Chapter Text
Six solar-cycles had passed since Orion had left.
Six.
Six solar-cycles, that had completely changed Megatronus’s life.
The fight had indeed pulled in enough credits for Megatronus to finally pay his ‘buyer’s fee’, he was free, for the first time since the tunnels of the underground. He was free.
Gearwrench allowed him to keep his room for now, as he had no credits to his name really, and just having the free Champion of Kaon there, helped inspire his other slaves immensely. Tit-for-tat really.
Yet he had ignored it all, as he had sat outside of the Gladiator’s hall after the incident, desperately waiting, pleading, with Primus to see that beautiful red and blue mech walking up the streets once more. Perhaps sad, disappointed, furious, anything, he didn’t care, he would have taken it all. He deserved whatever the little bot would say, even if he hated him! He just, just needed to see him one last time. To apologize, to beg, BEG for forgiveness, and tell him he loved him, and tell him how he was his world, and he had never EVER meant to hurt him.
When he saw Tor it was already dark, he had been sitting all day waiting, and Tor returned alone, sullen, and angry with him, but controlled.
Megatronus had stood immediately, his optics searching behind the older mech, who merely shook his helm. It was then that Tor had told Megatronus in a disdainful, troubled voice, that Orion had decided to leave. Where, Tor didn’t know, but he was gone.
Megatronus had stood frozen, staring at Tor a moment as his spark crumbled further within his chest.
Gone.
Gone.
Uncasted, having nothing in this life, having given up everything for this fight, this justice, and, for Megatronus himself. He ran from his old life in fear, and now left him for the same reason. He already had so little, how, how would he make it out there, where did he go, did he have friends? Maybe the medic Ratchet, or Alpha Trion? Yet, being uncasted he couldn’t get into the city easily, how, what would he do? I am a monster, I made him run, I made him run further into nothing, I hurt him, after he saved me! I….
Numb with all the events that occurred that day, Megatronus didn’t inquire further, he merely nodded, and made his way to their hideout/base, and began pouring himself into his work.
He had to function, had to keep functioning, the forgotten needed him, he could do this, he could do this. It’d be fine, he’d be what he was meant to be, the Perfect Leader.
The others in his circle asked about… the missing mech, only once.
Megatronus, like Tor, said he left, and apparently the look in his optics was enough to keep them from inquiring further. No one mentioned him since, especially not Megatronus.
No, he focused only on his job as a good leader, an inspiration, to be perfect for those counting on him.
Perfect, unbroken, always.
So life continued on, as did he, and he played the role perfectly. Perfect.
Many of the gladiators had insisted on a celebration, for the Champion of Kaon had done the impossible once again! Gladiators dreamed of that day with every fiber of their being, and only a servo full had ever seen it realized.
Megatronus had agreed to it, he knew these mech’s needed hope, inspiration, to know the impossible, was possible. He couldn’t give up his role, especially that now, as a free mech, he had all of his time to pour into his revolution.
So, he had gone, shaken servos, listened to stories, drank little, and played the role perfectly. Soundwave had stayed by his side most the night, silent, watching his leader, friend closely. Rev, and Grindor had drank wildly, congratulating him over and over, their frames stumbling and joyous. Even Gearwrench showed, and sobbingly told him how he would miss him, and his payouts.
Tor had gone as well, yet stayed away from Megatronus, his optics glaring. He hardly looked at Megatronus now, except to work. The silver mech didn’t blame him, as he had a hard time looking at himself these days.
Finally that wretchedly long party had come to an end, and Megatronus left, his faceplates smiling, triumphant, the perfect leader, and made his way, once more to the underground, to work until he would collapse.
Work, recharge, energon,
speech, work, write, perfection,
energon, civilians, speeches, writing,
recharge, energon, precision,
work, write, perfection.
Everything was perfect, logical, smooth. He worked so often he never even went to his room any longer, he hadn’t been there since…six solar-cycles ago.
Yet, he didn’t need to be! He needed to be here, he had already done so much, in such a small amount of time, and there was so much more to do!
Always work to do, always… Everything was Perfect…
It was on the seventh solar-cycle that the package had come. Brought to him by a smiling sparkling, proud of himself for helping the Champion! Megatronus even smiled a bit, a real one, as he thanked the mech, giving him one of the spare energon cubes he carried with him, it was purple.
The small mech beamed, and skipped away, as Megatronus’s smile grew, there seemed a great deal more of that these days. His spark grew cold at the thought, before catching himself, his perfect, strong smile, adorning his helm once more, as he made his way back to their ‘base’ sub-spacing the little package until later.
Their meeting went perfectly as well, growing numbers of mechs joining their cause, his writings being spread far beyond Kaon, citizens had even begun marching for equal rights in places like lower Iacon.
Megatronus looked around the table of his fellow ‘officers’, they were talking happily about their progress, and influence, even Tor seemed to be more like himself, laughing with the other mechs, even giving Megatronus a small smile at one point.
Rev’s project of the t-cogs was going well too, he had found some reliable, and willing engineers, and they almost had a completed a second prototype. The other members of the inner circle didn’t know about the program yet, in fact, beyond himself, Rev, the few engineers, Hook and… Nobody knew.
Megatronus suddenly remembered the package the little mech had giddily given him, and smiled lightly wondering what the little mech had made for him.
He sat up and pulled the little box from his sub-space, looking it over slightly. It resembled the boxes that were stacked within their base, the ones that were brought here by…
He shook his helm, and went to pull the top off when he noticed a liquid ebbing from where the cover met the bottom. What? He pulled his digit close sniffing. I, I know that scent…
“Is that, energon?” His mumble had apparently reached Tor, who looked over at him, his faceplates smiling.
“What’s that Megatronus? Gift from an adoring fan?” The other mechs at the table turned, watching with mild curiosity.
Megatronus stood suddenly, sending his chair flying behind him, causing all of the mechs to tense and stand as well.
Rev, optics wide stared at his leader, “What is it Megs?”
Soundwave slid forward, as he scanned the box in Megatronus’s servos.
“Non-explosive. Energon detected.”
Megatronus nodded, I know this energon, it have smelt it before, I… ORION!
He ripped the top off, and uncovered it’s wretched contents.
“No, NOOOOO!” He flung the box before him, and it’s tiny gift rolled across the table finally coming to a rest in the center of them all. The mechs gathered stared at it in horror.
Megatronus bellowed, stumbling back more, as he grabbed at his helm savagely, “Orion!?”
The mask of perfection shattered around him.