Rian: Finally, another chapter! Took a little bit longer than we would have liked, what with Fanfiction being down for nearly two whole days and all. Still, we managed!
Toaxabineh: Also didn't help I was busy a lot last week x_x but ah well! Here it finally is!
Thanks to everyone who's been reading, reviewing, PMing, faving and following! You're all awesome!
Disclaimer's on my prof.!
Enjoy reading!
"Woo-hoo!" Miko shouted, fist-pumping the air as Breakdown landed with a bounce onto the sandy ground. Again he went through another dune, stirring up clouds of sand and dust while hanging onto the side of the dunes.
"This is awesome!" The mech laughed.
"Told ya so!" Miko whooped as they slid to a stop. "This is the best!
"Sand's irritating though." She heard him grumble, and the car shook once, shaking loose the debris that was quickly becoming stuck in gears. "Keeps getting in my tailpipe."
"Relax! I know how to clean it out, I did it for Bulk' all the time!" She laughed, ignoring the pang of guilt she felt for her partner.
"You'll be cleaning for a good while when we get back then." He told her in a low voice before starting up his engine, a smile in his voice. "Again?"
Miko nodded eagerly.
"Yeah!"
As they took off again, their whooping and hollering could be heard all around, the duo thoroughly enjoying themselves in the hot sun. There was a lull in the speed however, when a familiar signal popped up. Miko yelped as Breakdown screeched to a halt, her head smacking against the window smartly.
"Ow! Dude! What gives?!"
"Be quiet!" He said, voice urgent as he broadened his scanners.
Miko jumped slightly, alarmed.
"But-"
"Shh!"
Miko suddenly found herself flung from the jeep, landing face first into the sand. Spitting out the grains, making disgusted sounds as she did. "Not. Cool!" She said, scowling at Breakdown once pushing herself to her feet. The mech was already out of his alt mode, weapons at the ready. Miko brushed off the sand as best she could, feeling them irritate her skin when they got trapped under her clothes. Before she had a chance to ask him why he had just thrown her out of the jeep, she was picked up and tossed away.
"Get down!" He shouted, and Miko didn't have time to react before her 'con guardian was smashed into the ground, missing her by a mere foot. She cried out "Whoa!" before diving out of the way, hearing metal fists pounding behind her.
She peeked out, nervous but also excited-
Then she felt her heart sink with dread. Because there, locked in battle with Breakdown...was Bulkhead.
"What's the matter Breakdown, can't handle a sucker punch?" Bulkhead jeered when he hit the mech in the jaw. Miko quickly hid behind a boulder, eyes wide and tearful. No, she didn't want to see this! She didn't like this version of Bulkhead!
Unable to block the sounds of fighting and insults, she had to listen to this grotesque version of her friend mock Breakdown. They kicked up sand everywhere, making it near impossible for her discern one from the other. Metal-on-metal rang out again, and she ducked back behind the boulders, not knowing how long she sat there, curled up with her eyes squeezed shut and hands over her ears. At least fifteen minutes, if she had to guess.
She screamed when a finger poked her back, scrambling away from the rocks. She kept her eyes closed, fearing that if she opened them, she'd find a mockery of Bulk' staring back at her, which she knew would all but break her spirit...
But all she saw, when she finally peeked, was Breakdown. The mech was dented and scratched, but otherwise looked fine, simply concerned.
"You okay?"
Miko stared up at him, for once unable to act tough and happy (who could when they saw their best friend being so cruel and, dare she say it, scary?). So all she did was shake her head, bottom lip quivering. Grimacing sympathetically, Breakdown transformed, opening a door for her to climb in.
When Breakdown had drove in through the groundbridge and Miko jumped out, Jack hadn't expected to find himself, within moments, with an armful of Miko. He looked confusedly from the trembling girl with her head buried in his chest, to Breakdown, who grimaced.
"We had a run-in with Bulkhead. I...I think it just really shook her up, seeing him like that."
Now it made sense why Miko was acting so strange. Jack frowned, but did his best to comfort his friend, rubbing small circles over her back.
"It's okay Miko." He assured, and the girl merely shook her head.
"No it's not..."
"Hey, it's not the Bulkhead we know and love, right? Ours is probably back home, trying doing everything he can to find us." No response, and he tried something else. "I bet he's already broken over a dozen of Ratchet's tools. He throws fits when you're not around, did you know that? I can already hear Ratchet shouting 'I needed that!'."
A small, weak, tearful giggle, and Jack smiled slightly.
"That's it, there you go. Just because the Autobots are bad here, that doesn't make our bots bad. When we get back, you and Bulkhead will be dune bashing and jamming out in no time."
"Yeah..." She murmured, not seeming to be as sure as Jack was. She pushed away from him, wiping her eyes off, while Breakdown lowered himself to one knee.
"You going to be okay?" He asked, gently wiping away a stray tear from her face. Miko nodded, managing a shaky smile.
"Y-yeah, I just...I really miss Bulk'."
"I know how you feel." He said, missing his Rafael. "But hey, 'least you're not alone right? You've got good friends and us to take care of you." Miko nodded, letting the mech scoop her up, cradling the small femme in the curve of his hand. "C'mon, let's get ya some food." Breakdown suggested, to which she did not object to, giving a simple nod.
Poor Miko, Jack thought, keeping himself from going after her. This was something that Miko needed to deal with on her own, as much as he wished she didn't.
When something touched his shoulder, he jumped, hand going to his heart as he looked up to see Airachnid.
"Hey, I'm going out for a scouting mission, so I'm leaving Starscream in charge of you while I'm gone." She said, to which Jack grimaced.
"Starscream? Really?"
"Yeah. There a problem with that?" She asked, looking over to where the seeker was lounging lazily.
"He's a total glitch!"
Airachnid was so surprised at his forwardness that she couldn't hold back a laugh. "Don't let Megatron hear you, he's of the opinion that kids shouldn't know or use those kinds of words."
Jack rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, I know. Look, can't I just...just go with you?"
The femme shook her helm.
"Sorry Jack, but it's in a dangerous area. You're going to just have to deal with it."
"Then can't you assign someone else? Anyone else? Please!"
"He's the only one I really trust with you. The only other one around is Soundwave, but..." Jack grimaced, getting her point. Still, he tried once more, beyond hopeful that his babysitter could be anyone except Starscream
"Are you sure? About him being trustworthy I mean. The Starscream I know is...well..."
"He may act...vain, at times. But he's loyal through and through."
Jack scowled as he eyed the seeker, sure that this was not a good idea at all. But all the same, he nodded reluctantly. "Fine." He agreed grudgingly. "But you so owe me one. And get back as soon as you can! I don't want to be with him longer than I have to, got it?"
"Behave yourself alright?" She said, rolling her optics. Then she winked at him, a smile tugging at her lip plates. "And have some fun while I'm gone."
"Yeah, fun." The boy muttered, crossing his arms and beginning to sulk.
"Starscream, get over here!" Airachnid called out to the seeker, who jolted at his name.
"What is it, can't you see that I'm relaxing here?!" He called out irritably, standing up.
"Well too bad, no more relaxation until I get back. You're in charge of keeping an optic on Jack."
"Aw, why can't Soundwave do it?" He complained, crossing his arms and clicking his fingers against the plates. Airachnid raised a brow in a 'do you really need to ask?' Sort of way. "Fine." The seeker huffed matching Jacks expression when the two looked at each other, then glancing away, both mech and human arms crossed, a scowl evident on their brows.
"And yes," Airachnid added. "That means he will be joining you for your patrol. Don't even give me that look, you'll both be fine."
"But that's when I slack...I-I mean have to do standard procedures and everything! You can't just force him on me!"
"Can and will." The femme replied simply, heading for the bridge, lifting a servo in farewell. "Have fun!"
Starscream and Jack looked at each briefly, then to the retreating Airachnid, sharing the same look, plainly suggesting that such a feat would be impossible.
Jack had never flown before. In fact, he had never even been in a plane. And here he was, inside Starscream's cockpit no less, several hundred feet above the ground.
A normal person would have felt terrified with the knowledge of how high in the sky they were. But Jack had ceased to be normal some time ago. And now that he had all the joys and sensation of flying, it was safe for him to say that he never wanted to go flying again for the sheer boredom of it. Sure, take off had given him a short thrill, but the rest had been dull and monotonous.
He peered out again, taking in the sight of the land bellow and hoping they were heading back in the direction of the Nememis. He didn't know where they were, all he knew was he couldn't wait to get back.
"Will you stop leaning on my window?" Starscream snapped.
"What, afraid I'll leave a few fingerprints?" Jack scoffed, poking at the glass just to annoy him.
"Cut that out!"
Rolling his eyes, Jack moved over to look on the other side, seeing they were close to mountainous terrain. Privately, he imagined Starscream crashing into said mountain, while he watched down from below, a small smile curling at his lips. Bots and cons alike in his world would pay to see that.
"And stop that tapping!" Starscream chided again when his foot moved in a repetitive motion, trying to stave off the boredom he felt.
"Sorry." Jack muttered, frowning to himself.
Starscream went to reply-
A pained yell left the Seeker when a blaster shot grazed his wing.
"Argh!" He screamed, spinning out of control. Jack held on to anything he could grab hold onto, fearing for his life as they rapidly approached the ground.
They hit the earth, and Jack felt his neck sting in protest at the force his head was thrown about with. The cockpit glass shattered, and Jack tumbled out, Starscream skidding along until he hit a boulder. Jacks arms burned as the ground tore into him, rocks digging into his skin and a hot flash of pain in his neck. Jack didn't move, fearing that he had broken his neck with how it pained him.
But where was Starscream? He had to find him!
Gingerly, the teen turned his head, relieved to find it was only a strong ache in his neck, not a break. He searched for Starscream, and found the mech had changed out of his alt and was groaning in pain. Starscream was in far worse shape than Jack was, metal burns lining his slender body, his wings bent at an odd angle, badly scraped. Jack winced as he forced his arms to move, pushing himself from the ground so that he could go try to help the Seeker. His hands went to the phone in his pocket, desperately hoping that it hadn't broken in the crash.
But he never reached it.
Jack gasped in surprise and pain as he was grabbed in a giant servo. The touch irritated the cuts Jack had sustained when the glass canopy had shattered.
He was lifted up...and up...and up, until he finally found himself face to faceplate none other than Optimus Prime himself. Dark red optics looked over Jack, inspecting him. The teen in question didn't dare move, he hardly even breathed. His eyes flickered briefly over to Starscream, then back to Optimus, and t did not go unnoticed. The Prime's servo tightened around him, and Jack let out a small cry of pain, eyes squeezing shut with tears pricking the sides.
"It seems that Arcee was not lying. You do not look like the Decepticons eldest pet." Jack scowled, glaring at the mech. For some reason, he couldn't bring himself to be scared. All he felt for this version of Optimus was pity and anger.
"I'm not a pet." The teen managed, even as his lungs struggled for air.
"Optimus," A voice sounded, but he did not turn to see who it was. He had a pretty good idea who anyway. "If you want any information from 'Screamer, I'd suggest you do it quickly before he offlines from energon loss."
Jack scowled, jerking slightly.
"Leave him alone!" He snapped.
Optimus' gaze returned to Jack, now slightly intrigued.
"If you want to torture someone, torture me!" Jack demanded of the Prime, slamming his fist against the metal plates of his hand, trying to derive the attention on Starscream onto himself.
"You wish to be tortured?"
Jack nodded, even as his survival instinct screamed, telling him what an idiot he was.
"It'll be easier getting information from a weak human than a 'con won't it?" He tried, forcing himself to make a front, to look into those evil optics of a mech he greatly admired.
There was a pause, then,
"You do not fear me."
It was a statement, rather than a question. Jack was caught a bit off-guard, but quickly recovered, shaking his head.
"No."
"That, I'm afraid, is a costly mistake." Optimus said, voice cold and remorseless. Jack kept himself from struggling, instead trying to face him head on. He couldn't allow himself to be intimidated now, not when Starscream's life hung in the balance. He had faced down Megatron right? This would be a cakewalk compared to staring down that monster.
And so he stared up at the cold Prime, scowling.
"Maybe it is. But I can't change what I feel, and all I feel for you...is pity."
He expected to be squeezed again or crushed. What he did not expect was for Optimus' calloused expression to break out into a grin, and for him to laugh. That was one of the creepiest things Jack had ever seen, without a doubt. He glared, trying to hide the shake in his voice.
"What's so funny?"
"You are, boy." He said, his laughter stopping abruptly. "To think that you can speak to me in such tones...you are either brave or foolish."
"Both, probably."
Optimus' grin widened, and Jack felt a shudder race up his spine.
"You are...Interesting." He admitted, bringing Jack up higher still. The teen winced. Being this high up did not bode well with him, and he could feel his stomach churn. The Prime turned Jack this way and that, even holding him upside down at one point. Then, "Prepare a groundbridge Ratchet." Optimus said. "I expect a cage for my new pet to be made shortly. Is that understood?"
Jack gaped incredulously.
"What?! Frag no!" He struggled fiercely. "Put me down you glitch!"
"Yes Optimus." The medic said, though he looked anything but pleased.
Jack gave a yell of anger, furious that this was even happening. He yanked out any wires within his reach, and the Prime's hand went limp. Wriggling free, Jack hit the ground running, going as fast as his legs would carry him. Starscream tried to stand, but his legs shook and gave out from underneath him, badly injured from the crash. He felt it when Jack hit his legs, and heard the teen's desperate cry for help.
He could hear thundering steps approaching, and he grabbed the boy, curling to shield the human with his own body-
But no attack ever came.
There was the slam of metal-on-metal, and a flash of white plating. It seemed Megatron had been informed of trouble. For once, Starscream was overjoyed that Soundwave, despite his quirks, could always tell when someone was in trouble just by their life signal. He shuddered a breath of relief, keeping the human pinned close to his body should the Autobots decide to attack him as the weakest target. He had to ensure that the boy lived, even if he died to make it happen. Otherwise Airachnid would simply kill him instead, and that would be an unpleasant process.
He could feel the boy in his servo trembling slightly, yet when he looked down, Jack was stone faced as he watched the battle.
He saw Optimus Prime falter when Megatron forced his blade up, managing to swing his fist into the mech's face. He was knocked back several feet, and Megatron raised his blaster to shoot him-
Ratchet, seeming to have decided to aid his leader, came up from the side. Megatron had to roll to avoid a blade cutting off his arm, giving the Autobots the chance to flee. Megatron growled, watching as they retreated while Knockout hurried to Starscream, helping the Seeker up.
"Starscream, can you hear me? Where's Jack?!" Knockout demanded of him, trying, and failing, to find the youth on the ground. Starscream carefully uncurled his servo, revealing the human.
"Right here, Knockout."
"Thank Primus..." He muttered shoulder the Seeker along.
He gave Jack a once over and, deciding that the cuts on his arms were minor in comparison to Starscream's injuries, he handed the boy off to Soundwave, who stood nearby. The teen looked up at Soundwave.
"Will he...Is Starscream going to be okay?" Jack asked, regretting his earlier protests against the mech.
Soundwave shrugged.
"He's a tough ol' glitch, he'll be fine. Are you okay though? You look like scrap."
A dry look.
"Thanks a lot."
"No problem." He replied cheekily. It didn't last long, as Jack watched Starscream limp through the groundbridge with an ashamed expression.
"I...I wish I could've done something..."
Soundwave scoffed as he went towards the bridge.
"You kidding? You're lucky Prime didn't kill you!"
"I tried to distract him." Jack muttered lowly. "To keep him away from Starscream."
Soundwave raised a brow.
"A human? Distract Prime? Hah!"
"I think he mentioned Arcee?" Jack said, not entirely sure. "She said something about me, I think."
A shrug.
"Probably." A familiar wave of nausea swept through the teen as they went through the groundbridge, Megatron following close behind. Once sure he wouldn't vomit, Jack added, "He wanted to keep me as a pet."
Soundwave came to a lurching stop.
"He...What?"
Jack, after recovering from his near heart attack at the sudden stop, frowned at Soundwave in confusion.
"He...wanted me as a pet?" He repeated, this time sounding like he was asking rather than telling. Soundwave didn't respond, at a loss for words- a feat, considering he often chattered away to the Vehicons. Jack tilted his head slightly, peeking behind Soundwave. Megatron, too, had all but become a statue. "W...what?" Jack asked, frightened again. "Did I say something wrong?"
Soundwave slowly shook his helm.
"No, just...Prime isn't a human-lover...the fact he'd want to keep you around is..."
"Disturbing." Megatron finished, frowning deeply. "If Optimus Prime has gained an interest in you, then I fear for your safety."
"It's no different from before." Jack countered. "There's danger everywhere- this is a war, remember? And I can't spend every one of my waking hours on this ship either."
He was ignored, much to his chagrin.
"Soundwave, please take Jackson to see Knockout and June. I must speak with Airachnid."
"Yes sir." He said shortly, seeing as this was not the time for jokes or wisecracks. Megatron watched as the mech walked away, processor mulling over this new information.
This didn't sound good. Not at all.
Jack watched quietly as Knockout moved about the medbay. Raf was curled up beside him, head on Jack's lap as he dozed, while Miko was still with Breakdown, getting into who knew what kind of trouble.
"How's Starscream?" Jack finally asked, watching the medic patch another line shut.
Bright optics flickered to him, then back to the recharging Seeker.
"He'll be fine, don't worry. He's sustained worse. What about you? This was your first time seeing Optimus in this dimension..."
Jack winced slightly, but managed an impassive expression.
"He isn't my world's Optimus, that's for sure..."
"I can only imagine." Knockout stated, using what appeared to be a torch to weld plating together. Jack held a hand over his eyes, the sparks bright. There was a momentary silence, then, "You don't have to pretend that you're fine with all this. I would personally be shaken to the core, if I met a cruel, evil version of one I admire."
"I have to be strong." Jack said softly, petting Raf's hair. "For their sake."
Something flickered through Knockout's optics, something Jack didn't have time to identify.
"You shouldn't have to be strong for others. You're a sparkling, just like them."
Jack shook his head.
"They need someone to look to when things go wrong. And they have."
"And do you do this in your dimension?"
"Sometimes."
Knockout frowned.
"That should be the Autobots' job."
"It is." Jack sighed, looking down at Raf. "But they can't be there all the time, and we've managed to find a lot of trouble without them."
The medic scowled.
"And they should've been there to protect you."
"Well, I think it was more of Miko's rashness than anything..."
"Still."
Jack sighed, running a hand through his hair.
"Look, you have no right to judge people you've never met, so just drop it."
"Like you judged Starscream based on your experience of the one from your world? Or how you judged me in the beginning?" Knockout countered, to which Jack looked away, and Knockout turned back to his work.
"It's not easy to not judge when you were once threatened with a drill..."
The soft murmur made KO pause. A drill? Only one Decepticon was armed with such a tool, and that was...Was him.
Knockout turned to Jack, optics wide with shock.
"Me..?"
Jack only shrugged, carefully removing Raf's glasses and setting them aside so that they wouldn't get broken in the tween's sleep.
"You're a whole other class of vain in our dimension. You'd make Starscream look modest in comparison."
Knockout winced, seeming hurt by this.
"I did not-"
"Just forget about it." Jack cut in. "You aren't him, anyways. Forget I brought it up, it was rude of me. Sorry."
Knockout found it hard to let the topic go, even as he continued to patch Starscream up. The seeker in question groaned slightly, and Knockout frowned. He reached for the machines meant to keep Starscream in stasis, upping the timer to be safe, casting a sidelong glance at Jack. The boy was now nodding off, obviously exhausted.
Knockout wondered, absently, what kept the boy going. Not just anyone could manage to act so brave while it was obvious that inside they were terrified. Yet a teenager, a mere child, had mastered this skill. It made Knockout's spark ache. He carefully lifted Raf when Jack's head lulled on his neck, his eyes opening slightly at the lack of weight on his legs, only to close again. Knockout gently scooped the other boy up and took both to their own separate cots. And then, after covering them up, he went back to work.
Yet even as he worked, his processor kept returning to what Jack had said.
In this alternate dimension of the children's...who was he?