Tip-tink, tip-tink, Perceptor listened intently to the sound of his own light steps. He often did this, his processor working over-time as he worked his way back to the shared lab. He was sifting through datapads, absently moving his lips to mouth the glyphs and equations he was reading, but not once did a single sound leave him. Still, to keep himself from drift too far off into his work, he kept count on how many tip-tinknoises he made on his way to his goal location.
After all, it was always the same number, but it was soothing and kept him grounded. He paused in front of the door, coming to halt, finishing the set of memorized sequence of steps. He kept his attention on the pads as he typed in the complicated passcode to the lab, not needing to look to the symbols to do so.
As the door opened, he lifted his helm from his reading, only to have his engines rev in a startled way. Brainstorm had all of the lab's microscopes lined up as if for roll call- such a thing was ridiculous, they were inanimate tools, not needing to be counted daily anyway- but there he was, the line of twelve different levels of scope all moved from their spots and placed in a line on a large island counter.
Brainstorm was currently sitting in front of one, hunched over and using a small brush to paint a vibrant shade of red. His helm perked up; the one he was working on appeared to be the last in the lineup; all the others were finished.
Well, finished in that they shared the exact paint scheme of Perceptor.
The scientist stared, focusing on each of the scopes in turn, as if expecting one to have some sort of error, but they didn't. Every one looked exactly like his previous alternative mode; down to the turquoise display tray.
"Uh… Hey, Perceptor." Brainstorm said, rubbing the back of his helm, the paint brush in his hand dripping red paint onto his helm and face. "I was just. Uh."
"…I'm afraid no excuses you could possibly conjure would have any hope of making a remote semblance of sense." Perceptor stated calmly, his optic wide and still looking down the line. "In fact, I daresay that, if you forgive the term, actions speak far louder than words; and your actions speak volumes."