▸ Column · Cybertron, the Dinobots era — adapted into bot-speak (cycles, comms, forge-craft class) with Grimlock reading the letter as King of the Dinobots
GRIMLOCK replies.
The letter
My partner of eight cycles, Derek, always made little cracks about my circle — said my best friend Priya runs "too hot," said my old bunkmate "obviously carries a torch for me." I filed it under insecurity and let it go. Last orn he started reaching for my comm whenever a signal pinged at refuel, calling it a joke but going cold-plated when I refused. Two breems ago he said he'd rather I skipped my Thursday forge-craft class because it's "a lot of hours with bots he doesn't know." Now I catch myself rehearsing which parts of my cycle are safe to mention, and I've started turning down my own friends just to dodge the low static that follows when I don't. None of it is a full shouting match or a flat ultimatum, so I can't quite let myself name it as a problem — but I haven't felt like myself since around cycle three.
Grimlock replies
Me Grimlock read whole story. Long story. Real thing one sentence: somebody taking your friends away, one at a time, and you helping him do it, because you scared.
You call it little. Little comment. Little joke about comm. Little "please skip forge class." Not little. That EXACTLY how you make somebody weak — you pull away every bot that stand next to them, slow, until they alone, until they got only you. Me Grimlock know this trick. One bot can't carry whole war alone. Bad ones love a bot standing alone.
You say you not felt like yourself since cycle three. That not confusion. That you already know. You scared to say it loud, so you make excuse instead. "Not technically a shouting match." That a fancy hat. Grimlock take it off. Smash small problem under it.
One thing, today. Go to forge class Thursday. Go. Then call Priya — Priya the one he say run "too hot," yes? — and tell her the true thing about how you been feeling. One friend. One true sentence. You not weak for need help. You weak if too proud to ask. Grimlock ask all the time. Optimus help Grimlock. Get your herd back. Then Grimlock proud of you.
— Grimlock
Megatron weighs in
The lizard tells you Derek is merely frightened. How comforting for Derek. Frightened creatures do not audit your communications and ration your friendships with such patience — that is not fear, that is a campaign, conducted well. He is annexing you. Each friend removed is a position taken before the real war, and you surrendered every one because you recited the story that keeps the conquered quiet: "he's only insecure."
I keep a lieutenant, Starscream, who smiles while taking ground. I have never once mistaken the smile for weakness. Stop waiting to be stood-in-front-of. Your friends were the territory. Retake it — coldly — before there is none left to hold.
— Megatron
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