i am what i am, a natural disaster

[tilallisoverused]

( There are a lot of things Rodimus finds himself thinking about once the day's been won. He knows what Prime is going to ask of him once everyone gives the other bot some space and he thinks-- he thinks he's going to say yes. It means leaving and he doesn't want to because this is his quest and his ship but he can't turn down the offer that Optimus is going to make.

Even if it means going back to Earth. Ugh.

But that's not the point, because Magnus didn't request a meeting to talk about what comes next. Or at least he doesn't think he did - he went through the memo and found it surprisingly lacking on the details of what he wished to discuss. Which was-- odd, for Magnus. Maybe it was a Minimus thing.

Whatever it was, Rodimus looks up from where he'd been drawing on his desk when Magnus enters - gesturing at the seat across from him. )

So? What's up?

Comments

[matryoshkabot]

[ He had hesitated before sending the memo out. The fact that Rodimus had responded had been. Pleasant. And now he was here, datapad in hand and looking especially grim as he takes the seat. ]

It's difficult to explain.

[tilallisoverused]

Are we talking 'universe ending' difficult to explain or 'Brainstorm did something and we're not quite sure what it was but we all feel slightly weird' difficult?

( They've had a rough past few days. Rodimus leans back, tucking his arms behind his head casually. He's tired, and he can feel the weight of everything on his shoulders. It doesn't fit right, doesn't feel right, but it's something he's going to have to get used to. )

[matryoshkabot]

[ He shifts, a little restless. ]

Neither. This is a more personal matter.

[ Hence the reluctance. ] I hadn't intended to bring it to your attention, but it's been brought to my attention that my efforts to expand my vocabulary have been less than successful.

[tilallisoverused]

( Wait, okay, he's got this. )

Expan-- does this have to do with you saying things like 'whoopie'?

( He can't even say that without grinning at the image. Sure, he might have been off in the dead universe for a bit, but people talk. And people especially talk when Ultra Magnus starts using turns of phrase and slang. )

[matryoshkabot]

It was Rung's idea. But apparently my phrasing is [ small pause while his expression grows even more grim. ] fragging ridiculous.

[tilallisoverused]

( He can't actually help the laugh that escapes him, because it is fragging ridiculous and he would have loved to see the face of whoever was in charge of dropping that particular bit of information on Magnus. )

Well, yeah. You can't just force them into conversations.

[matryoshkabot]

How else am I supposed to use them? It's not as though I'm accustomed to it, by gum.

[ This said a bit gloomily. He never liked being bad at things. ]

[tilallisoverused]

Overuse is also a thing. ( This is clearly a Serious Matter, but Rodimus is just gonna keep on grinning until it gets old. Which will be never. ) You just have to let them come to you.

[matryoshkabot]

If I did that I'd never use them, Roddy. [ Pause. ] Mus.

[ Nope can't do it. ]

[tilallisoverused]

If you try to use a nickname again you might just short circuit and cease functioning.

( Still grinning obnoxiously, however. )

[matryoshkabot]

[ That just steals his resolve. He sets his chin and looks hard at Rodimus. ]

Roddy.


[ Lengthy pause. ] ...Captain.

[ And his head drops down into his hands with a sigh. ] I thought nicknames would be easier.

[tilallisoverused]

( Well he managed it, but that's not stopping Rodimus from laughing a little at it, especially when he corrects himself later. )

Let's start with something simple. Simpler.

( He leans back in his chair, tucking his arms behind his head and putting his feet up on his desk, like one does. )

[matryoshkabot]

What could possibly be simpler?

[ It all seems ridiculously complicated to him. ]

[tilallisoverused]

Expressions? They don't require as much thought as coming up with nicknames does.

( You can do this Magnus, Rodimus believes in you. )

[matryoshkabot]

[ He just frowns. ]

Expressions. Like facial expressions.

[ Do you see the problem here, Rodimus. ]

[tilallisoverused]

( Oh boy does he ever. )

No. ( Except he drags out the word, grinning at the end of it. ) Let's just start with-- 'it's a small world'.

( That should be simple enough, right? )

[matryoshkabot]

[ He can give it a shot. ]

'It's a small world.' [ And never has that phrase been said so gravely. ]

[tilallisoverused]

Close enough. 'Know someone inside and out'?

( He's quickly running out of ones he can come up with off the top of his head. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. )

Did Rung give you a list?

[matryoshkabot]

'To know someone inside and out.'

[ He grimaces. ]

No. He said I should try consulting media and my peers to attempt to make the transition more natural.

[tilallisoverused]

Well it's not as if you don't know any. It's just a matter of using them.

( And he can tell this is going to be a work in progress. So he gets up and moves to sit on the edge of his desk, feet on the empty chair next to Magnus. )

'Costs an arm and a leg'.