Finally got this one done. Here we are Predatory.
Disclaimer-I do not own Transformers: Prime or Merlin.
Chapter 7
Warlock vs. Predator
"YOU'RE CHEATING!" Miko shouted, glaring at Jack.
The young warlock smiled.
"How can one cheat at Yahtzee?" Jack asked, innocently.
Miko scowled and snatched the dice, shaking them and releasing them on the table.
"Scrap!" she growled, "Five points?! I didn't need that…!"
"My turn," Jack started, grinning as he grabbed the dice.
He shook them, bringing his hands to his mouth.
"Wearp," Jack whispered, eyes flickering as he released the dice.
Five sixes clattered on the table.
"YAHTZEE!" Jack shouted, writing the score on his card.
Miko glared at him darkly.
"I know you're cheating, I don't know how but I know you're cheating!"
"Ummmm…" Jack started, looking around.
"Arcee, I need you to scout out this energon signature in northern Washington state," Ratchet called.
Jack jumped up, watching as his guardian walked towards the Groundbridge.
"Hey, can I come?" he asked.
Arcee looked at Ratchet.
"It's a low risk assignment," Ratchet mused, "He'll be fine,"
"C'mon then," Arcee smiled.
"We're finishing this when you get back!" Miko shouted.
"Arcee…!" Jack cried as he ran down the stairs and close to his guardian.
The Autobot femme gave a small laugh as the Groundbridge fired up and the duo walked through.
The first thing Jack noticed…was that there were mosquitoes galore.
He smacked at one. Then another…
"I really wish I would have packed some insect repellant," Jack growled, smacking yet another mosquito from his neck.
Sure, he brought his survival kit…and the miniaturized spell book (new trick he just learned)…but he had completely forgot the insect repellant!
"The mosquitoes out here on this routine recon are the size of vampire bats!" he complained, swatting at another bug, "and they drink as much blood!"
He gave a low snarl as he smacked another mosquito…and again missed horribly. In all the grimoire's wisdom…it failed to have an insect repelling spell.
"Quite the outdoorsman, aren't you Jack?" Arcee smirked.
"You wouldn't be making fun of my survival kit..." Jack started.
"Maybe,"
"I may not have stinger-proof metal skin, Arcee," the young warlock said with a slight grin, "But in a pinch…I can use my multi-function pocket knife and magnesium fire-starter to cook up some freeze-dried mac and cheese!"
"You have your tools," Arcee said, holding up what looked uncannily like a radiation scanner, "I have mine,"
"Fine then, you're not getting any of my Mac and Cheese,"
"And why would I want that?" the Autobot femme snorted.
"Because it's good, and Mom would have a fit if she knew I had it…" Jack smiled guiltily.
"Yeah, I've seen your mother's menu for you…tofu huh?"
Jack shuddered violently as a beeping noise emitted from the scanner. Arcee looked at it and frowned.
"That's odd…" she started, "Ratchet's satellite scans were accurate…but subterranean energon deposits don't cause this kind of surge,"
She started forwards again, Jack following close behind. The femme suddenly stopped, nearly causing the young warlock to crash into her.
"What happened here?" Jack asked, surveying the land and noticing a deep rut in the earth.
"Crash landing," Arcee said, "Stay behind me, low and close,"
Jack subconsciously put a hand in his jeans' pocket, brushing the small carving that lay within.
Even now, Jack carried Kilgharry with him. It felt wrong not to have it with him at all times…it was a connection with his father, and Jack didn't want to lose that connection.
The two came closer and closer to the ship, finally stopping and looking at the scarred and scratched metal.
"Autobot or Decepticon?" Jack asked.
"Can't tell," Arcee replied, "Wait here,"
She switched out her servo for her blaster and snuck aboard the ship.
Jack did as he was told and waited…but not without doing anything.
He took out the dragon and rubbed it's neck with his thumb.
"What are you doing now, Dad?" he wondered, "Did Arthur come back yet or…"
He stopped, noticing a flicker of deep blue and bright pink next to the ship.
Arcee!
She staggered and placed a servo on the ship.
She looked like she was hurt…
Jack stood up.
"Arcee!" he cried, running over to her.
The femme's optics were unfocused, Jack placed a hand on her leg...
A reddish glow, shackles upon my wrists, and a Decepticon coming over to me. She raises a talon and slices, blue energon spatters the wall.
Jack gasped as the horrifying images disappeared, the misty forest taking their place. Arcee shook her helm.
"Arcee?" Jack asked, "What's wrong?"
"I know who this ship belongs to," she said, shaking as she tapped her comm. link, "Arcee to Base, I need a Groundbridge ASAP,"
"Wh-wait, why?" Jack demanded, "Who's ship is this?"
Jack looked at her.
"Who?"
She ignored him and tapped her comm again.
"Base do you read?" she asked, fear spiking her voice.
Static.
"Scrap!" the femme hissed, walking off, "Comm. link's dead…the ship's got to be transmitting a high frequency scrambler pulse…"
"Arcee?" Jack asked, softly as he followed, "L…ok, you're kinda freakin' me out here…"
"Wait. Here," Arcee ordered, walking off.
As soon as she'd gone, Jack pulled out the pocketknife. Sure, magic would be a lot easier…but there was something about having the blade that made him feel a little safer.
A twig snapped and Jack jumped.
Something moved in the trees!
"Arcee…" he whimpered.
The branches shifted and shook again.
Jack raised his hand, feeling his power build up.
Another shake…and something charged out, leaping at Jack!
The boy let out a shriek as he hit the ground…he opened his eyes, the words to at least stun the assailant on his lips…
And he started laughing.
His assailant…was a little bunny rabbit.
"Here's what my epitaph will say: Here lies Jackson Balinor Darby, son of June and Merlin Darby, all powerful warlock…he was slain by the evil, terrifying monster by the name of Thumper."
Jack started laughing uncontrollably as the bunny hopped off and the boy stood up, brushing himself off.
The young warlock started in the direction that his partner went…and found her in the same position that she was when she exited the ship.
Optics unfocused…faraway look…
I am in a prison cell on Cybertron, arms restrained. I struggle to break free, to get away, I am interrupted by the sound of footsteps.
I look up to see a figure enshrouded by shadow, the gleam of baleful violet optics all I see.
A weapon unsheathes! It's right above my faceplate!
Got to pull away! Can't move my helm far enough! Cold, cold metal pricks against my faceplate…
Screeching metal, searing pain!
"NOOOOO!"
Jack opened his eyes. These weren't his memories! They were…
"Arcee?" Jack asked softly, making note not to touch her in case another memory resurfaced.
She didn't answer, instead her frame folded into her alt.
"Climb on," she growled.
As soon as he did and put his helmet on…Arcee drove away from the ship as fast as she could.
"Arcee!" Jack cried as they kept getting closer and closer to a ravine.
Arcee didn't stop, she built up speed and ramped over the ravine, causing Jack to shut his eyes as they landed.
The femme came to a stop and Jack dismounted.
"Ok, was that really necessary?" he demanded.
Arcee ignored him and tried to comm. Base again…with little success.
"Look!" Jack cried, exasperated, "I've seen danger before! What's the big…"
"Wait here," Arcee ordered, cutting the boy off, "I mean it this time!"
Jack grit his teeth.
"Ok, first you shut me out," he growled, "And now you're ditching me?!"
Arcee transformed and glared at him.
"I thought I was your partner!" Jack snapped.
"No, Jack, you're a kid!" Arcee retorted, "You're only here because this was supposed to be no risk! Got it?"
And with that, she transformed and drove off.
"Just a kid?" Jack asked.
He held up his hand, watching a bit of fire waver above his palm.
"I'll show her who's the kid," he growled as he started in the direction Arcee went in.
He stopped at the edge of the ravine and looked down.
"Yikes, wouldn't want to take a nose dive in that," he said to himself as he carefully lowered himself down and climbed back up the edge.
Merlin closed his eyes. It was moments like these that he hated being able to see the future.
Nearly seventeen years ago he foresaw this day…and now he had to watch it.
The metal spider's violet eyes still burned in his mind…Oh it hurt! His son was in grave danger…and there was nothing he could do!
For the first time in a long time…
Merlin felt helpless.
In all honesty, Jack nearly backed off when he saw what Arcee was fighting…
It was a spider. A big, metal, Cybertronian spider femme!
The young warlock shuddered violently. He didn't like spiders…one of the first spells he actually learned was one that killed spiders.
Arcee delivered a crushing blow to the Spider femme, knocking the Decepticon flat. The Autobot onlined her blasters, getting ready to offline the Decepticon. Jack leaned forwards, wanting to see…when his foot slipped and he slid down the slope.
Arcee looked up at the sound and gasped…
Right as the Spider backhanded her, making Arcee stumble next to the cliff, where the Spider stuck her to the cliff side.
"Arcee!" Jack shouted, running towards her.
The Spider turned towards Jack, raising her talons and hissing. Jack quailed on the inside, but he was adept at not showing it and he continued towards his friend. Arcee freed an arm and shot at the Decepticon, nailing her in the back and sending the dark femme flying. The shot femme crashed to the ground, her 'legs' curling in like a real spider's do once it dies.
"I told you to wait for me!" Arcee growled.
"Well partner's don't ditch partners!" Jack retorted as he grabbed the webbing and started to pull, desperately trying to free his friend.
"Get this through your head…" Arcee snapped.
"Abrecap benda!" Jack whispered, pulling on the webs.
The material shredded just a bit.
"You're not my partner…"
"Abrecap benda!"
"You're a liability!"
"I don't believe you!" Jack grunted as he pulled the webbing out and glaring at Arcee, "I can see it in your eyes. You're afraid Arcee!"
The blue optics dimmed slightly and Jack knew he struck a sore spot.
"And you're never afraid!" he continued.
Arcee's optics went dim and Jack realized she was having another flashback.
"She must have really traumatized you," he growled, glaring the other femme as she stood.
"You're right, Jack, I am afraid," Arcee snapped, apparently not hearing him, "Of losing you!"
Jack stopped, looking up.
"You sure have trouble hanging on to your partners…don't you?" the femme growled with a slight slur as she stalked towards her prey, "We both know what happened to Tailgate…but I've recently picked up some Decepticon radio chatter regarding the passing of Cliffjumper!"
Arcee's vents stuttered slightly. Jack looked up right as Arcee's optics flickered and dimmed. Jack was almost glad he wasn't touching her: that would have made some more bad memories.
"At some point, you have to ask yourself, Arcee: Is it them? Or is it me?" the Spider purred.
"Do you get it now, Jack?" Arcee snarled, "Airachnid's not interested in me…she hunts indigenous species…and she's on Earth! That means humans!"
Jack stepped backwards. This…was not good.
"Wha…?" he asked.
"YOU!" Arcee screamed, "RUN!"
No need to tell him twice!
Jack sprinted away, letting the ground fly underneath him as he climbed back out of the shallow valley.
"JAAAAAACCCCKKKKK!" Arcee shrieked…
And then it cut off.
Jack jammed his fist in his mouth as he ran.
This was not good! Not good at all! What was he going to do?
"I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die!" was the thought that kept running through his head.
He looked back…and gave a sharp yell as Airachnid crawled out of the valley.
"That's the spirit, Jack!" she called, "Play hard to get!"
"Bet your adventures have nothing on mine, Dad," Jack muttered as he ran, "You never got chased by a giant, sadistic, robotic spider!"
"No, but I did get chased by a lot more bloodthirsty creatures," Merlin mumbled as he watched his son get chased.
He watched as his son made a tree fall in the Spider's path…who promptly leaped over it.
"Run, Jack, faster!" Merlin whispered.
He looked ahead…hmmm, that might work.
"There's a fallen tree not too far ahead of you," Merlin breathed, "Find it and hide,"
"There's a fallen tree not too far ahead of you," that familiar voice whispered, "Find it and hide,"
Jack looked ahead…Aha! There it was!
The boy leaped over the tree and slid underneath it, breathing heavily. His heart threatened to burst from his chest.
There was a soft clink and Jack froze, fear gripping him in its icy talons. A soft, hissing sound came from above the tree.
Jack barely stopped the cry that was threatening to come over him.
Airachnid continued, stepping over the log. Jack started breathing easier…maybe she didn't see him…
"Hello, Jack," the Spider's sadistic, dark honey voice purred as her helm came inches away from Jack's head.
Jack let out a shriek and scrambled to get away.
He heard something swish behind him. Jack's eyes flashed brightly and the stream of webbing veered off, hitting the trunk instead of him.
"Keep going, keep going…" he thought to himself.
He skidded to a stop, almost going over the edge of the ravine.
"It's times like this I wish I could fly," he muttered as he climbed down the rocky face, sprinted to the other side and climbed back up…
Right as Airachnid came into view.
Jack ran towards the ship, watching as Airachnid leaped over the ravine with ease.
"Not fair!" Jack groaned as he ran.
He finally stopped and hid behind a tree, panting. Jack pulled out his knife...and tossed it to the ground in disgust.
"Who am I kidding?" he growled as he started running again…this time towards the ship.
Maybe he could find something in there to fight with…other than with magic.
"You're making this too easy, Jack!" Airachnid called, "And I do not enjoy being bored!"
"You're bored!?" Jack hissed as he ran down the slopes and ventured towards the ship…
"Now…" Jack heard his pursuer pout, "Where could you have scampered off to?"
Jack pulled his head back against the ship. Not even daring to breath, just in case it'd alert Her to where he was.
He started towards the interior of the ship…and got as far as the first head when he quickly ran out.
"Not going in there again anytime soon," Jack shuddered.
He ran around to the front of the ship. There was black spots going across his vision.
"Maybe…maybe a nap wouldn't be so bad…?"
"DON'T YOU DARE FALL ASLEEP JACKSON BALINOR DARBY!" the British voice screeched.
"I'm up!" Jack protested…right as his foot stepped in something.
He looked down, lifting his foot. It was dripping a familiar blue liquid.
"Energon," he breathed, "But how…"
His eyes followed the stream…finally landing on a thruster.
"Hmmm…energon is flammable…isn't it?" He picked up a stick, and started work on lighting it on fire.
There was a clinking sound, Jack looked up, startled, and quickly started working on the stick again…
For there on the roof of the ship…was Airachnid.
The stick didn't want to light!
"C'mon, come on!" Jack snarled, "Light! Please light!"
Nothing.
Jack tossed the stick aside.
Now he was mad.
Forget the stupid stick.
Jack stretched out his hand, pointing at the energon puddle that was conveniently right next to Airachnid.
"FORBEARNAN!" he shouted with everything he had.
The energon sparked and caught fire. Airachnid's optics widened in horror.
"JACK!" she shrieked…but he was already running as the ship blew itself to pieces.
The shockwave knocked the boy off his feet. Jack lay there, stunned for a moment…and he started laughing.
"I did it!" he laughed, tears streaming down his face, "Dad, I did it! I finally got that one fire spell to do what I want! Haha!"
He got up and started to head back to Arcee.
Something caught his foot. The young warlock's eyes traveled down to his foot.
"No…" he whispered, "NO!"
He looked up…
A fiery silhouette glared at Jack through the branches of the trees…and shot another web at him, pinning the boy against a tree.
Airachnid leaped down and ran her searing metal fingers across Jack's neck…as if she were deciding where to cut…
Right as a blue and pink blur rammed into her, knocking the Decepticon flat.
Arcee!
Jack relaxed as Arcee hit the Decepticon a few times and then sent Arachnid flying a great distance. The Autobot came back over to where the boy lay imprisoned, and set him free.
"Jack," she started, "Are you ok?"
"Yeah," Jack panted, "Of course…survival kit!"
He pulled out his fire starter and smiled.
There was a drilling sound and both Autobot and warlock looked at the rapidly disappearing Airachnid.
Arcee started shooting, running closer to the hole as she did.
But it was too late.
"AIRACHNID!" the blue femme snarled, pounding the ground harshly with her fist.
She stood up.
"So much for closure," Arcee grumbled.
"Now Airachnid's stuck on Earth…" Jack sighed, "I'm not so sure that's a good thing…"
"I'm…sorry you had to face my demons today," Arcee apologized, "You were pretty fearless there, Jack,"
The boy snorted.
"Actually…I was terrified," he admitted, "Mostly for you,"
Arcee gave a slight smile as she put a servo to her comm.
"Ratchet…requesting Groundbridge,"
Jack heard a slight buzzing sound, he turned around…and finally managed to squish that pesky mosquito.
"Ha!" he laughed, "Got you!"
Arcee shook her helm.
"I need to get my partner as far away from any over-sized insects," she finished.
"Partner, huh?" Jack teased.
"Junior partner," Arcee corrected, "I can still pull rank,"
"'S still a partner," Jack grinned as the Groundbridge spun up.
Ok, so Jack kinda can see what someone's remembering by his touching them. It's kinda a reverse seer thing. Airachnid doesn't know Jack has magic. All she thinks is that he threw something at her ship and shouted gibberish.
I'm still taking requests on torturing the knights and other Merlin characters as being subs. I'm looking for an idea of what I can really do for Gwaine as an engineering teacher...help me!
Oh! And the book Jack reads from in the previous chapter is The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
Anyway, hope you liked it. If you did, please R&R! :)
Qui vállë tóquetë, ván tecë (If no review comes from y'all; no story comes from me)
Máriessë ar mára tecië
Farewell and fair writing
Elhini Prime signing off.
