#prize

• Does your giant robot have kids? Can giant alien robots have kids? There’s two smaller mechs who are still much bigger than you are leaning in to look at you as they growl up at your guy. One reaches for you and you flatten back against the big guy as he snarl rasps and the smaller mech pulls his hand back. And the blue one wiggles a servo at you like he’s waving as they talk amongst themselves in indecipherable gibberish. Frowning, you lift a hand and mimic him, playing along.

• ‘Think it’s sentient, boss?’ Rumble asks as you wave tiny fingers at him. When he lifts a hand, you hesitate chirping softly before mimicking again. “I’m not sure,” he admits gruffly. You could just be copying them, but he’s almost positive your chirping has nuance to it. That it’s language, but he doesn’t really know much about organics at all. And you chirp, patting a tiny hand against your chest. Pausing and repeating the sound and gesture. Little face tipped up his way to meet his optics as you do it again. ‘What are you going to do I with it during matches?’ Frenzy asks him and he clears his vents with a growl. Because he has no idea. If left unprotected, someone might kill you just to spite him.

• They’re just staring at you as you try to tell them your name and your shoulders slump when your giant just frowns and rumbles at the red one. Ignoring you and your pitiful charades. Blue is still staring though so you pretend to hold a glass and to tip it up. Exaggeratedly miming that you’re drinking. Because you’ve got to get food and water or there’s no point in trying to get them to understand your name. And the smaller mech just grins and say something to your giant, a hand gesturing. You’re going to die, aren’t you? They think you’re playing. Don’t understand that you need water and food both. Or maybe they just don’t care at all.

• ‘Think it wants fuel?’ Frenzy asks and he frowns as you chirp and put your little face in your hands. Watching you try so hard to talk to them when you can’t understand each other leaves him feeling uncomfortable. Understands struggling to be seen. Needing to be understood. Rumbling, he rubs a servo against your back nearly knocking you over by accident. And you just look up at him with those alien eyes, but the desperation on your face comes through all too clearly. Jaw clenching, he stands with you in his hand. ‘Boss?’ Rumble calls out as he strides for one of the guards to have a word. Why give you to him and give him no way to keep you alive? Unless they assumed he’d just kill you for amusement.

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