Is this dragging on? NO? OKAYGOODBECAUSEITOTALLYDONTFEELLIKETHATATALL...

We're drawing to the CLOSE, you guys! I can hardly believe it. I wanted Mira and Optimus' fight to be epic, though I didn't expect it to take this long, though I shouldn't be surprised - I ALWAYS drag stuff on. Haha. I don't regret a moment of this, because it is SO MUCH FRIGGIN FUN.

Some more badaft fighting in this one, though Mira really comes into her own. I want Mira's fight to be realistic but also amazing, which means there are definitely some highs and lows, because she's not FULLY adapted to her armor yet, but she IS a soldier at heart. She's a tough 'ol bird, fo' sure. Let me know at you think.

ALSO ALSO ALSO - I created a poll on my bio page. Please check it out. It's going to help me determine this Mira/Cade/OP love triangle that I can't fully seem to determine myself! IF ya'll want say, THAT'S HOW YA GET IT. GO VOTE, leave a review, and have a blast! Love you! xoxoxoxo

Mira's gaze was locked with the scarlet optics in front of her, scanning them for any semblance of mercy they would possess. While she wasn't surprised that the bipedal holoform was as fierce and animalistic as Megatron's full form had been, she was mildly startled that he seemed so real. Optimus had told her the technology was merely an extension of themselves, though each time he had touched her in the form, there had been a reality there that had made her heart skip. And now, clutched in the Decepticon's talon-like digits, the technology's efficacy rang true.

For a moment, it didn't make sense. A Megatron holoform produced from Galvatron's form hardly seemed possible, though realization dawned in a cold veil as she remembered Brains, confessing all that he had witnessed during his imprisonment within KSI. Galvatron was Megatron - they were the same mech, with different component parts, but the same spark.

The KSI prototype was born from the manifestations of Megatron's core processor, and built to spec with human material. Megatron had given himself a new body, as Brains had suggested - but the guts of the machine, for lack of better terminology, was still the Decepticon warlord. Her heart plummeted for a moment, her hope having rested in the knowledge that she could actually defeat Galvatron due to his human construction.

The empty breath she released only confirmed the ideology slowly snaking around the center of her brain - Megatron was back.

Mira channeled all the CAST energy she could muster into pushing against his grip, trying to force any kind type of give he would allow. However, his grip was like the weight of the Earth, unmovable and wholly solid around her middle. Desperately attempting to muster an escape, she dared a look over her shoulder, finding Optimus skidding across the platform from one of Lockdown's attacks, his sword and shield flailing from his body.

The holoform watched Prime's moment of defeat as well, his wicked gaze falling back to her as he drew her closer. "Your fear smells delicious, Mira. I do so enjoy this moment, facing you again, after so many years of pestering torment." He glared down into her face, a primal snarl rising from his chest. "Now it is I who will terminate you, femme. Too long I have waited to see the life ebb from your beady, organic eyes." His chortle was deep as he bared his teeth fully in her face.

Her eyes narrowed into dangerous slits, and Mira felt the snarl rise from her chest and into her throat. "All talk, Megatron," she dared to use the name, a brief passing of surprise filtering through his expression, as if he hadn't expected her to recognize his existence, "You've never been able to defeat Optimus, and you've never been able to put a hand on me," she felt the smile at the corner of her lips, and saw the moment the mech's rage manifested in his optics. "This time will be no different."

In a flash of primitive force, Megatron threw her down to the platform, Mira colliding before she'd even fully realized she'd fallen. Her head smacked against the platform, her vision dancing in hazy uncertainty for a moment as agonizing heat rocketed through every bone and nerve ending in her body. The bipedal holoform wasn't enormous, but the drop was enough to whisk away the breath in her lungs and send soaring pain throughout her nervous system. Her arms trembled as she pushed herself up, coughing the pain from between her shoulder blades.

"You humans," he hissed at her, "such colossal ignorance. I will wear your spinal column on my armor before I let Optimus Prime defeat me again!" He lowered into a predatory stance, leering down at her like a demon, his maw practically dripping with lubricants familiar to the Cybertronian form. Mira studied him as her vision began to level back, watching his movement, waiting for his strike. It was much like watching a snake, she realized, though she ignored the stab of fear gnawing at her heart.

His optics were practically humming with a scarlet hue as they bore into her, cutting through her resolve like daggers to her courage. "And you," he shook his head at her, pointing a thin digit at her. "You willingly stay in ignorance, Miriam Lennox. After everything this war has cost you - are you not tired? Tired of the fight, the hope that never comes? Of empty promises?" The taunt dripped from his tone like venom, pricking her conscious just enough paralyze her reality.

Blood suddenly running cold from the depths of her core, Mira didn't move. Her mind was suddenly spinning wildly at the probe, her memories stirred alive thanks to his dagger of truth. Slowly, her mouth began to run dry, her arms trembling to support her weight as years of reflection pummeled themselves into her skull, fighting for attention as they flashed before her eyes. Mira felt her chest constrict, breathing beyond impossible.

She felt her life manifest before her mind's eye, wildly flying by so quickly that her stomach curdled into her chest, a burning pain erupting against her ribcage with each pulse of her heart. Tears began to sting at the corner of her eyes as she saw Will and Merrick; her parents - NEST, and all the soldiers she'd come to love. The Autobots, arriving and dying; Optimus grieving while thriving in victory, embracing his leadership...embracing her. Fingers curling beneath the armor against the platform, she pinched her eyes shut, trying to stay the hand of reminiscence in her conscious - but it was impossible.

Optimus dying, the birth of her son, the death of Willian and Robert Epps. Elaina, leaving her behind to flee to Colombia. The Autobots leaving in the Xanthium, only to resurrect to defend Chicago. The sands of Egypt stinging her eyes as she watched the Fallen die at Prime's hand; her moment of bonding with Optimus in guardianship. Her possession of the Shield - her christening as a Countess. It was all so swift, and so painful, that she didn't even feel the holoform approach her before his finger was beneath her chin, tipping it back to consider her tear-stained, bloodied face.

Was this all worth it? The words echoed across the chasm of her skull, threatening to rip her chest in two. Have I given everything, for nothing? To die here? Is he right...? Her eyes fell closed in his face, as she sucked in a trembling breath, her form hardly able to process the intake of oxygen. She felt a warmth emit from the holoform, which spurred her to open her eyes - and she gasped, all color leaving her face as two human eyes found her, a smile twisting the lips of the holoform before her.

Mira visible watched the holoform transform. Its shrinking size hardly hindered its strength, and she let out a breathy cry when Megatron's bipedal hand clasped around her neck tightly, her eyes following the human-like skin that replaced all trace of his Cybertronian heritage. Soon his hand was human as well, a white-knuckled grip cutting off her supply of air as he lifted her from the ground. Scarlet eyes bore into her face, his features twisting in uncontained rage, the scarring across his face marring what would've been a handsome example of a male.

Mira could hardly focus on his features as she reached up to drag her nails at his grip, her body's functionality slowly ebbing from her control as his hold solidified. A light thrum of energy against her breastbone rocketed warmth throughout the haze that was creeping over her senses.

Yes - this is what you born to do, Miriam. You were born to be the Keeper. Prime's Countess. For such a time as this...Pinching her eyes closed, she tipped her head back, a buzz of energy stirring at the base of her neck. Her eyes were flittering open when the Shield suddenly released a pulse of something, probing a scream from her, Mira's face contorting as she slumped within Megatron's hand.

She fell slack, Megatron's emotive rage wiped clean by surprise, as if he hadn't actually anticipated her dying so swiftly. Limp within his grasp, he scanned her form, finding a light pulse, and weak traces of oxygen intake. Releasing her, she dropped back to the platform, and he rolled her to her back with his foot, his human eyes scanning her face to find that she was, indeed, fully unconscious.

Despite her unconscious state, the armor was actively moving to restore function to her body, given that the emblem of the Autobots was glowing, and Megatron could sense the light electrical pulse racing through her body in attempt to correct her state. Her body wasn't Cybertronian, so it was a vain attempt. He gave her darkened form a wry grin of appreciation, noting the blood marring the side of her face - it reminded him of her organic nature, and her blasphemous title. Despite Prime's best efforts, she'd never be Cybertronian, and Mira Lennox would never be one of his Autobots. She was a mere puppet, a tool for Optimus to manipulate and hide his precious Shield - the Shield which belonged to him.

With a fierce snarl, he curled his fingers over the Autobot insignia over her chest, gripping it with all the strength he could channel from the stationary alternation form of Galvatron. A roar rising from the core of his sparkchamber, he ripped the insignia from the armor, it tearing away in an array of sparks and metallic crushing that satisficed his primal rage. Throwing the insignia aside, he watched the armor slowly retract, exposing her human form.

He looks to his hand, finding that the flesh had torn. He was seeping Energon, and he gave a disgusted snort, dismissing the holoform. Instantly, the alternation form began its change, shifting into the bipedal Galvatron. Mira suddenly dwarfed below him, the human woman still not stirred from her unconscious state. Her humanity fully displayed before him, he withdrew his blade, his gaze falling to the axe-formation with wicked pleasure. He raised the blade, unable to contain a dark chuckle.

"Time to die, Mira," he spoke down to her limp frame, the rise and fall of her chest primordially disgusting. "All hail Megatr-argh!"

Before his blade could hit the floor, it came to a jarring halt against another, his gaze flecking to its wielder. Rage pitted itself in the depths of his core, before he fiercely snarled at the mech who had dared stay the exacting execution. He felt his optics flare with heat, their scarlet orbs pulsing with rabid hatred. As she drew back, the Autobot stepping between he and the blasphemous human femme.

"Optimus," the name stirred a hiss from his vocal processor. His attention flicked over the Prime's shoulder, to where the wretched bounty hunter was struggling to regain composure, rising and falling several times as he gripped at his chest, fluid seeping to the platform from a gaping wound. "Always the interrupter. You'll get your turn to die, I assure you - your femme goes first."

He watched the Prime's features darken, which gave the Decepticon leader pause. He'd only ever seen Optimus truly enraged on a sparse few occasions - even battling before his death he was not so seething. However, the mention of the female's offlining had drawn an almost primitive hatred to his face that was delightfully enlightening - never before had Optimus had a tangible weakness, his own self doubt his only Achilles heel. And now this. The woman - he loved her.

It was written all over his facial plating. His spark was practically singing her name. It all made so much sense. "I see now," he challenged the Autobot with a tormenting chuckle. "You say so much without even speaking a word, Optimus. You always have."

A brief moment of pause flickered over Prime's face, his opponent not missing it. He saw the moment connect, the Autobot steadying his grip on the blade outstretched, sinking into defensive posture. "You see nothing," he snarled at the Decepticon leader. "It is time this planet was rid of you, Megatron - that I am rid of you, once and for all. You've plagued the galaxy long enough with your lust for power."

He laughed. "My lust? Look at you, Optimus!" He pointed an accusing finger. "You sacrifice a chance for a redeemed Cybertron because of an organic femme. You have passed your mark to a human, and you defend her at the cost of your own life!" He roared now, sending the blade down between them harshly, it rattling the platform as it split through the Cybertronian metal. He took a step towards Prime. "You are a disgrace to the name Cybertronian!"

Optimus dropped his battlemask, the Prime's optics flickering with a luminescence all to familiar to battle. "You have wrought war to a planet that is not yours, Megatron, and you have resorted to petty thievery to revive the dead. The only one to disgrace our name here, is you." In a wild arc, Optimus roared and stepped forward, bringing the blade within inches of the Decepticon's facial plating, its tip centered between his optics.

"We will see," he snorted, wrapping a thick hand around the hilt of his blade, plucking it from the platform with dismissive ease. His battlemask dropped and he glowered at the Prime. "One of us will rule this planet, Optimus. Its fate is tied with us. One will rise." He moved to circle around the mech, Optimus stepping away and back to meet his pace.

For a moment there was nothing, Prime's eyes moving to the human woman, who did not stir. "And one will fall. You." His blade lifted, a dangerous glint passing through his optics. "Let us finish this, Megatron."

He barked out a dark chortle, nodding his contempt. "Oh, yes. Let's."

. . .

"Mira..."

The darkness seemed to rouse around her, producing a warmth across the expanse of her form that Mira had never felt. As if resting in her own pool of sweat, she felt like she was swimming in painful heat, the electricity racing through every cell her body could produce. Her fingertips were almost molten against the floor, her veins aching with heat as her heart pumped life into her appendages. The mass clawing at her breastbone was enough to emit a chilling scream from her core.

Her thoughts were heavy, the back of her skull pounding with pain which bounced off her spine, arching so far that she feared it would snap. Her lungs burned, as if they'd been swimming with acid, her inability to draw a full breath causing her organs throb deep within the cavity of her body. She'd never felt so full, so heavy, and she couldn't have stopped the violent shake rattling her frame had she been able to coherently try.

"Miriam..." the voice was distant, but so still and calm that immediately, sweat broke out over her entire body. The violent trembling stopped, and the heaviness in her mind began to lift. Within moments, she was steady enough to open her eyes, finding the familiar face looking down at her, a soft smile on his lips. Dressed in immaculate white, he was kneeling beside her, and moved to take her hand in his.

Relief washed over her, dismissing any sense of pain from the inner core of her being. Her lips parted, but she couldn't muster his name. She couldn't speak, but she knew - those eyes she could never forget, they had found her when no one else had been able to. They'd claimed her, taken her, and loved her - provided her a life she could have never made for herself. His eyes roamed over her, loving her contentedly, remembering her.

Will. Parting her mouth to register his name in her own mind, he shook his head and pressed her hand to his lips, his eyes closing for only a moment. "Will, I -" he silenced her when his eyes opened and lifting to her, and otherworldly light filtering through them in such a manner that she was stunned. His warmth was overwhelming, and he smelled unlike anything she'd ever processed. He kissed her hand again, and she noticed that his skin was glittering.

"Be strong, Mira," he said quietly, his whisper snatching away any sense of trepidation she felt. He reached out to touch her cheek, a smile stirring heat within her stomach. Tears began to form in the corner of her eyes, staining the sweet moment with a bitter taste of grief. "Live for me, Mira. You must live. There is so much to be done..."

Her heart ached at the knowledge of what was coming. "I...I want to come home, Will..."

He threw his head back and laughed. It was the deepest, richest laugh she'd ever heard, which seemed to echo so deeply in her bones that they rattled. The joy on his face was distant, as if he possessed some grand secret she had not known, and every curve of his face told her that he was home, waiting for her. She could see his recognition, the intense love on his face - the wholeness meant for every member of humanity anchored so deeply within his eyes that it stirred a righteous fear. He possessed no sorrow, no pain, no fall. There was nothing fallen about this complete man - he was the epitome of fulfilled, of wholeness, of light.

He took her hand and helped her stand. "Not yet, my beloved. For such a time as this, Miriam. For such a time as this." He took her face lightly in his hands and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, her spinal column exploding with tingling warmth that eased over her like a rich balm. She took his arms in her hands, clinging to his life, his light - his purity. Tears fell from her face as she breathed in his otherworldliness, her spirit stirring. She released an aching sob, her knees slackening.

"William..."

Suddenly his eyes flew open, and he pinned her with the most serious gaze she'd ever felt in the entirety of her being. "Be strong, Miriam. Rise, your Light has come - he needs you. Merrick needs you. Earth needs you. Fight. Live." He gripped her face with all the seriousness his gaze invoked, until he released her. Stepping back, Mira didn't even see his face disappear before she fell back -

- and snapped alive back into her form, arching against the platform as pain soared through her core. "Will!"

Gasping for air, she screamed his name, her back arching severely to the point where pain jarred down the length of her frame. Rolling onto her side, she blinked her eyes tightly, attempting to still the swirling reality that had replaced her vision, black and white orbs floating before her eyes in dizzying disarray. Her fingers curled against the platform, the steel biting into the sensitive flesh of her hands, her toes burning with awake energy pulsating throughout her entire body. Her wrist was trembling in pain, the thin skin seeming to dance at each wave of hurt.

Pushing herself up, she put a hand to her skull, the world slowly righting from its state of rotation. Taking in her surroundings, Mira realized that she was aboard Lockdown's vessel, its enormity encasing her in an almost tomb-like essence. It's eerie darkness seemed to ebb against her body, pressing against her in an invading way. Its dank stench was hell on her senses, causing her stomach to tremble violently.

Her hearing began to restore, and she began to feel the platform beneath her violently shaking as the two beings over her engaged in hand-to-hand. She began to remember fighting combinations and combat training, the familiar instincts begin to solidify in the back of her mind. Parry, strike, countermaneuver - that was Optimus lashing out against Galvatron, batting away a grab so severely that it caused the Decepticon to stagger, the Prime striking a blow beneath his chin. It created enough distance for Prime to swing about in a roundhouse, the Decepticon's form flying through the air across the platform.

Suddenly she remembered the the other lurking evil aboard the ship, her heart seizing rapidly behind her ribcage. Lockdown. Sucking in a slow breath, she felt a burst of strength rocket up her back, ringing home in the back of her skull. Noticing the railing beside her, she lifted a hand to it, noticing the blood dripping down her fingertips from the implant in her wrist. The Shield...it's...

She dismissed the thought of her own distress, looking to the form of Prime, who recovered quickly from a blow. "Get up, Mira," she breathed, gripping the railing beside her only to haul herself up on trembling legs. Matter came into reality, and she was able to stand, pushing back the dizzy veil from her brain. Squinting her eyes, she sucked in another breath, released a shaking one, and opened her eyes once more - only to see the destroyed Autobot insignia at her feet, staring up at her lifelessly.

She stared at it for a moment, its presence almost enough to knock her back down. However, a plague of righteous anger fell over her soul, snatching any reason from the back of her mind. She gripped the railing with white-knuckled intensity, the steel biting further into her shredded hands, but she didn't care. The cool material beneath her hands was enough to stoke her anger, reminding her who she was and what the emblem at her feet meant. A dozen memories suddenly flashed before her eyes, and before she could determine what had happened, a shot of energy from her wrist rolled across her body, awakening the implant in her left temple, a jagged bolt lapping at the emblem at her feet.

Immediately the face of the Autobots illuminated blue, resurrected from its dead grave. The Shield sang from beneath her skin, erupting the Cybertronian armor over her entire form again, it falling into place solidly. Systems reengaged, she could practically feel the pull toward the Matrix of Leadership, the Shield recognizing its master as it restored functions to her Cybertronian extensions.

Systems restored from critical mass. Enemy forces detected. Energon signatures unconfirmed. Deploy defensive countermeasures? The updates pulsed through her vision, seemingly seared into the retina of her eye, stirring another distant sense of pain. Without thinking, she whirled around on her heel, brought up the command for her ion blaster, and ran head-first into the sparring match of Optimus and Galvatron, practically soaring across the platform.

She dodged Prime's foot, reaching up to fire off three blasts to the underside of Galvatron's sparkchamber. He howled, reeled back from the blow he was going to strike to Prime, and peered down at her, his face twisting into a look of enraged surprise. Optic ridges fallen into a harsh glare, he snapped his gaze back to Prime's attack when he screamed her name, daring to recognize the life he'd almost snatched from her.

"Optimus, push him back to me!" she called up to her Commander, "Push him back!"

Running for the railing, Mira summoned her Energon blades, the fuming weapons deploying effortlessly as she leaped into the air, her foot colliding with the rail enough to send her flying through the air. Optimus obeyed, roughly shoving the Decepticon mech back to the rail just as she breached distance, engaging her downward thrusters.

Hovering in midair, she collided solidly against Galvatron's back plating, gripping onto a junction. Stabilizing herself, she killed the thrusters, and reeled back an arm to bury it into the protoform beneath his outer plating, the hot blades searing through the human steel effortlessly. Galvatron roared in pain, his back arching as he attempted to reach behind him, grabbing at her wildly. However, another swung of her arm beneath the plating, plus her delve beneath his exoskeleton effectively severed the conjoining joints, and the full length of his arm fell away, to hit the platform below with a resounding bang.

There was stunned silence, Optimus looking from the appendage to Mira, who withdrew her arm from her place on Galvatron's shoulder. The mech was stumbling for his arm, screaming in pain as his optics wildly attempted to process the maneuver. He snarled, barked at her animalistically, and reached with his good arm to pluck her off his shoulder, but not before she leaped away, soaring through the air.

Optimus pushed off the ball of his footing, lunging for her flying form before snatching her out of midair, narrowly dodging Galvatron's blow, which would've connected with his shoulder. Lithely, he took off, drawing Mira to his chest, looking down just long enough to find that she was fine, staring up at him. Immediately his gaze lifted, and he scanned the air for his sword and shield, hardly feeling Mira work her way to his shoulder.

He dipped low, retrieved the sword with a swipe of his hand, and about-faced to find Galvatron retreating, his arm in tow, screaming in rage at the pair of them at his defeat. A satisfied growl rumbled low in the Prime's chest, followed by a swift sense of pride at the woman on his shoulder. She was breathing heavily, and lifted her hair from her face, a victorious smirk deliciously twisting her lips. She found his gaze, her eyes sparkling with a newfound light that Optimus had not seen in years - she looked positively radiant.

His spark hummed within his chest, sending a spiraling warmth down the length of his frame that almost rattled the armor plating scattered about his form, and Optimus felt his optics narrow knowingly at the human female. She seemed so different, all her changes aside - she was brazen, emboldened, crisp with energy for a fight. Optimus envied her newfound energy, his own certainty seeming to dampen under the pending realization that their victory over Galvatron was anything but - there was still an enemy lurking about, and they were still behind enemy lines.

"You holding up okay?" her question broke his concentration, snapping him back into reality. Optimus nodded, and went to retrieve his shield, which was across the platform. Drawing it from a pool of Cybertronian lubricant, he rested it back into place along his wrist, its added weight reassuring. His optics scanned the area again, looking for any trace of Lockdown.

"I am fine," he confirmed, looking to her once more. "And you," he lifted a finger to point to the restored armor, which was as magnificent on her frame as it had been, her features aside, "You are looking...revived, Mira." His gaze fell over her, the warmth of his spark igniting heat within his core systems at the smile she gave him. She seemed mystified, almost lighthearted - he'd never seen such a dazzling light in any human eyes, ever.

Optimus decided against addressing her defeat just moments before, instead merely thankful that she'd been restored. He'd watched her fall from Megatron's grip just long enough to feel a park of his spark grow cold, the life ebbing from him when she didn't rouse. Had he been able to go to her and leave Lockdown...he would've given his life in place of hers, had he had the moment to break away.

She laughed at him, shrugging a dismissive shoulder. "You mean for almost dying, that is?" He could only offer her a smile and light chuckle as she frowned at him less-than-seriously, swatting at the plating of his shoulder. "I'll have you know, Optimus Prime, that I saw the lights of glory just then, and hadn't it been for the Almighty sending me a vision of Will, I'd probably have stayed!" She was jesting, but Optimus could see the seriousness pass through her eyes at the mention of her fallen lover.

Her look fell away from him, and Optimus could almost hear the memories that passed through her mind. Mira had the terrible misfortune of letting her thoughts show through her face, she always had - her transparency was one of the things he admired about her. Sensing her despair, he reached across his chest to gently lift a finger to her cheek, the warmth of her skin absolutely breathtaking against the plating of his hand. "For what it is worth to you, Miriam," he said softly, "I am glad you decided to stay here, with me."

She looked up to him, a smile parting the opening of her lips, light returning to the corner of her eyes. She held his gaze for a moment, his spark almost entirely lost within the hold of her attention. It flared such a strong energy within his core that he could hardly stand it, feeling overcome with so much warmth that almost left him senseless.

His attention filtered to her lips, an overwhelming and absolute need to taste her overcoming the entirety of his thoughts. He had never experienced the human sensation of kissing, though he'd often seen Mira engage in the action with Will, when he'd been alive. Even her oral exchange with Cade had stirred a delicious sound from within her chest, one that invoked a desire deep in him that he'd never felt before.

His core stirred with such a pleasure that he would've staggered, had the flick of Mira's attention behind him not triggered his battle instincts.

"Optimus!" She screamed, her face folding into terror. "Behind!"

He swung about so wildly that he staggered, Mira taking the moment to curl against his helm, clinging to him for stability. Even from his shoulder he could feel her rise in blood pressure, her pulse hammering her heart wildly within her chest. He could feel every one of her breaths as the intensity of his gaze fell to Lockdown, who was breaching the distance of the platform with such a speed that Optimus didn't know was possible. Bringing up the shield, he sidestepped and brought the blade around to deflect the charge, but staggered to a stop when a flash of yellow suddenly collided with Lockdown's form, sending the mech across the platform roughly.

Brilliantly stunned, Optimus was gaping at Bumblebee, who deflected another of Lockdown's attacks effortless, moving to counter with a speed only born from battle. Lockdown was seething at the scout, his snarl more than evident of his current state of disbelief. For a moment, the Autobot Commander didn't even register Mira standing on his shoulder, screaming at the scout about disobeyed order, and hasty stupidity.

Without warning the femme rocketed from his chest, her thrusters carrying her through the air as she brought up her ion cannon, firing two blasts to Lockdown's back. Whirlin on her quickly, Lockdown raised a blaster of his own, honing in on her while Bumblebee recovered backward, some type of mace positively wedged into the junction of his shoulder. Bleeding Energon in fat drops to the platform, the scout lifted his gaze over to Prime, a moment of uncertainty registering Optimus back to reality.

In every battle, there was a moment - a moment of victory, or a moment to call defeat. He'd experienced countless of these pauses in time, where the world seemed to stand still in baited anticipation. On Cybertron, so many of these moments had ended in cold, painful agony - the loss of comrades, friends, and missions that depleted the hope of their cause. Those moments had slipped through his hands, ultimately bringing him to Earth - where many other instances had left him breathless, staggering, uncertain, hurting - but never defeated. And now, like so many other times on Earth, there was a moment. One singular moment to end all the suffering, pain, war, at least for a time.

This was it. The moment. He remembered Merrick, Mira - even Cade.

Don't lose faith, Optimus. Not in them...for what they can be - who YOU can be. A moment. Just one more moment, Prime.

He felt the battlemask drop harshly across his features, stinging his receptors like it always had. "Autobots!" His call boomed across the platform, snatching Lockdown's focus. "It is time to end this," he tightened the grip on the blade, and lifted it to point at the Neutral, who sank low into defensive posture.

Lockdown's gaze narrowed in writhing hatred.

"It is time we bring peace to Earth, once and for all." He meant every word of it, and took off across the platform.

Not REALLLLLLLY a cliffhanger, but kind of? Don't worry, the fight will be swift! Time to end this fragger, haha! Reviews are awesome, my lovlies!