[ CLOSED ]

[heroicpose]

WHO: IDW!Rodimus, Ultra Magnus, Drift
WHERE: Junk pile, then... out in the outskirts
WHEN After this
WHAT: Rodimus trying to escape his fate and ultimately going crazy anyway
WARNINGS: Character death (by fire), burning robots, trauma, angst


This couldn't be it. It couldn't.

Rodimus has always been ready to die, in one way or another, but he never actually thought he would. He came out of everything feeling more invincible than before. He had faced Megatron, merged with the Matrix, battled the D-Void, been part of the fight in Vector Sigma's chamber. Throwing himself into dangerous, probably fatal situations had become little more than a small thrill for him.

This... was different.

This was his body. He felt out of control of himself. Even as he waited in the junkyard, bits of scrap metal scratching at his feet, he could feel the whispers in his head. He couldn't make out what was being said but-- it made his body burn. He couldn't concentrate. He was angry and aggitated over his lack of focus.

He sinks down to his knees, shifting into a sitting position as he waits, placing his head in his hands as he waited, gritting his teeth at the throbbing in his head.

Comments

[sword_redemption]

Drift raced to Rodimus's coordinates, torn. He owed Wing everything, but he owed Rodimus, too, and there just didn't seem to be enough to give to either.

But Rodimus had a point: the First Forged had been...less than helpful about the unmarked, as though they couldn't even conceive of the fact that these Glyphless mechs were their friends.

Rodimus was his friend. And leader. And one of the few who had listened to him, heard him out and suspended their judgment of his past. Rodimus had given him a chance: he owed a debt, if nothing else.

His tires screech as he reaches the coordinates Rodimus had sent him, and he rolls out of his vehicle mode, warily. Something was wrong. The grimness of his earlier mood faded to worry as he approached, trying to imagine this was some prank.

"Rodimus? You all right?" Dumb question, no matter how you spun it.

[thehardway]

You care more about your duties than me.

That had been harder to deflect than he imagined, admittedly. Because it was certainly untrue, but Ultra Magnus isn't about to go admitting anything anytime soon, to openly acknowledge emotion. Because it's not what he needs, and it's not what Rodimus had ever been looking for.

Regardless, he tried to finish up as much as he could. To make sure Pharma was appropriately located, that he was kept up to date about Overlord, and other bits of closure.

But Rodimus... he has to be there to make sure he can do something.

Ultra Magnus approaches, transforming out from his vehicle mode. The way Rodimus is flinching like that...

The enforcer steps in swiftly, maybe a little too quickly. He glances once at Drift before he tends to their commanding officer.

"We should get going," he informs the both of them. "Rodimus, look at me. Us. Look at us."

[heroicpose]

He's... scared. Legitimately scared and he doesn't want to show it; it only fuels his frustration, his anger, and he just wants to... hurt something because of it. Vent a little. Rodimus can hear Drift arrive just fine -- he knows the sound of his engine -- but he doesn't acknowledge it right away.

He needs... a moment. For composure. He didn't want Drift to see him crumbling.

He can't suppress a laugh at the question, rubbing his thumb over his forehead a little harder. He's already getting up to his feet when Ultra Magnus arrives. Ah-- Magnus. Yeah, Rodimus didn't really regret much, but maybe he's been a bit too... selfish.

"I'm still myself."

He lifts his optics, looking between the white mech and the enforcer. So, this was it. Just them three. At the very least... maybe this is the best, what he wanted, surrounding himself with mechs that he'd come to consider best friends during his... end.

"Surprised you made it, Magnus..."

His optics flick to Drift, then nods.

"Drift. Are you ready?"

sorry about delay sistervisiting :)

[sword_redemption]

There's something going on here Drift can't quite parse, but he pushes it aside. That wasn't his job. His job was to be here, to protect Rodimus from whatever the First Forged had planned. The fact that Ultra Magnus was here simply underscored the fact that Rodimus needed the protection.

He's not sure how to respond to the first comment so he simply offers what he hopes is a brisk, businesslike nod, ceding the floor to Ultra Magnus.

"Ready," he says, forcing the smile, trying not to think about Wing. He'll be back soon. This was the right decision: duty before desire.

[thehardway]

"Don't be. I told you that I would come."

When Rodimus rises on his own, Ultra Magnus steps back and glances away to the horizon. This is a last desperate move, but perhaps it'll work. Really, he's counting on Rodimus's independent, rebellious attitude to save him. If there's one thing to be said, it's that his personality is undeniably strong.

So maybe.

Magnus's hands clench, but he doesn't express much more than that.

"By your lead, Rodimus."

[heroicpose]

Rodimus had been prepared to leave Ultra Magnus behind if he needed, and some part of him was... pettily angry with him for not immediately leaping to his aid. Almost did leave him, if just by impulsiveness and impatience, driven by the worsening conditions of his mental and physical state. He's stronger than this, though. If he just put some distance between the Badlands, Haven, and himself--

"Drift." He claps his hands over the other mech's shoulders, giving a confident grin. "We'll be back soon for the others."

He was glad Drift came, at least, though he was focused on himself. His own comfort and plans came before any sort of personal relationship that Drift had. It wasn't that he didn't care for his friend, but in this moment, it was... good to feel supported.

"Alright. The Firstforged would rather see all lacking glyphs dead or dissected, but I won't stand for that. So this is it. We'll keep driving until the light of the temple leaves the sky, then we'll rest."

He steps out onto flatter land, then transforms.

"Till all are one."

He'll take the lead.

[sword_redemption]

Rodimus listened to Drift: he had no idea how much that meant, that after four million years of merely wanting him to fight, someone thought he might have something worth saying.

He echoes Rodimus's confidence, grinning back. "There's a solution. If it's out there, we'll find it." And if it's not...? He doesn't want to think about it, not with Rodimus here, and so vibrantly alive.

He hadn't realized how much he's missed him before now. Even the slogan.

He throws himself into his alt, racing after Rodimus.

[thehardway]

There's a part of him that's still dubious, though that's simply true to Ultra Magnus's nature as part of the command trio. He questions, he remains calm -- because someone has to keep track of Rodimus's impulsive behavior.

For this, though, there's little choice.

He exhales softly at the end of the speech. No, not surprising in the least.

With a shake of his head, Magnus transforms and follows Rodimus.