Twist

Chapter 46: Karma

Temptest couldn't recharge.

She was sitting outside, her pedes dangling off the edge of the building. With the new revelations, she had more questions than answers. There were too many things that didn't match up, too many security risks, too many terminated allies, and far too few ways of getting back home-so many problems and she didn't know where to begin.

Not to mention the dreams. For the short amount of time she slept in the medbay earlier, all she could dream about was random snips of her life. Nothing particularly horrifying or pleasant, but she didn't want to think about the past. The femme she used to be.

Behind her, she could hear the elevator rumbling as it lowered to collect someone, then rose to bring them up here. Temptest didn't need to look back to know who it was. Optimus was always the one reaching out to her.

"Hard time recharging?" he asked, walking across the space between them.

She nodded mutely.

"You are captured very often," Optimus informed her.

Temptest looked up quickly. "The frag you mean by that?"

Optimus jumped off the building. "Come spar with me."

"Spar?" Temptest climbed down and followed him to a square in the center of the base. It was outlined with spray paint and the human soldiers were careful to stay away from it. A few holes littered the ground inside.

Optimus looked at her. "We've already discovered the similarities between Megatron's fighting style and Megatronus's. Perhaps sparring with me will help you in a battle with the other Optimus."

She frowned and stepped back. "Or you could be training me to defeat you next time I go crazy."

He shook his helm. "I would still win."

Temptest put on a sour face. "How cocky of you."

The Prime only smiled and got into position, his fists raised and weapons tucked away. Temptest mirrored him, except her stance wasn't as wide. She didn't have his strength.

Moments later, Optimus was making the first move. He began with a simple outward swing that Temptest easily ducked. Habit led her forward, dipping her frame beneath his arm and into the air behind him. Optimus didn't make any swift moves as he seized her up. The two exchanged cautionary, experimental blows at first.

Soon enough, the sparring warmed up. The strength and speeds behind each punch and kick went up a notch or two. Optimus quickly found a familiar rhythm in her movements, one that he'd bedn facing on the battlefield for a long time. Her style started out very similar to Megatron's. Temptest wasn't as lucky.

Her Optimus never had the matrix of leadership to train him. The false Prime learned everything the hard way, through various teachers and battles. The Optimus she was facing right now had the wisdom of the Primes. They were both formidable enemies, but of different types.

Still, training couldn't hurt.

Optimus managed to place a light kick on Temptest's side. It wasn't hard enough to move her on it's own, but the femme tensed against it. He may not have found the act interesting if not for the second miss he landed. She reacted the same, but this time she swung out a fist. A sloppy punch.