Transformers The Hatchling

One pissed off dragon bot

No POV

It was hours before Bulkhead, Bumblebee, and Arcee arrived at the base. The sound of their tires skidding across the floor echoed through the empty hangar as they came to a halt, their vehicles leaving a trail of rubber and dust behind them. The door to the base was a mess—claw marks marred the surface, deep gouges along the thick metal. The damage was unmistakable. The heavy dents and scratches were all too familiar.

"Oh crap," Arcee muttered, her voice a mix of concern and irritation. "Stormchaser is pissed, and we don't have Optimus here to contain her."

The humans stepped out of their respective guardians, their eyes widening as they surveyed the destruction. Miko was the first to speak, her voice filled with awe and disbelief. "Damn, that's some damage! Wait, Stormchaser did all that?" she asked, pointing to the dented door. "If she did this, why don't you take her into battle? She could've turned that Decepticon ship into a crushed soda can!"

Arcee's expression darkened slightly. "Stormchaser is only 15 Earth cycles old, so she's still too young to engage in combat. Plus, if the Decepticons were to learn about her existence, they would do anything to capture her. They know how dangerous she could be."

The children exchanged confused looks, not entirely understanding what Arcee meant. Jack raised his hand slightly, a frown creasing his brow. "She's that young, but she's so big. Why would the Decepticons want her? Sure, she's big, but don't they have bots like her in their forces?"

Arcee's voice softened, but there was a hint of something protective in it as she explained, "Stormchaser is a Predacon—an ancient species that predates Cybertronians. They were believed to be extinct. She's the last of her kind, her egg survived on Earth. We took her from the Decepticons before they knew what they had. I try not to imagine what she would have turned out like if she had been raised by them."

Jack blinked, the weight of the situation settling in. "Predacon..." he muttered under his breath, clearly processing the significance of the information.

Arcee walked toward the ground bridge chamber, her optics flickering with concern. "We need to find her, make sure she's okay."

Meanwhile, Stormchaser could be heard pacing in the distance. The sound of her claws scraping against the metal floor was unnerving, the rhythmic thumping of her tail striking the walls only adding to the tension. The group approached carefully, knowing better than to rush in recklessly.

When they found her, she was standing by the ground bridge, her tail injured from her earlier outburst. Energized liquid leaked from multiple spots, her snarls echoing through the chamber as she glared at the Autobots. Her optics were wide and wild, the anger radiating off of her palpable.

As the group approached, Stormchaser turned to them with a snarl, baring her teeth. She didn't hesitate—she charged forward, pushing the Autobots back with the sheer force of her chest and head. She knocked them aside like ragdolls, growling ferociously, her tail lashing out. Her movements were swift, as if she were trying to keep them at bay, warning them to back off.

The humans froze, staring at the massive Predacon, their eyes wide with both fear and fascination. Miko, always the brave one, took a step forward. "Whoa, what's wrong with Stormchaser? She's never done this before."

Raf stood still, his face pale with worry. "Is she... is she going to hurt us?"

Before anyone could react, Stormchaser turned and began circling the humans, her sharp claws scraping across the ground as she sniffed them over. She nudged them with her nose, checking for any signs of injury, her growls softening ever so slightly, but not entirely. Her massive body moved with terrifying grace, and her hot breath washed over them as she carefully inspected each of the children.

Finally, she pushed them under her frame, standing protectively over them. The growl that came from her was more like a command, a demand for the Autobots to stay away.

Arcee's voice softened as she approached cautiously. "Easy, girl. I don't know what's wrong, but you need to calm down. Let the humans go, they're fine." She took a step forward, trying to reason with the massive creature. "Come on, Storm. You've got to let them go before they get hurt."

But Stormchaser didn't respond. Her eyes narrowed, and the growl in her throat only grew louder, until she let out a roar that seemed to shake the entire base. It was a ground-rattling sound, deep and guttural, that echoed through the halls. She quickly grabbed Miko, Jack, and Raf in her powerful jaws, not harming them, but clearly not caring for their protests. Then, she stomped off to her nest, dragging the humans with her like she was carrying precious cargo.

"This is just like when my mom grounded me for sneaking out!" Miko shouted, half-laughing, half-screaming in frustration as she dangled from Stormchaser's grip. Once at the nest, Stormchaser dropped them roughly at the edge before pushing them in further.

Miko quickly scrambled to her feet, trying to make a break for it. But before she could get far, Stormchaser's massive tail shot out and gently but firmly pushed her back into the center of the nest, trapping them all inside. The dragon's growl echoed in the room, and a small plume of smoke curled from her nostrils, a clear sign of her growing irritation.

"Hey, this is getting old!" Miko groaned. "Storm, you can't ground us! Jack, you're older than her—tell her to let us go!"

Jack looked at Miko with a smirk, but his tone was serious. "I may be older, but you don't piss off a forty-meter tall robot dragon. Especially one that's already angry."

Stormchaser stood sentry at the entrance to the nest, her massive frame blocking any chance of escape. Bumblebee stepped up to the group, not daring to touch the nest, but leaning against the wall and offering a few comforting beeps.

"Bee says that Stormchaser is trying, in her own way, to keep us safe," Jack explained, trying to reassure Miko. "Optimus is on his way back. He'll spring us when he gets here."

Miko pouted, trying again to escape, but as she reached the edge of the nest, Stormchaser's large claws reached out and grabbed her shirt, lifting her off the ground with minimal effort. Miko dangled there for a moment before being dropped and pinned beneath the weight of Stormchaser's tail.

"Get off, you overgrown tin can!" Miko yelped, squirming beneath the dragon's tail. "This is so not cool!"

Raf and Jack couldn't help but laugh at the sight of Miko caught in the dragon's grip, clearly more concerned about their friend than the previous danger. "I think this is Stormchaser's way of grounding you," Jack said between fits of laughter, holding his belly as he snapped a quick picture of the scene.

Miko rolled her eyes, still stuck beneath the tail. "So not cool, guys."

It wasn't long before Optimus arrived, his footsteps heavy as he approached the scene. His optics were stern as he surveyed the situation. "Stormchaser, we need to discuss your behavior. Now, let the humans out."

Stormchaser, her temper still flaring, growled at Optimus and brushed past him without a second thought. She didn't want to deal with anyone right now. She wasn't angry at them; she was angry at herself. She was tired of being caged in, unable to protect the family she had come to love so much. Without saying another word, she returned to her empty nest, her body sagging in exhaustion as she collapsed onto the floor, her tail wrapping around herself protectively.

Optimus stood for a moment, his tone softening. "Stormchaser, stop. Your temper today could have gotten someone hurt. I know you're frustrated about not being able to experience this planet like the rest of us, but you're too big to fly around unnoticed by the humans. The Decepticons can never learn of your existence. One day, you will be free to fly without worry."

Stormchaser growled, her optics flickering as she glared at Optimus. It wasn't about freedom or flying. It was about protecting her family, about making sure they were safe. But that message seemed to go unspoken as she turned her back to the Autobots, curling into her nest to sleep, the sounds of her growls fading as exhaustion overcame her.