Kairan1979: Gonna be honest; I barely know anything about association football (which is why I'm only doing the Big 4), but based on the nickname? Maybe something like Black Whip from My Hero Acadamia.

A Hyena's account: Then I'm doing my job! :)

Sunrise

Armsmaster arrives, and before he injects Lung with the tranquillizer, I'm able to let him know that Taylor stuffed a shit ton of poisons into his system. He acknowledges that fact, and has Panacea set up at the hospital in advance.

At this point, my Cybertronian body drives over to use, so Tay-chan… okay no. That just sounds… not right as a nickname. I drive over so Taylor can join the conversation.

Armsy then accuses us of using excessive force on Lung.

Okay, he actually says that we could've held back, and doesn't accuse us of a crime, but my experiences with Armsmaster before he becomes Defiant range from "pre-cave Tony Stark without the humour" to "villain in hero's skin". Not positive.

Taylor speaks up at this point.

"What would you want us to do against Lung?" emphasizing the cape's name to remind him that the raging dragon had duelled Levithan and put up a fight.

Sure, the fight was like the 2017 Warriors against the Cleveland Lebrons (okay the Cavs were still really good that year) but still! Resistance when everybody else just got curb-stomped!

"Not engage, and wait for support."

"He was going to kill kids! I heard him say so!" Taylor cried. Also, what support is he- oooo. Good play Armsmaster. A perfect segway into the Wards pitch, if we had asked about support.

That actually quiets Armsmaster. He seems to think, or maybe consult his social simulation algorithm. I don't remember if that was fanon or canon.

"It is admirable that you two would want to protect children, but doing it alone will end with you dead."

… well shit. That's harsh.

I mentally change my hologram mask to spell out "Yikes".

Curiously, Taylor was extremely quiet, but my sensors detected a lot of bugs scuttering around.

Roses are red, violets are blue, and Armsmaster will always unintentionally anger, annoy, or alienate people he should be working with.

Okay, time to steer the conversation in my direction.

The PRT vehicles had now arrived, putting Lung in an armoured ambulance. Armsmaster excuses himself relays the whole deadly toxin thing, and returns to continue our talk.

"Okay, let's cut to the chase. You want us to join the Protectorate or Wards, depending on our age. I personally value my freedom of action… a lot, and if my Mom's stress levels were any indication, I would make a terrible soldier."

"Which!" I say, cutting off Armsmaster's rebuttal, "Is what the Protectorate are. You have a chain of command, and you risk your lives for the good of the nation. That feels like a soldier to me."

Backhanded compliments for the win.

I continue. "As an athlete, I understand the importance of chain of command, listening to orders, and following the play call. However, just because I respect your ways of doing things, and the work you do, doesn't mean I would be any good at doing it."

That part was true by the way. I was not a great football player despite my natural quickness, because I couldn't memorize a 40-page playbook. How was I supposed to deal with a 200-page manual? I was much better at hockey, where my coach had a few general tenets, and was willing to let the players figure out what to do while hitting those tenets.

Taylor throws in her own two cents. "I don't think I would like listening to orders of adults either."

Way to blow your identity, Tay. Yeah, Tay works well, right?

Wait, didn't Emma use to call Taylor "Tay"? Back to the nickname drawing board; don't wanna bring up bad memories.

"So here's the deal, sometime tomorrow, I'll come over, fill out your forms and apply for power testing. If… uh… shit have you thought of a name yet?" I ask hopefully-not-Skitter.

"... I'll think of one by tomorrow. We can register as a team right?" She asked the question in a monotone, but the sensors picked up bugs.

Aw, she's nervous about asking me. I'm touched.

"Sure! So tall, dark, and beautiful and I will both register, and I'll do a power testing."

The bugs are jumping around again. Was it the "beautiful" comment? Probably. Taylor has a negative ego. Thanks again, Sophia and friends!

I can't wait to watch her entire situation blow up in her face.

"And you?"

Huh?

Oh right, Taylor.

"Sorry?" she replies to Armsmaster, probably confused over why he was addressing her.

"Will you also partake in power testing?" the Protectorate leader clarified.

"I… I'll pass."

"Great! We can give you our testimony of what happened tomorrow then," I say with a thumbs up and a smile.

I try to end the conversation here, because despite my acting tough, Lung did some serious damage to my systems, and walking over to Taylor had been through some significant discomfort. Driving wasn't bad, but flight systems were completely offline. According to some internal thingymajig, I would probably be restored by the next morning.

Also, a nice lesson to learn that I should never fire an explosive right in front of me.

… What do you mean, "No shit, Sherlock?"

Okay, I thought it would look cool, alright?

Armsmaster begrudgingly agrees, before asking for a general summary of my powers, so they knew what restrictions I needed.

… I'm pretty sure transforming would cause some pain to myself, but it would be really fucking cool.

"Uh, mind getting out?"

It took Taylor a second to process that I was talking to her. Man, she must be out of it.

I swear if we have to deal with the Undersiders after Armsy…

Taylor leaves the car, and at the same time, Armsmaster seems to come to a realization.

"That car… there are no license plates on it."

"So first off, my power is a changer power, that lets instantaneous shift between my normal human form, and a combat form. While in combat form, I can project a hard light hologram to blend in, because there would be something missing from my combat form without it."

"A hologram? Are you a tinker, of sorts?"

Worried I'm coming for your throne of "Best American Tinker"?

"No. The hologram came prepackaged into my power. You're seeing it right now."

Armsmaster seems to stiffen.

"Your combat form has been deployed."

"Yup."

Taylor realizes what I've been leading up to, and stops leaning on the Bugatti Chiron Supersport alt-form, walking a healthy amount of distance away.

"... I suppose you are going to show it to me?"

I replace my digital face with a giant question mark.

"What? Dude, I'm already showing it to you."

As Armsmaster processes this information, I take the time to dissipate my holoform.

I drive the car close to Armsmaster, and he seems to finally get it.

Wait… can I…

I tune my speakers to max volume and open the windows.

Tommy Lee Jones's iconic line plays.

"It's morphin' time!"

I mentally hiss, as I feel some pain due to the light injuries that Lung inflicted on me.

All for the sake of looking cool.

Taylor mutters "Showboat," under her breath. She's not wrong.

Clangs, whirs, and other mechanical noises sound off, as I shift and unfold into my full height of 20 feet.

Armsmaster just stands there, frozen.

"Yo," I say while saluting in greeting.

Armsmaster recovers from his shock and nods slowly.

"I see. We will need to use the open-air testing chamber, which is on the city limits, to accommodate your size."

"Sounds good."

Then, the Halbeard seems to hesitate.

"If you don't mind… could I take a look at you during testing? I would like to see how your body functions."

…meh. I'm feeling nice. Also, his power is probably feeding his urge to ask me that. Also also, I could meet Dragon.

And! I don't think humans ever got to really study Cybertronians, or really apply our world's math and sciences to them.

Don't quote me on that, I've never read the comics or watched all the cartoons. The only pieces of relevant Transformers media. EVER.

"Why not?"

Armsmaster actually smiles. It doesn't seem forced. Am I dreaming?

"Before you leave…"

He goes to his motorcycle, and fishes out… two license plates? The characters are ARMSTR.

"The PRT provides all capes who use vehicles anonymous insurance. When you register tomorrow, we'll be able to get you some custom plates, but take these for now so you don't get pulled over."

Aw, sweet. I thought I would have to walk everywhere without driving to avoid the police. I take the plates.

"Additionally, here is my card. I would request that before visiting, you give us one hour's notice before approaching.

"Thanks a billion, man!"

I lean down for a fist bump. He stares at it for five very awkward seconds, before hesitantly bumping it back.

"See you tomorrow, Master of Arms."

"Very well… I apologize. What was your name again?"

I flicker my optics. I didn't tell him, did I?

I start walking backwards.

"You can call me Sunrise."

I shift back into my Bugatti Chiron form, and hydraulics hiss as I open a door for Taylor.

She accepts the silent invitation for a ride and sits down in the passenger seat.

My body integrates and colourizes the plates to fit my colour scheme, and I jet off into Brockton Bay.

Wait. Fuck.

"... is this a bad time to mention I don't have a place to stay?"

AN: Before any of you talk about Age of Extinction, no. Just no. Never happened.