To Hear The Auctioneer

[Lynn Deanna Payne]

Day 17, Open

---

This is a nice district but not one of the showier ones. As auctions go, this house might be comparable to Christie's. They're known for only selling very, very expensive items. The auction house itself is a monolithic building of grey stone. Imposing, even.

It costs just to get in the door - this is Pz-Zazz, after all.

The items on the block today are some archaeological treasures from Pz-Zazz's past, when it was perhaps a better place to live than it is now, relics of a bygone era.

Bambi, inside the building but not seated in the auditorium yet, leans against a column. She goes unnoticed by the well-heeled crowd, despite being in plain sight. She's nicely dressed, a smart, snappy suit and skirt in a dark, neutral taupe over a pale gold ruffled blouse and the requisite heels - just nicely enough to blend into the crowd but not so nicely that she attracts any attention. Camouflage. Bambi has her nose down in a well-thumbed program leaflet. The gold death mask of a boy king. An urn filled with the blood of a legendary hero. The suit of armour of a female warrior-prophet. The list goes on, but the most interesting item, ah... they haven't even mentioned what that even is.

But Bambi's done enough research to have a blasted good idea.

Would explain all those very bland-looking people in those even-blander suits trying to hide the earpieces they're wearing.

[Rodimus Prime]

Rodimus is in maroon slacks, a matching blazer, and... no shirt beneath. His flaming paint job is visible beneath his jacket, which at least causes the lack of shirt to make a little more sense, even if flame motifs are blasphemous to much of the Pz-Zazz population.

He's in the outer hall, close enough to Bambi that he can keep an eye on her, although he seems more interested in the people trying to hide their earpieces. He originally decided to come to satisfy his curiosity. Then he became worried that the auction would prove to be... dull.

Those earpieces are suggesting to him that this won't be nearly as dull as he thought, after all.

He strolls over to a podium to grab another one of the pamphlets, picking it up and leafing through it absently. He stops and snorts as he spots one of the items.

What is it with boy kings, anyway?

[Swindle]

A high-priced auction catering to the rich and famous? A chance to see and be seen? Large amounts of money changing hands? Of course Swindle is there! He's wearing a less glittery version of the suit he wore on his date with Pee-Dee, a muted green with purple pinstripes, complete with tails, top-hat and cane, and a bolo tie, this time with an unadorned gold clasp. He's not here for any item in particular, just for fun.

[Shanodin]

Botanica is attending the auction in robot mode. For one, doing so seems to provide a buffer of sorts against the planet's turmoil, likely because she isn't actually touching the ground. Secondly, because it is a much easier form to dress, and she somehow doubts that this places allows its patrons to go au naturale.

She is dressed in what humans would call the typical Jackie O style, a short jacket with heavy buttons and a short but tasteful skirt in a deep green that brings out the greens in her robot form. The shirt beneath the jacket is the palest lavender to complement. She's carrying a small black clutch, but has forgone the pill box hat as it doesn't sit well on her head shape.

She's is there to keep watch on Bambi, really. She hasn't had much chance to observe the little Dinobot, but has heard some promising things about the girl. Botanica wants to see how Bambi comports herself.

Botanica is currently thumbing through her own copy of the goods list, though she smiles and gives Rodimus a slight wave when he arrives.

Swindle might find her to look slightly familiar.*

---

* Wyatt has mentioned that in his personal canon, Botanica is a High Council member in Animated. I like this idea, but of course Animated players aren't required to go along with it as it isn't hard show canon. Your option.

[Ramulus]

Ramulus is here. Not because of the others, but because of the items. He wanders around the hall, taking in the construction and the advertisements of the auction offers.

He's wearing clothes that resemble the classical explorer's outfit. It is custom for his form, considerate to his alternate mode and easy to remove. The color is beige/white with maroon accents. Wait, white? If one would closely examine the fabric, they would find out that it's dirt-repellent. Quite expensive.

Ramulus had a deviation to the Maximal symbol patched on the sleeve: It is combined with a trowel and a brush with crystals growing on the background.

He walks around as he waits.

[Soundwave]

Soundwave is not one to participate in large social affairs. He often finds them to be ridiculous and uneventful. But, perhaps he might find something useful in this auction. However, it was common for lesser planets such as Pz-Zazz to acquire things of value. Often illegally it would seem, but that was of no matter to Soundwave.

What Soundwave was exactly looking for was radio equipment. Possible upgrades so to speak. So far what he saw could only be classified as antiques and standard radio devices. Nothing particularly up to speed with his processors, nothing of value. At least not yet...

Taking a look around, it appeared that Soundwave took notice that he wasn't the only Cybertronian among the auctioneer crowd. Several Autobots were present as well as the Decepticon arms dealer Swindle. all of them dressed in some ridiculous attire that organics can usually be seen walking about in.

Soundwave had no desire to do such a thing and therefore looked slightly out of place among the crowd. While this certainly garnered him a few looks from people, one cold stare in return from Soundwave was enough to silence their annoying chatter. And of course, as long as he held money, they wouldn't totally shun him.

Continuing to look around for something that wasn't outdated, Soundwave anticipated that this was going to be one interesting auction...

[Lynn Deanna Payne]

Boy kings are inherently tragic because they're boy kings. If they lived long enough to be man kings, they wouldn't be nearly as interesting.

This is not the kind of auction that sells radio equipment. At all. This is the kind of auction that sells priceless (ha) archaeological and historical treasures. Soundwave might have some luck in finding new parts if he goes and talks to Swindle; certainly, it doesn't look like this crowd of alien snobs wants anything to do with him, and some of the rather blandly dressed people with earpieces are whispering to each other.

The lights flash, once, indicating that it is time to be seated, if folks wish to watch the spectacle. Bambi lopes off to go find a seat - gnn, but being shorter than the most of the populace here is a pain. She wants to at least see the items, and she won't be able to, trying to peer over someone's head.

Up on the auction stage, an alien man who looks something like a drab hummingbird in a suit hovers behind the podium. he taps at the microphone with his beak. A rather... decorative woman in a long, glinting black dress rolls out the first item on a cart. With a dramatic flourish, she pulls off the covering cloth. Anyone who has been following along in the pamphlets will see that this is...

...The Vase of Nine-Score-and-Nine Troubles, Less a Woman. A massive piece of pottery, it depicts all manner of woes, rendered lovingly, with the utmost of craftsmanship, in black and red. The hummingbird-man announces, "The Vase of Nine-Score-and-Nine Troubles, Less a Woman," for all those who had not been following along. "The bidding will start at one thousand shanix, which I assure you, is a steal."

Say, just how many shanix did it take to get Death's Head to hunt Galvatron through time?

[Rodimus Prime]

That would be ten thousand. Rodimus would know. He set that bounty.

Which means a starting bid of even a tenth of that is still a fair amount of money, eliciting a startled look from the Autobot second as he quietly moves in to seat himself next to Bambi. He makes a soft whistle, one too quiet to be mistaken for a bid, and leans nearer to Bambi. "That's a starter? Just what is it you're here to see, anyway?" he murmurs, perhaps loud enough for any near or nearing Transformers to overhear.

[Swindle]

Swindle takes note of who's here as he moves toward a seat. There's the Ace of Hearts himself, Rodimus Prime, Soundwave is apparently taking a break from whatever secret project he's been working on, and is that High Councilor Botanica? Her design is a bit off. Probably an alternate universe incarnation.

He takes a seat, but doesn't make a bid. The vase doesn't interest him nearly as much as some of the items later in the program.

[Shanodin]

While Botanica's apparent friendliness with Rodimus might suggest that she is Autobot aligned, assuming that as fact would be rather foolish. She has no faction symbol visible (has no faction symbol period, for that matter), and doesn't even share the earmarks of a typical Cybertronian build. For that matter, neither does Bambi, or Ramulus. In fact, the only robot easily identified as an Autobot here would be Rodimus, since a) he is rather distinctive and features in a lot of Decepticon vid files and b) his brand is on his exposed chest.

Botanica is already seated on the other side of Bambi when Rodimus sits down. She has a bidding number but has no intention of actually bidding, the number tucked neatly into her jacket pocket.

She also seems a bit taken aback by the starting bid, though she refrains from saying anything aloud. Botanica does, however, turn toward Bambi at Rodimus's question, just as curious as to the answer.

Security, in the meantime has decided that regardless of how pointy and intimidating someone might be to the casual auction-goer, they simply can't allow someone to run around naked in such an establishment as this. Money, it seems, is not everything. The two largest plainsclothes- a cyborg and a gelatinous blob- approach Soundwave.

The cyborg speaks very softly, "Sir, I'm afraid that we must ask you to acquire suitable attire and return after doing so. Clothing is not optional at this house."

Something which, if Soundwave had actually read the auction information, he would have known. Along with the fact that there's not a single radio or electronic part among today's offerings.

[Lynn Deanna Payne]

It's been about four days, so... both of y'alls are timed out, and I'm skipping.

Bambi murmurs lowly to Rodimus Prime, so softly that even he will have trouble hearing her, "Egg of Bird, holy of holies. It not on program, but anyone who anyone know it selling today."

Someone with money will buy it up, and something belonging to the heritage of Pz-Zazz will be locked away from the public forever. Is that a bit of smoke rising from her helm, an acrid curl?

There is animated bidding over the vase, and it increments up by hundreds.

[Rodimus Prime]

Rodimus Prime's optics open wide at Bambi's description. "What?!" he hisses, managing to keep his voice a whisper, though it's rather a loud whisper. He glances around the room to see if he's overheard - in the process spying a strangely familiar robot, but between the universe differences and that robot's clothing, Rodimus can't immediately place him and so he mentally dismisses it before turning his attention back to Bambi.

"What do you know about this egg?" he murmurs, now keeping his voice to more acceptable levels. He shoots a brief look to Botanica, to see what reaction she might have to the description, then adds, voice still low, "I'm going to let Xaaron know."

[Swindle]

You shouldn't stage whisper around Swindle, Rodimus, he can hear money. He's not an archaeologist, but he does have a few good sources of information. He knows something big is getting sold tonight, likely for an outrageous sum. And valuable things are worth having, even if it's only to resell them.

Oh, but Soundwave is on the verge of getting kicked out. That just won't do, especially since Swindle wants something from him. The con-bot gets up from his seat and approaches the security guards harassing the communications officer. "Cultural differences, gentlebeings, surely we can be a bit forgiving?" He pulls out a poncho and a matching hat (A real poncho and hat, mind you, this is a brightly colored serape and a sombrero with little beads hanging from the brim) from his drawer and thrusts them towards Soundwave. "You can pay me for those later, with interest. Speaking of which, I have some broadcasting I need to talk to you about. My business card has my frequency on it, it's tucked into the hat brim. Call me, we'll network." Having said his piece he smiles, twirls his cane, and heads back to his seat.

[Shanodin]

Botanica also stiffens a bit at Bambi's comment about the Egg, and meets Rodimus's look with a worried frown.

"Something missing...?" she muses, a reference to their earlier conversation with Xaaron, "That...might make sense. But to wind up here of all places...."

Security impatiently waits for Soundwave to decide on taking the clothes (though they really aren't truly proper attire for this place) or to leave, or to cause trouble. We'll revisit them at a later time.

[Soundwave]

Soundwave would've left too. He seemed to have no business being there, though a part of him would like to stay and see what they did have to offer. And it seemed he would be given his chance to stay after all, as Swindle has given him a...an interestingly ridiculous piece of clothing to allow him to stay in the auction house. Along with (somewhat unsurprisingly) a business offer.

Soundwave took the two articles of clothing reluctantly and slowly adorned them, drooping his 'wings' over his shoulders in order to fit the poncho on. Then came the tine to put on the ridiculous sombrero. With all of that out of the way, Soundwave merely looked at the auction officials below him as if to ask, "May I sit down now?"