This, I think, is something people have wanted for a while. At least, I've been looking forward to posting it (and writing it, I put the finishing touches on this section yesterday).


"Lugnut, Blitzwing, watch the sparklings, I think I need to have a talk with their Prime." Megatron turned to look at the little red and blue sparkling, who simply took a deep breath, and nodded.

"Yes," was all he said.

Megatron considered making the Autobot, who had, after all, caused him plenty of problems, walk to keep up with him, but in the end, he picked up the sparkling and headed for his quarters. The Autobot tensed for a moment before forcing himself to relax.

Megatron didn't blame him, the last time he'd picked up the little bot, he'd very nearly killed him. Of course, the Autobot been a full adult then.

They were quiet as Megatron shut the door to his office and sat down at his desk. After a moment of thought, he set the Autobot down on his desk, where he could sit on a stack of datapads.

"You have the recording?" the Autobot asked.

"Yes," Megatron said. "And I assume it has all the important information. If you regress like your comrades did, I have the information."

The little bot smiled sadly. "I think it's more a matter of when," he admitted. "And I don't think I have very long, either. I think that the only reason it hasn't happened to me yet is because I was the farthest from the shard that did this to us."

"Then I won't waste your limited time on the information in the message. Is there anything else you want to tell me?"

The little bot shifted. "Please," he started. His voice broke and he vented hard. "Take care of them," he said. His voice hitched again. "They don't know about the war, they don't know about Autobots and Decepticons, nothing. They're innocents. Don't punish my team for something they can't remember, and wouldn't understand."

Megatron frowned down at the sparkling. "Wasn't it you, little Autobot, that most opposed me? Why aren't you concerned about yourself?"

The Autobot smiled bitterly. There was something wrong about seeing that expression on a sparkling. "I don't matter. If they're safe, I don't care what happens to me."

Megatron believed that he believed that. However, he definitely needed to do something about that lack of self-worth. No mech that could defeat him should feel that way about himself. Perhaps, with this, he'd get a chance to change the bot's feelings.

"You realize that means your team will be raised as Decepticons, by Decepticons, don't you?"

The little bot paused. Finally, he sighed. "I don't like it," he admitted. "But there's nothing I can do to stop it. And at least they'd be cared for."

Megatron nodded. "Thank you, then, for your honesty," he said. He paused, and made his decision. "I will find loyal members of my army to foster or adopt your team. I suspect I won't have too much trouble finding good families for all of them." And you, he finished, but didn't say.

The sparkling wilted in relief. "Thank you," he murmured.

Megatron focused on him, but he didn't say anything else. The bot's optics flicked off, then back on. Megatron picked him up again. "What is it, little Autobot?"

"I have a name," the bot said quietly.

"And what is it?" Megatron asked, just as quiet.

The bot paused. "Optimus," he finally said. "Optimus Prime, though this is probably the last time I'll get to call myself a Prime." He shook himself hard. He suddenly looked like he was fighting recharge.

"You were so focused on your team, you didn't worry about yourself," Megatron observed. "And now that you know they're safe, you have no reserves left."

"I had to." Optimus responded. "They're my team. I have to take care of them, as much as I can." He shook his helm hard. "I needed to know they'll be safe."

"They will, you and your team will be safe, Optimus Prime," Megatron promised. "Just rest."

"I can't," Optimus said. "Everyone else reverted when they were recharging. If I do…"

"You will be forced to recharge eventually," Megatron said. "Especially at your physical age," he sighed. "You held out long enough, Optimus," he said gently. "Your team is safe, and so are you. I won't let anyone harm you, and I will be here when you wake up, be it as yourself, or as an innocent sparkling."

Optimus fought for a long moment more, but he couldn't hold out much longer. He shifted and his optics powered down. Megatron rumbled his engine, something that never failed to calm distraught adults. It certainly seemed to sooth this sparkling. Optimus powered on his optics to stare at him for a moment before they flicked off again. He shifted, and with the suddenness of all sparklings, he was in recharge.

Megatron knew exactly what he was going to do with this tenacious little warrior. One of the few Autobots who had ever defeated him and lived to tell the tale, a worthy opponent. But now… Megatron felt the little sparkling tense, then relax even more. Something intangible changed. And he knew. The little Autobot, the fierce fighter who wouldn't give up, was gone. In his place, there was nothing more or less than sparkling with all his potential.

Megatron slowly lifted his hand so that he could look at the sleeping sparkling without bending his neck. "Little one," he rumbled softly. "Optimus. If nothing else, you deserve this. I will make you a prince, the prince of the Decepticon Empire. You will know how much you are worth, and you will be my heir. I will raise you as a warrior, as I know you can be, as a leader, and as my own creation. Be welcome to the Decepticons, my creation."

He would repeat those words, as appropriate, when Optimus was awake, and in front of witnesses. But it felt right to say them now, in privacy.

He smiled to himself. He wondered just what Optimus would be like as a sparkling. Would he be the cheerful, exploratory type? Or would he be more reserved and prefer to stay close to his caretakers? Megatron couldn't wait to find out. After all, this little sparkling was his creation now.


I might not be able to post next week, but I will try. If so, I will see you all next week. If not, I'll post on the 23rd.