[Video]

[goingdownfighting]

So there I was, just about to give some Cons the thrashing of a life time, when all of a sudden I wind up here with no warning whatsoever. Kind of rude, don't you think?

I'd say someone owes me.

[Despite how terribly upsetting this is for him, he sounds pretty calm and mellow.]

Now the question is, what's a guy got to do to have some fun around here?

[Nope, he's not going to give an introduction right away. He's too busy wondering if he's going to be bored here. Priorities.]

Comments

[action]

[docbot]

[Ratchet lets Cliff up and waits for him to get a couple good throws in, then steps in and grabs his wrist with the ease of a medic who is very used to tantrums and also pretty good at making his height and weight count. The mech can lift Bulkhead, after all.]

Okay, you got one because you're my teammate and friend and another because you got offlined by Starscream. But that's it. No more messing up my instruments. I need those.

[He frowns at Cliff.]

If you need to get your anger out, do it in a way that's not going to risk someone's life when they get wheeled in here and I can't find my welder.

[action]

[goingdownfighting]

[Cliff looks up at Ratchet, a mix of sadness and anger in those glowing blue eyes of his. He looks back and forth between his wrist and the hand grabbing it, wondering if there's a way he can pull it out.

But... he calms down. It's hard, but he manages, and soon enough all that's left is a sad expression.

He might not admit it, but he's really sorry.]

It's tough, you know? You always imagine how you're going to go down and... that's just not the way I pictured it. I still can't believe it. How are you supposed to take news that you never gone through?

[action]

[docbot]

I ... can't say I know. But I am sorry.

[ Ratchet doesn't let go of Cliffjumper's wrist, but his grip does loosen as the other mech relaxes and their hands come down. ]

It's curious, though. The fact that you're here and obviously not offline...

[ He doesn't know what to make of it. Are you not his Cliffjumper? Or perhaps you are and instead of dying, you somehow were teleported here and that wraith that the team had found at the Decepticon base had been something else ... ]

I thought we'd had fairly certain proof of your death, but now I can't discount the fact that we might have been fooled by an elaborate ruse.

[ This is all extremely confusing, and he rubs at the edge of his chevron, trying to goad his processor into making sense of the situation. ]

[action]

[goingdownfighting]

Don't look at me, I have a grand total of zero answers for you.

[Trust him, he wants to make sense out of this as much as Ratchet does.]

Now, I'm not the kind to go and kill a special moment, but you want to let go of me now?

[action]

[docbot]

I'll have to investigate... [But before he can start thinking about how he can save Cliffjumper's life, Ratchet starts and lets go of Cliff's hand.]

Ah, sorry about that. I was preoccupied.

[He "clears his throat", a human affectation that he's picked up from somewhere, and changes the subject.]

So it looks like you're healthy. For once.

[Ratchet gives him a bit of a stink eye.]

I'm hoping you'll stay that way.