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Under the sun’s eye, mechs of varied shapes and colors were darting from one place to the next in the shared excitement of a nearing festival. Flags have been taken out of storage and were now hung proudly over balconies and roofs while paints splattered against walls to cast glimpses of hidden stories. Everyone was excited. Ecstatic even, as today marked the beginning of a new present for a prospering kingdom. After all, following death comes life and in this instance, the rise of a new king of Iacon.
As Optimus took in the smell of freshly baked goods and tinkering of instruments, the mechs around him prepared for the upcoming surge of crowds. Today was the coronation of his brother Prima to the throne and while most of his family members were present in Iacon City, indulging themselves in fine high-grade and sweetened delicacies, Optimus had instead chosen to remain by his ship’s side. It wasn’t that he disliked his brother and disapproved of the coronation, quite the opposite actually, but the youngest prince never liked to attend any parties the upper class threw. They often held nobles who never said what they truly felt and brewed some sort of trouble that would leave them chattering among themselves for cycles after much to his dismay.
It also didn’t help that Optimus was a runaway prince as well.
“Laserbeak, cease your chatter.” Megatron growled, his voice low and crackling from the remnants of his slumber. The sun was blinding against his optics but the silver mech was never to refuse a challenge. Instead, he stood proudly against the light, his silver armor shining like it bore no marks of his recent raid. It was a sign of power to his crewmates, a reminder that their captain could not be stopped no matter the battle. But now it was just a source of ache for his optics. The sun is too damn bright. And he is already aware that they are nearing land so cease that incessant screeching-
“Lord Megatron.” A monotonous voice piped up besides him and the mech gritted his teeth to stifle the urge to flinch or take a step back. As usual, the sleek and purple mech would always find a way to creep up on him without a single notice. His frame was slender as well, and his movements graceful, adding onto the illusion that Soundwave walks as if he is mostly drifting along the gentle winds. “Position: Nearing Polyhex. Status: Celebrating. Advice: Use the festival as cover while restocking..” The quartermaster continued without a hitch and Megatron finally managed to brush away the last of his slumber. However-
“And for what purpose are they celebrating?”
“Celebration: Iacon Prince Prima’s coronation.”
Ah. The pirate captain shuttered and rebooted his optics, so it was today? He nodded and turned away from his second in command, clasping his arms behind his back as he sauntered towards the deck. Time has certainly passed since he had first received news of Iacon king’s passing. It had presented a great opportunity for the Decepticons, launching raids on the kingdom’s coastal towns while their ruling power was vulnerable. However, to his disappointment, he couldn’t get as much as he truly desired from their lootings. Even if Prima had been taking over the political world fairly quickly after his creator’s passing, he shouldn’t be able to hinder Megatron’s path of violence so efficiently. But alas, that was because it was not his direct actions that inconvenienced Megatron but the vigilantes who decided to take justice on a blasted boat; the Autobots.
At first it had been only one ship; a test subject for a new branch of the navy fleet some gossips would say or perhaps the new dumping boat for sailor rejects. Regardless, it wasn’t anything that Megatron had particularly cared about at that moment. One small ship could do nothing to the unstoppable fleet of the Decepticons, not until it was revealed that it could have the potential. When Megatron had arose that morning, he didn’t expect Rumble and Frenzy to bust into his quarters with news that the Menasor fleet had failed in their raid against a small, rural Iaconi town- The first slagging failure the Decepticons ever had since the beginning of Megatron’s leadership. The captain was a fool at the time to have believed it was because of the Menasor’s incompetence but when he clashed with the Autobots for the first time, he’d realized that that was not completely the reason why.
The masked captain Orion Pax of the ship ‘The Ark’ was also the leader of the Autobots- And he was powerful. Skilled and sharp, he took control of the battle with his rallying speech and quick wit. He overwhelmed the best of Megatron’s men and came up on par with the captain’s own skill. The Decepticons had no other rival until the arrival of the Autobots, and every battle would shift the ever tipping scales. There was no true winner because the war between the pirates and heroes had never ended yet. If he wasn’t so infuriated by the growing lack of his fleet’s wealth, he would have been impressed by the opposing captain. He had briefly amused the idea of forming an allyship before his pride made him spit the idea out of sight and out of mind.
Megatron huffed, waving his hand dismissively to his still present second-in-command, “Prepare to dock then, have Dreadwing and Skyquake overlook the restocking of the high priority resources before we even consider any high-grade or polish.”
The mute decepticon did not move however, not even nodding to show that he had heard his leader. Instead, Soundwave remained still and unmoving. Though his visor revealed nothing, Megatron knew his amica well enough that the bot was silently implying an ‘and?’ Soundwave was waiting expectantly for Megatron to dismiss the crew after they completed their duties of the day so that they could, too, enjoy the festivities in Polyhex. It made Megatron scowl but he relented regardless.
“And,” He sighed heavily, narrowing his eyes at Soundwave unamused and annoyed, “Tell the mecha they are free to roam the city at sundown. But a reminder that we must prepare to set sail in the early mornings if we are to reach our destination in time.” Finally satiated, Soundwave nodded before sauntering forwards to the deck below. A caw could be heard from above as a warning before Laserbeak swooped down to fall correctly onto Soundwave’s chest, sharing whatever news she managed to scour and snoop from her scouting mission to her carrier.
As the quartermaster passed out his orders, Megatron let out another huff. Perhaps having a day off would be good morale after all their disgruntled retreats from other Iaconi towns. He glanced up at the sky once, taking note of the beaming sun that rose high and proud in the blue sky, before making his way down the steps of the ship’s deck. Perhaps he, too, is due for a good drink at the local tavern.
There was no doubt that, in the optics of the locals, the town square was their paradise. Stalls of varied goods along the paved streets but remained clear of the central fountain where mecha and femmes were dancing to their sparks’ content to the performance of live instruments. Young bitlets were skittering past the legs of adult-frames in squealing joy, vibrant flags or sweet treats held tightly in their servos as they indulged in themselves in their world of fun. One of them accidentally knocked themselves against Optimus leg, crying a quick, embarrassed apology before they darted away to avoid any terrible consequence; Not that the blue and red mech would anyways. He was more amused than anything, finding the cheer of the youth to be infectious to his sentimental spark. Surrounded by crowds of enthused mechs, Optimus could not help but smile and chuckle even if he had no company.
Seeing how this town bustled with life compared to the ones he visited(and defended) cycles earlier, it was like a vent of fresh air. He is happy. Happy for his brother’s coronation and also happy that he and his allies, friends, can now find some peace and fun to enjoy themselves with for the cycle. They deserve it and everything Optimus was able to give to them. A part of it was because he was grateful for their loyalty; but a deeper part of him also felt it was out of guilt for never truly revealing his true identity to them. By appearance, Optimus Prime and Orion Pax are two different mechs. The public sightings of Optimus showed him as a silver and blue mech whose frame was hidden under a royal cape. Orion Pax, however, was more secretive. His face was hidden behind his battlemask and his red and blue paint was never hard to miss. Nobody among the Autobots had been able to catch the dots between him and the missing prince nor would they ever be able to. He had made sure of it, got Jazz to make sure of it. Even had Prowl-
Something elbowed into his side, shoving Optimus off balance and yanking him out of his mind before he could spiral into his thoughts, and he turned around to see the reason for it. Oh- Blue optics caught onto ruby ones and he paused. So did the other mech. Tall, wide but with narrow hips, buff, buff legs, the mech’s glistening frame was impossible to not admire even if the black coat hung over his shoulders had enveloped over his sharp outline.
If the mech had been any other stranger, Optimus would have nodded as a friendly gesture before moving on with his walk. But this was not a stranger, he’d realized, when he recognized the scars that riddle the other’s faceplates. They were unique to only one mech that he had the misfortune of seeing from afar: Pirate Lord Megatron of the Decepticon Clan.
His immediate instinct was to lunge into a battle stance and warn the surrounding villagers to flee but-
“My apologies.” The silver mech rumbled, his voice deep and gruff like a turbowolf’s growl, “If I had realized I would run into a shining jewel today I would have prepared myself better.”
Optimus blinked, the apology catching him off guard as he briefly considered if he was the only one to have hesitated- Wait a klik. He recycled his optics again. Then stared at the mech, who was coincidentally around the same height he was. And then processed again what he actually said.
Even with the battlemask in place, it was clear that he was flustered by the way he widened his optics and spat out static before raising a servo against his chassis. “Pardon me, I think I may have caught something in my vents.” He apologized but the mech quirked up an amused smile.
“I fail to believe no mech has ever complimented you on your beauty before. You can’t be this flustered to a simple note of appreciation.” He mused, and the mech shifted his stance so that he was closer to one stand instead of standing in the middle of the busy path. Optimus did the same, still trying to reel his processor in on what has to be the most befuddling encounter. His rival of the seas, the famed crime lord, the uncatchable villain, Megatron, had just hit on him. In the middle of another fragging Iaconi town. And- And he doesn’t seem to be fazed at all in front of his nemesis! Did the pirate not recognize him? Or perhaps he has mistaken the poor mech and was mentally antagonizing a random stranger?
“You are not wrong to believe flattery is common for me.” Optimus began, careful and collected, while he tried to reel his processor in, “But you should take note that it’s not normal practice to flirt with the mech you have run into.” And the mech laughed, the sound awfully similar to the cackles Optimus would hear over the radio as a certain pirate lord gloated to the royal Navy about he-
“My name is Megatronus.” The silver mech introduced himself and he placed a servo on his chest.. “And you would be?” He is most definitely Megatron. Optimus was going to have to kick himself when he returned to his cabin afterwards for doubting his original guess. But for now, the mech pushed his self-disappointment aside and thought back to his question. How does Megatron not recognize him? Sure, Optimus had never encountered the pirate lord himself as he was too busy fighting against his mechs but surely Megatron has been watching from somewhere, right? Or had his coat made him harder to distinguish? Optimus hadn’t been wearing it to the market today, opting for a simple hood to keep him shaded from the sun but-
“Orion. Should I say it’s a pleasure to meet you, Megatronus?” He joked lightly and the autobot slowly relaxed. If Megatron didn’t recognize him, and he was in another Iaconi town, then perhaps he was here to scour another target to loot; and Optimus would not stand for that. Whatever nefarious purpose the criminal was here for, Optimus will dig it out of him and while he does so he will send Prowl a ping to hunt out the other possible decepticons that may lurk among the crowds.
“Of course. Unusual as I may be, I can assure you I am of good company. That is, if you’re willing to celebrate the cycle with an eager stranger?” Megatron purred. This time the mech offered his servo forward to Optimus, charm and intrigued made his optics glimmer like twin gems but Optimus is not a fool; He can see the violent danger that lurks beneath them like poison. But that’s fine. Optimus can play oblivious.
The autobot took Megatron’s servo in his, giving it a playful squeeze as the corners of his optics crinkle in amusement. “As long as you will have me, Megatronus.”
When the red and blue mech clasped their servos together, Megatron wickedly grinned to himself. He’s got the autobot where he wants him to be.