The battle was going how so many had before. Autobots against decepticons fighting over the newest energon deposit.
"You will never beat me," Megatron growled as he crossed blades with Optimus Prime.
"We shall see, Megatron," Optimus replied calmly.
That was one thing that irked Megatron. The Prime was always calm. No matter what he did that stoic exterior remained unshaken. What did it take to get under his skin plates, to make Prime truly angry?
Unbeknownst to Megatron, he would soon see that mask shatter. He will see a side of his former friend he never knew existed.
The two enemies continued their deadly dance as their subordinates fought around them. It was a scene so familiar to all of them that everyone was caught off guard when a series of explosions rang out around them. Optimus was thrown into Megatron knocking both of them to the ground.
Optimus groaned and tried to sit up. The two leaders had been the closest to the blasts, leaving them with ringing audio receptors, blurred optics, and an aching processor. By the time both of the leaders had recovered enough to stand the fighting had stopped.
Optimus stared at the sight in front of him. An unknown group of mechs had captured all of his autobots along with Starscream, Soundwave, and Shockwave.
"Stand down," the leader of the group ordered.
His mechs pushed their guns against the captured bots helms for emphases. Megatron narrowed his optics but ordered his mechs to stand down.
"Good. I am Shortcircuit, leader of the Castoffs," the mech introduced. "We have grown tired of your war. So many of us have died as casualties in a fight we had no part of. We demand it stops, and we will use these as examples of what will happen if you don't comply."
One of the mechs brought out a pole and stabbed it into the center of Bumblebees back. Electricity arced through the scout. He let out a high pitch beep of pain.
"Stop!" Optimus yelled, but was ignored.
With each second the torture continued the air around the Prime seemed to cool and his optics hardened, not that anyone noticed with how fixated they were on the scene in front of them. Finally it stopped leaving the yellow bot gasping for air, his frame trembling in pain.
"In three days we are going to execute these seven mechs. Before that they will enjoy our generous hospitality. Maybe this will stop your war."
With that a ground bridge opened up behind them and they left with their prisoners.
Optimus stayed frozen in place as the deceptions began to move around them, the screams of his scout still echoing in his processor.
"We found one of the Castoffs," a deception reported to Megatron. "He was one of the ones we managed to hit before the fight was over. He is still online but needs medical attention."
"Bring him to Knockout. Make sure the medic knows he is to be properly interrogated," Megatron ordered.
"Yes Lord Megatron," the soldier said before heading to the ground bridge Megatron had called for.
Megatron was about to follow the bot when he caught sight of Optimus. He stood as still as a statue, no that's not quite right, he was trembling faintly. For some reason Megatron didn't like it. Optimus looked like a volcano getting ready to blow.
"I am willing to work together to get our subordinates back, Prime," Megatron said with uncharacteristic softness.
His offer seemed to unfreeze the autobot leader, because he turned to stare at the Warlord, his optics as cold as ice.
"What do you ask for in return?"
Megatron smirked, "Since we shall be working together all I as, this time, is that you don the colors of the decepticons for the duration of our partnership."
Optimus looked at the warlord of a minute before slowly nodding. He walked through the ground bridge with a solemn but determine gait.
"I will inform the crew of our alliance," Megatron informed the Prime after they exited the ground bridge.
"What of the prisoner?"
"He will be patched up before being… questioned for information," Megatron told him. "That won't be a problem, will it?"
Optimus let out a strange sound between a growl and a laugh, "You have an hour before it's my turn to question the prisoner. I will wait in the infirmary if you need me."
The Prime walked towards the infirmary, leaving behind a stunned Warlord.
When Optimus reached his destination he found a secluded spot he sat down with his back against the wall. He closed his optics and drifted into his mind-scape. When he opened his optics there was another version of himself sitting in front of him. They looked like twins except that version of himself was darker almost sinister. It was like looking through shattered glass.
"This is a surprise. It has been a long time since you have needed may help," the mirror image said. "What could have happened to make you this desperate?"
Optimus looked at his dark twin with a blank expression, "All of my autobots have been captured and are to be executed after three days of their captors hospitality."
"My my Optimus. You really should take better care of your things," his twin purred.
The Prime tried not to cringe at the wording but said nothing, they were his after all.
"I came here to ask for some… advise on how to best get them back into my possession.
"The dark Prime smirked, "And why should I give you this advice?"
"Would you really miss out on a chance to corrupt me?" Optimus asked with a raised optic ridge.
His dark twin considered it.
"There is the added bonus of me wearing your colors while using that advice," Optimus added.
"You always know just what to say to get what you want, don't you?" He grinned. "You have a deal."
.:i:.
The hour passed quickly for Megatron. Soon he was walking to the infirmary with Knockout asking if they had made any progress.
"I'm afraid not, Lord Megatron. To break him will take time, possibly more than we have," Knockout reported.
"Let's give Prime a chance with the prisoner. Maybe he will have more luck,"Megatron muttered.
"Prime? Are you sure, he's rather soft sparked," Knockout asked.
"If he can't then we shall move on to something else," Megatron informed his medic before calling out, "Optimus."
There was a moment of silence before footsteps sounded from behind sight that greeted them was not what they were expecting. Instead of the familiar red and blue, Optimus was a dark purple with toxic green accents and crimson optics. It was a menacing sight, so different from the kind sparked Prime they almost different recognize him.
"You said you wanted me in your colors," Prime said in way of an explanation, to the shocked mechs.
"Sweet rims," Knockout breathed, trailing his optics up and down the larger mechs frame.
Optimus smirked at them, sending twin shivers down their spines.
"Is it my turn with the prisoner?" Prime asked, bringing the two bots out of their shock.
"Yes," Megatron said.
"No progress?"
"None," Knockout told him.
Optimus nodded then gave a seductive smile, "Could you gather a few things for me?"
"Yes," Knockout said immediately, bewitched by the bot in front of him.
The Prime reworded him with another smile before rattling off a list of supplies including chemicals, syringes, and an energon cube. Knockout quickly started gathering the requested items, while Megatron led him to the interrogation room.
"Will you be coming in with me?" Optimus asked.
"No. Knockout and I will be observing from the other side of the glass, in the adjacent room."
Optimus nodded as he watched Knockout head towards them with a cart full of supplies. He grabbed the energon cube from the cart.
"Will you hold on to that for me? I'll give you a signal when I need it. With any luck I won't need it at it all."
Knockout nodded as he and Megatron walled into the observation room.
"You're acting like a love sick puppy," Megatron commented.
"Are you kidding? If he smiled at me like that again I'd let him scratch my paint if he asked," Knockout said as Optimus entered the other room.
.:i:.
Optimus took a breath and entered the interrogation room. He quietly closed the door before looking around. It was a plain room with a table to the side and a berth where the prisoner was tied down.
Optimus walked forward with a concerned look on his face.
"They really did a number on you," he muttered just loud enough for the captive to hear.
The mech on the berth turned to watch the Prime with distrust.
Optimus looked over the bot with a sad smile, "Let's get you patched up."
He grabbed some of the supplies on he table and started mending what he could.
"I'm sorry," Optimus said with a wince. "I don't have any pain killers, they can't catch me doing any of this."
.:i:.
"What is he doing?" Knockout asked. "He knows we are watching him."
"I don't know. I also didn't know he was that good of a medic."
.:i:.
"What's your designation?" Optimus asked as he worked.
"Blizzard," the bot croaked.
"Here," Optimus said as held the energon cube to the mech's lips. "Slowly."
The Prime kept whispering encouragements as the injured bot slowly drained the cube.
"I'm sorry I can't do any more for you."
"Why are you helping me?" Blizzard asked.
"You're hurt," Optimus said as if that explained everything.
There was a moment of silence before Blizzard asked another question, "Why are you with the decepticons? You seem to kind to be one of them."
Optimus gave a sad smile, "My brother is a decepticon. The idea of fighting against him… And it is hard to stay neutral in a war like this."
"I understand," the prisoner croaked. "Does it bother you that my crew captured a few of your friends?"
"They're not my friends."
.:i:.
Megatron raised his optic ridge at the blatant lie.
"What is he up to?"
.:i:.
"And you are doing it to end the war, are you not?"
Blizzard nodded as he seemed to consider something, "There is something you could do for me."
Optimus seemed to brighten, looking so young and naive, "What is it?"
"Let me out of these restraints."
Optimus shook his head sadly, "I can't. My brother would-"
"I can take you with me," Blizzard said, trying to hide his desperation.
"I-I don't know," he said.
"Please!"
"Where would we even go?"
.:i:.
It was then Megatron and Knockout knew what Optimus was trying to do.
"I didn't realize the Prime was so manipulative," Knockout said with wide optics.
"I didn't either, and it's so well done that it would put most decepticons to shame," Megatron said in disbelief.
"We have already learned more things about Prime than we have in centuries. I wonder what else we will learn?" Knockout purred.
.:i:.
"To my base at…"
Optimus had leaned forward to hear what he was saying, and in dong so it gave the prisoner a good look at his shoulder where the autobot symbol sat in the same color as the decepticon insignia.
"You're an autobot!" Blizzard yelled surprise.
Optimus sat back and almost seemed to pout, "I had hoped you wouldn't notice the insignia."
"But we captured all of the autobots except… Optimus Prime. But you're the noble ones! You don't lie or deceive bots!"
"I didn't lie to you," Optimus said with a shake of his head. "Not once, so believe me when I say it would have been better had you not noticed."
As he spoke he walked over to the mirror and knocked on it then pointed his thumb, signaling Knockout.
"I guess we'll have to do things the hard way."
"The hard way don't make me laugh, you're to noble for torture. And what do you mean you haven't lied to me. You said the decepticons couldn't catch you."
"And they can't. They've been watching us the whole time," Optimus said as Knockout came in with the cart of supplies.
"Anything else you need Sweet Rims?" Knockout asked.
Optimus shook his head and placed his hands on Knockouts back, "No I think I have everything I need."
The decepticon shivered before leaving the room.
"What about you're brother?" The prisoner said stubbornly.
"Before the war started Megatron and I were like brothers," Optimus replied as he walked to the table and started mixing together chemicals.
"You said you couldn't do any more for me," Blizzard pushed.
"And I can't," he said while he held a beaker up to the light. "It is because of the decepticons good graces I am here in the first place."
Blizzard thought for a moment before he found something he thought would prove his point, "You said none of those captured were your friends."
"And they are not. They are my family," Optimus said before he turned around, with a syringe in hand, and growled, "And you took them away from me."
At that moment the autobot leader looked sinister, evil, and unhinged.
.:i:.
The two observing decepticons took a step back at the look of feral rage on their enemies face.
"I've never seen him like this," Megatron whispered, as if afraid that if he spoke any louder Optimus would hear and turn his rage on them.
.:i:.
Optimus gave a sharp grin, "So you will tell me everything I need to know to get them back. If that means you have to suffer, well," the Prime shrugged, a dark look in h is optics, "Your screams will echo through the halls."
Optimus leaned closer and gave the Castoff a deranged grin, "And I will enjoy every second of it."
Optimus leaned back and regained his polite smile then turned back to his work. Blizzard didn't dare say another word to the unstable mech.
"Did you know that before the war I was an archivist?" Optimus asked randomly.
Blizzard looked at the purple bot in confusion, still weary of him.
"Each archivist was assigned a specific bot to archive," Optimus continued, not caring that the prisoner hadn't answered him. "I was assigned to a particularly interesting mech. He was a scientist who specialized in cybertronian biology. He was an eccentric mech but he was dedicated to his research. Maybe too dedicated."
The three bots listened to the story, still confused as to it's purpose.
"He would create hundreds of different compounds, for various purposes, and then test them on live test subjects."
.:i:.
Megatron and Knockout paled a little.
"He's not going where I think he's going with this, is he?" Knockout asked.
Megatron didn't have an answer.
.:i:.
"He kept extensive notes on how the solutions effected the test subject, and even left instructions on how to make them."
Optimus finally mixing all of the chemicals leaving him with three syringes filled with different colored mixtures. He grabbed the green one and showed it to blizzard.
"This was one of the solutions he created. Originally it had been created to try to increase our regenerative ability. It didn't work, but it had an interesting reaction to the energon running through our veins."
Optimus grabbed one of Blizzards arms and started looking for a vein.
"Instead of hastening the healing process it targeted the pain receptors through out our frames and activated them. One by one," Optimus explained with a sadistic grin, and plunged the needle into the vein he had found.
Blizzard watched with wide optics as the green liquid was injected into his arm.
"It starts slowly around the injection point then starts to spread rapidly through the body," the Prime continued to explain. "At first it feels almost cold before it heats up until it heats up until it feels like you're being burned alive. It's a truly horrible feeling."
"You sound as if you know how it feel," Blizzard said as he started to shiver.
Optimus barred his teeth at him in a parody of a smile, "I do. After I read about it I couldn't stop thinking about it. Cybertron was in the middle of a vicious civil war at the time, and here were several serums that were perfect for torture ready for anyones viewing pleasure. What if someone got the idea to use it? What if someone decided to use it on me to try and find out the knowledge I have, I did have rather high clearance at the time. Once that thought entered my processor it wouldn't leave. It was always right there at the back of my mind. Eventually I couldn't ignore it. I had to do something about it, but I couldn't delete it, there were to many copies and I would definitely get caught."
"You used it on yourself," Blizzard stated. "You're insane."
"I never tried to claim otherwise. I am also not a very moral mech either. One thing I am not is stupid. I was not going to inject myself with a chemical compound with no idea how it would effect me, notes or not. So I found a… volunteer to help me test it out. I injected him with the serum again and again until it stopped being effective."
At this point Blizzard was trembling in pain, trying to cure into himself but was stopped by the restraints. He withered with every pulse of pain. He was grateful that the Prime kept talking, it was a distraction from the pain that kept building. So he held on to each word like a lifeline, even if the words filled him with a since of dread.
"After the compound stopped working I isolated the protein that fought the solution and injected it into myself. After that I injected myself with the serum and weathered the pain. It only took two injections for the mixture to loose effect. I did the same thing with all of the scientists creations. By the end of it my pain tolerance was much higher, and as an added bonus biological warfare was less effective on me."
Blizzard was biting back screams now.
"You probably think I'm paranoid to go through that on the off chance that someone would try to capture me. The thing is I was right. They went after me because I looked like I would be the easiest to break," Optimus smirked at the withering prisoner. "They learned the hard way that wasn't the truth. None of them were ever seen again after I escaped."
Blizzards whimpers were getting louder with each passing second.
Optimus grinned with savage satisfaction, "It looks like I finished my story just in time. You won't be coherent enough to listen much longer."
That was when Blizzard finally lost his battle with the pain. He opened his mouth and screamed.
.:i:.
The two decepticons looked on in horror as the prisoners screamed grew louder.
"Did you know about any of that Lord Megatron?" Knockout asked in equal parts horror and fascination.
"No. I had no idea," Megatron looking at the Prime like he has never seen him before. "I'm starting to realize I don't know Optimus Prime nearly as well as I thought I did."
.:i:.
Blizzard arched his back in agony. Each second seemed to stretch for eons. He wanted it to stop, he would give anything to make it stop. Just make it stop!
Optimus watched lubricant fall from the prisoners optics without an inch of sympathy. Pleas fell from his lips between the screams, begging for it to stop. He was so wrapped up in the pain that at first he didn't notice it lessen.
Eventually the serum wore off, leaving the mech a trembling, whimpering, tear stained mess.
"How are you feeling?" Optimus asked with sickeningly sweet voice.
Blizzard whimpered at the sound of the Prime's voice.
"Good enough to continue?" Optimus asked as he grabbed the syringe filled with an orange compound.
Blizzard flinched away and burst into tears, "No more. Please no more. Please."
Optimus leaned forward and gently wiped away the lubricant tears, shushing the crying bot.
"I don't want to but I need information."
"Anything," the mech swore.
Optimus gave him a sincere smile, "Good."
"Why go so far?" Blizzard asked after he gave the autobot leader everything he needed to know.
"I would do anything for my family, they're mine after all," Optimus stated.
"Then why let the war continue? There must have been a few times where you could have killed Megatron and stop the war."
"Well, Megatron's mine too."
.:i:.
"What did the other two serums do?" Megatron asked, trying to ignore the bulk of what he had learned in the past two hour.
"I made a solution foe the big three types of torture. Physical, mental, and sexual. I'll leave what exactly the other two did to your imagination," Optimus said with a smirk. "Now let's go make a plan."
.:i:.
Knockout stared at Megatron with jealousy after they finished making plans for their comrades rescue. He had liked the Prime since their first meeting and his feelings had grown with everything he learned about him.
The Prime chuckled at the medic from the other side of the table. He had a rough idea about what the mech was thinking. Optimus had actually met the medic, before the war. He had been enchanted by the passion the mech had in everything he did. Sadly at the time Optimus couldn't get any closer to him. Now is a different story.
Optimus walked up behind the medic and leaned down.
"You could be mine too you know," he whispered.
Knockout stiffened in surprise before relaxing into the larger mech.
"I think I would like that."
.:i:.
The rescue attempt went off without a hitch, though it was unsettling to watch the Prime mercilessly slaughter bot after bot. When they finally found the captives Optimus had to clench his teeth in anger at their state. All in all they were in much better condition than Blizzard, but just on dent was too many in the Primes opinion.
The autobots, on the other hand, were staring at their leader, or more specifically his paint job and optics color.
"What in Primus happened to you?" Ratchet asked bluntly.
Optimus let out an amused huff, "It's temporary."
.:i:.
They were all taken back to Nemesis to get treatment for their wounds. While that was happening Megatron pulled Optimus off to the side.
"Why do you consider me yours?" He asked.
"You were my brother before this began, and I am a possessive bot. You will be mine. To the day you die," Optimus said. "But do be warned, just because you are mine does not mean I have any problem breaking you if you push me too far."
Megatron paled, "Maybe it is time to end this war. We could work on a treaty?"
"Of course," Optimus said giving a radiant smile.
After that he headed back to the infirmary.
"How are they," he asked Knockout.
"Everyone is mine except for a few dents and scrapes."
The Prime gave a sigh of relief, "Good."
Optimus smiled and stepped forward into Knockout's space. Knockout smiled and leaned against the mech's chest.
"Megatron agreed to create a treaty," the Prime informed the medic. "That means I will be having to spend much more time on this ship."
"Hmm," Knockout hummed.
"And that means I am going to have a lot of free time on my servos. I find myself wondering what I should do with that free time. Do you have any ideas?" Optimus asked with a sly smile.
Knockout's answering grin was wicked, "I am sure we can find something for you to do."
They leaned forward and kissed. Sadly it only lasted a few seconds before a cough broke them apart. Standing behind them were the previously captured bots.
"You-you can't do that! He's the enemy!" Starscream screamed.
Knockout rolled his optics and stepped back.
"Do you have any problems with our new relationship?" Optimus asked his team with wide innocent optics.
All protests and lectures deflated at that look. So instead the turned to Knockout.
"We'll kill you if you hurt him,"Arcee threatened.
"After scratching your paint," Bulkhead continued.
"And a few amputations with no anesthetic," Ratchet added.
"Beep!" Bumblebee agreed.
Knockout smiled and turned to Optimus, "They're almost as protective as you."
.:i:.
"What do you mean we are making a treaty with the autobots!" Starscream screeched.
"I saw a side of Optimus Prime today that I never want to see again, especially directed at me," Megatron stated.
Soundwave put a question mark on his visor.
"Look at the video from interrogation room eight around the time you were captured," Megatron ordered.
They waited in silence as Soundwave viewed the video. They watched a visible shiver wrack the spy's frame.
"Your decision islogical," Soundwave concluded.
"That was just a glimpse of what he was capable of. Thinking back, I can remember many problematic people just disappear before the war," Megatron admitted. "Some of those people were so well protected that no one could get to them. Each time it happened Orion always seemed satisfied, almost smug about it. I never thought about it before, but now… It is best to leave Optimus and his autobots alone, it would be worse than tempting fate."
.:i:.
When the autobots finally got back to base (Optimus back to being the familiar red and blue) Agent Fowler and the kids were there to greet them, with lots of yelling. After they explained (almost) everything the humans finally calmed down.
The humans went with their caretakers to check over their well being, and Ratchet went back to his work muttering about the time he lost. That left Optimus and Agent Fowler alone in the main room of the base.
"So why exactly did the cons decide to create a treaty?" Fowler asked the big bot.
Optimus gave him a sly smile, "The whole experience was an eyeopener."
The Prime left the confused agent where he stood and walked to his room, thinking about how much more enjoyable life was about to become.