Chapter 4
Ratchet was in the medical lab of the Wreckers’ ship. She was repairing the damage done to the white Autobot. Once she had finished, "That should be everything. How are you feeling?"
“Ready to kick Con aft,” the Autobot said.
Ratchet sighed, "Wreckers." She muttered.
“What was that?”
“Nothing… So… Wheeljack, right?”
"You got it, darlin'."
Ratchet merely rolled her optics. “Don’t call me ‘Darlin’.”
"Kay hot stuff."
Ratchet sighed angrily. “Just stop flirting with me.”
"Whatever."
“Anyway, you’re free to go.”
“Okay. Say, would you like to go on a little drive with me?”
“No, I’m just here to help out.”
"But you'd be helping me, cutie."
Ratchet glared at Wheeljack. “Just go do your job.”
"Fine...but the offer's still good."
“Whatever…”
Wheeljack walked out of the medical lab. Ratchet poked her head out of the door and said, “Next?”
Ultra Magnus walked in.
Ratchet looked puzzled, "Uh...are you wounded?"
"No, but the young femme behind me is."
Ratchet looked behind Magnus. "Um...there's no one there."
Magnus sighed, "Come out Electric Storm. I have something shiny..."
A short, green femme jumped into the med-bay. "SHINY!"
Ratchet looked at the femme. "...What's wrong with her?"
A big simile appeared on her faceplate. "EVERYTHING."
Ratchet looked at Ultra Magnus. "Did she get hit in the head?"
“We think,” Magnus replied.
Electric Storm suddenly looked like she was about to cry. "Why do you have to be so mean?"
"So...you weren't hit on the head?"
Electric Storm smiled again. "Of course I was."
Ratchet shook it off. "So...why's she here?"
"She said someone stepped on her foot."
Ratchet stared blankly at Magnus. "That's it?"
"That's it? THAT'S IT?!?! I COULD'VE GOTTEN SQUISHED AND SENT TO ANOTHER DIMENSION!”
Ratchet rubbed her forehead. "Let me look at your foot."
Electric Storm's eyes widened. "NOOOOOOOO!!!!!" She quickly transformed and bolted out of there.
Ratchet looked in disbelief. “You gotta be kidding me…”
“Wish I was,” Magnus sighed.
Ratchet started to leave. “I’ll get her…”
"No, she'll be back. Besides, you still have other patients." Magnus revealed a black Autobot, slightly taller than Electric Storm. "Nitro-X. Fractured shoulder joint."
“I see…” Ratchet went over to her medical box and pulled out a couple tools. “How did it happen?”
“That weird scorpion dude nailed me in the elbow. No telling what he did to my alternate mode.” Nitro-x replied.
Ratchet replied, "What i it with you wreckers and your alt modes?"
“I’m not actually an official Wrecker yet, neither is my sister.”
"The crazy one who was in here a few seconds ago?"
“Probably.”
“Okay…”
"Anyway, I am going to disconnect you arm temporarily."
Nitro-x's eyes widened. "That sounds painful."
“Don’t worry, I’m going to shoot down the sensors in that area while I do the procedure.”
“That sounds even more painful.”
“Only for a second.” Ratchet pulled out what looked like a cybertronian needle. “Now just keep your eyes on me and it’ll be over before you know it.”
Nitro-x sighed, “Fine...but this better not hurt.”
Ratchet rubbed her forehead in frustration. “I see the resemblance.”
“Everyone says that.”
*****
Twilight was still sitting in the driver’s seat while trying to pull off the illusion of driving Bumblebee. After all, it wasn’t everyday she drove a talking car.
“Now if only David Horselhoff showed up,” she said aloud.
“Who?” Bumblebee asked.
Twilight realized what she had said, “Uh...nothing.”
“Uh huh…”
Twilight’s cheeks turned red. “I’ll explain later. Do you know how much farther it is?”
“The ‘Con signal is about five miles away. Should take me about five minutes following this...speed limit...thing… But I can go there faster if you want.”
“NO!”
“But...what if something happens to Stargazer and we get there too late?”
“Do you want a cop to pull us over?”
“But you’re a Princess aren’t you? Can they arrest Princesses?”
“I don’t know...but it’d still delay us. Just keep going at 60.”
“Fine…”
“Besides, I got onto Stargazer for the speeding tickets she had stashed away.”
“Sounds like my kinda girl…” Bumblebee thought aloud.
“You better not get any ideas.”
“What did I say?”
“You said, ‘Sounds like my kind of girl’.”
“Well...she just sounds like someone I’d...wanna be friends with.”
“Uh huh…”
*****
Shockwave looked at his monitor. An Autobot was approaching his base, most likely transporting Princess Twilight Sparkle. He knew that the Autobot wouldn’t just leave, even if it was against the princess’s wishes, so he was already formulating strategic ways in which to destroy the opposition while keeping his own damage minimal. Now all he had left to decide on were Optimus, Ultra Magnus, Ruination, and Electric Storm.
Stargazer was still trying to escape, but was failing badly. She was sat in a chair, her arms and legs bound to said chair, and there was a large contraption on her head. “Your resistance is futile.” Shockwave said, though he did not look in her direction. “Your mother will be here shortly and you will be released.”
“Yeah…” Stargazer replied, out of breath, “But she’ll be forced to look at your ugly mug the whole time. Not to mention getting a headache from that annoying voice you have.”
Shockwave still didn’t respond.
“What’s the matter? Cat got your tongue? Oh wait! You don’t even have a mouth.”
Still no response.
“Wow, you’re a real stick in the mud.”
“Your mother has arrived.”
Stargazer swallowed. She was trying to stay confident, but it was incredibly difficult. “I don’t even know why you thought this would work, my mom hates me.”
“Maternal instinct always kicks in. It was only a matter of time.”
“Gee, wonder where those ‘maternal instincts’ were when she yelled at me last week.” Stargazer muttered.
Shockwave didn’t reply. Instead, he left the computer he had been monitoring and moved over to the front wall. He pressed a button and the wall began to move upwards.
******
“It looks like they’re going to let us in,” Twilight noted.
“Or it’s a trap.” Bumblebee replied.
“But Stargazer’s in there. We NEED to go.”
“Go ahead. I’ll be right behind you.”
Twilight rolled her eyes and stepped out of Bumblebee.
Bumblebee transformed once Twilight was a safe distance from him. When he took a few steps, however, a laser bolt tried to make contact with him.
“Princess Twilight, only.” A voice replied.
Bumblebee stepped back.
“Princess Twilight, proceed inside.”
Twilight sighed, then walked into the darkness.
Once Twilight was gone, the voice said, “As for you… These Decepticon troopers should keep you busy.”
Suddenly, multiple Decepticons ran out of the darkness and charged at Bumblebee.
Bumblebee got into a defensive stance and started firing at them.
*****
Twilight had a difficult time seeing anything, and the loud, constant thuds were beginning to hurt her head. “Hello? Anyone here?”
A series of lights lit up the dark hallway. Twilight slowly trecked down that hallway. She couldn't hear the thudding anymore, but it was still faint.
“Don’t be shy. You’re daughter’s waiting for you.”
Twilight stopped, took a deep breath, clenched her hands into a fist, and started running down the hall as fast as she could.
When she entered the room, the voice said, “Stop! You are close to the ledge.”
Twilight stopped suddenly, nearly falling down.
“You could have fallen into the driller pit.”
Immediately after the voice said it, a light came on revealing a huge pit that contained a huge, wormlike, metallic creature with tentacles. Twilight backed away. To Twilight it looked like something that had come straight from Tartarus. "So help me if you fed my daughter to that thing I will-"
"Your daughter is to your right."
A light activates on cue to reveal Stargazer. Twilight looked down the next hallway. Upon seeing her daughter she ran towards the bound girl. "Stargazer!"
“Mom!” Stargazer started crying, partly in joy, partly in shock.
Twilight put her arms around Stargazer. The restraints around Stargazer's arms and legs were unlocked. Twilight lifted her daughter off the chair and placed her on the ground.
"Mom... I-"
Twilight pulled Stargazer back into a hug. "Stargazer..." Twilight whispered. "I'm so glad you're okay."
"I...you...came?
“Of course I came. You’re my daughter, and I love you so much.”
"But the speeding tickets...and this morning..."
"That doesn't matter. What happened this morning shouldn’t outweigh what’s happening now.”
"But-"
"Star..." Twilight took her daughter's hand and got down on one knee. "I will always love you, nothing will change that. You're my amazing, adventurous, wonderful, caring daughter. You may get in trouble sometimes, and do things that require discipline, but that doesn't mean I don't love you. And...if you really were surprised I came for you...then I've failed you. And I am so, so sorry."
“Mom…” Stargazer hugged Twilight, “I’m so sorry…”
Shockwave made a noise that sounded like he was clearing his throat before saying, “If you two are done, Princess Twilight Sparkle, please proceed to the chair.”
“M-mom?” Stargazer looked at Twilight.
“I’m sorry, Stargazer, but I had to do it.” Twilight looked up to Shockwave, “I need to know my daughter will return home alive.”
“No doubt the Autobot outside killed the Decepticon officers. Since he and your daughter are of no importance to me, it is of no consequence what happens.”
Twilight looked to Stargazer and whispered. “Star, run to outside. Just run! And avoid the Driller pit...thing.”
Stargazer tearfully nodded, and started running towards the exit.