#mostly because I don't know what to do with Thrillchaser

[soundcrusher]

The one who never came back

Today, there won't be a next chapter of my little serier featuring my Phoenix and the sentient SG/Lost light from @cuppajj (at least I haven't planned one), but you'll get get the second side story.

I hope you'll enjoy it.

Trigger Warning: Mentions of death and manipulation

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Many of his friends, if he could even call them that, knew that Thrillchaser was, well, a thrill chaser. It’s why he often roamed around the galaxy in search for adventure and, sometimes, a cute femme he could spend a re-charge cycle with. 

Although, he only settles for one type of femme. Strong, tall and built like a tank. Maybe that’s why he liked Tankcrusher as much as he did. She was a wonderful femme. Everything he wanted. Thrillchaser could see him staying with her, maybe even raise a sparkling together. However when he saw him, the sparkling who’s supposed to be his, little Phoenix didn’t look like him. He looked like that cursed Autobot Rodimus Prime. Rodimus Prime who killed without mercy and burned mechs and femmes alike while laughing. 

Thrillchaser had the ‘pleasure’ of meeting Rodimus Prime once during a battle. There were twenty Decepticons tasked in taking him down, only two came back. Him and a mech who, sadly, died afterwards in the medibay. He could still remember that day. Thrillchaser lost many good friends back then, his only friends. Since then, he swore two things: he will kill that mech, should he ever cross paths with him and he would never make friends like he did before.

Sometimes though, he thinks about the femme and sparkling he left behind. If Phoenix wasn’t cursed, he could have been a sire. He would have been a good sire, he knew it, but why should he raise a child, who’s looks mocked him. Whose looks were a constant reminder of his losses, of the losses of everyone. 

Thrillchaser let out a long sigh, before downing his drink. It was time to go. He still had a job to do and a thrill to chase. After all, an apparently empty ship, a ghost ship, was a thrill Thrillchaser couldn’t say no to. Especially when the reward of boarding it and finding clues to what happened on it was more than what he got from the last job.

 

Maybe he should have read the job assignment more thoroughly, otherwise, he would have declined to search a ship so eerily normal. The halls were too clean, the lights too bright, and there were no mechs or femmes running around. Or, well, at least the ghosts of those who came before. But then again, Thrillchaser didn’t know if Cybertronians could become ghosts like in the human stories Tankcrusher told him about. 

But despite the eerie feeling and urge to go back to his little ship and call off the assignment, he kept on going. Opening and searching the rooms he could, while taking mental notes on the corpses propped up. Especially Swerve’s Bar, it seemed like someone still visited this place, only to prop up dead mechs. 

"Disgusting. Who in their right mind would do something like this? Probably an Autobot. They were known to do things like this…” Muttered Thrillchaser, as he turned around to leave the room, but the door wouldn’t open. No matter how much he tried. “What the… but the door opened just minutes ago!”

“Maybe you didn’t ask nicely for it to open.”

Thrillchaser was quick to pull out his blaster and turn around. Pointing it in the direction he heard the voice come from. “As if asking nicely would or could open doors. Now, who are you!”

The voice only chuckled and watched the mech. It took them a while to find him. To find this mech specifically and set up this whole plan of luring him onboard. At first, they planned to do something similar to Runningway. Have the ship be dark the whole time and then, slowly, lead him to the captain’s room. But then, they decided otherwise. It would be better if they disposed of this mech in secret. Maybe take some specific organs as spare parts, or better, lock this mech up and slowly pick apart his processor. Making sure that he knew why he had been lured here. Why Lost Light specifically singled him out. 

Yes, he would make sure that the mech before him knew why this was happening, before meeting his demise.

Lost Light moved fast. Trapping Thrillchaser in a web of cables, before pulling him down the hall into the room Red Alert used to spy on everyone. There, the unfortunate mech was bound to the chair and forced to watch two mechs interacting with each other. One, he could make out, was Rodimus Prime, although he didn’t resemble the Prime in his memories. And the other… he couldn’t recognize the other. He was young, that was obvious in the way he held himself… but that paint job. Thrillchaser knows that paint job….

“Phoenix…”

The voice laughed again. But this time, Thrillchaser could feel it resonate through his whole body and mind. As if this stranger was everywhere at once. 

“He’s a wonderful youngling.” This time, the voice came from behind. “Did you know that he’s hated among his crew? One even tried to kill him. Phoenix managed to end him before that brute could even scratch his plating though.” Thrillchaser didn’t like this. He never wanted to see the sparkling he left behind ever again. And yet? Here he was, forced to watch a security feet of his kid holding hands with Rodimus Prime while laughing. THE Rodimus Prime who’s responsible for so much death and destruction. If Thrillchaser wasn’t tied down, he would have marched to that room and shot the Prime right then and there. Maybe take out Phoenix too, because anyone who collaborates with an Autobot doesn’t deserve to return to Cybertron. 

“And what has that to do with me? I haven’t seen him since he was a new spark.” Growled the bound mech. “And what happened to his wings?”

“Oh, I fear this has to do everything with you, Thrillchaser.” Said Lost Light, as they appeared in their holo-avatar right next to the flier. One servo on their hip, while raising the other in a gesture a carrier would use to reprimand their sparkling. “Phoenix told me about what you did. Leaving behind a first time carrier to raise a sparkling alone, while also having to face scrutiny from those they called friends, just because their sparkling looks like my captain. You should be ashamed of yourself, Thrillchaser. What happened to the mech who boasted about letting Autobots on his team to give them a second chance? Oh, that’s right. My captain killed your silly little friends.”

A cable wrapped around Thrillchaser’s helm and forced him to look at a monitor to his right. Depicting the deaths of every mech he called a friend, but that wasn’t all. After the last of his friends died, Thrillchaser was forced to watch himself kill mechs and femmes. Some were retreating Autobots, others were civilians. A few were even younglings. “I didn’t know they weren’t Autobots!” He yelled. “Where did you even get this!?”

“But that didn’t stop you from killing them, now did it?” Asked Lightlost with a smile. Something that didn’t feel right to Thrillchaser. How could a mech smile like that, when they were talking about the deaths of others? How? “You murdered them. Every last one of them, and yet you call my captain, Rodimus Prime, a monster. And before you say, ‘But that was war’, I have to ask: Was it really? Did you really not know, or were you simply doing what you could do best. Destroying innocent lives.” 

Thrillchaser had no answer. For the first time in his life, the flier did not know what to say. Not only that, watching the mech in front of him look like he was moments before snapping his head off, it scared him. It scared him, and Thrillchaser wasn’t sure if he would be able to get out of this situation unscaved. 

Lightlost shook his helm at the mech before him. “Honestly, watching these recordings, it makes me wonder how Phoenix is even related to you. Little bird is a kind, loveable and innocent youngling. How could someone like you, a killer, lier and monster, be related to him?” 

Thrillchaser didn’t answer that. How could he? He hasn’t seen Phoenix since he was a sparkling. “You still didn’t answer me. What happened to his wings?”

At that, Lightlost simply looked at the monitor next to the one with Thrillchasers sins. Smiling at the recording of the day he got to catch his little bird and break his wings. “I did it. First, it was to make him look even more like my captain, but now, I like to think it was to make sure he could never fly away from me again.” Said Lightlost, before deciding to show Thrillchaser everything that has been happening on the Lost Light. 

And, in that moment, Thrillchaser realized, he had chased the wrong thrill.

[soundcrusher]

Escape

Part 15... You guys don't wanna know how long it took me to write and finish this part of Phoenix's story on board the sentient SG/Lost Light from @cuppajj

Either way. I hope you enjoy this.

Trigger Warning: Manipulation, death of non important characters and a threat of suicide(?)

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It was time. 

It was time for their escape.

It was finally time to leave this ship behind and escape into the stars.

Setting up their escape wasn’t easy though, and one small step could lead to them being stuck on the Lost Light forever. But this was a risk Rodimus was willing to take. 

But first, he should probably recount the steps he needed to take in order to get this far. Yes, that would be for the better, because that way, Rodimus could make sure that everything was going according to plan. 

Now, it all started with the dance session he had with Phoenix and the things that happened afterwards. Rodimus thought that it was a good idea to take the young spark out on a small trip around the Lost Light. Showing him everything the ship had to offer, while disguising it as a thing every captain would do, so that Lightlost wouldn’t ask questions as to why they were walking around.

At first, it was mostly to keep Phoenix’s good spirits up. That way, the youngling could ride on the highway of happiness for a little while longer, before being confronted by the dangers of the Lost Light again. But then it turned into something else as soon as they made it to the hangar. Rodimus completely forgot that there were other ships on the Lost Light. Also, seeing his Rod Pod again after so many years of not thinking about it sure enough made him feel conflicted. On one hand, because Phoenix was silently laughing at the sight of it and on the other, because he wanted to defend his Rod Pod, but he was sure Phoenix would just laugh harder. And that wouldn’t be good for the youngling’s damaged voice box. Sometimes Rodimus truly regrets being as soft as he was with the kid. Back when he was still the feared Rodimus Prime, no one would have laughed in fear he would burn them alive and scatter their ashes over the rusting grounds of a scrapyard. But now? Now he had a laughing youngling to deal with. 

A laughing youngling that almost made him wish Ultra Magnus was still around to lend him a servo, or Rung. No, scratch that. Drift and Ratchet would be better suited to deal with a youngling, despite Ratchet’s questionable reputation. Heck, maybe even Getaway would know how to deal with a youngling that’s laughing at you. He probably even had some kind of experience with that. 

Heh, that thought caused Rodimus to let out a chuckle, before continuing with their little tour. Although he had to soon stop, because Phoenix was running towards one of the bigger ships at the end of the hangar. One that was standing closer to the entrance and… he didn’t know that ship. Now, when he took a good look at some of the ships close to the one Phoenix was running to, most of them weren’t familiar to him. “They must be from those who boarded but never made it out again…” Muttered Rodimus, before he caught up with his little brother. 

But before they could even enter the ship, Thrillchaser came out of the shadows of one of the nearby ships and walked in front of them. Actively cutting the two off from the entrance. Something that made Rodimus mad and ready to show the mech what he thought about him following their every step, but Phoenix stopped him, by grabbing his hands, while looking up at Rodimus with those innocent optics and… Rodimus could feel his anger slightly going away. Damn his soft spot for the youngling and damn Phoenix a little bit too for not knowing that he could do this to him. 

[Can you tell Thrillchaser that I forgot something on the ship?] Asked Phoenix, which caused Rodimus to slightly tilt his head to the side. 

[What did you forget?]

[I can’t tell you… It’s… It’s very personal.]

Rodimus knew that sometimes, personal things shouldn’t be discussed with others. So, he simply nodded before asking Thrillchaser if they could enter the ship. And they could, but the mech was following them inside. At least he was just standing in the entrance and watching Phoenix go through the few boxes and cabinets on the ship. Which left Rodimus to explore  the rest. 

And that’s where he found it. 

A distress signal button and it seemed to work. So, without any second thought, Rodimus pressed it. Without even knowing if anyone would get it and or come to see why a ghost ship was sending out a distress signal of another ship. But he hoped, and that was something he hasn’t done in a long time. 

After all, hope and luck were for fools most of the time, but at that moment, Rodimus hoped he was the biggest fool of them all.

Rodimus would have loved to stay longer on that ship. He needed to know how it operated in order to have a safe escape plan, but Thrillchaser ushered him out as soon as Phoenix was done with his search. And he accepted it, because now it was time to start preparing in secret for their escape. 

The preparations were mostly him telling Phoenix to slowly start putting the most important things into his subspace, or convincing Lightlost that he himself needed some repairs. Considering how much the Lost Light wanted him to stay alive, that was the easiest part. Getting Phoenix to put away his things was harder. Especially the sword. The youngling seemed to not feel safe, if the sword wasn’t resting next to him. Something Rodimus would write up to the trauma Phoenix had to endure and the fear of not being able to defend himself. But, Rodimus managed to convince him to put it away, by pointing out that it would be Phoenix’s subspace. The closest place there could be. 

And then there was the issue with Thrillchaser. That damned mech, Rodimus was sure he could feel something was up. The way he lingered, even after Lightlost went away or the way he stared at Rodimus, as if to dare him to make a move. It was unsettling. He was sure Thrillchaser was waiting for him to slip up. He knew it, but he would not play into the slagger’s servos. No. Rodimus had played this game before, and he wouldn’t be Rodimus Prime if he backed down from a fight. 

Maybe Thrillchaser should even watch out, because even if Phoenix’s presence has changed some things, Rodimus was still the same mech who hunted Decepticons and killed them without any mercy. He even had a list with the names of those he still needed to kill. Granted, most names were already crossed off, but he wasn’t opposed to adding new ones. And Thrillchaser’s name was high on that list. 

Either way, Rodimus shouldn’t waste his time thinking about that mech, not when his plan finally seems to work. After weeks of waiting, a new ship finally boarded the Lost Light, and the mechs and femmes coming on board weren’t even few. No, there were many and the chaos they created was perfect for them to make another attempt at escape. 

So, while the Lost Light and Thrillchaser were busy hunting down the unwanted guests, Rodimus was quick to get Phoenix and run to the hangar. Dodging and avoiding some of the unknown Cybertronians trying to block their path. Some he had to, sadly, kill with one or two blaster shots. Or, at least he let Phoenix in the belief that he was sad about their deaths. In truth, he couldn’t care less about some nameless Cons or Bots dying, because, at least, they get to die a quick death at his servos. While their crew members probably met a painful and slow end in the halls of the Lost Light. If there was one thing he was glad about though was, that he tied a blindfold around Phoenix’s optics before they made their daring escape. The youngling didn’t need to see more energon shed in his young life than he already has.

Eitherway, they made their way towards their escape and while Phoenix, after taking off the blindfold, made the ship ready, Rodimus stood near the entrance to the very small bridge. Watching the youngling fumble around the controles, before a sudden movement in the corner of his optics caught his attention and he quickly shot at the cable trying to attack him. 

“I was wondering when you would show up.” Chuckled Rodimus, as he looked cocky at the appearing holo-avatar of Lightlost. “But you gotta admit, those Cons or Bots running around sure enough are a good distraction.”

“Captain…” Started Lightlost with a patronizing tone and a disappointed look. “Why would you try to leave again? Don’t you know what happened last time?”

Ah, last time. Rodimus could remember that time quite well, but he couldn’t appear weak now. Not when they finally had a chance of leaving. So, he ramped up the cocky act. Even propping up one servo on his hip, while jutting it slightly to the side. “Oh, I remember perfectly. But you should know me, I learn from my mistakes.” He said smugly and put the end of his blaster under his chin. Watching Lightlost going from calm and collected to slightly panicked. 

“Captain, stop, or-”

“Or what? What will you do Lightlost?” Asked Rodimus. “You can’t stop me. ONE wrong move and I’ll shoot my helm off. And you know what that means, right? No more Rodimus Prime. And I am sure that even you can’t restore a damaged processor.” He couldn’t help himself, he had to laugh at Lightlost’s expression. How long has he waited to see the holo-avatar of the Lost Light look, well, lost. 

“And before you even try to use those cables on me, I would ask myself. Can I move faster than a blaster shot?”

They were at a standoff, both of them knew this. Lightlost couldn’t move closer, because of Rodimus’ promise of shooting himself, and Rodimus couldn’t lower the blaster, because, if he did, this would be the end of the road. Phoenix and he would be doomed. Maybe the young spark would have an easier time, because he didn’t plan this escape, or Lightlost would use his brother to punish him. Either way, Rodimus couldn’t back off now. Not when their freedom was on the line. 

“Why would you leave?” Asked Lightlost after a while. “After everything I did to make sure you were safe and nothing could happen to you, you decided to leave me captain? Why? What did I do?”

Rodimus knew that this was a trap. Lightlost was planning something, but at the same time, Phoenix was still working on getting them out of here. So, he had to play into the trap. Something Rodimus didn’t want to do, but seeing how he didn’t have any other choice, he might as well do it. 

And so, he started recounting everything that came to mind as to why he would want to leave the Lost Light behind. From the reason as to why the original crew boarded this vessel, from Lightlost killing his crew, leaving him alive, using their parts to repair him, all the way to what Lightlost did to Phoenix. And every time Rodimus would see a cable trying to inch closer to him, he would press the blaster harder against his chin, while silently daring Lightlost to do something. 

He dared them to do something, to see what happened. He would do it. He would shoot himself right then and there to prove a point. He would shoot himself, if it meant that he finally could escape this nightmare and rest! The things the Lost Light did were something even Rodimus wouldn’t wish upon his greatest enemies. But then he would remember Phoenix. Phoenix who, if he truly shot himself, would probably be at the Lost Light’s mercy. And that thought caused Rodimus to reconsider. 

Something Lightlost saw and tried to use to their advantage. Letting the waiting cables move forwards to get close to Rodimus’ neck and send a paralyzing shock through his body. But the empathies were on ‘tried’, because Phoenix managed to get the ship working and quickly closed the door to the small bridge just in time. Severing the cables Lightlost could control in the process.

Which caused Rodimus to do two things. Laugh into Lightlost’s face and give Phoenix one command that he wanted to say for so long.

“LET’S FUCKING GO!”

Phoenix glared at Rodimus for using a swear word, before turning back to the consoles and making the small ship fly out of the hangar and towards the endless galaxy. 

Only when Rodimus was sure that they were far enough away from the Lost Light, did he drop the blaster and sat down in the captain’s chair. Resting his elbows on his thighs and face in his servos, before letting the tears he’s been keeping in for so long finally fall. 

They made it.

They made it out of there.

THEY MADE IT OUT OF THE NIGHTMARE!

Rodimus felt like thanking Primus and Unicron and whatever deity there was beside those he knew. 

They fragging made it, and Rodimus knew where they would go next. They both were, after all, in bad shape and needed a competent medic to fix them up. 

Luckily for them, he remembered that one mech Ratchet kept on talking about. His ex, if Rodimus remembered correctly. At least, it sounded like that mech was Ratchet’s ex. The way the old medic talked about him made it appear like they were, at one point, together.

“Phoenix, take curse to Delphi.”