Could have gone a lot worse....

[actuallyselfish]

After the battle in Paradigm City, the Sol Machine known as ShelLancer trudges it's way back into the hanger bay, docks in a gantry, and powers down

A weary figure in mechanic's overalls clambers out of the cockpit, and after a bit of flailing, descends on one of the cherry picker platforms.

"What the heck was I thinking?" Dido groans, slumping down onto a bench. "I panicked, made stupid calls. And that Decepticon leader thinks I'm a turtle ninja transformer now...!"

She smiles. "...but Hot Damn, I saved some lives out there! Not bad, Dido. Not bad at–"

She looks up at ShelLancer...and finally notices the major damage it's taken: melted armor, broken off spikes, and an endless amount of scratches and dents. All of which needs to be fixed.



"–AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Comments

[cloningblues]

A turtle ninja transformer? How did that happen?

[actuallyselfish]

"Ummm..."

Dido takes a break from her nervous breakdown to appear sheepish. "I well, uh..."

She points to a purple, familiar logo hastily stenciled on ShelLancer's shoulder armor.

"...tried to disguise myself as a Decepticon? It seemed like a cunning idea at the time?"

[cloningblues]

You tried to trick the Decepticons. Robots who deceive others so much it's even in their name.

[actuallyselfish]

"Hey, I'll have you know it worked for a few seconds!" Dido says with defiance, jabbing a finger at Asagi.

Then she wilts.

"As it turns out, Megatron likes to shoot his underlings whenever they annoy him."

[cloningblues]

Really? You're not kidding? Okay, that's actually a bit impressive.

Wait. You mean it only took you a few seconds to annoy him?

[actuallyselfish]

"Well..." Dido waffles for a moment.

"He was all like, if you're on my side, then stop talking to me and start shooting Optimus! Gosh! And then he shot me."

"I don't think he has much patience for others." She adds.

[cloningblues]

He's really dedicated to being the bad guy, isn't he.

[actuallyselfish]

"Apparently?" Dido says with a shrug. "I'm just surprised that someone hasn't poisoned his drink yet...or whatever the robot equivalent of poison is...maybe an oxidizing solution, or a software virus?"

[cloningblues]

Maybe someone did. And it just made him more angry.

[actuallyselfish]

"...and/or brain damaged!" Dido exclaims, slamming a fist into her palm.

"That could explain everything! I mean, Al Capone became a crazy and eccentric gangster because of syphilis: maybe the same thing happened to Megatron!"

[cloningblues]

I think all of the Decepticons were crazy from the start.

[actuallyselfish]

"...well that doesn't make sense." Dido says. "Why anyone, let alone robots, be born evil?"

[cloningblues]

Good question. No, not born... But perhaps programmed? If you can program a personality into a sentient robot...

How do the Transformers reproduce, anyway?

[actuallyselfish]

"With a machine shop and raw materials?" Dido muses.

"Didn't Optimus say something about the AllSpark or something?"

[cloningblues]

I never heard about it. Great, now I have to know! I should probably just ask Optimus.

...As soon as I figure out how to make it not sound awkward like hell.

[actuallyselfish]

"When two Autobots love each other very much..." Dido says in a sing-song.

[cloningblues]

Stop that, it's a serious question. Have you even seen female Autobots?

[actuallyselfish]

"...why would Autobots have sexual characteristics one way or the other?" Dido asks, bemused.

"There's not exactly a need for them to swap DNA...or nurse their young."

[cloningblues]

You mean some of the ones I met might've been women and I just didn't realize?

...That might be very possible, actually.