Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Tip of a Feather. Enjoy the 2000-word chapter. I do not own Transformer, Hasbro does.
Stratosphere put down atop a temple, his landing wheels digging into the dirt as the Autobot squadron prepared for deployment.
Both Contrail and Airazor landed more in a field overlooking the cliff. She landed atop a stone as Contrail transformed mid-air, skidding slightly before digging his feet in.
"Looks nice enough," Contrail said.
"Looks are always deceiving," Airazor stated.
"You know you're talking to a guy who turns into a plane, right?" contrail asked as Airazor's beak changed, resembling a smirk.
He still did not get this woman. There were several Autobots on Earth and plenty of Decepticons, he had heard Prime had diced up one known as Transit and dumped his body in a river with dozens of others… But her?
Where did she come from? Why did she reveal herself now? Was there more? Since she had spoken of 'Maximals' in the plural sense.
Airazor allowed the others to pass as she knew where the key was but could not go, her form would give her away and she knew the Terrorcons would burn the city down to nothing if it meant getting the key.
"You… Come from uh, Cybertron?" Contrail asked awkwardly.
"The planet Eukaris… I know of Cybertron." Airazor stated.
"That where these Maximal guys from too?" Contrail asked.
"It was," Airazor stated.
"We've kinda lost our home as well if it makes you feel any better," Contrail stated. "Well, ONE home," Contrail stated.
"You do not wish to return?" Airazor asked while the others plotted.
"Kinda… But I like it here a little too, Autobots are… Happened to be ok." Contrail stated, directing a look at Bumblebee. "I know Prime wants off, he has been looking for anything that will send us home. I do not know the plan after that, Megatron and his army rule Cybertron, he would rip us to pieces if we went back." Contrail stated.
"He is not the first Megatron I have encountered to have been interested in such tyranny," Airazor stated.
"You talked about some guy called Scorponok. Are you sure he is not a Decepticon? I have honestly never heard about Maximals or Terrorcons or anything like that until today." Contrail stated.
"He is not, though I suppose one might be," Airazor stated.
"You think the Terrorcons had help?" Airazor heard.
"Scourge has long since cut any partnership with the Predacons… But I would not put it past the remaining Predacons to have tracked Scourge." Airazor stated. "So no, he has enemies who want the key as bad as he does and they may already have come," Airazor stated before the sound of talons made the two rotate.
Contrail transformed his arm, shaping it into the cannon he used back on Cybertron only for Airazor to gently lower his arm with her wing.
"Air Hammer," Airazor stated. "He is a friend, and so is his group," Airazor stated.
The Maximal. Well, he guessed it was. Dwarfed him and even Airazor by a few feet, their right arm that of an aquatic animal and their wings sporting the wings of an avian creature.
'Some sort of Maximal triple changer? Do they work for Airazor?' Contrail thought as he pondered their next move.
He knew what was to happen if this… A creature who was white and blue. It was certainly different.
"Are the others all right? Ok?" Airazor asked.
"Both Bantor and Silverbolt are in position… I do not know if we are ready for this, commander." Airazor heard from Air Hammer. "Who is the small one?" Airazor heard.
"Contrail, big guy. I have a name." Contrail stated. "There's a lot of bad guys here, ain't there?" Contrail asked.
"Is it them?" Airazor asked.
"No… It is something else, something ancient." Air Hammer stated as a light in the sky seemed to shine brighter.
Airazor left and Contrail followed, flying after him a few seconds later before now. There was more war to fight and a soldier like this would not happen.
(5 miles away)
Two pods slammed into the ground, splitting open and ejecting their cargo… They were not Terrorcons nor were they Maximal or even Autobot.
"Heh, what a great planet… To blow to kingdom come." One stated, crawling out of his pod with a sinister aura.
"Knock it off, Quick Strike… We are here for the key, for the royalty, and nothing else." The other stated before both began to make their way toward the city.
"If he wants his stupid key? Why not send Rampage?" Quick strike asked.
The other figure simply glanced at the first, knowing exactly what to tell him. he knew what had happened to their comrade and why he was not here to serve Megatron. He knew this damn well and yet he had the gall to mock him for death?
The two simply decided to continue with their goal for it could have been something easily dealt with at the moment. They had a goal to handle for their master, a goal that could not be compromised.
(With the Autobots and Maximals)
Airazor landed next to Optimus, looking at the Autobot commander with interest. There was something he was not telling her that was making her interested either way. Yet? She could not tell him for now as she paused to think of it now, knowing what was going on now.
Part of her simply chalked it up to him as a warrior trying to think in the best possible way.
All these things seemed to do was remind her that it was harder and harder to take them seriously. They had a war and the enemy had something to engage them with and bludgeon them to death with it for now and for good reason now when push came to shove it into the side.
He had been relaxed for now, knowing what was growing on his mind before he came crashing down to it. All of it seemed to be done for now.
"I do not see Scourge…." Airazor stated.
"He will come," Optimus stated.
"Do not let your vengeance cloud judgment," Airazor stated. "The Terrorcons will destroy it all if it means getting the key," Airazor stated.
"I know," Optimus stated, flexing his hands.
"We have both lost something to the Terrorcons, Prime… Your soldiers care for you as you do them." Airazor stated.
She watched Optimus pause, questioning if she had a point. She did and he knew it. There was more to this fight than avenging Bumblebee, there was an entire planet at stake.
Airazor left Optimus and returned to look at Contrail as he looked down on the city with interest.
There was something else on the mind, a mind which it could have been dealt with for now. She would continue to relax once more as it paused to look downwards at the ground.
"I do not like how this looks… I have been in the sky for a while, quiet is never good… No offense, Hammer." Airazor stated.
"No, makes sense. The Terrorcons are up to something, you are correct." Air Hammer stated.
"We wait if we act rash? We will cause greater harm to the city." Airazor stated.
"Just putting in a few words, Purdy Birdy," Contrail stated to which Airazor rolled her optics.
She smirked all the moment, knowing that they would be drawn into combat either way. She was ready for battle as she had before and she would show no mercy to the Predacons or Terrorcons.
The soldier within her made her question what was growing on her mind as of now.
There was suddenly a flare of light, then another, then another… Airazor watched as a familiar red fire ant, snapped his jaws at the people and cackled.
Then came a slithering beast, one which snapped his fangs at the people while a pair of missiles streamed from his back. The two marched from the hill, eagerly followed by fire and violence.
"Predacons…" Air Hammer said before Contrail loosened his arm, cannon taking its place. "With me, we will rain death upon them." Air Hammer stated.
"No, we must find Elena. Where is Scourge?" Airazor asked.
The two were answered by a truck that stormed through the city, barreling away from the two as Optimus finally gave pursuit.
"Wherever he is going, I'm guessing," Contrail stated. "We going in?" Contrail asked.
She had been able to think, knowing what was growing on at the end… She nodded as the trio rose, both Air Hammer and Contrail transforming into their alt modes for a few moments.
The soldier within her was silent, knowing what was going on. She considered going off like a bomb and seemed to be dealing with it for now.
They descended towards the Two Predacons, Airazor pausing only to veer off, knowing that the Terrorcons were relaxed and tired.
The two opened fire on the two, making them veer off from the edge of the mountain. It was clear they wanted a fight so there was a fight either way.
Contrail allowed Air Hammer to slam into Inferno first, sending the two slamming down the dirt path as Contrail flew overhead.
The giant snake unleashed a pair of missiles which locked onto the Autobot and forced him to rocket into the sky.
"This is going to be a long day…" Contrail stated, flying away while knowing the cackling Predacon would chase him.
Contrail sighed and then turned to unleash hell on the Terrorcons.
(With Airazor and Optimus)
Optimus slammed a fist into the ground, turning to open fire on Scourge who slammed into his vehicle mode first before transforming as they rode down the hill, stabbing and firing at each other.
Airazor flew overhead, slamming into Nightbird who came to intercept the Prime. They spun into the mountainside like a bomb and slammed into the stone, the stone raining down on them like snow.
Contrail flew overhead, priming a pair of missiles to shoot at them. He peppered Nightbird with machine gun fire, forcing her away from Airazor as she joined the Autobot in the air.
"Where is Air Hammer?" Airazor asked to which there was a few seconds of indecision from the Autobot.
"Fighting that bug," Contrail stated before he sighed and then looked to the side, annoyed with it for now.
He would not be able to relax, knowing what was coming… And he sighed even for a few moments.
Then came an explosion, throwing them off as something tore itself from the edge of the mountain, a beast with wings the size of a small car… Purple and angry.
"SCOURGE! GIVE ME THE KEY!" It roared, slamming the two fliers out of the sky.
"Megatron…I thought I killed you." Scourge yelled, knocking Optimus away.
"Megatron?!" Airazor heard Contrail yell as the Autobot and Contrail slammed down the slope.
Contrail transformed, shocked, and thrown for a loop as the purple dragon dragged itself from the hillside, transforming into a Cybertronian which dwarfed the duo. Its optics were a hellish red which reminded Contrail of a Decepticon.
Megatron… Or whoever this hellish beast was? ignored them, firing a blast at Scourge as Optimus tried to engage him once more.
"Megatron… We need to go, Optimus, we need to go!" Contrail said before the snake from before emerged, lashing its tail towards him as he used his thrusters to dodge it, peppering the Predacon with gunfire.
Scourge was knocked to the ground by Optimus only for Battletrap to transform, slamming his mace into the.
The four factions all stared at each other, Contrail looking at Nightbird and Quick Strike who eyed the other with weapons ready, Airazor paused to look around.
"Hmm, it seems we are not the only ones after the key… Yes. Scourge, you owe me for killing Rampage and what you've done to Scorponok." Megatron said, rubbing at his dragon arm.
"He's mine!" Optimus hissed, axe burning as Contrail paused to look downwards at the ground, knowing what was growing on his mind, knowing what was going on.
He would be able to deal with it at the end of the day, there was something else to fight and control for now as it came crashing down.
He watched as the soldier before him slammed down upon them, she seemed to be dealt with for now, thinking of battle.
Quickstrike rushed towards him, transforming mid-strike only for Contrail to dodge before he knocked the snake to the side, peppering him with gunfire which made him roll to the side, knowing what was going on.
The monster was thrown backward as both Contrail and Airazor rose into the sky, Contrail firing on Quickstrike only for Nightbird to raise towards him.
Airazor slammed into her, crashing downwards and into the ground as it came down to a battle for now.
There was something else here, something which caught his attention, the Terrorcons and Predacons were both enemies but it was clear that their enemies weren't united, they both wanted the key but he could guess it.
The enemy was ready to deal with them but it was clear fighting in this place would not help, it would not be something he could hope to relax upon knowing what would come.
He had been willing to fight but it was clear that he would not gain victory in this place, their battle was not the end of it.
It reminded him of a bad memory of his past… If this battle was to be decided either way. He had zero desire to figure it all out.
He turned to Airazor before knowing that such a thing would be impossible to carry.
"We need to fall back for now… Don't we?" Contrail asked as Airazor nodded.
"We must…" Airazor stated, looking over towards Optimus and then diving downwards.
Before Contrail could do something, Airazor dove down and then rained fire from her beak, the bridge burned to nothing, crashing to nothing at the moment.
There were a few seconds of silence, knowing what had become of it for now. the bridge crumped into the mountainside as the Predacons chased away the Terrorcons, having no time to concern themselves with the Autobots.
Contrail shapeshifted to the side, knowing what was going on as it came down to them and the enemy… The Terrorcons turned as Scourge lifted his arm and then fired something which almost hit Airazor.
"Commander!" They heard only for an ape-like Maximal to intercept the object.
Airazor went to chase down the Terrorcons, Scourge chuckling before running as Megatron chased him with his two henchmen as a result.
Author Notes
Phew. The next chapter is done! Yes, I know what happens to Airazor. I am not killing her off like that, next chapter will be setting up the big battle but is not even close to the end of the story. Until the 900–6500-word chapter in 2-10 months, Lighting Wolf out!