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A world razed by fire. The land rend by hate and sorrow. Even after our allotted time is up, our decisions -- Wise or otherwise -- live on after us. The ripples never stop. Every tiny or momentous decision held consequence. An Earth abandoned for twenty years, with humanity crawling at the backfoot as Megatron stood at the top of everything... those were hers.
Prime would not let them stay.
"Whatever happens, do not let him goad you into a rash attack!"
She declares, as the front of her cab form lifts, her arms ripping out as the back of the cab stretches forth, turning as wheels lock into place and legs are made.
"Tracks, Red Alert -- Close off any possible retreat. The rest of you, remember... Autobot lives hang in the balance, we need cool heads and steady hands!"
She knows the words are more for herself than them. She feels anger, anguish, guilt and outrage mix. They transform, ironically enough. They merge. Into a monster, that lies, a viper, coiled and ready to strike. A need rises in her chest... to cut loose. To let fury run wild. She tries to temper it... she knows that The Empress will only make it worse.
"Go to hell!" Fine last words for the leader of the Elite Autobot Commando Unit, weren't they? They made Megatron smile. The arm moves seemingly on its own, instinct, maybe. But Primus and Unicron above, the ready hum of the Cannon is anything except unintentional.
"You first."
She declares, as her optics lay down upon the purple hue that is starting to strike the ground, the infectious light of a Fusion Cannon she so dearly missed being able to fire with purpose. A voice comes.
"Stand away, Megatron. Now!"
Her smile grows wider. She leans forward, and she whispers, maybe only to herself, maybe to Springer. Maybe to an audience she knows doesn't exist, yet performs for irregardless... being a Gladiator did create a certain sense of showmanship, after all.
"At last."
Her head turns, and optics of purple lock onto those of red.
"Really, Optimus Prime... what kept you?"
Those optics of red narrow. Crimson spills out into an already blood red sky, unto a ground ravaged into desert and wasteland. Every moment she spends upon this world reminds her of the failure she made. Every moment forces her to recall the sacrifice of her duty to protect the world. The hand of ruin was hers, Megatron was only the implement.
"I mean it, Megatron. Let Springer go."
She demands, and tighter upon the Ion Blaster her grip grows. She itches to bring her finger to the trigger and pull with all her might. She feels something deep in her Spark beg for it. She does not permit it to fester any longer.
"As you wish, Prime..."
The Gladiator declares, her expression almost sorrowful, apologetic. It brings the barest taste of surprise to her quarry... then it rang. The rattle of fusion blast from barrel across her audio receptors. Springer was barely holding on... now there is nothing left to do even that. Just a body without a head. Megatron's gaze darts to the cadaver beneath her foot, and she frowns, looking to Optimus.
"Oh... dear, I see now, Optimus -- that isn't quite what you meant, is it? No hard feelings, I suppose... I'm sure another round of pontification regarding peace will convince me to mend my ways, and-"
YOU ANIMAL!
Prime's voice ruptures.
She cracks.
And so does a part of Megatron's helm.
The Gladiator groans. The Prime doesn't bother letting her retaliate, her left fist strikes, their side, and her right ascends in an uppercut. Only now does she realize she dropped the Ion Blaster before. It matters little. The Convoy ignored her duties. Megatron pushed her to the very brink. Now, they shall reap the whirlwind.
"I SHOULD'VE PUT YOU DOWN CENTURIES AGO!"
She declares, her left fist flying into The Gladiator's gut, and squeezing, mesh ripping and groaning as her right fist came over, striking their skull.
"LIKE THE RABID DOG YOU ARE!"
She proclaims, as her left fist now pumps, striking into their skull with a hook. Prime's right hand comes next, grabbing at the side of The Warlord's skull and lifting her, slamming her down into the wasteland and rock. Megatron grabbed at the limb as she was down, and used it as leverage, pulling, dragging the Prime over her frame, onto her back. The Gladiator rises to her feet, but is met in the chin with a double-sledgehammer rising like an uppercut.
"This time, we end it -- Once, and for all! I'm sending you where you belong, to the junkyard, with the rest of the worthless scrap!"
She proclaims, her right leg rising in a kick, the Gladiator stumbling, rolling back onto one knee, and raising up her right arm, only to find the Fusion Cannon's barrel grabbed, the Prime's right leg rising, tugging onto the weapon as she pushed at Megatron's frame, ripping the barrel off their arm. Megatron groaned, rolling again, this time, back to her feet, her right arm swiping down, blocking the wild swing from Prime's right, and forcing the limb down, shoulderbashing the Prime.
"This- this is almost worth the wait, Prime!"
Megatron declares with glee, ignoring the Dark Energon seeping from her arm slowly, as the Fusion Cannon folded into Prime's arm, and took shape, now attached to Optimus' right arm. The Prime hurls a right again, a shovel punch that Megatron only barely swats away.
"Let's see if you can follow through this time-!"
She grabs their skull, bringing Convoy's head down onto her knee, howling in agony as she feels the release of Dark Energon at her side, the Fusion Cannon firing into her hip at The Matrix-Bearer’s clench of fist. She grabs Prime's arm, forcing it up, so the Cannon cannot strike, and pushes them by the skull, away from her.
"You are right though, dear Optimus... this is the end."
She declares, as she approaches, Optimus attempts to fire the Fusion Cannon again, and Megatron swipes the blast away with their arm, charging and slamming her right fist into their skull, her left grabbing at the Fusion Cannon, Dark Energon rising in smokes and crackles of purple lightning and energy, as the barrel is made to melt, and she rips the Cannon from Prime's arm, slamming its back end to Convoy's skull, before being struck by their left retaliatory hook. She drops the cannon, and simply tackles, knocking Optimus onto her back, the Matrix-Bearer rolling, pinning Megatron down and striking down upon The Gladiator's skull, Megatron hurling a left hook that forced Optimus off. She rolls with the blow, onto her gut, beginning to rise, as Optimus does the same.
"I kill you... you kill me... either way, we're done."
She proclaims, smiling as she does.
"What- what have you set in motion?"
Prime questions, as the Gladiator charges at her. Optimus attempts to convert her right arm into the Ion Cannon, and open fire, but Megatron swipes their fist out once more, forcing Optimus' arm the same way, the blast going wide. The arm is swiftly converted back to Prime’s normal hand, and she tries to hurl a hook, but is struck by Megatron's right too quickly. Immediately after, she feels The Gladiator's left dart forth, breaking through the glass window of her chest panels and reaching for her mesh and very being. Prime's left hurls out in return, grasping at Megatron's neck, and beginning to squeeze. Dark Energon begins to trickle down from the sides of The Warlord's lips, as Megatron leans in closer, grasping and clawing at the flesh behind the shattered windows of Prime's chest, as Optimus squeezes further upon her throat. Her vocal synthesizer manages, though her voice comes in soft crackles.
"How many times, Prime? Ask yourself -- how many times have we fought this battle, and done this very same dance?"
She asks, as her hand grips tighter, squeezing. The red within Prime's optics flickers lightly as the Convoy groans, feeling the very inside of her body be twisted and bent. She squeezes tighter onto Megaton's neck.
"How many times... have we pushed each other... right to the very brink..."
She rips, mesh and wire coming with her fist, as Prime's hand released The Warlord's throat, the pain overcoming her. She groans, soft gasps of concentrated agony ripping through her frame.
"...Only for fate to intervene... or for one of us to falter? Be it that the victory didn't meet an impossibly high standard... or an antiquated and ineffective sense of morality rearing its head?"
Megatron chuckles softly, as she watches her quarry struggle.
"Kchh--"
The Prime groans, grabbing at Megatron's arm. She tries to raise one of her own, but she is forced to stumble forth by Megatron's tug of her mesh, hurling a right blow that rips the connected mesh away. Convoy stumbles, and Megatron's right descends once more, before ripping up in a rising backfist, her left hook following to Convoy's skull.
"Nghh- what's-"
She stops the rising uppercut by grabbing at Megatron's fist, tossing it to the side, the left arm which did so now coming to strike in a hook to Megatron's skull, returned by left body blow and right overhead. The Convoy stumbles back once more.
"-Your... point?"
Prime questions simply, another left comes for her, and The Convoy slips the blow, pivoting to be perpendicular to the Gladiator, striking her back with a right hook, and being met with a left backfist in return.
"Nff- why do all this? For what purpose, what madness could possibly-"
Megatron's right overhead comes next, and Optimus slips it again, hurling a right fist that lands unto her gut, Megatron's own right striking in backfist. Once more, The Prime hurls a left hook in return, and Megatron grabs the fist, tugging at the limb and releasing it as Optimus stumbles toward her, hurling her right once more.
"Why- why!? Because we are halves. Two pieces of one whole, without the other, we cannot be complete!"
The Dark Lord proclaims, her left launching in a blow that lands into Prime's gut, then it pulls -- Only partway --, ripping up once more, into an uppercut. Once more, a blow rips, a right hook, turned to right backfist, then a left hook, then a right overhead. Once more, left shovel punch, blocked by Optimus, her right knee rising in its stead, striking Convoy's gut, shoving them back.
"Any laurels of victory... would come wreathed in the ashes of defeat. For to best the other... to kill the other... is, in part... to slay ourselves as well!"
She explains, as pause comes in their endless battle, for only a brief moment. Then, she yells out, hurling her fists, the Prime doing the same, their fingers clasping together as they begin to struggle against each other.
"But Megatron is commanded by no one! The final Lord and Master! I will be shackled by nothing, not even our reflected nature! Thus, I've taken initiative, this time!"
Her hands are tugged, pulled down by Prime's, into a knee that makes her stumble. Optimus hurls a left front kick, and Megatron sidesteps right, hurling a left roundhouse into the Prime's side in return. Optimus is forced left, hurling her matching hook to strike Megatron's helm as she is.
"Nggh- this time, Optimus, Convoy, it's out of our hands! When we've fought each other to a standstill, when my Spark is snuffed out, or the flames of your own are brought to whimper, the Ark's onboard computer -- That which you so affectionately label AUNTIE -- will launch every last warhead this world has to offer. All... here."
She declares, Optimus hurls a right hook, stopped by Megatron's right arm grabbing at the fist. Prime's left comes next, striking her skull, and she sends out her right in return by releasing The Matrix-Bearer's fist and launching her jab.
"Everything that remains of what you fought for... everything that we are... will all... be... dust!"
Optimus takes the jab, and swipes the arm away after it lands, hurling her own, her right hook coming next, then, her left shovel punch, the following right overhead grabbed, the fist gripped and squeezed upon. She hurls her left next, once more, grabbed.
"It doesn't... have to be this way-"
Optimus is interrupted by the slam of metal to metal, a headbutt, but it doesn't stop the fight. No, Prime replies with a right uppercut, and Megatron with an overhead, the blows each landing forcing both foes to stumble. Megatron hurls a left hook, and Optimus the very same, the Gladiator's slams unto Convoy's skull, the faceplate denting, a crack forming, as the hook lands onto Megatron's side. Megatron strikes with a right jab next, and Optimus goes low with one of her own, ducking under Megatron's as her fist meets The Gladiator's gut, her left uppercut rising next, only to be struck by a right hook.
"Oh but it does, Prime! You know it, you feel it, in your very Spark!"
Her foe declares, Optimus hurling a right overhead, Megatron pivoting right, hurling her left jab, striking the Prime's skull, being met with their left gut strike, her hands clasping together overhead in reply, slamming down in a sledgehammer strike, before pulling away as her leg hurls a kick.
"Hahh- Don't you see, Convoy? I did all this-!"
She begins, as Prime converts her left hand into a blade, hurling a horizontal swipe that Megatron blocks only with fist, sparks flying as she feels her mesh cut into. She groans, gritting her teeth, before tugging her arm back, pivoting left as she does, and raising the same arm, slamming it down onto the blade to shatter it, hurling her right hook next, forcing Optimus back.
"-All this... destroyed my sense of morality, betrayed my ideals... all so that you would be unshackled. Unbound by morality, liberated from duty. This is the only chance we'll ever have, Optimus... to exorcise all our demons... to perish the way our warrior race was meant to! In battle, with fury and jubilation mixing to let the embers of our Spark burn bright!"
Optimus lets out a yell in protest, hurling a right overhead, and once more, Megatron launches a left uppercut to retaliate.
"This is how it was always meant to be!"
Her blow reaches first, Prime's head forced up, and she pulls it back, dealing the same blow once more.
"Unstoppable forces... immovable objects..."
She calls, as she hurls a left jab, Optimus pivoting and slipping behind Megatron. The Warlord feels the Prime's arms wrap around her waist, and she's lifted, brought crashing back down to a suplex. The Prime is already up by the time she's on her knees, Megatron’s head forced down by another blow, which she returns by turning her back and grabbing Prime's arm as she does, hurling Optimus over her, launching The Convoy away. She rises as she does so, and sprints toward Optimus.
"...An unchecked, primal clash! Iron wills and savage instinct brought to the surface, our true selves laid bare! No more pretense, just instinct and savagery, mind used only for the briefest moments of strategy!"
Prime tackles as The Empress reaches, her back pounded upon as they stumble to the floor. The Prime rolls to rise to her feet, and Megatron is back up as well, met with a right uppercut. Finally, the Prime decides to meet her. She decides to give in to the pounding in her frame and Spark, the dark calling from the embers of corruption lying within The Matrix.
"So be it. We'll do it your way, Megatron. No quarter asked or given! No limits, no conscience, because it's not about Cybertron... or Earth, or The Matrix, our mistakes, or even the war-!"
She's struck by left hook, and retaliates with left backfist that is followed by right hook, framing at Megatron's neck with her elbow, and then hurling a right sidekick.
"-It's about us! You... and me! It's about safeguarding the future of our species! And for that, I welcome it."
She declares, as once more, she is struck, this time, by right jab, Optimus forcing the arm aside before returning with right uppercut.
"This dark, twisted, ugly thing within! Whatever it takes... to get the job done!"
She steps forward, and grabs at Megatron's neck, raising them up by the neck... and slamming them down.
"Abort the launch, Megatron. Or I execute you... now."
She declares, the sky darkening to blacks and blues as lightning strikes in the background, as if to decorate their battle, which shapes the future of the world upon which they walk. Megatron only smiles. She begins to chuckle in reply, as she begins to answer The Convoy.
"Do it. The missiles fly regardless, and by then... I'll have won. You'll be heading to The Allspark with me... and in a blaze, you shall perish, though yours far more literal than that of my own."
She smiles wider, as she begins to summon up Anti-Matter in her left hand, ready to spring out and assault Optimus.
"...No."
The Prime rises slowly, looking down at her foe as she refuses their temptations.
"I will not make the crowning achievement of my life an immoral execution, born of retribution."
She declares simply, her optics narrowing... as Megatron sprints forth-!
"A pity. Then, in death, Optimus, you will realize... compunction is for those lesser than ourselves!"
She declares, as particles of purple began to seethe through Prime's frame. Her hands descended upon the Convoy's frame. Slowly, Optimus was being reduced to dust itself, and The Warlord watched as her foe was slowly turned to such... until agony seeped through her. Her optics widen, and she raises her hands, yelling out in pain as she felt her other half be executed.
"Ngh- AAUGH-!! NO! R- RATCHET MUST BE-"
Her agony is brought to short, sharp end. A blade has moved through her Spark. The Prime declares.
"...But self-defense... in that... I can take a life. I wish... there was another way."
She whispers to her foe, as the blade converts to hand, and thrusts through frame, fingers and digits wrapping around Spark, and her left hand grabs at Megatron's shoulder. She leans forward, over her foe, and tugs at The Warlord's very core, ripping it out.
"Rest well, Megatron Of Kaon -- D-16 Of Tarn --, you have earned that, if nothing else."
She says gently, as places the cadaver to the ground, watching as the light slowly fades from the gladiator's optics. She places the Spark beside its host. She has faith in her troops, that they've stopped the missiles that would be underway... it doesn't stop her, though. It doesn't stop the thought. It doesn't stop the plea. It lasts only for a moment, but it is present... it doesn't stop the briefest moment where she wishes they had failed.
Where she wishes they could be buried together.