Tough Love

BACK ON THE BACKWATER

With Kade sealed back inside, Heatwave submerged and followed the anchor's chain. It didn't take long to come to the end of the line, but once they did, they couldn't believe what they saw.

"Is that another bot?" Kade gasped.

"I... I guess so," Heatwave stammered. "I don't recognize him, though."

"Well, what do we do?"

Heatwave didn't immediately answer. Something about this wasn't sitting right with him. He knows he shouldn't approach a stranger who looks bigger and stronger than him by himself, but he doesn't want anyone else getting close, either.

"Primus, this has to be one of the dumbest ideas I have ever considered," Heatwave muttered.

"What was that?" Kade asked.

"Nothing."

Heatwave silently prays to Primus and cautiously approaches the stranger. Sensing that they have company, the bot lifts their helm slightly, revealing a pair of glistening red optics.

"Hey, look down there!" Kade said.

"Kade, I can't see where you're pointing," Heatwave deadpanned.

"Of course you can't. Look at his legs! I think he's stuck or something."

Indeed, Kade was right. After angling himself a bit, Heatwave saw the stranger's leg, trapped in a jagged crack in the seabed.

"Call the others," Heatwave ordered.

"Way ahead of you," Kade said, activating communications. "Hey, guys, we found the problem."

CHIEF: {Are you two alright?}

KADE: {I'm fine, dad, though Heatwave's a little spooked.}

WAVE: {I am not spooked! I'm just surprised by the appearance of another Cybertronian.}

BLADES: {What did you say?}

WAVE: {A mech I don't recognize is down here. The anchor fell on top of them and the chain got all tangled up in their antlers.}

DANI: {Antlers? You mean like a deer?}

KADE: {More like a moose, but yeah, same thing.}

WAVE: {They may be injured, but we can't do much without removing the chains first, and I'm not risking Kade's safety all the way down here.}

BLADES: {Do you want me to come down there?}

WAVE: {Affirmative.}

Blades soon appeared. The stranger tilted their helm to get a better look at the new arrival.

CHIEF: {Kade, Heatwave, Blades, what's going on down there?}

BLADES: {Whoever this is, Chief, they... Oh dear.}

CHIEF: {What is it?}

BLADES: {The water around them feels unusually hot. Boiling hot.}

CHIEF: {That sounds like a hydrothermal vent... Okay, we have to make this quick! Blades, untangle the bot. Once you get the all clear, Dani, you and Captain Wild head back to shore. Heatwave and Kade, stay there and try to get in contact with High Tide, see if he can't come over and help out. We'll all rendezvous at the cove.}

KADE: {Why the cove?}

CHIEF: {Because I don't want to have to explain this new bot to the townsfolk without knowing what's going on first.}