hellraiser02 | IC CONTACT

Pssht, laaaame. And I'm only human, you know?

...MTO...? MTO... [Duo hums to himself, eyes flicking to the side as he starts typing of to the side of his comm feed, checking his cache of notes. The flinch in his expression when he finds what he's looking for isn't something he can really hide.] Oh. No problemo, pal. [And just like that, it's dropped. See, easy.]

Oh, Barney? I think his name was Mega something? Decepticon, had the over-the-top villain act down-pat. Fancied himself some kinda glorious dictator, I guess, but I've known some of those in my time, and Barney? Was no glorious, charismatic dictator!

...'Atropos', huh? Sounds metal as hell. Thanks, I'll be sure to keep my ear to the ground on that. [H a h a little does he know]

Um, I don't know if we've talked about it before, but I guess Op is a pretty different guy, when-- or where you come from. [Another nervous sideglance at his notes.] Jeez, I couldn't even imagine the Optimus I knew doing this kind of stuff. He was... you know, [handwave] heroic, I guess, is the best word for it. Always seemed to care about people? Shit really went that sideways...?

[there's no further comment on it, no thanks, but riptide's expression is grateful.]

Megatron. Hey, you noted down I know him as an Autobot? [riptide laughs lightly; that'll probably shock him if he hasn't already read it.] Still a bastard, though.

[he'll change his tune when he's canon updated... his expression turns into something unreadable for a moment.]

Optimus is still a hero. He still cares. It's just... yeah. It went sideways. Everything went really, really wrong. Even if Autobots officially won the war...

...What was the Optimus you knew like?

Huh?? [Apparently not; maybe he didn't really believe it, or maybe he (meaning I his mun) just forgot about that part of the discussion!! Who knows.] Sounds like a load of crap to me... But...

[Duo's brow furrows, chin settling into his hand. Tapping his cheek, he thinks on how to describe it-- it wasn't like he hadn't seen Optimus just recently, from his perspective--] He leads the police force that's been put into place by us for the time being. Him, and a bunch of other Autobots, and some other folks. Um... I guess he just seems to always want the best for people? He helped me and my buddy out in a pinch, and even though he's taking on a pretty impossible task, he seems really dedicated to it. ...Not uh, 'forcibly invade the Earth' dedicated. That's... the part I'm kinda worried about, but I guess it's not like he could do too much here if he's not...

[From that tangent, something seems to occur to him, and he blinks and raises his head to gawk at the camera in surprise.]

Oh. Wait a minute-- how come you're not in a human body? Did you guys figure out how to get your real bodies back? Hah, and after all that crap Starscream pulled...

Long story. Probably not that surprising.

[riptide thinks for a moment.]

Wait... you said it was Arcee and Sentinel before, right? Jeez, I can't imagine anyone working with Sentinel... ah, well. He's dead now. Dunno about Arcee, she's pretty scary.

[he snorts.] It's a power. I can switch to and fro, though I don't like human bodies. Smelly. Soft.

More than you think, I'd say.

That jerk's dead? What, did he mouth off to the wrong guy? ...He doesn't seem that bad of a guy, but like, talk about inflated heads...

[Arcee? 'Scary'? She seemed perfectly nice when they met. Well, war really did change people, huh.]

Jeez, tough crowd. Well both've got their pluses and their minuses, I'm sure. You guys can't even eat hamburgers!

Uhh... Megatron tore him to pieces? I'm surprised he didn't pull a load of Institute shite if he was on the force... yikes. Hey, if he shows up here don't talk to him? Like don't do your stupid snark thing. Just don't talk to him. He's like-- DJD level messed up.

[more phrases for quatre to look up.]

I can! I mean, not like this. I like pizza more...

[yikes]

Uhhhhhhhhhh great! I mean, I don't know what half of those things are, but I don't think I need to? Jeez, no wonder this file is so big--

Pizza's good. And yeah, that's my point, pal! You wouldn't be able to enjoy that cheesy goodness as you are right now, right? C'mon, you gotta hand it to humanity- our inventions can be pretty great.

Yeah. Well, last time we met, you didn't seem to understand most of this. I mean, I was also a stupid baby and couldn't explain them but now I can! It's all terrible.

Anyway, [despite literally saying that pizza was the best thing on this planet, riptide has to be Like This:] I lived three and a half million years without it. I can take it or leave it.

Think I understood pretty fine, goin' by how much of this I've got from you... [He gestures to his other screen. But whatever!!]

Party pooper. Mood-killer. You just don't wanna admit our food is better.

No, I mean you. Not old you. You. This specific form of you.

[this is going to get confusing fast.]

Your food doesn't explode like energon. Try again.

[Duo's... eyebrow.. slowly... raises. Not that he's unfamiliar with the whole concept of people coming and going, losing their memories of the City-- or this place now, he supposes; but...] Hate to break it to you buddy, but I don't think I'm either of the me's you met. Just a few hours ago, I was in the City. Now I'm hearing it's in smithereens.

Okay, I gotta admit. That's pretty hardcore. Doesn't sound very tasty, though.

...Every tried poprocks?

Guess you forgot that too... eh, whatever. Nothing important went down.

[riptide makes A Face.]

Yes, and I hate them. You talked about the City a lot when you were here before, you know?

You hate poprocks?

[You'd think Riptide just kicked a puppy with that face.] Maybe Mentos and Coke'd.... Ah, nevermind--

Huh, so I was me-me before, but now I don't remember it either? That's weird. But I guess it's not impossible, the way people disappear and reappear from the Porter...

....Suppose it confirms that old multiversal theory, though...

[For a moment, the grin drifts off his face as he actually thinks- the old wheels he always had turning when they were trying to hash out the ins and outs of the City- but he just tosses his shoulders up in a shrug.]

I have a lot to catch up on, clearly. So what do you know about it? There's no 'City' here, right? Those government bozos told me that.

My mouth does.

[he hates that look? he's never seen it in duo before - maybe a few times in his son - but he hates it.

riptide doesn't comment further on duo's porter problems; figures that's something he needs to work out himself. he doesn't know enough to help, anyway.]

Yeah. All I know is what you told me, some isolated military thing? I don't know. I'll be honest, your bitching was a little annoying and I didn't always pay attention.

[sorry, dup.]

[Well Riptide that's because a) it's a dumb baby face and b) because Duo has burnt all the surface emotions out of himself as an adult!! But that's another story. Too late now.]

[Instead now he's making a flat face- not a surprised one, though.]

Yeah okay, sounds right. [Typical] You know, I'm always right about things, you should listen!!

....Not that anyone ever does... [Okay now he's pouting like a dumb baby again]

You should try not talking as much. Maybe people would be more inclined to listen then.

Mmmmmmnah.

[PLEASE it's been said so much worse to him, Riptide]

Then don't complain when no-one listens to you or takes you seriously? This isn't hard.

[There's a pause, and he has that thoughtful look on his face again, except this time it's joined by the kind of eyerolling, nasty teenager sarcasm one would better expect for his age.]

Porter folks' attention spans sure haven't changed. Jesus.

[riptide rolls his eyes back. a little of him feels... weirdly bitter, because duo is very similar to how pipes was...]

Yeah, that's definitely everyone else's problem and not a you thing.

Considering this place's history so far?

Yeah. Kinda is.

[No less salt than his older self, but impatience in spades- he isn't yet the guy who has accepted that sometimes, there's only so much you can do about all the problems in the world.]

[It's no wonder the City drove him mad.]

Who actually does shit around here? I guess I should get myself reacquainted.

Jacob. [he almost says duo rip] Kaneki is a front-runner, but he's a complete moron that only serves himself. Ignore him.

You'll probably note all the respected leaders don't talk more than they need to.

It's a good trait to have.

Good thing I don't lead no one.

[Handwave!] Jacob, got it, thanks. I'll keep an eye on this Kaneki guy, I guess. Looks like I got a lotta notes on both.

Anythin' else before I go hermit mode to catch up? Day one sucks, my man.

I know, and no. Good luck? Hit me up if you need me.

[Duo's mouth twists- he hasn't made his mind up yet, how he feels about this new Cybertronian- but he has more important things to take care of than to spurn the only offer of assistance he has at the moment.]

Yeah pal, I'll be around. Later.

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