FIC: Leadership
Title: Shades of Grey
Chapter: 5 - excerpt
Pairing: Elita one x Ultra Magnus
Prompt: Leadership
Summary: The last of the Autobots left on Cybertron to face the wrath of Shockwave, Elita and Ultra take a moment of solace of a life they never had a chance to live.
A/N Part of my latest chapter of Shades of Grey which can be found here:
Cut link to full chapter
Cybertron
Her pale fingers brushed over faded steel, the glyphs and ancient writing still there beneath the tarnished metal. She couldn’t read it, didn’t understand ancient Praxian, there was probably no one left now who could. All she knew was that it was a name, someone that had been loved, cherished. Peering up at the modest tomb Elita wondered who the ‘bot had once been and why this tomb had been preserved deep in the recesses of the vast vault they were now residing. Sighing she moved through the small room. It was cut off from the rest of the vault, the only entrance being the small door she’d stormed through. Fabric still draped over the walls and certain items, possibly once of sentimental value had kept their place on various shelves lining the walls. It was a chamber of memories, a record of a family line all but forgotten.
Elita stopped at an odd bundle leaning against the wall, dreary fabric still clinging to its sharp edges. Her fingers brushed over the soft velvet like material, dust came away with her fingers revealing a deep royal blue colour beneath. Gripping the heavy material she tugged and pulled it away from the chest it was covering. Kneeling beside it, her curiosity got the better of her and she gently opened the lid.
Lips parted in surprise at what was inside. There were a sparkling’s toys, various slips of material, old, very old data files and pictures frozen on even older data pads. She gently picked one up and brushed it, her optics widened at the image and her fingers caressed the face of the young mechlet standing proudly with his creators. The glyphs beneath the picture were familiar; she glanced back at the small tomb on the other side of the room, one of the ‘bots in the picture lay at rest in that very room.
A soft smile pulled at her mouth as her gaze fell on the black and white young mechlet in the picture. "Nobody would ever call you sparkless if they knew…"
"Knew what?"
Elita quickly placed the picture back and closed the lid, turning towards the voice that had interrupted her musings. Her smile faded but an inkling of warmth flickered in her optics as Ultra Magnus smiled faintly at her. "This was his home."
"Who? Prowl’s?"
She nodded, getting to her feet, brushing herself off. "This must have been where he kept the things that meant a lot to him. There are pictures and old toys in the chest and I think that tomb is one of his creators. It must have hurt when he turned this place into a war room."
Ultra Magnus didn’t reply, his optics taking in the various artefacts, feeling too much like he was intruding to reach out and touch the small crystal tree that caught his attention. "He’s a complicated mech. I guess he felt he had no other choice."
"Price of leadership?" Elita asked bitterly, averting her gaze.
Ultra cast her a saddened look. "Price of war."
The femme shook her helm and sighed. "And when will it all become too much? When there’s no one left?" Her shoulders slumped and she rubbed her face wearily. "There are no leaders anymore Ultra… there’s nothing left to lead."
He crossed the room and without prompting wrapped his arms around the small femme. Too tired to protest or even display her surprise, Elita sank into the comforting embrace. It had been so long since anyone had just held her, been close to her, not since Optimus...
"Do you think they’re…?"
He tightened his hold, a powerful hand gently caressing the curve of her back, soothing the tension in her frame. "Don’t think like that. Prime will find a way."
She tried to push away only to be held tighter, flush to his broad chest, his spark pulsing softly beneath the plating, strong, steady. The spark of a leader. "How can you even hold onto hope now?"
"They count on us." He brushed the arch of her cheek, cupping her face to look up at him. "You are one of the greatest leaders we’ve ever had."
"Ultra I hardly think-"
"-hear me out." He smiled faintly, his hand caressing the fragile plating of her face, thumb just touching the corner of her mouth. "You were his right hand, you led the femmes against Shockwave’s forces, it’s because of you, half of those ‘bots in there are still alive. They follow you because they still believe in you…as do I."
Elita’s optics brightened at his words. "They look to you Ultra; you’re the one they follow. You’re the one I follow…" She murmured, ducking her gaze to press her faceplates against the smooth metal of his chest, listening to the steady thrum, thrum, thrum of his spark.
Ultra chuckled softly, a hand idly caressing the back of her helm. "You’re blind to how they look at you. You are just as strong as Prime, in here." He gently pushed her away to tap a finger above her spark. "…and with a more fiery temper to boot."
Huffing, Elita shook her helm and started to move away. "You have to say that."
Keeping hold of her wrist, preventing her from leaving his side, he tilted his helm and regarded her curiously. "Why’d you say that?"
"Because you’re my friend and you’re his… was his closest friend."
Pressing his mouth into a thin line at the forlorn tone, he tugged her back towards him gently. "I still am, Elita but that’s not why I say these things about you…I’ve always thought this way." It was his turn to look away, optics dimming with some untold regret. "I never envied Prime, his position, the burden he holds, especially when the war started…" His fingers brushed lightly over the delicate curve of the femme’s face as he turned his gaze back to her. "But I did envy him."
Elita opened her mouth to say something, anything… but found no words. She could see the earnest, genuine look in his optics as he gazed at her; hear the sincerity in his voice. "I…don’t know what to say…"
Smiling warmly, Ultra tilted her chin up and leant forward hesitantly, his optics flickering when she didn’t pull away. "Don’t say anything." A soft sigh escaped his vocaliser when their lip components finally met. It was a chaste, fleeting kiss but one he would cherish for the rest of his life, however long Primus granted him and one he had waited for, for as long as he had known the femme.
"Ultra Ma-ohh I’m sorry I didn’t mean to umm…" Hot Rod looked distinctly uncomfortable and fixed his optics on the opposite wall.
The two ‘bots pulled away sharply, shocked back to reality at the sudden intrusion. Their optics met for just a klik, a klik that told Ultra Magnus all he needed to know. Giving her a discreet nod and a warm, small smile, his spark fluttering in his chest when the warmth was returned in kind, he turned back to the awkward mech quirking his optic ridge in vague amusement. "It’s alright Hot Rod… you’re not disturbing anything."
Hot Rod grinned and rubbed the back of his helm. "Good ‘cause well I wouldn’t want to and I’m glad you’ve finally stopped dancing around each other…Springer owes me a ration of energon, he’ll glitch so hard when I tell him." The red mech laughed at their expressions and shrugged shaking his helm. "Never mind, you didn’t hear that."
Ultra shook his helm and managed an incredulous glare at his babble. "Was there something of importance you wished to tell us?"
Hot Rod’s grin faded and he nodded solemnly. "Kup found a long range scanner at the back with the weapons…"
Elita stepped forward a frown marring her features. "Hot Rod what is it?" Her voice was soft, devoid of worry, that was the last thing the mech needed right now.
"It’s Shockwave; his drone army is on the move… they’re heading straight for Praxus…"
The two leaders shot each other a sombre look and Elita gave Hot Rod’s shoulder a gentle squeeze. "Get everyone in this room, my scans tell me it shields spark signatures, gather as many weapons and as much energon as you can, we have no time to lose."
"What are you thinking, ‘Lita?"
She shot Ultra Magnus a wry humourless grin over her shoulder as she followed Hot Rod out of the room. "I’m thinking that Shockwave is hoping we’re the last."
"We are the last…"
"Exactly, so he’s going to launch everything he has to make sure he does the job right this time."
Realisation flickered over Ultra’s face as he approached. "He’ll throw everything at us." He repeated softly.
"Mmhmm…" She quirked an optic ridge at him, leading him to his next statement.
"The space bridge."
A dark smile flickered across her face. "The space bridge."
"It’s risky."
"A risk we have to take." She held out her hand to the approaching mech a look of finality crossing her face.
Meeting her earnest gaze he gave her a knowing nod and clasped her hand tightly. "I’m with you."
She smiled a warm smile that made his spark melt in his chamber. A smile that had only ever been reserved for one other, her words that followed cemented his desire to follow the femme wherever she led.
"I know."
****
Chapter: 5 - excerpt
Pairing: Elita one x Ultra Magnus
Prompt: Leadership
Summary: The last of the Autobots left on Cybertron to face the wrath of Shockwave, Elita and Ultra take a moment of solace of a life they never had a chance to live.
A/N Part of my latest chapter of Shades of Grey which can be found here:
Cut link to full chapter
Cybertron
Her pale fingers brushed over faded steel, the glyphs and ancient writing still there beneath the tarnished metal. She couldn’t read it, didn’t understand ancient Praxian, there was probably no one left now who could. All she knew was that it was a name, someone that had been loved, cherished. Peering up at the modest tomb Elita wondered who the ‘bot had once been and why this tomb had been preserved deep in the recesses of the vast vault they were now residing. Sighing she moved through the small room. It was cut off from the rest of the vault, the only entrance being the small door she’d stormed through. Fabric still draped over the walls and certain items, possibly once of sentimental value had kept their place on various shelves lining the walls. It was a chamber of memories, a record of a family line all but forgotten.
Elita stopped at an odd bundle leaning against the wall, dreary fabric still clinging to its sharp edges. Her fingers brushed over the soft velvet like material, dust came away with her fingers revealing a deep royal blue colour beneath. Gripping the heavy material she tugged and pulled it away from the chest it was covering. Kneeling beside it, her curiosity got the better of her and she gently opened the lid.
Lips parted in surprise at what was inside. There were a sparkling’s toys, various slips of material, old, very old data files and pictures frozen on even older data pads. She gently picked one up and brushed it, her optics widened at the image and her fingers caressed the face of the young mechlet standing proudly with his creators. The glyphs beneath the picture were familiar; she glanced back at the small tomb on the other side of the room, one of the ‘bots in the picture lay at rest in that very room.
A soft smile pulled at her mouth as her gaze fell on the black and white young mechlet in the picture. "Nobody would ever call you sparkless if they knew…"
"Knew what?"
Elita quickly placed the picture back and closed the lid, turning towards the voice that had interrupted her musings. Her smile faded but an inkling of warmth flickered in her optics as Ultra Magnus smiled faintly at her. "This was his home."
"Who? Prowl’s?"
She nodded, getting to her feet, brushing herself off. "This must have been where he kept the things that meant a lot to him. There are pictures and old toys in the chest and I think that tomb is one of his creators. It must have hurt when he turned this place into a war room."
Ultra Magnus didn’t reply, his optics taking in the various artefacts, feeling too much like he was intruding to reach out and touch the small crystal tree that caught his attention. "He’s a complicated mech. I guess he felt he had no other choice."
"Price of leadership?" Elita asked bitterly, averting her gaze.
Ultra cast her a saddened look. "Price of war."
The femme shook her helm and sighed. "And when will it all become too much? When there’s no one left?" Her shoulders slumped and she rubbed her face wearily. "There are no leaders anymore Ultra… there’s nothing left to lead."
He crossed the room and without prompting wrapped his arms around the small femme. Too tired to protest or even display her surprise, Elita sank into the comforting embrace. It had been so long since anyone had just held her, been close to her, not since Optimus...
"Do you think they’re…?"
He tightened his hold, a powerful hand gently caressing the curve of her back, soothing the tension in her frame. "Don’t think like that. Prime will find a way."
She tried to push away only to be held tighter, flush to his broad chest, his spark pulsing softly beneath the plating, strong, steady. The spark of a leader. "How can you even hold onto hope now?"
"They count on us." He brushed the arch of her cheek, cupping her face to look up at him. "You are one of the greatest leaders we’ve ever had."
"Ultra I hardly think-"
"-hear me out." He smiled faintly, his hand caressing the fragile plating of her face, thumb just touching the corner of her mouth. "You were his right hand, you led the femmes against Shockwave’s forces, it’s because of you, half of those ‘bots in there are still alive. They follow you because they still believe in you…as do I."
Elita’s optics brightened at his words. "They look to you Ultra; you’re the one they follow. You’re the one I follow…" She murmured, ducking her gaze to press her faceplates against the smooth metal of his chest, listening to the steady thrum, thrum, thrum of his spark.
Ultra chuckled softly, a hand idly caressing the back of her helm. "You’re blind to how they look at you. You are just as strong as Prime, in here." He gently pushed her away to tap a finger above her spark. "…and with a more fiery temper to boot."
Huffing, Elita shook her helm and started to move away. "You have to say that."
Keeping hold of her wrist, preventing her from leaving his side, he tilted his helm and regarded her curiously. "Why’d you say that?"
"Because you’re my friend and you’re his… was his closest friend."
Pressing his mouth into a thin line at the forlorn tone, he tugged her back towards him gently. "I still am, Elita but that’s not why I say these things about you…I’ve always thought this way." It was his turn to look away, optics dimming with some untold regret. "I never envied Prime, his position, the burden he holds, especially when the war started…" His fingers brushed lightly over the delicate curve of the femme’s face as he turned his gaze back to her. "But I did envy him."
Elita opened her mouth to say something, anything… but found no words. She could see the earnest, genuine look in his optics as he gazed at her; hear the sincerity in his voice. "I…don’t know what to say…"
Smiling warmly, Ultra tilted her chin up and leant forward hesitantly, his optics flickering when she didn’t pull away. "Don’t say anything." A soft sigh escaped his vocaliser when their lip components finally met. It was a chaste, fleeting kiss but one he would cherish for the rest of his life, however long Primus granted him and one he had waited for, for as long as he had known the femme.
"Ultra Ma-ohh I’m sorry I didn’t mean to umm…" Hot Rod looked distinctly uncomfortable and fixed his optics on the opposite wall.
The two ‘bots pulled away sharply, shocked back to reality at the sudden intrusion. Their optics met for just a klik, a klik that told Ultra Magnus all he needed to know. Giving her a discreet nod and a warm, small smile, his spark fluttering in his chest when the warmth was returned in kind, he turned back to the awkward mech quirking his optic ridge in vague amusement. "It’s alright Hot Rod… you’re not disturbing anything."
Hot Rod grinned and rubbed the back of his helm. "Good ‘cause well I wouldn’t want to and I’m glad you’ve finally stopped dancing around each other…Springer owes me a ration of energon, he’ll glitch so hard when I tell him." The red mech laughed at their expressions and shrugged shaking his helm. "Never mind, you didn’t hear that."
Ultra shook his helm and managed an incredulous glare at his babble. "Was there something of importance you wished to tell us?"
Hot Rod’s grin faded and he nodded solemnly. "Kup found a long range scanner at the back with the weapons…"
Elita stepped forward a frown marring her features. "Hot Rod what is it?" Her voice was soft, devoid of worry, that was the last thing the mech needed right now.
"It’s Shockwave; his drone army is on the move… they’re heading straight for Praxus…"
The two leaders shot each other a sombre look and Elita gave Hot Rod’s shoulder a gentle squeeze. "Get everyone in this room, my scans tell me it shields spark signatures, gather as many weapons and as much energon as you can, we have no time to lose."
"What are you thinking, ‘Lita?"
She shot Ultra Magnus a wry humourless grin over her shoulder as she followed Hot Rod out of the room. "I’m thinking that Shockwave is hoping we’re the last."
"We are the last…"
"Exactly, so he’s going to launch everything he has to make sure he does the job right this time."
Realisation flickered over Ultra’s face as he approached. "He’ll throw everything at us." He repeated softly.
"Mmhmm…" She quirked an optic ridge at him, leading him to his next statement.
"The space bridge."
A dark smile flickered across her face. "The space bridge."
"It’s risky."
"A risk we have to take." She held out her hand to the approaching mech a look of finality crossing her face.
Meeting her earnest gaze he gave her a knowing nod and clasped her hand tightly. "I’m with you."
She smiled a warm smile that made his spark melt in his chamber. A smile that had only ever been reserved for one other, her words that followed cemented his desire to follow the femme wherever she led.
"I know."
****