Nexus, Crater in the woods, Justice
Patrick: *holding Soli as he and Emilia head for the part of the Nexus where he first found Soli*
Soli: *making terrible faces as she chews on one small finger*
Emilia: *keeping a wary eye out for danger. Yeah, she's heard the Nexus is neutral ground, but being ready for anything never hurt anyone*
Soli: Pleah! *grimace scowl*
Patrick: *Soothing sounds, will offer Soli a piece of Cinnaseeker*
Soli: *gives it a stink eye and puts a different finger in her mouth, then looks around with big optics that are wary and interested*
Patrick: *Clicks to his daughter as Emilia indicates a scorched tree, showing that they're getting close to the crater*
Soli: *scowl for Daddy, finger still in mouth*
Emilia: *Quiet chuckle, before she's looking around and moving to make sure the area is secure*
bit of static and sadness on her circuits: *right there where she just walked*
Emilia: *Frozen in place, eyes wide*
presence: *moves away*
Patrick: *looks up from trying to get Soli to smile when Emilia lets out a squeak* Emi? What's wrong?
Soli: *frowns and looks away from Daddy, her eyes going to Mama*
Emilia: *Sounding a bit scared* There's something here!!!
Soli: *doesn't like that tone, arches her back and scowwwwwls*
Patrick: *Frowns and transforms, scanning the area as he does so*
Soli: *fixing to yell, and then stopping and looking over toward the other side of the crater*
Optimus: *Directing his scanners in that direction* Hello? Is there someone there?
*there is a pause, but then a small bot only a few feet taller than Optimus hoves into view, his blue optics sad in a very serious face which is clearly not that of a mature mech. He's mostly grey, with a few thin marks of gold*
Soli: *eyebrows. Fingers in mouth. Study*
Optimus: *Gently* Who are you?
Justice: *sounds far away and slightly echoing* Probably better to ask who I was.
Optimus: *slight raising of his brow ridge, but then he nods* Alright... Who were you?
Justice: I was Justice. Son of Megatron, and of Optimus Prima. Younger sibling to Domina.
Optimus: ... By chance, did your femme creator... disappear?
Emilia: *looking at Optimus like he's nuts*
Justice: No one knows what happened to her after Galvatron attacked her. *sad youngling* I have to find out before I can join the song.
Optimus: *Quietly* How long ago was she attacked by Galvatron?
Justice: I... don't know. My chronometer doesn't work anymore.
Optimus: *frowning* *quietly* Shortly before Christmas in the reality that I hail from... I encountered a femme of your tech... She was an alternate of myself... and she was carrying a sparklet... *nods to Soli*
Justice: *freezes, and then vanishes*
Soli: *angry shout, demanding he come back*
Optimus: *Soothing sounds, trying to keep Soli from yelling too much*
Justice: *returns to visibility and watches as the little baby femme wordlessly but loudly gives him what for* ...She's just like Megatron was.
Emilia: *goes pale at that*
Optimus: ... So her... mech creator... was the Megatron of your reality?
Justice: *frowns and nods, looking from Optimus to Emilia*
Emilia: *abruptly sitting on the ground, manages to transform on her way down*
Optimus: *Quietly* We made sure your femme creator's remains were taken care of properly... There's a marker for her where we live...
Justice: *staring at Elita, wondering gravely at the femme's reaction*
Elita: *is experiencing a bit of minor shock at discovering that her adopted daughter is related to the bane of the Autobots in her home reality*
Justice: *turns his gaze to Optimus* Is she damaged?
Optimus: *headshake as he moves to put a hand on Elita's shoulder* *seriously* Your mech creator's alternate is someone we consider an enemy in our reality.
Justice: *frowns* An enemy? Megatron the Protector?
Optimus: The one from our reality isn't known by that title.... He would much rather destroy and conquer.
Justice: *grave frown of surprise, but then he nods to himself* They said I might not like everything I find....
Optimus: *Quietly* I'm sorry....
Justice: *looks at him* Why?
Optimus: In an ideal world, your femme creator and younger sister would be with you.... and you'd all be alive and well.
Justice: *nods his understanding* Sympathy. But I'm going to return to the creator and be where we all belong, eventually. Maybe someday Optimus will find her way there as well.
Optimus: *nods* I'm sure she will.
Justice: *optics on Soli now* She looks like her.
Soli: *fingers in mouth, leaning back against Daddy and watching the other guy*
Optimus: *optics a bit sad as he remembers the femme* We're doing our best to make sure she's healthy and happy...
Justice: Megatron had hoped I was getting a brother. *daring to move around the crater toward Optimus and Soli*
Optimus: *quiet chuckle as he thinks back to when the Aerialbots were born* I've found that femmes are just as good at things as mechs.
Justice: We knew that. Domina has never let her spark coding stop her from getting anything she wants. He wanted another voice in his side of the ring.
Optimus: ... *Soft snerk* I know how he must've felt... Counting Soli, I have six daughters.
Justice: *sympathetic glance, and then takes a couple more steps and stops nearly within touching distance. Up this close, faint traces of damage are clear on his frame*
Optimus: *Notices the damage* *Quietly* May I ask what happened to you?
Justice: Happened? *looks up from baby sister, who was gazing right back with the same frown*
Optimus: *quietly* You said you were Justice.... and I can see the damage you've taken....
Justice: Justice is the designation I was born with. And.... *looks down at self* *quietly* I lead my team in a charge against Galvatron while the non combatants escaped.
Optimus: *more frown* Who is Galvatron?
Justice: *quietly* Galvatron is the mech who was born when Unicron reformatted Megatron.
Optimus: ...*concerned frown as Elita finally gets back onto her feet*
Justice: *quietly* He and his followers have started a war.
Optimus: *seriousness flashing in his optics as he and Elita discuss the matter over private comm*
Justice: *watches them, then looks at Soli again before turning his head and looking out across the crater* If she isn't here, and she isn't there....
Optimus: *quietly, as Elita puts her arm around his waist* You'll find her. I'm sure of it.
Justice: *tilts his head as he listens to something the living bots won't hear* She's following him.
Optimus: ... I hope she finds what she's looking for... and that she can find peace.
Justice: *blinks and looks at him* It's the only place she can be. She'll be trying to stop him. .... *looks down* Or to find Megatron.
Optimus: *quietly* I hope you find her...
Justice: *looks back to him, so grave and serious* Thank you.
Soli: *lifts one tiny hand and waves bye bye for the first time in her life*
Elita: *'D'aww's softly*
Justice: *smiles, and the expression lights his face for a moment. Then he's lifting a hand in response as he steps back and fades away*
Soli: *wibbles and scowls*
Optimus: *Silent for a few moments, before he's telling Elita something and getting a small nod of agreement*
Soli: *back starting to arch....*
Optimus: *Clicks quietly to Soli* Let's put the flowers down and go home...
Elita: *nods and gets the flowers she was carrying in storage out. Then she's kneeling by the crater and the marker Susana made, and putting the flowers on and around the marker*
Soli: *yells!*
Optimus: *soothing sounds, will gently rub Soli's back*
Soli: *working up a mad*
Elita: *clicking to the fussy baby as Optimus brings everyone home again*
((co-written with random_xtras))