Optimus Prime's Secret
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 No, this doesn't scream yaoi at all. | |||||||||||||
| "Optimus Prime's Secret" コンボイの秘密
(Convoy no Himitsu) | |||||||||||||
| Publisher | Poplar | ||||||||||||
| Published in | Comic BunBun | ||||||||||||
| First published | March 14, 2009 | ||||||||||||
| Cover date | April 2009 | ||||||||||||
| Manga by | Naoto Tsushima | ||||||||||||
| Editing | TakaraTomy | ||||||||||||
| Continuity | Henkei! Henkei! | ||||||||||||
Megatron brings to light an event that has haunted Optimus since one year ago...
Synopsis
[edit]The second human in the Autobot base introduces himself as Doctor Osamu Kihara, a member of the Governmental Special Diplomatic Agency. Kihara summarizes the agency's main objective of welcoming extraterrestrials, then states that with Wataru lending his power to protect Earth, cooperation is also necessary, even from one person. The boy responds that he's a member of the Autobots.
Introductions done, Kihara gets straight to the point: a bit of investigation to do in the countryside. Apparently, there's something there that the locals call a "healing stone", whereas the scientist thinks it's actually a fragment of the Energon Cube. Wataru eagerly agrees to check it out with Optimus.
En route, Wataru laments that they couldn't bring Bumblebee along, although Optimus points out that having a large group would just make them conspicuous, and they're only investigating. Finally reaching a large rock on a small pedestal that has a different piece of rock sticking out, Wataru confirms it's an Energon Cube fragment. Just before Prime prepares to report back to Doctor Kihara, an explosion prompts him to shield Wataru. From the dust cloud emerges Megatron, demanding both fragment and Booster. Having feared Megatron's knowledge about Wataru's ability, Prime feigns ignorance of the boy being a Booster, but the Decepticon leader calls him out on the lie. Megatron also accuses Optimus of having the advantage during battle by having Wataru nearby as a tool, just like one year ago...
Optimus attempts to reach out to a boy who is floating midair within a blinding light and then gradually disintegrating...
To further rub salt into an apparently old wound, Megatron mocks his rival for having obtained a defect back then, and wonders whether Prime will use be using the Booster again. Optimus lashes out with his energon-axe, but the Decepticon leader blocks with the chain of his energon flail before they go into a frenzied exchange blows, leaving Wataru startled by the Autobot's sudden change in behavior. Swinging an uppercut with his flail, Megatron suggests their ongoing fighting is proof of their race's existence, and that won't change no matter how much time passes. He takes another verbal jab at Prime: Even with his "peace for all living beings in the universe" speech, here he is, fighting on Earth. Optimus retorts that he fights to prevent the Emperor of Destruction's subjugation of everything.
Megatron then poses this: Based on his combat instincts, hasn't Optimus hoped to use the Booster to defeat him? And he understands the craving for power.
When Prime falters on denying the accusation of that desire, Megatron takes the chance to land a serious blow onto the Autobot's chest that sends him flying back heads over heels. Wataru runs over in panic, but despite Prime's gaping wound, he tells the boy to escape. Satisfied with the downed Autobot, Megatron claims that he’ll utilize Wataru much more effectively. The boy protests at the thought of being used by someone like the warlord. Apparently amused, Megatron reveals that Optimus had met another Booster just like Wataru before, and implies that Prime's "usage" led to letting the previous Booster die. With the student stunned by that revelation, the Decepticon promises that he won't let the boy die for his sake...so as long Wataru goes with Megatron.
In spite of his confusion, Wataru activates his barrier, forcing Megatron to back away and to analyze their first encounter: This form of reaction is "rejection", and that was what deflected his fusion cannon's shot, not just Optimus's ion blaster. Wataru takes the opportunity to get to Optimus, and with a blinding burst of light, Prime is back up, his chest rapidly repairing itself as Wataru, holding onto Prime's antenna, uses his healing ability. When Wataru declares that he won't let Megatron do as he pleases to Earth and that he's a member of the Autobots, Optimus' energon axe is boosted to a much more powerful energon sword form.
The resulting strike on the Decepticon leader creates an enormous crater with Autobot and human at the epicenter, as well taking out a good chunk of the hillside. The two are fine, if exhausted, Optimus weakly noting that he’s used up almost all his energy. Wataru jokes about them being the strongest tag team, and when Prime asks for Megatron's whereabouts, he responds their enemy had retreated. The boy also adds that he has already contacted the others — Kihara riding in Bumblebee and urging the scout to go faster — so they can rest a bit in the meantime.
Just before going into stasis lock and leaving Wataru panicking, Optimus admits that Megatron had told the truth: He HAD let a young boy die without helping...
Featured characters
[edit](Numbers indicate order of appearance.)
| Autobots | Decepticons | Humans |
|---|---|---|
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Notes
[edit]- Wataru is shown sitting on the right side of Optimus's alternate mode, which is the driver's side in Japan, as opposed to the left-hand drive vehicles in the US. DMV? What DMV?
Transformers references
[edit]- Optimus and Megatron battle each other with their respective energon weapons for real. But not at a certain dam. Damn.
