The present days scenes are based on/inspired by scenes from MTMTE issue 1, but expands them somewhat and with different context.
7. ALL GOOD THINGS
--One month ago--
"Red Alert, leave us."
"Are you sure, Prime? Might be dangerous handling him alone."
"I'll be fine, trust me. Besides, I've dealt with worse than him."
"Okay... but if you need me, I'll be right by the door. With a dozen other Autobots. All heavily armed and--"
"Yes, thank you, Red Alert. You may leave now."
Once the jittery security office had left the cell block, Optimus Prime walked up to the cell that contained Cyclonus. The former Herald of Unicron glared at him from behind the ray shield which separated the two mechs.
After a long moment of silence, Optimus finally spoke. "Tell me about yourself, Cyclonus."
"Why should I?"
"In order for this conversation to go anywhere, I need to know you better. What's your story?"
Cyclonus continued to glare at him for a moment before saying, "I was forged in Upper Tetrahex, not long after the Galactus Crusades ended."
"Tetrahex.... Isn't that home to the Clavis Aurea religious order?"
"Yes," Cyclonus hissed softly. "I was raised by their beliefs and am thus a strong believer of Primus and the Guiding Hand."
"And yet you served under Unicron, Primus' supposed opposite."
"I will elaborate on that later. When the War of the Thirteen Tribes broke out, I came to serve as a bodyguard for Galvatron, which eventually earned myself a place in Nova Prime's inner circle. I then bore witness to several conflicts, including those against the Destron Legions. I then came to serve aboard the Ark, though only at Galvatron's behest; Nova Prime and the rest of the crew saw me as a mere hanger-on."
"Nightbeat tells me that he and Hardhead went through a black hole near Gorlam Prime, one of the Ark's intended destinations," Optimus said. "Did the Ark fall through the same anomaly?"
Cyclonus nodded. "We ended up in the Dead Universe, where we were greeted by the Fallen. He tried to sway us to follow the will of Unicron, but Nova Prime -- being a believer of Primus himself -- would have none of it. He attacked the Fallen... which turned out to be not one of his wisest decisions."
"I see. So the rest of you were forced to serve Unicron?"
"Correct, although some of us were more willing that others. Galvatron, Jhiaxus, Scourge, and Grindcore were never true believers, so they eagerly allowed themselves to be converted. Tailpipe and I were more hesitant, though I was more easily convinced after the Fallen tore out Tailpipe's spark and used his body to create an effigy of Unicron."
Optimus repressed a shudder from the horrific imagery forming in his mind. "I see. However, I find myself somewhat unconvinced that you were an unwilling servant of Unicron, given the loyalty and eagerness you showed during the battle."
"Unicron had a rather strong influence on his slaves. We were little more than his puppets, to tell the truth. Galvatron and the rest only showed more personality given their genuine loyalty."
"Some Heralds like Soundwave seemed to have more independence and were able to break off from Unicron's hold," Optimus noted.
Cyclonus rubbed his chin. "Soundwave was something of an anomaly. I am aware of his connection to the first Primes, but beyond that, he is an enigma to me... and may forever remain so."
Optimus nodded as he mulled over his next words. Looking Cyclonus straight in the optic, he said, "Do you feel any regret for your actions as a Herald?"
Cyclonus folded his arms over his chest and avoided Optimus' gaze. "Some."
"Some?"
"I regret having ever fallen in league with Unicron, and I regret quite a few of the atrocities I committed in his service. However...." The former Herald let out a sigh. "I believed in the Reunification. I wanted to see Cybertron's glory restored, especially after seeing what your war had done to it."
"We have succeeded in that regard, what you and the other Heralds failed to do." Optimus then moved towards a control panel next to Cyclonus' cell and accessed it, causing the ray shield to dissipate. "Would you like a tour of it?"
Cyclonus stared at the Prime in surprise. "You're... you're letting me free?"
"Why not? You have broken from Unicron's control and have returned to be the patriotic warrior you once were. There's no longer any sense in keeping you imprisoned any longer."
Cyclonus remained standing their, nonplussed. "I... what motivated you to do this?"
"Many things, primarily Soundwave's change of spark and the history records Rewind had on you. I already knew your story, Cyclonus."
"Then... why come to me?"
"I wanted to hear it from you, so that I would know I was doing the right thing."
Cyclonus was silent for a moment. Then, he tentatively stepped out of the cell and met Optimus' gaze. "Thank you," he said after a long pause.
"Don't mention it," the Prime said. "I suggest you leave through the emergency exit-- I've already disabled the alarm. No sense in you walking out only to get shot down by Red Alert."
Cyclonus allowed the slightest of smiles to cross his face. "I admire Autobots like him, actually. They have their flaws, they know their flaws, and they overcome those flaws by using them to their advantage." He turned to head for the exit. "That's more than the rest of you can say."
"Nightbeat tells me that he and Hardhead went through a black hole near Gorlam Prime, one of the Ark's intended destinations," Optimus said. "Did the Ark fall through the same anomaly?"
Cyclonus nodded. "We ended up in the Dead Universe, where we were greeted by the Fallen. He tried to sway us to follow the will of Unicron, but Nova Prime -- being a believer of Primus himself -- would have none of it. He attacked the Fallen... which turned out to be not one of his wisest decisions."
"I see. So the rest of you were forced to serve Unicron?"
"Correct, although some of us were more willing that others. Galvatron, Jhiaxus, Scourge, and Grindcore were never true believers, so they eagerly allowed themselves to be converted. Tailpipe and I were more hesitant, though I was more easily convinced after the Fallen tore out Tailpipe's spark and used his body to create an effigy of Unicron."
Optimus repressed a shudder from the horrific imagery forming in his mind. "I see. However, I find myself somewhat unconvinced that you were an unwilling servant of Unicron, given the loyalty and eagerness you showed during the battle."
"Unicron had a rather strong influence on his slaves. We were little more than his puppets, to tell the truth. Galvatron and the rest only showed more personality given their genuine loyalty."
"Some Heralds like Soundwave seemed to have more independence and were able to break off from Unicron's hold," Optimus noted.
Cyclonus rubbed his chin. "Soundwave was something of an anomaly. I am aware of his connection to the first Primes, but beyond that, he is an enigma to me... and may forever remain so."
Optimus nodded as he mulled over his next words. Looking Cyclonus straight in the optic, he said, "Do you feel any regret for your actions as a Herald?"
Cyclonus folded his arms over his chest and avoided Optimus' gaze. "Some."
"Some?"
"I regret having ever fallen in league with Unicron, and I regret quite a few of the atrocities I committed in his service. However...." The former Herald let out a sigh. "I believed in the Reunification. I wanted to see Cybertron's glory restored, especially after seeing what your war had done to it."
"We have succeeded in that regard, what you and the other Heralds failed to do." Optimus then moved towards a control panel next to Cyclonus' cell and accessed it, causing the ray shield to dissipate. "Would you like a tour of it?"
Cyclonus stared at the Prime in surprise. "You're... you're letting me free?"
"Why not? You have broken from Unicron's control and have returned to be the patriotic warrior you once were. There's no longer any sense in keeping you imprisoned any longer."
Cyclonus remained standing their, nonplussed. "I... what motivated you to do this?"
"Many things, primarily Soundwave's change of spark and the history records Rewind had on you. I already knew your story, Cyclonus."
"Then... why come to me?"
"I wanted to hear it from you, so that I would know I was doing the right thing."
Cyclonus was silent for a moment. Then, he tentatively stepped out of the cell and met Optimus' gaze. "Thank you," he said after a long pause.
"Don't mention it," the Prime said. "I suggest you leave through the emergency exit-- I've already disabled the alarm. No sense in you walking out only to get shot down by Red Alert."
Cyclonus allowed the slightest of smiles to cross his face. "I admire Autobots like him, actually. They have their flaws, they know their flaws, and they overcome those flaws by using them to their advantage." He turned to head for the exit. "That's more than the rest of you can say."
--Now--
"I would just like to say... argh, never done this before."
Whirl took a moment to gather his thoughts before continuing.
"I would just like to say... thank you." He spun towards a member of his audience and pointed a claw at them. "Hey! I heard you snort! You think this is funny? Well, it's not! I'm being sincere, honestly!" He pointed to his face-- or lack of one. "This is my sincere face!"
Only silence responded to him. Regathering himself, Whirl went on with his piece.
"As I was saying: thank you. My life-- I'll be honest with you-- my life sucks. Oh, sure, it started out all right; made it into the Aerial Corps, made a living as a watchmaker... it was just my luck that the stuck-up elitists that ran the planet didn't want people other than themselves being happy.
"Before I knew it, I had lost my face and hands-- and my life. I was soon being forced to do dirty work for them, which basically made me the mech I am today. Sometimes I'm not sure whether to be thankful or hateful for that. Or both. Or neither. Whatever."
He let out a sigh as he poured the can of oil he had been holding. After dispensing its contents, he dropped the can, letting it join its dozen brothers.
"Things looked like they were improving when I got recruited into the Wreckers. I was finally with my own kind and allowed to do the dirty work I had come to enjoy so much, without getting in trouble. But nope! Guess Primus just likes pulling my leg, and so here I am, kicked out of the Wreckers, stuck with you guys."
He held up a lighter in his claw and flicked it on, staring into its tiny flame.
"And don't think I'm not grateful for that, no, no, no. You guys are the best; you've kept me sane, let me vent and rant and stuff. You're probably the closest I've ever actually had to friends. But all good things must come to an end...."
He held up the lighter high over his head, staring down at his reflection in the puddle of oil he had made.
"And if there's one thing I learned, it's that it's always best to go out not with a whimper... but with a bang."
Just as he was about to throw the lighter down, the door creaked open and the room was bathed in light.
* * *
To the east: Tetrahex, Subterannia, the Pious Pools, and the Vaulted Heights of K'th Kinsere. To the west: Warrior's Gate, the First City, the Shadow of the Underbase, and the Transeptum of Infinite Reach.
It was all there, Cyclonus thought as he streaked across the reborn landscape of Cybertron. But it was not the same. All of the major landmarks had been recreated, but not the little things; the things that mattered.
Gone was the badly-lit basement bar where he had first met Scourge. Gone was the balcony where he had witnessed the greatest moonrise of his life. This Cybertron... it was nothing more but a life-sized model; a mere shadow of its former self.
There was nothing left here for him. Those whom he had considered his friends were all gone now and there was no place for him among the Autobots or the Decepticons. Thus, there was only one last option for him....
Suddenly, his sensors pinged with a familiar signal. Tracking it down to an abandoned warehouse down below, he followed it, hoping that it would turn out to be what he thought it was. Transforming to robot mode, he landed in front of the derelict building and slowly opened the door.
"Hello?" he called out. "Scourge? I thought I had detected your--"
Whatever he was about to say next got caught in his throat when the door opened all the way and he saw the warehouse's true contents: a spindly blue Autobot standing in a puddle of oil, with a lighter in his claws, and surrounded by the strung-up corpses of Sweeps and Terrorcons.
Cyclonus stared at the mech aghast before saying, "What in the name of all that is holy are you doing?"
Whirl said nothing as he threw the lighter down. Cyclonus quickly got clear of the area as the building went up in flames. He stood there in mild surprise for a moment before shrugging the incident off as he turned to leave.
He didn't get far before Whirl came charging at him from behind, emerging from the fires of his anger.
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