[Voice]

[needlefingers]

I am an Autobot. I earned my badge.

[His voice shakes a little in anger.]

I'll prove it. I'll make things better. You'll see.

[Locked to Rewind]

Look I.

I don't know. I feel like we should talk. Or something.

Comments

[Voice]

[toughtalk]

Do us all a favour and stop making things better.


Because you make them worse.

[Bitter? Slightly.]

[Voice]

[needlefingers]

Well I tried dropping dead.

It didn't work. So I guess I have to try to fix it.

[Voice]

[toughtalk]

You really don't get it, do you. You tried dropping dead to fix it, and guess what? It didn't.

Even if it made a few of us feel better, we're back to the same old scrap and you're back to your same old thick skull.

[Voice]

[needlefingers]

That's literally what I just said.

I tried to die. I did. I came back. And now I have to fix the mess I made.

Try to keep up, will you.

[Voice]

[toughtalk]

And I'm saying just stop trying to fix things. Because your 'fixing' makes things worse no matter what you do.

I'm keeping up fine, it's you I'm worried about.

[Voice]

[needlefingers]

My needles were removed, so no one has to worry about them again.

But hey if you think I should just hole myself away and not try to mend the relationships with my friends and allies, then fine, if that's how you do it.

I'm going to do things the hard way.

[Voice]

[toughtalk]

About time someone got a processor.

And I didn't say that, you idiot--I'm saying stop shoving your 'fixes' in our faces.

[Voice]

[needlefingers]

Fine. Done. Whatever.

You have anything useful to add? Because I'm enjoying this downpour of wisdom so far.

[Voice]

[toughtalk]

[And here's the tricky part. She's good at the pointing out the problems, not so much on the fixing. She's not even sure she should be helping him, especially with that attitude.

But there's other people at stake here.]

What would Windblade say...

You...ever consider maybe what they want? Did you think about them when you tried to off yourself?

[VOICE]

[forcowardice]

Pfffft. Sure. Like that will happen.

AUDIO;

[thehardway]

Chromedome.

...I know you can do better.

[VOICE]

[needlefingers]

Fulcrum.

[He needs to. To do something. Right.]

I did offer to fix your memories.

AUDIO;

[needlefingers]

Ironhide said I didn't deserve my badge.

[And it bugged him so much. His words keep bouncing around his head.]

I'll prove the fragger wrong.

[Voice]

[needlefingers]

I wasn't thinking of anything when I tried to off myself. It's hard to kill one's self, being Cybertronian and all, so I had to look for someone to do it for me. That took up most of my thinking space.

If you haven't noticed, I can be a somewhat selfish person.

[VOICE]

[forcowardice]

...Yeah, you did.

But how the hell do I know that you won't just. Just make it worse?

AUDIO;

[thehardway]

That's not the first time he's said that about someone. And it won't be the first time he's wrong.

Chromedome. Look. I know you're capable of doing the right thing. Just remember that.

AUDIO/PRIVATE

[needlefingers]

Thanks Magnus. It means a lot coming from you.

[Guilt weighs down on his spark when he thinks about all the trouble he's caused Magnus. He's not going to do that anymore, he tells himself. While he doesn't trust himself with basic decisions anymore, he does hope to do better.]

Hey... about that mech, Rewind...

[VOICE]

[needlefingers]

Have you seen the insides of your memories? I couldn't make it worse if I tried. I had removed the best part of your life.

AUDIO/PRIVATE

[thehardway]

I would not say it if I did not think it was true.

[He's seen Chromedome's better side before. He wants to see it again.]

...Right. Rewind.

What do you want to know?

[VOICE]

[forcowardice]

Okay, good point. [He's not going to deny that most of his life's been kind of really terrible.] So, how do I know you'll give back everything?

AUDIO/PRIVATE

[needlefingers]

I really did forget him.

Didn't I.

[VOICE]

[needlefingers]

You don't. But my needles have kind of a been removed, so it's the thought that counts right now.

If I could get them back the first thing I'd do is fix my mistakes.

[VOICE][PRIVATE]

[forcowardice]

I want you to fix Krok first, then. Not because I don't want mine back first, but... yeah. If you get them back, fix him before me.

AUDIO/PRIVATE

[thehardway]

Yes. You did.

He's here now, Chromedome. We all thought he was dead, but he's here now. It... would be better if you spoke to him at some point.

[audio]

[shadowsgambit]

[She almost missed this. Almost. But his name caught her eye, and she almost choked on her coffee. Death isn't something you can just come back from.]

What the hell? I thought your leader said you were dead?

[And then she remembers he's a robot. Someone repaired him?]