"We're supposed to be at a rock concert, but all I see is rock!" Miko complained. She, Jack, and Elsa were waiting for Arcee and Bulkhead at an old Energon mine. "Relax, Miko, the show doesn't start for two hours." Jack said.
"Do either of you know how long I've been waiting to see slash monkey?" Miko asked. "58 years?" Elsa playfully guessed. "Forever! And it's their only U.S. date!" Miko corrected a bit harshly. "Well, there's a shock. I mean, who doesn't love Bulgarian shriek metal?" Jack asked.
They heard loud footsteps, which indicated Bulkhead and Arcee were coming out. "By all appearances, the mine's been stripped." Arcee said. "But, I'm getting a signal. It's faint. But, it's definitely Energon." Bulkhead said. "Whoa." Miko whispered.
"Doesn't make sense. This operation has been abandoned four, maybe five years. And Decepticons never leave Energon behind." Arcee said. "Uh, Bulkhead, Arcee?" Elsa said. They turned to her, and she pointed at the stripped Energon mine. "Cool!" Miko shouted as she ran further into the Energon mine.
"She went in. Unbelievable." Arcee said. "Really? Have you met her?" Jack asked. "Oh, Miko, get back here!" Bulkhead said and ran into the mine. "Could we see it if it was -" Elsa started. "Safe? Kid, a stripped mune can be structurally unstable." Arcee said. "We promise to step lightly." Jack said.
"Just don't tell your mom." Arcee said finally. The 3 of them journeyed deep into the Energon mine.
Above that mine, Lord Megatron and the so-called Commander Starscream transformed and landed at the entrance. "Lord Megatron, far be it from me to question your intentions, but I do not understand why we've returned here after all this time, alone?" Starscream asked. Megatron strutted towards the cave entrance.
"Every last trace of Energon was extracted from this mine. There's nothing left." Starscream continued. "Indulge me, Starscream. Won't you?" Megatron asked. Starscream nervously followed.
"Miko?" Bulkhead called. He was much deeper into the mine. "Mi -" Suddenly, Miko appeared from behind a rock. "Check it out! Now, this would make an awesome rehearsal space!" She said excited.
"HELLO! HELLO CLEVELAND! ARE YOU READY TO ROCK?!" She screamed, her voice echoing off the mine walls. She cheered. "Arcee, found something." Bulkhead said into his comms.
"Bulkhead? Bulkhead, do you read?" Arcee asked, but only heard static. The mine was cutting off signal. "Scrap. The mineral composition down here is causing interference." She said. "Is that a bad thing?" Elsa asked. "At times, yes." Arcee said.
"Okay, maybe the acoustics aren't perfect." Miko said. "Well, we're here. Ratchet is gonna want a sample." Said Bulkhead.
The tracker acted like Egon Spengler's detector from Ghostbusters. Bulkhead replaced his servo with his mace, and bashed at the rock.
At another part of the Energon mine, Megatron and Starscream found abandoned Energon drills. "How intriguing." The warlord said. "Incompetent fools! This mining equipment should have been relocated. Why is it still here?!" Starscream said while putting on fake anger.
"The most valid question." Megatron said from behind. "My apologies, Master. I believe Soundwave was in charge of coordinating transport." Starscream said. Megatron growled. "But, in fairness, during your interstellar travels we all had to assume additional responsibilities. Clearly mistakes were made." Starscream said.
"Yes. Clearly." Megatron said darkly before punching a hole straight into the wall next to him. Starscream gasped as Megatron pulled out a large crystal of fresh Energon. "Every last trace of Energon extracted?" He asked with sarcasm.
"Lord Megatron, I can explain." Starscream said. "Explain what? That you've been hoarding a supply of Energon for your personal use?" Megatron asked and dropped the crystal. "No! Not exactly. You see -" Starscream was cut off when Megatron furiously stomped on the Energon, crushing it.
"DO NOT TAKE ME FOR A FOOL, STARSCREAM!" He boomed. Starscream sputtered as Megatron strutted closer. "I have been wise to your transgressions from the beginning. Not only did you pluck the Dark Energon from my chest in a failed attempt to snuff my Spark, but you tried to raise your own undead warrior with it! It's no secret that you lost an arm in the process, which you since had replaced." Megatron said.
"You know about that?!" Starscream asked fearfully. "Soundwave is quite competent at surveillance, I can assure you. The fact is, Starscream, despite your treachery, I've allowed you to carry on this long because I took a certain delight in following your string of failures. But, you've finally become tiresome, predictable, you've hit rock bottom." Megatron said and aimed his glowing fusion cannon at Starscream's helm. "Master, please! Give me one more chance! I beg of you!" Starscream pleaded and kneeled.
Arcee, Elsa, and Jack walked through the mine, when Megatron's voice stopped them. "You have ceased to be of use to me, Starscream. So, you shall simply cease to be." He said. They saw Starscream cowering kn the floor, the cannon's glow shining on his face-plate. Then, he turned and saw them.
Megatron looked, and saw too. Elsa, and Jack locked eyes with Megatron. He growled and fired 3 shots from his cannon. Arcee picked uo the kids, and got to safety before the Dark Energon blasts could kill them.
Elsa was beyond terrified as Megatron continued shooting them. "Stay down!" Arcee ordered as she returned fire.
Elsa didn't know what she was doing. She didn't notice that she moved from her hiding place next to her adopted brother. It was almost like an instinct. She raised her hands, and twin blue streams of ice magic burst from her palms and hit Megatron in his leg, leaving thr warlord shocked.
Jack and Arcee stared at her. "Your magic. It's back!" Jack broke the silence. While no one was looking, Starscream took his chance and ran away. Megatron came out of his shock when he saw Starscream run. "Starscream, you dare abandon me?!" He roared as he broke his leg free and delivered a shot at Starscream. The shot forced Starscream into his military plane mode, and flew away as more shots erupted from the furious Decepticon leader.
Arcee shot Megatron in his back. He turned around, and raised his weapon, then Elsa used her restored magic to freeze Megatron's arm accidentally pointing his cannon upward as it fired wildly at the ceiling. He aimed his gun again, and a stream of magic froze the barrel, rendering the weapon useless.
Megatron tried to rip the ice off, but it was too late. The shots had damaged the ceiling above them. A stalactite broke from the ceiling and landed on top of Megatron, causing the floor to collapse with it.
"Scrap!" Arcee cursed. The Energin mining drills fell downward. Arcwe ran to protect the kids, but fell with everything else. Jack and Elsa tried to run too, but fell with Arcee, and the floor.
Above Bulkhead and Miko, the ceiling began to collapse. Miko stood in fear as a stalactite touching the floor with a stalagmite fell right towards her. Bulkhead appeared above her and the debris landed on his back, along with even more rubble.
Starscream could see the exit, but rocks fell on him, making him spin wildly and transform. "What?! NOOOOOO!" He screamed as the way out was sealed off. Outside, a giant plume of dust covered the area.
Deep in the bowels of the collapsed mine, Jack emerged from a pile of snow, shivering and wondering how it appeared. Then it occurred to him. It had to have been Elsa's doing to break the fall. But where was she now?
"Elsa?" He asked, his voice echoed. He stood up, and took a step forward, but tripped and fell face-first into the snow. "What the?" He asked, but his eyes widened when he saw the familiar black shoe and dark blue pant leg. "Elsa!" He yelled and unburied his adopted sister from the snow pile.
He soon unsnowed her. "Jackie?" She groaned. "Let's get you outta there." Jack said, and grabbed her small left hand. Then, Elsa screamed in pain, making Jack let go, and she grasped her left arm, as a few tears streamed down her snowy and dusty face. "My arm!" She cried. "I think you broke it on the way down." Jack deduced.
He ripped off his sleeves, and straightened them into an artificial cast for her arm. Being the son of a nurse had a lot of advantages. Soon itnwas fashioned to the best if his ability.
"Can you walk?" He asked. "I think so." Elsa said. Jack gently grabbed her right hand and helped her up, she could stand perfectly fine.
"Arcee?" He called out for the Two-wheeler, but no response. "Arcee? We're here!" Elsa shouted. Still nothing. "Oh, scrap!" Jack sighed. He gently led Elsa towards a tunnel, which could hopefully spit them out to the open, but no guarantee.
Miko coughed and spat out dust from her mouth. "Did I do that?" Bulkhead asked from above. "Don't think so." Miko responded. "You okay?" Bulkhead asked. "Natch. What about you?" Miko said. She turned around and saw a huge rock the size of 19 Vehicons piled on Bulkhead, who was giving it his all to keep them from being crushed. "Peachy." He said bluntly.
"Whoa." Miko gasped. "Don't worry, Miko. I got it under control." Bulkhead assured. "What do you think caused the cave-in?" Miko asked. "Who knows. I just hope Arcee, Jack, and Elsa are ok, cause we could definitely use an assist." Bulkhead said.
"Just keep raising that roof, Bulk. I'll get us outta here." Miko set to removing a cluster of rocks that piled the entrance. They were gonna be stuck here for a while.
Starscream emerged from the collapsed mine into the open. He turned around and laughed maniacally. "Predictable, Master? Is that what you called me? Well, now who has hit rock bottom? What's that? I'm sorry, I can't hear you beneath all that rubble!" Starscream laughed again. "Farewell, Lord Megatron! May you rust in peace!" He turned to leave, but paused. "But, you have survived far worse. If you managed to free yourself, you would blame me for your setback! And there is nowhere that I could possibly escape from your wrath. Or worse yet, your mindless followers will come looking for you and take credit for your rescue. Credit that could rightfully be MINE! MEGATRON!" Starscream screamed into the evening.
Jack and Elsa climbed over a few rocks.
"Arcee?"
"Bulky?"
"Miko?"
They said into the dusty air, with no response. They heard rocks crumble, and turn around and saw a damaged Energon mining drill. "Well, that could come in handy." Jack said.
Night had fallen as Miko continued moving rocks. Then, fell to her back. "Miko?!" Bulkhead asked concerned. "I'm feeling strong." Miko said, a bit woozy. "No, you're not." Bulkhead said. "I just need to... rest for a second. That's all." Miko panted, she tried to stand up but fell down. The oxygen trapped in the area was quickly being replaced with unbreathable carbon dioxide, she was close to suffocating.
"Miko, listen to me, there's no fresh air down here. If you use up the oxygen too fast -" Bulkhead started. "We could suffocate!" Miko cut in. "Not we, Miko. You. Autobots don't need to breath, remember?" Bulkhead asked. "Right. Smackdown in outer space. That was cool." Miko said, and groaned.
"Okay, what if I just slow down. Breath less." Miko suggested. She crawled and worked on removing the rocks again. "No. You need to stop. Now." Bulkhead said. "I can't, Bulk. I have to get you out of here." Miko countered.
She panted more, and layed down. "Miko, please don't worry about me. I'm fine." Bulkhead assured, then the rock started creaking above him.
Jack helped Elsa onto the control panel of the drill. Elsa flinched in pain as her brother lofted her up. Jack randomly pressed a few buttons, then the Energon mining drill roared to life. "Roll out." Jack said and drove the driller.
Bulkhead strained, then heard a drilking noise. "Do you hear that?" He asked. "Sounds like..." Miko weakly started. "Drilling." Bulkhead finished. "Gotta be Arcee, Elsa, and Jack."
"We're in... here! Here!" Miko tried to shout. "Miko, grab something and bang it on my foot. Can you do that?" Bulkhead asked. Miko weakly lifted a rock, and carried it to her guardian. "I don't wanna hurt you." She said.
"I know it's hard to believe, but I'm tougher than I look. Now, give it all you got." Bulkhead said. Miko raised the rock and bashed it against Bulkhead's pede.
The kids managed to drill a large hole into the rocks. They couldn't believe what they slightly unearthed. It was Megatron. "I suppose helping those less fortunate would be completely out of the question." He said.
The kids stayed silent. "If that is the case, you might as well use your drill to finish me. Or, your new friend could use her intriguing powers to freeze my Spark. I guarantee neither of you will ever have a better opportunity than right now." Megatron said.
They stayed still. "Well? What are both of you waiting for? Think of the glory. Seize the day. Optimus would." Megatron said. "No. He wouldn't. Not like this." Jack said. Megatron's optics looked to Elsa. "Well, what's your decision?" He asked.
"Optimus told me of the horrible things you did. But, I'm not going to kill you. We're not monsters like you." Elsa said. Jack drove them away. "I will be sure to share the details of our little conversation with Optimus." Megatron called.
As soon as they were gone, Megatron freed a servo and started clawing at the rocks.
Miko continued banging the rock against Bulkhead's pede. "Thatagirl" He congratulated. They heard rocks be torn apart. "What was that?" Miko asked. "Nothing. Go on. Keep banging." Bulkhead urged. His arms started weakening. "Bulkhead, what's happening? Tell me!" Miko urged. "My arms. They're starting to give." Bulkhead strained. Miko's eyes widened in fear.
Agter a moment, she asked, "Does it hurt?"
"A little." Bulkhead said. "Bulkhead!" Miko said scared. "Helps coming. We just gotta guide them here. Hit me again." Bulkhead said. Miko hesitated. "Miko, do it!" Bulkhead ordered.
Miko grabbed the rock, and banged it on Bulkhead two more times, but collapsed. The noise was louder. "Are they any closer?" Bulkhead asked. "I can't tell. The sound is all... Ughn! Freaky in here." Miko groaned.
Then banging replaced the drilling. "Yes!" Bulkhead cheered. "Arcee found us!" Miko said. The rocks gave away. But instead of Arcee, they heard crazy laughing. It was Starscream. "Put any doubt of my allegiance to rest." He said. His red optics widened when he saw it wasn't Megatron, but Bulkhead and Arcee.
"What's he doing down here?" Miko questioned. "Miko, get behind me. Now!" Bulkhead ordered. Miko hid behind Bulkhead as the rocks gave away, and Starscream stepped through. "Well, well. If it isn't Bulkhead and his pet vermin." He said.
"My, you do have your hands full. Don't you, Autobot?" Starscream asked. "Do whatever you want to me, Starscream. But let the human go!" Bulkhead begged. "No! I'm not leaving you!" Miko said. "It appears that the human wishes to remain." Starscream said and reached a clawed servo at Miko who ran around Bulkhead's foot.
"Starscream, don't push me!" Bulkhead warned. "You like playing with the big robots, don't you, little girl?" Starscream asked while circling Bulkhead. Miko walked backward, but turned and saw Starscream in front of her. He reached for her again, but Bulkhead kicked him aside.
The rock got heavier. "That's it, Autobot! I will-" Starscream started and pointed a missile at the Wrecker. "What? You'll what? Maybe bring down the ceiling on top of all of us?" Bulkhead asked. "Run, Miko!" He yelled. Miko shook her head and hugged Bulkhead's ankle. "Yes. Run, Miko. I would love to see you try. Really. I would." Starscream taunted.
He heard drilling, then Jack and Elsa's mine driller rammed Starscream aside. "Jack, Elsa, get Miko out of here! Now!" Bulkhead shouted. Jack jumped down to the treads and reached a hand for Miko. "Come on, come on!" Elsa said from above.
"Run, Miko!" Bulkhead said. A tear slid down Miko's cheek, and she reached for Jack, who helped her up. "We can't leave Bulkhead!" She said, then started crying. Jack activated the driller, and Starscream backed away from the drill, as the kids drove out.
"And then there were two." He said.
"Arcee will save him, won't she?!" Miko asked. "We just need to find a way out of here before Megatron digs himself free." Jack said. "Megatron's here too?!" Miko asked, scared.
The drill drove forward when a Cybertronian stepped in their path.
"If you think I'm beg for mercy, Starscream, forget it!" Bulkhead said. "Yes. Begging for mercy would be quite pathetic, wouldn't it? Well, you're much more valuable to me alive. Imagine Megatron's appreciation when I not only rescue him, but deliver an Autobot. I believe thay would restore my stature quite nicely." Starscream said.
He heard a gun activate. He turned around. "Don't move, Starscream." Arcee ordered. Her Energon gun was aimed right at his helm. "Hey, Bulk." Arcee said. "Hey, 'Cee." Bulkhead greeted.
"Raise your hands." Arcee instructed. Starscream knew what was gonna happen next.
As morning came, Arcee, and Bulkhead drove the kids out of the mine. As soon as the kids were out, the Autobots transformed. "We could finish him, here and now." Arcee said. "Shame we didn't bring any grenades." Bulkhead added.
"Would Optimus finish them?" Elsa asked. "No. He probably wouldn't. Not like this." Arcee said. "But Optimus wouldn't them either. Right?" Miko asked. "Let's go home." Bulkhead said. "And we'll get your arm treated, Elsa." Arcee said.
Deep below the mine, in Bulkhead's place, Starscream was barely holding the rock up. He gasped when he saw Megatron glaring at him. "Master! You're alive! Thank the Allspark!" He cheered.
Megatron stared at him. "I did not abandon you, Master. I returned to save you!" Starscream said. "Save me?" Megatron asked. The rock rumbled. "Loom into my Spark, Lord Megatron. My intentions were true! Please! Have mercy!" Starscream pleaded.
Megatron thought for a moment, then smiled viciously.
Author's note: Pretty rare for me to do to two chapters in one day. Well, leave a review. See ya later!