[video]

[sword_redemption]

[The camera shows Wing's quarters, a breeze lightly rustling a curtain behind the two mechs. Drift's standing, almost pacing, as though he's been talked into this and is still not very comfortable.]

[He hesitates, trying to gather the right words. It's so much easier when he's writing it for someone else.]

A lot--more mechs than we even know--died here, or went missing. Everyone deserves to be remembered, whether we have their bodies or not. They were all like us, and we, any of us, could disappear or....worse, ourselves.

[Ghosts, zombies, the unknown fate of the badlands: so many options, all of them terrible. Wing doesn’t like any of those notions, but this idea is heartening. He rises from his seat near the window.]

If there’s one thing recent events have taught us, it’s that memories have a power of their own. We need a way, not just to mourn, but to remember those no longer with us, both past and future. To honor them. And maybe keep hope alive for the lost.

We were thinking of a place, not like a cemetery, but some place that recalls them as they were. This is for all of us, not just Cybertronians, so we were kind of wondering. How do you celebrate the memories of those you've lost in your worlds?

Comments

[sword_redemption]

Crystals.

[He likes that. A lot. As much as he likes trees and flowers especially cherry blossoms apparently, they...kind of die.]

We just want to make someplace pretty. But, you know, happy.

[To commemorate the dead. Yeah sure no probs, right?]

[gunfondlingbattlestat]

[Well, now... Perceptor might just have to create some cherry blossom shaped and colored crystal clusters, then.]

Someplace fitting to remember those who are no longer among us.

[Perceptor nods. He'd like to do something for Kup, come to think of it.]

[sword_redemption]

Yes.

[He's quiet for a long moment.] There was. Before you showed up. An incident. With, uh, Gasket's arm.

[gunfondlingbattlestat]

An.... incident?

[Perceptor studies Drift carefully.Drift has seemed quite... affected by this Gasket.]

[sword_redemption]

Uh. Everyone was getting gifts and things like that. I got...I got Gasket's arm.

[Yeah, hahaha funny?]

[gunfondlingbattlestat]

[Oh yes. Hilarious.]

From whom?

[Perceptor is clearly displeased with whoever would presume to do such a thing. He can also somewhat understand Drift's fixation, now.]

[sword_redemption]

I don't know. I don't know if we ever figured out who. It just showed up on my berth, wrapped in a box.

[With a ribbon and everything.]

[gunfondlingbattlestat]

[Percptor's optics narrow as he considers this. Surely the Firstforged have to know something?]

[But, perhaps not.]

Do you think... do you think it may have been Gasket, himself? Seeking some sort of... resolution?

[Or offering it, to Drift.]

[sword_redemption]

I think...I think it was a sign I haven't done enough. Tried hard enough.

Like a reminder I can't escape my past.

[gunfondlingbattlestat]

[The phrase that Perceptor blurts would be physically impossible for anything that didn't have triple-jointed limbs and a rather significant command of physics-altering properties. It's also rather vulgar, and perhaps, just a little rude.]

[Drift has probably heard Perceptor curse similarly in the past... maybe. Once or twice. Perhaps.]

Forgive me, Drift, but I do not believe that. I can certainly understand why you would see it as having such an implication, as it is your nature to be forever critical of yourself and your past actions. It's one of many of your endearing traits, even if it is absurdly frustrating for those of us who care for you to see you torment yourself in such a manner.

go to do tags, accidentally ban you ;-;

[sword_redemption]

[....eep? Drift will just be silently impressed at the profanity.]

But it has to mean something. And who...who sends an arm as a message?

[Well, Turmoil might, but, you know, that kind of makes his case right there.]

whoops! well, no harm done!

[gunfondlingbattlestat]

Because an entire torso is simply too large to wrap?

[Okay, it's probably a pretty awful joke, especially given the subject at hand, but still. Perceptor sighs and rubs a hand against the back of his head.]

I don't know, Drift. Either it could have been a very sick prank, or... or perhaps it could have been Gasket, seeking for some sort of resolution... Or someone else, in a ham-handed attempt to show you that it's all right to move on?

There are a lot of different things that it could mean. But that you haven't done enough?

[Perceptor shakes his head vehemently.]

Drift... I know that you have done some regretful things in the past. I know that you will probably never feel that you have balanced the scale appropriately simply because that's your nature. But you do not deserve to continue punishing yourself like that.

You are a good mech, Drift. I wish that you could see that. Wing certainly does.

[sword_redemption]

[...not funny, Perceptor, though Drift gives it credit for effort to lighten the mood.]

But the point is... the point is that if I was supposed to know, if it was something that easy to understand, I'd, well, understand it.

[Symbolism, y so hard?]

Perceptor, I try, but maybe...maybe it was reminder not to forget. Not to slip.

[He is TEFLON against compliments!]

[gunfondlingbattlestat]

[An "E" for effort?]

[Perceptor nods with a little sigh. Then he frowns and considers Drift for a long moment.]

That makes a certain amount of sense. There are certainly much more... traumatic... "gifts" that could have been selected if the intent had truly been to hurt you and nothing else.

[Like Gasket's head, for example.]

[But there's something in Perceptor's expression that says that he's thinking very, very hard, and hasn't actually said what he's thinking about as he studies Drift. And he's worrying his lower lip again.]