Number III: A Public Service Announcement

[nobody_number_8]

[The transmission opens with a full body shot of Axel. It seems he has the communicator propped up on something in order to allow a wider view, and from the looks of the background, he's somewhere around the Junkpile.]

Hey there, robots of Haven. Autobots, Decepticons and.... miscellaneous others. Thank you all for tuning in today for this very special public service announcement.

What is it about, you might ask? Well, to be perfectly honest, it's about your attitudes. Specifically, your attitudes towards humans, humanoids, and other organics like myself.

Now I know what some of you are probably thinking. 'What's that pointy-haired weirdo talking about? I like organics just fine. Why, some of my best friends are organics!' And believe me, we all appreciate the friendliness and general lack of deliberate attempts to stomp us.

However, it's not the liking part that's the issue here. What the issue is is the simple fact that you all seem to think being 20-feet tall and made of metal automatically means that you're superior. Especially when it comes to the ability to defend yourself. And I don't just mean certain unpleasant individuals who'd try to squish us for fun. I mean all of you, or at least most of you.

You might try to be nice about it, and you're probably genuinely trying to protect them, but when one of your organic friends wants to help out in a fight? Your general attitude always tends to come off as 'Look, it's cute that you think you can help, but just sit over here while the grown-ups handle things, OK?' And when your friends actually can fight? It's as condescending as hell.

Case in point, my friend Sora. Recently, Knockout locked him in his medbay with him in an attempt to protect him. Which would be great... if Sora needed it. But he doesn't. Lemme tell you a little bit about Sora.

This kid spends most of his time back home traveling from world to world fighting monsters made of pure Darkness called Heartless. I once saw him take out 1000 of them in the space of about ten minutes using nothing but his Keyblade and his wits. Aside from Heartless, he's also fought and beaten- among other things- pirates, the Boogie Man, a sea witch imbued with all the power of the ocean and grown to the size of a skyscraper, and a sorceress who turned into a giant, fire-breathing dragon. Not to mention, he's saved the world at least twice.

I could go on, but the bottom line is that he can damn well take care of himself, even against things like you. He doesn't need to be protected or coddled. In fact, he should probably be protecting some of you.

And just in case you think Sora is an isolated case...

[Axel steps a bit to one side, revealing a chunk of Cybertronian-looking scrap-metal about the size of a fridge.]

Here's a nice chunk of Cybertronian metal. And here's what a guy like me can do to it if I'm so inclined.

[Axel points a palm at the chunk of metal and tosses off a Firaga at it. The large fireball strikes and envelops the chunk of scrap, which quickly becomes red hot and begins to melt. When the fire dissipates a few moments later, the chunk of metal is badly scorched and melted enough to be mostly unrecognizable compared to its previous state.

Axel turns calmly back to the camera.]

So for future reference? Don't automatically assume that just because we're small and squishy that we're helpless. It'll save your organic friends a lot of frustration and it'll save you from looking like an ass.

Any questions?

Comments

[video]

[aerospacecommander]

I'm sorry I don't speak weak and squishy lifeform language.

Re: [video]

[nobody_number_8]

Oh, good. When I inevitably have cause to shoot a fireball up your ass, then, it should come as a complete surprise.

[video]

[aerospacecommander]

You're a little feisty for a human male.

[video]

[heartdive]

I'm sorry I don't speak jerkface language.

Video

[loborobo]

[Shadowmaru watches, amazed as he tilta his head.]

I never thought... 'Organics' were ever weak. Humans, anyways.

They very resourceful and are full of surprises.

Re: Video

[nobody_number_8]

Good on you, then. You're already a step ahead of a lot of folks around here with that attitude.

video;

[heartdive]

[ Sora goes through this, pretty puzzled... ]

Wow. Stalking me much?

[ and decides to go for teasing instead. ]

Re: video;

[nobody_number_8]

The Organization was doing most of the stalking. I just had access to their records.

Though I did see the 1000 Heartless thing. That was pretty impressive, if I do say so myself.

[neverputincharge]

I lived on Earth for at least three years. I've noticed some humans are better at protectin' themselves than others. Many even protect others.

I've also noticed they can be resiliant, and can be pretty handy on a mission.

[nobody_number_8]

Good to know, big guy. And yeah, I'm not saying that every human or other organic that shows up here is gonna be able to dish out as much damage as Sora or me, it's just... nice to not have bots assuming that we can't, you know?

audio;

[thxforthememories]

I never said I was better than anyone.

You shouldn't assume all of us feel that way.

audio;

[heartdive]

I don't think he does. Or I don't anyway. I've had a few friends back home that we're bad about it too, so I do t think it's exclusive to this place or anything.

[video]

[invisiblepinkboat]

Was that absolutely necessary? [Shaking her helm, and there's a slight quirk to one optic. Threats don't make people look on you favourably, Axel.]

Why assume everybody thinks humans or organics are inferior? I'm pretty sure a lot of us don't. And anyway... putting aside if Knock Out knew Sora had done that - a lot of people want to protect others, regardless of if they need it or not.

Annoying, yes, but as long as they don't assume you incompetent... [She huffs a little, the last is basically her own insecurity speaking. She knows Grimlock and the others does not question her competence... she still isn't sure.]

Re: [video]

[heartdive]

Protecting others is fine. I get that's what he was doing - even if it made me mad that it felt like he had no faith in me to be able to handle myself.

But sometimes? You just have to let people do their thing. You can't protect everyone.

[ Sora's learned that one the hard way. And that last sentence is spoken with that sort of weight. ]

M'not really mad anymore though.

Re: [video]

[nobody_number_8]

Eh, maybe not. But you gotta admit, it looked pretty cool, didn't it?

[And if Axel's going to threaten someone, he does it one on one. That, he would call a demonstration. Or perhaps a warning to those who might get any idea with regards to him and his friends.]

Anyway, not pointing the finger at anybody personally here. And thankfully Sora's been making up for the fact that I have about as much tact as Demyx had work ethic.

It's just, well, protecting others is great and all that. But when they don't want that protection, or you go about trying to do it in the wrong way, it just ends up pissing them off. I oughta know; I wound up driving my best friend away because I tried to protect him in ways he didn't want.

Kinda don't want anything like that to happen to anybody here. I don't think most of you'd do it on purpose, to be honest, but you know what they say about roads paved with good intentions...

[deadlydoctor]

Sora wasn't allowed to left the clinic because his shift was not over. I take work really seriously.

[It's he serious, is he joking. More likely the later but damn if he will ever admit that he cares for the Kid.]

[heartdive]

Like that's believable.

[nobody_number_8]

Yeah, I'm sure that was the only reason.

[See this face, Knockout? This is the face of someone who doe not believe you.]

[Video]

[0perator]

I have a question! [She grins, tempted to raise her hand but figuring Axel might not get the joke.]

Can I run scans on that fire thing you did?

[Awww babby's first exposure to magic.]

Re: [Video]

[nobody_number_8]

[Axel shrugs.]

Sure, if you want. Wanna come down to the Junkpile, and I'll show you a few tricks?

video;

[chickenbear]

I had never met any organics before I arrived here. But from what I have seen so far, you are small, squishy, and interesting.

Though I am not certain that threatening to met your fellow refugees is very nice. I am not threatening to light you on fire or eat you.

video;

[heartdive]

...I didn't think you guys could eat us.

Re: video;

[nobody_number_8]

[Axel smirks a bit.]

I'll take interesting.

And for the record, I wasn't threatening anybody. If I'm gonna threaten someone, I do it one on one. I meant it more as a... deterrent in case anybody out there got any funny ideas about me and my friends. Cause I think we both know that there are some guys around here who would.

[originaldragoon]

Really? I have yet to come across that problem since I've been here.

[nobody_number_8]

Well, if I'm being perfectly honest, a good bit of this was a way to publicly stick it to Knockout for the thing with Sora. And neither tact nor subtlety has ever exactly been my strong suit, as pretty much anybody who knows me will tell you.

But apart from the genuine assholes out there, who I don't really expect to respond to this anyway, I really do want to avoid any robots or anyone else trying to protect friends that don't want it or need, and winding up pissing them off. Because trust me, it does piss them off.