-----------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------
This story and any of it's characters herein are totally fictitious and any
resemblance to real people and/or events is purely coincidental. Most characters are
trademarked/copyrighted to Hasbro, Kenner, Takara, Marvel, Alliance, and probably a
lot of others. This fanfic is unauthorized and is simply meant for the free entertainment
of BW fans. Anybody that wants to sue me will get about negative 5 dollars. Sorry.
************************************************************************
WARNING! ! ! : The author has taken license to write out her views of what may or may not be true. I used the assumption that many of the old TF's may still be around, and that there's a maxi Chosen One. This is simply a fanfic. It doesn't make anybody else's point of view wrong or right. Also, I wrote this fic way back in middle school/high school so it is a bit rough, even though I editied it a few weeks ago. I'm planning on eventually taking it down again and REALLY editing it, but college is currently a LITTLE too hetic for that.
TIMELINE : This story takes place after the quantum surge, about one or two episodes after Depthcharge was introduced. After that, I'm going on my own timeline. So pretty much everything that happened before the 'Cutting Edge' episode can and probably will be worked in.
-----------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------
P.S.: Anybody with any ideas or anything, 'Roger me, Wilco me, ANYTHING! Hello, hello, Earth!' Any complaints, congratulations, or threats can be sent to J.E.D.I (me) at jderoeck@ispchannel.com
-----------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------
Rodeesh of the Maximals
Prologue
The Chosen One.
In our darkest hour, a Chosen One will arise from our ranks and use the power of the Matrix to save us all…
The Chosen One will be clever and compassionate. His cleverness will cause him to be a non-traditional leader in the sense that he will almost always do the unexpected, disregarding established methodology, and it will always work for him. His compassion will be unlimited. It will be his greatest strength and will even extend towards his enemies, despite how angry he might be at them. It will enable him to see things from everyone's point of view, and that will give him the ability to be the greatest peacemaker ever known. He will be a great and charismatic leader with the ability to make even doubters follow him no matter what is taking place at the time. The Chosen One will be a visionary. He will have the foresight to see the consequences of his and other peoples' actions; the talent to use that foresight to his and others advantages and to accomplish things no one else thought possible. Furthermore, he will be completely selfless and self-effacing, always thinking of other people, friends and enemies alike, before thinking about his own needs and always giving credit to other people and their accomplishments before claiming any credit for himself.
The Chosen One will be COMPLETELY unaware that he is the Chosen One. He also will have a talent that no one else has. He can identify with others on a level beyond normal understanding. It is an insight of sorts, into other's souls, as if he can see inside people and comprehend everything about them. In a way, it is the reason for his compassion and ability to be a peacemaker. He will have a rapport on a deep level with everyone, including his enemies, which will cause him to be the type of person who cannot hate even though he can get angry.
The Chosen One from the ranks of the Autobots has already come. He saved the universe from the threat of Unicron. Now the time has come for the Chosen One to come from the ranks of the Maximals. He must come, for the threat of Unicron returns as an age-old enemy is resurrected. Primus reaches out and touches the mind of his new Chosen One. Primus awakens skills and memories long thought lost, and waits for the time to come…
-----------------------------------------
Chapter 1
Cheetor froze again. He paused in mid-step and scanned his surroundings. Something wasn't right. There wasn't any scent, sound, or sight to make him think that something was wrong. It was something deeper, almost like he could hear the thoughts and feelings of his prey.
He waited. This was weird! Usually when he got this feeling, his prey was about to become bait. Cheetor stepped back and glanced over his shoulder, this was not right…
*'Cheetor to Optimus,'* he said over his comm., careful to keep his voice to a whisper.
*'Optimus here. What is it, Cheetor?'*
*'I'm not sure, but I think our party is about to have some serious crashers. Don't ask how I know, I'm not sure. Getting out of here would be good though,'* Cheetor responded.
*'Hold on, kiddo. Ya want to tell me that YOU want to back out of a fight?!? Boy, now I've seen everything!'* Rattrap retorted over the comm.
*'Shut-up, Rattrap. Optimus, please, something's wrong.'*
"You don't know how right you are, Maximal, yeeessssss…."
Cheetor stiffened, then spun around.
"Megatron!" *'Cheetor to Optimus, it's a trap! Bail out!'*
"Oh, I like you pussy-cat. Even when facing the enemy, your first concern is for your teammates, yeeeessssss."
Megatron smiled viciously and stepped forward.
"But it will save you not, no. You will not escape after foiling my plans. Megatron… TERRORIZE!"
"Sorry, Megajerk, this cat has gotta scat. Jets…online!"
Cheetor climbed into the air as fast as he dared. Megatron's laser blasts scraped past him, and ensured a VERY fun flight.
*'Cheetor to ANYBODY!!'*
*'Optimus here. Thanks for the warning Cheetor. We're all clear.'*
*'Wish I could say the same. Meg's on my tail…!'*
Suddenly, more laser fire joined in firing at him. Cheetor risked a glance back and groaned.
*'Let me rephrase that… I'm leading a pred parade! And they are all playing 'Let's Shoot the Cat'! I could use some help!'*
*'Only you kiddo… What'd ya do?'* Rattrap asked over he comm. *'Call Megatron chicken?'*
*'Shut-up, Rattrap. Yow!! Too close! Would you guys mind getting some of this fire off my tail? I'm leading them away from the Ark and all Predicons accounted for, but that is NOT good for me!'*
*'Hold on Cheetor, I'm on my way!'*
-----------------------------------------
"Okay, Optimus. What happened?" Rattrap asked almost rhetorically.
"I got there a few cycles after I told Cheetor to hold on, just in time to see one of Megatron's laser blasts connect. I caught Cheetor, but the blast had knocked him off-line. I've already told you that, Rattrap," Optimus said, glancing at the CR-Chamber.
"I wasn't asking about that… I meant, how did the kiddo notice what the rest of us missed? I mean, the kiddo usually isn't stupid, but he isn't exactly a military strategist. Plus, he's usually the last one I'd expect to retreat, much less ask if we can." Rattrap paused. "And this isn't the first time. He's been acting strangely lately, and you know it."
"Repair cycle complete, Optimus…" Rhinox said. "Why don't you ask him yourself, Rattrap?"
Cheetor stepped out of the CR-Chamber and grinned slightly. "So much for my self-promise not to end up in the R-Chamber for a week."
"What? You actually expected not to end up in there for a whole week? Kiddo, you don't know yourself," Rattrap said, smiling.
"Hey, can't blame me for hoping. It's BORING in there," Cheetor said with a grin.
"The kiddo jokes… Oh yeah, everything is back to normal." Rattrap beat a hasty retreat as Cheetor switched to beast-mode and chased jokingly after his teammate.
Optimus smiled and chuckled. Some things never changed, most prominently on the list, Cheetor and Rattrap.
Cheetor kept smiling until he reached his new quarters and the doors had closed behind him. It hadn't been easy lately to keep smiling and joking. Especially not when he kept having those weird dreams. Cheetor switched to beast-mode and flopped down on his bed with his back to the door.
He felt the presence before he even heard the door open. For a nanoclick, Cheetor seriously considered ignoring him, but…
"Cheetor, are you alright?" Silverbolt asked from the doorway. "You've been acting a bit strange lately."
"What do you mean?" Cheetor said looking over his shoulder at Silverbolt.
"…You've been catching things no one else has."
"That's bad?"
"No. But that is the most obvious of it. Lately you've, well, changed. We are all a bit worried, and I thought that maybe you could tell me what's wrong."
Cheetor could feel that Silverbolt meant it. He wished he could tell Silverbolt that nothing was wrong, but that wasn't true. HE didn't know how he had been catching these things lately. And he didn't want to tell anyone about his dreams until he figured them out. The last thing Silverbolt would need to hear would be how Cheetor…
"No, Bolt, I wish I could tell you, but, I'm not sure how I've been doing it either… Maybe the cat's just better than ever?" The joke was extremely weak and both of the Maximals knew it. Silverbolt let it drop though.
-----------------------------------------
Megatron was in a foul mood. He stomped through the Predicon base, wishing he could blast that cat a million times over. So close! He had come so close!! The cat, of course, had to catch on and call it in! THAT CAT!!! He had ruined a plan that had taken days to create! "THAT CAT!" Megatron screamed, "That, cat…" Megatron smiled, "Yeeeessssss, why didn't I see it before? …The cat."
-----------------------------------------
"Cheetor, I need you to take a few days off," Optimus said.
"What? Why? What'd I do?" Cheetor asked, looking around from his position on the table to see if he'd done something.
"Nothing. But you've been pushing yourself hard, and I don't want to have you so exhausted all the time." Optimus paused, then added, "And you're the only one who hasn't had a day off. So get going!"
"Yes sir, Optimus! I'll even stay out of Pred turf." Cheetor smiled and headed out the blast doors and raced up into the sky. Cheetor couldn't help but marvel at the sensation of flight. No wonder Optimus enjoyed it so much! It was pure freedom.
Cheetor raced along at his top speed. He flew until the pain he had hidden started to fade. Finally, Cheetor looked down to see where he was… He didn't even pause as the scenery registered; he spun around and raced away as fast as he could. "There are times even I'm not fast enough," he said out-loud. "I could have saved them… I could have helped… If only I'd gotten there a nanoclick faster, they'd still be alive…" Cheetor put on even more speed, and tried to hold back a sob. "Tigatron… Air Razor… I'm so sorry."
-----------------------------------------
Megatron looked at the form that was slowly emerging. Golden wings and an exo-structure of SOMETHING were becoming apparent. Megatron chuckled. "Oh, yeeeessssss. Should I make it as indestructible as Rampage perhaps? No, that is too powerful, near indestructible will work. The stronger he is, the better an ally he will be. Yeeeessssss, with this fighter, not even Optimal Optimus Primal will defeat me. First, to acquire my OWN new form. It is always intelligent to have a more powerful body than a new fighter, they always say. Yeeeessssss."
Later, Megatron slept in his chambers, his dreams were particularly good. He defeated Optimal Optimus Primal in battle with his new form. Megatron stood towering over the fallen Maximal leader, and the other Maximals, seeing their leader's defeat, joined the ranks of the Predicons. Megatron smiled down at the disabled Optimus and powered up his weapon. Just as Megatron was about to fire, someone hit him from behind, then jumped away. The Maximal leader and Megatron's troops vanished in a sudden thick fog. Megatron spun around to find he was looking at Cheetor, in his beast-mode. The cat's OLD beast-mode, the one he'd had before the quantum surge. Cheetor maximized and started firing at Megatron. Megatron snarled and fired at the cat, but Cheetor dodged nimbly to the side and landed rolling. When Cheetor stood up, the cat was now in his transmetal robot-mode, and he fought Megatron in that form. Then suddenly, without warning, Cheetor transformed to his transmetal beast-mode, and disappeared into the mist. Megatron was now being hunted, and Megatron apparently could not kill his enemy.
Megatron awoke with a start, then narrowed his eyes dangerously.
"The cat, why would I dream of him?"
-----------------------------------------
Cheetor saw the waterfall where the Axalon had crashed up ahead. He pulled up and landed on a big rock that was right next to the waterfall. It overlooked the Axalon's crash sight. Cheetor looked at the sight quietly. In his mind's eye, the base was still there, untouched by the quantum surge and unmarked by the thousands of battles that had been fought around and in it. Cheetor sighed and let his shoulders and head droop. He stayed in beast mode and just thought.
Depthcharge came up behind Cheetor; the tall transmetal manta ray was hidden in the shadows of the rocks. "I can't believe I'm doing this," he muttered. "I am following the pussy-cat when I could be out hunting for Rampage. How does the cat manage this?" Depthcharge settled back, certain he was in for a long wait. He wasn't. Cheetor suddenly leaned forward, and then the cat stood up and cocked his head down inquisitively. Depthcharge found himself wishing he could see more than Cheetor's back. Cheetor cocked his head to the side again and a nanoclick later jumped off the rock and hid under the overhang. A split-nanoclick later, Megatron, Inferno, and Waspinator flew up from the canyon and raced away. Cheetor watched the Predicons until they were out of sight then burst out laughing. "I've GOT to tell the others about THIS!" Cheetor said, the words barely understandable from all the laughter.
"Tell them about what?"
Cheetor practically jumped out of his skin. He spun around and felt his jaw drop as Depthcharge walked out from behind the rocks. Cheetor quickly regained his composure and took off. "You'll never find out if you don't come back to the base!"
-----------------------------------------
Depthcharge walked quietly past the blast doors. He could hear everyone laughing further back. He silently walked up and started to listen. Cheetor was in beast-mode and sitting on the table. He was obviously forcing everyone to wait to hear what he'd heard and everyone was laughing at Rattrap's attempts to make him talk. Cheetor looked around and saw Depthcharge and flashed him a grin, then apparently gave into Rattrap. Depthcharge was soon chuckling. He tried to return to his usual black state, but it was a bit hard. Cheetor paused for a breath then continued his 'report'. He badly imitated Megatron, Inferno and Waspinator, but Cheetor put all the effort he had into it. Depthcharge couldn't help it, he started to laugh. It really felt good to laugh he realized, and he laughed even harder as Cheetor finished up his 'report' with a badly imitated Waspinator saying "Mighty Megatron, Wazzzpinator just remember… only Quickzzztrike and Rampage guarding bazzze. Wazzzpinator think they should get back…"
Optimus laughed as Cheetor told the team about Megatron's expression and the hasty retreat that followed. Cheetor stretched and yawned, obviously ending the 'report'. Everyone slowly dispersed.
Depthcharge turned to go back out the blast doors only to find Cheetor popping up at his side. Annoyed that Cheetor had not only made him laugh but that the cat had caught him still chuckling, Depthcharge snapped out the first thing that came to mind. "What do you want?"
"Just to talk. I know why you want to get Rampage, probably better than you think."
Depthcharge growled, "How could you know? No one has ever died because you weren't there! No one's blood is on your hands!"
"Two people died because I wasn't fast enough to save them Depthcharge," Cheetor said.
"How would you know!" Depthcharge stomped away, only to spin on his heel at Cheetor's next sentence.
"Sometimes we all have to believe in something besides ourselves."
Depthcharge stared, he found himself wondering how in the Matrix Cheetor knew…
"Things happen. We get created, we live, we fight, and we die. It happens. Without death, there's no life. Without life, there's no death," Cheetor said as he looked at Depthcharge.
Depthcharge snapped out at him. "You're living in a fantasy world pussy-cat, and your dreaming is going to get you killed some day."
"Maybe, maybe not. I'll die anyway someday, so why avoid it?"
"Because you can still fight if you're alive. NOT if you're dead," Depthcharge snapped.
"Yeah, but to live a living death… That's destroying what makes this universe what it is." Cheetor paused again, then added, "Everyone loses someone at sometime. Refusing to admit it is as dangerous to you in battle as you say my dreaming is to me."
Depthcharge noticed that Cheetor had stopped smiling and was now looking at Depthcharge in a concerned manner.
"If you really want to die, no one can stop you. But, before you do, ask yourself this… Whoever you're trying to avenge, would they want you to die like this?"
Depthcharge said a few words that are really too harsh to write.
Cheetor just nodded, then turned to go scouting.
"Look kid, I know you're trying to help, but, I need to handle this on my own." Depthcharge watched Cheetor walk towards the blast doors with a spring in the cat's step. Suddenly, Cheetor stopped, turned around and said, "If you ever need a friend though, I'm willing."
Depthcharge watched Cheetor walk out the blast doors, for a nanoclick he looked at Cheetor's retreating form, then growled "SLAG, now I'm probably going to have to spend ALL my time protecting him."
Optimus looked down from the skies in his plane-mode, from this height he could see everything that happened outside the base. Optimus saw Cheetor walk outside the blast doors. The cat was obviously about to go scouting. Optimus chuckled as Depthcharge trotted up to Cheetor. Good. Cheetor would assuredly cheer Depthcharge up. After awhile, Depthcharge would probably join the ranks of the many, the proud, the 'Cheetor friends'. Seeing Depthcharge follow Cheetor around like a docile pet was worth another chuckle. He knew that if anyone could get past Depthcharge's hard outside, it was Cheetor. After all, Cheetor had become close friends with DINOBOT!
"HmHmHm," he chuckled, "Well, good luck, Cheetor."
-----------------------------------------
Cheetor had finished his scouting trip, but he hadn't really done any scouting. Cheetor hoped the preds weren't doing anything because he had the feeling he would have missed it. Cheetor had been concentrating on cheering Depthcharge up the whole time. It was pretty hard, but so far Depthcharge had laughed a few times and had smiled the rest of the time. Cheetor smiled, even if he hadn't done any real scouting, the trip would be worth it if Depthcharge…
"Well, Pussy-cat, looks like this is where we split."
"Can we land here? I need you to report into Optimus with me."
"Why not just fly up to the blast doors and land there?"
"With nothing to report!?! I'm not in THAT much of a hurry to be slagged!"
Depthcharge laughed as he landed and maximized. Cheetor maximized as he landed and the two headed off towards the base. Depthcharge couldn't help it, he laughed as Cheetor chatted and joked away. 'Cheetor definitely knows how to make people laugh,' he thought.
Cheetor kept up his banter as they walked. He paused as Optimus flew overhead, and Optimus obviously planned to be at the base soon.
*'Hey Big-Bot! Any problems?'*
*'No, Cheetor. Enjoy your walk!'*
Cheetor started to walk again, laughing at Optimus's joke. Cheetor paid close attention to his footing on the shale, though he kept laughing. Suddenly he stopped and staggered, >>FEAR! RUN! PAIN!!< p> The emotions hit him like a brick, and try as he might; Cheetor couldn't block it out. 'Not now! Not now! Don't let it come on NOW!!'
"Hey, Cheetor, you okay?" Depthcharge asked, coming up and gripping his young friend's shoulder. Unknown to Depthcharge, that was the worst thing he could have done. It dropped every bit of shielding Cheetor had constructed to protect himself from the emotions and thoughts of others.
'Owh, I HATE it when this happens…' Cheetor thought. Not expecting to feel such strong concern from Depthcharge, Cheetor hadn't set up his guard against it.
Flash >>Optimus was relaxed and calm< p> Flash >>Rhinox was angry at something< p> Flash >>Silverbolt and Black Aracnia were both feeling pleased< p> Flash >>Depthcharge was concerned and angry, and ready to tear someone apart with his bare hands< p> Flash >>Rattrap was feeling really down, he needed to laugh…< p> Cheetor suddenly felt every shield go back up. His 'ability' had turned off again. Cheetor sighed and enjoyed pure solitude for a few nanoclicks, then looked up to see a very worried Depthcharge.
'Better think of an excuse fast cat, or you are in trouble,'
"You okay, kid? You had me… You acted like you got hit or something for a cycle there."
"I'm fine, I just lost my footing," Cheetor said, and thought 'Thank the Matrix that's true! Good thing this isn't the solid rock we'll hit in a bit.'
"HaHaHa, well kid let's get back to the base so I can report THIS in. Let's see, how will I put it? Hmmmm… Optimus, Cheetor got through a scouting expedition in Predicon territory only to fall flat on his face WALKING back to base. Oh, Primal's going to love this…"
"Then YOU make the report. I just remembered that I owe Ratface a game of cards, and I don't need two people killing me, so… race you back to the base!!"
"Get back here!!"
"Hahahahahahahahaha…"
-----------------------------------------
"Yo! Ratface! Where are you? You didn't come out to insult us; are you ALIVE in there?"
"Yeah kiddo. I'm alive." Rattrap turned to find himself looking at a very concerned Cheetor "What do ya want, Spots?"
"Well," Cheetor stepped into the room and held out some cards "I just came to beat you at cards again. You afraid to play?"
"YOU? Beat ME? I think NOT! Get your butt in here and prepare to lose!"