I finally managed to finish this one-shot. lol I've always wondered how SG Optimus got all batshit, so here's what I personally came up with. I don't think the Matrix was ever mentioned in the actually comics, but whatever. I pretty much gave up on the ending. I couldn't think of anything lol Anyway, enjoy!

Happy reading/writing

"Ironhide," Optimus Prime murmured. "Do you think I am mad?"

The Autobot leader sat back in his large throne-like seat. He tapped one taloned finger on the armrest impatiently while staring ahead at his troopers. The two minor Autobots silently flew the small vessel into Cybertron's deepest darkest region by their leader's orders. The Prime gave the two troopers specific directions to were they needed to fly the ship to. Both minors sat stiffly at the control panel, knowing that multiple pairs of red optics were watching their every move.

Ironhide stood to Optimus' right, while Jazz and his twin Ricochet, stood to the left. The older mech glanced down at his leader. Even while sitting, Optimus was intimidating. Though his frame wasn't as hulking as Ironhide's, Prime was rather tall. His long legs were capable of delivering swift powerful kicks. His large black hands were strong enough to crush one's helm. Each of his digits were tipped with sharpened silver talons that could literally tear into another mech's chest plate and pull out their spark. Ironhide would never want to fight his Prime. The purple mech carried many hidden weapons, most of which were unknown even to Ironhide. He was also a very skilled fighter, mastering in almost all forms of hand-to-hand combat. Oh how Ironhide admired such a fearsome warrior.

"Well, Ironhide? I am waiting." Optimus' voice brought Ironhide out of his thoughts. The black mech could feel both Jazz and Ricochet's gaze upon him. From the corner of his own optic, he could see them. Despite their visors hiding their visionary sensors, Ironhide knew that they were staring directly at him just by their expressions. Ricochet grinned broadly exposing his pointed dental plating. Jazz, on the other hand, merely smirked. He was more subtle of the two.

"No, my lord," Ironhide finally answered, keeping his voice leveled. "I do not think you are mad at all." Amusement flashed in the war lord's optics briefly.

"Are you lying to me, Ironhide?" he asked. "I do recall earlier that you attempted to talk me out of going on this quest."

"Yes, I did. But not because I believe you to be mad," Ironhide continued. "You stated that you wished to travel to this lost barren region of Cybertron,, and I only wished for your safety." Ironhide still had no idea where his leader planned on going or what he was looking for. He didn't ask. He didn't need to. If it was on need to know bases, then Prime would have told him first.

"Even when we speak together as friends, you still act as my bodyguard."

"It is my duty to protect you, sir." Optimus laughed at this but Ironhide went on wholeheartedly. "How can I protect you if I don't even know what we are searching for?"

"My dear Ironhide, you always know how to please me with your words," the leader said mildly, completely disregarding Ironhide's question. Though, despite this, Ironhide smiled faintly at the minor praise he received, for he loved getting attention from his master. He glanced smugly at Ricochet and Jazz. The latter's lips pierced together into a thin line while his twin's were peeled back into a silent snarl. Ironhide enjoyed infuriating the twins. He knew that they try their very best to please Optimus and get very jealous whenever someone else does so. It was possibly the only mutual trait they share other than their appearance.

...

After a few silent clicks, Optimus stood up abruptly. He gained a slight bit of pleasure when everyone around him tensed at his sudden movement. Even the troopers up front jumped when he placed his large hands on each of their chairs. This was true power.

"There," Prime breathed and pointed a silver tipped finger towards the wide-screen, indicating to a landing pad that looked somewhat stable. "Land there." The troopers did as they were commanded and moments later, the vessel had landed. "Jazz and Ricochet, you two stay and watch the ship," Optimus said as he strode back to his seat only to snatch his mask. "Everyone else with me." The Prime walked passed the twins, ignoring their shocked expressions, and walked down the now lowered ramp. It was usually the troopers' job to watch over the ship, but Prime didn't want to be bothered by the twins' constant bickering. He needed to focus on his quest.

As Optimus descended the ramp's steps, he caught sight of his face in the ship's newly buffed finish. He absently noted his own smooth visage. The tint of his metallic facial plating was rather light compared to others. It brought out his clear red optics, which were evenly shaped, and perfectly sized. The seams that trailed down from said optics to his jaw-line were clean. To many, the Prime had been considered handsome. Before, when he was nothing more than a pitiful librarian, Optimus, Optronix then, had the same 'lovely' face. Unfortunately, when he upgraded his body, he failed to change his face. It disgusted him. He always thought his face made him less intimidating if not weak. What revolted him even more was that every time he saw his own face, it reminded him of Ultra Magnus, his younger brother. Magnus looked very much like Optimus, something the Prime despised. That was partially why Optimus almost always wore his battle mask, to hide his face from his enemies.

Rage flared through his spark as he continued to stare at himself. Now all he saw was Magnus' smug face smirking back at him. The favorite one. The one that Alpha Trion always seemed to praise and deem perfect. One day he will tear his brother's face off. One day. Then he won't be so perfect.

"Sir?" Optimus heard Ironhide say uncertainly. The Prime realized that he was blocking the others from getting off the ship. Silently, the purple mech clicked his mask into place and walked off the ramp with more confidence in his stride. Ironhide and the other two minor Autobots followed without saying a word. It was for the best not to.

...

As the Autobots wandered about the area, Ironhide took in to his new surroundings. The area, Ironhide realized, was nothing more than a very large crater. It seemed as if a city once stood here in the far past. Shards of metal littered the uneven ground while some seemed to be protruding from the ground itself. Streams of expired energon threaded in from every direction, creating pools where the ground was lowest. As he followed Prime, Ironhide could have sworn that he saw Cybertronian bodies. He wasn't squeamish, for he had killed many pathetic Decepticons and watched executions with excitement. However, Ironhide felt a chill run down his spinal struts. There was something very wrong about this unknown territory. He wasn't the only one who felt it. The minors seemed to be at an unease as well. One even yelped when he accidentally stepped on a dead cybertronian. Optimus was the most calm out of the group. He marched through the large shrapnel with determination and purpose, not caring if he stomped on severed limbs or sharp glass.

"It is here. I know it," Ironhide heard Prime whisper to himself.

"Are you certain, sir?" a minor asked. He looked around nervously, not bothering to attempt hiding his discomfort. Optimus stopped in his tracks and glared at both troopers.

"Of course I am certain, you cowards," he snapped. "Do not doubt me again." He went silent for a moment then looked at Ironhide. "You believe me, don't you old friend?"

"Yes, Prime. I truly do," the black mech answered. Satisfied, Optimus walked on. Ironhide wasn't sure if Optimus truly believed his false words or if he merely wanted to hear them. He began to worry about the Prime's obsession with this quest.

Absently, Ironhide kicked a piece of rusted metal and watched it bounce noisily away. He felt his already deep frown deepen even further. There was nothing to find in this forsake place. Prime was wrong. He was awfully tempted to gloat about it to his leader, but when he turned to see Optimus' excited expression the temptation disappeared.

"Here!" Optimus shouted as he literally tossed a Cybertronian carcass away, narrowly missed hitting one of the Autobot minors. Ironhide watched silently as Prime continued to toss pieces of metal, from old construction as well as corpses. Soon enough, to Ironhide's astonishment, he found a cave. The body guard peered into the cavity with uncertainty.

"I will go in alone," Optimus said. "You three wait out here."

"But sir," Ironhide retorted. "Won't it be better if I go in with you?"

"No!" the Prime snapped, startling Ironhide. It was very rare to see Optimus lose his cool so easily. It was clear that he was excited. "I must go alone. Understand?"

Ironhide nodded and watched his leader climb into the cave and disappear into the darkness.

...

Prime found no reason to tell Ironhide what he was searching for. He knew that the old mech didn't believe in the old stories about a great ancient power source: the Matrix of Destruction. Both he himself and Ironhide have read about the artifact. It's origins are unknown, as the legend vaguely stated. It was the ultimate weapon to Prime's eyes as it is said to give tremendous power once merges with another's spark. Optimus' body guard was so sure that the Matrix was merely a story to scare rebellious younglings to stay clear from abandoned wreckages like that one he was in at the moment. But Prime knew better. He was certain that the Matrix existed and that he was getter closer to it's location.

Optimus found himself in a completely dark chamber. If the area above looked devastating enough, underground was quite worse. It looked as if thousands of oversized turbofoxes attacked the chamber. Large cables shed a few sparks as they hung limply from the ceiling. The purple mech hiked through the large shrapnel that towered even him. After what felt like cycles, Prime finally saw a light. A tiny red light, almost like a single optic staring directly at him. With excitement, he ran towards the light, stumbling as he went. The Prime let out frustrated roars as he tore through the jagged metal forest, ignoring the scratches and gashes he gained from them.

Finally, he entered yet another chamber. This one was well lit from an unknown light source. The walls were smooth and seemed to have been shined to perfection for Prime could see his reflection on all the long vertical platings. The floor was also quite even and smooth unlike outside the room. In the middle sat the Matrix of Destruction. Or an item that Optimus thought was the Matrix of Destruction. Disappointment blossomed from within Optimus.

The relic looked nothing like the images he had seen in the archives. It was supposed to be an object with such glory that it was blinding. The Matrix before him looked worn with thin handles that might fall off at any moment. And there were blotches of rust all over the main spherical body, which looked slightly dented. But he had come too far to turn back. Too far to reject this hideous excuse for a power source.

Slowly, the Emperor went towards the Matrix. He noted the mound of dead mechs surrounding the item. Their deaths were a mystery to him for all of their frames appeared undamaged. Optimus assumed that the fools just weren't strong enough to carry such power from the relic. After crudely kicking away the corpses, the Autobot leader picked up the Matrix. He was mildly surprised that the fragile looking object didn't disintegrate in his very hands. It was also quite heavy.

With a hiss, Optimus' chest plating opened. His spark shone brightly, adding a pale blue aura to the already well lit chamber. Prime watched his reflection as he pulled the Matrix towards his spark. At first he felt resistance, as if his spark and the Matrix were of the same magnetic pole. He grunted and struggled to bring the object within him. Slowly but surely, he was able to force the ancient power source into his chest. An oddly comforting warmth filled his circuits. It was almost pleasant. The feeling grew and Prime knew that it was the Matrix's power filling him. Then the heat disappeared and was replaced with a shattering cold. Optimus gasped in surprise. The temperature continued to drop dangerously, or that was what it felt like. It was to the point of being excruciatingly painful. The stinging cold burned through his spark, knocking him down to his knees. It was too much, the pain. It wracked through his frame in wave. He sensed his systems and processor beginning to overload from the sensation, near crashing. He couldn't focus. Couldn't think. Then he heard it. Laughter. Was that his own? No. It couldn't be his own. It sounded too much like...Magnus.

The Autobot leader stared at the mirror wall at himself. Except he couldn't exactly see himself anymore. He saw his father, Alpha Trion. The ancient mech stared back with absolute disgust.

"Never good enough," he would say to his older son. Now those words echoed through Prime's mudded mind along with Magnus' laughter. He saw him too, his little brother. He stared up at his brother's face. That. Smug. Face. The rage was back, almost numbing the chilling pain that continued to soar inside of him. Oh how he wanted to sink his talons into the younger mech's visage. To claw that obnoxious smile off. Claw. Claw. He raised his hand, staring blindly into his at his own reflection. Claw. Claw.

...

Ironhide paced restlessly, ignoring the quite yet edgy murmurs of the two minor Autobots beside him. He didn't like the secrets Optimus kept from him. He was the Prime's personal body guard and most trusted friend. Why would he keep secrets from his own best friend? He wasn't treacherous like that brat of a brother or that irritating Rodimus. Those two disgusted Ironhide and he wished many times for Optimus to give the order for their elimination.

Several cycles had passed and Optimus still hadn't contacted Ironhide, nor had he emerged from the cave. Naturally Ironhide began to worry again. Something must be wrong. Maybe he was caught in a deadly trap. Or a the rebel army, the Decepticons, ambushed him.

"You two, follow me," Ironhide said to the troopers, who jumped at being acknowledged. Such weak fry, they were. Ironhide was surprised that they were still online.

"But Master ordered us to stay," one said while his companion nodded vigorously. Ironhide simply glared at them both until they stammered their apologies and followed him into the black cave.

The old mech's joints creaked with effort as he made his way through the barren land. It was a difficult landscape to navigate through. Even a younger bot would have trouble like the two idiotic troopers stumbling about. Ironhide ignored them. He merely walked on, doing his best to be sure footed.

A roar then filled his audio sensors. At first Ironhide thought it was merely one of the rare Cybertronic wildlife aimlessly roamed the planet. But as the bellowing continued, Ironhide realized that it wasn't a wild creature. It was Prime.

"Sir!" he shouted back and started to run as fast as his old body could take him. Ironhide entered a bright chamber. It took a moment for his optics to adjust. When they did, he gasp at the sight before him.

Optimus was kneeling in the floor, almost curled up. He looked feral. His optics were dull and haunted. He stared blankly at the wall in front of him which was marred by cracks and claw marks. His mask, cracked and on the floor away from him. He kept one hand over his lower face, his talons digging into the smooth metal. Energon was dripping from his talons.

"Prime? Sir?" Ironhide said hesitantly. The tyrant's optics drifted from the wall over to him. He stared at the black mech as if he was a complete stranger.

"Ironhide," he uttered gutturally. "I told you not to follow." He rose to his peds and walked over to Ironhide. Staggered more like it. His hand fell from his face, revealing deep gashes running down his cheeks, mouth, and over his nasal strip. Pink energon trickled from the wounds. His dental plates were stained by it.

"I...I got worried, my liege," Ironhide managed. He heard the two Autobot troopers come up from behind him and freeze in their tracks. They also sensed the wrongness in Prime. He wanted to recoil as his leader's glazed optics scanned each of them. Without warning, he struck Ironhide with the back of his hand. The older mech slammed back into the wall. His cheek was severely dented and energon leaked from the corner of his mouth. He sat up, too dazed to be stunned by how powerful the hit was.

"Did I not order you to stay put!?" Prime roared. "I told all of you to stay back!" Ironhide shrank back in fear. Optimus never yelled at him before.

The purple mech grabbed one trooper by the head. The poor minor thrashed his limbs in vain and screamed as his leader crushed his helm with ease. The other turned and ran for his life. Optimus pulled his blaster out from his sub space and shot wildly at the runaway, peppering him with holes. The Autobot fell and his movement ceased. Ironhide stood, using the wall to keep his balance for his processor was still groggy. He couldn't say a word before also getting bombarded by bullets, narrowly missed getting hit directly in the spark. He slumped back down and coughed up energon. His arm was severed by the ruthless attack and his chassis was losing a dangerous amount of energon. System alerts flashed across his optics which barely allowed him to see Optimus walking towards his broken body.

"Master," he croaked, static caught in his voice. "Please..."

"You couldn't follow a simple order Ironhide," Optimus said, kneeling down beside him. His voice was startlingly gentle, which made Ironhide push back against the wall in a vain attempt to get away. The warlord sunk his talons into Ironhide's chest plating , completely marring the Autobot insignia. "I'm not sure if you even deserve to wear this symbol." Ironhide arched involuntarily. The sharp talons sliced through sensitive wiring and he gasped in pain. The very tip of Prime's fingers hit his spark casing and stopped. A faint yet dangerous numbness started from within his own spark and began to spread. He was going into shock. Then everything went black.

Ironhide woke to the same numb feeling. He must have fallen for he was face down but he couldn't move, not that he wanted to. His processor still felt slow and he couldn't fully concentrate. He vaguely realized that the room began to move and a deafening scraping sound filled his audio sensors. It gave him a splitting processor ache, much worse than he already had.

"You see what you made me do?" he heard Prime's voice say from somewhere above him. He could barely decipher what his master was saying. "You disobeyed orders and I had to punish you. Simple as that. If you'd listened, then I wouldn't be dragging you back to the ship, now would I?" He felt himself be lifted and tossed through something, then blackness again.

Ironhide started with a jolt. I looked around his new surroundings wildly, realizing that they were surprisingly familiar. He was in the medbay of their base in Iacon. Ironhide was laying back on one of the berths. The medic Ratchet was thankfully nowhere in sight. He looked down at himself and saw that he was already patched up, though there was still a lot of finishing up to do on his beaten chassis.

"Ironhide! You've awaken finally," Prime's voice exclaimed happily from behind, making Ironhide gasp. The warlord walked around into his sight. His frame was completely refinished. All of the gashes and scrapes were buffed to perfection. However, a new mask covered his face. Ironhide had a feeling that the carvings were still under the mask. But that didn't bother him. What troubled the black mech was his master's optics. They looked...dead. Sure they were online and bright, but there was something dead behind them. They made him uneasy.

"M-master?" Ironhide asked, uncertain what to say exactly.

"I couldn't just let you die like that. After all, you are my most trusted friend. Right?" Ironhide nodded. Optimus seemed pleased by that and gently caressed his bodyguard's face. Almost tenderly. "I realized that you were only concerned for my well-being, as always. I apologize for overreacting."

"Sir...I," Ironhide but was silenced by Optimus placing a single digit over his mouth plates.

"Hush, old friend. You have much healing to do yet." he purred. His hand drifted down to his chest, right over Ironhide's newly refurnished Autobot insignia. Ironhide was terrified at having to be under the Prime's talons once more. However, the intimate touches felt exclusively for him, and Ironhide couldn't think of anything else he's wanted.

"Ironhide," Optimus said softly. "Do you think I am mad?"

The old mech was baffled by the sudden question. He thought about was how dead the Prime's optics looked. How he had been beaten and attacked in that chamber. He would never forget how his beloved master nearly ripped his spark out for refusing to follow such a small command. And yet, all he said was, "No, my lord. I do not think you are mad at all."