Thank-you, before I start, to the people that reviewed! I was so freaked out to write this

But I'm feeling a little more confident now. Thanx so much! I hope I don't disappoint anyone; this chapter is probably not what you're expecting to happen!

Disclaimer: Don't own it. What more need I say?

Chapter One: The Stone

Phoenix screamed louder than she'd ever screamed in her life, but even that sounded hollow next to the deafening blast that had engulfed her parents. Without checking to see the damage, she hurtled around the blazing fire and into the path of the one who had killed them.

"MURDERER!" she shrieked, "You monster, you killed them, my parents!!!"

She didn't know what she was doing, she was blind with grief and rage, but as the robot reached down to stop her, something fell from his hand and into her reaching palm.

Time froze for Phoenix and her senses numbed. All she could do was gaze in wonder at the object in her hand. It was a blackened stone, smooth and opaque, but as she studied it, it began to fade, turning into some sort of glowing, pulsing crystal until it dissolved completely, shimmering into the surface of her palm…

"Human that is MINE!"

Phoenix was painfully jerked back into reality as the giant streaked towards her. She screamed again and through up her hands. There was a blinding flash of light and everything went black.

Phoenix groaned and pulled herself into a sitting position.

"What happened?" She asked to no one in particular.

And then it all came back in one rushing, terrible memory and she shrieked as if she had been burned. She scrambled to where her parents lay, staring blankly up at the sky.

"No, NO, NO!" She moaned.

This couldn't be happening, not like this. They were her only family!

"Mom, Dad, wake up, wake up!"

it was to late, she knew that they were long gone, but she was slowly turning back into a frightened child, unable to accept the truth that bad things could really happen.

"Mommy, Daddy…come back…please come back, I need you!"

She shrieked in despair and buried her face in her hands sobbing. They were her only family… she was so truly alone. But then, suddenly she remembered the other robot, the one that had tried to warn them. Surely he was dead as well, but she could not help but be hopeful that he might be there.

She almost missed the glint of silver as she drew her hands away from her face. She gasped as she pulled her palm closer for inspection. It glowed softly, the same shape etched into her skin as the stone. Almost as if it had somehow merged-

Her train of thought was interrupted by a moan of pain. She looked eagerly towards her parents, but it was hopeless. Fresh tears welled up in her eyes as the moan came again. This time she found the source.

"The robot!" She breathed, "So he is alive!"

She wiped away her tears and purposefully jogged over to his hulking form. She pulled herself onto him and gaped at the huge hole in his chest.

"Please," the robot gasped, "I am finished…"

"No!" Phoenix said fiercely, "There will be no more death today."

After a few minutes of searching she found what she was looking for. The faintest of sparks deep within his chest.

"His heart." She murmured.

She was too late, she thought bitterly. Just as the robot shuddered and the spark faded into nothing, she instinctively reached her hand in and placed it over the pulsing glow. There was nothing she could do and she moaned in anguish for not being able to save him.

"Well, well, think your little magic tricks will keep me away, huh?"

Phoenix whirled around to see the grey robot creeping back into the glade. 'What magic tricks?' she wondered briefly. She didn't even try to suppress the rage that was flowing through her veins, and it must have shown on her face.

"What?" Asked the robot, "Mummy and Dad, dead? Aww, it's too bad isn't it? Now, you have something of mine and I want it back!"

Phoenix hardly heard the last bit as she launched herself at him again. But just as she was about to hit him a huge blast from a cannon whizzed by, nearly beheading the robot.

"What the-?" The grey giant looked astounded.

"You'd better get out of her, Starscream, because next time I won't miss." Came a deep deadly, voice from behind.

"This isn't the last you'll see of me!" Starscream hissed as he transformed into a huge jet and vaulted into the sky.

Trembling, Phoenix turned around to see her saviour. She gasped. Standing behind her, completely healed, without a trace of evidence that he had been even scratched, stood the giant blue and red robot that only moments ago she had presumed dead.