Title: Haven
Rating: K+
Continuity: Complete and total AU. But G1 characters.
Characters: Sideswipe, Sunstreaker, Optimus Prime, Jazz
Disclaimer: Don't own.
Prompt: 4. Was that... a dragon?
Notes: This is some weird AU that got into my head a while ago. I can't get rid of it, but it just seemed incredibly awkward every time I tried to write it. Thankfully, this turned out okay. And yes, the Twins are centaurs and Optimus is a dragon. No idea where it came from, but it did, and it stuck. -_-
"Come on, Sides."
The red mech glanced up at his brother with dim optics. "'M tired, Sunny. Wanna stop."
"We can't," Sunstreaker said softly, moving back toward his brother, hooves thumping quietly on the soft ground.
Mechanimals moved through the crystals and circuit-vines around them, hooting and calling and chirping. The road they were on was barely worn, rarely traveled, and empty save for them.
Just the way they liked it.
Sideswipe shifted on his hooves, the armor of his equine frame flaring out, then settling with a rattle. "Suns, we've been running for two orns now."
"And they're still on us," Sunstreaker insisted. "We need to go."
"Please."
The yellow half-mech glanced around, then vented heavily. "Fine. One joor," he allowed, lowering himself to his knees, long legs folded up underneath his body. Sideswipe collapsed next to him, and was in recharge almost instantly.
Frowning, Sunstreaker allowed himself to fall into recharge as well.
. . .oOo.
They woke to a shout.
"The hounds've got 'em again!"
Sunstreaker and Sideswipe exchanged a glance. A quick check of their chronos revealed that they had been recharging for more than four joors.
~Up, up!~ they said as one as they scrambled to their hooves.
~Which way?~ Sunstreaker asked, glancing between the open road and the tangled mass that was the woods.
~Woods are more difficult, but harder for them to track...~
~And we're still tired, so no flat-out out-running.~
~Woods.~
With that, they reared up on their hind hooves, wheeled around, and plunged into the thick mass of crystal trees and bushes and circuit-vines.
They stumbled as they ran, thick branches uneven under-pede, thin vines and wires grabbing at their frames.
~Keep going!~ one of them shouted across their bond, though neither was sure which said it.
Shouts and barks rang behind them.
~You still have your sword?~
~Yep. You?~
~Of course,~ Sunstreaker said, and managed a sly glance at his red half. Sideswipe smirked back, then unsheathed the long, sharp sword, the action mirrored by Sunstreaker.
They immediately went to work hacking at the wild growth in front of them.
That didn't last long, though. A petro-hound burst from the brush around them, lunging fearlessly at Sideswipe. The red Twin lashed out with a hind hoof, catching the canine on the chest, crumpling the armor, throwing the petro-hound back into the brush.
~Run!~ Sunstreaker shouted as the injured hound disappeared. ~Run!~
~Already on it!~
And they were off again, hooves pounding on the ground, fans working overtime, optics bright with fear and exertion.
They had been running for barely a breem when they broke through the brush and stumbled to a halt.
It was a wide clearing. The ground was flat and hard, covered with pale blue crysgrass.
"Come on!" Sunstreaker huffed as a petro-hound barked behind them, and he and his Twin took off, pounding across the clearing.
Moments later, behind them, petro-hounds and mechs riding cybersteeds exploded into the clearing behind the two half-equine mechs. They spent the barest fraction of a klik milling about in confusion at the sudden lack of branches, vines, and other cybertronian flora, then were once again after their prey.
A low rumble filled the clearing, and the petro-hounds slowed, then stopped. Then they turned around altogether, whining as they ran back the way they had come. The cybersteeds reared back, neighing. A few of their riders crashed to the ground. Others managed to hold on as their mounts, like the dogs before them, galloped away.
Sideswipe and Sunstreaker, hearing the chaos behind them, pulled up, hooves scrambling on the crysgrass.
~What the frag...?~ Sideswipe managed, glancing between the few remaining mechs and his brother.
~No idea.~
The rumble grew louder, then paused.
A great roar echoed through the air, and a shadow fell upon them all.
The Twins, who were almost out of the clearing, whirled around again, turning on hind hooves to see what the mechs on the ground were staring at.
Something loomed over the trees. Blue and red scale-like plating rattled. A deep, strut-shaking growl echoed from its chest.
"Is... is that a... a dragon?" one of the downed mechs stuttered, and the Twins exchanged a stunned glance.
~Dragon?~
~What- they don't exist!~
Sideswipe managed a dry, coughing chuckle. ~We're not supposed to exist either, Sunny. Sparks are supposed to be whole, not halves.~
~Well-~
"Dragon!" the downed mech shouted again, and Sideswipe and Sunstreaker turned to glace at where he was lying.
Or had been lying. He was disappearing into the brush now, along with his companions.
Sideswipe and Sunstreaker were alone in the clearing.
Alone with a dragon.
They backed up, hooves settling steadily, rhythmically, in step, their swords back in hand and lifted as they stared at the dragon.
It was massive. Wide, sweeping wings blew gusts of wind around them. It had broad shoulders and huge limbs. Large hands with sharp, curling talons clutched at the ground as it landed, scraping the crysgrass from the soft ground where it grew. Bright, yellow horns protruded from the sides of its helm.
Sideswipe and Sunstreaker hefted their swords again, for once not grinning at the prospect of a fight.
A sharp set of fangs was revealed as it smiled.
"You have no need to fear," a deep voice rumbled, and the Twins jumped.
"What the frag?"
The dragon smiled again, fangs showing, but... it wasn't... threatening. Somehow. "You have no need to fear. You are on the borders of my realm, a place many have taken to calling 'Haven.' You are welcome here."
"What-" Sideswipe started again, but was interrupted.
"Hey, OP!" a cheery voice said, and a small silver mech strode from the edge of the woods. "Ya scare 'em off?"
"Most of them," the dragon rumbled, optics sparkling.
"Most? Someone wantin' t' stay?"
"Perhaps. What do you think, Centaurions?" the dragon asked, turning to the Twins.
"'Centaurions'?"
"Yes. You do not know what you are?"
The two exchanged glances, thoughts flying between them. "We've... kinda... been alone. Forever," Sideswipe said, glancing down.
"Well, ya ain't anymore," the sliver mech said, and the dragon nodded in agreement. "Welcome t' Haven."