With the addition of the Apex Armour, the Autobots now felt like they can beat any Decepticon without any issue. However, Optimus advised not to overuse on the armour too much. So, Velma opted to utilise the armour in combat training, even fighting against Bulkhead, Bumblebee, or even Jazz in practice combat. To the surprise of her group, she's able to stand her ground.
At the same time, Indominus was starting to get used to being around the humans of Mystery Incorporated. At times, he listened to some of the adventures and the mysteries that they have gone through, which did get Indominus curious at these antics. Some of the stories were definitely worth listening to, making the techno-organic Predacon wondering what those criminals were even thinking of.
~*~*~
Mount St. Helens, an active stratovolcano located in Skamania County, Washington, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It lies 52 miles (83km) northeast of Portland, Oregon, and 98 miles (158km) south of Seattle. Mount St. Helens takes its English name from that of the British diplomat Lord St Helens, a friend of explorer George Vancouver who surveyed the area in the late 18th century. The volcano is part of the Cascade Volcanic Arc, a segment of the Pacific Ring of Fire.
The Mount St. Helens major eruption of May 18, 1980 remains the deadliest and most economically destructive volcanic event in U.S. history. 57 people were killed; 200 homes, 47 bridges, 15 miles (24km) of railways, and 185 miles (298km) of highway were destroyed. A massive debris avalanche, triggered by a magnitude 5.1 earthquake, caused a lateral eruption, reducing the elevation of the mountain's summit from 9,677ft (2,950m) to 8,363ft (2,549m), leaving a 1 mile (1.6km) wide horseshoe-shaped crater. The debris avalanche was 0.6 cubic miles (2.5 km3) in volume. The 1980 eruption disrupted terrestrial ecosystems near the volcano. By contrast, aquatic ecosystems in the area benefited from the amounts of ash, allowing life to multiply rapidly. Six years after the eruption, most lakes in the area had returned to their normal state. After its 1980 eruption, the volcano experienced continuous activity until 2008. Geologists predict that future eruptions will be more destructive, as the configuration of the lava domes requires more pressure to erupt. However, Mount St. Helens is a popular hiking spot and it is climbed year-round.
In the distance of the volcanic mountain, TurboRacer and Bumblebee were both driving around in search of a type of beacon that Ratchet had picked up on. But due to the ash from the volcano in the area, the scanners were unable to detect what this beacon could be.
"Anything yet?" Bumblebee beeped to TurboRacer.
"Not yet. My scanner is struggling to triangulate the beacon, no doubt because of the volcanic ash." TurboRacer answered to Bumblebee. "But if I'm to take a guess, we shouldn't be too far away from the beacon."
"TurboRacer. Bumblebee. What's your status?" Optimus' voice spoke up on the Comms.
"Optimus. We're still tracking the signal, but having some trouble triangulating it's exact location." The Triple-Changer Autobot answered. "The ash coming from the volcano here is interfering with my scanner."
"Understood, TurboRacer. Proceed with caution." Optimus acknowledged.
"Turbo, I'm doing some testing here, and I think I've got something." Velma's voice now spoke up. "If you travel North-to-South, with Bumblebee taking East-to-West with these coordinates, you should be able to find the beacon." Some coordinates now appear on the muscle car Autobot's GPS systems.
"Roger/Got it." Bumblebee and TurboRacer reply back in unison.
Bumblebee makes a quick 180° turn to start with his direction, TurboRacer taking to the air at once in jet mode to make haste to the North. Once he does so, TurboRacer shifts into muscle car mode and begins to drive across the plains. But as he does so, his mirrors pick up on something closing in from behind. After a few seconds, the dust clears to reveal a red Aston Martin One-77 with golden rims.
"I know only one 'Con who prefers to drive than fly." TurboRacer mused as the Aston Martin rolls alongside.
"Well, well. Look who it is." Knockout commented as he races alongside. "Hmm... interesting shape and form. Classy but interesting." He then scrapes against the side of TurboRacer.
"Oi!" TurboRacer slams on his brakes and runs into Knockout's side, now spinning the two of them around before the former transforms into robot mode, his battle mask forming as he gets into a fighting stance. "You really are a total pain in my chassis, Knockout."
Knockout spins around before he eventually comes to a stop a few metres away from TurboRacer, smoke and dust all around them. A second later, the sportscar breaks apart and transforms into his robot mode, with a staff-like weapon in his hand.
Knockout is a 21ft tall red Decepticon. He has a finical design in the shape of spiky hair on top of his helm, with a silver face, and red optics. He had silver hands like a human's, only slightly sharp at the tips, car doors on the forearms, golden wheel rims on his shoulders and in his ankles, headlights and the front grille on the chest.
"Oh, you are a piece of work, Knockout." TurboRacer spoke out, his optics narrowed. "What I would do to you right now."
Knockout spins around the staff in his hand. "Well, why don't we see what you're-" A second later, a gunshot goes off, Knockout stumbling back in response. He looks at himself, seeing no physical damage, then saw his staff's taser tip had been blasted off, rendering it useless. "Hey-!"
TurboRacer doesn't give the Decepticon Medic a chance to retaliate, as he football-tackled him down. The Autobot strikes left and right, only for Knockout to kick him off, TurboRacer making a backwards roll recovery, back up on his feet. He looks up at Knockout as the medic got to his feet, him deploying his two built-in hand buzzsaws, the Decepticon Medic getting into a defensive stance, waiting for the right moment.
"You've got buzzsaws? I've got something better." TurboRacer commented back, flexing his hands as a pair of hot Energon swords deploy from his wrists, the blades glowing bright orange with heat.
Knockout's optics widened at this. "Oh, slag..."
TurboRacer stands on the tips of his feet, his jet nozzles now firing as he launches forward like he's on roller blades, Knockout back-pedalling as fast as he could to gain distance. But it was in vain as TurboRacer swings his blades, shattering the buzzsaw blades like they were nothing. Knockout could only look at his broken buzzsaws, then transformed into vehicle mode, and drove off as quickly as he could.
TurboRacer gave a scoff as he retracts his battle mask and Energon blades. "Didn't even scratch my paint..." He then taps the side of his helm. "Bumblebee, you all good?" He asked.
"I'm fine over here, Turbo. Are you okay?" Bumblebee beeped over the Comms.
"Had a bit of a confrontation with Knockout. But he ran off with his tail between his legs." TurboRacer answers, then he checks his scanner. "Also, the beacon signal is gone. I can't get a lock-on. Either it was never there or the 'Cons have already found it." He added in.
"Got it. I'll meet up with you." Bumblebee acknowledged back.
A few minutes later, both Autobots met up near where TurboRacer and Knockout fought, then they called in a Groundbridge back, the two of them heading back to base. Unbeknown to the two Autobots, a drone had been watching what happened over the past couple of minutes, including the short fight with TurboRacer and Knockout.
~*~*~
Meanwhile, the Decepticon warship glides high in the afternoon sky, through the thick accumulations of pinkish-purple clouds. Inside the bridge, Soundwave stood alongside Starscream, replaying the footage of TurboRacer and Knockout's fight his surveillance drone Laserbeak picked up on earlier.
Starscream could only give an amused chuckle as he saw the footage, then looked over to Knockout, the latter trying to repair both of his shattered buzzsaws. "I must admit, you really didn't have a chance against that Triple-Changer Autobot, Knockout." Starscream said.
Knockout gave a grunt and glare. "Like you've done any better than me, Starscream? Last I recall, you were beaten by a human with the Apex Armour." That now made Starscream glare angrily at Knockout.
"Why you no-good, wheel-bound-" Starscream could have said more, if not for a door opening to the Medics Lab, with none other than Megatron stepping into the room. Starscream stops and stood to attention. "Uh, L-Lord Megatron-"
Megatron just gives a glare, shutting up Starscream. The gladiator warlord turns to face Knockout, the Medic immediately retracting his buzzsaw hand. "No need to conceal your injuries, Knockout. Soundwave has shown me everything." Megatron stated.
"Lord Megatron, I did just as you told me; hunt down the two Autobots and take out one of them." Knockout insisted to his leader.
"And yet, you failed in that task, especially since you were facing against a gladiator." Megatron looks back to Soundwave, his screen showing how TurboRacer had defeated Knockout. "You are fortunate enough that he did not snuff your Spark."
"Lord Megatron, this Triple-Changer Autobot has made a mockery of the other Triple-Changers, as well as myself and the Seekers, not to mention that he has incapacitated our only Medical Officer." Starscream now began to rant once Megatron just standing there. "And yet, you just stand there and do nothing about it!! And even now-"
"SILENCE, Starscream!" Megatron's voice bellowed, the entire room going silence as the gladiator's voice echoes all around. Once all had gone silent, Megatron gives a darkened look at Starscream. "Since this has become an ongoing issue for you all, it would seem that I will have to take matters into my own hands." He looks over at Soundwave. "Prepare to send a message. It is time..." He begins to walk out of the Medics Lab, Soundwave following on after him.
Knockout looks at Starscream. "Do you think...?"
"Yes." Was all Starscream answered back simply.
~*~*~
Out on a lone highway outside of a town in Texas, TurboRacer was on patrol around the area, Daphne and Scooby riding in his cab. The Great Dane was lying in the back seats with Daphne in the driver's seat to give the illusion of her 'driving'. So far, things have been quiet, and luckily, no damage was sustained after his fight with Knockout, though in his mind, Knockour got it worst off than him.
"Something on your mind?" Daphne now asked to the Autobot. "You've been awfully quiet."
"Oh, just focusing on driving for now." TurboRacer's voice answered through the radio. "Besides, it gets my mind off of other things."
"Like Megatron, I guess?" Daphne asked softly. She then felt her seatbelt tighten a little.
"Yes..." TurboRacer answered softly, his engine getting quiet for a moment before he continues on down the road. "Sorry, just... just thinking."
"Okay." Daphne gently pats the steering wheel. As she does so, she then spots something on the dashboard. "Hey, what's that?" She wondered.
TurboRacer takes note. "It's a high-frequency signal with an imbedded message." He opens the message, then he abruptly slams on the brakes, Daphne and Scooby taken aback as he slides to a stop, smoke coming off his wheels as he stopped.
"Whoa! Turbo, what's wrong?" Daphne asks in concern. "What's the matter?"
"The message..." TurboRacer spoke with trepidation in his vocals. "It's from Megatron."
"What?" Scooby and Daphne spoke out in unison. "What does it say?"
TurboRacer takes a look at the message as he pulls to the side of the road. "It reads... 'Meet me at these coordinates. Today, we shall we who is strongest.' That is rather cryptic and ominous."
"What do we do?" Daphne now asked, Scooby looking to the redhead in confusion. What did she mean 'we'?
"The coordinates are of a canyon in Nevada. It's hidden and secluded, so there's no risk of humans." TurboRacer takes a look at where the coordinates are. "We're within flying distance of the coordinates, so we can be there in a few minutes."
"Wait, aren't you going to drop us off?" Daphne asked. But before she can ask more, TurboRacer transforms into his F-14 jet mode and takes to the skies with his two passengers onboard, heading forth to the West.
"No time to waste. When we get there, you'll have to wait and hide somewhere until I tell you that it's all safe." TurboRacer stated to Daphne and Scooby, the two of them looking to one another in uncertainty.
After about an hour of flying at supersonic speed, TurboRacer arrived at the location. Once he lands, he shifts into robot mode, hiding Daphne and Scooby behind some rock formations as he begins to walk on forth. TurboRacer arrives to a large open section of the forest, with a few large rocks lying around. He walks around the area, standing by a large boulder, ready for battle, looking around.
Then, a recognisable voice speaks out, getting TurboRacer's attention. "I see you have received my message." The Autobot looks over to a parting of trees and rock, hearing the sound of metallic footsteps now stomping up, and sees someone walking up, then come to a stop.
The sight of who it was made TurboRacer's optics narrow. "Megatron..." He all but snarls out the name as if it is a bad poison in his mouth.
Both Daphne and Scooby's and eyes widened. "That is Megatron?" They look to one another, all the while with fear running through their bodies. Daphne felt a chill race down her spine, a cold sweat forming on her.
They, along with Fred, Velma, and Shaggy,, have been told by TurboRacer and the other Autobots about Megatron. Now, the two understood why the Autobots didn't want any of them to see Megatron, because the Decepticon warlord seems like a type who would kill anyone that comes in his path.
"TurboRacer. Been well?" Megatron mused, his optics looking at the Triple-Changer curiously. "I have heard and witnessed your actions as of recently. Though I was surprised to hear of your arrival."
TurboRacer shrugged his shoulders. "What can I say? I was late on arrival." He answered casually, though his internal systems were set into battle mode.
Megatron jumps down from his cliff edge above, he and TurboRacer now in what could be described as an arena of stone and rock. "It would seem that you have definitely put some of my best soldiers through scrap, even one of your human allies knocked Starscream about."
"Humans have ingenuity, is all I can say." TurboRacer shrugged. "But this isn't about them. It's about us." He got into a fighting stance, his battle mask folding over his mouth.
"Hardly a surprise you catch on, TurboRacer. After all, you and I have been at this since the Golden Age." Megatron commented, standing his ground. "But now, let us see who is the strongest."
The two beings from other factions glare at each other. Megatron deployed his sword, and lets out a war cry as he charged, TurboRacer charging on after. The two swung their swords and collided. TurboRacer then made a couple of strikes, but Megatron dodged them. Soon, he slashed TurboRacer on the side, and continued his series of sword slashes. TurboRacer blocked the last slash, and he slashed Megatron's sword, then his left arm and struck him in his face, sending Megatron flying back, but he then stabbed his sword to the floor to hold his ground. TurboRacer charged at him and gave a strike, but Megaton blocked it with his blade. He grunted a little before tossing TurboRacer's sword aside, and struck back. TurboRacer blocked it before making his move. The continued to battle each other, adding punches and kicks too in the process, before TurboRacer delivered a spinning kick, sending Megatron crashing into some rock formations.
Megatron growled, leaping into the air and transforming into his Cybertronian jet mode, shooting towards the Autobot. TurboRacer stood his ground before running forward, jumping up and grabbing hold onto Megaton's wings. The two Cybertronians somersaulted through the air, ramming through rock formations before crashing to the ground, debris falling around them, the two tumbling about as Megatron got on top of the Autobot, pinning him down.
Megatron snarled, now using his immense strength to judo throw TurboRacer away. Megatron now gets on one knee and aims his fusion cannon. TurboRacer got up and fired his blaster at the Decepticon, who shrugs off the hit and fired back, but TurboRacer dodged the attack with a tuck-and-roll. TurboRacer now delivered a spinning kick, sending Megatron flying back into a rock wall. Before Megatron could recover, he was tackled down by TurboRacer, the two of them now smashing through another rock formation. TurboRacer delivered right and left hooks at Megatron, only for the Decepticon to strike back and blast the Autobot in the abdomen, sending the Triple-Changer Autobot across the next street. TurboRacer shook his helm, just as he saw Megatron flying at him, so he does a spinning kick, knocking back the robot, only for Megatron to ram into him, knocking him to the ground before hitting him some more before Megatron knocked him aside.
As this was going on, both Daphne and Scooby were watching on with bated breath, seeing both these Cybertronian gladiators striking back against one another with such ferocity and strength unlike anything else they've ever seen before. The sounds of crashing metal and scraping steel were enough to make them cover their ears, but they kept watching on, seeing sparks flying from each strike, blaster fire from their weapons, as well as motions and movements. Seeing TurboRacer's raw fighting was beyond anything the two have ever seen; Daphne and Scooby knew he was a gladiator, he needed to be skilled in fighting, but centuries of fighting Decepticons made TurboRacer look beyond skilled. His movements were calculated in a split second, his blows effective, and causing damage instantly. Megatron, meanwhile, seem to have a tough time keeping up with the speed of the Autobot, but his strength looks to be unparalleled and unrivalled as he made the Earth shake and trees tumble.
TurboRacer gave a right hook at Megaton's helm, then spun around, but as he jumped up to slam down on his helm, the Decepticon tackled TurboRacer again, slamming the two down into the ground. Megatron growled, just as TurboRacer lifted up a tree, and slammed it down, only for it to split in half, then he was tackled to the ground again. TurboRacer managed to get up, and backhands Megatron to the ground. TurboRacer quickly activated his Energon sword, and he lunged toward the Decepticon warlord.
"Attack!"
TurboRacer and Megatron heard that voice, just as a missile suddenly flies out of nowhere, striking the blue Autobot in the back, making him yell out in pain, just as Megatron delivers a right hook, sending TurboRacer flying as he hits the ground with a thud.
Megatron now takes a look around at where the missile came from, now spotting the smoke trail from the rocket engine, and he tracks it up to a ledge up above. His red optics narrowed at the sight of Starscream up on top of the rock formation, along with Soundwave. "Starscream..." Was all Megatron snarled out.
A second later, an MH-53 Pave Low helicopter began to fly in low and fast, now getting the attention of both Megatron and TurboRacer, just as the helicopter now breaks apart and transforms into a 30ft tall large broad-shouldered Decepticon in a dark grey colour scheme with blue highlights, along with clawed feet, rotor blades on his back, and with components of what could be described as a USAF helicopter.
"Blackout, what are you doing here?" Megatron now demanded.
"Commander Starscream had ordered me to confront the Autobot Triple-Changer-" Blackout was abruptly cut off when TurboRacer football-tackled him, then judo throws him over his shoulder into a rock wall, the rock overhead collapsing on top of him.
"Seems as though our little gladiator fight has come to an end." TurboRacer grunts, looking over at Megatron.
"Yes..." Megatron agreed.
"Besides, I had a feeling that an incident like this was bound to happen." TurboRacer takes some steps back, Megatron raising a metal eyebrow at this. "So, I made a quick call for someone..."
A large shadow seemed to cover the area, Megatron now looking up to the sky above, the silhouette of a winged beast coming down from the clouds. As it got closer, Megatron can see that the silhouette was none other than a Predacon, one in black scales with red wing membranes. The Predacon now began to break apart and transform, but it seemed to retain its bestial attributes, just as it lands right behind TurboRacer, towering above him.
"Say hello to my Predacon, Indominus." TurboRacer introduced, the Predacon snarling with a growl.
Megatron knew that he can fight against beasts bigger than this Predacon, but right now, he had other things to worry about right now. "It seems that we are at a stalemate, but I must admit, you have not disappointed me. Best you save your strength for the main event. But the next time we battle..."
"Only one of us will survive." TurboRacer finished, Megatron now leaping into the air before transforming into his Cybertronian jet mode, flying off with a sonic boom in his wake.
Blackout, after digging himself out, now saw the Predacon with TurboRacer, and he immediately shifts into his helicopter mode, flying off with Starscream and Soundwave alongside him.
"Well, that happened." TurboRacer sighed in relief, then looks over at Indominus. "Hey, thanks."
"When I got the message, I was skeptical of the whole thing, but I saw the whole thing from above." Indominus now said, shifting into his Predacon form.
"By the way, what was that form you had beforehand?" TurboRacer now asked.
"You can call that my Juggernaut Form." Indominus answered, just as Daphne and Scooby now run up. "You two... what are you doing here?"
"We were here the whole time. But don't worry, we were well-hidden." Daphne reassured to Indominus, with Scooby nodding in agreement.
"Reah." Scooby acknowledged.
"That was rather risky and dangerous for you two." Indominus berated, though with a light scolding tone. "I can take a guess Optimus Prime would say the same."
"We're sorry." Daphne apologised, Scooby nodding.
"Ratchet, we need a Groundbridge at our coordinates. We've got a lot to tell you and the others about." TurboRacer reported on Comms.
~*~*~
Back at the Autobot base, Ratchet immediately got to work on TurboRacer, checking him over for any wounds he received during his gladiator fight with Megatron. As this was happening, Daphne and Scooby explained to the others what they saw, as well as showing highlights and photos from Daphne's phone.
"Like, THAT is M-M-Megatron?" Shaggy asked with fear in his voice.
"Now I know why you Autobots fear him." Fred said to the others. "He looks menacing."
"Not just menacing, but has the strength to make him look terrifying." Ironhide clarified.
"Not many have survived against his wrath." Wheeljack added in.
"Except for Optimus... and TurboRacer." Bumblebee beeped and chirped next. "Which is a big shocker."
"That's true." Velma nodded in agreement. "I know that TurboRacer did face Megatron in the past, but to see this for real and now..."
"And the fact both he and Megatron are still standing is something else." Indominus commented, who stood nearby the hallway heading off to the storage rooms. "But I think it be best that you humans don't ever come across Megatron again. The lesser he knows about you, the better."
"Indominus is correct." Optimus agreed, now stepping into the main section of the base, everyone looking over to him. "The less there is known about you to the Decepticons means you are safe with us, especially from Megatron's grasp."
Daphne nodded in full agreement to Optimus' words. Just the sight of Megatron's form was enough to send chills down her spine.