(Please see all previous disclaimers)
Crankcase continued to follow the young bot, hoping everything would be okay. Crusher made sure not to walk too fast or too slow. They both kept a steady pace as they made their way to wherever crusher was leading. Crankcase was grateful that Crusher was not like most other young bots who would have left the old bot in the dust. "May I ask where we are heading?" Crankcase asked, wanting to know.
"We are going to where I live with my parents, sir" Crusher answered gently and respectfully. "My mom and dad would be the best bots to help you with whatever you need." Crankcase wasn't entirely sure about that, but he figured it wouldn't hurt to go and see.
Soon, they arrived at the castle like home that housed Optimus and his mate Megatron. Crankcase was thoroughly impressed but he also felt something in his spark, something he couldn't explain. "Your parents live here?" The old bot asked, a bit stunned.
"Yes. Please come in as they welcome all" Crusher replied, not expecting the chaos that would happen once they went inside.
Once inside, Crankcase looked around and while he didn't recognize many of the young bots, one mech caught the old bot's optics and not in a good way. Megatron had killed Crankcase's mate long ago. Seeing Megatron caused rage to rise in the old bot. "YOU!" Crankcase yelled towards Megatron. "You disgusting, sparkless bot!"
Megatron turned around, a bit stunned, but he quickly recovered. Megatron tried to say something but before the old tyrant could, Crankcase drew his ancient weapons. Megatron, fearing for his children, also produced his weapons. "Who are you, and why do you seek to slaughter me?" Megatron answered, having sent all his sparklings elsewhere but Crusher had unknowingly refused to leave.
"You killed my mate you sparkless bot, you killed Zeta Prime" Crankcase uttered, rage in his optics.
Megatron went to make a move, but Crusher stood between the pair. "Move, son" Megatron stated, ready to defend himself.
"Yes, sonny, move. That bot doesn't deserve protection" Crankcase yelled, still angry.
"I will not move. I will not let you kill each other as I don't want mom killed or my siblings killed either" Crusher stated, being much like his mother.
Megatron was going to speak, as was Crankcase when Optimus burst into the room, after having been informed of what was going on by the other sparklings. "Stop this, the instant" Optimus yelled, relieving Crusher and shocking Megatron and Crankcase. "Who are you and why do you threaten my mate?" Optimus asked, unaware of the bot he was talking to.
Crankcase was going to answer with rage when he felt his spark react to Optimus' presence. Crankcase then realized what he was doing. His own anger was going to leave his son at best without a mate and at worst, dead. Crankcase dropped his weaponry, causing Megatron to drop his, but still remain cautious. "My name is Crankcase, my dead mate was Zeta prime. I came seeking to see if any of my sparklings are alive. I had an older femme and younger twin mechs. When I lost my mate, my sparklings were stolen from me. I came here to see if I could find them. On my way into town, I met up with this young bot (points to Crusher) and he led me here."
"Do you know any names?" Optimus asked.
"The femmes name was Firestar, but the young mechs were stolen from me before I could name them" Crankcase answered.
Optimus had a sinking feeling. "Can you describe them?"
"Well, the older one was red and blue, a very gentle and loving mech. The other was blue and orange with quite a little attitude of his own" Crankcase answered.
"I think we need to call a medic" Optimus answered.
"Why is that?" Asked both Megatron and Crankcase.
"Because I may be one of your lost sons. And the other one sounds like a bot I know too well – Sentinel." The two bots nodded and the medic was called. Optimus just hoped that this would settle everything, at least for now. But he knew it could likely mean one thing – he and Sentinel Prime were likely twin brothers. And at that, Optimus passed out, though Megatron caught his mate before Optimus could hit the ground. Things had just gotten crazier.
