For starters, I'd just like to say that this chapter was super fun to write (because this fanfiction is now becoming more action-packed)!

Thank you to all who have followed/favorited/reviewed this story! I love the positive feedback!

Here's the next chapter! I hope you enjoy it!


No Time to Struggle

"I heard what happened!" Moonracer exclaimed the next day during work, barely able to contain her excitement.

"Excuse me?" Ariel scoffed.

"You and Orion are going out together!"

Ariel instantly shushed her and pulled her into a small conference room, just as Orion's helm whipped around at his name. Ariel suspected he was annoyed but somewhat amused. "Who told you that?"

"Are you kidding me? It's all the Gossipys are talking about!"

"What? How did they know I talked to him yesterday?"

"They go wherever Orion goes," she deadpanned, as if it was so obvious.

"Not creepy at all," Ariel sighed sarcastically. "Are they ever going to say anything straight to my face or just gossip behind my back?"

"Probably not. They're too chicken to say anything in front of your face." Ariel and Moonracer laughed together before separating to their work stations.

Later, Ariel followed the directions to Orion's house. Before she had left, though, she stopped at Ironhide's to remind her sisters.

"Off on your date?" Chromia joked as Ariel prepared to leave.

"It's not a date—it's at his house," Ariel replied blandly.

"You know, he used to tell you to come to his house, and then you would be off somewhere else having fun."

"Just-look after Arcee, and don't be off doing something with Ironhide."

"Mmmhmm-I thought you were the older sister," Chromia sneered.

"You want to get a job someday—maybe you can start learning some responsibility."

Chromia's playful expression faded, and she asked, "When will you be back?"

"In a few groons—tell Arcee not to worry and that I'll be back for stargazing."

Chromia nodded her head solemnly and called inside the house, "Well, Ironhide—looks like we're babysitting tonight!"


Orion's house wasn't too far away from Downtown Iacon, and although it was in a neighborhood, she had to turn onto a deserted street and drive a little ways to get to it. The driveway was huge, meant for a mansion of some sort, although the house itself was quite small.

Orion had left her a message saying not to come to the front door, so she quietly crept to the back, where Orion was waiting patiently. The moment she had sat down, Orion quickly explained, "My brother is with his...friends tonight. It's best we stay quiet."

"Does he know I'm here?"

"Um..."

Ariel sighed, quickly taking it as a no. "Where are your caretakers?"

"Dead. But my brother's old enough to 'care' for me."

"Alright...how about we just move on with what I came here for?"

"This whole thing started with Cybertron's caste system. After the Golden Age ended, the caste system was enacted."

"I remember learning about that with my tutors—" Ariel instantly regretted mentioning it.

"Tutors?"

"I-grew up in a rich home. My sire was very rich, and when my caretakers met, my carrier was able to buy her way out of the caste system, as well. My caretakers hired private tutors for my sisters and me. My youngest sister never got to have an education with them, though, because..."

Ariel trailed off as the visions came swooping back to her—the fire, the grand escape with Silverwing—Orion deserved to know the whole truth.

So, Ariel gave it to him—the whole truth about what had happened. She explained the whole story in exact detail, for she never forgot a single thing—especially not Silverwing. When she was finished, a groon and a half had probably gone by.

"I never knew that Silverwing did all that for you. I never even knew that she was so close by. All this time..." Orion dazed off, the memories of his late sister rushing back to him. They almost seemed to slam him in the face as his usually-neutral expression faded to one of sadness.

"She was a wonderful bot," Ariel whispered, patting her servo reassuringly against his shoulder.

"I know. I just can't believe she's gone."

The two waited in silence for a moment before Ariel suddenly exclaimed, "All this violence against the caste system has to stop! I never realized how much it affected Cybertron—but now that I see how it has turned your brother into a monster, I know that we have to put a stop to it!" Ariel sat up and raised her voice during the last part, and Orion instantly shushed her and pulled her down.

"My brother and I wanted to stop it, and at first, our methods were the same—gather followers who feel the same way and wage protests against the High Council. But my brother's protests were violent, and it resulted in him bombing city after city, landmark after landmark—but his task to turn Cybertron caste-free turned into a thirst for power, and not long ago, he started searching for the legendary Matrix of Leadership."

"But that represents a Prime, and a Prime certainly doesn't bomb cities in an effort to uncover a token of power."

"I believe that leading peaceful protests would be the best course of action. This way, the message of freedom can reach the High Council and alert them of this dire problem. Violence certainly isn't the answer, and it only results in bots getting hurt and killed. Yet somehow, he has gained more followers than me—I haven't found anybot who hasn't succumbed to the easier path rather than the right one."

Ariel scooted closer to him and wrapped her small servo around his much larger one. His helm whipped around to face hers, and she smiled warmly. "Then consider me your first one—your first Autobot."

"Autobots. That is what our followers shall be called," Orion agreed.

Ariel nodded her helm, but the memory of Orion's gashes yesterday came back. "What happened to your back? Was it your brother?"

Orion stayed silent. "It was your brother! Him and his gang of-of—"

"Decepticons," Orion added for her.

"They're abusing you—all because you believe in the right path!"

"You're right. And I want to leave, but my brother won't let me—" A deep, menacing voice suddenly called Orion's name from the front door. "Stay here. I'll be back."

"Is that your brother?" Ariel asked shakily as Orion made his way to the front.

He turned around quickly and nodded once, his expression fearful. Orion slowed down as he turned the corner to the front. Ariel heard voices and then a loud shing, like a sword being unveiled. A grunt—like trying to hold back a scream—followed, unmistakably Orion.

"You know you're not supposed to bring anybot here!" his brother shouted.

Ariel hadn't even seen his brother yet, but his voice was so menacing that she shivered every time she played back the memory. Slowly, Ariel crept to the edge and listened. She dared a peek around the corner and watched Orion turn around and go inside, a fresh, open gash on his back. His brother was speaking into his comm. link, turned around so that Ariel could barely make out his words.

"Get the femme in the backyard. Bring her downstairs." Ariel shoved her servo over her mouth to hide a gasp and backed away slowly—she wasn't safe here.

Ariel backed into something hard and metal, and she didn't have time to scream before a small servo covered her mouth and another grasped her waist. "Use the dark energon," Orion's brother's voice pinged through her captor's comm. link.

Ariel tensed, recognizing the dangerous substance, but there was no time to struggle before a purple haze filled her optics and she fell lifelessly into her captor's arms.


Cliffhanger, I know, but it wouldn't be as exciting if I continued writing what happens next!

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Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Signing off, theautobotprincess.