Bot Training: Ground Vehicle Obstacle Course

[Sideburn]

//If there's off-roading involved, we usually let X-Brawn handle it.// Or ride on top of him.

Sideburn's pretty lucky today. He doesn't spot the first row of spikes before he passes them, but he'd been avoiding another nasty-looking area, and the outside spike just grazes the sidewall. He doesn't feel the damage since there's no blow-out, but that just may come back to cost him later. The sparkle of the spikes do get his attention though.

//Yikes! There's spikes hidden in here!// And he's really glad he slowed down now, it makes dodging the other strips of spikes so much easier.

[Rodimus Prime]

Oh, brother. The idea of limiting oneself to roads when one has to fight a war is pretty bizarre to Rodimus. Is Sideburn the one who just sat out the wa- no, that's Firebolt. So he'd be the racer civilian who just painte- no, that's Swerve.

So what's Sideburn's excuse? 'I have a brother that handles it'? The Prime makes a mental note to not only encourage Kup to include more courses like this one for training, but have M/S/E see about upgrading the shock-absorbers and making other adjustments to all these sports cars. After all, in his home reality, just because a Transformer looked like a race car or a sports car didn't mean they couldn't handle a little rough-riding.

Rodimus rolls over the unpaved segment without slowing, and radios back, //Thanks for the heads up,// with regards to the spikes, not that Rodimus is at them yet - he's fallen a bit behind the others by now.

---

OOC: There's a pretty good sized stretch of nice road after the spikes, one where the faster cars can pick up some good speed - and at the end of that is an area where a sticky, glue-like substance has been laid down (meaning that anyone who does take advantage of the good road will be hitting that section fast enough that it could get painful). The finish line is right after that.

[Sideburn]

Hey, most of the fighting did take place on roads! Or at least, at places easily accessed by roads, then walked the rest of the way.

That swimming thing early on was just not cool, though.

Soon, Sideburn is out of the grassy field, much to his relief. He speeds up (even though common sense says not to) and merrily goes along.

...Until his weakened tire wall gives way and blows out. "Ack!" He spins out of control and hits the sticky patch sideways. The sudden deceleration of one side sends him tumbling. He finally comes to a stop on his roof, remaining tires still spinning. Right in the middle of the sticky patch.

...
...
...

//Uh... A little help here?//

[Rodimus Prime]

Rodimus Prime makes swerves his way past the spikes before he hits the open stretch and picks up speed. He's still quite a way behind Sideburn, after all, but from this distance he can make out what happened.

//I'll be there in a moment, but without transforming my only options are to try and push you off or try and pull you off. Depending on how badly stuck you are, you may be better off just transforming.//

[Sideburn]

Sideburn wriggles his front tires and whines, //Aww, but the finish line's right there beyond this obstacle!//

Rodimus is probably getting a pretty good idea of what Sideburn's brothers have to deal with on a daily basis, minus the chasing-red-sportscars deal.

//And I don't think this stuff's that bad... I mean, I was going fast and skidding sideways when I hit it. It'd probably slow you down, but not stop you.//

[Rodimus Prime]

Rodimus Prime slows as he gets in view of Sideburn. Hitting the... whatever it is at high speed could be unpleasant. Which is, no doubt, why it was put right after a nice, open stretch ideal for picking up speed.

//Well, we'll have to see. But it's important to remember that this is still pretty much a game. No one should be getting seriously hurt doing this.//

The Prime rolls slowly onto the sticky area. Sideburn was right - it is enough to slow him down, but not enough to stop him. He approaches the sports car carefully, until he's almost touching him, and asks, "Ready? I'm going to try pushing now."

[Sideburn]

Sideburn's competitive streak demands that he finish the course. It's not as strong as, say, Skidz's love for racing, but it's enough that the possibility of not finishing when he's so close stings worse than his injuries.

He doesn't give a direct reply to Rodimus' comment about it being a game, but he does grumble a bit under his breath.

"Ready!"

OOC: Feel free to do what you want to/need to with Sideburn!

[Rodimus Prime]

Oh, Rodimus can certainly understand such a competitive streak, though the days when he took play seriously enough to let himself and those around him are long past. But then, back in those days even the war itself was but a game.

Strange how a single decade can be a lifetime in a species where a single life can span millions of years.

"All right, then!" Rodimus shouts back, and then he starts rolling forward once more. The glue is sticky, though not near enough to stop a Prime, nor cause serious damage to a lesser Transformer. Thus, Rodimus is able to push Sideburn loose, mostly by nudging him very carefully.

Once they're free of the glue, there's still a problem: Sideburn is still upside down. Rodimus pauses and considers, then gets back to pushing the sports car forward. As he approaches the finish line, he hesitates again. He could push Sideburn forward, and if they're considered to be in a race, he will lose, and Sideburn will win on the back of his efforts. Or he can cross the finish line himself, transform, and pull Sideburn after him, ensuring that the both of them finish the race.

Sometimes, it is not the leader's job to accomplish a task on his own, thus gaining the glory and the credit for himself, but to make sure those serving beneath him have what they need to accomplish their task.

Sometimes, when you're on top, your efforts are best served in lifting up those around you.

Rodimus pushes Sideburn across the finish line before him.

[Sideburn]

Well, it's not a victory Sideburn's gonna gloat about. Being pushed over the finish line on your back is quite embarrassing, after all.

Once over the line he transforms (as always, accompanied by the customary shout). "Thanks."

[Rodimus Prime]

Rodimus appreciates a gloat-free victory, thanks.

The Autobot leader transforms (as always, without any accompanying shout), and smiles brightly at Sideburn. "You're welcome." Then he tilts his head back and looks to the sky, to the location where that wretched broadcast was playing not too long ago, and hmmms.

He looks back down at Sideburn. "It was a pleasure running the course with you. Thanks for the help with Skyblast. But I think there are other things I should be taking care of." And with that, unless stopped, and after giving Sideburn a chance to give him a 'good-bye' or something similar, the Prime transforms once again and is off.