Chapter Fifteen: Watch Out For Snakes

"What!? What do you mean you aren't allowed to see me anymore!?" Steven shouted into the phone.

"It's…exactly what it sounds like," Connie replied from the other end. "Mom didn't like that I always end up getting attacked by a monster when I hang out with you, so she put her foot down. I'm sorry, Steven, I tried to argue, but she just tunes everyone out when she gets like this. At least we can still talk over the phone, right?"

Steven slumped down on his bed. "Yeah, I guess. But why is she so upset? It's not like anybody got hurt! I mean, not only did we defeat a Predacon, but we brought back a long-lost Autobot artifact! That has to count for something!"

"No, unfortunately. All she can see is what could have happened, regardless of what did. She thinks keeping me here at the base will keep me out of danger."

"...Will it?" Steven asked.

"Probably, but there's still loads of dangerous things that can happen to me here," replied Connie, sighing. "I could get food poisoning, I could tumble down the stairs, something they're keeping locked up here could escape… So, what do you want to talk about? …Steven?"

Steven's mind was somewhere else after hearing just how much danger she was in. "Are you sure you're safe there, Connie?" he asked. "The way you're talking, it sounds like a deathtrap…"

"Oh, Steven, everywhere is a deathtrap if you're unlucky enough," she said. "But that's part of my point: when we were dealing with those Predacons, we got lucky. So why shouldn't we be allowed to hang out someplace marginally less dangerous if it won't make any difference in regards to our safety?"

It took Steven a good few moments to wrap his head around that one. "Um, okay. So, what do you want to talk about?"

"I dunno. How are things going with the Autobots?"

He got up from his bed, heading over to the Ark. "Same old, same old. Something's going on with the water supply in Beach City, so Mayor Dewey has them investigating." Ultra Magnus was hard at work in the control room, examining a sample of the contaminated water. "Hey Magnus, any luck?"

"Not just yet," he replied. "I haven't been able to determine the source of the contaminants, but whatever it is doesn't seem to be toxic. Dangerous to humans in large doses, of course, but not poison outright. I swear I've seen something like this before…"

"Best of luck to you." Steven then headed back inside. "So, that's going on. Anything new with you?"

Connie sighed. "I wish. Ever since that debacle with the Star Saber, Mom's made sure things are even more routine than usual." She was interrupted by the beeping of an alarm clock in the background. "Oh! Speaking of, it's time for violin practice. Sorry Steven, I wish we could chat some more, but I've gotta go."

"That's fine. I'll see–" With a click, Connie had hung up. "...you later." Steven placed his phone down, going over to the couch to mope. His life wasn't really that dangerous, was it? Sure, he was menaced by the occasional Predacon, but that didn't seem like a reason to ban Connie from ever seeing him again! Was there something else here he wasn't seeing?

"Girl troubles, eh?" said Sideswipe, his face sticking through the door. "Yup, I've been there a few times myself."

Steven jumped at the sudden intrusion. "Ah! Sideswipe? How long have you been there?"

"Long enough to hear all of that," he replied. "I wanted to check up on you a few hours ago, but I got stuck, and you were still asleep, and, well…" There was a brief awkward silence. "Anyway, don't take this sort of thing personally. Priyanka doesn't hate you, she just thinks you're a bad influence on her daughter."

That wasn't exactly much better. "Maybe I am," Steven mumbled. "I mean, every time she comes over here, we end up running for our lives from some kind of monster that wants us dead…including you. Even if it isn't my fault, I probably have the worst luck of anyone in Beach City."

Sideswipe shrugged as best he could in his current predicament. "Hey, I wouldn't go that far. You're not the one with your head currently stuck through a tiny door like a labrador trying to get through a cat flap. My advice? Just give her some time. I'm sure Priyanka will come around eventually. And once she does, this whole thing'll blow over, you'll see."

"I guess…" Steven proceeded to mope even further, laying back. While he wasn't unwilling to wait, not knowing how long it would take was the worst part. It could be two hours, two days, two months…and that was assuming Sideswipe was right. If Dr. Maheswaran was as stern as Connie said, it was entirely possible he'd never see her again.

Sideswipe could tell he needed some cheering up. "Hey, I know what'll pep ya up: fry bits! Why Don'tcha head on down and pick some up for us? I'd drive you there myself, but, uh…" His silence spoke for itself.

The thought of some perfectly-crisped fry bits admittedly lifted Steven's spirits, if only a small bit. "I could go for a snack," he said, getting to his feet. "It'll take my mind off things, at least. Be back in a big–good luck with your, uh, situation."

"I'll probably still be here when you get back," said Sideswipe. Without access to the door, Steven was forced to crawl through a window. Waving goodbye to his stuck friend, he made his way into the city. As he walked, his mind drifted back and forth between thinking Connie's mom was being unreasonable, and thinking that this was all his fault.

"Maybe if I can prove that Beach City is just as dangerous as the NEST base, she'll let us hang out again," he said to himself. "Or should I prove that it's way safer here?" He walked past a building under construction, damaged in a fight against a Predacon. "Hmm…that's gonna be a lot harder. I'll probably think of something on a full stomach."

A little while later, he had finally arrived at Fryman's. Thoughts of fry bits soon left his mind, however, when he saw some sort of commotion going on just outside. It looked to be a heated conversation between the Fryman patriarch and his eldest son, who was holding a stack of flyers under his arm. One of them had been plastered onto the restaurant's door, something his father wasn't too happy about.

As he got closer, Steven got a glimpse at what all the commotion was about. "Ronaldo, I've always appreciated your imagination, but this is where I draw the line," said Mr. Fryman. "These people come here to eat, not to engage in whatever fantasy you're peddling this time!"

"How can you call this a fantasy!? People's lives are at stake, not to mention our very way of life!" exclaimed Ronaldo. He then proceeded to climb atop a table, waving his flyers at the nearby patrons. "The signs are all around us! The end of the world is coming soon, unless we finally unite! We must come together and fend off this reptilian scourge once and for all!" The customers tried to ignore him, while a few in line slowly made their way off of the premises.

Somehow, Steven got the sneaking suspicion he wouldn't be getting his fry bits today. "Morning, Mr. Fryman," he said. "Ronaldo's up to his old tricks, huh?"

Mr. Fryman rested his head in his palm. "Unfortunately. With him, it seems like every week, there's a new crisis threatening to end the world. You'd think that never happening would make him realize eventually, but…" He sighed. "Do you think you could keep him occupied for a while? I can't run the restaurant and babysit him at the same time."

"Sure, my schedule's pretty clear," said Steven. He walked up to Ronaldo, too busy scaring away the customers to notice. "Ronaldo, hey. What's going on this time?"

He turned around, a manic look in his eyes that momentarily gave Steven pause. "Steven! Finally someone with sense!" He hopped off his perch, getting a bit too close for comfort. "Are you here to help shine the light of truth on the dark secrets plaguing our society?"

"...Yeah, that's right," he said. "But first, could you tell me exactly what it is you're shouting about? It sounds pretty important."

"Important doesn't even come close!" he said, shoving one of the flyers into Steven's hands. "I've been on their tail for months now, and they've finally gotten wise to me! They're always one step ahead, which is why we have to work together to overcome their insidious schemes!"

Rather than asking who he was talking about, Steven figured reading the flyer would shed some light on 'their' identity. It didn't. The background depicted a raised arm, around which a snake coiled. "'Fight Back! Only through truth can we banish the stranglehold on our humble town! Inquire with Ronaldo Fryman today, to become an official member of the Truth Seekers!'" he read. "Okay, but what is the threat?"

Ronaldo adjusted his glasses. "I'm glad you asked! You see, Steven, everything most people know about the world is a carefully-constructed lie meant to deceive the everyman, and prevent him from realizing the truth. And that truth…is that the world is really being controlled by an ancient secret society of snake-human hybrids who have existed since the dawn of human civilization!" Steven blinked. "They are known as…Cobra-La!"

"Cobra?" Steven said. "You mean those bad guys who went around causing trouble in the eighties? I thought they disbanded."

"They did…officially." Ronaldo began to pace. "However, while G.I. Joe may have defeated their terrorist cell, the true masterminds behind the movement remain in the shadows, plotting for a way to reclaim their former spot as world leaders. I've been tracking their movements for some time now, and they're finally onto me! Think about it: isn't it too much of a coincidence that our water supply is contaminated the same week I make a Yatter post exposing them?"

As much as Steven wanted to answer that no, it was just a coincidence, especially since they still didn't know what was wrong with the water, but he had seen far weirder things in his time. For all he knew, Cobra-La was right here in Beach City. "I think I saw that post," he said quietly. "So, how does poisoning our water help them conquer the world?"

"Short answer? It doesn't, they're just after me," Ronaldo responded. "Long answer? This is only the most recent in a campaign to terraform the Earth, making it inhospitable for human life. If their plan works, Cobra-La will cause the extinction of all mammals, and reptiles will dominate the world, just as it was in prehistoric times!"

"...So, Cobra-La is a bunch of reptiles?" asked Steven.

Ronaldo couldn't help shaking his head. "Steven, they're called Cobra-La. Of course they're reptiles. Sentient humanoid reptilians descended from dinosaurs, to be specific. Exact details of their endgame are still under wraps, but my best guess is that they intend to raise the global temperature significantly, to make the Earth more inhabitable for their cold-blooded ilk."

Cobra-La was shaping up to be a serious threat, no matter how holes there were in Ronaldo's explanation. "Sounds like things are pretty dangerous with them around," said Steven."

"Oh, apocalyptically so," said Ronaldo. "Unfortunately, none of the so-called 'experts' believed me when I brought this to their attention–further proof that the highest levels of our most trusted institutions have been compromised! Last time I look for information at the library… But I can't let that deter me! Someone has to stop them, and who better than me!?"

Ordinarily, Steven would have objected, but his mind was clouded at the time. "Yeah! I'll come too–if I can give Connie's mom proof that Cobra-La is real, then she'll have to let Connie hang out with me! After all, no sense protecting her if she's in danger no matter where she is, right?"

Ronaldo looked at him for a moment. "That's…questionable." He actually sounded a bit worried, but it soon vanished in place of enthusiasm. "But I'd be glad to have an Autobot's help! After all, they collaborated with G.I. Joe many times in the past, so essentially, you'll be up against your ancestral enemy."

"So where should we start?" asked Steven. "The water treatment plant's already been investigated plenty, so there's no point in checking there…"

"Ah, but we have a keen insight that others do not possess," Ronaldo said. "Where their eyes are clouded over by complacency and complicity, ours are honed by our desire to find the truth! In other words, any real clues can be found by us and only us! To the water treatment plant!"

"Well, here we are. The water treatment plant," Steven announced.

Just a little ways out of town, the water treatment plant was, as its name suggested, a plant where water was treated for the wider Delmarva area. Contaminants in the water supply should have been filtered out here, but for some reason weren't being. Seeing as nobody had been able to figure out why, it was obvious to Steven that Cobra-La was behind it.

The two of them stared up at the building. "I don't think they're gonna let us inside."

"Just as well," said Ronaldo. "I came prepared for just such an event!" He reached into his shirt, producing a vial of water. "Unfortunately, I haven't had the time to closely examine the contents, but it should give us an idea of how the non-contaminated water compares to the contaminated."

"Good thinking," Steven replied. "...So, uh, what's the plan?"

Ronaldo pushed up his glasses. "Simple: in order to locate the source of Cobra-La's machinations, we must follow the water itself. The first order of business should be to test the outgoing water from the plant." He pointed out a large pipe leading away. "This contains the water going towards Beach City. From what I have gathered from my time studying social media, Beach City is the only one affected by their poison. Because of that, we can assume that its source lies somewhere between here and there."

Flawless logic. "Sounds good, but how do we do that?" asked Steven.

He led him closer to the pipe. "We'll need to compare this water to that water. Try and find a leak, or crack, or any sort of structural breach. Given the nature of our enemy's plans, there has to be one somewhere around–"

Steven summoned his axe, driving it against the pipe's side. A spray of water shot out from the hole, arcing over them and creating a very localized downpour. He removed the weapon, looking at Ronaldo expectantly.

"...That works too," Ronaldo said. He produced another vial, this one empty, filling it up with the water spraying from the pipe. Holding the two vials side by side and examining them for a few moments, he soon came to a conclusion. "No contamination! The water here is perfectly clean!"

"Cobra-La must've struck closer to town," Steven surmised. "...Do you just carry around vials with you at all times, or is this a special occasion?"

Ronaldo poured out the clean water, pocketing both vials. "It never hurts to be prepared. Now, all we need to do is follow this pipe, and it should lead us to exactly where they're applying their poison. Be on your guard, as there's no telling what–"

"Hey, what do you kids think you're doing!?" The two of them jumped as a plant employee shouted, hurrying towards them.

"An agent of Cobra-La!" Ronaldo exclaimed fearfully. "Quickly, Steven, we must avoid brainwashing!" He sprinted away, his partner following behind. Luckily for them, he was more interested in dealing with the hole in the pipe than pursuing them.

The employee blocked the stream of water by reclining against it. "This is probably coming out of my paycheck," he lamented.

A few miles later, the duo were still following the pipe back towards Beach City. "...Hey, Ronaldo?" asked Steven. "Sorry if this is a personal question, but…do you have a girlfriend?"

"A man like me must maintain as few relationships as possible, lest my friends and family become targeted by my enemies," he replied. "That said, I have watched a great many romance anime in my pursuit of the truth. I should be able to answer your question with reasonable accuracy."

Steven thought for a moment, trying to figure out the best way to phrase his query. "So…there's this girl. I don't think she's officially my girlfriend, or even unofficially my girlfriend, but I really like spending time with her. And I'm pretty sure she feels the same way. But, her mom doesn't think I'm the best influence on her, whatever that means. What do you think I should do?"

Ronaldo was silent for a moment as he thought. "This sounds to me like a classic case of forbidden love. Two lovers destined to be together, but kept apart by their disapproving parents."

"Actually, my dad doesn't have a problem with–" Steven tried, but Ronaldo paid him no mind.

"In my experience, such affairs can only end in tragedy. More often than not, pursuit of this love will lead to destruction for both parties involved. It's as the saying goes: the faster you chase the forbidden fruit, the further away it becomes."

Steven was fairly certain that wasn't an old saying. "So, you're saying I should stop trying to see Connie?" he asked.

"Not at all! If this truly is love, then it must be pursued at all costs! But if you'd rather it didn't end in tragedy, I would recommend taking this up with her parents directly. Un-forbidding this romance would probably be the best way to make it less dangerous."

"Dangerous…yeah, that's part of the problem," Steven mumbled, sitting down on the pipe. "Maybe I'm going about this wrong. I mean, if the world was really so dangerous, why would the Autobots bother protecting people? And yet they're out there every day, fighting Predacons and retrieving artifacts. Ultra Magnus was even looking into Cobra-La's poison…wait a minute…"

Ronaldo turned to him, having seated himself beside him on the pipe. "What's the matter? Have you had a life-changing realization?"

"No, it's just…if Magnus fought Cobra before, why wouldn't he recognize one of their schemes now?" Steven pondered. "He did say it looked familiar…"

"Unfortunately, Steven, Cobra-La is far more insidious and secretive than even G.I. Joe or the Autobots realize. Cobra was merely one of their many arms, doing their bidding out in the open while they pulled the strings from the shadows. We shouldn't look down on others for their ignorance, tempting though it may be–it is the duty of people like us, who can see through these lies, to bring the truth to light for the sake of the rest of the world."

Once again, he was making a lot of sense, but Steven was still worried. "Maybe. I just hope that everything turns out fine when we–" He was interrupted as a loud bang came from the inside of the pipe they were sitting on, causing both of them to leap up. "What is that!?"

The banging continued, evidently from something pounding against the inside. Whatever it was continued for a moment, before traveling down the length of the pipe. "That must be Cobra-La's genetically modified snake beast that's been poisoning the water supply!" shouted Ronaldo. He took off, following the rumbling sound down the pipe.

"Hold on, wait for me!" said Steven, chasing after him.

"No time! Every second we delay, we're playing right into Cobra-La's hands!" Ronaldo paid no mind to his surroundings as he pursued the sounds, blindly following along as the pipe ran along the hillside. He was so focused on chasing it that he didn't notice that the pipe went down a dropoff just a few feet ahead of him.

Steven did notice it. "Ronaldo, wait!" He charged forward, tackling him to the ground moments before he could step off the cliff. The source of the noise continued along, leaving the pair behind as it headed towards the city.

Despite his life just being saved, Ronaldo wasn't happy. "No! We were so close, and it slipped through our fingers!" He angrily turned to his partner. "Whose side are you on!?"

"I'm on the side of you not falling off a cliff!" Steven replied. "We can't exactly save the world from Cobra-La if you break your arm, or worse!" However, Ronaldo was no longer paying attention, looking down to the bottom of the cliff. "Did you even hear me?"

"There's no time for idle chatter, Steven," he said, his previous anger having suddenly disappeared. "Every second we wait is another second Cobra-La digs their heels in further. We can't give them that chance!" Sitting down on the edge, he slid down the cliffside, tumbling over himself when he reached the bottom. Undeterred in the slightest, he got back up, much to Steven's relief–and then ran off down the pipe, much to Steven's irritation.

Sighing, Steven slid down as well, following after his 'leader.' Clearly, Ronaldo didn't care about his own wellbeing in the slightest, only in pursuing this (highly dangerous) threat. Was this how Connie's mom felt, worrying about her and Steven's safety. But Connie and Steven didn't just blindly rush into their adventures, did they?

…Did they?

"After some careful deliberation…I can say with near-certainty that Cobra-La's bioweapon has passed through this area!" Ronaldo held two vials of water, both of which had been turned brown by an unknown contaminant.

Steven glanced between the near-identical vials. "Uh…good job." Their path had led them to the edge of town. This meant that, in addition to the pipe disappearing underground, the weapon had finally made its way into a populated area. "But how are we gonna stop this thing?"

"Easy: despite its larger size and enhanced poison, a snake is still a snake. It stands to reason that it would still be cold-blooded, thus vulnerable to lower temperatures." Ronaldo struck a pose, pointing towards the city. "We must freeze it!"

"Good thinking, but, again, how?" asked Steven. "Unless you have a giant freezer, I don't think we have anything big enough to…actually, maybe Fish Stew Pizza has one. We could try luring it in there. Or better yet, I could see if the Autobots have a freeze ray we could use!"

Ronaldo struck his triumphant pose again. "No need! As always, I prepared long in advance, knowing this day would one day come. First, we'll need to procure the liquid nitrogen that I stashed under the dumpster at our restaurant. Follow me!"

The two of them headed in the direction of Fryman's. "Pretty smart of you to have some liquid nitrogen prepared for–" Steven went silent as the full meaning of those words sank in. "Hang on…you have a tank of liquid nitrogen? That you keep underneath a dumpster? For the express purpose of fighting Cobra-La!?"

"Yeah. What's your point?" asked Ronaldo, not even looking back.

Steven blinked. "I dunno. I guess that sort of thing seems kind of…irresponsible and dangerous. Like something you should leave to the professionals."

"Steven, we've been over this," said Ronaldo, sounding slightly exasperated. "Cobra-La controls the professionals at the highest level. It's up to the little people like us to fight for our freedom when it's threatened. You think it isn't dangerous when you go with the Autobots on your missions?"

He had a point. "I…guess so."

"Well then, that's exactly what's happening here." The pair of them had returned to Fryman's, heading around back. "Heroes need to do dangerous things in order to save the day." Ronaldo pushed the dumpster aside, revealing a green canister placed in a paper bag far smaller than it. This was apparently his idea of keeping it hidden.

"That's a fair point, but we're usually careful when we go on missions," said Steven. "If this is the only way to stop Cobra-La, shouldn't we at least take the necessary precautions?"

Ronaldo hoisted the canister over his shoulder, completely gloveless, holding it by the valve. "Steven, I'm always cautious. Now, our best way to flush out this thing is to freeze the water supply. Help me dump this into the sewer."

Once again, Steven objected, but at least this time he had a reason Ronaldo could understand. "Freeze the entire town's water with just one container? That'd never work. We're going to have to lure it out first."

"Good thinking. I'll scout out the ideal location to spring our trap, while you go and order a giant, genetically-modified gerbil over the internet. Come find me once it's delivered." Ronaldo then walked away, dragging the canister along the ground. Steven could only stare, his mouth hanging open.

"Hey, welcome back," said Sideswipe, hearing Steven's footsteps. His head was still stuck in the doorframe. "Uh, I'm not smelling any fast food. They outta the bits or something?"

"No, it's not that." A morose Steven sat down on the porch. "Hey, Sideswipe?"

"Yeah?"

"Does Ultra Magnus ever ground you? Like, make you stay home while they go on missions?"

"Oh, all the time," he replied. "Y'know, Optimus got on my case a few times, too. It was always stuff like 'Sideswipe, you're too injured to fight effectively.' 'Sideswipe, you've got to stop blindly rushing ahead.' 'Sideswipe, apologize to the foreign diplomat before you start an international incident.' Stuff like that."

Steven made a mental note to get someone to tell him that story sometime. "And whenever that happened, did they ever tell you that it was for your own good?"

"Yeah, but only because it was," said Sideswipe. "Look, I'll be the first person to admit I'm a loose cannon who doesn't like being put on a leash. But as much as Magnus can be a hardplate about that stuff, he only does it because he doesn't want us getting hurt. Same with your dad. I'd always get upset about it at the time, but looking back, I can tell that they were worried about me." He shifted slightly, turning his head as best he could. "Why do you ask? This is about Connie, isn't it?"

"No, it's…yes," Steven said, sighing. "I thought that if I proved to Mrs. Maheswaran that it was just as dangerous for Connie with her as she was with me, she'd have to let her come here. But now that I think about it, that's just…crazy. I mean, if someone you cared about was in danger, you'd want to be as close to them as possible, right?"

"Steven, I've broken more hearts in my time than an inept surgeon, so I'm probably not the person to go to about love. But I can tell you that when you love someone, you want what's best for them. And sometimes, that means you want to make choices for them, even if it's not the choice they want you to make. …I'm sorry, does that sound weird? That probably sounds weird."

"A little bit, but I think I understand," he replied. "Mrs. Maheswaran is putting her foot down, for Connie's own good. And now I've got to put my foot down, for Ronaldo's own good! We'll have to find some other way to beat Cobra-La!"

"Cobra-La? What are you talking about?" said Sideswipe. "We beat those guys in the eighties. They're long gone."

Steven looked over at him. "I remember you teamed up with G.I. Joe to beat Cobra, but Cobra-La is different. They're an ancient secret society–"

"-that wanted to control the world, and used Cobra as a front to do so, I know," Sideswipe finished. "Like I said, we defeated them."

This revelation caused Steven to freeze in place for a moment, trying to reconcile it with the new information he had learned. "But…but Ronaldo says that they're lurking in the shadows, waiting to reclaim their spot as rulers of the world." Surely Ronaldo wouldn't have lied to him, would he?

"Yeah, well, Ronaldo also says that the government spies on people using pigeons," added Sideswipe. "Who are you gonna believe? Someone who believes in pigeon-spies, or someone who was actually there when it happened?"

Suddenly, everything Ronaldo had said about Cobra-La came crumbling down. Every point Steven should have second-guessed suddenly became clear. "You mean…he's not an expert?"

If Steven could have seen Sideswipe's face, he would have seen him rolling his optics. "Nobody's ever accused Ronaldo of being an expert on anything. Except maybe anime, or whatever. But no, he has no idea what he's talking about. Cobra-La is long gone, pigeons aren't government spies, and I'm pretty sure the moon landing wasn't faked on Venus."

But if Ronaldo was wrong about Cobra-La… "I've gotta go!" cried Steven, rushing back into the city. "Thanks for the help, but I have to hurry before Ronaldo hurts himself, or anyone else!"

"Wait, Steven! Don't just rush in, or you're the one who's gonna get hurt!" Sideswipe called after him. "...Great, now I'm doing it! Magnus? Magnus, can you handle this? I'm a bit busy…"

"Ronaldo, Ronaldo, where are you?" Steven muttered, starting his search at Fryman's. In hindsight, Ronaldo's plan to lure the giant snake out with an equally-giant hamster and then freeze it with nitrogen had a few holes. Namely, he hadn't given Steven a meeting spot. "I've gotta stop you before you freeze the whole town!"

Unfortunately, Ronaldo hadn't left any traces: no drag marks from the canister, no patches of ice, nothing. Steven figured he would head to somewhere relating to water, but that didn't narrow it down in the slightest. He had to have left some kind of clue…

"Let's see, if I was Ronaldo, where would I go?" Steven wondered to himself. "Well, after I posted it online, I'd–" He gasped. "I'd post it online! That's it!" Steven quickly pulled out his phone, opened Yatter, and looked at the newest posts.

Sure enough, Ronaldo had made one just a few minutes ago. It was a picture of him beside a drainage pipe leading out to the ocean, posing next to his canister of nitrogen. Steven himself had been tagged, as had Cobra-La and several other unrelated concepts that seemingly only tied together in his mind. Regardless, Steven now had his destination.

He recognized that pipe: it was just north of the Ark and outside of town. Steven raced over there, hoping to reach him before it was too late. He reached the beach in no time, seeing the shape of his friend coming into view. "Ronaldo! Ronaldo, wait!" he shouted.

"Oh, good, you saw my post!" Ronaldo said. "Did you get the genetically-engineered gerbil yet? Nevermind, there's no time." He turned to face the pipe. "I have managed to determine that all water that comes through Beach City eventually ends up coming out of here. Cobra-La's creature will no doubt come through here in no time!"

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that," Steven said. "Are you sure handling this on our own is the best idea? I mean, if this is really a creature created by Cobra-La, shouldn't we get backup from the Autobots instead of running in with no plan and a bottle of liquid nitrogen?"

Ronaldo smiled a self-confident smile. "Let me guess: the Autobots told you that Cobra-La was nothing more than a myth, and we shouldn't concern ourselves with such fairy tales?"

"...No, Sideswipe actually said that they were real. But he also said that they were defeated back in the eighties. Is it possible you're just…getting yourself worked up over nothing?"

His question was met with a scoff. "Steven, that's what Cobra-La wants you to think. You don't think it's a little suspicious that this ancient, all-powerful conspiracy was bested so easily? Have you not considered that they simply allowed their enemies to believe they were bested? How else do you explain their continued machinations!?"

Steven blinked, again. "If they're so powerful, why haven't they stopped you yet? You seem to be the only one who's onto them."

"Obviously, they're so self-assured in their total control over the world's populace that they don't see me as enough of a threat to deal with directly. Hence why they opted for sending one of their mutants after me rather than their usual strategy of human-snake-crab hybrids."

For the third time that day, Steven could only blink in response.

"Cobra-La is far too insidious of an opponent to be taken lightly. That's why I'm the only one who can defeat them: because I'm the only one who doesn't take them lightly! Come on, Steven, I know you're smart enough to see it too!"

"I'm smart enough to see that, Cobra-La or not, you're gonna get yourself hurt!" Steven shouted. "And even as weird and occasionally obnoxious as you are, you're still my friend, and I don't want that to happen to you! Please, just put down the nitrogen, and let's go home, and leave this to the Autobots. If I tell them there's something wrong, they'll listen to me."

It almost seemed like Ronaldo was going to listen to him. He was silent for a moment, clearly contemplating the thought. However, any revelation he may have had was cut short by a rumbling coming from deep within the pipe. "It's here!" he shouted, quickly turning away from Steven. "Quickly, to positions!"

In a surprising burst of speed and strength, Ronaldo hoisted the canister over his shoulder and hauled it atop the pipe. He lifted it over his head, preparing to toss it down at whatever came out. Steven hadn't moved in that time, both confused and surprised.

"Don't just stand there, Steven!" he shouted. "It's coming! Get ready!"

"Get ready to do what?" Steven shouted back, unprepared to be thrust into action so suddenly. After floundering for a moment, he eventually settled on sidling up beside the pipe, reasoning it was the safest place to be when whatever was in there emerged. Hopefully, he would be able to follow up once Ronaldo had frozen it.

The banging and rumbling grew louder and louder, as whatever abomination Cobra-La had sent after them–but probably not–grew closer and closer. Sweat dripped down both of their foreheads as they waited for it to arrive. "Hooold…hooooooold…" Ronaldo whispered.

In a surge of contaminated water, a massive collection of rust shot out of the pipe. It hung in the air in a cloud, before it became apparent that there was something within the cloud of rust. A writhing shape, seemingly itself made out of rust, flailed in the water it had emerged into. It appeared to be serpentine in form.

"The mighty rust snake is upon us! Now is the time of reckoning!" shouted Ronaldo. With every ounce of his strength, he threw the canister at the beast's coils, where it predictably landed with a thud, none of the liquid nitrogen spraying out. "Our attacks are futile! They planned for everything!"

Before Steven could reprimand Ronaldo, the rust-stained creature began to chance. The reddish substance sloughed off its form like a snake shedding its scales as it grew ever so slightly in size. The rust gave way to dark blue metallic armor, and several pointed legs emerged from its size. A massive set of claws emerged from its front. Its tail arched over its back, a stinger appearing at the end. Far from a snake, this beast was a scorpion–and no ordinary scorpion…

"A Predacon!" shouted Steven. "Ronaldo, quick, get to safety!"

"No way!" he responded. "Stopping Cobra-La is my responsibility! It doesn't matter if their snake monster mutated thanks to its scorpion genes, I won't let them brainwash the rest of my town!" He leapt down off the pipe, falling flat on his face. Despite this, he was back on his feet in no time. "Ultra spinning kick!"

He delivered the attack in question, which had absolutely no effect on the Predacon. All it did was get its attention, turning around to face him. He stared up at its multiple eyes as its mandibles snapped, unfazed in the slightest. He didn't even react when its tail raised, prepared to run him through.

Steven launched into action, tackling Ronaldo out of the way as the scorpion's stinger pierced into the sand. "What are you thinking!?" he yelled, further pulling him away. "You can't fight something like that! You have to hide!"

"I appreciate your concern for my safety, but this is my fight!" Ronaldo replied. "I'm the only one who understands the threat Cobra-La poses!"

"Cobra-La isn't real!" Steven yelled. But in his momentary lapse of attention, the scorpion knocked him down with one of its pincers. He looked up to see Ronaldo standing up to face the beast, unable to accept that the matchup heavily favored the Predacon.

His mind racing, Steven's eyes darted around the field to try and find something, anything, he could use to save his friend. Ronaldo was preparing for a crane kick, the scorpion had its tail ready to strike, it was standing atop the canister–the canister! Hoping his powers wouldn't fail him when he needed them most, Steven extended his arm.

A blaster emerged from Steven's hand, letting loose a shot. The blast sailed through the air, colliding with the canister and causing it to burst. The scorpion screeched as it was covered in liquid nitrogen, ice forming along its carapace. Steven took this moment to grab onto Ronaldo, and pull him into the drainpipe in relative safety.

After overcoming his initial shock, Ronaldo started fighting against Steven's grip. "Wait! This is my fight! Stop oppressing me!"

In response to this, Steven pulled Ronaldo back, pressing him against the edge of the pipe. "No, you stop trying to get yourself killed! Exactly what part of you sees a giant robot scorpion, and thinks you can fight it off with your bare hands!"

"My bare hands are deadly weapons!" Ronaldo claimed proudly. "I've spent many grueling hours training in the ancient art of–"

"That doesn't matter!" Steven shouted. "Why does this always have to be your story!? You're the only one who knows about Cobra-La! You're the only one who can stop their plans! You're the only one who can fight that thing!"

"I know–it's a burden I must carry," said Ronaldo, completely missing Steven's point. "I'm the only one who can save Beach City from that–"

As if on cue, the scorpion angrily slammed against the pipe, reaching its claws in to try and grab the pair. Instinctively, they retreated further in–it seemed that, now that it was fully formed, it couldn't quite fit. "And who exactly is gonna save you?" asked Steven, gesturing to the hissing arachnid. "What'll happen to Peedee and your dad if you get hurt?"

Ronaldo stared at the Predacon, then back to Steven, and his look of determination softened. "...You're right. I got so caught up in my duties, I forgot all about the obligations I have to my family. But if I don't stop Cobra-La…who will?"

The (relative) silence was shattered when a collection of explosives went off just outside the pipe, directly on the scorpion. It screeched and pulled back, another larger threat having just come into view. "I'd know the sounds of those missiles anywhere–Magnus is here!" Steven announced excitedly.

Through the opening, they could only see parts of the fight, though they could clearly hear the sounds of metal banging and the Predacon screeching. "Hold on in there!" called Magnus. "Help has arrived!" The battle went on for a little longer, before it finally went silent outside. Magnus peered in at the pair, victorious. "Are you two alright?" he asked.

"Yeah, thanks to you!" said Steven, hurrying out to greet him. "But, how'd you know we were here?"

"Sideswipe said you were trying to solve the mystery of 'Cobra-La,'" Magnus said. "I detected a Predacon signature in the area instead, and deduced that the two were related." He peered back into the pipe. "Its spark must have entered the water supply, only to find it was in too small of an area to reformat itself. So, I suppose you did solve a mystery in the end–not that I'm too happy about how you went about it."

Steven chuckled guiltily. "I take it you're mad at me, but it's for my own good?"

"Well, yes, but I'm more angry with this one." He turned to Ronaldo. "What exactly was going through your mind that you thought going after a Predacon by yourself was a good idea?"

"Isn't the duty of all heroes to charge into action, regardless of the consequences?" he asked. "If not me, who is there to protect this humble town from the injustice of Cobra-La!?"

Both Steven and Magnus stared at him as he posed. "I…won't even bother responding to that," said the latter. "More importantly, the Predacon burrowed into the sand before I could secure it, meaning the area isn't safe." He transformed into his altmode, opening his doors. "Hop in so I can escort you both home."

Steven climbed in, but Ronaldo did not. "Give up? Now? But I've only just learned that Cobra-La has the ability to harness Predacons for their insidious schemes! I must get this information to the masses: to the forums!" With that, he darted away back into town.

"Wait, kid, don't…and he's gone," Magnus said with a sigh. "If he ends up being eaten by a scorpion, I'm telling his father it was his own fault."

"That's Ronaldo for you: once he gets an idea in his head, there's just no convincing him otherwise," Steven said with a slight laugh.

Magnus started driving back towards the Ark. "About that. I'm not sure I want you hanging out with that kid anymore…"

"How exactly do you keep getting yourself into these situations?" said a confused, and slightly amused, Elita-1.

Sideswipe's head was still stuck in the door to Steven's house. "Honestly, El, if I knew, it wouldn't keep happening."

Magnus drove back up, transforming as Steven hopped out. "That was fast," Elita noted. "Brought us back a corrupted spark already?"

"Not this time," Magnus said. "There's a Predacon still roaming the beach somewhere. I managed to do some damage, so it shouldn't surface for a while, but we'll still need to be on our guards. That includes you, Steven."

He saluted. "You got it! …But, uh, there's something I need to do first." He crawled back in through the window, heading up to his bed.

"Hey, you solve your lady problem yet?" asked Sideswipe.

"Not yet–but hopefully in a minute." Sitting down, Steven pressed the contact on his phone, listening as it rang. He hoped that Dr. Maheswaran's forbidding of him didn't include monitoring her daughter's phone.

Thankfully, she soon picked up. "Steven!" Connie said happily. "Sorry for running off on you earlier. Like I said, Mom's got my schedule packed now. But I think if I play my cards right, I might be able to sneak out sometime. What do you say? Wanna hang out sometime?"

He was quiet for a while. "Um…I do, but I don't…think we should," he said eventually. "Your mom, I know it seems like she's being unfair, but…a friend of mine told me that when you care about someone, you end up making choices for them. She just wants you to be safe."

"I mean, sure, that's a fair point, but what about what I want?" said Connie. "Not that I'm saying I'll force you to hang out with me, it's just…"

"No, no, I get it, it's nothing like that!" Steven assured her. "I think for now, we should do what she says. If she knows you're safe, I know she'll let us see each other again. Because when you care about someone, you want them to be happy."

Connie took a moment to take this in. "Yeah, I think I get it. So, uh…until then, maybe we can video-chat?"

"Oh, I don't think my phone can do those," Steven said sadly. "But, maybe the Autobots will let me use Teletraan to see you! They contact the NEST base all the time!"

"I like that idea," said Connie. "Let's do it!" Steven hopped up from his bed, hurrying onto the Ark.