Subi: ... (glaring at Shockbox, who is somehow tied to a chair) I warned you...

Shockbox: UNTIE ME, YOU EVIL AUTHOR-FOX! (struggles against energon bonds)

Subi: >D Now why would I do that?

Shockbox: SOMEONE GET ME AWAY FROM HER! SHE'S MORE CRAZY THAN I AM!

Subi: Good luck with that. You won't get far until someone comes for you, now hush before I change my mind and eat you...

Shockbox: NOOO... ;-; SIXSHOT! (whines, knowing he's bugged the room) Come get me...

(different location) Sixshot: Oo... I think I should go get her before she drives Subi out of her mind... Then again, I don't want to get on Subi's bad side either... (sigh) What to do...?


7. Flames of Rescue

"CHERYL!" Optimus shouted, trying to be heard over the roar of the flames. Blast!... Maybe I should have waited longer before coming so I knew where I had to go... He sighed. At least I got that small sparkling out of here... Optimus doused an area in the flames with water so he knew where he'd looked. Is she just trying to kill herself by staying in the fire?

"By Primus, where is she?.!" He growled irritably, kicking a cooling beam. He stomped his foot in fustration. "CHERYL!" He barked, and his gold optics glowed and flashed sharply. She must know a lot of things about the Autobots that the Decepticons would find useful if she would rather die in the flames to be running so persistantly from me... It's either that, or she's a... Could she be a sword holder? He paused in his search. That would explain why Primus said 'two sword holders' instead of three... Which makes my task even more difficult in getting her to realize that I'm not a Decepticon...

"Cheryl..." Optimus called, getting tired of shouting. He halted as a memory flashed through his mind...


--"...A recent report has come in that Autobot City has fallen under heavy siege by Decepticon forces. After a long skirmish, Autobot City has now gone up in complete flames, set off by explosives built under the city by the previous city leader, Shiori Pax, as a precaution to a successful attack by the Decepticons..." the reporting Autobot said over the news on the screen in the resteraunt. Sitting at a table with some close friends, a twelve-year-old Optronix looked up from his glass and stared at the screen. Previous leader, Shiori? What happened to her? He wondered. His friends noticed he wasn't paying attention to them and followed his gaze to the screen.

"...Searchers have not found the current city leader, Shiori's sister, Cheryl Pax, although they have found several other survivors, wounded and unwounded alike, due to the help of an unnamed Autobot that seems to be unaffected by the blaze..."

"Cheryl..." he said softly, and with a sudden flash of insight, he jumped to his feet and rushed out of the room. She's running from him... She doesn't know he's an Autobot, that's why no one has found her yet... I need to get out there and tell Sentinel Prime...--


"YOU DON'T HAVE TO RUN ANYMORE, CHERYL!" Optimus called out, realizing that she had to be close by in the fire. "COME HERE ALREADY!... By the Allspark, you're as stubborn as Shiori and I am... CHERYL, BY PRIMUS, IT'S OPTRONIX! GET OUT HERE!..." He stomped his foot again impatiently before noticing a half-melted platform that was cooling from the heat of the fire that had been there moments earlier. With a big push, he jumped up onto it and from there looked around.

"CHERYL!" He barked at the flames, daring her to come out and say it was a joke of some sort.

"Optronix...?" came a soft weak voice from behind him. He turned and looked down into his sister's neon-blue optics. She smiled at him weakly.

"It is you... isn't it... Optronix...? I'm sorry..." She started to collapse, but he leapt forward to catch her in his arms.

"It's Optimus nowadays. Cheryl, hang in there-"

"It's too late for me, Optimus... " she whispered "I have to tell you... The last three... are already home... The new decepticon... The one.. in the diner..." She slid something into his hand. "Give this to... the... see.. ker..." her head fall against his shoulder

"Cheryl?" He asked in alarm. But it was too late, and his sister's form went limp in his arms. He fought back tears as he opened his hand to see what she'd given him. A strange, gold shard glinted back at him innocently, and light-blue sparks dancing around it faintly, though none touched his hand. Give this to the seeker? By Primus, there must be thousands at home... How am I supposed to figure out which one to give it to?... He stashed the shard in his subspace pocket before gathering her frame into his arms and started off into the flames. I should at least bring her body back... It's the next-most decent thing I can do, seeing as almost everyone alive has been rescued by the other searchers and myself...


-- "Sentinel Prime!" Optronix called, stumbling through the makeshift 'camp' that had been set up a safe distance away from the dying blaze that had once been Autobot City. "Sentinel Prime!" He cried again, before nearly running into the yellow-orange Autobot leader.

"What is it, Optronix? We're still trying to make sure everyone from the fire is being taken care of-"

"Have you found Cheryl yet?" Optronix cut him off, inwardly wincing at the sense of disrespect he was putting out. I know I should be more respectful, but Cheryl is my sister! He reasoned, and looked up worriedly into the taller Autobot's optics. A rush of dissappointment ran through him as Sentinel shook his head.

"No, we haven't, Optronix. I'm sorry."

"Alright..." Optronix said softly, hanging his head and stepping to the side so an older Autobot could get past him.

"Optronix!" A regal, commanding voice called from behind him. Optronix and Sentinel Prime turned to face the bot, and froze in amazement. Coming out of the dying flames was a tall, red, blue, and silver Autobot, carrying a femmebot in his arms that Optronix clearly recognized, dispite the burnmarks on her...

"CHERYL!" He cried, and rushed over to them, Sentinel Prime hot on his heels. As he got closer, he realized the Autobot coming toward them wasn't just tall; he towered over Sentinel Prime, who was the tallest mech the young bot knew. However, one glance at the Autobot's face and Optronix knew something was wrong. He slowed, noticing Cheryl hadn't so even twitched at her name. Something isn't right... He thought, and with a feeling of dread, came to a stop a short distance the blue, red, and silver mech. The Autobot knelt, and carefully laid Cheryl on the ground in front of them. Optronix felt tears begin to form as he realized what her unmoving form ment.

"I'm sorry, Optronix," The Autobot said softly, still kneeling on the ground as he looked up at the small bot. "She shut down not long after I found her..."

"It's alright," Optronix told him quietly, and looked up into the other bot's gold optics. "I think I already knew when I found out she was missing... Although, I want to thank you for bringing her chassis back..."

"You can thank yourself then," The mech chuckled, giving him a small smile.

"What do you mean by that?" Optronix asked with a frown. The other bot reached out and put both of his hands on the small Autobot's shoulders.

"I am you. From the future, come to the past, as Primus has asked me. A leader for millions of years, yet still struggling with the choices of right and wrong. Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots, Supreme Commander of the Autobot warriors of Cybertron..." Optimus rose to his feet. "Hold our name out to your close friends, and closer still to your spark, Optronix. And know to trust the voices of wisdom. Now, I must return home..."

A greenish spacebridge portal opened behind the red, blue, and silver mech. Optimus leapt up and transformed into a firetruck before the long side-panels opened back and twisted, creating wings. With a flash of his boosters, he took off and left through the gate, and the portal closed behind him. Optronix knelt beside his sister's lifeless form, and only then did his tears begin to fall...


Shockbox: Nice chapter... BUT LET ME GO, DARN YOU! ;-; I wish Sixshot would come get me... SUBI! LET ME OUT OF HERE!

Starscream: (comes in) What's all the howling about? (sees Shockbox) ... Subi, what is-

Subi: Say another word and I'll light you on fire, 'Screamer... (twitching tail angrily, and glares at him)

Starscream: ... (scoops up Shockbox, and with a glare at Subi, turns and walks out of the room with her) ... (mutters) She scares me more than you did when I was younger...

Shockbox: O.o; ... I didn't realize I scared you that badly...

Starscream: You have no idea... >>

Subi: Next chapter's a shorty, and goes back to the EnergonArmada Dimension. >D I wonder how many reviews I can scrounge up before then...