Those lying eyes

I'm fine

"Optimus?"

Optimus perked his head up and looked at Ratchet. "Yes?"

"You do know that you already finished those datapads, right?"

Optimus looked down at the datapads in his hands. He noticed his own notes on them, realizing that he finished those yesterday. "Oh... I must've forgot.." he mumbled, shuffling them together and standing up.

"Are you alright? You seem... off." Ratchet asked, crossing his arms across his chest and tilting his head.

Optimus sighed and allowed a small smile to creep across his face. It was painful just to smile because he didn't want to. "I'm fine, just... tired I guess." He rubbed his forehead gently.

"Oh, well make sure you get a good recharge tonight." Ratchet pat him on the shoulder. "Hey.. why don't you go for a drive? That'll clear out your systems."

"That sounds like a good idea. I'll be back in a bit." Optimus nodded, walking over to the tunnel and transforming into his alt mode. He raced out the exit, his engine humming gently beneath his hood.

-On the road-

Optimus sighed, feeling the rushing wind slice against his sleek alt mode. It wasn't too often that he got to go on drives like this.

As he rounded a corner, he spotted something laying in the dirt. He slowed to a halt and transformed, cautiously approaching the object.

To his surprise, it was an offline vehicon who was covered in dust. As he knelt down to investigate it, he didn't hear the sound of an approaching aircraft until it was too late.

Three blasts struck his back, causing him to fall forward. He groaned in pain, trying to push himself up. His trembling arms wouldn't hold his weight and he collapsed back down.

The major circuitry in his back was fried, causing system-wide damage. Optimus turned off the blaring pain sensors in his head. He knew the damage that had been dealt.

He heard someone land behind him, their pedes crunching the dirt as they stride towards him. He was flipped over and a pede was slammed on his chest.

Now he knew exactly who it was.

"Megatron..." Optimus growled, his battle mask shielding his mouth.

"Oh Optimus... how easy it is to toy with your feelings... I didn't realize that you would be stupid enough to fall for it!" Megatron cackled, shoving his pede harder on Optimus's chest.

Optimus felt his chest armor begin to cave in and he grunted, glaring up at Megatron. "You killed one of your own..."

"All in my plan of tricking you! You think I care about my men? How pathetic!" Megatron snarled, releasing Optimus and gently lifting him by the neck.

Optimus gripped Megatron's hand and struggled to pry it off. "You.. can't... win..." he huffed, feeling his throat constrict and air get cut off from his vents.

"Oh yes I can. And there's nothing you can do about it! You'll always be the weak one who can never make his own decisions!" Megatron growled, using the sharp fingers on his other hand to gouge Optimus in the side.

Optimus's optics widened and his battle mask sheathed, exposing the energon trickling out of his mouth.

Megatron released him, watching as he fell to his knees and clutched his side. "Pathetic..."

Optimus took in a sharp breath, feeling energon slip through his hand from the wound. He growled, forcing himself to stand up on his trembling legs. "No..."

He went to punch Megatron when he was caught by the wrist. The sound of bending metal filled his audio receptors as Megatron sharply twisted his wrist.

"You are not the Optimus Prime I know..." Megatron spat, throwing Optimus's arm aside and snatching him by the chin. "You are just a lifeless husk of a leader who's lost hope. Remember that.."

Optimus stared into those hatred-filled optics for three more seconds before looking down at the ground. He really was just a lifeless husk of his old self. He couldn't even protect himself against Megatron. "I'm worthless..." he thought, pulling his head away from Megatron.

"Come and find me when you actually have something to fight for..." Megatron chuckled, transforming into a cybertronian jet and flying away.

Optimus watched him fly away and sighed, hopelessness filling his spark. His wounds ached, but his spark ached more. He was no one anymore. He didn't deserve to be Prime anymore.

He began the long trek back to base, leaving a distant energon trail in the dirt. Part of him didn't want to return to base. The other part wanted him to return and get back to being the optimistic leader he was before.

His body was tearing itself apart over making that one decision. Should he keep on fighting or just give in to the darkness?