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Post by Sable Conolly on May 29, 2010 18:34:59 GMT -5
Day 4, open
Scourge is sitting on a park bench in one of the nicer, cleaner parks. The overall area is a fairly secluded glen, though it is on the trail on the map. There's a sparkling lake not too far away, though the water gleams because of added chemicals, rather than any actual health, and the fish in it appear to be descended from lawyers.
He's spent a fair amount of time looking up every dam and power station in the city, scoping out their weaknesses. It pains him that he likely will never be called upon to raise so much as a finger against any of them, however.
So now, Scourge has retired to the quiet of this park, under the dappled light of the trees.
He's not alone.
There's someone on his lap, and his arms are loosely around the other, holding something down on the other's lap.
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Motormaster
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Not the Nicest Guy You Know
Posts: 127
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Post by Motormaster on May 29, 2010 18:39:28 GMT -5
Motormaster presses his fingertips with barely enough force to feel the textured metal underneath them. He frowns in concentration, head tipped forward even though he can't see what Scourge is pressing his hands against.
He can feel, though. He can feel the beat of sunlight on his metal, the pulse of Scourge's systems against his back, the unfamiliar textures under his fingertips.
"Is it supposed to be like this?"
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Post by Victoria Raines on May 30, 2010 9:47:57 GMT -5
As Shockwave mention to Hellbender later on in the day, he enjoys the ordered beauty of the cities better parks. They would be better were they made of crystal and steel, but they suffice to allow the gunformer to regain his balance in such a chaotic location as Pz-zazz.
The daytime hours find Shockwave without his usually present shadow, the Decepticon commander having felt the need for solitude for this stroll. Circumstances find his feet upon the same secluded path that leads to the two black trucks who at first blush seem to be canoodling on a bench.
It will remain to be seen if that is what they are actually doing once Shockwave reaches them.
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Post by Sable Conolly on May 30, 2010 23:34:26 GMT -5
Scourge explains, "Feel it. The little dots make a pattern. These patterns correspond to hiragana, which is a syllabary. Put those hiragana together, and you get words. This is gojuon ordering, because iroha ordering is more old-fashioned, and you probably won't run into it."
He's made up some aluminum plate sheets of sample Braille readers. He has, of course, taken the passages from The Art of War, translated into Japanese.
What? Scourge is from Japan! It's his first language. Decepticon and Cybertronian are secondary languages. Also, Decepticon and Cybertronian don't do Braille, though he supposes he could do embossed glyphs. But not Glyph. She's an Autobot, and Scourge doesn't know about her yet.
"Now, you try to read the passage back to me?"
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Motormaster
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Not the Nicest Guy You Know
Posts: 127
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Post by Motormaster on May 30, 2010 23:41:51 GMT -5
Motormaster runs his fingertips over a vertical line of little dots. Two columns and three rows per hiragana syllable. Dividing them up correctly is easy, it's translating from Japanese to English that he's finding a bit tricky.
"In hard- no. Difficult. In difficult soil- battles, the context says it should be battles, not dirt- Ground? In difficult ground, press on. In... encircled? encircled ground, devise strategems." He grins as he read the last line. "In death ground, fight."
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Post by Victoria Raines on May 31, 2010 10:34:20 GMT -5
Oh good, Shockwave is not going to catch the black trucks in flagrante delicto. That would be terribly awkward, however pleasing the imagery. Though Shockwave would have to commend Scourge on such a progression.
It was not terribly long ago, remember, that Shockwave was explaining the concept of such things to an incredulous Scourge who didn't understand why the alternate Prime would suffer a roommate.
Shockwave stops next to the pair, head tilted as he studies the metal in Motormaster's lap.
He addesses Scourge, "You are teaching him the human's blind language. Why?"
No one ever told Shockwave that Motormaster was blind, and he's been too busy of late to go digging about in the medical records.
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Post by Sable Conolly on May 31, 2010 11:35:08 GMT -5
Scourge's antennae flick back a bit as Motormaster stumbles his way through the words and then finds surer footing. He purrs, "Very good, Motormaster. The understanding of the land as an integral part of the battle itself is a rather unique vantage and well worth considering, I think..."
His head snaps around as he realises that he's not alone with the other big black truck. He shifts, almost about to stand up, but then he remembers that Motormaster's on his lap, so he settles himself back down and awkwardly snaps a hand up into a salute, trying to avoid bonking Motormaster on the helmet in the process. "Sir! I am instructing Motormaster in Japanese Braille because he can't read."
A pause.
"He's blind, sir."
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Motormaster
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Not the Nicest Guy You Know
Posts: 127
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Post by Motormaster on May 31, 2010 12:07:20 GMT -5
"You have to fight differently on different types of land, don't you?" Motormaster asks. Not that he really thinks much about his battle tactics. Motormaster is a master of the art of 'get 'em!', really.
He doesn't lift his head as Shockwave approaches, though he does ping an active scan on the boss-gun. When he feels Scourge shift underneath him and perceives the awkward salute, he delivers a sloppy one of his own.
"What he said. And I hear enough about how it's a fixable defect, and it ain't a defect."
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Post by Victoria Raines on May 31, 2010 12:58:53 GMT -5
"At ease, Scourge, no need for such formalities. You are on your own time," Shockwave says.
"But the respect is appreciated, as always, Ground Commander."
He studies Motormaster thoughtfully. While Shockwave is as expressionless as ever, Scourge has probably been around Shockwave enough to recognize the signs that Motormaster's situation piques the gunformer's interest a bit too much.
"Interesting. I had not noticed, which means you compensate for it well enough," Shockwave shrugs, "As for it being a defect- organics are sometimes created without sight or with other handicaps, and some of us are even given such defects at creation, perhaps as an attempt to balance a special power. I have never quite understood it, but it happens, and they can not always be repaired."
"So long as you can manage, and are not a liability to my troops I care not. Though I would appreciate the chance to examine your systems at some point."
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Post by Sable Conolly on May 31, 2010 13:08:16 GMT -5
Scourge is not at ease, despite Shockwave's words. Motormaster can probably feel how tense and stiff he is. He sits ramrod straight. Though, Scourge does answer Motormaster, "Oh, indeed. Too many armies have been felled by not paying attention to the unique constraints of terrain. A continent away, at Thermopylae..." he finally pauses himself, not wanting to talk over Shockwave.
So Scourge suggests, "I've been thinking about doing embossed Decepticon glyphs for him, but the glyphs aren't really meant for it, the way Braille is, sir."
Poor Motormaster. Shockwave's interested. That could be painful.
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Motormaster
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Not the Nicest Guy You Know
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Post by Motormaster on May 31, 2010 13:14:58 GMT -5
Motormaster settles in a haphazard-looking sprawl that obscures much of Scourge's body from Shockwave. He's used to being a shield, even if this is a more unusual type of shielding for him. "Thermopylae? And which continent away? There's three good options."
He frowns, his face still pointing at his lap and the Braille plates there. "Pretty sure Hook took scans of me already, sir..."
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Post by Victoria Raines on May 31, 2010 13:36:11 GMT -5
Shockwave's interest only trends toward the painful when those in whom he's interested anger him- or when they request it, which happens but rarely.
"I am sure Hook did; he is quite exacting and thorough. I will be certain to look those scans up when I've the time."
"But I prefer to examine such system abnormalities myself," Shockwave adds, as he moves to sit down on the bench next to the two trucks. He has not missed how stiff Scourge is, or how Motormaster seeks to guard him in his small way.
"Continue your lessons, please, Scourge. And do try to relax. Your initiative pleases me, so you need not fear a reprimand."
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Post by Sable Conolly on May 31, 2010 13:45:48 GMT -5
Scourge is a little boggled that Motormaster moves to protect him.
What did he do to deserve that, he wonders?
It can't be duelling Motormaster.
It certainly can't be singing "Eastbound and Down" while disgracefully, shamefully overcharged.
Hmm, something to ponder.
Scourge answers absently, "Thermopylae is in Europe. The specific thing of interest was that it was a very narrow pass, in the foothills." He twists his head over at Shockwave, who spookily seems to have read his mind. Scourge was uncertain if Shockwave would object to him teaching Motormaster to read. There's no reason why Scourge shouldn't that he can think of, and he has nothing better to be doing, not really. Scourge is not a common thug; not a hitman. He's more like an evil Navy SEAL, and Pz-Zazz just does not fit his genre. Shockwave's words allay his concerns, just a bit.
Should he have reported Motormaster's blindness? He doesn't think so, not after that odd protective move.
Scourge tries to grab Motormaster's fingers and move him to the next line. He prompts, "And this? What does this say?"
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Motormaster
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Not the Nicest Guy You Know
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Post by Motormaster on May 31, 2010 14:14:29 GMT -5
Scourge is teaching Motormaster to read.
No one has ever done more than just ignore his blindness before.
"Yes, sir," Motormaster says to Shockwave. "I'm free when Scourge is done with me."
He doesn't resist as Scourge forcibly moves his hand. He runs his fingers over the line, considering. "All warfare is based on Decepticons- deception." A pause. "Huh. Didn't know that pun worked in Earth-languages, too."
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Post by Victoria Raines on May 31, 2010 15:36:13 GMT -5
Shockwave makes a dismissive gesture. "No hurry Motormaster. It will be awhile before I have the luxury of time for such and exam. Just come when I request you, and all will be well.*"
He twists so that he's settled into the corner of the bench, gun arm propped on the back, other elbow on the bench arm. He listens to the lesson without comment, until Motormaster pauses.
"That is the book Sky-Byte uploaded as required reading, is it not?"
*Only really needs to be onscreened if for some reason you want it to be. It's just IC for Shox to request it.
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