Chapter 12: Predatory

In deep space, an unidentified ship was traveling through the stars... its destination; Earth. Upon arrival, the ship crash-landed in a forest. Next morning, Arcee and Ava were scouting near the area, but it seems that Ava was having problems with some creatures.

"Really wished I packed some insect repellant. Usually, I don't mind the bugs but this is just way too many to tolerate. The mosquitoes out here on these routine recons are the size of vampire bats. And they drink just as much blood. Ow!" Ava said trying to keep away the mosquitoes.

"I didn't know you knew so much about the outdoors Ava...you know since your in base half the day."

"Thanks for the reminder." Ava retorted. "But I do other stuff other than...the assigned datapads with my school friends."

"I still can't believe that Optimus let you come on this mission. Usually, he's a bit hesitant-"

"A bit?" Ava chuckled as she said that. "Arcee, I am a teenager now and is more mature than other teenagers my age. I mean, I get it if there was like a really intense battle going on but when it's mission's like these that I get a little annoyed." she retorted. "Plus, I also get some one-on-one time with my sister," she added.

Arcee smiled but was drawn to her scanner as it detected something. "That's odd. Ratchet's satellite scans were accurate, but subterranean energon deposits don't cause this kind of surge."

Arcee let Ava have a look and she was confused as well but made an assumption of what it might be. "Maybe there's a crash site?" she guessed as she shrugged.

Arcee shrugged as well then walked faster through the forest with Ava following her. They came to a clearing and the scanner beeped rapidly. There was a ditch, with fallen trees that a trail leads to the top of the mountain. "Huh, looks like you were right," Arcee said to Ava who sheepishly smiled back at her. "Stay behind me, low and close," Arcee instructed.

Ava saluted as Arcee equipped her blasters while Ava grabbed her bow and followed Arcee until they reached a Cybertronian ship. "Autobot or Decepticon?" Ava asked.

"Can't tell. Wait here." Arcee said before going to explore the ship.

Ava put her spy glasses on and watched the area if there is any chance of enemy contact. A few moments later after Ava saw Arcee enter the ship. About several minutes passed and Ava saw Arcee walking out of the ship... wobbling at her knees. She ran to her sister. "Arcee?" she asked worriedly. No response. "Arcee! What's wrong?" she asked again.

A memory flashed through Arcee's processor. It came as quick as it faded. "I know who this ship belongs to," Arcee mumbled as she activated her com-link. "Arcee to base, I need a Ground bridge, ASAP."

"Wait, Arcee. Whose ship is this?" Ava asked.

"Base do you read?" Arcee asked again, earning static in response. "Scrap. Comlink's dead. The ship's gotta be transmitting a high-frequency scrambler pulse."

"Arcee? What's wrong? What's got you all spooked?"

"Wait here," Arcee instructed ignoring Ava's question then went to walk further into the forest.

"There you go again," Ava mumbled. Then, she gasped as she remembered something that happened to Arcee when she's like this. "Oh no, don't tell me-" she didn't finish her sentence because she knew her sister well enough. She ran to where her sister went putting her bow back in place. She found Arcee staring blankly again. "Arcee!"

Arcee was pulled from her limbo and turned to see Ava looking at her with worry and concern. Without saying a word, she transformed. "Hop on," she ordered.

Ava did so and she yelped when Arcee blasted off at high speed, making maneuvers until she stopped after a couple of seconds. "Okay, seriously Arcee, was that really necessary?" Ava asked still a little shaken from the ride as she got off.

"Arcee to base," she called again but received static once more. "Scrap."

"Arcee!" Ava shouted trying to get her attention, but to no avail. "Arcee, come on. You know you can tell me anything-"

"Wait here," Arcee said ignoring her again. "I mean it."

"Arcee, don't make me call Daddy and report you." That seemed to got her attention because the femme stiffened. "Now, tell me what's wrong. We are sisters."

"Half sisters." Arcee retorted. "You're only here because this was supposed to be recon. Got it?" she finished and before Ava could make a remark she transformers and headed back the same direction they came, leaving Ava alone by a ditch.

Ava sighed heavily. 'So, this is gonna be one of those missions.' she thought before looking over the cliff and to see how far the ditch was. Good thing she brought her spy outfight. Otherwise, she would have to climb barefoot basically. With that, she grabbed her grappling hook and stabbed it into the ground as hard as she could, then pressed it down further with her foot. She yanked on the rope a few times to see if it was stuck before she brought herself to the edge and held onto the rope before gliding down.


When Arcee was far away from Ava's position, she transformed, equipped her blaster and began to scout the area for her. As she turned, she spotted a tree that was being eaten by acid. This triggered another memory of her past.

"Arcee to Delta Team. Requesting rendezvous coordinates. Do you copy?"

"Arcee, are you lost again?" a male voice teased through the comm. link. "Your sense of direction could use some improvement."

"So could your aim, Tailgate." Arcee retorted. "If you'd tagged that sniper back at the artillery depot, I wouldn't have had to break rank and engage the enemy hand-to-hand."

"From the sound of things, I'm guessing you came out ahead."

"Try waiting up for me this time, and I'll give you the blow-by-blow. What's your position?"

"About half a click from the depot due north. Think you can find it, partner?"

"Trust me, Tailgate, my navigation abilities are - Ugh!" Arcee was interrupted when something sticky wrapped around her and let out a gasp and yelp of surprise out of nowhere and successfully pinning her to a partially destroyed wall. Her vision began to fail as the last thing she saw was a figure walking on six legs before she was blindfolded by another web.

Gasping for air, the femme shot her blue optics open to find herself chained up and tries to break free of her restraints. Light footsteps were heard behind her and made their way in front of Arcee's view, revealing the figure to be a femme Decepticon.

"Piece of advice - make yourself comfortable. You're going to be here for awhile." Her captor approached her. She raised a talon, with flame-like acid and scratches slightly under her left optic, leaving a sizzling mark on her cheek.


Somewhere in the forest, a small campsite is set up nearby. Approaching the campsite is the same person that keeps popping up in Arcee's memories - a new arrival to Earth. Using her x-ray optics, the femme spotted a camper inside the tent.

"My first local." she purred with excitement. "Time for humankind to feel my sting."

The femme retracted her normal legs together and used her spider legs to slowly approach her prey. As she was preparing to strike, she gets tackled by Arcee and the pair rolled downhill to a clearing. Arcee was slammed to a cliff while her opponent remained on her pedes.

The spider-bot looked up and an amused expression spread across her face when she saw the figure her attacked her. "Arcee - small universe."

"Too small, Airachnid." Arcee retorted with glaring optics.

"You're still holding a grudge? The war's been over for megacycles." The femme knows as Airachnid stated as she began to walk around.

"Tell that to the Decepticons."

"These days, I travel solo in pursuit of my new hobby."

Arcee's face twisted into a disgusted as she remembers what she found of her ship. "I got a look at your souvenir case."

"You mean my trophies. I collect endangered species. Of course, they aren't really endangered until they meet me. And I have a slot reserved for a human." Airachnid smirked wickedly.

"Not gonna happen." Arcee declares as she charges her.

Not far from them, Ava stopped for a few minutes to take a breather. "Phew, I haven't run like this in a long time. Probably because I've been cooped up in base-" she didn't finish because she heard gunfire up ahead. The teenager recognizes the fire immediately as she practically got used to the sound of blaster fire. Knowing one of them has to be her sister, she ran forward but gasped when she saw who Arcee was fighting. She cursed her luck when Arcee's opponent and she both were looking at her.

With her guard down, the 'Con punched Arcee and webbed her to a nearby rock. "Arcee!" Ava yelled and went to aid her but stopped when the femme 'Con was facing her with a dangerous gleam in her optics. She backed away as the femme spider-bot like Con slowly approached her with her talons ready to strike.

Seeing her sister in danger, Arcee quickly switched to her blade and cut a piece of the web and immediately shot at Airachnid, sending her away from Ava. Taking the opportunity, Ava ran to help her sister free. "I told you to wait for me!" Arcee yelled at Ava.

"Do you wish for me to call Dad?" Ava retorted as she helped Arcee cut the web with her dagger. "I could've easily just left you here alone like you did to me. And don't bring Father into this." Her expression and tone softened when she saw Arcee listening with sad optics. "I can see it in your eyes Arcee. You're afraid."

"You're right Ava. I am afraid - of losing you!" Arcee confessed.

Their little conversation was interrupted by Airachnid. "You sure have trouble hanging on to your partners, don't you?" she tormented, the two femmes looked in her direction. "We both know what happened to Tailgate. But I recently picked up some Decepticon radio chatter regarding the passing of Cliffjumper." At the mention of their fallen comrade and friend, Arcee let out a small gasp while Ava clenched her fists and narrowed her optics at the spider-bot. "At some point, you really have to ask yourself, Arcee; is it them, or is it me?"

"Do you get it now, Ava? She's not interested in me. She hunts indigenous species," The teenager's heart rate increased as she knew what she meant and she looked back to the femme 'Con. "and she's on Earth - that means humans - you, run!"


While she waited for the 'Con to come, Ava steadied her breathing as she stood on a tree branch with her bow ready in her grasp. Unfortunately, she heard Arcee screaming her name and glanced that way with weary eyes.

"That's the spirit, Ava, play hard to get."

Hearing the 'Con's voice, Ava glared at the femme that is slowly walking past her. 'Be careful what you wish for 'Con; because if you mess with one of my family, you'll answer to me.' she threatened in her mind. She quietly aimed her bow at her and fired. She then quickly and quietly ran out of her position and into a new one.

Airachnid heard something swoosh past her audio receptors and knew where her prey was. She whipped around only to find her not there. She smirked and glanced down at the tool that was to distract her and squashed it beneath her pede. "You're going to have to do better than that Ava." she prompted while she looked for the human's heat signature with her x-ray optics.

"You want a challenge? Well, who am I not to oblige your challenge?" Ava said to herself before firing another arrow and yet again changed her position.

Swoosh!

Airachnid turned to the sound of where it came from and had the same result. "Come on Ava. Reveal yourself. How about a one-on-one? You know, femme to femme conversation."

"Thanks for the offer, but I'm not really supposed to talk to strangers," Ava responded.

"Not even with a femme?"

"Well, seeing as you're a Decepticon, I'm not supposed to talk to you at all."

"Boo!" Airachnid exclaimed appearing from behind her.

Ava let out a yelp of surprise and jumped to the branch that was sticking out away from the 'Con. She backed away when Airachnid moved from behind the trunk and slowly approached. Ava aimed her bow but the 'Con swatted her weapon down to the ground. Airachnid continued to approach Ava until she almost slipped from the branch but caught herself. She glanced back to see she was at the end of the branch. She looked back to the 'Con, glaring at her and standing her ground.

She didn't flinch when Airachnid lifted one of her talons and slowly used it to scrap her cheek. "You know, for a human, you have excellent talent on the battlefield. With your skills helping the Decepticon cause, we could finally put an end to this war."

"I will never betray my family."

"Family?" Airachnid repeated with amusement. "You and the Autobots are of different species. We share nothing alike with you humans."

"You're right about one thing; we have nothing in common. But, it's not the species that matter, it's the people - or bots - that we make memories with our family."

Airachnid's optics flared in amusement. She didn't see the thing flying around before it was too late and hit her in the face. With her distracted, Ava jumped up and caught the boomerang before grabbing her grappling hook and shot it at another branch that was close to her bow. Airachnid quickly recovered and felt energon drip from her face. She lifted a servo and wiped the energon of with her digit before looking to Ava who just grabbed her bow and started running away from her.

She grinned wickedly, "Oh I see how it's going to be." she purred before jumping off the tree branch and began chasing Ava again.

Panting heavily again, Ava could see the ditch fastly approaching as she continues to run at her pace. Thinking quickly, she put her grappling hook in a pocket and grabbed her bow then fired at a nearby tree and jumped then glided over the ditch. After landing, she quickened her pace as she knew Airachnid wasn't far behind. But she glanced anyways and saw her a few feet away. She hid behind a tree to regain her breath. She then glanced at her walkie-talkie and wondered if she could contact Optimus that way. She grabbed it and pressed the power button before proceeding to contract the other side by holding a button on the side.

"Come on, come on, pick up," Ava whispered before she heard the femme's voice close.

"You're making this too easy, Ava. And I do not enjoy being bored." Airachnid stated just as her father's voice spoke through the walkie-talkie.

Ava quickly covered the speaker and started running again knowing full well that the 'Con spotted her. Once far enough from the 'Con, Ava lifted the speaker below her chin. "Daddy, are you there?"

"Ava. Have you and Arcee found the source of the disturbance?"

"Oh yes. And it just so happened to be a rogue Con's ship."

"Ava, what's wrong? You sound like your panting heavy."

The teenager led the 'Con back to her ship and he immediately became worried when the femme spoke when she saw Ava got into her ship. "If you wanted a tour, Ava, all you had to do was ask. Did you spot the empty space? I hope you like it. It's where you'll soon hang your head."

"Ava, what's going on?"

"Nothing Daddy, I'm fine."

"Who was that speaking then?"

Ava hesitated on answering that and cutting off the radio so she can take care of the Con. "Don't worry it's just Arcee."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, now I gotta go before she comes back. Bye Daddy." Ava said before hanging up and sighing. "I am so going to pay for that later." The scrape on her cheek feeling returned and she touched it gently. "And how am I supposed to explain this to him. That I got attacked by a wolf?! Yeah right? Wolf marks leave more scars not one." Ava shook her head. "Stop rambling your only wasting time."

With that, she put the walkie-talkie on her left hip and proceeded to run but then stopped when she was about to step into something toxic for her species. She observed the puddle and followed the trail until she hit the engines and saw them leaking. Remembering the lessons she was taught, an idea came to mind and she quickly started to start a fire.

The sparking noise was in range for Airachnid to hear and she spoke her name. She ran outside her ship and climbed on top just as Ava got fire and threw it toward the energon. Ava ran toward the forest as Airachnid called her just as her ship was exploded. The blast sent Ava to the top of the crater and landed on her belly.

Ava sighed in relief and stood up, but her relief was short-lived when a web attached to her foot. She looked back to the ship and saw a flaming, pissed off Airachnid. She launches another web and effectively pinned Ava to a tree. Ava struggles to reach her pocket-knife but stopped when she heard a noise above her and saw Airachnid climbing down the tree.

Airachnid was about to get her revenge but was interrupted by the rev of a familiar engine. Arcee transformed and kicked her nemesis away from her sister while Ava proceeded to reach for her pocket-knife. Just as she did, she heard trees being knocked down and looked to the blue femme who stood in front of her with her back turned to her.

"Ava," Arcee said then walked back to her little sister. "Are you alright?" she asked concerned as she pulled the web off.

"Yeah, of course," Ava answered.

Arcee smiled in relief but soon heard drilling. Both of them ran to the sound and found Airachnid has drilled a hole in the ground to escape. Arcee cursed her name in anger. "So much for closure," she said sarcastically.

"Now Airachnid is stuck here on Earth," Ava added.

"I'm...sorry you had to face my demons today. You were pretty fearless back there."

"If it had been a snake, I would have been terrified."

"You aren't afraid of spiders?"

"Nope. But, I was scared for you." Ava confessed. Arcee looked away. "Arcee, it's okay to be scared, and if it makes you feel any better, I will be available anytime you need to talk. Us girls have to stick together in a base full of men after all."

Arcee smiled. "I'll keep that in mind... partner."

"Partner?"

"Junior partner. I can still pull rank."

Ava crossed her arms. "Well, at least it's better than nothing."


As soon as the two entered the base, Ava went to her room to clean herself from the dirt and any scars that she may find. First, she took a shower, once she was done, she went to bandage her wounds. As she showered though, she found one scrape down one of her legs. She shrugged it off and concluded that she must've gotten it from when she exploded the ship.

After she got ready for bed and her wounds were all cleaned, she exited her bathroom and found her father waiting for her. His expression was calm but also stern as he glared at his daughter.

"Oh hey." Ava greeted with a nervous smile and chuckle. "How long have you been waiting for me?"

"Almost an hour," he answered sternly.

Ava looked away and knew what was coming.

"Arcee reported to me what happened," Optimus started. "Here it comes." she thought. "and I am proud."

"Huh?" Ava asked, uncertain if she heard right. "You're not... mad?"

Optimus shook his head. "No. I was hesitant to send you out on a mission because of my fear of losing you, but I remembered that I won't always be there to protect you and thought sending you on this mission would be a test."

"A test for what?"

"For joining us on the battlefield."

Ava's expression changed to that of excitement and happiness but then remembered this was her father. "What's the catch?" Optimus didn't answer which only excited the young teenager more. "No catch?"

Optimus shook his head. "You seem to do well on your own."

Ava ran in place and squealed in excitement then ran to the others to tell them the news. "Guys! Guess what?"

The others turned to the teenager. "What?" Bee asked.

"I get to go on missions with you guys!"

At that, Ratchet turned from the computer. "Who permitted you to go on missions?"

"Daddy said I could," Ava answered just as the said mech walked up behind her.

"He... did?" Ratchet asked surprised as he looked to the mech.

"Ava proved this mission that she can handle herself on her own," Optimus explained his reason. "I also believe that she could be an advantage for us."

"Are you certain, Optimus?" Ratchet asked.

Optimus nodded. "I promise that I will look after her."

"We all will," Arcee added as she stepped beside him and looking at her sister with Bulkhead and Bumblebee nodding in agreement.

Ava looked away in embarrassment and happiness. "I don't know what I'd do without you guys."

"And we feel the same way," Optimus said as he knelt down and Ava jumped into his embrace.

Never in Ava's life, she has felt this much happiness that she feels her heart about to explode. Suddenly, she heard a deep voice call to her that came from her father's spark. She opened her eyes and stared at his chest.

"Daughter of Optimus Prime, you will now be upgraded to your original form and will finally be able to know your past." a deep and powerful voice proclaimed.

Suddenly, Ava was being engulfed by a blinding light that Optimus had to let go of her and protect his optics. When the light faded, everyone gasped when they saw the new Ava.

"Why are you all looking at me like that?" she asked.

"Take a look for yourself." Bulkhead rasped still in awestruck.

Ava was handed a mirror and she too gasped when she saw herself. She... she has antennas as her ears now, and a visor that stops just below her eyes. She dropped the mirror and took a step back. She looked to her family and she could hear and sense everything around her.

"What... am I?" she asked them.

"Ava, when I found you 13 years ago, we had Fowler look you up to see who you belong to but... he found nothing. We do not know anything about you or why the Decepticons attacked you." Optimus explained.

Ava raises her hands and examines them. She feels much stronger, smarter, and faster. She then looked to the medic. "Ratchet, can you run a scan?"

Snapping out of his trance, he nodded and did just that. To add more to his awestruck, his optics widened when the results showed something impossible. "By the Allspark..."

"What is it?" Arcee asked.

"According to the scanners, Ava is a... techno-organic."

"What?!"

"But those... Ava's biological creators would have to a Cybertronian and an organic for that to be possible." Bulkhead said.

"Wait... I'm confused. What are techno-organics?"

"Techno-organics are transformers whose physiology include both technological and biological components," Optimus explained.

"So basically I'm half-Cybertronian," Ava concluded. Optimus nodded in confirmation. "Great. Now I have to learn how to be you."

"Don't worry Ava, we will teach you everything about how to be one of us."

Ava sighed, "I know you will. Wait. Did you just make a reference to Lion King?"

Optimus' expression changed into a suspicious one. "Did I?"

Ava rolled her eyes and turned her attention to Ratchet when he cleared his throat. "Aren't we forgetting something? If we send Ava put on missions now, the Decepticons will no doubt what to use her now more than ever. Are we still willing to risk her safety just to have another warrior on the field?"

"Once Ava learns how to control her new powers, she will be staying here until she is able to change into her human form," Optimus stated. "She will use that form while she is fighting."

Ratchet sighed as he knew he couldn't change Optimus' mind. Said mech knelt down and offered Ava his servo which she accepted and the two headed into the hallway where the quarters were. Though as he stared at them, he began to hum in thought as he began to question why and how Ava showed her original form.

Optimus entered his quarters and walked to his berth then laid himself on it with Ava laying next to him. He looked at his daughter and saw her expression.

"Ava, is something wrong?"

"Hmm no just thinking."

"About what?"

Ava yawned, "Man, I'm pretty exhausted from all this excitement." she situated herself and closed her eyes. "Night Daddy."

"Good night, my shooting star."


Different plot twist, I know. Revised.