[Video]

[butwonderful]

[ Excuse the awkward robot with the ears. ]

Hi there. I know we've had some new arrivals recently. My name is Drift and I'm-

I'm an Autobot. I want to apologize for all the commotion lately. Things seem to have um. Settled. They've settled.

On that note, I'd love to open the option of self defense classes to anyone who is interested, or if you are already inclined, I'd be happy to spar.

So. Um. Let me know! Humans, cybertronians, and any other species fully welcome! If you'd like to learn swordplay, I'd also be happy to teach.

Drift out!

[ Awkward wave. ]

Comments

[butwonderful]

It was some number of years ago, before our war ended. We got stranded there for a while, but Japan was my favorite place that I went while I was there.

[now_i_know]

And nobody was bothered dat you looked...

All...

Well, there ain't no better way to say it: you.

[butwonderful]

I was in disguise as an Earth vehicle. Nobody knew I was there.

[now_i_know]

Yeah, 'cuz you really look like one.

[butwonderful]

I do in my alt-mode.

[now_i_know]

You're what?

[butwonderful]

Alt-mode. Vehicle mode. Most of my species can change their shape naturally.

[now_i_know]

Really. [That was half a diubt and half a challenge.]

[butwonderful]

I'm not going to do it on camera. It'd be awkward. Though I guess if you want to see sometime, sure. It's easy as walking.

[now_i_know]

I might hold you to that, then.

So, there's a whole bunch of you guys? Or is it just you?

[butwonderful]

Fair enough.

Oh, there's tons of us here.

[now_i_know]

And are they all like you?

[butwonderful]

Well. Yes and no. We're the same species, sure...

But none of us are really 'like' anyone else. We all have different forms, shapes, sizes. Personalities. Born in different places or in different ways.

[now_i_know]

Yeah, dat makes...

...wait...

You guys are born?

[butwonderful]

Well, yeah. Kind of.

[now_i_know]

You're gonna hafta explain dat to me. I gotta hear this.

[butwonderful]

Well, some folks are forged, born from energy hot spots on the planet or moons and nurtured to maturity, or some are cold constructed. Split off from a donor spark and placed in a constructed body.

[now_i_know]

[In all the year she's been active, she never thought she'd hear something like this. It's almost too amazing to believe.]

So... do you guys have...

...parents?

[butwonderful]

Not really. I mean, there were people who cared for our new sparks when they were harvested, but beyond that, Cybertronians are pretty self-sufficient. We are as we are, and mature very quickly... in most cases. Sometimes there's no stopping someone from being childish though. Suppose that goes for any species.

[now_i_know]

I see.

So I guess you guys grow up pretty quick and you don't really share a bond like a family then, huh.

[Maybe a bit sad about that?]

[butwonderful]

No... but we do have friends. Lovers. People like family sometimes. Used to be more so, before the war. When you get used to people you care about being taken from you, you kind of develop a-

A distance.

[now_i_know]

War?

[butwonderful]

If you look at most mechs here, you'll find they either have a red badge or a purple one. Autobots and Decepticons. We have been at civil war for more than four million years.

It just recently ended.

[now_i_know]

Four million years?

How many of you guys were there??

[butwonderful]

A lot more.