"Galvatron!?! We've got to fight Galvatron?!?"
"Wazzzpinator not like this. Wazzzpinator not want fight Galvatron."
"You have no choice Transformers! Prepare to die!"
"Running would be good, Rod."
"Hiding would be better!"
Cheetor grabbed Inferno and Waspinator by the throats and quickly pulled them with him into a shadowed corner. Windchaser stayed tight on his heels.
>So now what do we do?
>I'm not sure. Galvatron is coming, I can FEEL him. Do you remember how Hot Rod fought Galvatron? <
p>
>Not really. I think he did what we're doing now. You know, hiding in the shadows until Galvatron had gone by.<
p>
>Yeah, I remember now… Hot Rod blinded Galvatron, right?<
p>
>Yes. Use your laser for that. Then if we all fight together we should be able to win.<
p>
>You know… You really are a great leader! Anyway, back to business.< /b> "Waspinator, Inferno. We're going to have to work together. You two willing?"
"Wazzzpinator want to know what happen if Wazzzpinator and Inferno not work with cat-bot and bird-bot."
"Every living thing on this planet dies."
"Wazzpinator work with cat-bot."
"I, too, shall aid you. But only to save my queen."
"Why don't you call Megator, 'King'?" Windchaser asked.
"Where are you Maximals? You and the Predicons have no hope of winning a battle with me."
"Hush!" Cheetor whispered to the other three fighters. "Don't move, just let him go past."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Back on the surface of Earth…
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Oh no."
"Oh no? You aren't supposed to be saying dat Skywitch! What are ya doin sayen dat 'oh no' dere for?"
"Galvatron."
"Galvatron?"
"Unicron brought Galvatron back to life. He's hunting them in there."
"WELL… Dis day just keeps getting' better and better."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unicron…
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Galvatron walked forward slowly. He looked from side to side, but he couldn't find the four Transformers. There were millions of alcoves and shadows for the Chosen One and his allies to hide in. Galvatron couldn't say the same. He was far too tall to effectively hide.
"Where are you, cat? You cannot hide forever. Sooner or later I will find you." Galvatron came to the end of the tunnel. He looked around. There was nothing there. Galvatron narrowed his optics. Unicron had been careful this time. Galvatron was completely loyal to him. Galvatron would not betray Unicron again.
Cheetor hid quietly in the shadows. Windchaser was in position, as were the two Predicons. Cheetor whispered a prayer to Primus for help. He closed his optics for a cycle… then opened them and got set. The time had almost come.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Back on Cybertron…
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rodimus Prime walked down the hallway, joking with Springer. He smiled, enjoying a few nanoclicks away from his worries.
Springer laughed at Rodimus' joke. Some things never changed. One thing high on that list was definitely Rodimus Prime. Nine centuries after the Fourth Cybertronain War and he still joked.
Rodimus stopped in mid-laugh as he felt the Matrix give a sudden surge of power. 'What the…?' Prime began the thought but it was cut off at the sudden surge of white-hot pain. Rodimus Prime felt the Matrix give one last throb of power; then it was gone, slamming him backwards as something or someone transported the Matrix to another point in time and space.
"The Matrix…"
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Back to the skies above Earth; Within Unicron…
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unicron has made a mistake. A simple mistake, to be sure, but a mistake none the less. With anyone but the Chosen One, it would have meant nothing. But with the Chosen One that means that this little mistake could come very quickly come to a head.
Unicron was so certain that Galvatron could take care of four robot's that were less than 1/3rd his height, that Unicron paid absolutely NO attention to the battle. That was his mistake, and Galvatron's. Because sometimes size does not matter.
Galvatron turned around. He looked at the end of the tunnel again. Where had the transformers gone? "Where are you, cat? You cannot hide forever. Sooner or later I will find you."
"It will probably be sooner than you think, Galvatron."
Galvatron spun around at the sound of a voice coming from behind him. Galvatron stared in shock. The Maximal stood in plain sight, in the center of the tunnel floor. Glavatron's shock quickly faded to gloating pride. He smiled. This would be too easy. But in his pride, Galvatron forgot one of the basic rules of life…
If it seems too easy…
It probably is.
Cheetor stood calmly. He could feel that Galvatron was letting his pride make the calls. Never a good move.
Galvatron had fought Autobot upon Autobot and had often come out the victor. How could four puny shorter then 18 foot-sized robots hope to win? Cheetor fought back a smile, and forced himself to remain standing calmly in the center of the tunnel with his arms crossed and no expression on his face.
>You know… I really hate bait duty, 'Chase.<
p>
>I prefer to call it 'decoy duty'. <
p>
>Well, whatever it is… Let's do it.
"You are a fool! Prepare to die, Rodeesh of the Maximals!!"
"Not today!"
Galvatron smiled again and charged up his arm-cannon. This was truly going to be too easy.
It was. And that's how the plan worked.
Galvatron fired at the Maximal. The blast tore through the air with a speed that none of his foes had ever been able to dodge. But Glavatron's foes had all been Autobots… and one thing that had happened since the Maximals had evolved from Autobots was that their speed had increased. And Cheetor was fast even for a Maximal, as Galvatron soon found out.
Cheetor fired up at Galvatron's optics… and missed!
"Slag it and Primus take it! NOW!!"
Glavatron's pride doubled… Those puny robots thought that their little weapons could hurt him?
To his surprise… they could…
…Quite a lot actually.
"Ahhhhhhrg! You'll pay for that Maximal scum!"
Windchaser landed next to Cheetor, Cheetor looked at her and cracked his trademark grin. Windchaser couldn't help but to smile back
"You know, I heard that a very strong human curse is 'May you have an interesting life' How many times have you been cursed?"
"So many times, by so many people… 'Chase, it isn't even funny."
"Die Maximals!"
"Prediconzzz here too! Why Galvabot not zzzay Prediconzzz?"
Galvatron transformed to his cannon-mode and fired at the robots before him. Again, he missed.
Unfortunately, this time when the blast hit the wall, a wave of water gushed out, and swept the Transformers away.
Windchaser was bashed in three dimensions. She struggled valiantly to keep her head above the water. Suddenly, she was swept over in a waterfall. The force of it slammed her under the water, and she couldn't get back up to the surface.
'Don't panic, don't panic… Primus… HELP!'
A hand suddenly grabbed her shoulder and hauled her back up to the surface. With a gasp, both she and her rescuer broke through to the surface, and greedily gulped down the air. Windchaser glanced over to see who had grabbed her. She barely had time to identify her rescuer as Rodeesh began hauling her towards the metal shore. Without thinking, she broke free and began swimming on her own. The two of them pulled themselves out of the water and looked around.
"You know… this reminds me of one of Kup's war-stories."
"EVERYTHING reminds you of one of Kup's war-stories."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Inferno and Waspinator looked around in surprise. The water had sent them down a different tunnel than the Maximals. Spun bashed around, they finally went flying outside of Unicron when the tunnel that they were in met a hole from the outside. Apparently, their luck was still with them.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cheetor and Windchaser would not say the same about their luck. Cheetor felt himself blanch at the sight that greeted his optics. Giant tanks of acid bubbled and boiled, giving off a foul gas that burned at the optics and lungs. Cheetor coughed and looked around again.
"We have GOT to get a new travel agent," he muttered.
"Yeah. How long until Unicron should go boom?"
"Two more cycles, maximum. But we have to survive. There's something that we have to do once we get out of here."
"What?"
"We have to…"
"DIE!!"
Cheetor and Windchaser spun around. Windchaser wasn't fast enough to dodge Galvatron's backhanded slap. She all but flew backwards and hit the acid tank's side. She lay in a crumpled heap at the foot of the tank.
"WINDCHASER!!"
"Your fate will not be as PLEASENT Rodeesh!! Now… YOU… DIE!!"
"Never!"
Galvatron dove at Cheetor. The cat jumped over the Decepticon. He flipped in mid-air and landed facing the giant Transformer. Galvatron spun around. The fight had truly begun.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Back on Earth…
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Optimus looked up worriedly at Unicron. Willing Cheetor and Windchaser to get out in time. It had been too long…
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Battle Rages Within…
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The fight was getting more and more intense. Cheetor was almost out of breath. There was no hope for it. It was time for a miracle or death.
To Cheetor's surprise…
…It was the miracle.
Hr>
Unicron felt the surge of power where the Chosen One and Galvatron fought. He recognized THAT power without a second thought…
-PRIMUS!!-
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If Cheetor had known that he and Unicron had both uttered the same word, he probably would have laughed.
But the pulsing, blue light of the portal held his attention too tightly. It was a beautiful sight for sore eyes… even if he had no idea what it was. The light flared suddenly, making Galvatron scream in pain and stagger back.
Cheetor wondered why Galvatron had screamed. But then suddenly, he screamed out as the portal closed, leaving an object behind. Galvatron reacted faster then Cheetor thought even he himself could.
"NO! The Matrix!!"
Cheetor dove forward. His smallness FINALLY became an advantage, as did his speed. He actually slid under Galvatron and grabbed the Matrix before the giant Decepticon could.
The nanoclick his hands closed onto the Matrix, a blast of power surged through him. He half saw Galvatron flying backwards and upwards… to land right in one of the acid tanks.
~ Arise… Rodeesh Prime. ~
He heard the voice and felt the power that flowed through him.
"Primus…" Rodeesh Prime whispered in awe. Rodeesh felt the knowledge flow through him.
~ Use the power now… Chosen One. ~
Rodeesh slid his fingers into the finger holds. They fit as if it had been molded for his hands. He remembered the prophecy of the Chosen One and what he must do now with the Matrix.
"Now… Light our darkest hour…"
Slowly, carefully, Rodeesh Prime opened the Matrix. His optics and flame seemed to glow with the same light as the Matrix itself. For a nanoclick the glow stayed near the now open Matrix, then it tore away, and Unicron began to scream. Rodeesh Prime felt Primus slide his memories away, but because of the Matrix, he now understood why.
'I shouldn't have gotten it yet?'
~ No. You shall remember when it is time. ~
'Do Windchaser and I still have enough time to escape?'
~ Yes. I must return the Matrix. Good luck… Chosen One. ~
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Windchaser awoke with a start. She groaned and held her pounding head.
"Sounds like you're going to need a trip to Nightwolf's med-bay when we get out of here."
Windchaser opened her optics and looked up to see a smiling gold face with Cheetah stripes, matrix blue optics and a dark blue helmet. Windchaser found it very hard to overwhelm the urge to rip out those optics.
"You're annoying. You know that, right Rodeesh?"
"Cheetor."
"Well at least I know that you're not too badly hurt. Rodeesh."
"Now that we both know that the other will survive… It's Cheetor! Can we go now?"
"You have to ask? Let's hit the skies!"
"Uh-oh…"
"Uh-oh WHAT?"
"Small technical problem that just occurred to me."
"And that would be…?"
"How do we get out of here?"
"Uhhhhhh… We're scraplet chow, aren't we?"
An explosion of green fire suddenly tore at the wall to their left.
"How about we run AWAY from the fire, 'Chase?"
"Sounds good to me!"
The two Maximals raced down the hallways, explosions of green fire at their heels.
Cheetor saw a wall of green glass in front of him. It took a cycle before he realized what it was.
"Windchaser! Go out through the optic!"
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Earth…
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Dey did it! Does two kids did it!"
"Great. Where are they? I lost contact after they reported in Galvatron."
"Does dat mean what I think dat means, Skywitch?"
"I'm not sure… Nightwolf! Have you been able to make contact with them?"
"No, I… Where's Megator? I lost track of him."
"Ohhhhhh, Primus take it! He's heading for Optimus Primal!"
"Oh slag! Rodeesh'll kill us! Come on!"
Megator was getting closer to Optimus. Just a few more feet now and he'd be within striking distance.
"Optimus! DUCK!!"
Optimus Primal hit the dirt, a nanoclick before a laser sliced through the air where he had been. A nanoclick after that, bullets, fire and projectiles raced over head… hitting Megator.
"The truce is over Megator! Get away from us!"
"Hold that order!"
Everyone looked up a Cheetor's voice. Cheetor landed and shouted out an order that no one disobeyed.
"HIT THE DIRT!!!"
Every transformer fell flat on their face. Just is time to feel Unicron explode. One blast sent the giant robot spiraling into space. The second utterly destroyed him. The heat ripped at the air around them, Nightwolf tried desperately to borrow deeper into the ground. This hurt!
The heat finally faded. Nightwolf raised his head and looked around. "You know, I'm starting to feel sorry for this planet," Street Cat said.
Nightwolf turned to look behind him. Street Cat was looking at the raging fires with a haunted look in his optics. Nightwolf looked around again. Most of the other transformers were off-line. It would be safe to talk now. "What's wrong?" he asked.
"I… saw this before, in my dreams. What I don't understand is how. I don't have Time Sight."
Nightwolf chuckled. "Everybody with Sight saw this. I think Unicron was trying to scare all the Seers into not fighting."
"Fire and Evil. Well, the plan back-fired didn't it? It just made me want to fight it even more. Looks like I couldn't stop it though."
"You stopped the evil didn't you? Plus… look. Those rain clouds will stop the fire soon."
"We DID stop the fire and evil. Didn't we?"
"We sure did, Rodeesh," Windchaser said, joining the conversation.
"Cheetor."
"Rodeesh."
"Cheetor."
"Rodeesh."
"Cheetor."
"Rodeesh."
"Cheetor."
"Rodeesh!"
"Cheetor!"
"Do da two of ya ever stop arguing!?!"
"Will you stay out of this Rattrap?!?" the two fighters yelled together, then looked at each other and burst out laughing.
"So what happens now?" Cheetor asked. "We go back to shooting each other?"
"Yes cat. As soon as we have recovered, we shall fall back to our respective bases, and the Beast Wars will commence again. Yeeeessssss."
"So we're enemies again? That's just Prime."
"I guess so. But at least now we know we can work together, when we have to fight a larger threat anyway."
"Don't get all metaphysical, kiddo. People dat hate each other always pull together to save their own butts."
"If the only way different people will work together is to save themselves Rattrap, then explain Cybertron."
Cheetor waited for a response, but one never came, for no one could find a rebuke for it. Slowly the damaged fighters turned and went their own separate ways. Cheetor looked at the storm that was quickly killing the fire, then turned to look at the Strike team.
"Come on guys, there's one more important thing to do… Strike Team! Transform and pull out!!"
(Don't stop reading!! Hints at what's to come in later stories for this series in last Chapter!! Read, read, read! Hurry!!)