XXV

It felt strange, standing in the makeshift arena they'd constructed, standing across from Soundwave, the current Cybertronian gladiator champion. Orion stretched his arm across his chest, feeling the sore spot in the center of his back. Soundwave remained unmoved, watching Orion stall. Orion continued stretching.

"You're avoiding."

"Kind of," mumbled Orion, shrugging. "I mean, can you blame me? You're…well, you, and I'm…"

"A prime in training."

"Is that what we're calling me now?" Orion turned, glancing at Ratchet sitting off in the corner. "Prime in training?"

"It does seem fitting," replied Ratchet.

"Right," Orion nodded softly, turning back to Soundwave. "What the pit am I doing?"

"Fighting me,"replied Soundwave, stepping forward. "Block. Hands up."

Orion nodded again, raising his arms in front of him, fists clenched. Soundwave remained still a moment longer before suddenly charging. Orion jumped slightly, stepping back as Soundwave's arm stretched forward. His arms remained froze as Orion stumbled further back. A small voice in the back of his head told him to step aside. Orion moved his head slightly, watching as Soundwave's hand stabbed the air.

"You are dodging. Not blocking."

"I feel they're along the same page," stuttered Orion, moving to the side.

Soundwave stood back into a frozen stance, arm at his sides and face plate watching Orion. The young prime was shaking, watching Soundwave inert. The soft voice in the back of his mind was screaming: move, now! Before he could acknowledge the suggestion, Orion felt Soundwave's fist digging into his stomach. He groaned, stumbling back again.

"Don't get distracted."

"I'm not!" snapped Orion, glaring at Soundwave.

"Don't lose your temper…"

The voice again, trying to direct him. Dodge left. Orion felt as though a presence moved his body before thinking, twisting his ankle slightly so his body rotated with ease, avoiding Soundwave's latest jab. Before Orion could regain his place, Soundwave had moved again, getting Orion in the side. He let out a stifled yelp, feeling the radiating pain. He fell to one knee, panting.

"Get up."

"Give me a second…this is my first sparing session."

"Liar."

Orion looked up as Soundwave displayed a video he'd long forgotten about. It was Megatronus and Orion in the center of the arena, the latter trying to teach Orion how to block and dodge. He lifted Orion's arms to his chest, talking indistinctly. Orion would nod, looking up at Megatronus with wonder in his optics. The video cut, returning to a dark reflection of Orion kneeling and holding his side.

"Okay, okay…" sighed Orion, standing back up. "Megatronus may have tried to teach me stuff, but he was not this tough on me, and besides, he told me to run if things ever got out of hand."

"Run like a coward."

Orion felt a twitch in his system as Soundwave spoke using Megatronus' voice. It'd been a while since he heard his old friend's voice, and he hadn't expected that line to be used against him again. Orion shook his head, trying to shake it off.

"You can't win in a fight, can you?"Again, Megatronus' voice.

"Stop using his voice," whispered Orion, stepping forward.

Soundwave punched forward, easily breaking through Orion's flimsy defense. Orion stumbled back, shaking his head.

"If you aren't willing to fight, you'll die…"That voice, the kind that start a fire in his spark like only Megatronus could. Why was the fire replaced with pain?

"Stop using his voice!" ordered Orion, stepping forward and swinging.

Soundwave easily dodged, ducking under the wild punch and shouldered Orion's chest. Orion fell back, landing hard on the ground. Ratchet stood up.

"You…are nothing compared to me…"

Orion felt an overwhelming pressure, the kind that overrode every thought and sense. Soundwave stepped back as Optimus quickly rose to his feet, face mask up and weapons drawn. Soundwave dodged the initial attack, a blade swishing past his face plate, but failed to see the direct kick to the chest, throwing him back into the wall. Ratchet rushed forward, helping Soundwave sit up.

"I suppose this was what was discussed earlier…"groaned Soundwave, lifting his head. "This…defense mode?"

"Yeah," nodded Ratchet, standing up.

Optimus stood before the two, standing still and looking down at them. Ratchet could feel the pressure the optics put on him, staring through him. The opposing body heaved, weighted down by something unknown. Ratchet gulped, reaching a hand up and placing it on Optimus' shoulder. The face mask retracted, weapons retreating.

"Optimus…?" mumbled Ratchet, tilting his head slightly.

"Ratchet?" whispered Orion, looking around. "What…what happened? Oh Primus, I blacked out again…" Orion paused, looking between Ratchet, the fallen Soundwave and the damage to the wall. "Did I…?"

"You are stronger than you look,"remarked Soundwave, standing up. "And your defense mode is hardly such."

"What?" perked Ratchet and Orion.

"Your defense mode,"explained Soundwave, "isn't solely about defense. It is about emotion."

"What…what do you mean?" sighed Orion. His body felt numb.

"Previously, you activated this mode during your capture. You were no doubt afraid. Extremely so,"continued Soundwave, stepping past. "Now, you activate this form due to anger, frustration and built up emotions for Megatronus…"

"Extreme emotions trigger the change," Ratchet simplified, looking up at Orion. "Extreme negativeemotions."

"Great," groaned Orion, throwing his head back. "So, I've got to what? Not feel anything?"

"Quite the opposite,"responded Soundwave. "Embrace it."

"Pardon?"

"The reason you resorted to attacking me was avoiding Megatronus. What happened then. You attacked the guards in trying not to lose yourself in the moment. You are attempting to bury these feelings and instead they emerge as your alternate self. You are splitting."

"I am split," whispered Orion, sliding down the wall until he sat. "I guess I did lose my temper…"

"Perhaps that's the first step in training, rather than blocking."

"How can we be sure I won't hurt anyone," mumbled Orion, looking between Ratchet and Soundwave. "I could've hurt you this time!"

"Even in anger, you held back…"

"Still!" gasped Orion. "I don't want to wake up and see that I've hurt someone I know, someone I care about."

"All the more to learn to control this persona,"nodded Soundwave. "Learning about yourself is the hardest training."

"Right," whispered Orion, looking down. "I really need a break."

"No breaks!"declared Soundwave. "We continue."

"Seriously?" gasped Ratchet. "You were just side kicked into a wall!"

"I did what!?" shouted Orion.

"I am without serious damage, medic,"remarked Soundwave. "I have suffered worse in the arena. This…is simple sparing."Soundwave stood at Orion's feet. "Get up!"Again, Megatronus' voice but mixed with others.

"Please," pleaded Orion, getting to his feet, "stop using hisvoice. I can't…"

"You'll have to face him again someday in some aspect,"nodded Soundwave. "Is that a day you want to lose control?"

Orion sighed, shaking his head. Soundwave nodded once, returning to the center of the room. Orion followed, standing again with arms raised in defense. He watched Soundwave take position opposite him, getting into his lifeless stance. Orion took a deep sigh, trying to focus. In the back of his mind the soft voice returned, speaking softly before fading back into obscurity. Come back.