Soundwave fired.
The blue blast passed through the space between them and everything seemed to move in slow motion. There was a shout, a cry of warning, and then a light colored frame stepped forward, covering Orion's body with his own.
"Ratchet," Orion stated, his voice trembling at the hole in his mentor's side.
"My... promise." Ratchet smiled softly, "My... bitlet."
Ratchet fell over, and Orion screamed, rushing forward and wrapping his arms around the mech that had raised him. Ratchet may not have been his sire, but he was always there. He was everything.
Ratchet's optics flickered offline, and Orion looked up, his face shimmering with silver fluid, "YOU KILLED HIM!"
Soundwave walked forward, as silent and emotionless as his visor allowed. Behind it, his intake had twisted into a furious snarl. His servo raised again, pointing the blaster at Orion's helm, but this time, Megatron stepped in his way.
"Don't," Megatron glared. "Don't do something you will regret."
Soundwave remained silent, but in his spark, he knew, there was nothing he'd regret less.
His blaster remained steady.
Megatron's optics narrowed, "You wouldn't terminate me."
His blaster buzzed with warmth.
Orion's servo brushed over something in Ratchet's servo, and slowly, he pulled it out.
There was a shot.
Another shot.
Megatron's optics widened in horror.
Soundwave fell to the ground.
A wisp of smoke rose from the barrel of the blaster in Orion's servo. With it, Orion rose to his pedes and pointed the weapon at Megatron, who turned around ever so slowly.
"Orion." Megatron swallowed hard. "Orion?"
"From this point on, Megatron, we are enemies. Never let your guard down around me again, or those closest to you will receive the same fate as Soundwave.
Megatron vented sharply, "You- you can't do this."
Orion raised the blaster and aimed it at Megatron's helm, "I'll do whatever it takes."
"No, no." Megatron walked forward, "Orion, please. I don't want to be your enemy."
"You don't have a choice!" Orion yelled, taking a step back. His heel hit the edge of the Well of Allsparks. "Now get back before I shoot you too."
Megatron's spark stuttered, "No. No, Orion, please. I am begging you. I said that every battle I fight is for you. We- we can fight something else! I'll give up if you need me to! Just please, please, come back to me."
Orion almost dropped the blaster, but somehow, it remained, shaking violently in his servo and pointed at the helm of his lover. The look in Megatron's optics made the lubricant pour down his face faster.
He couldn't shoot.
He had to.
Orion's digit trembled.
It stretched.
He couldn't shoot.
He had to.
And he did.
A white-hot blast exploded from the blaster.
Megatron screamed, running forward as Orion dropped the blaster from where he had pressed it against his own spark chamber. The weapon fell, clattering to the ground with a sound far louder than it should have been.
"I'm sorry," Orion whispered. "I'm not... strong enough."
His pedes lifted, and his weight shifted down, sending Orion falling into the Well of Allsparks.
"NOO!" Megatron roared, his digits grasping empty air as he failed to catch the falling mech.
Looking down, Megatron's spark snapped as he watched Orion's frame scrape and slam against the sides of the well as he plummeted into the brilliant light of Primus's spark.
He stopped, venting heavily and leaning over the edge.
▪️◾◼⬛◼◾▪️
Megatron had never been hospitalized, but he'd been in one before. It was a few vorns ago, but he remembered it quite clearly. It had been sterile, calm-busy, but calm-and he hadn't been there long, but there was an atmosphere of misery. Or perhaps that had been the atmosphere that followed Soundwave and Crashdrive as he'd picked them up from the place.
Speaking of Soundwave, the black and purple mech laying next to Megatron began to make a small whirring sound as his processor began to function. Megatron looked over and waited for Soundwave's optics to stop flickering before he spoke.
"You took a nasty hit," Megatron said softly.
Soundwave struggled to sit up, and Megatron quickly reached over to assist him. After Soundwave was situated, Megatron leaned back and vented deeply.
"There will be no permanent damage; Ori- you were hit in the shoulder," Megatron explained quietly.
Silence.
Megatron bit his derma, "I'm sorry."
Soundwave's field expanded and Megatron flinched back at the barrage of negative emotions, most directed at him. After a moment, Megatron stood up.
"Just... get better okay," Megatron rasped, his spark panging with guilt and sadness.
He turned to go, but a light touch on his arm prompted him to turn around. Soundwave's visor onlined, and a stream of words moved by.
I was right.
Megatron shook his helm, "Don't."
Don't? You left me.
Megatron offlined his optics for a moment before looking at Soundwave, "You left Orion."
He broke the spark of the mech I loved.
Megatron tensed, "What?"
Always. Since the very beginning, Megatron, I have loved you. And you chose Orion.
"Soundwave, I-" Megatron looked away, "I'm..."
Soundwave deactivated his screen and turned his helm away. Megatron vented, but turned around, closing the door behind him with a small click. He leaned against the other side of the door and let out a low growl.
▪️◾◼⬛◼◾▪️
It was... blissful.
Orion's optics onlined and he tried to move, but his limbs felt... distant? No.
Gone.
What!?
He tried to panic, and his EM field flared, causing his dark surroundings to brighten, but his field was the only thing that react. The rest of his frame was gone, replaced by a shimmering light and his thoughts.
"Do not fear, Orion."
Orion's attention snapped to another patch of brilliance, and this one, somehow, seemed both familiar and primordial. It glowed softly, with an innate intelligence that seemed fitting to the voice it wielded.
"Welcome to the Well of Allsparks, my son." Primus seemed to smile through the lights.
"I'm... terminated," Orion huffed.
Primus nodded, "That is usually the outcome of shooting yourself."
"Was that a joke?" Orion frowned.
Primus shrugged and turned away, "Take it as you will."
Orion tried to move forward, but he only managed to wobble to float upward some. Primus cast a glance his way.
"You needn't bother, Orion. Learning how to be a spark is something that you will have plenty of time for after your final death." Primus told him.
"Final death?" Orion asked in confusion.
Primus's energy surged, "Why, you do plan on being the last Prime, don't you?"
Orion looked down, into the abyss, "I don't think I am the best choice. Certainly someone else is better suited than I?"
Primus floated forward, his EM field radiating assurance, "There is no one on this planet that I would trust more with the future of Cybertron."
"Clearly we need some better mechs then," Orion muttered.
Primus chuckled, "Perhaps, but you have already been tested, son. You have already gone through the most difficult part of the journey: betraying your love. From now on, there will be a contest of the factions and a battle for survival. Through this, you must lead our people out of the ashes and toward new horizons."
The abyss seemed to curl in on itself and Orion found himself standing before the glowing Cybertronian frame of Primus. The one from his very first vision.
Primus laid his servo on Orion's shoulder, "You have the advantage; for as long as you oppose Megatron, you are destined to be victorious in the long term."
"Victorious on one front..." Orion vented sadly.
"It is the natural balance and order of existence," Primus said. "One shall rise and one shall fall."
"Who really rises here?" Orion questioned. "Neither me nor Megatron will ever be the same again."
"This is not just about the two of you," Primus told him, "but rather about the mecha you fight for. They will be the ones to rise, and you are the savior, the brilliant spark who sacrificed himself for their survival. Even as you fall, Orion, you will never be forgotten."
"And Megatron?"
Primus blew a raspberry, "Oh please. Who could forget Megatron?"
Orion let out a short laugh and smiled softly, "I suppose that is true."
Primus elbowed Orion gently, "Now get going. Cybertron needs Optimus Prime."
"Optimus Prime?" Orion frowned, "Who is that?"
There was the sound of a sword unsheathing behind him and Orion whirled around in surprise. Before him stood a dozen tall warriors, their weapons drawn.
"The Primes," Orion breathed, his optics growing wide.
"Aren't you one of us now?" Someone asked, stepping forward with a smirk; he was holding onto a sword, his grip relaxed, but steady.
Orion gulped, "I- umm..."
"Primes," Primus walked up from behind Orion and smiled at his deciples, "meet your brother, Optimus Prime."
"Welcome to the club!"
The Primes raised their weapons and Orion tried to take a step back, but he found that his legs could no longer function. He was frozen in place as the points of swords and shields and hammers came to rest in the center of his chassis.
There was a blinding white light, a warmth covered his spark, and Orion's optics flickered back into the bliss of darkness.