In Africa…
All was silent in the jungle except for the heavy thunking of mechanical footsteps. All was silent as though the world were holding its breath. Waiting. Anticipating. And then-
"This place is seriously spooky… and boring."
"Smokescreen!"
"What, I'm just saying-"
Optimus held up his hand effectively shutting down the oncoming argument. "Smokescreen, Arcee, we must proceed with utmost caution we do not know what lies ahead, and something, doesn't feel right…" he trailed off. Arcee continued to glare at Smokescreen for another moment, before increasing her pace to walk alongside Optimus.
"Optimus are you all right?"
"I am fine Arcee it's just…" He shook his head and sighed. "I don't know but something-"
Wwirrrrppprrrrr At the sound of weapons charging Optimus and Arcee whipped around, weapons out and stances prepped for a fight. At the sight of Smokescreen frantically pointing his weapons in different directions, almost to the point of uselessly waving them in the air, they lowered their weapons. Whirring and clunking Arcee's weapons folded away as she glared at Smokescreen, who was still pointing his blasters everywhere.
"What are you thinking, we nearly scrapped you!"
Ignoring the comment he replied, "There's something following us!"
"Ugh, Smokescreen there is nothing following us-"
Smokescreen"s only warning was the slight focusing of Optimus's optics. Too late he turned to face- CLANG. Whatever had just hit him, hit hard and he found himself tumbling down the side of a small slope into the denser parts of the jungle.
000000000000000
Optimus's weapons were instantly trained on the figure who now stood in the shadows. "Optimus…" the figure drawled, "what a surprise."
Weapon's never wavering, Optimus tilted his head slightly, "I do not believe we have met, might I ask who you are?"
"Don't tell me you forgotten me again Optimus." Not all of the indignant tone to figure's voice was fake, that much was quite obvious. "Although if you did it once before I don't see why you wouldn't do it again." The obviously feminine figure spat, and then lunged forward, lightning fast, with a loud hiss. Make no mistake, as a Prime, Optimus's skills were second to none, but this bot, if it could called that, was like nothing he had ever encountered it dogged, and twisted, avoiding every shot* and sudden pain coursed through his systems as it pressed razor sharp blades into his shoulders. "But I'll make sure it won't happen again." He couldn't think, the world spun, he felt weak, so tired, he dropped to one knee, everything was fading, fading-
"ARACHNID!" Arcee's blaster fire nailed the bot in the shoulder.
"HIIISSCCH, my name is Blackaracknia, Autobot." She snarled as she leaped at Arcee.
Everything snapped back into dizzying focus as he was released. However, the drained and weak feeling was still there and he could barely stand, but managed to stagger farther away from the injured cybertronian before taking the time to analyze their opponent in the meager light that filtered through the canopy of leaves above. The first thing he noted was the Decpticon symbol which was to be expected if it was indeed Arachnid. This Blackarachnia, as the Decepticon called herself, however, despite startling similarities, was not Arachnid. This Blackarachnia, who seemed to know him personally and yet he did not know her was, it seemed, stronger than she appeared. Or was it possible that- no it had to be impossible. Only that was the only conclusion he could find a she revealed a set of blasters identical to his. This strange Decepticon had drained and copied his abilities. All this took place in mere seconds, that was as long as it took for Blackarachnia to gain the upper hand. Thankfully it took much less time for Optimus to take aim and blast her away from Arcee.
"Are you alright Arcee?" he queried as he shakily stagger to her side.
"I'm fine Optimus-"
"Arcee!" Blackarachnia laughed, "Arcee? You sure aren't what I expected, last I heard you were left to rust in the medical ward on Cybertron. Maybe next time we meet I can send you back." With a hiss she transformed into a large spider and disappeared into the thick jungle, leaving behind two very shocked Autobots.
"Optimus, what do you think the 'con meant, she sounded like she though Cybertron was still inhabited. And I don't remember ever being left to rust in medical either."
"I do not know Arcee, and while I think Blackarachnia may know something, our encounter has yielded no answers and many more questions. For now I think it is best that we find Smokescreen and return to base."
000000000000000
*The characters from transformers animated seem like they'd more faster, and more agile (in robot mode at least) , less… clunky and more streamlined (for the most part) if you compare how they look, than the characters from transformers prime, thereby making it so that the characters from the prime continuity have to adjust to this difference and this is their very first encounter with it. Also I will be stressing the difference between the, generic weapons in Prime version and the specialized and greatly varying weaponry from Animated.
