--A Brother's Ballad--

Chapter 1: A Brief Harmony

It was so cold.

Though it did not cause any pain whatsoever, his epidermic sensors read the negative temperatures, telling him that he wouldn't be moving for a long time… It had all happened so fast, he'd careened here so blindly. Was this some sort of punishment?

Vaguely he began to wonder where the others were at this very point in time, what they were doing without his presence anymore. No doubt Starscream would be enjoying this when word spread that their leader had fallen somewhere on an alien planet, lost and forgotten… He could feel the searing, icy water all around him slipping into his systems through various chinks in his otherwise impenetrable armor. The battles had taken their toll on him now, allowing the inner mechanisms to become encased in solid ice, his functions and systems slowing to a sluggish crawl, then finally ceasing altogether. They were locked by the ice now, frozen in time.

Then came the shutdown time, the darkness would come. It happened to everyone, it's purpose was to recharge and refresh the systems laboring beneath the jagged armor, and yet it seemed only to hinder him, stall him before. But now he'd have a long time to himself. For now, how could worry impose itself upon him? There was nothing he could do… but recall everything; his achievements, his failures, and everything in between…

Had it really all been for nothing? Only the sound of the harsh winds above answered his unspoken question, the crisp crackling of ice and water resounding in his darkening vision…

---

I suppose I should begin by explaining how it was that we first came to be, the two of us. It begins with what you would call 'love'. Though the act of conception for us is quite different in the physical sense, it still all begins with the 'bonding' of one to the other. That is how our father and mother came to the Allspark after so long, both having bonded the sparks within their own selves. From our mother was sacrificed a small chip, carrying within it pieces of data from both; sensing the inherit integration of this such sacrifice, powers of the Cube infused with the offering, transforming it and granting them the blessings of such conception. It was a glorious day, the rulership of Cybertron would have a future… And yet, it had been so peculiar and rare a result…

Twins.

Never before had two equally separate beings spawned from a single successful conception at the same time Most believed this to be an impossibility, and yet there we were… We were the first… And we were the heirs to Cybertron; I, Optimus Prime, was appointed to govern our planet when our father would pass on, and my brother, Megatron, became head of the military sector as Lord High Protector, in charge of keeping the peace and justice on our planet.

We were young and unlearned in the ways of the world, but we soon became accustomed to those who were assigned to instruct us. It was a peaceful time, full of growth and exploration in those sparkling years. Despite being barely the knee height of most everyone else, I alongside my brother were both respected to the fullest and were treated with the same reverence as was given our proud parents, whom often stood just beyond view to watch our educational proceedings. The main counselor to my father, Lord Peaceward, was appointed to be my instructor, to show me the responsibilities and inner workings on how to govern successfully and peacefully. The elder High Protector, Lord Crusade, became advisor for my brother, teaching him the ways of simple battle, to build young Megatron's ability to defend others and command successfully as well as build self-protection should the need arise…

Both advisors were of the highest degree and pledged to do their best in their training of the royal heirs to Cybertron…

---

The young Megatron sat alone in the corridor, awaiting the arrival of Lord Crusade. He sat upon a small metallic bench, the far side of the hallway opened up to a beautiful view of the warm sunlight splashing the royal courtyard in warm patches, bathing the scenery and the towering cities beyond in an ethereal glow.

It had already been a whole Cybertronian month since the Allspark had given him life and yet already he had learned much from his tutor, who towered over the infantile sparkling several times over. One of the very first things he'd been taught were the stars and what lay beyond, that they had the capability to see beyond what they saw now, that they could go other places beyond their home planet if they so wished. It greatly amused the little one every time the subject came up since, and Megatron quickly grew to memorizing the names of the celestial bodies that orbited nearest to Cybertron, his vast knowledge soon expanding beyond the familiar planets and stars, reaching as far as Crusade could teach him. Even now, the sparkling began to go through the list of names in his head as he waited…

A large and dark figure approaching caught his attention soon enough, it was Lord Crusade. The instructor's solid and imposing form of raven black glimmered in the light. The young sparkling was inquisitive and found himself noticing details about everything; for instance, right now, he could see the small worn edges of the other's armor, small hints of silver outlining where the deep sable coloration used to be and a small dent in the left side of Crusade's helmeted head, though unnoticeable at first. It was a sign of a hard life of duty and age. Megatron looked down at the simplistic pieces of his own armored body, pure and immaculately white and outlined with clean silver trimmings, wondering if he would ever gain such impressive battles marks as his instructor.

"Are we ready to begin our lessons, young one?" Crusade uttered in his firm, deep voice that resonated throughout the halls and always caused a slight shiver within the much smaller sparkling.

Moving from the bench, the infantile Megatron stood proudly before Crusade. He would prove his bravery and resolve to his mentor someday, he would make everyone proud. "I am ready," he nodded slightly, fists clenched tight.

Producing a small smile from the elder Autobot, Crusade nodded back, knowing full well that the proud sparkling was trying his hardest. "Good good. Very well then, come with me. I have organized your combat training lessons in the courtyard today." The imposing form began to walk out towards the designated area, the younger Autobot moving to keep up, taking almost twenty steps for every one of Crusade's.

As they arrived out into the expansive courtyard of their father's even greater palace, Megatron's blue optics shifted to become accustomed to the direct daylight. As it adjusted he stopped, realizing that he'd nearly ran smack into Crusade's foot. The taller warrior glanced down at the young one then turned his attention back towards a couple of immense pillars, waving a hand. Soon, another sparkling, much like Megatron himself, stepped forth, a look of duty and servitude glinting within his eyes. Megatron blinked a few times, wondering what this training session would encompass. Clearly, it did not seem Crusade wished to sit down and make the young sparkling memorize battling tactics indoors as they had before.

"Today, you will be experiencing a true battle yourself, young Lord," Crusade explained, motioning to the other Autobot sparkling, who did not nearly match the pure coloration of Megatron's armor. Only the royal family was permitted to wear pure white.

"True battle?" he had to ask. Though he knew eventually he would have to in order to serve as Lord High Protector, the thought of engaging in violent physical contact let alone any with another he did not know seemed still so very foreign and taboo. Most physical contact to the Autobots was indeed either an immensely sacred or highly prohibited thing in any normal circumstance. 'Bonding' meant two very close partners to come in contact for conception to bond the sparks in their chests, an act more divine than anything existing besides the Allspark. Otherwise, physical contact, despite the occasional touch to show gratitude or approval, often meant violence, something that the reigning king of Cybertron frowned upon fiercely. Despite the constant peace his father strove to keep, Megatron was later informed that although this was strictly against the rules, some Autobots really did engage in violence, whether over some material possession or some perverted fluke in their thinking processors. "This is why you are charged to defend others as well as yourself, to keep the peace of this planet," his tutor had mentioned before. "Your title as Lord High Protector is something you will have to bear, always."

"Yes. This shall be your first of many," Crusade shifted, moving out of the way of the two sparklings so they could get a good look at one another. "Despite the restriction against harm to others, the High Lord Protector is exempt from this taboo if he is using violence in service to prevent further harm to innocents." He saw the confused look twisted upon his apprentice's face and sighed. "Yes, your opponent is innocent, but he has agreed to fight you in that you will learn. You are still performing in the service you were given, young Megatron. You are learning how to defend yourself. That is your lesson today."

Megatron's gaze shifted back to the other scrawny form across from him and nodded uneasily. It was to learn. To experience. Finally regaining his resolve, the sparkling shifted into an awkward battle stance, though he was sure of himself and would show no more hesitation in front of Lord Crusade, who now sat down upon the lip of a large fountain, arms crossed and watchful. "Remember to switch into your battle mode, Megatron. Your crest and facial armor will protect your face, your transformed body become tougher to ward off the most severe blows, and above all, it will symbolize the justice you serve. It will become a natural reflex over time." At this, Megatron began to dredge up the memories of prior training on how to shift his body to become more imposing and battle-ready. He winced, concentrating as his body made slight but agonizing changes, pieces and parts moving slowly around and settling into new places.

A few moments, and it was done. This was the first time he'd successfully completed the battle transformation, and already he was suffering the effects of prematurely shifting. Beneath him, he could feel his legs trying to buckle if it hadn't been for his own effort to keep them steady, and he felt weakened at the core from the transformation, his body trying to accustom itself to the new changes. But no, he would not let himself give up now. Instead, he was already convincing himself to ignore the pain numbing his mind, opening his claws at his opponent in defiance. He was ready.

Seeing this, Crusade indicated casually with a hand. "Begin."

All at once, Megatron's opponent sprang at him, colliding full force into the future Protector, both careening wildly into a nearby wall of a palace building. It was all so fast! Megatron felt his back force a dent into the metallic wall behind him, pain shooting throughout his body as the other against him began to pummel the prince with both fists, though not with all the strength he had, for he did not wish to kill his opponent. Megatron felt every hammer of pain in his chest, though the armor there was the most sturdy, in order to protect his spark, the very force that kept him alive. Instinctively, he drew a hand up to shield himself some from the blows, but it did little to sustain the nausea creeping into his systems, the suffering that clouded his optic lenses.

Physical contact. Pain. Defenselessness. It awoke something within him, something that boiled deep within, something that grew with every jagged fistful of pain that slammed into him. Maybe it was instinct… Maybe it was something more…

To his own surprise, he found his shielding hand grabbing one of those beating fists fiercely. It stopped some of the pain. Megatron hurled the offending opponent into another solid pillar a few feet away, an impressive task for one so small as he. Without a moment's hesitation however, the other stood again, his body too must've been wracked with the same agony now. Again he charged, but this time, Megatron's actions were not as sluggish; somehow he'd deduced his adversary would try this again. Body shaking, the Autobot prince slipped out of the way just in time, the form of the other slashing at the air just inches from his arm. As his rival just began to register the miss, the white Autobot swiveled around and drove a foot squarely into the exposed back, sending the other sparkling scraping along the ground.

But the other did not quit as well. Megatron barely had time to realize what he'd done as his legs were shoved beneath him, falling flatly onto the ground as well. The other was over him, driving a powerful kick into his side and sending another wave of torment splashing through his systems. Megatron let out a groan, laying sideways upon the ground, wondering how anyone could deal with so much pain at once.

Despite such fierce a battle for the two, both sparklings did not possess enough power to break through or even damage the other's protective outer layer, and thus Crusade only watched on with an impassive eye as the young Protector began to receive another pummeling.

He drew his knees up to ward off most of the painful kicks, then decided without hesitation to push himself full force into the other, just as the other had done before. Sacrificing to take one more severe footing in the stomach, the prince leapt up and drove himself at his assailant, claws outstretched…. Only to be matched by the other's. Both were joined by the hands and thus began a war to push the other over by force. Megatron grit his teeth in the straining effort, legs trying to support against the surprising strength of the other, his opponent doing the same. Both pushed and were pushed, back and forth, neither wanting to give up, their heads bashing to try and force the other down. Their steps drew tiny slashes in the metal ground beneath.

He wouldn't lose! He couldn't lose! To be strong before his instructor. He wanted that more than anything else! Megatron tried to shove the other but found his own self being forced back whenever he attempted it. His teeth felt as if they would break at any time, he was concentrating so hard on how best to outmatch this rival of equal strength. How to do it? How to outmaneuver him? How to…

It was then that he lost footing… Megatron had slipped.

The sparkling was driven into the ground ferociously, his head slammed down against the cold steel of the courtyard, the thick pieces of his battle helm saving the more intricate machinery of his face from smashing into pieces. No! How could he?! A final blow to his back caused the young sparkling to cry out and sink down. His arms and legs refused to try and function correctly, his crystal blue optics shuddering in an effort to stay online. Wheezing, the young Megatron had been defeated. His opponent moved into Megatron's view, almost as badly damaged as himself, taking a slight bow of respect to the future Protector. "Forgive me, my Lord," was all he said before Crusade sent him away with the wave of a hand.

He couldn't move… It was mostly because of the pain that froze up most of his functions, but… shame also held him back. He'd rather his face be stuck into the ground, averted from the hawk's gaze of his trainer.

If he could, he would have jumped as an immense but gentle hand lay upon his back, scooping up the young Autobot with care. It was all he could do to keep from crying out again, this time out of shame and anguish. What was this that felt so much like something tearing up his inner mechanisms and strove to burst free from his chest? He didn't like it at all…

"Ah… Failure. It is something you will have to deal with more often should you choose not to accept training like this from now on," came his instructor's surprisingly sympathetic voice as the sparkling was placed down beside him on the lip of the fountain, now leaning against his hip for support. Megatron found that most of his main functions were back online thanks to the self-repair systems working at full capacity beneath his armor. Leaning there against the cold metal of the former Protector, he felt the agony within slowly but surely ebbing away. Failure… Was that what it was called? Crusade reached down and patted Megatron on the side, softly as a mother would her child. "Do not worry, young one. We shall try again tomorrow," he decided in his sure voice. Strong and resilient. Would he ever become so strong and doubtless as his teacher? That was his goal ever since.

But deep down something boiled still, intermingled with the shame and sadness and he tried to suppress it. Blinking up at the larger form, Megatron painfully slid from his seat and stood before his master. "Yes… try again… tomorrow," the still-proud Megatron uttered and limped back to his quarters, stained red by the sinking sun vanishing beyond the horizon…


Okay, so I understand the two weren't brothers in the series, but hey, I like this new little plot twister they threw in there. :P And yes, I also know Megatron and Optimus weren't white but, hey, I threw it in to make them look more regal and all that. :) A little R&R maybe? Reviewing makes me happy. No flames please. Anyway, more to come so stayed tuned!