Wild Ride (Cyberverse Mech!reader X Hot Rod)

12: Sideways

Windblade continued to train me during the day, and during the evenings, I would spend my time with Hot Rod. Most of the time, we'd casually talk, or I'd show him something I learned. Other times, we would spar just for the fun of it. But this evening was different.

Hot Rod and I decided to sneak out and explore a set of nearby caverns that were rumored to be 'haunted by a robotic ghost.'

"Robotic ghosts, please." I snorted as we entered the cavern. "Unless that ghost is Starscream, I don't think we have anything to really worry about."

"That's what I said! But nooo no one would believe me! I don't know what the others are so spooked about." Hot Rod said as he took point. I followed behind him as we wandered the cavern. The entire time, I was admiring the glittering minerals that decorated the cavern walls. Stalagmites hung from the ceiling like deadly chandeliers. Occasionally, water would drip down and gently land on us. It was quite beautiful in an eerie way.

My admiration was interrupted when Hot Rod and I fell through the cavern floor and into a tunnel that lay underneath, Hot Rod landing on top of me as my backside landed on the tunnel floor. Rocks and debris fell from above and eventually stopped, leaving us coated in dust and dirt.

"You okay?" I asked him.

"Yeah. I think so." He said. I then noticed the awkward position we were in, and I smirked a little. "What's that look for?"

"Well, you are kind of straddling me." I teased. Hot Rod looked down and jumped in surprise as he quickly got off of me in a panic. I stood up shortly after and brushed off the dirt from myself. "If you wanted to do that, at least buy me a thing of high grade first."

"Oh hush!" Hot Rod huffed. Even in the dark, I could see the rapidly growing blush creep up his face. It was so adorable to me how easily flustered I could make him if I wanted to, but I knew it couldn't go any further than playful talk. "Where do you think we are?"

"Dunno, definitely down." I said as I touched the side of the tunnel walls. "But these were made recently. Not by humans."

"How can you tell?" I then shined a light from my chassis and illuminated the clearly melted walls of the tunnel. "Whoa. This isn't a lava tube, is it?"

"No, something was tunneling here. Or... someone." I then froze and looked over to Hot Rod with a bit of fear.

"What? What is it?"

"We have to get out of here! Now!" Before either of us could react, something launched out and grabbed Hot Rod, pulling him down into the depths. "Hot Rod!" I cried out as I quickly ran after him, twisting and weaving through the tunnels until I came to a large chamber where someone I never wanted to meet again stood over a bound Hot Rod.

"My oh my, what do we have here?" He cooed at me.

"Sideways." I growled lowly. "I should have known you'd be skulking about down here."

"Skulking is such an ugly word. I prefer to think of this as... a stratigic collection point. Which reminds me, you owe me something." I stiffened in fear as I knew what he was after.

"I can't give it to you for free." I said as I glanced over to Hot Rod and then back at Sideways.

"Tell you what, since I'm in a good mood, I'll make a deal." Sideways said as he noticed my concern for Hot Rod. "This little Autobot will live in exchange for your pretty little voice. I believe that is what you owe me, is it not?"

"Y/D! No!" Hot Rod whispered fearfully.

"Well? It's a simple trade. Give me your voice," Sideways said threateningly as he aimed a blaster at Hot Rod's head. "And I'll let this pretty little Autobot live." I glanced between Hot Rod and Sideways before finally making my decision.

"Fine, but if you harm him after the deal is done, I will kill you." I said with a threatening voice.

"Oh, don't you worry, I always hold my end of the deal." He sneered as he approached me. "Now kneel down, this is going to hurt you more than it hurts me."

"Y/D no!" Hot Rod cried out as he struggled in his restraints. I knelt down before Sideways, and before I could react, he shoved his sharp digits into my throat and skillfully grabbed a hold of my voice box. My optics and intake went wide as he tore it out in one fell swoop, energon oozing from the wound and sparks jumping from my throat.

"Pleasure doing business with you." Sideways said as he unbound Hot Rod.

"Y/D!" Hot Rod exclaimed as he ran over to me with worry.

"Oh, by the way." Sideways said as he raised his arm and blasted a hole in the ceiling, exposing the starry night sky to the tunnel below. "There's your exit. Pleasure doing business with you." Sideways then summoned a swirling green ground bridge and stepped on through, the portal closing as soon as he was out of sight.

"Come on, let's get you out of here." Hot Rod said. I nodded and held onto him as I rocketed us out of the cave system and into the open. I then placed him down and motioned for him to go and that I wouldn't be far behind.

When we returned to the Ark, Optimus was at the entrance with a stern look he reserved for the young bots who got themselves in trouble.

"Y/D, where were you two?" He asked. I looked at him and then looked over to him with sad optics. Optimus noticed the wound, and his expression softened. "Ratchet, prepare med bay for Y/D."

-----

As Ratchet was working on stopping the leaking from my neck, Hot Rod was debriefing the Prime on what had happened.

"We were just goofing around and investigating a rumor of a 'ghost robot'. Turns out that ghost may have been a bot called Sideways." Hot Rod said.

"Sideways? I am unfamiliar with him. Was he a Decepticon?" Optimus asked.

"He didn't have any insignia, so I don't know. But apparently, Y/D owed him his voice and used me to make him hand it over." Hot Rod said as he hugged himself and looked to the ground.

"Optimus, Hot Rod." Ratchet said as he waved the pair over.

"Were you able to repair his voice?" Optimus asked.

"No, his voicebox was ripped clean out. I'm afraid there isn't anything that I can do."

-with Sideways-

"I got his vocalizer like you asked." Sideways said as he approached the Juge.

"You fool! That is not what we wanted!" The Judge bellowed as they slammed a tendril into Sideways and chucked him across the room.

"You said to bring you his voice!" Sideways snapped as he forced himself to a stand.

"Idiot! His telepathic abilities! Not his physical voice! That's why we gave you the surgical grade servo to begin with!"

"Well, excuse me! How was I supposed to know the difference if you are going to be so fragging cryptic!" Sideways barked angrily.

"Silence!" The Judge ordered as several shark-like creatures surrounded him. "Take him away and give him to The Scientist. We have no further need for incompetent bots. We will have to deal with the Anomaly ourselves when the time comes."