Yes, in fact, I do! And as if YOU would react any better when he brings up Thundercracker's name like that.
[ Yes, he has in fact figured out some of what you meant Starscream, reading that last message. The mention still hurts, still gets under his plating in the same way. But Thundercracker had all the common sense, and Starscream will simply have to try to do better. ]
I didn't even know what a fragging scraplet was until they started BITING!
[ Across text, the other Starscream can not see this one's posture shift. Nothing so overt as a flinch, no he's had long enough (too long) to quash those involuntary reactions. Instead this is a closing of ranks, a drawing inward and strengthening walls he never lets drop anyway. ]
Don't be so weak-sparked. How long do you think it will take for someone to notice that mentioning our trine is a sure way to rile you? And then that will be all they'll focus on.
[ How dare he. How DARE he. This was his TRINE, how could he not feel like this, like if he thought about them too hard his entire world would crumple and catch fire- He's alone, he's ALONE, and it's agonizing. How dare this counterpart brush it off.
Even if he's probably right.
But Starscream won't let it stand, and moves before he thinks once more. What pops onto his counterpart's screen is not the cartoony, ascot-wearing avatar he's been using. Instead it's all sharp teeth and sharper claws, blanketed in razored edges and a red halo of rage, and the poor communicator heats up far more than the usual with it. ]
[ If Starscream is surprised by the appearance of the avatar, it's quickly covered up by a sneer and then he slaps the communicator screen-side down on the desk, as if slamming a door in someone's face. ]
You are and you're doing it right now, you glitch!
[ There's a muffled screech that bursts out of the datapad, loud enough to vibrate it slightly across the table. Then Starscream decides there's better ways to do this, and a heat shimmer moves into the air, just sitting there beside the desk for a moment before the ghostly form of one irate Seeker finally coalesces properly. ]
It's not been even a YEAR! You can't blame me for still being upset!
[ Reflexively, Starscream takes a step back from the perceived danger of the other's appearance, his wings hiking up in a show of threat before the words register. A year?! There's a flurry of emotions that are visible: distrust, pity, despair and jealousy all take their turn. ]
One year. You— had so much longer with them. You should be grateful for that.
[ But then it's gone again, his expression smoothing out into cold dispassion, compacting the storm of feelings away back into the parts of himself that Starscream doesn't like to examine. ]
The faster you can bury your grief, the better off you'll be. Until you manage to get that under control, you'll have a target painted on you.
Maybe I did, but it only gave Megatron time to make us all turn on each other.
[ He can't help the grief there. It's still fresh, and his counterpart at least understands it. Even if he's being a right aft about it. It's there, he saw it, and he's not about to just forget about it.
He just- Shouldn't talk about what he did. What part he played in it. ]
I'd like to see them TRY. I've got my Brigade; they'd have to be foolish to come after me with the both of them around. [ Despite everything, he trusts them to watch his back. Funny how things turn out. ]
[ It's visible in the way that Starscream's posture tightens up even more, that he wants to fling a rebuttal at the other — they would never! — but yet again, the explosive reaction that seems like it would be natural never surfaces.
Or maybe it's the mention of the Brigade, an unsubtle reminder that while the other Starscream has managed to pull together some semblance of a cohort aboard the R2, his thinner counterpart has had no such luck. Aside from an overture at Slipstream, which the other Starscream rapidly repelled, he has not made the effort to integrate himself with anyone yet. ]
You should be careful with them. Megatron — any Megatron — is not known for their foresight before choosing a target. You will be putting them in harm's way simply by being attached to them.
[ That ghostly form sneers at him, drifting around the room like some sort of bad horror novel. His wings flick, and he crosses his arms across his transparent cockpit. Optics that aren't really there have keenly tracked that almost-outburst, the way it's kept back. How interesting.
But of course they would. Not the way Starscream though in his rage and his sense of betrayal, but Megatron had set them against each other regardless. Skywarp's taunts turning against his trine leader, Thundercracker nearly letting Skyfire go- It was not good, at the end. ]
Brawl can take care of himself! And I have good intel that if anyone touches Slipstream, her own Megatron will be most displeased. I heard he went after that antlered menace, after all. As for his own inevitable lashing out... [ He grins, all teeth. ] I'm planning for that.
Yes, since your last plan worked spectacularly well, I'm certain this new one will be properly thought out and not at all based on whatever fit of temper you happen to be in at the moment.
Disbelieve it all you like! But I do. Just because I'm not inclined to tell you it doesn't mean I don't have it in reserve. We may be the same, and you may be far better company than our insane counterpart, but you know how it is. [ A smirk. ] I doubt you would tell me your plans, after all.
[ He'd be a fool to trust himself. They're both looking for power, even if he's been far more successful at cementing something for himself than his silver double. While this may yet turn into a proper partnership between them... Starscream's still going to be careful. ]
[ It's true, Starscream is unlikely to tell this one about his plans either, but he would have thought that given the state he ended up in — dead — for lack of the last one, he'd at least consider taking the advice. Was this how Jane felt, dealing with him?
But perhaps when death didn't stick, the other Starscream could afford to be so cavalier about a failure. ]
Far better "company" would require you to actually experience my company once in a while. Presumably you are here now because you want something?
[ He doesn't sound miffed, only mildly expectant. This Starscream occupies a time and place in his world where his daily life is just pitting people's values against one another, including his own. ]
I'm HERE because you had the sheer gall to insinuate that I can't feel grief about my dead fragging trine! I could have done a lot worse than simply just show up. I was having a nice time bothering people, I'll have you know.
[ He huffs, tucking his knees up to his cockpit a little with his arms still crossed, effectively sitting in the air. ]
[ Starscream's lengthy claws flex, like he would rend into the other if he were only tangible. His tone however is just as cutting. ]
No, you insufferable buffoon, I said not to let it affect you in ways other people can and will take advantage of!
Of course you will grieve, they were trine, but do you think Thundercracker or Skywarp would want you easily manipulated at their expense? Is that an adequate way to remember them?
And I'm telling you my grieving is none of your fragging business! YOU might not have anyone to watch your back, but I DO, and if anyone tries to take advantage of me like that, well- They'll be very much surprised.
If something bold enough to call itself a god couldn't use me, then I doubt other mechs will have the LUCK.
[ The heat rises a couple of degrees with Starscream's anger; his counterpart may not be able to use his claws, but that helplessness does not necessarily go both ways. ]
[ Something cold and bitter suffuses Starscream's expression when his counterpart (correctly) points out that he does not have anyone to watch his back. Because as far as himself is concerned, he doesn't. He has allies like Jane Solo, but even those are fragile and came close to breaking once already. Everyone else here, even those who should be at least familiar, are strangers at least and enemies at worst.
But that doesn't mean he wants to have that knowledge thrown in his face, so he hisses: ]
[ The lights flicker threateningly, the heat going up a couple more degrees just to show Starscream's silver counterpart what he's dealing with... And then the ghost fades out, and the heat with it. He's got better things to do than bitching matches with a second-rate Starscream. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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[ He's still getting used to having to hold the common sense all by himself, okay? ]
Those little pets of his apparently EAT METAL, just in case you were wondering.
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Of course they do, they're scraplets! Which you would have known if you had ASKED or LISTENED to me.
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[ Yes, he has in fact figured out some of what you meant Starscream, reading that last message. The mention still hurts, still gets under his plating in the same way. But Thundercracker had all the common sense, and Starscream will simply have to try to do better. ]
I didn't even know what a fragging scraplet was until they started BITING!
At least this hasn't been completely fruitless.
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Don't be so weak-sparked. How long do you think it will take for someone to notice that mentioning our trine is a sure way to rile you? And then that will be all they'll focus on.
text -> action
[ How dare he. How DARE he. This was his TRINE, how could he not feel like this, like if he thought about them too hard his entire world would crumple and catch fire- He's alone, he's ALONE, and it's agonizing. How dare this counterpart brush it off.
Even if he's probably right.But Starscream won't let it stand, and moves before he thinks once more. What pops onto his counterpart's screen is not the cartoony, ascot-wearing avatar he's been using. Instead it's all sharp teeth and sharper claws, blanketed in razored edges and a red halo of rage, and the poor communicator heats up far more than the usual with it. ]
I am not weak-sparked.
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You are and you're doing it right now, you glitch!
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It's not been even a YEAR! You can't blame me for still being upset!
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One year. You— had so much longer with them. You should be grateful for that.
[ But then it's gone again, his expression smoothing out into cold dispassion, compacting the storm of feelings away back into the parts of himself that Starscream doesn't like to examine. ]
The faster you can bury your grief, the better off you'll be. Until you manage to get that under control, you'll have a target painted on you.
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Maybe I did, but it only gave Megatron time to make us all turn on each other.
[ He can't help the grief there. It's still fresh, and his counterpart at least understands it. Even if he's being a right aft about it. It's there, he saw it, and he's not about to just forget about it.
He just- Shouldn't talk about what he did. What part he played in it. ]
I'd like to see them TRY. I've got my Brigade; they'd have to be foolish to come after me with the both of them around. [ Despite everything, he trusts them to watch his back. Funny how things turn out. ]
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Or maybe it's the mention of the Brigade, an unsubtle reminder that while the other Starscream has managed to pull together some semblance of a cohort aboard the R2, his thinner counterpart has had no such luck. Aside from an overture at Slipstream, which the other Starscream rapidly repelled, he has not made the effort to integrate himself with anyone yet. ]
You should be careful with them. Megatron — any Megatron — is not known for their foresight before choosing a target. You will be putting them in harm's way simply by being attached to them.
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But of course they would. Not the way Starscream though in his rage and his sense of betrayal, but Megatron had set them against each other regardless. Skywarp's taunts turning against his trine leader, Thundercracker nearly letting Skyfire go- It was not good, at the end. ]
Brawl can take care of himself! And I have good intel that if anyone touches Slipstream, her own Megatron will be most displeased. I heard he went after that antlered menace, after all. As for his own inevitable lashing out... [ He grins, all teeth. ] I'm planning for that.
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[ He'd be a fool to trust himself. They're both looking for power, even if he's been far more successful at cementing something for himself than his silver double. While this may yet turn into a proper partnership between them... Starscream's still going to be careful. ]
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But perhaps when death didn't stick, the other Starscream could afford to be so cavalier about a failure. ]
Far better "company" would require you to actually experience my company once in a while. Presumably you are here now because you want something?
[ He doesn't sound miffed, only mildly expectant. This Starscream occupies a time and place in his world where his daily life is just pitting people's values against one another, including his own. ]
starski bls
[ He huffs, tucking his knees up to his cockpit a little with his arms still crossed, effectively sitting in the air. ]
So. Now I'm your problem.
Scream is terrible here we go
No, you insufferable buffoon, I said not to let it affect you in ways other people can and will take advantage of!
Of course you will grieve, they were trine, but do you think Thundercracker or Skywarp would want you easily manipulated at their expense? Is that an adequate way to remember them?
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If something bold enough to call itself a god couldn't use me, then I doubt other mechs will have the LUCK.
[ The heat rises a couple of degrees with Starscream's anger; his counterpart may not be able to use his claws, but that helplessness does not necessarily go both ways. ]
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But that doesn't mean he wants to have that knowledge thrown in his face, so he hisses: ]
Get out.
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[ The lights flicker threateningly, the heat going up a couple more degrees just to show Starscream's silver counterpart what he's dealing with... And then the ghost fades out, and the heat with it. He's got better things to do than bitching matches with a second-rate Starscream. ]