garage, and female. All of the humans seem to be a bit wary of Blackout, but curious as well*
Denver: *frowning muchly* Th'n we need t' take th' fahght t' 'em 'n show 'em we ain't gonna stand f'r th't.
Blackout: *loses interest as Chrome starts making strange little sounds* Have fun with that.
Catherine: *giving Denver a "WTS ARE YOU ON?!" look* Are you insane?! That'd be suicide!
Denver: *scowls at the redhead* Fahn. Y'u c'n jes' sit on y'ur butt 'n do nuth'n. Th' rest 'f us, th' 'uns who care 'bout othah people- *interrupted as Catherine scrambles to her feet and unleashes a tackle that sends both women rolling. The tussle is intense, with many punches being thrown, and much hair pulling*
Blackout: *watches for a moment, and then leans down and knocks them apart with a finger flick, as though they were bugs*
Catherine: *startled sound, is already sporting what looks like an impressive shiner*
Denver: *wipes at her split lip, glaring daggers at the redhead* Wit' 'r wit'out y'u, Ah'm goin' t' bring a bit 'f Southern 'Ospitaliteh t' th' enemy.
Blackout: What are you going to do, bug? Try and make them laugh themselves to death?
Denver: *scowls at Blackout* Ah c'n shoot, 'n Ah ain't scared t' git down 'n dirteh 'f Ah need t'.
Blackout: ...'Down and dirty'?
Beau: She means she won't fight fair. She'll go for any weak points she can find, and blast the crap out of them with a shotgun if she has to.
older man: *pushes through crowd to put a hand on his daughter's shoulder* Not 'lone, Denver won't. Ah'm c'm'n' wit'cha.
Blackout: If she means what she was just doing... That was so pitiful that I nearly purged my tank.
Denver: *GLARE*
Catherine: *has moved to fuss over Buddy, is ignoring Denver for now*
Beau: *frowns* Well, none of us are soldiers....
Blackout: I can tell. *so much dismissal in that deep alto voice. And so much indifference*
Denver: *more glare* We'll manage. *to the younger strawberry blond man* See 'f y'u c'n git th' grey gah 'nt' th' barn, Jake....
Jake: *small nod, will move to do that, even as he brings a bottle of engine coolant over*
Blackout: You'll be so much goo under the Decepticons' toes.
Denver: .>/ Th'n wh't d' y'u suggest we do?
Blackout: Learn how to fight.
Chrome: *falls over and kicks, squealing*
Blackout: *picks him up and wraps him in his blanket* You. Go to sleep.
Chrome: Mama. *snuggle*
Denver: *sarcastically, crossing her arms over her chest* Guess we's jes' gotta ask th' neahest armeh base f'r th'r 'Giant %&$(%#$ Robot kill'n course'.
Beau: *is one with his facepalm*
Catherine: *kinda staring at you now, Blackout*
Some of the crowd: *doing likewise*
Blackout: Make some practice bots. I'll show you what to do. *bemused look for her son and peeks at the head that he just pulled his blanket over*
Chrome: Ahboo!
Blackout: *eyebrow*
Beau: .... *and now it's his turn to direct people as he understands what Blackout's saying. Will instruct some of the other farmers to bring any piece of equipment they have that no longer works and can't be sold anyways.... Yes, Uncle Matt, even the old combine*
Matt: *nods and goes to get one of the tractors hooked up to the old combine*
Jake: *going to try and figure out where to put the coolant in the grey robot*
Chrome: *insistent!* Ah BOO!
Blackout: *looks at him. Has NO clue what the sparklet wants*
Denver: .... *raised brow* Ah th'nk 'e's want'n t' play peek-a-boo wit' y'u....
Blackout: *turns that eyebrow toward the human*
Denver: Beau's 'n mah cousin, Dallas, plays peek-a-boo wit' aneh baby th't ain't scared'a 'im.... *will explain the game*
Blackout: ... *sets the sparklet on the ground*
Chrome: *whines and flails his arms* Ahboo!
Denver: *moves to lift the blanket on Chrome's head*
Chrome: *crow of delight* Ahboo!
Blackout: *goes over to feed Buddy more energon*
Buddy: *flinches and flails slightly as the tube gets him*
Denver: *chuckles and plays peek-a-boo with Chrome*
Catherine: *moves to gently smooth Buddy's forehead, worry clear on her face even with the shiner she's sporting*
Jake: *blink blink, will offer Blackout the bottle of coolant, since she seems to know where stuff like it should go*
Blackout: What do I want with that?
Jake: *quietly and slowly, trying to keep his stuttering to a minimum* 'T't's engine c-coolant.... Ah-Ah ain't s-sure wh're 't g-goes....
Blackout: Do I look like a medic?
Buddy: *weak blinking as he turns his head to look at the boy with those pained brown eyes*
Jake: *small headshake* *softly*J-Jes' thought y-y'u m-mahght kn-now.... *attention going to Buddy, and the pretty redheaded lady smoothing his forehead*
Buddy: *raspy and weak, but trying to be heard* C.. coolant?
Jake: *nods, before deciding to try and offer the bottle to the grey robot*
Buddy: *can't get his hand to listen to him. Another soft groan* Katie... help... help me drink?
Catherine: *small nod, moves to grab the bottle, thanking Jake in the process. Will carefully hold it to Buddy's mouth* Ready?
Buddy: *opens mouth, his nearer hand curling into a thumbs up*
Catherine: *will slowly tip the bottle so coolant goes into Buddy's mouth and not all over his front*
Buddy: *grimaces and seems to gag, but manages to get the entire contents of the bottle down*
Catherine: *going to fuss over you a bit more, Buddy*
Buddy: *shivers a bit, and then cries out with pain as the coolant hits sore places in his tank*
Catherine: *fuss!*
Jake: *moving to get the big flatbed, though he's not sure how he'll get Buddy onto it and moved to the barn, where there's more protection from the elements*
Buddy: *gasps, and then purges his tank*
Catherine: *startled 'eek!'*
Blackout: *takes her tube back, though none of the energon came out. She would rather not waste the energy, or wind up killing her mate's friend*
Jake: *back with the flatbed trailer and another tractor... now what?*
Buddy: *gasping and shaking hard*
Catherine: *fighting off a panic attack and trying to figure out what to do*
Buddy: *and then he gags again, though nothing comes out. Whimpers as the spasms strain body parts that are sore or frail*
Catherine: Easy... Everything's gonna be okay.... *who is she trying to reassure?*
Blackout: *pauses a moment, and then very deliberately turns her back on the damaged bot*
grey haired lady: *moving to see if she can help the redhead out* *as she passes by Blackout* Ain't y'u gonna 't least 'elp git 'im ont' th' flatbed?
Blackout: I'm not looking at him while he's in that condition.
grey haired lady: .... *looks to some of the girls that are gathered* Go git th' hose.
tall brunette: *hustles to do so!* *hurries back with the hose and gets it connected to the spigot outside the barn. Then it's just a matter of getting Buddy sprayed down*
Fluffy: *oh crud. Gotta PEE* *growl grumble*
Hazard: *is that big Mastiff barking at the chickens on the roof of that nearby shed!*
Fluffy: *turns his head toward the sound, and then goes and nose bumps Denver. Hey, boss. Strange dog*
Denver: 'Azard won't 'urt y'u, Fluffy.... 'E's a friend....
Fluffy: *friend? Okay. STILL GOTTA PEE*
Chrome: Ahboo!
Denver: *back to playing peek-a-boo with Chrome*
Hazard: *done scolding chickens, will meander over to see what's going on....Oh, hai, unfamiliar dog! Waggatail*
Fluffy: *looks over. Not hostile, just preoccupied*
Buddy: *another weak cry of pain, and then passes out*
girls: *working on getting Buddy cleaned up, team effort, yo!*
Hazard: *will move to inspect the funny metal thing that sounds like people* *and then head for the back yard of the house when he's bored of that*
Fluffy: *boss... boss... boss...*
Denver: *tips her head after Hazard* 'E'll show y'u wh're t' go, Fluffy....
Fluffy: *looks at her, and then follows the other dog*
Chrome: *sudden massive yawn and rubs his optics* Mama...
Denver: *looks to Blackout* Ah th'nk 'e's readeh f'r a nap....
Blackout: *glances at the sparklet, and then stoops and scoops him up*
Chrome: *happy sounds and snuggles*
Denver: *chuckles* 'E's a cute li'l bit.....
Chrome: *then looks down at Denver and waves* Bye, Dal.
Denver: *blinks as she realizes what she was just called* Dal... 'E's met Dallas....
Blackout: *wrapping son up again. Doesn't realize... or maybe doesn't care... that Denver's talking to her. Could be a combo of the two*
Denver: *looks up* Oy! Di'n't y'u 'eah wh't Ah jes' tol' y'u?
Blackout: *glances down at the human* I heard you.
Denver: Mah cousin, Dallas, serves 'n DC....
Blackout: So...?
Chrome: Dal!
Denver: *stubbornly* So, 'e prolleh knows wh't's goin' down.....
Blackout: What more of 'going down' do you need to know?
Denver: *about to point out that Dallas probably knows a bit about the best way to attack the Deceiver-whatsits when her attention goes to a rowdy rebel yell* *facepalm* Well, we's got th' stuff t' make th' train'n th'ngs....
redneck neighbors: *not only brought busted up farm equipment, they brought busted-up cars that won't run*
Blackout: He needs a bed. *walks over to the barn and inserts sparklet into that soft stuff through that upper door*
Denver: ...Which 'un?
Beau: Guess she meant the baby.
Denver: Prolleh.... *looks to her brother* Th' torches 'n stuff 're 'n th' usual place, Ah'm guess'n.... Le's git th's stahted.
Beau: *nods his agreement and moves to get set up for a massive build*
five hours later
Blackout: *just got finished showing these humans how to kill a human in three unarmed moves, and a Decepticon in four*
Catherine: *wrapped in a couple blankets and resting against Buddy. Was sick earlier after watching Blackout dispatch one of the training dummies*
Buddy: *on a heap of hay with a tarp tucked over it now. Is thrashing just a little as his temperature remains too high*
Catherine: *trying so hard to think of a way to help Buddy, but her own urking earlier, paired with stress-related exhaustion has made her head foggy*
Denver: *discussing something with her grandmother*
Blackout: *sternly coaching the people who are still on the field, making darn sure they know what constitutes proper hand to hand combat*
Crome: *running around like a little crazy thing with a handful of hollyhock plants in one hand and the head off the scarecrow in the other*
Jake: *coming to see if maybe there's a better way to get coolant into Buddy*
Blackout: *pauses and studies a feed she just picked up, then transmits it in near life-size hologram. Chicago is burning*
Denver: *CUSS as she sees that*
Hattie: .... Th' soonah we git goin', th' bettah. *frowning*
Blackout: *and then shifts to the feed that her mate just sent, of heading toward Chicago as fast as possible, right behind that big aft yellow hummer*
Beau: .... They're okay..... *relieved grin, right before he knocks his training partner aft over honesty*
Blackout: *gives the pair a disgusted look, and then checks on her son before turning her attention skyward*
Chrome: *pauses to admire his flowers, then goes 0_0*
Beau: What's wrong? *looking skyward as well*
Chrome: *backfire* *runs off*
Beau: Hey! Come back here! *will chase after Chrome now*
Blackout: *looks down and aims a kick at him* How do you expect to be any good in battle if you can't even focus on training?
Beau: *drops into a startled crouch*
Blackout: *sudden shot upward, and then lifts off to catch the small flyer that she just blew out of the air. Does something to him that stops his angry cursing, then does a few more things that render him crippled* *sets him on the ground* Here. Kill this.
Beau: *hesitates for a moment, then his expression's hardening and he's moving to put to practice what he's learned*
Blackout: *looks at the others, silently giving them the same command*
several of the adults: *moving to do likewise*
Blackout: *watches in silence, then picks up the body and rips the spark casing out of it before turning toward the barn* I suppose you're as good as you're getting.
one of the redneck neighbors: 'Ey, Autobot.... When d' we roll out?
Blackout: *without turning* Call me Autobot at your peril, organic slime sack. And I do not roll anywhere. *into the barn*
Catherine: *sticking close to Buddy, and looks like she may not get much sleep. Is pale, which just makes the shiner she got from her tussle with Denver all the more prominent* *quietly, to Blackout* What's up?
Blackout: *throws down the body* Parts. *turns to go back out of this nasty cramped little place*
Catherine: .... *and now she's getting up and going to be sick out behind the barn*
Chrome: *watching Matt tinker under a truck hood, and listening to what he's saying. Looks at Dixie as she comes over* He's @#$%&@#.
Dixie: *raised brow* 'S 'e, now?
Chrome: *points with his flowers and repeats what Matt is saying word for word*
Dixie: *very quiet chuckle* *gently* Th't ain't angreh words.... Th't's pray'n....
Chrome: *blink blink. Offers her the flowers*
Dixie: *more chuckle as she accepts the offering* Th'nk y'u, 'on... *will re-plant the flowers later*
Chrome: *looks around, and then goes to sit with the dogs in the shade and maul his scarecrow... well, what's left since someone took the pointy part away from him*
several neighbors: *now loading their guns.... all of them.... daaang, that's a lot of guns....*
Blackout: *stalks over and pulls Matt out of the truck*
Matt: *startled 'ack!* *blink blink* S-s'meth-th'n wrong?
Blackout: *shoves a part that looks very much like the second hand part he was trying to make work at him*
Matt: *grin* Th-Th'nks. *holding onto the part now*
Blackout: *stuffs him back where she got him from and walks off again*
Matt: *back to work! Will get this truck running yet!*
Jethro: Th't's outta a dead robot.
Matt: S-So? 'T f-fits.
Jethro: ....But 't came fr'm a dead robot....
Matt: 'F-F y-y'u w-want a r-runn'n' t-truck, 'ush y-y'ur m-mouth.
Blackout: *launches and takes off*
Hattie: *heading over to her ancient beast of a truck, gets a box out of the glove compartment*
Matt: *to Jethro* S-Staht 'er up.
Jethro: *moves to do so.... and then both men are making surprised faces as they realize that the truck is running a LOT better than before*
Blackout: *back a few moments later and throws down a handful of MREs*
crazy-aft, survivalist neighbor: *dismayed sound as he realizes his supplies have been raided*
Jethro: *startled curse as he gets beaned by an 'Apple Crumble' MRE*
Blackout: That should be enough fuel for you. *turns to walk off again*
Hattie: *moving to get everyone organized and ready to go* *is getting helped by the mothers in the group, as well as Denver*
crazy-aft, survivalist neighbor: *raising a stink, at least until he gets a softball winged at his head by one of the Lamont girls*
short, somewhat chubby redhaired neighbor: Put a sock 'n 't, Garrett! Y'u've been 'ang'n ont' th' darn th'ngs f'r yeahs! Mahght 's well put 'em t' use.
Beau: Yeah, this could be the @$@#$@ end of the world!
Denver: *nods* Wh't 'e said. *divvying up rations, and sending younger cousins to get water bottles*
Chrome: *just got a can and opened it to find 7 crackers and 2 chocolate creme discs* Buh?
young girl of about eight: *gonna see what was in the can too* Huh....
Chrome: *pokes a cracker at her mouth*
girl: *surprised, will nom though*
Chrome: *okay, that's what he wanted to know. Dumps the rest of the can contents into her hands, and then has a bite of the can* ^_^
girl: *grins and finishes the bite in her mouth* Looks lahk we both git snacks th'n....
Chrome: Nom nom. ^_^
Dixie: *looks over to check on her youngest* *surprised, will come see just what the children are getting into*
Chrome: *looks at her, and then picks up the other contents of the ration he opened and offers her the cans* Nom!
Dixie: *will look at the cans* Beefsteak, peanut buttah spread, 'n slahced peaches... *chuckles*
Chrome: *going to open that can there now. Takes one from her and does so, then looks in* ...Ewww.
Dixie: 'Eww' 's rahght.... Call'n th's 'beefsteak's a crahm 'gainst 'umaniteh.
Hazard: *interested look*
Dixie: *whistles for the dogs, intends to give the sorry excuse for meat to them*
Hazard: *yay!*
Fluffy: *puzzled look for Dixie. Yes?*
Dixie: *gonna send one of the other kids for a couple of bowls, and when the kid returns with said bowls, will divide the 'beefsteak' up* *sets the bowls on the ground* Alrahght, y'all c'n eat.
Fluffy: *confused. He can only see people food here*
Hazard: *trots over, will sniff at the stuff in the bowl.... and then upend it. That's not noms, Ma...*
Dixie: *cracking up*
Chrome: *looks up from opening the peaches* Buh?
Dixie: Alrahght.... *will offer the empty can to Chrome in exchange for the peaches*
Chrome: *looks in the can, then looks up at her* *perfect accent* Uh oh, bettah wash 't up.
Dixie: *laughs more and moves to rinse the can out with the hose and water spigot*
Chrome: *has the peaches open and is fishing them out and poking them at the mouth of the little girl when she gets back*
Dixie: *offers the rinsed can to Chrome* 'Eah, 'on....
Chrome: *offers the can of peaches in trade* *and then produces the Milk Bone that Fluffy gave him the day before*
Fluffy: *whoa, what? Heyyyy*
Hazard: *ears up as he smells cookie*
Dixie: *blink blink* *snerk* 'S th't a dog biscuit, 'on?
Chrome: *bites onto the edge of his new can to hold it, and then breaks the Milk Bone in half before offering one piece to each dog* Nom.
Fluffy: *takes very politely, not touching the hand with his mouth*
Hazard: *waggatail, kissies!*
Chrome: *falls over, flails, and laughs*
Hazard: *gentle nosing of what sounds like baby, but doesn't smell like baby*
little girl: *wants more peaches, Momma*
Dixie: *will share peaches with her daughter*
Chrome: *chews his can and readjusts Hazard's face wrinkles*
Hazard: *decides this is funny looking and funny smelling baby, then. It acts like baby, and sounds like baby* *whuff*
Chrome: *has forgotten the last can. Doggy wrinkles are too interesting* *and then he's holding up a roasted tick*
Dixie: Oh, good grief.... *will check Hazard over for more ticks*
Chrome: *sits up to watch. And tells her just what Dallas told him about the bitey bug that was stuck to one of the other soldiers' leg that time*
little girl: *gonna play kick with the peanut butter can now*
Dixie: *relieved expression as she finds no additional parasites in any of Hazard's wrinkles or on his body*
Chrome: *has found matches, excitedly offers them to the lady*
Dixie: Th'nk y'u, 'on.... *quickly pocketing the matches*
Chrome: Burn th' @#$#@#'s tail. :D
Dixie: *raised brow*
Chrome: *grins more, and then looks toward the sound of whoops and revving engines*
Dixie: *looks as well* Guess th' rowdies'll be 'ead'n out soon....
Chrome: *waves* Don't let the door hit your aft on the way out!
Hattie: *yelling at everyone to settle the &%$*& down and get going, even as she, Beau, and Matt cram into the cab of her ancient pickup*
Bubba Joe: *fishtails his way down the driveway in his General Lee clone, his massive speakers booming as he goes. The song? "It's the End of The World as We Know it"*
redneck neighbors in the green truck: *blasting "Dueling Banjos" as they follow Hattie's truck and the General Lee 2*
survival guy's dorky hummer: *packed like a fish can, and full of whoops as it roars along at the rear of the convoy*
Dixie: *silently prays for everyone's safe return*
Chrome: *looks up at her, and then starts repeating what Matt was saying while working on the truck*
Dixie: *small nod of agreement*
kids of various ages, including the softball team: *moving to help get things cleaned up*
Chrome: *yawns and rubs his optics* Mrrrrrrr.
little girl: *hugs Chrome* Nap tahm?
Chrome: *looks around and wibbles* Daddy.
Dixie: Ah'm sure 'e's okay, 'on....
Chrome: *starts looking like an upset baby who wants his parent* Daddy!
Dixie: *looking around for Blackout in the hopes that the robot woman will know what to do*
Blackout: *way over there in the middle of the field*
Dixie: *fingers in mouth, sharp, shrill whistle*
Hazard: *barks*
Fluffy: *sits up and looks at Dixie*
half the kids on the playing field: *look at Dixie. The others are looking at their own mothers*
Blackout: *shows no reaction whatsoever*
Dixie: *frowning now* *to one of her daughters* Go see 'f th' news channels 'ave aneh info 'bout th' stuff goin' on up north.... *moves to speak to Blackout*
Fluffy: *just realized his people are gone!* *worried dog! And then comes back and sits down to guard the big car baby*
Dixie: *already halfway to the spot where Blackout is*
Blackout: *pays her no attention*
Dixie: *once she's standing so she can look up at Blackout's face* 'S y'ur 'usband gonna be okay? *yes, she thinks the broken robot in the barn is the robot baby's dad*
Blackout: *looks down at her with a frown* What does that mean?
Dixie: *raised brow* Y'ur sweet'eart? *is trying to figure out how to explain*
Blackout: I have no 'sweet'eart'. *wondering just what the human is talking about*
Dixie: *well, shoot. Now what* Boyfriend?
Blackout: ...I have no friends.
Dixie: ... *frustrated sigh* Well, 't aneh rate, th' li'l bit's look'n f'r 'is Pa....
Blackout: *flicker of understanding in that utterly alien but savagely beautiful face* Ironhide is going to Chicago.
Dixie: ....Oh.... *small frown as she tries to think about what to do now*
Blackout: *turns and looks toward her son* He's sleeping now.
Dixie: Ah'll see wh't tahps 'n blankets Ah c'n scrounge up th'n... *moves to do so*
Blackout: He has his blanket. Some of your hatchlings are tucking it around him.
Dixie: *blink blink* 'Atchlin's?
Blackout: *disgruntled look* Sparklets?
Dixie: ....
Blackout: Grubs...
Dixie: .... Th' kids?
Blackout: The undeveloped things. *as some little boy yelps* Those.
Dixie: *facepalms and goes to see what caused the yelp this time*
boy: *trying to get his finger out of her youngest daughter's mouth. Had tried telling the little girl that she couldn't sleep by the baby robot*
Dixie: Lizzie, let 'im go.
Lizzie: *eyes snapping, but obeys*
boy: *grouches at her and examines his finger* Hey, coooool. BLOOD! Ma, look! *runs off*
Dixie: *face.palm*
Lizzie: *crawling under the coarse old parachute with the robot baby*
Dixie: *sighs and goes to make dinner. Something that will feed everyone... Chili, maybe, or stew....*
((written with random_xtras))