A/N: first off, I wish to give a shout-out to Flamewarrior11 for this one, especially since he came up with the idea for the Battlezone, along with creating the Battle Key. Wicked stuff!!
~*~*~
"WOO-HOO! This car is beyond stellar!"
In his Transformer racecar, Braedey races across the Nevada salt flats, a smile plastered across his face, as his car accelerates up to 200mph with no hesitation, as he goes along. He next turns the car into Hotrod Mode, and jets of flame engulf his four wheels, as he races along, nothing but a flaming blur in his wake. He mentally said to himself he's got some hot wheels.
A few moments later, Braedey pulls to a stop, his car turning back to normal, and he opens up his car's canopy, climbing out of his car. "Vert, I've gotta hand it to Sage; she can make one seriously awesome car." He commented to the Saber driver.
"I'm glad you like it." Vert agreed with the brunette. "We need someone like you against the Vandals and the Sark."
"Still, I'm very new to fighting against the Vandals and Sark, but with driving? I can do that better than any other driver back in my world." Braedey shrugged to him.
Just then, an alarm sounds off from within the garage. "Stormshock detected." Sage's voice calls out on the Transformatrix. Braedey and Sage programmed the watch to have a Comms system that works with Sentient tech. "In T-Minus 90."
"Let's Roll Out!" Braedey announced, and Vert nodded.
"Hey. Nice line." Vert commented to him.
A few seconds later, the Saber, Buster, Reverb, Tangler, Chopper, and Transformer race away through the desert, all their drivers ready for battle, and Braedey enjoying the ride with them.
"Hang tight, Braedey." Vert advises to Braedey, just as they are approaching the stormshock tornado. "First ride into a stormshock can get wild."
"I've dealt with worse things than this, let me tell you that." Braedey shrugged, then shifts up another gear. "Let's do this!" He plants his foot down hard on the accelerator, and the Transformer rockets ahead, a flames firing from the jet exhaust.
The Battle Force 5 head up into the stormshock, riding up the tornado, and soon enter the portal. As they exit on the other side, Braedey sees they've landed in some kind of prehistoric planet, like that of Earth, but over 70 million years ago. There are fauna around them that only existed millions of years ago, the sky being a brighter blue than ever, and in addition, it looked more like a heaven than hell.
"This place really makes Earth not look pretty at all." Vert commented, looking around at their surroundings. "Where do you think we are?" He asked.
"Not where, Vert. When." Sherman clarified.
"Are you saying this battlezone is what Earth looks like back in the past?" Stanford asked in surprise to the younger Cortez brother.
"Maybe around 70-65 million years ago, to be more precise." Braedey replied to him. "That's the best hypothesis as to what this battlezone might be. But right now, we need to find that Battle Key, and close this zone before the Vandals and Sark arrive and crash the party."
"Braedey's right." Agura agreed, then looks ahead on the road. "But, where do you think it could be?" She asked.
"Zoom, can you give us a 20 on the sky?" Vert asked the Chopper rider.
"Boys, may need a lift." Zoom asked.
A moment later, some metal panels on the Buster shift to form a ramp behind the vehicle. The Chopper races forward, leaping off the ramp, just as it's wheels split open, then shoot out blades, and begins to fly in the sky like a helicopter-plane of sorts, while the Buster folds its ramp back up.
"Okay, your toys have some serious tricks, and I'm the one in a custom racecar." Braedey laughed to himself.
A moment goes by, then the Battle Force 5 come to a stop in a clearing. So far, Zoom hasn't reported in as to where the Battle Key might be, or if there's any other enemies around. But, as they wait, they see some sauropods and other herbivore dinosaurs nearby in a lagoon. They were all grazing and drinking, all of them not taking notice of the humans nearby.
"I guess you two were right about your hypothesis. We're on a prehistoric Earth battlezone of sorts." Agura commented to Braedey and Sherman. "Who would've thought we'd come across living and breathing dinosaurs."
"I've got some buddies back home who'd love to be here." Braedey sighed, thinking about back home. "They'd get along here."
"So, they're not gonna eat us, right?" Spinner asked timidly, looking over at the sauropods grazing.
"Those animals are all herbivores, Spinner." Vert reassures the older Cortez brother. "They don't eat meat."
At that moment, the sauropods and other herbivores begin to leave the lagoon, like they're on a migration route. The animals give low grunts and howls as they walk away, their stomping feet shaking the ground a bit, as they leave the area.
"Zoom, any sign of the Battle Key anywhere?" Braedey asks on the Comms to the Chopper.
"Negative on that." Zoom replies back. "So far, nothing. I'll keep an eye out, while also watching out for these Pterosaurs up here."
"Keep your head on, Zoom." Vert added in.
Suddenly, a blue portal of sorts appears on the other side of the clearing and lagoon, and out race the Vandals; Kalus, Sever, Hatch, and Krocomodo. The four Vandals come to a stop just outside of their portal, and they see the Battle Force 5 on the other side.
"Attack the subspecies!" Kalus ordered with a roar, and the four monsters race forward.
"Battle Force 5, split up!" Braedey ordered, shifting his car into gear. "They can only attack so many of us."
The Battle Force 5 split up, all the Vandals chasing after one of them; Vert and Braedey were being chased by Kalus, the Cortez brothers against Hatch, Agura dealing with Krocomodo, and Stanford against Sever. The cars and their drivers all split up across the prehistoric world, all of them fighting for survival.
Braedey grunts to himself, seeing Kalus in his rear-view mirror. "Vert, I'm gonna try and slow Kalus down. See if you can help Zoom locate that Battle Key." He told Vert.
"You sure about that?" Vert asked him.
"I'll be fine. Besides, Kalus owes me for what he did to my car." Braedey suddenly spins the car around 180°, then shifts into reverse, now facing Kalus with a look of determination on his face.
"The shapeshifting subcreature." Kalus growled. "You shall pay for facing against the greatest warrior of Vandal." He swore.
"Blah, blah, blah. Evil speech talk." Braedey yawned, but then got serious. "But this time, I'm more than ready for you, ugly." He puts the Transformatrix into the hole, selects a form, then activates it. "Time to bring out the claws."
Suddenly, a flash of cobalt blue flows along the vehicle like a wave, as something happens to the car. The white/blue paint gives way to a dark yellow and orange colour scheme, along with some stripes. The four wheels extend out away from the vehicle's body, metal forming around to make it look like lion's legs, with the suspension similar to the Tangler, while the rear section of the vehicle creates a tail-like structure with a jet nozzle at the tali's tip. At the same time, the front structure of the car forms what could be a lion's skull and head structure, with a set of blue headlight 'eyes'.
"Leobreaker Mode!" Braedey announced with a lion's roar, slamming his feet down on the brakes, as his car comes to a halt, now getting into a dominance stance, while glaring at Kalis. "Lemme tell you something, Captain Kalus, self-proclaimed leader of the Vandals! You messed up my ride!! And now, I WILL MESS UP YOURS!"
Kalus stops his chariot with a slow slide, just as the Transformer/Leobreaker revs it's engine a few times, smoke coming out of the metal lion skull. Kalus snarls, and acclerates forward in a charge, inward he just fell into Leobreaker's trap. The Transformer/Leobreaker raises its left front wheel, the wheel now forming into a tiger's paw with huge claws, then swings the claw around, Kalus unable to stop or dodge in time, and the claw strikes him, sending the Vandal leader flying into the trees!
"Ha! Guess this cat's got some serious claws." Braedey laughed, as his car turns back to its normal mode. "Okay. I'd better go and help out the others." He next selects another form, and activates that form.
Suddenly, another flash of cobalt blue flows along the vehicle like a wave, as something happens to the car. The white/blue paint gives way to a dark grey and red colour scheme, as the car's wheels fold into the body of the vehicle, as some metal forms around the wheel wells, hiding them from view. The front of the car takes a red nosecone colour scheme. A moment later, the spoiler structure on the back of the car rises up a little, then extends in shape and form, forming a tail similar to a 1970 Plymouth Roadrunner. The jet exhaust nozzle on the back gets slightly bigger. Finally, a pair of wings deploy from the sides of the car.
Braedey smirks to himself, seeing his car now transformed into Starscream Mode, as it hovers in the air. He shifts the engine to full power, and the car rockets into the sky, a contrail leaving in its wake, as he heads off into the air.
~*~*~
Meanwhile, the Reverb and Tangler had met back up, while the Riptile and Water Slaughter are right behind them. The shark and crocodile Vandals were right on their tailpipes, as they try to get away. But then, a jet-like sound could be heard coming from above. Agura and Stanford look up to see a dark grey jet fighter-like car fly down from above. Both the Reverb and the Tangler split away, just as the grey jet-car fires two missiles, striking both the Riptile and Water Slaughter, sending the two Vandals into the bushes.
"Nice shot there, mate." Stanford congratulated Braedey, as the Transformer changes back to normal mode, and land between the Tangler and Reverb. "Where did you learn to shoot like that?" He asked.
"If you've spent as much time as I have in the conflict between Autobots and Decepticons, along with learning how to use weapons like guns and swords and maces, you learn a thing or two." Braedey smirked, then shifts into high gear, and accelerates away. "Come on! We'd better help out the others." He called.
A moment later, the Transformer, Reverb, and Tangler catch up with the Buster, who's being tailed by Hatch in his Scarib. Thinking fast, the Tangler drives up right behind the Scarib, lifting up its front wheels, and deploying its claws. A second later, the Tangler grabs the rear wheels of Hatch's car, lifting it off the ground, as the Transformer drives underneath the green ATV and up underneath the skeleton car. Braedey grins to Agura, as she nods her head. The Transformatrix brunette pushes a button under his left thumb, then a second later, four leg stilts, or jacks, shoot out from under the car, making it jump into the Scarib, rift as the Tangler releases its hold on the rear wheels, sending Hatch and his car flying through the air, and crashing into a horde of Dilophosaurs, much to Hatch's horror.
"Nice trick there, Braedey." Sherman commented, as the Transformer drives up next to the Buster. "You really made him fly."
"That's one way to get a bug off my windshield." Braedey smirked, and Sherman, Spinner, Stanford, and Agura snicker and laugh at this joke.
"Guys, I've looked at every spot imaginable in this zone, but I can't find it anywhere." Zoom reports in, as he flies in, and shifts the Chopper back into bike mode. "What about you guys?"
"Most of the Vandals have been dealt with, but we also have no clue for where the Battle Key might be." Sherman replies to him.
Braedey thinks about the Battle Key, in regard for this whole battlezone, then comes to a screeching stop, the others dropping as well. "Holy scrap! I just got it!" He announced. The others look to him, just as Vert and the Saber drive up. "Since this battlezone is set during the prehistoric era, it may stand to reason the Battle Key might be hidden inside of a volcano!" He said to them.
"Inside... a volcano?" Stanford asked him incredulously. "You're telling us the Battle Key is inside of a volcano?"
"Not INSIDE of a volcano." Braedey clarified to him. "Maybe in a cave that's alongside of the volcano." He rolled his shoulders. "I'll go with Vert to collect the Battle Key, while you all try and take care of the Vandals in case they try and get wise with us."
"Sounds like a plan, Braedey." Vert agreed to Braedey. "Let's get moving, and get that Battle Key."
With that, the Transformer and the Saber accelerate away into the forest, while the Buster, Chopper, Reverb, and Tangler prepare for battle. But, as they do so, they see a lone Carnotaurus standing nearby, which roared at them.
The Carnotaurus is 30ft long from snout to tail, weighing in 1.35 tonnes, and standing 17ft tall from the heel of its feet to the top of the hip. The scales across its body are crimson red with a gray underbelly, wild yellow eyes, large bull-like horns over the eyes, with horned spikes running from the back of the neck to the end of the tail, has tiny and pathetic arms, but instead has large powerful legs.
"Uh, has anyone got anything that can stand against a Carno-whatsit?" Stanford asked the others.
"It's called a Carnotaurus, Stanford." Agura clarified. "And right now, the Tangler might have the best bet." With that, she drives up to the theropod creature.
The Carnotaurus snarls and roars at the Tangler, only for the Tangler to rear up on its back wheels and slam down its front wheels into the ground, shaking the Earth. The theropod dinosaur snarls and grunts, stepping back a bit, only to charge at the Tangler! Agura shifts her ATV into reverse, dodging a strike from the Carnotaurus, only for the Buster to charge in, and strike down the theropod, knocking it over onto its side, as it screeches and groans out in pain, but recovers, and gets back on its feet.
Stanford suddenly looks in his rear-view mirror, and sees Kalus and Sever charge by, heading after Vert and Braedey! "We don't have time playing with dinosaurs! Kalus and his shark-toothed friend are going after Braedey and Vert!" He deploys his two sonic cannons, selects a sound from his options list, and opens fire.
The sound of combined dinosaur roars come from the cannons, making the Carnotaurus step back and shake its head, making it grunt and snarl, trying to deter from the noise. But, it grunted, and begins to walk away, heading off into the forest.
"Good job, Stanford." Sherman praised to the Reverb driver. "Using a combination of animal vocals and calls in order to deter the Carnotaurus away from our position."
"All in a day's work." Stanford shrugged.
"The day's not done until we get that Battle Key." Braedey's voice announced. "Vert and I are about two minutes away from the volcano."
"We saw Kalus and Sever heading your way." Stanford informed the two. "You two watch your backs, and we'll watch ours."
"Roger that, Soundwave." Braedey's comment made Stanford stop and think about what the brunette just said.
"Soundwave?" Stanford wondered, scratching his head.
~*~*~
With the Saber and the Transformer, they were fast approaching the volcano, and they were clocking up some serious speed. At the same time, the two were currently looking through some caves or tunnels that are around the base of the volcano.
Braedey eyes the volcano, and could see the plume of smoke and ash rising in the air. "Vert, according to my best hypothesis, we've got maybe around... 3 to 4 minutes until that volcano goes up." He looks on a seismograph on his dashboard. "The tremors around that volcano are getting stronger with each minute. It's only a matter of time until the whole mountain blows."
"Then, we'd better get in there fast, and get that Key." Vert advised to the brunette, and Braedey nodded in agreement.
The two cars soon approach a large cavern at the base of the volcano, and they race into the cave. The two can see some of the rocks from above and below all around the cavern, and at the same time, they could feel the temperature rising inside, since they were both approaching the mantle chamber of the volcano.
A second later, Vert and Braedey come to a stop in what could be a large circular room, held up with many rock pillars. There is what looked to be a large pedestal in the centre of the large cavern, but there was a moat of lava surrounding the central pedestal. At the centre pedestal, hovering in mid-air, there is a green Battle Key!!!
"There's the Battle Key!" Braedey smiles in relief. "All we have to do is get that key, and-" He then hears the sound of engines approaching, and he looks back. He sees Kalus and Sever just a few hundred metres away from the tunnel entrance. "Vert, you go and get the key! I'll keep fang face and fish breath outside!" With that, he spins the Transformer around 180°, and accelerates out of the cavern and tunnel.
Kalus grins to himself, as he and his shark comrade approach the volcano. "Once we have the Battle Key, we shall prepare for-" He is cut off when the white/blue car of the shapeshifting subcreature races out of the tunnel at the volcano, and blocks the path, forcing the Vandal leader and Sever to stop. "Subcreature..." The leader snarled.
"Back away from the tunnel, fang face, unless you want your fur skinned right off you." Braedey dared, revving his car's engine a few times, the ground shaking from the rumble.
"Sever, attack!" Kalus ordered, pointing at Braedey.
Sever charges forward, deploying the shark teeth of his Water Slaughter, as he approaches the Transformer. But, the white/blue car suddenly vanishes in a cobalt blue flash of light, blinding the shark-man, only for his vehicle to be caught by something. As the blue flash faded, Sever sees his Water Slaughter car pinned down by the Transformer, now in Leobreaker Mode.
"Wow. Fresh seafood." Braedey joked, the car picking up Sever in his car, then Braedey directs the front claws of his car to make Sever look at the front of his car. "Feel the roar!" He announced, as he hits the horn on his steering wheel.
Suddenly, a loud roar, emanating from the mouth of the Transformer/Leobreaker's front head, blasts out like a jet of flame, forcing Sever to shield his ears, or whatever he has for ears, and he clenched his eyes shut, as the lion-themed car suddenly shakes him and his shark-themed car about, then the Transformatrix bearer throws Sever and his car into the nearby trees.
Kalus growls in anger, seeing his comrade fail at such an easy task. But, seeing how strong the vehicle the shapeshifting subcreature possess, he had a cunning idea. "It seems you best me in vehicular combat, shapeshifting subcreature." He announced to Braedey, the brunette forcing his car into a ready-to-pounce stance. "I now test you in hand-to-hand combat." He proclaimed.
Braedey looks at the leader of the Vandals with a few short moments, then to Kalus' confusion, he started to laugh out loud. Braedey calmed down for a moment. "You... against me... in hand-to-hand combat?" He asked, then breathed a sigh after laughing a little bit. "Yeah, that's where you're in the wrong, fang face." He stated, now looking serious. "But, if you insist..." He pushes a button on his steering wheel, making the canopy retract, then suddenly, the seat launches him forward, straight at Kalus!! "COMING THROUGH!"
Kalus couldn't react in time, as Braedey slams both his fists at the Vandal, knocking him off his chariot, and across the ground. Braedey gets into a battle stance similar to his mentor, Optimus Prime, while Kalus simply charges forward. Braedey rolls his shoulders, then delivers a nasty haymaker into Kalus' face, sending blood flying out of his mouth. Now blinded by rage, Kalus begins to swing around wildly, hoping to land a blow. However, Braedey easily dodges these attacks and lets loose a bombardment of ruthless punches. He punches up, which knocks the Vandal leader into the air. He backs this up with a quick right hook, knocking him to the side, and then repeats this process again. Kalus' form is thrashing madly as Braedey presses his onslaught. He then punches him straight in the face, follows it up by a punch to the midsection, which causes him to double over in pain. Another right hook makes the Vandal warlord stumble back.
Kalus shakes his head, clearing himself up, as he looks ahead of him. But, he is too late, as Braedey charges straight at him for a final time. "GRAAAAGH!" He bellows out furiously and delivers a final fist into Kalus' face, sending him careening backwards. He crashes and rolls across the ground uncontrollably.
Suddenly, the ground starts to shift and shake, forcing Braedey to stumble for a moment. He steps back over to his car, jumping back into the cockpit, as the canopy closes up over him. He looks to his dashboard computer, and to his shock, the seismograph was going wild, as it was now registering 'DANGER', and at the same time, the volcano was starting to erupt, clouds of molten rock and ash shooting out of the stratovolcano.
"Vert! The mountain is about to blow its cap off!" Braedey called to Vert on the Comms. "You have to get outta there with the Battle Key now!"
"I'm already moving!" Vert replies to him, just as the Saber races out of the tunnel, an explosion coming out of the tunnel. Braedey then sees the Battle Key stuck on the front of the Saber. "The volcano went off just when I pulled the Battle Key out of the pedestal." He added in.
"Then let's roll out!" Braedey turns the Transformer back into its normal mode, and races after the Saber, while Kalus recovers from the small fight, only to see the Transformer and Saber race away.
"That subcreature..." Kalus was about to fire his crossbow at them, only to hear the volcano erupting, making him look at the burning mountain. "Vandals, back to the portal! Now!" He ordered, getting back in his chariot, and races away from the volcano and wall of ash cloud.
With the rest of the Battle Force 5, they were fending off against some Velociraptors and some T-Rexes, along with a horde of Triceratops that are fighting against the Rexes before. But, as they fought against the dinos, the explosion from the volcano made the dinosaurs disperse and run off.
"Battle Force 5, lets get out of here." Vert called on the Comms, as he and Braedey race into view, and drive past the others.
"That volcano is going up, and it's gonna take out this whole battlezone if we don't leave." Braedey added in, and this for the others going after him and Vert. "Vert, open that portal, and let's get going." He looks back behind him, and he sees the ash cloud from the volcano was approaching them. "Anytime now, Vert! We're running out of time!"
A second later, a blue portal back to Earth appears in front of the Battle Force 5, and they all race through the portal. As they exit the other side of the portal, they come to a stop, as Braedey runs up to the portal, holds his hand out, and the Battle Key ends up in his hand, as the portal closes up.
"Wicked. First adventure through the battlezone, and we get my first Battle Key." Braedey smirked to the others.
"Drinks on me, everyone." Spinner announced to the others.
"In celebration for our newest member." Vert agreed.
"Now I can drive to that." Braedey commented happily.
With that, the Battle Force 5 race away to a lone diner not too far away in the desert. Braedey, along the way, has a smile on his face so bright, a star would be dim compared to his smile.
His first mission as part of the Battle Force 5 was a completely success.
~*~*~
Later, the Battle Force 5 arrive at Zeke's Diner, a little truck stop of sorts down the lone and open highway in the small town where Vert and the others are currently staying in. The seven members were all gathered at one of the tables, all of them in their regular attires, and the six main teammates of B.F.5 were smiling and cheering out for Braedey.
"Cheers for Braedey!" Vert announced, as the others cheer out after.
"You are the best." Spinner compliments Braedey.
"No doubt." Sherman agreed. "You were on fire out there."
"Yes, he was." Agura nodded, pointing to the brunette. "He managed to take out two Vandals with two missiles, and even showed off some mad flying and driving skills."
"Come on, you guys." Braedey waved his hands in a placating manner. "I mean, those are impressive, but I'm sure you all have done some cool things."
Just then, Grace walked up to the table. She's one of the waitresses at the truck stop. She has long brownish hair at the bottom of her shoulders, with brown eyes, fair skin, and looks to be around the team's age. She has on a pink T-shirt with white cuff links and open collar, a name tag on, tan pants with a dark blue apron over them, a pair of sneakers, and a pink visor on.
"Hey, you guys." Grace greeted. She then noticed Braedey, and she had to mentally admit, he did look rather charming. "Well, hello there, mister." She greeted.
Braedey took note of Grace's tone of voice, but simply smiled to her. "Greetings. Name is Braedey Martin. You must be Grace." He greeted, nodding his head to her name tag for the second part.
"So, what do you wish to have for this afternoon?" Grace asked. Vert, Zoom, and Agura smirk to one another as they notice her now somewhat fangirl-like attitude to Braedey. "May we interest you in some milkshakes? Or even some pie?" She asked him.
"Maybe just a chocolate milkshake, please. That's all, Ma'am." Braedey asked calmly, and Grace heads off to the kitchen.
Zeke, the truck shop owner, and a real craze to believe aliens are real, looks over to Braedey, noticing the blue watch, before the brunette hides it under his jacket sleeve. "That watch ain't normal, ya hear? That's alien! I tell you, that's alien!" He proclaims, then heads off to the kitchen.
"I think that guy's got some major nuts and bolts loose." Braedey whispered to the others, and they laugh in agreement.
"Well, Braedey. It is official." Vert places his hand on Braedey's shoulder. "Welcome to the Battle Force 5, and welcome to the family." He announced.
"Thanks, Vert." Braedey smiles, as Vert removes his hand from his shoulder. "With me at your side, this team has a major advantage over the Sark and Vandals. Plus, with the Transformer alongside me, there won't be anything that can stop me now." As soon as he says that, Grace arrives with his milkshake, except it looked twice the size of the regular ones. He sweatdrops from the size of his beverage. "Well, almost anything." He commented next, and everyone laughed with him.
As the Battle Force 5 laugh and enjoy their time with their new recruit, outside with the vehicles, the Transformer flashes its headlights once until they go black, a low rev coming from the engine.