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

[tiger_ken]

Not so easy to avoid scratching the paint work, is it?

[Ken is in so good a mood he's snarking.]

[herodrawing]

You're a hero!

[Izuru starts to sketch Shellancer, immortalizing damage it took.]

[actuallyselfish]

"Bite me." Dido says, face ensconced between her knees. "You're saying mean nasty ninja words and I'm not going to listen to them..."

She tries to ignore you for a little bit, then groans.

"Truly, I've become what I hate."

[actuallyselfish]

"No, I'm not!" Dido wails. "I'm not a hero! I'm really not a hero!"

She narrows her eyes. "What are you drawing?"

[cloningblues]

A turtle ninja transformer? How did that happen?

[tiger_ken]

Never knew 'paint work' was part of the exclusive ninja vocabulary.

But how'd you feel out there? I only just got covered on what happened - didn't even realise you guys had gone.

[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?"

[actuallyselfish]

"It was, as always, a humbling experience." Dido sighed. "Got shaken around, picked up some bruises."

She brushes at her wild, frayed hair. "The static from ShelLancer's Lance Shock made me go poofy for a bit too. All in all, I hope I don't have to sortie again any time soon."

She hesitates. "And yet..."

[cloningblues]

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

[herodrawing]

I'm drawing a picture of your mecha, as it returns from battle wounded but victorious!

It will be remembered the way it is now.

[tiger_ken]

Yet you're already thinking for the next time, right?

It was the same when I got in ScarleTi- no, a genoace the first time. You can rationalise all you want, but once you've done some good...

[majestic_keiki]

...How did you react to the units after that last battle in La Gias?

[actuallyselfish]

"Noooooooooooo...." Dido replies. "Please don'tttttttt...."

[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."

[actuallyselfish]

"...I was too busy dealing with the aftermath to even have a reaction." Dido says, after a moment of thought.

"But This! This damage is gonna take at least 50 man-hours to repair! And millions in cash! And it's wasn't some strutting devil-may care fighter jock that wrecked this baby..."

She buries her hands in her face. "It was me! Dido!"

[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]

Dido hesitates...then lets out a forced chuckle.

"Ha Ha! Ken, I'm flattered, but the world saving gig ain't my thing!"

She shrugs. "Sure, I'll fight to keep friends I like from dying, and maybe I enjoyed unscrewing the asses of those Decepticon trashheads...but I'm far too lazy to put in the effort to become a hero of justice!"

[majestic_keiki]

50 man-hours doesn't sound too bad.

And you helped save a lot of lives out there, even if it damaged the robot.

[herodrawing]

Why not? I think you deserve it.

[empress_without_a_throne]

Oh don't be so dramatic.

[actuallyselfish]

Dido slumps down and screams into her lap for a few seconds.

She eventually comes up for breath with a grim expression on her face.

"You mech pilots just don't get it, do you?"

[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.

[actuallyselfish]

"...okay, that's fair." Dido says, calming down a little.

"But still...it feels like I've violated my principles as a technician! Bringing in a wrecked mecha and dumping it on the laps of my fellow techs without regard for their feelings...I'm no better than the rest of you mech jocks now!"

She scratches her head. "Erm...not that I look down on Mech Jocks or anything like that."

[herodrawing]

... Eh?

[Confused Izuru is confused.]

[actuallyselfish]

"True..." Dido says with smile. That smile turns to a grim frown.

"But what would all the other UG techs say, if they saw me now?"