Chapter 59: The Return of Stretch Monster:
Steel's POV:
Remember when I was trying to convince the director to give me a job? Well...
"But I think Arashi would be a great addition to the team," I said, "he has a giant robotic liger... that I really wanna ride!"
"You and Roadblock didn't join just like that, Steel," the Director says, "besides, we're not even sure he wants in."
"That's... a very good point."
"Look, as much as I would like to have a... what did he call it?"
"A Zoid."
"As much as I would like to have a zoid on our side, this still takes time, and we can't force him."
"You have a point, Sir."
The Director then gets something on his computer. "Go get the others, Agent Steel. You guys got a mission."
. . .
We were all at the jet.
"Listen up," he says, "you're all needed in Africa. Apparently, something strange is going on there."
"When does anything normal ever happen," asks Miko.
"You want in, Arashi," asks Steel.
"Might as well," says Arashi, "I'd get bored here."
. . .
We arrived in Africa. It was a nice place.
"Okay, Team," I said, "let's keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary..."
Then we got attacked by a tiger with wings like a hawk.
"I'm taking a wild guess," says Miko, "but I think that might be what we're here for."
The weird tiger then attacked us. I then transformed and fought back. The weird tiger then flew off.
"What was that," asks Miko, "some kind of tigerhawk?"
"Who could make that thing," asks Raf.
"Maybe it was that Dr. Animo guy I heard about," says Roadblock.
"No, I think S.H.I.E.L.D.'s still dealing with him," says Jack, "we better find out what else this place got. Split up."
. . .
Roadblock, Arashi, and I arrived in a village. We checked with a villager.
"Welcome," the villager says, "I am Bogani."
"Name's Roadblock. This is Arashi and Steel."
"Are you a robot."
"I'm complicated," I said.
"You know what's going on," I asked.
"You mean the demons. We don't know where they came from. There are three. One, a tiger with the wings of a hawk, another, a wolf with the wings of an eagle, and the third one, a scorpion with a cobra for a tail."
"Those would make awesome Maximals," I said, "well, the first two at least."
"I'm not sure they are demons," says Roadblock.
"You sure," asks Arashi, "I mean maybe Metlar's behind it."
The villagers react in shock.
"Forgive me," says Bogani, "but we would ask that you do not speak that name. His name has been feared in many different countries. That is why we just call him 'The Inhumanoid'."
"OOOoookkkaaayyy," I said, "but how bad could he be?"
"Have you heard of the Eight Demon Sorcerers," says Bogani, "they shared the world, the Inhumanoid took over the entire world himself. To this day, we do not know how he was defeated."
"Well, thanks for the info," says Arashi as we walk away.
"I thought there were nine," one villager says.
"No, I'm pretty sure it was eight," says Bogani.
Jack's POV:
Miko, Raf, and I were at what looked like a giant grave.
"This was where the legendary Autobot, Silverbolt was buried," says Raf.
"Yeah, he was one of the only Autobots that can fly," says Miko.
Then something came. It was a wolf with eagle wings.
"Hey, that thing is on Silverbolt's grave," says Miko.
Raf activates his Maximal powers as the wolf-eagle attacks us. Raf fights back. The wolf-eagle then tries to scratch Raf, but an energy shield comes out of nowhere. It's like Captain America's shield but made out of green energy.
"That's new," says Raf.
The shield scares the wolf-spider off.
"Yeah, you better run," says Miko. We then look and see a gorilla.
"Guess he saw the whole thing," I said.
Dr. Robertson's POV:
I was checking an area with Twilight and Brightmore.
"So far, everything seems normal," says Brightmore.
"Hey look, a zebra," says Twilight.
The zebra approaches us.
"Hello there," I said.
The zebra then runs off. We look and see the cause. A scorpion with a cobra for a tail.
"It's like it has two heads," says Twilight.
It was going to attack us, but...
"Well, I say - Anglah Clustah Haaartl," says Brightmore. Angler scares the creature off.
"We better regroup with the others," I said.
Steel's POV:
We all met up. Roadblock tells everyone what Bogani told us.
"I don't think those are demons," says Jack, "if they were, they'd have won those fights. I think it's something else."
Twilight then looks.
"It's the zebra. She wants us to follow her."
So, we follow the zebra.
. . .
The zebra leads us to a cave.
"Is this where they sleep," asks Miko.
We enter the cave and see a secret lab.
"What batty dude would have a secret base in a lab," asks Miko.
"Let me give you a hint," says a way too familiar voice.
"Rook," says Dr. Robertson, "what are you doing here?"
"Working on my experiments and please..." Rook changes. "...call me Stretch Monster!" Stretch Monster's pets then show up. "Beautiful, aren't they? I've been working on a new experiment. Combining animals. Imagine what I can do with them. I think I know the first thing. It's feeding time."
Then a gorilla shows up and defends us.
"I was gonna do that," I said.
"Nice one," says Miko.
"Y'know," says Raf, "he kind of reminds me of Optimus."
"That gives me a good idea," says Miko," from now on, you are Optimus Primal!"
"Roohk's getting awah," says Brightmore.
I then turned to my beast mode and went after him. But he got away.
. . .
"Now that we know the truth," says Bogani, "we will try to help these poor creatures. Thank you, but I have one question. Who the heck are you guys? Some kind of superhero team?"
"Just some average Joes," says Roadblock.
. . .
We were headed for the jet. Arashi was looking back.
"Are you okay," I asked.
"I just hope the animals will be okay," says Arashi.
"I'm sure they'll be fine," I said.
In the next chapter, Raf and Steel will switch bodies. Also, did you notice the Beast Wars references?