I am so sorry that I didn't update this fanfiction for the longest time! I ran out of inspiration close to the end here, but after a positive review and this nagging at me for the longest time, I've finally updated! I will post a short epilogue after this chapter today.
Thanks to everyone sticking with this story! I promise I'm working on more fanfictions to hopefully be published soon!
The Matrix of Leadership
"What do you want from me?" Ariel scoffed.
"I need somebot to...find something for me," Megatron responded.
"And what would that be?"
"Oh, not you. This bot needs some convincing before he'll find anything."
"Orion," she breathed in realization. "What do you want from him?"
"That would be my business. Now—" Megatron kneeled down until he was face-to-face with Ariel. "What you are about to endure will be very very painful—unless Orion is willing to offer his services."
"I'd rather die than help you with your reign of terror!"
"Oh, it's not terror that I am reigning over—but rather, freedom!"
"Your violence is not freedom, rather chaos that will only cause Cybertron to fall apart!"
"And I supposed Orion told you that?" he taunted. "It doesn't matter what happens to Cybertron—only what happens to me."
"What is it that you want, if not freedom for all Cybertronians?"
To her surprise, Megatron took a moment to ponder over this before answering, "Freedom is not being bound by no government, but rather by a leader who doesn't bind them by caste."
"They also don't want a leader that goes around killing innocents with his gang of followers!"
Megatron growled in frustration and slammed his hand to his comm-link. "Guards—bring her to the main room with Orion."
Ariel didn't struggle as two guards released her bonds and led her away from their fearsome leader. Somehow, Ariel knew that things would be alright—Megatron couldn't have his way—it would doom all of Cybertron! But trying to escape right now would only get her killed, and then Orion wouldn't help Megatron, and then he would be killed.
The moral? There would be no hope for Cybertron as long as Megatron's violence remained, and at this point, Orion and Ariel were the only ones who could stop him.
The 'main room' was smack in the middle of the house, and as the guards led Ariel inside, she tried to make out any exits for a potential escape. The guards strapped her down next to another bot—Orion, she realized.
His face was full of sorrow and defeat as his helm whipped towards her. "I'm sorry," he whispered.
"Don't give up hope yet," she reassured him. Orion's optics brightened a little bit after that, but dimmed again when Megatron came thundering through.
"Now—" he started, "Orion, you know of your task. Are you willing to accept it, or watch her die?" He pointed, a long, sharp finger at Ariel, and she tried to draw herself up to make herself appear taller.
"I am ready," Orion replied boldly.
"Ready for what?" Ariel exclaimed.
"To find the Matrix, of course," Megatron replied matter-of-factly.
"That's just a legend," Ariel scoffed. Her optics dimmed slightly, and she turned towards Orion and whispered, "Isn't it?"
Orion didn't reply, simply sat boldly, trying to not tear his gaze away from his brother's malicious smile. "Only if she goes with me," Orion replied. He looked surprised when his voice didn't shake, and Ariel shivered in fear of what Megatron's reaction would be.
Megatron's grin faded slightly, but he replied, "If that's what it takes." Just as quickly as they had been applied, Ariel's and Orion's bonds faded away, and the two instantly sat up before he changed his mind. Orion instantly ran over to Ariel and stood in front of her, ready if Megatron had any tricks for them. "You don't have long before I send the seekers to destroy you both," Megatron growled, as if he didn't see Orion's reaction.
"Let's go," Orion mumbled to Ariel. He grabbed her small servo and pulled her through a few hallways before they were outside. The next thing Ariel knew, Orion was running, and she had to work hard to keep up with him. He ran along the road, then suddenly slammed to a halt. Ariel smacked into him and fell down, and the two were on the ground in front of bright headlights.
A police car—followed by a few familiar alt-modes—transformed, letting out Arcee and a young, yellow mech. Chromia and Ironhide transformed behind them, and Ariel instantly sat up.
"Ariel!" Chromia and Arcee shouted in unison. Her two sisters ran to her, Arcee dragging the small mech behind her, and quickly embraced her.
Even after Arcee had pulled away, Chromia roughly grabbed Ariel and pulled her next to her. "Don't ever scare me like that again!" she whisper-shouted, then released her.
"I'm sorry, everybody!" she exclaimed. She turned around and gave Orion, who was just now sitting up, a fretful look. When she turned back around, she said, "The Decepticon terrorists had us both captured. Their leader wants us to find something for him—the Matrix of Leadership."
"Isn't that a legend?" Chromia scoffed.
Before Ariel could speak, Orion responded, "No, it's not, and my brother somehow believes that I am the key to locating it. We have to find it, or he'll send his seekers to not only kill us, but probably bomb entire cities."
"Orion, I've long suspected something was going on in your household," Prowl said. "Neither of you are going anywhere until your brother is arrested and you are in better condition."
"Officer, I'm afraid we can't do that. He's more powerful than you're imagining, and his followers keep multiplying! Perhaps, if we find the Matrix of Leadership, we can instead use it against Megatron!"
Prowl sighed. "I'm sorry—Ariel, was it?—but I can't simply let you go! You're both too young to have been through any of this. You need to let the law handle this."
Ariel sighed in defeat, then turned around to face Orion, only to spot him running into the forest by the roads. Ariel gave one last look back, then took off into the forest herself.
"Hey—wait, wait!" Prowl called out, taken by surprise. As Ariel was running, she could see Chromia stopping him out of the corner of her eye.
"Orion, don't take off without me again!" she called. He slowed down to let her catch up, then the two continued running.
"Do you know where we're going?" Ariel called out.
"I don't know—this just feels right!" Ariel sighed and shook her helm, but she followed him anyway. Soon, they were within just a few steps of the Well of Allsparks.
"It's in here?" she scoffed. "How are we supposed to get down there?"
The sound of jet engines nearby forced them both into defensive positions, as behind them, seekers—Megatron at the front—were diving right towards them. "Into the Well!" Orion shouted.
"But, how—" Before Ariel could finish, Orion pushed her down, then dove down himself. Ariel screamed as they neared the bottom, but Orion was somehow at the bottom first to catch her. She gasped and opened her optics, panting heavily. "What did you do that for?" she scoffed.
"I'm sorry—we don't have much time!" Orion carefully set her down and approached the middle of the chamber. Ariel turned around to see what he saw and gasped as the core of the planet glowed brightly in front of her.
"Is—is that the core?" she breathed. The core of Cybertron blinked slowly, and it was then that she noticed it wasn't the same vivid blue as the energon that flowed across the planet; it was a menacing purple.
"Indeed. It's poisoned," Orion sighed regretfully. "Hopefully it hasn't yet reached the Matrix."
Orion stepped forwards and carefully touched his servo to the core. He shuddered slightly, the dark energon weakening them both, but didn't back down. The core suddenly enveloped him in a blue light, and Ariel cried out, but didn't stop him.
She stepped back and watched, but suddenly, after the roar of jet engines, a piercing pain hit her chest, and she thudded to the ground. The last thing she heard and barely saw was Orion. He looked bigger and was screaming her name, but she felt her optics go dark before she could reply.
Once again, I will post an epilogue after this chapter today!
Thanks for reading! Hope you liked it!
Signing off, theautobotprincess.