✔️ Rewritten & Edited
Optimus left the hallway after having a moment of solitude in the darkness. It reminded him too much of the void place in his nightmare. He speed-walked through the hallways, passing many Autobots. They didn't look at him or say anything to him, so he powered through, blocking out everything around him. All he heard, and wanted to hear, was the thoughts echoing through his processor. He looked up, seeing the door to his cabin. As he reached forward to rest his servo on the pad, he heard someone call his name from down the hall. Optimus looked, seeing Elita walking towards him. He turned to face her, the shorter Autobot stopping in front of him. Her faceplates showed her worry and tiredness, but her dermaplates curled into a smile anyways.
"Elita." He said, surprised, "I... wasn't expecting to see you so soon. How are you?"
"I'm... well, I'm fine." The commander said, "What about you?"
Optimus didn't know what to say exactly. He shrugged. The reddish-orange Autobot chuckled.
"Don't worry, we're all a little out of it." She said.
The red and blue Autobot looked away, wondering if he should turn and go into his cabin or wait for the commander to leave.
"Well, I was wondering if you wanted to go to Crystal City with me." She said.
Optimus looked up at her, confused.
"I thought the Decepticons demolished the city." He said.
"Not exactly." She explained, starting to walk down the hall, "They mainly targeted the Autobot outpost and Autobot-controlled factories."
Optimus walked after her, slowing his pace to stay by Elita's side. They walked outside, where the commander told the guards that they were going to patrol the city. One of them nodded, and the two Autobots walked towards the outer edge of the city-state.
"Why do we patrol Crystal City? Isn't it neutral ground?" Optimus asked.
"It's actually Autobot territory." Elita explained, "We may have abandoned it, but we still take patrols out to it."
The red and blue Autobot nodded, understanding.
"We're mostly patrolling because the fliers saw the Decepticons make an outpost five miles out from Crystal City." The commander said, "Zeta took it as them challenging the Autobots."
Optimus felt his Spark tighten fearfully. It was like a part of him feared the possible outcomes of this Decepticon outpost, but his processor couldn't figure out why. He didn't say anything, only looking ahead. They reached the pale-blue energy barrier, the small hexagonal pattern visible in the wall. Each section was connected by tall, white pillars, powered by Energon from the Autobot outpost behind them. Close to the protective barrier, in the ground, was a hatch with the Autobot insignia. Elita kneeled down by it, grabbing the handle and pulling it up, revealing a ladder going into the ground. It was a dark tunnel. She looked up at Optimus, seeing him look confused. He looked up at her.
"A tunnel?" He asked.
"Yeah. It's the easiest way to get there without being spotted." Elita said.
The commander climbed down the ladder. The red and blue Autobot hesitated for a moment, then followed her. He closed the hatch above him, leaving him in complete darkness. He carefully descended into the tunnel, taking a moment to regain his footing once he reached the ground below. He glanced around for Elita, then feeling a tap on his shoulder-pad from behind. He quickly turned, servos raised.
"Optimus, it's just me." The reddish-orange Autobot said, chuckling.
Optimus squinted, seeing her glowing optics through the dark, barely able to see her body.
"Oh. Sorry." He said, lowering his servos, "I can't see you too well."
"You don't have night vision?" Elita asked.
"No." Optimus said.
The commander sighed, shaking her helm.
"Here." She said.
The larger Autobot felt the other's servo slip into his own, and he felt his faceplates heat up, servo flinching away at the sudden touch. The two were still and quiet for a moment.
"Sorry." Optimus said, "I just... I wasn't expecting it."
"It's okay. I should've told you." The commander said, "A little late, but is it all right if I...?"
"Of course." The larger Autobot said, nodding.
Elita's servo went back to holding the red and blue Autobot's own, and he didn't flinch away this time. He felt a warmth enter his body, Spark thumping lightly against its chamber.
"Are you okay?" The commander asked, chuckling slightly.
"Yeah, why?" Optimus asked.
"It looked like you zoned out." The reddish-orange said.
"Oh. I was just... thinking." He said.
"About what?" She asked.
"Uhm, if I'm being honest, about... you." The larger Autobot said, feeling Elita's servo tense, "I feel a connection with you, and I don't know why."
"I do too." She said, gaze sticking to the ground.
They fell quiet again. Finally, Elita sighed and looked down the tunnel.
"We should get going." She said.
The red and blue Autobot simply nodded, agreeing with the commander. His processor still lingered on the moment the two had, drifting through his damaged memory banks. They walked down the tunnel, Optimus still holding Elita's servo to guide him through the darkness that she was familiar with.
YOU ARE READING
Transformers: New Generation -- Pt 1
Ficción General{Book 1: The Age of War} [COMPLETED] Optimus felt like a nobody -- he was just an Autobot, serving the cause like any other good soldier. However, one secret, held by his mentor, would make him so much more than a nobody. He will learn that soon eno...
