Ram's Head Saloon [Mod-Sanctioned C/CLT, v3]

[Teutonican Empire]

"First off, I heard that everyone betrayed you. Your division was wiped out and you were left as a rotting cyborg. Everyone forgot about you and abandoned you. That is betrayal, don't you think? How does that make you feel, Mr. Hardiman, if I may call you by that?"

Hardiman thought about it for a moment. Everyone had abandoned him. Except for that red-hair who carried him back to base. They forgot about her, except for the vampire who'd gave her blood to him. "I-i-i... I was betrayed. They l-l-left me to die, among the grass. I-i was tossed aside." Hw had a tear roll down his cheek. "But... there was one person who cared for me. Who loved me. I remember her."

Noel grinned briefly. This is unlimited potential, perfection waiting to awaken!, he thought. "Yes, yes, but you have lost a love before. Your lover abandoned you as well." He crossed his arms. "They left you to die, and when they were forced to reassemble you, they did a pathetic job at it and you never were able to obtain maintenance. I hear you live in a state of perpetual agony, suffering for your duty as a soldier, abandoned by your comrades!"

[The South Falls]

Hardiman thought about it for a moment. Everyone had abandoned him. Except for that red-hair who carried him back to base. They forgot about her, except for the vampire who'd gave her blood to him. "I-i-i... I was betrayed. They l-l-left me to die, among the grass. I-i was tossed aside." Hw had a tear roll down his cheek. "But... there was one person who cared for me. Who loved me. I remember her."

Noel grinned briefly. This is unlimited potential, perfection waiting to awaken!, he thought. "Yes, yes, but you have lost a love before. Your lover abandoned you as well." He crossed his arms. "They left you to die, and when they were forced to reassemble you, they did a pathetic job at it and you never were able to obtain maintenance. I hear you live in a state of perpetual agony, suffering for your duty as a soldier, abandoned by your comrades!"

Hardiman frowned. "N-n-no. The one who said she was my lover didn't love me. The only one who truly loved me was... well... she's in this bar. Sometimes she gives me t-t-things, but other than her, I'm alone. My life is-" He shakes from sparks coming off his body. "It hurts so much. My existence... I just want to shoot something, someone, myself... the maintenance is too costly. Our doctors aren't enough. Those repairs May had were from the Castilians, and I've been trying to find them, but I'm out..." He put his head down.

[Teutonican Empire]

Hardiman frowned. "N-n-no. The one who said she was my lover didn't love me. The only one who truly loved me was... well... she's in this bar. Sometimes she gives me t-t-things, but other than her, I'm alone. My life is-" He shakes from sparks coming off his body. "It hurts so much. My existence... I just want to shoot something, someone, myself... the maintenance is too costly. Our doctors aren't enough. Those repairs May had were from the Castilians, and I've been trying to find them, but I'm out..." He put his head down.

Ah, piss, he's into that annoying child. Well, I can work that whole mess out of him, Noel thought.

"So....you want revenge, then. Well, that leads us to my proposition. Those Castilians still use glorified flintlock weapons, do you want their repairs? No, of course, that's just going to wind up leaving you worse. I will rebuild your body, better than ever! You will become a mechanical deity! ...but at a cost."

Noel read deep into Hardiman to make sure he was on board or at least still easy to convince.

[The South Falls]

Hardiman frowned. "N-n-no. The one who said she was my lover didn't love me. The only one who truly loved me was... well... she's in this bar. Sometimes she gives me t-t-things, but other than her, I'm alone. My life is-" He shakes from sparks coming off his body. "It hurts so much. My existence... I just want to shoot something, someone, myself... the maintenance is too costly. Our doctors aren't enough. Those repairs May had were from the Castilians, and I've been trying to find them, but I'm out..." He put his head down.

Ah, piss, he's into that annoying child. Well, I can work that whole mess out of him, Noel thought.

"So....you want revenge, then. Well, that leads us to my proposition. Those Castilians still use glorified flintlock weapons, do you want their repairs? No, of course, that's just going to wind up leaving you worse. I will rebuild your body, better than ever! You will become a mechanical deity! ...but at a cost."

Noel read deep into Hardiman to make sure he was on board or at least still easy to convince.

"He wants something from me." Hardiman thought. He knew he wouldn't be charitous of his own merit, but he didn't care, he was so intrigued.

"W-w-what's the cost? Money? Time? I-i-i'll pay anything. I just want to be fixed up. I don't want to have to spark on fire because my electricity is malfunctioning. Mechanical Deity? How?" His eyebrows furrowed as he stared at Noel.

[Teutonican Empire]

"He wants something from me." Hardiman thought. He knew he wouldn't be charitous of his own merit, but he didn't care, he was so intrigued.

"W-w-what's the cost? Money? Time? I-i-i'll pay anything. I just want to be fixed up. I don't want to have to spark on fire because my electricity is malfunctioning. Mechanical Deity? How?" His eyebrows furrowed as he stared at Noel.

"Loyalty to me and the Red Force. That sounds like a good deal, yes? I give you your life back with whole new power...and you will fight as one of my soldiers. And how, you ask? Well...we'll replace the current scrap garbage they stitched onto you with new and far better parts."

[Low bloods]

"He wants something from me." Hardiman thought. He knew he wouldn't be charitous of his own merit, but he didn't care, he was so intrigued.

"W-w-what's the cost? Money? Time? I-i-i'll pay anything. I just want to be fixed up. I don't want to have to spark on fire because my electricity is malfunctioning. Mechanical Deity? How?" His eyebrows furrowed as he stared at Noel.

"Loyalty to me and the Red Force. That sounds like a good deal, yes? I give you your life back with whole new power...and you will fight as one of my soldiers. And how, you ask? Well...we'll replace the current scrap garbage they stitched onto you with new and far better parts."

The knight occasionally watched the situation and the offer unfold, though didn't say anything. He was interested, but was surely hidden about this.

[The South Falls]

"He wants something from me." Hardiman thought. He knew he wouldn't be charitous of his own merit, but he didn't care, he was so intrigued.

"W-w-what's the cost? Money? Time? I-i-i'll pay anything. I just want to be fixed up. I don't want to have to spark on fire because my electricity is malfunctioning. Mechanical Deity? How?" His eyebrows furrowed as he stared at Noel.

"Loyalty to me and the Red Force. That sounds like a good deal, yes? I give you your life back with whole new power...and you will fight as one of my soldiers. And how, you ask? Well...we'll replace the current scrap garbage they stitched onto you with new and far better parts."

He puzzled over it. "Betraying the ones who betrayed me. But, I'd be betraying May. I could never do that to her. She hates betrayal, and I love her."

"Will you ever fight May? I never want to fight her. She saved my life, even though you're going to do the same." He sat back, still thinking.

[Eien no Yorokobi]

With her usually cheeriness, Gikochinai once again entered the Saloon, having mostly recovered from what she’d done last time. Hoping she’d missed what she’d left to get away from, she smiled and waved upon her arrival. ”Hi everyone!”

[The South Falls]

With her usually cheeriness, Gikochinai once again entered the Saloon, having mostly recovered from what she’d done last time. Hoping she’d missed what she’d left to get away from, she smiled and waved upon her arrival. ”Hi everyone!”

May sat down near Giko. The time needed to be passed, and she needed to forget herself in drink. So, she turned to Vixen, and asked for a can of beer. She then turned to Giko. "Hello, Gikochinai. How're you? "

[Eien no Yorokobi]

”Oh! Hi! I’m good! My headache finally ended! I’m not dizzy anymore! Sorry I had to go so fast last time! I was worried about things! But now I think it’s fine! I should probably not do that again though! It feels nice but weird and stuff!”

[The South Falls]

”Oh! Hi! I’m good! My headache finally ended! I’m not dizzy anymore! Sorry I had to go so fast last time! I was worried about things! But now I think it’s fine! I should probably not do that again though! It feels nice but weird and stuff!”

May chuckled. "This lady never is out of energy. She's a fast one, and maybe I'll find her somewhere later." She cleared her throat, but held her cigarette outside her mouth. "It's alright Gikochinai. I mean, it was better than most of the first tastings of drink that I've seen. But, yea. If it makes you hurt, you really shouldn't drink. Sorry I sort of forced it on you." She shrugged

[Eien no Yorokobi]

Gikochinai shook her head, still smiling. ”No! It’s fine! I wasn’t forced. I made a choice! It’s nice being able to make choices! Apparently drinking is supposed to make people less restrained, which can be good sometimes! Some people are too scared to other people and end up hiding all their feelings and stuff! I don’t normally do that though!”

[The South Falls]

Gikochinai shook her head, still smiling. ”No! It’s fine! I wasn’t forced. I made a choice! It’s nice being able to make choices! Apparently drinking is supposed to make people less restrained, which can be good sometimes! Some people are too scared to other people and end up hiding all their feelings and stuff! I don’t normally do that though!”

May took a long drag on her cigarette, breaking into an uneasy smile. "Drinking sometimes lets people talk... in a way they wouldn't have spoken if they were sober. As long as you don't overdo it, or give away any state secrets..." She chuckled. "... you'll be fine. And anyway, it is the bar. All people do in bars is drink. Have a few friends." She waited for her beer can.

[Eien no Yorokobi]

”I knew someone like that! She was always really afraid to show anyone her feelings because she was still new to them at the time! I feel that way all the time! But for her it was scary! But one day she ended up drinking a bit and then she was able to actually show them! It was nice to see that! It didn’t end very well though. But I don’t want to talk about that part! Don’t worry, I won’t give away any state secrets! Even I have some things I have to hide sometimes!”

[Teutonican Empire]

"Loyalty to me and the Red Force. That sounds like a good deal, yes? I give you your life back with whole new power...and you will fight as one of my soldiers. And how, you ask? Well...we'll replace the current scrap garbage they stitched onto you with new and far better parts."

He puzzled over it. "Betraying the ones who betrayed me. But, I'd be betraying May. I could never do that to her. She hates betrayal, and I love her."

"Will you ever fight May? I never want to fight her. She saved my life, even though you're going to do the same." He sat back, still thinking.

"Of course not! I have no interest in fighting her."

While evidently he did despise May, he seemed genuine in his belief that she was no longer a challenge to him and therefore did not give him any interest in fighting her.

[The South Falls]

”I knew someone like that! She was always really afraid to show anyone her feelings because she was still new to them at the time! I feel that way all the time! But for her it was scary! But one day she ended up drinking a bit and then she was able to actually show them! It was nice to see that! It didn’t end very well though. But I don’t want to talk about that part! Don’t worry, I won’t give away any state secrets! Even I have some things I have to hide sometimes!”

May set her cigarette down, pumping it for ash. She then stuck it back in her mouth. "Well. If you go into the women's bathroom, there is one of our lieutenants, with the queen of another nation. And she is... wow. Loving on each other like this is Valentine's day. I shared my bit a few weeks ago. It didn't really end well, either. All I'll say is that we had to bury a comrade. We all have our secrets. But, maybe, to a lighter topic. What do you do for fun?

[Eien no Yorokobi]

”I never got to have fun with people like that! That’s for the best, though! Oh, what I do for fun? It depends!” Gikochinai began making dramatic hand gestures as she spoke. ”Well! I like drawing things! That’s fun! And I like animating lots of drawn things to make an animated thing! Also fun! And then watching animated things too! And games! I like playing games! I have good reflexes sometimes! But I always lose in those games where you tell other people what to do and move them everywhere! I like acting, too! Just for fun though! I’m not really very good at it! Because I keep being me too much! But that’s fine! I like being me! Oh! And I like talking to everyone! That’s lots of fun!”

[Low bloods]

The knight and Vixen spoke to one another.
"I hate it, I hate it with a passion."

"Like it just ruins the purpose, and puts a bad taste in your mouth afterwards"
Vixen shook his head. "Things sue to be so much better in the past, man."

"Yeah I thought it was vary sexual when you got your arm broken with that one, you know with the sharp teeth?"

Vixen smirks "Yeah, doesn't want me to put a bullet in my head, I'll stick with the good old time skipping and light hints.

[The South Falls]

”I never got to have fun with people like that! That’s for the best, though! Oh, what I do for fun? It depends!” Gikochinai began making dramatic hand gestures as she spoke. ”Well! I like drawing things! That’s fun! And I like animating lots of drawn things to make an animated thing! Also fun! And then watching animated things too! And games! I like playing games! I have good reflexes sometimes! But I always lose in those games where you tell other people what to do and move them everywhere! I like acting, too! Just for fun though! I’m not really very good at it! Because I keep being me too much! But that’s fine! I like being me! Oh! And I like talking to everyone! That’s lots of fun!”

"Alright, those seem like nice hobbies. Especially talking. I've acted a little bit in my time " She shapeshifted into Gikochinai, her voice overpowering May's. "Animations are fun to watch. They bring out the fun in everything, and I think that's good. I mean, playing strategy games is always good for a leader, but you do you. How do you like my new... formation?" She showed off Gikochinai to... Gikochinai.

[Valentine Z]

"Alright, those seem like nice hobbies. Especially talking. I've acted a little bit in my time " She shapeshifted into Gikochinai, her voice overpowering May's. "Animations are fun to watch. They bring out the fun in everything, and I think that's good. I mean, playing strategy games is always good for a leader, but you do you. How do you like my new... formation?" She showed off Gikochinai to... Gikochinai.

Clarissa did a small little clap.

Ooh, very impressive! Hahaha, that is something that Holly would do! Except, you are not blue-tinted like her.
- Surveillant Clarissa Alanis Star Breya Annie Millie Taissa Butterfly Coraline Jolijn V. Clementine Harumi

Well, you impress us every time, Miss... May, is it?
- Foresittend Marcus Alan Arielian Maximillian Swifty Felix Prometheus Vt. Lynx Artyom Haydn Reynolds

[Eien no Yorokobi]

Gikochinai was quite surprised to see someone copy her appearance. She gave a moment of applause. It was a very impressive skill, though the speech pattern wasn’t quite the same as hers. ”Wow! That’s amazing! I wish I could do that! Wait, no! I don’t! It’d be confusing if I could! Haha! Hahaha! Sorry! Sorry!” Her first laugh had been little more than a giggle. The second had been longer, more...maniacal. She couldn’t help but reflect upon the last time she saw someone in her own image.

It had been a child, a time not far enough away. Gikochinai recalled waving goodbye to her as the child had waved back, the same cheerful wave Gikochinai always used. The child looked like her, but a lot younger. Same hair colour, deliberately so. Same uniform, if it could be described as that to begin with. There had only been two differences. The first was age. The other was that the child held an assault rifle, and marched with the rest of the look-alikes towards another world and shortly after their own demise.

”Umm, I don’t mean to be rude! But could you change back now please? It’s really amazing but it’s kind of making me feel weird!”

[Teutonican Empire]

He puzzled over it. "Betraying the ones who betrayed me. But, I'd be betraying May. I could never do that to her. She hates betrayal, and I love her."

"Will you ever fight May? I never want to fight her. She saved my life, even though you're going to do the same." He sat back, still thinking.

"Of course not! I have no interest in fighting her."

While evidently he did despise May, he seemed genuine in his belief that she was no longer a challenge to him and therefore did not give him any interest in fighting her.

"Now, do you accept or not, Lieutenant Hardiman?" Noel added on.

[Pax Cybertronian]

Chartstrike groaned quietly. "Sorry, Steelstrike - someone just burst in and started asking about my gladiatorial matches. I'll make you into a hologram if you want. No? Fine; I'll call you back in a klik."

Chartstrike turned around to Clarissa after putting his dataphone back, clearly annoyed. "I was in a conversation with one of my friends about the gladiatorial matches, you know? Don't interrupt me - it's very impatient and, quite frankly, childish, you know! Anyway, gladiatorial combat has been a fan favourite for eons, before even the start of the Great War ten million years ago. It's basically where two or more combatants fight one another to the death for our amusement - and for a good sum of money on top of that. It used to be outlawed when the Autobots ruled over Cybertron, and the Senate before them, but Megatron has legalized it when he killed Guardian Magnus and took over Cybertron a couple centuries ago. It's a very profitable venture, you know! Even Megatron himself was a gladiator back in his youth! Perhaps... considering your robotic nature, you might be a good participant to induct into the arena. Be warned: I have very high standards of my gladiators. I don't accept failure; it damages my reputation."

Well, geez, sorry about that! But you do know that Sylvie was gone, right? Like 10 minutes ago? Well, I won't be failing when I am dishing out damage left, right, and center.
- Surveillant Clarissa Alanis Star Breya Annie Millie Taissa Butterfly Coraline Jolijn V. Clementine Harumi

"Well..." Chartstrike took a moment to analyse Clarissa's frame. "You say you would 'dish out damage, left, right and centre,' yet your body-shell doesn't suit that of a warrior. You'd have to change into a more suitable body-frame before you'd join my team. Something agile, perhaps, but still strong and durable preferably..."

Meanwhile, General Shockstorm decided to take a break from trying to contact High Command and have a look around the saloon. The organics were conversing amongst themselves, which he didn't care about, but he wanted to either contact Megatron or another Decepticon soon. He then decided to walk around the saloon, even if it meant he would have to converse with the organics if they talked to him. "I need to find a way of contacting some more Decepticons soon - I don't give a damn of who it is... as long as it isn't an Autobot." Shockstorm mumbled to himself.

[The South Falls]

Gikochinai was quite surprised to see someone copy her appearance. She gave a moment of applause. It was a very impressive skill, though the speech pattern wasn’t quite the same as hers. ”Wow! That’s amazing! I wish I could do that! Wait, no! I don’t! It’d be confusing if I could! Haha! Hahaha! Sorry! Sorry!” Her first laugh had been little more than a giggle. The second had been longer, more...maniacal. She couldn’t help but reflect upon the last time she saw someone in her own image.

It had been a child, a time not far enough away. Gikochinai recalled waving goodbye to her as the child had waved back, the same cheerful wave Gikochinai always used. The child looked like her, but a lot younger. Same hair colour, deliberately so. Same uniform, if it could be described as that to begin with. There had only been two differences. The first was age. The other was that the child held an assault rifle, and marched with the rest of the look-alikes towards another world and shortly after their own demise.

”Umm, I don’t mean to be rude! But could you change back now please? It’s really amazing but it’s kind of making me feel weird!”

May started out in a chuckle. "Look, when you're on the payroll of the South Fallsian government, you're basically their plaything. They injected enough serums and chemicals that hell, I'm radioactive. Only slightly. We were all in the officer's version of the shapeshifting experiments. Some of us died. But, I won't elaborate any further." She acquired a tense, nervous look, as she watched Giko reflect.

She remembered seeing all the test subjects in little plastic containment units. They all were constantly pumped with substances, taken out, surgically examined, and put back again, like child's toys. Hundreds of them. They were all there 24/7, with robots to fill their places. Old her was an insecure lady. One bound by limits. Not anymore. She had scars from the project, now, she was one of the few survivors. She bore it proudly. She snapped awake to Giko's question.

"Sure, sure. I'll change, if it makes you feel better." She changed back into her normal form, with red eyes, angular face, and a tight-lipped smile. Good?

[Eien no Yorokobi]

“Thanks! Sorry! It just made me weird!” Gikochinai’s smile fully returned. ”It sounds like it was pretty bad for you! It reminds me too much of other things I’ve seen! But I don’t want to talk about that right now, sorry! I want to have fun again!”