#who's dead early but pharma is reacting in such a specific way regarding his death and Overlord having not been dead

[transingthoseformers]

PART 6 of Rodimus's Exile AU

Rodimus definitely got and continues to get monologues with Tyrest whom he snipes at but doesn't get much of a response. Tyrest just hmms at him and treats him like a lab rat, poking at his Outlier ability and fascinated by the after effects the Matrix left in him. Apparently there is lingering energy.

It is unpleasant because Rodimus gives him ideas.

This begins a cycle of experiments, Pharma, and Star Saber giving him the weirdest most intense twenty questions after every visit he has ever experienced which ranges from strangely mundane ones (Where was he born? Which leads to the discussion of Alyon which is obviously famous for being hand shaped and linked to the Guiding Hand which causes another session of intense staring.) to invasive (How did it feel to make the choice to burn his people rather than let them be taken? "Fuck off." And then no answering questions for awhile.) to some strange religious pop quiz (Rodimus feels fairly strange to know all the answers. He'd learned a lot when he was young and in conversations with Drift and others about it so he knows quotes. This is interesting because it is the only part where Star Saber gets lively with him because Rodimus offers interpretations of different passages and stories and it upsets him and sometimes he tries to argue back and leaves. Sometimes he returns with counter arguments and other times, the rarest, he "concedes" Rodimus has a point on some sections. Those are honestly the weirdest for Rodimus because Star Saber gets this weird glow in his eyes.)

Star Saber has taken to scooping Rodimus up and giving him a moment to collect himself when he is left shaky before taking him out to Pharma.

Pharma is much more normal, surprisingly so given what First Aid told him and Drift. He definitely has some moments where he freezes and stares or closes off completely. Rodimus learns Ratchet is a Big No. Tyrest was also one that made him tense up go Fake and talk about how grateful he is the Chief Justice and how much he respects him. That meeting got cut short. First Aid and Ambulon are strangely not forbidden and at times Pharma talks about them unprompted and tells stories and sounds almost fond. Of him.

Then there is one very odd, very weird moment that stands out when Rodimus admits that Ambulon died and it was his fault and how.

Pharma gets a weird distant not quite there expression and his voice sounds drifty when he says that's impossible because Overlord is dead. He told him about it. And he was never not thorough. He'd been in a strangely good mood following it, preening and telling Pharma about all the details. He'd wanted to celebrate. And then Pharma cuts off and Rodimus carefully starts speaking to him softly asking about what different things in the room were, what they were used for and how. Slowly Pharma focuses on it and comes back falling into a very student being quizzed attitude and it calms him. His only further comment is of course Prowl was involved in Rodimus's fall too.

They mostly chat, pretending they aren't captives to a mad judge. While doing so they both realize they are both from Alyon and while Rodimus settled in Nyon, Pharma got sent to Rodion and eventually Iacon and to Ratchet's mentorship. They are Hot Spot and Generation buddies. They talk about lighter things. Music, movies, hobbies, flying vs. racing, Pre-War lives, and, unexpectedly, they both enjoy the same trashy medical drama. Pharma's hobbies always surrounded medicine and he enjoyed and excelled at it. Rodimus enjoyed racing, burn art, and actually enjoyed medicine as well as learning first aid.

Pharma perks up and seems to bloom teaching Rodimus thongs and even injures himself to let Rodimus repair it way too casually for comfort and acts totally calm while Rodimus squawks to his amusement. Star Saber works in on a nervous Rodimus repairing Pharma's arm while Pharma looks down at him amused wings shaking with laughter. Star Saber waits, watching with interest as Pharma walks Rodimus through it.

Yep yep and fuck, it's never a good sign when Tyrest gets ideas

Hmmm no yeah super duper interesting game that Pharma and Star Saber are playing with Rodimus

Star Saber's intriguing me rn because I can't decipher what his angle is.

Now, I understand Pharma moreso and mood so far on the freeze ups

hmm on the detail of Ambulon, considering how in this timeline Overlord kills him, but to me it seems like Pharma vaguely knows ~something~ (or at least thinks he does). hmm.

Awww on the more lighthearted stuff, interesting that they're both from Alyon

okay I know that's a typo and it's supposed to say things but I got the hilarious (among other things) image of Rodimus in a bright pink thong and I am obligated to share that with the class

Pharma that is not a thing completely sane people do

So shit's going down while they're captured, not in a "everything is exploding and everyone is fighting" way but in a sort of unnerving way.