#welcome to my fixit land

[writing-blog-iguess]

Online Match 5

Summery: Seeing their dad went as much as Y/N excepted. At least there's breakfast with Jason to look forward to.

Warning: swearing, fluff (if I’m missing other warnings, let me know)

A/N: Mm, this took me longer then I wanted to and I'm not sure how I feel about this one. Originally, I wasn't going to write this but I felt I needed to. And here it is. Enjoy! And as always, feedback is always welcome.

Words: 4651

ao3

Series master list

@xoxoyourdoll

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October 10

You groaned as the early morning sun peeked through your windows and past the curtains and landed on your face. Covering your head with the blanket, you turned over onto your stomach, hoping to get some more sleep. But sleep was gone and you had too many thoughts running through your mind to actually sleep. So, you laid there under the blanket and let your mind wander to what the day had planned for you.

But once you started thinking about Jason, your thoughts stalled and you wondered what he was up to. And as if you had conjured him from your thoughts, your phone dinged with the ringtone you had set for him. Smiling, you stuck out your arm from the blanket and reached for the phone.

Rolling onto your side, you curled into yourself and squinted at the sudden light assaulting your eyes, you blinked at the time.

Jason (6:31 am) Good morning Is Metropolis always this bright? I don’t think I can live here if it is It hurts my eyes

Y/N You know Its your day off SLEEP

Jason Nah don’t think I can I get to see you in a couple of hours

Y/N Shut up I don’t think you’re capable of sleeping longer the eight It’s not in your blood

Jason Somehow, your right

Y/N Always am

Jason Why are you awake? You strike me as someone who loves sleep

Y/N I do love sleep But only in my bed Anywhere else, no thank you Its not the right kind of bed

Jason I hear you So, what’s the plan for today?

Y/N Well, I’m going to stay in bed until someone kicks me out Then have some coffee

Jason That’s not breakfast

Y/n Have someone tell me that isn’t breakfast

Jason Smartass

Y/N Then I’m going to pack everything I brought Go to the hospital when visiting hours start See my dad for a bit Then have actually breakfast with a stranger Then go home with said stranger

Jason I hope you know this stranger And that he treats you well You deserve the world

Y/N Man, I hope he knows that Otherwise I’m just going to have to kick his ass

Jason I bet you’d win

Y/N I’m tougher than I look So maybe

Jason Let me know when you’re done at the hospital We’ll meet up somewhere

Y/N Can do

You stood in front of the building, squinting at it as you debated whether you wanted to go in or not. Well, you knew you didn’t want to, it was a matter if you should or not.

Sighing in defeat, you dropped your head and made your way in. Knowing full well you were going to head if you didn’t visit your dad. You walked through the halls of the hospital and too soon you found your way to his room.

You peaked in, noticing a nurse was checking up on him, while he was paying attention to the tv in the corner. Your eyes roamed towards the tv and snorted when you noticed it was one of those fixit or sell it shows. No matter where he was, he always managed to find shows like these.

The noise drew the attention of the nurse. She gave you a smile before turning to your dad. “I’ll be out of your hair in a moment, dear. Just need to check on your father.” How she knew that was your dad, you didn’t know and didn’t want to find out.

“That’s okay,” you said as you set your backpack down by the door before walking in. “Take your time.” You stood by the side of the bed, watching the tv as you waited for the nurse to leave. Once she was done, she sent you a smile and told your dad that if he needs her, to press the call button.

He waved her worry away and turned to look at you once the nurse was out of the room. “Surprised to see you here,” he said in lieu of a greeting. “Didn’t think I’d see you until Thanksgiving.”

“Didn’t find out you had surgery until yesterday morning,” you answered with a shrug. “When was it booked anyways?”

“A month ago.”

Ah, another thing they forgot to tell you about. You understand why your dad wouldn’t mention it, you barely talk as it is. But your mom? Or siblings? You talk to them more than your dad, at least they could have mentioned it. Trying not to let it sour your mood even more, you pushed the hurt away and turned to look at him.

He looked tired, like he hadn’t slept much last night. You suppose with the surgery that took half the day, and the pain he might be in, it would make sense if he didn’t sleep. And he always looked tired whenever you came home for the weekend, so it wasn’t much different. But other than that, he had more colour in his face then the last time you saw him. That was a start at least.

“How are you feeling anyways?” you asked, as he turned back to the tv.

“Fine.”

“In pain?” you asked again, he just shrugged. Kay, awesome, you thought as you looked around the room, trying to think of something to say. “Working on anything new at home?”

“Torn down the porch, thought I might redo it,” he answered and you raised your eyebrows in wonder.

“Have enough energy for that?”

“I rest when I can and I’m getting your brother to help.”

“Right.” And the conversation stalled from there. Sighing, you took out your phone and held in a wince as you looked at the time. Fifteen minutes, you were only here for ten minutes and you had planned to be here longer. But there was nothing to talk about and he seemed more invested in the show than talking to you.

Well, can’t say that you tried. With that thought, you made the decision to cut the visit short. You only hoped your mom would understand why you left before she came to the hospital.

“Where’s your mom?” he asked before you could make your move to leave. The question caught you off guard and you stood there without answering for a minute. He turned to look at you with a pointed look, waiting for an answer.

“Uh, home. She said she had a few things she needed to do before coming here,” you answered, scratching your neck as you thought. “She wanted to pack you some clothes and essentials for your stay here, buy some books and whatnot. She’ll be here around lunch, I think. Sonner if she gets everything done.”

He nodded and silence settled into the room once more.

“See you around Dad,” you finally said when the silence became too much.

“What? Leaving me already?” he asked, finally turning to you and watching as you backed towards the door.

You shrugged, bending down to pick up your backpack as you got to the door. “You’re busy-” not really but you weren’t going to point that out. “-and I have a train to catch.” Not the truth, your train wasn’t until a little later, but he didn’t need to know that. “I’ve got class after lunch and everything I need is still back in my apartment.”

“Alright, see you at Thanksgiving,” he dismissed with a wave, as if you were an annoying fly. Which sometimes you wondered if you were.

“Yeah, see you then,” you mumbled as you turned and all but ran out of the room. The whole exchange has you exhausted and you want to skip breakfast with Jason to take a nap. But you won’t.

You don’t know why you bother hoping things will change between the two of you. It never will, no matter how nice or well behaved you are, he’ll treat you with indifference. Like you don’t matter. 

But sometimes there will be moments that make you feel special. He’ll treat you like everyone else. Like you mean something to him, that you matter. It makes you feel seen and not so alone. Those you keep close to your heart, because they usually get ruined minutes later when his mood turns.

Sighing, you make your way out of the hospital and towards the park across the street. Looking around, you find a secluded bench and quickly walk towards it.

Dropping your backpack down, you sit and pull up your knees hiding your face in them and breathe. You take a moment just to breathe, trying to calm down and push away the hurt.

A few moments later, once you feel a little better, you pull out your phone. Going to the only person you want to talk to at the moment.

Y/N (8:30 am) I hate hospitals 

Jason Yeah they are not fun

Y/N Had your fair share of experience?

Jason You know it

Y/N I’m not even going to ask

Jason Not fun memories How’s your dad?

Y/N Fine

Jason Ready for breakfast?

Y/N Not really I just want to take a nap But food does sound good

Jason Good I was gonna make you eat if you said no

Y/N I have no doubt you would

Jason Where are you anyways? I’ll meet you there 

Y/n Uh, at the park across the street I think it’s on 5th?

Jason You don’t know where you are?

Y/n I know where I am I just don’t memorize the street names

Jason Wow Not to worry, Conner knows the place

Y/N Conner?

Jason My friend whom I went to see yesterday Maybe you know him

Y/n Just because I’m from Metropolis, doesn’t mean I know everyone

Jason Conner Kent, went to Metropolis High?

Y/n OH Yeah I know him We didn’t talk much though so I can’t say I know him He was a wannabe journalist from what I can remember

Jason What do you mean he was a wannabe journalist?

Y/n His articles were okay But it felt like he was trying too hard? Like he was trying to prove a point or something I don’t know, he was better behind the camera But what do I know? I’m an engineer major not a literature major

Jason You read the school newspaper?

Y/n Yeah, my friend was the editor for it Had me read some of the articles before she published them 

Jason WANNABE JOURNALIST EXCUSE ME I POURED MY HEART AND SOUL INTO THEM I EVEN HAD HELP FROM MY COUSIN AND HE WORKS AT THE DAILY PLANET

Y/N Oh OH NO JASON WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL ME

Jason I'M NOT DONE WITH YOU My articles were FANTASTIC Not my fault you can’t enjoy good writing Like you can do better? Please

Y/N I have Who do you think wrote the advice column 

Jason THAT WAS YOU?! Shit, never mind I stand corrected 

Y/n Got suckered into it But yeah, that was me

Jason You two are terrible I hope you know Besides I thought it was implied that he was with me?

Y/N Nooooooooo I’m so tired I didn’t even comprehend words

Jason That’s a pretty big word for someone’s who’s sleep deprived 

Y/n Shut up Why did you tell him?

Jason I did no such thing He’s nosey and read over my shoulder Took my phone before I could even stop him

Y/n Welp, I’m going to end it now Goodbye cruel world Twas nice knowing you 

Jason Don’t even Conner wants your number Apparently he’s not done yelling at you for what you said 

Y/n No

Jason Aw come on! Please? We can talk about anything! But you know AFTER I yell at you

Y/n Oh in that case Hard pass

Jason I’ll get your number eventually 

Y/N Stop letting Conner steal your phone

Jason I would But it’s hard when he’s fucking faster then you

Y/n Really You look like you run everyday

Jason I do But Conner’s a different fucking breed

Y/N Alright sure I’m just gonna put my phone away and wait for you in silence If that’s okay with you

Jason Not a problem Gives me time to beat Conner

Y/N …right

---

“Do you think I can meet ‘em?” Conner asked, leaning towards him, hoping to catch a glimpse of his phone. Jason shoved him away before sending out a final message. “They seem great if you came all the way here to spend time with them.”

“Not today,” he finally answered as he stuffed his phone in his pocket, “they’ve had a tough morning. I think meeting new people is the last thing they want right now.”

That worried Conner and he turned to study Jason as he asked, “everything okay?” Jason shrugged.

“Not my story to tell, but they don’t have the greatest relationship with their dad.”

“But they’re okay now? Right? They don’t need any help to get away or anything?”

“Yeah, they’re fine. Probably just really tired,” Jason mused, and he hoped you would get some rest on the train ride back. Though he doubted it, you had said that you don’t sleep on public transportation.

“That’s good,” Conner said, looking straight. “Hate to have to beat up someone’s dad.”

Jason snorted at the thought but kept his thoughts to himself. “Sure.”

“I would you know,” he said, stretching his arms out behind his head. “So, if they don’t want to meet new people, how come you guys are meeting for the first time today?”

“This isn’t the first time we’re meeting,” Jason said, and could feel the curious glance Conner shot him. “We met two nights ago. Y/N was getting mugged and after they called me and asked if I wanted to meet up.”

“Weird that you’re the first person they called after something like that,” Conner mused, mind drifting back to high school. “Usually when they need someone, they call their mom or sister.”

“Yeah, but their family lives here. They moved to Gotham once they graduated high school,” Jason explained, and Conner made a noise at the news.

“But why Gotham?”

“I don’t really know.” They lapsed into silence as the two continued walking, two blocks away from the park, Jason spoke up. “What do you mean by that? They didn’t get in trouble at school, did they?”

“Nah, they kept to themselves most of the time. Other times, they hung out with their friends,” Conner explained. “They had a routine and you could always find them in the library hiding away. They weren’t really talkative but once you got to know them, they weren’t bad.”

“I thought you guys weren’t friends.”

“We weren’t, but they hung out in the newsroom after school and sometimes we’d talk,” Conner said, smiling. “They were cool in their own way. Would like their number so we can build that friendship that could have been.”

“No,” Jason said and before Conner could argue his phone rang. Digging it out of his pocket, he answered it before saying it was Clark. Jason tuned out the conversation and let his mind drift to breakfast, hoping it would bring you into a better mood. After this weekend, you deserved it.

“Clark needs me,” Conner said, bringing Jason out his thoughts. “Tell Y/N to feel better and that I still want their number.”

“Not going to happen,” Jason grumbled. Conner laughed, hitting Jason’s back a little too hard judging by the grunt.

“You sound like a jealous boyfriend,” he said and didn’t let Jason dwell on that thought for too long. “Anyways, just keep walking straight and you’ll see the park. See you around Jason,” he said, turning and left.

“Uh, bye,” Jason said, watching his friend walk away.

The walk was too short for Jason to think over what Conner said. He walked into the park and scanned the area until he found a familiar mop of hair.

Smiling, he took out his phone and snapped a picture of you to send. He watched as you lifted your head from the back of the bench and fished out your phone from your pocket. 

He laughed at the confusion written on your face as you opened his message. He stood still as you whipped your head up and looked around the park until you found what you were looking for. When your eyes connected with his, Jason’s heart lurched as your eyes lit up.

Happy. You were happy, and Jason’s stomach squirmed at the genuine happiness he brought you.

When was the last time someone looked happy to see him? The thought raced through his mind. Who actually wanted to see him that wasn't his family? And why did it make him happy that just seeing him made your mood better?

He shoved the questions from his mind, and made his way over to you. He can think it over later, right now he has breakfast plans and he has every intention of making that happen.

As he walked towards you, you stood from the bench, bouncing on your feet a little. As if you couldn’t believe he actually came here.

When he was close enough, you let gravity take over and fell into his chest. Jason grunted at the impact and tried not to wince as it stung the bruise on his chest. Why he agreed to spar with Conner last night, he had no idea.

The weight on her chest brought comfort for Jason, and wondered if it did the same thing for you. “Morning,” he said, brings his arms up and around your shoulders.

“Morning,” you mumbled into his shirt, and the tension in your shoulders relaxed. Jason could only smile. “Conner isn’t here is he?”

“No, he cousin needed him for something,” Jason answered, chuckling a little when your shoulders dropped some more. “Ready for breakfast?” 

You nodded into his shirt, and Jason spun around so he was standing next to you, one arm still around your shoulder. You didn’t mind, and leaned into the touch.

His smile only grew and he bent down to pick up your backpack before walking. “C’mon, I saw a breakfast diner on the way here.”

The walk was silent and Jason found he didn’t mind silence with you. It’s comfortable, safe, safe enough that it quiets his mind.

“So, how was your morning?” you said after finding a seat in the diner and after the waitress left. Jason shrugged and started fidgeting with his menu.

“Good,” he answered and you raised your eyebrow in question. “What?”

“Not much of a talker huh?” you questioned, trying not to smile at the put off look he was giving you.

“I’m not much for small talk,” he answered with a snort. “Which is wild considering that we’ve been talking.”

“Yeah, but there’s a huge difference between texting and talking face to face.”

“Yes, but we’ve met once and facetimed yesterday,” Jason reminded, “so it shouldn’t be awkward.”

“It’s only awkward if you make it awkward,” you said, tilting your head a little. “Unless you’re just an awkward person in general.”

Jason narrowed his eyes and leaned over to poke you on the forehead. “Please. You're the awkward one between the two of us.”

“And if I am?”

“Then you are,” Jason said with a shrug. He squinted his eyes, debating whether or not to tease you. By the way you were eyeing him, he couldn’t help but smile. “So, still want to kiss my stupid face?” he asked, and had the joy of watching your face turn red. You sank in your chair and pulled the scarf you were wearing over your chin.

“I take back what I said,” you muttered, “you're just stupid. And that’s at least a third date.”

“Then I can’t wait until I take you out next time,” he said with a smile as you dropped your scarf from your face.

“Meeting up the other day doesn’t count as a date,” you state, leaning onto the table.

“It counts to me.”

“Then you’re wrong. We met up because I didn’t want to be alone and you were the first person I thought of.”

“I feel special.”

“And-” you continue as if you didn’t hear him say anything, “-I was crying half that time. That doesn’t sound like a date to me. Which was a bit embarrassing once I thought about it yesterday, by the way. Who cries on someone they’ve never met before?”

“Doesn’t matter if you were crying, it’s not going to turn me away. I’m here, aren’t I?” he questioned, you nodded and he continued, “and besides, I’ve seen you sick before. And that wasn’t a good look on you.”

“…what?” you asked and Jason realized his mistake and winced. “What does that mean?”

“I, uh,” Jason stuttered, trying to come up with a lie of some sort. But the way you were looking at him, had him coming up blank. You leaned over the table to cover part of his head, squinting at him with one eye open. After you stared at him for what felt like forever, you dropped your hand and leaned back.

“You were the delivery driver, weren’t you?” you asked, and all Jason could do was nod. “Son of a bitch. I knew there was something familiar about you. But I was too sick to figure out why. So, did you make the soup? Is that why you wouldn’t tell me what restaurant it came from.”

“Yeah, hope you don’t mind,” he said and relaxed when you waved his worry way.

“Nah, it’s okay. I trusted you enough not to do anything funny, and you didn’t,” you said. “Besides, it was really good soup.”

Jason smiled and just as he was about to say something, their waitress dropped off their drinks. The two of you ordered, and waited until she left before continuing the conversation.

“You know she’s flirting with you,” you pointed out.

“Maybe, but I only have eyes for you,” he said, and smiled as you blushed again. “You know, red really is a good colour on you.”

“You need to stop.”

“I don’t think so.”

“Kissing me became a fifth date thing now,” you said, “you have to wait until the fifth date and I have to say it counts as the fifth date.”

Jason crossed his arms on the table and leaned in with a smirk. “Are you sure? You’ll be missing out.”

“Maybe so, but you will be too.”

Jason raised an eyebrow. “Are you telling me you're a good kisser?” You flushed, and hid in your scarf again, shaking your head.

“I could be a horrible kisser,” you muttered.

“Let me be the judge of that.”

“Date five,” you sang.

“Do hang outs count?” Jason asked, and you scrunch your nose in confusion. “As dates or just towards getting to kiss you?”

“Oh. I don’t know, guess we’ll have to wait and see,” you answered after a moment of thought. You leaned back into the booth as you saw your waitress coming towards you.

Jason followed your lead, and soon your food was set in front of you. You watched as she gave Jason a smile, trying to flirt with him but all he did was give his thanks and turned to his food.

She left with a huff, and a giddy feeling that he didn’t seem that all interesting. Before you could put too much thought on that, you noticed Jason’s hands as he unfolded his napkin.

You tilted your head slightly and wondered how he got his scars. Not wanting to bother him about it now, you turned to your food, missing the knowing look Jason shot you.

Breakfast was comfortable, you talked about whatever came to mind and avoided the topics neither of you wanted to talk about. And all too soon, breakfast was over and paid for and you found yourself walking towards the train station.

“So, how many classes do you have today?” Jason asked.

“Uh, one I think,” you answered, but you weren’t quite sure. “I’ll have to check when I get back home. Why?”

“Just wondering is all.”

“You don’t have anything planned, do you? No surprise visits with soup in hand?” You teased, nudging his side with your elbow. Jason laughed and shook his head.

“No surprise visits,” he promised, “today at least. Can’t promise about visits in the near future though.”

“As long as I’m not sick, then go for it. But bring food please. Chances are I’ll be hungry,” you said with a smile. Jason chuckled but agreed all the same.

Once you neared the station, a comfortable silence settled between the two of you. You walked through the station, lost in thought and Jason made sure the two of you made it to your seat’s safety. “Penny for your thoughts?” Jason asked, shaking you out of your thoughts.

Blinking, you turned towards him in confusion. “What?”

“You’re thinking about something pretty hard there,” Jason said, poking your forehead to emphasize his statement. “What’s got you distracted?”

“Can I see your hands?” you asked instead of answering. Jason raised an eyebrow in surprise but he held up a hand for you to take. You weren’t sure how to put it into words, so you did so in action instead. Gently taking his hand in yours, you traced the scars that littered over his palms and fingers and wondered how far they went.

Jason watched you as you studied them, and held in a shiver as you lightly traced them with your finger. He wasn’t sure what you thought of them and a part of him didn’t want to know. But a bigger part of him was curious, wondered if you thought they were ugly and wanted nothing to do with him when you knew the true story behind the scars.

“Life didn’t treat you well, huh?” you whispered, eyes still on his hand. He hummed in agreement, and wanted to pull away when you traced one that led up his arm, that was underneath his jacket sleeve. But you stopped when you reached the hem of the sleeve, and moved your hand until it was holding his. “Well, I hope life will treat you better than it did before,” you wished with so much confidence, Jason believed what you said would come true. He hoped it would.

Still holding his hand, you reached down to your backpack to retrieve a book and sat back to read, like nothing had happened. But something did for Jason and maybe for you too, Jason wasn’t sure. But whatever happened between the two of you at that moment, he hoped it was something good. And maybe it was, maybe it wasn’t. But as long as you were there with him, it didn’t matter to him.

He studied you for a moment before shaking his head and sat back. You continued to surprise him.

Originally, you wanted to spend the train ride back home doing homework, or reading or anything else. But the warmth and the feeling of being safe that came from Jason beside you, and the fact that you hadn’t slept in the last couple of days, had your eyes closing on their own. Your head dropped onto his shoulder gently, your book falling out of your hands as you let sleep claim you.

Jason snatched your book before it could fall to the floor, and looked over when he felt weight on his shoulder. He smiled softly as you slept, and moved to sit more comfortably on the seat, wanting you to sleep peacefully. “I’ll protect you,” he promised.

And he meant every word.

[littlemisstfc]

So...No LAYERS For The Decepticons: How RID 2015 Fails At Critiquing The Prison Complex

Welcome back to this side of the Hundred Acre Woods. It’s been 84 years since I have written a blog post here, so forgive my absence. 😭 By the way, I will be at TFCon LA 2024 on both March 9th and March 10th. Feel free to say hi to me, I cannot wait to meet more of you there as well as meeting more voice actors and artists. Anyways, let’s get onto today’s topic. So…RID 2015, my dear friend. 

After making that compilation of the purple icon and the moment Fracture, I began to have thoughts about RID 2015. I will be coming out with a video retrospective that will hopefully come out later this year. My collaborator is dealing with a personal matter at the moment, so I’m respecting their space. Think of this as a preview to what we have here. I thought about doing a video, but I feel like my strongest strength has always been writing. 

RID 2015 is an interesting show in the sense that it has so much to say, yet never got the chance to fully explore what it wants to say. If you know me by now, you know that I am one of the most hardcore RID defenders in existence akskskskdjdkd. Let me make it clear: it’s a show that exists. However…it is MY show that exists. Like, compared to the very worst of the worst that Transformers has to offer, this show doesn’t even scratch at the surface. It’s a mid show that manages to keep me entertained and engaged at least. However, at the same time, its flaws are genuinely that egregious, and as much as the writers tried, I feel like they’re held back from fully exploring its potential. Like I said, I will go into the gritty nitty detail at a later day, so at the moment, let’s go discuss what’s perhaps the main issue I have with RID 2015…it fails at critiquing the prison complex.

The Prison Complex...BUT WITH FURRIES.

In case you don’t know what RID 2015 is about, let me summarize it really quickly. RID 2015 takes place three years later after Transformers Prime ended, and it focuses on Bumblebee now. After getting a sign from Optimus’s spirit to return to Earth, he does so, along with a cadet named Strongarm and a delinquent named Sideswipe accidentally joining him. Eventually, they all ended up at Crown City and they found out a Decepticon prison ship, the Alchemor, crash landed near here, courtesy of the caretaker Fixit. Then, after taking care of one escaped Decepticon, they were then joined by Grimlock and two humans named Russell and Denny. So, the entire series is focused on Bee and his team capturing the escaped Decepticon prisoners, while also having to deal with the shady behind the scenes of the Cybertronian government.

Now that we got the main premise out of the way, on the surface, it seems like it’s a harmless monster of the week type show. For most of the time, it’s just Bee and his team capturing Decepticons, who are also animals in this version. Okay, Beast Wars aksksksks. It seems like there’s not much issue. However…when you really think about the circumstances of these Decepticons, not to mention how oddly it portrays the police force in a mostly positive light (and I say that loosely), the show did not age in retrospect. It does not do a great job at critiquing what’s wrong with the prison industry.

Now that I brought it up, you may be asking why I did so. It’s important to bring it up, because it ties into how this show tackles the Decepticons and the Cybertronian police state. In a nutshell, the prison complex refers to the relationship between the prison system and various businesses, specifically how they benefit from incarceration being the end-all solution in tackling society’s problems. It relies heavily on the surveillance and policing of the population in order to make the quickest profit that really only serves as a bandaid to the elephant in the room. In case you want to learn more about the prison complex, I highly recommend doing your research by looking up sources, especially from those who work in prison reform.

Back to RID 2015, the show makes it seem like the Decepticons should be treated as menaces to society because the government says so. Now, let me make it clear: I am in no way justifying what these characters did. I mean, there are legit serial killers and legitimate dangers to society in there akksksksksa. It’s called nuance, folks. However, at the same time…these people should be getting help for their issues and/or get rehabilitation instead of being treated as animals (no pun intended). You look at characters like Springload and Filch, who are individuals that show severe signs of mental illness that heavily impact how they navigate the world. Then, you have Decepticons who only really committed minor offenses like Bisk. Now, I’m not saying that they’re justified in doing those crimes. I’m saying that the consequences should fit the crime, yet for some reason, the show likes to say that brutal incarceration is the answer. In the world of the Aligned Continuity post Prime, you get labeled a Decepticon for your crimes and you;re packed off to jail until you die or something. 

Then, we have the head bitch in charge himself, Steeljaw. Now, I’m saving my thoughts on his character and how he wouldn’t go away at a later date, so for now…Steeljaw may be a character that the show stubbornly refuses to let go, but I’m sorry, he brought up good points about the way things are runned. He is basically TFA Megatron if he was a furry aksksksks. While his intentions are ultimately a power grab and the way he treats his pack isn’t justified, at the same time, you do see where he’s coming from. The show portrays the premise in a very strict black and white sense, in which the Decepticons are all evil and the Autobots are justified in throwing all them into prison. Now, we do learn about the actual truth behind the Council and Strongarm is a genuinely good person, but still, the show is so committed to the anti Decepticon status quo that it makes the premise much worse. It lacks the nuance that Animated and Cyberverse to an extent had in portraying the two sides, so it’s insensitive at best and actually quite harmful at worst. 

So…you may be wondering, “wait, but what about Grimlock and Drift?” That’s where they both come into the discussion. To me, those two represent the nuance that the show desperately wanted to convey, but isn’t allowed to explore. They’re both reformed Decepticons who showed that they are not defined by their past, and they put in the work to change. Hell, there was even an entire ass episode dedicated to the team realizing that Grimlock did change for the better. In Drift’s case, when he was confronted by a figure from his past, he made it clear that he also changed for the better. So, if the show was willing to offer both Grimlock and Drift second chances, then why can’t it offer the same grace to the Alchemor prisoners?

This then leads to the character of Scowl, whom I honestly believe that he is capable of having a genuine heel face turn if the show GAVE HIM A FUCKING CHANCE. The instant chemistry he had with Grimlock reveals that he seems to be a cool guy. I think that once he’s taught to learn right from wrong and is given a support system, he can be redeemed. Yet frustratingly, the show goes, “nah bro, he’s 100% evil underneath his bro bro act.” It’s kind of hypocritical that it allows Grimlock to reform, but it puts Scowl and a majority of the Decepticons into a black and white box. They’re not allowed to be their own characters in the first place, so they received the short end of the stick even more. Just…UGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. Show, why do you test my patience sometimes? When I tweeted about this thought I had after I made the Fracture compilation, someone summarized it best right here:

"Legitimately, if RID15 wasn't aimed at kids, it would be a really nuanced show and likely would get recognized as better than Prime."

Kids are fucking smarter than we give them credit for. I was six years old when I watched Animated, and I noticed the deeper aspects of the show. I just didn’t have the words to articulate it until I became an adult. If RID 2015 was given the time and care it needs to explore this concept to its fullest potential, it would perhaps be the best well thought out show in the Aligned Continuity. I may get canceled for this, but it’s the LAYERS that Prime wants. However, because the higher ups wanted a toyetic approach and thought the kids are too dumb to pick up on LAYERS and nuance, we got this, and it honestly saddens me it turned out this way.

Conclusion: Even the most mid Transformers show deserves LAYERS.

Being a RID 2015 stan is the toughest battle God gives to his silliest little guys akskskskks. I criticize this show because I truly believe it deserves BETTER than what it was given to work with. You may look at me like I’m crazy for thinking about this way more than what a normal person would do…but I ain’t normal, lads. 

I'm saving my full thoughts for the retrospective like I said, but right now, the show has a lot to say, but it was sadly silenced. I honestly think it would've been one of those Transformers shows people will fondly look back on had it been given more time in the oven. This is why I appreciate fanfiction and fanon existing because they explore the LAYERS the show has underneath the silly vibes. I would do anything for this show to receive a comic book continuiation or a spinoff that explores its full potential.

Anyways, Pingu.

[lifetimeshipper]

Angel From A Dream

Chapter 8

~~~~~~~~~~

"Fixit, what are you doing?" Bumblebee asks as he and Grimlock walk up to the Alchemor. They just got back from investigating some Decepticon activity and searching for any signs of what happened to Strongarm and where she could be. When they got back into the scrapyard the first thing they saw was Fixit frantically searching through the database.

"Ah, Lieutenant, you're both tack, lack, BACK. I just got a signal from Strongarm and then it disappeared again," Fixit responds as he keeps searching.

"Really? Where?" Bumblebee asks as hope rises that they'll finally find her.

"That's what I'm searching for... Aha got the location. She was in a forest a few miles from a sawmill," Fixit says as he brings up the location.

"Great, let's go!" Bumblebee says as he gets ready to transform and head out. But before they could a ship came flying in and landed. Bumblebee recognized the ship right away, it was Ultra Magnus' ship. The reinforcement has finally arrived.

The three go to welcome their visitors as the platform on the bottom opens up and the 'Bots inside descend from the ship. Ultra Magnus, Arcee, Wheeljack, Bulkhead, Knock Out, Smokescreen, and Ratchet were all there. Bulkhead joined in after hearing what happened and insisted on joining to find the femme who's like a niece to him.

Smokescreen was the first one off the platform as he ran up to Bumblebee, "Where is he!? Where's my son!?" He asks frantically as Knock Out joins them. 

"Before I take you to him I must warn you, you're not gonna like what you see. His condition had worsened over the past four days. We had to hook him up to machines to keep him active," Bumblebee says grimly before leading the way to Med Bay. Smokescreen, Knock Out, and the others follow him. 

When they reached Med Bay, Smokescreen's and Knock Out's sparks almost ceased, they saw what Bumblebee was talking about. Sideswipe was hooked up to all sorts of machines to keep him functioning, there were braces around his wrists to hold them together and cables and wires were attached to his spark chamber.

Knock Out looked over his son as Smokescreen started crying, "Primus, his wrist joints were dislocated and I see the inner circuitry damage you were talking about." Knock Out walks over to Smokescreen and hugs him trying to console him. It's rare to see his mate like this and he hates seeing him this way, "It's alright, Smokes. Ratchet and I will save him."

Smokescreen looks him in the optics, "I know you will."

Knock Out gives him a peck on the lips before turning to face Bumblebee, "Mind telling us which 'Con did this?" 

A loud clanking noise sounded throughout Med Bay as Bulkhead pounded his fist into his servo, "And who took Strongarm? I'm itching to give them a beating they'll never forget."

"As we all are," Magnus added in.

"I won't know for certain until Sideswipe wakes up, but I suspect it's a Decepticon named Steeljaw. He's a Wolf-Con that we had a couple of run-ins with so far and proving to be very tricky to catch. Sideswipe and Strongarm were actually the first ones to counter him. We had an encounter with him at a dam shortly before Strongarm went missing and Sideswipe became injured. Which is why he's number one on my suspect list."

"Have you got any leads yet?" Wheeljack asked.

"We actually just got Strongarm's signal and were just heading out to investigate when you guys arrived," Grimlock replied.

"Bumblebee?" Arcee questions, giving the hint that introductions are needed.

"Right, sorry. This is Grimlock and that Mini-Con is Fixit," Bumblebee introduces.

"Hello," they all greet.

"Ahem!"

Bumblebee looked towards the noise to see Denny and Russell, "Oh, and this is Denny and Russell, our human comrades."

"Hi!" The two humans greeted.

"Hello. Nice to see human faces again," Arcee greeted with a smile as she thought of Jack, she missed that boy and wondered how he was doing. They all miss their human partners and would like to see them again, but for the time being, they need to focus on the task at hand which is getting Strongarm back.

Bumblebee looks at Smokescreen and Knock Out, "Russell is a very close friend to Sideswipe, he's been helping Sideswipe and the others learn about Earth. He has been by Sideswipe's side the whole time he's been unconscious."

Smokescreen and Knock Out look down at the human child and smile, "Thank you for being there and helping him. We appreciate it," Smokescreen said.

"Any friend of Sideswipe is a friend of ours," Knock Out added.

Russell gave them a two-finger salute, "No probs. It's what friends are for."

"Now that we're all acquainted let's head out and search for Strongarm," Wheeljack says as he starts walking out of Med Bay.

"Yeah, let's get going before we lose our opportunity to find her," Arcee says in agreement as she follows her mate. The rest follow them out of Med Bay except Smokescreen, Knock Out, Fixit, and Ratchet.

Knock Out looks at Smokescreen, "You should go with them, Ratchet and I will take care of Sideswipe. Find the Decepticon that did this to our son and beat his aft." 

Smokescreen looks back at Sideswipe before nodding and running out to catch up with the others. He knows his mate and Ratchet will save Sideswipe so he doesn't need to worry, and he also really wants to get his servos on the Decepticon that hurt his baby.

Once they all were outside they transformed and headed out to find the location Fixit had given them. "It's really nice to see you guys again," Bumblebee says to his old teammates as they drive along the road.

"It's really nice to see you again too, 'Bee," Bulkhead responds.

"Just wish it was under better circumstances," Arcee added, "What happened exactly? How was Strongarm taken and why?"

"As I said, we had just had an encounter with the 'Con criminal Steeljaw, he's a dangerous Decepticon who is very conniving. He's become the leader of a small group of Decepticons with only two members, probably three now, and he's been looking to expand it so he can take over this world and make it his empire."

"Sounds a bit like Megatron," Ultra Magnus pointed out.

 "Yes. Anyway, we were heading back after dealing with him when a tree fell in our path and blocked us, so we went to investigate. Sideswipe went one way, Strongarm went another way and I went another. After a few moments of searching and finding nothing, I told Sideswipe and Strongarm to meet me back at the road. Sideswipe returned but Strongarm didn't. I called her comm but got no response so we went to look for her. 

A few minutes into the search I suddenly heard Sideswipe scream out in pain followed by Strongarm screaming out his name, her voice was coated in worry. I knew something was going on. I went running to the location I heard the screams coming from, running into Grimlock along the way. But when we got to the location all we found was Sideswipe laying on the ground unconscious and bleeding out, there was no sign of Strongarm anywhere."

"We wanted to look for her, honest we did," Grimlock cut in, "But we had to get Sideswipe back to the scrapyard so Fixit could work on him." 

"He always worries he's gonna get into trouble for something he did or didn't do."

"I'm hitched to you, 'Bee, I can hear you," Grimlock points out.

"Don't worry, Grimlock, none of us is upset with you. I'm sure you did your best and still are," Arcee says assuringly.

"Yeah, you've done a great job," Smokescreen adds. Grimlock perks up and wags his tail.

"Anyway...," 'Bee continued, "...we did some investigating after we got Sideswipe to the scrapyard but found nothing. We didn't find any leads or anything to indicate where Strongarm could be or what happened to her until her signal suddenly popped up on Fixit's monitor just before you guys arrived."

"So, her signal is your first and only lead since she went missing?" Arcee asked.

"Yes."

"Why hadn't her signal appeared before?" Wheeljack asked.

"Not sure. I suspect that maybe the 'Con used some sort of signal block to keep her hidden. Maybe she somehow escaped and that's why we could see her signal."

"And you think this Steeljaw might have her?" Arcee asks.

"Yes. Though I'm not sure why he might have taken her. I thought that if it was him that took her then we would have heard from him by now, maybe using her as a bargain for the release of his fellow 'Cons. Though it could be that he's been questioning her and trying to get information on us or where we're keeping the other 'Cons or something. But seeing as we haven't heard from him since he took her I'm not so sure."

"Doesn't really matter, if he is the one that took her he's gonna be scrap metal when we get to him," Wheeljack stated with venom in his tone.

"He sure will. Nobody kidnaps our daughter and gets away with it," Arcee added with venom as well.

"I can't wait to get my servos on him if he's the one that hurt Sideswipe," Smokescreen says with complete hatred for the 'Con.

"We're almost to the location Fixit gave me," Bumblebee informs them as they drive through the forests. Arcee, Wheeljack, Bulkhead, Magnus, and Smokescreen all look around enjoying the view they missed so much, it had been so long since they left Earth and they missed everything about it. Seeing the forests brought back so many memories.

~~~~~~~~~~

They finally arrive at the location, transform, and look around, "She's not here," Arcee says with sadness in her tone.

"Well, Fixit did say the signal disappeared. But I wonder what she was doing out here," Bumblebee says just before they hear the sounds of engines. They all look to see Thunderhoof, Underbite, and Fracture pull up.

The three Decepticons stop a few feet from the Autobots and transform, "Eyo, what are you all doin' here?" Thunderhoof asks as he gets ready for a fight.

"Looking for my cadet!" Bumblebee says with a hardened glare, "Did Steeljaw take her?"

"He did. Though we don't know where either of them is right now. We went out scouting for other 'Cons, and when we returned both her and Steeljaw were gone. We assumed she tried to escape and he went after her, but they haven't returned so we figured something must have happened," Fracture explains.

"What does Steeljaw want with her?" Arcee asks as she steps forward.

"He's attracted to her and was determined to mate with her. So he took her to make her his," Thunderhoof responded.

"WHAT!?" They all exclaimed in unison.

"Strongarm will never be with a 'Con like him! He'll never have her!" Arcee yells with anger, she knows her daughter would never fall for a Decepticon.

The three let out a laugh, "Steeljaw doesn't need her to agree to be with him for him to claim her. He's already marked her," Fracture says with a big evil grin.

Wheeljack pulls out his katanas and points them at the 'Con, "You better take that back and say that you're lying!"

Fracture just widened his grin, "But I'm not lying."

"He's not, Steeljaw did mark her," Underbite added. Thunderhoof just nodded in agreement.

Bulkhead pounds his fist into his servo, "He's gonna be turned into scrap when we find him!"

"This news changes things," Bumblebee says as he tries to process everything he just heard.

"How so?" Grimlock asked in confusion.

"Because he's marked her and when a Wolf-Con marks a femme or a mech you can not separate them, if you do the marked femme or mech could offline," Ultra Magnus replies.

"Is he the one that hurt Sideswipe?" Smokescreen asked the three 'Cons.

"Don't know, he didn't say," Thunderhoof replied with a shrug.

Arcee's spark was breaking, her daughter had been marked by a Wolf-Con and she could die if they take her away from him. She couldn't listen to any more of the conversation, it was reminding her too much of what she went through with Megatron, so she went walking around to search for any evidence of what could have happened.

"There are a lot of tire tracks," she says getting the attention of the others. "Which means Strongarm and Steeljaw weren't the only ones here," she added as she continued to look. She came across a piece of metal lying on the ground which seemed to be broken off of something. She squats down to pick it up and examine it.

"What you got there, babe?" Wheeljack asks as he walks over.

"Looks like part of a device used to knock out bots. Like something M.E.C.H used."

"But isn't M.E.C.H all dead?" Bulkhead asks with confusion.

"Yes, they are," Bumblebee responds.

"What's M.E.C.H?" Grimlock asked. He and the 'Cons were confused as they never heard of them before and didn't understand who they were.

"M.E.C.H was a group of humans led by a guy named Silas that found out about us and tried to experiment on us to understand how we worked," Bumblebee explains. "They even stole my T-Cog one time. They were a very dangerous group that had just the right tools to render us helpless."

"You think this M.E.C.H might have them?" Grimlock asked.

"As we said, they're all dead. Silas killed them, then he was killed later by the Decepticons."

"But it seems there's someone that's using their tech, which means bad news," Arcee added.

"Yes. But who?" 'Bee questions as he ponders who the new human threat could be.

"Well, if they took Strongarm we'll find out as we squash them," Wheeljack says as he continues to examine the device they found.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The mysterious man had left to take care of some business, leaving Steeljaw and Strongarm alone in their cell. Steeljaw is yelling, demanding that the human come back and explain more of what is going on, and demanding their release. Steeljaw backs up and prepares to ram into the bars to break them, when he does he gets electrocuted. The bars had an electric field around them to keep them from breaking out.

The electricity forces him back and he falls back on his aft. Strongarm just stood there and watched him, when he was knocked back she just rolled her optics and muttered, "Idiot."

Steeljaw heard her and started growling as he got back up, "This is all your fault!"

"My fault!? How is it my fault!?"

"If you didn't escape we wouldn't have been out there for them to catch us!"

"If you didn't kidnap me in the first place I wouldn't have had to escape and be in that spot!"

Steeljaw's growling increased as he started showing his fangs a bit, "If you would stop torturing me I wouldn't have kidnapped you!"

"How am I torturing you!? I don't even want anything to do with you! I just want to get back to my team where I'm away from you! And I assure you when I do get back to my team I will lock you up and get you out of my life even if you are my mate!"

Steeljaw's spark breaks after hearing that which causes him to become even more outraged than he was already. He grabs her and slams her against the wall with a roar, "Don't test me, Cadet! I assure you, you will not like the outcome!" He states in a threatening tone as he continues to growl and show his fangs.

Strongarm looks into his rage-filled optics as fear starts to take over, she doesn't want to move because she is afraid he might maul her if she moves so much as an inch. But Steeljaw started calming down after he sensed her fear and he backed away, still looking at her. He then turns away and heads to another part of the cell to sit down.

Strongarm watched him for a moment, still scared he might attack her and maul her to death. But she soon gets the courage to move and she goes over to the part of the cell where the Energon is, she takes a cube, sits down, and starts drinking it. The two sat in silence on different ends of the cell.

Unknowingly to them, they were being watched. A devilish grin forms on the guy's face, "This is interesting. I do believe I found something good to torture these two, and it will help me learn more about them."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter 1

Next Chapter

[falle-ness]

Imagine this:

• Liz is consistently written, the story shown from her perspective, and we, the audience, know and root for her because she deserves the truth. And we find those reasons she has understandable. And we actually see how conflicted she is.

• Red is being Red, but this time he is written with less smartass attitude (which means he doesn't outsmart the FBI or whatever the whole time, and can fail on a massive scale too), yet is still his devilish sleek bastard self.

• Ressler is written as an intelligent, sharp-minded, tough, no-nonsense guy, who's motto is less words more action. He gets along with women coz of his 'silent charmer' vibes.

Y'all feel me?

And here we go to our extreme AU, 18+.

Reddington and Ressler have a private arrangement the FBI isn't aware of. Both are fine with it - no strings attached are better in their line of work. They meet in secret, enjoy the night, and split only to meet again in the Post Office. Notice: this doesn't change their work relationship much - it's just a bonus for two touch- and sex-starved individuals. And it's not some kind of fluff or whatever. Enemies with benefits at its finest.

As Red learns about Liz's intentions (though he can't really figure what's she's gonna do - she's a loose cannon to him at this point, but we, the audience, know exactly why she does what she does and we get to see how much it costs for her emotionally to make each decision; it's completely different from canonical 2d Liz most can't root for), he, being a devilish spider who's entire criminal empire is partly built because of the cobwebs of lies and intrigues and manipulations, greasing the right hands and putting out the competition, orchestrates a perfect trap, knowing Liz's weakness - she desperately needs something "normal" to hold on to.

He uses Ress and Liz's past history - they never worked out as a couple for a number of reasons, but mostly because in this au they have two different mindsets and backgrounds. Yeah, opposites can be attracted, but after a while things don't work. In this au, I assume both Liz and Ress are equally these 'alphas', so they can't both lead. And it ruins their relationship.

Think of Ress as ambitious grade A asshole with Patrick Bateman's vibes when it comes to his gym routine and appearance. He keeps his vulnerable side (don't mix with pussy-whipped) to himself. And he's lost his black-and-white thinking long time ago.

Liz as an intelligent and gifted young (we're fixing things here, remember?) profiler with dark inclinations who learns her life was all a lie. She herself uncovers the connections and etc, confronts Tom (and she is conflicted coz she loves him still), they try to figure things out, Tom's redemption arc happens etc.

And in this au she lost her husband Tom pretty much under the same circumstances as in s5 with only difference that she asked for his help and they got into the trouble together - for a change we need a couple who talks to each other, so their vows about no more lies was actually true, and they were a team and tried to figure the missing pieces. And so, Liz will have to live with the guilt she is responsible for his death, which adds more pressure for her.

Red knows all that and can use it against her (he isn't her dad here; he is in all this simply because she is the key to the archive/fulcrum whatever - hello memory manipulation and forgotten storylines).

*Here she left the FBI very routinely and less stupidly, and she didn't commit (yet) murders and all - she just leaves and decides to hunt for the truth. And I personally think that if she's driven enough, she'd give Agnes up. Maybe to Jennifer or maybe she'd give it up to Scottie. Whatever. No Agnes. Only her and the desire for the truth. And we, the viewers, this time see how hard that decision was. She starts taking pills too-anti insomnia pills for sure.

Ofc you'd ask whyyy whyyyhy Ress but not a random man and try to pitchfork me. But hear me out.

Now, we remember that she's a widow who is in the process of going though PTSD, so she won't jump in bed with a snap of a finger - all those stages and etc aren't fast, years can go by between them. The shows cut that time, ofc, but oftentimes forget to reflect that in the characters themselves.

*yeah, I know everyone has different coping mechanisms but I assume that Liz isn't one of those people who cork their pain with sex, booze, self-loathing.

Since in this au Ress and Liz have history, it'd be easier for Ress to break that wall of distrust and try to convince her divulge her plans to him. And he'd tell them to Red, obviously.

What's his reason beyond the sex is amazing an arrangement and why he doesn't take Liz side? Simple - in this AU he never really trusted or cared for her. They split long time ago, they even don't get partnered up anymore, and she's basically a stranger to him. They don't get along on a personal level and still have to be colleagues and do their job.

So, ingredients of our psychological drama: Red is a manipulative bastard operating within grey moral area - which doesn't mean he cares for good and rainbows in the world; he is driven by profits and money; Liz's hunt undermines his Concierge's entity and also his operation as the Russian N13 operative. He could simply kills her, yeah, but a) killing an FBI agent means mess b) he is actually appreciating a worthy opponent (and maybe deeeep deeep down he knows she might win).

Red enlists Ressler to help -

And Ressler plays the crying shoulder and etc (and he doesn't look after like an idiot cause we know it's a set-up or this is revealed later, post factum).

We won't go for the obvious and boring path here and say ress and keen reunite and two against the world. Coz if it's obvious, why bother?

At some point, Liz knows Ress plays her, but she keeps playing her part and feeding him fakes.

Ressler senses she's lying, and he doesn't report Red, because he wants to figure what is the game she is playing. And also because a part of him is willing to find out whether whatever she's searching for is true.

They manipulate each other and emotionally spiral down to some dark places and it fucks them up. It's messy and raw, and it's now not clear who is the victim and who is the prey.

Ress learns things he wished he'd never know (re: he wasted his life working on a sleeper agent and now active kgb guy), and the fact he was banging with that guy also bangs his self-esteem out. Imagine how that realization hurts.

Liz learns the truths about her fam, esp her mother and father, and that she's been used as a vessel for some info because of who her mother was. And she also learns her mother willingly let Red do it because they were involved once.

And Red? Well, he'll enjoy watching the lives of those two tumbling down the hill at avalanche's speed.

You can figure the rest and the tone of the ending - use whichever shippers goggles you want.

[dingobait]

SPN 15x20 - rewrite script notes ‘Carry On’

SPN 15x20 - rewrite.  

Saving Cas from the empty is the only thing left for Dean and Sam to do. 

2735 words: script notes- Destiel, Fixit, Happy, All the gangs here to help saving Cas. Half Ficlet / half mad writings of a grieving Fan requiring happiness and true love and closure- gonna use this as the starting point for some writing practice and probs eventually write a fan / spec script.

* 

Id start it with Dean on the road, fuming and stewing over his grief for Cas. Ignoring Sams calls. Maybe a moment where he hesitates near the trunk of the Impala when Sam comes out of the bunker to be like ‘Dude?! Stop ignoring me!’ And Dean guiltily hides what will later be revealed as Cas’ coat.

All the alternate world hunters are staying in the bunker and established as being back. They’re reorganising, gathering info figuring out what’s changed in this new world post dusting. Sam can’t keep his eyes off Eileen as she works. He keeps getting distracted and almost missing the table when trying to put down his coffee mug. Not wanting to miss a word she signs. She gives his wrist a gentle squeeze when she moves past him, signing that ‘She’s not going anywhere, Promise’.  

The bunker is too crowded for Dean, too noisy, he gets busted sitting in Cas’ room, holding the mixtape between his hands.

Sam and he talk about feelings, well they talk around feelings at least. The ‘I love you’ confession will be saved for the very end for Cas’ ears only.

Our inciting incident of the episode starts off screen. Deans choking on his words about missing Cas, Sam amazed at how many words he’s finally coaxed out of his brother- and then from the other room there’s shouts of shock and alarm- there’s a dark smear growing in the air of the main room of the bunker. And for a brief moment a face struggles to push itself out of the muck-  Dean and Sam arrive in the room just as the goo shimmers like oil vapours in the air and disappears. Cas? Deans afraid to voice it aloud but Charlie beats him to it. Sams nodding. Freaked out. Everyone agrees it looked like Cas.

They have a smear of the Empty left behind to work with. And A room full of witnesses who all want to help.

Jack shows up saying ‘so sorry I can’t play favourites’ while clearly playing favourites and guiding them to the book that contains the magical solution they need (ala Cas’ telling Dean about the arch angel attached to the profit Chuck in season four, ‘so sad I can’t help WINK if only I could ‘continues to give gives blatant info haha)

For the first step of the spell, we’d need a psychic to establish a tether to the Cas in the empty, we’d have to go and check in on the Wayward Sisters to ask for Missouris’ granddaughters help. We’d see Kia and Claire together as a couple, and Sam would catch Dean looking at them trying to hide how happy they are in the face of Deans misery.

Patience needs something of Cas’ to create a tether, Sam freaks that they don’t have anything with them and Dean has to clear his throat twice to get the words out that he does.

He retrieves the trench coat from the trunk. (Or maybe his own jacket with the bloody handprint still on its shoulder-  Sam’s all ’ew dean you still haven’t washed this?!’)

The first part of the spells in place. Patience says something cryptic to Dean as she hands back the trenchcoat, his grip is perhaps a bit too tight to be read as anything but casual. Jodys attempt at getting Dean to open up is less subtle, everyone’s trying to get Dean to admit If he’s okay or hurting or something worse.

‘You’ve gotta talk about it eventually’, but Sam can see the explosion building in Dean, but then it’s an implosion as instead of getting mad Dean just shuts down, shoulders caving in,  and Dean just has to go

‘Pick you up later Sammy’ and he’s out the door.

We finally see the tears once he’s alone in the car

Driving, he almost hits the smear of black ooze absorbing the glow of the impalas headlights growing in the middle of the road, he skids and frames the scene with the headlights, jumping out of the car as Cas tries once again to pull himself from the empty, this time the oil parts slightly and Cas’ hands push through, Dean sprints forward, and almost has Cas’ hand tightly in his own before the oozey hole in the universe blinks back closed.

Jack will pop in briefly, commenting about how how well the first part of the spell worked with Patience’s help. He’d plant another hint about the next step of the spell, and Dean would sheepishly head back to pick up Sam to tell him the news.

Together the whole gang discuss the case over a family dinner, food everywhere, no more emotional pushing from anyone, Dean’s allowed to stay quiet and is offered additional serves as everyone brainstorms how to interpret / fulfil the next step of the spell to save Cas.

Sam quietly checks in with Dean, elbowing him as Jody and Donna and the girls talk at the other end of the table. Sam assures Dean that everyone didn’t mean to freak him out earlier and Dean cuts him off.

‘I think I needed the reminder that we’re in this together’ he admits.

Sam agrees, ‘You’re not the only one who wants Cas back Dean.’

With Charlie’s remote hacking help, we find the location of next relic we need / the next spell component. We see Stevie helping with the research, we see Bobby breaking a code and Garth adding some new piece of lore that’s vital to the puzzle.

We have a classic heist sequence with Dean and Sam doing what they do best, breaking into places to steal shit from museums. It’s dope, music sequences and everything ending with Dean almost tripping a lasor sensor before Sam pulls him back at the last moment. Dean thought he saw another hint of Black ooze and drawn to it like a moth to a flame.

Later on the side of the road and with the first hint of hope /excitement from Dean, we preform the next part of the spell.

Almost instantly, another black ooze rifts appears, Cas struggles to pull himself free, but this time Sam and Dean manage to grab his arms together, they pull with all their might, the ooze is retreating back from Cas’ shoulders, neck, and slowly his face, and we finally see the fight in his blue eyes, the desperate hope, struggling to get back to our world.

Dean and Cas make eye contact, Deans grip on his arm turns bone tight- but the ooze is reclaiming Cas’ throat, cutting off his attempt at Deans name. A deep voice rumbles from beyond the rift ’I said forever!’- and SNAP! The ooze rift slams back shut. And dean and Sam are left sprawling on the ground.

Deans hands close on handfuls of dirt and grass, and then Jack appears. Jolly and smiling.

‘That was very close! I almost thought you wouldn’t need the final spell component!’

‘A rare dagger and one other other thing is required to walk through the Empty unscathed.’ Jack hands the the dagger to Dean. He weighs the stone dagger in his hand.

‘Whats the other requirement?’  

’Love willingly given’ Jack tells him and Dean gives a wobbly grin and just nods and opens his mouth to say something but Jack shakes his head, ‘no, I’m not the one who needs to hear it’.

Sam thanks Jack for his help making things right as Dean walks back to where the oozey tear appeared. He clears his throat, once twice, gripping the ancient dagger in his hands. He turns back to Sam and Jack who confer back and forth, Jack looks over and just nods back towards the afflicted space, a ‘go on you can do it’ but they both give Dean his space.

Dean flips the dagger about, changing the grip with finesse and gathers himself. He stares at the point in space that had so recently held Cas.

‘We’re not done yet’ Dean finally admits as he stabs the dagger into the air and slices through universe, the dagger vibrates in his hands, the rift trying to resist, but Dean leans into it, whispering

‘it’s my turn to save your, ass you ass’ and the dagger slices clean through the worlds.

Dean steps through the door he’s created, the void empty sans his own reflection beneath him, but the daggers glowing in his hand now, a beacon that grows hot and cold as he waves it before him. Dean follows the bacon of light, and meets Cas half way, the angel is struggling against the ooze at a snails pace, drowning in the thick liquid and Dean grabs his shoulder and heaves, using the dagger to hack at the muck, and then Cas is falling into him and this time Dean drags Cas through the darkness, a perfect reproduction of Cas herding Dean through the halls of the Bunker when Billie came after them, but now Dean’s the one to throw Cas to safety through the door before leaping through it just a footfall behind him.

And they land in a tangle of limbs in the grass on the side of the highway with Jack and Sam watching on.

‘Ow’ Cas says in his familiar deep rumble. Dean chokes back a half gasped laugh as he lifts himself of Cas’ chest, but then - movement from the corner of his eye. He spins, blade in hand.

An arm of ooze streaks out towards Cas, greedy and grasping but Dean cleaves it in two before stabbing the dagger into the ground at the base of the rift. The rift blinks out of existence and we’re left alone on the side of the road.

Cas lays on his back, blinking up at the night sky. ‘So It worked?’ Dean looks down at him, grabbing his hand and pulling him into a clumsy seated embrace, Dean buries his face in Cas’ shoulder.

‘Hello Dean’ he says warmly. Dean gasp laughs into Cas’ shirt collar.

’You can have it. You’ve always had it.’ He whispers the words into Cas’ neck who stiffens in surprise, looking down at Dean incredulously as Sam and Jack engulf them all in a full embrace. Any other words are stuck in Deans mouth.

’It’s been too long!’ / ’Welcome home!’ a sweet short lived reunion. They get up, Sam jumping on his phone to spread the good news as he walks back to the car, Jack explains the status quo. Giving Cas a wonderful speech about well deserved places in the world and how if you’re lucky you can carve out a family of your own and he thanks Cas for being a wonderful dad and promises that they still have to work to do and he of course he’ll be around.

But eventually he catches on to the energy in the night air, Dean hovering over Cas’ shoulder, Jack ‘Jacks’ and states an obvious ‘ohhhh this is one of those situations Sam told me to help facilitate, I’m going to * obvious wink* remove myself’  and he Bamfs out.

And Dean grabs Cas’ shoulder, half trying to brush off the black handprint he’s left there in dirt or ooze, half trying to gather his courage and Cas watches as Dean finally looks up and meets his eyes.

‘They’re hard words to say aloud.’ Dean admits, but Cas hears them anyway, and a surprised heart warming smile forms on Cas’ face, and maybe it’s a little bit wobbly.

‘Love is patient.’ Cas offers but Dean winces. He grips Cas’ shoulder tightly, but forces his grip to relax. His hands settling into something almost soft at Cas’ sides, bracketing his elbows. An almost embrace as Dean leans closer.

‘No fuck that. You deserve’ - he scrunches up his nose at the word, ‘You’re… wonderful. You have to know you’re wonderful-  I, goddamnit I’m not good with any of this. You shouldn’t have to be so patient.’ Cas is watching him with a warm smile, basking in the words, in the words he can now see between them, and Deans hands are gently drifting up and down Cas’ arms. They finally settle on his waist. Cas would never tell Dean he could feel their shaking.

‘I love you as you are Dean Winchester’ Cas tells him solemnly.

And Dean kisses him. A brief fierce thing, before he buries his face once more into Cas’ neck, engulfing him in a soul squeezing hug.

We see Deans lips move to form the words we so want to hear, but the words themselves are for Cas’ ears alone as we see Sam watching them from the Impala.

His expression is pained, Half ‘gross that’s my brother making out with an angel’, half ‘my fucking god FINALLY’.

His phone going off in his hands, Eileen and others excited about the news of Cas’ return, and Sam hesitates for a moment before raising the phone. Just as Sam predicted, Dean and Cas kiss once more, the shadows soft about them in the half light on this stretch of remote road. Sam takes a photo and sends it to Eileen…  A whole new flurry of texts flood his screen: OMFG WHAT FINALLY?! YOU OWE ME $$$$ and the radios bubbling softly in the interior of the Impala. The first few notes of ‘Carry on my wayward son’.

Dean knocks on the drivers door, Sam jumps and hides his phone guilty.

‘Outta my seat Bitch’ Dean opens the door for him, Sam goes around to get into the passenger seat, only to see Cas already sitting in it, still glowing but trying to play it cool. Cas’ eyes slide to the backseat and Sam humfs before getting in.

‘You’re both jerks.’

Cas and Dean share a look. Sam groans and slumps down in the backseat. But his happiness about the situation is clear.

The music kicks in, the night sky is endless, and the family are together on the backroads of America, ready to take on whatever comes next.

THE END

Maybe a quick shot post credits scene of Gabriel and Crowley and Balthazar exchanging money with all the other angels and demons now awake and creating chaos in the empty.

[fanfic-collection]

Loki x Reader - A Family Christmas

Don’t think it came out great... umm yea

Post endgame au fixit

-

Walking arm in arm beside Loki, you worried at your lower lip, 'It really was nice of your mother to send these dresses so I would be prepared and wouldn't stand out when I got there.' You murmured as you finally reached the an empty spot on the grass.

Loki had a forced smile as he looked down at you. As his eyes met yours, the smile became more natural. 'She meant well, she really does look forward to meeting you.' He responded, gazing at you fondly. Loki brushed a loose strand of hair behind your ear before gripping your arms tightly once more. 'Are you ready?'

Swallowing hard, you glanced down at the suitcase you had packed. 'Is it safe?'

'Traveling is perfectly safe.'

'Err my things?'

Loki's eyes flickered to your things. 'They should be fine. They can be replaced if not.' He looked back at you and managed another uneasy smile.

You shook your head wearily and wrapped your arms tightly around him, hugging Loki tightly. 'Alright, I really am nervous about meeting your family.'

'It'll be fine, I imagine.' Loki muttered weakly, swallowing hard.

'You didn't even try to lie.'

'It wasn't worth it.' Loki responded, looking up at the sky. 'Heimdall, we're ready. As we'll ever be.' His grip tightened vise-like on your arm, almost painful as a bright beam of light burst from the sky, engulfing the two of you.

Stars blared across your vision and then you were flying, zooming through the galaxies at a million miles per hour, racing through the cosmos. The wind whipped at your face, you were vaguely aware of planets flying by realms existing all around you, lights and worlds racing beyond, the sheer power all around you.

And then you were still.

Loki held you steady as you swayed for a moment, your suitcase tumbling to a stop beside you.

You blinked, looking at the large circular room that had been spinning, and not in your imagination.

A man in gold armor removed a golden sword from its plinth and stepped down from the center of its room, walking over and stared down curiously at your suitcase.

'Welcome back, Loki, I take it this is your wife.'

'Hello Heimdall.' Loki responded, in a not unfriendly tone. He nodded as he introduced you to the gatekeeper.

Heimdall bowed his head in greeting to you, 'A pleasure to meet you, my lady.'

'Hello.' You said, bowing stiffly at the waist as that seemed an appropriate thing to do.

Heimdall chuckled at your actions, 'It is good to have you finally on Asgard. They await you at the palace.'

'Wonderful.' Loki drawled. Stooping down, Loki picked up your suitcase, taking your hand in his other hand and walked you to the door where there was a waiting boatlike skiff, 'Is... everyone there?'

'Your whole family, yes.' Heimdall responded.

Loki grit his teeth, 'Even better.' With no apparent effort he tossed the suitcase into the boat before turning around and lifting you in before climbing in after.

'It's Christmas Loki, everyone knows you have to pretend to like your in-laws, and for you, you have to pretend to like your own family.' You smiled at him, settling into the seat as he began to steer it towards the golden castle. As you turned to look at what he was steering it towards, your mouth fell open, agape at the grandness of Asgard.

Loki chuckled, seeing your expression. He scooted closer to you, gently rubbing your back through the material of the dress Frigga had sent.

'Wow...' you breathed.

'Yes, though it would probably be best if you don't fawn over it around Hela.' Loki murmured, shifting uncomfortably.

You snapped around, spinning to look at him. 'Hela?' You raised an eyebrow.

'Yes...' Loki drew the word out slowly, looking uncomfortable.

'You didn't say anything about Hela.'

'I wasn't aware that she was back either.'

'Well clearly you were aware before me, when were you going to share this with me?' You blinked.

Loki sighed, 'I've been trying to find a good time to tell you.'

'Well sooner would have been better.' You felt your voice going up a few octaves.

Loki sighed, 'I was hoping you would react better.'

'It's Christmas Loki.'

'We do celebrate Yule here but the point stands, a holiday.'

'She tried to kill you.'

'And with the snap, Asgard was returned and many others. She was one of them.'

'So she's fine now, decided that she no longer wants to kill everyone?'

'Mother wishes to give her a second chance, given that it was something of Odin's fault.'

'I see.' You trailed off, staring at Loki.

Loki sat uncomfortably, hands between his legs, knees together as he stared at you, occasionally looking away to pilot the boat. 'Are you mad at me?'

You sighed and moved closer to him, wrapping your arms around his shoulder, 'I could never be mad at you. She was the one who hurt you. I just... I'm not a fan of homicidal relatives being invited to holiday dinner.'

Loki nodded and smiled weakly at you, 'I guess you'll get to meet her on better terms.'

'We both will.'

You looked up as snow started falling. Flecks of white spiraling down, twirling flitting, landing in Loki's thick black hair and settling on his shoulders before quickly melting. You smiled at him before wrapping your cloak tighter around yourself and huddling against him for warmth, the breeze made all the worse as the boat traveled at a fast speed.

Before too long you had reached the palace, an envoy of guards waiting and a person who you only knew described as the queen herself standing before you. Loki jumped down, helping you first, before rushing to envelope her in a hug, 'Mother!' He greeted her happily, wrapping her tightly, bending down and kissing her forehead.

'My son.' She responded warmly, 'It is good to have you home again.' She smiled up at him, stroking his hair from his face and smiling up at him. She gripped his arms before ushering him to the side that she could see you, 'And this must be the woman that Heimdall has told us about. I wish I could have heard about her through you, but I understand your secrecy this time.'

'Only this time?' You muttered under your breath, loud enough for Loki to hear as you walked over and bumped him with your hip. Though a part of you swore the queen heard you for you saw a trace of a smirk on her face.

'Happy Yule, although for you it is Merry Christmas. So Happy holidays.' She spread her arms wide and brought you in for a hug, 'A pleasure to finally meet the one who could settle my youngest and give him happiness that he has so long sought. He truly deserves this.'

You smiled at her, 'Thank you, he does.'

Loki smiled as he looked between the two of you.

Frigga nodded, 'He does, and I'm glad that you think he does. Now come the snow grows bitter and the night comes fast, even here on Asgard.' She motioned for you, Loki, and the guards to follow in side as the wintry winds picked up. The snow now fell heavier, sticking to the ground and leaving white mounds.

Leading you inside the great double doors, there were great evergreen trees inside, decorated with glittery ornaments, wreaths, and all manner of candles. Candles of all shapes and sizes and colors all over, they seemed to be magically lit though, somehow protected from being a fire hazard by supernatural means. And yet others seemed to be natural fire.

Suddenly a great thundering booming sound rattling the palace came, the sound of something large approaching, it rattled the very structure. Terrified, you clung to Loki.

Loki reached for his dagger uncertainly, looking to Frigga and the guards. The guards looked on edge and Frigga just looked... irritated?

Frigga pursed her lips.

Rounding the corner, claws scrabbling on the floor, a massive dog skittered on the smooth surface, massive tongue lolling out from even larger canines. Its fierce glowing green eyes bore down on your group of soldiers gazing intently at the newcomers, leaning down to sniff intently at you and Loki, its whole mouth capable of swallowing you whole. You froze at the size of the beast.

'Fenris.' Loki hissed, putting his dagger away. 'Where is Hela? Can she not keep her beast under control?'

Frigga sighed, as she stepped forward to pat the dog's nose, really the easiest part of him to reach. 'She can control him, he's quite well trained, he just likes to greet new people.'

Fenris barked, a deafening sound and you covered your ears as a blast of noise echoed through the halls.

'Fenris no barking.' Frigga ordered in a calm even voice.

Fenris bent down, burrowing his nose in between his front paws staring between you and Frigga as he looked back at you then at Loki.

Loki sighed, walking over to reach up and scritch the dog's ear. Fenris began to pant happily, flopping over on his side and effectively blocking the hall. There was a crashing sound and you knew something had been knocked over, probably expensive.

Frigga groaned, 'Fenris.'

Fenris whined, his ear perking up.

'He's just a cute puppy.' You cooed at him.

Loki laughed weakly, 'Yes, I suppose.'

'And you can't leave him outside in this weather.' You walked over to his tummy and began to rub it. Fenris' tail began to thump on the floor, loudly shaking the palace. 'It's not your fault your mommy made you fight family, is it?' You cooed. Fenris kept panting as he looked at you, paws curled up on his chest, legs splayed apart.

'Dear,' Frigga called, 'The dog is blocking our path.'

You stopped scritching Fenris and sighed, 'We need to get through this hallway though, would you move for us?'

Fenris whined for a moment before slowly rolling over and standing up, then sitting down to the side. Loki sighed, shaking his head and walking back to take your hand beside you, 'Love, if we get a pet, I'd prefer a cat.'

'I wouldn't mind a cat.' You waved at Fenris, 'But he's a cute boy.'

Loki guided you back down the hall, following after Frigga and her guard. 'Yes, he is very cute, but I don't think we need a pet that size.'

'But if we get stuck with one who grows up that big, you won't send it away?'

'I will not.' Loki sighed, rolling his eyes.

You smiled, wrapping your arms around his waist.

Each person in your party carefully stepped past the up-ended tree, mindful of what had been broken and the magically burning ornaments, grateful that it wasn't a real burning candle.

Finally your party arrived at a grandhall, where you figured the party was effectively in full swing but the tension was palpable.

Odin sat at the head of the table, Frigga's vacant chair empty beside him. Next to Odin sat Thor, staring glumly at his plate of food trying to figure out how to eat or engage in conversation. Beside Thor sat Lady Sif, half attempting to talk to Thor her food also untouched.

Beside her sat the warriors three, Volstagg had heroically managed to eat his food, but even that seemed with great difficulty. Hogunn beside Volstagg, food untouched, and Fandral looking at the waitresses who were giving him a wide berth; Fandral's food was also untouched.

On the other side of the table, seeming to enjoy herself immensely, lounging on three seats sideways and drinking wine, was Hela. Behind her was a large doggy bed, now vacant.

Everyone turned to look at the sound of your party entering the room.

Thor's face lit up immediately upon seeing you and Loki entering the room. 'Brother!' He stood up, pushing back his chair so that it loudly scraped on the floor.

Odin grumbled, hunching further in his seat.

Thor rushed around the table and hurried over to greet Loki in a bear hug. Loki smiled, accepting the hug and patting his back, 'It's good to see you.'

'And you! It's been altogether too quiet without you.'

Hela laughed, straightening up from how she was sitting and looked over before straightening up and coming over to join the hug. 'Look at you two.'

The brothers exchanged and uncomfortable look at Hela.

'No, no. We are not doing this. No odd woman out. I am back and part of this family now, we got a fresh start and I am a Odindottir once more so I am part of this happy bunch.'

Loki raised his eyebrow, gritting his teeth.

Frigga sighed, sitting down beside Odin.

'So this must be your better half?' Hela asked, looking at you.

Loki's eyes darkened, 'This is my wife, yes.'

Sif snickered into her drink.

Loki's eyes flashed as his gaze fell on Sif.

'How about we have dinner?' You offered meekly.

'A peacekeeper?' Hela asked, reaching for her goblet of wine. 'Just like dear old mum, you really are fitting in already.' She turned towards Frigga and raised a toast before taking another drink and winking, 'Here's to a family dinner.'

-

'I'm going to kill her.' Loki muttered as the two of you stood in the hallway on pretenses of you needing to use the bathroom and asking Loki where to find it.

'Loki it's been five minutes. They're going to think I have an illness if I have to ask for a bathroom break every five minutes.' You were standing outside a bathroom somewhere, anywhere in the Asgardian palaces. It didn't matter where, just some place to be away from that grandhall as Loki leaned against his arm, face red as he carefully breathed in and slowly breathed out.

'Every slight, every jab. Between her and Odin.' Loki grit his teeth, grinding his jaw before slowly trying to relax his muscles.

You rubbed his shoulders, trying to ease out the tension. 'Hey, we're a team, I'm here with you. I don't like hearing it anymore than you do.'

'It's all aimed at you!' Loki snarled.

'Well I already know I'm not good enough for you.' You whispered.

'That's not true and you know it.' Loki turned, rounding to face you, he cupped your cheeks, stroking your face, pressing his forehead to yours, 'That's not true at all. How could you not be good enough for me, a broken man?' He inhaled slowly and breathed out a shaky breath, closing his eyes as he tried to memorize every detail of your face. 'How could I ever be good enough for you...'

You felt a gurgle of a tearful laugh in the back of your throat as tears welled in your eyes. 'Christmas with the inlaws, never thought it'd be this rough.'

'You don't say... At least Thor's friends aren't saying much yet.'

'Would they in front of Thor?'

'I don't even know, but Odin is bad enough, and then Hela insulting you...'

'Odin insulting you.'

Loki closed his eyes and nodded. 'I think I preferred when Hela was outright trying to kill me.'

You gasped, 'Don't say that.'

'At least she was more upfront about her intentions.'

'Fenris is nice.'

Loki chuckled, 'Yes, the dog is nice. We'll keep the dog and get rid of my sister. How does that sound?'

'I know some families and friends, or parties that work that way.'

Loki sighed, a weak laugh breaking free, 'Alright, my temper is managed.'

'I know, you're not one to lose it.'

'Just for you.'

You sighed, taking his hand in yours and began to tug him back towards the grandhall. Loki took the lead when you were uncertain of which way to go, guiding you as you grew lost. As the two of you walked, you smoothed your thumb along his knuckles, squeezing his hand, feeling the weight of his fingers in yours and just enjoying the spaces between your fingers lining up with his.

'I don't want you to lose your temper for me.'

'I endeavor not to.' Loki murmured.

You nodded, leaning your head against his shoulder, 'I do appreciate your passion though.'

'I will always fight for you, but I do reign in my temper, I do not suffer the fiery outbursts my brother does, but I understand what you're saying. And I know what you're about to say, I am not my brother, it does not matter what he does.'

You smirked up at him and he smirked down at you, unable to help yourself you flicked his nose, 'Then you are learning. Good.'

Loki caught your hand and tapped your nose with your own finger. 'I am older, and wiser.' He sighed as you rounded the last corner, 'Shall we continue the abuse?'

-

'Welcome back, we thought you had gotten lost, almost sent a search party.'

You sank into your seat, you between Loki and Hela, and managed to get Loki beside Frigga.

More food, more insults, more retorts, more heated discussions.

However with Loki moved, Hela seemed more subdued, content to focus on her wine, and Fenris soon returned and she lost interest in the conversation altogether, leaving to sit beside her dog and share her dinner with him.

When Fenris returned, Odin, in disgust, excused himself, and with only a small amount of fuss from Hela, all was soon returned to a calm dinner again.

-

Thor leaned back in his chair, dinner finally finished. 'Well that was... eventful. Are your Christmas feasts usually like this? I can't say I recall being on Midgard for one like this.'

'Uh, family dinners, Christmas dinners, can be like this yea. But this kinda takes the cake.' You muttered, glancing over your shoulder at Hela dozing on Fenris with an empty goblet of wine, beside the fireplace.

Frigga lowered her voice and placed her hand on yours, 'Thank you for being patient with her.'

'You should thank your son as well.' You responded, glancing at Loki.

Frigga raised her eyebrow then looked at Loki.

Loki sighed, rolling his eyes and shaking his head.

'You're right. It's nice to have the family together after so long and I appreciate everyone making an effort, I know it's not easy.' Frigga continued.

'Some making more of an effort than others.' You muttered under your breath.

Loki squeezed your thigh under the table, and you jumped, knee banging the table with a softly uttered curse.

Thor looked at you with concern.

'I'm very grateful to all of you.' Frigga finished, 'Thank you.'

'Of course mother.' Loki murmured.

'Yes, mother.' Thor said with a smile.

-

After you had said your good night's to everyone and made your way back to Loki's old room, which to his surprise was still in pristine shape.

Frigga smiled, assuring him that she had had it done up as he would have remembered.

Loki stood in the doorway, smiling as he looked around, snow falling heavily outside the balcony, a tree decorated in his room and a fire in the fireplace.

The two of you changed into your nightwear, made ready for bed and crawled into bed, cuddling together.

Laying together, you rested your head on his chest, listening to the rhythmic beating of his heart, stroking your fingers over the smoothness of his chest, gazing absently out the window, watching the snow falling outside. Loki had his arm wrapped around your waist, the other arm under his head, he too was looking out the window with you.

'I'm glad we came.' You said quietly. 'Overall.'

'I am too.' Loki responded, 'I'm glad you were able to see my home, and my mother.'

'She's nice.'

'My home is wherever you are though.'

'So we're home right now.'

Loki nodded, looking down at you. 'Yes.'

'We're always home together.'

Loki squeezed you tight, 'Good night, my love.'

'Good night, Loki. Merry Christmas.'

'Happy Yule.'

And together you said, 'Happy Holidays.'

[popsicle-writing]

Doki Doki Pretty Cure: Robots in Disguise chapter 8

Chapter 8: Grimlock turned evil?! Alice's and Lance's true feelings!

-Location: Yotsuba mansion, Autobots Base- The girls were with Fixit at the command center, or rather, in a garage. The Autobots were on a mission to gather the stasis pods somewhere and Bumblebee told the girls to stay at the base until they got back. Now, the Mini-Con was teaching them of how the security he has set up works. "The tricky part was making sure the buffers integrated properly with the additional electrical load." he explained. "After all, the proximity alarm has to encompass the entire scrapyard or-" he was cut off later. "Um, Fixit?" Mana began, grabbing his attention. He turned around to look them with confusion expression on their faces. "No offense but all of these are too complicated for us in our age..." The Mini-Con blinked his optics before speak up. "Oh. Many apologies but-" He was cut off again when he heard an alarm going off, startling everyone, even Lance, who was just asleep to now waking up in shocked as he floats up in surprised. "WHAT WAS THAT-DE LANCE?" he frantically yelled. "ARE WE UNDER ATTACK-DE LANCE? ALICE, IT'S TIME TO TRANSFORM INTO PRETTY CURE-DE LANCE!" "Calm down, Lance!" Sharuru reassured him. "We're not under attack-sharu!" "WE'RE NOT-DE LANCE?!" "No-quel!" "It just an alarm-davi!" "BUT AN ALARM SOUND MEANS DANGER-DE LANCE!" The fairies groaned and facepalm in annoyance as the girls and the Mini-Con sweatdrops at it. The Autobots later return back from the mission with a stasis pod. Sideswipe groaned as he has lot of of leaves and branches all over his paintjob. He sit down and began to removed them. The girls and the Mini-Con walked up to them. "You alright, Sideswipe?" Rikka questioned her guardian. "Yeah, I'm fine." he replied back. "Just have to get rid all of these stuff that almost ruining my paintjob!" Raquel rolled his eyes on that. "What's that noise?" Bumblebee asked, referring to the alarm. Alice then turned off the alarm before walking to the team. "It's our new proximity alarm. I allowed Fixit to install it here." Lance heard what his human partner and sighed in relief. "It's just an alarm-de lance!" Much to fairies' annoyances, they all shouted at him: "That's what we just said to you!", as the bear-like fairy sweatdrops and laughs nervously. "Now, now, calm down, all you." Makoto sweatdrops at them. Fixit ignored everything. "Anyway, how's the mission go?" "Wandering through 7 kliks of mud to find an empty pod." the yellow bot explained. Strongarm proceed to open the pod by entering the code on the top of the lid. Once it opened, the mud spill from the pod. "To be accurate, the pod wasn't completely empty." she then looked at Sideswipe. "Hey, Sideswipe, tell Fixit how you lend a hand. Oh, that's right. You didn't!" That made Rikka look at him with a shocked expression. "Sideswipe!" he knew that would made her angry at him. She just can't believe that he totally forgot the lesson he learned when they faced Thunderhoof together. "Hey, if anyone slowed us down, it was Grimlock!" he protested. "Don't bring Grim into this-de lance!" Lance also protested. Alice then look at her guardian who was being casual and quiet today. She never seen him like this before. He usually hyperactive and impatient but now....he was just being quiet. "It's true!" I've seen fried circuit livelier than today." Sideswipe saw the green Dinobot walking up to him as he turned around. "No offense-" Without letting him finishing the sentence, Grimlock suddenly punch him in the face. "Oww!!" The others were shocked and surprised by it, even Alice. "Sideswipe!" "Grimlock!" Bumblebee couldn't believe his own teammate did that to him. Rikka went to her guardian. "Sideswipe, are you alright?" He groaned. "Yeah, I'm fine...Grimlock, what's gotten into...you?" Grimlock was glaring and growling at them. Without a warning, he began to charge at him to attack. Sideswipe quickly grabbed Rikka and they both moved out of the way. "What's gotten into him-quel?!" Alice's face quuickly turned pale with her eyes widened in shocked. Both Mana and Lance noticed her. "Alice..." "What got you backfire, Grimlock?!" Sideswipe yelled. The green Dinobot stayed silent and started to charge at them again. Luckily, Bumblebee managed to stop them by jumping into between. "Break it up!" he tried to hold Grimlock into place. "Keep. Your. Hands. Off. Of. Me. Autobots!" he growled while glaring at him. Alice gasped in shocked. Her guardian would never say that to his own teammate! That is not the real Grimlock she knows. Lance looked at the girl. "Alice..." Grimlock then uses his tail by swinging at Bumblebee to the wall. "Bee!" Mana yelled. She went to her guardian but he stopped her. "No, Mana! Don't get too close!" he tried to stand up. "Fixit, get the girls into the command center now!" Fixit obeyed the order as they all guided them to the Command Center for safety. All except for Alice, who was still standing there. "Alice!" Rikka called out. "Come here, you're gonna hurt yourself!" but no response from her. "Alice-de lance!!" still no response. Mana run over and grab the girl by the arm as they all go and hide at the command center. Alice was still stunned. After all these days, she's been so close to Grimlock and being so kind towards her. Grimlock really appreciated her a lot. But now, he's been acting aggressive and started to attack the team. She just couldn't believe it...unless something controlling him. Strongarm pulled out her pistol and walked up to him. As she about to pull the trigger, Sideswipe stop her as the bullet got missed and hit all the stuff that was above Grimlock, falling on him. "What are you doing?!" Sideswipe asked her. "Trying to protect you from a violent attacker, if you hadn't noticed." Aww, Strongarm do care for Sideswipe. "You mean protect me from a teammate?" "Grimlock assaulted both you and Bee without cause!" He scoffed. "You assault me all the time!" they both got attack by Grimlock. He flung Sideswipe over and started to walk towards Strongarm as he began to punch her repeatedly. The girls, Fixit and the fairies watched in horror. "We have to help-sharu!" Sharuru suggested. "But we can't attack Grimlock-quel!" Raquel reasoned. "He's part of our team-quel!" "But he attack Bee and the others-davi!" Lance looked at Alice who was almost in tears. He spoke up. "We can't-de lance! Alice know that Grimlock would never do that-de lance!" "Well, that is not the Grimlock we know-davi!" As he about to protested again, they heard a sound. Taking a peek, they saw Grimlock was stopping Sideswipe from running him over in his vehicle mode. "They don't stand a chance, neither do you!!" he yelled. It seems like he was talking to himself. Alice watches him. She couldn't take it anymore. "Grimlock, stop!!" she yelled at him, catching everyone's attention. The green Dinobot turned around and was in shocked when he see his human partner was almost in tear. "A-Alice..." he mumbled. He almost knocking out from his sense until he shook his head and began to flip the red vehicle to the sky. Before he could landed on the ground, he quickly transformed into his robot mode and landed on his feet. Sideswipe then jumped up again and landed on Grimlock's head. "Dude, what is this about?!" "This is about me flattening you!" he does a backflip on the ground. That knocked him out cold. The girls gasped. Alice continues to watch him in shocked. Grimlock stared at her for a few seconds before shaking his head. "Keep moving...!" Mana noticed something strange about him. "Is he talking to himself?" They saw him walking towards them. Alice just standing there. "Grim-" Rikka and Makoto managed to pull her to safety. "It's too dangerous!" Makoto speak up. "But-!" "I'll handle this." Fixit volunteered, much to their shocked. "You'll handle the Dinobot-sharu?!" Sharuru exclaimed. "No offense but have you seen you-quel?!" Fixit gulped a bit. "You're right. I'm gonna be smooshed!" but that didn't stop him. "But I am still the official caretaker of the Alchemor!" he then wheeled off. "Fixit, come back!" Rikka called for him but it was too late. He's already gone. As Grimlock walked towards the command center, Fixit was right in front of him, holding a pistol. "Grimlock, I don't know what's happening, but I order you to stand clown---stand brown---*thunks*---stand down right now!" The green Dinobot bent down at him. He couldn't help but grinned. "Don't know if your optics are on the blink, but I just took apart three bots without warning my coolant." he motioned to the three bots were lying on the ground, unconsciously. "What are you gonna do about it, squeaky?" he mocked. Fixit pointed his pistol at his nose but Grimlock then fling him away with his fingers. The Mini-Con flew off and landed in front of the girls. "Fixit!" "Uh, guys...?" Raquel gulped. They saw Grimlock peeking and was growling. "This isn't you, Grimlock-de lance!" Lance tried to reason him, floating up in front of him. "Something's up-de lance!" "Yeah!" he agreed, but he is not agreeing with them. "Everyone's in my way!" he yelled and ready to pounce him with his fist. But Lance did not give up. "This...isn't what Alice want from you-de lance!" the fairy shouted at him. Both Alice and Grimlock were in shocked when he said that. The girl look at her fairy partner. "Lance, what are you doing-quel?!" Lance didn't respond to his question. "Alice is trying so hard to make you feel happy and welcome-de lance! Her smile is always the warmest thing you've ever seen! Even when you're too active and clumsy, she always shows the most warmest smile. She just love seeing you being like that-de lance! All she wanted is...to see you smile everyday-de lance!" Alice couldn't believe what the fairy had just said. "Lance..." "So please...! You don't have to be selfish like this-de lance!" it was his turn to be in tears. Grimlock was being quiet. He look over at Alice with a sympathy looks. He did not want to hurt other and her feelings. But after a few seconds, he shook his head once again. "Seriously, you're not gonna let me smash this little thing? Dinobots...so hard...to control...!" Mana confirmed something is going with him. The green Dinobot growls as he turned away, wanting to look for the stasis pods. "Where are the stasis pods?" he groaned, disappearing from the scene. Lance then floats down to the others with a sighed of relief. "Lance, that was quite dangerous-quel!" "You could have got injured-davi!" "Lance..." Alice called out for him. He looked at the girl, who let out a smile. "Thank you. For standing up for Grimlock." Lance was quite surprised what she just said. He let out a smile as well and nods. While that, Rikka and Makoto were helping Fixit stand up to his feet. "Are you alright, Fixit?" "Absolloooosely, posistiffffly..." he replied before twitching. "...not." Mana look at where Grimlock is as Sharuru rest on her shoulder. "What's really gotten into him-sharu?" "I think...something's controlling him." she pointed out. Grabbing everyone's attention, they all gasped in shocked, even Alice and Lance. "He's...being controlled...?" Alice asked in shocked. "I told you he wasn't evil-de lance!" "But how can we confirm it?" Makoto asked. Mana think for a while before got an idea. "I know! We can use that alarm that Fixit installed!" "The proximity alarm?" Fixit raised an optical ridge. "Why?" "Maybe we can use it to scare Grimlock's or whatever's commanding him away." Rikka beamed at the idea. "That's a great idea, Mana!" "Controls are on that panel." he pointed out. He then tried to wheeled himself but couldn't until he realized that his wheels are malfunctioning due to Grimlock flinging him just now. "It...might take me a moment to get there, however." Mana then looked at her friend. "Alice, you're the owner of this house, you know how it works, right?" Alice wasn't sure about this. "But..." she was cut off when her friend walked towards her. "It'll be fine." Mana reassured her. "We aren't gonna attack your guardian." "Besides, that is the same Grimlock you knew." "We're getting him back to you. We promise!" Alice was taken back by her friend's words but soon nods in understatement. "I understand." They all rushed to the command center with Alice was up in front. "Tell us what to do, Fixit!" "Oh, it's a very simple procedure." he began. "All you have to do is-" he was cut off when he saw the fairies were pulling out the cord. Much to the his horror, he yelled. "Push the red button!!!" Meanwhile, with Grimlock, he was pushing a wagon around the backyard, looking for a stasis pod. Why is it looks like he's doing some shopping? "Now that the Autobots have been dealt with..." he spoke up. "...I can pick up what I came for." he grins evilly. Though, something was bothering him in his mind. It's about Alice, especially Lance. He saw Alice and Lance were tearing up. He remembered what Lance said. "This isn't what Alice want from you-de lance!" "All she wanted is...to see you smile everyday-de lance!" "You don't have to be selfish like this-de lance!" All those words...he couldn't help but feel guilty and sympathy after what he done. Few seconds later, he shook his head again. He then saw a stasis pod and Underbite was in it. He smirked and went to pick up that stasis pod. Back with the others, the alarm has went off. "Why didn't you tell us sooner just now-sharu?!" "You didn't even let me finish my sandwich---*thunks*---sentence!" (I am so sorry for the Frozen reference XP) They then saw Grimlock was already had a stasis pod in the wagon. Rikka was the first one to recognized the fugitive in that stasis pod. "Hey, that stasis pod! Isn't that the first Decepticon we fought?!" she exclaimed. "Don't tell me he's going to release that one-quel!" Grimlock growls at the sound of the alarm. "Turn that noise off!" he then walked forward and slam his fist on the control panel as everyone braces themselves. "Grim, stop-de lance!" Lance warned him. "Don't let something fully control you-de lance!" He gained his consciousness for a bit. "I...can't...!" before something fully control him over. "Don't listen to him...!" before he slam his fist on the control panel very hard and glares at them. "Listen, I know you were trying to signal for help!" he briefly looked at Alice with a saddened looks on her face before he look at the girls. "But we aren't-" Makoto spoke up before Mana cut her. "Well, the help's coming anyway." she lied. "Optimus Prime should be here any second." "He is-davi?" Dabyi is sure she is lying but Mana gestured him to follow her lead. They all began to understood. "I see-davi." Grimlock's shocked and scared expression can be seen on his face when he looks around. "Huh? Optimus?" "That was our new proximity alarm." Rikka added in. "It means Optimus is close by." Makoto also joined. "He should be here by now-sharu." "That's right-quel." Grimlock yelped. "I can't beat Optimus mano a mano." What the heck is 'mano a mano' means? "But the boss will scrap me if I come back empty handed." he quickly realized that he has Underbite. "I'm not empty-handed. I have Underbite." he began to walk away. "Grim, wait-de lance!" Lance called to him. He stopped his tracks without looking at them. "Please...come back to us...come back to Alice..." The green Dinobot didn't say anything. He stood there for a few seconds before continued to walk off. Lance frowned and began to feel disappointed. "Don't worry, Lance." Alice reassured him. "You did your best." she let out a smile again while petting him on the head. Lance looked at her and nods once more. "I wonder what happens to the others-sharu?" "Let's go check on them." They went to check on the others. "Well, his system appear normal. Can you hear me, Sideswipe?" Fixit spoke up. Sideswipe groggily woke up from his consciousness as Bumblebee helped him to stand up to his feet with Rikka was beside him. "Where's Grimlock?" "We scared him away-quel." Raquel stated. "But Grimlock has Underbite." Strongarm groaned as she walks in with Makoto followed beside her. "I can't believe I fell for the old innocent T-Rex routine. We should interrogate Grimlock's known associates." she suggested. "He's clearly been fooling us all this time." "We are Grimlock's known associates!" Sideswipe told her. "W-wait a minute-" Mana was cut off. "I've seen Grimlock's rap sheet." Bumblebee spoke up. "The only crime in there is severe property damage due to Grimlock being...Grimlock." "Eh? Severe property damage-davi?" Dabyi was in shocked. "That's his only crime? He should be fined not being arrested..." Makoto sighed. Mana tried to speak up. "Let me explain-" but once again, she was cut off. "But that doesn't mean he can go and attacked us willingly." Sideswipe pointed out. "The boss must have forced him!" Mana was about to give up on trying to speak up. Lance noticed as he puffed his cheeks in anger before shouting. "Guys, let Mana explain what happened-de lance!!" That caught everyone's attention as they went silence. Alice just looked down at him in surprised before letting out a soft smile. Mana nods. "Thank you, Lance." she turned to look at the others. "What I'm about to say is, I don't think Grimlock's in control of himself. He wanted to hit all of us, but Lance's words reach out him, and he couldn't." "It was like there was a war going on inside of him-sharu." Sharuru continued. "Mana suspect that something's controlling him-sharu." "Being control?!" the Autobots gasped in surprised, though Strongarm doesn't buy it. "Accept it. Grimlock's just a bad bot who's playing us for suckers." that sentence made Alice frowned and slightly lowered her head down. Lance looked up at her and frowned as well. "Alice..." "Whatever's going on, our first priority is to find Grimlock and that pod and bring them both back here." Bumblebee explained. "Wait, this isn't Grim's fault, Bee." Rikka protested. "What Mana told us is the truth!" The Autobots stays silent as they look at Mana before Sideswipe asked her. "Tell me what you know." "Because...Alice believe that is the real Grimlock she know and love." she explained. Alice was taken back by her words as she slowly looked at Mana. "I'm not giving up on both of them easily." "We promised her we get him." Rikka stepped in. "And we make that promise, we never broke it." Makoto stated, before looking at Strongarm. "Strongarm?" The cadet was silent a bit before she let out a sigh. ""Alright, fine. We all getting Grimlock back." Bumblebee nods. "Then, it settles. We're gonna get him back." he looked at Alice. "We're doing this for Alice and Lance." Alice and Lance were surprised by their words and let out a huge smile. "Thank you. All of you..." "But where do we find him?" Later, they all gathered at the command center to see if Fixit can find Grimlock's signal. "I can't locate Grimlock's signal. Com and tracking systems were damaged when he hit the console!" he tried to press all of the buttons on the keyboard but nothing happened. Bumblebee thought for a while. "Grim said he was meeting someone. Therefore, they must have set a rendezvous point." "It sounded like the original plan was for Grimlock to grab more than one pod." Mana explained. "Are there any secluded areas nearby that are large enough to hide, say a dozen bots?" Strongarm asked. The girls thought for a second until Alice has something in her mind. "The Oogai Town Damp. No human personnel today." "What do you mean 'today’?" "It means that Alice owns the damp-de lance. All of the human workers are Alice's workers-de lance." Silence. "Wow, didn't see that coming..." Sideswipe was dumbfounded. Man, how rich is she? "Fixit, you will get the com system functioning." Bumblebee told them. "Autobots. maximum velocity!" More silence. No one even said the words, only a crow noise can be heard from the background. "That still doesn't sounds pleasant-sharu..." the pink rabbit fairy sighed. "Alright, fine. Just transform already, please." the Autobots transformed into their vehicle mode and letting their human partner in. "Eh, Alice? You want to come too?" Mana asked. The girl nods. "Grim is my guardian and my friend. I want to help him. I won't give up on him." she gave a serious and confident looks. Mana stared at her friend for a while before letting out a soft smile. "I understand. Let's go!" they both went inside of Bumblebee and drove off. -Location: At the woods- The Autobots arrived and they saw huge footprints leading them on the hill. The fairies went to take a closer look. "This must Grim's footprints-quel!" "I think it close by-sharu." "At least the our fugitive should be easy to track." Strongarm spoke up. "I''ll take point." Sideswipe walked forward. "I'd hate for our teammate to get nailed by a trigger-happy peace officer." Rikka sweatdrops. "Sideswipe..." the red bot shrugged and walks again with them following, leaving Strongarm a bit frustrated. "Don't take it personally, Strongarm." Makoto reassured her. "I know..." the cadet sighing before both of them followed behind. They both keep on walking while following the footsteps. "Grim, wait for me..." Alice thought to herself in worry. "I don't know what's gonna happen when he find Grimlock." Bumblebee spoke up. "But I promise you that I'll do everything possible to see that he doesn't get hurt." he looked down at Alice who was keep on walking with a serious looks on her face. "I'm also gonna promise you that we'll get Grim back to you." Sharuru's ears twitched a bit. "I sense something-sharu." "What is it, Sharuru?" Mana asked. "It's-" she saw something in front of them and was panicking a bit. "Sideswipe, don't take a step forward again!" Sideswipe was so confused of what she said. "What? What do you mean?!" he already took a step forward and they heard an alarm sound beeping. "What's going on-quel?!" As they keep on walking, the red bot suddenly slipped on the ice tracks while Bumblebee tries to catches him but he also slipped away. "Sideswipe!" "Bee!" "Lieutenant!" "Strongarm, don't take a step closer-davi!" the cadet stopped her tracks and saw ice tracks on the floor. And no, it wasn't Cure Diamond's idea. If it was her, Rikka should've transformed into Cure Diamond. And she would never harm her own team. They looked and saw Sideswipe and Bumblebee were falling from the cliff. "What should we do-sharu?!" "I'll got get them!" Strongarm spoke up. "You girls stay here!" she then went sliding off from the cliff. "Strongarm!" but she already gone far. The girls sighed. "Where did this ice tracks come from anyway?" Rikka wondered. See? Told you it wasn't her idea. "There must be something that caused it." Makoto pointed out. They started to look around for a few minutes until Lance then spotted something on the ground. "Look there-de lance!" catching everyone's attention. What they saw was a small cylinder-like tube with a stand. Alice bent over and picked it up. "This must be a cyro-inducer from the stasis pod." her friends gave her a look. "Fixit told me about it." "You're a fast learner, Alice." Mana complimented her. "Found something?" they look and saw the Autobots came back. Alice nods and show them the cyro-inducer. Strongarm grabbed it from Alice and examined. "Friendly bots don't generally build trap for the good guys." Here we go again. "Right, lieutenant?" Bumblebee looked at Alice who was frowning a bit. Before he can answer, Sharuru's ears twitching again. "I sense something else-sharu." everyone turned to look at her. "There-sharu!" she pointed out from afar. It was the damp! "The Oogai Town Damp-quel!" "That's where Grim went-davi!" "Then, let's go!" Mana hollered. Everyone nods and went to the damp. -Location: The Oogai Town Damp- At last, they arrived at the damp. They even saw Grimlock walking inside the building while stay hidden. What shocking them next is... "I didn't expect you soon." ...a familiar voice spoke up. Both Rikka and Makoto, even their fairy partners recognized the voice as they take a peek. They gasped when they saw a familiar Decepticon; Steeljaw. "No way-quel..." "It's him-davi..." "Is that...?" Mana began. "That's the Decepticon me and Makoto faced before...!" Rikka told them. "That's Steeljaw. The one we talked about." Makoto added. Alice couldn't help but look over. "What is he going to do to Grimlock..." Bumblebee looked over at the girls on the other side, grabbing their attention. "You girls, stay here, alright?" they all nods as the Autobots charged forward. Steeljaw and Grimlock still continue to talk to each other. "That's a rather cowardly way to justify failure." the Wolficon told him. "But as far as my intention to make this world a home for all Decepticons, you and Underbite are at least a place to start." "Or end, Steeljaw." Bumblebee spoke up with his Autobot team holding their weapons out. Steeljaw growled. He thought Grimlock took care of them. "You took care of them, do you?!" "Mostly." Grimlock simply replied. The girls just stay hidden from the wall. "Should we help them now-sharu?" Sharuru spoke up. "No." Mana shook her head. "Wait for my command, girls." her friends, except Alice nod. She wasn't sure if she want to fight Grimlock. Steeljaw growled once more before readied his claws. "Savour the daylight. Things are about to get rather dark." he then charged towards Bumblebee as he charged towards him too. They both about to collided to each other but Bumblebee managed to knock him first. Both of them began to fight. "Get clear, lieutenant!" Strongarm shouted, pointing her gun. "I'm trying!" but...Steeljaw managed to corner him. "Where's Masked Regis when we need her?!" he mumbled to himself. Sideswipe walked towards Grimlock. "Grim, tell me you were just playing along with Steeljaw." the green Dinobot looked at him. "You were leading us straight to him all along, right?" Grimlock didn't answer as he picked him and glared. "I could tell you that. But I'd be lying." Sideswipe gasped, so as the other girls. "Now, can we please help them-quel?!" Mana then nods. "Right, let's go!" the fairies transform into the Lovely Communes and the girls grabbed them, except Alice. The bear fairy looked at Alice. "Alice, what's wrong-de lance?" "I...I don't want to fight Grim." she shook her head. "I don't want to hurt him." she began to tear up. "Alice..." Mana walked towards her and placed her hand on her shoulder. "Alice, did you forgot what our job as Pretty Cures are?" "We don't fight against him." Rikka reminded her. "But we are fighting for him. For his 'heart'." Makoto finished. "And we already promised you." Mana explained. "We're not fighting him. We're gonna free him from the selfishness." Alice was surprised by their words. She looked at Lance who nods. The girl wiped her tears away and nods, grabbing her Lovely Commune. "I'm ready." The girls were ready to transform. "Pretty Cure, Love Link!" Back with the Autobots, Bumblebee and Steeljaw were still fighting each other. The Decepticon took advantage and swing his tail at him, knocking him to the water tank. Steeljaw was about to attack him again until... "Stop right there!" a voice spoke up. Everyone turned around and sees the girls in their Pretty Cure form. "Girls!" Bumblebee was delight to see them. "You!" Steeljaw just growled. He only recognized Diamond and Sword but not the other two. "There's four of you now?! Who are you?!" "Overflowing love, Cure Heart!" "The light of wisdom, Cure Diamond!" "The sunny warmth, Cure Rosetta!" "The blade of courage, Cure Sword!" "The beat of love, Doki Doki Pretty Cure!" Sideswipe fist bump in delight too with a soft "yes" as Strongarm let out a smile. "Doki Doki Pretty cure, hm?" Steeljaw mused before letting out a smirk. "Interesting." "Girls, let's go!" they nods and began to help their guardians. Rosetta hesitated a bit but soon followed. Heart goes to help Bumblebee. She leaped up to air and give him a roundhouse kick to the side. Steeljaw growled before Bumblebee came in and punch him but he managed to dodge. "Not a bad reflex from your human pets, lieutenant." he smirked. "Mana is not only a human. She's the legendary warrior!" "Legendary warrior, you say?" he mused once more. "I don't care what or who she is, as long she doesn't get in my way!" "I'm not letting your selfishness get in our way!" Heart protested. That made him growls in anger. "Me? Selfish?!" he readied his claws to strike. With Sideswipe and Grimlock... "You fight like you don't wana hurt me." Grimlock stated. "But I got no problem hurting you!" he smirked. "I'm not going to hurt you either, Grim." the voice told her. He turned around and saw Diamond and...Rosetta. His face soften and frowned a bit when he sees her. Though, he shake his head once more. He turned to Sideswipe and tries to punch him several times but managed to dodge. He even tried to bite him but also managed to dodge. Grimlock then swing a giant spool of cord at him. "Sideswipe, look out!" Diamond called out. Sideswipe ducked his head as the spool went above him and flung Strongarm. "Strongarm!" Sword gasped. The cord was headed towards Bumblebee, Heart and Steeljaw. "Incoming-sharu!" they all looked and the cord was headed their way. Heart managed to dodge but not Bumblebee and Steeljaw as they got crashed to the other spool of cords. "That's gonna leave a mark-davi..." Steeljaw recovered as he got and snarl at Grimlock. He angrily walked forward at him. Grimlock whimpered nervously. "Get a grip of yourself!" Rosetta stood in front of her guardian with her arms spread out. "I'm not letting you hurt him!" Grimlock looked down at her. He blinked his optics at him before laughing. "Or what? Attack me in your 'legendary warrior' costume-" before he could finish his sandwich, I mean, sentence. Sorry, couldn't resist. Anyway, Sideswipe was riding on top of him. ...not that way, you dirty minder. "Like this?!" Sideswipe glared at him. "What did you do to Grimlock, Steeljaw?! Did you really controlling him?!" Steeljaw didn't answer but only growls and tossed him to the ground. "Oh, is it so hard to believe the Dinobot would chose me over all of you?" "Yeah, it kinda is!" Sideswipe replied. "I mean, you literally took him away from his best friend!" Grimlock gasped when he said that. The Wolficon readied his claw and tries to strike him but he managed to dodge. Steeljaw was full in anger. "Rikka, now!" Diamond nods as she leaped up and gave him a punch at him, knocking him back. "You!" he growled. Sideswipe readied his sword. "What's wrong? You miss my 'coolest' partner?" the red bot grinned. Raquel sweatdrops at the puns. "Really-quel?" "Hey, come on! I had to!" With Bumblebee and Strongarm, Heart and Sword went to check on them. "Are you two alright?" "We're fine...!" Bumblebee replied, getting off from spool of thread. "You whole, cadet?" "Just got my bell rung." she spoke up before she and Bumblebee got picked up by Grimlock. The green Dinobot then whacked them together, until they fall to the ground. Both Heart and Sword gasped, even Rosetta. "Grim, stop it please...!" she begged quietly while Lance look at her in worried. "Whatever you've done to Grimlock, undo it now!" she turned to look at Sideswipe who is yelling at Steeljaw. Steeljaw just laughed. "I believe you have more pressing concerns." Sideswipe heard something when he turned around. He saw Grimlock was banging Strongarm and Bumblebee to the ground repeatedly. "Oh, I doubt they're going to survive this." "Bee! We're coming!" Heart and Sword about to charged forward until Rosetta stop them. "Please don't hurt him too badly!" Steeljaw looked and laughed again. "Your 'friend' is very concern about that Dinobot." "That's because..." Diamond spoke  up. "Grimlock is her friend and you literally do that to him just to hurt her feelings!" "Oh, did I?" he was being sarcastic. "I hardly even noticed. In fact, there's nothing your 'human friends' can do." "You take that back-quel!" "It isn't over, Steeljaw." Sideswipe growled. "Rikka! Show him what you got!" Diamond nods. She insert her Cure Lovead on Raquel while she 'draws' a heart on the screen before the middle blink three times. She started to attack. "Sparkle! Twinkle Diamond!" she launched several small diamonds at him. Steeljaw was taken back as he dodge all the diamonds. "What was that?!" he growled. "Now, who said that 'humans' can't fight?" Sideswipe smirked. "I'll hold him off while you handle Grimlock." Diamond told him. Her guardian nods as she rushed to help Strongarm and Bumblebee. But Grimlock throw them at him. He managed to catch Strongarm. "Nice catch." "Anything for a-" ...but didn't managed to Bumblebee and collided with the two. The girls cringed. "That wasn't the best idea-quel." Raquel sighed. Grimlock roared as he walked forward the three bots, ready to crush them. Rosetta gasped again. "Grim, stop-de lance!" Lance yelled at him but he ignored him. Heart then had an idea. "I got an idea but this will hurt him a bit." "Does Grimlock look like he's playing for our team?" Strongarm asked. Grimlock raises his fist to punch them but... "Flash! Holy Sword!" several spade-like missiles attack him from behind, causing him to flinch. When he turned around, Heart was already leaped towards him and punched his upper jaw. He falls to the ground. The team couldn't believe she did that. Both Diamond and Steeljaw saw the situation. As Diamond got distracted, Steeljaw took his chance and strike her with his claws. "Diamond, look out!" Already too late. He already strike her, knocking her back but Sideswipe managed to grab her in time. The Decepticon then went to Underbite's stasis pod to the exit. "Farewell, brothers. I need Decepticons who don't turn simple tasks into debacles." he transformed into his vehicle mode and drove off. "He got away-sharu!" Rosetta got worried and went to Grimlock. Suddenly, they received a com-link from Fixit. "Lieutenant, can you hear me?" "Go ahead, Fixit." "I look over at the database and Grimlock is not Grimlock." that receiving a shocked from everyone. "I mean, Grimlock is Grimlock, but he's not Grimlock." "Don't scare us like that-de lance!" Fixit ignored him. "Fortunately, there's a cyber-tick named Minitron who can control any bot he bites." "So, Mana was right about him getting controlled." Sideswipe pointed out. "Precisely. He must biding--gliding--*thunks--hiding somewhere on Grimlock's plating." Dabyi then noticed something on Grimlock's plating. "You mean like that one-davi?" They turned to look and saw the cyber-tick was trying sneaking away. "That must be the one!" "Grab it!" they tried to grab it but the cyber-tick jumped and landed on top of Bumblebee. "Bee, it's on you!" "It's on me?!" he panicked. "Where?" he tried to get it off but Minitron was already getting to control him until Sideswipe and Strongarm tackled him to the ground. When he got tackled, Sideswipe noticed the tick is missing. "Where did it go?" he then got punched in the face by Strongarm. "Oww!" The cadet glared and punch her fist together until Bumblebee grabbed her from behind. "This is getting ridiculous!" Now, it's Sideswipe's turn to attack them by kicking them until they fall to the ground. "Ridiculous for you, kind of fun for me." he smirked. He jumped on top of them and they all began to fight, depending which Minitron was controlling them. The girls and the fairies just watched them as they sweatdrops. "I don't even know what's going on anymore-quel..." "Should we go and try to stop them...?" Sword suggested. They then heard a groaned coming from Grimlock. He onlined his optics and looked around. "Grim!" Rosetta went to him. "Are you...?" "Wh-where am I?" Grimlock looked down. "Alice...?" Rosetta couldn't believe it. He came back for him. "You came back! I'm glad!" she went and hug him on the snout, though his guardian had no idea of what's going on. "Uh, what just happened while I was out...?" "There's a cyber-tick that has been controlling you and hurting others-de lance." "I...I did that...?" he couldn't believe that. "And what's up with them?" he referred to Bumblebee, Sideswipe and Strongarm. Before anyone could answer, they saw a cyber-tick was going towards Grimlock. "Not again-sharu!" Rosetta stand up. "I won't let you near him again!" Minitron leaped up but Rosetta managed to created Rosetta Reflection. "Pretty Cure Rosetta Reflection!" she created a barrier and tiny cyber-tick suddenly got deflect back and hit to the wall. "Aww, I want to squish him..." Grimlock pouted. "Minitron is no longer a threat so we can't squish him." Bumblebee told him as he picked up Minitron. "Then again, I'm not a bad guy." the green Dinobot admitted, while looking at Rosetta. The Cure smiled and giggled. Lance looked up and saw her expressions. She finally smiled again! The others smiled too. -Location: Yotsuba mansion, Autobot base- It was nighttime, the team has arrived back at the base. Minitron was already placed on the small stasis pod. Alice looked up at him and smiled. She was glad that she got him back. Lance was satisfied. The girl was about to walk away. Grimlock spotted her walking away. "Alice, wait." her guardian stopped her. She looked up at him. "I, uh, wanted to say sorry for attacking the other and your friends too. It wasn't my intention to hurt you..." The girl let out a soft smile and shook her head. "It wasn't your fault, Grim. But I'm glad I got you back." "But I wasn't being myself- "Don't blame yourself-de lance. Alice knew you're the real Grim that never harm his friends-de lance." "You're more than my guardian. You're also my friend." Alice told him. "A friend that never fails to make me smile and laughs. I will never give up on you. And that's why I wanted to see you smile too. Everyday." Grimlock was surprised by their words. He couldn't help but smiled. "I think you two are getting along very well now." The Autobots and the girls walked up to them. "Hey, Grim. I'm sorry that I was-" Strongarm was cut off. "You're just doing your job." he told her. Bumblebee smiled too. "It's your job too. You're one of us now." "He's one of us-de lance?" Mana nods. "That's right." "We already told Fixit that he will change his Decepticon symbol." Rikka added with Fixit nods in agreement. "He's an Autobot now!" Makoto finished. Grimlock couldn't contain his excitement. "Oh yeah!" he does a little dance before he realized and stopped while pulling out a serious expression. "I mean, oh, yeah." Alice just smiled and laughed. "Thank you, sir." Grimlock thanked him with Bumblebee only nods at him. He turned to look at Fixit and Sideswipe. "And you two..." Both Lance and Sideswipe were in shocked when Grimlock looked at them. "What's going to happen quel...?" suddenly, Grimlock goes and hug them both, tightly. "You're welcome...!" Sideswipe wheezed. "Not too tight-de lance..." Lance also wheezed. "Can you let us go now-de lance...?" "In a minute." Grimlock replied, still hugging them before walking away. Alice giggled once more. However, Strongarm just sighed. "What's wrong, Strongarm?" Makoto asked her guardian. "Steeljaw has Underbite." she replied. "Who now has all the time in the world to consume metal and increase his strength." Fixit added in. "Good thing we're getting stronger all the time too." Bumblebee pointed out, looking at the girls. "As long we have Grimlock and you girls on our side." Mana smiled. "You can count on us, Bee!" The yellow bot nods while they all looked at Grimlock, who was still hugging Sideswipe and Lance as he happily dance around. "Grim, seriously-de lance...! Oxygen..." The team smiled and giggled once more. "Oh dear. We have new guests?" a new voice spoke up from behind. They turned around and saw another human who dressed in a full suit, including a pair of gloves and has his hair combed backwards. He also has a white moustache that extends out from the face and wears a monocle on his right eye. The girls, even Alice, recognized him. "Scrap, we've been spotted by a human-!" "Sebastian!" Alice greeted him. "You're back." "Miss Alice." he bowed down. "I just came back from the business trip." he looked at the Autobots. "Please, you don't need to be afraid of me. I've been known miss Alice and her friends' Pretty Cure identities from the very beginning. If I can keep the Pretty Cure's identities a secret, so can yours." "Um...thanks...?" Bumblebee raised his optical ridge. "Who is he?" Strongarm whispered. "He's...Alice's butler and servant-de lance!" everyone looked at Lance in surprised. "What?!" The butler just let out a smile. END OF CHAPTER 8

[kita-lavellan]

2019 Writer’s Round-Up

I was tagged by both @pikapeppa​ and @elveny​ so I figured I’d better put some effort in and try to figure this out. It’s not going to be easy since I have my writings scattered everywhere, including handwritten snippets, but I’ll give it my best shot!

Word Count

I can only really get an approximate number for this since, as I mentioned, my writing is scattered all over. Having said that, I’ve gone through my Googledocs going back to January, checked 4TheWords, double-checked what I’ve posted on AO3, and skimmed my last 3 months of Tumblr Posts, and totally ignored my handwritten stuff (I’m not word-counting that for you :p).

After dividing the word counts from my collaborative Original Fiction pieces by 2, and adding it all together with the help of a spreadsheet...

2019 Total Wordcount: 127,565

Number of Smut Scenes

Three.

A low number for me, but I’ve been writing a lot of original fiction that hasn’t centred around the topic.

New Things I’ve Tried This Year

Science Fiction!

I’m usually a strictly Fantasy writer in my original works, but @skekiss​ challenged me to try my hand at some Sci-Fi, and not only was it surprisingly fun, but it also didn’t turn out terribly, so I might do some more of that next year.

Favourite Thing I’ve Written This Year

My Favourite piece of Original Fiction was that Science Fiction piece my friend challenged me to do. It still doesn’t have a title, but here’s a snippet...

In the year 2421, the colonization of Mars finally became more than a simple societal need to expand, it also became a financially viable option for the over-crowded people of Earth.

The ship, destined to terraform Mars into a planet that humans could not only live on, but thrive upon, was named ‘The Scout’, and set out for the red planet in the year 2436, from a launchpad that had been constructed in international waters.

The Project was funded by nations from across Earth, and ‘The Scout’ was outfitted with the most advanced technology from all of the participating countries.

It was designed to be capable of terraforming Mars into a state that would allow for the development of permanent settlements in a sustainable manner, and construction was completed in under ten years.

The subsequent five years between it’s completed construction and the eventual launch date was spent finding and training a crew of over 3,000 officers, medical staff, scientists, and civilians from all walks of life so that they would be fully prepared for the challenges ahead.

It was a joyous and celebrated day when ‘The Scout’ launched from Earth, it’s state of the art quantum drive meant that travel to Mars would take the ship only sixty days.

Somewhere along their journey between the two planets, ‘The Scout’ encountered the sudden creation of a wormhole close enough to them to disrupt the ship’s controls and, unable to steer away from the pull of the forming singularity, the ship was pulled inside.

By chance, the addition of quantum energy from the ship’s drive core to the forming wormhole stabilised its throat long enough for ‘The Scout’ to emerge from the other side before it collapsed upon itself, stranding ‘The Scout’ and all three thousand souls in an unknown galaxy...

“Kelsey!”

The shout of her name drew her golden-brown eyes from the presentation, complete with an interactive holographic projection, to her employer.

He looked angry, she noticed, which wasn’t surprising really since he’d sent her to get fresh stock from the workshop an hour ago.

“Branner-”

“What do you think you’re doing, girl!?” he snapped as he used his broad shoulders and tall frame to force his way between crowds of early morning shoppers and over to where she was standing.

“Umm…” Kelsey turned her eyes back to the presentation for a moment, the display had continued to explain about ‘The Scout’s’ settlement on an uninhabited planet with permission from the other races of the odd galaxy they’d found themselves in.

The young children were chasing holographic stars and barely paying any attention to their own history, their supervising teacher looked ready to tear her own hair out, and Kelsey turned back to Branner guiltily.

“Nothing?”

He glared at her for a long moment, his own gaze flicking to the presentation and his eyes narrowing.

“Get those ship parts back to the stall, I’ll be along in a minute,” he growled, and Kelsey nodded, moving quickly past him and dodging the smack he aimed at the back of her head with practised ease.

As for fanfiction... I think my Favourite piece of 2019 is probably “Fascinating”. A little Solavellan one-shot I did about my favourite flirt with the bald elf. 

Fascinating can be found here

Favourite Fic I’ve Read This Year

Asking the tough questions now... hmm. I do even less reading than I do writing when my depression flares up, but I’m gonna scour my AO3 for my top 3 of the year...

In no particular order;

1) Begin Again by Anthropasaurus A recent find of mine. There are only two chapters, but AO3 says I’ve visited this fic 7 times, so that should tell you how invested I am already. It looks like it’s going to be interesting and clever, so I’m excited to see where this one goes. Rating: M Pairing: Solas/Lavellan Tropes or Tags: Time-travel, Self Harm/Suicide mention, Angst, Slowburn, Fixit-Fic. Summary: “There’s a small moment, as you’re harvesting a person when you feel their soul almost literally in your hands. All you would need to do is cast your spell right at that moment. We know where my body and Solas were at that time. It’s the only chance we have Dorian.” The years following the Exalted Council had not been kind to Raven or Dorian. Years of thwarting Solas at every turn took everything they and what few allies still survived had. They all knew the end was drawing near and if they didn’t act fast, southern Thedas would fall. But not even Solas could have foreseen what would happen when the Veil fell. Her memories of Redcliffe paled in comparison to the atrocities that now spread across the land. The Evanuris were free and roamed the lands like a plague. Whatever plans Solas had had failed. It had been weeks since she had seen him on the edges of her dreams. She feared the worst.

2) Spark of Hope Series by Elveny I don’t read series often, I like all the story in one place, but Elveny’s Lyssa/Solas story just sucks you in, and you’re clicking “Next Chapter/Next Story” without even realising it until you’ve read the whole thing in one night and are DESPERATELY left wanting for more. *coughs awkwardly* It’s not finished, but there are 147,000 words (approximately) over 5 stories, and a new one coming sometime in 2020, so it’s absolutely worth reading. Rating: E Pairing: Solas/Lavellan Tropes or Tags: Anxiety/Panic Attacks, Emotional Hurt, Break Up, Prequel Story Included. Summary: Everything has gone wrong. Corypheus has opened the orb and the magic did not return to Solas. A giant Breach is throbbing in the air, threatening the whole of Thedas before he is powerful enough to do what he set out to do. Instead of following his plans, he finds himself in Haven, caring for an unconscious elven woman whose palm sizzles with green magic... his magic. He needs to keep her alive if he wants any chance to get it back. But then... she wakes.

3) Elastic Heart by cedarmoons I’ve read this half a dozen times, and the end of the first chapter STILL makes my heart stop >.< This is the fic that convinced me there were actually good Solavellan Writers hiding out there.  I’ve found many since then, but this was my launchpad moment. Rating: E Pairing: Solas/Lavellan Tropes or Tags: None Summary: For the DA Kinkmeme. After making love to Lavellan, Solas accidentally tells her his identity.

Writing Goals for 2020

At least, an easy question! Write More. I’ve had a rough year for writing with many depression flare-ups. I’m hoping that 2020 I can get back to a more regular schedule, starting with a whole day of it on Jan 1st, I’ve cleared my schedule to get some writing time in and have my fingers crossed that it will be a good starting point for the rest of the year.

Thank you’s and Tagging...

Firstly, thank you PikkaPeppa and Elveny for tagging me! I’ve written more this year than I thought I had, and that’s been a lovely surprise, and a bit of a mood boost too. Thank you @skekiss​ for getting me into Tumblr. I’m not sure if I should thank you for this since it’s EATING my life, but regardless, I’ve met some fun people here in the last three months. Also, Thank You to @the-solavellan-archive​ for giving me a place to hang out, and share my Solavellan works, and for welcoming me with open arms ^_^

Now to tag people who may want to take part in this...

@rivainisomniari​, @lyrium-lavellan​, @solas-disapproves​, @cornfedcryptid​, @skekiss​, @faerieavalon​, @ranawaytothedas​

If you feel like doing this and I’ve not tagged you, feel free, and @ me so I can be nosey! :D

[caitlynlynch]

Two long novellas make up this duology, both set in the same Cornish fishing village in the winter of 1822. In Marguerite Kaye’s The Captain’s Christmas Proposal, Treeve Penhaligon returns to the village of Porth Kerrick to take up the inheritance he never wanted. The only person in the village who seems to welcome him is an outsider, Miss Emily Faulkner, new tenant in one of his cottages, and obviously a genteel lady fallen on harder times.

Treeve and Emily both have pasts they need to come to terms with, though Emily’s has the greater potential to affect her future due to a scandal she must hide. Emily’s looking for a place to belong, and wonders if she’ll ever find it in a village full of insular, suspicious Cornish types, and though Treeve was born in Porth Kerrick, joining the Royal Navy set him apart from those who considered smuggling a part of their heritage. Treeve and Emily are great together, slowly coming to a mutual trust and respect which is absolutely believable, and I absolutely LOVED that there wasn’t a ‘magical fixit’ for the issue which made Emily initially hesitant. Marguerite Kaye never fails to delight with her beautifully atmospheric writing, this time transporting me to the hardscrabble existence of a Cornish shipping village in the early 19th century and making me fall in love with two wonderful characters. Five stars.

In Unwrapping His Festive Temptation by Bronwyn Scott, we follow the story of two characters briefly introduced in the first book in the duology, local heiress Rosenwyn Treleven and composer Caden Kitto. Cade is a local boy made good, the son of a miner whose prodigious musical talent was recognised early and quite literally changed his life when he was sent to a London conservatory to study. He doesn’t want to be back in Porth Kerrick at all but a reversal of fortune has landed him there, with a Christmas cantata to write and no inspiration whatsoever to do so. At first glance Rose seems to have her life neatly in order, but it soon becomes clear she’s actually in hiding from London society after an unfortunate experience. She’s a strong character with an instinct to fix things, and Cade’s obvious brokenness attracts her attention quickly. They strike sparks off each other from the get-go, and the class disparity is interestingly reversed from the first story, with Rose being of more consequence and wealth this time. This does set up Cade for some unfortunate internal musings where he gets very misogynistic, determined that he shouldn’t be dependent on his wife’s money. It was also rather peculiar to see him emphasizing the importance of his family name, “A Kitto took care of his own” for example, when the name came from his father, who Cade knew very well was a despicable, abusive monster. Such a legacy is something one usually tries to escape rather than take pride in and it didn’t cast Cade in the best light. I winced quite a few times reading his self-justifying nonsense and the way he belittled Rosenwyn’s efforts to help him find himself and his place in Porth Kerrick. Although it’s well written, I can’t quite give this story a full five stars because Cade got on my nerves a bit too much.

Overall, this is a solid pair of stories with lots of detail about the unique ways in which the Cornish celebrate Christmas and some beautifully drawn characters, with two very believable romances. With an average rating of four and a half stars, I’d definitely recommend giving this pair a read this holiday season!

Invitation to a Cornish Christmas is available now.

Disclaimer: I received a review copy of this book from the authors’ representative.

[modernwizard]

Alison vs. Simm Master part II -- the Doctor’s Weeping Angel friends

New chapters of a Scream of the Shalka/Doctor Who S10 fixit fic, –And Fear Me Not, are up at AO3. In this one, Alison Cheney marshals the love and loyalty of her Dork fam – including Shalka Master, Shalka Doctor, and Bill Potts – to combat mental illness and this really irritating guy named Harry who won’t stay the fuck away.

In this excerpt,the Doctor is bouncing off the walls, trying to engage their Weeping Angel friends in a brainstorming session.

The Doctor, gawky and long-leggedy like a cranefly, brainstorms aloud. Fine grey hair flutters back from their high forehead. A flower-stitched dressing gown flaps around their knobby legs as they bound from one side of the room to the other. “The Olmec portrait heads, obviously, and the moai of Rapa Nui,” they say, spinning and unspinning their watch chain around their wrist until they whack themself in the jutting cheekbone. “And the Winged Victory of Samothrace, though I’d go back and show everyone what she looks like with her head and arms. Fwhooosh!” They pretend to glide in for a landing, then stumble and crumple on the grey angel’s plinth. “Sorry, Patience,” they say.

Hopping to their feet, the Doctor grabs a clipboard and fountain pen from one of the niches and starts scribbling. “And then the Sphinx of Khafre, and -- oh! Oh! Oh!” Inspired, they flap their hands. Ink splatters their Edwardian dress shirt, now permanently greenish from grass stains. “Those marvelous Kwakiutl welcome poles -- if only I could remember when I saw them. But what else? C’mon, you two!” More flapping, followed by an entreating look at the angels.

“Doctor! Are you practicing a presentation or something?” Alison calls.

“Oh hello, Alison!” The Doctor, chomping on their pen, waves at her with both hands. Their sleeves bear old inkstains, now faded to a soft, clear blue like their eyes. “I was actually just telling Patience and Verity here,” they say, nodding first at the grey angel, then the red, “about the next trip I have planned. We’re gonna see all the coolest statues on the planet!” Besides Bill, thirty other refugees followed the Dorks home from Dystopiaville. The Doctor has been showing them the highlights of their new universe. “They’re not being very helpful, though,” continues the Doctor, folding their arms and sticking out their tongue at the reddish angel.

“Statues tend not to be, I’ve noticed.” Alison sidesteps to avoid being splotched as the Doctor tucks their leaky pen behind their ear.

“Oh no, Patience and Verity aren’t statues,” the Doctor corrects her. “They’re my friends -- Weeping Angels. Usually their kind goes lurking around, looking like artworks and feeding off the potential time energy of humans by zapping them back in time. But Patience and Verity are different. I saved them from decay, so we got to talking. They had never heard of vegetarianism, so I told them all about it, and they decided to do something similar and become griefatarians. Grief is full of potential energy, since it’s all about regrets, what should have been, and unlived possibilities. So they draw off my excess melancholy, which means that they have something to eat and I have more reason to smile, so everyone’s happy.” They do jazz hands and a little soft-shoe in illustration.

“I’ve got an idea, Doctor,” says a voice, slow and magmic. “Why don’t you take your tour group to the Terracotta Army? We’ve got cousins there who could tell you all about its construction. And then maybe, for once in sixty-eight years, I’d have enough quiet so I could catch up on my sleep!” Startled, Alison swings toward Patience, the greyish angel, who’s no longer face down with grief. She’s frozen in a new position. Her fang-filled mouth open in a yawn, she glares sideways and sleepily at the Doctor.

“Brilliant!” The Doctor pirouettes, applauding. “Wonderful suggestion, Patience! Thank you, thank you, thank you!” They go on effusively for a few minutes, then address Alison: “Erm, why are you here?”

[chocolatequeennk]

Just the Bits In Between

A trip to France reminds the Doctor and Rose to cherish the life they have together. 

Approximately 9500 words.

Part of Glimpses of a Different Life, following Old Friends, New Promises. Girl in the Fireplace fix-it.

This story was part of the reason I built a series around Just Love Me. I wanted to write a variation of GITF that kept the basic sci-fi plot but eliminated the squicky undertones and the OOC-ness everywhere. There are a lot of changes, including the year young Reinette says it is. Not only was Reinette not given that nickname until 4 years after 1727, she didn't even live in Paris at that time.

This was betaed by @lastbluetardis--thank you so much!!

It’s a prompt for @doctorroseprompts--GITF fixit.

And I’m dedicating it to @rudennotgingr, who knew immediately why I was tempted to do a series 2 rewrite where the Doctor and Rose were together the whole time.

AO3 | FF.NET | TSP

When Rose woke up the next morning, naked and wrapped in the Doctor’s arms, she thought she was dreaming for a few seconds. He soon proved, very thoroughly, that her memories of the previous night were absolutely not the product of an overactive imagination, and she happily accepted the change in their relationship.

Lying beside him in the afterglow, she could feel the contentment he exuded. She traced her fingers over his ribs, delighting both in the way he sucked in a breath when she reached a ticklish spot, and in the quiet glow of happiness that welled up inside him.

“This could be addictive,” she murmured. “Feeling you like this…” She pressed a kiss to his chest. “I love how connected we are.”

The Doctor ran his hand through her hair and hummed his agreement. “And if it weren’t for the fact that we’ve gone nearly twenty hours without eating anything, I’d suggest we just stay here forever.”

Rose chuckled and rolled out of bed. “All right, let’s get breakfast. And then… let’s go someplace.”

The Doctor’s eyes lit up. “Oh, I know just the place,” he promised.

The perfect place turned out to be an uninhabited planet with a waterfall hidden away in a gorge. After a two hour hike through a gorgeous forest, Rose took advantage of the lack of prying eyes and peeled off her clothes to dive into the crystal clear water. When she surfaced, the Doctor’s gaping mouth and glazed eyes made her laugh.

“Come join me.”

That was all the invitation he needed.

After a week of trips to leisure planets and shopping districts and one very memorable trip to Christmas in Naples, 1860, Rose studied the Doctor over the breakfast table one morning.

“What?”

“We’ve gone a whole week without running for our lives, or saving a planet from a natural disaster, or stopping an insurrection. Are you purposely taking us to safe places?”

“You’re acting like I go looking for trouble,” he protested. “Trouble is just the bits in between, Rose.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Hmmm… If you say so.”

“But… if you’re up for an adventure, we could always let the TARDIS choose our next destination.”

The Doctor shook his head when she grinned and nodded enthusiastically. Sometimes it was hard to believe how perfectly Rose fit into his life. “Well, come on then.” He held out his hand and led her to the console room when she took it.

The TARDIS hummed gleefully when he set the coordinates to random, and he knew she’d been waiting for a chance to send them on an adventure. Rose laughed as the ship rocked slightly in flight and grabbed the console with one hand, and his hand with her other.

They landed with a definitive thud, and he nodded at the door. “After you, love.”

There was a bounce in Rose’s step as she exited the TARDIS, and he grinned giddily as he followed her. “Oh, a spaceship!” she said immediately. “I can feel the engines going.” She glanced around, then frowned up at him. “It looks kind of abandoned. Anyone on board?”

He scratched his neck. “Yeah, that’s a bit odd. Come on, let’s do a quick scan, see if we can figure out where everyone is, and why the TARDIS brought us here.”

They stepped around the bits of debris lying in the middle of the deck until they reached the main console, which was already turned on. The Doctor quickly tapped in the command to start a scan, then turned a knob on the console.

The skylight in the ceiling slowly opened, revealing a nebula  dancing across the sky in front of them, casting blue and pink light into the ship. Rose gasped and the Doctor wrapped his arms around her waist. “Welcome to the Dagmar Cluster, Rose Tyler,” he whispered in her ear.

“What’s the date?” she asked, matching his quiet tone.

“About three thousand years into your future, give or take. Fifty-first century.”

The console dinged, and he reluctantly stepped away from Rose to check the reports. As he did, he noticed more ship parts lying around. “Got a ton of repair work going on,” he muttered, a niggling sense in the back of his mind telling him that was connected to the reason the TARDIS had brought them here.

He looked down at the monitor, and immediately spotted something else unusual. “Now that’s odd.” Rose came around beside him, and he pointed at the screen. “Look at that. All the warp engines are going. Full capacity.”

Rose nodded. “I felt them when we left the TARDIS, remember?”

“Yeah, but…” He looked up at the view, just to make sure his senses were accurate. “There’s enough power running through this ship to punch a hole in the universe, but we’re not moving. So where’s all that power going?”

Rose shook her head. “Where’d all the crew go? That’s why you ran the scans, remember?”

He nodded. “No life readings on board.”

“Well, we’re in deep space. They didn’t just nip out for a quick fag.”

The Doctor shook his head. “No, I’ve checked all the smoking pods.” A hint of something hit his nose. “Can you smell that?”

Rose sniffed. “Yeah, someone’s cooking.”

“Let’s see what this does,” the Doctor said as he pushed another button on the console, similar to the one that had opened the skylight.

They turned around when they heard hydraulics behind them and walked slowly towards the ornately decorated room that the door had revealed. In the middle of the wall, a fire burned cheerily in a fireplace.

“Well, there’s something you don’t see in your average spaceship,” the Doctor muttered as he approached it. “Eighteenth century. French. Nice mantel.” He scanned it quickly with the sonic screwdriver and frowned at the results. “Not a hologram. It’s not even a reproduction. This actually is an eighteenth century French fireplace. Double sided. There’s another room through there.”

Rose looked at the fireplace, then walked over to the porthole only a few feet from the fireplace. “There can’t be. That’s the outer hull of the ship. Look.”

The Doctor didn’t answer, and when she looked back at him, he was crouching in front of the fireplace. “Hello.”

Rose left the porthole and knelt down beside him, her eyes widening when she saw a young girl dressed for bed.

“Hello,” the child replied.

“What’s your name, sweetheart?” Rose asked.

The girl’s attention shifted to her, and her shoulders relaxed slightly. “Reinette.”

The Doctor took a breath, but Rose tapped his knee and he stayed quiet. Girls were taught from a young age not to speak to strange men; it would be best if she did the talking for once.

“What a pretty name!” Rose leaned forward a bit and tried to look into the room. “Where are you right now, Reinette?”

The girl wrinkled her nose. “In my bedroom.”

Rose brushed a hand over her mouth to hide her laughter. “Of course you are, all dressed for bed. But where do you live?”

“Paris, of course.”

“Oh, that’s lovely.”

Reinette shook her head. “Madame, what are you doing in my fireplace?”

Rose looked over at the Doctor. “Oh, we’re just…”

He smiled. “Just a routine fire check,” he said, only stumbling a little over the explanation. “Can you tell me what year it is?”

Reinette scoffed. “Of course I can. Seventeen hundred and thirty-two.”

The Doctor nodded. “Right, lovely. One of my favourites.” He pressed his tongue to the back of his teeth. “August is rubbish though. Stay indoors. Okay, that’s all for now. Thanks for your help. Hope you enjoy the rest of the fire. Night, night.”

“Goodnight Monsieur.”  

They stood up, and Rose shook her head. “But we’re on a starship in the fifty-first century.” Her eyes widened. “Wait. You said this ship was generating enough power to punch a hole in the universe.”

The Doctor nodded. “Exactly, Rose. I think we just found the hole. Must be a spatio-temporal hyperlink.”

Rose raised an eyebrow. “What’s that when it’s at home, then?”

He winked at her. “No idea. Just made it up. Didn’t want to say magic door.”

“And on the other side of the magic door”—Rose grinned at him, letting her tongue peak out in the way she knew drove him mad—“is France in 1732?” She giggled when the Doctor tugged her close and pressed a quick kiss to her lips.  

He tapped her nose when he pulled back. “Well, she was speaking French. Right period French, too. I wonder…” He took his coat off and tossed it into the corner of the room before walking back to the fireplace.

“Hang on,” Rose said as he ran his hand down the edge of the fireplace. “You can tell what language they’re actually speaking?”

He nodded, then held his hand out. “I’ll tell you about that later. What do you say—side trip to the city of lovers?”

She laughed and took his hand, gasping when the fireplace rotated on a base, like ones in old mysteries, depositing them in Reinette’s room. The girl was asleep in the bed, and the Doctor led Rose silently to the window. Snow was falling on Paris, and on the street below, a horse neighed.

The sound woke Reinette up, and she gasped when she realised she wasn’t alone in her room. Rose quickly stepped forward, her hands held out in front of her. “It’s all right,” she said softly. “It’s us, remember? The fireplace inspectors.” Reinette didn’t look reassured, and she added, “We were talking just a moment ago.”

The Doctor used the sonic screwdriver to light a candle on Reinette’s bedside table. “Remember us now?”  

Reinette pushed herself up and shook her head. “Madame, monsieur, that was weeks ago. That was months.”

Rose narrowed her eyes at the Doctor, but he just rubbed at the back of his neck. “Really? Oh.” He walked back to the fireplace and knocked on the mantel. “Must be a loose connection. Need to get a man in.”

“Who are you?” Reinette demanded. “And what are you doing here?”

But Rose ignored the girl’s question, because she recognised the stiff lines of his back as he stared at something on the mantel. Whatever he saw, it frightened him.

“What is it, Doctor?” she asked quietly as she moved to stand next to him. When she spotted what he was staring at, she was surprised for a moment—a broken clock didn’t seem that alarming. But then she heard it. “Okay, that’s scary,” she agreed, her voice shaky.

“You’re scared of a broken clock?” Reinette asked, a little derisively.

Rose took a deep breath and turned to look at the child. “Well, yeah, a little bit,” she said. “Because your clock’s broken, but something’s still ticking.”

Real fear crossed Reinette’s face as she listened to the tick-tock they could all hear.  

“And that’s not a clock,” the Doctor added. “You can tell by the resonance. Too big.”

Reinette’s face was ashen, and Rose moved to sit down beside her, but the Doctor grabbed her hand and shook his head. Instead, they walked slowly towards the wall, listening to the ticking to see if they could pinpoint the location.

“Six feet, I’d say,” the Doctor continued. “The size of a man.”

“What is it?” Reinette whimpered.

“It’s all right, Reinette,” Rose said soothingly. “Whatever it is, the Doctor will find it.”

The Doctor peeked behind the curtains, then looked back at them. “If you were a thing that ticked and you were hiding in someone’s bedroom, first thing you do, break the clock.”

Rose nodded. “Camouflage. Because one thing ticking, you just think it’s the clock, but two… you’d notice that.”

“Exactly.” The Doctor looked at her. “Stand back here for me, Rose,” he requested, and she moved to the spot he’d designated. He looked at Reinette as he slowly crouched down beside the bed. “Stay on the bed. Right in the middle. Don’t put your hands or feet over the edge.”

The little girl wrapped her arms around her legs protectively and bit her lip.

Rose watched as the Doctor tried to scan under the bed, but suddenly something shot out and swiped his hand away. Rose sucked in a breath when a large caricature of a man dressed in period clothing appeared on the opposite side of the bed.

“Reinette,” the Doctor whispered as he stood up, “don’t look round.”

The fear on Reinette’s face made the Doctor’s anger boil. A little girl of what, ten years old, and some creature was sneaking into her bedroom at night?

“You, stay exactly where you are,” he ordered.

The droid didn’t look away from Reinette, and there was something about its gaze that was unnerving.

The Doctor frowned and bent down beside the bed. “Hold still, let me look,” he said, reaching out to touch Reinette’s face.

She shied away from his touch, and Rose came around to take her hand. “It’s all right, Reinette. I promise, you can trust the Doctor.”

Reinette bit her lip again and tears trembled on her eyelashes, but she nodded. The Doctor pressed his hands as gently as he could to her temples, not going into her mind but just checking to see if his supposition was correct.

A moment later, he stood up and glared at the droid. “You’ve been scanning her brain,” he accused. “What, you’ve crossed two galaxies and thousands of years just to scan a child’s brain? What could there be in a little girl’s mind worth blowing a hole in the universe?”

“I don’t understand,” Reinette said, a tremor in her voice. “It wants me?” She turned around to face the droid. “You want me?”

The droid tilted its head to look down at Reinette. “Not yet. You are incomplete.”

“What do you mean, she’s incomplete?” Rose snarled. The droid didn’t answer, and Rose took a step towards it, until the Doctor put his hand on her shoulder to hold her back. “You answered her, so you can bloody well answer me. What do you mean, incomplete?”

With jerky motions, the droid started walking around the bed. The Doctor held up the sonic screwdriver with one a hand and positioned himself between the droid and Rose, a move he was grateful for when a blade flashed out of the droid’s arm and sliced under his nose.

“Monsieur, be careful!” Reinette cried out, drowning out Rose’s soft curse.

The Doctor looked at the girl, clutching her bedspread tightly in her fingers. “Just a nightmare, Reinette,” he reassured her. “Don’t worry about it. Everyone has nightmares.”

He glanced back at Rose and indicated at the fireplace with a jerk of his chin,  and she nodded. When the android slashed out at them, they dodged in the direction of the magic door that had led them here from the ship.

“Even monsters from under the bed have nightmares, don’t you, monster?”

The droid attacked again with its blade hand, and the Doctor jumped aside. As he’d hoped, the knife sank in the soft wood of the mantel, effectively trapping the droid.

Some of Reinette’s fear had faded into confusion. “What do monsters have nightmares about?”

Rose pulled the lever, and the fireplace started turning slowly away from France. The Doctor took her hand, then grinned at Reinette.

“Us!” he declared victoriously as they returned to the ship.

When they’d been in this room earlier, he’d noticed the rack of fire extinguishers on the wall. He ran over to it now, grabbed the one on top, and fired it at the droid, freezing its gears in place.

Rose sighed with relief when the droid stopped moving. “Where did that thing come from?” she asked, accepting the Doctor’s weapon when he handed it to her.  

“Here,” the Doctor said. “But it’s been on a field trip to France, which explains the outfit. Some kind of basic camouflage protocol. Nice needlework—shame about the face.”

He pulled the mask off, and the wig came with it, revealing the clockwork they’d heard in Reinette’s room. He took half a step back, and Rose pursed her lips to hide a smile as his enthusiasm bubbled over.

“Oh, you are beautiful! No, really, you are,” he insisted as he put on his glasses. “You’re gorgeous!”

Rose couldn’t help a soft sigh when he spun around to look at her—this was one of her favourite Doctors, giddy and excited and wearing his specs.

The Doctor was oblivious to the reaction he was getting from her. “Look at that,” he enthused, nodding towards the droid. “Space age clockwork—I love it. I’ve got chills!” He addressed the droid directly. “Listen, seriously, I mean this from the heart—and by the way, count both”—he pointed to his hearts—“it would be a crime, it would be an act of vandalism to disassemble you.” Suddenly all his smiles disappeared and he held up the sonic screwdriver. “But that won’t stop me.”

But the ice melted and the droid disappeared before he could make good on his threat. The Doctor sighed and slid the sonic back into his pocket. “Short range teleport. Can’t have got far. Could still be on board.”

Rose frowned when he moved towards the fireplace instead of deeper into the ship. “Aren’t we going to follow it?”

The Doctor took the weapon from her and set it down, before tugging her towards the fireplace. “Come on. I want to check on Reinette before we go looking for the android. Time passes on that side of the fireplace, but it doesn’t seem to on this side. We can spare a few minutes.”

Rose blinked when they reached the Paris side of the fireplace. Unlike the last two times they’d encountered Reinette, they’d arrived during the day. Sunlight streamed in through the tall windows, shimmering on the gold tones of the floor and furniture. She narrowed her eyes as they stepped down the two steps that separated the area around the hearth from the rest of the room. This… this didn’t look anything like the room they’d been in before.

The Doctor squeezed her hand, and Rose cleared her throat. “Reinette? Is everything all right?” she asked, while he ran his other hand over the strings of the harp.

A moment later, a young woman about Rose’s age entered the room. Rose glanced around the room quickly, taking in the changes since the last time they’d been here, and then smiled hesitantly at the woman. “Reinette?” The Doctor’s hand twitched, and she glanced up at him, enjoying the surprise on his face.

Her guess was confirmed a moment later when they heard a woman’s voice from another part of the house call for Reinette by name. The now grown-up Reinette looked over her shoulder and called back, “Go to the carriage, Mother. I will join you there.”

Then she looked at the Doctor and Rose again. “When I was a girl, I believed you to be my guardian angels,” she confessed. “Then when you never returned, I decided I had imagined you entirely. And yet here you are again.”

Staring at the elegantly coiffed woman, Rose felt frumpy and disheveled in her jeans and t-shirt. Then the Doctor brushed his thumb over hers in a gesture she knew was more automatic than anything else, but it was enough to remind her that he didn’t expect her to dress in posh clothes all the time. Plus, it would be kind of hard to save the universe wearing a skirt like that, she acknowledged.

Brief attack of insecurity dismissed, she smiled at Reinette. “Wow, we knew time would have passed for you, but we didn’t realise it would be this long!”

The other woman tilted her head and examined them both carefully. “And you do not appear to have aged a single day. I believe I must return to my original thought that you are angels.”  

Rose laughed. “That’s a close to the truth as anything, I guess.” She glanced up at the Doctor, and he nodded slightly. “Look, we just wanted to make sure you were fine before we went looking for the clockwork monster. Since the last time, one was hiding in your room…”

Reinette shuddered, and Rose felt bad for bringing up the memory. “I appreciate your concern, but I have not seen any more of those creatures since that day.”

The Doctor backed up to the fireplace, and Rose followed him. “We’d better get back then,” he said as he reached for the lever.

“Wait!” Reinette begged. “Please, will I ever see you again?” The corners of her mouth quirked up in a smile. “My guardian angels, who are so much a couple that they must share a charge?”

The Doctor tugged on his ear. After three visits to Reinette now, it seemed almost impossible that they wouldn’t meet her again. “Oh, I expect so,” he said vaguely. “What kind of guardian angels would we be if we just abandoned you entirely?”

He pulled the lever, and they returned to the spaceship. “Well, that was unexpected.” He picked up the fire extinguisher and handed it back to Rose.

Rose chuckled. “I’ll say. I’d expected we might meet a stroppy teenager, pouting because strangers kept coming into her bedroom. I did not expect a posh lady.”

The Doctor hummed in agreement. “But if she’s going to be caught up in this, I’d rather she were an adult than a child.” He turned to the wall and pulled the other fire extinguisher off the rack, then grinned at Rose.

To his surprise, she grabbed his tie and pulled him down so she could press her lips to his. It took him a second to catch on, but when he did, he wrapped his free arm around her waist and held her close while she snogged him breathless.

“Wha-what was that for?” he asked when she finally ended the kiss with a loud pop.

Rose smiled impishly. “Because I can, for one,” she said, making him laugh. “And… bloody hell, Doctor, your glasses drive me spare.”

The Doctor swallowed hard. “I’ll keep that in mind,” he replied, his voice definitely not squeaking. He adjusted his tie, then smirked down at her. “Are you ready to do some exploring, Rose Tyler?”

“Always, Doctor,” Rose said, her eyes sparkling.

She looked down at the fire extinguisher, then back up at him.

“What is this thing, Doctor?”

“Oh, didn’t I say?” She shook her head. “It’s a fire extinguisher. But, since it freezes as it puts out the flames, it works in a pinch as a weapon against clockwork droids.” He spun around quickly, then pointed to one of the three corridors branching off from the room. “Let’s go this way.”

Rose’s gaze constantly swept the corridor as they walked, on the lookout for any clockwork droids that might pop out of nowhere. The Doctor babbled the whole time, and she listened with half an ear.

“The thing I don’t understand,” he said as they turned a corner, “is why they’re so interested in her. Why is this ship fascinated with a girl from the eighteenth century? It makes no sense.”

Something caught Rose’s eye, and she shifted her hold on the fire extinguisher and took a closer look at the camera. As she watched, the camera came towards her, and she realised why she’d noticed it. An eye was where the lens should have been.

“Uh, Doctor?” she said, pointing at it.

He stopped talking in mid-sentence and peered at the camera. “Well, hello. That’s rather unique, isn’t it?”

Rose snorted. “I kinda hope so. If you tell me that in the fifty-first century, people donate their eyes to camera makers, I might just become sick.”

The Doctor looked pointedly over her shoulder, and Rose grimaced. “You’re kidding me.”

“Well… Not that exactly, but you can donate your face to become a courtesy node. It’s all very modern and scientific, I promise.” A faint, rhythmic sound reached them, and he reached out and opened a hatch while Rose tried to grasp the notion of donating your face.

“Oh… well… that is not typical, even in the fifty-first century.”

Knowing she’d regret it, Rose leaned forward to look into the hatch. A red muscle was wired into the ship, pumping some substance through the systems.

Hold on. Pumping. “It’s a human heart,” she said, her voice faint.

“Yep. Like I said, that’s not something you see every day.” He put his hand on her back and gently pushed her to walk away from their grotesque findings. “Shall we?”

Rose sighed and tried to erase the macabre image from her mind. “I’m a little afraid to know what we’ll find next,” she said as they turned a corner.

The Doctor laughed. “Oh, Rose,” he said as he held out his hand for the pure white horse standing in the middle of the corridor. “You should really know better than to say things like that.”  

The horse nickered softly, then nuzzled into his pocket. The Doctor pulled out an apple and fed it to the animal, who rewarded him by gently lipping his fingers when the fruit was gone.

“Doctor…”

He looked up at Rose. “Arthur likes apples.”

She shook her head, and her lips were pressed into a thin line to hide a smile. “You’re not keeping the horse, love.”

He sighed, but acknowledged that it wouldn’t really be practical to have an animal who required such a time investment. Arthur bumped his shoulder with his head, and the Doctor reached up to pat him.

“Well, maybe we’ll find where he came from.”

They started walking again, both of them a little less vigilant in how they held their weapons now that they’d met a horse. It was just hard to believe a place was truly dangerous when you found random farm animals roaming the corridors.

“I bet it came from France,” Rose commented. “Like Reinette. I mean… makes sense that a lady from the eighteenth century would own a horse. Wasn’t riding one of the things all accomplished women were supposed to be able to do?”

The Doctor stopped stock-still in the middle of the corridor. Reinette. An accomplished lady from eighteenth century France.

“Oh, I am thick!” he moaned, smacking his forehead. “So thick!”

Rose turned and frowned up at him. She recognised the look on his face; he’d just figured out something, and he thought he should have gotten it much earlier. “Yeah? Why’s that then?”

Arthur nudged him, and they started walking again, but Rose kept her gaze fixed on the Doctor, waiting for him to reply.

“How old would you say Reinette was when we met her the first time?”

Rose blinked; that wasn’t what she’d expected him to say. “I don’t know. About ten maybe?” she guessed.

He nodded quickly. “That adds up then,” he mumbled under his breath. “Born in December of 1721, she would have been ten in 1732.”

“Who was born in 1721, Doctor?”

“Jeanne Antoinette Poisson,” he said, pronouncing her name carefully. “When she was nine, a fortune teller predicted she would become the mistress of Louis XV, and her family and friends gave her the nickname Reinette, which means ‘little queen.’”

Rose blinked. She remembered a few things from her history courses, and from the readings in her French textbooks. “But that’s… Madame de Pompadour?”  

The Doctor nodded. “Apparently.”

The regular hull plating of the ship gave way to a pair of wooden French doors. Arthur whinnied softly, and after exchanging a look, the Doctor and Rose shrugged and opened the doors.

Rose’s eyes had adjusted to the dimly lit corridors, and she held her hand up to shield them against the sunlight coming in from outside. Arthur shifted by them, clearly having found someplace he recognised as home or close to it.

“A door to a garden on a spaceship,” Rose mumbled as they closed the doors. She shivered; wherever those doors led to, it was cold there. “That’s just… this is mental, even for us.”

The Doctor nodded and took her hand. “But at least we’re starting to figure out a little bit of what’s going on,” he offered as they started walking again. “Because if someone is meddling in the life of Madame de Pompadour, that’s enough of interference with important timelines that the TARDIS would send us here to set it right.”

They reached another window, this one looking into a room at Versailles. Ornate candelabras cast warm, flickering light on the Baroque furnishings and tapestries. King Louis XV of France stood in the middle of the room, and Reinette circled him, murmuring to him as she went, trying to convince him she should be his next mistress.

“And here she is,” Rose murmured.

The Doctor nodded. “I think this is the night she and the king met,” he said, noticing the way the two interacted, sparring like partners who were still testing each other’s strengths. “The night of the Yew Tree ball. In no time at flat, she’ll get herself established as his official mistress, with her own rooms at the palace. Even her own title: Madame de Pompadour.”

The king turned and strode away from Reinette. At the door, he paused and said something to her, then left after hearing her response. His words were clearly what she’d hoped to hear, judging by the glint of excitement in her eyes when she  sashayed over to the mirror until she was face to face with Rose and the Doctor.

“So all of these doorways to France,” Rose said, starting to get a grasp of what was happening, “they all lead to her life.”

“Yep! Time windows deliberately arranged along the life of one particular woman. A spaceship from the fifty-first century stalking a woman from the eighteenth. Why?”

Reinette spun around, and the Doctor stiffened when he realised she’d seen an unwanted presence in the room. When the clockwork droid turned around, he pushed open the mirror and stormed into France.

“Hello, Reinette. Hasn’t time flown?”

“My guardian angels!” Reinette’s mouth hung open in a way that was not at all polite in aristocratic circles.

Rose moved to stand slightly behind the Doctor on his right as he sprayed the droid with the flame retardant. Her fire extinguisher was up, should it be needed.

When a layer of ice coated the droid’s burgundy satin gown, the Doctor stepped back beside Rose and set the fire extinguisher down on the floor. Rose held her breath, and a moment later, she heard gears grinding.

“Doctor…” She stared at the android. “That sounds like it’s turning back on.”

“Yeah…”

The droid’s hand shot out, and Rose and the Doctor scooted backwards until Rose was standing next to Reinette.

The Doctor blew out a loud breath. “That’s the thing about ice; it’s not permanent.”

Rose watched the droid carefully, her fire extinguisher still held at the ready. Even if it only gave them a few seconds, that would be long enough to get away.

The Doctor rocked back on his heels. “Who are you?” he demanded. “Identify yourself.” The droid remained silent, only tilting its head in that creepy way they had, and the Doctor sighed and looked at Reinette. “Order it to answer me.”

“Why should it listen to me?”

Rose shifted her weapon to one hand and put her other hand on Reinette’s shoulder. “Remember, it did when you were a girl. Maybe there’s something about you,” she suggested.

Reinette straightened her spine and rested her clasped hands lightly on her stomach. “Answer his question. Answer any and all questions put to you.”

Steam from the melting ice was wafting off the droid as it lowered its arm with a ratcheting sound. “I am repair droid seven.”

Rose blinked; that ship didn’t look like it had been repaired in months.

“What happened to the ship, then?” the Doctor asked, clearly thinking the same thing. “There was a lot of damage.”

“Ion storm,” the droid answered robotically. “Eighty-two percent systems failure.”

He shook his head. “That ship hasn’t moved in over a year. What’s taken you so long?”

“We did not have the parts.”

“What about the people?” Rose interjected. “The crew, what happened to them?”  

“We did not have the parts,” the droid repeated.

The Doctor shook his head. “There should have been over fifty people on your ship. Where did they go?”

“We did not have the parts.”

The Doctor tipped his head back and groaned, and Rose put a calming hand on his back. “Fifty people don’t just disappear. Where…” He stopped, and she could feel the muscles in his back stiffen. “Oh. You didn’t have the parts, so you used the crew,” he said in a low voice.

Nausea swept over Rose, and she swallowed back the bile that rose in her throat. “The camera with the eye, and the heart.”

The Doctor nodded slowly, several pieces falling into place now. “It was just doing what it was programmed to. Repairing the ship any way it can, with whatever it could find. No one told it the crew weren’t on the menu. What did you say the flight deck smelt of?” he asked, glancing down at Rose.

She licked her lips, and he could tell how much the conversation disturbed her, but she kept her composure. “Someone cooking.”

On the other side of Rose, Reinette quietly gagged, raising a delicate hand to cover her mouth. The Doctor cut off the rest of what he’d planned to say—obviously, both women had followed where he was going.

Instead, he focused on the droid again. “But what are you doing here? You’ve opened up time windows. That takes colossal energy.” This was the part that still didn’t make any sense to him. “Why come here? You could have gone to your repair yard. Instead you come to eighteenth century France? Why?”

“One more part is required.” The droid tilted its head in the opposite direction and its creepy stare shifted to Reinette.

“Well, if she’s what you need, why haven’t you just taken her?” Rose challenged, and the Doctor watched her shift slightly to stand in between the droid and Reinette. “You’ve been poking around her life since she was a little girl.”

“She is incomplete,” the droid said, just like the one they’d met in Reinette’s bedroom.

“What, so, that’s the plan, then?” The Doctor scoffed. It was a ridiculous notion. “Just keep opening up more and more time windows, scanning her brain, checking to see if she’s done yet?”

“Why her?” A note of command echoed in Rose’s voice, and the Doctor didn’t doubt that the droid would answer her question. “You’ve got all of history to choose from. Why specifically her?”

The Doctor nodded, a soft smile on his face. Rose’s ability to see things he didn’t and ask questions that would never occur to him was one of the very first things that had drawn him to her. He looked back at the droid, waiting for the answer.

“We are the same.”

“We are not the same,” Reinette countered stridently. “We are in no sense the same.”

“We are the same,” the droid repeated.

“Get out of here.” Fear and fury sparked in Reinette’s eyes. “Get out of here this instant!”

“Reinette, no,” the Doctor said, but it was too late. As always, the droid did exactly what Reinette told it to.

The Doctor sighed after the droid teleported away. That left only one way for him to get the information he needed, and he’d really hoped it wouldn’t come down to this.

Rose took his hand and rubbed soothing circles over it with her thumb, watching the frustration ease out of him. “What’s wrong?” she asked softly.

He squeezed her hand gently in thanks. “Without the droid here, there’s only one other way for me to find out what exactly they’re looking for. I try to avoid using telepathy unless it’s absolutely necessary, but this time…”

Rose filed that fact away. She loved the way it felt to be in his head, and she’d been toying with maybe asking him if it was something they could share outside of bed. Listening to him now, she could easily understand how it might make him feel too exposed, and she set that notion aside.

“Well, go on,” she said, stepping aside and gesturing to Reinette.

The Doctor’s hands twitched when he turned to Reinette, who was still breathing heavily after her close encounter with the droid. “Reinette, you’re going to have to trust me. I need to find out what they’re looking for. There’s only one way I can do that. It won’t hurt a bit—I’ll just take a quick peek at your mind, get the information I need, and then leave.”

Reinette took a step back. “You are my guardian angels, and I trust you with my life. But it does not seem fair to ask to enter my mind without even telling me your names.”

Rose flushed; she hadn’t even realised they’d gone this long without introducing themselves. “Blimey, I’m sorry,” she said. “I guess that was a bit rude of us, wasn’t it? I’m Rose, and this is the Doctor.”

Reinette relaxed slightly, then looked between the two of them. “And has the Doctor ever been in your mind the way he is suggesting, Rose?”

Rose nearly choked. The last time the Doctor had been in her head had been nothing like what he was suggesting to Reinette. The courtesan tilted her head and looked at Rose with a surprisingly piercing gaze, then a smile curved her lips.

“Ah. Well, I would not assume the Doctor would be in my mind in that way,” she said drolly.

The Doctor coughed, and the tips of his ears turned red. “Nope. Not at all. This is more like… like a simple exam from a physician,” he suggested.

Finally, Reinette nodded. “Very well. If this is the best way to regain control of my life from these creatures, I will allow it.”

The Doctor lifted his hands slowly, then pressed his fingers to her temples. The first thing he noticed was that her mind was just as much a mess as the main flight deck of the ship. A lifetime of clockwork droids appearing and scanning her had left scar tissue and wounds.

If they’d discussed the possibility before, he would have gone to the effort to heal some of the damage. Instead, he gave them the telepathic equivalent of a quick swipe with an antiseptic so they could begin to heal themselves.

“That should help the headaches,” he murmured. “Because  you’ve been getting headaches, haven’t you?”

She nodded. “All my life.”

“Well, hopefully they’ll be better now.” He pressed on, following the trail of damage left behind by the marauding droids.

Along the way, the associated memories of those encounters stirred, and Reinette gasped. “You are in my memories, Doctor. You walk among them.”

“If there’s anything you don’t want me to see, just imagine a door and close it,” the Doctor instructed, wincing when he realised he really should have mentioned that before he began. A door appeared almost instantly, and he nodded. “I won’t look,” he promised.

“Thank you.”

The Doctor paused in his mental examination; he’d finally found the information the droids had wanted. “What age are you?”

“Twenty-three. Why?”

The Doctor slowly disengaged the telepathic contact, then frowned down at the young woman. “That’s what they want to know,” he explained. “For some reason, twenty-three isn’t old enough for whatever they want.”

Rose made a quiet sound of realisation, and the Doctor looked up at her. “Remember when she was a girl,” she started, “and that droid said she was not complete?”

The Doctor pressed his lips into a thin line. “Oh, yes.”

“At what age will I become complete?” Reinette asked, her voice completely calm.

The Doctor ran his hand through his hair. “Thirty-seven. They’ll keep opening windows until they find you at thirty-seven, and then… they’ll take whatever it is they want from you.”

The French aristocrat blanched, but did not swoon. “Then I have fourteen years,” she said, not a hint of emotion in her voice. “I will trust that you, my guardian angels, will find a way to save me before that day comes.” Her gaze shifted to the broken clock on the mantel. “And I will know it is upon me when I find another broken clock.”

Rose took the Doctor’s hand; she recognised a dismissal when she heard one. “We will be back on that day,” she promised Reinette. “And you know they won’t hurt you between now and then, because they believe they need you at age thirty-seven.”

Reinette smiled wryly. “That is only the barest comfort, I am afraid, but you are correct, Rose. I can hang onto the fact that they will not kill me now because they need to kill me later.”

Rose backed up and pushed open the door to the spaceship. “Until next time,” she said, pulling the Doctor along with her.

As soon as the door shut, she turned to him. “All right, tell me,” she ordered, her voice more firm than it usually would be. “It’s not just that they want her to be thirty-seven, is it? What do they want with her when she’s thirty-seven?”

The Doctor shook his head and started jogging towards the TARDIS, Rose’s hand clasped firmly in his. “I’ll explain in a bit,” he said. “First I need to find a better weapon to use against those droids than ice that they have become adept at melting.”

Thirty minutes later, after digging through the storage below the console, he finally crowed in triumph. “Got it!” he said, popping back out onto the grating. “Come on, Rose Tyler. Let’s stop a few droids from causing any more problems.”

She followed him back out onto the ship, but now that he had the weapon he’d been looking for, she went back to her earlier question. “You said you’d explain why they need her to be thirty-seven,” she reminded him.

They reached the main flight deck, and three droids were guarding the console. The Doctor glared at them, anger burning in his hearts. “Because this ship is thirty-seven years old, and they think that when Reinette is thirty-seven, when she’s complete, then her brain will be compatible,” he explained, a snap in his voice. “Because that’s what you’re missing, isn’t it?” he asked the droids. “Command circuit. Your computer. Your ship needs a brain. And for some reason, God knows what, only the brain of Madame de Pompadour will do.”

“The brain is compatible,” one of the droids said.

The Doctor shook his head. “Compatible? If you believe that, then you’re probably too thick to see this coming.” He pulled the mask off the closest droid and pulled the contents of the beaker over the head. The droid immediately slumped, as if someone had pulled the plug.

“Multi-grade anti-oil,” he explained to Rose. “If it moves, it doesn’t.”

“Ah, Doctor?” Rose moved closer to him when the other droids stepped towards them menacingly.

“Right.” He reached around her and smacked a button on the console, and all of the droids went limp. “Now, it’s time we got the rest of the ship turned off,” he said and bent over the computer terminal. “All the time windows are controlled from here,” he explained, speaking in his rapid-fire lecture voice.

Rose watched his fingers fly over the keyboard as he talked.  “Why didn’t they just open a time window to when she was thirty-seven?” she asked.

The Doctor shook his head. “With the amount of damage to these circuits, they did well to hit the right century. Trial and error after that.” He leaned back in the chair and frowned at the monitor. “The windows aren’t closing. Why won’t they close?”

Rose looked up at the ceiling when a bell chimed. “What’s that?”

“I don’t know.” The Doctor ran his hand through his hair, spiking it up. “Incoming message?”

Rose glanced at the droids, then back at the Doctor. “You mean one of them is still in France with Reinette?” she guessed.

“Yep! That’s why I can’t close the windows. There’s an override.”

The droid the Doctor had poured the anti-oil on suddenly excreted the liquid through its finger and straightened up. The Doctor and Rose jumped and reached for each other’s hands.

“Well, that was a bit clever,” the Doctor muttered.

On the console, the switch controlling the droids switched from off to on, and he stood up and pointed the sonic screwdriver at one of the droids.

“Right. Many things about this are not good,” he muttered to Rose, sotto voce. Then he raised his voice and added a goading tone to speak to the droids. “Message from one of your little friends? Anything interesting?”

“She is complete. It begins.” As soon as the words were out of its mouth, all three of the droids teleported out.

Rose stared at the recently vacated space in front of her. “Doctor, does that mean what I think it means?”

He twirled the sonic screwdriver and went to the back side of the console, messing around with the wires and connecting bits on the computer terminal. “One of them must have found the right time window,” he said. “Now it’s time to send in the troops. And this time they’re bringing back her head.”

Rose watched him work frantically with the sonic, and when he pumped his fist and shouted, “Oh yes!” she grinned.

That grin disappeared a moment later when the ship’s hull slid open to reveal a large plate glass window that led to a fancy ballroom. Frantic screams echoed through the flight deck as clockwork droids herded the French aristocracy into the corners of the room.

Rose took a step towards the window. “How did they get through there? Because we were standing right here and I didn’t see them go through.”

“They teleported,” the Doctor said, his voice terse. “That’s how they use the windows—as a focal point that brings France and this ship close enough to use their short-range teleport.”

Rose nodded; now that she thought of it, the only droid she’d ever seen go through one of the windows the way she and the Doctor did was the one they’d brought through the fireplace with them.

“Ahhh!” the Doctor growled and slapped the console.

Rose looked away from the window and back at him. “What is it, Doctor?”

He glanced up at her. “Well, we found the right window, obviously,” he said, nodding at the chaos unfolding before them, “but they knew we were coming. They blocked it off.”

Rose took a deep breath. No windows, and they didn’t have teleports. The answer occurred to her a second later, and she sighed in relief. “We can take the TARDIS, though.”

The Doctor shook his head and raked his hand through his hair. “We can’t. We’re part of events… if we took the TARDIS, we would be able to look back through the window from that side and see ourselves looking down from here.”

The TARDIS sang in protest, and surprised, the Doctor turned to look at her. “Although…” He tapped his chin. “I don’t often fly her like that, but it is possible…” He grinned at Rose. “Into the TARDIS, love!” he crowed.

Rose ran into their ship ahead of the Doctor and watched breathlessly as he pulled levers she’d never seen him use before. “What are we doing?” she asked.

He turned a dial. “That mirror is almost impossible to get through,” he explained, speaking rapidly. “Hyperplex this side, plate glass on the other. You’d need a truck to get through it.”

A grin stretched across Rose’s face. “A truck or a large blue box?” she suggested.

“Exactly!” He grabbed a handle, then gestured at the railing. “Hang on tight, Rose.”

She wrapped her hands around the railing, and a moment later felt the TARDIS leave the ground.

“And this solves the other problem of going through the window,” he told her, raising his voice to be heard over the louder than usual wheeze of the TARDIS engines. “Because once we break that glass, it’ll break the connection to the ship. We’d be stuck there”—

“Except that we’re taking our own transport with us,” Rose concluded. “Not a bad plan overall,” she approved.

He winked at her. “It was your idea, really. ‘Let’s take the TARDIS,’ you said. You just didn’t know all the details.”

Rose heard glass shatter, then a moment later, they skidded to a halt. She took a shaky breath and brushed herself off, then accepted the Doctor’s hand.

“Let’s go discharge our final duty as guardian angels,” he suggested.

The eyes of the entire crowd were on the TARDIS when the Doctor poked his head out of the ballroom. “Oh, hello!” He waved cheerily, then stepped out of the time ship with his hand firmly grasping Rose’s. “Don’t mind us—we saw there was a party and thought we’d stop by.”

“Hello, Reinette,” Rose added. “Looks like we got here just in time.”

The French woman shook her head severely, though a hint of a smile played with the corners of her lips. “For guardian angels, you do not seem concerned with arriving early.”

The king stared at them all, his lips pulled back from his mouth and sharp lines on his forehead. “What the hell is going on? Who are you?”

Rose huffed, and the Doctor pressed his lips together to hide his laughter. Her exasperation was so familiar.

“Well, she just told you, didn’t she?” Rose asked, her voice sharp. “We’re her guardian angels, and we’re here to save her life.” Obviously lingered in the air, unspoken.

“That’s right,” the Doctor agreed. “It seems our services are needed yet again.” He nodded at the droids holding Reinette on her knees.

“She is complete,” one said.

“Well…” the Doctor drawled. “Maybe she is, but that’s not going to do you any good, is it?”

He nodded to the broken mirror above the fireplace, and the droids froze when they followed his line of vision and saw only brick behind the mirror. They frantically hit the teleport on their wrists, but nothing happened.

The Doctor smirked at their distress. “The link with the ship is broken. No way back. You don’t have the parts,” he taunted as he walked to the closest droid. “How many ticks left in that clockwork heart, huh?” he asked. “A day? An hour? It’s over. Accept it. I’m not winding you up.”

He could hear the gears in the droid’s head slow down as it accepted its fate. Around the ballroom, the other androids also shut down, and a collective sigh of relief filled the room.

Once it was safe, Rose offered a hand to Reinette and pulled her to her feet. “You all right?”

The other woman nodded, without looking away from the inert body of the clockwork droid sprawled on the floor in front of her. “What’s happened to them?”

“They’ve stopped,” the Doctor promised. “They have no purpose now.”

Rose took the courtesan’s hands and looked at her earnestly. “I’m sorry we couldn’t stop them before this,” she told Reinette. “I mean… You should have had a normal life, without these things popping in every few years to bother you.”

Reinette tilted her head back, and to Rose’s surprise, there was a smile on her face. “I have had a good life,” she said firmly. “These monsters were only troublesome interludes, dealt with soon enough. Even with their presence, I have known so much joy… Why should I focus on the negative?”

Rose felt the Doctor’s hand on her back. “See, Reinette gets it,” he said. “Trouble is just the bits in between.”

Reinette pulled back and looked at them both. “I think, Doctor, that you encounter more trouble in your lives than I am accustomed to.”  

The Doctor scratched his neck. “Maybe,” he allowed. “But it’s never more than we can handle together,” he added.

She nodded, then pointed to the TARDIS. “And now, I think, our acquaintance is at an end.”

Impulsively, Rose darted forward and brushed kisses against Reinette’s cheeks. “Take care of yourself, now that we won’t be guarding you any longer.” She still felt protective of the little girl Reinette had been only an hour before, in her timeline.

Reinette’s eyes were bright when Rose pulled back, and she nodded once. “I will, of course. Thank you.”

Rose took the Doctor’s hand and walked back into the TARDIS with him. She leaned against a strut while he set the coordinates. When he dropped into the jump seat, she immediately took the spot beside him, and they watched the time rotor move up and down as the ship sent them through time and space.

“Where are we going?” Rose asked.

“Back to the ship.”

Rose shifted to look up at him; they didn’t usually linger after the end of an adventure. “Is there something else we need to take care of?”

He nodded. “The time windows. The TARDIS can close them down now the droids are gone.”

“Ah… good idea,” Rose said.

“I thought so,” the Doctor agreed as they landed on the spaceship. He jumped up and tapped a command into the TARDIS terminal, then moved around the console and adjusted the navigation dials to the familiar “take us into the Vortex” settings.

Rose smiled when he offered her his hand, and let him pull her to her feet. By unspoken agreement, they went to the library, where two mugs of tea were waiting for them.

“I love the adventures,” Rose said as she curled up next to the Doctor, “but this is my favourite part—relaxing with you when it’s all over.”

He hummed and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, and a moment later, she felt his lips brush against her temple.

“What happens to Reinette?” she asked after a quiet moment. “Did she get to live a happy life after we left?”

The Doctor sighed. “For another five years,” he told her. “Reinette Poisson died of tuberculosis at just forty-two.”

“Oh.” Sorrow washed over Rose, but at the same time, it was muted by the awareness that this end was hardly unusual for the time. “But she was happy?” she pressed. “The king seemed devoted to her.”

“Until she breathed her last.”

Something in his voice sounded off. The conversation was upsetting him somehow, and it only took a moment for Rose to figure out why.

Oh, Doctor.

She rested her hand on his knee. “They had almost twenty years together,” she said, keeping her voice casual. “That’s more than a lot of people get.”

“The longer you have with the love of your lives, the more it hurts to lose them in the end.”

Rose didn’t think he’d realised his slip, but she had. Without another thought, she climbed into his lap, unsurprised when his arms immediately held her tight.

Safe in his arms, she pressed her hand to his face. It was on the tip of her tongue to promise that she would never leave him, but she bit the words back. Someday she’d tell him that, but not today, when he’d been reminded of how impossible it was.

“But think about all the happiness they shared in their life,” she said instead. “Both in the regular parts of life, and in the trouble that’s just the bits in between.”

The Doctor shook his head slightly. He’d only been a few moments away from falling into despondent fear over losing Rose, but her words pulled him back. Her thumb brushed over his cheekbone, and he leaned into her caress.  

“Rose Tyler.” He turned his head and kissed her palm.

“Yes, Doctor?” Her hand slid to the back of his neck.

He pulled her closer and bent his head to kiss her softly. “I love you,” he whispered against her lips in between kisses. “I love you and I am so grateful for our life together.” He nuzzled into her neck and took a deep breath, taking comfort in all the scents he associated with Rose.

“I love you, too, Doctor,” Rose murmured in his ear. “No matter how long we have together, they’ll be the happiest years of my life.” She kissed his jaw. “What about you?”

The Doctor took a shuddering breath. “I’ve lived more than a thousand years,” he said, his voice hoarse. “And I’ve never been this happy.”

When Rose pulled back, her smile was radiant. The Doctor couldn’t resist pressing his lips to hers in a quick kiss that became a series of kisses that became a heated snog. As they slowly moved until they were stretched out together on the couch, their telepathic connection flared, and the brilliance of her joy took his breath way.

The Doctor purposely pushed all thoughts of trouble out of his mind as he made love to Rose. Loving her and being loved by her—this was his life. Everything else was just the bits in between.

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[tenroseforeverandever]

Home for the Holidays, Chapter 4

Chapter 1; Chapter 2; Chapter 3;

A @dwsecretsanta​  gift for @chocolatequeennk.

Characters:  Ten x Rose; Jackie Tyler; Pete Tyler; Mickey Smith; Jake Simmonds; Donna Noble; Empress of the Racnoss; Lance Bennett

Rated: Teen (rating may change)

Tags: Doomsday Fixit; Runaway Bride rewrite; Angst; Hurt/Comfort; Separation; Eventual Christmas fluff; adventure

Summary: A Doomsday Fixit that also follows the events of the Runaway Bride.

Despite having the victory of the Battle of Canary Wharf behind them, Rose remains resentful that the Doctor tried to send her away after she promised she’d never leave him.

Chapter Summary: Lance is properly detained, and Rose comes face to face with the Doctor for the first time in months. And Donna is her ever-brilliant self. .

Notes: Please don’t kill me. The babies will get there. Right now, there is still a lot of uncertainty and idiocy to push through. At least one more chapter, and then possibly an epilogue. We’ll see.

Many, many thanks to my brilliant beta team, MrsBertucci and Hellostarlight20! They made lots of great suggestions and I have done so much to the chapter since they last saw it! All mistakes are mine.

Also a ton of thanks to my fangirls on Facebook, for helping me with some Donna-isms. I hope I did her justice in the end.

Any recognizable dialogue comes from the Doctor Who episode, The Runaway Bride.

Also read at: AO3; FF.net; Teaspoon

***Please note: I have made some edits to Chapter One as a result of continuity issues with upcoming chapters, mostly dealing with the level of intimacy in the Rose’s relationship with the Doctor.

HOWEVER!!!! Tumblr is being a pig and not allowing me to edit at this time. Please refer to the updated versions on AO3, FF.net, or Teaspoon.  Sigh…

Home for the Holidays: Chapter 4

Lance had been an absolute, insufferable twat over the half hour they had waited for the water levels to drop. Bearing in mind his earlier treachery, trying to pull her into the water, Rose had decided it would be best if she was prepared to defend herself and had appropriated a gun from one of the dormant robots. She didn’t really like guns, and her recent attempt to use one against the Racnoss had been an utter failure, but somehow feeling the solid weight of it in her hands made her feel more secure and in control.  Besides, while Lance had had nowhere to run when the water levels were high, Rose had had no doubt he might need the additional inducement to stay put once the passage below was clear again.  

Not that she actually believed she’d ever be able to turn the gun on him… although she had to admit, he was definitely making the prospect very tempting. She had been feeling miserable to begin with, soaking wet, cold, and emotionally drained, and Lance had done nothing but whinge and complain about everyone and everything, showing no concern for anyone but himself the entire time they were waiting. Not for the first time, Rose had found herself marvelling at Donna’s fortitude, sticking with the tosser for as long as she had, and being prepared to go through with a wedding to boot.

It came as no real surprise when Lance had eventually called Rose’s bluff once the water levels had dropped to ankle depth, making a break for it back down the ladder to the main corridor. With a groan of frustration, Rose tossed the useless gun aside and zipped down the ladder in pursuit. Landing with a splash in the water below, she barreled out the door into the long curving corridor, toward the elevator, assuming that was the direction he was heading. Tosser he certainly was, but he was also a dangerous criminal, one who had committed terrible crimes against all of humanity. He could not be allowed to escape. With renewed determination to recapture her quarry, she sped up, sprinting along the corridor.

Only a few seconds later, she found herself faltering to a jog, her stomach twisting in knots of angst at the sound of the Doctor’s voice ringing out from just up ahead. “…and there you go, Donna,” he crowed. “Told you she’d be all right. The TARDIS can survive anything. Oh, Lance! There you are! You seem to be in a bit of a hurry. What’s your rush?”

“Bloody hell! This must be some kind of joke?” Lance protested.

“Nah, I’m very serious.”

Rose lurched to a stop when she came around the bend. She barely noticed Lance standing only a few steps away, his back toward her. Her eyes were instead focussed beyond him, locked onto the bedraggled, pinstriped form of the Doctor, who stood with his hands in his trouser pockets and damp hair flattened  against his head, doing his very best to appear casually imposing. The TARDIS stood a few yards behind him, effectively blocking the corridor with a sort of quirky, blue grandeur. Pride filled Rose at the sight, and a tight smile tugged at her lips.

The sound of Lance’s voice tore her from her thoughts. “And, just how do you think you’re going to stop me?” he jeered.  

The Doctor shrugged. “I don’t actually think it’s me you have to worry about.” He nodded over Lance’s shoulder, indicating Rose, and then behind him to Donna, who took a menacing step forward, eyes flashing.

“It’s over, Lance,” Rose spoke up, moving toward the fugitive. “I’m takin’ you back to Torchwood for questionin’. And I expect some rather serious charges will be laid against you. You’ve got a lot to answer for.”

“Oi! I’m just as much a victim here–”

Donna cut him off with a swift verbal assault. “You have got to be kidding me!” The bride took a couple more threatening strides toward him and he stumbled back, nearly jumping out of his skin, when Rose placed a commanding hand on his shoulder.

“I would be very careful about how you choose your next words, Lance.” The Doctor offered the man a piercing look, his eyes narrowing. “Might I suggest they involve some pleas for mercy and the phrase I surrender?”

“I surrender! I do!” Lance blurted.  “I surrender!”

The Doctor turned his attention to Rose, his eyes boring into hers. “I can give you a lift to Torchwood, if you like. Help make sure he’s properly secured before I take Donna home.”

Rose’s gut churned at the casual indifference in his tone. “Yeah, that… that would be great. Yeah.”

“And in the meantime…” He reached into his jacket pocket and withdrew a pair of fuzzy, pink handcuffs, tossing them to Rose with an arched brow.

Rose’s face burned as she snatched the cuffs out of the air. The last time she had seen those, they had been securing her hands to the Doctor’s headboard as he buried his head between her thighs, using his clever tongue to–

Donna’s strangled gasp wrenched her from her reminiscence and she was suddenly very aware of the other woman shooting glances back and forth between her and the Doctor. “You… you said you used to travel with–”

“Okaaay!” Rose cut Donna off, as she deftly yanked Lance’s arms behind him and secured him with the ridiculous handcuffs. “Let’s get goin’ then, shall we?”

“But… but…” Donna sputtered.

“Right-o!” the Doctor chirped, turning back to the TARDIS. “Yup! Better be on our way. UNIT will be swarming all over this place in the next few minutes. I don’t much fancy being down here when they arrive. They’ll ask all kinds of awkward questions I’d rather not answer.”

Rose gave Lance a shove in the direction of the time ship. “What about the Empress, Doctor? She escaped. Don’t we need to stop her?”

“Nah,” he glanced back at her as he unlocked the TARDIS doors, and stepped in, “she’d used up all her Huon energy. She was defenseless. Donna and I saw her ship explode, eh Donna?”

Donna nodded. “A bit sad, really. Just imagine waiting all those years… I know, I know, it was all wrong, completely mental! But still, I can’t help but feel a bit sorry for her.”

“I know what you mean,” Rose agreed as she jostled Lance toward the TARDIS doors. “But as for this one…” She gave him an extra shove just to make a point.

“What?” Lance protested.

“Just get in there, yeah.”

“We’re not all going into that box! We’ll never all f-fi–” His words stuttered and ceased as Rose thrust him through the doors where he promptly fainted as he took in the transcendental interior of the TARDIS.

“What a dolt!” Donna rolled her eyes, as she stepped over him and into the ship. “To think I might have married that idiot, and all the time the pervy pillock was prob’ly gettin’ a leg over with that big, red, alien slag.”

Rose let Donna’s rant fade to the background as her mind filled with the achingly familiar hum of the TARDIS joyously welcoming her home. All the cold and discomfort of being soaked to the skin dwindled away as she let the warmth and love of the time ship surround her. She left Lance’s motionless form lying in the doorway and rushed up the ramp to the console. Tenderly, she touched the metal surface, her fingers trailing over the various gadgets and buttons. “I’ve missed you too, darling,” she whispered. “And him…” she admitted. “I just don’t know what to do now…”

The Doctor’s petulant voice pulled her from her reunion with the TARDIS. “Oi! Not back here a minute and you’re already leaving rubbish all over the place again!” With an extravagant sigh and unnecessary groaning, he hauled Lance’s unconscious body up the ramp, releasing him in an unceremonious heap on the grating next to the console.

Rose rolled her eyes at him, attempting to quell the crushing hurt she felt at his flippant remark. “Don’t worry. I’ll be takin’ him with me. It’s only for a mo’.”

“Oh! Speaking of which…” he responded, shooting her a pointed look, a challenge that raised her hackles even as it made her insides turn to mush. He had to realize the effect he had on her. “You left a few other things lying around when you left.”

She stared at him stupidly, the train of her thoughts completely derailed, as he withdrew from his pinstriped jacket pocket a couple pairs of her knickers; a bathrobe; her eighty-first century, nipple-stimulating, lock ‘n’ load bra; and her favourite purple jacket.

Through her haze of astonishment she was aware of Donna gasping into the charged silence. “Wait! Isn’t that–?”

“Thanks,” Rose blurted at the Doctor, once again thwarting any further verbal speculation from Donna. Her face was burning in mortification. What was the bloody alien thinking? Would it have killed him to find a private moment to do this? She yanked the clothing from his hands, bundling the incriminating lingerie against her body, and met his eyes with fierce resolve. “What the hell, Doctor?” she gritted out under her breath, feeling a jolt of satisfaction as his mouth dropped open in shock and he stepped back from her, scrubbing the back of his neck with an uncertain hand.

“But that’s the same purple–” Donna persisted, eyes darting between Rose and the Doctor.

“Donna!” the Doctor yelped. “How’d you like a cuppa, eh? Been a long, cold day! We’re all a bit wet.” He spun around on the balls of his feet, and strode off down the corridor toward the galley, Donna tripping after him trying to get a word in edgewise. “Besides, best to give Lance time to wake up before we move him into the Torchwood cell. After all…” The sound of his voice diminished as he turned down the next corridor, Donna still in hot pursuit.

Rose hurriedly stuffed the pile of clothing into the crook of a coral strut near the TARDIS doors and, took a moment to check Lance’s pulse (slow and steady.) Then, with a brief glance back at their prisoner, she silently followed the Doctor and Donna to the galley. She ducked into the shadows outside the galley doorway, and smothered a chuckle when she realized Donna had only just managed to find a chance to speak.  

“…ever stop yapping! Blimey, do all aliens have a gob like yours?”

“Weeell… not as such, but it’s dead useful when you’re dealing with–”

“Subjects you’d rather avoid, yeah?”

“Wha–? That’s jus –”

“Oh, I have the measure of you, skinny boy!”

“But–”

“That little purple jacket?”

“Donna…”

“It’s the same one I saw earlier, yeah. That was Rose’s! That’s her, innit? The one you’ve been mooning over all day. The one you lost.”

“I’ll have you know, I do not moon.”

“But you’re not denying it’s her, are ya? What’d you do then?”

“How d’ya mean?”

“Well she’s not travelling with you anymore, so you must have done something. She doesn’t seem like the type to shy away from adventure. You may be a Martian, but you’re still a bloke, yeah?”

“I’m not… I’m not a… Urrrgh, never mind. And why am I always to blame?” The Doctor’s voice cracked up an octave, and Rose could picture him ruffling his lovely hair in frustration. “Blimey! S’pose you’re gonna slap me again.”

“Nah,” she relented, “it’s not my place, is it? Not this time!”

There was a short, awkward silence and then Donna pointed out the kettle was boiling. Rose took that opportunity to reveal herself. “Could use a cuppa myself.” She offered the Doctor a hesitant smile as she stepped into the galley. “You still have my favourite mug?”

The Doctor picked it up from the counter, indicating with a little shake he had already it prepared for her.

“Should probably take that with me too, I guess…” She nibbled at the side of her thumb, dropping her eyes from his.

“Oh, I don’t mind keeping it here. Can always use another mug, and you never know when you… weeell…” He shrugged, his voice low, and he shuffled his feet, but it was only a few seconds before his behaviour, ever mercurial, changed again. “So how’s Lance?” he asked, his voice resuming its usual strident volume.

Rose released her breath, grateful for the change in topic. “Still out cold. Pulse steady, though, when I left him. But I s’ppose we should really be watchin’ over him.”

“I can do that!” Donna offered. “He’s really my responsibility after all. That way you two can… you know… catch up…”

Unnerved at Donna’s implied suggestion that she and the Doctor talk things out, Rose also opened her mouth to volunteer to stand guard over Lance, but the Doctor beat her to it. “Nah, that’s all right, Donna. I’ll go.”  He hastily poured the tea, grabbed his own mug, and made a beeline for the door. He glanced back at Rose and Donna. “Finish your tea. Meet me in the console room when you’re ready to go.”

The two women watched him retreat down the hallway. “Does he ever sit still? He’s a flippin’ whirlwind, that one,” Donna commented. “No wonder he’s so skinny.”

“The Oncoming Stoooorm,” Rose drawled contemptuously under her breath, plonking down in one of the chairs around the breakfast table. “Ugh,” she groaned as her wet clothing shifted uncomfortably around her. “I’ll be glad to get back into some warm, dry clothes.”

“You can say that again! And I’ll be only too happy to bin this bloody dress!”

“I can’t blame you for that,” Rose commiserated, taking a sip of tea. She couldn’t suppress the almost indecent moan of pleasure that escaped her at the flavour bursting over her tongue. “God, I’d forgotten what a great cuppa he makes.”  

Donna took a sip too, as she came over to sit across from Rose. “It is a good cuppa, I’ll grant you, but I honestly just don’t know what else you see in him,” she commented, “a skinny streak of nothing, like that.”

Rose’s breath caught. “Who says –?”

“He may be blind, Blondie, but I’m certainly not! The two of you could not be more obvious: you have a thing for one another, or I’ll eat my veil.”

Rose hung her head, gathering in her tears, refusing to let them fall. Taking another fortifying sip of tea, she raised her eyes to Donna’s. “Doesn’t matter what I feel, Donna. I made my decision a long time ago and I have to live with it.”

“But I swear, the way he looks–”

“Doesn’t matter. He doesn’t give second chances. He’s that sort of a man. He never looks back, just keeps running forward, away from his past.”

“A bit odd for a time-traveller, that.”

Rose’s cynical laugh caught in her throat, and she met Donna’s compassionate gaze. “I’m just a fleeting blip in his life, anyway. Even if he’s still got feelin’s for me…”

“More than feelings, I’d say. You didn’t hear him today. Blimey! The moaning, and the long face, and reminiscing about last Christmas. That was you, wasn’t it?”

Rose smiled fondly. “Yeah, that was me… But it’s done, now, Donna. Leave it.”

“But–”

“Please?”

“All right. But if you ever need to talk, a shoulder, yeah, I’m here.” She reached to cover Rose’s hand with hers. It was warm and comforting.

“Thanks, Donna.”

They sat quietly for a moment, sipping their tea before Rose spoke up again. “You’ll be out of a job, Donna! Blimey. Didn’t think of that. H.C. Clements will be shut down. Everyone will be given their notice. What’ll you do?”

“Oh, there’s always something for me to do: best temp in Chiswick!” She waggled her fingers in the air in front of her. “One hundred words a minute! Besides, the Doctor’s shown me there’s so much out there. I think I’d like to see a bit more of this world; travel a bit, y’know?”

Rose’s mind was alight with inspiration. It must have shown on her face.

“What?”

“It’s just… my Dad. He’s been looking forever for an administrative assistant, someone who’s not just good at office work, but someone who can handle the concept of aliens and such. And sometimes even deal with the aliens personally.”

“Aliens? What kind of work does your Dad do? He’s not part of this Torchwood business is he?”

“He’s head of Torchwood, actually.” Rose grinned, shaking her head.

“Oh, is that all?”

Rose chuckled fondly at her new friend. “Yeah, that’s all.”

“Not sure I even bloody know what Torchwood is. It’s just a mysterious name that you lot bandy about.”

“It’s a bit difficult to pin down, that’s for sure. I don’t think I’ve even touched the tip of the iceberg, and I’ve been workin’ for them since… well, since I stopped travellin’ with the Doctor. But the thing is, Dad’s tried hirin’ a couple of new assistants recently and has had to let ‘em go. And then they’ve had to be retconned.”

“What’s that, then? Retconned?”

“Means their memories are… erm… adjusted. So they don’t remember Torchwood or the aliens.”

“You wipe their memories!”

“Not like that! Not completely. But it’s a messy business. An’ it’s not right. So he’s been doin’ without someone for now. Thing is, once you know ‘bout Torchwood and everythin’ we do… we need to try to keep it secret, yeah. You can’t jus’ come and go. If knowledge about what Torchwood really does got out to the general public…”

“It’s like bloody Men in Black!”

“A bit, yeah.” Rose laughed at the analogy.

“So what happens to me now? Are you going to wipe my memories?”

“Nah, I think we can trust ya. B’sides, you’re a friend of the Doctor now, and that counts for a lot.”

“Well, I’ll certainly think about your offer. Sounds a good deal more interesting than my usual gigs, that’s for sure. But I would still like to travel.”

“You’d be perfect! You’re brilliant! An’ you would get great pay, and plenty of personal days for goin’ on holiday. Might even get to travel as a perk of the job.”

“Sounds exciting! I don’t know how to thank you, Rose!” Donna grinned. Then, abruptly, her face crumpled, tears welling in her eyes. “Blimey, don’t know why I’m getting so excited ‘bout my future. I’ve got no bloody future. I’m still being poisoned by those Huon particles inside me. I’m going to die!” She began to sob, her hands covering her face.

“Hey,” Rose rubbed Donna’s arm, “the Doctor said he’d fix it. An’ he will. I trust ‘im. I didn’t for a while there, but I was wrong, Donna. I trust ‘im with my life and lives of everyone on this stupid planet.”

“Well…”

“C’mon, Donna.” Rose set down her mug. “Drink up your tea and let’s go find ‘im.”

--oOo--

The Doctor parked the TARDIS inside the Torchwood building, directly outside Rose’s office.

“Weeell, I never thought I’d have to set foot in here, again,” the Doctor announced as he stepped out, scrunching his face up in revulsion.

“Oi! No need to be so rude! I’m tellin’ ya, it’s better now,” Rose countered, irritated by the Doctor’s uninformed dismissal of all of Pete’s hard work. “It’s not the Torchwood you remember: not the one who drilled that hole to the centre of the Earth or brought the Cybermen through the Void.”

“Or, I suppose, the one who created those Huon particles I was being filled with!” Donna added as she followed Rose into the building. “I can’t tell you how happy I am to be shot of them!”

“Yu-p!” the Doctor grinned at the red-head. “All gone. Both you and Lance are as clean as a whistle. The Racnoss purged every last particle from your bodies to revive her young. You’ll be as healthy as ever with no residual effects, Donna Noble!” He then turned to Rose, his expression darkening again. “And, as for Torchwood, it is what it is, and what it will always be: power-hungry and corrupt.”

“No, but really, Doctor. Things are different now. Trust me on this,” she quipped with a nervous smile, giving him a thumbs-up, mirroring Pete’s Vitex slogan from the alternate universe.

He stuffed his hands into his pockets, ignoring her attempt to lighten the mood.

She had instinctively tried to lure him into a bit of banter, the once-familiar common ground of friendly repartee that, in the past, had always given them an easy out when trying to evade the deeper issues of hurt, anger, trust, and... love. But that was the problem, wasn’t it? That’s what had brought them to this point.

Avoidance.

Failure to communicate.

“So what now?” The Doctor’s words, mirrored Rose’s thoughts, and hope fluttered in her chest that they might actually be on the same page. But just as she opened her mouth to answer, he clarified: “Where are we putting Lance?”

Crestfallen, Rose’s hope evaporated, and she scrambled to conceal her emotions and reorganize her thoughts. “Erm… I jus’ wanna call Dad first; let him know where I am and what’s happenin’. He and Mum’ll be worried sick. I guess we’ll just shove Lance down in the holding cells when I’m done. They’re down in the basement.  Hmmm…” she paused, thinking. “He’ll need somethin’ to eat, somethin’ to hold him over ‘til he can be questioned. We’re runnin’ with skeleton staff for the holiday, and I’m pretty sure every field officer available is out on clean-up duty right now, what with the Racnoss’s ship explodin’ and all. No tellin’ when someone will be in to check on him. Tell ya what, though, there’s a vending machine around the corner. Has bottled water and snacks. Think you could sonic out something to hold ‘im for a while?”

“Can do, Rose Tyler. C’mon, Donna, give us a hand!”

As he disappeared around the corner with Donna in tow, Rose ducked into her office, stuffed the clothing the Doctor had returned to her into her rucksack, and picked up her mobile to call Pete.

“Where the hell have you been?” Pete’s angry voice blasted from the phone before she had even had a chance to greet him. “You mother’s goin’ completely off her trolley, there was a bloody, great Christmas star castin’ lasers all over the city, the Thames has been drained, and you’re not answering your phone!”

“Sorry, Dad. I left it on my desk. I didn’t realize what I was goin’ to be walkin’ into. Wait! The Thames has been drained…? What, completely?” Rose shook her head. Only the Doctor…

“Yeah, strangest thing! Not quite sure yet what to make of that. So you were there, I take it, in the thick of it?”

“Yeah. And the Doctor, too.”

“Oh… it’s all becoming clear, now, the Thames draining.” Pete sighed, resigned.

Rose couldn’t help the smile that curved her lips. “Yeah. But he was the one that sorted it all, to be honest.”

“Rose!” Donna popped her head into the office. “We’re ready when you are.”

“Be right there, Donna! Look, Dad, I’ll give you a full report whenever I get home. But jus’ so you know. There’s a prisoner here. Got to do with that ‘Christmas star’. I’ll be puttin’ him in one of the holdin’ cells.”

“Right. Look, I gotta go, too. UNIT is all over the place, and I’m just tryin’ to keep on top of things, make sure no alien tech from that destroyed ship gets into the wrong hands.”

“Need a hand?”

“Nah, thanks, love. I’ve got several teams here. And your mother would destroy me if she found out I didn’t send you home on Christmas Eve. I might be late. But let her know I’ll be there Christmas morning, no matter what.”

“I’ll call her right now.”

“The city’s a mess, Rose. Don’t know how you’ll get home. Tube’s down; roads are blocked…”

“I’ll manage, Dad. I’ll get a lift from the Doctor. I’m sure he won’t mind.”

“Won’t mind what?” The Doctor, hearing his name, stepped into the office, peering around at the bits of alien tech, gadgets, and books adorning her shelves.

Rose couldn’t help feeling a little defensive under the scrutiny. Was he impressed with what he saw? Was he proud of her attempts at making a life for herself? Or did he wish she was still traveling with him instead? Nervous, she swept her damp hair back from her face, and their eyes locked.

“Givin’ me a lift home,” she clarified.

He sniffed. “S’pose I could do that.”

A prickle of irritation muffled her anxiety. “Wow, thanks.” she rolled her eyes, returning her focus to the phone in her hand. “Look, Dad. I’m off. See you soon. Be safe.”

“You too, love. Bye.” He hung up.

Rose pocketed her phone. “You drained the bleedin’ Thames?” she barked at the Doctor, her conflicted emotions latching on to an outlet.

“Oi! You might care to remember, draining the Thames is what saved your precious planet. And,” he beamed, waggling his eyebrows, “you have to admit, the results were pretty impressive.”

She released a breathy chuckle, rolling her eyes at him again. “Somehow, I’d forgotten how things with you just go completely mental.”

“Yeah, but you miss me,” he quipped. As Rose’s eyes widened in shock at his words, the smile melted from his face, his ears reddening.

Rose stammered some nonsensical gibberish, floundering to find the right words to say. How could she even respond to that without laying the ruins of her heart open, without swallowing her pride and confessing she’d been rash in leaving him, without risking his rejection… again?

He huffed at her faltering response, knitting his brows at her and clacking his teeth together as he bit off whatever tart remark he had been about to make. He wheeled out of her office, beckoning to her from the hallway. “Right. C’mon, then. Let’s get Lance settled into his new Five-Star accommodations. And then I’ll drop you home.

Rose sighed. Maybe there really was too much distance between them for them to ever make amends. Pulling her rucksack onto her shoulder, she followed the Doctor out to the corridor with a heavy heart.  

[deepestenthusiastmilkshake]

My Review of Transformers: Robots in Disguise

Ok, before I get into the review, I want to say that I did not intend for my last review to be one giant paragraph. I had no idea why it ended up like that, because when I was writing it, I wrote it as a bunch of small paragraphs. I tried to fix it, but it was too late, so I apologize for that, and if that happens here, I apologize in advance.

Also I got some insightful feedback from another reviewer/reactor called Dragonkeeper19600, whom I highly recommend if you’re looking for some entertaining reactions to Transformers episodes. She told me a lot of things I did wrong in my last review, so I will try to take her advice and use it for this review. Today we’re going to look at the successor to Prime: Transformers: Robots in Disguise.

Let’s talk about the background of this show first. Transformers: Robots in Disguise (real original name there guys) is a sequel series to Transformers: Prime, taking place approximately three years after Prime ended, and fitting in with the Aligned Continuity. It’s a more lighthearted tale, focusing on Bumblebee and his new team. Before its release, the show received a lot of criticism from fans of Prime. The animation is not as good, the character designs look silly, the show is less dark and emotional, etc. These are all very valid criticisms, as they were expecting a sequel to be as good as the original. I don’t agree with them however and I’m gonna tell you why throughout this review. I’m going to look at the criticisms I mentioned above, give my own two cents on them, and give my final verdict at the end. So, to quote my favorite Youtuber DashieXP, without further ado, let’s do this

Let’s start off with the most criticized element: the animation. The animation is far from as good as Prime. It’s much more blocky, and it moves at a slower frame rate, giving it a stop motion-esque feel. Every now and then the frame rate will go up, and that does make the movements seem more fluid which looks much better, but that makes me wonder why the animators make the whole show like that? Maybe it’s too expensive, I’ll give them that. It’s also ridden with its fair share of animation errors. It’s not as bad as G1, but it is noticeable. Sometimes a character holds something that isn’t there, the lip syncing is off, or a they might get the scale between characters wrong. That doesn’t bug me that much because I’ve definitely seen worse. That aside, does it still feel like a major downgrade compared to its predecessor? In some ways yes, but it doesn’t affect me personally. First of all, compare any animation from any other Transformers cartoon, and it will look like a major downgrade from Prime. Even Beast Wars feels like a downgrade from it, and that was marveled as one of the most well animated Transformers cartoons of its time. Prime was an animation masterpiece, so comparing anything to it feels pointless. It will always look like a downgrade. It’s like comparing a kindergarteners drawing to the Starry Night, it just feels like a waste of time. Second of all, there are a lot of poorly animated cartoons, that look WAY worse than this does. Compared to other cartoons, RID is decent in terms of animation. It may seem less fluid and have its animation errors, but isn’t that how Transformers G1, the very cartoon that kicked off this great franchise, was animated?

Now let’s talk about the second most criticized elements: the characters and their designs. First let’s talk about the characters themselves. A big complaint against this series, even by the fans of it, is that some of the characters are annoying and insufferable. Take characters like Sideswipe or Strongarm, whose main joke seems to be, we argue a lot, and act like children. Now, fair is fair, I do see where the argument come from , and somewhat agree with it, however, I do appreciate characters like Sideswipe and Strongarm, even if they have annoying moments, purely for their individuality. During my Prime review, I stated that the characters fell into three categories: the loyal, the badass, and the loyal badass. That argument still stands, but that is not the case here. In RID, the characters are much more diverse and each fit their own specific archetypes, while at the same time, having their own personality quirks, as to no seem boring or cliche. Bumblebee, in my eyes represents the prince archetype. He is destined for greatness, even if he doesn’t see it in himself, and can lead and inspire others. Strongarm represents the maiden archetype. She possesses a strong sense of enthusiasm and a strong desire to learn. Sideswipe represents the rebel archetype. He may act rebellious and young(key word there being act), but deep down, he has a strong sense of loyalty to his friends and his team. Grimlock represents the warrior archetype. He has a love for fighting, knows when to use his skills, knows the difference between something easy and something right, and will lay his life down for his teammates. Fixit represents the caregiver archetype. He may not be a skilled warrior (well he is, he just doesn’t know it), but he will do anything to help his friends in anyway he can, and he does that with a strong urge to help. Those are just some of the characters and they all represent unique archetypes and don’t fall into categories amongst themselves like the characters in Prime did.

Now that we’ve talked about the Autobot characters, let’s talk about the Decepticon characters. When it comes to archetypes, villains don’t necessarily have one. They are shadows of archetypes. Archetypes have two shadows: passive shadow or the aggressive shadow. When it comes to the Decepticons of this show, they are no exception. A lot of them are shadows of the original archetypes. For example, the character Steeljaw represents one of the tricksters shadows: the schemer. He is always plotting, coming up with new ways to put himself in a position of power, no matter who he has to hurt in the process. Similar to Starscream, but lacking in the ambition department. Other times, the Decepticons in this show are either maniacs, war veterans, sadists, thieves, thugs, crime lords, or monsters. All of which are shadows of one of the original archetypes, but they all have their own uniqueness to them, most of the time. Sometimes they might re-use the shadows, re-use the designs, or just not give them enough personality to make them unique, but, for the most part, the Decepticons of this show do stand out and are interesting to think about.

Now, let’s talk about the designs. Actually, let’s talk about two specific characters designs. Sideswipes and Grimlocks designs were the most criticized when the show was announced. Sideswipe has a helmet that looks like hair that has been gelled upwards, looking like a weird pompadour. Gridlock is green, doesn’t have a faceplate, and is not as tall as past incarnations were compared to the other Autobots. These designs don’t bother me personally. When it comes to Sideswipe, yeah it looks silly, but it does give off the hint into his behavior and character traits. In the case of Grimlock, it doesn’t bother me because if he was just another version of what we’ve seen before with other Grimlocks, that would be pretty boring. I welcome a change in design, especially if it’s done well, and, in my opinion, Grimlock does look pretty cool. And yes, I know Grimlock appeared in the Fall of Cybertron game, but I consider that to be another Grimlock entirely. So all in all, these designs don’t bug me in the slightest.

Now, finally, let’s talk about the story. The story is very simple: a Cybertronian prison ship (which is a very interesting idea the more you think about it) crash lands on Earth and releases about a couple hundred of Cybertron’s most wanted Decepticons. So it’s up to Bumblebee to gather up a group of Autobots to round them up and imprison them. But one of the prisoners named Steeljaw is trying to gather as many criminals as he can to form an army to help him conqueror Earth, and make it a Decepticon homeworld. It’s basically a lesson based, lighthearted story that has a different villain each episode (when it’s not steelhead and his gang) and puts the focus on Bumblebee…. I’m not against this. Looking back, Bumblebee was one of the most underutilized and underdeveloped characters in Prime. He showed his leadership skills during the movie Predacons Rising, and he has shown plenty of combat skills, but there wasn’t exactly much for him character wise. I think this is due to him lacking a voice. Now he has the chance to really grow as a character and be much more expressive with his new voice. We get to see him struggle and learn new lessons about teamwork and being a leader. Also, I am a sucker for new teams. When we have a show that has a main cast that saves the day all the time, it’s nice to see others step in and save the day for them. Now that Team Prime is basically disbanded, it’s nice that we have a new set of characters to come in and save the day. That’s not to say this is done perfectly. The villain of the week thing can get old very quickly, and can bring new villains that aren’t given too much development, or are just plain annoying. Best example of this would be the character Filch. She was a thief who only said the word shiny, and whose voice was irritating. She’s definitely my least favorite Decepticon. However, that only happens every now and then, and for the most part, the writers can keep the situation interesting and fun to watch. Yes, this format may not appeal to everyone, and is far from perfect, but it does interest me personally, and I can find a lot of enjoyment in it.

So all in all, Transformer: Robots in Disguise is not the greatest Transformers show, and it definitely is not as good as Prime, but it is still a good show that can even do some things that Prime didn’t, like bring in more diverse characters. It is a satisfying show, and I look forward to the next season. It is a definite recommendation from this guy.

Transformers: Robots in Disguise: 7/10.

[furynewsnetwork]

by Ted Goodman

American musician and conservative activist Theodore Anthony “Ted” Nugent would not ruled out a potential 2018 Senate bid in an exclusive interview with the Daily Caller News Foundation (TheDCNF).

“I’m always very interested in making my country and the great state of Michigan great again and there is nothing I wouldn’t do to help in any way I possibly can,” Nugent told TheDCNF in an interview Wednesday.

Nugent shared a story from West Michigan Politics, a local Michigan political blog, which entertained the idea of a Ted Nugent 2018 Senate run Tuesday.

Michigan’s 2018 U.S. Senate race is likely to garner a lot of attention, as the state went red for a presidential election for the first time since 1988. Incumbent Democrat Sen. Debbie Stabenow, elected in 2000, successfully held off Republican challengers in 2006 and 2012.

“If these GOP sonsabitches don’t get it right this time I will come charging in as the ultimate WE THE PISSED OFF PEOPLE Mr FixIt Consitutional firebreathing shitkicker candidate from hell!” Nugent said on his official Facebook page, sharing the blog post.

“Though we dodged the toxic blue bullet on November 8 and showed that the real Michigan is bright red, the embarrassing high-crime blue smudges in the state must be fixed and removed ASAP,” Nugent asserted, likely referring to the urban centers that regularly vote overwhelmingly Democrat.

Nugent said that in order to restore faith in the government, Constitutional accountability is the answer.

While news has emerged that Michigan conservative activists and a number of party officials are itching for Robert Ritchie aka Kid Rock to run in 2018, it’s Nugent who is throwing candidate-sized political punches. (RELATED: Kid Rock For U.S. Senate 2018?)

“What sort of anti-American fool doesn’t believe we need secure borders?” and “What sort of Michael Moore freak sides with criminals instead of law enforcement heroes?” Nugent asked incredulously.

“Who on God’s good green earth can possibly support the redistribution of hard working Americans’ earnings to people unwilling to earn their own way?” he continued. “We the people are justifiably fed up with ‘Fedzilla’ and bureaucrats of every stripe,” he asserted.

Stabenow defeated former Rep. Pete Hoekstra by nearly one million votes (58 percent to 39 percent) in 2012. Democrat Gary Peters defeated Republican candidate Terry Lynn Land by 13 points in 2014, even as Republicans held on to the governorship and other offices down ballot.

“Ted Nugent is definitely someone who is in Michigan, he is involved in the public debates here, and he was really there for Donald Trump when he was needed,” Scott Hagerstrom, State Director for the Donald Trump campaign told TheDCNF.

“I would certainly welcome him giving it a hard look,” he said. “Ted [Nugent] would be the perfect person to tie together the Trump coalition with the Reagan Democrats and blue collar Democrats down river and in Macomb County,” Hagerstrom added, referring to birthplace of Reagan Democrats outside of Detroit.

Nugent said that he would have to determine if his candidacy could, “provide meaningful upgrades and improvements in the American quality of life for the most productive and truly needy amongst us.” He also mentioned the fact that he will be 70 years old in 2018, and said that “complete support” from his family is “imperative.”

If he does decide to run, Nugent said that his campaign slogan would be, “Make Michigan, Michigan again,” and he explained what that would mean. “My beloved birth state of Michigan still has godawful rules, laws and regulations that are more akin to Illinois, New York, New Jersey, Maryland and Massachusetts than the real Michigan so I remain poised to do what I can,” he explained.

Nugent said that his campaign song would be “a very loud ‘Stranglehold.’”

He would run on a platform of Fiscal/Constitutional accountability, living within our means and eliminating the counterproductive regulatory obstacles for hard working “Michiganiacs.”

Nugent is strongly supportive of President Donald Trump’s performance in the Oval Office thus far. “He is addressing and acting upon the most obvious needed upgrades good Americans have been craving and demanding for a very long time,” Nugent said.

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via Headline News – The Libertarian Republic

[popsicle-writing]

DokiDoki Pretty Cure: Robots in Disguise chapter 7

Chapter 7: Strongarm’s homesick? Makoto’s greatest treasure!

-Location: At the road- On the road, Sideswipe and Strongarm were driving to search the fugitive that Fixit just received. Both Rikka and Makoto were riding inside of their guardians. "This is Bumblebee and Grimlock." the yellow bot com-link. "No sign of the fugitive." "Beta team leaving Sector 8 for Sector 9." Strongarm replied back. "Zero contact, optical or auditory." The red bot sighed. "What Strongarm's trying to say is, we got zotz!" "Don't be rude, Sideswipe..." Rikka sighed. "What I'm doing is using language appropriate for Cybertronian law enforcers on duty." Strongarm reminded him. "Which Bee and I are. Something I think you've all forgotten." with that she drove off ahead from them. "Who's been putting shrapnel in her intake valve lately?" Sideswipe joked. "You just had to say that, did you, Sideswipe?" the girl glared. "What? I was just kidding!" "Let just go after her-quel..." The red bot didn't say anything as he drove off to catch up with Strongarm. Makoto looked back at her guardian. "You alright?" "Yeah. I'm alright, Makoto." she replied. "Don't worry about it." The girl silent for a bit. "If you say so..." "Our Decepticon's signal keeps flopping--copping--*thunks--dropping out." Fixit's voice came from the com-link. "Oh wait. It's back online and on the move." "We're on it, Fixit!" Makoto nods. They saw a silhoutte and look outside and they saw a giant bird flew above them. "Is that the fugitive we're looking for-davi?!" Dabyi yelled out. "Alpha team, direct contact!" Bumblebee hollered out. "Party time!" Sideswipe cheered. "Sideswipe, this is not a party! It's a pursuit!" the cadet reminded him. "Regulation 134, Sector 2: An officer shall not initiate a high-speed chase without-" "You wanna follow rules or the bad bot?" "On Cybertron, we did both." "Can we just focus on the mission already?" Rikka reminded them. The Decepticon landed on top of the electic pole and saw a shiny thing attached to it. Both Sideswipe and Strongarm stopped their tracks while they letting the girls out before transformed into the robot form. "Know a rule for getting that thing down?" Sideswipe asked Strongarm. The bird suddenly caught something shiny from Sideswipe from its optics. "Shiny!" "Here it comes!" It swooped down and started to charge towards us while letting out a loud screeching noise. Strongarm covered the girls with her servos as the three of them avoided the attack. "Mayday!" the cadet com-link. "Officers under attack!" "We'll be there stat!" Bumblebee replied with him and Grimlock speed up. "Hang on, Rikka, MakoPi!" Mana told them. "Be careful, you two!" Alice spoke up, ending the com-link. The bird continue to attack them but they all managed to dodge except Sideswipe. The bird managed to grab him by the talons. "Sideswipe!" her human partner gasped in worried. "Polly want to crack me!" Sideswipe yelled. Strongarm pulled out a gun and began to fired her gun at it. "Wings up, birdbrain!" though the bird managed to knock the weapon off from her hands. "Woah!" It screeched again and this time, it grabbed Strongarm. "Strongarm!" Makoto yelled. "Scrap!" The bird grabbed them and flew to the air. "Sideswipe, Strongarm!" As the bird tries to fly, Bumblebee and Grimlock arrived as the yellow bot transformed into his robot mode (with letting Mana and Alice out first) and kicked the Decepticon on the face, releasing the two bots. The bird also fall to the ground. Both of their human partners went to them. "Is everyone alright?" Mana asked in concern. "We're fine here." Rikka replied. "Who needs punching?" Grimlock grin as he punched his fists together. Bumblebee pulled out his Decepticon Hunter. "Alright, time to go back to your cage!" The bird woke up and see something shiny again at the pole. "Shiny!" it screeched again before flapping its wings towards it. "It's going to that power cord-de lance!" Lance yelled. They run towards where the bird is. Bumblebee then climbed onto the pole to try and reach it. But it was too late! The bird already its prize and flew off. The yellow bot got shocked by power line that got loose and lost a grip on the line, falling from the pole. "I got it! I got it!" the Dinobot scuttles closer to try and catch him but Bumblebee fell a few feet from him. "I don't got it." Both Strongarm and Sideswipe went to help the yellow bot up. "Bee, are you alright?" her human partner asked. He nods. "Yeah. I'm fine...!" he looked up and saw the fugitive already flew off. "Scrap...!" "I'm sure Fixit will help us finding that fugitive back." Alice suggested. "It can't be too far-sharu." Sharuru added. Bumblebee nods. "Right. Let's head back." he transformed into his vehicle mode and let Mana and Alice in with Sideswipe does the same and drove off. Grimlock followed. Strongarm sighed in annoyance with Makoto noticed. "Are you sure you're alright?" she looked worried. "I'm really fine, Makoto." she smiled at her, before transforming into vehicle mode and let Makoto in before catching up to the others. When they all left the scene, a mysterious masked girl was watching them from the distance behind the tree before leaping up and disappears from the scene. -Location: Yotsuba Mansion, Autobots base- The Autobots went back to the base. They let their human partners out before transforming into their robot form. "We lost the fugitive." Bumblebee spoke up. "Anything on the scanners?" The Mini-Con nods and went to the command center and began to search for the fugitive. "On it, lieutenant." Makoto looked at Strongarm. She looked upset and serious. The girl couldn't help but feel sorry. "Let's see the night shots. Fliers only." Strongarm spoke up. The command center beeped and the holographic image popped out and revealed the image of a Decepticon that they faced before. "That's our fowl." Sideswipe pointed out. "Filch. Compulsive thief." Bumblebee began. "Does it say future punch-taker?" Grimlock butted in. "Because she's gonna be that too." Alice shook her head. "I don't think so, Grim." Fixit began to spoke up. "Seems she's been stealing everything from water tanks to railroad switches and radar domes." "And endangering humans." Bumblebee finished. "Filch would already be in custody if Sideswipe hadn't broken Regulation 134, Section 2!" Strongarm scolded. "You have been a total freak about rules these last few cycles!" Sideswipe protest. "We won't make any real progress here until we all go by the book!" with that, she stormed off and walked off. "Strongarm..." Makoto frowned. "I didn't start it that time!" the red bot told the truth. "You're all witnesses." Her human partner sighed. "We know, Sideswipe..." "I wonder what's gotten into her-davi?" the cat fairy asked. "I'll...go talk to her." Makoto spoke up before walking off to follow her guardian. She started to search for her until she saw her on top of the building. The cadet was looking at her holographic screen as she sighed. "You feeling homesick, Strongarm?" Strongarm turned around and saw her human partner. "Oh, Makoto." Silent a bit. "Just studying procedure. Continuing my education. But yeah, I do missed Cybertron." Makoto smiled. "Same goes to me. After the Jikocchu army took over my home, I had to move here to find other Pretty Cures but I refuses at first. I want to fight alone. But that all changed when I met Mana and her friends. They all welcomed me and it feels like I was really belong here. After the Jikocchu army has defeated, my home was restored but I decided to stay with the others, after all, they are my friends." "Makoto..." Strongarm looked at her. "I never knew about this..." "No, it's fine. I'm really getting comfortable here now." she smiled again at her. "They helped me feel welcomed here, and now it's my turn to help you to feel welcome here." "After all, 'what comes around goes around'-davi. That's what Mana taught us-davi." Dabyi added. "I understand with new rules, new things to try. It took a while but it got easier, especially once I opens up to it." The cadet was surprised at their words. So, she had the same past as hers! "Thanks." she smiled. That actually made her feel better. Unknown to them, Bumblebee was hiding and he heard the whole conversation and he smiled. He later left the scene without making any noise. The girl smiled back at her. "Now, let's go back to the others." Strongarm nods as they all went back to the others. As they got back, Fixit saw something on the screen. It was a Decepticon signal! "Filch is on the move!" "Sideswipe and Strongarm, let's go." Bumblebee told him, before looking at Dabyi. "And Dabyi, we may need you to help with civilians." The cat fairy nods. "You can count on me-davi!" "Let's rumble!" Grimlock cheered. "Ah, not this time, Grim." Bumblebee stopped him. "We'll be close to downtown and you don't-" "No, no! I've been working on looking like an Earth-based vehicle!" he went inside the garage to find some materials. "Just hang on." Alright, we'll wait. "One second." Okay. "Oh, you're gonna love this!" Grimlock, hurry up... "Almost done!" ... "Check it out!" Finally. The Dinobot then shows them his Earth-based vehicle that looks like a monster truck. "I'm a truck!" he then start to mimic any truck noises. The girls just giggled. "I don't think it works that way, Grim." Alice commented. Bumblebee agreed with her as he shook his helm and smiled. "Oh, come on!" he whined. "Don't worry-de lance." Lance reassured him. "We'll call you when we need you-de lance." "Now, let's go!" -Location: At the other side of Oogai Town- The team drove around the town, trying to spot for some fugitive. "Look!" Makoto pointed. They saw Filch at the bridge. "Is she going to pull the beam of the bridge-quel?!" "We have to stop it-sharu!" They drove fast enough, Bumblebee, with letting Mana out first, transformed into robot form. "Quick, before she-" Too late! She already pulling the beam from the bridge. Makoto, Alice and D.B get out of Strongarm while Rikka get out from Sideswipe before transforming into their vehicle mode and they all group up to Bumblebee. The bird screech and start to attack them. They all dodge before she could strike an attack and flew upward. "That stays here!" Bumblebee shouted. He then jumped up to grab the beam while using his feet to stop. He locks his feet to the railing and it has started to pull. Mana then realized that the bridge is about to collapsed. "Bee, the bridge!" she warned him. He noticed the bridge is about to fall apart. "Stabilize the bridge!" "Disaster protocols state that if more than one officer is on the scene-" "Write me up later!" Sideswipe interrupted her before moving under the bridge. "Go!" Strongarm didn't say anything but followed him to assist him. Mana looked at her friends. "Girls, let's help Bee!" Rikka and Alice nods. "Right!" they hold their Lovely Communes and began to transform. "Pretty Cure, Love Link!" "Cure Heart!" "Cure Diamond!" "Cure Rosetta!" "D.B, don't let anyone back on the bridge!" Bumblebee told the humans. "On it!" D.B told them, walking off. "I'll come with you!" Makoto followed. Unknow to them, the same mysterious masked girl was silently spying on them from the distance. Under the bridge, Strongarm and Sideswipe were struggling to stabilize the bridge. "Rules call for repair as soon as-" "Can't worry about rules right now!" the red bot interrupted yet again. "Just brace the bridge!" they are doing their best to stabilize the bridge with Filch still won't let go of the beam. "Mine! Mine! Mine!" she screeched. "Pretty Cure, Diamond Shower!!" Several ice shards flew towards her as she screeched in pain, letting go of the beam. Bumblebee just fall off to the ground. "Bee!" Heart called out. "I'm fine!" It took few seconds for the bird to recovered as she screeched and started to attack them with her talons as they all dodge the attack. With D.B. and Makoto, they approached the police car with serious looks. "Good evening, sir." "What's going on here?" the officer asked in confusion. "D.B, the manager of the famous singer, Makoto, are doing some rehearsal." she told him. "Could you set up a temporary roadblock?" "A roadblock?" he raised his eyebrow. "Why do we need a roadblock for?" That is when Makoto spoke up. "One of our larger animatronics was malfunctioning and got loose while we're doing the rehearsal. it's part of the performance. Our another animatronic and the Pretty Cure will recapture it and take care of the bridge." He saw Makoto and eyes widened in surprised. "A famous singer and a Pretty Cure working together? Sweet!" he grinned. "One roadblock, coming up!" with that, he reverse the car and left with Makoto and D.B bowed in goodbye. "Mine! Mine!" Filch still attacking them with their talons but both Heart and Diamond leaped up and gave her double punches, flinching her a bit. "Bee, the bridge is clear!" D.B. told her. "No more civilians now!" Makoto spoke. The bird spotted something shiny at Makoto's hair. It was her Cure Lovead. "Shiny!" she flew up and started to snatch the girl. "Makoto!/MakoPi!" The masked girl from the distance witnessed the incident as she rushed to help her. Bumblebee looked up and saw that Makoto has already been snatched. "Scrud...!" Filch must be interested with her Cure Lovead!" D.B pointed out. "If that thing took it away from her, she won't able to transform!" "Then, we'll have to get to them." Heart told them. Bumblebee nods as he com-link Grimlock. "Grimlock, we need you!" "Say it again. Slooooower." "Just get over here!" Grimlock didn't say anything and follows his order before ending the com-link. They all looked at the direction where Filch has took Makoto is. 

-Location: Clover Tower- Back with Makoto, she groggily opened her eyes and looked around. She appears to be at some high place or a tower. "This place..." what she see a full of treasure and scrap. "This is...not good." she still have Cure Lovead attach to her hair but she doesn't have Dabyi with her. She also doesn't want her Cure Lovead getting taken, so she put hers inside her pocket. This is gonna be a big problem to her. She tries to find a way to climb down on tower. As she looked over, her eyes widened when she found herself in a very high place, the Clover Tower. "This is totally not good... what should I do?" She sense something behind her. Turning around, she saw Filch was staring down at her. She backed away for a bit. "Not shiny!" she screeched. Makoto has to find a way to distract her. "Um, listen, I'm a collector too. Just like you." she lied. "You like shiny stuff, right? I know where there's a lot of shiny stuff." "Shiny?" The girl stand up and pointed to her right. "Straight out that way. Big old recycling planet." "Shiny." the bird glared at her. "Don't worry about me." she reassured her. "I'll take good care of your treasure while you're gone." she grinned nervously. It took a few seconds for the fugitive to think before screeching. "Shiny!" she flew off to the direction where Makoto just pointed. The girl sighed in relief. "That was a close one." but she still have to find a way to get out of this tower. "Sure wish Dabyi was here." Back with the team, Bumblebee went under the bridge to check on his team. "You two okay?" he helped them to stabilized the bridge. "Other than ignoring every disaster protocol ever written, we're great!" Strongarm replied. They just have to wait for Grimlock to appears. Finally, he has arrived. "Someone call about the bridge?" he grins. He walked forward and position his hands on the bridge, easily stabilizing it. "I can do this all day." "We don't have all day, team." Bumblebee told them. "Neither does Makoto." The cadet's optics widened in surprised. "What happened to her?" "The fugitive took her to her nest-davi!" Dabyi explained. "What?!" she gasped. "Then, we really don't have time to loose!" she transformed into her vehicle mode and drove off. Sideswipe raised his optical ridge. "Never seen her like this." "She was being protective-quel." Raquel inquired. Diamond told him. "After all, they both are pretty close." Both Bumblebee and Sideswipe transformed into their vehicle mode, letting their human partners in. "We'll be right back, Grim." Rosetta told her guardian. "Don't worry about me!" he grinned, before his human partner goes inside of Bumblebee and drove off. On the road, Strongarm was driving furiously, wanting to save her human partner. She remembers what she said to her. They helped me feel welcomed here, and now it's my turn to help you to feel welcome here. "I won't forget your words, Makoto." she mumbled to herself as she drove faster. The two other Autobots followed her behind. Makoto was waiting for them to rescue when she heard some revving sound. She looked down and saw her guardian was coming to her. And the other too! "It's Strongarm and the others! Hey!" she waved her hand to signalling them where she is. They spotted her as they stopped their tracks and transformed into their vehicle mode. Thankfully, there are no civilians around as the tower visit isn't always opened as it was planned to be a renovation. "Eh? She's at top of the Clover Tower?!" Diamond exclaimed. "That is like the highest tower in Oogai Town!" Heart pointed out. "It would make more sense since the fugitive doesn't want anyone to get on top of that tower." Rosetta explained. "It is pretty high up." "How did you know?" the red bot asked. "The Clover Town is Alice's property-de lance. She owns this tower." "...I wasn't expecting that." "Makoto, hold on-davi!" Dabyi shouted. "We're gonna get you down-davi!" Bumblebee com-link Grimlock. "Grimlock, how you holding up?" "Awesomely! I am literally holding up awesomely!" there was silence for a bit. "...slightly less awesomely now." "Race you to the top!" the yellow bot told them with a playful smirk before walking to the tower. Sideswipe plays along. "Write him up, Strongarm. Bee's cheating!" he followed. "Both of you are violating Section-" they both didn't listen to them and groaned in frustration. Dabyi, who was resting on her shoulder, looked at her. "There's no time for some rules-davi!" she told her. "But-!" "Makoto need your help up there-davi!" Heart overheard them and nods. "She didn't give up on you. You won't give up on her, won't you?" she gave her a confident smile. The cadet looked down at her with a shocked expression. She still remember the time she gave all the confident to her. "You're right, Mana. I'm not giving up on her!" she looked up where Makoto is and gave a serious expression. Without hesitation, she went and started to climb up the tower. "Woah there!" Sideswipe was in surprised when the cadet does that. Bumblebee just let out a smile. Sharuru looked up. "Big trouble-sharu! She's coming towards us-sharu!" They saw Filch swooping down towards them to strike them but Rosetta managed to stop her with her Rosetta Reflection to block it. Both Heart and Diamond leap into action as they both each grab her legs and flung her to the side. "Keep going, Strongarm!" Dabyi told her as the cadet nods. She continued to climb. It took for a few seconds for the bird to recover. She glared at them and spread out her talons to strike them again. "Incoming!" But to their surprised, the masked girl appears as she leaped up to the sky and give her a roundhouse kick on the head. The Con got hit by the face and it send flying to the other side, knocking her unconsciously. The team gasped as they all looked at the masked girl. "Who...who are you?" Bumblebee asked her, curiously. The masked girl looked back at her and didn't answer. She only smiled and nods before leaping down. "Wait!" he went to stop her. When he looked down, he realized that she already disappears from the alleyway. "Who was that?" Sideswipe also walked over, wondering who that girl is. Heart walked over until she saw a card on the ground, She picked it up and she noticed a writing on the card. "Hey, Bee, look at this." The two Autobots looked over and saw a writing on the card says, 'M.R -Masked Regis." "Masked Regis...?" Sideswipe raised his optical ridge. "It could be her name or something-sharu." Sharuru commented. Bumblebee stayed silent before speaking up. "But still, why did she help us? Is she on our side?" "Could be because she did knocked out the fugitive." the red bot point to Filch who was unconscious now. They then see Strongarm climbing down from the tower who already rescued Makoto and is carrying the stolen bridge beam in her arms. "MakoPi!" her team went to her. "Are you alright?" She nods. "I'm alright." she looked at Strongarm with a warm smile. "Thank you for not giving up on me." Her guardian looked at her in shocked but soon smile. "It was my pleasure." the lieutenant and the punk walked towards her. "Sir, I found this beam that Filch stole. Maybe we can put this back on the bridge." "Good idea." he nods, taking a beam from her. "You and Sideswipe carry Filch back to the mansion. I'll get this to Grimlock." Everyone obeyed his orders and go to work. Meanwhile, the masked girl was on top of another building, spying down at them. It looks like she's gonna be helping them out again. -Location: Yotsuba's mansion, Autobot base- Everyone has returned back home and Filch already been place in the stasis pod. Although Bumblebee was thinking about something. "Something's wrong, Bee?" her human partner asked. "Well, I've been thinking about this 'Masked Regis'." he replied. "Masked Regis?" both Grimlock and Fixit were confused. Alice nods. "She was this masked girl who helped us capturing the fugitive." "Why would she help us out?" "That's what we want to know." Rikka explained. "But she never told us. It's like she never talks." "That's weird..." "Hey, where did Strongarm go?" Sideswipe wondered. "She suddenly disappears after we came back." Makoto exactly knew where her guardian might be. "I'll go find her." she walked off. As usual, Strongarm was in the same spot, looking at the sunset. "Great work for today. You broke the protocol just to save me." she sat down beside her. "I realized that you, Bee, Grimlock and Fixit, even Sideswipe...you're my ties to Cybertron." she spoke up. "More than a rulebook." "Me? I'm your ties?" "Yeah, I mean, even when I'm in a bad mood, you are always there to comfort and I appreciated that." she went silent. "Thanks for not giving up on me." Makoto giggles. "It's fine. After all, you're more than my guardian. You're my friend too. And friend always look up for each other." she also went silent for a bit before speak up. "You feel welcome yet?" "Actually..." she began. "...I do. Thank you. Again." she smiled. Bumblebee was looking at them from the distance while hiding before letting out a smile with Dabyi resting on his shoulder. "It's looks like they really getting closer-davi." "They really do." "By the way, Makoto." Strongarm looked at her. "Do you mind if you sing me a song? I would like to hear your beautiful voice again." The girl blinked her eyes before smiling. "Sure." she took a deep breath before singing her song "Kokoro wo Komete". And that is the end of this chapter.

END OF CHAPTER 7

[popsicle-writing]

Doki Doki Pretty Cure: Robots in Disguise Chapter 5

Chapter 5: The Trouble in Oogai Town! We're Counting on You, Bumblebee!

-Location: Oogai Town, Yotsuba's Mansion-

The scene shows the monitor locating a stasis pod around Oogai Town.

"Now, this map shows where we've found stasis pods so far." Bumblebee pointed out.

"Hey, if you draw a line between the pod vocations-ovations-locations, it looks kinda like Megatron." Fixit grinned. "Here's that thing on his nose. Here's the-" the caretaker Mini-Con immediately stopped when Bumblebee gave him a weird look.

"The point is now we have an idea of where to search for more pods. The more pods we find, the better way to find the fugitives nearby to be recapture." as Bumblebee continue to explain, Sideswipe stick his finger into his mouth and moving it toward Strongarm's audio receptor. "In this criteria alone, there probably-"

He got interrupted when he heard a smashing noise. He turned around and saw Strongarm pinned the red bot down.

"And that, funny bot, is what happens when someone sticks his finger in my audio receptor." the cadet glared at him with an anger tone in her voice.

"For a rulebook with arms, you fight dirty." Sideswipe hissed at her. But Strongarm pinned him down more.

Grimlock just clapped his hands in enjoyment. "Do it again, Strongarm! Do it again!"

"Guys, please." Bumblebee then tries to separate the two bots. "I'm just trying to get us organized."

The two bots ignored him and began to argue again.

"You got lucky." Sideswipe snapped. "I was about to make a move."

"My foot is about to move you right back to Cybertron!" Strongarm growled at him.

"Enough!" Poor Bumblebee, couldn't take it anymore.

The two bots huffed and walks away from each other. The green bot just laughed and walked away as well.

Fixit then rolls to him. "Um, should I reschedule over map presentations to tomorrow?"

The yellow bot sighed. "My team never gave Optimus this much trouble." he mumbled. He then look at the sky. "Or even Mana. In fact, she's a great leader and a friend."

"Really, what's the secret?" Fixit questioned him.

Bumblebee just shrugged. "I'm not sure. I guess I could try asking him." he then walked away.

Grimlock was searching for his human partner to see what they're up to. He then heard some voices coming from the open window. He went over and saw the girls were watching some news.

"Whatcha watching?" he asked.

"Oh, Grim! We're just watching some news." Alice replied.

In the screen, he saw the girls in their Cures form were fighting and dodging some random Decepticon's attack.

"Hey! It's those time where we tried to capture that Buzzclaw!" he pointed out.

Mana nodded. "That's right."

The screen shows again of Sword giving a kick on the Con and making the blast to the stand of the billboard. The billboard was about to collapse as the crowds run away in fear. Suddenly, one of the child tripped and fall down as the billboard was about to fall on him but Rosetta arrived just in time and created Rosetta Reflection to block it. Heart then grabbed the child to safety. The child later got reunited with his parents.

The other crowds were happy to see Heart. "Pretty Cure!" some of them cheered.

"Thank you, Pretty Cure! You're the best!" a child praised her.

She smiled. "You're welcome. Always happy to help." she winked.

Grimlock just eyed on the screen. "Wow! You girls are pretty popular!" his words earning the giggled from the girls. Ever since the girls has revealed themselves as Pretty Cure to the public, they are no longer need to hide their secret identities. But the Autobots on the hand...

The reporter then ask Heart. "Why do you and your teammates love helping people so much, Cure Heart?"

Heart replied. "That's what Pretty Cure and leader do." she winks. Mana just giggled at her Cure self.

"That's impressive." Grimlock added. "Bumblebee, on the other hand, have problem to lead Strongarm and Sideswipe."

Mana frowned at that. "Must be hard for him."

"He must be stressful from all those two keep fighting." Alice pointed out.

"Sideswipe still hasn't change ever since we fight Steeljaw." Rikka sighed.

"Well, Strongarm can be a little strict to him." Makoto added with her friend sighing again.

"Well, I'm sure Bumblebee will find a way to keep those two organize." Mana reassured.

Suddenly, they heard a loud crashing sound. They rushed to see what the sound is. A bunch of scattered old paint can on the ground while Bumblebee just groaned in pain.

"Bumblebee, are you okay?" the girl asked him.

"Yeah...I'm fine." he replies back. Grimlock offered his hand to him to help him stand up and so he did.

"What were you doing-sharu?" the pink fairy questioned.

Bumblebee sighed. "You know when Optimus told us to stop doing something we stopped?"

The girls just look at each other and shrugged but Mana replies. "Yeah?"

"Because Optimus had this great commanding voice. It was like...ahem. Strongarm." he tries to imitate his mentor's voice. "Sideswipe. Grimlock. Pretty Cure. There is no time for this foolishness. We have a galaxy relying on us and a mission to complete."

There was an awkward silent for a bit until the bots tries to hold their laughter but failed miserably and burst them out. Bumblebee just sighed.

"Now, now. There's no reason to laugh at him." Mana told them. "He's trying his best as a leader."

"Oh. I'm so sorry, Mana, sir, but..." the cadet tries to spoke up between the laugh.

"That was the worst Starscream's imitation ever." the red bot pointed out, still laughing.

Bumblebee raised an eyebrow. "Starscream?" How is that Starscream's bad imitation?

Sideswipe wiped his tears away. "Oh yes. It was. It was terrible!" he just kept on laughing. The girls just sighed. Mana then saw Bumblebee was upset. She knew she had enough.

"You guys are so rude and selfish!" the girl's face turned serious and began to stomped away.

"Mana, wait-sharu!" Sharuru went after her.

They just stared at her in shocked even for Bumblebee as she storm away. The yellow bot never seen her so angry before.

"What did we do?" Grimlock was getting confused. Bumblebee sighed. "I'll go talk to her."

Bumblebee keep on walking to search for her and then saw her just sitting on the couch with a sad expression on her face.

"Hey, Mana." he called out. The girl looked up and saw her Autobot guardian. "Are you alright? You seem upset after you just..you know yelled at my  teammates. I never see you get so upset before."

Mana sighed. "I'm fine, Bumblebee. It's just they laughed at you when you try your best to become a leader."

"Heh, no big deal really." he casually replies.

"But...I care for your feeling." she stated and looking at the ground. "Even I get laughed once."

Bumblebee looked at her. "You have...?" receiving a nod from her.

"Though...I don't want to talk about it..." she sounded so depressed about the memory.

Her Autobot guardian stayed quiet. He doesn't want to ask her any further. He just sighed. "A-alright then..."

They both went silent, not saying anything when suddenly...

"Breaking news!" the reporter spoke up on the screen, grabbing the two's attention. "The hikers has found an usual object in the woods."

The two gasped when they saw something very familiar on the screen. Immediately, Bumblebee com-link the others. "This is Bumblebee, I need all of you to gather up at the living room now."

Later, they all gathered up in the living room and started to watch some news.

"This afternoon, this unidentified object has been sent to the Oogai Town History Museum." the reporter announced. "The scientists has done so many researched about it but nothing is avail. So, what is this mysterious object and where did it come from?"

When the news has ended, Sideswipe scoffed. "Why is everyone so bumped? The humans found a stasis pod for us, so let's walk in there and get it."

"Sideswipe, you can't reveal yourself to the crowds, remember?" Rikka sighed.

The cadet nodded at the girl's statement. "She has a point there."

"Still, we need that stasis pod before the humans release what's in it." Bumblebee pointed out.

"So, what should we do-lance?" Lance questioned. Dabyi coughed, grabbing everyone's attention. With that, she transformed herself into a human form, D.B. "Oh yeah, I forgot about that-lance..."

"But how do we get that pod?" Makoto spoke up.

"Well, I can pretend to be some guidance tour for the girls once we're inside and we opened the back door for you all to get the pod." D.B. explained.

Bumblebee thought for a moment. "Sound reasonable. But first, we need find a tarp for Grimlock to cover the town." he and his team walked away.

"Alright, girls. We'll try our best to help Bumblebee and the Autobots to get the pod." Mana told her teammates. "But try not to get their cover blown." receiving a nod from them.

"We'll get that pod in no time." D.B. hollered.

-Location: Oogai Town History Museum-

When they have arrived at the museum, D.B. told the museum guidances that she is a tour guidance to the girls. The museum guidances then nodded in approval and let them enter. The girls looked at each other and began to followed D.B.

Behind the museum, Bumblebee and his team has arrived at the back door. Bumblebee and Sideswipe transformed into their robots mode.

"You're really gonna appreciate this Earth museum." Bumblebee told them. "Ah, I learned some fascinating stuffs when I was-"

He soon got interrupted by Grimlock, who came out from hiding under the tarp. "Finally, I think I smell like Fixit's trail grease."

He flung the tarp away which landed on Strongarm. She then transformed into her robot mode and start struggling to get this tarp off her.

"Somebody help me with this!" she cried. "Eww..."

Sideswipe then laughed. "Classic!" and he kept on laughing. Strongarm then trapped him inside the tarp as well as they both struggled to get this thing off.

Bumblebee sighed as he rolled his optics before went over them and lift up the tarp. "Really?"

They soon heard the back door is opened and saw the girls, waiting for them.

"Sorry for keeping you all waiting." Alice spoke up. She then rushed to the alarm switch and switched it on, creating an alarm sounds. The crowds who's in the building started to panic a bit and left the building. After the crowds has left, the girl signaling them to come in. "All clear."

They went inside and started to look for the fugitives. But the bots decided to wandered a bit. That's where they saw some statues of men riding some horses

"What are these statues of human being so happy about?" Grimlock asked.

"Well..." Mana began. "They're cowboys!"

Bumblebee nodded. "They are independent, carefree adventure seekers who transported groups of equines and bovine mammals across this continent western region before it was settled it. It was an exciting time!"

Alice looked up at him and smiled. "You sure know a lot."

Sideswipe then began to yawned. "This is getting boring. Let's go find a stasis pod." the three bots then began to walk away.

"Stop!" Bumblebee orders while imitating in Optimus' voice. They stopped their tracks. He then bent down and whispered to Mana in a normal voice. "Yeah, I think what I did wrong before. I was just doing Optimus' voice, not his body language."

"Bumblebee, I don't think..." she was cut off when Bumblebee walked up to his team.

"By dividing our search efforts..." he spoke up again with Optimus' voice...and his body language. "We will be more efficient..."

While Bumblebee doing the Optimus' gestures, the girls just blinked their eyes while Sharuru just facepalmed.

"Each of you shall choose a..." but right after that, his team just transformed and drive off. Well, that went well...

"There they go again-quel." Raquel sighed.

Bumblebee sighed as well and looked at the girls. "Come on, let's go find that stasis pod." he told them.

The girls nodded as Mana ordered them to split up and adviced them to be careful and they split up. Rikka with Raquel, were walking down the hallways, looking left and right for the stasis pod.

"There it is-quel!" Raquel pointed out.

The two turn on their left and a saw giant stasis pod. "Should we call the others-quel?"

"We should but we have to make sure if this pod contain any fugitive first." the girl told him. As they walked towards the pod, the lid of the pod suddenly burst open and almost hit Rikka and Raquel. After they recover, they saw a giant buffalo-like Decepticon staring down at them.

"What are you?" the Con asked the girl.

"Uh..." they both lost at words.

The fugitive then looked around. "What is this place? Last time I remember, my boss contrail me to smash the stabilizer out who cross him. Then, I woke up in the tiny box!" he let out a huge roar and went to smash his own stasis pod.

While distracted, Raquel then whispered to the girl. "Rikka, it's time to transform-quel."

The Con growled. "No one put Terrashock in a tiny box!" his vision then started to get blurry. "The world's are closing in. It's hard to breathe. I gotta get out. Gotta find contrail!" with that he charged at the wall, breaking it. And then he got slams himself into the wall. He then recover himself from the crash. "Ugh, which is the way out?"

"Well, you could stay here and we can get some help-"

"Rikka?" Sideswipe's voice called out. "Is that you?"

Terrashock then turned and glare at him. "Hey. Are you that bot that contrails that should be the wise up?"

Sideswipe flinched. "Uh...probably not...?"

"Of course you gonna say that! Who do you think I am stupid?" he exclaimed.

"Is that...a trick question...?" Sideswipe asked, a bit confused and scared.

"Sideswipe, run!" Rikka alerted him. But it was too late! Terrashock already rammed up to him and knock him into the wall. The Con then runs off. "Are you okay?!" she rushed towards him.

"I'm fine!" he replied.

"I am getting out of there and I'll smash anybot that gets in my way!" the con said.

"We won't let you do that!" Rikka told him.

"We'll see about that, midget!" with that, he runs off.

"Now, what do we do?" the girl questioned her Autobot guardian.

The red bot stands up. "We get in his way! Come on!" Sideswipe then transformed into his vehicle mode and let Rikka in and drove off where the others were. After they arrived at their team, Alice was the first one to spoke up.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"We saw a stasis pod and the fugitive has break out and runs off!" Rikka explained.

"He's a buffalo-quel!" Raquel pointed out.

"And big head with small brain." Sideswipe added.

Bumblebee then com-link Fixit. "Fixit, have you been hearing this? Can you give us an ID?"

"Yes, sir." Fixit replied. "From the description particularly the small brain part..." he then opened his Alchemor database to find some matching ID that Raquel and Sideswipe described. "It sounds like Terrashock. A Buffaloid considered the most brutal enforcer on Cybertron."

"That's what was in the pod?" Bumblebee sighed. "Great...once a Buffaloid gets moving it's nearly impossible to stop."

"Don't worry, Bumblebee. We'll get that Buffaloid before it does anything bad happen." Mana reassured him.

"And we'll find Terrashock back in the flash! Come on, Rikka!" the red bot then started walk away when...

"Team!" Bumblebee was doing that Optimus' voice. Again? "Listen to me. This is Bumblebee. Your team leader. If you find the fugitive, do not engage him. Instead, summon your teammates and bring the Decepticon to the museum's entrance grand hall where we can attack it together!"

"Right..." Sideswipe then transformed into his vehicle mode again and let Rikka in and drove off. Bumblebee then bent down to Mana again.

"See? I realized I wasn't adding the inspirational team stuff like Optimus would add so..." he chuckles.

Mana sighed. "Bumblebee, that's now how it works..."

"What are you talking about? Come on, let's get to the museum entrance." he then walked off with Mana sighing again and followed him.

Sword and Strongarm were walking around the museum when they heard a growl. They immediately hide behind the wall, and take a peek. At the other side, they saw the Decepticon fugitive, Terrashock, who was talking to an animatronic buffalo.

The Con was in rage. "Nobody stealing my job!" and he began to pound and smashing the animatronic buffalo.

"And we'll add a 1305 destruction of private property to your list of crimes." Strongarm then point her gun at him. "You're under arrest, Decepticon!"

She tries to shoot him but it got no effect. The Con started to get closer to her and she got lift at the air before landing on the ground.

"Strongarm!" Sword went to her guardian. She began to use her Holy Sword at him but still no effect and grabbed her left and flung her where Strongarm.

The cadet then notices her and quickly catches her in time. "Thanks."

They noticed that the Buffaloid is gone.

"Come on, we have to stop him!" Strongarm told her.

Meanwhile, Grimlock and Rosetta somehow got a track where Terrashock is. He was in the space convension area.

"I got this." the Dinobot then grabbed the Dinobot's attention. "Need some help?" he then charged at him as well the Con. The two headbutted each other but Grimlock got dizzy and got knocked out on the ground. Terrashock once again walk away.

"Grimlock!" Rosetta yelled in worry.

Sideswipe and Diamond also know where the Con is. He was in the illustration room where the screen's view of the lake is just a illusion.

"Now, it's our chance to get the bad guy!" Sideswipe then runs in.

"Sideswipe, wait!" Rikka tries to stop him.

However, Sideswipe managed to grab onto on his horn and began to ride on him. Terrashock struggled to get him off him.

Diamond rushed to help him. She used her Twinkle Diamond at the Con. But, the Con somehow dodge it and hit the floor instead, making the floor a bit slippery.

The Buffaloid lose his balance and slamming Sideswipe into the wall...again. But the wall has a button on so Sideswipe's head crashed on it. The view began to changed into a thunderstorm as the Con was in raging fear. With that, he run off through the wall.

Diamond then went to the red bot. "Sideswipe, you are so careless!"

"Ugh...whatever. Where did that Buffaloid go?!"

"He escaped-quel!" Sideswipe just sighed. "Scrap..."

Back with Bumblebee and Mana...

"Anyone see the rest of the team?" Bumblebee looked around.

"Maybe your team is just not into your whole communally like Optimus' plan, Bumblebee." Mana pointed out. She really wished Bumblebee would understand how leadership work.

He sighed. "I don't know what else I can-" he got interrupted by a grunt. They look and saw Terrashock. The Con stared but not at them but at the door.

"Finally." he spoke up.

Bumblebee then walked forward. "It's just me, then."

"Bumblebee, wait!"

The yellow bot then pulled out his gun. "End of the line, Decepticon!"

The Con growled and charged at him. He was about to collided with him but...

"Pretty Cure, Love Link!"

With a pink flashing light, Heart then use her leg to kick him in the stomach and making him blast to the door.

"He's getting away-sharu!" they saw him transform into vehicle mode and drove off. They then walked outside but the bot stopped! He got spotted by a ton of crowds.

"Scrap..." he mutters to himself.

"Um..." Heart began to spoke up. "It's alright. Me and my teammates were helping the museum with some new animatronics." she then gestures to Bumblebee to act like a robot. "Hey, what's the density of Mercury?"

Bumblebee understood what Heart said and began to act like one. "The density of mercury is...bzzz...error." he then just walked back inside.

"Sorry, we're still working out the bugs." Heart explained more.

"I didn't know Pretty Cure work in the museum." one of the crowds spoke out.

"That's what Pretty Cure do. Help others in need." she smiled. "I'll see you all tomorrow for the museum to re-opened." with that, Heart went back inside.

Once she went inside, she sighed in relieved.

"That's what a great plan-sharu!" Sharuru compliment her. Heart smiled. "Thank you, Sharuru."

Bumblebee then com-link the others. "Strongarm, Sideswipe, Grimlock, this is Bumblebee. The Con's loose in the city. I'm heading to the loading docks now. Bumblebee's out."

"We have to get there before the Con destroys the town-sharu." the fairy told her partner. Heart nods. "Bumblebee, let's-huh?"

She looks and saw her guardian just staring at the door, as he is talking to himself. "It's about my team...I'm not doing a very good job at leading them, Optimus. No matter how much I try to be like you..."

The girl just stared at him. "Bumblebee..."

The yellow bot then sighed and walked away. "He said that I'm not him. Maybe he's right. I'm not him but how can I lead my team without messing everything up?"

Heart smiled and went to him. "Bumblebee. You don't need to be like Optimus to lead them."

"I know that, Mana...but, you're the leader of your own teammates! You're good at leading them!" he sighed.

"You can't compare others' leadership, Bumblebee. Everyone has their own leadership."

"Then, what should I do to lead them?" he got a bit stressed.

"All you have to do is be yourself. Follow your heart...or rather your spark. If you do that, I'm sure you'll find the way to understand the meaning of leadership."

Bumblebee was shocked at Heart's word. He then looked the display of the cowboys where they just begun. The bot's optics widened. He finally understood the meaning of leadership!

He then looked back at Heart. "Come on, let's go outside."

Outside, Strongarm, Sideswipe, Grimlock and their human partners were lost when they got defeated by the Buffaloid.

"That thing has a really hard head." Grimlock spoke up.

They saw Bumblebee and Heart walked out from the building. "We're going after Terrashock. Together." the yellow bot told his team.

"Do you have a plan, sir?" the cadet asked him.

The bot stopped his tracks. "If no one's giving a Buffaloid orders, it feels lost and alone." Bumblebee began.

"But if someone steers the buffaloid..." Heart continued.

"The Buffaloid will go where you tell it to!" Diamond finished.

"Maybe even right into a stasis pod." Sword pointed out.

Rosetta smiled. "My, that's a brilliant plan." the bots just nodded in agreement.

"Even better than that. It'll be fun. Let's roll out!" he then looked down at Heart and smiled. Heart looked back at him and does the same.

They all transformed and let their partners in and drives away.

-Location: At the other side of Oogai Town road-

They made at the road and they saw Terrashock up above.

"But, sir! Our cover?" Strongarm asked her lieutenant.

"Forget that!" he spoke up. "We'll deal with that after we get Terrashock. Now, do what I do!" he then revved up and started to imitate the cowboy's sounds.

The others followed too. Bumblebee hit the Con, forcing him to transform into his Buffaloid form. The yellow vehicle keeps hitting him again until he runs to another side of the road.

Bumblebee followed him again. Though, Heart then had an idea. "Bumblebee, get me near to that Buffaloid! I have a plan."

Her guardian then spoke up in shock. "What?! What are you trying to do? It's too dangerous!"

"Don't worry. I've been a lot dangerous situation. That's what Pretty Cure do!" she told him.

Bumblebee paused for a bit until he drive near to the Buffaloid. She climbed out to the window and began to grabbed onto on the Con's head.

"Hey! What are you doing?!" he growled. "Get off!"

He struggled to get Heart off from him but the Cure won't let go. Heart then tried to brace herself and she even began to mimicks the cowboy's sounds. Her teammates saw her and began to cheer at her. The crowds who were walking at the side of the road saw her as well and cheered.

Sideswipe and Strongarm then ram into the Con while Grimlock use his tail to hit him in the back. Rosetta then saw the construction site ahead them.

"If he hits that scaffolding up ahead, that whole overpass might come down!" she alerted.

"We're too close. There's no time!" Strongarm added.

Heart then look at the yellow car. "Bumblebee!"

"I'm on it!" he then drives in front of the Buffaloid and opened both of his door before hitting the breaks, making the Con collided to it with Heart jumped off from him and he fall to another direction.

The Dinobot then jumps onto the Con. "Cannonball!" and landed on him, knocking him out cold.

Heart has landed safely on the ground. The crowds around him began to clapped and cheered. "That was amazing!" Heart smiled and waved at them.

"But their cover-lance!" Lance panicked.

"I got this." Rosetta then speak into Strongarm's speaker. "I hope you all love it. We were doing some car stunt for the upcoming festival. Don't forget to miss it!"

The team were satisfied after the capture of another fugitives. They soon drove their way to the mansion.

"So, what would the cowboys do after a successful mission?" Grimlock asked Bumblebee.

"Just what we're doing, Grimlock." Bumblebee began.

"Riding off into the sunset." Mana continued and that they both ended with "Together."

He then spoke to Mana. "Mana." grabbing her attention. "Thanks for the advice back there. Now, I know the meaning of leadership. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't able to lead my own team."

The girl smiled. "You don't need to thank me, Bumblebee. That's what Pretty Cure do. And friends."

"You're really inspiring, you know that?" the girl nods.

The team were drifting on the lone road with them cheering loudly as the sun began to set. It was indeed a successful day for them with Bumblebee knowing how to lead his team thanks to his human partner. Soon, they'll capture more fugitives in no time. Somehow.

END OF CHAPTER 5