Heya fans, we've now onto the Rock Bottom Episode!

Chapter One Hundred and One

Down into the Deep

A couple of days went by and Arcee and Bulkhead had been called to a forest area in California to check out a mine Ratchet had picked up an energon signal from.

This time, they had Donatello, Michelangelo, Pandora and Kemeko with them.

Leonardo was having a private one-to-one training with Splinter as they often did since Leonardo will still training to be sensei and Monalisa and Raphael had returned to New York via the Ground-Bridge to speak to April and Casey about MECH and the Foot working together.

Donatello was studying the rocks and had some tools with him to see if he could break any apart to find fossils.

Michelangelo was with him and asking him questions to which the brainy turtle kept telling him to be quiet as he was trying to concentrate.

Kemeko was doing some handstands on the ground as well as looking at Pandora who sat on her own on the rocks next to the entrance, her eyes staring up at the sky as she thought about when Culpepper had given her his details.

Pandora had been touched that a guy had given her his number and she wanted to get in touch with him so they could talk more often and not just when he came to the silo with Agent Fowler.

Yet that wasn't the only thing she was thinking about as after Agent Fowler and Culpepper had left and Sonia, Kemeko and the Geckolings had called her out on liking him, Tyroth had pulled the hybrid aside to have a chat with her.

Flashback

Pandora sat on the sofa with Tyroth kneeling in front of her, he had told the twins, Sonia and the rest of the Mutopians to go and wait on the lower level whilst he, Splinter, the Hamato Clan and Sephie spoke to Pandora.

Splinter had that knowing look on his face, Raphael was frowning, Monalisa had a sympathetic look, and the rest of the turtles looked awkward.

"This Culpepper boy gave you his card?" Tyroth asked raising an eyebrow at the hybrid to which Pandora nodded and she pulled the card out of her bra and showed it to him.

Tyroth took it between his clawed finger and thumb and read it.

"Very professional." He said then handed it back to Pandora.

"So, you seem to like him? He asked to which Pandora blushed again.

"I... Well I..." she stammered "He is a nice guy, easy to talk to, we enjoyed some video games together, and he liked listening to our stories and he had a few of his own to tell, especially about the scar on his nose!"

"I noticed that too." Sephie said.

"How did he get it?" Michelangelo asked.

"A bully punched him in the face at High School." Pandora replied.

Tyroth cleared his throat.

"That's all very well Pandora." He said, "And it's nice you've taken a liking to Culpepper, but I want you to be sensible about it, I hope to be wrong, but he may not have the same feelings and merely just wants a friendship."

Pandora felt her stomach plummet and Monalisa could see her daughter go a little pale.

She wanted to go and comfort her daughter, but Sephie placed a hand on hers to wait a moment.

"For your sake child." Tyroth said gently "I hope if you have a liking to him and he shares your feelings, I support it."

"What?" Raphael asked in surprise, "You support it Tyroth?"

"Calm down Raph." Donatello said, "There's nothing wrong with a human and a mutant being in love."

"Yeah!" Michelangelo chimed in "Look at Jake and Amber!"

"I too am inclined to agree." Splinter spoke up "It is very rare that someone has shown to be friendly to us despite our appearance, and if this Master Culpepper's intentions are pure to my granddaughter, then I also support it."

Raphael growled.

"I'm not against it!" he snapped "I'm just a little worried, with how different they are, not just in species, but also how because of this young man's position, he doesn't have the lifestyle we have, and he has a human family and friends." He looked at Pandora who nodded confirming then explained that his father was also a pilot in the military and that his mother had died when he was five.

"So, you do know a bit about him already." Tyroth said "Well it is early days, so we'll just have to see how it goes."

Pandora smiled hopefully.

"One step at a time Pandora." Tyroth said "Get to know each other, it is always best not to rush into things."

"That's a fact!" Michelangelo said, "Kate and I started slow, and now look at us!" he grinned.

"And Jake and Amber." Sephie agreed.

"Quite." Tyroth said "But in all seriousness Pandora, you need to take this slow and be aware that this young man might seem too good to be true, but you need to know more about him first and to check if he returns your feelings."

Pandora chewed her lip as she listened.

Since meeting Culpepper, she had found him very attractive and after their conversations together, in the company of the other kids, she felt more drawn to him, and she was sure he was feeling the same having given her his card.

But deep down, she knew she had to be careful and not rush things, she was never a helpless romantic, despite crushes she had in the past, one being a schoolgirl crush on one of the mutant Shark brothers who had come to New York and formed an alliance with her family and there were celebrity crushes she had which made her cringe a little.
She had no hope of meeting someone special, but now, this was the first man she had met, an a human one at that who wasn't looking at her like she was a freak or a monster, but as a living person and an individual and she couldn't wait to see how it would go.

After thinking this over she looked up at Tyroth.

"Okay Uncle T." she said, "I will be careful and wise about this, I promise."

Tyroth frowned.

"You sure now Tigeress?" he asked, "I know how reckless and impulsive you are."

"That's very true!" Leonardo agreed.

"When it comes to me going into battle that's one thing." Pandora said, "But my emotions, another story, I can cope with physical wounds, but my heart and soul are a different story."

The turtles, Sephie, Kemeko, Splinter and Tyroth were a little surprised to hear that from Pandora, but they thought it was a valid point, as physical wounds, cuts, bruises, and other wounds they had received when in battle healed over time, but emotional wounds stayed with you.

"I pleased to hear that." Tyroth said "And I do hope that things work out for you."

"Thanks Uncle T." Pandora smiled yet she looked over at her father who had that thoughtful look on his face, she wasn't sure if he was disapproving of her liking for Culpepper, or if he was worried, as any father would be, her mother meanwhile looked worried and concerned.

Pandora looked at the card again and she decided to give it a day or two before she got in touch, just so she didn't seem too desperate.

End Flashback

Pandora sighed.

She was glad Tyroth was supportive and encouraging, as well as her grandfather and Uncles, yet she could tell her parents were concerned.

Pandora had that niggling feeling that Culpepper only wanted to be friendly, but she knew she wouldn't know until she tried to find out.

She looked at the card then at her shell cell then dialled his number hoping to send a text to him, yet she couldn't think of what to say.

The hybrid was brought out of her thoughts when she heard a bleeping sound, as well as footsteps and she looked over to see Bulkhead and Arcee returning from inside the cave looking rather confused.

"By all appearances the mines been stripped." Arcee said looking at Bulkhead.

"But I'm getting a signal." Bulkhead said, "It's faint, but it's definitely energon."

"It doesn't make sense." Arcee replied "This operation's been abandoned four, maybe five years and Decepticons never leave energon behind."

"Maybe you haven't dug deep enough?" Donatello called up from the ground "There's many treasures hidden in the rocks! If not energon, other types of crystals and minerals."

He started to walk into the tunnel.

"You mean there could be more hidden treasures down there?" Michelangelo called after Donatello.

"What did I just say genius?" Donatello replied.

"Um guys." Bulkhead said, "I wouldn't go too far in there." He started to go after the two turtles.

Arcee stood back wondering whether to go after Bulkhead until Pandora's voice was heard below.

"It would be kind of interesting to see what's in there!" she said, "You know, if it were safe?"

Kemeko looked over at Pandora and didn't know whether to be shocked or maybe a little relieved that Pandora was showing her old curious self again after her talk with Tyroth about Culpepper.

"A stripped mine can be structurally unstable Pandora." Arcee reminded Pandora.

"I promise to step lightly Arcee!" Pandora said, "We both will!" she pulled Kemeko close to her "And besides, I'd love to see what Uncle Don finds in there!"

Arcee frowned and sighed as she knew Pandora wouldn't be deterred given her curiosity.

"Just don't tell your parents!" she said wagging a finger at the hybrid.

"I won't!" Pandora grinned then looked at Kemeko.

"Pandora!" she said, "What are you up to?"

"Nothing!" Pandora said "Just another sense of adventure and in a cave too! And besides we're used to dark places! What could go wrong right?"

Kemeko frowned.

"Alright!" she said, "I'll go with you, but when I say I want out, will you follow me?"

"I will, I promise." Pandora said linking her arm with Kemeko's, "Scouts honour!"

"I trust you, Pandora." Kemeko said "I know how impulsive you are, but I know you care about me."

"Of course I do!" Pandora said, "When have I ever let you down?" she asked to which Kemeko chuckled.

"Never." She replied.

Arcee chuckled at the two girls' banter as she walked further into the caves looking for Bulkhead, Donatello and Michelangelo.

But unknown to her and the girls, a couple of grey and silver jets flew above the ground where the cave was hidden.
One slightly bigger than the other and as they arrived, they transformed and landed on the ground just outside the entrance revealing themselves to see Megatron and Starscream.

As they landed there, Starscream looked at his leader nervously.

"Lord Megatron." He asked, "Far be it from me to question your intentions, but I do not understand why we've returned here after all this time, alone."

Megatron didn't reply but instead walked on ahead into the mine.

Starscream shivered with anxiety and followed Megatron.
"Every last trace of energon was extracted from this mine, there's nothing left."

Megatron stopped in his tracks and turned to the seeker.

"Indulge me Starscream, will you?" he requested and the seeker, meekly followed his leader into the cave, a sense of dread filling his spark.

And that's the first part of the 'Rock Bottom' Episode, a little short, but I hope you enjoyed it all the same!