Control

A/N: This is based off of Teletraan-1 wikipedia, where it states that Sideways might just be a less-intelligent vessel, and the minicon head is the real source of Unicron. While I don't believe this, seeing as how in 'Detection', Sideways has his 'real' head and is still himself, it was an interesting plot-point.

Thusly, this was born. See bio for disclaimer. This pulls off of the Cybertron show, too. Sideways is from Planet X, and so is the Cybertron version of Soundwave. There; you're all caught up.

Also, Sideways rocks. 'Nough said.

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He watched. It was all he could do, after all; Unicron had a tight hold on him. He was Sideways, he was sure of it. He hoped he was, anyway. Ever since he had received this new helmet, his body was out of his control. He was awed at all he could do with the minicon, pulling everyone's strings. Or, he would be if it was him doing it; he was pretty sure it wasn't. Or was it? He didn't know anymore.

Was it him that just moved his hand, or his minicon partner? He remembered Planet X and the simplicity of his life there, and where he was now. There, he just sneered and told Starscream to go and fight. Was it him? Was it Unicron, or was it some twisted combination? Did anything he wanted matter?

He wanted... What did he want? He couldn't figure it out, and he despaired of ever being free, being his own again. He was truly under someone else's control, and it was a god. Fear gripped him and he vainly thrashed against the debilitating force that held his mind captive. He needed to be in control, even if it was for a little while. He begged and he pleaded to no avail; he was ignored as much as a speck would be.

Sideways knew that, without Unicron there, he would be less intelligent that anyone. He hated himself for accepting the role as a herald, but there was no one else to take the job. Soundwave had taken a job of his own, and now... Well, they were the only two survivors. They had to win. But that didn't mean he didn't want to be in control of his own body. He needed it to be his, to drive over the moon and shout in his stupidity.

He hated Unicron, and everything that came with the planet-eating god. He was worthless, and it ate him on the inside.

There! He made an observation. Well, he thought he did, anyway. It probably wasn't him, seeing as how it was an intelligent observation, stowed away in his processor. He desperately wanted it to be his observation, and so he convinced himself that he had intelligence, that he wasn't worthless.

It wasn't enough though, and he raged against his mental captor once more, refusing to calm down.

Then there was darkness, and he felt only pain, an eternal companion.

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Guilt. Was it his own guilt, or the minicon's? He was ninety percent sure that it was his, seeing as how there was anger and betrayal mixed in there as well. His controller was staring down Hotshot, looking into his optics and seeing nothing but hatred. Sideways' shoulders slumped, an odd spurt of power over his own body. He was soon rewarded with a flash of pain; he tried to hide from it, tried to escape it.

Now, when the pain finally left, he was staring down Optimus and Galvatron. He wondered idly at the change of pace, giddily aware that they were both captured by Unicron. Perhaps now they would understand what he went through, how it felt to feel emotions that one wasn't sure who belonged to. Optimus' optics burned anger and contempt as Sideways' voice spoke.

There was a verbal exchange, one that Sideways had no interest in; then he felt himself fold into his vehicle mode, Unicron's influence making a dying attempt to reassert itself, even as the god started to fall. He felt himself charge forward. The influence faded just in time for Sideways to feel his body for the first time in a long time.

It figured that it would be when he was hit with the Requiem Blaster; it was Sideways' luck. It wasn't fair, to be robbed of his life just when he had gotten it back. He knew now, that it had all been Unicron; nothing was his. He was his own being now, and Sideways realized he would die free, but die all the same. He was furious, scared, and alone.

But he was Sideways of Planet X, not some slave of Unicron, and that was enough.