Author's Notes: Six months since I last updated. That used to be a long time for me, but now it feels like I'm actually on time. There are so many projects for me to do, and so little time. Speaking of projects, if you want to support my work and read something original, please check out my story "Panhandling The Stars", only on Amazon :)
Chapter 19
Redemption of The Matrix
Part 2
Syphon fell to the ground for what felt like the hundredth time, but was in fact only the tenth. Ravage had been sparring with her for over two hours, and their training was even more intense than usual. Every part of her was sore, and she just wanted to stop.
"Get up," Ravage ordered, "Our time is not finished."
"I'n tiyud!" Syphon whined, "Can we stop?"
"No," Ravage insisted, "With our main weapon out of commission we will have to contain Megatron ourselves. You are not yet in proper shape to fight such a warrior."
"Warriuh?" Syphon scoffed, "He's a theatuh actah."
"Yes, but be is also a terrorist with upgraded weapons, a group of loyal followers, and a processor that many would describe as malfunctioning. If you are to accompany me on this mission, then you must be in top form."
Syphon sighed in exhaustion, but forced her aching joints to propel herself up. She once again prepared for impact, and once again it took no time at all for Ravage to grab her and throw her to the ground.
"Owww!" Syphon moaned, "Enough ah'ready!"
Ravage shook his helm in disappointment as he looked down at the old bat. She wasn't even trying to get up while under his scrutiny anymore.
"We will take a break for 5 breems," Ravage decided, "You will prepare yourself, and you will fight for your life when next we meet. I cannot afford weakness when we finally take down Megatron's terrorist cell. For now, rub some salve on your injuries."
Ravage then left the room, and Syphon struggled to sit up on her own. She always knew she was worthless, but she had never felt it more strongly than in this moment. If only Quillbit had survived the journey, then Ravage would still have a worthy partner on this mission. Sure, Quillbit was crazy, but at least her body worked properly.
Syphon felt cleaning fluid well up in her optics as she sat there in her own misery. She was actually starting to like Quillbit, strange as it seemed, and was still haunted by the mystery of her death. One moment Quillbit was raving like a lunatic and doing everything as she always did and the next she was just…dead. It didn't add up, and Syphon couldn't figure out what could have caused the porcupine's untimely demise.
"Psst!"
"Ra-vage?" Syphon called out, thinking the hissing noise was him, "Ra-vage, I'n sowwy I was so dad at fighting."
"Psst, Batsy, it's me," A familiar voice whispered.
"Killdit?" Syphon asked in shock, "Ah you a stark ghost?"
"Yeah, but is that really news?" Quillbit asked cheekily, "Look up."
Syphon did as instructed, and in the air vent a pair of yellow optics peered down at her. Syphon gasped when she saw them, but since she couldn't get up she ended up flapping her wings uselessly and falling over on her side.
"Hey Batsy, don't comm Pussycat," Quillbit ordered, "I ain't here to hurt you…well, I ain't here to hurt you worse than he did, anyway. Hah!"
"Wha do you want?" Syphon asked pathetically as she cringed on the ground.
Quillbit then popped open the air vent and hopped down, landing on her feet. She looked up and realized she wouldn't be able to close the air vent again, but waved it away dismissively.
"I want what you want: for Pussycat to get off your fraggin' back," Quillbit told her, "I've been watchin' you two fight, and I gotta say, Ravage is a scrappy teacher."
"Is not his fault," Syphon defended Ravage, "He's tying, but I'n not a good fighter."
"Of course you're not, because he's trainin' you to fight wrong," Quillbit contested, "Grounder fightin' techniques ain't gonna work for you. You're a flier, and you need to learn to fight like a flier."
"Dut I can't fy," Syphon lamented, "Ny dody is too droken. I can darely nove. I neser learned how to fy."
"Hm…I think I know what to do," Quillbit nodded to herself, "What you need is a little physical therapy. A low gravity environment where you can stretch your wings and joints without worryin' about gettin' hurt. Once you can move more freely, then we can move on to the next phase: seeker-style aerial combat. It's an oldie but a goodie. We didn't always have flexible organic alt modes to rely on, but through tight maneuvers and cooperation battles were won."
"Killdit?" Syphon interjected, "How did you look like you was dead?"
"Huh? Oh, that," Quillbit shrugged nonchalantly, "My spark needed some airless vacuum, so I left my body behind and floated around in space for a bit. Speakin' of which, guess where physical therapy is takin' place?"
"Stace?" Syphon asked apprehensively.
"Yep," Quillbit smiled, "We'll tether ourselves to the ship, and you can spend some time stretchin' out your joints. Now, it'll be cold, so make sure to drink some temp controllin' gel before we step outside."
"Dut…why would you helt nee?" Syphon asked suspiciously, "You don't like nee."
"Who said I didn't like you?" Quillbit asked easily, "I mean sure, you picked the most triggerin' alt mode since Megatron's gun, but that ain't your fault. If you must know though, I do get somethin' outta this. You get to learn how to fight and move, and I get to spend time where I really wanna be: space. The confines of this ship make me antsy, but space is a free and light experience. I think you'll like it too. You'll move like you've never moved before, and eventually you'll figure out how to pick up speed. Speed and maneuverability are far more important than brute force when fightin' seeker-style."
"Dut whuh if I can't do it?" Syphon asked, on the verge of tears again.
"Maybe you can't. I dunno," Quillbit replied flippantly, "But at least you'll have tried somethin'. Just…don't tell Pussycat you found me just yet. I don't wanna go back to the glass cell. I feel alive for the first time in vorns, and I ain't ready to give it up just yet. I'm takin' my pills, and as long as I'm trainin' you I'll take them. When I run out, then you can tell Ravage and he can put me back. I know the risks, but Ravage was right about one thing: you need to know how to defend yourself."
"You're jus saying dat so you can foat in stace," Syphon said point-blank.
"Yeah, and you'll cooperate with me because you wanna impress your boss," Quillbit said suggestively, "I can see it from here. You want Ravage, don't you?"
"Is nore contlicated dan dat," Syphon insisted, "He's ny drother-in-law. He's deen dere for nee eser since ny stark nate went away. I niss Systen Erruh."
"Yeah, I know what you mean," Quillbit replied more solemnly this time, "I miss Carapace."
"I took care of Systen Erruh," Syphon confided, "He wasn't well. He needed nee. I wish I could still dee useful."
"You will," Quillbit assured her, "You're not dead yet. Come on, let's go find some tethers and some temp gel. We're gonna make a flier outta you yet."
Quillbit then grabbed Syphon's servo and yanked her into a standing position. Syphon dusted herself off, not an easy feat due to her bruising, and dutifully followed her new combat instructor to the airlock. She didn't understand how Quillbit survived, or why the crazed porcupine was going to help her, but she knew she needed all the help she could get. Maybe if she could fly, she could finally give Ravage an advantage in his mission he didn't have yet. Maybe then she could do what she really wanted to do…be useful again.
Megatron and his troops drew closer to the Axelon, believing the Maximals to be helpless and vulnerable to attack. If every variable could be accounted for, this would have been true. As the Maximals were beginning to understand however, there was one element of beautiful chaos even Megatron could not have foreseen…
"…Big Bot?" Cheetor asked in disbelief, "Is that really you?"
"It worked," Rhinox breathed even before Optimus Primal could answer.
"What's happening?" Optimus asked the group, "I heard gunfire."
"Gunfire, laser fire, pants on fire," Rattrap listed off, "Yep, we've got just about every kind of battle condition you can name."
"Well, that's just Prime," Optimus quipped, bracing himself for the fight.
As Megatron and his troops approached the base, Optimus assembled a dual round laser cannon on his chassis and opened fire. The rounds dispersed the Predacons, but didn't stop them from shooting at the Maximals. As the darkness gave way to the dawn, so the battle raged on once again.
Silverbolt, seeing his opportunity while the Maximals were distracted, left the CR chamber and escaped. No one saw him leave, as they were too busy fighting for their lives against the Predacons.
Optimus wasn't sure exactly what his new body could do. He didn't look the same, and he didn't feel the same either. There was a new sense of power coursing through his fuel lines. Everything was different. Megatron looked different, Tarantulas looked different, and even his own friends Rattrap and Cheetor had transformed thanks to whatever that strange substance had been. This could turn the tide in their war with the Predacons, but it could also make things even more destructive and complicated. Only time would tell what Transmetal forms meant for them.
Primal entered the fray alone with the Predacons while the others struggled to catch up to him. Most of the Predacons were too scared to take on such a powerful looking 'Bot, but one Pred was just crazy enough to try.
"Now you're going to burn," Inferno declared tauntingly.
Optimus stopped in his tracks and stared down the ant-former. Inferno was reaching for his flame gun, but had yet to draw. Optimus needed to draw his own weapon, but knew if he moved at the wrong moment Inferno would grab his gun faster.
Both of them were tense, waiting for a moment of weakness from their enemy. Optimus kept his optics trained in Inferno's, and could even see where one of Inferno's optics had been cracked in the battle. For once the demented creature was completely lucid and ready to strike.
Unbeknownst to Primal, Inferno was merely using himself as a distraction. Everyone knew Primal could kill them with his new abilities, but Inferno was the only one willing to sacrifice his body for Megatron's chance to attack.
Behind Optimus, weapon ready, was Megatron.
Quick as a flash, Primal drew his weapon and shot down Inferno, who fell behind a rock. Optimus was still on high alert when he heard Megatron's laser power on. He ducked out of the way just in time, but that didn't stop Megatron from continuing to fire.
"Farewell, Optimus!" Megatron cried out to his most hated enemy, despite the fact that he missed every shot.
Optimus wasn't sure if he could still fly, but instinct took over as he tried. His pedes shifted, and soon he was flying on a balance board conjured up by his own body. It wasn't the same as his old jet propulsion system, but he never felt so in control of his velocity before.
"Flight is no longe your domain, Optimus. Yess…" Megatron gloated.
With those words, Megatron turned on his round anti-gravity turbines and took to the air, giving chase to Primal. Optimus wasn't afraid of Megatron, but he knew this added yet another complication to their fight. How could he find a place to land and retaliate if Megatron was right on his tail?
Megatron fired round after round, laughing all the while, until finally one of his shots hit Primal in the leg; sending the ape-former plummeting to the ground.
Optimus landed with a painful thud, and sat up next to a cliff side. Megatron landed gracefully, grinning like the sadistic predator he was, and readied his final shot to kill Optimus Primal (again).
"NO!" Came a shout in the distance.
Before Megatron could process what was happening, Silverbolt pushed Megatron down the cliff! Megatron, too surprised by this action, didn't even bother turning on his turbines and instead continued to fall into the echoing chasm.
"Sir, I know now that I was never meant to be a Predacon," Silverbolt said to Optimus, "If you would accept me, I would humbly ask to join the Maximals."
"Well…" Optimus turned to see Megatron still falling, "I like your resumé."
Silverbolt smiled, grateful to see Optimus wasn't angry with him. Together they went back to the Axelon, where everyone else was there to greet them.
The Maximals gathered around Optimus, so happy to see their old friend and commander. There was only one who hung back, and that someone did not escape Silverbolt's notice. He walked over to where Bitten was sitting, alone with a cup of tea, and sat down with her.
"You're leader, um, our leader, seems nice," Silverbolt stammered, unsure of what to say.
"He is," Bitten replied simply, not looking up at him.
"Thank you," Silverbolt said suddenly, "Your kindness helped me to realize where I truly wanted to be. Our teammates showing mercy helped me to realize what was wrong with the Predacons. I want to help others, and this place is where I can do that. So, thank you."
Bitten didn't reply right away, and Silverbolt worried she wasn't listening. She didn't look at him, and just kept staring down at her teacup.
"Madam, are you alright?" Silverbolt asked.
"My spark energy had reduced," Bitten quietly told him, "The process just started 45 minutes ago, and my spark has already reduced my solitary fuel intake by 32 percent. I have been warned of this orn since I was a newspark. I am not ready yet."
"Ready? For what?" Silverbolt asked, "Are you dying?"
"No," Bitten replied, but didn't elaborate further.
"Would a visit to the CR chamber help you?" Silverbolt suggested.
"No," Bitten said abruptly, "I…I will wait. I need Dinobot, but not now. Optimus Primal came back from the dead. This moment is miraculous, and I do not want to intrude on their happiness. I will wait."
Silverbolt didn't know what to say. He wanted to save the world, and wanted to help others. His coding said the kangaroo femme was in distress, but he couldn't solve her problem if he didn't know what it was. He was too young to know anything about medical issues, so he was very much out of his element. His first instinct was to tell Rhinox, since Rhinox knew how to work the CR chamber. That wasn't what Bitten wanted however. She wanted Dinobot.
"Is there anything I can do for you?" Silverbolt asked helplessly.
"No," Bitten replied, "Perhaps we can find you a place to recharge. There must be more quarters somewhere."
With that, Bitten got up and waited for Silverbolt to follow. He didn't quite understand what was going on, but he knew something was causing Bitten pain and weakness. He just hoped that whatever it was that she could survive it. After all, she saved him from life as a Predacon. Surely he could return the favor and save her from whatever was draining her spark.