raisedbymoogles (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
raisedbymoogles) wrote2017-05-01 11:28 pm
raisedbymoogles) wrote2017-05-01 11:28 pm
Entry tags:
Gladiator'verse snippet.
First explored here and here, a 'verse I've been toying with in which Orion Pax is a gladiator and Megatron is a demon-summoning archivist. One day I'll actually sit down and write this, but Fluffiroth comes first.
*
“If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?”
It was a cruel question to ask a slave, but Hound’s smile was so unselfconsciously kind that Orion couldn’t bring himself to be irritated. Still, as he turned over the question in his mind, he knew his answer would be unsatisfactory. “I wouldn’t mind seeing other cities, I suppose. Maybe go up to one of the moons, see Cybertron from space. But I would always return here in the end, if my owner even allowed such far-ranging travel in the first place.”
“They ought to. Travel enriches us.” Hound finished with the patch on Orion’s leg and straightened. “But, you know… you could live without needing permission. If you wanted to try… I would help.”
And there it was. Hound was one of those - the people the overseers laughingly referred to as “poorest of thieves," who didn’t even keep or sell the slaves they stole. A Chainbreaker.
“I’m not worth the risk to you if you were caught helping me escape,” Orion told him, and finally Hound’s smile collapsed into anger and sorrow.
“You are a person! With a spark! Of course you’re worth-"
“Thank you for saying so, but I’m not.” Orion reached out before Hound could protest again, grasping the smaller mech’s shoulder. “But - there are those that are. Students of mine - twins. They’re too good for the pits.” He saw Hound’s optics soften, felt Hound’s hand cover his own as he finally understood.
“If you can,” Orion begged quietly, “please save them.”
*
“If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?”
It was a cruel question to ask a slave, but Hound’s smile was so unselfconsciously kind that Orion couldn’t bring himself to be irritated. Still, as he turned over the question in his mind, he knew his answer would be unsatisfactory. “I wouldn’t mind seeing other cities, I suppose. Maybe go up to one of the moons, see Cybertron from space. But I would always return here in the end, if my owner even allowed such far-ranging travel in the first place.”
“They ought to. Travel enriches us.” Hound finished with the patch on Orion’s leg and straightened. “But, you know… you could live without needing permission. If you wanted to try… I would help.”
And there it was. Hound was one of those - the people the overseers laughingly referred to as “poorest of thieves," who didn’t even keep or sell the slaves they stole. A Chainbreaker.
“I’m not worth the risk to you if you were caught helping me escape,” Orion told him, and finally Hound’s smile collapsed into anger and sorrow.
“You are a person! With a spark! Of course you’re worth-"
“Thank you for saying so, but I’m not.” Orion reached out before Hound could protest again, grasping the smaller mech’s shoulder. “But - there are those that are. Students of mine - twins. They’re too good for the pits.” He saw Hound’s optics soften, felt Hound’s hand cover his own as he finally understood.
“If you can,” Orion begged quietly, “please save them.”
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