Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Triple Changing. Enjoy the 3900-word chapter. I do not own Transformers, Hasbro does.
(At the end of Shadow zone)
Arcee looked over to Fuse before he clenched his fingers and looked downwards. The Autobot had been quiet since they had gotten the Energon and returned.
"I see Starscream is himself again… Even after getting an arm blasted off." Fuse stated.
"Wish you went after him, you could fly!" Miko said, perching next to him.
"Yeah, chase the seeker back to Megatron's warship with no backup and against the most dangerous Decepticons." Fuse snarked. "I want the cons gone bad but not enough to go picking fights with them all at once, kid," Fuse stated.
"Could have fooled me." Arcee snarked.
"Which one of us wanted a fight back at the mine we went to?" Fuse questioned as Arcee frowned. "I get it, you got a score to settle with Ms. Eight Legs… I wanted to back you up but you got mad." Fuse stated.
"I am glad you wish to assist, Fuse," Optimus stated.
"Still wish one of us scrapped her, though… A Con getting away like that? Can't be good the next time they show up." Fuse stated to which he looked the side.
"Agreed, Arachnid is as dangerous as Megatron, all she's missing is an army," Arcee stated.
"We shall handle the Decepticons as we find them… For now? It is better to lay low." Optimus stated.
"What do you think the cons are up to now?" Fuse asked Arcee and Bumblebee.
"Probably another attack… They have the advantage of a flying warship." Arcee stated.
"We could take it down if we got aboard, just disable the reactor and send it crashing to the ground… Might not get rid of Megatron, but it will cripple his operations strategically." Fuse stated.
Arcee and Bumblebee looked at the Triple-Changer. It was clear he was a soldier and knew what he was doing now, they just did not know why he had so much anger for the Cons.
"So… Why an airplane? I didn't think Autobots liked flying?" Jack asked.
"The Decepticons always take advantage of air support. If I can fly? I can shoot them out of the sky on their turf… That? And it covers ground better, cannot escape over a mountain if I can fly over it." Fuse stated.
"The Decepticons outnumber us considerably, Fuse. We would be outmatched to attempt to fight them where they contain the advantage." Optimus stated.
"I'd argue we can consider Megaton wants to stay in his cozy little warship half the time," Fuse stated.
Optimus frowned, he could not tell if it was arrogance or anger that drove him to say that but he knew if they went to war? Fuse would not last if he did not exercise more caution for now.
"Hmm… It appears a small group of Decepticons were spotted heading towards this area." Optimus stated, pointing to part of Europe.
"Any names, sir?" Fuse questioned.
"This machine can only transmit their energon signatures, not assign their identity," Optimus stated.
"Let me see…" Fuse said, stepping closer. "A few are headed over water since Megatron probably will not get his servos oily. That leaves Starscream… And half are proceeding over land… Know any landlocked Decepticons?" Fuse stated.
"Knockout and Starscream… I did not think he'd get back up after Megatron got through with him." Arcee said.
"Hmm… We must intercept the Decepticons before they retrieve their goal." Optimus ordered.
"I can chase down Starscream… Lead him to the open… Who is going after Knockout?" Fuse asked.
"Starscream is dangerous, Fuse…" Optimus stated.
"Which is why keeping him from civilians is my first concern," Fuse stated.
"Bumblebee? You and Arcee will chase Knockout… I and Bulkhead will secure their objective… Fuse? I ask you to engage Starscream with extreme caution. He is as dangerous as he is cowardly." Optimus ordered.
"Noted…" Fuse said before he turned to Arcee and Bumblebee. "I'll see if I can help out… Might not need it, but a few good shots to their tires won't hurt." Fuse said before Rachet sighed.
"One this is dealt with? I wish to continue scans upon Fuse. A triple changer is no laughing matter and their biology is different enough to warrant imagination." Rachet stated.
The ground bridge opened and Fuse entered.
"Arcee? I understand you and Arachnid have a history… But I do not implore you to allow it to cloud your judgment. We will dispatch her if she becomes a problem… But not at the cost of friends." Optimus said before he and Bulkhead stepped through.
Arcee sighed, knowing she would be in the deep end either way. She revved up and rolled out.
(With Fuse)
Fuse tucked his arms and legs to his side before transforming into his F-14 Tomcat mode. He loved the thrill of flight, of soaring through the sky like a missile and he was good at it either way. He flew, prepared for the worst in the sky, knowing what was going on.
He had been too interested in this world to notice the missile which flew towards him at full tilt only for him to twist around it. He twisted around, diving backward as the swarm of Vehicons and Starscream dove toward him.
"So, it is true… The Autobots do have a flier… And one inferior to me." Shockwave stated before he seemed to fall silent.
Fuse snorted and unleashed a sidewinder missile which slammed into a Vehicon, sending it into the ocean as it exploded.
"Say that to my face, slagheap," Fuse stated before gunning his engines and soaring past them as the two American fighter Cybertronians began a dogfight as the sky began to fill with laser fire and explosions.
(With Arcee and Knockout)
Arcee revved her engines as fast as they would go, she overtook Bee in a few seconds as her engines were made for it… An explosion rocked the airspace as an F-14 soared overhead pursued by 4 Vehicons… Made into 3 as Fuse stopped long enough to fire a burst of gunfire from his canons, swatting it from the sky.
There was just too much on his mind as he did so.
"What's the matter, Starscream? Can't shoot down a target that can outfly you?" Fuse questioned.
"Keep saying that when I blow your wings off, Autobot…" Starscream roared, firing a rocket that went streaming past him and exploded into the side of a rock formation next to him.
"Not even close, no wonder your Megatron's lackey," Fuse stated before he paused.
"Hey, flyboy? We kinda don't need the road to be blown to pieces." Arcee snarked.
"Tell that to the seeker with an aim worse than a hatchling," Fuse stated as Starscream roared.
"KNOCKOUT! DESTROY THIS ANNOYING AUTOBOT!" Starscream roared.
"Keep your transistors on, Screamer… Second? How about you get these two Autobots!?" Knockout yelled as Starscream sighed.
"This is why you should have gained an airborne form, befitting of a Decepticon," Starscream stated, firing another missile at the triple-changer which missed.
The Autobot turned and dodged it, letting the missile slam into the ground in front of Knockout, sending him flipping into the air and forcing him to transform.
"STARSCREAM!" Knockout yelled as Fuse finally landed, spinning in mid-air as he fell to the ground.
"Spare me and kill them! SOMEONE KILL THEM FOR THE GLORY OF THE THE…" Starscream started to yell only for Bee and Fuse to fire on him, sending the Decepticon into the air.
Fuse lunged forwards towards Starscream who tried to figure out what was going on. His punch floored the Decepticon seeker only for Knockout to kick him to the ground he turned and caught another kick, firing his thrusters to slam the ground pounder to the soil.
Starscream growled and clenched his missile arm, firing a missile only for the triple changer to dodge. He turned to look over at Arcee and Bumblebee as both charged into the battle.
Starscream roared before he charged at them, ready to kill them only for Fuse to floor him with another kick and draw his blade and block a weapon that roared toward his head… Knockout blinked as his buzzsaw crashed against his sword.
"Hmm… Nice alt-mode." Knockout said as Fuse shrugged.
"Thank you. Same to you, con." Fuse stated before he backed away as Arcee started to slam into him.
Fuse paused before he looked to the side, Starscream slowly started to attack them with his claws as the triple changer backpedaled, looking to the side as he backpedaled to the side, his blades deflecting claw strike after claw strike.
He was not too interested in now before he relaxed. He was too interested before he cracked his fingers and seemed to go into overdrive, acting on instinct.
He slammed him to the ground, turning and firing a shot that forced Knockout to backpedal as the two Decepticons were joined by their Vehicon henchmen. Bumblebee transformed entirely and attacked the group, ready to fight as he had for the time being, he simply did not need to act in desperation now.
He had been ready to act… And he did, kicking Knockout to the side only for the revving of engines to turn in time for him to be rammed by a truck, slamming him into Fuse.
Both were ready to figure to deal with it for now… He had been too thrown off for now.
Fuse helped Bumblebee to his feet, knowing that he had been ok. He looked at the hulking Decepticon as the trio were surrounded.
"Great… Great… There are more of them…" He stated as he sighed.
"Heh… So, you are the new bot." The Decepticon said.
"Breakdown? Last I heard? You were snarkier… And a big coward. New alt mode?" Fuse questioned as he paused to think.
Three to three. He and Arcee and Bee could handle the Vehicons which left only Starscream and his two cronies.
He turned and punched Starscream back before grabbing Arcee and Bumblebee, using his thrusters to push them back and give them space, the Vehicons opened fire as the group ducked behind desert vultures.
"Three to three, fair odds… For cons." Fuse stated as Arcee looked at them. "Vehicons are not as dangerous as them… So that leaves three." Fuse stated.
"Bwoo…" Bumblebee said.
"I am not being cocky… I'm thinking. You got a plan, Arcee? Bee?" Fuse asked.
"Oh, asking for help…" Arcee stated before she hummed. "Fuse, handle Breakdown, he is as strong as Bulk… Bee? Keep Knockout busy. I will deal with Starscream and the Vehicons." Arcee ordered.
"Got it," Fuse said before he leaped the boulder, firing as he did so.
"Bwoo," Bee stated to which Arcee was silent.
"I know he's skilled at combat, but he's cocky… He needs someone to keep his CPU in check." Arcee stated.
Bee nodded and leaped the walk, punching a hole in the Vehicon next to him as another advanced on her, she slammed a foot into its face, using the momentum to vault into the air, drawing her blasters and putting the other two down… Fuse was right about one thing, Vehicon soldiers were terrible.
She drew her blades and charged forwards, Starscream growled and fired a rocket as Arcee dodged around it, slamming an elbow into Starscream.
"You Autobots believe one triple changer can affect the war that much?" Starscream hissed.
"Don't know, he's handing you your skidplate, Starscream," Fuse said, dodging Breakdown's hammer as he drew his blade. "Why do you both take orders from HIM? Megatron could not promote someone better?" Fuse asked, catching the hammer, and using it to kick Breakdown back.
"Well, it isn't like Lord Megatron has good taste in lieutenants…" Knockout said before being floored by Bee. "My finish! Your pay for that…" Knockout said before slamming into Bumblebee.
Fuse tossed Breakdown back before the truck fired a missile only for Fuse to turn and shift his left arm into a gun.
"This is an explosive, con," Fuse stated before firing, sending Breakdown skidding backward as a missile slammed into his chest.
"Decepticons, retreat!" Starscream stated before he transformed into his F-16 mode. "This isn't over, Autobot!" Starscream hissed before roaring away as the other two Decepticons followed.
"Seems pretty over to me!" Fuse said before shifting his arms back to normal. "Nice one, Bumblebee…" Fuse said as the bot chirped a bit.
"Still think I am a 'flyboy?'" Fuse asked Arcee. "I am a soldier… I can play nice when I need to." Fuse stated before an explosion rocked the area.
"What the frag…?" Arcee asked before Fuse blinked.
"This was a diversion," Fuse stated to which he was silent afterward.
(With Optimus)
Optimus noticed Starscream fly overhead and questioned what his objective was.
"Arcee, what is your status?" Optimus asked as he blinked.
"We're coming your way; Fuse thinks they ran away for a reason… Didn't put up as much fight as we thought… I hate to admit it, but he might be right… They retreated for little reason." Arcee stated.
"Their Decepticons, they either retreat for a strategic reason or because of their cowardice… One of them IS Starscream." Fuse stated.
"Why don't you do some aerial recon, flyboy?" Arcee stated.
"Still flyboy? I'm hurt…" Fuse said. "Optimus, I don't like this. Should we pursue the Decepticons or come to you? I might be able to… Frag, Cee? Breakdown is circling back, watch your flank!" Fuse said before the sounds of a missile were heard.
"It appears your soldiers are not the same ones I encountered at the space bridge, Optimus." Optimus heard before the sound of footsteps was heard.
"Megatron," Optimus stated.
"Surprised? Thought I had shuffled off the mortal coil?" Megatron questioned.
"I had been perceiving that outcome," Optimus stated.
"And I had been praying you died back when the Ark was thrown through the space bridge pulling us to this putrid planet." Megatron spat.
"I have a surprise for you… It has come to my attention that you have procured a new soldier, a Triple-Changer. They are not peaceful little people, Optimus… Their weapons of war, soldiers bred for combat." Megatron stated.
"You come here and I'll show you how bred for war I am, Megatron… Bumblebee… Frag, we need to fall back, they have reinforcements!" Fuse stated.
"The Triple-Changers were meant to help Cybertron, Megatron… It is only your lust for power that forced the project to shift to warfare." Optimus stated.
"Oh, you have no idea, do you?" Megatron asked. "Blitzwing? Introduce yourself to Optimus." Megatron said as the sound of treads was heard.
Optimus wanted to say something only for a purple and tan tank. A T-90, slammed down the slope, aiming its gun at Optimus and firing a round which whizzed through the air, slamming into the background.
"AUTOBOT!" Blitzwing roared with rage as his machine guns all opened fire, peppering the area with bullets and plasma as the tank fired everything at them.
The tank advanced only for a mace to slam into the side, forcing it backward. The tank growled before it slammed slowly and started to transform into a tank, slamming a fist into the ground as the beast transformed into a bipedal form.
It looked at Optimus with angered eyes, flaring with rage and fury enough to crush him under mere hatred alone if it was a weapon.
Instead? All it did was allow Optimus to floor the soldier with a punch, sending him slamming to the ground like a giant boulder.
"Your soldiers are as reckless as they are vile, Megatron," Optimus stated before he seemed to look over the wounded Autobot.
He had been too interested to try and figure out what this Decepticon was like and what to have done about him when it came down to it.
Whatever Blitzwing was? it seemed as he rose to his feet that he was fueled by rage, ready to slam one of the Autobots into scrap again and again until they stopped getting back up, he would probably repeat it until he was crushing their spark in his hands.
The sound of engines cut them off, followed by a stream of bullets which sent Blitzwing slamming to the ground and made Megatron slide backward.
"Who dares…" Megatron hissed.
"Me, Buckethead," Fuse said, transforming as he circled the crane of the area, landing atop it. "I knew you were full of yourself but you're boasting now about how one guy makes you unstoppable?" Fuse questioned.
Fuse sighed before shaking his head before he slowly started to think of his next move. He would continue to think as he looked at the enemy, too interested.
Fuse watched Blitzwing rise to his feet, growling as he raised a weapon towards him, forcing him to leap off and transform to roar off into the air.
He was too ready to fight through the cons at the time being, too relaxed during the fight if it had been coming down the moment.
They had to fight and he of all bots was good at combat easily better than them. It was not meant to be a boast or an insult but he could fight as he had before.
(With Optimus)
Optimus faced off with Blitzwing as Bulkhead continued to lash out at him with his maces.
"You have grown arrogant, Optimus… One victory against the Decepticons, now you believe going against us entirely? So, unlike you." Megatron stated to which Optimus frowned under his mask, knowing what would be too much.
Instead? There was a maneuver of peace written across his face as he realized just what was going on, he knew more and more with conviction at what was going on.
They were soldiers… So, he acted like one by drawing his blasters on Megatron and opening fire, forcing the Decepticon leader to fire back.
"I will never stop fighting as long as you menace Earth, Megatron," Optimus stated, charging, and ramming the Decepticon into the wall.
"Then your die screaming, Prime!" Megatron roared as he drew his blade and went to charge his enemy with full certainty as of now what would happen.
He knew more and more that if he had fought? They would die, they would suffer… But they would not go quietly at the end of things when it came down to it.
And that was enough for Optimus, they would die at the edge of the moment as she seemed to be prepared.
The soldier within him made his choice, he opened fire as he seemed to be superior to fight for now.
She did not know what the next move would come next… It all came down to it, there was a lot more on the horizon….
Fuse circled, this time followed by both a blue Kawasaki Ninja 250r and an Urbana 500.
He seemed to be ready to keep fighting, for now, he tossed himself back into the battlefield, transforming as he tackled Blitzwing into the crater.
"All right, con… Lets… Wait." Fuse stated to which he paused as the Decepticon slowly seemed to engage both.
"DIE, AUTOBOT!" Blitzwing roared, lunging at Fuse only to be dodged into the wall, his fist tearing through the stone.
"Megatron has a triple changer!?" Fuse questioned in shock.
"Oh, I have several, Autobot… Your arrival has only brought it to my attention." Megatron stated.
He would not be able to try and figure out what was going on as he cracked his fingers and then looked to the side, he was aware of what was going on.
Megatron merely laughed, amused to watch the two soldiers destroy one another only to be forced back by Optimus, sending him skidding along the ground.
"I will not allow you to destroy Earth while I still draw energon, Megatron…" Optimus stated, pausing to look to the side.
"Then I will just destroy you all! Blitzwing, destroy Optimus Prime!" Megatron ordered as he kicked the Prime backward.
"With PLEASURE!" Blitzwing roared only to catch a punch from Fuse.
"The others all made it? Scrap…" Fuse stated before being slammed to the ground by Blitzwing.
"Stop squirming, auto trash…" Blitzwing roared before he glanced down at his enemy who forced him backward with a few shots from his weapons.
He knew what was coming, he knew more and more that this enemy stood equal to himself. this was not a foe he could batter to pieces under his fist, not an enemy he could punch holes in with his weapon systems…
He still fought, knowing if he didn't? All of Earth and his new comrades would suffer… That wasn't to be their fate while he still stood.
He would be ready to try and deal with it for now, too interested as it came down to it. He slammed into Blitzwing to try and deal with it for now as he kicked down more and more rocks at the enemy.
He wanted him down, he wanted more and more to be rid of this infernal enemy… And he would be rid of them for good reason sooner or later.
If he lost? He'd be forsaking this planet… He'd be cursed to the pit before he did that, he would be thrown for a loop before he let another suffer for something that wasn't their right.
No, nobody else on this planet suffered as he slammed them into the wall, knowing what would happen if he gave them a moment of pause.
Blitzwing caught his punch, trying to shoot through him as the triple changer turned the con around, making his shot slam into the crane. It cracked and groaned before giving away, toppling into the quarry with a dying roar that echoed as loud as anything else.
Blitzwing charged at Fuse who kicked off him, using the space to transform into his F-14 form and fly off into the sky to try and get a better angle.
"GET BACK HERE, AUTOTRASH!" Blitzwing roared before shifting into another form… A jet, one which wasn't from this country and wasn't even the same generation.
Fuse looked at a sleek new plane, one with teal paint which reminded him of Energon and crashing waves… It was a more modern aircraft… And he knew it.
But it wasn't faster than him and the two flying Triple-Changers gunned their engines, a roar that cascaded to an explosion of sound in the air. They turned in arcs which would have shattered their craft if they were Earth made… And exchanged fire lasers while speeding toward the other.
The other Cybertronians turned as the two twisted, locked in a nose-to-nose spiral as their forms used all their power to crack the sky with their engines.
There was a horrendous sound as the craft both began to spiral downwards.
"As I said, Optimus… You gained a weapon, not an Autobot." Megatron said before pressing a finger to his radio and then retreating, already having his objective during the distraction.
Author Notes
Phew. Another chapter is done! I want to point out next chapter will be in 2-10 months and will be much longer and will be 900-6500 words and will be showing more of Operation Bulkhead. The next chapter will be delayed and will also set up at least one new character. Until then, Lighting Wolf is out!