Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers

Hasbro owns Transformers

I want to apologize for the very very long wait. Christmas mayhem is around and I had to cover someone at work for a while. We had our first snow recently and it was magical and lovely. And to all those who have been favorite'ing and reviewing and whatnot you are very awesome and welcome to the show! Keep a look out for holiday shenanigans with these two in "Sun Behind Clouds" I'm taking a break on this to write that stuff. Hmn...other than that enjoy!

Chapter 5 The Romeo And Juliet Part 5

Millions of years ago

Cybertron

He had said he would have given anything to see the femme he still held within his arms that night. This was the first time in what he could remember spending so long outside the pits. Recharge was lost as the passing traffic outside had kept him up.

He loved it.

How alive he felt right now…how complete and whole. All his life he had never felt like this. It may have simply been because of the lingering energy coursing through his lines and frame from the overload. Or perhaps not. Perhaps this was real. He wouldn't give it up for anything at the moment. So for now he held her close and watched as she recharged.

Her vents were gentle and slow. Barely had Odyssis moved in her recharge and if she did it was slight. A flick of a finger or a twitch of her lip. It was beautiful and he admired it so.

Slowly he brought a hand to her cheek and brushed the tips across the smooth surface. That night when he fought the unfair match he had seen her face. Through the high of the battle he continued to fight for her. Ironically, the pain of losing his arm that match could never compare being so far away from her for so long. He vowed he would see her and indeed last night he had.

He was celebrating his victory, she was celebrating her promotion. He wanted to laugh at how different they were. She was so normal and he...wished to be a part of that.

And fate was a merciless and fair mistress, she had brought them together again. This time he could not deny her. This time he had to have her.

He knew as soon as she touched his arm. It was so innocent and yet it sparked something between them and they both knew. It was to the point of her finally confessing that their sparks were bound to be near one another. Indeed they were. To bond...was too dangerous and never would he push it that far. He already danced over the line, the point of no return and he knew there would be repercussions. Dangerous ones. He was simply not meant to be outside his damnation. The chains that linked him to them could never be severed because he was a good little slave.

He…

He offlined his optics clutching Odyssis closer. It pained him so much to let go but he had to. He had to let her go. For her own safety and his own. The warning the slave had said echoed in his mind. Licinius had optics everywhere and there was no doubt his suspicions grew from his absences.

Zion of Kaon was a mech too curious of the outside world for his own good. All he had ever known were the pits.

The light from a new cycle was growing and soon he found himself wishing their time would last a little longer. How he could remain like this with her forever.

"Zion?" She rasped his name sleepily.

He flicked his crystal blues down to her. "Yes?"

"Just making sure..." She shuffled closer to him, tucking her helm under his chin. He allowed her to do so, a clawed hand cradling her delicate helm.

"Yes, I am here still. Recharge."

"You too..."

A gentle curl to his lips. He pressed them to her helm and allowed them to linger there for a moment longer than necessary. Never would he recharge while he was here. He would miss everything that was her.

Odyssis woke from recharge and found herself stretching in her berth long and lazily. Despite the pounding in her helm she felt relatively….well. And then the night before came back to her like a gentle breeze. She held no regrets nor guilt. She felt...content.

And then she panicked. Her berth was empty. She patted the space next to her and sat up and found that pounding became worse but she ignored it. He said he would stay…

It took longer than she would have liked but she made it out of her berth and shuffled to her kitchenette and living space. She was rewarded with Zion's back to her, crafting a cube of energon. He didn't look up from what he was doing.

Relief flooded her. He kept his word. She found herself smiling. He looked so right standing there. That is why she begged for him to stay. She rather liked how he fit so perfectly within her unit. That confession made her realize that she may have started something with this mech. And that too made her more than happy. Her spark fluttered and floated within its casing.

"About time you woke, Odyssis." He said raising the cube to swirl it. His voice was humored and had a cheeky rumble to it. She sighed dramatically walking over to the counter, standing before it, simply watching his back.

"Yes, well, I went out drinking last night, but you know, met a mech who took my time from recharge." She said offhandedly.

Zion then turned around and she was graced with a tired yet genuine smile that made his face so very handsome and lovely. "How dare he." He offered the cube to her.

She took it and glanced at it. "Are you an energon brewer?" It was laced with silver.

He backed himself into the counter, leaning on it by his lower back. He crossed his arms, his strong stomach plating and chest shifting gracefully. "No, but I like to experiment once in a while. Try it, it may help with the happenings from last night with that mech of yours."

Odyssis chuckled looking down to the counter bashfully. "You don't have to keep talking about him so harshly. He wasn't all that bad. At the bar and in berth."

He tilted his helm as she took a sip. He was thoughtful but he looked sad. She saw this when she flicked her optics up to him. "How is it?"

"Well, I can taste my blend in there and silver. It's good..." She paused creasing her optic ridges. "Is that lithium?" She questioned.

Zion nodded once. "Good for energy and overcharge."

"I don't have any..." Primus it was so expensive.

"I keep it on my person for an energy boost and among other things." He smirked easily.

"Oh..." She didn't know why he would have that on him. Anyhow she found herself needing to drink more of the energon. How odd her frame craved for more of it. She didn't question it.

They sat in an uneasy silence. More on his side than hers. She cleared her vents and looked up. "You can help yourself...to energon." She offered.

He didn't move to help himself so she rounded the counter. He watched her with odd optics that were gentle yet sad. They were looking at her too attentively. She didn't like that. She said the inevidible. "We're not seeing each other again are we?" She murmured as she took a cube from a cabinet.

Zion tilted his helm. He weighed his answer out for too long. A single nod from her. "So. Either...this was a one time thing or it's because of your classified lifestyle."

At that he reacted. "Yes."

Another nod. She offered the cube to him. But he did not take it.

He took her chin in his hand, tilted her helm up, and kissed her gently. It wasn't anything special but at the same time it was because it was him. It was just lips pressed against lips. Soft. He pulled away.

"I wish I could tell you. But..." He wanted to say something else but with held it.

Odyssis bowed her helm. "Are you one of those uprising mechs? The militia? Do you follow Megatronus?"

She didn't see his optic ridges crease in confusion. "I am not..." He offered carefully. From his tone it sounded like had never heard of this Megatronus. Did he not pay attention to the News cast?

"Is he against the council?"

The question was so out of place she felt anger inside her. "Yes." But that wasn't the point of the conversation. His curiosity was odd to her. So out of place of the emotions she felt with him right now. She wanted to see him again and perhaps stay with him but he didn't feel the same. And that was sad. It made her very sad.

"Well, If you can't tell me, I'll respect that." She faked a smile but it was a pathetic attempt. Either he ignored it or didn't see it, she guessed the later by the way he had to look away.

"Thank you, Odyssis."

"Zion?" She interrupted.

He froze again. This time it was obvious. Did saying his name make her the same way when he said her own?

"Yes?"

"Please...if...I can have a selfish request?"

"Nothing you ask of me is selfish, femme, but quite the opposite." He stood straighter, almost at attention like a good soldier willing to execute orders. It was jarring at first but she realized, he wanted to do anything to fix what they couldn't have. He was willing to do anything for her. It made her spark flutter. She felt safe with him and she couldn't have that.

"I want your communication link." In case the ache in her spark grew too much. In case she could just steal his voice from time to time. That would be enough.

Another sad smile. "...I may not heed your calls because of certain matters I have to tend to." He moved closer. "But, yes, femme."

She felt hope rise in her spark. It was childish but perhaps this may not be such a permanent goodbye.

"May I ask something of you?" He murmured after he gave her his frequency and her in return.

"Yes." She answer immediately. The question was heavy again. His voice always sounded so damn heavy...like he was exhausted constantly.

"If...for whatever reason you are in any danger. If you need me for any emergency...say my name and I will be there. Our sparks are connected whether we like it or not. Call to me and I will find you."

She felt her tanks roll. Danger? What could make him make such a vow? Was it because he endangered them because of his classified lifestyle? Was she thinking too much?

"Zion..." Her voice was small and worried. He was scaring her.

"Promise me." He insisted holding her hands.

She was jolted by the tone of his voice. "Yes, Zion. I will." She was forced to say it from the desperation in his voice. He stared at her, mapping out her face with those crystal optics she found to love so much.

It took him another moment longer to collect his thoughts. "Fate has woven us together for reasons we do not know. I can't have you and it would be wise for you to forget me." He kissed her and she knew it would be the last. "I am sorry, my femme. I should not have done this to us."

Zion of Kaon traveled by foot wherever he went. Being a gladiator did not required a vehicle mode, it weighed the fighter down and it rendered them too heavy to move from a blade. So traveling by foot was just fine. The mech traveled his way through the crowds of the streets with a heavy spark. Seeing her expression through the closing door would forever be in his memory. No mater how hard he tried he couldn't shake her from his mind.

The pits were away near the edge of the city nestled in the ore rich mountains Kaon was most famous for. That and the violent matches that were the Pits. In a while he had entered the gates that were the pits. It was busy. The morning battle was to begin just before midcycle and then the next after. He made his way past the crowds bowing his helm to avoid anyone from noticing him. Some did but he was quick to avoid his so called fans with practiced ease.

Zion was quick to make it below the arena, traveling down stairs and lifts that lead him to the dark and blotted underbelly of the Pits of Kaon.

He wanted to rest for a while. The lack of recharge was gaining up on his systems. But he knew deep down that he would not recharge. Thoughts were too heavy preventing him from easing his mind.

A mech was walking his way but he was too deep within his thoughts to think much of his reaction when he saw him. In the back of his mind, did Zion realize he gave him a wary and careful glance.

"Zion…?" A voice from behind made him stop in his tracks he turned halfway to acknowledge the voice. One of his recently met acquaintances. "Zion!" He said again.

"Krystos." He greeted politely. He soon realized that his expression was not that of relief seeing him, but worry. He seemed winded and worn. He held his arm for support as his vents attempted to cool an overheated frame.

Zion clutched his shoulder. "What's the matter?"

He shook his helm straightening his stance. "I've been looking for you everywhere! Where in the Thirteen Primes have you been!?"

"I had matters to tend to in the city." He lied easily.

He brushed his hand off his shoulder. "Whatever mech! The Pit Master! He...he set another match. It...It doesn't look good."

The reality of his life truly set in. As said the night before he knew it was all a dream and eventually he would have to wake up. Reluctantly he did so. His hands curled into fists as he readied himself. He could not live with the sweet femme that was Odyssis. Here, was where he would remain and be damned to.

"Are you even listening!?" He shook the mech by his shoulders.

Zion blinked. "I am sorry, friend. My mind was-."

A growl cut him off as a finger was pointed to his chest. "Alvoria the Fair!"

The name sounded familiar and he doubted she was anything but her namesake. The name was something he noticed a while back. Perhaps another warrior from off planet. Exotic.

"Her name is familiar."

"Reigning champion of the Felix system! No one has lived facing her!"

Perhaps a well of fear came to his tanks upon hearing this news. He never faced a champion from that system. A barbaric robotic species flourished there. Their feudal system was brutal.

Licinius did this.

Fear was replaced with anger. Licinius was doing this purposely to him. Another difficult battle like this? Was he trying to break him? These fights were being anything but unfair. It wasn't like the Pit Master to do this. He was cruel yes, but to a degree. He didn't like breaking his favorite toys. He liked tossing the boring ones away.

What was his plan?

Was he becoming boring? He highly doubted it.

He set his jaw tightly. "Krystos is this a rumor or truth?" He dared the mech to lie.

"It's already on the newscasts. It's set." He said, shoulders slumping. "What are you going to do?"

A huff of humorless laughter. "Fight, of course." He couldn't back out. No one was allowed to do such a thing. To challenge the Pit Master was unheard of. They were all being good little slaves. That didn't mean he could give him his mind.

"Are you trying to kill me?" Zion hissed walking off of the lift and storming forward. Servants were wise to move out of his rampage with flurried motions. He stopped just so in front of Licinius. He was currently receiving a pleasant massage from a mech. Being ignored made him livid.

"I am your only credit maker, you bastard." The gladiator rumbled dangerously. His chest was held high. Strong frame imposing the anger that welled off of him in waves. The Pit Master still paid no mind. "How dare you set me in an another unfair battle."

Licinius slowly lifted his hand to halt the mech rubbing his neck. He did so and backed away with a bow. The Pit Master rolled his helm forward and onlined his optics. They sharpened upon the mech. "And you will remember your place."

His voice was calm but it cracked like a whip. A command to not be challenged.

Zion clenched his denta in a snarl.

He stood easily. "And I rather you not use that language in front of my creation." He turned his back on Zion to make a cube of energon. Moving revealed the young femme sitting on the couch giggling. Servants were around her as well. She happily snacked on delicacies. Zion curled his lips at the femme.

"Don't kill him, Sire." She purred, "I rather like this one. He's special." Her voice was young but sounded as if she were well above her age. Her voice was just like her father's, metal on metal and so very alluring. She rocked back and forth with a sweet smile, kicking her dangling legs for a short moment.

She stood up and walked over to Zion. He remained where he was. She smiled up to him. "Sire, is he fighting tonight?"

"Hypogeum, dear, he just had a battle the other cycle." He faked his concern.

She shook her helm. "Make him fight!" Purple optics glittered.

"I do not like to be spoken of as if I was not here." He growled.

"Do you know why I am making you fight, Zion of Kaon?"

"Indulge me."

"Rumors are cycling about that you are traveling from the pits. For whatever reason I will...hm, find out." He turned taking a sip of energon from his cube. A second one was prepared.

"Those rumors are true but it is business matters." He growled watching as he easily strode over to him. The cube was offered. Crystal optics glanced from the cube to the mech. He did not move to take it.

The Pit Master hummed in an "oh well" fashion. "Be wise to not stray far, my slave." He handed the cube to another servant who took it greedily. He drank it without hesitation.

Hypogeum watched in what was some sort of weird anticipation.

Zion paid no mind until a moment later the mech began to choke on melting metal that welled in his throat. She gleefully smiled looking up to the gladiator in a knowing manner. Zions' tanks rolled violently, although he didn't show it. He realized he would have died but the mech thankfully knew better than to accept anything from him.

Disgusting bastard.

"You are beginning to bore me Zion. Consider this a warning. Fight well tonight." The servant fell to the floor in a heap. Paying no mind to the gurgling, graying corpse, Licinius continued to drink his energon with ease.

When she walked into her office, it was with a heavy spark. She felt good, content, and whole this morning but those parting words left her feeling so...empty and odd. He had watched him go, the door closing to her unit with such gentle ease. She knew in the back of her helm it would be the last. Or so she thought. Who was this mech, truly? What the hell could have been so terrible to apologize for? What the hell did he or she do to make him apologize?

She sat at her cubicle heavily, ignoring how her friends chattered among themselves. Finally they noticed her. Pyro peeked over the cubicle and smirked. "Odyssis!"

"Hello, Pyro." She greeted numbly. "Stargazer." She reset her expression and faked a smile. She tried to look peppier.

"Ha! She's overcharged too!"

"It's okay, love. So am I." She giggled holding her helm.

Odyssis sighed knowing she was just fine hiding her true emotions. "How was Zion's friend?"

She seemed to burst with excitement. She climbed down her desk and rounded her cubicle to stand next to her with a data pad in hand. She crouched down spinning her seat to face her.

"Primus on high! I knew it was him!" She was shaking with excitement.

Stargazer rounded the cubicle as well, her hands in excited fists. "What? Who? Zion?"

"Shh!" She hissed "Odyssis they were those gladiators!"

Her face fell. She shook her helm with an unconvinced smile. "No…they just said that." She shook her helm in disbelief. Mechs did that to get valve all the time. They lied and made themselves seem like...someone else. "I have work to do, femmes." She offered a polite smile as she faced her desk again. She was, after all, in a new position. A position where she took on more responsibility. She did not need whatever was happening now to ruin it all.

"It's in my field of work."

"No! Listen you deaf femme!" Pyro cuffed her upon the helm with the data pad, not helping the lingering pain she still felt in her helm. She growled a bit, becoming impatient and aggravated. She didn't like where this was going.

There was always something behind his too heavy words but it was always hidden too well.

As if she was showing their creator a work of art they made, she showed Odyssis her data pad. "Look! He even has another match tonight!"

"I wish I could tell you. But..."

There, in bold glyphs: 'Against all odds! Zion! Pit Champion!' She continued to read in disbelief. The recent match was against his favor. Lost an arm...won in the time slot given. But just barely.

"The mech barely survived! Lost his arm! But he made it. Primus, I don't know how…"

No. It couldn't be...But as she read the last of the article and merged into something that wasn't Zion, she saw a short clip of the mech standing in victory with a fist held in the air, circling his opponent with a blazing smile upon his face. His optics, no longer crystal blues, were white.

"..I grew up in the Youth centers. When I was old enough I...went onto better things I suppose."

She felt sick. Her tanks rolled and her spark clenched in betrayal. He willingly...

How he was reluctant to say his name.

He was ashamed. And rightfully so.

Zion of Kaon.

"And you scored the absolute best of the best Odyssis!"

No.

"Zion of Kaon! The champion of the pit! I knew he looked familiar, Stargazer! I don't really pay attention to those fights but hell! Now I do!" Pyro smiled but then suddenly looked thoughtful. "I would be careful with these mechs..." She nodded in seriousness. "They could be into some kinky slag." She barked a laugh.

Stargazer rolled her optics.

"He's a gladiator..." They were both very unaware how Odyssis's world crashed around her. How could he not tell her? How could he betray her like this. "I interfaced with the gladiator of Kaon…"

"I am sorry, my femme. I should not have done this to us."

"I know, cant you believe it?" Pyro said dreamily.

She knew why those words weighed so heavy on her mind. He couldn't see her again because she truly was a one night fling. She was just a prize he charmed. A killer and murderer. She clenched her fists. "That bastard!" She exploded.

She actually thought she had something with him. Her spark fluttered every time she remembered his face. How she longed to be close. How she loved every moment being with him last night. She was just another valve to frag.

"'Sis?" Stargazer questioned.

Pyro creased her optics in confusion. "Yeah, femme what's wrong? I thought you were helm over peds for him?" Realization finally came to her face.

"Odyssis..."

She stood up from her desk and stormed away from them. She didn't hear them calling after her. "Tell Stats I have a matter to tend to. Take it off my vacation time if he has to."

"Depends. Do you?"

The first night they met they had talked about everything and nothing at the same time. She had spoken of her job and he danced around the question when it was asked of him. She was intoxicated and he wasn't but he took advantage of that. "What do you think of gladiators?" In the most sneakiest of ways.

"Disgusting."

He flinched, but she was too stupid to notice it back then.

"It's illegal. They kill sentient beings and for what? Money? Glory? It's terrible to think they call it a sport." She hated it. The ending of Cybertronian life for money and entertainment made her tanks boil. Her creator almost sold his life away because of the pits...if it weren't for her carrier he would have been gone. Instead he sold his life to mining.

"Why ask?" She challenged.

He stared at her in sadness. It was something that made her question this new found mech. "Mhn, they have a match on now is all." He gestured his cube to the holovid at the end of the bar. "Conversation topic." He watched with critical optics.

She shook her helm. "How about you? What do you think of them?" Another sip of her drink.

Zion broke away and looked at her with the same optics. Ones that hid something deeper. "Terrible."

Odyssis had many one night stands. Flings, spikes, and valves. But this was different. Or was different. Her spark was broken in millions of fragments. That mech wasn't sorry. He willingly became a gladiator, killed and made people suffer and bet on his life. Disgusting.

Was she just like his kills? Just a victory? Playing with her spark like this? Like a fraggin' game.?

::Zion.:: She called. She should have known...

He did not reply back. The connection was still one sided.

::Zion of Kaon.:: She almost spat the words. She made it outside where she walked the streets with purpose but nowhere to go. She was angry. Just a game. She should have known...

::...Are you in need?:: Was his answer finally. ::So soon?:: An air of nervous humor left him. He knew it would come to this.

It made her livid. ::You bastard! You lied to me!::

She was rewarded with silence and it felt good. ::Did you only apologize because you lied and knew you would get caught? I trusted you! I fragged you!:: A growl of frustration. Why was she so angry? Why? She would have no problem if it was a one night fling but she felt more with him. So much more than any other mech or femme and it killed her. It ate at her spark the way she was feeling.

More silence.

::I apologized because I meant it. I apologized because I can not live these two lives.:: He rumbled.

Another growl. ::Right. Right. And tell me Zion of Kaon how much did you win for your last kill.::

::How dare…? You speak as if you truly know who I am. As if I enjoy what I do!:: She felt his anger in his voice. But she also heard something else. Hurt. She ignored it. She hated how he was getting angry with her.

If she could just shove the little clip of him smiling and holding his severed arm in victory in his face. He enjoyed it very much so. ::Well, I don't see you quitting or 'moving onto bigger and better things'.::

::It would be wise for you to bite your glossa, femme, and allow me a chance to explain myself.:: He growled. She backed down but only by a little. His anger was something scary. It was calm and controled and that was the scariest anger she knew.

::What is there to explain Zion? You lied to me! Why?.:: She didn't like how her voice begged upon the word.

::Because I did not wish to lose you.:: He said it with truth but her mind wanted to deny it. He was just holding onto it so...so he could…he could what? Wasn't he the one who said they could never meet again? Because of the fear she would eventually find out? But not so soon. Not this soon.

Just after they said their final not so final goodbye. The silence carried on. She stopped in her tracks.

He broke it. His voice was soft. ::I need to ask you one more favor.:: How dare he! Ask her something!

::Oh? And what can I do for the champion?:: She said it with no heat. In fact, her voice was sad.

::This may be the last time I speak to you.::

Once again she did not see the heaviness in his words. ::Damn right it is mech.::

::No, Odyssis you don't understand…::

The decision she wanted to make made her pause. She held her fists by the sides of her frame tightly. She cut him off. Her voice cracked. ::Your kind almost ripped my family apart. I won't allow it again.::

::Odyssis, please…:: It was his time to beg.

::Goodbye, Zion.:: She ground out in pain cutting the line. She leaned against a building clutching her chest. She bowed her helm wanting the coolant that stung her optics to fall.

From across the street a mech stood at the corner watching the femme. He hummed to himself before going on his way.