Like Magic

{| style="border: none; border-collapse: separate; text-align: left; width: 70%;" cellpadding="10" cellspacing="10"
|- valign="top"
| style="background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2); border: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5); border-radius: 5px;" id="mf-links" width="50%" |
Ah...Kaon. So many wonderful things to do and see in Kaon. Like...that building there, and that...thing. Whatever it is. It went by too fast. Nightlash is in her slick alt-mode, sub-sonic for the time being, as she scans the area below for signs of life and -OH! Look at that. She slows, banking into an overhead pattern as her sensors zero in on a pile of rubble, weighing the pros and cons of venturing in for a better look...
The neutral femme isn't the only one loitering about Kaon at this hour, chance has it that Phantom, the mysteriously present foreigner is also meandering the Kaon skies. What for, one might ask? Simply because he feels like it! 
His jet form passes Nightlash, and he notices her but doesn't approach her -- yet, at least. He wonders what she's doing here, apparently scoping out a random pile of rubble..?
Starscream is in the sky somewhat at a higher altitude and heading back to base. As he comes into Kaon his sensors pick up Phantom and another flier that doesn't seem familiar. After a long moment the Air Commander wingovers and drops his altitude to close in on Phantom. < What are you doing? > he radios. < Whos the other flier? >
Nightlash breaks hard (relatively hard, at least) as soon as another jet zips nearby, all sensors locking on the new occupant of the skies. There's a moment of pause as she hesitates, engines thrumming between cruising speed and throttled up to 'escape' speeds as she looks over the flier for markers and affiliations, her possible stash-grab and forraging operations forgotten for the moment. Especially when there's a Starscream on scene. Oh-ho-ho! Now that's a fuselage no one needs identification tags to identify. 
 
Open comms key in. <<Weeeellll, look what I found. Autobots were talking a lot about you, Screamers. Must've touched on something pretty delicate to get Imp...uh...Impa...Impo... Slag, what was his name again? Eh. Impsie. We'll go with Impsie. He was snippy over the broadbands about something you did.>>
Phantom's affiliation Nightlash won't find -- it does not appear he sports a badge on his exterior, though if he's guilty by association, he's a Decepticon since Starscream is directly above him. 
"<Haha, always poking in other people's business, I see. Although this is the first time you are saying something that doesn't sound like, 'Quiet, idiot'!>" His imitation of Starscream is unfortunately impeccable. "<Congratulations my friend, I will buy you a drink next time, yeah? Heh! I don't know who that lady is. She's weird for being here>" 
Phantom chuckles again, this time addressing Nightlash, "<And why is that so unusual? You know that jealous guy, even though he's trying really hard, many times people really just don't like being around him!>"
Starscream takes in all the radio chatter and says, <You are a flier, I am your commander, so you are my business, Phantom.> then he says to the femme, < I think you mean Impactor and he's a moron so I could care less how snippy he was over something /I/ did. Why are you here?>
"<< I was curious about the place. Heard there was plenty worth salvaging. That and Impsie -I like that name better- was a jerk. So, eh, I'm tired of listening to the Autobots for a bit and figured, hey! You know? There's these other guys out there doing...stuff...and, why not see if they're interesting, you know? Besides...>> She rolls and slows her holding pattern before adopting a sing-songy voice, << I was bored! >>
 
Phantom seems highly amused by Starscream's response. "</Right/, of course, jealous guy. Haha! I tease. Calm down, you will feel better, you know?>" 
Phantom listens to Nightlash's dialogue with Starscream for a moment, and laughs quietly. "<You see how she is? She is crazy. I like her>" 
He accelerates, so that he is nearly wingtip to wingtip with Nightlash. "<See if we are interesting? Oh you will see, we are very interesting! We have .. /magic/>"
Starscream vents some static through the comm link in the effect of a sigh and says, <There is no such thing as /magic/, idiot and I'm not jealous of anything, least of all either of you.> he circle around the two wondering what in primus he's done to deserve phantom let alone another one thats seems as nuts as he is but in femme flavor. <Why don't you show her around, Phantom...> he has no idea why he ordered that but it can't get much worse can it?
<<HAH! Magic my aft... you lot have missiles, and explosions, and a mean streak that puts others to shame...for the most part. I've /watched/ you. Believe me I've watched you. I wouldn't call it magic as much as 'brute application of force'.>> She pauses, running another scan. <<Decent at scavenging up scrap, though. I've sniffed out better pickings in the Rust Seas.>>
"<Hahaha! All right, I believe you>" Phantom says, though it's incredibly hard to tell if he's being sarcastic or genuine. 
Phantom seems amused, and he banks left, lights blinking. "<Of course, don't be a dumb femme, I wasn't talking about those! Those are not magic. Guys who are really big and strong, like Scorponok, ha, he is not magic, either.>" 
"<Well, the jealous guy wants me to show you around, you should follow me, I will show you something better than scrap! What do you want that for anyway, there are better things out there!>"
Starscream gets called jealous again and snorts. Then he pulls up and turns back toward the direction he was heading. <Stay out of restricted sections, Phantom.> and with that he continues on his way.
<< It's useful. I make things I use out of it. You know, like...stuff and things and...stuff.>> She mutters. <<Nothing impressive, I'm sure.>> She banks to fall in alongside Phantom as a streamlined drone breaks off her main body, rocketing up to take a holding pattern overhead. <<No offense, but I've learned that, when around warring factions, always watch your own back.>>
"<Stuff and things and stuff....?>" Phantom chuckles, and bumps her wingtip playfully. "<Oh come on, I am sure that you more capable of making more than just 'stuff and things'>" 
"<Of course, of course, that is true, but how about making friends? You know, you cannot watch your back all the time, because you do not have optics on the back of your helm, but a sister or brother, they can always see your back all the time, yeah?>" 
"<Hey, you know, you said you don't believe in magic...>" He phases through the wall of a nearby structure, disappearing momentarily.
Swindle wanders into the vicinity, looking for any and all customers, rolling along in vehicle mode. He broadcasts on the open frequency. ~Anyone want any high capacity weaponry, the likes you've never seen, come meet me down here. I got everything. Plasma blasters, Ion Cannons, you name it." There's several boxes in the back of the vehicle as Swindle trundles along, such that a flyer could surely see he's got the goods.
Nightlash watches Phantom dart through a building. << I tried that once. It ended in fire. It was fun. Well, not for...you know, the owner of that room or anything...>> She rolls absently to fly along inverted for a bit. <<And, no. I make stuff. Useful stuff for me. Because the Autobots and you sods have made this whole 'war' a thing of resource control. Do you /know/ how hard it is to get basics when there's two hardheaded groups trying to control it all to gain power over the other?>> 
 
Her drone keeps pace, and there's a moment of silence as she simply sends data back and forth between herself and it. <<And...eh. Trust me, I did fine on my own. I've /always/ done fine on my own. Can't get a thing from anyone else anyway. Nothing guaranteed outside of early retirement, at least. So...yeah...>> She pauses and frowns. <<There's someone else here.>> And...all of her drone's sensors zero in on Swindle.
He reappears, phasing through the other side of the structure. "<See? I told you, magic /can/ exist>" Phantom says. "<Okay, useful things for you like what? You don't want to die, I guess. But do you know what is a better idea? You should just join a side! Then all your problems will go away>" he says good naturedly. "<Then you will have me, and you will do better than fine, you will do /great/, because I am very good at watching people's backs! Just ask Q!" 
"Oh, hey! It is that really awesome guy!" He says, protoforming and landing next to Swindle. He shakes the Combaticon's hand before swinging him into a short but tight embrace. "What are you doing here?" He says with a grin.
Swindle grins as Phantom greets him and hugs him. "Oh, the usual. Buying and selling. Mostly selling. How about you?" He looks up at Nightlash, "And how about your friend too? In need of new laser rifles? Photon pistols? Frag grenades?"
Nightlash slows to a near hover before dropping down to transform and land, a glance going skyward to her drone before snorting softly. "No sides. Neither of you are really convincing me one's better than the other. I appreciate the notion of change, but...eh. Not my fight." 
 
Her attention goes to Swindle as she considers the various offerings, contemplating the listed goodies and shakes her head slowly. "Not uh... no. What do I look like? A war machine? Heh."
Phantom slings an arm around Nightlash's shoulders, grinning good-naturedly. "Oh~ but what about for a different reason?" He winks. "I am so sure, that once you join, you will not regret it." He wags a finger at her, then lets go of her shoulder. 
"Ah!" He says, shaking his helm, then glancing to Swindle, "I am just here helping this poor lady. How about you give her some parts, yeah? I think she will like that better."
"Ahhh," Swindle says, "And the unaligned probably need arming more than anyone. Never can be too careful out there, ya know. So, what'll it be? Parts? Weapons? High grade energon? I have all those things." He casts his winning smile towards Nightlash, with nearly an audible gleam from his visor.
Nightlash considers that for a moment. "Got any sticky bombs? Something that might...hmmm... be able to phase into-" she pauses. "Nevermind...just, uh, talking out loud." She frowns at Phantom as arms are settled around her frame. "Not, uh...not my fight."
"He can get that for you," Phantom says presumptuously, "and, he can get it for you for free!" he adds, only glancing at Swindle briefly. 
"But! On a condition. First, you must believe in magic! Second, you must tell me what you want those bombs for!" He says, nodding at the femme. 
He radios Swindle, "<Do not worry my friend, it will mean more free drinks for you, and.. I will get you something else, eventually!>"
Swindle grins and nods. "Oh, of course I have those," he says to Nightlash, "How many do you want? I can sell them to you for a premium." He looks over at Phantom. "Some people say my prices are so low, it's magic!"
Nightlash gives Phantom a steady look. "I wanted to slap it on you and see what happened if you flew through a building while I detonated it. I still might, too." She looks at Swindle thoguhtfully and considers that for a bit. "See...now you're just...tempting me with too much fun. What happens when someone able to fly through buildings has a bomb that's /also/ able to go through buildings? Does he blow up? Does anything blow up? Does everything? See...that's fun."
Phantom laughs. "Aha, how cute of you, but I can tell you the answer to that question, even if it is sticky, it will not stay on me. Because, I am magic!" He chuckles. 
"No," Phantom says insists fervently, "not just low prices! You /have/ to give it to her for free!" 
He turns to Nightlash. "Do you believe me when I say I am magic?" He looks at her inquisitively. "I will let you test your theory, if Swindle will give it to you, to prove to you that I am!"
"Sure, why not," Swindle says, "Name your amount of sticky bombs, on the house." Winning smile.
Nightlash thinks for a moment, starts to speak, then pauses, thinks better of it, and finally seems to come up with a number suitable. "Three." She looks at Phantom again and considers the 'offer'. "I don't know what to think of you yet... I wouldn't call it outright magic, but...certainly something unique." She nods slowly before considering. "What makes it happen, anyway?"
Phantom grins at Swindle. "Ah, you are getting to be a better and better guy!" He says, and slaps the Combaticon on the back in a friendly fashion. 
"No!" he insists, "it /is/ magic. Even me, it is really hard for me to explain or understand, really. You just have to see it. If you want to put the sticky bombs on me, okay, I will show you, but afterwards, you /must/ say that you believe in magic! This is not even real magic, compared to the red foam my brother has, trust me!"
Swindle reaches into his pocket and pulls out a crate of sticky bombs, handing the entire crate wordlessly to Nightlash.
Nightlash glances at her drone as the thing lands nearby and deposits the crate into it unceremoniously, then reaches in and pulls one out before offering it to Phantom. "You want the honors? Or should I?" She grins and waits patiently for the response.
Phantom doesn't look nervous, which may surprise Nightlash. "What?" he says, giving her a puzzled look. "You are the one who wants to do it, why do you make me do it?" he asks. "Come here, you can put them on me," he says. 
He seems excited.
Nightlash smirks and slaps the bomb on Phantom's chest before flipping the switch to activate it. "Alright, then, you're on the clock." She crosses her arms as the drone closes up to take flight and provide overwatch again. "Hope you're as good as you make yourself sound. I want to watch some fireworks."
"Oh, this oughtta be interesting. And entertaining," Swindle remarks as he watches Nightlash activate the bomb she plants on Phantom. "Maybe even...magic?"
Phantom grins broadly, winking, "Yes, /magic/." 
He transforms and flies up towards the building nearest to them. To make the whole thing more theatrical, he hesitates right in front of the wall before he phases through it. 
Amazingly, he's right. The bombs just fall off of him, and he goes right through the wall as the explosives fall to the ground and cause sparks and debris to go flying. 
He phases back through the wall, looking triumphant. "See! I told you! /Magic/!" He grins. "And you know what, that's not all, I can stop existing completely!" he brags. "Like what the red magic foam Q has does!"
Nightlash frowns. "Well, that was anticlimatic." She shrugs and looks back at Swindle. "Oh well... next time I'll have to get something that'll blow up more stuff." She gives an exhale and sighs. "I should...get going, though. Gotta see about a pile of scrap metal I need to build some housings."
"Oh, I can get that for you too," Swindle says to Nightlash helpfully, "Structural quality stuff, on the cheap."
"You aren't saying that you believe in magic! " Phantom says a bit sourly, grabbing Nightlash by the shoulders and shaking her a little, "you didn't keep your word! But guess what, that's okay, because I will show you how I can stop existing, and /then/ you will believe!" 
And then he actually does it. He just.. vanishes entirely. Like he was never there in the first place. He even goes off the radio commlink, and should either of them try to contact him, they'll just get some strange error message that reads as follows: 
 TARGET DOES NOT EXIST.
Nightlash blinks as she's grabbed and reaches for her holdout blaster, ready to defend as needed before there's suddenly nothing... She looks at Swindle, then back at where Phantom used to be before she just shakes her head slowly. "Yeah, no. Time for me to leave, then." She transforms and goes airborn, her drone dropping to redock with her main airframe. "Thanks for the explosives!"
"Uh, you're welcome. When ever you need armaments or goodies, don't hesitate to look me up!" Swindle says.
Phantom can now be seen emerging from a dark alley. He looks confused and rather unhappy. When he sees Swindle, he seems reassured. He grabs the Combaticon by his shoulders and stares him directly in the optics, shaking him a little. "Tell me, what just happened to me," he says, his expression a little bit glazed over.
Nightlash picks up traces of the reappearing Phantom, but...she's got too vacate for her own sense of sanity. Engines kick in, and she rockets out as cloaking systems take over, erasing her own signature from local radars as she does so.
"You just magic'ed away from an explosion, I guess," Swindle says, "You feeling ok? No residual concussive effects?"
"No!" Phantom says, his optics still looking glazed over. "Tell me, exactly, all the things that happened. Every detail. How did I disappear? My brother, this is very important, you must tell me everything."
Swindle shrugs. "I would assume you phased through normal matter, so that the full effects of the explosion didn't get to you. It's like you went, I dunno, translucent? Almost like a ghost going through walls."
Phantom seems confused. "What... last I remember I was flying in the sky, and I think Starscream was somewhere nearby. Swindle, were we alone? What explosion are you speaking about?"
"You had a bomb strapped to you. A sticky one," Swindle says, "Maybe the blast didn't hurt you, but maybe it jostled your memory chips a bit. YOu can't remember?"
Phantom gives Swindle a pained look, rubbing his helm. "No, it isn't like that, I always forget when I disappear. That's why I almost never do it on purpose, unless I am about to die for sure. Why did I have a bomb on me...and what did I say right before I disappeared?"
"You were going to show Nightlash some 'magic'," Swindle says, "And she put the bomb on you so you could show her the magic. Then she had to take off."
Phantom frowns, placing a hand on his helm. "Okay, so I let her put the bombs on me, so that I could show her magic. Then I showed her the magic, after she put the bombs on me? Right. And then, that must have been when I disappeared, and she left. Swindle.. it seemed like an accident, right? Do you think there was anything.. that made me disappear?"
Swindle rubs his chin. "Oh. I thought you knew." He sounds totally mystified. "Don't you know how to do that on demand?"
"....." Phantom suddenly looks equally mystified. He frowns, looking bothered and puzzled. "... I do." 
"But I only do that when I am very certain that I will die if I do not. Because, if I disappear, I am usually gone for quite a while, and sometimes, it is possible that I may not come back at all." 
He looks away, his expression distant. "So you are saying that I warned you before I disappeared? What did I say?"
"You told Nightlash you can show her you can stop existing," Swindle says, "It wasn't really a warning. More like bragging."
Phantom's optics widen. "...What.. what the hell?! I said that?? N-no..." He shakes his helm. "I wouldn't do that..." 
But Swindle has zero motive to lie to him, Phantom can't think of a single way in which Swindle might benefit by saying that if it wasn't true. 
He presses a hand to his helm. "Something is not right.." he mutters to himself. 
He turns to Swindle. "Where did those bombs she put on me come from?" he demands quickly.
Swindle shrugs. "You asked me to give the bombs to her for free," he says, "So you could show her the magic. Say, you sure you're ok? Maybe a medic should check you out."
"Do you have more of them?" Phantom says a bit desperately, "I need to see them. Where did you get them? Are they ordinary? Just.. regular bombs..?" He glances around, and notices the casket of sticky bombs Swindle had handed Nightlash earlier. 
He rummages through the grenades, his brow ridges furrowing. "No... this is too weird..." They don't look suspicious at all. 
"Swindle who was that girl, Nightlash? Autobot? Or no?"
"Well I have more somewhere," Swindle says, "And the girl, she was strictly neutral, though I have the feeling you were trying to recruit her."
He picks the casket of sticky bombs up and places them at Swindle's feet, frowning. "So they are just normal, is that what you are saying? When they exploded before, they just seemed like, nothing strange?" 
He shakes his helm. "I am telling you, something very odd just happened, but I do not know how to explain it.... "
"Search me, there's nothing special about these bombs, other than they stick," Swindle says, "A medic might be able to figure out what's going on, though, don't you think?"
Phantom shakes his helm again, and pats Swindle on the shoulder. "Thank you my brother, but I am not sure you are right about a medic helping me. This is.. different. I have to figure out what happened. Something is not right. Much of what you said to me does not make sense, but I know you are not lying." He transforms. "If you see that girl again, tell her I am looking for her. I must take my leave now." And he turns and heads back towards Kolkular.
Swindle nods at Phantom. "I'm sure you'll figure it out," he says, "Yeah, I'll let her know if I see her." He waves.