Chapter 174 – Rising Storm
Phoenix P.O.V
"CHOOSE NOW!'' Megatron screamed furiously into my audial as his servo crushed my helm and his sword twisted painfully within my chest.
Pain tore through my body and my CPU was registering multiple warnings and shutdowns. I hurt. Primus but I hurt. Yet despite the pain I felt, as I looked at both the humans huddled together in absolute fear and Bumblebee's face as he watched helplessly, silently reaching out for me, something greater than pain registered.
Defiance.
I looked belligerently up at Megatron; my voice had a gravelly yet resolute tone to it when I spoke. ''I choose – neither.''
The murderous look on his face slowly faded as he stared down at me. Without warning, he reefed the blade out, drawing a strangled yell from me. Reaching down, he grabbed me by my throat yet again and hauled me to my pedes, clear off the ground.
I clutched wildly at his servos, trying to pry them off. ''Not an option my dear Phoenix!'' He brought his helm forward into my face, headbutting me viciously before he released me and sent his massive fist into my face. I felt my cheek plates shatter and I stumbled to the ground – stunned. As he walked towards me, I spat out what seemed to be the last of my broken denta as I knelt on the ground. /Well, this is NOT how I pictured this day going!/. I spat out energon as I gingerly wiped my broken dermas with the back of my servo.
As the sound of his cannon priming registered in my audials, I could not stop the small smile spreading on what remained of my damaged dermas. Once again, his servo reached out to grab me by the helm, forcing me to look at him and the cannon aimed squarely at my face. I could feel the metal plating around my head begin to bow and groan where his digits grasped me in a vice-like grip, as he squeezed my helm in blind anger. I clenched my shattered denta together and swallowed my gasp of pain. ''I'll say it One. More. Time. My DEAR Phoenix. CHOOSE. Choose who lives - and who dies,'' a somewhat crazed laugh began to bubble up from within him. ''By your own servo. Choose who YOU will kill Phoenix.''
I laughed.
Megatron's optics narrowed dangerously but his servo seemed to loosen its grip momentarily as he was caught off guard. ''Oh Megatron. We both know, no matter whom I choose to kill, you will go ahead and kill the other anyway and then kill me! So, you see. It really doesn't matter WHO I choose to kill. We're all going to die anyway.'' I felt my spark twist painfully at the screams of terror from the humans at my words. Bee simply stared silently at the scene before him. Powerless to do anything but watch and wait for any opportunity to present itself. /Soon Bee… soon/.
The sneer that had spread across Megatron's face began to fade as I caught him out. For a moment we simply stared at each other before he began to smile. ''Oh Phoenix, how well you have come to know me.'' He shook his helm slowly, a sadness flickered in his optics, and I felt his servo seem to stroke my helm gently. ''Such a shame I have to kill you.''
I laughed again, a seemingly stupid thing to do in this position. ''Well clearly YOU have not gotten to know me Megatron if you think that is something I will let you do.'' The effects of Starscream's null ray was rapidly wearing off. While I should have been out of action for a while yet, it would seem being The Phoenix has some advantages to it. I could feel my power building, growing. Megatron gave a low and ominous growl at my seeming arrogance. /You have to stall….stall….. stall….. stall!/.
I spat out more energon and clutched at my wounds. ''Besides, with Unicron making his way here as we speak, you know very well that we are ALL going to die so what does it matter? What does it matter if I kill the humans, or YOU do? What does it matter if I kill Bumblebee, or YOU do? We know Unicron will destroy everything on this planet - unless we work together.'' A small half smile formed on my shattered face as I stared up at him and lowered my voice. ''At the very least, you need me to help you be rid of Unicron.'' I watched with delight as a flicker of doubt appeared momentarily on his face. I gave a snort of derision as I continued. ''So, you see my dear Megatron, perhaps it is YOU who must choose…''
The unmistakable rumble of a large semi-truck under full steam interrupted my words and filled my spark with both joy and dread. /Optimus!/. Megatron released me as he snapped his helm in the direction the rumbling sound came from. Within seconds, the familiar and beloved flame decaled truck careened into view, breaking through the tree line off to my right. I felt my spark skip a pulse at the sight of him and a sob worked its way to my shattered dermas. I reached absentmindedly towards him – for him. /Primus how I have missed him!/.
Prime pulled up in a power slide, transforming as he did so, skidding gracefully to a halt. His optics immediately found my own, his relief palpable as he realised, I was alive – for now. At the sound of a series of low and strained beeps and whirrs, he glanced towards Bumblebee and sent the young scout a nod of encouragement as he assessed the situation.
Returning his gaze back to me, his optics did not linger on mine too long as he took in my appearance and my situation, knelt before Megatron and his cannon. His dermas parted in shock and anger as he noticed shattered dermas, cracked cheek plates, the large gashes on my abdomen where Starscream slashed me with his talons and finally his gaze rested on the gaping wound where Megatron's sword had pierced my chest. His optical ridges raised in shock before they furrowed deeply as he watched the energon dripping down along my servo, pooling onto the ground beneath me.
A low, rumbling growl emanated from his dermas and his helm snapped up to lock onto the figure standing behind me. The figure in question stooped down and grabbed hold of my shoulder, pulling me closer towards him, /for protection or provocation?/. Prime's beautiful azure optics darkened like the clouds of an approaching storm as he stared intensely at Megatron. His frame tensed with barely restrained rage and his servos were clenched tightly by his sides in fists as he began to stalk towards us, bellowing across the grounds, ''MEGATRON! IT IS ME YOU WANT!''
His optics never left Megatron's as he approached and he held his arms up either side of him, indicating he was unarmed and offering himself freely. ''Let Phoenix, Bumblebee and the humans go. Your quarrel has been, and always WILL be, – with ME!'' Megatron pointed his cannon at my helm again and Prime froze, halting his approach, though his arms remained outstretched in silent offering.
He turned about to face both Autobot and Decepticon, ensuring they bore witness to his next words. ''Take me in their stead Megatron. I offer myself up to you freely. Yours to do with what you want. To seek whatever retribution, you see fit to exact.'' For a moment, utter fear surpassed the feeling of pain as I tried to shake my helm in Megatron's grasp. /NO! How did it get to this?/. Megatron seemed to hesitate as he considered the very tempting offer his mortal enemy presented. After an interminable minute, he growled at me, and his servo gripped tighter eliciting a small gasp of pain. Prime's optics quickly flicked from Megatron's to mine at the sound and back again. They were filled with guilt and a terrible anger. It did not go unnoticed.
An enraged growl erupted from Megatron's dermas as his digits once again dug painfully into my helm, and he dragged me unceremoniously to my pedes before him. I gasped out loud in both pain and shock at the sudden reefing to my pedes. ''NO! SHE IS MINE! SHE WILL PAY FOR HER TRECHERY AND DECIET!'' He drew me closer to him for a moment as one of his arms wrapped tightly around my neck.
My servos flew to his arm, and I began to claw at it as he dragged me a few paces away from Prime. I heard Megatron chuckle sadistically behind me a nanosecond later as he saw the way Prime looked at me. My spark faltered for a moment and a sinking feeling engulfed me. /He knows/. I felt his glossa lick up along my neck to my right audial. I cried out in shock before I quickly stifled my reaction, knowing it would only serve to infuriate and encourage Prime to react out of blind anger. ''So many ways I could make her pay too Prime. So tasty, so sweet,'' he murmured against my audials as he stared antagonistically towards Optimus. ''Then again, I doubt you would know what she tastes like.'' His glossa moved once more along my neck, before the sharp sting of his denta bit into my shoulder as he marked me. I muffled my scream and closed my optics. ''And I shall make sure you never do!''
Behind me I heard Starscream cry out loud in bloodlust. ''End the bitch now Megatron! Do it!'' Prime's optics darted towards Starscream, a low and threatening growl erupting from his dermas before he flicked them back to settle on his millennia old enemy. Without a sound he began to stalk towards us. /Primus no! This has to stop now!/. Megatron raised his cannon against my helm and once again, Prime froze, his whole body shaking in rage. Yet his optics remained locked onto Megatron.
Megatron seemed to ignore the Seeker, preferring to taunt Prime, wound him mentally and emotionally. ''I do believe I have only ever tasted one other femme as sweet as Phoenix.'' I closed my optics at his words as I knew what he was about to say. I felt the ache consume my spark knowing what this would be doing to Prime. ''Your precious Elita,'' My optics snapped open as the words left his dermas, my optics darted to Prime's willing him to look into mine and see the truth there. To focus on me, and not what the bastard was saying.
But he was not looking at me.
Megatron laughed as he pulled me closer towards him, ''You know Prime, you really should take better care of the things that are precious to you.''
Starscream growled in frustration from his place atop the stairs. ''What are you waiting for Megatron? For the glory of the Decepticons, kill her NOW!'' I heard his pede falls approach as he descended the steps.
Prime's optics were cold and hard, devoid of any real emotion as they narrowed dangerously on his target. Steam appeared to be expelled from his enstrils before his battle mask clamped shut. His imposing frame shook with tremors of a terrible anger he could no longer contain. Slowly he began to advance towards us.
I grabbed desperately at the servos that restrained me. ''Megatron, you know Unicron is coming,'' I choked out. ''You know I am your best chance – we,'' I tried to nod towards Prime as he bared down upon us, ''are you best chance of winning your freedom back…''
Megatron's grip tightened around my neck and shoulders as he pulled me against his body and raised his cannon towards Prime and then trained it back on me. I heard him growl as he was wracked with indecision.
Prime did not halt in his approach. Nor did he produce one of his weapons. He appeared as though he was going to tear Megatron apart with his bare servos. Megatron removed the cannon from my helm and aimed it squarely at Prime. Still, Prime stalked towards us undeterred. Megatron hissed behind me. ''I warn you Prime…''
I could see the hatred in Prime's optics. I pushed my point desperately, choking out, ''Choose Megatron. Is your hatred towards me, towards Prime, stronger than your will to be free?''
Starscream cried out as he closed the distance between us, his null rays and missiles aimed at me, ''If you don't have the metal to end this traitorous bitch's life in the name of the Decepticons, I WILL!''
Megatron snarled and shoved me forward roughly and I fell to my knees before him. Raising his cannon, he aimed it at my back. ''Time for you…''
In front of me Prime reached out a servo imploringly as he broke into a run, ''NO!'' He screamed, ''MEGATRON NO!''
I regained my balance and began to turn to face him, placing myself between Prime and Megatron. I raised my servos to try and block the killing shot that was about to be sent my way.
There was an almost manic look in Megatron's optic as he squeezed the trigger. ''To…. DIE!''