Me: Something I thought of while reading chapter 3 in Exodus.
Fang: My creator dose NOT own TFP or Exodus. Well, she dose own the book she bought yesterday.
WARNING: VIOLENCE, OOCNESS, AND. AU.
XoX
What?" Megatron said slowly.
Soundwave nodded before playing back to recording, "A gladiator from Slaughter City wishes to challenge Megatronous."
Megatron scoffed. Whoever this warrior was must be very ignorant to challenge him in a battle. He, Megatronous, was undefeatable. This one would just be another walk in the park. Soundwave, however, looked as though he was concerned. Even with that visor covering his face Megatronous could sense that something was wrong.
"Is there anything else Soundwave?" he asked.
The silent mech nodded before playing back another recording, "The gladiator is the twin brother of Flicker."
"The dragonformer?" a second voice asked in disbelief.
"Yes." the first replied.
Once the recording finished Megatronous felt a bit surprised. Dragonformers were extremely rare on Cybertron. Not to mention that there are only a very few left since the War of the Primes. But they were known to be extremely dangerous and aggressive, which was a reason why the High Council forbidden anyone else to take on the form of a Dragon. Even Predaking knew better then to avoid them. That's how dangerous they were. Whoever this Dragonformer was was going to be a great challenge for him.
Megatronous easily hid his worry and fear by simply replying, "Thank you for the report Soundwave." he then turned around and left the chamber.
XoX
"Are you sure I can do this Flicker?" Fang asked softly.
The other mech grinned and slapped his back, "Of course brother! Remember that your a Dragonformer. If you just stay in your dragon form then this Megatronous mech won't stand a chance!"
Fang frowned at how stupid his twin could be when it came to fights. While he was reckless, he was intelligent. Having originated from the infamous Slaughter City, Fang has observed his opponents in their battles with other gladiator, keeping track of their tactics and skills while developing strategies when it came his turn to fight them. So far it's worked perfectly for him. He was popular among the gladiators in Slaughter City. Not only for being a Dragonformer, but also being a powerful fighter.
Fang didn't care for the fame and glory. He only fought to support his family. His bondmate, Strygas, was currently carrying their first sparkling. Even though they currently live in Crystal City, Fang needed the credits. His mate's job as an assistant scientist wasn't good enough. Luckily his twin brother was 'kind' enough to lend them a hand.
Just then he heard his name being called. It was time.
The Dragonformer stood up, took a deep breath and exhaled, and walked up to the arena entrance. He looked over to see his brother giving him an encouraging nod. Fang nodded back and entered the arena.
XoX
Megatronous was greeted by the usual unforgiving sunlight and loud cheering from the spectators. He found his opponent standing on the other side. The mech was about his height, built for battle, and wore a face mask along with a visor. His colors were a coal black along with crimson red markings on his arms. They looked almost like vines.
Since he's never seen a Dragonformer in battle, it would prove a challenge to find the dragon's weak spot. Plus his attacks could be unpredictable. But Megatronous never backs down from a fight. He will maintain his glory like always and treat this one like any other opponent.
Meanwhile Fang was mentally awed by Megatron's sheer size and frame. Of all the opponents he's faced back in Slaughter City, this mech was perhaps the strongest looking of them all.
No turning back now, he thought.
As soon as they entered the rectangle shaped arena, the match has begun.
Megatron immediately transformed into his alt-mode, a cybertronian tank, and started charging at him, firing along the way. Fang immediately jumped to the side and unleashed his twin swords from their hiding places underneath both of his wrists. The mech easily deflected the shots fired at him, some hitting back at Megatronous and earning a loud gasp from the audience.
Megatronous was hit first?!
The silver mech roared in rage after transforming back to his bipedal-mode. The immediately activated his arm gun and fired once again, this time aiming for either his opponent's servos or legs. Fang wasn't fast enough to notice this and received a blow to his right leg, causing him to roar in pain. The crowd cheered for Megatronous, having able to gain his glory once more. Fang hissed in pain before looking up at Megatronous and giving him a deadly glare.
The Dragonformer threw his first sword at the mech, only having it to be deflected back at him. Fang destroyed his own weapon with his second sword, slicing it in half and causing the spectators to look at him in sheer awe.
This one's actually smart, Megatronous mused mentally.
Fang suddenly threw his weapon in the air, jumping as well and kicking the sword directly at Megatronous. This caught him by surprise and received a larg gash on his right arm. Megatronous howled at the pain, covering the rapidly bleeding wound with his other servo. The crowd gasped at this. Was the great Megatronous...losing?!
No. Megatronous wouldn't allow it to happen. Not now. Not ever. The silver mech transformed back to his tank mode and charged directly for the unsuspecting mech, ramming him to the wall. The crowd roared at this, cheering Megatronous on to finish him. Once Megatronous backed up his opponent fell to the floor, leaving a large indent on the wall. Fang coughed up energon and slowly got to his pedies, shakely standing up.
What happened next surprised everyone, including Megatronous. The mech suddenly transformed into the beast that made even the predacons cower. The large cyber-dragon released a menacing roar while standing at his full height, making Megatronous's tank form look small. The dragon's crimson optics and markings glowed before unleashing a full blast of fire from his jaws. Megatronous was unable to dodge this and received the full blast.
Megatronous, now back to his bipedal-mode, howled in agony. His metal having been scorched by the fire. The dragon suddenly swung his large tail at the silver mech, sending him flying and hitting the wall as well, leaving a much larger indent. The gladiator fell to the ground and went limp.
The entire audience fell silent as the dragon approached the fallen gladiator. Fang was cautious enough to make sure that he was deactivated for real and not playing dead. His foots echoed throughout the now silent arena. Just as he lowered his head down to nudge him, Megatronous suddenly sprang to life and jumped on the dragon's large black snout. Fang jumped back and roared in surprise. Megatronous fired in between the dragon's optics, causing him to roar in agony.
Megatronous jumped off and landed feet first on the floor just as the dragon transformed back to his bipedal-mode. By now both gladiators were injured and exhausted. It was only a matter of time before one of them will fall and the other will claim victory. Both mechs glared at each other before charging, both letting out a battle cry. Both mechs tackled each other to the ground and wrestled. Megatronous receiving a few blows to the face before returning the attack by kicking Fang in his abdomen. Fang grunted in pain but held his ground. Megatronous managed to buck Fang off and caused the other mech to land on the floor hard. But Megatronous didn't get up. He just laid there panting, never feeling this tired before in his entire gladiator career. He expected his opponent to stand and finish him off. But Fang was doing the same thing.
The crowd was completely silent, not knowing what would happen next. But then a loud voice boomed out of nowhere and announced the match to be a draw.
A draw? Megatronous thought tiredly. This ment that he didn't win or lose. It was a good, even match. He noticed his opponent suddenly standing over him. The mech merely stared at Megatronous briefly before offering his servo. Megatronous didn't know wether this was a trick or not, but he took it. Right after Fang helped him up the entire crowd started to cheer for the both of them, chanting their names.
"MEGATRONOUS! MEGATRONOUS! FANG! FANG!"
"I guess they liked it." Megatronous heard his opponent say. Megatronous said nothing in return.
XoX
Right after his repairs, Shockwave and Soundwave came to visit Megatronous. Megatronous looked away from his companions, feeling nothing but shame in him. But to his surprise they didn't sound disappointed. They actually sound rather impressed.
"That was quiet the match Megatronous." Shockwave said, crossing his arms.
Soundwave played back a recording, "Well done."
A hint of a smile appeared on Megatronous features before returning back to his usual expression.
Shockwave could tell that the silver mech was still disappointed with himself so he added, "Your actually the first to actually fight a Dragonformer and actually live to tell the tale in one piece."
And this was a true fact.
Megatronous sighed, "I know your trying to help Shockwave but it's not going to rid me of my humiliation and defeat."
"What do you mean? You didn't get defeated, let alone humiliated. You heard the audience! They still see you as a supreme warrior." Shockwave said.
Megatronous merely scoffed and looked away.
Shockwave's crimson optic narrowed and a hint of anger was clear in his accent tone, "Megatronous. The only time you are truly defeated is when you think your defeated! It was only a draw after all. You will always be the champion. So why don't you stop acting like a spoiled sparkling and accept it!"
Megatronous looked up at his old friend, relief nor anger in his red optics. Instead they were steady and calm. "Your right Shockwave," he finally admitted, "I will always be the champion." the gladiator stood up from his berth and walked up to the entrance of his chamber.
"Where are you going?" Shockwave asked.
"I'm going to see that Dragonformer." was Megatronous's only reply.
XoX
Fang couldn't believe what was happening to him. As soon as his repairs were finished he was suddenly bombarded with praises from his twin. Even if the match was a draw, he lived up to the Dragonformers name. But Fang didn't really care right now. He just wanted to receive his pay and return to his mate in the beautiful city of Crystal City. Where there are no gladitorial arenas. Only peace and beauty.
Fang was waiting near the exit while his brother went to get his payment for him when he noticed the familiar silver frame of Megatronous. The Dragonformer tensed. Did the mech develop a grudge against him now? The last thing he needed was more fighting. It came to a surprise when he heard what Megatronous had to say.
"That was an impressive match today Dragonformer." he said gruffly.
Fang calmed down a bit. "Thanks. You did good as well." he replied, careful with his words.
"So you go by the name Fang. Fits you well for your kind." Megatronous added.
"Actually my real name is Fangara, which means 'Ravage Dragon' in our language. I'm just called Fang for short." Fang replied.
Megatronous arched an optic brow, "You were born with a name?" he said.
Fang nodded.
Megatronous felt a bit of envy for the mech. Unlike Fang, Megatronous never had a name. He simply chose Megatronous just because he thought it suited him.
"So... Is Megatronous your real name?"
Megatronous shook his head, "No. I never had a name. I'm just simply 'borrowing' it."
Fang chuckled slightly at the added humor. "So where are you from?"
"Here in Kaon. You?"
"Slaughter City. My brother and I lived there almost our entire lives before I met my mate." Fang replied.
"You have a mate?" Megatronous asked, slightly surprised by this revaluation. All of the gladiators he's fought in the past never had mates. Nor any kind of family.
Fang nodded. He wasn't surprised by this question. "She's from Crystal City. We met after one of my matches. And mech was it love at first sight."
Megatronous smiled slightly before asking, "Why are you still fighting then?"
Fang sighed and looked at his pedies, "Because of the High Council there aren't many jobs for Dragonformers on Cybertron. After all, who would want to hire a mindless, energon thirty, dangerous beast such as myself." he muttered bitterly.
Megatronous clenched his right servo onto a fist. The High Council won't allow his kind to work? That was beyond cruel! At they fought in the War of the Primes! That was millennia ago and by this time they must have changed their animalistic ways. "What about your mate?" he asked.
"She has work. But being an assistant scientist doesn't when you have a sparkling on the way."
"She's carrying?" Megatronous said, sounding rather shocked.
Fang nodded, "Yeah. Been almost nine months now. She's back at Crystal City on leave. Thank Primus she came from a popular family in the science committee."
The mech was depressed and Megatronous knew it. He felt pity for the Dragonformer. "What about your brother and your family?" he then asked.
Fang looked up at him and sighed, "My family didn't do good in Slaughter City. Because we were all pure Dragonformers our creators weren't given any work. They had to fight in the arenas just to gain enough credits to feed all of us. I was kind enough to offer them my rations but they told me that my brother and I needed it more. Those were tough times for us. Tough times," Fang whispered the last part, an energon tear leaking out of his visor, "Our creators were killed in the arena my brother and I fight in now. My brother doesn't mind being a gladiator, but I do. I'm only doing this not because I like it, but because I want my sparkling to have a bright future and education. No one deserves to live how I did."
Megatronous placed a servo on the mech's shoulder. "I'm sorry for you Fang. I truly am. But at least you have a purpose for it. Unlike you I never had a name nor a family. I grew up on the streets and survived off of leftovers. But I am planning for a brighter, free Cybertron. A Cybertron where there is no High Council. No caste. Only a Cybertron where everybody is treated fair and equal."
Fang looked up at Megatronous in disbelief. "Are you really aiming for that?"
Megatron nodded.
Fang couldn't believe this. A free Cybertron? It was a dream come true. Perhaps his sparkling will have a bright future.
"What's happening over here?" a voice that sounded exactly like Fang suddenly asked. The two mechs looked over to see Flicker walking up to them, credits at hand. "Making a new friend brother?" Flicker asked. Flicker was an exact replica of Fang. But instead he was black and purple.
"Friends? Uhhh." Fang was lost with words.
"Yes." Megatron replied.
What? Fang thought.
"Your brother is a good mech. I really did enjoy our conversation." Megatron added. What he was saying was the truth.
"Oh really? Well that's great to know. Let's get back to Crystal City brother." Flicker said before walking up the steps.
"Be there in a sec!" Fang replied before looking up at Megatronous, "Thanks. I did enjoy our conversation as well. We should do this again in the future."
Megatronous nodded and smiled slightly, "We should. Perhaps we can exchange comm. links so we can chat."
Fang smiled behind his mask, "That sounds like a great idea."
After exchanging numbers the two bid their farewells.
Megatronous watched as the Dragonformer disappear in the sea of mechs and femmes outside. This would be the last time he saw the Dragonformer in person. Now Megatronous felt even more motivated to complete his goal.
Don't worry Fang. I promise. I promise we will have a free Cybertron. Even if I have to kill more and more, I will complete my goal, he thought one last time before returning to his chamber for the night.
End.