Chapter Forty Nine- Patch

It was sunset while the Ark flew through the sky. The four Omega keys laid on the floor of the bridge with Optimus Prime standing before them alongside Ultra Magnus, in front of Grimlock.

"Few things of value come without a price. So tell me, Grimlock, what is it that you wish in return?" Optimus demanded.

"Only to be an Autobot once again." Grimlock answered as he bowed.

"Ultra Magnus, my second in command during the war of Cybertron, is my actual general now." Optimus introduced.

"And I accept that much has changed during my absence. I only wish to serve you, my one true master, in any way that you deem fit." Grimlock said.

"I am deeply impressed by your accomplishment, Grimlock. And know that I will put your offerings to good use, whatever the outcome." Optimus proclaimed.

"Outcome? Of what?" Grimlock asked confused.

"Tell Ratchet to prepare his lab for an urgent intervention." Optimus ordered to Ultra Magnus. "Oh, and see to it that Smokescreen is extracted from the wall."

Moments later in Ratchet's lab, Smokescreen was stretching his limbs.

"Ah, it's good to be back." Smokey expressed.

"Don't get cocky, Smokescreen. And come to give me a hand!" Ratchet yelled as he was putting a cortical psychic patch cord behind Optimus's head. "Now what will we be fishing for today, my liege?"

"Grimlock's true motives." Optimus answered looking at Grimlock, lying on another medical berth next to him.

Grimlock was a little nervous while Smokescreen put the other side of the cord behind is head. Next it looked like it was happening when the Autobot space bridge exploded, while Grimlock was seeing it from the Ark's bridge.

"Autobots, it is with deep sorrow that I note for the log that Optimus's spark has been extinguished. All hail…Grimlock." He proclaimed himself.

"Hail, King Grimlock!" All the troops chanted.

"Well, well. You certainly didn't waste any time." Optimus's voice said, making Grimlock to look everywhere until he saw him next to him.

"What?! Impossible! I just watch you perish!" Grimlock shouted in disbelief.

"I did not perish then, and I'm very much with you now. The present you as well as the past." Optimus smirked.

Grimlock did not understand it until he saw behind himself with the Autobot troopers cheering him.

"Hail, King Grimlock! Long live the king!" The Autobots chanted.

"I can't hear you, girls!" Grimlock shouted.

"Hail, King Grimlock!" The female Autobot troopers chanted.

"One more time!" Grimlock said.

"Hail, King Grimlock! Long live the king!" Everyone chanted.

Ratchet and Smokescreen were watching the whole record on the monitor.

"Hahaha, this guy is truly a showman." Ratchet laughed.

"Indeed." Smokescreen followed. "This is going to be juicy."

Back to the memory, Grimlock started dancing in a funny way as everyone continued cheering him, while the real one saw it.

"Ah, you're inside my head, aren't you?" Grimlock realized.

"The cortical physic patch. You see there are no secrets in here, only your memories. You cannot manipulate their content or modify their outcome. What we see is how it happened." Optimus replied.

Then it appeared a memory when Grimlock was in presence of Megatron.

"If you want to be a true leader, Grimlock, then stray from Optimus's path and lead the Autobots toward peace."

"I only am willing to consider a truce, if you were willing to bow before me, Megatron."

Next when he was mad with Smokescreen after his race incident.

"You have defied my orders yet again!"

"My mistake, general Grimlock."

"It…is…KING!"

Next when he was talking to Slipstream.

"Haven't you heard? I lead the Autobots now."

Back to his mind…

"Now, where did we leave off? Oh yes, hail King Grimlock? A rather obvious motif, Grimlock. You deem yourself more able to lead the Autobots than myself?" Optimus asked.

"No! Not anymore. I have learned from my many failures, master."

Then another flashback appeared, when Grimlock talked to all the Dinobots.

"Esteemed members of my order. You now stand upon the very presences of glory. To show all who are the best warriors ever existed. And meet the destiny which I am truly worthy." Grimlock told in front of everyone raising his sword.

"Dynamic leadership of the Autobots."

Back to his mind…

"That treacherous clone said it, not me!" Grimlock defended.

"It seems you would stop at nothing to disrupt my rule. Including assassination!" Optimus yelled.

"It was his idea, not mine!" Grimlock repeated.

Then another flashback showed when Grimlock was with Sandstorm and the Insectobot.

"With this creature under your control and at our disposal, we might employ it to terminate Optimus Prime… allowing us to rule the Autobots."

In his mind…

"I see no clones here. Was this their idea too?" Optimus asked.

"I don't remember any of this. I must have been half crazed at the time. A victim of energon deficiency." Grimlock invented.

"Tell me why I should welcome back someone who's every waking impulse has been to thwart me, undercut me, overruled me?!"

"Not true! I have always put your well-being before my own." Grimlock responded while they saw the flashback when he pulled out the dark energon sharp from Optimus's chest.

"How does this revolting chapter attending to my well-being?"

"I was simply trying to help. By ridding you of the dark matter polluting your body."

Then it appeared the time when Grimlock was talking to an unconscious Optimus Prime.

"Seems I possess the only thing that would allow you to rise off that slab and walk again, my dearest Optimus Prime."

In his mind…

"I even risked being buried alive for your sparkmate."

Then the scene changed to when Grimlock was holding the cave's top above him.

"I did not abandon you, master. I returned. To save you! Look into my spark, Elita One. My intentions were true."

In his mind…

"Were they, Grimlock?! Were they ever?!" Optimus asked furious. As the image changed to when Grimlock managed to get out of the crumble.

"Well, now who has hit rock bottom? What's that? I'm sorry, I can't hear you beneath all that rubble!" Grimlock said letting out a wicked laugh. "Farewell, Lady Elita One! May you rust in peace!" Grimlock spat and began walking away, but then he stopped himself short. "But she is as strong as Optimus is, and he has survived far worse. If you manage to free yourself, you would blame me for your setback. And there is nowhere that I could possibly escape from your sparkmate's wrath. Or worse yet, your mindless followers will come looking for you, and take credit for your rescue! Credit that could rightfully be mine! Ragh, Optimus!" Grimlock roared to the sky.

Back to his mind, Grimlock had no answer after all that they saw.

"A word of advice? Stop thinking aloud." Optimus advised.

"I don't want to play this game anymore! Take the keys! We'll pretend I was never here."

"No, Grimlock! There are only two possible outcomes based upon what I find here in your twisted little mind. If I do not deem that you're worthy of rejoining the Autobots, you will perish on this very day. And with it, the Dinobots will be extinct."

Meanwhile outside…

"Whoa. Optimus has Grimlock cornered." Smokescreen said impressed.

"Indeed. Smokescreen, I need to check if the energon storage vault is well organized. Keep checking the patch in my place." Ratchet said as he walked outside the lab.

Smokescreen continued watching the recording of Grimlock's inside.

"Isn't extermination rather extreme? I mean, a really good trancing usually straightens me out, doesn't it?" Grimlock asked.

Then many flashbacks showed when Optimus punished Grimlock brutally, even when he returned.

"No, master! NO!"

Back to his mind…

"Why wouldn't you wish to harness my talent for the Autobot cause when I have so much deviousness to offer?" Grimlock suggested.

Then it appeared when he showed Optimus Steve's corpse.

"Consider it a welcome home present."

In his mind…

"See how generous I can be, my liege?"

"When it suits you." Optimus answered.

Then the flashback changed when the Terrorbot Steve attacked.

"That's your plan?! Bring back our dead enemies so they can attack us again?!" Bulkhead asked terrified.

Then it changed when Grimlock finished Steve.

"At other times, you can be quiet insolent!" Optimus said.

"Apologies. It's just that I've gone to so much trouble to terminate a simple Vehicon in the first place."

Then it showed when Optimus finished the Terrorbot.

"Trouble would have been facing him as a right warrior."

"I've always consider my strength and terror might to be my sharpest weapons."

Then it changed when Grimlock faced both Autobots and Decepticons with the Apex Armor.

"Wait…you five are up to something."

Then it showed everything that happened to him next.

"You'll never learn, Grimlock. Your arrogance will trumpet your wits every time."

The next scene was when Grimlock tried to revive Causeway with dark energon in front of the Decepticons.

"You cannot harm me while dark energon flows through my veins. I am invincible!"

Then he lost his arm. Next was when he fired the energon harvester at Breakdown.

""You're a big one. This could take a while."

Then it happened what Breakdown did to him. Next was when he confessed to Airachnid what he did with Steve.

"What?! She's taking credit for scrapping him now too?! That was my doing!"

That made Airachnid to aim her weapons at him, making him scream. Then it changed to when he faced Kickback for the first time.

"Any last words, Kickback?"

And Kickback took the armor from him. Next it changed to when he reunited with Thundertron.

"My T-Cog?"

"Uh, temporary setback. Other Decepticons or Autobots, other T-Cogs. We shall find a replacement soon enough."

"Not soon enough. Now!"

Next it showed when the Star Seekers stole his T-Cog, and he discovered when he couldn't transform.

"Ah! My T-Cog! No!"

Back to his mind…

"You no longer possess the ability to change to your beast form?" Optimus asked impressed.

"Yes, I was going to bring that up and as you might imagine my predicament pains me to no end."

Then the next flashback showed when Grimlock showed his incompetence about transforming.

"I can't change form. Those treacherous Star Seekers stole my T-Cog, leaving me without all my power."

Back to his mind, while it showed when Grimlock was riding on his speeder bike…

"I hope that you might see fit to express your gratitude for the Omega keys by restoring my dino form and my primeval strength with it. After all would I not be more valuable to you with jaws and claws?"

Next appeared a lot of images showing Grimlock changing and making good use of his dinosaur form.

"Oh, I feel myself so powerful with my primal force… I said that aloud, didn't I?"

Next it changed to when he was captured by the Decepticons.

"Elita One tried to extinguish my spark in cold blood! Then all but replace me with that traitorous wretch Arcee! She abandoned me! Let me for scrap! So why not rat them out?"

In his mind…

"No one asked you to leave the Autobot folds." Optimus said.

"I wasn't exactly made to feel welcome at the time."

The next flashback showed when Elita was going to execute him as an example.

"Elita, wait! Give one more chance! I beg of you!"

Back to his mind…

"Despite the fact that I had seen the error of my ways and dedicated my spark to you."

Then the image changed to Grimlock's apology.

"I have gained a clear understanding of my place in this universe, of who I am, of who I was always meant to be. Grimlock: second in command, humble servant to Optimus Prime."

Inside his mind…

"Until the next opportunity arises to subvert me." Optimus pointed.

Then the flashback showed when he talked with Smokescreen alone.

"What news the doctors have about the patient?"

"For what they observed, same old."

"An inglorious fate that he should remain in this vegetative state."

"On the contrary. The doctors have said that Optimus's body might be scrap metal, but his mind is still peculating."

"Keep that to yourself. That blasted Blaster sees and hears everything."

"The eyes and ears of the Autobots."

"Well, as long as their master remains in limbo, so does their cause. The Autobots deserve a strong, alert leader."

"One who would require a loyal second in command."

"A candidate will have to earn that post by making a strong case to said eyes and ears."

"A case for showing mercy, King Grimlock?"

Smokescreen saw that too, so he started to get nervous.

"Uh oh. Does this thing have a fast-forward button? Or better yet erase?!" He said nervous pressing all the buttons.

Then the screen showed that the next scene was when they two tried to convince the others.

"Smokescreen, can you tell us what is the doctors's medical summary to our comrades, for the historical record." Grimlock requested.

"Simply put. They said that unaided, Optimus could remain in this deathless slumber forever." Smokescreen informed.

"Our master would not have wanted to be seen this way. To stand idly by while he remains captive in his own body is not just." Grimlock sighed.

"What?! Are you giving up already?!" Bumblebee said in disbelief.

"That's not true! Optimus's still alive, look at the screen." Elita One said pointing the screen.

"Brainwave activity. Not evidence of consciousness. But merely in an endless dream from which Optimus may never wake." Smokescreen corrected.

"What are you trying to tell us?" Elita One asked.

"Autobots, we must face reality. Optimus Prime is lost to us." Grimlock proclaimed.

"The only honorable option would be to show him mercy." Smokescreen said sadly.

"A simple throw of the switch." Grimlock clarified.

Smokescreen started to get really nervous.

"When Optimus comes out of it he'll do more than just stick me back in that wall. He'll have Grimlock's head and mine!" He yelled scared. But then, when he saw the cord behind Prime's head, an idea came to his mind. "But if I disconnect before a proper power-down, the link is severed and the great Prime will never emerge from Grimlock's head."

Smokescreen started to twist the plug, but suddenly a hand grabbed his own: it was Ultra Magnus.

"Everything okay here, soldier?" He asked.

Smokey twisted the plug back. "Just checking cable integrity."

Meanwhile, inside Grimlock's mind…

"I can't believe that you could influence and convince other loyal Autobots to follow your tricks, like Smokescreen. Is it any wonder that I've come to value loyalty above all else?" Optimus asked.

"Well, you know we are Autobots. I'm sure than even your beloved Ultra Magnus isn't perfect."

"No one is perfect, Grimlock. But like his sparkmate, Ultra Magnus understands loyalty and honor."

Then the flashback showed when Grimlock awakened Causeway from her slumber.

"Awaken, warrior. Rise and serve your new master." Grimlock said when the last door opened.

"Causeway serves only one master!" She bellowed with determination.

"You see? Her loyalty and devotion will set a fine example for the troops." Bumblebee explained to Grimlock.

"Impressive. No need to be timid, Causeway, you may bow." Grimllock said.

She started to laugh. "You fail to grasp my meaning, Dinobot. I am here on a mission, assigned to me by my true master, Optimus Prime." Causeway expressed.

"Yes, him. Sadly he's no longer with us." Grimlock answered.

"What? That is impossible." She responded.

"You knew Optimus?" Bee asked.

"Of course. I was one of his most experienced students, the best warriors trained by himself, his elite." Causeway said.

"Clearly she can help us in this moment of need." Bumblebee added.

"No!" Grimlock shouted. "Why is this so difficult for everyone to accept?"

Next it showed all what happened that caused her demise. Followed by when Grimlock returned holding dark energon.

"Ah, the gravesite of the mighty Causeway. So quick to reject my authority while you lived. But as the first of my reanimated warriors, you shall bow to my command." Grimlock announced as he broke the shard in two and threw one part into the grave.

It fell into one of the cracks and began to glow. Then he stabbed himself with the other half of the shard.

"Yes! Power of dark energon, be mine! Grimlock smirked as he was glowing purple flames. "Symbiosis! I can feel it!"

Back to his mind…

"I understand she perished that day." Optimus said.

"Well, Causeway is neither living or dead and no doubt continues to wonder through some dimensional neither-realm in search of her missing limb." Grimlock explained.

"It would be wise to keep that to yourself around the warship." Optimus advised.

But Ultra Magnus saw everything, which made him angry. Thing that Smokescreen witnessed.

"Awkward." He mumbled.

But Grimlock seemed surprised.

"Does this mean?" He started.

"Yes, I will allow you to return to our ranks. If only because you are more valuable beside me than against me. Besides, laying aside your previous mistakes, you're the most powerful fighter that the Autobots have ever had, both as a warrior and as a beast."

"Ah, thanks the Allspark!" Grimlock yelled happy.

"Inviting has nearly destroyed the Autobot ranks during your absence. We must operate as a united front if we are to revive and conquer Cybertron. That means each and every one of us, Smokescreen." Optimus said to the screen, making Smokescreen to get a chill.

"Primes sure know how to patch things up, no sir…?" Smokescreen started, but then he saw that Ultra Magnus was gone. "Sir?"

Ultra Magnus was outside, on the top of the warship while it started to rain.

"Causeway." He said with his head down, before he let a roar of rage into the air.