Title: Crash Landing

Rating: K+

Continuity: Movieverse?

Characters: Optimus Prime, Megatron, Cliffjumper, Starscream, Sideswipe, Sunstreaker

Disclaimer: Still don't own.

Prompt: 5. An accidental hero

February 16, 2013

The Decepticons attacked suddenly, as they were wont to do. The Autobots moved out quickly, their human allies moving with them.

It was a predictable attack; the Decepticons were again raiding a power plant, gathering energy that they would later convert into energon.

The battle had gone as they all usually did. Frontliners fought, snipers shot, Prowl and Soundwave orchestrated the chaos, and Optimus Prime and Megatron were beating each other with whatever came to hand. In this case, Optimus Prime was using an uprooted pine tree and Megatron was using a crumbling chunk of cement.

Then, somehow, Megatron had broken their stalemate and managed to force the Prime to his knees. The Decepticon pressed his fusion cannon against the Prime's helm, the barrel glowing with an eerie, deadly light.

No words were spoken by either of them. Megatron had learned long ago that boasting about his victory often led to his defeat. Taking time was not smart. So he powered up his cannon and prepared to shoot.

Which was when the flaming ball of metal fell from the sky and slammed into him.

The battlefield, already frozen, seemed to skip like a scratched DVD. There was a loud groan from the smoking pit where the meteorite and Megatron lay.

"What did I land on?" a loud voice practically whined, and a few mechs blinked.

"Wha?" Sideswipe stuttered from where he was clinging to the hovering Starscream's back.

A few others, Autobot and Decepticon, echoed him.

Another loud groan, and a small hand stuck up and gripped the edge of the hole. A mech followed, red frame slightly battered, armor scorched and pitted. "What the slag?" the mech swore as he glanced around at the bots staring at him. It was obvious that a battle had just been put on hold. Weapons were still charged and aimed. A few foes were locked in battle positions, frozen in place like defunct action figures.

"Cliffjumper?" someone asked incredulously, staring at the red mech.

"Yeah? What?" the minibot asked defensively, scowling at the assembled forces.

Optimus Prime finally unfroze, standing up and offering a hand to the newly arrived Autobot. "I owe you my thanks, Cliffjumper. You just saved my life."

"Huh?"

An amused expression crossing the Prime's face, he gestured behind the minibot. "Look behind you, and you will understand."

Hesitantly, the red mech did so, glancing behind him and blinking rapidly when he saw the prone form of the unconscious Megatron. "Oh. Uh... you're welcome?"

The Prime smiled and helped the minibot up.

Sideswipe, still up on Starscream's back, snorted quietly. "Talk about unlikely. Cliffjumper taking out Megatron?"

"I agree," the Seeker said, a wicked grin on his faceplates. "And I'm definitely not letting him forget it."

"Who? 'Jumper?"

"Ha!" Starscream laughed, startling a few mechs below him. "No, I'm talking about Megatron. Taken out by a minibot... heh... how embarrassing!"

Sideswipe snickered. "Yeah. Maybe 'Jumper's not so bad after all."

Sunstreaker, standing somewhere below, shot his Twin a dry glare. ~Right,~ he said over their bond. ~Just wait 'til it sinks into his processor. Then tell me he's not that bad.~