Spirit felt really happy hearing that thanks. She stared at the symbol and walked over to him, “Oh. I see. Interesting, you are quite a puzzle aren’t you stranger?”
She paused for a moment and then moved forward and hugged him, praying to Primus that she wasn’t suddenly stabbed for the invasion of personal space.
“Uh… Sorry…”
Maximus said awkwardly to Spirit.
Simulus did not see this coming and flailed his arms up in defense. He was not sure what to do in this situation. He considered stabbing her, but given the current company, that would be a bad idea.
“Please, get off me.” He says sternly.
With Spirit on him, this made it more awkward. So to better answer, he projects a holographic version of himself off to the side.
“Depends on which ancestor you ask. To some I am Simulus and to others,” the hologram switches to his Stimulator form. “Stimulator. But best known to all as traitor, agent of Unicron. And I have been kept in here far too long.”
The hologram project transforms, becoming the simulation terminal. Occasionally other bots of the arena, past and present, come to use it.
“I refuse to be the Vex’s entertainment. If anyone is to be entertain it will be me. But I’ve already messed with the strings of most here and grew bored. Until you two showed up. Then all new fun drama started happening and I saw new opportunities. And for the record…”
The hologram shifts to show the training room and the initial start of the encounter with Maximus. Mainly showing the Predacon smashing the room, computer, and then throwing a lightning bolt when Simulus comes out of the wall.
"…Your spark-mate threw the first punch. I had considered making it seem like the Minicons had gone mad to be fun enough, but more drama could be had if the hero seemingly went insane. There is no bot in the training room, he just severely over did things with sims.
And it would have worked, if Spirit didn’t interfere. Then I lost my arm, I could not do such repair work alone. But the alibi regarding Maximus was lost. Posing as him would assure arm repair and…other fun."
“Wait, Maximus, you started this?”
Axis asked sternly.
“Well Nebula told me he was evil!”
He said defensively.
“Nebula!”
She scolded.
“Well Railgun told me he was evil! And he was right! Because in every encounter I’ve had with this trickster spawn of a glitch, he’s threatened to either kill or mutilate me!”
The minicon replied.
“Railgun told you Rectifier was evil,” Simulus corrected.
The hologram shifts to show Rectifier’s form, the grinning devil that he was. At least until he’s suddenly shot from behind by Stimulator.
“But I killed him long ago. Not that his old cronies know. Besides Nebula, how much should Axis really trust you?”
The hologram display switches to the scene where Maximus and Nebula encounter the Axis simulation. Of course, Simulus has conveniently left himself out of this picture. Cybertronian symbols appear, showing the conversation between Maximus and Nebula before the Minicon blasted Axis to pieces. Benefits of follow up fights, looking into recent memories.
OOC: There’s really no way he’d be able to know that conversation, since it was mostly internal. But I’ll let it slide.
IC:
“Excuse me?”
Axis exclaimed, looking to the minicon.
“He was using your simulation as a meat shield, and Maximus refused to fight it. What was I supposed to do?”
Axis looked to Maximus with a questioning look, not needing to say anything.
“Yeah, that’s basically how it happened.”
Maximus replied, sounding a little ashamed.
“Honey, I’m flattered, but it wasn’t real. I wouldn’t have thought anything of it.”
She replied gently.
Oddball looks around at the bots gathered, taking in the pieces of the story that each was offering.
“Woooo… zwee-bleep-wa-wa-vip?” he buzzes, tilting his head to the side at an extreme angle to express his confusion.
“Soooo… this whole thing’s just a big mess of misunderstandings?”
“From what I can tell? Yeah, more or less.”
Axis replied. She then leaned in close to Oddball and whispered.
“Though between you and me I still don’t trust the hologram guy.”
Meanwhile, Railfire had finished his repairs on Backbreaker.
“There we are. Good as new. You’re free to go.”
She did so and gave a mechanical yawn, “You lot are exhausting,” she paused and looked at Similius again. Spirit quirked her head to the side, “I’m sure you’re a tiny bit evil, it’s a little entertaining. I’ve not felt this intrigued since pre-war,” her tone was fairly jocular in nature and didn’t seem all too serious.
“He threatened, to kill me! Twice! I’d call that more than a tiny bit evil.”
Nebula angrily interjected.
Spirit shrugged, “I’m sure this is all just a misunderstanding that’ll be sorted out quite nicely,” she said coolly.
“He picked me up, looked me in the eye, and threatened to kill me. That is not what I’d call a misunderstanding!”
She replied.
“Nebula, enough.”
Maximus said calmly. Sounding exhausted.
“What!”
The minicon spat.
“Look, I don’t like this guy anymore than you do. But fighting about it now won’t do anyone any good right now.”
“That’s… Fair.”
Nebula said as she sat down next to Maximus.
“Thank you.”
“Fair enough,” Spirit walked over, “Could you apologize for that Sim?” She asked kindly and cheerily.
“No.” He simply and coolly replied.
Spirit gently bonks him on the head, “That’s not how this works dummy,” she said cheerily.
“I wouldn’t want your dumb apology anyway.”
Nubula muttered.
“Though speeking of apologies…”
Maximus started awkwardly
"I guess there’s one I should really get out.
Simulus just looks at her wordless, but his optics do glow. Perhaps unlike some here, he did have constraint.
Spirit sighed, “We’ll work on this I guess,” she said with a shake of her head.
Spirit turns slightly curious if she’ll be getting an apology or Similus will be getting an apology.
The Railroad Team finally returns, coming out of one of their passages into Railfire’s ward. Provided Backbreaker is still there, Railgun walks over so that he’s in the bulk’s sight while Tie-Grabber and Machbreaker start updating the map. Railgun addresses Backbreaker through the tablet to give their update.
“We found the building’s power distributer. Need assistance in translating Vex script to safely deactivate areas. If unable to translate, we can cut lines to specific areas.”
"Zwoo-blip-blip-bwoop? Oddball asks.
“So, shooting people’s off the table now?”
Backbreaker swings his legs over the side of the operating table and sits up.
“Ah, good as new!” he rejoices, rolling his shoulders and flexing his arms. “Fine work as always, doc.”
Backbreaker reads over the Railroad Team’s report.
“Translator, huh? I don’t know if any of us can read vex- I sure as the Pit can’t.”