*Air is still upset at how Metal is acting but at the same time, he finds it a bit amusing that Metal is getting this much respect. The younger ones had tended to take a thrashing or two to realize that old doesn't mean weak in their universe.*
*Metal is a bit surprised at the amount of respect he's getting from Quint and Ballade.* Oldest or not, I'm pathetic. I should have been able to fight back. *As though he wasn't even thinking about exactly what he is saying* Master Wind only gave me the treatment I deserved... Nothing more. No matter how much those experiments hurt sometime.
*Quint finds it a little hard to disgaree with him, not because he agrees with what Metal is saying, but just because of who Metal is.*
None of us could have done any better, oniisan. I've seen enough about how Wind's chips work to know that.
And the way he tricked you.. *Quint shivers slightly* He must have known you'd try to escape him if you knew any of the others were safe, so he tricked you into thinking you were alone.
*Quint manages a bit of a smile, and adds* I think that means he was scared of you, oniisan, to go through that much trouble to trick you so you wouldn't fight him.
And you don't deserve the kind of things Wind does. Nobody deserves that - except maybe Wind.
*Air sounds a bit uneasy at talking about this.* He put one of those chips in me. I know how they work. *He hesitates a bit before adding.* You can only resist it so long before something knocks you off balance enough for it to take control...
*Metal sounds a bit ashamed to be admitting to this, but does so anyways.* Why would he fear me? I couldn't fight off Epsilon by myself... I did stop fighting when I was told they were all gone. What point was there in continuing without them? The chip kept me functioning, though. Even when I wasn't sure I wanted to...
The whole team ambushed you? *Quint blinks, surprised at first, but then nodding as this explains something that had confused him* I guess they would have had to to catch you.
*He smiles slightly* I bet they needed a lot of repairs afterwards.
And I know you could beat Wind if he didn't cheat. Why wouldn't he be scared of you...
*Metal sighs, shaking his head.* I wasn't ready to deal with them. Barely scratched most of them. And the few times he let me try to escape, they were all waiting...
*He hesitates then adds* I don't think I could take him down. Wind scares me too much now...
*Steadfast has been watching and listening quietly once more. She's crouched down with her wings folded back to make herself look smaller, arms hanging down her sides with palms open. The message of her body language is obvious - 'I mean no harm,' and her voice is calm and clear as she speaks.*
Did I hear that right? You fought all of the Epsilons at once and lived? You thought all of yours were dead and lived? Metal... You're not weak.
I'm Steadfast, by the way. And I have no reason to lie when I say that everyone here is alive and you're safe.
*Quint looked up at Steadfast and smiled. She'd been quiet for a long time. It was surprising how easy that made it to not notice her, even though she was 30 ft tall.*
*He hoped Flash and Metal wouldn't be too disturbed. He didn't think they'd be used to 30-ft-tall sentient robots. All of the ones he'd ever heard of that tall in his own universe hadn't been much more than drones.*
*He goes over to hug her, briefly, just to help reassure them she wasn't a threat*
*Flash finally does notice Steadfast. And it is a very good thing that his weapons are disabled, or he might have used them. As it is, he just stares, very much aware of the lack of teleportation and weapons now.*
*Metal doesn't really pay that much attention to what he's talking to now. He's that upset by this point.* Wind wanted me alive. He wasn't going to let one of his toys destroyed so easily. *He shivers a little, not wanting to use any of the even worse terms Wind had used for him. He sounds a bit bitter by this point.* I'm only still around because he wanted it.
*Steadfast takes a good guess at what Flash must be thinking right now.* Hey, I know I'm bigger than you and I know I'm a Decepticon. But if I wanted to trash you, I would have done it while you were still in those boxes, instead of waiting for them to go through the trouble of fixing you.
*She looks at Metal.* Well, since you're free now, I guess now you'll get to be around because you want it.
*Flash still is a bit nervous, but decides that since everyone else is saying it's fine, then it probably is. Even if Steadfast's way of trying to calm him makes him worry even more.*
*Metal shivers a little at the thought of being free. He's not sure what to think of it. He's never been free, even before Wind...* I'm free? Really? *He looks down a little.* I thought I was safe from Wind before... How do I know it's true now?
*Quint smiles at Metal, trying to be reassuring* Yes, oniisan, you're free. Really. Wind's chip is gone, and you don't have to obey Wily any more either.
And, like Steadfast said, Wind doesn't even know about this place. Or a lot of the others I know about.
*Quick sighs.* And this is exactly why we didn't try removing the fail-safes from Metal before. We were afraid that he might try to turn us and himself in for it. Then we'd all be... *He trails off, not wanting to finish the thought.* He's always been loyal.
*Metal sounds a bit more frightened at hearing this.* Can't go back? But we have to go back. That's what we're supposed to do. We belong to Lord Wily. That is our place. How can we not go back?
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None of us could have done any better, oniisan. I've seen enough about how Wind's chips work to know that.
And the way he tricked you.. *Quint shivers slightly* He must have known you'd try to escape him if you knew any of the others were safe, so he tricked you into thinking you were alone.
*Quint manages a bit of a smile, and adds* I think that means he was scared of you, oniisan, to go through that much trouble to trick you so you wouldn't fight him.
And you don't deserve the kind of things Wind does. Nobody deserves that - except maybe Wind.
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*He smiles slightly* I bet they needed a lot of repairs afterwards.
And I know you could beat Wind if he didn't cheat. Why wouldn't he be scared of you...
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*He hesitates then adds* I don't think I could take him down. Wind scares me too much now...
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Did I hear that right? You fought all of the Epsilons at once and lived? You thought all of yours were dead and lived? Metal... You're not weak.
I'm Steadfast, by the way. And I have no reason to lie when I say that everyone here is alive and you're safe.
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*He hoped Flash and Metal wouldn't be too disturbed. He didn't think they'd be used to 30-ft-tall sentient robots. All of the ones he'd ever heard of that tall in his own universe hadn't been much more than drones.*
*He goes over to hug her, briefly, just to help reassure them she wasn't a threat*
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*She looks at Metal.* Well, since you're free now, I guess now you'll get to be around because you want it.
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It's over now, oniisan. None of us are going to let Wind hurt you again.
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And, like Steadfast said, Wind doesn't even know about this place. Or a lot of the others I know about.
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*He seems to be a little shocked as the bit about Wily sinks in.* I don't have to obey Lord Wily? Why? Isn't that our purpose?
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*he fidgets again and looks to Metal* You can't go back, oniisan. None of us can.
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