001 | [Video]

[unnailignment]

[You know how usually someone wakes at the altar of the temple they’re at, confused about their location? Not this one. Yeah, apparently he’s one of the few who actually listen to the acolytes. There's no sense in repeating what seemed to be a firm answer, so he'll just roll with the punches. There's a click of the video feed as it shows Metalhawk's face, a bit intrigued by the new addition of the Link.

With the glisten of Prima's temple in the background.]

I’m alive.

[He honestly couldn’t believe it. He felt the gun hit his body, the energy hitting his spark and causing immeasurable pain. By all accounts, he should be more than dead right now. He won’t even remark on his missing arm. It doesn’t matter right now.]

So this is not some form of the afterlife, but rather an alternate version of Cybertron. And from the looks of it, rather primitive.

Bumblebee, are you there? Any of the Unaligned?

[And then, his voice lowers, almost dangerously.]

And Starscream. If you’re there, I seek council with you as well.

Comments

[Text]

[4_toteachus]

Not Cybertronian, no. I'm a Creation and I come from Earth.

I like the way your helm is shaped. It's very noble looking.

[unnailignment]

From Earth? So you're human.

[At least, that's all he knows about Earth. The sentient beings of that planet were humans]

Oh.

[There's a soft smile as he looks into the feed, whether or not Four can see it.]

Thank you for the compliment. I'm far from nobility.

[4_toteachus]

No. Humans are dead in my reality. Me and my family were made to remember them.

[It's funny how being away from her world for over a year has dulled her feelings towards Earth. It doesn't feel as important anymore.]

I can see you as a noble prince though, especially since you're all gold.

[unnailignment]

Dead...? What happened to them?

[He has a sinking feeling in his stomach, though. As if he knows the answer. One almost similar to his race's.

Only theirs ended slightly better.]

A prince? Hm...perhaps a bit too royal. I am a liaison to the Autobots and Decepticons though. For the unaligned.

[4_toteachus]

Machines destroyed them all. It was unfortunate, but I don't mourn them anymore.

I have never heard of an unaligned Cybertronian. You always seemed one or the other.

[unnailignment]

Machines? Human-made machines, I'm assuming.

[That was...tragically ironic, if you thought about it. And while Four may not mourn them, there's a slight pang of hurt in Metalhawk's spark.

The extinction of an entire race was always something to silently grieve.]

...Many of us fled the war, becoming refugees on other systems. Or some were Autobots but left. You may liken them to 'civilians', if you will.

[4_toteachus]

Yes. They deserved their own destruction.

[It's hard to mourn them. To Four, it's a far-off thing that no longer affects her. It's not a part of her life anymore. She hasn't forgotten them, but she can't deny that they brought it on themselves.]

That's tragic. It never occurred to me that there might be some who wanted nothing to do with the war. It just seems like something your face is prone to doing.

[unnailignment]

That is not a judgement I would pass on any race. Some are younger than others, and have much to learn. To see their light flicker out...

[A tragedy, yes. That's all he can describe it as.]

I'm sure not all of them wanted the same thing. Unwarranted casualties, needless deaths. I'm sure the world was not without them.

[It's a feeling he knows all too well.]

It's probably our bodies. We do look rather...militaristic.

[4_toteachus]

I suppose it was rather harsh of me. I apologize.

[In all honesty, Four hasn't heard this point of view before. Maybe she heard a little bit from Skyfire, but not this specifically.]

Why would you not fight in the war? Every other universe has Autobots and Decepticons doing battle.

[unnailignment]

It's alright. Information is something to be shared, and there is no limit to learning. I feel like I understand what kind of world you came from. One where things were not so...easy to see that way.

[She must have been through a lot to get such a view on it.]

War can do many things to you. It can take away, it can twist you until you no longer recognize what you once were.

I had the former done to me. And I left to avoid the latter.

[4_toteachus]

I learn all the time. However, I am beginning to realize that many of my teachers have extreme biases.

My world was lost because a man was given more power than he could handle. He used that power for war. My creator, The Scientist, was the one who gave him that power. When things started to fall, he made each of us. It did not take long for the entire world to die.

All that was left in the end was us. We were created so humanity wouldn't ever be forgotten.

[unnailignment]

You will find that exists in almost everyone you talk to, Four. It's why you take different opinions of many, so you may then form your own.

[There's a soft smile.]

...

So the scientist created you to remember humanity. Would he have wanted you to remember humanity in such a way? Share their misfortunes and their triumphs, in my opinion. They're both equally important.