Transformers Prime: The Creator's Light

Shadowzone

Starshooter POV

Okay so it's been about three days since I last saw everyone. The day I actually told them was Tuesday. On Wednesday, Miko and the others threw a party since I wouldn't see them often. Today was Sunday and let's just say the schedule I had to be on was intense. Wake up at six in the morning, have breakfast, patrol till lunch, have lunch, look over scaled down cybertronian designs in technology for the company's image, patrol after three, come home for dinner around six, call Kay to inform her and get news on the day for her and the others, try to contact home(every single time nothing), then watch a movie or sketch till I pass out and start over again.
Anyway, I finally managed to give my self a break to go see everyone. Oh and as for where Cybertronics is located, try the 12 miles out of Detroit. Place was a mad house when I travel there before coming to the building of Cybertronics.
So right now I'm waiting for Optimus to come and pick me up at the airport. I needed some proof on where I was going for three days. My luggage was beside me and I was dressed in a business suit. Yeah the black pencil skirt, white dress shirt with a black blazer over that was trimmed in some gold around the edges. My hair pulled back into a tight bun and my feet in black heels. My necklaces were tucked under my shirt. I pursed my lips and looked up at the time.
He wasn't late and I wonder if he even recognizes me considering what I was wearing. I hated the outfit but the people I had to ride with were reporters that asked questions on Cybertronics's stability with a child at the helm or business men and women trying to pass deals. The only thing I said was that Cybertronics was not failing in the least or that deals need to be address at the company when I had the time to read over and think about what my family would have done. I sighed and began to tap my pen to my side.
"Excuse me, miss," I turned around and saw Optimus in his holoform. I smiled slightly but kept up with the straight business face. "Have you seen a girl the blonde hair and is slightly energetic?"
"No, I'm afraid I haven't. Where was she coming in from?" I tried my hardest not to smile.
"She was coming over from Detroit." He said sounding slightly worried.
"She would have been on my flight, then." I hummed. "I'm sorry I don't believe I caught your name."
"Orion Pax," he held his hand out.
I nodded and took it, "Ms. Prime." Optimus blinked in shock but didn't say anything. "I'm the CEO of my family's company, that must be where you have heard my last name before."
"Um it's not just that," he said quietly. By Primus, how long will it take for him to figure out its me.
"Oh and what else could it be, Mr. Pax?" I raised an eyebrow.
"It is nothing. Uh who are you waiting for?" He asked looking around.
"A good friend. He's picking me up and taking me home to see my friends," I answered truthfully.
"What company is it that you run exactly?" Optimus question and I nearly facepalmed.
"Only the highest regarded company on Earth. We specialize in nanobots, robots, medicine, and drones. That should be enough of a hint."
"The only company I heard that is like that is Cybertronics and the girl I'm picking up is the adopted daughter of its owners." He sighed.
I literally did facepalm. "Wow Optimus, just, wow." I looked up into his shocked wide eyes. "Seriously. You really didn't recognize me in this outfit."
"M-Maria?"
I nodded, "took you long enough, now come on let's go my feet are starting to hurt in these heels."
"But your last name is..." He trailed off.
"Prime, I know. I forgot to tell everyone what my real last name was. Kay's last name is more so I don't get people to ask me a bazillion at once while I was at school or just being in public." I explained reaching for my two bags.
Optimus got them first and I rolled my eyes but followed him to his alt mode. The passenger door opened for me and I climbed in while Optimus placed my stuff in the back before having his holoform seated in the driver's seat. His engine rumbled to life and we headed out through the airport and onto the highway leading to Jasper.
"So what all did you bring with you?" Optimus's holoform indicated to my two bags.
"Well in the one bag is gifts for the team and the other are my clothes." I smiled at his curiosity.
"Why are you dressed like that exactly? You don't normally dress professionally ." He commented.
"On the trip here, I had reporters interviewing me about Cybertronics and how I was fairing running it. If I looked and dressed like I normally do they'd take that as being I'm not serious about my family's company and then rivals will try to use that against me to get the company's clients." I vented out slightly, relaxing into the leather of the seat.
"That's a lot for some one your age should be dealing with." Optimus expressed his concern.
"Yeah well, if Cybertronics continued to go with out some sort of leadership, rivals would start buying out the place, leaving my family with nothing when they return." I brushed off.
"You seem pretty confident you'll see each other again." Optimus sounded saddened and I looked over at him.
"Of course, they're my family. Optimus what's the matter, I've never heard you talk like this before." Now I was generally worried.
"It just seems that the war doesn't have an end. With Megatron's return, I'm getting worried over everyone's safety. When you act so hopeful about something you're not sure about, you make it seem like you know it will happen." Optimus sighed.
"Hope is a powerful thing. Without it you're never certain about anything. But when you truly believe that is where your hope is the strongest and that positive energy is what make things turn out right in the end." I smiled slightly because Primus told me this when he shared that he'd never give up on Unicron.
"Wise words," Optimus's holoform smiled.
"Only quoting what my family believes." I confirmed.
We fell into a silence, and I watched the scenery pass by outside the window. I hummed silently seeing some familiar sights outside. As Optimus approached the base I tried to school my expression to freak Miko out that Im strictly business now and no fun. Optimus had deactivated his holoform just as the base's doors opened.
Once the two of us entered the main area everyone was gathered around. I opened the door and grabbed my bags before stepping out. I set them down on the ground and turned to the others. The team and the kids had their mouths open while Kay just smiled already catching onto the joke. I'm pretty sure Optimus caught on as well because he didn't say anything as he transformed.
"Wow girl, that's a new look but you don't look like..." Miko was the first to talk.
"I'm sorry Ms. Nakadai but this 'look' is for when I'm working." I said curtly.
Miko went slack jaw as did the others. Even Ratchet looked shock by how I acted. "Maria, you never talk like that. Don't tell me you've become grouchy like Docbot or stoic like bossbot." Miko pleaded.
"Hey," Ratchet objected.
"What does that imply, Ms. Nakadai?" My gaze turned flat.
"That you're no fun." Miko whined.
"Miko, you should know me well enough that I'd never behave like that around my friends. I just got to change out of this, first." I laughed grabbing my bag with my clothes and heading to the bathroom in the base. "I'll be right back."
I went in and changed quickly leaving my hair in its bun since it took forever to get up into it. I walked out in my skinny jeans, my Wicked purple shirt, and combat boots. Miko looked happier and everyone smiled. Kay and Optimus must have clued them in.
"Maria, you had me worried there for a moment." Miko sighed dramatically.
I laughed and and looked up when Arcee started to talk. "So your last name is actually, Prime?"
"Yep. You can even look it up if you don't believe me." I stated.
Ratchet grumbled but moved to the computer when everyone looked at him. He opened the human Internet and type in my full name. Up popped the webpage for Cybertronics. Ratchet selected it and up popped a video. It started to play and I started to laugh as Nexus came onto the screen as a human. "Hello everyone. I'm Nickolas Prime. Now a lot of people wanted to know what happens here behind the walls of our building so today me and my siblings are going to show you all a once in a life time chance opportunity inside. Now let's get started." Nexus took the camera and turned it around to head inside the building. "Okay so here is where everyone comes in at. Normally someone's here to greet people but it doesn't look like she's here right now. Wait let me check," Nexus moved closer to the desk and peered over it. Sitting on the ground behind it was a ten year old me looking up in shock. "There you are. Everyone this is Maria Prime, our youngest member of the family. Maria why are you hiding?"
My younger version put her finger over her lips,"shhh. Al is trying to find me."
"Why is he doing that?" Nexus asked.
"He promised to play today."
"Ah, but can you help me show everyone watching, around and what we do here?" Nexus moved away from the counter and I popped up.
"Sure but if I lose to him you have to make it up to me."
"Alright, short stuff. Anyway for those of you out there who don't really know, Maria was an orphan after her mother died. My dad, Paul Riley Muskogee Prime, took her in. My brothers and I along with my sister and uncle watch and take care of her while dad is out."
Ratchet stopped the video there and Miko made an aww noise. "You looked so cute."
I rolled me eyes at Miko's statement. I went to my other bag and started to open it. "I got you guys some things." I pulled out a laptop with the autobot symbol in yellow surrounded by black strips on the cover. "Here Raf, custom made from Cybertronics computer science division. Fully functional though it won't be release to the public for another year." Raf's mouth was open and I almost thought it touch the floor. He took it carefully in hand before opening up to its screen. It turned on with a cheery beep and Raf began to check its systems.
"Maria, this programming is more advance than anything on my computer." He gasped.
"Well of course. I added a lot more safety programs to make sure Soundwave can't hack it. That kind off programming isn't aloud outside of the company because it's too advanced but considering everything, I have it classified under S. C. U. S. A."
"What does that mean?" Cliff asked.
"Specialized Computer Under Special Access." I undid the acronym.
"There's something for that?" Raf looked up.
"Yep, my tablet is consider that, same with every laptop that my family personally uses. Oh and guess what I found out in that section."
"Oh and what's that?" Ratchet asked sarcastically.
"The base's computer. Well more the designs but still that it existed for a long time. Apparently my family help you guys out before." I stated.
"Cool, but where's my gift?" Miko came up and began to peak into the bag.
"More than likely buried still." I rolled my eyes.
"Ah," she wined.
I shook my head and pulled out the next gift. "Here Jack," I handed over to him a polished dark blue pocket tool that had a hand carved autobot symbol.
"Um thanks, Maria." He seemed unsure about it.
"Here I'll show you what it does." I took it back. "Now it has all the normal functions of a regular pocket tool but with a slight twist." I pressed the symbol and aimed at the wall. It discharged a bolt of electricity that faded after hitting the wall. "It fires EMP darts that send anything electronic into shut down. Classified with my crossbow." I handed it back to him while everyone stared at the scorch mark in shot. "Now don't think I forgot you guys." I smiled up at the team. Now if I remembered right from before the war, Arcee loved to collect Crystal Garden flowers. I pulled out silver, gold and blue metal flowers with gems glittering in the center. Solus always kept a small garden filled with flowers from the Crystal Garden in every dimension's Cybertronics. But I also pulled out blade sharpeners. "Arcee, you were kind of hard to figure out so I got you these things."
Arcee knelt down to my level and picked up the flowers first. "Thank you, Maria."
I turned to the three mechs. "Now you three were really hard but I think I nailed it." I pulled out a large sheet of metal with the autobot insignia on the front. "Hopefully this doesn't blowup." I prayed hitting the button. It sprung to life emitting a glowing blue forcefield. I smiled and tossed it to Cliffjumper. The shield once it touched his servo, expanded its forcefield to accommodate its new owner.
"Sweet," he smiled and turned it off. Instead of returning to the metal sheet, it attached to his left wrist.
Turning to my bag I pulled out the next gift. It was just a large metal orb of scrap metal but with a twist. Ratchet explained to me the different versions of the lobbing game Bulkhead likes to play. But since it's a two player game and none of the others really play I worked some of my skill to add a special computer that causes the ball to levitate and stop before hitting something not giving off a specific signal. I took the chip for it and threw it at Bulk. It attached magnetically and flashed green. He looked at it strangely before I took out the new lob ball. Throwing it proved a challenge but it struck Bulk. "Okay now throw it back Bulkhead."
Bulkhead looked worried but tossed the ball back. Optimus made the move to intercept when it changed trajectory and flew back at Bulk. Optimus looked relieved and I rolled my eyes at his worry. "Thanks, Maria." Bulk smiled.
"Now only bots wearing that chip can play and it won't or at least it shouldn't crash into anything without it." I explained before turning to Bee. "I'm sorry, Bee, but your gift I don't know if it'll work or not, but we got to give it a shot right?" Bee nodded. I grinned before pulling out what looked like three hearing aids. I motioned Kay over and placed it behind her ear. "Okay Bee, since Kay can't really understand you this should help her. You say something and if she repeats it correctly it works and then all of us can understand you."
"Alright, how about, how much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood." Bee tried.
Kay blinked before repeating what she heard. "Bee said, alright, how about, how much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a wood chuck could chuck wood."
I jump with joy as did Raf and Bee. I gave Jack and Miko theirs. Bee did it again and they both confirmed they could understand. Now I got to Ratchet's present. I smiled as I lifted the wrench out of the case and Kay got Ratchet to come over. "Here Ratchet. A self replicating wrench. It goes from one to five then back again." I saw his smile and heard his chuckle as he lifted it. Cliff, Bee, and Bulk backed up before Ratchet subspaced it with a nod. Two presents left now.
I grabbed Miko's present and I thought about how I could have some fun with her. I grabbed the new guitar strings and tossed them to her. "Only guitar strings." She whined. "But you brought the others cool things."
I rolled my eyes and grabbed the small speaker for a guitar. "No this it your present. A speaker that can weaponize sound from your guitar. Should help you not get hurt and everyone less worried about you. Only thing is, is that it isn't a toy. I got special coding in my phone and if Kay or anyone tells me you're abusing its power that kill code will shut it down melting the circuits." I warned. She nodded in confirmation and took it with eyes full of stars. I shook my head at her wonder and turn to the bag. While I took time to sketch during my trip, I drew a picture of all of the team and wrote everyone's name in cybertronian. When I started the background, I drew a faded version of the Matrix.
Right now though I want only Optimus to see it. I closed the bag after pulling out a large  folded piece of paper. Moving closer to Optimus, I tapped his foot and he offered a servo for me. I climbed on and ask if we could go somewhere more quieter. He nodded heading towards a hall. Upon reaching a corner at the end, I opened the sheet and held it up for him. He took it into his other servo with a small smile but it quickly faded.
"Maria, how do you know what the Matrix looks like?"
I blinked with a confused face. "The Matrix?"
"In the background. The thing you drew is an artifact called the Matrix of leadership." He pointed out.
"Didn't know that was what it was called. Been reoccurring in my dreams lately, guess it somehow got onto paper." I shrugged after stating the truth. It had been flashing in my dreams as of late but I never gave it a seconded consideration.
That's when we heard a Ratchet calling us back into the room. Optimus turned to travel back and subspaced the drawing neatly. He came up behind Ratchet and Ratchet took it as a cue to start. "I had hoped that my growing expertise on the subject would only remain purely academic, but though faint, this is clearly a dark energon signature, and it's moving fast."
"Megatron." Optimus concluded.
The others came over then. " Where did he find more of the bad stuff?" Arcee asked.
" And what's he going to do with it, recruit a new army of the undead?" Bulkhead asked with a slight joking tone.
"Zombie-cons?" I noticed Miko perk up.
"We cannot rule out the possibility, especially since Megatron seems to be heading to a familiar site." Optimus agreed. He turned to the others after placing me by the computer. "Megatron has barely emerged from stasis, and it seems he's already making up for lost time." I moved to the stairs ready for Miko's break for it. "Bulkhead, Bumblebee, Ratchet, Cliffjumper, prepare to roll out."
"Me?" Ratchet looked at Optimus in shock.
Optimus turned to face him. "If we are dealing with dark energon, I may well require your expertise. Arcee?"
"Bridge operator. Got it." Arcee confirmed.
Ratchet looked over at me and Kay who came up beside me. Kay did a shooing motion while I shrugged. Thing is we didn't hear Miko's statement. When the opened and everyone wasn't looking she jumped over the couch and slid down the railing to the main floor. The four of us human watching her raced towards her direction. Jack managed to catch up to her first and grabbed her arm.
"It's not safe!" Jack warned her.
"I'm not gonna miss my first zombiecon throw down!" She protested and broke free from Jack's grip.
Her phone dropped to the ground as she raced through with us on her tail. Thing is, is that when I feel behind Jack, his phone came out of his pocket as well. This was going to be interesting, I decided. We all came through and followed Miko as she ran up a ramp cliff.
"That's not Megatron," Cliffjumper stated the obvious.
"Rise, Skyquake! Rise!" We heard Starscream yell.
Miko came to a stop and crouched down. "Let's see some fight of the living dead, already!"
The four of us came up beside her. Jack looked at her like she was insane. "Miko, what were you thinking?"
"She wasn't," Raf, Kay and I said.
"Hey I totally missed out last time. This could be my only chance to take some snaps." Miko indicated to the tomb. She then reached for her phone only to realize it wasn't there. "My cellphone! I must have dropped it back at the base."
No derp, girl, I wanted to say. The five of us humans weren't paying attention to the battle below and Kay and I just crossed our arms.
"Ugh, I can't believe you made me lose my phone!!!" Miko shouted aloud. Ratchet and the team turned to look at us in shock.
"Uh, how is this my fault?" Jack objected.
Suddenly two ground bridges opened below us. The team looked at it in shock before Ratchet looked at the five of us. "You five, into our groundbridge.... now!"
"Come on." Jack pulled Miko along.
Kay and I jogged to keep up. The five of us past through and we all stopped halfway through as the bridge became unstable. This was going to hurt.
And it did when the bridge blew it knocked us back and we landed scattered about in the canyon. I groaned and sat up. Everyone was on the ground from the force. "You guys okay?" I heard Jack ask.
"Explain okay," Kay remarked rubbing her head.
"Yeah, I think so," Raf said standing up.
We stood and watched as Bulkhead stood and looked around. "Oh, w-what just happened?"
The rest of the team stood then as Ratchet answered. "I can't be certain. But if two ground bridges sent to the same coordinates crossed streams, the feedback could have triggered a system overload."
"Could? Hello, more like totally did." Miko commented.
"The kids made it through, right?" Cliff asked looking around.
Miko moved over to Bulkhead while Jack spoke, "what's he talking about?"
"Bulkhead, we're right here!" Miko yelled at him to gain his attention.
Optimus opened his comm link. "Arcee, did the children make it back to base?"
We couldn't hear the response though but I already knew what was said. Ratchet only confirmed it when he stated they had no sign of us.
"What? 'No sign'?!" Miko objected. "Okay seriously, Bulk..." Bulkhead moved and his ped went straight through her.
"He went right through you. We're not alive." Jack assessed.
Kay facepalmed at his statement while Raf clinged to her. "I don't want to be a ghost!"
"Wait. How can we still touch each other?" Jack noticed.
"Because we aren't dead. We're just in a sliver or pocket of the dimension plain. Which means we're still here but we just can't interact with anything else than what is here." I explained as we ran to catch up to the others.
"Ratchet..." Optimus began, "could the children have been transported onto the Nemesis instead?"
"Not likely. If Starscream didn't arrive at our base, the most likely explanation is a dislocation. The children may simply have bee bridged to an unintended destination." We finally stopped and Raf pieced together the things me and Ratchet said. "Another place but in the same place?"
"What do you mean?" Jack asked.
"We're probably where Maria said, in another dimension, some kind of alternate reality, a shadow zone." Raf explained.
"Nerd alert." Miko rolled her eyes and I crossed my arms.
"Well this nerd made you present Miko." I snapped.
She smile sheepishly rubbing the back if her neck. I sighed and we all turned to watch the bots. "Look. Skyquake's tomb is empty." Optimus pointed out.
"How'd we miss Skyquake rising and shining?" Bulk asked.
"It would seem Starscream got what he came for." Ratchet vented out.
"Another matter for another time." Optimus stated. "Right now, our priority is locating Kay, Jack, Miko, Maria and Rafael. Arcee, bridge us back to base."
The five of us in the shadow zone turned sharply upon hear the groaning of stressing metal. Skyquake stood and limped forwards towards the others to attack.
The kids ran towards it to try to warn the others. "Zombie!" Miko yelled. "Bulkhead!"
"Guys look out!" Jack tried.
"It's right behind you!" Raf warned.
The terricon closed in on Bulkhead and was about to strike but the blow went straight through. "Awesome. It can't touch them, either." Miko rejoiced. The terricon looked back at us with a new glint in its optics.
"If that thing can't touch the bots..." Jack started.
"Just like we can't..." Miko added.
"Then we're trapped in the shadow zone with a decepticon zombie!" Raf finished.
"If we aren't ghosts now, we will be soon." Miko wilted.
"Scrap," Kay cursed as we grabbed their arms.
"Run first questions later!" I ordered.
The five of us took off down the canyon away from the undead Skyquake. He followed slowly behind. Raf and I fell behind the other two and Rafael tripped. I skidded to a stop grabbed his glasses and helped him up.  Setting them on his face the two of us raced to where the others were waiting.
"Let's book." Miko suggested pointing at Skyquake who just came around the corner.
"Will do." Kay stated and we started to run again.
"Maybe we could set a trap, try to crush it." Miko suggested it.
"With what?" Raf asked. "Nothing around here is solid except us and the ground."
"We can't run forever. But maybe we can hide. " Miko tried.
I sighed almost regretting what I was about to say. "Miko's right. About the trap and a place to hide."
"Wait what?!" The four looked at me.
"Miko is right. I said it okay. Anyways I can make a weapon with what we've got." I explained.
"Out of what exactly?" Jack asked.
I paused and looked around. First my gaze landed on the beep translators, then Miko's amp clipped to her pants, and Jacks pocket knife. "The gifts. I can weaponize them to harm Skyquake." I affirmed.
"Okay," they all agreed as we came to a hiding spot behind some rocks.
"You keep it distracted while I work. I'll find you when I'm done." They nodded in turn and left the gifts. "Please let this work." I begged.
The four ran off and I got to work opening the aid's. I pulled out wires and began to connect the two weapons into something more lethal. I ended up with a sonic pulser cannon. Attaching it to my arm, I raced in the direction the others went. "Please be alright."