Work Text:
“D! Come here, I found something really cool!”
D-16 looks up from his mining spot on the cave wall. He has been mining for some time now so D-16 didn't want to admit it, but Orion's distraction sounds good as of right now.
A break would do me well… He thought as he placed his drill somewhere close by.
It only took a few steps with how small the cave was to reach where Orion is. D-16 sees that Orion has both of his arms behind him and is looking at him, smiling very suspiciously.
D-16 glances at the hidden arms before crossing his own arms and giving the other mech a look.
“And tell me what it is? You know you shouldn't get distracted from your work unless you want Elita-1 to force you to use your own servos to dig again.” D-16 says. He watches Orion look away, embarrassed, making D-16 smirk.
“Well that was a different time,” Orion grumbles but smiles once more. “I promise you this is absolutely harmless, okay?” Orion reassures D-16 who only grew more suspicious.
“Yeah, sure. Now show me what you got.”
Orion smiles and pulls up a square lookin rock slab.
A rock. Orion is trying to show off a rock.
“...I'm actually going to hit you for this–”
“Wait hold on– just look at it first!” Orion brings it in front of his face. Either in defense or just showing it off, D-16 huffs and looks closer at the rock.
It has a shiny coat and a blue undertone glowing dimly with it. It wasn't energon, and not a gem either. Nothing very interesting from what he could tell, but from the looks of it, Orion was very much interested in the slab with how much that smile on his face grew wider.
“It's literally a normal rock. Just what are you trying to do right now?”
It seemed that was it for Orion as he started to laugh. D-16 only got more confused.
“What? Just what are you trying to tell me?”
“Haha! Oh D… I'm not talking about the actual rock, I'm talking about the reflection! It's reflective!” Orion laughs and shoves the rock a bit closer to D-16.
“See? Look D, It's you!”
D-16 took another look and spotted himself shown on the rock. His own body filled with dents and scratches from working in the mines non-stop, a bit of dirt smudged here and there, and the weariness in his yellow optics was noticeable too.
He felt a little too vulnerable now realizing what he looked like.
But, it was him.
“Huh… guess it is me.”
“See? Told you it was harmless! Too bad we can't keep it…” Orion mumbles.
He watches as Orion solemnly places the shiny rock down and picks up his drill to get back to work.
The sound of drilling and the cave wall being torn apart left that interaction feeling a bit underwhelmed.
D-16 was about to get back to his work but paused for a klik. He looked back at the rock sitting against the half-filled cart of energon.
He was only thinking for a moment before grabbing the slab and placing it near him, his own helm reflecting off of it.
He couldn't help but stare at himself and wonder if this was what his whole life was. Was this what he was built for? Mining till that matrix was found?
…He hoped it would be found quickly. Perhaps he and Orion will finally have the time to walk alone together with no other distractions and–
“D-16! Get to work!”
“Yes ma’am!”
That thought could wait for a little while longer.
“I will leave you alone now Lord Megatron.”
Megatron watches as Starscream closes the makeshift door leaving him sitting alone in his so-called room.
There was nothing to do in here but think. Think about the consequences of his actions, the words that were said, and the army he has built.
He looked down at his cannon where there were makeshift repairs done to it. The welding lines are still noticeable after the buffing and smoothing process it took.
He could still feel the pain from where Ori– No, Optimus Prime sliced through with his axe.
That memory only made Megatron angrier.
The way Optimus banished him, the way he was killed off but chosen to hold the matrix so that another Prime could rule once again made his body boil.
He stood up in a frenzy and with a rage filled mind he punched the nearest thing in the room.
It was a mirror he punched. The sound of glass shards shattering and landing to the floor echoed in the silent room.
His own reflection bow cracked in multiple places but the only thing he could see was his red optics.
No longer that naive orange, but a fearsome red.
He was not that useless mech anymore.
But despite everything, he only saw the mech he thought he destroyed. Megatron still saw D-16.
It was like his past was taunting him and Megatron couldn't help but feel empty.
He could only mutter what he saw.
“It's still… you.”