We are a literate, intermediate to advanced AU Transformers RPG Based off of the first season of TFP with dashes of other incarnations sprinkled here or there. Characters from any continuity are welcome however must be restyled to match the TFPrime universe.
Active, with ongoing plotlines, we are always willing to integrate new characters into storylines once incorporated into the setting.
Really, the two had only just met within an hour ago. Nell didn't know that the girl sitting beside her was a lot more street smart than she let on and really, who could blame her for assuming Rita didn't know jack? After all, she did get ripped off for the price a part when money was likely tighter than tight. Either way, she didn't know that Sarita felt her displeasure and their conversation continued on.
When it came to the eggs, the brunette couldn't help the grin that formed on her face. “Well, only cause a few of my friends and I decided to prank a cocky grunt who thought his shit didn't stink.” She explained. “A few people who outranked us were in on it too, which made it even better.” Oh it had been a great day, and it had been well worth her sides aching for hours with how much she laughed.
She was going to ask about how Rita got into music, just light chit chat to pass the time as they ate, when the busker was called onto stage. Nell gave her a lazy, two finger salute. “Break a leg.” Was all she said as she let her get to work. Soon enough, she would be the one working on that beat up jalopy that needed a lot of TLC. At least she'd have plenty of time to enjoy the rest of her burger, and listen to Sarita sing.
Which, as the girl started to sing, Nell had to admit it. Rita had one hell of a set of pipes.
The set lasted for a little over half an hour. After the bold, fiery start with Raise Hell, Sarita came on its heels with the sombre tones of Hozier's Take Me to Church. The modern soul hit's end snapped into the fierce, damn-'em-all chords of Heather Dale's Medusa, before sliding back in time to when Jimi Hendrix walked the Earth. All Along the Watchtower and Valley of Neptune followed one right after the other, and then it was The Tragically Hip's turn with The Darkest One. Going straight out of conventional territory on the next song, Journey to the West by Joe Hisashi had its sombrely vibrant notes plucked for the eating audience. The busker then took a few requests — mostly what was on the radio, but someone asked for Keith Richards — and then finished up with Perfect Circle's Gravity. Though not one for metal or rock, the dark, melodious tunes the band had pushed out had stirred something in her that her folk songs did.
"I am surrendering to gravity and the unknown; Catch me, heal me, lift me back up to the sun.... I choose to live — "
Her fingers picked out the last of Gravity's wistful notes, the sound slowly drifting over the last of the lunchtime crowd.
"I choose to live...."
She took a moment to be silent, letting the song sink in and settle over her patrons. With a smile, she leaned forward and said, "Thank you to the staff of Iggy's Diner for letting me play here today. My name is Rita, and I hope you all had a good time."
The crowd clapped politely, a few giving a cheer or two, but it was nothing spectacular. Sarita hopped down the stairs after putting her guitar away, striding in satisfaction towards Nell. It had been a good set — her vocals had been clear, and everything had been on tune — but she couldn't help but feel underwhelmed. Nothing had been flowing, thematic, and the songs had skipped tone and subject matter back and forth. She felt like the audience had been lost at some point.
While Rita was up there singing away, Nell had finished her burger and fries. She was sipping away at the rest of her drink while the Jimi Hendrix covers hit her ears, and she greatly approved of those two songs. Once her stomach was settled, she ordered a slice of cherry pie and a scoop of ice cream.
Her eyes flicked around the diner a little as she waited, just watching others reactions to the singing. Some people, seemed to jot care either way. Others were bobbing their heads to the music that was played. She got her pie, and while she went about eating it, she did went back to people watching. There were a couple of kids, who were singing along happily to a song that their parents requested, and Nell shook her head a little as they bounced in their seats.
She was mid-bite when the set ended, she was quick to swallow so she could whistle and clap as Rita stepped off of the stage. Honestly, it felt like there was no real thread to what had been played, but Nell wasn't going to judge on what she wanted to play. “Hey,” she started as the girl got closer. “you did a good job.” She commented before getting a bite of pie and ice cream into her mouth.
Licking her lips, she gave Rita a slight smile. “Really liked the Hendrix songs you played, the Brandy Carlile song wasn't half bad either.” Stretching her back a little, she popped the last bite of her food into her mouth and wiped her lips with a napkin. “So guess once you get paid, we'll be headed over to the shop and get that car of yours fixed up, huh?” Nell asked, really her hands were starting to itch with the project that car likely offered.
The singer was quickly at her seat, nodding and thanking a few of the crowd that acknowledged or gave a thumbs-up to her. Not five seconds after she sat down, she was back into eating again, savouring every bite now that her food was much cooler.
"Oh, most definitely," said Sarita, taking a moment to wolf down her food now that she knew they were leaving. She began to slouch over it, hovering like a protective barrier between her meal and the world, only to jerk away and upwards when she realized what was happening. The lick across her lips was catlike, and she glanced around quickly before looking back at Nell.
"And thank you for the compliment. Truthfully, I was going to go with a timeline theme, playing songs from the '80's up until now; I forgot what I was going to do because of the car. Still, when the crowd starts singing along, you know you've done a good show."
She leaned back in her booth, and signaled for a waiter to come over. As promised, there was a discount on her and Nell's bill, though the singer insisted everything be lumped together and paid for under her name. A wad of twenties was slipped to the singer underneath her ticket, and Sarita quickly counted them before stuffing them in one pocket.
"Two-fifty," the songstress said proudly. "Very nice. That's more than enough to cover for some of the parts, and the bill. You want to take anything to go? The manager said we could call a busboy or something over if you wanted to grab your food and run."
There was a moment that Nell raised a brow at the way Sarita was eating, granted it wasn't a look of disapproval or judgemental. No, it was a slight look of understanding. There were a lot of times she had ate just like that – though that had been year ago, when money in their household had been incredibly tight. Really, she couldn't blame the taller woman either for it seeing as it was probably a habit she picked up being homeless.
So for the most part, after the raised brow look, Nell just ignored it and shrugged her shoulders. “Sometimes the best route is the no plan route, you did fine.” She commented. “And shit, if I known that I'd of told you to not worry about that car of yours. It'll be fine, especially with me workin' on it.” Her lips curled into a slight smile at her comment.
Lunch, was on Sarita and Nell quietly wished she gotten hold of the bill first, but it was too late – it was already said and done and the two-fifty was indeed more than enough to cover for parts. “Parts should all be covered, and you'd still have some money left over. From what I seen it really won't cost much.” She explained, her shoulders shrugging slightly.
“And I ate my fill – I think we're good to head over to the shop, see what that tow bill is and get that car of yours patched up.” Nell pointed out as she slowly stood to her feet. “Like I said about the belt, it'll likely only take a good twenty-thirty minutes.” Really, she wasn't expecting much time with that. The electrical bits that needed fixing? Well, that could take longer but hopefully not by much.
“Like I said about the belt, it'll likely only take a good twenty-thirty minutes.”
"Then we best be going, shouldn't we?" said Sarita with a smile. The upwards pitch in her voice was subtle, but it was there and lingering after finishing her food. It had been a good, hearty meal, and Iggy's wasn't a place one would expect soy cheese to be an option. The singer neatly arranged all of the dishes and napkins leftover from her meal, placing them in an almost artistic setup; the busboy raised his eyebrows when he came back over to grab the dishes.
Sarita didn't seem to notice. Instead, with the bill now paid and things to be done, she was striding towards the door with her guitar and purpose. She glanced over her shoulder, a couple of dainty braids swinging off her shoulder to rest against her back. Once she was sure Nell was keeping pace with her, she would go ahead of the other woman, holding the door open for the mechanic before letting it swing close.
If Nell wanted to pick up the conversation, it was her choice to do so. Sarita's full stomach had made her a tad drowsy, and she was content with sitting in silence and letting things digest. Matching the notching-up in her tone, she walked with more pep and held her head higher — it was more and more like the food had breathed new life into her.
“Yep.” Nell mentioned lightly with a small shrug of her shoulders as she headed out. Earlier, she had noticed how Sarita asked for soy cheese, but she'd ask about that later on what it was all about. Because soy cheese just wasn't real cheese in her opinoin.
Her brows did raise a little as the other woman held open the door, and she shook her head a little but walked out the door. She headed for her car, her eyes flicking towards Rita for a moment or two as she opened the door. “So once we head over to the shop, I'll take a look at that engine again. Get her patched up.” Then the two of them would end up going their separate ways. Or so she thought, because Nell would end up giving the busker her card.
Once Sarita was in her car? Nell got the engine going as she buckled up, and once the other woman was buckled? She pulled out of the parking space. “So, why soy cheese?” Nell asked as they headed towards the garage Sheila was parked at.Really, she couldn't help her curiosity and they might as well chat for a few more minutes before she got down to fixing what was wrong.
{ugh horrible post i'm so sorry it taken forever DDx}
“So once we head over to the shop, I'll take a look at that engine again. Get her patched up.”
"That sounds fine with me," said Sarita.
Once Sarita was in her car? Nell got the engine going as she buckled up, and once the other woman was buckled? She pulled out of the parking space. “So, why soy cheese?”
"Lactose intolerance," Sarita said, leaning back a little in the seat. Her eyes flickered left and right, up and down — everything in that new, enclosed space was noted for later. Where the seatbelts were, where the doorlocks had been installed, how well the car was taken care of, and other such details.... "I've always had a problem with dairy. Small amounts don't sit well with me, and larger portions give the impression that someone has planted a bomb in my stomach. Soy and almond-based products are my godsend, fortunately."
If she ever gained an allergy to nuts or legumes, she would weep. Properly made and with a bit of creativity, there were several dishes that utilized, or even benefited from the presence of non-dairy substitutes. Chocolate flavours went very nicely with almond, and soy cheese made vegetarian burgers all the more vegetarian. And, as much as she didn't like to admit it, they were touted as must-have items for the conspicuous health nut — eating them made life feel a bit more expensive. It was too bad there wasn't anywhere local where she could buy the products.
Nell was glad to hear that the busker agreed with her when it came to getting the car taken of sooner rather than later.
As for the cheese thing? Her brow raised at her slightly as she got into the car and buckled up, Rita explained a little further though – about how she always had a problem with dairy. “I have friends who're lactose intolerant.” Nell mentioned. “They still eat dairy products like it was going out of style though...But.” She popped the key into the ignition and the engine was soon roaring with life. “They take a pill you can get at any pharmacy, it's a supplement.” She explained with a shrug of her shoulders.
“There is lactose free milk out there too, seen the commercials for it a few times already.” Turning in her seat, she pulled out of the parking space once Sarita was buckled. The gear was shifted, and Nell was thinking for a moment or two. “I mean, it's just somethin' you should take a look at – the tablets or pills or whatever they are.” Really, it'd probably be easier for her to get and have on hand.
Either way, she pulled out of the parking lot of the diner and made a right turn in order to head back towards the autoshop Sheila was at. Hopefully, the fixes to the engine will be quick – there definitely looked like odd things had been done to that poor car. Granted the mechanic was thinking of it as a slap job from some jackass or Sarita's own doing rather than it being some other thing.