too busy working out to

[thxforthememories]

WHO: Kagerou & OPEN
WHERE: ALL AROUND HAVEN || Police Station || Trion's Temple
WHEN: From TFP!Ratchet's attack -- to now!
WHAT: After his outburst on the Network, Kagerou is rather desperate to prove himself as a capable police officer, hunting nonstop for a fugitive he probably has no hope of locating. It goes about as well as you can expect.
WARNINGS: None now.
Note: If you could put the date and location in the subject, that would be awesome!

[He's probably become a familiar sight around the Haven skies of late. A shadow ghosting across the stars, or lurking in the darker places behind buildings. Scans are running constantly. No part of the ground goes unseen. Guilt is driving him, mostly. He wants to make things right. Wants to make amends.]

[Make it up to the bot he thinks he's failed.]

[But there are some areas he won't visit. Some places etched in his mind as too terrible to return to. He won't be seen near Liege's temple. Nor Megatronus'. Everywhere else, he is a near-constant presence. Look up. You might see him!]

~

[Even so, he can't be everywhere. Every so often, he'll return to the police station. Make reports, they said. Check in, they said. And so, in between sweeps of the Haven, he'll stop at the station. Even if no one is inside, or present, he'll offer up his report via datapad, leaving it on a desk.]

[Nothing, it usually says. Nothing unusual reported.]

[And he treats every report of that nature, like a failure. His shoulders slump a little more, and he leaves the station looking more dejected, though his expression remains as closed and neutral as possible. If someone is present in the station, he'll stop to speak with them, of course. But otherwise, he's in and out in a matter of minutes.]

~

[Rarer still, he returns to Trion's temple. To the room he and Kay and now... now another... are sharing. It's usually late when he does drag himself back. He's always low on fuel, low on rest. He'll all but stumble through the temple, nodding to passersby, or whoever happens to be on his way.]

[He will return to the room for only as long as it takes for him to refuel. To make certain Kay is all right. To make certain nothing terrible has happened.]

[And then he's gone again. Weary, frustrated, and wracked with too much guilt. But pushing onward all the same.]

Comments

Trion's Temple | Kagerou's room, Night

[loborobo]

[Well, when he does return back to his room, after what seems to be ages to his counterpart, he'll be standing in the middle of the room.

Shadowmaru has been helping out as much as he can with the police force. But everything seemed to be so topsy turvy with this Ratchet character. Ever since the 'good Ratchet' was attacked, Kagerou had been hard at work. While it was admirable, Shadowmaru couldn't help but feel worried for his shadow.

Once Kagerou steps into the room, he crosses his arms, holding a cube of energon for his other half. He tosses it in his direction.]

Kagerou. We need to talk.

[thxforthememories]

[He isn't expecting anyone to be awake. Much less waiting for him. Maybe it's the product of being here alone for so long -- Kay usually fell asleep quickly, anyway.]

[At first, something in the tired, strained expression softens. As it always does when he sees the other ninja. No matter what is wrong, seeing Shadowmaru... it makes everything a little easier. There's the faintest trace of a smile.]

[Which fades abruptly at the words. He almost fumbles the cube, rather than catching it. Something like dread twists in his AI.]

What...? What's wrong?

[loborobo]

[Shadowmaru frowns a little as he looks at him. But he gestures to all of him.]

Look at you! Coming back like this. Nearly empty of fuel. Are you that determined to find a manic on your own?

[He shakes his head and rubs his helm.]

I appreciate your attempts to find him, Kagerou. I'm sure everyone does. But don't you think this is what he wants you do? For the Police Force to do? To scramble around, and exhaust our resources. Or worst of all, ourselves!

[thxforthememories]

... I am.

[There's no sense hiding it from Shadowmaru, of all bots. He couldn't lie to him, even if he tried. His head bows, and he toys with the cube in his hands.]

I feel... I feel responsible. I should have been more careful. A better officer.

[He shakes his head.]

I have to make it right. Don't I?

[loborobo]

How do you feel responsible?

[His hands tighten into loose fists.]

You're not the only on the police force, Kagerou. You can't take the blame for all of this! And... I'm not saying it's anyone's fault. [His lips purse into a thin line.]

We just have to make improvements. That's all. But that doesn't mean risking your life for the entertainment of some crazy bot!

Police Station PUNK | idk today you like today right

[badboybikerbot]

[hey birdy don't mind it too much if Gunmax stares at you the entire time you're at the station. Because he's not gonna stop.

Mostly because he's procrastinating on his own reports but shhh.

He's definitely noticed that Kagerou's been busting his ass working lately, which is great and all, but there's a difference between being a workaholic and being weirdly obsessed with working. That's not really healthy, dude.]

Hey, there's this thing called taking a break. Maybe you should try it before you break down or something.

i like today

[thxforthememories]

[Okay, some staring is acceptable, but there's a point at which it gets to him. Even he can't handle that much staring right now.]

[He tries to ignore it, and just get his work done. Put the paperwork in, and turn to go.]

[It would have worked great if Gunmax hadn't said anything.]

I can't.

[He does pause long enough to say that, though, and actually looks over at him.]

Not in this.

GOOD

[badboybikerbot]

[Did he really expect Gunmax to keep his mouth shut lets be real]

You "can't". Uh huh. And why do you think that?

[Gunmax just crosses is arms and gives Kagerou this expectant look. Spit it out parrot.]

[thxforthememories]

[He was sort of hoping...]

Because apparently, this is the only way to be a police officer.

[That's what he'd gotten from his lectures the last time he'd made a network post -- or rather lost composure over the network, oops.]

I'm at fault if I do anything less.

[He shrugs a little.]

Just outside Kagerou's room

[flashdrive]

Leaving again?

[Yeah, don't think one of the only other initiates of the building hasn't noticed your...absence. This just happened to be the time Rewind caught him in the act. He's just passing by his room as he exits, his Alcolyte in tow as he carries a datapad. It's a bit humorous to see, like a large dog following it's baby master.]

This usually isn't like you.

[thxforthememories]

Rewind!

[It's both a startled and a pleased exclamation. He's always genuinely happy to see the Autobot, and it shows now, in a tired flicker of a smile.]

[Th Acolyte though... He hadn't heard about this.]

You have a -- a Stumpy.

[Since that's what Kay calls theirs. And the observation seems infinitely more important than anything else.]

[flashdrive]

[If Rewind had eyebrows, one would be perked ever so highly right now. A 'Stumpy'. His gaze looks up at his Acolyte, finally piecing something together. It was short...kinda. And kind of braindead.

Stumpy indeed.]

Ah, yeah. Guess I got a little too interested in your little glyph, decided to try it out for myself.

[Initiate bros~]

[thxforthememories]

You...

[He drops down to his knees, to better speak. The tired little smile suddenly blooms. He hadn't realized... he'd thought only Kay was in the process. But Rewind--]

[Somehow, it makes him feel less lonely. Less worried he's made the wrong choice.]

[And the smile on his face is plain as day.]

You did it too. You're like me now.

Uh, now-ish? =3

[thankyou4myheart]

One of the times Kagerou enters the police station, he'll see a now-familiar figure sitting at one of the desks, the one he claimed since Blurr returned.

Deckard looks up at the sound of entry. He stands slowly as he recognizes who it is, stepping around his desk.

"Kagerou."

[thxforthememories]

He'd just meant to leave the report on the desk. Leave it, and go back to work. Like they all wanted him to.

But someone calls his name. And he freezes where he stands.

"Yes?"

[thankyou4myheart]

Deckard knew what it was Kagerou was doing.  Or anyway, felt he did.  And . . . he felt responsible, at least a little.  Yes, it had crossed his mind that if the ninjabot would have just gone out as asked instead of waffling over Kay, what had happened to Ratchet might not have . . . but . . .

  His voice is quiet –no blame, no admonishment (Deckard was positive that if Kagerou hadn't heard it enough from Shadowmaru already…he was most certainly going to –let someone whom he'll actually listen to try to admonish him).

  "Kagerou . . . I'm worried about you.  When I'd asked you to look for that medic, I hadn't meant at the cost of your own health."

[thxforthememories]

"I'm not hurt."

His voice is as it usually is. Restrained, soft, and a little hard-edged. Nothing to betray how it is he feels. He's tired enough to maintain the calm mask with little effort, simply because it's easier than anything else.

"Don't be so concerned. My stealth systems are needed."

Whatever late night works best for you - also let me know if you want me to edit

[notyourblueangel]

Thundercracker has been pulling a few late-night sweeps of his own, staying out from his room that he...used to share with Four for as long as possible. He's tired and distracted, and almost doesn't hear the sound of additional footsteps until a smaller, dark body comes around the corner and all but stumbles right into him. On reflex, he catches the other mech by the shoulder, about to snap at him to watch where he's going, but he catches himself.

Hn, one of the Earth mechs. He's one of McCrane's team.

That makes him huff out his irritation before it can build any more. Instead, he just steadies the other winged mech, his grip a little rough but not unduly so. He's seen the sparkling running himself ragged flying patterns that would challenge even a Seeker.

"When's the last time you recharged, kid?"

[thxforthememories]

Touch is not something he is accustomed to. Not from strangers in the hall he's randomly passing. Even if it's not a total stranger.

The hand on him makes him literally jerk backward, his wings flaring, haggard features twisting into an expression of sudden, startled fear. One hand goes for his kusari before he forcibly calms himself, moving to stand a few feet away.

"Don't do that."

It's quiet, more calm than he actually feels. He barely manages to keep the words polite, instead of a sharp snapping order.

"I'm fine."

[notyourblueangel]

Thundercracker lets go easily enough, but he gives Kagerou a flat look.  "Don't what?  Don't keep you from walking into me, or don't keep you from collapsing to your aft in exhaustion?"  He keeps the irritation from his voice as much as possible.  He's not in the mood for a fight, and he can guess the comment was more reactionary than anything, even for as calm as it was. 

  He studies the sparkling.  "Whatever you're trying to prove, running yourself to ground in the attempt isn't going to do whoever you're trying to help much good."

  Why is he bothering?  The sparkling's already pushed him away once.  And if he had to hazard a guess, the mech's even more upset this time than he was then.  But . . . he's one of McCrane's.  That means a lot to the Seeker.  If only for his friend's sake, he has to try.

  "Look . . . whatever you're doing . . . let me help?   Two people flying search patterns can cover more ground.  And if we stagger, you can get more rest than you are now while the search is still going on."

  Kagerou was a member of the police force too, which meant if Thundercracker helped, he'd still technically be doing his job.  Especially since he had a suspicion they'd been looking for the same mech the whole time already.

[thxforthememories]

"Don't touch me."

He barely keeps it polite. Barely turns the tone into one of suggestion, instead of one of orders. His arms are folded over his chest. A protective stance, not an aggressive one. Though his visible optic narrows.

"I'm not trying to prove anything. I'm doing my job. As a police officer."

Though he blinks.

"Why do you want to help?"

A lookout ridge after Shadowmaru arrives--We're gonna be shy on icons since I'm out of paid

[mccrane]

McCrane had come to a decision that he'd been waiting on for a long, long while. He knew he was going to give up the police force, handing it over to Deckard--who was built to be in charge, and Blurr--who was much older and experienced.

It was a weight lifted from his shoulders, and a way for him to finally take time from obsessing over his duty...

But he found that he could not stop. No sooner had decisions been made, but both Gunmax and Shadowmaru had appeared and granted the situation more complication than he wanted it to have.

He was feeling better now, at least--now that he had taken his innoculation. Knowing that Kagerou had not yet been given the shot, he had taken it upon himself to track down the ninja...which was helped by knowing where the most recent 'tip' on Ratchet had directed the bot to. He signalled his coming with a brief burst of static--letting Kagerou know he was nearby without creating any communications traffic. Kagerou had much better ways of sending encryptions than he did, making it easier to let the other start up conversations if they were needed.

8D out of paid you say

[thxforthememories]

He did feel better, now that Shadowmaru was here. Like a missing piece of himself had been returned. But, by the same token, he was also more apprehensive. More worried something would happen to the one so important.

All the more reason to keep working. To never stop until things were taken care of.

But the ping -- such as it is -- does manage to stop him. It takes him a moment to recognize it for what it is, before he flits off in the right direction. If McCrane needed him... he could take a few minutes, surely.

When he lands, he sends along the encrypted message, one reading simply:

:: I'm here. ::

OH YOU

[mccrane]

McCrane is glad to hear the reply, and meets at their relatively secure location with a simple ::Thank you.::

It's strange, now. Only a few weeks ago, he had felt like he was starting to form a steady bond with Kagerou...and then.

And then.

He transforms, and stands up, managing to hide the confusion that he's been feeling. Shadowmaru is here, and Gunmax is here. Their team is slowly re-uniting. Everything is better, but everything is also different.

"I brought your shot, to keep you from getting the illness that was going around. Do you have a few moments?"

He understands Kagerou's need to keep busy. It's one of the few ways to keep from facing truths that are not easy to face.

[thxforthememories]

By contrast, he doesn't feel as if anything at all is different between them. He trusts the other BP. He rather likes his company. They've been through a lot, by now. Yes, others are here -- including Shadowmaru -- but that doesn't change what's happened to them.

He looks... haggard, when he turns to McCrane. There is a weariness on his face rarely there, his calm mask not managing to hide the exhaustion. All the same, there's a brief flicker of a smile, turned to McCrane.

A quiet greeting.

However, it fades at the mention of a "shot". He bristles, out of pure, childish dislike. He shakes his head.

"I'm fine. I... I have my firewalls."