[273 days since Megatron's emergence]
News spread unchecked across all of Cybertron. Rumors and conspiracy theories ignited across every form of communication.
It was impossible for any inhabitant of Cybertron not to know that this day would go down in history.
Anxiety gripped the spark of every citizen in that moment, regardless of rank or social standing.
Yet, there were still a few bots who seemed untouched by the agitation that consumed every city, every habitable zone.
The former Decepticon, Pulver, stood watching the city, observing the sun as it rose on the horizon. The feeling in her spark was all too familiar she could sense the chaos that was about to reign over everything.
Leaning against the wall with her arms crossed at the door of the Iacon library, she wasn't armed with her trusted weapon. But her presence alone radiated such an intimidating force that no one dared approach the staircase leading to the ancient library.
Her audio receptors focused, catching the sound of heavy footsteps approaching. She knew exactly who it was. "Where have you been?"
"Inside the Allspark," Alpha Trion replied calmly, noting how alert she was.
"Inside the Allspark… now it all makes sense. I suppose the rumors of time dilation within its dimension are true."
Alpha Trion reached the top of the steps, his gaze turning to the city, committing that view to memory. "Is everything ready?"
"Yes."
"I suggest you launch into space before the meeting at midday."
"Hmph." She relaxed her intimidating stance and looked at Alpha Trion with a hint of sorrow in her eyes. "Are you sure the Star Saber should be kept away from the new Prime?"
"It would be unwise for the new Prime to wield the Star Saber before he is ready. The Leadership Matrix grants incredible power to a bot, but its potential depends entirely on the mastery of its bearer. Therefore, it would be best not to abuse the power too soon."
Pulver sighed, beginning to walk down the steps, already calculating in her mind the coordinates she must reach.
"Pulver! Thank you." Alpha Trion spoke the simple words of gratitude, feeling they were the only ones fitting for the moment.
"Till All Are One, Prime." She whispered the ancient oath, so softly that only Alpha Trion's sensors could catch it.
Alpha Trion smiled and nodded in return, watching as the last knight vanished from sight, on a mission that would shape the future for millions of years to come.
"Till All Are One."
***
Walking through the crowd, being cheered on like a hero, Megatron made his way toward the High Council's temple. Soundwave walked at his right side, and Orion at his left.
Watching from a distance through the windows of buildings not far from the temple, the Decepticon elite were at the ready, all prepared for battle.
"Orion Pax... who's that guy?" Knock Out asked, hands on his hips, taking a moment to admire the view.
"He's a trusted friend of Lord Megatron," Dreadwing informed him, his gaze focused directly on the one mentioned.
"A friend? I never thought Megatron would have someone he considered close or worthy of that kind of regard." Knock Out remarked curiously but made no further comment; he had no desire to end up a punching bag for saying something stupid especially with so many of the elite Decepticons on the same floor.
He glanced back, counting more than forty elite Decepticons, most larger and stronger than himself most clearly combat fliers.
"I'm curious to see how all this turns out." He lifted a gilded bronze cup filled with refined energon and savored it so much that it gave Dreadwing a tic.
"You're suggesting this is going to go badly," Dreadwing said, his gaze turning toward Knock Out, his stare so intimidating it was second only to Megatron's.
"Whoa, whoa! Calm down, big guy, I was just making an observation no offense intended." Knock Out raised his hands in a gesture of peace. "We both know that after this meeting, a counter-offensive against the High Council is pretty much inevitable."
Dreadwing's posture relaxed a bit, though the tension in him was still plain to see. He silently agreed with Knock Out's assessment battle was coming.
While they spoke, a thin bot with jet wings on his back tried to push through the mass of Decepticons crowded on that floor. He gritted his teeth in frustration at squeezing through narrow gaps he barely managed to slip past.
"Blasted crowd... why... damn it, this is humiliating," Starscream muttered, emerging from the throng looking like he'd been through a trash compactor. "Couldn't these brutes just stay outside?"
The pathetic sight of Starscream's scratched-up armor made Knock Out wince his perfectionism tempted him to immediately criticize Starscream's lack of care for his paint job.
"Starscream, it hurts my optics just looking at you in that sorry state."
Starscream glared at Knock Out, noting how the bot seemed as pristine as if he'd just rolled off the factory line.
"What are you doing here?" Starscream asked, his frustration at being squeezed through a thirty-minute queue still boiling.
"Me and Dreadwing? We got VIP access." As if by magic, Knock Out produced a golden card with a flourish.
"You got a VIP card?! Why didn't I get a VIP card?!"
"Oh, you did. I just took it for myself." Knock Out flipped the card to reveal Starscream's name on the back.
Seeing his card in Knock Out's fingers, Starscream nearly lost it he'd never felt such an urge to tear a bot apart.
"Knock Out! I'll scrap you for that!!" He extended the claws on his hands.
Knock Out put his hands on his hips, wearing a smirk so smug it could've rivaled the Prime of lies himself. "I wouldn't do that if I were you." He nodded toward Dreadwing, who kept watch over the crowd outside with the air of a predator. "Do you really want to pick a fight with this guy standing right next to me?"
Dreadwing glanced at Knock Out for the briefest of moments before resuming his vigilant gaze, deeming a scuffle between two fools unworthy of his attention.
Starscream gritted his teeth even harder. He stepped toward the window to take in the impressive sight of hundreds of thousands of bots gathered around the great temple of the High Council. "When this is over, you and I are going to have a serious talk," he muttered, while Knock Out feigned fear with theatrical exaggeration.
"Oh, stop complaining it was just a harmless prank." Knock Out teased, pushing Starscream's temper further. "Besides, look the show's about to start."