The Start of Something Interesting...

[lastonepercent]

The day was calm, with no recent Decepticon attacks, and none suspected to be incoming for some time.  The cons were too busy licking their wounds from the last battle, one that the Autobots had decidedly come out ahead on.  The celebrations had gone on long into the night and the recreation room was already a mess.

Thus, it was the perfect chance for a lone Autobot to slip casually outside.

Mirage had no shift currently scheduled, so he was free to spend his time as he pleased.  He certainly made no move to hide his departure, greeting his comrades in the halls on the way out, but the box in his hands remained unopened despite any passing curiosity.  It was quietly shifted into subspace before long, and  the former noble shifted into alt mode just as smoothly when he reached the doors.  Despite the completely inappropriate earthen race car mode, the mech had little trouble self-adjusting before driving off into the forest covering the mountain, for business unknown...

Comments

[lastonepercent]

Mirage snorted, eyeing Cliffjumper's vanishing stubborn set with something akin to amused disbelief.

"It's a list that would have made you an excellent trainee on Cybertron," he admitted, helm tilting at the minibot's blush. He managed a small smile.

"You are quite welcome. I hope it helps. I would do more...but I did take my vows. I've already pushed the boundaries of them as it is."

[cliffjumper]

"In theory maybe," Cliffjumper said with a roll of his optics, which really got to be an expression of his opinion on Mirage clinging to his wovs without saying anything about that directly, "'cause I sure as slag wouldn't have many a good one in practice."

With a huff, Cliffjumper stood up, stretching to settle cables back where they should be and realign joints. He might have stayed to try to meditate for longer if that thing and then their little argument-discussion hadn't happened, but now he just felt annoyed (not scared, no) and restless.

"Yeah, yeah. Don't see why it slaggin' matters since there ain't any more religious orders, but fine, whatever. I guess it did help a little... kinda?"

The uncertainty at the end was more from Cliffjumper feeling uncertain what he thought of the result thanks to almost getting caught seeing the lights again, not from Mirage's effort.

"I'll let ya do whatever you were gonna do. Don't think I can sit still right now," Cliffjumper said with a huff and a quick glance away, suddenly embarrassed about it.

[lastonepercent]

"I exist. Therefore my order still exists." Mirage grumbled, scowling at the pointed reminder that most of his fellow priests were lost or straight up dead.

"And it matters because vows are vows, and I took them. The only person of a high enough authority to grant me leave from them would be Prime himself."

He flicked a hand, motioning Cliffjumper toward the door.

"I am glad it helped. But yes, if you are firmly unsettled, it may be best that you go."

Before they started grating on each other any further.

[cliffjumper]

Squinting as Mirage insisted his order still existed since he did, Cliffjumper engaged his vocaliser... and then clicked it off again because what the frag was he supposed to say to that? It was true and...

Well. Maybe he couldn't begrudge Mirage that. Or at least not much. He was still annoyed.

"And he ain't gonna do it," Cliffjumper muttered with a shake of his helm, though it was just a comment without any anger in it. Prime wouldn't do something like that unless lives were on the line, and if this had really been about Cliffjumper's safety, Cliffjumper vaguely hoped (thought) Mirage would have done it in some way.

He was even... sort of... helping right now, after all, even if Cliffjumper probably wasn't that good at picking up what Mirage was trying to teach in this way.

"Uh, yeah... Good luck..?" trailing off and feeling embarrassed again because he just wasn't sure that's what he was supposed to say, Cliffjumper turned around and walked out.

Despite everything, maybe that hadn't been... so bad.

[lastonepercent]

"I wouldn't know. I've never requested it," Mirage admitted slowly, eyeing Cliffjumper as he headed toward the door. He gave the red mech a nod.

"Thank you. ...Practice if you can, hmm?"

Lips twitching at the corners, Mirage let his optics fall back offline and retook his own stance, for all appearances falling back into meditation after only a few moments.