He did not think.
He did not even hesitate.
But he was aware. He was aware of the fire building up in Darksteel's chassis. He was aware of the danger she was in and how she would surely melt under such fire.
His spark hammered in his chassis as he launched forward, a roar tearing through his throat as he closed the distance between himself and Arcee. He saw how her optics widened in horror as he flew toward her. He saw how her blasters were raising at him, ready to shoot, to kill.
But that did not matter to him. She could shoot him in his chassis, and he would still charge toward her to protect her to the best of his ability.
Finally, he reached her, slamming into Arcee at such full force that it sent her falling to the ground. With his claw, he grabbed her and covered her with his wings as he stumbled out of the way of Darksteel's fire.
In that moment, he felt his armor shift from predacon to Cybertronian form. His claws become deformed servos, his wings folded into his back, and he decreased in height. After mere moments, he was standing with a struggling Arcee in his arms. Her narrowed optics flew open, wide with shock as she looked at him.
He wanted to speak her name, to ease her worries, to protect her. Yet he could not. The device on his voice box was a threat. Every word he said was monitored.
Arcee ceased her struggling, looking at him with wide optics, disbelief crossing her features. Her mouth was open, his name forming on her lips, and he reacted just as he had when Darksteel had threatened her life in that moment. He acted rashly as he pulled her closer to his beating spark.
And kissed her.
It was to keep her silent so that Antagony would not be made aware of her presence, but it was also a guilty pleasure that he had so yearned for. He pulled her closer, feeling her shock, but she did not pull back. But it was a brief reunion, as something within him arose as he pulled away, watching how she observed him with surprise and hope. He was reminded of a threat, of possible enemies who were a threat to his life.
And Arcee's.
A growl escaped his throat as he turned to glare at Predaking who thundered toward him, wings flapping. Bumblebee pushed Arcee back, feeling his armor shift as he transformed once more, a roar bursting forth as a challenge to Predaking.
"You will not harm her!" he shouted.
"She is a witness who must perish," Predaking growled.
"She is my sparkmate," Bumblebee declared, optics narrowed. He could faintly hear Smokescreen's startled gasp, but he did not care about the lie he had just told. These beings were a threat to Arcee, and he would do anything to protect her. An animalistic feeling roared and consumed his very being, so much so that his very being trembled with barely contained power. In this moment, he felt as if he could take on all the predacons present. They had threatened what was his. All who dared to do so would meet a swift end.
Of that he would ensure.
"Sparkmate?" Skylynx growled, but there was shock in his voice. "Then you cannot be the Heir!"
"Then there is no point in keeping him alive," Darksteel growled.
"No!" Predaking roared, turning suddenly to snarl at the two. "Dark One, you shall not touch your brother, nor his mate. Am I clear? They are of our race and shall not be harmed."
Darksteel bristled. "You threaten them, and now you defend them?"
"Am I clear?" Predaking snarled, fire building within his chassis as he regarded Darksteel.
Silence reigned, and Darksteel shrunk back, helm lowered in submission. "Understood, my king."
Something brushed up against Bumblebee's armor, and he looked down to see Arcee staring up at him with hostile wariness. Her right servo was formed into a blaster, yet her left servo slowly reached out for him. No word escaped her, shock clearly overcoming her.
He leaned toward her, his predacon helm a good distance from her, least he get a blaster bolt in the optic. But he wanted to transform, to hold her, to kiss her again. His armor trembled with the anticipation of transforming once again, yet he did not. He could not. Doing so would risk revealing who Arcee was to Antagony.
Yet despair filled him. Antagony already knew. She was listening in to their conversation.
Yet his determination came in full force. Antagony did not have a name to the femme Bumblebee had so boldly claimed as his mate. That would keep Arcee safe.
Arcee approached him, optics searching. She found her voice, ready to speak to him, ready to grace him with that voice he wanted to hear so much.
But he could not. Antagony could trace the voice.
Quickly, he growled, causing Arcee to speedily raise her blaster at him, optics narrowed. He bowed his helm, quickly scratching in the dirt. His actions caught Arcee's attention, who watched him warily.
Do not speak, he quickly wrote, glancing up at her. Relief flooded through him as he saw the thoughtfulness in her optics. She glanced up at him, to which he quickly nodded. Sudden despair came through him. What could he tell her? There was so much he wanted to express to her. Yet writing in the dirt did not seem the best way to profess how much he missed her, how strong his feelings were.
"Give her a mission," Smokescreen said suddenly, breaking through his muddled thoughts. "She could be the key to patch this psychic game of traitors."
Confusion filled him as he glanced at Smokescreen who stared at him knowingly, as if he had a secret only intended for his friend. Yet the approaching sound of Predaking coming near spurred him into further action. As he swiped at the previous message, he was filled with the cryptic understanding of Smokescreen's message.
Key. Patch. Psychic. Traitors.
He hastily scribbled down in the dirt, quick and sloppily. Yet Arcee's silent optics never left his actions.
Find the Key of Primes. Destroy cortical psychic patch.
"It is time to go," Predaking said, his voice breaking through the fragile stillness. "Say your farewells."
Not yet! There was so much he had to tell her, so much he needed to say. Yet his traitorous claw did not follow his spark, but only his helm. But Arcee focused on the next, crucial part in his message. A message that did not convey his feelings, but what needed to be done.
Traitor. Senti-
He never got to finish it, as a ground bridge opened up suddenly, and a dark mech charged through. Predaking and the predacons let out startled roars as they launched into the air. Smokescreen scrambled toward Bumblebee, who tried to reach Arcee who turned to face the mech who had just emerged through the bridge.
"We need to go!" Smokescreen shouted, but Bumblebee would not move, except toward Arcee. His instinct took over, and that was to protect her from the sudden, harsh blaster fire that pelted his beastly armor.
Claws wrapped around him and lifted him from the ground and away from Arcee. A cry of pain escaped him, a cry that matched Arcee's as she raced toward him. Yet the dark mech grabbed her and pulled her back. Her cries turned into screams as she struggled, yet the strength of the mech was greater.
Rage filled him as he saw the mech who was restraining her. Yet the very same beasts who had carried him to his doom now kept him restrained and only carried him farther away.
"Pull yourself together!" Predaking snarled, and Bumblebee was made instantly aware that it was the larger predacon who was carrying him. "That mech will kill us all if we were to return."
Not a bad thing, in Bumblebee's opinion. He frantically searched for Arcee through the thick, smoky covering that now blocked his sight. Yet it was all fuitale. He could not see her.
After seeing her, after getting a brief chance to hold her and warn her of the dangers, he was taken away again by the predacons.
It was her every intent to rush forward and try to get Bumblebee back. At least, she assumed that beast was Bumblebee. She had seen him for a moment! And yet, she could not be sure that the mech who had held her, who had so passionately kissed her, had been the mech she had mourned for.
Yet for all her uncertainties, she had still tried to follow him, to chase him down. Not for the first time, she cursed the untimely manner of Soundwave.
She slumped against his chassis in defeat when she had exhausted her strength, the masked mech not letting her go for even a moment. His grip did not even loosen even when the beat of the beast's wings faded away. Her knees trembled, weak and tired as her spark pulsed painfully within her chassis. She took in a deep shuddering breath that turned into a choke, all her painful memories and feelings coming forth.
"You can let me go," she said, her voice hoarse.
Soundwave reluctantly loosened his tight death-like grip on her, but he did not let her go as he slowly lowered her down to the ground. He finally released her and walked around, giving her some space. As her knees hit the ground, her optics flickered over to the patch of dirt Bumblebee had been writing in. Whatever he had tried to warn her about, his last message had been destroyed from Soundwave's sudden entrance. His violent attack had startled even her, yet his presence had startled off those winged beasts, prompting them to take Bumblebee.
That winged mech, the one who had warned her, was Bumblebee. She was sure of it.
She looked up at Soundwave, who was examining the area with a frozen, still caution. He did not move anything but his helm, and she noticed his empty chassis where Laserbeak usually resided in. She concluded that the minicon was most likely patrolling around.
"How did you find me?" she asked.
Soundwave turned to look at her, his damaged visor displaying a set of locations with her spark signature glowing green.
"You tracked me," she stated, her tone flat.
His answer was silent enough.
"How could you be tracking me?" she demanded, her voice nearly reaching hysterics. The fact that Soundwave could track her was not the most planet shattering event that had happened. Her processor felt like it was going to crash, yet she could only focus on the present moment and what was in front of her.
"Tracked you since you were a sparkling," came his cryptic, recorded message.
"So you could always monitor me?" she demanded.
"So we could always find you," he stated after a small pause.
She released a trembling breath, finally taking in his appearance. "You're hurt," she stated. His normally glistening armor was now charred black and smoking from fire, small bits of energon leaking from his wounds; wounds she could not identify where they were coming from. The screen of his helm was cracked, and the metal of his armor curled from the previous heat he had been tormented under.
The full extent of his injuries finally occurred to Arcee, and her optics widened in horror. "You're hurt!" she exclaimed, urgency in her tone this time as she scrambled up and tried to approach him. Yet as she approached him, he walked away, coordinates showing up on his flickering visor. "Soundwave," she started, uncertain where to start. He glanced at her, his helm cocked in a silent challenge, and she fell silent. Instead, she followed him, watching him with concern.
Finally, a ground bridge opened up, and Arcee followed him through. "Soundwave," she finally said. "Those were predacons, were they not?"
He continued to stride toward the canyon, and she could hear the faint sounds of someone shrieking. Her concern for whoever was in peril temporarily replaced her questions, yet her determination grew. "Soundwave!" she shouted, reaching him in two long strides. She grabbed his arm, barely noticing the slight winch he gave off. "I need answers, and you seem to be the only one who can answer them." She glanced down, slowly withdrawing her servo that was sticky with energon.
Energon that was leaking through Soundwave's wounds.
She hesitated. "Later," she finally agreed, concern washing over her. She suddenly looked up, her worry increasing as the screeching grew louder.
"Soundwave!" a sudden voice shrieked. A silver blur rushed towards them from up the canyon as Frenzy rached in their direction. "Thank Primus you are here! The mean green femme and scary lady are-!"
"Down to the Pitts femme!" a screech exclaimed as another being marched uphill. Arcee blinked as she took in Knock Out, who was scowling at Ark who followed camly behind. She was followed by a shaky Moonracer, and Arcee felt relief in seeing that Moonracer was alright.
"You!" Knock Out snarled, storming at Soundwave who did not flinch as the medic got into his face. "You could not have bridged us somewhere else? Nope! You had to bridge us beneath the mountain where my paint was ruined! The company I kept could have cared less and dragged me through the rubble!"
"Stop complaining. You are alive," Ark said simply to the doctor. Her optics flickered to Arcee, her mouth twitching as her stance relaxed slightly. "We all are."
"He need a medic," Arcee said firmly, servo reaching up to touch Soundwave, but then dropping back down. She looked at Knock Out pointedly.
He huffed, crossing his damaged arms. "Well, find someone else."
"He can barely stand," Arcee said, trying not to sound like she was begging. Yet the energon seeping from his wounds had yet to stop, and she found herself staring at them with concern plainly written across her face. Soundwave jerked away from her, and she could tell how insulted he was about her comment. Straightening up, he stalked away, servos flickering at Frenzy who nodded in understanding. "Got it daddy. Communicate with the boss." With that, Frenzy set up with building a connection with anyone nearby while Soundwave worked on opening another ground bridge.
"Soundwave is a gladiator," Ark stated, coming to stand beside Arcee, where she belonged. "He would walk through the Pit if need be."
"He just did," Arcee stated as the ground bridge opened up. And if she did not get answers soon, she would drag him through the Pit once more. "What did you find with Knock Out during your search?" Arcee asked.
"Not much. Maybe a possible lead. You?"
"I found more questions than answers," Arcee said. "And I need those answers."
"It is a good thing I can extract what you need," Ark stated.
Arcee frowned doubtfully. "Can you use your skills on Megatron?" If she needed answers, then she might as well go straight to the head of it all. Who was more knowledgeable about this decit then the Decepticon leader himself?
Bumblebee had ceased his struggling and was finally allowed to fly on his own. Everyone was silent during the flight. Smokescreen drifted toward Bumblebeee, as if to offer silent support. Yet Bumblebee's processor whirled with questions. Did Arcee understand what he had tried to warn her of? Would she act on the warnings? Was she alright?
Predaking'a rousing roar pulled him sharply from his thoughts, and he looked up at the leader who was hovering in front of them.
"Continue on," Predaking said, gesturing his predacon helm back toward the hidden base. It was up until now that he noticed how cleverly hidden it was. In the dormant volcanic mountain that was hidden beneath ash and many mounds of boulders, one would never think of holding up base in such an unstable area. Hidden passages designed to look like boulders were in plain view that only the trained optic would see. Yet, the only way in was through the air. There was no ground entrance.
"You," Predaking said, his voice cutting through Bumblebee who had started to follow the others. "Follow me."
Bumblebee glanced at Smokescreen who gave him a worried glance. Yet Darksteel and Skylynx herded him on toward the mountain, despite Smokescreen's loud protests. Bumblebee quickly turned with difficulty in the air and followed after Predaking. He glided through the sky, worry filling him.
They did not fly far when they landed atop a small incline of a hill that overlooked a valley. Predaking surveyed the valley, wings stiff as Bumblebee hesitantly approached him. He glanced down, noting with sudden grimness the land that was scattered with bones stuck on the hard ground. He briefly wondered what burial mound this was, and why it was so important.
"The graveyard of our race," Predaking said, answering Bumblebee's question. "We are a living miracle that there is hope for a once dead kingdom."
"They are your people," Bumblebee said. "Not mine."
"No," Predaking said, surprising Bumblebee. "I suppose not. I was born from their very bones, as were my brothers. You and your comrades were created into their form." He unfolded his wings, stance slightly relaxed. "But that does not change the fact that you are one of us now. Our energon is your energon. The bones of our very brothers gives you strength, and you are under my protection, as are your entire clan."
Bumblebee blinked in confusion. "My clan?"
"Your mate, your offspring. What ever you may call it," Predaking said casually. "Though I would advise you to keep such knowledge to yourself."
"Everyone knows," Bumblebee said. Whether it was a lie or not, Arcee was in danger now because he had proclaimed a falsehood about him and Arcee. To protect her in the moment, he had doomed her for a lifetime. "Antagony heard it all as she hears our conversation now."
"You think she understand our language?" Predaking asked suddenly, a note of amusement in his tone.
Bumblebee jerked back to sharply look at Predaking who now looked regal in the dim lighting, overseeing a valley of bones.
"She does not know?" he demanded, aghast.
"No Cybertronian will be able to understand the language of the predacons," Predaking said. "Not even a witch."
Relief filled Bumblebee with this new revelation. He breathed in deeply, new possibilities flooding through him. "She does not suspect?"
"That we can communicate? No. We are midnless beasts to her in this form. But we must be desecrate to avoid suspicion. If she were to suspect that we can in fact communicate, then all that I have built would have come to ruin."
"A hidden king," Bumblebee mused thoughtfully. Yet wariness filled him. "Why are you telling me this?"
"A king needs powerful allies," Predaking answered. "A king needs numbers on his side to overthrow the tyrant and reclaim the throne."
"Or would I replace one tyrant for another?" Bumblebee questioned, a challenge in his voice.
"Which tyrant would you prefer?" Predaking challenged back.
"Not the one who wants me dead," Bumblebee admitted. Thoughts and plans were taking shape and reforming. Yet this was not something to take lightly at all. He glanced back down at the valley of the predacon bones, and he wondered what a future would be like if creatures like Predaking were to roam Cybertron once more. In such a short moment, many paths were open up to him.
"You have given me much to think about," Bumblebee said finally.
"I would hope so," Predaking said. "Your mate keeps powerful company, and the surveillance chief of the Decepticon leader is a welcome ally."
Bumblebee blinked. Surveillance chief?
Suddenly, Bumblebee chuckled. "You think that my mate can intercede for you when the Decepticons come hunting you all down?" Now this meeting made sense.
But Predaking did not look concerned at Bumblebee's lack of sudden interest. "No, I expect for you to be the one to intercede for me and my kind."
Bumblebee was suddenly filled with caution. "What could I possibly do?"
Pradaking chuckled, and it sent chills down Bumblebee's spine. "The arrival of the surveillance chief told me all I needed to know about who you are." Predaking suddenly looked at him with a cold, calculated expression. Despite the brightness of his golden optics, there was no warmth in those depths. "You could do very much as the Autobot Heir."