I've Done It Again

Chapter 22: Irreversible

Megatron's optics onlined.

"Megatron," Optimus was looking down at him, optics wide with concern. "Are you... are you okay?"

"Optimus," Megatron reached up and cupped the ex-prime's face. "I'm so sorry."

Optimus inhaled. "What... what did he do to you?"

"I know," Megatron said. "I know why you betrayed me."

"But what did he say!?" Optimus shouted, clearly panicking. "What did he tell you to do?"

"He didn't say anything I already didn't know," Megatron assured him. "You said it yourself. He wants to teach you a lesson. He doesn't care about me, Optimus. This is about you."

Optimus's optics were wide. "So... he didn't change you?"

"Change me?"

"When I got the matrix, I destroyed everything," Optimus whispered. "And you? He just gave it to you? He didn't... he didn't ruin you?"

Megatron sat up. "No, I'm fine. Are you okay?"

Optimus shivered. "I'm fine... I'm fine. You're okay."

"You might be a little overcharged," Megatron joked lightly.

Optimus laughed weakly and hung his helm. The laugh slowly transformed to tears. Megatron reached out and grabbed his arms, holding them tightly. "What? What's wrong?"

"Nothing. You're okay," Optimus cried. "I thought it was over. I thought you would wake and be gone."

Megatron felt a weight lift from his chassis. "No, I'm still here. I've withstood Unicron before, Primus was a walk in the park compared to him."

Optimus wiped his face and smiled. "Good.... good."

Megatron stood up and Optimus slid off of him. The ex-warlord and fourteenth holder of the matrix of leadership gazed down at Optimus, feeling lighter than he ever had before. His chassis hissed quietly and then the panels slid back, revealing his bright spark and the intertwined matrix of leadership.

"What are you doing?" Optimus asked.

Megatron reached into his own spark chamber and wrapped his servo around the matrix. "You said we needed to destroy the matrix, didn't you?"

"No!" Optimus stood up quickly. "You can't."

"Why not?"

"I don't know how much it will take from you," Optimus said. "If this was natural, it would only take away your time as a Prime, but now that you've died and Primus brought you back, it could... it could destroy all of your memories."

Megatron hesitated. Well, that was certainly not the outcome he was looking for, but... what about after he was gone? What about the possibility of a fifteenth prime, one who could ruin Cybertron the way the twelfth prime had? What if Megatron was the one who destroyed the world?

"Primus wants to make you heartless," Megatron stated. "If I keep the matrix, if I return to the darkness and cause the demise of our world, wouldn't that teach you not to show mercy?"

"I'm not going to do what Primus wants," Optimus glared. "If I let you destroy yourself because of the possibility that you do something wrong, it wouldn't be right. I never killed you when I had the chance and I won't be doing it now."

Megatron stared at him for a moment before nodding. He retracted his servo and slid his plates back over his spark chamber, hiding the matrix within.

"Okay," Megatron agreed. "I trust you."

"And I don't think you're the spawn of Unicron," Optimus told him. "I'm sorry for that."

Megatron shook his helm. "Wait until you aren't overcharged before you take anything back."

"My charge has gone down considerably," Optimus frowned. "So have my energon levels."

"That tends to happen when you repeatedly punch someone until you're too tired to continue," Megatron pointed out. Optimus winced. "You think you can make it back to base?"

"I should be fine," Optimus said. "It's you I'm worried about. What's going to happen now that you're a Prime?"

Megatron started walking in the direction of the base, Optimus at his side. "I told you Primus didn't say anything life changing. Your memories, on the other hand—"

"That's not what I was talking about!" Optimus cut him off quickly. "Politics. I meant politics. This'll change everything for the Decepticons and the Autobots. I think we should meet with my team as soon as possible."

"I'd rather convene with Starscream and Shockwave."

"That's fine," Optimus nodded. "I'd like for Starscream to come with us."

Megatron scowled. "How do you know they'll even believe you're the real Optimus Pr-Prime?"

Optimus huffed. "Well, it might be difficult, but it needs to happen. I'll figure something out."

"Before they execute you for being a slave trader?"

"My mechs will give me a fair trial and I will have ample opportunity to convince them," Optimus explained. "Not to mention, you have the matrix now, so that will give them reason to pause."

Megatron didn't say anything more. He didn't want Optimus to go back, not yet, but he didn't have a good argument to stop him anymore. There was a chance Shockwave could help, but Megatron wasn't sure if Shockwave was more loyal to logic or his former lord. Logic would say that Starscream should go with Optimus to the Autobots, and Megatron's emotions were irrelevant so long as they were not backed up with reason.

He'd just need to wing it.

Optimus's thoughts were less preoccupied with the future and more worried about their current situation. It didn't take very long to fly out to the city, but it was a relatively long drive. For both of them to walk, as they were now, they probably wouldn't arrive before the sun rose.

Megatron could have gone ahead, but Optimus was out of luck. A transformation sequence seemed impossible with the way the world was tilting and turning right now. Even if he managed to actually get all of his parts correctly rearranged in this state, it would likely sap the rest of his energy. It was a tight spot, but Optimus only blamed himself for falling for such a childish, predicable trap. Megatron was constantly trying to get a laugh at someone else's expense, but Optimus should have had more control. He should have known better.

And now, Optimus could feel his energon levels scrapping the bare minimum. It had been a physically and emotionally taxing night and exhaustion was starting to set in.

"How are your arms?" Optimus asked Megatron out of the blue.

Megatron gave him a look. "Fine?"

"Good," Optimus started to tip over. "Catch."

Megatron watched as Optimus fell over and then stood there, staring down at him, a small frown on his face. "I'm not carrying you back."

Optimus didn't answer.

"I'll leave you here," Megatron warned, nudging him with his pede.

Silence.

"Frag," Megatron cursed before grabbing Optimus's leg.