|
Post by commissarfaytality on May 4, 2020 13:27:53 GMT -7
Hastings, UK
The retired dragoness is currently lounging around on warm flagstones soaking up the sun like a very contented lizard; only to get a waterballoon thrown at her, by some local children who run off giggling like maniacs and high fiving each other.
"Gah! What the heck?!" she rears up spluttering and coughing working the water out of her intakes, before shaking herself thoroughly like an upset canine. "What was that for you gits?!" was the shrieking cry as Shadow pushed off from the ground after two bounds using her powerful hind legs, the motors whirring as she leaps. Wings snap out and with a strong downward stroke she is airborne. Gliding around she spots the people who had (as she'd be reliably informed 'pranked' her) huffing to herself she dives. Closing her wings shut she imitates a falcon only to snap them open to slow her descent as she drops to the ground in front of them. Quickly reminding herself that this was play and burning them even a little was a big no no (they were so very fragile) she instead growls out "did no one ever teach you to let sleeping dragon's lie?"
The lead youth though realizing that Shadow was at least twice his size backs down a little at her growl "Sorry, we didn't realise you were sleepin' we just thought you might want to play" he sounds very apologetic and starts to pull one of the now softly crying younger children behind him.
Realizing that she'd made a right hash of this, the dragon sighs and folds her legs under herself to lie down closer to the boy's eye level and not appear as threatening. "It is generally I am told, considered polite to ask first before initiating play. I am not 'mad' I was just woken rudely and I am not a morning person." The explanation was poor Shadow knew, but this was well out of her depth and she didn't really know what to do right now, oh what she wouldn't give for someone to help her sort this out.
|
|
Elegance
Junior Member
Keep calm and carry on.
Posts: 65
|
Post by Elegance on May 5, 2020 20:59:54 GMT -7
Ah, sunshine, fresh sea air, blue skies, good music, great views – what more could a bot ask for? Elegance couldn't; she was enjoying her new life out in the world, a world at peace or something like it. The War was over, anyway, so why not relax and experience all that the world and life had to offer? Right now, she was a minor celebrity among the humans, invited to prestigious events, openings, and car shows. They all wanted pictures, of her and with her. All she had to do was just park and look pretty. And that, of course, she could do effortlessly. Right now, she was driving through the streets of the West Hill of Hastings, on her way to a photoshoot at the ruins of Hastings Castle. Elegance was looking forward to touring them; there weren't many of these stone-built human fortifications a bot her size could comfortably fit inside, and it helped that this was missing its roof, and indeed most of its walls. And it had a cliff-top view of the town and the sea. And then, rather fittingly, she saw a dragon, turning to confront its would-be dragon-slayers. Well, you don't see that every day.
Elegance slowed to observe the scene, then pulled over to the park. 'Relax, they're just children.' the steel-blue antique sports-car chimed in from the side of the road, sounding amused and gently chiding the black-feathered dragon. Some kind of beast-mode bot, she guessed. Then Elegance transformed, the sports-car unfolding, her parts rotating, sliding, expanding, and twisting through dimensions beyond human perception. Finally, she stretched luxuriously into her robot mode, standing tall and slender, clad in sleek silvery-blue plate armour with gleaming chrome trim, a long black cape unfurling from her back and fluttering in the wind. Her face was shuttered over by a battle-mask, giving her the appearance of a medieval English crusading knight. The front bumper was folded over her left arm, now clearly an ornate longbow. And in right hand was a massive longsword with a straight blade singing with power.
Raising the battle mask to show a friendly face, Elegance marched into the park, and then knelt before the children, with sword-tip in the ground and her hands resting on the hilt, in the manner of a knight swearing fealty to a lord. 'Isn't that right, young dragon-slayers?'
|
|
|
Post by commissarfaytality on May 6, 2020 13:53:28 GMT -7
Shadow was somewhat miserable right now, being as she hadn't quite intended to be so scary (ok well she had but not quite THAT much) as to cause the children to cry, thankfully someone else had arrived to ...help? To be honest social situations were not something she was entirely familiar with and thus, was a more than a little bit relieved that the children had stopped crying at the approach of the newcomer.
"I'm not very good at this" she muttered lower than human ears would pick up "but I didn't mean to make them cry; I was just startled and reacted...help?" She was careful not to make any sudden movements and kept herself low to the ground for now as the children we distracted by the other and the rather fanciful transformation sequence, sure it was pretty to look at, but it didn't make a lot of sense to the retired assassin. Regardless she kept her thoughts to herself and kept still optics watching the events unfold carefully.
The oldest child smiles slightly watery up at Elegance 'Yeah! That's right, we was going to use the catapult to bring them down and save the princess!' he seems to be recovering from his fright. The younger children stop their crying slowly as they stare up the unfamiliar person in front of them; the youngest in a soft voice says 'you're pwetty' and grins. The children currently crowd around Elegance in the way that children do when excited; it appears the scare was not too great as they start to bounce back and discuss their playful strategies for dealing with Shadow.
Speaking at sub audible levels again Shadow sighed 'Do you want me to make a production of this? I'll keep the flame breath out of it, but you'll need to tell me if I go too far' she sighed slightly 'been alone too long if you get my meaning. But I'm willing to play for a bit.'
The dragon's long tail twitched slightly as she subtly maneuvered her hips in order to position her hind legs to make a leap for the sky should the signal be given.
|
|
Elegance
Junior Member
Keep calm and carry on.
Posts: 65
|
Post by Elegance on May 7, 2020 0:36:07 GMT -7
'It's easily fixed.' Elegance had said encouragingly via subsonics to Shadow. 'Most things are at this age.'
Elegance smiled down at the youngest child. 'Why thank you. And you are quite pretty yourself.' she returned the compliment. She was enjoying herself; she might be a deep-cover Spy Changer, but she did so love being the centre of attention. Especially with the littlest humans. They were just so small and soft and squishy and adorable.
'That is a good plan.' she agreed with the eldest, before transforming her sword away and out of sight. There were children present, after all. 'But now you've woken the dragon, so I think we may need a new one. This is what we'll do...' she conspired, leaning closer and lowering the volume of her voicebox.
She glanced over to Shadow, as if hatching a plan to slay the dragon, when in secret she was conferring with her. 'Well, if you don't mind getting a bit wet...ter... Put on a show, then fly up high, breathe some flame if you've got it. I'll shoot my energon bow above you. Come back down, and let them hit you with a few more water balloons, job done, dragon slain, everyone's happy... Except maybe the dragon, but I'll dry you off after.'
|
|
|
Post by commissarfaytality on May 7, 2020 11:08:17 GMT -7
Shadow grumbled sub-audibly 'I don't actually remember being anything close to that age...' she trailed off unwilling to go into details.
The youngest grinned up at the comment 'thank' they said with a large grin doing a little twirl in the process. The oldest leans in conspiratorially 'Yeah, we didn't know it was asleep; but now we gonna deal with it and save everyone!' he starts off in a whisper, but his voice gets louder and louder as the sentence continues. He listens to Elegance's plan with glee and an enthusiastic fist into the air.
Shadow's optics narrow a little and she continued speaking sub-audibly a little bit of bitterness at being drenched again in her tone 'I can do that, not too fond of water, but it rains enough here that I've gotten used to it, my fire breath is napalm so I'll aim it out that way it shouldn't start any fires in the town or the grass-lands' she makes a tiny motion with her head towards an area marked for demolition and clearing. Currently it has been cleared of greenery, the old building having become unstable, it is to be removed before it can collapse. 'You want me to do the...err. What's it called the "oh no I've been shot argh" routine? Or would that be too much?' she really didn't want to go over the top and scare people again; but wasn't quite sure how to react to this. So best play it by ear and her companion in 'entertaining?' she guessed. Waiting for Elegance's signal she slowly and without drawing attention to herself, started to unfurl her wings currently stretching them out on the ground, her long primaries brushing the dirt; her tail stopped moving as her servos all waited for the command to move. 'I can make a faux charge at you when I take off? Anyhow I'm ready. On your mark.'
|
|
Elegance
Junior Member
Keep calm and carry on.
Posts: 65
|
Post by Elegance on May 8, 2020 0:14:04 GMT -7
'She's not an it, she's a girl. Just like me and some of you.' Elegance advised the children with a smile. Of course, it was hard to tell the same about them, since, disregarding clothing and internal scans that were basically irrelevant, they all looked and acted more or less alike at this stage of development anyway, at least as far as the transformer could tell.
Still kneeling and bending at her waist just to get down to the children's level, and still smiling, Elegance glanced across to Shadow, saying inaudibly 'You're the one embarrassing yourself, do whatever you think is appropriate. But maybe keep the flames out toward the sea, just to be safe.'
As Shadow unfurled her wings, Elegance whispered to the children with a mischievous grin 'Here we go.' Then she straightened and stood up straight, some eighteen feet tall thanks to her long sports-car alt-mode unfolded and stood upright. Minding the small ones at her feet, she turned and pointed at Shadow. 'Surrender, dragon! Tell us where the princess is!'
|
|
|
Post by commissarfaytality on May 8, 2020 10:15:29 GMT -7
The oldest looks a little surprised 'I didn't know dragons could be girls!' but otherwise just nodded along, the cluster of children readied their "weaponry" an assortment of water-balloons and small wooden swords.
Shadow sighed internally and replied sub-vocally 'Compared to black-ops parties this will be the least embarrassing thing I've done for a while, got it I'll keep it out towards the sea." Waiting for Elegance's cue Shadow suddenly sprang into action with a "mighty" roar and a leap she made a (much slower than she could) faux charge at Elegance with a snarl of "Never! She is my prisoner and I shall keep her captive at my lair!" With a mighty beat of her wings she was airborne sending a small gust of wind towards her current 'opponents' with a quick back-wing she twisted in the air to fly out closer to the sea sending a short gush of napalm as she did so; careful to send it so that it wouldn't cause any harm or property damage as it dropped from the sky.
It was an impressive sight as she soared high, dipping and making false dives at the "party" below her whilst keeping an eye on her 'partner in crime' waiting for the shot that would "fell" her.
The children were at first a little startled by Shadow's charge and hid behind Elegance, but soon realised that the dragon had "missed them" completely and was currently engaged in a sort of play-fight as they yelled and waved their toy swords.
|
|
Elegance
Junior Member
Keep calm and carry on.
Posts: 65
|
Post by Elegance on May 9, 2020 5:14:39 GMT -7
'Look out!' Elegance cried, flinging a steel arm out to cover the children, half for the show of it and half just in case something slipped. But only wind and sand and blades of grass peppered the little adventurers, and they hurled back shouts and wooden swords and another water balloon.
Grinning and enjoying this game, she watched as Shadow swooped and wheeled through the sky, then extended her energon bow, the two arcs of the former bumper unfolding from her arm. Elegance raised her arm and scanned along the sights, using the arms of the bow to measure vertical height. She wasn't aiming for Shadow, of course, but a safe distance above. Lowering the power to little more than a ranging shot, she fired the "arrow" – a packet of coherent raw energy. It arced high through the air, and a clear distance above Shadow. 'That will drive her back down to the ground. Be ready.' she told them, playful amusement in her mechanical voice.
|
|
|
Post by commissarfaytality on May 9, 2020 10:42:16 GMT -7
Shadow carefully watched the group below her waiting for Elegance's shot once it had gone off she made a big show of being hit, her wings going rigid, letting out an overly dramatic cry of pain, as she slowly glided down to the ground in a carefully controlled descent (whilst looking like she was falling to the ground having just been hit). She did allow herself to make a thump on the ground for dramatic effect though.
"Alas I am felled!" she cried out as she crashed.
The children screeched in joy as the crowded around her throwing their balloons, thoroughly drenching the currently sprawled dragon and smacking her with their swords. "Take that foul creature, we shall save the princess!" The eldest cried out as he led the charge, thankfully with her armour they really weren't doing any damage, but it was a little annoying. With the flattest look possible to Elegance, Shadow cried out "Noooo...now I diiiieeeeee!" before doing a dramatic flop and closing her eyes, the children's shrieks of victory filled the air as they celebrated their victory.
|
|
Elegance
Junior Member
Keep calm and carry on.
Posts: 65
|
Post by Elegance on May 10, 2020 5:59:22 GMT -7
'A hit, a very palpable hit!' Elegance cheered, folding away her bow and watching the dragon's death-dive.
'Hey, be careful!' Elegance warned as she saw the children getting just a tad too enthusiastic with those wooden swords, and wincing. 'You could bruise her pride.' she added wryly. A few giant-robot steps took her to the group and where Shadow had crash-landed, looking in on a slain dragon and triumphant adventurers.
Bending down, Elegance touched the biggest one's shoulder, minimising the force in her hand and arm to prevent damaging the small, squishy young human. 'Well done! But now, the tricky part...' Elegance crouched down closer, and said softly 'You mustn't forget to see if she's okay.'
|
|
|
Post by commissarfaytality on May 12, 2020 14:37:34 GMT -7
Having been smacked a little bit more thoroughly by the smallest of the children who really were just a tad too enthusiastic for their own good Shadow made a sub-vocal rumble in complaint. Her patience was not endless, but she did not wish to frighten the little ones again. As it was she was very relieved when Elegance stopped them for smacking her 'corpse' and flickered one of her optics on to make a quick glance at them.
The youngster whom Elegance had touched looked up in confusion "What do you mean? I thought she's like you and can't like go away forever to the sky?" the child looks a bit concerned now and the others around them look a little nervous, the littlest is still smacking away however.
"You aren't doing any damage...other than possibly to my ego" Shadow mumbled as soothingly as she could manage, but really just sounded a bit like a grumpy person who had just been woken rudely. She lifted her head a little to look at them all, ignoring the still enthusiastic child smacking one of her hind legs. "See, I'm fine"
|
|
Elegance
Junior Member
Keep calm and carry on.
Posts: 65
|
Post by Elegance on May 13, 2020 6:04:25 GMT -7
Elegance had to pause to think, recalling the vast variety of Earth fiction she'd consumed in her deep-cover missions. "Go away forever to the sky?" Was that referring to space travel, or death? Compared to a transformer, for a human, the former was much harder, and the latter much too easy. 'I mean, you should ask if she's okay after that walloping. We might be tough, but you can still break a feather, or make us sad.' she explained gently. She wasn't just teaching these young humans about to interact with the gigantic mechanical lifeforms, but people in general.
But Shadow woke up from being "slain", so Elegance smiled and said 'There we are... Now, where is your princess?' she asked, more to the children, who'd know better than either of the Cybertronians.
|
|
|
Post by commissarfaytality on May 14, 2020 11:33:04 GMT -7
Shadow grumbled a little as she got back up to all fours and padded quietly over to the side (intending to shake the excess water off), the littlest one seeing that their target had gone decided to toddle on after them. Which led to an interesting silent game of keep away whilst Elegance explained things to the others, with Shadow trying not to get smacked or grabbed by an enthusiastic toddler.
The other children listened to Elegance quite raptly once they'd checked Shadow had not in fact broken a feather (this was before she moved). With great glee the eldest proclaimed "At the castle of course!" as though this was an obvious fact and not something that they'd probably come up with on the spot.
|
|
Elegance
Junior Member
Keep calm and carry on.
Posts: 65
|
Post by Elegance on May 15, 2020 6:32:44 GMT -7
Frowning at this, Elegance straightened up a little; all this crouching down to the children's level was straining her gears. 'At Hastings Castle?' she echoed, pointing to the nearby ruin to confirm. The game was momentarily on hold. Someone had to be the responsible adult. Unfortunately, that someone was her. 'Are you sure you're allowed to play there?' Elegance asked, sounding a little concerned. It was a crumbling ruin, and also a local tourist attraction, neither of which seemed a likely place for free-roaming children. More to the point, Elegance was going to a photoshoot there, but humans reckoned time in hours and days, and transformers in millennia. She might be early. 'I hope you don't mind all these no-doubt boring questions, but, where are your parents?'
|
|
|
Post by commissarfaytality on May 16, 2020 11:04:52 GMT -7
The child just blinks at her for a moment 'Well we actually meant the cafe, but we can do the ruined castle too?' as though this was obvious, which to a tiny child probably was 'It's where Mum is after all' they pointed at the hill station was and the castle cafe next to it.
Shadow just tilted her head having a small child currently clamped around her left foreleg and asked sub-vocally 'Why is the castle dangerous?' she might be able to read Elegance's concern, but the reason why she was concerned completely flew over her head.
|
|
Elegance
Junior Member
Keep calm and carry on.
Posts: 65
|
Post by Elegance on May 17, 2020 5:29:53 GMT -7
'It wasn't a suggestion!' Elegance protested, aware she was rapidly losing control of the situation, as if she'd ever had any. She crouched, producing a hot-air blower to dry off Shadow's feathers and components, and sub-vocalised 'Not especially, but they might climb a wall and fall, and it does stand on the edge of a cliff. Human children are fragile and seem to require constant monitoring by their caregivers and creators.'
She straightened up and looked around, getting the lay of the land and its landmarks: the castle atop the hill, the cafe, the funicular railway. She considered her lack of plans for the day, and decided aloud 'Well, in for a penny, in for a pound. Let's go let your mother know, then go to the castle.' With that, Elegance transformed into her alt-mode, folding up into a sleek Jaguar E-Type. It was a short trip, especially for an eighteen-foot-tall robot, but she did love to show off. The door opened for the children. 'Your chariot awaits... Just, remember your seatbelts and watch where you put your feet.' she fussed. Once, she had carried royalty, but today, children.
|
|
|
Post by commissarfaytality on May 18, 2020 15:52:49 GMT -7
Shadow leaned into the hot air with a quiet sigh, the water was starting to get irritating and she was relieved for the warmth and the feeling of actually being dry again. She also gently detached the small one who was clinging to her foreleg so her heated plating wouldn't burn, not that she was aware of how much temperature humans can stand. But better safe than sorry.
'I see' she responded sub-vocally in the tone of one who was a little confused as to why one would allow their small and fragile offspring to potentially play in an area where they could be harmed. 'It is a good idea to return them back to their progenitors' she added at the end with a firm nod.
The eldest nodded 'Yeah always tell Mum stuff, she's super smart!' with all the assurance of a small child whose mother knew everything and was never wrong.
The children all clapped and squeed at Elegance's transformation and clambered in, they were trying to be careful; but they were both small and enthusiastic. 'Yay car ride!!' was the cry as they jostled about a little, thankfully keeping their feet of Elegance's seats.
Seeing where this was going, Shadow herself transformed and assisted the smaller ones into the back of Elegance's alt-mode, putting the seat-belts around them with a caution one would not expect from someone who did not deal with children often. The children were a little bit surprised at Shadow for doing so, but she seemingly did not notice. 'Am I really that surprising?' she asked Elegance quietly seeming a little insecure of herself. Particularly as her claws could not be sheathed, but she did know how to apply pressure accurately so as not to harm. She looked at her hands worried for a moment that she had harmed the little ones; but was relieved at seeing that there was not trace of organic matter on her claws. 'I have not caused them harm why do they stare so?'
|
|
Elegance
Junior Member
Keep calm and carry on.
Posts: 65
|
Post by Elegance on May 19, 2020 7:39:05 GMT -7
After confirming all her seatbelts were buckled correctly, Elegance powered her engines and motored across the grass and back to the road. Since she lacked child seats and her roof was down, she drove fairly slowly to be especially safe with her precious cargo. The history might be lost on them, but riding in the antique sports car without a roof, the air whooshing over them, was quite a treat for the children, not to mention also riding in a giant alien transforming robot. It was, all in all, pretty cool.
'Because,' she began, turning onto the road, 'You're fascinating. We both are, but right now I'm just a car. A very fine car, but still. They know of Cybertronians, but they've probably never seen one of us before, so they probably think we're amazing.'
Flashing indicators, the E-type turned a corner toward the café. 'Keep an eye out for their female progenitor. I don't want her getting the idea we're driving off with her children.'
*
Meanwhile, from the woods atop the hill, optics focused on the vehicle and its passengers. 'Autobots...'
|
|
|
Post by commissarfaytality on May 19, 2020 14:28:50 GMT -7
'I've not been thought of as fascinating before, this takes much for getting used to. But I think I like the slower pacing, before it was always go here, kill this or that person, make sure your not seen, grab this data on your way out, if you're caught we cannot rescue you. You know, that, sort of stuff. It's a lot more ....innocent here. It's nice.' Shadow spoke with same sub-vocal tone, but there was an element of regret mixed with acceptance, as though one was finally winding down from the long war.
Keeping pace with Elegance carefully and doing as instructed keeping her optics on the surrounding area whilst ensuring her tail and wings did not knock into any of the buildings or local artifacts. 'Yes indeed I think I see someone at one of the tables outside, they appear concerned?' it was a bit difficult to tell with human emotions at times.
There was a young-ish woman probably around 30-35 sitting at a table at the cafe a mug on the table and she kept checking her watch and glancing around as though wondering where someone might be.
Shadow was currently focused on her current task and therefore was not yet aware of whomever was watching her, but as per the usual she did keep sweeping optics over the area; just in case.
|
|
Elegance
Junior Member
Keep calm and carry on.
Posts: 65
|
Post by Elegance on May 20, 2020 7:30:04 GMT -7
'It is, isn't it?' Elegance sighed fondly in agreement with Shadow's sentiment. 'I have always liked it here, on Earth and in the British Isles in particular. It has taught me when to slow and enjoy the view.' With that said, she slowed down to better enjoy the drive, and by doing so encouraged the human driver behind her to do the same. He did not enjoy it so much, but then, he also had to wonder at the car driven only by children and some kind of dragon.
At last, Elegance pulled up outside the café, and emitted her voice from the radio for the children to hear. 'Here we are. Now, is she your mother?'
|
|