re_alignment | [Open][Shot like a Micheal Bay movie]

[While Skids might never admit openly that he likes showing off...he likes showing off. He likes the way gravity works, he likes the way you can calculate trajectories using different forces to turn unconventional weapons--such as, say, the dead body of a half-transformed comrade--into deadly flying time-bombs waiting to explode. He likes target practice, and he likes aerial maneuvers. He likes flower arranging, and he likes haberdashery. He likes skills he hasn't learned yet.]

...

[Right now, he likes ramps. While he is positive that this chunk of motor-vehicular-catastrophe fell through the lambda from some sadistic circus, he is not going to look a gift-cart under the axles. It is not his fault that a wicked half-pike with a 360 degree loop now exists on the edge of the junk pile, but it would be sinful not to at least try it once. He has even outfitted the end of the ramp with a pile of logs--though why he has done this will remain a mystery unless you see the video through to its end.]

Just in case this does not go as I expect it to, I have a few announcements to make.

First--I seem to be cured. Most of you know this, but I'm making it official. Pharma got rid of the problematic 'devouring the energon of the living' thing.

[Even if he still had the mandibles. Win some, lose some. He'd win more if he got to torment Prowl with them later.]

Second--since we've had a number of new folks...Hi. I'm Skids. Ex-Diplomat, Autobot, and in charge of the Zoning Commitee. I've seen a number of you talking about feeling marginalized, so I invite you to contact Black Arachnia and join one of our Special Committees.

Making a difference starts here.

[The application is attached.]

Third--Nexus is possibly the best Firstforged, and...

Fourth--I leave my possessions to the Road Crew, Dead End, Chromedome, and Perceptor. Here goes.

[At which point he transforms, and rolls sloooowly to the edge of the concrete jungle with the loop-de-loop at the end. For the rest--]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[For the rest there is the sound of tires on pavement, an engine roaring, glass breaking, and...just after the sky turns into the ground and the ground turns into the sky, there is an explosion which comes from underneath the logs.

You can see them in the video, flying in the path of Skid's just-launched descent like a game of deadly frogger gone horribly awry. Logs. Everywhere. Falling.

Then, there is the sound of transformation. Just once.

The sea of logs parts, and is followed by a cloud of splinters...and what lands on the ground just beyond is either an attrocity--or the coolest thing ever.]

I did mention that Nexus was the best First-forged, didn't I?

[Meet Skid's second alt-mode--a wood shredder. Also, he may have broken more than one strut trying this, but he is not going to ruin the moment now.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[brb, much applause]

I agree, Nexus is the best FirstForged. And it is good to hear that you have been cured! Robotic Bloodsuckers do not seem much better than normal Bloodsuckers... even if they are good company for non-robots.

It is nice to be me again!

And if binding myself to this place comes with these sorts of consequences, I'll be making more under-the-table deals soon.

Okay, not that soon.

Ow.

[Excuse him, he's having trouble figuring out how to transform back.]

That is certainly not a bad perk at all, if you are willing to be tied to somewhere. [Strelok is not so big on binding, sorry.]

Though it sounds as if you maybe threw your back out with that trick.

Or threw some other parts out.

We don't always have much choice.

However, in this case--I did have a choice. So far, I am not regretting it.

[Yes, he's pretty sure there's someething caught in one of his major transformation seams, which probably explains the groaning sound of metal each time he tries to get out of this new mode.]

I think I need to get some parts out.

That might be possible.

[The transformation noise suddenly sounds very different. In fact, there might be the sound of panels falling off. Then, there's a laugh as he works his way free of the new alt mode.]

This is going to take some getting used to.

I am glad that the choice was yours, then. That is always for the best. I am also glad that it has turned out so well for you, too.

[Oh geeze, that sounded awful there, Skids. Strelok cringes a little on his end.]

I hope that was not the sound of you falling apart, Skids. Otherwise I might have to question your decision... heh, even if we have the same FirstForged.

No, no...not the sound of me falling apart.

Just trying to take off my shredder suit.

...

Say, Strelok?

Shredder suit. That is quite a name.

Yes, Skids?

I don't often get to name things. This, I do! Hense, shredder suit. You should see it when I'm in robot mode.

[It is spiky.]

If you could change into something, what would it be?

Heh, it is the sort of name I heard quite a bit back home. A true stalker name, if ever there was one! I am sure it is just as impressive in your robot mode, too.

[Hrm. That is a question he hasn't actually gotten before. But it is something to think about. He hrms for a while.]

If I were a robot I would probably want to be a helicopter. It would make getting around a lot easier. Though if I turned into something organic... there are these beasts in the Zone called Chimeras. They are strong and cunning hunters, even the military is afraid of them. I would wish to be that.

Though in truth, I would probably end up as something smaller like a pseudodog, but they are not so bad either.

I'll have to show you some time. You know. When I'm not in agony.

[He was kind of looking forward to it.]

If you were a pseudodog, I bet you'd still be strong and cunning. It's definitely something to start thinking about, now...because if Nexus likes you as much as I do, you'll get the chance soon enough.

[Open][Shot like a Micheal Bay movie]

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