| abstract | - The caves extend into a large cavern full of crumbling ice masonry. Once a majestic courtroom, it has fallen into disuse. The carved ice seats are mostly broken, with yeti tracks scuffed across them. The central judicial podium is smashed, the ancient seal of Nepsan Justice has fallen from the wall above it and become embedded in the floor. Inscribed on the wall above everything else can still be seen the legend: "Justice, like lightning, ever should appear to few men's ruin, but to all men's fear". The cave system seems to end at this point, but high above the far wall can be spotted a glimmer, as if the mouth of a high-up cavern. You receive a radio message from Impulse: Being cryptic again, I see... Impulse arrives from the Yeti Caves. Impulse has arrived. Impulse zips into the room, quickly sweeping the area. You hear a knock on the door from Tunnel Of Ice. Everyone else made light of it, apparently. Or didn't read into the cryptic words that were spoken. But one mech did. Impulse had zipped through a lot of Nespa before finally finding it in the Yeti caves. Deeper and deeper he went, until finally he appears, walking slowly down and looking around. Warning the other Autobots right now would be insane, without tipping off the Decepticons that there was more of import to the cryptic transmissions than they believed. Quietly, he moves down, until finally he looks up and reads the legend. "Interesting..." he murmurs softly. "Very interesting..." He moves down further into the court proper, looking up. A visor drops over his optics, zooming in to pick up the glimmer of the cave high above. Looks like someone is gonna have a climb ahead of them. Though this ice room is but a shadow of its former self, it is here that Hobo has apparently taken up temporary residence. Why here is not clear in the slightest. But here is where the prophet-like cassette is to be found by any that were prepared to listen. "So few choose the fountain of knowledge," he wails mournfully, hearing the sound of approaching footsteps. "Such a pity that they do not heed the words. Alas..." He trails off as the footsteps grow closer now, he himself resting on his haunches at the far end of the cave. <<>> "Because few understand the significance and import of wisdom," is the reply as the golden speedster comes into view. Impulse sees the cryptic prophet, the visor sliding back up and out of the way. "And too many of them are probably over-energized to think that anything of import would occur during such a...festive time." He glances up again, then back down at Hobo. "So, now you herald the Seventh..." Hobo's head tilts ever-so-slightly to one side, beholding the solitary figure that managed to decipher the clues given so freely to all who could hear. "You are wise beyond your years, golden one." He pauses affording a momentary chuckle, "Though of course you are not THE Golden One. But then you already suspected as much." He pushes his hind legs upward, scurrying up onto a ledge of ice a little higher up. "If only more would listen, then they too would be prepared..." Impulse chuckles. "I was originally death grey and black when I came online. The gold with the black and red accents and highlights was later, just before my creation-mates and I went to Alteron." Yes, he suspects who it is... which means watching Bumblebee is going to be a priority. Slowly, he grabs hold of a ledge, and slowly begins making his way up. "I take it the wisdom sought is above us in that opening." Hobo hmms, as if recalling some distant memory. "Ah yes, the Scorched Planet. Such a shame, all that treachery..." he says, his voiced laced with regret. "But we must focus on a different time now." He chuckles, amused, by Impulse's assumption. "Oh no, no knowledge will await you in the tunnels above. You have reached the end of your quest." He adds after a few seconds, that seems like forever, "For now..." Impulse pauses. "Nothing up there..." He hops back down onto the ground, then, looking at Hobo. "Well, with only the First and the Fourth already discovered, and the Seventh to be revealed... well, still five more to go." How much to tell the Autobots, he hasn't decided yet -- but likely, several of them will soon learn. "The Books of Primus," he finally says, glancing back at Hobo again. "They're what can blur everything, correct? But yet, there is some kernel of truth contained within?" Hobo bows his head some as he continues to speak. "Soon only five of the Eight will remain, yes. But the question is, will you find them all? Or will you, like so many others, fail to head the words of wisdom? Of this I cannot say for sure..." He striaghtens again. "The books contain a great many things, yet the truth is not always obvious." Impulse looks at Hobo. "So far, I've listened... the only one I missed was the one Whirl got initially, and he gave it to myself and several others." He straightens up, looking around again. "And if there's one thing to never underestimate, my four-legged friend, it is the lengths to which I will go to solve a mystery. And this... is the enigma of enigmas." Hobo nods sagely. "Indeed, that you have. But this is only the beginning, for there are far greater powers at work here. And not all will be immediately apparent to uneducated eyes..." His voice becomes rather whispery as that sentence ends, the wolf arching and then rising to his full, all be it still comparitively diminutive, height. Peering into the hood of his robes is like looking into a neverending darkness, save for the two eyes deep within that now pulsate with a brilliant light. "And thus the blessed did receive their reward..." Impulse's optics narrow for a moment, listening to the words. His expression is a thoughtful one as he begins to dwell on the significance of the riddle presented to him. "A sphere?" he says quietly to himself. "But that only meets part of the criteria... a lens, perhaps. Like Terran spectacles... or a telescope..." Hobo chuckles softly, resting back down on his paws. "In time, maybe you will understand. In time..." he chuckles, with much amusement and mirth. "For now, no more help will you receive. It is all down to you..." Impulse nods slowly, looking at Hobo again after a moment, optics widening back up to normal. "I hope so... because I don't want to mess this up." Hobo almost sounds as if he's bored now. "And now you must go back to whence you came. For nothing more will you find in these glacial depths..." Impulse nods, then glances up at the glimmering opening above. "Well... I gotta see where that takes me." He glances back at Hobo. "Stay safe, friend. The Decepticons are getting more and more intolerant of pretty much anyone with an animal altmode." A brief pause. "I'm waiting for them to turn on the Predacons and the Terrorcons at any moment now." Grabbing onto a ledge, he starts pulling himself up. "See you around..."
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