Chapter 20: Shenanigans of the Gladiatorial kind Part 2

The forest was quiet and peaceful. The metallic and crystal trees stood tall, the crystal flowers and titanium grass moved softly in a light breeze. The air was perfumed with scent of blossoms from the trees and an energon stream not too far away. Metallic animals roamed around, plucking crunchy leafs and blossoms from trees or pulling the grass from the ground or even gaining energy from the stream. All was peaceful.

A sound, a very faint sound, was heard by the wildlife roaming. All stopped, their helms popping into the air, cone and cup like audios listening to the strange new sound. Curiosity filled their fields as the sound drew closer and closer. Too close… toO CLOSE!

Animals hopped, ran and flew away as two monsters roared past at a speed faster than they. Wind fluffed their metal fur and their optics were wide in terror as they moved as far and as fast as they could away from the monsters. But they were gone as soon as they had come, leaving only the settling leafs and a fading sound.

What were they?

OoOoOoOoOO

MoonStrider cackled as she cranked up her hover rider to the next gear, upping her speed well over any legal limit. Damn these things were fast! She threw her helm back, letting out a long howl of joy. She could just barley hear Megatronus' laughter over the roar of the wind in her audios.

The hovering tech on the riders made it so the ride was smooth, except for the larger logs that sometimes blocked their path, but she was proud to say she got a decent air time. The path they were taking was unnaturally tree-free (besides the logs), which showed that it was either a hiking or gaming trail. MoonStrider hoped that no one was hiking at the moment; she didn't feel like plowing down some bots.

There was another log, a large one. MoonStrider sped up, cranking the energy petal her ped rested on. A few meters from the log, MoonStrider took action, pulling her peds back and pushing down with all her weight on the rear. The front of the rider went into the air as she came up on the log, the hover tech took effect and launched her over the log and high into the air.

"Whoo!" She felt her aft leave her seat as she caught air. Her frame thumped back down in the seat as her rider leveled back out. She heard a whoop behind her as Megatronus caught air as well.

Wind whipped in her face, causing her to blink her optics to keep them from chilling too much. Megatronus pulled up next to her, his form crouched over his rider to help with wind resistance. His helm turned and he grinned widely at her, his beautiful optics twinkling with delight. She winked at him, her own golden optics shining with joy. She revved her rider, pulling ahead a bit before coming back to his side. She received a look, his lips pushing out slightly and turning upwards. His own rider was revved before he drastically sped up, leaving MoonStrider in the dust. The silver femme scoffed, her wings pulling down out of the wind as she too, sped off.

She caught up a bream later, making stupid sounds to announce her arrival. Megatronus laughed as they sped along. The scenery was nothing but a blur next to them as they traveled deeper into the wilds of Cybertron, the trees grew taller and closer together, but they stayed on the trail. MoonStrider's face was split by the smile she was wearing, this was one of the most fun things they had ever done, even if it started with theft.

Sadly, they had to end their joyous moment, as the trees became too close together. They were still smiling as they slowed to a stop and slipped off their rides. MoonStrider skipped over to Megatronus, her arms looping around his neck as she swung slightly, his arms going around her to stop her from taking him down. They laughed; their optics closing from the size of their smiles.

They calmed down, still holding one another close. MoonStrider laid her helm against his chassis as her venting evened out. He was so warm, his fame giving out extra heat due to it trying to heat him extra when the wind chilled him.

Her audio twitched… she heard running liquid not far off.

She pulled away from Megatronus, her audios twitching madly.

"MoonStrider, what is it?" Her friend asked quietly.

"I hear a fall…" she breathed out. Oh, how she loved falls! So beautiful and pure, she loved standing under them and letting the coolant flow down her frame. She pulled on Megatronus' servo, leading him away from the riders and into the forest. She ducked through metal trees and wild crystal underbrush towards the coolant fall. It was not a bream later that they found it.

A small fall trickled into a decent sized body of coolant, gorgeous iron and nickel trees stood next to the pond, their strong, glowing roots dipping into the coolant. Tungsten blades of grass carpeted the area, radon plants popping up here and there.

She smiled, this was amazing. She turned her helm, grinning at Megatronus before sprinting off towards the coolant pond. Megatronus made a startled sound as the silver and blue femme dived in helm first. Blue optics rolled, typical MoonStrider.

A pair of wiggly audios broke the surface of the water, followed by a chevron and helm ornaments, and finally the full helm of the femme he had come to call friend. She was grinning still, coolant falling from every crevice in her face plates and even out of her mouth a bit. His optical brow rose.

"Don't tell me you're drinking that nasty, contaminated stuff." She pouted.

"I didn't mean to! My mouth was slightly open when I dived in…" she trailed off and Megatronus threw his helm back and laughed. The coolant covered femme made a face, her features pinching inwards at the silver mech's laughter. She whined as his laughter grew at her expression. MoonStrider continued to glare before and idea struck her and she grinned. Submerging herself, MoonStrider went to the bottom of the pond and waited. Breams passed before Megatronus did as planned, his form blocking out the light above the surface. MoonStrider maneuvered her frame so that he crouched on the bed of the pond, her legs tense and ready for action. She sprung up, exploding out of the pond in a flurry of coolant. She latched onto the mech and with a loud battle cry, pulled him in.

Megatronus kicked and thrashed as he was pulled under, his struggle causing him to kick up even more coolant as his legs went under. Nothing could be done as he sunk to the bottom, bubbles clouding his vision. The bubbles cleared, revealing MoonStrider's smirking face. The gladiator made a face, his glossa sticking out under the coolant. MoonStrider also made a face, her digits pulling at her cheek plates as she, too, stuck out her tongue. Megatronus laughed under the water, small bubbles leaving his mouth.

The two sunk father down in the surprisingly deep pond. MoonStrider could stand on Megatronus' shoulders and have to stretch to brush the air. Thankfully they didn't need to breath, and could sink down and stay as long as they wished.

Megatronus looked up; the light from the cycle drifted and shimmered through the coolant, casting shadows all around. He looked to his friend, his companion, and truly saw.

MoonStrider and drifted away from him slightly, a decent space was between them, but it was small enough that all he had to do was reach forward and he could grasp her. The coolant slowed her movements, made her wings flutter slowly behind her like a pair of butterfly wings. Her gorgeous golden optics pieced through the darkness of the coolant, casting pleasing shadows over her face. She was so graceful, so confidant and strong, so intimidating and powerful, so beautiful and dangerous.

He watched her float through the coolant, his optics never leaving her. She watched how her peds kicked lightly, propelling her forward, how her arms moved and cut through the liquid that surrounded them. He watched as she maneuvered through the liquid, her frame twisting till her peds went up and her helm sunk down to the bed of the pond towards the back.

She was a marvel to look upon, an inspiring being that he could stare at for jours and forever be fascinated.

MoonStrider moved further back into the pond where the current moved from the fall. She could feel the fresher, cooler coolant flow over her sensitive wings as she entered the current. A movement caught her optics.

Metal fish… there were metal fish.

This planet was reminding her of her old home at every turn of her helm, just made of metal.

There was more than just fish, she spotted some frog like things, long and thin fish that she swore were some kind of eel. Some of them glowed, some dimly, others bright. Deep in the pond they swam, out of sight to the predators above. MoonStrider watched as some of the fish could even turn off their lights.

There were plants as well, metallic and crystalline plants that shimmered in the light from above or shined themselves. There was this type of weed that was glowing pink. She loved them.

She moved her frame through the coolant until she was right in the middle of the pink weeds and glowing fish and shimmering eels.

Megatronus would have gasped if he could. The pink lights shown from around her like a divine glow, making her appear like that of a goddess. The fish and eels and frogs and even the occasional hydro-turtle swam around her enhancing her heavenly look. He could swear that his spark could have stopped right there, he had never seen such a sight, such beauty. Why had he never seen this before? Why had he not looked upon her sooner and see the light that shown around her?

He was young, he was blind, and he was ignorant and vain. But looking at this femme that had stayed with him for so long as a close companion, as his greatest friend and comrade; looking at her… he was nothing. He was just Megatronus, looking at MoonStrider.

This was a strange feeling, so unlike him. He felt high, his helm out in the stars as his spark spun within him. His frame drifted within the coolant as she looked up at him and smiled so beautifully.

Sadly, all beautiful things must come to an end and the spell was broken as she moved from her spot on the bed of the pond. She drifted up to him, her legs kicking as the light faded behind her. A servo grabbed his, pulling him up towards the surface. Their helms broke the calm surface of the pond, coolant sputtering from their vents.

They grinned at one another as they paddled to the side of the pond. They rested on the shore, their legs still handing in the coolant.

"That was amazing!" MoonStrider breathed, coolant exiting her frame from every crack and crevice, running down her frame, making her shine as light caught the little droplets. Megatronus smiled, resting his weight on his arms.

"Yeah, it was." They pulled their legs from the coolant and crawled onto the tungsten grass under an iron tree with crystal blossoms. They then spent the next few jours there making flower crowns. Megatronus made his from golden and blue ones and MoonStrider made hers from some sweet smelling blue and red ones, her favorite colors.

Her digits weaved stems together and pushed crystal petals into place. She hummed as she finished the last flower, completing her crown. She placed the flower crown on her helm before putting her servos in her lap and grinning as Megatronus struggled with his chain of crystal flowers.

"Here," she giggled and reached over, coaxing a stubborn stem into place. She helped him complete his crown of crystal flowers and put it on his helm. Megatronus gave her a triumphant look as she placed the flowers on his helm.

"I am the flower king!" He puffed his chassis out and stich his olfactory sensors in the air. MoonStrider laughed, all her denta showing with the force of it.

The two sat there for a long time, till the cycle grew dark and the sky was painted with color. Tiny glowing insecticons fluttered though the air, their bodies blinking on and off like twinkling stars. They were smiling, the crystals on the trees and the flowers on their helms glowing.

It was perfect… almost magic. They just seemed to drift closer to one another, like magnets or gravity.

MoonStrider felt strange, she felt light and warm. There was a hum in her spark and mind as she stared at the mech before her. He was a sight, so strong and amazing. He was always there for her and she was there for him. They were a team, a duo that strived for the better. He was kind, he protected her and did what he thought was best for her.

Their digits brushed, she leaned against him like natural. He was nervous; she could feel it in his fields. It was ok, and she told him thus so. He smiled at her and poked at her flowers.

Servos on her helm, thumb digits brushing her cheek plates. His fore-helm touched hers, rubbing slightly. His lips pecked her own, pulling back in fear of rejection, that he had overstepped his bounds. But she followed him, grabbing at his servos and pressing them back together. It was amazing, she wouldn't say sparks flew, but there was something. He was warm and his armor was smooth. His arms wrapped around her waist, bringing her close. His kissed became dominant and she let him.

She didn't know how it escalated, but it did. She didn't mind it, not even as servos began to explore, nor even when clicks of armor were heard. It was all welcomed.

That night, he took her seals, and she took his.

They lay there, tired with their legs entwined. Their arms were wound around each other tightly. Their vents roared and their frames tinged. Light smiles were on each of their faces, both thinking on what had just happened. Both felt great, amazing even.

"We have to get back." MoonStrider whispered, her claws gently stroking over his chassis.

"Indeed we do." They took their time, slowly moving away from the pond. Only time could tell if they would ever return.

They returned the riders, walking to the arena slowly. Words were unneeded as they walked to their room and shut the door.

(AN: You know what? Y'all are jerks! I didn't ask to ship MoonStrider and Megatronus, but you all… oooooooooOOOooo! You all got me fucking OTPing that shit up! So I 100% fan serviced this! Foreshadowing in there people, first person to correctly point it out will get a mention in the next chapter. I shall give a hint: colors.

Anyone good at coloring?

Bee4ever: Thank you!

Cassie197707: Danke :3

MegsXStriderBISH: You have royaly bestowed upon me this chance to royaly muck it up! Ok ok ok…. Bilbo is Smaug's Honey! That is it!

Zer Author: Aww, thank you :3 I am very persistent with this story, and I plan on making it very long!

Hockeynut178: Thank you for your work, Master Author-Reader :D

Zombie-aft-kicker: I know I was all like "I know dis person!"

Guest: yes, there will always be more chapters.

Till all are one!~