mlev. Autobot City Officer's Mess. Duck, Duck, Cat?

[mylittleeek]

Tracks: *wanders into the officer's mess of Autobot City, a distracted scowl on his face*

Silverbolt: *sitting at a table in said mess, a bemused look on his face as he looks down at a datapad*

Tracks: *stops to frown down into a tank on the buffet table* Oh, don't tell me you people have been letting Springer mix up the fuel again.

Silverbolt: *absently, not looking up from the datapad* Ironhide was doing something over there earlier. Can't tell you what it was though.

Tracks: *pauses, then looks like he'd be wrinkling his nose if it worked* That's even worse. *bends down to sniff, then looks surprised* ...Oh, he had Kia with him?

Silverbolt: *still absent* Yes.

Tracks: *fills two cubes, and then saunters over and sets one down by Silverbolt's datapad* Mind if I join you?

cube: *sweet and tangy smell! Oh, and the stuff in it is a really pretty green*

Silverbolt: *look up* No, not at all. *sets his datapad to one side, avoiding the pen he set up for Belle*

Belle: *muffled comment without looking up from squeaking the squeakers in her long plushie doll*

Tracks: *settles across from the young flyer, then leans an arm beside his cube as he glances around* I'm surprised this place isn't more dusty, with how often it gets used.

Silverbolt: Fireflight likes to dust and clean. *will examine the cube Tracks set by him*

Tracks: *smirk softens* Oh does he. And it smells like she was trying for something "fruity" today.

Silverbolt: *nod* It's been helping to keep him occupied. *will take a drink, frown, think, and drink again* Kool Aid?

Tracks: *confused and questioning look* I beg your pardon?

Silverbolt: The drink she might have been going for. Sugary powder that gets mixed into water.

Tracks: *mystified* That's what Kool Aid is? *slight snort* I should know by now to double check anything Raoul tells me.

Silverbolt: What'd he say it was?

Tracks: *expression going distracted again* Oh, something people drink to prove that they're part of a group.

Silverbolt: Oh. It can mean that too. Apparently after an incident where a bunch of people died after drinking Kool Aid.

Tracks: *frown* I'm going to have to remind Raoul that a man entering his phase of life shouldn't be so gauche.

Silverbolt: Not something that changes overnight. *thinks about Slingshot* At least not usually.

Tracks: *stirs his cube* Parenthood seems to have matured Spike and Carly.

Silverbolt: *drinks from his cube*

Tracks: *sobers* At least for a little while, in Spike's case. How are Carly, Danny, and Sparkplug doing? Do you know?

Silverbolt: *thinks for a moment* Danny's Danny, Carly seems to have calmed after moving her work to the city, and Sparkplug is glad to have her back.

Tracks: *smile softens his face* I'm glad they're doing well. *head lifts slightly as he remembers something* What's this rumour about Sparkplug having a girlfriend?

Silverbolt: Uhhh, you must mean his spending time with Grumbler. I don't know much about that.

Tracks: *gobsmack* Grumbler? She's come to Autobot City?

Silverbolt: *had just said that Sparkplug had been spending time with her* Yes.

Tracks: *sighs and face palms* I guess I'd better pay that old debt before I go home. *attention to his cube as it fizzes slightly*

Silverbolt: *raises an optic ridge at that* I take it you know her?

Tracks: We were in the same squad back on Cybertron for awhile, during the start of the war. *slightly sad small smile for the energon, and then he looks up* But the rumours say one of your brothers has found a woman that can stand the sight of him, too.

Silverbolt: *recognizes the look in Tracks' optic from the many he's seen from the original Ark crew and silently takes another sip of his energon. He's only got one thing to say in response to Tracks' last comment* Mum's the word.

Tracks: *blinks at that, and then goes wide-eyed* You mean it's Slingshot?

Silverbolt: *tries--and probably fails--to hide his surprise that Tracks didn't know WHICH of his two brothers has a girlfriend* *smoothly* It's not exactly my place to matchmake or judge a match with one of my teammates unless it interferes with the team itself.

Tracks: *honest concern* Is the girl's processor alright?

Silverbolt: *facepalm* How much did this rumor tell you, exactly?

Tracks: *quizzical frown in reaction to the face palm* Only that one of the Aerialbots had a girl who liked him.

Silverbolt: *unburies his face and waves hand for emphasis* Apparently should have asked you that upfront. With how much goes around, I'd thought you'd heard more.

Tracks: The only other Autobot that spends much time in New York City is Seaspray, and he's not much for gossip.

Silverbolt: *has the look of kicking himself* My mistake.

Tracks: *starts to say something else, but then startles and juggles his cube as the door bursts open*

Silverbolt: *startles himself, moving one hand to cover Belle protectively*

Fireflight: *big happy grin as he holds up a hand which is supporting a red-haired fourteen year old girl with laughing grey eyes and her curls knotted up in a messy bun* Silverbolt! I have a girlfriend! She's my girlfriend till she gets old enough for a human boyfriend. And we both like writing Optimus stories, and looking at the sky, and playing with dolls, and exploring!

Tracks: ...o_O.

Silverbolt: *sees it's Fireflight with Optimus' new human helper and relaxes* Hello again, Kendra.

Kendra: *waves* Hi, Silverbolt! Is this okay?

Fireflight: *holds her in both hands in front of his chest and grins hopefully at team leader brother*

Silverbolt: *reflects on how Fireflight described their relationship and how well she's worked with Fireflight so far. Nods* Should be all right. Just make sure Fireflight doesn't wander off too far without telling anyone first.

Kendra: *leans her arms on the top of Fireflight's hand and chuckles* Of course. We always make sure someone knows where we are.

Fireflight: *nod nod. Sudden dismay* Oh, where'd Archie go?

Kendra: *looks up and back* He's sitting in your chair at your desk.

Fireflight: *relief* Oh right. I remember. *chuckle*

Belle: *dolly squeak as though for emphasis*

Silverbolt: *smile at the interaction*

Fireflight: Let's go finish that report about the supplies.

Kendra: *grin* Okay. Bye, Silverbolt!

Fireflight: *big grin for brother* Bye, 'Bolt! *...and they're gone*

Tracks: ...o_O.

Silverbolt: Bye, 'Flight. Bye Kendra. *smile after them and then turns back to Tracks*

Tracks: *turns head slightly to look back at Silverbolt* ...o_O?

Silverbolt: *takes a sip from his cube while he waits for Tracks' processor to reboot*

Tracks: *sits for a moment more, but then blinks* Er... what?

Silverbolt: Fireflight made a new friend. Kendra's working in Prime's office for a while.

Tracks: But girlfriend?

Silverbolt: *shrug*

Tracks: *shakes himself* Not my business. I have enough humans to worry about. And the number's going to grow in a just a few days.

Silverbolt: *thinks for a moment* Oh, right, Rosalie's expecting, isn't she?

Tracks: *long suffering sigh* Yes. Yes, she is.

Silverbolt: *wonders at the sigh* Is she okay?

Tracks: The doctors, and Ratchet, say that she is.

Silverbolt: *frowns* . . . Is Raoul okay?

Tracks: *sniff* That would depend on what day you ask him. Sometimes he's waiting on Rosalie hand and foot, and other times you'd think he'd built that child all by himself.

Silverbolt: *well, that can leave only one thing* Are you okay?

Tracks: Of course. *looks down at the energon that is now on his lap* Er...

Silverbolt: *takes a towel out of subspace and hands it to Tracks* Here.

Tracks: *grumbles as he wipes* I've been kicked out of my own house.

Silverbolt: *blinks at that* Why's that?

Tracks: *doesn't look up* Raoul and Rosalie have somehow gotten the idea that I'm fussing too much.

Silverbolt: What makes them think that?

Tracks: I honestly haven't the slightest idea. *careful check, and then offers the towel back*

Silverbolt: *takes the towel and puts it in the pocket that tells him it's been used and needs to be cleaned*

Tracks: *grumpy sigh* I've nothing to do in ABC. I don't know what they were thinking.

Silverbolt: *not sure if he should say anything yet, so he'll let Tracks vent if he wants to*

Tracks: And now Raoul will have to leave Rosalie when she wants her favourite meal, because I'm not there to get it.

Silverbolt: *Ahh, can see why Tracks might have been stepping on some toes at home*

Tracks: *restless motion and a frown*

Silverbolt: She's gonna be okay.

Tracks: *sharp look* With only Raoul to watch out for her?

Silverbolt: He is her husband.

Tracks: How does that make him a professional caregiver for pregnant women?

Silverbolt: What makes a giant robot from outer space one?

Tracks: *mouth open. Mouth closed* Well, obviously, having more than one person with her is safer.

Silverbolt: You've seen how Ratchet keeps house, right?

Tracks: *quizzical look* No. What has that got to do with Rosalie being left unprotected?

Silverbolt: How often does he have someone hovering over one of his patients?

Tracks: *expression darkens just slightly* Whenever Hoist's watched too many old horror movies?

Silverbolt: *wonders if he should take a different approach*

Tracks: *sighs, and then looks at the door as someone runs past and someone lighter chases them* Who is Jazz chasing?

Silverbolt: *distracted from his thoughts* No idea.

Tracks: *gets up and looks through the door, then snerks softly* Well, it's good to see Trailbreaker playing.

Silverbolt: *takes a sip from his cube*

Tracks: *turns to come back to his seat* He's taken Jazz's magazine.

Silverbolt: I wish him luck.

Tracks: *questioning look*

Silverbolt: She's very formidable.

Tracks: *brows lift* Would she actually attack Trailbreaker?

Silverbolt: No, but she would make it hard for him to succeed if she wanted to.

Tracks: *listens to the footsteps going back the other way, his brows going higher as he hears both bots laughing*

Silverbolt: *small smile at the laughter* But she seems to be enjoying the game.

Tracks: *softly* Are you telling me he's finally realized how hard she's been crushing all these vorns?

Silverbolt: *smile grows a bit bigger* Seems so.

Tracks: *and there's that smile that even makes people he's known for centuries blink and double take* *quietly* D'awww.

something: *mews*

Silverbolt: *not a smile he's used to seeing very often, no. Looks around when he hears the telltale sign of a cat and absently puts his hand back over Belle*

Belle: *heard kitty. Sass kitty!!*

Tracks: *expression drops to gobsmack* Spike?

cat: Prrrrrt?

Tracks: Whoops.

Belle: *looking for Murphy as she sasses. Where is kitty?*

Silverbolt: *raises an optic ridge in confusion while still maintaining his hand's position over Belle*

Tracks: *ruefully* I seem to have kidnapped Raoul's cat.

Spike: Prrtprrt.

Silverbolt: Oh. *confusion fades a bit* He named it after Spike?

Tracks: Actually, he named her after the Gremlin on that stupid movie. *busy opening a pocket and holding his hand in front of it as he speaks*

Spike: *is slender, with wide eyes and big ears. She's pink and black, and hairless except for a scruff of a short white mohawk on her head* *looks up at Tracks' face as she steps out onto his hand, her gaze affectionate and her purr loud*

Silverbolt: *keeps his hand where it is over Belle since he's not sure how Spike'd react to his duck* She seems to like you, too.

Tracks: Hmm? *looks away from the little cat, his expression gentle. Expression clears* Oh, she likes everyone.

Spike: *lovin' Tracks with her cheek. Love love lovvin' Tracks* ^_^

Silverbolt: *moves his hand from right over Belle, but keeps it close in case it's needed. Watches cat Spike react to Tracks*

Tracks: *walks over and stops by Silverbolt, both hands gently cupping the little hairless cat as he holds her out* Spike, this is Silverbolt.

Spike: *looks up brightly, her expression gentle and friendly* Prrt?

Belle: *bad kitty for hiding! Sass SASS!*

Silverbolt: *looks at the cat being offered* Hello, Spike.

Spike: Mu? Prrt? *looks down toward the sass, her ears perked and her tail curled in a question*

Tracks: *gentle and firm* That's another pet, Spike. A very loud one.

Spike: *soft call to other pet*

Belle: *oh. There's kitty. And it's not her kitty! Head up and LOOKING in sudden silence*

Silverbolt: *watches for signs of pouncing from Spike. Gotta protect his duck!*

Tracks: *lowers Spike to the same level as Belle, but keeps her out of reach* Does she bite?

Silverbolt: Only in play . . . for all but the Dinobots' duck. *shakes his head briefly at that, and Tracks might be able to see that the dimmed screen of Silverbolt's datapad has paperwork on it*

Tracks: *just noticed the pad* Oh. I'm interrupting your adulting.

Spike: *hops down and shows Belle her belleh*

Belle: *trying to get out of her pen! And talking. SO much talking!*

Silverbolt: What? *remembers his pad, too* Oh, no. Only from my wondering why I wanted to go back to such "adulting." *realizes that it might be safer for Belle outside of her pen for this meeting and puts his hand in where she can climb on*

Belle: *ramp! Mama ramp! Yes! Up on hand*

Tracks: *absent finger near Spike so she can't squiggle right off the table, even though she's no where near the edge* *with wry sympathy* I've often been thankful that I've never landed up a commanding officer.

Silverbolt: *looks down at Belle while he mulls over Tracks' words* *slight shrug with the shoulder not holding Belle* It'd been about all I've ever known. *holds Belle in a position where she can look down on Spike* Sentient, anyway.

Bell: *hop on kitteh!*

Spike: *distinct "Uuuph!" and then hugs ducky and nuzzles as ducky talks to her*

Belle: *bite bite bite kitty!*

Tracks: *frozen for a moment, his mouth hanging open. Then intakes with a sad little wheeze*

Silverbolt: *had startled a bit when Belle'd done the jump with a "Belle!" and now has to will himself to relax when he sees no real harm's come to either of them*

Skydive: -Alright?-

Silverbolt: -Y-yeah, Belle just jumped suddenly onto Tracks' cat.-

Skydive: *sending of comfort and calm* -Is the cat alright?-

Silverbolt: *lets Skydive's comfort wash over him* -Yeah, Belle's getting nuzzled by her-

Skydive: *feeling of a grin at the cute* -Okay. I better go get Air Raid's hand out of the candy jar.-

Silverbolt: *mental sigh at his other sister's behavior* -Yeah. Thanks-

Tracks: Er. Do I want to know what that expression means? *hands show that he's debating trying to separate the happily cuddling pets*

Silverbolt: *looks up, still appearing a bit annoyed, and says two words* Air Raid.

Tracks: *snort* Say no more. Are you two done yet?

pets: *nope! Snuggles forevs!*

Tracks: *rolls eyes*

Silverbolt: They look happy enough. . . . Though I wish I'd have predicted Belle's jump onto Spike.

Tracks: Animals are such ridiculous creatures.

Silverbolt: Maybe. *not sure what he can really say on that point*

Slingshot: -Incoming.-

Silverbolt: *suddenly tenses* -For what?-

Slingshot: *feeling of stopping short with surprise* -Uh. Are you doing something I'm not supposed to know about?-

Silverbolt: *hesitantly relaxes* -No, but I did just get over Belle jumping on Tracks' cat.-

Slingshot: *transmits his face palm* This is what we get for taking the duckling that bit feet.

Belle: *pritty pritty kitty feets. Nibble*

Silverbolt: *about to think that they made a pretty good choice . . . until he notices Belle biting Spike's feet. Facepalm*

Tracks: *finger poised to stop feets biting. Blinks as Spike gently swats the finger away* Err.

Silverbolt: *shakes his head and then holds out a hand for Belle*

Belle: *sees hand. Ignores hand. Kitty feeeeets*

Silverbolt: *well then, how about hand with a Scooby snack a dolly in it?*

Belle: *will try to drag dolly down into snuggle pile*

Spike: *ooooooo. Dolly. Pat pat!*

Silverbolt: Can't say I didn't see that one coming.

Tracks: *watches the dolly flop down on top of the pets* ...Does it happen that often?

Silverbolt: Often enough in all the interactions I've seen of Hound's animals.

Tracks: *shakes his head* I don't understand the appeal. *wiggles finger slightly as it gets added to the snuggle pile*

Silverbolt: *shrug*

Slingshot: *quietly walks into the room* *gruff affection* Okay, dork. I finished my paperwork. You need any help with yours?

Tracks: *stare*

Silverbolt: *oh, yeah, that "adulting" thing he was supposed to be doing* *long sigh as he reaches over to the datapad and starts tapping on it* Not unless you happen to know what this stuff is about. *will show his brother the screen once he's found the right spot*

Slingshot: *looks* That's what we use to keep Air Raid and Fireflight from sliding down the front walk on their bellies.

Silverbolt: *raises an optic ridge and looks at his brother* We're not using the salt anymore?

Slingshot: *shakes his head* This stuff doesn't kill grass and corrode finishes. And it makes bright purple duck poop.

Silverbolt: That explains a few things.

Slingshot: *snerk* It's also why Hoist looked like he was leaking purple out of his joints the other day. *frowns and looks over at Tracks as he hears the blue bot shudder*

Silverbolt: Okay. Thanks for clearing that up. *more tapping as he writes a note to himself about it* *yep, brushed past the silly*

Slingshot: *questioning frown at Tracks as he sits by his brother* Anything else?

Silverbolt: *frowns down at his datapad* I think that was the only specific thing. Thanks again. *turns to look over at Tracks to see what's up with him*

Tracks: *attention torn between pets and watching Slingshot*

Silverbolt: *sees that Tracks seems to have noticed a change in Slingshot but isn't sure how to ring it home to him just yet*

Slingshot: *feels brother noticing something about Tracks, and turns to look at the blue bot* How's Rosalie? She must be expecting soon, huh?

Tracks: *surprise literally flashes across his face, and he looks at Silverbolt seekingly* *do you notice your brother's been replaced by a pod person?*

Silverbolt: *points down at snuggling duck* Slingshot was the one who gave me Belle.

Tracks: *looks at Belle, who is snoring in soft chorus with Spike*

Slingshot: Yup. My student Jake let me have her for him. *questioning slight frown*

Tracks: Your student?

Slingshot: My most advanced flight student. *nod*

Silverbolt: *will wait and see how this conversation between Tracks and Slingshot goes before adding any additional input*

Tracks: *lost blinking* You're a flight instructor?

Slingshot: ...What rock have you been hiding under?

Tracks: Oh, there you are. *snort*

Silverbolt: *there's the both of them* *glances down at Belle*

Slingshot: *grin that makes Tracks blink, followed by* Jerk.

Tracks: *blink turns to sniff* You're so fond of talking about yourself, Slingshot.

Slingshot: *laughs* Thanks for noticing. *turns to brother*

Silverbolt: *blinks himself. Well, he proved that they're both the same as they'd always been*

Slingshot: *frown of concern* Are you alright, 'Bolt?

Silverbolt: *takes a moment to recover himself* Yes, I'm fine.

Slingshot: ... Oh. You didn't hit yourself in the face. *over where he can pat brother on the back*

Tracks: *thoughtful expression as he looks down at the sleeping pets*

Silverbolt: -Only on the inside- *sends an impression of a smile over the bond*

Slingshot: *snerks at him* You ready to come eat? *pause, frown* What's 'Flight so excited about? He's giving me static.

Silverbolt: *oh, yeah, that fuel thing. Glances at his half-drunk cube of "Kool-Aid"* Oh, he's just excited about his new friend Kendra.

Slingshot: *quirky browplates* That kid who's helping Prime for school credit? They've known each other for two weeks.

Silverbolt: *nod* I'll let Fireflight explain it. *because he's gonna do it anyway*

Slingshot: *listening expression, and then a snigger* We better go save Gears from him.

Silverbolt: *pauses himself* Might be a good idea. *subspaces the cube and datapad*

Slingshot: And we can get you some of that crunchy junk you like to eat.

Silverbolt: *slight grin* One step at a time. *looks to see if he can separate Belle from Spike*

Tracks: *sees that look toward the pets, and reaches down to gently rub the little cat head with one finger*

Spike: *lifts a paw toward scritchy finger and rolls over without waking. PURRR*

Belle: *grumble grumble sleep*

Silverbolt: *nod of thanks towards Tracks and works to gently scoop Belle into his hand*

Belle: *wakes up and look up at Mama with one eye. Why you wake duckie up?*

Silverbolt: Sorry. *places her doll next to her*

Belle: *pulls dolly closer, snuggles dolly and Mama. SLEEP*

Slingshot: Wow. Nap attack. She's Prime's grandkid alright.

Silverbolt: She'd already gotten warmed up. *puts the pen away as well*

Slingshot: That makes a difference? *watches Tracks settle to sit near his cat*

Silverbolt: Can make it easier.

Slingshot: *starts to reply. Makes funny noise because of Fireflight happy bomb instead* >.o Didn't miss that.

Silverbolt: *and that's their cue to leave* See you later, Tracks.

Tracks: *looks up with an absent smile* Take care. *wince frown, smile back*

Silverbolt: *pauses* You okay?

Tracks: *satisfied smirk* Yes. And I'll be eating the brute instead of him eating me again.

Slingshot: *sputter laughter* You're still playing that survival game?

Tracks: *absent stink eye* Don't you have a young lady to charm?

Slingshot: 0_0 *BLUSH gone*

Tracks: *blink*

Silverbolt: *shakes his head*

Tracks: *attention to Silverbolt. Soberly* Sorry.

Silverbolt: For what?

Tracks: I didn't believe you. *attention back toward the door* That's almost... cute.

Silverbolt: *shrugs the shoulder of the arm not holding Belle* Before . . . . certain things happened, it would have been an easy thing to disbelieve.

Tracks: *expression changes as he looks at the younger and taller bot, and then he stands up, steps over, and offers a hug*

Silverbolt: *not something he expected from Tracks but will accept the hug, making sure that Belle's safe during it*

Tracks: *quietly* I'm glad you're feeling better. *supportive squish, and then let go*

Silverbolt: Me too.

Tracks: *still quiet, and serious* I... know a little of what you've gone through, personally.

Silverbolt: *will wait and see if Tracks wants to explain himself, knowing that the older generations of bots had a lot of history*

Tracks: *slight frown* It was even music related. *looks up* There's nothing like being tied to a giant speaker to make you realize a few things.

Silverbolt: *thinks he knows what event Tracks is talking about now* I actually don't remember much of the music creep, but your experience in the night club always sounded like it hurt.

Tracks: That's putting it mildly. *slightly wan smile*

Silverbolt: Mine was more dread than actual injury. *frowns*

Tracks: *sympathy slap on the arm that lacks the force to be more than a manly pat pat* There was that too. I didn't want to leave Raoul unprotected.

Silverbolt: *memory lane causing him to zone out a bit, he startles at the touch* *sharp intake and slow release*

Tracks: Whoops. *concerned frown*

Silverbolt: *free hand on the table to steady himself and breathes deeply for a few moments* . . . Wish I could say I was that noble, but I think panic ruled out any fear I had for 'Flight when I got locked in.

Air Raid: *looks in, frowning. Sees Tracks. Stink eye a Tracks*

Tracks: *quietly* It wasn't me, so just wipe that off your face.

Silverbolt: *puts Belle back on the table and sits back down. And drinking from that cube again*

Tracks: I guess I should go distract Gears. *gently scoops up sleeping kitty as Belle stands up and talks, then slips out past Air Raid*

Air Raid: *semi distracted as she walks over to brother* Gears?

Belle: *friend is gone, Mama. Hear duckie talk about it?*

Silverbolt: *breathes and puts a hand out for Belle*

Belle: *bite bite hand. Love love hand*

Air Raid: *over by Silverbolt now and hunkers down to put her chin on the table* *quietly* I'm here.

Silverbolt: Thanks.

Air Raid: *grin* *grin widens* I painted Powerglide.

Silverbolt: *facepalms with the hand that had been holding the cube* Was it pink again?

Air Raid: *blink blink* Optimus said not to paint him pink again.

Silverbolt: *glad his sister listens to someone*

Air Raid: He won't even notice it till he's in the dark. :D

Silverbolt: *longsuffering sigh* What pictures did you stick on him?

Air Raid: *mental image of carefully painting skeletal structure on the sleeping Powerglide*

Silverbolt: *somehow always amazed that Powerglide can sleep through that*

Air Raid: *stops to think about that* Yeah. It isn't even because he had too much energy. Huh.

Silverbolt: *doesn't even know what to say*

Air Raid: Anyway. *shrug* He's finally kind of cool. *faint thought of Blades making Alpha Bravo drink the rest of the phosphorescent paint*

Silverbolt: *sputters--good thing he wasn't drinking* What?

Air Raid: 0_0 Oops. You heard that.

Silverbolt: Yes, yes I did.

Air Raid: Um. He hasn't done it yet?

Silverbolt: I sure hope not. Why does he have such a beef against him anyway?

Air Raid: *face drops* The guy's a total loser jerk. He's too stupid to understand that you can't just add to a combiner group. *face darkens further* Besides. He asked Skydive out for energy.

Silverbolt: *blinks and raises an optic ridge in surprise and then frowns*

Air Raid: He won't leave her alone if he sees her reading her books. Just keeps trying to talk.

Silverbolt: *surprised he hasn't heard Skydive talking about him. Just about everyone else on the team has it seems*

Air Raid: I'm just glad he listened when Op asked him to stay away from you.

Silverbolt: *stops* Why'd he need to do that?

Air Raid: Because the jerk bothers every flyer in the city.

Silverbolt: *frown*

Air Raid: He's a fanboy.

Silverbolt: *still confused about why Skydive never told him any of this*

Air Raid: Oh. *frown* We didn't want to bother you.

Silverbolt: *was he really still that weak?* *frown down at Belle* *thinks for a moment and then turns to give Air Raid a hard look*

Air Raid: ...What?

Silverbolt: *keeps it, even as he struggles to find something that makes sense*

Air Raid: 'Bolt?

Silverbolt: *looks away with a sudden frustrated sigh. Waits a few moments and then looks back at Air Raid* You don't mean he'd try to weasel . . .

Air Raid: He's been trying to talk his way into Superion and Defensor.

Silverbolt: *blinks at that*

Air Raid: He had a go at Computron, too, but they sicced Nosecone on him.

Silverbolt: . . . But just talking?

Air Raid: You know how Swindle talks when he wants to sell you something? *elbows on table, head in hands, scowl on face*

Silverbolt: Yeah. *frowns again*

Air Raid: That kind of talking. *soft snerk* Strafe had Nosecone convinced that he was interested in some science thing. She talked him right out the door.

Silverbolt: *thinks that's a better way to get rid of him than beating up on him*

Air Raid: And now Afterburner, Lightspeed, and Strafe laugh themselves sick every time they see him, so he runs off. *smirk*

Silverbolt: *slight smile at that, but he still seems a bit distracted*

Air Raid: *tilts her head, trying to catch what he's thinking of* You okay?

Silverbolt: *notices her looking at him* I think I know why Optimus told him not to bother me.

Air Raid: *expression softens* The big guy's been telling a lot of people to leave you alone. That's why those reporters that did that magazine article talked to Fireflight.

Silverbolt: Doesn't he understand that we don't have six-man combiner teams? *hears what his sister says about Optimus* *sighs* Yeah. *look of surprise* What article?

Air Raid: *matter of fact* Fanboys are stupid. Yeah. *blink blink* You didn't know about the article? 'Flight talked about it for two days, till he got that scarf for Archie.

Silverbolt: *thinks back* Oh. That's what he was referring to?

Air Raid: *chuckle* Yup. He was too excited to finish any thoughts.

Silverbolt: So, what was the article?

Air Raid: *offers databurst* An interview for a magazine for human guys in their teens to early twenties.

Silverbolt: *looks it over* I can see why he was excited. Seems like a good fit.

Air Raid: *chuckles* Moonracer did the one for human women. She's older than us, but she's still in the right age range.

Silverbolt: *nod*

Air Raid: *pause, sideways glance* Um, did you know Grimlock's got a hobby now?

Silverbolt: What hobby was that?

Air Raid: *snerk* He dresses Moonracer up and then takes pictures of her. Then she posts them online on this dressups site.

Silverbolt: Oh. *NOT what he'd been expecting*

Air Raid: Wheeljack gave 'em the dress up stuff. *finds stir stick. Fiddles with stick*

Silverbolt: *blinks at that*

Air Raid: Yeah. *looks up with that guileless grin that makes people disbelieve she painted the walls with epic images rendered in botmado mud*

Silverbolt: *Wheeljack being behind the dress up was also something he hadn't quite been expecting. Looks down to see if Belle's still by his hand*

Belle: *watchin' a bug. Sees you, bug. Watchin' a bug*

Air Raid: *SNEEZE* Bless me. *snigger*

Silverbolt: *slight startle at the sneeze but checks on Belle*

Air Raid: So are we gonna go eat? Slingshot's got a table.

Belle: *looks up at eat, then sasses softly and chonks the unsuspecting beetle*

Air Raid: Ewwww. *snerk*

Silverbolt: Oh. Right. *had forgotten all about that with his final bit of conversation with Tracks. Ignores Air Raid's disgust at Belle's beetle-eating and holds his hand so that Belle can get on it*

Belle: *looks at hand, and then goes and bites her dolly. You get up here, dolly!*

Silverbolt: *carefully picks up the doll and puts it in his waiting hand*

Belle: *you wait for me, bad dolly! Hops up with wing flappings, then sits on the dolly's head and makes it squeak*

Air Raid: *watching with interest now, stir stick forgotten between her thumbs* What is that thing?

Silverbolt: Sorry, Belle. *slight confusion at Air Raid's comment* You mean her doll?

Air Raid: That brown thing, yeah. It looks like a scarf.

Silverbolt: It's a flat duck. She likes sitting on it.

Air Raid: And making it yell. *gets to her feet* Slingshot's threatening to order for everyone.

Silverbolt: *sends Slingshot a burst of what he'd like*

Slingshot: //Awk! Wait, Bluette! Silverbolt wants this flavour this time.//

Air Raid: *snorting giggles*

Silverbolt: *rare mischievous grin*

Slingshot: //Well I didn't know you were up for spice.// *grumbles over the sibling bond, but it's good natured*

Silverbolt: // The dish isn't exactly one dimensional. // *not sure he wants to get too much more into the complexities of his fuel palate right now. Trying to explain that the Villain had ruined his ability to fly, but not his ability to be adventurous with food would only bring up things best left alone right now* *sends his brother a hug over the bond*

Slingshot: //Yeahyeah. You still want chewy bites?// *gruffly returns hug*

Silverbolt: //Yes.// *moves to get up, barely remembering to subspace the Kool-Aid energon cube*

Slingshot: //Okay, good. I got you the light and tangy oil sauce.//

Air Raid: *bumps herself into the door and sniggers softly, pretending that she walked into the door*

Silverbolt: //Thanks, we'll be there soon.// *makes sure that Belle is secure and heads for the door*

Air Raid: *shoots a grin over her shoulder and then walks out of the room beside her brother as Belle sasses softly and squeaks the dolly*


((co-written with random_xtras))