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.
Content and relieved. Maximus frowned. Though his first instinct was to grill the poor girl on the details of her captivity - where in the ship had she been held, by how many guards, in what manner of rotating shift - he wrestled it back. This was Jazz's show, and that of the black femme. From what little he had seen they had everything well in hand. And Maximus was honest enough to admit that tact was not one of his strongest suits.
He could also admit to himself that he had no idea how to handle happy crowds. Angry inmates? Threaten 'em with solitary. Terse guards? Give them an extra shift off. Surly officers? Point out that they could always wind up with duty in the Rig. Laughing, joking people? What. What, even- uh. Ugh. Togetherness. No idea.
Awkwardly, he began to silently back away from the platform. He knew full well that a mech of his size had little chance of making an invisible retreat however, and as he did so he reluctantly cleared his throat and said, just as awkwardly, "I'm sure something can be arranged that would allow you to remain here for a long duration... Soledad, was it?"
Soledad may have yelled. She might have even said a bad word. All she knew was that one moment she was talking with Jazz and Shadow and the next minute WHOA she was half in Shadow's lap with her heart trying to race right out of her chest because, well, biggest robot she'd ever seen coming out of nowhere.
"Um," she said. Wow. How intelligent. "Uh. Wow. You're huge." She clapped a hand over her mouth. "Sorry. That just popped out."
Great first impression, that. But Soledad didn't get out of Shadow's lap.
Shadow had been peripherally aware of the unfamiliar mech doing his best to stay unnoticed and out of the way, and had trusted that Jazz would make the introductions when the opportunity presented itself. She started to turn to look at him when he spoke, but then there was a shriek from Soledad and a couple of words that, as the saying went, would have made a sailor blush.
The next thing Shadow knew, Soledad was scrambling up onto her thigh plating, venting harder and faster than the exertion warranted. Reflexively, Shadow cupped her hands into a protective barrier around the human, mostly to ensure she didn't manage to fall back off her leg as quickly as she'd scrambled on. She'd hate for her successful rescue to be ruined now that they were safe.
Soledad was right, though, the newcomer was one of their larger frame types, and unless someone else had put in an appearance while she'd been on the Nemesis, she was fairly certain this must be Fortress Maximus. Who looked like he'd rather be anywhere but there at the moment.
Shadow slanted a look at Jazz. ::Introductions?:: she asked silently, while leaning closer to Soledad to whisper conspiratorially, "You're right, he is huge. You'll get used to it."
Jazz hid a wince at Soledad's obvious distress. He pinged Fortress Maximus with a quick s'okay/not your fault.
::From what I can tell, they had a lot of predators that were larger than them, so being surprised by something as large as us sets off all kinds of instinctive triggers. There's a lot of gender power issues that their species has developed, too, having to do with one gender being larger and stronger than the other. And...really, most of their large mechanisms are machines. They find mechanoids moving on our own to be...well, alien. I kinda find them fascinating, though. For all our differences, their psychology is pretty similar to ours, in a lot of ways.::
Jazz gestured (slowly) at the larger mech beside him. "Soledad...n'Shadow, too, eh?...this is Fortress Maximus. He's kinda new around these parts, so--" and at this point he mock-shook a finger at Soledad with a smile "--be careful not to scare him too much, ok?"
Startled, Maximus took a step back himself. He had not been expecting that reaction.
Though, truth be told, he hadn't really known that to expect. His experience in dealing with with other species, organic or not, could be best described as limited. Many seemed to greet them with surprise. These days suspicion and hostility were more the norm. He supposed they had the blacklisting of Cybertron to thank for that.
He listened to Jazz's internal explanation with a frown. Huh. Humans had it rough, even on their own planet. No wonder she had spooked. He gave the girl a calculating look and silently added one other reason to that list: a period of captivity would make anyone jumpy. And with the Decepticons, no less.
After offering Jazz a half-hearted scowl for the friendly jibe, Maximus gave Shadow a nod, glad for a name to associate with the unfamiliar femme. Then he straightened and turned his attention down to Soledad.
"Soledad," he said, with formality. Neither saluting nor kneeling to speak at her level felt right, so he folded his hands behind his back and remained as he was. "It's good to meet you. Will you be staying with us for a while, or is there anyone you need to contact about your status?"
Last Edit: Oct 16, 2012 10:44:40 GMT -5 by Deleted
Soledad managed a crooked smile at Jazz's joke, knowing she wasn't fooling anybody - least of all Shadow, clinging as she was to the femme's hands while her legs remembered how to work. She felt like one of those cartoon characters who get caught between a pair of cymbals: shaking, rubbery, stunned and with no idea how to make the world stop jittering.
"There's no one," she answered Fortress Maximus's (good lord, what a mouthful of a name) question before she could think how to phrase it better. "Sorry for screaming at you."
No one. No matter how common Shadow knew that answer was among her own kind, it still sent an ache through her spark.
Soledad's grip on her hands was tight and a little desperate, and Shadow didn't want to risk moving them and upsetting the human's balance. Instead, she looked up at Fortress Maximus and said, with mock solemnity, "I think we lost any chance of getting rid of her when Jazz mentioned video games, sir."
Jazz's chuckle smoothed out as he caught sight of June Darby bustling towards them like a woman on a mission. "Well, then, we'd better get you cleared for video game playing. Looks like Shadow got you out of there in relatively good shape, so hopefully it won't take too long, eh?"
Jazz's internet crawlers came back with a small string of results: field trip photos, a last name, a general stomping ground of northern California. Nothing bad, merely...a suspicious lack of time between her sophomore class trip and now. Unless Soledad had been held back in school for some reason, there was no way that she was considered an adult under American law.
Jazz looked at the way she and Shadow were leaning toward each other, at the way that she clutched Shadow's fingers, and at the protective burr working its way through Shadow's field. Then he promptly purged the results of the internet searches.
Humans aged so quickly. She'd be an adult soon enough, right?
<<I imagine whoever can end this whenever?>>
Last Edit: Oct 24, 2012 21:04:02 GMT -5 by Deleted
Maximus returned Shadow's wry comment with a quick look of his own, as close to amusement as he had come yet. In a way, she was likely right. It was hard to be offended by any reaction the girl made when she was clearly shaky, so quick to startle at the unexpected - and yet apparently so pleased to be here at the Autobot base. By a girl who had stepped out into the base and looked about herself and immediately grinned.
Another human was hurrying forward now, a woman. Doubtlessly here to see to the welfare of this young girl. He quietly stepped back again, this time to courteously remove himself from whatever conversation was to follow. Likely the humans would want a little privacy.
Before he turned away entirely however Maximus lingered in place a moment. Eloquence was not his strong point, but he gazed down at Soledad and offered her a nod.
"Don't worry about it," he said. "No offense taken."
<< Sounds all good here! >>
Last Edit: Oct 25, 2012 20:06:04 GMT -5 by Deleted
Shadow offered Fortress Maximus a fleeting smile of gratitude. He was new here, she had no idea of his opinion of humans or what interactions he may have had with them, but he had done his best to be kind to Soledad and she couldn't ask for anything more.
She leaned down to speak to Soledad quietly; it was no more than the illusion of privacy, with Jazz right next to them, but she thought Soledad might appreciate it anyway. "Nurse Darby's likely to fuss a little - you probably know how medics are - but you don't have to worry. You're safe here." The fingers of one hand pressed gently against the small organic frame. "I promise."
Okay. Okay. Her heart was slowing down, her knees were remembering how they worked. Fortress Maxipad - that didn't sound right, and Soledad decided his name was Fort Max forevermore - didn't seem too upset by her reaction, so she was probably all good there. And Shadow was still letting her cling.
Still safe. Still okay.
And still in the Autobot base, which - once she overcame one final hurdle and perhaps took a shower, would be hers to explore. Maybe Shadow would give her a tour, introduce her around. The thought was enough to let her smile again.