Transformers Prime: Convergence is a plot and character-development driven roleplay forum based upon canon material of TFP and RiD, but incorporates characters, elements, and plotlines from various other continuities to craft a unique story. Our community is welcoming, laid back, and dedicated to making each roleplay experience a good one.
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No one said having Grimlock in the team was going to be easy. Bumblebee had predicted complications from the moment he decided to put him on probation. He was, after all, a former inmate. He had been put in prison for a reason (and he doubted it had been just property damage).
But the Dinobot was an okay mech. He seemed to genuinely want to do good, at least. That was always something one could build upon. Which was why Bumblebee had sort of taken it upon himself to guide Grimlock along. It wasn’t anything formal—they weren’t teacher and student or mentor and apprentice; Bumblebee liked to think of it as a ‘friend helping friend’ type of thing.
And Grimlock was in desperate need of help in the stealth department. For a mech who transformed into a creature that was supposed to be an apex predator, he was pretty bad at predating. Bumblebee’s inner scout wept every time Grimlock attempted to be sneaky.
“All right, Grimlock,” Bumblebee said. They were standing in the scrapyard, no one around. They had the place to themselves. It was the perfect opportunity for practicing stealth in a known environment without distractions. He raised his hand, showing off Russell’s football. “Let’s go over the exercise again. This is the object you have to retrieve, I’m your capture-not-kill target, and you have to sneak up on me in order to catch me.”
The activity was a little more complex than what a beginner would normally do, but this wasn’t really a lesson: it was a test. Bumblebee wanted to see what tools Grimlock had and whether he knew how to use them before he started teaching the mech anything.
Becoming an Autobot was quite difficult for the Dinobot, and it had taken a lot of extra effort to get him to where he was today. He still loved punching others, but sometimes he just found himself destroying things on accident, or hurting those on his team on accident. The poor guy had meant well, but at least his team was giving him that chance.
Bumblebee especially.
The two of them were alone at the scrapyard today, and the yellow Autobot was wanting to work with him some more on his efficiency as a reliable part of the team. The brute force was there, but oh was he terrible when it came to sneaking up behind someone. Often times he would blow their cover by speaking up far too soon, often times giving the Decepticon they were following that chance to escape. The big guy always felt horrible afterwards, but they would always forgive him in the end.
That was the precise exercise that Bumblebee had wanted to work with him on today, in fact. If he could be stealthy enough, then he'd make Bee proud! Grimlock stood before him in his root mode, watching as the football was lifted and the smaller mech explained the objective. He nodded, grinning. "Gotcha, Bumblebee. I'm just gonna take off, think up a strategy, and strike ya when you least expect it!" Chuckling to himself, he took off behind Bee, disappearing from his line of sight and down towards the other end of the scrapyard.
Scrap.. how was he gonna sneak up on Bee anyway? That had been the point of this whole 'think of a strategy' thing, and knew full well that this wouldn't be completely practical in a real life situation. He looked all around, looking for things he could use in an attempt to sneak behind Bumblebee. Maybe he didn't need tools to aid him, but it was the creativity that counted, right?
And that's when he saw it, grinning with a quiet yet thoughtful sound.
The Dinobot transformed into his Dinobot form, reaching for a tarp and throwing it over himself. On it's own, it was useless, but maybe he could sneak up behind Bumblebee and make him think he was some surprise that Denny had for them all, or for Russell. Slowly, quietly, he made his way back towards his leader, dropping down low any time he suspected him of turning around.
Only problem, and he wasn't quite aware of it himself, was that this mysterious sheet just so happened to have a large green tail sticking out from the back of it any time he ducked.
Bumblebee held Russell’s football between his thumb and index finger, careful not to apply too much pressure and pop it like a balloon. Grimlock was making it hard, though. Very. With a sigh, he counted to ten in his mind and rolled his shoulders to ease up the tense joints.
Logically and objectively, Bumblebee knew that the mech was trying. Grimlock did nothing but try. Bumblebee liked that about him. It was nice to have someone under his command who was trying his best simply because he wanted to, not because it was his duty or because he was trying to impress him or because he wanted to ask for something.
The problem was that Grimlock was so bad at trying. Which wasn’t his fault. It wasn’t, really. He was a simple mech with a simple mind and simple needs, but that also meant his skills were quite simple. Despairingly so. Which made the fact that he really did try even sadder.
Bumblebee wasn’t really sure how he was supposed to tell Grimlock that he was failing at something that should be as easy as cycling air through his systems. Alt-forms affected a cybertronian’s psyche—robots with mechanimal alts had sharper instincts and better sensornets, but Grimlock didn’t seem to have any of that.
There was a bit of prejudice against robots who didn’t transform into vehicles or tools or weapons of some kind, a belief that they weren’t as bright, but it was unfounded. Grimlock, however, fitted the stereotype perfectly. Bumblebee even caught himself having some bigoted thoughts as he watched the tarp-with-a-tail advance towards him out the corner of his optic. He was quick to scold himself for them and squash them, however; then he drew some more patience from what he hoped was an endless well of it because Grimlock was really trying and he deserved to be treated well if only due to that.
But surely Grimlock didn’t really think he was being stealthy, did he? He wasn’t even sticking to the shadows, or making his steps lighter! He was literally just walking right towards Bumblebee. That had to be the least stealthy approach ever.
“All right, all right, stop. Time out,” Bumblebee said, closing his optics and raising his free hand in a halting motion. He then waved Grimlock over. “Come here, please, Grimlock. Let’s go over a few things. Tell me what your plan for sneaking up on me is.”
It wasn't like Grimlock dared to be stupid or anything. He just didn't have the same learning speed as everyone else, was all. He saw things in his own way, and really there was nothing wrong with that. And besides, what he lacked in brain power was certainly made up in muscle power.
At least he was doing his best to stay quiet this time.
Grimlock slowly crept up behind Bee, ducking down on occasion with the tarp, in hope of nothing more than success. He'd get that football, and he would prove that once and for all he could be sneaky when he wanted to be with his own creative skills. However, his plans were quickly foiled when the yellow mech spoke up, calling for a time out. The Dinobot ducked down quickly, covering himself with a tarp momentarily.
"Oooooooo~. I am not Grimloooooock~. This is the gho-... Oh alright."
Giving up the ghost, he tossed the tarp aside and approached Bumblebee, trying to think of an answer for the other mech's question. Just what had his plan been? "Well, uh.. I was gonna pretend to be somethin' covered up and.. grab the football when your guard was down? I dunno.. Guess I didn't quite think that one all through."
The green T-Rex sighed to himself. The more he thought about it, he was kinda getting disappointed. By no means through Bee's lesson, but a bit more in himself. He knew he was not the smart one, and there were plenty of times he felt the others poked fun of him for it too. Bumblebee wasn't like that though. He was at least encouraging!
"Got any tips?"
Shoutbox
Please respect the space and don't hesitate to ask questions!
altria : please dont be dead?
Jun 14, 2023 22:40:34 GMT
Partia: Is this still alive?
Dec 17, 2022 6:02:02 GMT
Partia: Is this still alive?
Dec 17, 2022 6:01:34 GMT