Wing n Subzero - closed

[knightofcybertron]

He saw the spear, saw the moment of his defeat. It wasn’t the first time in his life that he had the lower hand in a fight, but the instant he saw Braid standing over him, holding himself in just such a way, the jet arched back such that he was, he knew it would not end well for him. In the next instant, he knew a searing pain flashing through his chest. Something seemed to fizzle where his spark was seated, and his world fell into darkness.

He had scarcely had time to cry out. It was over that quickly.

Wing hadn’t expected the voice to echo in his head through the void. What it said to him, he couldn’t understand, but his vision returned, in part. At first, all he could see was darkness, but it seemed finite now, like there was something held directly in front of him. And he felt his own body for the first time in what felt like an eternity. Gravity pulled on his limbs, tugging him back against something hard and unforgiving. He had little energy to fight it and less will to try. It didn’t sound right where he was. Before, there had always been an echo, as would be in a room with no walls, no ceiling, no floor. Something changed now, something absorbed the sound.

After an effort, he managed a movement, could at last curl his fingers, and a new sound came of it, a new sensation. There came a distinct scratching noise against something solid. He hadn’t felt anything like it in so long it confused him at first. Wing tried it again, experimenting, was able to cause it a second time. Bewildered, he blinked and promptly startled himself as he felt the lids slide down over his optics in a way he’d lost to time.

A faint, weak sound squeaked from his vox. Why? What had changed? He shouldn’t be able to feel himself now. He was dead… wasn’t he?

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[greater_than_zero]

A small drone met Wing at the door when he steps into the hall. The disk-shaped thing hovers at optic level and lets out a soft "weep-wooo" sound before bobbing off down the hall.

Wing would hear Zero's voice then. "Yes, Sparks, I heard him, thank you." He raised his voice a little to call back now. "This way, Wing."

The hall leads down to an area that opens up. The sitting area is cozy without feeling too small or cramped. Zero is just standing up and turning to an odd little contraption in the corner. "Are you feeling hollow? I imagine it's been....a ridiculously long time since you've fueled."

Sparks beeped and whooped softly, bobbing lazily around Zero now.

[knightofcybertron]

Wing eyed the drone curiously, though his attention was taken as soon as he heard Zero. He followed the drone and the corridor until it would reach the next room, still keeping contact with one wall until he felt more sure of his own feet.

It wasn't until Zero mentioned it that Wing thought to check his fuel levels. That hadn't been an indicator that had given him any warnings, though he'd last refueled before the battle that took his life. If it had been too long, he was likely running on energon that had gone stale. Strange that it wasn't registering as such though.

"It should seem so, but I don't. There is no pain. I feel as though I've just had energon."

[greater_than_zero]

Zero nodded and motioned Wing over. "I'll show you how to use the converter so when you are ready to fuel you'll he able to get yourself some."

Zero was quite proud of his little device. It's what allowed his little group of neutrals stay free of the war. With the war over he eas hoping to get a patent on it and have it mass produced. Eventually anyway. The coverter took any liquid, so far as he'd tested, and converted it into energon, a decent quality energon if he did say so himself.

"It's easy. Containers are in the cabinet here." He took a small containter from the cabinet and set it in a slot on the side. "Make sure the containter locks in place, add some water-it's a generally plentiful liquid in the universe-add some water to the top here and hit the button here to start it." Zero goes theough the motions producing a very small bit of energon for the demonstration. Careful you donmt ask too much about it, Wing, he'll geek out on you.

[knightofcybertron]

It was quite interesting, what Zero had to show him. He would be quick to learn, but what held his curiosity more than any of it was that it could create energon from pure water.

"That's amazing, Zero." He lifted a finger and pointed to the device. "This can make energon from most any liquid at all? We would never need to struggle or starve again with devices like these! That was one of the things we sought to provide in the city where you found me."

Speaking of which... Wing looked around, at the drone, at the room around him. "Not to change the subject so suddenly, but where am I?"

[greater_than_zero]

"All the ones I've tested so far, though some liquids make a better grade than others." And he cuts himself off there when Wing jumps subjects on him. Probably for the best.

"My ship. I know there were some apartments closer to the hospital, but it...didn't feel right intruding there." Even though no one lives there anymore. On his own he might have, if he had to, but he always felt like a grave robber when he came to abandoned places and moved into what used to be someone else's home. He'd done so many times now, but the feeling never changed.

Though...he guessed he technically was a grave robber now, quite literally. Though he's sure Wing doesn't have an issue with that, considering Wing was the one robbed from the grave.

[knightofcybertron]

He would've liked to help Zero speculate on what liquids worked best for the conversion, but he genuinely hoped he'd found the refinery before they left Theophany, if they had yet. It'd been left idle for so long, but it was still possible there was fuel within it that they could use.

Though what they would now do was beyond him. He supposed it wasn't much of a choice, for his own intent. He owed Zero his life, if nothing else. Even if he wanted to find the rest of the Circle, he couldn't do it alone.

"I see. I don't know how comfortable I could have been there now myself. Before my last memories, we had not been outside the walls in years. We never needed to leave."

[greater_than_zero]

"It sounds like you died just before Dai Atlas raised the city." Sorry, Wing, Zero wasn't one to sugar coat things unless he felt the one he was speaking to really, really needed it that way. Wing struck him as a strong mech, and one able to face his own death. He...kind of had to be now.

"The Circle never became directly involved in the war, but they did make their own stand of sorts."

Oh! That might be something that would make Wing happy. "The war is over now."

[knightofcybertron]

Wing looked back at Zero, optics bright, then dull in shock. "Dai Atlas raised the city?" He never would have done that. Even with the threat of battle nearly on their front doorsteps, he'd still refused and called them crazy for wanting to leave to confront it.

"It must have been worse than we could have imagined. We knew we were to die, but it would have saved the city."

He lifted a hand to his chest, to cover his spark, and noted that his fingers did not slip clean through him, though it wasn't enough to draw his thoughts away from the what if's of that day. But then Zero managed to do so again. "The war is over? Is it truly?"

[greater_than_zero]

Zero didn't know the details of why Dai Atlas raised the city, though for Wing's sake he'd pull a few strings to find out all he could about the Circle of Light, and what they'd been up to since Wing's death. He'd already made a few calls, but information took time to gather, he had nothing to offer Wing yet.

He nods to the last, though. "It is. There's been a call to return to Cybertron, though...the planet itself is...rather hostile to our presence there." He seems really sad about that. "Things are tense there, but perhaps...with the right leaders...Cybertron can be rebuilt again."

[knightofcybertron]

Return home, back to his original home. Wing had mixed feelings about that. But they were still Cybertronian, and after so many millions of years of war, hostility was to be expected.

Wing nodded. He would need to consider this later, but for now, he had Zero and his friendly little drone. "And what of you? What will you do now that the beginning of the end has been called?"

[greater_than_zero]

Zero is rather somber as he considers Wing's question. "What I've always done, I guess: survive and do what I can to help others survive. This was a research expedition to find things I could use to help the group I've been with for so long. I...envy what you had here. This city...thriving during the war, when so many others killed or struggled to stay alive. I wish I'd known it was here, I wish we'd known there was a safe place to retreat to durring the worst of it all."

He pulled a deep vent, sighing the air back out softly. "Wishing is for fools, though. It's practicality and logic that have served to keep us alive, and now maybe we can find real peace again soon."

He looked up at Wing, his smile a bit sad and a touch sheepish. "Sorry, I didn't mean to darken the mood."

jkajdfjalr sorry, I lost the notif! ;-;

[knightofcybertron]

Despite his situation and the newly found information about his city and his people, Wing couldn't help a soft smile, listening to Zero speak. Part of it was in sadness, but part of it was in a bit of envy himself.

"You would have been welcomed with us. I'm only sorry that you arrived during the worst of it." He looked down and away. "Then again, it may have been for the best that you did."

One hand came up to rub over the plating of his chest, fingers tracing the seams and weld lines he knew were there, still settling into place, integrating with his natural armor. In time, it would become his natural armor, but he was better for it now. Stronger.

"I have nowhere to go, if I remain in the city, Zero. I do not wish to be a burden on you or your people, but would it trouble you to allow me to go with you, wherever you may?"

*patpat* That’s okay, I’ll just give you a hard time about it forever ^_~

[greater_than_zero]

Zero smiles. He’s glad he’d found himself in the catacombs. He’d had no reason to be there, and yet instinct had drawn him there, and he’d learned long before the war ever started to rely on his instincts.

“You will not be a burden, or trouble, I’m glad to offer you a place with us.” He extended his hand in offer. Wing was part of the team now, one of the crew. Zero would welcome the company while he searched the abandoned city for things they could use, and clues as to what happened here, for Wing’s sake. He’d also welcome the company on the long trip back to where the rest of the refugees waited for Zero’s return.