Laconic: Transformers Prime

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Darkstrike basked in the Cybertronians' loud cheering.

She looked up at them, feeling her spark beat faster. The lights were bright and hard to look at.

Admittedly, she wasn't used to being acknowledged. It had been a while since anyone had praised her for an accomplishment. It took defeating a mech with her bare servos to earn others' approval. Darkstrike didn't like the fact, but she refused to let anybody take the moment away from her.

The speaker was quick to fly next to her. He grabbed her arm and raised it.

"Our champion today is Darkstrike!" he yelled.

Darkstrike pulled her arm back and grimaced at how loud the microphone was.

Before walking away, she watched as two mechs retrieved Plasmo from the ground. The femme stared at him in pity for a few nano kliks before turning away.

There was no need for her to stay any longer. She was done entertaining the audience for the cycle.

She turned her back on the people. Darkstrike walked towards the door, trying hard not to limp. It was already understood that weakness was looked down upon. The femme remained unfazed and only uttered a few winces as she reached the door.

When she looked through the exit, her joints suddenly stiffened. She froze in her place, her optics widening in fear.

Soundwave stood there.

——

As unpredictable as Darkstrike's fight was, Soundwave expected multiple outcomes.

He had watched the fight in the Gladiator section. Even before the battle had begun, the mechs had already begun speculating what would happen after the femme lost.

RocketShield had been particularly obnoxious about what he would do once the femme was his. The other middle-ranking mechs objected, but it didn't stop RocketShield's arrogance.

Soundwave somewhat regretted attending. It wouldn't be productive to waste his time with such a mundane battle.

Many began cheering when both competitors entered the arena.

Plamso appeared visibly nonchalant. Darkstrike gazed across the crowd of Cybertronians, visibly grimacing.

Like the other mechs, he wanted to see her fate.

His thoughts were interrupted when he sensed a new presence enter the Gladiator area.

Soundwave turned his helm and saw the "mighty" Megatronus.

Bots around him began whispering

Without warning, the mech approached his direction. He sat down without warning.

Soundwave glanced at him before looking away. He didn't object or move away from Megatronus.

It was true he was allowed to sit wherever he preferred, but Soundwave much preferred solitude. This was the second time he had done this, making it their third interaction.

Sensing that this was no coincidence, he made sure to keep his guard up.

"Greetings."

He settled on nodding once.

"Interesting fight, wouldn't you say?" Megatronus asked.

Soundwave did reply at first. He wasn't fond of small talk, always feeling like Megatronus was trying to gather information from him.