Get a Move On

[young_upstart]

WHO: Hot Rod (young_upstart) and OPEN!
WHERE: Around central Haven
WHEN NOW
WHAT: No matter what they say, can't keep the madness at bay
WARNINGS: Potential violence?

     It had been subtle at first, the agitation that surfaced not seeming to be anything more than appropriate for the building frustration of this place and what the Autobot had learned not too long ago. He'd told Ultra Magnus he would let him know if he felt 'off' in any way, but so far, nothing had happened that made him feel the need to bring it up. After all, if there wasn't any trouble, why make some?

     And yet, it was because of that nothing that it only served as a further irritant for his dwindling mood. Hot Rod felt even more restless of late, and no one seemed to have any answers. The last time he'd gotten answers hadn't been very satisfying though, and clearly none of those that held rank in this weird place was willing to help. No one wanted to help. No one knew how to help, and even though he knew that probably couldn't be helped, it just made him so. Angry.

     In order to try venting some steam, he decided to do some target practice around the Junkpile. Blasting random things to bits had never felt so good. There was something definitely satisfying about seeing smoking debris scattering after your photon charges slammed and burned clean into your target, sending them into oblivion-

     The thought startled him. That wasn't like him. That wasn't like him at all.

     "What...was that?" His imagination? He hoped it was, but the smoldering remains in front of him certainly couldn't be lying. It scared him. Something was happening, and he couldn't let it.

     Turning, he started to move. He wanted to run, to get away, somewhere. No, you're not thinking clearly! You need to tell Magnus! -but what can he do? Or any of the others for that matter? What if you slip like that again?

     He couldn't allow that, and he didn't want to take any chances either. Within seconds he had collapsed and twisted into his vehicle mode, and wheels peeled away the moment they hit the ground, the bright magenta sports car emblazoned with orange flames speeding off. Somewhere. Anywhere.

Comments

[sciencetank]

And, by sheer coincidence, someone was headed in the opposite direction as the sports car. There were a few things the adopted laboratory was running short on, and while relying on the Junk Pile was a terrible method for replenishing one's supplies, it wasn't as if he had a better option currently available.

So, off the tank trundled.

He'd never had trouble with anyone in Haven. Not once. Then again, maybe his frame was somewhat off-putting, as large as it was. Not to mention his mannerism. However, regardless of why, he just didn't expect anything to drive streaking across his position, missing the tank's front treads by mere inches.

Of course, he swore. Sputtered, really, his vehicle mode grinding to an indignant halt.

"Is it so inconceivable to watch where in the Pit you're going?"

[young_upstart]

     "-!"

     It had been quite the close call, as could be told by the screech of tires as Hot Rod swerved to avoid a head-on collision. He ended up spinning nearly 360 degrees, stopping almost parallel to the tank.

     "Why don't you watch where you're going!" he snapped. As though tanks could come out of nowhere, but right now patience wasn't exactly his best virtue... if it ever was.

[sciencetank]

"Yes, because I'm clearly the more difficult to spot..."

Considering he's a tank, and all. As if to punctuate his point, he transforms, arms folded, and scowling down at the sports car.

Scowling as only the Space British truly can.

[young_upstart]

     This was the last thing he needed, and yet it was enough of a distraction that he forgot for the moment why he'd been in such a hurry in the first place. Probably not a good thing, but the least on his mind.

     Seeing the larger bot transform, Hot Rod quickly followed suit, fists balled up as he glared right back up at the other.

     "Well sorry! Not my fault you blended in with the scenery!"

[sciencetank]

Perceptor lacked eyebrows. He lacked the facial structure for them, or the mammalian features necessary. However, the expression on his face suggested a raised brow all the same.

"I fail to see how."

While this individual's paint scheme was rather loud, Perceptor wasn't exactly small, either.

"My physical structure alone should have made that next to impossible."

[young_upstart]

     It was really weird looking up at Perceptor, but by now Hot Rod knew to expect multi-versal variants of Autobots he knew. It made it no stranger for him, but at least it helped as a reminder. Shaking his head, the younger Autobot backed off.

     "I- Sorry. I didn't... I shouldn't have said that. I just..." Just what?

[sciencetank]

"Just...?"

He waved a hand, as if doing so was going to prompt a better answer from the... Autobot. Yes, according to the symbol on the center of his chestplate, he was one of them.

"Speak up, now."

[young_upstart]

     "-just...oh, I don't know!" He tossed his hands up in frustration. "I can't explain it Perceptor- you're a Perceptor, right? You kind of look like him, except- Well that's not important."

     Now he was just rambling. He'd jump on any subject so long as he could just keep his mind off of other, more destructive thinking. He could still feel it though, lingering at the back of his mind.

[sciencetank]

"You aren't even trying. Regardless, yes, I am Perceptor."

Perhaps he'd be more considerate if he hadn't nearly been run into. Perhaps. Then again, this was Perceptor -- the one with fewer friends than even Ultra Magnus.

He tilted his head, and, slowly, proceeded to give the other Autobot a long, considering look. The more he stared, the more something began to occur to him.

"... You share several similar structural and design elements with one of Commander Magnus' crew." His head tilted further, optics narrowing in thought. "Hot Rod, I believe...?"

[invisiblepinkboat]

Anywhere, apparently, meaning a similar path Elita was using. Or rather, perpendicular to it, and since there was a huge pile of junk in the way, it might be forgivable that neither of them noticed until it was nearly too late. She came around the "corner" of the scrapheap, and, startled at the sudden appearance of another car in her way, veered sharply aside, flinging junk everywhere as she drove up against and partly into the pile they'd both been passing at their own angle.

Transforming midair and launching herself away from the pile to avoid getting stuck in it, Elita landed somewhere behind Hot Rod and sent a brief query ping about how he'd managed just as she turned around to see for herself.

That had been a bit awkward.

[young_upstart]

     Too late had he realized someone else in the immediate vicinity, and by then Elita was almost right in front of him. Cursing, the Autobot slammed on the brakes as he transformed, vaulting into the air in hopes to clear the other. His landing wasn't nearly as clean, not nearly high enough to give him enough room to get his feet under himself in time as he landed rather roughly on his back.

     He probably didn't need to send a reply considering the groan that came from behind Elita. That...had not been fun at all.

[invisiblepinkboat]

No, that couldn't have been fun at all. The wince as Hot Rod groaned was merely a twitch of her back-mounted panels, more focused on taking the few steps that separated them to get up beside him and offer a hand.

"Sorry about that. Nothing critical?" Compared to the Springer that was here for a while, and she does wonder where he disappeared to, Hot Rod isn't familiar as more than someone who currently is part of Optimus Prime's crew on Earth to her. It's something of a relief, almost, to not yet have met any more that she recognises as a friend.

[young_upstart]

     "Just the damage to my pride," he muttered, but he pulled himself up with Elita's assistance. He'd taken worse beatings, so a landing like this wasn't anything to worry about, rough as it was.

     Hot Rod stared a moment at the female Autobot before he shook his head. No, wasn't the one he might've thought it would be. "...er, I should apologize about that too..."

[invisiblepinkboat]

"Well, you were hurt more than I, and since damaged pride usually repairs itself rather quickly, seems we should be be okay," she couldn't help but smile slightly, though it wasn't really meant to be teasing.

"Just feeling out what speed you can use out here?" She tilted her helm, admittedly curious, since there weren't many other reasons to be roaring around in the Junk Pile... Though as she glaced over him, she did catch that he lacked a glyph.

That might explain what he was doing out here as well, even if the Hub had been given for the Glyphless' use if they wanted it. And he was... hm. She had to think a moment or two and then nodded.

"Hot Rod, right? I'm Elita One." Introductions would make it slightly more easier...

[young_upstart]

     He seemed a little reluctant to answer, glancing away. At the very least, the near-collision had cleared his mind of whatever earlier antagonism that had been simmering in his circuits. For the moment, anyway.

     "I just felt I needed to really get away from here..." he said after a moment, finally looking back at her. "That's right though." He was getting tired of being called Rodimus three times out of four around here. Elita One, the name was familiar. Hot Rod nodded at her.

[invisiblepinkboat]

While it was Rodimus now as well for the one in her reality, it hadn't been that way for long (and it was a personal, aesthetic choice, nothing to do with having the Matrix or not) and she had further been paying attention to the Link.

"I'd say it was nice to meet you, but the circumstances aren't ideal." While it was said lightly, there was a strain of seriousness beneath it, and she didn't exactly mean the near-crash. Near-crashes, or even actual crashes could be recovered from. If things go as implied with the Glyphless, that would be a lot harder to recover from.

Replaying his first words, Elita nodded, taking them both literally and... given everything, metaphorically.

"I could get you out of the Junk Pile... Easier to just drive around out in the open." And out of the Haven, away from the temples, so there'd be no worrying about that, and hopefully less for Hot Rod to be frustrated by. If anything was affecting him, which Elita wasn't sure of yet.

[young_upstart]

     "Well...yeah," he had to agree. Waking up in some foreign Cybertron when you knew the last place you were at was a ship wasn't exactly the best of situations, especially considering that you had a massive planet-eater poised to make its next snack your home. The whole Glyphless deal was just icing on the cake.

     Hot Rod nodded slowly, although he couldn't help but feel a little suspicious at that. Or was that the earlier antagonistic sensation starting to worm its notions back into his circuits?

     "...that... Yeah. I was thinking kind of the same thing."

[whirlybird_of_prey]

It's not that Whirl was a creeper. Everyone knew that, for Primus' sake. It's just that there was something really uncanny about this 'Hot Rod' that set Whirl's mischief sense tingling.

Sort of like an injury or something. He wants to poke it.

Especially at the sudden mysterious departure. Someone was going somewhere moving like he had a purpose, a fancy dessert of mystery wrapped in enigma.

Like Whirl could ever resist temptation. He switches to his alt, rotors thupping through the dark sky, in low, fast pursuit.

[young_upstart]

     He's not exactly thrilled to have the company. It doesn't take him long to realize that someone's tailing him, and for a moment he thinks it might be Springer, which could have been worse given how flippantly the other Autobot tended to be about things, even when matters were serious. And Hot Rod considered his current situation quite serious.

     It isn't something he wants to deal with. He doesn't know who's following him, but he's definitely going to try and lose him. His engine growls as he shifts gears and speeds up.

[whirlybird_of_prey]

No one is thrilled for Whirl's company. Feeling was generally mutual.

But wow that is the wrong way to lose Whirl: the non-Rodimus would have been much better off trying to be boring. But trying to evade Whirl's masterful pursuit?

He's on Hot Rod like Wreckers on high grade.

[young_upstart]

     ...well, that isn't how it's supposed to go. It's a little annoying to find that he's still being followed, a small spark that instantly rekindles that earlier upset.

     His peddle is to the metal, but it's become obvious that this guy isn't wanting to let up on this pointless chase. "Hey pal, you want something or what?"

you can zip away from him if you want :)

[whirlybird_of_prey]

Little annoying? Whirl will have to try harder.

Whirl overflies the vehicle, dropping down in front of him in his robot mode.

"Just, you know, bein' all welcome wagon." Well-armed welcome wagon, who still remembers how to do the annoying cop voice. "Where were you going in such a hurry, citizen."

Ooooor I can do this? Lemmee know if this is okay or not! :3

[young_upstart]

     Oh, that's rich. Hot Rod isn't buying it. He also doesn't show any signs of slowing down.

     "Yeah, well your wagon isn't welcome. Outta the way!"

     Not feeling it necessary to have to explain himself, the Autobot intends to barrel right through Whirl if he has to.

I just don't want to step on the toes of whatever you've got plotted. x_x

[whirlybird_of_prey]

Yyyyyyyeah that whole cop thing worked about as well as it had in Rodion. At least Whirl tried. A for Effort and all that.

"But you haven't seen what I've got in the welcome wagon~." Hint: it's high explosive.

The flaming loser is simply going to have to cope with the fact that air superiority is a thing. A thing that Whirl has.

Or will have, as soon as he gets up. Because Hot Rod managed to run over his foot. His dainty, beautiful foot!

"That's assault!" he says, launching into the air after the zipping car. By the tone of his voice, Hot Rod just made his day.

No worries there. I got nothing. >.>

[young_upstart]

     He would have felt a lot better if Whirl had been sent flying over his hood. As it is, he's not pleased to find that he's still being pursued in spite of things.

     Worse yet, the other seems to be enjoying himself!

     If anything happened to this guy, that's his own fault. Since it's become obvious that Whirl isn't letting up, Hot Rod doesn't see any point in playing nicely. After leading him along a short distance more, the sports car spins about in a neatly executed drift, transforming as he rolls forward, intending to get under Whirl considering how closely the guy's managed to follow. "You want assault, I'll give you assault-"

     Arms raised, he fires.