Telling our Stories

⠀ ' no, i wouldn't be able to . i was not meant to race, but to * stabilize my patients . '

⠀

⠀ ( he speaks as he transforms, plating shifting as his alt mode begins to levitate . hovering near the ground, but not enough for him to land softly if he needed to . )

Looking Bloodwing over, Starscream tilted his helm and brought a servo to his face in thought.

"Some people believe in the god of creation, Primus. I don't believe in it, it was created by the rich elite to control the masses. A convenient lie to use as an excuse for control. Takes a politician to know the tactics being used..." He hummed at that- "That's how it was supposed to be. But most people in power are narcissists and don't want to give people a reason to overthrow them. But it also inevitably leads to population unrest, and then revolution."

He seemed to think about that response. "I think you answered that question yourself then. I accept the apology."

What a strange conversation to have with a giant robot from space.

'Thanks.'

The music and obvious school projects are intriguing in their own right. And the photographs......oh.

"Tiny computer with a phone in it." He can't help but murmur back, tone amused, before he sees the 2026 idea of a computer. And he gives a low whistle.

"Not THAT is a machine!"

And she used that as a personal computer!?

"I'M CAINE! CREATIVE AI AND RING MASTER OF THE DIGITAL CIRCUS! An interactive digital world I created.....uh.....in that old computer you have now!"

He introduces, floating about the girl's screen as he did.

"It sure is nice to interact with a human again! I've been stuck in the digital landscape for well....almost thirty years if it's 2026!"

Caine's reaction to her set up made her form a smug and prideful look across her face. She wasn't going to lie, she loved her privillage. All thanks to her father and his finance company. Brad and Carlos could never. They were always jealous of her belongings.

'Oh yeah, she's a beaut, isn't she?' Alexis didn't have a name for her computer. Digital Work Horse might be good for the amount of games she had on it. Along with the beginner coding program she had.

Now it was her turn to whistle at the fact he's been in a computer for thirty years.

He watches her, expecting complaints and accusations.....only for the little robot girl to momentarily lose steam and look at one of his world orbs. The condensed down realm just a rainbow of paled pleasings colors due to it being a more cheery adventure.

Then her attention turns back to him and she makes a request...

"You want....a few days in the Circus....?!" His teeth cocking into an approximation of a quizzical look.

Under normal circumstances, Astrid wouldn't need to request an interval. Typical pattern had been about an Adventure or two a week, sometimes just one a week. Giving everyone a break and Caine time to get a whole scenario together, including the multiple ending possibilities.

But things as of late had been anything but typical.

He huffs out in thought, hand moving to rub at the bottom of his jaw

"I guess I could give you guys an adventure in the big top-"

He starts, only to be interrupted by Bubble suddenly in his face

"No, no! What she wants is a break! From you and the mediocre-!"

"GRRR!" POP!

Internally, Astrid was slamming her helm into the nearest wall and screaming at the top of her none-existant lungs in frustration. She now understood what everyone had been telling her, and she's been here less than a month. How the heck did they cope for so long? Externally however, she was trying to stay friendly.

She could tell something was wrong with Caine since she arrived. Like, he was trying too hard. Like a child trying to make friends yet didn't know how do form a bond. But, had the others even tried to get him to relax? It seems they just ignored him. Was that always the case?

Her optics shifted to Bubble and, maybe without thinking, said;

'No, they're right.' And as soon as she said that, Astrid knew she had messed up. 'NOT-' She yelled before remembering her indoor voice. 'Medicore, but a break would be nice. We can't enjoy your adventures if we can't have a clear mind, you know?' She paused and gulped before continuing.

⠀ ( ah . so it seems that bloodwing finally understands . a society where you cannot be expressive with your frame . not as free as machina . where everybody were their own mech . it's the differences that make everybody a magnet to be drawn to after all . )

⠀

⠀ ' would you like a demonstration .ᐣ '

⠀

⠀ ( the bite is no longer apparent within his tone . a claw rests itself upon his chassis and right upon the cross that makes up his chassis . )

At the offer, he quickly composed himself and smirk, trying to make himself feel better. Feel someform of control.

⠀ ' is the thought amusing to you .ᐣ '

⠀

⠀ ( bloodwing questions with a tone that didn't scream entirely friendly himself . his wings give a slight twitch behind himself as he finds his optics narrowing onto the other . )

⠀

⠀ ( where he comes from, all types of frames were present . an ambulance that flew was not odd at all . . . )

Wait.

Starscream's face slowly fell as a thought slowly dawned on him. How advanced was Machina?

❝ i didn't lie, i simply presented a selective truth. ❞ ~ Starscream for Optimus Prime

A FEW VARIOUS SENTENCE STARTERS

It wasn't that bad, was it?

Then he remembered the Autobots do things differently here. This was going to be harder than he thought.

Had it truly been so long? Of course, he'd kept track of time via his own internal clocks. But to be on a newer device and cross reference it's own date and time data with his.....

Wow.

He's already started mining into the data of the girl's device while she's talking to him. The AI filling himself in on his current container while also paying attention to everything he's getting via the camera on her phone.

He was SO EXCITED. MACROVERSE! HUMAN! HUMAN INTERACTION!

He'd gasp softly when the teenager shows him the old computer on her desk, because that's where he should be. That's where he had been until she'd come along......

....What was she doing with it? Where was C&A....?

.....did they know she had taken the computer? Taken HIM?

"That was cutting edge when I was made. In fact, some bits of that would probably still be competitive to the amazing little computer you have in your hand right now."

He replies slowly, tone thoughtful.

'Yeah, for the ninties,' she sighed. 'It's now 2026, which is why I'm amazed you're even here and operating on my devices.' Never did she think she would be telling someone what year it was, like they've woken up from a coma.

'Well, this isn't a computer. This is a mobile. Like a phone but wireless and has internet connections.' She spun him around to see her PC build and large curved monitor. 'This is a computer now.'

He definitely heard her but......wasn't listening. Especially in his current moods.

But maybe one more try will do the trick...? Perhaps...?

While everyone else tries to rally in the circus cafe, finding solace in food and drinks, they allow the teen to wander off. Assuming she just needed a little bit of quiet time...

Caine, for his part, languished in his office. Sat back in his office chair after once more popping Bubble when the little see-through chainchop started getting on his nerves. His mismatched eyes would dart over to the door when he heard a knock. And it's only out of curious surprise that he decides to let his youngest human charge into the room.

"Astrid?"

Now here, though, she felt nervous. A feeling that told her not to say the wrong thing because, if she did, Caine would just abstract her on the spot or send her into an insane asylum adventure where the paitents were werewolves. Too late to go back now.

'Hey, can we talk. It's about your adventures-' Astrid spotted the first orb from the corner of her optic and caught herself short for a moment as she looked at it. Easter themed? Had the pastel colours for it. Quickly, she snapped herself back to look at the ringmaster. 'Okay...'

A pause to take in the other's reaction to the news of another sparkling. His smile gets just a little bigger.

"Ah- well... When the Senate ruled us, they said that it was a god's will that the frames we were born with would dictate our function in society. We had no choice regarding caste. I was privileged.... and with that privilege came no merits. I was handed everything I ever wanted, it never satisfied me, and I felt terrible for my constituents whom had it worst than me. I had wished for the longest time that everyone would have the same opportunities. I hated that my success was a handout based on how I was built.... It was unfair and by consequent, meant nothing...." He sighed, talking about it was never easy.

But the next question took him aback a bit. He pressed his lips in a thin line and there was a moment of silence. "If you bled, and fought alongside brethren. Celebrated, almost died, cried with one another- would you miss them?" He answered with a question, however, it revealed a lot about how he felt about the two other seekers.

Listening to Starscream about Cybertron culture, there was a clear look of interest on her face. She didn't take her eyes off him. 'I had no idea you had religion. I thought you would be a culture around evolution, because, you know, upgrades,' she shrugged. 'But, it's interesting. And, I never knew that about you. All I know is that you're the Air Commander. Like, the Air Commander.' She smiled, but that faded with the question.

⠀ ( optics narrow ever so slightly . words meant to act as a clever quip, not that they were not . but there was more to them aside from the joke . )

⠀

⠀ ( other than that, his offense was not made anymore obvious . yet as the seeker questions his wings, bloodwing cannot help but raise a brow displayed upon his HUD display . )

⠀

⠀ ' that is because they are . i am no * jet . i am an * ambulance . '

His entertainment dies down when the elder mech gets up and starts moving around again, moving to be behind him. And the racer resists the urge to look over her shoulder, simply sits there. Bracing for what he thinks is going to be the next stage of whatever questioning Haybail was going to play act....

"I don't even know where here is...." He starts, suddenly growing antsy from the other's tone.

"What-?!"

But he doesn't get to finish the question. The impact to the back of the racer's helm hitting with enough force in just the right place to render him unconscious near instantly. He'd definitely feel pain once his processor rebooted later, but otherwise he wouldn't be worse for war.

Herbie's limp frame would slump onto the table due to the momentum, leaving him fully at the mercy of whatever came next.

At the same time as this, Shockwave was finishing up his conversation with Megatron and closing the connection. Then he would turn and start making his way back, checking the video feed as he did.

Whenever a prisoner was released, it was Haybail's duty to do so. They were entirely his property to do what he wanted with. Now, he'll have to leave his friend in the middle of nowhere to find his own way back. Haybail was confident in Herbie - he knows he'll be fine.

Stepping out of the room, he approached Shockwave.

"Figures someone as rusty as you would know more about imaginary figures than current bots." The bug sighs tiredly

But he hadn't grown up with that lore. There was barely teachings about Primus himself on Velocitron. Religion a low priority for the mainstream audiences. Herbie merely staring blankly at the comment, not giving whatever emotion reaction Haybail might've wanted to get for Shockwave to see- because he wasn't sure what to give.

"It was perimeter patrol, old mech. Surveillance."

And the energon of earth didn't belong to Decepticons, but Herbie holds off from saying that.

---

"-and I have former Interrogator Haybail working the prisoner as we speak. In exchange for remaining known as 'Missing in Action'. All goes well, I will have the information you seek by end of cycle, my Liege."

Moving himself, the former Decepticon got to his pedals and took one final intake of his smoke.

'So, that's it? You promise you won't come back here?' Even when he was knee-deep in the Decepticon cause, not every interrogation ended with him breaking someone down. Sometimes, it was just this. Sometimes, he really did have nothing to work with. He moved behind Herbie and raised a servo. 'Thank you.'