audio; | location near Alpha Trion's lake

[thxforthememories]

[The message is short, the voice clipped, slightly laced with static. Though whether that's from fatigue, damage, or something else, it's hard to tell.]

... The Chieftain is dead.

[And he can't bring himself to move away just yet.]

I. I tried to fix it. I'm so sorry.

[And there the transmission ends.]

Comments

AUDIO;

[engrishdetective]

...You did your part, Kagerou.

You need a hand?

AUDIO;

[thxforthememories]

He... he was like me. I thought I could--

[No, not doing this here. When he speaks next, it's his typical deadpan calm.]

Yes. I would like that... Thank you.

AUDIO;

[engrishdetective]

He was like all of us in some way.

Sure. Be right over.

AUDIO;

[thxforthememories]

Even you?

[He sends out the coordinates, and just. Stays put. He'll have to get his sword back at some point, but for now, it can stay where it is, too.]

[Video]

[happyduckbutt]

Kagerou..?

audio;

[thxforthememories]

[He clamps a hand down over the video feed abruptly, as soon as he hears Ventus' voice.]

[The boy doesn't need to see this.]

Yes?

[Video]

[happyduckbutt]

[That's concerning enough as it is.]

-What happened? Are you hurt?!

[Video]

[thxforthememories]

[Enjoy the video feed of Kagerou's palm, kiddo.]

It's...

He's dead. That's what happened.

[Video]

[happyduckbutt]

H-

[No. Not the question to be asked. He swallows.]

...is that really the only way to resolve everything..?

[Video]

[thxforthememories]

... I don't know.

[And, like that, the facade crumbles. His voice breaks.]

I don't know! I didn't want to! I tried to help him--

I wanted him to live.

[Video]

[happyduckbutt]

...

I want them to live too. I wanted there to be another answer, another way! It...it isn't fair...!

[Video]

[thxforthememories]

I wanted ... I wanted that too.

I wanted him to be like me.

Have the chance I did.

[Video]

[happyduckbutt]

...I'm sorry.

[Video]

[thxforthememories]

I...

I didn't want this to happen.

[Video]

[notyourblueangel]

. . . I'm sorry.

[He doesn't know the mech well - or...at all, really - nor who 'The Chieftain' is...was...but it didn't seem right to not say anything.]

[He's almost thinking he's more and more glad his comms have been fritzing until now and he's been unaware of exactly WHO at least some of these Glyphless are.]

[Video]

[thxforthememories]

... Who is this?

[Video]

[notyourblueangel]

My name is Thundercracker. I've been here a few months now.

[Almost as an afterthought, he shifts enough to make sure his glyph is visible to the camera.]

I have a Glyph. Alpha Trion's.

[Video]

[thxforthememories]

... Then I suppose you're lucky.

They decided you were worth allowing to live.

[Video]

[notyourblueangel]

[He's a Seeker. AND a member of the Command Trine. OF COURSE, he's worthy! ...but he doesn't say it. For one, he's not so arrogant as to miss realizing that that doesn't mean nearly as much here as it does back home. And for two . . . the other mech's grieving. He gets that. He can't relate . . . but he gets it.]

As are you. I don't pretend to understand how the First-Forged, or the Lambda, or any of this works.

[Probably doesn't sound like it on the surface, but . . . that's actually meant to be his way of offering . . . condolence? Reassurance? He's a Decepticon, he's not really good at these kinds of things. It's standard in his faction that if someone gets out of line and can't be brought back around (or isn't worth enough to try with), that they're terminated.]

[Video]

[thxforthememories]

Then why wasn't he!

All he wanted was to live! He didn't want to hurt anything! He told me that himself -- why...

Why isn't that good enough for them?

[He's not usually this outspoken, or snappish. But this has pushed buttons he wasn't even aware he had.]

[Video]

[notyourblueangel]

[Thundercracker keeps his tone level, trying to talk to the other while understanding that, for now at least, he may still get 'attacked' for his words. The Seeker wouldn't blame him.]

They've talked before about getting to people in time or not. Maybe that's what it was, that they weren't able to get to him in time. Not that he wasn't worthy, but that the Lambda had . . . tainted? . . . him too much before they could do anything. Some of them I know don't care about us – why should they? – but I get the impression that some of them . . . would help us, and do . . . when they're able.

For what it's worth . . . I'm sorry for your loss.

[Video]

[thxforthememories]

They've talked. They've talked... and talked. They don't do anything. It's just like Gunmax said. They don't care what happens to us, unless it's convenient for them.

They say they can save us from death. Why not these others!

[Video]

[notyourblueangel]

Again, maybe it has to do with the taint they couldn't stop first.

And if you think about it . . . why should they care? I think a few honestly choose to, but we're the ones who keep showing up dumped on them unasked for and unwanted.

[Frag, did he seriously just defend the First-Forgeds' apathy? Well, it IS also kind of a Decepticon "value" – only care for others if they serve you or you can otherwise gain from it. He vents a sigh.]

I don’t know what else to tell you....? [Right...name. He doesn't know it.] I'm Thundercracker, by the way.

[Video]

[actionshortshorts]

Ch-Chieftain?

[Yuuta's crumples.]

Why? H-how - K-Kagerou?

[Video]

[thxforthememories]

[Once more, he clamps a hand down over the recorder. No. He doesn't want Yuuta seeing this.]

Yuuta... I --

[He goes quiet, trying to keep his voice steady and calm. It's not working. There's a sharp, pained edge to it.]

He was going mad. Like the others. I tried to -- I tried to take him somewhere quiet. Safe.

He attacked me. I didn't...

[His voice actually breaks a little.]

I didn't want to die! I'm sorry!