Tailgate buys a star. How is that a bad thing?

"See it? Right there!" Tailgate pointed out the window dramatically, visor wide and bright as he did so. "You see it, right?"

Cyclonus only grunted. "They're stars. I see them."

"No, no, no," Tailgate said, shaking his head. "Not all of them. Just-" he strained to point his arm and finger straighter. "Just that one. Right there."

Cyclonus didn't react, though, in actuality, he was trying very hard to discern exactly which star the minibot was so excited about.

Tailgate bounced a little as he waited for Cyclonus to respond.

"What about it?"

"I own it!"

Cyclonus turned to look at him, raising an optic ridge just slightly. "You own it," he deadpanned.

"Yeah!" Tailgate exclaimed. "Well, I guess we both own it since it's in my name, but you paid for it."

That earned a growl. "I did what?"

Tailgate deflated, twiddling his fingers. "Oh, um… Didn't I mention that? Heh. Remember, back at that trading outpost, when I asked if I could borrow some shanix…"

The hulking warrior faced him fully, stance tense and angry. "You… bought a star. With. My. Shanix." He felt his fingers tremble and stilled himself. He shut his optics and let out a long and heavy sigh. "You, Tailgate, are the biggest imbecile I have ever met."

Tailgate huffed. He still didn't like it when Cyclonus talked to him that way, but he figured it was just a part of who the ancient warriors was, so he tried not to take it too personally. "Well, I know I don't actually own it. It's just for fun, sheesh!" He waved the papers declaring his ownership around before throwing them on the floor. "I mean, look at these! Definitely not legitimate. And before you ask, yes, I'm going to pay you back."

Cyclonus looked down at the papers and scowled. "How much did you spend on this farce?"

Tailgate pulled his legs up onto the windowsill. "And do you know what that star is? Huh? Do you? No really, do you? I can't remember what the guy said it was called." He snatched up one of the pages—the one with the price, no doubt—and shoved it under him before Cyclonus could get a good look. "Do you?"

"Tailgate."

"Well, I know what makes it special. The guy said it was a friendship star. Sappily stupid, I know, but he said that anywhere you were, if you followed the star it would lead you straight to your best friend."

"The price, Tailgate."

The minibot stared a bit harder at the star. "Well, excuse me, Mr. Grumpy-grumps, for not wanting to lose you."

For the briefest of seconds, Cyclonus couldn't hide his smile. But then he did and he ground out, "Tailgate. How much. Did you. Spend?"

Tailgate turned a gleaming visor toward him. "Don't think I didn't see that smile."

Cyclonus backhanded him off his perch and snatched up the paper. His optics widened and his jaw dropped as he read, re-read and triple read the price.

"I swear I will pay you back," Tailgate chirped backing toward the door. Another few seconds and he would be out of the hab suite and among witnesses who might just offer him a sliver of protection.

Cyclonus didn't look at him. "Do you have any idea how long it would take you to earn that kind of shanix?"

The door was behind him. Now to input the code and he'd be home free… At least for a little while. "Y'know, I just remembered that I was supposed to meet Getaway at Swerve's, so I'm just gonna-" the door slid open and he bolted.

Cyclonus crumpled the paper in his servo and looked back out the window. "A friendship star," he huffed. He glanced back at the closed door and smiled. "Imbecile."

Starring Mr. Grumpy-Grumps himself, Cyclonus and co-starring the cutest of the cute, Tailgate.