Whenever Hallie and Melody get into fight over petty things, Mom wouldn't yell or hit them like other parents. She would ask them why they were fighting in the first place. She would just listen, then tell them to make up for it and apologize. After all, they had their good and bad days. It depends on what's going to happen next.

This, however, is the worst day of their lives.

Standing next to three Maximals, Hallie observes as Optimus stands out on the narrow bridge facing the former Predacon Dinobot. It was a challenge for the leadership of the Maximals.

Hearing that mysterious crow seems to break this awkward silence. Hallie couldn't even begin to contemplate the future, which isn't all that good. The truth is she wants to break down in despair but didn't for the sake of pride.

Melody sat sadly behind the three Maximals. She hugged her knees close to her chest. She was really scared. She wants to pretend it is all a bad dream but she just couldn't do that. She began humming a lullaby to herself.

The raptor lets out a low growl. "Face me, Optimus!" he demanded, bearing his sharp teeth. "I, Dinobot, challenge you for leadership of the Maximals! You and I, one on one! The winner shall be leader, and the loser…"

As Dinobot ponders, he looks down over at the ravine below them. "Well, it is a long way down." he said, turning to face Optimus.

Hallie looks over to see the small stream below. She didn't like the heights so she took a few steps back.

Optimus bares his fangs in anticipation. "I don't want to fight you!" he told Dinobot, tensing up for the fight.

"You do not have a choice!" Dinobot shouted with a snarl. "Your command center is back there! And no one crosses this bridge until you face me…"

Optimus stood quiet and still, indecisive about what he should do, especially with the pressure that he is new to leading his team and that the Predacons are coming.

"Don't WE get a say in this?" Rhinox asked, wondering.

Rattrap was so insensitive to Optimus' situation. "Let Chopperface and the Boss Monkey duke it out! Ain't no fur off MY tail…" he said.

Then Rattrap turns to glare at Hallie, still mad that she stood on his tail.

Cheetor wasn't going to stand for this either. "No way!" he yelled. "Hey, Scale Belly, how's about you try a piece of the bad kitty, huh?"

True she is scared, but Hallie didn't care what was going on. Her main concern now was getting her injured sister out of here. She was especially angry at Dinobot. What he is doing is selfish and is endangering their lives. The Predacons could arrive at any moment and destroy them all. There was no time to lose.

"Hey!" Hallie shouted, cupping her hands round her mouth. "Get out of the way, you jerk!"

Alarmed, Rhinox took priority for the girls' safety. "Keep quiet!" he hissed at her.

"Leave me alone!" Hallie yelled, refusing to be ignored.

"Watch it, kid." Rattrap warned, keeping his tail close.

"Shut up, rat." Hallie said bitterly. "You're on my list too. That means I don't trust you."

Dinobot stopped to stare at Hallie and Melody, narrowing his cat-slit eyes. "I see you have found the human girls. That is good." he said in his gruff, snarling voice.

The Maximals turned to stare at the Thorne sisters, concerned that they have never mentioned meeting Dinobot before. Melody crawls up next to Rhinox and tries standing up on her good leg. But she accidentally stumbles and leans onto his side.

"Sorry," Melody said shyly.

Rhinox turns to look at her. He nods in response and smiled. He supports her kindly.

"Cool your circuits, everyone." Optimus said, turning and motioning his hand out to silence their protests. "I wouldn't send anyone to do anything that I wasn't willing to do myself!"

Rattrap scoffs at this. "Oh, yeah, right." He said mockingly. "Now he's says that."

Optimus groans in frustration and turns to face his would-be-opponent. "This is foolish, Dinobot! We're Maximals! You are a Predacon!"

The velociraptor Dinobot was indifferent to this. "All the more reason that I should lead them." he stated.

"Look!" Optimus said, growing angry. "I don't know what happened between you and Megatron-"

"Megatron?!" Dinobot snapped, seething with venom. "Megatron will fall as soon as I have your Maximals at my command!"

"You are welcome to join us," Optimus said, before pointing at him. "But you shall NOT lead!"

"I beg to differ!" Dinobot snorted, sounding unimpressed. "For in anticipation of my new role as leader, I have already reprogrammed my activation code! Dinobot, MAXIMIZE!"

Roaring, Dinobot transforms from a velociraptor and into his robot mode. He now wields his spinning sword and a rotating blade, posing for the fight.

"Optimus Primal, MAXIMIZE!" he declared, roaring and transforming into robot mode.

Now Optimus Primal and Dinobot are both ready to duel. The Maximal leader pulled out his twin, cyan blades to even the odds.

Cheetor wasn't going to stand this insanity any longer. "I'm going in there! Cheetor, MAXI-"

"Clamp it, kitty." Rattrap said, restraining the cheetah's mouth. "Nailing the chopper from behind won't settle anything."

"He's right." Rhinox replied. "Yeah… Like it or not, we've gotta let them finish."

Much than she hates to admit, Hallie knows that Rhinox and Rattrap are right. There was nothing they can do about it and they are no good to Optimus until the battle is over. But if Dinobot wins, what is going to happen to her and Melody?

Dinobot makes the first move, charging toward Optimus like a mad bull. As he dashes, he moves his rotating blade in front of him. However, Optimus stood his ground. As the raptor bot came at him, the Maximal leader ducked and flipped the former Predacon over him. Dinobot bounced across the bridge toward the Maximals and collapsed. His rotating blade was hitting the rocky edge.

Anticipating for an attack, Cheetor growls at him as he and Rhinox stood protectively in front of the Thorne sisters. Dinobot ignored them and stood up. He was down but his determination for victory allowed him to go on. He jumps toward Optimus, somersaulting over him at such great height.

When Dinobot is close enough, he brings his weapons down for the striking blow which knocks Optimus down. As the Maximal leader lets out a groan and collapsed, his foot scraped past the rocky bridge as the pebbles fall into the ravine. It was too close for comfort.

As Optimus looks down at his possible death, he pans up to face Dinobot with a determined stare. He refuses to die like this. Before a victorious Dinobot can bring his sword down, Optimus Primal lashes out and hits him with a falcon punch.

Dazed, Dinobot stood dumbfounded for a moment before wobbling and falling down into a heap. As he tries to gather up his strength, Dinobot saw and felt the blade of Optimus underneath his chin. He wasn't fazed by what is going to happen next.

"I still live!" Dinobot exclaims. "Finish it!"

But Optimus refused and puts away one of his swords, offering his free hand to his opponent. "That's not how we Maximals do things." he explained.

"Then…" Dinobot began as his optics glow green. "That will have to change!" he screamed, firing his optic lasers at Optimus.

Blasted in the face, Optimus screamed in response and covered his optics. He made a few steps back, his foot slipped on the edge of the bridge.

The Maximal leader struggles to keep his balance and tumbles over the edge.

Cheetor widens his optics in shock, fearing the worst for Optimus.

Hallie reacted with a gasp. She was surprised at herself for this. She was actually concerned for him? For someone she had just met?

Melody was scared of the violence. She had closed her eyes and covered her ears. She was streaming tears. "Please, Hallie, make them stop!" she cried.

Then Optimus uses both of his legs to cling onto the narrow rock bridge, preventing himself from falling. As he hangs upside down, Dinobot steps over and towered above him.

As Hallie hugs Melody to calm her down, she saw Rhinox shook his head disapprovingly. This was it. It was all over for Optimus Primal.

Dinobot nears his spiky sword at Optimus' face and was about to do the final strike. But then he unexpectedly helps Optimus back up and threw him across the bridge.

Breathing heavily, Optimus was confused at this. "What are you doing? You'd won." he said.

"You slipped." Dinobot stated with a low growl. "To defeat you in such a manner would be lacking in honor. I would not have earned the right to lead. I prefer to beat my opponents the old fashioned way…"

Dinobot squeezes the handle of his sword tightly, as the blades were suddenly spinning faster like a drill. "BRUTALLY!" he declared.

Then Optimus and Dinobot resumed their fighting. Blow after blow, their blades were locked in fierce combat.

Honor? Hallie thought with confusion. He's like an ancient samurai, trying to justify his existence right up to the end. I'm not sure if it meant the same for this velociraptor.

Finally, Optimus and Dinobot trapped themselves in a tight block with their swords and attempts to push one another back and forth.

"For a Predacon, Dinobot," Optimus grunted. "You have qualities I could like."

"And you," Dinobot groaned. "Have proved to be a worthy adversary. I will have you recycled with full honors."

"Well, that's…just…Prime!" Optimus strained, before lunging at him.

Hallie didn't route for either of them. In fact, she doesn't care who wins. She just wants to cross the bridge and get Melody to safety before those Predacons catch up to them.


Nearby...

While the Maximals and the Throne sisters are distracted by the fight, they are unaware that Megatron and the Predacons have finally arrived and are hiding behind large rocks. They were enjoying watching the two combatants on the bridge trying to destroy each other.

In his T-Rex form, Megatron looks over at his troops. "Well!" he said with smug delight. "This is an interesting sight, yesss! Optimus and the traitor Dinobot engaged in battle!"

"W-who do you think's gonna win?" Scorponok asked nervously.

Waspinator was giddy with excitement. "Ooooh! Wazzpinator bet on Optimus!"

Tarantulas snickers at this. "The winner doesn't interest me!" he said, twitching his fangs.

"Nor me. Noooo!" Megatron agreed. "How much more preferable it would be if they…BOTH lost? Yesss."

Grinning at the idea, Megatron has the chance to destroy two of his greatest enemies and cut off the Maximals' escape. He would finally capture the human brats and discover how and why they came to be on this planet.

"Megatron, Terrorize!" he shouted, roaring before transforming.

"Terrorsaur, Terrorize!" he screeched, transforming in mid-air.

"Tarantulas, Terrorize!" he cackled.

"Wazzpinator, Terrorize!" he buzzed.

"Scorponok, Terrorize!" he shouted, clicking his claws before transforming.

Then Rattrap's ratty ears were alert when he heard something nearby. He turned to the right and saw a most unpleasant sight: the Predacons. "Yeow!" he yelled. "Shift your scanners to east there, pals! This party has got big time crashers!"

Rhinox and Cheetor turn to face their comrade's direction and spotted the Predacons. Hallie and Melody did the same and they were both immediately terrified. They had to get outta of here now!

"Oh, no." Melody cried out in panic. "They've found us!"

Hallie went over to Melody and helped support her injured sister to her feet. They were suddenly surrounded by Cheetor and Rhinox, standing protectively over them.

Megatron turned to face his troops and ordered: "FIRE!" he shouted.

The Predacons did so, firing and unleashing a barrage of missiles toward the Maximals.

The Thorne sisters snapped their eyes shut, preparing for the worse. But instead, the missiles were flying past them and directly at the bridge where Optimus and Dinobot are still fighting. They don't even notice the danger flying toward them! If the missiles take out the bridge, then Optimus and Dinobot are all doomed.

Shocked, Cheetor turned to warn his leader. "OPTIMUS!" he cried.

Hearing that, Optimus Primal turned to face the incoming missiles and then he shouted: "Beast mode!"

Then Optimus transforms to his gorilla form, pulling Dinobot out of the way of the missiles as they fell over the edge. The missiles missed, continuing on until they disappears into the mountainous horizon.

"OPTIMUS!" screamed Cheetor

Near the cliff, the Maximals and the Thorne sisters tried to detect where Optimus and Dinobot are falling, but they see nothing but the ravine below. Filled with sadness, Cheetor believed the worst had happened.

"If you guys aren't doing anything," stated a familiar voice.

Everyone snapped out of their depression and looked over to see Optimus Primal is still alive, but is clinging upside down from the bridge whilst he held onto the foot of a dangling Dinobot.

Suddenly, the Predacons opened fire again and this time struck the rocky edges of the bridge, weakening Optimus' foothold. "A little speed would be Prime!" he shouted.

Any moment, Optimus and Dinobot will fall into the ravine.

Megatron and his cohorts continue to fire at the bridge from cover. "MAKE THEM FALL! YESSS!" the Predacon leader shouted.

"We have to help them!" Melody cried. She was actually worried for Optimus, especially Dinobot. "I don't want to see anyone die."

"Then let's not let it happen." Hallie told her.

"Let's go! Cheetor, MAXIMIZE!"

"Rhinox, MAXIMIZE!"

Rhinox and Cheetor have both transformed to their robot modes and are ready to fight.

However, Rattrap was actually cowering down, refusing to fight. "Nuh uh," he said, shaking his head. "Ain't no way I'm gonna get blasted."

Hallie has grown sick of his cowardly behavior as her patience reached the limit. "Come on, rat," she demanded. "Don't be a coward. Stand up and fight."

Now Rattrap is really annoyed with this pestering human. "Hey! Watch it, small fry!" he retorted.

"Who are you calling small, mouse?" Hallie taunted with a smirk.

"Why I outta…!"

Then Rhinox interrupted the argument by tapping the rat's head, impatiently demanding him to transform too.

"Hey, hey, hey!" protested Rattrap. "You get yourselves scrapped, 'cause I ain't-"

Suddenly, Rhinox grabs Rattrap by the neck and lifts the rat up to his level, glaring at him.

"All right, all right…!" Rattrap groaned before transforming into robot mode.

Hallie knew that time was of the essence. She helps her sister Melody who is hopping off her injured ankle and trying to cross the bridge. They were moving too slow.

Then Rhinox stepped in their way and kneeled down to their level. He didn't look too menacing up close, but even Hallie dared not try to get on his bad side either.

"Climb on," Rhinox said, offering his outstretched hand to Melody. "You won't get far. I can help. Trust me."

This seemed to knock the confused Melody back into reality. A reassuring smile crossed Rhinox's face.

Melody then looks at Hallie for permission. Without a word, Hallie just nodded.

Without hesitation, Melody hopped toward Rhinox and sat in his hand. He gently lifted her up and sets her on his shoulder. Melody grinned brightly from her place as she held onto his neck.

"Hurry, they're coming!" Hallie shouted. She was resisting the urge to run.

Suddenly, Dinobot began screaming in agony as he starts suffering from Energon build up. "The Energon fields!" he cried in agony. "I am shorting out!"

Optimus slips further as his foot begins to lose grip on the bridge. "Hang on! You can't transform in this position!" he yelled.

"Release me!" Dinobot pleaded, suffering from the surges. "And let me fall and save yourself."

"Now, where's the honor in that?" Optimus chuckled.

Now Optimus' hold on the rock bridge weakens as he was now dangling by his toe. He tries to put on a confident look but Dinobot can see through his farce.

"You have no choice." Dinobot said sadly, shaking his head.

"Then we BOTH go!" Optimus declared.

Finally, Optimus lost his grip as he lets a scream and began their fall but was suddenly saved when Rhinox seized his leader's foot at the last moment.

"Going up!" Rhinox grunted.

Then he pulls Optimus and a dangling Dinobot up like the strong behemoth he is over the bridge and puts them down, saving the pair.

Melody was sitting on his large shoulder. Her blonde hair is flapping with the wind and her red shoes are dangling over. She was dizzy from the heights and held onto Rhinox tight.

Hallie was looking over the edge, watching the whole thing happen.

Dinobot has quickly transformed into his raptor form. He leaps back on his feet. Hallie takes a few steps back away from him and is behind Cheetor. He didn't notice her. She lets out quiet gasps for breath to stop herself hyperventilating.

Megatron looks on at the Maximals, his desire for victory grows ever near. "This is our opportunity! Yesss!" he said, before turning to his troops. "ALL WEAPONS!" he shouted.

Immediately, the Predacons popped out of their rock cover and opened fire with purple lasers, ballistic bullets and missiles.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The first part of the rock bridge was blown apart and begins to collapse like pairs of lined dominoes.

Alert, the Maximals ran for their lives across the crumbling, rock bridge. Rhinox took the lead who was surprisingly fast. Optimus, Dinobot and Cheetor followed fast from behind so the others have enough space to catch up.

Hallie tried running harder and faster, but she was so exhausted that her cramp, numb legs grew heavier and sluggish. She was growing further and further behind.

Then suddenly Hallie was swept up by Rattrap and is carrying her underneath his arm. The heights makes her crazy. Her stomach lurches and drops about with his running.

Everything in time begins to slow as their impending doom threatens to catch up to them. No matter how hard Rattrap can run fast, the cracks in the rock bridge overtook them. And before Rattrap and Hallie knew it, the floor collapses beneath their feet and they began to plunge.

"Oh, craaaaaaap!" screamed Hallie, as the air blasts at her face.

But then Optimus grabs Rattrap's hand, just as he swings and knocks against the cliff face.

Whilst hanging by Optimus' grip, Rattrap looks down to see the remains of rocky bridge have crashed below so far down. He still held Hallie close to him. She was too shocked to speak. They would have both fallen down to their deaths if Optimus hadn't caught them. He pulled the pair up safely and puts them down.

Rattrap sighs with relief. He takes a moment to catch his breath.

"You're welcome." Optimus said, not expecting a thank you.

Rattrap just shrugged. "You're the leader. It's your… ah… job." he replied.

After that, the Maximal leader left the rat and the carried human alone. Hallie snapped out of her shell-shocked state and realized she was still being carried underneath Rattrap's arm.

Frantically gasping for breath, Hallie starts wiggling about and spasming her arms out. "Let me go." she complained. "My bruises are getting bruises."

"Sheesh! That's the thanks I get." Rattrap mutters with sarcasm.

Gently, Rattrap puts Hallie down and she falls on her backside unsteadily. She was this close to falling to her death. Sometimes she thinks she's trapped in a constant nightmare she cannot wake up from. At least her blue baseball cap was still stuck on her head.

In his rat mode, Rattrap ignores Hallie as he walks past her and joins his Maximal comrades. They had reached the other side of the bridge in time. They have all transformed back into animals. Melody was riding on Rhinox and is smiling and waving at her sister.


Meanwhile on the other side…

Megatron takes his frustrations out on Terrorsaur by hitting the red pterodactyl who lets out a painful squawk. "Incompetents! You let them escape!" he screamed at his scared troops.

"M-Megatron!" stammered Scorponok. "Look up there! The missiles!"

But Scorponok points out to where some of the Predacon missiles are going toward the mountains when-

BOOM!

The remaining missiles have struck and blasted the top of one of the snowcapped mountain peaks into smithereens. When the smoky mist clears, it reveals a massive cache of glowing crystals.

"Energon! Yesss!" Megatron exclaims. "Raw, natural Energon crystal. I knew it was here."

As Megatron turns to face his Predacon troops, he was suddenly struck by the effects of the Energon field. He and the some of the Predacons have been in robot mode too long.

Scorponok stood stupefied as he looks at the Energon surges affecting his body too.

Groaning, Megatron took action. "Quickly! Return to beast mode!" he strained, before doing the same.

The Predacons set out for the Energon mountain, but they are unaware that they've been spotted heading for the energy crystals by the Maximals.


The Maximals and the Thorne sisters were observing the glowing mountain in the distance.

"Pretty." Melody observes.

Hallie stepped in-between Optimus and Dinobot as she looked on at the shining horizon. "Are those crystals?" she asked.

"Raw Energon," Optimus replied, "In its natural form, it's highly unstable. We're lucky those missiles didn't cause them to explode."

"If you could call that lucky." Rhinox said.

"Megatron's on the move!" Cheetor shouted, narrowing his optics on the faraway Predacons. "Bearing 6175."

Wow. Hallie thought. Cheetor can see that far? Duh, he's a machine.

"He's after the Energon!" Dinobot exclaims, resting on a rock. "A crystal that size would make him unstoppable!"

"Oh, thanks a lot for the hot tip there, Scale Belly." Rattrap noted with sarcasm. Then he turned to his rhino friend. "Rhinox, scrap this guy."

Rhinox obliged to this and began charging toward an unsuspecting Dinobot, with Melody on board. Hallie felt the ground tremble beneath her feet by the stomping rhino.

But then Optimus outstretches his arm to stop his old friend. "Hold up, Rhinox!" he shouted. And Rhinox did so, trusting his leader's decision.

"Will he send flyers?" Optimus asked Dinobot.

"Oh!" Rattrap groaned. "For booting up cold! You're not gonna believe a Predacon, are ya?"

"That's my call." Optimus told him before turning back to the raptor. "Will he?"

Dinobot was leaning on a rock to gather his strength. "Negative." he said with a growl. "The crystal's too big for the flyers to carry. Only Tarantulas has the skill to segment it."

"Then we have to get there first." Optimus said, turning to face everyone. "All seven of us."

"Yeah," Rattrap chuckled, counting his paws. "All seven of us…" Then he lets out a gasp. "Ya mean… Chopperface and the kids are goin' with…? We're all gonna die." he said despairingly.

As Rattrap sat contemplating miserably to the whole new situation, he realizes his Maximal comrades were already leaving without him. "Hey! Wait for me!" he complained.

"Come on, slowpoke!" Melody called out. "My Mom's old Toyota can move faster than you!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Rattrap mutters. "Very funny, angel-face…"

During the journey to the mountain, Hallie refuses to go with the Maximals. "You're not risking mine and my sister's life for your fight." she said, crossing her arms.

Optimus looks over his shoulder to face Hallie. "There's no choice," he said with a stern look. "At your age, you two won't survive alone out here for long. Besides, where would you go?"

Hallie fell silent, unsure what she should do.

"I know you're scared," Optimus said in soft tone. "But if you stick with us, we can protect you from the Predacons."

With that settled, Hallie and Melody had no choice but to go with the Maximals for the sake of survival.

As the Maximals walked on, Melody scrunches her face with disgust. She can smell her sister's stinking, unwashed scent from up where she's sitting on Rhinox. "You stink." Melody complained, holding her nose.

Hallie snaps out of her troubled thoughts to look at Melody. "Really?" Hallie asked with a smirk. "I thought that was Rattrap."

"Hey!" Rattrap whined with annoyance. "Sheesh! Kids…"

Everyone started laughing at her witty joke whilst Dinobot just sniggers secretly. It was the first time the Maximals actually laughed together as a group since they arrived on this mysterious planet.


Elsewhere…

Megatron was stomping eagerly ahead of his cohorts. They should reach the Energon mountain before the Maximals. "So much Energon!" the purple T-Rex said eagerly. He turns to explain more to his confused second-in-command Scorponok. "With a crystal that size, the Predacon forces will become unstoppable! Yesss! The Maximals and then the galaxy will be ours to conquer!"


Tonight…

The Maximals and the Thorne sisters had been walking for hours until the sun had already set and the night sky has curtained down. They were climbing and travelling across rocky ridges on a mountain to cut ahead of the jungle below.

Hallie and Melody shivered as they both embraced the cold, night air. They slipped on their jackets from their waists to keep warm. They wished they kept the blanket. At least their jackets help shield them from the cold and it's not raining this time.

Melody was continuing to ride on Rhinox's back due to her sprained ankle. It was perfect because she was growing tired already. Her drowsy eyes and yawning was proof enough. The Energon Mountain glowed brightly blue in the dark. Nothing soothes Melody more than having blue crystals for a nightlight.

Hallie was still walking. Her legs were killing her, but she won't admit it. She and her sister are both covered in cuts and bruises.

Hallie pulls back her black sleeve to check her watch. It was 10:15pm. It was way past their bedtime. Mom is definitely going to ground her and Melody for life when they get back home. She must be completely ticked off by now. Grandma and Grandpa had to be worried sick.

Hallie and Melody stared up at the semi-transparent clouds, seeing the endless, twinkling stars. The twin moons in the sky proves that they are on an alien planet, that Scorponok, Dinobot and Optimus were telling them the truth after all. They had to be somewhere in the Goldilocks' Zone because it has planets similar to Earth. It just makes going home more difficult.

"Do you need a ride?" Cheetor offered, noticing how tired she is.

"I'm fine." Hallie said. "I'll walk all night if I have to."

"You sure? Cause' you don't look-"

"I said I'm fine." Hallie said rudely. "Just leave me alone."

And so Cheetor left her alone. He was a nice guy but she was not ready to make friends.

Hallie was too alert to sleep. She wasn't in the mood and she still doesn't trust the Maximals, especially their new member Dinobot. He could still be using them to fulfill his own selfish deeds, like what he did at the bridge.

Melody begins to rest on Rhinox's back. She takes off her glittered hairband and puts it in her overall front pocket. She was so bored that she pulled out the purple orchids out of her pocket and started counting them. She was so busy counting the flowers that she didn't realize that Rhinox could smell their fresh fragrance.

"Ah, flowers..." Rhinox sighed with content. "I love them. Do you mind saving them for me, Melody? I would like to do some research on them later."

Melody smiles at this and puts the flowers back in her pocket. Then she notices her throat is a little dry and needed a drink. "Have you got any water?" she asked her sister.

Hallie looked up at her little sister with a hint of annoyance; rolling her eyes and exasperation. "No." she sighed, "We used what's left of it to clean and plaster our injuries about an hour ago. Remember?"

"Don't patronize me, Hal." Melody muttered, fidgeting with the first aid bag.

"Had any weird dreams yet?" Hallie retorted back.

Melody pouts and shakes her head. "Does that mean we're out of food too?" she asked, changing the subject.

Suffering a splitting headache, Hallie was not in the mood to start another squabble with her sister like always. "Well, I lost my rucksack to the Predacons so I'm just as screwed as you." she stated with sarcasm.

Speaking of possessions, Hallie lost her baseball medal she won and is quite saddened by this. It was only a few days ago since she scored her first grand slam at the school baseball championship. Now it's in the hands of dangerous Predacons who want to kill them all.

"Just go to sleep." Hallie said tiredly.

"I'm not ready for bed." Melody complained. "I want to stay up a little longer."

Hallie palm-faced herself to hide her impatience. "Melody, I don't have time for this."

"When are we gonna go home?" Melody asked her sister.

"I don't know, Mel." Hallie said quietly, looking away. "I just don't know."

The Maximals quietly let the Thorne sisters be to settle their own arguments. It was none of their own business. Dinobot, however, was not going to ignore this. "I do not approve of your snippy attitude, human." he snorted.

Hallie shot an angry glare at the velociraptor. "My attitude?! What about your attitude? You endangered my sister's life with your selfish ambitions!"

"Excuse me?" Dinobot asked, narrowing his feral optics.

Melody trembled with fear. "Hallie, don't fight." she pleaded meekly.

Hallie has once again stubbornly refused to listen. "Blocking the bridge doesn't ring a bell? Those crazy Predacons were on our tail!" she scolded.

"I was cheated of victory!" Dinobot snapped at her face. "I rather die with honor than live in shame!"

Hallie was fed up with his banter. "What is your point?" she said, challenging him. "You're gonna jump up and attack us again?"

Dinobot blinked before growling, glancing at Hallie. Already this human was bothering him with every chance she got. The other little girl was no different either. "You and the little one ran before I could explain!" he snarled.

Optimus looked back when he picked up this new information from their argument. "You've already met?" he asked Dinobot.

The raptor snorted at this. "I assumed it was Megatron coming to finish me off." he explained.

Hallie dreads thinking about their first encounter with the angry raptor. "He looked half dead." she shrugged, turning to face Dinobot. "I thought you were gonna kill us."

"No!" Dinobot stated indigently. "Such an act would be dishonorable. There is no sport in hunting creatures who cannot defend themselves."

"I was looking out for my sister." Hallie told Dinobot. "I couldn't take that chance. I promised Melody that I would protect her and I will."

Dinobot was taken aback from this. After a few moments of silence, he lets out a low growl. "I…apologize." he answered.

"It's okay." Melody said to him. "I was chased once by Mr. Higgins' sausage dog last Halloween. He was a mean dog."

That Halloween was truly a scary one. Hallie remembers dressing up in her witch costume and Melody in her pink fairy costume. When they were outside, Melody ran off from her and Mom to ring Mr. Higgins' doorbell to get candy. Before Melody could say 'trick or treat', she was chased away by his dog as soon as the door opened. Mom had to bring that crazy mutt back and apologized to Mr. Higgins for her daughter's trespassing.

"Mr. Higgins is not a nice person." Hallie huffed, crossing her arms. "Nothing makes that misery guts happy."

Rattrap wasn't buying this. Hearing that the Thorne sisters have already met Chopperface before the Maximals seems like too much of a coincidence. "I don't trust them. They could be spying for Megatron."

Exasperating with frustration, Hallie stood her ground and glared at the bothersome rat. "We're not spies." she said to him angrily. "We didn't even know it was their ship. Plus, we've never met your kind before!"

Then Cheetor interrupts to defend his young human friends. "We're keeping them safe, period!" he told the rat.

"Whatever, kid." Rattrap shrugged.

Optimus slowed his pace a little so that Hallie is walking alongside him. "How much did you hear?" he asked.

Hallie struggles to connect the fragments of the confusing memory. "Dinobot said something about stealing a golden disc." she admits. "And a failed search for Earth?"

Then Optimus looked over at Rhinox who nodded back. They know the details of the Thorne sisters' story is correct, much the Maximals cannot explain to them yet until everything with Megatron and the Predacons have blown over.

Melody was looking down at the shameful raptor. "Megatron didn't give Dinobot a chance to fight. He just shot him." she explained.

Hallie continued to tell the story. "Then after running away from the raptor here, we bumped into Scorponok and Waspinator. They robbed us of our supplies."

"How did you get away?" Cheetor asked.

"I threw dirt in the giant scorpion's eyes."

"Whoa," Cheetor exclaims with awe. "No wonder Scorponok looked ticked at you."

"Now I respect that." Rattrap said.

"I'd watch your step if I were you." Dinobot warned sternly with a snort. "Predacons tend to hold onto grudges."

The Maximals were now approaching a cavern with a skyline view of the mountain. En route, Rhinox was concerned for his leader's current health after the damage he took with the Predacons.

"How are ya feeling?" the rhino asked.

"Improved." Optimus replied. "I believe my internal repairs have been completed."

Rhinox was puzzling over this. "I was wondering. Your flying in robot form could make it to the crystal before any of us." he suggested.

"No." Optimus said, shaking his head. "We have to stay together. The Predacons could attack at any moment and there may be other surprises on this planet."

"There are." Rhinox stated, before looking down. "Down there. Look."

The Maximals and the Thorne sisters stop to rest when they all spot to see a strange stone circle below. It was obviously artificially built.

"Unusual." Optimus said, looking puzzled. "Any opinions?"

"Just one." Rhinox said. "It isn't natural. We didn't build it and neither did the Predacons."

Hallie suddenly feels weird. She looks at the standing stones nervously. She rubs her arms, wriggling uncomfortably. Then she realizes she is desperate for a pee. She needed to go NOW. She begins to walk into the back of the cave.

Rattrap picked up her movement and turned to catch Hallie sneaking off. "Where are you going, kid?" he asked.

Hallie flinched when he called for her. She looks over her shoulder at him. "Nowhere." she replied. "I gotta go."

"Then just go." Rattrap huffed.

"I don't mean leave." Hallie said with annoyance. "Whenever I drink water, what do you think I do after?"

Soon, Rattrap figured out what she meant. "Oh, right…" he said awkwardly.

"Look away." Hallie said sternly. "I can't do it if you're staring at me."

Rattrap turned around and rolls his optics. She can't blame a guy, especially a Cybertronian for knowing little of humanity's functions. "Sheesh, calm down, Toughgirl." he muttered.

Hallie had never felt so embarrassed in her life. Why do they have to be so darn awkward? She sits behind the rock in the cavern and relieves herself, much to her delight.

Suddenly, Cheetor lets out a ferocious growl at the sky. "Heads up!" he shouted.

The Maximals and Melody looked up at the direction where the cheetah is staring. They can hear loud buzzing and flapping sounds in the air. Something in the sky was moving closer and closer toward them. It was Waspinator and Terrorsaur!

"Wazzpinator, TERRORIZE!" he buzzed.

"Terrorsaur, TERRORIZE!" he squawked.

With both Predacons transformed in mid-air, they began soaring toward their enemies to prevent them from reaching the Energon mountain. The Maximals immediately transformed to robot mode one by one and are armed to the teeth.

Rhinox lifted Melody off his back and gently puts her down behind a rock. "Stay down, okay?" he told her.

Melody nodded at this, covers her ears and ducks down. She was really scared.

"Defensive positions!" Optimus Primal ordered.

Rattrap pointed his laser pistol at Dinobot. "What about HIM?" he asked.

Optimus stood next to Dinobot to provide defense and support. "He's with US!" he argued.

Rattrap wasn't convinced that Chopperface is trustworthy just because he switched sides. "I ain't buying it just 'cause YOU say so!"

Before they can argue further, the Maximals were attacked by exploding gunfire coming from the approaching Waspinator and Terrorsaur.

After buttoning up her jeans, Hallie peaks out of her cover to see the Maximals are primed for battle. This confuses and frightens her. Upon seeing Waspinator and Terrorsaur, Hallie panicked and tried to reach her sister.

"Melody!" Hallie cried.

Cheetor leaps out toward Hallie and pinned her to the ground. She was struggling to resist his hold as he drags her behind a rock cover that's further back from Melody's position.

"Get off me!" Hallie yelled angrily. "I need to get to Melody!"

Cheetor covered her mouth to stop her screaming. "Don't move, or you'll get scrapped," he said.

The Maximals have already dived behind cover as the explosions threaten bring the cavern down, leaving blast holes in their wake. Rocks and pebbles were raining down. The Maximals were firing back at the two Predacons, including Dinobot with his green optic lasers.

Cheetor had let go of Hallie who has finally calmed down so that he can join the fight. But she remains scared and desperate for Melody. She has never felt so helpless.

Knowing they are outnumbered, Waspinator and Terrorsaur made an aerial loop to turn around so they can fire at their enemies from a distance without getting hit.

Optimus notices that the rocky ceiling is crumbling. "Hold your fire!" he yelled at his comrades. "We could start an avalanche!"

"You crossed your wires?" exclaims Rattrap. "They're coming back!"

Rattrap was pointing at the flying Predacons coming toward them. Optimus turns to face his direction. The Maximals stood frozen behind cover, unsure what they should do without risking their lives.

"I'll handle this!" Optimus announced. He takes to the air and activates his double barreled shoulder cannons.

As Waspinator and Terrorsaur are about to carry out an aerial attack, they cried out in pain from the Energon field but continue to persist on shooting at the Maximals.

Dodging their frantic firepower, Optimus fires a missile at the two Predacons that hits them precisely from behind as the explosion knocks them off balance. They let out screams and squawks. Finally, Waspinator and Terrorsaur had enough and decided to flee the area.

But Dinobot was not finished with them. "Now! While they are weak!" he shouted, as he fires on the two Predacons with his optical lasers. It was loud and bright. During his frenzied attack, he also unintentionally blasts the ledge above the Maximals.

Looking up, Rhinox noticed rocks and a large boulder coming loose from the ceiling above him. Melody was resting right next to him. He is forced to leap aside, grabbing Melody in the process as the boulder comes crashing down before them.

Groaning, Rhinox sits up and looks down at a mewling Melody in his arms. He had just saved her from being crushed.

"Oh, crap!" Hallie gasped with shock. She ran out of cover to reach her sister.

As soon as Rhinox puts her down, Melody starts bursting into tears. Hallie ran into her, wrapping her arms into a hugging position around Melody.

Dinobot stood shocked at his action. He never intended to endanger innocent lives, especially humans. Why did he allow his anger to cloud his judgement? Before Dinobot could think more, he was confronted an unhappy Rattrap.

"I knew it, you traitor!" Rattrap accused. "You tried to slag my pal and her!"

Then Rattrap leaps out at Dinobot and tackles him to the ground.

Before Dinobot could get up, he had a laser pistol pointed at his forehead by Rattrap who stood over him. "Once a Pred, always a Pred." he declared.

"Ease off, Rattrap!" Optimus ordered, landing on the ground. "It was an accident!"

Rattrap refused to budge. "Says you!" he said in a defiant tone

"That's right – says ME!" Optimus stated more firmly, poking at the rat. "You wanna question my orders one…more…time?"

Rattrap was actually taken aback this time. He knows when he is beaten. "I…" he began before letting out a groan. "I don't trust Predacons!"

With the matter settled, Dinobot moved the pistol away from his head and stands up, looming over Rattrap. He was way bigger than the smaller Maximal.

Slowly, Hallie tries to comfort her sobbing sister. She pans up to face Dinobot, this supposed honored warrior. He broke his word by endangering herself and Melody…again! "Don't ever do that again." she told him angrily.

Dinobot lets out a low growl and looks away in shame. As usual, Melody doesn't get involved in the arguments.

Optimus clearly looks fed up with his team second-guessing him and their bickering. "We've got enough trouble with Megatron on our hands without fighting amongst ourselves! Now come on!" he shouted, taking the lead. After that, everyone just shuts up and transforms back to their beastly forms to continue the journey by leaving the cavern. Hallie kept her distance from the raptor and didn't speak to him at all. This will go on for the rest of the night.

The Thorne sisters stayed close to the Maximals. Melody went back to riding on Rhinox and is already asleep on his back despite the near-death experience of a tough day she went through. Hallie was grateful that Rhinox saved her sister's life and is starting to warm up to him. Even Cheetor and Optimus weren't too bad, although Rattrap and Dinobot need to work on their bedside manner.

Melody was snoring lightly as she mumbled for Mom and Dad.

After walking a while, Hallie felt drowsy and is constantly yawning. She never stayed up this late before. She rubs her eyes and started tripping. She felt stiff and achy. She was ready to collapse.

Cheetor was walking alongside her. "At least admit you need a ride." he said.

"All right..." Hallie sighed. She was totally exhausted and is desperate for a nap.

Grinning, Cheetor lets Hallie climb on his furry back and is not at all strained by the extra weight. Hallie was surprisingly comfortable and is about ready to pass out. Then she looks up at the starry skies and sighed, thinking of Mom, Grandpa and Grandma. She misses them so much. Her Dad she wasn't so sure. Just thinking about him makes her so angry. She doesn't know if she and Melody will ever go home again.

Hallie sniffled and felt her tears coming but she forced them back.

Optimus gives her a questioning look but didn't press the issue further. Instead, he lets out a tired sigh. This was going to be a long night.