Just a ficlet that wormed its way into the note pad
Title: Play to Win. (1/1)
Rating: PG-13/ Slight R
Warnings: AU. Implied Deaths.
Characters: Decepticon!Prowl. Mention of others
Setting: G1 AU. Partly inspired off Megatron Origins.
Summary: Sometimes everything is a matter of perspective. And what's wrong and right changes depending on the player.
Many thanks to okami_myrrhibis for kindly beta reading this for me. It's a very short ficlet that had to be exorcised.
A few could have said it was a matter of perspective and where your morals stood. For many, the Decepticons were nothing but a horde of criminals that had found a champion willing to give them free reign for their perversions and decadence. For Prowl, though, Decepticons were a means to an end.
When compared to the average Decepticon, it was hard to place Prowl amongst them at first glance. His calm and cold behavior seemed almost out of place amongst the more flamboyant seekers, the over enthusiastic triple- changers or the brute power of the combiner teams. But it was precisely that quality that worked so well to the Decepticons' favor. Amongst the Autobots Prowl wouldn't look anymore like he belonged with them than he did with the Decepticons. He had always been aloof, focused in his tasks, rarely interacting on a more personal level with those under or above him in the status ladders.
He had once been an officer in the security forces, had once been working 'for the system'. He had been a very good officer and quickly earned himself a place in the top ranks of the forces. But even then, he was already questioning the system he served and worked to preserve. Some would have called him immoral for his betrayal to those that had been his fellow officers; corrupted and deserving of no pardon, and no sympathies. Prowl could have cared less of what opinions they had of him. However, he knew when he chose to turn his back on the then-Autobot dominance and way of life, it had been only the logical thing to do.
To preserve a system so flawed that it cost them the life of Sentinel Prime was a mistake, a terrible mistake that had to be corrected, and Megatron's revolution just happened to be the fastest means to bring down the corrupt system that had stagnated their society. Prowl was not above manipulating mechs and playing the role of puppeteer if it would mean a better future would come about. He was no fool, though; he knew that many of those that joined Megatron's revolution were in for their own personal agenda. Soundwave on one hand, Shockwave on another, and Starscream at the forefront. He knew Soundwave had manipulated Megatron from the very beginning once he found it would benefit him more to 'serve' him instead of senator Ratbat. Ratbat was one of the many mechs in Cybertron that had contributed their society's decay, who so ironically was now bound to serve the mech that once did the dirty jobs for him. Starscream... had the potential to take Megatron's view further up, relying on deception while Megatron favored a more upfront approach.
Shockwave's view was the closest to his own, but somewhere down the line their objectives took separate ways. Shockwave believed in imposing a perfectly orderly and structured society, ridding himself of the most undesirable Decepticons and Megatron to establish his perfect utopia. Prowl knew it was unrealistic and that Shockwave would rather reign among clones of himself and call them a perfect society than understand the little idiosyncrasies of every other mech. Prowl knew they were all individuals in unique ways, and that a perfect society would not be achieved unless he could decipher the inner workings of each mech's inner turmoil. He settled for the next best thing - a wipe and starting over, being mindful of the past mistakes and taking note of new ones.
Prowl also knew Megatron would grow to be a hindrance and as would most of the Decepticons. They were expendable, and once the objective was reached, they would also be unnecessary. What Prowl did not know was how quickly Megatron would become an obstacle. Prowl had calculated the revolution would be swift and fast, and a mere few solar cycles would be needed to destroy the foundation of a corrupted society to build a new one on top. But after countless vorns in conflict, Prowl admitted to himself his projections had been erroneous, and Megatron was out of control. Long gone was the revolution, and the war was now a vicious cycle. Sometimes Prowl had wondered if Megatron even knew what he wanted anymore. He led supreme through the power of his fists but did he even have an objective anymore? If he won the war... what next?
Prowl knew under Megatron their species was doomed to its own destruction. Decepticons would work together for an objective under Megatron's rule - be it for fear, convenience or true loyalty - but once 'peace' had been achieved, how long would they tolerate a dictator? How long until the in-fighting became too much and either Megatron destroyed them all or Megatron was the one destroyed? Then what? Was Soundwave as aware of this as he was? Was Soundwave still benefitting from Megatron or had he become trapped and tangled in his own puppet's strings?
Prowl was not yet, and he intended to keep it that way. He wasn't overly proud that he would not admit his own mistakes. He had chosen to play a game with a strong unknown variable, and he was losing the game. As he contemplated the possible scenarios and the choices left for him to follow, he heard the sound of foot steps approaching. So consumed in his thoughts, he had forgotten for a moment where he was.
"So it’s him?" A gruff voice asked and Prowl turned his head to see his captor, a black and white Autobot he had served with on occasion in the security forces, leading in one of the captains of Sentinel Prime's Iacon strike team - Ironhide.
"Pretty sure he is. The other 'cons left him for dead when I blew the outpost. Prime asked ta bring him over, he could be useful if he's willin'."
Prowl held back a small smile. His capture had not been an unfortunate coincidence; everything that led to this moment had been carefully planned in advance. He had left something to luck once but not again. He played to win after all.
Rating: PG-13/ Slight R
Warnings: AU. Implied Deaths.
Characters: Decepticon!Prowl. Mention of others
Setting: G1 AU. Partly inspired off Megatron Origins.
Summary: Sometimes everything is a matter of perspective. And what's wrong and right changes depending on the player.
Many thanks to okami_myrrhibis for kindly beta reading this for me. It's a very short ficlet that had to be exorcised.
A few could have said it was a matter of perspective and where your morals stood. For many, the Decepticons were nothing but a horde of criminals that had found a champion willing to give them free reign for their perversions and decadence. For Prowl, though, Decepticons were a means to an end.
When compared to the average Decepticon, it was hard to place Prowl amongst them at first glance. His calm and cold behavior seemed almost out of place amongst the more flamboyant seekers, the over enthusiastic triple- changers or the brute power of the combiner teams. But it was precisely that quality that worked so well to the Decepticons' favor. Amongst the Autobots Prowl wouldn't look anymore like he belonged with them than he did with the Decepticons. He had always been aloof, focused in his tasks, rarely interacting on a more personal level with those under or above him in the status ladders.
He had once been an officer in the security forces, had once been working 'for the system'. He had been a very good officer and quickly earned himself a place in the top ranks of the forces. But even then, he was already questioning the system he served and worked to preserve. Some would have called him immoral for his betrayal to those that had been his fellow officers; corrupted and deserving of no pardon, and no sympathies. Prowl could have cared less of what opinions they had of him. However, he knew when he chose to turn his back on the then-Autobot dominance and way of life, it had been only the logical thing to do.
To preserve a system so flawed that it cost them the life of Sentinel Prime was a mistake, a terrible mistake that had to be corrected, and Megatron's revolution just happened to be the fastest means to bring down the corrupt system that had stagnated their society. Prowl was not above manipulating mechs and playing the role of puppeteer if it would mean a better future would come about. He was no fool, though; he knew that many of those that joined Megatron's revolution were in for their own personal agenda. Soundwave on one hand, Shockwave on another, and Starscream at the forefront. He knew Soundwave had manipulated Megatron from the very beginning once he found it would benefit him more to 'serve' him instead of senator Ratbat. Ratbat was one of the many mechs in Cybertron that had contributed their society's decay, who so ironically was now bound to serve the mech that once did the dirty jobs for him. Starscream... had the potential to take Megatron's view further up, relying on deception while Megatron favored a more upfront approach.
Shockwave's view was the closest to his own, but somewhere down the line their objectives took separate ways. Shockwave believed in imposing a perfectly orderly and structured society, ridding himself of the most undesirable Decepticons and Megatron to establish his perfect utopia. Prowl knew it was unrealistic and that Shockwave would rather reign among clones of himself and call them a perfect society than understand the little idiosyncrasies of every other mech. Prowl knew they were all individuals in unique ways, and that a perfect society would not be achieved unless he could decipher the inner workings of each mech's inner turmoil. He settled for the next best thing - a wipe and starting over, being mindful of the past mistakes and taking note of new ones.
Prowl also knew Megatron would grow to be a hindrance and as would most of the Decepticons. They were expendable, and once the objective was reached, they would also be unnecessary. What Prowl did not know was how quickly Megatron would become an obstacle. Prowl had calculated the revolution would be swift and fast, and a mere few solar cycles would be needed to destroy the foundation of a corrupted society to build a new one on top. But after countless vorns in conflict, Prowl admitted to himself his projections had been erroneous, and Megatron was out of control. Long gone was the revolution, and the war was now a vicious cycle. Sometimes Prowl had wondered if Megatron even knew what he wanted anymore. He led supreme through the power of his fists but did he even have an objective anymore? If he won the war... what next?
Prowl knew under Megatron their species was doomed to its own destruction. Decepticons would work together for an objective under Megatron's rule - be it for fear, convenience or true loyalty - but once 'peace' had been achieved, how long would they tolerate a dictator? How long until the in-fighting became too much and either Megatron destroyed them all or Megatron was the one destroyed? Then what? Was Soundwave as aware of this as he was? Was Soundwave still benefitting from Megatron or had he become trapped and tangled in his own puppet's strings?
Prowl was not yet, and he intended to keep it that way. He wasn't overly proud that he would not admit his own mistakes. He had chosen to play a game with a strong unknown variable, and he was losing the game. As he contemplated the possible scenarios and the choices left for him to follow, he heard the sound of foot steps approaching. So consumed in his thoughts, he had forgotten for a moment where he was.
"So it’s him?" A gruff voice asked and Prowl turned his head to see his captor, a black and white Autobot he had served with on occasion in the security forces, leading in one of the captains of Sentinel Prime's Iacon strike team - Ironhide.
"Pretty sure he is. The other 'cons left him for dead when I blew the outpost. Prime asked ta bring him over, he could be useful if he's willin'."
Prowl held back a small smile. His capture had not been an unfortunate coincidence; everything that led to this moment had been carefully planned in advance. He had left something to luck once but not again. He played to win after all.