This story is a work of fiction. In this story, I use several Original Characters, including Dustfang, Veteran, and Bull-Strike, and several others. All other characters are property of Hasbro and whoever owns the copyright for said company and its creations.

Trails Un-followed: A Beast Wars Fan-Fiction

Chapter Two- Revelation

Dustfang mumbled something inaudible as Optimus dropped him unceremoniously onto the hard, metal floor of the command deck.

He half-smiled as 'Cheetor' got the same treatment. The smile vanished when he heard the voice of his assailant.

"What in the name of Primus were you two maximals doing!" optimus bellowed, his powerful and familiar voice echoing throughout the station.

Dustfang glanced up with his long face, ears standing upright in shock, and stared into the familiar visage of his old drinking partner. "Chug?"

Before Primal could react, Cheetor spoke up, forcing himself to his feet and shifting into robot form. "It was my fault Optimus...I thought he was assaulting Black Arachnia." His foot started drawing little circles on the ground. "Sorry..."

Primal nodded and waved his hand, giving Cheetor permission to scitter off. He did just that.

By the time his focus returned to Dustfang, the latter had stood up and transformed again. Both Maximals stared long into each other's face, but Optimus was the first to break the stare...throwing his head back and laughing loudly.

Dustfang joined in and reached up to wrap an arm around his old friends shoulders, but lowered his arm when he noticed that the shoulder was at least 20 feet above him.

"We thought you were gone, like all the other pods!" Primal said, whiping an imaginary tear from his eye. "We didn't expect to ind any survivors of the energon storm."

Dustfang smiled, jamming one thumb into his own chest, then said "No energon starm can take out SharpShutter Dunare'yun!"

Both laughed again, glad to have been reunited once more.

Optimus was the first to grow somber again, and Dustfang, once known as Dunarion, followed suit, albeit reluctantly.

"Dunarion? We need to talk." The leader said, indicationg the way to his quarters.

Dustfang lowered his head, the facsimile of a sigh escaping from his mouth. He didn't, couldn't, wouldn't wrap his head around the unbearable information Optimus had forced onto him.

"I am sorry, old friend, but she isn't yours anymore..." The respected commander said gently, lowering one massive metallic hand onto his old friends shoulder. "You need to move-" Dustfang snapped out his arm, slapping the huge limb away from him, and standing up.

Dustfang stormed out of the 'bot's quarters, stomping his way to his own room and thinking...remembering...

The tall, thin, and black Maximal spread his large wings, looking at them in satisfaction.

"I like tha Up'grads!" He said in his southern drawl. The younger Dunarion looked up at his friend, who spread similar appendages, though they were, along with the rest of his body, white and silver.

"Shall we race?" The majestic form of Subaron said, flapping once and rising into the air. Dunarion smiled, then shot into the air ahead of his friend of 15 stellar cycles.

On the ground, Barinia watched her two close friends, her gaze lingering on the shining white knight flying around the dark spectre of Dunarion. She loved her powerful hero to death, and Subaron knew it. He stopped and waved at her, his lupine face creasing in a smile...but it vanished as Dunarion collided with him, punching him im the side and darting away, laughing. Subaron growled playfully, turning reluctantly from his 'girlfriend' and darting after his friend.

Dustfang snarled as the memoried returned. He looked into in the projected images on his wall. Two were of his old friends, one above the other on the plain grey wall. Next to them, however, were images of Black Arachnia and this 'Silverbolt' character.No doubt that Barinia and Black Arachnia were one and the same...and Subaron and Silverbolt were the same as well...

Optimus shook his head sadly and leaned back, resting his head on the wall and closing his optics for some much needed rest. Telling Dustfang of his ex-lover and Bestfriends fate had been hard, but not as hard as the mroe recent tidbit of personal information would be.