Gateway Future
Confusing Love
Optimus slowly lowered his fist full of papers back onto his desk, giving room to his one free hand to reach up and massage his temples. The stress relieving method was nothing more than a habit he had acquired from living with humans for far too long, however it was a comforting habit and also a warning to anyone he might be in a meeting with to be careful with their words. His Vice-Commander had walked in right as he had begun to rub his temples. He released a sigh and took his customary seat directly in front of Prime and waited for what he knew was next.
"There's been another Invader attack on one of our solar outposts." Optimus sighed. He tossed the papers in Jet Fire's general direction. With optics closed in silence he listened to the papers shift and crumple in Jet Fire's grip. The report showed that there were no survivors whatsoever.
"And no sign if it was him or not..." his Vice-Commander sighed. After releasing one final sigh, he began, "Well, on the bright side, Miss. Elexandria and Demolisher seem to be great friends now. If anything, that'll be a deterrent for him to return to the Decepticon side of the war. Kicker and Rick have been staying out of trouble," there was a slight prayer of thanks whispered from Optimus' lips at that which made Jet Fire fight back a laugh, "And Swords and Blaze have been behaving themselves like good little Shinobi Gate Keepers."
"And Hot Shot and Sideswipe? How are they dealing with the atmospheric readjustment?"
"Red Alert reports that they've had minor system glitches every now and then, but they've requested permission to rejoin in active Energon patrols. Oh yeah, and Erin wanted me to drop this by." Jet Fire released a small pure white gem onto the table which clattered and clanked against the metal on Prime's desk. Optimus picked it up gently and examined it.
"A little small, don't you think?"
"Nah, fit's fine once yah slip it on. Doesn't get in the way of transforming cogs either." Jet Fire countered, holding his own in view as if to prove his point.
"Have Elexandria and Rick received these amulets as well?" Optimus questioned. He let out a small chuckle of shock when the gem contracted to fit perfectly over his wrist.
"I'm pretty sure they have. I know Elexandria has at least. Rick, though... Well, you know how he can be."
Optimus released another sigh at that. He slowly turned his chair so that he was looking out the upper window in his office and muttered under his breath,
"Oh yes...And that's what I'm afraid of..."
"Ever heard of a dragon before?" At that Prime returned to looking at his second and blinked.
"A what?" Jet Fire let out a light laugh.
"A dragon. Red Alert and I got a good twenty minute explanatory lecture on what a dragon was from Miss. Elexandria yesterday over lunch. You know that little stuffed toy she's always carrying around? That's a model of a type of dragon. She's hoping they're more than just fairytales."
At this sudden change of topic, the problems that haunted the Commander of the Autobot Forces seemed to melt away into the background.
For some odd reason the girl continued to dance around his feet.
"Please won't you come with me Mr. Demolisher?" Elexandria echoed yet again.
"I'm sorry, Miss. Elexandria, but I have to stay here." Demolisher repeated for what seemed like the hundredth time. Before Elexandria could repeat her pout, Rick burst out the top observation window. He dashed quickly towards the door, which had now been shut and locked, and began to pound on it.
"Hey!! Let me in!! This isn't funny, Miss. Alexis!!"
"What happened?" Demolisher blinked.
"She kicked me out for annoying her again!" Rick snapped. Demolisher looked from Rick to Elexandria then back to Rick. He picked Rick up off the observation window and set him gently next to the still prancing Elexandria.
"Miss. Elexandria, since I can't go with you have Rick take you down to the Omnicon shops." Demolisher suggested. Elexandria looked at the now confused boy. She blinked for a few moments and looked down at the dragon that looked back up at her. They both nodded their heads in agreement.
"He'll do. By, Demolisher!" Without warning Rick found himself being dragged back into Ocean City by a hyperactive nine year old. Only the sound of Demolisher's sigh of relieve answered his echoing question for an explanation.
Every Decepticon was waiting with wide eyes and hopeful sparks. They stood poised to move yet as stationary as stone before a large metallic almost tank-like warrior incased near the core of Unicron.
"Fellow Decepticons," the green giant that seemed to lead them echoed, "I think we've finally got enough Energon to release our beloved leader Megatron!"
"About slaggin' time!" a black and yellow orange faced helicopter huffed in annoyance. The green giant ignored him.
"What are you waiting for, an invite? Wake him up already!!"
"Hesh, touchy..."
A small glowing green star-shaped container was placed against the sleeping warrior's chest plate. The warrior began to glow.
Elexandria could not have been happier, where as Rick could have cared less. The child had recently discovered that one of the Omnicons had seen something similar to a Chinese good luck dragon far out in deep space. In all honesty the relativity of this matter was small and insignificant, but still it made the youth smile and gave Rick an excuse not to show up in Prime's office.
Red Alert, however, was another matter that the boy could not avoid. In fact Elexandria made it impossible for the teen to avoid a confrontation with the medical robot.
"You know Prime wants to speak with you, Rick." Red Alert warned the boy.
"Already heard, ain't goin'."
"Bye!" Elexandria squeaked. Within seconds she had bolted away from the teen towards the front gate. Rick blinked at the dust trail blankly before barking over his shoulder,
"Told to keep an eye on her!" and running after the girl. Red Alert processed this for a few seconds. He let out a sigh and reached up his hand to rub his sore temples as it all fit into place. His gentle stride was soon following the almost winded boy.
Demolisher's face was set deep in a glare. His optics were trained directly into the noon sky at a black discus of energy that was slowly forming in the northeast. There was no mistake of what or who this portal belonged to. He clicked his com on and radioed the main tower. Confirmation of his fears and a prep alarm rang out within moments.
The Terracons and Decepticons were on the attack.
It was interesting how only just now there was any sign of warning about the coming attack. He watched from on high, hidden from all sensors and visual optics by a strange new shield that had been installed by the black being he had seen within the core of his master. Apparently it was powered by the energy of his spark so that it did not waste precious Energon that could be put to better use in the revival of his master. When the bright red blur of machine guns followed by the whir of parts as the newly repaired and updated defense grid for the city was activated and the fighters launched, he slipped into the plant. His master was a true genius.
The plan was so simple and elegant that even he could not fail his master now!
Both Hot Shot and Sideswipe raised their weapons and prepared for confrontation with the enemy. This would be the first time either of them had seen combat with a Terracon, but it would not be the first with a Decepticon. Also as if in an effort to ebb their fears the two Shinobi Gate Keepers were stationed in the same room as them.
"You ready, bro?" Sideswipe whispered. He could almost feel the worry coming of his emotional sibling, but knew he would be fine in the heat of battle when he replied,
"Yeah, so long you two stay out of our way." His comment was towards the humans. Neither of them looked worried. In fact, they looked eerily calm by simply leaning against either a wall or by sitting with their head down and feet extended before them.
"Hey, are you two deaf? The alarms are blaring and you're just...!" A bright red gate opened before the Shinobi named Swords, extending a large handle out into the air and interrupting the complaint mid breath. Swords grabbed this handle and used it as a lever to hoist himself to his feet. He tossed back both his overly large hat and extended a sword half a Transformer's height in one smooth fluid action that showed he was lethal with his trade. Despite the fact the sword was over three times his size he was still easily able to lean it against his shoulder without damaging the wall.
"Hold out your wrists." The two robots exchanged a look of confusion. "I said hold out your wrists!" His voice left no room for argument, and the two instantly obeyed. With a simple flick of his own wrist, the two were shackled with two different gemmed bracelets. Hot Shot's was bright orange highlighted with yellow, where as Sideswipe's was silver laced with orange. "A gift from Erin. One Gate Guard per fool, just as a safety precaution. They will activate themselves when the time is right."
"And when exactly will the time be right?" Hot Shot blinked.
"When he," Swords brought his blade to point at what seemed like a blank packet of space, "Has either retreated or fallen, Blaze and I will be happy to explain everything to you."
Sideswipe and Hot Shot exchanged a look of confusion that was soon replaced with a look of shock. A ragging Blaze burst around the so called empty space, illuminating a ghostly silvery outline of an all too familiar figure.
The heat was incredible! The fact that these two simple humans had been able to see him, cloaked as he was with the black being's new equipment, was incredible! He drew his sword while in the inferno and charged the blade master.
Swords blocked the hit from the charging shadow with ease. It almost seemed as if he was toying with the hidden enemy as his sword moved to block every blow yet he himself hardly seemed to struggle against the blade. He signaled something to his second with the slightest tilt of the head. Blaze circled around behind the silver shadow and with one well placed fireball, he extinguished his cloak.
Hot Shot's optics widened in shock, then narrowed in anger.
"Move aside! Starscream's mine!!" Swords had just enough time to move away before Hot Shot had charged in. With one well placed hit to the jaw, Starscream was down upon the floor. With another scream of long bent up pain, Hot Shot had the swordsbot pinned beneath his knees. His hands flailed to get out of the lock Hot Shot's own stronger, younger hands pinned him under.
Blaze looked between the two, primarily at the now glowing gemstone on Hot Shot's wrist, and cursed. Swords echoed the same when the gemstone erupted into light and the once black armor on the now viciously struggling warrior began to peal away to revile white and red more familiar, stronger armor.
Hot Shot looked on with shock as half of Starscream's black head parted way for a familiar blue optic and red aged face.
"H-Hot...Shot...?"
Rick had only one thing to say to the girl that continued to run as if her life depended on it. He grabbed her by the wrist and shouted almost point blank,
"Are you insane?! That way's the way outside! The enemy is outside!!"
With a strange new strength the girl ripped free of his grip and shouted, "Mr. Demolisher might be in trouble!!"
"And he'll be in more trouble if you go out there!" Rick countered again. Elexandria glared at him. Her dragon seemed to glare at him. They were just within the light of the exit, just within reach of the child's goal. Rick was the wrong person at the right time to stop her. She kicked him in the shin and ran. Once he recovered, Rick followed. "Damn brat! I'm so gonna get grounded for this..."
Demolisher fired round after round into the advancing troops. It was only when a familiar voice he had half prayed to hear half dreaded to return ordered him to cease fire did he stop.
Like a ghost, Megatron in all his renewed glory, in his new white armor and blue galactic crown with his prized sword strung tight over his left shoulder, descended before him.
"My loyal Decepticon Demolisher... I do hope you were planning to open the front door for us. Anything else I might consider treason." Megatron snickered darkly.
"L-Lord...M-Megatron... Is...it really you, sir?" Demolisher whispered. Megatron slapped him across the face.
"That's for refusing to rejoin the Decepticons sooner, fool. Now open this gate!"
The gate opened by itself. Demolisher blinked, turning back to look at it. Inside was a familiar kimono wearing figure racing towards him being chased by a teen in black cursing at the figure ahead to stop. Instead of the girl stopping, time stopped. It was now or it was never. Would he rejoin his allies, his comrades, his sole friend, his leader? Or would he stay with a little kimono wearing, dragon loving human child who had nothing to offer him except companionship and true friendship?
Megatron received a rude awakening when Demolisher opened fire on him. He turned his head over his shoulder and shouted at the duo racing towards certain death.
"Rick, get Elexandria out of here! NOW!!!" He then turned to face Megatron, a fire in his optics the aged commander had never seen before. "Sorry, sir, but I can't let you pass. Not only do you not have clearance, but you're threatening to blow my home and my friends sky high. You're not the Megatron I swore allegiance too all those eons ago. I hold no oath of loyalty to you," and he added out of habit, "Sir."
"So you'd betray me for this hunk of junk?" Megatron growled. He whipped the leaking Energon from his lip and nodded his head in shame. "How pathetic..." His cannon came to bare and his main weapons came online. "Then die with this scrap heap!!"
Demolisher raised his hands in defense of his core. He heard Elexandria calling out his name at the break between the city interior and exterior. Weather the blast was truly meant for him or if Megatron had turned it at the last second, he never knew. All Demolisher knew was that Rick had finally captured Elexandria and had covered her right as the entryway to Ocean City collapsed upon the duo. Demolisher saw Rick tighten his eyes in pain seconds before the first rocks hit them, he heard the boy yelling something lost in the crumpling sounds of the falling rubble, and he saw both the boy and the all but smothered Elexandria become lost in the dust, iron, and ashes of the falling ceiling. And he heard Megatron's all too familiar cackle sound out at the end of the eternity, when both the children were lost under a sea of metal scraps and concrete unevenly slaughtered bricks. With a demon's reflexes the aged and infuriated warrior returned fire.
The war against his former master had begun.