Chapter 40
A/N: Sorry for the long wait, I have this thing in my life called college, so…yea. I just own this story!
/comm/
Telepathy
"Bee"
Unknown Canyon, December 19
"Everyone! We need back up!" Superman called.
"Negatrive," Optimus said.
"WHAT?!"
"Unicron cannot be defeated by sheer force, he wants me," Optimus said pulling out his blasters. "Get out of here!"
"I'm not letting you fight alone Optimus," Superman stated, getting ready to fight.
The first ones jumped and the Man of Steel ripped through them with his heat vision. Optimus blasted a few others, before exchanging his guns for swords, charing forwards, easily slicing through the rock. Running ahead, he jumped off a cliff onto one before back handspringing off, firing his gun at several more. Several tried jumping Prime from the side, but Superman flew in and slammed them off the cliff.
"We can't keep this up forever!" Clark called as more climbed up the cliff and emerged from the ground.
"We have to try," Optimus replied as one emerged from under him, slamming him into the cliff wall.
Superman turned to see what happened when two more came up and grabbed him, and the rest began to surround them.
One raised his arm for a killing blow when a cry rang out and Superboy slammed into him, knocking the rock man down. An eerie laugh rang out and Superman grunted as two holding his left side exploded as Robin swung over.
"Yrotsed eht noitatsefinam fo Norcinu!" Zatanna chanted and the other three holding him levitated into the air and they collided into each other.
Arcee drove along the cliff, driving off, she transformed in the air and slammed into one approaching the group holding Optimus down from the back. Bumblebee drove over, vaulting into the air he transformed and jumped onto one, knocking it over as Bulkhead slammed his into where 'Bee's fell, sending both into the cliff-wall.
Several more jumped down and a green barrier got between them and blasted them back. One jumped in front of Bumblebee and he used his blasters to shoot it down as two more landed next to him, Optimus charged by, grabbing one and hurling it towards Superboy who punched it into the cliff, and ducking under the mace of the other before a golden lasso wrapped around it and Wonder Woman hurled it up where Red Arrow and Artemis fired explosive arrows into it.
"I told you to stay away from the fight!" Optimus said.
"We know, and we don't care," Batman said. "You're the one he's after, perhaps you should consider retreating."
"The base's shields will only block my signal for so long," Optimus replied.
"Then let us take the lead," Wonder Woman said. "After all, it is a Prime who is needed to defeat Unicron."
Optimus was silent for a moment. "Very well," he yielded. "Bumblebee, stay close."
"I'm not an active Prime, Dad. I can take care of myself!" he snapped back as he ran ahead. One manifestation ran at him, when he just fipped over, wrapped his legs around its head, before using his momentum to yank himself towards the ground into a handspring, sending the manifestation flying over him and into another.
"Let's move!" Arcee called as they charged forwards. A groundbridge appeared taking Red Arrow, Robin, Artemis, and Zatanna back to base, and the three ran through. Wonder Woman grabbed Superboy's arm and with a nod, she tossed him at another, where he slammed through it before jumping onto another. Superman flew past freezing several with his ice-breath as Arcee jumped above him and began firing, breaking them down into dust.
Climbing up the cliff, the Autobots transformed and drove away from it, swerving as other manifestations appeared. Batman stood on Bulkhead's hood, tossing various bat-a-rangs at them as they emerged from the ground.
They all slammed on their brakes and transformed as a giant one emerged before them, standing several stories taller than the rest.
"Please don't tell me that's Unicron himself," Superboy said.
"No, it is just another of his manifestations," Batman replied.
"If we can't beat or outrun this guy, what exactly are we supposed to do?!" Bulkhead snapped.
"All we can," Wonder Woman replied. "We just fight until we find a way to defeat him!"
Flying forwards, she wrapped her lasso around on of his horns and pulled as Superman shot forward and slammed into the giant, knocking him to the ground. Unicron got up, and swatted the Man of Steel into Wonder Woman; Bulkhead transformed and drove under his giant feet, before going back to bipedal mode and firing at him. The large manifestation began to turn, swinging his mace, when Bumblebee jumped up and climbed the mace, before flipping off, firing shots into the optics of their foe.
Unicron swung his sword, making a wind turrent that send those nearby flying back. Slamming his blade into the ground, he swung it towards where he felt the presence of the Primes, causing rocks to fly in his blade's wake, sending them crashing into Optimus. Looking down he saw the Prime pinned, and lifted his foot to kill him.
"I am this world's past and its future, and as of this moment all Primes are simply past." Lowering his foot, the head was suddenly blasted off, and the rock monster crumpled to the ground.
"Who did that?"
"Wasn't us," Batman said helping Wonder Woman and Superman to their feet.
"Not me," Bulkhead shrugged and they looked at Arcee.
"Don't look at me, I didn't do that," she said. "Ratch?"
/What happened?/
"I happened."
All heads snapped to the top of the rubble where Megatron stood. Jumping off, he landed in front of them with a smirk.
/Wait! Tall, dark, and ulgy's there?!/ Artemis called.
/He's aligned himself with Unicron/ Ratchet snarled.
"Don't be so sure," Batman replied. "He just defeated the maifesation that was about to kill Optimus."
Optimus finally pried the rocks off of him, looking up as Megatron walked over and stood above him, before holding a hand out to help him up. Narrowing his eyes, he took the hand and stood up.
"Ironic considering our last encounter," the Warlord said. "If memory serves, you were desperately trying to extinguish my spark."
"That option remains very much in play," Prime growled pulling out his sword.
"I wold expect nothing less, however, I have a proposal," he said. "Join me in defeating our shared enemy—Unicron, the Chaos Bringer."
"Why take our side?!" Superman snapped.
"Because Megatron's pride would never allow anyone other than himself to rule our world," Batman said.
"You know me all too well, but then again, I shouldn't be surprised that Earth's greatest detective has done his research," Megatron sneered.
"You lead an army, why come to us?" Wonder Woman growled.
"Because this particular battle requires something I do not have under my command—the power of a Prime."
"Guess we don't need you," Bulkhead laughed.
"On the contrary, Optimus may be the only capable of defeating Unicron, but I am the only one who can guide you to his very spark," Megatron replied before whispering to Optimus. "…Unless, you have someone else cabale of guiding you."
"Not theat I know of," he growled back glaring daggers at him and the tyrant smirked.
The others wondered what Megatron said considering Optimus looked like he wanted to rip out his spark then and there, as he continued. "Only I can hear his very thoughts and anticipate his movements, for Unicron's blood runs through my veins. Our past alliances—Autobot, Decepticon, Justice League—no longer matter, not as long as Unicron lives."
/THE PAST ALWAYS MATTERS!/ Ratchet shouted, making several on the comms wince at the volume.
"A truce, and how long do you expect that to last?" Optimus questioned.
"Only as long as it's mutually beneficial."
"And when our 'shared mission' is over?" Batman asked.
"I will conquer this world, my way."
"Brutal honesty from a Decepticon, that's a first," Arcee said and Wonder Woman nodded in agreement.
/Aligning with the lsser of two evils is still siding with evil!/ Ratchet cautioned.
"Do you honestly believe you've seen Unicron's full power?" Megatron scoffed. "Those footsoldiers were merely the precipice of what is to come if Unicron should fully awaken. With each passing moment he evolves, mutating this world from the inside out."
"Like how your quest for power destroyed Cybertron?!" Arcee snarled.
"Make no mistake! This time there will be a planet left for me to rule!" he snapped back.
"Even if we do agree, Unicron's down at the very center of the Earth! How are we supposed to get there? Drive?" Bulkhead stated.
"There is only one way," Optimus replied.
/ABSOLUTELY NOT!/ Ratchet hollared. /GROUNDBRIDGING INTO SPACE AND ONTO MOVING TRAINS IS HARD ENOUGH! BUT PLOTTING A BLIND JUMP INSIDE A SENTIENT BEING?! BESIDES, YOU CAN'T TAKE YOUR VEHICLES, THAT MUCH DIRECT EXPOSURE TO DARK ENERGON WILL DEBILIATE YOU! YOU DON'T HAVE AS STRONG OF AN IMMUNITY AS MEGATRON!/
"Yet another reason for soliciting my guidance."
"You can provide Unicron's exact coordinates?" Optimus inquired.
"If you transport us to the world's core, I can take you to his very spark! The heart of his darkness," he answered.
"And how exactly are we supposed to stop him?" Wonder Woman asked.
Optimus was silent for a moment before answering. "With the Matrix of Leadership."
/Uh…someone care to explain what that is/ Zatanna asked.
"It's a vessel of pure energy, the collective Wisdom of all the Primes that came before," 'Bee answered.
/I'm not sure we have time for a scavenger hunt/ Red Arrow said.
/We don't need to find it, Optimus already carries it within him/ Ratchet stated.
"It was the combined power of the Primes that defeated Unicron ages ago, the very reason he now seeks to destroy all descendants of them," Megatron said.
"It would stand to reason that by unleashing the power of the Matrix directly into Unicron's spark would return him to stasis," Prime agreed.
/So wait! if everything goes right that thing is going to stay down there?!/ KF exclaimed.
/Dude, Unicron isn't in the Earth's core, he is the Earth's core/ Robin retorted. /Weren't you paying any attention earlier?/
/Obviously not if he missed such an important detail/ Artemis snorted.
Rocks began to roll past them towards the downed manifestation as it began to stand back up. "Not again," Superman grumbled.
"Ratchet, send a groundbridge," Optimus ordered.
"Wait! We're opening up a direct path into our base with Megatron right there!?" Arcee exclaimed.
"And he's seriously going to risk his own spark to save us?" Bulkhead growled.
Megatron burst out laughing. "Hardly my nature!" He looked up at the rising being. "Consider my offer, I'll keep it busy." Transforming he flew off and started firing at it.
Nodding, Optimus and the others ran through the bridge.
-.-
Nemesis
"No word yet from Lord Megatron?" Arachnid asked; no one answered. "It appears our leader has abandoned us while this pathetic world erupts in chaos. I believe we must consider the possibility of a future without Megatron."
Soundwave turned and narrowed his eyes behind his visor, he always knew that Insecticon glitch was trouble.
-.-
Autobot Base
The entire Justice League had returned from crisis missions around the world to deliberate on what to do about Megatron's offer.
"I know desperate times call for desperate measures, but this is Meagtron we're talking about!" Green Arrow exclaimed.
"How can we even consider letting that monster near the Team after what he did to Miss Martian!?" Black Canary agreed.
"He will be closely monitored, and only here long enough to send us on our mission," Optimus replied as he and the others transformed and stepped out of their vehicles. "Not one moment longer."
"What's gonna stop him from calling in an air strike if he knows where the base is?" Fowler asked.
"By groundbridging Megatron here, he will be unable to get a fix on our coordinates."
"Optimus, what will happen to you when all your Matrix energy is released?" Captain Marvel asked.
"The power in the Matrix has never been utilized in this fashon before."
"But you have an idea, right?" Green Lantern asked.
"…If the world is to be saved, I have no other choice than to proceed," Optimus said turning to his team and avoiding the question, "but you do."
"I'm in," Bumblebee replied cracking his knuckles with a smirk.
"As if I'd let you all have all the fun," Bulkhead smiled.
"Don't even try to talk us out of it, sir," Arcee stated.
-.-
Unknown Location
Megatron dove under Unicron's mace, doing a spin, he flew up, firing at his face, before dropping behind him and firing at the joints. Another manifestation appeared and he shot down towards the ground before pulling up and swinging between its legs, flying up and firing at the face of another one, before spinning past the sword. He shot at the knees of the third one, making it crumble to the ground.
/Megatron, we are sending transport, leave your ship, you will not be needing it where we're going/ Optimus called.
"You can always be relied upon to listen to reason Optimus," he smirked swinging back, before transforming, punching one in the face, where it fell apart. Landing next to the rubble, he stepped out of his jet, and walked into the glowing vortex that appeared a moment later.
-.-
Base
The team stood nervously on the balcony with several League members standing/floating between them and the bridge.
The Autobots pulled out their weapons, and the League got into fighting stances as he appeared. Stepping out of the bridge Megatron glanced around.
"So, this is where the magic happens," he sneered. "Quaint." Looking at the balcony he smiled darkly as he saw the Martian girl lying on the couch. "You're looking much better than our last encounter little girl."
Superboy started to lunge at him when Black Canary stood between them, holding his shaking sholders.
Megatron snorted and looked at the others. "And all of you, I never forget a face, even those of lower beings," he sneered.
"Megatron, destination coordiantes, now," Ratchet snapped.
Looking away from the members of the Team and League he walked over to the groundbridge station.
"Bumblebee," Optimus said and the teen turned and looked at him, motioning with his head, they walked into another room.
"Dad, like it or not, I'm coming on this mission," he said crossing his arms.
Optimus removed his helmet and ran a hand through his hair. "I know, and that is not what I was wanting to discuss with you," he replied putting a hand on 'Bee's shoulder. "I want you to keep something for me, if you are willing."
"Sure." Reaching into his subspace, Optimus pulled out a small Cybertronian artifact and handed it to the surprised scout. "Dad…is this…? Why give it to me? This is a sacred artifact, Ratchet should have it!"
"Perhaps, but I've been impressed by how much I've seen you mature, and because of that, I feel that you've earned the right to safeguard it, until we return."
"I won't let you down," he said standing straight.
"I know, and Bumblebee, when we get back, there is something I need to discuss with you," he said giving his son a solemn smile before putting his helmet back on.
"Got it," 'Bee smiled giving a playful salute, before they walked out to join the others.
The bridge activated, and Arcee stepped forwards, putting her hands on her hips and glaring at Megatron. "You first."
"As you wish," he said with a slight bow.
"Good luck guys," Flash said.
"You've got this!" Captain Marvel exclaimed with a thumbs-up.
Arcee and Bulkhead rolled their eyes and nodded to their fellow League members as 'Bee gave a salute to the Team as they walked through the bridge.
Going through, they found themselves surrounded by a vast cavern, with large veins glowing with the pulsating energon running through them.
"So how till Unicron knows we're here?" Arcee asked.
"Make no mistake, he already does," Megatron replied, leading the way.
