Transformers Book of One-Shots Book 2 ✔

TFP | Hard Knocks Alt Ending

Request by: @Butterflymed

After a lecture from Arcee, Smokescreen punches her and speeds off. Arcee also leaves the base, and the two are ordered to a relic's coordinates. Once again, they lose the fight, but Arcee doesn't angrily lecture Smokescreen.

While Bulkhead argues anyone could have been sucker punched, Smokescreen argues its unacceptable that he was the one that was punched.
"Some great warrior I'm turning out to be," Smokescreen complains.
"You still don't get it, do you?" Arcee asks, "a couple of victories will not make you a legend, and not every mission results in success," Arcee is unaware that Optimus is listening, "not for me, not for Bee, not even for Optimus. We've gained relics, and we've lost some. We've also lost friends. We've even lost a world, but this is one time we get a do-over. We have a chance to bring back Cybertron, and everyone in this room needs to be in sync. This isn't about you or your destiny!"
"Arcee, you've made your point," Optimus argues.
"No, he needs to hear this! You might become a great warrior one day, and I sincerely hope you do, but greatness begins and ends with putting the team first, not your personal scorecard."
"There's nothing I wouldn't do for you guys," Smokescreen claims.
"Then stop trying to be a hero and start acting like an Autobot."
The room Is silent for what feels like an hour until Smokescreen punches Arcee hard that she offlines. Smokescreen speeds into the tunnel as the others are shocked at what Smokescreen did and watch Arcee speed off seconds later, crying angry tears.
"Uh, should we go after her? Smokescreen?" Bulkhead asks, worried.
"No, I doubt they'll cross paths out there," Optimus tells everyone and returns to decoding coordinates.

Neither Arcee nor Smokescreen return before Optimus decodes a set of coordinates. Bee, Bulkhead, and Ratchet couldn't believe that Optimus contacted Arcee and Smokescreen for the mission.
"Those two working on a mission now?! Are you going insane?!" Ratchet asks.
"Yes, while I hope they retrieve the Omega key; if they lose the battle and the key, I hope Arcee will keep Smokescreen from blaming himself."
Optimus gives the coordinates to Arcee and Smokescreen without telling either about the other Autobot going to that location.

Arcee and Smokescreen arrive at the location, but rather than argue how the other is at the location, they focus on Knockout finding the relic. Knockout uses the Resonance Blaster to send the two into the rock formation, unable to break free from the weapon's effect. Once Knockout has the key, he uses the weapon to provide cover with a dust cloud.
Smokescreen realizes, yet again, that the relic is in the hands of the cons.
Clearly, I'm not worthy of being a great warrior. Smokescreen concludes. Even a warrior in training wouldn't fail like this.
"Where are you going?" Arcee asks before Smokescreen can transform and drive off.
"Oh, right, are you hurt?"
"No, I'm fine."
"Then I'm leaving."
"To sulk about losing a relic?! Did you listen to a word I said?!"
"To you, I haven't listened, but when we lost a relic while I was on the mission twice. Clearly, I'm the problem, and I'm not a warrior ready for the field."
Arcee isn't sure what to say. Smokescreen went from overly confident to doubting himself.
"You're learning and Always will be learning. We didn't know Knockout would have the weapon that he had. This many losses in a row suck, but we can still win the war."
Before Smokescreen can argue he should leave before he blows the last chance the Autobots have to win the war, Arcee insists they return to base where she can teach him some fighting techniques.