Author's Note: I managed to get to my mom's computer today, so I decided to do another update before any of my readers spontaneously combust. So here is the next chapter of this story. I hope you like it.

Please do not ask where the title of this chapter came from. Because of the events that began in the last chapter, it seemed appropriate. Also, I know zip-all about the Headmasters series of Transformers, so if I mention any Head/Target/Powermasters or any other little subgroup, I will be referring to them before they became binary-bonded.

Disclaimer: You should know by now.

Metal and Neon

Chapter 13: Hell Unleashed

Galvatron's eyes blazed with an insane, bloodthirsty fire as he led his troops directly toward the huge city, intending to wipe out the Autobots before stripping the planet of its energy. His twisted, ugly cackling was sending chills up and down his warriors' spines, making circulatory fluids run cold and nerve cables twist into kinks with fear. Even Cyclonus and Scourge eased back to put some distance between themselves and their insane commander.

Below they could see the ground shaking with every step Trypticon took, and some of them found the presence of the giant Decepticon rather comforting. The Autobots clearly had not brought Metroplex with them, so there was nothing to stand against their most powerful warrior.

"Attack!" Galvatron howled. "Destroy them all!"

The Decepticons dove.

The Autobots hadn't had time to complete their mission of convincing the remaining humans to leave, but the sight of that giant dinosaur, its body bristling with weapons and radiating an aura of evil given form, stomping toward Vegas was convincing enough. Every single one of the remaining humans, including the police officers, packed up what they could and fled. Even the CSIs left, chased out by several of the Autobots. Finally, Las Vegas was empty of all human life.

"We have to stop them from reaching the city!"

"Easier said than done!" Magnus barked. "Trypticon has no known weaknesses!"

"I didn't need to hear that, you idiot!" Springer moved out of earshot before Magnus could respond.

"Autobots attack!" Ultra Rodimus commanded.

With a war cry torn from three hundred throats, the Autobots surged forward to engage the enemy.

Trypticon's optics flashed. The behemoth let out a thunderous roar and fired the first shot, using his particle beam cannon. The Autobots scattered out of the way. The shot slammed straight into the city, carving a line of fire right through the residential areas and perilously close to downtown. It left behind a line of devastation, cutting a groove twelve feet deep and twenty feet across, everything within forty meters of the cut set ablaze by the very heat of the blast.

"We have to lead them away from the city!" Kup cried out.

"Tell me something I don't know!" Ultra Rodimus snapped.

The Autobots were about to swerve away and try to lead Trypticon out into the open desert when the Decepticons descended on them, preventing them from doing anything other than fight back. The Decepticons, coming from above, began the battle by bombarding the Autobots from the air, pounding them with laser fire. Not all of them actually hit any Autobots, but those that missed did just as much damage. The city was burning and the Autobots could do nothing to stop it.

When the two armies met, it was with the thunderous clash of metal on metal. Some combatants shot at each other. Others went hand-to-hand or using blades. Any unoccupied Autobots swarmed Trypticon, pouring weapons fire at the massive Decepticon. They were quick enough and small enough to dodge the lumbering giant's attempts to catch or shoot them, and succeeded in keeping him occupied with them instead of shooting up the city.

Ultra Rodimus was busy dealing with Spinister when he was jumped on from behind. Quick reflexes let him throw off his assailant before he got a good hold, kicking Spinister away long enough to get a look at his second opponent.

Razorclaw smiled at him coldly. "I'm back, and this time you won't be so lucky!"

He pounced.

Spinister waited until the two were already fighting before moving in to try and get Ultra Rodimus from behind. Before he could get close, he was shot from behind and turned to see Twin Twist looming over him. The volatile, destructive Autobot was aiming right at him.

"You dare to attempt to strike my leader while his back is turned," Twin Twist hissed at him, voice frigid. "I will not allow that. Now you will have to suffer the consequences!"

Magnus had been watching from the corner of his optic, worried that he would not be able to reach his mate in enough time to fend off Spinister's attack. After seeing Twin Twist in the vicinity, he relaxed slightly, knowing that Twin Twist would handle the Decepticon.

Twin Twist was one of the rare Autobots who had a wild, destructive nature. Optimus Prime had been unable to handle him at the best of times. In battle, Twin Twist would fight with an almost berserk rage, tearing apart anything and anyone in his path. Even off the battlefield he was dangerous, in the habit of showing off his destructive talents to anything he laid optics upon. His first action upon meeting Ultra Rodimus for the first time had been to sneer that a bot as slender and humanoid-looking as the new Prime was would be utterly useless in battle, unable to defend himself or withstand a single hit. Ultra Rodimus, instead of delivering a lecture or reprimand, had taken Twin Twist on in physical combat and had beaten the tail off him. No one would ever forget the sight of the berserker flat on his face on the ground, pinned beneath Ultra Rodimus's foot, and it never ceased to amaze anyone how thoroughly Twin Twist had been brought down a few pegs. Some time after that, it had become clear that Twin Twist was slightly less loyal to the Autobots as a whole and more loyal to Ultra Rodimus himself, serving as a sort of bodyguard on the field of battle, watching his back and keeping any opportunistic enemies from sneaking up on him.

Ultra Rodimus noticed Twin Twist grappling with Spinister and gave him a nod of gratitude. Even while struggling with the Decepticon, Twin Twist managed a bow from the waist in response. The young prime rolled his eyes and returned his attention to the steel claws raking at his face.

Another shot from Trypticon seared past, setting another swath of the city ablaze. It came so close the heat of it scorched Ultra Rodimus's armor, accidentally vaporizing Ruckus and Needlenose. Galvatron's scream of rage made Ultra Rodimus grin to himself.

The battle raged on, expanding as the warriors spread out, chasing each other down and engaging in heated firefights. The air was thick with smoke, the scent of burning metal and Transformer blood, the howl of missiles, the shriek of laser weapons, and the screams of the wounded, eerie counterparts to the battle cries and bellowed profanities. Trypticon was shooting in all directions, roaring out his frustrations at not being able to hit his tiny attackers. The gestalts were waging a savage war of their own, and Omega Supreme was in the process of pounding Devastator into the ground. The immediate parts of the city had been razed to the ground, and the nearest sections were either ablaze or in danger of catching fire.

A triumphant yell from somewhere nearby caught Ultra Rodimus's attention. Catching the Predacon leader in a chokehold, he ficked a glance in the direction the yell had come from. He saw Springer nearby, holding Octane down with his feet and one hand, his sword hand pointing skyward, sapphire optics aglow. Ultra Rodimus took a moment to slam a fist into Razorclaw's face before looking in the direction Springer was pointing.

Two huge shapes, one larger than the other, were descending rapidly, their hulls glowing red from the friction. They transformed before touching down, smoking from the heat of their passage, already pulling weapons and advancing toward the Decepticon giant. Of the two, one was mainly dark green and dark blue, with white on his torso and red on his limbs. The larger of the two was mainly white, marked with red and blue.

Metroplex and Fortress Maximus had arrived.

Trypticon saw them and spun, the Autobots who had harried him splitting off and rejoining their comrades in the main battle, leaving the giant dinosaur to the two giant Autobots. The two stopped a short distance (by their standards) away, in the desert. Trypticon, overwhelmed with fury, charged them, mouth open wide.

The battle had been joined.

To be continued...

I hope you like this chapter. The battle is heating up, and it's a long way from being over. Please don't spontaneously combust while waiting for the next chapter, which may be a while in coming, I'm sorry to say.

Simply Crisis: If you want more, you'll get more. There's still plenty of action to come.

Fenestrae: The Autobots will try to save as much of the city as they can, but with the fighting getting more intense, they can't promise anything. That is a good thought; I'll see if I can work it into the next chapter. Sure, you can tell me your idea. I'll see what I can do with it.

Send reviews and I'll get the next chapter up as soon as I can!