Misfire
Minor
The Chamberlain, His Incomparable Immensity, Emperor Misfire. The Accidental Butcher of Anyone He Wasn't Aiming At
Improving. Honest!
Posts: 449
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Post by Misfire on May 9, 2010 10:45:34 GMT -5
Misfire's doesn't move much when Wreckage first touches him, though he does tense, and perhaps his expression grows a bit drawn. Wreckage's words, though, and that tightening of grip make Misfire's wings twitch. It is almost two full minutes after Wreckage finishes before the Targetmaster responds.
"Wreckage," Misfire starts, tone carefully neutral, "I wasn't meaning to talk down to you. I don't know how your tech works. Hell, man, I can figure out those weird Predacon's easier than I can figure out you lot. They're just Pretenders who got a bit too close to their shells. "
"Take my brain module and stick it in some groundpounder body, and- aside from likely driving me insane- I'm not gonna grasp it too well. Yeah, the BIOS will tell me a lot, so I ought to be able to function, but that doesn't mean I'm gonna actually understand what all special instruments that body might have. Reacting to input is not the same as understanding. Which is why I asked."
He reaches up to rub the back of his head, which hopefully will have the affect of shaking of Wreckage's hand. Now his voice sounds a bit exasperated. "Plus- you gotta understand. Needlenose and Spinster are like, not representative of the normal level of intelligence in my reality's rank and file. Duskwing is. I was more likely to get punched for assuming too much intelligence, rather than too little."
"I'm sorry I offended you, but it was unintentionally done. So....can we get back to flying now?"
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Wreckage
Major
One of the Quiet Ones
Posts: 554
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Post by Wreckage on May 12, 2010 1:22:08 GMT -5
Wreckage almost sounds polite even as he lets Misfire withdraw.
"Do not assume at all," he suggests flatly. He did Misfire the favour of not assuming the strange, pink jet was as crazy as other fliers despite the urge to train Wreckage in flying. Or that Misfire wanted to kiss him; he would, in fact, neatly disjoint Misfire's arms for attempting it. "If I do not understand, I will ask." Because that is the reasonable way of doing things.
This time, Wreckage pushes off with a leap before transforming, burning marginally less grass and fuel to get airborne.
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Misfire
Minor
The Chamberlain, His Incomparable Immensity, Emperor Misfire. The Accidental Butcher of Anyone He Wasn't Aiming At
Improving. Honest!
Posts: 449
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Post by Misfire on May 12, 2010 16:50:15 GMT -5
Misfire watches Wreckage ascend, nodding slightly in both agreement and approval. It is a better take off than before, if only marginally. If Wreckage truly understands the new form's controls, this could be more a matter of the former Stryker simply getting used to them.
"All right. You did better with the slow turn earlier. Let's try it at a normal cruising speed." Which is...still slow for Misfire, but eh.
Misfire hops back into the air and transforms, zipping up to Wreckage's level and putting on speed before executing an effortless turn, losing little to none of that speed.
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Wreckage
Major
One of the Quiet Ones
Posts: 554
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Post by Wreckage on May 16, 2010 1:00:14 GMT -5
Wreckage understands altitude and, to a limited point, speed. Many sensors and instruments in this mode remain a mystery to him. Paying attention to them – trying to process what they all mean – distracts him from actually flying. He staggers into the turn, slowing to a crawl, and only begins to recover as he exits the turn and ignores his sensors in favour of simply following Misfire's lead.
He might be irritated at the ease with which Misfire manoeuvres if he had not already resigned this entire exercise to a contingency plan. He may learn, but only so he will not be a complete liability should he somehow, for some unfathomable reason, find himself embroiled in air combat.
…Though any training would have been useful against that miserable pest of an Autobot plane on the abandoned highway.
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Misfire
Minor
The Chamberlain, His Incomparable Immensity, Emperor Misfire. The Accidental Butcher of Anyone He Wasn't Aiming At
Improving. Honest!
Posts: 449
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Post by Misfire on May 17, 2010 9:42:27 GMT -5
That is why Misfire offered to explain the instruments! Wreckage has only his own hubris to blame for getting his back up over it.
"Okay, no, that was terrible," Misfire say, and despite his words, there is no ridicule in his tone.
The gaudy jet executes a loop that ends with him once more pacing next to Wreckage, though Misfire does not slow their pace. Misfire is quiet for a few moments, waiting for the other to settle. It also gives him time to try and figure out how to explain something that is, for him, as instinctive as cycling his cooling vents.
"If the turn is really tight, you might have to actually brake or do an extreme speed drop, but you really want to avoid that. It'll make you stall, like I said earlier." Misfire's tone changes slightly, and one might imagine him to be smiling, "And just because you can survive a fall doesn't make it any more desirable!"
"Right now, worry less about staying on 'course' with me, and more about taking the turn as fast as you can without braking. If you swing wide, it's okay; it's not an obstacle course. Just watch your balance indicators and bank as you need to execute the turn. Watch."
Misfire shoots away from Wreckage and runs through a couple of quick and tight turns, his body becoming almost perpendicular to the ground as he does so. He then slows his speed, and executes the same types of turns, but with a much wider curve. He doesn't have to bank as much for those.
"Your turn. Just to a couple wide ones, and don't over think it. Honestly, that body should know better what it needs you to do; go with what feels right, and don't worry about executing it properly."
OOC: many, many apologies to anyone I am irking with my horrible descriptions of flying mechanics. I know next to nothing about it, and am just sorta...winging it. (pun intended)
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Wreckage
Major
One of the Quiet Ones
Posts: 554
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Post by Wreckage on May 19, 2010 12:35:11 GMT -5
The idea of nagivating this mode by feel is anathema; it will be thought through and learned properly. Wreckage does not sneer in disdain only because the plane has no face. He does not answer Misfire, either, cruising at low speed as he goes over the data again and again. He was not this confused by it all when chasing Thundercracker, so why now? Why, when he has the time to do this in a reasonable manner, does he falter?
How did he do it then? Wreckage searches his memory banks, sifting through the pain of crashing through buildings, through the outrage and betrayal, trying to focus on the pursuit. He accelerates away from Misfire, remembering the dive between buildings. Then the turn–
Wreckage veers sharply around a non-existent skyscraper, inelegant but at speed, and comes back around on that plane. No. Not blue. He banks again and pulls up to avoid a collision.
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Misfire
Minor
The Chamberlain, His Incomparable Immensity, Emperor Misfire. The Accidental Butcher of Anyone He Wasn't Aiming At
Improving. Honest!
Posts: 449
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Post by Misfire on May 19, 2010 14:06:58 GMT -5
If Misfire could hear Wreckage's thoughts, he'd be able to tell the frontliner that he had less trouble during the games because he wasn't thinking, he was reacting. Not that hearing that would make Wreckage any happier.
Misfire is about to praise Wreckage for his sudden improvement when the other plane proves to be on a collision course. Misfire points his nose down as Wreckage pulls up, transforming and tumbling toward the ground. He pops on his antigravs and uses them as a brake, the movement neither as easy or graceful as Fleetwind makes it seem, but still much smoother than a novice's. Misfire then transforms again, shooting back up to Wreckages's level.
"That was much better, Wreckage, but watch getting too wrapped up in the movements. You gotta stay aware of who's in the sky with you," he calls, his voice not in the least bit chiding.
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Wreckage
Major
One of the Quiet Ones
Posts: 554
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Post by Wreckage on May 20, 2010 9:04:27 GMT -5
Wreckage's only answer for Misfire is a low rumble since the flier manages to unknowingly sum up the precise reason he puts thought before action. That brief slip worries and irritates him; has Skystrike put him entirely off balance? Is he really letting something like that affect him this much? He makes a scornful noise at himself as he levels out his climb and simply cruises at his new altitude.
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Misfire
Minor
The Chamberlain, His Incomparable Immensity, Emperor Misfire. The Accidental Butcher of Anyone He Wasn't Aiming At
Improving. Honest!
Posts: 449
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Post by Misfire on May 21, 2010 19:29:46 GMT -5
Misfire transforms again, hovering on his antigravs as he watches Wreckage cruise. He isn't doing to terrible, Misfire thinks, "He just over thinks it way too much.
"Hrm. I have an idea. How about a change in scenery?" Misfire isnt' really talking to Wreckage, just musing aloud. He drops down to the ground.
//Gonna change the sim. You wanna come down here, or just adapt?// he asks over shortrange, rather than try and yell.
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Wreckage
Major
One of the Quiet Ones
Posts: 554
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Post by Wreckage on May 24, 2010 21:39:21 GMT -5
Alter the simulation? Wreckage attempts to shrug without considering his current mode; one wingtip dips and he follows through rather than fight it, sweeping through a slow turn. The current scenario is banal and entirely too… sunny. Changing it would not be unreasonable.
//Acknowledged,// he answers. He remains in the air.
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Misfire
Minor
The Chamberlain, His Incomparable Immensity, Emperor Misfire. The Accidental Butcher of Anyone He Wasn't Aiming At
Improving. Honest!
Posts: 449
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Post by Misfire on May 25, 2010 15:29:42 GMT -5
"Mmmhmmm." So that would be the choice of adapt.
Misfire isn't a cruel mech by normal Decepticon standards. This doesn't mean that he isn't cruel at all or that he doesn't have a bit of a mean streak. You don't spend as many years being bullied and trying to fit in as he has and not get tainted a little.
So when he inputs the new scenario, there is a sly smile on his lips and a little voice murmuring in his mind about how amusing it will be to push the bulky, graceless (comparatively) frontliner even more out of his comfort zone and force him to just fly.
That voice is followed almost immediately with a sense of annoyance and anger- at himself, for acting like everyone else.
Still, the scene abruptly changes from a sunny plain to a darkened maze, walls going from floor to ceiling. The only lighting is inset in the maze walls, they cast odd shadows all about. The maze path is fairly wide in the area where Wreckage is; two jets could probably fly side by side. This width does not remain constant, however, and the maze not only twists and turns, but sometimes there are poles in the middle of the run, or outcroppings jutting out from the sides.
Sometimes, these things suddenly slide out mere seconds before one gets to that segment.
//Have a little slice of life from the Decepticon Military College.// Misfire says, tone a touch bitter. //I can watch you on the monitor, or I can come in the maze with you. Whatever you prefer.//
//Or,// and here Misfire's voice goes back to that amiable, fun tone, //We can play hide and seek.//
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Wreckage
Major
One of the Quiet Ones
Posts: 554
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Post by Wreckage on May 27, 2010 11:10:31 GMT -5
The sudden onset of dim lighting and high walls is disorienting; Wreckage very nearly runs into an outcropping that does nothing more exceptional than stick out from the wall. He actually transforms to avoid ploughing into it and tumbles several metres before he can grab hold of something. He hangs there for several seconds, just trying to take in the changes.
This is a training course for Decepticon soldiers in Misfire's reality?
//Hide and seek is a game,// Wreckage answers with clear disdain. Capture the Flag was more than enough game for him.
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Misfire
Minor
The Chamberlain, His Incomparable Immensity, Emperor Misfire. The Accidental Butcher of Anyone He Wasn't Aiming At
Improving. Honest!
Posts: 449
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Post by Misfire on May 27, 2010 14:53:41 GMT -5
//War is a game, with the highest stakes extant,// Misfire counters, //Choose a strategy, move your pieces, take the objective- you've never played Full Stasis, have you?//
//At any rate, Hide and Seek take on a whole new meaning in the maze- I've seen some bouts that were life or death. But eh, probably better to stick to maneuvers anyway.//
Misfire for now just watches on the monitor, since Wreckage didn't ask him to come in. As Wreckage hangs there, something occurs to Misfire.
//Oh, yeah. You don't want to hit the floor. Depending on the area and level, it could just be jagged rocks, it could be electrified, stuff like that. The final pass course for graduation? It was molten. You drop in, you melt. Well, you feel like you melt, and let me tell you, the test administrators wouldn't cut the sim until you were close to dying for real from the systems stress./.
Some did die, but Misfire doesn't mention that.
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Wreckage
Major
One of the Quiet Ones
Posts: 554
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Post by Wreckage on May 30, 2010 9:17:56 GMT -5
Wreckage makes a scornful noise when Misfire calls war a game. It is no game; thinking of it as one is what gets soldiers killed. Small wonder, he decides, that the garish jet is such a lacklustre warrior if this way of life is nothing more than high-stakes entertainment to him.
"Fool," hisses before dragging himself up, slithering – as much as a collection of sharp, jutting plane fuselage and limbs can slither – up and onto the outcropping. He gathers himself into a low crouch and gives what he can see of the labyrinth another cautious once-over. //I presume you expect me to simply… fly around.//
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Misfire
Minor
The Chamberlain, His Incomparable Immensity, Emperor Misfire. The Accidental Butcher of Anyone He Wasn't Aiming At
Improving. Honest!
Posts: 449
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Post by Misfire on May 30, 2010 9:57:51 GMT -5
Misfire doesn't consider war entertainment. On the contrary, Misfire takes war very, very seriously. But he comes from a universe where the Weapon of the Week could just as easily be a giant wheel of cheese as a plasma death ray, and where commanders treat troops like toys soldiers, expendable, easily replaceable. To say his opinion stems from a unique perspective would be an understatement.
Misfire snorts. //Isn't nearly so simple as 'simply'. This sim is pretty damn dead on as far as replicating the collage course goes. I've got it set to a lower level, but that just means it only frags with you a little, instead of a lot. Still frags with you.//
//Now, you can just 'fly around' if you want, and get the hang of quick maneuvers and the like; that's how I've got it set right now. Or I can switch it to a timed objective scenario. Whatever you prefer.//
//But I really think you ought to get a bit better at turns and the like before you try something timed.//
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