((OOC: All right! Here is OOP and I's joint post between Optimus and Whitegrazer! Prepare yourselves! It's a long one!
))
"Probably not,"
Optimus's optics wandered around the room. She looked along with him to see what he was trying to found. Her master had this suspicious expression on his face. It was then she remembered that she had felt her master's presence lingering around Optimus during her search for him inside the Matrix. TyCross just sat there silently watching them from above. Her master never seemed forthcoming on details and ignored her questions when she asked what he had said to Optimus. Despite them being close, TyCross still was an engima. No matter what she knew about TyCross, there seemed to be more she didn't know. Or, at least, which she always tried to figure out, who he really was. That's the way he always wanted it.
He did promise her one day to show who he really was, but he hasn't fulfilled his promise yet.
Whitegrazer returned the same teasing smile as Optimus gazed at her once more.
"Well, are we going to fight or are you two going to stand there looking all oogly-eyed all day? Fight already! I want to see how long you can hold out!"
"I will make the first move."
She got into her fighting stance that she always got into in battle, wearing still the teasing smile. Watching as he transformed, she analyzed what move she should take. Based on what she did see, the transmetal forms had better armor and take a quite bit of hits, so she will have to be delicate in her moves. Starting with the basics was the best place to start.
Whitegrazer went forward with a simple palm strike to his chest area.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
"I will make the first move."
Nodding to Whitegrazer, Optimus drew one of his maces from his back with his left hand and flipped it up in the air before catching it by the handle with the same hand, awaiting her move while she got into position. His smile faded away while he concentrated.
As she came at him, Primal stepped forward and swung his mace in an upward motion at her arm that was striking with her palm in an attempt to deflect it. Immediately following his defense, he went to sweep his right foot at her left knee since most of his weight was already on his left foot.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Her arm bent down from the mace's strike to her upper arm. Optimus's right foot came towards her left knee but before it hit its target, the right foot intersected it. The same arm that she used before came at him again, but instead of hitting his chest area, the palm went straight into his elbow joint to bend it. Her other palm came upon Optimus's chin to disorient him as the other arm worked its way to his mace, grabbing his wrist in a locking maneuver to force his hand out of reflex to drop it.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Primal's sweeping foot came to a dead stop when Whitegrazer's leg blocked it. And upon seeing her hand try again, he went to intervene with his mace but her palm went straight into his elbow, bending his arm and almost hitting himself in the face with his own weapon. With the distraction of stopping that from happening, Optimus was caught off guard when her other palm suddenly came up and jabbed him in his chin, knocking his head back in a whiplash and causing him to exhale with a small grumble of pain.
While his systems quickly regained their orientation, his lower jaw sore from the blow, he felt the pressure on his wrist as the mare gripped it, trying to force him to drop his weapon. At first he was going to fight her but then decided to do just the opposite. Optimus released his mace in hopes that Whitegrazer was expecting a little more effort from him so that her second of surprise would be just enough to distract her and loosen her grip on his wrist. As soon as the weapon fell with a loud clang on the floor, he grabbed her arm that was holding his with his other hand and pivoted 180ยบ on his feet so that his back was now facing her front and then immediately crouched down and pulled her arm forward, essentially trying to flip her over him and then release her.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
She didn't expect Optimus to let go of his weapon voluntarily. As she had let go of his wrist, he proceeded to turn his back towards her. Her optics went wide in shock yet her lips curled in a smile as her body went tumbling down to the ground headfirst. She rolled on her back and slid in a position where her legs pointed towards Optimus. The smile still on her face when she lifted her head off the ground to stare at Optimus with an impressed look.
TyCross had snickered and clapped like a little, eager child.
Rolling forward, she dived towards Optimus, but she knew Optimus was too smart to let her dive at him... unless he wanted to take the hit, which made her spark leap in anticipation. She rolled and stayed in a couch position like Optimus did earlier to sweep at his legs. After her sweep, she proceeded to use her other leg to kick him with her foot in the midsection followed by another palm strike to the chin.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Optimus smiled down at Whitegrazer as she laid on the floor gazing up at him and picked up his mace, reattaching it to his back, allowing her to compose herself and make the next move. He stood there in an offensive position with his fists in front of him. Still sensing the presence of someone else there, he ignored it for now so as not to be easily distracted and lose his concentration. After all, doing that caused a great deal of pain on the battle field and he should be better focused by now after all of his battles and mistakes.
As she dived at him, Primal strafed to the side, but as quick and elegant as she was with her body movements, he wasn't prepared for her sweep kick. Pulling his feet out from underneath him, the Maximal leader fell to the floor but the palms of his hands hit first and stopped him from falling all the way, as if it looked like he got down to do push-ups. Pushing himself to his feet, he saw her other leg come at him and quickly caught her foot with his hands. Before she could try another strike at his chin which was still sore from her first upper cut, he twisted her leg with her foot and let it go. Then Optimus charged at her for a tackle, taking the defensive this time.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
She let another smile escape her when he caught her foot. Twisting it made her reflexes kick in to stay in her couch position. When Optimus let go of her foot, she rolled backward to see him come at her with a tackle. Part of her wanted to dodge.
TyCross was still giggling like a mischievous child, gazing at Optimus with a little smirk. He sensed that he sensed that he was there. He just didn't know who or what.
The other part won out. Optimus' entire weight crashed into her. Her whole body went tumbling backward, making her feel like a tumbleweed being blown by a harsh wind on a desert. Before she rolled into the boulder behind her, she allowed the force of the blow to help her in a standing upright position once more by having her hands touch the ground, then she propelled her legs up to gracefully placed down on the ground.
Looking at Optimus, she analyzed her last attacks as she got into a defensive position. Though her attacks were efficient, she realized that the only attack that really did the most damage was the one she gave to his chin. Maybe, despite the reinforced armor around his body, her best bet was to cooridnate her attacks towards either his head or legs? It seemed like it. She wondered if the others were like that? Was the transmetals form all the same or was it unique towards the individual? Many questions that would have to be answered later on when she does battle, but at least, she could test her endurance like she had intend in the first place. Already, she could still feel the pressure his tackle did to her. It echoed inside with a sting. Much more of a sting than his original form had. Hmmm... Very interesting.
Composing herself as best as she could--she was still alittle dizzy from the fall to the head and tumbling--, she walked forward with a calming stride. Her arms still in a defensive position towards Optimus. She came forward with a simple Jab Uppercut just to bring another round when her mind went back to several hours ago. When she was defending herself against Nemesis and the Predacon held Primal's sword against her.
"She spared me." Whitegrazer smiled brightly.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Primal rolled once across the floor with Whitegrazer after he shoved his weight into her before stopping himself and getting to his feet while she continued to tumble a few more feet away from him. Watching her quick recovery, she was as graceful and effortless about it as a feather gently falling to the ground. How did she do that so well? And just like that, she was casually walking toward him again, ready for more.
Then, again, she tried another uppercut. Optimus tilted his upper body to the side as her hand narrowly missed while he brought up his arm to deflect her's. Taking a step back with one of his feet, he pulled back his other arm, balled his fist, and then threw it forward toward her abdomen. It wasn't at full force because Primal just wanted to see how much it a body like his would damage one like her's. If she could handle it, he would gradually add more power behind his blows. He pulled himself away from the mare when he noticed her expression that appeared to be somewhat distracted.
"She spared me."
"Who?" he asked, but then he thought about it for a moment. The only one she could be talking about.
"Nemesis?"
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
"Yes."
Whitegrazer grimaced as she felt the punch to the abdomen, but her expression told a different story. She looked at Optimus with the "I-know-you-are-holding-back expression. And Optimus knew full well the consequences of that.
"She could have," Whitegrazer used the force of the punch to propel her downward and her legs came down upon Optimus's head in a form of her thunderfall kick, "killed me. But she didn't." She continued her combo by striking the side of his head with her forearm to disorient him, "My spark came to life in the battlefield. All the pain I suffered in that battle caused one of the abilities I had lost because of the wound to came back to me in a single instant." Lowering herself, she sweeped her legs undernearth his and used the sole of her left foot to once again aim at the side of his head, "I saw what she looked like. Not from a physical sense, but spiritual. I saw her soul. It was familiar to me."
She stood upright, "I reached out to her, but she denied my hand."
"And yet, some of the words I told her must have reached her. I wonder... is she really contemplating my words? What is she feeling right now? No, I know what she is feeling. Confused. Frustrated. Angry." She glanced at Optimus curiously, "I can't assume anything, but from my past experience, if we meet again in battle, I have no doubt she will be eagerly waiting for that sword to be plunged into my spark chamber. I will just have to do my best to teach her serenity." Though, she wondered if Nemesis was out there right now in battle. Her emotions directed towards one of her friends. Her face expressed concerned towards the person in Nemesis's optics of fury.
Her smile turned gentle and warm as she gazed at Optimus. She had to let those thoughts disappear for a time. She will take that what it comes.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
"Yes."
Her answer was as intriguing as her expression after she took his punch to her stomach but showed no pain. Uh oh. Primal had a feeling that she was going to retaliate to an extreme. She knew. He could feel the excitement and energy from Whitegrazer's spark as she was about to release a combination of synchronized moves on him as a punishment for holding back.
"She could have," "killed me. But she didn't."
He was aware of that while he recalled Nemesis walking away from the mare with his old sword instead of using the opportunity to finish her off when he showed up. Optimus also remembered the condition that the female Predacon had left her in, and if the white equine had not been so close to the Axalon, Whitegrazer may very well have perished just from her injuries. The Maximal leader reached up to block his opponent's legs, and they took the brunt of the hit, but the force still pinched his neck and he felt the strain down his back as well as up the back of his head. He tried focusing on her words while she kept talking and attacking at the same time. Her soft and sweet voice that he was so grateful to hear because he was alive again.
"My spark came to life in the battlefield. All the pain I suffered in that battle caused one of the abilities I had lost because of the wound to came back to me in a single instant."
Having kept his arms up like a boxer, he shifted one to the side of his face to block her forearm which had hit pretty hard against his with her momentum behind it. What she was explaining sounded pretty significant, and at the same time he wondered what this was leading up to.
Suddenly, Optimus felt his legs kicked out from underneath him and he completely lost his footing in that free-fall feeling. As his hands instinctively braced for impact to try and stop his whole body from hitting the ground, there was a very hard and sharp pain to the side of his face and everything went black for a moment. Whitegrazer's foot connected with his head and it tossed him across the ground, rolling sideways a couple times before he stopped himself. His face throbbed from her kick.
"I saw what she looked like. Not from a physical sense, but spiritual. I saw her soul. It was familiar to me."
Familiar? In what way? he wondered as the muscular Maximal slowly got to his feet. He was dizzy for a moment until it wore off and his systems corrected themselves.
"And yet, some of the words I told her must have reached her. I wonder... is she really contemplating my words? What is she feeling right now? No, I know what she is feeling. Confused. Frustrated. Angry." "I can't assume anything, but from my past experience, if we meet again in battle, I have no doubt she will be eagerly waiting for that sword to be plunged into my spark chamber. I will just have to do my best to teach her serenity."
This truly interested the Commander. Was there a barrier Whitegrazer was able to break through with Nemesis in a way much different than the words he had exchanged with her himself when she was a prisoner in the Axalon's brig some time ago?
"Have you ever had a moment when you realized you had bitten off more than you bargained for?" he asked her when his thoughts momentarily wandered to his darker days on Cybertron and his "scientific research." Optimus wanted to add his thoughts to Whitegrazer's words about Nemesis and what she was describing about her, but he remembered his promise to Decepticon-turned-Predacon and decided to continue keeping his word.
"Don't underestimate her, Whitegrazer." Reaching back and pulling off his maces, he grasped each one in his hands before him and raced toward Whitegrazer. He added,
"But don't assume she is a lost cause either. She has a conscience." Primal swung the mace in his left hand at her right side, whether it hit her arm or the side of her stomach it didn't matter; he was using a lot more force and speed now as she had with her combo.
"I believe you may have got her thinking about her role in this war." Then he immediately followed with the mace in his right hand toward her chin for an upper cut.
"She may have a dark and unfortunate past, but she's not as insane or murderous as everyone may think she is." After the mace attacks, he put all his weight on his left leg as he kicked up his right foot at her stomach. The old left hook, right hook, kick combo but with the power of a TransMetal upgrade.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________-______
Whitegrazer was quite proud of what she had done as she could gaze into Optimus's optics, which now burned with the same energy she had awhile ago, "Yes, plenty of times, Optimus. Even now, no matter how mature and experience I am, I still make errors. There is always something to learn." Optimus had reached for his maces, but she didn't make a move to defend herself. This is what she had been waiting for, "No, I will never give up on her or anyone else like her. If I did, I would be betraying everything I believed in. That, to me, would be the greatest sin I will ever commit."
The mace crashed into the side of her stomach, cracking the exosketelon. The pieces stayed in place, but she had no doubt that if she moved, the pieces would fall, "People like her, Optimus. I have known all my life. They had been hurt and weakened. They feel violated and vulnerable. So they act out on those who hurt them, but most dangerous of all, they become to despise who they once were and go after those who are weak. To them, seeing such a weakness is a reminder of their own vulnerability and they are disgusted. They let their past control their actions and rule their lives." The mace hit against her chin, making her staggering backward, "In that moment she hesitated, Nemesis may think it differently, but I saw something. I saw something she had lost in all of those years she had suffered. It was small. Dim, but still leaked through. The past can never be erased nor can past actions be excused, but if a person is willing to change, we shouldn't deny the hand that needs our help nor should we give up on them if they refuse."
A punch hit her across the left and right side of her head. Her vision blurred. She felt the kick to her head. Her knees buckled, but she remained standing. No matter how painful it was, she was determined to remain on her feet, "We can forgive. But Optimus, can they?" The word "they" held more emphasis as her battered form stared at Optimus. Weakened physically yet inside the spark still burned. It sparked to life. Inside something was growing. "A person's worst enemy is his or herself. But there can be an enemy as great as that." She grabbed one of Optimus's fists that came at her. She twirled to him around as best as her last remaining strength could muster. Her chest bumped into his and her spark went grew even brighter, "Ones that we wear on our bodies and ones that we keep close to our sparks. It-"
Images of a red X came into her vision. A person strapped to a table. Screaming. Yelling. Guilt. Medical supplies crashing to the ground. Hands on head, rubbing. More screaming rung around. The creature danced around with two people holding one end of him down. Red X came into her mind again. The creature sealed into pod shipped into- why? why? WHY?
Her spark ached and whined, crashing against her chest plate like mad towards Optimus's own spark chamber. Crowds of people screaming at her. They pointed at her. Her body was craved without care in a flood of Predacon insignias. Some were bleeding. Some were rusted. The Maximal symbol that existed on her shoulder seemed like it was ripped from her by a cruel hand. She went on her knees. The Maximal symbol laid down on the dirty streets. She took it in her hands, quivering and crying. Why? Why? Why? Why so cruel?
As quickly as she saw these images, the quicker they disappeared. Her vision still blurred from the blows to the head. Her body was still close to Optimus. Her arms that were in a defensive position was now around him in an embrace like it was a reflex.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
"Yes, plenty of times, Optimus. Even now, no matter how mature and experience I am, I still make errors. There is always something to learn."
He couldn't agree more with her.
"No, I will never give up on her or anyone else like her. If I did, I would be betraying everything I believed in. That, to me, would be the greatest sin I will ever commit."
Optimus smiled lightly at Whitegrazer because he felt the same way about it, which was one reason why he often offered refuge for those who didn't believe in Megatron's ambitions or serving under such brutality and ego, allowing them to join under his command instead. Even if they didn't remain Maximals once they returned to Cybertron - IF they ever return home - and simply used him for his hospitality and compassion, at least he could say they were safe and they survived the war. Not all Predacons were bad and not all Maximals were good, but he strove to diminish those typical stereotypes between the two allegiances. After all, it didn't make them who they were.
"People like her, Optimus. I have known all my life. They had been hurt and weakened. They feel violated and vulnerable. So they act out on those who hurt them, but most dangerous of all, they become to despise who they once were and go after those who are weak. To them, seeing such a weakness is a reminder of their own vulnerability and they are disgusted. They let their past control their actions and rule their lives."
He had heard the damage he caused under his weapon as it crashed into her side and yet she didn't buckle. Primal hadn't even used his full strength and this was how fragile she was - physically - compared to a TransMetal. It wasn't exactly the best way to find out and he immediately regretted the attack. As her words filtered through his audio receptors, memories of X flashed in his mind. Another one in a similar situation as Nemesis and Arachnitron, a terrible experiment that should have never came to be who was pretty much indestructible. In many ways, his past influenced his decisions now, but he had tried turning it into a positive rather than a negative. He tried making up for his mistakes to redeem himself.
"In that moment she hesitated, Nemesis may think it differently, but I saw something. I saw something she had lost in all of those years she had suffered. It was small. Dim, but still leaked through. The past can never be erased nor can past actions be excused, but if a person is willing to change, we shouldn't deny the hand that needs our help nor should we give up on them if they refuse."
He had no doubt that there was hope with Nemesis, and certainly hope for Arachnitron, but when it came to Megatron, Optimus was certain he was a lost cause. The lack of remorse and the thirst to kill all of them for his own selfish needs was unfathomable and his pride would always get in the way. For a brief moment, he wondered what, if anything, she might see through that tyrant's barriers. What had he been through on Cybertron? What drove him to all of this? For that matter, what could she see in Primal's soul? It was such a unique gift that Whitegrazer had.
He watched her stagger after his hits and he stopped. What was he doing? Had he been blinded by fear or fury of her finding out something more about him? Why did he have to hide it from her? Although she didn't show it and was still standing on her feet, she was clearly in pain. Optimus never meant to go this far with their spar, but something about her made him push more.
"We can forgive. But Optimus, can they?"
Lowering his arms to his sides as she gazed upon him in her wounded state, he said softly and uncertainly,
"I don't know..." Could his crew ever forgive him and what he used to be a part of? Would X hate what they did to him and hold it against them for the rest of his eternal life or empower his gift of invincibility?
"A person's worst enemy is his or herself. But there can be an enemy as great as that." "Ones that we wear on our bodies and ones that we keep close to our sparks. It-"
The Maximal leader was ready to take her next hit but she bumped into him and their chests met each other, their sparks pulling one another closer. The sensation was emotionally strong and the bond felt like two strong magnets that could not be pulled apart. However, when her train of thought was cut off, he assumed she must be feeling or seeing something. Was it coming from him? Could she sense his secret that he kept hidden away in a vault all this time? Was he just being paranoid? No, she saw something. He could feel her anxiety, much like what he had felt... where was it from before? In the Matrix. Yes, when TyCross did something to him. He couldn't remember what. Something about Whitegrazer. Visions of her? TyCross... He was there. That was the familiar presence he was picking up. But how...? Where?
Optimus suddenly felt Whitegrazer's arms wrap around him. He dropped his maces simultaneously and they clanged loudly on the floor as he returned her embrace and held her close.
"Are you all right, Whitegrazer?" he asked her with concern in a gentle voice during their hug. He still avoided the topic of Protoform X since maybe she didn't know, but sooner or later everyone was going to find out because his stasis pod was out there somewhere just waiting to be discovered. What if Megatron got his hands on him first? What if it was one of the pods one of the Maximal teams had sought after today? What if he was ever activated again...?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Whitegrazer was heavily breathing from the sudden burst from the connection they shared. The overwhelming burst of information as both of their sparks seemed to thrust upon each other something that was behind closed doors. Something they both kept inside for reasons of their own. She stood up as Optimus had released her from the embrace they shared and gazed at him. His expression full of guilt. It put her to shame that she hadn't controlled what occurred moments ago. She tried her best to regain her calm composure, "Optimus... I apologize."
It was something she hadn't felt in a very long time and she forgot how in intense situations, even those with a collected composure, could lose themselves to powerful emotions. But what can be seen can't be unseen and by the look on Optimus's face, she needed to reassure him and explain the intense aura around them, "When I was a young soldier back in the war, when the abilities I had were untamed and overwhelming, I used to peer inside people's souls... no...not just their souls, but things they kept close. Something they didn't feel comfortable sharing. In shame. Guilt. It wasn't until I saw how hurtful my speaking of such private matters was to others that I realized how my powers were very intimate and violating if I didn't learn discipline and control. Back then, I didn't get that for a very long time."
She walked towards Optimus to close the gap between them: to get close to him again and place a hand on his cheek, "Our connection is growing even strong than it was before. But what I saw here today... Isn't how I wished to witness it." She closed her optics before continuing, "I wanted to know more about you, but not like this. Not by seeing it with my abilities, but by your own will." She opened her optics and smiled at Optimus, "I promise to you that what I saw here today, I will not coerce it from you or ask of it from you. I will not pry you of details. And I know you will extend the same courtesy towards me." Her thumb caressed his cheek, "Maybe some day, we will be able to sit down and be ready to talk about what we saw of each other. When we are both ready to, of course. I'm sorry for any emotional turmoil I put you through."
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
"Optimus... I apologize."
"No, there's no need to," he said calmly, and then bent down to pick up his twin maces and re-attached them to his back. Apparently it had gone both ways. But he wasn't sure what he saw about her. What did it mean? There was so much about Whitegrazer that he didn't know, just tiny hints and riddles that TyCross offered. It went both ways, however, because there were darker things about him that he simply didn't share with anyone.
"I'm sorry I hurt you. I didn't mean to strike you so hard." She was definitely more beat up than he was and would not be fit for any battles on the field any time soon until she got repairs.
"When I was a young soldier back in the war, when the abilities I had were untamed and overwhelming, I used to peer inside people's souls... no...not just their souls, but things they kept close. Something they didn't feel comfortable sharing. In shame. Guilt. It wasn't until I saw how hurtful my speaking of such private matters was to others that I realized how my powers were very intimate and violating if I didn't learn discipline and control. Back then, I didn't get that for a very long time."
Standing there, processing the information, he looked curiously to her. He knew she meant well, and what she did was meant to happen and just a mistake. It certainly wasn't a bad thing what she could do, and since she had learned not to gossip about such secrets, to Optimus it was still a gift she had. It wasn't like she could ignore it or block it, especially in such intense situations.
"Our connection is growing even strong than it was before. But what I saw here today... Isn't how I wished to witness it."
His orange optics closed for a moment as he felt her hand on his cheek and listened to her soft voice. He winced just a tiny bit from his sore jaw and the side of his head where she had kicked him. Reaching up, he took her hand from his cheek into both of his hands, holding it to his chest, and pulled her closer.
"It's not how I wanted you find out either," he agreed somberly, studying her face as she closed her optics.
"It's something I don't want to take part in ever again and regret that I did in the first place."
"I wanted to know more about you, but not like this. Not by seeing it with my abilities, but by your own will." "I promise to you that what I saw here today, I will not coerce it from you or ask of it from you. I will not pry you of details. And I know you will extend the same courtesy towards me." "Maybe some day, we will be able to sit down and be ready to talk about what we saw of each other. When we are both ready to, of course. I'm sorry for any emotional turmoil I put you through."
Primal shook his head and said with a small smile,
"It's all right. After all, it's something I will have to face again. Soon, I fear. And explain it to everyone. I don't know if I will be forgiven or trusted, but it's a burden and I'll have to confront it." His gaze shifted back and forth between her eyes, thinking and absorbing the moment.
"Every one of us have our pasts and secrets. Unless it puts another in harm's way, I do not question it or pry. Whenever you're ready, pull me aside. My door is always open for you and everyone. Until then, all I have are fragments of TyCross's injections and what you've shown me." He chuckled lightly, incapable of piecing it all together but it didn't matter. He'd rather hear it all from her when she would feel the time was right.
"I trust you, Whitegrazer. And no matter what, we will always have each other, our bond, and nothing will be able to break it." Leaning in to her, his lips met her's and he kissed her sweetly.
"I will tell you. Soon," Optimus promised. Why wait? She knew some of it already. But because he should get back on duty, he thought this was the best place to end their sparring match.
"I had better report to the bridge and find out what has been happening with the teams. And you better get repairs." His left hand very gently settled on the cracked armor on the side of her chest, feeling her pain with her from the close proximity of their sparks, and wishing he could heal it with a simple wave of his hand. Of course, that was not the case, and she would likely need a CR.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The red X still lingered in her mind just like the soft kiss he had given her, "All right. I will go get myself repaired. Thank you for your understanding, Optimus, and trust." She watched as he had walked out of the simulation, but before he left, she spoke out with smile, "And again, thank you for the sparring match. Now, I have some assurance that those, like myself, who aren't Transmetals still have a chance in the battlefield." Despite what had happened, she did learn a great deal about the Transmetal forms. At least, she knew how to combat them. She would just have to increase her endurance, especially when she entered into a long, brutal battle with them.
When Optimus left, she stood for a moment still. Her spark was still burning inside her, glowing brightly. Looking up towards TyCross, who was now clapping, she gave him a stern look, "You knew that would happen, didn't you?"
TyCross laughed,
"Yes, yes, I did. You let your powers lay dormant for some time. They are weakening. That battle with Nemesis sparked something within you and it is growing. Your powers are resurfacing again. Slowly but still as powerful as ever. You wanted to spar with Optimus anyway. You got what you wanted. So did I. I got to see a brutal fight and you learned something from your fearless leader. By not talking, but using your power! Talking is overrrated! "
Whitegrazer shook her head, and her spark sank with the idea of her master's manipulative actions, "You promised that you wouldn't do that again."
"Old habits die hard. I'm not a nice bot. You know that."
"It was an invasion of his privacy. It is uncivilized and a violation of a sentient being's rights."
"The lives of the many are more important than the rights of a few."
"That statement doesn't match the context of this situation."
TyCross did a raspberry at her like a child not listening to a parent. Though, in her case, it was vice versa.
"Maybe. Maybe not. But it is something I think you have forgotten. Cybertronian society, laws, nicties, or whatever your small-minded people call it. You forget to think big. Big! You think little!"
"Don't use insults, TyCross."
TyCross waved his hands in the air,
"Don't you see?! I bought you here for a reason? A greater purpose! You limit yourself, Whitegrazer. Everything you think you can't do, you can. You just let the others get in the way of it. The rules of this world are meaningless! I bought you here for a reason."
"You told me that you wanted me to see something, explaining who you are and as you put it, my raison d'etre."
"You have seen my true form, but did you figure it out? Nope. Think, Whitegrazer, think! And get yourself a CR chamber before your whole torso falls off again. My goodness! Every time I see you lately, you are hurt. Get out of here! We will talk later!" TyCross was about to disappear.
"Wait! What did you do to Optimus?"
"Nothing! It was something innocent. Though, next time, maybe I should change my form to something that would be less dangerous. Maybe yours? No, I can't get your impression right. Too bad. It would had been hilarious! Oh well! Bye!"
"But-" She sighed.
A lingering aura still hung in the air. It may be awhile before she came here again. Maybe as she was getting herself repaired, she could mediate about what just happened.
She exited.
))