#rifleseye

[rodismancave]

We have a Tardigrade infestation, by the way.

Will a tardigrade infestation kill us

[stinglikeame]

More kitties for the pile!!

[ofpolyhex]

@rifleseye replied. "Whirl, please stop advertising me for brawls."

Blinks cutely. "Oh, hey, Percy. Didn't think you were in earshot of that!"

[phrygonxenos]

@rifleseye

Slowly, slowly. Phrygonxenos moves soundlessly as it patiently shadows the footsteps of the lone Cybertronian—hours it has followed him, and it will follow him for hours more should it be necessary. It must be thorough, or risk initiating a situation in which it is at a disadvantage.

Why is he planetside on an otherside uncharted world? (His ornamentals mark him as a scientist). Where are his group? (Cybertronians rarely travel alone). Is he dangerous? (Almost certainly a yes). Is he worth an attempt to hunt? (Uncertain).

In the distance, the Cybertronian begins to turn. The Jury hunkers in place, its chromatophores lending it a dappled camouflage that blends seamlessly with the surrounding foliage. It watches. It waits.

[thelastpathfinder]

"Are you... alright? Lately?" He's been reclusive as of recent, busy on a project more than anything. So, he's not checked in with those he considers important. Wayfarer among them.

You don't acknowledge his presence for a moment, instead continuing to stare into the depths of the energon cube on the desk before you. There's no telling exactly what you see in the faint ripples that disturb its surface. Eventually, you raise your head, blinking your starry optic up at Perceptor.

"Oh, I'm fine. I think." Another blink, then a frown. "The Institute has changed the bounty they posted for me," you continue quietly. "Now they want me alive. I can't figure out why they changed their minds, but maybe we can use it to our advantage."

[lateraceps]

@rifleseye replied. "I'm not even doing anything particularly different."

"You do not need to try, in case you hadn't noticed." He loosely wraps his arms around his partner from behind, careful to avoid his scope as he rests his chin on his shoulder. "You are a very attractive mech."

[sparksavor]

THE CRAP???

Following a long, long pause in which it seemed the monster was going to remain asleep, it cracks open one optic and stares at him.

"It's crab."

[autobotmedic]

Innermost Energon - What thing could you not live without?

parts

"Hm." He supposes saying his spark was not an acceptable response.

"... I don't know. I've learned to manage and make do with almost nothing to work with. I might have to resort to crafting more primitive tools at times and curse about it, but I cannot think of any object I could not personally live without."

[sunoflegend]

@rifleseye , continued from replies of x !

( well, she can already tell he's an Autobot from that alone. Actually, she might be able to make a guess at which if she really thinks about it. )

Tall? Ha! I didn't know you could make jokes. You can hardly blame me - this universe or otherwise - for bullying you when you just make it so easy.

[rodismancave]

🥃 On a scale of 1-10 how much am I allowed to get away with in terms of doing science things. 1 being I need clearance for everything and 10 being I can make a new and better shrink ray to use however I like.

Like, maybe 8... just 'cuz Mags would be soooo sad at not bein' able to fill in for your requests. I'd say ten if it made you do some kind of potion. or, kissed me on the cheek. I'd do a ten for a kiss on the cheek. Oh but I don' like makin' Mags upset, you'd still run it by him, right? Even if you kissed me on the cheek?

[stinglikeame]

//I don’t know why I did this but bee is an orange tabby

[forgedcold]

17, 37

17. Quotes, songs, poems, etc. that I associate with them

This is probably cheesy but I think of the poem Invictus by William Ernest Henley (the 'I am the master of my fate/I am the captain of my soul' one). I also think of The Old Astronomer to his Pupil by Sarah Williams specifically for the 'though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light/I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night' bit. And Robert Frost ('But I have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep').

As for songs, there are a lot. But one specifically is Masterpiece by Motionless in White.

A prisoner by my own hands 'Cause if I can't have me, then no one can I need to heal what I inflict But I'll burn that bridge when I get to it As I play roulette with a broken gun I confess these sins with a sharp and spiteful tongue So how do I apologize And put the tears back in your eyes When every canvas that I paint Is a masterpiece made of my mistakes?

37. What they really think about themselves

So, about that time he said this:

I don't think there's really any possible way Megatron will ever move beyond thinking of himself as a monster (granted, I think it's a very skewed perspective because there's no way he didn't acknowledge himself as a monster when he was killing).

All things considered, he was a monster for wanting to defy his function. He was a monster for what he thought and wrote. He was a monster for participating in blood sport. He was especially a monster as a genocidal tyrant. Even if he slaps on a different badge that doesn't mean the monster is gone - the only purpose really of him putting on an Autobot badge, as much as it pissed everyone off, was to hold himself accountable for his actions. If he stayed a Decepticon, what reason did he have to actually stop/lessen violence and cage the monster?

He became an Autobot, but he still had to fight against the part of himself that wanted violence. The part of himself that enjoyed it. The ending of MTMTE/LL is dubious, but he'd have to spend the rest of his life stopping himself from wanting to pull a trigger or react with his fists. He had to look to others to act as his conscience because he couldn't trust himself to do the "right" thing. He didn't know how to separate himself from who he had been and who he was becoming. I think the question he'd constantly ask himself is: is this the monster or is this me? And who is "me?"

[ofpolyhex]

@rifleseye replied. :-[

"... What? What! Don't look at me with your disapproving face. You know I'd suck at being a councillor!"

[thelastpathfinder]

This is a symbiotic green sulfur bacteria that performs anoxygenic photosynthesis and functions as an obligate photoautotroph using reduced sulfur species as electron donors.

"Oooh," you croon, staring spellbound over Perceptor's shoulder at the strange little lifeform. "A photoautotroph—that's a creature that feeds on sunlight, isn't it? I don't know what anoxygenic means, though."

[virtute-praeditum]

"...... Ten, eleven, twelve.... Wait, where is my universe's Perceptor??"

[blackwldcw]

@rifleseye asked: eavesdrop

A muffled conversation with one of their former colleagues can faintly be heard over the din of the busy streets of New Iacon.

'You're seriously working with that guy? What, you got some ulterior motive? Otherwise, it sounds like torture.'

"Tch, not as torturous as you might think."

'You're being genuine.'

"Of course, I am. Sure, he's got about as much cheer as a memorial, and even worse social skills than Ultra Magnus, but-- he actually listens, okay? It'd been three weeks by the time we bumped into each other, and he was the only Autobot-affiliated scientist to offer any assistance, let alone speak to me. I couldn't have even begun to work on this project without him."

'Careful, you're sounding like an Autobot sympathiser.' The mech's words were tinged with humour, though, and Blackarachnia was quick to chuckle along.

"Oh, knock it off, you big lug. I didn't say we were friends--" Something in their voice cracked. "I doubt we ever will be, but... he's a great colleague. Brilliant. Quiet. Organised. He's one of the few people I can work with in Iacon without wanting to tear my feelers out."

Their voice softened. "I wish others were like him."