Change, In All Things, Is Inevitable
Summary: The first time Megatron faced Optimus Prime in battle, he almost didn’t recognize him.
There was little the Autobots or their leader did without Megatron’s knowledge, thanks to Soundwave. If they gained a new ally, if they dispatched a scouting team, if they so much as scheduled an outdoor training exercise, Megatron was the first to know. So, when Soundwave informed him the Council had appointed the task of finding the Matrix of Leadership to Orion Pax, Megatron immediately started strategizing.
He knew that by delegating Orion to find the Matrix, the Council sought to hinder his movement even further. They’d already identified the Decepticon’s weakest link and had managed swayed Orion with their apologies and false promises of change. It was a heavy blow, both to the cause and to Megatron personally, but the damage was ultimately not insurmountable. If anything, the betrayal only galvanized Megatron’s determination. [...]