Optimus had just gotten a report from G.U.N about Eggman in the park. He rolled his optics about the whole thing. In all honesty, he wished Eggman would just quietly fade into the background and be forgotten so he could concentrate on the Decepticon threat. He poured over the recommendations for troop deployment. As he worked, a voice piped up. “Hey, Prime,” greeted the voice.
“Oh, Primus,” Optimus thought, “not what I need right now.” The speaker jumped onto his desk. “Sonic,” Optimus admonished aloud, “I’m very busy. This better not be a social call.”
“It’s not,” replied Sonic. “Teletraan’s been trying to reach both of us.” Optimus’ optics flickered, Cybertronian blinking, then he activated his desk’s interface with Teletraan.
“Were you trying to get me?” he asked.
“Yeah,” answered Teletraan, annoyed. “I’ve been trying to get you for an hour now!”
“Sorry,” groaned Optimus. “I was buried in work. What’s up?”
“Someone’s trying to talk to both you and Sonic,” explained Teletraan. “They said they wouldn’t reveal themselves until you two contacted them. They left their contact info behind, but it doesn’t tell me the name.”
“…Is it going to be secure?” asked Optimus.
“Very, actually,” replied Teletraan. “They’ve accounted for Soundwave, for some reason.”
“Then they feel that what they need to say to us,” declared Optimus, “would have the potential to tip the war in the Decepticons’ favor. Call them.” Teletraan connected the call and a ringing was heard as Sonic and Optimus waited. Soon, the other person picked up. Their face appeared and…
“EGGMAN?!” yelped Sonic.
“Excellent!” praised Eggman over the call. “I understand this is a rather unique situation…”
“How did you find Teletraan in the first place?!” demanded Optimus. “What’s Megatron planning?!”
“If I were calling on behalf of the Decepticons,” retorted Eggman, “I wouldn’t make sure Soundwave wasn’t listening in.”
“…He’s got a point,” remarked Teletraan.
“Well, I’d say it’s good to see you,” chuckled Sonic, “but it’s not nice to lie.”
“Very droll, you pincushion,” grumbled Eggman. “Listen, I have news that will affect life on Mobius AND Cybertron as well. I need to discuss the terms of a truce with you two and the other leaders.” Sonic and Optimus blinked, then looked at each other.
The two met Eggman in an area that neither Autobot nor Decepticon had found. The area was rich in Energon, so robot mode would be affected instantly, and weapons fire would cause the area to ignite. They waited as Sira, Bokkun, Topaz, and Aleena arrived. “All right, Eggbreath,” snarled Bokkun, “YOU called the meeting! What’s this nonsense about a truce?!”
“Absolutely true, my old messenger, I assure you,” soothed Eggman.
“When you call a truce,” growled Aleena, “it usually means that you need time to rebuild the Eggman Empire!”
“Under normal circumstances, yes,” answered Eggman, “but, given that the Decepticons are going to weaponize a relic of the Transformers’ past, not this time.”
“A relic of our past?” asked Optimus. “What do you mean?”
“Go ahead and verify this footage,” urged Eggman as he handed over a flash drive, “but it IS all true. Optimus, the Decepticons have found the Allspark here on Mobius!”
“What?!” protested Optimus. “Absurd! The chances of that happening are astronomical!”
“I tell you now, the Decepticons found it and plan to weaponize it!” insisted Eggman.
“Could you explain what the Allspark is?” Sira asked Optimus.
“It’s our species’ old means of propagation before females came into existence outside of our demi-gods,” explained Optimus. “It’s a giant cube that can bring machines to our form of life.”
“But you guys got it off your planet while you were fighting the Quintessons, right?” asked Bokkun.
“We did,” confirmed Optimus. “However, only a Matrix-bearer could activate it.”
“Well, Megatron found it here!” urged Eggman. “He intends to weaponize it and use you to activate it!”
“That’s absurd!” scoffed Optimus. “Even if I believe you, the playing field’s still even. Like me, Megatron doesn’t know how a Matrix-bearer activated it. That knowledge was lost during the Great War.”
“Do you really think Megatron won’t relearn the knowledge?!” argued Eggman.
“Even if he did, why would you be so concerned?” asked Topaz. “A world ruled by machines; that’s your dream, right?”
“I’M the one that needs to rule the machines,” answered Eggman. “If Megatron has his way, I’ll be toiling with you lot, not ruling over you! To be frank, I can’t have Megatron upend my work and I can’t be distracted by you heroes. Thus, I propose a truce lasting long enough for you to get the Allspark under guard. I’d feel more comfortable with the Autobots holding onto it.”
“Do you take us for fools?!” snarled Sonic.
“No, old friend,” chuckled Eggman as he flew off, “I take you all for heroes.” He then left the area, leaving the Mobius Leaders, Sonic, and Optimus to ponder the next move.
“I…I mean, it can’t…” Prowl was floundering at the results of the repeated analysis tests of the flash drive. They had all come back the same, the footage simply WASN’T tampered with. There were Eggman robots with the Decepticon symbol guarding the Allspark. Teletraan even verified the coordinates with a Sky Spy.
“I don’t know what to tell you, Prowl,” muttered Teletraan. “Eggman was telling the truth.”
“But he’s a known crook!” protested Prowl. “Maybe there’s something we’ve missed! Let’s run a…”
“No!” argued Teletraan. “We’ve run every form of analysis on that flash drive three times over and the results are all the same! I’m not going to let myself be called insane again! Besides, it’s nighttime! Even I need my sleep!” Prowl sighed as a fact weighed down on his mind.
“I suppose it would be irresponsible of us,” he muttered, “to wait any longer if the Decepticons really DO have the Allspark. We better tell Prime.”
“Thank you!” bid Teletraan as relief crossed his avatar’s features.
“A Sky Spy?!” roared Megatron as Eggman told him what the Autobots did.
“Yes!” confirmed Eggman. “The Autobots know about the Allspark! They’ll try and take it!”
“If Unicron’s coming,” growled Megatron, “we can’t afford to let those bumbling Autobots have the Allspark! Have the guard doubled and tell Metal Sonic to get involved!”
“I will!” promised Eggman. Megatron left and Eggman doubled the guard, informing Metal Sonic that he was needed at the Allspark. Once all that was done, he relaxed. “Computer, how go the simulations?” he asked.
“All simulations complete,” answered the computer. “We’re ready to begin construction.”
“Get to it,” ordered Eggman. “Oh, fire up my music as well. Playlist: Tunes of Anarchy, Track 1.”
“Construction of Final Drafts: Initiated,” droned the computer. “Where Evil Grows: Now Playing.” The song then began.
“I like the way you smile at me.
I felt the heat that enveloped me.” Eggman then activated a display that monitored construction completion.
“And what saw I liked to see,
I never knew where evil grew.” He then activated a hologram of a rave with him at the center of attention and started dancing, checking the construction status all the while.
“I should have steered away from you.
My friend told me to keep clear of you.” A pair of groupies then swooned for Eggman as he wiggled his eyebrows and grinned.
“But something drew me near to you,
I never knew where evil grew.” The area then went dark for a minute before the hologram changed to a skiing trip. Eggman then joined in the illusion and pretended to ski down the slopes.
“Evil grows in the dark,
Where the sun, it never shines.
Evil grows in cracks and holes,
And lives in people’s minds.” The hologram then changed to a T-rex chasing him down city streets.
“Evil grew, it’s part of you,
And now it seems to be,” Eggman then “tripped” and turned just as the T-rex bit his head. He pretended that he was headless for a bit as he continued dancing as the rave came back.
“That every time I look at you,
Evil grows in me!” Eggman continued dancing, unaware that one of the ravers was out of place.
“…Doctor,” called the raver. “…Doctor…DOCTOR EGGMAN!” The “raver” was Shockwave’s holo-form. Eggman yelped and shut off the music and hologram. “May I ask you something?” inquired Shockwave.
“Of course, Shockwave,” answered Eggman.
“What, pray tell, are you doing?” quizzed Shockwave.
“I’m designing new weapons to defeat the Autobots,” explained Eggman.
“YOU are making weapons to DEFEAT the Autobots?” asked Shockwave. The doubting tone was strong in her query.
“That’s right,” replied Eggman, a little hurt. “After all, it’s been said across the media that Dr. Julian Ivo ‘Eggman’ Robotnik has the most magnificent machines on Mobius!”
“Doctor,” remarked Shockwave, “they actually called your failures to kill Sonic magnificent, not your robots.”
“Very funny,” scoffed Eggman.
“I didn’t joke,” countered Shockwave. “I stated facts.”
“You’re just jealous,” argued Eggman, “that Megatron still needs me!”
“I don’t feel any jealousy,” replied Shockwave.
“You obviously have emotions,” chuckled Eggman. “How else would you explain your freak-out on Metro…” Shockwave then grabbed him by the shirt.
“I don’t know how that knowledge came your way, and I don’t care!” she hissed. “You will NOT use that against me again, if you value your internal organs!” She released him roughly and stormed out of the lab.
“…Meh, what do I care?” dismissed Eggman as he brushed himself off.
“Construction complete,” reported the computer.
“Excellent!” cheered Eggman. “We’ll deploy them once the Autobots and Decepticons meet in the cave!”