THE SHOW MUST GO ON [open]

[inferiordude]

WHO: Soundwave & OPEN
WHERE: Medbay
WHEN Some hours after Barricade & Driller find him/repair him.
WHAT: Eventually, Soundwave wakes up from repairs in a very unfortunate location for him. Visitations, anyone?
WARNINGS: Trauma, mention of robotgore/robotdeath.



Dreaming is a difficult thing for him.

Usually, Soundwave is in the company of someone, and adopts their memories, their dreams into his own. It's sort of nice, because he feels as though in that way he can improve his techniques as the Decepticon Army's Morale Officer. He knows how to help his fellow soldiers, help his friends keep upbeat. Not just with sing-a-longs with Dead End or Bombshell's therapy sessions, but he himself needs to help the others find a will to carry on.

Here in the medbay, when he's resting, he gets flashes. Some dreams his own, some not. A mix of what he's taken, and what he trembles in the wake of.

There's a sharp smile, a cheerful giggle, and a laser scalpel digging into his face as it's removed, torn from his head You just look so much more interesting this way! and how his mind burns when he knows the truth that he failed one of his adopted kids he's dead he should have rescued him red eyes burning at him This doesn't concern you, Decepticon and he hears Rodimus screaming and he's too late and the black sucks him down and he's never been able to escape it and in his arms it's cold metal just so cold and
he remembers
something new to all of it
this isn't what I want stop stop stop stop and the tired sigh of it's not as if you will remember this, Soundwave, your struggling is getting tiresome and stop stop stop don't open that there's just no choice.

The dust kicks up under his feet, the expansive desert, and Soundwave stares in confusion. Twin stones twisting around each other, a fierce glow, and it screams in his head.
MAKE US WHOLE


Soundwave jerks awake from recharge, his intakes gasping to vent out hot, anxious air, trying to cool himself off. Looking around in a panic, he almost doesn't remember being here.

The medbay.

Frag, he hates being in medbays.

"Ugh, so bogus," he groans to himself, rubbing his helm. Glad he has hands to use again.

It's rare to dream something for himself. Not all of it his, but enough of it was, and that bothers him. Soundwave shudders to himself, shaking his head. No, no. He's okay, he just needs to roll it off his shoulders. He can deal with it.

It's okay. It's okay.

Soundwave folds his arms over his midsection, hugging himself.

Right. He'll be okay.

Comments

[wheeljackofalltrades]

Wheeljack wasn't too far from Soundwave's position, and had seen the guy get dragged in. It...it looked rough, buddy. He's honestly surprised you're still alive. Not many can take losing-your-limbs with such a good attitude.

He sure wouldn't. Heck, he had only minor blast damage and here he was, sitting in the medbay.

"Ya were out for awhile there."

Might as well strike up some conversation. It was too quiet anyway.

[inferiordude]

To Soundwave's disappointment, his legs haven't quite recalibrated yet. In due time, they'll adjust, but for now, that means no transforming and no walking. Ugh.

Maybe he can try to convince someone to drag him out of here. The place wigs him a bit.

At the voice, Soundwave glances over towards the Autobot. His visor flickers in curiosity. Something about him seems very familiar, but it's the face that throws him off.

"...Wheeljack?" The colors and everything else looks about right, but the whole hey Wheeljack has a face now thing is weird to him.

"Well, uh... there was... a lot of damage."

Briefly, Soundwave seems distracted. Could be Wheeljack's appearance, could be something else. He toys with his headband, glancing around, almost nervously.

[wheeljackofalltrades]

Well, he certainly doesn't remember you, but you obviously know him from SOMEWHERE. His eyebrows perk at being addressed, shifting himself a bit to get slightly more comfortable.

"The one and on-..."

...Wait, no he can't say that anymore.

"Yeah, Wheeljack. Gotta say, you can take a hit, buddy. Dunno what happened, but scrap, you can take a hit."

[raceme]

As promised, Blurr came to the medbay a few hour after their conversation. He was concerned about Soundwave and what Prism did to him that was so bad it put him in such a state. He needed to investigate further but friends came first and he could spy on psychotic Ais later.

He came into the medbay, quickly as ever, with a golden cage in his hands and looking around for Soundwave. When he saw the other mech hugging himself be approached it at a slower pace.

"...Soundwave...?"

[inferiordude]

The speedy Autobot shouldn't be a surprise, but he still can't help but jerk back. Part of him expects a darker shade, a crueler look, and an eyepatch; he's lucky that this lither version is nothing like the Autobot he's more familiar with.

So settles and bows his head a little.

"Yo, Blurr. Thanks... for, uh. Stoppin' by."

[ex_dishonestly997]

It was late when Starscream stopped by the medbay for the second time, reflecting for a short time that the only friends he had were people who were too injured to escape from listening to him talk. That said something, but he wasn't sure exactly what.

"What in the Pit happened to you?"

Much like the rest of his manner, the bedside part of it could use work.

[inferiordude]

Of all the people he'd see while in the medbay, he'll admit that Starscream wasn't on the top of his list. More just that he's learned to accept what kinds of people they tend to be outside of his own best friend.

Not that he thinks badly of all of them, but... yeah.

So it's a pleasant surprise and his visor brightens right up.

"Screamer!" He perks up and holds up his hand. "Hey!"

...Oh yeah. He's still injured.

"Uh. ... Y-you know... stuff."

[littlecrowgirl]

Kay's a dedicated little lady when it comes to her job. Starscream had wanted medical tools, and by gosh, she was going to get some medical tools. So what better place to find such tools than the medical bay? It made sense to her, at least. So she's going to sneak in completely unnoticed (or so she thinks), hoping to get some kind of clue as to what she's going for.

That is...until she saw someone familiar. Someone...very familiar. She froze on the spot, her eyes completely shot with fear.

"..."

[inferiordude]

Oh. This is not what he was hoping for. Not that he doesn't want to see Kay. He adores her. But the fact that she's seeing him here, like this.

Sorry. It's... it's so hard to not sense, Kay. Soundwave stares back.

"A-ah, hey... hey, Rockstar."

Try to make light of it, just try.

"S'up?"

[namesnotprowl]

Barricade had done what he could... which is, admittedly, more than he'd managed with his own legs in the beginning. He'd almost forgotten what having proper tools and replacement parts was like. So much easier than what he had to do on the station. So much better.

Still, he'd stuck by the Soundwave's berth fairly close, keeping himself awake by checking through Link transmissions to figure things out... and then cross-referencing with a few old transmission's from Sacrosanct's wearable network, and his own files. Funny how things follow from the other places he's been. Except that it's not particularly funny right now.

He perks up where he's been sitting when he notices Soundwave is awake, slowly getting to his feet.

"Hey."

How are you feeling, bro?

[inferiordude]

The communications expert pauses, glancing up to see Barricade. A nice, friendly face to have that has nothing in common with a Ratchet or Prism. Good, good.

His shoulders relax.

"Yer yourself, dude," Soundwave murmurs. "You been here long?"

[heavymetalgenkigirl]

Miko had slipped into the Medbay to check for a clear coast just in time to see Soundwave jerk awake. He looked like he had a nightmare, which considering how... well human... the Cybertronians she already knew well were she wouldn't put it past him to have had one. Her art can wait, she decides and she scales up to the berth, trying not to be too loud about any of it.

"Hey dude... you doing okay?" She asks once she pops her head up over the top, pulling herself most of the way up onto the berth.

[inferiordude]

Fortunately, the voice of a tiny, human girl does not disturb him as, ah. Other things could have. Soundwave peers down at Miko, then offers out his hand to the girl.

"I'm doin' okay," he tries to assure, blatantly lying. "What're you doin' here, little dudette?"

[vandalization]

"Soundwave...?" She's pretty much been around the Medbay, trying to be helpful and failing.

But she promised she'd bring Soundwave music, and she intended to deliver, hauling the speakers and stereo system behind her on a small cart.

"You awake, buddy?"

[inferiordude]

Vandal.

That last part of the dream, he's familiar with because of her. It's not his. She... something is different about her.

And he needs to work on giving her something good.

"Right here, Joan Jett. You need a hand up?"

[a_father_to_his_men]

Megatron had headed to the medbay just as soon as he had heard someone mention Soundwave being there. He had yet to hear of a Soundwave from another world here, so he was quite sure it was the Soundwave from his world. Walking into the medbay proved his calculation correct and he made a B-line right for his berth.

"Soundwave... how are you feeling?" Worry could be seen on his face and heard in his voice as he reached out, intending to lay his and on his friend's arm.

[inferiordude]

There are no words from Soundwave. As soon as he sees Megatron, his visor glows intensely and he throws his hands up, his fingers flexing in a reaching motion. A silent plea for Megatron to be closer.

"I... I'm. I'm doin'. You know. Jus' doin'."

l-long tag is long D:

[docbot]

Having been informed of Soundwave's ... less than optimal experiences with other versions of himself, Ratchet isn't quite sure what to do. On one hand, he wants to get in and start investigating the mech's injuries, in order to get him restored to full function. On the other, the shame he feels for the actions of his other selves makes him want to avoid Soundwave as much as possible.

Caught between the two desires, he's been hovering, staying in the medbay within earshot of Soundwave, but never starting any sort of conversation or initiating contact. At this point, though, it's been hours since he's come in, and he hasn't seen Soundwave refuel at all. It's this that's pushed him forward with a cube of energon and a vaguely harried expression.

"Ah... you should fuel up."

/SMOOSHES i'm sorry D:

[inferiordude]

The visitations have been nice; the gifts, the listening, even just talking... it's been good. Assuring him that he is not alone. Pleasant. He's relieved to have new friends and old friend alike listening to him.

But no. He hasn't refueled. Soundwave is almost scared to.

He jerks upright when he hears Ratchet's voice, his visor flickering in surprise. The offered is looked at curiously, less suspicion.

Soundwave, of all people, knows better than to judge someone by their name or their faction. He'd started out well with another Ratchet, but that... that--

It's complicated, and he doesn't want to burden this one with the history.

"Uh. Thanks, dude. You, um. You okay?" Hesitantly, he takes the cube.

[lifepersists]

First Aid had a habit of flitting around Ratchet's medbay when Pharma didn't really need him. To be fair, there was much more to do here than there was on Delphi. Many more people, much more activity of the non-plague ridden variety.

He'd seen some really horrific damage done to mechs before. Survivors of DJD attacks were something that he dealt with on and off at Delphi. They were mechs who sometimes were missing entire heads, other vital parts, their Sparks fading fast.

When Soundwave had been brought in, he fretted. Now that the mech had been restored mainly, First Aid bustles on over to the medical berth to check over his charts, jerking slightly when he realizes the mech is awake.

"Oh, Soundwave! How are you feeling?"

He lays a hand against the mech's helm soothingly.

[inferiordude]

The sight of First Aid still surprises him; he'll adjust to the sight of the Autobot soon enough, but he still halfway expects a German accent and eccentric laughter.

Fortunately, First Aid is quite different than that.

"H-hey, First Aid. I'm ... hangin' in there."

There's a pause at the hand on his helm. That's a lot more affectionate than he'd been expecting from an Autobot. He doesn't mind it, particularly.

"Just had a rough recharge."

I apologize for super late ._.

[cliffjumper]

Considering when he arrived, it took a while for Cliffjumper to actually get there... and slightly twitchy, even when he knew there was nothing wrong here except the perfectly preferable scenario of a friend being repaired.

When he actually saw Soundwave, his first thought was who of the negative polarity Autobots were present--- But that wasn't a logical response, since otherwise he was rather sure either Soundwave or Megatron would've mentioned it.

"... The slag happened to you?" The hiss was as much from anger as an attempt to keep his temper and vocalizer down if Soundwave was actually still in recharge.

YOU'RE NEVER TOO LATE

[inferiordude]

A part of him had sort of hoped that maybe by the time Cliffjumper showed up, his repairs would be done. Not so much, it seems, as he sees and hears the red Autobot make his appearance in downright near fury.

Yeah. He recognizes the look.

Soundwave turns his head, awkwardly toying with the end of his headband.

"Bad social call," he murmurs.

[winged_knight]

He'd only caught flashes, bits of information here and there, which really just made it that much worse. Regarless, someone whom he'd swiftly developed an affection for had been through something horrible, and Wing was of a mind to help bring pleasant things back into the forefront of this mech's life.

Wing enters medibay and after a glance around, spies Soundwave. He approaches, an air of gentle warmth about him, and greets the Decpeticon.

[inferiordude]

It's been a long day of visitations and reassurances from friends, in both old faces and new. It's comforting to know that for certain he is not alone, though that had never really concerned him before. It's just warming to know that he can count on others should he need.

It's left him drowsy, the length of the day and all that's happened before.

Soundwave glances up, visor flickering as he sees Wing. Under his mask, he smiles.

"Yo, Wingthing. What up, dude?"