Optimus Prime’s systems hummed slowly to life, a faint groan escaping his vocal processors as the familiar weight of his chassis felt oddly foreign. His optics flickered, struggling to focus on his surroundings, and a quiet hiss of static filled his audio receptors. The cold, hard surface beneath him pressed against his frame, sending a wave of disorientation through his circuits.

As his vision cleared, panic began to seep into his processors. The walls surrounding him were a rusted, unwelcoming sight, faintly illuminated by the dim light of the cell. His arms, too, were bound—chains cruelly tight around his forearms, locking his servos in place. Every movement he made only tightened their hold, a harsh reminder of his current predicament. He attempted to move his legs, but the weight of something—or someone—pressed firmly against his back, halting any further attempts.

His optics snapped to attention, a sense of growing unease taking root.

“Who… is this?” he growled, his voice deep but strained, the vulnerability of the situation settling in. His words reverberated through the chamber, creating an eerie silence that followed. There was a subtle shift behind him—a faint noise suggesting the presence of another being, equally trapped, perhaps even more dangerous.

His engine sputtered in response as he forced himself to focus, narrowing his optics on the shadowy figure behind him.

“Answer me,” Optimus commanded, a low, authoritative tone cutting through the stillness, though his voice held the unmistakable edge of concern.

The silence stretched, the only sound the strained creak of chains as the figure behind him shifted, perhaps testing their own restraints. Optimus clenched his jaw. This was not a situation to take lightly.

Who was in the shadows with him, and more importantly—why were they both imprisoned here?