Twist

Chapter 28: Revelations

"Ow!" Temptest glared at Knockout. "Could you be any less gentle?"

"Could you stop pulling idiot stunts?" Knockout snapped back. "I'm helping you, so shut up and take it."

Temptest grumpily let him finish the last bit of his work. Knockout flicked her helm when he was done and stood up.

"Good as new," he announced.

"Finally," Temptest launched off the berth and ran for the doors.

"Hey." Arcee sat up. "You're supposed to stay in here, watching Megatron."

Temptest looked at the warlord, who seemed rather bored. Surely he wouldn't feel like escaping until he felt like it.

"You know what, Arcee, I think you could handle that guy on your own. Knockout, why don't you give her a massage or something?"

Temptest pushed open the doors and left them yelling complaints. She found herself back in the main room, where Ratchet was heatedly yelling at her Megatron, while Orion stood to the side uncomfortably. Soundwave had his arms crossed as he stared at Megatron, but revealed nothing od his opinion.

"Temptest," Ratchet spotted her. "Tell your leader to give us the matrix back."

Temptest looked at Megatron in surprise. "Why aren't you?"

"I am now Megatronus Prime," the mech told her. "The matrix has chosen me to lead us out of a dark era of war and suffering."

"Uh, but it chose Optimus first," Temptest pointed out.

"Exactly!" Ratchet grabbed Orion and shook him. "He deserves the matrix! It was his before your kid ripped it out of him!"

Megatronus nodded. "Ratchet, I understand your concern. As a parent, you feel your child is entitled to the matrix, but it is not a burden so lightly taken. It must be held by a worthy candidate."

"Which is not you!"

"This is the second matrix to deem me worthy of it's power," Megatronus informed them. "I am worthy. I will save us all."

Ratchet snarled, but having his fair share of experience with matrices, he turned to look at Temptest and Soundwave. Swiftly, the medic grabbed the two of them and dragged them away, his optics blazing.

"The two of you," he pointed at them almost accusingly, "need to shake him out of that weird-aft matrix scrap and make him hand it over."

"What matrix scrap?" Soundwave questioned.

"You can't tell?" Ratchet rolled his optics. "He's reading responses out of the matrix like some half-thought artificial intelligence. The mech can barely control himself, it's telling him what to do! You need to get it back inside of Optimus before he goes all robotic–savior on us!"

"Is it malfunctioning?" Soundwave asked. "Won't it affect Optimus the same?"

"Of course not!" Ratchet exclaimed. "He's been using the matrix for millions of years!"

Temptest rubbed her helm. "How are we supposed to convince him if he isn't himself?"

Ratchet scoffed. "Affection and love and all that garbage. Why do–"

The three of them turned around as a flash of bright light came from behind them. Temptest tried adjusting her optics, but once again, it was over quickly. Optimus's optics flashed white from where he was standing next to Megatron, but soon enough, they dulled back into a gentle blue and he smiled at the other mech kindly.

"Hello, Megatronus," Optimus greeted warmly.

Megatron stood there, dazed. "What... what happened?"

"You ascended to Primacy," Optimus informed him.