Disclaimer: We do not own Transformers Prime or its canon charas. We do however own our OCs. Dream'sRealm owns Darkstorm, Skybreak, Drift, Shiv, Jolt, Blackout, Air Raid, Caliber, Speedway, and Jetfire. Blondie-moyashi owns Skye Shelsher.
Theme Song: Forever by Fireflight
The Autobots turned as they received a comm link. It was from the Nemesis. Ultra Magnus' optics narrowed in suspicion but he at last answered it after making sure to shield the Autobots' signal.
"Megatron, what-?"
He was interrupted by Ratchet. "Optimus, if you are listening, the Decepticons have completed the formula for Synthetic Energon and thus, a cybermatter. I…" He vented. "I was forced to complete it under the grounds that Megatron knew your location and that he would offline you all. I… have been such a fool. Please, Optimus, if all of you are still online, you must stop Megatron before he destroys this world. I shall send you my coordinates. Please, hurry." A struggle and screams of pain could be heard before the comm link was terminated.
Optimus took on a grim expression before turning to the Autobots. "Ratchet's call shall not go unanswered. We will meet Megatron in battle and make sure that he does not destroy this planet or our allies. Autobots… prepare to roll out."
"Now, wait just a minute!"
Everyone turned to see Colonel Lennox and his men approach. "Colonel Lennox, we cannot guarantee the safety of you or any of your men if you should decide to join us," Optimus began softly.
"We aren't looking for guarantees of safety. We want to assist in protecting our home. Sorry, big guy, but you aren't leaving us out of the loop this time," Colonel Lennox smiled. "I already talked with Agent Fowler and General Bryce. He approved us for this mission."
Optimus absorbed this for a few moments before solemnly nodding. "Then… we will gladly accept your aide."
"And count us in, too," a Decepticon miner said.
"But, you are civilians, skilled for mining and not for war," Ultra Magnus protested but was silenced by a wave of Optimus' servo.
The miner took this as a sign to continue. "Our friends and brothers were recently terminated, protecting the humans' freedom and our own. Whether you all like it or not, we are a part of this war. Besides," he smiled and gestured to Shiv and Drift. "Wouldn't it be considered unfair if our brothers, Shiv and Drift, who are also miners, were allowed to fight and we weren't?"
"I agree," Elita One said, turning to Optimus with a gentle pleading, searching gaze. "Why should they not be able to fight for those they love?"
Optimus met his sparkmate's gaze before smiling softly. "You are right, Ariel." He turned to the miners. "We should no longer stand on such social regulations for they are what began this dreadful war in the first place. You all have as much a right as any of us to fight for the freedom of your comrades. If any of you should decide to do so, you are all welcome to go with us."
And, not a single miner voted to stay behind.
Optimus took a deep breath before speaking once more. "Members of Team Prime, Autobot and human, it has been an honor to lead you. On this day, the fate of two worlds hang in the balance, and the ensuing battle may be our very last. But for Earth… for Cybertron… for our comrade, Ratchet, we must take the Decepticon warship. Until all are one."
"Until all are one!" cried Autobot and human alike across the military base.
As everyone started preparing to mobilize, Skye waved her guardian over, a couple gadgets in her arms. "Dar'sain, may I ask a favor?"
"Of course, mo mear Ski'ri. Anything," Darkstorm smiled softly.
Skye held one of the items between her arm and side while holding the other up for Darkstorm to see. "I never did get very far on that combat drone, things just went crazy and all the data on it got left at the old base. But I did manage to procure this camera and an interface. I used the magnets from the climbing rig so you can mount it on your frame and it'll let me see what's going on."
Darkstorm vented sadly. "But, Ski'ri… there may be things that you do not wish to see."
Skye smiled slightly. "It can't be worse than what I already have. Because you and all the others are going to kick the 'Cons off of Earth and out of this galaxy forever. I just don't want to sit around unable to do anything or not know what's going on."
"A comm link would still be more sufficient." But, Darkstorm knew when she saw Skye's unyielding expression that she had no choice.
She vented once more. "Very well." She gently took the camera and interface and attached it to her frame. "But, the other children are to see none of it, alright? I would never wish to expose them to the horrors of a true battle."
Skye grabbed the other device in her arms with one hand. "Not a problem, it's a personal interface. Nothing goes beyond this headset."
Darkstorm smiled and nodded. "Thank you." She looked towards the ground bridge. "Well… I suppose I should be going."
Skye sighed, her expression dropping rather quickly. She looked from the bridge to the Seeker. "Stay safe, Dar'sain. I . . . I'm getting that feeling again. The one from those nightmares several months ago? So please, just . . . make sure you make it back."
Darkstorm bit her bottom lip component before activating her holoform and embracing her charge tightly. "You have my word… And whatever happens… I just wanted to say that I love you and that you are the greatest friend that I have ever had," she said, her voice shaking slightly.
"I'm not sure I like the sound of that, Dar'sain . . . But . . . you're my closest friend too, you're like the sister I've never had. But don't go getting any ideas, that doesn't mean I'll forgive you if you let something happen to yourself."
Darkstorm pulled away and smiled. "You know as well as I that we have no control over our circumstances, but-"
"She'll come back, kid," Skybreak interrupted with grin. "I wouldn't let anything happen to her."
Skye smiled slightly at him. "You'd better not, but the same goes for you. I don't know what I'd do without your constant looming threat over Smokescreen. And of course, I say that with love."
"Course ya do," Skybreak chuckled. "Who else is going to keep the youngling out of trouble?"
"I heard that!" Smokescreen walked up to the group, only pretending to be irritated.
Skye's smile widened. "You don't think he can do it himself?"
"Pit no! And speaking of taking care of things," Skybreak turned to Smokescreen with a dangerous glare. "You hurt her and I'll use you for target practice, got it?"
Smokescreen's optics widened out of fear and he quickly nodded. "Y-Yeah. Whatever you say."
Darkstorm rolled her optics. "Brother, please. There's no need to scare him."
"Yeah, geez! I think you've made that point quite clear the past few months." Skye couldn't help but smile as she spoke, a light laugh escaping between words. After a second she sighed, looking over the three. They really were her family.
Smokescreen, sensing her distress, activated his holoform and wrapped his arms around her. "There's no need to worry, Skye. We'll be back. You'll see."
She hugged him as tight as she could, but refused to let the emotions have full reign even as she felt herself quiver. She wanted to be strong for them when they left, for them to think she could handle it with more ease than was true. "You'd better. You're not off the hook here either. If you let anything happen, I swear I'll pull your aft back from the other side and kick it back there myself."
"I promise. I will come back," Smokescreen smiled before leaning over to kiss her.
Goosebumps shot up her arms as she felt her lower lip tremble. She didn't want to let him go, to let any of them go, but eventually she knew she had to step back and let them do what they'd been doing for longer than she'd known them or even been alive: to fight for their home and for their family.
Darkstorm turned as Bumblebee placed a servo on her shoulder plating. "Storm, it's time to go."
Hearing Bumblebee, Smokescreen pulled away from Skye with an encouraging smile. "You just have to have faith, Skye. We'll all come back."
She was fighting tooth and nail to hold the tears back, refusing to let her emotions have any more control than pulling one corner of her mouth into a frown. She nodded, though her shaking made it appear more violent than she intended. "I love you, all four of you. And I expect to see you back here once Megatron's taken care of."
"Will do, kid," Skybreak saluted before entering the ground bridge. Darkstorm reluctantly followed suite, one servo firmly holding onto Bumblebee's.
Smokescreen paused however, taking one last glance at Skye. His spark ached and he wondered that perhaps, just perhaps, he would not be able to keep his word. He vented before whispering, "I love you too, Skye. More than you will ever know." Before the girl could reply, the Praxian entered the ground bridge, afraid that if he remained he would never wish to leave her side.
Skye saw something different, something buried in his expression before he left, and that was just enough to allow one cleansing, emotionally-packed tear to escape before she quickly wiped it away and put the headset on. She activated the display and audio and began silently praying. God, I know I don't put as much trust in You as I should, as much as Darkstorm or the others do. You know my heart, and You know I want too badly to control things instead of let You or anyone else handle them. But I'm putting my faith in You now, please allow my family to return to me whole.
"Have faith, My dear child. Place your complete trust in Me… and I shall answer your prayer."
Ratchet's spark quaked with fear as he was dragged by Megatron towards the back of the ship. When he sent out the transmission to the others and was discovered, he feared that he would be terminated on the spot but no… He had a feeling Megatron had something far worse planned for him.
The tyrant activated a door before throwing Ratchet into the abandoned loading dock. "You thought you could undermine my plans but you are far too late, my dear doctor. I shall conquer both Earth and Cybertron and destroy all traces of those who oppose me."
"Then what are you waiting for?" Ratchet weakly demanded, struggling to stand on his peddes. "Finish me already!"
"Oh, but I am afraid I cannot." The grin that graced Megatron's facial plating made Ratchet's energon run cold and sent a shiver down his spinal plating. "For I have promised that honor to another."
Megatron left, leaving Ratchet alone. He could hardly see through the darkness until a light shone forth. Two bright golden optics.
He silently gasped. Predaking.
"Do you feel afraid, Autobot? Defenseless?" he softly growled.
Ratchet frantically activated his weapons, scanning the dark for any signs of movement.
"Good. Now you know how my brethren felt before you slaughtered them!" Predaking roared before transforming and throwing Ratchet aside with his tail.
Ratchet screamed in pain as Predaking sharp denta dug into his chassis as he swung him back and forth. Energon poured freely from his wounds as he was thrown down. He gasped from the impact and tried to deter the Predacon with his sword.
It was snapped in half.
Ratchet tried to crawl away but was stopped as more sharp objects punctured his frame. The Predacon's claws, perhaps? Ratchet could not see anything in the darkness except for the faint glowing of his spilled energon and those rage-filled golden optics.
He was flipped over, a great weight pressing against his chassis. More whirring could be heard as the beast transformed again. Sharp claws threatened to puncture his sensitive neck cables as he was held in place.
"Now, prepare to die, Autobot!"
But Ratchet had managed to get his voice box to work before Predaking landed the mortal blow. "Wait! If it vengeance you seek, then do not stop with me… Keep on executing it until you reach Megatron!" Ratchet yelled as loud as he could though his voice was hoarse and garbled due to the energon pooling in his throat.
This seemed to get the Predacons attention. "What? What do you mean until I reach Megatron?" When Ratchet did not answer right away, Predaking shook him. Ratchet winced as his wounds were irritated. "Speak!"
"We didn't offline your brethren… Megatron did. He lured us there with energon and when we wouldn't do his dirty work, he set off a bomb that destroyed those sparklings!"
Predaking's rage began to ebb as it was slowly replaced by confusion. "Why? Why would Megatron do this?"
"Having just been on the receiving end of your might… one theory springs to mind. He fears you… and any like you. He feared that you would overthrow him… and so he deceived you… and destroyed those innocents." Ratchet paused, coughing up energon.
Meanwhile, Predaking pondered his words. How could this be?
"Listen to him, Predaking, for he speaks the truth," a voice told him. The voice that had previously warned him against trusting Megatron. It seemed to speak to Predaking's very spark and he couldn't help but believe it. It radiated such truth and power and… he no longer had the strength to fight it. Not anymore.
"And that… isn't the best part."
"What?" Predaking asked, just a bit more softly. "There is more?"
"Megatron ordered Shockwave to capture the remains of your kind back on Cybertron… in order to… experiment on them… to make stronger, mightier soldiers for his armies… But your kind would have none of it… There was a large battle… Only you survived… Shockwave then used you and a captured Autobot femme to make more Predacons… So he could exploit them just as he has you."
"Remember, Predaking," God commanded.
Predaking's optics widened as he clutched his helm. Yes… He remembered now. He knew he remembered before but now it was so much more clear. His carrier hiding him during the great battle. His slain brethren surrounding him. A strange place filled with sharp objects, computers, and pungent solutions. His struggling as he was sedated and placed inside a synthetic incubation chamber, only to be recently awakened by the monster who had brought him there, Shockwave.
And the red femme… He knew he had seen her before. He too felt her struggling, her cries as she too was dragged down into that hell.
"So the Predacons that were terminated by Megatron's own servo… They were-?" Predaking asked, his normally thundering voice barely a whisper now.
"You were their sire and Flareup was their carrier… though not by choice. They were… your sparklings."
Predaking's spark ached all the more. It hurt him to see his supposed cloned army terminated but oh, once he found out that they were in fact his children… He felt as if his spark had been stabbed, the pain was so great.
Then, after the sadness passed, Predaking once more felt rage. But not towards the Autobots. No. Towards the true monster hidden under a cyber-lamb's skin.
He set the medic down before breaking through the metal door. "Megatron!" his roar shook the warship.
Predaking finally spotted the warlord, Knock Out and Starscream just stepping away as he approached. "Megatron, you are the one who ordered the destruction of those sparklings?! How dare you lie to me!"
"Yes, it was me," Megatron snarled before activating his sword. "And I regret not seeing the extinction through by allowing you to live!"
Predaking roared once more before charged forward. He grabbed Megatron by the arm and shook him like a ragdoll before tossing him aside. Megatron quickly righted himself and swiped out Predaking with his sword.
Predaking sustained a few minor cuts before he struck again, leaving large claw marks dotted with energon against the tyrant's chassis.
Megatron gasped and tentatively placed a servo to the wound. He saw his own energon before his optics flashed dangerously. With renewed vigor and with the skill of a true gladiator of Kaon, he continued the fight with the Predacon.
Soon, the Predacon was backed up against an emergency eject opening and Megatron to keep him there. He traded his sword for his fusion cannon. He peppered Predaking with fire before activating the door.
It opened and Predaking held onto the edges, trying to fight against the heavy air resistance at that altitude.
"You should have faced me as a beast," Megatron hissed before pointing the fusion cannon at him.
Predaking's optics widened slightly before the blow came. He was thrown out of the warship.
Megatron closed the opening just as Knock Out and Starscream returned with the fruits of their errand. The Dark Star Saber, still intact.
"One ultimate weapon but where's tall, dark, and scaley?" Knock Out questioned with a raised optic ridge.
Megatron roughly took the weapon from the Decepticon medic's servos. "Never mind that! Ready my warship. The Autobots are coming."
And as they carried out their master's wish, Megatron observed the eerie dark purple blade. "If Optimus wishes to wage a battle for both Cybertron and Earth, I shall oblige him. This shall be our last stand!"
D/N: And there you have it! The prelude to Deadlock and the season finale! What will be the outcome? And what will be the fates of our favorite Autobots and 'Cons? Read to find out! :D
A big thank you to all of our supporters and we hope that we can continue to receive your support in the future. We love each and every one of you and may God bless you!
"For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, "Fear not, I am the One who helps you." Isaiah 41:13
Super Shadic: Thank you so much for the review! :D As for a sequel, definitely! We aren't finished with these characters yet and believe us when we say there will be plenty of more sagas in the future, at least until I end up going off to college in a year or so.
To Savvy Orion: *swoons* I know right? Especially that Dreadwing and Moonracer scene. I've always admired Dreadwing since the show first came out but writing for him in that position… Aw, man. He's such a gentlemech! As for the disco ball, yes I did. I couldn't think of any other ideas for gifts that 'Storm might give him so… I figured what the hay? And oh, poor Wheelie. All the romance making him purge. I could have 'Storm look him over if you want. As for Alpha Trion being Elita One's sire, I know it's not exactly canon but I thought it'd be fitting and it would explain why Optimus had ties to Alpha Trion. He was sparkmates with his daughter. *shrugs* Just wanted to keep things interesting.
Have an awesome day, you guys! Stay beautiful! :D
Until next time, Dream'sRealm
B/N: *laaaa Dramaaa~ and anticipation ahahahaaaaa x3 Stay tuned for the terrifying, exciting, and ever-feely Deadlock. Oh, and it kinda felt like a stretch to make Skye's explanation for why she gave Darkstorm the camera work, but I fell back on her dreams from This Chasm Isn't Fixed Yet, and how sometimes we don't really know what we're doing til it dawns on us that it was a dream. For me at least *shrug*
Savvy Orion: Amg thank you ;;w;; gyaaa advice . . . well, Darkstorm's only the second Cybertronian I've drawn, and sadly the first whose design I actually liked xD but I can offer a few pointers, like on the psychology of shapes for a character. Size can be a good base for a chara (big bosses like Optimus and Megatron are . . . well, big, while officers/soldiers are smaller and all somewhat similar in height), but the shapes you associate with your chara go a lot further in setting the base of someone's thoughts on your character at a glance.
Optimus and Megatron, for example. While Megs is a little bigger off the bat, he just looks a lot more dangerous with his bulky chest and sharp shapes across most of his design. Even on the top layer of his armor it's sharp. Optimus, on the other hand, both of his designs have similar layering, yet where Buckethead has points Optimus has straight edges - a more friendly look.
Same with Airachnid and Arcee. Both similar in size and amount of armor layering, but Arcee has more organic curves where Airachnid is all straight edges and sharp points. Creepy spider legs aside, this makes her look more intimidating from the first time you get a glance of her.
Another thing to keep an eye on is the amount of armor shown on your chara or what vehicle form they have. I'd actually say this is more important than the points vs. curves bit just because this is what defines the size of your character. For example, a lot of people create femmes with motorcycles as their alt mode to keep the smaller, more feminine look like Arcee. That's fine! It'll give you the opportunity to look to said Bot for reference. But if you're like me and want a chara with a car or bigger for an alt mode, you suddenly have a loooot more armor to bring into play, so the challenge here is getting the look you want (more curves or less or whatever be your fancy) while representing a realistic amount of vehicle parts. One thing you can do is make a taller character, so the chest can be less bulky and you can add more armor at the hips and shoulders without things looking off. Layering also helps a great deal - that is, having some parts completely cover the protoform, then more parts atop those that show off the first layer while taking care of your bulk problem. I've found in my current drawing that I'm cheating a bit and adding armor to the legs, even though most charas don't have any on their thighs. But again, it's another good way to take care of those extra bits
Remember, you don't have to account for every single part. Most everyone doesn't have a windshield showing in their robot form, or Bulkhead's doors aren't shown. You don't have to squeeze every part in, there aren't even parts that you absolutely have to have! Most people/charas have their headlights on the chest, but Optimus doesn't. The hood might be a good thing to have to take care of the armor you need, but how you arrange it is totally up to you :3
So I guess that'd be my advice on creating/drawing OC Cybertronians. As for drawing them in general (or canon charas), I'd say just be mindful of parts that wrap around the body or out of the view that you're drawing, and keeping an eye on something that's supposed to have a straight edge - it's really hard to get a perfectly straight line, but even having a small dash-of-a-line where there's a corner will help a surprising amount in giving the illusion of depth
Sorry I can't offer a lot, but I'm more versed in creating D. Gray-man charas and OCs than Transformers :'D but if you go to crimson-nemesis . deviantart . com , go to their gallery, then open the Tutorials folder, there's a few fantastic tutorials courtesy of someone who's been drawing TF a loooot longer than I xD
Wow thanks for the question though, really got me thinking :3 and talking xDD