[Miko]
"Well?" I demanded, putting my hands on my hips.
Finn looked up, weariness written across his face. "Miko, I told you-"
"I know, but there's gotta be something!" I exclaimed. "It's been basically a week, she couldn't have dropped off the planet!"
"It's been three days, M," Jack said quietly.
"Same difference! The point is, our gal is out there!"
Finn sighed, rubbing his hands over his face. He, Jack, Raf, and I had assembled a whole new kind of computer system in the base's living area to help search for Amanda, who'd completely disappeared. That girl was basically Batman, with the whole disappearing act. While I tried to keep my cool, it was getting harder and harder as each day passed without a single clue. The Autobots were coordinating with the military right now, and they were all continuously on patrol, but always turning up empty. We weren't faring much better, with us and Ratchet trying to use our tech to track her down.
Frankly, none of us were taking this well. We were all stressed out of our minds, and I knew everyone was feeling some guilt about it. What Finn had figured out made sense; Amanda had been battling Valilorna for a while, and we, her so called closest friends, didn't notice enough to intervene until it was too late.
"Rafael," Ratchet spoke from his computer. "Try to configure with this new search sequence. It should give us a larger range than the old one."
Raf nodded and got to work, just as Bumblebee and Arcee pulled into base. Jack, Finn, and I all bolted to the railing as the pair transformed.
"Anything?" Finn demanded anxiously. The poor guy looked like he hadn't slept since Amanda went missing, which was probably true. I knew he blamed himself more than anything, since he'd spent the most time with A in the past month, despite us trying to convince him otherwise.
Arcee frowned and shook her head. "Nothing. The hit came up empty."
"And it was a good one too," Bumblebee sighed. "You'd think she'd have to grab food eventually."
"She should," Raf said, his tone taking on that analyzing one he had. "We have every security camera on the planet scanning for her face. She's got to head to a place with people some time, and when she does, we'll have her."
"Are we sure we have every camera?" I asked. "At the same time and all?"
Ratchet sighed. "Yes, Miko."
"Something's got to turn up," Jack said quietly, and I glanced over at him to see his words aimed at Finn, who looked distraught. I threw my arm over Finn's shoulders, bringing him back to the couch.
"Come on, let's see where Bulk and Ultra Magnus are at," I suggested. "Maybe they found-"
My words were cut off by an alert coming up on the main computers, instantly grabbing everyone's attention. Hope flashed through me as Ratchet accessed the alert.
"Amanda was spotted traveling the backroads of Poland," He reported. "Arcee, Bumblebee, go now. I'll send you backup as soon as it arrives."
The pair nodded, and as soon as the ground bridge opened, they sped through.
"Ratchet, can't we go too?" Jack asked. "If Amanda turns against the Autobots, with her powers-"
He shook his head. "The Autobots will be able to do just fine. We don't need more issues on the field right now."
I frowned, but didn't say anything this time. Just this time though.
[Arcee]
"I don't see anyone," I said as Bumblebee and I drove down some Polish backroads. They were completely empty, with nothing but fields on either side of us. The tip came in when a helicopter flew over the area and its camera caught a glimpse of Amanda, but as we approached the location, it wasn't looking promising.
"Scanners are coming up empty," Bumblebee added.
"That's expected," Raf's voice came over the comms. "Amanda has the ability to mask herself from our radar, which is how she's managed to dodge us so far. It's also likely that she's been masking Tempest's Cybertronians at the same time, since they're not coming up either."
"So we're going in blind," I said, dread filling me. "We don't know if she has two with her, or twenty."
"Pretty much," Bee agreed. We stepped on it, a new urgency filling us as we peeled through the road, when my instincts suddenly screamed at me. I transformed just in time to avoid a bunch of blasts coming straight where I'd been driving, and Bee swerved to the side before transforming as well. Three of Tempest's Chaos Fernontas appeared from the field, all of them full sized. I immediately went on the defense, when three more figures appeared. Two were the human sized Fernontas, and once was-
"Amanda," Bumblebee breathed, and I felt my nerves spike. She didn't look hurt at all, which was a good sign, but she also didn't look like herself. She wore a golden summer dress that seemed to shimmer with every step she took, her hair hanging loose around her shoulders. That silver streak that used to shine bright was hardly visible, making her even more unrecognizable. Amanda would never wear something like that out here, or have her hair all over the place, or stare so blankly at us. It was almost scary to see her like this.
"Autobots," The voice that came out of her mouth wasn't hers at all. It was cold, and immediately sent chills through me as I recognized it.
"Valilorna," The name left my mouth without me noticing, disgust coating my tone. That made her smile, though there was no humour in it.
"Yes, I remember," She said. "We had such fun during the war, did we not? You and your lost cause for peace, yes it was beautiful to watch your kind slaughtered on the battlefield."
"Both sides lost during that war," Bumblebee snapped.
Amanda- no, Valilorna- grinned, her eyes lighting up gold. "Indeed they did, and that made the war all the more glorious. The energon spilled... ah, if only we could turn back the clock, hm?"
"Backup is two minutes out," Ratchet's voice came over the comms. "Keep stalling until they arrive."
I exchanged a quick look with Bee before speaking again, "What do you need Amanda for, Valilorna? The war ended, there's no reason for you to be here."
She laughed. "Why, you are naïve. Alas, Primus' followers usually are. Do you not realize where you are, Autobot? This is Unicron's territory, and it is thus my domain. I waited far too long to arrive here, to be reunited with my dear old friend. You would not prevent two comrades from reacquainting, would you, Autobots?"
"Considering the destruction you both caused," Bumblebee said, tone low. "I think we'll make an exception."
"You have a fire," Amanda-Valilorna smiled pleasantly. "It is a pity I will have to snuff your spark."
A blast of gold came hurling towards Bee, and he barely managed to duck out of the way before getting hit. Immediately, the Chaos Fernontas began shooting, and we were forced to crouch low to avoid getting hit.
"Could really use that backup, Ratchet!" I exclaimed into the comms while blasting at the Fernontas.
"Ultra Magnus, Smokescreen, Bulkhead and Wheeljack are thirty seconds out!" He replied, sounding stressed.
"Hopefully we have thirty seconds," Bumblebee muttered, ducking down again as a shot flew past his head. The rumble of powerful engines filled the air and relief filled me as Ultra Magnus and the others drove into view. I watched as Amanda-Valilorna glanced over to the source of the noise and frowned slightly. She said something to the two Fernontas beside her, and they revealed their jetpacks to fly off. Then she walked forward, right onto the road in front of the oncoming Autobots. I only realized what she was doing a second too late.
"Ultra Magnus, pull back!" I yelled as Amanda raised her arm, a massive blast of gold dust covering the commander, the Wreckers, and Smokescreen, holding them midair.
"You forget," Amanda-Valilorna mused. "I am a goddess. Your champion was strong on her own, but now? Now I am more powerful than I have ever been, rivalling my original form itself. All this conflict, this fighting, it fuels me. You Autobots are so simple minded, you always have been. Claiming to defend your peace, when you really help the chaos and war grow." She smiled. "Pathetic."
My vision went golden, and the last thing I saw was that smile before everything went black.