SUPER BARBECUE SUPER BARBECUE SUPER BARBECUE [open as heck]

[hugling]

Who: SUPER HEROES!!!!!
Where: Ernest E. Debs Regional Park!
When: Sunday!
What: SUPER BARBECUE
Warnings: Superheroes...



It's a pleasant evening at Ernest E. Debs Regional Park, just a couple miles from downtown LA, which can be seen through the haze. Late March means spring is just arriving in LA and the trees are just starting to bud. Unfortunately, the grass is still kind of dead and dry.

The barbecue and picnic area isn't too busy, though the park does have the usual assortment of joggers, dog walkers, and cyclists. There are some balloons tied to picnic tables, and strung between two trees is a very homemade "SUPER BBQ" banner, courtesy of Hulkling and Starbreaker. There's still glitter glue on Milly's apartment floor. There's another posterboard with the rules written on it in big bold sharpie letters nearby, just in case anyone forgets:

• Don't be a jerk!!!
• Keep your weapons holstered please.
• Do not trash the park!
• ABSOLUTELY NO FIGHTING
• Anyone caught fighting will be asked to leave!
• Really don't be a jerk!

[OKAY GUYS!!! mingle! have fun! maybe some THINGS WILL HAPPEN, whoooo knows!]

Comments

[bigfuckinggun]

"If I truly believed I could trust in such a proclamation," Megatron replies, his scornful sneer slightly less effective without the ridiculous metal fangs; "if I could be sure it was not a trap. Perhaps."

Of course, the difference it would actually make is that it would make a great opportunity to lure the Autobots into his own trap and annihilate them all, but, well, you know,

[thanksoptimus]

Orion's face falls. He's not sure what it would take to prove this to Megatron, or to the Autobots. He wasn't built to be a negotiator any more than he had been built to be a warrior.

"If it was Optimus Prime who led them astray...their leader is gone. They need not be your enemy."

[bigfuckinggun]

"Really – is that what you believe? That their leader was the only one at fault; that without him, after so long, they will simply abandon ages-old feuds?"

[thanksoptimus]

"I believe there is a chance," he says. "The loss of such a long lived leader would be a time of upheaval for any army."

[bigfuckinggun]

Megatron begins to pace, his own avatar starting to circle Orion's.

"And you do not imagine, in this situation, that their resentment of those who took that leader from them might perhaps get in the way of any desire for peace? Orion – whatever are you attempting to lure me into?"

[thanksoptimus]

That intimidates him for obvious reaons, but Orion just clenches his fist and tries to steel himself in response. Megatron had always had a threatening air to him, though previously Orion had felt it was almost alluring. Perhaps, sexy dangerous.

"I am not trying to lure you into anything!" he cries, genuine distress coming through. "I am trying to...to show you...!"

He cuts off his own words in frustration.

[bigfuckinggun]

"To show me what?" Megatron replies, with a flash of anger. "How little you understand?"

[thanksoptimus]

"To show you that things can be like they were before!" Orion blurts out before forcing his own mouth shut, though he keeps staring at Megatron imploringly. If robots cried he would be tearing up maybe. Perhaps his avatar is a little bit for emotional authenticity.

[bigfuckinggun]

"You are wrong," hisses Megatron, looming over him. "You are blinded by your naive desire not to acknowledge how much things have changed!"

[thanksoptimus]

Orion takes a step back, flinching. He looks away for moment, his stance deflating.

"Perhaps I am," he says quietly.

[bigfuckinggun]

Megatron stares down at him as if to silently say no shit. The camera zooms in on his face, just a little, as his lip curls in disgust, and, slightly, disappointment.

"Your avatar," he says with gruff disdain, "is leaking."

[thanksoptimus]

"What does that mean?" Orion snaps, his voice tight and his fists curling into balls. He has no idea at first what Megatron is referring to, there. Leaking, most frequently, is associated with the idea of bleeding out energon in his head, and he's pretty sure his avatar is incapable of that. "I-"

And then, unexpectedly, his face is wet. He touches a hand to his cheek, and suddenly he understands.

Oh.

He just stares at Megatron for a few moments, wide eyed and stunned, and then turns on him out of some kind of frustrated humiliation. He storms off into the palm trees.