#good thing orion solved that!

[solidgroundif]

[in1-nutshell]

Hello, how are you? Can I request a Nightlight application in Transformers One? Nightlight works for Sentinel Prime. In this universe, she sympathizes with the lower classes and is dedicated to trying to convince Sentinel Prime to improve things. Nightlight becomes friends with D-16 Orion Pax Eliata One and Bumblebee?

I definitely want to do a longer version of this later in the future. Or possible a part 2, which ever comes first.

Hope you enjoy!

TF1 Version of Nightlight

SFW, Platonic, Cybertronian reader

TF1

Nightlight considered herself one of the luckier bots in Iacon.

She had a stable job and got to work under most of Sentinel Prime’s direct orders.

Not many bots could say they often talked to the Prime on a daily basis.

He was the bot everyone wanted or wanted to be.

She could only hope the mech that seemed larger than life could get behind her ‘passion project’.

Nightlight straightening her backstruts, puts on her best smile and salutes to the incoming Prime. Nightlight: “Good morning, Sentinel Prime, sir.” Sentinel smiles at the detective. Sentinel: “Nightlight, my friend. How’s my best detective doing today?” Nightlight passing him some data slugs. Nightlight: “The missing archive collection has been found and safely put back in its rightful place, sir. Also the missing bot cases have been solved and filed.” Sentinel: “And the—” Nightlight: “The cargo hold carts are still under repairs and under investigation as we speak.” Sentinel: “Good, good, take the rest of the day off then, you earned it.” Nightlight: “Actually sir, I was wondering if we could talk about the conditions of the miners—” Sentinel puts a servo out motioning her to be quiet. Sentinel: “Nightlight, Nightlight, Nightlight. How many times do we have to go through with this little ‘passion project’ of yours? The miners will get more accommodation when they reach more of the energon goals set. It’s only fair, no?” Nightlight: “But sir, wouldn’t they work better, faster even, if they had better conditions or equipment—” Arachnid suddenly appears on their right. Arachnid: “Sir, it is time to go.” Sentinel gives the detective a ‘sorry’ smile. Sentinel: “Its time for me to leave. Keep up the good work Nightlight!” Nightlight was about to protest when she was cut off by Arachnid staring at her as the pair left the room.

Her project started the day she met a peculiar pair of miners.

She was responding to an alert of an unauthorized miner entering the Archives.

Nightlight watched from afar Darkwing and another guard chasing this one cogless miner bot.

And quite frankly, he was giving the guards a run for their shanix.

She noticed another miner causing a distraction with his cart while the other escaped the guards.

The pair then met up in one of the train stations, probably to go back to work.

It was quite entertaining honestly.

Later, she went back to the Archive’s to see what exactly the miner was looking through.

It surprised her the number of data slugs he had gone through in relation to the Matrix.

One of Cybertron’s biggest mysteries.

She needed more answers.

Eventually, Nightlight got clearance to ‘supervise’ some miners for a shift.

That’s where she met Elita-One

Elita saluting at the taller bot. Elita: “Nightlight ma’am!” Nightlight: “Oh, just Nightlight will do… umm…” Elita still saluting: “Elita-One ma’am—I mean—” Nighlight: “Its all right. Do you mind giving me the tour then?” Elita: “Of course! Follow me!”

While doing the tour, Nightlight was making a mental list of things to improve.

She hadn’t been down in the mines before and already couldn’ imagine working down here for long hours and with rusting equipment.

Out of the corner of her optic, she spotted Darkwing punching two familiar looking miners.

When the tour was down and Elita had to go back to her team, Nightlight slipped into the miner’s medbay.

After scaring some bots, she finally found the two miners.

D-16 and Orion both looked at her in shock and amaze. Orion: “You’re Nightlight!” D-16: “The Nightlight! You solved several cases and foiled several assassinations attempts of several bots, including Sentinel Prime’s!” Nightlight feels a bit flustered by the sudden fan behavior. Nightlight: “Yeah, that’s me. And you two are the sneaky miner’s who snuck into the Archieve’s and got away with it.” Both mech’s suddenly looked frightened. Nightlight: “Relax, I’m not taking you in or punishing you two. It was actually the most entertaining things that happened on my shift in a while.” Orion and D-16’s optics widen. Orion: “You saw all that? But from where? The crowds weren’t that busy and there was no hiding places nearby?” D-16: “Do you have any cloaking technology?” Nightlight: “What? No, and to answer your question, I was simply observing from afar.” Nightlight shows the pair some grappling hooks in her arm plating. Nightlight: “These come in handy when you don’t have a flying alt mode or jetpack nearby.” D-16: “Primus…” Orion: “Wait, wait, if you’re not punishing us, then what are you here for?” Nightlight slips into a grim expression. Nightlight: “I originally came in to ask you about your snooping around for data slugs on the Matrix… instead I just found out today your working conditions and I don’t like it one bit.

Nightlight explained that she would straight to Sentinel himself and talk to him about getting them better working conditions.

 Truthfully D-16 and Orion thought this was a lie… but his was Nightlight they were talking about.

Maybe a little bit of faith would help.

Surely enough the miners started to notice some of the older equipment getting replaced with new ones.

They even had an extra hour of sleep and a bit more rations.

This did not satisfy Nightlight though.

She wanted more.

The detective started taking on bigger assignments in order to get on Sentinel’s personal circle.

She might have better luck in getting the miner’s more things that way.

Soon Nightlight started making her way into the mines without authorization.

Something was up, she could feel it.

Not only did she find out that the improvements had halted, but Sentinel was making more and more trips to the surface.

It was enough bells to set her off.

Especially hearing about 10 more sublevels under waste management.

So, Nightlight did the thing she did best, investigate.

Nightlight enters one of the waste trains cargo carts. Suddenly gets her blaster out hearing yelling behind her. The door opens revealing Orion, D-16, Elita and B-127. The detective looks at them in surprise. Nightlight: “What in Primus’s name is going on! Orion! D! Elita! B!” Elita:”Ma’am! I caught these bots trespassing!” D-16: “Wait, how do you know B?” B-127 waves at the detective. B-127: “Hi!” Nightlight: “He gave me some information on the sublevels under waste management. Now someone explain what—” Elita sprints past her. Elita: “Sorry ma’am! I need to turn this train around!” Orion and the others run after her. Nightlight blinks a bit before joining the chase. Nightlight: “This is what you get for making friends who are younger than you Nightlight… always running off… I swear… I need to listen to Ratchet next time I go out without my long-distance com link…” Nightlight starts climbing the trains railing to reach the others. Nightlight: “The one day I don’t bring my extra long grappling hook… I won’t be surprised if I see Alpha Trion at this point…”

[apollosgiftofprophecy]

FANFIC POLL TIME!

Descriptions (because i NEED to explain things haha-):

CHOOSE WISELY

Of Bridges Built & Burned: Based off this clowning between me and @moodyseal

BUCKLE UP THIS GETS WILD READ THE LINK ABOVE FOR A MORE DETAILED EXPLANATION

TD;LR- Commodus and Apollo get to both scream about their relationship (because it's usually only Commodus who does that), Commodus goes off to sulk/stew over it while Apollo completes his trials, then post-ToA they meet again and have a Much Needed Talk

...and *sobs* go separate ways... *ugly sobbing* DON'T MIND ME-

you know you love the ship when you write them breaking up in the most heart-wrenching scenario possible.

but shh...i have another idea to do with this but that's for another time😈

The Art of War: I've been DYING to do SOMETHING with Apollo (Favorite Son™) and Ares (Failure Son™) and I have 3 whole scenes in different points of time now!!!

First is when Apollo's young and new on Olympus. He's been shoved onto Ares for the time being because in Ancient Greece, boys were raised by their fathers and girls by their mothers, and when the father was unavailable, it was the eldest brother's job to watch his younger brothers.

Second scene is during/post Ares's kidnapping by the giants! Some Apollo angst, Zeus being the best dad ever (not), and Ares not having a good time.

Third and finally, is a little conversation post-ToA between them :3

The Sun's Rise: At last! Out of the vault! The moment we've been waiting for! Starring our boy Apollo, Prometheus being Prometheus, and a guest star you all should know by now :3

Hyapollo Multific: YEAH YOU HEARD IT. FIVE CHAPTERS OF HYAPOLLO, WITH SIDE DISHES OF APRICITY, HYARICITY, AND ONE-SIDED ZEPHYRUS PINNING FOR HYAPOLLO. COME GET UR FLUFF-DRAMA-ANGST FEST

@hyac1nthus i know you'd want to see this >:3

Koios ToA: What the hell was Koios doing during ToA? This fic will play like a snapshot of what our favorite titan was up too. Questions will be asked, answers will be found, and oh boy Phoebe and Koios are gonna have a bit o' long-overdue marital strife.

Drunk Twins: literally what is says on the label. the twins get drunk and the Hunt has to call in the mama wolf for backup lmao

The Conspiracy of Rachel Elizabeth Dare: based on this post by @hogoflight and expanded upon here by me! Rachel Dare is a conundrum to her friends, and they put their detective hats on to solve the case!

ToA BuzzFeed Unsolved: The Queer Capers of Lester Papadopoulos and Meg McCaffrey: BUZZFEED TIME! We need ToA buzzfeed fics so here I am making one :3

Apollo V Orion fight (with a side-dish of Jupiter & Commodus): Exactly what it says on the label lmao I had three oneshot ideas and then I went "COMBINE THEM!!" so here is a oneshot with three different things in it making a cohesive story :3

A Radiant Light: Did I make up an entire backstory for one background character? Yes. Is that character Phoebe the Hunter? Also yes.

how to get your daughter to divorce your brother and marry your nephew: a guide by demeter: funny fic about Demeter trying to get Meg, Nico, and Will to help her convince Persephone to divorce Hades and marry Apollo. Based off one of my headcanons haha

👀 lookin' forward to a lot of these, hehe!

Tag list: @txny-dragon @solahflare @fuzzystudios @apollosothertwin @peishathebookity @reuben-7991 @allylyrac @the-summersun

[starscream-is-my-wife]

In your nature documentary AU, just how wildly would Soundwave make the humans speculate on what is going On there? Depending on which cassette is seen first, several misunderstandings could arise.

Laserbeak gets seen first and it’s assumed that him and Soundwave are symbiotic because the bird can nest in that chest compartment and probably provides something they need to study further to find. Sure, but is that a CAT? Was it waiting to lure the bird? No, they seem to be getting along! Are those- are those straight up children? Between these two and Lil’ Yellow, are THEIR babies also smaller? Also if those two are being carried because they’re the big guy’s kids, then what’s the deal with the bird and cat?

But if they see the twins first then the animals and all of them “hunting” together, there’s the question of how animalistic the species is.

Haha I love those ideas! I'd like to think that Soundwave would probably be forced to be more diplomatic because of how much he and his cassettes are outnumbered with no backup, so while the cassettes won't harm the humans, Ravage and Laserbeak seem to be more competent at hiding themselves and following soundwaves orders of keeping peace then Frenzy and Rumble, who can't help themselves from messing with humans and getting caught first

Personally how I would have them appear is that strange fissures have been spotted in the forests even though these weren't the signs of a normal earthquake, the mystery was solved when Rumble got careless and was rumbling too close to the roads and the two of them got spotted.

They were so much smaller then Bee and must be younger so they didn't want to hurt them, alot were thinking 'damn these kids are causing alot of damage but they are kids' and 'if these kids also have giant robot parents who found out we hurt them we are dead'

Humans set a trap for them using energon borrowed from the 'good' bots and the twins got caught in a drop down cage, when the humans returned with Ratchet to show him, Laserbeak and Ravage had activated the back up traps trying to free them. Not only were there kids there were pets too?? This is when they hear footsteps and Soundwave appears from the forests. The humans take note on how Ratchet is very obviously on edge and putting himself in between them and the other robo family (?) when Soundwave recalls all of the cassettes into his chest. They transform through the bars and fly into his chest??

Z: 'They transform into cassettes??? I thought they can only transform into vehicles'

P: 'That means that the big one must be something that can play them... how strange, maybe its a different species that comes from the same family as our bots'

Ratchet talks to the other Robot the humans can only hear his Siren tuned rant about keeping his cassettes under control, the other bot speaks, it's the popular hit song barbie girl.

To Ratchet, Soundwave says that he will keep an closer eye on them and that they should work together to get off this planet. Ratchet says that they can talk about it later, Soundwave nods and walks off. The humans are like ??? Are you guys both moms???

Soundwave does have a more boxy figure then Ratchet but he's around the same size if not a little taller (Their only reference to a "male" is Orion who is just larger then average) so now they're theorizing if this new species reproduces asexually or doesn't have a family structure, the resemblance the twin cassettes have is way more noticeable then Bee and Angel, also the animals.. are they children? If they can transform into not just vehicles can they transform into other things? What if that tree is a robot? A small group of people are now paranoid of any technology. The main two humans want to see if the animals have a human form too and just choose to be animals. Are they pets? Are they also intelligent? How old are they? Can they speak? Is the dad an animal bot? Are they just a part of the bigger bot he's controlling wirelessly?? Is Bluebie (Blue Barbie) even female??

Soundwave does bring a wave of uncertainty about the all of bots to some the humans... like yeah they could be animalistic and dangerous! Where's the line! And if those things can cause THAT much damage to the town when they're that young, how much damage can a robot like Truck King do? Is their backup plan of using another truck to defeat him not enough? (It definitely isn't even the main two know that before but now the rest of the town does)

[infamous-if]

the orpheus question actually reminded me of an oldie but goodie. idr if anyone's asked this but what is one thing the ros want to hear, need to hear, and dread to hear from the mc. thanks! (hope you have a great day :-D)

Seven

Wants to hear: ‘I’m sorry I miss you’

Need to hear: ‘you can be just as capable as hurting others the same way you think others hurt you, and it’s not fair to hold that against them while doing the same’

Dread to hear: ‘I’m much happier without you’ (funny how it’s similar to what seven told MC)

Orion

Wants to hear: ‘Orion, you’re a good person, no matter how much you feel otherwise’

Need to hear: ‘Stop dwelling on the past’

Dread to hear: ‘I don’t need you anymore’

August

Wants to hear: ‘you’re doing well’

Need to hear: ‘you need to be vulnerable once in a while if you want to connect. It’s human nature’

Dread to hear: (anything that invalidates August’s feelings)

Victoria

Want to hear: ‘I want to give you what you deserve’

Need to hear: ‘Choose yourself for once’

Dread to hear: ‘you’re not worth the trouble’

G

Want to hear: ‘you are more than what they say you are’

Need to hear: ‘drinking won’t solve your problems’

Dread to hear: ‘you deserve everything that you got’

Sebastian

Want to hear: ‘I won’t leave you’

Need to hear: ‘it’s okay to be afraid’

Dread to hear: you’re not enough

(I was focused on their routes so prob doesn’t make much sense rn shshsh) (Have a great day as well!)

[freakcliff]

very important to me that even after the whole endless pit of hunger & torture of 400 dead children situation gets solved orion is still deeply strange and off-putting like the mix of not being constantly endlessly starving and also no longer being 17 allows him to find more interests but his interests are things like "waterfalls" and "fire, in general". he doesn't listen to music cos it's all just noise to him but he does love the general concept of noise. he likes going to baseball games not because he understands a single thing about the concept of sports or baseball but because he likes the sound and the energy of being in a crowd of thousands of people & also the snacks are good

[h3nderyss]

kitty cuddles - yoo kihyun

pairing: kihyun x fem!reader . . . masterlist genre: fluff word count: 644 a/n: first monsta x fic, nobody writes fluff for them im literally so upset 🥲 but i'm here to solve that problem! this one's for all the cat lovers out there

・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・

the apartment was silent, the sound of the clock ticking being the only thing to break the stillness of the night. it read past midnight, and you had just finished brushing your teeth, the cool of the bathroom tiles a quiet reminder of how late it'd gotten.

the dim light from the living room caught your attention as you walked down the hallway. you had thought kihyun had gone to sleep already, but the faint glowing from the doorway told you otherwise. curious, you made your way to the source being careful to not make much noise.

there he was.

kihyun was stretched out on the couch in a loose t-shirt and sweats as he leaned on the armrest. in his arms, nestled close to his chest, was your black cat orion.

the sight stopped you in your tracks.

orion's sleek fur glinted faintly under the soft light, his paws resting lazily against kihyun's chest as if he had claimed him as his personal property. kihyun was absentmindedly scratching behind orion's ears, his fingers moving in a rhythm that appeared to put them both into a state of comfort.

you couldn't help but see how soft kihyun looked in this moment. his features were relaxed, his gaze downcast on orion watching as the cat slept calmly on him.

"you're still up?" you asked softly, stepping into the room.

kihyun glanced up, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "couldn't sleep. i was waiting for you," he admitted, his voice low and warm. "orion came and found me. i think he knew i needed company."

you walked closer, leaning down a little. "or he just wanted attention," you teased, reaching out to stroke orion's fur.

kihyun chuckled, the sound quiet and fond. oh my god, his smile could make anyone melt. "maybe, but i don't mind." he shifted slightly, carefully, making room for you beside him. "come here."

you slid onto the couch, curling into his side as he draped an arm around you, still keeping one hand on orion. the three of you fit perfectly, a small bubble of warmth within this quiet space.

"he's so spoiled," you murmured, watching as orion spread out, his paws brushing against kihyun's chest.

you rested your head on kihyun's shoulder. "you'd make a good cat," you joked out of the blue.

he tilted his head to look at you, his eyes glinting with amusement. "yeah? you think you'd keep me around if i napped all day and knocked things off the table at 3am?"

"depends. would you still cuddle me like this?"

kihyun's smirk softened into a gentle smile, and he leaned down to press a kiss on your temple. "always," he murmured.

the three of you sat in comfortable silence for a while, practically almost drifting off into sleep sitting on the couch. the faint sounds of orion's purring and both of your soft breaths filled the space.

the soft light from the nearby lamp cast a golden glow over kihyun's features and you couldn't help but admire how at peace he looked.

"you know," you said after a while, you voice barely above a whisper, "i think he loves you more than me now."

kihyun laughed quietly. there goes that smile again. "not possible," he replied, his arm that was draped around your shoulder now threading his fingers through your hair. "you're still his favourite. i'm just the substitute."

you glanced up at him, feeling like playing around. "and me? am i still your favourite?"

he leaned down, his nose brushing against yours as his smile widened. "you've always been my favourite," he whispered, his voice filled with so much warmth it made your heart ache.

the kiss he gave you was soft, unhurried, like he had all the time in the world to remind you how much you meant to him.

[the-mercurial-star-o-vesper]

TF: ONE - A REFIRE

Alrighty its been a bit, and still gotta give both kudos (and null rays) to the TF medium that got me into Transformers.

I already did an initial critique, so more or less I'm gonna end up repeating myself (like I dunno remember entirely what I said... And its my blog anyway, BROKEN RECORDS BABY!)

As it were though, just in case, Spoilers Below.

I'mma reiterate. The art style and the environments? Gorgeous. And the animation, smooth as hell. The animation and art departments out did themselves here, this shit is Awesome.

( And who ever is doing model placement is clearly a fan, because you can spot just about everyone in the crowds everywhere... even if its a bit nonsensical. )

And the Quintessons? Scary as Hell.

The concepts behind the story, are also awesome. There's a lot of implications to think about, there's a greater world build going on... Also glorious.

And the history of relationship between Orion and D16? That's a new one, that's something to think on. (D16 effectively replaced Dion in this canon).

...

The problem is, is that all of this would make a great series... ... But an awful Movie.

And while several of the lore changes are cool, most of them are also nonsensical.

That results in a Lot of Character Breaking, even for TF.

Its an awful movie because of the pacing issues. Everything is too Damn Fast. Certain scenes are placed in areas that, honestly, break the line of thought. Fights are too fast. The environments go by too quickly. Character Personas and choices are rushed.

The movie wants to fill itself to the brim... and instead of overflowing, the damn cup broke beneath the weight.

All that's going on, would've benefited its story far more, by having a TV series (Or hell, a book). Slow things down, let us get a real good look at the environments being shown, at the characters being portrayed. Because so far, the environments are speeding by too fast, character decisions are being made at a flip of a switch as opposed to build up (leaving some pretty nasty implications, given the overall messages of the film).

The lore shifts are... nonsensical. What I mean by that, is less backdrop (because that shit has been nonsensical since after Beast Wars), and more character lore.

Like, why is she going by Elita-1, when she's mean to be Ariel? A fanfic could prolly have a damn good answer, if not more, but I'm asking the Movie why that is, not the fans.

( I suppose in a sense she's meant to replace ironhide, which okay, cool--but bulld up to the why would've solved the question. This goes back to "This need to be a Series, not a Film". )

Elita-1 was built along side Optimus, they're a paralleled pair here, so the shift here comes off as less story and more like "Oh fans will recognize Elita-1"

(And I gotta tell you, a movie by recognition alone isn't a movie, its a budgetted fanfic--you want substance. )

Over all though, Elita-1, historically, has always had issues with inconsistant character portrayals, because she really wasn't treated as a character in the OG Comics and OG Cartoon, and its hard to make any kind of homage to "CHARACTER WHO IS A GIRL". Dat shit wasn't good in the 80s and its still not good now ( turns out, if you're sexist, you're also an awful character writer--Who knew. )

So her taking the place of Ironhide, one of OP's longest companions and friends, is honestly a pretty awesome idea. The problem here, however, is that its not explored within the time it needed.

(ONCE MORE FROM THE TOP: It needs to be a SERIES not a MOVIE )

Why is Bee there? Bee is the kid character. He's explicitly portrayed as the former Rookie of the Autobots, and the youngest member. But him here, in this canon, makes him one of the Oldest Autobots instead.

Which okay, that's an idea... And he is funny and comedic...

... But he's not really a character, is he?

By what this film has built up within itself, this Bee is one of the OG autobots and has received the absolute worst the system has to offer (bar being executed), and still comes off as optimistic even by Optimus' standards. ( There's an idea of "The only thing you can control is your attitude" going here--which is a real life lesson to take if you're looking to get your morality from TV. )

However. The moment the line happens. They get captured, Bee is along side Dee when all the shit goes down, and Dee doesn't actually explicitly do anything to Bee (and in fact, goes out of his way to avoid upsetting Bee--albeit, prolly to avoid upsetting the nusto-bot on level 50, and in fairness, I can't blame him). And its at that point that Bee, kinda stops being a character, and more or less stays a joke.

Because imagine, what kind of scene you'd get, if Bee actually stepped in and tried to talk Dee down or do Something.

You wanna tell me that Bee, the guy that is explicitly going to become Bumblebee one of the most Iconic Autobots, just... gives up on the thread entirely? Goes nuts with Knife hands and decides that "Y'know my new buddy I just saw being tortured really isn't worth the trouble".

Hrm.

A character has impact in-story that isn't just upon their audience. Characters are fancy talking objects within the story, their actions create the story as it goes (which is another reason why this should've been a series), their core character gives reason to those actions even as their surface character gives irrationality.

(Welcome to complex Character Dynamics!)

If you have neither, then it become Plot Demands, and you've effectively just made kindergarten storybook. If that's what you were trying to achieve, congratulations! this will be the greatest kindergarten story ever, and you're going to inspire a lot of kids to like robots.

( I know back when I was in kindergarten, this story would've have fucking Awesome as is. I'd prolly try to draw all the cool robots. )

If not, back to the drafts with you.

Dee and Orion.

Y'know, there's a history here that needed more time to explore. The on surface character relationship is great, but it does rob the nuance of the situation the moment the Line happens.

FOR ONE THING ORION KILLS A LOT MORE PEOPLE IN THIS FILM.

Every bot we see is a person, even if they look like a Vehicon. That's still people. If this is a dictator regime, then guess what, your guards and your army are still folks in a bad situation (even if it comes with more perks than mining).

Circumstance Makes Us. Judging Circumstance as Intention is part of why governing systems get so bad.

[ ONCE AGAIN, it would've benefited being a series, that explore who these folks are. ]

So far, the film is going "Its okay to kill folks if they're faceless and you have good intentions and ideals and its all Impersonal!"

The OG Optimus would have Agonized over it. These are all people, and he's having to kill them--that would burn something bad in him. That would make him Sick. That would take him outta commission for a while.

Meanwhile, Dee here injures one guy (In a fight that was expect to occur--like he didn't just haul off and attack him, the Bandits the High Guard became did fights like that for position), and kills a dictator, and that's apparently a start of darkness.

And oh yeah, he's angy, he's passive aggressive, he's kinda selfish...

BRAH IF THIS WAS A DISCWORLD BOOK, YOU JUST MADE DEE INTO FUCKING STONEFACE VIMES. You made him into mother fucking Tiffany Aching.

Quote: Turn selfishness into a weapon! Make all things yours! Make other lives and dreams and hopes yours! Protect them! Save them! Bring them into the sheepfold! Walk the gale for them! Keep away the wolf! My dreams! My brother! My family! My land! My world! How dare you try to take these things, because they are mine!

TF:One Optimus is a character that is far scarier than Sentinel ever was, because he's charismatic, and he still kills people as he holds his high ideals and thems who follow him are just, Okay with that.

( You can excuse a lot of death and destruction if you think its for the greater good. )

( OG Optimus, would not have liked TFOne Optimus )

Meanwhile, TF:One Megatron talks big, and but realistically loses his mind over the course of some heavy revelations--he was already coping to survive, and now he can't cope and has to face it. He takes the pragmatic options, he uses his selfishness as a weapon to stop someone (Even if its for personal vendetta, the point is, Sentinal had to be Stopped--and let's face it, the Public Opinion thing wasn't going to work anyway. Back to the Discworld: The dictator is just as often in power because the Rich are also benefiting from him, and the rich hold power over the system--if you're going to play the Fascism Analysis, You have to include EVERYONE).

For the guy who says he won't show mercy anymore, he is the most merciful. The most hesitant. And yeah he's brutal, but he also isn't Wrong. He mostly just talks big.

( And frankly I wouldn't fuckin believe in Primus either. Gods don't help people. People help people. )

But at the end of it, because Hasbro is obsessed with the status quo and boiling complex people down into base components, and our over enthusiastic filmmakers want Iconic over Substance and Aesthetic over Character (You can convince anyone of anything if you have enough music and lights), Megatron is still the "Bad Guy" and Optimus is still the "Good Guy".

( Evil starts when you treat people as things. That's an idea from Granny Weatherwax of the Discworld. I would argue that Optimus treats people like things more than Megatron does here, Megatron agonizes every step of the way, where Optimus doesn't even mention the bodies he crushed up. )

And now the Character Breaking Backdrop...

... You mean to tell me all this happened in less than two days? They snuck outta a secure city like Sherlock Holmes, had a trip to effectively the Tomb of Durin LOTR-style, got caught by TinTin Bandits, and then got coptured by the Wicked Witch Sentinal and his Flying Monkeys...

... In just... Two days?

Yeah... Yeah no. No. The pacing is Fucked brah.

And. Shockwave doesn't act like that brah, your argument is invalid.

ADDENDUM:

Y'know, I don't actually take that much issue anymore with Starscream having more experience, but I still question him being older than Megatron. But again, it's an interesting twist that separate TF:ONe from the rest of the "usual" canon. And in an ironic parallel, he becomes just as effective in story as Bee does. You could've just removed him entirely, removed the entire bandit scene, and frankly, not a damn thing would've changed about the film. Dee could've gotten his cannon any other time. If anything it might've improved the pacing by a lot.

It does however raise a lot of world-build questions--like if he's High Guard, who was his Prime? Who outta the 13 did he serve under? ( Someone is gonna bring in the idea that he worked with Sentinal to betray the primes--but I think that's too easy. Its far too easy to make Starscream into one-sided evil, and this film, even at its stupidest, doesn't like doing that. And frankly, I'm tired of one-note Starscream Portrayals. Like Bee, you gotta give him more depth than his Sunbow Counterpart. Look the guy is petty but he ain't shallow. )

The fact that the High Guard has hit and run tactics and didn't really try to help anyone... is because they can't. They're jets. They'd be shot outta the sky by every bigger player Iacon, and good chance they've been whittled down consistently over the years.

Of course, there's the "Dee shot Orion" thing. Orion ran right in front of a gun, and frankly, there... wasn't any saving him after that. He still would've died even if Dee had pulled him up. Orion was being Stupid. Good intentioned... still fucking stupid, man. Good intentions don't save you from guns. And Sentinal here was a Dictator who did awful things, and frankly, likely would've continued if spared. I sure as hell wouldn't have stepped in defense of him. And of course, remember that Orion has killed a lot of people by this point, and now he's trying to save the Dictator.

The best aspects of the film are the things that kept getting skipped over for pLoT. I'm tired of the gods damn Plot, give ME CHARACTER. I am beyond tired of Shiny Pretty Graphic mediums who have no character or writing beyond a Rag Magazine. Immediate fail if you have good graphics and bad writing. I've had Years of It. Decades even at this point, and I ain't havin' it no mores.

[ravioliet]

more Odd Squad oc posting! here are my main silly guys :D

character lore under the read more because i just know i'm gonna go on a whole ramble and don't want to make the post super long

so both of these guys are from precinct 73559 (which is the precinct we made for our ocs), Oriole is the creature room director and Orion is of course the branch manager. both of them are relatively new to the precinct, having been transferred there together just before Okiku stated working there (Okiku is @/dragonroar87's agent character btw! i consider her a main character which is why i'm using her as a reference for the timeline lol), and they are also quite close and consider each other as best friends (hence the bracelets) because before Orion was promoted and they were transferred the two of them were actually partners in the investigation department! although most agents in 73559 don't know this so they're just left to wonder why Oriole is always hanging around their manager's office and why she calls him Orion instead of Mr. O

personality-wise the two of them are pretty much opposites of each other and they definitely fit the whole 'silly partner and serious partner' pattern that canon kinda has, with Oriole being the more energetic and silly one and Orion being the more quiet and serious one, although their personalities and energy kinda rub off on each other when they're together.

Orion himself is like that introverted person who keeps taking leadership positions for some reason even though he doesn't particularly like public speaking or anything like that, because someone has to do it. he is actually a good leader though even though he doesn't realize it a lot of the time (he has a pretty bad case of imposter syndrome), and he cares about his agents a lot. he also happens to be a pretty big nerd which Oriole teases him about. he's also been through some pretty traumatic stuff and is a pretty anxious person as well, but he doesn't talk about any of that usually (i'll go into detail about it later but for now i'll just say that Oriole was not his first partner. do with that information what you will)

Oriole on the other hand is just a silly little guy full of joyous whimsy. she is very eager to learn things and to solve problems, but she has some chaotic tendencies and when she isn't causing problems on purpose she tends to cause them on accident instead, and she always manages to fix them in the end but that doesn't stop her from getting into trouble. she ended up transferring to the creature department after Orion was promoted because during the series of events leading up to that she was noticed for her talent in dealing with creatures, so in a way she and Orion were kinda promoted at the same time and i love that for them tbh. she enjoys her job very much, but she also still kinda multiclasses in investigation sometimes to help with cases and basically serves as an unofficial third partner to Okiku and Oceane a lot of the time. she has a few creatures that she calls her companion creatures that she's trained and she likes to bring them with her on cases and send out at villains like they're pokemon, the main one being a size-changing feathered snake/serpent dragon creature that she named Updog (she LOVES using the updog joke on people btw) and due to their shrinking ability Updog hangs out in one of her pockets usually. a few of her other creature names include names such as Mister President (so she can say things like "Mister President get off of the table!" or "the President ate my paperwork sorry"), Gazebo, and Periscope

[illarian-rambling]

Thanks for the tags @theink-stainedfolk @ominous-feychild and @paeliae-occasionally!

OC Most Likely Tag

My questions:

- Most likely to win a cooking competition

-Most likely to be found reading in their free time

- Most likely to solve a complex puzzle the fastest - Most likely to burn something while cooking - Most likely to stop a robbery if they see it taking place - Most likely to not tell people they’re sick until they really need the help - Most likely to arrive ridiculously early - Most likely to be in a relationship for less than a week - Most likely to secretly be really good at music, but just not tell anyone

1. Most likely to win a cooking competition

Easily Twenari. My only other character who can cook is Mashal, but even then, he's only pretty good. Twenari’s out here making creme brulee with fire magic.

2. Most likely to be found reading in their free time

Also easily Twenari. That girl is a nerd extraordinaire. Sepo also enjoys reading, but not like her.

3. Most likely to solve a complex puzzle the fastest

Surprisingly, not Twenari. Astra is very quick when it comes to putting things together and taking them apart. She'd love those puzzles where it's just a bent tangle of metal you have to figure out how to separate.

4. Most likely to burn something while cooking

Either Izjik or Djek. Izjik has some fundamental misunderstandings when it comes to cooking food, since she prefers to eat things raw. Djek is just very distracted and will forget he's cooking something. Ivander also gets an honorable mention, but he doesn't count because he'd never willingly cook anything.

5. Most likely to stop a robbery if they see it taking place

Definitely Mashal. He's got that do-gooder mentality, and he's reckless enough to stop crime first, ask questions later.

6. Most likely to not tell people they’re sick until they really need the help

I want to say either Sepo or Avymere. Sepo would be the most obviously sick man in the world and continue to deny to your face that he feels anything but fine. Avymere is just a workaholic, so they'd probably tell you if they're contagious, but they won't change their routine at all.

7. Most likely to arrive ridiculously early

This is a tough one. I feel like most of my characters are either late or precisely on time down to the minute. I think I'll go with Elsind. She likes to show up early to help set things up.

8. Most likely to be in a relationship for less than a week

Also either Izjik or Djek. Izjik believes in true love and has a low tolerance for bullshit in that regard. Djek isn't trying to be in a relationship for anything but a fun time. Both get bored very easily.

9. Most likely to secretly be really good at music, but just not tell anyone

Well, it's not Sepo, because he makes damn sure everyone knows he's a music expert. In that case, I'll go with Avymere. It's something they wouldn't think is relevant, so they wouldn't bring it up.

I'll tag @mr-orion @albatris @vallkary @theprissythumbelina and anyone else who wants in :)

Your questions:

1. Most likely to confess to a murder

2. Most likely to be overdressed

3. Most likely to believe in ghosts

[quetzalpapalotl]

If you would be interested in talking about it I would love to know- how do you think IDW1 OP feels about the way Shockwave surgically altered him to carry the Matrix? It's such a wild note to me (both in what it implies about the Matrix and the whole idea of the "chosen leader" being something everyone in power understands you have to artificially construct, and in the sense of how OP understands his duty as a Prime because of it).

I'm always interested in talking about this disaster of a man, thank you.

This ended very long, I went on many tangents and for that I'm sorry, but I hope it does answer your question. Since this is about how I read OP I focused more on his character in the comics as a whole rather than what the authors were thinking.

First, I personally don't think that being altered to have a Matrix compartment really makes any difference on whether one can actually carry the Matrix. It makes it easier, but the Matrix still has a morality lock that a frame modification is not gonna pass. But then again, the morality lock doesn't end up mattering and it doesn't make the Primacy any less of a construct, but we'll get back to that.

Now, we can guess that despite having multiple Prime candidates, Orion was Shockwave's favorite. Shockwave calls him his brightest hope and entrusts him to Zeta in case anything happens to Shockwave. Yet there's a lot Shockwave didn't tell Orion, he didn't tell him about Zeta, he didn't tell him about the other candidates. He did the noncon body modification and is overall an extremely shady dude. But Orion has no distrust of him. Shockwave sort of acts like he expects Orion to rise up to do what Shockwave needs when he asks for it and Orion is perfectly willing to do it (as Roller calls out).

This makes sense, OP is a character who very badly wants to believe in Goodness, Hope, Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice, more than he actually believes in it. In a way, he's playing fake it till you make it with reality and he reacts very intensely whenever the world disappoints him. This leads to him being either very trustful or very cynical depending on the person and situation.

Orion was a very privileged kind of naive. He thought the world was fundamentally good, that all you have to do to stop bad things is to stop the wrongdoers and that everything can be solved through the right channels. His encounter with Megatron shatters this image and makes him realize that he actually doesn't know how the world works.

To this Shockwave presents himself, he genuinely wants to help Cybertron, he understands that which Orion doesn't (Orion directly compares him to Megatron on this) and Shockwave has the idea that to fix the planet they just have to put the right person in power, Shockwave is still working with the system. The last point means that change can come peacefully, which is perfect as Orion wants to avoid a violent revolution (he has ideas on who's allowed to use violence). Shockwave presents himself as the solution to Orion's firts major moral crisis, so it's really no wonder that Orion clings to him so badly.

(Side note, but Shockwave seems to be winging his whole plan. It's unclear if he found out Nominus' Matrix was a fake before Sentiel and Proteus, but he didn't bring that up in CT. So if he ever thought it was real, was his plan to kill Nominus and shove the Matrix in OP's chest hoping it would take? Was that why he had multiple candidates? After he found out he was fake, was he planning on finding the real Matrix or also use a fake? Probably whichever was more viable)

Orion himself never shows any interest in becoming Prime, never even talks about the possibility. He seems just willing to go along with it because he's willing to go along with whatever Shockwave says. He insists to Roller that he's not with Shockwave because he singled him out (tho, I think he certainly likes Shockwave's attention). And after Shockwave dies in spirit, and someone else he trusted shows up to take the Primacy, Orion is happy to go along and serve under him.

(There is a version of events where OP ends up being Shockwave's puppet Prime which makes me insane to think about)

That's right! It's time to talk about IDW1's most important character!! This was a trap!!

Zeta fills in the gap Shockwave left in Orion's life, and he even actually ends functionism!!! (officially that is), so he seems like the right person to put all his hopes in. Despite this, he isn't Shockwave, Orion is not as taken by him and does bring up the fact that this Matrix and Primacy thing is made up to him.

What I want to highlight here is that Zeta not only admits to Orion that the matrix and the primacy are symbols to be used for control, but he also calls Orion himself a symbol, even before he becomes Optimus (but in a way, progressing the path Shockwave put him in by trying to make him a Prime). Zeta jumpstarts OP's mythification by using his image for propaganda.

Orion at first doesn't think that this is very cash money, but on top of being desperate to believe in someone, this questioning happens at the same time that he loses his faith in the Decepticon due to the other stuff happening. So out of good options (at least form his POV), he decided that hey, maybe Zeta has a point. Maybe we can use the symbols for good, since things are such chaos otherwise. And even tho he would later disown Zeta, I think he still learned to wrong lesson from him.

So, Zeta turns out to suck massively, he aids in killing him, Megatron shoots him in the back and he finds the real Matrix. After things didn't work out with the 3 dudes Orion had put his hopes in, it seems that now Optimus has to embody his own values himself. But out of those 3 Shockwave didn't let him down willingly, I think Optimus still wants to pay respect to his memory and their dream. And besides, because OP is prone to question all his life choices and will spent the rest of his life struggling to give up control, I think he does wonder that maybe things wouldn't have gone so far if, instead of blindly trusting Zeta, he had become Prime from the beginning as Shockwave wanted.

Now we know from the end of Mtmte that the Matrix' morality lock reacts to your own feeling. Someone like Rodimus who wanted to prove himself felt good bonding with the Matrix because that's what he expected. Optimus feels pain, he feels the fear of war in all Cybertronians, he calls him a warning about responsibility. This all reflects what Optimus himself thinks of responsibility: that is a burden.

When OP finds the Matrix he was feeling guilty over having followed Zeta, over having let things get this bad. But OP's idea of making amends is to take on more responsibility. Every time he tries to step down he ends up coming back because he feels that's what he has to do. So it's really not so much that because the Matrix choose him that he has to become Prime, but rather that because he can use this power he has to. He morally obliged to do so because what's happening is his fault. Besides, he was already the leader of the Autobot forces going into battle against Megatron (even tho in Autocracy he also acts like a regular cop, this is a mess, but let's roll with it) so this is still his duty. And what's he gonna do? Not try to stop Megatron? (Optimus is someone cannot stay still, but his repertoire of solutions is lacking). He not only chooses to use the literal and symbolic power of the Matrix, but he also chooses to become a symbol himself, one that's supposed to embody all the good in the world. (And this is also part of why he always comes back, he made himself too big on an idea to be able to just fade)

But it is a choice, even if Optimus doesn't think he has a right to refuse. OP always frames everything he does as a choice (at least in retrospective, he can go "you leave me no choice" in the moment). So if it's something that Shockwave wanted him to do, he still did it willingly. This sense of hyperresponsability also has OP never consider himself a victim, he doesn't tend to emphasize the ways in which he has been hurt, he never ever talks about how Zeta used him and lied to him (he has no right, he hurted people). So this aspect of him is why I think he doesn't acknowledge Shockwave violated his bodily autonomy. Shockwave saved him from the Senate, repaired him and made the modifications for the greater good. So really, OP was harmed and is fine.

Anyway, even tho, OP was indeed technically "chosen" by the Matrix, he still sees the whole thing as much of a construct as Zeta's Primacy. He has respect for the Matrix, he knows it can create life, it saved him from death, it gave him a vision and there's all the powers he would use later. Still, he doesn't think it's actually divine or that bonding with it makes him that special. During the course of the war he has made far more use of the Matrix' symbolic power than of its practical uses. (Including saying that the Matrix is giving him a vision to get out of situations dhasgdkjashdas I love that)

(And he's not wrong about the Matrix not making you special. Mtmte shows us that anyone can open it under the right mindset. And even if Zeta, Sentinel and Nominus never carried the real thing, Nova did, so I wouldn't argue it is a good judge of character)

Optimus doesn't feel super comfortable using the idea of the Matrix this way, but this is far from the only and/or worse morally dubious strategy he pulls out for the greater good. He kinda goes back and forth between paying lip serive to the idea that he's Just A Dude, and using the Matrix as an ID card. Until we get to Combiner Wars and onwards where OP is fully, shamelessly cashing on the religious clout of being Prime. But he also seems so struggle managing this internally in that he tries to not buy his own hype but it does get to his head sometimes.

Also, there's something funny going on in that Optimus' Autobots don't seem to have any formally institutionalized religion. I mean, Optimus had authority before the Matrix and I don't recall any official statemen in the Autobot code or anything that the Matrix means one is Primus' chosen and that's who the leader is (Bee could be voted into position, and Optimus stll considered Bee the leader when he got it the matrix back even if he did undermine him). Now the idea certainly exists and I don't doubt it what used for propaganda, but Autobots seem to be left to their own devices in matters of faith and everyone has their own beliefs.

But even if not everyone thinks that Optimus' is Primus' chosen exactly, the idea that the Matrix is... something and that it choosing Optimus means he is special is certainly the prevalent notion. In this sense, the Matrix becomes part of Optimus' mythos rather than the other way around. Optimus idealization is so real it causes people to develop delusions. And Optimus himself doesn't do much to avoid this. Sure, this kind of thing is often beyond one's hands, especially when you're one of the few people who can go toe-to-toe with Megatron (who also mythicized himself), but even if he denies being special when asked directly (which is usually to his closer friends who already idealize him less than the average bot), I doubt he has ever gone on official record like "My fellow Autobots, the Matrix doesn't mean shit". On the most charitable of takes, this kind of thing serves for morale, which would be needed when battling a figure like Megatron.

So Optimus is always under the shadow of himself. An idea he created from the dregs of a rotten legacy that he has to live up to because it's his duty to do so, because he can't not do anything and this is what he knows what do to. And this all ties back to Barber's broader themes of symbols, stories and Optimus as an idea as well as a person. And as we know, the ultimate conclusion Optimus reaches is that yeah, no, the Primacy cannot be salvaged, no one should have that much power regarldess of intentions, it needs to die so Cybertronians can move on, so he takes it to the grave with him.

[mai-komagata]

more sneak peak speculation

ok no more being defensive about this jam, gonna talk about things that i think are interesting/could go places. Feel free to reply with your own theories, just no outright negativity? pls? (I dont mind saying you don't like certain things in the context of analysis, just maintain the basic assumption that the writers are trying to tell a story in good faith).

1. In Charades, Spock learned that being fully human would not solve his problems. Any gains he got in connection with his crewmates, or greater emotional availability had tradeoffs: losing who he fundamentally was. Him not being able to connect telepathically with his mother must have felt like losing a limb if that limb was a childhood memory.

I'm seeing how the crew is seeing all these supposed benefits to being Vulcan. But I think faced with the prospect of being Vulcan forever, greater work efficiency is gonna take a huge backseat to completely losing your identity and sense of self.

2. I commented before on ethan peck's acting, but I love how he always does these subtle things in the vulcan centric episodes. Like in Spock Amok, how he became Gia Sandhu with changes in micro expressions. In this one, it is amazing how he goes from feeling extremely vulcan in his demeanor to just "switching" a vibe and feeling so much more human. His exasperation at his colleagues being rude fucks that think they know more about Vulcan than he does was incredibly well played. Can't wait to see how he unpacks it for them and teaches them to do better -- im sure they will get backlash from other humans, too. He is like the only Vulcan "acting normal" in a room of other Vulcans that don't do it right.

3. I love La'an especially how she looks in askance to the things she does to spock, like "am i doing this right?" sorta how spock looked for his crew on tips about how to behave like himself in "Charades". I need to rewatch it, but it feels like they are all play acting what they think Vulcans should act like, and not quite getting it. People are right, they are playacting Vulcans, because that is what they think is expected of them.

4. I love the depiction of the increased sensory perception, almost like they are tripping. I love these investigations into neurological differences, as a person with a lot of sensory overload/sensory seeking behaviors, I appreciate those being displayed in characters. The neurological differences not being "just culture" is what I loved about aliens being portrayed as aliens. How does culture evolve from the material realities?

5. I do like that Pelia and the rest of the bridge crew didn't expect them to complete tasks faster. But they do. The purpose of them being vulcan was not to be hyperefficient. It was a side effect that is tempting to this workaholic crew, but not the purpose of the transformation. I especially want to see how La'an reacts to this long-term.

6. WTF is up with the lirpa? Why do they have one? How is it required to contain radiation? I mean it looks badass but I need more context to their mission.

7. bonus: scotty is so cute. we are so lucky he got added to main cast. This has nothing to do with the episode. I was just so happy to see him.

8. secret bonus thing: I mentioned this in another post, but the fact that their hair grows/is braided/is different is such an amazing visual language. I like them being willing to play with costuming to tell a story here, instead of just having ears/eyebrows. It is a very novel storytelling technique. It reminds me of the end of "These old scientists" where the cartoon aesthetic is used to depict the feeling of orion drinks. SNW being willing to play with the medium of the message is so unique to modern sci fi.

[romajuliettemai]

A few more SSS incorrect quotes

I haven't posted sss stuff in a while and this has been in my drafts for forever so here we go! (Some of these were edited or created by me & take place in a past timeline- also don't ask why some of the spacings are weird idk)

Silas: Do you cook?

Roma: I made a cake once.

Marshall: Yeah, it was good.

Roma: Really?

Marshall: Don’t make me lie twice, Roma.

Orion: Some people are like slinkies.

Rosalind: What?

Orion: Not really good for much but bring a smile to your face when you push them down the stairs.

Rosalind:

Rosalind: Please don't push Alisa down the stairs.

Orion, pushing Alisa down the stairs: Too late.

Benedikt: You need to stop swearing so much. Oliver: Shut the fuck up. Benedikt: Yeah, that's not how you do it. Oliver: Alright sorry. It's just that it's hard not to swear. The words just creep up on me when I least expect it. Benedikt: Now now, don't be like that. Just replace the swear words with 'beep' and you'll be fine. Oliver: Shit the beep up. Benedikt: Oliver: SHUT, DAMMIT! I MEANT SHUT!

Orion: I've never encountered a problem that can't be solved by an spontaneous musical number.

Juliette: BEHOLD, the field in which I grow my fucks! Lay thine eyes upon it, and thou shalt see that it is barren!

Alisa: Uh, I think I got your lunch. *Holds up a note that reads: ‘I am very proud of you. Love, Orion’* Rosalind: Oh yeah. I didn’t think this was for me. *Holds up a note that reads: ‘Be good. For the love of God, Please be good.’*

Rosalind: I owe you one.

Orion: It's ok, you can just date me and we'll call it even *winks with two eyes*

Alisa, after getting a library card: Now I know what true power feels like. *proceeds to climb on top of the bookshelves*

Roma: Guys, Orion is missing. Celia: Good.

Alisa: I tried to write ‘I'm a functional adult’ but my phone changed it to ‘fictional adult’ and i feel like that’s more accurate.

Orion: Oliver is at that very special age where a kid only has one thing on their mind. Phoebe: Girls? Oliver: Homicide.

Phoebe: Hey! Wanna hear a joke? Silas: Sure. Phoebe: Your life! Silas: Actually, my life isn’t a joke, jokes have meaning. Phoebe: Silas...no.

Orion: Now, if I may speak for good-looking people everywhere... Oliver, rolling his eyes: Only as their rodeo clown.

Benedikt: Celia, we tried things your way. Celia: No, we didn't. Benedikt: I did it in my head and it didn't work.

Roma, clearly exhausted: Did you have to stab them? Future Katherina: You weren’t there. You didn’t hear what they said to me. Roma: What did they say? Future Katherina: "What are you going to do, stab me?" Juliette, calling from the other room while sharpening her knives on a bowl: That’s fair!

Roma, rubbing his forehead, annoyed: In what world?

Alisa: I desire moisture. Oliver: Please just say "I want water" like a normal person.

Silas: You know I think my life has value. Orion: Who are you and what have you done with Silas?!

Sorry for not having posted anything Secret Shangai in a while- just been super busy. Probably not going to be as active on here just because I literally do not have the ability to be- but I'll hop on every so often and check in! Thank you to everyone doing their best to keep the fandom alive, I'll continue to try to contribute to that! <333

[brandwhorestarscream]

Ended up writing a rather lighthearted barbarian au :3

So, imagine this. It's time for the grand meeting of all the notable clans and whatever smaller ones that are able to attend. It's a time of celebration, trading, forging alliances, and solving conflicts.

But there's something in the air, an odd sort of tension. An anticipation.

Then, when it's time for the evening's feast, Galvatron of the Kaon clan stands, and the hall falls silent. Survival instincts, really. He doesn't react well to be ignored.

"It's time for my heir, Megatron, to find a bond mate. He's exceptionally strong and skilled in the art of combat, like any good carrier should be. So my clan will be holding a tournament, the winner of which will be given the honour to become Megatron's consort."

Galvatron sits, and the hall erupts into chaos. What an opportunity, the clan leaders think, a chance to ally with the Kaonites! Oh Primus Below, live amongst the Kaonites? A death sentence, everyone else thinks.

The gathering of the clans seem to end unusually quickly this time around, clans hurrying home to prepare their chosen suitor.

Could turn it into a Megop think too, by having Megatron fall in love with Orion Pax who isn't a member of the clans. Instead, he's a member of the Priesthood, supposed to be above things such as politics and love.

I'm sooo here for this. Megatron is probably very >:/ at his mom for deciding competition is the best way for him to find a partner. Shouldn't it be someone he gets along with and can respect and would be an asset to have ruling beside him?

Whatever 🙄 what does he know? I can definitely see him demanding something to make it fair, so he has some control: he gets to challenge the winner to a gladiatorial match. If they manage to impress him, then fine, he'll give them permission to go on with the courtship, but if not, send em back!

And you know me so well, I'm always here for some good megop, but! Consider: TFP Orion being from a neutral tribe that mostly specializes in knowledge keeping in a small, unremarkable village, but he's incredibly feral because Reasons. Megatron sees this tiny mech half his size tear out the throat of some wild beast with only his teeth and bare hands and is like 'that one. I want that one'

[transmasc-wizard]

happy storyteller saturday! how is your character at puzzle solving? do they enjoy a good brainteaser? how easily frustrated are they when they can't solve a problem?

happy sts !! doin this for the arthur wip cast

arthur: he needs to know everything, and that includes the answer to puzzles. He's both very good at them and very determined; he doesn't grow stubborn or frustrated, unless he's trying to solve them while hypomanic (that state of mind makes him think well i should just be able to do it right now because i feel so smart and clever and on top of things). He likes puzzles, but more to show other people he's smart than actually as a thing on their own. he also enjoys puzzle-based competitiveness.

alexei: hater. hates puzzles so much. they make him feel incredibly stupid, and he hates feeling stupid. he's actually a really good problem solver in terms of the abstract, so he likes riddles and does them well, but literal "put the pieces together" puzzles make him straight up throw stuff---especially the little metal 3d fuckers. (projecting my hatred of those specific puzzles, LMAO.)

rosalind: puzzle FIEND. she will sit with a puzzle for hours and hours having the best time. she's competitive like arthur, but also just does puzzles and riddles for her own benefit; she thinks they're great and is deeply satisfied by them. she does get very frustrated if she's stuck, but she doesn't quit basically ever. she often views the real world through a puzzle/riddle-like lens.

orion: casual puzzle enjoyer. the type to have fun at game night, but he's not about to volunteer himself to, say, solve a riddle in times of crisis. they find jigsaw puzzles to be very calming as well, and are probably the type of person to frame those when they're done. they don't get frustrated; if they don't understand a puzzle, they just stop or ask for help. (They are, in fact, the only person in this cast who would say "i need help with this". The others would weasel it in through, like, a "try this! it sucks!", but none of them would directly admit they can't do it on their own.)

[ultramagicalternate]

ULTRAMagic Interval Chapter 21

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Master Post - Patreon

Aelia’s familiar returned rather quickly and what it told her was not good. She stood up with a serious look on her face. “We need to find Orion right now.”

“Dang it, I knew something was off…” Will noted as he got up. “We should have gone with him.”

“Faustus, go warn Milan,” Aelia instructed. “I’ll inform the headmaster while…” As she said that, Orion ran by, heading straight towards the stage.

“Well that solves that issue…” Faustus remarked.

Several students were concerned and Milan had overheard this commotion. He quickly noticed Orion and went right to him. “Orion, what’s the matter?” he asked as he got down and put his hand on the boy’s shoulder.

“Beth… be-beth…” he was trying to catch his breath.

“Bethany?” Orion nodded. Milan could definitely sense something coming. “Will, Faustus, come down here for a moment…” he called out as he stood up.

Things went deathly silent, with the tension mounting. Right before Will and Faustus started to move, screaming could be faintly heard through the closed doors to the hallways. The staff present began to panic as they knew something was wrong. Before anyone could properly react, something burst through the doors with a mighty roar, shattering them to pieces. Milan could see it was Bethany in her manticore form once the dust had settled enough.

“I’ll be taking that boy, if you don’t mind…” she stated, flicking some debris off of her tail.

Orion hid behind Milan as the archmage readied a burning, red orb in his hand. “The Vermilion Manticore, aye? Well ain’t that surprise, no doubt Valentin…”

“NOT IN MY ACADEMY, INSUFFERABLE BEAST!” An older voice roared, cutting Milan off. 

The declaration came from a mage with graying brown hair, dressed in robes that suggested a great deal of authority at the academy. He levitated Bethany up, grabbed something invisible, and sent her flying out of the hall. She tumbled through the academy until coming to a stop outside. The mage then stomped his foot, causing the entire room to shake.

Outside, Bethany got up and collected her bearings. “Ow, probably should’ve seen that coming…” What caught her off guard was two statues that leapt down from the front wall, landing with a massive thud. They were both stone knights standing at seven feet tall, wielding large maces and shields. “Oh great, a welcoming committee…”

Back in the lecture hall, the mage composed himself. “How in Merlin’s beard did she even get into this realm!?”

“Valentin’s doing, I’d imagine,” Milan figured. “Although I never thought him to be one for petty revenge.” He then turned to Orion. “Are you okay?”

He nodded. “Yeah. A little scared, but alright.”

“Oh, Orion, this here is Headmaster Vulcan…”

“Stay by my side, lad. I won’t let that beast touch a single hair on you.”

“Yes sir, thank you,” Orion replied.

Aelia came rushing over with Will and Sam. Faustus had already merged with his partner. “Milan, head back to M.A.I.G. and make sure we haven’t been breached!” Aelia instructed.

“Right! Good call. I’ll send Zoltan over immediately and… argh, should we send Orion back too?”

“No,” said Vulcan. “If this was a coordinated effort. M.A.I.G. should be considered compromised until the threat has been dealt with or we can confirm otherwise.”

“I doubt that, but fair enough,” Milan said as he made his way to the wrecked doorway. “I’m off, be back in a flash!”

Vulcan turned to the staff present. “Don’t just stand there, go help the students and make sure everyone is alright!” They quickly got moving.

“I’m sorry for bringing my nonsense here, headmaster,” said Will.

“Don’t apologize, William. This isn’t your fault…”

“Pretty sure it’s my fault given yesterday,” Orion interjected, causing Vulcan to laugh.

Aelia cleared her throat. “We can discuss this later. William, Samantha, follow me.” As they made their way through the hectic hallways, staff were doing their best to keep everyone calm and get people to safety.

“Here’s hoping Zoltan gets here soon” Will said as they exited through the front entrance.

Aelia chuckled. “I’m surprised you haven’t taken a jab at Zoltan, William…”

“Well, I mean, now's not the time for that.”

Sam giggled. “Progress, Boyo.”

“Hey, he’s a good man. It’s just those mouth breathers on the internet who think he’s bad…”

Bethany was getting tossed about and battered by the statues. She was barely holding her own as it was difficult to sting stone statues and a handful of professors and security were pelting her with spells. The manticore’s hide could fend it all off, but only for so long before she reverted back. She then noticed Aelia, Will, and Sam as she flung one of the knights aside with her tail. Milan was nowhere to be found, concerning her. Her focus was thrown off when a particularly strong fireball from Will hit her.

“Hey, Whiskers!”

Bethany leapt forward with a roar. “WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME?”

Will recoiled a little as Bethany stood before him, teeth bared and her warm breath hitting his face. He readied another fireball. “Don’t you dare lay another finger on my son.”

She growled. “You’re lucky you’re not my target today…”

Will was silently panicking as Bethany looked more like a lion this time around. Was this a new power or just how she always was? Regardless, he clenched his fist. “I said leave my son alone!” Will then punched her right in the snout with a flaming fist, causing Bethany to recoil and fall over with a pained roar.

Sam quickly pulled Will back a bit on Aelia’s signal, as Bethany had begun thrashing around widely. Aelia then snapped her fingers, causing giant, thorny vines to emerge from the ground. They began striking Bethany, albeit not as hard as they could. Ideally she wanted to stall until Zoltan got there as she had a hunch Bethany would run again. After repeated assaults from the vines, stone knights, and mages, Bethany reverted back with the attacks stopping. It then occurred to her… her opponents were holding back for some reason.

“Hey! What are you all playing at!?” Bethany demanded to know, sniffling as her burnt nose bled. She then got her answer as the exact individual she feared came running up.

“Hope I’m not late, everyone!” Zoltan announced.

“Fashionably late as usual, Mr. Dracul,” Aelia replied.

As Zoltan laughed in stride, Bethany pulled out one of Valentin’s cards. “GET ME OUT OF HERE!” She screamed at it as she vanished in a flurry of sparks. This took the majority of everyone present off guard.

Zoltan sighed and shook his head. “Again? Will, I’m not that scary, am I?”

“You’re definitely intimidating, I will say…”

Sam thought about it for a second. “Well she is a kid after all…”

“Very true,” Zoltan agreed as he scratched his stubble.

“Is M.A.I.G. safe, Zoltan?” Aelia inquired.

“Indeed. I was a bit stunned when Milan told us what was going on. Now let’s all head back. M.A.I.G. personnel are on the way and Vulcan has everything else taken care of.”

Making their way back to headquarters, the group went straight to the usual conference room for an emergency meeting. Antares, Trumna, Milan, and Reynard were present as Zoltan and the others arrived. The lights of the alarms along the walls were flashing yellow, indicating that the base was on watch. Despite all of this, Orion felt fairly safe, sitting down in his comfy conference chair.

“Oh boy, do we have a SNAFU on our hands…” Trumna declared.

“Not a good first outing as a parent, Private,” Antares chided.

Will groaned. “Hey, I thought it was safe! Despite the feeling I had…”

“Private, when you get a feeling like that, you stay together and call for backup!” Antares snapped. “This is basic training…”

“Captain,” Aelia interrupted. “To be fair to William, it is partially my fault. It was arrogant of me to assume that the academy was impenetrable to Valentin’s machinations.”

“He is a crafty one, Antares,” Milan added.

Just as Antares was about to respond, Jackson walked in. “Sorry I’m late. The base seems to be secure.” He then went over to Orion. “How are you doing, Kiddo?”

“A little shaken, but alright…”

“Tell you what, I’ll sit next to you just in case,” he replied as he sat down and handed  Orion some candy. “Here, have a sucker.”

“Thank you, Jack.”

Jackson then cleared his throat a little. “Weatherman…”

“I know…” Will said with a sigh.

“No need, Jack,” Reynard interjected. “Antares already talked to him.”

There was a slight awkward silence. “So now what?” Faustus asked.

“Well I’d say we need to get Orion to a secure location,” Zoltan replied. “He is a civilian that isn’t authorized to be here after all.”

“Agreed,” Trumna replied. “How quickly could we get him to Camelot, Antares?”

He thought about it for a moment, contemplating the logistics of such a plan. “The closest transports are a couple days out. Furthermore, Camelot has been running into trouble as of late. I firmly believe Despot knows we’re on the way, creating distractions all over the place. Truthfully I’m not sure it’s the safest place right now…”

“Well we have to pick somewhere, gentlemen,” Reynard put in. “I’d say GRENADIER’s HQ, but they are pretty far away…”

“Hey, what about my house?” Sam inquired. “It’s all the way in New York, so he should be safe there.”

Trumna shook his head. “I don’t know, that’s a bit of a gamble.”

“Valentin may be trying to get Orion out of the picture, now that I think about it,” Milan deduced. “But I do trust Randalph Scarfe to keep him safe.”

“Dear, wouldn’t we be playing right into Valentin’s hand though?” Aelia pointed out.

“Yes, but if it keeps Orion safe and gets Valentin to calm down, we should go for it…”

“Wait a second!” Jackson interrupted. “Orion, couldn’t you just scare Valentin again?”

“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean I’m invincible,” Orion answered. “I’m still a kid, you know?”

Will chuckled. “Well, Antonio would definitely make sure he’s safe. You should’ve seen it last year when a couple of anarchist thugs tried to rob us.”

Antares gave a slightly exasperated sigh. “Ah yes, that… we had to cover it up because Antonio used his demon form to beat them within an inch of their life.”

Reynard laughed sympathetically. “Seems like it was a real party. You know? He sounds like the Antonio Pari I met back in the 20s.”

Trumna thought over the idea of Sam’s house in his head. While it was still risky, it was becoming more and more appealing. “Will, can you get a hold of Antonio and Kyu?”

Will looked at the clock. “1 o’clock? Yeah, probably.”

All the way back at Sam’s house, Kyu was typing on his supercomputer. He was processing the data Bran had been sending him while he waited for Randalph to prepare that day’s magic lesson. Taking a sip of his tea, he looked at a framed photo of him, Will, and Sam. He then glanced out the window, watching the trees sway in the wind. Some of the leaves were starting to turn color. His computer beeped and hummed away as it went about its processes.

Despite getting used to the anxiety, it was still eating at him. Kyu really wished they could just come home already. It was nerve wracking to wait for updates on the Red River situation as he had no idea what they would say. It also did not help that he was feeling guilty over not having proper magic skills up until the incident. Kyu was deep in thought over these matters until a notification on his desktop startled him, causing him to nearly spill his tea. Upon reading the message, he rushed down stairs.

“GUYS!” Kyu exclaimed as Randalph was setting up some magic tools and Antonio was watching the television. “Priority message from M.A.I.G.!”

“Oh? what is it?” Randalph inquired.

“Doesn’t matter, let’s get up there” Antonio said as he got up. “Are there others okay?”

“Sounds like it, but Trumna wants to talk to us regardless” Kyu answered.

The three headed up stairs to Kyu’s room, which was a mess of cables, machines, and storage disks. As Antonio and Randalph carefully maneuvered around the clutter, Kyu started the video call. After a moment of the computer setting up a secure connection, a view of a conference room with multiple people in it popped up on the screen. Front and center was Will and Sam, happy to see Kyu and the others again.

“Hey guys!” said Will. “What’s up?”

“Will, Sam!” Antonio exclaimed. “Ain’t you two a sight for sore eyes?”

Kyu chuckled. “Thank you, Antonio. Will, Sam, I’m glad to see you two are alright.”

“Hello, everyone,” Randalph added.

After the greetings were out of the way, Kyu got straight to the point. “Alright, Will, Trumna, what’s the matter?”

“Where do I even begin?” Trumna wondered. “We need you three to look after someone. To put it bluntly, Will and Sam adopted an adolescent astral entity who ruined one of Valentin’s plans. The boy now needs protection as Valentin tried to send Bethany after him.”

The three were speechless. “Well that wasn’t on my bingo card…” Antonio remarked.

“I’m sorry, Trumna, but did you say an astral entity?” Randalph questioned.

“Will, Sam…” Kyu started to say. “Just what in the blue blazes is going on over there?!”

“A lot,” Will replied. “Also Buster is apparently from the Unlight…”

“Yeah, Bran told me about that one.” Kyu scratched under his left feeler and sighed. “Where is he?”

Orion walked over. “Hi, I’m Orion!”

“Nice to meet you, kid,” Antonio replied. “Jeez, Will, I expected you and Sam to get hitched before you brought home a kid. I haven’t even made the arrangements yet. I knew it was only a matter of time, but wow…” The couple were blushing a little.

“Do you guys think you can keep him safe?” Sam asked. “I know it’s a little sudden, but he’s in legitimate danger here.”

“Of course we can,” Antonio agreed. “Kyu?”

“Absolutely, as long as you don’t mind how strange we are, Orion.”

“It’s all good,” he answered as he finished his sucker.

“An astral entity, here on Earth!?” Randalph’s confusion made the other two laugh.

“When can you guys receive him, Antonio?” Trumna inquired.

“Umm… tomorrow would be ideal so I can get things ready. I can work on the paperwork while he’s here.”

“Alright then. We’ll arrange some transport and…”

“That’s alright, Mr. Trumna,” Orion put in. “I can walk.”

“You can? How?”

“Show me where mom’s house is and I should be able to walk around this realm to get there.”

Trumna was baffled. “Milan? Thoughts?”

He shrugged. “It’s elementary if you know where you’re going.”

“Very well. Any further questions, Kyu? Antonio?”

They looked at each other for a moment. “Er, sure Trumna,” Kyu answered. “I definitely have a couple…”

Next: Chapter 22

ULTRAMagic Alternate © 2022 William Ford II (ChaoticTempleKnight)