(Made in 2022)
(Jump by Van Halen plays)
Me: Yo, yo, yo, what up everybody!? WOLFWATCHER12 here with The Amazing Ghost Musician.
The Amazing Ghost Musician: What's up, everyone? Are you all excited for another awesome chapter of STEVEN UNIVERSE: WAR OF THE BEASTS? Because I know that Wolf and I sure as hell are.
Me: And also, for the Chinese New Year, it's the Year Of The Tiger! But other than that, we're basing this chapter on the Beast Wars episode, 'Gorilla Warfare' but with numerous twists.
The Amazing Ghost Musician: Which is personally one of my favorite episodes of Beast Wars, but I won't go into further detail. For those of you who haven't seen this episode, do you wanna explain the plot to them, Wolf?
Me: Sure. It goes like this: Steven, Lapis, Optimus and Dinobot are in a different area, looking for Energon, and with a little luck, they found it. As they begin digging it out, they are ambushed by the Predacon, Scorponok.
The Amazing Ghost Musician: During this unexpected battle, Scorponok launches one of his cyber bees onto Optimus's chest, and it becomes attached to his spark. And that is a very bad sign!
Me: Yeah, because the Cyber Bee inserted a virus into him. And the virus was supposed to turn him into a coward, but instead, it increased his rage.
The Amazing Ghost Musician: And if that wasn't bad enough, Steven, the Gems and the Maximals must find a way to help Optimus get his rage under control. Plus they have to retrieve the Anti-Virus from the Predacons, but without Optimus getting destroyed.
Me: Also something else is occurring, something that Black Diamond is plotting. But, what could it be?
The Amazing Ghost Musician: We're gonna have to find out in today's chapter, because this is another good chapter that you don't wanna miss.
Me: I know that I won't. But, also stay tuned after the chapter for an announcement I will make.
The Amazing Ghost Musician: Ohhhhhhh… I wonder what you've got in store for our readers Wolf.
Me: Well, you'll have to wait, but in the meantime, let's get it started up here!
Both: ENJOY!
Disclaimer: WE do not own Steven Universe or Beast Wars/Transformers in any way. All rights for Steven Universe go to Rebecca Sugar, Ian Jones-Quartey, Cartoon Network and Warner Bros. Inc. All rights for Beast Wars: Transformers go to Hasbro, Larry Ditilio, Bob Forward, YTV, Mainframe Entertainment, Alliance Media and Claster.
Chapter 10: Viral Gorilla Warfare!
It was a tranquil and serene day in Beach City, and somewhere outside of it we see Steven, Lapis, Optimus and Dinobot, walking around near a waterfall in the forest and they had gone there looking for Energon. They needed it to bring about their first Gem Maximal, otherwise it would be a bust. Steven looked at the northeast section of the area.
"Nothing here," said Steven. "Did you find anything, Lapis?" he asked her.
"Not yet, Steven. But I'll keep looking." said Lapis, as she went overhead to get a view from the sky. "Optimus, have you spotted anything?"
Optimus looked all over his end and replied, "Nothing so far, Lapis." as he kept on looking. "Dinobot, any luck?"
"Negative." Dinobot answered, he kept searching as he took a whiff around the area, hoping to follow his nose. "Something in this area could be blocking the sensor."
"I gotta agree with Dinobot." said Steven.
Optimus nodded in agreement. "Let's look somewhere else," he said. "Over there would suffice." He pointed to the west of the area.
Steven nodded and went right over there and his Energon Detector beeped loudly. "OMG, We hit the jackpot!" he expressed with joy. "I found the source of the Energon reading."
"Great!" said Lapis, as she swooped down and landed. "It's coming from right here?"
"Yeah!" said Steven. "Optimus, head over to my position, and that goes for Dinobot too." he said to them.
"Acknowledged!" Optimus replied, as he and Dinobot went over to Steven's position. They then began digging through the ground and they found the Energon sticking out. "Way to go, Steven! You did it!" he said.
Little did they know, as they began digging the Energon out, someone was sneaking up behind them. That someone was the Predacon, Scorponok. As he snuck around them, Steven and Lapis dug the Energon out and put it in a case. "That should do it."
"Yeah, it should!" said a male voice, coming from behind them. "THAT ENERGON BELONGS TO LORD MEGATRON!" Scorponok jumped out of his hiding spot and fired at them.
Steven, Lapis, Optimus and Dinobot all got out of the way. "Scorponok!" Lapis yelles. "Who else from your side is here?" she demanded.
"Nobody else, I'm on a solo job this time!" said Scorponok, revealing what he was doing.
"Look out!" said Steven, as Optimus and Dinobot switched to Robot mode. Scorponok fires a rapid series of missiles at them, Steven blocked them with his shield. "So, what made you decide to go solo, Scorponok?" he asked.
"You don't need to know, Steven Universe!" he shot back at him, causing Dinobot to fire his eye beams at the Predacon, he ducked out of the way.
"You wanna bet?" Lapis shouted, as she fired some darts at him, but he ducked behind a big rock.
Scorponok then took aim at Optimus and then *BANG* He launched one of his missiles at him. The missile hit Optimus, knocking him down.
"OPTIMUS!" Steven and Lapis shouted.
Then, Scorponok just laughed and laughed at them. "That will put you down!" he taunted. "And there's NOTHING you can do about it!" he insulted.
Dinobot roared in anger and shot his laser eyes full blast and sent Scorponok flying across the way, "NEVER INSULT THEM AGAIN!" he yelled back.
Scorponok launches a missile at him and it knocks him across the way too.
"DINOBOT!" Steven yelled in fright.
"I have a special Cyber Bee just for you, Optimus Primal!" Scorponok said, double clicking his claw and showing it. "ENJOY!" he launched it and it began latching itself onto his chest, prompting him to be unable to transform into Beast Mode.
"Aaargh!" Optimus yelled in pain.
"OPTIMUS!" Steven and Lapis yelled in horror.
Lapis flew at Scorponok and grabbed him by the tail and began doing the Cesaro Swing to him by spinning him around a total of 15 times, and sent him flying back to the Predacon Base on the volcano island.
"TAKE THAT YOU DUMBELL OF AN ARTHROPOD!" Lapis insulted him from a distance. She then flew down and they all assessed the situation. "That's a Cyber Bee? I gotta admit, they are bigger than any bug I've seen!"
Steve lifted Optimus up and said, "We gotta get him into the C.R. Chamber!" feeling frantic, they all agreed and began bringing him back to base.
When they got back to the Maximal Base, they had just explained the situation to them and put Optimus in the C.R. Chamber. Amethyst had no ill will towards Steven or Lapis, but she was being cold to Dinobot.
"Dammit dude," Amethyst yelled at him. "You were supposed to watch their backs!"
"We were ambushed!" Dinobot said to her.
"I know, by Scorponok!" Amethyst pointed out. "But still, you should have bashed that guy before he hit Optimus!"
"Don't tell me how to do my duty, gemchild!" Dinobot roared at her. "Or I shall send you back to that dormant form of yours!"
Amethyst starred in anger as she hated the way he was insulting her. "You wanna try me right now, Lizard-Lips?"
"Ey ey ey! Knock the hell off, both of ya!" Rattrap yelled at both Amethyst and Dinobot. "As much as I wanna see you two scrap each other, save it for another time!"
Pearl agreed with him. "Rattrap's right, right now we've got a bigger situation on our hands."
They all turned to the console and saw the holographic display of the Optimus while he was still in the chamber Steven was concerned, "Man this seems badder than ever." he said.
"Rhinox, Garnet, what's the sitch?" Rattrap asked.
"It looks like a viral mine, and it's fused with his net core." Rhinox explained, "He can't transform while the thing is still attached."
Cheetor then spoke up and said, "Well, let's get it off! He took enough energon damage just gettin' back here!"
"It's not that possible, Cheetor!" Garnet elaborated. "This mine rerouted all his life support functions to itself. We yank it, Optimus will live less than a minute."
"Oh scrap!" Steven cursed differently.
"That's very bad!" Pearl added.
"It gets worse," Rhinox continued with his explanation as he showed more. "Right after the mine's removed, it explodes in a matter of seconds, taking out everyone within sprinting distance."
"Very Bad!" said Amethyst.
Lapis looked at this. "Yeah, we won't be able to get it far enough away from the area." she added to it.
"Man, I don't get it." Cheetor said, denoting his confusion about this. "Why? For What?"
"Good point!" Steven agreed with Cheetor.
"A Viral Mine, you say?" Dinobot thought it over. "Fortunately for you, I have insight on Scorponok's creations. This one is intended to turn our leader into a coward, one who'll lead us to defeat in battle. Only Scorponok would have the antivirus."
Garnet was bewildered. "So, that was what he planned on doing."
Steven then added, "So, we can't remove it by force then."
"There's got to be another way to get that bee off Optimus without killing him," said Amethyst.
"Yeah, but how?" Rattrap asked.
Pearl got into her thinking pose. "Hmm, maybe luring Scorponok out could work."
"That might work, but we'll need to-" Rhinox was about to think of something.
Without warning, the image suddenly jerks, starts flailing and then the warning alarms and lights start flashing. It was then that a balancing beam line of blast-holes smashed out through the hatch, shattering the hinges. In the next instant *CRASH* The hatch is kicked open and crashes to the deck, showing Optimus inside, cannons smoking and eyes glaring like a madman. The viral mine on his chest is glowing red. Optimus steps out to face the others, cocking his arm cannon ominously.
"Alright! Who wants some?" Optimus said, menacingly.
Optimus' eyes are glowing red, his weapons armed and ready to fire. He's breathing hard, as if struggling, looking from one to the other. labored breathing taps glowing cyberbee, "Nobody takes it off! Understand?!" he yelled.
Everyone was just standing in their respective spots, feeling tense and motionless. But, they realized that Optimus was about to fire on them, and so Dinobot lowered into a crouching maneuver to try and restrain him alone.
Optimus is now doing some harsh breathing "You hear me!?" he yelled, as he suddenly whirls to confront Dinobot, weapons trained. "I'LL BLOW YOUR SLAGGIN' HEADS OFF!" he raged.
"No Big Bot!" Cheetor screamed.
Steven panicked, "Guys, restrain him!" he instructed.
Rhinox, Garnet and Pearl raced over to restrain Optimus. "Hold on there!" said Rhinox.
"Calm down!" Garnet demanded, as she and Pearl tried to do this.
"GET OFF ME!" Optimus yelled.
"Yes, listen to him!" Dinobot said, pointing his blade in the direction.
Optimus just glares, "I don't fear you. I DON'T FEAR ANY OF YOU!" he raged again.
Steven was very concerned about this whole thing. "I don't get it!"
Garnet scans him, "I can sense his aggression is very high." she said to him, before turning to Dinobot. "Dinobot, it seems as though this is unexpected!"
"Yes, he's gone full of rage!" Rhinox added.
"What?" Pearl said, feeling confused. "I thought this was supposed to turn him into a coward."
"No doubt that was his intention," Dinobot said, denoting this to be true. "But I know that Scorponok is incredibly incompetent." he leans forward, looking into Optimus' eyes carefully. "I would say instead that we have "berserker" as it were."
Amethyst said, "No kidding!"
Steven and Cheetor were both concerned about this, "Not good!"
"What do we do now?" Lapis asked.
Cheetor urged, "Optimus can beat it! Come on, Big Bot! Fight against it! You can do it! Please!"
Steven took a step towards Optimus, "Be careful, Steven!" Pearl warned.
"Optimus, you have to fight this thing." Steven replied. "Don't let this override your moral compass!" he urged.
Still held by Rhinox, Garnet and Pearl. He swivels his head, eyes glaring toward Cheetor and Steven for a moment and then the glow fades slightly. His voice softens as he pants "It's… too much… Can't… fight it…!" said Optimus.
Garnet then said, "This is gonna have to call for drastic measures!"
"Whoa!" Rattrap was confused and stunned. "Are you suggesting that we?"
"Yes!" Garnet nodded, "We might have to keep Optimus restrained."
"Garnet's right…." Optimus painted. "Disarm my weapons….LOCK ME UP!" he yelled with concern.
"We really don't have a choice!" said Lapis.
Cheetor gasped in shock as Optimus was sent to the holding cell. They looked at each other worriedly for a moment and had a solemn look on their faces.
Back at the Predacon base, we see Scorponok in his laboratory working on yet another experiment. Little did he know, Megatron was coming into the room and he crept up behind him.
"My Lord!" Scorponok gasped, as the jitters ran up his spine.
"Scorponok, yesss! I've been waiting for your report." Megatron said to him.
"I stuck it to Optimus, my lord!" replied Scorponok. "And good!"
"Excellent! And the Antivirus?" asked Megatron.
"Just one, like you said!" Scorponok pointed behind Megatron's shoulder.
Megatron turns around to see a high-tech electronic antiviral device standing on the pedestal. He chuckled evilly and said, "Ah, by now Optimus Primal has traded his, eh, courage for a nice cowardly yellow stripe, yessssss!" he mused. "But he will not want to stay that way, noooooo! So when he leads his misguided mechanoids and their Gem friends on a futile raid for this anti-virus, it will be their final battle….in the BEAST WARS!" he said.
We now find ourselves back at the Shadow Empire's flagship where Black Diamond watched on in mirth, he just laughed at both sides' expense.
"Oh this is so priceless!" he said, laughing with mirth and his soldiers all joined him in this and slapped each other on the back.
"Oh, Milord, this is truly a stroke of genius!" said a soldier.
"Yes I'm truly engrossed by this, your excellence!" said another soldier.
"Thank you, gentlemen." said Black Diamond, as he congratulated his minions.
Just then, the door opened up and revealed Tanzanite, walking in and she was in confusion. "What is going on here?" she asked.
They all turned around and spotted her, "Oh, my darling, we were just in laughter at the state things are in." said Black Diamond to his wife. "The Predacon called Scorponok attached a viral mine to Optimus Primal and it caused him to go berserk instead of a coward, but Megatron does not know that."
"Ohhhhhhhh." said Tanzanite. "Well, I'm not sure what to make of this situation." she said, folding her arms and sitting in her chair.
"You don't have to worry about that, my love." Black Diamond sat down next to his wife and comforted her. "Optimus doesn't know about us being in orbit around the Earth. So, we're safe up here."
Tanzanite looked at her husband and held him close to her and so the soldiers returned to their posts and one of them stayed to keep them updated on what was going on down below.
Inside the Maximal Base, we see Optimus struggling against the energy beams that acted as his cage, but then, Steven, Cheetor and Garnet all in the overlook room. Optimus saw them from the mirror in the window.
"WHAT DO YOU WANT!?" Optimus yelled, but then he took a few breaths. "Cheetor, Steven, Garnet…I'm sorry. It's hard to control!"
Steven was very concerned, "Garnet, I don't like the looks of this."
"I do sense his systems are spiraling out of their element." added Garnet.
"Is there any of the old Optimus left?" Cheetor asked solemnly.
Optimus, still feeling the effects of the virus said, "Yes…Some.." denoting that there was still some of the old him left, but was not sure how much at the same time.
"Optimus, don't let this thing beat you." Steven urged him, wanting him to fight on. "Don't let thing get out of control."
And yet, Optimus replied, "I don't…know…If I can…beat it!" he panted a little bit, "But…But I think I can….Adapt to it..Maybe hold this AGGRESSION down….Even use it….to our…advantage!"
Cheetor's eyes grew wide, "Really?" he asked himself, "I knew it! You hang too tough to be dropped by any techno-flu. Let's do it!" he said with determination.
Steven looked at him with his mouth agape. "You serious!?"
Garnet had a bad feeling about that, but went along with it.
Back at the Maximal Base Bridge, the others were thinking of what to do as they held court in the main hold and Rhinox asked, "What, are you sure?"
"What do you mean? Use this to our advantage?" Pearl asked.
"Yeah, that's a good question." replied Amethyst.
Dinobot then replied, "Optimus is a war machine!" he started off. "I say we point him in the right direction, give him full armament, then unleash him upon the Predacons." he formulated. "If we want the anti-virus, that is the only way to get it."
"Hey ey ey ey!" Rattrap halted it there for a nanocycle. "Normally, I would love to see the Preds get their little scheme tossed right back at 'em." he said.
"But there is one major problem you left out." Amethyst added.
"Oh, and what would that be?" asked Dinobot.
"Optimus would get blown to scrap, big problem." Rhinox replied.
"Yeah, very big problem." Pearl added.
Dinobot then replied, "Well, that depends on the viewpoint."
Amethyst got riled up at Dinobot, "Hey, you better watch yourself if you know what's good for ya."
Rattrap steps in between the two and says, "Hey, you two wanna fight, take it outside! I don't want this place getting more wrecked than it was before!"
"Oh sure, sorry." Amethyst whispered in a worried way.
"The point is, we have to find a way to get the cure!" said Pearl.
But then all heads turn as they hear, "Actually, that's not a bad idea." said Optimus, as he, Cheetor, Garnet and Steven who've just entered the room, the viral mine only a dull red. Everyone reacts defensively.
"Cheetor! What've ya done?" asked Rhinox.
Cheetor then said, "It's gonna be okay! Optimus's got it under his thumb. Tell'em, Big Bot!"
Optimus told them, as he was not completely convinced of his adapting training. "I...think I can do this. By channeling this new fighting instinct, we can storm their base! And with...your help, obtain the antivirus."
Steven added, "Yeah! Piece of basic programming." he said, using a phrase he learned from Cheetor.
Cheetor nodded, "We blast our way into Scorponok's lab for the anti-virus. All we want is to get Optimus back to normal."
And Garnet nodded, uneasily, "It is possible that it may very well work."
Everyone else all looked at each other in awkward ways and were unsure of what to do.
"Well, yes, that's true." Pearl said.
"Yeah, but what if he does go apeslag on us?" Rattrap asked.
"Fine by me." Dinobot muttered under his breath so no one could hear him.
"I'm not sure about that idea." Amethyst replied.
"Hey, they made me what I am today." Optimus said grimly, raising his forearm missile launcher "I figure it's time to say thank you." raises his fist, "Now Yah!" He fired his blaster at the ceiling.
Everybody gets out of the way and takes cover behind certain things. And as the alarm blared, Optimus raged, "Aaaargh! Stupid slagging circuit systems! SHUT UP!"
Cheetor gasped, as he and Steven ducked out of the way, Garnet hid with Rhinox.
Optimus blasts a few alarms, blowing the flashing light to bits, which sets off three flashing red lights and a different sounding noise. Optimus whirls around, blasting these alarms with crazed ferocity . It' s pandemonium as he continues shooting. The Maximals and Gems all end up taking cover as he yells to the others.
"I knew this was a bad idea." Steven said.
Garnet nodded, "As did I." she agreed with him.
"We have to stop him before he hurts himself." Rhinox urged.
"Him? Try us!" Rattrap countered.
Feeling annoyed by what Rattrap said, Rhinox, Garnet, Steven and Cheetor jump in to restrain him
"Keep his arm down!" shouted Cheetor.
"Watch that laser!" Steven replied.
Seeing them struggle to keep Optimus down, Rattrap, Pearl, Lapis and Amethyst run into the fray and help restrain him.
"Don't let him blow this up!" Garnet ordered them.
Rattrap, Pearl, Lapis and Amethyst struggled to keep him restrained, but were having trouble.
"You think we're not trying?" Rattrap remarked.
"This guy just won't lighten up!" Amethyst added.
Optimus then threw them all off like they were nothing and he panted as he got up to his feet. "You don't understand… It's just like what Dinobot said." he says to them, prompting Dinobot to shrug his shoulders hearing his words thrown back at him as Optimus backs his way to the hull door, opening it. "We gotta hit the Preds the only way they understand! Hard, fast, and right where it hurts!" he said, like a lunatic. "But if your caution circuits are overriding your courage, then smelt you all! I don't need you! I'll handle this myself!"
His mask formed and Rattrap gasped. And then *FAROOM* His shoulder jets activated, blasting him upward and away into the twilight sky.
"OPTIMUS!" Steven shouted, as he leapt forward, running to the hatch with Cheetor, Garnet and Pearl.
"He's gone!" said Pearl, feeling scared.
"Big Bot, No!" Cheetor said, feeling saddened.
After seeing this, they all spot Cheetor gearing up for war like a soldier going after someone who betrayed him.
"Whoa dude, what the hell are you doing?" Amethyst asked with concern.
"What does it look like?" Cheetor replied, charging his energy blaster.
"Cheetor, we know you're pissed about the whole situation" Pearl explained, "But this is not the way!"
"We've gotta back him up!" he yelled.
"Maybe you didn't listen to what Garnet said," Amethyst countered. "This is a doomed mission, there's not a single bit of reason or strategy, just blind anger!"
"Yeah, well maybe that's what we've been needing!" Cheetor said to her, "A little less brain and a little more guts!"
Dinobot then barged in and said, "No, Cheetor! We must try to think what Optimus…The OLD Optimus, would do!" he said.
"He might have a point!" Steven said.
Cheetor was confused, "And that would be what?"
"Negotiate." Garnet said, in Dinobot's stead, because he hates the word.
Inside the Predacon Base, Jasper and Terrorsaur were at the the area where a screen could be seen and Megatron and Scroponok both went over to that area too.
"Lord Megatron, we've got a Maximal beam transmission coming in," said Jasper.
Terrorsaur then added, "It's a little garbled by the Energon fields but…"
"Bring it up, yessss!" said Megatron.
And so, Terrorsaur pressed a button and Steven's voice could be heard. "Predacon Base, come in!" he said.
"Well well, Steven Universe, yess." said Megatron. "State your business."
Meanwhile, Steven and Cheetor were standing on the hill with Garnet, talking into the communicator. "Okay, I will, and I even brought Cheetor and Garnet with me."
"Yeah, now listen up you miswired metalheads!" said Cheetor. "You botched up your little attitude adjustment on Optimus!"
"Yes, instead of turning him into a coward, it made him a berserker!" Garnet said.
"Now, he's flaming towards you on the red-eye express and he's loaded for mainframe combat!" Steven added.
"So how about you fork over that Anti-Virus before you get vaporized, Megatron!?" Cheetor threatened the Predacon leader.
"I do appreciate your warning!" Megatron then replied. "But rest assured, any renegade Maximal who blunders into our base will not survive. Megatron out!" He then turned to Scorponok. "Incompetant bug!"
Megatron knocks Scorponok aside by kicking him with his foot.
Back on the hill, Steven, Garnet and Cheetor cursed themselves.
"Dammit!" said Steven, pounding his fist on the ground.
"Well? Any luck!" Rattrap asked.
"No, it didn't work!" said Steven.
"All we did was tip me off!" Cheetor complained.
"Oh great, now they're gonna be waiting for him." Amethyst groaned, turning to Dinobot. "You and your bright ideas!" she snarled, but then got whacked by Lapis.
"It would appear that only Optimus can truly think like Optimus." Dinobot stated. "As for the rest of us, we must now…Think on our own." he told them.
Outside the Predacon Base, Optimus charged at the base and he blasted his way into the ventilation shaft. Causing the Predacon Base's alarms to blare out of control.
"Report!" said Megatron, as he, Terrorsaur, Jasper and DarkFanger walked up to Blackarachnia.
"Three direct hits, our hull has been breached!" said Blackarachnia.
"Tarantulas, Spinitor, destroy the intruder!" Megatron ordered them.
Inside the vents, Spinotor and Tarantulas were both in robot mode and began aiming their weapons at Optimus, who just stomped towards them like a relentless maniac. Optimus marching in, stopping at a camera scanning. Behind him, they stealthily lower on a heavy web strand, the shoulder mounted missile launchers on Tarantulas power up.
"Hehehehe… Good night Optimus!" Tarantulas taunted, firing his weapon.
But, as the giant arrow zoomed at Optimus, he caught it with his one hand and Optimus sensed it, his primal instinct alerting him. As Tarantulas fires the missiles, Optimus keeps approaching. He pins Tarantulas to the wall with his own weapon. Next, he also threw Spinotor around like a sack of potatoes.
Blackarachnia shows Megatron an onscreen image of the advancing Optimus. Another monitor shows the Maximals outside, charging toward the base along with Steven and the others. "He's inside, and the other Maximals and the Gems are coming!"
"Take Jasper, Terrorsaur and DarkFanger and defend the perimeter." Megatron instructed the she-spider. "Aquamarine, Eyeball Ruby, Waspinator, stop Optimus now!"
"Wazzzpinator will get him!"
"Same to us!" said Aquamarine and Eyeball Ruby.
As they all looked around for him, but with no sign of him anywhere, they felt like they were in a thriller movie, as if they were being stalked.
*BLAM-BLAM-BLAM* Waspinator and the others look around and hear him roaring as they are blasted through the air and into a wall. "Oof!"
Optimus rises into the vent they are in, using his boosters, his lasers still smoking. Waspinator recovers, straining to stay aloft, firing missiles. And as the missiles detonate all around a hovering Optimus, jolting him back with every blast. But Optimus is relentless, braving through it all, using his swords to deflect them. Finally, he clobbers the hovering Waspinator backwards with an old-fashioned roundhouse right and he does the same thing to Eyeball Ruby and Aquamarine.
With the three of them down and out, Optimus moves away from three unconscious Predacons.
Outside the Predacon Base, the Predacons took to the defensive and the Maximals and Gems were on offense. They all toward it, transforming into Robot Mode and geared up.
But at that moment, Blackarachnia, DarkFanger, Jasper and Terrorsaur appear there and start blasting at the intruders. The Maximals and Gems dive for cover and fire back at them.
Cheetor dives, rolls, and comes up shooting, working his way closer to the hole that Optimus made. Steven fires at Jasper and Lapis fights DarkFanger this time, shaking things up.
Optimus hovers through the cavernous area, red eyes darting, looking through the distant passageway where Scorponok's huge lab can be seen on the other side, as Cheetor's voice echoes in his head. "Is there any of the old Optimus left?" He remembered hearing that. Optimus drifts toward the lab. And he also remembered what Steven said too, "Don't let it go, Optimus. Don't let this thing tweak you outta control." as he pushed on.
As he picks up speed, the red glow in his eyes starts to dim, some sanity returning to his face, "Cheetor… Steven." he panted.
Rising up from cover and cutting loose with a massive fusillade that sends Blackarachnia, DarkFanger, Jasper and Terrorsaur diving for cover, "Cheetor, Steven, let's go now!" Garnet urged them.
"Beast Mode!" Cheetor snarled and transformed back into his beast mode.
Steven, Garnet and Cheetor all charged into the vent and went down the path Optimus laid as they entered.
Inside Scorponok's laboratory, Optimus' boosters lift him, spiraling him upward past several ledges of science stations, the viral mine pulsing, surging, crackling as his eyes flare. He ceases his descent, turning toward Megatron, who stands sinisterly on his hover disk, holding the antivirus.
"Looking for this, perhaps?" Megatron asked, being coy.
Megatron and Optimus were now in a tense standoff.
"Gorilla Warfare suits you, yesss!" Megatron taunted. "The old Optimus Primal would've never made it this far, I'm impressed." he continued with his coy words.
"What… is it that you want?" Optimus demanded.
"Your allegiance in exchange for this antivirus, yessss." Megatron offered, hallowly.
"And… if I refuse?" Optimus asked.
"You cannot refuse, nooo! Not if you want to survive." Megatron sternly said. "The choice is yours, join me… or perish!"
Optimus began to feel the aggression flares, his eyes reddening even more, "Oh yes…. Then why not end this here and now, Megatron?!" With both hands, he rips the viral mine from his chest in a spray of energy! Megatron reacts in horror.
"YOU FOOL! You'll destroy us all!" Megatron said, frightened.
With his last reserves, he draws back his arm with the viral mine held like a football. "Just a little trick that I've learned from Steven and the Gems, Megatron." Optimus said, he hurled the ticking cyberbee forward. *SMACK* It landed against the fleeing Megatron's back, clamping right between his shoulder blades. Megatron REACTS, dropping the antivirus, scrabbling to reach the mine, but he cannot reach it at all.
"SCORPONOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!" Megatron yelled in a rage, as he stomped out of the laboratory.
Then, as if on cue, Cheetor rushed into the lab, transformed into robot mode and Steven and Garnet landed on their feet.
"Optimus!" Steven cried out.
"Spark… fading." said Optimus, as he felt his vital signs dropping.
Cheetor then grabbed the antivirus, "Hang on Big Bot, I got the antivirus right here!" he said, injecting Optimus with the Anti-Virus.
"Optimus, are you alright?" Garnet asked him.
"Yes, thanks to you all." Optimus said to them.
"Alright, it worked!" Steven whooped.
Cheetor nodded, "Alright, we're online! Let's bail before that thing blows!" he urged, allowing all of them to bolt out of there.
Meanwhile, Scorponok has been grabbed by a panicked Megatron, the viral mine ticking down on his back.
"Get this thing off of me! Now!" he panicked.
Scorponok fearfully rips the mine off, looking at it in horror. And then, he shoves it into a ventilation shaft. The mine tumbles down. Scorpinock and Megatron stare at each other for a beat as they start to race away from the area.
Outside the Predacon base, Rhinox, Dinobot, Rattrap, Amethyst, Pearl and Lapis sprint out, as the Maximals convert back into Beast Mode as they do so. They are followed by Steven, Garnet, Cheetor and Optimus, also transforming…
"Time to fade, heroes!" Cheetor shouted, as they all escaped.
The mine exploded, taking out a big chunk of the base, a column of fire shooting up into the night.
The Next Day, Optimus was in the medical bay and he woke up to the sight of Cheetor, Steven, Lapis and Garnet in there, seeing how things were with him.
"Bedside vigil, everyone?" Optimus asked, as he slowly lifted his head. "Not like you all.
Steven then spoke up and said, "We were all worried about you, Optimus."
Garnet nodded. "Indeed so." she said.
"Besides, it was empty without you." Lapis added.
"It's good to have ya back, Big Bot." Cheetor replied.
"Back home, or back to normal?" wondered Optimus.
"Both." Cheetor replied. "I don't ever want to go through that viral mine incident ever again."
Steven then added, "I don't think ANY of us do." he said, as they all exited. "Better let him rest a little more, before he gets on the battlefield again."
The lot of them nodded, leaving Optimus to rest, as he smiled and lay his head down.
To Be Continued…
(Jump by Van Halen continues.)
Me: Well, another chapter is in the bag, if I do say so myself.
The Amazing Ghost Musician: I agree, this had to be another chapter that we enjoyed typing. Am I right?
Me: Oh yeah! And boy oh boy, if you liked this, you should check out chapter 3 of Kamen Rider Crimzone.
The Amazing Ghost Musician: It's a really good story that a lot of you must check out, it'll be worth your time.
Me: Also, you won't believe this new show I have been watching. It's called, The Legend Of Vox Machina, a new hit on Prime Video from Amazon.
The Amazing Ghost Musician: Sounds like an interesting game, but I don't ever use Amazon for anything except for maybe buying stuff that's less expensive.
Me: Oh, it's not a game, it's a cartoon. Created by Matthew Mercer.
The Amazing Ghost Musician: Well whatever it is, I'm sure that I can find it online somewhere else without having to pay.
Me: Right. Also, that announcement I mentioned at the beginning of this chapter, I never got to it, did I?
The Amazing Ghost Musician: No you didn't, so why don't you just tell us now? Please!
Me: Okay, sure. It's like this. I have another story in mind, a new M rated one that revolves around everyones favorite lady in red from the computer game made by The Learning Company…..CARMEN SANDIEGO!
The Amazing Ghost Musician: Interesting!
Me: I know, right!? In fact, her games date all the way back to the late 1980's and all through the 90's.
The Amazing Ghost Musician: That would be worth playing, just as long as the game doesn't have any problems that would make the game suck.
Me: Well, they mostly have to do with helping with geography and history.
The Amazing Ghost Musician: But anyway, we should probably close out this chapter.
Me: Yeah, but in the next chapter, we're basing it on Steven Universe Future episode 7 and mixing it with Ultraman Tiga episode 2.
The Amazing Ghost Musician: The reason why we're doing this idea is because the next episode of Beast Wars is one that we absolutely hate, and we have good reason to hate it.
Me: Yeah, it seemed a little boring to me, so I figured I'd skip it.
The Amazing Ghost Musician: I hate it because the Maximals end up losing because of what Tarantulas made, forcing the Maximals to remain in beast mode and unable to fight back. Talk about a waste of an episode, right?
Me: Oh yeah. But anyway, you'll see what it's like soon.
The Amazing Ghost Musician: Until then, you all know the drill.
Both: SEE YA NEXT TIME!