Consider this to be one final favor, brother. If you grow up and harden your spark, you will, too. I've been weakening the bond for a long time now.
The patronizing voice was quieter, fading with the dying bond they shared. You're killing us both!ĭon't worry, coward. The knife in his soul viciously sliced deeper, making Optimus convulse with the pain. You think small and run around with your spark open to all like some embarrassing youngling, and you're the firstborn brother. Why? This is hurting you as much as me!īecause you are weak, Megatron answered, his voice a hiss of pain. No! He reached out across the bond, trying to stop the imagined knife that was slowly, deliberately, carving a piece out of his soul. The sharp sensation in his spark, so intense it was physically painful, had him curling in on himself, his hands clenching into fists. In the waking world, Optimus' optics on-lined and flew wide. Bonds are a weakness, a flaw that holds back those who are bound and makes them vulnerable. "You are in my dream, brother." What better evidence could there be than a shared bond-vision? Puzzled for a beat by Megatron's haughtiness, Optimus let him feel his wry amusement. "You no longer have the honor of addressing me so familiarly." His dream-self was in the lab with memories of Ratchet, Arcee, and Jazz when Megatron strode in. Memories of the reports he'd received the day before mingled with visions of how the discoveries and incremental advancements could be put to use.
The first blow of Cybertron's civil war struck home in the quiet dark before dawn, while Optimus was in recharge. It frustrated Megatron to no end that Optimus could break through every time. If Megatron had a mate or their parents still lived, Optimus wouldn't have tested the strength of the block his brother had put on their bond. But Megatron was genuinely alone – no other spark-bonds to tie him to his fellow beings. After all, he still loved and trusted his brother, even if they were having a falling out. If that was all it was, Optimus would have left well enough alone and given Megatron the privacy he seemed to want. He knew Optimus disapproved of his plans to expand the size and role of Cybertron's planetary defense forces, and he worked hard to hide them. Megatron had been blocking his brother more and more. Cybertron had gone to war before, but civil war – the turning of brother against brother – was a concept as alien to him as organic life. In retrospect, it should have been Optimus' first warning, the first foreshadowing of the War that was to come.
īlessed be the tie that binds Our hearts in Christian love The fellowship of kindred minds Is like to that above. This being the middle fic, it'll be a little more somber in tone and won't have the resolution of the last one. "Kinship" established that a brother bond was forged between Sam and Optimus when Sam reignited Optimus' spark.Īlso, to complete the story begun in "Kinship," I'm going to have to write two sequels, making a trilogy. Love comes in many incarnations, and this is a story that focuses on familial love. Sam was able to activate and use the Matrix ergo, he is also a Prime.) Hopefully that will jog everyone's memory.Īs with "Kinship," the only romantic relationships will be between canon couples (and some hinted-at BumblebeexArcee), so don't even bother squinting at the other intense relationships. It only activated for a Prime and was often the means by which the next Prime was revealed. (As per G1 canon, the Matrix of Leadership was the Autobot equivalent of the Sword in the Stone. This is the sequel to my story "Kinship," which focused on Sam starting to accept that he is a Prime.
Even though most of this story is mine, they have been invaluable sounding boards and without them this story wouldn't be worthy to be the successor to "Kinship." Take a bow, ladies! :) (Eowyn77): Firstly, many thanks to my collaborators, DarthIshtar and Kateydidnt, for their patience and indulgence with me and this story.