Tell Me Your Troubles

Log Title: Tell Me Your Troubles Characters: Delusion, Dust Devil Location: Valvolux Date: August 2, 2018 TP: Dominicon TP Summary: Delusion provides an ear for Dust Devil's complaints. As logged by  Delusion Log session starting at 20:48:37 on Thursday, 2 August 2018.

Dust Devil is sitting by himself. Tracker is there but some distance away chewing on what....well...it looks like a piece of seeker wing or something. Either way there's a decepticon symbol on it and Dust Devil isn't going to ask. The young mech just sorta watches from his perch on the wall, optics relatively downcast.

Delusion paces through the relatively cleared area that was only recently a mess of collapsed buildings. She doesn't seem to have a specific destination in mind, instead patrolling the streets at an easy stroll.

Dust Devil frowns and grabs a small rock and throws it into the street. He glares at it for a moment before just shaking his head.

Delusion catches the sound of the rock and looks. She seems amused at Tracker's choice of chew toy. The former Decepticon strolls closer. "Out again, young Devil?"

Dust Devil sees Delusion and gives her a faint grin. "I'm all better. Or at least better than I was. I'm pretty sure Red Alert still things I carry the plague or somethin."

Delusion arches an optic ridge. "You sound better, but you aren't acting much improved," she observes.

Dust Devil hehs, "Overall I feel...okay I guess. And not that I want ta be THAT level of the center of attention ever again. But..it was nice havin mechs that I was sure hated me seem ta actually like me." He stands and does a forward flip off the wall to land neatly on the ground below. "But now everyone is leavin. And...I'm sure it's just gonna end up goin back ta how things were.

Delusion shakes her head. "You have a sustained habit of borrowing trouble. You'll wear out your circuits fretting if you continue it."

Dust Devil chuckles softly, "I doubt I'll wear them out. Somethin will come eat me or whatever way before I wear things out. Actually feel alot better than I have fer a long time. I really need ta recharge but I...I'm afraid of what I might see. And I don't want ta admit ta my friends that I'm afraid.

Delusion ahs and sits down on a piece of rock across from Dust Devil. "Easier to confide in a stranger, then. After all, my opinion of you isn't really all that important."

Dust Devil nods, "I could be Prime and you'd still think I was a pathetic loser I'm bettin. But the others...I care what they think of me. Even if I don't show it. Even when I act like I could care less if they didn't like me. But better that then lettin it show that what they say is botherin me."

Delusion arches her optic ridges at the assessment of her likely opinions, but doesn't interrupt. "It's normal to care, at least for some number of persons. But it is also a vulnerability."

Dust Devil nods. "But some vulnerabilities can lead ta strength too. Otherwise how would the bots have persisted fer so long. It's not like much of the forces rival the cons in power and skill. But it's there ability ta care fer each other that causes them ta do sometimes truly stupid but also incredible fetes. That's why Optimus is so well loved. Even the humans work similarly."

Delusion leans her chin on one hand. "'For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.'" she quotes. "A coward who always flinches away from pain will simply die later. To gain ground, one must take risks."

Dust Devil nods and points to himself. "Member of the cannon fodder division of Diversionary tactics. Caused alot of trouble fer people thinkin that if I kept everyone from actually carin about me, that it wouldn't hurt so much if I got killed. That they wouldn't miss me. I ended up just causin more pain all around."

Delusion nods, listening quietly.

Dust Devil frowns, "It doesn't matter. Things will be as they are I guess. of course now I need ta figure if I'm more needed here or on Earth."

Delusion lets one corner of her mouth quirk upwards. "Pain is part of life. Fellowship is optional, but there's not much point to simply enduring on one's own." She stands. "I don't suppose you've asked any of your officers for their opinions on the matter?"

Dust Devil laughs, "Asking the officers? Prowl hates me, Red Alert wants to throw me in the brig. Optimus is too busy....I didn't make a good impression when I first joined the bots on Earth. So there's not much talkin ta most of them."

Delusion 's optics glint with amusement. "Running away, then?"

Dust Devil says, "That's what I normally do. I've spent years away from the bots at tiems. But....that didn't really help either. Made Red Alert even more paranoid which is still kinda entertainin...but really didn't help if you know what I mean.""

Delusion nods. "I do." She opens a hand. "You have a team. Presumably, you care about them and their goals. The question is if those things are more important than your fears.. or your pride."

Dust Devil laughs again. "Pride? Pride of what? Bein the failed experiment of a senile old quack?" Though the way he says the insult hints more of being a quote than actually hate for his creator. "Pride of being the bot probably voted most likely ta be left on the battlefield fer dead?"

Delusion smirks. "Notoriety is still fame," she says. "A reputation is an identity- and that can be armor."

Dust Devil sighs, "Soemtimes I just wish I could change things." He frowns, "Guess I need ta at least and charge. If I drop over that'll just give them more evidence that I can't do things right."

Delusion chuckles. "'Sleep, that knits up the ravell'd sleeve of care.' If you truly wish to change things, the closest thing at hand is yourself."

Dust Devil chuckles. "Hard ta change yerself when yer tryin hard ta be someone else and already aren't sure as ta who ya are. Thanks fer chattin."

Delusion nods. "You're welcome," she says politely.

Log session ending at 22:36:32 on Thursday, 2 August 2018.