Disclaimers: Transformers Prime © Hasbro.
Chapter 3 - Why?
The next morning, Jack and I were awakened by Arcee revving her engine in the garage. My first thought was 'Mom won't be happy if she's woken up.'' So, Jack and I raced to the garage to hush her roaring engine.
"Are you crazy? You'll wake up Mom!" Jack whisper-yelled to Arcee.
"Grab your helmets. It's go time," Arcee announced.
"Are you kidding? It's Saturday!" I moaned.
"You two can watch cartoons back at base with Bumblebee," Arcee said. I cocked an eyebrow.
"Cartoons? We're teenagers," I scoffed as we left.
"Make sure you leave a note for your mum! She worries!" Arcee called after us.
"Ya think?" was the response I gave Arcee.
"Tighten your grip, you two," Arcee warned.
I yelled in surprise as Arcee took off suddenly. Of course, per her advice, Jack and I held on tight. After travelling a little bit down the road, Arcee did some wheelies and other cool tricks. I wasn't sure whether to be surprised that we were actually doing this, impressed with the skills Arcee possessed in her vehicle mode (among her bot-kicking skills in her bipedal form) or amazed about the fact that we were actually doing this. But one thing's for certain: I'm relieved about the fact that Jack ACTUALLY has a helmet on this time per mom's request.
Because I didn't want to get in trouble for riding without a helmet if one of us accidentally fell off.
"Hey! What's with you, Arcee?" Jack asked.
"Thought you might actually enjoy the ride without getting shot at," Arcee smirked.
"Oh, bring it!" Jack challenged as we travelled further down the stretch of road.
"Dude, that was awesome!" Jack enthused as we hopped off Arcee.
"Can we go again?" Raf asked bee.
"Sa-weet!" Miko squealed.
"Autobots, prepare to…" Optimus trailed off when he noticed us.
"Roll out?" Arcee offered him.
"Remain here. Ratchet, you'll come with me. Arcee, we'll be outside communication range for some time. So I'm putting you in charge," Optimus decided.
"Dude, you're biggest. You should be the boss," Miko said to Bulkhead.
"He never picks me. Besides, Arcee is his second-in-command. If something wore to happen to him, Arcee would be in charge of Team Prime." Bulkhead remarked. I rolled my eyes, but continued to play the part of the silent observer.
"Optimus, with all due respect, playing bodyguard is one thing. Babysitting is another." Arcee protested.
"I resent that!" I called, crossing my arms indignantly. So much for silent observer...
"Behave Kat." Jack hissed, elbowing my ribs lightly. I glowered at him.
"Besides, Ratchet hasn't been in the field since the war," Arcee reminded Optimus.
"My pistons may be rusty, but my hearing is sharp as ever!" Ratchet piped in. I snickered, but then began to wonder how old he was, how old they all were.
"For the moment, it's only reconiscence," Optimus reassured her. Why did I have the feeling that Arcee and Optimus had secret feelings for each other? Who knows...
"Then why do I hear an edge in your voice?" Arcee asked.
"Arcee, much has changed in the last 24 hours. And we all need to adapt. Ratchet, bridge us out," Optimus instructed.
"Wait, Optimus!" I called. He looked to me, and I motioned for him to come closer. "Can I come with you? In case you haven't noticed, I'm not exactly normal. Besides, my brother's still in the mood to spaz on me." I whispered. He hesitated for a moment.
"I will allow your request on the condition that you follow my orders." he said. I nodded my head. "Then I allow you to accompany us." he said.
"Aw, why does she get to go?" Miko whined. 'Get it over with, like a band-aid.' I thought to myself.
"Because I'm not human. I'm less liable to get hurt than any of you are." I called, walking through the bridge. Exclaimations of surprise followed my statement, as I could hear.
"That probably could have gone better." I said, as Optimus picked me up in his hand. It would have been disorienting if it didn't feel so familiar.
"Optimus, what do we hope to find here?" Ratchet asked the blue and red bot.
"The site of the largest Cybertronian battlefield in this galaxy," Optimus answered.
"On Earth? You must be joking!" Ratchet scoffed. I rolled my eyes, but didn't say anything. Once again, the silent observer.
"Do you recall the period late in the war when both sides began hiding their Energon spoils off-world?" Optimus asked.
"Of course. It's the reason Energon deposits EXIST on planets like this one," Ratchet answered.
"It is also the reason battles came to rage on planets such as this one. And I fear Megatron's memory is as long as history," Optimus finished gravely. Well THAT didn't sound good.
"For the first time in my life, Optimus, I had hoped that you were wrong." Ratchet confessed to Optimus. Then I heard a strange noise in the air, and I looked to the sky, searching for the source.
I gasped, my heart -spark- jumping erratically in my chest when I saw a familiar jet flying through the air, transforming into a familiar silver and purple robot. It was embarrassing, considering I knew Optimus and Ratchet could hear it, since I was sitting on Optimus' shoulder.
"Optimus! Been well? I see you brought your trusty watchdog. I was certain he'd be convelessing in a scrap yard by now." Megatron remarked.
"Why don't you invite him down here for a checkup?" Ratchet suggested as he punched his fist into his hand.
"I know why you're here, Megatron." Optimus proclaimed.
"Hardly a surprise, Optimus. After all, you and I have been at this for a long time. And your time has come to an end," Megatron yelled, a tone of victory in his voice.
"No! Don't you dare!" I screamed from Optimus' shoulder. I saw as Megatron's now-violet optics zeroed in on me, before they narrowed.
"If you know what's good for you, you'll leave this matter alone, Robin." he said, a warning in his voice.
"IT'S KATHERINE!" I shrieked. "And if you'd been here when I needed you, you would have known that!"
After the rape ordeal, I'd felt lower than dirt. Once, Jack caught me attempting suicide, even if I knew it wouldn't work. I'd been depressed, and feeling more alienated from my own kind than before. Not that being an android didn't have its perks, of course.
I saw a pained look flash across Megatron's face, before his scarred lips curled into a sneer.
"Very well then, Katherine, accept the fate that goes to all Autobots and Autobot allies!" he roared, and hurled the purple energon into the ground. Something told me that didn't bode well for us. Well, more specifically me. I felt my eyes welling with tears as I looked to Megatron. He was looking back at me, an unfathomable emotion in his optics.
"Why?" I whispered. He said nothing, and I saw the purple glow was spreading across the once-battlefield, animating the extinguished cybertronians, Autobot and Decepticon alike.
"Rise, my army!"
"By the Allspark..." Ratchet whispered. The undead bots surrounded us.
"Behold, the power of Dark Energon!"
We were in such deep shit right now. God and Primus help us all..
A/N: Title make sense now? Hope so. What do you think of Katherine? I need to know this stuff, peoples!