|
Post by Mirage on Jul 29, 2011 17:12:44 GMT -5
"Oh, I'm rather certain you've thought about it more than you'd like to, but yet, not nearly enough. You're not what you were, but you're still avoidant of certain situations and topics. As evidenced by your non-answer."
Mirage eyes Sentinel's targets critically. "You improve quickly, at least. Not that you're doing well, mind but I would have laid odds that you wouldn't have managed to hit anything at all today."
Except maybe Mirage.
"Stick to the targets in the forefront for now, as they are level and require no adjustment of the sight or aim. Now try again."
Rather than turn back to his own targets, Mirage continues to watch Sentinel.
|
|
|
Post by Sentinel Prime on Jul 30, 2011 21:51:59 GMT -5
"If you've decided all that, you don't even need to ask the question," Sentinel Prime observes.
Oh, look. Mirage is baiting him with backhanded compliments to try to rile him up. That's cute. Yes, Sentinel Prime would normally get riled and say something stupid and revealing here. However, he doesn't want to do that around Mirage.
Sentinel Prime does stick to the targets in the forefront. If he walks his shots, he doesn't do... horribly. This isn't the kind of rifle you walk your shots with, though, and he'd still die in the field if this was all he could do.
|
|
|
Post by Mirage on Aug 1, 2011 21:09:24 GMT -5
Mirage watches Sentinel, and as he does, the spy gets more and more annoyed.
"You need to stop treating it like a generic firearm, as if it were some sort of tool," he says abruptly. Perhaps Sentinel isn't really treating his rifle that way, but to Mirage, Sentinel's handling of weapon is almost an insult.
Mirage moves back up behind Sentinel again, nestling against the Prime's back and sliding his hands around to once more settle over Sentinel's.
"There are others long-distance rifles, others that fire a similar load, but there are no other rifles quite like this rifle," Mirage murmurs. "This rifle is designed for the hunt, for long hours spent waiting, designed to shoot true and far. It is designed as an extension of self, and if you are to effectively use this rifle, you must trust some of yourself to it."
Mirage makes very minute changes to Sentinel's grip as he talks. "You're too stiff. Relax your stance and grip into the rifle more. Don't worry about making the shot quickly. Worry about making it count. With this rifle, speed should be the last thing you focus on." He gently squeezes off a shot which strikes directly through the center of Sentinel's target.
OOC: touching w/ permission
|
|
|
Post by Sentinel Prime on Aug 1, 2011 21:37:10 GMT -5
Sentinel Prime doesn't have any self to give away. What he had was taken forcibly; there is nothing left. Does even this pale simulation of a rifle know as much? Does it know him so truly? He has no trust he can offer to it, only lies.
He snorts derisively and opines, "Sounds like a lot of ninja mumbo-jumbo. Weapons are tools. Specialised tools that hurt people. Unless they're Nebulans, in which case they are valued members of the Autobot army."
"But hmm, if a rifle is an extension of the self, and you have to trust it... well, Mirage, this is your rifle. Should I trust you?" Sentinel Prime's optics harden, and perhaps there is a grimness and a triumph about his smile, for all that it glitters.
Relax and take his time, huh? Relaxing is the very hardest part. Some bots were just built uptight. He tries, but Mirage, close as he is, can likely feel that Sentinel Prime's just tense in different areas.
|
|
|
Post by Mirage on Aug 2, 2011 21:41:46 GMT -5
Sentinel asks the spy/hunter molded to his back if that hunter is trustworthy. Little late to be worrying over that don'tcha think?
Mirage chuckles lowly as he tries to shift Sentinel's posture and aim toward another target.
"You are a lot of things, Sentinel Prime, but you're not a fool. I'm sure you noticed that the circumstances surrounding Hound's arrival are no longer off the public record. That they ceased being so very shortly after you... recruited me."
"And yet, here I am. So what do you think, Sentinel? Should you trust me?"
|
|
|
Post by Sentinel Prime on Aug 4, 2011 20:08:22 GMT -5
Sentinel Prime accepts that it is possible that Mirage is going to murder him in his defrag someday. If Mirage kills him here and now? This is at least the simulation room.
He allows the adjustments to his posture and looks at the next target thoughtfully, perhaps a bit blankly. Sentinel Prime agrees, "I noticed. You're still here. Considering your personality, I can only assume that you're here because you wish to be."
Because, he assumes, Mirage is looking for Sentinel Prime to make some slip so Mirage can nail him and string him out to dry in front of command. How familiar.
Sentinel Prime does not address the matter of Mirage's trustworthiness or lack thereof.
|
|
|
Post by Mirage on Aug 7, 2011 14:25:52 GMT -5
"Because I want to be," Mirage repeats, "or perhaps because I was ordered to be."
Let Sentinel stew on that thought for awhile.
Once Mirage is satisfied with Sentinel's position, the spy tries to drop his hands to he Prime's waist. "Now fire," he says. Mirage wants to see if Sentinel can make the shot himself when perfectly set, or if the Prime will choke.
|
|
|
Post by Sentinel Prime on Aug 10, 2011 20:49:26 GMT -5
"There are two ways to take that," Sentinel Prime observes. One, that Sentinel Prime is under observation for some reason, possibly because Mirage is a whiny glitch of a tattletale. Two, that this is some arcane form of punishment for Mirage, because Mirage is a whiny glitch, and command wants Mirage to put some wires under his hood.
He takes the shot. Since Mirage perfectly set everything up, it connects. There'd need to be a pretty lady or a frustrated firetruck around for Sentinel Prime to make choke his drink of choice.
|
|
|
Post by Mirage on Aug 13, 2011 21:41:06 GMT -5
Mirage eyes Sentinel's shot critically. "Not bad. At least you can make a proper finish, once someone primes your pump."
"Do not adjust your grip or aim. Shift your feet and body into line with the target just to the left."
Mirage waits until he thinks Sentinel is set, then says conversationally, "I think she hates you more because she's jealous of you."
|
|
|
Post by Sentinel Prime on Aug 14, 2011 17:54:18 GMT -5
What Mirage is doing should shake Sentinel Prime from his careful movement and completely ruin his aim, were Sentinel Prime possessed of remotely normal emotional reactions. It isn't until his finger is gently sliding against that trigger that he intellectually processes his mistake.
Okay, so he'll just play it that he's stone cold and blasé, then. He replies calmly, "The gals often are jealous of my rugged good looks."
Sentinel Prime pauses; is his posture correct?
|
|
|
Post by Mirage on Aug 20, 2011 15:19:22 GMT -5
Behind Sentinel, Mirage's optics narrow. Cold and blase is not Sentinel's typical MO.
He reaches over and tries to twist Sentinel's hips slightly to adjust the line of the Prime's body.
"Not my meaning. If I am recalling what I've heard of the incident correctly, Optimus chose saving your life over hers. Elita-1 strikes me as the type who would never like coming in second best. But of course, that could just be idle gossip and misinterpretation." Mirage steps back.
"The target isn't going to shoot itself, you know."
|
|
|
Post by Sentinel Prime on Aug 21, 2011 20:21:58 GMT -5
OOC: Checked with Jetfire and Jetstorm's players and they okayed those two filling Sentinel in on the future off-screen.- - - Sentinel Prime is biddable enough as Mirage poses him again, letting the spy do as he wishes with his body while his mind thinks. After a moment, he reasons aloud, "Actually, that's... not the only time he did that. Uhm. So I'm told. So apparently, Optimus knew about her and didn't tell future-me about her," because Optimus is a jerk sometimes. Optimus is just endearing because he doesn't do it all the time. "...but anyway, there ended up being a transwarp explosion. Optimus kept future-me back but didn't pull El... Blackarachnia out, and she vanished. He has grapplers, you know!" Sentinel Prime falls silent for a moment and takes the shot. "You... may... may have a point, but the funny thing," it's not funny at all, "is that I don't think this Optimus would do that."
|
|
|
Post by Mirage on Aug 22, 2011 19:35:26 GMT -5
Mirage attempts to pat Sentinel on the shoulder as the Prime's shot scores the mark again. "Well done. Now try and set yourself for the target to the far right of the first and fire."
He takes a step back and to one side so he can watch Sentinel more easily. The spy's look remains critical throughout as he asks, "Do what? Save your life, or forsake Elita's? Do you think he cares so little for you both?"
He's pushing harder now. Those questions should get a volatile reaction if some sort. Should being the operative word, of course.
|
|
|
Post by Sentinel Prime on Aug 22, 2011 20:01:22 GMT -5
Sentinel Prime takes the pat without much reaction and moves as Mirage directed him. Set himself up and fire? Sentinel Prime sets himself up. He takes his time, unhurried. He follows everyone one of Mirage's instructions. He still misses, however, without Mirage's little tweaks. Sentinel Prime glares after the shot, still save for the movement of his furrowed brow plating.
Only then does he reply blandly, "No, I'm pretty sure he'd save Elita-1."
Sentinel Prime all but shoved Optimus into Elita-1's arms, after all. Optimus will be there for her, Sentinel Prime is certain.
|
|
|
Post by Mirage on Aug 25, 2011 23:35:37 GMT -5
Mirage could berate Sentinel for the miss, but he doesn't. He just harrumphs and points toward another target, closer this time.
"Try that one. Remember to adjust for the dart's expected fall."
He shifts his position so that he can observe Sentinel's setup from another angle. The spy is frowning, and not just because Sentinel can't make the shot unassisted. Either Sentinel took some acting classes on Pz-Zazz, or the blue Prime has deliberately dialed back his emotional responses for this encounter- or perhaps when dealing with Mirage at all? It is something to ponder.
"Why? Is he the type to be ruled by guilt?"
|
|