[OPEN] You got your reasons...

[redcosmedic]

WHO: Knock Out & OPEN
WHERE: Assorted Porter Cities
WHEN: Throughout March
WHAT: Various; see starters, all prompts open unless otherwise specified
WARNINGS: TBA if needed


I. JEOPARDY - Hangar Workspace;

Knock Out had returned from The City with full recollection of everything that had happened there: the government crackdown, the Meta resistance, the six years of captivity and subsequent escape from. While he politely but firmly declined to talk about what went on there with anyone, that didn't mean he hadn't been thinking about it — realizing just how few steps away from the dystopic oppression by that government was to the current one that held their reins. Elements that he'd tolerated obligingly since he'd become an imPort (the Registration tattoo, the invasive nanites, the energon distribution) suddenly all rankled in ways that churned away in the back of his processor.

But he also came back from the City with six years worth of inventions and technology development. And while he didn't want to instigate anything in the lines of imPort hunting the ways Metas had been, given the propensity of chaotic happenings that cropped up week to week in the Porter cities, some of them were bound to be useful in the right hands.

Knock Out was planning to pay very close attention to whose hands those were. But first, he needed to actually make the tools.

At the industrial end of Jeopardy, the medic can be found outside his converted hangar while field testing a modified prototype of the pulse blaster — a very familiar sight to many who experienced the City anomaly. Either as enforcers who would have wielded one, or by resistance members who may have been on the unfortunate receiving end of one. Whatever the case, Knock Out seems less than pleased with the results, muttering to himself.

"Strange... I didn't have this kind of co-harmonic feedback last time..."

II. ANY CITY - Street Racing;

With memories of the City anomaly still fresh in his processor and how cooped up he'd been under that government's heel, while cruising through any of the Porter cities in alt mode, Knock Out takes whatever opportunity he can to indulge in some street racing. Some recognize who he is — the dark tint of his windows makes it hard to tell there's no driver — but others have no idea whom they're racing.

Sometimes it's just a quick, reckless street match-up with some revving upstart off a red light to the next quarter mile that leaves pedestrians shouting after him in aggravation. Sometimes it's more structured on road tracks with proper start and finish lines and lots of onlookers posted at all the thrilling twists and turns of the course. He wins more than his fair share of both kinds, which always puts him in a good mood.

Either way, Knock Out might be found reverting to root mode afterward, either graciously accepting congratulations or scoffing at the less-courteous sore losers. "Oh please, 460 foot pounds of torque under that hood and yet you were off the line like a station wagon."

III. MAURTIA FALLS - Aegis Headquarters;

While he hadn't formally joined Aegis as a regular member yet, Knock Out had been told that he was welcome at its headquarters to begin familiarizing himself with the layout, the on-site facilities, and most importantly, get to know his new teammates. Helix Station is generously sized enough that he doesn't have any real trouble moving around the ground floor — though he hasn't yet attempted anything on the second — with the exception of allowing for easier entrance for him via the vehicle bay.

Knock Out can be found poking around the infirmary and research lab, looking quite pleased by what he finds, or at the armory to see what stock they have and what they might need. While he told Darin he wasn't adverse to patrols when the need arose, the best advantage he can bring to Aegis Force is in the tech he can supply. (The ironic parallel to his stint in the City doesn't escape him.)

Finally, he checks out the back half of the ground floor where the training and sparring areas are located, as well as the firing range and Danger Room. He seems especially interested in the holographic technology of the Danger Room, calling up various static constructs and comparing it to his own hard light hologram capabilities.

IV. WILDCARD;

Anything that doesn't fit the above starters, or hit me up at sojourney and I'll write you something specific!

Comments

HEROPA PARK - closed to Jane Foster;

[redcosmedic]

Knock Out is pleased when Jane contacts him to set up another afternoon in Heropa Park to continue their learning discussions. As a fellow scientist, the alacrity to which she had taken to learning about his species and their history, coupled with her mindfulness of treading the more rocky topics, was very appreciated. He liked being able to talk about such things with an intelligent conversation partner, for all that it sometimes caused flashes of pain to describe the scale of just how much had been lost. But Jane's delight in learning, always plain to see, helped with that.

He drove to the same park in Heropa where they'd met before. Seeing that she was already present, he had barely rolled to a stop before expanding back to bipedal mode, crossing the grass to their preferred bench with a familiar greeting. "Good afternoon."

[bifroster]

Jane was happy when he agreed to meet at the park as well. The different way Knock Out viewed and interacted with the world was always interesting to hear and learn more about, even if some of the topics became sensitive and personal. She did her best to be tactful when they got to those waters and was glad he had yet to hang up on her. It was wonderful that he was so willing to share, within reason.

"Afternoon!" she greeted. "I don't think I've seen your other form before now!"

And wow, that was a smooth transition.

[redcosmedic]

Knock Out was surprised; he hadn't realized that she'd never seen his alternate mode properly before. "It took me a while to settle on a good model to scan," he replied. "I went through three or four different options. I almost went with the Maserati which was also very nice stylistically, but it was heavier with significantly less engine torque, not worth the trade off."

[bifroster]

It must have both slipped their minds, even though she knew he was capable of changing shapes. That had come up in their conversations, but she didn't know he could choose the form as well.

"Their cars never are," she agreed. "This is my own bias, but I would have gone with something like a jeep. They have their engine problems, but sometimes, they come out of a fight with a cliff and win."

[redcosmedic]

"I think my t-cog would go on strike if I had to scan something as pedestrian as a Jeep," Knock Out mutters, pulling an impressively appalled expression at the very idea. "And the base construction on one's far enough off my natural alt that it'd be uncomfortable without a partial reformat -- I don't have a truck based frame."

[bifroster]

Pedestrian. Oh, goodness. Jane can't help but laugh. "If my Jeep were sentient, they would be horribly offended. But I get it. You like what you like, and you're built what you're built for."

[redcosmedic]

Look, when you can turn into a vehicle, it makes sense to be snooty about vehicles. Knock Out's never denied having extravagant tastes.

"It's enough that I put up with mockery from the higher-ups for not taking getting a full frame reformat so I could take a flight alt," he grimaces, settling down into a seated position next to her bench. "Half of them forget I'm not Cybertronian by origin and the other half doesn't care. Taking wheels away from a Velocitronian... might as well just empurata me and be done with it."

At the lab

[biochemastery]

[There's a visitor at Knock Out's lab today-- It's a balloon. Several black balloons, strapped together. With a red little eye mounted beneath it. It appears to be holding something, wrapped up in a knot of tendril-like cables.

It examines Knock Out for a moment, before a hologram sputters to life from one of its hodgepodge of parts. It's Tyl--who else would it be?]

--hard can it be to get a third dimension out of these things? Really! This planet keeps trying to trap me in flat video like some primitive.

Wait. It's working! Perfect! Hello, Knock Out. Been a while.

[redcosmedic]

Well, that was not what he was expecting on his doorstep. When the hologram flickers to life, Knock Out gives it an appraising view. "Hello Tyl," he returns the greeting. "It has been. I see you've been keeping busy?"

[biochemastery]

"Completely. Would be there in person, but," he waves a hand vaguely, "Things to do, equipment to make--because this planet is horrible and couldn't manage a proper microfabricator if its collective life depended on it." Is he sour about that? Oh yes, he definitely is.

And now he's up and pacing, whatever he's recording on having to follow him.

Been thinking--Look. You're gorgeous, and you're too much for this planet to handle. They make everything so small here! Case in point--he has to bend down low and turn his shoulders to squeeze under a doorway as he keeps walking.

[redcosmedic]

Tyl's usual over the top candor is -- as always -- a most refreshing change of pace, and Knock Out laughs. Which turns into an unabashed preen when he's complimented.

"You set up all of this to ply me with flattery?" he asks the hologram archly. "Or should I be expecting a request for a favour next?"

[biochemastery]

"No, but if it works, I won't protest." He's just naturally effusive in every direction! His speech, his emotions, his occasional smashing of breakables, and everything in between!

"I was just thinking--this planet's not made for me. Not for you, either. That's what I made these two little helpers for." There's only one immediately visible, and that's the wobbly little drone he's speaking through. "They're prototypes, works in progress, trying to get my hands on proper polymers but--No! No. Schedule some time to rant about that later."

[redcosmedic]

"Don't be silly, you'll just protest about something else instead," Knock Out needled goodnaturedly.

Spying only one drone, he adds, "Two? Did one get lost on the way over?"

[biochemastery]

"Oh, yes--Diriga! Drop it." The tangle of cords beneath the floating drone unfurls, and a ball no more than ten centimeters across thunks unceremoniously to the ground and rolls to a stop.

"Anyway. The floating one's a Diriga. Got a good eye for detail, moves quiet, what you do with the weapon mount is your own business. And who doesn't need a few more grasping tentacles in their lives?" A delicate little claw hanging beneath the robot taps its tips together for emphasis.

road tracks (w/lillie if that's ok!)

[moonlitpath]

"Knock Out! Hey!"

And here comes a pint-size ball of sunshine now the race is over and winners congratulated. There's a bounce to her step that's not wholly from the adrenaline high of watching and cheering a race on. Most of it is, but given the large soft drink in one hand, it's clear there's also sugar high involved.

She's not alone either, as her other hand is tugging a blonde her age along behind her. She hadn't planned to spend the day as the races with Lillie, but she's also not once to pass up watching a race given the chance.

Which ended up a day at the races.

"Hi! This is Lillie. We watched the races and if I'd known you were racing, I'd have dragged her brother too."

Well, tried to, but whatever.

"Anyway, that last turn was something else! Did you see the flip of that guy after? He tried to copy how you took that apex of that bend and he couldn't-" there's a small nicker here. "-and the way you came out from behind the leader and just overtook them- That was awesome."

Someone interrupt her or she will yammer about this for hours.

(Guess who lost this in their tabs!! Sorry about that)

[walkontwolegs]

Lillie followed behind Mizuki, stumbling a little as she went. She'd never thought a race of motors could be quite like that. She had seen pokemon races (mostly on TV) but this was something else entirely.

The dust kicked up by the wheels, the loud engines roaring, the crowd cheering as the cars made their way along the 'track' with great speed. The way Kockout had woven himself between the various cars on the road with such ease, without ever really slowing down... Well, her heart was pumping fast even now.

It was in a half-dazed, completely amazed state that she came to stand beside Mizuki, staring up at the Cybertronian.

The normally polite child couldn't help herself, not even having registered that Mizuki was talking.

"Is it scary to move so fast?"

no worries!

[redcosmedic]

Knock Out, for his part, would have been perfectly content to let Mizuki exuberantly expound on just how great his moves in the race had been. He'd have soaked up the praise like a dry chamois absorbing water spots off his flawless finish. But Mizuki was dragging along an equally small blonde human with her, both of them barely taller than his heel joint so that both of them had to crane their necks upward.

"I was a last minute addition," he replied to Mizuki, in regards to them not knowing he was racing. "I only heard about it a few hours ago."

At Lillie's question, he shakes his head. "Scary? No... but thrilling, absolutely. Even if the speeds here are limited by Earth-based designs, there are competent enough drivers here to make the contest worthwhile."

/Arrives late with cold tea :(

[moonlitpath]

Welcome to the world of racing, Lillie. It is Awesome and on par with the Awesome of an excellent pokemon battle.

"Oooh!" She nods. That does happen, and it's not like she'll ever protest him being a late edition to any race. He's like, her Number One Favourite Racer in Forever.

There is a small giggle at Lillie's question as she chimes in: "It's kinda like being on a rapidash, but better." There's an impish grin. "When I can drive, I'm going be a racer too and I'm gonna go faster than everyone!"

It's a good thing this is four years off at least. Wait- "Um. I can do that and be Alolan Champion, right?

The Most Important Question.

III

[h2no]

Despite having all but quit the team, Archie still drops by Helix sometimes. He has some dregs of work leftover, likes to visit the ones still there. It's a nice familiar space and he knows he's probably not ever going to be unwelcome, so... you know. He drops by every now and then!

It... hasn't really been the same since Jacob left, but they're doing their best.

He's in the infirmary when Knock Out enters; not needing to be seen to himself (for once), rather just checking to see if he can't offer some help with his healing powers before he heads off home.

Archie turns, and there's a giant red robot.

"Arceus fuckin' above! Knock Out!"

[redcosmedic]

"Hello Archie," Knock Out greets warmly upon seeing the man. They hadn't run into one another since that day in De Chima, and perhaps Knock Out just wasn't looking in the right spots, but he didn't often see Archie on the network either.

"How have you been?"

[h2no]

To be fair, he doesn't much use the network anymore these days-- he's found his little corner of imPorts to sit with, he has a relatively stable routine again. He's just working the days away, trying not to think about anything beyond the surface. Average imPort life, honestly. Knock Out can probably relate.

"Alright," he says, both as an answer and a greeting. "Glad t'see you, uh... settlin' in? I hope that's what this is."

[redcosmedic]

"Yes, just getting used to the place," Knock Out assured him. "Some months ago, Darin encouraged me to look into joining Aegis. He seems to think it will be a good fit for me. With everything that's been going on lately, I haven't had much chance to do much with the invitation, but Commander Williams said I was welcome to come check this place out."

[h2no]

"Huh. Didn't know you knew Darin. Woulda guessed Finn if I had to guess anyone recommending you join. Healsquad, an' all that."

It's a nice place. Jacob did good on it.

"How're you findin' it so far?"

sorry for the delay!

[redcosmedic]

"I don't know Finn that well," Knock Out said apologetically. Their Healsquad had not developed as much as the medic had expected, but a lot of things had come up in the meantime.

"But Darin, yes. Actually... he's probably the imPort here who knows me best. And I'm very impressed... you're far better furnished here than I was expecting. I haven't attempted the second floor yet," he admitted, waving a brief hand at himself to indicate his size. "What are the dimensions like upstairs?"

[h2no]

"He's worth getting to know," he says in a tone Knock Out likely recognises. Might've been the same tone that he himself spoke about Breakdown, in times past.

"I'm not surprised. He's good at gettin' to know people. Upstairs isn't quite as big as down here, but you should still be able to fit up there. I can only think you might have some problem, ah... gettin' up there."