Warning: Robots in disguise, clothes, and also cross-dressing. Because I think they all look so adorable in clothes! Also, a pervy Prime, but he keeps his thoughts to himself.
Optimus Prime's foot steps echoed down the silver corridors of palace Technar, his shadow shivering over the gleaming surfaces. He'd been permitted to explore the grounds, an opportunity he gladly jumped at. The palace master, Lord Megatron of Kaon, had been exceptionally welcoming, though his mistress, Lady Nightbird, had simply glared with those gold optics. Those optics that allegedly sparkled like stars when she smiled.
Prime had yet to see them do so.
Their children were much the same as themselves; twins, Seekers. Thundercracker and Skywarp. Skywarp was smiley and sweet, silently offering the larger mech his own energon bonbons, as if he could not speak yet. Thundercracker was more like his mother, grim looking and cold natured.
"Forgive my son, Optimus Prime," Megatron had said with a shake of his helm. "He is simply protective of his little brother." Optimus thought to bring up the matter of Seekers being born as triplets, trines, but chose not to. It might have been a sensitive subject.
After diner and a long conversation concerning politics and just how well prepared the high grade was, Megatron offered him the chance to roam Palace Technar all alone, none of his family's prying optics to make the Prime feel uncomfortable. Again, Optimus couldn't accept quick enough, but now found himself completely lost.
"Right now, I suppose Jazz would be laughing at my misfortune and uncanny ability to lose my way." He shrugged to himself. The mention of the younger mech made him visualise that cheerful smile and playful shine in his visor. His third in command was a perfect eye-candy, and it took all his will as a Prime not to try and steal him from Prowl. No, he would never forgive himself if he were to betray his dear friend that way. "But still, I could definitely use his guidance right about now... his photographic memory, at least." Optimus shook his head and kept walking, hoping to find Megatron or maybe little Skywarp, and ask for them to show him where the guest room was.
The purpose of his visit was to discuss Alpha Trion's proposal on liberating Maximal slaves from their Predacon masters on the Jungle planet, to hopefully form an allegiance with the Decepticons to help the Autobots win. It was more than likely to take a while to convince Megatron to have all Decepticons turn their backs on their Predacon kinships, but he had to try. For his own kinship.
"Optimus Prime, just how do you always manage to get yourself so lost?" He growled to himself, raising his hand in exasperation. He'd been down this hall before! He recognised the Koma Inu statues on either side of the large red door with a golden star at the top. For a moment, his curiosity for the door tingled deep within his fuel tanks.
It was clearly locked and bolted, for a purpose that was lost to Prime. Perhaps it was some kind of treasury, one that Megatron wanted no one to enter. Still, Optimus walked towards it, inspecting the door with a nosiness that would make Ironhide scold him. Oh, if only Hound hadn't told him that Earth phrase after returning from his travels; Curiosity killed the cat.
"Inquiry: What business have you here?" Prime whipped around in a sudden panic, expecting to see Nightbird and her scary optics piercing into his helm. Instead, he was met by the blank stare of a red visor and silver face-mask. A blue and silver mech in a black, butler-like suit stood at the end of the hall, arms crossed over a glass chest, stance in a superior position.
"I, um, I am lost, I'm afraid! And... I was just curious as to what's behind this door..." The mech showed no signs of revealing the mysterious door's secret, so he picked up his rambling again. "You couldn't show me the way to the guest rooms, could you...?"
"Designation: Soundwave." The mech replied. "Your designation: desired."
"Optimus Prime." He answered, walking forward and offering his servo. Soundwave gave his in turn to shake. "A pleasure, I've heard much about you."
"Likewise. Guest rooms: South wing. Assisted navigation of palace: Required?" His way of speaking was relatively disturbing, sort of how Prime expected Nightbird to talk, if she even could!
"I think that would be wise, thank you." Soundwave nodded and proceeded to guide Prime away from the door. Away from whatever secret lay behind it. Optimus couldn't help but think that Soundwave did so to keep that secret safe. "Please Soundwave, what is your function in this Palace?"
"Two functions. One: Military Communications officer," A difficult job in itself, but Soundwave was clearly more proactive than his own Communications officer, Blaster. "Two: Sparklings' private tutor."
"Ah, so you teach Thundercracker and Skywarp, correct?"
"Affirmative." A thought occurred to Prime.
"Do they speak, or are they shy?" Soundwave turned a corner, leading to a parade of forest green doors.
"Sparklings: Speak only when spoken to, as taught." Ah, so they went for the old fashioned form of discipline here.
"And Nightbird?" Soundwave made a guttural growl, and Prime feared he'd disrespected the lady of palace's name. Seemingly sensing his discomfort, Soundwave glanced at him meaningfully.
"M'lady is simply stubborn, stuck up. She can speak, but chooses not to, as she is under the illusion that all are beneath her." Interesting, so Soundwave disliked his Master's mistress. Well that certainly explained the growl. "Arrival at guest room: Achieved." He opened a green door for Prime, who timidly walked in. The En Suite was a luxurious thing indeed, fit for a king, as Mirage would say.
"You have my sincerest gratitude Soundwave! I felt incredibly foolish, wandering around like a lost Turbo Fox." He scratched his cheek bashfully, looking at his pedes. Soundwave shook his head in understanding.
"Embarrassment: Unnecessary. Soundwave: Lost on first day at Palace as well." That was rather comforting. "Inquiry: Do you require anything else?"
"No, thank you. And, again, you have my gratitude for you help." Soundwave bowed aptly, then closed the door behind him. Prime was then alone in the room, and slightly wished Ironhide was there to direct him as to what to do next.
.X.
A knock at the door woke him, blue optics onlining to the green sunrise of the next morning in Technar.
"Sir, are you awake, sir?" A voice inquired from the other side.
"Who's there?" He asked tiredly, sitting up on the bunk.
"Room service, sir. Would you like your breakfast, sir?" The voice asked. His fuel tank growled at him, commanding him to allow the voice to come in.
"Yes please, breakfast sounds good right about now." The door opened and a small black and white mech wearing a matching, frilly maid's dress peered in.
"I hope you're decent, sir. Breakdown gets all flustered about that sort of thing." Optimus chuckled.
"Don't worry; I recharge clothed." The little mech grinned and swung the door open wide, letting a shorted mech with a food trolley, dressed much the same, shuffle in. The two were clearly related, though the shorted 'Con was blue and white. "And who do I have the pleasure of addressing?" He asked. The smaller mech blushed, like he wasn't used to guests being so formal and polite. Optimus wondered just how bad mannered Decepticons were in the morning.
"My name is Wildrider," The black and white mech answered proudly, standing accordingly and looking as prim as possible in his little maid's outfit. "And this is my brother Breakdown! Isn't he cute?" He beamed at the quivering mech beside him who was fiddling with his skirt. The difference, Prime noticed, between their outfits was that Wildrider's head band had larger bells mounted on either end, jingling whenever he moved his helm fast enough (which he seemed to do on purpose).
"An honour," Optimus slipped out of bed and pulled on a blue bath robe. "Indeed, though you are both cute." Wildrider giggled in response, but Breakdown just blushed and shuffled his feet around.
"Tea, sir?" Wildrider offered.
"Thank you, I think I will." Prime seated himself at the glass table in the corner. Breakdown pushed the trolley to said table, and placed a delicate glass cup and saucer down.
"Do you take iron filings?"
"Yes, three spoons please." Breakdown pulled out a pretty looking tea pot, piping hot if the steam was anything to go by.
"Energon cake?" Before Prime could answer, Breakdown whispered something to his brother. "Didn't bring the cake?" Wildrider blurted out in disbelief. "Why ever not? Everyone loves Blast Off's cakes!" Breakdown whispered something again. "Oh Vortex, you idiot... be right back sir! Have to fetch the cake! Breakdown will make your tea for you!" And just like that, Wildrider darted from the room, bells jingling as he went.
Breakdown gaped, as if wanting to yell something after his brother but couldn't quite do it. Instead, he just went back to making Prime's tea. His servos shook as he did so though, but miraculously, whether out of luck or practise, he didn't spill a single drop. The silence was a little awkward, so Optimus offered a conversation he doubted Breakdown would engage.
"Why, prey tell, does your brother have bells and you do not?" He asked hopefully. Breakdown jumped at the sound of his voice, then looked down apologetically.
"... S-so we d-d-don't lo-l-lose him. H-he's always r-r-r-running off, you s-see..." Breakdown replied slowly. That made sense; Wildrider appeared the type to be excitable and go charging off in a random direction. In many ways, he was like his own maid, Sideswipe. Breakdown didn't speak any more, just stirred the tea and set out some energon treats.
Wildrider kept his word and came running back, a glorious looking cake in his servos. Optimus felt rather ashamed of himself for asking for a slice, ruining a work of art like that. But that quickly melted away when he tasted it, and all regret was a thing of the past. It was like eating sweet sunlight! Delicious and delicate, but with a heady taste of oil-cream and axle grease.
As soon as he'd finished, Breakdown and Wildrider cleared away the table wear, bowed, then scurried out of the room. Prime mentally kicked himself for staring at how Wildrider's skirt flipped up when he ran; this wasn't his home, nor were they his maids! Sideswipe wouldn't have minded, but Wildrider might not have intended to show off his... Optimus shook his head, he needed to get dressed. Today he chose a formal, but easy-going suit; a royal blue with a white Carnation beside the collar.
Straightening out his suit, there was a knock at the door again.
"Yes?"
"Room service, sir. I am here to clean up your room." That wasn't Wildrider's voice, nor Breakdown. He gave the all clear and a black and red maid walked in. His purple visor flashed and from the shape of his frame, Prime guessed he was related to Breakdown and Wildrider.
"And you are?"
"I already told you, sir. Room service." The mech stated coldly. Prime raised an optic edge.
"Oh? So your name is Room Service?" He inquired playfully, but the response was nothing more than a harsh glare and a stone silence. They stared at each other before the maid went to plug in his hoover.
"Dead End..." He muttered.
"A pleasure to meet you, Dead End." He simply got a grunt in return, then the loud sucking of the hoover.
Prime was slightly lost as to what he did now; did he wait for someone to fetch him, or did he go off and get lost again? He doubted Dead End would be as helpful as Soundwave, the new maid was less than cheerful.
"Are you... familiar with Wildrider and Breakdown in any way?" He asked once Dead End had started dusting instead. Dead End nodded.
"They are my little brothers. I apologise if they intruded, they tend to be a little... brash." He said one thing, but his tone screamed another. He didn't give two slags whether his siblings burst in through the door or politely knocked, which they actually had done.
"It's a family business then..." Again, Dead End nodded, polishing the glass of the table in the corner.
"My other younger brother Drag Strip, and our eldest brother Motormaster all work under Lord Megatron and Lady Nightbird, and have done since we were small." Optimus nodded curtly. Then he thought back to how Soundwave had displayed his distaste for his mistress. Hm, perhaps all of Megatron's servants disliked his mate...
"And how do you feel about your master and mistress?" He asked tactlessly. He wasn't usually this direct, Prowl had taught him to enter subject carefully when talking with clients. Dead End, however, wasn't a client.
The smaller mech growled, much the same as Soundwave did. Aha. "She is... up herself."
"Ah, I thought as much." Prime nodded. Dead End gave him a glance over his black shoulder, then went back to making the berth. "What exactly has she done, other than being 'up herself' to earn her servants' distastes?" He asked. Dead End sighed heavily as he smoothed out the bed spread. He fiddled with his apron for a minute, also tugging up his silken, white gloves.
"She is abusive as well as snooty, sir." He replied, turning around and placing his hands on his hips. Prime tried to ignore the little bounce of Dead End's skirt at the motion. "She smacks all the servants if we don't or can't follow her orders to the letter, and she knows our dear Lord Megatron won't scold her for it. Our master adores her too much for that!" Optimus stared in disbelief. Of course, he'd nag his own servants for disobeying his orders, but he'd never hit them. Never!
"You have nothing but my sympathy Dead End... how horrible that must be..." He shook his head.
"Oh, that's not even the half of it, sir!" Dead End quipped as he picked up his supplies, room spotless and perfect like the moment Prime walked in. "The servants aren't the only ones she hits." Optimus blinked, nervous to ask.
"Who else?"
"Her own children." There was a silence as Prime's tank rotated in it's place. Child abuse was always something he couldn't stand the thought of. "And Soundwave's children too, for simply playing with her own sparklings that she barely even acknowledges as hers!" Prime recalled the other night how sweet little Skywarp was, giggling and burying his face in his father's leg whenever they made eye-contact. He showed no signs of an abused child, but maybe he was just that resilient.
Another knock at the door broke the silence and pulled Optimus out of his own thoughts. Soundwave opened the door, his visor flashing in surprise at seeing Dead End. The smaller maid jumped in shock, was Soundwave really that scary?
"Um, have a good day, sir." Dead End bowed politely, grabbed his hoover and scampered out of the room, passed an onlooking Soundwave. Optimus blinked, then look up at the blue mech.
"Are you really that frightening?" He asked in humour, but Soundwave shook his head.
"Negative. Lady Nightbird is." For some reason, that didn't surprise Optimus. He took a shaky breath, then made eye-contact with Soundwave again. "Purpose of intrusion: Lord Megatron and Lady Nightbird wish to see you now." Optimus nodded and followed Soundwave out of the room, closing the door behind them.
More silver hallways twisted their way throughout the building, making Optimus wonder just how long Soundwave had been here, since he knew the layout so well. He actually raised this question aloud.
"Time: Ten orns. Same length of time as my youngest sparkling is old." Optimus assumed Soundwave kept track of how long he'd been here by how old his child was.
"How old is your eldest child?"
"Ravage: An unruly seventeen." Soundwave replied. "Teenage years: Not enjoyed." Optimus chuckled and kept following. They soon arrived at a grand looking door, which Soundwave opened and announced his arrival.
"Thank you Soundwave. Would you take Thundercracker and Skywarp for me?" Megatron's voice came to his audios as Prime stepped into the room.
"Affirmative." Soundwave stretched out his arm as Thundercracker ran to him, Skywarp teleporting into his opposite arm instead, sucking the corner of a multi-coloured blanket. The twins looked at Prime, Skywarp smiling and waving, as Soundwave bowed awkwardly, then left the room. Prime waved them off slightly, making Megatron chuckle in amusement.
The silver mech sat in a crimson arm chair wearing a black, velvet suit and holding a slim glass of high grade in his servo. Nightbird sat beside him in a matching strapless dress; beautiful but cruel.
"I trust you slept well Prime?" Megatron asked once Optimus was seated opposite them.
"Yes, very!" The red and blue mech nodded. "Your home is exquisite, if confusing." Megatron chuckled.
"Get a bit lost, did you? Well, that's alright. Truth be told, I do as well sometimes." He smirked. "Now then, shall we get straight to the matter at hand?"
"Let's." He'd prepared for this all vorn. Don't screw it up now Orion... "As you know, the Predacon ruled Jungle planet has not ignited a war in centuries. We are grateful for this, but it has now come to our attention that they have in fact taken the Autobots' own kinship, the Maximals, as their slaves and servants." Prime interlocked his fingers together. He tried to avoid Nightbird's yellow optics; Megatron was the one who was important. "We understand that the Predacons are the Decepticons' cousins, but we also hope your tragic family feud with them has not yet died enough to put you off of the possibility of an alliance with our Autobot army."
"Ah, you wish to free your own kinship from ours, but you are, understandably, wary." Megatron summarised, taking a sip of high grade. Optimus nodded in confirmation. "Well my friend, you will be pleased to know that the aforementioned 'feud' has not died down in the slightest!" The silver mech cast his mate a meaningful glance.
But she just narrowed her optics at Optimus.
"Will you give us the solar cycle to decide? I fear my beloved is unresolved." Megatron sighed apologetically, a notion Nightbird seemed less than pleased about.
"Of course, take as much time as you need." Optimus stood. "Thank you for your time." He bowed. Megatron stood and shook his hand, then Optimus left.
And was lost once again.
With an exasperated sigh, he began roaming again. He'd tried to map out the route back to the En Suite while following Soundwave, but Nightbird's glare simply made him forget. Or maybe he was just bad with directions... either was possible really.
Travelling deeper and further, he began recognising markings around the halls, like the Koma Inu statues on either side of a red door with a golden star above it. Oh, Primus was not on his side today.
Just as he went to walk away, soft music began reverberating from the door. Piano music, to be exact. Again, his curiosity kicked in an he moved towards the door. He only then noticed how the bolts and locks were gone. To his surprise, he heard singing from inside.
"I've been looking in the mirror for so long.
That I've come to believe my soul's on the other side.
All the little pieces falling, shatter.
Shards of me,
Too sharp to put back together.
Too small to matter,
But big enough to cut me into so many little pieces.
If I try to touch her,
And I bleed,
I bleed,
And I breathe,
I breathe no more," His blue servo pressed against the door, peeking into the crack he made. Inside was a room completely made of glass, mirrors and clear plastic. In the middle was a large, black grand piano, which was obviously where the music came from.
At the stool, there was a tiny red, white and blue seeklet.
"Take a breath and I try to draw from my spirits well.
Yet again you refuse to drink like a stubborn child.
Lie to me,
Convince me that I've been sick forever.
And all of this,
Will make sense when I get better.
But I know the difference,
Between myself and my reflection.
I just can't help but to wonder,
Which of us do you love." He sang softly, sweetly, devinely. The piano twinkle beneath his dainty finger tips, expertly playing.
"So I bleed,
I bleed,
And I breathe,
I breathe no...
Bleed,
I bleed,
And I breathe,
I breathe,
I breathe-" The little seeker looked up.
"I breathe no more." They made eye-contact.