VIDEO | Liege's temple

[disinformation]

[ So there's a new giant robot, evidently. He has a weird chin thing and a red dot on his forehead and is kinda surprised looking. He has a nice little Autobot symbol on his chest and there's a brief moment where he rubs the glyph on his arm, annoyed that he's wearing another sign of something he's not loyal to. But the Autobot symbol, at least, stays on until he gets confirmation his disguise is no longer necessary.

Then he gets to business. ]

Longarm Prime, Autobot Intelligence. Is there anyone from Autobot Command that can give me a debriefing? Hm. Though if anyone can tell me more about this Cybertron, I would appreciate it.

[ He pauses, debating. But it's worth a shot. ] There wouldn't happen to be... Decepticon presence here, would there? Megatron? [ Quickly: ] To determine the possible threat level.

Longarm, out.

Comments

[cliffjumper]

[Oh, it's exactly - or kind of - the person you're thinking of.]

There's... Well, I've gathered "Prime"'s a more general title in your reality, but elsewhere that's a rather singular title an' the leader of the Autobots. We've got an Optimus Prime... That's it, pretty much, since I ain't all that clear on where some of the others 'round stand.

[Cliffjumper grins, dryly.]

Got a Megatron as well, but he ain't your typical one, an' fights for the same ideals as Autobots usually do.

[Pause. Cliffjumper frowns as he considers whether or not... He has no idea who this is, because "Longarm Prime" doesn't ring any bells, but giving his name won't really change anything.]

Er... Cliffjumper, by the way.

[disinformation]

You're... Cliffjumper? You're quite different than my subordinate. [ He's quickly organizing everything Cliffjumper's telling him, trying to figure it all out. ] You're from another reality?

[cliffjumper]

[His..?? Cliffjumper stares, optics flickering briefly and then grimaces, surprised. That wasn't what he had expected to hear...]

Uh... Yeah. I am. [For some reason it's odder to be told an alternate is a subordinate of... whoever this is than having Sideswipe tell him his alternate was one of the closest to Optimus Prime.]

On both accounts. There's not many 'round here that come from the same reality. [Though there was abunch that broke that mold.]

He was?

[One thing remains the same though... This one's definitely still a minibot, even given any general size differences between various realities.]

[disinformation]

You-- he works under me in Autobot Intelligence. [ Okay. Alternate realities. That would explain a lot in the is this even possible, if he hadn't woken up in a strange temple he'd assume your processor was glitched sort of way. ]

[cliffjumper]

... Suppose that ain't the strangest thing I've heard. [Not on a general level, anyway; for that, there's been much odder things.]

I know there's... a few round from your dimension, but not that many... Some 'Cons [the frown and narrowed optics are nearly automatic, perhaps amusingly enough.] around, less than I'd have expected...

The Soundwave an' Megatron here ain't what you're probably used to if you're at all familiar with either of 'em.

[Better to start heading that of immediately, though the irony of saying "at all familiar" is of course lost of Cliffjumper.]

[disinformation]

[ Hrm. Interesting. It seems there are more differences between the Cliffjumper he knows and this one. Although the reaction about 'Cons shows that Autobots will be Autobots.

More importantly, the hint at the different Megatron (Shockwave could care less about Soundwave). ]

What do you mean? Surely Megatron is still the enemy?

[cliffjumper]

[There must be some overlap, after all.

Cliffjumper just smirks at the question at first, and then shakes his helm.]

Well, there's alternate realities, right? Some of 'em are just kinda... opposite than usual. So no, that Megatron ain't the enemy.

[There's a perhaps surprising amount of sincere conviction behind those words.]

[disinformation]

Do you mean to say that in this universe he's -- allied with us? [ This. Does not make any sense. He's having a hard time processing a Megatron that isn't like his own. It's far easier to accept this different Cliffjumper than an opposite version of his liege. ]

[cliffjumper]

Not... exactly. He doesn't come from this one, whichever this will turn out to be...

[That's a thought. But Cliffjumper doesn't dwell on it, merely shrugs.]

In the one he comes from, though, the Autobots're worse than any Decepticon I've met, an' the clunker that calls himself Optimus Prime is a crazy, murderous, genocidal megalomaniac.

[Cliffjumper's expression has grown dark through that description and there's a low, flat clang as he kicks something on his end.]

Uh... [He pauses to drag a hand down his faceplates.] Right, gotta remember... I know that "Prime" ain't anything special in your reality, but in others it's basically the ruler of the planet... when there's one to lead, an' otherwise the leader of the Autobots.

Anyway... The 'Cons in that reality are good mechs. Megatron could rival the Prime I know with his ideals.

[Are you turning your engine inside-out yet, Shockwave?]

[disinformation]

[ Why is everything so wrong. This is literally the worst cycle. ]

That's... hard to imagine. A Megatron with Autobot ideals? [ He's so disappointed.

And there was one other thing he caught -- (you can hear the disbelief in his voice)]

In other realities -- does that mean Optimus Prime leads the Autobots?

[cliffjumper]

[He shouldn't laugh at the incredulity, but he totally is. The chuckling is easily brought under control, at least?]

Yeah, exactly so. Didn't know what to think when I first met 'em, but...

[He shrugs, still grinning.]

Uh, yeah. The Optimus Prime from elsewhere is... uh... Usually rather different from the one from your reality.

[At least from what he's seen of that one.]

[disinformation]

[ He considers this. Optimus Prime was nothing but a repair bot -- and yet even in his universe he proved that he could be meddlesome. ]

I wouldn't imagine him being Magnus, no. [ Pause. Thinking. ] Does "Magnus" have any special meaning in other universes?

[cliffjumper]

As far as I know, not really. Might, though. I know the Ultra Magnus from my reality has some connection with Prime, but that's... a personal type, not official.

[He shrugs, not considering it closer. He's heard Grimlock throw around "little Prime" once or twice during their second stay on Earth.]

It's kinda odd to think of it bein'... anything special.

[But, that's obviously the same regarding the "Prime" title, and even more "Optimus Prime" for anyone from Blurr and Longarm's reality.]