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[notsoterriblelizard]

There is no honor in retreat.

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[know_sacrifice]

[She laughs at him. There's a lot of teeth in it.]

Oh, sure. Sometimes. But every single time? Should you always die instead of retreat?

[notsoterriblelizard]

[His lip curls in annoyance, like she's just being willfully obtuse.

Never mind that she's not wrong. Not the point.]

I didn't say it wasn't at times necessary. Only that it is without honor to run away like a squeaking rat.

[know_sacrifice]

Hey, rude! One of my friends has a rat and it's really sweet!

[She's having fun.]

[notsoterriblelizard]

[There's the growl again, only this time there's a rattling hiss mixed in.]

Pathetic vermin, all of them.

[...yes he's friends with one but he will never admit that to anyone ever.]

[know_sacrifice]

[She is not remotely intimidated by his scary dinosaurness.]

Hmph. Clearly you haven't met very many.

[notsoterriblelizard]

Or perhaps maybe yours are merely exemplary specimens.

[That tone? Really doesn't seem to buy the idea.]

[know_sacrifice]

[She laughs again, but it's softer this time.] Could be!

So what's your name?

[notsoterriblelizard]

[He narrows his eyes at the sudden agreement, but it's probably better not to pursue it right now. Moving on. He can do friendly. Sometimes.]

Dinobot. Of the Maximals.

[know_sacrifice]

[Well that's original.]

Dinobot, huh? I'm Mikaela. What's a Maximal, like, a genetically engineered weird-looking talking dinosaur?

[notsoterriblelizard]

[The rattling hiss returns.]

Careful, human.

It is one of the two factions on Cybertron. I look like a dinosaur because it was one of the strongest forms the scanners picked up when I first arrived on your planet. My other form is much more...useful.

[know_sacrifice]

[Can you hear the mental sound of brakes locking?]

Hold it. Cybertron? [Suddenly she's wary, taking a step back.] I have never seen a Cybertronian with any kind of animal for an alt. And I've never heard of any Maximals. I thought it was just Autobots and Decepticons on Cybertron.

[notsoterriblelizard]

It used to be. The Autobots are the ancestors of the Maximals. Decepticons are the ancestors of the Predacons.

[And, as if to make a point, or at least remove any lingering doubt, he transforms.]

You are familiar with Cybertronians.

Oh BW, your graphics are so unfortunate

[know_sacrifice]

Okay, I guess that makes sense... [So he's sort of... grand-Autobot. That works for her; she relaxes.]

[She watches with delight as he transforms, and then--] Oh wow, you're tiny! [Who's rude now, Mikaela? She covers her mouth, instantly embarrassed.] Sorry, omigod, I don't know why I said that. It's just all the 'Bots I know are big, and most of the 'Cons are even bigger.

[So yeah, she's familiar with Cybertronians.]

so very bad :/

[notsoterriblelizard]

[He growls at her because do not mock the Dinobot he feels weird enough about being a Maximal on a technicality as it is.]

I'm sorry three hundred megacycles of evolution seem to have made us amusing to you. I assure you, we are no less capable for it.

[know_sacrifice]

I'm sorry! [She's genuinely contrite, at least?] I didn't mean to laugh, I was just caught by surprise!

Are...are you guys still fighting...? The Predacons and the Maximals, I mean?

[notsoterriblelizard]

[He settles down at the apology a little bit. Only a little bit, but hey, that's more than he'll grant most.]

There was a peace treaty signed between the two some time ago, however Megatron has never been one for treaties.

[know_sacrifice]

[Her lip curls, not an unimpressive snarl for a flat-faced mammal with flat teeth.] Him? He's still around? No wonder your peace treaty didn't work.

[notsoterriblelizard]

A different one than the version you probably know. The lapse was more a matter of convenience for him than anything else; an exploration ship from the Maximals and a group of Predacons he had convinced to follow him ended up on a much earlier version of your planet. Megatron wanted to take it for himself, the Maximals objected, and so the treaty was ignored. The Tripredacus council is more than content to honor the treaty so far.

[know_sacrifice]

...Wait. Are you talking about, like. Time-travel?

[notsoterriblelizard]

As improbable as it seems, yes.

[Trust him, he wasn't pleased to find that out either.]

[know_sacrifice]

That's crazy! How does that even-- so you're, like, really from the future? Our future? That's how you can be descended from the Cybertronians I know.

[notsoterriblelizard]

Probably not anyone you actually know, but yes.

[...it's really awkward to explain where he comes from okay. Well. Not really but it's kind of embarrassing.]

[know_sacrifice]

[She laughs self-consciously.] Well okay, yeah, probably not anyone I actually know. I don't. Actually know that many Cybetronians.

But that's beside the point! The point is, you're from the future.

[notsoterriblelizard]

And they are probably all Autobots, are they not?

[Don't mind the testiness in his voice; he's fine. Really.]

Yes. I am from the future.

[know_sacrifice]

[She scratches at the back of her head self-consciously.]

Well, uh, yeah? I mean, the 'Cons aren't exactly human-friendly. The whole kill-people-and-destroy-the-sun thing, you know.