You say, "Go." Where are you? You felt...? You can't adequately describe it. Simply an imperative issuing from the Matrix that grabbed you, took hold of you, and washed over you with this light, this bright, unceasing light... Wait. It's fading... blobs of black and white sharpen and focus, breathing detail into a once-proud city of bronzed metal, now pockmarked and scarred with scores of weapon strikes. Kup's (is that Kup?) voice rings out from somewhere, very near, but you can't make sense of it. "Don't interfere, lad!" Is that what he said? Why in Iacon would he say that? It makes no sense... and you realize for the first time that you're running. Running up an incline, arms and legs pumping furiously... seeming smaller for somereason. Is this strange world larger? It's all so confusing... until you ascend to the top. "..you, who have shown so little mercy to others? I thought you were made of sterner stuff." Optimus. Megatron. The moment seems frozen in time. All the guilt, all the pain... you can't count the number of times you've replayed this scene in your mind, searching for some point where you should have done differently, for where you went wrong, for the way that could have saved Optimus, the Autobot you've tried to emulate ever since you can remeber. Because it was not Megatron who slew him. You killed Optimus. You. And, now, you've been given a second chance. Rodimus Prime thinks Oh Primus... no not this again.. I can't-- You are fighting the Battle of Autobot City. You're Hot Rod again. Optimus is alive, /alive/ again. Again, Megatron reaches for the laser pistol... And, again, you react. But how? Optimus Prime stands, his rifle leveled at his enemy, waiting... Megatron lies prone on the ground, looking weakly up at Optimus, trying to keep the facade going until he drops his guard suffiecently. Megatron peripherally keeps the pistol in view. With a quick move, it would be in reach within seconds... Rodimus Prime freezes, I can't do this no don't make me do this, no, "Optimus, he's got a gun!" Megatron says, "No more, Optimus... no more..." Optimus Prime says, "You, who have shown no mercy to others, now ask for....Hot Rod???" Optimus Prime looks up at Hot Rod for a moment Megatron sees Optimus's districation, and snaps out his hand to reach the gun. Optimus Prime 's narrow and he starts turning towards Megatron again, his movements slow motion Rodimus Prime tenses, wants to jump but stops himself. "It's a lie, he's LYING, DON'T LISTEN TO HIM!" Megatron quickly rolls over to the side, back onto his stomach, and comes up firing. Optimus Prime had let his rifle dip when Hot ROd called up..Now he tries to raise it Rodimus Prime screams, "OPTIMUS--!" Rodimus Prime snaps an arm up and fires wildly at Megatron-- Optimus Prime screams in pain as the shots hit him in the side Megatron fires into Optimus' midsection, rises to his knees, fires agin, rises, and fires. Optimus Prime drops his rifle and falls to his knees, his arm clenching his side Rodimus Prime says, "No, I won't let you, not again--!" Rodimus Prime charges at Megatron, thinking only of stopping the inevitable-- Megatron ducks as several wild shots scar the area near him. Snarling, he charges the young cavalier. Megatron says, "FOOL! You shall die alongside your commander as well!" Optimus Prime is on his hands and knees trying to will the strength to continue the fight. "Hot...Hot Rod...." Rodimus Prime thinks, No, I won't let you have him, not this time, NOT THIS TIME! Optimus Prime says, "HOT ROD GET OUT OF THE WAY!" Rodimus Prime freezes for an instant, the words striking hard, smacking of some distant memory, seared in his memory. Optimus Prime tries to stagger to his feet Rodimus Prime dives to the ground, trying to avert his trajectory., Optimus Prime roars, "Your battle is with me, MEGATRON!" Megatron swings one of the massive black fists that have felled many an Autobot down upon Hot Rod's shoulder, grabbing him and pulling him up to his side. Optimus Prime is finding it hard to concentrate, hard to move. His rifle lies on the ground, next to him...If he could just have time to grab it. Megatron gives Hot Rod a small, wicked grin as he pulls him to his chest as a shield, the turns upon Prims and snarls. Rodimus Prime thinks NO! NOt-- errk -- Not ... again-- have to ... get ... away Megatron says, "FALL! Fall, Prime, FALL!" Rodimus Prime elbows Megatron as hard as he can in the side. Rodimus Prime says, "Prime! Just shoot him! Nevermind me, don't let him do this to you--!" Rodimus Prime thinks OhPrimus please take me instead... Optimus Prime hesitates. "I..." He doesn't like the choice that might kill one of his troops. He fails to reach for his rifle Rodimus Prime thinks NO, ignore me, I'm not the important one, I never was-- Megatron squeezes off a trio of shots before the blow looses his hold on the Autobot. Enraged, Megatron clamps down even tighter. "FALL!" Rodimus Prime says, "OPTIMUS, SHOOT HIM!" Optimus Prime ARGHS, gets hit again and falls back Optimus Prime falls to the ground, on his back, away from his rifle Rodimus Prime struggles wildly, vainly, vague memories of another battle falshing dimly through him head, of the feeling of helplessness, Galvatron's hands at his throat-- Megatron puts 10 million years of rage and frustration behind his last shot, then flings Hot Rod away from him with equal vehemence. Optimus Prime lies there, battered...defeated.... Megatron slowly stalks to the fallen Autobot, looming a dark shadow over him. Without much fanfare, or even a slight smile, the gun is raised a final time. Rodimus Prime hits the ground and rolls, the inner pain drowning out anything physical, No, I failed him.. I ... failed.. him... NO! Megatron says, "It's over... Prime..." Optimus Prime finds himself unable to raise up...Even for a final blow this time. Rodimus Prime tries to get to his feet. Optimus Prime mutters, "ne....ver...." Rodimus Prime thinks, I ... killed him ... Rodimus Prime struggles to his feet and aims one unsteady arm at Megatron.. Rodimus Prime says, "I won't let you, Megatron, not -- cough -- not again--" Rodimus Prime fires. Optimus Prime 's hand flinches, and wraps itself around a piece of rubble Optimus Prime yells "NEVER!" as he slams the rubble right in Megatron's face Rodimus Prime thinks, Please Prime.. please.. don't die on me not again.. Megatron 's only thought is disbelief as Prime move /impossibly/ fast... Rodimus Prime thinks YES! Get him, you can do it Prime--! Megatron flies up into the air, then down off the ruined battlements, impacting the side twice before coming to a crushing halt at the base of the tower. Optimus Prime falls over to the ground again, his strength spent. Rodimus Prime half-runs, half-staggers to Optimus, dreading what he'll find.. Rodimus Prime thinks Please, not this time... "...do you FEEL, mighty Megatron? Nyaah! Astrotrain! Get us out of..." Optimus Prime lies there...dying... Rodimus Prime thinks Not again... The world seems to shimmer a little... Rodimus Prime collapses by Optimus's side, thinking, It was all my fault, Optimus, forgive me, I only wanted to help.. Rodimus Prime thinks... because I'll never forgive myself. The scene shfts and whirls around you, the material world fading, swirling into colorful espers. Coherence takes hold once more, and your view coalesces into a dark, metallic cavern... sloping and precise, with an atmosphere so thick with malevolence is almost seems to be tangibly pressing upon you. A sound to your right. Whirling, you turn to face it. A small beacon shines forth from the shadow, illuminating a purple patch of armor with its wan glow. As the figure emerges from the dark, its identity becomes obvious. Galvatron stands before you, eyes ablaze with a cruel, mocking red light. Around his neck is chained the Matrix, shining a garish light onto his chest. Galvatron smirks. "Hello, Rodimus. Missing something?" But... you're still Hot Rod. Aren't you? Rodimus Prime blinks, confuesd at the sudden shift, turns and notices Galvatron.. Galvatron says, "I must say, Rodimus, I've been rather amiss in never personally THANKING you for killing the one autobot CAPABLE of keeping the Matrix out of my grasp..." Rodimus Prime says, "You.." Galvatron levels his orange, contoured fusion cannon at the Autobot. "So, THANK YOU!" Rodimus Prime thinks He's right it's all my fault.. he -- "YOU killed him.." Rodimus Prime throws himself to the side to avoid the blast he knows is coming, some dim memory of a long-ago fight warning him-- *bthrub-ZARRK!* A blast incinerates the ground formerly where Rodimus was standing. Galvatron stalks into the dark, looking for Rodimus. "A little CONFUSED, Rodimus? Things aren't quite LOGICALLY CONSTRUING, maybe? Muahahaha!" Rodimus Prime ducks behind one of the sweeping projections that fills the room, hiding, terror -- or is it just the memory of another fight -- rising in his throat... Galvatron says, "Perhaps it's time you faced just how HELPLESS you are!" Rodimus Prime clenches his fists, I have to stop him... Rodimus Prime thinks I.. have to.. Rodimus Prime waits until Galvatron is within range.. Rodimus Prime throws himself at the Decepticon, oblivious of the dnager to himself, thinking only that he has to stop him SOMEHOW, has to make amends for his mistake Galvatron chuckles. "You're almost as pathetic WITHOUT the Matrix as you are WITH it, you know." Galvatron walks into Rod's sight... Rodimus Prime tries to ignore the taunts, knowing Galvatron is only trying to rile him, but they strike deep nonetheless. Galvatron says, "Tell me, Rodimus... if you've the courage to show yourself, anyway..." Galvatron stops and gestures around rhetorically. Rodimus Prime tackles Galvatron, inner pain and anger driving out the thought of anything but having to 'fix' things somehow.. Rodimus Prime says, "I WON'T LET YOU WIN!" Galvatron says, "What have you done to DESERVE the mantle anyway, O 'chosen on..nnnergh!" Rodimus Prime thinks Nothing, I've done nothing.. I don't deserve it but I'll be damned if I let you win this time Galvatron clatters to the ground, grappling with Rodimus. "Don't short yourself, Rodimus." Galvatron says, "I wouldn't call helping me kill Optimus 'nothing'! Muahahaha!" Rodimus Prime shakes his head, trying to make sense of what Galvatron is saying while at the same time trying to keep him off-balance physically Rodimus Prime thinks It was my fault... Rodimus Prime says, "You killed him... I won't let you win this round too.." Galvatron continues his verbal assault while wrestlign with Hot Rod. "What do you NEED to stop me from? Hmm?" Galvatron says, "Afraid I'll use the 'wisdom' of the ancients against you? Haha!" Rodimus Prime is caught taken aback by that one and almost loses his grip on Galvatron's arms-- "I -- " Galvatron says, "Perhaps I'll GIVE you the Matrix back. You'll never learn how to PROPERLY use it, anyway!" Rodimus Prime says, "No, I--" "--I won't let you do this.." Rodimus Prime thinks Primus, no, it's all coming down on my head again-- Galvatron says, "Gah! I don't NEED to destroy YOU, you blithering fool! You'll destroy yourself in short order anyway! YOU... CAN'T... *COPE*!" Rodimus Prime growls, trying to keep his stronger opponent at bay and slowly losing the battle.. Rodimus Prime thinks I can't-- He said... destroy... myself..? Rodimus Prime says, "I can't *cope*?" Something very like anger flashes across Rod's face, and he fights back harder. Rodimus Prime says, "This is all YOUR fault, if you hadn't killed him this never would have happened!" Rodimus Prime Rodimus Prime thinks YOU forced this on me, you killed him.. I killed... him..? Galvatron continues struggling with Rod. "I fail to see why you even persist, given that you're nearly an absymal BEING as you are a leader... Rodimus Prime says, "So call me stubborn." Galvatron says, "You can't save Optimus, how do you expect to SAVE YOURSELF! With the Matrix, perhaps? HA!" Rodimus Prime throws all of his weight against Galvatron, anger fueling him Galvatron is staggered a bit by Rod's sudden fury. Rodimus Prime says, "I WON'T LET YOU WIN!" Rodimus Prime thinks I shouldn't be here it should've been Optimus but I have to do something... Galvatron battles back, thwarting the momentary disadvantage. "And how do you propose to do that, Rodimus? Hmm? Please tell me, I'm dying to know..." Rodimus Prime says, "So maybe I can't save myself. Maybe this is all a moot point. But I WILL NOT let YOU be the one to tell me!" Rodimus Prime throws a fist at Galvatron, risking letting go his hold on him. Rodimus Prime thinks I don't want this I don't want this I'm not ready I'm not worthy why does all of this have to come down to me? Galvatron looks totally unprepared for the shot, staggering backwards and finally clrashing onto the cavern floor. Rodimus Prime walks over to him, fairly shaking with barely subdued rage Galvatron gets up, although possibly a little less confidently? "You can't win on your own, Rodimus..." Rodimus Prime says, "I won't let you dictate my life, Galvatron." Rodimus Prime says, "Someone else already has." Rodimus Prime charges, trying to slam into Galvatron with one shoulder and grabs for the Matrix, thinking Oh Prime please forgive me I didn't want this-- Galvatron primes his futuristic orange cannon, but not quickly enough as Rodimus slams into him again. Rodimus Prime thinks Prime if you ever loved me, please let me fix this-- The chain snaps... Rodimus Prime grabs the Matrix, yanksing back and rolling away from his opponent, the pain forgotten,, his head pounding *I have to do this dammit it picked me I have to* Galvatron swipes at the Matrix, but misses batting it away. Galvatron hehs... Rodimus Prime growls, thinking of only one objective, I have to fix this, I don't want it but it all comes down to me and I'll be damned if I fail you twice Prime--! Rodimus Prime wants to look away as the Matrix flares in his hands, nearly blinding him but somehow.. it doesn't hurt... Rodimus Prime thinks Prime... this is for you... Galvatron flashes a leering smile at Hot Rod. "Ahh, Rodimus. Right method, but the wrong enemy." The Matrix flares and glows... but something is wrong. Not the blue light of purity.. but, a darker, onimous black light. Instead of spreading, it starts gathering around Hot Rod, enveloping him... Rodimus Prime thinks NO, not the-- NO DON'T DO THIS TO ME--! Galvatron says, "Why don't you see all the demons inside? Muahahaha..." Galvatron says, "They're your own creations, after all..." Rodimus Prime thinks I don't understand, Prime -- what's wrong what did I do wrong have I failed again?