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Post by Mirage on May 22, 2011 12:26:59 GMT -5
Month 1, Week 4, Day 5. Semi-Private
Mirage has been leaning against the wall outside a particular room's doorway for several minutes. He knows the room is occupied, he knows that it only occupied by one person, and that person is the one he wishes to speak to.
It is highly possibly that said occupant knows someone is outside the door. Mirage is quiet by nature, but he was not actively being stealthy.
Finally the spy pushes off the wall, rolls his shoulders to loosen the stiffness there, and knocks on the door.
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Post by Drift on May 22, 2011 21:33:30 GMT -5
Drift is in fact paranoid. However, there's only the one entrance/exit to the room and he's NOT going to be accused of being a big robopansy and hiding. From a 'fellow' Autobot.
He's striding toward the door to make precisely that point--mostly to himself--when he hears a knock, which takes him off guard. So much for his grand glowery plan.
"...what?"
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Post by Mirage on May 22, 2011 23:03:48 GMT -5
Normally, Mirage would make a snarktastic comment about Drift's eloquence right now. In fact, his lips part to do just that, but for once, his mind moves faster than he mouth. Instead, the spy tilts his head a bit to one side, as he looks at Drift. The smile is still more smirk than smile, but hey, filters! Mirage does have them.
Sometimes.
"Hello Drift," he says, "I am in the mood to spar, and wondered if perhaps you could also use the outlet? I could use the experience with a bladed opponent, and you are one of the few with such skill."
Mirage decided before he came here to just lay it out his request simply and plainly and see where things go.
He brushes a speck of dust off his arm, and continues, "Normally, I would ask Oracle, but it occurred to me that you might want the chance to practice against an opponent with a cloaking device."
"Since the Decepticons have someone with similar technology, and he is quite the formidable opponent and all."
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Post by Drift on May 23, 2011 20:32:06 GMT -5
Drift is already imagining the comments Mirage isn't saying. Or at least, he's imagining what he'd say in reversed circumstances. Turnabout's fair play, but it also sucks.
He gives Mirage a narrow-opticked look for a long moment, suspicious. Why would Mirage want to...? It never occurs to him that Mirage might be being entirely forthright.
So there's something behind the offer, he figures, and while part of him wants to cut Mirage's legs out from under him by refusing, not even wanting to play his part in this scheme. But...he has his own axe to grind with Mirage and a chance to take some swings at the blue mech would make him feel a lot better.
"Got nothing better to do." That's Drift's brand of enthusiasm.
He frowns. He hates being outthought. "Who?" He runs down the roster of Decepticons he knows and cloaking? No. He'd know that one. He was SiC. He'd know. ...wouldn't he?
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Post by Mirage on May 23, 2011 20:52:37 GMT -5
Would Mirage be so cruel as to deliberately be honest in order to drive an already-suspicious mind slightly batty? Well, yes. But that isn't his aim today. "Excellent. I've got my name down on Training Room D. It's just at the end of this hall and around the bend a bit." Mirage smiles at the swordsmech, phased not at all by the almost grudging acquiescence- or the suspicion- of Drift. Though Drift's reaction does remind Mirage of dealing with Swerve. Mirage talks as he walks, and hopefully Drift follows, "Well, it's not definitively confirmed, but it is a good bet that Spinister is in possession of cloaking technology that puts even my upgraded tech to shame. I had cause to work with his alternate during that debacle on Gillanan*- you read about it in the archives I'm sure- and he was truly undetectable." "I have to take care not to leave a track, or make a sound when hunting. He simply... ghosted." There's a bit of admiration in Mirage's tone, "Nothing I have observed of the Spinister here causes me to doubt that he possesses the same." "Admittedly, Spinister is a sniper. If you ever close with him, it will be by chance. He strikes me as the cautious type." *This was during the DZ-3 plot, when evil Autobots and good Decepticons broke the dimensional barriers and came to visit for awhile. Spinny-3 and Mirage got along well enough for Mirage to find out about the cloaking tech. Because it isn't confirmed, it isn't common knowledge about normal Spinister.
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Post by Drift on May 24, 2011 21:40:35 GMT -5
Drift grumbles as Mirage just turns and walks, presuming Drift will follow. Which he does, which means extra grumbles for himself, stomping heavily after the spy, perhaps-not-so-silently resenting the mech's grace and easy movement.
"Oh yeah, the, uh, the archives." Maybe he could crack those open. He just...he needed a mission. He had no problem scouring records if he was looking for something. But just reading them? Like...for fun? But he files away the Spinister note. Not from his universe, either.
"Snipers are still susceptible to artillery," he gripes. That would be his solution. Kind of hard to shoot straight when the ground you're on is exploding. But still...he needs to learn how to deal with these 'special powers' everyone else except him seemed to have.
"How'd you get yours, anyway?" It's a fair question, right?
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Post by Mirage on May 26, 2011 18:36:16 GMT -5
"Mmm, yes, artillery can be a problem, "Mirage admits, "But Spinister's alternate mode is a helicopter, and he carries at least one fusion bomb in that mode." Does Mirage suspect that Drift doesn't know Spinister by name? Yes, based on the (lack of) reaction. "He is also a double Targetmaster and head of the Decepticon's internal police force. He is a formidable opponent."
There is a bit of admiration in Mirage's tone. There is a part of the spy that thrills at the idea at being set in opposition to the Mayhem, and he can't deny it.
"Though his partner Needlenose is no slouch either."
Mirage pauses at the door of the training room and gives Drift a puzzled look. "My electro-disruptor? It has always been a part of me, as much as my rifle, my skill, and my desire to hunt." He shrugs and continues, "When a spark coalesced inside the protoform that was to become me, it shaped me as it willed. Or as Primus willed, if you trend toward the religious. At any rate, I came online with the ability."
He steps to the side and "holds" the door open for Drift as a gentleman should, motioning that Drift should go first. "More recently I acquired an... upgrade to the technology. Not by choice. However, reversing the upgrade isn't exactly possible at the moment. Perceptor says doing so may cause irreparable damage."
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Post by Drift on Jun 1, 2011 9:53:18 GMT -5
If you know a mech's name, there's a chance he actually expects you to give half a wingnut about keeping him alive. Deadlock never bothered. And now that he's here and learning names...he remembers why he put that rule into place to begin with.
"He can be killed, same as anyone," Drift says, resenting the admiration. You don't admire the enemy. You stab them. Or shoot them. If they are 'formidable', maybe you do both.
He shrugs. "That normal for your universe? Born with special powers and such?" Or is this another of those 'mechs in the gutters don't get none' deals? Because ALL he needs is another reason to resent Mirage. He shakes his head. Primus. Right. What kind of benevolent deity would create mechs to throw them to the planet's underside? "More stuff for those with time to waste." He'd been fighting to survive. In the gutters, beyond.
Drift hesitates as Mirage pauses by the door. Decepticons didn't let mechs that close to their exposed backs. No, Drift. Bad habit. Not a Decepticon any more. He hopes it's not...terribly noticeable, that hesitation. "Why'd you want an 'upgrade' reversed?" He blurts the question, to mask that awkward pause.
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Post by Mirage on Jun 1, 2011 20:12:14 GMT -5
Benevolent? Primus? Drift needs to sit down and talk religion with Emirate Xaaron and Rodimus one day.
"Powers? I don't really consider my holo tech to be a special power. It is a technology like any other. It can be removed or subverted like any other technology, and the electro-disrupter itself can be removed, even subspaced of need be.* I suppose it could be considered such by some, but...," Mirage shrugs.
"Some mechs do have unique abilities, yes, but I wouldn't call them exactly common, and the individual abilities do trend toward one ofs or at best a small sampling. I suppose if considered in that light they are special powers? It isn't something I've spent a long time considering."
Mirage moves into the room as Drift asks his second question. It's the spy's turn to try and hide his discomfort. "Truthfully, I don't, because it has proven most helpful. However, it was forcibly given, by those who actively wished me and mine harm, when I was in no position to resist. It is improved technology, but I distrust the source, and the high-handed treatment I suffered in the getting of it."
"And before you jump to the conclusion," Mirage warns as he tilts his head and gives Drift a considering look, "This was not another case of my underestimating my opponents. Had I acted differently, three people would be at best dead and at worst near-mindless slaves. My own well-being was- and is- secondary to that fact."
"Now, do you wish me visible or not to start? It is your option, as the approached."
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Post by Drift on Jun 1, 2011 22:31:05 GMT -5
More like 'one day someone will have to strap Drift to a chair for this religion talk.'
"So, fine, great. You're not special. Fine with me." Seriously. Mirage talks almost as much as the Nerd.
Drift does not have the head for these sort of ethical nuances. "Maybe you should just make the best of it. Can't change how you got it, so honk 'em off by doing what you want with their stupid upgrade."
Revenge. Petty. So very, very Drift. It's his own personal version of Occam's Razor.
Jump to conclusions? DRIFT?! But he--grudgingly--acknowledges Mirage's point. The whole way to win the war: saving lives. Well, the right lives. Turmoil can still suck on a landmine.
"Visible," he muttered. Right. Business time: he drew his short blades. Wanted to get a sense of Mirage's combat style before he tried anything fancy. At this point, he doesn't know if Mirage actually has...well...for all he knows? Tentacles or something.
He'd definitely want to see tentacles coming.
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Post by Mirage on Jun 2, 2011 17:23:06 GMT -5
Mirage is certainly the touchy-feely type, but he only has the two hands with which to do the touching. Sorry to disappoint.
"Oh, I intend to make the best of it. At least Glyph managed to get the translation patch worked out, so I no longer have the constant code-conflict induced headaches."
Mirage nods in approval as Drift takes his stance. "Blademasters are rather uncommon in my reality," he smirks, "More uncommon then the abilities we were previously discussing, actually. I'm looking forward to practicing against you."
While he talks, he is evaluating Drift's posture and weapons. The swords should give him roughly an extra arm's length of reach. Mirage's own armor is fragile and not suited to closing. But... if Mirage can get close enough....
He starts to circle Drift, watching for an opening.
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Post by Drift on Jun 6, 2011 21:51:27 GMT -5
Well, yes, invisibility AND tentacles would probably be pushing the Edge of Speshul. "Must be nice there's a fix for your thing." There still isn't one for his sword. Use it? Risk death. WAY more serious than a fraggin' headache.
Then again, these refined hoity-toity mechs who actually had, you know, homes and such might find processor-aches to be the end of the fraggin' world.
He pivots on his heels as Mirage circles around him, rotating one wrist in a circle, loosening the servos. He's wary, but, he's pretty sure he can handle whatever Mirage's got. His major concern--as always--is being able to pull back enough not to actually really hurt Mirage.
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Post by Mirage on Jun 6, 2011 23:20:01 GMT -5
Yes, Mirage is a special, special uniquely polymerized crystal formation of the cold and white variety. He likes it that way. <_<
Mirage continues to circle as he considers Drift. Mirage could utilize his tech, yet still, technically, remain visible. However, Mirage has the distinct feeling that the swordsman would consider that a violation of the spirit of things, or some such. If Drift were more familiar with Mirage, but....
"Oh it isn't a real fix," he says conversationally, "I still have the issue. I'm just no longer having to take take painkillers in my energon at every fueling just to function." Mirage frowns, "Though I do still need them more than I like. I dislike being dependent upon anything."
"Or anyone, for that matter." Familiar, yes?
Mirage has been slowly tightening his circle as he walks and talks, so that now he should be just on the outer edge of Drift's reach. Normally, Mirage would never make the first move without taking an advantage, but he thinks Drift has patience enough to wait forever- unless Mirage goads him into a move. Since Mirage is trying to not turn this into a truly violent session, that isn't really an option.
His pace around Drift has been steady throughout. Without warning, Mirage sidesteps quickly before darting in and dropping low, trying to move inside Drift's range of motion and thus make it harder for Drift to bring his swords into play.
OOC: Yeah, so really? I suck at this type of melee writing. Boxing, rough and tumble I can do, but I have no idea how to actually handle someone with swords when unarmed. Hopefully I won't totally frag this up. :/
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Post by Drift on Jun 9, 2011 22:16:34 GMT -5
NO ONE is as special as Drift! How dare you!?
"Painkillers." That's all Drift's going to say about that. But Mirage might imagine that the word 'wuss' or 'pansy' is heavily, heavily implied. Because nothing hurts as much as Drift's special angst.
He grunts, because he hates that he...almost agrees with Mirage. He hates relying on other mechs. They can let you down. Or worse...you can get them killed. It didn't used to matter, but now...it does. "'S'why I work alone," he manages.
He watches Mirage do his little fancy-dance around him. The mech is fast, Drift'll grant him that. But he's not used to swords. Like everyone, he seems to think the swords don't have an internal range.
Surprise, Snob! Drift flips his wrist, prepared to bring the pommels of his short swords into play to block Mirage's attack.
((ooc: no worries! We'll muddle through together!))
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Post by Mirage on Jun 10, 2011 22:49:08 GMT -5
Sorry Drift. If you're Wolverine, then Mirage is Warren Worthington III.
This of course means that at some point, Mirage must have an uber ansgty moment in which he tries to get rid of his specialness and gets turned into the harbinger of death, and Drift must have his blades removed from him in a painful and embarrassing fashion.
"You too?" Mirage asks when Drift talks about working alone, "Working with others introduces too many variables."
Mirage was already coming in low, so when Drift flips his swords to block, Mirage turns the move into a slide, trying to scissor his legs between Drift's and bring the swordsmech down. The problem with this, is that if his timing isn't right, Mirage might wind up pinned to the floor like a butterfly on a tray.
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