re_alignment | [Video] [Transmission from Solian Temple]

Entry tags:

✘ tf: bayverse | barricade (crau)

[Video] [Transmission from Solian Temple] - Fifth Offense

Right, so. I hear we have a dance comin' up, and everybody needs formal wear for it. I also know that fabrics don't stand up well to all of us, f'r various reasons.

[Such as being too pointy, like him!]

So, figured I could I could assist with formal wear in some capacity. Been working on a few designs for hats, and if you'd prefer walking canes, just have t'tell me what design you'd like f'r the handle. Or, let me surprise you~

[He shifts the camera to show a pair of hats - one made of dull grey iron with leather cording, run through brushed steel grommets, the other made of copper, with accents made of bronze and thin iron 'feathers'.]

If you've got some other accessory you're in the mood for, or a different hat, let me know, and I'll see what I c'n do to help you out. These're just a sample, after all. Though if you're looking f'r a hat, I'll uh. Need your head size, since we ain't all exactly the same sizes here.

[One size does not fit all on robots.]

[Encrypted to Solus Prime]

Offer extends to you, too. If you'd like something that is.
[Since he doesn't exactly extend offers like this to every demigod he knows.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I'm not sure I'd be interested in either the... hats or a cane, but...

[Trailing off, Elita took something out of subspace and opened her hand. Crystals from the trees out on the edge of Solus' quadrant glittered in the light from her room. She's thought about the whole "formal wear"; going by human standards wasn't something she'd ever do, and even without that a hat seemed quite silly... and not something she could really wear.

A cane, if she needed to fight, would be more in the way than not. This, then was the compromise. The crystals were hard, but not impossible to shape.]

I wouldn't mind some suggestions how to use these. Something that won't be in the way, and could, if necessary, be used by itself.

[She had a vague idea of something like a few long, connecting "strings", but she was certainly open to suggestions, or, if Barricade came up with a similar idea, his take on it.]

Those're from the trees on the outskirts of Solus's quadrant aren't they? They are very nice.

[And will require something a little less generic than the hats. Cane definitely wouldn't be suitable either. But... hrm. He taps one claw idly along the collar of his armor, engine rumbling.]

They'd work well as a necklace, with multiple strands that could be draped down along your shoulders and arms. Maybe a few specific strands draped along your, ah... finials?... as a headdress. Unless they're touchy, of course.

[That's the one reason he's going hatless himself, though fashion is something a bit new to him; they didn't wear anything but paint on his Cybtertron, until they got to earth.]

I was going to look through the piles of junk at first, and then remembered the trees. [She says it with a laugh, shaking her helm at herself. Why do more work than necessary, when the trees were right there?]

That's... [Her optics widen briefly and then narrow. It was a lot more elaborate than she'd thought of at first, but] a nice idea. I like it.

[She shakes her helm and brushes one of the antennae, smiling slightly.]

Not so touchy I couldn't have something like that hanging off them for a joor or so.

Those trees were definitely a good place t'start. Crystals in accessories are pretty popular, all around. [And if they happen to be right there, that's even better.]

[He grins.] Claws crossed that I can execute it all, then; I have a tendency t'bite off a bit more than I chew, on occasion.

You've got one up on me, then. [Barricade laughs a little, motioning to the crest of chevrons on his own head.] Mine are not so kind to me.

Durable, as well.

[Also heavy and could be made rather sharp. Yes, she's thinking about such things.]

I'd be willing to help, even if I couldn't claim to have any experience. [Another smile, bigger, a bit brighter this time.] Thankful for the suggestion alone and we could try to work it out together?

All the other possibilities seemed kind of... silly. [And impractical. Floofy cloth everywhere? No thanks.]

Ah, they're not insensate either. [Elita actually laughs, and then smirks a little.] But I wouldn't tell just anyone. [Then she tilts her helm curiously.] rather impractical for something that easily reached to be so sensitive though, isn't it? I know that's not unusual, though. Must be frustrating, at times.

Always helpful, that. Especially when dealing with our sort.

[He could hardly blame her for considering them in more practical ways. That's how he'd gotten started on this in the first place. Barricade smiles in return.]

Have t'say I agree, on that. Formal wear is rarely anything approaching practical. And I would appreciate the assistance; I'll admit this is the first time I've tried something less utilitarian than weapon holsters.

Heh. They can be, but. That's how I was made, and I can't exactly find fault in it. [The sensor array was overly-sensitive, but it gave him an edge in tracking at the same time.]

Indeed. Can't really be working with delicate materials... especially as this isn't a noble's idea of a dance.

[She snorts a bit and then smiles again.]

Yeah. Besides jewellery like this and adding temporary decorative designs to one's paintjob, both of which are or could be more practical than the only other sort of formal wear that I know... Which would be pieces of metal mesh cloth, but I believe that requires some further knowledge and a bit more equipment and processed materials than we have.

And not really worth the hassle.

[Yes, something similar to robot clothes, but more like capes and such.]

Variety is the high grade to the more regular fair available, yes?

[basically, besides audio receptors, what her over-sized helm was for, but given the space available, it was afforded it could be a bit more protected than otherwise. Much like her chestplates.]

Even if it was, pretty sure most of us aren't the sort to RSVP to a noble's idea of a dance.

[He chuckles quietly.]

Definitely not something I know how to make, or have the equipment for. A few of us back home have managed actual cloth, but that wasn't f'r anything like formal wear. Just covered the shoulders and head.

[And that was pretty much just Megatron... though he'll admit he got the idea for his holster from his former leader's accouterments.]

That it is. And I look forward t'workin' with you.

Definitely not. I didn't quite move in those circles before the war.

[She nods and then twitches her shoulders.]

Mostly it was used for the priests of Primus, those who attended the Matrix Flame. They could wear something similar to robes or cloaks of it, but I know nobles sometimes had something similar to sashes.

I am as well. Something decidedly... different, if just for a bit. I can come over whenever you have the time.

We really didn't even have those circles, back in my dimension.

[Which really makes this all even more interesting for him. He'd forgotten how curious the differences between Cybertrons could be.]

Okay, I gotta ask. What's the Matrix Flame?

Definitely different. And if something like this ever comes up again, you'll be set. Should be free after I finish cataloguing the orders I've been getting. Give me about a breem or so?

[That makes her laugh softly and then she nods.]

All these differences... and there's that, yes. Always good to have things in reserve.

[Nodding at the time frame, Elita then shrugs, considering a moment how to explain the Matrix Flame before continuing talking.]

The Matrix Flame is an external connection to and manifestation of the Creation Matrix, which the current Prime carries. It's kept in Iacon, and can be used like the Matrix is, in its absence, to instill a spark in a new cybertronian.

[Optics narrowing thoughtfully, Elita taps her cheek.]

I suppose you could call it a fall-back, an emergency method of spark ignition if the Prime himself is lost.

[Which, well. Happened. So it was good it was around.]

[It's a rare day when Barricade's face actually betrays how surprised he is. A secondary method of keeping things running, without causing insane amounts of destruction along the way.

His expression twitches back to normal after a couple moments, and he flashes a smile.]

You thought of everything back in your timestream didn't you? I think I'm a little jealous.

[They didn't have that much foresight back home.]

I can see why it would have priests guarding it, too. Important to keep an optic on something like that.

[Oh, Barricade. Ask Jetfire sometime, and he'll tell him of another fall-back method. It's not even connected to the Matrix physically!

Elita pauses at his surprise, then smiles slightly dryly.]

I understand that's not something your reality had the privilege to have, then? [It would be.. fairly terrible without that, yes. She keeps the wince in, but there's sympathy in her voice.]

Yeah, it's pretty... important. I know it went out once, but it was restored. Luckily.

We just had the one All Spark. When that was lost... well, might as well've said our prayers then. [He chuckles.] But some of us are stubborn and kept trying anyway.

[The part where the stubbornness coincided with ruthlessness he doesn't mention. That part is pretty hard for most Cybertronians from other timestreams to process.]

Glad t'here it wasn't permanently out of commission, at least.

Only one thing? [There's a fair bit of dismay there, even if she'd already come to that conclusion from that Barricade had said.] Maybe there is something else, and you simply don't know it yet?

It wasn't until recently [Like, within this current vorn.] that we found out the Prime did carry the Creation Matrix... Before that, it'd been kept quiet.

[Probably for safety's sake, but it'd caused no end of grief, considering.]

Just the one. Making Energon was was thing, but. Making enough to keep Cybertron alive, keep us alive, and boost our population was too much to ask.

[Not that it stopped them from trying, of course.]

There were other methods, just... well. None that everyone would approve of.

Kept quiet to keep it safe, I'm sure. Something like a Creation Matrix is more than a little valuable.

It was the thing to make energon too? That didn't... some from Cybertron? That seems... a bit risky.

[So many functions in a single thing? Practicality and functionality was one thing, but laying all important thing in one wasn't the best of ideas in her experience.

And she nods, optics narrowing slightly at the comment about "other methods not universally liked". She could see that.]

More or less, I think. Though... If I understand things right, it meant the Matrix was lost when Optimus Prime, ah, died for a while. [She shrugs; she has no idea of the specifics.] It was brought back, but well.

Risky yes, but it wasn't exactly our idea. The Cube was kinda what made all of us, from the first Primes down to... well, mechs like me.

[Other places have Primus. He, on the other hand, never even heard that name until he ended up in Axiom.]

... Optimus Primes have a habit of dying, do they? Here I thought it was just mind that ended up resurrected. [That is possibly more bizarre than anything else he's run across.]

... Really? [There's no way to hide her surprise, but then she quickly shakes her helm and chuckles.]

Sorry. I shouldn't be so surprised. It wasn't until the whole Unicron business happened that we found out about our origin by Primus' hand. And that, really, was only about two decivorns ago.

[Another shake of her helm. It's sort of interesting how quickly the idea of a divine creator, having made them to stand against the utter end of their universe in the form of Unicron seems so very... obvious by now.]

Before that, most would have agreed about some form of spontaneous reaction, probably between energon and various natyurally occuring mechanical structures to have created us.

[Elita snorts at that, at buzzy burst of amused static as she tries to sober up.]

He doesn't at all, no. And apparently it seems to be something... they share, then.

Really. 'In the beginning there was the Cube' and that's how it was. Didn't hear about Unicron and Primus 'til I started gettin' pulled to places like this.

[If either of them had been there, they left shortly after. Of course, them having the choice of what they did, instead of destiny, didn't exactly help.]

That ain't outta the realm of possibility, in other timestreams.

[He chuckles, shaking his head.]

What a strange thing t'have in common.

[Shaking her helm at that, Elita grins at the phrasing.]

Might still be, then, just unaware of it like we were. I mean, there were even some stories about the first ones, but we didn't know about that, either. Not until all of... that. [A very telling and at the same time non-descript hand-wave to include the whole Unicron/Primus debacle.]

You think? It might be... presumptuous, because it might be just that and the real common thing is the energon, but it seems more likely... more simple, it's all about that we might not know our actual origins.

[Shrugging at the whole thought of where they do, or don't, come from, Elita grins slightly, if faintly guilty, because it's not very nice to make fun of the fact that Optimus Prime seems to die a lot and then come back, now is it?]

Definitely. But perhaps the Matrix likes him too much?

T'be frank I hope they came and left; we ain't got any right to either of 'em. [Well. Not Primus, at least. They were all a bit too brutal and cruel for Barricade to accept their potential presence.] Better if they missed out on our timestream.

[He's a 'Con, and the kind to poke fun at anything he gets within reach of to boot. He grins a little bit.]

Perhaps. Though, they tend to find artifacts an awful lot of the time, too. And they have natural leadership qualities; ain't all bad for them.

[Sometimes.]

Maybe.

[She's not going to argue the point, but she shakes her helm a little. Deserving or not, that wasn't exactly the point, was it?]

Certainly impressive enough, yes. [She might be a bit biased, but with the track record in general of the Prime from her reality...]

Artifacts, though? Sounds like a story.

Some of 'em can be, I'll admit. [A grudging respect for one or two of them, maybe, but that's all he can manage.]

Artifacts, yes. Far as my timestream, it was things left by the Primes. The Cube, f'r one, and the Matrix. Other things, though I ain't seen one myself since the All Spark. Optimus Prime always seems to be the one that stumbles across them, though.

[Elita is obviously amused, because it's hard not to be, especially as it's obvious Barricade would rather not agree. She doesn't bother hiding her smile.]

Ah, I see. Well, maybe that tendency is similar to why he seems to be the current Prime in other realities as well?

[Something about suitability, maybe.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only