Optimusprimus001: Okay guys... I know this chapter gets a little funky at the end, but I have to start making connections somewhere...
Shiori: What do you mean, 'Connections'?
Optimusprimus001: Thats a special secret. But I'll explain that in a later chapter.
Shiori: (sighs) fine. This better be good, then...
16. Lists
He was having a rough day. When he'd taken the Mrrisst to get more supplies for the time-dimension jump to go back for Starscream, the battleship had gotten so heavily damaged that Optimus had to postpone the ship until it was repaired. Senators and ambassadors visiting from other planets and cities constantly came to him in the Autobot Command Center, while he waited for the ship to be repaired, and asked him questions that took long amounts of time to explain the answers to. And he still had to get to Megatron and tell him how Starscream had gotten captured and that as soon as the Mrrisst was repaired, he would return to get the Decepticon Air Commander back- and then convince the Decepticon leader that he had to do so alone. Optimus knew that convincing Megatron about the 'alone' part would be the hardest in his list, and he was thankful that Elita had taken Shiori off of his list of things to do for the time being. It was one less thing to worry about right now.
Might as well take Megatron off the list now, Optimus thought when he found a large gap in the space of questioning bots. Turning, he left the command center and started towards the Decepticon 'base'.
"Where is he going?" One of the ambassadors asked.
"Optimus Prime is a busy bot," Override spoke up from close by, "He's got more than just us to take care of."
"He doesn't own the entire planet."
"No, but Primus does. And Primus usually talks to three lucky mechs to take care of Cybertron- which, by the way, is Primus. Optimus is one of those mechs, and all three of the bots have to come to an agreement on something to get anything done around here," She explained to the Ambassador.
"Oh. Yes, well... I suppose that makes sense..."
As Optimus left the command center, he decided he would walk to the Decepticon 'base'. It would take him longer, and would give him some time to think about how to go about talking Megatron into giving him more time to retrieve Starscream. He walked through the city park, watching Snarl in his beast-mode catch a ball and throw it back at one of the small Autobots playing with him with a powerful twist of his neck.
"OOOouuuuuooOOO! Catch it if you can!" Snarl howled playfully, and pounced on another ball that another bot kicked to him, sending the ball back at the kid. Nearby, Leobreaker watched in his beast-mode, unsure if he wanted to join in on the game. Then he saw Optimus walking past.
"Optimus!" the gold, black, and white lion called, and bounded towards the Autobot leader. Optimus kept walking, but slowed so the lion could catch up, and watched him come with a smile. "Hello, Leo," he answered when the lion-bot landed next to him on all fours and started trotting next to him.
"What're you doing out here, Optimus?"
"Thinking, mostly."
"About what?"
"About how to get Starscream back from where he's stuck at. And convincing Megatron to give me more time to get back to where Starscream is."
"Sounds complicated."
"It probably is, Leo," Optimus sighed, glancing down at the golden lion.
"Well, I wish you best of luck," Leobreaker told him.
"And I wish you best of luck with that game you looked interested in," Optimus laughed. Leobreaker looked back up at him. "You saw me watching, huh?"
"Who wouldn't notice you watching? You're a great, big, friendly lion, Leo."
"I don't know about 'great', Optimus. But thanks," the big cat purred, before turning back and bounding back towards the game. Optimus turned and watched him go. There goes a big kitten looking for a ball of string, he thought with a smile as he turned back and continued walking. Maybe I should go find some string for myself and tie Megatron up and make him listen to what I have to say. It'd keep him occupied while I talked to him. Too bad that wouldn't work... Optimus stopped. String wouldn't work... But maybe some cookies would. Primus knows Megatron's fallen in love with Hot Shots'...
Inspired by the possibility, Optimus altered his course slightly and headed towards Hot Shot's resturant not far away. Reaching it, he entered. A few minutes later, he came out with a box of cookies in his hand. This ought to do nicely, he thought contentedly. After transforming, he continued back on his original course...
"I wonder what Optimus wanted with a box of cookies," Demolisher said thoughtfully as he watched the Autobot leader leave the resuraunt. Cyclonus giggled softly.
"Maybe he wants to give them to someone, like Shockblast?" Cyclonus suggested, breaking into a fit of insane laughter at the concept. Demolisher scowled at him. "Now why would he want to do that?"
"Good question, Demmy... hehehehehe..."
"It's entirely possible that he'll eat them himself, you know."
"That many cookies by himself?" Cyclonus stared at his friend, rather boggle-eyed.
"You eat more than that in a day... And he's bigger than you."
"That's true," Cyclonus snickered. Demolisher stood up.
"Speaking of Megatron, we should probably be getting back."
"Awww... I hope he doesn't want us to stand in a nice, neat line again..."
"Cyclonus, you wouldn't know what a nice, neat line is. Of course he's going to make us stand in a line, we're his 'special' Decepticons."
"Oh yeah..." More insane giggles. Demolisher sighed, turning to leave. Demolisher waved at Hot Shot as he left. Cyclonus scrambled after him.
"See you guys around!" Hot Shot called after them, before putting another tray of cookies into the oven...
"So... Let me get this straight, you want to go get Starscream, by yourself, in a currently damaged ship? You're insane, Prime! Even Cyclonus wouldn't go by himself!"
"Unlike Cyclonus, I have tricks up my sleeves. Besides, I'm getting the ship repaired even as we discuss this."
"You never used one of your tricks on me. If you had any worthwhile, that is..."
"Actually, you'd be suprised."
"Really... How about you try one, then?"
"You'll probably end up stuck in stasis lock for a month."
"... You don't have any tricks, Prime. You've never had a heart to come up with any."
"YOU WANT A TRICK, MEGATRON?.!" There was a sharp, tearing noise.
"AHHRG!.!.! GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME, PRIME! BLAST! I TAKE IT BACK!.!.!"
"That's better." The tearing noise stopped.
"That hurt, Prime! ... And since when did you have claws?.!"
"I thought you were used to pain. Primus knows you dealt out your share..."
"You didn't answer the question."
"And I'm not going to." There was a hint of a threat in his growl.
"Fine, do it your way, if you like. As long as I get him back."
"He'll be back, I'll promise you that much. I just can't say for sure how soon it will be."
"Whatever. You've had your fun, Prime. Now get out."
"It was nice talking with you."
"I have nothing against talking over cookies..."
"What has that got to do with our conversation?"
"... I'm not going to answer that."
"WE'RE BAAACK, Megatron!" Cyclonus shouted, opening the door and entering with a giggle, only to stop short to find Optimus there. Demolisher stopped right behind him and stared. Megatron had five large gashes in his chest, the three centermost of them deep enough to have energon bleeding out of them. Demolisher uneasily glanced away and noticed that Prime's right hand was covered in both of their blood, and there was an irregular shape to the Autobot's fingers... Optimus noticed Demolisher looking at his hand and quickly hid his hand out of sight, looking uneasy.
"..." Both leaders stared at them for a moment, unsure of what to do.
"GET OUT!.!.!.!" Megatron roared at all of them suddenly, knowing that Demolisher was smart enough to put together what had happened. Optimus jumped, snapping out of his suprise.
"Meep!" Cyclonus squeaked, and scrambled out of the room quickly. Demolisher hesitated, uncertian of what to do. Optimus drew himself up slightly, his gold-white optics still flickering uneasily.
"I was leaving, anyways," the Autobot leader growled, and swept past Demolisher without another word. Demolisher glanced questioningly at Megatron.
"Uh, sir...?" he asked slowly, noticing the box of cookies, now closed, on the table next to the throne, as well as the fact that Megatron had crossed his arms to hide the damage on his chest.
"OUT!" Megatron raged furiously, sparing his right hand to throw a jagged piece of metal from the ground at Demolisher. It crashed into the wall behind Demolisher as he rushed out after Cyclonus, leaving Megatron to rage to himself in his room and onto any unsuspecting bot that chanced to wander in next...
Optimusprimus001: Okay... Now I'm scaring myself with this story... >>;
Shiori: How does THAT happen?
Optimusprimus001: No idea... (quotes vector prime) It cannot be helped. All will be explained in due time.
Shiori: Great...
