re_alignment | [video] Backdated to the early days of the event

Entry tags:

✘ tf: idw | optimus prime (crau)

[video] Backdated to the early days of the event

[The video comes on in the middle of one of the recent battlegrounds, camera display (relayed optic-view) bobbing as the 'bot it belongs to runs along. The sounds of battle and low calls of the largest of monsters are distant, but after a few moments one of the smaller, faster beasts catches up with the speeding cameramech.

The bot deploys a glowing energon-axe as he jerks to avoid a blow, sparks flying off scoured armor, before dispatching the weaker beast with an awkwardly returned slice, not breaking his stride even when he has to leap over the still-glowing pieces.]

-This is Optimus Prime.

[Admittedly, he'd hoped to stay quiet, to largely lay low for a while and see how this newest inter-dimensional kidnapping played out. Perhaps it was benign. Perhaps he would not be needed.

...Unfortunately, he hadn't exactly counted on a full-scale invasion.]

Anyone in the South-western quadrant, adjacent to Prima's Northern-most borders may want to remove themselves from the line of fire, unless they are prepared to defend against two converging waves.

A large group of creatures made up of approximately twenty to twenty five of the heavier-class individuals are making their way into the next quadrant over- Alpha Trion's territory. Another group, possibly newly-arrived of almost the same scale is coming in from the center of the junkyard.

[Alpha Trion. A First-Forged. The view wobbled briefly as he shook his head. That was still...unbelievable.

Not that he had time to contemplate it. The Prime abruptly skid to a halt as he reached the top of a ridge, ducking down, voice lowering. Another large group of beings were on the other side.]

...I will be attempting to lure the bulk of this group and the one still on my tailgate into the junkyard, away from the facilities. If anyone is in the area and able to assist, I would appreciate it.

[A short nod. Right then.]

Prime out.

[And the feed cuts.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[After the broadcast was done, Optimus didn't have much time before he had to move again. Despite his speed from before, the first group was still following his trail, and were quickly becoming visible on the horizon.

One more group wouldn't make much of a difference.

He stood and racing inwards toward the center of the junkyard, well within the sight of the second group. From the screeches and howls at his back, he knew they spotted him. Not that it stopped him from pulling out his rifle and shooting back at them over his shoulder to make sure they got the message.

It was awkward, but he'd be able to take out a few along the way - all with no idea how close he might be to an invisible 'bot doing the same.]

[At least there would be no accidental friendly fire incidents today, as Elita was approaching more diagonally from Optimus' side rather than behind him. Pausing at the top of the ridge, Elita looked around, frowning as she realized the pattern of approach and converging of the two groups the Prime had drawn to himself.

Looking down at him, Elita realized there was no time for hesitation, or sparing potential peace of mind (she'd intended, if she came close enough, to stay at a distance). Instead she started running herself, taking a flying leap from the ridge, flipping around in the air and let her alloys stop adjusting in the middle of the jump.

Landing a small distance away from Optimus, Elita, now fully visible, started running herself, quickly coming in to run beside him.]

You are aware we're locked in, and that the terrain isn't the most favourable, right?

[She didn't look over at him as she spoke, not accusing so much as questioning; he'd obviously intended to draw both groups, but getting stuck between them wasn't... the best situation.]

[Optimus jerked at Elita's sudden appearance - he missed her invisiblity trick, but certainly noticed when she pulled up alongside him, spark jumping his his chest. He didn't intend this to be any sort of suicide mission or anything of the sort, but it wasn't a mission he'd want Elita on.

Any Elita, despite her great skills. Her assessment was exactly why, but he continued to keep pace, occasionally firing a blast or three behind them both.]

...I know. But my goal is to lure them away from anything important - and despite the terrain, we can use it against them. Split the groups up among the piles, take out a few at a time while still luring the rest along.

Anything important? [Elita glances only briefly to the side, managing to control her grimace into a frown.]

Lives are important too, especially those who are important for other reasons.

[She huffs, drawing her own EMP scrambler and firing on the creatures approaching from the side, the tingling buzz from the scrambling effect only briefly washing over their fields.]

But I suppose that'd work... and we could have the advantage of a surprise attack as well, since as long as I'm moving slowly or standing still, I can be invisible... and we should be able to blind them as well, if you shoot at my shields with a laser blaster.

[She nodded at his weapon, even if she recognized that one probably was too powerful.]

[He almost smiled at that, instead just managing a half-shrug as they ran.]

True, but with this world, we need those facilities to stay alive-

[His stride faltered for a moment, and he paused in his shooting to focus on the femme beside him with surprised optics.]

-Invisibility?

[That's...new.]

Edited 2012-08-04 07:18 (UTC)

... Point---

[She didn't like to admit it, but it was true. Pausing only because of his surprised reaction, Elita looked back at Optimus with a tilted helm and twitched her back-mounted panels in something like a hug... And then raised her EMP scrambler to shoot some creatures that were getting close with the pause in fire from Optimus.]

Ah, yes. Alloys in my armour adapt to the surroundings. Properly I suppose it's a sort of camouflage, but since it does make me invisible...

[Another wing-hull shrug.]

[Optimus jerked, but didn't even need to lift his own gun to return fire as well, as Elita's own salvo took care of the ones closing in on them. He gave her a look and a nod.]

Impressive. I wish I had more of a chance to see it.

[Not that it truly helped against the vast group chasing them, but it would be some time before they worked them down...if they managed it at all without being overrun.

Even so, they continued on, Optimus throwing a seemingly random punch out against some of the scrap as they leapt over an unstable bit of debris. The blow knocked aside old support beams, which sent the pile tumbling down behind them at their heels, crushing a portion of the creatures unfortunately close behind them.]

There's always later.

[Her smile was brief but genuine, and like this, it felt natural. Of course, a pressured situation would force anyone who wanted to survive to put aside awkwardness in favour of battle programming and knowledge and awareness of their surroundings.

As Optimus took a swing and crushing the sharkticons behind them, Elita leaped, using the falling debris as her launch point to land in a small group in front of them to the side, movements quick and efficient.

If it would have been someone she knew better, she'd have done the safer thing and just used Optimus as a launch point, but as he wasn't, she chose the moving debris instead.]

[He almost smiled, both at the idea of meeting her again later, and the assumption that they would survive. It always did wonders for his own optimism when others shared in that faith.]

I certainly would not object.

[Watching her leap in approval, Optimus jumped forward as well, using the small moment of hesitation her abrupt appearance caused amongst their enemies to unleash a brief salvo of his own, before abruptly switching out guns for energon blade, cleaving one in two.

Alternate universe Elita or not, they still worked well together.]

Edited 2012-08-10 06:38 (UTC)

[She smiled at that, looking up at Optimus just as he cleaved one of the creatures in two, and after that she studied his moves as he moved his blade, and then slid in beside and behind him, back-mounted panels spread and sometimes using them to fade out against the mech behind her...

Sure, the sharkticons knew she was there, technically, but they still got confused when she "disappeared", and it's hard to defend against something you can't precisely see.]

Prime, we've got---

[Staring at a small group of three sharkticons that rounded a hill, Elita looked up, slowly, and what came above the top of the hill was really why she'd cut herself off.

It looked like something like a dragon, if either of them would know what it was, though made of metal and wires, fully large enough to let either of them ride it. When it bellowed, it sounded like a horn being blown.]

[Optimus paused, instinctively jerking into a defensive stance, even before he caught sight of the creature.]

...Oh. Well. That isn't good.

[Understatement much?]

Take out the sharkticons first - we can't have them get in the way while we deal with that thing!

[He immediately followed his own advise and opened fire on the sharkticons and other smaller, remaining creatures, drawing another roar from the massive beast as it began to charge down the unstable hill of junk.]

[Elita's surprise didn't last long enough to become a problem; she was much too trained for that, and sprung into action as soon as Optimus spoke about focusing on the sharkticons first.]

Just need to... finish before it comes down!

[It wasn't a complaint or pointing out something impossible, merely expressing the tension as she leaped. She landed on top of one sharkticon and aimed her scrambler downwards, firing before jumping for the next and crudely going straight through the eye.

Pure pit-fighting, and not something she knew a lot of, or was particularly well-versed in, but at least all (for now) smaller creatures were taken care of as the giant as much fell as landed at the bottom of the hill, wings spread.]

[Optimus paused in his actions only briefly, taking in the quick, striking pink blurr as sharkticon pieces rained down.

With that situation clearly in hand, the Prime turned his focus on the big dragon beast, his own weapons deploying as he opened fire. He deliberately distanced himself from Elita, drawing the creature to himself.

Not because he thought her incapable, but to give her time to finish with the smaller beasts...and to expose the creature's back to her attacks once it drew close enough.]

Elita! Stay sharp, I'm bringing it around!

[The dragon snapped and lunged, but for all of it's power, it was still slow and awkward, hampered by it's size.]

[Not bothering to waste concentration on shouting an affirmative, Elita merely pulsed what she hoped would be a universal enough confirmation that she'd understood and cracked the plating on one of the smaller creatures--

And kicked at the single organic one, the force of it crushing the thing against her leg and she grimaced.

No time to be grossed out, however, and she jumped to avoid the tail, hands briefly resting on metal that was curiously hot and then the tail continued past, slamming into the last two sharkticons and a moment later they, too, were taken care of and she whirled around to face the back of the creature.]

It's a lot hotter than you would expect, Prime! Watch the claws if it tries to swipe!

I copy that!

[[Idly noting Elita's impressive finishing attack (and the dragon's accidental one) on the Sharkticons, Optimus was able to focus his reserves on the beast itself.

Leaping backwards from each strike, Optimus unloaded his weapons against the dragon, shots blasting through it's neck and throat when it gave a roaring lunge. The roar turned gargled with pain, but it continued on with a new burst of speed, snapping at the Prime.]

[Optics briefly guttering, Elita frowned as she directed her attention at the metal beast with other sensors than the visual ones. EM field pushing outward in short bursts, she once again avoided the tail, this time by dropping down on the ground.

Debris and parts crunching underneath her, Elita grimaced as the underside of the tail whacked into the upper edge of a hull-panel, but it was still attached so she relegated the damage report into a lower priority and dashed forward.

A two-fold strike at the hip joint of one leg before she used the dragon shudderingly dropping (if only briefly) down as one leg bent beneath it to jump up on it's back.]

[Barely avoiding another, desperate lunge by the (literal) paint of his plating, Optimus shook out his nipped limb and continued blasting. He was struggling to keep it's focus on him as it fell onto it's belly, neck twisting as it tried to turn and snap at the equally annoying pink thing crawling about on it's back.

When he couldn't distract it any longer, he reignited his energon blade, swinging at the neck curved recklessly away from him.]

[A kick and a twist to the joint of one wing where it joined up with the back, and then she had to toss herself backwards, balancing right at the base of the tail as jaws with teeth the size of her hand snapped closed a mere two hand spans away.

And then, just as it was about to whip its head around, roaring, to deal with the annoyance cutting into its neck, Elita struck forward. Slamming the heel of one hand into the forehead of the beast, between its eyes, she felt its field flicker violently around them.

The head slammed bodily into her, staggering her backwards but not much more than that, before the dragon whipped around, weaving, and attempted to snap the Prime in two... or at least sever the hand (and arm) holding the sword from the rest of the frame.]

[As it's head whipped back around in painful disorientation from Elita's attach, Optimus lunged, grabbing hold of a horn and pulling himself up against the side of it's head and neck, safely away from the jaws. It immediately began to thrash, but Optimus was already swinging, charred brackish blood flying back off his axe at the arch of each swing.

As huge as the creature was, and as difficult as it was to aim being flung around as he was, Optimus quickly hit bone with a muted thunk. Something severed with a pop, and the dragon let out a howling scream before falling limp like a puppet with cut strings.]

[Simultaneously with Optimus' swings, Elita lightly maneuvered closer, grabbing into a horn herself opposite of the head from where the Prime was holding onto one himself, and, simultaneously with his last swing, she struck.

There was the faintest of flickers of whitish-blue energy around that pink hand as Elita struck the back of the dragon's head, where the skull joined the neck. The beast jerked twice as it fell, the head first jerking backwards as the blade bit, and then forwards.

The sound as it met the ground, scrap flying everywhere and rolling away from underneath the large, heavy body, echoed over the nearest area of the Junk Pile. Elita shook the hand she'd used, vents briefly heavier than normal as she straightened, speaking as she did so---]

That went quite well--- [--and stared into another pair of blue optics closer than she'd paid attention to that they'd be.]

[They did it.

Somehow, they had managed to take out that swarm, and even finish off the largest beast of the group.

Gingerly, Optimus straightened up, planting feet firmly back on the ground after being rattled and nearly driven to his knees by the dragon's fall. Scanning the creature once more, reassured by the lack of life signs, he nodded in agreement.]

Surprisingly well, indeed-

[And caught Elita's gaze, unexpectedly close. Awkward for a moment, unsure and lost in the unfamiliar-familiar face, before he managed a smile.

They could have easily died. There was no time for awkwardness in that.]

...We worked well together.

[Perhaps not so easily as that; they were both capable fighters on their own and together they had obviously done very well. Elita did, however, acknowledge the fact that they could, if not have been offlined, been griveously injured by any one of the creatures, even less the dragon.]

We did. [She'd have said something more... maybe a bit more profound than such a simple statement. You didn't always have to be eloquent however, and she usually wasn't either way.

A smile stole over her faceplates in reaction to words and smile both, though and she nodded, her helm tipping an infinitesmal amount closer to his.]

I would hardly ask for a similar situation again, but that was... exciting.

[Her smile grew into a grin and she reached a hand out to grasp OPtimus forearm before she straightened and jumped off the dragon's back, ignoring the damage report that compained about an injury to one of the hull-panel's base joints which her self-repair couldn't fix.]

[So for once, it was Optimus' eloquence failing him, too flustered to to make any grand speeches about how easily - seamlessly - they had tied their attacks together.

Instead, he simply reset his optics at the (painfully familiar) touch, nodding in return while retaining the small optic-smile.]

...Nor would I. But it was...more enjoyable than most battles. And I enjoy few of them.

[His weapons got a brief, habitual once-over before being stowed once again, before Elita received a much more polite glance, checking for damages.]

Are you injured at all?

[She saw the signs, of course; the hesitation, the quick reset of his optics at the touch, but let the fact that he was staying... and that this was a lot less obviously awkward than the first time guide her into just chuckling.]

Yes it was, though usually they can't, shouldn't, be enjoyed.

[She shook her helm, and then straightened at the question, not bothering with trying to hide the list of one disjointed hull-panel as she spread both them and her arms.]

Not really. Got one of the hull-panels knocked out of alignment which my self-repair can't handle and I can't reach. I want a proper medic to get a chance to get it back where it should be, especially as it's neither function nor life-threatening... It can wait a day or two.

[Had she been more severely injured, or had another type of injury that she couldn't reach, she'd have asked him for help, awkwardness or no. She wasn't foolish.]]

Agreed.

[He nodded in satisfaction, pleased at both her response and that they both had actually managed to escape serious injury despite the massive risk. His own arm, battered as it was, was damaged only superficially and would heal on it's own.

He glanced briefly back toward her 'wing' panels, smile turning a bit sheepish.]

...I'd offer to help, but I have no experience with such modifications.

[video] Backdated to the early days of the event

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