That seemed to get his complete attention for Megatronus' head snapped in the Autobot's direction.
". . .Orion? Is that you?" He questioned, confusion layering his not so evil tone.
Optimus was almost too shocked to even mutter a single word in response to his past friend. Instead, he gave a simple nod while his throbbing processor tried to make sense of the current unfolding events.
The answer he received did not help Megatronus understand the strange situation right in front of him."But you look so. . . different. And where are we? How did we even get here?"
The Orion Pax he recalled had been significantly smaller and less structurally built than the one that currently towered above him with an expression that was unreadable. Megatronus also noted some very distinct features across the mech's frame that had not been present before including a strange foreign symbol on each of his rounded shoulder plates. Plus, there wasn't even a shred of memory that informed him of exactly what just occurred not too long ago.
"Do you not remember?" Optimus finally formed his words, removing Megatronus from his jumbled thoughts. Shaking his silver helm, he shifted himself into a sitting position with a quiet groan.
A navy blue metallic hand extended out in front of his chassis. As soon as Megatronus obtained a firm grip on the servo, he found himself rushed back onto his bulky peds. If it wasn't for the assistance of his friend, the silver mech would have fallen right back down on his aft.
A thundering explosion from the other side of the room got the attention of both mechs as their optics flickered in that direction. Pieces from the side of the once closed doorway tumbled to the ground creating a pile of broken rubble. Three figures appeared from the settling dust, leaping over the rocky remains and landing together with a loud echoing thud.
"Optimus! Are you okay?" A bulky green plated mech questioned as he charged toward the Autobot Leader.
A pretty royal blue femme raced ahead of the larger mech, followed by a yellow scout with black accents on his unique armor and two door wings pointing out from his backside.
They all came to a quick halt a few feet away from the two enemy Leaders, their attention flashing away from Prime and arriving on the confused Megatronus standing at his side. All of their advanced weaponry switched direction, aiming at the enemy. Suddenly, to all of Team Prime's surprise, Optimus shifted his position, stepping directly in front of their target.
"Optimus? What on Cybertron are you doing?" The blue female asked, shock corrupting her voice. The others seemed to hesitantly nod in agreement to her rightful question.
"Why do they keep referring to you as Optimus?" The gladiator wondered aloud to his trusted friend, gazing over the Leader's frame at the row of unfamiliar bots in front of them. He didn't understand in the slightest why they were treating him as an enemy. He was Orion's friend as he assumed they all were as well considering how they conversed with him.
"Arcee, Bulkhead, and Bumblebee. Megatronus is no threat." Prime stated in his usual calm and serious tone, though there was a hint of, for once, happiness.
All of the Autobots before them seemed even more dumbfounded, now noticing that Megatron had changed in more ways than one, including his optic coloration. He almost seemed like a completely different mech. Prime had even addressed him as something different. The one referred to as Bulkhead spoke up first."I. . .We don't understand, Optimus."
The Autobot Leader looked at his soldiers with utmost sympathy. He knew it would be rather hard for them to fully comprehend this unusual change in events for he himself had trouble. But they never even knew Megatronus before he fell corrupt to the ways of evil tyranny. That would make it much more difficult.
"Optimus?" Bulkhead said again, starting to become quite concerned for his leader's wellbeing.
Optimus seemed to almost ignore Bulkhead's statements as he attempted radio contact with the base."Ratchet, we require a GroundBridge."
He then turned away, facing the Decepticon, the slightest of smiles coming across his faceplate. The Autobots all exchanged glances with each other at their leader's strange, almost cheerful behavior.
"You don't intend to. . .bring 'him' with. . .do you?" A series of beeps sounded from Bumblebee, almost in unmistakable fear. Once more to everyone's surprise, their Leader nodded in confirmation.
Megatronus could easily tell he was missing a major part of the situation. Why does everyone act as if I have done something wrong? I don't even know any of them but Orion. He thought to himself, his innocent gaze moving down to the metallic floor.
"Optimus. . ." Arcee began to speak but silenced herself, not sure how to ask the questions that would maybe clear up the confusion everyone was infected with. Does he have processor damage? Why would he openly bring Megatron back to the base?
"Just trust me. All will be explained in time." Optimus replied simply, almost feeling the mixed emotions pressing in around him.
Arcee was about to voice her thoughts again but she simply nodded instead. Though this seemed like an extremely risky idea, she trusted Prime with her life. He must have a good reason for bringing Megatron to their hidden base, but she couldn't think of even one herself.
The appearance of the swirling green vortex grabbed everyone's' attention. Bulkhead and Bumblebee were first to enter the GroundBridge, followed instantly by Arcee. Optimus granted Megatronus one last reassuring look before trekking to the portal.
The silver mech hesitated but accompanied his friend through it just in time before the vortex sealed up, leaving the chamber permanently empty.
"What were you thinking!" The infuriated, yet quiet voice of the Autobot Medic filled Optimus's audio receptors.
The second Team Prime had entered the base with the unexpected Decepticon Leader, Ratchet had yanked Optimus aside and began drowning him with questions.
"Ratchet, let me to explain-" The Prime began to speak but was immediately cut off by the raising of head medic's hand.
"You have allowed the enemy to further reside in our base. He may have offered his assistance to us, but with Unicron now defeated, there is no deal preventing him from continuing with his evil plans. By returning him here, there is no telling what damage Megatron could inflict." Ratchet ranted out of pure, uncontrolled annoyance."Why would you do such an idiotic thing?"
By then, the rest of the gathered team, including Megatronus, had noticed the current argument and all curious optics locked on the two mechs.
Optimus cast a sympathetic glance at his old friend before turning toward the still baffled team. Instead of speaking to them, he approached Megatronus once more, again acting as if none of the Autobots directly to his side didn't even exist."You should rest, my friend. It has been a long day."
Megatronus eyed the Prime suspiciously before supplying a nod to him."Alright."
As another soft smile overtook his expression, the Autobot leader exited to the left of the main hangar, gesturing for the gladiator to accompany him. Optimus's heavy footsteps echoed off the walls of the corridor that contained all of the bots' living quarters. He halted by the sealed door of the unused room that happened to be next to his own."You may recharge here."
Megatronus merely nodded again in thanks before the door slid open and he entered the space without any words. Optimus waited until the occupied room was closed up once again before returning to the others. He had purposely removed Megatronus from their presence so he would be free to explain himself without confusing the innocent mech or before one of the team members snapped at him unexpectedly.
At his return, Prime could feel all the piercing optics of his team almost glaring at him. They all now truly believed he had lost his processor.
"Explanation. Now." Arcee stated boldly, narrowing her lavender laced optics.
Optimus didn't waste any time in beginning the tale. "The Megatron you once knew is not the one I have returned with. At some point during the battle with Unicron, it appears that our enemy has lost all recollection of his life as the Decepticon leader and therefore now believes himself to be who he was before the war began. . . a gladiator with whom I had a close relationship to, almost as if we were brothers, when I served as the archivist Orion Pax in the Iacon Hall of Records. "
"Megatronus. . ." Ratchet finished in an unbelieving tone. He had known of the highly looked upon mech as well. For Megatron to return to his past life was completely. . .illogical.
Optimus nodded gratefully to his friend. He was glad that at least one member of the team understood his intentions while the rest of them stared at him with widened optics.
"So. . . Megatron was not always evil therefore he was your friend?" Bumblebee asked trying to fit the pieces of the puzzle together.
"Correct." Prime clarified. He knew very well that it would take time for the information to settle in. But he was a patient mech.
"Does that mean he is now like an ally to us?" Bulkhead asked the question that now buzzed in everyone's head.
"Correct." Optimus repeated.
"Optimus. . . I know you dwell heavily on the days before the war and you truly long for life to be as it once was. But did it ever cross your processor that Megatron is simply acting as if all memories of his recent actions were erased? He might be using your feelings to get the edge needed to win this war by discovering our battle tactics, strategies, weaknesses, and worse yet, the location of our base!" Ratchet's anger exploded from inside him. How could he be such a fool!
The other Autobots seemed to all nod in agreement, though they did not speak their own opinions. They merely observed Ratchet and Optimus, waiting for the Leader's response.
"I have indeed, Ratchet. But I know what has occurred is true." The crimson mech replied confidently.
"You are letting your mind see what it wants to see! How do you propose Megatron's memory banks got erased, hm?" Ratchet questioned, crossing his arms over his chest plating.
"As I witnessed in the chamber, Unicron appeared to be attempting to control Megatron and use his body to destroy me, but Megatron would not allow it though Unicron did succeed to the end. It is possible that after I released the power of the Matrix to extinguish Unicron's spark, it forced him along with the dark matter corrupting Megatron's spark to be released and along with it, the memories of any wrong doings the mech had done." The Prime suggested, though he was almost certain this is what occurred.
Ratchet must have been thinking the same thing for he vented an annoyed sigh. The answer he received did appear to add up. But the Medic still was skeptical about Megatronus being allowed on Team Prime. He would indeed be a useful asset, but if he were to regain his lost memory or turn out to be faking it, then they would all be in grave danger. ". . .Do what you feel is proper, Optimus. But I will be keeping an optic on that mech."
The red and blue mech nodded in understanding as his gaze flicked to his soldiers, praying to Primus they would also accept these changes.
Arcee simply raised her hands in defeat. There was no point in stirring up an argument. He was the leader after all. And something about having Megatronus present seemed to cause the Prime to lighten up and actually be almost cheerful.
Bulkhead shrugged his heavy plated shoulders."You're the boss."
Bumblebee gave a series of skeptical beeps, but he agreed as well with Prime's decision.
Optimus couldn't contain it anymore and a smile smile crept across his faceplate to everyone's surprise. Things were going to be quite different around the base now. That's for sure.
A/N: Well, I finally got this updated! But it will be awhile til the next one due to school starting up. And I could use some feedback and ideas. So please Review and tell me what you think or if you have any suggestions, please let me know! If I do end up using your ideas, I will give credit for them.