Author: It seems as if many of my good fics come from LJ tf_bunny_farm community. This chapter is tiny, but, trust me, the others will be longer. I was testing the waters to see if I would continue this story with this prologue of sorts. And I am. *sigh*
Disclaimer: If I owned Transformers it would be hella easy to pay back my college loans.
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Optimus held the sparkling in his arms carefully, his sensors trained entirely on its functions.
Will he be the same when he awakens? The Prime wondered, a finger lightly trailing down the body of the being he had acquired. Or will he have changed?
The sparkling stirred in Optimus's gentle embrace, its optics flickering online. Optimus made soft, soothing noises, which drew the little Cybertronian's attention to him. Across the broadest of channels, Optimus received a lot of sensory input/impressions from the sparkling he was holding, the being obviously confused and uncertain, but soothed by Optimus's presence.
"My name is Optimus Prime," Optimus said in Cybertronian, figuring that it would be best for him to learn his native tongue first.
"Prime," the sparkling said, as if tasting the word.
"Yes," Optimus affirmed, and was surprised when the sparkling snuggled further into Optimus's arms.
"Mine," the sparkling asserted, making Optimus chuckle. Still possessive, aren't we?
"For now," Optimus replied, and was surprised when he received obvious distress and a tinge of panic from the sparkling.
"Don't leave!" the sparkling protested in an almost frantic tone.
"Shh, shh," Optimus murmured. "I'm not going anywhere."
The sparkling relaxed, and fingers that had curled into tender wiring released, and almost absently smoothed out the kinks that his panicked grip had caused. "Who am I?" the sparkling asked, yellow optics looking up at Prime's curiously.
"Whomever you want to be," Optimus replied solemnly.
"I wanna be like you," the sparkling asserted.
Optimus sent amusement to the sparkling, who thrummed in contentment. "What shall we call you?" Optimus asked, containing his curiosity. He wondered if he'd choose the same name as before...
The sparkling was silent for a long moment, it mindlessly stroking the part of Optimus's arm that was within the reach of its own smaller appendages. "I..." the sparkling began before trailing off, cocking its head to one side. "I'm Megatron."
Optimus sighed inwardly, but a smile flickered across his features. "As you say it, so you are."
The sparkling Megatron gave Optimus a contented chirp and a surge of happiness over the odd parent/sparkling bond that was forming. "I will keep you with me, so that you will stay safe," Optimus told the sparkling.
"I know," came the reply, trust surging over the bond that was growing steadier with each exchange.
Now we will see who you were truly meant to be, Optimus thought as he readjusted the sparkling in his grasp, who shrieked with glee at the motions.
Cruelty is not an inborn trait—it is learned. Now, without memories of who you once were, with no former programming, who will you become, Megatron?