Wild Ride (Cyberverse Mech!reader X Hot Rod)

7: Dark Moon

The following day, I awoke to the sound of some sort of commotion in the scanner room. Curious I got up and decided to investigate  the source.

"This is not good." Wheeljack said. "Scanners are picking up a huge energy reading from this planet's moon."

"Can you pinpoint the location of the surge?" Optimus asked.

"I can. The problem is I can't figure out what it is."

"May I take a look?" I asked, startling the scrap out of Wheeljack.

"Whoa! How in Primus is a big guy like you so quiet?" He asked as he jumped.

"I get it from my carrier." I said with a half smile before turning my attention to the scanners. "May I?"

"You can give it a shot, dunno if you'll get anywhere."  Wheeljack said as he stepped aside. I then tapped away and made specific microadjustments to the scanner and successfully fine-tuned it enough for Wheeljack to get a clearer reading. "Now why didn't I think of that?"

"Somehow, you got the frequencies backward. It's pretty impressive, I will admit." I said. "Now, let's see what those bastards are... oh no."

"What? What is it?" Wheeljack asked.

"The energy reading you picked up? It's to a planet smasher." I said with a grim expression.

"We must get to Earth's moon and deactivate the device." Optimus said.

"I'm going with you." I said firmly.

"Y/D, you'd be facing Megatron again if you go." Optimus said with a soft expression.

"I know, but this planet needs all the help it can get. Besides, you'll need extra air support since pretty much everyone here is a grounder."

-----

"Hot Rod, look out!" I called as Shadowstriker rammed into him, the impact kicking up a blast of moondust.

"Hah! Direct hit!" Shadowstriker cackled as she drifted to a halt. I dove down and shifted forms with my blades drawn and my battlemask up. "Aw, coming to rescue your little boyfriend?"

"He's not my boyfriend!" I snapped as I became slightly flustered at the suggestion. Shadowstriker laughed and swung at me with her machete, to which I barely managed to block in time.

"Aww, the little prince likes the fool? How sickeningly pathetic!" She snapped as she pushed me back. I wasn't about to give up, and I charged her again, this time landing a hard smack with the flat of my blade that sent her flying back.

"Stupid scary glitch." I muttered as I went over to the sitting and slightly fazed Hot Rod. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." He said as I helped him up only for him to stumble into my arms. "Nnngh, she got me pretty damn good."

"Can you walk?"

"No... I think she dislocated something."

"I got ya." I said as I scooped him up like I did many years ago. "Optimus, Hot Rod is down. I'm going to get him to safety." I called through the comlinks before running off towards a crater just deep enough to conceal the pair of us.

I gently laid him down so his back was pressed against the crater wall, being extra careful about his leg. I then turned my attention to his leg, and sure enough, it was dislocated at the knee plate.

"Hot Rod. I can fix you temporarily until we can get you to Ratchet. But it's going to hurt a lot. So I want you to hold onto me, and if you have to scream, do it against me. Think you can do that?"

"I can try." He strained to say. I pulled him close to me and allowed the younger bot to wrap his arms around my chassis and hide his face against me.

"Okay, ready?"

"Mhm."

"3, 2, 1." A loud crack followed my Hot Rod crying out against my chassis as I pushed his leg down and popped it back into place, his digits digging into me as he tried to contain his whimpers. "Good job. It's okay."

"Frag, that hurt." He muttered into my chassis before pulling away and moving his leg slightly.

"It will hurt for a bit, but you should still be able to move." I gently helped him up, and it was obvious he favored his good leg, but he was able to stand without falling over.

"Where'd you learn that?" He asked.

"Well, Decepticons don't really have medics, so everyone was expected to know how to fix themselves on the battlefield. Now come on, we need to rejoin the others. Try changing forms so you can keep up."

Thankfully, Hot Rod was able to do so, and the pair of us took off to regroup with the other Autobots. Eventually, we met uo with Bumblebee and Windblade who were tangling with several of the seekers.

"Surprise!" I yelled as I dive bombed Thundercracker and used him to knock the other seekers down like a set of dominoes.

"Nice timing Y/D." Windblade said. I looked over and saw Hot Rod struggling to stand and got increasingly worried.

"Where's Ratchet?" I asked.

"With Grimlock, I think." Bumblebee said. "Hot Rod, you good?"

"I don't know. Leg hurts like crazy. But it's better than it was earlier thanks to Y/D." He said.

"Bumblebee, Windblade, can you take him?" I said as I spotted my sire not far from where we were engaged in a battle with Optimus.

"Where are you going?" Windblade asked.

"To finish a quest I started a long time ago." Was all I said as I darted off towards the fight between my sire and Optimus, my steps as light as wind as I jumped up and slammed my pede into Megatron's back, sending the warlord to the ground. I back flipped over to Optimus and stood by his side with blades ready and a stoic expression on my face.

"So, you have the courage to strike me from behind Y/D." Megatron grunted as he forced himself to a stand.

"It's how you taught me, only I don't slaughter innocent bots who can't fight back." I growled.

"Y/D stand down. This isn't your fight." Optimus said.

"Sir, this is as much my fight as it is yours and my sire's. I have one mission in life, and I intend on completing it. One way, or another."

"Coward." Megatron snarled.

"Yeah, I know you are." I snapped back defiantly.

"Prime, step aside while I deal with my son's behavior." Optimus hesitantly stepped back but kept his axe at the ready as Megatron and I circled each other. "You've gotten soft Y/D, joining the Autobots and betraying me." He taunted as we carefully waited for the other to strike first.

"I said I would fight to find my carrier's killer. I never changed my path." I said coldly.

"Then you will join her!" Megatron charged and swung his flail at me, to which I jumped over and countered with a slash, a gladiatorial style battle between sire and son instigating that I knew could kill me But I didn't care.

"This madness has to end, sire!" I shrieked as my blades locked against his.

"You know nothing of madness, Y/D!" Megatron bellowed.

"Y/D! Behind you!" Optimus warned. But it was too late. I felt searing pain rip through my back and out of my tanks, my optics going wide, followed by a disgusting gutreal sound. I looked down and saw the tip of a familiar blade sticking out of my tanks as blue energon flowed from the wound.

"I'm sorry, did I cut in?" Starscream sneered before ripping the blade out. My legs buckled, and I collapsed to my side. The last thing I saw was some sort of spotted creature poking its head out from behind a rock with a look of dread and surprise on its face. Then I saw nothing more.