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.
"I'd like that," Fairwinds chirped with perfect genuineness, crests lifting with a pleased smile. She cocked her helm to the point of inverting it, squinting up at the cactus from the new perspective. Plants with spikes. Neat.Pretty plants with spikes: very cool. "Be interesting to see how they change."
She wanted to see the cacti grow and flower. See how long it took for their flowers to grow, open and die. Watch how the thick modules of the plant budded and expanded. Fairwinds knew with absolute certainty, however, that Megatron would not allow organic life (even silent, non-sentient life) onto the Nemesis.
Master's not the issue, she scolded herself, optics narrowing with the rebuke. They'd die anyway on the ship. They need to be in a garden like this. No way they'd survive hidden in my cupboard
"So, I guess all plants need sunlight, huh," Fairwinds stated, doing nothing to disguise her disappointment. "None that just happen to grow really well under purple lighting."
Rhinox offered an apologetic smile. "Sorry. All plants need at least some sunlight." Just to be sure, he scanned a few plant information sites he'd bookmarked. "Almost all," he amended. "But the ones that don't are parasitic plants, which depend on other plants to survive. And those plants would need sunlight, so that doesn't solve your problem. It is possible to grow plants indoors, but you have to either keep them by a window or set up special lighting to make sure the whole spectrum of light that they need." And don't think Rhinox hadn't toyed with the idea of making an indoor garden. If he had to abandon this one, maybe he'd revisit those blueprint sketches.
But that was getting ahead of himself. Windy was still here - peering at his cactuses with a strangely doleful air. No, Rhinox correct himself with a funny pang in his spark - the word was wistful.
He made his words gentle, to avoid ruffling the cassette. "Windy... would you like a cactus of your own? You could keep it here in my garden, and I could show you how to care for it."
If his garden wasn't compromised before, it certainly was now. Decepticon cacti! Siege would have lost his bolts.
Fairwinds immediately perked up: in the most literal sense, her body straightening and lengthening until she was on her clawtips, as if she could gauge how genuine Rhinox's offer was through the (marginally) increased proximity. "Really?" A blurr-fast bounce. "Really-really?"
When Rhinox gave a fractional nod, that subdued but distinctly Autobot smile still in place, she gave a full-body wriggle of delight. She liked things that were hers, and she liked secret things that were hers even more. Like the maracas she'd picked up in Brazil whilst on a recon mission. And a cactus all her own in an Autobot garden.
Tactically, having Rhinox invite her back here indicated trust. Indicated a willingness to talk. Indicated naivety that she could exploit further down the line to the benefit of the Decepticon cause.
For now, though: pet spiky plant all of her own!
"Yes! Aargh, that'd be so cool!" The cassette scuttled around Rhinox's own cacti, scanning them with a new intent. "I'm gonna name it and clean it and water it and make it the most awesome cactus this mudball has ever seen."
Her scurrying pedes came to an abrupt halt inside the Autobot's shadow, and she cast her optics up his comparatively massive frame with the utmost seriousness. "It has to be a good cactus, though. Or if there's another plant that's better than cacti then I want that instead."
Rhinox wondered briefly how Windy defined 'better.' The definition of the word seemed to change according to the speaker's whim with some people. Cheetor had been the same way.
"Personally," he confided, "I'm quite partial to cacti. And I will definitely find you the best cactus in all the world. You deserve no less." He nodded firmly - whatever Windy's true intentions might be, she would get the best cactus Rhinox could find. And if he couldn't give it to her personally, he would leave instructions as to its care.
Giving Windy even a small organic life to care about - it was a risk. But it was one Rhinox thought was worth taking.
"I ought to go," he said heavily, standing and brushing the sand off his knees. "My shift's about to start. But I'll be back with your cactus as soon as I find it." He offered a smile. "Take care of yourself until then, all right?"
"Will do!" Fairwinds replied brightly, scuttling across the sand until she was alongside Rhinox's left pede. She came up to his heel spur, and had to crane her slim head and long neck outwards to peer up the height of his frame. "'m really looking forward to meeting my cactus."
Retracting her neck, she snapped her beak and fidgeted her pedes, watching the air in front of Rhinox expectantly. It was so minute a possibility that she could just follow the Autobot through his spacebridge and into their base it wasn't worth the attempt. However, Fairwinds was of the opinion that nothing ventured was nothing gained, and thus waited for him to make the call.
"I'll see you off," she informed cheerily when he did nothing of the sort, all friendly and innocent, like. "Make sure you get home safe."
Spy she might well be, but subtlety was clearly not Windy's strong suit. Without a word needing to be spoken, Rhinox expressed his exact feelings on Windy following him home with crossed arms and an arch, amused expression.
Fairwinds grinned, charmed that Rhinox hadn't simply moved to step on her at her presumptuousness, and swung her helm about as she backed up. "Okaaaaaay. Can't blame a Con for tryin'."
She completed her retreated with four two-peded hops back, putting a good fifteen feet of distance between them. The cassette flapped a wing before extending both and warming her jets. "Later, Rhinox! Don't forget: Nothing less than the best, kay?"
Rhinox made damn sure Windy was away from the area before comming for a groundbridge himself.
The shimmering green portal home appeared almost immediately, but Rhinox hesitated. Glanced back, one more peek at his garden: its cheerful yellow sunrays, the bee plants, the vines, the bugs, and the cacti Ironhide and Cleaver. Taking screencap after screencap, in case he never saw any of them again.
You're native plants, right? This is the place where you were made to grow. You'll be fine.
Still, when Rhinox turned away and headed into the bridge, it was with a heavy spark.