[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

[Action]

[vandalization]

You don't have to be a robot to be my friend, Drift. That's shallow. You're my friend because you're just. You.

[She thinks this over.]

I drew on a page I found, too...

I think this may be related, Drift. And I don't think you're being punished. For anything.

[Action]

[sword_redemption]

But I'm not...me. [Small, vulnerable, no alt mode? Do you have any idea what this feels like? Mutilation, of a sort.]

[He's on the verge of asking what she drew, but, well, it's obviously nothing bad since she's...normal. Ish.]

Someone saw. Someone acted on what they saw. If it's you, too, then..it's all making real some, I don't know, twisted version of what we want.

[Yeah he really has no idea what you drew, does he?]

[Action]

[vandalization]

Physically no, but I know deep down you're still Drift. If I were a cybertronian, I'd still be me, wouldn't I?

[She hums slightly, sitting next to him.]

What if we didn't draw something we wanted? Who's to say anyone drew what they wanted. Maybe you did, but I-

[She shifts.]

I wrote. And it wasn't something I wanted. It was just... writing.

[Action]

[sword_redemption]

[Well, that's a deep, philosophical question Drift does not have the background to even go into. How much of one's identity is mediated by one's body and bodily experiences in the world? But, right now, point taken.]

Yes. You would. [He frowns/pouts. He's still not happy about this. At all.]

...and is it happening?

[He shakes his head.] What could Wing have done to make him like...[a wave of the hand toward her Link] that?

[Action]

[vandalization]

Kind of... in a weird way it is at least.

[Her brow knits, and she loops an arm around him.]

I don't know... but it's not him. He wasn't like that when I saw him he was- well. I mean appearance aside he was himself.

This isn't him, Drift.

[Action]

[sword_redemption]

It is him. Or else it's some...nightmare version of what he thinks I am or something.

[Sorry, Vandal, you can't shake Sad Girl in Snow's angst. Nothing makes sense except the fact that Wing looks like Drift and is...awful.]

[He wipes his face on one sleeve. He'll, uh, get you a new sweater when all this is over, all right?]

But, are you all right? Do you need? Is there...^anything I can do to help?

[Action]

[vandalization]

No... it's not him. He loves you.

[Have a hug.]

I'll be... fine. You're doing enough just by being here.

[Action]

[sword_redemption]

If he loved me, he wouldn't be doing this.

[It's the simple logic of someone who's never really had a serious relationship. Logical yet too simple. ]

_{I want to do more.} [And he knows how fruitless a thought that is with him in this condition.]

[Action]

[vandalization]

Drift, he's acting creepy and abnormal, I don't think it's-

Look. Don't just give up like that. If you care about him, then you won't just throw your hands up. You fight for the people you care about. You put your faith in them, because in the end, that's all you have. Them and yourself.

There's something wrong with him that's making him do this. You know him better than anyone, it should be obvious to you.

[Take a deep breath.]

If you want to do more, just. Don't give up on things, okay? And also. I don't know. Give me a hug every now and then and we'll call it good.

[Action]

[sword_redemption]

But I look different and you just told me I'm still me, right? So he's...[Simple logic, again: if Drift is still himself, inwardly, then so is Wing.]

I can't fight for him. I can't fight...anything. [Come on, Vandal. Pants defeated him in this body. How can he fight anything?]

[He nods, pathetically and hugs her arm.]

[Action]

[vandalization]

I think this is different.

[Sigh. She really wants to shake you right now.]

I don't mean physically. Come on. You take everything so literally.

[Action]

[sword_redemption]

[He makes a frustrated noise. Nothing makes any sense and he's useless. Not. Good. Things.]

_{I just want everything to be normal again.}

[Action]

[vandalization]

Drift, look at me.

Everything is going to be okay, alright?

[Since when did she have to become the vice of optimism around here? She's terrible at this.]

[Action]

[sword_redemption]

_{what if it's not?}

What if I stay like this? What if you're right and this isn't Wing and...he stays like that forever?

[Action]

[vandalization]

What is we all blow up tomorrow? What if everything is really a dream? What if cybertron is actually made of cheese?

Try to have just a little-

[Uhg she doesn't like the word she's about to say]

Try to have a little faith, Drift.

[Action]

[sword_redemption]

....Cybertron isn't made out of cheese.

[Too literal? That, at least, hasn't changed.]

[He sighs.] You're right. It's hard to have faith when you try to do everything right and get [he flops the hem of the sweater] this.

[Action]

[vandalization]

Hey. At least you're hug-sized now?

[Action]

[sword_redemption]

[He will just give you that glisteny tearing up look again. And there will be an extra flurry of pink petals. ]

[Action]

[vandalization]

What? I count it. Come on.

[Action]

[sword_redemption]

..._{I'd rather be able to protect you, Vandal.}

[They're talking in circles; he knows this, and he knows she's trying. So he forces a smile, which, since he's not very good at human, probably looks more queasy than anything else. ]

Do you still have those peaches?

[Action]

[vandalization]

[Sigh.]

Yeah, I still have the peaches, Drift. You hungry?

[Action]

[sword_redemption]

[He's not hungry. His spark's broken and that's like....the opposite of hunger. But he feels hollow and maybe peaches will fill at least part of it.]

I'd like to try them.

[Action]

[vandalization]

[Wordlessly she goes to fetch the can, returning and picking Drift up to set in her lap. Carefully, she peels back the lid and settles it in his hands.]

You'll like it.

[Action]

[sword_redemption]

[He wriggles as she picks him up--this is unspeakably pathetic--but then again, well...it's not that bad. Sort of like a hug, but not.]

[He stares at the opened can, the peaches glistening in syrup and looks back at her.]

You don't want any?

[Action]

[vandalization]

Sure.

[She reaches in and picks one slice out, popping it in her mouth and licking her fingers.]

Rest is yours, Mister Bun.