The day after arriving.

[random_xtras]

Optimus is in the Danger Room, totally oblivious to the occasional sarcastic comment that comes through the speakers from T'Ai. All her focus is on the moves she's practicing with her twin swords.

Swing. Parry. Slash. Spin away.

She intakes air and moves again, varying the motions just slightly.

The swords seem to flicker with blue flame as they sweep through the space around her, and she carefully moves her mind away from other times when she herself has worn that mantle of power.

My body is different, and so is my spark. But that remains a constant.

Sweep. Slash. Duck. Advance.

So much is gone. And so much is the same. Primus, what will I be when you're finished with me?

Expression still blank behind her battle mask, she speeds up, till the swords are blue blurs around her and the Danger Room echoes with the shuffle of her feet.

Comments

[maserati-sniper.livejournal.com]

Desinex sits in a corner of the observation room, half-sparkedly watching Optimus train. She's more preoccupied with her own thoughts at the moment, and may be a prime target for a prank if she's not careful.

[random_xtras]

"What's on your mind, Desinex?" The rich alto could come from anywhere, since Optimus is still training and hasn't even glanced at the smaller femme.

[maserati-sniper.livejournal.com]

Desinex jumps, startled, only to land in a flaily mess of limbs. Scowling, the sniper moves to get to her feet, dusting herself off a bit. After a few minutes pause, the femme sighs, "It's...I just can't...The greenhorn medic...he's just a kid compared to everyone else...well, except for that little scraplet that arrived the other day...But still...He had a word-mate...If I ever find out who the fraggers were that willfully shot at a clearly marked medic..."

Desinex's threat trails off, and she sighs again, "There's really not much I could do to them, is there?"

[random_xtras]

"Not in your own reality, no," says Optimus gently, still intent on her workout. "We have to leave things like that to others. Though it's hard."

There is sadness in that voice, but the femme it belongs to continues impassive as she swings into another pattern.

[maserati-sniper.livejournal.com]

"I was afraid of that...He's just a kid...when I was his age, I was still in my sparkling protoform..." Desinex trails off, shoulders slumped.

[random_xtras]

"Like I said... it's hard." Optimus' voice whispers around the room. "But we're here for a purpose... though the lives we lead now will never replace the ones we've left."

[maserati-sniper.livejournal.com]

"It's just not fair, I don't think...I mean...he tried so hard to save both Showtime and myself...only to get killed by a couple of idiots from my faction..." Desinex growls a bit, crossing her arms over her chestplating and tapping a clawed finger against the opposite arm.

[random_xtras]

There's no reply this time, but the silence is listening.

Optimus' face continues impassive, her optics dark with memory as she swings through her paces.

[maserati-sniper.livejournal.com]

After awhile, Desinex growls again, before moving to leave the observation area. She's definitely not in a good mood, what with her conversation with Movor yesterday, and what she found out from WakeJumper about his own arrival.

[random_xtras]

"Grab a practise sword and come spar."

[maserati-sniper.livejournal.com]

Another low growl, but Desinex stops, "And the point of doing that would be?"

[random_xtras]

"Keeping you from blowing up and doing something we'll all regret." Optimus puts her swords together and then slips them into the scabbard on her back, her optics now looking straight at the smaller femme.

[maserati-sniper.livejournal.com]

That earns Optimus a small glare mixed with a slight smirk, before Desinex nods, and heads out to make her way down to where Optimus is.

[random_xtras]

The former Autobot Supreme Commander is standing by the racks of practise weapons when Desinex reaches her, her fingers absently running over the material of the dummy blades and staffs.

[maserati-sniper.livejournal.com]

Desinex frowns, eyeing the dummy blades and staffs with something close to disdain, "Do we have to use practise weapons?"

[random_xtras]

"I think it would be safer until we learn what the other is capable of," says Optimus, looking down at her gravely.

[maserati-sniper.livejournal.com]

Desinex nods, "Alright...but no holding back. Wouldn't want to be accused of cheating..."

[random_xtras]

The bigger femme just snorts at that and selects two gleaming black swords from the rack.

[maserati-sniper.livejournal.com]

Desinex studies the practise weapons a bit more, before selecting a stave from the rack. She hefts it a bit, getting a feel for the weight and balance of the weapon, before nodding.

[random_xtras]

"I have to warn you, though...." Optimus steps back and is suddenly awash with what looks like blue flame as power crackles in the air. "About not wanting me to hold back."

[maserati-sniper.livejournal.com]

Desinex raises an optic ridge, before smirking, "Well, at least I know things will be interesting." With that, the femme takes a few steps back, before crouching in a ready position, her visor coming down to cover her optics.

[random_xtras]

Optimus only tilts her head from side to side, and then closes her battle mask over her mouth as she spins the swords easily in her hands. Everything about her emotes casual unreadiness.

[maserati-sniper.livejournal.com]

Desinex observes Optimus for a few moments more, before putting her speed to good use and moving to strike at the larger femme, more as an attempt to gauge the other's reflexes than anything.

[random_xtras]

The swords are still spinning as Optimus steps aside casually.

[maserati-sniper.livejournal.com]

Desinex growls a bit, smirking. Good. She'll be a challenge. The sniper moved side to side as she put a small amount of distance between herself and Optimus. After a few moments of observation, Desinex moves side to side as she rushes at Optimus again, this time intending to attack. There doesn't seem to be a set pattern to her movements, making them harder to read.

[random_xtras]

Careful, Desinex! Don't run into the practise weapon rack!

[maserati-sniper.livejournal.com]

Desinex sidesteps quickly, narrowly avoiding a collision with the weapon rack. Turning, Desinex gives a low, dangerous-sounding growl.

[random_xtras]

The practise swords are still spinning, and Optimus gives her a quizzical look. "Anytime you're ready."

[maserati-sniper.livejournal.com]

Desinex's growl turns noticably feral as she moves to rush at Optimus again, only this time, instead of attempting to tackle the taller femme, Desinex takes a swing at Optimus's knees, intending to get at least one good hit in.

[random_xtras]

Her staff finds only air, and behind her Optimus is smirking behind her mask.

[maserati-sniper.livejournal.com]

Desinex's frustration comes out in a string of cursing that would shock even the most hardened mechs.

[random_xtras]

"Wow." Optimus looks surprised.

"I haven't heard cursing like that since I left the academy."

[maserati-sniper.livejournal.com]

Desinex smirks, "You'd be surprised what you can pick up when you spend enough time around Decepticons." With that, Desinex is moving again, stave held in her back hand, and her claws extended as she lunges.

[random_xtras]

"The Decepticons of your reality all curse like rookies?" Optimus' voice isn't where she is.

And she is....

Oh, over there.

[maserati-sniper.livejournal.com]

Desinex growls, before hunching down low. Moments later, she's rushing Optimus again, and squaring her shoulders in order to slam at full speed against the larger femme.

[random_xtras]

Optimus leaps over her easily, then hovers in the air for a moment before settling back to the floor, swords still spinning.

[maserati-sniper.livejournal.com]

Desinex's frustration continues to grow, until what little control Desinex has on her temper finally snaps, and she simply lunges at Optimus, discarding the practise stave in favor of bringing both sets of claws into play. All the while, she's shouting obscenities about Optimus, about Movor, about the two mechs who killed WakeJumper, about her own folly, and about everything that she's been holding in for Primus knows how long. All in all, it makes her movements and attacks easier to read, and more than likely, easier to dodge.

[random_xtras]

-Primus, please help this work.- Optimus steps aside smoothly, one practise sword dipping down to floor level and tangling itself between the smaller femme's feet.

[maserati-sniper.livejournal.com]

Aaaand down she goes! Desinex lands hard on the floor, and simply lays there for a few moments in silence, before the sobbing begins. Regret, sorrow, longing, anger, everything the former Decepticon has been keeping inside since she ended her own life begins to come out in a garbled mix of accented Cybertronian, English, and any other language Desinex knows.

[random_xtras]

Optimus sighs inwardly and walks over to hunker down next to the smaller femme, her body language full of silent sympathy as she prays and waits for the storm to pass.

[maserati-sniper.livejournal.com]

Eventually, Desinex wears herself out to the point that all she has the energy to do is cycle air through her intakes in ragged hitches.

[random_xtras]

It's then that Optimus gently lays a hand on her back.

"I know," she says softly.

[maserati-sniper.livejournal.com]

Desinex flinches slightly, but makes no other movements to indicate that she heard Optimus.

[random_xtras]

The bigger femme is content to wait and see what happens next.

[maserati-sniper.livejournal.com]

After awhile, Desinex's distress fades as the femme's systems remind her that she hasn't recharged since before she arrived at the Mansion. Behind the visor, the femme's optics shutter and her intakes slow as her systems go into recharge.

[random_xtras]

Optimus shakes her head, then cautiously scoops Desinex up like a sack of potatoes.

[maserati-sniper.livejournal.com]

Desinex offers no resistance. She is out until the cows come home!

[random_xtras]

So Op carries her up to her room and lays her on her bed, then turns and goes to see what Movor's doing.