re_alignment | [video 01]

[Time escaped him in this place; Tuck had no idea how long he had been there. He had once carried with him a cell phone that he had a digital display, but he guessed somewhere in the confusion, somewhere in the vertigo, wherever he had been between China and here, it had been lost. All he really knew was that it felt like it had been forever, and if you asked him now, it might as well be the truth.]

[First the temple. The... thing looking out for him, ushering him on to another place. What had that all been about? A time rift? Getting pulled to this very spot where someone was waiting for him? Cybertron? Go see Nexus Prime, but don't disturb him?... He didn't want to see any Nexus Prime! He just wanted to know what was going on already!]

[There had been apologies, a device given to him. He had been guided out to a chamber beyond and left there on his own.]

[On his own.]

[It had all seemed like a dream until he saw the world beyond the temple. So vast, so big. Hong Kong itself was dwarfed by comparison. In that instant, Tuck knew two things: 1) Eventually, he was going to be sick, and 2) This was not home. To his benefit, somewhere in the back of his mind, he thought at least he was glad he hadn't had a chance to eat much before his last little adventure. Quarry had seen to that. How much to his benefit that would be was something that had yet to be seen.]

[As he stood, staring out at the city somewhere between awe and shock, he uttered something mutedly in Cantonese, unaware that the device provided for him had been recording for the last few minutes.]

[Toppled over as he was by the turn of events, he hadn't even noticed the insignia now imprinted cleanly on the wrapped fabric of his left bicep.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Another monster? A new invasion? Drift tilts his head, staring at the screen, until he hears it speak. The words are muffled and he doesn't know the language, but it is some sort of speech, he's sure of it.]

[The shark-things hadn't spoken, nor had the shambling creatures from the Badlands.]

Do you need help?

[Go on, call him a monster. He's used to it. Maybe even make this feel a little more normal, if that's even possible.]

Do I... [He sighs and puts a hand over his face briefly, letting it drop again as he continues.] I need to wake up is what I need.

[Congrats. That's the most he's been able to get out in a single sentence for... well, since he got here.]

[Oh he's in no place to sling names. Not with his past.]

You are awake. [He tilts his head.] Are you...human?

[Good. Easy questions. Ask him those. His brain is still cooking over here. While you're at it, he's just gonna stay sitting right where he is. He likes the ground. Right now, the ground is his friend. Sorta.]

I was... a few years ago.

...and now? [Something's going on here, but he can't figure out what it is or how to help.]

[He shrugs, the movement so slight it might not have been there at all.]

I'm not. But I'm still me in here. What are you, some guy in... armor?

And so what...do you call yourself?

[A smile.] Cybertronian. This is what we are.

Cybertronian... I think that guy said something... Nnn. [Hand, meet face again.]

I'm an EVO.

The acolyte? Yes. That's what we are. [A patient smile.] It's a lot to take in I imagine.

What's an Evo?

[He groans, likely to agree with him.]

It's... [He gestures at himself with his left hand and that's... when he notices the mark on his arm.] Hey... Hey, what the... [There's a shifting of the view as Tuck sets his pad down to get a better look at his arm and the glyph on it.] What happened here?

Oh that. [Yeah, that. Drift shows his own.] We all woke up with them. Apparently we're marked. I'm not sure if that means that we're owned or something.

[Oh, he doesn't like the sound of that. Did he seriously just find his freedom from one master only to get shunted over to another one?]

[Tuck settles back against the wall again with a shaky huff. This is so far over his head, he doesn't even. He sees the mark on the... guy... in armor's... arm, but it's like he's seeing it from a distance, through an awful lot of water.]

Great... [He rubs a hand over his face again, muttering no small number of curses in Chinese. This time, the hand stays where it is.]

It could be worse. [Trust him. He's seen worse. He's had worse happen while he's been here.]

Yeah... [He could be getting a beat down again. Or he could be watching one of his friends take the beat down for him. It could be worse, for sure, but he doesn't want to think about it right now. His nerves are already on edge as it is.]

[He knows he should get up and get moving. It would probably help, but his whole body feels like it's made out of lead, drained from the sudden bout of nausea that has yet to truly raise its ugly head. At least the talking is helping to get his mind off of things somewhat, and he's managing to avoid that mess for now. Maybe he won't be sick. Maybe he'll be okay. That... would really be nice.]

That guy... Acolyte, whatever. He said I should go see some other guy who's... probably just as big as he is... I can't go there yet. But he mentioned some housing something. I forgot where he said it was. [He pauses to rub his face again. Come on, Tuck, snap out of it.] I think I need to go there now. I just want to sit for a while and I don't like it out here.

[He doesn't want to say it, might not need to say it, but he doesn't feel safe. This whole environment, this new world... He doesn't even know how he's breathing right now, but he needs a small dark corner where he can see all four walls and the ceiling and all entrances and exits.]

Who were you supposed to talk to? [He could take you there. If he knew where there was.] It's not very safe out there, no. Do you have a way to protect yourself?

Nnn, he said... [Frown.] Ne-nex... Nest?... I can't remember. I'll remember later.

[He looks around again and picks up his pad, intent on moving and unable to get up just yet.] I can fight. Been fighting since I was eleven, but I don't think it's humans or EVOs I'll be dealing with here, is it?

[Drift's brow furrows.] I-if you're sure.

Here? Some spiders. Maybe the shark things. But right now, it's pretty quiet.

[Sounds like back home. But probably not.]

[... Yeah, probably not.]

I'm... not really sure at all. Of anything.

[And he doesn't know if he trusts you any, but he's alone in this world, or at least it feels that way, and he really just wants to get inside some building. The longer he spends out here in the open, even huddled against the wall like this, the worse off he feels.]

Look, I... If you could... point me in the direction of this housing place, I'd like to go there. [And hermit for a while.] I know you don't owe me anything, but I would really appreciate it.

You'll get used to it. [He gives what he hopes is a comforting smile.]

Honestly I don't know where the humans are living. [He knows Vandal's trailer but she's really the only human he knows.] ....sorry.

[That hits like a physical blow almost. One thing on top of another today, isn't it? But he'll still force himself to his feet and... oh, the world is tilting in his stomach... but he has to get moving. He can't stay, and he has no idea where he's going. Don't forget that pad.]

Nah, don't be sorry. I'm... just gonna take a walk. Maybe I'll run into something good. [Knowing today, probably something bad. That'd be good, right? Or it'd be something.]

[video 01]

sorry yesterday was sort of a crap day for me orz [video]

It's okay. It happens. o3o

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