(no subject)

[socrowdedinhere]

*The next morning Zero will give Bee a choice about putting on a fake collar, much like what Prowl is wearing.  If he agrees they'll head home, and if he doesn't they'll stay put until night and travel then.  Zero won't force things either way.*

Comments

[dragondancer5150]

*Bee can't make himself agree to take a collar. He…he just /can't/. He doesn't even want that thing anywhere /near/ him! He has /no/ problem being still and silent as they wait out the day . . . which unsettles Prowl, though he won't say anything.*

[socrowdedinhere]

Zero: *will /not/ press. He gives the reasons but leaves it up to Bee. With the choice they wait. He notices Prowl's worry.* //What is it, Prowl?//

[dragondancer5150]

Prowl: *hesitates, not wanting to talk behind his teammates back, but...* //I've never known him to be so quiet and inactive. He's always been the loud, impatient one revving to go. We've butted heads many times before over him learning some patience and to be still once in a while.// *by his tone, he's not mystified by it, wondering why, just...deeply worried*

[socrowdedinhere]

Zero: //Give him time. He's been run ragged for orns now.//

[dragondancer5150]

Prowl: //.........I know...// *looks down at Bee half-tucked to his side*
Bee: *looks up at him, whispers (afraid of them being found)* What?
Prowl: *small grin, shakes his head* Nothing. I'm just glad to have you back, out of that nightmare.
Bee: */hunches/, hugging himself* Me too. Glad to be out of there, I mean. *cants a look up at Prowl with a crooked grin that doesn't quite reach his optics* Think I can finally get behind that whole stillness thing you were always trying to teach me.
Prowl: That's good. Don't forget there are times for swiftness as well, though.
Bee: *grimaces, looking away and shaking his head* I think I'm /done/ eith speed for a while. Like...for the rest of my life.

[socrowdedinhere]

Zero: You'll find your speed again. It's a part of you. I'm not saying not to take it slow for a while, but don't let them have this victory by taking your speed completely. You showed fight in there, don't let go of that.

[dragondancer5150]

Bee: *looks up at Zero* I just...didn't wanna be hurt again. Nights are my time to get to /not/ hurt.

[socrowdedinhere]

Zero: *smiles and rests a hand on Bee's shoulder.* That is completely understandable. No one wants to be hurt. Still, don't lose that fight, I know they've tried to break you down, but I can tell they haven't yet, not entirely.

[2b_a_hero]

Prowl: *little grin* Small, swift, and scrappy, remember?
Bee: Yeah, well, that was before…a lotta things. *looks at Zero* Besides, fight /who/, exactly? The Decpeticons? *snorts* As if. In case you haven't noticed, we /lost/. Me an' Prowl? We tried that. Several times. *looks away* Didn't mean anything in the end…

[socrowdedinhere]

Zero: Actually, it meant a lot. You know how I know? Because Megatron himself has made a rather big deal about putting down and humiliating those of you who were on earth to stand up to him. I've dealt woth his kind before. Such displays of power are as much as reminder to himself as to everyone else that his /is/ powerful. You nearly beat him, and so he's done his beat to make sure all you remember is that you lost, not that you came close to winning.

[2b_a_hero]

Bee: Yeah, well . . . they've got a saying back on Earth - close doesn't mean anything. *okay, that's not exactly it, but he can't remember the exact quote and it didn't make sense to him anyway except what it was /trying/ to say* We still /lost/, and now /everyone's/ suffering because of it. And a lot of people are /dead/ because of it.

[socrowdedinhere]

Zero: You are not to blame for the Decepticons taking over. You and your team are the only reasons it took so long. Look at me, Bumblebee. I know failure very well. I've failed both when trying and when I've chosen to stand by and do nothing because the challenge was too big. Take it from an old and weary mech, while failure hurts either way, you like yourself more when you at least tried. When you stand by, when you stop fighting, you spend the rest of your life trying desperately to convince yourself that you couldn't have made a difference, and you will never know the truth. Never give up trying, no matter how many times you might fail, trying is always better than doing nothing.

[2b_a_hero]

Bee: ………………..even when trying is pointless? Because it sure looks like a pointless waste of probably-just-gonna-get-the-scrap-beaten-out-of-us-again to me.

[socrowdedinhere]

Zero: You can't know unless you try. If you don't try you can never win, you will fail for sure; if you try you might win, or you might fail. Don't you at least wany that chance at winning? No matter how slim it might be?

[2b_a_hero]

Bee: Yeah . . . no. Because I've already tried that logic. You wanna know how many times I tried that on those Decepticons, trying to escape? You wanna know how many times I was beaten senseless!? I thought they'd /kill/ me a lot of times. *hunches in on himself* I wish they /had/ and just been done with it.
Prowl: ………….. *wraps an arm around him* You were alone, and they left you /no/ chance, not even a slim one. You're not alone anymore. I'm here, and friends of Subzero's are already on their way to rescue Ratchet and Bulkhead.
Bee: *hunches, then /stiffens/ at a thought, gaze snapping back up to Prowl's* What about Boss-bot!? Is he-…h-he's not…offline…is he!?
Prowl: *shakes his head* No . . . no, not that I'm aware of. But he's going to be the hardest to get to, so we'll need everyone to do it. Including you. If you're up for it.
Bee: I-I…. *curls in on himself again, but at least it's not a refusal?*
Prowl: *just hugs him to his side*

[socrowdedinhere]

Zero: *could argue the any one of those attempts /could/ have eventually succeeded, but he wonMt argue further.* Optimus is alive. We'll be going to rescue him in a few days, once everyone else is back together.

[2b_a_hero]

Bee: *shudders again* I know how bad off /I/ was. I hate to think what they've been doing to /him/. *looks at Zero* You're sure your buddies will be able to get to Bulkhead an' Doc-bot? Are /they/ okay?

[socrowdedinhere]

Zero: *nods* I know they are okay and safe now. They'll be a few more days getting back to my home than we will.

[2b_a_hero]

Prowl: *looks at him in mild surprise* All ready? You've been in contact with your friends, then?
Bee: And how "okay" are they /really/? *because he knows, for one, /he's/ not…*

[socrowdedinhere]

Zero: *nods* I have been. *then to Bee.* Bulkhead is upset and worried about the rest of you. He's safe and physically well now and ready to help us reacue Optimus. Ratchet is weary and angry with what's happened and ready to help us rescue Optimus. I believe both of them basically challenged my friends to try to stop them from helping. *much like Prowl did not long ago.*

[2b_a_hero]

Bee: ……oh. *and here he is wondering if-…well…no, he thinks it's pointless to outright fight the Decepticons, but . . . if there's a way to at /least/ get Optimus back, he…he can't /not/ at least help with that . . . he nods*
Prowl: *studies him…and finally nods as well, more to himself as he's been trying to assess how well (or if) Bee will hopefully start to recover from what he's been put through*

[socrowdedinhere]

Zero: *pats Bee's shoulder and stands* I'm going to have a look around. You two wait here.

[2b_a_hero]

*Both nod, Prowl moving closer to the door to guard and Bee just…huddling where he sits for now.*

[socrowdedinhere]

*Zero returns later and the three will wait until dark. Prowl will do a quick check of the area before they all head out. They'll areive at the large house early the next morning.*
Zero: Prowl, why don't you show Bumblebee where to get fuel and help him settle in? I know you both need some recharge.

[2b_a_hero]

Prowl: Yes, of course. *will lead Bee off into the house*

[socrowdedinhere]

Pips: *a small femme Autobot Prowl met before* Oh, hello. *grins at Bee and shifts to come meet them* You must be new here. I'm Pips. *offers her hand*

[2b_a_hero]

Bee: *glances at her, sees the Autobrand…and collar . . . /shame/ clouds his face as he shies back, gaze dropping* I'm sorry… *and…suddenly…a memory of a similar-ish introduction makes him almost smile…almost…* I-I mean . . . um, Bumblebee. I'm Bumblebee. *another quick hesitation…and finally takes her hand…still can't quite look at her, though*

[socrowdedinhere]

Pips: *gives his hand a shake even as she gives him a curious and concerned look.* You were on Earth too, with Prowl, fighting Megatron?

[2b_a_hero]

Bee: *grimaces* Yeah . . . lotta good it did, though. *looks up at her, and there's /pain/ in his optics* I'm really sorry. We failed, Megatron won, an' now /everyone's/ paying for it.

[socrowdedinhere]

Pips: *gives him a bit of a lopsided grin.* I think we have different ideas about this. I was going to /thank/ you. You stood up for us before we ever knew we were being threatened. You, *glances at Prowl* both of you, your whole team, is an inspiration for so many of us. We're gathering and preparing to stand, because of you guys. We know a small group probably canmt win, even if you guys came close, but we're growing in number and soon we'll strike. I really hope your guys will join us. It'd really be great for morale to see you guys among our numbers.