robothell | [ INTRO LOG ]

You don't know how you got here. One minute you were walking, sleeping, maybe dead -- then you're here, your feet suddenly carrying you down an empty street. Where's here?

Any Cybertronian would recognize this as their home planet, Cybertron, but it's not a Cybertron they've ever known. It has all the familiar hallmarks, but none of the specifics -- the city isn't one anyone here could identify, and even at a glance it's obvious that no one's set foot on the planet's surface in hundreds of years. The city and its surrounding areas all bear the marks of devastating war, of dust and rust collected over centuries. With no one in sight -- right at first, anyway -- there's plenty to explore. In fact, if you start walking, you'll find that your feet may just carry you in one particular direction.

A) The crater.
On one edge of the city is a massive crater left by some wartime weapon that seems to have taken out a large chunk of the surrounding metropolitan area. At the center of the crater it's broken through the surface of the terrain to reveal what looks like it might be a promising energon deposit. There is some strange but native vegetation growing around the edges, too, that no Cybertronian would be able to identify -- small, metallic, brittle-looking sprouts that bear a curiously organic-looking fruit of some kind that doesn't look like it's intended for consumption by any natives of the planet. In one rocky nook of the crater, light catches on the surface of a pool of water, which seems strangely out of place on Cybertron. On closer inspection, it seems that somehow an underground water source has formed a spring in the crater.

B) The center of the city.
If you follow where your feet seem to want to carry you, you'll find yourself in the middle of the ruined city. It seems that the center of the city was once home to a massive forum, and some of the pillars and structures still stand. At the very center of the forum is a massive, elaborately constructed fountain, although it has now long since run dry of whatever used to fill it. One of the low, inner walls of the forum has a terminal embedded in its surface, although it looks curiously ancient, out of place with the rest of the city, and unlike the rest of the technology still left around, there doesn't seem to be any way to power it on or operate it. There are a few scattered pools of water and a few of the strange metallic plants in the city, too, but they're not quite as plentiful as in the crater.

The planet was obviously once home to a massive network of communication relays, but those have all been long since destroyed. However, with the bits and pieces left behind and a few determined minds, it wouldn't be too hard to build a working, if rudimentary, one...

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

He's not what? Shockwave's expression falls further, concern passing over it just as quickly. Could his plans have gone so far astray without him around to guide them? Relying on Orion to continue on the path he had nudged him on should have meant things would have gone as smoothly as they could have - become Prime, win the war, save their planet.

Well, if this was their Cybertron - although he couldn't place the city - perhaps they had failed after all. And that was not a pleasant thought.

"Then we have much to talk about, but luckily nothing pressing to prevent us from doing so. You can start with why you're not Orion Pax, and we can go from there."

Optimus had expected Shockwave's reaction, although he didn't intentionally want to make him so distraught. After all, this was the slightly good news, in comparison to the rest that will have to eventually be explained. Perhaps a little too eager to tell him (It had been Shockwave's wish, after all), his arms clasp just by Shockwave's wing joints, holding him at arms distance.

"I'm no longer Orion Pax because I now have become Optimus Prime."

The name you chose for him.

And he couldn't have been more proud to say that.

That has the intended effect, and Shockwave's face splits into a wide grin as he laughs, one of his hands coming up to briefly touch the side of Orion's -- Optimus's helm before he grasps his shoulders excitedly.

"Optimus Prime." He's very certain that's never going to get old to say. Excitedly continuing on: "Then we have more than a pressing need to catch up. I will have to know everything, of course, but it seems we've nothing else pressing to concern ourselves with."

He gestures towards the remains of a bench off to the side - overlooking the rubble of the fountain. It's tradition, isn't it? "There, that's as good a place as any," he says with a sly grin. "Come sit with me."

As they used to, for Optimus. It had only been a day or so ago for Shockwave, and accounting for that difference is-- difficult. But he will manage, as he's always done.

The touch was quick, and Optimus almost didn't register it. Almost being the key word. His eyes widen slightly as Shockwave runs his hand along the side of his helm, feeling his systems slightly heat up. He hadn't felt those fingers, those hands on his shoulders in four million years.

"That's right. You were right all along, Shockwave. I became Prime when the Matrix was bestowed upon me, when Zeta was at the height of his Primehood."

Yeah, he was kinda mega fake.

His eyes drift to where Shockwave gestures, seeing the bench and...his eyes shoot wide open, gazing at it. Of all the things to survive...

"I...of course."

"Zeta?" Ah yes, one of his other choices. The best of them - at least before Orion had burst into the Senate, because at that point the police captain had eclipsed all others in his mind. There was only one future Prime, and Orion Pax was it. "I did tell him that if he didn't hear from me, he should seek you out."

Shockwave grabs one of Orion's elbows, leading him to the bench as he talked before sitting at his usual place on Orion's left.

"And how did you get the Matrix when Zeta was already Prime?"

Curious, but Shockwave doesn't doubt Optimus's statements - why would the other have any cause to lie to him?

Everything felt so familiar. As if four million years hadn't even passed. Like they were just meeting at the Memorial as they always had. He knew Shockwave always sat to his left, the way that hand rested around his arm...

And as if Primus (if he ever believed in it) smiled down upon him and granted this. You know, if he didn't know better.

"It's more like it found me. It bonded with me when Zeta had lost his way, using a weapon to take Energon from the very bodies of Cybertronians."

Nice pick there, Shockwave.

"He did what?" That's news to Shockwave, who stares at Optimus with a shocked expression. "After I found you - he was never to have been Prime."

A shake of the head, now worried. "I would never have thought him capable of such a thing."

Yeah well maybe you should have passed along a note or something because he kind of became the next Prime after Sentinel because you kind of told him he was going to be the next Prime.

"Mm. My Primehood was slightly delayed."

And his head dips, slightly.

"He was taken care of, at the expense of Nyon."

Do you need a bigger hint than the fact that Zeta was supposed to find you, and not the other way around? But he should place that blame on Zeta rather than Orion - another instance in which Optimus had proved himself to be the much better choice.

"I see." Nyon, gone. It had once been an extravagant place - but recent years had made it clear that it was being ignored like so many other city-states. But to think of it entirely gone was almost impossible. "I should have been there."

He should have planned better.

To be fair, Zeta's ego was a bit inflated, since you saw the potential in him as well.

Shockwave's response tenses up his plating, as if he still thinks about if he could have saved Nyon. Saved Rodimus from detonating it, and sparing him that guilt.

But that last part snaps him back to attention, eyes locked.

"You did what you thought was right, Shockwave. You saved Roller in the process."

at the risk of yourself.

If that were true then there's a small number of the population running around with inflated egos thanks to Shockwave. Hmm. His bad. Shockwave can see Optimus tensing up, placing a hand on his shoulder to try and ease his friend's frustration.

"How could I not?"

It was the right thing to do, as far as Shockwave's concerned.

And as if that was the magic touch, his plating settles, eyes softening in the process as well. It was amazing how much Shockwave's presence had an affect on him, despite being oblivious to it.

"I would...prefer it if you kept by me during our stay here."

It comes out, almost humbly.

"So I don't lose you again."

He smiles slightly, thumb running over the armor before his arm drops. That request he can do, and gladly.

"I don't plan on going anywhere, Optimus. After all - this place looks like it could use our help, doesn't it?"

And what's the point of being brilliant if he can't help Cybertron?

"That...is an understatement."

A little bit of spark in his words, finally, glad that Shockwave made no objections to wandering. Maybe he could do this right...Maybe he could fix things.

If not in his own world, then here.

"I suppose we should at least try and get some form of communications running. If we are going to find any others in this place."

[ INTRO LOG ]

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