"Nah, that looks ugly," said Megatron laying on the top of a hill while watching the cars pass by on the nearby highway as Soundwave was sitting next to him. He was observing the cars, but upon hearing his exclaim he just simply gave up.
They will never find him something that will be to his liking. It was all that human's fault. He knew his Lord was not really sane the past years, but he let it slide. He let it all slide because he thought that was what the Decepticon cause needed. But now he saw it all clearly, that he should have interfered sooner. Before all this scrap. He should have stopped him from taking Dark Energon, talking with Unicron, making a fortress instead of repairing their homeworld, insulting those who came before them in order to create an evil sword and let's not even get started on the Predacons and the failure they bought. None of this brought them any closer to the victory he had promised the masses so long ago. In fact, it pushed them even further away from the finish line.
"You are silent," Megatron remarked abruptly, his gaze fixed on him. "Even more than you usually are. But I know you do not wish to speak with me. Especially after yesterday." And when he gave no answer, he saw his leader let out a heavy sigh as he looked down to the grass. He looked… Pitiful. "Sometimes I do have the faith to believe that everything can and will return to the way they were. But most times I am reminded that there is no way in the pits this can ever be solved. I guess it is easier to think that Shockwave can fix me rather than confront the reality that no one will know what to do."
"You were always sure" echoed the voices which Soundwave cut together.
"Things had changed. It is not about winning the war anymore. It is about cleaning the mess I made. It is about ME , facing the consequences of MY actions. Something I should have done long ago."
"You are willing to give up everything you have worked for?" the mech asked, crooking his head.
"I was blind Soundwave. I want nothing more than to forget about it all. Maybe it would be best to remain human and live the rest of my life by her side. In peace."
The human was right. Painfully so. He didn't want war. He wanted to go into exile.
"Then I shall stay with you."
"So, you can kill her when I am not watching? Threaten her?" he asked as his head snapped towards Soundwave.
"I did what I thought was good for the cause. But now I see that the cause is lost."
"The Decepticon cause was always lost."
"Many would say otherwise."
"There is no 'many' to say otherwise," he said, pointing out how many died pointlessly while fighting this war.
"This conversation is going nowhere."
"Thought so" this was followed by a few minutes of silence. "But Soundwave… I really do want to change things. I just… Do not know how."
"You should perhaps start with rekindling your friendship with the Prime," Soundwave suggested, surprising Megatron.
"NO. No, not in the Pits!" he exclaimed, waving his hands before his face. "With Orion? I would definitely reconcile. But with Optimus? Never."
"They are one and the same" The cold hard truth. That was all that Soundwave could offer at that moment. "And you know it too. Do not fool yourself anymore."
"That car is perfect!" Megatron shouted suddenly, pointing at the first car he saw. It looked as if it came from some 80's movie. He said this because he did not want to confront the topic Soundwave bought up.
After Soundwave changed form he got lucky as his phone started to ring. That human device still was strange to him, but with the help of Elisabeth, he learned how to call people or how accept calls. The other stuff? It was difficult for him.
"Hey Megatron, can you…" said Melissa, but she was cut off by a loud bang in the background "help me? I'm a bit lost, so if your… Soundwave right? Never mind, so if he could track me down, can you save me?" There was worry in her voice as she made her request. If Elisabeth chose friends having a similar personality to hers, Melissa was in grave danger.
"He already has" he answered, looking up at the silent mech's face, which showed the woman's coordinates. "Can I ask why you need my help?" Another loud bang at the other end of the call.
"You'll see! Hurry please, my alien warlord saviour!" she shouted, ending the call in this abrupt way.
"It seems, we have a task to do Soundwave. Do you fancy helping me out in saving her?"
"Anything Megatron," he replied, giving him a nod, then transforming into his new alt mode.
On the way there he found himself wondering about why he exactly goes for Melissa's rescue. He barely knew this woman, why did he feel now suddenly obligated to save her in whatever kind of danger she put herself?
Maybe it was her personality. She was annoying for sure, but Megatron found almost all humans annoying. She had weird humour, which was between funny and insulting. On the thought of insulting, she seemed to test the limits, maybe a little bit too much. Maybe that's why she was in trouble and why she was on good terms with Elisabeth.
When he arrived there was no trace of Melissa. Or anybody in that matter. So he just furrowed his eyebrows in confusion and continued down the empty street, leaving Soundwave behind. After a while he had questions like: Did Soundwave locate the wrong coordinates? Is this how badly the shadowzone damaged his sensors? He got his answers as a few seconds later a running Melissa came, with men following her not far. Familiar men for Megatron. MECH. Like he needed more Cybertron related problems in his life.
"Fuck" he cursed, pulling out the ion blaster from his grey jacket.
"Nice greeting. Learned from Elisabeth I assume?" arrived Melissa. Her brown hair was dishevelled, she was panting and blood was all over her clothes.
"I do not really know. It sometimes comes weirdly naturally" he said as Melissa suddenly took his arm and pulled him into one of the alleys. "So? As I see, you had a run-in with MECH."
"You know these crazy lunatics?!" she whispered as angry as surprised. "Wait… Of course, you know them…"
"They were or are stealing our technology, of course, it caught my attention. How do you come to know them?"
"Your blaster… Upon further investigations, I found out that they are the ones behind producing the blasters. And with a little bit of help, I caught wind of where the stuff is stored after it arrives into the country."
"And you tried to sneak in. Got in trouble" he stated as they walked down the alley which led them into another street.
"Yeah, as you say. But this whole thing is really unsettling. Because as far as I'm concerned everyone tries to fight for the technology, including the government. And if this escalates I fear war follows" she said, taking up a quicker pace.
"What makes you think this? Your kind seems… peaceful."
"Really? Because we kinda had wars for like five thousand years? The last one was really intense. But never mind, we have to get out of here. Fast."
"If you had not pulled me to other streets, I would know where to go. Now I do not" he replied, but Laserbeak arrived with some chirping sound. It was a good sign. "Lead the way back," he said, looking up at it and Laserbeak, understanding it, took off and led the way back. The only problem was that the MECH found Soundwave sooner than them. Which ended in shooting at each other.
"We have to get out of here fast!" she shouted to him as she shot where she saw the enemy.
"How do you intend to reach Soundwave before we get shot?"
"Can't he just stand up and walk here?"
"That would ruin the whole disguise part. MECH can abduct a cybertronian with no problem, so it would be wise not to reveal Soundwave" he explained, remembering what happened to Breakdown. Another good and loyal soldier was killed because of his idiotic decisions.
"Then we have to run for it" there a strange smile appeared on Melissa's face and suddenly touching his shoulder, she said only this: "Tag, you're it!" and ran towards the car while trying to shoot back. He stood there confused for a solid minute before following Melissa's example and starting to run. When they reached Soundwave, the mech decided to put the metal to the pedal and get out of there as fast as he could. He couldn't afford to be damaged since the closest energon mine is far away and also had no means to refine it.
"So… Why are you getting into trouble?" Megatron asked as they were going to Blackwell.
"I always had a sense for big stories. Knew where to look for stuff. Had a strong need to find out the truth. So I ended up as an investigative journalist. All thanks to Beth" she said leaning back in the seat.
"All thanks to Beth?" he asked back.
"I was a middle schooler when I first joined the school newspaper. Though I was the last one to join that year, so I got what was left. Interview with a sportsman or woman is no big deal. My family loved supporting figure skating and skaters so I "figured" out it would be nice to interview Michelle Kwan, who was in London at that time. I remember we were like halfway through with my questions when I saw Beth going to the ring to warm up. And at that moment I knew she is the story I have to write about. So trusting my gut I scraped the interview and did it with her. She was so confused about why I'm asking a ton of questions from her, but in the end, we became friends. My story got a spotlight in the newspaper because when I submitted the story, that was when Beth won the championship, making herself the youngest world champion." Melissa finished her tale about meeting Elisabeth.
"I never get why she is hiding this" he sighed looking down.
"I'm not allowed to say this, but since you seem to be the best boyfriend Beth had so far, I'll tell you. She had a troubled childhood. Her mom is a dick, her dad was an alcoholic at that time and had no money. She only had her skate and Merlin. Though things got better over time. Just as everything usually does. But she is still ashamed about this all, so that's why you don't hear her talking about that time." There she looked at him and a few seconds later her eyes widened as she started to look for something in her bag. "God, you've been shot!" she exclaimed as she pulled out her scarf.
"Oh. So that is the numbing pain I have been feeling the past hour" he said as the realisation hit him while Mel put the scarf on his left arm.
"Why didn't you tell me?!" she yelled, her voice at least a few notes higher than usual.
"I am accustomed to pain, so I did not think much about it. But please, do not take me to the hospital. I hate that place" he said, remembering all the times he ended up there.
"I don't want to because then we have to explain it all. And did I mention having a gun is illegal?"
"Is it illegal to have weapons?" he asked, flabbergasted as his lips parted slightly. It was so unusual.
"Yeah, it's illegal in most of the countries. But for example, in the USA, weapons are kinda part of their religion."
"You all are strange" Megatron finally concluded, taking a deep breath.
"Well, I see your point" she giggled as she pulled out her phone. "Nevertheless we need someone to patch you up. So if you don't mind I'm gonna call up Ambrose." Then she called up the number and waited for it to be answered.
"I may have given you my personal number, but that doesn't mean you can call me up with every damn problem you have Kimberly," Ambrose said as he picked up.
"I need someone to patch up Megatron. Like real fast, before he decides to die from haemorrhage" Mel explained.
"Is Elisabeth there?"
"No."
"Now I understand everything. Can you pick me up at the High Street Tesco?"
"How can such a rich man like you go into the Tesco to shop?"
"Mind you, I may not be a woman, but I do love shopping!" he answered in an irritated voice. "Though that is not even the point, because we have a bleeding alien to patch up."
"Yeah, I get it. I think we'll be there in ten minutes or less if Soundwave finds a shortcut. And I think he will."
"Then I get going. I have to buy a medkit for this shit" and he ended the call.
"Good news. Ambrose is going to help us."
After a few seconds, silence settled between them, so Megatron had time to think. He felt his left arm throbbing in pain, but this was nothing new for him. To go further this reminded him of all those cycles when he was waiting to be patched up after a tough fight in the arena. His damages ranged in a wide area from having deep cuts to torn-off arms and legs. Not like it mattered much to him, as it could be replaced. Everything inside him could be replaced. It was so different from being a human. In this body, everything is intertwined and he doubted that all this stuff is replaceable. And as mortal and weak it sounded as reassuring it was. Knowing you will be the same person throughout your life.
Though this was not the main reason why he loved this body. He loved food, all those tastes were just so good! Sweet, sour, hot, bitter and everything in between! He had so much to choose from. Just like the clothes. He could change them whenever he had the chance, having multiple layers that are so soft like a warm embrace. So to conclude this body gave him the opportunity to feel everything so much more accurately. It gave him choices and with those choices came freedom.
He only snapped out of thinking when he felt strange in his left arm. Looking there he found Ambrose pushing the needle into his skin.
"Good to see that this snapped you out of your shock," he said as he pulled the needle out of the other side of the wound while the thread pulled to two sides closer to each other.
"I was just thinking," he answered, raising one of his eyebrows high.
"About what?" asked Melissa, who was now sitting in the back seat.
"That I like being a human. As strange as it sounds" he smiled. "It is a pity I will never have a chance to thank Merlin for all of this. For giving me a chance…"
"At redemption?" Ambrose and Melissa said at once then looked at each other surprised.
"Yes. And for giving me a life worth living."