randomplaces | Recon's 'verse. Hayden's school town. The collection man comes.

Requiem looked around as he arrived in the reality, confident that the cloak he was wearing would hide him from human eyes, though he hadn't bothered to use the setting that would keep other Transformers from seeing him. His research into the coordinates he'd picked up from the Autobot femme and her human protege had led him to choose a site a block or two away from the school so that he could approach quietly without startling the 'Bot. Not that he didn't find startled Autobots to be hilarious, it was just bad for business and annoyed the big boss, which made Blackout mad at him. And he'd really rather have his commander mad at other things so he could laugh at them when they got owned.

A sensor sweep showed him that he might not have quite succeeded in not startling Autobots, and he chuckled. //Jazz. Hey.//

//Who're you?// came the prompt and wary reply. //'N what's yer business here, Decepticon?//

//It'll be kicking your aft if you call me that again. I'm no Fallen lackey. I'm Requiem, third in the Destron army of the Nexus.//

//Conny said nothin' could follow her back from the Nexus.// Jazz sounded gruff and upset.

//Nothin' that wasn't supposed to be following her back. But her human owes me money.//

//...Say what?//

Requiem held up the tiny object in his hand, careful to let the Autobot see the bright orange tip. //I've got the last piece to his stealth trooper armor, but he hasn't paid me for the rest yet.//

//You the guy that sold Op all those good components for Ratchet's supplies?//

//No. That was my sister Sheol. We work together.//

//Ah. Lemme call Conny.//

//Don't take too long. I have other things to do.//

The older mech just snorted and proceeded with his call to his friend, which only cemented Requiem's unadmitted good opinion of Jazzes in general.

Moments passed, and then a candy apple red Porsche 911 pulled into the record store parking lot and came to a stop near Jazz and Requiem.

//Vhat do you vant, Requiem?// she asked shortly.

//My money,// he replied amiably. Then he held up the thing in his hand. //And I brought the rest of the armor.//

//Vhat? Vait... sat's a vater gun.// Requiem saw the red femme's mood lighten just in the way she sat on her shocks. //How much more vill zat cost?//

//Nothing. But if you want the smaller gun and the knives that make funny noises you'll have to throw another thirty creds in.// Requiem's optics twinkled over his battlemask.

//Funny noises?//

//Yeah. You poke somebody 'n they make zoob tube sounds.//

//....//

//What?// He frowned. //Still too violent for you?//

//I vas looking up 'zoob tube'.// Recon snorted. //Hayden vill hafe fun vith sose. I'll take sem.//

//Okay.// He looked around before putting the big gun through the door she opened and into the lap of her holoform, then pulled the box containing the other toy weapons out of a storage compartment and added them. //The smaller gun blows bubbles.//

//Bubbles?// Jazz chuckled. //I gotta get somethin' like that for Sam 'n 'Bee.//

Recon chuckled at that, and then digitally transmitted the needed funds to the code that Requiem databursted her. //This is just in time, too. Hayden has been getting vready for the human dress up holiday.//

Requiem tilted his head slightly, then straightened it. //Oh yeah. That thing. Maybe I should get Pink to set up a booth by the sign.//

Recon paused a bit at mention of the little Minicon that she'd caused to cry the last time she spoke to Requiem, and her voice was a little stiff as she replied. //I sink she'd haf fun vith sat.//

//Yeah. She has fun with nearly everything. But anyway. I gotta get back. Have fun.//

//Sank you. Hayden vill.//

//Bye, man,// said Jazz amiably.

//Whatever, old man.// Requiem snorted amusement at him and vanished.