Hello again! Sorry for going silent for so long but life has been really hectic for me recently and I sort of lost the motivation to write. I'm still busy now but there seems to be a brief calm at the moment, allowing me to collect my thoughts. My biggest problem with writing this story is the lack of a plan I have. I know what I want to do in the sequels, but not this one (I'm mainly setting things up atm). So as I've said before, I really need to get more organised before I go too far... Anyways, I hope that you enjoy this rather short chapter!
The two Autobots walked cautiously, headlights illuminating the dark tunnel.
"Do you even think he's still down here Kup?" The red Autobot with flame decals asked the other.
The older bot nodded. "If I know Grimlock, he'll always stand his ground."
"Riiight." Hot Rod was beginning to regret volunteering for this mission. All he wanted was something interesting to do but now he was doubting the supposed benefits of the task.
The young Autobot suddenly froze as a ferocious roar filled the tunnel. "I think he's close." He said with obvious fear.
"Yep. He's close alright." Kup replied, drawing a blaster rifle from his back, just in case things got out of hand, which he guessed they probably will if Grimlock is involved.
The silhouette of a bipedal beast grew larger as Grimlock rounded the tunnel's corner. He gazed at them with ruby red optics, processing what he saw before him.
Unfortunately, his primal instincts took over after a few moments, and he charged them with ferocity. Hot Rod yelped and quickly moved out of his destructive path.
"Grimlock, wait-!" Kup called out to him before leaping out the way of the behemoth, narrowly avoiding his razor sharp jaws.
Kup blasted a few rounds into Grimlock's thick metal hide, a warning to keep him at bay. The titan only roared back in annoyance.
"Great plan Kup!" Hot Rod remarked sarcastically. "Have you tried the universal greeting?"
The older bot paused for a moment in thought before coming to a realisation. "That might just work kid." He smiled.
Hot Rod slumped his shoulders. "I wasn't serious."
"Hey Grim!" Kup shouted to the giant, who glowered at him in return. Kup bowed slightly, and offered a small chip of energon to the titan. "Bah Weep Granna Weep Ninny Bong."
Grimlock moved his head towards the energon, almost sniffing it with his sensors. He then took a large bite and swallowed the chip whole, without taking Kup's hand with it.
Grimlock growled softly, seemingly calmer now, allowing Kup to cautiously approach. The older bot placed a servo on his snout, attempting to further comfort the Dinobot. In a matter of moments the beast was no longer there and was instead replaced with the towering robot form of Grimlock.
"W-w-what do you want?" He asked, his voice sounded more concerned than angry however. "K-kup?"
Kup offered a small smile to the titan. "Yes its me Grimlock, and this is Hot Rod." He pointed back at the younger bot who was still trying to hide, and offered a nervous wave when he saw Grimlock staring at him. "Now what we want is to help you."
"H-how?"
Kup retrieved a large syringe from his chassis storage, causing Grimlock to lurch back, remembering Shockwave's laboratory. "Relax Grimlock." Kup told him, somewhat easing the titan. "All we need is a small energon sample, that way we can find a cure for...whatever's wrong with you."
"No. No cure."
"What?"
"My beast form, it is p-part of me now. I d-don't think there is a way b-back..."
"Of course there is Grim, Ratchet just needs a sample to find it."
Grimlock huffed but let Kup extract a small amount of energon into the syringe.
"You n-need to leave now." Grimlock told them. "I could turn back at a-any moment. N-not safe for you here, with m-me."
Kup seemed reluctant to leave the Dinobot, but Hot Rod placed a hand on his shoulder. "Come on Kup, let's go. We can come back once we've found a way to help him."
Kup sighed. "Yeah, I guess you're right kid. See you around Grimlock." He gave the giant a quick farewell salute before he and Hot Rod dashed down the tunnel, once again leaving Grimlock alone.
The groundbridge portal dissolved as soon as Kup and Hot Rod had entered the base.
"We got it!" Hot Rod grinned, gesturing to the large syringe in Kup's servo, now full of energon. Then he realised the situation in front of him.
Ratchet and Knock Out rushed back and forth, directing the wounded and the well to their appropriate positions. "I'm leaking over here, hello?" Wheeljack moaned from the medical berth he lay on, clutching his bleeding arm through gritted denta.
Kup approached Ultra Magnus, who stood to the side, covered in dents and scratches, but otherwise unharmed, a stern scowl upon his face.
"What happened?" Kup asked the commander.
Ultra Magnus appeared to momentarily snap out of his staring contest with the wall to focus on the older bot. He sighed. "The Decepticons were more powerful than we first anticipated. We...barely managed to get out in one piece."
"Oh." It now dawned on Kup that their war still raged on. "At least we might be able to get Grimlock back on our side." He tried to sound optimistic, holding the syringe up to Magnus.
The corner of the commander's mouth twitched, almost betraying a smile. "That's the first good news I've heard all day." He took the container from Kup and stared at its contents. He was no medical expert but the energon looked thicker and more of a darker hue of blue than usual. "I shall pass this onto Ratchet once he has a free nano-cycle..."