[ti]Ep 3.5[/ti]Blink and it's Gone [Blurr]

[Hellion]

Episode 3.5 | Week 1 | Day 7

It had been a few days since Hellion’s arrival on Earth, and luckily for the femme, things hadn’t been quite as exciting as her initial welcome. The wounds she’d received had been patched for the most part, though some of the pain still lingered. But Hellion would endure - she was a Wrecker after all. But there were still a great many things for her to adjust to upon this new world, namely her new alt mode. As a former courier, Hellion wasn’t unfamiliar with burning rubber, but there was some small part of her that would miss being able to switch to a hovering form at a moment’s notice. But here, on planet Earth, disguise was king above all, even the kind of advantages that a hovering alternate mode provided over a wheeled one. She’d just have to get used to it.

Another matter of adjustment to which Hellion needed to attend was becoming familiar with Omega One and its layout. The schematics of the base were helpful in that task, but there was nothing like actually experiencing it. Quarters had already been assigned, though Hellion’s remained spartan in nature. She didn’t have any of her gunsmithing tools, no keepsakes or mementos, and so the only thing that decorated the room at current was her ammunition. For some bots, that kind of lackluster arrangement might have them pining for home, but for Hellion? It was just fine.

Today, Hellion found herself leaving those quarters, traipsing towards the Control Room of the base. As the femme walked through the corridors, it was easy to take note of just how short she was against the backdrop of tunnels excavated to provide headroom for much larger bots. Upon this world, it seemed almost as though Hellion’s stature was closer to that of its indigenous inhabitants, as opposed to her own kin.

The humans were a fascinating species, albeit not so much to Hellion. As an Autobot, she would fight to defend them all the same, but as a Cybertronian, Hellion didn’t seem to care much for the frail creatures. Their weaponry was so ancient, so outmoded, it was almost endearing in a way. A race that hadn’t even conceived of their first plasma round, or their first Ion Blaster - for someone of Hellion’s career and talent, it was almost like walking among cavemen. She couldn’t even begin to imagine how the war would have been fought if every Cybertronian wielded the same manner of arms that human soldiers did.

Stepping into the Control Room itself, Hellion made her way to one of the available consoles, walking with small strides yet heavier footsteps that belied her short and bulky form. She wasn’t quite sure what she hoped to achieve, but there was so much to do and a little bit of extra information certainly wouldn’t hurt in her endeavours to familiarise herself with this new world. By now, her credentials had been proven and her security cleared, the console responding to Hellion’s identification without much protest. Her thoughts lingered for a moment, digits hovering over the inputs as she considered what avenues to research.

[Blurr]

Blurr was on his usual escapade with his walking route throughout the base. A past time he’d put together for himself to help maintain his bursts of energy. He wasn’t like most who could sit around the base for days and keep to themselves, no. Blurr loved to get out, to move. Unfortunately leaving the base wasn’t always an option, so he had found an alternative way to keep himself busy. Physical activity!

What his routine included was a mash-up of things he had pieced together from past experiences. Blurr’s regemends included workout tactics from being a racer and a Wrecker. Combined, his structured exercises kept his skills sharp and kept him efficient, and just as equally important, free from boredom. However, that was not all that was a part of them.

Taking at least three walks though Omega One was another thing he was able to organize into his plans. To some, his routine may have seemed excessive, but for a speedster like him? It was perfect.

As the mech stepped into the Control Room, he took one step in before pivoting to look to the wall beside the archway. His subspace opened with a swift click and he reached inside to grab hold of a very fragile looking, small and square shaped piece of paper that he pressed onto the wall. It’s neon yellow coloring boldly announced its presence as it stuck against the cold surface. If one had approached this obnoxious colored paper, they would find writing in thin, black ink reading ‘Route 1’ in English.

Inventive, extraordinary, ingenious. That's what they were. Who? Well the humans, of course! They have constructed so many creative gadgets and little inventive ways to handle situations. Over a small amount of time, Blurr had found that these tools honestly worked for him, too! Or at least, some of them. Sometimes size proves to be an issue.

These ‘sticky notes’ were a perfect example, and they played a major role in helping the speedster remember his first walking route.

Satisfied with his placement, the cyan mech closed his subspace and turned to face the room, ready to continue on with his paper route placements. Of course, this all stopped immediately once he realized that he was not alone.

There, standing at the console, stood another Bot… one who he had not recognized. Being rather new himself, he knew there were a lot of other Bot’s he had yet to meet, and he was always willing to strike up conversation to recharge his extrovert battery, which unfortunately his routines could not do for him.

“Hello! I didn’t see you there!” Blurr greeted openly hoping to catch their attention if he had not already. “I was sort of lost in my own world and didn’t even look to see who was present. How rude of me.” he rebuked himself, wrapping it up with a soft chuckle.

[Hellion]

At the console, Hellion’s digits continued to linger over the keys for a few moments more, a sort of decision paralysis holding them from acting. Why had she left her room to come to the Control Centre without a clear purpose? That didn’t seem like her. Hellion was used to acting with intention, and it was unlikely there was a social aspect to her leaving her room. She was used to being solitary, and that was the way she liked it. Maybe she just needed to move about.

Or perhaps her rough landing had shaken her up more than she’d thought.

But it was thoughts like that which weren’t of any use to her, doubts that lacked a purpose except seemingly to distract. After a few more moments of deliberation, she settled on a goal, digits moving rapidly across the console to input keys. One aspect of life she’d have to adjust to now was the new faces, even if she didn’t want to socialize. Perhaps reviewing the roster would ease such matters, after all, it didn’t hurt to know who was around, and maybe even who to avoid.

Inputting her query, the console responded quickly, bringing up a shortlist of active Autobots based out of Omega One. The database’s quick reply gave Hellion some small sense of relief, after all, being given access to such sensitive data meant that any doubts about her identity were now quashed. Or so she hoped. Pressing a digit to the control panel she began to type again, this time intending to narrow her search. It was good to be amongst Autobots again, that was true, but there was another question on her mind. Were there any Wreckers on Earth?

And as Hellion began to type, she found herself interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps. Quick steps, not a run, nor a jog, but certainly at a brisker pace than most bots would have walked. If Hellion were anyone else, she might have spared the approaching bot a glance over her shoulder, but the large metal pillars protruding from her back made that an impossible task. She’d have to turn and face whoever it was, and well… so much for not doing any socializing.

Hands receding from the console, Hellion turned on the spot, casting a gaze towards whoever was approaching. Their frame was tall and lanky, or at least, taller and lankier than her own. A chassis of shades of bright blue and cyan, and now as he spoke… no, it couldn’t be. Without completing her search, Hellion’s question had been answered. There was another Wrecker on Earth.

It was Blurr.

To her credit, Hellion did her best to maintain her facade of iciness as realization struck, and her faceplate did well to aid in that. Everyone knew who Blurr was, the famous racer, and might well have been starstruck. But she knew Blurr, the Wrecker… and the chatterbox. Perhaps with the disappointment she felt her shoulders would’ve sank, but not this time. For today, Blurr’s arrival at least meant she could feel some sense of familiarity upon this strange world. But familiarity… that wasn’t something that the mech’s voice seemed to convey.

"Greetings." Hellion answered, her tone far less jovial than the mech’s. She tilted her head slightly, a small show of respect. “It’s good to see another Wrecker.” The femme’s reply cut straight to the point, brushing off Blurr’s excuses and chatter. But there was a hint of relief in her voice, and struggle though she might to contain it, a small smile behind her faceplate.

[Blurr]

A mech like him was no stranger to recognition or fame, after all, for most of his life, Blurr had made a big name for himself. He had met countless fans and supporters, indulged in the nicest of bars and lived one of the wealthiest lives one could ever receive on Cybertron. Even though those high life perks were nothing but distant, fuzzy memories now, Blurr had come to realize that after millions of years, his old life, his old titles still impacted some bots even in the present.

He could tell by the way this femme looked at him, she recognized him. Call it a sparkle of the optic, or a look of realization. Though it caused Blurr to instinctively brace himself to be praised or consumed by questions about his past. Although rare these days, it still was a possibility, for it did happen from time to time…

However those questions or the enthusiastic energy did not follow up after that look, in fact, it was a much softer reaction. Kind, welcoming… like an old acquaintance greeting someone who just stepped foot in their home. Not to mention, she didn’t even look at him as a racer, she knew him as a Wrecker.

A strange, uncomfortable weight formed in the mech’s tanks as he looked down at her open, relaxed posture. She clearly knew him.

He could feel his spark pulse quicken due to the awkward embarrassment that was starting to break through his thoughts… He quickly racked his memories, desperately trying to figure out if he knew her, though nothing came up. He had no idea who she was.

Perhaps he had been staring for what seemed like a long time from his perspective, but it had only translated to a small handful of seconds to anyone else. He had to say something, but it wasn’t like he could pretend to know her. His thoughts flashed around quickly, trying to figure out what to say. This pressure had been overwhelming and in a moment's notice and he blurted out what came to mind before he could even think of putting something decent together as a proper response.

“Do I know you?”

His optics widened and he quickly slapped a servo over his intake, that was NOT how he wanted to word that.

The speedster lowered his servo and outstretched both of his arms towards her and quickly waved his servos from side to side as if trying to erase what he had just said, "That's not what I meant! Imeanitwas, but also it wasn’t! You just said fellow Wrecker so, Thatmustmeanyouareonetoo. I just don’t recognize you." He rambled shortly before smacking his servo against his forehelm in disbelief. He knew there were more Wreckers aside from the one’s he’s worked closely with. Not to mention they all usually stuck around the same area of operations, so he’s definitely met most of them before… but that didn’t mean he remembered them all. It had been a long while since he was with other Wreckers, and now that he thought about the situation, he began to realize that he couldn’t remember most of them except for three others… curse his inability to remember things, this was so embarrassing.

[Hellion]

An awkward silence hung in the air for a few moments.

The femme was somewhat surprised by Blurr’s reaction, and the fact that he obviously couldn’t recall her, going so far as to ask if he knew her. Even with a masked face and a guarded attitude, the display of Hellion’s surprise wasn’t too hard to read. Of course she wasn’t outwardly gasping, or throwing her hands to her face in disbelief, but the way she widened her optics, loosened her shoulders, even stopped still for a moment… she was shocked.

Hellion was no stranger to a lack of recognition. In social circles, she was the wallflower, the silent type that preferred to let her actions do the talking. Even her work, well-circulated and held in high regard by herself was below notice. Nobody thanked the manufacturers of their weaponry, they were only glad that it worked. But a group like the Wreckers, even with its colourful assortment of personalities against which quieter types like Hellion faded into the background, was tightly knit enough that she knew Blurr, and knew that he should know her.

Then came the rapid attempt from the speedster to fix his mistake, to apologize and explain within mere seconds. If nothing else, it brought a sense of familiarity that had otherwise been ripped from the conversation. This was still the same bot then. The fast talker and the chatterbox… but why didn’t he recognize her? Hellion felt that she was above concern over such things, but to a degree, it did sting a little. The first familiar face she’d seen on this strange world, and yet they were strangers.

Straightening her posture and narrowing her gaze, Hellion resumed her guarded posture. Shoulders square, head raised - well, to even meet Blurr’s gaze, she couldn’t afford to slack on the latter. “My name is Hellion. You and I were Wreckers together. We were even on some of the same operations.” The femme resumed, speaking in her stock matter-of-fact tone. There was some fondness in the way she spoke, but it was harder to apprise than it had been only a few moments before. Even when Blurr had remembered her, it wasn’t like they were close friends. Colleagues seemed a more fitting word, perhaps even more so than comrades.

But then something clicked, something in Hellion’s mind lighting up like a spark. And in that moment, a different sort of femme came to the fore. “Do you still have them?” She asked almost inquisitively, gesturing approximately in Blurr’s direction, as though that might somehow clarify what she meant. “Your blasters?”

There was a glint in the femme’s eye at her request, and for a moment once more, perhaps Blurr might’ve mistaken her for a fan. But it wasn’t him that she was seemingly geeking out over. It was the weapons that he carried - the weapons she’d had a hand in making. “The ones with the special triggers. Fires as fast as you can pull them, and that’s no small feat for a weapon that has to keep up with someone like you. Tell me you still have those…” Now it was Hellion’s turn to talk fast, and though she didn’t quite manage the speedster’s rapid pace, it was like night and day between her usual demeanour. “I’m a Gunsmith. I helped make them, do you remember that?”

[Blurr]

The long pause was almost painful, it was always so hard to have conversations with bots he had forgotten about. Blurr noticed the visible shock from the fem before him, and despite it not being either of their faults, it was, sadly, awkwardly embarrassing for Blurr.

He felt bad, truly. Especially after she mentioned that they had even worked together. He couldn’t help but quickly redirect his gaze, feeling rather ashamed as she spoke.

It was sad, really. To run into someone who knew him but he didn’t know them? Despite working together like she had mentioned, it must have not been too often, or perhaps they never officially spoke? Blurr had been trying so hard to remember those days with the Wreckers, and although a lot of it was hazy, he only remembered a few things, and only a few other Wreckers… ones he was always with. Hellion appeared to not be one of them…

The cyan Wrecker was about to speak up, trying to brush things off to make this less awkward between themselves, but Hellion had beaten him to it.

Blurr couldn’t help but seem lost at her question about some sort of possession, though it wasn’t until she mentioned his blaster specifically did Blurr perk up and grow curious and amused. He noticed how that shift of excitement bubbled it’s way into her demeanor, and truly, it was inspiring to see someone grow so passionate so quickly. He hadn’t been sure as to why, not at least until she explained herself… which resulted in Blurr casting a charming, wide grin towards her.

“Of course I do! They’re all I got!” Blurr beamed while quickly stepping over to Hellion. With a shift of metal, Blurr opened his subspace and reached into it before grasped both of the modded blasters in his servos. He then pulled them out and his subspace shut immediately afterwards. With a swift and flashy maneuver with his servos, he twirled the blasters so that the grips were now extended to the femme for her to take if she so wished.

“I remember a little bit of the process of trying to perfect them, all the prototypes and the tests I had to go through to get them functioning to my standards. I can’t say I remember who made them, but clearly you were a part of that… Which, now that the opportunity has arisen, I have to say thank you. Really. They’ve never let me down, I trust them enough that I don’t even use anything else.” He said with a soft chuckle.

“If these are what you helped make back then, I bet you are capable of making absolutely amazing things now.”

Blurr took a quick moment to examine Hellion, he looked rather genuine and real for a moment before speaking, “I remember that the Wreckers always had some of the most talented, skilled bots I’ve ever met, and I’m really sorry I don’t remember you specifically, It’s not at all your fault. It’s a me problem.” He explained, “I’ve raced my helm right into one too many obstacles in my time.” he then smiled and playfully shrugged it off. 

“It’s no worries though! I’m looking forward to getting to know you again. You’re the only other Wrecker I’ve met and it’s nice to know I’m not alone anymore.”