Beeps and Buzzes

🦕 ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 10

　
　　　　　
Immersed in a world that would've looked better seeped in a Sepia filter and off-beat jazz music; to anyone else, a dream like this would be a sign to seek a therapist.

A bar, of all things, welcomed you tonight. Clearly the handiwork of Alchemist Prime, although for once you weren't completely dwarfed by its architecture which was now proportionally accurate to a human.

Meandering towards an eerily smooth counter, a stall dragged out. There wasn't even the littlest squeak.

Sat patiently for your arrival, a glass of water. You examined it, closely, put-off by how the liquid didn't reflect anything.

"Water? Isn't that a little boring for a dream?"

Golden optics spared a glance towards the glass you currently held aloft in search of a shimmer. Reaching underneath the counter moments later presenting you with a silly straw.

Had to wonder why he bothered to learn what a silly straw was. Specifically learning it in order to be petty? Wouldn't put it past the old timer. Shooting him a dry look, picking it up, dropping it into the liquid that remained unmoving "wise-ass"

"I think I'd rather take that as a compliment then insult," Alchemist took a moment's pause, cloth paused midway in a large pint glass, an unusually docile gleam to his optics that remained fixated upon the counter “Niceties aside; your recklessness has cost you quite a lot, hasn't it"

Stirring the crystalline liquid, hunched over, suddenly slumping on one side as a sudden lack of balance took you by surprise. Bolting upright, wiggling your dominant arm about, shocked at how your arm had been snatched from this plain as well. Leaving you with nothing but two thirds of an arm, solely made up of flesh.

"Great. Now I can be miserable in two places simultaneously” gripping the counters edge tightly, less than pleased at having lost your arm here as well "look, man, it wasn't like I intentionally set myself out on a path of self-destruction, it just happened -"

A hollow thud grabbed your attention, startled to see Alchemist with both servos death-gripping the counter with both hands hunched forwards with a bowed head. Your breath hitched, leaning away, suddenly cautious having never witnessed the old Prime move so dramatically.

A sigh of defeat escaped him, drawing away, "my apologies… but I do take my burden as your mentor very seriously" optics softening just enough for you to settle back into a comfortable position, albeit sitting with far more poise.

"Why have you gotta be so dramatic -” you ignored how he called you a burden. Didn't need to point out anything obvious.

"I've no desire to see my newest friend toddle around like a just-flown Seeker during a time of genuine crisis" a single servo gesture towards your obvious lack of arm. Arms folding stiffly, attention wavering toward the middle distance "in the past my idleness was a weakness. I've been given a chance to rectify that. You are my redemption, closest thing to a successor. Anything that threatens you, threatens me. Do you understand?"

You shuffled a little closer in your seat, studying your self-proclaimed mentor.

Alchemist was undeniably agitated. Inspecting how his servos drummed against his forearm, lost in thought for an unusual amount of time, he reminded you vaguely of an anxious Optimus Prime. Only with less yelling.