TIL ALL ARE ONE

by CROSSOVER KING

Instruments of Destruction

Author's Note:

Megatron is voiced by the one and only Frank Welker.

It was a new day in the gigantic underground prison known as Tartarus and just like most days, all was quiet. Even though this prison was infamous for housing the most dangerous creatures in the history of Equestria, none of them were making any sound whatsoever and just lying down in their cages. In fact, most of them were asleep while others were simply resting. To someone who is aware of the violent nature of the monsters, this would be a truly unusual sight to behold. However, that someone would be completely unaware of the fact that these monsters were all tired of attempting to escape from their predicament and thus, they had no will or energy to make another attempt whatsoever. On the other hand, this was a far cry from the events that had transpired here a couple weeks ago.

It all began with the arrival of a new inmate who looked nothing like the other imprisoned creatures. While they were all organic, the newcomer was purely metal and much bigger than the others (about thirty feet tall, in fact). What was even more unusual was that he was bipedal, had two arms and two legs, and there was a cannon-shaped weapon on his right arm. His color scheme was mostly gray with black sections on his legs, red on his arms and chest, and glowing purple lines on his chest and legs. There were cracks and dents on his entire body, and his eyes were intensely glowing crimson. From both his eyes and facial expression, it can be easily seen that he was very furious at something and the way he was looking at his surroundings as was being escorted across Tartarus by both royal guards and Princess Celestia herself was causing every single one of the creatures (even the three-headed guard dog, Cerberus) to violently shake in fear. Finally, the new inmate was brought to a wall at the edge of the prison and he was chained to that wall while the princess imbued the chains with a special enchantment for extra precautions. Once it was all done, she and the guards exited Tartarus from the same portal they arrived there and the moment the portal closed, it was total chaos across the prison as every inmate tried to escape by clawing and biting their cells in order to get away from the newcomer whom they were completely terrified of.

it took nearly a whole day for the commotion to cease and the creatures to run out of energy to make escape attempts. In the end, they realized that escape was truly impossible and that they should just remain in their cells without doing anything that might upset the newcomer.

The said newcomer, on the other hand, had not uttered a single syllable or moved a single cog ever since his imprisonment in Tartarus began. Even though his optics were constantly closed, he was not sleeping at all. Instead, he was deep in thought about everything that had happened to him in the last few weeks, including the humiliating defeat he had suffered at the hands of his mortal enemies and the way some of his closest allies just abandoned him in this disgusting cesspool of a planet. More importantly, he was thinking about the fact that he is no longer the fearsome leader of the glorious faction of warriors he formed all those eons ago. Now that he was stuck in this primitive world full of insects, his throne was vacant and his high-ranking officers would, no doubt, fight each other in order to claim that throne, fracturing the faction and forever tarnishing his legacy.

To sum up, he was at the mercy of his enemies, his kingdom was at the brink of destruction, and there was nothing he could do to save it. The whole situation was making him both extremely angry and extremely sad at the same time. However, since he could not yet see a way out of his predicament, he had chosen to remain silent and think about what he did wrong, what he could do to amend it, and most importantly, what he was to become from now on.

Once upon a time, he was Megatron, a merciless warrior and the undisputed leader of the Decepticons. Now, he was just another prisoner of Tartarus and a king without a kingdom to rule. He wanted to find a new identity and purpose for himself as soon as possible, but he had no possible clue on how to do it. In fact, he was still contemplating it on the fourteenth day of his imprisonment and, as far as he could tell, there was no one he could talk to regarding his issues.

"Well, you've been awfully quiet for quite some time", a voice near him suddenly said.

In response, Megatron opened his crimson red optics and scanned his surroundings before noticing a single cage just a few feet west of his current position. It was inhabited by a creature unlike anything he had seen in the prison so far. His lower body was black, with a white horse tail and cloven hooves. His upper body appeared to be covered in black fur, except his arms and face, which were dark red. He had a pair of horns and a white beard, his eyes are jet black with yellow pupils. He donned steel bracelet, a steel collar, and a ring in his nose. He appeared to be very scrawny and old-looking, and his face had a primate/bull-like shape. All in all, he was a very strange-looking creature in the Megatron's eyes and the way he interrupted his thoughts did annoy him a bit.

"Why do you care if I remain silent or not, monster? Do you have nothing to occupy yourself with?", he angrily asked.

"Alright, first of all, 'monster' is a very inappropriate word to address me with", the creature slyly began to explain. "I may be a prisoner like these animals around us, but unlike them, I'm a sentient being who can actually talk and feel. So, it would be terrific if you show at least a little bit of respect. Secondly, I couldn't help but be curious over the fact that you haven't spoken at all since you first came here. Couple that with your extremely unusual appearance and I must say, I'm very intrigued about your story. So, what do you say? Care to share it with your new neighbor?"

The second he finished that sentence, Megatron struggled as hard as he could to break the chains around him. Unfortunately, the magic on the chains caused several burns on his already damaged chassis and caused him severe pain every time he struggled. So, a handful of seconds later, he gave up and began intensely glaring at the creature, instead.

He then furiously declared, "Listen well, you pretentious little abomination. The only way you're going to convince me to tell you about what I've been through is literally crush me in physical combat. However, given the size difference between us, I can safely say that it's impossible. A much more plausible scenario would be the one where I crush YOU. So, unless you want that scenario to become reality, shut your extremely irritating mouth up and mind your own business."

In response, the creature let out a malicious chuckle and said, "How adorable! You honestly believe you can crush me in physical combat, huh? Well, I've got news for you, my amusingly sensitive neighbor. I may be small and weak at the moment, but as soon as I find a way out of here and drain magic from every single pony in Equestria, I shall regain my glorious appearance and become stronger than you can possibly imagine. I'll tower over the mountains, turn the entire land to ash, and exact terrible vengeance on those who imprisoned me here. Long story short, I'll get to finish what I started long ago and once we face each other in combat, it will most certainly be YOU who is crushed."

As he listened to this, the glare on Megatron's face turned into a look of pure confusion and after the creature stopped talking, he stared at him for a few seconds before asking, "Can you actually do all those things?"

The creature then proudly replied, "Why, yes, of course! In fact, if it weren't for a bunch of puny ponies, my plans would've succeeded without a hitch. I was so very close to realizing my vision of an Equestria soaked in flames, but then, those ponies I spoke of ruined everything by imprisoning me in this dimly lit prison filled with disgusting animals! I was a lord once, you know! I had power, prestige, and a terrifying reputation. I should be out there right now terrorizing ponies and they should cower by the mere mention of my name. In fact, they should call me, 'Lord Tirek the Magnificent, Emperor of Devastation'. Instead, I'm stuck in this underground dungeon, surrounded by dimwitted abominations, talking to a very unimpressed metal giant who probably thinks I'm making this whole story up just to fill the silence. I am truly miserable."

As he hung his head in shame, Megatron thought hard about his words and eventually began to realize how similar he and Tirek were in terms of motivation and predicament. A handful of seconds later, he solemnly admitted, "I know what it's like to lose. To feel so desperately that you're right, yet to fail all the same."

The moment he heard that, Tirek looked up with a face full of curiosity and asked, "Are you saying you believe me?"

"I have seen a lot of things I only heard in legends since I arrived on this planet. So, believing you was easy for me", replied Megatron. "However, I do not just believe you, Tirek. I UNDERSTAND you. I was also a powerful lord once and I, too, suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of my enemies. Just like you, I was very close to victory, but just before I could get a taste of it, I was beaten by my nemesis and his new tiny allies. What is even worse is that, just moments later, I was abandoned by some of my most trusted followers. So, now, I am stuck in the same place as you are while my top lieutenants are battling each other in order to claim the leadership of my warrior faction, fracturing it beyond repair and destroying everything I have built for countless eons! So, yes, I completely understand what you are going through, because I am as miserable as you are right now."

In response, Tirek's facial expression became immensely surprised, he blinked a few times, and said, "Fascinating! I had no idea we were so alike. I understand your pain all too well, my dear neighbor. Humiliation and abandonment are very difficult to endure, indeed. I was abandoned too, you know. I never had any followers or friends, but I did have a family. Well, BARELY a family, because none of them really cared about me in the slightest. My parents always saw me as a disappointment, even though I tried my hardest to please both of them every chance I got. While my Gram Gram was there to cheer me up when I was feeling down, but she unfortunately passed away when I was young and I've missed her ever since. Then, there was my traitorous brother, Scorpan. We weren't very close during our youth, but he did always try to support me and I did appreciate his company a bit. However, it all changed when we came to this land to extract Equestrian magic for ourselves. He betrayed me in the most cruel fashion by befriending pathetic ponies and telling them about our plans, which led to my first imprisonment in this filthy cavern! Though I managed to escape, his betrayal still enrages me to this day and if I ever see him again, I will make sure he feels every single ounce of pain I have felt since the day he left me to rot in here!"

Thought he was a bit confused by this revelation, Megatron let out a deep sigh and revealed, "I may not be familiar with terms such as 'parents' and 'Gram Gram', but I do know what a brother is. In fact, there are a few members of my faction whom I consider as brothers and one of the officers who abandoned me was definitely a brother. Sure, he questioned my command a few times due to him finding those orders 'somewhat illogical', but he never hesitated to fight by my side and he never deliberately disobeyed me. Well, until the day he refused to come to my aid and left me on this revolting planet, that is. I am still unable to understand his motivations for doing that and it is making me more furious than ever!"

He immediately began struggling to break the chains once again and actually struggled even harder than before. Unfortunately, it only resulted in even more severe burns on his chassis and him screaming in pure agony. Several attempts later, he finally stopped his struggle and tried to recover from the agonizing pain while breathing very heavily.

During his recovery, Tirek tried to calm him down by saying, "Whoa! Easy there, neighbor! You simply need to calm yourself and save your energy."

"FOR WHAT PURPOSE?!", exclaimed Megatron. "I must confront my traitorous officer and learn his motivations behind this outrageous betrayal. I am absolutely unable to do that while I am bound to these infernal chains! I will not rust here while that traitor sits on throne and provokes my other lieutenants into trying to take it!"

"Oh, but the answer you seek has been staring at you the whole time", revealed Tirek. "You said this traitor questioned the logic behind your command a few times, yes? Now, what if, on the day his betrayal took place, you did something so illogical that he decided that continuing to serve you would be a lost cause?

Though Megatron's initial intention was to snap back at him, he stopped himself at the last second when he realized that it would accomplish nothing. Instead, he began to think about the events that occurred on the day Tirek had alluded to and after spending some time remembering those events, he eventually came to a conclusion that left him utterly shocked.

"It was the destruction of the AllSpark... ", he muttered. "I failed to save it. I failed to save my people. That is why he turned on me. I underestimated the enemy and my overconfidence led to his betrayal. I am the one responsible for all of this. The defeat, the treason, the imprisonment... All because of me."

He proceeded hanging his head in shame, letting out a heavy sigh, and continuing, "If I am the one who caused the degradation of my faction... then, I no longer deserve to be its leader. I must remain here and atone for my sins. I doomed everyone I cared about and it is best if I never escape from this prison. Who knows? I may even find a new identity for myself during my time here. After all, Lord Megatron, the mighty leader of the Decepticons, is no more."

Right after saying that, he closed his optics once more and remained silent for nearly half a minute. However, this silence was then interrupted by Tirek shouting, "HEY! Get a hold of yourself RIGHT THIS INSTANT! I mean, for heavens' sake, this despicable show you're putting on is so painful to watch!"

Despite hearing that, Megatron did not raise his head by an inch and instead, replied with irritation in his voice, "Unless you know of a way to go back in time and change the past, nothing you say will ever make me feel better."

"Well, if you must know, there is actually a spell for going back in time. The problem is that only a renowned unicorn wizard was able to cast it and he managed to go back a few days at most", Tirek complained. "In any case, my intention is not to make you feel better. Instead, I'm going to tell you THE MAIN THING you did wrong."

Hearing that was all it took to prompt Megatron to raise his head, look Tirek in the eye, and ask with a curious tone, "Very well... You have my attention."

In response, Tirek cleared his throat and explained, "You failed, because you kept trusting that insubordinate officer of yours in the first place. You knew for a long time that he wasn't fully obedient to you and yet, you still let him keep his high rank instead of punishing him by demotion or straight up termination. Think about it. If he had a lower rank or no rank at all, then he wouldn't be able to usurp you. You wouldn't be abandoned here and we wouldn't even be having be having this conversation. Makes perfect sense, right?"

Immediately after the end of that sentence, Megatron lowered his head a bit and began pondering on everything Tirek had just said. Then, a handful of seconds later, he finally began to realize the logic behind his words. After that, he gazed back towards the scrawny-looking centaur and said, "You could be right about that. Perhaps, I did put too much faith in Shockwave's 'loyalty' and that is probably why he easily convinced his soldiers to turn against me. That could be the biggest mistake I've ever made in my entire life. I was expecting this sort of betrayal from a certain air commander of mine, but not from the esteemed science officer whom I had so much trust in. Now, I see that this trust may have been misplaced. Thank you for you helping me realize this, Tirek. You hereby have my respect and, if you want, my friendship."

"Well, thanks, but I do request that you consider me as an ally and not a friend", bluntly replied Tirek. "It was friendship that led to my ruin the last time I tried to wreak havoc in Equestria and I don't want to let that happen again. Your respect, on the other hand, is good enough for me and is well-appreciated."

"Hmmm... Interesting decision, but whatever you say", Megatron declared. "So, now that we are allies, I suggest we work together and formulate an escape plan. My desire for vengeance burns deeper than ever, which is why I must find a way to get back to my faction as soon as possible make Shockwave suffer for what he did to me. As you can clearly see, I am in no position to do that while I am still locked up here."

"Don't you worry about that. I've already started figuring it out", Tirek announced with complete confidence. "However, there is actually something else we need to discuss. Now, you might not know this, but I was probably the only prisoner who didn't freak out or cower in fear when you first arrived here. Rather, I was highly curious. You see, during my first visit to Equestria, I heard a legend about beings like you coming here from the stars a long time ago. Sounds familiar?"

Though he was completely taken aback by this, Megatron tried as hard as he could to comprehend it while managing to blurt out, "Cybertronians in Equestria long before my battle with the Autobots and ponies? No, it cannot be... Unless... You must tell me everything you know about this, Tirek. Quickly!"

"Oh, relax! I'll tell you what I heard soon enough", Tirek slyly replied. "First, though, I must ask of you to do something for compensation. Tell me ALL the knowledge you possess regarding your world. The history, the culture, the people... I want to know EVERYTHING."

Shocked once again by Tirek's words, Megatron stared at him in confusion for a few seconds before asking, "Why would I share all this with you? Even if I agreed to do so, there is no telling how long it would take for me to finish it."

"Why not? I mean, neither of us are going anywhere any time soon. So, we have plenty of time", Tirek gleefully pointed out. "Besides, if we discuss the history of your world together, then maybe, we can better understand the legend I mentioned earlier. Come now, Megatron. What have you got to lose, anyway? Are you worried about what I might do with the information I asked from you? Well, if that's the case, then I give you my word that I will not use it in any sort of way that could potentially endanger your world. You can trust your new respectable ally, can't you?"

Right after asking that, Tirek started snickering maniacally while Megatron let out a very loud groan.

Comments

[IllusionedDrawer64]

That Thanos quote there

[CROSSOVER KING]

10784277
Glad you like it.