re_alignment | [Audio: Locked to the Brave Police minus Yuuta] [back dated a few days]

Did... they never change your engine?

[He shakes his head though.]

There's a quiet place. Not far away. We can... we'll figure your fuel problem out when we get there. Come on.

Change it?

[That would be a no there Kagerou.]

Okay.

[He starts to follow the other, clearly fighting against what ever it is that is messing with his mind.]

I guess not.

[He'll fly slowly, so as to make sure the bigger AI can keep up with him. But they head in the direction of Trion's temple.]

[Rung told him it was peaceful there. And... he figures the Autobot would know.]

Maybe it is because I don't have a glyph...

[He may not be overly conversational yet, but he had been watching the link, and noticed enough people mention those without glyphs in a negative way.

He tries not to walk too slowly, fortunately his stride is pretty long, so he doesn't seem to be having trouble moving at a considerable pace.

He trusts Kagerou, no matter where the ninja was leading him he would follow. He felt that he could trust the ninja with his life and be safe.]

No. You're alive. Aren't you? Just because you don't have a marking doesn't mean you should be terminated. Or starved.

[... just because he was only a prototype doesn't mean he should be killed ... ]

[This is hitting too close to home. Maybe that's the reason he can't leave this alone. Why he's taking such a risk.]

[He was never allowed to live. Someone should be.]

It isn't far. Keep moving.

I've gotten to live more that I would have if I hadn't showed up here.

[He shrugs lightly. He wants to live, yes, but to him he has already gotten more than he figured he would have. And he felt so awkward and out of place that he wasn't sure anyone wanted him pestering them for some way to burn other fuels here.]

Okay.

[He tries to shake off the feeling of being more twitchy, perhaps enraged, about everything, as they move closer to the First Forged's home.]

And why should that stop? Why should... why should you be ignored, pushed away... left alone... because you aren't like the rest of them? Don't they have hearts? Souls? Don't they wish to live?

You want the same thing. You shouldn't be denied it any more than any one of them.

[He may be... flitting around in the air as he speaks. The words seemingly agitating him.]

[But that's got nothing to do with why the Chieftain feels agitated. These are nothing more than Kagerou's feelings, spilling out with no better outlet.]

I don't know...

One of them told me that...

I was just a sophisticated program

that without a spark I wasn't...

really alive.

[It's more than emotions making it hard for him to speak his whole thoughts, the urging in his head keeps getting more and more violent and he feels like he is slowly losing his control over it.

He wonders if he should mention it to Kagerou, but the other was already helping him, maybe it would get better soon.]

That's not what they've told me.

[He pauses, ducking down to hover at optic-level with the bigger robot.]

Wing. Vandal. Soundwave... they all said that I'm alive. They're my friends, and they wouldn't lie.

You... If you're based on my design, then why would you be any different?

Wing...

he...

he told me I was...

that I should..

a name

my own.

name.

be more than just

just

Chieftain.

[The large robot's struggle to form full sentences started to become much more obvious, and fear registered in his face as he found his ability to suppress the violent thoughts and ideas slipping further away.]

Yes. Wing... he's... he's good at that. Believe him. Don't believe whoever told you...

[He trails off, at the expression on the other AI's face. But, still, he doesn't fly off.]

[It's probably foolish, but he stays hovering where he is.]

... What's wrong?

[It seems that enough strain has been put on his self control that the balancing point has overturned. A smirk replaces the fear as an arm reaches up to swat the other from the sky.]

[Well.]

[He wasn't expecting that. Not in the slightest.]

[Needless to say, he's smacked straight down into the ground, like a bird slamming into a window, and leaves a little crater of impact.]

[He lays there for a few beats, trying to re-gather his wits, and... wondering what just happened.]

[Chieftain doesn't so much jump to where Kagerou landed as he does just step over. He kneels down, intent on pinning the much smaller robot with his hand as his other goes for the hilt of his sword.

A dark and sinister sounding laugh bubbles up in him, as if he is enjoying this. Somewhere, deep inside, where all control has been lost, he screams, trying to make this stop.]

[The footsteps rouse him, snap him out of the daze, as the hand comes down. Every joint is protesting, but he grasps for his own blade, swinging it up at the Chieftain's palm.]

[Something is still saying this can't be happening. That he can't have broken another promise. While something else kicks in, some shred of self-preservation.]

[He stabs at the oncoming hand, to ward it off long enough to get his feet back under him.]

[The slash does little more than make him pause, but the stab does a bit more to deter his hand. It doesn't really hurt, but the sword would make for an awkward hold on the smaller robot.

His own sword comes free of its sheath and he arches up, raising it above him to bring it down in a straight cut on the little ninja.]

[It wasn't supposed to happen. It was supposed to be safe, further away...]

[The thought flits through his head, while he rolls to one side, out from under the hand. He just needs space, needs to take off. It's safer in the air and -- ]

[ -- and the Chieftain said he was low on fuel. If he can just get airborne again...]

[Thrusters kick on, as soon as he's clear, and his wings strain. One of them is bent, the other won't unfold properly, but he makes it into the air, not once turning his back on the other AI.]

Stop this! You said this wasn't what you wanted!

[The launch seems to surprise him quite a bit, but it doesn't stop him from attempt to still slash into the ninja, his shoulder repairs halting the action and preventing him from hitting Kagerou.

The words get a small flicker of something... different, abject horror, there for less then a second before it's gone and Chieftain starts to reach for Kagerou.]

[He's not as agile as he should be, but the pause is enough time for him to launch straight up.]

[Maybe if he can get him on the ground...]

Stop what you're doing! You told me this wasn't what you wanted to do with your life!

[And as he speaks, he drops. The chain flicks into his hands, weighted end starting to twirl as he aims for one of the Chieftain's legs.]

[He misses his grab for the ninja out sped by the smaller robot.

He starts to pause at the words, the internal struggle slowing his actions, but the appearance of the chain seems to end any consideration.]

[He keeps it between them. He doesn't have the size or the armor to take a direct hit. Not again. But... maybe if he just keeps trying.]

Listen to me.

This isn't how you live. You told me yourself...! Don't you remember?

[Though, even while he speaks, he hovers, ready to dart in another direction.]

[There isn't any definitive reaction to Kagerou's words this time. He charges his sword with energy, before slashing for the ninja, the shock wave of energy springing off the blade.]

[One more thing he never expected.]

[He manages to get out of the way of the swing, but not the shock wave. Once more, he's sent flying out of the sky, skidding and rolling across the ground. It's harder to pick himself up this time, but he shoves himself to his hands and knees, all but crawling away.]

[No. He has to get the Chieftain off his feet...]

[There is a kind of arrogance in the way he walks, taking his time to stroll toward Kagerou, as if he has all the time in the world. Any hint of the robot that was there seems to be long and well erased at this point as he smirks down toward the crawling robot.]

[He doesn't want to do this. He doesn't want to kill anyone. Especially not someone who wants to live as badly as he does...]

[But when he glances back, sees the look on that face -- his AI sparks. Shock, dismay... disappointment... It's another broken promise.]

[He whips the chain around, aiming for one of the Chieftain's ankles. And pulls. His thrusters fire, yanking himself backward as he does.]