*Minor Trigger Warning for this Chapter*
The decepticon leader grinned deviously at Saphira as she stared at him in disbelief. Her heart was racing, and she could only hope that Optimus was on his way. She was sure Barricade would have alerted him by now…at least, that is what she hoped for. Sophia herself stared at him and whimpered cowardly as Saphira stepped closer to him.
"Come here, girl," Megatron ordered in a near gentle tone. She walked closer nervously as he watched her. "Closer."
"I guess…uh…it takes more than the Cube to kill you, huh?" Saphira said in a slightly sarcastic, yet very nervous tone.
He huffed slightly at her words. "Of course. I am not so easy to kill. You and Prime will know that from today."
Saphira nodded slowly as she reached the stairs. "Um…so…if this is some kind of revenge thing…it's working…so please. All I ask is…"
"SHUT UP!" Megatron roared, reaching out and grabbing her from the stairs. He broke the railing as he did so and threw her to the floor below.
Saphira screamed and lands on a stone bed hard. She grimaced and groaned, placing a hand on her lower back from the throbbing pain she was feeling. She blinked as her eyes blurred slightly and yelped as Megatron stepped forward, stamping his feet either side of her and lowered his hand to her. She gasped as the tips of the fingers had tweezer-like tips on them and griped her wrists tightly, making her grimace from the pain.
"Yes, yes, yes, it feels so good to grab your flesh," Megatron said, lowering his head slightly to gaze at her. "And it seems, you have grown even more beautiful than I last saw you." He and Saphira both hear a loud giggle and look up at Sophia who covered her mouth when eyes were looking at her. Megatron narrowed his eyes slightly and looked back down at Saphira, the inner blades of his palm reached down and ran along her shirt. "This is a much more favourable position for you. Oh, how I long to take you for my own, I sense Optimus has not made you his sparkmate yet. Even if he acts like he has one."
Saphira looked up at him with fear filled eyes. "Megatron…um…I get you're mad…I managed to kill you…but…I-I was just…trying to…"
"Save your skin, I know." Megatron chuckled coldly and she yelped as the blades rip her shirt in half. He spreads the fabric aside, her green bra with diamantes glittered faintly and she tried to move her body to have the fabric cover herself. "Much better. You will make a beautiful sparkmate…"
"Pfft, she's not even beautiful," Sophia said with a scoff, folding her arms slightly.
Megatron looked up at Sophia with a glare. "Who are you?"
"She's an idiot," Saphira grunted with a grimace. The decepticon glanced at Saphira curiously as she glanced up at Sophia. "This isn't a beauty contest!"
Sophia rolled her eyes. "Yeah, sure. I'm rich, I am beautiful! What has she got that I don't?"
Starscream stomped closer to the girl and she yelped, ducking and covering her head. He grabbed her and the girl screamed and wiggled, trying to get out of his grasp. "A brain, that's what she has that you don't."
Saphira let out an amused snort, that is something she definitely agreed with the decepticons. Megatron understood that the two girls were not friendly with each other, and that blonde girl would be nothing but a nuisance to have around.
"Squash that annoying pest!" Megatron ordered, looking back down at Saphira with a grin. "Not that you will care."
"Saphira! Tell him we're friends!" Sophia screamed desperately. "Please!"
Saphira rolled her eyes and grimaced, she knew she should stop it, but she couldn't. "We never were…" She whispered, Megatron was able to hear her words and gestured for Starscream to kill the girl.
Starscream grinned and threw the girl to the ground and blasted her body. There was only a shrill scream and that was it. Saphira trembled and grimaced as the metal, inner fingers ran along her skin and tugged her bra down.
"All I want to do now is make you my own, right here, right now…" Megatron smirked at her as she laid her head to the side and side eyes him fearfully. "But first, we have some delicate work. Doctor, examine this alien specimen."
Doctor? Saphira also still did not understand Megatron's obsession with her. She wanted to ask the question, although she expected some pathetic reason to do with Optimus. She heard something approaching before it climbed on her leg and jumped onto her stomach. Saphira grimaced, it was some kind of spider bot with tiny legs. It crawled closer on her bare skin, it felt like it could cut her skin very easily. It spoke in Cybertronian language and she did not understand as it pulled its glasses down to look at her more closely. Saphira moved her head either side, though there was no use in avoiding it, she just hated this creepy bot standing on her bare skin. It sliced it's leg at her face, making her whimper and grimace.
Megatron chuckled at her as the bot pricked at her nose slightly and snapped its fingers. "It'll be all over soon, my little thing."
"I don't get your obsession of me!" Saphira exclaimed with a worried expression as small bots fly towards her, carrying something that resembled a squid-like bot. "Is it because of Prime or something?"
Megatron chuckled again and ran his fingers along her cheek gently. "Of course not, I was caught my your radiant beauty when I first laid eyes on you. I never had a sparkmate before…" Gee, I wonder why. "I definitely cannot let you get away from me."
The tiny bot was dropped onto her chest, it was covered in some kind of green slime. Saphira grimaced as it whipped some on her breasts and watched it grow tentacles, she had no idea what they were for, but the doctor placed two legs on her lips and hold them open. She gagged trying to stop it, but the squid bot enters her mouth. She grimaced and gasped, though the slime covering its body prevent her from spitting it out.
She whimpered as she felt the tentacles reaching into her nose and plunge into her brain, she shuddered and jerked, causing her vision to blur briefly as she saw the symbols again suddenly. She feels the squid bot jump out of her mouth into the doctor bot's hands, she coughed a little and blinked just as the doctor did something to the squid and created a projection, aiming for the wall. She glanced back and she was able to see the symbols she had seen, along with memories of people she's known.
"Oh, there they are," Megatron said in sincere fascination. "These symbols can lead us to the energon source. You've done well, little thing, for finding that shard and absorbing that information for me. I am very pleased."
Saphira frowned and opened her mouth to speak as the doctor bot tossed the squid away and spoke out loud. "We must have the brain on the table. Chop, chop!"
"Brain…wait, what does he mean by my brain?" Saphira asked in a panicked voice. "I-I-I thought you w-w-would just get the i-i-information and let me live."
"Unfortunately, those symbols are what I need to get to the energon source," Megatron responded in a calm voice. "I guess it is a shame, however…" The doctor's armed turned into a saw and aimed for her forehead. "Doctor! Wait a moment, I would like to have my one and only time with this beautiful creature."
The doctor groaned and huffed before jumping off Saphira. She tensed as she panicked. "Look, I can write the symbols down for you, I can! Isn't that enough, Megatron?"
"And what makes me think you will be honest?" The decpeticon chuckled coldly at her and glanced towards Starscream. "Make sure she does not escape while I change into a more suitable attire."
Saphira whimpered at him. "I will be honest! I have a whole journal full of them! Just give me something to write and I'll do it for you, I swear on my life I will." Tears fell from her eyes as she gazed at his red eyes. "Please…"
"Hmm, I will be looking forward to hearing you say that word as I take the very innocence from you." Megatron lets her go, only briefly as Starscream's hand replaced Megatron's, holding her down. "Make sure she is unscathed for me Starscream."
"As you wish, my mast…"
He is interrupted by something smashing through the roof of the building. Saphira was barely able to look past Megatron and Starscream as they were startled by the sound, and she was able to see Optimus. Starscream growled and snapped his hand away, in doing so he accidentally tossed Saphira into a metal railing. She yelped in pain, feeling the rusty tip scrape her skin and glanced down to see a shallow wound. She fixed up her bra and looked up, Optimus had seen her and narrowed his eyes. Bumblebee and Barricade smash through the walls on opposite sides.
"Here for your maiden, I see," Megatron mocked as Starscream jumped up and shot at Bee and Barricade. He glared at Barricade with narrowed eyes. "You will die, traitor!" He charged a canon and shot at Barricade before he jumped up as Optimus jumped and cartwheeled over Megatron, firing at him.
Barricade roared as the canon shot hits his right shoulder and glared at Megatron as the decepticon leader pulled himself onto the floor above to fight Optimus. Starscream lunged at Barricade, only for the former decepticon to throw him over his shoulder and kick him towards Optimus. Saphira ran up the stairs, covering her head to protect herself from the flying debris that was flying from the shots. She yelped as Starscream landed in front of her and sneered at her.
"Where are you going, girl?!" He hissed, lunging his hand down to her to grab her.
"NO!" Barricade roared, he rushed at Starscream and lunged at him. "Hide, Saphira!"
Saphira watched Barricade tackle the larger bot and they land into a gas tank. Saphira screamed as it exploded, the force of the wave from the explosion nearly sent her flying. But it caused her ears to ring and she ran to a set of pipes to hide behind, covering her ears and head from the fighting. She watched Bee attempt to tackle Megatron, the decepticon grabbed the smaller bot and threw him out of a window and shot at Optimus. Optimus moved around, dodging the bullets passing him and his eyes glance as Starscream shot Barricade out of the building as well.
Saphira heard the creaking and she rushed to an open window, she saw it wasn't a huge drop, but the walls began to cave inward. She glanced back as Optimus slammed Starscream out of a window and shot Megatron with a bullet that also threw him out. Saphira glanced up as the walls began to fall inward and she was about to jump as a metal hand grabbed her.
"Saphira!" Optimus jumped to the ground and transformed. "I have, don't worry, you're safe with me."
He moved her into the cab when he transformed and Saphira gasped, looking around with wide eyes. She grabbed her shirt and pulled it around her as best as she could. "Where's Bee and Barricade?"
"They are distracting Starscream right now," Optimus responded as he speeds away from the collapsing building. "Are you okay?"
She frowned at that question and shakes her head. "No, I am not okay. I am sorry…I should have told you that I had the second shard."
"Yes, you should have, but we are not discussing that right now." Optimus could see the stain on Saphira shirt, the scratch was not bleeding terribly thankfully, but he was still worried. "You are safe with me, Saphira. That I can promise you."
Saphira sniffled a little as tears fell from her eyes. "Megatron…he…he…he said he wants to make me…his sparkmate…"
Optimus was silent at that, it seemed he was shocked at that. "I can't see him being your sparkmate. He's not even kind to you."
"I know…he apparently has been infatuated ever since he saw me in Sector Seven." Saphira wiped away tears from her eyes. "I guess it's better than trying to get back at you."
"I am sure part of his reason is to get back at me." Optimus speeds out of the city towards a wooded area. "I am sorry we did not get to you sooner. Barricade was able to assist us in your location. I'd say we owe him this one."
She nodded slightly. "He did try to stop Grindor…" Saphira took deep breaths to try and calm herself down. "Optimus, when we get somewhere safe, I hope you will know what the symbols in my head means."
"Do not worry about them right now!" Optimus said to her. "He's closing in!"
Saphira widened her eyes and glanced at the sidemirrors briefly to see Megatron racing towards him in some kind of hybrid vehicle. "Oh shit, he doesn't give up!"
"That is never in his nature." Optimus grunts as Megatron fired at him, hitting the back tyres of the truck and Optimus transformed. Saphira screamed as the commander held her and turned to face Megatron. "Hold on!" Megatron transformed and tackled Optimus, they both tumble and Optimus lost his grip on Saphira. She yelped as she rolled onto the grass, she stumbled as she scrambled to her feet. "Hide, Saphira!"
Saphira ran as fast as she could from the fight, hearing the clang of metal as the two titans begin to fight each other. Saphira thought about the bracelet on her wrist, she wasn't sure if she had the courage to use it right now. She decided she would only use it if it was really necessary. Saphira ran over to a group of trees and leaned on them to catch her breath, glancing towards Optimus as he tore up a tree.
"Weak!" Optimus insults, slamming the trunk against Megatron's head and dropping it near where she was hiding. Saphira grimaced and wiped the dirt from her face as Optimus punches Megatron's back. "Puny!" Megatron roared and swiped his arm at Optimus, the commander avoided the attack with easy and his arm turned into an energon sword after swiping at Megatron's head and throwing him to the ground. "Waste of metal!" He ran at Megatron and sliced the energon into the left shoulder and and elbowed his head again, causing the decepticon to spew some energon from his mouth. "Junkyard crap!"
Saphira was slightly amused by Optimus's insults at Megatron. He was fighting against Megatron quite well. It was a hell of a lot different to the first fight she had seen with him and Megatron. She wondered if he was holding back some in Mission City. Although, Saphira couldn't really question it too much. She watched Megatron being thrown down and it seemed the decepticon had enough of it.
"Decepticons!" He roared out, grabbing Optimus's arm and throwing him towards the ground, Prime landed on his feet and rushed at him.
Saphira glanced either side to see Grindor flying in and land heavily, smashing through several pine trees and running towards them. She yelped as she saw Starscream, he fired at some pine trees and broke through them, landing and arming his weapon.
Bee and Barricade couldn't stop him! She hoped they were alright! Starscream grinned at her deviously. "Come here, girl!"
Saphira turned away and ran from him as fast as she could, the heavy footsteps of the bot behind her terrified her. Optimus glanced at Starscream and Megatron as they both began chasing Saphira. He roared at them and tackled Megatron, stabbing him in his right side and forcing him to the ground, stopping him from chasing Saphira. Megatron stood up and kicked at Optimus, Prime grabbed his leg and slammed his fist on it and kicked him away. Starscream flew at him and shot at him, Optimus grabbed the bot by the throat and slammed him on the back of the head. He grabbed the back of his neck and kicked at Megatron to kick him away before Starscream began shooting. Saphira yelped as some of the bullets pass by her and Optimus swung the bot around, kicking him away to stop him from shooting. She hears Starscream landing heavily and grunting loudly.
She managed to find a tree with a very thick trunk to hide by briefly to catch her breath. She pants heavily and glanced around it. "There is another source of energon hidden on this planet," Megatron said loudly for everyone to hear. "The girl could lead us to it."
Optimus roared as he swipes his energon sword at Megatron, hitting him away. Saphira watched with wide eyes as Starscream jumped at him and lands a punch on his cheek. She felt tears in her eyes, Optimus was holding up fine, but she was scared something bad was going to happen. Grindor grabbed Optimus and spun his helicopter blades at his right side, attempting to gut out his insides which didn't work. He elbows the decepticon away as Starscream hits punches him in the arm. Optimus stumbled back slightly and stood back up, grabbing Starscream's shoulder to block another attack and Starscream slices at his left side with his own sword to get him to let go. Optimus ducks when Starscream swings at him again, Megatron steps closer and grabbed Optimus by the shoulders and threw him into some trees.
Saphira was horrified as Optimus stood up, Megatron kicks his face and she sees energon flying from his face. "OPTIMUS!" She screamed in horror, getting a glance from all the decepticons.
She turned and ran away now that she had given away her position. She hears a shot being fired, which landed it's shot and a plasma gun charging before firing. Saphira hears it hitting something and yelped, skidding to a stop as she saw Optimus's body flying over her and landing heavily in front of her. His back is facing her and she hears him spitting something from his mouth. She huddled by the base of a torn up tree, her body was trembling and glanced back at Megatron.
"Is the future of our race not worth a single human life?" Megatron asked Optimus, his red eyes glancing down at Saphira with a grin.
She looked at Optimus with wide eyes. "You'll never stop at one," Optimus responded as he got onto one leg and arms both arms with energon swords. "I'LL TAKE YOU ALL ON!"
The power in that voice sent shivers down Saphira's spine. Watching him standing and turn to take on the three decepticons on his own…he really was a brave leader. She felt courage in her own soul by hearing that and she grabbed her bracelet off, transforming it as she did not want Optimus to be fighting alone now. He charged at Starscream, his sword slicing into his right shoulder and pulling him around, throwing him at Megatron and slicing at Grindor. Saphira charged her weapon and shot at Grindor, landing a successful shot at his back and breaking several of his blades. He cried out in shock as Optimus sliced his left arm off, sending the tail part of the choper to the ground. Optimus glanced at Saphira in surprise that she fired at the decepticons, but he said nothing to her. He kicked Grindor away and turned to Starscream who ran forward. He grabbed Starscream's shoulder and spin over his body again, pulling him away from Saphira and punched Grindor away as the heavy bot had got up again. Saphira grinned and shot at Grindor's right leg, blasting away some pieces and hearing him roar in pain.
She turned her attention to Starscream and Megatron, they both were still fighting Optimus. Optimus headbutts Starscream and she charges her weapon again, aiming for Starscream's face and shot at it. Starscream screamed in surprise as the right side of his face was hit and he turned his head, glaring at Saphira. Optimus impaled Megatron's leg and pulled out a part before pushing his sword into Megatron's chest, getting the bot to his knees and slicing at his shoulder. Starscream ran towards Saphira as Optimus punched Megatron's face and threw him aside to run at Starscream. Saphira was about to shoot again as Optimus grabbed Starscream's arm and cut it off. The decepticon scream in pain about his arm, making Saphira giggle slightly.
She heard Grindor approaching and she turned to look at him, the decepticon was glaring at her and aiming a pair of blades at her as Optimus jumped onto him. His energon swords had turned into hooks, he had one embedded in Grindor's left eye and pulled himself onto the shoulders and dug the other on in, pulling the decepticon's face apart. Grindor yells in pain as Saphira watched Optimus split the decepticon's face in half.
He jumps down and pulls the decepticon to the ground. "Piece of tin!" He insults the dead body as he ran away and began to look around for Saphira. He had not seen her hiding by the base of the tree. "Saphira, where are you?"
"Optimus, look out!" Saphira screamed in horror, shooting at Megatron as the bot grabbed Optimus's shoulder and the horrible crunching sound of metal was heard as he sliced his sword through his back, into his spark.
Megatron groaned as the bullet hits his face, but he simply glared at Saphira for a moment before the spark exploded in Optimus's chest. "You're so weak."
Saphira watched in horror as Megatron pulled his sword from Optimus, it was as if the world had suddenly slowed down. Watching Prime's body slowly fall to the ground heavily was exactly how the sinking feeling in her heart felt. Saphira's mouth hung open in disbelief, all she wanted to do was to rush over to him and hold him.
She stood up slowly and the slow whirring of Optimus's body filled her ears. His head turned towards her weakly and their eyes meet, his eyes were full of sadness and regret. "Saphira, run."
That was the last order he gave her before his optics go dark and his body goes completely limp. Her heart told her to stay, her head told her to run. She listened to her head, she turned and ran as fast as she could, tears blurred and stung her eyes as she ran away. She heard the heavy steps behind her approaching, her throat felt like it was going to tighten and stop her from breathing. She barely was able to see the other autobots finally arriving.
"Bumblebee, get her out of here!" Ratchet orders as he, Ironhide, Sideswipe and Barricade fire at the decepticons.
Saphira yelped as she trips on a rock, nearly falling face down into the ground and she punched the ground in frustration, looking up at the open passenger door that Bee offered. She scrambles to her feet and jumped in, the door closed behind her and she could not help but turn her body to look out the window, staring at Optimus's body as it fades into the distance. Saphira barely noticed the other bots following them, she didn't even hear them speaking to her. Her mind was completely on Optimus right now…and she felt like she failed him by not telling the truth. She did manage to tell Bee where the garage was, but only because she spoke it groggily and through her tears. She too was filled with so much regret…regret that she never told Optimus how she truly felt about him. What he meant to her…that was a lot of regret that she was feeling right now.
