Introduction: This happens some time after the end of By Might, right after Megatronus escaped from Kaon, around chapter 70ish of Many Voices I guess. You won't know the characters in it if you haven't read By Might.
Clench was careful to keep his cool as he walked down the hall, followed closely by his guards. The light didn't seem to be on in the room he was heading for, but the door was open and he knew Casurus was in there. The mech had been ignoring Clench for too long, and this was the last straw. Just because he was the best trainer the pits had ever seen didn't mean he could disregard orders.
Clench strode through the door, and stopped just far enough inside that his guards could enter behind him The brightest thing in the room was Casurus's purple optics. A dim glow of the same color came from the cube in his hand, and he sat at a small table in the far corner, facing the wall.
"Casurus."
He turned his helm and looked up at Clench with a lazy, half-annoyed glare.
"I told you I wanted to meet with you in my office," Clench said. His anger drained and an icy chill ran down his spinal plating as he made optic contact with the smaller mech.
"Since when am I one of your lackeys?" Casurus asked quietly.
The anger returned. This mech was getting too big for his armor, that was for sure. "Since I hired you."
Casurus snorted and sipped his cube. Dyed energon, maybe with some interesting additives. "Need to talk, then talk to me," Casurus said. "Here we are."
"Don't get smart with me," Clench said. "You're just lucky you're so useful. I have a special job for you."
Casurus quirked his helm to the side. "I'm listening."
"I need you to go north and bring back that rogue fighter of yours."
"No," Casurus said, almost before Clench had finished talking. "He ain't mine." He paused to down the rest of his cube.
"I'll pay you," Clench said.
BANG
Casurus slammed the empty cube onto the table.
"Are you listening to me?" Clench growled.
Casurus sprang up, crossed the room and grabbed Clench by the neck before Clench knew what was happening.
The guards just stared.
He pulled Clench forward so their faceplates were almost touching. "I told you I will not go to Iacon to fetch your little toy back. Ask me again and you'll regret it."
He let go and Clench stumbled back.
"Kill him."
The guards moved forward, then hesitated.
Casurus just shook his helm and smirked.
"I said kill him!" Clench hissed.
The guards dove forward. Casurus moved faster than Clench could follow and in a few moments, both guards were unconscious and leaking on the floor. Clench suddenly felt alone and vulnerable. He backed away, but Casurus followed, and slammed him up against the wall.
"Don't… don't kill me!"
"I want you to know something," Casurus said. "I worked for you cuz I was bored, not cuz I want your money. Find yourself a new trainer," He dropped Clench and stalked away toward the door.
"You'll regret that!" Clench said. "I'll have you hunted down and offlined." But his own words sounded weak in the darkness.
Casurus laughed again and the sound echoed in Clench's audios long after the other mech was gone.
Notes:
1. Happy Halloween! Or happy whatever day it is when people read this. :)
2. So, I can't even tell you all the reasons I love Casurus, but he's too much fun to write. :) He's another one of those characters who might seem like an OC, but isn't. He's actually canon, he's just going by a different name right now. Anyone want to guess what his real name is?