Man, I'm getting some of these chapters out quick, aren't I? I guess I'm just having too much fun writing this story.
I don't own Transformers or the Riordanverse; they belong to their respective owners.
Chapter 10: Being Guilt Tripped Sucks.
When Piper called her dad that night, Tristan didn't believe us about the thunderbird we saw. He told us our eyes were playing tricks on us.
I'm pretty sure that was a real thunderbird, though. I really wish I had taken a picture; it would have made it easier to prove to Tristan.
So Piper's new school ended up not being Harding-Pencroft, sadly; it was some place called Palm Valley School of Fine Arts or something. It was another prestigious high-class school she absolutely hated.
On the plus side, the filming of King of Sparta went rather well; there were no crumbling sets I needed to save Tristan from this time.
For the most part, Fall was a tranquil season for us. Piper wasn't at the centerpiece of another mess, Tristan's career was on track, and I wasn't called away for a long time by the Decepticons. Things were going rather well.
It gave me the time I needed to start working on my first writing project. Since the Greek Mythology stories of old were what inspired me, I decided to make a Greek epic in the modern day. Thus, I came up with this awesome story called Piper Analog and the Trident Robber.
Unfortunately, when I shared the first part of it with them in October, Tristan and Piper seemed to think it needed work. Hmmph. I guess maybe Tristan didn't know true art after all.
It wasn't until December that things started changing for me...
On the twentieth of December, during Piper's winter break, she decided she wanted to visit Boston for a bit, so I obliged.
While exploring the city with me in my handsome holo form, we ended up finding ourselves at this place called Fadlan Falafel. Piper was interested in it due to her vegan diet (I still think she could get psychic powers if she stopped having dairy, FYI).
We found a place to sit, and Piper was enjoying her meal. I felt this would be a good time to share the latest draft of the screenplay for The Trident Robber.
Personally, I thought this was the best draft yet.
Piper didn't seem to agree.
"Piper Analog, my daughter whom I gave birth to, you never needed to steal things to get my attention," she read out loud from the copy I gave her. "From the moment I gave birth to you in an agonizing but beautiful experience, you already stole my heart."
She glared at me. "People don't talk like that," she said.
"Maybe they do sometimes." I pointed out.
"Even if they did, why did you have to bring up the birth thing? That's not appropriate! And why are you still using me and Dad-"
Our talk was interrupted by the sound of a crash and then an explosion from somewhere in the distance.
"What was that?" I asked.
"Probably the Decepticons again..." Piper muttered, "Maybe they're attacking Boston this time."
I was quiet. I still hadn't gotten around to telling Piper and Tristan about the fact that I was technically on the side of the war that wanted to take over their planet and drain its resources.
"Those Decepticons are the worst," she continued.
"I mean, they're not all bad." I said, "Some of them are-"
"Why are you defending them?" She asked, "You're supposed to be fighting those guys, aren't you? You know? To save the universe?"
"Well yes..." I stammered, "But some of them aren't so bad. Some of them are just bots fighting for what they believe in. I can respect that."
Piper rolled her eyes and scoffed. "Do you know my classmate, Franklin?"
"One of the better kids at your school?
"Yeah him. His dad was killed by the Decepticons a couple of years ago. He wasn't even a soldier; he was just a civilian who was trying to help people evacuate from the town he was in. He got killed when a building collapsed on top of him."
I didn't say anything. I had vague memories of a Decepticon attack near Malibu, but I couldn't think of the specifics. Maybe I wasn't there.
"They're just trying to break Cybertron out of its stagnant status quo." I pointed out, "Change needed to happen."
"I'm an Autobot, and even I agree with that," I added quickly.
"Did it have to come at the cost of our planet getting caught in the crossfire?" Piper asked.
I didn't answer; I couldn't answer because she was right. One hundred percent right.
She smiled and said, "I'm glad Autobots like you are fighting them. You're heroes."
I couldn't even look at her; I just stared out the window.
"Thundercracker?" she asked.
I needed to change the subject now. I turned back to her and said, "Piper I-I'm going to be busy this week." I admitted.
"Why?"
"Op-Optimus needs me for a big project. He needs the best of the best."
AKA Megatron needed me for a big attack. He found out Optimus himself was escorting a large supply of weapons tech. The convoy was stopping at an outpost in Nevada, and that's where we planned to strike.
"Oh...I see." Piper said sadly, "But you'll be there for the twenty-fifth, right?"
"I'll try," I promised.
"Hey. Go kick some Decepticon butt for me."
Somehow I managed to get my avatar to smile, "You bet!".
The next day was the beginning of the operation. This was planned to be one of the Decepticon's biggest offenses. I stood on the outskirts of the Autobot's outpost with some other Decepticons. The outpost was a large area dotted with several structures: an armory, a barracks, a command center, and various other buildings.
Megatron had been planning this assault for over six months, and now it was time. Among the troops he had summoned were Soundwave, Skywarp, Bludgeon, the rest of Mayhem, and several other of Megatron's finest soldiers.
Skywarp turned to me.
"Ready to kick some Autobot tailpipe TC?" he asked. His voice oozed with giddiness.
I wasn't really. All I could think about was seeing Piper and Tristan on the twenty-fifth. That and my Trident Robber script. I'd rather be working on that right now, but instead, I was here, fighting another battle.
A battle that was probably going to take more human lives. A battle to get more weapons for more battles that would take even more human lives.
I forced myself to smile and gave a thumbs-up. "You bet.".
Skywarp looked confused. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," I lied.
"No, you're not!" Skywarp insisted, "You've been acting weird all year. What's your problem!?"
For a moment, I hesitated; my talk with Piper yesterday had reignited all the feelings I'd been afraid of for years. But I could probably tell Skywarp. He'd understand. He'd have to. He was my friend.
"Do you think we're doing the right thing?" I asked.
"Of course we are!" Skywarp shouted, "If we're going to save Cybertron, we need to beat these Autobots and take control of Earth's Energon!"
"But Cybertron's only dying because of us." I pointed out.
"No. That's the Autobot's fault! They launched the Allspark into space, and then they destroyed it!"
"They only did that because we would've-"
"Is there a problem here, Thundercracker?" asked a chilling voice.
I turned. There was Megatron standing right before me. He glared at me. You never want Megatron to glare at you.
I silently looked up at him. My knees became weak.
"Well?" he asked, the impatience in his voice evident.
I probably should have just said "no," but I think Piper was starting to rub off on me.
"Are we doing the right thing, Lord Megatron?" I asked.
Megatron raised his eyebrow, "Why are you asking this now?"
I didn't say anything.
Megatron sighed. "Of course we are Thundercracker," he said. "Optimus Prime is a shortsighted fool. He would have our planet and our culture remain stagnant and insular. Spreading our glory, our wealth, and our empire is the only way to push Cybertron forward. Into the future!"
"It is what is best for Cybertron! For our kind!" he finished clenching his fist.
Megatron was right. What was I thinking? Optimus Prime's policies on Cybertron were well-intentioned but misguided. He thought Cybertron should remain as it was, but Cybertron needed to change; it needed to spread out. I could imagine all the good we would do by sharing our technology with other cultures.
Besides, if Optimus hadn't wanted Cybertron to die, he shouldn't have gotten rid of the Allspark.
But then I thought about what Piper told me, about Franklin and his-
NO. Stop. Don't think about it. Shut it away. We're in the right here. We had to be.
My dour expression turned hard and determined. "I understand, Lord Megatron!" I saluted, "I will serve you in the coming battle loyally!"
"Good Thundercracker. Yes." Megatron said, "Now. I need you to open the assault with your thunder abilities. Skywarp will teleport you in. Understood."
"Yes, sir!" me and Skywarp said together.
Me and Skywarp transformed into our jet modes. Once we were in the air, Skywarp used his teleportation powers to zap him and me right into the middle of the Autobot's base. I let loose a massive thunderblast, sending all the Autobots and humans scattering.
"Decepticons! Attack!" yelled Megatron, letting loose his battle cry.
After that, it becomes difficult to tell you what came next. I know that sounds like cheating, but after Megatron and the other Decepticons charged in, the battle became a blur.
I remember seeing Megatron and Optimus facing off and Megatron tearing off Optimus's arm; I remember seeing Soundwave brutally blast an Autobot named Skids in the chest; and I remember seeing Skywarp cruelly step on a few human soldiers. I could still hear the crunch as the humans were turned into paste.
But I can't tell you what order it happened in or the exact details.
The whole time during the battle, I just kept thinking about the script I was working on and about Piper and Tristan. Not on fighting the Autobots or the humans. I thought of Piper's laugh and how much she loved having me around on a boring day when her dad wasn't home. I thought of Tristan and the movies he was in and how happy he was to have a friend to talk to when no one else would.
I hardly even felt the punch from Ironhide that knocked me into a building or Jazz telling me it was payback time and trying to leg-sweep me.
I didn't feel anything.
The haze that came over me ended when I saw the Autobots driving away like the cowards they were.
That's when I became aware of something.
My legs were gone. I was currently lying on the ground with nothing below my waist.
Then I remembered. That payback Jazz wanted to give me? This was it. He tied his grappling hook around my legs and ripped them off of me.
Why hadn't I felt it? Surely I would have felt my legs being ripped off, but I didn't even notice.
What was the matter with me?
Skywarp finally found me in my sorry state.
"Tough luck, TC," he said.
"No kidding," I muttered.
"Let's get you back to base. Knock Out will fix you right up."
"Thanks."
Skywarp smiled. "Hey, chin up, pal! We won! We beat the Autobots!".
It was true. We had beaten the Autobots. This was our biggest victory in a long time.
So why wasn't I happy? Why could I still not feel anything?
Skywarp helped me get to the medical room at the Scotland Deception HQ. Knock Out was ground bridged in to reattach my legs.
The operating table I was lying down on was cold and brittle, and the environment was gray and dark. It was so unlike the McLean mansion. More than ever, I wanted to be with my friends.
After about three hours, Knock Out (A bright red Decepticon who turned into a sports car) finally finished fixing my legs. I stood up and walked around, giving them a quick test run. They were good as new.
"Hmmm. Excellent job as always, Knock Out." I told him.
"Why thank you, dear Thundercracker." Knock Out said, "It's nice when someone actually appreciates my work." The last part was delivered with a bitter twang.
As I walked out of the medical room, I found Megatron waiting for me.
"Megatron? What are you doing here?" I asked.
He gave me a cold smile.
"I wanted to congratulate you, Thundercracker," he said.
"For what?"
"Today, once again. You have proven you are one of my most effective warriors."
"You push aside all doubts and all concerns and just do the job with no questions asked. With no hesitation, no mercy. That is what makes you a true Decepticon."
So why did I feel so empty then?
I bowed, "Thank you, Lord Megatron."
"Now. Is there any favor you wish to ask of me? You have earned it."
I didn't even have to think about it. "May I have the day off on the twenty-fifth?"
Megatron agreed, but he seemed a little hesitant.
On the twenty-fifth, I headed to Malibu. The McLean mansion was decked out in green and red lights. I landed in the backyard to find Tristan and Piper waiting for me. They looked excited.
"Alright. I made it." I said, "What's so important about this day that required me to be here?"
Piper and Tristan looked at each other. Then they laughed.
"This is, dummy," says Piper. She handed me a massive, rolled-up piece of paper.
I picked it up and unrolled it.
It was a poster. It was an amalgamation of all the posters for the movies Tristan had been in, and it was enlarged to be my size.
"Merry Christmas Thundercracker," said Tristan.
Of course! Christmas! That's what was on the twenty-fifth! I was aware of it due to all the Christmas specials I watched, but I hadn't really "connected" with the holiday quite yet.
I looked at the poster—the present Tristan and Piper had given me. I just stared at it with a confused look on my face.
"Are you okay?" asked Piper.
"I'm fine. It's just—I've never gotten a present before." I admitted.
"Really? The Autobots don't have a gift exchange?" Piper asked.
"No," I said, my voice cracking.
"Well. We're happy to give you your first one." Tristan said.
I looked over the poster again. They made this. For me.
It was the nicest and most thoughtful thing anyone had ever done for me.
All of a sudden, everything seemed to come at once. All the feelings I had been repressing all my life. They began to tumble out. Shame and guilt for all the pain the Decepticons had caused on Earth—the pain I caused.
And there was another feeling—a feeling I'd never felt before; I didn't know what it was.
I felt it enter me. It warmed me, it made me feel strong and weak at the same time, and I believed I could take on the world with it, I could live off it, I could-
What was this feeling!? Why was it hurting me so much!? Why was it making me happy and sad at the same time?!
"Are you sure you're okay?" Piper asked.
I looked back at her and Tristan; they had worried expressions on their faces.
I gave them a pained look. "I don't know," I admitted.
If I had tears, I would have been crying.
I put down the poster and collapsed to my knees. I just sat there, unsure what to do.
And then Piper walked up and hugged me.
I didn't deserve it; I didn't deserve them.
But I needed them.
I picked her up and returned the hug, taking care not to crush her.
"Merry Christmas," Piper repeated. Tristan watched us happily.
We just stayed like that for a bit. That warm feeling came over me again.
When I finally opened my eyes, for a split second, I thought I saw someone standing behind Tristan.
It was a woman; I can't describe what she looked like; she seemed to have multiple appearances at the same time, all of them beautiful.
She was looking at me.
She was there one moment and then gone the next.
Sorry if it feels like I cheated or was lazy with the big action scene. I really wanted to showcase how Thundercracker is starting to numb himself to all the battles and horrors the Decepticons are doing. I felt writing the battle scene as a big haze was the best way to portray that.
Thanks for reading. Don't forget to leave a review.