Within rags and swiftness of wind

[Deleted]

Characters: @windblade   @stitchtech
Location: several miles away from Autobot base
Content Warnings: n/a to my knowledge
Plot Summary: Having been saved and patched up to the best ability. Stitch Tech is struggling to get used to the fact there are bots around, though he's struggling with worse things during the night.

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The sky was dark, filled with the stars that were so far away. While grateful to all the autobots who saved him, Stitch Tech was...struggling. His tattered creation of a cloak blew in the slightly harsh wing; only harsh for him due to his still weakened state. His damaged eye remained black though, he would new a completely new optic for it to ever work again and honestly, why waste such a precious item on him? He wasn't a soldier nor was he really a autobot. He held no badge on his chest hidden under the article of clothing. Recharge was also something he needed but he didn't like the thought of...them, coming back. Whispering in his head as he laid there trying to rest and get energy back, their pained and angered faces glaring down at him as he always stammered and tried to tell them they were wrong.

Your...fault their words echoed in his head.

"No...it's not..." Stitch Tech muttered as he looked around, seeing nothing but vast desert around him.

The ship crashed because of you...you did nothing.

"N..no. Not try! I checked on everyone..."

Shaking his head, Stitch Tech stood there for a few moments. The only reason he was talking to himself was the need to recharge, normally he never heard them when awake. It was all in his head anyway. Nothing else to it.

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Flying at night wasn't always her particular favorite for traveling, but Windblade sometimes found it was necessary or easier. Sometime, she couldn't help but have to take advantage of the cover of night when near populated areas due to the fact her form wasn't exactly quiet. It tended to attract attention and she really didn't want to end up on the internet on some conspiracy web page just because of her unusual paint design she had going on. Far as Windblade knew, no other plane had her particular style, even in the Earth country where she would most fit in.

But tonight, she was making her way to the main Autobot outpost since she could use a break from her world wide travels she often took. She could feel the winds pressing against her frame, pelting it with small grains of sand that indicated a possible sandstorm to come perhaps. But, there was no telling just yet.

Though as she was making her way there, Windblade heard a voice on the wind, one she did not recognize. Was someone really out in this strong of winds? Even a flier such as herself found it difficult to fly in these conditions, much less not be in cover of some kind which surprised Windblade anyone was. Autobot, Decepticon, neutral, someone could get hurt if they didn't know what they were doing. 'Better check this out, make sure everything's alright.' She thought as she changed course, lowering herself closer to the ground to search the vast desert far from the base for a short while until she finally spotted someone, a bot in fact. What surprised her though was that this bot certainly wasn't someone she knew and they seemed roughly patched together, even wearing...clothing? That was new.

"Hey you!" Windblade called out as she shifted her turbines to a forward position to slow herself before she allowed herself to transform, kicking on her thrusters to remain hovering in place. "Seems kind of dangerous to be out in strong winds like this, it could get worse." Windblade pointed out, showing concern for the strong winds hoping maybe she could convince this bot to seek a large boulder or something to use to duck behind.

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Hearing a new voice that didn't match the ones in his head, he looked around startled. That is till his one eye gaze rested on the form of the autobot. The symbol was the first thing he noticed and it gave him only a small piece of mind. He knew these were the good guys though due to being without interaction for so long, he wasn't sure what to do. He felt nervous.

"There...isn't really anywhere to go..." Stitch Tech replied nervously. "I can't sleep honestly and being there...I felt too out of place."

By saying there, he meant the autobot base. The place was large but, he was only there due to his weakened state. A stronger gust of wind blew and Stitch Tech cringed a bit, feeling the winds get stronger for a few moments. He adjusted his coat and even debated about pulling up the hood though, he realized that it wasn't wise to. She already saw the coat, so she no doubt found him weird enough.

"Do you...know a different place then?" Stitch Tech added even more nervously, the glow of his one eye still directed at her.

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That place? Windblade looked confused at first, not understanding what he meant unless he meant the Autobot base. It was the closest place a Cybertronian could go for miles or risk being seen in the city nearby of Jasper. Seeming as this was the most logical place he could have come from she finally nodded in understanding, "They would have allowed you to stay longer until condidtjons were better you know. Deserts can be a little tricky to travel when the winds are like this, even for fliers like myself." She told him with a soft smile, deciding to land as the winds were threatening to get stronger and knock her from the skies, something she didn't want to risk and not getting a mouthful of sand.

But she considered their area, finding little of the rocky cover sometimes seen in these parts and any there would be too small for them to duck behind. "Not for miles. And it would take time to get back to the base." She considered their options before turning to look at the open area. No towns, no roads, they wouldn't be seen so maybe she had on solution. "Stand back." She told him as she stepped forward, feeling the wind with her frame for a moment before turning against it, powering up her turbines until they glowed a brilliant blue and fire them towards the ground to dig into it and force the sands upwards until she had created a sand dune and small dip in the ground. It wasn't fancy, but it would do.

"We can duck here for now until those winds die down. It's not safe until then." Windblade gestured to the temporary cover before taking a seat and offering a hand of invitation for Stitch Tech to join her. "I'm Windblade by the way," Shs introduced with a friendly smile.

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"I just....couldn't get myself to relax enough to recharge." Stitch Tech answered. "I am going back later I just needed to try and get things in my head to slow down and relax."

IT was kind of odd, to be around other bots again. He was glad. It meant that he wouldn't starve at least and maybe, might be able to have a conversation again. However he often felt himself freezing up around the others. He wasn't...used to being around others anymore. Kind of sad really. Though he was brought out of his uncertainties when she spoke again, telling him to stand back. The odd looking bot did as he was asked, though he pulled up his hood to block a gust of wind from hitting his face and optics.

He flinched at the loud sound of the turbines being fired and kicking up the dirt and sand. Though once it was done, he pulled his hood off slightly and gave a nod. A thin slightly rough hand reached out and accepted Windblade's hand as he took a seat next to her.

"I'm Stitch Tech." Stitch Tech replied. "Nice to meet you. I....I'm not used to other bots anymore, I've been stuck on this planet alone for so long so...I'm not that good at this anymore."

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"It's nice to meet you Stitch Tech." Windblade's smile did not fade but she soon became attentive to him for a moment as he spoke. He had been there a long time huh. Perhaps crash landed there if his damage was anything to go by. She hadn't seen a bot damaged like this before and still functioning, yet it seemed Stitch Tech had pulled through some bad injuries, making her wonder what could have caused such damage to begin with. Nevertheless, he seemed to be holding well and adapting in his own way.

But to be alone that long...she couldn't imagine that happening. Even in her travels she had not been devoid of meeting some others, but to endure loneliness for who knew how long was just a startling thought. "I'm sorry you had to endure such a thing. I can't imagine how life could be wandering alone." She said with a small frown, "I have been on Earth myself for little over a millennium, but I was in stasis the whole time." She wondering if that would have been a saving grace for someone such as Stitch Tech, but life had not been so favorable in this regard. But, perhaps meeting the Autobots meant fate was dealing him a positive hand this time. Maybe.

"Though, it seems you have found your own ways to adapt." Windblade said, trying to be positive and gesturing to his coat seemingly stitched together from various types of cloth. "The Autobots I think might be able to help you there Stitch Tech, to make new friends if you so wish. It might be a little overwhelming but we're always here if you need us."

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"I can't recall how long I've been here. I don't know honestly." Stitch Tech replied. "YOu have nothing to apologize for, you didn't know I was here the whole time you've been here. I didn't stay in one place to avoid scaring the humans."

She had been her a little over a millennium? Why hadn't their paths crossed sooner? Was it really due to him just wandering all over the place? Sure he couldn't get across the oceans but still. He wandered quite a bit.

"Y...Yeah." Stitch Tech answered, adjust the coat. "I thought if I could hide somewhat, it would be alright. THough the height difference is quite the problem in which the coat wouldn't have really helped with. It does help with this odd weather sometimes."

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The years really must have blurred together for Stitch Tech just as much as she felt a thousand years had flown by faster than she could move across from one part of a state to another. Whether Windblade would have been awakened earlier and crossed Stitch Tech at some point she didn't know for sure but she did know avoiding being seen wasn't easy. Which probably was more so in his case.

"Its never easy to keep ourselves concealed on this planet, even when we can become vehicles found here." Windblade admitted, agreeing that with how large they were compared to the native species and the fact their war wasn't always subtle it was hard to keep hidden. Quite honestly, she wondered if Stitch Tech would have had an easier time keeping hidden if the war had not moved to this organic planet. Then again, he probably would also still be alone here. "Then again, no one ever said anything was easy anymore." She said with a soft sigh, cerulean optics briefly peering out at the desert, seeing some of the sand being kicked up by the wind.

"Were you always from Cybertron, Stitch Tech?" Windblade inquired, deciding maybe a change of subject might help things move towards a positive outlet than their current conversation. The last thing she wanted to do was upset a bot further with the talk of loneliness.

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"Vehicles?" Stitch Tech commented, trying to recall if he knew what those were.

Oh yeah, those were the things on the roads that carried the humans in em. He would be alone no doubt if the war never came here and by now, he would've died if it hadn't been for that one autobot who had somehow contacted him. He was at the end of his rope, his spark would've gave up with the lack of energon.

"Cybertron..." Stitch Tech muttered, trying to remember. "I...I can't remember much but I was on Cybertron for a time, I...I don't remember much. The  ship I was on, barely got through the blockade, but we had to go into statis and I woke up with all the damage and no one else...made it."

The young bot rubbed his hands together nervously, trying to recall something.

You should've done more, used what Energon was left to try and revive us. You don't even know how we died yet it's your fault. the voices in his head retorted, causing Stitch Tech to shuddered.

"Everything's too broken...I can't remember much of anything on cybertron.." Stitch Tech repeated in a mumble.

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Windblade found herself at a loss for words as she looked at Stitch Tech, wondering just how deep the damage went, both physically and mentally. She held no negative view on the young mech beside her, more so she had concern and wonder what sort of damage the ship had gone through that he received such extensive damage and resulting in no one else surviving. Normally she would have called that lucky, and would have thought a bot would be happy to some extent to be alive but Stitch...he seemed the very opposite.

She didn't quite know how to be helpful in this situation, knowing she never had to go through the sort of things he did. Instead, she extended a hand to gently rest on his shoulder, trying to give an assuring, calm smile, "Stitch Tech, don't stress yourself over it. If you can't remember, then you can't. Forcing it will only make it worse." She told him, trying to offer some form of comfort, not wanting to stress him out or feel pressured to explain something. "Maybe..." Windblade paused, trying to find the right words, maybe something to give the mech a little hope, even a sliver of it.

"Maybe this is meant to be a new beginning for you. It's a rocky start, but maybe instead of dwelling on things past, you can make new memories for the here and now, the future even." Windblade suggested, her smile never leaving her face plates. She wasn't the greatest advise giver and maybe she would just make this situation a whole lot worse. But trying was better than nothing right?