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The Elite Guard members scrambled, falling towards Earth in determination to capture Starscream. Sentinel was barking out orders to the other junior members, even though most muttered to themselves as they discovered it was his fault that Starscream escaped. A few stopped to stare down at Thunder and Lightning, making the elementals wonder how tall the Autobots could be. Jetfire and Jetstorm were twice their size, being around twelve feet. They were a little taller than six feet.
"…Well, this is magnificent how everyone is taller than us," Lightning grumbled.
"We are mere half-human, half-alien, brother. You cannot be surprised," Thunder reasoned. "There are other species of aliens out there in the universes that vary in size and strength."
"…Still," he huffed whiningly. "It is not fair."
"Well, neither is life, you mutants," Sentinel growled, coming up behind theme. "Why are you two still here anyway? We don't need two little organics running around doing playtime!"
"Playtime!" Lightning indignantly snarled. "We defeated this robotic cretin before with their help!" He pointed a finger to the Jet Twins as they nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, whatever," Sentinel grunted, knowing that further argument would be pointless. "Jetfire, Jetstorm, take your organic brats and get them home."
"B-but they be helping us!" Jetfire protested.
"They help is in beating Starscream before. Why not help again?" Jetstorm asked.
"Don't question me! Just stop talking, and do what I say," Sentinel commanded, storming off. "I'm off with Jazz. Don't screw around."
"…What does cogs mean?" Thunder curiously asked.
"It means, well, it is an insult," Jetstorm replied. "Like organic word mutant."
"I see, but are you really casting us away? Are you going to follow through with his orders?" Thunder questioned, crossing his arms.
The Jet Twins hesitated, looking down to their smaller companions. They were completely unsure. Not once had they disobeyed a direct order, even if they objected sometimes. Being former Energon refinery bots, they knew how to take orders and run with them. However, they never really had anyone their age to speak with. They finally had friends that could relate back to them. Thunder and Lightning were practically like them in personality and looks. Jetfire and Jetstorm wanted to be loyal, but sometimes what came with being obedient was enough to question your own morals.
"Where is the Starscream headed?" Jetstorm asked his brother.
"He is Russia before, so maybe there?" Jetfire pondered, shrugging.
"Then we shall go there…if you would like us to accompany you," Lightning proclaimed nervously. "We do want for you two to get in trouble with your…foolish leader."
"No, you two be coming with us," Jetfire stated, crossing his arms. "Sentinel Prime sir, can, um, kiss it, I be thinking that is the saying."
Thunder laughed shortly. "Indeed, you are correct. So, we are allowed to venture?"
"Yes! Just be doing your teleporting, and we go!" Jetfire jeered as the twins took the elemental's hands.
Thunder and Lightning smirked at each other, tightening the grip on Jetstorm and Jetfire's hands respectively. An eruption of blue, crackling light surrounded them, and Jetstorm yelped in shock. Since he had been injured and shut off to recharge his power, he had not been able to witness Thunder and Lightning's teleporting ability. The light surged upwards before jutting forward. Jetfire and Jetstorm lost the ability to speak as the shock was enough to put them in a haze of white light.
Once their viz scanners managed to blink open, they were back in Kashin, Russia where the citizens were still fixing up their home. Jetfire and Jetstorm instantly looked around, and Thunder and Lightning were once again weakened. They breathed more heavily, but it was less than carrying the tremendous weight that was Starscream.
"You two is hurt again?" Jetfire asked in concern.
"No, we are fine," Lightning insisted. "Brother, we shall sense where the foul Starscream is hiding."
"Sense?" Jetstorm repeated incredulously as Jetfire snickered. "You do not sense Autobots!"
"Yes, it is like pretending you have viz scanners or something! You two is…weird and freaky like the organics say!" Jetfire added jokingly.
Thunder and Lightning stared at them for a few moments in contempt before turning away. Jetfire and Jetstorm instantly recoiled, wondering why the sudden animosity. Thunder's head suddenly snapped towards the left, and Lightning nodded in agreement.
"He is this way," Lightning explained as the brothers turned away from Jetfire and Jetstorm.
"Um, do you two…be angry at us?" Jetfire asked as Thunder and Lightning merely glanced back at them in annoyance.
Neither said anything and continued walking. A definite aggravated air loomed sourly around them, making Jetfire cringe. Jetstorm, becoming irritated himself, clapped their shoulders with his hands and forced them to look at them.
"Why you two be giving us the no answer?" Jetstorm demanded heatedly.
"Why are you insulting us when we are the ones who are aiding you?" Thunder demanded as hotly as his blue counterpart.
Jetstorm blinked underneath his visor, unsure of how to respond.
"We do not mean it," Jetfire replied insistently.
"Well! You mocking us makes you no better than those who taunt you!" Lightning snapped as Thunder crossed his arms. "We are trying to earn respect as well as help defeat your enemy who has now become ours. However, by making jeers at us makes you no better than those who mock you. We have been taunted several times as children and tossed out of our home because we were born with nature's gifts. Calling us petty names harm us, unlike what the old saying of sticks and stones may decree. Come, Thunder! We shall seek Starscream on our own."
Thunder hesitated, but sighed through his nose and followed Lightning obediently. He glanced over his shoulder at the saddened Jet Twins, but quickly looked forward and flew off on his cloud with Lightning standing behind him on his favored cloud. They deserved it, after all. To mock them made Jetfire and Jetstorm no better than the ones who made fools and dirty comments out of them. It was not fair. None of it was.
When Thunder and Lightning were children, they were gifted with elemental powers. This separated them from others and their own mother, who feared their devastating powers, but still loved them. They were not fools, knowing of the hateful glowers and insidious whispers that followed them in their quant, Vietnamese village. Their blue and yellow skin tones made them targets for taunting until they finally attacked the children who mocked them. This act almost killed their abusers, and the case was sent to the village elders. The elders were outraged over their violence, kicking them out without even telling their mother. Thunder and Lightning were forced out into the real world, learning what they were from a wise elder whose name they had forgotten long ago, but he was the first who showed them any kindness before his death. Without any proper guidance, they simply did whatever they wanted and frolicked with their powers. They did not learn any lessons until Beast Boy intervened with the assistance of Starfire, their true friends who bonded with them and helped get them into the ranks of the Teen Titans.
"I am thinking that we should not have done that," Jetstorm stated after they were almost out of sight.
"We should be saying sorry, brother. They is right. We do not know what they be capable of," Jetfire reasoned with a somber frown.
"We do not even know where they is from," his blue brother added, "and their past."
Both quietly glanced up at the speck of gray, yellow and blue in the pitch-black night sky. Stars were like dots, glimmering at random. They could speak normally, but their pronunciations and verbal mishaps usually got them into trouble as hardly anybody could comprehend what they were saying. They were alone, unsure of how they got into Cybertron, but knew that they were brothers because, well, they just felt it in their sparks. Jetfire and Jetstorm traveled around, causing mischief wherever they went, but received work from Energon refinery until they accident that nearly claimed them. If they were not chosen for the operation of becoming the first flying Autobots, they would be offline. While they toiled with their new flame/wind powers and their ability to fly, taunting would be hearable. They pretended not to notice, but sadness was plastered onto their faces every time they overheard the jeers from the shadows. Jazz once said it was because they were jealous because they could not fly. Red Alert stated they were special, the only flying Autobots in existence. It was their kind words that kept them going, and even Sentinel Prime threw in the extremely rare statement of "good job" to the twins.
Still, both twins received little respect. Several Titans did not fully trust Thunder and Lightning, especially Robin because he was still addicted with finding Slade. Robin would always watch them, ensuring that they did nothing wrong. The sting of Robin's glare would pierce, but Thunder said nothing around him expect for a greeting while Lightning would arrogantly snarl at him to stop watching them. It was the same situation with the Jet Twins, but it was from the other members of the Elite Guard. They kept an air of joy around them, playing and joking around to keep themselves busy from all of the murmurs that followed them.
"We will follow them and say we is sorry," Jetstorm stated, turning on his boosters.
"We should follow in jet mode. Is easier," Jetfire explained as Jetstorm nodded.
Both instantly turned themselves into jets, dashing off. They called into the darkness for their organic counterparts, apologizing as they went in their own tongue. However, unbeknownst to them, a pair of cruel, crimson viz scanners watched from the darkness, and a broad smirk was visible on his faceplate.
…
"Brother, were we too harsh on them?" Thunder asked as they fly on through the night.
"No! Of course not! They deserved our malice," Lightning growled, keeping steady by wrapping his arms around Thunder's chest.
"But they do not know of us that well, only by a day's margin," he softly argued as Lightning fervently shook his head.
"I do not care. It is not fair to be taunted for no reason." Lightning's head hung sadly, looking away. "I mean, after all…"
Thunder stopped slowly, and Lightning turned away from him with arms crossed. He stared at his brother who shivered in the sudden cool wind. Placing his hand on Lightning's shoulder, he brought him back so he was forced to look up at him. Lightning's head was on his shoulder, glancing over to him and sighed.
"I have asked you before when we were children why we were different, brother. You replied that it was because we are special. You are right, Lightning, but they are special, too. We both have faced discrimination by people we trust, Robin especially. The Jet Twins have also been scrutinized by higher members of the Elite Guard, even their superior Sentinel."
Lightning closed his eyes, gritting his teeth as the horrid memories of the tainted, scornful children from their village rushed back to his mind. His head snapped away, but Thunder's voice broke through his painful thoughts.
"They are like us, brother. They do not know what they mean," he said, squeezing Lightning's shoulder gently.
"Then why do it in the first place? To make themselves feel superior?" Lightning asked, and Thunder noticed that his voice was much quieter. Usually, when he was upset, he would scream and blast random objects with his power.
"Because they're just mutated Decepticons!"
The startling voice erupted like a horrific wind, slicing their words. Thunder and Lightning immediately turned to find Starscream dashing towards them. His arms were out, and robotic claws were extended. He snatched their bodies, heaving them off Thunder's cloud. Lightning squirmed, arms and chest twisting and churning, but Starscream squeezed tighter, keeping him pinned as he yelped. Thunder attempted to break free by using his muscular arms to pry the devious Decepticon's hands off. However, Starscream kept his grip and continued to rip the life out of them by crushing them. Turning to Lightning, he sneered as the yellow elemental attempted to electrify himself.
"Blast it! Why? Why are you not-?" Lightning was cut off by Starscream's heinous laughter.
"Mutant, I just outfitted myself with this slagging good device I stole from Sumdac Labs: Unelectra. It makes any electrical on any robot, Autobot or Decepticon, null and void. In that case, it makes you completely worthless," Starscream jeered, craning his neck to reveal a dark blue circular chip. "Now, you seem like the livelier of the duo. So, why don't you just sit back and watch as I snap your brother's neck, hm? That'll be fun!"
He dropped his grip slightly so that Thunder slipped through. Starscream clenched his neck, making the blue elemental gasp as his airwaves were suddenly restricted. Thunder gasped, wildly trying to free as his lungs stopped. Starscream slowly tightened his grip, torturing him like a rope on a noose, choking away at his life.
"Brother!" Lightning wailed as Thunder's strength immediately starting fading. He watched in distraught horror as Thunder's arms weakened, faltering in power as he valiantly attempted to free himself.
"Are you watching?" Starscream asked in a fake, cheery tone.
"You monster! Let him go!" Lightning screamed as tears started to prop into his eyes when Thunder's eyes glazed over.
"Li-Lightning…" Thunder weakly murmured, voice a high whisper.
Starscream sneered. "Time to snap your neck!"
"Thunder!" his brother screamed. "Please! Do not do it!"
A dark blue jet plane suddenly rammed into the back of Starscream's head, shooting him forward into the small town below. Thunder gasped, but fell forward into Lightning who snatched him, transmuting his lower half into electricity. He held his brother up by his arms, propping one over his shoulder to try to support his weight.
Thunder's eyes rolled as the plane versions of Jetfire and Jetstorm blasted into view. They quickly swapped into their preferred robot forms, hovering on their boosters and shyly flew towards them as Lightning attempted to shake the bleariness out of Thunder.
"Is he okies?" Jetfire asked worriedly.
"We are to be apologizing. We said very rude things," Jetstorm stated as Jetfire fervently nodded. "You two is right. We should be knowing better."
"It is fine," Lightning quickly spat back. "Behind you!"
They barely had enough time to dart out of the way when Starscream began firing at them. Jetfire and Jetstorm took opposite directions while Lightning flew further into the distance before landing several meters away from Starscream. Kneeling down as Thunder's strength slowly returned, Lightning placed his head against his brother's chest and sighed gratefully as his heartbeat returned to normal.
"Lightning?" Thunder questioned, slurring his brother's name as the air properly went down into his lungs.
"Yes, it is Lightning. Just breathe," Lightning softly ordered, smiling as he took his brother's hands.
"What of…yourself?"
"I am fine. Now, stop speaking and breathe." He looked over the other twins, watching their battle.
Jetfire whirled up a thick stream of fire, unleashing it as Starscream nimbly moved away. Since they were in a town, homes instantly caught fire, shooting everything up in bright orange flame hurricanes. Jetstorm gasped, quickly activating his wind turbines and blasted the flares away, causing damage as roofs were taken away by the violent gust. Citizens evacuated the small town of Kashin, and Rasvok Petrov, the village leader, instantly took notice to Thunder and Lightning. They were fighting with the robots that helped partially destroy their village, but now, their village was nearly in ruins. Internally, he blamed them and as he ran, dialed the number for the Titans, particularly Robin.
"Send a thousand little Autobrats after me, and it still won't make a difference!" Starscream chortled.
"Oh, we will be making the difference!" Jetfire cried.
"Brother, we must do Safeguard!" Jetstorm shouted.
"Safeguard?" Thunder and Lightning repeated in unison.
Jetfire nodded, and both brothers shot up into the sky. Starscream followed, but stopped short as both bots started morphing in a way he had never seen. Thunder and Lightning, too, were mesmerized by the sudden transformation. Like how they turned into jets, metal parts jabbed in and out, and they formed what seemed to be a structure to fit each other. Each twin had one arm and leg and half a head along with a half of a chest cavity. On their backs were two wing-like structures, one on top of the other. Suddenly, their bodies moved towards each other and a surge of electricity and spark ran between them. They combined, moving around and punching wildly to get back into shape. They were no longer Jetfire and Jetstorm, but Safeguard, their full power combined into one incredible robot that towered over Starscream.
"…Oh, they can become taller as well!" Lightning shrieked. "This is unfair!"
"…Indeed," Thunder muttered in agreement, rubbing his raw throat.
"We is Safeguard!" the being shouted, using the voices of Jetfire and Jetstorm. "Organic friends, are you okies?"
Thunder nodded, getting to his feet with Lightning. "Do you still require our assistance?"
"Yeah!"
"He has a type of device that prevents my power from striking him!" Lightning called out.
"Aw, why'd ya have to spoil the surprise?" Starscream whined, aiming his laser. "Doesn't matter if you two Autobrats combined! You two are still rejected malfunctions!"
"We will be showing you who is rejected!" Safeguard shouted, aiming out his arm.
Blasts of dark pink energy sprayed out, but Safeguard shot back with a wave of fire that cancelled out the bullets. Starscream shot into the air, ramming a fist towards him, but the combined duo caught his fist and whirled him around in the air. Safeguard's body began a white tornado, and Starscream's audible cries jolted into the air. Safeguard released him, shooting him up into the air. Swirls replaced his viz scanners, and Starscream was hurtled into the ground. Just as he was collecting himself, a wave of blue sound impaled him against a row of houses.
"That was for attempting to snap my neck like a mere twig," Thunder growled, blue balls forming in his hands.
Starscream groaned, rubbing his head and sat up. He looked between the agitated Lightning, the fuming Thunder and the confident Safeguard. Thunder was powerful, far superior than normal, pathetic organics while Lightning was nimble like an imp. Both were skilled, somewhat, but they were organics. There was nothing special about mutated humans! Moreover, the Autobrats were actually getting the upper hand! How, he could not fathom. He was Starscream, the devious robot who would one day rule over the Decepticons, he hoped. If he were to lose to four brats, he would be muddled, laughed at, the worst Decepticon in history! It was inconceivable that he was actually losing against them, but he was stronger, more agile because he was Starscream. Starscream smirked, getting to his feet.
"Not bad, brats. I actually have to commend you. Once, you beat me, but twice, this time won't be so lucky!"
Starscream shot out, blasting at Thunder and Lightning, but the former flew away while Lightning remained put. Crouching slightly, Lightning smirked and suddenly leaped into the air. His long, lithe legs wrapped around Starscream's neck, and he mirthfully chuckled.
"Brother, come! Shoot him!" Lightning cried, covering his viz scanners with his hands.
"You are completely insane!" Thunder barked, throwing his hands out as his namesake exploded out. "Yet, that is why we are brothers!"
"Oh! Us, too!" Safeguard sneered, blasting out with another wave of fire.
Starscream whirled around, trying to swing Lightning off when the combined energies of thunder and fire smashed into his mainframe. Nimbly, Lightning leaped off and flew into the air. Starscream shouted in agony, flopping back onto the snow as the fire dissipated. The thunder had damaged his right shoulder as sparks flew out.
"No way…there's no slagging way I'm losing to you freaks!" Starscream shrieked.
"We are not freaks," Thunder proclaimed.
"We are not mutants," Lightning snarled
"We are not cogs or any bad names you call us," Safeguard added, landing next to them. "We is all equal."
Starscream barked with laughter. "Yeah, right! You're making me bust a servo!"
"Safeguard, my brother and I will conduct the rain to land on him. Is that a problem?" Lightning inquired.
"No," Safeguard replied.
"Good. Try and hold him off," Lightning commanded, snickering.
Thunder and Lightning shot into the air, leaving Safeguard with Starscream. The Decepticon glared up at them, shocked at their hypersonic teleportation. He realized it was them who brought them into the Autobot's holding cell. The twins were nowhere near as fast as them, and even he could not match their speed. However, they fled, the cowards, leaving the Autobrats all alone.
"Looks like your stupid little friends abandoned you," Starscream jeered.
"No, they is making the rain," Safeguard retorted, shooting forward.
Safeguard threw out his hands, unleashing a magnificent gale of wind that heaved Starscream off his feet. Crying out, Starscream grunted and cursed. Turning himself into a jet, he dove out of the wind as Safeguard continued firing after him. He mockingly loop-de-looped around their attacks. Safeguard growled in frustration, continuously trying to blast him, but continued missing.
"Stop with the flying!" Safeguard growled in irritation.
"Okay, you asked for it!" Starscream sneered.
He dashed down, smashing straight into Safeguard's chest cavity with the nose of his jet plane. Safeguard cried out, being impaled into the debris of a home. Starscream smashed his fists against Safeguard's faceplate, knocking him around. Agonic cries spewed from Safeguard as Starscream hovered over him, laser pointed to make him offline.
"Any last words, malfunctions?"
A sudden roar parted the sky, making them both look up. An unearthly rumble divided from the clouds. Blue and yellow sparks of lightning shot out through the sky. Clouds accumulated, darkening until they nearly matched the night sky. Starscream blinked, unsure of what was going on and faced Safeguard heatedly.
"What the spark are those mutants doing?" He snatched Safeguard by his throat, hissing at Safeguard's chuckles.
"They is making the rain," he confidently replied as the clouds above them split.
Suddenly, a torrent of spiraling rain smashed down. Starscream yelped, holding his neck as Safeguard kicked him in the chest and darted to safety. The combined creature of the twins looked up to the sky and saw what appeared to be Greek mythology. Thunder and Lightning were standing amongst the clouds, glaring down as Starscream writhed in shriveled pain. Sparks of electricity crackled from where the Unelectra device was. Starscream ripped it off, panting heavily as he snarled up the sky.
"What a fool, brother," Thunder taunted as they leaped down from their clouds.
"You fell straight into our trap," Lightning sniggered.
"Wh-what the spark are talking about?" Starscream demanded.
"That little device on your neck prevented my brother's energies from harming you. Since it is electrical…" Thunder's smirk grew wide as Lightning continued.
"…our rain can malfunction your petty device!" the yellow elemental burst into laughter, crossing his arms. "Safeguard, shall we?"
"Let's go!" Safeguard shouted, throwing out his hands.
Starscream frantically gazed between his adversaries. One behind, two in front, all charging up to strike. He knew there was nowhere left to run, shouting, "Oh, nuts and bolts!"
The combined power of thunder, lightning, fire, and wind plowed into him. Starscream screamed as each power stabbed into his servos, depleting his energy. He suddenly flopped to his knees, viz scanners slowly shutting down. Starscream groaned weakly before going into recharge mode.
"Is he…?" Thunder hesitated as Safeguard turned back into the Jet Twins.
"He is okies," Jetstorm replied earnestly. "We be thanking you for your help."
"Think nothing of it!" Lightning snickered, kicking Starscream's faceplate. "I am just pleased that we were able to capture this villain before any harm could befall your Autobots."
At that moment, a dark orange, curved plane swerved over the sky as the rain slowed to a drizzle before finally stopping. Thunder and Lightning gasped sharply, and Jetfire and Jetstorm noticed that on the side of the mysterious plane was a bright yellow T in a circle. They retrieved the communicators that their friends gave them, remembering that it was the same symbol. Before they could ask any questions, seven figures came out, and Thunder and Lightning froze entirely.
Robin, Beast Boy, Cyborg, Raven, Starfire, Red Star, and Pantha stepped out of the plane. Robin, however, looked particularly furious. Red Star gazed at the destruction of one of the villages he swore to protect, mouth gaping in shock. Pantha placed a hand on his shoulder, urging him to calm down. Cyborg stared over to the Jet Twins in shock, and they gazed back, equally confused as to how there could be a combination of human and robot.
"Thunder, Lightning, we need to talk," Robin snarled.
"This is not good," Thunder whispered as Lightning nodded.
…
Yay, one more chapter. Plus, review!