A/N: My word this took too long to write, and too long to put out. Sorry about the long wait, got a new game recently and I've just been playing it like crazy! Didn't realize how long it was till I looked at a calander, so sorry! But anyways, we come to the third part on the Autobot side and its time to face a foe that's going be a pain for the Falling Stars! Hope you enjoy this super long chapter, the next one will be the final one and I'll have the Cons side up asap!
Now please, enjoy the long awaited show!
Chapter 17-Dream Team, Part 3
In the Catacombs…
No One's POV
Rafael hurried up the stairs towards the small landing and the curtain of magical light. His fist in a tight ball as he tried to reign in his fear and worry. All he wanted to do was to get away from Cliffjumper and find Cenotaph and just ask her….why? What was wrong with her? Was she a threat? Is she really an ally? And what was with her mind games, and those tombs?
He stopped before the wall of light that shimmered before him, a realization coming over him.
Rafael realized that he never saw a tomb for Ratchet, everyone else was there, even some people he didn't know and heck, even Cenotaph had her own tomb, so, where was Ratchet's? His thoughts went immediately to the tomb he woke up in with Cliffjumper, they never really looked at it for any plates or anything.
Heck, they didn't even fully explore the catacombs, there could even be more private tombs elsewhere.
But now, he was tired, done with this place. So, he would reluctantly leave it unanswered for now. After all, when he found Cenotaph he could make her tell him anyways.
"Raf!" Cliffjumper's voice came from below him, he looked back to see the red tiefling trying to follow him.
He frowned and turned away, but waited for the tiefling to catch up to him.
Finally, Cliffjumper came to Rafael's side, huffing and panting. Cliffjumper's worries had not gone away, when Raf's behavior began to shift before it had frightened him. He was wondering what kind of turmoil was going on in his head, while trying to suppress his own.
For the first time, ever, Cliffjumper doubted the Primes when it came to their champion picking. And whenever he thought that line it sent shivers down his spine. As well, when he saw the tombs before him, it caused him to worry even more. He wondered to himself if maybe he made the right call, in choosing to join up with them. But then again, he had a chance to ignore it and he didn't, he accepted Bulletta's offer after all.
Or was that the Primes as well?
Something crawled under his skin, like something wasn't right, about any of this. It was the same feeling he had when Moonfall intervened to stop Starscream from killing him. It was...wrong and that thought worried him most. Did he want to die? Was he ungrateful?
He truthfully didn't know, none of this stuff was really his forte, he was more of the kind of guy to go in with guns ablazing, not the emotional stuff.
"Raf," He breathed again, trying to get back on track, "I know this is all hard for you to get but we can't be separated here, it could be dangerous."
The human turned his head away from the tiefling, "I need time alone with my thoughts, please."
"I can't do that Raf," Cliffjumper said, straightening his back with resolve, "I won't let anything hurt you-"
"EXCEPT YOU LET A NECROMANCER TOY WITH MY MIND!?" Rafael burst out in anger previously unknown to him.
Cliffjumper stared at the human, a hurt expression coming across his face as the human realized what he just did.
"Leave me alone, please." Rafael said, stepping away from Cliffjumper and heading towards the wall of the light.
Cliffjumper reached out for him, "Raf wait! Lets ta-"
He was cut off as soon as he passed through the wall, confused momentarily he turned back on to see not Cliffjumper or the stairs, but a fireplace of purple fire. His hazel eyes widened in dread as he slowly took in the room.
Above the stone fireplace was a painting of a woman with red hair and purple clothing. Around the room on all the walls were shelves upon shelves of books and scrolls, large windows were scattered on one wall but it was hard to see out of them, there were several doors in this room and it was decorated with tables and chairs as well as a love seat.
Low light from torches and the fireplace alighted the room and the overwhelming smell of paper and perfume permeated the air.
"W-What…?" He quietly said to himself, his brown gloved hands reaching for the handle of the rapier sword on his belt.
No one was in the room with him, he was completely alone.
"Hello?" He called out, still afraid of what might jump out at him, "C-Cliffjumper? Are y-you there?!"
No one answered, but for the silence of the room.
He went to a door and tried to pry it open, but it wouldn't move. Trying the next he pulled with no luck. Each door he tried the panic would grow. And when none of them opened he slumped into the love seat, his heart beating in his own ears as he trembled in panic and fear.
Rafael didn't want to be here anymore, he didn't want to think about all the horrible things running through his head right now, he didn't want to think about any of it. But here he was, alone with his thoughts, and only his thoughts.
"Please-can someone hear me!? I don't want to be here!" He called out again, desperate to fill the air with sound.
"Why not? I thought you wanted to be alone with your thoughts?" A soft feminine voice caught the human by complete surprise.
Whipping his head to the voice he stared at the mystery girl who just suddenly appeared out of nowhere. She was a young woman with pale skin and vibrant red hair, she wore a purple Victorian dress and on her hand was an engagement ring made of black metal with a red jewel.
Her piercing red eyes staring at him with a questioning look.
"W-Who…?!" He said, standing in haste and pulling his rapier sword, but it shook as he pointed it at her.
She cocked her head to the side, "I am sorry, was I wrong?"
He frowned, raising his sword higher, "W-What are you t-talking about?"
"Hm, I guess it is scary when a stranger approaches, no? My apologies, young man, my name is Tatyana." She said with a kind yet strange smile.
He became even more confused, slowly lowering his sword.
"Tatyana? Where did you come from a-and what happened to Cliffjumper?" He asked, staring around the otherwise empty study room.
She chuckled, "That's not important, like I said before, I thought you wanted to be alone?"
Slowly she approached, her steps silent and it was like she was almost gliding across the floor. The sword was now at his side and she stopped a respectable distance from him, looking at him curiously once again.
"Uh, I-I….mhm, I d-didn't really m-mean it...I think." He said, looking away bashfully.
"I don't understand." She stated more than questioned, "I thought you wanted to think over the several revelations you just discovered, after all, finding out about all of this is quite...problematic."
He sighed, flopping back onto the love seat, "I don't know. Yes, I wanna think things over and yet...I don't want to think about it."
She tilted her head slightly, "You want to be oblivious to it all. You want things to go back to simpler times, maybe even before the Autobots."
Rafael looked up at her, her face stone cold and her red eyes boring into him.
He frowned, "N-No, that's not-"
She cut him off, "But that's what you're thinking, isn't it?"
"But…" He sighed, looking down again, "I suppose that thought was there without me realizing it. B-But I like my new friends, Bumblebee and everyone else."
"Yet...you still ponder it." She said with no emotion, it unsettled him slightly.
"Sure, yeah. It would be better if I didn't know any of this, and I suppose I haven't fully processed the whole situation. I mean, I'm now involved not only in an intergalactic war, but a government secret and now...this ultra secret within the one I already had." He groaned, "When I say it out loud, it sounds so...horrible. I mean, I'm only twelve and three quarters and I'm in this shit, this deep deep well of nonsense.'
He stood and began to pace near the fireplace.
'This, all of this, brings a whole new level of stress. I'm now in the know of a secondary secret war! And to top it off, one of them is a dark magic user whose view of others and herself is seriously twisted. I mean, I was dragged into this with no warning, no SAY in the matter! I'm tired of it, of people making decisions for me just because I am a special kid with special talents."
"Hm, it sounds like you hate her and the rest of them for dragging you down. I wonder, are they going to kill you if you refuse to play their game?" Tatyana asked, a sly smirk briefly appearing across her face.
Rafael sighed, staring into the purple flame, "I don't think they would….but then again, Cenotaph did raise Skyquake from the dead. And for what reason on top of that!? What else is hiding? Can she be trusted, with not only this Cabal but with the bots as well? Ah, I have too many questions…"
"Questions are important, Rafael, it means you are not a sheep to society." She stated calmly, watching the human with intent.
He sighed, "Yeah I-wait...I never told you my name." He said, staring at her now with a slight suspicion.
Tatyana ignored his query, "Tell me, Rafael, with this knowledge now, what will you do with it? Are you going to play along with her and their plans? Or are you going to take your freedom back?"
A dark smirk replaced her cold expression, her red eyes sparkling in the purple firelight.
Tatyana pressed even further, "For me, it's quite simple what you should do. You should rat them all out to the Autobots, to Agent Fowler. Once they realize that they are traitors, that's when you get to see their true colors. That's when you get what you most want, power. Power over those who bullied you into a corner! And then, no one will ever EVER tell you what you can and can't do ever again!"
He slowly backed up until he could feel the hot heat of the fireplace.
A scared expression crossing his face as he said, "T-Thats…"
She rolled her eyes, "OH COME NOW! Don't be like that, I know what you're desire is, you want power and control so that no one can influence your mind! And with it, no one can ever lie or deceive you, everyone's true colors will shine through and then you won't have to worry about who to trust anymore! You'll be free from the pain of betrayal and the pain of reality, isn't that what you want!?"
As she approached him, her eyes started to glow completely red, her body rising into the air and growing bigger until she towered over him, sharp teeth glinted as she bent down over him. Her hand went out, open and ready to accept his, it was black and decayed with claws that could kill.
"I-I...do want that…" He said quietly, his fist clenching.
Her dark smirk turned into a sinister smile, "Take my hand, Rafael, and I'll grant you the power to become a god of all worlds. No more pain, no more being pushed around. Just peace, power and the ability to do as you please!"
His breath was shaky, his thoughts were swarming with millions of things.
Then, suddenly, it all clicked. Everything, from the revelations of Cenotaph and the rest of the Landers to the mission to everything about them and her came into crystal clear focus. Everything he learned, from how they came here, to how they adjusted and made friends. It was all in focus, and the being in front of him, needed correcting.
His hazel eyes snapped up to red, glaring with resolve, "You are wrong."
Rafael's back was straight, his voice calm and strong as he went on in the face of a surprised and slowly turning to anger Tatyana.
"There is a reason I was shown this, it was because I was trusted. And they didn't force me here, to learn what I learned. I chose to listen to them, because they are genuine. They want the same thing everyone wants, peace. They want to end the pain, the war that consumed a world and promises to consume ours. Their methods are different, but it has to be done. If the Primes chose them it was for a good reason, the Primes from what I have learned only have the best interest of all of living creation, and if they chose Cenotaph to be here, then it must be for a purpose.'
He stepped forward, she stepped back.
'Maybe Cenotaph was brought here to shake things up, to be the grey in a strange complex war of seemingly black and white war. Or, maybe she needs us more than we need her, maybe we are here to help her through her struggles and maybe she just needs a friend. I don't know for sure, but I wouldn't change a thing. Sure, it would be nice to be in control over my own fate and trust. But...that isn't life, I still have to learn in many aspects of life, real life. And real life is messy! So I shouldn't jump to conclusions, and maybe...I just need to be a friend for someone who is begging for it."
Tatyana roared angrily, a monstrous noise coming from her vocals. She stared down at the human with a deep set scowl.
"YOU ARE A FOOL! I WILL DESTROY YOU FOR YOUR INSOLENCE!"
She raked her claws down at Rafael, he raised his sword up to stop her and closed his eyes to take the impact.
But, when nothing came he opened his eyes to see blue chains wrapped around her. She growled and thrashed trying to break free to not avail. Looking behind her to see where the chains led too. It led to a figure in blue robes and a silver clasp holding it together, it seemed to look like a planet.
In a strangely calming voice, he said, "That's quite enough from you, begone."
Suddenly, Tatyana screamed as her form dispersed and floated away. The chains slithered back to the figure and under the robes. Then it was silent in the room once again, Rafael couldn't see the figures face but it didn't matter as he said.
"Come, Rafael, time for answers."
Then, everything went blue.
Back with Cliffjumper…
As soon as Rafael had passed through the magical wall of light, he had been engulfed in a blinding white light. When it had died down, he took a moment to readjust to his new surroundings. It was still dark, with low-lit torches on the wall, he was ankle deep in water, and there were strange devices submerged around him and a balcony on one wall with two seats.
"Raf? RAFAEL?! Are you here!?" He called out, looking for an exit but finding none.
The water rippled and splashed as he moved around, he looked at the submerged devices around him, only to realize something, these things...were torture devices. Ones that humans and Cybertronians had created in the past...and the present. He could even see the Cortical Psychic Patch lying amongst the different horrid devices.
"...what is this…?" He said, staring in horror.
Horrible memories resurfaced, of having his mind tampered with, and of receiving beatings and wounds from different Decepticons. He shook his head, trying to get rid of those thoughts, but then it was replaced with Starscream, and the image of him about to stab him.
"Grah...stop it…" He said to himself, trying to calm his raging mind.
"Hm, it seems I have found a tortured dead mech in a place where many have come to die it seems." A male voice called from behind him.
Spinning around in a battle stance, he stared down this new man in the room.
He wore a black tattered cloak, his face not visible under the dark cloak. His arms were long and strange with an unnatural color of purple. His fingers long and clawed that held a curved staff with it's end in the water. Around his waist was a silver chain that shifted ever so slightly.
"Who are you, where am I!?" Cliffjumper demanded from the strange figure.
His head cocked slightly, his voice whispery and strange, "Interesting…"
Cliffjumper growled, "What!? Am I amusing somehow!?"
The tiefling was at the end of his rope, he flicked his wrist and the punching daggers came out of their holder, subconsciously his tail swished and flicked at the water in agitation.
"Interesting, yes, very much so. I must ask, dead mech walking, how does it feel to distort reality? To change fate?" He asked, shifting slightly in the water.
"...what…?" Cliffjumper faulted in his stance, confused, "Start making sense, quick!"
The cloaked man laughed dryly, "The Primes and Primus himself tore up the pages dedicated forces older than themselves. By bringing in otherworlders, they have rewrote the cosmos and now, a dead mech walks the Earth."
"A dead mech? I'm not dead, I'm alive!" Cliffjumper said, stomping his foot and making the water slosh and splash.
The cloaked man slowly started walking around him, "No, you are a dead mech and deep down you know it as well."
Cliffjumper choked on retort as he felt his spark, in his real body, far from this world, clench horribly in pain. He keeled over, gasping in pain, looking back up at the figure he could now see that his staff glowed a faint purple.
"S-S-Stop-p…." He cried weakly as another wave of pain made him grunt and clutch his chest.
"Hm, begging? That's so unlike you, Cliffjumper. Why resist? Why resist death? Why….?" He hissed as he stopped in front of the wheezing man as he tried to quell the pain. "Tell me, Cliffjumper, how does it feel? How does it feel to be wrong, to be not as you should be? Tell me, do you want to be six feet under? Because you know that's where you are meant to be?!"
He gasped, straining to look up at the dark hood. His thoughts were racing, but in the middle of pain and fear came a crystal clear thought….this thing was right. To the 'reaper's credit, he was right. All this time, he knew something wasn't right, and he could tell by instinct that he wasn't meant to be there, the Landers as well.
Since he returned from the Decepticons, he was uneasy, and not sure of himself deep down.
"I-I-I d-don't want t-to….die…" He whispered, he screamed as another wave rippled in his spark again.
The robed figure growled and grabbed his face to his own black hood.
"You were meant to be mine, and mine alone. Primus and his Primes took you away from me! I will make sure you die and become mine, and then I will take Megatron, who was stolen by the same femme that stole you from ME!" He pushed Cliffjumper to the ground, water splashing up.
Cliffjumper's head was beneath the water and he tried to come back up only to be stopped and shoved down. The robed figure held him under the water as he continued to speak with more passion and anger.
"I know what Primus's plan is, I know what he tries and he will fail. I will rise again, I will destroy his precious Primes and those outsiders. And then, when the whole of reality is only chaos, shall I finally be in paradise! No one keeps me from my goal, not a Prime's chosen nor their fate bending cybertronians!"
Cliffjumper tried to struggle, finding that his new lungs burned from breath. The reality of what was happening made him more and more terrified. He had so many questions still left unanswered and he was about to lose that power to obtain it. Yes, he knew he should be dead, but that didn't mean he WANTED it!
As he became weaker and weaker, as his lungs turned from burning to inferno and as the shock took over his body, he prayed.
To any who would hear, to spare him once more, so that he could hold Arcee in his arms, so that he aid his new companions and so that he can protect his friends and save Cybertron.
Suddenly, the pressure was ripped away from him and he was pulled from the water.
He gasped and greedily sucked in the air to his inferno filled lungs. He saw the robed figure slowly getting up from where in the wall he was thrown with great force. The one who saved him was another figure in robes, these blue with a silver clasped that as he looked at it more was a silhouette of Cybertron. Blue chains slithered from underneath it, forming a barrier between them and the black robed figure.
"How...did you-" The black robed was cut off.
"Nothing escapes my sight, brother, now begone." He said in a calming yet powerful voice.
The chains snapped out at the black robed figure and wrapped around him, crushing him tightly. He screamed in anger and agony before exploding into purple fire and ash. As the last flickered out of existence, that chain slowly came back to its owner before disappearing into the darkness of the cloak.
Cliffjumper stared in awe at the figure that now gently floated next to him. His spark was no longer in pain, but it felt….good? Warm, safe, content and...honored? Those words came to the mind when he thought of how his spark felt at the moment.
"Who are you?" He asked, slightly nervous for a good reason.
In a gentle and loving voice, he replied, "Soon, my child. Come, we have much to discuss and I must gather the others."
"The others? Are they having the same trouble as me? What about Raf? Is he alright?!" Cliffjumper asked, worried for his human ally.
He chuckled softly, "Worrying for others? Do not fret, he is safe. As for the others, they do face similar dangers."
"Even Cenotaph?" He asked blankly.
He sighed, "Even she is not safe from the manipulations of my brother, though, I believe she will be fine for now. She is much more adept at dealing with my brother as his kind is familiar to her. I must worry about the others, as they aren't so adept. Now, no more questions, let us be off."
Then, everything was consumed in blue light.
On the Main Staircase…
"What the-?" Were the first words that came out of Bulletta's mouth as she suddenly passed through a ripple in reality. One moment she was catching up to Nerium on the stairs and the next everything was warping and distorting all around her before a bright light blinded her.
When the light passed, she found herself in a new place, one devoid of Nerium or Wendigo. She stood on top of a tower, a staircase descending behind her and almost dissipating into nothingness. Next to this larger tower was a smaller one that went higher that had a roof and connected by a small bridge.
She then looked up and her eyes widened at the sight before her.
The sky was pure black with brilliant light and glowing material all around it. Stars twinkled in the sky and large nebula and galaxies visible. The most prominent feature was the moons, yes multiple. All different shades and shapes and sizes, in total were eight and each on its surface was carved a four pointed star. All of them positioned in a circle in the sky, and in the middle of that circle were five smaller objects, all but one with similar features, metal worlds of different metals and colors with it's each glowing parts.
There was only one that was organic yet it had metal on it too, with circuit boards running on its surface.
As she stared at it, she felt a kinship with the moons and the smaller worlds in it's center.
The one that stood out to her was a moon of a deep ruby red.
"H-How did she…?" She stared in amazement, she wondered how she could have come up with such a symbolic and simply breathtaking sight.
"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, isn't it?" A new voice called out, turning she saw Cenotaph standing there in her organic form, her spellbook and staff missing. Her eyes, strangely, were a deeper purple than Bulletta remembered and held a colder and much sinister look than Cenotaph was ever capable of.
She frowned, sensing something wrong almost right away.
"Who are you?" She asked, half hoping that Cenotaph would retort in her usual way she did.
'Cenotaph' huffed, "You are quick to pick things up, my dear."
Stepping back and placing a hand on her pistol she said back, "I'll ask one more time, who are you? Are you the challenge that the illusion spoke of?"
'Cenotaph' laughed darkly, "Oh, oh-no I am afraid not. Cenotaph seemed to be too zealous about using the dreamscape. My dominion, after all, since my physical form is locked away deep beneath I only have this place to toy with my creations and enemies."
Something from her Atheneum popped up in her head somehow, almost screaming past the dream barrier parts of her mind. It said one thing. The identity of the creature who wore Cenotaph's skin.
Her eyes widened in fear, and a dark shiver ran down her spine. She gave a silent prayer to the Knowing Mistress, in hopes that her goddess would be her salvation this time around against such a terrible creature.
"Ah," It said with a sadistic smile, "You know, don't you? Good, that means you'll know who takes everything from you!"
It launched at her, but she was ready, rolling out of the way she hit the ground hard. Standing she pulled Veracity and fired, it screamed as it passed through it's form before laughing excitedly.
"Oh, I felt THAT! Good, good, that means you'll fight me more than the others!"
Bulletta shouted in rage and fear, "STOP IT! I'll make sure you never can get in here again!"
It looked confused and puzzled before sneering, "So, this is the true you. You care enough about Cenotaph only to ensure your survival. Tell me, why do you hate her yet rely on her? How does it feel, knowing you have to save a creature like her!?"
She stopped for a moment, hesitating, she shook her head trying to rid the thoughts. She knew this creature was all about mind games and was trying hard to not give in to it's thought process.
Suddenly she was hit off her feet, her body cracking as she hit the stonework beneath her. As she laid there, pain coming from her back where she had been pushed by the creature down, she caught a glimpse of the sky.
She gasped in fear as slowly the nebula's, galaxies and stars around the moons slowly disappeared. The moons and the objects started drifting apart and fading away, as the sky was slowly consumed by a gathering of purple light from a single dark source.
Bulletta stood quickly, seeing the creature inhaling deeply before looking back to her with a smug expression.
"What are you doing to her!?" She bellowed at the creature.
"Hah, so you care now!? What a strange and horrible being you are! I thought you hated her? Why do you care now!?" It sneered getting closer and closer to her.
Backing away in the circle, she gritted her teeth, "Because no one, not even her, deserves to be in your presence!"
"So I'm the reason? Or is it something deeper?" It asked with a smirk.
Bulletta stared back up at the now purple sky and dark object that hung there ominously. There was a tinge of pain in her spark and heart, and the words that Nerium spoke of before rang in the back of her head.
...If I didn't know any better I'd say you are a hypocrite...
...Cenotaph may practice the dark arts, but I am sure there is a reason for it….
...Tsh, you need to calm down, that attitude will get you nowhere….
...You are a follower of Ioun, correct?...Then I can see why you hate lies and illusions, but magic, I don't get….
...Understandable, but this isn't your world anymore. Remember that….
...Then get with the program, just because she can use magic, doesn't mean she'll turn out like them. Yes, there's a chance, but if you are there, maybe you can change it….
"I…" She started to say, staring at the creature with a frown.
Was she wrong? Did she jump too quickly ahead? Was Nerium right? Is she only doing this for her own survival?
No, this wasn't for her, it was for everything and one else's sake, for Cybertron and her citizens, for the war-torn mechs and femmes on the planet Earth, for the sake of saving humanity. For peace and prosperity. So then why, why was she….?
I'm not doing this for me.
Was her single thought. And she realized what she had done, she selfishly let her own hate and desires of magic users onto others. She wasn't her for herself, she was here for others and she was hindering that effort. Cenotaph chose to come here, to help the people in this war, for one reason or another, and she was getting in the way of that!
"None of this," She said with growing resolve, "Is for me. It's not for my benefit, it's for theirs! I was wrong, I shouldn't be pushing Cenotaph away. It gets in the way of the reasons we are here, and I will stop you because you are in our way of our goal!"
She snapped her gun up, "Now, get out of her mind and never, ever come back!"
The creature growled, before a new voice made it freeze.
"I couldn't agree more, Champion of Alchemist Prime."
Looking to the side of her was another figure, clad in a blue robe with chains around and coming from beneath it, a silhouette of Cybertron holding the rope together. Her Atheneum broke through once again to inform her of this being, and she smiled in relief and praise.
The creature wearing Cenotaph's skin snarled, "AURAGH, STOP GETTING IN MY WAY!"
The robed figure simply said, "Begone, Brother."
The chains whipped out and dissipated the form of the dark Cenotaph until nothing remained.
Bulletta noticed the color changing around them and she looked up to see the dark sphere now gone, replaced with a single burning blue star in the black sky. Galaxies and Nebula started returning to the sky slowly, very slowly.
She looked back to her savior and smiled, "Thank you, it's an honor to meet you."
"The honor is mine, my dear. Now come, we have much to discuss, don't we?" He said almost coyly to her.
She giggled slightly, before she was blinded by a bright blue light of the star.
Location, Unknown…
It was unexpected, that much was certain. Ratchet opened his eyes sluggishly, trying the bring himself up, but, after what had happened he felt like he couldn't move. One moment ago, he was sitting with Cenotaph, the next there was a bright light and a wave knocking him off his feet only to land hard back on the ground.
His vision swam as he tried to focus on what was above him, as his vision came back he noticed a high arched ceiling and a dome above him. Slowly looking around he came to realize he was in some chapel, with high windows shattered, pews destroyed and a balcony above the whole chapel looking out.
"Ugh...what...happened?" He said slowly, sluggishly trying to stand.
He looked around him, trying to find a door out of this place only to find none. Then, for Cenotaph, as his state became better his heart and spark began to race as there was no sight of the femme around.
"Cenotaph!? Cena! Where are you?!" He called out, desperate to find where she had been thrown too.
He tried to reason why she wasn't calling out. Maybe she wasn't even here? But other possibilities worsening by the second flooded his mind. He needed to see that entrancing femme again, hear her strangely soothing and honeyed voice. Never before he met her was he apart from her, and now that he is, he finds himself anxious and worried.
It was strange, he never had anxiety on this scale before and to be honest, it frightened him a little. His more rational, logical side of him, ranted and raved to him about how this wasn't a good sign. He was becoming dependent on the woman, and that logical part of him hated that. He was a mech who could stand on his own, however, a new darker side of him that only recently came into the light said other things.
That it was okay to feel the need of being wanted, wanting something or someone's attention. It was what any good mech wanted from a perfect and beautiful femme such as Cenotaph. And the more he thought, the more he leaned into his newer side than his older side.
That logical part of himself he realized always had held him back.
Even now, it denies him his true desire, well one of them at least. He did worry about it a little, but pushed it away for now in favor of other thoughts. Like how in the Allspark he arrived here, and more importantly, where Cenotaph ended up.
"Hello? Cena are you here? Please answer me!" He called out, looking in every corner of the room for her frantically, finding nothing at the end of his search.
Ratchet was lost without her, and he didn't like being in the dark like this. If he lost her...well, that wasn't going to happen as long as he lived.
Suddenly, something caught his eye, near the altar where dust and corpses lay was slight movement. Just the bare minimum of dust was kicked up, now floating in the air. The light from the windows shifted suddenly as well, turning a sinister purple. He narrowed his eyes, preparing for anything when a familiar voice called out from the shadows.
"Old friend, what seems to be the matter?" Ratchet stared in shock as Optimus Prime, his leader, stepped from the shadows to stand at the altar of the church, a corpse beneath the altar making his friend seem more...ominous.
"Optimus? W-What are you doing here?!" He asked, taking a few steps towards him staring up at him in awe and surprise.
The Prime slightly chuckled, "Does that matter, what matters is that you seem frantic to find something. What is it that you are looking for?"
Ratchet looked away slightly, "Oh, that. I was with Cenotaph when I was thrust into this room by a force of unknown origin. I was...worried she might have been injured or something…" He lied.
That was something new, or well not so much, but still. It was new enough to make his spark and heart spike in fear slightly. Before he met Optimus, or even Team Prime, he told him everything. After all, they were great friends before the war and now during the war, what secrets would each other hide from on another?
Well, things changed, rapidly.
And now here he was, lying to a Prime and to his friend.
The strange thing of it all, was it didn't cause guilt, far from it actually. It caused fear, the fear of being found out as well as another emotion that crept as time went on. Thrill. An emotion he rarely felt in his younger days, he was more focused on his studies than seeking out thrills of any kind. But just by lying, he got a thrill, and that worried and excited him.
He came to realization, that he did feel a lot of thrill more so when Cenotaph was around.
"So, you were worried for the femme's health?" Optimus questioned, there again was that fear and thrill tingling in his chest.
He nodded, "Of course, she's one of our teammates. And her...frame and systems are unique, I have yet to understand it properly yet and thus worry about complications from medical issues that may arise."
Optimus cocked his head to the side like a curious animal, the purple back-lighting him making his colorful and bright paint seem almost darker. There was suddenly a very dark glint in his optics and an odd smile graced his faceplate.
"Tell me, what price are you willing to pay?" He asked, his voice strangely amused.
Ratchet stared at his old friend confused, "What are you talking about?"
"Hm, strange, I thought you were a smart mech?" He sarcastically said.
His brow knitted further, "I understood the question, but why are you asking me such a thing? I have no context, what price for what thing?"
The Prime smiled darkly, a darker glint forming his eyes as he smiled wickedly.
"Simple, old friend, I know you are learning magic from Cenotaph, I know you are trying to gain that power to aid the Autobots but I wanna know. How far will you go? Will you do what needs to be done, will you kill any who stand both of your ways? Will you betray the ideals you and Optimus Prime have for a temptress of a femme?"
The last question stopped Ratchet dead, as he stared up at the mech who slowly started making less and less sense. He realized that this mech was not Optimus, not by a long shot. He was someone else, wearing the metal of a Prime and his old friend. He backed away slowly, staring at the mech at the altar that was bathed in purple light.
"Who are you?" He asked, almost afraid of the answer.
The mech tilted his head again, "You do know me, yet not all at the same time. But that's not important, I want answers to my questions, and do be honest, I can tell when you lie."
He stared down the strange and dark mech, his mind turning and roiling.
Honestly, to himself, his logical side did ask those questions as well. Would he betray the morals of the Autobots in order to gain power enough to end their suffering? Would he do anything to achieve it, even killing someone not involved in the war? In reality, why did he fall helm over peds for this femme? Did she plan on only using him?
No, no she told him herself what her plans were. That much was clear, and he was in that vision as well.
Only time could tell for the others though, only Primus knew at this point of how far he would go. Maybe he would betray the Autobot code in the end, but what was the point of that code to begin with? To make them better than Decepticons? It was a little late for that, what with their home all but destroyed.
But all in all, time would tell, and he'd be damned if any strange mech would tell him what he should expect or do in such a case. Much less wear the Prime's skin.
"I don't answer to you, and why would I? You are an impostor, not deserving of that form and you have no right to meddle in my affairs, so LEAVE!" He shouted, standing his ground against the impostor.
Said mech, laughed and sneered, "Ah, so I was right. You are truly willing to do anything for power! Good, that's good, it means I can use you…." He said, slowly walking off the raised platform and walking towards him, "Soon, not even the Primes will be able to stand against me, not when they'll have to deal with you and that femme!"
Ratchet growled, "I don't know what you are thinking, but I will never be used by YOU! No matter who you are, I do not fear you."
He laughed again and bent down to eye level, purring, "Are you sure of that resolve, General?"
The mech glared at the impostor, but before he could say anything, a chain wrapped around his throat and pulled him away from Ratchet before tossing him through the already shattered window. The impostor screamed as he fell away from the castle, and Ratchet was left staring at the person who did such a thing.
A figure in a blue robe.
"Come, it's time." The figure said in a soothing voice, the light behind him turning from purple to blue before engulfing the entire room and blinding him with said light.
Location, Unknown…
Cenotaph was not happy, not in the slightest. Here she was, trapped in a black cage, suspended in the Grand Dining Hall, with it's large piano organ and large table. The fire's that alighted the room glowed purple, and she hated that. For it was the purple flames from the studies fireplace that brought her here.
"Foolish...foolish…." She repeated to herself coldly, before screaming in rage and slamming her fist into the black metal.
She pulled back, looking at the now bloodied knuckles, she touched them gingerly, and hissed in pain. That was never a good sign. Pain, in this spell created place, was never wanted. She was the creator of this world, and she made sure no one could feel pain nor bleed. She didn't want them to die, just...be a little shaken up and understanding of each other.
But...was that the real reason?
Cenotaph replayed that question in her mind as she stared at the blood dripping onto the floor of her cage.
What was her true reasoning? Was it for what she claimed before, that she wanted to challenge and bond them closer as teammates or was it something completely different. The challenges she had set up, they were meant to challenge them to not only see their own beliefs and thought processes were easily askew in certain scenarios but to not be so narrow sighted in the way they used to do things.
She wanted them to branch out, to rethink everything. They weren't in their respected homeworlds. This wasn't a world of dragons and monsters, as far as she knew, and so many things were different here. They weren't just in this for money or glory like the olden days, they had a mission, a job to do that they accepted wholeheartedly.
Cenotaph, deep down, was worried.
She wondered if some bad habits of her fellow landers were still around. She was an adventurer herself and fought alongside others for a long time. They were times where they weren't the best of people, making some more questionable decisions. And she could see some of those bad habits in Bulletta and Moonfall most of all.
Bulletta was stuck in her ideological ways, denying her past and making herself trapped within a cage of negative emotions that lead to mental breakdown. She was stubborn, a know-it-all, and a prideful creature. She took pride in her work and knowledge, in her goddess and that made her blind to new opportunities. She was also a hypocrite, demonizing magic and it's casters because of a few rotten eggs, while at the same time using enchantments on her weapons to create magical attacks.
Then Moonfall, while brief she could easily tell what was going through the femme's head. She had seen that type of struggling person in her past after all. She was defensive in all aspects, and clearly lacked certain social skills when picking up certain aspects from what she saw while taking a peek at them once in a while in the castle.
She was also heavily scarred spiritually and mentally, if her disdain for gods was an indication of anything. The poor thing experienced more than someone at her age should ever face, but then again it was very common in adventuring types.
The others, Starscream, Cliffjumper and Rafael, were something that didn't interest her to the extent that the other Landers did. But she surmised she'd get a feel of them later on when she settled things with her own people.
But, there was someone above all that garnered her attention.
Ratchet, her apprentice.
At first, she merely was curious as to why Quintus Prime sent Ratchet to her. Then, that curious nature grew and grew the more time she spent with him. He was talented in his medical field, he was a stubborn yet intelligent and realistic mech. His own curiosity was also fascinating, how he wanted to tear apart her frame to understand how she worked and how he'd treat her in case of medical emergency. Those piercing blue optics trying to decipher her made shivers run down her spine.
His love for learning also drew her in, the fact that another wished to teach them again was enough to make up her mind.
But what caught her attention was how attentive he was in every aspect. He wondered about who she was and what she did to become the person she was today. Ratchet wanted the real Cenotaph, not the teacher, not the necromancer, not the seductress, but Cenotaph, her true self. And that was hard for her.
For sometime Cenotaph never questioned who she was or what her past did to affect her. But with him, she started to wonder, how did she end up like this? Here in this place, a cage in her own mind, she could only think of how she got here and why.
It all came back to that single thought, why?
And it bugged her, more so than the stinging hand she cradled.
"My, my, someone seems troubled." A dark and slick voice asked from the shadows, the voice bouncing off the room's large walls. Cenotaph tried to find the source, but found none.
"Who dares meddle in MY affairs?!" She hissed to the shadows around her, her violet eyes boring holes into it.
The voice laughed, deep and dark and power. "You never cease to amaze me, Fraya Stormbringer or Cenotaph as you like to call yourself now."
"Show yourself coward! I have nothing to hide!" She growled, spinning around wildly in her cage.
"Oh? Is that so, my dear? I think you have many things to hide, many, many things." He cooed at her which only drove her rage.
She slammed her foot down, a clang ringing throughout the room, "WHO ARE YOU?!"
The voice hummed, "I'm called many things, my dear, the humans of this world have many names for me. The Devil, most used these days. Others know me as the Chaos Bringer, Lord of Destruction. By my brothers' creations, they call me Unicron."
Her heart and spark froze in realization, "Unicron...the dark counterpart of Primus...h-how!?"
He laughed, his voice sinister, "My dear, you walk on MY world! For humanity are my children! Why do you think they are so more chaotic than those damned scions of Primus!? Ha, you've also entered my realm! I can control the dreamworld, for my form is nothing but a corpse. I have so much time to refine my mind, and have tested it time and time on my children."
"You….of course." She said with a growing sly grin, "I should've known, such a creature of chaos that you are can't resist can't you? You want to keep the chaos of the war that your brother's children are embroiled in. You want to stop us, and by doing this you have a chance. Adorable."
He snarled, "Don't assume things woman. It'll be your doom to assume things of a god!"
She laughed, "A god? No, no, I don't give a fuck about the gods. And you are no god, you are a mere child having a temper tantrum."
Something violently knocked into her cage rattling her and throwing her into the bars.
Unicron bellowed at the woman, "SILENCE YOU WRETCH!"
Cenotaph laughed again, almost insanely, she went on. "Oh COME ON! You are just proving my point! Ha ha, you'll never win either, I won't let you…."
Her eyes flashed violently with black magic and the whole room shook, suddenly the cage vanished and she was held aloft by the black power. Her face twisted in a dark maniacal look as the room shook and suddenly Unicron's avatar, a being of purple and black with bat wings and a tail, large horns from his head and wearing earthen like armor that was sharp and heavy was pulled into the center and wrapped in black chains.
"RAAGH, RELEASE ME AT ONCE!" He screamed.
"I am not to be trifled with, my mind is my palace, and you are not welcome, fake god. Now, you will remain here, trapped forever in torment and pain. It shall be your lesson never ever mess with a necromancer who has hundreds of years of experience under her belt." She twisted her hands and the chains pulsed with power, he screamed as black foreign magic coursed through his avatar.
He huffed when it ended, "You….dare…!" He thrashed uselessly.
"Let the fun begin…." She purred.
She twisted and crushed the avatar in the chains, shooting raw magic into its form making the avatar scream in annoyance and pain. Cenotaph lost herself in his screams, forgetting everything but the pain and inflicting as much as she could.
"You should've never messed with the Falling Stars!" She yelled over the screams of pain.
"Indeed, but that's quite enough, Champion of Quintus Prime!" A loud booming voice echoed in the chamber.
Unicron's eyes snapped open, and well into anger. "PRIMUS, I WILL CRUSH YOU AND YOUR DAMNED CHAMPIONS FOR THIS INSOLENCE!"
"Not today, brother, now it's time for your finale. Never return here again!" Again the voice boomed and coming behind the femme drenched in dark magic could see blue robes flickering next to her. Then, chains wrapped around hers before snaking around Unicron and forcing him to turn into a blinding purple light that shot up and out of the room.
Cenotaph shivered as the presence left her, and turned to see what was behind her.
The figure in the blue robe floated in front of her with no sign of hostility. She stared in shock and confusion, the dark power still swirling out of her eyes and form.
"You are Primus, aren't you?" She asked, staring bewilderedly at the figure.
"Indeed I am, Cenotaph." He said with a soft voice, "Come now, no need for that."
A hand, made of pure Energon, came from under the robe and grabbed her hand softly. Slowly, the darkness faded from around her with the room as well as they were left in a void. She stared at Primus, confused as with her magic now gone she could feel emotions being pulsed through his arm, raw and untamed.
Sadness, fear, grief, anger, guilt.
It only took her a moment to realize that these emotions weren't his, they were hers. He was just amplifying it, his was hard to read, too much for a mere mortal to explain and thus hers was more prominent.
"W-What are you-" She was cut off.
"My champion, you are a strange creature, you hold such darkness close to your heart that you do not realize how withered it's become. You show yourself as powerful, confident, all-knowing, yet you are not. Stop being what dictates others feelings towards yourself for you only push them away. Be honest with them and yourself, and let them make the choices they need to choose." He let go of her arm.
Cenotaph just stared at the god before her, and shook her head.
"Let's just get everyone here to get it over with, I'm done with this." She said, turning from the god and focusing on finding and bringing them all to a new location.
He sighed but let it go for now, "Allow me to aid you."
Then everything turned blue before her eyes.