SZ: *snorts awake*I-I'm up!...Wait. *looks around, seeing the entire room made of metal*why is hte studio...oh wait right.

Z0: Ah good he's awake...GT, nevermind he woke up on his own. You can put the Energon taser back in the closet...and by that I mean you put it back or else…

GT: *offscreen* THIS (CENSORED) PLAYSTATION STORE! YOU (REDACTED) PIECE OF (CENSORED)! I SWEAR IF YOU DON'T WORK SO I CAN GET DESTROY ALL HUMANS, I'LL (VERY REDACTED)! (REDACTED SEVERAL TIMES OVER)

Z0: You can't hear it...but he said it in the form of a haiku...hehehehe...anywho since GT is in the middle of a Blood rage, we shall begin the story. What's that...what's this chapter you ask? Well...let's tell you as we take a trip to Cybertron.

GT: *stomps in, breathing heavily* Alright, I'm just gonna take my PS4 inside later tonight to do the dang shopping for games later. For now, we do not own anything except for the rare OC in this if we need them.

Z0: SZ get up off your butt, we got work to do. Hehehe...it amuses me I'm not the angry and violent one today. But then again none of you have ever really seen my anger.

GT: *reaches into pants and pulls out several nuclear devices and arms them to go off in five seconds* IMMA BLOWING UP EVERYTHING BECAUSE OF MY RAGE! (VERY LONG CENSOR)!

Z0: *smiles as a barrier protects me and SZ from the blast* Use your words kids~

Within space floated a planet. One massive in size, comparable to Jupiter, and made completely of metal. This...was Cybertron, homeworld of the race known as Cybertronians, more commonly referred to as Transformers. On the surface, a small business was set up in a cozy structure. The front displayed a holographic light that made an image of a gas can that would change to the visage of a friendly robot with 'glasses' and a jovial smile that seemed to welcome all, helped by the music that could barely be heard outside. The doors slid open and allowed a quartet to enter. One was a tall Autobot that was mainly blue and white with a stern posture and visage. Another was a young blue and yellow female Autobot with some of the yellow armor making a small ponytail on the back of her head as she stood to the left of a muscular blue Autobot with pipes on the sides of his head that made tiny 'wings' and a large chin. To that one's right...was Optimus, looking much younger.

"You three did good today," the tallest of the four spoke as he led them through the place filled with different Autobots celebrating, watching screens of Autobots playing an unusual sport, drinking mugs filled with Energon of various colors, or simply enjoying the atmosphere, "As such, I'd like to treat you all to your first visit to Maccadam's."

"Ultra Prime, sir, this is...amazing," Optimus noted, looking around.

"During the war, Maccadam's was a neutral place where no one would have to worry about being attacked," Ultra Prime explained, "There is a vital rule here that, even to this day, we all follow: do not start a fight. Not even Megatron would dare break that rule in fear of the repercussions."

"Even Megatron wouldn't?" the female asked in surprise.

"I was there the only time he tried," Ultra Prime replied before giving a small flinch, "And every cycle I wish I hadn't."

"Wow. The 'bot here must be one scary Autobot then," the other blue Autobot noted with an excited grin.

"He's unaffiliated with either Autobots or Decepticons, Sentinel," Ultra Prime stated, making the trio pause in surprise, "Many have asked why, and his response has always been…"

"I serve to anyone no matter who they are, where they're from, or who they affiliate with," a voice noted as a bulky orange and silver robot walked up, sporting the kind face that was displayed on the holographic sign, "Good to see you again, Ultra! And I see you've brought Elita-One, Sentinel, and Optimus!"

"You've told him about us, sir?" the female asked.

"No," Ultra Prime replied, "Maccadam just tends to...know."

"He does?" Optimus asked.

"Of course I do! Just as I know that you fought off this giant genetically modified cockroach with Bumblebee, Bulkhead, Prowl, and Ratchet two Solar Cycles ago and that you're currently resting on Dinobot Island after berating Bee and Ironhide for that trap they made meant for rabbits they tweaked for Deceopticons!" the jovial bot replied with a chuckle.

"...Riiight," Sentinel rolled his eyes before muttering under his breath, "Who in the AllSpark would name someone 'Bulkhead' and 'Bumblebee'?"

"Why you will, of course, after Bulkhead knocks you over with his wrecking ball!" Maccadam chuckled.

"Wait, what?" Sentinel blinked twice.

"So what can I get you all?" Maccadam asked.

"Some simple drinks, please," Ultra Prime replied, "I'd rather not have them wake up with a Processor-Ache in the morning."

"Oh please, that'll be Sentinel Magnus after the Incurseans invaded Earth," Maccadam chuckled as he quickly served four mugs of energon to them.

Optimus picked his up and prepared to offer it to the others to clink with before blinking twice. The entire place was suddenly...empty. No music, no Autobots, no one.

"What?" Optimus pondered before the door slid open.

He looked to it and his optics widened in shock. Entering was a slender looking Autobot that wore black and gold armor with wheels on his legs, the bulkier parts of the black and gold armor making him resemble a Japanese samurai or shogun. The few lights still on in the place reflected off his blue, pointed sunglasses as he approached the bar and Maccadam served him a mug of energon. He took a drink of it before looking at Optimus.

"Hello, Optimus," he greeted casually, almost as if talking about the weather.

"P-Prowl…?" Optimus asked in shock, "I thought…"

"Oh, I am…" he stated, looking down at his mug to see no reflection, "It's quite interesting, being what I am. But, I can't really stay that long. I'm on an assignment."

"Assignment?" Optimus repeated.

"Yes," Prowl replied as he held a hand up, revealing a bulky orange sphere with a clear panel in the center, revealing a glowing crystal of sorts all held together by a pair of silver bars making handles to hold it, "Recognize this?"

"The AllSpark Matrix I made for what was left of the AllSpark," Optimus replied with a surprised look.

"Bingo," Prowl replied, "You need to get this to Cybertron's core."

"Wh-What?" Optimus asked, his optics widening.

"Yes. You see...Cybertron is dying," Prowl explained, making Optimus' face start to turn white in shock, "The only way to prevent it from dying is to get this to the core of the planet. Well...this and one other."

"Wait, Prowl, what do you mean Cybertron is dying?!" Optimus asked in concern.

"Optimus...our world has been ravaged by war for eons. The period of peace the Autobots attained by banishing the Decepticons was short. We've been living out Cybertron's Golden Years of life, we ran its resources ragged during the war and our campaign to keep the Decepticons from ever returning. Energon is dwindling, all the resources we abused and take for granted…" he sighed, taking another drink from his mug after Maccadam refilled it, "I know this sounds like the nonsense I often spoke of in our early days, but...now, after what happened, I am more connected than ever, and I can feel it. Our wonderful world, the world so many before us fought for...it is dying, Optimus. So I turn to the one 'Bot in the cosmos I know can save it." he smiled.

"But...why now? Why is Cybertron finally…"

"I can't say 'why,' Optimus...Maybe it's all the things Sentinel is doing...maybe it was the AllSpark...or maybe...time has just...run out," Prowl spoke, taking another sip, "Even for us, Time is still finite, and Cybertron is no exception." he finished his drink before standing up, "Get the AllSpark Matrix, Optimus. Find the other you need to get to the Core and present it to the Core."

"Wait, Prowl...Who is this 'other'?" Optimus asked, getting up.

"I'm sorry, Optimus…" Prowl replied with a sad smile, "Even I don't know everything. We all still have a journey even when we become One."

"Prowl, please…" Optimus began to plead before Prowl faded.

"Prowl!" Optimus shouted, shooting up from his 'bed.' He looked around for a moment, realizing he was in his personal quarters on his new home base on Earth. He looked around before holding a hand to his head. Cybertronians didn't sweat, but it'd be an understatement to say Optimus's own energon felt like it suddenly ran cold, "Prowl...was...was that real?" he asked, looking at his hammer, "..." he stood up and grabbed his inherited weapon and walked out of his room, "Don't worry, Prowl...I'll save our home." he spoke, as if his fallen friend was still here, but mostly to himself, as a promise of conviction and belief.

A yawn earned his attention as he turned to see Silverbolt, in his Beast Mode, walk over, "Is everything alright, Optimus?"

"Silverbolt...wake up the others," Optimus ordered, "We're going to Cybertron, all of us."

"Alright...Wait...WHAT?!" SIlverbolt exclaimed, shooting up into Robot Mode in his shock.

"Okay, Boss Bot...what's the big idea…?" Bumblebee sighed, so tired his own face mask refused to obey and stayed up, "Ironhide and I were just barely getting into Sleep Mode after finishing our Transform-Ups you made us do…"

"A 'Bot my age needs his sleep, Prime...What in the name of the AllSpark is going on?" Ratchet yawned.

"Cybertron is dying."

"?!" any remnants of their Sleep Modes was quickly overwritten by those three words.

"What?!" Silverbolt panicked, his feathers and fur standing up with his shock.

"How do you even know that?" Bumblebee asked.

"Prowl told me," Optimus said as if that was a totally normal thing.

"Prowl? But...But he's…" Bumblebee spoke.

"I know, Bumblebee…" Optimus sighed, "This...is going to sound crazy, and I can't blame you if you doubt me, but I saw Prowl. I spoke to him in a dream...memory...vision...I'm not sure. But...I do know that what he told me is real. I can feel it down to my very Spark. Cybertron is dying and the only way to stop it is to get the AllSpark Matrix to the planet's core."

"The core of Cybertron? Are you out of your fraggin' mind, Prime?!" Ratchet exclaimed, "No one ever goes that deep into the planet."

"And don't forget that I'm not exactly…" Silverbolt motioned to himself, "...not on a 'shoot to scrap' list for what I've become."

"There's also the fact that the AllSpark Matrix is in one of the most fortified places on Cybertron and that if we steal it, we're all in big trouble," Ironhide added.

"I understand that, but I had to tell you of the mission I was going to undertake," Optimus explained, "I can't ask you to do this, honestly. This...isn't a mission for an Autobot...This is a mission for Cybertron itself, not our government." he paused, "I often wondered why I was the one Prime in the entirety of Autobot history to get sucked into one weird adventure after another, like for some reason destiny had a plan for me. I never wanted to lead my team to an alien world, to become its heroes. To end up becoming the bane of Megatron, and the number one target of the Decepticon regime. But...I've kept on this path, and I've been proud of the Prime I've become because of it. So...maybe this call to destiny will be the last. But, if it's for my home and its people...then I'll be the one to do it."

"..." Silverbolt sighed, rubbing the back of his head, "You certainly have a way with words, Optimus." he looked at the Prime, "I'm in."

"...Ahh geez. Gonna get pulled into this somehow," Bumblebee sighed, "...ok. I'm in, Boss bot."

"For the record, I think this is crazy...but we've already done that enough times, that I'm numb to it." Ratchet sighed.

"Heh. Since Prowl's askin', I may as well answer," Jazz shrugged, "I'm in."

"If it's true...then Cybertron won't be able to sustain life anymore...and we'd all die out," Ironhide noted before nodding, "I'm going, too. I don't want to lose Cybertron."

"Thank you," Optimus smiled, "Prowl told me something about another 'Bot who could help us. But as per Ninja protocol...being vague is the rule."

"No denyin' that…" Jazz chuckled before several beeps went off at the nearby computer, "We're gettin' a transmission."

"Bring it up," Optimus ordered as Jazz quickly moved over and typed on the keyboard before the screen turned on, showing a flickering image of a young teenage girl with dark skin and vivid red hair pulled into twin ponytails and blue eyes that seemed to glow, "Sari?"

=Optimus, oh thank goodness…= she sighed in relief before worry showed on her face =Please, you gotta hurry. Something...Something's going on on Cybertron. I can't go down there from the Energon Farm because of Sentinel's stupid new law about technorganics being forbidden from coming onto the planet's surface, but Bulkhead...He went down there to sell some of the stuff and he contacted me and Arcee about to not leave the moon and...and something jumped him before it cut off. It...It looked like a giant bug=

"...Oh Primus, it's BlackArachnia again, isn't it?" Bumblebee gulped.

"Sari, did Bulkhead ever finish 'that'?" Optimus asked.

=We were gonna surprise you with a visit tomorrow= Sari replied, earning a nod.

"Stay right there. We'll be there in a few Cycles," Optimus replied, "Autobots, to the Space Bridge."

"Yes, sir!"

"Come on, come on…" Sari muttered, fully revealed to be wearing a yellow and pale-yellow dress-like outfit with yellow boots that went up to her thighs and long yellow fingerless gloves that went up to her shoulders, as she paced before a tuning fork-like device within a metal barn.

"I am sure they will get here, Sari," a female Autobot that was primarily pink and white with the white helmet on her head having parts that resembled side buns assured.

A light caught their attention. Between the 'prongs' of the 'tuning fork,' a sphere of light began to shine as it grew into existence. A cry resembling an eagle's screech bleeding into a wolf's howl echoed before Silverbolt was the first out followed by Bumblebee and Jazz followed by Ironhide, Optimus, and finally Ratchet.

"Guys!" Sari exclaimed as the space bridge powered down while they ran up to them before pausing at seeing Silverbolt and Bumblebee, "Uh...Who are the new guys?"

"Silverbolt," Silverbolt replied, "Nice to meet you, Sari. Everyone has been telling me about you."

"Sari, you seriously don't recognize me?" Bumblebee asked.

"Well, to be fair, you've gotten taller and look like you went to a gym," Ratchet noted.

"...Bee?" Sari asked in surprise.

"Had to get an upgrade to hide from those frogs," Bumblebee explained, "I kinda like it."

"...What did I miss?" Sari asked.

"Long story short? Incurseans invaded Earth, took it over with mutated To'Ku Stars, captured us and every other hero on Earth to send us off i-" Bumblebee began.

"We'll catch up later," Optimus interrupted before asking, "Sari, what's going on?"

"I don't know," Sari replied, "Ever since I woke up, I've been feeling...something wrong. Every time I look at Cybertron…" she frowned, "I feel like something's going on...something bad. Bulkhead said he'd check it out while he was down there to sell the energon that's been farmed, but..."

The pink and white Autobot frowned as her optics glowed for a moment, "There are some legends...of a race of Cybertronians that live beneath Cybertron that feed on the Energon closest to the planet's core that have alternate forms that are, instead of wheels and engines, use multiple limbs and flexible wings to navigate the land beneath the surface."

"You said that Bulkhead was tackled by what looked like a bug, right?" Bumblebee asked.

"Yeah," Sari replied.

"...Insecticons!" the two declared with grins.

"Name things later," Ratchet sighed, "And if they did come from underneath Cybertron, then it could be proving that what Prowl said is true."

"Prowl?" Sari asked, "But he…"

"We know," Optimus sighed, "But he came to me and said that Cybertron...is dying."

"...What?!" the two exclaimed with wide eyes and Sari's side tails shooting up.

"We need to get to the AllSpark Matrix and then find a way down into the planet to get to the Core," Silverbolt explained.

"...Before Sentinel Magnus closed Cybertron off to anything organic, he had relocated the AllSpark Matrix to a new building in Iacon meant to talk about the Great War," the female Autobot explained before sighing, "I was so hoping to take Sari there for a field trip on her Cybertronian education."

"Wait, what?" Ratchet blinked, "That...shouldn't happen. Did...ugh...Sentinel Magnus talk about it w-"

"I had heard he made the decision himself."

"Of course he did," Optimus sighed.

"And I doubt he'd let us talk about it peacefully…" Bumblebee added with his own sigh.

"Yeah...not really, no," Sari shook her head, "So let's not and just take it down there."

"We?" Ratchet repeated.

"I'm going, too," Sari stated, "Like heck I'm gonna let you guys go off on your own with me."

"No way to talk her out of it," Optimus sighed, "Just try not to get into trouble, okay?"

"Me? Get into trouble?" Sari gasped before giving an 'innocent' smile, "Does this face look like it gets into trouble?"

"...Right. Silverbolt, Ironhide, congratulations. You're now being introduced to an old activity we had before Sari came here to learn about her Cybertronian heritage: Sari and Bumblebee Watch."

"Wait, what?" the two new members asked.

"It's hard, unrewarding work, and no one ever thanks you for all you do to keep them from dying," Ratchet explained, "But...someone has to do it."

"...Very well! We shall do it!" Silverbolt nodded, "It shouldn't be too hard, right?"

"'It shouldn't be too hard' he says…" Ironhide grumbled, wiping his oil and feather-covered face as the team were in a small ship heading from one of the two moons of Cybertron down to its surface, "I am seriously considering believing that the law named after that Murphy guy is a real thing."

Silverbolt couldn't respond with any snark back at Ironhide. He was too busy trying to get that creamy nutty stuff off the roof of his mouth in Beast Mode...and trying very hard to ignore the small phone Sari was aiming at him.

"Oh my gosh, I can't believe this is working!" Sari cheered, "I mean, it's so cool he turns into an actual fur-covered animal...but I didn't think he'd act like an actual dog!"

"He kinda does what you do, too. He eats that stuff you do and makes Energon from it all," Bumblebee added.

"Really? Cool~" Sari awed before frowning, "Wait a second...If he does that...wouldn't that mean BlackA…"

"I don't wanna think of that," Bumblebee stated quickly, shaking his head to try to get rid of the disturbing thoughts.

"We have three goals when we reach the surface," Optimus spoke, "Find Bulkhead, find the building where AllSpark Matrix is, and find a way to get to Cybertron's core. All while we keep anyone from seeing Sari and SIlverbolt."

"Stealth mode, got it!" Sari saluted.

"Iacon...Hoo boy," Silverbolt sighed.

"Don't we know it," Ratchet shook his head.

"Huh?" Sari pondered.

"Iacon was the main base of the Decepticons back in the war," Silverbolt explained, "Stealth in there was always necessary and a pain in the gasket to get to Maccadam's for a nice cold energon."

"Lousy, no-good Sentinel shutting down the place…" Ratchet grumbled.

"We could use it as a base of operations," Optimus noted, "It wouldn't be expected."

"Brilliant!" Silverbolt beamed.

"And if we run into any 'Cons? I can give him a good ol' servo whooping," Ironhide grinned.

"Hopefully it won't come to that conclusion," Optimus stated, "So prepare f-"

=Halt!= the group look ahead to see a few ships floating before them =State your business=

"?" Optimus raised a brow, moving up to the front of the ship before turning the intercom on, "We merely want safe passage to Cybertron."

=Negative. Sentinel Prime has declared Martial Law of Cybertron, so only certain personal can arrive and leave from Cybertron=

"...Don't you mean Sentinel Magnus?"

=Negative. Sentinel Prime has disbanded the Magnus and Prime system, declaring himself as the only Prime Cybertron needs=

"He what?" Optimus asked in shock.

"He has no power to do that," Ratchet frowned as he moved next to Optimus, "The council needs to discuss and decide matters such as…"

=He also disbanded the council and arrested them for defying him=

"WHAT?!"

=Now again...state your business or leave= the pilot of the lead ship ordered =If you're Cybertronian and don't have any credentials, you and any other Cybertronian that leaves or is returning to Cybertron is a traitor to Sentinel Prime and Cybertron itself=

"..." Optimus sighed, "My name is Optimus Prime...I'm here to help Cybertron…" he spoke, making his team panic.

=...Let them through=

=Y-yes sir…= the pilots of the other ships complied as they parted.

=You're clear to go, Optimus Prime, sir=

"How and why?!" Bumblebee asked.

"Think of Optimus' achievements," Silverbolt replied, "He and his team found the AllSpark, battled and defeated Megatron's best Decepticons, and brought down Megatron and then Overlord just barely a quarter of a Solar Cycle later. Given that he personally delivered them both times, they can't be refuted."

"If there is any 'Bot in the universe they respect as an actual leader...it's Optimus," Ratchet spoke, "Any Autobot with a lick of pride would sooner obey his orders then even entertain Sentinel and his nonsense."

"Agreed," Silverbolt nodded, "...Still, to think Sentinel would go this far…"

"Most likely the power went to his head, the threat of Incurseans invading Cybertron got him scared down to his very spark, or a combination of both," Bumblebee spoke.

"Regardless, we need to be cautious," Optimus advised.

"Really wish those ID Masks came in a size big enough for Silverbolt," Bumblebee noted.

"ID Masks?" Sari repeated.

"They're these neat masks that let you disguise yourself, like an alien hiding as a human," Bumblebee explained.

"Huh...Those sound pretty interesting," Sari noted.

"And would've been really helpful to have," Ironhide added, "By now Sentinel Mag...er…Prime probably knows Optimus is on the way."

"...Let me get this straight...You let Optimus through...without my permission?!" Sentinel snapped, looking at the lead pilot on a monitor.

=Y...yes Sentinel Prime, sir=

"Tch. Find him and send him back through a Space Bridge to that stupid mudball," Sentinel ordered, "We already got enough issues with those...ech...robo-bugs attacking citizens."

=But...sir. This is Optimus Prime...the Autobot who took down Megatron and aided in taking down the Incurseans f-=

"No! That last one was mine alone!" Sentinel snapped, slamming a fist on his arm rest, "Optimus had nothing to do with that!"

=But...you didn't have Ben T-=

"Do not finish the name of that slagging fleshbag," Sentinel scowled, making thhe pilot flinch, "He's a galactic level threat that the rest of the galaxy is too stupid to realize! And the fact Optimus helped him….grr...moment you find him, send him and the rest of his traitors off Cybertron!"

=Y...Yes, sir…= the pilot replied before Sentinel cut communication.

"What the frag is going on out there?" Sentinel scowled, "Those freaky disgusting things are coming out of nowhere and now Optimus is here…" his eyes narrowed, "Did Optimus bring them here from that mudball? Rrrr...I bet he did." his hand rubbed his neck, "It's filled with nothing but trouble for Autobots….focus on one problem at a time...get rid of Optimus first...then think of what to do about that mudball of a planet."

"How are you holding up in there, Silverbolt?" Optimus asked, driving in vehicle mode down a long highway of sorts.

"Very...uncomfortable…" SIlverbolt replied from his trailer.

"So if Iacon was where the Decepticons lived, what is it like now?" Sari asked, sitting in the driver's seat in Bumblebee.

"Ever hear of this place on Earth called Miracle City?" Ratchet asked.

"A little. Apparently, it's known as a 'cesspool of crime and villainy,'" Sari replied.

"Almost like that, but also where most of the military is located to deal with said 'cesspool,'" Ratchet replied.

"Ahh...gotcha."

"I really hope we're not that far away," Silverbolt grumbled.

"Chillax, Silverbolt," Jazz noted, "Don't go harshin' your mellow. Just remember P over M."

"I'll pee over your m…" Silverbolt grumbled under his breath.

"...do you pee?" Bumblebee asked, "I mean...you are part organic…"

"Don't answer that!" Sari barked, a disgusted look on her face.

"Uh...Boss Bot?" Ironhide asked.

"I see it," Optimus replied as, up ahead, the road was starting to crack.

"Wait, you've seen him pee?" Bumblebee asked.

"Bumblebee!" Sari exclaimed just before the road ahead exploded, forcing them to stop.

Emerging from the destroyed road was a massive purple, bronze, and black robotic beetle. It resembled a rhinoceros beetle crossbred with a stag beetle. In its mandibles was a black and green wrecking ball, the chain leading up to the top of it as it jumped and bucked around. The owner of the wrecking ball, emerging from their left arm, was a large, screaming Autobot that was mainly green with stars on his shoulders and treads on his feet. His lower jaw was all silver while his head was green and seemed militaristic.

"AHHHHH! GET! ME! OFF! THIS! THING!" the Autobot screamed as the beetle robot jumped off the side of the highway onto a lower section.

"...We found Bulkhead. Now what?" Bumblebee asked.

"I take it that...is the bug," Jazz noted, "Ain't never seen one of those before. At least...not in real life."

"Jazz?" Optimus asked.

"Back in the Dojo, the master would teach us old myths from the hay days of Cybertron." Jazz spoke transforming, "One of his scary ones was an old tale of creatures that existed under Cybertron. They come out only during times of calamity. Truth be told, I thought he was just being metaphorical…"

"So...these things have just been here?" Optimus asked, transforming as well, "What do they want?"

"Best I can guess…" Ratchet spoke as the bug kept biting at Bulkhead, "Energon."

"I think I get it…" Optimus spoke, "These...things live deep in Cybertron and feed off its natural energon reserves, but...since Cybertron is dying…"

"They runnin' out of food," Jazz finished, "So they're comin' up topside to take energon wherever they can find it, even if it's from innocent Autobots."

"Not sure if they are parasites or predators…" Ratchet spoke, transforming now as he aimed his arm and magnetic probes, he fired off a red bolt of magnetic energy, only for it to wash over the insect, it paused for a moment as only parts of it seemed to be affected, "Strange...magnetic fields don't seem to bother it."

"So what...it's not metallic?" Jazz asked.

"Not entirely…" Ratchet shook his head as the Insect let go of Bulkhead and looked at them.

"I feel….dizzy…" Bulkhead grumbled, falling over.

"We'll take care of that thing. Ratchet, you and Bumblebee check on Bulkhead!" Optimus ordered as he held his arm back and grabbed the handle for his hammer.

"Gotcha, Boss Bot," Bumblebee replied as the two ran off to where Bulkhead had been dropped.

Silverbolt let out his howling screech before taking to the air and flew at the robotic beetle. It let out a roar at him before he transformed and fired off two feathers from the tips of his wings. They collided and let off explosions upon impact, making it stumble before bellowing at him again.

"It's very durable…" Silverbolt muttered, "But even with all its strength, it still only has so few means of attack."

"W-wait...g-guys...it...it can do a thing...too...the...whew...I'm dizzy…" Bulkhead groaned as Bumblebee helped him sit up, "The...the thing...you know the thing…"

"Bulk, buddy, how hard did you hit your head…?" Bumblebee asked in concern.

"...Bumblebee? You got taller."

The Insect screeched and charged at Silverbolt who flew to the side at the last second, letting it overshoot and fly towards Optimus. The Prime swung his hammer and struck its optic and mandible, sending it flying away to the side. It spun around in midair before regaining its composure. Its wings stalled a few times as it fell down.

"That seemed to have dazed it," Jazz spoke.

The Insect's eye lit up as its legs stabbed into the ground...before they heard an ever iconic sound that came from all Cybertronians when they transformed between Alternate modes. The giant insect changed into a robot mode. It towered over them, as tall as Optimus and Bulkhead if not taller! It had three clawed fingers connected to giant clubs of forearms with large spikes extending past it's elbows. It hunched forward as it's clawed feet stomped the ground making it crack. Its head had a single red visor for optics. Four insect mandible-like appendages framed its face as its mouth was filled with razor sharp fangs that looked like they could bite through Cybertronian armor.

"...That's what you were trying to say?" Bumblebee asked, pointing at the transformed beetle.

"Yes."

"...Oh slag," Bumblebee groaned.

It let loose a horrible whooping screech as it charged and tackled over Optimus and Jazz while rushing at Silverbolt. It leapt through the air and grabbed the Fuzor's legs and brought him back down and slamming into the ground. It growled, turning around as the others began getting up. It rushed only to be tackled by Ironhide. The insect growled before picking the Autobot up, lifting him over its head and tossing him at Optimus, making both smash into a wall and then through it.

"An Autobot medic can only do so much at a time, fellas!" Ratchet called, still working on Bulkhead, "Ugh, lousy…"

Sari put a hand on Bulkhead's side, her eyes glowing for a moment, "Connect the third cable to the fifth socket. That will bypass the damaged circuits."

"How did…" Ratchet paused as he followed her instructions and, with a click, Bulkhead's eyes began to blink and regain focus.

"Ugh...My head hurts," Bulkhead groaned, shaking it a little before looking at Ratchet, "Hey, Doc Bot! Good to see you! Though, uh…" he looked over at where the others were fighting...and losing, "You kinda came at a bad time with these weird insect bots coming outta the ground and all that." he looked at Bumblebee, "Who's the new guy?"

"Bulkhead, I'm Bumblebee," the yellow and black muscle car Autobot deadpanned.

"Seriously? Wow, you got taller."

"Why is that all anyone notices?!" he snapped.

"WHOA!" Ironhide cried as he was flung over them, "Ugh...Medic?"

"I'm coming, I'm coming," Ratchet rolled his eyes as he looked at Bulkhead and Bumblebee, "If it isn't any trouble, go back them up already and leave me to my work!"

"Yes, sir!" both replied.

"Grr!" Optimus growled as he used his hammer to keep the strange Insect transformer from biting at him, "What...even are you?" he grunted, kicking it back, "A transformer...with an animal alternate mode...living under Cybertron...but...what does that mean?"

"Maybe history isn't as simple as we thought it was…" Jazz grumbled, "Maybe way back when...we used to be much different."

"Considering what we've gone through...I'm willing to consider that," Optimus noted as it let out another bellow while getting back up before Bulkhead's wrecking ball hit it in the visor and knocked it over.

"Hey, Boss Bot!" Bulkhead greeted, retracting his wrecking ball, "See you found we've got a bug problem, huh?"

"I can tell...It attacked you for Energon, didn't it?" he asked.

"Yeah, I think him and his friends are real hungry…" Bulkhead grunted, "I hear they attack 'Bots all over and drain 'em…"

"If we get the AllSpark Matrix to Cybertron's core, they should go back," Optimus noted.

"Do we have time for me to ask how or…" Bulkhead began before grunting and blocking a swing from the Insect transformer, "Right, no time!"

"Why is it so strong!?" Bumblebee asked, "It's like way stronger than all of us and this is just one bug!"

"Well...if they live underground, they must live under harsher environments," Silverbolt offered his answer/theory, "Compared to us...this thing was raised to be stronger by its everyday life."

"Seems like it," Optimus agreed as he looked over at his trailer, "Keep it distracted."

"Oh sure, we can do that," Bumblebee chuckled in a weak tone, "Distract the Insecticon…"

"Oh, I like that name," Bulkhead noted before the robot grabbed his face, "Oh not again." he screamed as it picked him up and threw him at Silverbolt, knocking him out of the air, "Gah!"

"I am really starting to hate this thing!" Silverbolt groaned.

"You and every other 'Bot on Cybertron that's been sucked of their Energon," Bulkhead groaned.

"How would we even stop an army of these things?" Bumblebee asked as it charged at them again.

Everyone blinked as a fist suddenly punched the Insecticon, sending it flying. Everyone looked to Optimus as he stood there, now linked with his armor. He grunted and charged forward before punching the Insecticon across the face multiple times. It fixed itself mid-air only to flinch as a bolt of lightning struck it, followed by a hammer to its back, sending it slamming down. It bellowed at them before changing back and flying off.

"Wow. When did ya get that armor?" Bulkhead asked.

"I'm just borrowing it," Optimus replied as Ratchet and Ironhide walked over, Sari sitting on Ironhide's shoulder.

"Yeesh, that was nuts," Sari noted before hopping off and patting Bulkhead's leg, "It's good to see you're alright. Well...as alright as you can get in this weird underground invasion."

"Yeah...those things have got some mean teeth," Bulkhead noted, "Not as bad as Scraplets, but still ow…" he looked at Optimus, "So you came here when you heard about these things?"

"It's a bit of a story," Optimus replied, "But the basics is that we're going to Iacon to get the AllSpark Matrix and then find a way down into Cybertron's core because Prowl asked me to."

"Prowl? Yeah, I'm gonna need that longer explanation on the way," Bulkhead noted.

"Right. Autobots, Roll Out!"

"And I'm not getting an explanation…" Bulkhead sighed, "Alright...to adventure and danger it is then." he transformed and drove off with the others.

"How hard is it to find one vehicle that came from a mudball?!" Sentinel growled after getting a report, "Did he shed it when he came back or something?" he slammed a fist on his seat, "Slag! Alright...Jetfire! Jetstorm! Get in here right now!"

A pair of excited shouts echoed before a grate above Sentinel popped off and landed on his head. A pair of slim, identical-looking Autobots jumped out of it. One was white, orange, and brown with his head resembling an old pilot's hat with orange goggles. The other was blue, black, and yellow with a sleek helmet with blue visor. The two saluted Sentinel as his optic twitched.

"We is to being here, Sentinel Magnus, sir!" the blue one spoke in a Russian accent.

"Brother, I think he is to being calling himself Sentinel Prime," the orange one noted in the same accent.

"Oh, right. Sorry, brother. I forgots."

"Why were you two in the vents?" Sentinel groaned, "Just...know what...nevermind."

"Okay. So what's can we be doing for you?" the orange one asked.

"I have a mission for you two...Optimus was seen here on Cybertron," Sentinel stated, "I want you two to find him and the rest of his traitor Cybertronians and send them immediately back to Earth."

"Traitors?" the two blinked.

"What dids Optimus Prime do th-"

"Because he's not welcome here on Cybertron!" Sentinel barked, making them flinch, "And the fact he worked with that galactic-level threat Ben Tennyson...that further proves him and his Autobots are traitors to Cybertron!"

"Okey-dokey!" the blue one saluted.

"We's going now!" the orange gulped before the two ran off and jumped into the air before their bodies transformed into a pair of jets that shot off...back into the vent.

"...Someone get maintenance down here to reinforce the grates for the vents," Sentinel sighed.

"So the reason these Insecticons are coming out from underground is because Cybertron's stopped producing Energon and Prowl said you need the AllSpark Matrix and take it down to the core?" Bulkhead asked as they soon entered a large city, passing by a holographic sign that read in the Cybertronian language 'IACON.'

"That's right," Optimus replied, "Arcee said that the AllSpark Matrix was here in Iacon, being put on display."

"Before we go after it, though, we need to set up a temporary base of operations," Silverbolt noted, lying in Bulkhead's back, "So we're going to Maccadam's since it's been shut down for nearly an entire Solar Cycle now." he sighed, "I still miss heading there for a nice frosty mug and watching a round of Cube on the screens."

"I still feel vindicated in taking the Magnus Hammer and giving it to Optimus after seeing that Sentinel closed Maccadam's," Ratchet stated.

"What's a Maccadam?" Sari asked.

"A great Cybertronian," Ratchet replied as they sooned arrived at the place, its sign no longer on, "And knew how to make the best energon brew in any galaxy."

"Sari...you're looking at the one place in all of Cybertron that was always neutral," Optimus spoke, "Even during the great war...this was neutral ground. Anyone of any side could come here, even if they didn't like the other faction who was there. No one fought while inside this place. This was the safest place on Cybertron for a long time, not even Megatron himself dared fight near this location."

"Really?" Bumblebee and Sari asked as the Autobots transformed.

"Yes. And anytime someone asked why he'd serve anyone, he'd go and respond with…" Silverbolt began as he reached to open the door when it opened on its own.

"I serve to anyone no matter who they are, where they're from, or who they affiliate with," Maccadam noted, lowering his hand, "And right on time."

"Ah!" Silverbolt jumped in slight surprise.

"Come in, come in," Maccadam encouraged.

"You're still here?" Optimus asked, "I thought...after hearing Sentinel closed it down...that…" he rambled.

"Ah pish-posh. I may not be allowed to officially serve the brew, doesn't mean that I still won't keep doing what I love," Maccadam chuckled as they entered, "Care for a little energon? I've got my own personal supply. And good to meet you, 'Bee, Bulkhead, and Sari." he lingered on Sari for a moment, "I thought you'd be shorter…" he chuckled.

"You...know me?" Sari asked.

"But of course. First non-Minicon Cybertronian to be welcomed into the Plumber ranks after helping blow up an old Decepticon war machine Blukic and Driba brought online by complete accident," Maccadam replied.

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Sari asked.

"Oh, that's right. It hasn't happened...yet," Maccadam realized as he walked behind the counter and pulled out mugs, quickly filling them with energon...before pulling out a small Sari-sized mug and filled it with, of all things, root beer, "What? Like I always say, I serve anyone. Doesn't just mean Cybertonians alone."

"Ah, I missed this wonderful taste," Ratchet sighed in relief as he took a sip of his drink.

"So, I hear you're all looking for the AllSpark Matrix and a way to get to Cybertron's core," Maccadam noted, causing the first timers to the place to nearly choke on their drinks.

"How did he…? When did he…? Who the…?" Bumblebee gawked.

"Fortunately for you, Optimus, the AllSpark Matrix is just down the road. Though you're going to have trouble with Hardshell and those twins," Maccadam continued on.

"Hardshell...you mean the...ugh...Insecticon?" Optimus asked, "It has a name?"

"...Oh right...They haven't learned to speak yet…" Maccadam muttered, scratching his chin, "Then again, I speak Insecticon so that's a pickle in context, now ain't it?"

"You do?" Sari asked.

"Oh, sure. How else can I give them a nice fresh batch when I travel down there a few times each Solar Cycle?" Maccadam noted.

"So wait...are they evil or...not evil?" Bulkhead asked, confused.

"Well it's a lot more complicated than that, big fella…" Maccadam sighed, "They're starving. They ran out of food Primus knows how long ago…"

"So when they attack...it's not that they are cruel...they are just so hungry they've gone savage," Optimus realized.

"Exactly," Maccadam nodded before pulling out a hammer and lightly nudging Bumblebee to the side.

"Huh?" Bumblebee pondered before Maccadam held the hammer out.

The ground under where he had been standing broke as a smaller Insecticon broke out...and whacked its head on the hammer. It crumpled and fell back into the hole. Maccadam tsked before pulling out a cube of energon and dropped it down into the hole.

"Hope that helps you, Spitter," Maccadam noted.

"I almost got eaten!" Bumblebee panicked.

"Maccadam, any chance if you know how well this adventure turns out?" Optimus sighed looking down at his drink with a concerned expression, "All I got is this feeling in my Spark...but I know that shouldn't be enough for me to ask my 'Bots to follow me into danger."

"...Optimus, I have the best mixture of Energon in all of Cybertron," Maccadam noted, "Don't I?"

"Well, yes. You do," Optimus replied.

"It took four thousand, two hundred, and thirty-two failed attempts until I found the perfect mixture," Maccadam explained, "And on that four thousand, two hundred, and thirty-third attempt, I went with my Spark and added something I never expected to work. And, oh~that something? It and all my previous attempts just made it all worthwhile."

"Heh…" Optimus replied, taking a sip, "That's a darn good mix…" he complimented, "I guess maybe that Spark feeling is worth something."

Maccadam smiled at that, "Well, while you handle getting the AllSpark Matrix, I can get my normal path down ready for you to do a little spelunking with Sari's assistance."

"Wait, wha…" Sari blinked.

"Wait, why does Sari get to skip out on the breaking and entering mission and go spelunking?" Bumblebee complained.

"You're welcome to join us, Bee...We could use a hand scaring off the Insecticon younglings!" Maccadam smiled.

"Youngling?" Bumblebee repeated.

"Well they don't hatch from eggs...but they are smaller...and numerous...and swarm...and are very hungry," Maccadam listed.

"...So when do we roll out, Boss Bot?" Bumblebee asked.

"Ah, his spine will fully grow when he meets Windblade," Maccadam quietly noted to Sari in amusement.

"Windblade?" Sari asked in interest, "This sounds interesting...tell me more!"

"But of course!" Maccadam beamed, "But first, I need to do a little scaring. Opportunistics wanting to come in and do a little rule breaking, so I need to do it first."

"Huh?" Bulkhead asked as Maccadam walked outside before several Insecticons came out of the ground and charged at the building.

Maccadam smirked before the wheel on his back spun around and he began to transform. Inside, the Autobots watched with widening optics and eyes while the Insecticons began to screech to a halt as Maccadam's growing shadow loomed over them.

"THERE IS NO FIGHTING IN MY PLACE OF BUSINESS!" Maccadam declared, his voice deep and rumbling.

"Yeah...I...I'm starting to see why Megatron never broke that rule," Bumblebee gulped as they heard the Insecticons scream in abject fear and terror mixed in the sounds of fists smashing into steel.

"You never get used to it…" Ratchet sighed as Maccadam soon came back in as if nothing happened, wiping his hands of dust.

"So cool~" Sari awed.

"Alright, our goal is to get the AllSpark Matrix and get back to Maccadam's," Optimus ordered, driving down the road with Bulkhead and Bumblebee.

"Got it, Boss Bot!"

"But knowing Sentinel...things won't be easy, be it his desire to get rid of me...or ensure nothing ruins his position as leader…"

"Right...Well, if we run into him or that Hardshell guy, you've got that sweet armor," Bumblebee noted.

"I don't want to make too much noise. Things are really chaotic as it is. I'll try to take down Hardshell as fast as I can. And I pray to the AllSpark...I don't have to fight Sentinel," Optimus sighed.

"Why not...look at what he's done to Cybertron!?" Bumblebee complained, "He's a jerk! He deserves to have his chassis kicked!"

"He wasn't always like this," Optimus noted, "Once upon a time...Sentinel was my friend, my brother in arms. I don't know why he's become like this...maybe he just wasn't strong enough for the ideals he wanted to achieve, or maybe finally getting the power he wanted was too much for him. But...I can't turn my back on those old days...even if he has. I'll make sure he's removed from power the right way, and pray he's still an Autobot at his core. Even if I really...really do want to smack him around a bit..." the trio stopped before a large building, decorated with holographic banners with the AllSpark Matrix appearing on one, "...The Iacon Hall of Records. I'm not surprised he picked the place we worked at before getting enrolled into Autobot Boot Camp."

"Say what?" Bulkhead asked.

"Before we were cadets in Boot Camp, we were a pair of clerks," Optimus explained as they transformed, "We weren't even called Optimus and Sentinel until Ultra Magnus, Ultra Prime at the time, gave us those names. He was Zeta Convoy and I was, well, Orion Pax."

"Mmmph…" Bumblebee stifled a laugh before Bulkhead raised his arm up and smacked him upside the head making his helmet spin around a few times, "OW!"

"Ah shush...What was your name before boot camp?" Bulkhead countered.

"Even when I became Optimus, my old days as a clerk here never really left," Optimus noted as he opened the doors, "Seems that, in a way, Sentinel's old days here never left him either."

"Guess that shows maybe some of your old buddy is still in there," Bulkhead offered.

"Could be, Bulkhead," Optimus agreed, "Though...this is also where we found the reason why we wanted to join the Elite Guard. Or, at least, why I did."

"Huh?"

"It's called the Hall of Records for a good reason," Optimus explained as he waved a hand over a panel on the wall before the walls lit up, displaying screens, "Everything in Cybertron's known history is recorded here, all done by one Cybertronian: Alpha Trion. The clerks who work here read what he records and then puts them where they fit. The ones that I read...it made sense why the Decepticons formed the way they did."

"Made sense?" Bumblebee asked, confused, "How does it make sense to want to be an evil psycho?"

"There was corruption in higher levels of command," Optimus explained as they walked along the path, "An inequality of the masses. Megatron was always a warrior, because he was once a famous gladiator in Kaon's arenas."

"Gladiator? But haven't those been banned for, well...a really long time?" Bulkhead asked.

"They were...after the war," Optimus replied, grasping a screen and showed it to them, showing a younger Megatron with blue optics standing atop a downed, larger robot in an arena, "But before it, he went by Megatronus, the name of one of the Primus Religion's Thirteen Original Primes."

"You mean...Megatron is short for...Megatronus...as in...the Fallen?" Bumblebee gulped.

"Once upon a time, during the early days before the war, Megatron used his popularity from the Arena to propel himself as a political figure, a voice for the small 'bots…" Optimus went on, showing another screen of Megatron speaking to a crowd, "He was a leader, a speaker, poet, and he was the start of a revolution. But that revolution...turned to rebelion when the upper echelon of Cybertron tried to silence him. Neither side was innocent at the start of the conflict, but power...corrupts." he stopped on an image of Megatron as they knew him standing over a fallen Autobot leader, "The first shot was fired...and those who believed in Megatron's cause were labeled the Decepticons. And sadly for us...that meant all the bots who before were the Military class of Cybertron's old Caste system. All fliers, all 'bots who had weapons grafted to their frames…"

"So...that's why most cons have natural weapons and flight based vehicle modes…" Bulkhead realized, "They are all descended from Cybertron's former Military bots…"

"And we only have specialised powers...because we are descended from the Bots who didn't follow Megatron's ways were the normal working class and civilians," Optimus went on, "We adapted and took our lack of natural deadly weapons as a point of pride. Those 'bots who chose to rise up from being regular old workers and civilians became the first true Autobots, the original Elite Guard."

"Whoa…" Bulkhead and Bumblebee awed as they soon entered a large chamber, the center of it sporting a pillar with the AllSpark Matrix sitting atop it in a container.

"We have a mission, and ironically...taking this sacred item of Cybertron...again...is part of it," Optimus sighed.

"We have had to steal it back a lot…" Bumblebee muttered, "A real pain in the afterburner."

"Yeah, but it's also led to a lot of stuff we never did or saw before," Bulkhead noted, "Like making that key for Sari that helped heal us up a lot when we got hurt a ton or when it made the Dinobots get Sparks."

"It's a natural wonder...and now it will save our home," Optimus spoke, "It might be why it was found by us. I guess we were destined to be the ones to bring it home...so it could be used to save Cybertron."

"Okay, time for a smash and grab," Bulkhead nodded, turning his fist into a wrecking ball and swung it at the pillar, breaking it and letting the AllSpark Matrix fall off and land in Optimus' hands.

"Alright. Now let's g…" Optimus began before the ground ahead of them exploded as the Insecticon from before crawled out of the hole it made and bellowed while transforming, "Oh, right...Forgot Maccadam warned us about this."

"At least it has a name now," Bumblebee noted, "Though now we gotta be on the lookout for two more that look like each other, right?"

"What?" Bulkhead asked.

"Well he said Hardshell and 'the twins,'" Bumblebee reminded.

"The twins…" Optimus blinked a few times, "I don't think he meant another Insecticon."

"What else could he have meant?" Bumblebee asked before the wall was busted down, making both the Autobots and the giant Insecticon blink and turn to see Jetfire and Jetstorm.

"...My brother did it," Jetfire blamed, pointing at the blue twin.

"Oh, I dids not, brother!" Jetstorm argued, shaking a fist at the orange twin.

"Oh...That should have been more obvious now that I think about it…" Bumblebee sighed, letting his shoulders sag, knowing this day was about to get a lot longer.

"Wow...Your place is a lot bigger underneath it," Sari noted, sitting on Maccadam's shoulder as the Cybertronian walked through a vast hallway towards an elevator.

"That's because he's more than a building. He's an entire city buried beneath Iacon," Maccadam noted, moving closer to a wall, "Reach out and see for yourself."

"Huh? Um...Alright, I guess," Sari noted, reaching out and placing a hand on the wall before her eyes began to glow, "?!" she removed her hand from the wall as her eyes widened, "It's alive?"

"Of course he's alive," Maccadam noted, "Just in a deep slumber that, hopefully, he never awakens from."

"Why?" Sari asked.

"Oh, this old fella...is a might bit...cranky to say the least. He's from a darker time long before the war. He took too well to the darkness in a sense...accepting the hard choices for others and losing himself in the idea that somebot has to do it," he explained as he continued on, "Speaking of surprises, you have quite the surprising ability as well. You speak to more than just the cities, but to all different kinds of voices, like the space bridge your father Issac and Bulkhead worked together on or just earlier when Bulkhead was down and Ratchet couldn't find out how to get him back to full running or when you found Blurr stuck in his cube."

"Yeah...I guess I can do stuff like that," Sari blinked, "Why is that? I mean, I know I'm kinda...unique. But this seems like a unique trick here on Cybertron."

"The art of Speaking is unique. There's all kinds out there for all kinds of things," Maccadam noted, "From the speakers of insects like Clancy to the rare Cityspeakers that can speak with the Titans. You are extra special, Sari. Someone that Primus has kept a careful optic on, knowing you have greatness in your life."

"Primus? You said that before. Who is that?"

"Primus is the one who gave life to Cybertron and all those who came from it," Maccadam explained, "Energon is his lifeblood, coursing through Cybertron's veins and, in turn, is what gives us life. Not many realize it, but we all see Primus every day."

"We do?" Sari asked, looking around, "Wait...do you mean...Cybertron...is a…?"

"Of course. Why, you even had a conversation that very day you met the Autobots and he gave you that key that was once your identification badge," Maccadam chuckled.

"...No way…" Sari gawked, "Mind...blown."

Maccadam just smiled at her reaction before coming to a wall. He pressed his hand against it and the panel it was on pushed it. The wall twitched before panels upon panels slid and shuffled before exposing a metal cavern.

"And here we are. Once Optimus, Bulkhead, and Bumblebee come back with the AllSpark Matrix, it's just a straight path through here to get to the access point for the core," Maccadam noted.

"Wow…" Sari awed, "I wonder what it'll be like when we save Cybertron...will it talk to us? Will it unleash a wave of energy and make everyone suddenly change? Like make Optimus bigger with more power?"

"Who knows? Primus works in mysterious ways," Maccadam noted.

"So...if all Transformers come from Primus...why did the Decepticons happen?" Sari asked.

"Hah...Just because a race is born from something good...Doesn't mean all of them will also be good," Maccadam sighed, "Believe it or not, the Decepticons, at first, weren't bad...but something...just drove them down a dark path. Not everyone is fit to hold great power. In old times, it's said only the Primes could wield such power...but...well, even a Prime can...fall."

"Is it a sad story?" Sari asked, noting his tone.

"It is," Maccadam replied, turning to head back up, "But a bit of context. When the universe was created, two forces were also made: a great good...and a great evil. The two were, in a sense, brothers. The great evil and the great good did battle until the good brother tricked the evil into ending up sealed into a large meteor with the good brother also ending up sealed into another. But their powers were so great, they converted those meteors into new bodies. While the evil brother would use his to devour entire worlds, the good brother made his to create life, starting with thirteen children."

"Thirteen?" Sari repeated in interest.

"Yes. They were the original Thirteen Primes. They banded together and defeated the evil brother, forcing him to be forever trapped in his planet mode," Maccadam explained, "There was Prima, the eldest of the thirteen and first son. He was made from the light of the universe and wielded a powerful sword known as the Star Saber. The second, born of time and space, was Vector Prime, who used his Blades of Time to aid in protecting time's flow. After him was knowledge embodied in the form of Alpha Trion, who was gifted with a Quill that would allow him to write about past, present, and even future events into a book known as the Covenant of Primus to help with his duty as the records keeper of the Primes. Creation embodied itself into the first female Cybertronian, Solus Prime. With her mighty Forge, she could create anything that she wanted in just a single strike with it! She could even improve on things with it, such as turning a pile of broken blades into a far more powerful one."

"All that with just a hammer...she sounds amazing," Sari awed.

"Oh, she was. In a way, she was a mother to many," Maccadam noted, "None more so than to her brother Micronus, the first Mini-Con who could combine with his siblings to make them stronger and unlock abilities they never thought they had. After him came Alchemist, a lover of the natural world's elemental structure. During early man's life on Earth, he visited there and ended up being called Dionysus because he ended up making wines and drinks so amazing to the humans in that time. After him was Nexus Prime, the first Combiner."

"Combiner?"

"They are Cybertronians that can combine with one another, melding their minds to make a new one. He was able to make new Combiners with a special artifact known as the Enigma of Combination. He was unpredictable, fascinated by change, and a lighthearted prankster."

"So wait...are the Jet twins Combiners?" Sari asked.

"They are, but not by birth. They gained that alongside their new jet forms," Maccadam replied, "After Nexus, there was Onyx Prime. He was unique even among his siblings...for he was the first Cybteronian who has a Beast Mode. The reason Cybertronians can obtain an organic alternate form comes from him, not from that tripe about there being 'malfunctions in scanning' or things like it. Amalgous and Quintus soon came after, the former being responsible for giving us the Transformation Cog, which lets us transform, and the latter was able to create life, giving birth to many races like the Quintessons." his smile faded into a frown, "And then...there was Liege Maximo, the Prime of Lies."

"Prime of lies?" Sari asked in concern.

"He was amoral and black-hearted," Maccadam noted, "He once went to Earth as well and ended up being known as 'Loki' in the lore of the Nordic. It was his actions that led to the thirteen dying out. And after him...was Megatronus...the Fallen. He and Solus had become lovers, bonding in a way neither had with their other siblings...and then Liege Maximo happened. He caused Megatronus and Solus to fight and the end result...was Megatronus taking the life from Solus." Sari gasped at that, "Her body collapsed in on itself, transforming into what we know today as the Well of All Sparks, the realm where the Sparks of Cybertronians past now reside. What is worse was the Liege tricked Prima, believing Megatronus, who was born from Entrophy, was a monster and the death of Solus 'confirmed' it to Solus."

"But...they were family...why would Liege do that? He hurt his own family...he made two people who loved each other hurt each other...weren't they all born of the same good source?" Sari asked, tears forming in her eyes.

"They were," Maccadam replied, lighting his pinkie up to lightly wipe her tears, "It was believed that Liege Maximo was...tempted by the evil brother's power and took some into himself as they sealed him away. Other believed that he became...jealous of his siblings, growing resentful of them even as he kept a calm exterior."

"But wait...that's...twelve...what of the last sibling, the Thirteenth?" Sari asked.

"The youngest of them all. He was the one who brought his siblings together to fight the evil brother by doing the one thing none of them had done: by offering his hand to each and every one of them," Maccadam noted, "He was, essentially, the glue that held them together. And when Solus became the Well of All Sparks...he used his own to ignite her well so that those Sparks that would go to it would feel welcomed and accepted."

"So the youngest is gone, too?" Sari asked, sad once more.

"...Hmm...I wonder if anyone is ever truly gone," he mused, trying to cheer her up, "I believe...eventually, in one way or another, everyone finds their way back to family. While his name was lost to time, the Thirteenth Prime had a moniker that all known him as: The Arisen. It fits since it's said that if he returns, he will find family and give those who have never had it a family as well."

"So...he's like...the chosen one?" Sari asked, "The one in the story who when he comes in, saves the world?"

"Seems like it," Maccadam noted, "Windblade had the same question when she was told it after she heard it from you."

"Huh?"

"Oh, right. That hasn't happened yet," Maccadam chuckled.

"Is it just being me...or did you get to being the taller?" Jetfire asked as he jumped over a slash of Hardhsell's claws.

"Seriously, why is that what everyone asks?!" Bumblebee complained as he fired blasts of electricity at Hardshell's back.

"It was out of the curiosity," Jetfire answered.

"Ugh, fine! Incurseans invaded Earth, they captured Optimus and the others with mutated To'kustars, so I upgraded myself to go into hiding, helped get Optimus, the others, and a bunch of other heroes out, repelled the Incurseans from Earth while the To'kustars got sent to some place called the Null Void!"

"Oh…" they both nodded.

"I still not understand…" Jetfire smiled as he was struck by Hardshell, sending him flying into his brother.

"He scanned a vehicle bigger than his last one," Optimus stated as he helped them up.

"Oh...I gets that," Jetstorm noted.

"Why does he keep trying to bite me!?" Bulkhead complained as he pushed Hardshell away before punching him, making him back off, "No! Bad Insecticon! I am not food!" he snapped before flinching when it roared straight in his face, "Ahh! Guys!"

"On our way!" Optimus replied, hefting his hammer as it began to crackle with electricity while he charged at Hardshell. He swung and struck the Insecticon across his face making him back away. He swung once again as he struck the Insecticon once more making him slam into a wall, "Bulkhead!" he ordered.

"Gang way!" Bulkhead shouted as he slammed his mace into Hardshell, slamming him through the wall.

"Bumblebee, with me!" Optimus shouted, raising his hammer up as it crackled with electricity.

"Right!" Bumblebee spoke, aiming both of his hands.

Hardshell began getting up, only to screech in pain as he was shocked by twin streams of electricity. He cried in pain as he fell to his hands and knees. He looked up as Bulkhead walked over to him.

"Now...I'm a nice bot, but bite me more then once...and we're gonna have problems," Bulkhead spoke, picking Hardshell up before raising his free hand up as it transformed into its mace form.

Everyone flinched as the sound of punching and striking could be heard for a good while until a beaten Hardshell was slammed onto the ground. The Insecticon growled once, raising his arm...only to pass out and enter a forced sleep mode.

"Oh thank Primus...it's knocked out finally," Bumblebee sighed in relief, "Can we just get the AllSpark Matrix and get back to Maccadam's now?"

"...We are apologizing, but…" Jetfire began.

"We cannot let you be doing that," Jetstorm added, "Sentinel's orders are to be forcing you back to Earth."

"Of course he'd do that," Bumblebee groaned.

"Did his orders say when you had to do that?" Optimus asked.

"..." Jetfire and Jetstorm shared looks before shaking their heads.

"Well then, you could wait for us to save Cybertron, then we go home," Optimus smiled, "Then you can tell Sentinel you saved Cybertron and sent me home. You'll get extra credit,"

"You means that you is knowings how to deal with the big buggies?" Jetfire asked.

"Oh, that is the great news!" Jetstorm beamed, "We is happy to be the helping with that!"

"And when we're done, I promise we'll come along quietly, and go home to Earth," Optimus added, "But you have to help us with this first. Otherwise, a lot of Cybertronians...and even Cybertron will die." he spoke in a serious tone, but one that still sounded kind to the twins...something they never felt before with anyone, not Ultra Magnus, and certainly not Sentinel.

"Okey-dokey!" the twins saluted.

"Jetfire, Jetstorm, report," Sentinel spoke, two fingers to the side of his head, "...Jetfire, Jetstorm, report! ...REPORT, YOU STUPID IDIOTS!" he growled as all he got was static before he took his fingers off his head, "I shouldn't have trusted those two." he approached a pair of doors, "Time for Plan B then."

The doors slid open, revealing a large laboratory. He entered it and approached a lone Autobot that was thin with a pill-shaped head with glasses that was welding something.

"Perceptor, report," Sentinel ordered, causing the robot to turn to him, "What is the progress on the cannon?"

=With the samples taken from the demoted Hot Rod prior to the application of the antidote, the Cosmic Rust was able to be replicated and, per your orders, installed into this attachment for you= the Autobot replied in a monotone computer voice as he moved to the side to reveal an intricate red and silver cannon.

"Perfect," Sentinel smirked as he grabbed it, "I'm heading out. Lock down the building once I leave. No one enters or exits until I return."

=Sir, the cannon has not been tested yet=

"That's why I'm going to test it out at the perfect place first," Sentinel replied as he left, "The Kaon Prison Complex."

Kaon Prison, the holding location for the Decepticons captured by the Autobot forces. Once the Decepticon capitol on Cybertron during the days of the war, several Autobot commanders thought it fitting to turn their old home into their new prison. Its only inhabitants? Prisoners clad in power negating statis gear and Autobot guards who watch over them to prevent escape. Sadly...the number of guards had been cut due to recent changes in military resources, even though powerless, many of the inmates now have a larger degree of...slack. The only ones the guards cared to keep an eye on were their biggest prisoners. Megatron, Overlord, Sixshot, and any other high ranking Decepticon of Megatron's high circle of command.

Speaking of, currently the Great Leader of the Decepticons sat in his cell, his armor still scratched and cracked from his battle with Optimus. The guards never even bothered to tend to his wounds, choosing to toss him in the most powerful cell they could make. He looked up as the guards kept their post around his cell as per usual. Every cycle it was the same routine, young and dumb Autobots watching him with sneers and taunts, acting as if they were the ones who bested him. No...nothing but cowards and weaklings. If he could leave this cell which restrained all his power, then they would not act so prideful. They would fear him, beg for mercy, just like all the rest. But he didn't care for them. All the great Megatron wanted was him...Optimus Prime. The only Autobot in eons to ever challenge him like that, to make the great Megatron struggle...fail and try again. He'd be lying if the challenge didn't excite him like in his gladiatorial days. But once he escaped...he would end the Prime's spark with his own two hands.

"Hmm?" Megatron blinked as the Guards moved aside for someone, "Hah…" he sighed, shaking his head upon seeing that buffoon Sentinel Prime once again.

He'd be lying if seeing him didn't elicit the same feeling of disgust he got whenever he looked at Starscream: a greedy little weakling who clung to the first chance at power when presented to him. But at the least...Starscream went out the way he deserved...like a pathetic coward. Sentinel, however, was still here to annoy and disgust him. Ever since he was imprisoned, the inflated Prime would try and get him to speak, to say anything. As if this idiot had any form of intimidation or hold over Megatron. Please...nothing but empty threats and bluster; he crushed bots like him in the arena for less.

"What do you want today?" Megatron asked, "Let me guess, you wish to know the locations of my forces who still fight you off-world. What planets have we commandeered? Or perhaps...you want the formula to the Cosmic Rust...or Tox-En…" he listed off, "But...then again, last I heard you recently had one of your war heroes afflicted by my Cosmic Rust, didn't you? I left it in good hands…" he chuckled, "Though...judging by that device strapped to your arm…" he glanced at the blaster on Sentinel's arm, "...you had a different idea, didn't you?" he smiled as Sentinel growled, "What...are you surprised I see through you so well? It's nothing personal...you just remind me of another disgusting little 'Bot I used to know. But...he died pathetically...how will you die, Prime?"

"Oh no...I'm not dying, Decepticon scum…" Sentinel stated, lightly tracing the device attached to his arm, "You are gonna help me test something..something that'll teach Optimus...all Autobots a lesson not to defy me."

"Hehehehe…" Megatron laughed.

"Stop laughing!" Sentinel snapped.

"I can't help it...because, Autobot 'leader'…" Megatron stood up, "You sound...just like a Decepticon…"

"?!" Sentinel's eyes widened in anger before he shot into the cell, grabbing Megatron by the face before slamming him into the wall, "Don't...ever compare me to one of you! I have brought order to Cybertron! I've made those who betray Cybetron pay! I have defeated the Incursean invasion before they could even reach Cybertron!" he growled as he tossed him to the side, "You're nothing more than a relic...an ancient piece of scrap….you're nothing more than weak filth now, Megatron, and when you die...no one will remember you."

"And when you die...you will be the next me…" Megatron replied with a smile, "Hehehehe...fool...your toy won't work in my cell…" he pointed out the energy field which negated all weapons and abilities, "Face it boy...you're no Ultra Magnus...and no...Optimus…" he growled.

"...You're right about one thing. This won't work...in your cell," Sentinel stated, a cold and deadly tone in his voice as he grabbed Megatron and tossed him outside the cell, "Alright Decepticon scum, pay attention!" he shouted as he walked out of the cell, looking up at the rest of the caged Decepticons, "I'm about to give you all a show...a demonstration of the latest in Autobot technology!"

"...And what pray tell can you do with that little toy of yours?" Megatron asked, not even phased by the threat.

"This 'toy' as you call it...is capable of firing Cosmic Rust."

"Oh...you reverse engineered the formula?" Megatron asked, "That's not the Autobot way, though...don't the Autobots stand for peace and justice...is such a weapon truly the way Ultra Magnus spoke of?"

"...No….but…" Sentinel began as he turned, aiming the blaster right at Megatron, "As the now sole Prime...I'll make sure of that."

"Decepticons!" Megatron shouted, making Sentinel stop, "Behold...the Autobots ways...who are the monsters?" he asked as the Decepticons began cheering him, "We the warriors who desire power and freedom...or the oppressors...who use justice...to hide their tyranny?" he asked while staring at Sentinel, "Now...Sentinel...make your choice...what kind of Prime...will you be known as?"

"...The Prime who did what Optimus...what Ultra Magnus...what no Autobot could do…" Sentinel began before firing his blaster square into Megatron's chest, "Kill you…"

"Ghh…" Megatron growled as a rust-like smoke came from his chest; he suddenly aimed his arm and shot the blaster through the barrel, making it explode.

"No!" Sentinel cried as he tossed it away.

"Hahahaha!" Megatron laughed before he began coughing and falling over, "Now...you have no weapon…" he coughed as his voice changed, sounding more gravely and savage, "Hahahaha! Your weapon is gone!"

"Ghh…" Sentinel gripped his arm as the explosion singed his armor, "Do you have any idea what you've done?!"

"If you don't leave...the Rust could leak to you…" Megatron laughed, "Or you can see it through and kill me with your own weapon…" he hacked as white rust spread across his chest, "So what will it be, Sentinel Prime?! Finish it...or run!?"

Sentinel flinched before he got up and began backing away, "All Autobots evacuate the prison!" he shouted, running off. The guards obeyed his orders and ran, leaving the prisoners for the Rust.

"Foolish Autobot...using my own weapons against me? Megatron?!" he growled, grabbing his blaster and opening it to reveal a glowing tube, "Not on your Spark…" he smirked, "The only cure to the Cosmic Rust...the energy rods that empower all Decepticon weapon grafts...only we can survive the plague we made…" he pushed his thumb on the fuel rod until he cracked it open, "Oh how I waited…" he laughed, jamming the raw energy container to his chest, causing him to let out a horrible roar of pain as a blinding light filled the prison block. Purple flames spread across Megatron as he fell to one knee. After a long moment, he raised his head slowly opening his now burning red eyes, his face changed as scar-like marks formed along it, his lips seemingly gone to reveal now jagged teeth, "Decepticons!" he roared, his voice now worse, "Transform…" he aimed his blaster and began shooting at cells, releasing the Decepticons trapped inside, "AND RISE UP!" he raised his fist up as the purple flames began to die down, revealing his body now permanently altered to a gun-metal silver.

"Hail, Lord Megatron!" the Decepticons cheered as they began to transform and move out.

"?!" Silverbolt tensed up, his instincts starting to flaring up...as if an apex predator had finally awoken from its long slumber.

"Something wrong?" Ratchet asked.

"I feel something...bad," Silverbolt replied, "It's like my entire body has gotten tense...as if there's something...someone...out there that's terrifying me."

"Well...that's not ominous…" Ironhide muttered, "...You don't think there's a King Insecticon, do you?"

"You mean something even bigger?" Silverbolt asked, "Well...that would explain the horrible sensation…"

The door to Maccadam opened and Optimus entered, wearing the AllSpark Matrix on his neck. Following him were Bumblebee, Bulkhead, Jetfire, and Jetstorm. Ratchet and Silverbolt nearly jumped up before Optimus held up a hand.

"Jetfire and Jetstorm are helping us," Optimus stated.

"And you think that's...wise?" Silverbolt asked.

"Yes...because, uh…" he walked closer and motioned for them to huddle up close, "They aren't that wise themselves…" he explained with a wink, a gesture they all learned of on Earth.

Maccadam came out of the back, Sari on his shoulder, as he spoke, "Alrighty! We got the way open for some spelunking!" he looked over at the twins, "Ah! Jetfire and Jetstorm! Welcome! Care for some Energon, boys?"

"...Maccadam?" Jetfire blinked.

"We had thought you had done the vanishing after Sentinel closing down your place," Jetstorm added.

"Nope. Still running the place, just keeping the lights off," Maccadam chuckled, "And your team is almost complete."

"Who's missing?" Jazz asked.

"Oh, he's not missing," Maccadam replied, "Best demolitions expert is already down in the caves. He just isn't aware of it, yet. And I apologize in advance for the sore throat Sari will get and the pained audio receptors and ears of everyone else."

"I almost want to ask, but I'm just gonna keep rolling with it," Optimus replied.

"It's right this way," Sari noted as she pointed at the way she and Maccadam came from.

"Be careful down there. Insecticons are only just one danger down there," Maccadam warned as everyone began to leave to go into Cybertron's underground.

"Oh, why don't I like it when he talks sometimes?" Bumblebee groaned.

"Grr...blast that Megatron…!" Sentinel growled, slamming a fist on a wall as he traveled through the city, "First those bugs, then Optimus, and now the secret weapon is destroyed! ...Least I scrapped Megatron and the rest of the Decepticons..."

He walked around a corner before his audio receptors heard something cracking. He looked down to see the ground beneath him breaking up.

"...Frag," Sentinel sighed before screaming after the floor beneath him caved in, "GYAHAHAHAHA! THIS IS OPTIMUS' FAULT!"

"You three doing okay?" Bulkhead asked, looking at the twins and Silverbolt.

"I've gotten too used to the open skies," Silverbolt sighed, his wings twitching as he looked around the ceiling above.

"We are being the ok," the twins replied.

"Mr. Sentinel Prime dids not like when we take a fly around, so we woulds be inside oftens," Jetfire noted.

"We missed flying through the skies…" Jetstorm admitted

"It must be hard...given wings and then not being allowed to use them," Silverbolt spoke.

"Oh very muching so, yes."

"Flying ain't my thing...but I think I get it," Bulkhead spoke, "You guys got this amazing gift that so far in our history was only used by the Cons...but you guys got it as part of your anatomy now. It's like never using your alternate mode ever again. Like having your T-Cog taken away."

"Exactly," Jetfire nodded.

"Things having changed since Sentinel forgoed the Magnus and Prime systems," Jetstorm added.

"Keep it down back there," Ratchet squashed, looking around, "You don't know when one of those Insecticons will show up."

"Oh...r-right," the three nodded before the area shook.

"...That wasn't an Insecticon, was it?" Bulkhead asked.

"No. I don't think it was," Optimus replied as he looked at a large pit near the right of them...before a massive slug-like creature crawled past them, somewhat resembling an Insecticon in looks, "?!"

"They get bigger!?" Bumblebee freaked.

"I don't think it's an Insecticon, 'Bee," Sari noted, "It looks more...like it's trying to help fix the place up."

"If Cybertron is a living being…" Optimus looked around and back at the slug-like creature, "This must be part of its biology."

"Interesting," Silverbolt noted as it continued on, not even sparing them a passing glance.

"Best to keep moving," Optimus noted.

"Got it, boss bot," Ironhide nodded as they resumed walking.

"So not only have Energon draining Insecticons been living under our feet...but that crazy thing too...and no one wants to talk about it!?" Bumblebee complained.

"Bee...shut up…" everyone sighed.

"...He does have a point," Sari admitted, rubbing her chin in thought, "Those Insecticons and that slug...they were more like Silverbolt and me...technological and organic."

"...Like Waspinator and BlackA-"

"Nope. Do not even finish that, Bulkhead," Bumblebee instantly denied.

"Looks like this is our way down," Ratchet noted as they approached a pit going down deeper into the planet.

"Looks big enough for you three to fly," Optimus noted, looking at their Flyers, "Each of you take someone with you. The rest of us will climb down."

"Understood," Silverbolt nodded, unfolding his wings as he grabbed onto Ratchet as Sari grabbed onto his leg.

"Be holding on tight," Jetfire advised as he and Jetstorm grabbed Bulkhead.

"We will be doing the best to carry," Jetstorm assured.

"Gotcha," Bulkhead nodded as he grabbed onto Bumblebee and Ironhide.

"Next stop...The bottom of this pit," Silverbolt noted as he took off.

"Just don't look down," Bumblebee whispered as Jetfire and Jetstorm took off.

"Ahh….frag it…." Sentinel groaned as he began to stand, "Lousy freaky 'bots…making fraggin' holes in the ground…" he muttered, dusting himself off as he began to look around, "Okay...how do I get out of here?" he raised a hand to his head and activated his communication equipment, "Come on…" he looked around, "Great. No outgoing signal from inside this dump…" the ground shook, "Oh slag not again!" he produced his lance and stabbed it into a side while looking around before seeing the same slug the others had seen earlier, "...What in the name of the AllSpark is wrong with the underground of Cybertron?! There's organic freaks everywhere!" he pulled out his shield and formed it into a larger barrier to keep the slug away from him, "What is going on...why does this all happen when I take control...why now...why me?" he clenched his fist.

Sentinel turned his head as he heard something...voices. Down here? But who could it be? What Bot in their right mind would crawl down here with all these disgusting things?

"Come on, Ratchet…" Was that...Optimus?

"I tell you it's unnatural!" Ratchet snapped, "If it ain't in a ship, I do not fly!"

"What about Omega?" Sentinel didn't recognize that voice.

"That's different. He's an old friend, Bumblebee. These two bucket-heads..."

"It's either that or climb Doc-Bot…" Bulkhead sighed.

"We really don't have time for this...can someone stay here and help Ratchet? The rest of us will move on and make sure the path is safe. We don't have much time...Cybertron could give out and die at any moment," Optimus spoke.

"Die?!" Sentinel shouted at the same time something crashed nearby, drowning out his voice.

"Ironhide…" Optimus began.

"Sorry..." Ironhide groaned.

"Well, you have a volunteer to stay with you, Ratchet," Optimus noted.

"Wh-?! I...ah scrap…"

'Die?! What in the name of the Pit does that mean?!' Sentinel thought before narrowing his optics, 'Whatever it means...I'm solving it; not Optimus.'

With that, Sentinel took off towards the voices of Optimus and his team. Intent on intervening and taking the glory for his own sake.

"Gah!" an Autobot guard cried as he was blasted down.

"Call HQ!" another shouted as blaster fire pinned them down in the guards outpost.

"I'm trying...communications are scrap out here!"

"Here they come!"

At that, the door was blasted down. Megatron in his new visage walked in as he observed the guards. The unstable Cosmic Rust and raw Energon caused his body to change in a way no one had ever seen. His shoulders spiked out more as the armor around his hands became larger, his fingers now tipped in claws, as his powerful arm cannon matched his now gunmetal armor. He sneered, his fangs making the Autobots freeze in terror.

"Hello boys…" Megatron smiled, lowering his arm as a sword extended from the gap between his arm and his cannon, "I shall be taking back my city…" he walked, dragging his sword along the ground as more Decepticons filled the room, "But please...keep broadcasting...I want this message to be heard...by all of Cybertron." he lifted his sword up as he reached one of the Autobots, "Megatron...and the Decepticons...are free!" he swung his blade down, Energon flying and staining the walls.

"Lord Megatron, the area has been secured," a tall, lanky Decepticon with a single red optic and three-clawed hands informed.

"Shockwave, prepare the city for emergency isolation," Megatron ordered.

"Master?"

"The city was abandoned during the time of the war...but it has secrets I made sure to hide even from the smartest of Autobot architects. Such as...a flight mode," he revealed.

"But to power such a thing...the amount of raw energon..." Shockwave began.

"Yes...Cybertron is in a bit of a recession." Megatron noted, "Raid the neighboring cities for any and all catches of Energon. Be fast. The chaos of the planet can buy us so much time."

"What is happening, Master?" another Decepticon asked.

"Cybertron is dying," Megatron scowled, "This planet is a lost cause now. Instead, we shall regroup with our greater forces, and begin a campaign on a new planet. One which I believe...shall soon be ripe with Energon."

"Such a world exists?" several Decepticons asked.

"Do you doubt your master?" Megatron turned to glare at them, making many bowing down in apology, "Good...be fast, my Decepticons. We have a long journey...and a longer battle ahead of us."

"Yes, Lord Megatron!" the Decepticons replied as several drove out in vehicle form...before driving back in with a bellowing swarm of Insecticon chasing them.

"Insecticons…" Megatron growled before swinging his sword just as one lunged for him; two halves of that Insecticon sent flying across the room.

He roared and spun around, kicking another before punching a third and sending it flying away. Megatron roared, swinging around and grabbing another Insecticon by the face, before lifting it up and bringing it down onto the ground...crushing its head in the process. He looked up at the remaining Insecticons as they began backing away. He marched forward, making them cower and back away even more.

"Either bow to me...or stay out of my way, vermin…" he growled, aiming his blaster at them.

Several of the smaller ones swiftly changed back to insect form and flew away while the remainder bowed.

"Lord Megatron...You know these things?" Shockwave asked.

"Insecticons...a subspecies of Cybertronian," Megatron explained, "There are countless of them...which I learned mirror the animal life of the planet called Earth. They live under the layer of Cybertron we inhabit. They live off the Energon reserves of Cybertron, the fact they are scavenging for food here on the surface is proof...Cybertron is doomed." he explained, "But their power is immense...potentially useful. Shockwave...explore the prison. There could be more of the Cybertronian Sub-species kept in stasis sleep. We could use more...unique members in our ranks."

"Yes, Lord Megatron," Shockwave replied, bowing before leaving to do as he was commanded.

"Insecticons!" Megatron roared, "Find me Energon! Enough for us to eat...and power my ship!" with that, the Insecticons that remained bowed before flying off in search of Energon, "The rest of you, prepare for liftoff! Take any resources you can find that will serve us and don't be afraid to kill any Autobots who get in your way. They won't be needing any of what we take for much longer."

"Yes Lord Megatron!" they shouted before taking off.

"Oh gee...would ya look at that. More tunnels in the bottom of the pit," Bumblebee groaned.

"We're making good progress," Optimus noted, "But be on the lookout for anything."

"Right," Sari nodded before the group froze when a pile of scrap metal and cables shook ahead of them.

"..." Optimus readied his hammer as he slowly approached the pile...before pausing when a loud yawn came from it.

"Ahh…" a voice came from the pile before the top was moved from beneath...allowing a giant rat to pull itself out and look at itself, "Okay, so dat gunk spewin' from dose slugs really did work on dem cuts…" the rat looked up to see the others, "..."

"..." Optimus blinked in utter shock as he was at a total loss for words.

"..." Sari's eyes slowly widened while she inhaled deeply.

"...Uh…" the rat began before Sari let out a loud, long shriek that made everyone fall over, covering their ears/audio receptors, "Ah! Sweet Primus, what is dat?! Some sorta new sound weapon?!"

"Giant rat! Kill it!" Sari panicked as she lifted a giant hunk of scrap metal and began swinging it down to try and smash the talking rat.

"GAH!" the rat freaked as he began to run around, barely dodging the strikes, "Whoa! Gah! Hey, watch da tail! Watch da tail! EEK!"

"Kill it with Fire!" Sari cried.

"Can we not and say we did?!" the rat panicked as he ran behind Optimus, "Hey, yo! You're da big bot dat protects others, right? So help!"

"What is?" Jetfire asked, looking at the rat as he made a ball of fire for Sari.

"...Wait. I recognize that panicky tone…" Bumblebee blinked, "...Rattletrap?"

"...How do youse know me? ...Dat crazy nutjob Sentinel didn't send ya ta kill me, did he?!" the rat freaked, looking around.

"You knows him?" Jetstorm asked.

"If there was any info you wanted to learn on the streets of Cybertron...and I mean really important info, too, then you go to Rattletrap...should you pressure him enough," Bumblebee explained.

"Wait...he's...an Autobot?" Sari blinked, "But why is he a gross Rat?"

"Hey! It's not like I wanted ta be dis, sister!" Rattletrap snapped, "I was enjoying my time on Earth until I heard Incurseans were about to invade it...I was panicking so much I ended up changing my alt mode to the nearest thing...an Earth rat! Da lousy thing is...is dat I wanted ta scan da car it was on but my scanners picked dat up first. This forms instincts drove me up a wall in fleein' from dem and I ended up going through da Space Bridge before it was shut down by youse guys and got chased all over by da troops here 'till Maccadam found me. He done led me down under his place and told me if I went down here, I'd find somethin' ta help me. And let me tell ya, if I ever see dat guy again, I'm smackin' his processor with a monkey wrench! Nearly half a Solar Cycle, I've been chased by Insecticons, gettin' burrows I've been makin' munched apart by dem Space Slugs, and da cave ins are da worst! Nearly lost my tail t' th' last one two Cycles ago."

"...and you haven't transformed once?"

"Dat's da thing! I can't!" Rattletrap replied, "I've been tryin' dis whole time and I can't transform!" he sighed, slumping, "I'm gonna die in dis form. I just know it."

"...Hmm…" Silverbolt pondered at that before whispering something to Jazz and Optimus.

"...Yo, rat brother..." Jazz spoke, earning Rattletrap's attention, "Try saying this..'Rattrap, Maximize."

"Hah? Why would I say dat? And my n-"

"Just try it," Optimus spoke.

"...fine…" Rattletrap muttered, "Rattrap...Maximize...see? N-woah!" he yelped as he began to transform.

His body split down on the underside before a pair of robot legs emerged while the rodent legs folded up. A pair of robot arms then emerged as the rat tail folded up onto his back as his head flipped down to become a chest, exposing a robot head. His arms and upper legs were a bronze/light brown-orange color. His lower legs were mostly silver with the feet shaped like rat feet and red detailing on the sides of the lower legs. Silver detailing went up his arms to the blocky shoulders that sported gold dots in the centers. His head sported a pair of rat teeth and a silver 'exposed brain.' What was surprising was his red eyes.

"Huh...Just like me," Silverbolt noted.

"Oh fer bootin' up cold! Ya mean ta tell me dat da reason I was stuck is because mah name and activation code got changed!?" Rattletrap...Rattrap exclaimed, throwing his hands up in disbelief, "I thought dat Maccadam was messin' wit' me wit' dat name he kept callin' me!"

"Yeah, scanning an organic beast mode will do that," Silverbolt replied, "And Maccadam has a bit of a...trickster streak. But sometimes, just taking his weirdness seriously helps."

"You've been here for half a Solar Cycle?" Bulkhead asked.

"Yes, and let me tell ya, da stuff I've seen down here? It is nuts," Rattrap replied.

"Do you know how to get to the planet's core?" Optimus asked.

"Huh? Da core?! Why do youse want ta go down dere? Fer dat matter...why are youse guys even down here in da first place? It ain't exactly part of Maccadam's, ya know."

"Cybertron is dying," Optimus explained, "Our only hope is to get the AllSpark Matrix down to the core and use it to reignite it." he leaned forward, "I will be blunt. I am having a bit of a day, Sentinel has been a pain in my afterburner since we were cadets, and now he's gone mad with power, and I have to sneak onto my own home just to save it. I'll sum it up with this: my name is Optimus Prime; and as a Prime, I order you to take me down to the core."

"Ulp...Uh...Y-Yeah, sure. I can do dat," Rattrap gulped, holding his hands up in a gesture for him to calm down, "Let's just put da cracklin' hammer away and no one has ta deal with da smell of fried rodent, okay?" it was then one of the slugs' heads emerged from a wall and ate the pile of scrap metal and wires, "Ah come on! Seriously, Bessie?! And I just made it da way I like it, too!"

"Bessie?" Bulkhead repeated.

"...Look, it has been a very painful half a Solar Cycle fer me and forgive me if wantin' t' have someone t' listen t' me talkin' didn't help, even if it was from a big ol' gal like Bessie here," Rattrap sighed before shifting back into his rat mode and jumped onto the slug's head, "Ya want ta get down to da core? Ya gotta climb on Bessie here."

"Oh, I'm gonna be sick…" Sari mumbled as everyone began to get onto the slug.

"About having to ride a slug?" Bumblebee asked, sticking his tongue out while waving off some slime from his hand.

"No. I'm getting flashbacks to a test my dad did when I was little and it resulted in the smell of burnt rat fur to be stuck in the tower for six weeks," Sari replied with a cringe.

"Hey, just be lucky youse don't gotta live wit' da fur dat's burnt, Red," Rattrap argued, "And if'n youse guys are hurt, don't be flickin' off dat slime. It's pretty nice and heals up yer sore servos and joints."

"These creatures can heal Cybertronians?" Optimus asked.

"I guess many wonders have yet to be discovered," Silverbolt added, "Even here on our beloved Cybertron."

"Onwards to da core, Bessie!" Rattrap called, tapping the slug's head before it began to go down.

"Rassa frassa...you just had to break that pipe and pop your arm out..." Ratchet muttered as he removed his tools from Ironhide's arm, "How's it doing?"

"Hmm...feels good, Doc," Ironhide noted, rotating his arm a bit, "Thanks."

"Yeah, yeah," Ratchet rolled his optics as he looked at the pit, "I hope they're doing alright down there."

"They got Optimus with them. Of course they'll be fine," Ironhide grinned.

"I know...just never know what could be hidden down here," Ratchet spoke.

"I'm sure Optimus can handle it. He is the Bot who defeated Megatron. What's down here that can be worse then him?" Ironhide laughed, "That's just how scary Megatron is."

"Yes….he was…"

"?!" the two tensed as they turned...seeing Sentinel glaring at them as he had his weapon out.

"I've heard that Cybertron is dying, and that Optimus is somehow involved in this...Care to explain that to me?" Sentinel asked in a serious tone.

"...Ironhide…"

"I know, I know. I'm in for a lot of Transform Ups when we get back," Ironhide sighed as his body turned silver and moving between Ratchet and Sentinel.

"I gave you an order," Sentinel scowled, "Tell me what Optimus is planning, or else I'll have to offline you two perminately."

"So you can take the credit without any of the effort?" Ratchet replied, "Not in your remaining Solar Cycles."

"...Fine. Then I'll force the information out of you!" Sentinel snapped as he charged.

"Grr!" Ironhide shouted, charging and tackling Sentinel, making him stagger back, "No offense, Sir...but I think I can take you!"

"You little…" Sentinel snarled as he rushed again as Ironhide charged as well, "I'll see to it you and the rest of Optimus' team of traitors is locked in Kaon for this!"

"I'd rather rust away in a cell then obey a single order from you," Ironhide argued, "Optimus is trying to save Cybertron, but all you care about is your own position."

"Silence!" Sentinel snapped as he pushed him back, "Cybertron's safety comes first...and Cybertron's destruction can only mean he's doing something to destroy it!"

"Do you even hear yourself?!" Ratchet snapped, "Did the Incursean's threat to invade Cybertron all those cycles ago raddled your processor?!"

"More...You just can't stand it, can you?" Ironhide grunted, "The fact that Optimus...the guy you kicked down to the bottom...has become everything you ever wanted to be."

"Gh!?" Sentinel grunted, stopping at that.

"You made your way to the top step by step...entered the Elite Guard...became a Prime. But Optimus is the Bot everyone trusts, the Bot who took down the worst of the worst, twice over. You wanna know why I joined up with Optimus? It's because he's the kind of Autobot I always strive to be. My time with him has shown me he's a real Prime. And he's the Prime I'll follow to the ends of Cybertron and back," he hardened up only his arms, "And that's what peeves you off, don't it? Optimus doesn't have to push anyone down to get respect. Optimus is a Prime Bots want to follow, while you...you're just the guy who takes charge when no one asks you to."

"How dare you…" Sentinel growled as he charged in blindly, only to be punched across the face by Ironhide's fists, each one making him stagger back until a final uppercut to Sentinel's chin sent him flying back and into a wall.

"I also learned a neat sport while on Earth. They call it Boxing." Ironhide smirked, clashing his fists together, "I think it suits me." he reared his fist back and punched as Sentinel blocked with his shield.

"I am the leader of the Autobots...you will obey me! I am the one who protected Cybertron! I am the one keeping the peace!" Sentinel snapped, pushing Ironhide back and punching at him, only to cringe as Ironhide hardened his chest just before impact.

"You're delusional is what you are," Ironhide spoke while punching back, hitting Sentinel's shield and pushing him back, "I haven't seen a single happy Autobot since I came back, everyone looks miserable...like they are prisoners in their own homes. That's not the kind of Cybertron I fight for!"

"He's right!" Ratchet shouted, "If anything, you act more like a Decepticon than an Autobot, Sentinel!"

"?! ...Don't...you dare compare me to them!" Sentinel snapped, "I did what no Autobot could do..I did what Ultra Magnus could never do! I killed Megatron!"

"You what?!" they asked in shock.

"That's right! I did something not even Optimus had the guts to do! I killed the evil of Cybertron! I killed the leader of the Decepticons! I killed Megatron!" Sentinel snapped, "And Optimus...for defying me...for what he's going to do to Cybertron...for siding with that menace Ben Tennyson, he'll share Megatron's fate!" he roared and slammed his shield into Ironhide, who was too stunned from Sentinel's declaration of killing Megatron to harden in time, and knocked him over.

"So what...you killed a Con while in stasis...not able to fight back. You want to be congratulated for going against what we Autobots stand for?" Ratchet asked as he used magnetic powers to lift pieces of metal and launch them at Sentinel.

"What the Autobots stand for has made us weak!" Sentinel snapped, using his shield to block the metal launched at him, "The war is over and it is time for a new regime for Autobots...for all of Cybertron!"

"There is a simple term I learned from Sari that sums you up. You are batshit insane!" Ratchet snapped, "Whatever batshit is...Pit if I know...but it sure sums you up, you power hungry psychopath!"

"You know Doc-Bot...it's way past time a relic like you retired," Sentinel growled as he pulled out his lance.

"I'll retire the moment 'Bots younger than me stop being idiots." he argued as he used his magnets to lift more metal debris and toss them at Sentinel, forcing him on the defensive.

"Is that the best you can do?" Sentinel asked.

"No...but it's the least I can do till he gets his second wind." Ratchet smirked.

"Second...GH!" Sentinel cried in pain as he was punched from behind making him stumble and drop his shield, letting the metal debris begin to slam into him and pin him down.

"That was a cheap shot...but I guess now we're even." Ironhide spoke lowering his arms.

"R-release me!" Sentinel complained as the metal bent and formed around him to keep him in place.

"What do we do?" Ironhide asked.

"I want to leave him here for the Insecticons...let 'em have a little snack...but...I'm a real Autobot." Ratchet replied, "Try and contact Optimus...and then depending on his orders, drag him along or take him back to Maccadam…"

"I almost wanna do the Insecticon thing…" Ironhide chuckled, "But your right...that ain't the Autobot way."

"I SAID RELEASE ME!" Sentinel snapped

"...give me a second…" Ratchet spoke as he used his magnetic power to stick a piece of metal over Sentinel's mouth gagging him.

"I'll call the Boss-Bot." Ironhide smirked, tapping his helmet.

"Make sure you use that signal booster," Ratchet spoke.

"Right-right…" Ironhide sighed tapping the side of his head, "Optimus...come in Optimus...wait...that's not our signal...must have tapped into the emergency broadcast...wait...Doc...you gotta hear this…" he spoke with a very concerned tone.

"What is it…?" Ratchet tapped the side of his head.

=Help! Decepticons have escaped! They are raiding Cybertron for Energon and supplies! Please Autobot HQ respond! Things are getting bad! It...it's Megatron! He's escaped! He's leading the Decepticons! Please send help! We can't hold out much...GAH!=

=HAHAHAHAHA!= a deep craggly laugh could be heard in the background =Take it all my Decepticons! Leave nothing behind...and don't leave a single Autobot alive!=

=Yes Lord Megatron!=

"?!" Sentinel's eyes widened at that.

"...What was that about 'killing Megatron?'" Ratchet asked, shooting Sentinel a glare as he used his magnets to move the metal off his mouth.

"That's impossible! I shot him in the chest with Cosmic Rust!" Sentinel shouted, "I left him and the Decepticons in Kaon to rust!"

"You mean the Rust he developed?" Ironhide asked, "And what...you think he didn't know the cure?"

"Megatron invented all of the most horrible weapons used on Autobots during the war...you think he wouldn't make countermeasures for himself and his own troops?" Ratchet pointed out, "All you did was let loose Megatron…"

"You…!" Sentinel began before the metal was placed back over his mouth, "MMMM!"

"Great...so now we got Cons and Megatron to deal with," Ironhide muttered

"Well...we can't deal with one without losing the other," Ratchet spoke, "But the faster we save Cybertron...the faster we can deal with Megatron."

"And hopefully fix all the damage this lunkhead has caused," Ironhide added, jerking a thumb over at a flailing Sentinel.

"MMM!-!-!" Sentinel let out a muffled shout at them.

"Alright, we're almost dere," Rattrap informed as Bessie broke down a wall, "And thanks fer da lights. Always spooky down here since dem pipes stopped flowing wit' Energon."

"After travelling down here, I can see your point immensely," Bumblebee admitted.

"It's still amazing that such things exist under Cybertron," Optimus spoke, "Maybe if we focused more on repairing our damage...we could have saved it sooner."

"Alright, we're gonna have ta get off soon or Bessie will throw us off," Rattrap warned.

"Huh?"

"Fer some reason, Bessie and all da other Slugs down here refuse ta get in a certain distance to da c…" Rattrap began before Bessie stopped and bucked, sending everyone off her as she slithered away, "WHOA!" he landed on his back against a wall, "...Yeah. Like dat." his tail fell and landed on his face before he transformed to robot mode.

"It must be unsafe for them," Optimus assumed, "That...or there's something here they really don't like."

"...Why'd ya have to go and say dat?" Rattrap gulped

"Because even if there is...it's not going to like me," Optimus replied, "Provided it doesn't get in our way."

"Boss bot is always ready to rumble with dangerous stuff if it means saving the day," Bumblebee chuckled, "Always…"

"And right now we need to hurry to the core, or else we'll have to say goodbye to Cybertron...permanently," Bulkhead added.

"So I'd like to save my home, before Sentinel finds some way to make things worse…" Optimus sighed.

"How can things possibly get worse then they are right now?!" Rattrap snapped.

=Optimus, come in Optimus!= Ratchet's voice spoke over their com-links =We've got some trouble topside...It seems Sentinel thought it in all his wisdom...to somehow...SET MEGATRON LOOSE!=

"?!" Optimus' eyes widened at that.

"...I JUST HAD TO OPEN MY MOUTH!" Rattrap exclaimed, throwing his hands up in exasperation and disbelief.

"Ugh…" Optimus groaned, "One danger at a time, first...Bulkhead...calm down, Rattrap."

"How...oh...I get it," Bulkhead realized as he swung his hand down and bonked Rattrap on the head, making him fall down, "Done."

"We need to get moving. The sooner we save Cybertron, the sooner I can deal with Megatron," Optimus spoke, "I want to at least have a Cybertron to come back to, one day. Then I'm gonna find Megatron...beat him down and drag him back to his cell all over again. Then...I'm going to punch Sentinel in his stupid face."

"Rattrap, how much further?" Silverbolt asked.

"Eh, just around dis corner and a straight walk," the rat Transformer replied, rubbing where Bulkhead had struck.

"Go back to Beast Mode. For some reason, we can internally repair ourselves when we do," Silverbolt advised.

"Oh, gee, ya don't think I know dat, Bowser?" Rattrap grumbled as he shifted to Beast Mode.

The group moved quickly to go around the corner before skidding to a halt. The path ahead was blocked by a collapsed ceiling.

"Of course something like this would happen," Optimus groaned.

"How do we get past that?" Bumblebee asked.

"No time to go around…" Bulkhead spoke, changing his hands into maces, "We're gonna have to smash our way through!" he roared as he charged and slammed a mace into the debris and Rattrap's nose twitched.

"Hey, hey, wait a sec! Ya wanna send us up t' da Well?!" Rattrap shouted as he ran over and jumped onto Bulkhead's shoulder, "Dat spot yer smackin' has lead azide in it! One spark and KABLAM!"

"So what? We just stop?" Bulkhead complained, "We gotta get through here!"

"Oh gee, ya don't think I know dat?" Rattrap replied, sniffing and looking around at the debris, "Any of youse guys got a torch?" Jetfire held up a finger and made it ignite, "A'ight. Yo, big guy," he tapped Bulkhead's noggin and pointed at a few pieces, "Pull dose out and let da kid weld 'em together inta a big ol' shield. Da stuff's thick enough t' suppress da explosion's shockwave when we have da lead azide go off so long as we hide behind da shield."

Bulkhead turned to Optimus who nodded simply, "Alright, here goes something." he sighed, following Rattrap's instructions.

"How do you know that?" Sari asked.

"Dere's quite a few places that are rather...explosive...down here," Rattrap explained, "One o' dem was da reason why I lost my third den down here." he tapped his nose, "One good thing 'bout dis here form is da nose dat came with it. Helped me stay clear from da explosive stuff once I learned what it smelled like…" he then chuckled, "...and how ta deal with dem Insecticons dat liked ta chase after me."

"Ahh...gotcha."

"Is this good, Mr. Rattrap?" Jetfire asked as he motioned to the large shield made from the scrap metals.

"Great job, kid," Rattrap replied before looking at Bumblebee, "Da best way t' set off dat stuff is an electrical charge."

"Wait, what?"

"Everyone, get behind the shield," Optimus ordered, "Bumblebee, zap that lead azide."

"I hate this part of the job..." he sighed, altering his arm as he aimed and fired a bolt of electricity before barely getting behind the shield as…

*BOOM!*

"Really glad you stopped me," Bulkhead noted once the ringing from the explosion ended.

"Least someone listened...no one freakin' listened t' me when I try to warn 'em," Rattrap muttered as the smoke settled, revealing the path was opened up, "Now let's hurry up...dat explosion could wake the freakin' dead, and I do not want to deal with a hungry and cranky group of Insecticons."

"Or worse…" Bumblebee muttered.

"Stop sayin' that!" Rattrap complained.

"We'll cover more ground in vehicle mode," Optimus spoke as he ran forward before transforming and driving down the path, "Roll out!"

"What...but hey! Two of us can't roll out!" Rattrap argued.

"Speak for yourself." Silverbolt spoke, turning to beast mode and flying after Optimus.

"Oh fer bootin' up cold…" Rattrap groaned.

"Get in…" Bulkhead sighed turning into vehicle mode and opening his passenger door, "You better not mess up the interior…"

"...Know what? I'll take it…" Rattrap shrugged as he hopped in.

The others followed suit as Sari rode in Bumblebee, while they all followed Optimus further into the center of Cybertron.

Megatron smiled as his forces were able to collect more than enough supplies for their voyage and then some. The neighboring Autobot territories plundered and destroyed was but a pleasant bonus for all the work they accomplished. But he couldn't help but wonder, what was this sensation...this pull telling him not to leave yet?

"Lord Megatron!" Shockwave bowed as he entered the command deck.

"What have you to report, Shockwave?" Megatron asked.

"Lord Megatron sir...our scouts have gained word that there is a rumor of the Autobot Hero Optimus Prime has forced his way back to Cybertron," Shockwave spoke, "They say he and his team of defectors from Sentinel's regime are held up at Maccadam's."

"Optimus Prime...here?" Megatron asked in interest, "The imperfect replica of my Cosmic Rust and the cure has had a wonderfully beneficial change to my body...but I still don't feel as if my body is fully healed either…" he looked at his clawed fingers, "And yet...I can't just leave without taking a shot at destroying the Autobot who dared to defeat me and humiliate me by showing me mercy…"

"But Sir...your plan?" Shockwave repeated.

"Shockwave...keep the ship prepared for launch. I will return with a Prime's Spark Chamber...and then we can depart." Megatron explained, "And know this...if my city is gone by the time I return...no amount of distance will save the poor fool who dared make the same mistake...as Starscream…"

"Y-Yes, sire," Shockwave replied.

"And if any Autobot forces show up...annihilate them," Megatron added as he began walking out.

He made it to the top of his new ship before rushing and jumping off the side. His body changed as he entered into his alternate mode. Gone was the aircraft form he scanned on Earth; now he had become a Cybertronian spacecraft. His cannon now situated at the top near the back of his vehicle form; near his thrusters, forward curving wings with a nose that looked like pincers.

"Your Spark is mine...OPTIMUS PRIME!"

SZ:...Oh Sentinel you bolthead look what you've done.

GT: Indeed. But we expected this to happen. After all, for an Optimus Prime to Rise, a Sentinel Prime must Fall.

SZ: Yup...even if this Sentinel is a bit of an ass

Z0: I got to write Megatron stuff so I'm happy. If it's not clear...I'm kind of a Decepticon fan. Even if I still love all of Transformers as a whole.

GT: Yep. Z0 was in charge of all the scenes with Megatron in 'em.

Z0: This began getting...long...so we split it into two parts, next time will have the epic battles you want.

SZ: Read and review folks!