[banging fists on table] MORE ROBOT DRAMA MORE ROBOT DRAMA MORE ROBOT DR

[knaval]

Who: riptide and some other dudes
When: after magnus's post
Where: riptide's room
What: sad fish boy
Warnings: cw for possible discussion of war, violence, ptsd, generally the depressing shit you get with these metal tittybabies



a. magnus

[accepting his fate, riptide allowed magnus to drag him to his room, no longer fighting.

if he had more knowledge of the situation, he would respond differently. he doesn't, though, and all he knows is he takes part in something that results in all his friends being left for the djd. after everything he's experienced in regards to tarn aboard to moira, after everything everyone has done for him, he was still stupid and selfish enough to leave them all for dead.

what the fuck did getaway say to him?

these are things that riptide will wonder about until he's physically unable to stay awake anymore, but for now he just lets whatever's going to happen to him happen.]

b. megatron

[they didn't finish the wall.

riptide eventually gets sick of laying on his bed staring at it like a useless sack of shit and gets up, sliding off the berth to carefully press at the edges still sticking out awkwardly.

he still thinks the table looked fine where it was.

sighing, riptide gets to work. missing brainstorm and nautica intensely for a moment before telling himself he doesn't deserve to.]

c. anyone else

[you want this sad fish? come yell at him in his room. he's not leaving.]

Comments

[knaval]

[riptide figures saying "do i have a choice?" isn't a good idea.]

Sure. Um, there's not really any... seats in here, but...

[he gestures awkwardly to the berth. it can... be sat on??]

[heroicpose]

[ Rodimus walks in, and he takes a look at the berth, but instead he just crosses his arms. ]

I'd rather stand. You can sit.

[knaval]

Okay.

[he hauls his ass up onto the berth, watching rodimus. riptide doesn't see the point in asking because he can tell what's coming.]

[heroicpose]

[ Rodimus unfolds his arms and flexes his hands for a moment, but then folds them back up, like he didn't really know what he did with them. Mostly, he's trying to keep his temper down. He feels horrible for a number of reasons, and it was easier to channel that into anger, but that could go horrible too. ]

Do you know anything about a mech called Dealer?

[knaval]

No.

[he can tell rodimus wants to punch him. would it be worth just telling him to get it over with?

riptide just shifts awkwardly.]

[heroicpose]

I'm going to share something personal.

[ Maybe punching Riptide would make him feel better. ]

During the war a team I was leading was given the mission to retrieve an important artifact called the Magnificence. You could ask it any question and it would be able to give you an accurate answer. High Command wanted it.

The mission went... south. Everyone died except this mech called Dealer, and I had to leave him to complete he mission. I felt horrible. For a long time, I thought it was better to be by myself-- no one else to get hurt.

[knaval]

[riptide listens, even though he thinks the artefact sounds completely fake.]

What... happened?

[heroicpose]

Good question. I found out he was alive and broke into Styx for him, because you know, I left him. I had to make it up to him. After that we became really close.

[ He clenches his fist at the memory. He'd tried to forget Dealer, but the situation brings the memory back. ]

Dealer convinced me I should use the Magnificence to help the Autobots in the war and came along with me to the place I hid it. I asked it, did Dealer betray me?

I shot and killed him before he could shoot me in the back.

[knaval]

Ah.

[is... is he about to get shot...]

I guess he had it coming.

[heroicpose]

Yeah.

[ Rodimus looks like he's keeping it together, but his body language really gives it away. His spoiler is rigid on his back, a slight tremor shaking through it. He's ready to burst. ]

What I'm saying is that I trusted you, one hundred percent. I let you into my ship-- my private ship. I drank with you. I celebrated with you. I fought by your side. I even saved your life, without you knowing. Megatron is an aft, but he treated you well.

I want to ask one thing. How long has this been going on?

[knaval]

[riptide looks away.]

Getaway... asked just after the second launch. I didn't know what he was doing or planning - just that something was going on. Magnus told me about something that happened with Tailgate after we got back from the Necrobot's planet, but I swear I had no idea about that.

[he shudders.]

I took them out on the oil and all. I--

[he looks at his hands.]

Long enough.

[heroicpose]

He was trying to get Tailgate killed.

[ Long enough. The words echo in his head like a horrible bell. Licks of flame dance over his clenched fist. ]

Why?

[knaval]

I wouldn't have done it if I'd known.

[he wants to think he wouldn't, anyway. riptide is now terrified of what getaway could've said to him.]

M...Megatron.

[heroicpose]

[ Rodimus's knuckles collide with the boat's jaw, the fire that was rippling over them hot enough to scorch and melt most metal. ]

You're a traitor and a thief!

[knaval]

Ack--

[he jerks back at the hit, staying facing away from rodimus and panting slightly.

a thin line of energon drips down from riptide's split jaw and onto the berth. he stays still for a moment, shuddering slightly.]

--I... know.

[heroicpose]

I trusted you!

[ Rodimus's anger was boiling over now. He could hardly think straight. Sideswipe would probably come in at any moment. ]

You come onto my ship and you join in on a conspiracy to kill a man who was my prisoner. But-- but that's not just it, isn't it? [ He taps on his chest ] Me too, right? Right? I've made my mistakes, I'm a bad captain, but I would have done anything for you!

[knaval]

[riptide doesn't say anything, squeezing his optics shut.]

He only... asked about Megatron. [riptide groans, rubbing his jaw.] That's all I know, that it was focused on him.

[heroicpose]

That's utter tosh.

[ His plating flares slightly, his perception of Riptide bullshitting him really getting him going. ]

No one plans a mutiny without planning to take out who's in charge. But that's just-- That's just fine. I deserve it. I let the crew down. But what I find most unforgivable is getting the others mixed up in this. Ten for god's sakes! What has Ten ever done to anyone? Or Swerve? His only crime is diluting the engex.

[knaval]

I don't KNOW, okay?! None of this has happened for me!

[yelling hurts his jaw, but he can't stop.]

What do you want, a complex laid out plan?! I'm a fragging moron, Rodimus! Do you really think even if everything had happened for me that I'd be someone Getaway would share the details?! You want to wail on me some more to feel better? Fine, just don't expect me to magically have your fraggin' answers.

[heroicpose]

Fine!

[ He's not even sure what he wanted. He was emotional and it hadn't even happened for him either. All he can think about is Getaway and what he did, and what he'll do. It drives him nuts. ]

You're smarter than you think, Riptide. Brains aren't all good spelling or the ability to make a magic time machine out of briefcases. Yeah, maybe you weren't Getaway's confidant, and it hasn't happened yet, but you're smart enough to know what a mutiny is.

And you gotta live with that.

[knaval]

[all the fight suddenly drains out of him.]

I know. And I'm on the ship with everyone I betrayed.