Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers Animated. I do own my own creations, so please do not plagiarize. If you do, you will spontaneously combust and I will laugh at the ashes of your remains.

I had threatened to do a long time ago and I'm finally doing. I am finally updating this story. I've always had a soft spot for this story and after reading it again after so long… I was almost embarrassed by it. It deserved this 'upgrade' if you will. I'm doing this more for myself as an evolving writer. However, a few words of encouragement are appreciated. That is, drop a review if you will. I know that I will receive criticism for using the same title, but I thought long and hard about a new title. Nothing sounded as good as the original. I guess I'm just a little too attached to it. Say something if you will, but the name is staying. With that said, Please enjoy the new and hopefully better 'Pyrus Virus'.

Chapter One

It was so close. There was just a sliver of beating red energy in both of their bars. It would only take one more hit and their opponent would fall before their skill and might. It all came down to this. One solid punch or kick. All they had to do was wait for the right moment. It was a game of cat and mouse up until that point. The final showdown. The right moment… to hit the button…

"GOTCHA!" Sari yelled as she quickly tapped the A button.

Her chosen fight avatar twirled around on the screen. Gracefully, she spun her muscled HD graphic legs in a perfect roundhouse. Her foot found its target. The impact of the tremendous kick sent the other avatar flying across the 2D scene. He grunted and groaned and let out his iconic death cry. The actions slowed as male avatar bounced and skidded away from his opponent. Sari's warrior jumped and proudly announced her victory. The game scene faded and flashing text appeared.

"Rematch? Rematch?" the game asked the players.

"NO! I don't want a rematch!" Bumblebee yelled at the screen, "Stupid controller must be busted," he growled down at it.

"Jeez Bee," Sari smirked, "It's just a game… A game that I am totally owning you at!" she laughed.

Bulkhead sighed, "What's that earth saying? … oh yeah…," he remembered, "You're being a sore winner Sari."

"What?" Sari snorted, "I can't help it if I'm just that good… and beat Bumblebee twelve times!" she started her own victory dance.

"It hasn't been twelve times!" Bumblebee protested, "You've only won like six times."

"No way!" Sari threw her hands on her hips, "I've won more than that! Right Bulkhead?" she looked over at him.

In truth, he hadn't been keeping count. He had been waiting patiently for his turn. It was almost any hour ago that he wanted to play the winner. Sari and Bee agreed, but he would have to wait; they were in the middle of a Grand Championship and the winner had yet to be decided. He just wanted to play.

"Umm…," he scratched his head.

"Great!" Bumblebee snorted, "Now we have start all over again!"

"No way! I beat you fair and square! I am the Grand Champion!" Sari yelled.

"Nuh-uh!" he disagreed, "if you won't play, then you forfeit and I am declared the Champion."

"That's totally unfair! I beat you!" she continued to yell, "You know that I won!"

It only got worse from there. Insults and assertions of cheating found their way into the yelling match. There was even a suspicion that someone or some bot couldn't count. Soon it was hard to tell what was coming out of whose mouth.

"Uh-huh!" Sari yelled at the top of her lungs.

"Nuh-uh!" Bumblebee yelled right back.

"Uh-huh!" Sari retorted back.

"Nuh-uh!" Bumblebee snapped.

"Guys?" Bulkhead tried to get their attention.

They weren't listening.

"Guys?" he tried once more.

Their yelling match only continued.

"GUYS!" he slammed his fist down.

"Whoa there big fella," Bumblebee was surprised by his reaction.

"Yeah…," Sari nervously smiled, "No need to get upset."

Bulkhead sighed, "Sorry. I just don't like it when you two fight. Especially when it's over a stupid game."

Sari and Bumblebee to one another. It was rather dumb that they were fighting over who won a game that really didn't determine anything. They just got into the moment and let it go to a point where neither of them would back down. They couldn't help that they were competitive. It was in their nature. When it came down, they were friends and friends didn't let a game get between them.

"Sorry Bee…," Sari was the first to apologize.

"Me too Sari," Bumblebee smiled.

"Friends?" she held out her hand.

"Friends," he gently took her hand and shook.

"Good…," Bulkhead was glad it was over with, "Now. Can I please play?"

"I'll play you!" both of them volunteered.

They looked each other in the eye. A glint of fire blazed up between them. Apologies once said were now null and void.

"I said I would play him," Bumblebee remained calm.

"I said I would play him," Sari falsely smiled.

Bulkhead released a frustrated sigh, "Here we go again…"

It was truly on. The yelling and shouting started up once more. Though this time they were fighting over who would challenge Bulkhead. There was nothing the big guy could do. He just sat down with a big plop and waited for them to settle down. There would no battles for him that day; just a ringside view of Bumblebee and Sari duking it out with their words.

"I won, therefore I get to play Bulkhead!" Sari stamped her foot.

"You didn't win!" Bumblebee refused to believe it, "We don't know who won the most and you won't play one final round to determine who is the best," he smirked, "Therefore, you forfeit and I win by default. So I get to play Bulkhead," he stomped right back at her.

"NO WAY!" she threw her arms up.

"YES WAY!" he followed suit.

Unfortunately, he forgot that he was still holding his controller. It slipped from his grip and flew to the ground. It bounced and bounded across the floor. Pieces of plastics breaking off as it went along its path. It finally slowed and skidded to a stop nearly fifteen feet from them. All Bumblebee could do was watch on in horror as the controller lay nearly in pieces.

"Uh oh…," Bulkhead went over to the broken controller.

"Is… is it okay?" Bumblebee wasn't sure it he wanted to know the answer.

"Umm…," he slowly brought it into view, "It doesn't look to good…"

He was being rather nice about the condition. The joystick was barely hanging from a wire. The D-pad had popped out and somewhere else. Most of the colored buttons were either missing or fractured. A large crack ran up and down the front. Peeking through were hints of wires and a circuit board.

"Optimus isn't going to be happy that you broke another controller," Bulkhead brought it over to Bumblebee.

"… it's okay… it's okay…," he gingerly took the broken controller into his hands, "I just have to… all I need is… umm…," he was slowly starting to lose.

"Cool it Bee," Sari smirked, "I've got this," she twirled her Key around on her finger.

His eyes lit up, "What are you waiting for? Fire it up!" he set the controller down in front of her.

"Stand back boys," she smiled as she placed the Key next to broken hunk of plastic and metal.

Nothing happened.

"Come on," she shook the key, "Work."

Still nothing happened.

"Stupid Key!" she brought it up to her face, "Why won't you work?"

"Oh man! Oh man!" Bumblebee grew more nervous, "We've got to hide this before some bot finds out."

"Why not just tell the truth?" a voice came from behind the group.

They all jumped in surprise.

"PROWL!" Bumblebee growled loudly, "What are you doing?" he quickly hid the evidence of his guilt behind him.

"Merely observing a situation that can easily be remedied," Prowl folded his arms.

Bumblebee brought out the broken controller, "You… you gonna tell Optimus?"

Prowl turned his back to the group and started to walk away, "It's not mine to admit," he disappeared into his room.

He left them with those haunting, but true words. It wasn't his to tell… it was theirs… especially Bumblebee.

"We're really not going to tell Optimus? Are we?" Sari looked up to Bee.

Before he could answer, Optimus entered the room, "Tell Optimus what?" he crossed his arms as he surveyed the scene.

"Tell you… that… um…," Sari had a hard time answering.

Bumblebee quickly hid the controller, "Tell you… ahh…," nothing good was coming to his central processor.

Optimus let out a big frustrated sigh, "How about telling me how you three didn't clean up this mess?" he pointed to the piles of candy wrappers and empty oil drums, "I think there's even more of a mess then when I checked on you two hours ago!"

Somewhat relieved, Bumblebee kicked aside so trash that was close to him, "It's not that bad…"

"Not that bad!" Optimus tried to compose himself, "All I asked was for you three to clean up. Instead you made a bigger mess. We don't live in… in a…," he couldn't think of the saying, "… a peg pen?"

"I think you mean 'pig pen'," Sari corrected him.

"Whatever," he sighed once more, "I want this mess cleaned up by the time I get back," he started to head for the door.

"Going out Boss Bot?" Bulkhead asked.

Another sigh came from Optimus, "Apparently Ratchet took a stasis nap in a tow away zone… again."

"Let me guess," Sari knew where this was going, "He's making a scene."

"I'm going to calm the situation down," Optimus transformed, "And apparently get a boot off of him…," he wasn't sure what that meant, "Get this cleaned up by the time I'm back. NO excuses!" he exited out the opening garage.

They watched as he sped down the road and disappeared from sight. They breathed a sigh of relieve. Optimus hadn't discovered Bumblebee's folly. They still were chewed out about the growing mess, but that was the least of their problems. Right now, they had a controller to hid or fix. Whichever was the more viable option.

"Here's the game plan," Sari called in a huddle, "Let's get this place cleaned up as quickly as possible. You two start. I'll start searching for a way to fix… that," she pointed to the controller, "Or maybe get this stupid Key to work," she growled down at it.

But it didn't seem to pay her mind.

Bumblebee was about to argue, but Bulkhead wouldn't have any of it. He picked him up and carried him away from the potential fight. Bulkhead was not in the mood for another yelling match. There just wasn't time for an argument. They would be lucky if they had enough time to clean up the mess.

"I hope Ratchet is extra cranky," Bulkhead wished, "That will at least buy us some time."

That's really what they needed. Time. And luck. A little bit of luck would do nicely.