Part Two! I won't take up too much time here, but I really enjoyed writing this chapter! Once I got started on it, it was difficult to want to stop writing.

Previously on Spark and Steel: Silver lost herself. Literally. Vince is now driving her vehicle mode to the race track for 'Speed Metal Pt2 Electric Boogaloo'.

Enjoy!

Chapter Five: Quicksilver Pt 2

I paced up and down the parking lot, my holoform glitching out more and more by the second. My sister's human partner, Jack, just sat on the curb, scrolling his phone as I kept walking past him.

"What do I do?!" I panicked. "I can't go back to my bike mode right now. It could cause a system reboot if I do, and your friend could get injured!"

"Not my friend." Jack corrected.

Frantically, I glanced around waiting for the familiar yellow car to come down the street. "I-I can't let the others know about this...If Arcee finds out I lost my form on my FIRST trip outside, I'll never be able to leave base again!"

The teen boy chuckled. "She's like that with you too, huh?"

I sighed and paused in my tracks. "Why can't I have one normal week on this planet?"

Slumping down on the curb beside him, I huddled my knees up to my chest. It wasn't in my nature to risk other's wellbeing for my own gain, but in that moment...I had no idea what else I could do. It's not like my holoform could last forever, and more importantly, I wanted my body back.

Jack glanced over to me. "I mean, you could try now if you wanted. He's at a gas station and pulled over."

"'Gas station'? Is that like an Energon Refuelling Point?" I raised an eyebrow, tilted my head at him.

He shrugged. "If they sell fuel, and questionable sushi, yes. A buddy who works there just texted me about my 'stolen bike'. He's pulled over, so it's the perfect opportunity. Although, does regular Earth gas do anything to Auto-?"

"No time to waste!" I jumped to my feet. "Thank you for the help, Jack! I'll be back as soon as I reclaim my form."

"But-"

I couldn't hear him as I deactivated my holoform. A sharp, electric feeling flowed through me as my psyche travelled, returning to my body in a matter of seconds.

My optics slowly onlined in the form of headlights as my bike mode geared up. System reboot completed. Jack had been right, and Vince was nowhere nearby. I guessed he was preoccupied with the questionable sush Jack had mentioned.

A wave of relief washed over me. Before I could get going, my comm-link began going off.

"Silver?! Please answer!" Bumblebee's worried pleas came through the comms system.

I immediately felt bad about not being able to contact him. "I-I'm here, Bee. I just...kinda got kidnapped."

"Oh thank Primus you're alive..." I could hear the relief in the scout's voice. "I couldn't see your V mode at KO. What do you mean 'kidnapped'? Decepticons?"

"Vince. I'll explain when I leave the gas station."

"Gas station? Do you have petrol or diesel in your system right now?!"

Slowly, the world began getting a little blurrier, and spinning. My processor hadn't clicked what was going on yet.

"I don't know what those things are, but they're written on this container that seems to be connected to me." I mused, painfully more oblivious than usual.

Bumblebee's panic came back with a vengeance. "Ohhhh Primus, okay...uhm...You need to get out of there. What's your location?"

Now I could begin to feel it. Feeling a wave of warmth wash over me, I started giggling a little. I had no idea why.

"Silver, you need to stay focused!" Bee tried to plead. "Anything other than energon in our systems can cause any number of..."

I couldn't really make out what he was saying as the gas began to take more effect. He was right, though.Putting anything but energon into an Autobot's system causes a lot of issues. The symptoms only last as long as the fuel lasts. But I had no idea how much was in my system at the minute.

In this case, the symptoms resembled the same as though I was a human who'd 'had a few down at the bar'.

To put it in terms that relate to the human experience: I was 'tipsy'. Definitely too out of my own processor to make a getaway plan.

When Bumblebee retold me the events of that night...I wanted Unicron to swallow me whole.

No One's POV . . .

Breakdown hated holoforms. He only agreed to activate his because Knock Out was convinced that a 'day out' among the humans would do him some good.

The brawler stood off to the side of the circuit, waiting for the race to start. He blanked anyone that tried talking to him. They were only humans, after all. Knock Out jogged over smugly, ignorant to his partner's irritated demeanour.

"Another race won!" The medic chuckled, brushing back his slick red hair with his hands. "I must say, as much as I despise the 'flesh' aspect of things, I so wish we Cybertronians had hair. The satisfaction of the 'hair flip' after a victory is unrivalled!"

"Yay. I'm so happy for you. Can we go?" Breakdown leaned against his vehicle mode with his arms folded.

Knock Out's expression shifted from victorious to annoyed. "Oh, stop pouting so much. I invite you on a lovely day out, and all you can think of is how much you'd rather be on that dingy ship."

Breakdown folded his arms. "It's not my kinda scene. Show me somethin' I can smash up and we'll talk."

The red medic rolled his eyes, as he spun on his heel. Glancing over at the competition, his eyebrow raised as he noticed a new competitor. His confusion slowly stretching into a smile, he turned back to his salty companion.

"It's like Primus heard your prayers." Knock Out's ambiguity caused Breakdown to look up. "You wanted something to 'smash up', correct?"

Following Knock Out's gaze, he was surprised to see the blue, pink-streaked form of a motorbike. While he couldn't see the Autobot symbol, he could see the driver. The same grouchy human that they'd kidnapped a few months prior.

They knew Arcee when they saw her.

Meanwhile, just outside of Sierra, Nevada . . .

Bumblebee was dead.

Well, not literally. Yet.

But he was well aware that the second Arcee found out that he lost her sister, he was a dead mech walking. He'd already asked Ratchet to bridge the kids back to base. Not telling the doctor the reason why, Bee could sense that Ratch was suspicious.

He had to find Silver Sun fast.

He'd managed to track her energon profile to just outside of Sierra, Nevada, but after that, the trail went cold. He cursed internally, wondering if now was the time to call base.

Before he could, he noticed the other drivers on the road. Four cars, varying bright colours with flashy decals on the doors and the chassis. They drove faster than he'd seen most drive. They veered off the side of the road.

He could see where they were driving to. A group of bright lights in the distance. Careful to slow down to quiet the roar of the engine, Bumblebee followed them off of the road. He drove quietly, activating his holoform within the car in case they spotted him.

As he neared the blaring lights, the scout could hear upbeat music playing. He spotted a group gathering around a makeshift racetrack, cheering on as the contestants lined up. He could see Vince there, gearing up Silver's vehicle mode to race.

Bee let out a whir that resembled a relieved exhale. At least he hadn't lost her completely. There was still hope that Arcee would let him live.

But he screeched to a halt at seeing the vehicle pulling up to her right.

A flashy red sports car pulled up next to her, bold bright yellow highlights on the rims, and no doubt an even bolder driver. Knock Out.

The yellow mech felt his energon boil as he realised that the Decepticon was already planning to corner Silver. In all likelihood, he probably thought it was Arcee. But it wasn't like Bee could just go up and tell him to back off.

He was a scout. Right now, he needed to maintain his cover.

Silver's POV . . .

"RACERS,TO THE STARTING LINE!"

My optics quickly onlined as my frame jolted. I realised I was still in my bike form.

Several fluorescent, multi-coloured lights surrounded me. The roar of engines surrounded either side of me. My processor immediately travelled back to the races we used to have on Cybertron.

"You know the rules!" A blurry human figure shouted from the sidelines. "No fouls, no crashes, and most important..." The paused, vaguely appearing like their mouth widened into a smile. "Win."

There were only so many options for me to escape this situation.

My comm links were still offline. I couldn't contact the base without them.

Finally able to see clearly, I subtly scanned my surroundings to see a series of cars and bikes aligned in a row. Whether I liked it or not, this race was happening. All I could do was hope that Vince planned to give "Jack's" bike back to him after all this was over.

"WE GOT A 1000 BUCKS ON THE LINE!" The announcer repeated. "START YOUR ENGINES IN THREE..."

Well.

"TWO..."

Not the worst way the evening could've gone.

"ONE!"

I stepped on it.

Vince looked a little startled at the speed I took off at, but maintained his serious and determined face. At least, what I could see of it beneath his red helmet.

We overtook the other racers with ease, the closest one to us being a red sports car that seemed to barely be going at the same pace as us. If I was going to be stuck in this race, I wasn't going to cross that finish line as anything other than 'first'.

Vince laughed. "WHOOOOOHOOO! No wonder Darby smoked me last time we raced!"

My frame couldn't give it away, but I was smirking internally. Arcee was great, but I was wayyyy faster than her. It was the one win I had over my sister.

We approached the quarter mile marker. I was trusting Vince with the wheel since I had no idea where to go. For the first time since getting caught up in all this, I was actually having fun.

The feeling was short-lived.

The sound of a car horn caught me off guard. I turned to the right, looking up ahead to see a military-style truck coming out from behind an abandoned building. It all happened faster than I could think.

I swerved desperately to try and miss the truck as it barrelled onto the tracks in front of us. I heard Vince yell something out (I would later learn what he yelled to be a human curse word).

Sharply swerving, my wheels ground to a halt. He lunged forward a little, but managed to stay on, probably confused at how the bike managed to stop without him stepping on the brakes.

The red sports car that had been following close behind halted too. But the driver had angled it in a way that it blocked us from easily reversing.

In the bright light of the single working streetlamp, a silver symbol was visible on the car's hood. One I was all too familiar with.

A bad feeling crept into my spark.

Vince was starting to get annoyed. "Hey, what's the big idea?!"

As the red car started edging closer, the realisation hit that I might not be able to solve this problem in bike form. This mid-race intervention hadn't been a coincidence.

"Don't freak out." I whispered.

The human boy immediately jumped. "Wh-Who said that?!"

I stepped on the gas, barely managing to weave through the small gap between cars. Vince immediately began to panic, clinging on for dear life as I booked it towards the vast darkness of the Nevada desert.

I didn't know what my plan exactly was, but I knew we had to get away from the tracks to avoid being spotted by other racers.

The sounds of two engines and the roar of mocking laughter came from behind me.

"Still mad about the last race, Arcee?" A smug voice chuckled. "I would've let you win this time!"

It seemed to come from the red car, but I didn't have time to look back. Vince was trying to steer. I finally got the message that my communications system was back online.

"Oh, thank Primus." I murmured, activating the link directly back to base. "Ratchet? Ratchet are you there?"

Vince hadn't stopped freaking out. "Who's Ratchet?! Who's speaking?!"

Before I could respond, a familiar grouchy voice broke through the radio.

"Silver Sun?!" Ratchet sounded worried. "Are you alright? Where are you and Bumblebee?"

I managed to spot a series of silos up ahead of us. Not the best hiding spot, but it was enough for now. Pulling into the shadowed section behind one of the buildings, I quietly halted to a stop.

"I don't know where Bee is." I tried to be as calm as possible. "But I'm being chased by Decepticons, and I have a human with me."

"You're WHAT?!" Arcee's voice came from the other side of the line.

Vince seemed to have gone quiet, but stumbled off of my bike form. I grimaced as my sister yelled, anticipating the lecture that awaited me when I got back.

"I cannot pinpoint your exact location." Ratchet must've realised that gas had been mixed in with the energon. "Keep the human safe until we can reach you."

"Silver Sun." Optimus' voice broke through the radio. "I must ask that you maintain your cover, unless breaking it is absolutely necessary for the safety of either yourself or the human."

"Understood, sir." I confirmed, then turning my form towards Vince. "Okay, uhhhh, Vince-"

"How do you know my name?!" He shouted, stumbling backwards.

"Okay, I know this is scary, but you need to trust me." I responded, trying to sound as calm as possible. "I'm...actually coming through the radio."

He looked confused, but was still apprehensive. "What radio?"

"It's hidden, anyway." I tried to divert from the gaps in the story. "Jack was working on a science project to see if remote access was possible for a bike, aaand that's what I'm doing now!"

The boy sighed in relief as he finally seemed to accept my answer. "Oh thank God...I thought you were some kinda alien robot bike or something." He pointed in the direction we'd just come from. "Sooo, why'd you run from those guys? You called them...what, 'Deceptions'?"

That was a little more difficult to answer. I decided minimal information was the best course of action.

"It's complex." I tried to be cryptic in my response. "The less you know, the better."

The increasingly-loud sounds of tyres against the dirt tracks caught my attention. We didn't have much time left.

"Can you hide?" I asked hopefully.

He nodded. "Look, I don't wanna get caught up in anything to do with Darby. But I need to win at least one race tonight. Think you can let me use the bike a little longer?"

I wasn't really paying attention to much other than getting the kid to safety, so I quickly agreed to whatever it was he said. Seemingly satisfied with my answer, Vince made a break for a small wooden tool-shed nearby.

As soon as I was sure he was out of sight, I rounded the corner and transformed back into my bipedal form.

I let out a sigh of pure relief as my joints stretched and creaked for the first time since leaving the base that afternoon. It'd been hours since then. After so long in space, if anything, the vehicle mode was the one that felt unfamiliar.

Then I heard it. The same voice from a few minutes ago, but this time with a much closer laugh.

I quickly spun around, squinting in an attempt to pinpoint the origin of the laugh in the darkness of the Nevada night. Optics were on me, of that much I was sure. But other than that...I was in trouble.

"Running so soon? You've changed, darling." The voice came again, taunting. "Although, I do admire your framework." I froze as his voice appeared over my shoulder. "Not a single battle-scar. I'm almost impressed."

I turned on my heel, raising up my arms to fight. Finally, one of the Decepticons who'd been following me had revealed his real form.

Tall, with a red paintjob and a smug grin on his face, the 'Con seemed to be slightly surprised.

He stepped forward. "Those optics...You aren't our dear Arcee, are you?"

"N-No." I was suddenly grateful that I didn't yet have my insignia. "I-I'm a neutral. I don't want any trouble with you...?"

"Knock Out." He picked up on my hint. Slowly beginning to circle me. "What do you think, Breakdown? Release the neutral, of let Megatron decide."

The heavy footsteps of another Cybertronian appeared. I turned my helm towards him, meeting the bright yellow optics and the bold smirk of another Decepticon. This one was mainly a dark blue colour, orange highlights throughout his frame.

"Depends on how much of a problem she's gonna be." He raised an optic ridge at me. "We don't even know what she really looks like."

Knock Out tilted his helm. "Good point." He glared at me. "Turn off your fake colours. They're so poorly switched, I'm surprised you managed to trick us."

Not wanting to aggravate him, I complied.

Quickly, my frame glitched back to it's usual colours of silver with pink highlights. As a show that I wasn't a threat, I put up both servos. I couldn't even transform my own arms into weapons yet. No blasters or arm-blades like my sister had.

Breakdown's reaction surprised me. He seemed a little taken aback. My optics returned to their usual greenish-blue colour, mostly staring at the floor due to the nerves, but occasionally stealing a glance at their next move. Knock Out, on the other hand, only laughed.

He gestured at my surrendering stance. "A surrender already? You think I'd be so kind?"

That's when he transformed his own arm into a blade. Not just any weapon. A rotating blade. The kind a medic would only use in amputations. Or, for those who were truly unhinged: torture.

He stepped towards me. I stepped back.

My panic only seemed to amuse him. I frantically darted my gaze around, trying to pinpoint an escape route.

Before I could, I felt Knock Out's servo roughly take hold of my arm and yank me towards him. It hurt, but I was too afraid of showing weakness to show it. He smiled sadistically, bringing the blade closer to my face.

I saw Breakdown flinching in the background. His expression confused me. It was what appeared to be a mix of guilt and regret.

"Megatron has a strict rule. Neutrals may live, but they don't go unscathed." He reminded me of their leader's cruel code. "Don't worry. This is only a routine procedure."

Just as I was trying to get my helm around the situation I was in, I saw it. A bold flash of bright yellow and black flashed before my optics. A servo, balled into a fist, hitting Knock Out square in the jaw.

The red Decepticon stumbled away from me, releasing my arm and collapsing to the floor. A relieved smile appeared on my face as a familiar yellow mech stood in front of me.

Bumblebee geared up to fight, fists in front of his face as he glared at Breakdown. The blue mech had turned from guilty to enraged.

"You okay, Sil?" He kept his optics on the brawler in front of him.

"I-I'm fine, Bee." I stuttered, still slightly shaking.

"Good. Now run. I'll catch up."

My panic immediately came back as my optics darted between Bumblebee and the Decepticon opposite.

"Bee, I can't leave you."

Bumblebee turned back to me, pleading in his optics. "Silver, we don't have time to argue. Please, just get somewhere safe."

He was right. I knew he was right, but I hated it. Even if I stayed, I'd only be a liability as he fought.

I reluctantly agreed with him, activating my comm-link as I began running from the impending fight. My frame flinched at hearing the clashing of metal and shots firing behind me, but I knew that looking back would only convince me to stay.

Ducking behind a familiar wooden toolshed, I frantically tried to contact the others.

"Silver Sun to base!" I called the team back. "Bumblebee is in trouble! You need to get to-"

My entire form was struck by a powerful blast of electricity. My frame convulsed in pain as I screamed. I collapsed to the floor.

Optics level with the windows of the toolshed, I could see a familiar red-haired teenager hiding inside. His eyes were widened in confusion and fear.

If I lived, this was gonna be a lot of explaining to do.

The Decepticon's red frame was easy to recognise, even through my blurred vision. I couldn't understand how someone who's chosen to become a medic could so easily laugh at another's pain, but he seemed to take great amusement in it.

The taser staff he'd used to electrocute me was still in his servo. He placed the staff under my chin, lifting my face up as an extra mockery.

"Lying about your affiliation? Now that is a Decepticon move if ever I've heard one." He thought aloud. "Such a shame you couldn't lie for a little longer. You might've gotten away with your li-IIIIIIIIFE!"

His own scream caught me off-guard. I craned my helm as high up as it could go, only to see him with crowbar stuck into the ankle part of his pede.

I grimaced on his behalf. My surprise only grew at seeing a human there. Vince.

He drove in the crowbar further, until energon poured from the wound. Knock Out said some choice Cybertronian curse words as he shook Vince off of him, hopping back and trying to reach the origin of the pain.

While he was distracted Vince ran towards me, careful to maintain a safe distance. I didn't blame him. I'd be freaked out too if a giant organism randomly showed up during a street race.

"I don't even wanna know." He put up his hands. "But you are NOT a science experiment!"

"SILVER!"

That voice was one that I was finally happy to hear as I slowly sat upright. Knock Out took the hint and transformed, a crowbar sticking out of one of his back tyres as he drove away.

My sister rushed over, embracing me in a tight hug. She quickly backed up and held my face.

"Are you okay? Did he hurt you?" She asked.

I shook my helm, face being squashed. "I-I'm fine, just dazed."

"Good." She exhaled in relief, wasting no time in punching me in the shoulder. "What were you THINKING?!"

"First off, ouch." I rubbed my shoulder plates. "Second, not my fault. I got bot-napped."

I gestured to Vince, who suddenly looked very awkward as my sister glared at him.

Fear overtook again as I quickly got to my pedes. "W-Wait, where's Bee? He was fighting Breakdown, and-"

"He's fine. Bulk and Optimus scared off Breakdown before Bumblebee got seriously hurt." She folded her arms. "Not that he's gonna be safe after I get my servos on him..."

Getting involved with street-racing, crossing paths with two new Decepticons, and revealing myself to a human the second time I leave the base...

I was not looking forward to the reprimands that awaited me when I got back to the HQ.

END OF CHAPTER FIVE!!!

Ngl, I always thought that Vince would've been introduced as another human who became aware of the Autobots, especially when they floated that idea in Speed Metal.

But I digress, more fanfiction headcanons for us!

What do you think of Vince becoming Silver's human charge? I was tempted to have it be Sierra, but Vince needs more character. In the series, he was just this one-dimensional bully straight out of a 2000s Disney show (no shade, iCarly was awesome).

I'm just hoping to turn him into more than that. Especially since he and Silver are so opposite that they're almost certainly gonna clash on a lot of opinions.

Anyways, that's enough from me! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and I'll see you in the future for the next one!

'Til All Are One,

GreyroseLegacy