Russell panted heavily, he may have been running as fast as he could but four much larger legs still managed to carry his target away quicker than he could manage.
When he eventually caught up with Galvatron, the dawning realisation that he messed up hit him like a truck.
A giant metal hydra.
A small human boy.
That one curse word he knew that his dad always told him off about sped through his mind.
Russell bit his lip, whether it was from fear or mentally confirming to himself that this was reality he wasn't quite sure.
Galvatron either hadn't noticed him or did not care as his pace slowed to a halt.
Finding this one building curious, Russell watched with a sense of horror as Galvatron made himself even more imposing by rearing up on his hind legs, placing his front hooves on the building his three heads peered over the top of the short structure and moved about its surface, examining the human construction.
Satisfied Galvatron returned to normal, cracking the pavement beneath his hooves before moving onwards.
With his hands waving with a frustrated-yet-panicked life of their own Russell scurried after the Decepticon, making sure to never be directly behind those hooves.
The dent they managed to leave in Bumblebee would probably be far worse - and messier - when applied to him.
Russell managed a mix between a gasp and a wheeze when Galvatrons central head clamped it's jaws down on a streetlight.
He easily broke and plucked the light from its place, quickly becoming enamoured with his new toy the other heads joined in. Biting, shaking and twisting the light around the lamp was quickly shredded metal and wires knotted up into a ball.
One that Galvatron dropped and proceeded to stomp and kick about.
It did nothing to calm Russell's fears, it just made the situation feel worse.
Galvatron eventually abandoned whimsically waving a twisted lump of metal around, but it clearly put him in a good mood as he began a gentle bouncing canter down the street.
Still ignoring Russell so he had that to be happy about at least.
Even if it made him uncomfortable just being here.
Maybe he could try and guide Galvatron back to Denny and Bumblebee.
It might not be that hard as Galvatron stopped again.
Russell followed his gaze, he was staring at a Television shop!
The many screens on display showed different channels and shows and each one of Galvatron's heads seemed to be trying to focus on an individual screen.
The need to focus on these screens seemed important to him as the Decepticons hind quarters suddenly dropped with a crash as he sat in front of the shop.
"Oh noooo" Russell rubbed his eyes, he got that sinking feeling that his plan to herd him back to his father and Bumblebee wouldn't work now that he'd sat down.
Now he was stuck, standing within arms reach of this Decepticon.
"What's this show?" Russell was roused from his bleak thoughts by a large, tri-horned and fanged head snaked around his side.
"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHH" Fear, panic and shock launched a simultaneous attack as Russell couldn't control his flailing arms and drawn out scream, his feet moved without command as he spun around to flee.
Only this direction was blocked by a large metal body and Russell dropped to the floor with a painful thud.
"Owww" He wanted to curl up and ignore the world at this point. Maybe Galvatron would lose interest and move on if he did that.
"How rude" This was the first time Russell had heard Galvatron's voice as he looked up.
The head that had snaked around his side had moved to face him directly and made it all too obvious how he could be moments away from getting his head bitten off.
"Child, I asked you a question" The head snapped again.
"What?" Russell couldn't move from the floor and stayed unshakably rigid.
Galvatron sighed and his body shifted, reaching out with a foreleg Russell managed a frightened whimper as he was now enveloped by the limb, a large metal hoof pressing into his side like being held by an inadequate hand.
He kept his eyes closed, certain that the hoof would tighten around him, certain that at any moment he would hear his own bones shatter as he became Russell paste.
"You humans can't see with your eyes closed boy!" Galvatron snapped, his hoof suddenly no longer wrapped around Russell.
Still in disbelief of the situation, Russell only gave the Decepticon a quiet squeak in response as he realised he was just picked up and placed back on his feet.
Gradually opening his eyes Russell wasn't harmed in any way at all.
His white shirt had dirt and dust smudged on it from Galvatrons foot but that was all.
The Decepticon had gone back to sitting patiently, one head out of three stared expectantly at him.
"My, if you get any ruder your novelty will wear off and I might have to crush you!" Galvatrons tone seemed almost as if he was joking, like crushing someone was a very basic threat and meant no harm whatsoever.
"W-what?" Russell managed, he couldn't tell if he was trying to ask what the question was or what was the reason behind Galvatron picking him up so leisurely.
"I wanted to know" Galvatron suddenly drew out his words, making sure every syllable lasted longer than necessary "What I am watching here, on these screens, in front of me, if you're confused"
Russell felt an involuntary frown form on his face as he glanced between the one head looking at him, the two still glued to the screens and then to the screens themselves.
"You want to know what you're watching… On TV… On human TV…" Even with the question posed to him again Russell felt like he couldn't understand.
A blast of hot air washed over him as Galvatron snorted, he looked like he was about to say something again and Russell felt fear snap at his mind again.
Trying to avoid the potential threat of being crushed he jumped in front of Galvatron, between the Decepticons chest and the shop he scanned the screens focusing on the ones it looked like Galvatron's two heads were watching.
The other remained in its place watching him.
Realising how he was now even closer to Galvatron he hopped away again, somehow preferring to be next to a single head rather than close to his entire body.
"Well that screen, is uh, oh man I used to love that show, it's uh, playing The Go-Bots! An old show… about robots… from space… wow, uh, fun right?" he found himself grinning and holding his hands up in a mock-shrugging motion as if Galvatron was going to laugh and agree with him like an old friend, and definitely not a giant alien hydra.
"Now that one, that one there, well, that's a new show, it's called Space Vagabonds and uh, I don't know much about it, I think it's a British show, it's also about space but it has crab-people in… Y'know… Crabs…" Russell made lame pinching motions with his hands.
"Huh" Was the very quiet response he got as the head watching him seemed satisfied with the answer and turned back to the Televisions.
Just as quickly Galvatron changed his mind and the head darted back out again, wrapping around Russell like a snake he was far too close for Russell's liking.
"How pleasant, I wouldn't mind taking you in once I rule this planet… Do you like the sound of that? My pet? Or should I adopt you? Yesss, the human-Decepticon making sure the other humans behave. Do you like the sound of THAT?"
"Adopt… Me?" Russell's mind plunged into the depths of absolute nothingness in the lakes of confusion surrounded by the mountains of stupefaction.
It was too surreal.
His mind raced to find a response, he couldn't tell if Galvatron was serious, the fact the Decepticon wore a sincere expression on its face just made it all worse.
It felt like a horror movie, with aliens and TV!
Hell, Russell was sure he knew of a movie like that.
He couldn't think of the name and quickly his mind stuttered to life trying to remember it's title like that would fix everything.
"I'll let you think on it kiddo… Hm, well maybe I should have asked your name first youngling" Galvatron's head nudged Russell.
"Russell!" He snapped quickly trying to pretend nothing happened while suddenly grasping at his face and realigning his fake glasses, aware that he was pulling a face and tried to hide it.
"Well Russell, when this planet is mine come see me, I might still have an opening... " Galvatron suddenly snorted as if he was trying, and failing, to hold back a laugh "If you did come to me, I have a puppy! You can have a pet!" He snorted "He'd complain but if he knew what was good for him he'd listen"
"Uh" Russell's mind veered towards confusion again.
"But" Galvatrons tone turned dark "Remember this, humans are mostly water"
Russell felt uneasy at the sudden strange subject change, it made his stomach sink and twist.
It also made his arm raise itself upwards and plant itself on Galvatron's muzzle.
He didn't want to do that.
Russell stared wide-eyed at his arm, his hand pressed lightly on the cool metal skin of Galvatron's hydra head.
"I'm quite adept with water" Galvatron hissed locking eyes with Russell "bear that in mind"
Russell gained control of his arm again and quickly snapped it away.
Galvatron stood up and stretched his limbs out, shaking off dust he stopped watching television and looked to the sky.
"Tell your genetic donor that too, uh, Sire or whatever, huh? What?" His heads moved in unison as he looked left and right.
Down in the distance, a very brief glimpse of something orange slipped through the buildings.
"Autobot" Galvatron hissed "THAT AUTOBOT! HE'S THE ONE! THE ONE WITH THE SWORD!" the hiss turned into a howl.
Galvatrons systems clamped up and his systems tensed.
Russell could feel what was going to happen, it was bad, very bad.
In the midst of panic Russell tried to focus, what would the Autobots do?
"Don't move!" He tried to order the Decepticon, grabbing onto his hind leg, which in hindsight was very bad as to grab it he practically had to wrap himself around it "You're under arrest!"
His words, nor his weight on Galvatrons leg did nothing as he suddenly thundered away at high speed.
Feeling sick and regretting not just sticking with his dad Russell clung to the leg for dear life.
Just think of good things, he pressed his face into the leg, good things and then wake up from this crazy dream, good things, only good things, oh yeah he thought he remembered what that movie was called now.
Why couldn't all of THIS be fictitious?