I'm pumped at the moment. Quite pumped. I think I have time for one last chapter before I need a break. This is mostly around Ironhide and Quakeshot. Ratchet and Shift will come a wee bit later in the chapter... Keep your shorts on! And the title's the result of too many Naruto episodes…Bleh… I realized I'm no good at fight scenes. So forgive me if I screw up. –sweatdrop-

Quakeshot: Rice…-is reading reviews-

Me: Aye?

Qs:…people love your story and all but this one here says I should start dating Ironhide…-mental trauma-

Me:…I'm guessing I should look at the reviews from now on?

Qs: Please do so. I'm going to be over there. Practicing my shooting….Yeah.

Chapter 12: Blow for Blow! Ironhide's Rival! AKA Fight for the Sparklings!

-

BoomBOOM! BoomBOOM! BOOM!

"It seems…" snarled the femme angrily, "We are evenly matched."

Ironhide glared at her. "So it would seem." 'How the slag does she do that?! She matches every single blast I throw at her!! But how?!'

He'd have to stall her for now. Ratchet needed all the time he could get. "So how did you get past the massive killing, eh?"

"You WOULD like to know. It's a method we've developed." She smiled in an evil sort of way. "It's called Simply Disappearing. Most femmes are too 'noble' to use it. Or were." She laughed in a cruel way. "We remove all trace of our existence, our sparkmates, sparklings, that sort of thing. Cowardly, yes, but if one wishes to survive…" she frowned suddenly. "If you're stalling, you're out of luck. Shift is already after your friend. She'll catch up with him soon. Now…" her canons hummed to life again. "I do believe we have a fight to finish."

-

"Slag! Slagitall!" She ducked as debris shot over her head. She was in the middle of a battleground, taking cover behind a barrier she'd found. Apparently, she'd walked straight into an ambush.

Optimus Prime and the other Autobots had been waiting.

As a Mechanic/ Medic, she wasn't big on going heavily armed. This was one of those times she hated her lack of defenses. "Starscream, where the slaggin' Pit ARE YOU!?" she yelled into the communicator. No answer.

Swearing as only she could, she sent some plasma blasts towards the Autobots, which she thought was rather weak compared to Quakeshot. She was rewarded with a pain filled yell. She got one. Hopefully that little brat, Bumblebee.

-

The bot she hit was Sideswipe. There was a smoking crater in his chest armor, just inches away from his spark cavity. Sunstreaker, who had recovered from the paint incident, let loose a roar of hatred, and, regardless of Ratchet and Prime's orders, charged straight towards Shift. He looked about ready to rip the unfortunate femme in half had Optimus not held him back.

-

Shift glared at him. What was it about family units that sickened her to her core?

Oh yeah. Megatron had killed her creators. And her brother. They hadn't been sparkbonded as a mere precaution. It had indeed saved her life.

Now, to move on to more pressing matters. Like where the Pit Starscream was with back up?!

-

Ratchet looked the red twin over. He was still functioning, but screaming in sheer pain. Some sedatives would work right now. Sunstreaker was still snarling and attempting to get at Shift.

-

'Trapped like a robo-rat…' she thought miserably. 'Damn you, Starscream, where are you?!' Suddenly, she felt a hand grip the back of her neck. A vise like grip. Her optics went wide with fear.

Sunstreaker had gotten loose from Prime.

"I don't care if you're a femme. You will pay for what you did to Sideswipe."

-

Smoking craters surrounding them, Ironhide and Quakeshot had finally run out steam. "You are good…" panted Quakeshot.

"Not exactly delicate yourself, femme." Retorted the weary mech.

"Alright, we both need rest, and our factions are probably fighting. We should get out of here." Quakeshot said, transforming. "…What? You don't trust me?" "Frankly, no." replied Ironhide, grinning.

"Smart of you. But I have honor. I don't attack warriors such as yourself from behind. I'll consider you a rival. See you around." She raced past him at a breakneck speed.

Ironhide watched her go. "Rival?" he muttered and sped off after her.

-

And where were the sparklings? They were at the Autobot's base, recharging peacefully while Bee was playing Sparksitter.