(no subject)

[gone_byebye]

The door opens on an alley in mid-January. "Welcome to meatspace," says Ray, hurriedly getting out of the way. "Got enough room to go alt here?"

Comments

[mendanddefend_archive]

"...Cool," says Bob after a moment. "Weird, but cool."

He should just be grateful that he doesn't have an inner ear and therefore can't get motion sickness.

[gone_byebye]

"Yeah. It's a little strange, but you get used to it if it means you get to visit places like the library or the museum or upstairs or something," Ecto says. "You should totally get yourself a drone with a video camera and some auds. Maybe a remote speaker, too. Francis can't broadcast so I have to talk to Dad over his cell phone, but as long as you're in that body you're probably gonna need a drone to keep up with the humans."

[mendanddefend_archive]

"Where would I get something like that? If the Autobots had access to tech like that, they'd all be using it."

[gone_byebye]

"Well, Dad got Francis from another timeline at Milliways," Ecto says after some thought. "Dad's fiancee's got K9, but K9 is sapient, so that wouldn't really work either. Maybe somebody can copy Francis for you, or we can get you a smaller device or something to use. There might be something suitable on eBay."

[mendanddefend_archive]

The mun now has an amusing mental image of Bob piloting one of the diagnostic drones from Beast Machines.

"I'll see what I can find. I haven't done any Internet searching yet in Optimus's world..."

[gone_byebye]

"I'll look for something suitable here, too," Ecto promises. "Even if it's something Dad or I have to mod up for you. Not that it's not great to see you in the physical world and all, but I know how weird it is to not be able to do stuff that everyone else around you does as a matter of course."

[mendanddefend_archive]

"And to be able to do stuff that no one else around you can," the Corvette murmurs.

[gone_byebye]

"That too," says Ecto matter-of-factly. "Uncle Peter thought I was a freak for years because I can talk and think for myself, and he only got worse about it when I turned out to be able to transform. You just have to let it slide off like water on wax. People'll get used to you eventually, if they're really decent people."

[mendanddefend_archive]

"...no offense, Ecto, but I'm hoping I'll be back to normal before that becomes an issue for me."

He doesn't particularly mind this body, but the prospect of being stuck in it for months or years--or forever--is frightening, to say the least.

[gone_byebye]

"None taken," says Ecto. "I just mean if anybody gives you a hard time for the day, or whatever. Sometimes the little things are kind of- uh oh. I think Slimer's coming..."

[mendanddefend_archive]

"Who's Slimer?"

[gone_byebye]

"A ghost who lives with us. Dad says he's the first ghost he ever busted."

And sure enough, the little green spud drops through the ceiling, burbling curiously as he bobs over to check out the newcomer.

[mendanddefend_archive]

Autobots don't come equipped with PKE scanners, but Bob is still getting some very weird readings off of the little guy.

"Uh... hi?"

[gone_byebye]

"Phblah?" asks the little green blob, bobbling over to peer as closely as possible at the Corvette. "Hnrghl shizznfrgnenfratz?"

"No, Slimer, he doesn't have French fries under his seats," Ecto says resignedly. "Leave him alone."

"Awww, nargenfringl!"

"Alone, Slimer," Ecto says. To Bob she adds, "He's not really all that bright."

[mendanddefend_archive]

The Corvette edges away from Slimer. "Watch the paint job, buddy. This alt mode's brand new!"

[gone_byebye]

The ghost makes an injured face at Bob, then floats off towards the kitchen, muttering. Ecto's lights flicker briefly. "Sorry. He's always like that."

[mendanddefend_archive]

"Eh, I've had worse roommates," says the Corvette with an electronic chuckle.

"Does the front door close? I've got enough room to transform but I don't want to freak out anyone outside..."

[gone_byebye]

"He drips," says Ecto. "Usually on Uncle Peter."

For answer, she sends out an infrared signal, and the doors slide neatly closed.

"Dad doesn't like me changing in public unless we're at Floyd Bennett Field or there're cops around," she confides. "I'm a legal citizen, but New Yorkers stare at stuff like that and I don't want to screw up traffic or anything."

[mendanddefend_archive]

"I can imagine."

There's a familiar flurry of metal on metal, and the Corvette unfolds into a blue robot (crouched down slightly to avoid banging his head on the overhead lights).

"Can you transform in here too, or is the space too small?"

[gone_byebye]

"I've been practicing, but-"

It takes her a few moments to do so, and when she's done she's crouching a good deal more than Bob. It's painfully obvious that if she stood all the way up she'd be a good deal taller than Bob.

"... well, you can see how much good it does in here."

[mendanddefend_archive]

All of the Autobots are taller than Bob. Even Bumblebee's got a few inches on him. He's coping.

"Good point. Still, it must be nice to have that extra flexibility now, right?"

[gone_byebye]

"Oh, sure. Of course, for me, this is alt mode," says Ecto. "I mean, I was incepted as a car. Having fingers and feet's still kinda funny no matter how useful they are."

[mendanddefend_archive]

"But doesn't it get boring?" asks Bob, canting his head to one side. "Just sitting in the garage doing nothing?"

[gone_byebye]

"Not really," says Ecto. "I can talk to anyone anywhere in the world as long as they're hooked into the Internet. I can read any book in electronic format that I want to. I can invest in any financial market on the planet no matter what time of day, because I don't have to sleep. I've even found other intelligences like me. There's a whole world out there running alongside the physical one. I'm good with that."

[mendanddefend_archive]

Another huff of laughter. "I can't argue with that."