Swansong & Switchfoot
Feb 4, 2020 12:43:05 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Feb 4, 2020 12:43:05 GMT -5
PLAYER INFO
Name/Alias: Dreamu or Dreaming Emu
CHARACTER INFO
Name: Swansong and Switchfoot (Swanson and Switch for short)
Age: Human equivalent of late 30’s to early 40’s for Switch, and anywhere from 20’s- 40’s for Swan
Gender: Gender Neutral
Species: Camien
Faction: Decepticon
Original Occupation:
Swanson: Entertainer
Switch: Coroner/ Mortician. Medic on the good day.
Occupation/Specialization:
Swanson: Investigation and Interrogation.
Switch: Interrogation. Medic on a bad day.
Appearance
Height: 24ft on average. At full extension of their legs they can reach 27ft. This can be uncomfortable and a bit unstable.
Optics: Champagne Red
Coloration: Primarily a pale white and dark grey, with soft mint and peach accents. They have a matte finish and red bio lights.
Buildup:
They possess a lanky frame with minimal armour plates. From the neck socket sprouts not one, but two elongated helms. Each has its own freedom of movement. The nose of their alt mode makes up their chest; the faux peach canopy sits like a sliver down the centre. Branching from the chest extends diamond shaped shoulder plates with wide mobility range. On their back sits a majority of their wing plates which are mobile and help with emoting. Low sweeping arms end halfway down their digitigrade legs, capping off with dexterous hands of three clawed digits. Their pelvis has more of a forwards jut to compensate for the angle of their legs. Those awkward legs have a bit more girth in the thighs in comparison to the rest of the body’s proportions. They end in two large toe claws that make up the pedes.
Facial Features:
What face? As typical with empurata victims there isn’t much of one to go by. Centred on each helm is a large ocular lens that have shutter frames with slight visibility behind them. Swansong’s helm is the more streamlined of the pair and holds very little characteristic features. Along the centre sits a stationary fin. Switchfoot’s helm has more character despite being the more analytical persona. At the sides sit thin audial fins with limited mobility, and at their jaw are two small protrusions one either side. The chin, jaw, and upper portion of their helm have points that converge near the centre of their optic. They have learned to ignore the visual obstruction.
Vocals:
Swanson still has their original vocoder. It can carry a pleasant tune and has some leanings to masculinity. If caught off guard or unknowingly looked upon, their pitch heightens to their natural voice, a betrayal of secrecy to their past self. They have no discernible accent.
Switch does not have their original vocoder. What they now have is a deep and deadpan automated manner of speech. They have no accent but speak with a static filled garble.
An example of their vocals.
Altmode: MQ-1 Predator Drone
An unmanned vehicle is rather well fit for a faceless being. Unlike the typical models seen on earth, the twins opted out of the missile additions in favour of coming across as less hostile. While this alt lacks a pilots chamber, Swanson insisted upon a tinted canopy. Switch agreed as this allowed for further surveillance above the drone, mostly a safety precaution born of paranoia.
Pertinent History:
The twins are of forged origins, springing from a hot spot on Caminus. Their unique appearance comes from an improperly split spark- too much separation for a stable singular individual, and not enough to be kept as a healthy, traditional set of twins. In their early years, Swan and Switch had enough cohesion to act as if they were of one mind with an odd body. This feign of being a singular individual spared them from excessive inquiries and allowed for a rather peaceful education process. As per typical of Camien traditions, participating in the arts and contributing to society was expected of the twins. This was perhaps one of the better outcomes for the twins as it catered greatly to their personalities. Swansong flourished in the performing arts because of her vigour and partly because of both twins’ traditionally appealing face plates. Switchfoot did well in the medical fields, but lacked too much in bedside manner. She was much more invested in what made the living tick, and why the dead didn’t. This led to multiple academic hearings with threats of expulsion. Ultimately Switchfoot was able to get her practitioners license with acting help from Swansong. It is because of this aid that Switch has an undying loyalty for her twin.
After graduating and becoming ‘relevant’ to Camien society, the twins picked up on old data from Cybertron. The very idea of skills determining status was enough to put stars in both sets of optics, further investigations be damned. Swansong with her need for attention thought it the perfect opportunity to get others to find her likeable. Switchfoot had hopes of avoiding strong societal standards. Promise of prosperity was enough to have the twins scrambling for escape from the stuffy confines of Caminus. After all, it was hard to make a happy lifestyle in a place with similar skills that heavily saturated the area. It took a while to gather the resources for travel, but after some years they had the funds and the opportunity to catch a ride on one of the rare trader transports that stumbled upon the wayward colony. While unable to get a direct path to Cybertron, the twins did eventually make it. They arrived during the first bouts of unrest of the Caste System Era.
With Cybertron’s increasingly dulling scenery, the twins’ future was marked. Swansong’s talents were not relevant to this society- her face no longer a saving grace, especially since it shared a frame with a duplicate. Even Switchfoot with all her medical training could not find work or fit into the developing caste system. During their early years on Cybertron, they managed to scrape by by offering aid to others as downtrodden as them. The more the twins embraced the outcasts, the more they picked up on rumours and truths of illegal activities. Such activities included the infamous gladiatorial battles of Slaughter City. And where there were illegal fights, there must have surely been a need for a medic such as Switchfoot. Time eventually passed with Switch repairing the occasional gladiator when granted permission to do so by the patient. When there were no living around or those willing to put up with the freaks that were the twins, Switchfoot resorted to rooting around the scrapyards, fishing out offlined warriors. The initial intention was to patch the dead up, to better maintain their skills. This eventually led to a talent of being able to dress the dead for those that may have wanted to seek solace in their passing; then it further devolved into a twisted fascination with the inner workings of bodies, and what could be done with them to further satiate their curiosity.
While their twin kept busy or tried to, Swansong merely attempted to entertain the rare patient with selfmade dramas and simple tunes.
Plays and melodrama were not enough alone to support the twins’ emotional needs (mainly Swan’s). It did not draw in enough stardom for them. It didn’t satiate Swan’s fragile ego. Swansong’s ambitions were quick to grow with their counterpart’s continual tinkerings, and required a new outlet. This outlet was discovered in an offhand comment about the High Council that lead to a bout of laughter from one of Switchfoot’s living patients. And thus a career in satire was born! It wasn’t profitable, but it certainly satiated Swan’s needs.
While their acts didn’t aggressively challenge the Council, it was enough to upset. Bots talk, and bots listen. Word gets around about an oddity mocking the government, making a name for themselves. An example would need to be made so as to not encourage further insult and disobedience to authority. And that example happened to be the perpetrator undergoing the Empurata procedure. Originally only Swansong was going to lose her faceplate, but her twin felt it was necessary to lip off a great many of individuals. They lost their servos, something that brought on even greater protests from Switchfoot. Not even Switch’s medical background could spare them.
Due to the unique case of their anatomy, there came a problem with attaching claws to a system that could not support such a thing. It was briefly considered to let the twins simply exist without claws or servos, but they didn’t want to make a martyr of them; dissidents might think the twins were bold enough to outright reject the modifications and go without. It was thought such a display would cause further civil unrest, so extra efforts were made to ensure they bore the same traits as every other empurata victim. As a result, specialized cuffs were created to lock their claws on their wrists. This allowed for only the most basic of rotational movements.
To dissuade future antics, their case worker opted for giving Swansong an artificial voice box; only they mixed up the heads. The twins with a great skill for fibbing, hid the mistake.
With their truly defining features stolen from them and their crippling vanity, the twins saw it fit to be referred to only in the neutral pronouns.
The disciplinary actions did not end there. The twins were given a choice; serve time in prison or serve the senate. Work was work, the latter option was chosen. This forced servitude took on the role of the twins bringing in scraps of info about the going ons in back alleys and undesirable locations. It was in those hidden places that they occasionally stumbled upon the dead or dying. What started off as a search for new servos, lead to frequent trips to chop shops and part dealers. On occasion, those with better skill in the medical trade would take note on how skillfully parts were harvested and grant the twins temporary permission to assist during busy times. Payment was often received in the form of better developing the twins’ wrist cuffs to allow for more movement, and eventually led to the commission of servos that were relatively compatible with them. Eventually their assistance was needed more consistently for an aging ex-practitioner, and they received a more steady work flow. This practitioner would sometimes receive requests to go over the bodies of those that passed under suspicion but were ultimately ignored or covered up by those in the government. It was with that mech that Switch learned the coroner’s trade.
Throughout Switchfoot’s relative success, Swansong merely deteriorated. All that they lived for taken- prohibited. Should they act out, there would be no coroners examining their corpse.
Eventually their mentor passed on leaving his basement based operatory to the twins. For a while they make a living in selling upgrades salvaged from the dead- after all, weapons were what kept wars going. Then the weapons weren’t enough. They needed more people to fight. Word in the underground brought the young Decepticon faction rumours of an oddity whose joints moved much too freely, whose solitary optics picked up on much without bringing notice. Eventually those rumours led to the tracking down of the twins. Initial introductions revealed that little could be learned from the pair, and that they could do little in terms of fighting. Due to their appearance, Switchfoot’s medical skill was overlooked. As a result they were put to work with menial tasks; another gear to the system.
Not being accustomed to such tasks led to boredom that took place in the form of snooping. Being in the right place during sensitive exchanges too many times eventually led to imprisonment under the belief the twins were enemy spies. This accusation was eventually absolved under interrogation. Due to the amount of time it took to notice the pair’s sneakings, it was thought to be beneficial to further train them in that field of skill. It was because of this that data became their main bargaining force, and their combination of curiosity and intensity eventually lead to a niche skill of interrogation to further solidify the twins' use.
Swanson and Switch came to Earth with the Nemesis. However they did not stay with the ship. With low resources and a skill set that had very little value to the collective at the time, the twins felt it best to make themselves scarce. After a bargain or two, they were able to excuse their absence as an extended surveying mission. There was no public record as to what the twins were investigating, but their eventual return brought with them knowledge of many organic anatomies and earthly entertainments.
Personality:
Swansong is a being of great vanity with nowhere to place it. This manifests in outbursts of delusions such as the belief they are hosting an audience or sometimes they mimic that of old earth film stars at their dressing desks. Other manifestations of their vanity displays itself as jealousy. A hostile thing that rears its head during less friendly procedures. While these flights of fantasy are a minor part of Swanson’s persona, it feeds into the fact that they are overall distracting and easily distracted. A lot of this stems from the trauma of having their identity essentially taken from them. Somewhere along the line of recovery their inability to outwardly express emotion caused enough self frustration to send them into frequent dissociative states. While Swanson’s absent behaviours are quite commonplace for them, they still do have a partly coherent mindset.
They do so enjoy chattering and gossip, often making their own if none is readily available. This great like to acquire the newest ‘deets’ brings out a more problematic persona. It serves their role among the Cons well, adding fervour to their searches and intensity to their interrogations.
Swansong’s inherent aim is to please. And if that means pain to another, so be it. They lack the moral standards that usually prohibit cruelty.
All in all, Swan is the more harmless helm of the pair, and anything spoken can and should not be taken at face (lens?) value. Their absent ramblings are made up for in their decisive actions. Though there should be caution in disregarding Swansong’s suggestions; they wouldn’t be a victim of empurata if there wasn’t some weight to their thought process.
Switchfoot is the more competent helm, often speaking for both themselves and their twin. They have what can be considered a saintly patience; if not an unsettling one. Switch is not one to outwardly voice dissent and would much rather fume on issues. Intentionally slow to act, any perceived transgressions will often be met with a fitting retaliation at a later time, as they most certainly don’t forget.
Primarily, Switchfoot is outwardly very monotonous and often indifferent (whether it’s because of their permanent tonal range or overall disinterest is up for debate). They do have an intelligence that they keep to themselves, believing it better serves them alone as opposed to others. It is best not to expect to be humoured by Switch as they’re idea of entertainment is the dissection of whatever is on the slab before them.
What makes them dangerous is perhaps their curiosity and the lengths they go to satiate it. They aren’t much for pleasing others, but will go far to obtain info just for the sake of knowing. Fortunately they are wise enough not to carry out interrogations without permission first.
Unlike Swansong, anything said by them should be taken with a grain of salt; they don’t take kindly to being waved off. Their moral standing is known only to themselves and it is heavily self serving. Swan only has a partial insight into this. Switch has a strong idea of what goes on inside the other’s helm.
While they can be considered opposites, the twins are still two sides of the same coin. Swanson’s flamboyance can be annoying on occasion, but ultimately serves as an energy and animation that leaves their twin in silent and hidden awe. Switchfoot holds a deep respect for Swan and their abilities, for they keep the long days a little less boring. While it seems like a minimal thing to care about, it comes from a place of familial fondness. Sorta like how an older sibling cares for a younger one.
Swansong’s appreciation for their twin does not lay so deep. They are a shallow person after all. Their agreeability stems from their intrigue about their counterpart’s machinations; such a consistent and constant personality serves as a wonder to them. What perhaps makes coexistence easier is that Switch usually lets Swan do as they please without silencing them out of annoyance.
In short, Swanson is a diva queen with flighty tendencies, and a knack for method acting that goes too far. While Switch is the frightening family dentist that probably lost a patient or two (best not ask how it’s possible in such a profession. There’s a certainty it wasn’t accidental).
Likes:
Swansong: Pleasing the crowd, attention, praise, singing, any form of drama whether fictitious or not, gossiping, their reflection, aiding their twin during ops.
Switchfoot: Maintaining a clean laboratory, medical texts, being given free reign, praise for their work, medical dramas, petty revenge, dissections, and the occasional unnecessary amputation.
Dislikes:
Swansong: Being ignored, staring, mockery, going under any procedures that aren’t sanctioned by Switch, any insult to their talent, fighting, and action films.
Switchfoot: People touching their possessions, messes in their laboratory, staring, passive aggression, not knowing the Con’s going ons, and any mention of their appearance or lack thereof.
Weapons:
Rotor Blades: Despite their name, these blades are far from, well blades. They are literally just the blades from the propeller of their alt mode; lengthened to better serve a combative purpose. Most typically they are used for defense, kept at a crossover to block incoming melee attacks. On the odd offensive strike, they’re heavy enough to crush light armour and able to dent medium armour. Attacks against heavy armour is laughable and might cause some damage to paint, like a fleck or two.
Toe Claws- There are two sharp digits on each foot. With enough force they can be quite the gougers. They are capable of more damage than their rotors, able to rend light armour and puncture medium. A simple standing kick on its own would not be able to do too much damage to heavy armour, maybe causing a deep scratch or two. If their back is braced against a wall or another, enough force could be generated to dent heavier plating.
Overseer- Located on the underside of their alt- mode is an orb like structure that offers a much greater range of sight. Not only can it pick up minute details from a high altitude, it can also serve as an infrared camera at medium range. This works in the twins’ favour for when carrying out arial investigations or for surveying the playing field. It is even more handy for allowing the twins to take note on who may be injured in the battle fields.
Strengths:
Put that down!- Two large lenses with a separate mind for each? Great mobility range? There’s no escaping their peripherals!
Straight Faced- With ties to the theatre, the twins are great at bluffing and feigning both vocally and physically. Since they have no face plates to betray their intentions, it makes lying all the more easy.
What makes you tick- Slaving away under various medical teachers does have its perks. While not an enthusiastic medic, Switchfoot can carry out minor to serious repairs if granted permission- just don’t be surprised if you discover a part or two missing. And don’t ask what happened to the said part; it’s theirs now.
I know...- Being a partially split spark, the twins are very familiar with each other. It should be no surprise that they can carry on full conversations with each other in silence whilst also interacting with a crowd.
Weaknesses:
The Janus Effect- Having two heads is great up until they start arguing. Both twins seem to have cohesive control over their shared body which allows for ease in mobility. Unfortunately they both have very different personalities and interests, which leads to a rather odd visual spectacle. When at odds with each other, their body takes on a heavy lag or skipping animations. This still accommodates for their need of motion whilst also illustrating even the closest of siblings still bicker.
Fast Metabolism- The twins have a finicky build up that requires constant movement to maintain it. This is a side effect of their abnormal spark- the impartial split causes an excess of energy that needs to be dispelled. Remaining static for too long, even going into recharge, can be hazardous. Issues with build up presents itself as even further restlessness, and the magnetic attraction of small metal items/ objects. This attraction can not be weaponized and served more of an annoyance/ inconvenience. While problematic, they’ve learned to live with the difficulty. What makes it more of a problem is the constant need for energon. It should be no surprise that the twins keep secret stores as a result.
Achy Breaky- The twins have an unconventional frame to accompany all that is them. A majority of their joints and internal structures are held together with localized electromagnets. While this is great for mobility it is not so good when they fail. This puts them at a rather extreme risk when in the presence of EMPs. Small blasts can be enough to paralyze limbs or even the body. Any greater and you may just have a rag doll with system failure.
Cuffed- During their empurata procedure there arose the problem of parts not being compatible. To combat this, specialized cuffs were secured in place on their wrists. This allowed for their claws to remain mounted in place. It should be no surprise that this alteration to their physicality often brings about aches. While not always troublesome, there are the occasional flare ups of pain. Sometimes this prompts the twins to simply forgo attachments until the pain alleviates (don’t worry, they often keep an optic on their loose pieces). After some rather illegal adjustments with outside help, the cuffs then served as connectors, compatible with similarly modified servos. While useful for changing out servos, they aren’t the strongest. If hit with a medium to high force upon the joint seem, it is common for the appendage to disconnect. If in temperatures too cold to maintain warmth, the connection fails. It is because of this weak point that they forgo weaponized attachments, recoil certainly is not their friend.
Ain’t No Shame- Try as they might, the twins cannot deny that they often require help in maintaining their servos. Amputations and dissections with claws are one thing, with enough patience and skill it can be done with passing impressiveness. It certainly got them noticed before- but that’s where their luck ends. While able to salvage the right parts, they need another set of skilled servos to carry out the required modifications to make them compatible. Once modified, aid is not needed much for switching appendages out.
*The only reason as to why they even bother switching out claws to servos, is so they can better fulfill their tasks as a medic, and so they can carry out whatever little side projects their spark desires. As for switching back from servos to claws, it is simply to maintain the salvaged parts and prolong use.*
Salamanders do it Better- Thin frames like theirs are susceptible to the pains and breaks of war. Unlike others, not just any replacement will suffice. Sure, different cuffs can be made for compatibility, but such great weaknesses in their structure is not favourable. When seriously injured or maimed, the road to recovery is twice to thrice that of a regular bot. This is because new parts would need to be constructed to suit their build, something that is hard given the war and lack of resources.
The Bare Minimum- Switchfoot didn’t care much for their mandatory combat training. Swanson only paid attention under the guise of furthering their repertoire. So it should come to no surprise that their combat skills are lacklustre in terms of functionality. Swanson was able to add some useless flair to their moves, thanks to Earth’s media. If going up against an average trooper, they might be able to fend for themselves until another can spare their aft.
Special Skills:
Displacement- Swanson and Switch have crazy levels of agility. This is achieved through full motion joints and strong electromagnets. This ability is quite the sight as their form will shift into unnatural angles and rotate way past what is considered normal, and then some! They aren't at all fatigued when using this skill as it is a part of their buildup. While useful to those trained for up close combat, they do not use this ability for such.Their mobility instead finds more use in tight corners and cramped operatories, often negating the need for assistance in the switching of tools.
Misplacement- With the many magnets in their body, it becomes possible to self dismember themselves. Range of removal is typically limited to non crucial systems like limbs and extensions. This skill comes in handy when switching out their servos or for carrying out localized repairs. However it is not carried out often for fear of losing their specialized parts. Once parts are removed they lose any trace of mobility, after all they no longer have connection to a driving force.
Extra Info: Their original face plates.
Name/Alias: Dreamu or Dreaming Emu
CHARACTER INFO
Name: Swansong and Switchfoot (Swanson and Switch for short)
Age: Human equivalent of late 30’s to early 40’s for Switch, and anywhere from 20’s- 40’s for Swan
Gender: Gender Neutral
Species: Camien
Faction: Decepticon
Original Occupation:
Swanson: Entertainer
Switch: Coroner/ Mortician. Medic on the good day.
Occupation/Specialization:
Swanson: Investigation and Interrogation.
Switch: Interrogation. Medic on a bad day.
Appearance
Height: 24ft on average. At full extension of their legs they can reach 27ft. This can be uncomfortable and a bit unstable.
Optics: Champagne Red
Coloration: Primarily a pale white and dark grey, with soft mint and peach accents. They have a matte finish and red bio lights.
Buildup:
They possess a lanky frame with minimal armour plates. From the neck socket sprouts not one, but two elongated helms. Each has its own freedom of movement. The nose of their alt mode makes up their chest; the faux peach canopy sits like a sliver down the centre. Branching from the chest extends diamond shaped shoulder plates with wide mobility range. On their back sits a majority of their wing plates which are mobile and help with emoting. Low sweeping arms end halfway down their digitigrade legs, capping off with dexterous hands of three clawed digits. Their pelvis has more of a forwards jut to compensate for the angle of their legs. Those awkward legs have a bit more girth in the thighs in comparison to the rest of the body’s proportions. They end in two large toe claws that make up the pedes.
Facial Features:
What face? As typical with empurata victims there isn’t much of one to go by. Centred on each helm is a large ocular lens that have shutter frames with slight visibility behind them. Swansong’s helm is the more streamlined of the pair and holds very little characteristic features. Along the centre sits a stationary fin. Switchfoot’s helm has more character despite being the more analytical persona. At the sides sit thin audial fins with limited mobility, and at their jaw are two small protrusions one either side. The chin, jaw, and upper portion of their helm have points that converge near the centre of their optic. They have learned to ignore the visual obstruction.
Vocals:
Swanson still has their original vocoder. It can carry a pleasant tune and has some leanings to masculinity. If caught off guard or unknowingly looked upon, their pitch heightens to their natural voice, a betrayal of secrecy to their past self. They have no discernible accent.
Switch does not have their original vocoder. What they now have is a deep and deadpan automated manner of speech. They have no accent but speak with a static filled garble.
An example of their vocals.
Altmode: MQ-1 Predator Drone
An unmanned vehicle is rather well fit for a faceless being. Unlike the typical models seen on earth, the twins opted out of the missile additions in favour of coming across as less hostile. While this alt lacks a pilots chamber, Swanson insisted upon a tinted canopy. Switch agreed as this allowed for further surveillance above the drone, mostly a safety precaution born of paranoia.
Pertinent History:
In the Beginning:
The twins are of forged origins, springing from a hot spot on Caminus. Their unique appearance comes from an improperly split spark- too much separation for a stable singular individual, and not enough to be kept as a healthy, traditional set of twins. In their early years, Swan and Switch had enough cohesion to act as if they were of one mind with an odd body. This feign of being a singular individual spared them from excessive inquiries and allowed for a rather peaceful education process. As per typical of Camien traditions, participating in the arts and contributing to society was expected of the twins. This was perhaps one of the better outcomes for the twins as it catered greatly to their personalities. Swansong flourished in the performing arts because of her vigour and partly because of both twins’ traditionally appealing face plates. Switchfoot did well in the medical fields, but lacked too much in bedside manner. She was much more invested in what made the living tick, and why the dead didn’t. This led to multiple academic hearings with threats of expulsion. Ultimately Switchfoot was able to get her practitioners license with acting help from Swansong. It is because of this aid that Switch has an undying loyalty for her twin.
The Relocation
After graduating and becoming ‘relevant’ to Camien society, the twins picked up on old data from Cybertron. The very idea of skills determining status was enough to put stars in both sets of optics, further investigations be damned. Swansong with her need for attention thought it the perfect opportunity to get others to find her likeable. Switchfoot had hopes of avoiding strong societal standards. Promise of prosperity was enough to have the twins scrambling for escape from the stuffy confines of Caminus. After all, it was hard to make a happy lifestyle in a place with similar skills that heavily saturated the area. It took a while to gather the resources for travel, but after some years they had the funds and the opportunity to catch a ride on one of the rare trader transports that stumbled upon the wayward colony. While unable to get a direct path to Cybertron, the twins did eventually make it. They arrived during the first bouts of unrest of the Caste System Era.
With Cybertron’s increasingly dulling scenery, the twins’ future was marked. Swansong’s talents were not relevant to this society- her face no longer a saving grace, especially since it shared a frame with a duplicate. Even Switchfoot with all her medical training could not find work or fit into the developing caste system. During their early years on Cybertron, they managed to scrape by by offering aid to others as downtrodden as them. The more the twins embraced the outcasts, the more they picked up on rumours and truths of illegal activities. Such activities included the infamous gladiatorial battles of Slaughter City. And where there were illegal fights, there must have surely been a need for a medic such as Switchfoot. Time eventually passed with Switch repairing the occasional gladiator when granted permission to do so by the patient. When there were no living around or those willing to put up with the freaks that were the twins, Switchfoot resorted to rooting around the scrapyards, fishing out offlined warriors. The initial intention was to patch the dead up, to better maintain their skills. This eventually led to a talent of being able to dress the dead for those that may have wanted to seek solace in their passing; then it further devolved into a twisted fascination with the inner workings of bodies, and what could be done with them to further satiate their curiosity.
While their twin kept busy or tried to, Swansong merely attempted to entertain the rare patient with selfmade dramas and simple tunes.
The Disfigurement
Plays and melodrama were not enough alone to support the twins’ emotional needs (mainly Swan’s). It did not draw in enough stardom for them. It didn’t satiate Swan’s fragile ego. Swansong’s ambitions were quick to grow with their counterpart’s continual tinkerings, and required a new outlet. This outlet was discovered in an offhand comment about the High Council that lead to a bout of laughter from one of Switchfoot’s living patients. And thus a career in satire was born! It wasn’t profitable, but it certainly satiated Swan’s needs.
While their acts didn’t aggressively challenge the Council, it was enough to upset. Bots talk, and bots listen. Word gets around about an oddity mocking the government, making a name for themselves. An example would need to be made so as to not encourage further insult and disobedience to authority. And that example happened to be the perpetrator undergoing the Empurata procedure. Originally only Swansong was going to lose her faceplate, but her twin felt it was necessary to lip off a great many of individuals. They lost their servos, something that brought on even greater protests from Switchfoot. Not even Switch’s medical background could spare them.
Due to the unique case of their anatomy, there came a problem with attaching claws to a system that could not support such a thing. It was briefly considered to let the twins simply exist without claws or servos, but they didn’t want to make a martyr of them; dissidents might think the twins were bold enough to outright reject the modifications and go without. It was thought such a display would cause further civil unrest, so extra efforts were made to ensure they bore the same traits as every other empurata victim. As a result, specialized cuffs were created to lock their claws on their wrists. This allowed for only the most basic of rotational movements.
To dissuade future antics, their case worker opted for giving Swansong an artificial voice box; only they mixed up the heads. The twins with a great skill for fibbing, hid the mistake.
With their truly defining features stolen from them and their crippling vanity, the twins saw it fit to be referred to only in the neutral pronouns.
The disciplinary actions did not end there. The twins were given a choice; serve time in prison or serve the senate. Work was work, the latter option was chosen. This forced servitude took on the role of the twins bringing in scraps of info about the going ons in back alleys and undesirable locations. It was in those hidden places that they occasionally stumbled upon the dead or dying. What started off as a search for new servos, lead to frequent trips to chop shops and part dealers. On occasion, those with better skill in the medical trade would take note on how skillfully parts were harvested and grant the twins temporary permission to assist during busy times. Payment was often received in the form of better developing the twins’ wrist cuffs to allow for more movement, and eventually led to the commission of servos that were relatively compatible with them. Eventually their assistance was needed more consistently for an aging ex-practitioner, and they received a more steady work flow. This practitioner would sometimes receive requests to go over the bodies of those that passed under suspicion but were ultimately ignored or covered up by those in the government. It was with that mech that Switch learned the coroner’s trade.
Throughout Switchfoot’s relative success, Swansong merely deteriorated. All that they lived for taken- prohibited. Should they act out, there would be no coroners examining their corpse.
The War
Eventually their mentor passed on leaving his basement based operatory to the twins. For a while they make a living in selling upgrades salvaged from the dead- after all, weapons were what kept wars going. Then the weapons weren’t enough. They needed more people to fight. Word in the underground brought the young Decepticon faction rumours of an oddity whose joints moved much too freely, whose solitary optics picked up on much without bringing notice. Eventually those rumours led to the tracking down of the twins. Initial introductions revealed that little could be learned from the pair, and that they could do little in terms of fighting. Due to their appearance, Switchfoot’s medical skill was overlooked. As a result they were put to work with menial tasks; another gear to the system.
Not being accustomed to such tasks led to boredom that took place in the form of snooping. Being in the right place during sensitive exchanges too many times eventually led to imprisonment under the belief the twins were enemy spies. This accusation was eventually absolved under interrogation. Due to the amount of time it took to notice the pair’s sneakings, it was thought to be beneficial to further train them in that field of skill. It was because of this that data became their main bargaining force, and their combination of curiosity and intensity eventually lead to a niche skill of interrogation to further solidify the twins' use.
The Exodus
Swanson and Switch came to Earth with the Nemesis. However they did not stay with the ship. With low resources and a skill set that had very little value to the collective at the time, the twins felt it best to make themselves scarce. After a bargain or two, they were able to excuse their absence as an extended surveying mission. There was no public record as to what the twins were investigating, but their eventual return brought with them knowledge of many organic anatomies and earthly entertainments.
Personality:
Swansong is a being of great vanity with nowhere to place it. This manifests in outbursts of delusions such as the belief they are hosting an audience or sometimes they mimic that of old earth film stars at their dressing desks. Other manifestations of their vanity displays itself as jealousy. A hostile thing that rears its head during less friendly procedures. While these flights of fantasy are a minor part of Swanson’s persona, it feeds into the fact that they are overall distracting and easily distracted. A lot of this stems from the trauma of having their identity essentially taken from them. Somewhere along the line of recovery their inability to outwardly express emotion caused enough self frustration to send them into frequent dissociative states. While Swanson’s absent behaviours are quite commonplace for them, they still do have a partly coherent mindset.
They do so enjoy chattering and gossip, often making their own if none is readily available. This great like to acquire the newest ‘deets’ brings out a more problematic persona. It serves their role among the Cons well, adding fervour to their searches and intensity to their interrogations.
Swansong’s inherent aim is to please. And if that means pain to another, so be it. They lack the moral standards that usually prohibit cruelty.
All in all, Swan is the more harmless helm of the pair, and anything spoken can and should not be taken at face (lens?) value. Their absent ramblings are made up for in their decisive actions. Though there should be caution in disregarding Swansong’s suggestions; they wouldn’t be a victim of empurata if there wasn’t some weight to their thought process.
Switchfoot is the more competent helm, often speaking for both themselves and their twin. They have what can be considered a saintly patience; if not an unsettling one. Switch is not one to outwardly voice dissent and would much rather fume on issues. Intentionally slow to act, any perceived transgressions will often be met with a fitting retaliation at a later time, as they most certainly don’t forget.
Primarily, Switchfoot is outwardly very monotonous and often indifferent (whether it’s because of their permanent tonal range or overall disinterest is up for debate). They do have an intelligence that they keep to themselves, believing it better serves them alone as opposed to others. It is best not to expect to be humoured by Switch as they’re idea of entertainment is the dissection of whatever is on the slab before them.
What makes them dangerous is perhaps their curiosity and the lengths they go to satiate it. They aren’t much for pleasing others, but will go far to obtain info just for the sake of knowing. Fortunately they are wise enough not to carry out interrogations without permission first.
Unlike Swansong, anything said by them should be taken with a grain of salt; they don’t take kindly to being waved off. Their moral standing is known only to themselves and it is heavily self serving. Swan only has a partial insight into this. Switch has a strong idea of what goes on inside the other’s helm.
While they can be considered opposites, the twins are still two sides of the same coin. Swanson’s flamboyance can be annoying on occasion, but ultimately serves as an energy and animation that leaves their twin in silent and hidden awe. Switchfoot holds a deep respect for Swan and their abilities, for they keep the long days a little less boring. While it seems like a minimal thing to care about, it comes from a place of familial fondness. Sorta like how an older sibling cares for a younger one.
Swansong’s appreciation for their twin does not lay so deep. They are a shallow person after all. Their agreeability stems from their intrigue about their counterpart’s machinations; such a consistent and constant personality serves as a wonder to them. What perhaps makes coexistence easier is that Switch usually lets Swan do as they please without silencing them out of annoyance.
In short, Swanson is a diva queen with flighty tendencies, and a knack for method acting that goes too far. While Switch is the frightening family dentist that probably lost a patient or two (best not ask how it’s possible in such a profession. There’s a certainty it wasn’t accidental).
Likes:
Swansong: Pleasing the crowd, attention, praise, singing, any form of drama whether fictitious or not, gossiping, their reflection, aiding their twin during ops.
Switchfoot: Maintaining a clean laboratory, medical texts, being given free reign, praise for their work, medical dramas, petty revenge, dissections, and the occasional unnecessary amputation.
Dislikes:
Swansong: Being ignored, staring, mockery, going under any procedures that aren’t sanctioned by Switch, any insult to their talent, fighting, and action films.
Switchfoot: People touching their possessions, messes in their laboratory, staring, passive aggression, not knowing the Con’s going ons, and any mention of their appearance or lack thereof.
Weapons:
Rotor Blades: Despite their name, these blades are far from, well blades. They are literally just the blades from the propeller of their alt mode; lengthened to better serve a combative purpose. Most typically they are used for defense, kept at a crossover to block incoming melee attacks. On the odd offensive strike, they’re heavy enough to crush light armour and able to dent medium armour. Attacks against heavy armour is laughable and might cause some damage to paint, like a fleck or two.
Toe Claws- There are two sharp digits on each foot. With enough force they can be quite the gougers. They are capable of more damage than their rotors, able to rend light armour and puncture medium. A simple standing kick on its own would not be able to do too much damage to heavy armour, maybe causing a deep scratch or two. If their back is braced against a wall or another, enough force could be generated to dent heavier plating.
Overseer- Located on the underside of their alt- mode is an orb like structure that offers a much greater range of sight. Not only can it pick up minute details from a high altitude, it can also serve as an infrared camera at medium range. This works in the twins’ favour for when carrying out arial investigations or for surveying the playing field. It is even more handy for allowing the twins to take note on who may be injured in the battle fields.
Strengths:
Put that down!- Two large lenses with a separate mind for each? Great mobility range? There’s no escaping their peripherals!
Straight Faced- With ties to the theatre, the twins are great at bluffing and feigning both vocally and physically. Since they have no face plates to betray their intentions, it makes lying all the more easy.
What makes you tick- Slaving away under various medical teachers does have its perks. While not an enthusiastic medic, Switchfoot can carry out minor to serious repairs if granted permission- just don’t be surprised if you discover a part or two missing. And don’t ask what happened to the said part; it’s theirs now.
I know...- Being a partially split spark, the twins are very familiar with each other. It should be no surprise that they can carry on full conversations with each other in silence whilst also interacting with a crowd.
Weaknesses:
The Janus Effect- Having two heads is great up until they start arguing. Both twins seem to have cohesive control over their shared body which allows for ease in mobility. Unfortunately they both have very different personalities and interests, which leads to a rather odd visual spectacle. When at odds with each other, their body takes on a heavy lag or skipping animations. This still accommodates for their need of motion whilst also illustrating even the closest of siblings still bicker.
Fast Metabolism- The twins have a finicky build up that requires constant movement to maintain it. This is a side effect of their abnormal spark- the impartial split causes an excess of energy that needs to be dispelled. Remaining static for too long, even going into recharge, can be hazardous. Issues with build up presents itself as even further restlessness, and the magnetic attraction of small metal items/ objects. This attraction can not be weaponized and served more of an annoyance/ inconvenience. While problematic, they’ve learned to live with the difficulty. What makes it more of a problem is the constant need for energon. It should be no surprise that the twins keep secret stores as a result.
Achy Breaky- The twins have an unconventional frame to accompany all that is them. A majority of their joints and internal structures are held together with localized electromagnets. While this is great for mobility it is not so good when they fail. This puts them at a rather extreme risk when in the presence of EMPs. Small blasts can be enough to paralyze limbs or even the body. Any greater and you may just have a rag doll with system failure.
Cuffed- During their empurata procedure there arose the problem of parts not being compatible. To combat this, specialized cuffs were secured in place on their wrists. This allowed for their claws to remain mounted in place. It should be no surprise that this alteration to their physicality often brings about aches. While not always troublesome, there are the occasional flare ups of pain. Sometimes this prompts the twins to simply forgo attachments until the pain alleviates (don’t worry, they often keep an optic on their loose pieces). After some rather illegal adjustments with outside help, the cuffs then served as connectors, compatible with similarly modified servos. While useful for changing out servos, they aren’t the strongest. If hit with a medium to high force upon the joint seem, it is common for the appendage to disconnect. If in temperatures too cold to maintain warmth, the connection fails. It is because of this weak point that they forgo weaponized attachments, recoil certainly is not their friend.
Ain’t No Shame- Try as they might, the twins cannot deny that they often require help in maintaining their servos. Amputations and dissections with claws are one thing, with enough patience and skill it can be done with passing impressiveness. It certainly got them noticed before- but that’s where their luck ends. While able to salvage the right parts, they need another set of skilled servos to carry out the required modifications to make them compatible. Once modified, aid is not needed much for switching appendages out.
*The only reason as to why they even bother switching out claws to servos, is so they can better fulfill their tasks as a medic, and so they can carry out whatever little side projects their spark desires. As for switching back from servos to claws, it is simply to maintain the salvaged parts and prolong use.*
Salamanders do it Better- Thin frames like theirs are susceptible to the pains and breaks of war. Unlike others, not just any replacement will suffice. Sure, different cuffs can be made for compatibility, but such great weaknesses in their structure is not favourable. When seriously injured or maimed, the road to recovery is twice to thrice that of a regular bot. This is because new parts would need to be constructed to suit their build, something that is hard given the war and lack of resources.
The Bare Minimum- Switchfoot didn’t care much for their mandatory combat training. Swanson only paid attention under the guise of furthering their repertoire. So it should come to no surprise that their combat skills are lacklustre in terms of functionality. Swanson was able to add some useless flair to their moves, thanks to Earth’s media. If going up against an average trooper, they might be able to fend for themselves until another can spare their aft.
Special Skills:
Displacement- Swanson and Switch have crazy levels of agility. This is achieved through full motion joints and strong electromagnets. This ability is quite the sight as their form will shift into unnatural angles and rotate way past what is considered normal, and then some! They aren't at all fatigued when using this skill as it is a part of their buildup. While useful to those trained for up close combat, they do not use this ability for such.Their mobility instead finds more use in tight corners and cramped operatories, often negating the need for assistance in the switching of tools.
Misplacement- With the many magnets in their body, it becomes possible to self dismember themselves. Range of removal is typically limited to non crucial systems like limbs and extensions. This skill comes in handy when switching out their servos or for carrying out localized repairs. However it is not carried out often for fear of losing their specialized parts. Once parts are removed they lose any trace of mobility, after all they no longer have connection to a driving force.
Extra Info: Their original face plates.