text

[knaval]

how do u look after
ants
i got a glass farm thing but what do i do now
do they eat "tuna"?

Comments

[knaval]

thats wahat i said "m a g i c"
science
their in my room
on nomo deck
its the one with the hole in the wall and no door

[hyperkinesia]

[ He's not going to answer because it's just going to spiral into a conversation about how magic's just a kind of science and no, that's not what Bruce is talking about here. ANYWAY. ANTS. ]

Figure that was the only way you could come inside? [ He's cracking a joke, but... ]
Are you around there now?

[knaval]

[smart man.]

no we tried to make an xbox and it exploded
yes

[hyperkinesia]

[ Is he serious? No alright, he'll ask later. ]

I'll be there in ten.

[ And ten minutes later, there he is, poking his head through the hole in the wall. ] Hi?

[knaval]

[riptide waves at bruce, having been sat cross legged on his bed.]

Helloooo. Don't mind the mess, my cleaning droid is, uh. He got adopted.

[hyperkinesia]

[ Bruce steps into the room with a smile, not looking particularly bothered by the mess. ]

It's fine, I've seen worse. [ He's lived in worse, actually. ] You're still rooming with someone else?

[knaval]

Yeah, Sideswipe. He's not around right now.

[he shrugs.]

I think he's on that party planet or whatever. [riptide actually gets up, seeing as expecting bruce to climb up onto a robot sized desk is a little unfair.] How've you been?

[hyperkinesia]

I'm alright. Been enjoying the party planet myself. [ It's not often they get to visit a nice place like this. And it's probably naïve of Bruce to think so, but he's kind of hoping they won't screw up this one. ]

You're not thinking of going down there? It's actually pretty nice.

[knaval]

I've been down! I'll be going down again.

[he grins.] They have too much for me not to go! Alcohol! Vaping! Video games! Recreational adult stuff!

[anyway.]

I can pick you up onto the desk. Are you gonna be okay with that? I don't want to just grab you.

[hyperkinesia]

Really? I didn't know you guys could even process that kind of stuff.

[ Because they're kind of big and mechanical and Bruce's pretty sure he's seen some kind of fuel at the cargo bay specific for them, but what does he know. ]

That's fine, yes. Just— lean down and I'll climb onto your hand. [ Better than just grabbing him, which might not end well depending on how rough Riptide would be about it. ]

[knaval]

Oh, yeah. It's all basically different types of energon, so.

[he shrugs and crouches down, holding out a hand.]

[hyperkinesia]

[ Bruce pauses his thoughts for a moment to climb up on that hand, holding onto a finger for balance. Once Riptide lifts him up to the desk, he steps down, finally posing the question in his head. It's just him trying to be funny, really. ]

So does that make us all some kind of Cybertronians?

[knaval]

No.

[NO FUN ALLOWED but really cybertronians kinda suck.]

Are they in there properly?

[hyperkinesia]

[ BOO FINE guess he'll just be a regular human, then. Well. Not really regular. Anyway.

Bruce turns to look at the ants. ] They seem alright. Have you been giving them food and water every day?

[knaval]

I was just putting some random stuff in there from the cafeteria. I mean, it hasn't killed them so it must be okay?

[hyperkinesia]

Generally, you should be fine. Ants will eat just about anything that we do, and even some things that we don't. Honey, fruit, meat, even other ants or insects. So you should be fine if you give them tuna, for instance, though you don't have to go for something so specific.

[ He tilts his head. ] I mean, I'd skip on the coffee if I were you. And water's a fundamental source of hydration.

[knaval]

Water and anything except coffee. Got it. Miller even came by to check they wouldn't be sexing all the time so I think I've pretty much got it, right?

[he crouches down looking at the farm.]

...I mean, thinks are prone to exploding around Cybertronians, so I'll probably move them, but at least they won't die. Unless they get exploded.

[hyperkinesia]

Well, ants don't really tend to mate. You must have a queen ant in here who lays eggs but even she doesn't need to mate to reproduce.

[ Look Riptide do you really want Bruce telling you all about the weird reproduction habits of ants because he will. ]

I'm sure they won't explode either. [ Unless someone explodes them, yes. ] But I can help you find a safer place for them, if you're worried about that.

[knaval]

That's gross. No offence but that's so gross.

[why can't organics just sprout out the ground or whatever like NORMAL THINGS]

Yeah, exactly. Could they stay in your lab? Or would that be even worse? If you and Tony really are a Brainstorm-Perceptor type deal, I'm kind of expecting crazy slag like extinguishing suns and quantim-whatevers to power ennui-guns.

[hyperkinesia]

What? Laying eggs or mating?

[ But really, either way Bruce is amused. LIKE SPROUTING OUT OF THE GROUND IS NORMAL, THEY'RE NOT PLANTS. ]

The lab is safe, don't worry. Tony's more prone to scientific adventures but I know better than to let him go too wild while on board. [ He very much likes not floating in outer space, and that kind of involves ensuring there won't be any risk to the ship's integrity. Which of course translates into keeping Tony in check. ]

[knaval]

Both! Oh, my god! Both!

[maybe they can reach a compromise. eggs that sprout out the ground.]

Thank god we've got you around, mate. I mean, unless Brainstorm shows up. Then we're pretty much buggered.

[hyperkinesia]

[ They've got plenty of those too. Turtles, snakes, other reptiles. If Riptide wants to he can get one of those as a pet too.

Bruce has to actually laugh at that reaction, although it's quiet and well-meant. Just one of those things that's different between them, he figures. ]

So Brainstorm's that much of a headache, huh? [ Ha ha. Pun so very much intended. ] You guys have some pretty badass names, by the way.

[knaval]

He is, really. Time travel shenanigans happened because of him! Sad stuff, wanted to save someone he was in love with before the war. Turns out the poor guy died so naturally Brainstorm tried to change the fabric of reality itself. Or something.

[gay robot space opera, that's what riptide's live is. one he loves gossiping about.]

Thanks. I don't really understand human names. Bruce. What's that mean?

[hyperkinesia]

That's a little sad. [ Mostly. It's also a little worrying. ] Kind of difficult to blame a guy for trying to save someone they love.

[ And Bruce would know— all too well, even. ]

Our names don't always mean something. Some are based on words with special meaning, but mine isn't. It's speculated that it's based on a place called Brix, but no way of knowing for sure.

[knaval]

Yeah. I feel bad for Rewind, Chromedome's not here. I guess at least Cyclonus and Tailgate have each other...

[he shakes his head.]

And mine's just a thing water does. I guess we're in the same... boat.

[FINGERGUNS. then he leans in and whispers:] I turn into a boat, if you didn't know. Not much opportunity to use it.