Hiii! Hey, did anyone else think that at the end of "Predacons Rising," those colorful glowing things could be Sparks coming back to life? Well, I did, and I'd thought of the idea of 'restoring Cybertron= causes dead Cybertronians to live again,' months ago, and I wrote it in my rough-draft story notebook months ago. I tell you this because when I eventually get to that part in the story after this and the soon-coming-third-sequel (which would take a year or more probably) I want you all to know that I didn't copy the idea from the show.
To Lydiathetigeropean: Thank you muchly, I'm glad ya thought it was funny.
To Kitcat from the sky: Oh, ok, thank you for telling me why he needed to get dead. Aww, cute! What? Which laughing and comments, and was it unbearably annoying or funny? Why'd you think you were gonna kill someone? Uh, ok, bye.
To Iceshadow911247: Hahahaha, that sounds so funny, spazzilly running is funny to watch, haha. Really? Cool! I'll try to include that in here somewhere, heh heh heh... Yes, happy Decepticons- a terrifying sight! Thank you! Shard tries to leave something in return, so it isn't stealing. Thanks again!
To AutobotSoShi: Yippee! I'm so very glad to have made ya happy. :) Aw, I'm sorry. Ohh poor you; psycho teachers, yikes!
To zrexheartz: I enjoy the three kids' reactions. *grins evilly* I really hope you'll like them too!
I'm really sorry for not updating sooner. Our poor laptop has been dealing with the blue screen of death a lot.
Surprises
It took some time, but Shard finally reached the school. She rummaged in a dumpster for some meat, then hid in the shade of the thin woods nearby, waiting for the Autobot-kids.
She hoped that she'd be able to recognize them. And that the Autobots themselves wouldn't come and find her. And she hoped the kids hadn't already left and she wasn't wasting her time.
After about ten incredibly boring minutes (which felt like half an hour) Shard detected a flurry of noises from inside. Clanging noises, a thick babble of voices and many feet walking.
Shard breathed a loud sigh of relief- dismissal time! She scrambled up the biggest tree she could find, and hid among the sparse foliage.
She strained to pick out the half-remembered details of the Autobot-kids, but it was impossible with the huge crowd of other humans.
Several more minutes later, she was completely losing hope- most of the humans had left, and she doubted the Autobot-kids were still there. She'd probably missed them. The girl sighed, deciding to just wait a little longer.
A sound from her communilocation bracelet startled her, and Shard lost her grip on the tree branch. She slipped to the ground, only slightly injuring her legs. Amazingly though, when she looked up, the Autobot-kids were coming out of the school!
"Thank you," Shard whispered into her bracelet, grinning weakly as the three humans looked in her direction. They'd heard her fall, and came running over, led by Miko.
Jack stayed behind to say something to some vehicles in the parking lot, then ran after the other two humans. Shard assumed the vehicles must've been Autobots, and she narrowed her eyes, edging further into hiding.
Caterwaul had mentioned that 'Bots were mostly good. That sounded hopeful.
Shard had seen some 'Bots rescue their medic (who'd apparently been on crazy green-energon-steroids) from Knockout in an energon mine. That was kind.
And she supposed they must be ok, at least as ok as the 'Cons were, if three humans willingly stayed with them.
...But the Autobots were also constantly slaughtering countless Vehicons. This fact resulted in Shard's anger at, and distrust of, said-Autobots.
"Hey, Shard!" Miko called excitedly, "That you?" Shard nodded.
"We couldn't find out much about your question," Raf apologized, looking regretful. Shard immediately shook her head- she didn't want this nice little kid to feel guilty!
"It's ok," she reassured as Jack came over, "I... a friend found out for them- me, I mean." The three looked surprised, "What? Who?"
Shard sighed, resting her chin on her drawn-up knees, "A really patient friend who's always helping me and who I should've told in the first place."
"..." Blank looks from the three.
"Soundwave."
"WHAAAT?!" all three humans instantly shouted -almost before Shard finished speaking, making her wince and grin. She'd turned her communilocation bracelet's camera-section toward them, so Soundwave could watch too.
"You... you... whaaat?" Raf asked, looking just as freaked-out as the others, and Shard laughed.
"How do you know Soundwave?!" Miko asked, scrunching up her face, "He's- he's that big creepy 'Con, the one with all those tentacle-y things and no face! Uulghh!"
Shard instantly bristled, snarling in furious defense of her friend.
"He is not creepy!" the girl snapped at the other humans, "Soundwave is amazingly patient and kind and loyal and incredibly brilliant so don't you DARE insult him!"
After a moment of shocked silence, Jack burst out, "Are you insane-" "Yes," Shard interrupted bluntly. The human shook his head in frustration and demanded, "How do you even know him?"
"I live with the Decepticons," Shard informed them, focusing more on scratching an itch by her ear. "So... that's what that watch-thing is for?" Raf asked, eyes wide, "Y-you're with the 'Cons?"
"Yes," Shard answered more politely to the almost-horrified-looking boy.
"And now that I have explained, as promised, I shall be leaving." She swung her heavy, can-filled backpack up onto her shoulders and turned away to leave behind the three stunned-looking humans.
"What?!" Miko exclaimed, grabbing Shard's arm, "Are you crazy?" Shard nodded and answered slowly, "Ye-es. Nowww leggo- before I bite yer' hand."
She figured it was more out of shock than agreement when the other human released her arm, and stood staring, open-mouthed.
"Thaaannk you!" Shard chirped, turning again to leave. "Oh!" she added, looking back, "Remember: no telling about me! Or at least about me being with the 'Cons."
And she purposely skipped away perkily. Once far enough away that they couldn't see her, Shard ran toward the groundbridge location, just in case the Autobots might've overheard.
She rested at the apartment-home, gouged open two cans of tuna, and left them- and the scavenged meat- for the animals. Then she raced away for the groundbridge to open.
Back on the ship, the first thing Shard saw was Soundwave, looking at her. The girl gave a hesitant smile and a small wave, "Hi." She was pretty sure she hadn't done anything to make him further unhappy...
The silent Decepticon inclined his head towards her, and replayed a visual of Shard yelling at the other humans. The volume was lowered, but Shard could tell what was going on: her verbally defending the silent 'Con.
Shard felt herself grin and chuckle sheepishly, and she ducked her head as her shoulders lifted up slightly- with a sort of self-conscious, happy embarrassment instead of guilt this time.
The video switched to something else- a visual of Megatron watching a screen that showed Shard going into the school, those two weeks ago. The recorded screen showed Shard talking with the Autobot-kids, and then Megatron in the video growled that he'd punish her.
Oh. Soundwave had told Megatron, all that time ago after all- the gray 'Con probably wouldn't have noticed the girl's absence otherwise.
But Shard wasn't upset by that now- it was Soundwave's job to report stuff, after all.
So the girl shrugged and nodded; she understood.
A couple days later- more days of making pitiful attempts to help with mining energon, and barely making a difference- Shard was allowed to go on a small mission!
It was with Caterwaul and Breakdown, who were still remarkably happy. Small amounts of energon had been reported missing from unfinished mining sites, and the three were ordered to find out who was taking it.
Actually, Caterwaul had volunteered for going along, because she was so full of super-duper happiness that she wondered she might explode. She inexplicably giggled at the thought.
Most of the others had taken to ignoring Breakdown's and Caterwaul's unusual perkiness, whispering that the two must've gotten into "that weird energon."
It was something Shard'd overheard stories of from bored Vehicons, accompanied by retellings of effects of delirium and insanity. And something about never again letting Megatron have any. ...EVER.
Anyway, the three set up a stake-out. Which for Shard, meant another day of mining. Afterwards, she went to hide with the Decepticon pair, in the edge of a cave that had a couple crystals left.
The three hid behind some tall rocks that the 'Cons had set up for that exact purpose, and then, they waited. ...And waited.
And waited. Shard hated waiting. No one showed up, so they tried again the next day. It was evening, and the human was half-asleep and having a weird dream about dwarves- when Breakdown nudged her over with his hand. This was his version of gently shaking her shoulder.
Shard yawned as quietly as she could, baring her teeth cat-style, and blinked away her tiredness. Something big and metal was moving outside the cave.
She couldn't see it from where she was hiding behind the boulder, but she saw Caterwaul silently stalking out of hiding and toward the sound.
The feline prowled closer. The mystery thief had moved to the side, and she couldn't see who it was yet. But something... something smelled familiar...
Caterwaul crept up onto a rock, still hidden from her prey, and prepared to leap forward and onto them. But when she got to the top of the rock, and saw who it was...
Dark woods at night, claw-fingers holding her up by her scruff, energon-blood, shots blasting, clinging to the ship, falling, agony!
The feline screamed and fell back, tumbling down the stone onto the ground. She heard Breakdown hurriedly storming out of the cave, and the human's quick footsteps, as well as a panicked gasp and rapidly retreating footsteps from the intruder.
"Caterwaul, what's wrong?" Breakdown demanded, rushing to the Decepticat's side, followed closely by Shard. The girl looked up at the same time that he did, and saw a tall silvery shape quickly transforming into a jet.
"You!" Breakdown roared angrily, transforming his hand into a hammer and charging. The silver jet yelped in fear and soared away.
"Caterwaul?" Shard asked worriedly, focusing on trying to calm her friend, "Are you ok? Who was that?"
The Decepticat shuddered, golden optics wide, "S-St-Star-s-scream."