the point is to never give up, never give in [OPEN]

[inferiordude]

WHO: Soundwave & YOU
WHERE: Junkpile/Outside in general
WHEN Not too long after Soundwave has an accident with Wing.
WHAT: Feeling like a terrible person, Soundwave checks out early from the Medbay.
WARNINGS: Robo-angst, can't be helped.



There have been quite a few things he's felt like he's messed up with. He's been able to pick himself back up, always, because someone else needs a hand. After his face had been removed years ago by Ratchet, he still managed. When Rumble died, when Rodimus was murdered, when his face was forcefully repaired, when he got Magnum killed, when he just plain messes up he can somehow find a way.

And he will. Soundwave still will. It doesn't mean that he won't take a moment to dwell, though. He knows he's going to get back up from this somehow, but it still hurts.

Looking out into the hulls of various junk, Soundwave's perched on top of a pile. He looks down at his own hands, exhaling heavily.

"Sorry, Wing," he murmurs to himself.

Lashing out like that had been a pure accident. Just so badly timed. He hadn't meant for it.

Hadn't meant for a lot of things.

Eventually, yes, he will pick himself up and move on, but for now, he feels absolutely terrible about potentially harming someone he considers a friend.

Comments

[warborn]

Fortress Maximus has met many Decepticons, over the years. Too many to remember them all. They come in all shapes, all sizes - the only difference when you get down to it is the violet badge they wear, wherever they choose to wear it.

It's the first thing he looks for, more often than not. To register someone as a potential ally, or obvious enemy.

When the strange mech slides down not too far from him, Max is in a crouch, and immediately tenses, reaching for one of his guns. Not the ones on the ground, for all the parts they may have been good for - no, one of the working ones he has with him, and has never let out of his presence since arriving here.

He pauses, seeing the glimpse of red. Starts to relax into a suspicious, rather than outright wary and defensive posture.

Then pauses again.

Wait.

[inferiordude]

There's a slow, steady intake of air; Soundwave has to convince himself to remain calm. He's already done plenty to mess things up. He can't make it worse for another, or so he's hoping.

Slowly, Soundwave raises his hands into the air, showing that they're empty.

"Easy, Big Dude. I ain't armed."

That's a fact. He doesn't even have his keytar with him, much less a blaster of any kind. Likely foolish, but he's not looking for a fight.

Though it figures the biggest terror that Soundwave has suffered has not been Autobot or Decepticon, but an unaligned A.I.

[warborn]

"Too bad for you."

But Fort Max isn't getting to his feet. Not quickly, at least. He's still got his hand on the gun, still closing his hand around the grip - but he's not drawing it, not yet. He's still watching the other, open distrust on his face as he tries to identify whether that's friendly or foe - sure, the color's right, but the shape is all wrong.

He knows that damn shape.

[inferiordude]

"It'd be bad for both of us if y'did anything most heinous, dude. That ain't a threat, jus' sayin' some folk bear bigger grudges than I ever would."

The words are spoken gently, patiently. Despite everything that's happened in this place, he trusts completely and openly that the other mech won't shoot him. Even if he's wrong, he knows that it's not without a reason. That it's not entirely pointless.

He cannot say that about Prism.

"Would it help if I put down whatever it is I'm carryin'?"

[warborn]

It may not be a threat, but Fort Max is taking it as one, the scowl on his face deepening. So he's got friends. So what?

"Might if you explain the 'Bot colors you're wearing."

Purple, he's used to. Even silver, or grey; neutral tones, but red?

Makes as much sense as the Autobot symbol in Decepticon purple.

[inferiordude]

Oh. That would probably be confusing for someone else who's never been told-- right. Soundwave ducks his head, a bit sheepishly.

He places a hand over his own symbol, feeling a brief surge of pride before he explains.

"All right. Well. Th' world I'm from... the Decepticons are fightin' the Autobots to protect Earth an' Cybertron from bein' taken over. Optimus Prime is a crazed out glitch, an' most of the Autobots ain't any better. Their Autobot symbol's purple. Decepticons have it in red. I know that's totally whacked out in comparison to most other universes, 'parently."

Right, that thing about making sense, Fort Max.

"I'm a 'Con, but I don't believe in hurting others. Just fightin' to defend, dude."

[warborn]

And that's the biggest load of scrap he's ever heard. On the bright side, Soundwave, he doesn't look as angry - there's some outright bafflement there at such a story, though it does shift in to derision.

"You really think I'm going to swallow that?" he snaps, straightening up to his full height. "Think I'm some kind of idiot, 'Con?"

Because, really.

Really.

It sounds like some sort of drunken rambling.

[inferiordude]

"Nope." His visor dims a little. "But y'asked and I said it, dude. I dunno how to convince you, but that's the truth."

Soundwave's shoulders slump a little. No, sometimes, words are not enough. And he's not interested at all in fighting. He can't blame the Autobot for feeling the way he does; he's heard some pretty deplorable things about some other Decepticons.

It's not how Soundwave would judge anyone, but he understands why another might.

"Look, I'll show you. I got no weapons. I really, really don't wanna fight anybody, dude."

Slowly, he reaches back, pulling out some various tools and items he's picked up. Repair tools, mainly. Various wires. A couple of speakers.

And the golden box that Blurr gave him.

[warborn]

Either he's telling the truth, or he's a complete and utter idiot. Or both. Maybe he's just really good at lying.

Really good, because the urge to shoot him isn't...that strong, not like it was at first.

"You're not the brightest bucket of bolts, are you."

It's a statement, not a question.

"What's in the box?"

That one is a question, though.

[inferiordude]

"Dude, I'm a morale officer, not a scientist." Being called stupid, undisciplined, or anything else isn't new. Soundwave doesn't even sound insulted.

At the question, Soundwave tilts his head, then reaches down to open the box.

Inside is a mechanical bird. It doesn't move, doesn't make a noise.

"It's a music box, see? But it's broken. So... I've been tryin' to find stuff to repair it. Blurr said it's supposed to play music."

[warborn]

Of all the mental images of a Decepticon morale officer...this just takes the cake. And while his first instinct is to consider the box a weapon of some sort...

This is just so completely different from how he expected things to go, he's speechless. Frowning and letting go of the gun, Fort Max idly wonders if he's having a moment of missclocking.

Nah, that'd probably feel different.

[inferiordude]

At the gun lowering, Soundwave lets out a heavy bout of air from his vents, looking notably relieved. Slowly, he gathers his materials back up in order to put away and use for later.

"Thanks for, uh. Not shootin' me," Soundwave says as cheerfully as he possibly can, considering the topic.

It had been a pretty tense moment there.

[warborn]

"I still could."

While it's a threat in itself, the fact that he's said 'could' and 'might' might say something on its own. Something that Fort Max is himself oblivious to; frankly, he just wants to remind the 'Con that he's still not considering him anywhere near harmless.

Music box or not.

[inferiordude]

"Yeah, I don't doubt that, dude."

The way he looks at it is in more of a positive light, since he's not being shot at. Soundwave does feel entirely better that a gun is being aimed at him, after all. Though it does earn him some concern that Fortress Maximus seems to just be sorting out weapons.

For an Autobot not of his own world, he sure is violent-centric, apparently.

Perhaps this calls for a change of topic. ... Assuming Fortress Maximus is up for it, but no one could ever say Soundwave never tries to go for the optimistic route.

"You like music?"

[warborn]

Just so they're clear. Fort Max nods once, cementing the possibility, glancing down at his collection. Maybe it's time to call it a day and bring his haul in.

Though.

"...music?"

What kind of question is that? His bemusement is clear in his expression.

[inferiordude]

The kind of question Soundwave would ask.

"Sure! I mean, there's not much from Cybertron, least where I'm from, but there was some and--"

Right. Rambling. Don't do that.

"Well... do you?"

It's a better topic than thanks for not shooting me and wow you have a lot of weapons, sir.

[warborn]

Have...a shrug, Soundwave. Because hell if it's actually something he ever took a strong interest in. Some of the other guards did, maybe, but him?

He didn't mind it, but it wasn't as though he kept a collection.

[inferiordude]

"Dude. A most bummer reaction."

But he'll bear that in mind. Clearly you need some musical examples later on, Fort Max.

"Is there anything you like, 'sides guns?" Because that's apparently an interest of yours.

[warborn]

"Long walks on the beach of the Rust Sea." A beat, and then, in case it wasn't clear that was a snappy joke: "Why do you care?"

You have got to be the strangest 'Con he has ever met.

[inferiordude]

"Really? 'Cuz that sounds like a totally bogus location-- oh you didn't mean it." Soundwave is usually pretty good at picking up on sarcasm, but Fort Max is as dry as a desert in his tone that it's kind of hard to pick up.

At the question, Soundave tilts his head and asks sincerely, "Why wouldn't I?"

Sure, they just met and Soundwave had kind of an ember-breaking experience with him on the Link, but he doesn't see why he shouldn't try to be friendly.

[warborn]

Strangest, and maybe stupidest. But let's humor him for the moment.

"Let's pretend that you're actually from whatever world where things are slagging...just slagging wrong." There, that sounds about right. "Seems to me that you've still got the whole war going on."

Which means that no matter how you slice it, he's an Autobot, and you're still his enemy.

[inferiordude]

Yeah, he's heard all those terms too from Cliffjumper. Soundwave just swallows his own opinions and deals with it; it doesn't matter.

"S'pose that we do. And?"

He's not really seeing your point here, Fortress Maximus.

[warborn]

"And..."

...okay, seriously? Seriously? Does he need to fragging spell it out for you? Autobot, Decepticon?

"...you've got some serious misclocking going on, mech."

[inferiordude]

"Well, I might need a good defragging," he says, mostly as a joke, but take that as you will. "But I guess I'm not really followin' your train of thought, dude."

Because, sure, there's a war. But that doesn't mean they have to fight or anything. Soundwave's been used to trying to keep the peace for a few years now, after all.

[warborn]

"Find a medic." Preferably not one he knows. "Because last I heard, in war, you don't ask how the other side's doing unless you're trying to figure out how to attack them."

Of course, the war supposedly ended where he's from.

Ha.