Haha, I actually managed to update another story. I guess I'm on a role.
8. Cure My Tragedy
Twelfth year was a nightmare, and Megatron couldn't block his audio receptors from hearing all the whispers floating from mouth to mouth in the hallways of the Academy. There was word that Sentinel Prime was looking for an apprentice, signaling that his time as High Commander of Cybertron was coming to end. He didn't want anyone from his court to be his apprentice either, he wanted someone young, someone to lead the new generation of transformers further into the Golden Age, someone with new ideas. Word also had it that Sentinel Prime was visiting all the schools on Cybertron, and that he was slated to visit the Academy within the coming weeks in hopes of selecting an apprentice.
Megatron couldn't stand the talk of it, he couldn't stand how the school was undergoing last minute renovations and cleaning procedures in hopes of impressing the High Commander. The Academy only wanted to boast that Sentinel Prime choose the apprentice from their school, which wasn't a guaranteed thing. He just couldn't wait until the visit was over and Sentinel Prime moved onto the next school.
The only thing on his mind was what he would do after school was done. He would have to find a job somewhere, if not; he would have to start his global campaign. He concentrated on graduation and keeping his grades as high as he possibly could. He didn't know what his class rank was, but nobody knew, they wouldn't find out for a while.
But the thing Megatron concentrated the most on was Megabyte and thoughts of the Ballare, which was a ball that twelfth year students had the night before their graduation. He didn't know if Megabyte wanted to go or not, but he wanted to take her, just to spend the night with her in a romantic setting before their lives changed forever.
They had been making plans for what would happen after graduation. Megabyte would try to get a medical job so that they could finally move into a nice place. Megatron had absolutely no idea what kind of job he wished to have, nothing really seemed to fit his personality. All he wanted to do really was officially become spark mates with her and just spend forever in her arms, because that's where everything seemed right.
Megatron stared at the energon bath that Medic was currently in the process of setting up and running tests on to make sure it worked correctly. "And just how do you expect me to get in that thing?" he asked, annoyed.
Medic looked the energon bath over and realized there was no door on it; the only opening was at the top, which meant he would have to be lifted inside. From past experience, Medic knew that Megatron was not exactly the lightest mech on Cybertron. "Do your flight systems work?" Medic questioned.
The Decepticon leader snorted, "Shouldn't you be telling me if they do or not?"
"Well, either they work, or somehow we're going to have to lift you inside."
"Do you even know how to use this thing?"
"I'm reading the manual that came with it."
Megatron growled, "Do you know if it'll even work, or will it just make things worse?"
"It's guaranteed to work, you'll be fine."
"I better be, or else I'm taking your arm and your leg."
"Heh…"
The doors to the med bay suddenly opened, and an exasperated Thundercracker came inside exclaiming, "Megatron, I don't mean to question your authority or anything, but why in all of Cybertron did you choose Starscream to be your second in command?"
"That's a very good question, maybe because he wasn't trying to undermine me at that point in time."
"I wish things could go back to the old days…back before when…well…you know."
"Don't even go there Thundercracker," Megatron hissed.
He was visiting today, the great High Commander of Cybertron, Sentinel Prime. His wishes were for every student to act in their normal setting, as if he weren't even there. Of course, that was impossible to do. He was the ruler of Cybertron after all, and nobody saw him on a daily basis.
Megatron thought seriously about attempting to kill the High Commander if he saw him, but he doubted he would, and he knew he wouldn't get far if he tried. Sentinel Prime was much stronger than he was. It would be a very, very stupid move and make a laughing stock of the Decepticons.
He tried to melt through the day, ignoring the giddy students who had managed to catch a glimpse of Sentinel Prime. He rounded the corner quickly, trying to escape the students behind him that were talking about how cool it would be if Sentinel chose one of them to be his apprentice, but he nearly collided face first with the High Commander himself. Megatron felt a gear churn in his abdomen. Everything he had hoped to avoid he suddenly crashed into. His optics unwillingly met Sentinel Prime's.
"Excuse me, sir," he stated quietly.
"It is quite alright. What is your name?"
Megatron hesitated, "I do not wish to give my name."
"Are you the one they call Megatron?"
He was stunned that Sentinel already knew his name, but he was the High Commander, he probably had his sources. "Yes sir."
"I have heard a lot about you, and the campaign you created, called the Decepticons," and he paused briefly before adding, "I am very sorry I have let you down as your leader."
"Forgive me sir, but I do not believe you are."
Sentinel narrowed his optics at him. Megatron felt the need to run and he quickly exclaimed, "Sorry sir, I have to go, I am going to be late for my next class." And he quickly left, heading in the direction of his class.
All afternoon he could only think about his encounter with the High Commander and was angry with himself for running away like he did. He wished he could have told his leader off, he had a feeling it would have been his only chance. He was forcefully snapped from his thinking when his teacher said excitedly, "Sentinel Prime wishes for everyone to report to the assembly room. He has an announcement to make."
Megatron was ready to bang his head against the desk as he slowly got up and dragged his feet to the assembly room. It seemed like the entire Academy was there, students and staff included. Sentinel was on the stage, smiling proudly. He opened his mouth and the whole room went silent.
"I wish to inform all of you that I have chosen my apprentice."
A cheer went up in the crowd. Megatron hardly paid attention as Sentinel went on to say, "This individual has demonstrated outstanding leadership potential and endlessly fought for what he believes in, regardless of the opinions of others. He is honorable, sincere, and honest, the true qualities of a leader. He has a big spark and cares deeply for Cybertron and its citizens. This is why I have chosen Optimus to be my apprentice and the next Prime."
When Megatron got home, everything his hands found he threw as hard as he could across the room. He punched holes in walls and cursed Optimus' name as loud as he could until finally, Megabyte came in.
"Megatron!" she exclaimed, shocked, "Megatron, you need to calm down!"
He looked at her, his optics full of venomous anger. "Don't ask me to calm down! The person I hate the most is going to rule all of Cybertron. He's going to destroy life as we know it…I refuse to let him lead me."
"Remember what you said, way back when Optimus broke my heart?" Megatron fell silent as he listened. "Remember you said that we shall be known as the Decepticons, the greatest adversaries of the Autobots…don't forget that. That's our only hope right now."
"Megabyte…Megabyte my love, my joy, my everything," he pleaded, "What are we going to do?"
"For now, we're not going to give up our cause. We cannot. In time, we'll find a way."
Megatron drew her close to him and hugged her tightly. "Megabyte, Optimus is going to have the Decepticons declared traitors. We'll be wanted by Cybertron because we lead the faction. Are you sure you want to be a part of this?"
"What do I have to lose?"
And he knew her mind was made up. He leaned forward and found her lips with his.
Megatron was more than relieved to find out his flight systems worked well enough for him to lift himself into the energon bath. It took Medic nearly all day to get it ready and fill it with low grade, liquid energon. The bath was supposed to allow his body to rebuild itself and act as a form of regeneration. While energon had become rather obsolete over the course of centuries, it still could be used to work miracles.
"You can get in whenever you're ready sir," Medic remarked as he turned to his leader.
Megatron didn't say anything as he pitifully sat up the best he could. He floated above the energon bath and slowly lowered himself into the pink liquid until he was completely submerged. He was mildly surprised to find himself floating, but energon was completely different than the substance on Earth known as water. It was denser, almost like mercury, but not lethal, or so he hoped.
He watched as Medic pressed a few buttons, gave him a thumbs up, and walked away. He felt tired suddenly, and he figured it was effects of the energon on his system. Slowly he let his optics go offline, enjoying how the warm energon felt against his body. For a moment, he wondered why humans feared drowning when it seemed so peaceful, but then he remembered they needed to breath and he figured the pain of not breathing must have been excruciating.
Death, was it peaceful or painful? Megatron believed he should have known, after witnessing so many deaths and being the cause of countless others deaths, yet he never really thought about it before. Death was always a necessity, it had become a way of life…but the first death he ever witnessed…
He shuddered violently at the thought.
Megatron was more than disappointed when he found out Megabyte didn't want to go to the Ballare. He hadn't asked her, but one Friday afternoon when she had come to his home after school, she had sat down heavily on his recharge berth, complaining about how she couldn't take the talk of the Ballare anymore, she didn't care, it was just a stupid dance, it meant nothing anyway. Her words weighed so heavy on his spark he thought it would fall out of his chest.
But he had to ask her soon, the Ballare was only a few weeks away. It seemed like everybody had their dates picked out months ago. "The Apprentice" as they called him now was going with Elita, but that wasn't any surprise. Starscream and Thundercracker each had dates as well, but the femme Megatron wanted as his date didn't want to go. None of his friends knew that he and Megabyte were together…so he couldn't ask any of them for advice.
One Friday afternoon, he decided he would ask Megabyte to go with him; there was nothing he could lose by asking. And maybe if she found out he wanted to go, she would change her mind about it. But with Megabyte there was no telling.
He watched her as she entered his room with a dreary look on her face. She set her books to the side and looked at him. "I cannot wait for the Ballare and graduation to be over with."
"Megabyte…I need to tell you something."
He watched a worried look dance across her optics before she said, "Okay, I'm listening."
"I want to go to the Ballare, and I want you to go with me."
"Oh…why didn't you say so?"
"You were constantly shooting it down, and you said you didn't want to go."
"Well, if you're going, then I want to go to keep you company."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, most definitely."
And Megatron was thrilled; he couldn't wait for the Ballare to come. He didn't care who else was there, the night was reserved for him and Megabyte only. The whole week before he spent making preparations, polishing his armor and repainting areas where the paint was chipped or scratched. And when the night finally arrived, he was so excited. He was going to meet Megabyte at the swings on the playground of the Academy. It was a place that was special to them. He got there about half an hour early.
But when Megabyte arrived…
Oh Primus, he had never seen a femme as beautiful as her. Her armor sparkled as if she had put diamonds or stars in the polish. She had a shy smile on her face. "Hi," she said.
He smiled at her innocence. "Megabyte, you're beautiful." He pulled a bouquet of red roses from behind his back and handed them to her.
"Megatron," she whispered, "You didn't have to get me roses."
"For you, I'd get anything," he said as he took her hand in his.
Together they walked hand in hand to the Ballare. They were allowed entrance and when they walked inside the ballroom; both of them were stunned by the decorations. The room was dimly lit and disco lights were slowly swirling around the walls and ceiling, making the room look like it was full of shimmering stars. There were tables to sit, energon goodies, and the dance floor was already crowded with bots dancing.
"Wow," Megabyte whispered, "Now I see why people make such a big deal about this event."
Megatron wrapped his arm around her and guided her down a small stairway to the dance floor. Almost immediately, Starscream and Thundercracker were upon them with their dates. Thundercracker playfully punched Megatron in the arm saying, "You didn't say you were coming."
"You never asked," Megatron replied.
"Wait a minute here," Starscream remarked, noticing Megatron's arm around Megabyte, "What's this? Did you finally tell Megabyte you like her?"
A blush went across both of their faces as Megatron admitted, "Yes, but that was over a year ago."
"You mean, you two have been together all this time, yet you never told us?"
"Like I said before, you never asked."
"Well, regardless, we got a table snatched, there's room for two more if you and Megabyte want to take the seats," Thundercracker explained.
"That'd be nice," Megatron said.
Together the group went over to the table where Megabyte set her flowers down. "Well lookie there," Thundercracker said pointing, "If it isn't the afthole Optimus being treated like a king."
"You shouldn't be surprised," Megatron said narrowing his optics at his enemy, "He's only the future High Commander of Cybertron…or so he thinks." He met Optimus' gaze and watched as the Autobot smirked at him.
"Look," Megabyte said, "We didn't come here to think about him or his future. We came here to have fun."
Megatron turned to her, "You're right. Sorry."
"I think I'm going to leave early anyway," Starscream remarked, "I really don't care to see him and Elita crowned king and queen of the Ballare."
Megatron shook his head, even though he didn't want to see it, he wouldn't leave early. He turned to Megabyte as a slow song came on. "You want to dance?"
She blushed, "I'm not very good."
"Neither am I. Come on." He took her by the hand and led her to the dance floor. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close to him as she wrapped her arms around his neck. They swayed in time to the music in small circles. Megatron leaned close to her, kissed her cheek and whispered, "I love you, Megabyte."
She smiled up at him, "I love you too, Megatron."
"Well, well, well, what do we have here?"
Both Megatron and Megabyte looked over to see Optimus standing there. Megatron scowled, "What do you want?"
"You're always so accusing of me, Megatron. I've never done anything to you," and he turned to Megabyte, "You look amazing tonight, I must say. Would you care to dance with me instead?"
"No thank you," she replied.
"Suit yourself," he said as he walked away.
Megatron growled, obviously angry at the stunt Optimus had just tried to pull. Megabyte looked at him and whispered, "Don't let him bother you. He's only trying to ruin your evening. Don't let him do that."
Megatron knew she was right and he let it go, as best as he could. They danced most of the night, enjoying each other's company. They disdainfully watched as Optimus and Elita were crowned king and queen, and they left the Ballare soon after that. The Decepticon leader took her back to his place so that she could stay the night. They would go to the graduation ceremony together the next day.
They laid down together on his recharge berth, holding each other tightly and just staring into each other's optics. Megabyte smiled, "I had a lot of fun tonight Megatron, I think I'm more in love with you now than what I've ever been."
He grinned, "I'm glad you did." And he kissed her, but this kiss was different.
It was deeper, there was need, hunger, want, thirst in it. And no matter how close they got to each other, it didn't feel like it was close enough. Megatron gazed deeply into her optics and saw she had the same passionate fire burning in hers as he had burning in his. Slowly he traced his hand down her torso to a place on her body his hands had not been before.
And he made love to her, over and over again until he collapsed on the recharge berth beside her. They were covered in each other's mech fluids but neither of them cared, what they had just done was so beautiful, so passionate, so full of love.
"Oh Primus, Megabyte," Megatron exclaimed as his systems cooled, "I want you to spend the rest of your life with me, you absolutely have to. I'm not one to admit my feelings, but I love you so much."
"I want to be yours, forever," she replied.
"Then so be it. You're my spark mate, I don't care what anybody says," and he watched as she smiled, "Go to sleep now, we both have a big day tomorrow."
"Only if you give me a kiss good night."
He was more than willing to oblige.
The next morning, Megatron was woken up by soft kisses from Megabyte. He smiled, told her he loved her, and together they got up and showered. When they were finished, they left for the Academy, heading to the front lawn where the graduation ceremony was to be held. They stood in alphabetical order, and Megatron held Megabyte's hand the entire time. However, as fate would have it, Ultra Magnus, a member of Sentinel Prime's court, was the commencement speaker. He had his elite guards with him.
"The Academy should be proud of this graduating class," Ultra Magnus spoke, "It contains the best of Cybertron and the future of Cybertron as well. In this class stands the future ruler of Cybertron and perhaps his court."
The speech bored Megatron as he fought back a yawn. He barely listened, until suddenly Ultra Magnus' words took a turn for the worst. "With this class comes the birth of a new era in the Golden Age. From now on, we Cybertronians shall be known as Autobots, bringers of peace and tranquility throughout the universe. Those who do not wish to become Autobots shall be labeled as traitors and punished. This graduating class will be the first to choose."
Megabyte squeezed his hand, panic was in her optics. "What do we do?" she whispered.
He offlined his optics, "Be strong. We have to be strong."
Ultra Magnus approached the first member of the class. He asked him whether or not he wished to be an Autobot, to which he agreed, and Ultra Magnus congratulated him and handed him his diploma. He went on down the line, asking each graduate the same question. Nobody was refusing. Megatron felt his tanks churn as nervousness seized him. He could not say yes…he would not say yes. But he wasn't scared for himself. He was scared for Megabyte. For the first time in his life, he prayed that she would identify herself with the Autobot cause. And then Ultra Magnus reached her.
"Megabyte, it is your choice—
"You don't have to ask sir," she interrupted and then she said loudly and clearly, "I am a Decepticon."
Megatron squeezed her hand as gasps sounded throughout the line. Even Ultra Magnus seemed taken aback, but he recovered quickly. He turned to one of his guards and said blatantly, "Take her away."
"You'll have to take me away too," Megatron spoke quickly.
Ultra Magnus scowled at him, and then Starscream stepped forward saying, "Me too."
Thundercracker did the same, then Nightbird. Blackarachnia threw her diploma on the ground as she stepped forward. Sideways and Soundwave stepped forward. People Megatron didn't even know stepped forward as well, until Ultra Magnus was cursing under his breath. "Take them all away!" he shouted angrily.
Megatron grabbed Megabyte's arm and began to run, and all the others who had stepped forward followed his lead. They ran in different directions, confusing the guards. Ultra Magnus noticed their confused looks and growled. "Get them!" he seethed pointing at Megatron and Megabyte, "They're the cause of all this. Open fire if you have to."
Megatron knew after that command that this was war now. The Golden Age was over. It would be war between the Autobots and Decepticons.
He had let go of Megabyte's arm and let her run on her own. They weren't far off of the Academy's grounds when he heard Megabyte say, "Megatron, wait up!"
He glanced behind to see Megabyte was trailing him by a few feet. That's when he heard a high pitched hiss and looked up only to see a missile heading straight for Megabyte. Panic surged through him. He was just about to call out to her to look out when everything exploded. He was knocked onto his back and he shielded his face as rocks and other debris rained down around him. And, when everything was silent, he sat up. But where Megabyte had been standing, there was only a pile of rubble.
"Megabyte!" he shouted and he frantically began digging through the mess. Towards the middle, he found her, her arm and leg missing, oil gushing from her wounds, her optics as gray as death. "Oh Primus no…Megabyte!" He checked for a pulse.
Nothing.
He screamed, louder than what he had ever screamed before. He cursed, cried, he didn't care. Everything he had ever lived for was dead.
Starscream was by his side suddenly, pulling him up, dragging him forward. "We have to go," he said.
"They killed Megabyte," he seethed.
"We'll avenge her, but we have to go."
"Go on," Megatron said, "I'll catch up."
And hesitantly, Starscream left him.
Megatron sat beside her, even in death he refused to leave. But he couldn't make himself look at her. Her broken body was too much to bear. And he waited until one of Ultra Magnus' guards took him and led him away.
Megatron brought his optics online only to realize he was out of the energon bath and back in his recharge berth. His face was wet…he had been crying in his sleep. His spark felt heavy as he reached up to wipe his face. Suddenly, a pain ripped through his arm. He looked and saw his limbs were back, his body was completely restored. The Decepticon leader knew he should have felt happy, but he didn't. He had been able to live through the same injuries that had killed Megabyte.
He tried to move his new arm, but the pain shot through him again and he halted his efforts. He growled, "Medic! Where in the pit are you?"
And Medic responded promptly, "Yes sir?"
"Why in the name of Primus does it hurt so damn bad to move my new limbs?" he seethed.
"Ah, that's because your nerves have to adjust. You'll be back to normal after some physical therapy."
"Give me some pain killers before I kill you."
"Yes sir…" Medic replied and proceeded to inject some pain medication into the Decepticon leader.
"Leave me," he ordered.
Medic was more than happy to oblige.
Megatron sighed as he returned to his thoughts. After he had been taken away by Ultra Magnus' guard, he sent to work in the mines, and when they went to close the mines, he revolted, killed the senator, built up an army of Decepticons which he trained through gladiator battles, and led an attack on Sentinel Prime who was still High Commander at the time. After a night long battle, he walked away with the High Commander's head. But that was just the beginning of a war that had yet to come to an end.
And Megatron had tried to forget Megabyte as the years went on, he had tried to love other femmes, but nothing could erase the memory of her. He knew, even though he didn't admit it, that he subtly fought the war for her. The Decepticon insignia was purple in honor, because her favorite color had been purple. He fought to avenge her, and even though he had long since killed the guard who had killed her, he felt her death would never be fully avenged until he took control of Cybertron, fulfilling their dream. This dream he had ever since he was a youngling, and Megabyte was the only one who understood his passion. At one point he did care about Cybertron, but never again.
He growled and slammed his fist against the recharge berth. He still had the same burning desire for her in his spark that he had for her in his youth. Nothing had changed. He wished he had died. He wished it every day. But nothing would change the fact she was dead. She had been dead millions of years.
She was never coming back.
Please review! And no, this isn't the last chapter. Megatron still has a few things that need to be finished XD