#sentinel maybe? hmm

[mtreebeardiles]

IDEK

So, okay, I decided I'd try my hand at some...well. Mshakarian, because the Shepard that came through was a dude, so. Yeah. Idk. For all I give Garrus crap I do like him as a character and figured, hey, why not write some of the dynamic I'd like to see?

And then this happened.

Note: i have never done the Garrus romance, so idk how it happens in canon.

“Like what you see, Vakarian?”

Garrus imagined the commander had meant the question to be sarcastic, but Shepard had never been very good at instilling much bite into his words, his tone. Vestiges of the golden boy he’d been and might be again, one day, when they were far away from this time, this place, from these cruel choices they had to make. From whatever it was Jack had found in those files that had caused such a stir of tension in the air, winding tighter and tighter that it was no wonder Shepard had started to break.

Still, the Turian considered an answer. 

He hadn’t seen him, before, not really: a realization that had crept up on him little by little, chipping away at the things he thought he knew about Commander Adrien Shepard. Classic good looks, as he understood it, thick dark hair and kind brown eyes set under heavy brows. Clean shaven, or at least that’s how he’d kept himself back on the SR-1, laugh lines starting to form around a mouth made for smiling. 

But now his cheeks and chin were shadowed by a patchwork of stubble, and his lips were bitten and chapped, and there was no hint of those lines — just the new ones, the too-straight surgical scars, glowing softly red against lightly brown skin, constant reminders of the sort of loss Garrus could only rudimentarily understand. 

But there was still that kindness in his eyes, somewhere beneath the exhaustion and the sleepless nights, and maybe there was a fair amount more despair in the set of the man’s shoulders, an air of desperation coiling muscles tense and tight, but at least Adrien kept his chin up. Watching, waiting, almost defiant, sensing, maybe, that Garrus was going to give an answer, but fuck he seemed so, so fragile all at once. 

Horizon had hurt him. The meeting with Anderson had hurt him. He’d watched as the commander had haltingly requested a reversal of his KIA status at the Citadel, a haunting quiet surrounding him, the sort befitting a man who seemed more than half ghost these days. 

He saw the cracks clearer now, the fault lines of history reaching deep, but even so…

Even so. 

The man Shepard was at his core was still there. 

He’d seen it when the man had intervened with the Quarian on the station, seen it in drawing firm lines with Zaeed on Zorya. Seen it with Jack after she hit the button on the bomb, with Tali when she’d learned of her father’s death. For all Adrien was torn to tatters, he always found more to give. 

And here, maybe, in some small way, maybe Garrus could give a little back. 

“Yeah,” he murmured, stepping into the other man’s space. He gently tugged the bottle of booze from his fingers and set it on the side table. “Yeah, Adri. I do.” 

Those fathomless eyes seemed to track from one to the other of Garrus’s, and Adrien’s exhale was shaky. 

“Yeah?”

He really has no idea, Garrus thought as he stepped closer, the effect he has. 

Or maybe he did, and that was part of the problem.

And maybe that problem was partially on Garrus, too — for always engaging with the hero and not the man beneath the armor. For resorting to platitudes of service, to denigrations of duty, for comparing and contrasting and building his admiration into a pedestal Adrien had never asked for. 

A pedestal, Garrus was rapidly understanding, that had isolated his friend rather than offering any real support. 

No more of that, Garrus thought, and his heart seemed to skip in his chest as he brought his hand up, cradling that scruffy cheek, watching as Adri’s eyes fluttered shut and the tension seemed to bleed from his shoulders. Felt it as he relaxed against him, his soft, smooth skin so wonderful and strange against Garrus’s mouth as he pressed a kiss to his forehead. 

“Yeah. I see you, Adri.” And maybe his own breath was a little shaky as he felt Adri’s arms slip around him. Welcoming him. 

“I see you,” he murmured. “And I promise I’ll always try to keep seeing you.” 

A shudder and the other man leaned into him, and Garrus drew his talons carefully through those thick curls as his free hand moved to the commander’s back. Bracing. Supporting. Being there. 

Always. 

And maybe it wasn't the same as Adrien's interference back on the Citadel, blocking Garrus from making another huge mistake. But maybe that wasn't the point -- maybe it wasn't the size of the gesture that mattered, but rather that the gesture be made at all. To show up, and listen, and see, just see the man before him for who he really was. Flawed, broken, but so, so fucking earnest, so stubborn and determined, so…

So wonderfully, painfully human. 

A strange expression, he'd always thought, whenever humans would say it -- 'I'm only human.' A redundancy, he'd thought, but now… now he thought maybe he understood. 

It was a matter of perspective, an acknowledgment of one's limits -- not an offering of excuses. An honesty, an admission to the truth that fit so well with another of those human idioms. 

"What's that your people say again?" Garrus asked, brushing a kiss to Adri's hair this time. Despite the alcohol on his breath, his hair still smelled of citrus. "'No man is alone on an island?'"

"'No man is an island,'" Adrien murmured, and Garrus thought he could feel the smile starting to form on the commander's face, pressed as it was against the softer skin of Garrus's neck. 

"Yeah," he hummed in agreement, giving him a little squeeze. "That one. We're all an island, uh… together. So more of a continent, really." A huff of laughter, and Garrus's mandibles twitched in approval. "Listen, the point is there's a beach there somewhere, and what better place to sit and rest for a little while?"

"Are you saying you're the beach in this metaphor?" And it was such a relief to hear that hint of teasing back in the commander's voice. 

"Palm trees and all," he replied solemnly. He cocked his head, considering. "Grunt's the volcano."

"I'd've thought Jack was the volcano. Or Zaeed."

"Zaeed is also a volcano, but like, a dormant one."

"Definitely wasn't very dormant back on Zorya," Adrien muttered. 

"But he did wait a good twenty years for that revenge, so, I mean, I'm still correct." 

Adrien was laughing against him at this point, and Garrus wrapped both arms firmly around him. 

"The point is," he went on after a moment. "I'm here for you, Adri."

"I know," Adrien whispered softly, pulling back to look up at him. And he knew it was just a reprieve, a moment to catch their breath, and that the shitstorm that was their collective lives still raged on outside this slice of time and space. 

But maybe the moment mattered anyway. 

[starimusprime]

ok ok!! ya got me to start a talkin!! ok so anyways im not much of a storyteller but my hc is post movie so big fat spoilers on the way

anyway, elitas been like SUPER clingy to optimus after she gives him the lil pep talk

peep the images. constantly being by his side. heck, even CHOOSING to run ACROSS the battlefield to be next to him

so oppys like “hmm, she DOES know what she’s doing and i do need someone who’s more experienced in leading.”

yea THAT scene (her flustered “who me 🥺??” will forever be living rent free in my mind)

(ew wips)

optimus: Well, I’ve been thinking of another promotion; With the Quintessons still at large, there’s a chance they’ll have my head. I’m needing a bodyguard. Someone by my side 24/7 to ensure I don’t make “stupid decisions”

(im terrible at writing dialogue dont bully me 😔👊🏽)

so elita sees this as an opportunity. Which yknow, her whole character arc was her wanting to prove herself and all.

especially now bc she feels SO SO guilty that she couldn’t save optimus, or stop Megatron in time :((

(adding to this hc she does cling to his left arm after the events(tm)

Oh yea and oppy now lives in the tower as he is now The Leader Of Cybertron

he moves most of his pals in their too (jazz, B, WheelJack, Arcee etc.)

HOWEVER THO

(nother wip)

he wants elita in HIS quarters bc shes his bodyguard. so of course he’s gonna need her berth closest to him

(Perhaps 2 ppl 1 bed trope teehee 🤭)

anyway. das my 2 cents. i hope that helped in anyway for prompts. again i aint much of a storyteller but i have concepts!!

I need to break this down into a summary of my favorite points because WHAT THIS IS SO GOOD!

Clingy Elita. Makes sense, especially her tendency to be on his left. Launchpad for tension, perhaps Optimus starting to wonder if she’s okay because she’s being overprotective even for a bodyguard.

Optimus seeking leadership advice from Elita since she was the captain of his mining team and he’s never been in an authoritative role for anyone ever. Builds trust, confidence, and mutual respect between them. Beautiful.

Mutual subconscious pining revealed through Elita’s desire to prove herself via protecting and advising Optimus and through Optimus’ desire to station her as close to him as possible at all times, maybe because he is as afraid of losing her as she’s afraid of losing him (again). Did I mention mutual pining? 🤌

Optimus not just taking over Sentinel’s tower (does anyone know its official name?) but sharing it as a sort of headquarters with his Autobot High Command. Love exploring the facets of his being that separates him from mecha like Sentinel, selflessness being one of the biggest differences.

Thank you so much Munejewels I am eating this up for dessert tonight and will use it as inspiration to produce a banquet for my fellow Optimus Prime X Bodyguard Elita fans

[transingthoseformers]

Hornybrain size difference anon again

I have coherent au ideas as to why cogless Orion would be interacting with end-movie Megatron, not a singular one

What has been plaguing my mind is Megatron holding Orion down while doing god knows what to him. Orion strikes me as someone who would be vocal when he's getting it good. Megatron might have to gag him with his fingers to keep him squealing too loudly when he's skewered on that monster spike. (Or maybe Megatron would let everyone hear it? Megatron might be too possessive for that though. Can't have someone like Starscream overhearing how the handsome little thing screams and get ideas)

It may or may not take some serious workshopping involving Orion Not Fucking Dying but also somehow losing his new t-cog, but also Megatron still killing Sentinel, taking Megatronus's cog, and declaring himself Megatron. Hmm.

Most of my ideas aren't looking that pretty chief, but I'm thinking a decepticon victory is at play here. (Or at least a victory for now)

Questions aside, yeah I'm down for some "don't think too hard about it" pwp ideas sure

Imagine one or more of the other decepticons are jealous though

I can definitely see this version of Megatron being a bit possessive, especially given how he still doesn't know the decepticons all that well, and privacy like this was basically zero in the mines. Probably other stuff too

[in1-nutshell]

Hi! I wanted to ask if you could write the TFA autobots and elite guard reacting to finding a batmobile Bubby on earth?

Bubby was lose during the war and is the around the same age as Ratchet and Ultra magnus. And maybe have a little romance with Ratchet.

Thanks! :)

This is something new! Batmobile Buddy it is! One of the best detectives on Cybertron! If this isn't what you want, please let me know.

Hope you enjoy!

Bot Buddy who's alt mode is a Batmobile with Ratchet, Ultra Magnus, Optimus Prime, and the Jettwins

SFW, Platonic, slight romantic, Cybertronain reader

TFA

Buddy was one of Cybertrons best detectives during the war.

She was hailed with finding many lost Autobots and catching Decepticons off guard with her swiftness and skilled martial artistry.

She had some teaching from Master Yoketron but decided to leave the dojo to help High Command in the war.

Buddy met Ultra Magnus as his personal bodyguard.

The old one had taken leave to get repairs and some of the back up guards had been called into the draft.

Buddy was personally called after Magnus had heard of her reputation.

Even though the job was temporary Buddy took her job seriously in guarding Ultra Magnus.

They bonded during that time from the near-death situations to potential strategy plans suggested.

“Ultra Magnus.”--Buddy

“Buddy? What seems to be the trouble?”--Magnus

“If I may be so bold…”--Buddy

“You may.”--Magnus

“Is it wise to move the troops in this sector? We would be leaving this flank completely unguarded.”--Buddy

“We would need to take that risk.”--Magnus

“But there is also a chance that the assault team could come in. We have a refugee camp in that area, it will be vulnerable.”--Buddy

“Hmm… you are right. We will need to alert the troops at once.”--Magnus

“Absolutely, sir.”--Buddy

Magnus had offered Buddy a spot in the Elite Guard once the knew guard had arrived, but she politely declined in return for wanting to go back and do her detective work.

The two did stay in contact, especially once the number of hostages they were finding grew in numbers.

It was during one of these cases that Buddy met Ratchet.

Buddy had returned another group of Autobots to a nearby relief camp.

Buddy wanted to know the status of each patient admitted.

“How are they?”--Buddy

“Sweet Alpha Trion! Don’t you know better to scare a field tech?!”--Ratchet

“Sorry, I just wanted to know if the Autobots are okay.”--Buddy

“If you don’t mind waiting a couple of hours, then of course.”--Ratchet

A couple hours later, Ratchet is wrapping up everything up when he sees Buddy taking a nap on a chair nearby.

“You really waited here for all this time?”--Ratchet

Of course, so… do I have to wait more?”--Buddy

“Lucky you, I have all the reports. They are all going to be fine. Some better than others, but they’ll live.”--Ratchet

“That’s good. That’s good.”--Buddy

“Why did you wait?”--Ratchet

“I like to know whether my work was good or not.”--Buddy

“Really. Is that all?”--Ratchet

“…Maybe…”--Buddy

“You kids and you’re words.”--Ratchet

“Hey, I’m your age!”--Buddy

“You don’t act like it!”--Ratchet

“…”--Buddy

“…”--Ratchet

“Hahahahahah!”—Buddy and Ratchet

That was where their friendship began.

The two kept in communication after Buddy left the camp.

They talked about their daily lives every now and then. There would be rare times when the two would be able to meet up in person.

Everything was fine.

Until Buddy went radio silent.

Ratchet had tried to reach Buddy multiple times, even going as far as picking up some favor from the higher ups.

No one had any notation on Buddy.

Timeskip to Earth

Optimus was tired.

He had been dealing with Sentinel’s attitude all day and now he had to babysit the Jettwins.

Why?

Sentinel had promised them to visit the Plant, but he had bailed out at the last minute… and Optimus was at the mercy of the twins ‘puppy dog’ optics.

When the three of them came into the dark Plant. A single light was turned on in the middle of the common room.

“Where are the others?”--Jetstorm

“Yes! Where? Bumblebee told us about this video game—”--Jetfire

“Wait!”--Optimus

“What?”—Jetfire and Jetstorm

“I just remember something… the Team is out on patrol.”--optimus

“Then why is there a light on.”--Jetfire

“That’s because… we aren’t alone.”—Optimus

Optimus grabs his axe while the twins power up.

The light flickered until it finally turned off.

None of them are ready for the sudden ambush. They thrashed around feeling kicks and chops to their armor before they felt stasis cuffs on their servos and pedes.

The lights turned on.

There was a stranger who looked like a Decepticon with their dark colored paint job, but the red Autobot badge begged to differ.

The bot came over to the Prime and looked at his Autobot badge then turned and saw the twins’ badges.

Silently the bot clicked a button.

The cuffs came loose.

“Sorry about that. You can’t be too careful now a days.”--Buddy

“Who are you?”--Optimus

“And how did you do that!”--Jetfire

“That was so cool!”--Jetstorm

“Do you have powers too?! What powers do you have?!”--Jettwins

“Woah, woah, woah calm, down kiddos. I’m a detective from the Autobot High Command. The names Buddy.”--Buddy

“Detective? How come I’ve never heard of you?”--OPtimus

“Special ops. I look out for the bots who suddenly go missing and no one wants to look for them. I’m the one they call to look for them or I find out and go looking for them.”--Buddy

“Oooohhhh!”--Jettwins

“Who did you come looking for?”--Optimus

“I take it you’re Optimus Prime.”--Buddy

“Yes?”--Optimus

“I came to look for you and your team.”--Buddy

“Oh! Who called?”--Optimus

“… A dear friend of mine was on your team. I didn’t get a chance to tell him what happen on my pass assignment… I found out after some digging. Its hard to figure out space bridge engineering when you don’t know a lick about it.”--Buddy

“Who was your friend?”--Optimus

“A brilliant field tech named Ratchet.”--Buddy

“The Doc-Bot!?”--Jettwins

“You know him?”--Buddy

“He is our field tech along with our friend Sari.”--Optimus

“What’s a Sari?”—Buddy

That was when the rest of Team Prime had decided to show up.

Now it was understandable that the Team was on edge seeing a dark armored bot looming over the three Autobots on the ground.

But one of them quickly gets everyone to lower their weapons.

“Put those weapons down, that’s an Autobot!”--Ratchet

“An Autobot? They look like a Decepticon to me!”--Bumblebee

“Put it down!”--Ratchet

“You know them?”--Prowl

“Yes!”--Ratchet

“Ratchet!?”--Buddy

“Buddy!”--Ratchet

Buddy ran to Ratchet hugging new dents into him.

“Oh my—”--Prowl

“That bot did the impossible!”--Bulkhead

“She’s hugging Ratchet! And he’s hugging back!”--Bumblebee

“Shut it!”—Buddy and Ratchet

The two Autobot looking at each other before laughing.

“…Prime I’m scared.”--Bumblebee

“Me too—I mean don’t be rude.”--Optimus

[silvery-bluish]

34 w/ arisone :) for the whump prompt

prompts from here

trips. falls. catfiend fight fallout spills out of my arms.

Contents: 34 - "You promised not to leave." In the immediate aftermath of that one time Ricardo tried to solo the Catastrofiend.

Wordcount: 852

Relationships: Chargestep, ft Arsinoe. But this is TECHNICALLY in the limbo of them having kissed but not talked about it for like a year.

Warnings: Blood? Gore implied, but I don't go too hard on the descriptions of it.

There's blood on their hands. It's not something they think they'll ever get used to, something they can't stand the thought of getting used to, bright red. Like spilled paint. Never getting used to the feeling of holding someone's organs into their body, of pleading with deities they don't even believe in, anyone who will listen, that help will get there faster.

"D'd you see me?" Ricardo asks, and they almost laugh, because only he'd be worried about if they saw him fighting some…thing. Terrorbeast, creature, monster, they don't understand the Catastrofiend and it frightens them. Slick, sticky mind.

"Yeah I saw you," they say, and he grins at them, slumped in the alleyway. There's red in his teeth. "Stick with me, okay? That was impressive, but that was dumb, Ricardo, you--" almost died, but they aren't sure if it's an almost, because this is bad. Sentinel in their ear, telling them it's just a couple more minutes. To hold on.

"Nowhere else I'd rather stick," Ricardo says, and then, "You hurt your hand?"

You're not supposed to get blood in someone's open wound, but it'd mostly cauterized, and they were clean last time they got their blood checked. "I'm fine," they say, "I'm not the one who decided to fight the Catastrofiend one-on-one, Ricardo, what the fuck."

"Wasn't one on one," he's stubborn, brow furrowing. Eyes fighting to focus on them. Blood loss. Not… good. "I knew you were working on something."

"I wasn't going to leave you," they say, almost offended. You don't leave a teammate behind. Even if he's doing something practically suicidal.

"Promise?" Lucidity back, for a moment, and they nod. How can they do anything else?

"Yeah," they say, and they mean it. Had meant it before, but they're freer now. They get to choose when they leave a situation. And they won't leave a teammate behind again.

He smiles, and leans against them. Fuck, it's bad if someone goes unconscious, if they lose too much blood? Grasp for remembered percentages-- most people can lose fourteen percent of their blood without many adverse side effects. Past that… most people don't survive losing forty percent. So. Somewhere between fifteen and forty percent, and that's all they've got. His heart beats a fevered pitch against them, they can feel his pulse because they've basically got their hands in his guts.

They still can't feel past the static to get a better bead on him, even now. Is he going unconscious, or just going quiet?

"Hey," they say, jostling him slightly. "Ricardo?"

"Hmm," he just hums against them. "Stay with me?"

"I said I would. You stay with me. Don't you dare die on me, Ricardo Ortega."

"Yeah, trying not to."

Prying words out of him is slow, and it's all they can do to keep themself from panicking. But if they panic, they can't help him. So they shut it down, shove it in a box they'll deal with later. Not now.

Eventually, hands pry him out of their arms, their hands out of his stomach. They almost punch one of them, too, almost bite, vicious clawing until they realize these people are here to help, dressed in their EMT uniforms. Maybe it really had only been a couple of minutes.

It felt longer.

They get Ricardo up on a stretcher, real gauze and real professionals saying panicked, half-comprehended things to each other in low tones as Arsinoe watches. Blood bag hooked up to his arm nearly as soon as they get Arsinoe clear. Ricardo blinks slow at them, and that's all that matters.

"You hurt too?" one of the paramedic asks, a young woman with cropped short hair and Ricardo's blood on her arm, from-- probably from having to pry them off him, really. They startle, hadn't thought any of them would talk to them. Sidestep doesn't do doctors. Sidestep doesn't do paramedics, either.

"I'll be fine," they say, brushing her off. It doesn't hurt. They can deal with it later.

"We need to go. Do you want to ride in with Charge, then?" she asks, and they do, is the thing. But the idea of locking themself in a box with medical professionals, and having to explain why they won't let them touch their injured hand, or why they won't go into the hospital itself. She's worried about their hand, wants the chance to get a better look at it, and they can't.

They know the paramedics don't want to cause them harm. They know that. But they can't make themself believe it, is the thing.

He's fighting them, some, enough to get the oxygen mask they strap to his face back off. Like he can sense them faltering in the doorway of the ambulance. "You promised not to leave," not as loud as he was probably trying to make it, but he's… not in great shape.

They steel themself. "Only as far as the hospital," they say, firmly, and when they climb in, him grasping to hold their bloody hand in his is almost enough to offset the slam of the metal doors behind them.

[faecaribou]

hold this plot bunny for me tumblr

tf2 star wars au? im a prequels bitch sorry lol or Old Republic/High Republic Era, 35 BBY at earliest

If all mercs were Jedi:

Lightsaber forms

Scout: Ataru (Agility form) Spy: Makashi (elegance form) if we wanna get specific reverse grip, maybe jar'kai Soldier: Djem So (Aggression form) Pyro: Ataru (just feels right lol) Heavy: Djem So Medic: Shii Cho because I don't think he's allowed to really specialize in a form but everyone gets taught Form I soooo Sniper: Djem So or Niman Demo: Ataru or Niman (Sniper and Demo just strike me as people who want the fight to end as efficiently as possible so Niman) Engineer: Soresu (endurance form usually used in defensive manner)

Lightsaber colors and force use

Scout: Blue lightsaber, Unifying Force Spy: Orange lightsaber. Tentatively Unifying Force as well. He is such a Jedi Shadow to me Solider: Blue lightsaber. Inclined to say Living Force Pyro: Blue lightsaber. lowkey cosmic force vibes but im sure someone will say that doesnt work so unifying force because their ass is not living in the here and now Demo: Green lightsaber, Living Force. Heavy: lowkey gives Jedi Sentinel vibes even if that doesn't work for plot but still. So yellow lightsaber. In the comics when he and scout go off to the australium mine he shows the ability to look ahead at the big picture so I'm giving him Unifying Force Medic: Green lightsaber, Living Force Sniper: Not giving blue or green at all, I kinda want to give him Orange (cries) tentatively Living Force. I am willing to hear people out on Sniper. Engineer: Green lightsaber, Living Force

I should elaborate that Living Force users are more focused on the here and now, and the connections between living things, pretty solid people while Unifying Force users tend to look to the future, think ahead, see the big picture, and I wouldnt say they have their head stuck in the clouds but they're more likely to be doing that then Living Force users. So Scout is Unifying because he daydreams, Soldier is Living because here and now and not thinking ahead, Heavy sees the big picture so Unifying, etc. No one fits every definition of one type of force and thats ok If some mercs were jedi and some were clones (clone war time)

Jedi: Scout, Spy (a Jedi Shadow to be specific because they are literally spies), Engineer, maybe Pyro Clones: Soldier (duh) Heavy (he's the heavy weapons guy guys) Demo, Medic (CMO clone), Sniper. maybe pyro

I guess my main distinction is which ones main w a gun +Demo +Medic are the clones. I feel like Engineer's job could plausibly place him as a clone trooper but it doesn't seem right, Pyro could maybe be a clone who like refuses to take off their helmet. Scout is a Jedi to me because clones don’t have fathers and so we can’t follow that plot line if either scout nor spy are clones

Notes about AUs

in this au the Administrator is Palpatine and there is no Chosen One stuff she's just orchestrating both sides of the war to gain power in the Senate and then killing off the jedi with order 66. Spy can't be Scout's Padawan Master so Engineer would have to be Scout's Master. Pyro is a new Knight if he's a Jedi. Jedi get knighted typically *after* 25 years of age or that species' equivalent, typical knighting age being like. 25-30. Obi-Wan and Anakin are the Spiders Georg of jedi knighting. So Scout being 27, he's probably going to get knighted for the sake of the Clone Wars soon.

Plots:

All mercs as Jedi: idk just them doing shenanigans. Imagine if I sent them to deal with Mandalore that would coooookkk can you imagine. Spy infiltrates Kyr'stad/Death Watch. Engineer protects the New Mandalorians. Soldier somehow gets clan adopted into the Haat'Mand'ade/True Mandalorians because they're like "he has mandokarla". This will not bode well for Spy when Death Watch eventually attacks the True Mandalorians and Soldier is there just. Destroying Kyr'stad and Spy is like "hmm. i am in trouble." Someone in the Haat'Mand'ade definitely tries to say the gai bal manda to Pyro and adopt him but Engineer spawns in out of nowhere and is like "this is. this is a grown man." the mandalorian is unfazed because these fuckers will adopt people as kids, as brothers, as clan members, as wards, etc. they do not care. Engineer is at a loss for words. Where are Medic and Heavy? At the Temple, trying to convince the High Council to let them join their team on Manda'yaim and bring supplies. That's right those two have to deal with (shudder) politics. Actually if Engineer is with the Everaade he's also dealing with politics because the New Mandalorians do nothing but politic talk soooooo lol. Demo and Scout get lost from the group and Demo hears about Soldier being clan adopted by the Haat'Mand'ade but the news has been so warped by word of mouth gossip that Demo thinks Soldier has been kidnapped by the Haat'Mand'ade, which is like THE faction that people know the least about even though they are my favorite so Demo is like. On a mission to hunt down the True Mandalorians and fight them and save Soldier and Scout is just along for the ride. Sniper is with Engineer because I feel bad that Engineer is alone when the Senate mission was to literally protect the New Mandalorians. Sniper DGAF tho, not until Kyr'stad bombs the New Mandalorian capital. Especially because New Mandalorians HATE weapons so they're like "what do you do." Sniper: "I'm a sniper." New Mandalorians: "Eww wtffff" Sniper: "It's a good job >:(" New Mandalorians: "Erm actually you are killing people which is bad. have you tried talking to people" Sniper: ... Wait im cooking this is a whole plot. yay

Some mercs as clones: Clone Wars but from Scout's POV, if Spy reveals his parentage it would be while sacrificing himself for Scout during Order 66 so Scout can get away. the plot is literally just "ough agh the horrors of war that us jedi were not prepared for. also i want to know my clone troops better"

[journey-to-the-attic]

3rd anni req 11: [NIGHTBRINGER] belphie, lucifer / deep sleep

ao3 link

note: i've mostly been doing these in the order i remember getting them so far, but i might start skipping around, since they're quite lucifer-frontloaded (not that i'm complaining). anyway - this is based on nb lesson 12, where mc's in that curse-coma, but! the twist is that ik can somehow still speak through it. since, y'know, special reaper curse

∎ ∎ ∎ ∎ ∎

“...oh, you’re here.”

Lucifer doesn’t look up as Belphie slips into the room. He stays there, sitting in a chair he’s dragged from the dining room, half-hunched over, with his forearms on his knees. Belphie gets the distinct feeling that his oldest brother hasn’t slept in the last forty-eight hours.

He glances over at the wan face of the room’s only other occupant. “...still not up?”

“Solomon said not to expect it to happen soon,” Lucifer says blankly. “We don’t know the exact nature of the curse. By all means, it should have been fatal.”

They both look at IK’s blank face. The light flickers in a way that, for a moment, makes her look as if she’s blinking awake - though Belphie doesn’t dare hope.

“Weird kid,” He mumbles, more to her than Lucifer. “You can’t do magic, but you can survive reaper curses? If you can do that, why didn’t you…”

'Why didn’t you stop us from trying to hurt you?' is what he means, but he can’t finish the question. Lucifer looks as if he knows what he was going to say, anyway.

“So where’s Solomon gone, then?” He asks after a beat, frowning. “All that talk, and he’s not even staying to look after her?”

“He said he’d look for solutions in the tomes at the cave. And that he was leaving IK in charge.”

Yeah, that’s right.

“As if h— huh?”

They both whip around. IK hasn’t moved.

Belphie glances quickly at Lucifer. “Did you hear—?”

“Yes.” His response is short and harried. “What was that?”

They both fall silent for a moment, listening hard. Nothing.

“Maybe we’re just hearing things,” Belphie says reluctantly, though he’d swear it to anyone that he just heard IK speaking, loud and clear.

“Do you think that’s likely?” Lucifer stands up, staring around the room like a sentinel, a dangerous shadow falling over his face. “It could be any manner of mimicry. If something’s gotten in—”

Wait, did you hear me?

Lucifer goes dead silent. There's no mistaking that voice - but there’s also no mistaking the fact that the speaker has not moved an inch.

After a moment, Belphie tries, “IK?”

You did! She sounds downright joyful - the words don’t quite ring like speech does in a room, but the voice in their heads is clear as day. I was so BORED.

“You can talk?” He asks, bewildered. “Wait, you’re— can’t you open your eyes?”

No. Do you think I haven’t tried? Now she sounds aggravated. I’ve been awake this whole time. I just can’t bloody move.

“Watch your language,” He says automatically.

Don’t start. I’m losing my mind here. But you can actually hear me now!

“Yes, you’ve said that already.” Lucifer sits down again, leaning forward, practically on the edge of his seat. “How much do you remember?”

Hmm. I remember you both trying to kill me.

A pause. Then Lucifer asks, voice suddenly about half as loud, “What is your situation, then?”

There’s a sort of buzz, as if IK is laughing. Not much going on. It’s like sitting in a dark room. I can hear things coming from outside, but I can’t see anything. It sucks.

Say, if you were a shark, what kind would you be?

“What?”

I think you’d be a nurse shark, Belphie, because they’re usually chill, except when they aren’t. And Lucifer would be… a blue shark, because that’s his favourite colour.

They exchange mildly bemused looks. After a moment, Lucifer says slowly, “How do you know that? I’ve never told you.”

…uh… Belphie gets the distinct feeling that IK is panicking. ...context clues. You know, clothes and stuff.

“You’ve only seen him wearing red,” He says a little suspiciously.

And what’s the opposite of red? Blue. Next question.

It’s no use trying to pry. Every time this happens - every time Belphie gets the unnerving feeling that their attendant knows them better than they even know themselves - he tries to figure out why, and IK deflects. The dedication would be impressive if it wasn’t annoying.

Who is this kid? She shows up, completely out cold, and hasn’t even been awake for an hour by the time she’s been put in charge of the Devildom’s newly-minted residents. Then Solomon, of all people, that sorcerer whose reputation long precedes him, shows up calling her his ward, even though she’s got no magic to speak of.

Though Belphie doesn’t know what else to call her knack for making them… talk. She takes to the Devildom like a duck to water - practically skips through it all while they’re still mired in their own rotten souls. They should’ve been insulted that Diavolo would think this ridiculous little thing capable of handling the seven of them, but IK does it like it’s second nature.

That’s the frustrating part. They’ll tell her near-everything, and IK tells them absolutely nothing. And it isn’t that they’re stupid, or blind, or so self-absorbed that they don’t notice when she goes quiet - when she stares off at something that isn’t there, eyes filled with some inexplicable loneliness that should be far beyond her years.

Is Satan around? IK asks. He was in here, reading, before. He couldn’t hear me then, but maybe he will now.

“Um… he went out.” Belphie sits down on the foot of the bed. “Hey. I’m… not angry with you anymore.”

Wow. Do you want an award?

“No, I—” He swallows. His tail flicks up behind him, and he seizes it for comfort before he can stop himself. “—I’m sorry. That’s what I meant.”

Oh.

Okay.

He waits for a moment. There’s no other response. He looks at Lucifer.

His brother’s face is twisted into something that might resemble remorse. The ironic part is that Ik would probably know better than he does, if only she could open her eyes to see.

“We’re doing what we can,” is all Lucifer says after a while. “You will be alright. I can promise you that.”

That’s a relief, she says, a touch ironically. So am I just stuck like this until Solomon figures something out?

Lucifer’s jaw tightens. “...I don’t know. All we can do is wait.”

Great. I’ll get right on that.

Belphie scoffs. “I don’t know how you’re making jokes right now. You could’ve died. You still might now.”

Oh, I wouldn’t worry about that, says IK dryly. I know what being dead feels like. This isn't anything like it.

“What? What’s that supposed to mean?”

No answer. Belphie shoots an apprehensive look at Lucifer, then leans forward. “Hey. I’m talking to you.”

Silence. He doesn’t know if IK’s refusing to speak, or if the connection has broken already. He makes as if to stand up, to go find Barbatos, or Diavolo, or anyone who might know how to repair it. He can't lose it now.

He’s poured his heart out to her once before, then hadn’t even waited a day to turn on her. He doesn’t know what, but he has to do something about it, right?

But, before he can, Lucifer takes a deep breath, then abruptly stands up.

“...I have to go,” He mutters.

That, at least, gets IK to speak up again - Belphie feels a rather distracted spark of relief. Where are you going?

“Out,” He replies sharply, then pauses, and sighs. “...I need to clear my head. You’re… incomprehensible.”

That’s the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to me.

…hey. You’ll come back and talk to me, right? It’s really boring in here.

“Is that what you want?” He asks, softer.

It’d be nice.

Lucifer looks at IK for a moment, then leans down. Belphie doesn’t quite see what he does, but when he straightens up again, the blankest are tucked in more snugly, and IK’s hair looks a little neater than it did before.

“Then I will,” Lucifer tells her, and steps back. With one last, lingering glance, he turns on his heel, and walks out.

…

…Belphie, are you still there?

“Yeah,” He says quietly, and decides to take Lucifer’s seat. “Are you okay?”

Not the best I’ve been. Not the best week I’ve had, either.

He wishes he had some water. “That’s our fault, isn’t it?”

Sorry.

“Don’t— what are you saying sorry for? You always—” He stops himself before he can finish. “—you’re so weird.”

A pause. Then, That’s the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to me.

“Stop it. Just…” He drags a hand through his hair and catches a finger on his left horn. “...just let me feel bad, will you?”

…fine.

He takes a breath. “...Beel’s okay, by the way. I don’t know if you’ve heard him.”

I did. I’m really glad.

“He’s worried. We all are. Look, I—”

Don’t bother, IK interrupts. …I get it, I mean. You don’t have to explain it to me.

“I really don’t get you,” He mumbles.

Another laughing sound. I get that a lot.

“Aren’t you scared? Aren’t you angry?”

Not angry. Scared… maybe.

Doesn’t matter, though. It’ll be fine. It has to be. I have to get…

Silence for a while. He doesn't quite dare to ask - have to get... what? What is it that she's so determined to hold on for?

…hey. If you wanted to, say, make it up to me… could you hold my hand?

He blinks. “Will you be able to feel it?”

I don’t know. But it’d be a nice thought.

“...okay. Sure, I can do that.”

Belphie drags the chair closer, untucks a corner of the blanket, and closes his fingers around a cold little hand. IK's voice murmurs a quiet thank you.

If he really squints, he can fool himself into seeing a tiny smile on her face.

"You'd better wake up soon."

[energylessartist]

Truck or treat!

F E E D M E

... truck? Hmm... don't got any of those, but I do have this baby Sentinel sketch!

Not a very clean sketch but maybe I'll get there later lol

[moonlight-tmd]

Okay, i know i’ll explore more of this but i want to hear your thoughts on this too.

Femme frame bumblebee? He’s still a mech but he’s definitely built with the aft and curves of a femme and even has heel struts instead of regular pedes. He knows he’s built and his frame compliments his doorwings.

He usually wears a bulky over armor but it gets damaged in battle and breaks off revealing him in the heat of a battle that just stops?

His teams reaction?

Blitzwings reaction?

Before or after they start dating. If after blitzwing didn’t know b/c bee has trauma.

oooh i get it, like @toxxicpill design. I always imagined him a little feminine, just more blocky instead of smooth curves.

hmm, i mean, sure he would be a bit curvy, the doorwings are a nice touch for him cough happy flutters cough cough. I am a little disappointed that they decided to gender the robots but eh, 2000's cartoons i guess.

He is a bit curvy on top of the blocky frame, the heeled pedes are not uncommon, i mean Prowl has these- he kinda looks like Elita overall, his subspace is moved down to cover his aft in this since he has doorwings (yes it does look like earth bumblebee's abdonmen). Yes, he does wear additional armor to apprear more bulky over his chassis and shoulders, he doesn't like how everyone kept staring at his chassis. I always imagine Bee and Prowl are almost the same height, only that Prowl is few inches taller and way slimmer than Bee (I mean, he is a motorbike. They are rather small, even when compared to tiny cars). So without the top armor, Bee is almost half the width he was.

I imagine the only one who'll know is Ratchet. I mean, he fixes Bee all the time and there is no way he wouldn't know that the upper part of Bee's armor is not his original frame. Ratchet is a medic, he's not gonna judge anyone- well, unless you say or do something stupid. Then he's gonna judge you all he wants.

So yeh, bots and cons fight over Allspark shard- idk, maybe some stray blaster shot hits him on the chassis and the thing breaks, it's not completely broken but heavily damaged. Now, this is a battlefield. I don't think anyone would stop to look at Bee's badongahonkas, especially when there's such an important item involved.

After that, sure the team is surprised that Bee's frame is actually different from what they see so often but nobody hates him for it. They're not homo/trans/any lgbt+-phobic. And they don't have genders in the first place, everyone chooses how they want to portray themselves.

When his additional armor is being fixed, there's not much of a change. Sure, others throw glances at him more often but nothing else- the only one to have a visible reaction would be Optimus. Bee already reminded him of Elita when he met him, and seeing Bee look even more like Elita is weird, if it isn't raising some questions... he almost slips and calls him Elita.

Sari thinks Bee looks pretty, and may or may not be trying to get him more armor pieces like that so he can be a full-blown knight.

The repair was quick so no Elite Guard reaction- but if they were to witness this, Sentinel would be the first afthole to stare at Bee's chassis as if to take that armor off with his processor power. Jettwins and Jazz would have respect and try to keep SP away from the young bot- as they always do, just this time the reason is different. They all have no idea how Sentinel can be so awful and still keep his job...

Now you want Blitzy's reaction, alright.

That stray blaster shot might have been his and he struck Bee on accident. He does catch a quick look at Bee's slim frame before his team calls on retreat. If they weren't dating then he would be a little bit pervy in his mind, he wouldn't bring it up with the scout tho, he's not sexist.

If they were dating, he would wonder why Bee didn't tell him. He asks about it the next meeting they have- Bee's armor has been fixed by then. Sure enough, Bee confesses that he was forged a femme but decided to be a He. He wears additional armor because he didn't have credits for changing his frame type and had enough of other bots calling him and grabbing him rudely. Wasp was one of those bots, he harrased Bee with no mercy until Longarm saved him.

Blitz feels both sorry and hella ANGY. How could anyone treat his precious hummel like that?! And they say Decepticons are evil- if anyone is racist, sexist and disrespectful about such basic things as appearance and behavior, it's the Autobots. The 'cons murder everyone equally, not just the "freaks".

Once Bee gains enough confidence then he'd show Blitzwing his real frame. And Blitzwing will have some pervy thoughts he'd keep to himself only. He loves Bee, and seeing him even smaller than how he was already is adorable. Blitz is the only one that Bee lets grab him like that. And Blitzwing can't help but admit his hummel's chassis is a great pillow.

[fierceawakening]

To those who really disliked the choice to make D-16 a rule follower: yeah, I agree. I think Megs should always have chafed at someone else imposing rules on him.

I did kind of like the “I did what you wanted me to my whole life and it was all a lie and now I will kill you so much” but I’m not sure how you make that work for Megatron specifically. He’s too… black-aligned. There’s not really a version of him that isn’t ambitious I don’t think.

Hmm. Maybe… if he thought that Sentinel had earned his rank, that he dreamed of being someone like that but feared he wasn’t worthy…

And then learned that (as I think Megatron should see it, anyway) there is no magic. There is no being built/sparked a Prime, at least not now that the Thirteen are gone. This is the era of making your own destiny, by force, and the only reason he didn’t lead it already was that people convinced them he couldn’t.

And now he’s making up for lost time.

Yeah, I think I like that.

That could make his rivalry with Optimus even more poignant too. “The era of the Primes is dead… and now you’re getting in my way because Primus chose you? You were my friend. How dare you.”

[transingthoseformers]

SG TF One: Maybe the Quintessons killed the Primes. Like actually. After that, Sentinel still made the deal with the quintessons because they would have killed everybody, enslaved them all directly, or taken them away from Cybertron if he didn't make the deal?

(Maybe he even says that if he hadn't made the deal, the gang wouldn't have had a chance to be born? And what's more important, staying morally pure which kills you and fucks others over, or survival?)

Hmm, maybe maybe

[in1-nutshell]

AND ANOTHER THING ABOUT ELITA'S TWIN! I need the reunion with Sentinal and Elita.

The long awaited reunion has finally been written!

The last writing for Buddy was nice and sweet... get ready, no one is spared for what's about to come...

Hope you enjoy!

Elita One's twin sister with the personality of SG! Blackarachnia reuniting with Sentinel and Elita

SFW, Angst, Platonic, Familial, Cybertronian (techno organic) reader

TFA

Buddy had been looking at the main screens for any docks with extra steel beams, the injury rates had been going up with the recent arrival of the Elite Guard.

They had been on edge since she heard about the Guard landing on Earth’s soil. Even refusing to leave the base, constantly working on menial tasks to keep her occupied.

Buddy hunched over her work area trying to fix some chips that had gotten fried.

Blitzwing walks in.

“You are still here? How are you even functional? Its been how long since you’ve gotten out of here?”--Blitzwing

“Hmm.”--Buddy

“You should go outside before you start rusting here.”--Blitzwing

“Hmm.”--Buddy

“Why you—”--Blitzwing

“The sparklers aren’t working correctly.”--Buddy

“What?”--Blitzwing

“The transfuser need to be tweaked.”--Buddy

“Are you even listening—”--Blitzwing

“Tweak to the left… tweak to the right…”--Buddy

Blitzwing leaves the med bay and returns with Lugnut.

“Your turn.”--Blitzwing

Lugnut comes closer to Buddy and taps her shoulder.

“Buddy.”--Lugnut

“If I can just get the cells to work correctly…”--Buddy

“Blitzwing hit his helm against my servo.”--Lugnut

“Then I can finally get the thing…”--Buddy

“I threw an Autobot off the roof.”--Lugnut

Buddy using a mini blow torch on the chips.

Lugnut turning back to Blitzwing shrugging.

Starscream comes into the med bay after hearing the entire thing from behind the door.

“Step aside, watch how a master works this.”--Starscream

Starscream moves to Buddy.

Starscream grabs on of Buddy’s servos.

“As your Second in Command, I am ordering you to—”--Starscream

“I think I melded this one the other way.”--Buddy

“What—”--Starscream

Buddy slipping her servo out of Starscreams hold and continues moving and working.

“DID YOU NOT HEAR—”--Starscream

“If I put the cells here… maybe it’ll work and function with the transfusers…”--Buddy

Starscream looking back at Blitzwing and Lugnut.

“Did she just completely ignore me?!”--Starscream

“I know an impossible feat.”--Blitzwing

“… I’ll let that one sly.”--Starscream

“I have an idea!”--Lugnut

“Oh, please Lugnut. That slow moving processor couldn’t even—now he’s gone…”--Starscream

Lugnut going out of the room, soon returning with Megatron.

“Why am I here Lugnut?”--Megatron

“Buddy hasn’t left the med bay.”--Lugnut

“And?”--Megatron

“It’s been approximately 1 earth week. I haven’t seen her refuel too much.”--Blitzwing

“She’s too busy working on those chips to even acknowledge us.”--Starscream

Megatron walking over to Buddy’s work area before picking up Buddy with one servo and tossing her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

“Megatron! Put me down! I must continue working!”—Buddy

“Those chips are not going to disappear if you leave for a couple of minutes.”—Megatron

“But—“—Buddy

Megatron ignoring Buddy as he makes his way to the fueling station.

“…Why didn’t we think about doing that?”--Blitzwing

“…I don’t know…”--Starscream

The Prime did try and reach Buddy, but she was very short with her responses, mainly afraid that the Elite Guard would pick up on the signal.

She did make one point clear.

Not to tell any of the Guard that she was alive.

The last thing Buddy needed was to be on the Guards number one bot of interest.

Finally, after a bit of searching she found a dock with extra steel beams laying around.

Most of the Cons were out on missions, even Megatron was out for the moment, she opted instead to leave a note saying that she was out on another steel run.

Now at the docks, she found the neat pile of steel beams.

As she reached for them, she paused.

“These look too perfect… either Ernie from docking works is working more on presentation… or…”--Buddy

Buddy takes a couple steps back from the beams.

“…It’s a trap…”--Buddy

“AAAAHHHHHHHHHHH! HELP! HELP PLEASE!”

Buddy jumping at the screams but immediately goes towards the noise.

“Hello? Hello, is there anyone there?”--Buddy

“HELP!”

“I’m coming! Can you—”--Buddy

CRASH!

When Buddy turned the corner, she was caught in an electrical pulse net. She tried to get rid of the net, but it started electrifying her.

She screamed in pain, falling to the ground.

In her hazy vision, she saw a pair of pedes walking over to her and placed stasis cuffs on her, immobilizing her.

Another pair of smaller pedes came and placed something on her faceplate.

Then she blacked out.

When Buddy woke up the first thing, she saw was bright white walls.

Her neck was too stiff and upright.

And it was too bright…

Snapping her optics open she saw that she was in stasis cuffs, frozen in place, with a mouthpiece preventing her from talking.

She looked around, it looked like she was in a cell and there was thick glass separating her from the outside. The cells design looked extremely familiar… as if she had seen it before…

The sound of opening doors alerted her and looked at two shadows coming towards her.

She swore her spark stopped for a second when the figures came into full view.

In front of Buddy was Sentinel and Elita.

Buddy wanted to cry so badly seeing her twin and one of her friends.

Sentinel looked like her hadn’t changed much considering a brighter paintjob than the one in the Academy, maybe a new brand he was trying out. His infamous shield strapped to his back.

Elita looked exhausted but a bit chipper than Sentinel. Her frame had slightly more kibble than the last time she had seen her. Elita looked like she had opted to take up a staff as her weapon.

They were so close… yet so far…

She couldn’t hear anything what they were saying, must have been soundproof glass. But whatever they were talking about, Buddy had a bad thing they were talking about her.

She saw the doors open again.

In walked in Optimus Prime.

Optimus spotted Buddy and immediately went over to the glass placing his servo on it.

Buddy saw the fear in his optics seeing her in there.

Why would he be so scared of that… the Autbots wouldn’t subjugate torture as an interrogation tactic if that was what he was worried about.

But… what if the protocols had changed?

Surely, Ultra Magnus wouldn’t…

Right?

Optimus turned to Sentinel and Elita with a furious look on his face.

Buddy hadn’t seen that look before.

Sure, the Prime got angry, she had seen it before, but this time it was different.

He and Sentinel began arguing, or what looked like arguing.

Sentinel’s face went from confused to shock to furious.

Elita’s just went fully in shock slowly moving her helm to Buddy.

Optimus couldn’t be talking about…

No, he wouldn’t after…

A few more Autobots came into the room, but right now Buddy couldn’t care less about that.

Buddy wanted to get out of here.

She needed to get out of here.

Then it hit her.

She could still move some of her digits and extra appendages.

Granted it was a little bit, but it was still something.

Maybe it was because she wasn’t entirely Cybertronain anymore.

Abruptly all the bots started going outside of the room.

Elita giving her one slight glance before turning off the lights.

Silence filled the room.

It was time to put her plan into action.

Carefully wiggling her sharp digits into the cracks, Buddy twisted around until she heard a satisfying crack.

The cuffs slid off her aching wrist as she took off the face mask.

Thankfully the cell systems of the ship were still like the ones she used to work with back in her days at the Academy.

Slowly crawling through the vents, she managed to find a loose plating of the ship heading outside.

With a swift kick she was met with the starry night.

“It’s night?!”--Buddy

Buddy carefully scaled down the ship and softly landing on the ground.

“I’m so going to be put on base arrest for the next solar cycle if I keep this up… and I didn’t even get the beams! No, no, focus on the priorities!”--Buddy

Buddy wrapping up her webs in her servos.

“First get out of the base. Check. Second clean up any evidence and tracking devices. Check. Third thing escape. Almost check—”--Buddy

“Freeze Con!”--Elita

Buddy felt someone fall on her back, tackling her to the floor.

She quickly got up to see Elita armed with a staff.

Oh no…

Buddy wanted to talk but was met with Sentinel and Optimus racing towards them.

The group had finally been reunited, whether they knew it or not.

Buddy realized that she didn’t have any weapons on her.

She didn’t want to resort to using her powers, especially knowing how they reacted to other Cybertronains.

She swore that she would use them as a last resort.

Everyone was at a standstill.

Then Elita charged.

Buddy did her best to dodge and avoid every blow.

Granted Elita did land some but otherwise Buddy was able to dodge the rest.

Buddy managed to get a hold of Elita’s staff.

Elita leaped forward with her servos wide open.

Buddy used the staff to block any contact Elita tried to get on her. Elita was trying to use her power on her. There was no telling what would happen to her.

Suddenly something slammed into her helm causing her to drop the staff and fall to the ground.

Elita grabbed the staff and stood on top of Buddy with the tip inches away from her pipes.

Buddy saw from her side that Optimus was trying to get to her, but Sentinel was somehow managing to keep him at bay shouting something.

Elita One raising her staff over Buddy’s helm.

“ELITA WAIT!”--Optimus

“LITA!”--Buddy

The staff stopping inches from Buddy’s helm.

Elita looking down on her with wide optics.

Sentinel and Optimus have stopped fighting to see the scene.

Buddy quickly rolls from underneath Elita giving them both enough space.

“How—how do you know that?”--Elita

“…I’d be a pretty crummy twin if I didn’t want to annoy you from time to time, huh?”--Buddy

“What?”--Elita

“And Sentinel! Next time give a bot a warning before you throw the giant frisbee to someone’s helm.”--Buddy

Optimus walks forward but gets held back by Sentinel.

“I’m not going to ask again. How did you know that name.”--Elita

“…You know I didn’t think that me being gone for so long would make you less smart Lita—”--Buddy

“Don’t call me that! Who are you!”--ELita

“It’s me! Buddy!”--Buddy

“No you aren’t!”--Elita

“Elita listen to her! That is Buddy—”--Optimus

“Shut it Optimus! You honestly think that this disgusting looking Con is Buddy? This is just some Con trick!”--Sentinel

“Sentinel—”--Optimus

“I’m not hearing it!”--Sentinel

“Please! Elita, you know it’s me! Yeah I look a little bit different but I’m still the same Buddy you grew up with”--Buddy

Buddy moves slowly to take Elita’s servo.

Elita immediately retracts her servo as soon as they touch backing up.

“You’re not my twin sister.”--Elita

“Elita, please—”--Buddy

“She was gone on Archna 7.”--Elita

“Elita—”--Buddy

“She was an honorable Autobot who was too selfless for her own good!”--Elita

“Lita—”--Buddy

“STOP CALLING ME THAT YOU DECEPTICON FREAK!”--Elita

“…what…”--Buddy

It dawned on Buddy like a cold shower.

Elita feared her.

Sentinel feared her.

They both saw her as a monster.

A freak.

The enemy.

Optimus pushing pass Sentinel and Elita and standing in front of Buddy’s slightly trembling form.

“Optimus—”--Sentinel

“I think you two have done enough.”--Optimus

“Optimus you of all bots can’t believe this. We knew Buddy better than anyone!”--Elita

Optimus placing a servo on Buddy’s shoulder.

Buddy looking down with unshed tears building up.

“Bud—”--Optimus

“Optimus!”--Elita

“…I—I need to get out of here Prime…”--Buddy

“What? No, Buddy we can work this out—”--Optimus

“Prime. Not now… please just let me go.”--Buddy

Buddy sees a dark shadow coming from behind Optimus.

“Optimus look out!”--Buddy

Buddy pushes Optimus out of the way and instinctively uses her powers on the figure, bringing them down.

Sentinel with the stasis cuffs in his servos fell to the ground.

“Sentinel! Optimus!”--Elita

Elita rushed to Sentinel and Optimus’s side standing protectively over the two of them.

“GET AWAY FROM THEM! GO BACK TO THE PITS WHERE YOU BELONG MONSTER!”--Elita

Buddy staggers back looking at the scene before her.

Optimus and Sentinel slowly waking up from the harsh toss to the ground and power drainage.

“I…I…”--Buddy

Buddy sprints away from the scene.

She ran and ran for once not caring to watch her steps.

Buddy needed to go somewhere, anywhere but there.

The thoughts of going back to the Decepticon base where immediately shot down. She didn’t want to explain this whole story to her team.

She couldn’t tell Megatron about what happened.

Eventually Buddy would return to base, but right now, she needed a place to calm down, let out some steam, and cry without judgement.

Lucky for Buddy, there was one place she could think of.

Carefully, she crawled into one of the empty cargo bins on a ship that was setting sail.

When the time came, Buddy came out of the cargo bin without disturbing the other bins and went to the edge.

A minute later the shoreline of the island came into view.

Good thing that the boat always came close to the shoreline, it was perfect for jumping distance.

Wadding in the water, Buddy made her way to the shore.

She continued through the greenery following the familiar pathway she had walked multiple times before.

The rush from the events was slowly draining away as her steps became more and more sluggish; her vision becoming more and more watery, tears sliding down her faceplate, she could feel her servos and frame start to shake.

Buddy came to a clearing and fell to her knees venting hard trying to stifle everything.

In a split second, she didn’t care who or what heard her.

She screamed.

Buddy didn’t remember for how long she screamed, but her voice box was starting to glitch from the excessive use.

Buddy trembling on the ground finally done with the screaming match.

“W-why…w-why?”--Buddy

Heavy steps are heard coming closer to Buddy, but she is too exhausted to even look up.

“Buddy-bot?”

Buddy looking up a bit.

“Hey Grimlock. Long time no see.”--Buddy

[arobotjester]

this looks like it says "JK" I pointed this out ages ago, got a better picture back then too, and I might be slightly crazy for this and it's probably just the wires but the dead sentinel tail and the oil in the trailer suggests V got away because who else there would kill the sentinels? Maybe the red eyed one, but hmm..

[jackluvsdaniel]

AO3 Wrapped

Thank you my beautiful author friends for the tags. @thekristen999 @the-likesofus @elvensorceress @jobairdxx @monsterrae1 @spotsandsocks

I know I'm lagging but I've been in full editing mode for a few weeks 😂

Works Published: 20

Word Count:  54k

Hits:  41,926

Bookmarks:  777

Most Popular by Kudos: Dear Instagram, I'm In Love With a Boy 

Most Hits: You Can't Stop Missing Me

Longest:  The Pause Between. It's currently at 18k with 5 chapters posted.

Shortest: One Last Kiss, Then Catch Your Flight | 438 words 

Most Comments: Dear Instagram, I'm In Love With a Boy  

Fic that made me cry:

Your Heart is the Softest Place. After Buck talks to Hen is 6x04, he ends up at Eddie's house.

Fic that made me smile:

Beautiful Rhythms. It's just 1000 words of Eddie being stupidly fond.

Gifts: I didn't write any gifts this year.

Collaborations: No collaborations.

Events: July Rough Trade - Sentinel AU

Underrated: Hmm, I don't know. Maybe a teeny fic. Kiss Me is just 450 words of Buck and Eddie making out in the kitchen.

Coming in 2023:

I'm currently plotting for my Inexplicable Babies fic for the Q1 Big Moxie challenge, I have two new fics in the works for the Love Is... Series and a whole new *redacted* fic that is in the last stages of plotting and scene planning.

Tagging anyone who wants to play and hasn't been tagged yet. I'm SO LATE to this, so I feel like most people have done it by now but I'll tag a few anyway.

@blaidddrwg1982 @lostinabuddiehaze @firemedicdiaz @hattalove @hmslusitania @capseycartwright @cowandcalf

[semi-imaginary-place]

stray thoughts after finishing 13 sentinels

back to the mystery files. Why is the game seperating chihiro morimura from chihuro morimura (1 loop ago) and chihiro morimura (2 loops ago). Wait. Unless. I think i figure out what confused me, remember how i couldn't tell if nurse morimura was morimura -2 who died shifting ida -1 to the current loop because she has all her memories, or if she was morimura -1 who 426 izumi killed but who is the right age to reunite with ida on sumire bridge? Well if they both died and she had data saved to sector 0 maybe she was recreated... Which means there were SIX MORIMURAS: 2188, -2, -1, Iori, child who then got 2188's memories, and the morimura recreated from -2. But thats the only explanation that explains the inconsistencies and why the game files events in 3 separate categories when other characters like izumi -2 gets all of 426, fluffy, and shiba's scenes listed under one character. I'm going to look this up. Ok yeah nurse morimura was the ai of -2 morimura but why did she look 16 in the sumire bridge reunion? And not only that she acts like she's 16 thats what threw me off i wonder if when they wrote this scene they didnt know yet which morimura she was. Yeah and in that scene she doesn't recognize ida or know what a sentinel is and is just confused to be 16 years in the past. I still dont get this scene.

Grandma tamal got deleted!! That's why she didn't show up. Hmm so the 1944 tamao is considered the true one and the 1985 one was an AI which means if the compatible shifted before the kaiju attacks they would have also deleted the older ai selves (ex: natsuno in 2064 would have deleted older natsuno). 20 million years since humanity's extinction 2188 ryoko wrote the d-code. Ida spread dd-426 because he wanted the sentinels to fail and the world to be reset faster. "The nurturing of the 15 members started once the terraforming of the new planet was completed" 300+ loops have passed huh so they were stuck in the pods not killed and reborn each time that answers that question. I was wondering about the probes, so each probe can do this, rhen theoretically this entire story is playing out thousands of times across the universe.

There might have been 6 morimuras but -2 izumi juro was the one going by 426, eirika aiba/tamaobot, tomibot, shippo/fluffy, shiba kyuta, 6 names/identities. I went and looked it up and for the scene "Reunion" that was -2 Morimura's data that -2 Okino saved which was her 16 year old self. That still doesn't explain how current Morimura got -2 Morimura's memories though because she definitely acts like she has -2 Morimura's memories and sees them as her own memories instead of events that happened to someone else.

!3 Sentinels has good writing, it was consistently strong with no real low points. The strongest part of the game was probably the beginning right after the prologues as things start clicking together. A few places in the story clunked, but overall it was really well done, just a well made well written game.

I found the combat to be surprisingly fun. I've only dabbled in RTS games before so I came in pretty new to this style of game and ended up liking the combat. The game does a good job of easing new players in while gradually building up the difficulty and it has challenge maps for players that want to get deep into the combat.

My main complaint would be that there's too much romance, but that isn't the game's fault, I just generally don't like romance and am very picky. So sometimes I just wanted to skip past the romance and get back to the stuff I was interested in like the story. I felt some of the couples lacked chemistry, like they failed to sell me on the romance. Juro and Megumi happened so last minute after for the entire game Juro's feelings are ambiguous like him feeling the love Izumi Juro felt is only ever brought up in Megumi's last scene, and Megumi the entire game is in love with the erased Izumi Juro, so the romantic development between the two of them felt sudden. My biggest problem was probably with Yuki and Shu, it really just felt like he was harassing her the entire game, she showed like no interest. Like I get she has a tough personality but it came off as that old trope that as long as he's persistent enough the guy can get the girl. Which is such a shame because girlboss and her boytoy is such a fun dynamic but I don't like how it was done in this game. I found Iori's love at first sight plot rather cringe but it was funny having her entire story be about chasing him around the city while having no clue about the events happening.

Romance is central to the game however and I don't think it could ever be taken out. Romance is used by the game to create character foils between the characters and especially the various characters that are genetically identical. Both the Hijiyamas and Okinos both in 2188 and in the current loop fall in love with each other. The Morimura and Izumi of 2188 were a couple as were the Morimura and Izumi of 2 loops ago. Juro with both his new and old personality of the current loop however both come to love Yakushiji. While Iori falls for Ei. 2188 Ida manipulated Shinonome's infatuation for him just like how Ida of one loop ago uses current loop Ryoko's crush on him so that she's an obedient and convenient pawn. Ida himself meanwhile is primarily driven by his obsessive love towards the Kisaragi of the previous loop. The current loop Shu and Tomi both fall in love with other people however. The different romantic choices highlight how those characters are different from their other versions.

I probably would have disliked it just as much, but I do want to talk about how things could have turned out differently however as it is in line with the game's theme of alternate but equally viable possibilities. For example Juro could have fallen in love with neither Megumi nor Iori thus highlighting how he is different from every other previous version of Juro. Especially since both 2188 Izumi and the one from 2 loops ago view Megumi more as a daughter figure. Ei and Ryoko could have been written as a romantic instead of platonic and familial, which would have been interesting given how Ryoko spends a good chunk of the story convinced he is 426 because she has forgotten that she was the one that infected the sentinels with DD-426. Or otherwise it could have been Ryoko and Shu to highlight how different a person Shu is to Ida given how Ryoko expresses attraction to him. Or Iori could have fallen in love with Yuki which would have been very different from any of the Morimuras, or Renya who had a crush on Morimura. Really if the devs hadn't decided to make Yuki and Natsume genetically family, it could have been a childhood friends romance. Or there could have been something between Juro and Shu, they're friends despite juro being really weird between the memory manipulation and the Shiba but Shu sticks with him throughout, they're part of the weird dream club, and Juro's whole deal could have been the thing to break the tedium and boredom of Shu's life.

Tamao as a character really got the short end of the stick story wise. She had so much going on from being a compatible who is childhood friends with Keitaro and Takatoshi, to Tamao from one loop ago being turned into a Sentinel AI and then an android who was active in Sector 4 during the events of the game before getting body jacked by 426, and then there's Juro's grandma. Tamao of 1 loop ago is also responsible for creating Juro's new personality. There was so much going on with her but her role in the story ended up being very small so while she's referenced by the characters I think she only actually shows up for like 4 scenes.

One thing I really liked was how morally ambiguous the Morimuras were. Professor Morimura from 2188 was partly responsible for the nanomachine plague that wiped out humanity she also planned for her own resurrection where she would become the leader of the new humanity, and after her memories awaken in child Chihiro she plots to destroy the current loop to have a more advantageous start where she can control things better and to this end she kills the other Morimura for having an opposing agenda. Nurse Morimura herself does a number of dubious things like wiping the current loop's Izumi Juro, attempting to recreate the Izumi of 2 loops ago with him. She also attempts to take over Iori to gain compatibility. For the longest time it remains ambiguous what she is doing to Ryoko, whether she is actually trying to help her or to turn her into a puppet. Then there's Operation Aegis itself which would by cutting off Universal Control wipe out the 1.2 million AI residents of the city as well as dooming all the compatible to living the rest of their lives in the ruins of the city.

I liked a lot of the moral ambiguity in general, that for much of the game I was doubting the intentions of many of the characters from Renya, to Morimura, Ida, 426 as well as all the 2188 people involved in Project Arc. Izumi of 2 loops ago really is the definition of well intentioned extremist, I like how the audience is able to see him trial and erroring different solutions. First he tries bombing Shikishima to try and stop the technology being Deimos, then he tries killing all the compatible to stop D-code from sending the invasion signal, then he tries to sever D-code from the compatible which causes brain damage. Eventually he decides to modify the system and bring back the gamification in the simulation's code (exploiting 2188 Okino's sloppy coding the same way 2188 Shinonome did) allowing both Sentinels and Deimos to upgrade, and he does this by manipulating Megumi into shooting the compatible with a patch update to their nanomachine code.

The aesthetics of this game are superb the visuals and art direction are amazing and so is the soundtrack, it all just works so well together.

On a personal level I found Shinonome Ryoko to be annoying, like girl stop chasing the man who clearly cares nothing about you and is just using you. But I did find her story to be very interesting between the mental breakdowns, loss of identity, and how large a role she plays. Ryoko spends the entire story trying so hard and she usually just ends up making things worse, it's great! It's also interesting how most of the plot stuff she does happens in other character's routes, while in her own she's already largely forgotten everything already. I did enjoy watching her snap and shoot Ida dead.

I really liked Yuki which is probably part of why I was disappointed with her romance, she also just seems to attract girls which amuses me. She deserves to send more dudes to the hospital. She spend her entire story with so much pressure first with Ida threatening her only family, and then her dear friend Natsuno goes missing and she's being stalked by an imposter.

Megumi's story was my least favorite. The only part I really liked were the Fluffy/426 reveals at the end. gave her a magical girl story and then made it boring.

Miura's my favorite character, in all his iterations he's just trying so hard for others. He's earnest, curious, contemplative, and determined. I liked the parallels of how 2188 Miura liked history while 1944 Keitaro liked science fiction.

Nenji is surprisingly smart, it's funny when he and Hijiyama are in the same scene because between the two of them Nenji ends up being the smart one. his route gets the distinction of being the only actual time loop, kinda. it was trippy, i liked it although the timed events meant i messed up a lot.

Iori's most interesting for her contrasts and connections to the other 5 morimuras her own story is just her chasing a boy she has a crush on while having no idea what is going on, disappointing but also amusing fom a conceptual standpoint.

Tomi and Natsuno are both characters I like with stories I liked, charming. The reveals for both were well paced and exciting.

Juro does better than Iori because i found how many different parties are all trying to influence his mind interesting, everyone wants something from him from megumi who wants her boyfriend back, to morimura trying to turn him into 426 izumi, to 426 izumi himself who was the one that salvaged his mind. The one part I didn't like was the sudden romance with megumi where all of a sudden in the last scene of megumi's story.

Takatoshi was one of my favorite routes mostly because watching okino interact with him is one of the most entertaining parts of this game. Props to the game for 2188 hijiyama and okino being very explicitly lovers like there's no ambiguity there that the homophobes can latch on to and say they were just friends.

gouto's story was just 2188 morimura chihiro's story, it was good but it wasn't about him at all so he's the least developed character of the bunch.

I really like shu, his story was alright but i think it could have been better. part of this is that his route on its own isn't a complete story you only find out the deal with the mysteries like the 30km limit and inaba miyuki in other routes and the ending. while his kindness and generosity shows through on other stories, i think his own could have shown his ennui better. that he and ida are clones was a good aspect to his character i liked that twist.

while ei as a person is meh for me i did like both his story and his role in other character's stories, partly because of how different they are. His own story is a mystery as he tries to figure out what he was doing before which isn't helped by him having changed his mind mid way, lot of plotting and scheming by multiple parties which I love. Ei in other character stories plays a completely different role however as this is before he loses his memories and thus is a very active agent in the plots of sector 4. His romance with iori was boring but i can't say it was the worst or even in the bottom half. those two would have been more interesting not becoming a couple but i say that about most couples in this game.

For combat I liked the difficulty progression in that it starts off very forgiving for new players and then steadily ups the difficulty. I started out scared because i didn't have a lot of experience with real time strategy on casual but it was really easy so i went to normal but that was still easy so i went to intense and that was still pretty easy. and then the game got much harder, i could have beat the game on intense but by the final level combat was taking up so much time and i wasn't first time s-rank and getting side objectives about half the time and i wanted to focus on story so i went back to normal and breezed through. it took me so long to figure out 1st and 2nd gen sentinels so my main tactics involved the 3rd gen and some 4th gen, they got to level 25 first. i tried to balance exp gain and finished the game around 27-31. i good chunk of my tactics was railgun + missile rain as they were the best at crowd control and wow it got crowded on intense. only unlocked the super missile at the end and wow that thing is powerful. I had yuki span aoes to spot the areas the 3rd gens hadn't killed, amiguchi was a mix of offense and support, and gouto and yakishiji were interceptor bots. hijiyama was useless for so long because i didn't know how to use him but then i found his passives and had him emp spam the entire map to keep heat off the 3rd gen. i mostly had sekigahara anti air flare for half the game because i didn't know how to use him either. it took me a while to figure out how to deal with gladiators and that's how 2nd gen found their niche. then shinonome unlocked cyberattack.

[krotiation]

What do you think of Claptrap?

Cryo, Incindiary, Shock, Corrosive, or Slag? Which is your favorite element to use?

What's your favorite legendary?

If you had to, would you rather live in Elpis or Pandora?

Who's your favorite boss? :O

Have you (with or w/o friends) beaten one of the raid bosses?

What device do you play on?

Favorite moment in Tales?

How would you rank every game you've played so far? From Best to "not-really-the-best-but-still-really-good"?

Do you also look at Jack and go "What is up with that guy?"

Okokokok... That's all I feel like I should say right now. I got too excited, my b if this is too much for you.

i love claptrap, hes just a funky little guy

cryo bc i usually invest a lot in melee dmg and it gives me a reason to use both. i dont care too much for slag, mainly because i never think to use it tho

i have no idea, i havent gone out of my way to look for any of them 😔

pandora except i know i would die very early on

the sentinel is my favorite boss because not only is it really fun to fight but its also just cool... also the jack fight because its disorienting and butt-clenching

the only raid boss ive beaten so far is hyperius the invincible on solo and i thhhink i beat the invincible sentinel with my sister a couple years ago... maybe

i use the good ol' playstation

HOW DO I PICK ONE there were so many good ones. i adore every time rhys and sasha interact by themselves, fiona and rhys' arguing in the present scenes, august being a sopping wet dog, jack's manipulative behavior and blah blah blah i love them all

bl2 --> tftbl --> blps --> bl1. bl1 wasnt bad by any means and its fun to listen to music or some random yt video while playing but yknow... the gun hunting side missions drove me insane

oh yes. i played pre-sequel like a year or two before i played bl2 and even then i thought hmm... he wasnt raised right