#cybertronian reader

I do think the chances of Springer actually hooking up with a Decepticon much less being with one is relatively low however that doesn't mean he wouldn't gain feelings for Decepticon reader. He would simply not act on them and would bottle them up. Unfortunately for him is reader is flirty and shares said feelings… he's gonna be flirted with often. Now I do think most headcanons from my previous Springer headcanon post remain however… I feel Springer wouldn't be as vocal or touchy with reader if he were ever to have alone time that allowed him to do so.

I think this would be due to him feeling guilty for falling for the enemy and spending time with them. I do think his lack of affection might affect his dynamic with reader as they might feel hurt by the lack of love returned. So obviously tension would be evident in your relationship and I feel it wouldn't last long because of that. Now if you two were to end whatever it was you had going on before Last Stand and you just so happened to be in Garrus-9 he might finally open up with his affections.

To him he didn't know what happened to you, he thought you were fine, but to find you someone he cared about but failed to show that love all because of a faction? Not only that but he finds you half dead? He'd feel guilty. He would try and take you with them, a choice that might anger his fellow Wreckers save for Kup who would have more faith in him and while Springer is being repaired after the Overlord battle… Kup would vouch for you. Another route could be you were the one that freed Impactor from Garrus-9, Impactor would question why and if you said it's because of Springer… he would take you with him, if you want it or not.

Now if this is the route taken and when Impactor comes aboard with you… Springer would react the same way he did if he found you half dead, save for him being far more stiff and awkward about it. He would also be forced to finally admit how he knows you and what you were to him in the past. This revelation would potentially cause tension, tension which is resolved by Kup giving a lecture and Perceptor doing a probe of your processor like he did with Impactor.

Now I do think the Wreckers would give him a moment alone with you and as said it would be very awkward. Springer isn't fully sure what to say to you, you who he hurt and never expressed the feelings he suppressed for so long that he still mildly suppresses. I do think this leaves you to be the one who speaks up first and I feel considering Garrus-9 and what happened… you would be different, you wouldn't try and tease him for being so stiff and awkward, you wouldn't try and flirt. Instead you're quiet and professional, now that would be the thing that breaks Springer's walls. To see you, you who was more open then him so closed off and quiet would finally have him opening up (of course a lecture from Kup that occurred earlier did help).

He would go to your side and cup your face as he rests his forehelm against yours all while his EM field wraps around you. During the next few days as they travel to Garrus-9 Springer won't leave your side, he'll keep you close and almost always have a servo resting on you. He would have you share his habisuite with him and in the beginning he'd keep you at arms length, wanting to be respectful of your space, eventually he might share the berth with you but only if you asked or were having a cybertronian equivalent to a nightmare.

Now I would say he became more physically affectionate, his touches are light and gentle. He's always hugging you from behind, arms wrapped around your waist as he assures you with a gentle voice how it's alright and that he's sorry. Springer would for sure blame himself for your time in Garrus-9 as he keeps things that had he not lost contact with you he could have prevented you from going there. So his optics whenever they meet you are almost always filled with guilt, this is the same for his EM field.

His kisses are far more slow and deep then any of the ones from before which were very rare. These kisses are more common due to his guilt, so once you share a berth… he's planting soft kisses over your frame while murmuring barely audible apologies. His servos would rest on your hips, rubbing circles as he pulls you onto his lap, not breaking the kiss as his glossa tangles with yours.

Now after the Wreckers going to Garrus-9 and Springer being out for the count for the time being… Kup much like the previous route does speak up, vouching for you. This would lead you join the Autobots under strict guidelines and being under Kup's watch until he goes missing and Ultra Magnus takes his place. Now since you are under Ultra Magnus's care (at least until Springer is online again) you are forced to join the Lost Light which helps you slowly get back to your normal self or new version of yourself (thank you Drift and Ambulon fellow ex-cons).

Now this part does apply to both versions as this is when you and Springer finally reunite. Now once you finally get to reunite with Springer once the whole Dark Cybertron arc is finished. You're by his side once Springer is back online and stay with him and Kup, this does let you and Springer find your relationship again and get to a healthier place. This also has him opening up far more vocally and physically, he's a bit more handsy and open then he would be with an Autobot. This is due to Garrus-9 and him not being open prior to it, he doesn't want to experience the feelings he did when he never vocalized his love for you again. So he's making it up now.

Also the war is technically over now so the two of you have more time on your hands, Springer especially as the Wreckers have fewer and fewer missions. Meanwhile he has less responsibilities and can spend more time with you, which does mean he and you have time to get more… intimate and explore the types of things you both are into.

"Such a shame our fun must come to an end sweetspark," you purred, an amused and quiet laugh leaving you as you leaned back, one servo running down your face, smearing the energon splattered even more across your face as a wide smile graced your derma. "I really was enjoying this fight, how about you dear? Wasn't it thrilling?"

Thrilling? Thrilling couldn't begin to describe the fight you had given him, it was everything he wanted in a fight. You held your own (a feat that didn't happen often), you were as vicious as he was, just as cunning too, and the way you fought… Primus it's making him consider not being too bothered by losing, however he wouldn't be doing that. The fight was cut short just when it was getting good, a fact of which he hates, after all how often does he get to battle someone who's so similar to him?

“I admit,” your words broke him from his train of thought, sharp red optics focusing back on your own as you spoke. “This was my first time fighting a phase-sixer, I've fought plenty of others. One precenter here and there, Autobot, Decepticon, Combiner… none have been as thrilling as this fight.”

The words had Overlord's smirk widened as his grip on your hips tightened, starting to dent your already scratched plating. “I could say the same, definitely a main course in a fight.” His words earned a light laugh to leave you as your helm tilted to the side, a smirk just as wide as his spreading across your face as the energon stained servo resting on your cheek slid across your lips, staining them pink before falling to rest on his Decepticon symbol.

“Main course? I guess the same could be said about you love, truly it is a pity it's cut short… I guess I'll have to save my routine for the next fight.” You mused, leaning forward and pressing your energon stained derma against his, your free servo sliding up and grabbing one of his audial's, forcing his helm back. He momentarily froze at the act, optics widening as they locked onto your amused filled ones as you nipped his derma before pulling away, breaking the kiss. “Until next time my dear, may the next fight be just as thrilling,” you purred as you jerked free from his grasp which had gone slack at the surprised kiss.

Now Overlord admits he's tempted to go after you, fight you again, relive the thrill you gave him but that was tossed out when the silence was broken by the sound of Megatron’s voice coming through his comm demanding him to return. His optics narrowed at the demand, servos digging into the dirt as Megatron's voice rang in his processor. He hates being told what to do. It always took the fun out of his duties and battles, he especially hates it when Megatron is doing the orders. The warlord always kept him on a tight leash, far too tight for Overlord to like, especially as it kept getting shorter.

“Overlord. Remember, we have a meeting,” Megatron's voice repeated once more. Drawing a low growl to leave his vocalizer as one of his servos moves to cover his face as a smirk spreads across it. Right, the meeting. His servo slid down his face, stopping at his mouth as his optics locked onto to battle around him, he has time to have fun of his own once he returns, after all… he's not keeping score for no reason.

Pity none of his bots can keep up with him and his fun. With that he transformed into his jet alt mode but not before turning into his take one first, after all where's the fun in leaving without a dash of amusement for himself?

“You're late.” Megatron drawled, optics narrowing upon locking onto the blue phase-sixer as his helm tilted to the side. Megatron's words had Overlord's EM field flicker with irritation for a moment before returning to normal or normal for Overlord at least. With him forcing a smile as he held Megatron's gaze. “My apologies, Megatron. Unlike Sixshot and Blackshadow, my servos are full.” Megatron's smirk widened more at his words, a low and amused chuckle leaving him, “not anymore.”

Overlord tilted his helm at Megatron’s words, his optic ridges furrowing as his smile wavered for a moment before straightening out. “You've fought your last campaign Overlord,” Megatron continued, Overlord froze at the sentence, red optics widening as his frame tensed up and vents paused momentarily. “The Decepticon cause has… bigger and better things that await you, Sixgun, and Blackshadow,” continued the silver mech, gesturing to the two other holograms of the aforementioned pair on either side of him.

“And what awaits me?” Overlord asked, his optics no less narrowed and his optic ridges still furrowed together as he maintained optic contact, his smirk not yet wavering this time.

“The sixth and final stage of infiltration is being finalized, as of now the three of you will be my phase-sixers.” Megatron explained, holding a servo out as he spoke, “the three of you will visit planets on the brink of collapse and will squash any resistance.” His smirk widening as he spoke and adding at the end “in the name of the Decepticons of course.” The final comment had Blackshadow and Sixgun finally speaking up, and repeating the words back. “For the Decepticons…” Overlord repeated under his breath, testing the phrase out on his glossa as his helm tilted back.

He hated the idea, it felt like the previous thing Megatron had him doing as of late which seemed like an elaborate way to tighten the leash he had on Sixgun and Blackshadow. His fellow phase-sixers were nothing more than lapdogs, lapdogs that at times cared for themselves but lapdogs with no sense of fun nevertheless. “What if unlike those lapdogs I aspire to be more than your little pet?” he asked, no longer tilting his helm back and meeting Megatron's gaze once more.

At his words a tense silence fell over the group and soon filled the room, out of the corner of his optics Overlord could see Blackshadow and Sixgun share a confused look. Megatron himself meanwhile was silent, his optics narrowed and looking Overlord up and down, with the hologram stepping forward and leaning in close. “Then there will be two options for you to pick from,” Megatron mused with a calm tone, taking another step forward having Overlord leaning to meet the warlord's gaze.

“Option one, you do as I say, option two you don't.” Explained Megatron who turned around and began walking back, casting a final look Overlord's way, “oh, and in option two I hunt you down and tear you limb from limb.” He said, finally, his hologram flickering before vanishing alongside Blackshadow and Sixguns holograms, leaving Overlord alone.

Overlord remained silent and still for a little, optics still locked onto where Megatron's hologram was just a few seconds ago. Eventually a dark and amused laugh left his vocalizer as a wide smirk spread across his face as he turned around, some amusement would help with the decision, it always does, after all he's in no rush to comply just yet.

Notes: And that is chapter one! Honestly I think it could be better in terms of description regarding moments and characters. Also think Overlord could have been written better so I'll work on it in the future for other chapters, after all this is a way of improvement for writing so I can't be too harsh. Now let me talk about the fic itself for a moment in a non critical way, first reader and Overlord's meeting takes place around the same time him taking over Garrus-9 did, I felt it would be a good starting point and gives me a few options which I'll explore in future chapters. Any questions regarding this fic are welcomed (seriously hit me I wanna talk about my sadistic masochist of a mech) and if you want to know when chapter two comes out I could add you to a taglist I guess? Idk, either way I hope you guys like the fic more then I do lol.

(Alright, enough melancholy, here’s a short piece featuring you and Bayverse Jetfire.)

—What are they saying?— Sam wondered to himself as he watched the two newly awakened Cybertronians inside the military base.

Meanwhile, you and Jetfire continued trading insults in a very archaic Cybertronian dialect, the mechanisms of both emitting a faint whir.

-He taught you everything you needed to know and used you to get extra energon and scraps from unsuspecting passersby. No one could resist a helpless sparkling. Maybe not the morally right thing to do, but since you got stuff from the scams too, you didn’t complain. Your sire could have kept all of it to himself, giving you only enough not to starve.  

-Your adoptive sire was a scammer, sold things at high prices, and practiced medicine without a license. However, he was not the worst sire you could have had. He kept you fed, taught you how to survive, and even taught you some stuff about basic medicine. He wasn’t emotionally or physically abusive. Though he often said that once you were full-grown and could fend for yourself, he would be out of your life. 

-So you grew, learned to survive, did side hustles to earn some money, and became experienced enough to spot lies and dangers that could get you killed. You even adopted your adoptive sire’s habit of digging through trash bins and scrap yards for treasures you could sell or use to treat someone. 

-At the age of your teens, you had pretty much seen every place on Cybertron, the worst of society, and met bots, who were at the top of criminal wanted lists.

-Even though Gadget taught you not to be highly empathic, as it could make you an easy prey for exploitation. You never stopped feeling for the bots, who suffered under Cybertron’s system, wishing you could do something to ease their struggles. However, as you were technically just another lower-caste bot, with no power or influence, you kept it to yourself. You only helped when it was possible and brought no consequences, as the current society had made it impossible to do kind acts without getting killed because of it. 

-The only bots you were openly able to help were sparklings and some elderly bots. Thanks to Gadget teaching you some medicine, you were able to treat their basic injuries with scraps you found, though Gadget often complained about wasting good spare parts. The sparklings were fun to play with, and the elderly bots had good stories to tell since society paid no attention to them. 

-So, despite being a lower caste bot, your life wasn’t that bad. It was not how the bots in higher class lived, but you made the most of it. 

-Now, you were only a few days away from becoming a full-grown adult. You and your adoptive sire stuck around in a city, thinking about what you could do as an adult.  Despite what he said about leaving after your creation day – or the day he found you — Gadget actually stuck around and threw some suggestions what you could do for a career. Since you were technically already his apprentice, you could start trading together which could add more profit to the business.

-You told him that you have been thinking about going to medical school since you have already learned a lot from him. Gadget said that medical school was expensive and getting the license was not an easy task, thanks to society. That’s why he dropped out. If you were serious, you could just learn from other underground doctors and do it at a lower price.

-You shared that you wanted to help people and treat them for free, believing their right to healthcare shouldn’t be locked behind an impossible paywall. And you have actually been collecting money through donating your energon since those paid pretty well. 

-Your sire scolded you, saying that giving your energon to public donations could get you a profile and be tracked by the system. You reminded him that you used a fake name so you shouldn’t be too easily recognized. 

-He shook his helm and stated that it was still a foolish decision. 

-He then said he will be happy that you won’t be his problem anymore, and, surprisingly, gave you a metal wallet with a hefty sum of money. As a parting gift to help you get started with your new adult life. 

-He added that if you failed miserably or dropped out once you saw that medical school was impossible, you would be welcomed to become his business partner if things became desperate. 

-You only smiled and thanked him. Though he was a scammer and an illegal doctor, his spark wasn’t completely dim. 

-You then had a small celebration when your creation day came. Gadget brought you to a bar and allowed you to drink alcohol for the first time in your life. In his words, your introduction to one of the greatest pleasures in life and your best friend when you need to wallow in misery. He definitely took embarrassing pictures of you when you got drunk and experienced your first hangover the next morning. Of course, he denied it, but you decided to let him have it. 

-Little did you know, your adoptive sire was right, and that your energon donation side hustle would end up taking your life to a completely different direction. 

-Because the next day, after recovering from your hangover, you were collecting spare parts or scraps from trash bins. Suddenly, you were approached by law enforcers, asking if you were the person with your fake name. Like you were taught, you told them no, but when they showed a surveillance picture of you leaving the donation center. You ran for it. 

-They gave chase, and since you knew the streets, they struggled to keep up. When it looked like you were about to get away, more of them suddenly appeared out of nowhere. You were grabbed, put into handcuffs, and dragged along. 

-You immediately thrashed and yelled at them to let you go, as you hadn’t broken any laws. They didn’t let you go, and you were taken from the streets you knew. At that moment, you felt some fear in your spark, as anyone taken by law enforcement never returned

-Well, you didn’t end up before a court or in a rusty cell, accused of crimes the law enforces made up. But you were put into an empty room and kept in cuffs since you were being ‘difficult.’ You didn’t know what they wanted, and it made you scared, even though you didn’t show it. So, in that situation, you demanded a public defender. When they kept quiet, you began lightly kicking the table, making noise.

-When someone finally arrived, you demanded a public defender again or to be released, as you hadn’t broken any laws to your knowledge. This guy suddenly revealed that you were not being arrested and said your cuffs would be taken off if you agreed to cooperate.

-Begrudgingly, you agreed, and your servos were finally free from the cuffs. 

- You asked what you were brought in for then, and the guy then started explaining something about your energon results having been checked and that long ago, Forseti, the principle of Justice and son of Prima Prime, was murdered with his conjux and his heir had been missing for cycles. Your energon matches that lineage, and there was a high possibility that you were the long-lost heir of justice. 

-At that moment, the only reaction you could give them was to burst into laughter. 

”I knew you guys had a hobby of making things up so you could arrest people. But this is just ridiculous,” you said between the laughs. “Ever considered a career in comedy?” you asked with a grin. 

-Baffled, the guy insisted that he was telling the truth. 

“Yeah, sure. Then that means the psychiatrist downtown is Primus,” you replied.

-You then asked if the joke was over, and if you could go now. 

-But despite that, the guy was insistent, even showing you the energon results and how your CNA was a match with the supposed CNA of Forseti and his conjux. However, you were not buying it, claiming that CNA results can be fabricated.

-The guy looked tired, and then he said that there was one person who could prove to you that you were, in fact, the heir of justice. You were then brought to Iacon’s archives and met this old guy named Alpha Trion. 

-He said you shared some similarities with your grandsire Prima. You were honestly getting tired of this joke. The law officers told him you had a matching CNA, but you were insistent that you weren't who they thought you were. 

-From the corner of your optics, you noticed a red and blue bot who was watching the scene curiously. He was kinda cute if you were being honest. 

-Alpha Trion then said that there was one way to find out if you were truly Forseti’s long-lost sparkling. He suggested giving you the sacred treasure that belonged to Forseti, explaining that only those from the principle of Justice’s lineage can activate it. If it activates in your servos, then that proves it, and if not, then that should clear all doubts. 

-You weren’t convinced, but accepted the little challenge. You asked them if you could go free if you touched it and it didn’t do anything. The enforcer guy sighed and said yes. 

-You were then given what seemed to be a small dagger. It looked like it was made of gold and had strange markings on it. In the middle of its guards was what looked like a small white gem. A pretty-looking trinket, but it didn’t look like anything special. 

-You swirled it around and waited for something to happen. Others watched too, but time passed. 

“Wait,” you said, tensing up and looking at the dagger,  “I think something’s happening!” 

The others watched in tension, but Alpha Trion seemed to furrow his brows. 

“IT’S! IT’S … Absolutely nothing,” you said with an indifferent expression. 

Everyone except Alpha Trion groaned. 

“You certainly share Prima’s poor sense of humor.” Alpha Trion stated. 

-The enforcer guy groaned and finally said that maybe there was a mistake. 

-You glanced at the gem in the dagger and asked what it would do before touching it. The gem suddenly glowed, and then the dagger suddenly transformed into a sword, shining with golden light. 

-You held it with both hands as it became a bit heavier. 

-Everyone watched in stunned silence. The enforcer guy looked like he was delighted and claimed that you were indeed the heir of justice. 

-Okay, now you were freaked out. This doesn’t look like it could be fabricated or faked.

-You try to deny the performance and say the blade could probably activate with everyone. 

-The enforcer guy groaned and touched the blade’s gem. It immediately turned back into a dagger, proving it doesn’t activate under anyone else's touch. You are the first one who's been able to activate it since Forseti’s passing. 

-You then asked what would happen now. The guy went on about how it's a celebration that the lost heir had been found. You said no and that you were fine with the life you already had. 

-The mech looked like he was infuriated with you, complaining about your constant questioning. You told him that questioning everything is what helped you survive. 

-Alpha Trion suddenly stepped in, saying stuff about how this is new and that you should be allowed to learn about your lineage instead of being forced into it from the life you were familiar with. 

-After that, a thought crossed your mind: if you now had influence, maybe you could get money to help out your adoptive sire and the bots in the lower district. 

-With that thought in mind, you finally agreed.

-The next few days were tiring, to say the least. You were brought to a place that was supposedly your creator’s home, having been empty since the day they died. It was spacious and lavish, definitely different from what you were used to. It even had a berth that had soft cushions. 

-You were then cleaned of all the dirt and scratches you had on your frame. It was at first a bit embarrassing to get washed by servants, as you could have easily done it by yourself, also because some of your scratches held good memories for you. 

-After the cleanup, you nearly didn’t recognize yourself. You were now able to see some similarities with the people who were supposedly your creators and grandsire. You were able to compare as there was a portrait that showed Forseti and the one supposedly your carrier. 

-They honestly looked like ordinary people, happy even. You looked at the sparkling that was supposedly you and recognized the blanket the sparkling was wrapped in. It was definitely the blanket your adoptive sire found you in, and the one you had used through your sparklinghood. 

-It had dulled from its original color and lost its softness over the cycles, but you could recognize it anywhere. 

-Maybe you were the heir of justice. 

-Next, you met this governing guy, who introduced himself as Virtue. He explained that he would be acting as your guide and helping you get introduced to high-class life. 

-Following Virtue’s lead, you attended a high-class party — a celebration for the return of Forseti’s heir, apparently. There, you were introduced to the members of the High Council, and they told you a lot of stuff, though you didn’t pay much attention to them. You also felt like you were a spectacle to be watched by the high caste bots.

-They shared a lot of condolences for your creators’ demise, which felt weird because you couldn’t really feel sad for people you never met or knew.

-When you asked about how they died, they shared that your creators were killed in an ambush by lowly criminals and that you disappeared after the attack. It was then assumed for a long time that you were kidnapped and held hostage by the culprits, but you didn’t resurface till now.

-It felt odd because from what you heard, Forseti was a respected judge, and even criminals held him in good regard. 

-The bots then began to remark on things about your behaviour and the way you stood. Virtue said that you behaved that way because you grew up on the streets, but with proper etiquette, it could be corrected. It made you frown. Okay, you already didn’t like this guy. 

-The next day, Virtue took you to the infamous courthouse of justice. There, he showed you the courtroom, where your sire used to hold trials and give judgment upon those who were brought forth. 

-There was this large-scale-like device called The Scales of Aequitas. Apparently, it measured the truth of the spark held in court and the energy produced by the evidence provided by the court. If the energy of evidence held heavier than the spark, then the person would be guilty, but if the spark weighed heavier than the opposite energy, then the person was innocent. Usually, the judge gave the final word, but since Forseti’s death, the court had operated on the device’s judgment. 

-Virtue then allowed you to see it in action and watch as a person was judged before the device. The person was, apparently, a thief, and you watched as the bot was found guilty and given a rather harsh sentence in prison. 

-You didn’t know if you liked what you saw. It felt like another spectacle for the high classes to watch the low-class bots suffer, since there were stands where the high caste could watch the court proceedings. 

-After the introductory days, you were given a schedule and told that you would be taking classes to properly educate yourself. You found your way back to the Iacon archives, where you met Alpha Trion, who then taught you about Cybertron’s history and stuff about your lineage. Honestly speaking, he seemed like the only honest mech and didn’t mind your questions. 

-There, you met the blue and red bot again. You started a conversation with him and learned his name to be Orion Pax. Apparently, he was an archivist and Alpha Trion’s apprentice. You two talked for a while, and you found it surprisingly easy to talk with him.

-So, the next few days, you mostly came to the archives to see Orion and listen to the lectures whenever your mind agreed to listen. He taught you about history, law, and philosophy, which even you found interesting. You listened to him better than your assigned teachers, so Alpha Trion discreetly let Orion do the teaching.

-In return, you told Orion about your life on the streets. He looked fascinated and listened, even though some of his opinions were a bit naive.

-Realizing he hadn't ventured much outside the archives, you convinced him to tag along and see some places. He felt hesitant but agreed when you asked him to show you around Iacon. You agreed on a date.

-The week was eventful; then you remembered your adoptive sire and decided to check on him, or at least let him know you weren’t dead. You grabbed your cloak and covered yourself, since you looked like a Shiny now, which was a term used by the lower caste to describe the high caste. You also took whatever money you could to give him.

-You tracked down Gadget, who was surprised to see you alive. You told him everything that happened, and when you told him about the blanket, he agreed it made much more sense now, since the day he found you was rather strange. He momentarily complained about how he could have received a high reward if he had returned you to the authorities when you were sparkling, and how he wasted resources in raising you. 

-He went quiet quickly when you showed him the bag of money you brought, snatched it, and said it's a good payment for taking you under his wing. 

-You then shared how you were in a position to help other low-caste bots, especially after you finished up your education and took your sire’s place. 

-Gadget warned you not to trust the high caste easily. The low-caste criminals were known liars, but the high-caste bots were the greatest schemers, more dangerous even. Who knows if the high-caste bots had a greater plan for bringing you in?

-You promised to keep that in mind, then told him about Orion.

-He looked at you curiously as you talked about the bot, teasing you about befriending a book nerd, and then hinting that you might like the mech more than as a friend.

-You denied his teasing. You had a feeling that Orion was an honest one, which you saw as a rarity among the Shinies.

-When you returned to your new place, Virtue appeared panicked, especially when you went out without protection. Now that you have been found, you should not take your safety lightly. Who knows if the criminals who killed your creators might come after you next? You were valuable to society itself.

-You promised to keep it in mind next time and shared that you just went to inform your adoptive sire that you were doing fine. 

-Virtue then became rude and said you no longer needed to associate yourself with a low-class bot. It made you angry, and you snapped at him, telling him that your adoptive sire might be of low caste, but he raised you, so he deserved some respect. You could have ended up in the hands of someone worse. 

-Virtue apologized and agreed with you, though it sounded fake. 

-On the following days, you were given the opportunity to act as a judge in the courtroom, especially after you memorized most of the known laws. You took a seat on the throne, and Virtue stood on your side, giving you instructions on how things worked.

-A bot was brought before you. Definitely a bot who was poor and looked scared, not a hardened criminal you had seen on the streets. You were then told that this guy was found guilty of stealing supplies and had evidence of him committing the crime. The evidence spark went down. 

-It looked clear enough, but you saw the bot was not given a chance to speak. You interrupted the side judges, telling them to give the bot a chance to explain himself and why he was stealing the stuff. 

-The guy looked startled, but then spoke, admitting that he did steal. There was no work, and he and his conjux were going hungry, for they lived in a poor district. 

-His spark on the scales went down, equalizing the weight, which meant he was telling the truth. 

-You asked more, and he told you that the economy of his district was poor and that there wasn’t a lot of work. You believed him because you had visited that district before when you were younger

-Virtue and other judges spoke about giving a judgment since the scale was balanced. You spoke again that imprisoning someone over stealing, especially due to rough conditions, was rather harsh, and his conjux would have no one to care for them. 

-You suggested instead of imprisonment, the mech would be charged a fine for stealing, as that was in the written laws, and as a way to pay it up, he would do community service. And during that time, his conjux could be given care during his absence. 

-Virtue and other judges looked speechless, and since it was the law, they concluded that it was fair. That was then passed as the judgment, and the bot bowed his helm constantly, thanking you for the fair judgment. 

-As the next trials followed, you did a lot of speaking, letting the charged speak up. Most of them weren’t even serious criminals; one even seemed to have been charged over a misunderstanding. For some reason, Virtue and other high-class bots seemed displeased or bored. 

-At the end of the day, you thought you did a pretty good job at it. 

-However, Virtue acted rather differently. He said that, though you did what a proper judge would do, it would be easier to let the Scales decide on the judgment than question everything and make it fair. Not every bot on Cybertron deserved a fair trial. 

- It made you raise a brow, and you asked are you not supposed to give fair judgment. 

-Virtue shook his helm and explained that it might be easier for you to follow the other judges’ lead since you were still pretty young. Your word will be followed once you are older and more experienced. 

-His explanation made you feel suspicious. It felt like he and the other bots wanted you to follow a script or something.

–It was strange, but you forgot about it when the date with Orion arrived.

-Orion had his duties sorted, and Alpha Trion had given his blessing for a free day. Honestly, the old guy seemed encouraging about Orion going out. With those set, you then dragged the archivist outside the archives.

-As planned, Orion showed you around Iacon, well, the nice places at least. You had been to Iacon before, though in its shadier parts.

-You two also talked openly while walking on the streets.

-Orion complimented the way you handled the courtroom trials. He said he was there to see it and how they seemed much fairer than the trials held in the past.

-You felt your face burn a little since that was the first compliment you received after that day. 

-At the end of the tour, he had planned to run an errand on the way, but struggled to find the item he was looking for at a lower price. You revealed that you knew a place and pulled him to the lower districts you usually stayed at after your travels with your adoptive sire.

-He looked around curiously, most likely having never seen a lower district market before.

-You also took it as a chance to show off street survival knowledge.

-You got him a vendor who sold the items he was looking for. The vendor immediately tried to sell the item at a high price, which you intervened in and prevented Orion from being scammed.

-Orion got his item and seemed amazed by how you seem to be able to notice a lie from one word only.

-You bragged that on the streets you needed to be a good judge of character, before pointing out that he was technically shiny, then proceeding to pinch some dust on him to make him a less interesting target.

-You walked around the district for a while, and you greeted some people who knew you. Orion gave polite nods. You told him about each of them and how you have technically known them since sparklinghood.

-Orion did express his concern about their poor appearances and how they lived rather poorly compared to the middle class. You shrugged your shoulders and said that you survived with all you could get. The lower caste communities take care of each other when they can.

-You two returned from the date, and he expressed that he had a fun day and that maybe you two could do it again. You encouraged a trip in early future and encouraged a little mischief of skipping a few lessons. Calling him a bit of a two-goodie shoe.

-And as you promised, you took him out on a few more dates. Technically, a few times, you kidnapped him from staring at datapads all day and spent time with you outside. You tried to avoid Alpha Trion's notice, but you noticed him shaking his helm a few times and didn't make it an issue. So it looked like the old mech didn't mind.

-You brought Orion to places that showed amazing skylines, brought him to see good lower-district places, and sometimes you ended up running away from gangs that Gadget owed money to. You and Orion survived them, though you got a few bruises, which the latter helped you patch up while lightly scolding you.

-Maybe giving him a few lessons on street survival since you noticed that he was a terrible liar.

-One time, you did genuinely ask him for help carrying stuff. He agreed since it wasn't another skip, and he followed you to a place while seeing you were carrying medicine, fresh frame parts, and things that looked like items used to treat people.

-You took him to one of the poorest parts of a lower-caste district, greeting several bots who had seen better days or were missing limbs.

-He then watched as you delivered medicine to some bots, who you managed to get a doctor appointment and description since they couldn't afford. How you used medic skills you learned from your adoptive sire to give the amputees their limbs back, and how you gave new toys to the sparklings and energon canister that could last the community for weeks.

-Orion seemed shocked by their state and after your trip, you explained how it came to be and how most of those people couldn't even afford basic medicine.

-He admitted that he hadn't thought it was that bad for the lower caste, while you said that there were worse things, before thanking him for his help.

-Orion said how he admired that you sought to help people.

-After that, you had an opportunity to introduce him to Gadget. Gadget was a little rude until you warned him a little, and he was civil with Orion. He teased you in front of Orion and noted how he had seen you two spend a lot of time together.

-After pushing Orion to wait for you elsewhere, Gadget teased you about nerdy archivists being your type and bluntly told you that you were falling for the red and blue mech. He saw through your denial and said that he knew the look of love when he saw it.

-When you thought about your time spent together. Orion had looked after you during lectures, shared energon during breaks, and even gave you a blanket once you fell asleep. And how often he asked how your days were whenever you visited.

-Okay, maybe you did like Orion.

-Gadget admitted that Orion seemed like an honest mech, a type that would definitely get eaten alive on the streets.

"Not if I'm there to beat the bad guys up," you replied.

"Aw, look at you. Already protective of your future trophy conjux," Gadget teased.

-Okay. You loved your adoptive sire, but sometimes he made you want to beat him up.

-With the supposed freedom and access to your family assets, you started donating money and stuff to charities and to the bots from your district. You even sent some to Gadget since you could help him out.

-However, the first time you did so, Virtue pulled you to the side and started acting strangely again. He vented about you moving in public and wasting your resources on charities. You questioned about it, and whether you were allowed to use your family’s money. 

-He said that legally, yes, then said that there are better things for you to care about — things that really matter to society. 

-You pointed out that helping lower caste bots out prevents them from turning toward crime, so technically, you were helping society out. Also, because no other high caste bots seem to be doing the same. 

-He appeared annoyed, but dropped it when you said that legally you can do what you want with your money. 

-However, it got you thinking. Maybe you could talk to the High Council members about the problems in society and convince them to fix them. 

-You presented this idea with Orion, who supported it, saying that with your experience, they might notice issues that have gone past their notice.

-So, at the next party, you willingly attended and spoke with the council members. You tried to address the issues and throw suggestions on how to fix them. There had been a rise in criminal activity, and most of these were caused by the fact that making a living honestly had been impossible due to the high taxes, low wages, and growing prizes. You experienced these as a young sparkling, so you knew what could fix them. 

-Some of them promised to consider your suggestions, while some of them seemed dismissive of the problems. Some of those bots ended up giving critiques about you donating to charities and helping the lower-caste bots. 

-It felt like talking to rusted lampposts, because all the things you brought up vanished in the next conversation. Even Virtue acted dismissively about it. 

-It left you more suspicious. Especially because then your schedule got busy, you had less free time, and Virtue gave someone else the job of handing your donations to the charities. It also prevented you from seeing Orion, which pissed you off in a way.

-You were put through repetitive lessons and things that actually felt like they had nothing to do with preparing you to take up Forseti’s mantle.

-It felt like you were purposely being confined in your creator’s home, forced to go through repetitive lessons, and not allowed to walk freely. 

-To escape these, you claimed to want to read other materials in Iacon’s archives. Thankfully, Virtue bought it, though you were made to be accompanied by a guard or two. Still felt oppressive, but you were given a chance to chat with Orion. 

-You confined in Orion about this and feel like you are being trained to be a puppet rather than the next Arbiter of justice. Orion admits that there are issues with the high class and the current system, telling you that he had noticed a pattern that once appeared in the past, and feared the current society was headed toward it once more. 

-While browsing through some historic text, you spotted the date when the caste system was implemented, then out of curiosity, checked the date when your creators passed away. What caught your attention next was that the years were awfully close. The caste system was implemented two years after your creator’s death.

-However, Orion claimed that he didn't think of the council members as manipulative and that maybe there was a reason.

-You challenged him on this, telling him that the things he had seen in the districts were because of the high caste, and that's why the High Council had allowed such poverty to exist in the first place. Not to mention that while he was terrible at lying, he also didn't have the best optics to spot lies.

-It was a back-and-forth for a while before Orion reluctantly agreed to the possibility of the High Council being manipulative.

-Orion then revealed that he had been speaking to a gladiator from Kaon, who had been appealing before the High Council to receive a chance to speak with them. 

-You knew about Kaon, having been there before as a sparkling, and knew some kaon bots were either forced or could participate in gladiator matches to earn a living. It was a violent thing to survive, and not for the weak. Perhaps also the only possible way for Kaonians to get some money to feed themselves. 

-He then suggested a meeting and that maybe you could work together on the idea of reforming society. 

-Though the idea of a bot from Kaon wanting to reform society sounded new, you agreed to it. 

-So, after agreeing on a day and escaping your babysitters, you joined Orion, and he introduced you to a mech called Megatronus. A large mech with a fierce appearance, who was also apparently in charge of the new movement that had been going about Cybertron. 

-Despite his appearance, he was surprisingly civil and easy to talk to when you conversed about the issues with Cybertron. He had apparently seen the few court trials you oversaw and found it pleasing how you handled them. 

-You spoke about your current position and how you have noticed you seemed to have been treated more like a puppet than an actual heir. But you could see if you could get him a chance to speak to the High Council. Megatron expressed his gratitude and stated that if you succeeded and required assistance from him and his movement in the future, they would owe you one. 

-After that, you tried to have an audience with the High Council members. Of course, Virtue tried to keep you busy, so you had to slip under his radar and approach the members yourself. You told them about Megatronus and the movement, and about giving him a chance for an audience. 

-Due to the growing movement and public attention,  you managed to convince some of the members, and they were enough to sway the rest. You enthusiastically messaged Orion about it and let him deliver the news to Megatronus and the meeting date.

-Feeling yourself prepared to handle more trials, you asked Virtue if you could go again about overseeing the trials. Strangely, your presence is not required, or that you should study more. 

-You are pretty sure you have already read all the materials you could to take a court exam and become a public defender. 

-When you insisted that you could see through trials, and that staying away won’t get you the experience you need to become the next Arbiter of Justice. 

-Virtue finally relented, and you found your way back to the courthouse of justice. You oversaw the trials as before, checking everything and throwing your suggestions. 

-But then the scales device acted differently. After the discussions, the opposite energy suddenly became heavier even though it was balanced or lighter than the charged spark. Virtue and others insisted all was fine and that you should trust the machine’s judgement. 

-It did not feel right at all, especially when it happened again for other trials. One moment it was balanced, then the scale went to guilty. You watched as the charges spoke and the scale dipped in favor of the evidence, which usually meant the charged was lying. However, you were able to tell that the charged was telling you the truth. 

-You insisted on checking if there was something wrong with the Scales, because now it seemed like it was tipping when the charged was telling the truth. That perhaps it had been tampered with. Virtue insisted that all was fine, and that perhaps the charged was truly lying. It was impossible to tamper with the Scales of Aquetas, as it was also a severe sin. 

-You then watched helplessly as most of the bots held in trial were given a harsh sentence. 

-You tried to discuss it with Virtue about checking the device just to be sure, but he then went on about how you were possibly tired and that he had a mechanic check the device later. 

-You could not stop thinking about the entire thing. You shared this with Orion, who had watched the trial and found it strange too. The Scales had not acted that way before. 

-He helped you check the blueprints for the device, and you checked all you could, memorizing them.

-This also deepened your suspicion about the High Council using foul play.

-While browsing through archives, you decided to look through the strange coincidence between the years when the caste system was implemented and your creators’ deaths. Before your creators’ deaths, the system was much different back then, less classificatory.  The caste system came to power after their death and the society began to regress ever since.

-It was said your creators were killed by criminals or terrorists, but considering that fact, you had a strange feeling. 

-Could it be possible that your creators weren’t killed by criminals? 

-You decided to approach Alpha Trion and discuss with him about the society and honesty. You had asked him about your creators before, but for sure, you asked if either Forseti or Prima would have approved the system today. He was rather vague with his answer, sharing that both Forseti and Prima shared the strong sense of justice.

-He then gave you a data key, saying that with it, you might bring light into the things kept in the dark. It left you suspicious. Did he know things he couldn't say outright?

-You tried to think about his words and the data key. At night, while walking back, you swayed on your path to see Virtue about checking the Scales device. At the door, you heard him talking to someone, and you froze at what you heard. 

-You heard Virtue talking to one of the council members about how molding you into a puppet had been challenging. Due to your upbringing on the streets, you were much more stubborn. With the remote control, they can control the Scales device to follow their verdict. Then maybe you will feel less inclined to play fair judge. 

-So, the Scales were indeed tampered with.

-You backed away and kept your intake shut, even though you wanted to burst in and beat Virtue until he was nothing but a pile of bolts. 

-With this latest discovery, you began thinking about the data key Alpha Trion gave you and the possible truth of your creators' passing. Looks like you need to do some digging. 

-Finding a chance to sneak out and go uncover, you approached Megatronus and asked for his help in uncovering a secret. He introduced you to Soundwave, who specialized in hacking and decryption.

-You and Soundwave snuck into the data archives of the High Council, thinking you might find the secret there. It was a bit unfortunate that Megtronus’s meeting with the High Council was on the same day, and you were gonna miss it. 

-You gave the data key to Soundwave, and he used it to hack into the data centers. You asked him to look through anything about Forseti and the day of his and his conjux’s death.

-It took a while, but then Soundwave found something. You looked through old documents, which revealed the assassination plan against your creators by Virtue and the High Council. Forseti opposed the system idea, which was only implemented after he was gone. He was taken away so the High Council could take power. 

-The ambush was actually orchestrated by the High Council. You were hidden away by a servant so you wouldn’t be exploited by them. It made much more sense.

-That was perhaps the first time you felt angry for your dead creators.

-It also strengthened your idea that they were trying to turn you into their puppet. They never intended to give you any form of power. 

-You got out of the data centers with Soundwave and thanked him for his help after getting out. He gave a subtle nod before departing.

-You reunited with Orion, who then shared what happened during the audience between Megatronus and the High Council --- how he had intervened and how he and Megatronus had a huge disagreement afterward.

-You shared your sympathy for him and assured that maybe he and Megatronus will make up once the latter cools off.

-You then shared with him what you found out and the truth about your creators’ death. Orion was shocked, as expected, especially to find out the High Council was responsible for your creator's death.

- You told him that the High Council needed to be exposed for their crimes. Orion insisted that since you had the evidence, you could do it without violence. You argued that the High Council had never been fair to anything, so why should they be treated fairly? He then reminded you that striking them with violence would not be any better.

-A fast argument grew between you. You made points about all the crimes the High Council had committed, and Orion pointed out that a society's reform can't start with an execution.

-You asked him why he argued so hard about it since you both are against the High Council.

"Do you really want to know why I'm arguing so hard about this?" Orion asked.

"Yes!" you said with your arms spread.

"It's because I don't want to lose you!" Orion exclaimed.

-That silenced you as you tried to process what he said. He didn't want to lose you?

-Orion sighed, calming himself down. He slowly confessed that he had grown to care for you more than just a friend, and that he found himself afraid that this might consume you, or worse, lead you to death.

-You processed this quietly. He cared for you?

-You knew you liked him, but... You never really expected him to like you back.

-With this knowledge, you decided to share that though Gadget had taught you to never deeply become attached to people, you had grown to care for him more than you should.

-Releasing a sigh, you calmed down and told him you were convinced to take a less violent approach in exposing the High Council. Orion looked relieved. You agreed on a date to plan this out.

-You returned to your house, feigning to Virtue that you were out for a walk for fresh air, and then asked about future trials. Then Virtue spoke about a future trial and how a lowly underground medic had been arrested. 

-You froze when you realized who he was talking about. Gadget. They had imprisoned your adoptive sire. 

-Virtue then hinted that if you played nicely and followed the trial, then your adoptive sire might be given a milder sentence. However, in prison he had to go since he is a criminal. And in which prison he can stay might be up to you. 

-It made the energon in your veins boil, and you tried to contain yourself from doing anything rash. Thoughts filled your mind.

-Forseti would have demanded a fair trial. Gadget would have told you to slit his throat before he had the chance to strike first. For the first time, you weren't sure which lesson you should follow.

-But one thing was for sure. You had to see Virtue taken down.

-You agreed and faked a smile. He bought it and looked satisfied, promising you don’t need to trouble your helm with idle matters. 

-Little did he know that, as a street rat, you knew a few things about how to move stealthily and steal things from secure places. 

-In the middle of the night, you broke through the security and approached Virtue’s office. There, you found the remote control you saw and took it.

-You then disappeared into the night after taking all you could need, since you won’t be coming back. 

-Moving on the streets, you moved toward Iacon, as there was one last thing you needed. 

-You went to the archives and secretly took the sacred treasure that belonged to Forseti. However, before you could make it out. Orion found you. Of course, the bot had to be on archive duty.

-You didn't decide to lie and told him everything and the situation with your adoptive sire. You apologized, explaining that the High Council had gone too far and you needed to save Gadget. The society couldn't be fixed. It had to be taken down completely.

-Orion said that doing this would mean no turning back. You told him that you were aware of the consequences, but now that Gadget's life was on the line, there was no way you could stand on the side.

"Then... do what you have to do," Orion said.

-You felt mildly surprised but didn't say anything. Walking past him, you stopped for a moment, not looking at him. If you did, then you likely wouldn't be able to do it.

"I'm sorry it had to end this way," you said, nearly in a whisper, before leaving.

-Orion glanced at your leaving frame, raising his servo toward you, but then lowered it. Despite what his duties would have demanded of him, he never raised the alarms.

-On the day of your adoptive sire’s trial, Gadget was in cuffs and forced to stand before the Scales of Aquetas. Strangely, to all the bots present, there was no sight of you. 

-The court proceeded as usual, and the opposite energy tipped heavily against him. As the judges were about to deliver the harshest sentence, the courtroom doors were kicked open. Everyone turned their helms and saw you standing there, carrying your sire’s sacred treasure.

“Objection!” you yelled, holding the glowing sword. 

-Virtue and other judges were startled and visibly panicked. People murmured about how they heard you had better things to do, while you only declared that none of it was true and that they attempted to sentence your adoptive sire, who had raised you, and use him as leverage against you. 

-You accused Virtue and the council of tampering with the Scales, using them to give judgments as they pleased. They denied it, of course, and claimed that you had been brainwashed. 

-You then asked if they could one hundred percent prove that the device had not been tampered with and that all trials had been fair. They concurred. 

-You then struck Forseti’s sword into the Scales, startling everyone. You then opened it up and pulled a device that was not part of it.

“So, all trials had been fair?” you demanded, holding the device. 

-You then took the remote control and demonstrated how the device sabotaged the Scales with the button, exposing the lie. 

-You took out the controller device and smashed it against the ground. You then accused Virtue and the council of the murder of your creators. 

-You showed the evidence, and the scales dipped in your favor. Virtue and the council were forced to answer, but their lies did not balance the scales, exposing them further. 

-Virtue ordered the guards to apprehend you. Too bad for them that you had a sword and you had fought on the streets before. 

-You used the sword to beat down your opponents and then struck the cuffs of Gadget’s servos. You two made the run out of the courtroom house. 

-Outside, there was suddenly fighting everywhere. It was an entire warzone. You defended Gadget as best as you could while trying to flee from Virtue’s people.

-When you got surrounded, seekers suddenly rained fire on Virtue’s people. They had a symbol on them that you recognized as Megatronus's movement's symbol.

-Your optics then locked with Orion across the battlefield. For a moment, you hesitated, but then turned away.

-You grabbed your adoptive sire and left. 

-Since that day, Cybertron was never the same. What followed was an all-out war. The High Council was no more. Megatronus had renamed himself Megatron and declared himself the leader of the Decepticons. Orion Pax, through fate and ordeals, earned himself the Matrix of Leadership and became Optimus Prime, the leader of the Autobots.

-No one knows what became of you. Some say you had escaped Cybertron with your adoptive sire and those you could take with you. Some say you perished during the war, which also meant the end of Prima Prime's line.