Darkness

Megatron could hear Roxy screaming at the Autobots from the prison inside his mind, which only made his fury and determination grow. The warlord pushed once more with a nasty snarl, shoving Unicron out of his body.

Dark energon and Unicron's spirit flew skyward in a brilliant blast of purple. It threw aside all energon in the vicinity, causing the Autobots and their blaster fire to be throw backward.

Megatron stood slowly and turned, his chest rising and falling rapidly.

Roxy stared up at him, her eyes searching his for a short moment before she grinned.

"Welcome back, scrapheap."

Megatron smirked. "It is good to be back."

The Autobots stood up, looking at Megatron wearily. From behind them, the Predicons began to fly out of the Well of Allsparks. Optimus suddenly appeared, like the magical Prime he is.

Starscream flew out of thin air and landed next to Megatron.

"Master!" He exclaimed. "Praise the Allspark!"

"Indeed." Megatron nodded, his gaze rising to meet Optimus's.

"Your new battle armour will take things to the next level, my liege. Together, we will unite the Decepticons and once again grind Cybertron under your mighty heel!" Starscream told him enthusiastically.

"No!" Megatron suddenly snapped.

"What?" Starscream asked in utter confusion. "Why?"

"Because I have learned the true meaning of oppression." Megatron said. "And have thus lost my taste for it."

Optimus's eyes widened ever so slightly.

Starscream chuckled nervously. "You've clearly been traumatized, Master. A good power down and a stroll around the smelting pit will put your inner warlord."

Megatron looked at Starscream angrily and clenched his fist. "Enough. The Decepticons are no more. And that is final."

He glanced down at Roxy, who stared up at him emotionlessly. Then his gaze turned back to Optimus.

Megatron stepped up to the Prime, making all of the bots tense.

"I trust you will..." Megatron frowned. "Help her?"

Optimus narrowed his eyes, but nodded tightly. Megatron looked down at Roxy.

"This is for your own good."

"What?" She stepped forward and scowled. "Don't beat around the bush, I hate that. It's stupid and-"

Megatron suddenly transformed, his jet taking off toward the skies. Roxy's eyes widened in sudden understanding and she took a step after him, but it was pointless. He was too fast.

"Wait." She whispered, eyes wide with hurt.

He was gone. Again.

And this time he left her of his own free will.

▪️◾◼⬛◼◾▪️

Optimus exited the building calmly, having just spoke with one of the best Autobot scientists that had arrived in the three months since Cybertron's revival.

He made his way through the half-built New Iacon city, which was gleaming silver and blue with gleaming metal towers and Cybertron's natural energon glow.

Optimus wasn't sure how to feel about what the scientist had told him. Since arriving, they had only required about half of the planet. In the most deserted place on Cybertron, what used to by a small, rural village, they had located a second, larger dark energon signal.