World Beyond Time
Lost the will to change
It was a strange feeling, pinging in the back of his mind. It felt like a wave of uneasiness coupled with a sinking feeling of passiveness. A melting feeling, like every servo was falling off him, barely moving. His thoughts were blimps in the greater pain rampaging. Memory…it was hopeless to remember what he'd been thinking of before or why he'd gotten all this way alone. Optimus sighed.
"Hey, Prime."
He glanced back. Arcee stood in the door, one arm on the doorframe. She offered a smile, walking in slowly. Optimus had found himself in an empty room, void of machines or anything else. He had simply run until his thoughts completely stopped. A blank head in an empty room seemed fitting. He offered Arcee a smile, though a weary one. Arcee nodded, coming up beside him.
"Hey," he shrugged.
"Look, I'm sorry about earlier…about…" Arcee sighed, turning away.
"I know what you mean. It's no problem. You didn't know," he nodded.
"Sari."
Optimus perked, looking up the ceiling. He smiled lightly, nodding. He turned, Arcee, nodding again. Arcee watched him move toward the door, smiling and almost laughing. He stopped in the doorway, turning around and facing her.
"Right," he perked. "Sari…that's what her…"
"You really don't remember?" whispered Arcee.
Optimus sighed, glancing at her but turned away. He nodded, losing his grin. "It's all a fuzzy and some things are just completely blank. When I try to focus on those fuzzy or blank things, it hurts…"
"Hurts?"
"Like a pain," he explained, turning around again, "in the back on my mind and in my spark. It hurts to think, to move…to live."
"So you've come all this way with a feeling like that," Arcee shook her head. "What would give you the motivation?"
"Sari…" whispered Optimus.
"But what if you can't-"
"Not just for her!" he snapped suddenly, grabbing Arcee by the wrist. "I'm doing this for me team…for those Sonic Blast hurt or destroyed or changed! I'm doing this because I couldn't stop him the first time!"
"The first time?"
Optimus sighed, shaking his head. He released Arcee. He shook his head again, moving out the door. Arcee whispered something, chasing after him. They marched down the hall in silence for a while. At last, Arcee sped up and forced him around to face her.
"What's gotten into you?" Arcee howled.
"I can't do this…" sighed Optimus, pulling away. "I can't do this anymore…"
"But what about what you just said about your team, about Sonic Blast and Sari!"
"I couldn't stop him with the help of Vector Prime, what can I do just as me!" shouted Optimus, marching away.
Arcee sighed, turning the opposite way. She recognized the mood from her own Prime. It was one that said leave the boss alone to think. As Optimus Prime, he'll come around again. Arcee reentered the main room. Time was coming to go pick up the kids. Bee and Bulkhead were probably already out there. She'd lost track of time. Ratchet was still at his station but there was no sign of the three extras or her prime.
"Where's Optimus?" Arcee sighed.
"Which one?" Ratchet mumbled.
"Ours," Arcee nodded.
"Out."
"Great talking to you as usual, Ratchet," she sighed, crossing her arms and staring at the space bridge.
"Where's the other Optimus?"
"Somewhere."
"Lose him again?"
Arcee turned him with a glare. With a roll of the optics, she moved to leave again but the three extras showed up. They were deep in a hushed conversation, whispering and mumbling. They nearly bumped into Arcee, but stopped dead once she came into sight.
"What are you three looking at?"
"Nothing…" Side Burn nodded.
"Whatever," Arcee smirked.
"Where's Prime?" perked Hot Shot, looking around.
"Thought you were looking for him?" added X-Brawn.
"Was, found him, talked and got left in the hall," Arcee answered.
"What'd you talk about that got you left in the hall?" Hot Shot snapped.
"Sari for a bit then…" she sighed. "Then I think he gave up on himself."
"He gave up?" whispered Side Burn.
Arcee nodded.
"Then we should talk to him rather than leave him be."
The group turned, watching the world's Optimus Prime walked in. Ratchet even turned away from the console. Arcee sighed, nodding.
"He couldn't have gotten far, right?" Side Burn nodded.
"He went back up toward the outside," Arcee explained. "Once outside, he could've gone anywhere in vehicle mode."
"So he's a lot farther away than I thought," whispered Side Burn.
"Best get to work then," Ratchet sighed, returning to his console.