The court stood silent at Brawl's confession. Brawl, strangely, looked relieved at having been figured. His pose was more relaxed then it should be for someone who was about to head to his execution. Opposite of his reaction, Onslaught was holding on to his desk for dear life as he try to accept the fact that Brawl had killed Vortex and was about to be killed himself. Swindle was shaking like a leaf, the energon from his cut dripping ever so slightly into the puddle at Swindle's feet. Blast Off was calmed enough, but Hoist and Rewind next to him had definitely heard a hitch in his voice at Brawl's confession of guilt.

"Why?" Blast Off asked. "Why did you go up there?"

Brawl looked surprised by that question but answered quickly. "I was worried about him. I didn't think you or Swindle would come, so he was going to be up there by himself. I didn't want anyone to hurt him, so I decided to head up there. But, when I entered the library, I saw Swindle heading down the steps. I hid behind the nearest bookshelf and watched Swindle leave in a hurry, with what I'm sure was energon on his hands," Brawl said, glaring at the merchant. "I thought things between the two had ended violently, so I decided to head up there myself to make sure he was alright. You can figured out the rest," Brawl said, looking away from everyone. "Hey, bear, can we start the vote?" Brawl asked again.

"Well, you didn't call me stupid this time, so sure! Everybody get your electroID out and vote! This includes you, Beachcomber!" the bear singled out the geologist, who glared at the bear before reluctantly getting his electroID out. Onslaught glanced at everybody. Several of the people who were hesitant last time were voting quicker this time. The shock of it all was going away quickly and they were voting to save everyone else.

Onslaught finally drew his out, at the same time as Swindle and Blast Off. He looked down at the thirty square panels laid out in front of him, Soundwave and Vortex's picture being X out with Shockwave's. Onslaught moved his fingers to the picture containing Brawl's portrait and clicked on it. His pictured was blown up and the text box ask if he was guilty or not. Onslaught stared at the question for the longest time until he made his answer.

No

The picture retreated back and Onslaught went to a different picture: himself. He clicked on it and clicked yes, leaving his picture like the others who have died. The program confirmed his vote and went back to the main screen. He looked up to see that everyone else was done voting and all that left now was the reveal of whether or not they got it right.

"Alright, let's see if you're right!" Monobear said and the slot machine from nowhere started again. Everyone watched it spin until it landed on three pictures of Brawl. A burst of confetti and coins shower everyone with approval. "Bingo! Brawl, the Ultimate Brawler, killed Vortex, the Ultimate Interrogator. Most of you voted correctly, however, three of you voted wrong," he said, glaring out into the group. "Onslaught, Blast Off, and Swindle, voting for yourself is highly dangerous. You could've got everyone else killed."

"You guys didn't vote for me?" Brawl asked, shocked.

"H-how could we?" Blast Off stammered. "Voting for you would be sending you to your death."

"It wasn't your fault for killing Vortex," Swindle murmured bleakly. "It was just an accident. You shouldn't die for that."

"You're still my soldier Brawl," Onslaught said desolately, "which puts you under my care. I can't send you to your execution like this."

"Well, it doesn't matter, because the others made up for your failings," Monobear interrupted, glaring at them. "It's like you don't want to live. Oh, maybe one of you could commit suicide!" Monobear cheered happily.

"Shut up!" Brawl shouted at the bear before talking to his comrades again. "I'm sorry that it came to this."

"I am too," Onslaught agreed, barely keeping himself together. "I should've been able to stop this. I should've been able to keep you from fighting with each other. I should've kept Vortex from dying. Instead, you killed him and I'm letting you be executed."

"Boss, don't blame yourself," Brawl ordered him, looking into his optics. "This is my screw-up, not yours."

"But I should've-"

"No, you couldn't," Brawl told him frankly. "We all kept this meeting from you, Vortex ask to meet without you, Blast Off was too apathetic to go meet him, Swindle stabbed him, and I killed him. I don't see any faults from you in there," Brawl explained. "We all screwed up and I'm bearing them on my shoulders."

"I should be the one that has to bear it. I should be the one executed. I did nothing to stop all of this," Onslaught ranted.

"Boss, you know as well as I do that you need to stay alive for them," Brawl told him, glancing at the other two.

"B-but I can't just let you be e-executed like t-this," Onslaught sobbed, unable to hold himself together.

"You have no choice," Brawl told him. "You know the rules."

"Screw the rules!" Onslaught shouted.

"Aw, this is all so very despair inducing, but can you hurry up! I got an execution to do here," Monobear complained.

"Look, we don't have much time left, so let's finish this quickly," Brawl told them. "I want you all to live, for both me and Vortex. Don't just give up. The three of you need to live on and avenge us, you understand?" Brawl asked them.

"I-I-I think I got it," Swindle could barely said.

"I understand," Blast Off agreed, keeping himself together.

Onslaught kept his glared to the podium in front of him, unable to look at Brawl. This couldn't be happening could it? The game wouldn't be so cruel as to do this to him.

"Onslaught!"

He glanced up to Brawl, wanting an answer from him. Onslaught wanted to do anything else right now. He wanted to run. He wanted to save him. He wanted to just give up and die. Instead, he had to look at his soldier- no his friend- and tell him that he will protect Swindle and Blast Off, while sending him to his execution.

This was sadistic.

"I understand," Onslaught finally answered. "I'm sorry I can't save your life."

"Don't worry. I deserve this for killing Vortex," Brawl told them. "I'll miss you guys."

"So, are we ready to get the punishment going?" Monobear asked, exasperated.

"Yes, I think we are," Brawl answered, ready for his death.

"Well then, let's get started!" the bear cheered happily, getting his gavel out. "Everybody cheer for Brawl's execution," he told them as he slammed his gavel on the big red button that came out of the floor. No one had any time to react as chains came out of a doorway and dragged Brawl to his execution.

GAME OVER

BRAWL HAS BEEN FOUND GUILTY

COMMENCING EXECUTION

Brawl stood at the end of a long platform.

Across from him came was an opened doorway to a darken hallway with the words 'EXIT' written in bold, red letters.

Below him was a pit of spikes ready to impale him if he fell off.

In-between him and the exit were five robots of varying size with Monobear's color scheme.

Brawl slammed his fists together as he got ready for his final fight.

Before the first robot in front of him could react, he had stormed through and slammed his fist through its head, knocking it off with a sea of sparks.

TALK TO THE FIST

The next robot, much smaller than Brawl, tried in vain to land a blow only to be easily swept over the edge.

The next robot was smarter than the last one, ducking under Brawl's fist and attacking the legs. However, this was met with Brawl grabbing it and slamming it to the floor, destroying the top half of its body.

The next robot came up, almost matching Brawl's size, and punched Brawl in the face hard. Brawl counterattack with a kick to the bot's knee, making it stumble and not ready for when Brawl slammed his fist into its body and ripped its inner-machinery out.

Before Brawl could finished with him, the next 'bot of equal size was already attacking, giving two swift punches to his face and kicking him away. Brawl stumbled for balance, keeping himself balance on the platform, and block the next two attacks from it.

The bot stepped back and then immediately came back with a hard kick to Brawl's chest. Brawl stumbled even more as the bot quickly moved to finished him off, giving a swift punch to Brawl's face to knock him off…

…only to be met with Brawl capturing its fist with his hand.

Before the bot could react, Brawl pulled his arm closer and used his other hand to smash into it, breaking the struts and wires in it. The bot barely had to react as Brawl grabbed his head with both his hands and crushed it messily. The 'bot stumbled around before falling off the edge to the spikes below.

Brawl quickly traversed the platform and entered the darken hallway. As soon as he entered, the door behind him closed as the light came on to reveal an extremely long hallway.

At the end of the hallway was a giant steel fist. As soon as the door closed, the rocket boosters started, sending the fist on a crash course to Brawl.

Brawl immediately looked around for another way out of there. He realized very quickly that there wasn't a way out of here and the only way out was through the giant steel fist.

Brawl glared at the fist, coming to terms with his death, before giving a running start for the fist. He wasn't going to go out like a wimp.

Brawl ran at the fist full speed ahead. The two kept moving at each other, neither one backing down, as the two was about to meet. Brawl kept counting in his head when him and the fist would meet.

5…

4…

3…

2…

1…

Brawl raised his fist and brought it forward.

CRASH!

Onslaught turned his head as Brawl was crushed by the fist. He didn't need to see that. No one needed to see that.

"Wow! That was exciting! For a second there, I thought for sure he wouldn't get to see what I had in store for him in the exit, but I'm glad he didn't disappoint," Monobear praised the execution.

"You sick slagger," Onslaught growled out. "How could someone as sadistic as you exist?"

"Uh, because I can. I'm just that good," he bragged. "Well, I think we're done here, so I'll be on my-"

"Not so fast," Knock Out told him, glaring at the bear. "Today, when I went to my room, I found a strange device in the vents. Exactly what was that?" Knock Out asked.

"Oh, that. That was the motive," the bear answered.

"The motive?" Knock Out asked.

"Yes. Whenever anybody slept in the room with the device in it, it would affect their personality. Reversing the effects are easy. Either stay in a different room or find it and smash it," the bear told them.

"And you were just going to leave without telling us about that?!" Knock Out asked the creature.

"Uh, yeah. Good job on finding it though. It certainly saved you some trouble," Monobear told him. "Now then, good-bye. Sweet despair!" he told them, disappearing.

"Well, I guess we should head back up," Jazz told the group. "Good fine, Knock Out."

"Whatever," he said, heading towards the elevator. Slowly, everyone drifted into the elevator until the three remaining Combaticons remain.

"What can we do?" Swindle asked meekly.

"It's simple," Blast Off told him. "We stay alive."

"We have no choice," Onslaught said, looking at Swindle. "We need to leave and get your hand treated," Onslaught ordered.

"Yes, that would be a good idea," Blast Off agreed. "Come along, Swindle."

Slowly the three entered the elevator and Blurr pressed the button to go up. The 26 of them had survived another class trial, but with more blood on their hands.

Shockwave, Soundwave, Vortex, and Brawl.

They had to avenge them.

Chapter 2: Hope Shattering on the Ground (END)

Teachers alive: 26