[Video][Transmitting from Junk Pile's edge near Megatronus's Quadrant]

[winged_knight]

[The Link flickers on to revel darkness cut by a single shaft of pale light. Only the tip of a pointed silver footplate is visible in the light, occupying the immediate foreground. From there the view travels up, the darkness marred only but the soft gray lines of a white frame punctuated by blood red accents seated in the background.]

[The helm swivels, sharp white audials slicing through the air as the glow of red optics comes into view.]

Fellow Haveners, refugees, it's Wing again.

[The voice: it’s very definitely wrong. It’s not Drift’s but it’s not Wing’s. It's almost a beautiful melding of the two but with a dark, sticky-sweet coating. He moves like a ghost, slipping from his perch to come down to your level.]

Please disregard my earlier broadcast. I assure you there's nothing to worry about. Aside from a slight frame mix-up-- [the helm leans further into view stopping just short of a ray of light, revealing Drift's features instead of Wing's] --which appears to just be a thing that's been happening of late, I feel peeeerfectly fine. Mooore than fine, in fact.

[It’s much of the same cadence and language that Wing uses, but his normally gracious words carry none of their usual earnest weight, instead sounding overly casual and almost patronizing.]

The only thing that's not fine is that I don't know where Drift is. [A thread of irritation--insolence--that gets covered quickly and his tone becomes sweet again.]

But maybe there's someone out there that can help me with that. Speaking of...

[Wing will just call out a few people of interest now, and not bother locking any of the frequencies. What would that accomplish?]


[To Soundwave]

Soundwave. Why so blue? It’s horribly depressing. Not to mention boorish. You’re better than that. Can’t you make some beautiful music for me? [Oh, there's a look that promises something in return, should you indulge him.]


[To Kagerou]

My friend Kagerou. You said recently that you wanted to start living. I was happy to be there to cheer you on. Now I'm ready to step up and take you places. Do you really want to start living? Come find me and I'll show you.


[To Perceptor]

Perceptor, did they lock you up for those shootings yet? No? Good. We could have some fun with that overactive trigger finger of yours. I’ve better uses for it. [Have a impish little smile.]


[To Pharma]

Oh Pharma... [He waves a hand casually.] Just wondering how it feels to know you touch the world through Decepticon crafted hands? Self servicing must be a real conflict of interest now.


[To Blurr]

Blurr, [it comes out as a purr almost, as if caressing the syllables as they leave his mouth.] You naughty thing. I’ve been watching you. I saw what you did. I just have to say...Bravo. [A slow clap, dark fingers into a cool metal palm.] Veeeery entertaining. Please, let us have mooore.

I do wonder though...how you think you’ll get your police force off the ground with behaviour like that. But I guess we didn’t really need it anyway. That’s no fun, right?


[To Starscream]

Starscream. No, no the other one. You are as big as your ego now. Have you challenged Megatronus yet? You were so confident about being his equal earlier when you were telling me how you'd throw him over your knee and slap his aft til he cried 'Primus!'. I'd love to know how that goes. [Can he watch? Please?]


[To Vandal]

So Karrie--err, sorry--Vandal.... Maybe you should come stay with me? You’ll be safe here. I can protect you if...Drift is otherwise occupied.


[To Drift]

And Drift... Where arrrre you? You've been avoiding me. [a pout of distaste] Perhaps I can understand why but, reeeaaally, we just have more in common now! Could be fun, yeeees? [the helm tilts provocatively as he leans uncomfortably close into frame.] Please let me know where you are. I've miiiissed you so very much. And I've I gotten as much fun out of myself as I can. I need you. Don’t make me come fiiiinnd you.

At this rate I'll have to find myself a lesser substitute just to satisfy my needs...

Comments

VIDEO;

[inferiordude]

...Wing? I think it's you. I can't...

[But he can tell.]

I'm sorry for before. I dunno what's up with me, but I'm feelin' a bit better?

What kind of music do you like, anyway? I'll play whatever you want.

VIDEO;

[winged_knight]

Oh, it's me most certainly. I'm glad you're feeling better. [That's a lie. People suffering emotional weakness are far easier to manipulate, but he won't show his disappointment.]

[He hums thoughtfully, tapping a dark finger to his chin.]Something beautiful but aggressive. Powerful? You must know a great deal of different music selections...

[Video]

[vandalization]

...Wing? What's gotten into you? And you know Drift is with me.

[actionjack!]

[sword_redemption]

You should go to him. He's right; I can't protect you.

[Video]

[ex_dishonestly997]

Who the Pit is Karrie?

And I hope you're not honestly thinking of going anywhere near him.

[Video]

[winged_knight]

It's more what's gotten out of me I suppose? A whole lot of things that were just holding me back. It's better this way.

[He peers at you as if contemplating some secondary mechanisms in your last statement.]

So you say.

video;

[thxforthememories]

Of course I do... I...

What's happened to your voice?

video; God I feel like I need to do canon review for Kagerou now, LOL!

[winged_knight]

There are so very many joys and wonders in this world. Privileged people tend to take them for grated, have you noticed? Like those Brave Police fellows...

[A slow smile.]

My voice? I think it's prettier this way.

audio

[percept]

[ SO UNSURE. ]

What did you have in mind?

Video, because drama queen!

[winged_knight]

[Perfect.]

I think there are some things around here that need handling...and I think you are the perfect mech to do it.

[There's a sharpness behind his lilting voice, it slips around your audio like the flat of a blade, unwilling to harm you but promising it to others.]

[video]

[aerospacecommander]

...

I'll challenge him when I'm good and ready to do so.

I thought you were the pacifist type, what happened? Did your happy pills run out?

[video]

[winged_knight]

[Ringing laughter that could be heard over the northern Junk Pile.]

But I thought you were born ready Starscream? Shouldn't a grand leader such as yourself take what is rightfully his?


I changed my mind. [A shrug.] I'm entitled to do that.

[raceme]

[Video.]

[He bows for Wing, smiling and then leans back on the surface he was currently resting on, sprawled lazily like a cat that got the cream, so very pleased with himself.]

You flatter me, my friend. And don't worry there will be more soon. Do you want to celebrate the outcome with me?

Indeed I do, but I been thinking about a more efficient Police Force. The sort that makes sure crime doesn't happen and the sort that makes sure people knows why crimes shouldn't happen. [And then SG Blurr started the DJD here.]

You are looking for Drift, really...I thought you had better taste than that.

[Video]

[winged_knight]

Fantastic. I'm all for celebratory action, I've been cooped up all week with little to do but watch the rats run around in this maze. What did you have in mind?

I do like the new direction. Why get bogged down in bureaucracy? It's so much easier to be judge, jury and executioner all at once.

[A twitch of an optic, but he keeps his half smile in place. Still, there's a slight edge to his voice.]

You'd best watch how you much you question my taste. In light of all the compliments I just gave you.

[text] also teal deer

[sword_redemption]

[There's a sound. Maybe only Drift hears it, but it envelopes him entirely: the rending, crashing, screeching sound of a gold-eyed idol falling, ringing hollow and then shattering.

[For a moment he's lost to where he is, no longer in Vandal's trailer, in the soft rain of flower petals but caught up in this catastrophic sound of everything he ever believed in proving itself false.]

[For a long time there's no response. Or rather there is--about a dozen different texts Drift types out, but deletes before sending, hurt from cast shards of that shattered idol.]

[This is Primus's punishment. Another facet, another blow from the blade of the divine. Another rejection, another unworthiness. Wing hadn't wanted him. Or at least, not for anything real. Just interfacing, just a physical need, just the release. Just a body. Not Drift. Drift was merely...convenient, perhaps, with their past history and even then, Wing had flirted with others, little seeds of disaffection. ]

[Eventually, he lets go of the anger, the hurt of betrayal. Because he'd only betrayed himself. He'd let himself believe: Just like he had in the gutters, when he'd caught himself up in Megatron's words, Megatron's attention and charm. The same thing, again, throwing himself headlong into a demagogue's hands.

[He'd never learned, even after all this time.]

[Here, literally, he was not what Wing wanted. 'More in common'? No. they had nothing in common right now, and even the past...even the past was just a tale of deception and betrayal. Hardly a foundation for anything beautiful. It had all been a dream. A beautiful dream, fragile and born of hope, but it couldn't last. He'd probably known it at the time, known it all along, but he'd figured it would at least get a chance to flower and die in a natural cycle. Not like this. Not like this, immolating and withering and black.

[ He couldn't do that, in this tiny, weak, liquescent body, even if he wanted to. There could be no clearer sign, could there? He literally couldn't be what Wing wanted.]

Wing. You were everything to me. And I always knew I wasn't worthy, wasn't enough.


Please take care of Vandal.

Thank you for what we did share. It was

the brightest moment in my life something I thought

I'd never have.

I release you to find your better happiness.

[He stares at the screen for a moment longer, wanting to say more. When it's the last words you're going to say, you want to make sure you've said everything that matters. He types the words "I loved you," deletes them, retypes them and sits, looking at the letters on the screen. No. That was a burden Wing didn't deserve. And what was it anyway? A paltry string of letters showing how deeply he'd deluded himself. He deletes the text, and then, in a swift moment, throws the device as far from him as he can, flinging himself onto his side on a mass of flower petals, and giving in to the fact that he's in a teenaged girl's body, and weeping like the world is ending.]

[Because for him it has.]

[Video]

[winged_knight]

[Wing has no idea that Drift's flung the device away, all he knows is that it's the first he's heard from Drift in several days. He doesn't like his possessions getting away from him...]

Drift, there you are. You had me...worried. [His voice is full of sweetness until the end, which stings like a reprimand.]

[There's a rejection within Drift's words, and though the darkness cloaking Wing shrugs it off as simply 'acting up', somewhere deep within Wing there's a piece that's wracked with pain and struggling to get out; like a bird flinging itself against the bars of its cage repeatedly until one of them breaks.]

But you see, I'm afraid it's not that simple... I'm not ready to let you go yet.

[audio]

[namesnotprowl]

... I'm not getting "I'm fine" out of all of this.

[Point in fact he's getting 'I'm dangerously insane right now' out of it.]

[Video]

[winged_knight]

No? I assure I'm feeling quite well. What makes you a better judge Barricade?

[He seems...wholly innocent right now! Despite the smug disinterest of his whole bearing, and the mildly creepy vibe of course.]

video

[ex_dishonestly997]

Well, you're crazy now too. That's just fantastic.

...uh. Please don't hang up?

Re: video

[winged_knight]

One mech's crazy is another's brilliance.

[He smiles...a smile you've never seen before. And you're likely quite conflicted on if you want to see it again.]

I'll humor you Starscream, since you ask so nicely. What do you need?

[elkmobile]

Wing. You aren't yourself.

Though not... many of us are.

Perhaps you should stay off the Link for now.

[winged_knight]

No I'm certainly not. But aside from being Drift that is I suppose? I've had a change of spark is all.

[A laugh, like some dark parody of a giggle.]

If so many are not themselves, how do you know it's not you that's changed; or seeing things differently?

But no, I'd rather stay here thank you. I've been staying away from everyone, copped up, for so many days. Not anymore.

[Because he knows the secret to it now.]

[bloodsporter]

Someone sounds bored.

[winged_knight]

[Wing hmms idly, canting his head to regard you.] I certainly made no attempt to hide it.

And how are you staying entertained?

[organ_pharming]

Excuse me? [Seriously, all this time he spent buttering you up and now you turn on him?]

[winged_knight]

[He waves a hand again.] Fine, you're excused.

[You should've used better quality butter. Plus he hasn't forgotten about certain...setbacks in his social life thanks to you. (He is conveniently forgetting certain the good things you've done.)]