Transformers Prime - A Christmas Story

You Must Choose Wisely

Maxanarda cranked her helm this way and that, as well as stretching her legs to get used to alertness again. Parts of her joints would move to and fro for realignment for bending her legs. She closed her optics, and took a deep inhale.
"What's taking her so long?" Miko whispered to Ratchet.
"She just awakened from who knows how long of a stasis, and has been asked to take on three very strong and cunning predacons. She must clear her processor, and think without fail. Whether or not she has a powerful advantage." He snapped a little, but just as quietly. She nodded, keeping her attention on the newest and massive bot who rivaled that of Optimus' height much more than the festive tree.
"They just keep getting bigger and bigger..." Whispered Agent Fowler aloud to himself, June nodding in silent agreement. Maxanarda then looked to the predacons, and opened her powerful jaws, as if she was to roar. The sound that hadn't seemed to have been there, to anyone else anyway, immediately caused the predacons to suddenly be alert once again.
"What just happened?" Questioned Smokescreen.
"She emitted a frequency of sound only a predacon could hear. Fully predacon, or half." Optimus clearly answered. Maxa snaps her jaws shut.
"How dare you!" Complained Predaking with a growling look of his denta. All Evanna did was stand there, strong and tall while the other two males transformed back onto two legs.
"You lot must stray from the path of lust for power and destruction, and act as the intelligent powerful beasts you were truly meant to be." She simply stated. Smokescreen mouthed the word 'wow' to himself.
"Wo, how is she talking in her beast form?" Questioned the off-topic Sky Lynx.
"Quiet! That's beside the point right now! She is standing up to my authority! And you two know quite well what happens when anyone does such a thing." Predaking snapped at him. Maxanarda growled from deep within her throat.
"Maxanarda has had higher authority for centuries longer than you, Predaking." Optimus contradicted sternly. 'On snap' mouthed Smokescreen again. He barred his teeth in an angered cringe,
"What is your point, Prime!" He responded, not having a good comeback.
"She has wisdom to offer, wisdom that no living being can put a price on, if you just take the time to listen and learn-" Before Ratchet could conclude his statement, Predaking rushed for him with rage in his eyes. Maxa flared her eight wings for a moment then leaped up and landing almost all her weight on the large predacon. Her body slammed him down hard, causing the ground to quake and a couple ornaments to fall off the tree, but not break. Just when Sky Lynx and Darksteel went to attack Maxa and free Predaking, Maxa's wings burst out once again and were set aflame with the most beautiful of black fire. The sudden and immense amount of fire stopped them dead in their tracks.
"And I thought Decepticons got all the good stuff!" Exclaimed Miko. Both of Maxa's tail-ends soon each became a sword engulfed in the same flames.
"The tides have certainty changed now..." Agent Fowler commented. The scorching hot blades were merely inches away from Predaking's throat as Maxanarda spoke,
"I was there to witness your race thrive on Cybertron, and I know more about you than even Shockwave himself. You were not meant to live your lives as meaningless scavengers or treated like soulless weapons of war. My goal is to not kill you at first sight, nor to treat you as worthless slaves. We would all rather work with you than against you. Not just for the sake of this team, but for the sake of our race as a whole. For peace, and all sentient beings. Till all are one." She recalled words spoken to her by Optimus long ago while looking Predaking directly in his optics.
"You must choose wisely, lads." The base fell silent as everyone waited to see how the predacons would react.
"I...I choose the non-meaningless side." Darksteel spoke up with slight hesitation at first. He and Sky Lynx had figured out the hard way Predaking overpowered them, but they've never seen anything like this. With how this conversation had started, they hadn't the desire to fight anymore. Sky Lynx looked to him, then back to Evanna with a nod,
"I do as well. I am willing to...give it a try." He added. Maxanarda then gazed only at Predaking for an answer. He seemed to despise the idea, but also looked as if he were trying to accept it.
"You will always be Predaking, lad. Everyone will still use that as your calling. But even a king answers to someone." He growled to himself, not making optical contact in return.
"I only want what is best for us all." She added.
"When it was only the three of us, we were on our own. Living free without listening to anyone. But..." He slightly looked at the Titan, "You say we are intelligent, and...I must prove I can live up to your expectations of intelligence in us, for we are truly more than the things you described. I will also...give this...a try." He responded even more hesitantly than the first two. Slowly, Maxanarda drew back her two heated tail swords while returning them to normal, as she pulled back her adjusted weight off of Predaking.
"On the bright side, we'll have a place to live now." Shrugged Sky Lynx. Darksteel nodded,
"Yeah, no more sleeping in damp caves." He added.
"Seems my work here, is done." Maxanarda commented, before beginning to change the very shape of her body. Wings began folding into her back, and tails resuming their form while everything else changed.