Lost and Found

[firra]

room: *windows open, curtains drawn to block the light. It is early afternoon.*

Haylin: *sprawled out on her bed, sheets and blankets pulled free of the mattress and wrapped around her in a sloppy nest* *snores, her head under a pillow*

white cat: *still trussed with string from her attempts to make it leave her alone, but smugly sitting on her butt and purring anyway*

Haylin: *groans and turns her head towards the cat, blinking blearily at it*

cat: *smuuugggg. PURRR*

door: *closes downstairs*

Haylin: *sits up* ...Eff? Eff, z'at you?

cat: *her grumpy little hisses and snarls are the only reply, other than the singing of the orange canary that Fireflight brought home a few weeks earlier and who is in his cage in the window downstairs*

Haylin: Eff, you home? *stumbles out of bed and to one of the windows, realizing too late she is facing the wrong side of the house to see anyone going out the front* Mmmmehhh.

canary: *is still the only sound from downstairs. But down by the little river that runs by the back of the house something white is laying*

Haylin: *squints at the white thing* *looks at the cat* *isnt terribly on point at the moment*

cat: *busy chewing string. And purring*

white thing: *is big, and long. And maybe has arms?*

Haylin: *scratches her head, rubs her nose, then wanders out onto her deck, climbs up on the railing... and promptly slips off* GNAAAH!

canary: *stopped singing* *for one whole second!*

Haylin: *cursing violently, her wings straining against the back of her shirt, trapped in a garment not made for her extra appendages* *for a second she's a flurry of movement, spurts of black fire spattering across her skin, and then suddenly her wings burst free, flaring and catching her awkwardly* *she crashes, but significantly slower than she might have*

cat: *head poked through the railing and amusement very clear in the set of her ears and head as she watches*

Fireflight: *did NOT come out to see what happened*

wind: *blows. Much like you would expect*

Haylin: ...why do I even HAVE CLOTHES THAT-AAAAGH! *springs up unsteadily, shaking out her wings and adjusting her shirt. It's ripped in the back but not unwearable*

cat: *informative little chatter, then turns and walks off out of sight*

Haylin: *curses at the cat, then looks around. Anybody see that?*

Nexus: *if anybody did, they're not saying!*

Haylin: *nods to herself, satisfied* *looks up and then takes off to scan the neighborhood*

somebody: *just groaned and cursed quietly over by the river*

Haylin: *not seeing her missing bot she grunts, shores up, and lands back behind the house again*

canary: *happy song the only sound from the house*

cat: *digging a hole in the bed where Haylin helped Fireflight plant cherry bushes a couple weeks ago*

Haylin: *shoos the cat away from the bushes* *stumbles towards the river, shoving hanks of her long black hair out of her face*

river: *peaceful, pretty smelling because of all the herbs on the banks, and pretty looking because of the flowers. That big clump of brown irises that she'd kind of liked is now mashed by that white thing... which is a big muscular white-skinned guy with a long and eel-like fish tail*

Haylin: *stares for a moment... and as something clicks her eyes narrow. She mutters to herself* Yeah, yeah, Wallflower I hear ya... *She walks over, puts one hand on her hip and glares down at the guy* Yer in my flowerbed, buster. *the sun sparkles behind her head, her hair hangs loose around her face. Her wings sparkle a little in the cool air.*

guy: *sucks in air and squints at her from pale blue eyes dozy with weakness, then turns his head and spits blood before closing his eyes again*

Haylin: *frowns* ...Bro, you okay? *pokes him with her bare foot* *Yes Haylin, kick the wounded man. Haylin you are TERRIBLE.*

guy: *scowl is his only reply, but the way he's shaking suggests that he's hurting*

Haylin: *bites her lip* ...You're not okay. *swears* Ehh...shut up Autumn. Hang on a minute. *she jogs inside*

canary: *calls to her cheerfully, then sings loudly, showing off for all he's worth*

Fireflight: *is home! All covered with blankets on his bed, but a foot's sticking out to show he's there*

Haylin: *under her breath* Oh there you are... *hurries into the (main floor) bathroom, crashes around for a minute and comes out with a towel full of first aid supplies and bandages* Shut up Autumn!

Fireflight: *heap of blankets shudders as she comes out, the sound of a sob unmistakable*

Haylin: *stops* Eff? Big guy I gotta crisis outside... *looks at the door, then back to the bed* Y'ever wish we had two bodies, too?

Fireflight: *sounds like he tried to answer and wound up breaking down completely instead*

Haylin: Crap. *flies up to Fireflight's side* Buddy, for real, there's someone bleedin' out on Autumn's irises. You okay?

Fireflight: Uh... uh huh. *whole blanket pile shudders as he cries, and then lifts as he starts to get up*

Haylin: *finds a wrinkle in the blanket and slips under, latching onto FF like a bat* What's up, big guy?

Fireflight: *face is sheened with oil as he emerges from the blankets, but he just shakes his head and gets shakily to his feet* *quietly, and full of static* Where... where's the hurt person?

Haylin: Ahh, Eff, come on, what's wrong?

Fireflight: *static gets a bit worse as his eyes go whiter* If I tell you I won't be able to help.

Haylin: S' don't help! I can do it. But you're- *she cuts herself off and frowns like this train of thought is completely foreign to her* You know. Like. I want... you to be ok and stuff.

Fireflight: *shuts off his optics and puts his face in his hands for a moment* *and then his shoulders are shaking again* Someone's blee... bleeding. They... they need help.

Haylin: ...No. You stay. Hug a pillow or something. I got this.

Fireflight: *turns and collapses on his face on the bed, once more weeping as though his heart is broken*

Haylin: *sighs, frowns, and gathers up her medical supplies again before flying back out to the flowerbed*

white guy: *laying on his face now, and smelling really good because he's squishing the apple mint. His back has a massive, filthy, deep gash in it, and the brown irises are being compensated for being crushed by having been watered in blood*

Haylin: *lands and does a quick examination* *she starts talking, apparently to no one* Okay. ...Okay. Um. Hmm. *rolls her eyes* Well LISSEN you're the smart one, throw me a freakin' bone!

house door: *opens and shuts*

Haylin: *lays out her towel of supplies* Ok. *gets under the guy and roughly rolls him onto his side, laying him awkwardly into the recovery position. She narrates herself as she does so, peppering her speech with little 'yeahs' and 'oks'*

Fireflight: *casts a shadow to one side of Haylin and her work as he hunkers down nearby with his massive furry teddy bear in his arms* *quietly* I called the doctor.

Haylin: *glances up at Eff* Yeah that's fer the best, thanks. I'm sure as **** not gonna be... *flinch* Well why don't you get out here an' do it then?! *pause* Yeah that's what I thought. *grumbles* Get wigged out by yer own periods, you're not gonna do this... *soaks a wad of cotton in alcohol and starts gently dabbing at the wound*

Hormah: *announces herself by a stream of wonderfully inventive vituperation as she walks up and sees the patient*

Fireflight: o.o *hides his face on his bear*

Haylin: *looks up at the doctor and smiles toothily* Hey! There you are. *indicates the fish-dude* He's all yours.

Hormah: *deedlebeeps something at her, and then hunkers down* Slag. Gonna needta find blood as'll work. Tell me what ye knows. *sets to work using a sterilizer on the massive wound*

Haylin: ...I know he smells like fish. *goes upstream a little ways and washes her hands off, flicking water everywhere and wiping the excess on her boxers*

Hormah: Smartaft. *works quickly to finish cleaning the wound and then closing it. Toward the end of the process she shoots a quick, quizzical frown toward Fireflight, who is still hunkered with his face hidden on his bear*

Haylin: *goes to find a hairtie in her pockets, only to realize that when you sleep in boxer shorts, you do not have pockets* *grumbles*

Hormah: *saw the gesture, flips a piece of wire at her*

Haylin: Thanks. *quickly ties her hair up into a ponytail*

Hormah: *quietly* What's got 'Flight purdlin'?

Haylin: Dunno yet. He's bein' concerned with the fish.

Hormah: *concerned little whistle, and then pulls out a softly shining speck of blue light* I wishes t'is guy was after havin' enough blood 'o the right type in 'im.

white guy: *suddenly surrounded by blue and red sparkles*

Haylin: *crouches down and watches*

sparkles: *few come over and brush against her, causing her hangover to clear up somewhat*

Haylin: *notices the sparkles* I got enough blood, guys. *shuffles back a little*

Hormah: *absently* R'lax, t'ey ain't givin' ye no blood.

sparkles: *die away all around*

white guy: *doesn't look so pasty anymore, though that sutured wound looks pretty epically nasty*

Haylin: *pokes the fishdude in the belly* He gonna get off my flowers any time soon? *ignoring the fact that she is, in fact, sitting in the flowers too*

Hormah: *snerks at her* 'N were's yer aft after bein' parked, me son?

Haylin: *sniffs superiorly* They're mine, I can sit in 'em if I want.

Hormah: *deedles laughter, and then gently lifts the white guy with both hands* Where ye after wantin' 'im put to?

Haylin: *frowns* I 'unno, he's not, y'know, mine or anything. He just showed up.

Hormah: Well he's sposeta stay here.

Fireflight: *muffled and tired sounding* He can go in my water bath.

Haylin: Aw no, come on! We don't need this, come on!

Hormah: My tub ain't the right shape, 'n I's needin' it fer ot'er stuff.

Haylin: *frowns furiously* He's not my problem though! He just showed up! *glances at FF* Come on man, don't you wanna be, like, alone right now or something?

Fireflight: *softly* No.

Hormah: *concerned frown for the Aerialbot*

Haylin: *frowns harder somehow* *pauses* What?! No, we're not putting it to a vote, Autumn, that's- ...Ffffffiiiiine. *huffs* Bring 'im inside. Bleedin' hearts all of you.

Hormah: *wicked little snerk as she stands with the injured man in her hands. And steps on the creeping thyme*

Haylin: *crosses her arms and hates everything*

cat: *decides to come and rub against her leg and purr, since she's already slagged off anyway*

Hormah: *goes into the house with the patient*

Fireflight: *watches her, and then sighs and hides his face again with a little hiccoughy sob*

Haylin: *flies up to FF* Hey dude, you didn't have to do that. I meant, like, alone with me. *her brow furrows* Or Autumn. I could, you know. Go to sleep. *huffs* Cuz, you know, she's better at this whole 'nice' thing.

Fireflight: *lifts his head to give her a look that is sad, lost, and shocked* Autumn would cry.

Haylin: Autumn literally cries all the time. Who cares?

Fireflight: *facemask moves as he wibbles* Me. You and she're the only people I have left anymore.

Haylin: *lands on his shoulder and pats his face* Well if you don't want the Wallflower around that's fine by me. I just meant we didn't have to take on a pet fish.

Fireflight: He's lost and sad too. *looks down at his bear* Besides, I've heard what you say about guys with muscles.

Haylin: He's not lost or sad or anything, Eff, he's unconscious. *that last thing he says sinks in* ...What.

Fireflight: *softly* If he wasn't lost and sad Hormah would've sent him home.

Haylin: Wh... what about me an'... I don't say stuff like that! An' anyway what does Hormah know. We got a fish now, whatever.

Fireflight: *blinks at her* You said the muscles were pretty. Now you have some to look at all the time.

Haylin: Shut up! I jus' said that 'cause of my guy in Multiverse War! *totally not lying or avoiding the issue! Shut up!*

Fireflight: *wibbles, his eyes welling up again* I'm sorry.

Haylin: Aww, don't cry. *pats his face again* Come on, let's you an' me go inside.

Fireflight: *trying hard to do as she's asked him, but the grief pushes free, and his shoulders start shaking again*

Haylin: *actually recoils - WHAT DO?!* Uh, uh, hey, dude... *pat* Dude, hey. Um. It's ok.

Fireflight: TC's dead. And so are Optimus and Elita One.

Haylin: ...Oh.

Fireflight: *shoulders like an earthquake now*

Haylin: Hey, though, doesn't that mean they'll show up here? I mean, you died, right? An' me?

Fireflight: N... n... no. They're g... gone.

Haylin: Who told you so?

Fireflight: *quietly, swallowing the sobs again* Optimus is in the matrix, 'n Elita One's with him. And TC... *crumples again* Reformatted.

Haylin: I don't know what that means, dude.

Hormah: *grimly, from where she'd come up silently* Means she's ben wiped, 'n somethin' new wrote in. She won't never exist no more.

Haylin: *looks at Hormah* That's stupid! Who did that?

Hormah: *says the word like a curse* Unicron.

Haylin: And is Unicron punchable?

Hormah: Nope. *looks like she regrets this bitterly*

Haylin: Pfft. Well I'll just talk to Charlie about this. And by talk I mean yell. And by yell I mean punch. ...How's the fish?

Hormah: *fffft* As if ye could punch Charlie. 'N 'e's sleepin'.

Haylin: I can punch whoever I want!

Hormah: *just snerks, and then goes over and hugs Fireflight, who is about as tall as she is standing while in his hunkered position. Is careful to hug the side Haylin's not sitting on*

Haylin: *huffs and leans on FF's head* I'll talk to Charlie, Eff. Nobody scraps my friend's girl and gets away with it, you got it?

Fireflight: *just cries and hugs his bear, though he turns his face slightly toward her to acknowledge her lean*

Haylin: *puts her arm as far around his head as she can*

Hormah: *deep sigh as she continues to hug him from the other side* *sadly* Primus says 'e can't fix it. I'm sorry, me son.

Fireflight: *doesn't seem to have heard*

Haylin: Shut up, Hormah, I'm gonna fix it. Eff's mine.

Hormah: *strange baytech face twitches a little, but all she does is hug*

Fireflight: *cries hard. He's shaking by time he's too tired to cry anymore*

Haylin: Come on, Eff, get'cher aft back in bed. *pats his head again* You rest awhile, I'll look after the fish.

Fireflight: *voice raspy* Okay. *tries to get up and nearly lands on his rear*

Hormah: *EXEEDINGLY UNPRINTABLE as she attempts to keep him from falling*

Haylin: *flutters up and out of the crashzone*

Hormah: *sturdy legs braced as she props the weebling Aerialbot*

Fireflight: *flails a bit with one arm, but then manages to regain his balance and get to his feet*

Hormah: Whew! *hands on her upper legs as she puffs*

Haylin: *glides and lands inside the house*

Fireflight: *weaves his way inside a moment later, then settles onto his bed hard enough to cause his canary to stop singing and make a bright little call of alarm. Lays on his back with a shaky sigh from his intakes*

Hormah: *looks around for Haylin*

Haylin: *is standing off to one side, out of the way*

Hormah: *crooks a thumb at Fireflight* I's gonna go git the Skywarp as come from his reality.

Haylin: Yeah, that's a good idea. I'm not too good at this, you know... *makes an awkward gesture encompassing the room and the sad bot* This kinda thing. *flies up, grabs FF's blanket and pulls it over him with some effort* You rest up, big guy. Hormah's gonna bring somebody. I'll go see t'our freeloader.

Hormah: *watches Fireflight's reaction, which is a slight hand movement that probably was meant to be something else by the passed out from exhaustion Aerialbot* *slight snort* Like some 'Con's gonna be any better? *vanishes with a PINpoint flash and swish*

Haylin: *frowns after her and cusses very quietly before flying off to the bathroom*

bathroom: *great big, bright room with a Haylin size bathroom over in the corner nearest the door. And Haylin size seats around the inside of the Fireflight size sink, which also has whirlpool jets in it*

white guy: *He's in the big soaking pool in the floor where Fireflight sits after he's scrubbed himself in the shower. Still laying on the bottom, though he's curled onto his side and now has his tail curled over top of him*

Haylin: *flies the length of the room and touches down on the edge of the soaking pool* *looks at the sleeping fish guy* ...What'd I think he was gonna be doin'...

cat: *lands and dab dabs a paw in the pool, then tastes it* *is fish man soup?*

Haylin: *pushes the cat with her foot* Oi, let 'im alone, you don't know what he's got.

cat: *licks her chops even as she takes a swat at Haylin's foot with her claws out*

Haylin: Aw, I can kick you harder, little dude! Get outta here!

cat: *hisses and puffs up, but then looks toward the sound of the outside door opening*

Haylin: *suddenly whispering* Shuttup, cat! We got, you know, stuff goin' on.

male voice: *shaky and tearful talking*

Fireflight: *starts to cry again*

Haylin: *sits down on the edge of the pool and dangles her feet* S'better if we just stay in here, cat. I mean, you'd just mess it up out there.

Hormah: *looks into the bathroom then*

Haylin: Hey. We're, uh, watching him. *points at the water*

Hormah: *nods and then hunkers down and looks over her shoulder* *quietly* We's got t'ree bots fr'm his reality in the Nexus. Seems him up 'n dyin' **** up the time stream a bit 'n was after causin' more fatalities.

Haylin: Oh. Well that sucks.

Hormah: *bit of a shrug* Means t'at Skywarp didn' git reformatted.

Haylin: But his lady still did?

Hormah: *heavily* TC didn' die 'n wind up here.

Haylin: *grumpily splashes her feet in the water* I still think that's stupid.

Hormah: *quietly* Stupid's when yer comic books gits cancelled. Unicron's a *highly uncomplimentary slur against the Planet Destroyer's ancestry*.

Haylin: An' that's stupid. The world can be stupid. Lots of stuff is stupid.

Hormah: *shaky sigh from her intakes, and then winces as the second guy starts crying too. Sunstreaker just found out about Optimus*

Haylin: *grits her teeth and curls up*

Hormah: *fist clenched and absently punching the floor with frustration as her optics shine brighter than they should be*

Haylin: *snaps* If you're gonna have a freakout, go have it somewhere else.

Hormah: *still absent* Bite me, b'y.

Haylin: I'm watchin' the fish. If y'can't be civil, get out.

Hormah: *quietly* I's watchin' the Lambo 'n the plane.

Haylin: ...I got no idea what you just said.

Hormah: *looks like she rolls her eyes, though not mockingly* 'Flight's a plane. 'Streaker's a Lambo.

Haylin: Oh. Well go watch 'em out there. Where they are. I'm in here. I got a cat an' a fish an' I'm fine.

Hormah: *doesn't respond as the crying quiets, but then looks up as a golden mech with black accents comes and looks over her into the bathroom*

Sunstreaker: *voice wobbly and holding static* He's asking for Haylin or Autumn.

Haylin: *glares for a second* Well if he don't care which of us he gets then it's gonna be me. *flies out of the bathroom*

Skywarp: *looks over from where she's standing and scowling awkwardly by the foot of Fireflight's bed. Is the spitting image of Thundercracker except for her purple and dark grey paint job and a slightly crazier look in her optics*

Haylin: *walks into Fireflight's hand for him, leaning on his palm* Yeah buddy I know.

Fireflight: *sad small static as his eyes flicker*

Haylin: *pats his palm and sighs* I know.

Fireflight: *shaky sigh and fades into sleep*

Sunstreaker: *comes and stands by Skywarp, who absently puts an arm around the tilted mech*

Skywarp: *gruffly* So who're you?

Haylin: *gently gets out of FF's hand, letting it fall gently onto the pillow without disturbing him. She walks to the edge of the pillow before taking off more carefully than usual* *to Skywarp* He's sleepin'now. Maybe you outta go.

Skywarp: Asked you a question, femme.

Haylin: *eyes narrow* Buddy, you don' wanna start somethin' in my house. Not today.

Hormah: *grunts and stands, then jerks her head at the Seeker, who is taller than she is, but who obeys the gesture with sullen scowling*

Skywarp: *brings Sunstreaker with her*

Haylin: Tsk. *shakes it out*

Hormah: *grumbles in a quiet stream of deedles, then looks over toward the winged girl* Ye needin' anyt'in'?

Haylin: *lands on a piece of bot sized furniture* Scrap me, I dunno. He's gonna want them t'come back, I bet. Later or whatever. I dunno. Get me a meetin' with Charlie.

Hormah: *shakes her head*

Haylin: *snorts* Fine then, don't offer if y'can't deliver. *looks at FF* I'm gonna stick around. Shouldn't wake up alone. Prob'ly let the Wallflower out for him. She'll be better at this stuff.

Hormah: *quietly, as she heads toward the outside door* T'ey always goes, in realities like his. 'Warp usually goes too, but she died first, here.

Haylin: Whatever. Fate's f'r losers anyway.

Hormah: *mutters something in agreement, and then she's gone*

cat: *shakes back legs to say Hormah's kitty poops*

Haylin: *Looks at Eff sleeping, then flies over and tucks him in. She turns off the lights and goes back into the bathroom as though she doesn't really know what else to do.*

that night, shortly after ten

cat: *passed out in the pot of Fireflight's favourite big flower*

Haylin: *still in her pajamas, still in the bathroom, but at some point that day she's moved her entire computer from her room to the countertop, where she's currently playing a game of Multiverse War*

someone: *knocks on the outside door*

Haylin: *swears and logs out, then flies out into the front room and gets the door* *angry whisper* Keep it down! Sleepin' bot!

big guy: *bright blue eyes, skin the colour of coffee with milk in it, frame like a deluxe quarterback* *voice deep and hard edged. And also familiar* You wanted to talk to me?

Haylin: *oh no he's hot* Uh... I did?

guy: *slight smirk* I'm Charlie.

Haylin: Oh. OH. YOU. *pings out the door, shutting it behind her* Yeah, yeah I gotta talk to you about Eff's girl. Everybody's talking like an idiot about this stuff.

Charlie: *leans back against the bot size foot scraper that never gets used and folds his arms over his chest* So talk.

Haylin: Do the thing, Charlie. Bring his girl back. This is stupid.

Charlie: *shakes his head* There's nothing to bring back.

Haylin: *frowns* So?

Charlie: *impassive* I can't make something from nothing.

Haylin: You rebuilt me outta stardust and dreams, Chuck! An' you didn't even have the decency to split me an' the Wallflower up so you owe me! Fix it!

Charlie: There was still something left of you for me to work with. And you never said you wanted separate bodies.

Haylin: I am two people Chuck!

Charlie: And I've known more than that share a body.

Haylin: No, you stoppit with the 'well I know people' thing, an' the 'well you didn't ask' thing. It's scrap and you know it! You fix what's goin' on in my house. You owe it to me!

Charlie: *gruff and hard* I don't owe you anything. I've already given you your second chance.

Haylin: Well you screwed up! So fix it! You don't set me here with him and then do this! He's hurting and you... you fix it!

Charlie: I thought you were too bad**** to care. *yes, he's slightly mocking here*

Haylin: *her wings flare* So what if I do? You told me to protect him, he's mine, isn't he? You gave him to me, you, you set me up to fail! You don't tell me to protect him, to have him, and then take this from him! You don't! Fix it!

Charlie: *voice hard and cold* I can't work from nothing.

Haylin: Then you tell me what you need'ta work with, Chuck.

Charlie: Atoms at least. But there aren't any.

Haylin: Then tell me who can do it, if you're gonna be useless.

Charlie: *growls at her, but then looks up as a massive shadow blocks out the light of the sleeping moon dragon* What the flonq do you want, Scattor?

Haylin: *crosses her arms and looks up*

Scattor: *glances at Charlie, but then looks to Haylin, his optics glowing slightly in the shadow of his face* *voice even deeper than Charlie's, and nearly more felt than heard* Wish.

Charlie: *straightens, his impassivity turning to a frown* And what will you do with it?

Scattor: *shrugs one shoulder* *to Haylin* Wish.

Haylin: *clucks her tongue, sideeyeing Charlie and cocking her hip* Well now someone in this nutzoid backwater's making a little sense, now aren't they?

Charlie: *shortly, his frown still focused on the massive Changeling* No.

Haylin: No? What, like you get a choice here?

Charlie: No. He's not making sense.

Haylin: Why, cuz he's actually gonna do something instead of sitting on his aft?

Charlie: *rough, angry intensity* I slagging looked, and there's nothing to work with. Even he can't make something from nothing.

Haylin: *smiles and pokes Charlie right in the chest* Well maybe he's just better than you. *apparently not caring that she's posturing at all powerful beings*

Charlie: *invisible force bats her hand away as he frowns up at Scattor again*

Haylin: *tsks at Charlie, then looks back up at Scattor* You got any atoms of Eff's Thundercracker lyin' around?

Scattor: *simply* Proximity bond.

Charlie: *shoots a couple foot into the air, and then turns and darts right through the closed door without making a hole in it*

Haylin: What the- *she jerks open the door and follows him in*

Charlie: *up on Fireflight's bed as Scattor lumbers inside in Haylin's wake, his face creased with concentration as he looks elsewhere*

Haylin: *realization* Oh eew, are we pulling from when they kissed?

Charlie: *absent and gruff* Proximity bonds are formed by close contact between resonant sparks. They usually wind up maturing into what are considered sibling bonds, but I've seen a few deepen enough to be natural wedding bonds. *frown* If any of her coding is here... there's not much.

Haylin: But it's somethin', right?

Charlie: If it's here. *glances at Scattor* If there's Thundercracker coding in Fireflight's spark, then I wish I could find it.

Scattor: *nods as cobalt blue sparkles cover Fireflight's chest*

Haylin: *smiles what is possibly the smuggest grin that has ever been smiled*

Charlie: *several minutes later he's frowning at a tiny scrap of glowing matter in his hands* ...This won't bring back the femme he knew.

Haylin: But she won't be dead, right? That's... that's something.

Charlie: She'll be young, with no memories and no past. *turns that tiny light to look at it from the other side*

Scattor: Can give her enough bulk to be adult.

Haylin: But it's something.

Charlie: Why are you so set on this?

Haylin: Why wouldn't I be?

Charlie: People lose loved ones all the time.

Haylin: *shakes her head* Not when they're mine. *her eyes narrow* An' if you didn't want me to get like this, maybe you shouldn't have given him to me. Or, better still... *she looks away and fiddles with her nails absently* Well. You know. *Maybe you shouldn't have made me nicer when you put me back together.*

Charlie: *very slight smirk, but looks up at Scattor* I wish Thundercracker was living, in a form that Fireflight can love.

Scattor: *commence a LOT of sparkles*

Haylin: *blinks in the light*

sparkles: *swirl and swell, and a form is taking shape there. It's not as tall as Thundercracker had been, and is much more slender, though the wings are already visible and raising up Seeker proud*

Haylin: *crosses her arms and smiles an evil little smile at Charlie*

Charlie: *watching the sparkles, his face impassive again* Don't even think of making her pastel. Her sister's here in the Nexus.

Scattor: So?

Haylin: *snickers* Like t' see her face if you did make her pastel. *almost fondly* She was a tough chick.

Charlie: *absently, as he watches Scattor work* She wouldn't have lived as long as she did if she hadn't been.

Haylin: Well duh, Chuck.

Charlie: *and then he's stepping forward and holding up his hands as the sparkles die away and the newly born sky blue Seeker wobbles and squeaks with surprise* Easy...

Haylin: *snort* You made her pastel anyway! *laughs*

Scattor: Sky colour. *watches as the young femme steadies on her feet, and then silently vanishes*

blue femme: *blinks and looks toward the now empty space* What happened?

Charlie: *glances at Haylin as he drops his hands, telling her without words that she's supposed to answer*

Haylin: I dunno, he went home or somethin'. *pauses* Oh, what, you mean like in general? You got scrapped, Teec. *the soul of tact, everyone.*

blue femme: *blinks confusion, but then nods* He went home. *looks at her hands* ...Who am I?

Charlie: *will speak up at that* You're the clone of a female Seeker named Thundercracker.

femme: *frowns, and then looks toward the sound of a soft sob* Who's that?

Charlie: That's Thundercracker's boyfriend.

femme: Where's Thundercracker? *slight pout of concern*

Charlie: *glances at Haylin again*

Haylin: That'd be you. ...Man, you don't remember anything, do you? *flies up and lands on Thundercracker's shoulder* You're Thundercracker. Or, like, Thundercracker Point Two or somethin'. *throws her arms up* Happy Birthday!

femme: *blinks* I'm Thundercracker point two? But where's the other Thundercracker? *innocent and big eyed enquiry as she looks at Haylin*

Haylin: Apparently your world got messed up. Mine did too. It's not really a big deal.

femme: *thinks hard for a moment, but then looks sad* She's gone?

Haylin: *all the emotional understanding of a wet napkin* Yep!

femme: *looks at Fireflight again* And that's making him cry.

Charlie: *watching in silence now as he hovers about fifteen foot up from the floor*

Haylin: Yeah! And a bunch of other bots. So, I went up t'Chuck here and I says, let's get some atoms left over from Teec and make 'er back up! And here you are! *Haylin, that is not how it happened.*

femme: *looks at Charlie as he snorts, and then back to Fireflight* *sudden impish grin that is innocent and sweet, but clearly TC* So I can have her boyfriend now?

Haylin: Well, like, you gotta ask him first and stuff. Point is, you're Thundercracker, and you're not dead anymore.

Thundercracker: Eeeee! *scoots over to get into that snuggle pile with Fireflight and the teddy bear*

Charlie: *face palming with a snort of amusement*

Haylin: *manages to fly off of TC before she falls on FF, turns and grins at Charlie*

Charlie: *gruff and slightly mocking* You're going to be having lots of fun now. *and then vanishes with very faint crackle of static*

Haylin: Hey, I'm not done with you! *glances around like he'll reappear... but no such luck. She crosses her arms and flutters to the floor* Tsk.

Fireflight: *just made a startled little movement* *softly, his voice scratchy with static from exhaustion and crying* Who're you?

Thundercracker: *whispers back excitedly* I'm Thundercracker now, and you're MY boyfriend!

Fireflight: ... *blinks at her for several long minutes, his incomprehension mighty*

Haylin: Remember how I said I was gonna talk to Charlie? Well... I got you a present!

Fireflight: *turns his head to try and see her, but can't turn that far* What?

Thundercracker: *yes, that was a muffled giggle*

Haylin: I talked to Charlie, an' we got some atoms an' a wish, and we brought her back! Sorta. She doesn't remember. But she's, you know, somethin'. She's as close as we could get, big guy. An' she's new and stuff, so, like... yeah.

Fireflight: *voice shaking and holding very much static now* This is my TC???

Haylin: Sorta!

Fireflight: *sad wing twitch* *frzzt bzzt* ...Confused.

Haylin: Yeah, it's kinda weird. But it's something!

Charlie: *pokes her in the mind* -Just tell him she's his Thundercracker. He understands the coming back without memories. It happens to his people sometimes.-

Haylin: AAAAUUUGH! *jerks in surprise, then falls abruptly and awkwardly silent* Don't do that! *sits down* Scrap an' whatever's a stronger curse around here, give me a heart attack...

Fireflight and Thundercracker: *both sitting up now and looking at her with concern, their optics bright and wings perked with alarm*

cat: *growled at her for waking it up*

canary: *slept through it*

Haylin: *red with embarrassment* ...Charlie. Charlie in my head. Uh, he says she's your Teec, yeah. *clears her throat*

Fireflight: *blink blink* ...You mean he's talking in your head?

Haylin: Yeah. Well, like, he was.

Fireflight: Did he hurt you?

Thundercracker: *scowls at the thought*

Haylin: *dismissive gesture* Naw, he just surprised me.

Fireflight: *relieved* Oh. *then sighs and droops*

Thundercracker: *distracted back to her current favourite subject* So you're my boyfriend now.

Fireflight: *wibbles and leans against her, taking an arm from the bear to hold her close*

Thundercracker: *squeaks with surprise, and then looks very pleased*

Haylin: I, uh, I outta leave you two t' get to know each other.

Fireflight: *static in reply*

Thundercracker: *glee turns to concern as she leans back and then works on getting him and his teddy bear laying down. Soft clicks and skreeks as she does so*

Haylin: Or not! *flies up to FF* You ok, buddy?

Fireflight: *gives her a look that says his processor has shut down and gone to sleep without him*

Haylin: Oh... *lands on the pillow and looks up at TC* He's had a hard day. He'll be ok.

Thundercracker: *gets him settled, and then pokes uncertainly at the blankets as she tries not to wibble. But the tears on her face give away how she's feeling* *softly* I'll help him feel better. He just needs hugs and sleep, right?

Haylin: Yeah, I think so. *grimaces at the tears, completely unable to deal with this* Uh... you... ok?

Thundercracker: *nods as though she didn't really hear the question* How do these work? *little poke for the blankets*

Haylin: *clearly swallows the 'what are you, stupid?'* Blankets? You get under 'em. They make you less cold.

Thundercracker: Okay. I thought so, but... *finds two corners* Oh! *quickly has Fireflight all covered up, and then lays down under the blankets beside him* It's a nest!

Fireflight: *sobby sigh and a snuggle*

Haylin: Yeah kinda. *flies off the pillow to let them cuddle without crushing her comparatively tiny body*

Thundercracker: *softly* Don't cry, Fireflight. I'll take care of you now.

Fireflight: *sleeps, his running sounds calming*

Haylin: *frowns jealously* I'm... I'm gonna go... do something.

Thundercracker: *quietly* Okay, Mom. *then lifts her head worriedly* Don't go too far? I don't know a lot yet, and he might need you.

Haylin: *scoffs* 'Course he needs me. ...Wait, what'd you- No! No, I'm not, what?! *lands rather abruptly*

Thundercracker: *puzzled blinkings at her*

Haylin: *flashes of strange colored fire erupt from her skin as she panics* I, I, I'm gonna go! I'll... I'll be in the bathroom! *zips off like a rainbow colored streak, slamming the bathroom door behind her* *after a second the door opens again* Because I have a fish in here! This isn't weird! *door slams again*

something: *just fell down by the toilet when she slammed the door the first time* *and now it's cursing*

Haylin: *flushed, hair a mess, eyes bugged out, mostly on fire* Oh what now?!

white guy: *gives her a serious stink eye from where he's slumped on the floor by the throne* What's the big idea?

Haylin: Oh. Oh it's you! Well, zippity-doo-dah-day. *slumps by the door* So you're not dead, I guess.

white guy: Zip it yourself. *reaches for toilet paper. Seems somebody might have had a bit of a number one accident when he fell down*

Haylin: Oh gross, dude... *covers her eyes with her arm and gets up* You could have said!

white guy: You could have knocked. *finishes correcting the damaged caused by falling down while peeing*

Haylin: You were pretty dead earlier, an' anyway it's my bathroom, so I'll go where I please!

white guy: *more stink eye, and then a sound of disgust as he realizes that his modesty wrap thingy got peed on too*

Haylin: *is still not looking, eyes stuck firmly in the crook of her elbow* *sighs loudly as though someone only she can hear is lecturing her* Fffine. Do you need anything? Doctor's gone for the day.

white guy: *scowls, growls, but then sighs a massive sigh of disgust and resignation* *gruffly* I got this wet. Is there anything else I could use?

Haylin: *grins under her arm* I got a skirt you could wear.

white guy: *has an unprintable opinion of a skirt!*

Haylin: *laughs* Well, if you don't want me to be hospitable... *laughs again and shakes her head* I'll getcha a towel or somethin', hang on. Y'ain't got legs or this'd be easier. *slips back out the door*

Thundercracker: *is making a soft sound. It seems to be singing from someone who has never heard a song*

Haylin: *very quietly sneaks to a closet and pulls out several new looking puffy yellow towels, pauses, glares slightly upwards, rolls her eyes and digs around behind them until she gets a slightly more used one* *sneaks back to the bathroom, forgets to knock again and goes inside*

white guy: *has moved away from the toilet and is laying on his stomach on the floor a little distance away, his head on his folded arms. His wound is clearly visible, and it's plain he's pulled some stitches a bit because it's leaking blood*

Haylin: Hey. *walks over and throws him the towel* You messed yourself up again.

white guy: *lifts his head and frowns at her, his eyes a bit unfocused due to weakness and just having pushed himself too hard*

Haylin: I can't, like, stitch you up, dude...

white guy: *deep voice a bit heavy, words very very slightly slurred* So?

Haylin: Hmm. *frowns as her gaze again turns inward* Hang on. *goes out again and returns with the towel full of medical supplies she took outside earlier* Well, let's see what we can do, I guess. Not like I haven't brought a chick back from the dead today or nothin'.

white guy: *head down again, though he looks like he's fighting against the weakness. Voice muffled* Who the *deleted* are you?

Haylin: *wetting a wad of cotton with alcohol* I'm Haylin, you're in my house, an' if you're gonna be a *term for the male anatomy*, I'll put you right back where I found you, got it?

white guy: *gruff and still muffled* Nemo. And I never asked you to bring me in.

Haylin: That's cuz you were dying in my flowers. Doctor brought you in. Not my call. *starts wiping at the blood with the wad of cotton*

Nemo: No one stopping you from putting me back out. *tenses slightly at the touch, but she'll be able to feel him trembling because he's that weak*

Haylin: Big talk from a guy who's shakin'.

Nemo: *antisocial grunt*

Haylin: Yeah, that's what I thought.

Nemo: Been on my own through worse. *just can't get his muscles to listen to him right now*

Haylin: *sarcasm dripping from every word* Yeah yeah, keep talkin', I'm getting all shivery and girlish.

Nemo: *lifts his head to give her a look that clearly wonders what she's been smoking* *half his face is swollen up, starting from his jaw*

Haylin: *snickers, apparently not terribly worried about his face* You suck at jokes.

Nemo: *scowl deepens* The *deleted* are you talking about?

Haylin: *frowns suddenly* Nothin'. Forget it. *throws away the wad of cotton, satisfied he's clean enough*

Nemo: *still scowling* You realize I'm not a drug trip, right?

Haylin: *scowls back, taking her turn to facially wonder what he's smoking* What?

Nemo: *face down on his arms again* Never mind.

Haylin: Tsk. *fiddles with a few things on the towel, eventually producing a square bandage and a tube of some kind of anti-bacterial ointment*

Nemo: *suddenly relaxes completely*

Haylin: ...Did you just die. *it's not so much a question as an exasperated sigh*

Nemo: *not breathing!*

Haylin: *CURSES!*

Nemo: *nope, nothing*

Haylin: Oh crap! Oh... oh crap! Uh, uh... *blinks fast, glancing around at her hands and the pile of stuff on the towel, obviously caught in some kind of internal struggle* Rescue breathing?! I don't know how to... No! No, what?! I... I... Well if you know what to do, then GET OUT HERE! *Haylin's head abruptly drops*

Autumn: *her head pops back up* N-n-n-no, Hayl-lin, I... *looks down at her hands, realizing she's driving again* *makes a high pitched, terrified whine*

Nemo: *still silent. Except for heartbeat*

Autumn: *panics quietly for a second, big goopy tears forming in her big goopy eyes until she sniffles and clenches her fists* *rolls him over with some effort, careful not to look anywhere near his hip region* *gets to her knees, puts her hands on the center of his chest, and starts sharply compressing his chest* *she counts to thirty, eyes focused on her hands, before she drops down, pinches his nose and breathes into him*

Nemo: *muffled whistling sound from his back during the CPR*

Autumn: *stops, listens, and rolls him back over, managing to flop him onto her lap as she examines the source of the sound*

Nemo: *the shark type gill slits on the sides toward his back are looking a little dry around the edges*

Autumn: *stares at them for a second, understanding. She looks at the pool of water, then at him, then chokes* No, n-n-no, H-h-h-haylin, p-p-p-please, I can't, please, please... *sniffles, big tears falling down her face. She's shaking, but in spite of what she's saying, she's getting to her feet* P-p-please, please w-w-wake back up, c-c-c-come b-back, I can't by myself... *shaking, she grabs him under his arms and starts to drag him across the floor towards the pool... but she's not strong enough*

cat: *just slipped in through the ventilation. Stares, understands that Haylin's not there right now, and shakes a front paw in angry disappointment as she turns away*

Autumn: *whimpers, curling over Nemo* I'm s-s-s-sorry, I c-c-can't... *her wings fold around them both... and Autumn looks up at them like she forgot they were there. She blinks back her tears, wraps her arms tight around Nemo's chest, and flaps once, hard. She can't fly, but she can throw herself!* *both of them fly like they've been tossed by a giant arm, tumbling awkwardly into the pool together, spinning even as they sink towards the bottom*

cat: *whoawhattheslag? Runs over to look*

Nemo: *lighter in the water than on land, and automatically bobbing toward the surface after nearly going to the bottom*

Autumn: *pops back up to the surface, still stuck to him* *gasps for air, her hair free of its tie and stuck to her face and chest. Her wings, useful in the air, are a horrible weight in the water, and even as she scrabbles to hold on, she drags him back under*

Nemo: *gives a jerk when they're halfway down again, then pushes at her before frowning at her with confusion*

Autumn: *breaks away, too weak to hang on if he pushes her* *struggling with her wings, sinking as she flails around in the water*

Nemo: *frown deepens, and then he's diving and grabbing her by one wing before a powerful ripple of that long tail brings them to the surface and he's shoving her at the pool ladder*

Autumn: *chokes at the surface, scrambling and managing to grab the ladder and pull herself back out before collapsing on the side of the pool, gasping*

Nemo: *floating with only his eyes and the top of his head sticking out of the water as he watches her with that deep frown still in place*

Autumn: *gasping turns to sobbing as she curls in on herself, wings flopped awkwardly around her as though she's not used to having them*

Nemo: *now he's really sure the girl must have been using something* *rises up slightly and swims over with barely a movement to poke her*

Autumn: *squeaks unhappily and jerks away, managing to get into a sitting position* *she pushes her hair away from her face, but only a little* I'm s-s-s-sorry...

Nemo: *and now some concern is showing* *gruffly* You better call that doctor you mentioned. You need it. *sinks back down in the water as he speaks*

Autumn: I'm g-g-glad you're... *sob* I'm... I'm g-glad you're alr-right... *watches him sink down and bursts into fresh tears*

Nemo: *winces* Call the doctor.

Autumn: I'm sorry! I-I'm alright, really, I'm j-j-just... I was s-scared!

Nemo: *deep voice goes slightly harsh and commanding* You're losing it completely. Call that *deleted* doctor.

Autumn: *winces at his voice, curling up a little tighter on herself* No, no, I'm f-f-fine, I'm s-s-s-sorry, I'm, I'm t-t-trying to s-s-stop! *she takes several deep, shaking breaths and quiets a little* I'm so s-s-sorry...

Nemo: *starts to speak again, but then vanishes under the surface and dives deep as the bathroom door opens*

Thundercracker: Mom? Are you okay? *peeks in worriedly and then meeps and hurries inside*

Nemo: *you can't see his expression of sheer WTS that he's wearing right now*

Autumn: *whips her head around, her hair slapping her as it goes around too fast* *spits out hair with a sad little 'pleh' sound*

Thundercracker: *hunkers down and scoops her up gently in hands that are slender and warm despite their metallic hardness* *quietly* What's wrong? Did that person down there hurt you?

Autumn: No, n-not at all, really, I, I just... he wasn't b-breathing, he needed water, so... s-s-so... *sniffles again and wipes her eyes* H-h-haylin, she th-thought I should... *sniffles*

Thundercracker: *picks the towel up off the floor and wraps it around Autumn, then holds her close* Shhh. It's okay now, Mom.

Autumn: *sniffles* I-I'm not H-h-h-haylin, Thundercracker. I'm Autumn... we... we both... We're both in here. B-b-but I didn't... I'm not her.

Thundercracker: *slight bewilderment in those big blue optics* I don't understand. *tucks the towel a bit better*

Autumn: We're t-two p-people. I'm sorry, it's always b-b-been this way... H-h-h-haylin didn't know w-what to do, so she went to s-sleep and I came out. It's... it's h-hard to explain... I'm sorry...

Thundercracker: *slight frown for a moment as she thinks, but then brightens* Well, I think I imprinted on both of you. *soft little comforting croon* Shhh, it's okay.

Autumn: *sniffles* O-okay...

Thundercracker: You're all wet. How do we fix that?

Autumn: *wraps the towel around her hair* I-I have clothes in my r-r-room, I'll go ch-change. Y-you should go be with Fireflight, he n-needs you.

Thundercracker: *lifts her up to bring her to the stairs in the main room and set her down* Alright.

Autumn: *goes up the stairs and into her room, closing the door behind her*

Meatball: *sleepy murmur from where he's snuggled between her pillows*

Autumn: *somewhat timidly even though it's her own room* Meatball... *skritches the fat dragon on the back of the neck*

Meatball: *lifts his little head and purrs for her, then even opens his eyes so she can see the pretty, slow, soft blue swirling that means he's happy*

Autumn: *sighs, her lower lip wibbling* Muh-Meatball... *wibble wibble sniffle*

Meatball: *oh no, Mama has a sad! Soft little whisper tickle of sent affection as he crawls out of the pillows and tries to climb into her arms, crooning softly*

Autumn: *wibbles harder and suddenly throws herself down on the bed and buries her face into Meatball's side with a sob*

Meatball: *purrrrrr. Love love love. Sends another thread off affection, mixed with reassurance. Meatball is here!*

Autumn: *snuffles, burying herself deeper in her towel, the blankets, and slightly fuzzy dragon* I'm s-stupid.

Meatball: *disagrees. Mama is wonderful* *PURRRR* *Mama sleeps now? Is night time...*

Autumn: *stays there for a minute, silently sniffling to herself*

Meatball: *snuggles, and even stays awake, his eyes still showing soft blue*

Autumn: *eventually* ...I sh-should go a-a-aha-apologize to him.

Meatball: *quizzical chrrr. Who is Mama apologizing to?*

Autumn: *sniffles and wipes her eyes on her towel, then gets up, pulls her wings back in, and changes into a black dress and stockings. She carefully folds Haylin's pajamas and puts them on the corner of the bed, scratches Meatball's head again, and then goes back out into the hallway*

Meatball: *little chirps as he crawls lazily on his belly back to his spot between the pillows. Loves you, Mama. Come sleeps soon!*

Autumn: *goes down the stairs and back to the bathroom door. She knocks* Um... h-hello?

Nemo: *no reply*

Autumn: *tries again*

Thundercracker: *peeks from where she's being dolly hugged by the sleeping Fireflight, then scans through the door* He's hiding down in the water.

Autumn: O-oh! M-maybe I shouldn't bother him then...

Thundercracker: *watching through the door* *absent curiosity* Why do you have all that soft stuff on?

Autumn: ...Y-you mean clothes? Um, b-because... um... otherwise I would be... um... naked.

Thundercracker: Do I need to wear that stuff?

Autumn: I don't think so...

Thundercracker: How about the person in there?

Autumn: H-he does. At least, he was w-wearing something before...

Thundercracker: Maybe that's why he's hiding. He isn't wearing anything.

Fireflight: *without waking* Blankets in the box by the stairs.

Thundercracker: *looks at him and snerks*

Autumn: Oh! Th-thank you. *shuffles over to the box and pulls out a human-sized green flannel sheet, then goes back and knocks again* Um... I'm c-c-c-coming i-in.

Nemo: *no response*

Thundercracker: I don't think he can hear you when he's under all that water.

Autumn: R-right... *opens the door and peeks in* Um... I'm coming in... *very carefully tiptoes in*

Nemo: *heard the door open and darts over to the corner of the pool to hide his front. Suspicious and very tired glance upward*

Autumn: *tips her head down, hiding in her hair* Um... h-hello again.

Nemo: *frowns when he sees her mouth moving, but just moves closer to the corner. He'll be darned if he lets some crazy look at him in his birthday suit!*

Autumn: Um, I b-b-brought you a blanket to wear. It's all I c-c-c-could get, I'm sorry. All I h-have are skirts and H-haylin's... um... *trails off, embarrassed that she's even talking*

Nemo: *frown deepens*

Autumn: *shuffles over and puts the blanket down* I'm s-sorry.

Nemo: *frown just started showing a bit of confusion as he tries to figure out what she's doing*

Charlie: *sounds like he's busy with something else* -Drop it on him.-

Autumn: *much better than Haylin at not reacting to voices in her head, she just shuffles over and drops the blanket into the pool, well within Nemo's reach. Then backs away*

Nemo: *very briefest flash of surprise as the sheet floats down through the water, but then he's taking it and slowly wrapping it around himself toga style. Glances up toward Autumn when he's done, once more frowning as he tries to figure out what this unexpected action might mean*

Autumn: *bites her lip and fiddles with her hands nervously* Um... th-there's... I'm sorry I sc-scared you before.

Nemo: *scowls and swims slowly toward the surface, the movement looking as though it hurts a bit* *stops with his head out* What? *gruff fish man is gruff*

Autumn: *winces at the gruffness!* Um, I-I-I... um... s-s-sorry.

Nemo: *scowl more* Alright... *doesn't get it*

Autumn: *whimper*

Nemo: *eyes widen in a suden ACK! response and he ducks, staring at Autumn with open alarm now*

Autumn: I'm s-s-s-sorry!

Nemo: *and then he's sinking and putting his hands to the sides of his head. Pauses and lifts his head, scowling, then seems to be saying something demanding without actually speaking. Finally nods tersely and then absently makes a rude gesture with one hand*

Autumn: *whimpers again... and then barely contains a sob* I'm s-s-sorry! *goes to leave*

Nemo: *pops his head up* *gruff still* Charlie says to take a deep breath.

Autumn: *turns around, only now realizing that Charlie was involved* O-oh. *she takes his advice, but doesn't come any closer*

Nemo: *shortly* Thanks for the save.

Autumn: Ah, y-y-you're welcome. I'm s-s-sorry I scared y-y-you, um... I... H-haylin and I are... *she puts her hand on her chest* We're b-both in here?

Nemo: Charlie explained. *dunks and rises again with an easy movement of his tail* Thought you were on drugs.

Autumn: *sadly* Oh. Um. No.

Nemo: *dunks and raises again, then lowers his face and blows bubbles as he yawns*

Autumn: Um... *fidgets*

Nemo: What?

Autumn: Y-you were bleeding.

Nemo: *frown* You want to look at it?

Autumn: I... *she has to push herself into saying it* I th-think if we could cover it with s-s-something waterproof, you would h-heal better. And you wouldn't b-bleed in the water.

Nemo: *face goes inscrutable for a moment. Then, sharply and nearly like a growl* Fine. *starts to swim toward the side of the pool nearest her*

Autumn: *almost smiles!* *goes and gathers the pile of medical supplies from where she left them earlier, bringing the whole towel over to the side of the pool to meet him.*

Nemo: *tries to jump out, winds up shoulder checking the edge of the pool and then sinking as he grasps the new bruise and winces*

Autumn: A-are you alright? *shuffles over to the edge of the pool and kneels down to look in on him* Um, I can't pull you out, but... *reaches down*

Nemo: *looks up as he senses the movement in the water, then waves her off and heads for the ladder*

Autumn: *shakes water out of her sleeve and dries her hand on the towel, a little dejected*

Nemo: *grunts as he pulls himself up the ladder with his hands, and then flops on his face with his tail still hanging down into the pool. The back of his toga has a red patch on it* There. I'm out. *sounds exhausted*

Autumn: H-how can we h-help you to b-breathe this time?

Nemo: I'm alright for a few minutes, this blanket's keeping my gills wet. *but his chest's not moving, which probably clearly illustrates how those gills work*

Autumn: O-okay. But I h-have to uncover your wound...

Nemo: *grunts* Hurry up.

Autumn: S-sorry, I'm sorry... *she uncovers the wound hurriedly, peeling the wet blanket off delicately* K-keep the blanket bunched by your g-g-g-gills, p-please.

Nemo: *presses his arms to his sides by way of complying*

Autumn: Th-thank you. *she peels the used bandage off gently, then quickly cleans it out with alcohol. Compared to Haylin her touch is like clouds and kitten fur*

Nemo: *silent as she works. His skin is smooth, unless you brush against it the wrong way, then there's a fine sandpaper roughness*

Autumn: *finishes cleaning and silently applies a square of gauze, then unrolls some plastic medical tape over the gauze, sealing it under a layer of plastic*

Nemo: *tenses a bit* *abruptly* Need to soak.

Autumn: O-okay, it should hold for a little while.

Nemo: *backs into the water, feeling wearily grateful that the edge of the pool here is rounded and covered with some kind of rubber bumper. Sinks under without much of a splash, and then adjusts his toga as he takes a slow turn around the bottom of the pool*

Autumn: *waits, not looking into the water for fear that he'll think she's staring*

Nemo: *back he comes, but it soon becomes apparent that his bruised shoulder is ganging up with his weariness and weakness and making him unable to haul himself up the ladder again* *disgusted curse, then rests his head against the rung he's holding onto*

Autumn: I-it's okay... it should hold for now. Y-you should r-rest.

Nemo: *gives her an impatient look, but then flinches as he realizes that the sky blue bot is looking into the room* Maybe the kid can lift me.

Autumn: *looks at Thundercracker* Oh! Um, h-h-hello. ...Could you h-help us?

Thundercracker: *happy grin as she walks in* Sure, Mom. What do I do?

Autumn: *to Nemo* I-is it really okay if she l-lifts you?

Nemo: *scowls at her, gruffness all go* That's what I said.

Autumn: *winces, then turns back to TC* Um, if you c-could lift him out, p-please?

Thundercracker: *hunkers by the pool and reaches in to gently lift the injured man out* Hey, you need a bed. I'll make you one while Mom helps you. *lays him down carefully, and then gets up to go look in that blanket box*

Nemo: *watches her go with a frown that says he's wondering if he isn't tripping out, but then frowns at Autumn*

Autumn: *calls to TC timidly* H-he needs to be in the w-w-water, remember!

Thundercracker: Yup. Do we have tying stuff? I need to tie this. *sound of soft clinking*

Nemo: *gruffly, his head on his arms* How old is that kid?

Autumn: *thinks about this while she readies more tape* ...An hour, m-maybe?

Nemo: *lifts head to stare at her*

Thundercracker: *calls again from the other room* Mom?

Autumn: I-it involved a w-wish spell. I... you aren't f-f-from here, are you? *turns back to the door and calls:* Th-there should be some th-things in the closet by the f-f-f-front door!

Nemo: *dray sarcasm as he puts his head down again* What makes you think that?

Thundercracker: *sound of rummaging, and of the white cat growling and being fingerflicked* Ah! Rope!

Autumn: *reinforcing the tape she put on earlier* I-I was confused at first, too. They're something called 'robots'.

Nemo: Robots I know. Ones that aren't out to kill mutants are new to me.

cat: *flies in not under her own power and plunks into the pool*

Autumn: Oh. We d-d-didn't have them w-where I come from.

Nemo: They're all over where I come from. *sadness roughens his gruff voice further* Just waiting to stomp mutants.

Autumn: *hmms in acknowledgment and reaches down to help the cat back out*

cat: *scratches her by way of thanks*

Autumn: *winces, but seems to think it's not worth mentioning* W-we h-have mutants living here. N-no one b-b-bothers anyone... it's p-p-peaceful.

Nemo: *grunts, wondering if the girl actually believes that*

Thundercracker: *comes back in and starts rigging a comfortable four point hammock over in one end of the pool near the input jet so that the water is moving over the spot* *tuneless but sweet singing as she works*

Autumn: Th-thank you, Thundercracker. *does one more pass on the tape, cementing it into place under a waterproof layer of plastic* It's d-done, for now. If it starts g-getting loose, I'll do it over. A-and I'll ch-change it tomorrow. Or, um, H-haylin will. If she's here and I'm n-n-not.

Nemo: *tired grunt, but it sounds like the generic reply of a sleeping man*

cat: *makes like she's going to piddle on the tail of his toga*

Autumn: *shoos the cat away* N-n-nemo? Y-y-you need to be in the w-w-water...

cat: *takes a swipe at her, but then meeps and scoots as Thundercracker comes over*

Thundercracker: *frowning at Nemo as he fails to reply to Autumn* Is he ignoring you?

Autumn: I th-think he's sleeping. H-h-he's had a h-hard day. C-could you put him b-back in the water?

Thundercracker: *frown clears away and is replaced by childlike concern. As she moves to carefully lift him* Should I put him to bed?

Autumn: A-as long as it's ready a-and submerged, y-yes.

Thundercracker: It's all ready. *turns and slips into the pool, then wades over while holding Nemo under the water. Reaches the blanket hammock and stoops to carefully tuck the injured man into it in such a way that one set of gills is uncovered and directly in the flow of moving water* There. I think that will work. *straightens up*

cat: *offering to pee on Autumn's skirt*

Autumn: *shoos the cat away again* N-n-n-no, cat. Naughty. *boops its nose* *back to TC* Thank you, again. T-t-tomorrow we should find out what's h-h-happened to him. I... I don't think he wants to s-s-stay here, either, so...

Thundercracker: *turns and gives Autumn a surprised look* Why not?

cat: *overcome by massive sneezing and hissing fit*

Autumn: Oh, it's n-n-n-nothing you d-d-did. Th-this must all be v-v-very overwhelming. *and I am not helping.*

Thundercracker: But it's a nice place. You said so. And if any robots try to stomp him I'll stomp them. *has not a clue what it means to stomp on someone yet, but she means it!*

Autumn: I kn-know that, but this must be very hard for him, and we should r-respect if he wants to be s-s-s-somewhere else.

Thundercracker: *frowning again, but nodding in obedience to her parent* Okay. *idly passes air out one of her vents, then looks down with a curious grin as the water bubbles around her*

Autumn: I th-think we could all use some r-rest.

Thundercracker: *looks up, does a quick check on Nemo*

Nemo: *on his side, his tail curled up in front of him and his head resting on it as he sleeps with heavy exhaustion and grateful comfort*

Thundercracker: His gills are moving. That's good, right?

Autumn: Y-yes, I think so. I-I'll come back and check on him l-later.

Thundercracker: Okay. *steps very carefully away from the sleeping man, and then climbs out of the water... unleashing a torrent over Autumn and the cat in the process*

Autumn: *freezes, water coursing over her again* ... *spits out her hair again with another chorus of 'pleh' noises*

Thundercracker: *staring down with dismay and confusion as she tries to figure out how that happened!*

cat: *shakes a back leg, and then goes to snuggle down on Haylin's bed and make a puddle*

Autumn: *stumbles to her feet and starts wringing out her hair*

Thundercracker: You're all wet.

Fireflight: *sleepy voice from the door, where he's leaning on the frame with one hand* What happened, Autumn?

Thundercracker: *shoots a look over there, and then hides her face in her hands, suddenly shy*

Autumn: Oh, I got just a l-l-little wet, th-that's all... *wrings out her totally waterlogged 'just a little wet' dress* A-are you alright?

Fireflight: *eyes are their usual soft colour, though a bit lighter due to his weariness. Looks at Thundercracker and moves his mask slightly in a wibble* *softly* I think I will be.

Autumn: Oh g-g-g-good...

Fireflight: *still soft* Thundercracker?

Thundercracker: *startles and peeks at him over her hands*

Fireflight: *holds out his free hand to her* *gently* You should be in bed so your processor can figure things out.

Thundercracker: *blush* I already figured it out.

Fireflight: *lifts a brow plate. Softly* I have programming data you can have. It'll help you know more.

Thundercracker: *perk!*

Autumn: *has no idea what this means but she's going to hide her face anyway because oh dear*

Fireflight: *moves his hand slightly, his eyes smiling*

Thundercracker: *tiptoes over and takes the hand, then squeaks as Fireflight pulls her close and hides his face on her shoulder* *turns head to look at Autumn, making sure this is all good!*

Autumn: *is very loudly not paying attention to your private moment oh dear oh my better look small*

Thundercracker and Fireflight: *notice her embarrassment at the same time*

Fireflight: *peers at her without lifting his head* Autumn? What's wrong?

Autumn: *squeak!* N-n-n-n-n-n-nothing!! Um, I, um, I'm g-g-g-going to go, um, leave you in privatebecauseyouhavealotofthingstotalkabout. *flees!*

Fireflight: *blink blink blink* She's always embarrassed when I bring girls home and kiss them.

Thundercracker: *perk* Are you going to kiss me?

Fireflight: *sighs and snuzzles her helm, amazed that she's so much smaller than him now* No. I'm just going to give you some data chips and maybe hug you while I sleep.

Thundercracker: *wants data, but lack of kissing is disappointing* Oh. Okay.

upstairs

Autumn's room: *quiet and warm, the curtains that separate the areas moving softly in the breeze from open windows*

Autumn: *shuts the door behind her and leans on it for a moment while her heart rate slows down, then collects the towel from the bed and wraps it around her head while she peels off her wet dress. Dutifully hangs her wet clothes to dry, never dreaming of leaving them on the floor* *this done, she puts on a flouncy, flowery nightdress and crawls into bed beside Meatball, careful to worm in without disturbing his pillow nest at all*

Meatball: *soft little sound and licks her nose, then wriggles out of his pillow place to snuggle her instead. Purr and sleep*

Autumn: *sighs and cuddles her dragon, snuggling into her pillows in the gentle breeze and the soft moonshine until she falls into a peaceful sleep*

((Co-written with random_xtras))