Chapter Text
Life at the castle was, strange, for lack of a better word.
After the first day's events things mellowed out into a sort of rhythm. Going six cycles strong!
Hot Rod would wake with the prompting of Tailgate, eat a morning meal with Megatron, then they would do some sort of activity. These ranged from boring things like sorting through old documents and records, to walks around the castle grounds where he and Megatron would just talk for hours.
It was insane to Hot Rod how a mech who he should probably hate due to keeping him here seemed to understand him so well. Their conversations made Hot Rod feel seen in a way he didn't think he had ever been seen before.
When Hot Rod had asked not to be grabbed without being asked, Megatron didn’t push for details, just understood and made sure to
Take for another example, one of the days they hung out in the archives. It was an activity Hot Rod had initially despised, but quickly turned into one of the best days of his life when Megatron began reciting some of the poetry he had written.
They had ended that day in one of the many lounges, both sitting on opposite ends of a large couch. Well they had sat on opposite ends, but somehow at the end of one of Megatron’s longer poems, Hot Rod had been practically pressed against the bigger mech. Megatron hadn't pushed him away.
And that definitely wasn't an experience his processor couldn't let go of. How nice it had felt to be completely encircled by the large frame, how the tail had brushed his spoiler, how Megatron's bright red optics danced with the cadence of the poem.
Remember the plan Hot Rod! You're supposed to get someone better to help Megatron!
Oh but how could he forget what he had seen just yesterday?
-------
“I just want to see the whole world, you know? There's just so much out there and I don't want to miss any of it!”
Megatron tilted his helm slightly before rapidly standing up, he had a look of childish joy on his face.
“I have a surprise for you, follow me!” It was the happiest he had ever heard Megatron, so of course he followed without a second thought.
He was led to a room he hadn't seen yet, the simplest room in the whole place, a large nearly empty room. Nearly empty because in the middle of the room there was a large book sitting conspicuously on the ground.
“Name a place you wish to see then open the book,” Megatron said with an encouraging wave towards the book.
Hot Rod wrapped his servo around the edge of the book, thinking through all of the cities in his head before landing on,
“Iacon!” And he threw the book open.
Light shifted in front of his optics, blinding gold surrounded the room.
What started as gold blobs continued to shift into buildings, his audio receptors started picking up the sounds of a busy city, and his olfactory receptors certainly picked up the smell of one.
Oh, this was Iacon.
“How…?”
“Something Brainstorm and Perceptor cooked up about two million vorns ago, something about the isolation getting to them.”
That made sense to Hot Rod, being alone was a terrible thing. Welp! Time to change subjects and trains of thought!
“What's that!” Hot Rod pointed to the nearest shiny thing.
This went on for a long time, until Megatron had named every shiny object in the vicinity.
Then Hot Rod had a thought he knew he shouldn't say out loud, but
“You weren't from this kingdom were you?”
Megatron only sighed.
“No, I was from Kaon.”
“...show me?”
The light shifted once more, gold turned to pitch black as the city of Kaon came into focus. It was far dirtier than Hot Rod had been expecting, even dirtier than Nyon.
“I was a gladiator, fought for the amusement of the wealthy,” Megatron’s optics were unfocused, looking at nothing and somehow everything. “The old rulers of this castle bought me after seeing me fight in the arena, they demanded I lead their armies to victory and then I would be free. They lied, so I took my own freedom.”
“They left that part out of your story,” That's all Hot Rod could come up with to say.
“I’m sure they did.”
Hot Rod hesitantly put his servo over Megatron’s.
“That Prime was kinda a glitch for putting you through this after all that huh?”
Megatron snorted.
“No, I deserve worse.”
-------
“Are you alright Hot Rod?” Megatron said with concern in his voice. Right focus again, they were on a nice walk in the gardens.
“Yeah! Just uh,” come on think of a good excuse, “lost in thought I guess.” Nailed it.
Megatron only hummed in reply.
The two continued walking in silence.
“This is nice!” Why did Primus make him unable to handle silence?
“Tailgate does fine work,” they were both ignoring the fact that most of the plant upkeep happened at about knee height.
A broken caw came from just up ahead.
Hot Rod rushed forward, pushing aside a branch in the way when a second caw sounded out.
And behind that branch was a lilleth nest, the beautiful glass birds that Hot Rod had only ever heard about, but one was right here in front of him! Another caw drew his attention to a bleeding wound on one of the bird’s wings.
Hot Rod held out his servo hoping it would feel safe enough to let him pick it up, but the bird remained a far enough distance away that it would definitely spook it if he tried to make a lunge for it. He could sense Megatron right behind him and had an idea.
“It's probably not used to me being here yet, but it's definitely used to you! Help me carry it back inside!” He was forgetting something wasn't he?
Megatron was looking at him like he was crazy, and honestly, that was kinda rude! Wait a kilk.
“Please?” That was it!
Megatron slowly began to approach the lilleth, servo outstretched. And the bird just looked at him for a moment before happily hopping on.
Shock mixed with curiosity flashed across Megatron's face, it was honestly kinda cute.
No! Stop it! Bad Hot Rod!
But when Megatron took his optics off the bird and looked towards him with a small hopefully smile, Hot Rod would be a liar if he said it didn’t stop his spark mid pulse.
-------
Hot Rod had fallen into recharge after patching the wing, Megatron noticed the speedster didn't stop moving even while unconscious. Constantly twitching, fidgeting, and muttering as if trying to get comfortable, settling for only a bit before moving again.
He looked beautiful all the same.
Megatron looked at him, Hot Rod was like the sun, warm to be near, but would burn him in time. His spark deserved to light up the world, travel as free as he desired to, but oh how Megatron wanted to make good on his word to keep him here forever.
But he doubted it would matter in a cycle, that's how much more time he had until the curse would be irreversible. He would be stuck forever in this monstrous form and his staff would be similarly stuck in their smaller statutes.
There was no way Hot Rod could already love him after such a short time together. He had already accepted this loss, but the time spent with him had been wonderful.
He listened so intently to his words, showed such care for his staff, and truly seemed to be able to ignore all his physical features and understand his past.
Megatron heard a skittering behind him.
“What's the plan my lord?” Cyclonus asked, “So little time left, a grand gesture is needed to get across how you feel.”
“I feel nothing.” A lie that Cyclonus ignored.
“He likes dancing, he told me so a few cycles ago!” Tailgate chimed in, having been riding on his partner's back, “Throw a ball for the two of you, he’ll love it!”
Perhaps one more night of revelry wouldn't be amiss.
“I’ll leave you to make the preparations.”
And with that, Megatron scooped up his sun in a bridal hold to put him in his own room. He swore he felt Hot Rod nuzzling into his chest before depositing him on his berth.
-------
The castle residents bustled around tirelessly through the night and into the early morning, everything had to be perfect, nothing would be out of place.
The Ballroom was cleaned for the first time in four million vorns under Perceptor's watchful gaze, with only one incident of Whirl wiping out on the freshly waxed floors.
Nautica took it upon herself to find the proper paints for the two gentlemechs designs for the night. Brainstorm helped synthesize the ones she couldn't dig up from storage.
Only one chance, this was the last cycle that the curse could be undone.
The stones in the walls, the wood of the doors and the trinkets in the halls were holding their breath.
--------
“Come on Roddy! Time to wake up!” And there was Tailgate, right on schedule as he had been on the previous cycles. He sounded more insistent than normal. “We have lots to do today!”
“What’s the big rush?” Hot Rod sat up and swung his pedes over the edge of the berth.
“We have to get you ready for tonight!” a different voice said, Hot Rod turned his helm to see that Nautica, Brainstorm, and Swerve had also been waiting for him to wake up, all holding some odd containers.
“Uh, what’s tonight?”
“Megatron has declared we hold a ball to celebrate you living here! So come on, up and at them! We have to get you in tip top shape!” Brainstorm sounded determined, and the klik his pedes did touch the ground Hot Rod found himself being pushed by four sets of tiny servos towards the wash room.
“Wait, when is this ball?” Surely he had time to do his usual daily activity with Megatron! (Why did he care so much about doing that?)
“Too soon! We have to wash and polish you completely and then apply the decorative paints.” Brainstorm had started setting up the containers in his servos on the edge of a large oil bath.
“And we let you sleep in later than usual so you could be completely rested for the festivities!” Tailgate chimes in to explain the rush.
“So straight to getting ready then!” Hot Rod lowered himself into the tub in front of him, the oil was the perfect temperature, and his friends began to work a paste on to his plating that took years of grime off with its removal.
Hot Rod felt himself getting more excited at the idea of this ball. A fun night of dancing until the sun came up again could never be a bad thing.
Wait you dance with people at balls, he was gonna dance with Megatron.
He.
Was.
Gonna.
Dance.
With.
Megatron.
The oil’s temperature rose slightly.
“Ok, it’s polishing time!” Nautica determined and Tailgate helped Hot Rod exit the tub.
Brainstorm passed out the polish and cloths and the four each took a different part of his frame.
“You know I could do this myself right?” He didn’t just want to stand around and be useless while his friends toiled away for him.
“You would almost certainly miss a spot,” Brainstorm snarked, “Like 99% likely to miss multiple spots.”
“Yeah! We just want to help you look your best, just let us do our thing ok?” Tailgate sounded so sincere that Hot Rod couldn’t deny him. So he tried to stay as still as possible and move when asked to.
“I can’t believe Megatron is going through all this effort for little old me,” Hot Rod said after a long stretch of silence, “He doesn’t do this for every bot he kidnaps, does he?”
“Well you are the first to be, uh, kidnapped,” Nautica said with slight regret in her voice.
“Think I’ll be a trendsetter?”
Every other mech in the room flinched.
“...guess not then.”
The polishing finished, Hot Rod expected for that to be it and attempted to leave the room to avoid the tense vibe he had accidentally created, only to be stopped by a harsh glare from Nautica.
“You better not be trying to leave without the paints,” Right, he had forgotten those. He sheepishly held up his servos in surrender as the paints were laid out in front of him.
“What colors do you like? Oh no I have the best idea nevermind,” Brainstorm rambled as he picked out specific paints, “Offline your optics, this should be a good surprise.”
Not wanting to ruin the mood again, Hot Rod did as he was told.
Late afternoon bled into early evening, countless brush strokes fell against his plating. Hot Rod found himself able to hold completely still with the threat of messing up what his friends were working so hard on. And after all that time he finally heard Tailgate whisper to the left of him,
“Oh we did a great job.”
He took that as his cue to online his optics.
Tailgate wasn’t exaggerating.
His whole frame had a level of detailing he had only ever seen in portraits. Where his painting was yellow on his chassis, he had fine red spirals accentuating the curve of it. But on the rest of his red frame, there were shining golden flames that wrapped around each of his limbs, the paint was so vivid it almost looked like real fire. And his faceplates had the same gold paint, in a similar pattern to that of Drift’s.
He hoped his best friend was doing ok, Ratchet went back to town so anything that happened should be fixed by now.
“Do you like it?” Tailgate cut through his train of thought, he really has to stop thinking so much huh.
“I love it.”
His friends beamed up at him.
“Let’s get this show on the road then!”
-------
Megatron waited nervously on one of the ballroom’s sets of stairs, all washed, polished, and painted as well. His paints were solely red and mainly geometric, his boxy frame made even more defined by the lines. His wings and tail remained unpainted, as they were far more sensitive. He would be the first to admit his staff had done a good job fixing up the unused room, better than he had honestly expected. The chandelier in particular was a feat in itself, it had fallen from the ceiling two million years ago, but it was now shining as grand as it had when the old rulers had bought it.
“Don’t frag this up,” Whirl was elbowed by Cyclonus for that comment. “What! This is literally do or-”
“What will happen, will happen, let us just enjoy the night,” Cyclonus tried to calm his nerves, no he was perfectly calm. Megatron despised fate, the feeling of not being in control of his own life, but he couldn’t deny that the end of this evening would be entirely in fate’s servos.
“Presenting Hot Rod!” Perceptor’s voice echoed through the large room. Megatron turned his helm to the other stairs in the ballroom.
Oh Primus, he looked divine. The light from the chandelier made the painted flames dance on his frame, his sun truly shown like one.
They made their way towards each other, meeting in the middle of the mezzanine between the two staircases. Hot Rod had a nervous look on his face. Megatron couldn’t help but ask, as he held out his servo,
“May I?”
Hot Rod nodded eagerly and held out his own servo.
--------
Megatron then bowed slightly, putting the two of them at eye level and gently grabbing his servo and kissing it while looking directly at him. Oh, this had to be a dream, it was too perfect not to be. But the dream didn’t end, Megatron continued holding his servo and led him on to the main ballroom floor.
“You are as glorious as a sunrise across Iacon’s towers, blinding all who look upon you.”
Megatron’s optics were impossibly soft when he said those words. This massive, imposing, and handsome mech said such wonderful words to him. To him, Hot Rod, and Megatron said those words like he meant them.
Megatron put his other servo on Hot Rod’s waist, turning him so they faced each other once more, then the music began, then they danced.
No more words were spoken, they didn’t need to be.
The song was one Hot Rod didn’t know, he just let himself be moved by his dance partner, but the steps were simple, he quickly began to pick them up as he went. The two moved in sync, both equally taking the lead and being led around the entirety of the ballroom.
It was the best night of Hot Rod’s life, he honestly didn’t know if it would ever end. And if it didn’t, well that wouldn’t be the worst fate.
A crescendo in the music had Megatron spinning him in a grand turn ending in a deep dip.
As he was being pulled back up he felt compelled to say something to Megatron.
“Thank you,” Megatron looked deep into this optics, “I never thought I would ever experience anything like this, just, thank you.”
Megatron smiled.
“You don’t need to thank me, I’ve enjoyed these past cycles more than any other I have in my entire existence,” He really knew what to say all the time.
Megatron led them once again, this time to the balcony outside the room in the west wing.
They both sat on the railing, looking out over the entire castle grounds and the endless starry sky above. Hot Rod found himself appreciating the silence more than he ever thought possible. He also found himself unable to let go of Megatron’s servo.
“Are you happy here?” Megatron asked, and Hot Rod didn’t have to think for a moment to respond.
“Yes,” And he was truly, but then his processor snapped to an earlier thought and his face fell, and Megatron noticed.
“But?”
“I just…I miss the friends I left. The one that I traded places with and his conjunx who is my best friend. He was hurt you see, and I know he can take care of himself, and Ratchet will take care of him as well, but I just wish I could check in on them and make sure they are ok,” he hoped Megatron wouldn’t take this personally, but Megatron actually looked happy?
“Oh you can! Wait right here!” Megatron rushed into his room and rapidly returned with a hand mirror. “Another one of my scientists inventions, just speak the name of who you wish to see, and it will show them!”
Not wasting another klik Hot Rod called out,
“Drift!”
The mirror swirled and slowly came into focus,
“Oh no,” It couldn’t be real, Drift looked horrible. An open chest would, a leg that was barely held together by a small patch, and his optics were dangerously unfocused. Was he tied to the berth as well? “Why didn’t Ratchet fix this! Show me Ratchet!” The mirror swirled again, Ratchet was in one piece, but similarly tied down. “Why aren’t they letting him help Drift? He can’t make it much longer without care like this!”
“Then you must go to them,” Megatron said solemnly, “I release you, go save your friends.”
He had no time to waste, his spark felt too heavy as he stood, he tried to set the mirror down next to Megatron when it was pushed back towards him.
“Keep it, so you can still see me,” Megatron had a sadness in his optics.
“Thank you, I’ll be back, I promise!” He meant it with his full spark.
Hot Rod ran out of the castle and into the night.
-------
“Where is Hot Rod?” Cyclonus questioned as he peeked into the lord’s room.
“I let him go,” Megatron replied.
“You. did. what,” Whirl said in staccato, in complete shock. “WHY IN PRIMUS’S NAME WOULD YOU DO THAT!”
“Because he loves him,” Nautica concluded.
Every mech in the room processed this revelation.
“So shouldn’t the curse be broken?” Brainstorm asked.
“He needs to be loved in turn,” Perceptor said, deflating any last bit of hope as they all looked at the bloom with only a single petal remaining.
“We shall see what the future brings,” Megatron said with an air of finality.
The crowd dispersed, leaving Megatron alone as he saw the last of his sun disappear in the tree line.
-------
Hot Rod finally made it back to his village, it had been a much quicker journey due to the sheer panic he felt bubbling up inside of him, threatening to boil over at any given moment. His processor refused to let go of the image of Drift so close to death and Ratchet stuck next to him just watching it happen.
“Oh Primus, Hot Rod is that you?” It was one of the carriers who had left their sparkling with him only seven cycles ago. “Where did you go? And what happened to you?”
“Yes, yes it’s me, look I promise I’ll explain later but where are Drift and Ratchet? They are in serious trouble and I need to-”
“Hot Rod! I was beginning to think you had perished in the woods,” Of course Getaway was here just sauntering over to him, right, he was probably the cause of all of this. “Where have you been that got you so made up?” He was right up in Hot Rod’s face and started running his digits over some of the gold paint on his arm. Hot Rod yanked himself away at top speeds.
“What have you done with Drift and Ratchet?”
“I’ve done nothing! Turbofoxes attacked Drift and Ratchet was in no state to repair him when he emerged from the woods as well. I mean he was raving about some sort of beast that was holding you captive. But it’s clear you just needed a break and went to a nice spa.” The nerve of this guy.
“Why didn’t you call another medic for Drift?” Catch him in a lie, come on just slip up once!
“Do you know how expensive that would be? Ratchet just needed some time to come to his senses, that’s all, so why did he think you were captured when you’re obviously doing fine?”
“It was a misunderstanding, he truly thought I was in danger, but Megatron wasn’t what he appeared to be! He was kind to me, the evidence is here in front of you!” He gestured to his own paint job.
“And who is this Megatron? It’s clear you’re just making something up to try and cover for your friend!” The village seemed to be murmuring in agreement with Getaway, after everything Ratchet has done for them! But he suddenly remembered the mirror in his subspace.
“Wait! I have proof!” He unsubspaced the mirror, “Show me Megatron!” The mirror swirled as it had earlier, revealing Megatron in all his glory, and the townspeople gasped in horror. “I know he looks scary but I swear-”
“This is an abomination against Primus!” Getaway shouted over him, “Look at him! He’ll eat your sparklings!”
“NO! He would never-”
“Rip us all the shreds! Burn our village to the ground!”
“Please! He wouldn’t-”
“And he’s obviously claimed his first victim, twisting his mind and marking his frame to claim him!” Getaway had wrapped his whole arm around Hot Rod’s waist, but unlike when Megatron did so, this made him want to crawl out of his plating. He attempted to unhook the digits, but Getaway’s grip was far too tight. “We need to kill the beast!” The crowd roared in agreement.
“YOU CAN’T!! WAIT! PLEASE!” He couldn’t let this happen to Megatron, he needed to talk to him again, needed to hear more of his poetry, needed to tell Megs what he meant to him.
Getaway covered his intake and forced Hot Rod to enter Ratchet’s clinic, Hot Rod fought every step of the way but he knew that even if he managed to break free that the village would simply still think he was under a ‘spell’ or something and give him right back to Getaway.
Once inside, he locked optics with Drift, Primus, he looked even worse than he did in the mirror. He looked devastated to see Hot Rod. Getaway slammed him against the wall, both arms boxing him in.
-------
How dare he? How dare his conjunx be painted so perfectly to be enjoyed by a mech other than himself? Well he would be appreciating it now, once he killed that beast. But first,
“Listen, I’ve been waiting far, far too long to have this conversation,” Hot Rod looked at him with nothing but disdain, that would have to change, “So I’ll keep this brief, I’ll untie Ratchet so he can fix Drift with one condition,” Hot Rod had more concern than hate on his face now, “You will conjunx me as soon as I return from killing that beast,” Fear had taken over Hot Rod’s face now, it was even better than when he imagined it, but then something shifted.
Hot Rod kicked him in the side, sending him to the ground, then rushed past him towards where Ratchet was tied up. He grabbed Hot Rod’s ankle, forcing him to fall to the ground, and Getaway pulled himself on top of the prone mech.
“Do you really think you get out of this any other way other than what I’m offering?” It was clear Hot Rod just wasn’t thinking straight right now, he thrashed like a feral animal below him, trying to get free but making no real progress.
Fine. He could wait a little longer, this would be a big life change after all.
Getaway wrapped his hands around Hot Rod’s throat and began to squeeze, he heard Ratchet shouting something but it was of little importance, Hot Rod’s optics flickered.
When Hot Rod stopped fighting back, Getaway swiftly picked him up and handcuffed him to a support beam.
“I’ll go bring back that beast’s head as my show of devotion, that should be enough time for you to fully think through the consequences of saying no to my offer,” Hot Rod’s optics were coming slightly back into focus now, “You really are perfect with these paints on,” he allowed himself to trace a red spiral against Hot Rod trying to turn away from him. “We’ll be such good conjunxes to each other,” And just to give him something to look forward to he slid back his mask, and kissed Hot Rod.
-------
Hot Rod might not have fangs like Drift or Megatron, but he still could bite. Hard.
Getaway reeled backwards, energon dripping from his lip, looking angrier than Hot Rod had ever seen him.
“I will never, ever, be your conjunx,” He said with as much disdain as he could muster.
“We’ll see how that attitude holds up when Drift’s plating is graying,” Getaway stomped out of the clinic.
Oh slag Drift.
“It's ok Rodi,” Drift’s voice sounded so weak, “Don't you dare go trading yourself for me.”
“But I just can't let you die and-”
“I will fix him as soon as I get free, now that you're back, mechs will notice that I’m not crazy and let me go to help him,” Ratchet tried to reason.
“Ratchet no one is in town right now, they all went to go kill Megatron!”
“Good!”
“No Ratchet! Not good!” Hot Rod was shaking now, he felt all of his emotions pile on at one time. “Megatron cares about me! And I don't want anything bad to happen to him, so we have to figure out a way out now or he's gonna get hurt!”
Ratchet just looked at him in confusion, before letting out a sigh.
“Fine, tell me you have a plan.”
“Uhhhhh…”
“I have a plan!” A voice Hot Rod was ecstatic to hear called from an open window.
“Tailgate! What are you doing here?”
“Well I couldn't let you leave alone! And also I wanted to make sure Getaway didn't hurt you, but I knew he would beat me in a fight so I had to wait until he left. I'm sorry I couldn't help sooner.” The minicon cut through the cuffs holding him to the pillar. Hot Rod immediately scooped him up in a hug.
“You couldn't have known he was that fragging crazy,” Still carrying Tailgate in one arm, Hot Rod quickly ran over and freed Ratchet and Drift from their restraints, giving them both hugs as well.
“I’m sorry Getaway hurt you to get to me, I should've played along better with what he was-”
“Rodi if you apologize for that spawn of Unicron’s actions I will fight you as soon as I’m on my pedes again, now go save your friends in the castle.”
Ratchet grabbed his shoulder,
“Don't worry kid, I’ll have him all fixed up by the time you get back, ok?”
He hugged them both one more time.
“Well here goes nothing!”
And with Tailgate now riding on his back, the two tried to beat the invaders back to the castle.
--------
There were very angry villagers at the front door, and sure it was made to hold up against sieges, but that was four million years ago, and no one had cared enough to maintain them. All the staff gathered in the main hall, watching the doors shake with every impact of the battering ram.
Even though the end was near, Cyclonus refused to let the castle fall while he still functioned. He wasn’t the captain of the guard for nothing.
“Everyone gather around!” This had to work. “Swerve, I need you to gather any flammable liquids from the kitchen. Perceptor do the same from your lab, and grab any acids as well. Nautica, start assembling bombs from what those two bring. Whirl, once those bombs are assembled, pile them in strategic locations that only mechs our size can reach. Brainstorm, grab any gun that’s useful in a fight.”
Everyone nodded and ran off to accomplish their tasks, Whirl and Brainstorm looking the most happy about the incoming battle. Cyclonus wasn’t excited for the fight, but he knew it would be an honorable way to go out. He made his way to the armory, picking up his best sword that he had never allowed to go dull. He was then struck with a sudden realization, where was Tailgate?
When he rushed back to the hall to look for him, he saw the door beginning to splitter. Wherever his partner was, he would have to fend for himself until he entered his sight again.
--------
Megatron saw the mechs gathering around his door, he wondered why they were here, but he supposed it didn’t really matter.
The petal continued to droop lower and lower.
-------
Atomizer didn’t really realize that this was what he was signing up for. Helping Getaway was great and all, but slaying a beast seemed just a little out of the way for his goals you know? Getaway had led the group through the woods with help from the strange mirror he had stolen from Hot Rod.
The door was already breaking in front of him, so it was probably too late to back out now. The doors swung open after what had to have been the hundredth hit.
Well it was just one beast, it couldn’t be that hard when the whole village was here!
He fell back to the third group of mechs going in, he noticed Getaway was hiding near the back, that was kinda odd. He thought Getaway wanted to slay the beast himself, he definitely had a plan though, so he really shouldn’t worry about it.
That was when he heard the first scream as the mechs at the very front ran away from the entrance, the smell of a harsh acid emanating from them. The next wave ran away while on fire. Then he was up, he saw a horned minicon running towards him with a sword that was twice its size.
Perhaps this would be a bit harder than he thought.
-------
Why was his plan falling apart so rapidly? The reason he brought all these mechs with him was just so they could witness his victory over the monster, herald him as a hero, and let his story land him in the upper crust of the surrounding cities. He could finally just be more than a good soldier!
There wasn’t supposed to be a handful of intelligent minicons blocking everyone from exiting the main entrance hall, stopping him dead in his tracks!
Maybe he should’ve pressed Hot Rod for a little more info or used the mirror for more than just directions.
Another explosion rocked the ground, mechs ran out of the castle. The sword welding one hacked an arm off, more ran. Two of the small ones with guns, a red and a teal one, were firing with reckless abandon, the teal one was cackling with laughter. These guns didn’t just shoot normal shots, one turned the mechs it hit completely limp, and the other made the ground shift into a quicksand substance and trap whoever fell into it. Those who were left were getting those who were limp carried out or tried to drag others out of the quicksand.
He saw Atomizer flee with the masses, of course he didn’t have the guts to stick it out.
Thankfully the chaos did serve a purpose, it had allowed him to slip into the shadows and make his way up the staircase. Using the mirror, Getaway followed the path to where the beast resided. He pushed open a door to reveal a decrepit room befitting of a beast, and said beast sitting on the edge of its berth, hunched over something glowing.
Getaway quietly aimed his gun, sights set directly over where its spark should be, this was just too easy.
*BANG*
Just as he fried the shot, the beast jerked backwards, the blast catching the creature’s wing instead of the intended target.
Could something just go his way for once tonight!?
-------
Megatron couldn’t believe that some bot had gotten past the absolute disaster that was happening in the main hall, he had seen every other mech run away screaming after his friends had clearly laid them out.
He snapped around to see who had the audacity to shoot him with his back to them, and saw an unremarkable looking mech, mainly black and white with red and blue accents and a yellow faceplate, but that barely processed when he saw what was in the mech’s non gun holding hand.
It was the mirror, the one he gave to Hot Rod, why did this mech have it?
“Where did you get that?” He let all of the malice he felt go into his voice. He was slightly satisfied at the other mech flinching.
“This?” Oh this mech was a cocky one. “Just a gift from my future conjunx you spelled into caring about you.”
Pieces clicked together, Hot Rod hadn’t wanted to be grabbed, this mech reeked of ego that he deserved whatever he wanted, Hot Rod’s friends had been hurt, Hot Rod no longer had the mirror.
All these jumbled thoughts led to one end message: This mech hurt Hot Rod.
Megatron snarled and lunged.
It was clear the mech hadn’t expected something like this, he barely dodged out of the way and pulled out a knife from somewhere in his frame.
If a fight is what he wanted, then a fight was what he was going to get.
Megatron circled around the bot, waiting for him to make the next strike. He didn’t look very patient at all, so he shouldn’t have to wait long to rip the spark out of the one who dared to hurt his sun.
The mech waited until Megatron was blocking the entrance to the room and made a dash for the balcony, clearly attempting to bait him, but he would indulge in allowing him to think he was smart to make the kill that much more satisfying. Megatron let out a growl as he ripped the door to the balcony off its hinges and threw it, causing the mech to retreat towards the balcony railing. When Megatron swiped his claws at him, the mech saw an opening and jammed the small knife through his servo.
When the mech took a klik to revel in his cheap shot, Megatron batted him over the edge, but the mech surprised him when he used his momentum to take them both down to the rooftop below.
Megatron tried to hold on to him so he wouldn’t lose where his foe was, but ended up ripping off his arm instead.
They had now landed in different places, Megatron scanned the shadows, knowing the coward would try to attack him from behind again even in his injured state.
-------
Hot Rod and Tailgate had decided to avoid the main path back to dodge anyone who turned around for any reason, which was definitely the right call, since he saw mechs running away in droves from the castle. Serves them right for letting Getaway, well, get away with doing what he did to Drift and Ratchet.
Speaking of which, he hadn’t seen Getaway among those who fled.
He never thought he would be so relieved to see the terrifying exterior of the castle as he ran through the broken down door.
“Hot Rod, you came back!” Swerve happily cheered.
“Tailgate there you are!” Cyclonus smiled and held out his arms as Tailgate threw himself from Hot Rod’s back and was caught easily.
“Where is Megatron? Getaway could still be in the castle!” Cyclonus and Whirl’s optics narrowed.
“He should be moping in his room still, you know how impossible it is to find anything in this castle if you don’t know where you’re going,” Whirl cocked his gun, “And don’t worry, we’ll find Getaway.”
Hot Rod nodded in thanks and ran to the west wing.
He felt himself approaching his breaking point, he had been running all night trying to keep everyone safe, never stopping for a klik lest someone he loves get hurt.
Oh Primus, he loved Megatron.
The door to Megatron’s room was ajar, running in, he saw the door to the balcony was straight up gone, and the smell of blaster fire hung in the air.
Was he too late?
Hot Rod rushed out to the balcony and looked over the edge, hoping to see something to prove Megatron wasn’t dead.
What he saw terrified him, Megatron was looking around trying to find his attacker. Getaway was waiting on a ledge above, knife in his only remaining servo.
He had to warn Megatron.
“MEGS! HE’S ABOVE YOU!”
-------
Megatron’s optics snapped to the balcony.
His sun had returned, he wasn’t just trying to pacify him earlier.
He felt a sharp pain in his back, right behind his spark, that’s why Hot Rod had tried to warn him, wasn’t it.
He twisted hard, launching the attacker off of him, and off of the roof they were fighting on.
The mech didn’t have the chance to drag him over as he did earlier.
Megatron heard the solid hit of metal against stone.
He began to fly himself up towards Hot Rod.
-------
Hot Rod wrapped his servos around Megatron’s arm as he got closer, helping to pull him back on to the balcony.
Megatron collapsed in a pile on the ground, energon leaking from his wound, but he looked happy. Hot Rod kneeled next to him, gripping his servo.
“I’m just thankful I could see you, one last time,” Megatron reached out with the servo Hot Rod wasn’t holding, placing it against his cheek. “I have been blessed to laugh at your jokes, to see you shine in the ballroom lighting, to bathe in your light, to bask in the warmth you provide, I hope that those memories meant half as much to you as they did to me.”
Megatron’s optics began to flicker, his servos began to slip from Hot Rod.
Hot Rod held back his tears as long as he could, until he realized Megatron was no longer looking at him, he was just staring straight ahead.
Hot Rod threw himself at Megatron’s chest and began to sob.
He heard a small gasp from the room’s entrance, his friends had come to see what happened, but there was nothing anyone could do now.
It was all over.
The last petal broke from the stem.
No. It couldn’t end like this. He wouldn’t allow it.
“I love you,” Hot Rod whispered.
Nothing happened.
Hot Rod sobbed harder.
--------
Then, something shifted.
The falling petal changed directions, swinging towards Megatron’s frame.
Hot Rod swore he felt a servo on his shoulder and pulled back from Megatron, whose chest plates were opening up, revealing his inactive spark.
The petal landed on the spark and was absorbed by it.
Light cascaded out from the spark, iridescent hues washed over the whole castle, the castle staff felt their plating stretch into a form they could scarcely remember, the castle itself brightened considerably when black spires turned golden and the garden fully bloomed into its former glory, but there was one more task yet to be done.
Megatron was lifted into the air by some invisible force, as the light cocooned around him shrunk down, his wings and tail completely disappeared, while his claws and fangs shrunk to match his now smaller frame, finally his optics flicked on again, red meeting the blue looking up at him.
-------
Hot Rod couldn’t believe what happened, he slowly reached out his arm and was scared to touch the mech in front of him in case this was all a dream and he would vanish.
Megatron pulled him close, bending down so they were looking directly in each other's optics, then smirked and said,
“I love you too,”
Then they were kissing.
What couldn’t have been more than a few kilks felt like eons, it was everything Hot Rod could’ve imagined.
When they broke apart, Hot Rod finally heard the cheering that was rapidly approaching the two of them as they found themselves boxed in by familiar faces in a group hug. They were all now the size of normal mechs! Well, Tailgate still seemed pretty small, but no one was commenting on that so Hot Rod assumed that this was his normal size.
As the hug broke apart Hot Rod smiled, keeping his arms wrapped around Megatron, and whispered in his audial,
“I’m really glad you found me.”
Megatron smiled and then kissed him again.
---------
Cyclonus and Whirl had just a bit of unfinished business they couldn’t let get away.
Making their way down to where he had fallen, the two moved silently, not wanting to disturb the others' celebrations.
And there he was, still online, but unable to move.
“The fall must’ve paralyzed him,” Cyclonus observed.
“Good, he can’t run away anymore.” Whirl saw the fear he knew this monster had inflicted on so many in said mech’s optics. About time he learns what that was like.
Without any other confirmation, the two dragged the monster into the dungeon together, where he would have to stare at the stone walls for the rest of life, or until they got the go ahead from Megatron to end him, which they knew they would.
But for what he did to both their conjunx and their friend, death would not come swiftly to Getaway.
--------
Sometime passed from when change had swept not only over the castle, but the entire forest. A clear path between the village and the castle had magically formed, enabling far easier access between the two. Which was why it was much easier to get the whole village to the castle for a grand party than it had been for the siege.
Megatron had decreed that it was forgiven, since they were misled so horribly by a vile manipulator who had since been executed.
Hot Rod hadn’t wanted to watch, he just knew it needed to be done, and he had seen Megatron walk into the cell with his sword, and come out with the sword covered in energon. That mech truly couldn’t hurt anyone ever again.
The ballroom was packed to the brim, Swerve was having the time of his life running the bar he had set up, Nautica had made a friend from the village name Velocity and the two were playing music together, Brainstorm and Perceptor had neglected to show but that was probably for the best, and the three conjunxes were dancing together in the middle of the floor.
“I still can’t believe you bagged all of this Roddy,” Drift said from behind him. After Ratchet finished fixing him up, he and Ratchet had moved into the castle. Ratchet became the head physician, and Drift joined the guards and was quickly appointed as Hot Rod’s personal guard whenever Megatron was away.
“You’re telling me!” Hot Rod clapped him on the back, the two bonking helms together.
“I’m really glad you found your place.”
“Thank you,” He knew this was where he was always meant to be.
“Mind if I steal Hot Rod from you,” Megatron slid behind Hot Rod, taking his servo gently.
“I feel like you already did,” Drift snarkily replied, before backing away and waving over Ratchet, who had been content sitting at the bar, but was now about to get dragged into dancing.
Hot Rod allowed Megatron to lead him on the dance floor, and allowed the music to carry them both to their happily ever after.