The Worst Field Trip of All Time

[megatronicpolarity]

WHO: Megatronus & the Badlands volunteers
WHERE: At the edge of Haven, then onwards to the center of the Badlands offshoot.
WHEN: Sunday/Monday
WHAT: Now that they have their assault team, it's time to put an end to the recent influx of monsters.
WARNINGS: Violence against robotic centipedes.

Whether they hear it from Megatronus himself or through one of his Acolytes, all of the volunteer fighters are offered the same information: a time, a place, and instructions on what to expect from the Badlands. More of the monsters, surely, and the Call of the darkness is an ever-present threat. Stay within sight of the group at all times or risk being lost forever.

The only thing left to do now is make it to the rendez-vous point.

[[OOC note: tag in under the two sub-threads already provided: a more relaxed one for pre-fight chatter, and the actual fight thread. You can participate in both, or just do one and handwave your character's involvement in the other.]]

Comments

[sword_redemption]

"Doesn't matter what you 'should' be, Wing." He lets his hand hover over Wing as the jet moves, to rest what he hopes is a comforting weight on a shoulder nacelle. "Whatever you are is more than good enough."

More than that: Whatever Wing is is perfect.

[winged_knight]

A warm look as his hand settles over Drift's, grateful for the support. "Thank you." No repeats allowed. It goes unspoken but they both know it.

Wing's optics cast about the varied crowd of mostly strangers. An impressive force, but only unified under the banner of necessity.

"It's new, for me. This," he gestures to the gathering combatants, "I'm used to fighting in a close knit, structured group." It's different, when you know every mech with you has your back. When you've strategized together and executed successful missions. The Knights of the Circle made that easy, trust and faith coming readily regardless of how well--or how little---they knew each other. But it'd been a long time since their rescue and recovery forays on Cybertron, fending off battlefield scavengers or deadly airborne games of cat-and-mouse.

Wing knows has to adapt. And here, in this, it's likely adapt or die.

[sword_redemption]

Drift slowly pulls his hand away, though it's the last thing he wants to do. He wants to pull Wing into an embrace, bury himself in the velvety EM field, consoling them both. But that's for later, he told himself. That's what you'll earn after this.

"Never discount the power of the desire to survive," Drift said. He remembered leading Decepticons, ruled by fear and aggression and they had done great things. "We'll win because we have right on our side."

[winged_knight]

He gives that hand a squeeze before letting it escape. Wing feels the same, but it's certainly hard to steel oneself for battle when indulging in the velvety softness of a loved one. So he draws strength and fortitude from Drift instead, something he knows the swordmech has in abundance.

"And I have so many reasons to fuel that desire." One of them standing right in front of him, if the intensity of Wing's gold optics is any indication. He nods. "We will. I have faith. And hopefully, we'll make a difference in this conflict too."

[sword_redemption]

"It'll be just like the slaver base, when we met," Drift said. "Only...maybe I'll be less of an idiot."

Maybe. No promises.

He offers the joke with a grin. Even back then, he'd been impressed by the jet's skills and courage. He believed in Wing more than enough for the both of them.

[winged_knight]

Wing can't help but laugh, which he feels a little bit bad about, a hand slipping over his mouth. "Just keep an optic out behind you this time, okay?"

No getting pancaked by giant...anything!

"Or maybe I'll just watch it for you." The tension is easing, or rather, it's being channeled into more manageable anticipation now thanks to Drift's encouragement. Even if he doesn't have a whole knighthood behind him, he has his own considerable skill to rely on and at least one other Knight he trusts completely.

[sword_redemption]

The laugh was exactly what Drift was going for, grinning back. He leans in, bumping Wing's shoulder with his own, ducking in for a whisper, and to greedily taste some of that EM field again.

"That's what you're here for." He considers a kiss, but no. Later.

[winged_knight]

Wing returns that grin, pushing companionably back after the bump to his shoulder. "Well good. I'm not sure I want to trust anyone else with it."

A kiss is defiantly tempting, and it's obvious the way Wing's helm tilts when Drift leans in like that. Enough so that Wing resolves to, at least, steal one after the call to move out is given. He's not certain he could keep it to just one otherwise.

[sword_redemption]

Drift wants to flirt more, but his optics glimmer with earnestness. "There's no one else I'd rather have at my back."

He realizes he's making the moment too serious with that, so he squeezes the other's hand, offering a wink. "Just remember. Hands off until later."

[winged_knight]

Sometimes for them, simple breathing is flirting. The earnestness only adds to it really, bringing them that much closer together. "Likewise." A rich smile, full of the same ardor. "I don't need the rest of the Circle, if I have you."

Not too serious, not for that sentiment. But, "Oh, just hands?" Maybe the soft giggle that follows is a little out of place for the situation, but it's very Wing.

[sword_redemption]

It's a lot to live up to, the entire Circle. But Drift knows better than to argue. Not now, at any rate. "You have me," he says, lamely, wishing he could think of something better.

He's glad for the giggle: so much better than the tension he'd seen on the jet's face when he came over. "Behave," he says, with a little laugh of his own, not quite as used to being flirted with like this. "But when we win, you can do anything you want with me."

[winged_knight]

It would be, if Wing were only talking about skill. But Drift has an advantage the entire Circle does not: Wing never loved any of them this much. "And you, have me." Sometimes simplicity is better.

It strikes him as amusing: Drift being the one to tell Wing to behave. He finds he rather likes it for some reason he'll have to get to the bottom of later. And, wow, now he's really getting ideas. "Anything you say? Anything at all?"

[sword_redemption]

"Anything."

Wait. That sounded dangerous, especially with that giggle.

"No dresses." There. Now that he's cleared that up.

Well this was gonna be a fake tag, HAHA /puts ideas in Drift's head instead

[winged_knight]

"Oh, well. I should put some deep thought into it then."

Deep being relative.

Maybe.

"Not even if I wear it instead?"

It's hard to tell if he means it or not, given the sheer amount of mischief forming the expression on his face. Battle, what?

[sword_redemption]

"Give you something worth concentrating on." Because this battle? Pfff. Cakewalk. Cakewalk where Drift can set things on fire.

He looks horrified. "Wing. I wouldn't wish a dress on anyone. Especially not you."

M-maybe Prism, though. As a start. Or Pharma.

[winged_knight]

"Well it's definitely preferable to hoards of bugs." And upon further consideration--because considering this topic is plenty appealing--he adds, "Actually it's preferable to most anything."

Yeah Drift, Wing's kind of into you.

A bark of laughter because Drift's reaction is as priceless as expected. "Oh fine then. There's no one else I'd wear it for anyway."

Maybe Vandal. Maaaaybe.