Optimus ran through the halls, his face furrowed in concentration and his servos transformed. One had taken the form of a blaster and the other shifted into a sword. Temptest was at his heels, aching for her own wrist blades and blaster, but the tool from the medbay would have to do for now.
The two of them turned down a corner, only to stop short when they spotted a mech standing in front of them. An arc of electricity stabbed the air and Temptest's optics widened, but there was nothing she could do to avoid the wave of electricity as it washed over them. She crumpled to the floor.
Optimus cried out as he fell, his blaster firing at the mech as he went down. Something clattered to the ground, and just as fast as the electricity hit them, it was gone again. Temptest lunged to her pedes, spotting the cracked datapad on the floor. Wheeljack was calmly reaching for it, undisturbed by Optimus's stray shot.
Temptest reared her servo back and threw the tool. It sliced through the air and stabbed the datapad, effectively taking away the wrecker's weapon. Wheeljack's servo paused.
He stood up straight and looked at them, his derma turning down in disgust as Optimus picked himself up from the floor. "I know two bots who aren't where they're supposed to be."
Optimus narrowed his optics. "We're trying to get back."
"You're going in the wrong direction."
"No," Optimus shook his helm. "Temptest does not belong on this ship nor with your master. We all have the right to freedom. You of all bots should know that, Wheeljack."
Temptest frowned at Optimus. Was he really trying to talk sense into this psychopath? To her surprise, Wheeljack also looked surprised, and he stared at the Prime for a moment.
"Why do you follow your master?" Optimus asked. "He is not a Prime. He is not kind, nor caring, nor worthy of praise. He rules through fear. Why would you follow a mech that can never hope to offer happiness in any way other than a lie?"
Wheeljack tilted his helm. "You don't know me."
"But I know him," Optimus argued. "And I know that nobody wants to feel the way he makes you feel."
Wheeljack smiled bitterly. "Maybe you're right. But a monster like me can never hope to live among sheep. I can only thrive among others of my kind."
Then the ex-wrecker charged. He transformed his servos into blasters, firing rapidly at them. Optimus stepped forward, his sword flashing as he blocked each shot. Temptest stumbled back. She had nothing to protect herself from blasters and she'd already been shot twice today.
Luckily, it didn't seem like Optimus needed much help. Temptest watched as he spun, his body as much a weapon as the ones on his arms. The Prime ducked beneath Wheeljack's arm and before he'd even rose again fully, his leg was aimed diagonally up the wrecker's frame. Before Temptest had even registered victory, Wheeljack was thrown into the wall by the force of Optimus's kick.
Optimus looked back at her. "We've wasted enough time. The others–"
Temptest jumped forward, optics widening, as a mech of the same name appeared around the corner, right behind him. Optimus, noticing, whirled around, his sword raised, but he wasn't fast enough. Through his back, Temptest could see the tip of a silver blade. Optimus's body went rigid.
Temptest screamed. No sound came out, but she felt horror vibrate through the air as loudly as any scream could have been. She didn't know what to do.
Optimus, in all his purple glory, stood with a displeased frown, his sword very clearly impaling the magnanimous version of himself.
YOU ARE READING
Twist
Fanfiction(Shattered Glass) Temptest thought she knew Optimus Prime, otherwise known as the false Prime, who stole the matrix of leadership and brought war to their planet. He was insane, sadistic, and obsessive. As a loyal Decepticon and a femme with a vende...
