Returning Home

Log Title: Returning Home (not posted)

Characters: Helperbot, Sparkplug Witwicky, Spike Witwicky

Location: Autobot City

Date: April 30, 2017

TP: Siege of Iacon TP

Summary: Spike returns home from his visit to Vector Sigma.

As logged by Sparkplug - Sunday, April 30, 2017, 10:56 PM

Human Quarters - Residential Complex - Autobot City
The city speakers beckon, "Shuttle Victory...Arriving."

Spike lugs his overnight bag over his shoulder. He's weary, but anxious to see Carly, Megan, Bumblebee, and dad.

Dad is already in his pajamas, enjoying some hot tea before bed. Helperbot hovers closely with Sparkplug's nighttime medication.

Spike peers in gives a gentle knock on the door. After all, it's only about 7:09 p.m. He looks at Helperbot, seeing if it's okay to come in.

Helperbot beeps affirmatively, and opens the door, both to let Spike in and to give Sparkplug his medication.

Spike nods and quietly makes his way to Sparkplug. "Heyah...how you feelin'?"

Sparkplug looks up from his tea and a dog-eared copy of the "1976 Chevrolet Light Duty Truck Service and Overhaul Manual Supplement." His lined face immediately brightens. "Spike!" he exclaims with weak joy. "I didn't know you were back." He puts down his tea and his book aside and tries to rise from the bed.

Spike grins and looks at the manual. "Ahh...good year." He grins, "Did we work on one of those like...Corvettes in your old shop just before Superstorm Sandy hit?" Spike gives Helperbot an 'I got this' nod and moves a few pills to Sparkplug's eyesight, hoping he'll take them.

Sparkplug looks down at the manual. "Nah... This is for the Chevy 10-30 Series Light Duty Trucks, but I remember that Corvette! With the electrical problems in the dash -- Radio not working, dimmer switch not working... It was an all-day project to track those down!" Some days Sparkplug can't remember Megan's name, but somehow he can remember car problems (and their solutions) from years ago. He ignores the pills.

Spike clears his throat and gestures to the pills. "Uh...so...I'm back from Cybertron." He looks at Sparkplug. "I saw Alpha Trion. He's...alive. I can't say TOTALLY alive, but...he's present, and he's very much in the now of what's been happening."

"Alright, alright," Sparkplug grouses, scooping up the pills and taking them with the last of his tea. He nearly chokes on it, however, when Spike mentions Alpha Trion. "What did you say?" he asks, as if maybe he heard Spike wrong. "Alpha Trion? Alive? How? Where?" He tries to sit up farther in his bed, and his truck manual, forgotten about for now, hits the floor by his bed.

Spike rubs his head. "This is one of those 'above my paygrade' things." He sighs, trying to put this entire crazy thing into words. "Dust Devil...took me, to Vector Sigma. To sort of show me...what it's like now with Cyb'tron orbiting a sun." He gestures around, "I saw him...there - within Vector Sigma. It's was like...some parts looked like a hologram, but sometimes, he looked as real and alive as Helperbot does now."

Helperbot looks around and beeps as it's referenced. Sparkplug frowns. "Vector Sigma, huh? Wow. You came as close to touching the Transformers' god as there exists on Cybertron -- and returned to tell the tale." He pauses a moment to reflect, and then gives Spike a wide grin. "That's my son!" he beams. He looks at Helperbot. "Not every dad can say that about their kid, can they?" he laughs.

Spike grins and says modestly "It's...actually...organics can make it in and out of the plasma energy chamber pretty easily. I was just there." He grins at Sparkplug "You could have done the exact same thing had you been up there."

Sparkplug lays back down and gives Spike a tired smile. "These days I have time visiting the kitchen, much less the Plasma Energy Chamber, but thanks. I'm just glad you're back safely." He reaches for his tea mug, finds it empty, and just settles back into the pillows.

Spike nods. Amazing that 30 years ago, the situation was almost reversed. Spike moves the tray away from his father and brings a sheet up to Sparkplug's chest, he then shuts the light off. He whispers "I'll see yah tomorrow, dad." He then gives an appreciative nod to Helperbot, whispering "Thanks for watchin' him all this week."

Helperbot beeps back appreciatively, and partially powers down to save energy while he watches over Sparkplug while he sleeps, ready to spring fully back online at the slightest sign of trouble.