Scene #2435:

Owner	Pose
Howlback	IT'd been over the news an on the radio; serial mass destructions of abandoned structures, brought down in the dead of night or the wee hours i the morning. Massive amounts of damage to uninhabited structures, far out in the country -- or dangerously close to some city streets. WHat could have been inhabited at one point -- or used for shelter by those without homes -- was reduced to rubble and gravel. Only two eyewittnesses, hundreds of miles across, had seen the same car going in or coming from the wreckage -- a hot rod, with dark tinted windows, speeding away as fast as wheels can carry it at breakneck speeds. Howlback was aware of the reports, and was glad to hear them going... unanswered. When the Bots away, Cons will play. Engine purring as she made a sharp corner around the side of an abandoned warehouse and packing plant, the cobalt and black car begins to circle, screeching tires and leaving long, black marks along the cracked pavement.
Bardock	BI-BEEP A green lens starts tracking numbers, displaying power levels for those in the general area. That lens is in an ear-mounted device on the side of the saiyan Bardock's head. He's trying to figure out who is responsible for the destruction, but hasn't had much luck. He's trying to locate large powers both by his scouter and his less-developed Ki senses, but whoever or whatever it is, doesn't seem to be emitting such. The reports indicated a vehicle was used to enter and leave a couple of the sites. So unless his scouter suddenly indicates the driver of the vehicle is around and super strong, he's mostly just flying through the air, peering down at the ground, and watching for the car. "This better not just be some kind of super-strong living car or something. Then I'll feel dumb for wasting so much time looking for a super-strong driver." he mutters to himself.
Howlback	VRRRRR---oooom? Howlback caught something on her long-range audio... someone coming. Giving a low growl beneath the purr of her engine, she turns off her headlights, and pulls in between a few smaller outbuildings, and keys down the sound of her motors. Indistinct. Could have been an animal. Howlback didn't feel like taking any chances though, and with her scanners going on high alert, she waits.
Bardock	The saiyan warrior fails to spot the vehicle he's looking for. He's presently moving at a fair slow 'coasting' speed to make sure he doesn't miss anything, but with Howlback taking steps to conceal herself, he happens to miss where she has gone hiding, and to pass right by. A spikey-headed shadow passes down the street and over rooftops, a silhouette cast by the full moon. Bardock is avoiding looking up at the sky if he doesn't have to, for certain reasons. Sensing nothing and seeing nothing, he goes right on by and continues on his way... Then the smell of burnt rubber hits his nose, and he slowly comes to a stop. 'Standing' in the air as he tries to place the odor. Looking around at the general area around himself, the veteran warrior takes in the fact that this abandoned location probably doesn't have much reason for anyone to be in it. Probably no GOOD reason... And that a pungent scent like that might well be recent. He's not particularly familiar with Earth vehicles or Earth odors, and he might be wrong. But there's a certain sense you get after awhile on the battlefield. A place like this? Seemingly empty? Great for an ambush, or a temporary hidey-hole to escape the saiyans who are out looking for you and your family. A dark expression flashes across Bardock's face at his own memories. Then he puts it aside for now, he simply descends to ground level, his booted feet landing with a tp-tip, and starts searching on-foot.
Howlback	An ambush waiting to happen? Oh yeah. It was in her thoughts. Howlback's sensors had him in her sonar, and she could hear him falling to earth. No vehicle, no transformation. This creature wasn't like the other humans she had observed. Humans don't just... fall out of the sky in a controlled manner. She eased herself forward, tires creeping forward, trying to get a better sense where this... creature was from, and get a good visual bead on him. Without more obvious scans, the Decepticon would be unable to make any calls how to proceed. The scrapper slides forward, inch by inch, moving her mass as quietly as she could.
Bardock	Bardock may have sharp senses, but he's no Namek (whatever THOSE are. He still hasn't actually met one. He thinks they might be those green people who loiter around the cafeteria at Toki Toki, eating nothing but water like complete weirdos???). Howlback's attempts at stealth seem to be working so far. The scar-faced man is taking his time, walking around and checking every single suspicious location he notices. He already knows it's possible to conceal one's energy, and he fought for a long time without relying upon that sense in the past. If a scouter can be fooled, so can Ki sensing. Which means falling back on his battle experiences and instincts. If this was the old days, he'd try flushing out anyone hiding out by hurling Ki blasts into likely places. Upper stories of buildings, behind walls just low enough to lie behind, inside of pipes and trenches... But he's trying to PREVENT destruction now, not cause more. Bathed in the moon light, the warrior crosses the open spaces with some degree of confidence. He has been the hunter so many times it's still hard to picture himself as being hunted in turn. Maybe someone is considering ambushing him. Maybe not. But he feels he can handle it. Probably. Unless it's Cell again, or something like him. He stops in the middle of a relatively open area, and just tries to smell where that odor came from originally. That's the trail he needs to follow. If nothing else, maybe he can find the vehicle and someone better at examining evidence than him can pull something off of it. Assuming it's even the same vehicle. It's a big Multiverse. It could be some other car and he could be wasting his time. Slowly, however, he starts to come closer to the place where tires had screeched and left marks on the ground. And while Howlback may be moving away from there slowly, or have found another place nearby to lie low, the fact he's following her trail may be somewhat alarming.
Howlback	A Nah, Howlback's used to having more imposing things on her trail. With Bardock examining her tiremarks, she goes to get on the attack. Her throttle opens up, the engine roars to life, chrome catching the moonlight as her headlights kick on, bathing the lot in bright blue-white light. Her tires screech, kicking up smoke and the smell of burning rubber as she sends herself careening at the saiyan investigating the lot! "OI! Don't you know these places can be /dangerous/ at night?" calls out a high-pitched voice with a lilt of mechanical whine as she drops her hiding place, and races towards the hunting Saiyan!
Bardock	Bardock was not really expecting to be charged at by the car. There's all kinds of ways he could have evaded, up to and including just flying straight up. He didn't though. Super speed, battle instincts, saiyan power, special techniques... All go out the window as he turns quickly to face the charging enemy, just in time to get hit by a speeding automobile. He tumbled over Howlback's hood, and all the way over to hit the ground behind her on his side. Unlike what one might expect, however, he doesn't stay down long. "Ow," is what he offers in reply. Then he pushes himself back up onto his face, doing a neat little mid-air somesault and flying back a couple dozen yards to land on his feet again. He has a bit of a red mark on his face from where it impacted the ground and his legs hurt from the surprisingly powerful collision. "I've heard they're a lot more dangerous than usual lately. Guess I know why now," he responds calmly. His eyebrows are down, his body tensed for action. "I don't suppose you've got a reason why you're busting up places?" A saiyan who talks first before attacking? What has the Multiverse come to?
Howlback	The car speeds, and then hits the brakes, hard, turning and spinning its more bulky rear end around, revving again for a second run. Most people would have run. Most humans wouldn't have gotten up. This one stands right up, and now that Howlback has it in her sights, she gives it a look through her sensors. Bulky. Ridiculous, fiberous kibble at the top. Still... he tensed. But didn't attack. Didn't seem inclined for return fire. So in lieu of firing first, Howlback's voice radiates from the car facing off against the warrior. "Would you beleive it? It's /amazingly/ theraputic." comes a very honest answer. "And they're only dangerous if you walk in the /middle/ of it, yeah?"
Bardock	"I can appreciate that," Bardock replies. Both points. Destruction being fun and it not being dangerous unless you're in the middle of it. He's still sore from that hit, but he at least has his attacker talking now. He still feels dumb that the attacker TOTALLY IS SOME KIND OF TALKING CAR AFTER ALL though. "I'm not exactly Mister Rules or anything. But people seem to be taking exception to their buildings being destroyed. Maybe no one has gotten hurt so far..." He pauses, remembering his encounter with his attacker's 'face' a few moments ago. "...Change that to ALMOST no one. But there's no guarantee that's going to remain the case. I don't know if you're checking in advance to make sure no one's around, but maybe you could only demolish buildings people want you to demolish. You could even make money off of it, or fame. Think about it. 'That amazing talking car who breaks buildings with her face!'" He makes a dramatic gesture with one hand, while keeping the other ready at his side. "You'd get hired to break even more buildings, and get even more therapy. And you wouldn't get in trouble, and you wouldn't be mowing down guys like me for trying to find out what's going on. Is that an option for you?" Diplomatic saiyans now too! For his part, Bardock's his entire body is urging him to fight. To respond to aggression with aggression. All his instincts are screaming it. But he's calming himself by his own will, bringing his hot blood under control, and making the attempt to find another way.
Howlback	"Aww, you don't seem to be too bad off..." the vehicle replies. The headlights stay right on Bardock's form. "I've been hired to 'break' things before... wouldn't say it was much of a good career move. Kinda like moonlighting... wait... talking... car....? HOI!" The car begins to change. Lights switch off, the figure seems to curl up, feline like as parts shift around. The chrome-covered engine becomes a highlit, waspy waist. Along the head, the figure appears to be wearing a helmet with 'dreads' hanging down, short, soft spieks of tubing that brush against her shoulders. The figure stands a good fourteen feet tall, and draws downward, on one knee as her yellow optics zoom in on the Saiyan, dark yellow slits int he middle akin to a cat's eyes. And from her back, she produces what looks like a longer-than-normal metal bat, and she taps her fist a moment. "'amazing talking car who breaks buildings with her face'? The scrap kinda title is that?"
Bardock	Bardock relaxes somewhat from his ready stance as the enemy reveals herself to be some kind of giant metal person. A robot or whatever. He squints up at her, shielding his eyes with one hand to keep the moon out of them. "Look, I'm kind of new around here. I didn't even know what a car was until recently, and I didn't know there were people who could turn into them. Or... The other way around." He is obviously outmatched here, right? His enemy is far taller than him, probably far stronger... He's in serious trouble if a fight actually breaks out, but he's still acting like this is a negotiation, a chat, instead of a life-threatening situation. "So what are you then? And just to be sure, you're saying there's no way for you to either knock this stuff off or find a way to do it that won't upset locals? Or at least none that you're willing to do? I can understand destruction being fun. Really. But a compromise would be swell. It means we won't have to fight tonight." Fight? Does he actually think he could fight this giant of living metal? Yep. But he may be overestimating his abilities. Again. Seems chronic for him.
Howlback	"I'm not here to make a fight outta things, I'm taking a bit of a sabatical, y'see." she replies, and just gives a bit of a grin, returning her bat to her back. "Me? I'm not really anything important, don't you worry your 'little' self about that, but maybe you could shed a little bit of /light/ on a wee little" she brings her thumb and forefinger up, making the 'little' gesture on it, "incy wincy..." she closes the forefinger closer to the thumb "little bit of a question for me. See, I've been... away." she gives a helpless shrug, as if there were no other way to explain it.
Bardock	Bardock folds his arms over his chest and nods his head in understanding. "We're in a similar situation then. Except it sounds like you're not entirely unfamiliar with all this." He inclines his head to one side to indicate 'all this' in an extremely vague manner. "I'll do my best to answer your question, taking into account I might not have the answer you're looking for." How nice. Despite his injuries (he should be okay after a little bit of rest, but his leg is still sore. And his face), it seems that trying to talk things out has actually WORKED. It's almost depressing how easy it was. Because it makes him realize how saiyans, with their strong bodies could have been diplomats instead of warriors. Their training could have made them tough enough to take the initial hits from frightened populations, and then try to talk them down. To make peace. To only fight to make themselves better able to handle the rigours of other worlds, and for enjoyment amongst themselves. How different would saiyan history have been if they'd teamed up with the Tuffles instead of wiping them out? They might have become strong enough together to form some kind of... Of... Galactic alliance or something. Readied everyone to deal with Frieza. Been their protectors. He can almost see it all before his eyes. How it could have played out if they'd tried to suppress their instincts just a little bit. Then maybe encounters like this would have been commonplace instead of miracles of the Multiverse. "So what's the question?" He asks with a smile.
Howlback	"Well. It might be a little strange, asking... sine you don't seem to know what /I/ am..." she taps the symbol at her shoulder, a violet-on-black symbol, a robotic face made of triangles, vaguely sinister in nature. Howlback seems to ease herself back up. She straigtens, and rolls her shoulders with a vague grinding noise. "... what planet is this?" she asks. "Don't seem to have any recollection of so many photosynthesizing lifeforms."
Bardock	A simple enough question. Bardock looks one direction. Then another. Then almost looks up at the sky but catches himself. Last thing he needs is to go ape and start rampaging at a time like this. He fixes his gaze on Howlback and says, "I assumed it was some version of planet Earth. Multiverse and all. Lots of different or similar versions of things. But this area seems to be... A whole bunch of planets continuously linking up together in one big mass. Some kind of super-planet thing, I guess? I'm not a scientist, I don't know this stuff. But that's the best I can do. 'Probably a version of Earth, with other planets all around it, flattened out into plains and stuff'." He shrugs helplessly. "I can confirm for you if you like? And nah, I don't recognize the symbol. I'm assuming it means something important?" Frieza liked his symbols. His big fancy displays. Making a mere image representative of his power so that he could inspire fear with less effort. But the royal family of Vegeta had their symbols too. So do humans, for all kinds of things. Even for letting people know, 'HEY THERE IS FOOD HERE. HERE BENEATH THIS GOLDEN ARCHES. COME EAT. FOOD. EAT IT NOW.' Symbols can mean a lot of things. Not all of them bad. "My name's Bardock, by the way."
Howlback	The golden tits of America. "Huh. Earth. Terrible name for a planet..." she stands, and stares out into the distance. The apertures in her eyes give a quiet whirr as she adjusts to the night, to distance. Off in the distance there's a car rumbling along a distant highway. They don't notice the two fighters and the abandoned buildings "Might have well called it 'mud'." she adds in a mutter as she flexes her fingers a moment, then looks down at Bardock. Then to the symbol on her shoulder... and gives a shrug. "No. It only becomes important when someone wants it to be." she replies to the Saiyan, and she taps her hands against her metallic sides. "And right now, it's not important." At that, she gives a wry grin, her face contorting to match the idea of it. "And I am called Howlback."
Bardock	"Nice to meet you. And hey, I didn't name the place! What's weirder is that there's so many universes where everyone thought it was a good idea to call it that!" Then again, his planet is named after vegetables, so he isn't really one to talk. "Tell you what, though. This is a REALLY big Multiverse. I'm sure there's entire planets full of abandoned buildings that you could wreck to your... Engine's content? Your power supply? Whatever you have instead of a heart. Give me the chance, and a way to contact you, and I'll ask around about finding your own demolition playground. No one to get in your way, no one to get mad about being hurt or having their stuff broken, just you and structures waiting to be blown to smithereens BY you. How's that sound?"
Howlback	That sounded like owing someone a favor. Howlback decides, abruptly, that this conversation doesn't seem to be in her best interest. "No, thanks." she replies, and she rolls her shoulders, and goes to take a few steps. "Nice to meet you, Bardock... but next time? You might not wanna stick around." Howlback replies, and she transforms, again, into the ratrod. The engine purrs to life. Headlights blaze back to life, and she screeches her tires, the back end of the little rig swinging from side to side before she takes off. "You might not get the chatty Howlback!" she calls back, and goes to speed down the road. "Like scrap am I gonna owe someone something. NEver again. Never, ever, ever, again." she mutters out loud to herself under the roar of her engine.