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As SIC, Prowl assisted Prime in many battles, missions and political matters. He was Prime's top advisor, and - despite maintaining an entirely professional attitude - trusted friend. But he and Prime were growing distant.
Prowl noticed this the first day they onlined from their sixty million year long stasis, and progressed from then on through the next few years.
At first, it was as simple as Prime not acknowledging his SIC, and Prowl understood. The Autobots were more concerned about the incoming Decepticons as they were still onlining from stasis. They needed to stop their enemies from destroying the innocent planet.
Yet as time went on, Prime hadn't consulted Prowl for many things, the leader instead turning to his subordinates for
advice when that was what Prowl functioned as.
He missed being Prime's close confidant.
The lack of duty was foreign to Prowl, so he took to keeping the Autobots outside the main team in order. He made sure they did their part, but it was not required. They took their duties seriously, no matter how menial.
Lacking importance, Prowl remained in the arsenal, ensuring the weapons functioned properly. He cleaned, examined and tested them. Day after day. Week after week.
He was rarely visited in the arsenal. Bumblebee once confronted him about Cheetor, who later startled Prowl in the empty room and asked him if he required assistance.
Upset that Cheetor had a better place in Prime's team than he, and in such a short time, Prowl rejected the offer.
As soon as Bumblebee retrieved his friend, Prowl was left alone without so much as a word to him. Prowl had secretly hoped Bumblebee had come to him, asking for his help as SIC. But that was not the case. The Autobots did not require his presence.
The time for a negotiation with the Decepticons came. A ceasefire was in place, and Optimus and Megatron spoke in an enclosed space. Megatron had his top officers Soundwave and Shockwave - Starscream having gone rogue - in the space with him, while Optimus had the cityspeaker and dinobot.
It shouldn't have hurt as much as it did.
He was the highest ranking Cybertronian outside, perhaps he was excluded to keep an optic on the rest of the Autobots, all of which were untrusting of the Decepticons left also in wait. There was a great tension, but Prowl was not sure what he should do about it.
It had him confused. Prime knew of his capabilities, and that his function was to advise, but he trusted Prime's judgement. If he were no longer needed, then so be it.
To say Prowl missed his leader's presence was an understatement. His devotion for Prime had never wavered during their separation. Was Prime wishing his close friend would stand by his side again? During battles, on the bridge and even in the hallways? Did he wish he were around Prowl as much as Prowl wished he were around him?
If he did, why was Prowl not with him now?
While jealous of his subordinates being closer to Prime than he, Prowl was never angry at Prime himself for being distant. It had to be something Prowl had done, or didn't do. Or perhaps it was how it was meant to be. Perhaps he was meant to fade away while others rose to take his place.
Or perhaps, that was what was already happening.
That never affected Prowl's loyalty to Prime. He adored his leader, and knew he could bring an end to this war, with or without his SIC. The hope still remained though, that Prime would soon seek him out for assistance once more.
That was what drove Prowl during the final battle on Cybertron. Prime had finally spoken to him, moments before they abandoned ship.
"Help me lead this battle," he said, placing a servo on Prowl's shoulder.
Prowl nodded. He would. He always would. Prime was who he lived and fought for.
The battle took place in front of the threshold to the Well, with the hope being to clear a way for Bumblebee, Cheetor and Hot Rod to get through and relinquish the Allspark to its rightful place.
As the battle truly began, Megatron and Alphastrike fired at the SIC, while Shadow Striker and her team prepared to take him on. Prowl called upon his soldiers to back him up as he charged.
"Autobots, forward!" Prowl exclaimed.
It was the first command he had given in years. It felt invigorating.
He transformed and landed a fist to the hood of a Decepticon soldier, effectively flipping them over.
During the fight, Prowl kept an optic on Shadow Striker as she jumped from Autobot to Autobot, but eventually his attention was redirected to Prime heading straight towards Megatron, who had taken down Wheeljack. After exchanging some hits and words, Prime's axe and Megatron's mace were stuck together.
"Optimus, watch out!" He alerted his leader. He didn't even realize how close Shadow Striker had gotten to Prime until she raised her blaster, and without thought, he immediately drove to stop her, but he was too late to take her down. He only had one option.
Prowl transformed and jumped in front of her blaster as she pulled the trigger, grunting when the shot pierced his chestplates. He fell heavily to the ground, feeling it burn and shock his entire frame.
"Prowl!" He heard Prime shout.
Immediately, energon flow was cut off to prevent him from leaking to deactivation, but it did nothing, for his spark chamber had been broken through. One by one, his systems began shutting down, his motor controls the first to go.
He was unable to see Prime and if he was uninjured, but did not have to wait long as he heard the leader making his way across the battlefield to him. In moments, he was gently moved onto his back to look into the faceplates of his dear friend, who retracted his battle mask.
The shock, the despair, the dread, the remorse, the love, was all there for Prowl to see as they made optic contact. Prime had it written all over his faceplates, why did you do it?
He wanted to tell Prime, he did it to save him. He loved Prime. He couldn't bear to see harm come to him. He had to do it...
"Prime..." He wasn't able to get it out, his remaining systems shutting down. His vocalizer cut out, vision soon following. He didn't fight the darkness, knowing Prime was still there for him.
"Hold on, my friend." Prime said sadly, just before Prowl's audio receptors stopped functioning.
Prowl could not keep himself online, slowly falling in the deep void of unconsciousness that would no doubt bring him to the Well.
He did not think of death, however. He thought of Optimus, who truly still cared for him. And that was all he needed.
He let go.