semi open

[knaval]

Who: riptide and misc people. ya'll know who you are
When: 26th onwards a few days
Where: cryo, riptide's room and cargo bay, mostly
What: like most people, riptide is not too happy about being waking up after being tortured to death
Warnings: possible mentions of torture and death. will update with more if needed



a. elsa

[riptide wakes up with a start, and immediately starts panicking. he pushes himself out of the cyro tube and collapses, venting heavily and rapidly while looking around in confusion. someone was right over him, where-- did he keep his promise? a whimper escapes him as he can't help but remember the quantum lost light and the mutilated corpses of it's crew.]

Luke! [it's not exactly what riptide meant to yell, but it was the first thought that came to mind. luke had been kicked and-- killed him? his rapid venting slows down as the clear memory of his spark chamber being ripped out pushes itself to the forefront of his mind. riptide hunches in on himself for a moment, then stops. hissing in irritation and pain - his arm, his arm is still broken. shakily holding it up, riptide watches as the energon and oil from his snapped fingers rolls lazily down his forearm.

he doesn't really know what to do. he hates himself for baiting that decepticon into attacking him and is too currently too scared to even stand up and go to see what's going on. even worse, luke and god knows how many other people could be dead because he couldn't stop himself from running his mouth. luke just wanted to help.

pressing his non-broken hand to his face, riptide lets out a garbled sob. this month has been the worst.]

b. megatron

[he'd wanted a good while longer to figure out what to say to megatron. there was no way riptide was just going to ignore his existence and let him off the hook for that guy.

unfortunately for riptide, his shitty luck continues. he's not half way down the corridor before he recognises the iconic shape of the buckethead and his optics widen, not really knowing what to say. can he just... scooch past the guy? probably not.

a wave of emotion hits him in the chest before he can even process it and he immediately yells:] WHERE WERE YOU?!

[he doesn't actually blame megatron for not answering, despite everything.]

c. open-ish? kinda? u know who u are

[he's only been back online for about three hours but riptide is already exhausted. it feels like less than ten minutes ago he was being ripped to pieces and combined with the amount of emotions and what he woke up expecting to see, riptide is almost entirely spent already.

clomping to his room and ignoring absolutely everyone who might try and interact with him on the way in, he gets up onto the berth and lays down, staring at the wall. he knows he won't be able to fall into recharge just yet, but laying here and not moving seems like the next best thing.]

Comments

[aminerproblem]

[Megatron had been skeptical of the capability of the Captains' resurging technology to work on a Cybertronian spark, but he waited outside the cryo chamber anyway. Days had passed, and aside from leaving to tend to his duties at Tarn's trial, he found himself working in the hallway, and waiting.]

[He looks up as heavy footsteps (compared to the typical denizens stalking the halls), and sees none other than his crewmate. His spark swells with relief and the hard lines around his optics soften. Despite his own failure, the Autobot was given a second chance, with just a few scars to show for it. That was more than he could've ask for.]

Riptide, are you alright? How are you feeling?

[Megatron suspects he will need his space, but he chances a few paces closer.]

[knaval]

How the hell do you think I feel?!

[riptide's features go from mild confusion to outright hatred. he squares his shoulders, for all the good it'll do.]

You promised me! You gave me your word! And you did nothing!!

[aminerproblem]

[He's quiet as Riptide vents his anger. No long-winded excuse or explanation of the events would assuage him, because he was right. He failed to protect him as he'd promised. He'd failed to control Tarn.]

[Despite Riptide being alive and well for the time being, the guilt of yet more death at his hands (if indirectly) was a weight that was growing every day. He says nothing.]

[knaval]

[unfortunately, that only angers him more.]

What, you can't even say anything? After all the slag you've done, after every single person that's died because of you, because of Tarn, you can't say anything?

[he doesn't really have a plan for what to say, it's just kind of... spilling out. evident in how he's slowly getting louder and more hysterical.]

Everything you've said about protecting the crew and not being that person any more has been a total lie! All you want to do is pretend it'll go away on it's own. What, did you think Tarn would just have a sudden change of heart like you did? Like he'd just forget everything because you made a sad face at him?!

[he's reaching critical mass. he gestures angrily with his broken arm, ignoring the energon droplets that splatter on the wall.]

You're pathetic!

[aminerproblem]

[His expression is miserable as Riptide rattles off in anger. He's aware half of it is disorientation from just being brought back from the damn dead - after being tortured by Tarn, no less. Yet the words still stung. They hurt in a way he hadn't expected.]

I failed you when you needed me most.

[He looks down at the ground, finding it difficult to make eye contact.]

I'm sorry.

[knaval]

No you're not.

[both hands clench into fists. again, he ignores the pain of his broken arm. TOO ANGRY.]

If you were sorry you'd have done something before it got to this point. Where did Magnus go, huh? Why did he leave us with you!

[his voice cracks on the last word. riptide can't help it, he had to suppress all his emotions in front of elsa when he fell out of cryo. inflicting this on a human wouldn't be fair, even if she can hear him shouting at megatron now.]

[aminerproblem]

[Neither question he can answer. He has no control over the Ingress and he was not going to kill Tarn. What would be the point of saying he'd change if he made exceptions every time it was convenient?]

[Regaining some of his composure, his hands fall meekly to his sides.]

It is clear my presence isn't helping you recover. I'll leave you be.

[knaval]

You're doing it again! You're doing it again! You're just-- walking away! Why don't you care?!

[riptide's body language is far less restrained, waving his arms around again, putting his non-broken hand on his headfin.

finally, his boiling pot of emotions reaching a horrible exploding point, riptide pulls his pistol out his subspace, though doesn't yet fire it. at this point he doesn't really care what'll happen.]

[aminerproblem]

[Megatron watches Riptide as he draws the gun, looking awfully calm despite the fact that he had a pistol pointed at his face.]

Why do you think I don't care?

[knaval]

[riptide did not expect megatron to be threatened. he half expected to be punched in the face.]

You said you would do something about him and even now you're just... walking away!

[he seems to falter for a moment before his expression hardens, and he decides to take his anger out the only way a cybertronian knows how: shooting at something until there's no bullets left.

then... flinging the gun at megatron's face.]

[aminerproblem]

[He barely gets a chance to respond before Riptide empties the clip of his gun right there. The first shot lands on its target, hitting the side of his face and searing the thinner metal skin that was still healing from his fight with Tarn. He tastes energon, but raises an arm up to protect his face and his badge from the bursts of energy burning through the air.]

[Once the smoke begins to clear, he feels something metal clattering against his forearm, and lowers it to see the pistol on the ground.]

[Barring a little re-exposed circuitry of his jaw, the barrage had only left shallow burn marks on his armor.]

[knaval]

[riptide is having quite a big moment, he practically lost it the second after he threw the pistol.

he expected there to be no damage. he expected to miss all the shots. he doesn't care.

expecting megatron to pound him into the floor, riptide just accepted his fate and dropped his head into his hands, openly sobbing, shoulders heaving. the whole she-bang.]

[aminerproblem]

[Riptide would find a hand on his shoulder, instead.]

[Megatron is not a very touchy-feely person, but even he recognized when someone needed support more than they needed placating words. An arm wraps around both shoulders, giving something Riptide to lean on should he need it. He doesn't know if the Autobot wanted to be held, but the silent offer was there.]

[knaval]

[he pushes at megatron's arm for a moment then gives up, wondering how his life got to this point. more importantly, why he didn't have more bullets.

riptide is quick to stop blubbering. he feels ridiculous enough as it is, so megatron won't have to suffer long.]

Get off me.

[nope still prickly]

[aminerproblem]

[He lets go, giving Riptide his space. What he would do to have Rung around right now, he was always better at this kind of thing.]

You should see the others. They missed you.

[Perhaps Riptide won't react so poorly if he's the one who's exiting stage left.]

[knaval]

Oh, yeah. I'm sure they did.

[he just holds up his mangled arm.]

I still have one problem, though.

[aminerproblem]

You seemed to do just fine handling a gun.

[He holds his jaw and sets it. The shot that hit his face managed to dig it's way into the healing wound rather well.]

I will ask Doctor Yewll if she can make you a replacement.

[knaval]

Don't start.

[bleed more B(]

No, I'll ask her. I don't need you to do everything for me. Or maybe you'll just never do it, huh? Wait until it gets infected and drops off.

[aminerproblem]

If your promptness in repairing your room is any indication, then you apparently do.

[He's going to check up on you anyway, Riptide. Sorry.]

[knaval]

Some stupid wall is different from my damn arm. I'm going myself.

[he huffs again, clearly embarrassed about crying in front of megatron.]

[aminerproblem]

Do what you feel is necessary.

[That's the tone of voice that's saying he's going to talk to the medic regardless.]