bakerstreet | The sacrament of love, the sacrament of warmth is true, the sacrament is you

The sacrament of love, the sacrament of warmth is true, the sacrament is you

MOST ROMANTIC LINE

Got a second? Can we talk? Yeah, only a little problem, no worries, but I've heard that you've been holding out on us. Acting all shy. Being all coy, when really, I've heard that you can be a complete Casanova. A consummate Cyrano. The Barry-est of Manilow. You've got the ladies and gentlemen on a string.

Well. Go on, then. No need to be shy. Sweep us off our feet.

How to play.
- No blank comments. Starter mode is: in spite of (or because of) what a disaster it could be, you've got to grace us with the most romantic thing your character could feasibly think to say. It can be a canon quote or dialogue you've come up with wholesale.
- Everyone else: weigh in. Let your heart skip a beat if you're smitten. Roll your eyes if you're not. There's a cart of tomatoes over there, by the way.
- Will you win the hearts and minds of Bakerstreet?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I find you adequate.

Why, Shockwave. From you, I'll count that as resounding support.

[Maybe amused more than smitten? But Starscream is very fond.]

As you should. I strive for accuracy in word and deed. You deserve nothing less than my best. [And that emphasis on 'you' is almost impish; like a small secret his pokerface conceals without effort.] As I am fortunate to have a 'pack leader' who understands nuance.

That is tacit admission that I am not always easy for others to decode.

[Now that sends something warmer though her, that almost playful stress on you, and Starscream laughs. More relaxed than she's been in what feels like ages. More than simply fifteen years, that's for certain.]

You've always given your all for the cause. I am happy to actually earn it. [A confident boast, but she knows it's an earned one -- that they both agree it's an earned one.]

Perhaps. But I do find the effort rewarding.

Edited (whoops html) 2023-08-06 18:52 (UTC)

You are enough as you are, yourself, Shockwave.

[Just let the owl pierce right through to the heart of it, okay.]

You have given me much more compassion than I was owed. And you continue to do so.

Forgiveness without apology is a strange gift. [The owl is most excellent.]

[Nightshade actually smiles a that.] I am proud of my compassion. I could help you. Even if we were afraid of what you might do, we couldn't leave you in that state when there was another way.

[They give one of those thoughtful pauses, then, the ones where they're putting their thoughts and words into order.] Before you woke, Megatron told us a brief version of what happened during that final battle. You were disoriented and angry, were you not? At the time, my family and I were too afraid to see that. But you were willing to die to kill Megatron -- you chose not to trap any of us along with you.

Mo also told us what you did when you found her helping Megatron. You gave my sister a chance to leave. That was the only reason Megatron managed to defeat you, wasn't it?

You should be. One who gives great compassion must be twice as skilled as a ruthless Transformer. Self protection is easy, when one has only to obliterate the enemy with prejudice. To save them and oneself as well?

[For his part, Shockwave is silent, watching the curious Terran raptly.] Disoriented, angry. Afraid for Cybertron, and what had happened in my absence. But, I apologize for frightening you and your family in turn. You were nothing to do with my revenge. Only bystanders.

...If I had not hesitated, I could have destroyed Megatron when he was stunned. Yes. She could not have known her courage would be so destructive to her, she was only a ... [ Not a Protoform, that's definitely not the word for human baby, but Shockwave doesn't have a word for baby, either, and tries, experimentally ] An instar. It would not have been justice. Even if humans are not as impressive, or technologically forward as we are.

Dad told us recently -- while I was trying to deactivate the chip controlling you -- that what is good or just isn't always easy. I may not have much experience, but I think that's true. It's simple to make the wrong decision, or no decision at all, and the right decision is often not as immediately satisfying.

[Nightshade nods quietly when Shockwave agrees and explains further.] You lost too many years. I'm sorry for that -- I fear that Megatron made an "easy" decision. [The wrong one, if nothing else than in leaving Shockwave in stasis for all that time.] Thank you. I cannot speak for the others, but I forgive you.

[Simple as that. And in part because Shockwave was also agreeing that... yes, he'd only been captured, terribly expensive for him, because he hadn't actually wanted to hurt Mo.] I'm glad you feel that way. What is an instar? I've never heard that term before.

Would that I had been as good a parent to the Protoforms, as your father is to you. You are... [Uh oh, emotion.] I am ashamed of what I said. About your group.

Your sympathies are noted. [And, at this point, not even remotely surprising, either.] Megatron has made many easy decisions. He thinks that his process of redemption was painful and difficult, but what is truly painful to him is taking orders, being subordinated to another. This is all he dislikes. ...Thank you.

An instar is a ... pre-mature developmental stage. These humans have a very different morphology to a Transformer, where they slough off and build up organic matter slowly until they have reached their final form. Where Transformers have but one Protoform, which is a neutral stage that can be maintained indefinitely, and says nothing of the maturity of the individual.

...It feels wrong to say that I'm glad. I don't particularly want you to feel shame. But I'm glad you're the type of person who does regret something like that, and that you want me to know it. Please don't be too hard on yourself, Shockwave.

[It's obvious that Nightshade isn't dismissing that assessment, turning it thoughtfully and seeing how it fits against their experiences with Megatron and how others have described him. And they can admit:] I don't know Megatron very well, myself. Mom knows him better than I do, as does Bumblebee... and Twitch, to some extent. [And, of course, Shockwave himself. And also--] Starscream told us that Megatron ruled the Decepticons with fear and intimidation. [Yeah, they were just. Casually talking to Starscream, obviously.]

Oh, I see! In some ways, our human siblings do feel younger than us, despite being years older. And very young humans are startlingly small and... developmentally incomplete. [That's the closest term Nightshade can think of for it. And that last comment of Shockwave's makes them smile.] At one point, I was certain I wanted to stay a protoform forever. Do many Cybertronians stay in that stage indefinitely?

Edited (oops ages) 2023-08-14 05:33 (UTC)

You are well within reasonable parameters to be glad. There are only a limited number of ways to reduce harm, and one of them is killing. I don't think any of you wished to offline me permanently, not even Megatron himself. [And with some distance, Shockwave can see how Megatron would have interpreted his actions as merciful instead of totally rude.] I shall not be too hard on myself.

Your... mom. The small organic one. What is she like? [Actually there are a number of small organics involved here. At least four different human ones.] Ah! You have spoken to Starscream as well. Far be it from me to sit in judgment of Megatron's... regrettable decisions by myself. But the more who agree with me... The more likely it is that I am not being unreasonable.

Everything about the organics develops slowly because unlike us, they must physically grow their internal and external parts, and be grown from inside other organic beings, so they must do only the bare minimum of growth inside, and emerge when they are still small enough to avoid doing harm to their grower, or to themselves. Evolution has given them an interesting balance of considerations to maintain, and humans appear to take a long time developing core brain structure as well. [He pauses, and then admits;] The end result is tantamount to Transformer intelligence. They simply go about it differently.

Were you? Why? ...For most, the reason that they remain a Protoform is a lack of interest in, or availability of, local altmode scans. It is as much about what appeals to a Transformer as it is about what will be useful to travel in, or employ in their work.

That's true. None of us wish to kill. I cannot speak for Megatron, and I didn't see much of your fight with him. [So they weren't going to speak on his behalf or against him; Shockwave was re-thinking and coming to his own conclusions and they couldn't really honestly sway that in either direction. They didn't want to try.]

She is... brave. Determined, and protective, and patient with us. She tries to teach us to do the right thing... and that people should be given the chance to do the right thing, even if they might not take it. ...Do you not still have Thrash's memories of her? [Starscream, though!] We have! We were lost underground with her, Skywarp, and Nova Storm and ran into a creature called a Dweller. I'm not sure where she is at the moment, but I think she'd like to hear from you.

[Oh... Nightshade listened to that explanation of human growth and development with a raptness that made clear their captivation.] That's fascinating. So they really are only partially developed when they-- emerge? How long does it take them to develop fully? [Because Shockwave obviously did that research; Nightshade really wants to look into it more now, though!]

When it was explained to me, at first it sounded like people were saying that an alt mode was something you would select to become whole and complete -- that you would choose a form that was right for you, and be fully yourself. But I felt I was already complete. I've always been happy the way I am. So I decided I didn't want one. [They nod at the explanation; that makes sense, given how they understand the whole thing now...] I think I understand! You may have noticed that one of my siblings was still a Protoform when we first met you. Nothing he'd seen had felt right to him, either. Just like you describe!

Perhaps it is for nobler reasons that you should be excluded from the Transformer race. [:c] We have made a mess of things.

I do, but Thrash is merely one perspective. I needed a baseline to draw conclusions about the entire situation. He seemed... the best target to begin with. [And indeed, he was the easiest to clawgrab.] You have doubtless figured out that neither the immobilizer nor the cortical patch cause any lasting harm. In that way, at least, my weaponry is morally superior. [As for Mom...] You could do much worse, then.

[Confounded.] Dwellers are stories meant to frighten Transformers with no galactic experience. They are... folkloric. A 'cryptid'.

[He warms to the topic of discussing humans because they're xeno-ly fascinating.] They are so small, and so incomplete. It takes three months for their hands to grab and manipulate objects! Any Protoform within moments of creation is ready to perform a dozen mid-complex tasks, and even more difficult ones, if explained... it takes a human at least sixteen years, longer than I was imprisoned in that tube, to function as a soldier. Perhaps that is why their species has flourished and ours is struggling. We are simply too good at what we do.

And how do you feel about your choice now? How does your - sibling - feel about his choice?

[Nightshade cocks their head; that sounds familiar, actually.] But these things can be fixed. While we still live, we can strive -- change our circumstances, make different choices, and be kind to one another.

That's true. --And you do seem to fight with less than deadly weapons. Is the cortical patch a weapon? [Thinking about it now, not in an alarming circumstance, it didn't seem scary...] If you'd like my perspective, you could use it on me. [Nightshade does smile at that comment about their Mom, answering that part as if sharing a secret:] I think so too.

And they are real! Or something very much like them is. I don't know the stories myself, but... It was large, and almost like a worm, but it had legs -- many eyes, and a large round mouth filled with sharp teeth. But it didn't seem like it needed to use them. It swallowed Thrash whole, but spit him out because of how little Energon we have, and when it went after Nova Storm, the odd appendages at its face extended something like cables that were capable of draining Energon from her directly, even through her metal plating.

[This is xeno-ly fascinating; honestly, both humans and Cybertronians are a bit xeno to Nightshade, but humans certainly are very different. --More so than they'd realized.] Sixteen years?? I hadn't realized... We may have been putting too much pressure on Robby and Mo, even if they are the oldest of us.

...Despite the circumstances of my choice, I'm very happy with it. Jawbreaker seems happy, too; he wanted to choose something... protective. So did I. An owl symbolizes this to me, and I enjoy flying.

You, at least, have nothing for which you need be sorry. Nor should you feel as though you need to 'make better choices'... [This is not the same as 'different' choices, but Shockwave is very willing to interpret and extrapolate, and it's obvious Nightshade is being diplomatic and kind - as they are suggesting others do.]

The cortical patch began as a way to facilitate easier communication between Cybertronians. It was always my invention. My dream to manipulate our biology in ways we could use for ourselves, and not merely to serve another. From there I became interested in protoforms, and in the genesis of new life. The Allspark was a very... religiously imbued piece of technology. Many held it as sacred, and were less-than-thrilled to see it 'stolen' from Cybertron. But I always intended to return it, after forcing an Autobot capitulation. [He adds, perhaps unnecessarily] Like anyone might, I love my home.

[Shockwave falls to listening intently.] A noble experimenter, to take such good observations while you were surely at some risk. Could you find the place again where you left this being? I wonder if it was created as a weapon... it seems odd that it should be on Earth; I have nothing to do with it. [And even he, bitter as he could be, was reluctant without cause to suppose that the Autobots would have imported such a beast.]

The humans that were with you? Ha! Yes. They are both beneath adolescent thresholds of independence. The boy is closer.

As we take our alt modes from our environments, we rarely have the luxury of a full complement of forms to scan, and must make practical compromises. But yours... is very unusual.

[There are things Nightshade regrets, but they're mostly small things, and Nightshade understands what Shockwave means. They smile at him.] Thank you, Shockwave.

That's an incredible invention -- to see things from another's point of view in a literal sense. And the ways we manipulate our biology now, there's no reason we shouldn't be able to find ways to go further. [Maybe that way of thinking about it is how Nightshade was so swiftly able to grasp even small partial transformations, small changes to their anatomy.] --Is the Allspark also a Prime artifact? Like the Matrix and the Emberstone? [Because Optimus's explanation had sounded religious-technological too... As Shockwave did add that, Nightshade nodded immediately; since Shockwave did feel like he needed to say it, they feel maybe he could also use a response:] I believe you.

[The kindnesses Shockwave's expressed in this conversation and the rapport over science isn't helping with Nightshade's mild crush! The compliment about their observations and experimentation makes them smile again, though they raise a hand to their mouth thoughtfully.] I admit, it felt important to take such observations because we were at risk. [Things can only be made less dangerous when they're better understood.] I could, and I believe I remember the path clearly enough that we can avoid freeing a second, if one exists.

It... is strange. When Dr. Meridian was telling Agent Croft about the weapon, he said that G.H.O.S.T. didn't know about the power that lay beneath their headquarters. At first, I thought he did mean a second Dweller. Both it and the weapon drain beings of their Energon. And where the Dweller was being kept was very advanced, but the technology didn't look Autobot or Decepticon in design, at least from what I could tell. I'd like to solve this mystery.

I'll keep that in mind. [That serious; Nightshade certainly would keep it in mind, galvanized all over again to take care of their siblings.] An animal alt mode does seem much more unusual than a vehicle. But I like being unique. ...Did you know a scientist called Tarantulas?

Before you, my life was monotonous. You have brought colour to my life, air to my lungs. My blood pounds, and my soul soars. You are, everything beloved. Everything.

I've got your six.

Would that I could join you, but this moment will have to be enough.

Edited 2023-08-06 01:48 (UTC)

I will always love you, be it in this life or in any other. My heart will always find yours, and I believe we will have a happy future, together.

I'm not leaving you behind.

I don't mind.

[ So she says. ]

Even if it is you die before me. Grow bored, and move away from what we had made. Or simply learn to fall out of love with me, I do not mind it.

As it has always been true, that I love you and that will always truly remain.

Much like the ocean. It will always stay, and encompass that truth. No matter what is, your fate.

My soul cries for its other half.

Sometimes your nearness takes my breath away; and all the things I want to say can find no voice. Then, in silence, I can only hope my eyes will speak my heart.

Kohinata Miku is my Sunshine… it’s warmest when I’m with you, so that’s where I’ll always return. It’s always been that way, and it always will be…

Edited 2023-08-06 08:35 (UTC)

You're my lovely little monster and I'll never say goodbye. I will kill for you until the day we die.

You are my guiding light. When I feel lost or alone, your face, your smile comes to mind and I'm grounded again. I know what I need to do and where to go.

Wherever you go, I will follow. I will protect you, and love you for as long as you let me.

You make me want to believe that there is an eternity waiting for us.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

The sacrament of love, the sacrament of warmth is true, the sacrament is you

Shockwave | Transformers: Earth Spark | OTA

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

Decembra Frost|| OC || OTA

Maria Hill | MCU

Lunafreya | FFXV

Tsukino Usagi || Sailor Moon Crystal || OTA

Rey || Star Wars || OTA

Caoimhe | DND 5e Homebrew | m/f

Meioh Setsuna/Sailor Pluto | Sailormoon

Armand/Amadeo | The Vampire Chronicles.

Hibiki Tachibana | Senki Zesshou Symphogear

Moxxie | Helluva Boss | OTA

Aqua || Kingdom Hearts || OTA

Morgan Jay Finnigan | OC | OTA