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Post by KI3T on Jan 15, 2012 4:54:40 GMT -5
KITT had to remind himself to maintain his speed as Blindspot performed his own circle around him. What better racing conditions than having a chance to study his opponent up close and moving with such precise timing. On the contrary, KITT was drawn to the drone's dark paint job with a midnight purple sheen -- the sun made it sparkle like purple obsidian. A dark gem. An enchanting one at that.
KITT's engine growled again as he shifted into a lower gear the moment another steeper incline snuck up on them.
This race was certainly better than the last. He was unsure of how much time had passed, nor did he care.
He was more focused on Blindspot than the road itself by this point.
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Post by Cira Knight on Jan 15, 2012 5:01:08 GMT -5
"He must really like racin', such a game changes one's perspective of their surroundings completely, and their attitude - some good, some bad." Cira replied. She smiled warmly. "Yeah, I sure think he's pretty awesome, the AI has a lotta tricks, an' to be workin' with such a car, I'm hella lucky. I hafta say after drivin' with KITT fer so long, if I ever get mah own vehicle, I'll never look at it the same - not to say that I won't be passionate about it, it still won't be th' same."
Of course, Cira a was still set on that buying that helicopter. Such thoughts were surfacing her mind as they followed the two lead competitors. She was not really focused on competing at this point. May as well let the two have their fun and just make it a joy ride. If they were trying to impress one another, she didn't want to irritate them and be in the way.
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Post by blindspot on Jan 15, 2012 5:19:42 GMT -5
Blindspot rather aggressively tried to hold his lead as the incline increased again. There was no ill will behind the moves. He was simply playing king of the hill at this point. He was pushing himself hard to maintain superior speed, swerving when he saw KITT moving to pass him, keeping the Mustang at bay for as long as he could. Sometime sin the middle of it all, his cooling fans had kicked to life, his irritated maintenance systems throwing error message after error message his way at the way Blindspot was abusing his engine.
He was certain he felt something snap under his hood. A quick diagnostic revealed it to be a minor sprain. It didn’t even sting.
He didn’t care. Not one bit.
“Pit, I’d hate to give that guy up, too.” He chuckled through his radio again. “Hey, I’m sure it won’t be too bad. And if you find yourself missing a vehicle that talks back to you, you can always give ol’ 866 a ring, eh? Eh?”
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Post by Cira Knight on Jan 15, 2012 5:48:13 GMT -5
"I certainly will, thanks! Dude you drones are da bomb, I wish more of th' Cons were like you two but well, things are the way they are for a reason 'n all." Cira had to wonder what Jazz would think of all this, at some point she'd tell him their stories sooner or later. She'd tell him all the adventures he'd been missing out on. She just hoped he wouldn't be...disappointed in her, and judge her over the fact that she was spending time with Decepticons, even if they were just 'lowly drones'. She didn't see them that way.
KITT continued to push his own limits, his engine getting hot as they climbed and forced his systems to work harder and more efficiently. Loving a chance to get out of the city and do things like off-roading and what not, KITT was relishing these moments. He was also finding that he was relishing every chance he or Blindspot got closer to each other in a daring, competitive, if not even flirty fashion, though he wasn't fully focused on the latter even if it was what they were doing in a way.
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Post by blindspot on Jan 15, 2012 6:05:50 GMT -5
“Well, most of us aren’t… er, you know. Very friendly. But hell, we’re made to be expendable, so if I might get slagged in a week’s time, I might as well enjoy every minute of it, right?” Cira was probably unaware of how touch-and-go the average drone’s life was. Aside from holding their own against Autobots and hostile human forces, they were equally likely to suffer a dire fate at the hands of their superiors.
866 could be dead in a week’s time. So could Blindspot. That was just part of being what they were.
Blindspot was slowly beginning to realize that the air between the two of them was changing. It was very slight, but each close call came less about barely missing his rival, and more about seeing how close each could get to the other, and for how long. Each time Blindspot felt a thrill shiver through his frame. Unicron in the Pit, he realized with a jolt, as he blocked KITT from yet another pass, am I flirting?
As they came around a corner, Blindspot slipped into a drift; he was a bit distracted, and lost a few precious seconds of speed, giving KITT a chance to draw alongside him. He didn’t pull away. He didn’t want to. He was enjoying this. He was flirting, slag it. When had that happened? Some small part of him that wasn’t focused on the race, wasn’t focused on KITT, began to worry. Taking an interest in KITT was a very bad idea for a variety of reasons. This tiny part of Blindspot was quickly stifled. He could worry about that later. For now, it was time to get back to flirting.
He let KITT pull up to him, keeping pace with the Mustang once more, matching him move for move and occasionally flicking away, as if he were about to try something--but he’d always come back. He was curious to see if KITT would try and take the lead again, and Blindspot didn’t think he’d mind if the other did. Part of this was because the back-and-forth power play was part of what made this race so enjoyable. He didn't have to be top dog the entire time. That would be boring. The other part of the reason why the drone didn't mind was because Blindspot wanted to watch KITT and try and determine exactly what the other’s mood was, to see if KITT was beginning to sense the change in the air.
He sort of hoped that the Mustang was.
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Post by KI3T on Jan 15, 2012 6:26:23 GMT -5
KITT was catching onto the change in the atmosphere about them, it was like a bubble of intensity was surrounding the two. Something unidentifiable switched on in KITT, something that as an AI he could not describe well. In reality, even many humans would have trouble describing the spark that ignited. KITT could practically smell the change in the atmosphere, the whole mood of their race - the hot rubber of the tires and the even hotter growling engines. It was not an intense race at this point -- part of KITT thought this was more like a dance than a race. The idea was puzzling. Despite it being puzzling, the mood of the race, and what he presumed was the smell of their hot engines made him want to press on as the road began to level for about another half mile.
As Blindspot periodically closed gaps between him and KITT as well as challenging him to take the lead, KITT would willingly lead on occasion. And other times when Blindspot caught up, inched close then skittered away briefly- the AI would yearn for him to return. After a little bit more of this game, KITT slowed just a little to where he was in line with Blindspot again and started to steer closer to him; he then slowed just a little even further thereafter so he could get just inches away from Blindspot's left side with his right mirror lightly touching his left mirror from against the actual frame (not the end of the mirror) for just a few moments before they slide around a rather tight switch back. Mirror against mirror put them much closer than using the ends of the mirrors would.
It was as if KITT was urging Blindspot to trust him a little as they maneuvered around such a tight bend. If Blindspot were to panic, he'd maneuver accordingly and give him space. Being so close to him and moving with such precision as an AI would prove to Blindspot that he was certainly interested in getting closer to him while under the pressure of competition, if allowed. At this point it wouldn't be considered taunting, more so flirting back, since KITT was taking opportunities where he could to show off how precise he could be with his maneuvers in order to hold Blindspot's attention.
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Post by Cira Knight on Jan 15, 2012 6:39:23 GMT -5
"Yeh I hear ya there. But such is life eh?" Cira smirked and snatched the opportunity to improve her drifting around the switch back. She glided much more smoothly on this turn, and accelerated just as she began to loose a little speed so they could still keep the other two in sight. "As fellow rotorheads say: Life's short, pull pitch." she added upon completing the turn.
Cira was glad she wasn't in a hurry to leave Italy, between the music and chatting it up with a new buddy, she was certainly making the most of her own short human life at the moment!
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Post by blindspot on Jan 15, 2012 13:21:32 GMT -5
Blindspot was delighted that KITT was joining in the game. Each near-brush was a new thrill, each last-minute swerve was another opportunity for one of them to pursue the other. When KITT began to ease closer and closer, Blindspot held his ground, anticipation and strange new, raw eagerness welling up inside of him. He let KITT close the gap. The frames of their rear-view mirrors touched, and for a moment there was nothing else in the world but the two of them and the road. Blindspot’s entire being, from his frame to the edges of his spoiler, thrummed with a curiously serene contentment.
And then the switchback loomed ahead. Blindspot knew what KITT wanted to do, and he also knew that it would be a tricky maneuver. This was not something the drone would ever try in battle, because if something went wrong, he would most definitely come out of the wreck the worse for the wear… but this wasn’t battle. KITT wasn’t trying to crash him, and now that they were so close, Blindspot didn’t want to pull away again. For a moment Blindspot hesitated, and then the moment passed, and he flickered his lights in assent.
He would follow KITT’s lead, let the other guide him through the tricky turn. He had trusted KITT before, and he would trust the other now. At some point Blindspot fell back slightly, and their mirrors slid against one another, bringing the two cars even closer. Though their sides were not quite touching, they might as well have been, as the noise and heat from their churning engines mingled between them like a physical force.
“Heh. Gotta say, you’re the most pleasant rotor-head I’ve ever met,” 866 confessed. With Cira concentrating on the wheel, he had more free attention to focus on their competitors. Neither KITT nor Blindspot were moving at their top speeds anymore, putting more of their effort into fancy maneuvering. He watched them complete the turn, practically locked together. “Whoah. Intense. I almost feel guilty for watching this.” A pause. “Almost.”
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Post by KI3T on Jan 15, 2012 19:19:49 GMT -5
KITT adjusted his speed accordingly before the turn, then angled his wheels to allow a nice drift. The drift would leave behind tire marks, but KITT wasn't bothered by this. Now going at a more controlled speed, the turn was a piece of cake as far as the AI's efforts at near perfect driving were concerned. The AI was built for perfection, and it was something that was seen with every change in power or angle he took on the road, especially in switch backs and tight turns.
Seeing that Blindspot was as close as he hoped he would be by this point, as he initiated the turn, he made sure to avoid bumping Blindspot. A slight bump could throw him off if he happened to catch on loose gravel that frayed onto the road, and the moment would be ruined. He felt his own tires struggling to grip, but the efforts were pretty consistent an in control as they drifted.
With a hint of regret, KITT inched away from Blindspot steadily once completing the turn, making sure the rear view mirrors didn't even scrape each other as he did so. He remained there for a moment before increasing his speed and power a bit again. Now each mirror was just an inch or two away from each end point as he input new changes. No words were spoken in these moments still, all that could be heard were the engines above the hypnotizing sound of KITT's dual scanners.
An eternity seemed to pass as he would periodically speed up and slow down with extreme subtlety, something KITT was very good at. The AI wasn't set on rocketing ahead any time soon. He was content being close to Blindspot for the moment, and he couldn't explain his reasons very well if he was asked why.
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Post by Cira Knight on Jan 15, 2012 19:26:36 GMT -5
Cira inwardly appreciated 866's comment, as she didn't always hear that sort of thing from those she worked with. "I hear ya, but its certainly fascinating - its hard ta resist." Cira caught herself studying them almost longingly. {"Heh, reminds me of Jazz and I when we're out running. Oh Jazz...I miss you...Stop thinkin' such mushy thoughts!"} she tried to scold herself, trying to stay focused on her own drift, which outwardly she was very pleased with.
"Oh I hope we get more of those! That was fun!"
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Post by blindspot on Jan 15, 2012 23:10:39 GMT -5
KITT’S precision had been built-in, and Blindspot’s had been learned over hundreds of years of combat experience. He skidded through the drift with easy grace, and their combined movements were poetry in motion, the best that human engineering and nearly the best that Cybertronian evolution had to offer. The wind sheared across their hoods, the ground churned underneath their screeching tires, and wild joy burst through Blindspot with every irregular beat of his spark. He felt filled with a strange resonance, something he couldn’t explain. It seemed over all too soon, and KITT pulled away to a more reasonable racing proximity. The Mustang wasn’t the only one experiencing slight regret.
Part of Blindspot wanted to stop the race right then, turn to KITT, and ask, “Did you feel that? Did you just feel what I felt?” But it was drowned out by the part of him eager to continue the race, and he kept his peace. For a few moments he shared in KITT’s lingering contentment, keeping pace with the other and savoring their synchronicity. The urge to run rose in him again, though, the urge to push himself to his limit and see if KITT would follow, to challenge the Mustang and be challenged in return.
He revved once for KITT, challenging him wordlessly. His engine was rattling hard underneath his hood, and it sounded like it would fly apart at any moment, but Blindspot was game. He surged forward, and, if unchallenged, took the lead once more.
“You’re telling me,” 866 replied with another smooth chuckle. “Nice drift, by the way.” Just because she hadn’t executed it in close proximity to another car didn’t mean it wasn’t worth complimenting. 866 was unaware of Cira’s lingering romantic thoughts, though he would have undoubtedly been amused, had he known; everything seemed to amuse 866.
It was only then that he registered that there was another driver on the road. He could sense a car not too far ahead, but, of course, did not know anything further about the vehicle. “Whoah, maybe we better reign the boys in--looks like we’re not alone on the road. I think there’s someone not far ahead.”
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Post by KI3T on Jan 16, 2012 1:49:26 GMT -5
KITT accepted the challenge and accelerated with Blindspot just a second or so later. Having been so focused, he wasn't quick to detecting a motorcycle inbound for their coordinates. Normally KITT was the first to spot other vehicles, but this was one of those rare cases where he wasn't as situationally aware as he could be.
KITT was processor over heels now. Before he hadn't been aware he was crushing. Now he was beginning to realize where this was leading. He welcomed it, wishing that he had met Blindspot earlier in his lifetime.
How lucky was he to be here at this very moment, racing his potential match again? Very lucky. Fate certainly had an interesting way of putting two beings together, and it didn't matter if they had come across and endless sea of stars before they ended up meeting or not. They had met by chance, and there was no other way to explain the spark that ignited between them.
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Post by Cira Knight on Jan 16, 2012 2:01:04 GMT -5
"Well once we pass 'em it should be fine. KITT'll spot them and act once he spots 'em. He's never made a mistake and hit something 'cause of lack of focus." Cira replied. Course she was giving her pal the benefit of the doubt there, she wasn't considering that KITT was far more focused on Blindspot than she would initially venture to guess. She wasn't in the heat of the moment like they were - in that way anyway.
"What the hell...?!" Cira would speak up again suddenly, likely cutting off whatever 866 had to say as a black motorcycle suddenly intercepted KITT and Blindspot from the inside of the road away from the rather steep drop to their left.
Cira reached for her AA12, one hand still on the wheel.
What she was staring at was the rider on the motorcycle as they fired a mini rocket launcher right between KITT and Blindspot as they approached them towards the inside of the road. Weapons were mounted on their back, and it was clear they were being targeted.
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Post by Alison Texas on Jan 16, 2012 2:12:23 GMT -5
What Cira was seeing was Tex, racing towards the AI and Cybertronians as best as she could. The motorcycle intercepted them quickly, giving KITT minimal time to spot it before he could act - and he had to act reflexively when he detected the rocket shooting for them. "Blindspot, look out! Incoming missile!"
For all Tex knew, KITT was a Cybertronian and treated him as such, though both motorcycle driver and their AI implant were beginning to suspect that it was not Cybertronian because of the different signal and twin scanners. Her primary targets were Blindspot and 886. Unless someone spoke up and announced KITT an "Earth vehicle", then she would have a third target. {"Time to get this ball rollin'.} Tex thought as she fired between KITT and Blindspot to separate them, hoping to thrust KITT towards the cliff.
Her gold visor briefly glared at KITT as he proved to her that it would take far more than that to shove him off the little ledge. KITT scooted backwards in alarm and alerted Blindspot and 866 over the private frequencies.
Tex began to drive the bike alongside the road, it was mostly straight beyond the switchback the trio had just passed through. She hoped she could keep them still before she zipped over there. KITT angled himself between Blindspot's rear and 866 as he approached, activating his side rocket launchers and gattling guns on the hood. Firing the rocket launchers, two rockets launched out at Tex, but he missed by what seemed like a nanosecond.
Slag. This was not good for the AI. KITT's rear was right against the end of the opposing lane, right near the drop off, and he was well aware of that.
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Post by blindspot on Jan 16, 2012 19:06:41 GMT -5
Blindspot was just as into the moment as KITT, but he was also a being that had lived most of his life under fire. When he saw the motorcycle suddenly pull ahead and registered the discharge of the weapon, he immediately pinged both KITT and 866. <“Evasive action! We are under attack!”> At about the same time, KITT warned Blindspot. Fast though he was, the drone was caught utterly unprepared, and he was not able to avoid the blossom of heat and stinging cloud of shrapnel the missile produced. Both of them slammed into his side and sent him skidding.
His driver’s side door was crumpled and there was a nasty gash across nearly the entirety of it. As awful as the wound looked it was superficial. It hurt, but it was not a serious injury. Blindspot was not badly wounded, but he was pissed off. Who the hell was this tiny person firing rockets at him? More importantly, why were they firing rockets at him while he was enjoying himself with KITT? They’d been having a real moment, and it’d been interrupted, and Blindspot was so angry at the audacity of this--this human, it looked like, that he could barely see straight.
<“Primus! Blindspot, I need to fight, get the Mustang back here!”> 866 had screeched to a halt behind the other two, keenly aware of the cargo he was carrying. Though Cira was willing to fight, the drone would rather she be inside the sturdiest vehicle. He fought better in his ‘bot mode, and Cira would be utterly defenseless (in his eyes) if he assumed the form now.
The comm snapped Blindspot from his building rage. Cira was still present, and that was a sobering thought. <“KITT, we need to get Cira with you so that 866 can engage the enemy. Go to her; I’ll distract our foe.”> Without waiting for a response, he surged forward, swerving into the middle of the road. <“Keep your sensors off of me until I give you the clear,”> he commed both KITT and 866. He gathered speed again, heading straight for Tex in what looked like a suicide charge. Blindspot's charge might have been intimidating, but he was presenting her with a very convenient target.
He was aware of that, and counting on the human to take the opportunity.
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