Chapter 4: Back Around

The last person Barricade felt like seeing today, was his brother Sideways who was completely the opposite of Barricade. Sideways was shy, weak and too happy. Barricade had his face planted on the desk tired after going around chasing speeders. His brother suddenly bursted through the front door of the police station, squeezed through a few enforcers and finally into the back office where Barricade was stationed.

"Hello brother, how are ya?" Sideways asked rather cheerfully.

"If you count chasing speeders all day, having to break up a fight between two enforcers, and clawing your own face from waking up fast, then yeah I'm doing AWESOME!" Barricade snarled to his brother who winced.

"I was only asking. I had no idea!" Sideways shrugged.

Sideways has learned many times what happens when you anger Barricade too much. But it didn't really bother him, he was pretty strong so a fight with Barricade wasn't a big deal.

"Whatever, what do you want?" Barricade asked deeply annoyed.

"Just wondering if there's been talk about a jet that's been flying around Iacon seemingly looking for something. It was weird, he never stops, just flies through streets in a blurr. Jazz said he's seen him before...huh." Sideways explained.

"Did you see what he looked like?" Barricade asked.

"He had camoflauge paint, and he was pretty big!"

Barricade thought for a moment. Sideways waited patiently while fiddling with his claws.

"No...I don't think I'd remember someone like that. Besides, not many seekers live in Iacon, let me run it through the computer." Barricade rolled in his chair to his computer and began to look up all seekers in Iacon. Only 10 came up but none of them had camoflauge paint. This was strange. He looked back at his brother who was now giving Barricade a very impatient look.

"Nope, nothing on the seeker, probably just a visitor." Barricade shrugged.

Meanwhile, Jazz and his friends Mirage and Sideswipe raced through the streets of Iacon. A few years back Jazz had met them and formed a gang. Bumblebee was part of it as well but he didn't hang with them all the time since he was busy with his family. As they headed out on the backroads of Iacon, Jazz made a call. Back on the Jackhammer, Wheeljack talked to Hardshell while Kickback and Sharpshot took a nap in the back. Wheeljack could see Hardshell was upset.

"Hey Hardshell, anything you need to talk about?" Wheeljack asked.

"Not really, but...I've been confused all day." Hardshell said not looking at Wheeljack.

"About what? Is it your brothers?"

"No...Ironhide wants to move to the other side of Kaon. But I feel it's like he's leaving us! And after that some jet came by killing Dreadwing's brother for us. Something's just not right." Hardshell explained in a low tone.

"Hardshell, Ironhide would never leave you three. He took care of you, raised you, fed you, trained you and he loves you all very much. You're his sons. I knew Ironhide as a kid, he'll take care of anybody...I promise you that." Wheeljack assured.

Hardshell nodded and looked out the window just as Wheeljack's communications screen came on with Jazz's voice.

"Yo Wheeljack, I heard you guys are headed to Tyger Pax." Jazz said.

"How did you know?" Wheeljack asked.

"Look below!"

Wheeljack looked out of his side window and saw three mechs racing through the strangly empty highway. Wheeljack smirked.

"I see, lucky guess."

"Yeah, hey Sideways said some camoflauge jet was racing around town like he owns the place. Ain't that something?" Jazz laughed.

"Uh...we were just talking about him, Hardshell said that the jet saved him and Ironhide from a mech." Wheeljack informed.

Jazz's visor lifted up showing his surprised optics.

"Woah really, that kid must be a hero like Hardshell." Jazz exclaimed.

Hardshell's grill bent up into a smile at that comment.

"Uh, I don't know about a hero Jazz, I just like to help people. But that jet is a hero." Hardshell chuckled.

Suddenly the jet himself came into view behind the Jackhammer. Wheeljack looked through the rearview mirror.

"The hero is behind us!" Wheeljack announced to everyone.

The seeker lowered and sped up going between the Jackhammer and Jazz's gang. Jazz noticed the seeker was lowering himself closer to him as if examining him. Mirage and Sideswipe were confused and moved up so they were closer to Jazz.

"Uh...have me met?" Jazz asked the seeker.

But he got no response back as the jet blasted away leaving a trail of smoke. The force of the take-off made Mirage and Sideswipe swerve violently before regaining control. Wheeljack had never seen such speed. Strange thing was, Bumblebee could go that fast as well.

"Should we follow him?" Sideswipe asked.

"I don't think that's such as good idea! That's being to nosey!" Mirage scoffed.

"Hey Wheeljack how about a little race?" Jazz challenged.

"Seriously, I don't know Jazz but this ship can probably take on any bot on the road." Wheeljack said patting the ship's deck.

"I don't know about you guys, but I think I'm going to try and catch up to the guy!" Sideswipe said speeding past Jazz.

"Ugh, idiot!" Mirage snarled speeding off as well. "It's always me who has to save someone."

"Uh...mabye some other time Wheeljack, tell Bumblebee I said s'up!" Jazz announced before going to catch up with his friends.

Once Jazz hung up, it was Barricade's turn.

"Hey guys...have you came across a-"

"Mysterious camoflauge seeker? He just zoomed passed us. In fact it looked like he was studying Jazz before taking off again." Wheeljack confirmed.

"Interesting. He didn't say anything?"

"Nope, not a word!"

Back in Tyger Pax, Bumblebee and Ser-ket were alone in their room. Ripclaw, Razorclaw and Ransack had left earlier and Shockwave was told not to let the kids into their parents room for awhile. The door was shut and the bondmates were sitting on the bed talking.

"I'm just worried for Shockwave...nothing's been right since we were little." Ser-ket said.

"I know, but Shockwave is strong. Besides, those predacons can't kill him without our permission. And they'll never have that permission." Bumblebee assured. "But all the predacons rising against him just sounds scary."

"Yeah...I'm sure something will be worked." Ser-ket sighed.

Bumblebee looked at the door, then back at Ser-ket, she looked sad. Bumblebee got up from the bed and went to lock the door. Ser-ket cocked her head to the side confused. Bumblebee turned to her slipping down his mouth plate revealing a smirk.

"I believe I know something we can do that will cheer you up!" Bee said slowly walking towards her.

Ser-ket got the idea and bared her fangs.

"Oh really, I was just love to see what you have in mind!" Ser-ket purred flexing her claws.

"Trust me..." Bee lunged and pinned Ser-ket to the berth. "You'll feel all better!"

Meanwhile, Shockwave had placed some headphones over his head already knowing that Bumblebee and Ser-ket were going at it. They always gave him a warning in case he heard something...different. Burnmark curiously crept across the hallway wondering why it was so quiet. He and his sister knew never to disturb their parents when their bedroom door was closed and sometimes locked as they knew a bit about "Private Time". He walked towards Shockwave room but was stopped by Wingclip who angrily came out of her room.

"Burnmark what are you doing?" Wingclip snarled.

"None of your business!" Burnmark growled.

Wingclip got in front of him making Burnmark more mad.

"You can't bother Shockwave, he'll tear us apart!" Wingclip scolded him.

"Why would he? He's not the mech he used to be now back off!" Burnmark demanded getting in Wingclip's face.

"Why don't you make me?" Wingclip growled pounding a fist into her other hand.

Wingclip and Burnmark have gotton into a few physical fights before and Wingclip won them all. Other times they just wrestled around when they were bored. Burnmark would only fight back just to defend himself. He knew he could never beat his sister for real. That and he would be yelled at for hitting a femme. He felt stuck. But as the rivalry grew, he had started to become afraid of her. Wingclip never backed down from a fight and Ser-ket told her that. She felt powerful and to add to that she was slightly taller than Burnmark giving her the chance to literally stare him down. But even with all that, Burnmark chose the wrong decesion.

"Alright then...I will!" Burnmark grabbed Wingclip and wrestled her to the ground.

The two went at it again right in front of Shockwave's room. Shockwave couldn't hear a thing since he had headphones on and was lying down reading. Burnmark began trying to restrain her but Wingclip was too strong. Wingclip eventually pinned him down and began to pummel Burnmark in the face angrily. But for the first time in their fights, Burnmark began to cry making Wingclip cease. Burnmark curled into a ball and cried silently.

"Why are you crying?" Wingclip asked looking confused.

Burnmark sniffed a few times before answering.

"Why was I born weak?" Burnmark asked her without looking.

Wingclip was surprised at the question. She has never seen Burnmark act this way before.

"Burnmark, you're not weak. You're just...unsure of how much strength you have." Wingclip explained.

Burnmark sat up and looked at his sister and wiped his tears. While the two didn't get along all the time, they didn't want to see each other as sad as Burnmark was now.

"Wingclip, I don't like fighting with you. We shouldn't have to." Burnmark said.

"I agree, but...you just make me mad sometimes, and I've made you mad. It happens!" Wingclip shrugged.

"True, look from now on, can we please just get along better? Besides, I can't win against you anyway!" Burnmark chuckled.

"Sure Burnmark, I'm sorry for blocking your way. What were you going to ask Shockwave?"

"Just ask him why he constantly tries to ignore us!" Burnmark said getting up and opening the door.

Shockwave turned his head over feeling like someone was watching him and when he looked to see the siblings dented, he groaned.

"Ugh, now what? I can't rest without you two screwing around!" Shockwave snarled sitting upright and taking off his headphones.

"No, it's not about us, it's about you." Burnmark pointed out.

"What are you talking about?" Shockwave asked.

"Shockwave, do you like having us around?" Burnmark asked.

Shockwave seemed shocked by the question. Was he serious? Why would he ask that?

"Of course I like having you around. Besides you're parents, you guys make it fun around here. I just sometimes would like to have alone time." Shockwave explained.

"But...you've scolded us many times. We thought mabye you've wanted to kill us." Burnmark said.

Shockwave just stared in horror at Burnmark's thought. NEVER! He would never do such an illogical thing. The thought of it just sickened him.

"Burnmark, you and Wingclip may drive me crazy sometimes, but you're just kids. I've haven't been around young people like you most of my early life. And I would never engage in such a horrible activity such as that. I love you guys and I know Bumblebee and Ser-ket want the best for you. Who am I to stand in the way. I want both of you to grow to become as brave and strong as them. But I assure you, never will this gun of mine fire at you two. Never!" Shockwave assured.

"Thank you, Shockwave! And also, are you okay from eariler? We heard everything." Wingclip mentioned.

"Uh...actually I'm trying to forget about it and move on. It's a good thing they don't hang around constantly." Shockwave said nervously.

"I see, well, we'll be in our rooms if you need us alright?" Wingclip said as she and Burnmark left.

"Alright!" Shockwave said lying back down. "Oh Shockwave...just when you thought you were in the clear."

Back somewhere on the highway, Sideswipe was recieving a beating from Mirage when he finally caught up with him. Jazz just watched them while laughing his aft off. When Sideswipe lost the seeker, he made Mirage accidently run straight into the back of him, making Mirage flip and fall on the ground hard. Mirage didn't take too kindly to that either. Jazz finally went over to break it up.

"Okay Mirage you've had your fun. Look, you two head back to Iacon, I'm going to catch up with the Jackhammer." Jazz suggested.

"Why?" Sideswipe asked.

"Because, I think I've seen him before. Apparently he has seen me as well if he was examining me." Jazz shrugged.

"Yeah fine, but whenever you're done, can we still have that night race like you promised?" Mirage asked.

"Of course, besides it's not just us doing it anyway. I'll be back by tonight!" Jazz said as he transformed and raced off.

Mirage and Sideswipe were alone now. Sideswipe glanced at Mirage who looked at him with a growl.

"Uh...I should start running now shouldn't I?" Sideswipe asked nervously.

The response he got back was the sound of Mirage's wrist blades activating.

"I'M GONE!" Sideswipe yelled transforming and running away with Mirage right on his fender.

To be continued...


By the way, the movie-verse Mirage, Sideswipe and Sideways are used in this story. I plan on a few more new characters appearing in this story that I've never used. A little spoiler alert, Rampage from G1 will be coming probably in the next chapter. Anyways, please review!