Challenge

Bound and shackled, the Great Princess of Cybertron was left defenseless against her captors. Chipped paint decorated her cell, as did splattered energon and stray screws.

The war was over and they won. Now they start their fun. Corrupting lives, seeing who survives.

The Princess had suffered through similar punishments. Only then, there was still hope for a better future. They had the mighty Optimus Prime leading them. Now, he was being subjected to a torture the others could only imagine.

The valiant femme hadn't uttered a word since she was separated from her guardian, Ironclaw. When it became clear to them that the Deceptions intended to separate them, they both put up quite the fight. The guardian struck everyone near him, screaming profanities as he ran to her. The Princess also fought back and raced to him. Their Autobot comrades could only spectate and pray that the Deceptions let them live.

"Lily, we'll figure something out!" he shouted urgently. Their servos met and they clung to each other. "Promise me you'll stay strong."

The Decepticons tore him away and grabbed the Princess. He tried fighting back but found himself at the receiving end of several murderous weapons.

"Stay strong, doll!" he cried as they pulled him away.

"I will!" she replied in her squeaky voice.

She was brought to the same part of the ship as Optimus, Ultra Magnus, and Ratchet. The Deceptions knew that they all had authority and subjected them to a different kind of punishment. They used plasma whips, drills, dissection, anything that would bring gruelling pain.

Princess Waterlily had never felt this way before, so helpless. She felt as if she couldn't talk, couldn't move, she was stuck. Ratchet and Ultra Magnus tried to snap her out it. Optimus had also attempted to do so towards the beginning, but soon he was subjected to torture that made it so he could hardly move. Eventually, Ultra Magnus stopped trying too. He wound up being in too much pain to try and soothe a young femme who wasn't even in arms reach.

But Ratchet didn't give up. The Princess tried to hypothesize why he was so persistent but came to no conclusion. He'd call out her name everyday. She didn't answer. She just plopped herself down next to her cell door so Ratchet could see that she was still functioning. He'd ask her some questions about her well being, but she didn't answer. She never did. The most he ever got out of her was a nod when he asked if her energon levels were above 40%.

She nearly scared Ratchet into deactivation when she didn't respond. There was one point in time when she had just gotten back from a particularly difficult torture session. They threw her into her cell and left her to dwell in a pool of her own energon.

"Princess, are you alright?" he asked.

No answer.

"Princess?"

Nothing.

"Lily?!"

Silence.

"Lily! Are you there?" he screamed, his voice raw and shrill, griping the bars and shaking them. "Answer me! Something! Anything!"

She was silent.

Ultra Magnus, and even Optimus, gathered their strength to look up, fearing the worst. If the Princess offlined then the war really was over. Everyone would fall apart more than they already have. The two mechs knew why Ratchet was looking out for her. If he lost her, he'd be practically nonfunctioning.

"Ratchet, I don't think she's-" Magnus stopped at the sound of quiet pede steps.

The Princess made an appearance out of the darkness and collapsed in front of the door. Ratchet lowly chuckled in relief and sank to the floor. Ultra Magnus sighed and even Optimus relaxed.

"Oh Primus femme, don't scare us like that." he said.

A few cycles after the incident, the Autobots were dragged into a colossal room and bound to the floor by their chained servos. The entire Decepticon army was there, as was many torture weapons.

The Princess' guardian craned his neck cables to get his first look at her in awhile. It was not a promising sight. Aside from the numerous injuries, she had a dull look in her optics. The brightness that had once shown so often in her optics was gone. It pained his spark to see her so broken.

He watched as Megatron stepped into view. The Autobots that could watched in fear. Those who couldn't sat in silence.

"Decepticons, I have brought you what you asked for!" he announced. The army cheered. "I have liberated Cybertron, freed the imprisoned, and captured those who have wronged us!"

The Princess dared to look up for a brief moment. The silver warlord was making a grand speech, but she didn't care enough to listen.

"As a reward to you all, I'd like to make The Great Optimus Prime's execution public."

The Decepticons cried out in glee. The Autobots froze and yelled protests. Optimus didn't respond, he was far too beaten to. A couple vehicons hoisted him to his pedes and dragged him to Megatron. The silver mech tilted his chin to look into his optics.

"You've caused quite the ruckus." he said.

They led him to the center of the stage where he was made to kneel. Megatron picked up a gnarly looking pistol and loaded it with a single round. The Autobots braced themselves for the destruction of their leader.

But it didn't come.

"Wait!" a shy sounding voice cried.

The Princess shakily stood up. Her knees quivering as she took a step towards Megatron. The vehicons pointed their weapons at her, but were given the signal to stop by Megatron. She stood up tall and squared her shoulders.

"I, Princess Waterlily of Cybertron, challenge you to a battle." she announced. "All or nothing. If I win, the war and Cybertron are mine. If you win, I will do whatever you desire. You may kill me, torture me, I will become a loyal soldier, become your femme." he perked up at the last part.

Ironclaw became tense. She couldn't win. Not against him. In the Golden Era, he and been a gladiator and had once fought against him. It was a horrifying battle. Both of them fought valiantly and in the end, Megatronus emerged victorious. Even in his prime, he couldn't overcome his raw power. Even Optimus Prime couldn't. What made her think that she could?

"Don't do it Lily!" he screamed at her.

Lily had seen how he reacted when she mentioned her becoming his femme. "Think about it. A princess and a gladiator. An unstoppable force. I'm sure that your army would love to have a duo like that making all the decisions." the army cheered again.

Megatron held up his servo to silence them. "Why are you so desperate to fight me?"

"I already stated it. I want my planet back."

"And a fight against me is the best way to do it?" he laughed.

"I do recall you yourself once saying that a Princess is not to be denied." she countered. "And I thought that you enjoyed fighting. Why else would you have started a war?"

The guardian could see the emotion in Lily's eyes again. They weren't innocent or happy. They were the same ones she wore out on the battlefield. They had fire, determination, and ignorance. She was young. Very young. She was ignorant, hadn't experienced the world like she should have.

"Are you scared Megatron?" she asked.

"Of a youngling? I think not." he stared directly at the guardian's optics and said, "So I accept your challenge."

Ironclaw lunged at Megatron. The vehicons grabbed his shoulders and pulled him back. The Autobots started yelling pleas for him to decline her offer. Let her live, they pleaded. She's too young, they screamed.

Princess Waterlily stood tall and proud and acted as if nothing had happened. Her guardian tried desperately to get her attention and convince her to forfeit. The Decepticon army cheered, the officers snickered. The Autobots could only watch in stunned silence at what she had just done. Only when she caught a glimpse of Optimus, did her guard fall.

"You do not need to sacrifice yourself." he muttered a hoarse whisper.

"I want to." she said. "It's our only chance."

"I understand that you are passionate...but you are far too young and important to offline like this...please understand, my Princess."

"I do understand."

I am strong, she said to herself. I can at least give him a run for his money. I know that my deactivation will not go unavenged. Millions have pledged their allegiance to me, if I fall, my murderer will too.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXx

The Princess had been taken to Knockout in preparation for her battle. He silently dressed some of her wounds and gave her pain killers.

"Knockout," she began. "Why are you treating my wounds?"

"Well, you can't go out on the battlefield already wounded." he replied.

Lily studied him for a moment. "Are the orders to heal me from Megatron or from you?"

"From me?" he chuckled. "Why would in be giving orders to heal an Autobot?"

"Because you want me to win." she answered. "You don't want to spend eternity under Megatron's rule, do you?"

"I'm afraid I cannot answer that."

"If I win, would you like to spend eternity under the rule of me?"

"I..." he tried to look for the right words. "I think I would like that much more, my Princess."

She smiled. "Than under my rule you shall be."