"What do you hide behind that mask, anyways? I bet it's worth the effort of ripping it off," Megatron purred. Optimus thrashed beneath him, trying to free himself from Megatron's weight pressing down on his spark chamber. "Don't bother trying to get away."

"Get off of me!" Optimus yelled. He struggled to get his arms out from under Megatron's knees. The Decepticon leader's legs were holding down his own, making escape next to impossible. And the fingers digging into his face to remove the mask certainly wasn't helping.

"A scar, perhaps? Or beauty ripe for breaking? Or... something else that you want to keep hidden?" Megatron asked to the air despite the subject being beneath him. He pressed the center which looked like it was the seam. He pulled on the top and was unimpressed when the give was only slight. "I'm sure Ratchet made this for you, didn't he? To stop others from seeing your face. I'm certain that you're not that repulsive. No, I think you're afraid. That's why you try so hard to disappear into the shadows, even among those you call your comrads."

"Stop it, Megatron," Optimus roared. He tried to pull his face away when Megatron felt the edges of his helmet. Black fingers invaded every dip in search of a button or latch.

"Why should I? I'm just... curious. I thought you liked helping others learn."

"Not at my own expense," Optimus said. He pulled away again, only to succeed in smashing his helmet against the rocks of the cavern around them, rattling his processor within.

"So unlike you," Megatron said after a bit of laughter. "You're trembling in fear. I can feel it." He brushed a piece of metal unlike the rest of Optimus' mask or helm. An evil snake like grin spread across his face. "I've found it, haven't I?" When he was met with only a glare, he knew he'd won. He pressed the button which pulled the mask back to reveal Optimus' face.

He was right in say that the Autobot leader wasn't ugly. Far from it in fact. But he hadn't counted on Optimus having fangs like the ones the shone in the light that poured in through a gap at the top of the cave. The fangs came over his bottom lip, pressing into the softer metal. "So, your one of the fanged ones, are you? I never thought that you'd be one of them."

Rocks tumbling from the pile infront of the opening dragged Megatron's attention away long enough for Optimus to get a grip on the Decepticon's knee. He pulled, knocking Megatron over and returning his ability to stand.

Megatron waited for Optimus to speak. To scream. To yell. To open his mouth to plunge his fangs into the silver metal of Megatron's neck. But Optimus only glared at him, his weapon trained on Megatron's helm. "Optimus!" Ironhide's voice called. Optimus' optics darted to the rocks but quickly returned to Megatron.

"If the rumours are true, you should be sucking my Energon dry in seconds. Tearing into the tubes that carry it. And yet you won't even speak. Are you truely afraid of me? Or your own Autobots?" Megatron jabbed. Optimus growled low in his throat, not opening his mouth at all. The rocks were blasted from the opening, and Optimus smashed the butt of his gun into Megatron's helm.

"Optimus!" Ironhide repeated. Before the red mech had a chance to come to his leader's aid, Megatron snapped the section of Optimus helmet off that controlled the mask when the Autobot leader came into reach. The Autobot kicked Megatron away, and Ironhide came running. "Optimus, are you alright?" Optimus only gave a nod, his servo covering his face. Megatron got to his pedes, and sensing his defeat, flew from the cave. "Let's get ya back to base. Ratch'll fix ya up." He pulled one of Optimus' arms over his shoulder, leaving the other free to protect the sensitive metal of his face. Together, they left the cavern and headed back to their base, the Ark.