Superion and Devastator circled each other, watching for a weakness. Devastator was bigger, made up of six mechs instead of five. But there was a cohesiveness about Superion in his expression, that wasn't present for Devastator. Devastator lost patience first and lunged. Superion ducked and rammed his shoulder into Devastator's chest. Devastator yelped and stumbled back, and Superion grinned.
"Not so mighty now, are you?" he asked cheekily.
Optimum Storm laughed with delight at the quip, and Shockwave seethed. "It's only just begun, Primes," he hissed.
"I agree," Optimum Storm replied. He glanced at Ironhide and made a gesture. Ironhide inclined his head then turned and passed the message to Ratchet and Bumblebee. It might be time to play politics, which was one of Optimus's least favorite parts of being a Prime. But he was very, very good at it.
Watching the two gestalts fight brought back memories of watching gladiatorial combat in the rings. The fights had been a main form of entertainment before Orion Pax and Megatron had forged a new order together and dismantled the brutal sport, freeing the slaves. Most of the slaves had gone to the Decepticons' side after Optimus had been appointed as Prime and Megatron had begun to pull away. Optimum Storm shook his head slightly as half of him suddenly balked at his line of thinking. He soothed it by focusing on the two mechs fighting again.
Superion had a grasp on Devastator and was slowly pushing and twisting him, trying to get him on the ground. They were pretty evenly matched despite the ages and number of mechs involved. Superion was holding together nicely, but if the unusual bulging at what had to be seams between the individual mechs was anything to go by, Devastator was struggling to stay combined. Superion was clearly the superior combiner, and it was making Shockwave furious.
Superion suddenly relaxed and allowed Devastator to tumble forward as he sidestepped the Decepticon combiner. With a look of triumphant glee, he rammed his elbow onto Devastator's back and drove him into the ground. Metal started squealing as Devastator's cry of pain turned from one voice to six, and he began to split.
Shockwave moved suddenly, pulling out a long, thin whip. Before Optimum Storm could grab him, the tip of the sparking whip snapped into Superion's back. Immediately, he reared up and screeched as he was forced to uncombine fast and hard. The five Aerialbots tumbled into a pile, seizing with electrospasms as Devastator began to pull himself back together. Shockwave grinned, but Optimum Storm grabbed him by the throat and jerked the whip out of his hand.
"Cheat!" he boomed. "The rules have been broken! Autobots! Fight!"
With a forward flick of the whip, Devastator gave a scream as he was forced to uncombine, too. They collapsed in a writhing heap, unable to vocalize again. Ratchet, First Aid, and Pipes ran for the Aerialbots as the rest of the Autobots turned and began to fight the watching Decepticons.
Optimum Storm tossed the whip to Ironhide, who turned it off and stored it before he jumped into the fight. Optimum Storm turned his attention to Shockwave, who was wrenching at the hand at his throat. With a noise of disgust, Optimum Storm released him. Shockwave sucked in some air to cool his systems then appraised the gestalt before him.
"You know, I based them off of your kind," he said distastefully as mechs struggled around them.
"Because only Primes can combine," Optimum Storm said testily. "You should have left it alone, Shockwave. Your experiments are disgusting. But the Great One can use all for good."
"Don't speak to me of that," Shockwave snarled. "I don't believe in that superstitious nonsense. If you cannot see it, feel it, smell it, taste it, or touch it, it doesn't exist. And some supposed deity would have interfered long ago, if it cared at all for pain and suffering. Just look at what you've done."
"Me?" Optimum Storm asked. "I just formed the first time today."
"Half of you, then," Shockwave snapped. "Optimus Prime is the cause of all the death and suffering Cybertron has gone through for the past few centuries. He should never have been selected as a Prime."
That blow made half of him scream with pain, but the other half allowed him to snort and roll his optics. "Uh huh. You're not the first one to say it, and you won't be the last. I believe it myself, sometimes. But just because we have doubts, that doesn't change things. Both Silverstorm and Optimus are Primes. Nothing will change that, not even their deaths."
"Let's test that shall we?" Shockwave said, then lunged as a dagger popped out of his wrist. Optimum Storm stayed still until the last moment, then he twisted away and grabbed Shockwave from behind. He sent a pulse of electricity through him and snapped the blade off then rocketed into the sky still holding him. Shockwave gasped and tensed as Optimum Storm slowed and hovered miles above the surface and gazed at the battle.
For the first time, both teams were working together flawlessly. The medics were by the Aerialbots, and several mechs were defending them, while the younglings dove headfirst into a fight with the Decepticons. Mirage and Prowl were picking off the fliers, Mirage with his bow and arrows and Prowl with a long, thin gun with a scope. The rest of the teams were driving back the Decepticons.
"Look at Devastator," Optimum Storm commanded.
Shockwave did so, and he sneered when he saw that the medics were tending to both gestalts and not just the members of Superion. "Oh, how generous," he mocked.
"It is, and you know it," Optimum Storm replied. "That is mercy. Now tell me why I should grant it to you."
"You shouldn't," Shockwave said. "I will never change my mind or my ways. And if you let me go, you will regret it. I will never stop until I get them back and punish them for their disobedience. And I will make you suffer for humiliating me."
Optimum Storm thought about this. "Fine." And he let him go.
Shockwave let out a scream of surprise. He hadn't expected for him to actually agree. Primes were so sentimental and so selfless. As gravity sucked him toward the planet's surface, his life flashed before him, memories of experiments and his own suffering at the hands of his protector going by so fast he couldn't register them.
'Don't let me die, PLEASE!'
The next thing Shockwave knew, he was caught in Optimum Storm's grasp, hovering just above the ground. Shockwave jerked forward with a raw scream, and Optimum Storm allowed him to fall to the ground. The battle had stopped, and every optic was upon them. Shockwave, shaking so hard he rattled against the metal that made up the surface of Cybertron, shuddered and turned over to gaze with one wild red optic at Optimum Storm. Neither said anything until Shockwave looked away and began to try and stand up. Optimum Storm turned to the crowd.
"Autobots, please gather with the Aerialbots."
They obeyed instantly, and the Decepticons grouped together without being asked. Optimum Storm gestured at Shockwave.
"Take him and leave."
There was no movement for several moments. Then Optimum Storm spoke again.
"Take him and leave. And the gestalt. Go on."
Several mechs scrambled to help the Constructicons up, and a trine of fliers approached and pulled him to his feet. They all watched warily as they began to back up. Optimum Storm walked over to stand with the Autobots, watching them go.
"Sir?" Sunstreaker asked, his hands gripping his swords.
"Let them go," Optimum Storm said.
"Why?" Sunstreaker demanded. "We were winning. And Shockwave… Why did you catch him? It could have ended everything."
"Because Primus told me to catch him," Optimum Storm said. "And he told me to let them go."
At those words, all the Autobots relaxed and watched the Decepticons slink away. Shockwave looked back only once, and it was impossible to read his expression even though Optimum Storm zoomed his vision in on him and could see it clearly. When they were gone, Optimum Storm walked over to the Aerialbots and gazed down at them.
"How are you?" he asked Silverbolt.
"Sore," Silverbolt said, his voice crackling badly. "And tired. But we'll hold up. What about you?"
"Dandy fine," Optimum Storm said. "Though I'm not exactly sure how to uncombine, and I really don't want to use whatever that whip is, so…"
The Aerialbots all smiled and staggered to their feet. They got around him in a half circle, and Silverbolt touched his hand and looked up at him.
"Okay, so this time you want to focus on your individual parts. Try and split them apart mentally, and your body should follow suit."
Optimum Storm nodded as everybody else suddenly had blank expressions and glanced at each other. "Sounds easy enough."
"It does?" Ratchet asked incredulously.
"Since I am made up of more than one individual, yes, Ratchet," Optimum Storm said, clearly amused. "I don't expect you to understand, though it might be a bit easier if you compare it to a twin bond. Just think of it as a more extreme form."
Ratchet nodded and thought about that as Optimum Storm relaxed and focused inward. It really was simple to think of his two halves, and as his focus split, so did his halves. And suddenly Optimus and Silverstorm were on the ground, gazing up at a very pleased group of Aerialbots and wishing very badly that they had some Transium.
"Separate okay?" Skydive asked, kneeling down to peer at them.
"All myself again," Silverstorm said after a moment. "You, Optimus?"
Optimus nodded. Both of them grimaced as they were pulled to their feet. Silverstorm could sense a resignation to ache from Optimus, but he had no problems asking for pain relief. "Can we have some Transium, Pipes? That first time hurt."
Pipes and Ratchet both got out Transium, and though Optimus halfheartedly tried to protest, Ratchet glared him down into submission before injecting a healthy dose into his soft neck cables. Both of them could relax a little better after the injection, and they sighed with relief.
"Thanks," they muttered, rubbing their necks in the same motion.
Silverstorm noticed and laughed. "I forgot about that side effect," he said to Silverbolt.
"What side effect? Of what?" Optimus asked wearily.
"Mirroring," Silverstorm said. He continued, sounding as if he was reciting from somebody else. "After a gestalt bond is formed, individuals will often mirror each other without realizing it. This can include speaking patterns, small habits, and even walking gaits. It occurs more frequently when they are near each other, and this particular feature showcases the unity that is supposed to be shown in the Primes' relationship." He turned to Skydive. "That about right, Dive?"
"Yes. Verbatim, if I'm not mistaken," Skydive said, a please smile on his usually solemn face.
There was a long pause then Bumblebee spoke. "So you're a gestalt now? The two of you?"
"I suppose we are," Optimus said after a moment. He glanced thoughtfully at Silverstorm, and the younger Prime could feel his wariness. But there was also a calm acceptance of their new circumstances that was a relief.
"Yep. Optimum Storm, I think? My memories are kind of fragmented."
"That's normal," Silverbolt assured him. "Since the two of you form Optimum Storm, it will take both of you to reconstruct the full memory. And the memories you have individually of the incident will be colored by your own experiences and thoughts."
"Some advice?" Fireflight asked, then continued when Silverstorm nodded. "Never rely on your individual memories of your gestalt form to influence your actions. Always consult each other first. It will help."
Silverstorm nodded, then both he and Optimus jolted and spun to look toward the temple. There was no mistaking the call this time. It was etched into the sky, a summons for both Primes. Optimus wanted to turn and run, but Silverstorm grabbed his hand before he could. Without a word he pulled him forward, and they started walking.
"You all get back to the shield," Silverstorm commanded. "We'll be by later. Primus needs to speak with us."
"Yes, Prime," the soldiers chorused.
When they were out of range, Optimus spoke, low and panicked. "I can't talk to him. He won't understand."
"Funny," Silverstorm said. "That's what I always said about you."
"So?" Optimus asked.
"I was wrong," Silverstorm replied. He stopped and faced Optimus. "Trust me, Optimus. Trust me, and we'll go together. I won't leave your side this time."
Optimus gazed at Silverstorm then looked over at the summons in the sky. There was no avoiding it. And really, Optimus didn't want to. He wasn't normally a coward, and it was time he face his fears like Bumblebee had. Taking a deep intake, Optimus nodded and they started walking to the temple again. He could feel Silverstorm's warm presence in his spark, and it was very comforting. He would never really be alone again, he realized, and that thought made his spark clench. Without a word, Silverstorm took his hand and with the warm assurance that they had each other now, they made their way through the streets toward their meeting with Primus.