beep…beep…beep…

tshck-schk-shck…

A small robot opens their eyes. Looking around in surprise on a strange, but slightly familiar world, they stretch their arms.

Looking in the mirror, they saw that they were a small robot. One horn full, one horn broken, a happy demeanor, and a cute exoskeleton. They notice their tread-like legs and their tank backpack, and swirl around, looking at themselves. They pick up a holed bowl, shaped similarly to a helmet, and put it on their head, covering the broken horn.

“Huh, I look delightful!” they say happily.

In familiarity, they had noticed a broken media player among the rubbish. They felt their head, touched the player, and a horror movie started displaying.

Buzzer shows interest halfway throughout a scene with an otherworldly alien. The details, visuals, and the horror of the situation sparked joy in them.

“Woah.” the attentive robot mutters, the buzzing sound getting their attention.

The robot twirls away from the screen. “…bzz…Buzzer. That’s who I am! Buzzer!”

The robot hops away, noticing a building with bright lights. “Coooool!” Buzzer exclaims, sneaking in.

Buzzer opens the door slowly, sneaking behind the metal seat, making sure not to attract attention.

An insectoid robot, just as small as them, coughs. “Welcome to the very first History is a Weapon cinema night. I’m your host, Stinger. He and she.”

A tubby bulky, rabbit-like robot who turns into a base, munches on some space grains while a junky orange jet scoots away and murmurs.

“Why are you exhausting the space grain supply?” A motorcycle robot, orange and having big horns and glasses, walks in and coughs, their yellow glasses shining.

Buzzer is confused. “Friends?” They think, moving their head side to side, vaguely recognizing the motorcycle and base robot. They whimper thinking of the tubby robot as if it had reminded them of something imposing.

“For our first weapon night, we will be watching a video of a leader from the long past.”

“And you probably should not laugh.”

*click!*

The VHS is inserted in.

A big-chinned, blue leader is shown on the top of a building, his cape flying.

He gives a cough into his hand, and slaps the rod he is holding into the ground.

“I, Sentinel Magnus, would like to inform you all of a new Decepticon terrorist.” He gets out a piece of paper, looking at it closely.

It cuts “The Decepticons have created a technology inspired from organic CNA.” he stutters.

“DNA, as they call it. This technology, which they call Endling tech, was used to create what they call Blitzonok, a Decepticon supersoldier. He has killed dozens of scientists and civilians. Blitzonok is lurking around and is on our top 10 wanted list.”

An obvious actor in a poorly-made costume of that supersoldier shows up, and lurks behind a regular Autobot civilian. “He could hurt you.”

A snicker from the tubby robot. “Galvin!” Stinger screams out. “Sorry…” Galvin replies, turning back a little, with small noises.

Back to the tape, Sentinel looks back at the camera, with effects of a lightning flash, and broken glass flashing by.

“Join the Elite Guard today and get the chance to get rid of this terrorist.”

*the tape is shut off*

Stinger explains. “You see, you might have a small idea of who that leader is like. Most of you barely recall him from your days of being Autobots and Decepticons. He was the father, as he called himself, of two well-known individuals, no?”

The group looks, blank expressions on their faces. Buzzer confusedly sticks their tongue out behind the couch.

Stinger sighs. “No wonder why I’m one of the last historians.” She continues anyways.

“I’m showing you all these videos every day that ends with a Y because we can’t let history go forgotten. Here, he’s twisting something, something against the people of our now-broken planet. History is not what happened; it’s a story of what happened that can be twisted to fit narratives that prevent us from healing.”

Buzzer falls out from behind the couch, as the passerbys gasp. “Someone broke in! Get it, Krater!”

Krater bounces, trying to get Buzzer as they jump and jump. Krater knocks his TV-like head against a shelf, and spaces out for a second, dizzily touching his own neck, but quickly recovers. “Huh?”

He goes into vehicle mode, and the exhaust fumes cause more chaos and confusion. “Sorry!” Galvin wheezes and faints onto the ground, a robotic shk following.

Buzzer giggles. “Ahahaha…” they vocalize, knocking down a few tables, including a couple of Cybertronian data tapes, on the floor, which Stinger panickedly picks up.

Buzzer jumps back down and Stinger looks in bewilderment of what just happened. Considering the small nature of her group, she got an idea.

“...do you wanna join the group?” She reaches out an insect-like limb to the curious childish robot that’s as tall as her. Buzzer holds on. “We got cookies and quizzes.” Stinger whispers.

Buzzer nods. “Okay!” Something seemed eccentric but familiar about them, their fast paced movements and random child-like personality.

Galvin picks itself back up, and apologizes to Buzzer. “Oh. Sorry, something, something about you made me feel all disgusted inside.”

Stinger nods, raising a hand. “It’s fine. I know you were hesitant about my organic nature before.”

Stinger sighs at Buzzer. “Welcome to a broken world.”

Buzzer smiles.

—

After the visitors have left, Stinger hyperfixates on the screen, paying close attention to an old news report.

“The Autobot Intel Ministry of Science has been imploded from the inside following a captive Decepticon’s escape. A janitor, Rattletrap, is dead.” a news anchor, known as Rook, reports on the screen. It cuts to a small, orange robot, being inserted in the back of an Autobot medic’s vehicle mode. He is near-unconscious and struggling.

The news anchor notes that “one other janitor, Huffer, is critically injured.”

The statement is followed by Huffer, weakly and urgently saying “we’re all gonna die…” as his head slumps down and he closes his eyes.

Stinger blinks and sighs. “He wasn’t wrong.” she says to herself, rubbing her forehead.

Stinger turns off the tape, and transforms into a deer-wasp mode, sleeping in a repurposed turbofox bed.