"Banished? What are you saying? Where are we?" Shockwave asked, not liking the unusual situation he was in, something outside of his plans and calculations.
"This is the Cataclysm Dimension, a place for all those who have been banished from the Allspark, which means we have no afterlife when we die. This place is a prison for our minds to be consumed by despair." The mysterious Cybertronian replied, staring intently at Shockwave, realizing that the unexpected visitor was not physically in front of him. "You are not physically in this dimension, but how is that possible? If not... now I understand, the Triptych Mask, it sent your mind to this dimension."
Shockwave became increasingly suspicious of the mysterious man before him, the way he was so confident in understanding how he had arrived in this dimension in such a short time was a clear sign that he was not to be underestimated.
"Tell me, mortal, how did you get my brother's mask?" The mysterious Cybertronian demanded, causing the lightning around him to become more aggressive.
"Your brother? That can't be... you're a Prime." Shockwave was shocked, even apprehensive for the first time in his life. He had no way of knowing that he would be sent to a dimension other than his own, and worse, that he would be trapped in the same place as a Prime, one of Onyx Prime's brothers. "Who are you? I don't recognize your image, are you by any chance one of the real Thirteen Primes?"
"It's almost insolent that a worm like you doesn't know my name, but let me remind you." The mysterious Prime made his eyes glow, causing Shockwave to fall to his knees in pain, subdued by a power so vastly superior to his own that he was forced to bend his knees and bow his head. "I AM MEGATRONUS PRIME!"
[Megatronus...Prime?! The real one?! How is that possible?! He should be dead!] Shockwave thought, trying to formulate a plan to get out of this unwanted situation, but everything indicated that he was under the judgment of a true Prime's will.
"THERE IS ONLY ONE MEGATRONUS! AND THAT IS ME, NOT EVEN A FORGERY IS WORTHY TO INHERIT MY NAME." Megatronus Prime threatened as he read a portion of Shockwave's mind, crushing the scientist into the ground as if gravity were at his command.
[Gravity manipulation... now I get it, he seems to have some influence on gravity, making it lighter or heavier.] Shockwave thought, concluding that Megatronus Prime was using it to subdue him, but he still had to figure out how. [He explained that I am not physically in this dimension, so how can this one interact with me? It is not scientifically possible.]
"It's natural that someone like you doesn't understand, you're a scientist, my fellow Primes and I have powers granted to our Spark thanks to the Primus and the Allspark, it's natural that someone like you can't acknowledge this as something scientifically possible, because it isn't." Megatronus Prime replied, understanding how skeptical minds could deny the divine abilities he and his fellow Primes possessed. "The very form of the thing, a power of a god right in front of you."
Shockwave was even more astonished, now realizing that Megatronus Prime somehow had the ability to read his mind, meaning that the chances of creating an escape strategy would be anticipated, in other words, checkmate. Not to mention the situation with his sincere confession, revealing that he was literally using powers to influence him, as if the dimensional barriers between them didn't actually exist.
"Impressive, instead of despairing, you haven't lost your cool, your mind is still working to find a way to overcome my control over you. I can respect your willpower." Megatronus Prime smiled, enjoying the scientist's unusual resistance. He released his gravitational control over Shockwave's body, causing him to sigh in relief and take a few seconds to regain his composure.
"Such subjugating power, so this is the power of a Prime." Shockwave stood up with some difficulty, feeling his body shake with pain. "So the power of the Primes was never a farce after all, so I am truly standing before a god."
"Correct, Shockwave." Megatronus Prime adjusted his position on his imposing throne. "But don't think that all my brothers have powers as relevant as mine, only a few can be minimally interesting rivals for me."
"Gravity control, mind reading... scary powers." Shockwave commented, not knowing what would happen to him. "I'm not physically in this dimension, but I'm still affected by your powers. Therefore, you must have some influence on the reality of this dimension to be able to subjugate me in this way."
"Very well observed, you're not bad for a mortal." Megatronus Prime supported his face with his clenched left fist on his throne. "Now tell me, how did you manage to find my brother's Triptych Mask?" he asked coldly, his ability to read minds limited by the difference in dimensions between them, not realizing that he was making Shockwave suspicious about how Onyx Prime had died.
"You didn't ask if he was alive....You were the one who ripped off Onyx Prime's head, an impressive feat considering the Predacon's anatomy." Shockwave concluded, watching with some fascination, wondering if he could replicate Megatronus Prime's monstrous strength in his clones.
"What's really impressive is that you want to revive the Predacons through cloning." Megatronus Prime read Shockwave's mind, delving into the mind ravaged by the madness of science, surprised at the audacity of someone who would want to do something so inhumane as play God. "I must say that your goal of cloning my brother Onyx Prime is impossible, even if you manage to copy his body, without the spark of a Prime you will never reach his true power, only an insignificant fragment of the potential he had. If you want to do something so immoral, I suggest you use Predaking's body, you will have more success copying his power through cloning than copying a god like me."
"You seem to know more than you let on." Shockwave admitted, not knowing what to say, knowing that his memories were in the palm of the War Prime's hand.
"You are much like me, a born agent of chaos who lives for the good of your beliefs without caring for the consequences of what you defend as right, at least I can truly respect that side of you." Megatronus Prime continued to probe Shockwave's mind, ignoring how he got to this point of borderline insanity and detachment from his moral factors as a Cybertronian and scientist. "I have a proposition for you, something we can both benefit from."
Shockwave was impressed, he had not imagined that he would win a proposal in a deal with Megatronus Prime, something insanely risky, but the only viable option for him to have a chance to live another day. "What would be the proposal?"
"If you contribute to me, I can even promise you access to the powers of a Prime for your own use and the secrets of the Allspark." Megatronus Prime made his offer, knowing how tempting it was because it was a truth from his mouth, not a simple trick that many could lie about. "I can offer you the opportunity to become immortal if you choose to become one of my Decepticons." His eyes shone, emanating a powerful and indistinguishable aura. "As a fair exchange, I want you to use your mind to find a way to free me from this dimension."
"Immortality sounds appealing, but how is it possible? You said that this dimension is a prison for those who have no place in the Allspark."
"Indeed, but there is a secret." Megatronus Prime smiled, making Shockwave feel unscrupulous pressure. "I may not have a guarantee in the afterlife, but that doesn't matter if you can acquire immortality." Smiling, he raised his fist and summoned a purple flame around it, revealing the Dark Energon in its true and genuine essence.