Adjustment of character, 13
VOS! More or less. Some of this is taken from Sanjuno's Nine Rings verse. *waves* Or at least, the whole 'floating Vos and clouds' thing. Also, just a little very light maybe-smut.
The orns they spent in Nemmis were quite enjoyable for Roadstead. They were probably less enjoyable for Amber, though the brown Seeker did try to take her out, to let her see the sights and to be seen. Metrodash did the same, accompanying Amber when Roadstead was too busy with Sunrain and Blight, who did indeed have a very nice gun.
Roadstead was not willing to stay in Nemmis for long, though, especially since Sunrain almost seemed to have found someone... permanent in Blight. His old mentor had time for him, but Roadstead knew better than to intrude.
Anyway, there was some place he wanted to take Amber, a place that she wouldn't be able to go without him. Vos was high in the sky, and no-one was allow to go there unless they could reach it on their own power, by their own skill. They didn't have to be fliers to reach Vos, clever grounders with jetpacks were fine and there were stories of stowaways, or mechs using grapplers... It didn't matter. They just needed the skill. Amber had it, if she would trust him
And Roadstead wanted to go home.
"Hey, Amber. I know I've not been spending that much time with you..." But of course he wasn't here to entertain Amber. He was here to teach her, which meant showing her their culture. That he had a pet just meant he could have fun doing it, more fun that another might. And she was learning! She wasn't staring so much when a couple (or more) walked by with an open panel...
"No, you haven't," the femme agreed. She had stopped being quite so polite, too... which was a welcome relief. It was much easier to understand what she wanted or needed when she wasn't obfuscating... As long as she wasn't outright rude, which she hadn't yet been.
Roadstead grinned, somewhat indulgently but also a little hyper. "Well, Metrodash isn't going to be coming with us to the next town. He's not allowed there... He'll be taking the shuttle to Sippar, and we'll meet him there in a few orns. And before that we need to find... I think indigo would match well enough. I need to paint your wings."
Not surprisingly, Amber was instantly on guard, said wings hiking up, though the motion was more fanning than a Seeker's would have been. Her spark was starting to over-write her programming, which was not a surprise. "I know quite enough to know what you're saying there, so just why do you 'need' to paint... anything on me?"
"Because if I don't, every Seeker in Vos will probably be out for you."
"...oh..." And Amber drooped. It was enough to make Roadstead want to go over and soothe her, but he restrained himself. "Damn Seekers... ...or slagging. Whatever. What is it with you and sex?"
"Helps us keep track of where we are in our bodies. And it feels good, so we don't see much reason not to enjoy ourselves," Roadstead answered.
Amber made a face showing just what she thought of that explanation. "So, fine. What are you going to paint to keep them off me?"
"More or less, a note saying, 'stay away'," Roadstead said, in very good humor. "We have old glyphs for that sort of thing... and yes, they are actually used by others, and honored."
"So... I'm not as weird as everyone's been making me feel, for not having- I mean, for still having my- um..." Amber flushed and looked away.
Roadstead shrugged a little and answered truthfully. "A Seeker, or Seeker-frame, with their seals is unusual. Once they're adult... Usually their broken as soon as they find someone willing to teach them. But sometimes a Seeker honestly doesn't feel like interfacing for a few orns, or their mate or master doesn't want them to. In Vos, it's assumed any adult without markings is willing, or willing to be persuaded... ...with some exceptions, of course, and 'no' or 'stop' still have meaning. With the marks, you won't even have to deal with flirting, though."
"That, um... doesn't sound... I mean, what if someone doesn't accept the no and no-one believes it was said...?" Amber asked. Her worry was clear enough, and Roadstead took her seriously, because it did happen sometimes.
"Medics can retrieve the memories of the incident. If a report is made, it's standard to retrieve both, or all, mechs' memories, and review them. If a rape is found to have occurred, the perpetrator is killed, and the victim is given help." There was the chance even then mistakes, of course. Memories could be hacked, could be modified and created and deleted... but it almost always left a trail, and medics were very careful in any such case.
Amber didn't complain after that, going out with Roadstead and letting him pick out paint while her optics flickered now and then in the manner of one reading information off the public data-net. Roadstead guided her without complaint, sure that she was much to distracted to pay more attention even if she hadn't been reading something. Amber had been slow to start turning to the data-net, until she had come across the mock-up Google page some OC had written, freaked out about being the computer, and then became quite happy with having 'The Internet' with her all the time.
Roadstead was quite happy when they returned to the temporary quarters with the paint he had found. The indigo would stand out quite nicely against her pale blue wings, and wouldn't get easily confused with the darker blue of her wing-stripes or with the purple of the painted Decepticon symbol which she still wore.
"Okay. Go to the washracks and get cleaned off, Amber. We don't want any dirt messing up the paint," Roadstead said, shooing her off. While the femme was gone, the brown Seeker had Metrodash help him lay down a tarp and explained what they would be doing.
Amber returned with the gleam of being freshly cleaned, but no sign of any polish. Roadstead ushered her to the middle of the tarp, then pulled out a brush. "Okay. Hold still. This will probably tickle and feel good, I'm sure you expect that, you'll have to tell me if you want me to stop, unless you actually want to overload. You might want to overload, because it will help you fly better and we have some flying ahead of us."
"...I... might think about it..." Amber agreed, though it was pretty clear that even saying that made her unhappy.
"Good enough," Roadstead accepted, hefting a brush.
The marks weren't horribly intricate. Not like some of the other Vossian markings that could be worn... The ones offering the wearer up for anything, Roadstead had seen those and whimpered at the idea of ever painting them or putting them on, they were so very detailed. But these marks were simple, and actually designed to minimize the chance the wearer would overload while they were applied. Amber was still mewling when he finished, her wings shivering and gesturing desire. She glared at him when Roadstead stepped back, but he didn't pay any attention to that.
"Oh, damn it all!" Amber yelled, stomping a pede. "Finish it then, I know you want to!"
"Want to?" Roadstead echoed, putting the brush away for now. "It's not really that I want to. I believe it would be better for you-"
"Shut up and touch me. I've had to put up with you flaunting it all this time!" Amber hissed, and Roadstead flinched a little. She seemed truly angry, though most of it was frustration...
Roadstead nodded and stepped closer, wrapping one arm around the femme's waist. He didn't want her to fall, and he did want her to enjoy this, at least mostly. Roadstead knew what he was doing, knew very well indeed, and so it only took a few touches to have Amber hanging off him. She growled the entire time, and her overload sounded more than a little indignant. She actually sounded rather similar to an earth-feline...
She clung to him for a moment more, and then got her legs under her. "...Happy? ...Maybe you have some points... But I'm not going to start f- facing anyone who asks!" Amber said, not looking at Roadstead.
"I wouldn't expect you to." Roadstead made sure that Amber could stand, and then backed up, looking at her to be sure that she was still presentable. She was, and he smiled in approval. "We'll stay here tonight, and then fuel and fly to Vos in the morning."
Amber still didn't quite look at him as he retreated, went to the berth. Roadstead stayed online until he felt her join him, and then drifted to recharge.
In the morning, Metrodash was already packing away what little they had used, and he waved at the fuel he had brought. "Have fun, then. I'll meet you in Sippar in... a decaorn? ...Please don't take longer than that, I... you know I don't like being alone..."
Roadstead smiled gently at his pet, pulling the red mech against him and rubbing his armor. He really had been ignoring Metrodash lately, and asking more of him... "Don't worry, Metro'. I won't make you wait too long. I'll be missing you in less than a decaorn, I'm sure..."
"...Thank you," Metrodash murmured. He was the first to pull away, and hefted the box he had already packed. "I'll come back for the rest, then."
Amber watched in silence, still very unsure about the whole existence of Metrodash. She fueled after he left, and followed Roadstead outside. The brown Seeker didn't hesitate before taking off, rolling in the sky a little just for the fun of it.
-This is not the easiest of flights. It's not meant to be, either. I wouldn't be taking you if I didn't believe you could make it, but you're going to have to stay close to me.- He would watch, and send her to intercept Metrodash if she was doing too badly. But again, Seeker 'teenagers' were able to do this flight, and so were helios and many others.
Most of the flight to Vos was easy, a straight shot in clear skies. They were both formed closer to the endurance side, and so there was no problem at all until they reached the clouds which surrounded the city. There were many obstacles in the cloud, deliberately placed and intended to damage, not kill. Sight was limited, but radar worked fine, and following another was also 'legal'. Even if you knew what was coming, the acrobatics were difficult, the wind often working against them, and this was where their model-type worked against them.
Roadstead had to dodge and twist, and pay attention to Amber, and none of it was easy. When they burst out of the clouds, Roadstead was laughing from the sheer high of having succeeded at his task, and of being home...
-I don't think I want to do that again...- Amber messaged him, sounding tired. Roadstead dropped to one of the many landing strips, and turned to watch her land, utterly unbothered by the fact that the strip was barely wide enough for both of his feet.
"We're almost there. Just follow me. If you fall here, you have to start at the end of the strip!" Roadstead answered. It wasn't true.
Amber glared a little at him, but was very careful as she followed the careless brown Seeker down the narrow path. He reached back to take her hand as they reached the gate, and turned once they passed the lintel.
"Welcome to Vos."
The orns they spent in Nemmis were quite enjoyable for Roadstead. They were probably less enjoyable for Amber, though the brown Seeker did try to take her out, to let her see the sights and to be seen. Metrodash did the same, accompanying Amber when Roadstead was too busy with Sunrain and Blight, who did indeed have a very nice gun.
Roadstead was not willing to stay in Nemmis for long, though, especially since Sunrain almost seemed to have found someone... permanent in Blight. His old mentor had time for him, but Roadstead knew better than to intrude.
Anyway, there was some place he wanted to take Amber, a place that she wouldn't be able to go without him. Vos was high in the sky, and no-one was allow to go there unless they could reach it on their own power, by their own skill. They didn't have to be fliers to reach Vos, clever grounders with jetpacks were fine and there were stories of stowaways, or mechs using grapplers... It didn't matter. They just needed the skill. Amber had it, if she would trust him
And Roadstead wanted to go home.
"Hey, Amber. I know I've not been spending that much time with you..." But of course he wasn't here to entertain Amber. He was here to teach her, which meant showing her their culture. That he had a pet just meant he could have fun doing it, more fun that another might. And she was learning! She wasn't staring so much when a couple (or more) walked by with an open panel...
"No, you haven't," the femme agreed. She had stopped being quite so polite, too... which was a welcome relief. It was much easier to understand what she wanted or needed when she wasn't obfuscating... As long as she wasn't outright rude, which she hadn't yet been.
Roadstead grinned, somewhat indulgently but also a little hyper. "Well, Metrodash isn't going to be coming with us to the next town. He's not allowed there... He'll be taking the shuttle to Sippar, and we'll meet him there in a few orns. And before that we need to find... I think indigo would match well enough. I need to paint your wings."
Not surprisingly, Amber was instantly on guard, said wings hiking up, though the motion was more fanning than a Seeker's would have been. Her spark was starting to over-write her programming, which was not a surprise. "I know quite enough to know what you're saying there, so just why do you 'need' to paint... anything on me?"
"Because if I don't, every Seeker in Vos will probably be out for you."
"...oh..." And Amber drooped. It was enough to make Roadstead want to go over and soothe her, but he restrained himself. "Damn Seekers... ...or slagging. Whatever. What is it with you and sex?"
"Helps us keep track of where we are in our bodies. And it feels good, so we don't see much reason not to enjoy ourselves," Roadstead answered.
Amber made a face showing just what she thought of that explanation. "So, fine. What are you going to paint to keep them off me?"
"More or less, a note saying, 'stay away'," Roadstead said, in very good humor. "We have old glyphs for that sort of thing... and yes, they are actually used by others, and honored."
"So... I'm not as weird as everyone's been making me feel, for not having- I mean, for still having my- um..." Amber flushed and looked away.
Roadstead shrugged a little and answered truthfully. "A Seeker, or Seeker-frame, with their seals is unusual. Once they're adult... Usually their broken as soon as they find someone willing to teach them. But sometimes a Seeker honestly doesn't feel like interfacing for a few orns, or their mate or master doesn't want them to. In Vos, it's assumed any adult without markings is willing, or willing to be persuaded... ...with some exceptions, of course, and 'no' or 'stop' still have meaning. With the marks, you won't even have to deal with flirting, though."
"That, um... doesn't sound... I mean, what if someone doesn't accept the no and no-one believes it was said...?" Amber asked. Her worry was clear enough, and Roadstead took her seriously, because it did happen sometimes.
"Medics can retrieve the memories of the incident. If a report is made, it's standard to retrieve both, or all, mechs' memories, and review them. If a rape is found to have occurred, the perpetrator is killed, and the victim is given help." There was the chance even then mistakes, of course. Memories could be hacked, could be modified and created and deleted... but it almost always left a trail, and medics were very careful in any such case.
Amber didn't complain after that, going out with Roadstead and letting him pick out paint while her optics flickered now and then in the manner of one reading information off the public data-net. Roadstead guided her without complaint, sure that she was much to distracted to pay more attention even if she hadn't been reading something. Amber had been slow to start turning to the data-net, until she had come across the mock-up Google page some OC had written, freaked out about being the computer, and then became quite happy with having 'The Internet' with her all the time.
Roadstead was quite happy when they returned to the temporary quarters with the paint he had found. The indigo would stand out quite nicely against her pale blue wings, and wouldn't get easily confused with the darker blue of her wing-stripes or with the purple of the painted Decepticon symbol which she still wore.
"Okay. Go to the washracks and get cleaned off, Amber. We don't want any dirt messing up the paint," Roadstead said, shooing her off. While the femme was gone, the brown Seeker had Metrodash help him lay down a tarp and explained what they would be doing.
Amber returned with the gleam of being freshly cleaned, but no sign of any polish. Roadstead ushered her to the middle of the tarp, then pulled out a brush. "Okay. Hold still. This will probably tickle and feel good, I'm sure you expect that, you'll have to tell me if you want me to stop, unless you actually want to overload. You might want to overload, because it will help you fly better and we have some flying ahead of us."
"...I... might think about it..." Amber agreed, though it was pretty clear that even saying that made her unhappy.
"Good enough," Roadstead accepted, hefting a brush.
The marks weren't horribly intricate. Not like some of the other Vossian markings that could be worn... The ones offering the wearer up for anything, Roadstead had seen those and whimpered at the idea of ever painting them or putting them on, they were so very detailed. But these marks were simple, and actually designed to minimize the chance the wearer would overload while they were applied. Amber was still mewling when he finished, her wings shivering and gesturing desire. She glared at him when Roadstead stepped back, but he didn't pay any attention to that.
"Oh, damn it all!" Amber yelled, stomping a pede. "Finish it then, I know you want to!"
"Want to?" Roadstead echoed, putting the brush away for now. "It's not really that I want to. I believe it would be better for you-"
"Shut up and touch me. I've had to put up with you flaunting it all this time!" Amber hissed, and Roadstead flinched a little. She seemed truly angry, though most of it was frustration...
Roadstead nodded and stepped closer, wrapping one arm around the femme's waist. He didn't want her to fall, and he did want her to enjoy this, at least mostly. Roadstead knew what he was doing, knew very well indeed, and so it only took a few touches to have Amber hanging off him. She growled the entire time, and her overload sounded more than a little indignant. She actually sounded rather similar to an earth-feline...
She clung to him for a moment more, and then got her legs under her. "...Happy? ...Maybe you have some points... But I'm not going to start f- facing anyone who asks!" Amber said, not looking at Roadstead.
"I wouldn't expect you to." Roadstead made sure that Amber could stand, and then backed up, looking at her to be sure that she was still presentable. She was, and he smiled in approval. "We'll stay here tonight, and then fuel and fly to Vos in the morning."
Amber still didn't quite look at him as he retreated, went to the berth. Roadstead stayed online until he felt her join him, and then drifted to recharge.
In the morning, Metrodash was already packing away what little they had used, and he waved at the fuel he had brought. "Have fun, then. I'll meet you in Sippar in... a decaorn? ...Please don't take longer than that, I... you know I don't like being alone..."
Roadstead smiled gently at his pet, pulling the red mech against him and rubbing his armor. He really had been ignoring Metrodash lately, and asking more of him... "Don't worry, Metro'. I won't make you wait too long. I'll be missing you in less than a decaorn, I'm sure..."
"...Thank you," Metrodash murmured. He was the first to pull away, and hefted the box he had already packed. "I'll come back for the rest, then."
Amber watched in silence, still very unsure about the whole existence of Metrodash. She fueled after he left, and followed Roadstead outside. The brown Seeker didn't hesitate before taking off, rolling in the sky a little just for the fun of it.
-This is not the easiest of flights. It's not meant to be, either. I wouldn't be taking you if I didn't believe you could make it, but you're going to have to stay close to me.- He would watch, and send her to intercept Metrodash if she was doing too badly. But again, Seeker 'teenagers' were able to do this flight, and so were helios and many others.
Most of the flight to Vos was easy, a straight shot in clear skies. They were both formed closer to the endurance side, and so there was no problem at all until they reached the clouds which surrounded the city. There were many obstacles in the cloud, deliberately placed and intended to damage, not kill. Sight was limited, but radar worked fine, and following another was also 'legal'. Even if you knew what was coming, the acrobatics were difficult, the wind often working against them, and this was where their model-type worked against them.
Roadstead had to dodge and twist, and pay attention to Amber, and none of it was easy. When they burst out of the clouds, Roadstead was laughing from the sheer high of having succeeded at his task, and of being home...
-I don't think I want to do that again...- Amber messaged him, sounding tired. Roadstead dropped to one of the many landing strips, and turned to watch her land, utterly unbothered by the fact that the strip was barely wide enough for both of his feet.
"We're almost there. Just follow me. If you fall here, you have to start at the end of the strip!" Roadstead answered. It wasn't true.
Amber glared a little at him, but was very careful as she followed the careless brown Seeker down the narrow path. He reached back to take her hand as they reached the gate, and turned once they passed the lintel.
"Welcome to Vos."