"First Season Finale: Part III"

[Blackrosefencer]

OOC: That was fantastic, Blazemane. And I loved getting a chance to read a few past posts and see the plot make a full circle with Cheetor's training!

[Optimal Optimus Primal]

(( OOC: Thank you, Phoenix and Blazemane. That's what I was shooting for. Great posts, by the way! Blaze, I kind of hope you have a little more time to devote in season two since you play two pretty significant canons. Also, I like Steelclaw.

Yay for Waspy and Terry coming back! Awesome posts! ))

"I opened a hole big enough for a spectrum pulse. Rhinox showed me how," "...I wish he was here."

Impressive, thought Rattrap. And he also wished Rhinox was there with them.

"Could have fooled me."

What did she just say?! The rat couldn't quite pick up what she mumbled, and as much as he wanted her to repeat to his face, he realized how much closer Optimus was now to the alien device loiotering out in space. Now was not the time to argue with the slagging spider. He also thought he heard Orcariner say something, but again, it was practically inaudible. He just glanced at the big guy's expression, which was nearly unreadable as well.

"Please don't worry.. It'll be okay,"

Besides, Aurora's quiet words distracted him away from Blackarachnia for a moment as he watched the youngest female gently pull on Whitegrazer's hand to get her attention. He wished she was right, and found it odd that Aurora was the one trying to consolidate the mare when normally it was the opposite. Speaking of Whitegrazer, Rattrap wondered what she was going through. She looked distant or lost. Was she communicating with Optimus? How the heck did she do that? If she was, well, at least he knew he wasn't alone, whatever was happening up there. But this assured him that they were going to lose him, and how they would survive without him, Rattrap hadn't a clue. It would all be on him until Rhinox was done in the CR. How was Rattrap supposed to handle it all? And you just know that Megatron's going to take advantage of them losing their commanding officer that had pulled them through so many hardships and hopeless situations. No, he wasn't looking forward to this at all. He wanted their rightful leader back. He was sorry for taking Optimus for granted.

-----

"Even now you cling to some nonsensical hope that everything will turn out in your favor in the end. Ever the optimist. Go ahead and refuse to accept reality for what it really is."

There was no refusal or blind side to reality for Optimus, he was well aware that he was going to die very soon, he just knew that his Maximals were strong and would persevere and stop him. Bots like Megatron never triumphed. At least not for long. As he rambled on again, Primal's mind wandered to two more Maximals when he glanced back at the holographic slideshow.

Aurora, so sweet and innocent. She was really growing on Optimus like a daughter. And as protective as he was of her, he knew they had to let her wander a little further on her own to gain experience and learn to fend for herself. He didn't feel the need to smother her or fight her battles anymore; she was growing and learning quickly. However, he did worry about her emotional state. Someone as young as her was not meant to be in a war like this and witness losing loved ones. He knew how difficult it was for the young ermine, and it pained him to watch her go through it. Primal wished he could have prevented the deaths and taken the pain away from her. Now his death was only going to add more fuel to the fire of despair. How was she going to handle losing another friend? He may not have much time to think about how he felt at this moment, knowing he was going to lose them and never see them again, but he worried more for her survival and coping. Aurora loved to study her horticulture and care for her fellow comrades. And he recalled the times she showed him her plants, the new ones she found and the older ones that had been growing for some time. This planet was so rich in organic life that Optimus enjoyed every moment learning from Aurora's observations and notes. He was going to miss her very much. He only hoped that she would be able to live on with her life and see Cybertron some day. He didn't want her to suffer the same fate he was about to. She deserves better. Much better than this. he thought, generalizing their whole situation with the war, losing friends, and the Vok's experiments.

And Whitegrazer. He never thought he would meet someone like her. An Empath. Primal was so secluded and consumed with his work and research on Cybertron that he didn't have time for a relationship. Being stranded on this world gave him that opportunity. Well, at least when he was off duty. She was intelligent, kind, wise and often practiced peaceful solutions. Her meditation techniques brought them closer, and somehow this tramendous bond or spiritual connection sprouted like a firework between them. He never felt anything like it before; he felt so lucky to know her so personally. Whitegrazer always managed to keep him strong and positive, and he was forever grateful for her company and the time they were able to spend together on this planet. There were things neither of them had had the time to discuss, questions that were never to be answered now, but that didn't matter at this point. What mattered that even at this distance and desperation, she was still with him. He could still feel her and hear her. In his final moments, that was more than he could ever ask for.

"The Beast Wars are over, Optimus." "You Lose."

Seemingly staring through Megatron's face that was right in front of him, listening to him boast about winning - assuming this maneuver was going to destroy the huge weapon - and laughing like a maniac, everything suddenly came into perspective. Time was up, and this was it. He disagreed with his declaration, though. Megatron didn't win just because he finally managed to kill the Maximal leader in the most cowardly way, and he wasn't going to win until the last Maximal standing in his way would perish. Rattrap or Rhinox would take his place and carry on their war against the Predacons. There had to be SOMEone who could stop Megatron since it clearly wasn't going to be him. He was certain his Maximals could defeat him. Megatron was a fool for thinking otherwise and underestimating them.

"Ten." The pod's computer began to count down the final seconds of his existance.

It was a surreal and frightening feeling facing death. Had Megatron ever experienced it before?

"Nine."

It was even worse having to watch the Predacon leader carry on the way he was. This was murder. Optimus couldn't understand how someone could feel so careless toward life, thinking they could control it and take it away whenever they saw fit.

"Eight."

Eight seconds now before he was going to be blown to bits. The massive alien weapon directly in his path, only a few feet away.

"Seven."

Primus... I'm going to die, Primal thought sorrowfully. Such an odd and overwhelming feeling to suddenly realize. Never in a million years had he ever thought he would be in this position. I'm just a mere Captain of an exploration crew. I never asked for any of this... And yet, he was thankful for the friends he made, the battles they had won despite the odds against them, and the love he found with his crew.

"Six."

"MEGATROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!" Optimus hollered at him as panic overwhlemed him knowing how close he was to death now, his palms plastered to the window. He had no right to take away his life like this! He had no right! He couldn't leave his Maximals!

"Five."

"We won't let him win. Don't let him win."

Suddenly, there was silence. Optimus no longer heard Megatron's laughing as the video feed flickered, or the annoying beeping alert system while the tiny stasis pod shook. By the Matrix, Whitegrazer was still clinging on to their connection. Could he sever it somehow and spare her the anguish? As much as he appreciated her company up until now, she didn't have to go through this with him, whether she wanted to or not. She had warned him how difficult it was for one to go through a bond that was forced to break. But perhaps neither of them had control over that. It was going to hurt no matter what. The only difference was that Whitegrazer would still be suffering after his passing.

"Four."

"Smile." "Smile, Optimus."

Smile? How was he supposed to smile at a time like this, four seconds before he would cease to exist? Optimus shivered as her feelings collided with his and devoured them. Taking a deep breath, as if exhaling all of the fear and anxiety from his emotionally chaotic body, a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. Now he understood.

"Three."

This was his place, where he was meant to be, here and now. Optimus was glad he declined all of the other volunteers for this mission. Had he sent anyone else in his place to their doom, he would have regretted it for the rest of his life. He wouldn't be able to bear that. He was going to die and there was no way of changing it, so why dwell on the negativity? Why let Megatron win? No, even now the Maximal would remain forgiveful and keep hold of his integrity. He found peace with this attitude.

"Two."

Thank you, Whitegrazer, he told her with all his spark, reaching out to her with high spirits and positive energy, returning everything she was sending him. His death, even though unintentional, was going to save the planet, his Maximals, and even Megatron and his Predacons. It was worth it. He was okay with this. Megatron's selfish actions made this a selfless sacrifice for Optimus. If this was his soul purpose including everything leading up to this, or his punishment for what he had done back on Cybertron, then he accepted that. He did everything he could in his power to right the wrong that had been done, and to teach his Maximals to be better than him, and to help them through this war that none of them had asked for and win it. This was the end of his journey, but it was ensuring that theirs continued. For my Maximals and this beautiful world...

"One."

His crimson optics stared through Megatron's feed, ignoring him, and at the moon-sized weapon just outside of the pod's window. The heat was nearly unbearable this close to it. Optimus grabbed Aurora's gift and held it close to his chest in his hand. His optics darkened and he took a deep breath as if he was about to dive into deep water. Don't let go, he said to Whitegrazer, but to her it would have sounded like he was standing right beside her in the command center, saying it clearly into her audio sensor.

"Zero."

Till all are one. Then darkness and nothingness. Just as the pod, occupied with Primal, crashed directly into the heart of the Vok's weapon, a massive explosion decorated the night sky with a giant ball of fire. The Commander's idea had successfully destroyed the threat. The huge, yellow beam of energy that had been igniting most of the raw energon desposits around the world and tearing the planet apart was suddenly severed from it's origin, but that also meant that its last burst shook both the Axalon and the Darksyde vessels so violently that it knocked out systems and damaged controls. In space, debris from the weapon, the pod and Primal's body scattered everywhere and littered the star-lit abyss as it dispersed in all directions. For the time being, the planet grew quiet once more. But it wasn't quite over. The transwarp explosion caused a wave of unnatural energy that was soon about to wash over the planet and change the Beast Wars.

(( OOC: Thus concludes our first season. Finally. XD Woohoo! Thank you, everyone, for sticking around as long as you have so far the past few years since we started this thing, and for writing such awesome and fun posts. We've lost some players along the way and I truly miss them and their characters, but we've also gained a few new ones, and I hope our second season will be strong and fulfilling. This season was quite an accomplishment! I have had a lot of fun and I hope you have as well. Now, on to the next adventure! I will be opening the second season tonight as soon as I finish writing up the first post. See you there! ))