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re_alignment2012-06-27 03:53 pm
not_halfbaked) wrote in re_alignment2012-06-27 03:53 pm
Entry tags:
WATER [Open to all players!]
(OOC: Let me know if I'm doing this wrong--like, if this is the incorrect format for this re-aligned comm or something, I know there's more than one, and I'm sorta a little confused on which is for which? Anyway, here goes....)
Is this thing on?
[Korra lightly bangs at something, frowning--the screen shakes. She gives a big exaggerated sigh, then continues.]
Okay, I heard there were some other humans like me out here, so given that, I wanted to ask if any of you guys have found water? Like, any water at all, a pool, a river, even a freakin' flask of it? And y'know, same question to anyone, Cybertronians or spirits or whatever--have you seen water?
[Korra blinked, then added in a rush.]
And in case there's anyone who doesn't realize, water's a big deal for humans like me, we need it to survive.
[Korra moves to turn off the screen.]
Okay, that's it, hopefully someone gets in touch with me about this--
[Korra stretched too far or too fast, because she flinches, irritating the wound on her back. No way is she going to ask aloud for medical help. If she can find water, she can heal herself, thank you very much. But then the thought occurred to her--if there were other humans like her, were there like any other healers among them? What if there...weren't? A panicked expression suddenly flashes across Korra's face.]
Um, actually, quick head count--are there any human healers out there that can, y'know, heal...humans?
[Korra's expression distinctly reads without words, 'That sounded lame.']
Well, I'll, uh, raise my head first--or is it hand--?
[Korra shakes her head, raises a hand.]
Whatever, I can heal as long as I have water--it's a bending thing--uh, and that's a thing where I manipulate the water to like do whatever I want including heal the human body. So if there's a human out there who's hurt and has water or can find water, you can come to me for help.
[Korra paused, trying to think of anything else to add. She slowly shrugged.]
Okay, that's definitely it now...so, um, bye, hope to see someone with info on water soon.
[End transmission.]
Is this thing on?
[Korra lightly bangs at something, frowning--the screen shakes. She gives a big exaggerated sigh, then continues.]
Okay, I heard there were some other humans like me out here, so given that, I wanted to ask if any of you guys have found water? Like, any water at all, a pool, a river, even a freakin' flask of it? And y'know, same question to anyone, Cybertronians or spirits or whatever--have you seen water?
[Korra blinked, then added in a rush.]
And in case there's anyone who doesn't realize, water's a big deal for humans like me, we need it to survive.
[Korra moves to turn off the screen.]
Okay, that's it, hopefully someone gets in touch with me about this--
[Korra stretched too far or too fast, because she flinches, irritating the wound on her back. No way is she going to ask aloud for medical help. If she can find water, she can heal herself, thank you very much. But then the thought occurred to her--if there were other humans like her, were there like any other healers among them? What if there...weren't? A panicked expression suddenly flashes across Korra's face.]
Um, actually, quick head count--are there any human healers out there that can, y'know, heal...humans?
[Korra's expression distinctly reads without words, 'That sounded lame.']
Well, I'll, uh, raise my head first--or is it hand--?
[Korra shakes her head, raises a hand.]
Whatever, I can heal as long as I have water--it's a bending thing--uh, and that's a thing where I manipulate the water to like do whatever I want including heal the human body. So if there's a human out there who's hurt and has water or can find water, you can come to me for help.
[Korra paused, trying to think of anything else to add. She slowly shrugged.]
Okay, that's definitely it now...so, um, bye, hope to see someone with info on water soon.
[End transmission.]
[video] If only Drift had a sense of humor...!
He would give quite a bit to see Ratchet here. The mech might not like Drift, but he knew his job. "Ratchet? Big, white and red. Chevron here? Does he have symptoms? Like mine?"
Frag he hoped not. Last he knew the medics were somehow immune or resistant. That was a place to start.
[He listens to her explanation. Some of it makes sense. Some...not so much.] So it's like being a Prime. You're the leader?
[He tilts his head. Try to ignore the slow red leak from his optics.] You mean why you, as opposed to someone you think better?
Re: [video] If only Drift had a sense of humor...!
[Korra's turn to be confused.]
What's a Prime--is that a leader.
I...well, Aang was a leader, but...but I don't know if that's the only thing the Avatar's supposed to do. [Korra snorted.] Hope not--I can't lead anyone anywhere good.
[Korra jerks, eyes dart around nervously.] My track record as the Avatar's just...it's not so great. Whoever or whatever chooses the next Avatar must be regretting picking me. Or maybe it is all random.
[Korra frowns. That's not a comforting thought either.]
Yeah, I just met Ratchet--what symptoms--your eyes--!
[Korra looks horrified.]
You're bleeding! [She blinks.] You're bleeding red, I thought you guys bled blue--
[Korra shakes herself.]
Look, Wing, Ratchet and I are supposed to meet outside Megatronus Prime's temple, do you know where that is? Can you make it there and see us? Or I can ask Ratchet to come to you when I see him? Can you staunch the bleeding at all? Where are you? I can come over and probably stop the bleeding, blood is--blood is essentially water, I can bend that too--
[Don't think of Tarrlok, don't think of Tarrlok]
[video]
[He has that very definitive tone that he doesn't want to talk about it any further. Wing had gone off with Annie, possibly contaminated with the same disease that was plaguing Drift. Not a great reunion when you transmit a fatal disease. He's more than a little relieved to have a change of topic.]
Prime... it depends. It's supposed to be the sort of chosen leader, the one who carried the Matrix. But before the war, it was more like...just a political title. The Primes before the war were power hungry and corrupt.
And...now there won't be any more Primes. [Mixed feelings about that. Loss of a grand tradition, but a tradition that had led to countless deaths and suffering.]
I think. [Who is he kidding: no one cares what he thinks?] I think that the fact you have those doubts means you'll be a good one, in time. If you felt perfectly comfortable with all that power, well...I've seen where that leads.
[He shakes his head.] I need to find Pharma. I promised I'd find him, protect him. [Plus he's...not all that eager to run into Wing again.]
...maybe later. Another time. I appreciate the offer.
Re: [video]
'Power hungry and corrupt...' [Korra grunted.] Yeah, those types suck. [Freakin' Tarrlok!]
What's the Matrix, though?
['If you felt perfectly comfortable with all that power, well...I've seen where that leads'--Korra flinches at that. She feels worse. Because it seems like a confirmation. Becausee she confesses.]
But I did feel super comfortable with all that power before. But now--spirits, things are a mess now and nothing's been going right, my power's done nothing good. [Korra sighed, then asked in a small voice.] Mind if I ask where that does lead to, from what you've seen? I guess I can use all the pointers I can get right now.
[Korra ponders. Considers Drift's reaction to Wing. She knew that was a 'drop-it-and-leave-it-alone' thing--she'd done it a lot too. But she remembered her words--]
Um, I think I screwed up my words again, sorry. I should be seeing Ratchet--and Ratchet alone. No Wing. My mouth tends to run away with me into places that make no sense. So, if you just want to see Ratchet...would Ratchet know this Pharma guy you're looking for?
[video]
The one, the Prime, right before the war got started, had a superweapon. It bled off the energies of mechs' sparks, to create a blast that could destroy half a city.
[That's the standard he's holding as 'bad'. He's pretty sure you've not managed that. You know, double genocide, basically. ]
And they wondered why we started fighting. [But no, that had been the wrong path, the wrong way. ]
Then maybe 'power' isn't the resource you need to call on. I mean. All I did for four million years was fight. Because a weapon was all I had. Every question...the answer was always a gun. Or a sword. But...that doesn't work when there's peace. You have to--I have to--use something else. Not just power.
[Oh, well, oops. That was embarrassing. Someone had Wing on the brain module. The way they'd parted still rankled, apparently.]
I don't know. If he's my Ratchet, he would. But...not even sure he's the Pharma I know. [Frag this place was confusing.]
Re: [video]
That's...horrible. Did it...did it work. You said 'could.' Did it really destroy half a city.
[Korra blinked. Smiles slowly.]
Now you're sounding like my teacher, Tenzin. He's all about adaptation and finding another way. Ways other than power.
'Your' Ratchet? Isn't there only one Ratch--oh, I guess you guys can share the same names too, huh? I remember my old neighbor was named after 'Sokka.'
[video]
The citizens blew their own city up rather than let Zeta use it to fuel his weapon.
[It was the stuff of history, and though the names were muddled and lost to him, he knew that much.]
Thousands, hundreds of thousands had died before that, so they knew it wasn't an idle threat.
[He flashes a rare, almost shy smile. Please don't notice the rust ooze.]
I've been called worse than a 'teacher'. But if power is not working, there are other things you can try.
[Drift shrugs.] I ran across a mech named Blurr. Who was not the Blurr I'd fought alongside, but he looked kind of like him. And I've been to Earth and seen humans, but nothing about any of this 'bending' or Water Tribes.
I think we're from different worlds, all of us.
Re: [video]
I'm so sorry.
[Surely nothing like that could happen in Republic City. Things weren't close to getting that bad. Surely.]
Like what?
Blurr...is--is that name like really appropriate? Because I just met a guy talking about ice and he spoke really super fast.
Whole different worlds--I just had trouble wrapping my head around the mortal world and the spirit worlds. But more than on earth?
[Korra pinches her nose.] Gives me a migraine.
[video]
[And now the smile flickers.]
Traitor, for one. But I'd earned it.
[A bit of release of tension around the shoulders.] That sounds like Blurr, the one I met.
[Drift nods.] Dozens, at least, planets we'd conquered, or tried to. Beings made entirely of silicates. And, where I'm from, we had another dimension, the Void, bleeding into ours.
This is just...more. [He tips his head up at the Lambda, visible in the sky.] And that's what brought us here.
Re: [video]
[Korra's eyes widen at another misunderstanding. She's really not good with words.]
Oh no, I didn't mean--I meant, 'like what,' like what other things are there that I can pull from besides power, what other things I can try....
[Korra trails off, looking very awkward and rather wishing she could sink into the floor and vanish.]
But not your Blurr, right? [Korra frowns, curious.] But he's similar to your Blurr, right?
[Korra looks up at the Lambda too.]
Reminds me of the southern lights back home...but, not, of course.
[video] lol the miscommunications these two have are hilarious
Sorry.
[Yeah, now you tell the nice human what a bad mech you are. Great first impression.]
[Actually, the great first impression involved the rust melting out from behind your optics down your face, so this was really more like a bad second impression. So, if she wants to sink into the floor, yeah, he's already there. ]
Yeah. That. Right.
[Back on topics OTHER than your grim and angsty past, Drift.]
Like justice, fairness, or compassion. Believing in others. Helping others. Lots of things than just power for its own sake.
Similar to my Blurr. An Autobot. Blue. A fast runner. Smart.
[A whole lot smarter than Drift currently feels, at any rate.]
The mech who spoke to me told me it was just...here. They couldn't control it. It just dumped things--us--here.
There has to be a reason. Vector Prime said it was random, but maybe he's wrong.
Re: [video] it is LULZY, I'm just rolling with it now
Sounds like Avatar Aang. Now he had a great track record.
[Korra blinked.]
An Autobot? What are the Autobots like? I was talking to Slipstream, and she was telling me about the Autobots and the Decepticons. Actually, do you know Slipstream?
Prima thought Primus at least marked us as not monsters out to kill everyone. So that's sorta less random. But Prima said he didn't know if Primus made us come here or not--just that he identified us as 'safe.'
Who's Vector Prime?
[video] Drift is actually sort of socially inept XD
No. You shouldn't compare yourself to someone else. You will only fail if your measure of success is how well you're someone else.
[Well, all right! That came out sounding pretty good. Whew.]
[Errrrrrrk.]
Autobots. We're the ones who stand for good. At least...we're supposed to. It gets hard in a million-years war to keep the lines clean.
I used to be a Decepticon. We--they--were the ones who started the war.
...it's complicated.
And I've met Slipstream. She's...also complicated.
[He gave a wry shrug.] It's a place to start. There's a time when I wouldn't have earned that label.
Vector found me. A descendant of Primus.
Re: [video] So is Korra! They can be socially inept dorks together ;)
How can I not? Whether anyone says it or not, everyone else does--compare me to Aang, I mean. He literally saved the world, ended a 100 year war! I can't protect one city....
...The Fire Nation started that 100 year war I mentioned. They've been at peace with the rest of the world for my entire life.
[Korra bit her lip? What was her point? That things can get better, factions can reconcile?]
...How long has your war been going on?
Slipstream's...interesting. Convincing. She's very opinionated. [Korra smirked. Not unlike herself, she supposed.]
So...like, a sibling to Prima and Megatronus? 'Cause I think Prima said they all came from Primus.
[video] *highfive*
[Oh great, you're going to get another story, half-afted as it is. He's not Kup, okay?]
[Then again, you should feel lucky he's not Kup otherwise this story would last about a week.]
We have this thing. A condition. It's called 'primus apotheosis'. Mechs idolize Optimus Prime. They want to be just like him. They change their color, behavior, everything. To try to be someone they're not.
Because they think there's one way to be a hero, to be valuable, and that's to be him.
They're wrong.
[He nods. End of story.]
Our war? Four million years. It was over and we...are still struggling to make peace. In a way, leading in peace is harder than leading in war. But it's better.
Four million years of believing in this [he taps the insignia on his chassis] above all else is hard to let go of.
I wish we succeed as well as your people, Korra.
I'm...not sure. That's what he told me, a descendant of Primus.
...do you have Primus in your world?
Re: [video] *highfive*
[Korra's still downcast. Though she considers.]
Which I guess includes you-- [Korra bows.] Thanks for the advice, Drift. [She smirks.] Especially to a total stranger that probably can't even reach your knee standing up.
[Korra looks a little wigged out.]
'Kay, that does sound sorta...creepy. No offense.
[Korra glances away.]
I don't know, I think I'm getting to get the...weird issues in peacetime. I thought everything was pretty good, everyone was living it up--but a lot of people are saying things are so bad, they have to revolt...and I did see things go pretty bad. Give people a reason to revolt.
[Korra sighs. That cost a lot to admit that. Being in a weird world and feeling super vulnerable and talking to all these people's given her a lot of time to think and reconsider things.]
[Korra shook her head.]
Nope, no Primus in our world. The closest I think we have are the spirits--stories say they created our world.
(OOC: Abrupt headcanon time--the canon's never given an origin story for the whole world, but spirits are important, so I'm just gonna say that a lot of stories say the spirits made Korra's world.)
[video]
[You know, sometimes, hearing Drift talk, you'd think he's got this all figured out. Then you'd see his brain module is leaking out of his face.]
It is 'creepy', yes. And a lot of mechs have died because of primus apotheosis.
[He winces, feeling a bit guilty for bringing up an uncomfortable topic.] For what it's worth, peace seems a lot harder than war. Things, little things, start happening and it all builds.
But what matters is that someone at the top notices, and cares, and tries to help.
[What would have happened if the Senate had done that, instead of the Clampdown?]
Spirits? [Drift perks up.] Do you know what they look like? Are they beings of pure energy? [Because if the legends are true, the Knights of Cybertron left their planet and spread civilization to other worlds. Could they be....?]
Re: [video]
...Makes sense.
Um...y'know, I'm not sure if I just saw a guy with primus apothewatever, or a different Optimus Prime? But yeah, I saw on Optimus Prime on our phone link thing, and he...he wasn't what I was expecting. Have you seen this guy?
[That makes Korra pause. Starts to really think.]
Why does it have to be the 'top?' Shouldn't the 'low' be able to help--?
[Korra paused. That really sounded like Amon there, didn't it?]
I thought you guys were spirits--I've never seen ones from my world before, even though I am supposed to be a bridge to the spirit world....
[Korra pauses on 'energy.' Tries to remember.]
Well, I think the Avatar Spirit's supposed to be like pure energy, or at least the Avatar State is.
[video]
[Because Drift's been struggling with it for a while. And all this advice he's giving you? Wow he sure should try himself. ]
Hmmmm. [He's no psychologist, but he's heard stories. ] Did he seem fixated on dying gloriously in battle?
[He shrugs.] Maybe your world is different. In mine, before the war, the Senate and the Prime held all the power. The 'low'--people like me--couldn't even get ourselves heard. When you can't even do that, you can't help.
It's why we followed Megatron. He got us listened to. At least at first.
[And that is the start of another long and twisty story Drift really doesn't want to tell.]
[He laughs, wondering what it would have been like for him if the first time he'd seen humans was here.] It's probably more than a little strange, all of us, to you.
And you are the Avatar? But you...have...a body? [How does that work?]
Re: [video]
No, I remember him talking more about teamwork. It was a good speech--I was just surprised because he seemed nicer than I thought he'd be.
[Korra's a little unnerved. Sounds like whatever started the war is going on in Republic City.]
The people I'm fighting against...I think I should be fighting against...they...well, come to think of it, they don't really have a representative on the council that rules the city. But Amon, their leader--he's promising them that they'll be heard. While ending bending at the same time. [Korra frowns at that.]
[Korra nodded.]
The stories say the Avatar takes on human form to understand the people and better keep balance. But they still retain that spirit connection...or they're supposed to....
[video]
He...was probably actually Optimus Prime, then. [Educated guess.]
This Amon wants to end bending? But didn't you say it was part of your culture? What you are? No one can expect you to end that.
[If bending is part of who you are, it's sort of impossible to ask someone to change what they are.]
But that doesn't mean you shouldn't hear him out.
[At least. Give him a chance.]
....'supposed to'? You don't sound too sure.
Re: [video]
[Korra stops as Drift advises listening to Amon.]
Well...I don't think I've really listened to him before. Mostly I've just been freaked out by him.
[Korra sighed.]
Remember when I thought you were guys were spirits. [Korra threw her hands up.] At least I thought I made a break through, I finally connected to the Spirit World--!
[Korra slumps down.] But this isn't the Spirit World. I've never connected to the Spirit World--and I'm the Avatar! It's kinda in my job description! Right next to, 'don't abandon your world!'
[Was it Korra's fault she was here? It felt like she ditched the world, despite the fact that she never wanted to do that.]
[video]
[Drift has seen some pretty odd looking characters in his time; his curiosity is piqued.]
And why does he want to end bending? There must be a reason. ...not a good one, necessarily.
[He laughs, but it sounds a bit bitter.] No, we're hardly spiritual beings. As flawed as anyone.
If not more.
[He frowns. Because he can hear that note of confession there and feels the weight of honor that he's been trusted. ]
Being here isn't your fault. Don't blame yourself. As for the other, well...you can work on that while you're here. Talk to Prima or something. It might not be exactly right, since you're not Cybertronian, but there has to be some reason you're here. Maybe it's destiny. Maybe you were meant to come here.
Maybe this is the spirit world for you.
Re: [video]
Well, Amon says he wants equality. Says benders oppress nonbenders like him and his followers and...and everyone else who can't bend. I guess he thinks that without our bending, things will be more equal since...well, no one could bend then, so I guess we would be equal that way....
[Korra hadn't really thought much about the first rally she'd seen Amon at. When he'd spoke.]
...He said when he was a boy, a firebender criminal murdered his family and left him with a horrible scar on his face, and he had to hide his face behind a mask. So I guess it's revenge, I guess that just made him think all bending was evil.
I dunno, Prima said--hmmm.
[Korra rubs the back of her neck.]
Prima did say the Firstforged could give us powers, if we do favors for them. Especially the ones whose mark we already have? [Korra shows of her Glyph of Megatronus.] Whose mark do you have, Drift?
[video]
Do you have any way to stop him? Or help those he's stolen from regain their power? Because that's a dangerous power.
[He sighs. This...is going to be tough. But she trusted him; he can do the same.]
Korra. Before the war...I was like this Amon. I had a best friend--my only friend. And he got killed. It was an accident, but I didn't see that. All I saw was that I'd lost Gasket.
I spent years punishing everyone for it.
...it didn't bring him back.
It didn't fix anything. It just made everything a lot worse. For everyone.
Your Amon needs to learn this. Because power or not, he's acting out of hurt, not justice.
[It's almost a relief to change topic. He stops worrying his hands together, looking at her through the feed. ] Then that's what you ask Prima for help with.
[He rotates his upper arm so she can see the glyph. ] Vector Prime. He stopped the plague from advancing. So...I guess I already owe him a favor.
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[video]wow we have talked for a while!! o_O
Re: [video] I know, should we end soon? like just have the characters say 'bye, see you later?'
[video] Ijust don't want to bog you down and keep you from NEW CR, ya know?
Re: [video] CR? I don't want to bog you down either