othmtmte. /Faithful 13/. Nightmare City

[marsthewriter]

Random: *had been pretty peaceful in his sleep in the past couple of days since his operation . . . until now* [NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!] *screams in his native Further Rim dialect as he wakes up, optics wide and intaking hard*

Frank: *just ricocheted off the ceiling of his pod and then ran headfirst into the wall next to the entrance* Oh my goodness. My goodness...

Two Bad: *worried sounds as they skid into the room*

Random: *winces at the noises, which are louder than they would have been to him in his old body, but he is too busy bunching up his blanket into a ball to do more than wince*

Frank: *down off the top bunk, bounces off the floor, and then he's talking soothingly to all the boys* Easy. Settle down. You're going to have 13 yelling at me soon. Yes, yes. I'm going to look at him. *fond humour* I know my job.

Nightwish: *standing just outside the door and looking in*

Kia: Mom?

Nightwish: *picks her up* Shhhh.

Random: *shivers a bit at the air he's not used to feeling as he finishes bunching up his blanket* *frowns after a moment and then looks at the door--and starts sliding away* [S-s-stay b-back.] *and he moves the blanket bunch so it's higher up on his chest--over his spark* *it's probably the first time he's looked at Nightwish this way* *because it's with fear*

Nightwish: *notices this and steps back, her expression of concern deepening*

Frank: *sees Random's reaction and doesn't look at the door* Go away, Witchblade. We don't have time for your nonsense.

Kia: *puzzled* It's Kia and Mom, Doctor.

Frank: *startles and looks* Oh.

Two Bad: *nuzzlings for Bubby*

Random: *blink as the reason why his sensors have been contradicting his processor finally comes to light* Was that . . . a dream? *startles at the contact, shifting so that his blanket bunch--and the spark underneath, apparently--are further away from the danger*

Frank: *starts slightly, long ears perking* You had a bad dream? Ohhh. *scampers up and offers warmth and comfort* Do you want your siblings or mother?

Random: *shudders at the touch* . . . I thought robots couldn't dream.

Frank: *slight humour as he leans against the boy's cheek* You're not a robot.

Bad: *lickabubby*

Two: *no no no. No Bubby kisses*

Random: *frowns absently, but stares at Nightwish* *seems a bit overwhelmed*

Nightwish: *still showing her concern* *softly* What's wrong, Random?

Random: *doesn't look like he knows how to answer that, [Mom]*

Frank: *quietly* Do you want to talk about the dream?

Random: *hugs the blanket closer to his chest*

Frank: He's overwhelmed. *scoots over around Random's head and over to the door* Everyone out.

Nightwish: *quietly* Alright. *soft whistle for TwoBad*

TwoBad: *protest, but obey*

Random: *visibly relaxes* *that seems to have helped* *but he's still watching Nightwish*

Frank: *everyone into the hall and then closes the door*

Random: *relaxes a bit further though it adds to his dilemma* *lays back down* [Mom].

Jenny: *quiet little rustle from under the bunk* Want me to get her?

Random: *startles* *bit more on edge than usual*

Jenny: *heard that* Sorry sorry! It's just me... again. Sorry.

Random: . . . Yes. *answering the question she posed before he startled*

Jenny: Okay. *scampers out of the room, the door opening and closing to mark her passage*

Random: *trying to calm his breathing* *it's hard because the images are still running through his mind* *and his spark is protesting all of the stress it's been exposed to since his dream woke him up*

Nightwish: *is a gentle finger tap against the door a couple minutes later*

Random: *had been expecting someone and the noise is about what he's used to, so he doesn't startle as much as he could have* C-c-come i-in. *realizes what he's doing with the blanket as he sits up . . . but can't stop himself either*

Nightwish: *peeks, molten eyes quizzical in her dark and lovely face*

Random: *systems start racing with terror despite himself* [Mom].

Nightwish: *draws back slightly* You're afraid of me?

Random: *switches back to Further Rim because he's feeling unsure of himself* [The Black Angel . . . was in my dream.] *but he's never expressed any fear of the Black Angel either* *his conversation with Devcon would prove that*

Nightwish: *slight frown* [And she frightened you?]

Random: *flinches at the memory* [Killed me.]

Nightwish: *yes, she just gasped. And her eyes have gone wide with horror*

Random: *looks down, holding his blanket close* [Though I g-guess it's not actually killing if it's a dream that you wake up at the moment of d-death.]

Nightwish: *isn't sure what to say* *softly* [No. No, it isn't.]

Random: *shaky release of air as he continues to look to the ground* [And she didn't really look like the Black Angel. . . . She looked more like Justice]--*which in Further Rim is the name of the female goddess of his hometown's local organic pantheon*--[and the Earth equivalent in the video games the crew plays. Tall, almost humanoid organic with black wings, clothes, and a blindfold over her eyes, wielding a--] *seems to gulp* [--huge sword.]

Nightwish: Ahhh.

Random: *frowns at himself and then looks up since his Mom doesn't sound as concerned as she was*

Nightwish: *still looks that concerned. And also sad. The thought of hurting her kid shook her*

Random: *looks down again, fingering the edge of his blanket* [. . . And Devcon's kid looked . . . demented.] *apparently trying to figure out how he didn’t realize something was up*

Nightwish: *softly* [Echo was in the dream?]

Random: *nods slowly* [Devcon was holding him.]

Nightwish: *very quietly* [Old fart.]

Random: *doesn't look up* [He was saying much of the same things he did on his ship--about Shockwave and why he created . . .]

Nightwish: *softly* [Is it alright if I come in?]

Random: *startles out of his thought* *didn't realize that his Mom was still out in the hall* *sheepishly, after a moment's hesitation* [Yes.]

Nightwish: *slips into the room, but stays by the door, where she kneels down gracefully*

Random: *struggle to stay calm apparent on his face* *sees her kneeled down and breathes out slowly*

Nightwish: *softly* I would never deliberately hurt you, if I could help it.

Random: I-I k-know. *the words are surer than the expression on his face*

Nightwish: *chin might have just trembled* [Can I do anything to help?]

Random: [Let me--]*had been about to say "get it off my chest"*[-- . . . Tell it from the start?]

Nightwish: [I'm listening.] *folds her hands in her lap*

Random: *and now that she's so receptive to it, he's not sure how to tell it* *hesitates*

Nightwish: *waits, her eyes on her hands*

Random: [I-I'm n-not s-sure w-what--if a-anything happened b-before--but I was in m-my o-old body. . . . I j-just k-know t-that the t-two or-or-organics f-from t-the m-market--the ones that p-picked f-fights--p-pinned m-me t-to a t-ta-tab-ble . . . b-by--]*winces*[--c-cr-cr-using m-my l-limbs.]

Nightwish: *winces too, but doesn't look up from her listening posture*

Random: [A-an-and th-th-then . . . th-they r-ripped th-them off . . . while Devcon looked on.]

Nightwish: *presses her lips together*

Random: *a bit calmer since he got past the "limb ripping" part* [Th-they held me down by m-my t-tor-torso then as Devcon with his d-demented s-son talked about The Black Angel being a creation of Shockwave . . . . And Shockwave a-appeared . . . . and just . . . stood to the side. D-Devcon was on the left. . . . I asked Devcon about if he was saying she was a monster, and he replied the same he did on the ship . . .]

Nightwish: *slight nod*

Random: [And t-th-then th-the t-two h-holding m-me d-down s-started t-to al-al-most ch-chant: "All h-hail th-the Mistress of Darkness"--And s-she a-a-appeared from the shadows--"All hail the Q-Queen of the N-Night."--S-she w-walked t-towards m-me, r-raising h-her s-sword--And they r-ripped o-off m-my ch-chest p-pl-pl-at-ate--"The Mistress of-- . . . Death."] *seems to gulp again* . . . [And she r-ran the s-sword t-through m-my sp-spark].

Nightwish: *can't help it. She just folded down over her knees to hide her face*

Random: *looks down at the ground* [Mother]. *the use of the more formal word making him sound smaller and younger than he actually is*

Nightwish: *looks up quickly* [I'm here.] *and trying to wipe her face without him seeing*

Random: *starts to cry as he bends over the blanket bunch*

Nightwish: *softly, as her hand gently touches his back* [I'm sorry.]

Random: *stiffens for a moment, but then leans into her, continuing to cry*

Nightwish: *warms her hand and gently rubs his back* *will be silent till he indicates he wants her otherwise*

Random: *squirms at the warmth at first but then his crying calms* *having the blanket off was making him cold since he isn't used to being able to feel the air on his shell*

Nightwish: *gentle, soothing mother touch as she uses her other hand to wipe at her face again. There are no tears, but she's crying herself with the habit being the only sign of it*

Random: *figuratively buries himself in her as best he can when he's trying to keep the blanket over his chest and thus over his spark* *she's a lot warmer than the air around him*

Nightwish: *quietly* [I would never willingly do you any damage.]

Random: *slows further in his crying . . . and tries to think* *it's hard when he's dealing with the frightening dream and the air . . . and his spark felt like it had a ring of metal burning in it--like the sword had left a hole in it*

Nightwish: *softly* [Can you lay back? I'll cover you up.]

Random: *looks up at her* *not sure how she means to do it* *hesitates a moment . . . and then does what she says*

Nightwish: *will now work on spreading out the blanket without ever moving it off his chest* *softly* [Your spark's a little strained. Do you want some pasghetti?]

Random: *had been wondering if she meant to do it something like that* *watches the proceedings with wide-optics*

Nightwish: *tucks him in, and then looks at his face with concern* Random?

Random: *hugs the part of the blanket that's still covering his chest, his optics wide* [I couldn't do anything.] *seems as small and vulnerable as the spark you had to help transfer from the old body to the new, Nightwish*

Nightwish: *gives him the gentle tingle of a mamakiss on the forehead* *softly* [I'm told that's what nightmares are like.]

Random: *relaxes under the kiss and her touch, just like the spark did when it realized you were holding it, Nightwish*

Nightwish: *sits up and smiles at him* [Warmed pasghetti?]

Random: *sudden grab of a part of her he can reach* [Don't go.] *his "normal" grip is a bit stronger than it was in his old body*

Nightwish: *takes his hand* [I'm not going anywhere.] *other hand smooths his helm* [Do you want me to bring you to the hammock?]

Random: *deep sigh* . . . [Did we have a conversation about being able to . . . sense things better?] *has vague memories of his waking up soon after his surgery and the resulting conversation with his Mom about it, but it isn't clear in his mind that it happened*

Nightwish: *nods and reaches into the pocket at the side of the bunk to pull out a funny bundle of folded flimsy* [Yes. First Aid made you a book.]

Random: *blinks at that*

Nightwish: *wryly* [It's how they do books on Earth.]

Random: *still looks confused* [What's it for?]

Nightwish: *opens it up and shows him a neatly written description of what he might expect to experience*

Random: *turns to read it . . . and is surprised that he doesn't have to squint in order to read it in the dark*

book: *guess the first thing it mentions?*

Random: *"reading is a lot easier". . . Is this book reading his mind?*

Nightwish: *slight smile, though she's aware of a very soft whimper outside in the corridor*

Random: *continues reading . . . until he realizes he's actually hearing something on the other side of the door* *looks up*

Nightwish: *softly* The twins are worrying about you.

Random: *another sigh* *not sure he can handle a lot of stimulation right now, which is why he didn't answer Nightwish about going to the mess*

Nightwish: They'll be alright. *gentle blanket adjustment* I just asked about the hammock because everyone else is on the downshift right now, and Frank would be able to go back to bed.

Random: *tries not to be bothered by the blanket adjustment--he needs to be able to trust his Mom because who else can he trust if he can't trust her?* . . . [It was about the smell.] *the ONE part he's not being bombarded with right now*

Nightwish: [It smells like ship.] *more comforting mamatouch for his helm*

Random: [The mess has fuel.] *and fuel is smelly* *wills himself to relax at the touch since it's as gentle as she usually is*

Nightwish: [Alright. Give me a moment.] *stands and takes the pod down, then hands it out the door*

TwoBad: *quick peek and two relieved sounds. Bubby's in bed with a writings thing. He's alright. Scoot away with Fuzzy's box*

Random: *watches as she stands, systems starting to race again . . . and then he sees she's just given TwoBad Dr. Frank's pod so the Alphyn can sleep* *feels a bit embarrassed*

Nightwish: *watches the door slide shut, and then comes back to knees beside the bunk again*

Random: [Sorry.]

Nightwish: *quizzical look*

Random: *not sure where he was going with that*

Nightwish: *shoulder touch* [How are you feeling?]

Random: . . . [My spark hurts.] *REALLY doesn't sound like he liked admitting that fact*

Nightwish: [Here. This might help.] *offers him one of those glowing golden candies* *comfort noms, Random?*

Random: *looks down at the candy and hesitates* *doesn't really want to take an arm out from under the blanket and expose his spark*

Nightwish: *moves her hand slightly toward his mouth, offering a no hands on his part treat transfer*

Random: *seems to smile a bit before opening his mouth to accept the treat*

Nightwish: *carefully gives it, and then sits back to smile at him with her family smile*

Random: *can't help but smile back at her as she smiles at him*

Nightwish: *softly* Do you want another blanket?

Random: *pulls the one on him tighter around him* *looks down at the blanket again, as he isn't sure how to answer the question because the possibility never crossed his mind*

Nightwish: *waits for him to make his decision, her eyes going to a poster up on one wall that depicts a fuzzy little animal hanging from a tree limb* *startled snerk as she realizes that instead of the traditional "Hang in there!" the poster instead says, "Oh *deleted*!"* Who put the tape over the cuss word?

Random: *starts at her snerk and looks at what she's referring to* [Um, I didn't put it up.]

Nightwish: *looks more closely, her face softening from amusement* Frank's settling in.

Random: [Oh.]

Nightwish: [I hadn't stopped to realize that he had any personal possessions.] *glances back to Random, her expression warm*

Random: [Oh.] *said again, kinda stupidly* *but then he's smiling at his Mom*

Nightwish: *looks over her shoulder as the door cracks open* Frank?

Random: *hides his chest on his Mom as the door cracks*

Frank: *pushes something through the narrow opening* I noticed he was hiding his chest. Maybe this will help.

Nightwish: *sober again as she takes the piece of carbon fibre alloy and looks at it. Behind her, the door slides shut again*

Random: *on edge until the door closes again--and then he relaxes, slightly*

Nightwish: *looks over her shoulder* It's chest armour.

Random: *looks up at her with a worried expression . . . and doesn't seem to know how to use words*

Nightwish: *shows him the hastily done but well made chest guard*

Random: *notices the craftsmanship and can't help but feel touched*

Nightwish: It's like a shirt. *moves to set it down*

Random: *silent as he watches her set it down*

Nightwish: [How're you feeling?]

Random: *more silence as he thinks over that question*

Nightwish: *will wait again, as long as he needs. Gives no sign of the praying she's doing inside*

Random: *that might be a while* *feels like he has more energy, but his spark still hurts a bit and fear is still preventing him from giving into the exhaustion that has been becoming more and more apparent*

Nightwish: *starts humming softly as she studies the poster and prays*

Random: *doesn't want to, but he feels himself relax as his Mom hums*

Nightwish: *beautiful song but old, from a chaotic time in Earth history*

Random: *lets himself get lulled slowly into recharge as she hums, huddling up close to her as he does so*

Nightwish: *leans a little so that he can contact with her more easily, the soft hum continuing*

Random: *seems to smile at the contact, sighing as he relaxes with one arm over his chest and the other hand pressed against her through the blanket*

Nightwish: *soft inward sigh and thanks for God as she sits and hums and listens to the downshift life of her ship*



*couple days after Random's first bad dream*



Nightwish: *gently shaking her elder son awake* Random?

Random: *a bit groggy as he wakes* Hmm?

Nightwish: *softly* I have to go do something. Nightstrike wants to stay with you. Is that alright?

Random: *not sure why his Mom is asking him that* Okay.

Nightwish: *smiles and gives his shoulder a gentle squeeze, then rises to her feet and slips out of the room*

Nightstrike: *in she comes* Shove over a bit. I wanna huddle.

Random: *watches [Mom] leave and realizes what "having something to do" means* *notices Nightstrike and moves over*

Nightstrike: *adds herself to the bunk and snuggles comfortably* *holds up a sheet of clear silicon with rust pockets* Nom?

Random: *remembers spending time with her and Kia in the hammock before his surgery . . . but that was in the hammock and not his bunk* *a bit loss for words, he reaches to take the silicon*

Nightstrike: Missed you, doofus. *gives goodie*

Random: *tries for a joke as he takes it* Did I go anywhere?

Nightstrike: *gruffly* No. You just shut the door.

Random: *sobers* Oh. *nibbles the silicon*

Nightstrike: That okay? Not too stinky? *gives him that ferocious scowl that only means concern*

Random: *didn't even notice the smell* *shakes his head*

Nightstrike: Good. *settles her shoulders a little more* *quiet and gruff* Good to know you're not older than me after all.

Random: *distracted as he finishes up the goodie* Huh?

Nightstrike: We're the same age. You're not actually older.

Random: Oh. *didn't realize that Nightstrike wasn't older*

Nightstrike: *looking in her storage* I've got leftover pasghetti. You want a sketty sammich?

Random: Uh, sure.

Nightstrike: *takes out a second silicon sheet, then wraps it around a modest filling of cold pasghetti. Offers it to brother*

Random: *moves the blanket off a bit so he won't get it dirty and takes the wrap* *doesn't shiver as the blanket comes off*

Nightstrike: *makes sure he's got a good grip on it, and then settles back to make another one*

Random: *pauses a bit as he notices the texture of the fuel*

Nightstrike: *hears the pause and glances at him quizzically*

Random: *smiles a bit sheepishly as she looks at him* *then distracts himself by trying to carefully eat some of his wrap without spilling the contents all over himself*

Nightstrike: *gruff grin, and then has a bite of her own wrap* Kia invented these.

Random: *would respond, but is trying to eat carefully*

Nightstrike: *lapses into her usual companionable silence as they eat*

Random: *he knows her best for her companionable silence, so it actually puts him a bit more at ease* *will continue to eat his wrap until it's gone*

Nightstrike: *offers a wipe. A tasty smelling one*

Random: *oh, THERE is a smell* >.o *takes the wipe* Thanks.

Nightstrike: *scowl* You okay?

Random: Uhhhh. *how does he answer that?*

Nightstrike: *seems satisfied by the reply and studies the bottom of the top bunk*

Random: *still hasn't really made it into the parts of the ship that are smelly, so he hasn't really adjusted to having better olfactory sensors* *tries not to let the smell of the wipe bother him as he uses it to clean up*

Nightstrike: *pulls out stickers and then once more looks at that bunk bottom* I'll eat that if you don't wanna.

Random: *startles a bit as she speaks* Huh? Oh. Um. *looks down at it for a moment before holding it out to her*

Nightstrike: *take. Nom. Show him stickers*

Random: *looks to see what the stickers are*

Nightstrike: *points* Ship. Engine. Parts.

Random: *frowns* *it reminds him he needs to be working*

Nightstrike: No? *takes out another page and shows cute fuzzy animals*

Random: . . . This one should go to Kia. *she seems to like cute fuzzy animals*

Nightstrike: Okay. *puts those away*

Random: *thinking on the parts he was finally able to put on a list for [Mom] to order while he was in the hammock the week before his operation*

Nightstrike: *once more silently waiting for him to speak. Is now studying the edge pattern on a corner of his blanket. Hasn't uncovered him to do this*

Random: *that might be a while since he's now trying to figure out if he could even do anything if he wanted to*

Nightstrike: *finishes looking at the blanket trim after several minutes, and then tucks that blanket edge under her brother*

Random: *startles out of his thoughts and looks down*

Nightstrike: *tuck tuck tuck* *is surprisingly good at it*

Random: *realizes something now that he's not thinking about himself* If you're my age, why are you in an adult body?

Nightstrike: *yellow eyes lift to meet his* I'm strong enough to run it.

Random: *Figures, he thinks to himself*

Nightstrike: I'm made from Nightwish.

Random: Oh. *that would also explain the same color optics as [Mom]*

Nightstrike: Not as bright, though.

Random: *doesn't like her putting herself down* Why do you think that?

Nightstrike: Other code donors? Maybe the mutation doesn't pass on? *shrug*

Random: *a bit confused until he realizes that she was talking about her spark, not her intelligence* Oh.

Nightstrike: *turns her head to look at him again and see if he has another question*

Random: *no, he thinks he's done looking like a fool at the moment*

Nightstrike: *actually decides to explain on her own* Shockwave was trying to make the perfect soldier. So he was blending CNA.

Random: *frowns* *that mech seemed to have done a lot of things he shouldn't have*

Nightstrike: Nightwish caught him and took me 'n my body away.

Random: That's good.

Nightstrike: *nods, and then waits to see if he's going to say anything else*

Random: *doesn't look like it*

Nightstrike: *turns her head to look at that poster on the wall*

Random: *looks down at his hand*

door: *soft sound as it moves aside slightly*

Nightstrike: *tips her head up to frown toward it*

Random: *looks up before hiding behind Nightstrike*

Nightstrike: Kia, what're you doing up?

Kia: [Mom's] not with Random. We came to see if he wanted to snuggle.

Random: Kia. *sits up a bit, arms opening towards her, asking her if she wants to come to him*

Nightstrike: Come in.

Kia: *IN! And already halfway over Nightstrike*

Nightstrike: *amused grin*

TwoBad: *from the door* Roo?

Random: *arms reach out towards Kia and help her over Nightstrike* *will hug her once she's in reach*

Kia: *snugglecuddle bubby* *softly* We missed you.

Random: *cries a little as he hugs her*

Kia: *is making some tears drip on him, too*

Random: *his crying's never involved tears, but he also doesn't notice hers as he basks in her company*

Nightstrike: *slight movement*

TwoBad: *start crying softly and pleadingly*

Random: *pulls Kia closer as he looks to see why TwoBad's making noises*

TwoBad: *can just barely be seen over Nightstrike, and it looks like she's keeping them from following Kia*

Random: The berth--*tries again since his vocalizer gave out*--The berth can't take all of us. *shoves Nightstrike* Let's move to the floor.

Nightstrike: *surprised glance, but then nods and sits up* TwoBad, down.

TwoBad: *still pleading softly as they go to a corner and lay down*

Jenny: *scoots over beside them and then peeks uncertainly back at the kids on the bunk*

Random: *will move himself and Kia off once Nightstrike's moved*

Nightstrike: *offers him a hand as she stands next to the bunks*

Random: *needs it since he's having a hard time keeping a hold of Kia and his blanket*

Nightstrike: *careful help*

Kia: *clinging tightly and looking down at the floor*

Random: *grateful for the help* *gets them down on the the floor safely*

Nightstrike: *settles down so that she's laying next to him with her head toward the door, but still protecting him*

TwoBad: *hopeful sounds*

Random: *gets himself and Kia settled with his blanket and then waves to TwoBad* Come on.

TwoBad: *gets up and steps carefully over Jenny, then snuggles up against bubby and baby sissy*

Jenny: *draws closer to the wall. Her big eyes are hopeful, but she's afraid to ask. Much as she longs to belong, she doesn't really have a place in this family yet*

Random: *one arm is around Kia and his other hand is rubbing Two's head* There we go. Can you stay still enough for Jenny to join in, too?

Kia: *softly, without lifting her head* I was using her for a dolly just now.

Random: *nods* *had been asking TwoBad* And you, TwoBad?

TwoBad: *soft sounds*

Nightstrike: She sits on him all the time.

Random: *something he wouldn't know because he's been out for so long* Ah. *looks to the unicorn girl* Jenny?

Jenny: Yeah, Random? *on her toes to try and see him over Nightstrike*

Random: You want to join in? *since everyone else was on the floor at this point*

Jenny: *hesitant nod* Yeah.

Random: *small smile* Find a spot.

Jenny: *scoots! Scrambles up onto Nightstrike, and then curls up, her big eyes bright and happy*

Random: *watches and nods, smiling more* Good choice.

Jenny: *little smile, and then a sigh*

Kia: *snuggle*

Bad: *lickabubbyhand*

Random: *so they're all snuggling on the floor* *now what?*

Kia: *soft and excited* I know some quantum physics now. And I have a pet.

Random: Complicated physics stuff? . . . What kind of pet?

Kia: It's just simple. *for her* And he's a science drone! *excited little wiggle* Garnak got him for me. Witchy wanted to get me a holopet, but they can't do anything.

Random: *smile* Science drone sounds like it's more useful.

Kia: He's cute too. And I'm going to program him to take good care of my and Nightstrike's dollies.

Nightstrike: *grunts*

Random: That's good. Is 13 liking the doll I programmed for her?

Kia: *giggles and looks down at his feet*

Random: *raises an optic ridge at Kia's giggling and then looks down in the direction of his feet*

h13: *waves and gives him a cheeky grin. Is hugging her knees down by his feet, because that's the place with space*

Random: *blinks* *waves back*

Kia: We're all here but Vaccy. And she's got a mess in the hold.

Nightstrike: *amused snort*

Random: What happened in the hold?

Nightstrike: Kia was doing science.

Random: Ah.

Kia: I didn't realize the powdere'd poof like that. I was gonna clean it up, but Vaccy wouldn't let me.

Random: Vaccy usually likes doing stuff like that.

Kia: I know. It just seemed good to fix what I did.

Random: I understand. *kinda like he feels like he should be doing his actual job*

Kia: But the experiment was fun. And Skyquake looks funny with pink on him.

Random: *snerks at the thought of Skyquake in pink*

Nightstrike: The dust made kinda a neat effect.

Random: *half-laughing* I'm sure it did.

Kia: *helpless and soundless giggles* And then he tasted it!

Random: *facepalm* That doesn't sound like a good idea.

Nightstrike: It was just sugar.

Random: *peeks from behind his hand* Oh. I guess that's not too bad.

Kia: He sure made funny faces, though.

h13: *nod nod* *digital giggle*

Random: I'm sure he did. *thinks it's so odd to see the hologram he made for 13 during his hammock time right there in front of him*

Kia: And then Vaccy chased us out. And we ate pasghetti for supper!

TwoBad: *happy sounds from where one head's cuddled against Random and the other one's on his chest* *they like pasghetti*

Random: *smiles as he rubs the head on his chest*

Two: *purrrr*

Random: Pasghetti's good. *but he would always say it's good*

Nightstrike: You want more?

Random: *but that might be because it's the first good fuel he ever had* *looks at Nightstrike a bit sheepishly* Maybe a little bit more.

Nightstrike: 'Nother wrap?

Kia: *perk*

Bad: *thinks bubby needs noms*

Random: Uh. *not sure he wants to worry about making a mess*

Kia: Are those easier to eat laying down?

Random: A bit, yeah. *at least in terms in trying to get at the food over a spork and a bowl*

Nightstrike: *pulls out a fresh can and sets to work sammich making*

Jenny: *watching with curious interest, her dainty nose absently wrinkled at the smell*

Random: *pasghetti's one smell that is always welcome--even when trying to adjust to having better sensors*

Nightstrike: *offers him the wrap*

Random: *shifts his blanket again, being careful of the sleeping Two head, and then carefully takes the wrap* Thank you.

Nightstrike: *slight grin* Welcome.

Jenny: *snuggles down and watches him*

Random: *will settle down to eat his second wrap--with a larger audience*

door: *once more slips open slightly*

Nightstrike: *looks up with a frown, but then grins*

Frank: Oh, that looks delightful. *going to come right in and settle down between TwoBad and Nightstrike, then put his tail over his nose*

Nightstrike: *snerk*

Random: *pauses midbite, but then sees that it's Dr. Frank and continues to eat carefully*

Kia: *going to sing a cute little song as she snuggles now*

Random: *can't help but smile a bit as he finishes up*

Frank: *from behind the plume of his tail* How do you feel, Random?

Random: *done with his wrap* *pauses as he thinks on that* Better than before.

Frank: That's good. Very good. Have you had enough to eat now?

Random: *he also thinks it's good that his spark no longer hurts* I think so.

Frank: *happy little snort* Very good.

Kia, Jenny, Nightstrike, h13: *all smiling now*

Random: *sheepish little smile*

Frank: Do you feel like sleeping again?

Two: *snore*

Random: Not really.

Nightstrike: Want to watch a holo?

Kia: I have a new pony one. It's got an evil pony in it.

Frank: *puzzled ear flip* Ohhh, I see. It's from Earth?

Kia: *nod nod*

h13: *chirps and twitters. Doesn't want to watch an evil pony*

Random: Uh. *doesn't know how to answer that*

Kia: I know. This one will be better. *little wiggle and pulls out her holo projector* I'm setting it so it'll play on the ceiling. It's only 2D.

Frank: What is it?

Kia: This. *turns it on and watches as 'Equestria Girls' starts up*

Random: *to Nightstrike as the film starts to play* Do you have another wipe?

Nightstrike: *wipe!*

Kia: *slightly distracted from her movie* Oooo. Blue scent. Yummy.

Random: *takes it but is distracted by Kia's reaction* Do you want it after I'm done?

Kia: *puppy eyes!*

Jenny: *torn between watching the cute and watching the story on the ceiling*

Random: *wipes himself off and hands Kia the wipe*

Kia: *chipmunk!* *beeps a soft thanks, and then looks at the ceiling*

Frank: *attention glued to the ceiling*

Random: *smile as he sees her enjoy the wipe* You're welcome. *turns to raise an optic ridge at the scene on the ceiling*

Nightstrike: *snuggles and protects her smaller family members as she watches this strange, non-action, holo*



((co-written with random_xtras))