Chapter Twelve: Chasing Clues
The sun was dipping on the horizon when Cade sat down on the grass, deep in thought while he stared at the vast garden in front of him. The scent of the flowers was calming, but it did not completely ease his churning thoughts.
So much had happened for the last two days, and he was still having a difficult time believing any of it. It was not too long ago that he was just remodeling a car with Izabella and the Bots, hoping to sell it to get some money. Now Crosshairs was dead, their home was destroyed, and Cade was a member of a secret order that protected Cybertronian relics.
Instinctively, he touched the Apex Armor, safely wrapped around his right shoulder. The unearthly metal was cool to the skin, smooth, and he could feel that tiny thread of thought that linked him to the ancient artifact.
Was he really worthy? Cade wanted to prove that his ancestors were not deserters, but now that he could think clearly, maybe he was not the right person for this job. He was just an inventor who tinkers with junk, and not the knight that Burton seemed to believe.
And yet he was chosen. Cade could not deny that the mission was his responsibility now; a mission that could help his friends revive their world and get off this ungrateful planet. He would do it for them, even if he could not reclaim his ancestors' reputation.
The ground shook beneath him as someone approached, and Cade glanced over his shoulder. It was Steelbane. "Why are you here? Dinner is ready," the Apprentice said.
"It's fine. I'm not hungry yet." Cade returned his gaze to the garden.
Humming in acknowledgement, Steelbane lowered his massive body beside him. They sat in tranquil silence, watching as the sun finally sank and the first stars winked into existence. Steelbane raised his eyes at the night sky, his expression gentle and serene.
Seeing the knight in that position, it struck Cade how ancient Steelbane was. His armor bore scratches; scars of battles from bygone days, wounds from countless enemies. He had been stuck on Earth for so long, probably staring at the same constellations every night, waiting for his mission to end, never knowing if he could return home someday.
"Don't you feel lonely sometimes?" Cade asked, genuinely curious.
"More often than you would expect," the knight replied softly. "There are times when I've almost forgotten what my homeworld looks like—what it once looked like—and I wanted to enter stasis so I could preserve what memories I've left, like some of my brethren had done." He sighed. "Only the company of the Burtons kept me going. That, and my honor to see my duty to the end."
Pity welled within Cade, and he cast his gaze down to his feet. Here he was thinking he should not have been chosen, while Steelbane remained steadfast for thousands of years. Perhaps he was wrong. If Steelbane could do it, then maybe he could as well, even if he was just a human.
Taking a deep breath, Cade pushed himself off the ground and stood. "Thank you," he told the knight with a smile.
"What for?" Steelbane asked, glancing at him in surprise.
"For giving me the answer," Cade simply said. He turned away and began to walk back inside the castle. But he had not gone more than a few meters when Steelbane called, "Cade."
Cade stopped. It was the first time he had said his name. He glanced over his shoulder and saw the Knight Apprentice standing tall with his fist touching the center of his chest, where his Spark lay. "Remember the first code of the order," he said solemnly.
"Honor to the end."
###
"So where are we heading?" Cliffjumper asked through the radio, driving at the end of their little convoy next to Bumblebee.
"London," Fowler answered. "Viviane's house. His father might have left clues. We'll start our search there."
From the passenger seat of the SUV, Cade glanced toward Viviane next to him. She had said little to him since her revelation yesterday, and he wondered if he had done something that annoyed her. She stared outside the window on her side, her chin propped with a hand as the countryside gave way to the suburbs.
Shaking his head, Cade focused his attention on the road. Prowl and Drift took the lead, matching their speed with the SUVs that made up the convoy. It was decided that for this mission, the Autobots would have no passengers, allowing them to react quickly in case of emergencies.
While Cade hoped that things would go smoothly, that was never always the case, and he had learned to be always prepared. The same goes for the Bots.
With nothing to do, he mirrored Viviane and watched the suburbs transitioned to the wide streets of London. He had never been outside the US before, but he found the British city to be too pretty for his taste, what with its mostly archaic architecture. Churches and libraries were predominant, and some buildings looked like small castles. In the distance, the Big Ben pierced the sky.
"Nice city," Cliffjumper said. "It's not Iacon, of course. But I like this better than the ones in US. Too much traffic in there."
Cade smiled at that, but made no comment as Viviane straightened up, now alert. He could tell that they were close to her house.
Sure enough, a row of white and gray houses came into view. Cade had expected a mansion, but he would not say this was unpleasant. Unexpected, yes; after all, Viviane's attitude made him assume that she lived like a princess with servants hand-feeding her grapes. However, seeing her living in a simple abode raised his opinion of her, if only a little.
They stopped at the fifth house, and Viviane was the first one to get out. Cade and Fowler joined her soon at the front steps where she unlocked the door. Fowler's men had already formed a perimeter, while the Autobots were parked nearby. For several seconds, they watched the street for any unusual movements. But when they saw nothing, Cade and Fowler entered.
"I'm sorry if everything is in a mess right now," Viviane began. "I was so busy with work, and I was preparing to move out in the event that they find out where I live."
"If they haven't already," Cade muttered, earning him a nod from Fowler, while he glanced around the living room. Mess was an understatement. The house looked like it had been ravaged by the Cons. Documents littered the floor, and there was barely enough free space to walk on. A brown tabby cat lounged on one of the couches, eyeing them warily. There was an open luggage in one corner, half-filled with clothes.
"We sure there are clues here?" Cade sighed. It did not look like the house of a history professor, as far as he could tell. "It will be like trying to find a needle in a dump."
"We have no choice," Fowler said, though even he seemed unimpressed. "We must look at the closest possible location, and this is it… Unfortunately."
"Good luck with that, then," Cade said with a grunt.
"Instead of talking about the current state of my living room, why don't you two help me search my father's study?" Viviane glared from the foot of the stairs.
Cade and Fowler exchanged a look, then shrugged and followed her to the second floor. The hallway had three doors, and Viviane entered the one in the middle. Bracing himself, Cade entered after her and half-expected to see the same sight as the living room.
He was genuinely taken aback when the room turned out to be actually clean. A large world map dominated one wall, while next to it were a collection of photographs in picture frames, most of which showed a young girl and a tall, handsome man. Cade did not need to guess who they were.
Viviane's father was much like Burton. His love for history was obvious, evident by the room's decorations. There was the sculpture of a medieval knight on an oaken study table, his bow aimed at a picture of the Westminster Palace with him and Viviane standing together at the center. A glass case held the replica of an axe, and there was a bookshelf filled with history books.
Cade did not miss the painting of a dragon hanging next to the picture of the Westminster Palace. It was incredibly lifelike, the dragon soaring proudly in the blue sky, its silver scales glistening in the sun. Viviane stared at it with sorrow.
"I'm guessing that's Windstorm," Cade deduced from her expression.
Viviane nodded. "My father was also a painter, though he sold most of his works. He made that when he was just eighteen, long before he met my mother. He often told me how it was his greatest artwork." She smiled fondly at the memory.
"Don't worry," Cade said softly, gazing at the painting. "We'll find them."
To his surprise, Viviane shook her head and looked at him with deep sadness in her eyes. "Cade, I'm not naive. Ever since both my father and Windstorm disappeared, I've already entertained the possibility that both of them might be dead." She sighed. "It's been over twenty years. Even if Windstorm is alive, I'm sure my father is…" She trailed off, unable to continue.
Cade turned to her with a look of sympathy. He knew what it felt to lose someone. Even after all these years, he still missed Emily.
With another sigh, Viviane gestured at her father's study. "But enough of that. If I'm to find out what happened to my father and Windstrike, we have to find the Omega Key first. I just don't know where to begin. My father is somewhat of a secretive man."
"Surely he talked to you about his life as a Custodian." Fowler crossed his arms. "Anything he might have mentioned? Particularly before he disappeared."
Viviane bore a thoughtful expression as she sat next to the study table. "All I could remember was how he was honored to be a Custodian, and our history with the Cybertronians. I've seen the Omega Key in pictures, but I was never told where it was exactly. I've always assumed it was with Windstorm."
Fowler nodded. "That is expected, yes. But they would surely place the Key in a secure location if ever something happened to them. A location that you could find."
Viviane knitted her eyebrows. "That is true. I… I seem to remember something days before my father's disappearance. He seemed agitated, terrified even. But I was just a child, so I didn't understand at that time, even though I knew there was something wrong. He kept telling me to never forget our happiest memory."
"And what would that be?" Cade asked.
Viviane shrugged. "I would say when he read to me history books and legends. Even back then, I loved those stories."
Cade looked toward the bookshelf with a sinking feeling. "Don't tell me we have to read all of these? It could take months."
"We don't have to," Fowler said, approaching the bookshelf and grabbing a random book. "It could mean that he had left a clue in one of these books, maybe a letter or a note, hidden inside." He flipped it open and pulled out a pocket knife. "Viviane, I know these are your father's collection, but this is the only way."
With a nod, Viviane searched within a drawer and took out two letter openers. She handed one to Cade while saying, "It's fine. I'll help."
They spent the next thirty minutes slicing open the books, searching the inside of the front and back covers. It felt too much like something out of a spy movie, looking for clues like this. Cade welcomed the challenge, but after he looked inside the fiftieth book and found nothing, he was beginning to see the futility in this method.
"This is impossible." He slammed an Arthurian mythology book shut and threw it into the rapidly growing pile of mutilated tomes.
"Well, if you want to just sit there and watch, then by all means do so," Viviane snapped, slitting the cover of another one.
"Less argument, more searching," Fowler chided despite his own look of frustration.
Cade shook his head with a growl and swept his gaze across the room. He was certain that the clue, whatever it was, was not in the books. There must be something else in here, a subtle hint to the location of the Omega Key that Viviane would have understood.
As if pulled by some force, his eyes landed on the painting of Westminster Palace. Viviane's happiest memory. What was it exactly?
"Viviane," Cade called her name for the first time, making her look up in surprise. "What did you say your happiest memory was?"
"I told you already, didn't I?" she said irritably.
"Are you sure it's not a picture of you with your father?" Cade pointed at the picture. Now that he thought about it, the position of the sculpture should have been a dead giveaway, not to mention Windstorm's painting.
And it seemed that Viviane caught on at once. The book she was holding fell to the floor as she gasped. "Of course! That was taken on my 10th birthday. I have always wanted to go there, but it was the only day when my father could take a break from his work."
"Impressive," Fowler said.
Her body shaking from anticipation, Viviane went to the picture frame. "Help me with this," she told Cade. Together they opened the frame. And as soon as they did, a small white envelope slid out from the back.
Viviane exchanged glances with Cade and Fowler, who both nodded, and she grabbed the envelope with trembling hands. She took out the letter, which Cade noticed was short, and read the contents. Tears welled in her eyes, but there was a spark of confusion in them. After several seconds, she handed the letter to Cade.
He read it immediately. Scrawled in elegant handwriting was a simple line: When you are ready, meet me here at noon
Cade read the contents twice to make sure he was not hallucinating. He looked at Viviane as he gave the letter to Fowler. The woman was on the verge of a breakdown.
"What does that mean?" she asked in a shaky voice.
It was Fowler who answered. "It means your father left the Omega Key here." He tapped the picture.
"Or another clue," Cade suggested.
The agent nodded. "Whatever it is, now we know where to look." He placed a hand on Viviane's shoulder. "Can you still go on?"
She took a deep breath, then nodded and wiped away her tears. "Yes. This has been entrusted to me, and I won't fail Edmund. You two go ahead back to the others. I'll just get something from my room."
Fowler nodded. He and Cade returned to the SUV, where they told the Autobots what they had discovered while waiting for Viviane. It did not take long before she reappeared at the front door and locked it, a small shoulder bag slung at her side. As she climbed into the car, Cade noticed the blue and silver watch she wore in her right hand.
"You've had us wait just to get a watch?" he said incredulously. Fowler glanced over his shoulder briefly to look at it and smirked before pulling out of the driveway.
Viviane merely smiled. "We'll need it. Trust me."
The thirty-minute drive to the Westminster Palace was uneventful, but Prowl could not shake the feeling in his spark that they were heading straight to a trap. Perhaps it was his own paranoia, born from countless ambushes on the battlefields of Cybertron, where everything seemed normal at first until you were suddenly in the middle of a firefight. That, and the fact that Shatter and Dropkick were somewhere in the city.
For the fourth time since leaving Viviane Wembly's house, Prowl activated his long-range scanners, sweeping the area two miles around their convoy. It was a waste of Energon, considering that nothing had come up in his first three scans, but he could not let his guard down, especially if there might be two highly trained Decepticon assassins hiding among the civilian vehicles.
"Are you all right, Prowl?" Drift asked, keeping up with him. Prowl had to admit;; the former assassin had changed, but he did not want to keep his hopes up in the event that Deadlock betrayed him again. Once was enough.
"Yes," Prowl replied.
"And yet you keep activating your scanners," Drift noted. They passed a green military tank transporter with an M1 Abrams in its trailer, both of them painted in green camouflage, and turned left at the avenue.
"Just taking a precaution." And it was the truth. But why did Prowl feel so uneasy?
"Ah, come on, Prowlie," Cliffjumper commented at the rear of their group. "There's four of us here. What could possibly go wrong?"
Prowl grunted. "Anything. First rule of a mission, any mission, is to never let your guard down."
"Hey, if anything goes wrong, we can just call Steelbane." Cliffjumper chuckled. "Although that may not be necessary if I'm here."
Drift sighed. "Second rule, Cliff: never get overconfident."
"Heh. It's not overconfidence if it's the truth," the red Autobot retorted.
Prowl would have rolled his optics at that statement, but he was still in his altform. And so he simply remained quiet. He did not know why Commander Magnus even decided on Cliff as his partner. There were other better candidates in the team. What would he not give to have Smokescreen at his side?
They finally reached their destination: a large building that humans called a palace, towering over some of the smaller buildings. A quick search in the Internet told Prowl that this was indeed the Westminster Palace, with the clock tower rising in the north. There were a lot of guards across the streets and various entrances; there was even a green AH-64 helicopter with a deafening engine circling overhead.
Fowler's team stopped by the Cromwell Green and got out of the car. Prowl saw Cade approached, giving a light tap on his hood. "We'll be going inside. Fowler's escorts will remain here to watch out for the Cons," he said in a low voice.
Prowl did not speak, not with so many humans around, but he flashed his headlights once to indicate that he had acknowledged. After another tap to his hood, Cade soon entered the palace with Fowler and Viviane.
"Prowl, mind if me and Bee have a look around?" Cliffjumper asked. "Might be good to scout around the area."
"Go ahead," Prowl said. It would not hurt to be a little careful. "Just keep me posted if you see anything unusual."
"Roger that. Let's go, Bee."
The two sports cars drove away, passing a green Humvee parked on the opposite of the road, leaving Prowl with Drift and Fowler's team. As the two Bots turned around a corner, that feeling of unease grew, and Prowl activated his scanners again.
"Everything will be all right, old friend," Drift assured him.
"I sure hope so," Prowl said after he detected nothing.
As if to emphasize what he said, an A-10A Thunderbolt aircraft flew overhead.
The lobby was crowded with visitors, preventing Cade from focusing on a single person before they vanished amid the throng of people. If Viviane's father was indeed alive, it would be difficult to recognize him within the masses.
But that was a pretty big if, and Cade was not harsh enough to point it out to Viviane. He did not want to crush her hopes despite her attitude toward him. Thus, he really hoped that her old man was alive.
It was eleven thirty-five. The note said that he would meet them at noon, but so far, no one that matched his description was in sight. Of course, he could simply look different—twenty years was a long time, and Viviane's father would have certainly aged. The same goes for Viviane; Cade doubted if her father would recognize her from the little girl she was.
"Where is he?" Viviane muttered, tapping her foot on the polished floor, checking the entrance every time someone entered. The sound was starting to drive Cade nuts.
He sighed. Maybe it was time to spell it out for her. "Look," he began, "I don't want to be that guy, but I think your father won't be coming."
"I will agree with Cade, Viviane," Fowler said grimly. "As much as I don't like to say this, we have to accept that Mr. Wembly is gone."
"I know. But there was a note," she insisted. "You've all read it. Meet me here at noon, it said. My father would not lie."
"Maybe you're taking it too literally," Cade said. "It could be a secret message."
"Oh?" Viviane scowled and raised an eyebrow. "Fine. If it's a secret message, what could it possibly mean, Mr. Great Inventor?"
Cade scowled back at her, but he ignored her remarks and focused on deciphering the message. If Viviane's father wanted to meet his daughter, he would have already. It was almost twelve, and Cade doubted that the man wanted to arrive exactly at noon. No, the message meant differently.
Meet me here at noon. At noon. Like a bolt of lightning, it finally clicked. "Big Ben," Cade said.
Viviane stared at him in confusion. "Pardon?"
"The Big Ben," Cade repeated. "Your father wants you there. At noon."
Fowler's eyes widened. "When the clock strikes twelve. Viviane, this is it. Your father is telling you to be there by that time."
Viviane swallowed, switching her gaze between the two of them. Cade saw the conflict in her eyes, that desperation to see her father alive. He understood what she felt, but right now they had to find the clue that her father had left behind. "Viviane," he called her name gently.
Finally she snapped out of it and nodded. "All right. We need to move fast. It's less than fifteen minutes before twelve."
"I'll stay here just in case," Fowler said.
Cade and Viviane hurried to the tower, pushing past tourists. It was not easy, and they often had to swerve around to avoid bumping into guards. As they neared the visitor's entrance, they found themselves looking at a mass of children and adults eagerly waiting to see the great bell and the clock tower's interior.
"Great," Cade said, shaking his head. "How are we supposed to get through them?"
In response, Viviane held out a hand. Cade stared at her in disbelief. "What? I'm not holding your hand!"
Viviane shot him a glare. "The feeling is mutual. But trust me, I can get us past them."
"Nope. No way."
"Cade!"
With a grumble, Cade finally grabbed her wrist. "Fine. What now?"
Viviane rolled her eyes with a grumble, but she pressed on and led him to a wall. "Follow my lead. Don't let go. And whatever happens, do not scream like a girl."
"What do you me—HOLY SHI…!"
Viviane dragged him right into the wall, cutting off his screams. As they rushed toward the cold concrete, Cade felt his body going through it like smoke. His heart pounded painfully, and he could only squeeze his eyes while Viviane guided him.
After several minutes, Viviane finally said, "We're here."
Cade cracked his eyes open. They were at the base of a staircase, spiraling around the wall that stretched high above them. Unfortunately, he could care less about that as he leaned on the wall and pressed his hand in his chest, glaring at a smirking Viviane.
"What was that about?" Cade demanded. His heart was still racing, and his guts twisted into knots.
Viviane held up her right hand, displaying the blue and silver watch. "You are not the only one with a Cybertronian relic. This is the Phase Shifter. With this, I and anything I touch can pass through solid objects."
"And you didn't bother to warn me?" Cade asked, exasperated. "You nearly gave me a heart attack!"
With a shrug, Viviane lowered her arm and started to climb the stairs with a smug expression. "I wanted to see how you'll react," she said, her smirk widening.
Grumbling under his breath, Cade trailed after her. They climbed two steps at a time, and they quickly reached the top. After passing along a series of corridors, they found themselves looking at the famous great bell of the tower, suspended on steel cross beams and supports. Smaller ones surrounded, four in total. No one was in sight, but he had already expected that.
Cade checked his watch. "Eleven fifty-nine." They were on time.
They waited with bated breaths as the seconds passed, standing on the walkways, holding tightly onto the railings. A small part of Cade, that part of him that sympathized with Viviane and resonated with her pain, fervently wished that her father would show up. But as twelve drew nearer, he knew that it was a fool's hope.
At long last the huge bell chimed, and the sound shook the floor. They had to cover their ears at the sound, but Cade did not miss the moment that a part of the brick wall glowed faintly, pulsing in time with the chimes.
"Look!" He pointed. Viviane gasped.
Cade knew there was no time. He did not know if it would only appear at this exact time, or if it only needed the bell to ring. Whatever the case, they needed to reach it quickly. He nodded at Viviane, who grabbed his hand and phased through the railings. Their ears rang from the sound, but they continued until they stood in front of the glowing part.
A red beam shot out, startling them, tracing their bodies, scanning. When it finished, the bricks rumbled and opened, revealing a beautiful golden object almost as tall as Cade. It did look like a key, but more magnificent than anything he had ever seen, and obviously made for a being larger than humans.
Below it was a small gray disk, almost like a plate, which Viviane took with trembling hands.
"What's that?" Cade asked, curious. There was a button near its edge, but he could tell that it was not a relic. It was plain and quite boring.
Viviane pressed the button, and she nearly dropped it in shock when a face appeared in the center, translucent, almost like a hologram.
It was Viviane's father.
"Vivi, if you are seeing this, then that means you've already found the Key," he said in a warm and rich voice. However, it was filled with urgency and also fear. "And that means I'm already dead. I don't have much time left, so there's something you should know. Windstorm is gone. Someone slew him, but I don't know who. And now I'm next. Whatever happens, know that I will always love you. Goodbye, my princess. And remember: honor to the end."
The message ended abruptly, Wembly's voice fading along with the bell's last chime.
The Cybertronian fell to the floor with a clang, and it was here that Viviane finally sank to her knees and buried her face into her hands as tears streamed down her cheeks. Her shoulders shook with racking sobs.
Cade stood there with a look of sympathy. He placed a hand into Viviane's shoulder in comfort, but he was startled when she stood and embraced, sobbing even louder than before. It was awkward, but he knew that she needed someone to cry on. So he simply rubbed her back.
It only lasted a minute. She finally pulled away, wiping her tears with an embarrassed smile. "Sorry about that. I…"
"It's fine," Cade said, a little awkwardly. He cleared his throat. "I'm sorry too."
Viviane shook her head. "I already expected that. I just wished…" She sniffled again, then regained her composure. "At least we know what happened to them."
Cade nodded with a grim expression. Someone killed Windstrike and Viviane's father, but who could have done that? As far as he knew, Megatron was still in the ice twenty years ago, and he was sure that none of his minions knew of the Cybertronian relics' existence at that time. Not to mention that none of them could have defeated a Knight Apprentice.
"We should take these back to the castle," Cade decided. Perhaps Burton and Steelbane would have ideas and solve this mystery.
Viviane nodded and grabbed the disc from the floor. "What about the Omega Key?" She looked doubtful. "I don't think we can carry it without attracting attention."
Cade furrowed his brows. Viviane was right; it was too big, and he did not think it would fit in the doors. Viviane touched it, and to their shock, the golden relic shrank down to a size that could fit inside Viviane's bag.
"Well, there's our answer," Cade commented with a smile.
They were soon out of the tower and hurried to the lobby. Fowler waited on the spot where they had left him. Relief crossed his face when he saw them, and he began to ask, "How did—"
"Package secured," Cade muttered before he and Viviane went past him, much to his shock. Fowler immediately followed after them.
"I'm guessing something happened up there," the agent pressed on.
"Yes," Cade said as they exited the Cromwell Green. "We'll tell you everything back in the castle. Right now we—"
He stopped abruptly after noticing a green Humvee from the other side of the road driving toward their direction. He had seen it when they arrived, parked inconspicuously by the sidewalk, but he paid it no attention.
And now his spine was tingling, and his instincts were screaming that it was no ordinary military vehicle as it gathered speed, forcing the people and cars nearby to avoid it. Curses were thrown at the driver, but it was as if he had not heard it and continued his reckless course, racing toward the three SUVs of Fowler's team.
"Is he crazy?" Fowler swore.
Then it finally clicked. Cade's eyes widened, and he turned to Fowler. "Tell your men to get out of the way, now!" He grabbed Viviane's hand, startling her, and ran. Fowler wasted no time in following them while pulling out his radio and shouting.
But as fast as the Humvee was, Prowl was faster. Cade gaped in awe as the police car burst forward and rammed onto the Humvee, before both of them transformed. The Humvee's thick armored hand shot forward to grab Prowl by the throat as they tumbled over the street, only for the Humvee to come out on top and slam the Autobot tactician onto the concrete, shattering the pavement.
His malevolent red eyes gleamed with contempt and glee.
And boom. If you have thoroughly read this chapter, I think you guys could guess who those Decepticons are. I had made sure that the hints were pretty obvious, though it may not be clear if you aren't well-versed in TF lore.
Now about this chapter and this story as a whole. As you may have noticed, I moved this fanfic into the Transformers/Beast Wars category. My main reason is because it has a bigger fanbase, and I'm trying to go for a wider reach. The other reason is because I'm already starting to introduce elements from other TF series, so I thought this is the best move.
To be honest, though, I've had trouble writing ⅔ of this chapter. First and foremost, I do not live in London, and while I did my research, I'm not sure if I've portrayed everything accurately. If you see discrepancies, which I know is a lot, I'm really sorry. It is not my intention.
Second, another tweak to a Cybertronian relic, this time it's the Phase Shifter. While the canon one is already perfect, I still tweaked it a little bit to fit the story. And I hope you all liked that scene.
Third, there are some backstories I've introduced here, fleshing out Viviane's character, as well as her father's, and hinting at some plot threads that will come into play by the second half of the story. And I can guarantee that no one will be prepared for what is to come. Although you guys might realize what I have in store in the next two or three chapters.
Now onto the Q&A segment.
In response to a guest review, no, we won't see Hot Rod, G1 or Bayverse versions. In fact, I don't plan on including him in this fic and all possible sequels. At all. Bumblebee is enough for me lol
In response to Julien Caeg's review, wow! This is another awesome one. :D First, I didn't say Steelbane was Merlin's guardian. In fact, Merlin has no connection with the Custodians whatsoever, and I simply wrote that part to show that the myth is real, in a way. Second, your guesses are correct. As mentioned in this chapter, they are indeed Shatter and Dropkick. To be honest, the Bumblebee timeline didn't happen in this fic, so I decided to include them. Originally, (SPOILERS!) it would have been Knock Out and Breakdown, but I revised it at the last minute and switched them out for Shatter and Dropkick. Personally, I found them really interesting characters that fit the tone of my fic. Of course, the other two will definitely still appear. As for the other relics, well, the Phase Shifter is already here, and I assure that some of those you've mentioned will also appear.
About the gestalt form of all Knights, I'm actually debating on whether I should include that or not. After all, Windstorm is dead, so that's one member down. But aside from that, a giant metallic dragon will be redundant, and you'll see why in the next chapter. ;)
Anyway, that should be it. I'm on a writing spree right now, so expect the next update to come quite soon.
Please Read & Review!
Until next time!
