re_alignment | 06 // [Video/File]

Hey guys!

[Whoa, Rewind, where have you BEEN the past month? Well, to be honest, he's been doing a lot! Catching up on things in Trion's library, watching the Link (and recording it all to memory), and most importantly, charting the skies per Trion's request. Why yes, he certainly is a busy little flash drive, isn't he? But it seems he's stuck his head out of the books enough to show you something.]

So after a couple of quick scans of the sky, I've been able to separate it into four quadrants. Now, bear with me, these take a LONG time to piece together, even for someone like me. And even then, they're not 100% accurate. But it's a good look at what we've got looking back at us.

Heck, I even made it a little fun, complete with some constellations Domey and I made!

[Below, there'll be a file attached. If you press it with your finger, it'll open it up to a full scale larger image.]

Pretty cool, huh?

[Go ahead, show your amazement.]

This is the North-Northeast Quadrant, as far as I can chart for now. Whatcha guys think?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

There's good and bad in all of us, Kagerou. Some of us can just see it better in them than others.

Just open your eye a little more. Look at the gray instead of the black and white.

You'll find things are pretty colourful.

You think I should... be open about this? Instead of keeping it quiet, then?

I wouldn't say THAT exactly. People might not like the idea that you're spying on them for the big guy.

Just...try to have faith in them. It's because of them we're not going crazy from Unicron's influence right now.

That's what worries me. Their reaction to that part.

It's hard to. When they vanish and the problems happen.

Best to keep it on the downlow, bud. Just my opinion.

...

I know what you mean, though. But you know...better problems than becoming a giant rage monster, you know?

Don't bite the bartender that hands ya a cube.

I trust your opinion.

...

I... do know. I don't want to see that -- not again.

[Because there are still times he jerks awake, having suddenly recalled old memory data of the Chieftain.]

It's still difficult, regardless.

...

Sorry about that. Probably too soon to bring it up, still.

[But there's an understanding nod.]

But you'll try, right?

I have to deal with it at some point. Don't I?

...

Yes. I'll try. I trust you.

Edited 2014-01-08 05:15 (UTC)

Yeah, definitely. But only you can decide when that is.

So many decisions.

I'm not sure I'll be able to make them all.

Welcome to being a living thing, Kagerou.

One of the...obligations that come with it.

... if I make these choices, I'm really a living thing?

Not really.

[Hold on, he has a point to make.]

It's not if. It's because.

Because you're living, you make the choices. You got it mixed up a tiny bit.

Because I'm living...

[He quiets for a bit.]

Is it hard to believe I... still can't accept that completely?

...Let me ask you something, Kagerou.

What about being alive makes you uncomfortable? You've got no one else to convince but yourself. From what I've seen on the Network--and believe me, I've seen it all--people treat you just like they treat me.

So why? What IS holding you back?

There's nothing wrong with thinking it, but if we knew the reason...

...

[He doesn't answer for a while. He even considers hanging up. Because this is difficult to explain to himself, let alone to someone else.]

[But Rewind... Rewind's always been special. Someone to look up to. Someone who has someone as important to him as Kagerou does.]

[So he answers. Slowly.]

I was made to be lesser.

To be the rough copy. The... place to improve from. I'm flawed. Somehow. And he's not. He's perfect.

If I... become something more than he is, even just by being truly alive -- like a human being, then something is wrong. There's something between us.

I want to be recognized -- as more than just a machine. But... not at his expense.

I don't want to be better than him.

[Rewind listens, putting a hand to his chin in his contemplation.

It seems like Kagerou needed to look at this a different way.

So he could grow. A bot like this needed to thrive, and here...he could.]

But if you're the rough copy, and you're alive, he would be too, right? This place didn't make you alive, Kagerou. You've always been that way. And if you have, then you can bet he is too.

Think of this place--Cybertron. Think of it as not going up and above him, but sideways. You learn more things, you grow.

But you'll always be at the level you want to be. No one, not even the FirstForged themselves can decide that level.

I...

[More silence.]

[No one's ever tried explaining it that way before. Maybe he was right to trust Rewind so much.]

I don't think you're wrong. No one has ever said that before. Not like that.

[It's something to think about, for sure. And he'll try to keep it in mind.]

[... if he's alive... then Shadowmaru...]

I just wish he were here. To know for certain. To talk to him about it.

That... makes sense. Doesn't it?

Of course it does, bud.

Nothing like concrete evidence. But until then...why punish yourself? Would he want you punish yourself until he got here?

... You understand so much better than others. I don't know if I can thank you for that.

[Pause.]

Punish myself? That's... what you think I'm doing?

[This is new information.]

When you've been around as long as I have, you learn to look at things from all sides. Don't mention it.

...

It kind of sounds that way, buddy. I mean, if this guy thought you were alive this whole time, what would he think you'd been doing while you were waiting? Keeping yourself starved only so someone could approve that energon glass for you? Seems like self-punishment to me.

But it does mean a lot. So... thank you, regardless.

I...

[I can't speak for what he would think.]

... I guess I don't know any other way to live. I've never... tried.

Well, I won't lie to you, bud.

Trying new things? It's as good as they say it is.

Is it as frightening as it seems like, too?

Definitely.

New things always are.

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