Look out, it's Robocop!

[legalcy]

Who: Ultra Magnus and YOU
When: After the Anniversary Event and beginning of May
Where: Curti Center and Safer Osu
What: Minimus gets a regain and thus a Custom Job. He now can walk around as another person.
Warnings/Notes: Ultra Magnus has a different voice from Minimus Ambus due to a voice modulator. He's also taller than Megatron now.

A. Curti Center, End of April

[A new robot emerges from Ganeshan's lab. It's not the start of a new month, so he can't possibly be a new arrival, but one would have definitely noticed a Cybertronian larger than Megatron traveling with the group. His expression is serious, but the air he carries has him appear to be pleased with something.

The suit still functions well. Some of the functionality has been lost, but Minimus can work with that. What matters is that he has a larger body capable of wielding larger weapons and intimidating criminals. At last, he isn't walking around in his irreducible form.

On the other hand, the hallways of the research center were not built for large beings, which does make sense, Miminus tells himself, as it dissuades visitors from bringing Chocobos and large suits of armor indoors.]

Excuse me.

[He squats and shuffles to the side of the walkway, allowing two interns to pass.]

Forgive me, I...am not used to accommodations of this size. [Good heavens, he ought to find a roll-up door and make his leave through the vehicle port. After some difficulty, he finds himself in the airship garage. This is familiar.

As you pass by, you can see a large blue robot have its body parts shift around to turn into a large truck]

...Hm. Something feels off. [Perhaps he has to get used to transforming after such a long time without the armor. He was certain he found nothing wrong after thoroughly cleaning the suit from the retrieval.

Oh, well. It's time to slowly ride outside.]

B. Safer Osu, Late April and May

[Said giant robot takes a walk throughout the military city, striding through the larger streets and looking over the citizens. They are all staying at least two meters away from store fronts and refraining from walking against the crowd. It helps that the residents keep clear of the large Cybertronian walking in their midst. He will enjoy working in this city.

His destination: the law enforcement department of Safer Osu. Ultra Magnus has the copy of the local laws downloaded on the Slate, his Moogle Mogsuna sits on his shoulder, waving at Heroes of Light and their Moogles as Magnus wears a deep frown, completely serious about his future employment.]

Comments

Curti Center

[aerospacecommander]

[Starscream was out, doing what Starscream does. Usually that involves getting into trouble of some sort, but he wasn't causing too much at the moment.

He was mostly minding his own business, but he totally did a double take at the sight of the rather familiar looking truck. It figures that another Autobot would show up. But it just had to be him.

Ultra Magnus seemed much bigger than him and that was not fair. Why did he have to deal with these humanish proportions and this goon didn't?! Why does life hate him so much?

In any case, he storms over towards the slowly moving truck.]

I see this place is now pulling from the bottom of the barrel if it chooses to bring you here.

[legalcy]

[The truck pauses. Minimus had the mind to question Starscream on his comment before the realization that he did not know how bore the armor. They had already met, but not as Magnus. Typically, bots knew the Duly Appointed Enforcer of the Tyrest Accord before they knew Minimus Ambus, not the other way around.
]

The Dream Width doesn't have a way to judge people by their character, Starscream.

[aerospacecommander]

Clearly as it would have brought in your brother instead.

[Of course it was possible this wasn't the same Ultra Magnus he knew, but he hadn't really seen much of him back on Cybertron after Shockwave took over. So it was hard to tell.]

[legalcy]

[So it was the same in the other universe. Starscream knows that Ultra Magnus is simply a title and Minimus Ambus is the current bearer. Dominus Ambus is dead, yet hearing himself compared to his spark brother brought back the same small stab as it did before..]

He may be put there I won't deny the possibility.

[this mode is too impersonal. Ultra Magnus halts and transforms into his robot mode, checking for stray dirt on his legs.]

Is there anything else you wished to speak, or are you here simply to antagonize me?

[aerospacecommander]

[Ultra Magnus seemed so ... Well, it was kind of like looking at a kicked puppy. Good thing to know the brother thing is still a sore spot. Starscream isn't surprised. Seeing Magnus working with Shockwave was probably enough to send even someone like Optimus Prime over the edge.]

Antagonizing others is what I do best. Well, other than everything else I'm great at.

And I seriously hope he does not show up. There's enough do-gooders around here.

some mtmte spoilers here

[legalcy]

That is not for you to decide.

[He doesn't say he wants to see the real Dominus again, not the Mederi illusion. He wants to recite the list of reasons why Minimus is upset with him, he should ask what he was thinking when he left to become a spy. For years, the two had been communicating between layers of masks and shadows without knowing who was at the end of the other line. He wants one more genuine conversation with the brother he lost. He needs to know what he actually thinks of his position as Ultra Magnus.

However, it's likely it would not be the Dominus he knew.]

What we need, Starscream, is more people with sense, and if they fall under your definition of "do-gooder"...well, then you have my condolences.

[aerospacecommander]

Sense huh? Like joining up with Shockwave in his new world order? I wonder what he thought about that.

[He is slightly surprised Ultra Magnus didn't just try and punch him or something. Maybe this was a different one from another universe. It didn't matter. Ultra Magnus is Ultra Magnus and still seemed to have a few buttons Starscream could push to irritate him.]

Curti Center, better late than never

[mech_and_mutt]

[Okay, Red. Deep breaths.

He'd seen some of the other cool robots that this place dragged in: Giant mechanical lions? Sure! The likes of Megatron and Minimus? Sure! The occasional odd, experimental bit of Magitech? Buddy, he made at least one of those!

But that really big guy. Just. TRANSFORMED. INTO A VEHICLE.

So give Red a moment to pick his jaw up off the floor and sprint the DAHAK after Ultra Magnus, eventually pulling up beside it as it drove and just.

Staring. Incredulous. Possibly in a way that he should reserve for keeping his eyes on the road. But all he could think about right now is whether or not it was safe to ride in that thing.]

[legalcy]

[The thunderous pedes of the DAHAK alert Minimus to the arrival - ah, the canine being. The truck slows down to allow Red to catch up, but he doesn't transform to robot mode just yet. It requires too much energon to do so when he is still testing his suit.]

Is there something you wish to discuss? [While the voice modulator hides the identity of the pilot, Minimus cannot completely change his way of speaking. Still, very few bots were able to catch similarities between the Ultra Magnus to which they were speaking and a regular soldier they likely never met.

They would find out the truth eventually, but Minimus does wish to return to the time when others did not associate him with Magnus, even if for a brief moment.]

[mech_and_mutt]

[Don't worry-- Red's clueless. He's too busy fawning over the transforming mecha to connect any dots right now.]

Oh man, please tell me people can ride in that cabin. OH--! Y'got any missile launchers in the back or something?! Please tell me you do...!

[legalcy]

[The truck slows. The braking sounds like a sigh.]

I am not looking for monsters at this moment, but yes, I do have weaponry builting into this suit. You may not ride in me without my permission.

[That was only for emergencies.]

[mech_and_mutt]

Don't worry, I brought my own ride.

[Thankfully, his mech has some pretty nice brakes of its own, and Red's paying enough attention to match Magnus' pace.]

Should probably introduce myself: name's Red Savarin, I'm with the Magitek Knights. And the Cloud City Dragons. I'm always lookin' out for hot new tech, and...

[One more gawking, covetous gaze at the trailer.]

...this is good stuff you've got here. Love to know more.

[legalcy]

[Was he treating his own body as some sort of object? If a truck could straighten with discomfort, the slight shift in its tires would be the nearest equivalent.]

This is how I was forged, Red Savarin. Cybertronians are sentient beings with the same legal rights as organics.

[He shouldn't bring up rules from another universe. They don't apply here--]

In addition, the sharing of Cybertronian technology with planets with which we do not hold a partnership violates the second clause of the Tyrest Accord. [This was his main job. He can't forget that law.]

Okay, one more time.

[tiredcharmer]

When Magnus reaches the police station, it's the model of efficiency. Everything is organized with excruciating exactness despite the recent apocalypse, and every officer is doing something useful. It's beautiful, really. Without batting an eye at the hulking Cybertronian, the staff takes his paperwork, photocopies it, and organizes a place for him to sit while waiting.

Five minutes later, Magnus is hustled to a private conference room, where a very familiar face is reading through a copy of his paperwork with startling speed. At first glance, the piles seem unorganized, a stark contrast to the order of the rest of the station. But to Magnus's trained eye, it's an arcane system of organization that makes a strange amount of sense--meant to conceal efficiency and information from the uninitiated, while working like a well-oiled machine for Tyzias.

Without looking up, she whips her pen towards a chair on the other end of the table... then double-checks the "bio"data. "Go ahead and stand over there. Can't have you breaking furniture, that'll come out of my nonexistent pay," she grumbles. Then she fixes him with a stare that, while not hostile, still feels like it's trying to nail him to the wail as she uses [Deduction Cutter] to study him.

Oh. Another Cybertronian. Tyzias thought she had met all of them at this point. Eh, whatever. Not her business. "Just need to confirm a few things. Legal name, employment status, and place of residence."

[legalcy]

Ultra Magnus glares at the pen. He could not disagree with her argument; the furniture was not built for his frame. It would be impolite to demand that he be seated. Many of the organic races that had worked with him would only speak with him on ships or if he had sent his holomatter avatar to the surface. He could stand for a brief meeting.

However, he could not look away from the blatant disregard for order. He picked up the pen and set it on the table, perfectly perpendicular to the edge. The tips of his fingers rested on the surface.

"You should know better than to make a poor first impression for the department, Tyzias," he stated while looking directly at her, frowning. He felt that he were speaking with Rodimus again, though far less energetic. "I had hoped that your organizational skills would be improved in a professional setting."

He hadn't outright told her who he was underneath the armor, yet. However, as one of his most trusted acquaintances, she had the right to know before beginning the session. It's just...he never had to introduce himself as Ultra Magnus before. Everyone heard of Ultra Magnus, Cybertronian and organic. He didn't know how to reveal this secret of his with his consent other than jumping out of the armor in front of Anode and the others found in the Necrobot's basement. Perhaps a gradual approach would do more good.

Minimus Ambus was not skilled in the manners of gently relaying shocking news.

[tiredcharmer]

Tyzias blinks at Magnus's response, having not consciously realized that she was using her old, subterfuge-based organizational system. Whoops. Even after almost a year (if you counted the time loops) on Vaikuntha, it was a struggle not to default to paranoia. Hard to unlearn the instincts that you gained to survive a fascistic, murderous regime, after all.

"Ah, shit. Right, lemme just--" A few papers shuffled around there, pushing a pile of notes there, and suddenly the entire pile is perfectly organized. Then the Cybertronian's words register.

She gives him a quizzical look. "Did Minimus tell you about me? Seems like something he'd say."

[legalcy]

He looks at the sheet on the table and glares at the form as if to etch his name into the marked line. Ultra Magnus. He had signed documents with those two words that brought awe and fear to the sparks of Cybertronians for millennia. He is Ultra Magnus, upholder of the law and all that is decent. He is the legendary Autobot who unsurprisingly will work the hardest in the law enforcement department. He is also Minimus Ambus, the newest pretender to the position of Magnus Armor Pilot.

Tyzias remembers him - Minimus, not Magnus. She knew him as the busybody and critical report-writer, not as the powerful Cybertronian. This was the opposite of what he is used to. Minimus is meant to be the nobody hiding behind a name that means everything.

"I did not speak with anyone regarding our work with the Job Pamphlets, apart from Ganeshan, the Curti Center employees, and Megatron." He had to tell her. He couldn't hide from himself forever. "You and the residents that have seen me may know me as Ultra Magnus as of now, but I was born - and always have been - Minimus Ambus."

...Somehow?

[tiredcharmer]

"Okay.

"Do you have any previous experience with law enforcement or any related fields?"

[legalcy]

Minimus needed a moment to understand the swerve in the direction of this conversation. He had revealed his true identity, he had confessed an important part of his being, and Tyzias had treated it as a minor fact to add to the paperwork? Where was the shock? Where were the questions?

He had not prepared for this. No one had reacted to Ultra Magnus with little regard. His reputation did not carry over to this universe, obviously, but to experience the lack of reverence typically associate when introducing himself as Minimus was...a challenge to experience.

"Right, yes, I do. As the former duly appointed enforcer of the Tyrest Accord, I have thousands of years of experience in apprehending war criminals and those that sought to break the Interplanetary Code of Conduct."

Was this not what he desired - a lack of differentiation in the form into which he was forged and the one granted to him. Rodimus referred to him with the same nickname, Ten had a slight preference for Minimus over Magnus, and the crew showed the same level of disrespect no matter which set of armor he bore. Still, he had to be thankful that there were no gossips on the same level as Swerve.

However, the pieces of dialogue that he had expected were so quickly removed that he stumbled, as if the stairs he had expected to be in the dark suddenly disappeared.

"Tyzias, while I will be walking about in this form, am I required to have my personal identification to be a photo of Minimus Ambus?"

That was what worried him.

Also late, I apologize (A)

[peace_through_empathy]

As Magnus begins to pull out, there's a familiar figure standing outside waiting. So he did get the armour back, Megatron notes, with some disappointment, though he does his best not to show that. He has...thoughts about his friend's continued use of the Magnus Armour, but for the time being knows that's not an area he can approach while things are still tense between the two. So he merely nods in acknowledgment as the truck rolls out.

"Ultra Magnus." He says formally. He'll keep to the name out of respect for his friends' wishes. "...I heard you were back. You're looking well."

[legalcy]

A select few at the Curti Center knew he was Minimus Ambus. To have this broadcasted publicly would be a severe breach of professional conduct. Ultra Magnus slowed his pace but continued to move on.

"It will take some getting used to traversing on Vaikuntha, but the armor appears to work well. I have received assistance in using this in battle as well." Ganeshan may have poor graphic design skills, but he understood how to craft a Job.

[peace_through_empathy]

Megatron falls into pace alongside the car, walking briskly but managing to keep up. He can transform, in theory, but it's an ability he has had little cause to use since his last reformatting and he is severely out of practice. For the time being, he walks or uses public transportation.

"I'm curious as to the parameters of this new asterisk?" He asks, his tone professional, as is his interest. It will be handy information to know when putting teams together, after all. Megatron produces his iMog slate and quickly fires up a document he keeps that allows him access to all information he deems important, and then sets it to the right spot to edit for information. "Defensively-oriented, I assume?" He asks.

[legalcy]

Megatron was already typing notes for future strategies. He was so organized, Minimus was surprised that he had thought otherwise of a warlord who lead a four million year campaign against all that was good.

"I have the Templar Asterisk for defensive combat. The Magnus Armor functions similarly here as in our universe, which focuses on raw power with some defensive capabilities. When working under Tyrest, I often found myself facing criminals alone."

He was successful for the majority of his tasks. His near-defeat at Megatron's hand on Earth was the closest he had come to death. How strange that Minimus Ambus would have ended there, right as the war was drawing to the close if the Autobots hadn't come to his rescue. This very same Megatron with home he carries a calm conversation.

"It would do well when working in conjunction with a supportive Asterisk."

[peace_through_empathy]

"Ah, of course. That makes sense." He nods along as he punches in the information. A well-rounded Job set that would allow him to cover most kinds of battlefield situations and roles was a very Minimus Ambus angle to take, which meant it was considered, and eminently sensible. Party composition in any undertaking was important, as Megatron had learned, and flexibility in the roles available even more so.

He looks up when Minimus says he will need a supported job and a small smile plays on his expression. "That should be easy to arrange." He says. "I intend to make myself a support specialist. I do have my work at the ER, but I've also let them know that my work as a Hero of Light does have to take priority. Though after Bahamut, the hospital administration was understanding of that point." Happily, the hospital has no shortage of medical personnel, so if Megatron has to step away to stop a world-ending threat, there won't be any issues with him doing so.

[legalcy]

"That is...encouraging. The fact that you have found steady employment will aid our credibility among the populace and provide a source of income for future ventures." It remains odd to think of Megatron as a medic rather than his prisoner. "Have you considered taking up additional Asterisks?"