Setting: G1 Cartoon, post S4. The Decepticons are scattered through the galaxy after Galvatron and the other Decepticons within Scorponok were flung across the universe. Omega Supreme, freed of his responsibilities related to the war, is able to focus on his hunt for the Constructicons. This short conversational snippet between Scavenger and the Constructicon creation, Capstone (an original character), takes place on a remote, abandoned planet during that period of time. It's a quick slice of life fic that is connected to, but not part of, my larger fic, Final Stroke: Fall of the Guardian.

Protection Or Possession

"Well, I think it's a dragon," Scavenger answered as he looked up at the ancient sculpture.

"That doesn't tell me much," replied the slightly smaller Capstone. She leaned forward to more carefully inspect the statue's front-most… foot? Paw? Talon? "What's a dragon?"

Scavenger also approached the statue, and kneeled down to examine the stone globe held beneath its stone foot. Specifically, he checked to see if there was an easy way he could remove it and make off with it. "They're, uhm, really big reptiles. Some of them have wings and can fly, and I think most are supposed to breath fire or something. They're an Earth myth."

Capstone stood up and stared at Scavenger for a long moment. "So you're saying these people made a sculpture of an animal that not only never existed, but had been made up by a species that they've probably never encountered?"

Scavenger looked up at the other robot and tilted his head, confused. "Uhm… yes?"

Capstone snorted and turned her attention back to the statue. "That doesn't make any sense," she observed. Then, before Scavenger could further defend or explain his stance, she moved on. The robot pointed to the globe. "Protection or possession?"

It took a moment for Scavenger to figure out what was being asked. Finally, he shrugged. "I don't know. Both, maybe? What's the difference, really?"

"Well, erm," Capstone sputtered out for a moment. "They're two different things. I mean, you can have both, but you can have one without the other. Can't you?"

Scavenger stopped to consider this. "I suppose so, but normally if we're protecting something it's because it's ours or we want it to be ours." 'We,' of course, meant the Decepticons, even if the Constructicons were the only Decepticons Capstone had ever met.

"So you can't love something without owning it or wanting to own it?"

Scavenger stood up, although he continued to look down at the small globe a moment more. For whatever reason, he chose not to try to remove it. "I don't know. I suppose so. But I think maybe when you love something, you've already made it yours in at least some way in your mind." The Constructicon stared at the dragon silently for awhile, and then looked at Capstone. "At least, you own the memory, anyway."