Authors Notes- And here I am again with yet another chapter to Otherworld. As you can gather by now I only own the plot. Hasbro owns Transformers, I'm merely borrowing them for my own amusement. Now, that we got THAT out of the way here is Chapter Seven. I hope you enjoy.
Morning had come far too soon for the kids as Miko let out a loud yawn, arms stretched above her head as she did so. Looking to her left she saw that Raf and Jack were still asleep, obviously last nights events had left them rather exhausted. And hey, she had been pretty beat as well, but here she was the first one to wake up. Looking around the room she saw nothing to occupy her while the others slept. Biting her she managed to slide down the leg of the berth, and reached the ground. While she waited for them to wake up she would do some exploring of her own, since they hadn't had a chance to last night.
Stepping out of the room Miko looked around, and saw no one. Perhaps they were preoccupied with energon scouting, or whatever else. Looking over her shoulder she continued down the hall, until she reached the command room, and found it completely empty. Blinking a couple of times she looked around the room, seeing Soundwave off to one corner. Miko watched as the comms officer typed busily at a console, completely unaware of the girl watching him silently from the door way. Biting down on her bottom lip once more she continued to watch him before moving further into the room, looking around.
Only to duck behind a console when she heard movement behind her, peering out from it she saw Megatron step into the room. Her heart skipping a beat as she looked up at him. Despite what she currently knew of this world she still found herself unable to trust or any of the other 'Cons. Even if they did come to their rescue. Then again finding themselves in a world that was not their own was rather unnerving. And while she knew that she shouldn't wander off Miko was never one to stay in one place for long. And she was still curious about everything around her.
What was the rest of the world like? Maybe it was time she found out while Jack and Raf slept. The main question was how was she going to do that? However, before she could dwell on that thought for much longer she heard Megatron tell Soundwave to open up a ground bridge. Miko perked up as he said that. What luck! This was her chance! Watching as the ground bridge opened up before Megatron. Miko's eyes lighting up as she inched closer and closer, making sure no one saw her as she stepped through the ground bridge. And found herself in what she could only guess was the ruined remains of a city. All around her were the crumbling remains of various buildings and charred remains of cars.
Some of them, Miko saw as she peered into the window of one, housing the equally charred remains of a human body. And that was not all she saw, as she continued to look around, seeing decomposing bodies of people laying on the street. Some of them laying against the walls of some buildings. Dried puddles of blood staining the ground around them. Obviously this city, wherever she was had been ground zero for the Autobot/Decepticon war. Fighting back the urge to purge her stomach of its contents as she forced herself past the carnage. At some point she had lost track of Megatron as she wandered around the city, taking in the chaos all around her.
Silence permeating the area around her as she continued down one of the abandoned streets, seeing scorch marks on the ground from blasters, and marks from various other weapons, she even saw shell casings no doubt from humans trying in vain to fend off the Autobot threat. Only to have their lives cut short. Shaking her head Miko shoved those thoughts from her head as she forced herself to continue on. Hoping, that as she looked up at the overcast sky as thunder rumbled in the distance, that she would run into Megatron in her travels as this place was beginning to unnerve her. She couldn't put her finger on it, but it felt like someone was watching her. A shiver running down her spine as she looked around, maybe it was an bad idea for her to have come.
Looking over her shoulder she quickened her pace and rounded the corner, and suddenly skidded to a halt as her eyes settled on the looming form of Wheeljack. Honey colored eyes widened as she looked up at the wrecker, thankfully Wheeljack hadn't seemed to have noticed her as she ducked behind the building just as he turned around. Okay, now Miko was beginning to regret coming here in the first place.
"You find anything?" That all too familiar voice spoke, sending a shiver down her spine as he spoke. And much to Miko's growing dismay another all too familiar voice spoke.
A voice she loved more than anything in the world as the ground shook. And from somewhere beyond her line of sight appeared Bulkhead. And much like her Bulkhead this was the same mean, green mech she knew and loved. However, unlike her Bulkhead this one was sporting a few scars marring his faceplate and chestplate.
"Nothin'" Bulkhead grumbled, blue optics scanning the area, causing Miko to duck behind the building she had been hiding behind once more.
Great.
And here she had just been joking when she spoke about what the other Autobots were like. And now, here she was facing not just Wheeljack but Bulkhead as well. And now, she was beginning to regret tagging a long when Megatron had come here.
Even worst was that she had no idea where the Decepticon leader was right now. Biting down on her bottom lip once more as she took another peek around the corner. Just as Wheeljack turned around, his optics lighting up as they settled on her. Biting back a curse Miko ducked back and looked around. Looking for a place to slip away, when a shadow loomed over her, causing her blood to run cold as she looked up at the looming form of Wheeljack.
The Autobot in question grinning down at her. "Well, well, what do we have here?" Wheeljack spoke. Blue optics blazing with something Miko couldn't decipher as she continued to stare up at him. "Here I thought that all the little humans had been wiped out in the area. And lo and behold what do I find? A stray human just wandering around carelessly." Wheeljack continued as he crouched down before her.
As Miko's mind went back to her Wheeljack, to the time she had snuck onto his ship to get payback for Bulkhead. To the time they had let her tag along to find Predacon fossils. And now, she was stuck in some strange world, and the wrecker before her was not her Wheeljack. In fact, unlike her Wheeljack who, if something were to happened to Bulkhead, would do everything in his power to protect was not the case, however as Wheeljack's grin widened, optics narrowing.
"Good thing though," he continued on, not seeming to care if he got an answer from her. "As me and Bulkhead here were getting bored. We had come here in hopes of finding Megatron, but found you to entertain us." Miko's heart skipped a beat as he said this. She looked up at him once more. "So, my advice to you, girly." The smile melted from Wheeljack's faceplate. "Is run..."
This was turning out to be a complete waste of time. Megatron thought as he soared through the air over the ruined city. One he recalled being called Manhattan. He had come here in search of energon, something the Decepticons desperately needed as of late. And unfortunately the Autobots seemed to have their greasy fingers in almost all of the deposits here on Earth. And all of them were heavily guarded. Letting out a growl of frustration as he transformed and landed, optics scanning the ruined city.
Obviously this had been nothing more than a complete waste of time, he couldn't find a thing! And to top it off? He had this strange feeling that something was wrong. And whenever Megatron got this feeling it was almost never wrong. Just as he thought that he heard Starscream come over the comm.
"Megatron?" He heard his SIC speak, jerking the Decepticon leader from his thoughts.
"What is it, Starscream?" Megatron asked, optics still scanning the horizon, as if expecting something to appear.
"I'm sorry to bother you. But, it would seem that one of the human children seems to have disappeared. The one called... Miko." Starscream said. Megatron arched an optic brow at this. "And according to what the two boys have told me is that this Miko has a tendency of wandering off, and following her Autobot guardian into dangerous situations." Starscream told him.
"And do you think she accompanied one of the Decepticons on a scouting mission?" Megatron asked.
"Actually according to what Soundwave recorded she followed you through the ground bridge."
At those words Megatron felt his spark skip a beat, optics wide. "What?!"
How could one be so careless? Did she not learn from what happened last night?! As Megatron thought this Starscream continued on. "Soundwave has Laserbeak scanning the area, unfortunately that is not the least of our problems."
Oh great, what else could go wrong? Megatron though, denta clenched. "Laserbeak has sighted both Wheeljack and Bulkhead in the area." Starscream added. Causing dread to form in the pit of Megatron's tank.
Great, on top of having one of their human guests roaming around here but there was also two of Ultra Magnus' wreckers in the area. And if they got their hands on the girl then it would be all over for her. Gritting his denta again he transformed, and took to the skies.
"Thank you, Starscream. I will search for the girl. And keep an optic out for those Autobots." Megatron said. "And when I find Miko I'm going to keep her on a tight leash on her and the others until we can get them back home." He vowed, soaring through the air.
I can't keep this up forever. Miko thought as she darted around the corner, her lungs burning, and her legs ached and oh she wished for once in her life that she actually listened and stayed at the base. And now, she had two Autobots nipping at heels. Well, so far it only seemed to be Wheeljack chasing after her. She had no idea where Bulkhead was, but she hoped that he had just grown bored with their little game cat and mouse and returned to the Autobot base.
Though she highly doubt it.
"Is that the best you got?" Wheeljack shouted from behind her, spurring her on further.
She didn't dare look behind her, she didn't want to see how close he really was. Rounding another corner she screamed as she nearly slammed into Bulkhead's foot. Skidding to a stop she looked up at the green wrecker. Cursing as she leaped out of the way as he made to grab for her. Earning a laugh from Bulkhead as Wheeljack appeared, transforming. Moving to stand beside Bulkhead, placing a hand on Bulkhead's shoulder as he glared down at Miko.
As the girl collapsed to her knees, she couldn't run anymore. Sweat soaked her clothes, matting her hair to her face as she looked up at the two of them. Bulkhead chuckled as he and Wheejack loomed over her.
"Looks like it's the end of the line for you, kid." Wheeljack said, smile disappearing from his face as he reached down for her.
Whimpering Miko squeezed her eyes shut as cold, metal fingers wrapped around her. This is it. She thought, grimly. This is how I die. Not at the hands of some filthy 'Con. But to someone that looks like my friends. What a way to go. Tears pricked her eyes.
However, before she could dwell on her impending death for a moment longer. The sound of blaster fire reached her ears. Opening her eyes she saw Bulkhead hit the building behind him with a pained cry.
"What the-" And before Wheeljack could utter another word a fist slammed into his faceplate. Looking up Miko heaved a sigh of relief when she saw Megatron standing there.
Red optics blazing, denta bared as he glared at them, as Bulkhead struggled to his feet.
"Well, well, well look what we got here." Wheeljack said, wiping at the energon trickling down his chin. "The leader of the Decepticons himself has finally come out of hiding to face us, Bulk."
"I see that." Bulkhead said, hissing between his denta, a nasty scorch mark in his chestplate, smoke billowing from it. "So much for being bored on this pointless mission, Jackie. Things seem to be picking up. Imagine how pleased Lord Prime when we deliver you to him.
Miko was silent as she looked from the wreckers to Megatron. Watching as Megatron's scowl deepened, a low animalistic growl escaping his throat as he aimed his fusion cannon at them. "Unfortunately for you I don't intent on surrendering today. So leave this place." He growled.
Both Wheeljack and Bulkhead looked to each other then down at Miko. The same menacing grin on their faceplates as they looked to Megatron once more. "Lord Prime never said anything about needing you in one piece. And as for the girl? Well, perhaps Ratchet might find a use for you. The doc has been looking for new test subjects." Wheeljack said, as without warning he snatched Miko up by the back of her shirt.
The girl crying out as cold, metal fingers closed in on her.
And that was all the prompting Megatron needed, as with an enraged roar he charged at them. And Bulkhead and Wheeljack were more than ready, as Wheeljack dumped Miko onto a roof of a ruined building as they charged at him.
Miko watched, this was going to get ugly...
Authors Notes- And thus concludes Chapter Seven of Otherworld. Sorry to leave it on a cliffhanger but never less I hope you enjoy. And I wish I had more to say but alas I don't. And this is The Exhausted Writer signing off. Have a good day!