In the empty streets of Kaon, walked the lone Decepticon soldier. His heavy gray and black armor-plating shimmered against Cybertron's morning sun. His red optics were glowing with delight, as he had saved the life of former High Council representative of science, Lord Shockblast, Now renamed Shockwave. The Decepticon himself had a mission to complete:
A few cycles ago, after he saved 'Shockwave', the Decepticon leader Straxus personally called Megatronus to meet him at the Central Kaon Colosseum, the same place Straxus originally found Megatronus before recruiting him into the Decepticon ranks. In that span of time, Megatronus had successfully recruited Soundwave, save Shockblast, and bring the Seekers to the Decepticon ranks. He also seemed to start a following, as many Decepticon soldiers respected him like if he were a Decepticon general. Megatronus himself knew that, but he knew to never let it go over his head. He didn't want to transform into the cruel and disgusting ruler of Cybertron, he wanted to treat everyone as equals, the way it should always be.
'Make way for the king!' 'All hail Megatronus!' 'You are the new face of the Decepticons, my lord!' Megatronus would simply nod and and smile when he made contact with his comrades. He simply did everything for the greater good of Cybertron. He knew he was very intelligent and very powerful in combat, but he knew how to balance the two. Megatron knew he could be a great leader, but he thought nothing more of that and nothing less. He had a job to do, and that job was to overthrow the High Council and let the bots of Cybertron rule.
The Decepticon kept on walking for almost three cycles before there he was: The colosseum doors were right in front of him! Thousands of thoughts raced around his brain modules. Why had Straxus call me? Is someone in there? Did I do something wrong? Will we invade another city state?
Finally the Decepticon opened the doors and walked down the corridor, as he studied the torn posters advertising battles that took place in the arena. He finally reached the last set of doors, and pushed them open, ready to face destiny.
Standing in the middle of the colosseum was a stout and broad Decepticon with indigo and crimson plating. He held what seemed like a modified pickaxe in his right hand. His weirdly shaped head contained two narrow red optics that were staring into Megatronus' optics. After a few nanoclicks of silence, the Decepticon raised his weapon into the air, before pointing it to Megatronus.
"Do you know why I called you, Megatronus?" Said the Decepticon leader, as his voice boomed and echoed all around the colosseum.
The Decepticon soldier check his surroundings. There was a giant chrome window that divided the pit area and the spectator area. the only sources of lights in the room were two lamps at the 'corners' of the room. Megatronus was studying Straxus' weapon, a heavily modified pickaxe built for combat instead of work. The Decepticon soldier never saw the weapon in action, but he knew that with the hands of the Decepticon leader like Straxus, it would be a deadly weapon.
Finally the Decepticon soldier, after he stopped studying the weapon, replied to his leader, "Is it a promotion?", nervously chuckling at the end.
The Decepticon leader studied his weapon. "Listen bot, you've been making quite a scene these past few solar cycles! Everyone loves you and no one wants to make a bad impression!" said the indigo mech.
Megatronus smiled and opened his mouth to speak, but Straxus interrupted. "BUT, here's the thing!" He said as he raised a finger and walked toward his comrade. "You have been causing a huge scene and some cons have said so many disbelievable statements, claiming that you're the best candidate for leader! Straxus then began pushing the tip of his pickaxe at Megatronus' chest. "I know you're planning something big. That's why you went to Iacon and recruited Shockblast without my or any of the generals consent! That's why you invaded Cybertron's moon and recruited the Seekers!"
Megatronus stared at the Decepticon leader for a few moments, as he was lost in his thoughts. He did not dismiss the allegation, he knew that he was rebranding and changing the Decepticon name, but for the better good of Cybertron. He wanted the Decepticon force to be more strategic than aggressive. He wanted more carefully organized plans then the nonsense Straxus was doing. He wanted to slowly but surely destroy the High Council.
"Now listen tough con," Continued the Decepticon leader. I'm the boss, and you're my worker!" the Decepticon said as he pushed Megatronus around. "I recruited you to be only a soldier ok? So get out of my way and let ME do the work, ok?" Continued Straxus, with a great emphasis on 'me'. "So, you have two options, Decepticon: Option one, you take your sorry self and go back to being a foot soldier and never, EVER, do something else with your meaningless life. Or you have option two: I remove you from my ranks and you are exiled from the Decepticons, forever! Just a Cybertronian lost in time, never being able to readjust his purpose. So, which one is it going to be?" Finished Straxus, laughing at the sorry Decepticon.
The Decepticon leader then pressed a button on his forearm and a throne shaped to look like the Decepticon symbol sprouted from the middle of the colosseum. Straxus walked over to the throne, waiting for the Decepticons answer.
Megatronus simply stared at the ferocious Decepticon leader. For his entire existence, he was surrounded by cybertronians who toyed him around. He was surrounded by elders who abused him, attacked him, shouted at him, and made his life horrible. He was only brought into this world to mine Energon crystals, before the... incident.
To think he was being 'abused' by the leader of Cybertron's biggest rebellious group, a group that was formed to take down the High Council, Megatronus was furious, but he let out his anger in a simple way.
The soldier walked toward to his leader and replied to his offer:
"No." Not an intimidating and ferocious 'no', or a timid and soft spoken 'no', but a simple 'no.'
Straxus was studying his pickaxe and laughing to himself before he heard what the rebellious Decepticon said. He rose up from his makeshift throne. "Excuse me?"
"Do I need to dumb it down for your simple brain module?" Sneered Megatronus, smiling.
Straxus pressed another button on his forearm. Suddenly, the chrome window detracted and Megatronus looked up above him to see the hundreds of Decepticons seated. Some held signs that had his name on it while others held signs that had Straxus' name on it. Megatronus stared at awe for a few nanoclicks before he figured out that this was all a trap: Straxus knew that Megatronus would deny both options, not after all the progress he made. Straxus simply called him to battle it out in the colosseum.
'To see who was fit to lead the Decepticons', Megatronus thought to himself. After Megatronus finished his thoughts, a Decepticon entered the ring. The Decepticon in question had dark green armor-plating and twin shoulder cannons on his back. Megatronus knew who the Decepticon was: The Decepticon Brawl, Straxus' right hand bot. Brawl quickly grabbed a microphone from his utility belt and spoke to it.
"Welcome Decepticons! Welcome to Kaon's biggest show yet! Two warriors shall enter the pit, but only one shall exit!" Boomed the Decepticon's voice.
Welcome Decepticons! Welcome to Kaon's biggest show yet! Two warriors shall enter the pit, but only one shall exit!
The entire colosseum engulfed in the ferocious cheerings of the Decepticon spectators. Megatronus had trouble processing what he was hearing, but he still kept calm, as to not make a fool of himself.
"In this corner, is the Director of Darkmount, the great Straxus!
The Decepticon then pointed at Straxus' direction and the entire audience of Decepticons cheered Straxus' name! Straxus simply held up his pickaxe into the air and punched his chest, to seem more intimidating than he already was. The Decepticon announcer then turned to Megatronus' side
"And in this corner is the Commander of Kaon, the one and only Megatronus!"
But Megatronus heard in disbelief as the entire colosseum's volume doubled!
The Decepticon heard a powerful wave Amongst the audience. Megatronus saw his elite Decepticon followers: Soundwave, a blocky blue and gold Decepticon who was simply staring at his minion Laserbeak, a robotic bird that was perched Soundwave's left shoulder. There was Shockwave a tall and large purple Decepticon, who sitting at Soundwave's right side. The Decepticon scientist was studying a holographic image. What it contained, Megatronus simply did not know. And finally, at Soundwave's left side, was the red and gray Seeker, Starscream, who was smiling and staring at the Decepticon soldier, his yellow optics piercing Megatronus' red optics. Straxus was becoming irritated of the cheering of Megatronus' popularity, rose his rise arm into the air and screamed with all his might,
"SILENCE!"
The entire colosseum died out and the only noise in the arena was the flickering of lights that surrounded the colosseum. Brawl then pressed a button on his forearm and behind where Megatronus was, sprouted a cabinet that held three weapons: a steel constructed katana blade, a transparent Energon doubled edged sword, and a grand Energon forged mace. Megatronus simply smiled when he saw the last weapon. Without hesitation, he grabbed the mace and a circular purple shield that was next to the mace.
"I'm ready." Declared Megatronus as he held the mace in his right hand the shield in his left. The Decepticon did not have the grand experience and powerful armor that Straxus had, but he did have something more powerful: Brains. Brawl quickly transformed into his tank mode and drove off to the exits, not wanting to be involved with the grand battle that was about to begin.
Straxus simply held his pickaxe and wore a dark blue gladiator faceplate that covered his entire head. The Decepticon also wore shoulder pads and a chest armor. Megatronus simply stared at the imposing Decepticon warrior.
Without warning, the Decepticon charged at Megatronus. Straxus tried to strike the soldier with his pickaxe but the gray mech was faster and quickly blocked the attack with his shield. The former gladiator was knocked onto his back from all the force Straxus dealt when he striked, but he quickly got up. Megatronus held his mace and slashed it at Straxus, striking his face, knocking him onto his back.
The crowd went wild. Decepticons were cheering while others were booing. Megatronus simply smiled at the attention he brought to himself, but Straxus quickly rose up, surrounded by the fragments of his faceplate. He growled and swung his pickaxe at Megatronus' shield. The soldier tried to pull it back but he could not compete with Straxus' great strength. Straxus kicked his chest and launched him across the colosseum, landing near the entrance. As Megatronus' optics readjusted, he studied himself: His right arm was stained with purple, liquid Energon while his left arm was tainted with cuts and gashes, revealing glimpses of his inner circuits. Megatronus stared at Straxus, his face tainted with the deep cuts that he left.
"Are you finished, Megatronus?" Sneared Straxus as he readied his pickaxe. Megatronus simply smiled and said "No" as he charged at Straxus with his was ready to strike Straxus, gripping his mace with both his hands, the mace on top his right shoulder. But in the blink of an optic, Straxus striked his pickaxe at Megatronus' left elbow, before he was ready to strike. In a quick swift, he ripped of the Decepticons left arm. Straxus then grabbed the gray mech by the neck and launched him, the former gladiator colliding with the wall next to the exit doors. Tons of debris landed on top of Megatronus, leaving him crippled.
Another powerful roar came from the audience, half of them cheering wildly while the other half booed. Megatronus got up from the rubble and saw Straxus flexing and cheering, thinking he had slayed his enemy. The former gladiator heard a loud whoosh, followed by a thunk. The Decepticon looked up to see Laserbeak fly high into the sky, before landing at Soundwave's shoulder. Megatronus then looked to the left of him and saw a large Decepticon cannon. The gray mech looked up and saw Soundwave slowly nod his head. Megatronus quickly equipped the weapon Soundwave left him. He studied his newly found weapon.
So this is what you've been working on. The Decepticon thought to himself. Not bad Soundwave, Not bad.
Straxus, still gloating at the other side of the colosseum,noticed that his enemy was still standing. Without hesitation, he roared and ran at full speed to the Decepticon.
Megatronus simply stood there, his right arm behind his back. As the short nanoclicks passed by and Straxus was almost at him, he closed his optics and focused. He heard a few heavy steps approach him, before he rose his right arm at Straxus, the tip of the cannon touching his face. Before Straxus could do anything else, Megatronus fired at his victim. Smokes obscured the entire scene, after all the smoke had gone away, Straxus was laying on his back in the middle of the arena. Megatronus' feet were three inches deep into the ground. The Decepticon walked toward the fallen Straxus, studying his face.
The left side of Straxus' face was still there, the indigo plating slightly damaged, but the right side of his face was a horrific sight. His entire right face was just the sad sight of melting armor and sizzling wires. His right optic was dangling on the string of wire connected to his brain module..
Megatronus laughed at the defeated Decepticon, before he raised his cannon at Straxus' chest, where his spark was. "Megatronus, p-please don't kill me!" Pleaded the fallen mech.
Suddenly, a loud beep came from inside Megatronus' weapon.. "We could rule over Cybertron! We could have a c-council! You don't k-know what y-you're doing!"
Megatronus did not reply and simply smiled eerily at the dying Decepticon. A second beep came from the magnificent weapon. "P-please! Spare me! M-Megatron—"
The weapon announced a final beep, before the cannon fired, destroying Straxus's spark. The fallen mech's colors then drained away, leaving only a dull gray and black shell.
The whole colosseum went dead silent, before everyone screamed and shouted the name 'Megatronus'! The champion looked behind him to see three his elite Decepticons holding medical supplies. Starscream held a skeletal bronze left arm and connected it to the warrior's shoulder. Soundwave wrapped gray armour platings around the arm and reinforced it with screws. Shockwave stood there, connecting tubes into the champion's left arm, refilling it with Energon. In a matter of nanoclicks, Megatronus' left arm was replaced, though it was still a makeshift left arm, it would be quickly replaced later that solar cycle.
The gray mech stared at the crowd in front of him, still cheering, some of them saluting, though some stood motionless, probably disappointed with the results.
Megatronus knew he had to make his presence very clear to the Straxus loyalists, so he entered his left arm into Straxus' empty chest and rose his arm high, until his fingers were hanging out of where his 'mouth' would be. With all his strength, he rose the giant mech's body into the air with his arm.
The entire audience screamed and cheered the same phrase: "ALL HAIL Megatronus" The champion, then threw Straxus' remains away. He rose his right arm, and so the audience went back to dead silence. Brawl handed Megatronus the same microphone he was using earlier, telling him "Here you go, my lord." Megatronus thanked his soldier, before he shouted into the mic with all his might:
"DECEPTICONS! YOU HAVE ALL WITNESSED THE RISE AND FALL OF THE FOOLISH STRAXUS! AND YOU HAVE ALL WITNESSED THE BIRTH OF YOUR NEW DECEPTICON LEADER..."
Megatronus paused for a few nanoclicks, thinking about Straxus' last words: P-please! Spare me! M-Megatron—
Megatron. MEGATRON.
"MEGATRON!" Finished the Decepticon warrior, his voice full of ferocious energy.
The colosseum went wild again, chanting the name of their new leader: "ALL HAIL MEGATRON!"
Megatron turned to see his elite Decepticons behind him: Soundwave was in the middle of the group, twiddling with a tablet, his minion, Laserbeak on his right shoulder. Shockwave was at Soundwave's right, studying the entire colosseum and writing on a holo-screen, Megatronus knew Shockwave was planning something with the place, he just didn't know, what he was planning. And then, there was Starscream, standing at Soundwave's left, his two Seeker comrades behind him. Starscream had a big, almost creepy grin on his face, his yellow optics studied on the dents that Straxus left on Megatron.
Megatron, irritated from his creepy smile, questioned the Decepticon. "Why are you smiling?"
Starscream's optics then darted up, then down at Megatron's feet, before readjusting to Megatron's optics. "It's just... you took quite a beating, you almost died!" Said the Seeker, chuckling to himself.
"And why make an observation like that?"
"It's going to take a lot more to kill you, Megatron."
The Decepticon leader growled. "Is that a threat?"
"If you want to interpret it like that."
Megatron simply shook his head. Megatron had more important things to do. He then turned away from Starscream and stared at the crowd of Decepticons in front of him. He grabbed the microphone again and began to make another announcement:
"Decepticons! Go to your private quarters in your city-states and ready yourselves! In a few solar cycles, we shall invade Iacon and destroy the High Council! We will give the Cybertronians back their planet!"
The crowd of Decepticons screamed and cheered, and departed their ways, some transformed into aerial vehicles and blasted off, while others transformed into ground based vehicle modes and drove off to the entrances and exits. Megatron looked behind him and met optics with his elite Decepticons.
"As for you five, come with me. We still need to complete Project: Nemesis." Announced the Decepticon leader, smiling to himself.
"Prepare yourself, Zeta Prime. Your reign of terror will end in these few solar cycles."