[Video] Sad Dad Bad Had

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[After seeing Megatron's response, something certainly has been keeping Prime busy. He wasn't wrong--something did have to be done instead of wallowing in the loss (or victory) of a war. And if that meant following Megatron--well...he had to say he wasn't overly enticed by that plan. He knew the bot meant well, and would try not to let the same thing happen twice. But if there's one thing he's learned, it's that trying to change yourself turns you back into what you've been this whole time.

You can't outrun your identity. Optimus knows that now.]

I request an audience with all of you, whether it be in person or over the communications feed. As most of you know, I've talked with Cybertron itself, and although I don't exactly understand it, one part of its message was clear--we must learn to coincide with each other. To get along and make progress.  

Megatron is proposing a start to this. 

[Well, he might as well be honest.]

But there are going to be problems.  One of which is a symbol of the war--me. I am a Prime, and to some of you, I've been the toxin in your systems. The rust in your side. I'm here to dispel one thing--I'm not going to give the title up, as it's part of my identity. I will be commander to those who serve under me, as long as they'll have me. Other than that, however much say you want me to have in this world is entirely up to you.  If me stepping back will cause those who follow Megatron's dream to co-exist peacefully with the Autobots, I will gladly do so.

...

I've only been a Prime during the war. And I cannot look to previous examples for assistance. [Sentinel]

I suppose that's it. I hope that broadcasted nicely. I can never tell.

[Private to Sentinel]

Meet me by the crater.

[ROUND TWO OF REHAB, BUDDY.]

Comments

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Prowl is my second in command.

[And--] Well...

[How does he explain this in the most eloquent way possible?]

Megatron became an Autobot.

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Ironhide, my faceplate is up.

[But he appreciates the sentiment nonetheless. He knows you can read his eyes.]

Thank you.

I need it.

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[This is going to be a long stay on Cybertron.]

I didn't misplace you. Your universe did.

[officerjuicebox]

He shouldn't have had to choose! I screwed up. I ... did something to drop off the map for millions of years...

[I blame me.]

[I'm afraid for us.]

[Because if Pax wouldn't willingly give him up, but he'd been missing anyway... what had he done? What had happened?]

[It probably shows on his face -- all the indecision and confusion. He doesn't want not to be around his friend. He wants things to be close as possible to how they were, and...]

[He sort of sits down, right where he was standing, looking down at his hands and feet.]

... I'm tired of avoiding you. It's not right. I don't... know what to do. I did something to lose you once...

What if I do it here?

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[redshitlord]

... I thought that was Ratchet.

[Or not. Maybe he hadn't really paid that much attention in nonexistent robot history class.]

H...

What...? What? You're... you're kidding, right? This is like... some weird joke.

Something?

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[arnhaid]

Like that matters to me.

[There's a little grin there.]

I'm always here for you, Prime. Just remember it.

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[And that's the worst part of it, Roller. He doesn't know. And you're not the only one on the blame train with that. He couldn't find you--he couldn't stop you from going out to save those sparks.

Optimus is clearly frustrated, although not with Roller, but by everything. Things not adding up, no explanations given from time itself...]

Well.

[He vents a sigh, looking up at Roller.]

All the more imperative that you stick close to me, then.

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Ratchet? Ratchet is the Chief Medical Officer.

[What world do you live in Sideswipe? One where almost all the Autobots are dead in the war?]

...it's true. He's become an Autobot.

[scaredybot]

Um, well. I mean. Not me personally! He was kind of like... [He waves a hand way over his head.] And I was like... [He moves his hand to wave wave it way down low.]

But, uh... I dunno. He made decisions and stuff? But I think more like... he looked to the civilian guilds for advice? Or at least the civilian guilds advised whether he wanted them to or not, eheh. [More awkward laughter.]

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Seems like the Autobots had worked out a good political system, then. Stable at the very least.

[And something he needs to take into consideration. Maybe not the exact system, but something was better than nothing.]

Was Cybertron peaceful? You didn't sound like you were in wartime.

[tsunclonus]

[Cyclonus nods in agreement.

Even the best of them make mistakes sometimes. Like pulling guns on Megatron.]

[officerjuicebox]

[He doesn't even have that much. The last thing he remembers is failure. So maybe that's why it's dragging him down so hard.]

[There's a quiet sigh while he pokes at the ground. Trying not to meet his old partner's eyes.]

What'll you do if I screw up again, then?

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[redshitlord]

Well yeah, but...

No way. There's no way he's gonna -- that's crazy.

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[rodders]

Seriously, Optimus. Starscream won. That just proves that they'd vote for anyone.

( ARE THEY THOUGH. THEY'RE PROBABLY BETTER FOR YOU NOW. )

Most of them seem to know some sort of you. How different can you be? ( He has not met TFA OP, or Bayverse, or any OP that is actually pretty different. Whoops, his bad. ) You're Optimus Prime.

( He does, but again: they just fuckin had this talk. )

Look, Prime. No one's made any sign they want you to go away. Or not be you, doing your Prime stuff. I mean, sure, there's plenty of 'Cons who want you dead. But they're Decepticons.

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Then why didn't they?

[Rodimus you're not getting that they chose starscream because he wasn't an *~*~oppressive~*~* autobot.]

[A hand goes to the bridge of his nose, though, trying to think this through. He knows Rodimus is trying to make it as simple as possible, but there's no way to look at it that black and white. This isn't their world. He can't march in and just be Prime to everyone...]

...Have you met my duplicate here?

[Because Prime is basically the same rank as...whatever the heck you are, Hot Rod.]

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[A hand goes to the bridge of his nose, trying to vent out what frustration he can. It's like talking to a brick wall.]

Screw up the first time, and then we'll talk.


Because I'm going to say this as simply as possible, Roller. You. Did. Nothing. Wrong.

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He denounced the Decepticon faction publicly on my orders.

That was how he survived in the end.

[officerjuicebox]

[You think it's bad now. Just wait until he meets Future Shockwave.]

And maybe if you repeat it enough times, it'll stick.

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[redshitlord]

But... that...

... that's okay? He kills a bunch of bots and just... says "oops"?

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The unaligned wanted a trial, and so we held a trial. And somehow...he'd used it to spare his life.

He chose a sentence on board the lost light with Rodimus.

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[redshitlord]

The what?

... oh. That guy. Yeah, sure, I see why that's a punishment.

[scaredybot]

Oh, sure! It was, um. It was great. We were all just... One big functional Autobot machine!

[Mayday was so a squeaky cog who was afraid of getting the grease. Though that may have just been the paranoia...]

Yeah, Cybertron was good. No war for awhile, Decepticons in exile. That sort of thing?

[chickscream]

[She laughs, only sightly mockingly.] An enigma? You give me too much credit, Optimus! You just don't know me well enough to see how transparent I am.

[Though he might know her better than anyone else, at this point.]

The horizons are nice, but I think I'm beginning to like it here. I might even be... somewhat fond of some of the population. [She is carefully examining her claws, and not looking at Optimus as she shrugs.] It's a lot easier to meet people when you aren't being shot at. Who knew?

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[myownbestfriend]

[Boy Scouts, her one weakness.

Well, Boy Scouts and huge douchebags.

Her two weaknesses.

Well, Boy Scouts, huge douchebags, and--no, actually, that's it.]

Yes, I suppose you're right.

[She's not convinced. What is this "cooperation" you speak of? That thing you do to lull others into a false sense of security so they drop their guard?]

If I might ask, under what circumstances did the planet make contact with you?

[Emma doubts Optimus is the one who did the work there.]

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...

You've met him? In your world or in this one?