42715-Barricade vs Whirl

It hasn't been that long since Whirl's mind-blowing conversation with Megatron and the invitation to stay with the other Autobots here in Kolkular. On one hand (claw?) Whirl doesn't want to hang around a place teeming with people who want to murder him, but on the other he'd rather not have to go back to the base and deal with Zeta and his crap and the whole 'pretending to be down with his madness' thing. It's something to consider and he does so while following close beside Blast Off, desperately hoping no one tries to take a shot at him.

"So, uh.. THAT was interesting," he says to Blast Off in reference to the conversation that just happened. "You think he was being sincere? I don't. I still think this is some weird game or something. Trying to lull me into letting my guard down so he can strike when I least expect it."

Blast Off is still trying to wrap his head around what just happened, too. Megatron and Whirl- the big showdown. The epic scene that he always knew HAD to happen and would only result in one survivor.... and the survivor's name sure wasn't likely to be Whirl's. And yet- one poor unfortunate mech named Digix aside... there WERE more than one survivor. Megatron cruelly destroyed a pair of hands that would have fit the cyclops perfectly- and yet he also acknowledged that he KNEW about Whirl and Blast Off's relationship- and gave it his \*blessing\*. Not only that, he offered to let Whirl stay at the Decepticon base. It's been a VERY strange turn of events.

And so now the Combaticon finds himself walking down the halls of Kolkular \*with Whirl at his side\*... freely striding down the walkway in full view of everyone- and it's not a suicide mission. At least on the surface- how OTHER Decepticons will react to this remains to be seen. He stops and looks at the other mech. "...I am still not sure. This whole thing seems... surreal. I... can't believe we're openly walking these hallways together." He gazes down the way, adding, "I agree that we need to remain cautious. It... it seems hard to believe all would be so... forgiven."

Blast Off has spent so much time hiding and denying his relationship with Whirl he's not quite sure exactly what he \*should\* do now. Act normal? Act friendly? Act ...like this isn't all doomed to go horribly wrong? He tries to act... well, calm and a little aloof for now. Default position. "Well...uh, over there are the Training Pits, and here we have the..." He looks inside, "The mess hall."

"You're gonna have to talk to him, you know - especially if he joins us."

"... I ain't gotta do nothin'."

Pursuit and Barricade are walking together into the Mess Hall, Barricade's hulk fairly overshadowing that of his smaller 'daughter'. Pursuit rubs her temples and vents. "Don't be stubborn, he's every bit what he used to be, and I think he'd be proud of you for parting company with the morally impaired before it came to this mess. He's quite the speaker you know, I've never had Megatron's own words quoted back to me in that way--"

"/You/," Barricade snarls. His optics are immediately on Whirl.

Pursuit looks between Barricade, Whirl, Blast Off -- and then her wings droop. She has a sinking feeling she knows what's coming.

It's extremely weird being able to walk around and talk openly with Blast Off, but even with Megatron aware of what's going on between them, it's still kind of dangerous. What would other Decepticons think? Whirl guesses they wouldn't be okay with it, with HIM, and that it would result in someone getting murdered. "Let's just play it cool, if anyone asks you're my escort. Security or whatever."

So far everything seems to be okay, Whirl listening to Blast Off as he points out various things and where they are.. until he sees /them./ Immediately Whirl freezes, optic locked not on the angry mech staring him down but on the femme beside him. It's the first time he's seen Pursuit since what happened in that interrogation room all those thousands of years ago but he's been haunted by her face every day since then. He says nothing, too overwhelmed with emotion to do anything except stand there. Guilt, fear, shame, he feels it all in full-force.

Blast Off nods to Whirl. "Makes sense. I think that's exactly what we need to d.." He's interrupted at Barricade's outburst, and the Combaticon swings his head around to stare at the two people he MOST did not want to see right now. So naturally, with their luck- there they are. Oh slag. Those memories he got from Whirl come immediately to mind, and he tries to push them away even as he tries to think what to do.

His instincts are still to pretend he doesn't care, but that's not completely called for anymore, is it? So instead he plays the part of "civilized escort", stepping forward and raising his hands to try and placate the angy Barricade. "Barricade, remember Megatron's orders." He tries to sound calm and aloof. "Whether we like it or not, we are to treat Whirl with civility, as our \*guest\*."

"Daaaad, remember your oil pressure...!" Pursuit reaches out to try to take hold of Barricade's arm and prevent him from doing what she knows the old Hound is straining at his leash to do. She's as vibrant and mature as ever, external lights bright and body well maintained. Probably doesn't help Whirl feel any better, but who knows, maybe it might?

"Sweetie, he's got this comin'," Barricade tries to explain. He narrows his optics at Blast Off and Whirl, for the moment, restrained by his daughter's hands on his arm. "Oh don't you worry, Blast Off; I'm gonna treat him like I would any other Decepticon -- that tried t' stick his cable in my little girl!"

It actually does help a bit to see Pursuit looking as well as she does. Whirl hates to admit it because it just feels so wrong considering what happened between them, but she's absolutely gorgeous, the last twenty thousand years have been very good to her apparently. It's a huge relief to know that what he did to her hasn't screwed up her life like he feared it did. He reminds himself to thank Feint for that next time he sees her.

Barricade on the other hand, is not looking well. In fact, he looks absolutely enraged, especially as he snarls that (entirely true) accusation at him. He knows exactly what Barricade wants to do to him, he's heard him say it, and honestly? He's scared. He knows this mech doesn't bluff and he knows this is going to be painful but..

Whirl steps forwards, putting a claw on Blast Off's shoulder and guiding him aside. He gives the shuttleformer a long look before turning to face Barricade and Pursuit. "Let him do it."

Oh smelt. The Combaticon freezes as Barricade brings \*that\* up. The former cop doesn't even know the whole truth, does he? Even what he \*does\* know is bad enough.... and as for the truth- well, it nearly tore Blast Off and Whirl's relationship apart. The shuttle had a hard time reconciling what Whirl actually DID do, what Pursuit mercifully does not remember, with his love for the cyclops. It was only reflecting upon the good still to be found in the troubled mech that brought him back into the cyclops' claws.... er, arms. He knows this has to be tearing Whirl up inside, as well. He finally manages a glance at Whirl, then at Barricade, processor scrambling to find \*something\* to say to that that won't be oh so incredibly lame.

Then Whirl places that claw on his shoulder. Blast Off stops to stare at him. Part of him knows that this particular showdown has been a long time coming, just like the one with Whirl and Megatron, and this needs to play out one way or another. On the other hand (claw?) ...Barricade just might KILL Whirl. Whirl steps aside, placing himself right in the enraged cop's way and Blast Off remains where he is.... though he braces himself to have to \*fight\* to keep Whirl alive.

As it is, he fights with words. "Aren't you supposed to be better than him, Barricade? What kind of example will you send to your \*daughter\* if you kill the mech before her very optics in a fit of anger, despite Megatron's direct orders?"

"The example I'll be settin' is the same example she's been seein' since day one: -Justice will be done-," Barricade growls lowly, the wheelarches on his shoulders rising like the hackles of a bristling dog. "Pursuit - \*let go\*." His command is less harsh, but still firm. Serious business firm.

Pursuit lets go of Barricade's arm as if he were smelting hot and she were about to be scalded. She draws her hands up to her torso, quickly looking between Barricade and Whirl, apologetic and uneasy simply for the level of rage she's never seen before in her guardian and mentor.

"Bein' better than him ain't hard, Combaticon," the police mech's voice is a dangerous but raspy calm. "I think at this point just about any slagger on th' the planet is better'n him."

Having completed his repairs under Shockwave, Wheeljack, and Zephyr's care, Orion is out and about in his new frame. Having decided to take to exploring the base, he arrives in the mess hall, his optics glancing around curiously as the large mech pauses just inside the doorway and sets about to assessing the situation.

And knowing what he knows, it is not a very pretty situation at all. "Pursuit." he offers, his voice firm and supportive of Barricade, or at least from the sounds of it. "If you will come aprise me of the situation, and when Whirl arrived here, I would appreciate it."

Whirl has been through a lot of psychological turmoil as a result of his poor decision making skills and Pursuit is no exception. Even with the torment of living everyday with the knowledge of what he's done, he doesn't feel like he's suffered enough for his crime. He needs to be suffer. He needs to feel pain. He needs to be punished for what he did and Barricade seems to be the only person willing to do it.

The cyclops tenses with Pursuit releases her hold on Barricade's arm, expecting the mech to come at him as soon as she did, yet he hasn't made a move yet. The anticipation is terrible so Whirl tries to goad him on, to further convince him that he needs to be brought to justice. "Well? What are you waiting for? Don't tell me you've gone soft in your old age, Barricade.." Whirl takes another step forward. "Think of what I did to your daughters. Think of how I violated them. Think of how I got away with it scott-free. I KNOW what you want to do, SO JUST DO IT ALREADY! COME ON!"

Blast Off looks between Barricade and Pursuit, then back to Whirl. This is an extremely difficult situation, amde worse by the fact that Barricade /has every right to be this angry/. If he were off his gourd, if he were out of line.... it would make everything much easier. It would be a simple matter to put on the huffy, better-than-thou act he usually slips on. Trying to defend someone who really DID do something horrible is a far more slippery slope. Violet optics regard the cop as he hisses venom at Whirl, but the Combaticon isn't giving up quite yet. "...Perhaps. Perhaps not. The fact remains that Megatron gave direct orders that he is to be welcomed as a \*guest\*, not killed on sight. We are in a very precarious situation right now, with several ...unusual \*guests\*, and how do you think they're going to take it if you murder one of their own right here and now? How do you think that's going to help Megatron accomplish his goals- how is that going to help us defeat Sentinel Prime?" He finds he has to draw into that "public speaker" persona he found during the debates, and hope to Primus Barricade will \*listen\*. "In fact..."

And then one of those Autobots walks in. Blast Off blinks as Orion Pax speaks up, turning to regard this newcomer... but maybe that's just the ticket. He turns his head back to the former cop. "See?! There's one now! How do you think he'll take this?"

Then Whirl has to go and say THAT, and Blast Off doesn't know whether to facepalm... or get the ionic blaster ready. For WHO he doesn't yet know. "Whirl... slag it all.." His own armor plates start to bristle just a little now. "....How about everyone just \*CALM DOWN\*? Whirl, stop instigating... and Barricade, remember your orders- remember why Megatron is doing all this!" (Suddenly Blast Off is a stickler for orders, who knew?)

"Megatron said t' treat him as one of our own. I'm followin' my orders to a primedamn -tee-."

It's difficult to imagine that a frame as large and powerful as Barricade's could move with such speed, but in a short burst, a blur of black, purple and white, the police mech has crossed the floor and is practically on top of Whirl.

Pursuit barely has time to flicker her optics in a blink, "W-well I was not aware that Whirl was on the premises--!"

Barricade pulls back his arm and hops to a stop just in front of the blue helicopter, letting the inertial energy of his dash carry forward into a hard punch in the torso to Whirl's right side.

"--It would seem that Dad intends to punish Whirl for whatever it was he did to me that night in the prison cells!" Pursuit continues, flinching slightly as she steps back and closer to Orion Pax.

"Blast Off. You who usually do everything in your power to disobey orders now try to force someone to obey them?" Pax asks with one of his optics rising beneath his faceplate. However, there is more that the large mech wishes to say as Orion comments quietly. "Barricade. I asked your daughter just a few cycles ago what I should do with Whirl for what he did to her. I placed every option on the table and even allowed her the ability to completely remove his interfaces so that he could not use them ever again, should she had considered the notion." the large mech does /not/ move to interfere.

"She stated an answer that surprised me. Whirl has had to live with everything he has done. Every crass decision. Every rash action. To kill him, here now, would only grant him the mercy that Primus has in great reserve. He has created this frame, this life for himself. I had hoped that when I had him imprisoned for his actions against Megatron that he would somehow change. Instead, he has continued to make poor decision after poor decision. Shiftlock. Pursuit. Blast Off. His condescending and crass aft attitude. His lack of manners, etiquette and consideration and selfishness of everything for himself and noone else."

Still, as Barricade attacks, Pax /does not/ move. "But tell me this, Barricade."

"He begs you to attack. To grant him mercy."

"Will you be that agent of his mercy to release him from this mortal coil?"

Whirl is growing frustrated with Blast Off's continued attempts to placate Barricade and spare him his wrath. The Combaticon has seen for himself what he's done through their interfaces, so why does he persist in trying to stave off the punishment Whirl so desperately needs? Oh, right, that whole 'being in love' thing. Who knew it would get so complicated? (Spoilers: everyone.)

Just as things get REALLY heated, Whirl looks over to spot Orion Pax standing there, talking to Pursuit. Well, looks like him dying was just another one of Zeta's many lies so that's.. good? Maybe? Probably? Nevertheless, Whirl doesn't have a whole lot of time to contemplate how he actually feels about Pax still being alive because Barricade finally lunges at him, his punch striking him hard in the chest. Instantly the glass of his cockpit shatters, pieces of it scattering aross the floor, and his armor crumples around the cop's fist. The force of the strike is so powerful that it sends Whirl backwards, the cyclops smacking into a table and bracing himself against it to stay upright.

"..Is that it? I know you can do better than that."

Blast Off watches as Barricade makes good to his promise to pummel the living daylights out of Whirl, despite his best efforts to convince him otherwise. When words fail to work, then it's time to consider \*firepower\*, and the Combaticon sniper's trigger finger twitches at the thought- though he doesn't bring his weapon out. Yet. He knows this has to play out as least \*some\*. Orion Pax's quip gets a sharp look from the shuttle, as well as an annoyed \*huff\*. "I beg your pardon, Autobot?" His cultured voice contains a slight prickle to it- in addition to the vast amount of tension he's trying so hard to hide. "I am a Combaticon, part of a well-oiled machine... a team that is a force to be reckoned with precisely \*because\* we are smart, skilled- and know how to work together- including following orders from our Commander. I may not be a blind follower, never HAVE been, but I /am/ a soldier... and there is a need for order among chaos, or you lose your fight- you lose your very way- quickly. Without SOME semblence of that order civilization falls into heathens scrabbling about in the gutter aimlessly."

Then Whirl keeps seeming determined to get himself KILLED.  suppresses a sigh... but yes- he IS not going to just stand there and watch it happen. He does love the mech, and he knows... perhaps better than anyone here- including Whirl himself- that Whirl DOES have somethign worth saving inside him. (And no, it's not his interface cable.) The mech taught Blast Off things like love, forgiveness and selflessness. He WON'T let Whirl die.

Still... he is a warrior and a Combatronian. He's seen this before, and he knows sometimes the best therapy is FIST therapy. He remains standing where he is for now, glancing towards Orion Pax, raising an optic ridge at Pursuit... and then back to the scene of the action, waiting for Barricade's response.

"And yet you stick your interface in crazy." Orion Pax says simply and firmly.

Barricade doesn't look back at Orion Pax as he stalks towards Whirl, intending to make the wretched rotorframe suffer a whole lot more before all this is over. Hook's gonna have to call in Long Haul to carry away all the pieces.

"Pursuit's still young," is his assessment of her decision concerning Whirl, as he reaches down to grab Whirl by the neck and lift the copter off his feet.

"I was hopin' to -avoid- your long-winded speeches," Cade grunts, glancing briefly over his shoulder at Orion Pax. "You had a bad habit of waitin' too long t' act, like you were never sure what you were doin' was the right thing." Back to his intended target.

He begins to squeeze Whirl's neck, just enough to create a low, groaning whine of metal giving way to pressure. Enough to leave finger prints and for the tips of his claws to pierce the mesh. He stares into Whirl's eye, his optics burning coals of fatal intentions. "Yeah, I could give 'em the mercy of the grave right here an' now - an' he'd deserve it. He'd deserve every bit of it - but you, Pax?" His scowl twists into an amused grin. "You want him t' -suffer-." He continues to squeeze. "You want t' let him keep livin' as ruined goods, keep hurtin' others because he can, because no one's stoppin' him, an' because he ain't got the willpower t' be anything different. An' you'd let him keep hurtin' others while waitin' an' hopin' he'll somehow change."

The smile evaporates rapidly as he roars, "AND THEN WHAT? HE'S ALREADY LOCKED HIMSELF INTO THE PIT IN HIS OWN HEAD WITH WHAT HE'S DONE!"

Pursuit flinches away from Barricade's shout, wings dropped down completely like the tail of a dog between its legs. She steps back closer to Pax, not saying a word.

"And are you so willing to take his place in the Pit once he's gone by being his executioner, Barricade? Do you believe that is what your daughter truly wishes of you?" Pax gestures with his hand towards Blast Off and Whirl. "They have each other. Hell, they /deserve/ each other, the way they act and carry on. But Pursuit, what will she have once you damned yourself?"

"Nothing worth fighting for. Don't take that away from her, Barricade." His hand rests on Pursuit's shoulder, a comforting gesture as he tries to talk sense into the former police officer.

Blast Off freezes at Orion Pax's next quip, optics widening a bit. Smelt it all, how many people know this? He's still getting over the shock that /Megatron/ knew. Because his and Whirl's "hate each other" act has been TOTALLY convincing, right? RIGHT? The shuttleformer's armor plates bristle again, wing elevons twitching. "WHAT?! ...How... how vulgar. I have NO idea what you're talking about!" Denial, it ain't just a river in Egypt. Then there's a sudden glance at Barricade- did HE hear that? Does HE know? Primus Blast Off hopes not. Then an even \*worse\* thought... and he looks at Pursuit. If SHE knows, he just... he doesn't even know what. He notices how she steps towards Pax, not HIM, and that twists a knife in right there.

He WANTS to say something, DO something as Barricade starts squeezing in on Whirl's throat. But he's still torn- torn between the act he's had to put on for 20,000-some years, and his fear of what if this is all a trick to make him slip up and admit his real feelings, his fear of what Pursuit would think... and the very real, immediate fear that Barricade might really kill Whirl. He gives Pax a venomous look at the rest of that, but he remains quiet for now. If Barricade backs down... then so be it. If not- he'll have to think of something else.

Whirl has no response to the speech Blast Off gives Pax nor does he have one for the quip Pax fires back, he's far too focused on the hand that wraps itself around his throat and lifts him up on the ground. It's not so bad at first, it's not like Whirl hasn't been dragged around by his throat before, but it quickly gets worse when Barricade's grip tightens. Claws pierce into the delicate armor of his neck, a steady flow of energon seeping out around them, trickling down the police mech's hand.

Instinctively Whirl begins to struggle, claws reaching up to grab hold of Barricade's wrist, squeezing it in a half-hearted attempt to stop him. It hurts and having someone choke you out never stops being scary no matter how many times it happens but.. Primus, he deserves this and so much more.

"I didn't know," he chokes out through a strained vocalizer. "I hate myself every day for.. what happened. For what I did.. to her. I didn't... I didn't know."

Pursuit glances at Pax and frowns. "Do not presume to speak for me and what I feel, Officer Pax. I am not a -child- you need to protect. I respect my father and his decisions - he has been here for me from the beginning. He took bullets and beatings for my wellbeing - I trust him and his decisions completely. What kind of mech are you that you would try to use me as some bargaining chip against my kin?" she demands, upset.

Barricade narrows his optics at Whirl, and then suddenly turns - and glares at Blast Off.

"Do you love him, mech?" he demands plainly, sternly, as he keeps his crushing hold on Whirl as it is, not increasing or decreasing pressure.

Decepticons. Pax will never understand them. "..forget it." the mech rumbles, releasing Pursuit's shoulder and turns to step back and lean against the wall to watch. He's done.

Oh wow, this suddenly got extremely bad. Like, even worse than it was when Whirl though Barricade was going to rip his guts out again.

"W-what!?" If he had five Shanix every time he stuttered that in this cycle alone. He tries to look at Blast Off with his throat stuck in Barricade's grasp. This is a trick question, isn't it? If he says yes, then he's going to harm Blast Off. If he says no then.. he's probably going to harm Blast Off.

"..I do," he admits reluctantly. "But what I've done has nothing to do with him, he's just an idiot who made the mistake of falling for a piece of garbage like me! Don't.. don't hurt him, Barricade. I'm the problem. I'm the bad guy. Hurt ME!"

You know how you have these days sometimes? Days where everything is off, where everything is so bizarre and the hits just keep coming that you get knocked off balance and can never quite regain your footing? This is one of those days. Blast Off cringes inwardly as he watches the mech he loves getting hurt... and apologizing to his attacker- and to Pursuit. It's horrible and cathartic and bittersweet all at once.

And then the bottom falls out of everything ever as Barricade \*whirls\* on him- and asks THAT. The shuttle just stands and stares... dumbfounded. He has no idea what to say. How can he say the truth? But what happens if he lies, does that just mean Barricade kills Whirl? He is frozen in time... and then Whirl speaks up. Blast Off feels dizzy, and has to step to the side to keep balance, what little he has left. His fists twitch and clench, his optics dart to Whirl, Pursuit, and back to Barricade. His answer is quiet and completely flat. "...What if I did? ....What kind of mech are you, Barricade? You have made your decision what kind of mech he is.... but what kind of mech are you?" And he waits to find out.

"Answer the fraggin' question, Blast Off or I pop his head off like a busted rivet," Barricade replies firmly.

"Congratulations, Whirl, your love goes unrequited." Pax comments. His hands grip the wall tightly, but he still makes no move to physically interfere. Not his base. Not his rules.

Whirl just sort of hangs there in Barricade's grip, energon still dribbling out of his neck. He tries to glare at Pax for that comment but he can't so he just grunts and kicks his legs a bit. "WHY are we doing this!?"

Blast Off has a choice to make. He likes choices, right? Just check out his motto sometime. He stares at the former cop. He \*could\* say no, and likely watch Barricade do \*exactly\* what he said he would (and he does seem a mech of his word). He could try whipping his blaster out of subspace and shooting Barricade instead, but that would kind of answer the question \*anyway\*, PLUS get himself in hot water with attacking a Superior Officer. And probably smelted for it. Or.... Blast Off stares at Barricade, looks at Whirl- at the energon dripping from his wounds- looks at the life dripping away, glances towards Pax... then fall on Pursuit. It's /her/ he hates admitting this in front of most of all.

Then those violet optics fall back upon Barricade's and Blast Off gives the first straight answer on the subject he probably ever has in more than 20,000 years.

"Yes."

Barricade immediately releases his grip on Whirl.

"Exactly like any other Decepticon," he repeats with calm, his engines idling down to neutral. "I should put you outta your misery -- but you ain't that miserable. Not yet."

He looks at Blast Off. "You wanna know what kinda mech I am? I'm th' kind that don't break up families."

He walks away from them both, towards Pursuit and Pax. "Get 'im t' medical, Blast Off. His punishment's done. Justice is served."

Once the crisis is over, Pax pushes himself off the wall and looks towards the two mechs. There's a sad shake of his head as the mech lets out an exhaust. "Sooner we're done with this scrap, the better." the mech rumbles. With that, he steps out to go find something else to do. He's so over it.

Blast Off is tense but still as stone as he awaits Barricade's answer- and receives it. He wasn't sure what to expect, and he never would have admitted what he did without ...well, pretty much the entire day's worth of events happening the way they did. He watches as Barricade releases Whirl... and mentions not...splitting up families? This causes the Combaticon to look to Whirl. Is that what they are? There's a final glance towards the cop and his daughter... and who knows what \*she\* thinks of him now, but right now.... Whirl needs medical attention. "...Understood."

His mood is subdued as he moves to help Whirl out of the mess hall and to a medical bay. Glancing up at the cyclops, he whispers, "Are you alright?"

Whirl is unceremoniously dropped to the ground with a loud clang. His claws reach up to touch the wounds in his neck and try to stem the leakage. He glances up at Barricade as he turns his back on him and walks away, glad to see him go. "Tch.. and this is just my first day here."

The cyclops picks himself up with some assistance from Blast Off. "Yeah, I'm.. fine." He gives the shuttleformer a quick glance before looking down at the damage Barricade inflicted upon his torso. "Sorry that had to happen."

Blast Off moves to help Whirl, offering a shoulder to lean against if he needs it (might as well, their secret is out now anyway). "...Well, maybe now both of you can put that behind you. Maybe we can all... move on." He tries to see the bright side to this as he escorts the cyclops towards repairs.

Pursuit has... a smile on her face, as she looks at the two mechs making up and, in fact, brought closer, perhaps, by the experience. She finds the sight of the two very endearing. Sparkwarming, even.

"Tch," Barricade snorts as Pax walks out. "He ain't gonna make it as a Con. He ain't talkin' to proton microscopes an' armor polishers and raw recruits here - you don't appeal t' better natures." He extends a hand to Pursuit, his mood and expression lightened. "C'mon sweetspark. Let's see if we can find Pax before he wanders off an' sees somethin' that'll offend his delicate sensibilities."

Pursuit chuckles. "Only if I can ride you."

"Fraggit - in front of the troops?!" He complains, facepalming.

"Oh you used to do it all the time and you weren't embarassed then!" Pursuit needles playfully. "C'mon fmaily mech, show them what you're all about."

Barricade vents heavily, little puffs of steam. "Aaaaall right." He gives in. "Onna count a' three. One-! Two-!" Barricade extends both his hands out, and Pursuit turns to face him; on the count of two she leaps up, and he catches her, turning her and setting her on his shoulders. "Three!"

He begins to walk out the door with her as she holds onto the top of his head. "Make engine noises."

"I am -not- makin' engine noises. Skywarp gives me no end 'a scrap over it."

"AN' ONE MORE THING: BOTH OF YOU MORONS STAY AWAY FROM MY DAUGHTER!" Barricade shouts as he leaves the room.

Whirl takes the offer and leans against Blast Off as he's escorted out and towards medical, arm slipping around his waist for support. Physical support or emotional? Who knows, maybe both. "Yeah, maybe.."

As they leave, he cranes his neck to look at Pursuit and Barricade over his shoulder, an unexpected warmth welling inside him as he watches them interact. She's so happy and.. it makes him happy to see her like that. After everything her past self went through, she deserves it.

Then Barricade shouts THAT at them and Whirl just scoffs and turns back around.