A/N: So, I might continue this because I know where it'll go and all that, but if I have the motivation to is the bigger question. I'll probably finish it as long as I don't get too sidetracked. So, if I don't post for a month or some shit, then hound me about it. Sometimes I forget about stories I've written. Anyway, enjoy!
Also, might up the rating depending on how creative I get with 'Bots hurting other 'Bots.
"Y'know, we're getting real tired of you causing trouble around Crown City, Steeljaw," Sideswipe remarked casually and ducked quickly when the aforementioned Decepticon slashed at him with his claws. "The least you could do is give us a hard time." Sideswipe gripped his Decepticon Hunter tighter and smirked as it became a sword, swinging at Steeljaw and landing a hit.
"Don't get cocky, Sideswipe." Bumblebee informed seriously and struck at Steeljaw as the Lieutenant jumped back at the Decepticon's swipe. "Something unexpected might happen."
Sideswipe rolled his optics and jumped back, "Something unexpected always happens, Bee. We'll be ready for it!"
Strongarm ran forward and slid under Bumblebee's swing and Steeljaw as she fired a couple of shots into the Decepticon who reeled back and growled at them. Sideswipe ran forward and punched Steeljaw, narrowly missing one of the other's claws. The red Autobot laughed as Strongarm scolded in irritation, "Focus, Sideswipe!"
"I am focusing!" The aforementioned Autobot replied with a wide smile as Steeljaw dodged another blast from Strongarm.
Growling angrily, Steeljaw readied his claws and pointed at Sideswipe, "I'm going to make you eat those words, Autobot!" Suddenly, Steeljaw cracked a smile, "Until next time." With that, he transformed and sped off as the other Decepticons that the rest of the Autobots were fighting fled as well.
Putting the Decepticon Hunter away, Sideswipe placed his servos on his hips and laughed, "Right, yeah, good luck with that, 'Con!"
"'Swipe…" Bumblebee called as the Autobot sighed quietly and turned to the Lieutenant.
"C'mon Bee, we've been kicking the Decepticons' afts since day one and lately, they've been doing unorganized attacks. We beat 'em now, then they won't be very organized when they try to attack again. Let me have this fun, Bee!" Sideswipe reasoned as Strongarm sighed and shook her head.
"That's exactly what Bee's worried about, Sideswipe." Strongarm said, "They've been doing unorganized attacks with no clear goal. They're planning something and we don't know what."
"That's right, we just need to find out what it is they're after. For now, everybot watch your backs and watch each other's. This could get dangerous." Bumblebee ordered as the other Autobots nodded in acknowledgment. "Let's head back to base." They all transformed and left the area as Steeljaw smirked from behind the tree line and watched the Autobots drive away.
"This isn't over, Autobots…" Steeljaw raised his hand and opened his palm as a purple orb glowed in his palm and he laughed wickedly. "You will fall at my hands. Soon…"
"How's ya know this'll even work?" Thunderhoof asked with a frown as Steeljaw slowly turned to face Thunderhoof.
"Would you like to be rewired, Thunderhoof?!" Steeljaw retorted angrily and even jabbed his claw at the antlered Decepticon who took a couple of steps back in fear and shook his head desperately.
Fracture cleared his throat and offered calmly, "Maybe we should test it out. See if it actually works. It'll be worthwhile."
"It only works on Autobots," Underbite reminded them as Steeljaw smiled evilly and turned back to look at the receding cars in the distance.
"And I know the perfect test subject…" Steeljaw responded quietly. So quietly in fact that Fracture who was the closest one to Steeljaw could hear him and to say that Steeljaw's voice sounded cold and deadly was an understatement.
It was downright terrifying.
A week later…
"I'm just saying, you guys need to lay off the high grade, you're overreacting," Sideswipe suggested casually and walked-well, limped as energon leaked from a wound in his side and pressed his servo against it-over to the command center as Strongarm stomped over to him angrily and placed a servo on his shoulder, forcefully turning him around and wanting to punch Sideswipe so hard that he'd just stop moving and for the love of Primus, stop talking. But she didn't because no matter how much of an idiot he could be, right now he was injured and needed to be talked to not injured further.
"For Primus's sake, Sideswipe, you're leaking energon! Stop fragging acting like everything is fine! They're targeting you and-"
The red Autobot jabbed a digit at her chassis and frowned, "We don't know that. As a matter of fact, we still don't know what they're planning and whatever it is, it involves all of us! Not. Just. Me. For crying out loud, we almost lost Jetstorm and Slipstream. I don't see you hounding them on nearly being offlined!"
"That's because they saved your aft! If it wasn't for them, you'd be scrap!" Strongarm argued as Sideswipe scoffed and limped away toward the command center, sitting on a makeshift berth that Fixit had prepared for him. Fixit wheeled over and immediately hooked Sideswipe to a machine.
"We'll get you patched up in no chime-mine-time!" Fixit corrected himself after striking his body to correct his faulty wiring momentarily. He silently started getting to work as Sideswipe looked up at Strongarm and glared at her.
He scowled, "Get off my case, I can take care of myself." Shaking her helm in disappointment, Strongarm walked away to cool off because there was no way she could get through to Sideswipe if they constantly bickered about it.
Bumblebee walked over and shook his head, "You should still be careful, 'Swipe."
The aforementioned 'Bot grumbled, "Don't start with me, Bee."
"She's right-"
"Just fragging stop, okay? I get it, I'll be careful. Now just stop." Sideswipe said angrily and slouched forward, resting his arms on his knees.
A little taken aback, Bumblebee took a couple steps forward and spoke softly, "You seem… annoyed."
"Thanks, Captain Obvious," Sideswipe remarked and rolled his optics, venting softly and staring down at the ground.
Bumblebee shook his helm and took more steps toward the Autobot, "No, I mean…" Bumblebee vented heavily, "You're more annoyed than Strongarm is when you break the rules. What's up?" Sideswipe only shook his helm. "Don't want to talk about it?" Bumblebee asked as Sideswipe didn't respond. "Well, if you don't tell me, I can't help you." The Lieutenant reminded the other.
Shaking his helm, Sideswipe opened his mouth to speak but didn't dare look up at his leader. "Is there a reason everyone still treats me like a kid? Like I need protecting when I don't?"
Frowning, Bumblebee crouched so he could see Sideswipe's expression, but the 'Bot looked away quickly. Venting, Bumblebee answered, "'Swipe, you're the same age as me and no one treats you like a kid."
"You're lying…"
"I'm not and you know it," Bumblebee argued calmly and stood up, looking down at his fellow Autobot. "Look… maybe the fact that you're not really a fan of authority might have something to do with you butting heads with Strongarm."
Sideswipe clenched his servos, "She's not the only one I'm talking about, Bee!" Pushing Fixit aside, Sideswipe stood up and started to walk away as the Minicon protested and ordered him to come back, but to no avail.
"You need to get patched up, Sideswipe!" Bumblebee called out to him, but it fell to deaf audio receptors.
"I'm going for a drive," Sideswipe informed flatly and transformed, driving out of the scrapyard and far away from it.
"Sideswipe!" Bumblebee yelled and outstretched his servo, even though he couldn't reach him in time. "Scrap…" Then, his servo went to his audio receptor and pressed a button, contacting Windblade. "Hey Windblade, follow Sideswipe, he's not at full strength and if we're right about this, the Decepticons could take advantage of him out there."
"Got it. I'll go after Slick and comm you when we're in trouble." Windblade responded quickly and transformed, jetting after Sideswipe.
"If, Windblade, not when. The Decepticons aren't offlining any of us today." Bumblebee promised and transformed. "I'll catch up with you." Bumblebee revved his engines and was ready to leave, but stopped. "Fixit, take care of Slipstream and Jetstorm and anyone else who needs repairs. I'll contact you if they're needed elsewhere." With that, he drove off and followed after Sideswipe's occasional tire tracks from his unnecessary drifts on the road.
Minding his own business on the road, Sideswipe vented heavily when he heard the sound of a jet's motor and adjusted his side view mirror to point it up as Windblade showed up in the mirror. "Eat my exhaust, Windblade!" Sideswipe shouted and sped up, turning unexpectedly into the woods and bumped into a tree, but quickly gained his balance. Though, he did start leaking energon again. "Scrap…" He cursed and weaved through trees to lose Windblade.
"Slick, I'm just trying to make sure you don't get hurt!" Windblade informed him angrily. She was frustrated, he could tell easily, but he couldn't help but be annoyed at not only her but at Bumblebee too.
"Well tell Boss 'Bot to lay off me. I can take care of myself!" He commed her and suddenly transformed, hiding under a tree and looking up at the sky to see Windblade soaring past his position. After a couple of kliks and ensuring that she didn't come back, Sideswipe vented heavily and started walking in the opposite direction. "Agh!" Sideswipe groaned and fell to his knees, servos covering his wound that leaked a lot more energon than before. He vented slowly but shakily, "It's okay, Sideswipe, you'll recover. You just…" Sideswipe practically crawled to a tree and kept one servo on his wound, "…gotta… ah!" He winced and turned to lean against the tree, looking up at the sky though he wasn't sure if he wanted to see Windblade right above him. Luckily, or maybe, unfortunately, Windblade was nowhere in sight. Briefly, he shut off his optics and focused on his venting. After a while, the red Autobot switched on his optics and examined his wound, cautiously removing his servo from it and venting heavily when he noticed that he wouldn't be able to fix this himself. Maybe he needed help after all. Shaking his helm, Sideswipe frowned. No, he was tired of everyone thinking that he couldn't handle himself. He'll show them. He just had to stop the leaking. But how? He didn't even have any tools!
"Well, well, well…" Sideswipe's helm swiftly turned to the sound of the familiar cold voice and his optics widened at the sight of Steeljaw standing there. "What do we have here? A little, injured Autobot who's away from the safety of his friends and who looks utterly helpless?"
Attempting to stand, Sideswipe yelped in pain and fell back onto his rear, shutting his optics in pain and venting unevenly. Opening his optics, Sideswipe looked up at Steeljaw who held a smug expression and crossed his arms over his chassis. "What do you… ugh… want, Decepticon?" Sideswipe asked, pain evident in his voice.
Steeljaw's smirk shifted into a wicked smile and slowly walked closer to Sideswipe who instinctively tried to move back, but remembered that he was leaning on a tree. "You… Autobot."
Confusion showed itself onto Sideswipe's face plate and he frowned. Maybe Bumblebee and Strongarm were right. Maybe the Decepticons were after him. But why? "What could you… possibly want… with me?"
The Decepticon laughed and it made Sideswipe immediately fear for his life because he could offline Sideswipe here and now and no 'Bot would come help him in time. Steeljaw opened his servo as his claws mocked Sideswipe, "I have something I've been meaning to test and it only works on Autobots, so of course, I had to choose you." He said it like it was obvious.
Activating his comm link to the rest of his team, Sideswipe replied, "Why me? You could've… gone for any Autobot… Why me?"
Steeljaw's optics narrowed, but his evil smirk was back which made Sideswipe incredibly uneasy. "It was easy." He approached Sideswipe slowly and crouched down to his level, unnecessarily moving closer with that smirk of his. "If I take one of you down, then the rest will fall. Besides… the young 'Bots always break so easily." The Decepticon whispered slyly into Sideswipe's audio receptors and chuckled, "Cry wolf all you want, Autobot. Bring them here and they'll meet the same fate as you. Autobots, if you come to save your friend, I'll make sure to tear him apart, limb from limb."
"What exactly…" Sideswipe shifted, but Steeljaw put an excessive amount of pressure on his wound. "AH!"
The Decepticon tsked, "No speaking unless spoken to, Autobot, or else I'll do more than just experiment on you." For emphasis, Steeljaw put, even more, pressure on Sideswipe who yelled in agony. "Hear that Autobots, that'll be your first warning. I'm feeling considerate today." Steeljaw laughed as Sideswipe groaned and could already feel consciousness escaping him. "You don't get to fall asleep!" The wolf 'Con grabbed one of Sideswipe's shoulder plate and lifted him up, drawing back his other claw and smiling as the Autobot could only vent heavily and look down at the other in pain. "Prepare yourself, Autobot, this'll hurt… a lot."
"AGH!"
Well tell Boss 'Bot to lay off me. I can take care of myself!" Sideswipe commed her as Windblade saw him transform in the forest, but was too fast in jet mode to slow down enough to follow him.
Cursing under a vent, Windblade swung around and flew over the forest, attempting to find any spot of red through the foliage. After a couple of kliks, she couldn't find anything and shouted in frustration, "Slag!" Venting heavily, Windblade contacted Bumblebee, "Sorry Bee," she apologized, "I lost him."
"It's okay, Windblade, we'll find him. Meet me back on the road." Bumblebee replied.
"Copy that." Windblade flew back to the road and followed it for a while before spotting Bumblebee parked on the side of it. Transforming, Windblade landed next to him as Bumblebee transformed and met her halfway. "Where could he have gone?" She asked him as Bumblebee frowned.
"He could be anywhere. We have to find him fast." Bumblebee's servo reached up to his audio receptors and pressed a button. "Fixit, could you scan the area for Sideswipe's signal."
After a while, the Minicon answered, "Something in the forest is jamming the signal. Sorry, Lieutenant…"
Bumblebee nodded in acknowledgment, "It's okay, Fixit. Tell the others to be ready, we might call-"
Metal clashing against metal alerted the Autobots to a presence that was near them, just behind the treeline and they couldn't see who it was. "Is it time to crush some Autobots?" A Cybertronian walked out of the forest and smirked at them. "Hello, Autobots."
"Underbite?" Bumblebee frowned.
"Yous come at tuh wrong time, Autobots." Thunderhoof walked out of the treeline next and smiled at them.
"They're not the only ones having some fun today." Bumblebee and Windblade turned around in time to see Fracture transform and release his Minicons from him.
"I suggest you surrender now, Autobots," Quillfire said and immediately got into a fighting stance.
"Scratch that, Fixit, tell them to come now!" Bumblebee ordered as Fracture laughed.
"You'll be too late to save your friend." Fracture mocked as all the Decepticons started walking around them in a circle and the two Autobots could only wait and watch them surround them.
Static crackled through the comm link before a voice came through, "You could've… gone for any Autobot… Why me?" Bumblebee and Windblade turned to each other with wide optics. It was Sideswipe!
"It was easy." Steeljaw's faint voice crackled through and worry was etched onto the two Autobots' faceplates. "If I take one of you down, then the rest will fall. Besides… the young 'Bots always break so easily."
Bumblebee growled and barked at the Decepticons, his servos clenched so tightly it made Windblade worry. "Steeljaw better not touch him! Sideswipe's tougher than you think!"
Mildly surprised, the Decepticons looked at one another before Thunderhoof raised a servo to his audio receptor, "Hey Boss, the rest uh these Autobots listenin' in tuh yous conversation."
Steeljaw's voice was much quieter this time, "Cry wolf all you want, Autobot. Bring them here and they'll meet the same fate as you. And Autobots, if you come to save your friend, I'll make sure to tear him apart, limb from limb."
"He's bluffing," Bumblebee said surely. "They need him."
Laughing erupted behind them as Fracture said, "No, we really don't."
"What exactly…" Sideswipe seemed to trail off, but a sharp "AH!" alerted the Autobots and put them on edge even more. Steeljaw was already hurting him and they couldn't do anything about it.
"What are you doing to him?!" Bumblebee demanded as the Decepticons laughed.
"Yous gonna find out," Thunderhoof replied with a coarse laugh.
"No speaking unless spoken to, Autobot, or else I'll do more than just experiment on you." Windblade could practically see Steeljaw sneering. Another agonizing yell filled their audio receptors as they winced. "Hear that Autobots, that'll be your first warning. I'm feeling considerate today." Steeljaw said and laughed loudly as Bumblebee became increasingly angrier. "You don't get to fall asleep!" Something clanged on the other side as the Autobots all waited in anticipation for something, anything. Nothing in them eased when Steeljaw spoke again, "Prepare yourself, Autobot, this'll hurt… a lot."
"AGH!"
"Sideswipe!" Bumblebee shouted with wide optics as his expression immediately shifted to one of anger. "Surrender now, or I swear to Primus that I'll hunt every single one of you down until you're all scrap!"
The Decepticons laughed as Underbite spoke, "Two against four?"
"Actually that's five against four!" A blue and white police car sped down the road and drove into Quillfire who flew forward and skidded on the road a bit before stopping. The cargo Strongarm was lugging with her pulled off the tarp and jumped off the cart, charging for Underbite who was caught off guard and was tackled to the ground.
"And stay down!" Grimlock demanded angrily and stomped on Underbite who growled at him.
An orange car sped for Fracture and rammed into him as the Decepticon grunted and unsheathed his blades, swiftly moving his arm down to stab the Autobot, but Drift had pulled away quickly and transformed wielding his swords already.
Strongarm transformed and landed next to Bumblebee, "We're here, Sir! What are your orders?"
"I'm going after Steeljaw," was the only thing he said before breaking off into a sprint into the forest but was rammed into the ground by Thunderhoof. "Get off of me!"
"No can do, Autobot, Boss needs tuh take care uh ya friend and ya ain't interruptin' him anytime soon," Thunderhoof said as Bumblebee winced when another agonizing yell ripped through their comm link.
"Turn off your comm link, Autobot, and maybe I'll go easy on you." A sharp, painful shout escaped Sideswipe's lips, but the sound was abruptly cut off. A heavy burden rested against each of the Autobots as they fought in silence and attempted to keep their processors to the task at hand because if they didn't win quickly, Sideswipe wouldn't win.
"I switched it off…" Sideswipe said between heavy vents and slowly raised his helm to look at Steeljaw who smirked.
"Good," Steeljaw replied simply and drew back his claw again to strike at the Autobot's heavily damaged side that was leaking energon much faster than before. His claw struck at the red mech once again as Sideswipe yelled once more and energon started to leak out of his mouth as well, violently coughing out some of the fluid. Then, the claw suddenly pulled away and he was dropped to the ground as Sideswipe struggled to move. Slowly lifting his helm to look up at the Deception, Sideswipe coughed out more energon and watched Steeljaw move away and cross his arms over his chassis, turning around so that his back was facing the Autobot. "I have a question for you, Autobot: Have you ever been rewired?"
"Why aren't… you asking me… for information?"
"You are not the one in a position of asking questions around here!" Steeljaw snapped angrily. Venting heavily, Steeljaw continued calmer this time, "But to answer your question, I don't need information. Not now anyway. Now answer my question."
"Agh… can't say… I have."
Steeljaw smirked and turned around, "Well then, it's your lucky day, Autobot." Opening his claw, a purple orb sparked in his servo and continued to grow until it filled his entire palm. "You recall Grimlock, yes? How he so easily switched to your side because you merely convinced him to by talking to him?" Sideswipe nodded because his strength was waning and if he even had the slightest chance to run, he'd need all the strength he could get. He was not being offlined today, he was going to get out of this alive. "We, Decepticons, can do the same thing to Autobots."
Sideswipe couldn't help but remark, "Oh yeah? What do you tell them? You should join the Decepticons because we like ruining people's lives?"
Steeljaw didn't even look mad which made Sideswipe feel like he struck a cord with the Decepticon. Steeljaw tsked and shook his helm, "No." The Decepticon walked over and grabbed Sideswipe's shoulder plate with his left claw, shoving him against the tree which made the red mech groan. "Open your spark chamber or I'll force it open."
"Why…?" Sideswipe asked weakly.
"Do it!"
"No," He answered as Steeljaw dropped the Autobot who groaned and slumped forward.
"Fine, we'll do it the hard way." Steeljaw used the claw that was holding Sideswipe up and scratched at the red mech's chassis as the Autobot screamed and little beads of energon rolled down his chassis. Steeljaw struck at it several more times before Sideswipe's chassis popped open along with his spark chamber as his spark glowed weakly. "We have a much easier way to converting people to our side." Steeljaw sneered and raised Sideswipe yet again. The Decepticon raised his still purple glowing claw so that Sideswipe could see it and he smiled wickedly, "We convince them…" Steeljaw drew back his purple claw, "By force!" His claw rushed forward and embedded itself into Sideswipe's spark as the Autobot screeched in agony and his body kept sending him warnings. Trees rustled and moved at the sudden booming yell as birds flew out of the trees and animals looked in the direction of the yell, but soon ran away from the noise. It was so loud, both Steeljaw and Sideswipe were sure that the other Decepticons and Autobots could hear it. "Do you feel it? Do you feel the transformation?" Steeljaw asked with a smirk as Sideswipe continued to shriek in pain. "I can turn it up a notch!" Something in Sideswipe's processor suddenly triggered a distant memory from his memory banks and he could remember it clear as day.
"Just stay here and hide, okay? You're not getting into this kind of stuff and I'll make sure that you never have the chance to. Protect your brother, Sunstreaker." The purple mech ordered professionally, but at the same time softly. The mech smiled down at the two mechs below him: one of them was severely injured and the other was tending to the other's wound and shaking his helm desperately. "I'll be back." He promised and stood, running off as the yellow mech quickly stood and shouted out the mech's name over and over.
"Sunny…" Sideswipe called quietly and slowly looked up at his twin brother as the yellow mech paused and looked down at him.
"I'm sorry, I'll be back," Sunstreaker promised and climbed over the trench, disappearing from view as Sideswipe wished and prayed to Primus that both of them would come back. However, his wish took a dark turn when he heard and felt an explosion rock the immediate area as Sunstreaker suddenly fell back into the trench and was knocked out cold.
Groaning from pain, Sideswipe shifted and slowly crawled over to his twin, placing an energon covered servo over his brother's chassis and removing his other servo from his deep wound to place it under Sunstreaker's helm and pull his brother closer to him. "Help…" Sideswipe called brokenly to no one in particular, then repeated it louder and more desperate. "Please! Help! He's dying!" He shouted out and coughed out energon. He was injured and losing consciousness quickly, his strength was waning. "Help him… please…"
"Over here!" Somebot shouted as Sideswipe looked over and saw a mech running toward them and immediately crouch to start helping Sunstreaker.
"Thank you…" Sideswipe vented out in relief.
"Don't thank me yet," the mech said, face plate contorting in focus and seriousness as Sideswipe suddenly pulled away and stood, painfully walking over to the wall of the trench that Sunstreaker had climbed just mere kliks ago. "Hey, where you going?!" The mech yelled as Sideswipe climbed over the wall and froze at the sight of fire and destruction. His home was destroyed and it looked like the Decepticons weren't done yet. "Slag!" He heard the mech say as Sideswipe ran around and desperately searched for the purple mech, shouting out his name over the sounds of lasers and metal clashing against metal.
Then, he found him.
"Oh, Primus…" Sideswipe vented out in relief and ran over to the purple mech who was pinned under some rocks. Hurriedly pulling off rocks, Sideswipe winced painfully and his servos moved to his wound. "Just gotta…" Shakily, Sideswipe continued to shove and throw rocks off of the purple mech, hoping to Primus that he'd be okay. When all of the rocks were gone, Sideswipe fell to his knees and swiftly searched the other for injuries.
"'Swipe…"
Sideswipe shook his helm, "Please don't speak. There's 'Bots here that'll help you. Trust them please."
"Take care of your brother… and don't join this fight… This isn't for either of you."
"You're not dying…" Sideswipe choked out, "Please, for the love of Primus, don't die."
The mech managed to crack a small smile, "Promise me… you'll protect your brother."
"I promise," the red mech answered immediately, but continued. "Just please don't die!"
"It's my time… to be… with the All Spark."
"You can't just leave us!" Sideswipe shouted desperately.
"I'll still be watching over you… both of you…" Then, the 'Bot shakily raised his servo and curled it into a fist. "'Til all... are one…"
Optics widening, Sideswipe shook his helm, "No… no no no no no! You can't-you can't just… please, don't do this to us!" However, the purple mech stayed silent as Sideswipe nearly started to cry and gasped when he saw the light in the purple mech's optics starting to flicker out of existence. He could feel the tears already running down his faceplate and reluctantly curled his servo into a fist, bumping fists with the purple mech. "'Til all are one…"
Being ripped away from the memory, Sideswipe slowly gritted his denta to save his vocalizer from the strain he's been giving it, "Sorry, but… it won't work!" He let out another shout but quickly recovered, "I'm an Autobot… no matter how much pain… you inflict upon me… AH!"
"Oh trust me, Autobot, it'll work. You can't run from this, you will be a Decepticon." Steeljaw promised.
"Ne…ver…" Sideswipe managed to say before the pain increased and he was forced to vocalize his pain once again.
"Soon, you will be…" Steeljaw said calmly with a small smile as another memory came to his processor.
They were in a hallway, somewhere in the Autobot Elite Guard building and the yellow mech had finally been accepted into the Elite Guard. Watching his brother walk away from him, Sideswipe vented heavily before speaking up, "Sunny…" The yellow mech stopped and slightly turned as Sideswipe continued, "Good luck out there, you'll do great."
"You should be with me," Sunstreaker said sadly as Sideswipe shook his helm.
"I'm not interested in this stuff, you know that."
Sunstreaker vented, "Are you sure you can handle yourself?"
"Are you sure you can?" Sideswipe shot right back.
"Fair enough." The brothers laughed for a moment, but it died down too quickly. An awkward silence fell between the two and neither one wanted to break it. After the War for Cybertron, the brothers grew distant and their interests were very different from one another which made it extremely difficult to enjoy each other's company. Sunstreaker would be the voice of reason, but on the other hand, Sideswipe would do what he wanted to do. It wasn't easy, but it was small moments and conversations like this that reminded them that they were twins. Suddenly, Sunstreaker broke the silence, "Promise me you won't get in trouble out there."
Sideswipe vented, "You know me, Sunny. Rules and I just don't mix."
"At least, promise me you'll consider your options before you do something dangerous."
"You know I can't promise that either."
Sunstreaker vented in frustration and shut his optics for a second before opening them, "Then promise me you won't go down without a fight."
"Sunny-"
"You won't give up, right? Right, 'Swipe?"
"I promise…" Sideswipe said reluctantly as Sunstreaker smiled and walked closer to his brother, raising a servo and curling it into a fist. Staring at the servo for what felt like an eternity, Sideswipe was reminded of the War and clenched his denta, turning around and walking away.
Steeljaw's voice broke him away from the memory, "I think you've endured enough pain." He pulled his claw away and released Sideswipe as the red mech groaned and slid down the tree, slumping forward and shutting off his optics. "Plus, it sounds like we're about to have company."
"Steeljaw!" Bumblebee yelled angrily as Sideswipe vented heavily and unevenly for air, listening to the clash and clang of metal against metal.
"You're already too late, Autobot!" Steeljaw informed.
"What are you talking about? What did you do to him?"
"You'll see…"
"Steeljaw!" The sound of footsteps receding told Sideswipe that Steeljaw had fled. Footsteps coming closer to him, however, quickly alerted him that someone was either going to attack him or help him. Even though his entire body yelled at him to move, Sideswipe knew he didn't have the strength to. "Sideswipe…" Bumblebee's soft voice called worriedly. "What did he…" he trailed off.
"Sorry 'Bee…" He hated how rough and weak his voice sounded and how he stupidly got in this situation. "I should've… listened to you."
"This isn't your fault," Bumblebee assured.
"You warned me…" Sideswipe argued.
"We're going to help you, 'Swipe. Just recharge, for now, we'll take care of you."
"Th-thank you…"
"Don't thank me just yet," Bumblebee said as Sideswipe felt his spark chamber and chassis carefully close and a few moments later, he was being picked up. "Just rest now."
Without a word, Sideswipe felt his consciousness fading and welcomed it with open arms.
A/N: Sooooo, thoughts?