Transformers Prime: A New Beginning

Chapter 26: Shattered

"Well, I don't know about that..." Starscream said, making the others look over at him.

"Are you saying this is your doing?" Bulkhead asked, his optics filled with mistrust.

"Of course not!" The seeker snapped in annoyance. "How would I be able to accomplish such a feat?! Especially when I'm stuck here?!"

None of them gave the seeker a reply, and instead looked back at the unknown signal.

"We will investigate, but with extreme caution." Optimus said. After shifting to his Cybertronain form, Michael and the others headed out. As Michael walked into the Groundbridge, he couldn't help but feel strange.

Something told him that whatever they found was not going to be pleasant.

-----

In the rocky area near the arch close to the Harbinger, a Groundbridge opened, and the Autobots, plus Starscream, stepped out. Unlike the previous time the group had been there, a heavy fog covered the area around them, making it hard to see. The arch that was in the area looked like a silhouette.

The Autobots looked around, keeping their guards up. Because the bots couldn't see much due to the fog, Michael decided to call out to attract the attention of whoever was making the signal.

"Is anyone out there?!" He called.

Another voice spoke out in response.

"It would seem that the rumors were true..."

Michael froze up.

The voice that replied sent shivers down his spinal strut.

It sounded dark... cold... ruthless... emotionless...

And yet...

It sounded exactly like his own...

Out of the fog stepped a mech.

A mech that looked nearly identical to Michael.

Michael himself, the Autobots, and Starscream could only stare in shock.

Michael thought that if color-inverting mirrors were a thing, he felt that he was staring into one right at that moment.

The mech had gray-ish red paint with a deep green underframe. He had patterns of green, orange, and dark purple on his doorwings, chassis, and leg-plates. His insignia looked like the one Michael had, but the colors were reversed. Like Michael, his faceplate was silver with a slightly metallic look to it. Also like Michael, the mech had two different colored optics. However, the red mech's right optic was an orange color, while his left optic was a deep purple.

Michael just stood there, unmoving. He and the others stayed like that for a while until at last, the Techno-Organic found his voice.

"Who.... who are you....?" He asked uncertainly.

"Oh, I think you know exactly who I am, Michael." The gray-ish red mech smirked. "I'm you."

"H-How....?! I'm just an anomaly! Another version of me shouldn't exist!" Michael exclaimed.

"There can." The other Michael said. "All you have to do is open the door."

"What do you- AGH!" Michael started, but never finished as he was shoved back by his other self. Bumblebee buzzed in anger, and was about to confront the mech when Optimus put a servo on his shoulder-plate and shook his helm. Then the Prime walked forward.

"Stand down!" He said firmly.

"Keep out of this, Prime!" Michael's other self snapped, and deployed a blaster. He was about to fire at the Autobots when Michael got up and shoved his other self back.