Brave New Cybertron

By: Michael

Part III

Disclaimer: I don’t make jack off Beast Wars. SUCKS, DON’T IT?

"You always were the sentimental type," commented Megatron as he walked towards Optimus, "Such compassion is your weakness, indeed. When Scorponok, Terrorsaur, and Inferno died, I didn’t even shed a tear."

The punch came so fast that Megatron was caught completely off guard. He flew back several feet, landing on the floor with a loud thud.

Megatron rubbed the side of his face painfully. Optimus’ punch had dislodged one of his teeth! Megatron growled furiously.

"I’ll make that simian pay!" thought Megatron angrily.

Optimus got up. In an instant, both swords were in his hands.

"I’ve sworn never to take life before as a Maximal and a sentient being," whispered Optimus dangerously, "But all that changes tonight!"

"Optimus… wait…" came a weakened voice. Optimus looked down to see Tigatron pleading with him.

Megatron saw his chance and advanced on them. Optimus then fixed Megatron with a death glare.

"Don’t you dare come a step closer!" shouted the Maximal commander.

Something in Optimus Primal’s voice made Megatron stop on his tracks. Even Megatron didn’t know what it was. He only knew that it scared him more than anything else.

"Optimus… please, listen to me," Tigatron spoke softly, "I don’t know how much time I have left… but please stay with me in my last moments…"

"Absolutely, old friend," whispered Optimus as he fell to his knees and held Tigatron’s hand.

"Time… is the only thing we can’t run from. It’s the only constant in this universe of ours. It never changes but yet, it changes all of us, for better or for worse. And in my case… it was for worse…"

"Don’t say that, Tigatron!" cried Optimus, "You’re the bravest individual I’ve ever known. Despite everything that’s happened to you, you still carried on, not only for yourself… but for your son and the millions of beings whose fates depend on us right now! You’re more of a hero than I’ll ever be!"

"Haha…" Tigatron coughed, "Don’t fear for me, Optimus. Even though my spark will fade, life will still continue… In the end, just be sure to free Cybertron and please… make sure my son is safe to live his life anew after all of this is over…"

"I will," Optimus said softly as he clutched Tigatron’s hand tightly. Tigatron’s breathing lessened as his spark began to fade.

"And one more thing…"whispered Tigatron sadly and regretfully, his spark fading even further, "Don’t follow the forsaken path that I have… Don’t allow the vestiges of time to twist your spark into the bitter and spiteful atrocity that it turned me into. Don’t let a spark as righteous and as holy as yours be tainted by hatred……"

Tigatron’s hand went limp in Optimus’s grip. His spark had faded.

"Farewell, Tigatron," murmured Optimus, "Your death won’t be in vain."

Tears streaked down his face. Somehow, through all this, he finally gained the strength to let go of his fallen comrade and stand up.

He held both swords in his hands and glared at Megatron hatefully.

Megatron only smiled.

"This is how I’ve always wanted to see you, Primal," chuckled Megatron, "Angry and irrational beyond belief!"

"Oh, believe me. I’m angry right now… but not irrational," said Optimus calmly, "If I were irrational, I’d attack you with the rage of a lunatic and the mentality of an animal. I have one goal in mind right now. You dying."

"And believe me, Optimus, that will not be happening today," replied Megatron haughtily, "Have you ever wondered how I conquered Cybertron? Come no, it’s a no-brainer!"

"Mass energon…"

"Correct," laughed Megatron as he threw his robe off, revealing a body that practically surged with energy. He removed from his side, a sword made of red energon. Holding the sword in his left hand, he raised his right arm, which still had the Tyrannosaurus jaw attached to it, into a firing position aimed at Optimus.

"Haha, at this rate, you’re merely a targeting drone for my shooting pleasure," sneered Megatron who immediately opened fire.

Instead of the purple beam that normally appeared, a powerful red burst shot forward.

Optimus quickly leaped aside, narrowly avoiding the blast, which left a giant hole on the nearby wall. He saw scorch marks on the ground from its power.

"He really is strong now!" thought Optimus as he avoided several more blasts. Luckily for him, Megatron’s newly granted powers only seemed to make him slower and more cumbersome. Optimus took advantage of this to fire several of his shoulder missiles at the tyrant. They struck the despot neatly but after the smoke cleared, Megatron emerged unscathed, save for his tattered robes.

"I am beyond such physical restraints, Optimus," snarled Megatron as he continued shooting at Optimus.

"If I can only get close enough…" thought Optimus as he zig-zagged past the barrage of laser blasts.

"Wish to face me in close combat, do you?" scoffed Megatron as he stopped firing and swung his energon sword at Optimus’s head. Optimus quickly ducked and thrust his own sword forward, aiming it at Megatron’s spark. The iron-clad dictator deflected the blow easily.

"Hmm, you intended to actually kill me with that attack," smiled Megatron, "I would’ve never expected such actions from you in the past!"

Megatron knocked the sword out of Optimus’ hands easily. He backhanded Optimus across the room effortlessly.

"However, my respect for you has increased tremendously, just for your vengeful intentions alone," he boomed. He kicked Optimus Primal viciously.

"If I can only… wait a little longer until he gives me an opening…" thought Optimus desperately as Megatron beat him to the ground mercilessly.

Finally, Megatron had had enough and lifted Optimus up with his Tyrannosaurus jaw.

"This is it!" thought Optimus. He fumbled around in his hand, which was clamped in the jaws, until he popped out the explosive charge in his hand compartment. He quickly set its timer off and attached it to the inside of Megatron’s laser cannon.

"Face it, you’ll never win!" yelled Megatron as he slapped Optimus across the face coldly with his open hand. Having said that, he threw Optimus against the wall.

Optimus got up slowly and painfully.

"You’re right," shouted Optimus, "So why don’t you just finish it right now? Come on, DO IT! Kill me! Or are you too scared?"

Megatron sighed. "Very well," he said sadly, "I wish you’d have died more courageously than in the pathetic state you are currently in, but I suppose I should grant you your request. I shouldn’t always expect every Maximal to go out in a blaze of glory, after all."

As Megaton took aim and pressed the trigger, Optimus quickly flung himself to the floor, behind the furniture.

A massive explosion reverberated all across the upper chambers. Optimus was even thrown back from the force of the detonation.

After the smoke cleared, Optimus looked up. Here, on the floor, lay the burnt body of Megatron, still alive but not well.

"Curse you, Primal!" coughed Megatron, "You won’t get away with this!"

"He just did," came another voice.

Depthcharge stood over the fallen Megatron icily.

"Now, Depthcharge…" pleaded Megatron, "Let’s not get too hasty here!"

The enormous blue robot glanced over at the fallen body of Tigatron’s.

Megatron felt himself being lifted up like a mere toy. He stared in horror at the cold, merciless eyes of the Guardian.

Depthcharge knocked Megatron to the floor with one blow.

"This is for my fallen comrades!"

Megatron tried to cry for help but Depthcharge grabbed him by the throat, getting a good grip on it, and began smashing him against the wall repeatedly.

"This is for the innocents you’ve killed!"

Using his elbow, Depthcharge rammed it against Megatron’s jaw, knocking out several teeth.

"This is for our planet!"

With one vicious twist, the hunter dislocated Megatron’s right arm with a sickening snap.

Megatron screamed in agony but got no sympathy from either Optimus or his tormentor.

"And THIS… IS FOR TIGATRON!"

Depthcharge brutally and cruelly impaled Megatron against the wall with his spear. He was not completely through, however, and punched Megatron viciously, breaking his nose.

"You think I’m done?" snarled Depthcharge as he continued to pummel Megatron, "I’ve just gotten started with you!"

"AAHHH—Please, Primal---AAHH! Help me!" beseeched Megatron desperately, "You’re a Maximal! Don’t let him do this to me!"

Optimus’ answer was simple and to the point.

"I don’t think so."

"How does it feel now, Megatron?" growled Depthcharge as he cut Megatron across the face with an energon blade, "How does it feel to be helpless while your tormentor has control over your life and death?"

"Transmutate!" cried Megatron in relief and pain simultaneously.

Next to the door, stood a beautiful femme-bot with a frosty expression on her face.

"So you’re Transmutate, eh?" sneered Depthcharge, "You don’t look so dangerous to me."

Depthcharge was thrown and pinned against the wall with a gigantic psychic blast.

Another blast tore away at his protective armor, revealing his spark.

"I just felt the passing away of Rampage’s spark," she spoke angrily, "You’re the one who caused it."

"Yeah, so?" spat Depthcharge, "Like I told your boyfriend, I have no regrets."

Transmutate’s face contorted in anger and screamed once more. The final blast surged forth and tore away at Depthcharge’s spark, atom by atom. Depthcharge howled in fury and pain.

In a matter of kliks, it was all over. Depthcharge’s body slumped to the floor.

"Depthcharge! NO!" cried Optimus. Transmutate turned to him.

"Destroy him, Transmutate!" boomed Megatron.

Optimus looked at the expression on Transmutate’s face and thought fast.

"You know the real reason Rampage died like that?" asked Optimus, with mind racing at lightspeed.

Transmutate hesitated.

"Megatron set him up at the lower levels so that we would face him first! He knew that Depthcharge would confront Rampage before anything else and thus, the chances of Rampage dying grew higher. Megatron basically gave Protoform X his death sentence right there and then!"

Transmutate turned around and glared at Megatron.

"No matter, Transmutate!" shouted Megatron, "I command you to destroy Optimus Primal! I hold the key to your powers!"

Megatron felt around in his compartments but found nothing.

"Where is it?" he gasped.

"Oh, you mean this little gizmo?" asked Optimus as he held a remote control in his hand.

"How did you obtain the controls to Transmutate’s psionic collar?" demanded Megatron.

"It flew into the air while Depthcharge was giving you the beating of a lifetime," shrugged Optimus as he threw the device to the floor and blasted it to pieces with his arm-mounted gun.

Transmutate glared at Megatron balefully. Picking up Optimus Primal’s fallen sword, she thrust it into the tyrant’s spark. Megatron’s eyes flashed violently before fading into nothingness.

"My final gift to you," she whispered. She turned away from the vanquished despot.

"All my life, I’ve been a slave… a mere plaything," she murmured, "Only Rampage could feel for the deep emptiness in my spark. And now, it ends."

She turned back to Optimus.

"Leave immediately," she said, "In just a few cycles, this entire fortress will be destroyed."

"I’m not leaving without my friends," declared Optimus resolutely as he slumped Tigatron over his shoulder and attempted to lift Depthcharge up by his enormous arm.

"Your companions have found peace in death," she replied, "And be grateful I have decided to spare you, so you really have no say in the matter."

"And you do?" shouted Optimus angrily, "Who gave you the right over matters of life and death?"

Transmutate would not hear anymore of it.

"Begone!" she shrieked and with a simple gesture of her hand, flung Optimus out of the building through a broken window.

Optimus fell several stories but caught himself finally by activating his prime jets.

Transmutate, in the meantime, cried one last cry of anguish. The screams encompassed the entire citadel. The psychic force of her scream finally destroyed the fortress in an enormous ball of fire.

Shrapnel flew out of the explosion. One piece of metal lodged itself into Optimus Primal’s leg.

Optimus cried in pain and flew away from the explosion, finally landing on a nearby building.

Without crying out this time, he ripped the piece of shrapnel from his leg.

"This… is just Prime," he said remorsefully.

He did not even smile as the sounds of celebration echoed from below of the victory over Megatron. At last, Optimus Primal picked himself up and walked off ruefully.

"It’s finally over," said Hawk, "Megatron is defeated and Cybertron is free."

"But at a price," said Optimus sadly, "So many have died in the process. Including Tigatron and Depthcharge. If there was only something I could have done…"

The two of them stood on the newly liberated streets of Cybertron.

"Don’t blame yourself, Optimus," Hawk told the Maximal commander, "My father and Depthcharge gave their lives for what they considered the greater good. I know that neither of them regrets anything at this moment even as they enter into the Matrix. And because of their sacrifices, we are free to walk this world again."

"What will you do now?" asked Optimus.

"Well, I suppose I’ll rebuild my life from here," replied Hawk, "After all, I do have enough technical and mechanical skills to build a career for myself as an engineer or mechanic and… Hey!"

"What is it?"

"You said you arrived in a time machine!" cried Hawk, "What if that machine on the planet you were on is still functional?"

"You don’t mean…?"

"Sending you back in time to prevent all this from happening? Of course that’s what I mean!" exclaimed Hawk, "And even if the machine isn’t working, I bet I could jump-start it again!"

Optimus shook his head. "Hawk," he began, "What’s done is already done. We should allow the dead their peace and try to rebuild this planet."

"But the past CAN be changed!" exclaimed Hawk, "To save the lives of your crew, my mother and father, the lives of all who died because of Megatron… isn’t that at least worth a try?"

"There’s the chance of you not even coming into existence if I go change the past," said Optimus, thinking hard.

"I realize that," chuckled Hawk sadly, "But this isn’t about me. If I never come into existence, then it’s worth saving the lives of millions. Besides, I’m pretty sure I’ll be come into being in some form or another in your past, if you save it."

Optimus still looked unsure. "Trying to change the past is tricky business," he said, "What if we mess up? We could be tampering with the time/space continuum."

Hawk looked as determined as ever. "I still say it’s worth a try," he said firmly, "Your friends need you, Optimus. So do my mother and father. You’re their only hope… their only salvation. Only you can save them."

"Hmm, alright," sighed Optimus finally, "We just need a ship with a transwarp drive."

Hawk beamed. "You won’t regret this, Optimus!" he smiled.

Soon, the large transwarp cruiser landed on the world that used to be the stage of the Beast Wars.

"You know the way, Optimus," said Hawk quietly. He motioned for the pilots to wait within the vessel while he and Optimus walked off towards the direction of Tarantulas’ former lair.

In no time at all, they were within Tarantulas’ lair.

"Here it is," pointed Optimus towards the large metallic chamber.

Hawk examined it. He inspected the controls and wiring carefully with a built-in scanner.

"Heh, looks like this thing’s still in working condition," smiled Hawk, "Just give me a few cycles to figure out how this operates."

"Sure thing, Tiga—err, Hawk," grinned Optimus, "Sorry, now that I know you two are related, it’s amazing how much you look like your father."

Hawks’ eyes widened. It was not because of sadness at the mention of his deceased father… but rather, it was amazement at something else Optimus had said in his sentence.

Within a few mega-cycles, Hawk was ready to work the machinery.

"Well, this is it," Hawk choked, "Thank you for everything, Optimus. Without you, Cybertron and the galaxy would have suffered even more."

"It’s no problem," said Optimus, "Your father and Depth Charge were the true heroes, risking their lives for the future of everyone."

"Don’t be so humble," Hawk’s voice trembled, "From now on, your name will be engraved in our memories forever. You’re the greatest thing to have ever happened to us so never doubt it!"

"Is something wrong, Hawk?" asked a concerned Optimus.

"Well, it’s just that… you’re the closest thing to family that I have left and you’re leaving," sniffed Hawk.

"Don’t worry, Hawk," encouraged Optimus, "Your father and Depth Charge only wanted you to be happy and not only that. I also want you to be happy, even if I’m gone. I don’t know if my going back to the past will change your current future or not, but if I do, I promise to make sure your parents don’t die. And if your future doesn’t change, please just be happy and live your life to its fullest. Whatever happens, never give up hope!"

The two embraced each other in a tight hug.

Optimus then stepped into the chamber.

"Let’s do it!" he declared firmly.

Hawk turned the machine on, causing it to ripple with power.

Optimus felt himself being heaved with mass electricity.

"This is it!" cried Hawk, "All systems go!"

He pulled the final switch and an enormous beam of light enveloped the room.

Optimus finally opened his eyes and looked at his surroundings. The current chamber he was in did not suffer from dilapidation or rust.

"Now to set things right!" he thought angrily and slammed the door open.

He savagely overturned several of Tarantulas’ tables, causing the entire lab to go up in flames.

Soon, footsteps followed. Tarantulas arrived at the scene, staring in horror at the carnage before his eyes. Optimus took the chance to tap Tarantulas on the back.

"NO! It’s not possible!" screamed the scientist, "What ARE YOU?!?"

"Your worst nightmare," quipped Optimus before delivering a powerful punch to the Predacon’s face, knocking him back.

Optimus floored Tarantulas with another blow and began punching him mercilessly, even as the Predacon was on the floor, begging for mercy and cowering in fear.

"Tell me, Tarantulas!" he screamed as he continued to pummel Tarantulas, "Do you have any idea what you could have caused? ANY idea of the suffering your plans bring about?!? You don’t even CARE, do you?!? I should kill you right here!!!"

At some point in time, Tarantulas’ cries and pleas stopped and Optimus became aware that the spider’s face was completely bashed in by his fists.

"You’re too dangerous to be kept alive!" declared Optimus as he unsheathed his sword and raised it above Tarantulas’ spark.

Suddenly, it hit him. Why exactly Hawk’s future turned out as it did. Optimus remembered seeing the video within the rebel base where he killed Tarantulas and then committed suicide. The future he had been forced to go through didn’t just come about because Optimus got sent into the future and left his teammates behind, it could also happen because of Optimus killing Tarantulas and then killing himself in shame. Right there and then, he knew what to do.

He put away his sword.

"No," whispered Optimus, "I won’t let my actions bring about such suffering!"

There were still wrongs to be righted on this planet, but killing Tarantulas wasn’t one of those rights.

Terrorsaur cackled as he fired his shoulder missiles upon the Maximals below who were engaged with all the Predacon units, sans Tarantulas. Waspinator was currently occupied with Airrazor but he, Terrorsaur, enjoyed shooting at ground-borne enemies even more.

A high-powered rocketing sound could be heard from behind. Terrorsaur quickly and cautiously turned around to fly into a punch from Optimus Primal. He screeched in pain and fell back. Primal punched him again and again brutally. Terrorsaur tried to reach for his gun but Primal shot him point-blank in the face with his next attack. The fallen body of Terrorsaur fell from the sky.

Everybody in the battlefield looked up to see the Maximal leader.

"Optimus!" exclaimed Inferno as he turned his back to his opponent. A huge mistake on his part.

Dinobot took the opportunity to ram his drill bit sword into Inferno’s chest and then, slashed upwards, carving the insane Predacon in nearly two!

Scorponok, who had managed to overpower Rattrap, also stared up in awe. Rattrap quickly punched Scorponok in the groin. Scorponok fell over with a look of pure shock on his face.

In a matter of minutes, the Predacon team was defeated. Optimus then turned his attention to a fleeing Megatron.

"We have a little something to discuss, you and I!" yelled Optimus as he blasted forward and slammed into Megatron from behind.

"Get off me, Primal!" growled Megatron as he and Optimus wrestled on the ground, near a cliff. Below were several jagged rocks. Optimus grabbed a large rock and smashed it down on Megatron’s helmeted head. The rock itself couldn’t have done much to Megatron but combined with Optimus’ strength, it drew mech fluid from Megatron’s head.

Megatron roared in agony and knocked Optimus off him.

Both opponents panted heavily. The Maximals showed up behind Optimus.

"Big Bot!" cried Cheetor, "Want us to blast him?"

"No, you guys sit this one out," commanded Optimus, "This is between the two of us and I’m going to finish it once and for all!"

"Go to the Pit, you Maximal scum!" screamed Megatron as he shot at Optimus. Optimus flew into the air however and dived down, ramming into Megatron and sending the both of them near the edge of the cliff.

They both got up. Optimus forced Megatron back with several forceful punches.

Finally, he forced Megatron to his knees as he drove his fist into the tyrant’s midsection.

Megatron’s spirit refused to yield either as he clamped the T-Rex jaws on Optimus’ legs with all his might and crushed the joints with a powerful crunch. Optimus cried out in pain but fought back ferociously.

He grabbed Megatron by the throat and squeezed with all his might. Megatron only increased the death grip he had on Optimus’ leg.

Optimus tried his best to ignore the pain and slammed the hilt of his sword into Megatron’s chin as vehemently as he could, breaking the Predacon leader’s jaw.

Megatron fell back, dragging Optimus with him, as they both fell from the cliff.

"Optimus!" cried his teammates.

Because of his broken jaw, Megatron looked at Optimus smugly in a, "If I go, I take you with me!" stare.

"Not today, Megatron!" declared Optimus as he sliced Megatron’s right arm off, yet again. He then activated his prime jets and flew to safety.

Megatron’s body fell to the jagged rocks and was smashed to pieces.

"Optimus, are you alright?" asked Cheetor as he helped Optimus up. The rest of the Maximals gathered around him to make sure he was alright.

"I’m feeling just Prime," chuckled Optimus as he limped along, being held by Rhinox and Cheetor.

"Where were you the whole time?" asked Airrazor, "Did you get caught up in one of Megatron’s traps?"

"As a matter of fact, it was one of Tarantulas’ schemes," replied Optimus, clenching his teeth and fighting the pain on his leg, "He nearly succeeded too!"

"I always had a feeling that spider was the one we needed to look out for, possibly even moreso than Megatron," Tigatron’s eyes narrowed.

"You can tell us about it later, but what you need now is a good rest in the CR chamber," said Rhinox, "You took quite a lot of damage from Megatron."

"Good call, Rhinox," joked Rattrap, "I get first dibs on the CR chamber!"

Optimus glared at him.

"Just kiddin’ with you, boss monkey!" laughed Rattrap, "It’s good to have you back!"

"I concur," agreed Dinobot.

"Dinobot?" smiled Optimus, "And I was sure you’d be trying to gain control of leadership in my absence. You must be getting soft."

"Well, actually…" began Rattrap, "He sorta did try to take over…"

Dinobot snarled at the diminutive Maximal.

"Well, Optimus, I think we’d all like to hear your story after you’ve recovered," said Tigatron as he put a hand on Optimus’ shoulder.

Optimus looked at the hand.

"Has anyone ever told you that you carry a really nasty right hook?" asked Optimus.

Tigatron looked at Optimus with a confused expression on his face.

"Err, I’ll tell you about it all later," laughed Optimus nervously.

"Wow, you got sent fifteen stellar cycles into the future?" asked Cheetor.

"In a way, yes," explained Optimus, "But I’m not so sure that my coming back will necessarily change that future in its current continuity or prevent that future from happening in our time. We can only hope for the best and be prepared for the worst."

"Wow," whispered Rhinox, "So all of us were really killed."

"This makes me wanna go back to Cybertron even more now," moaned Rattrap.

Optimus looked at Dinobot.

"Why the nonchalant face?" asked Optimus, "You’re the only one so far who doesn’t seem at all concerned about your death or possible death."

"Hmm, even if I did die, I at least fell in battle fighting," growled Dinobot as he narrowed his eyes, "You may not have realized it but your telling me of a potential future where I fall in the midst of honorable combat has given me much hope, Optimus."

"I suppose even in Dinobot’s optics, it can be seen in a positive light," thought Optimus, "My crew has a right to know what happened at the very least."

There was one thing that Optimus did not tell his crew about, however. It was the fact that Hawk was the son of Tigatron and Airrazor. Optimus did not want to do anything that would potentially prevent him from coming into existence. He realized that he probably had already jeopardized Hawk’s existence by telling everyone about his adventures in Megatron’s future distopia. He didn’t want to say anymore than he already had for the sake of Hawk. All Optimus could do for now was hope and pray that Hawk would come into existence one day, not in the wartorn battlefield of the Beast Wars… but somewhere where no more battles would be fought and a day of peace would one day arrive.

For now, he turned his attention back to his crew.

"Listen up, team," he said unwaveringly, "We know now the dangers that await Cybertron if Megatron succeeds in his plans. Now it’s more important than ever that we win the Beast Wars! I’ll do everything in my power to make sure none of you ever become casualties in this unnecessary war. Not only that, but we have to try our best to prevent the Predacons from becoming casualties as well. I know now that all life is precious and it’s our duty as sentients and as Maximals to recognize that! We’ll pull through and we’ll win so that one day, our descendents, Maximal and Predacon alike, can live on a Cybertron without prejudice, hate, or killing. This I promise you!"

"We’re with you, Optimus!" declared Cheetor.

"Yup," cried Rattrap, "One for all and all for one… err, or is it all for one and one for all?"

"We’re more than just a team!" declared Tigatron as he put an arm on Cheetor as Airrazor and Rhinox joined in, "We’re a family. Nothing’s going to change that!"

Optimus smiled. This new day was dawning with much hope and promise. The future where Megatron ruled would never happen, not as long as he, Optimus Primal, had anything to say about it! Perhaps one day, when the Beast Wars was all over, he and his crew could live in peace and pursue their dreams once more.

"Every dark cloud has a silver lining," he thought as he embraced his teammates.

The trip back to Cybertron was eventful. The rest of the crew were in the other rooms playing poker. Hawk, however, sat in his own chambers contemplating everything that had happened.

"Only a few more hours and we’ll be back on Cybertron," thought Hawk, "I’ll be sure to assist with the rebuilding of our planet! It’s the least I can do to honor the memories of Depth Charge, Optimus, and my father! Even if I’m not the warrior that they are, I can still help out in other ways."

So far, it had already been several mega-cycles and still, Hawk did not disappear into thin air. From the looks of it, his current timeline would not be altered, even though Optimus did go back in time to prevent Megatron from gaining the power to conquer their planet.

"Guess reality is still reality," mused Hawk, "I hope Optimus has succeeded in the past but for now, I’d better worry about my own future and the problems that my planet will be facing. Still, will I ever meet another ‘bot as brave and as selfless as you in the future, Optimus Primal?"

He thought of his father and the bravery he had shown all throughout Megatron’s tyrannical reign.

He reminisced about Depth Charge and how the large blue ‘bot who had been his guardian for so long.

He harked back to the past few days when he and Optimus had been together, getting to know each other and becoming close friends.

Now that Megatron was vanquished, he would rebuild his own life as well. One day, whenever that day would come, he’d find his own path in life towards his own destiny to honor his fallen friends and family.

Something was still on his mind… something Optimus had said to him earlier that caught his attention… what was it again…?

Several things flashed through his mind.

It sounded quite noble and at the same time, relentless and powerful. That is what he would be known as from now on, in memory of his mother and father!

"Tigerhawk…" he smiled, "I think I like the sound of that!"

The End.