DON'T COUNT MISTAKES I LOST TRACK OF THEM

[tilallisoverused]

( He's in trouble. He's Rodimus, the younger of Nova's two candidates for Prime, and he is absolutely in trouble. It's not his fault. He just happened to be somewhere where trouble results, although okay - that part isn't new.

And he knows exactly how he got here in the first place, it's the same as it always is.

Orion frowns at him every time he leaves the Primal Basilica dressed in a cloak - knowing full well that he's going to go to those places that Nova finds unlawful and unruly. Sure, the other Prime in training had attempted to stop him before, to no avail. That makes something twinge in Rodimus because he likes Orion, he really does.

Then again, most people like Orion 'Super Cop, Future Prime' Pax. Because apparently some people like having a career that's pointless once you know you'll carry the Matrix. He guesses that has to do with Orion having spent some of his life from out of Nova's influence - maybe that made you like police work.

Not that Rodimus would know what that's like - Nova snatched him up two days after he was forged, as if he knew exactly where to find him. Must be a 'wisdom of the Matrix' thing. Find your replacements before someone else does and what not. But it boiled down to the fact that he'd never really got to know or experience life outside the basilica walls and for every time Nova told him he shouldn't or couldn't go out - he did.

Which is how he ends up standing over someone he punched into a wall - thanks Galvatron and Cyclonus for teaching him that one - inadvertently starting a bar fight that he is determined to win. Rodimus is pretty sure that as a mysterious cloaked and hooded figure, he definitely looks awesome which negates the trouble.

Mostly. )

Comments

GOOD

[tilallisoverused]

Seriously?

( None of those sound remotely like things he wants to do. At all, preferably ever. Because he knows whoever it is recognizes him - it's hard not to when his face is plastered across broadcasts on a regular basis. Standing behind Orion who's standing behind Nova - the great Primal legacy. )

You can't!

( He's a Prime! Sort of, but it still counts. )

tadaaah

[thesurpriseinside]

[ The hard way it is then. ]

Watch me.

[ And without much further ado, Minimus stands and lifts the second heir to the Prime lineage up onto his shoulder. ]

LAUGHING SO HARD what a beautiful username

[tilallisoverused]

( What's going on. What is this. What is happening to him why is he being carried over the shoulder of a bot shorter than him. )

Hey. Hey!

( Yes that's all he can manage. )

Unhand me!

( Does that sound properly Prime-like? He assumes it does, because it's probably something Nova has said to someone at some point in time. Probably to Cyclonus if the bodyguard stepped out of line or away from Galvatron. )

thenk yew thenk yew

[thesurpriseinside]

[ Minimus knows how to use that confusion to his advantage and starts striding out of the bar. While he has a good deal of strength and skill working to his advantage, he is still significantly shorter than most bots. Rodimus could still cause him trouble if he decided to struggle. ]

Not a chance.

[ He doesn't trust Rodimius not to bolt. Just go limp and enjoy the ride, please. He doesn't want to deal with the grief he'll get if he dents Rodimus Primeling. ]

[tilallisoverused]

( He's too shell-shocked at a. being arrested and b. being carried out of the bar over someone's shoulder to put up too much of a fight at the moment. Instead Rodimus falls back on complaining and trying to bargain his way out of this. Nova isn't going to be pleased, he knows that much. But he can't tell if his displeasure is going to be limited to Rodimus or spread to the almost-mini bot. )

This is-- you can't. ( He's already said that already. ) Don't you know who I am?

( Last ditch attempts are go, even though when he says that his voice is tinged with arrogance. He's proud of his status, alright. )

[thesurpriseinside]

I can and I will. [ Watch him, he's doing it right now. He will however shift Rodimus just enough so that he can actually see the incredulous look Minimus is giving him. ]

Of course, I do. I also know you punched a bot through a wall and nearly tore apart Jetlag's bar with that fight you started.

[tilallisoverused]

Okay, but technically we both sort of agreed to start it at the same time. And he didn't go through it. Just bounced off after making an impact crater. _{Galvatron would have appreciated it.}

( He sees that look and he is unfazed. Which means he's still equally incredulous that this is happening to him. )

[thesurpriseinside]

Technicalities don't change the results of your actions. [ Which might be the opening to the Responsibility Lecture Minimus keeps on hand for drunk, belligerent miners and Dominus. ]

And your friend is going to spend a night in the cell next to you. You two will have plenty of time to sort out the technicalities.

[tilallisoverused]

A nig-- No. There's no way I'm spending a night in jail.

( Rodimus is definitely not here for any lecturing at all ever and will continue to ignore it if whoever this is is trying to give him a lecture. Please, he's Rodimus. )

Nova won't let it happen.

( The jail thing, although he'll probably repay the owner of whatever bar it was if he has to. )

[thesurpriseinside]

[ Minimus suspects that's true. Likewise the grim acceptance that if anyone is going to suffer for Rodimus' choices tonight, it will be him. Well, it won't be the first time he's felt the wrath of larger bots.

With that in mind, he turns the corner to the station, shouldering the door open. ]

Your bail will be posted within the hour. You get one outgoing call.

[ He does the official spiel quickly and efficiently, opening the holding cell nearest and dropping Rodimus inside. ] If you know who you want to call I suggest you make it quick, I've got a long night ahead of me thanks to you.

[tilallisoverused]

Yeah, I do.

( Rodimus ignores the fleeting temptation to call Nova directly, scowling at the other's back when he makes the call - to Orion. Who is disapproving and everything Rodimus has come to expect from the other Primeling. But also less likely to tell Nova and get, well, everyone in trouble.

And once the call is over and he only has to wait, it means staring at the bot who dared to arrest him. Staring intensely because he's still not certain how this all happened. )

So do I get a name or something? We've got time to kill, might as well know who to avoid next time.

[thesurpriseinside]

[ Minimus almost pointedly ignores Rodimus while he makes his call. Minimus has his own calls to place to his deputies, the few that operate in the area and aren't in the middle of their recharge cycle.

Under staffing means long hours and the necessity for rotating shifts that allow enough time for at least one full recharge cycle a week for each of them. Minimus knows he's due, but after this, Primus knows when he'll have the chance. He debriefs his deputies and returns to his desk to continue the paper work he had been working on before the call from Jetlag.

He glances over at Rodimus' cell at the sound of his voice. ]

Minimus Ambus. Duly Appointed Peace Keeper under the Tyrest Manifest and elected sheriff of the Clamptrad District.

[tilallisoverused]

( Which means he gets a glimpse of Rodimus reclining the best he can, legs stretched out in front of him and arms behind his head. If he's going to have to sit in a cell he's at least going to be comfortable while doing it. )

Didn't take you for one of Tyrest's. ( He's only passingly familiar with the bot and how he went from an engineer to a lawmaker. Nova seemed to tolerate him, which wasn't exactly saying much because those that he didn't tolerate ended up disappearing if they kept it up. ) They're, you know, normally bigger.

( And you, Minimus, are just as small as your name suggests. )

[thesurpriseinside]

[ Minimus' stern expression turns several degrees colder. ]

So I've been told. [ Multiple times and with what seems to him an unsurprising frequency. He turns back to his paperwork, but can't helping adding. ]

A peace keeper is measured in his effectiveness, not his height.

[tilallisoverused]

( Rodimus doesn't notice, but there might be a snort of amusement at the second sentence. )

I gotta hand it to you, the rest of them probably wouldn't have arrested me.

( He's still sore about that, but he's adopting a brighter outlook on the entire situation. Like how Orion won't rat him out and he can settle the debts and his rank means it won't even show up on his record. If he has a record - he's pretty sure he doesn't.

Damn, it's good to be a Prime. Sort of. )

Has anyone accused you of compensating for something?

[thesurpriseinside]

[ He stills. Of course, it had occurred to him that his brothers-in-arms (reluctant tho some of them might be to share that title with him) might show leniency to a future Prime, but Rodimus' tone, his easy confidence, brings a grave reality to the situation.

He can almost hear Dominus disapproving tone. ]

I have been accused of worse by bots I have the highest regard for and by bots I have put in that cell. [ He carefully puts down the datapad he had been working on and turns to study Rodimus, utterly somber. ]

I don't typically pay much attention to what the latter has to say.

[tilallisoverused]

But I'm the only one you've put in here that's going to be Prime. ( Just going to point that out as he catches and holds the look Minimus is giving him - smile turning that much more irritatingly smug. ) That's got to count for something.

( After all, it's this asshole who's going to be leading their race in a few million years, give or take. )

[thesurpriseinside]

[ It's almost terrifying to think that. ]

Your status does not make you above the law. If anything, you should be ashamed. How could you ask your followers to abide the laws that you yourself won't even acknowledge?

[tilallisoverused]

( His smile vanishes as quickly as it came, arms dropping down from behind his head to cross over his chest in a very defensive pose. )

Seriously? It was just a bar fight, it's not like I'm out there committing hate crimes against anyone who's been constructed cold! Or anything that's actually a crime instead of getting into a fight like every other bot who's had too much to drink.

( He hates it when people get anywhere near the idea of responsibility and his part to play in it when it comes to being Prime. )

[thesurpriseinside]

[ He doesn't really smile, despite his satisfaction at wiping that smug smile off Rodimus' face. It's a hollow, petty victory. ]

And you were arrested like every other bot who makes trouble when he's had too much to drink. The fact that are worse crimes you could have been committing instead doesn't change anything; your actions still have consequences.

[ He turns back to his datapads. ]

[tilallisoverused]

( Rodimus doesn't give up. It's his strongest trait, actually, and one that he's been admonished for by Nova and Galvatron as nearly as much as they've praised him for it. But it also means he's not done with this conversation when he really should be. )

So you think throwing me in jail is supposed to do what? Teach me a lesson? You don't have any right to lecture me.

[thesurpriseinside]

[ He doesn't point out that a holding cell in a peace keeper station is hardly jail. He also doesn't turn to look at Rodimus when he responds. ]

I'm not keeping you here for your benefit. You caused trouble, you're paying the price for that. End of story.

[tilallisoverused]

You can't.

( He knows it's pointless to say it when it's clear that apparently, yes, he can. So instead he just points accusingly at the back of Minimus and thinks about how much he really doesn't like the other bot. )

I can't believe I get stuck with the only officer who actually cares.

( It's the worst luck, and he aims a sullen kick at the wall because of it. )

[thesurpriseinside]

[ Minimus keeps plugging away at his paperwork, not bothering to look up when he hears Rodimus kick the wall. ]

I'm adding the cost of repairs to your bail if you break anything in that cell.

[ Because yes, he is going to turn this into a lesson about consequences. ]

[tilallisoverused]

Oh come on.

( He throws up his hands dramatically before throwing himself onto the bench in the cell. Where he sits and fumes and is left with no choice but to wait for Orion to come and drag him out. Great, because he definitely wanted to be on the end of his disappointed glare.

Better than Nova, at any rate. )