Just a heads-up: don't expect new chapters on Tuesdays, since I am very busy those days and don't usually have time to publish new chapters.

Here's the next chapter! Hope you like it!

Chapter 12

We drove on for miles, and I fell into recharge as I sensed the time dragging by.

My dream was strange—there was a battlefield, and smoke filled the area. I was dodging flying bullets while Moonracer, Bumblebee, and other students that I recognized from my school were—battling?

Moonracer tackled one student with bright, red armor and fiery orange-red optics. He engaged a circular saw and swung it at Moonracer, who ducked to the side and shot at the mech. He twisted to the side, avoiding the oncoming bullets. Moonracer dove for him again, but not until a gleaming, silver sword pierced her in the side. She choked and staggered backwards.

"No!" I shrieked, dashing over to my friend. But it was too late—her optics had dimmed, and fresh energon spilled from her side.

I staggered back in shock, grasping myself. "No, no, no! Primus, why?" I wailed, crashing down on my knees and sobbing hysterically into my servos.

Continuing to choke on my sobs, I sat up and spotted Optimus—battling ferociously and with a somewhat-strange symbol on his shoulder. His optics and his ever-serious gaze was the same, but he had a cannon extended from one servo and a blade extended from the other. His helm whipped towards me, but he made no notice of me. Instead, he ran—right through me—and leaped towards the mech with the same sword that had pierced Moonracer.

I gave a short gasp as I recognized the mech as Megatron—the same sly grin and all. His armor was cut deep with open gashes and wounds, but he didn't seem to mind. Their swords clashed, each one firing off bullet by bullet, ducking and dodging each other's blows.

Running away from the scene, I spotted Bumblebee, optics narrowed and blasters pointed at a Decepticon trooper, shooting it down. Another climbed on his back, and he shoved it off and punched it in the chest, sending it flying backwards. Before he could shoot at it again, the scene suddenly froze, and I held my breath as the battle scene drifted away, almost like the wind had been carrying it.

Another scene surrounded me, one of a dark fortress. Bumblebee was in this one as well, his servos in chains behind his back. He grunted angrily as a panel behind him swung open.

"I'm not telling you," he grunted with gritted teeth, like he was trying to hold onto something but it was too heavy for him to carry. It was then that I noticed large, open wounds on his shoulders that had obviously not been treated.

"Oh, I know that, young scout, but if you don't tell me the information, then I will have to silence you—forever." I clamped a servo over my mouth as Megatron emerged, two troopers and Soundwave close behind. I wanted to stop this, to stop it all, but I knew that I couldn't, for these were just figments of my imagination, but the whole thing seemed so real that I was mesmerized at how my brain could create such a scene!

Megatron suddenly whipped Bumblebee around, sticking his helm in the young scout's faceplates. "You have one last chance, and if you choose to give away the location, then we might let you live. If not—well, I guess you know what's coming."

"No!" I shouted, even though I knew they couldn't hear me.

Bumblebee glanced to the side, as if thinking and preparing to say the answer. Megatron anxiously leaned it, not wanting to miss the words that would come from Bumblebee. Bumblebee turned his helm towards the menacing mech, but he simply replied, "Never."

Megatron unleashed a howl of rage and snatched Bumblebee by the throat, grasping him tightly, but Bumblebee refused to struggle. "I have given you one last chance, and now, you are of no use to me!" he shouted. So sudden and swiftly, he dove his talon-pointed servos into Bumblebee's neck, ripping out his vocal cords.

I fell to the ground and nearly choked upon seeing such a gory method, but I forced my helm to look up. The scene had vanished, though, and suddenly, I was lying awake in Optimus' trunk, spark pounding from the dreams. The back of the trunk hissed open, and I practically rolled out the back and lied still on the ground.

Optimus transformed and raced over to me. "Elita! What happened?" Optimus exclaimed, assisting me in standing and helping me to balance. I was still shivering from the dreams.

"I had these dreams—" I breathed, and Optimus continued staring at me, willing me to go on. "And—and, there was a battlefield, and a dungeon, and Moonracer, Bumblebee-everyone!" I stammered, lip vibrating from my shaking.

Optimus pulled me into his spark and held me close as I stared into the distance. "Any idea where the Matrix could be?" he whispered, releasing me and allowing me to gain my own strength after a few moments.

"No," I whispered back, rubbing my arms and shaking away the trembling feeling.

"I have one idea, but I—" Optimus was interrupted as an explosion tore through the soil, barely missing us, and a familiar seeker soared out of the opening.

"Time's up! Now all of Cybertron is going to pay!" Starscream cackled, transforming and using his engines to stay floating in the air.

"Time?! But he never said—" I started, but Starscream cut me off.

"Even without the Matrix, Cybertron will fall at the hands of the Decepticons!" Starscream let out another menacing laugh and transformed, taking flight and dropping a missile into a nearby city.

"No!" Optimus and I shouted in unison, racing towards the city.

Flames were everywhere when we got there, and another explosion erupted from the ground some distance away, more Decepticons pouring out of it. "We have to do something!" I shouted at Optimus, whipping around frantically as families caught in the explosion raced to get out of the city.

More Decepticons came pouring in from the sky, surrounding the city and attacking the citizens! A young sparkling was caught beneath the rubble, and I leaped onto a Decepticon trooper before it could fire on the small sparkling. I quickly helped it out, but another set of missiles rained from the sky and caught it and others in their explosions.

"We have to the find the Matrix!" I cried out, chasing after Optimus as he ran out of the city. "Where are we going?" I shouted as Optimus transformed and raced past the city, me not far behind.

"I have an idea where the Matrix might be!" he called back to me, coming to a halt and transforming back.

I stared ahead at the very heart of Cybertron, the core of our planet, which Solus Prime had created when she was killed by Megatronus.

"It's in there?" I breathed, peering over the edge and down into what looked like an endless abyss.

"Megatron would not dare think to look there," Optimus reassured me.

"How do we even get down there?" I retorted, and Optimus' faceplates turned into a frown.

"In my dreams, Primus has simply allowed us passage and carried us there himself," Optimus replied.

"Are you sure it's in there?"

"Positive."

I sighed. "Attacks have already begun, and our planet will be war-torn without the Matrix! How are we supposed to survive without it?"

"We'll fight for it. Our cause shall be known as the Autobots, and any who wish to fight for peace will join the Autobots. We will grow stronger with each passing hour, and we will fight until the very heart of this destruction is destroyed."

Optimus' helm turned down sadly, and I softly replied, "Your brother?"

Optimus heaved a sigh. "Yes. And while it pains me to say it, I am afraid that I have no choice but to proceed with this plan. My brother must be destroyed, and while it pains me to do so, I am afraid that the fate of Cybertron relies on my brother's destruction."

~Elita

Thanks for reading! Hope you liked it!

Signing off, theautobotprincess.