re_alignment_logs | THE SHOW MUST GO ON [open]

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THE SHOW MUST GO ON [open]

WHO: Soundwave & OPEN
WHERE: Medbay
WHEN Some hours after Barricade & Driller find him/repair him.
WHAT: Eventually, Soundwave wakes up from repairs in a very unfortunate location for him. Visitations, anyone?
WARNINGS: Trauma, mention of robotgore/robotdeath.

Dreaming is a difficult thing for him.

Usually, Soundwave is in the company of someone, and adopts their memories, their dreams into his own. It's sort of nice, because he feels as though in that way he can improve his techniques as the Decepticon Army's Morale Officer. He knows how to help his fellow soldiers, help his friends keep upbeat. Not just with sing-a-longs with Dead End or Bombshell's therapy sessions, but he himself needs to help the others find a will to carry on.

Here in the medbay, when he's resting, he gets flashes. Some dreams his own, some not. A mix of what he's taken, and what he trembles in the wake of.

There's a sharp smile, a cheerful giggle, and a laser scalpel digging into his face as it's removed, torn from his head You just look so much more interesting this way! and how his mind burns when he knows the truth that he failed one of his adopted kids he's dead he should have rescued him red eyes burning at him This doesn't concern you, Decepticon and he hears Rodimus screaming and he's too late and the black sucks him down and he's never been able to escape it and in his arms it's cold metal just so cold and
he remembers
something new to all of it
this isn't what I want stop stop stop stop and the tired sigh of it's not as if you will remember this, Soundwave, your struggling is getting tiresome and stop stop stop don't open that there's just no choice.

The dust kicks up under his feet, the expansive desert, and Soundwave stares in confusion. Twin stones twisting around each other, a fierce glow, and it screams in his head.
MAKE US WHOLE

Soundwave jerks awake from recharge, his intakes gasping to vent out hot, anxious air, trying to cool himself off. Looking around in a panic, he almost doesn't remember being here.

The medbay.

Frag, he hates being in medbays.

"Ugh, so bogus," he groans to himself, rubbing his helm. Glad he has hands to use again.

It's rare to dream something for himself. Not all of it his, but enough of it was, and that bothers him. Soundwave shudders to himself, shaking his head. No, no. He's okay, he just needs to roll it off his shoulders. He can deal with it.

It's okay. It's okay.

Soundwave folds his arms over his midsection, hugging himself.

Right. He'll be okay.

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Vandal.

That last part of the dream, he's familiar with because of her. It's not his. She... something is different about her.

And he needs to work on giving her something good.

"Right here, Joan Jett. You need a hand up?"

"If you don't mind, let me set this up first though."

She rigs up the stereo briefly and programs it to her RIG VI before turning back to him.

"Alright, all ready."

The stereo catches his optics, but he doesn't say anything. This must be what she assured of earlier. That's, ah. That's cool.

He lowers his hand down to Vandal, nodding once. "Looks good. You got it planned out?"

"Just some music for you, as promised."

She smiles tiredly and climbs into his hand, seating herself and giving him a nod.

"I have a playlist on my RIG. You can pick what we listen to."

Gently, he raises his hand in order to place her on his shoulder. A nice, comforting location. One where he'd put Sephie, Frenzy, or Ru--

He doesn't mind it, suffice to say.

"'Preciate you thinkin' of me, Vandal," Soundwave informs her warmly. Now he knows he owes her, for certain.

And he thinks he knows how. Later, he'll hopefully have a chance to talk to Drift or First Aid.

For now, he'll spend time with his friend.

"Whaddaya got?"

"Hey, what are friends for, right?"

She expands her VI screen from her RIG, displaying the playlists.

"You pick. Anything you want to listen to."

It's mostly old music. From the 1990's and before. Some actual recent stuff, but Karrie prefers the classics. From earth. Sang by people who actually lived there.

"Hmm." Soundwave's visor dims as he looks over the VI screen. Good tech from a human; he's admittedly impressed.

And the musical selection.

He tilts his head slightly, then motions vaguely with his hand. "Got any Queen?"

She looks, typing the artist into her VI console. A few entries come up for it, and she gives him a thumbs-up.

She'll just start at the top and let them all play.

"How's that?"

"Music to my receptors, Joan Jett. Jus' beautiful."

It's at this moment that he leans back on his hands and just. Listens to the music blissfully.

It's nice to have something else on his mind, just letting the music occupy his processor.

Yes. Good.

She smiles and pets the side of his helm comfortingly.

"Glad to be of use."

Really, she's glad to be useful to anyone. It's amazing that she can offer any kind of comfort to anyone here. They're all huge and metal and they've been watching her ass since she got here.

There's a long pause as he listens to the music, just recognizing her presence and the rhythms emitting from the speakers set up. Underneath it all, though, there are three things he cannot ignore.

One is her personal beat. The other underlying hum and static within.

And something else he can't ignore.

"Hey... Vandal. How... how do you, uh. Sleep at night? Doin' okay?"

She slides the yellow fabric of head headband idly between her fingers, just listening to the music.

For a moment she doesn't even realize she's been asked a question. It startles her, though. Takes her off guard. How does she sleep?

Haha...

"What? I-"

She fishes for a decent lie.

"Okay... I guess?"

Not quite as smooth as she wanted.

She's lying.

And he gets why. Soundwave does it, though poorly, in order to protect everyone else, or so he thinks. Because he hates being a burden, because he hates to make others sad.

For Vandal, maybe she's protecting herself. Either way, he can't call her out on her lying.

"Any back seats as comfy as mine?" Soundwave asks teasingly.

A relieved chuckle.

"Drift maybe, not that I've slept in there or anything."

As if she needs to burden Drift any more. He has his own problems.

"What about you?" Change the subject, easy as that. She has smoothy avoided talking about anything that's happened thus far. Save for one or two instances. But that was a special case.

"Me? Psh. I'm... I'm fine! Good. Great."

Throughout the several versions of a Decepticon named Soundwave, almost all of them can lie flawlessly and manipulate others. They are masterminds of deception and secrets.

Not this guy. Battlemask or not, he's always been terrible at poker for a reason.

"Never better."

Horrible liar, this one.

"Too bad I can't sleep in the backseats of some dude. Heh."

"Man you're a shitty liar." She rolls her eyes and clunks him lightly on the side of the head with a loose fist.

"Well aren't there bigger robots? You could probably... man that would be weird."

As if climbing inside another living creature already wasn't weird.

There's a small duck of his head at the remark and the small bap on his head. "Yeah, well -- yeah."

Soundwave briefly debated calling her out on her own behavior, but decides ultimately to leave it alone for her. Now is not a good time to confront her on her own demons.

"There are, but uh. Most of 'em ain't here or... or they hate me."

"Sorry, buddy. Some people just don't know how not to judge a book by it's cover, you know?"

She pats the spot she'd tapped.

"I'm sure in time, people will learn what a good perso- er. Robot you are. And anyone else? You don't need 'em."

"I... I know. But I don't think I've ever heard someone be that mad or hateful or... At least not someone I didn't already know."

There's no way for him to really bring up the courage to directly discuss Fortress Maximus, either. The reaction that was given is probably the most verbally violent he's had from a complete stranger.

From an Autobot he's already familiar with from his own world? Soundwave could laugh off. This was different.

"A-anyway. Yeah, I just gotta be patient. I don't got a problemo with that."

"Someone getting down on you?"

She had missed that whole confrontation. But the concern in her voice is honest.

"Sometimes that's the best. Stick to the people closest to you, and eventually, things will get better."

It's so easy to be optimistic on someone else's behalf. Even if it is kind of a lie.

"No-- well. I'unno. He just got here and maybe I spooked 'im. Don't worry 'bout it; it was awhile ago."

Really, he doesn't see any point to bring it up. No doubt the other mech has his reasons and Soundwave just needs to be patient about it, even if he's quite eager to make friends and bring peace here.

"Yeah. I hear ya. Thanks, Vandal."

"Hey, no. If someone was a jerk to you, I want to know."

As if she can protect a giant robot in any way shape or form.

But sometimes it's better out than in.

"Don't worry about it."

For a moment, Soundwave seems uncertain, looking down at his hands. He isn't interested in getting people into trouble, but if Vandal wants to know...

"Fortress Maximus. I ain't gonna hold it against him. I know other Soundwaves and Decepticons can be wicked fiends, but ... like I said, no one's reacted like that before."

It makes him curious, worried, and it hurt plenty, but it's not in him to bear a grudge for that reason.

She frowns, running a gloved hand over her chapped lips.

"Max, huh? I'm sorry. I had no idea. I don't think it's you, though. Apparently he went through some seriously fucked up stuff. I think once he realizes that you're a nice person, not a threat, he'll come around."

Another comforting pat.

"He's just scared."

"Not your fault, Vandal. I... didn't really wanna make a fuss about it. I mean, the last thing I should be worryin' about is whether or not someone likes me. But it seemed like, uh. A real strong reaction."

Went through something. That, he believes. And Soundwave believes that whatever Fortress Maximus went through, he can overcome it. But it sounds like, maybe, it had something to do with Decepticons no doubt.

It's getting to be a real pain, other 'Cons ruining a good name.

"I can understand that," he emits softly.

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vandalization - 2012-08-13 13:00 (UTC) - Expand

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