Megaempress waited for C-81 in a waiting room alongside her team; the Five Deck, composed of Lunaclub, Moonheart, Flowspade, and Trickdiamond. "Thanks for coming, minna." Megaempress thanked her friends. "We haven't found the egg in our search, ojou-sama." Lunaclub informed her. "What is Optimus Prime going to do with your father?" Moonheart asked Megaempress. "I just hope he hasn't figured out otosan's identity. Who knows what he'll do to him?" Megaempress said.
Optimus Prime brings C-81 out to the waiting room when Megaempress seem them. "Oto-" Megaempress exclaimed before her mouth is covered by Flowspade. "Lord High Protector Optimus Prime, is our friend in trouble?" Flowspade spoke for Megaempress. "C-81 is cleared of all suspicions. However, he requests assistance in a personal investigation." Optimus Prime informed them. "Optimus Prime has kindly offered his services to find the egg." C-81 informed Megaempress.
"He… will?" Megaempress said confused. "C-81 has requested my help, and I have accepted his request. We will travel to the last known location of the egg to begin investigations." Optimus Prime informed Megaempress. "You five are to remain here in the meantime. You all have done your part well, and I suggest you take a rest." C-81 told Megaempress' team. "Hai, oto-" Megaempress acknowledged before Flowspade covers her mouth. C-81 and Optimus Prime walk past them and leave the Hub Dome.
"Do you think he knows he's Megatron?" Megaempress asked Flowspade. "If Optimus Prime does find out, then otosan will give him the fight of his life." Megaempress responded. Walking through the adjacent corridor is Elita-Two Prime, who catches a glance of the Five Deck, who also notice her. They stop and stare at each other for a silent moment. "'Sup?" Elita-Two Prime awkwardly waved to them.
C-81 and Optimus Prime travel through a forest in their vehicle modes and stop at a cave before a creek. They transform into robot mode and walk down to the cave. "This is where I first set up camp when I arrived on this island." C-81 told Optimus Prime. The Autobot leader enters the cave and looks around, finding discarded solar lamps and out-of-place boulders arranged like seats. "I placed it upon one of these stones, and entrusted it to the Five Deck. When I returned, the egg was gone and the team was on standby mode, awakening upon my arrival." C-81 explained as he pointed to a specific boulder nearest to the entrance.
Optimus Prime finds an album C.D. with a note written on it.
Hey C,
I found this old album from forever ago. I hope you'll give it a listen.
-Marcy
C-81 takes the small disc case from Optimus Prime. "That was a gift from someone who's cave I accidentally intruded upon." C-81 said as he placed the disc inside a chest compartment. Optimus Prime inspects the rock where the egg was last seen, and places a rock atop it. "Hmm…" Optimus Prime hummed in thought.
As he looks at the rock, he tries to strike a conversation with C-81. "How did you say you met Megaempress?" Optimus Prime asked C-81. "Russia, Alpha Centauri b. I was on transit from Vehicon when I heard rumours of her attempting to invade the planet. I couldn't believe that she survived after you killed me in Chicago. She was exactly as I expected her to be; a hollow reminder of the Decepticon cause and my own vain ambitions." C-81 explained. "You did not know of her after the Resparking?" Optimus Prime asked. "To be honest, I entirely forgot about her until Russia." C-81 answered.
C-81 is puzzled by Optimus Prime's behaviour, as thousands of years of war between the Autobots and Decepticons have reduced their relationship from close brothers to bitter enemies, with every encounter a dance with death. Because of this, he couldn't help but put his guard up in case Optimus Prime tries something. "What have you accomplished in your exile?" Optimus Prime asked C-81 as he scans the ground. "I was a prospector, travelling from planet-to-planet. What about you?" C-81 answered, continuing the conversation. "If you have been kept up-to-date with news, I appointed my daughter as the Prime of Cybertron on her five-hundredth stellar cycle, with I as second Lord High Protector." Optimus Prime answered as he stood up.
Without even touching the boulder, the rock atop the boulder rolls off and zig-zags along the ground before dropping into the creek. The two Cybertronians look at the sunken rock with realization. "It must've been carried along the current!" C-81 said. "Let's follow the creek." Optimus Prime added. They follow the creek downstream with a regular walking pace.
"Lord High Protector; a role that should fit you more than I ever did." C-81 commented. "Yes, it has. I have been successful at organizing Cybertron's military for the past few centuries." Optimus Prime said. "Have there been any stubborn Decepticons who gave you trouble, aside from Megaempress?" C-81 asked. "That is classified information. All I can say is that I have thwarted several invasion attempts on Cybertron." Optimus Prime answered. "Your daughter must be proud to work alongside you." C-81 said.
Optimus Prime stops in his place with C-81 going ahead before stopping to look back at him. "We work together efficiently in political matters, but as a daughter… We're becoming distant, is what I am trying to say." Optimus Prime said. "Distant?" C-81 repeated. "After her mother's death, she has been rebellious towards me. She's sneaking out of Iacon Tower, and has bridged herself to Earth on more than one occasion after her first visit." Optimus Prime explained. "Your conjunx endura is Elita-One, yes? The purple sibling of those Metrotitan sisters?" C-81 asked.
"Correct. She was very dear to me even before the war. I was immensely relieved when she returned after the Resparking." Optimus Prime said. "How have you handled her death?" C-81 asked Optimus Prime. "Well… I made precautions to protect Elita-Two from potential danger. Security has been upgraded in the Great Dome and the Celestial Spires, as well as defences. I also regulate Elita-Two's schedule to ensure I know of her day-to-day activities." Optimus Prime explained. "That sounds restrictive, don't you think?" C-81 asked before he resumed walking along the creek. "It's all to ensure her safety." Optimus Prime said before walking with C-81 again.
"This may not be my place to say, as I am also new to raising a daughter, but I believe she feels trapped, rather than protected." C-81 commented. "What do you know about being trapped?" Optimus Prime asked. "Believe me, more than you could ever know." C-81 answered ominously. Optimus Prime took note at C-81's cryptic answer before focusing back to the investigation. They follow the creek to a small grove of trees sitting precariously on the edge of a cliff.
They inspect the grove and see that the creek is running through the grove, but the gaps between the trees are too small for a Cybertronian egg to fit in. The inside of the grove is hollow and has rudimentary furniture arranged as if it were a house. "It's not here." C-81 said as he crouched to look into the grove. He looks to Optimus Prime, who is gazing at the mountains beyond the cliff. "Earth… It's amazing that despite everything that happened to this planet, it's beauty is still preserved." Optimus Prime said.
"I never did appreciate the beauty of this planet until now. I barely even appreciated the beauty of our own planet." C-81 said as he walked to Optimus Prime's side. "Do you see why I chose this planet as my second home?" Optimus Prime said. "It must've been a difficult decision to leave Earth for centuries." C-81 said. "It was." Optimus Prime said. "We're still no closer to finding the egg. It's been months, and anything could've happened to it." C-81 said stressfully.
"Megatron, I will do everything in my power to investigate this matter further." Optimus Prime said. "I told you not to call me that!" C-81 exclaimed angrily as he turned to Optimus Prime. C-81 calms down and looks away. "I'm sorry again, Prime. The name Megatron disgusts me, as it was a name that essentially defined evil in Cybertronian history." C-81 said. "It's alright, C-Eighty-One. It was I who made that mistake." Optimus Prime responded.
Approaching the cliff is a woman wearing a brown cloak and hood that hides her face. "Hey, get away from my house!" she exclaimed to the Cybertronians as she shakes her green-skinned fist. The two looks to her, when part of the cliff beneath them crumbles and they fall off the cliff. They crash into another forest below, dazed and slightly hurt from the fall. The two stand up and wipe away dirt and debris off them.
"Optimus, are you alright?" C-81 asked Optimus Prime as the leader stands up. "Yes, I am. We have to return to Hub City to file a report with The Voyagers." Optimus Prime answered. The two walks through the trees as they circle back towards where they came from. "C-Eighty-One, I wanted to ask how you made the decision to surrender in the war? After killing Galvatron, you could've regained control of the Decepticons, but you didn't. What made you choose to surrender and flee?" Optimus Prime asked. C-81 stops in his tracks and looks back to Optimus Prime. "I revile to even think of it, but it's time you should know. Prime, when you died at my hands, what did you see after death?" C-81 asked him. "What kind of question is that?" Optimus Prime asked.
"Just answer it." C-81 demanded. "Fine. After you impaled me, and blasted a hole through my body, I only saw Sam… then, darkness." Optimus Prime answered. "After the restoration of Cybertron, an article was released with interviews from the Resparked. All claimed to have experienced nothing after death, remembering darkness and then a light when they awoke." Optimus Prime added. "This was the case for all but one: me." C-81 said. "Do you mean you saw the afterlife?" Optimus Prime asked.
"Yes… and I hated it. As some sort of punishment, Mortilus laid before me a field of flowers, each representing a life I have taken. Not only that, but upon the birth of the mockery of myself called Galvatron, I came to witness his own atrocities through my eyes. Even the flowers gave me visions, visions of those whom I killed. I saw my own history laid out before me in a… horrifying, yet beautiful display." C-81 spoke." C-81 spoke. "That sounds… I can't even begin to think what that was like." Optimus Prime commented. "In the moments before I came back to life, I finally reached the edge of the garden, a journey that took centuries. When it was time, it felt like… mercy came to wash away what I've done. When I awoke back to life, I decided that I'll face Galvatron, to cross out what I've become and, in a way, erase myself." C-81 added. "Now you, I want to know why you of all people forgive me, and decided to aid my quest. What happened, Optimus Prime?" C-81 asked Optimus Prime.
Before Optimus Prime could answer, they hear an explosion beyond the forest. "What was that?" Optimus Prime wondered. They run towards the source outside the forest, where they see a cargo ship sitting atop a swamp. There are multiple drones belonging to the bounty hunter Lockdown, sharing his body-type with faceless helmets and grey paintjobs. They have just defeated an unseen, but weaker, military force evidenced by the yellow splatters, fallen spears, and giant banana peels floating atop the swamp water.
"Those drones, I've seen them in New York City. They're Lockdown's; the bounty hunter you fought during Galvatron's awakening." C-81 commented. The drones retract their weapons and begin to load wooden crates into the ship. "I shall tell you my story later, but now I must fight these drones. Will you join me?" Optimus Prime asked C-81.
To be continued…