//------------------------------// // Robots In Disguise // Story: We Need A Medic // by Onomonopia //------------------------------// The sun was still setting on the horizon. That was the only thing Fluttershy could take comfort in given her current situation. Even though she had just survived watching giant robots decimate each other before following it up with a road rage fight similar to Mad Max, the sun was still setting as it always did. She curled up in her seat and wrapped her arms around her legs, finally letting out the breath that she had been holding during the entire battle. "You doing alright, kid?" the voice of Ratchet asked Fluttershy. The girl didn't respond right away, as her thoughts were back at the battle she had just survived. She knew that the Deceptacons were after her. They had tried to kidnap her once and if Ratchet hadn't interfered they would have done it again. But she couldn't close her eyes without seeing the burning wreckage of what once had been, she believed at least, sentient and living beings. "No, but I think I can manage," Fluttershy whispered before opening her eyes once more. "So, you're name is Ratchet? That's what one of your...friends said over your radio." "Yeah, the names Ratchet. Sorry that our first meeting involved a hail of laser fire and explosions." "That was...yeah. Alright Ratchet, you seem decent enough, so I'm just going to ask this right out of the gate. I don't want this to sound offensive or mean spirited, but...what are you?" Fluttershy asked. The moment that question made it's way past her lips, the whole dam burst. "And what were those cars that were chasing me? Why and how can you turn into a giant robot? Why are you here and why are they chasing after me? Do you think that-" "Fluttershy! Breath," Ratchet cut in. Fluttershy stopped talking and took in a few deep breaths, feeling slightly better. "You've been through a lot today, more than we wanted you to go through when we eventually introduced ourselves to you. And I'd say that you have more than earned the answers to the questions you are asking." "Well...I'm waiting for those answers." "Heh, sadly i am not the best bot to answer your questions. That would be my leaders job. I was just supposed to keep an eye on you and make sure to keep you safe should the Cons figure out where you were. Sorry, but I can't answer anything right now. You'll have to wait until we get back to the base," Ratchet answered. Fluttershy thought about his answer for a moment before she narrowed her eyes. She didn't like his answer. So she was going to get a better one out of him. Magic flowed through her veins as she closed her eyes and Fluttershy willed the power of harmony to flow through her veins. Her eyes snapped open a moment later and her body was consumed with her magic, causing wings to appear from her back and ears to form upon her head. The magic of kindness flooded through the cab of Ratchet, causing his sensors and instruments to start to go haywire. "What are you doing?!" Ratchet roared as he struggled to get his already damaged body back under his control. "Ratchet, I appreciate you saving my life, but if you do not tell me more about what I want to know, then I will use my magic to make an exit and this is where we will part ways," Fluttershy said in a polite, but also very serious, tone. "And you didn't do this to escape the Con earlier because...?" "It took me a while to shake off whatever that Deceptacon did to me." Ratchet slowed the ambulance down until it came to a complete stop on the side of the road, where he then parked the rescue vehicle and went silent. Fluttershy was beginning to wonder if she had pushed her luck and was just starting to think whether or not she should apologize to Ratchet when the Autobot's engine came to life once more, but it was only to turn on the radio. "Transformers. That is what the race of my people is called," Ratchet said to Fluttershy as a soft violin piece began to play. "We are a species of autonomous machines that have been around for more millennia then I care to count. Our natural abilities allow us to transform our bodies to any vehicle of your planet or any planet that we scan. Hence our species name." "Our home was the planet Cybertron, a living planet of metal and technology that held millions of Transformers. We all lived in harmony for the longest time, learning and inventing. Expanding and taking our world to new heights. Oh yes, the golden age of Cybertron was a sight that could be akin to the sight of the all spark." "Transformers...a species of giant robots," Fluttershy repeated, just to make sure that she hadn't suffered a head injury while being kidnapped by Fuel. "Alright, say that what you said is true. Why are you here on Earth and, more importantly to me, why are you all so fascinated with me? I'm certain that compared to what you're civilization is capable of, I'm hardly a blip on your radar." "Hehe...what our civilization turned out to be capable of is war, as it turns out," Ratchet said in a bitter tone, one that was filled with millennia of sorrow. "Eventually Transformers that did not like the old ways emerged and rebelled against how our world was structured. In response the Primes, leaders of our world, created a defense force called the Autobots to keep the peace. The symbol i wear that you noticed the first time we met is the symbol of the Autobots. It stands for peace and unity. And for a time, the Autobots kept the peace." "But the Deceptacons are the bad guys. And they fought the Autobots," Fluttershy added on, getting Ratchet to chuckle in a bitter tone. "Oh, it wasn't just any old Con that could stand against the Autobots. It was one of the greatest warriors that Cybertron has ever produced. A warrior that could slay even the Primes. Megatron." As he said this name, an image appeared on the inside of the windshield of another Transformer, one that was silver, angular in design and had a look in his eyes that told Fluttershy he was truly evil. "He was the one that created the Deceptacons. He was the one that led the revolt against the Autobots. He was the one...that doomed our world of Cybertron," Ratchet spat with fury and rage. "Your home...was destroyed?" Fluttershy asked with horror. "Was, Fluttershy. Emphasis on was. Thanks to the efforts of my leader, the last Prime, and my team of Autobots, we managed to defeat Megatron and restore our world back to a state that Transformers can live on it once more. At least we're trying to," Ratchet added on under his breath. "Our battles with Megatron raged across the stars. Deceptacons battled with Autobots across the galaxy until our battle came to an end on this planet. Earth." "Here? But I've never heard anything about giant robots fighting to the death for the sake of their doomed world on the news. I think that would be something that even I would notice." "That's because we're robots in disguise, Fluttershy. Remember, we can transform our bodies to mimic the vehicles of your world. Also, we worked with your worlds government to stay hidden, revealing ourselves only when we needed to save the lives of people that had accidentally gotten mixed up in our war. Although we did wonder how the world to react to when Megatron declared himself ruler of the world." "That happened in Nevada, right? I heard something about some stuff going down out there," Fluttershy muttered before she shook her head to get back on track. "So all this time you've been hidden among us, hiding out as vehicles?" "Not entirely. About ten years ago we ended our battle with the Deceptacons and returned to our world, for what we hoped would be a very long time. Recently however, there have been some...disturbing developments that have brought the Autobots back to your planet." "What developments?" "The Deceptacons are back. Not that they were ever gone to truly begin with, but without Megatron they were scattered and afraid, to the point that they would never try something like this. Starscream tried to lead them for a while, and that was entertaining to watch, but now there's a new leader that has risen from the ashes of the Deceptacon army. Ultracon." "Ultracon? That...sounds less than intimidating." "Mock the name all you want, the Con is as dangerous as they come. While he lacks the fighting experience and raw power Megatron had, he makes up for it with his ability to inspire Cons to fight and his deadly assassin skills," Ratchet muttered. Fluttershy glanced up at the windshield once more to see if there would be an image to go along with the name, but the screen remained on Megatron. "His actions on Earth are what brought us back to Earth after all of these years. He is the reason that I was sent to watch over you this summer. Because he's after you and your friends." "My friends?" Fluttershy asked in a serious tone with an underlining hint of fear. "What about my friends? What does a giant, manipulative assassin want with me and a bunch of high school girls that haven't done anything to them?" "It's not what you've done, Fluttershy. It's what you could do. What you and your friends have the potential to do," Ratchet answered cryptically, before his mirrors adjusted themselves to look at the horizon. The sun was all bet sunk behind the horizon and a growl escaped Ratchet's engine as annoyance washed over the Bot. "Fluttershy, I'm going to be taking you to our base. You'll be safe there for the time being." "Um, excuse me, you could repeat that? I think that my mind must still be messed up from getting shocked, because I'm fairly certain that you just said..." "You're coming with me," Ratchet replied in a far more stern voice. "We're closer to my base than we are from your home. It's getting late and with all of the damage that I've taken from the battle with the Cons, I don't know if I can fight off another attack like that. I need repairs and I can't them at your house. Sorry, but we're heading to base. That's the final word." "So I'm getting kidnapped again?" "Well...yes, if we want to get technical about it." "Fine, sure, let's just go to your base," Fluttershy said with a sigh as she strapped herself back in, crossing her arms as the ambulance got back onto the road and started to drive. "I just really hope that this doesn't become a thing."