Transformers Prime

Jack felt like a complete jerk. On the way to school, Arcee pointedly ignored Jack. Even Raf knew something was going on between Jack and Arcee. He chose not to say anything though. He didn't want Arcee giving him the glare that he kept pointing at Darby. Bulkhead, who was driving them over to the school even asked if Arcee was feeling okay. She dismissed it and he let it drop. Once everybody got out of Bulkhead's alt. mode at the front of the school, Miko pulled Jack to the side.

"Okay, smooth operator, what did you do?" She asked accusingly. Arcee and Raf were already walking up the stairs into the school with the other student arrivals.

"I didn't do anything!" Jack said in defense. His reply was only half-hearted. He had an idea of what he did, but didn't want to voice it. Miko wasn't buying it and crossed her arms, irritated with Jack.

"Arcee likes you! Stop being such a manuke!" Miko demanded, jabbing her finger at his chest. Jack had no idea wat that meant, but it sounded insulting.

"Miko! Arcee is a giant robot! It would never work!" he reasoned, spreading his arms to emphasize the absurdness of the situation.

"Who cares. And you never denied it! Just stop acting distant. You at least owe her that much," Miko retorted, sounding like she was scolding someone years younger than her.

Miko was right. He didn't deny it. He did like Arcee but...she was a robot that was at least 15 heads taller than him. Jack sighed and scratched his head. He was looking down at the ground when he heard Miko clear her throat in annoyance.

"Well?"

"Okay! I'll apologize!"

Miko scowled at him, unsatisfied with his answer. Jack's shoulders sagged in defeat. "I'll ask her if she wants to hang out or something," Jack grumbled and Miko nodded approvingly.

"That's better," Miko said somewhat condescendingly with a smile. Jack blanked his expression to show his annoyance. She only laughed and the both of them walked into their class.

It was finally Gym class, and Jack felt this was his chance to set things straight. Since Sierra was in Cheerleading squad, she completed gym during her freshman year.

Fortunately, that meant she wouldn't be in here. Today's gym lesson was going to be jogging and running, so he hoped he'd have the chance to talk to Arcee. After the necessary warm-ups, everyone went outside to the track to do the laps. Once everyone started off, Jack sprinted a bit to catch up with Arcee.

"Arcee, look. I'm sorry about yesterday."

Arcee didn't respond, and just continued to run at her even pace. This was getting nowhere. Looks like apologizing wasn't going to cut it.

"Look, I admit it. I was...jealous," Jack said clearly, sincerely hoping he didn't have to repeat it. Jack was a good runner, but Arcee seemed better at it, which was kind of annoying him. He was beginning to inhale and exhale quicker, while Arcee was barely breathing hard at all. After his confession, Arcee finally glanced at him. They had crossed the lap line, and they took a break at the sidelines in the grass. She rested her elbows on the fence while Jack was struggling to get his breath under control, hands on knees. The girl next to him sighed.

"I was kind of...jealous too."

Jack looked at her, surprised by her answer. The thought crossed his mind, but to hear her say it still made it sound like a revelation. With his heart no longer trying to break out of ribs from adrenaline, Jack leaned backwards on the fence. How would he word his next sentence? Would she even bother to consider the words. Well, he's escaped a giant warship full of bloodthirsty Decepticons, he could risk it.

"Arcee, I need to tell you something," he said looking directly at her. When she looked at him though, he quickly broke eye contact.

"Yeah?" she asked knowingly. Jack wondered if she knew what he was about to say.

"I-"

Both Jack and Arcee turned quickly to the sound of motorcycle engines roaring through the space behind the school. Seconds later, shouts and screams sould be heard.

"It'll have to wait, something's going on," Arcee suggested. All the students that were at the track began to run to the side of the building, with the Gym coach directing most of them away from the motor sounds that were getting louder.

"What the heck?" Jack asked, dumbfounded. Seven motorcycles were careening towards the track. The students that were there with Jack and Arcee were already a good distance away at the school. Then the craziness started. The seven motorcycles neared the two and began circling them.

"Jack, stay behind me," Arcee warned. The motorcycles' engines roared menacingly, as if waiting for them to try to run through the circle of bikes.

"When I say so, jump over the motorcycle in front of you."

Jack was confused as to what was going on. What did these motorcyclists want with them? On the side of the bikes' frames, he noticed a strange King Cobra symbol. Were they some kind of gang? "Arcee, wh-"

"Go!" Arcee interrupted, running straight for one of the motorcycles. Jack gulped and followed suit. Arcee hurdled over the back end of a motorcycle and Jack did the same. They continued to run past the track and to the opposite side of the school that no one had ran through. Stopping at the corner, Arcee looked behind it, and watched the motorcycles. They had turned and began to follow them to their hiding place.

"We need to break off into an alley. We can lose them there," the blue and pink haired older one said, grabbing Jack's forearm. Darby was ready to protest, but it died in his throat after she broke off into a run, dragging him behind her. The motorcycles had just reached the spot they had recently vacated and continued to follow them. Once Arcee and Jack reached a nearby alleyway, Arcee and Jack took a breather.

"Are they some sort of gang? What's going on?"

"I don't know. But I think it has something to do with me. Why would a gang be coming after us all of a sudden?"

Jack didn't have time to respond. An engine sounded from the opposite end of the alley, and a motorcycle steered into it.

"No way," Arcee muttered with clenched teeth. Jack looked at where she was glaring and was just as surprised.

"There's-There's no rider."

As quickly as Jack observed the situation, the motorcycle jerked suddenly, before plates began to rearrange themselves. The customary transforming sound accompanied the grind of sliding metal, before where once stood a motorcycle, was an altered appearance of Arcee's body. The Arcee imposter activated it's gun arms and pointed them dangerously at the both of them. Rather than the usual paintjob that Arcee's armor had, this one's armor color was a dark reflective black, with orange trims. The King Cobra symbol was set on the top corner of the robot's right chest plate.

"D-decepticons?" Jack asked, causing Arcee to shake her head. More engines could be heard, and the seven motorcycles that had followed them appeared behind them and subsequently shifted into more Arcee look alikes, with the same dark armor.

"The people who stole my body. They cloned me. They're here to destroy the original. Me."

The even doppelgangers behind Jack and Arcee also cocked their gun arms at them.

"Where's Optimus when you need him," Jack muttered under his breath.