a/n: Just a head's up everyone! I posted another spin-off to this fic! It's called "Myths of Cybertron" if you want to check it out!
Chapter 15: More Than Meets the Eye
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
Winter pressed her back against the wall of the cavern as Shatter drove down the rocky incline in her SUV mode, careful to stay out of range of the Decepticon's headlights. As soon as she was confident that Shatter had built-up too much momentum to stop herself, Winter jabbed her saber into the caverns floor, conjuring a Glyph in shatter's path.
SKREEEEEEEEE!
Shatter hit the brakes immediately, only to skid over the Glyph right as the Beringel burst from its surface, flipping her on her side. While Shatter was still trying to process that, the Beringel lifted her off the ground and over its head, as Winter willed it to repeat what it had done to Mr. Xiao Long's car. Shatter unfolded into robot mode, kicked the Beringel in the face in the process, and dropped onto the ground.
Winter smirked and summoned a pack of Beowolves that leapt from the ground and began to climb all over Shatter.
POW!
The Beringel punched the Decepticon in the face.
CLANG!
Shatter landed on her back and snarled, before deploying her mouth plate and engaging her thrusters. She flew towards the Beringel, which grabbed a hold of her wrists and threw her over its shoulder. Shatter transformed into Dropship mode, throwing off several Beowolves, before deploying her machine gun.
BRATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATAT!
She sprayed the bullets across the cavern's floor, shredding the bodies of the Beowolves, before taking aim at the Beringel, which shielded its face with its massive arms. Shatter flew closer, closer, and closer to the Beringel, unaware of the Leonine Glyph forming behind her, or the beast emerging from it.
FWOOM!
A blue fireball struck her starboard wing, knocking her off balance and sending the bullets into the caverns walls and ceiling as the Beringel jumped up and grabbed onto her port wing to slam her into the cavern floor with a resounding-
CRASH!
-hard enough to make her Projected Spark Field flash. The Beringel delivered a left hook to Shatter's cockpit as the Manticore swooped down and the Beowolves once again began clawing at the seams. Shatter snarled and shifted back into robot mode, knocking the Summons off of her as she rose to her feet. The Decepticon Security Officer deployed her Energon Pistols, only for the Beringel to grab a hold of her wrists. Shatter engaged her thrusters to try and push back against the Beringel, only for the Manticore to blast one of her thrusters.
"Ngh…" Shatter snarled, before quickly scanning the environment, smirking under her mouthplate. "Let's end this."
Shatter headbutted the Beringel, pulled her right arm free, and pointed her Energon pistol at Winter.
"Wha-"
BANG!
Winter's body was sent flying, her Aura flashing from the hit, before bouncing off the cavern wall hard enough to crack it, smoke rising from the black mark on the front of her uniform. She hit the cavern floor, and her Aura flickered out, all of her Summons fading as her Aura no longer sustained them, the bullets in her Beringel's arm dropping to the cavern floor.
"Now to do what I came here to do," Shatter stated as she folded back into SUV mode and drove deeper into the cavern.
.
The stone soon gave way to metal as Shatter drove into the wreckage of the Ark, Liquid Energon spilled out from the floor and ceiling, faintly-glowing stalagmites and stalactites of crystallized Energon lighting the halls as she headed straight for where the bridge should be. As soon as she came across closed double doors, the Decepticon shifted back into robot mode.
"Oh you poor, Iaconian elite," Shatter opened as she deployed an Energon blade, "While you were busy holding us back, we were slaving away in the fields and mines!" She slashed her blade across the door. "While you were lazily browsing the archives, I was forced to deliver Energon cubes for Affluous!" She slashed her blade across the doosr again. "And when Cybertron's Space Bridges reopened, you demanded that we treat lesser beings like the Beast's, the Mini-Cons, those putrid technorganic Eukarian ABOMINATIONS like our equals! Throwing our kind's lives away to protect fully organic meatsacks instead of melting them down into something useful!" She jabbed her blade between the double doors and tried to twist it. "I will not let you get in the way of our Primus-given right to rule any-"
The entire hallway lit up.
KRABOOOM!
.
Winter struggled to her feet.
"I… I have to-"
KRABOOOM!
The shockwave of the blast knocked her unconscious as the sealed entrance to the cavern exploded into fire, lightning, and shards of ice and stone, Dropkick's body soaring through the cavern as his thrusters broke off.
CRASH!
He hit the ground, and his Projected Spark Field flickered out as smoke rose from his unmoving body. The fingers on his left hand curled, scraping across the ground.
Blake dropped Gambol Shroud to catch and cradle Ruby in her arms.
"What just…" she glanced back at the King Taijitu, now petrified. "That… That wasn't a Semblance…"
"What the fragging Pit was that?" Bumblebee questioned as he jogged up to them.
"I… I don't know," Blake answered as Ruby squirmed in her arms, "I've never seen anything like that before."
"The last time I saw something like that…" he glanced back at Ruby and scanned her, "No… Ruby's definitely real."
"Huh?"
"Long story," Bumblebee replied, unaware of the Grimm-masked woman approaching from behind, "Did that light do anything for Yang?"
"No…" Blake replied as the Grimm-masked woman drew closer, "It looks like all it did was turn that King Taijitu into a statue."
KATHUNK!
Blake and Bumblebee both glanced over their shoulders as a red-eyed raven flew away, sighting a metallic hand grabbing a hold of the ground outside the mouth of the cavern. What followed was the sound of creaking metal as the owner of the hand pulled himself up. Blake felt a chill run up her spine as her eyes looked over the towering Decepticon's body.
Dropkick's right arm ended in a mess of flayed cables where his Energon Cannon used to be. His body was covered in burns, patches of ice, and chunks of stone, his paint mostly scraped off to reveal fresh scratches and dents. Sparks and spurts of pink liquid gushed from holes in his chassis. And his piercing, red eyes were burning with hatred.
"You..." he growled animalistically as he stared right past Bumblebee, Blake, and Ruby at Yang's body, "I'LL RIP YOU TO PIECES!" Dropkick deployed his buzzsaw, raised it over his head, and charged with a wordless roar. Bumblebee deployed his Energon shotguns and opened fire. Two blasts struck Dropkick's chest, one struck his arm, and the last blasted the buzzsaw right off of Dropkick's arm.
The Decepticon howled in pain as Bumblebee's blasters stopped firing and started sputtering.
DANGER! Energon levels critical!
Refuel Immediately!
"Not now!" Bumblebee snarled as he felt a familiar emptiness inside him, the same hunger that had plagued him all throughout his formative years. He glanced over his shoulder at Blake as Dropkick redeployed his right hand.
"Get Ruby and Yang away from here!" he shouted, before folding into vehicle mode and driving straight for Dropkick. Blake carefully draped Ruby's unconscious body over her shoulder, scooped up and sheathed Gambol Shroud, then grabbed Yang's remaining arm and pulled her up.
"If either of you were to choose now to wake up, I'd really appreciate it!" Blake stated as she tried to wrap Yang's arm around her shoulders, only to nearly drop Ruby. "Agh!" Blake froze in place, supporting Ruby's body with her left arm and Yang's with her right. "Please, one of you, wake up! I don't think I can get both of you to safety on my own!"
.
Bumblebee shifted into robot mode and jabbed a Stinger into Dropkick's knee. Nothing happened, and Dropkick delivered a powerful kick that knocked the Autobot on his back.
"That's the thing with your Distinction, traitor!" Dropkick shouted as he stomped onto Bumblebee's body hard enough to make his PSF flash, "You can't solidify a Projected Spark Field that's been depleted!" Bumblebee's chassis creaked and groaned as Dropkick shifted more of his weight onto him. "Now, once I've broken your body, I'm going to make you watch as I tear your precious human pet! Piece! By! Piece!" Dropkick chuckled dryly. As Bumblebee deployed his Energon blades and tried to slash at the leg pinning him down. "Then again… I suppose I could do far more to hurt you as well…"
.
Blake felt a chill run up her spine as Dropkick grabbed a hold of Bumblebee's face, lifted his foot, and yanked the Autobot off the ground.
"I could kill that thing in an instant!" the Decepticon boasted, before slamming Bumblebee into the ground again and tightening his grip on the Autobot's head, "By crushing her fragile body under your metal chassis!"
Blake glanced between Ruby and Yang as Bumblebee retracted his blades and tried to pry Dropkick's fingers off of his head.
A quarter of Yang's body had been severely burned, the rest of her body was covered in cuts and bruises from getting launched across a field without her Aura, and there was no telling what internal injuries she was suffering from. Even if she got her away, Yang Xiao Long would probably die before they could get her any medical assistance.
Ruby had simply passed out. The only real injury on her body was a day-old scar. Blake could save her.
"I'm sorry," Blake tearfully whispered as she let go of Yang and cradled Ruby in her arms, "I'm so, so sorry!" She dashed away from the clearing as Ruby groaned.
"I'm going to kill that squishy little creature that took my arm!" Dropkick boasted as he dragged Bumblebee across the ground to Yang's unconscious body, "And YOU are going to be my weapon of choice, TRAITOR!"
"NO!"
Blake was knocked on her back as Ruby vanished into a cloud of petals.
.
Ruby Rose's earliest memories were of her Uncle Qrow breaking the bad news that her mother was never coming home.
She had nearly lost her sister to an Ursa Major just three days ago.
Just two days ago, a monster from another world had left her brave and strong sister unable to sleep at night.
And now, her hero was unconscious on the ground, barely clinging to life, and the architect of her suffering was standing before her.
Ruby Rose could not, would not allow that monster to take her sister away.
She dropped out of her Semblance and picked up Crescent Rose, swapped it to rifle mode, and pointed it at the ground.
CRACK!
The recoil shot her into the air, towards Dropkick, until she pointed her rifle to the side.
CRACK!
The recoil propelled her into Dropkick's arm.
"You're aim is horrible, you little pe-"
CRACK!
Dropkick screamed as his left optic exploded into sparks, shrapnel, and a pink liquid. He let go of Bumblebee as he stumbled back, the recoil from the Gravity Round having knocked Ruby off of his arm. The girl in question swapped Crescent Rose to scythe mode in midair and pointed it at the ground behind her.
CRACK!
Dirt and splinters exploded from the ground as the recoil sent Ruby flying, and then her Semblance boosted her towards the Decepticon who was clutching where his left optic used to be.
THUNK!
A whirlwind of petals struck Dropkick beneath the chin, causing him to stumble back a little more as Ruby hooked Crescent Rose around his neck.
Ka-click!
"LEAVE MY SISTER ALONE!"
CRACK!
CRACK!
CRACK!
"Rgh…" Dropkick released his face and reached for Crescent Rose as a pink liquid oozed from his neck, the Gravity Rounds puncturing holes in his palm, "Knock that off you little-"
SCHLING!
Ruby went flying back as Dropkick's head rolled down the front of his chest, a pink liquid gushing out of the hole that used to be his neck.
THUD!
Dropkick's headless body hit the ground as his head came to a stop by his feet, the light in his remaining optic fading as Ruby skidded to a halt near the mouth of the cavern.
"Yang!" she dashed away from the cavern, her feet splashing in the pink puddle as she made a bee-line for her sister, paying no mind to Dropkick's leaking corpse.
.
"Holy shit…"
Blake and Bumblebee stared at Ruby as she came to a stop by Yang's body and dropped to her knees.
"C'mon Yang, wake-up!" she begged, "Please! It's going to be okay now! He can't hurt you anymore!" Her silver eyes began to water. "Please… I can't lose you!"
A raven swooped down behind the trio, and Blake's bow twitched as something or someone hit the ground.
"Who goes there?" she asked as she whirled around and pointed Gambol Shroud at the newcomer in katana mode, only for her breath to catch in her throat when she saw who it was. "Y-you're…" Bumblebee pointed his Energon Blades at the newcomer as Ruby brandished Crescent Rose.
"You know who this is?" Bumblebee asked. The newcomer was a woman in black, wearing a Nevermore mask.
"Are you with the White Fang?" Ruby asked.
"No, she's-"
"Really Ruby?" the woman interrupted as she reached for her mask, "I can assure you, I mean no harm." Recognition flashed across Ruby's face as she lowered Crescent Rose.
Were it not for the woman's hair being a different color and not on fire, her face would've been a perfect mirror of Yang's.
"You're… Yang's Mom," Ruby remarked, catching Blake's attention.
"YOUR MOM'S A MISTRALI BANDIT QUEEN!?" she shouted.
"Ruby is no daughter of mine," the woman answered as she clipped the mask onto her belt and walked closer to them, "She's the product of a union between Taiyang and that imbecile Summer Rose!"
"None of those names mean anything to me!" Blake replied, "Who are you talking about?"
"You know," Bumblebee cut in as he redeployed his battle mask, "I've had some choice words for you since I first heard about what you did…"
"I'm not here to pick a fight I can't win," Raven interrupted, "I saw what you did to Schnee, Adam, and the Ursa Major, and I have no-"
"And you didn't help?!" Bumblebee shouted, "Yang nearly died in each of those battles! And you just sat there and watched?!" Raven rolled her eyes.
"I didn't come all this way just to be lectured by my daughter's alien motorcycle," she brushed off as she shoved Blake out of the way and nudged Crescent Rose aside, "I'm here to make sure that nine month pregnancy didn't go to waste."
"Huh?"
"Yang's no use to me if she's dead," Raven elaborated, "And I can use my Semblance to get her to someone who can help."
"Where exactly?" Ruby asked.
"The way I see it, you have two options," Raven replied, "You can either trust me when I say I want to help your sister, or we can just stand here and watch her die of internal bleeding."
"Rgh…"
"If I wanted to kill her, I'd have done it while you were fighting the Decepticon," Raven deadpanned.
Ruby and Blake reluctantly lowered their weapons as Bumblebee retracted his own.
"I will hunt you down if you try anything," the Autobot warned as Raven slung Yang's unconscious body under her arm.
"Your concern is touching, but unnecessary," Raven replied, before putting her mask on, "I'm not going to betray my own blood, after all." She unsheathed a red katana, either not noticing or not caring when Blake flinched, and slashed it through the air, opening a blood-red portal. "And before I go…" She turned to face Bumblebee, "Don't you dare lose!"
The mysterious woman vanished with Yang through the portal as a Nevermore circled the clearing.
"Did either of them pick up?" Midori asked Taiyang as he stared at the Screen of his borrowed Scroll. Taiyang had run all the way to the Kagayaki residence when he awoke to find both of his daughters were missing.
"No," he replied, "How's Viridian's search going?"
Midori's silence and averted gaze were the only answers he got.
"None of my friends from Signal have seen Ruby or Yang either," Akai announced as she walked down the stairs from her bedroom, "I tried messaging Ruby, but the only response I got back was 'kinda busy right now, no time to explain', followed by complete radio silence."
"Akai, sweety," Midori opened, "If you ever pull this kind of stunt, I swear, you'll be grounded until you qualify for Beacon."
"... I mean, I don't really know what 'this stunt' is, so I've got no idea-" Akai's response was interrupted by a whooshing sound and a red flash. She looked up, past Taiyang, and immediately detached her Divine Winds batons from her belt, unfurling the left into a blue and white fan, and the right into a red and orange one. Midori followed her daughter's line of sight, and whirled Biting Cold and Ghastly Gale, her shotgun-tonfas, so that their barrels were pointed at the stranger in the Grimm mask. Taiyang sighed, before turning to face the newcomer.
"What do you want thi-" his words died in his throat when his eyes fell on his daughter's body.
"That's a strange way of saying, 'Thank you for saving our daughter's life!'" Raven remarked dryly as she removed her mask, the portal closing behind her, "But if you must know, Yang did this to herself, and I had to bring her here so she wouldn't bleed out on Vytal."
"How did she-"
"Seriously Tai," Raven interrupted, "Are you really going to ask how my child was able to do the impossible? I thought you knew me better than that."
"You don't get to call her your child when you didn't even stick around long enough to celebrate her first birthday!" Taiyang growled. Raven scoffed and walked past Taiyang, dumping Yang's body on the couch.
"I suggest you call a hospital," she stated as she unsheathed her katana, "I'd hate to have gone through the trouble of saving her only for your incompetence to get her killed." She slashed her katana through the air, opening another red portal.
"Unlike you, I've done everything in my power to keep her safe!" Taiyang shouted, "Which is more than I can say about you."
"... Which one of us got her stabbed again?" Raven shot over her shoulder, and felt his stomach drop. "The clock is kicking Tai, and it's not on your side." She vanished through the portal, leaving Midori to take her Scroll back from Taiyang's frozen hands as he stared at his daughter's body.
"I'll get the bandages," Akai offered as she stowed away Divine Winds, "It's not much, but it'll stop the bleeding."
Taiyang didn't answer as he dropped to his knees by the couch and took Yang's remaining hand in his own.
"I'm sorry…"
Shatter partially pried the metal door open with her Energon Blades.
"Just a little more," Shatter remarked as she retracted her blades and put her hands between the doors. She pushed the two apart as metal screeched against metal, until the doorway was open enough for her to fit through in robot mode. "Finally!" She stepped across the threshold, into the bridge of the Ark, scanning the entire room. She was standing on an elevated platform with five chairs. Optimus Prime's seat was at the center, while there were a dozen or so others surrounding the platform at the controls. Teletraan-1's terminal was on the starboard-side of the bridge, off in a corner of the room, with a cable weaving around the chairs and around the back of a stasis pod off to the port-side of the bridge. A stasis pod that had been directly built into the bridge, it would seem. "Had the Autobots shown a little less concern for your safety, you probably would've disconnected from your computer in the crash," Shatter remarked as she shifted her right forearm into an Energon pistol and pointed it at the head of the slumbering, red and blue Autobot inside the stasis pod, "Knowing how your failsafes work, but since you left nothing to chance, you're now left here, unable to shield yourself with your Projected Spark Field in your slumber, with nothing left to do, but- What the Pit is that noise?"
.
Blake held onto Bumblebee's handlebars as he sped down the halls of the Ark, Ruby holding onto her waist for dear life. When Bumblebee neared the threshold of the bridge, Blake let go, and she and Ruby jumped off, allowing Bumblebee to transform into robot mode, kick off the ground, and deliver a flying kick to the side of Shatter's head.
The Decepticon stumbled as Ruby and Blake ducked into the corners of the outside hallway and Bumblebee landed right next to the cable.
"Wake up!" the Autobot shouted as he deployed an Energon Saber. Shatter lunged forward and grabbed Bumblebee's blade, tore him off the ground, and threw him at the control panel.
CRASH!
"Why won't you just die?!" Shatter screamed as she transformed into dropship mode and deployed her machine gun. Bumblebee kicked off of the control panel and shifted into motorcycle mode, making a b-line to the port-side of the Bridge.
BRATATATATATATATATATATAT!
The gunfire lingered just behind Bumblebee, as he sped towards the port-side stairs. He flipped the second his tire struck the bottom step, forcing him to transform in midair, just in time to get hit with the barrage of bullets.
BRATATATATATATATATATATAatata-
-Kaclicklicklicklicklick!
Bumblebee forced himself to his feet as Ruby and Blake peaked into the room and Shatter, now out of bullets, engaged her thrusters and charged at him full speed. She folded into SUV mode mid flight, and Bumblebee formed a Stinger and jabbed the grill of the SUV.
CRASH!
Ruby and Blake dashed into the room and behind the stasis pod as Shatter and Bumblebee stumbled down the stairway to the lower half of the bridge. Bumblebee pushed Shatter's frozen body off of his own and ascended the steps gradually yet desperately as he kept his optics on Teletraan-1's terminal. There was a sound of shifting metal, and a metal hand grabbed a hold of Bumblebee's head.
"We wouldn't even be in this mess if you had just obeyed Megatron!" Shatter screamed, before lifting the Autobot scout over her head and slamming him into the floor behind her, putting her back to the stairway as she shifted her right hand into an Energon Pistol and pressed it against Bumblebee's head, "I'm going to break you!"
BANG!
Bumblebee cried out as his Projected Spark Field flashed, the left-side of his battle mask shattering.
"But I'm not going to kill you," Shatter continued as she retracted her Energon Pistol and curled her fingers into a fist, "Not yet. Not until you've watched everyone you love die!"
CLANG!
Bumblebee deployed his right Energon blade and jabbed it right at Shatter's chest. Forcing her back, then Stung her with his left hand. He jumped up, grabbed a hold of Shatter's shoulder, pulled himself up, and kicked off of the Decepticon to get to the elevated part of the bridge. As soon as he was up, he deployed both his Energon Sabers, and dashed straight for the cable.
FWOOM!
Bumblebee whirled around as he heard Shatter's feral scream, crossing his blades in front of himself to parry her own slice.
SCHKREACK!
Shatter's blade cut right through Bumblebee's Energon Sabers, shattering them and knocked Bumblebee on his back as a pink liquid oozed from his chest. The Decepticon picked up one of the broken Energon shards, and jabbed it into Bumblebee's left side, piercing his t-cog.
"AAAAAAACK!"
Shatter pulled the blade out, pink liquid dripping off the tip, before grabbing Bumblebee's head and reengaging her thrusters, lifting the Autobot into the air as she hovered.
"All of your treachery was for naught, B-127," Shatter taunted as she withdrew her battle mask, staring right into Bumblebee's face, "You have no Projected Spark Field, your t-cog is busted, and your weapons have all been rendered useless."
"As long as I can stand, I can fight!" Bumblebee refuted. Shatter smirked.
"I know."
She fully engaged her thrusters and swooped down to the lower part of the bridge, and threw Bumblebee at the floor.
CRASH!
.
"Well, now what are we gonna do?" Blake asked as she let go of Gambol Shroud and its scabbard, both wedged between the port and the cable's plug, "She's going to kill Bumblebee if we can't wake this big guy up!"
"I know!" Ruby replied as she pulled on Crescent Rose, the scythe's pink-stained blade also lodged next to Blake's weapon, "We need to give this more strength!"
"Strength that we don't have!" Blake replied.
"... Maybe," Ruby remarked as she dislodged Crescent Rose, "But she certainly has strength to spare."
"Huh?"
Ruby simply grinned as she folded her weapon into storage mode.
"I've got a plan," she replied as she attached Crescent Rose to the back of her belt, "So here's what I was thinking…"
.
A cloud of petals dashed from the Stasis Pod, depositing Ruby Rose among the Energon splinters as Shatter delivered punch after punch to Bumblebee. She picked up the pink-stained splinter and walked over to the edge of the elevated platform, squeezing between the guard-rails, and then kicked off, vanishing into a whirlwind of petals that made a B-line for Shatter's back.
SCHLING!
Shatter screamed as the Energon splinter punctured her right thruster. She tried to reach behind her to yank the obstruction out, her beat-down of Bumblebee momentarily forgotten as she engaged her thrusters.
Ruby yelped and tightened her hold to the splinter, struggling not to fall into the backblast as Shatter shot into the air. The damaged thruster sputtered out, and Shatter fell out of the air and into Optimus' seat, causing Ruby to lose her grip. Ruby hastily switched Crescent Rose to rifle mode and fired several Gravity Rounds to slow her descent, and tucked and rolled on impact with the ground. Shatter snarled and turned to face Ruby, and noticed that her weapon, the hem of her cape, and her boots and leggings were coated in a pink liquid.
A pink liquid that Bumblebee very conspicuously hadn't been covered in when he entered the battle.
And she hadn't seen Dropkick at all since she had left him to deal with the Autobot and his human allies.
"Impossible…" Shatter snarled as she leapt over the arm of the chair to land in front of Ruby, "You're just some filthy little organic sack of blood and bone! Dropkick would never fall before one of your kind!"
"You're right," Ruby replied, "I wouldn't have been able to decapitate him without my sister's help." Shatter froze for a split second.
"You… YOU PSYCHOPATH!" She roared as she deployed her Energon pistols.
Ruby activated her Semblance and dashed for the cable, zig-zagging to avoid Shatter's gunfire, struggling to stay ahead.
BANG!
And then Shatter aimed in front of Ruby, and an Energon blast tore through the cloud of petals, scattering them across the floor mere inches from the cable.
"NO!"
"Such is the fate of any who defies the natural order," Shatter coldly remarked, "As I said, no mere organic could ever-"
The rose petals twitched, emitted a red light, and were pulled towards each other.
"What?"
The petals converged into a glowing blob of red light, melding into a recognizably human shape, before Ruby's Aura flickered out, exhausted by the very nature of her Semblance and the healing factor of Aura working in junction to reintegrate her.
Shatter wordlessly deployed an Energon Saber as Ruby crawled towards the cable, completely ignoring Blake as she swapped Gambol Shroud into pistol mode and pointed it at her face.
BANG!
"Gah!" Shatter cried out as the bullet went into her right optic.
Blake activated her Semblance at the last second, and Shatter's Energon Blade slashed through both the decoy and the cable. The Decepticon glanced over at where the real Blake had landed, ignoring the flashing, red light inside the opening stasis pod as she swung her blade at the girl in black, who again dodged with her Semblance.
Shatter roared and traded out her Energon blade for her Energon pistols and opened fire on Blake, turning her back to the stasis pod as Blake spammed her Semblance to stay ahead of her gunfire.
A dozen or so clones later, Shatter stopped firing, allowing Blake to pause and catch her breath.
"Just gotta last a little long-"
BANG!
Blake's Aura was shattered by the Energon blast, sending her sliding across the floor.
"Don't worry," Shatter remarked as she leveled her still-smoking Energon pistol with Blake's prone form, "This will only hurt for a second.
BANG!
Smoke rose from the impact.
"BLAKE!"
"You'll be joining her soon, you…" Shatter's voice trailed off when the smoke cleared to reveal that Blake's still-intact body was shielded by a blue light. "No…" The Decepticon glanced back over her shoulder, and came face-to-face with a massive, red and blue Autobot with blue optics, his right hand emitting the same blue glow that was shielding Blake's body.
"Decepticon," Optimus Prime opened as he shifted his right hand into an Energon Ax and his left into an Ion Blaster, "I will not let you harm these people anymore than you already have. Stand down, now!"
Shatter stood still, frozen to the ground, shock clear in her optics.
Then, she felt a burning deep within her spark, and her optics narrowed.
"I don't bow to your whims you pede polisher!" Shatter shrieked as she deployed her right Energon blade and charged Optimus.
She jabbed at his chest, only for his Energon Ax to shatter her blade.
"Wha-" She stared down the glowing barrel of Optimus Prime's Ion Blaster.
BOOM!
The white blast tore off the upper right quarter of Shatter's face, destroying her right optic, and sending the Decepticon flying back.
.
CLANG!
Ruby and Blake watched the Decepticon's Projected Spark Field finally flickered out. Shatter groaned as she forced herself to her feet and deployed her Energon pistols, pointing both at the Autobot Leader.
"This battle is over," Optimus Prime stated as he pointed his Ion Blaster at Shatter, "Stand down, now!"
Shatter's arms shook as she kept her weapons trained on Optimus, glaring at him with her remaining optic.
Then Optimus' Ion Blaster started whirring, the barrel began to glow again, and Shatter's fear and desire to live overrode her pride.
"Frag this!" she shouted as she leapt into the air and folded into Dropship mode, flying right out the doorway she had forced open, her damaged thruster sputtering as she struggled to stay airborne. When she reached the slope she had driven down just half an hour prior-
BOOM!
-the damaged thruster erupted into fire, forcing Shatter to fold into SUV mode and grind her tires against the rocky slope as she forced herself upwards. She ramped herself off of the slope, and went into the air-
Ka-THUNK!
-where a Nevermore buried it's talons into her roof and took to the sky.
"NO!"
Ozpin stared out the window on the viewing deck, scanning the skyline for the reinforcements he'd been hoping to rendezvous with. Then he noticed the black shape of a Nevermore was flying right for him, with a red shape in its claws. When it got closer, he was able to determine that the shape was an SUV.
An SUV that unfolded into a bipedal robot, leaving a chunk of itself in the Nevermore's talons, before plummeting into the ocean with a scream, leaving the Nevermore to be driven off by the Airship's turrets.
"Well…" Ozpin noted, "That's one down."
Shatter flittered in and out of consciousness as she sank beneath the waves. With the last of her strength, she activated her distress beacon, then blacked out.
Optimus retracted both of his weapons and knelt down to face Blake and Ruby.
"Are you two alright?"
"I'm fine," Blake replied as she rose to her feet, "My Aura took the brunt of the damage."
"... Aura?"
"It's what we call our 'Projected Spark Fields!'" Ruby shouted as she struggled to stand.
"Ah, so you're familiar with our terminology?" Optimus replied, "I suppose that means you've already met another Autobot."
"Yeah, we wouldn't have gotten this far without Bumblebee's help," Blake explained.
"... Bumblebee?"
"She's talking about me, sir!" a voice called from the lower half of the bridge. Optimus walked over to the guard rails, careful to avoid stepping on Blake, and glanced down at Bumblebee.
"Ah, so you've finally found a name for yourself?" he observed, "Are you alright, soldier?"
"I mean, my t-cog's busted, I'm dangerously low on Energon, and I can't feel my limbs," Bumblebee listed off, "But other than that, never better!"
"I'll see to your repairs," Optimus replied, "As soon as I've determined what tools are available to me, of course." Optimus stepped away from the guardrail, transformed into vehicle mode, drove over to Teletraan-1's terminal, transformed back into robot mode, and unplugged the cable.
"Yeah, how are you going to operate that anyway?" Ruby asked.
Optimus answered her by plugging his hand into the port the cable had been connected to, his hand and the computer shifting to directly interface.
"Teletraan-1 online," a computerized voice stated, "How may I be of service?"
Optimus willed his command through the terminal.
"Running diagnostic scan," Teletraan-1 stated, "Error: Ark offline. Rebooting available systems."
The lights turned on, illuminating the golden-orange metal the Ark was forged from as several holographic graphs and charts were projected onto the viewing windows of the bridge.
"It would appear as though the CR Chamber is in the small part of the Ark available to us," Optimus remarked as he disconnected himself from Teletraan-1, "That should keep you alive until I can locate and awaken one of our medics."
"Could you do it remotely?" Ruby asked.
"Perhaps," Optimus replied as he walked away from Teletraan-1's access terminal and down the stairs, "But we should save our planning for when Bumblebee's life is not in immediate danger."
The CR Chamber was located in a small room on the port-side of the hallway that led to the bridge.
Optimus gently lowered Bumblebee to the ground as he pulled a lever to open the cylindrical chamber, the hospital berths scattered throughout the infirmary.
"Ruby," Bumblebee opened.
"Hmm?"
"Could you let your sister know I'm alright?" he requested, "I don't know how long I'll be asleep in that thing, and I want her to know that we won."
"Don't worry," Ruby replied, "I'll let her know the next time I see her."
Assuming her Mom even brought her to a place I can find her, went unsaid.
"I take it there's a story there?" Optimus asked as he walked over to scoop up Bumblebee.
"Hid out in vehicle mode for a couple of weeks," Bumblebee replied, "Had to blow my cover to protect some of the locals from a Sparkless monster. One of the locals, Yang, was critically injured fighting one of the Decepticons." Optimus placed him in the CR Chamber. "She also patched me up pretty well with zero medical training earlier this morning."
"Really?" Optimus replied, "That is rather impressive for someone unfamiliar with our biology."
"I'd suggest trying to maintain contact with Ruby and her family," Bumblebee suggested, "She could make a great medic with some proper training."
"I'll keep that in mind once one of our medics has time to take on a student," Optimus replied, "Sleep well, Bumblebee." He pulled the lever to close the CR Chamber. "You've earned it."
"Who had time to sculpt such a lifelike King Taijitu statue here?" one of the Vytal Militiamen asked.
Marrissa Faireborn didn't answer him, her eyes locked on the bleeding scrapheap lying in the middle of the clearing, the pink liquid spilling from the various injuries on its mechanical body.
"This is actually happening," she muttered.
"Faireborn! We've got another Airship inbound!" Marrissa pulled a cord on her backpack, and her backpack, Turbine Wings, unfolded into a jetpack, with two controllers on metal rods jutting out in front for her hands to grasp onto. She turned her weapon's titular turbines up at the airship as it hovered over the clearing, remembering the Councilwoman's panicked warning. The airship eventually whirled around and landed in a neighboring clearing, one that had been recently burned, judging by the smoke, and the Militia kept their weapons trained in that direction.
"Eyes on the treeline to our side and back as well as the cavern," Marissa Faireborn ordered, "I don't want any unpleasant surprises, Grimm or otherwise!"
A few weapons repositioned to point in those other directions as Marrissa kept her eyes on the treeline in front of her.
"Don't waste your ammo!" a voice said, "We're on the same time!"
"Professor Ozpin?" Marrissa questioned as she loosened her grip on the controls.
"Ms. Faireborn, it's been quite some time," Professor Ozpin remarked as he stepped from the treeline, Dr. Oobleck and Professor Peach behind him, "And I see you made short work of the other Decepticon."
"Actually, we found it like this," Marrissa replied, "And I thought there were two?"
"I saw the first in the talons of a Nevermore on the way here," Ozpin elaborated.
"... I never thought the Grimm would make our jobs easier," Marrisa remarked.
"Believe it or not, that would be the second time this week that I've heard of a Nevermore solving a problem," Ozpin commented, "Though if you didn't do this…"
"Uh, sir," one of the women in the militia commented, "A kid just climbed out of the cave."
"What?" Marrissa and Ozpin both turned to face the cavern entrance.
"Well… This is awkward," Ruby remarked.
"Ms. Rose?" Ozpin questioned.
"You know this kid?" Marissa asked.
"Her family alerted me to the existence of the Transformers," Ozpin answered.
"We also saved the world while trying to buy time for you all to arrive!" Ruby added, "Also uh… We've got someone who needs some serious medical attention! And fast!" She dashed back into the cave and carefully slid down the rock slope.
Winter groaned as her eyes slid open, her entire body aching. She could just barely make out two blue, eye-like lights staring down at her from a silhouetted face.
"Do not be alarmed," the figure said in a deep, soothing voice, "Everything is going to be okay. The battle is over, and you will live to fight another day."
In spite of having no idea who the speaker was, Winter believed his words.
Even as the world went dark again, it was as if an immense weight had been lifted from the Specialist's shoulders.
"You must be the Autobot leader," Ozpin remarked as the Militia rolled Winter onto their airship on a stretcher.
"That I am," Optimus replied as he knelt down to get as close to eye-level as he could with Ozpin, "My name is Optimus Prime, who are you?"
"I'm Professor Ozpin, Headmaster of Beacon Academy," Ozpin answered, "Now, given that I have no idea how many Decepticons are loose in my Kingdom, I was hoping we'd be able to negotiate some kind of mutually beneficial alliance against them."
"I ask only that I be allowed to broadcast the signal that will bring my troops out of stasis," Optimus replied, "While I will do whatever I can to help, there is only so much I can do alone."
"After what happened here today, I think I can convince the Vale Council to allow that," Ozpin replied.
"I haven't even seen what these 'Decepticons' can do, but I'll honestly take whatever help we can get," Marrissa Faireborn replied, "And dear gods, I was not expecting to meet an actual alien when I got out of bed this morning."
.
Off to the side, by the entrance to the cavern, Blake stared down at her Scroll, reading over the message she was about to send.
We won, but Crimson didn't live to see it.
She pressed "send", and closed her eyes as tears fell for the man she'd never get to know.
"Blake?" she opened her eyes to see two silver ones staring up at her.
"What is it Ruby?"
"What are you going to do now?" Ruby asked. Blake sighed and closed her eyes.
"I don't know," she admitted, "The others all had escape plans in case the Vale Chapter imploded, but I burned all my bridges five years ago. My parents don't want me, Adam will kill me even if I apologize, and there's no telling what Sienna and the Predacons might do if they can get their hands on me…"
"Then why don't you live with us?" Ruby questioned.
"... I'm sorry, what?"
"We've got a guest bedroom, we're gonna try to stay in touch with the Autobots, and everyone in my family can totally kick Adam's butt if he tries anything funny!" Ruby replied.
"Even after everything I've done?" Blake asked.
"... Blake," Ruby opened, "What have you done to us, in particular, since we met you?"
"... I nearly got the world destroyed by helping my now-ex-boyfriend steal Bumblebee's homing beacon," Blake deadpanned.
"Besides that!"
"I cut your sister's hair twice and threatened to ransom her," Blake continued.
"And you also saved my life when Adam threatened to sell me!" Ruby replied, "And you grabbed the attention of two Decepticons to protect me and Yang!"
"I…" Blake sighed, "I'm just not sure if I deserve your help. You don't owe me anything!"
"Maybe, but I still want to help you," Ruby replied.
"Why?"
"Because you need help, and a Huntress is supposed to help people!" Ruby stated, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, "Seriously, I don't need a reason to be nice! I just want to do what I can to make this world a little less cruel."
"I…"
"Plus, you'd be living with a family who has ties to a political leader who started his career as an activist for equal rights," Ruby replied, "So if you want to go back into activism, you could maybe get some pointers from Optimus?"
"... I feel like I'm missing a lot of important context here," Blake replied, "And what about your sister?"
"... I…" she sighed, and held up her Scroll, showing the most recent message she had received.
RUBY R U OK? A bandit queen just dropped your sister's half dead body on our couch!
plz say something!
"... Oh…"
"I'm… Going to let her know that I'm fine, but…" she glanced up at Blake, "Could… I'm going to need someone there for moral support, and I'm worried Dad might be mad at me for sneaking out again…"
Blake sighed.
"Alright kid," she replied, "Just, figure out where they're treating your sister so Ozpin will know where to drop us off."
"I'm on it," Ruby replied as she typed up a message on her Scroll.
Beep!
Beep!
Beep!
Yang's eyes slid open, squinting against the painfully bright light. Well, there was a painfully bright light in her left eye, something seemed to be covering her right. And then there was the fact that her right arm seemed to have gone numb.
"Where…"
"Yang! You're awake!" her father exclaimed from a chair to her left as he jumped to his feet.
"Dad?" it was then that she noticed she was laying in a hospital bed, her left arm laying at her side, "How did I get here?"
"You uh… Got dropped off over at the Kagayaki residence after the guy who did this to you was dealt with," Taiyang answered, "Ozpin dropped off Ruby and some girl named Blake last night, and Celedon drove us out here this morning."
"... Where's Ruby now?"
"I sent her and Blake to the cafeteria to get us something to eat."
"So… The world didn't end?" Yang asked.
"No," Taiyang replied, "You just managed to scrape out a win, but…"
"Dad…" Yang cut in, "What happened to me? Why can't I feel my arm?"
"... You got pretty banged up in the fight," Taiyang replied, "The doctors don't think your eye was damaged, so we can be thankful for small miracles, but it's probably going to be anywhere from a couple of weeks to a couple of months before you'll be able to walk again. And… Well…"
A burning pain shot through Yang's right arm, and she instinctively tried to grab it with her left hand, only for her fingers to brush through empty air. She turned to look at her arm, and her heart dropped when she saw the condition it was in.
Namely, that it stopped in a bandaged stump just past her elbow.
"... Oh…"
"I… Had honestly hoped you had noticed before blacking out," Taiyang stated, "I'm sorry Yang, I don't know what to say here."
"Sorry about the hold-up Dad," Ruby stated as she and Blake walked into the room, "Blake and I forgot which floor we were- YANG! You're awake!" Ruby zipped over to her sister's side as Blake awkwardly stood in the doorway.
"I'll just… Wait outside," Blake excused herself as she stepped out.
"I'm so glad you're okay!" Ruby said as she carefully wrapped her arms around Yang's shoulders.
"But… I'm not…" Yang replied.
"... Yang?" Ruby questioned.
"I… I was supposed to protect you…" Yang continued, "But… What am I good for now?"
The next thing Yang knew, her father and her sister had both wrapped their arms around her in a hug. She sobbed into her family's embrace, not sure what else to do.
~Two Months Later~
A yellow motorcycle sped down the moon-lit road, a girl in black and white with her hands on the handlebars, a girl in black and red hugging her waist, and a girl in yellow riding in a sidecar attached to its left side. The motorcycle turned down a dirt path off to the side and went uphill.
.
The motorcycle came to a stop at a cliff overlooking the sea, next to a red, flat-nosed semi-truck.
"We're here," Bumblebee announced as Blake and Ruby dismounted his vehicle mode, the former helping Yang out of his sidecar.
"Wow," Blake remarked as she took off her purple helmet, "This place really is beautiful at night."
"Yeah, if it wasn't for the Grimm, this would be the perfect spot for a picnic," Ruby added as she removed her ladybug helmet, the scar between her eyes slightly faded but still visible.
"Weren't you going to introduce me to someone?" Yang asked as she unfastened her helmet and removed it with her remaining hand. The upper-right quarter of her face had permanently turned red from the burn, her right ear shriveled and her right eye unable to open as far as it once had. What was left of her right arm was covered by her jacket, though some of her burn scar peaked out from under her collar, just barely stopping short of her neck.
"Really Yang?" Bumblebee commented as he shifted into robot mode, the side-car forming into a suit of armor around him, "Drift and I have been living with your family for two months now, and you didn't think anything of the abandoned vehicle just out in the middle of nowhere?"
"Now Bumblebee," the semi-truck remarked, "There's no need to be quite so rude." The semi-truck unfolded into a bipedal robot, the tallest Transformer Yang had ever seen. His torso and arms were red, his legs and the outer helm of his head were blue. Yang's lilac eyes met Optimus Prime's blue optics, and she was blown away by the calm wisdom she could see in them.
"Woah…"
"You must be Miss Xiao Long," Optimus remarked as he knelt down, presumably to try and make himself less intimidating, "Your sister and Bumblebee have had nothing but good things to say about you."
"I mean…" Yang scratched the back of her head with her remaining hand, "I'm not that special."
"If it wasn't for you, I would not be here today," Optimus replied, "Even if the untold millions who live on this planet will never know, they owe you their lives."
"I… Guess…" Yang replied with a blush.
"Oh would you learn to take a compliment!?" Blake shouted.
"... Pot, meet kettle," Ruby muttered, just loud enough to be heard. Optimus and Yang both chuckled warmly as Blake half-heartedly glared at Ruby.
"So, how have you been doing since the Battle of the Ark?" Optimus asked, "I understand organic bodies tend to be more difficult to repair than mechanical ones." Yang sighed.
"I mean… I'm not getting that arm back," she opened, "And I had to endure two months of physical therapy before I could walk unaided again." She facepalmed. "God, I feel sorry for the doctors who had to put up with my attitude."
"And your arm?"
"Prosthetics are expensive," Yang replied, "Civilian prosthetics are easy enough to get by, but if you want any articulation, or something durable enough for combat, you're going to have to shill out some Lien."
"And what do you intend to do now?" Optimus asked.
"I… Don't know," Yang replied, "I'd wanted to be a Huntress, but now…" Her voice trailed off.
"Yang," Optimus opened, "May I offer some advice?"
"Erm… Sure?" Yang replied.
"If there's one thing my time as an activist taught me, it's that our plans rarely unfold how we'd like them to," Optimus began, "However, the end goal of those plans, so long as it brings no harm, is usually one that you can still obtain if you adapt. Whether being a Huntress was your life goal, or simply a means to obtain said goal, whatever it is you were chasing, your dream, is still alive." The Autobot leader placed a hand on Yang's side, about as close as he could get to putting a hand on her shoulder with the immense size difference. "Don't give up on your dreams, Yang. Dreams are what the future is built on."
"Autobots, this is Optimus Prime, calling in from what is left of the Ark. Our plans have changed, considerably."
Hot Rod emerged from his Stasis Pod, and glanced up at the shattered moon.
"We have found ourselves stranded in a world of heroes and monsters, under siege from the Decepticon Empire."
"... And by the time I got around this 'Starscream', it was too late," Qrow finished.
"So… She's forged an alliance with the Decepticons," Ozpin observed.
"Hang on, you knew about these things?" Qrow replied.
"I… only learned of their existence after you had already departed," Ozpin replied.
"And you didn't tell me because?"
"I didn't want to show my hand and put the Fall Maiden in more danger than she was already in," Ozpin answered, "Clearly, I should add that to the latest in a long string of misjudgements…"
"What now?" Qrow asked.
"Fortunately, I believe we've already found allies who will aid us," Ozpin remarked, "Let me tell you what your nieces have been up to."
"And while we have had a bit of a rough start, the ingenuity of our new allies cannot be understated. Even if some have agendas of their own."
"Sir, the Paladin Project is moving forward as planned," Clover Ebi stated as he and General Ironwood walked through the halls of the Atlesian Military Base, an orange-haired girl following after them, "And Winter Schnee's disciplinary hearing is proceeding on schedule."
"And the prototype?"
"It's new artificial skin doesn't cause the same overheating the previous one did, making it indiscernible from a real girl at both a glance and a touch," Clover replied, ignoring how the "prototype" walking among them flinched, "It should be ready for testing in the Vytal Festival."
"Have you picked out 'her' teammates?" Ironwood asked.
"We've already chosen two civilians from military families to have their Auras unlocked," Clover replied, "We have until Spring to train them and find a third to bring the total to four."
"We've already got our fourth."
"Excuse me?"
"That girl you found, what was her name again?"
"Artemis," Clover replied.
"How well have you trained her?"
"Excuse me James," Clover cut in, "But I'm not sure I follow."
"The Decepticon threat means that Penny's going to need extra protection," Ironwood explained, "And with the Autobots present in Vale, and the Predacons active in Anima, the Vale Council might catch onto our 'robot in disguise' if they realize that Penny's the only fighter on her team. Artemis solves both problems."
"Sir… Her Semblance is only useful at night," Clover replied.
"All the more reason for Pietro's 'daughter' to behave," Ironwood elaborated, "Is that clear, Penny?"
"Yes sir," Penny replied.
"Good," Ironwood replied, "Now, how has Project Vehicon been progressing?"
The two men and seemingly human child stepped into a room, where multiple scientists were analyzing Dropkick's remains.
"Dr. Scarlatina and Dr. Polendina have been working tirelessly to even the playing field," Clover replied.
Ironwood grinned.
"However, we must avoid causing a panic. As long as the Decepticons and Predacons keep their existence a secret, we must do the same. For negativity attracts the Sparkless monstrosities that prey on this world's inhabitants."
"What do you mean she's gone missing?!" Kali yelled into her Scroll.
"I mean she left on a mission with Adam, and then left the White Fang altogether!" Sienna Khan replied.
"Do you even know if she's alive?!" Kali shouted.
"Adam would have told me if she was dead," Sienna insisted, "I believe you've been far too harsh on that boy. His worst crime is being a little bit more passionate about the cause than most. Is Ghira in the building with you?"
"No, he's meeting with Gnashteeth," Kali replied, "Optimus Primal and his Maximal raiders stirred up quite the panic a few months ago. If it hadn't been for the Predacons…"
"Another day that I'm grateful for Razorclaw's assistance," Sienna Khan replied, "If Ironwood ever decides to wage war on Menagerie, at least we'll be able to meaningfully retaliate."
"... You'll call me if you find my daughter, won't you?" Kali asked.
"She might be safest if she remains hidden," Sienna replied, "A few of the more zealous members of the White Fang don't take kindly to 'deserters'."
"... Under Ghira, she would not have been in danger."
"Under Ghira, she would be dead," Sienna replied, "Goodbye, Kali. If I find anything, you'll be the first to know."
"Goodbye, Sienna," Kali hung up the call, then buried her face in her hands. What am I going to tell Ghira?
"However, the humans and Faunus are more like us than one would think at first. While they're organic, and cannot Transform, there is still more to them than meets the eye."
"Are you… Robbing me?"
A Girl and Her Bike
Volume 1
Voices (in order of appearance)
Garret Hunter as Bumblebee/B-127, Adam Taurus
Wiliam Orendorff as as Atlesian Knight, Various Grimm, Generic Adam Loyalist
Elizabeth Maxwell as Winter Schnee, Stardrive
Caitlin Glass as Shatter, Private Rose, The White Fang Woman with the Dead Brother
Jack Patillo as Dropkick, Private Gil, Random White Fang Goon, Random Male Medic
Barbara Dunkelman as Yang Xiao Long, Nightmare Summer Rose, Random White Fang Girl
Lindsay Jones as Ruby Rose, Random Female Medic
Burnie Burns as Taiayang Xiao Long, Exhaust Pipe Commander, Generic Cybertronian Thug/Soldier
Tom Kenny as Rusty Witwicky
Jason Rose as General James Ironwood, Ultra Magnus
Arryn Zech as Blake Belladonna
Shannon McCormick as Nominus Prime, Professor Ozpin
Ben Diskin as D-16, Trannis
Mark Hamill as Megatronous Prime/The Fallen
Frank Welker as Megatron, Soundwave
Will Friedle as Young B-127
Dan Green as Barricade, Star Saber, Straxus, Headmaster Theodore
Jason Liebrecht as Deadlock/Drift, Qrow Branwen
David Kaye as Orion Pax
Kerry Shawcross as Hot Rod
Peter Cullen as Optimus Prime
Neath Oum as Jetfire
Steve Blum as Starscream
Yuri Lowenthal as Sideways, Mercury Black
Michael Jones as Apologetic White Fang Goon/Dead Brother
Laura Bailey as Amber
Sumalee Montano as Professor Glynda Goodwitch
Daman Mills as Professor Leonardo Lionheart, Councilman Marigold
Jen Taylor as Her
Monica Rial as Sienna Khan
Kara Eberle as Weiss Schnee
Tara Platt as Kali Belladonna
Ernie Hudson as Celedon Kagayaki
Dawn M. Brennet as Midori Kagayaki
Tania Gunadi as Akai Kagayaki
Gray Haddock as White Fang Lieutenant/Schwarze Kohle, Councilman Viridian, Crimson
Scott McNeal as Councilman Orville
Tara Strong as Councilwoman Sapphire, River, Marissa Faireborn
Jessica Nigri as Cinder Fall
Katie Newill as Emerald Sustrai
Rick Orlow as Wildwheel
Bill Rodgers as Wheeljack
Gina Torres as Skywarp
Jason Douglas as Alpha Trion
Kent Williams as Razorclaw
Johnny Yong Bosch as Zarak
Chad James as Councilman Sleet, Militiaman
Anairis Quinones as Councilwoman Camilla, Militiawoman
Anna Hullum as Raven Branwen
Miles Luna as Teletraan-1
Christopher Wehkamp as Clover Ebi
Taylor McNee as Penny Polendina
Special Thanks
Cyclone and Cody Fett
For writing the story that inspired me to write this.
Delta prime2
For helping rerail Winter's characterization in the Prologue.
ssj-Sega/MetropolisMCU
For creating the TV Tropes page and single-handedly updating it for months on end.
blake-belladonna-defence-force
For helping with the AO3 Tags regarding Adam's and Blake's relationship.
Luimnigh
For letting me use their headcanon regarding Adam burning the letters.
Pulsor93
For helping rerail Sienna Khan's character and giving some pointers on how to rerail Ironwood's character a few months later.
Convoy914
For helping me realize what I was doing wrong in regards to Ironwood's characterization.
Kali-tmblr
For helping me figure out jumper-cable terminology.
MatrixDragon
For giving me pointers when I had writer's block.
Donquill
For helping out with the TVTropes page after ssj-Sega had been doing it alone for months.
TFWiki
For existing.
CRWBY
For creating an amazing show. This story wouldn't exist if it wasn't for you.
Keep Moving Forward.
Til all are one!
a/n: And now for replies to reviews.
Mobian: Well, your predictions were partially right.
Yeah hi sorry: Hopefully this chapter addressed some of your concerns, but you were a bit early to predicting Dropkick's death. I figured that there would be no death more fitting than being struck down by one of the lifeforms he wrote off as insignificant.
Z-King: Ah yes, the old FNDM tradition.
merendinoemiliano: Okay, that's good to hear. I was worried about the fights being underwhelming in Chapter 14.
TheReckless1One: You'll see.
Earthly Entity: I am thinking of writing a prequel story set during the time Bumblebee was without his voicebox. Though the reason I didn't have him mute now was because I wasn't confident in my ability to do so at the time.
Guest: A later, more heinous betrayal does not wipe away an earlier breach of trust.
As for my plans for the future, I'm going to go back and clean up some of the earlier chapters (mostly in regards to Ironwood's characterization and other minor tweaks), and after that, I'm posting the epilogue. See you all then.
Update 12/1/2021: Deleted Headmaster Theodore's last name. Turns out I had him confused with a Harry Potter character.