Leaving Crystal City

September 10, 2011, 12:11 PM
Back to 2011 Logs 
Solarix Elita One Groove Arcee Flashover
(Crystal City)
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The day had started well off enough. Erics were set up in four corners for people to watch the skills of the Crys Guard and others who chose to take part this day. Solarix himself was standing on the temple steps, overseeing it between his own honor guard. The mech had a smile on his face though, watching the comings and goings as the hour approached for the Blessing ceremony to begin. 
People were laughing as well. A few entertainers had come out, and the crowds were moving well, if somewhat shoulder to shoulder. He waved to people, gesturing general blessings on occasion when it was shouted for.
Groove watches people pass around him, a small smile on his face. It comes across as a bit forced, though, and he keeps shifting uncomfortably. He's had an odd, niggling feeling in the back of his processor for some time, and it's visibly starting to get to him.
Noting Groove there, Solarix waves a hand to him from afar in greeting "Groove!" he calls over, wings snapping out then back in.
Elita One arrives as the crowds really start to fill in, looking around to try and spot Groove. She'd been expecting Protofire to greet her at the city entrance, but is honestly a little glad that he didn't. It would have made what she's here to do more difficult. She's having a bit of difficulty spotting Groove, so she tries sending him a tight-band ping in the hopes that he'll ping back.
Starting slightly at the Hierophant greeting him by name, Groove offers a bow in return, debating mentally whether or not to approach him when Elita One's ping pops up. He returns the ping in surprise, looking around for the pink femme.
A gong is rung, and Solarix looks up and over the crowd. He lifts both hands to pause the festivities a moment as he states "The Blessing of the Armaments will begin shortly. Usually we would hold this in the Outer Court of the Temple, but because of the response today, we will be having it out here. Any mech, femme or warrior who follows Primus in deed if not in belief, please arrange yourself on the lower steps soon." 
Elita One is at the far back area of the gathering place, and when she receives the return ping she starts making her way toward where Groove is. Slow going. Frustrating. She pings Groove again, sort of a way to ask if he can meet her partway.
Groove looks around, trying to find Elita when a mech bumps into him, mumbling an apology. "Not a problem." He says with a chuckle, glancing up as another ping hits his sensors. "Excuse me," He murmurs, moving away from the mech to head toward where Elita's pings are coming from.
Solarix observes now the gathering of warriors. Many Crys Guards, even some Home Guard and guardian technicians - who had brought symbolic parts or guns from the automated defenses for blessing too. Some neutrals and Autobots also attended, but in fewer numbers. He starts up the steps a few more feet, so he could see everyone better, his wings stretching out before glowing softly as he faced the temple's outer-court-gates, opened wide to see the Temple itself. He lifted both hands then, mic turned on once more 
"Weapons are deadly, but in the right hands they can be a defender of light and protector of life. A weapon is no better though, than the folk who bear it. One will find in the course of one's life that true actions - those done with the heart - are the ones that will prevail in the end, even if it does not seem so at the time.”
“In these dark ages of Cybertron, Faith alone cannot see us through. But faith, bravery and knowing which Hand holds the fate of the world. Let us know that it is OUR hands that hold the fate of the world. Mine. His. Hers. No one else does, for while Primus may bless us in battle to keep our aim true and our armor strong, it also falls on our own shoulders to do what we can. " 
Solarix pauses.
Mouse would normally follow Groove - but Solarix's speech has his attention now. Ah, youth, and the short attention span that usually comes with it. Weapons? Faith? Mouse looks down at his hands. Are those weapons? He's been training hard in his classes.. A confused look comes over his face.
Elita One sees Groove approaching, and when he's close enough she puts one hand on his shoulder, turning them both so they're facing away from Solarix at least partway. She looks serious ... and worried. "Groove, please tell me that you've seen First Aid today."
Groove's optic ridges draw down, and he frowns. "No... Why? What's wrong?" He asks, worry leaking into his tone. "I haven't heard from him since you brought me that message."
Elita One breathes air out through her vents slowly, then says as calmly as she can to Groove, "He's missing, Groove. For nearly two shifts now. Prowl wanted me to see if he'd come by here, but now we know he didn't. I'd better report back." She pats the mech's shoulder once as she turns to leave through the crowd again.
"I- Wait!" Groove steps forward, grabbing Elita One's shoulder. Normally he wouldn't be so rude, but... "Can I come with you? I'm just... I've been getting bad feelings all day and something's just not right." He explains, fumbling over his words a little.
Elita One glances up at the front of the gathering place then at Groove. "You have commitments here, don't you?"
Groove looks visibly distraught at that, following her glance back to the ceremony and Solarix. "I do. But... But I /can't/, not with him missing and-" A sharp shudder goes across his entire body, cutting him off, his vents hitching and sputtering in time with the movement. His optics flicker and reboot as he tries to refocus on Elita, gripping her shoulder a little tighter than he means to. "...s-sorry." He stammers, letting her go a moment later.
Elita One's optics go wide as Groove ... reacts to nothing. She catches him by the shoulders to keep him from possibly falling to the ground. "Groove? What in the Pit was that?"
"I don't..." Groove trails off, shaking himself back to awareness. "Something is /wrong./ Please, I need to go with you. I can't just stay here." There's a desperate tinge to his words, and he glances back at Solarix again. "I don't care about breaking my oaths. I just... I need to get to the others. /Please./"
Elita One glances toward Solarix as well, then at all of the guards posted everywhere. "All right. Follow my lead." She throws an arm around the mech's shoulders and leads him toward one of the thicker clumps of citizens. As soon as she feels they're safely concealed from immediate view from either Solarix or any of the closest guards, she pulls fabric from subspace storage. Namely, one of the cloak type things that seems to be so common around Crystal City. "Here, put this on. Quickly."
Groove accepts the cloak, pulling it on quickly and putting the hood up. He hesitates for a moment, looking over his shoulder at the Hierophant as he continues his speech. Guilt starts creeping up on him, and after a split second of thought he searches his databanks for the comm line the mech gave him for dire emergencies. This counted as an emergency, right? //Hierophant Solarix, sir, I'm sorry but I have to go. Something's wrong with First Aid, and I'm not going alone, and I'll come back from Iacon as soon as I can but something is real real wrong and I need to go.// He cuts the comm off quickly, well aware he's babbling, and turns his attention back to Elita One. "Let's go."
Elita One nods to Groove while hastily donning her own cloak like garment. "Follow me." She start leading the way through the milling crowds, using clumps of citizens to conceal their path until they make it out of the temple square area. "Keep up, but try to not look like we're in an unusual hurry." She proceeds at a brisk (to her) walk, which isn't too far out of the ordinary for others moving about the city.
Following after the femme, Groove only risks one more glance back at the crowds before turning his attention solely to keeping track of Elita in the mass of people they're making their way through. He /does/ feel bad about taking off like this, but surely the Hierophant and Primus will both understand?
Elita One doesn't have moral concerns like the ones plaguing Groove. She just knows what she's been tasked to do and what's she's been asked to do. As soon as they're well clear of the busy part of town, she makes a beeline for the main city gates, and really really hopes that they don't stop Groove there. Before reaching the gates, though, she stops Groove so they can shed their disguises.
Groove pulls off the cloak, offering it back to Elita One with slightly-shaking hands. "Sorry for the trouble." He says, forcing a small grin. He tries to ignore the twisting feeling in his spark as he looks around them casually. "We're not supposed to go outside the city right now. Especially me."
Elita One hastily stows the cloaks back in subspace while resuming the walk to the gates, joining the tail end of a largish group of people all heading that way, coincidentally several of them sporting mostly-white paint jobs. "Stay with this group as they exit. I might get stopped by the guards. If I do, wait for me just outside of the gates but stay within eyeshot."
Groove nods as he joins Elita One, offering a friendly smile to one of the mechs as he looks back at them curiously. "Alright. I'll try to stay as close as possible, but some of them might recognize me from the monastery." He says quietly, trying to keep his voice low and under control.
Elita One says, "Just act like you're supposed to be here and I'll bet you a shot of high grade they won't even notice." She slows and drops back a bit from the group they're following as they approach the gate, then puts a smile on her face and steps forward more briskly to (distractingly) greet the guard there, knowing she'd draw attention regardless. "Good afternoon!"
Groove gives Elita One a slightly curious look as she goes to distract the guard, but otherwise tries to stay close to the other group. He's glad most of the group barely give him a second glance, and only hopes the guards do the same.
Elita One chats amicably with the guards at the gate while Groove and the group he's tailing pass through the gates, also declaring the items she's taking out of the city. She's usually here to trade, after all, so that's the normal routine they're used to from her. Of course, she can't be sure if her distraction worked, but she can only hope it did. She takes her leave of the guards and continues on her way out of the city gates, her usual brisk stride allowing her to catch up with Groove without making it look like she's rushing about.
Groove smiles a bit nervously at her as she rejoins them, edging closer to the femme. "Think they noticed?" He asks quietly, resisting the urge to look behind them and check. He's feeling more and more nervous with every step they take, and he's struggling to hide it.
"I don't know," Elita One replies to Groove. "Let's just keep moving and hope so."
Groove nods, trying to look casual as he watches the other mechs start to transform and head out. "So... How are we getting to Iacon?"
Elita One transforms just like all of the other mechs. "... is that a trick question?"
Pausing, Groove stares down at her for a few moments. "...Um. Elita, ma'am? We might have a problem."
Elita One transforms back and looks at Groove in concern. "A problem?"
Groove nods, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "Well, yeah. I don't have a transformation cog. Got taken out in preparation for my Crystal Guard upgrades."
Elita One looks surprised at that. "What? Why in the smeg....?" She shakes her head after a moment. "Nevermind. Let's just ... get further from the city then.”
"Sorry Elita, ma'am." Groove says, sounding thoroughly chastised. He motions in the general direction of Iacon. "After you."
Elita One nods and starts walking again. "Don't be sorry, Groove. It happens. We'll figure something out." And right now, the only thing she can think of is to let him 'piggyback' the whole way to Iacon. Undignified, but definitely faster than walking.
Groove follows after Elita, grinning sheepishly even as the panic that's been niggling at him all day really starts to build. Primus help him, First Aid was /missing./ "Thank you." He says suddenly, "For coming to tell me. ...This is really happening, huh?"
Elita One looks over at Groove, trying to decide for a moment if she should make this realization easier on the mech. Finally, though, "Yeah. It really is." She glances back at the city gates, deciding they're not far enough away yet.
Groove heaves air out his vents quietly, offering Elita another smile to help hide how badly he was starting to freak out. "I figured. Some part of me hoped this was some sort of... I don't know what it even could be. A vivid hallucination, I guess." He laughs a little. "Sorry, I'm talking a lot, aren't I?"
Elita One says, "Perfectly understandable." She, if possible, seems a little too calm now. But another glance back at the gates tells her they're far enough away now and she stops to transform again. "All right. Let's speed things up a bit. Climb aboard."
"Yes ma'am." Groove agrees, placing one hand on the top of Elita's alt mode to help heave himself up onto her. His gyros easily compensated for the odd feeling of hovering, and he shifted around until he found a spot where they'd both be comfortable. "Sorry for all the extra mass. Probably should have warned you about that, huh?"
Elita One can't help it. The repeated apologies are getting amusing. "I think carrying you about is going to have many more repercussions than my anti-gravs having to compensate for additional mass." She accelerates away from Crystal City, heading for Iacon at what might be considered a reckless pace.
Groove moves his weight a little, settling in more securely as they took off. "Right. Sorry for the trouble, ma'am." He responds almost automatically, fingers digging into Elita's plating harder than was strictly comfortable.
Elita One would wince if she could at Groove's unintentionally nervous passenging. "Really. No need to apologize. And... could you ease off of the plating a bit? You're going to leave dents."
Groove starts slightly, releasing his grip guiltily. "Ah, sorry." He says, resisting the urge to pat the dented metal. (Mostly because this was awkward enough already.) "Kind of distracted, after all." He lets out a strained chuckle.
Elita One says, "I know." She is silent for just a moment. "And you apologized again."
"...Right." Groove says slowly, trying to resist the urge to apologize for apologizing. "Not real big on 'sorry', are you."
Elita One chuckles softly at that. "Not really, no. Especially when you're apologizing for things that you don't really need to be sorry about." She sends a radio message ahead to Chromia appraising her of the minor change in plans and her current whereabouts and all that.
Groove laughs softly again, this one a little more honest. "I'm just a little freaked out right now. Well, more than a little freaked out. And I'm babbling again."
Elita One says, "You are perfectly within your rights to be freaked out and babbling. In fact, it might help you to just voice whatever is running through your mind right now. Just... don't apologize anymore, okay?"
Groove nods, realizing a bit belatedly Elita couldn't see him. "Alright. Thanks. I just... I don't know what to do." He admits, rubbing his arm nervously. "I mean, I've been in Crystal City perfectly safe and at a /celebration/, while Primus only knows what's happened to First Aid and..." He trails off, shrugging rather pitifully. "I don't know."
Elita One says, "Well, you also didn't leave without per... oh wait, you just did."
"That too." Groove says, a hint of a smile on his face. "I'm pretty sure I'm going to get in trouble for that."
Elita One keeps on keeping on. "Yeah, you probably will. But me personally, if you follow the rules instead of listening to your spark, you end up risking a lot more than getting scolded for doing something you were told not to. ... did that make any sense?"
Groove nods slightly, considering. "I agree. I think some of them might understand. Others... Not so much. They'll probably just think I'm crazy. Maybe I am." He laughs, a self-deprecating tone leaking in.
Elita One swerves the slightest bit, jostling her passenger just enough to be the equivalent of a gentle shake. "Hey, now. None of that. You have to be SURE of yourself no matter what anyone else thinks of you. Got that?"
Groove barely even shifts at Elita's swerving, easily rolling with the movement. "What, /I'm/ not even allowed to think I'm crazy? And I'm sure about this. I know I need to do this. I guess it's just..." He trails off for a few moments, letting out a choked laugh. "I'm terrified." He admits quietly, "I'm terrified and I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing."
Elita One is trying her best to reassure the young mech, but it's difficult when she's trying to get them back to Iacon in a hurry. "It's okay to be terrified, Groove. Honestly, if you're NOT terrified THAT is when you need to be concerned about whether or not you're crazy. And knowing what you're doing ... well, that's always been a little overrated in my book."
Groove laughs again, a little less strained this time. He rubs at one shoulder, idly scraping off some of the paint without even realizing it. "I guess. I just... I don't know. I don't know what I'm doing, I don't know what I /should/ be doing, and all I can seem to do is sit here and chatter like a frightened sparkling." He manages to stop himself from apologizing, at least.
Elita One accelerates just a little bit more as they speed along the roadway. "Well, granted, that's really all you /can/ do at the moment. Just don't fall off, okay? And when we get to Iacon there'll more than enough to keep you busy." She sends out a follow-up ping, as Chromia didn't answer her initial call.
Arcee accelerates to catch up with Elita and Groove. "Prowl sent me," she says, "What can I help you with?"
The sound of rotors echos distantly over the valley. Groove's comm kicks to life on the main Crystal City open frequency. "Groove? You down there? You okay?"
Groove pauses at that, having been just about to answer Elita. He looks confused for a few moments, not really recognizing the voice, before cautiously answering. //Yes, I am. Who is this?// "Somebody's comming me." He murmurs quietly to Elita.
//My name's Flashover. You know Greenlight, Hot Spot's guardian? She can vouch for me, if you wanna comm her.// There's a pause. //I was assigned as your guardian when you guys- think I better not say on this channel- were split up. Got you to the monastery and stayed back, not my style to get involved. But you left in a real hurry- something wrong?// The dark red chopper is visible as it speeds down the valley from Crystal City towards the three transformers.
Elita One mutters a curse at what Groove tells her, then picks up Arcee's signal and sends her a quick message. // Arcee, glad you're here. Groove's picked up a bogey, and I'm about as maneuverable as scrap barge right now. No idea what they've been feeding this boy. Can you prep for possible combat? //
"Sure thing," Arcee says, "Any idea what the bogey is or where it is?" She speeds up a little faster.
Groove twists his body around to get a look at the chopper, frowning. Greenlight /does/ sound familiar, and the mech doesn't sound very threatening... //Yeah. Something's wrong. I don't want to talk over a public channel, though. Can you land?// Turning to face forward again, he gently raps on the roof of Elita's alt mode. "Pull over. He's safe. ...I think."
Elita One does start slowing down, indicating her trust in the young mech passenging. But she still has to ask, "Are you sure, Groove? It isn't someone we have to worry about?" That's code for Decepticon.
//Sure thing.// Flashover agrees. //Good to see you being cautious, even if I don't know why the hell you'd think leaving the city's such a hot idea.// The heliformer descends, landing on struts before transforming to a mostly dark red mech with gold accents and optics, rotors sweeping downward in a way that’s reminiscent of most of the Crystal City style mech designs despite the unusual alt mode.
Flashover says, "I'm Flashover. You're Groove. Not sure who you too are, though." He looks at the two femmes. "You wanna introduce yourselves before I start worrying you don't have my mech here's best intentions at spark?"
Arcee also pulls over, and transforms. "I'm Arcee," she says, looking the strange bot over critically.
"I... No. Those are Crystal City colors and a Crystal City build, and... He knows things most wouldn't." 
Groove says slowly, forcing down the doubts starting to niggle at him. After all, the femme said not to doubt himself, right? He looks at the other mech as the heliformer transforms. A little hesitant, he drops off the top of Elita, offering Flashover a smile. "Good to finally meet you, I guess."
"Good to talk to you again, kid." Flashover smiles sharply. "But why are you out here instead of back in the city where it's safe?"
Elita One tries to keep her anti-gravs from reacting too much at Groove's disembarking, and transforms as well, her own Autobot symbol readily visible. "My name is Elita One. Prowl asked me to check up on Groove every time I've visited Crystal City lately, and today Groove asked me to take him back to Iacon." She conveniently leaves out WHY Groove made the request.
"That's all well and good," Flashover says. "But he's supposed to be staying where it's safe- or with enough mechs to make sure nothin' happens. Greenlight said there was a threat? That's why I let the others know where he was."
Arcee stands there listening. This is all very interesting. "I'm sure we can at least get him to safety if anything happens," she remarks.
Groove stays silent for a few moments, glancing at both Elita and Arcee. Turning his attention back to Flashover, he decides to just go for it. Might as well by this point. "One of us is missing." He says bluntly, rubbing at his arm again. "I can't... I can't just stay up in Crystal City. Not with this happening. And..." He hesitates for a moment, "And I keep getting these weird bursts of panic and fear and pain. A lot of pain. They're not mine."
Elita One says, "We're taking him to Iacon which is at least as safe as Crystal City... though air transport would make it much faster...."
"Missing, huh? Alright. I can do that. You're definitely safer in one place or the other than on the road between." Flashover doesn't hesitate a second once he knows what's going on and takes Groove's explanation without even a second glance at the young mech. "You ever ridden with any of us rotaries, kid?" He asks Groove, pulling a neat coil of webbing and cables from his subspace.
Elita One smiles in relief as Flashover decides to help them get Groove to Iacon. "I'll call ahead to let Prowl know there are four of us incoming." Because the last thing she wants is for Prowl to (rightly) blame her for making his headaches worse.
Arcee transforms again in preparation to continue the journey to Iacon. "Let's just hope we don't run into any obstructions or interruptions," she says.
Groove accepts the cables from Flashover, shrugging as he works on figuring out how they work. "No, I haven't, but there's a first time for everything." He says cheerfully, trying to ignore the way his hands are still trembling a little.
"Alright, here, let me help you," Flashover leans over, straightening out the harness with a flip and leaning over to fasten it around Groove. "Cinch that down tight, you don't want it sliding around while we're in the air." He lets go of the harness to pick up the end of the cable, attaching it to a bolt on his frame. "This'll keep you centered below me while I'm in my alt," He explains, apparently used to explaining how being cargo works for grounders. "Wind from my rotors is gonna blow you around, but I promise, it's anchored real firmly and'll be just fine."
Elita One steps over to help Groove and Flashover with the harness. She's seen this kind of thing in use before so might actually not simply be in the way. "This is going to be a lot faster too."
"You bet," Flashover says, checking the harness and transforming. "Ready when you guys are."
Groove nods, keeping track of what Flashover's talking about and carefully checking the straps himself as well. "Ready as I'll ever be." He says with forced cheerfulness. Well, Flashover /sounds/ like he knows what he's doing...
Elita One steps back out of Flashover's way and transforms. "Ready when you are."
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