Disclaimer: What's up everyone? It's the new Shadow Katakura and DragonScouter coming back to you with another amazing chapter of Freedom Fighters. We only have three chapters left in this story and we are sad about it. But, we will make sure they are not boring and will be filled with excitement and thrilling!
Dragon and I: Put ya guns on because a new chapter is rolling your way!
"And it was written in the covenant of Primus, that when the forty seven spheres align , a perpetual conflict will culminate upon a world forged from chaos. And the weak shall perish in the shadow of a rising darkness." Optimus recited.
"Well I'll be danged." I thought with a frown.
"No skies raining fire?" Arcee asked.
"Goes without saying. It is a doomed prophecy after all." Ratchet said.
"I say it's a load of hooey." Bulkhead put in his two cents.
"I always assumed the ancients were referring to our home planet." Ratchet shook his helm. "But given that Cybertron has been dark for eons…"
"And considering what has befallen this planet since Megatron's arrival here." I said bitterly.
"Whoa whoa whoa! We've known about these superstitions for ages and never gave them a second thought!" Cliffjumper protested.
"Why all the ominous rumblings now?" Arcee asked.
"Because the planetary alignment to which the prophecy refers to nearly upon us." Optimus answered.
"And it would seem that its endpoint is Earth." Ratchet said gravely.
"Uh…crazy coincidence? R-right?" Bulkhead stuttererd.
"I highly doubt it Bulk." 'Mala shook her helm.
"How long we talking?" I asked, even though I already knew.
"A few days at the most." Ratchet sighed.
"However unsettling this revelation may be, I am more concerned about those who may believe that the prophecy speaks to them alone." Optimus stated.
"Such as Megatron." I grumbled.
"Say, shouldn't someone go pick up the kids?" Cliffjumper asked while looking at the three of us that are guardians.
Bulkhead face palmed. "Oh boy, how'd we forget?" He then walked towards the exit mumbling, "Miko's gonna have my helm for being late."
"Better go partner." Cliffjumper smirked.
Arcee rolled her optics with a smirk. "Don't push it."
"Wouldn't think about it." Cliffjumper smirked as he watched his partner drive away, along with Bumblebee who I didn't even notice enter the room.
"So, wanna go have some fun?" Cliffjumper smirked.
"Slow it down Cliff. Let's not get too far." I whacked him on the head.
"Come here for a sec Shadow." Cliffjumper motioned towards the hallway.
I shrugged and followed him. Once we were out of hearing distance of the others, he asked, "Had anymore nightmares lately?"
I cringed and muttered, "No."
"Shadow…" Cliffjumper trailed off.
I sighed. "Ah fine. Just one."
"And?" Cliffjumper raised an optic ridge. "Was it like the last one?"
I shuddered. "Worse."
We walked in to Cliff's quarters and we sat on his berth. I sighed and leaned against him. Why'd he have to be so handsome? Curse you charm!
"Now are you gonna tell me or am I going to have to tickle it out of you?" Cliffjumper asked.
"Fine." I said. "It was pretty graphic so don't come to me if you purge your energon."
"I'll hold you to that." Cliffjumper made a face.
"Well it was in that same volcano." I started. "The only difference being the people who were killed by Megatron." I choked back a sob.
"When I get my hands on Megatron…." Cliffjumper thought before saying gently, "Who were they?"
"Jack, Miko, and Raf." I whispered.
Cliffjumper's optics widened before he sighed and started stroking my winglet. "Shadow, listen to me. Megatron will not get his servos on neither of the kids. Or any of us. If he does, we're gonna make him suffer."
"Okay." I said, half dazed since Cliff's servo on my winglet felt good.
Cliffjumper smirked. "You like this?" He rubbed his finger across my winglet.
"Hmm." I purred before getting my senses back. "Cliff you idiot!"
He laughed. "I thought you'd come back to reality."
I whacked him on the helm. "Oh shut up lover boy. Now come on. The kids are probably here by now."
Cliffjumper only nodded but the smirk was still there. "We'll just continue later."
I groaned. "You're going to be the death of me."
After making it back to the main room, I saw that Jack, Miko, and Raf had already arrived. And that they were looking through pictures trying to find Bumblebee. And look at that, they found him!
"The camera sure loves 'Bee." Jack smirked.
"What can you do? When you're a superstar, you're paparazzi bait!" Miko grinned.
"I'm glad I wasn't famous when I was a human then." Pandimala laughed.
"I hear you 'Mala." I laughed.
"Wait, is that Bumblebee?" Ratchet asked in disbelief that Bumblebee had managed to once again get caught by the paparazzi.
"On a conspiracy website. Where users post evidence of close encounters." Raf explained. "But we have it under control Ratchet. We just scrub and replace 'Bee with…" A talking cat that says:
"Mars cat says. Take me to your feeder."
Ratchet actually laughed. I sent him an amused smirk while he only glared at me.
"Ratchet actually laughed?" Miko asked in disbelief.
Jack sighed. "Hey? Optimus? You wanna see something funny?"
"No." Optimus stated.
"Don't take it personally." Arcee said at the kid's looks. "Primes are built that way."
"Never seen Optimus laugh, cry, or lose his cool." Bulkhead shrugged.
"While Optimus does keep his emotions in check, I have known him far longer than any of you have." Ratchet scoffed. "And he was different before he became a Prime."
"Optimus wasn't always a Prime?" Raf questioned in disbelief.
"On Cybertron one isn't born into greatness. Rather one must earn it." Pandimala smiled.
"So different, how? We talking party animal?" Miko asked.
I snickered as the thought of Optimus being a 'party animal'. The images that went through my processor consisted of a drunken Optimus who had drunk one too many cubes of high grade.
"No, no. Optimus was more like…." Ratchet looked at each one of the kids before saying, "Jack."
"What? I'm nothing like Optimus." Jack protested.
I was about to object but a video feed showed up on the computer concerning a certain government agent.
"Prime! Those tech heist my department's been tracking. We figured it was MECH on account of their stealth tactics. Until moments ago when a security feed at the Pennington Air Particles Collider captured this." Fowler said.
"Soundwave." 'Mala said.
"Raf can swap that out for you with a funny cat." Miko offered with a smirk.
"The 'Con without a face made off with a cutting edge phase conductor. Here's the punch list of everything confirmed stolen to date." Fowler stated.
"Plasma injector? Neutron shield? Tessarect? There's only one thing missing if they are intending to build another space bridge." Ratchet said in disbelief.
"Space bridge? Isn't that the same thing you guys blew up?" Fowler asked.
"Yep and apparently the 'Cons can't think of any other lame ideas." Cliffjumper snorted.
"It's the Decepticons, what were you expecting?" I turned to face him.
"Oi! Just deal with this Prime!" Fowler was looking more agitated by the second.
"Rest assured Agent Fowler, we will see to the matter at hand." Optimus nodded before the screen went black.
"Can anyone else say they think something bad is about to happen?" Cliffjumper asked.
"No dip Sherlock." Pandimala and I said in unison before looking at each other and laughing.
"Yeah, yeah laugh it up femmes." Cliffjumper grumbled.
The Next Day
"Prime! The 'Cons have really stepped it this time. They hit a U.S military lab. Ours boys in green will fend them off until your team shows." Fowler said.
"Agent Fowler, I fear that Megatron's desperation may be at its zenith. And you know I cannont condone even a single human casualty." Optimus declared.
I watched as Fowler sighed in irritation before saying, "Fowler here. Evacuate all personal. Immediately." I then watched as the screen went black.
"Ratchet, activate the ground bridge." Optimus stated.
Ratchet merely nodded before walking over to the ground bridge controls. Optimus turned to face us and said, "Arcee, Bulkhead, Pandimala, you three are with me."
Aw man! Just when I was hoping to pound some 'Cons to scrap metal. Especially since I recently found out I had a cloaking device in my back. Hmm, I think I might have to play some pranks when all this is over.
"Good luck out there Pandimala. Trash some 'Cons for me." I smirked.
Pandimala laughed and said, "You didn't even have to ask."
"Autobots, roll out!" Optimus commanded just as the ground bridge was powered up.
That was all they needed to hear as they transformed and sped through the ground bridge. I started pacing back and forth out of worry because I knew what was gonna happen.
"Calm down Shadow, nothing's going to happen." Cliffjumper smiled.
"Can you read minds or something Cliff?" I couldn't help but ask.
"No but I'm pretty sure I would be able to guess what my girlfriend was thinking." Cliffjumper smirked proudly.
"Keep telling yourself that lover boy." I rolled my optics.
"Aw you wound with." Cliffjumper cried dramatically.
"Ratchet, open the ground bridge now!" Optimus yelled.
"Must have an Autobot down." Ratchet muttered.
Cliffjumper and I glanced at each other before walking over to the kids. I bit my lower lip plating in worry. The timeline has changed enough as it is. Who's to say a 'Bot won't come back injured instead of Raf? I felt a servo on my shoulder and looked to my left to see Cliffjumper, watching the ground bridge. A sad feeling washed over me as Arcee and Bumblebee walked through with a sickly looking Raf.
"Raf?" Jack asked.
"No!" Miko exclaimed.
"Primus…" Cliffjumper trailed off.
"I told you I had a reason to be worried." I mumbled.
"Oh Shadow." Cliffjumper murmured.
"What happened?" Ratchet asked as he ran over.
"Megatron." Arcee growled.
"Quickly! Into my laboratory!" Ratchet ordered.
As soon as we were in the laboratory, Raf was hooked up to a nearby IV. I resisted the urge to start pacing again.
"Rafeal isn't responding!" Ratchet exclaimed. "We must run diagnostics of his assemblage, er, vital statistics. Ugh, my tools they're all wrong!" I ducked as Ratchet threw a tool in my direction.
"Ratchet calm down. Panicking won't get us nowhere." I snapped.
"Raf…." Bumblebee beeped in despair.
"We need to call my mom." Jack decided, having already taken out his cell phone.
"Your mother may be a nurse but does she know anything about the effects of energon on the human body?" Ratchet protested.
"Do you know anything about the human body?!" Jack snapped.
I watched as Jack walked off and then said to Ratchet, "Don't look so down Ratchet. Raf's a strong one. He'll live."
"The weak shall perish. Be strong Rafeal." Ratchet murmured as he looked at Raf's pale body.
"Is he really gonna live?" Cliffjumper muttered, not wanting Bumblebee to hear.
"If everything goes well, he will." I muttered back.
A ground bridge opened and June came speeding through in her car. Jack ran up to her as soon as she stopped.
"Mom," He started.
"Get my bag." June interrupted him and ran over to Raf.
"Measuring the extent of the absorption should determine the proper course of treatment." Ratchet advised.
"If I don't get this boy stabilized now, he will not leave this table alive. Do you understand me?!" June growled.
Ratchet backed down quickly to say the least. Bumblebee started shaking in anger.
"Megatron's going to pay!" Bumblebee growled before punching the wall.
Arcee pinned him against the wall. "Bee, listen! You think I don't know how it feels to watch a partner….harmed. Revenge won't help Raf right now. You need to keep your emotions in check!"
Bumblebee hung his helm in defeat and looked at Raf. I turned to Cliffjumper and said, "How you ever watched a good friend die?"
"Plenty. But Tailgate reaches the top of the list." Cliffjumper said sadly.
"You knew Tailgate?" I asked in surprise.
"Do you know Airachnid?" Cliffjumper shot back.
"I'm taking that as a yes." I mumbled.
"Face it Shadow, you can't win against me." Cliffjumper was trying very hard not to smirk.
"I can win against you in a spar." I said.
"That was one time." Cliffjumper grumbled.
"I NEED ENERGON!"
Cliffjumper and I jumped before looking at each other and saying, "Just how much did we miss?"
"Wait I thought you said energon was devastating to humans." June protested. Ok so we did miss a lot while we were talking.
"Under normal circumstances, quite. But I am relying upon the dark matter invading Rafeal's body to meet it head on." Ratchet explained.
"Take some of my energon." I volunteered.
"Shadow, are you sure about this?"
I turned around to see Pandimala and Bulkhead walk through the ground bridge with the power core. It was 'Mala who spoke.
"I'm as sure as I'll ever be." I nodded.
I stepped up to Ratchet and held out my arm. Ratchet looked at me and nodded before sticking the needle in my arm. After he was done, I was dizzy.
"Ok large dizzy spell. Very large dizzy spell." I grumbled as I rubbed my helm.
"Told ya so." 'Mala smirked.
I glared at her playfully and growled. She still smirked at me though before she looked at Raf sadly.
"I need him over here now!" Ratchet yelled as he activated the medical chamber.
June and Jack wheeled Raf in to the chamber before heading out. Ratchet pulled a lever and we all watched as the energon started to glow.
"Nobody mentioned I would be blind after this!" Cliffjumper yelled.
"NOT HELPING!" 'Mala and I yelled.
Once the light died down and the chamber door opened, we all rushed in with Bumblebee pushing his way up front.
"Pulse rate is stabilizing." June sighed in relief.
Raf's eyes fluttered opened before he mumbled, "Bee."
"Thank Primus." Cliffjumper grinned as he wrapped an arm between me and 'Mala. "Ya know, I never doubted he would live."
"Sure you didn't Cliff." Pandimala said sarcastically.
"Hey I just realized something. Where's Optimus?" I asked.
Bulkhead laughed nervously before saying, "He's fighting Megatron."
"Bulkhead, you let Optimus face Megatron alone?!" Arcee snapped.
"I didn't have a choice." Bulkhead quickly said.
"We must locate his signal quickly." Ratchet said.
"I second that." Pandimala said.
"Wait, how is this possible?" Ratchet asked as he looked at the monitor.
"What is it?" Arcee asked.
Ratchet didn't have to say anything else but this. "We need to get Optimus out of there. NOW!"
Pandimala and I looked at each other before saying, "Here we go again."
About time! Sorry for the delay guys. School's a pain, homework is coming in buckets, and I have recently joined my school's tennis team.
Pandimala: Is that your best excuse?
Me: Yeah pretty much.
Pandimala: *sighs* What will I do with you?
Me: *smirks* Live with it and deal with my crazy antics.
Both of us: This is Shadowstalker and Pandimala signing off to let you enjoy this wonderful chapter!