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“Decepticons! Attack!” This line has been heard countless times throughout the war on Cybertron, Megatron’s deep raspy shout reverberating throughout the ruined city. Optimus Prime lead his own troops, running at the wave of vehicons blasting and using his axe to deflect the shots. He ordered Bumblebee to flank from behind, trying to catch the wave off guard while him and Ironhide went through the wave, cleaning the Decepticons army. Out of the crowd a horrible vibration is felt, making Optimus’s plates flare up in warning as a sonic attack hit them all. Soundwave was standing still, his tall build a stark contrast against the moving vehicons around him. Optimus struggled to stand against the attack, but then saw his sneaking scout weaving through vehicons and barreling straight for Soundwave. The Decepticon third in command noticed him and dodged, but it had the needed effect of stopping his wave blast. Optimus threw his axe against the con and he managed to kick the communications officer. Soundwave, silent as ever, stood his ground and grabbed a hold of Bumblebee, pointing his canon at him. Bee tried to swing his stinger at him but his arms were too short to reach. That was the moment Optimus got to them both and attacked, which made soundwave drop the scout and grab a hold of the punch coming his way. They both held each other’s fists in time, in a locked state as their servos were held there. Both started pushing, trying to get their arms unstuck, but then a horrible noise was heard from above. Almost all fighting stopped as everyone looked up at the ruined buildings above, and there was a horrid shriek as the dilapidated building right above them shook, and tilted right towards them. Megatron was heard screaming at his troops to keep on fighting, but most of them were in a panic. The seekers left first, following Starscream’s orders of panicked retreat. The vehicons pushed each other in multiple directions, a lot of them were getting trampled under the new wave of panic. Optimus turned to Soundwave. The mech stared back, visor unblinking. “Soundwave, we need to evacuate. We cannot fight here.” His voice was calm, ordering the officer to stand down. Soundwave’s visor held no change, it was always hard to read the con with only a visor and the face covering. But then he nodded, pulling away. But that was when Bumblebee jumped, attacking the Decepticon from the behind. “Bumblebee no! retreat! That’s an order!” But the scout was charging in excitement. It was an amazing opportunity, the Decepticon’s third in command was one of their most dangerous enemies and getting rid of him would be a certain step into gaining them their victory. "But I can do this! Megatron won't stand a chance against us if we get rid of him now! There is no better chance!" But Optimus was not going to let the scout sacrifice himself. So he also jumped in their struggling frames, his servos trying his hardest to pry the two mechs apart. By then, it was already too late as the building crashed on top of them all. When Optimus came back online, his body felt cramped, many dents, big and small, were making it hard for him to move easily. He shuttered his optics open, and vented harshly in pain. He was in a very cramped alcove, he couldn’t sit up fully let alone stand up. He managed to roll up and lean against a small crumbled stone behind him, groaning and his plates shifting awkwardly. Then he hears a whining noise. He looked around and to his horror saw Bumblebee, his scout curled around his legs protectively. The scout whined in pain, his vents stuttering with hot air from overworked engines.“Bee..” Optimus whispered gently and it alerted the scout to his location. The minibot looked up in shock, then hope bloomed in his optics, the blue was striking as the sky. He tried raising his body up, and that’s when Optimus saw why the yellow mech was curled like that. His left leg was missing below his knee joint. Optimus’s vents picked up again, this time in despair. Optimus crawled towards Bee and the scout met him halfway, where Optimus brought his servos around the minibot’s shoulders and pulled him against his chest. “I'm sorry son, I promise we will get you out of here. We just need to wait for help.” Optimus promised as Bumblebee tried to ease his worries with a helmshake, opening his intake to disagree but it was obvious how much pain the yellow mech was in. his usual wide optics were crinkled in concentration on keeping calm, his body was shivering trying to repress the pain. "It- it's fine, Optimus. I can handle it." Bumblebee still managed to sound as hopeful as ever, making Optimus take a deep, uneasy vent, and tried to com ratchet. Nothing but static. Slight panic filled his spark as he tried to contact his teammates and nothing was being picked up. Either his comms were broken by the falling building, or nobody was around. Optimus didn’t mention this to Bee, instead looking at the mangled leg. There was a loose energon pipe, but thankfully Bee had the foresight to close it off. The tip was melted and fused together, probably a work of his stinger. It must've hurt a lot, it probably still does considering the shaky ventilation of the smaller's frame. Pride filled the Prime's field. “You did a great job of stopping the leak, Bumblebee. I'm proud.” This made a sweet but weak chuckle leave from his scout, and Optimus had to physically stop himself from rubbing the minibot’s helm affectionately. Sudden noise on their left made them freeze. Bee weakly tried to activate his tinger but Optimus stopped him. “Save your energy, you are already wounded.” Optimus whispered before activating his axe, holding it protectively over them both. Bumblee groaned. "You are also wasting energon-" But Optimus had full attention on the noise next to them. But he was also hopeful, the noise sounded like someone was moving some rocks around, probably meaning a search team was there. Good, Bee really needed some medical attention. The pile of rocks on their left rearranged, and out of it came a very rough looking mech. A Host mech, a Decepticon Host mech. Soundwave kneeled, his harmonized wheezing was barely heard from his metallic plates clicking painfully. His plated were all in rough shapes, and he couldn’t move as easily as he should. Optimus felt bad for him, but his axe stayed in place. Soundwave didn’t notice them at first, coughing and wheezing until his vents seemed to clear from all the dust. Then his hand went over his dock, protectively rubbing over it in concern, after a few seconds, he hummed in relief, and finally he seemed to notice the two other mechs under the same rubble as him. He stood frozen, his masked face not moving, not showing anything about his emotions. Finally, he slowly sat down, with horrible creaking noises and metal grating together. He sat watching, until finally he spoke. “Query: how long since the battle ended?” Optimus carefully regarded soundwave before answering, not lowering his axe. “I am unsure. My chronometer is broken.” Soundwave hummed, then continued. “Soundwave: lost function in both Coms and chronometer. Query: have the Autobots begun searching for you?” Optimus huffed, and lowered his axe a bit. “… Not yet.” He didn’t want to tell the enemy he also hasn’t been able to access anyone’s coms yet. Who knew what the Decepticon communication's officer would do with that information. Soundwave looked away from them and looked down, almost in thought. Until suddenly his dock opened and a cassette – either rumble or frenzy, they could never tell them apart- was ejected. Optimus held his axe tight, and Bee wheezed in warning. But it seemed like the two Decepticons weren’t paying attention to them at all. “Whoa, this looks awful! We really got in a pickle here, huh da-“ A sudden harmonized hum cut off the cassette’s sentence, and made the minibot look around in worry. This made the minibot finally notice the two Autobots, and a sudden shift in tone was made by the cassette. “What are the orders, boss?” The colder and formal sentence was clearly notable, both Bumblebee and Optimus looked at each other in a small silent conversation. It wasn't hard to figure out what was going on between the cassette’s and their carrier, and unlike many other mechs who have forgotten all their history in the wake of war, Optimus, the previously archivist mech, knew how Host mechs functioned. There is a reason why he never targeted the cassettes. Soundwave was watching them warily, but didn’t drop the act. Instead, he regarded his symbiote. “Frenzy: find us a way out.” Frenzy looked at his carrier and nodded, looking around their small area until finding a small crevice that only he could crawl into. He moved slowly, trying to squeeze in and see where it leads. “… Frenzy: be careful.” The small comment from the Decepticon had everyone’s helm turn towards him, but the Con didn’t move or say anything else. Frenzy looked stunned, but then the small mech nodded, and moved further down the hole. There was a small, awkward silence between the three remaining mechs, but thankfully it didn’t take long. “Can Ratbat come help? I cant see slag-“ “Frenzy: language! Ratbat: Eject.” The TiC’s chest opened for a pink cyberbat to eject, fluttering and hanging upside down a metal pipe on the low ceiling. It chittered and then followed right behind where Frenzy crawled in. From there a small hushed conversation between Ratbat and Frenzy could be heard, one Optimus couldn’t hear much of. But Soundwave apparently could, because his frame hunched further inwards. The cassettes exited the hole, and Frenzy dusted himself while Ratbat flied right to her carrier. “It's too unstable, not only it's not big enough for even me to crawl out, but if Rumble tried to open it it'll probably make this little room collapse on us as well. We gotta wait for back up d- uh, boss. Sir.” Frenzy finishes hurriedly, trying to catch his slip but both Bumblebee and Optimus could tell. They looked at Soundwave, Bumblebee with some hesitant understanding and Optimus with fondness, but the Decepticon didn’t look at them. Instead, He pats Frenzy’s helm, and then rubs Ratbat's before opening his dock for them both to leap into. Now, with only the three of them remaining, there was a heavy silence fallen on them. Until Optimus decided to break it. “Soundwave, I knew.” The Con didn’t say anything, and did not even move to look at Optimus, so he continued. “I used to be an archivist, Soundwave. Me and Megatron, before the war, wanted to abolish the caste system together. We had studied all types of castes. Yours included.” Soundwave finally lifts his helm, his visor staring right through Optimus. It almost made the Prime feel uneasy, the way the red visor gazed at him as if gazing through his matrix right at his spark. Soundwave's arm moved slowly, wrapping tightly across his dock. Then, he spoke. “… Soundwave: noticed you and Blaster never attacked my mechlings. Soundwave: never attacked Blasters mechlings in return.” Optimus sighed, leaning back more. He disengaged his axe, wrapping both arms around Bumblebee protectively. “… I wished we didn’t resort to needing mechlings in war. In fact, I wished we could still provide them a peaceful life.” Optimus murmured. Soundwave let out a hum. “Bumblebee: adult mech?” Bumblebee let out an annoyed whine and flipped the Decepticon off, grumbling under his breath about infantilizing minibots, which was all the answer Soundwave needed. He nodded. “Soundwave: does not regret our fights, then.” Bumblebee did an eyeroll but otherwise made no other protests. Optimus was a bit upset though. “I wished you didn’t use such language, Bumbebee.” Th eyellow scout stared at him. "Optimus come on I'm a grown mech! and youre not my real sire anyway-" “I understand, but not everyone should be witness to such profanities.” Bumblebee slumped, looking guiltily at soundwave’s dock. But then the Decepticon shook his head. “Cassettes: cannot see or hear the outside when inside.” Optimus huffed as Bumblebee enthusiasticly nudged him, arching a brow expectantly. “… Yes, alright, just this once you were fine to use it-“ Bumblebee laughed, but then in his excitement forgot about his injured leg and tried to do a happy kick. His happy voice was cut off with buzzing and static filled with pain, and Optimus hugged him tighter, trying to provide some comfort for his scout. After a few kilks of wheezing vents, Bumblebee slumped against him, his optics fluttering shut in pain and exhaustion. “Sleep, bee. I will guard over you.” Bumblebee whined in protest, trying to open his optics. "But what about-" Optimus shook his helm, silencing him. “We need to rest, reserve our energy.” With that, the scout made an unhappy noise of protest before letting himself shut down. Optimus looked at the limp body in is arms, sighing before his gaze flickered towards the Decepticon TiC. He seemed to be watching them, but his gaze did not reveal what he thought or felt. Optimus was about to ask him, but Soundwave cut him off. “Soundwave: will be recharging as well.” This caught Optimus off guard, but before he could ask how he was so easily trusting him, Soundwave elaborated. “Prime: knows about Host castes. Prime: will not hurt mechlings. Prime: will not hurt a carrier. Soundwave: safe, my mechlings: safe.” Soundwave elaborated, and Optimus nodded, almost as if he was reassuring soundwave. But there was no need, when the decepticon’s visor turned off, his body slumped forward. With that, Optimus figured he might also get some shut eye, since his comms were still not working it was probably best he also reserved his charge. He woke up to the sound of metal screeching. Optimus onlined his optics in panic, and was greeted by dust and vibrating metal panels around him. Just in time, he moved away as his previous spot collapsed. Soundwave had also woken up, laying down as his corner was closed off as well. Optimus could no longer sit, and laid down as well ad their little room was getting more and more closed off, until finally only a small spot was left with the three mechs laying down near each other. Optimus huffed and held Bumblebbe close, a bit jealous that his scout had managed to stay in recharge throughout the horrible situation. Soundwave was looking at them both, his visor lingered o Bumblebee a bit more. Optimus thought of something. “Do you ever carry your sparklings in your arms? Or do they always stay inside?” Soundwave looked taken aback, his vocalizer hitching before resetting. “Soundwave: enjoys both. Cassettes: depends.” Optimus waits for Soundwave to elaborate, and after a few seconds of seemingly contemplating with himself, Soundwave gives in and explains. “Ravage: Enjoys being held more than Docking. Laserbeak: Docking makes her feel claustrophobic. Rumble and Frenzy: Enjoy docking and staying close to my spark. Ratbat: enjoys he quiet and darkness of docking.” Soundwave couldn’t see it, so Optimus opened his mask to reveal his fond smile. His hands held Bumblebee tighter to his chest. “That sounds lovely, Soundwave. I’m… I'm sorry the war has forced them in this situation.” Soundwave doesn’t answer, but the small tilt of his helm indicates he is sorry as well. They lay in silence together, when a sudden groaning and vibration around them makes them freeze, and something breaks somewhere. But nothing else happens and they both calm down. Soundwave looks back at Optimus, and Bumblebee, before speaking. “… Soundwave’s Comms: Functioning.” This has Optimus’s helm snaping up in surprise. He smiles, because even if Decepticons capture him and bee, then at least the other Autobots will realize they are alive, and might even rescue them on time. “… Soundwave: reached out many joors ago. No answer. Soundwave: suspects we have been stuck for many cycles. Autobots and Decepticons: have assumed us deceased.” This makes Optimus’s spark lurch. He holds Bee tighter to his chest, as a form of comfort, and shudders. There must be a way for them to somehow contact other, but from what Soundwave is indicating, they have been trapped here for cycles. Not just joors. No body was near them anymore for their comms to reach. This… this may be it. Optimus has the sudden irrational urge to laugh, because he could have died by any other way. He could have died by Megatron or any Decepticon’s hands, he could have died from a mission gone wrong, or even another being attacking them entirely. And yet, he is dying here, from the rubble and ruins of a destroyed city. But isn’t that fitting? This is a war Optimus is also responsible for, and now he dies from it. From the destruction he also caused alongside Megatron, he dies from their slowly dying planet. Maybe this will be the end of the war, maybe Megatron stops his destructive behavior since the matrix is gone, and will go back to his original goals of making Cybertron slave-free. Maybe he will abolish the caste system, making a better world for their kind. Or, he will never be the same. Maybe Megatron is truly lost to hatred and war and violence, and maybe he will make an even worse system, enslaving all Autobots to his whim, becoming the very thing he wished to destroy. And Optimus will never know. Because he is dying, under a broken building, next to an enemy, a Decepticon carrier. God, the mechlings. They will die with them as well. Bumblebee… Optimus shuts his optics, coolant seeping from them. He curls along Bumblebee’s body, and then a hesitant arm lands on his shoulder. Optimus jerks and looks to a similarly hesitant Soundwave, his arm still hovering over where Optimus used to be. “…Optimus: a great sire figure to Bumblebee. Optimus: did everything he could.” Optimus jolts from the way Soundwave uses past tense. He shudders. “We aren’t dead yet, Soundwave. Maybe, we will find a way out. Don’t give up hope yet.” He tries to placate the third in command but the Con only shakes his helm wearily. Before Optimus can ask, the Con points to bumblebee’s leg. From the angle Optimus has hugged his scout, it's not visible what Soundwave is pointing at, so he rolls the minibot to look down. And sees the horrible, reddish brown tint staining his plate. Optimus sucks in a breath, and sees how big it really is. It has spread from his leg all the way to his front and chest. Optimus suddenly notices that Bumblebee’s body is not warm from his engine, but rather Optimus’s engine. In fact, the scout’s body is chillingly cold from waist down. And there is no pulsing rhythm from his spark. “N-no… no no this- no, NO!” Optimus shouts and shakes the body in his arms, limp and cold, the optics never opening again. How, how did Optimus not even notice?! How could he recharge, sleeping peacefully while his scout, his charge whom he took under his wing and protected- how did he sleep while his Bumblebee passed on? Optimus’s servos shook as he held the yellow, rusted body to his chest, sobs wrecking through him. He pressed one, two, three kisses onto the minibot’s helm, begging for him to come back. “My sweet spark, my Bee, please son please-“ But it wasn’t meant to be. Soundwave watched on, his own spark twisted in a knot, a sob stuck in his throatpipe ready to burst. He was so glad his mechlings couldn’t see or hear this. He deliberately closed his side of the bond to not alert his sparklings, letting them recharge. After what seemed like an eternity, Optimus calmed, and Soundwave muttered before he could stop himself. “If: there was a world, where soundwave and Optimus could live peacefully, Soundwave: would have enjoyed getting to know your family.” This seems to bring a fresh wave pf coolant from the Prime, but also Soundwave. His visor leaked and his vocalizer glitched to static, and then Prime’s arm held onto the Decepticons. They stayed like that until exhaustion took them both to a fitfull, dreamless recharge. Optimus woke up to a horrifying scream. He checked Bumblebee in panic before remembering the events, the scout’s rust had reached his helm making it almost unrecognizable. A hand gripped him, and Optimus looked forward to the Decepticon’s TiC as his body shook, pained gasps wrecking his frame. “Soundwave what-“ “MY MECHLINGS! MY- MY SPARKLINGS-“ The Con gasped in pain and horror, and while Optimus couldn’t tell what was wrong, Soundwave knew there was no way to save him or his children. Something was piercing through him, probably a metal rod. It had pierced through his spark chamber, but also it had stabbed through his docking chamber. And his first and oldest child, Ravage. “Dad?! Dad whats going on what happened to Ravage?” Rumble’s panicked voice woke up the others, the sudden absence of a bond made all of them panic. “Dad open the dock-“ “Pa?” “Dad what are you doing?? What's going on?” “Dad where is ravage?” Soundwave choked when Laserbeak was tabbed next. His Dock couldn’t open anymore, no room for any movement as Optimus and Bmblebee were right in front of him. He choked as the metal pierced through, and another bond was cut off. “Something is wrong dad!” “PAPA??” “DA-AAAAAAAAAAAAGH!” He felt the slowly piercing movement through his bond with Rumble, his son, his hiccupping and pained gasps only lasted a second before with one last call, his bond was snuffed out. “DADDY HELP ME!” Ratbat didn’t say anything, only panicked sobbing could be heard. He felt his last remaining son get pierced as well, the shrill scream of help died after a small klik. Ratbat whined, his youngest- and last remaining- daughter sniffling and sobbing, the tip of her cassette clanking against his dock glass helplessly before the rod touched her. “Papa papa PAPA PAPA-“ And her bond was snuffed as well. Soundwave felt every single pain, every single death, and his body froze. His spark seized, and could do nothing, say nothing as the rod pierced through the glass, shattering his dock. The one safe place where his children could hide in, was their own death bed. Soundwave felt like an utter failure of a carrier. He sobbed, the dock leaking a mixture of his and his children’s energon, pooling on Bumblebee’s rusted body. “Soundwave!” Optimus’s panicked voice didn’t really register, and Soundwave looked up numb at the Autobot leader, before his visor flickered off. Optimus looked at the broken glass, the pooling energon, and the rusted body in his arms, and did not move as the rod slowly moved towards his own chest. Not like he could move away. This was their death bed, and this is where the war ends. whether or not Megatron makes a better world or ruins it all, Optimus is no longer able to witness it as he stares the the metal pipe slowly moving towards his chest. His glass shattered, just like the mech before him did as well. It hurt, but he couldn’t really move and do much about it. His son was dead, the one enemy he managed to befriend died with all of his cassettes, and no mech was looking for them, thinking they have already died. Well, they weren’t wrong now.