The dust was thick in the air, creating a light, dusky brown smog that enveloped the valley below.
The fight had been raging for hours now. Decepticon and Autobots trading shots, blows and turns in the tide of the battle flow. Amid the chaos caused by the mechanical bodies, tiny beings made out of the very vulnerable material of flesh and bone were scrambling.
Lennox was screaming orders over the chaos, his voice hoarse after hours of conflict, and the seemingly stalemate. Neither side could gain any ground, and weariness was starting to over come the human forces, and their special allies. A group Lennox recently took under his wing.
"Hold that right flank!" He bellowed, then cursed wildly. His arm jerking quickly upward. Sending the planned barrage of bullets skyward when a few bodies in green moved with almost impossible speed. But the green wasn't from any standard military uniforms. Bursts of colors quickly drew attention to the reason why.
"Ari!" Ty's voice now took over, as the young turtle took the lead of this team. "Go high! Thane, cover her!"
The small blonde and the big brute both nodded before exploding into motion. Running forward, charging this line of five Decepticons head on...with just the two of them.
Lennox and Epps stared in disbelief as Thane stopped, tossed his much smaller cousin into the air. Ari spun, with the ever present smile on her face, as her arm snapped out. Throwing devices neither human could make out unerringly towards each of the 'Cons in front of her. Completely ignoring the fact that plasma fire was erupting all around her as they tried to lock onto her.
She blew a kiss at them as she fell back down, the rolled out of the way of the trailing blasts.
"Now!" Ty thundered, his katana pointing even as Dante flipped open a compartment on his wrist device, and pressed a button. Mere heartbeats later, the devices the youngest threw, and had attached to the 'Cons, exploded. Taking a fair amount of metal plating, wires and who knows what else and scattering it all over the place. Now a threat to Lennox's position suddenly became very handicapped. Three of the two even losing their footing and cashing down. Only to be covered in crawling turtles as Ty himself led the second charge.
"Maaan….." Epps looked over at his commanding officer with mild worry. "I'm glad they are on our side and all, but if something happens to them, I really don't feel like explaining to their dads."
"I feel you." Lennox muttered quietly back before readjusting his fire to the next threat.
The next voice heard over the commotion, was surprisingly Lavi. Leo's daughter had her hand placed on her headset. One of the various things the sires had left their children to make their new jobs with the NEST team less difficult. "Everybody! Pull back! Air Support is coming!"
Lennox and Epps exchanged a quick, surprised, glance. Last they heard, the next air strike wouldn't be available for about another 20 minutes.
"MOVE!" Ty thundered, bellowing the order at Lennox even as he ran.
Then it dawned on the two commanders of Nest at the same time.
"Oh shit!" Epps exclaimed even as he smashed his own hand on his headset. "Fall back! I repeat, all engaged units fall back! NOW!"
There was a stunned moment of silence in the valley, then Prime and the other Autobots furiously began to aid the retreat. Ironhide even going so far as to pick up a battle buggie or two as he ran.
Battle buggie, Epps mused, that term stuck now to the mobile ground vehicles thanks to Ari...
The Decepticons, some now thinking that the retreat was due to the Autoboots not being able to hold the line, began to push forward. An evil gleam in their eyes as they pressed their advantage they thought they had.
They thought wrong.
The first roar sounded deafeningly loud. Causing some soldiers to cover their ears. At the tail end of the sound, flames erupted over the rim of the steep cliff to the east of them. Hues of blue, purple, orange and red fire lit up the sky as it slowly fell towards dusk. Then what emerged over the rim still sent shivers down the human's spines.
They were immense in size. They were in the air. And they steeply dove once they cleared the cliff.
The blue banded dragon was in the center, with the other three flanking him. red and orange on his left, purple on his right. All eyes were now on the newcomers and their flight. Lennox smiled as he swore he could hear Vicky's thrilled scream come from the back of the leader.
Apparently The parents of his turtle team decided they wanted to come play too. How nice.
Epps was grinning widely now, slapping Lennox on the back in his excitement as the dragons crashed into the leading line of 'Cons. "Deception BBQ BABY! Hell YEAH!"
Almost immediately, the flow had shifted, yet again. But instead of a gentle shifting of positions, the dragons hit with the force of a tsunami. Raph had picked up one unfortunate individual, and brutally smashed him into another before using his large bulky feet to trample what was left into spare parts. Lennox winced a little at a particular nasty stomp. Broken spare parts then...
The younger turtles were, for the moment, just standing and watching. Grins on their faces as their fathers tore a large hole into the 'Con defenses.
Before the surprised Cybertronians could begin to get their bearings, Hide strode back out to the battle line. His intent very clear as his arm raised, and his cannons came to life. "Engage! Don't give them time to recover!" Came the bellow, even as Sunstreaker and Sideswipe ran forward, diving into their vehicle modes to cover the ground more quickly. The front liners didn't need another prompting.
Neither did the children of those furiously fighting dragons. Hitching rides by not climbing into, but rode on top of their chosen transportation. Disembarking by leaping off and directly onto their chosen target. Climbing swiftly up legs and torsos to read the vulnerable areas where explosive devices could be place, that Dante seemed to take a large enjoyment in setting off if his gleefully childish expression was to go by.
A battle that had raged for hours, was over in twenty minutes. With what was left of the Decepticon's retreating. And a pair of stubborn front liner twins following them. Snapping at their heels. The dragons stood, necks raised high as they watched the route, tails flickering at the tip in mild annoyance.
Only when calm had been restored did the humans approach the creatures in the middle of the valley, and there was a great amount of amusement. The dragons sported a new accessory. All four of them.
"Harnesses, huh?" Epps crossed his arms as Vicky carefully descended the strap guiding her to the ground. "With saddles?"
Leo shimmered once Vicky was down, and his turtle form was looking directly at his mate ove crossed arms. "It was not my idea, my friend. That much I guarantee you."
"Thought you four were going into retirement? You came out and went dragon?" Epps grinned even wider.
"Wasn't our idea either..." This from Raph, who was glaring at a, fakely, innocent looking Cris.
"We had merely intended to just come pay our offspring a visit." Donnie pushed his glasses up his nose as he approached with Marina. "Once we arrived at your base, Blaster informed us of what was going on out here."
"The girls decided they wanted in on the fun." Mikey grinned, draping an arm around Caitlin. "And you know how Leo is, all Vicky had to do was flash him those big brown puppy dog eyes, and he caved. Like hot butter on a hot plate. Probably because he'd be on that hot plate if he tried to tell Vicky 'no'. Sucker"
Leo turned his head very slowly, a dangerous glint in his eyes as he stared his youngest brother down.
Mikey just grinned right back at him. "What? Truth hurt? It's not like we all don't know that all she has to do is bat those eyelashes at you, and you get all gooey."
"Mikeeeeey….." Leo's tone was full of warning as he uncrossed his arms.
"And it's not like you won't get her back by making her scream all over the bedroom, and the lair, and the sewer tunnels-"
Caitlin slapped a hand over his mouth, seeing Leo's hands reaching out, fingers twitching. "Now, Mikey. You know you shouldn't tease them...…. Even if they are loud enough to warrant soundproofing of any room they couple in."
Vicky groaned, slapping her hand over her eyes, but that's not what ended the awkward moment. The chuckling laughter of the younger group did.
"Comin' ta spy on us?" Thane grinned.
Raph snorted, his arms crossing. "Nore like seeing if yer staying out of trouble."
"No" Ari quipped right back. "We found some con's to terrorize."
"We noticed." Leo managed a slight smile.
"You still didn't answer my question though." Epps tilted his head curiously. "Why did you come out? And cave so easily to Vicky's request?"
Leo turned, his eyes wandering over his brothers, the mothers and finally the children before turning to look back at Epps. "Because, a lion always protects his pride. I don't care how much they grow, if they need us, we will always be there for them."
He paused, letting the serious statement sink in
"That, and I really didn't want to listen to Vicky complain about missing a dragon ride. Do you have any idea how loud she can scream if she gets angry? I'm getting older and my ears can't take it so well anymore."
…
"GOD DAMN IT, LEO!"
"See what I mean?"