Mindless Deception

But I'm not the villain, despite what you're always preaching. You call me a traitor, I'm just collecting your victims.

"Autobots! For Cybertron!"

Megatron cringed in disgust as he heard Prime's voice. He pulled his blade from the empty spark chamber of an Autobot drone. If this was a challenge, Megatron accepted. He raised a clenched fist to the red sky.

"DECEPTICONS! TO ME!" He bellowed across the battlefield.

Out from behind him, a V-formation of battle ready Seekers flew across the sky and pelted the Autobots with a shower of missiles. Megatron took this opportunity to charge at Optimus on the bridge while his forces were down.

As he neared his enemy, Megatron lunged forward as the bridge collapsed beneath them. He hit Optimus in the midsection, bearing both of them down on the edge. They fought their way onto solid ground, where Optimus Prime struck Megatron's shoulder, causing a spritz of sparks. He returned the attack by pivoting and smashing his blade into Prime's arm.

Megatron smiled deviously as his enemy screamed in pain. "Brother." He said as he kicked Prime to the ground.

Optimus looked up from his daze on his hands and knees. The battle between the two sides was still raging around them. "Odd that you still call me that, Megatron. Your actions have been anything but brotherly." He responded.

"Family relationships are the most difficult." Megatron said smugly. "Brother, you know you cannot win. Look around you! You have lost. How many more of your pathetic followers must die at my army's hands?"

Optimus Prime jumped to his feet upon hearing this. He drew his Energon sword and swung at Megatron, grazing his upper stabilizing cervo. "No. It is a question of how many Autobots would rather die than live in your Cybertron."

Megatron roared in rage at the Prime as they clashed fists.

***
They're getting stronger. I hear them calling...they're calling.

As she sat in the Hall watching the battle scenes, recorded live by camera drones, Roulette didn't like the way the battle was going. Listening to the comlinks of fallen comrades go silent and seeing life signals go offline so rapidly was spark-wrenching. She leaned back in the chair and looked out the window to the horizon. Black smoke covered the outside of Iacon's walls where the battle was ensuing. The only thing she could see was the occasional burst of flame, followed by sapphire blasts of Energon beams.

"Like a firework show..." she whispered.

"Teletraan-1," she addressed the computer monitor, "Access file: Bumblebee."

The computer pulled up at least ten windows on the screen and began describing her comrade: "Codenme, Bumblebee. One of the younger members of the Autobot forces, he remains more playful than the other Autobots due to his lack of age, and has come to rely on his speed as his most valuable asset in battle."

She laughed. "Speed won't get him too far in a battle like today. Access file: Prowl."

"Prowl is the Autobot military strategist. As such, Autobot Commander Optimus Prime keeps Prowl near at hand for his indispensable expertise. Prowl is quiet, competent, loyal, and possessed of almost endless patience."

"A stuck up jerk is more like it."

"What was that?" A voice from behind her said.

Roulette froze. She turned the chair 180° and cringed. Behind her stood the slender black and tan bot she had been researching. Prowl hadn't left yet.

"Uh...n-nothing Commander...Prowl...sir?" She stuttered. Roulette shook her head and turned around again. "Damn ninja-bot...What're you doing here anyways? I though you left with Bee and Sideswipe."

He crossed his arms and gave her a small glare. "I didn't trust leaving you here alone. I saw you talking to Bumblebee earlier, and I figured it wasn't any good. Optimus would be furious if you got any ideas to join the fight."

"Ugh! I wasn't doing anything! I was sitting down here, in the Hall, just like OPTIMUS TOLD ME TO! Why doesn't anyone trust me?!"

Prowl adjusted himself from the scare, then put a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to calm her down. "He's only doing thi-"

She pushed his hand away. "To protect me...I know. I've heard it a million times." She crossed her arms and looked away from him.

They stood there for a moment until Prowl finally said something. "...I'll talk to Ironhide. Just stay out of trouble." The bot turned on his heel and walked to the elevator.

She looked up in surprise and tried to thank him.

But the ninja-bot was gone.

She sat back down at the computer. "Teletraan-1. Access file:....Optimus Prime."