Twist

Chapter 51: Analysis

After taking Megatron through the bridge, Temptest commed Ratchet and let him know Megatron was on their side... for now. She made sure to leave before the groundbridge appeared, knowing Megatronus would be storming through to lecture her. She was already declining his exclamatory transmissions.

This was a bad idea. Temptest already knew that. The stakes were high, especially since they knew Optimus had some voodoo going on with her. If she lost to him, there would be no one to rescue Optimus because Megatronus would fall apart, Megatron would scoff and call them a lost cause, and the Autobots would be royally screwed fron all angles. It was a bad idea, but she needed it to work.

After flying a ways away, Temptest reached the spot she was hoping to find. It was a grove of flowers. Most of them were organic human flowers, tinging the ground with bright, exotic blossoms, but a handful of places displayed cybertronian art. Intricately layered lights, almost like pedals, rose out of a metal stem and branched out. The closest Optimus could get to flowers.

She landed and transformed, running her digits along the edge of a particularly sharp imitation flower. Looking around, Temptest noticed a few new broken trees in the forest outside of the clearing. Whoever was here last hadn't been very happy.

A small twinge of discomfort ground within her spark, but Temptest quickly focused on something more pressing. A groundbridge opened not far away, alerting her to the presence of the mech she was looking for. Optimus walked through, alone, and fixed his gaze on her. He was frowning.

"You don't usually call me out," he said. "Megatron isn't here, then? Is he in trouble?"

Temptest gave him her full attention. "No, not today. I have a different request."

His interest was piqued, and he had a motion with his left servo, resulting in the closing of the groundbridge behind them. Optimus stalked forward and moved past her, headed for a table and two chairs in the center of the field. "Then by all means, let us discuss how I may be of service."

Temptest followed him and sat. "The other Autobots need your help. A vengeful dictator came to take their Optimus. He'll soon be here to collect you as well."

"Are you worried for me?" Optimus asked.

"Doesn't matter," Temptest leaned forward. "I realize I can't rescue the other Optimus on my own and I need your help."

Optimus hummed. "I don't like the other Optimus. He took you from me."

"And yet I'm here now," Temptest pointed out. "I'm asking for your help. If you want to be around me, you'll have to prove you can."

He leaned forward. "I don't need to prove anything to get what I want."

Temptest glared. "Work with me. Don't be a fool; this helps the other Optimus just as much as it helps you. They'll come for you next."

"I'm not convinced," the false Prime crossed his arms. "What do I get in return?"

"Are you deaf? They're coming for you next, so the reward you get is the opportunity to live, dufus," Temptest pointed out.

Optimus crossed his arms. "I can handle them."

"You can't. They have an army."

"Join me," Optimus proposed, reaching out for her face with a smile that looked much to similar to the real Prime's genuine smile. "Join my cause when this is over and I'll help you rescue all of your friends."

Temptest slapped him. "I only need one. You're going to help, afthole, because if you don't, the two of us are going to play the same catch and run, love and hate game we've always played. You'll never get me, and when you do, I won't love you. If anything you said about the broken matrix was true, you'd prove it by helping us... and then maybe I'd consider talking to you."