I went on a round trip to recall myself and test all my systems. I spent a few days out and when I returned, it was morning and Fixit was combiner testing with Sideswipe and Grimlock. Bumblebee rolls over "Oh, welcome back, ShiverTooth! Nice to see you here again. Fixit? What is all this?"
The minicon states "Oh, Lieutenant, and commander, welcome. I'm about to recreate your mysterious combiner effect by activating the particles in your bodies irradiated by exposure to nuclear energy."
Bee asks "You mean you figured out how to successfully combine autobots!?"
"I'm certain I have." Fix replies.
Sideswipe argues "Actually, I've decided I'm a lot less certain. Fixit! Let me out of this thing!!"
"Ooh! Ooh! If it works, can I be the head this time!?" Grimlock begs.
Sideswipe says "Okay, I'm definitely out! No way I want two tons of Dino doofus on top of this awesome chassis." Grimlock looks down.
I walk over "Relax, boy. If I would do it, I'd let you..... if there's a choice in combining that is...." Grimlock snuggles into me and purrs.
Fixit says "Now now, Sideswipe. It's just a matter of pushing a little mutton—glutton— button!!! Eh- ooh! yikes! Close one! Now then.... Ready?" Sideswipe started yelling No and Grimlock started cheering yes. "Set," Fixit says.
Bee remarks "You know, Fixit. Maybe this isn't—-"
"WHOOPEE!!!" The minicon pressed the button and it all turned bright.
The mechanism exploded and we were met with Sideswipe's chassis joined to Grimlock's lower body after the smoke cleared "Fixit! Decombine us! Now!" The racer yelled.
"Oh I'm certain the effect will wear off on his own. As it has when ALL of you combined." Fix remarks.
Sideswipe argues "Are you as certain as you were that THIS would work!?"
The minicon states "Hmm, maybe not quite that much."
Strongarm rolls in next "Lieutenant. It looks like human scientists have recovered the shanix coins Crustacean was after—- AHH!!!" She freaked out when she saw the "combiner" we were testing with.
"And how's your day been going?" Sideswipe asked.
Bee states "We better get those coins back before some human connects them to Cybertron and wonders if there are autobots on earth again."
Strongarm explains "The shanix are being held at the natural history museum. We can— huh?" She was interrupted when Jetstorm and Slipstream came by, training.
They go under Side-lock and bump into their master. "Jetstorm, Slipstream. Stop dancing. Engage as instructed." He says. The minicons come back into the open and jump at each other. They collide and then fall down and lay against the ground. "That is not how I instructed you. Do as you were taught and ONLY as you were taught." Drift growls. My wings go down and my eyes turn indigo.
Bumblebee looks to me and then looks to Drift "Hey, they've proven themselves. I thought you were you were okay with them going off script now and then."
The samurai remarks "They are still my students and I am still their teacher, and students obey their teacher."
Fixit calls out "Lieutenant Bumblebee! I'm reading a decepticon ship entering Earth's atmosphere!"
Drift looks to his students "Students! Undeploy!"
They go back to his arms and Bee asks "Drift, do you know this ship?"
He states "The pilot and I.... Have a history...."
Fix says "The ship has cloaked itself to avoid human detection methods, but I can still track it."
Bumblebee says "If you have intel on this con, I expect you to share it."
Drift responds "He... is dangerous. If we confront him, my pupils should not participate. I would feel better if ShiverTooth did not either. It's for their own good."
I counter "I've nearly died to a lot more powerful than this con, I'm sure. I'll be fine."
He looks to me and narrows his ridges. He looked worried for me. I could tell they he did truly hate me getting hurt. He uncrosses one of his arms and brings it down. His eyes looked to my servo and he then shook his helm and turned away, recrossing his arms. He definitely saw something in me.
Fixit calls "Lieutenant, it appears the decepticon ship is on a trajectory to touch down close to here."
Bee orders "Set groundbridge coordinates to that ship's landing site."
"What about the shannix?" Strongarm asks.
Bumblebee says "We'll have to deal with that later. When can we expect Sideswipe and Grimlock to be back to normal?" We hear a crash and turn around to see the two separated.
"I can see!!! ITS A MIRACLE!!!" Grimlock wags his tail happily.
We bridge next and arrive in a nearby forest. The ship appeared above us shortly after. It lands in a clearing ahead. Bumblebee says to the samurai "Drift, any information you have on the pilot, now's the time."
The samurai was nervous but responded "His name is Shadow Raker. He trains wayward bots to steal for him in exchange for shelter and protection. He calls them his shadows. His pleasure in corrupting the innocent is matched only by his greed." I shudder at this. I knew cons were a lot like this before you understood their reasons but it still scared me from time to time.
Bumblebee says "Charming. Ready for ambush team."
The front door opens and Drift tells us "Shadow Raker's strongest defenses will be at the entrance hatch. Come. I know another way in."
"Drift, any idea why he's on earth?" Strongarm whispers.
"I suspect for.... Personal business." The mech replies.
We follow Drift to another side of the ship where another door was placed. Sideswipe remarks "Wow! You've really read up on this con. Haven't you." We board it and I look around. I start shaking and my body felt light.
Drift looks over "Are you alright? You're shivering."
I look up "The interior of his craft looks similar to the Nemesis warship. I lived on it during the Great War. The memories bring me shock and fear to this day even though I felt protected by the ship's walls."
The mech states "You were a decepticon serving under Megatron. Now you are serving beside Bumblebee as an autobot. The memories of being an enemy is what scares you."
I agree "Must be."
Bumblebee says "Let's fan out and sweep the ship."
"Use caution. Shadow Raker fights without honor." Drift warns.
The Lieutenant says "Understood. Grim. Stay here incase Raker tries to sneak out."
"On it like polish on armor, Bee." The dinobot responds.
We all separate and go into different hallways. Later on, Strongarm calls in "All units. I have located the suspect. He may be heading for the ship's main exit."
I run over but I didn't get far until Bumblebee called "Drift, ShiverTooth. Shadow raker's in the maintenance shaft." I couldn't find anything until I somehow wandered to the front where I saw a black and grey mech jump out and start running. I transform and fly after him. I get in front of him then loop around and fly at him, transforming and bringing him down.
I take out my hunter and say "What do you think you're doing?"
He looks up at me "Hmm. What do you know. I'm not the only old mech with a high pitch voice." I was confused "What is that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing.... Just a little distraction that got you to lower your guard enough."
He spits web onto my eyes and I fall backwards, trying to rip it off, then falling to the ground. "Ah!! Get it off! Get it off! Get it off!!" I yell. He webs my mouth next and then my legs to the ground so I couldn't move.
"You should have stayed with your old master." Shadow raker tells me, commenting on my decepticon symbol. He then runs off from what I could hear.
I started having flashbacks to Airachnid. I didn't like it. The webbing was so hard to remove. I started panicking and my tears clouded my eyes with the webbing holding them from running down my face. I tried to stop and calm down. I sat in place and breathed. Drift and the others will come for me. I know it. I know they will. He came this way so the autobots have to be tracking his signal if he escaped and they'll find him where I am.