Regeneration
Optimus' POV
I was at the computer screen, and i had remained there since the keys were lost to us, until Ratchet relieved me of that duty, his argument was that he was more refined in this area of searching, however i believe he was doing this for me personally, perhaps he is right to relief me because of my current mental state, i cannot believe i let Starscream get his hands on the keys, the thought of our final hope suddenly lost in such a way, i could not contain my frustration, i looked around as Smokescreen stood anxiously to one side, the others were bringing our human friends to base from their place of education...school...Ellen had missed school. Am i that fixed on the omega keys i forget the simplest of things? Is was to be expected.
Despite this the girl is hard headed, though i am unsure of the influence, but i understand her frustration, after all i have withheld information from her, from all of them, i hope they can forgive me for that but Alpha Trion stated for me to not reveal this, and i will stand by my word until an appropriate moment.
Looking around the room Ellen had metaphorically become a shadow again as i could not see her nor could i sense her presence in this building, instead it was above me, up top, i need to see her.
And it was confirmed she was up top, she sat on the ledge of the cliff as she was fixed on the horizon, i want to hold her, but i fear she would throw it off as i have attempted many times before, why must she leave? I know her reasons for leaving but i personally do not want her to leave, i need her more than ever during this time, when we activate the Omega lock and everything has been arranged of course i would return to Earth, however i do not know how we will reach Cybertron let alone return...she has no sense of where she stands, that must be why she is leaving. In a sense we are both in a mental conflict. This is my duty as leader, i make the decisions alone...and must bear that burden alone no matter how many have told me overwise and whoever gets hurt in the process...
I quietly made myself over to her, "may i join you?" i asked.
She shrugged her shoulders, "yeah sure." She said as i stood still, never has she sounded so tired. "you don't have to stand all the time you know." she added patting the cliff next to her, I looked over my shoulder to be sure, the Autobots need some strength behind them during this pressing time and i cannot afford to look 'casual' in there presence.
"I doubt anyone will see you." Ellen said to me noticing my obvious concern. So looking at the cliff edge before me i sat down as i let my legs drape over the side looking all too casual may i add, "so what you doing up here?" she asked.
"Clearing my thoughts, are you?" i asked.
"I guess." she shrugged again.
"Irregular for you to bear such short sentences." I said allowing myself to sound amused, though it was a true statement.
She shot me a famous glare but it wasn't out of malice or spite just slightly pouting "i could say the same thing about you but you have yet to say just a couple of words yourself." she jested, it was a welcoming change to hear her light hearted humor.
That thought in my processor i took a risk to see what inevitable mood she was in so i lay a hand flat on the ground beside her, "perhaps it is not words that should be shared now." i said.
She saw the hint and she raised a hand slightly to reach out to mine, but as my optics begun to lightly sparkle she pulled back, "i...can't, i..." she stuttered, she could not do it and i noticed her uncomfortable feeling, no, not uncomfortable, hurt, around me, i would expect this because of the situation, and i also expected her to feel anger towards me but, not hurt.
"You hesitate?" i said that hurt feeling escaped my own vocal processor, just for her to feel that around me in itself...
"I don't know I can't..." she started.
"What is holding you back?" i asked.
"I'm scared." she finally said looking at me her eyes had a glaze of tears over them; i felt a twinge in my spark.
The Omega keys should have been a blessing, we had them all in our grasp, now they are bringing more pain than life it seems, i felt slightly frustrated again, is my primary function to make others feel miserable? "When you were younger and would get scared, what would i do to reassure you?" he said.
"I don't know, tell me a story, hold me, that kind of thing." She said smiling lightly, "I'm not feeling it. Theirs nothing there" she then said flatly.
as i had expected but i am not leaving it at that so i forcefully picked her up i am not letting her escape into a sunken form again, "you are stubborn." i stated.
"Put me down." she said firmly.
i did not answer her i was set on one thing as i nuzzled her cheek against my own, then i produced a slight purring sound something i hoped she would feel as a comforting gesture, i do not intend to send mixed messages seeing how we have both been on and off towards each other, it is just...i do not know what else to do, or say. as i continued to comfort her she had accepted the gestures it seems, "Love me dammit!" she abruptly cried, though it sounded almost desperate.
"And this is why i bare no worry for possible suitors." i said shaking my head amusingly nonetheless.
"Are you Okay?" she then asked as i listened intently. "I mean you had a mental breakdown out there." She said.
Ah yes, my sudden outburst of frustration i could not contain, the chance for life to live on Cybertron, and after all our hard work. and i have to admit when Smokescreen had possessed the rest of the keys i had gotten my hopes up and not keeping to a cautious view and as such when they were suddenly taken i could not bare it. But i had exposed that frustration and poisoned feeling and transferred them to her... "Did i frighten you?" i asked as she had touched my hand which shook slightly.
"Maybe a little, i felt as though someone threw a vile of acid at me." She said, i guess the expression was that the feeling was like a burning acid? Though i hope she has not really experienced this physically.
"You have been expressing your inner conflict with this situation, so have i, though i did not show it as much, but instead it merely built up and eventually escaped me when we lost the keys to Starscream, just the thought alone of losing those keys, i did not think of anything else." i explained.
"Okay, well he probably doesn't even know what to do with them; he might barter with them again." she said. "Probably with Megatron though, I'm not very good at this am i?"
"At least you are able to speak." i said with a light smile.
"y-yeah." she said. "Dad?".
"Yes?"
"I've only seen Cybertron a few times and each time it had only been a barren wasteland, but what did it used to look like? I mean your cities and stuff." She asked, her eyes glistened with curiosity, i could not help but smile, i am proud of my planet and her interest made me even more so. So i accessed my memory banks for Cybertron, and projected an image for her to see, it was Iacon. I am eager to see what she thinks.
"This was Iacon, i thought to show you it first as i have spoken of it often." I said, and she portrayed the curiousness of a small child, slightly awed as well as attempting to reach out and touch it.
"I defiantly need to explore Cybertron when it's at its best." She said as she looked at me, "And it will, Starscream with the Omega keys or not, Cybertron will inevitably be restored." She said, i grew solemn although i know she was trying to reassure me but she could not lie, "Inevitably?" i said as she looked away, "I appreciate the reassurance but even you cannot lie to yourself." I said to her.
"i know but i can't just let you get depressed, Cybertron was your first home and anyone can tell your very proud of it, it's just that, i feel grudgeful that its being restored and bad when it's not, how do we gain?" she said frustration rising in her voice...this planet to many other races is considered an unimportant rock in the universe, including my mentor, though with all that has happened, i would have to disagree.
"We both now just need to wait, there is nothing we can do for now." I said to her.
"I thought you'd say that." she said her speech was almost inaudible, "You want to head back down now?"
"Let us just, sit here, a little longer." i said as i shut my optics and begun stroking her cheek with a finger, "Just a little longer, as we were, until we are not, because of what i know." i said, it is a burden keeping information that will potentially hurt those around you, loved ones, friends, but i hope that the end results will mend all that.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"Just referring to the news i had gave about the Omega keys." i said, act of deception as i weakly smiled at her.
Jack, Miko and Raphael had joined us at base, now is the time for their guardians to tell them of this news, i hope now that Ellen can confide in her human friends mainly because they are all in a neutral position.
These thoughts left me distracted until Ratchet spoke.
"aren't we getting ahead of ourselves here?" he said, "Not only do we lack any actual method of even reaching Cybertron, but Starscream now controls the sole means of our planets restoration."
"As far as we know." i added with slight dread.
"Do you think Starscream has rejoined the cons?" Smokescreen asked me from my side.
"He may have used the keys to buy back Megatrons favor" Arcee said,
"Hmph, without first trying to sell them to the highest bidder?" Ratchet said. "It wouldn't surprise me if he had the nerve to contact us and..." Ratchet started before a sound emanated from the computer.
"Okay that's weird." Bulkhead said.
"Is it Starscream?" Arcee asked.
"No it is Dreadwing. And he wants to meet" Ratchet confirmed.
"Dreadwing?" Arcee said.
"He has stated in his message that he has come alone." He added.
"Alone? Yeah right." Bulkhead scoffed.
"Dreadwing is a decepticon of honor bulkhead; i do not believe he would perform an act of trickery." i said.
"So we're going?" Bulkhead asked and from a different perspective i understand his confusion.
"Yeah, what if you go through the groundbridge and then boom! You all become scrap for new trash cans." Miko had added, i am not really fond of thinking that way though, but the concern is appreciated.
"We will still treat this as any other meeting with a decepticon, with caution, and as such, i will need all warriors present, for dreadwing is a formidable opponent." I said though i had hoped Ellen would ask me if she 'tag' along however she did not.
"With our current situation i'm willing to any encounter, if it has the slightest link to the Omega keys..." Ratchet said as i turned to face the groundbridge, for Dreadwing to contact us...but we can find out from him in person as Ratchet had already activated the groundbridge and as eagerly as he was i transformed and took my lead towards the portal.
of all the possible reasons for Dreadwing to appear before us, Starscream being a possible chain reaction, but for him to give us the Forge of Solas Prime, but i will use it wisely Dreadwing, i regret you did not choose a different path. despite the excitement of the others, particularly Smokescreen, i however cannot, not yet, but this does change a huge amount in our favor, with this hammer i would be able to to upgrade the groundbridge to a spacebridge and repair the Star Saber.
as i acknowledged these current events I glanced to the side of the room where some of Ellen's possessions currently occupied; so she is serious about leaving. "what happened?" Ellen asked running down the stairs.
"Dreadwing gave us a present." Smokescreen said to her, though in a way it could be considered a gift.
"W-whyyyy?!" she asked completely confused.
"The decepticons are a lost cause basically." Smokescreen said,
"And...The omega keys?" she asked.
"Megatron has possession of all, Starscream bartered with them." i explained,
"So Megatron can...revitalize Cybertron?" she asked.
I nodded in dread.
"Right...well you guys...carry on with whatever it is your doing." she said. Stepping to one side, i wanted to be a father again as she shooed herself away, but now even she knew that was not possible.
"Its no Star Saber, but i bet it can shatter Megatons blade." Smokescreen stated proudly. "And put some dents in that ugly mug of his."
"It's not that kind of hammer." Arcee said.
"With the Decepticons in possession of all four Omega keys, a more appropriate use of the forge would be to use it to replicate our own." Ratchet suggested.
"Even with such power there reconstruction would require a level of expertise i do not possess." i said, however even with my limitations the hammer itself is still capable of many impressive things despite its users lacking in ability.
"We just better hope that Megatron doesn't destroy the keys to prevent anyone from going home." Arcee said.
"Megatron may be evil..." he started placed the hammer part to the floor, "but i do believe he will use the keys for their intended purpose" so that he may conquer Cybertron himself.
"Well i say we let em keep em and do the work for us." Bulkhead said which had drawn himself attention of everyone's eyes and optics, "w-well i mean what difference it makes who restores cybertron?"
"If Megatron revives cybertron, he will no doubt use it to his political advantage." I explained to him.
"y-you w-what...y-you lost me." Bulkhead admitted himself unsure.
"In all likelihood the leader of the decepticons will portray him as our planets savoir and brand all autobots as war criminals." i explained further.
"The grand deception continues." Arcee said.
"Megatrons so called achievement cold influence cybertron for eons to come, poisoning the sparks and minds of its returning citizens, hardly the idle way to begging a new age." Ratchet said, i agree however i will not allow that to happen.
"But there is hope, for while megatron may have the keys he has yet to discover the existence of the omega lock itself." I finally said, for this was the time to reveal it and all the dread had revealed itself.
"Omega lock?" Bulkhead Questioned.
"Wait...now you lost me." Arcee said.
"And me!" Ellen snapped, i kept to my expression but cringed slightly inside.
"That which the four relics were designed to activate, we must locate the device before Megatron does and secure it until we can recover the keys." i explained.
"There are no other iacon entries to decode. This lock could be anywhere here on earth." Ratchet said.
"Actually...it is on Cybertron." i added to the confusion.
"What?!" they all exclaimed.
"How do you know?" Ratchet asked.
"Yeah, how do you know?" Ellen said pushing herself forward.
I then turned around at an angle swinging the hammer over my shoulder; "Alpha Trion revealed its location to me during the message conveyed by the Star Saber." I said.
"What?!" Ellen exclaimed.
"And you didn't think to tell us?" Ratchet inquired.
I turned slightly to face Ratchet "Alpha Trion did not wish it so." i said.
"Obi-wan always listened to qui-gon jinn didn't mean he was always right. I mean what the hell?" I heard Ellen say though i passed the comment by as my main focus was the Groundbridge.
"With the forge of Solas Prime..." i started kneeling down to begin climbing down to the engineering of the groundbridge. "We now posses thee means of reaching Cybertron, i must work quickly as are tactical advantage over Megatron will not last long." i finished proceeding further taking the forge with me.
I lightly placed a hand on the machinery anticipating where i would hit first, as i hear little clunking sounds of small feet coming down the stairs, "normally i can take your bluntness into my strive but not this time." Ellen started as she jumped down to the floor from six feet. "I mean seriously why couldn't you tell us?"
"Smokescreen was captured by decepticons." i started as i took a whack at the power function, "and as a result Megatron now knows the function of the Omega keys, he could have known of the lock too. Even if i had told you, there was still that risk as soundwave had taken you out so easily." i said.
"Y-yeah but...if you just...dammit! Anything else Alpha Trion happen to mention? How about the quill? Or perhaps theirs another Prime out there?" she said in a mocking tone now. "Have you got any sisters?" i merely carried on with my set task. "How about a pyramid that can suck the energy from the suns?" focus, focus, i will give, my people, there home back. it is the least i can do. "h-how about, where a...will you stop!"
I took another couple of swings before finally stopping, "i do not know what to say, but i will repeat, when this is all done, then we can talk." i told her blankly, i took the hammer and moved my way past her as i made my way up the stairs swiftly. There is no time for arguing.
"So before...wasn't real?" she said stopping me from moving instantly.
"No that was real; do not think that despite what was on my processor that this was out of guilt." i firmly stated.
"So the whole 'what i know' thing?" she said.
"Inner fear, it was not easy bearing this knowledge, but i had to, even with the risk of hurting you all." i said...we must get to the Omega lock before Megatron, i must, for both worlds will be conquered if we don't, Autobots and humans alike will perish. i...took the forge as i set my optics on the stairs, and begun to make my way back up...
"Stupid Space Bridge." I heard her hiss as a 'clunk' sound was heard, Primus...
I looked down as i stopped halfway through climbing, i took the forge and placed it up top so i had a free hand, then took hold of her as i placed her on my shoulder, though she did not acknowledge me, her face was the wrath of Unicron himself, i stood up straight as we returned up top, "please just be a little more patient with me." I begged her, i do not want our relationship to turn bitter and cold, i brushed a finger across her cheek to state this.
She sighed, "Put me down please." She said.
"Are you still planning to leave?" i asked.
"Yes, it's a stable home, i have no idea what's going on so I'd really like to stay in one place at the minute." she said.
I do not want to make things worse in protesting against that decision as well as confine her to base, she would despise me, the only thing i can do...is let her make her own decisions and just hope all becomes well, "The only thing i can say then is, I support your decision." i said. As a i placed her on the floor, i...let her go.
"Thanks...you gonna tell them the situation?" she said.
"I think Ratchet is finding out for himself." i said, Ratchet was certainly full of hope, his current state is most likely a shared feeling amongst our brothers if they too found out that hope still exists.
"So what now?" Ellen then asked me.
"We wait for Megatron to make the first move." i simply stated.
"So..."
My Audio receptors were suddenly flooded as well as my optical vision with a green consistent flash, and a loud alarm.
"Our senses are detecting a massive energon burst occurring outside earth's atmosphere, a surge of that kind can only mean one thing, activation of another space bridge." Ratchet said.
"Megatron has discovered the Omega lock is on Cybertron." I stated.
"It appears we have lost our advantage." Ratchet said, but not entirely.
"But with Megatron unaware that we now posses the means of inter stellar travel, the element of surprise remains in our favor." i then turned to the Autobots as our objective was clear, "we must embark on this mission with every resource at our disposal."
I then turned to Ratchet, "i may need to borrow your laboratory."
I had reforged the Star Saber as every other Iacon relic was in the hands of Bulkhead, Bumblebee, Arcee and Smokescreen. This time for certain, Cybertron's revitalization is in our grasp one last push, "Dad wait." Ellen called to me as yet again i halted my movement, "I hate that you've kept all this from me, but i can't hate you." she started with...i knelt down as i lay the Star Saber to my side, "p-please come back." she begged me, but anger still lingered.
"We will be back, i will be back, i swear it." i hit the ground with the hilt of the Star Saber as i have had many similar departures with her one where i did not return, leaving her alone...i stood up as i turned to the Autobots but looking towards the Space bridge "Megatron must be stopped, no matter the cost." i announced putting the sword in the hold on my back as i transformed and pushed on through the portal.
As quickly as we were behind, we were back to a steadied balance of power in our favor with there being many causalities on the decepticon side, we were efficient and there were no causalities as well as no sign of repairs quality over quantity, the Omega lock stood before us as each of my Autobots held a key, i am fascinated with the process of the restoration.
"Optimus an honor like this, it shouldn't belong to me." Smokescreen said approaching me, though before i could protest that he branded himself as unworthy. The Omega key started to glow and shake to the presence of the Omega lock no doubt as the said lock begun to glow as well, emanating a light that spread to the ground showing a distinctive writing.
The ground shook as four pillars rose from the ground each the same scale as a building, it was truly remarkable, however i held my guard up as i unveiled the Star Saber at the presence of Megatron flying towards our position, we approached him with hostile intent as he transformed and stood there though he was not as wrathful as i thought he would be, he was almost casual.
"Autobots." He started approaching us. "I suggest you put a halt to your task. And hand over those keys." He said, i did not like his tone nor the suggestion it held.
"And why would we do that?" Smokescreen scoffed.
And on cue without Megatron uttering so much as a word, a spacebridge opened behind him, coming though was the decepticons, Knockout, Soundwave and Starscream, when my optics focused on what they were carrying...by the Allspark.
"So i may hand over the humans." Megatron said.
Jack, Miko, Raphael, how were they found? Was our base located? ...Ellen. Where is she? Did they...No i must not lower my guard.
"And if we refuse?" i instead asked, as Megatron slowly approached me.
"Then i will have no choice then to open the pods, exposing your pets to Cybertron's toxic atmosphere." He said closing in on my face as a way of intimidation. "And then we can all watch them instantly perish. Together."
"Megatron, does your malice know no bounds? This is a coward's act, their children."
A/N yeah just trying it out :) though it feels slightly rushed :/ anyway this is the last chapter until spring...SAD FACE :( but until then i'll be starting on my side story for this one, which I'll basically call Transformers prime OC POV everything in-between lol which btw the poll is still open for what is to be the first chapter closing date is tomorrow :) anyway hope your all well :)