Disclaimer; I own Lacuna and the plot. That's it. Three Days Grace owns I Hate Everything About You.
Warning: Due to language and violence, this series is rated PG-13.
On the Wings of a Crow
Chapter 2
I Hate Everything About You
by Switchblade X
Lacuna didn't sleep the rest of the night. Instead, she leaned against the wall that served as the head of her bunk— Dinobot's bunk— and watched the night slowly fade into morning.
Her entire universe had fallen apart in a matter of moments. Now, she had to start to pick up the pieces and try to put them back together again. Megatron was no longer her hero. Now, he was merely her creator, whom she had a newfound hatred for.
You can't hate him completely. protested her conscience.
Why not? she retorted. He tried to kill me! Twice in the same day! You know that! I hate him. I hate him now, and I'll hate him forever.
But, he's your father! He's the only father you've got.
So?
You'll always love him, Lacuna, whether you want to admit it or not. The love bond between a parent and its child is unbreakable.
That's what you think.
Listen to me, girl. I'm your conscience; I'm here to guide you.
No, you listen to me! I don't need your Jiminy Cricket slag, okay? I'll deal with this on my own.
…You still love him. You always will.
She sighed, You're right. You're absolutely right. …I hate everything about him, but I still love him. …Why do I love him, though?
Because he's your father. And you know you have to help him.
Help him?! How the slag do you help 'bots like him?
It's hard, but it can be done. All you have to do is show him the light.
The light? Hel-lo!! I'm a Predacon! A child of darkness! What's all this slag about light? And who the slag are you? What're you doin' inside my head?
I already told you; I'm your conscience, dear, I LIVE in your head.
Yeah, well, find a new home. There is no help for my father. He needs to be locked away in a tiny little room in the highest-security prison on Cybertron.
…Well, then, if that's the case, help in the effort.
Lacuna was silent for a moment, as an idea that she had been working on all night finally came together. Y'know, Jiminy, you might just have somethin' there. I have an idea.
Oh?
Yep. It's a pretty good one, too. And, if everything goes right, it'll get me, Waspy, Scorponok, and Terrorsaur outta here. …Dear sweet Primus, I've finally gone nuts; I'm having a conversation with a figment of my imagination that claims to be my conscience but is really the spirit of Jiminy Cricket.
"Jiminy" chuckled, Let your conscience be your guide.
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Slowly, Terrorsaur awoke. He had stayed with Lacuna for the rest of the night, finishing up his shift as her watcher, and had slept on her floor.
"Hey."
He looked up at the 'bot that was crouched on the bunk above him and smiled, "Hey."
"Did I wake you up?"
"No." He sat up, stretching and yawning.
"…You didn't have to stay with me last night."
"I know. I just wanted to."
She smiled, and patted her bunk.
He got up, stretched some more, and sat down beside her. "Did you sleep any? You don't look like you did."
"I couldn't sleep."
"How come?"
"Terrorsaur…"
"Okay, stupid question."
She grinned at him, and looked back out the window, "Sunrises are so beautiful."
"Yeah. This planet is screwed up beyond belief, but it sure is pretty."
"Mm-hmm. …There's only one moon, now."
"Yeah."
"You know what that means."
"Megatron was right all along."
"Yep. ……So, what's the deal?"
He looked at her, "Excuse me?"
"Why're you hangin' around me all of a sudden? Not too long ago, you hated my guts. You're not…you're not using me because you think you can get to my father through me, are you?"
"No! What made you think that?"
"I dunno. That just seemed like the Predacon thing to do."
A brief smile crossed his face, "Ah. My reputation precedes me."
She looked at him, frowning slightly.
He sighed, "Actually…I want to apologize for the way I treated you before. I should've given you a chance instead of judging you before I knew you. …And I wanted to thank you for saving my life. I can only think of one other 'bot that would've risked his own life to save mine."
Lacuna looked at him for a moment longer, "Apology accepted. And, you don't have to thank me; I was just reacting to a potential disaster."
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Inferno entered Megatron's quarters, searching worriedly for his leader. Why was it so dark in here? It was rarely ever completely dark in here. Where was Megatron?
"Inferno…"
He jumped, "Royalty? Where are you?"
Slowly, Megatron's optics lit up in front of the ant; the Predacon commander had been sitting in his chair the whole time. "Inferno…what've I done?"
Inferno frowned. Megatron's voice didn't sound right; he sounded…sad. "I'm afraid I don't understand you, my Queen."
"I hit her. I've never hit her before. I shot her. I could've killed her! …I've been angry with her before, but never to that extreme; Lacuna was always so well-behaved…"
Cautiously, Inferno took a step forward. "Royalty? What is wrong?"
"Why did she disobey me?"
"I…don't know."
"…I don't know what came over me! She just made me so angry… And, I shot her! Inferno, I shot my own child!" He drew a deep, shuddering breath, and buried his face in his hands, "What's happening to me? Why did I hurt the one thing I have ever loved?"
"My Queen…" He was at a loss. What could you say at a time like this? Was there anything to say?
"Did you see the way she looked at me? Such hurt and anger and…hatred. She hates me, Inferno! …I can't blame her, though. I hate myself for what I did to her." He sighed, "What am I going to do?"
"I don't know, Royalty. I wish I knew; seeing you in such a state of distress deeply disturbs me."
"I've gone too far this time, Inferno. …And I don't think I'm going to be able to go back, either."
The ant frowned in confusion.
Megatron's face became stern as his Predacon programming finally overrode his parental concern. "However……she did disobey me and openly defy me. Such rebellious behavior will not be tolerated, no. I will not have another Terrorsaur."
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Later that evening, Lacuna was ordered to go with Megatron and Inferno to recover two stasis-pods that had fallen into Predacon territory.
Terrorsaur and Scorponok were out on patrol, the spiders were still nowhere to be found, and Waspinator had been left to guard the base, so Lacuna didn't mind getting out since everyone else was busy. In fact, she was looking forward to it; it was about time she was assigned to a real mission instead of babysitting a crashed spaceship that was more than capable of watching itself.
She flew beside Inferno, surveying the damage that the quantum surge had left behind. She stayed away from her father; she was still mad at him for hitting her. And shooting her. And refusing to help her save Scorponok and Terrorsaur. And almost killing her. Twice.
Inferno glanced at the two 'bots that flew on either side of him. The tension between them was so thick, one could cut it with a dull butter knife. Such tension was dangerous.
"There." Megatron said, stopping suddenly.
Below them, two creatures of unnatural origin were engaged in a fight. One of them appeared to be half scorpion, half cobra: the other, half wolf, half eagle.
"Inferno, separate them." the Predacon leader continued.
Inferno saluted-"At once, my Queen."-and dropped from the sky.
Megatron then looked to his daughter, who folded her wings and went into a spectacular nose-dive without saying a word. He sighed, She even sulks like Dinobot. I knew I let them spend too much time together. He began his descent, watching Inferno get caught up in the fight.
Lacuna transformed before she landed, and didn't move when Megatron landed behind her.
"Ah, such entertainment." Megatron said, as Inferno hurled the wolf/eagle into a nearby rock.
She growled, and headed toward the ant. "INFERNO!"
At once, he snapped to attention, and the cobra/scorpion fell off of him.
"Knock it off, wouldja?! Primus Almighty! You were told to separate these two, not get caught up in their fight yourself." She continued on to the wolf/eagle, and helped him up, "Are you okay?"
"I think so." he replied, looking embarrassed. "Thank you, ma'am."
"No problem." She turned back to Inferno, "I swear, we can't take you anywhere!"
Inferno bowed deeply, "My apologies, my Pr-"
"Don't call me that! I am not your princess, okay? I am your comrade! My rank is lower than yours!"
"My apologies, Lacuna."
"That's better."
"You're a princess?" the scorpion/cobra asked, climbing to his feet.
"No." Lacuna answered. "Inferno just likes to bug me by calling me that."
Inferno didn't reply; he was locked in a salute.
Lacuna sighed in exasperation, "At ease, Inferno."
He relaxed only a fraction.
"Excuse me, ma'am, but, where are we?" the wolf/eagle asked.
"Yeah." the scorpion/cobra chimed in. "Where in tarnation are we?"
Lacuna spread her arms wide, "Welcome to Hell, otherwise known as Earth, a tiny little mud ball located smack-dab in the middle of nowhere that just happens to play a major role in our history. Word of advice; get out while ya still can."
"Earth?" the wolf/eagle asked. "Why does that name sound familiar?"
She looked closely at him, "You don't remember a thing, do you? Neither one of you do."
"I'm afraid we don't, ma'am. We're lucky to remember our names."
The crow groaned and put one hand over her optics, "Dear Primus, they're more screwed up than Inferno." She looked at the two creatures, who were looking up at her expectantly. "Okay. Well, that can be dealt with. …I think… And, by the way, call me Lacuna, not 'ma'am', okay? I am many things, but I sure as hell ain't no lady. So, don't treat me like one."
"Oof!" Inferno exclaimed, as he was smacked aside by Megatron.
Lacuna sighed again, "Gentlemen, allow me to introduce my father, Megatron."
"Greetings, friends." Megatron said, bowing graciously. "I am Megatron, leader of the Predacons. And you are?"
"Call me Quickstrike." the scorpion/cobra said.
"I think my name is... Silverbolt. Yes; pure, strong and…and fast." the wolf/eagle decided.
Lacuna almost gagged. Oh, great, a hero. He's not the Predacon type; he'll get slagged by one of us in no time! I've gotta try to get him out of here.
Megatron shook his head, "Ugh. …Well, now that all of the pleasantries have been exchanged, let's get down to business, yes. We are Predacons, and we are in the middle of a war. Our enemies are called Maximals, and must be stopped at any cost. Now, as to how you get from beast mode to robot mode: merely speak the Predacon transformation code. Terrorize!" He transformed, "See? Now, you do it."
"Terrorize!" Quickstrike shouted. "What in tarnation-" he started, as he transformed. "Hey, get a load 'a me! I like it."
"Terrorize." Silverbolt said. He studied his robot mode briefly, "I don't like the way that word tastes."
"Believe me, kid, you won't like a lot of stuff around here." Lacuna said.
Megatron swung his tail-gun at her, which she easily dodged, "Never mind her; she can be rather annoying."
"With all due respect, Sir, you shouldn't strike at a female; it's not right." Silverbolt said.
Megatron glowered at him and was about to say something, but spotted Cheetor flying overhead. "Ah, it appears we have an uninvited guest. Silverbolt, bring him down."
"Why? He has done nothing to us."
The Predacon commander growled, and blasted him with his shoulder-mounted cannons. "Do not question me."
Silverbolt nodded as he got back up, transformed, and chased after Cheetor.
Without a word, Lacuna transformed, and followed after him.
Megatron watched Inferno get up before he transformed and followed his daughter.
"I s'ppose we're suppos' ta follow 'em?" Quickstrike asked.
"Of course." Inferno replied.
"Well, alrighty then." He climbed onto Inferno's back "Giddyap!"
Inferno cackled, and took off.
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You're mine, cat. Lacuna thought, catching up with Silverbolt.
Cheetor glanced over his shoulder just as the crow passed the Fuzor. He'd seen some pretty scary stuff since he'd come to this planet, but nothing had ever chilled his mech-fluid like seeing Lacuna swoop down out of the sky like she just had. "What are you, some kinda Angel of Death?" he asked.
"You know it, Spot!" she replied, transforming. "And it looks like I'm gonna have to take another of your nine lives!"
"You'll have to catch me first!" His jets flared, and he sped off.
"Gladly."
Silverbolt frowned, not quite understanding what was going on, and tried to catch up with Lacuna and Cheetor, who were zipping expertly through the canyon.
"What's your beef with me, anyway?" Cheetor called, trying to shake her. Needless to say, he didn't have any luck.
"I'm not a cat person." Lacuna answered, lining up a shot.
"Obviously."
"AAH!" Silverbolt exclaimed upon smacking into a rock.
Both Lacuna and Cheetor stopped in midair and watched him fall.
Cheetor laughed, "Looks like your friend isn't as agile as you are."
Slag. Lacuna thought, looking to Cheetor. "I'll be back for you, cat." she promised, snapping off a shot at him before dropping out of the sky.
"AH!" Cheetor exclaimed, as the laser connected with his side. He fell a few feet before he managed to straighten up. As he did so, he spotted Megatron heading right for him.
Megatron had seen Silverbolt fall and Lacuna go down after him. Fortunately, Lacuna had shot Cheetor before she had gone down; the cheetah was just now gathering his wits.
"Aw, man." Cheetor groaned, before he took off again. "This day just keeps getting worse."
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"You okay?" Lacuna asked as she landed beside Silverbolt, who was in the process of getting up.
"I'm fine." he replied, transforming. "I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"I distracted you when I messed up."
She shrugged, "Don't worry about it; I didn't want to chase cats all night, anyway."
"Why were we ordered to attack him? He wasn't doing anything to us."
"He was spying on us, Silverbolt. That qualifies as 'doing something'." She looked skyward, searching for Inferno and Quickstrike.
"Oh." He was silent for a long time, shifting his weight uncomfortably from one foot to the other. "Lacuna?"
"Yeah?"
"I…I don't think I'm going to be a very good Predacon."
She looked at him, "That's because you're not a Predacon."
He frowned, "But, Megatron said-"
"Megatron is a liar. He's sneaky, and greedy, and tyrannical, and downright nuts. Don't you ever believe one word that comes out of his mouth."
"But, Megatron is your father."
"So what?"
"I thought you were supposed to love your parent or parents."
"I did love him, Silverbolt. But, that was before I found out what kind of scum he really is." She closed the gap between them, and put one hand on his shoulder, "Defect."
He stepped back, "What?!"
"Defect. Go to the Maximals, they'll gladly take you in."
"Lacuna, you can't be serious!"
"I am serious, Silverbolt. Dead serious. …You're not a Predacon; you're too honorable and good and innocent. If you stay with us, you'll be dead before sundown tomorrow."
"But I can't just walk away!"
"No, you can't. I'll help you, though."
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Because you're just a confused, lost little puppy that needs someone to watch out for him until he can get back on his feet. You're a white knight, Silverbolt; you don't need to be hanging around with the guys in black hats."
He was silent again, looking at her as though he was seeing her for the last time. "…What about you?"
"What about me?"
"Since I have been awake, everyone that I have come into contact with has shown me nothing but cold indifference and hostility. Except you. You helped me, you were kind to me. You are the only one to have shown me friendship. I can't just leave you here with them."
She smiled, and returned her hand to his shoulder. "Don't you worry about me; I'll be fine."
"But, you're alone with all those monsters! What if Megatron strikes at you again?"
"It won't be the first time, believe me. But, I'm not alone; I have friends who watch out for me. We take care of each other."
"Come with me. Please."
She shook her head, "I can't. At least not right now."
"Why?"
"I can't tell you that. But I promise you this; we'll be together again someday."
He looked at the ground and nodded, "I don't like leaving you behind, but if that is what you wish, so be it. …When should I go?"
"I don't know, but it needs to be soon. I'll cover you when the time comes."
He nodded, "Thank you."
Lacuna's commlink crackled before she could reply.
"Predacons, converge on my coordinates at once." Megatron ordered.
"Here we go again." she sighed, transforming.
Silverbolt followed suit, and the two of them took off together.
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As the entire Predacon force converged on Megatron's coordinates, Lacuna introduced Silverbolt and Quickstrike to the rest of the team before they started readying themselves for battle.
"Good to see you again." Lacuna whispered to Tarantulas as she checked her gun.
"Ditto." he replied, inspecting his own weapon.
"Fall in." Megatron ordered. He wondered where Blackarachnia was, but decided that it didn't matter; they easily outnumbered the Maximals.
"This is unfair." Silverbolt said, as they lined up facing Cheetor, Dinobot, and Rattrap. "We outnumber them three to one; they don't stand a chance!"
"Word of advice, kid; keep your opinions to yourself if you want to live." Terrorsaur whispered out of one corner of his mouth, noticing the glance that Megatron shot toward Silverbolt.
He nodded, and fell silent.
"Open fire!" Megatron ordered.
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Lacuna made a great effort not to shoot at Dinobot: Rattrap and Cheetor, on the other hand, were fair game. Thus, they were her targets, particularly Cheetor; she still had a score to settle with him from earlier.
"Prepare for a full attack!" Megatron ordered.
Silverbolt was the first— and only— to protest. "What?! We outnumber them more than three to one!" "Yes." Megatron agreed. So? he wondered. "We have twice their firepower!" "Yes." Silverbolt saw the looks that the others were giving him, and noticed that Lacuna was giving him the "shut-up" signal, but he ventured farther. "Well, we should give them a chance to surrender." "Um...no." He smacked the Fuzor into a nearby rock, then leaned in close to make his point, "Question my command again and I will tear you limb from mismatched limb, Fuzor."Silverbolt nodded, flinching away from the angry Predacon commander.
"I wish the enemy destroyed quickly and without mercy." Megatron continued, standing, "Would anyone else like to object?"
Quickly, the others shook their heads 'no' as they flinched away.
"Well, I--ack!" Quickstrike exclaimed, as Megatron clamped his tail-gun's claw around his neck.
"Yes?" Megatron lifted him up to optic-level.
Quickstrike squirmed, "Uh, does it, um, hafta be quick? Cause once we cripple 'em, I'd kinda liketa enjoy their sufferin' for a while."
Megatron dropped him, "I like how you think, Quickstrike, but business before pleasure." He returned to firing on the Maximals, "Spread out and keep them pinned!"
As his minions obeyed his command, Megatron noticed that Tarantulas was talking to someone. Although he couldn't hear what was being said, the spider's movements suggested that he was frustrated. "To whom is that underhanded arachnid speaking?" he wondered aloud. "I detect no radio transmissions."
"These Maximals are fools!" Silverbolt exclaimed. "We flank their position; they should retreat, but still they fight."
"Ah, the Maximals are many things, but fools they are not." Megatron zoomed in on the trio of Maximals, then on the Axalon, where two strange purple shafts were spiraling up into the sky. "They are trying to prevent us from reaching their base! Waspinator, Silverbolt, Lacuna, take to the air and circle wide! Converge on the Maximal base, and hurry!"
Quickly, the three transformed and flew toward the Axalon, easily dodging the Maximals' fire. In a matter of moments, the Beast Wars could be over for good.
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The trio flew along in silence, each on high alert incase a certain Maximal cat decided to make an appearance.
Waspinator harrumphed, and left his position in front of Lacuna to fly in front of Silverbolt. "Wazzpinator izz in command. Wazzpinator will lead, yeeeezz."
Silverbolt glanced at Lacuna, as she moved beside him. "Well, since you're the one who knows the way, go ahead. Lead on."
Waspinator skidded to a stop suddenly.
Unable to stop Silverbolt smacked into him, but managed to stay aloft.
The wasp turned to face the Fuzor, " You not tell Wazzpinator what to do; Wazzpinator izz in command."
"Oookay, fine. What is your command?"
"Doggie-bot will be good like Lacuna and follow Wazzpinator. Wazzpinator will lead." And with that, he turned back around and continued on his way.
Silverbolt groaned and briefly covered his eyes with a paw.
Lacuna chuckled softly.
Silverbolt glanced down and gasped loudly.
Lacuna followed his gaze and inhaled sharply. "Waspy!"
"Hm?" Waspinator looked back at them just as Cheetor knocked him out of the air and flew on toward the Axalon.
"I'll take him, you check on Waspinator." Silverbolt said.
"Are you sure?" Lacuna asked, glancing down.
"I'm sure."
"Okay. You be careful."
Silverbolt smiled, "I will if you will."
Lacuna nodded, folded her wings, and dropped out of the sky.
Silverbolt watched her for a second or two before chasing after Cheetor.
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Waspinator had hit the ground hard, but managed to sit up by the time Lacuna caught up with him.
"Are you okay?" she asked, transforming as she landed and helping him up.
"Wazzpinator thinkzz zzo. Where izz Doggie-bot?"
"He went after Cheetor."
Waspinator was about to say something when his commlink crackled.
"The Maximals are running." Megatron said. "Converge on their base at once!"
Lacuna transformed, "You heard the man; let's go slag us some Maximals."
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"Where's that one guy?" Scorponok asked, as Lacuna and Waspinator landed and transformed between him and Terrorsaur.
"I don't know; I can't find him anywhere and I haven't been able to contact him via radio, either." Lacuna answered. "And his name is Silverbolt."
"We think the Maximalzz took him prizzoner." Waspinator said, as they got into position in front of the shielded Axalon.
"Oh, great." Terrorsaur groaned. "Leave it to the rookie to get himself captured."
"All Predacons, open fire!" Megatron ordered.
A barrage of lasers and missiles hit the Axalon's shield as the Predacons unleashed their full arsenal.
Megatron laughed as the shield shattered, revealing Rhinox, Rattrap, Dinobot, and Cheetor, who opened fire, but quickly ran out of ammo.
"Predacons, attack!" Megatron cried, firing on the Maximals again.
The others followed him, and the night sky was quickly lit up with the explosions of missiles.
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The battle raged on through what was left of the night, and soon dawn came, revealing four extremely damaged Maximals and eight victorious Predacons.
"Move out, Predacons." Megatron said, a smile on his face. "We've waited a long time for this, yes. Let us be close enough to enjoy it."
As one, the Predacons advanced down the small hill that separated them from the Maximals, cocking their guns menacingly.
"At least we go with honor." Dinobot said, watching his former comrades close in for the kill. He noticed that Lacuna had made a point not to stand at any angle that might cause her to hit him when she fired upon the helpless Maximals. She was looking at him with sorrow and regret in her purple optics, biting her bottom lip, her gun shaking slightly in her hand. Don't do this, Lacuna. he silently pleaded.
"Finish it." Megatron said before snapping off a shot.
His laser was intersected by another shot that had been fired from the Maximal base.
All of the Predacons gasped as a figure stepped into the sunlight.
"Well that's just prime." Optimus said.
"Big Bot?" Cheetor asked.
"Yes. It worked." Rhinox murmured.
"Primal!" Megatron spat. "Destroy him!"
The other Predacons immediately opened fire, but no one managed to hit the Maximal commander.
"My turn." Optimus said, returning fire, which dispersed the Predacons.
Lacuna grabbed Terrorsaur with one hand and Scorponok with the other, and pulled them behind a nearby boulder. "Waspy!" she called.
Almost as soon as his name was called, Waspinator dropped from the sky behind the rock.
"What are you doing?!" Terrorsaur demanded.
Lacuna jerked her thumb toward Optimus, "A smart warrior knows when to fight and when not to fight. There is an angry monkey a few yards away with guns that are almost as big as we are. I think that qualifies as 'when not to fight'."
Optimus transformed into his vehicle mode, and flew over the quartet, heading for the other Predacons. He didn't even spare them a glance.
"Let's get out of here and see if we can collect the wounded before the Maximals decide to start taking prisoners." Lacuna continued.
Her comrades nodded in agreement.
"And whatever you do, don't get slagged." she added, as they dispersed.
"Flight is no longer your advantage, Optimus." Megatron called, transforming and flying after him.
"I know I'm gonna regret this." Lacuna sighed, taking off after her father.
"Oh no you don't!" Cheetor yelled, lining up a shot.
"Cheetor, no!" Dinobot cried. He was too late; Cheetor fired on the unsuspecting crow, the laser bolt connected with her right side and knocking her out of the sky.
Lacuna was quick to recover. She leapt to her feet, gun in hand. "You little shit!" she yelled, firing three rounds.
Cheetor cried out as the first two shots hit his shoulders. The last shot connected with his face, silencing him.
Lacuna quickly holstered her gun, turned her back on the Maximals, and took off at full speed, following Megatron and Optimus.
Optimus landed and transformed not too far away.
Inferno, Quickstrike, and Tarantulas surrounded him. Just as Inferno snapped off the first shots, Optimus hit the dirt, and Quickstrike and Tarantulas were blown away.
As he stood, Optimus watched Inferno holster his gun.
"Your turn to burn, Optimus Primal." Inferno said, as they faced off, hands hovering just above their guns.
Unbeknownst to Optimus, Megatron had landed behind him and was lining up a shot that would put the Maximal commander out of commission permanently.
Optimus won the quick-draw; he took Inferno out before the ant ever figured out what was going on.
"Hello and goodbye, Transmetal Optimus Primal." Megatron said, as he prepared to fire.
From out of nowhere, Silverbolt dropped out of the sky and into Megatron's crosshairs. Howling, the Fuzor transformed as he flew at the T-Rex; he tackled Megatron seconds later, sending him over the edge of a nearby cliff. "Consider that my resignation from the Predacons, Megatron!"
Optimus walked over to where Silverbolt stood, watching Megatron scream as he fell.
"I know now that my place is with the Maximals." he continued. "May I join you?"
Optimus looked from Silverbolt to Megatron, who was still falling. "Well, I like your résumé."
"Silverbolt!"
Both Maximals looked up as Lacuna dropped out of the sky.
Lacuna threw her arms around Silverbolt, hugging him tightly. "I was worried sick about you! Are you okay?"
Silverbolt smiled at her as she pulled away, "I'm fine. You, on the other hand…"
She glanced down at her damaged side, "Oh, that. I'll live." She nodded toward Optimus, "Looks like you didn't need my help after all."
"Okay, what's going on?" Optimus asked.
"Lacuna was the one who suggested that I join you." Silverbolt explained, turning to face Optimus. "It was a suggestion that probably saved my life."
"You were never meant to be a Predacon, Silverbolt." Lacuna quietly said. "You're a true Maximal; you belong with your own kind."
Optimus remained silent, stunned by what was unfolding before him. Was the daughter of Megatron helping them again? It looked like it. What's wrong with this picture? he wondered.
On the other side of the cliff, Terrorsaur screeched as he landed and transformed. As Optimus, Silverbolt, and Lacuna looked at him, he folded his arms across his chest, trying to look as unthreatening a he could. He hadn't come to fight. This time.
"Are you sure you won't come with me?" Silverbolt asked.
Lacuna nodded, "I'm sure. Like I said; I can't right now."
He nodded and looked at the ground, fearing that this was the last time he'd ever get to talk to her.
Gently, Lacuna put her hand against his cheek, making him look at her. "I promised you that we would be together again someday. I intend to keep that promise."
"When will someday be?" He covered her hand with his.
"I don't know. Soon, I hope. …But, I've got a few loose ends to tie up, and until I do that, I'm not leaving the Predacons."
Silverbolt nodded again, "I'll be waiting for you."
Lacuna smiled, and hugged him again, "You watch out for yourself, okay?"
"I will. …Thank you. For everything."
Her smile broadened, as she pulled back enough to look at him, "Hey, what're friends for?"
He grinned.
"I've got to go; Terrorsaur's waiting on me."
He nodded as his arms fell away from her.
She looked to Optimus, "Take care of him for me."
Optimus nodded.
Before she turned to go, Lacuna hugged Silverbolt again quickly. "I'll see you around."
"I look forward to it."
Slowly, she pulled away, and walked backward to the edge of the canyon, where she then lifted off and flew toward Terrorsaur.
Optimus and Silverbolt watched the two fly back toward the Predacon base, then turned back toward the Axalon.
The bodies of Tarantulas, Quickstrike, and Inferno were gone.
Optimus frowned as he approached the spot where the three Predacons had lain, "What the…"
A smiley face had been drawn into the dirt, and beneath it was written Love, Scorponok, Waspinator, and Terrorsaur.
Optimus chuckled softly, "So, that's what Terrorsaur was doing so close by."
"How did they do that? I never heard a thing!" Silverbolt said.
"Neither did I. That just goes to show you how sneaky a Predacon can be."
................................................................................................................................................
"Did he make it okay?" Terrorsaur asked, as he and Lacuna helped Waspinator and Scorponok load the last of the wounded— Quickstrike and Inferno— onto the lifts of the CR tanks.
"Yeah." she answered, watching the lifts lower.
"Good."
"He would've never lasted as one of us, anyway." Scorponok said. "If Tarantulas didn't eat him first, Blackarachnia would."
Waspinator shuddered, "Ick."
"I'm just glad he got out." Lacuna commented. "He was too…good."
"Who was?"
All four of them flinched before they turned to face Megatron.
"Silverbolt." Lacuna answered, stepping forward.
"Ah, yes, I was wondering about him. Where is he?"
"He defected."
Megatron didn't like the smug look on Lacuna's face or the note of triumph in her voice. "Did he? Oh, that is a pity. …Lacuna, come with me for a moment; I need to discuss something with you."
She frowned, sensing something was amiss. "Very well. Lead the way."
Megatron glanced at the remaining three before he led Lacuna away. Those four were together a lot. Too much, in fact. I think I smell a conspiracy. he thought. That's all I need: a group of rebels.
................................................................................................................................................
They started down the hallway that lead to the armory, but didn't go very far.
Megatron stopped in front of a door that Lacuna had never noticed before; you could barely see it.
Lacuna frowned as the door slid aside, revealing nothing but darkness. "What-"
With one rough shove, Megatron had her in the room and on the floor. He watched her pick herself up, but she didn't stand. Instead, she looked up at him in confusion as the door closed behind him, and dim lights came on, revealing a small, box-shaped room. "It was you, wasn't it?"
"What was me?" she asked.
"Don't play dumb with me! You're the one who told Silverbolt to defect, aren't you?!"
"So what if I am? What does it matter? We outnumber the Maximals any way you go."
"Insolent wretch!" He kicked her across the floor.
Lacuna grunted as she smacked into a wall. Slowly, she began to stand up.
Megatron crossed the room in three strides and grabbed his daughter by the neck, slamming her into the wall. "You treacherous little worm! How dare you commit such treason!"
"I'd do it again, too!" she retorted.
With a roar of rage, he threw her into the opposite wall. "I told you once, and I'll tell you again, I will have no more rebellions out of you! You will do as I say and not question me!"
Again, Lacuna climbed to her feet, "You can't control me! You don't own me!"
"I gave life to you, Lacuna, therefore I do own you. And, believe me, I can just as easily take that life away."
"Do it!"
He chuckled as he walked toward her, "No. I won't kill you just yet."
"Coward!"
"Traitorous parasite!" He slammed his tail-gun into the side of her face, hurling her across the room again. "I am going to teach you a lesson that you won't soon forget!"
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By now, the entire Predacon force (including newly-repaired Inferno and Quickstrike) had gathered outside of the door to what they secretly called The Box. The Box was a room that Megatron used to 'teach a lesson' to someone who had angered him. All the commotion coming from the Box had caught their attention.
"What's he doing to her?" Blackarachnia wondered.
"It sounds mighty painful, whatever it is." Quickstrike said.
"We've got to get her out of there!" Terrorsaur exclaimed.
"Why?" Blackarachnia asked.
"Because he's going to kill her if we don't!"
"Why should we care? Lacuna's just a lapdog."
"She is not! Lacuna is my friend; I owe her my life! And I for one am not going to just sit back and let that lunatic kill her!" He looked down at Scorponok, who was trying to pop the Box's lock. "Anything?"
"Not yet." he answered. "This thing is quadruple-encrypted; it might take me a while."
"We don't have a while! We need to get Lacuna out of there now!"
Blackarachnia snorted, "You've gone soft, Terrorsaur."
Before anyone could stop him, Terrorsaur threw himself at the black widow with an angry roar.
Blackarachnia cried out as the back of her head cracked against the floor. She was about to counterattack, but Terrorsaur's weight prevented her from doing so; he was sitting on her legs, and was pinning her arms down with his knees. One of his hands wrapped tightly around her throat, cutting off all of her air except for a tiny little stream.
He growled at her as his hand tightened around her neck, cutting off the rest of her air. He could feel her metal flesh beginning to dent and break beneath his hand as he dug his fingers farther into her neck.
Blackarachnia managed a small squeak of pain and terror. She had never seen Terrorsaur so angry before!
Quickstrike started forward, but was held back by Tarantulas and Inferno.
"Don't!" Tarantulas exclaimed. "If you interfere, he will kill her!"
"Terrorzzaur, get ahold of yourzzelf!" Waspinator pleaded.
Scorponok suddenly gasped as though he had been shocked and leapt to his feet.
The door to the Box opened, and Megatron stepped out. He had a few minor dents and scrapes, and he was carrying something.
All of the Predacons, including Terrorsaur and Blackarachnia, watched as he dropped the mangled body to the floor and kicked it forward. It was Lacuna.
"Let this be a lesson to all of you." Megatron announced. "I will not tolerate treachery. Do you hear me? No more! From now on, you will obey my every command, and you will not question me! Do I make myself clear?"
Fearfully, they nodded in agreement.
"Good." He stepped over his daughter's body, and headed down the hallway toward his quarters.
Terrorsaur was the first 'bot to drop to his knees beside Lacuna's mangled form, Blackarachnia all but forgotten. He reached out to touch her cheek, but drew back, afraid that he would make her wounds worse. Waspinator and Scorponok leaned over his shoulders.
Blackarachnia started coughing and gasping for breath.
"Is she dead?" Tarantulas asked.
"Daaaaang." Quickstrike commented.
"I was afraid of this." Inferno said.
At once, all optics were on him.
"Afraid of what?" Scorponok asked.
"The Royalty has been acting strangely since the quantum surge. She seems more…aggressive…toward Lacuna. I believe it is because Lacuna has become, for lack of a better term, rebellious."
Terrorsaur swore loudly, picked up Lacuna's body, and headed for the CR tanks.
Without a word, Waspinator and Scorponok followed him, leaving the others behind.
"Whaddya s'ppose that was all about?" Quickstrike asked.
Inferno shrugged.
Tarantulas chuckled as he watched Blackarachnia climb to her feet, "Do you not see it?"
Quickstrike frowned, "See what?"
"Terrorsaur obviously has something for her. If he didn't, why would he be so concerned about her?"
"How do you know that?" Blackarachnia rubbed her throat, "For all we know, he could be using her to get to Megatron."
Tarantulas shook his head, "No. If Terrorsaur was using her to get to Megatron, he would've taken over by now. This is something far more…intimate."
"What about them other fellers?" Quickstrike asked.
"The four of them have formed a pack; they watch out for each other."
"You mean like…friends?" Blackarachnia asked, making a face.
"Precisely."
"The Royalty must know of this." Inferno declared.
"Megatron already knows." Tarantulas said. "And it absolutely infuriates him; he doesn't want her interacting with us any more than she has to."
"Why would he want that?" Quickstrike asked. "Lacuna seems friendly enough."
Tarantulas shrugged, "Megatron is a very complex creature."
"Lacuna's a little too friendly if you ask me." Blackarachnia said. "She's not much of a Predacon; she's to sweet and innocent."
"Lacuna isn't as sweet and innocent as you think, my dear." Tarantulas reminded her. "You must remember; she is a crow, and crows are fearless as well as clever. Make no mistake, she is one of us. And the fact that she's Megatron's daughter makes her all the more Predacon."
Quickstrike looked at the tarantula closely, "How d'you know this stuff?"
Tarantulas shrugged, "I can tell certain things about certain 'bots based on their actions— or lack thereof— and on their words. Or lack thereof. Lacuna is twice as complex as her father, which makes her all the more interesting to me…"
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Hours had passed since he had carried her to the CR tank. He had missed his patrol completely, and knew that he would be in hot water when Megatron found out. But, he didn't care.
Blackarachnia had come and gone a long time ago; he hadn't damaged her too seriously, much to his annoyance.
He had sent Waspinator and Scorponok on their way a while ago; he saw no need in them being punished for keeping watch with him when Megatron found out. They had reluctantly agreed to leave only after he had promised to switch places with them once they got back from patrol.
Cloaked in the Darkside's natural shadows, Terrorsaur sat close to Lacuna's tank, praying to any deity that would listen to deliver her safely from this latest run-in with her father.
Megatron had almost killed her. In fact, if he had've exited the Box two minutes later, he would've killed her.
Terrorsaur was fairly certain that next time Megatron wouldn't be so merciful.
Finally, the CR tank's lift began to rise up out of the fluids.
Quickly, he stood, half afraid of what he would find. "Lacuna?"
Slowly, Lacuna stood. As her vision cleared, Terrorsaur's worried face came into focus. Before she knew what was happening, she was swept up into a tight, desperate hug.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine." She smiled and wrapped her arms around him, "Haven't we done this before?"
"Last time was nowhere near as serious as this time."
Her smile faded, "What do you mean?"
Slowly, he pulled away and held her at arm's length, "Lacuna, he almost killed you this time. If you two had've been in there for another two minutes, he would've killed you."
"I'm not afraid of dieing, Terrorsaur."
"I know that. But, Lacuna…" He shuddered and looked away for a moment. Then, he drew a deep, shuddering breath and continued; "When Megatron carried you out of there…you were so torn up, it was a miracle that you'd gone into stasis. …I don't remember the last time I was so scared. Lacuna…I thought I'd lost you for sure this time."
She smiled as realization dawned on her, and hugged him reassuringly, "Don't worry, Terrorsaur; you won't ever lose me. I promise."
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Scorponok and Waspinator returned from patrol to find Tarantulas, Blackarachnia, and Quickstrike in the command center.
"Has she come out yet?" Scorponok asked.
Upon seeing that the spiders were going to ignore Scorponok completely, Quickstrike shrugged, "I dunno."
Scorponok sighed, "I was afraid of that."
"Two-headzz know where ant-bot izz?" Waspinator asked.
The Fuzor shrugged again, "Prob'ly kissin' Boss-bot's kiester. He seems like th' type ta do such a thang."
"You have a point, Quickstrike." Lacuna said, as she and Terrorsaur entered the command center and stepped onto a hoverpad. "But, Inferno doesn't know any better; his logic circuits leave much to be desired. Therefore, he cannot be completely trusted."
Waspinator and Scorponok nearly knocked her off of her hoverpad when they rushed to greet her.
"Once again, Lacuna, you have cheated death." Tarantulas said.
Lacuna grinned at him over Waspinator's shoulder, "What can I say? I'm hard to kill."
Blackarachnia rolled her optics.
"What'd Boss-bot beat you up fer?" Quickstrike asked.
Lacuna waited until Scorponok and Waspinator had released her before she spoke. "I told Silverbolt to defect. I had to; all that chivalry and manners slag made me sick." And I didn't want him to get hurt by one of us. she thought.
Tarantulas chuckled, "He was rather Maximilian, wasn't he?" I know why you told him to defect. he thought. You befriended that miserable mongrel and didn't want one of us to hurt him.
"So, now that you've come back from the brink of oblivion yet again, what's next on your agenda?" Blackarachnia asked, folding her arms over her chest.
"Continue on as though nothing happened." Lacuna answered, heading over to an open station. I will not let that tyrant that I call 'Father' intimidate me. she thought. Nor will I let him control me. I am a free 'bot and I will do as I wish. …And right now, I wish to find a chink in Megatron's armor and exploit it to the fullest.
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Silverbolt sat by himself on the land bridge that crossed the waterfall that flowed near the Axalon, wondering about Lacuna. He missed her, even though they had only been separated for a few hours. He was certain that he would see her again, but would he ever get to talk to her again? He hoped so; she had quickly become his best friend, and friends were not meant to be apart.
He sighed, "Until we meet again, my friend, may the Matrix protect you."
"She can take care of herself."
Silverbolt jumped at the sound of Dinobot's voice, and looked up at the raptor, who was standing beside him, looking out over the horizon. How long had he been there?
"Lacuna is well-trained; she is more than capable of taking care of herself." Dinobot continued, still not looking at the Fuzor.
"How did you know that I was referring to Lacuna?"
"Optimus told all of us what happened out there. The rest wasn't too hard to figure out."
"Oh." He looked down at his hands, which were folded in his lap, "I tried to get her to come with me, Dinobot. But, she said she wouldn't leave the Predacons until she had 'tied up some loose ends'." He looked up at the older warrior, "I'm…I'm afraid that Megatron will hurt her. He struck at her once while I was with the Predacons, and the tension between them is dangerously thick."
Dinobot glanced down at the young warrior. The worry in Silverbolt's optics got to him; the Fuzor was almost childlike in his innocence. In an attempt to reassure the rookie, Dinobot put his hand on his shoulder; "Lacuna knows what she's doing. But…if Megatron does so much as scratch her, I swear, I will personally rip his spark out."
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I Hate Everything About You
Three Days Grace
....................
Every time we lie awake
After every hit we take
Every feeling that I get
But I haven't missed you yet
....................
Every roommate kept awake
By every sigh and scream we make
All the feelings that I get
But I still don't miss you yet
....................
Only when I stop (stop) to think about it…
....................
I hate everything about you!
Why do I love you?
I hate everything about you!
Why do I love you?
....................
Only when I stop to think
About you, I know
Only when you stop to think
About me, do you know
....................
I hate everything about you!
Why do I love you?
You hate everything about me!
Why do you love me?
....................
I hate
You hate
I hate
You love me
....................
I hate everything about you!
Why do I love you?
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Author's Note; Viola! Chapter 2 completed finally! My apologies for the amount of time that it took me to complete this chapter. Between school, my "jobs", bouncing back and forth between parents, and trying to learn how to drive properly before January (Yay, I get to try for my license in the snow. :[ ), I haven't had much time to write lately. So, sorry for the wait. …Anyway, thanks to CyberSpyder and Dreamwater H2O for the reviews! They are very much appreciated.
Oh, yeah, before I forget; for anyone who cares, Chapter 8 of Ulysses is almost completed. As for Chapter 15 of Of Shadow And Light…well…that series is on hold due to a severe case of Writer's Block. Hopefully, that one will be back online soon.
Anyhow, please review! More to come!