He looked around, a scowl across his faceplate. Arcee’s optics widened as she accidentally made a rock roll and fall down the cliff face not too far from her position. Surely, Megatron did not know where it came from, right? Arcee jerked her helm up as a servo grasped her arm, none other than Megatron met her gaze. “One of Optimus’s lackeys, are you not?” Megatron stood back up, Arcee dangling high above the ground. “I think it is of Optimus’s best interest that when I show with you in my grasp’s, he will surrender and bow to me.” As Megatron rounded the corner, Arcee saw that Optimus, Bulkhead, and Bumblebee were squaring off against the Viacons. They did not yet see her, as they were busy themselves, blasting, and servo-combat, they defeated a handful of them. But before they could finish, Megatron spoke up to catch their attention. “Greetings, Optimus Prime. I see you are close to defeating my troops, but please, I’d advise that you lower your weapons and seek surrender. For I have your Autobot, and she is moments away from being scrap.” Optimus paused in surprise as he looked at Megatron, and then Arcee, staring for a moment. “Make a choice, Prime. Time won’t wait for you.” Megatron pressed his blaster onto Arcee’s neck. “Tic-toc.” “Autobots, lower your weapons. We cannot risk Arcee’s spark.” Optimus ordered, transforming his servos, as well as the Bulkhead and Bumblebee. “Now give back Arcee like promised.” Megatron raised an optic-brow at Optimus. “Oh, but I never promised anything, Prime. Instead, I find that she would make a great practice target.” Megatron glared at the Autobots as Arcee struggled in his grasp. “You sniveling scrapheap!” Arcee snarled, trying to swing at Megatron. She turned her helm as she heard a movement from the Autobots. “Now kneel down and raise your servos in the air!” Megatron watched in triumph as Bulkhead was the first to kneel down, the Optimus, very slowly, did the same. But not the scout. Bumblebee watched as both Bulkhead and Optimus knelt down. “I said, kneel down.” Megatron hissed, frowning. But Bumblebee continued to stand there. Make me. He beeped sheepishly. No! Your outgunned and outmanned, Bumblebee! What are you thinking!? Arcee’s spark skipped a beat. What was his plan? He’s just endangering himself, and ha! Could it even save herself? Megatron snorted. “I have rid you of your voice. Do I need to rid you of your spark too?” Arcee felt the pressure of Megatron’s blaster on her neck release. Now it was pointed at Bumblebee, who was looking at Optimus, as if sending a message to him telepathically. This was his plan: Optimus and Bulkhead would attack the rest half-or-less-dozen Viacons while Bumblebee distracted Megatron, buying Arcee enough time to escape. “KNEEL DOWN AND I MIGHT RESTRAINT FROM OFFLINING YOU!” Megatron screeched. “OR DO YOU WANT TO END UP LIKE YOUR DECEASED COMRADES ON CYBERTRON!?”
Bumblebee slowly turned his helm back towards Megatron. Try me. Or do you have half the aim as your Viacons do? He smarted off, trying to infuriate Megatron, possibly so he could let go of Arcee enough so she could escape. Megatron hissed and started blasting at the scout, while Optimus and Bulkhead abruptly got up and started fighting the Viacons. Arcee knew this was her time to escape, when Megatron wasn’t focused on her. She lurched upwards and shot Megatron’s servo, causing him to instinctually let go of her. “You scrap-bucket!” He snarled, as Arcee stepped a few feet back to blast at him. This bought time for Bumblebee to ambush, as Arcee and Megatron exchanged blasts, Bumblebee jumped up behind Megatron onto his back. Pieces of plating flew as Bumblebee ripped at Megatron, like he did Skyquake. Megatron screeched and grasped the scout by the helm, like he was a scraplet feasting on a meal of metal. Megatron started squeezing Bumblebee’s helm, which made creaking noises as he did so. This was not good. Arcee’s spark beat faster, Optimus and Bulkhead were still pretty busy with the Viacons, this was NOT a suitable time to get caught now. Arcee blasted at Megatron’s servo, trying to help Bumblebee get released, but it wasn’t working, Megatron blasted at her with his blaster, causing her to stumble. Bumblebee beeped high-pitched at the warlord and blasted at him blindly, trying himself to escape the Decepticon leader’s grasp. And then there was a noise. A sickening, heartbreaking noise. The screech and crack of a bot’s helm. Bumblebee. Arcee’s spark dropped, she knew what that meant. She had heard it in battle, and it was fatal at the sound of it. The battlefield went silent as well, all Viacons were rid of, as Optimus and Bulkhead had finished on. Megatron stood there triumphantly, looking at the scout, the Autobots scout that he himself had perished. Arcee stared at the warlord as he declared. “True, Prime. You seem to have claimed my Energon mine and defeated my troops. But I, have just offlined your scout. The very scout that I took the voicebox from many megacycles ago.” “No.. no...” Arcee’s voice caught in her voicebox. Their scout was strong, but at this end? They couldn’t afford a loss of an Autobot now. “Bee...” She watched Megatron drop the scout with a thud and then transformed to fly away. The Autobots didn’t even try to shoot at him this time, they were too filled with the shock of the loss of their scout. Arcee rushed over to Bumblebee, who was splayed on the ground, his plating dull. Bulkhead came over, as well as Optimus, solemnly. “Ratchet, open a groundbridge.” Optimus ordered flatly through the comm, kneeling down so his servos could gently pick up the Autobot scout. As Optimus lifted Bumblebee up, Arcee realized the dent embedded in his helm, reaching towards his faceplate. A groundbridge opened up and Optimus stepped towards it before stopping. “Arcee, Bulkhead, would you gather the Energon from the mine?” “Yes, sir.” Bulkhead nodded and Arcee followed him blankly into the mine, her thoughts clouded with sorrow. He.. he was the closest bot I had compared to.. She couldn’t finish the thought, this was the third partner she’d lost. And it was unbearable, no, unbelievable. Turned out great!…i hope :p That’s all I’ve written for now, but working on the rest!