Note: Okay, this chapter is short. It's slightly longer than the prologue, and I apologise for that. I didn't really have much to write before the flashback. Yes, flashbacks are completely in italics, and there will be several thoughts from the Autobots when they watch the flashbacks that won't be in italics.
This chapter also has taken ideas from Harry Potter. Sorry to all HP fans who don't like me using the idea of the Pensive to play back the memories that Optimus has. Please review!
2. Kill, or not kill?
No one quite knew what to do with the silent Decepticon. Most wanted to kill him. Optimus was not one of them. The Autobots had kept Soundwave in a high-security room, and had attempted to access his data files, but to no prevail. Now, a highly-annoyed Wheeljack followed by a less-calm Ratchet stomped away from the computer. Wheeljack grinded his dentae at the screen, which was filled with numerous pages of Cybertronian code. "He's no use to us alive," said the red and white mech in frustration. "He refuses to speak, move, or co-operate in any way, shape, or form."
Skids threw up his arms. "Now what?"
Optimus walked towards Soundwave and said, "What do you want?", receiving absolutely no answer from the utterly silent mech. "Why won't you talk?" The frustration was evident in his voice as he glared in disgust at the Decepticon.
Soundwave didn't move. With his eerily ominous voice, he said, "Remember." Optimus froze, his frame swaying as he stared at the other mech. Ratchet stepped forwards with an immobiliser, but the Prime shook his head. The Autobots had never seen their leader so mentally vulnerable, and anger surged through their energon lines at the faceless purple 'Con.
"What is he doing? Is he using his powers again?" demanded the medic, optics not leaving the visored mech.
"No," said the Prime, but he flinched.
"That's it," snapped Ratchet, advancing to the bound Decepticon.
"No," Optimus said, more pronounced and stronger. "Don't. He spoke, at least. He wants… something."
"Yeah?" said Wheeljack. "He wants. But the information wasn't exactly helpful, was it? It just does things for itself, with no care to others."
"He, Wheeljack," Optimus said. "He's not an 'it', he's a mech."
"I know that you believe that sentient beings have the capacity for change, but it- he's a Decepticreep," argued the scientist, "He's always been one, from the day he joined Megatron. And I know that Megatron was your brother, but he's evil, too. You need to remember that they're your enemies. It's for the Earth's good." That was the most emotional speech Wheeljack had ever given.
Optimus's optics were distant. "They weren't always evil," he said, "They weren't always my enemies. They tried…" Soundwave wanted him to remember, and suddenly images were flying in bright streaks of colour in his processor. "…but fell."
Ratchet looked shocked. "Jeez, Prime! Don't listen to i- him! That's what he wants, isn't it?"
The Prime beckoned with his right arm, stepping away from Soundwave as he did. "Come. I need to show you something." The Autobots were hesitant, save from Bumblebee, who used his radio to say, "If we can't trust him, we can't trust anyone."
Optimus's quarters. The room was vast, but what took up most of it was a clear pool with specks of deep blue drifting in it. "It's where my memories are," he explained. "Because I wanted to forget what had happened, I put them in here, and tried to seal it away. Well, now, you and I can look in it, and you'll see what I saw, all those years ago, when Cybertron was our home."
Reluctantly, yet strangely willingly, the Autobots stepped closer, looking into the pool, with the glowing reflection of the water shimmering as it illuminated across their faces. And, looking into the water, they finally saw…