Wild Ride (Cyberverse Mech!reader X Hot Rod)

19: Hunting Starscream

Since Ratchet installed the Cybertronian Sign language chip into me, Hot Rod stuck even closer and rarely left my side. It was quite adorable, although I would never admit it to him. But I will admit that I needed his aid, especially when it came time to hunt Starscream down.

Hot Rod,  Bumblebee, Windblade, Optimus, Cheetor, and myself all gathered in the control bridge to plan out our next move when Telatraan-X picked up a rather disturbing distress signal from the Nemesis.

"Nemesis.... down...." Megatron's voice strained to say. "Aid.... requested"

"That isn't foreboding at all." Bumblebee said sarcastically.

"Seems the Decepticons got what they deserved." Windblade said.

"Starscream is taking care of Megatron for us!" Hot Rod said excitedly before noticing my grim expression. "What's wrong, Y/D?"

*we need to help him.* I signed.

"What? Even after what he did to you? To all of us?"

*he may have hurt me Hot Rod, but he is still my sire and I am still a Decepticon.* I then gestured to my insignia and crossed my arms, silently telling Hot Rod that I was not backing down.

"What did he say?" Bumblebee asked.

"He said we need to help Megatron and that even after everything Y/D has gone through, he's still a Decepticon." Hot Rod said sadly.

"Y/D is correct. Megatron has requested aid, and as Autobots, we must at the very least investigate." Optimus said.

----

"Okay, this is totally not creepy." Hot Rod whispered, and the group of us approached the Nemesis. "There's not a single bot around."

"Keep your guard up." Optimus said. Everyone drew their weapons, and we slowly proceeded inside. After a few moments of silence, I stopped in my tracks as I sensed thst we were being watched.

"Y/D?" Windblade questioned as she stopped. "What's wrong?" I gave her a stoic look and motioned for her and the others to continue without me.

"We must stick together Y/D." Optimus said. I shook my head, and the sensation that something was near stuck me again. I whipped around and stood defensively, my wings stiffening as I searched for the source.

*I'll cover your backs.* I signed.

"Y/D, you shouldn't be alone." Hot Rod said.

*I'll be fine. Go.* Reluctantly, the other Autobots continued onward through the Nemesis while I closed my optics and focused on finding the source I was after. That's when I sensed Starscream up in the control bridge, and he was not alone.

I knew I had to get there quickly, so I attached my glaive to my back and tightly folded my wings against my body. I pried open an airshaft and climbed inside, silently crawling through the maze of ventilation in search of a specific one. Eventually, I found the one to the control bridge, and I peeked through the grate to see Megatron frozen in place, yet I could see no sign of starscream from my angle. I decided to take a chance, and I removed the vent cover and hopped down.

"So, you've returned to me, huh?" I heard Starscream say, and I turned to see him seated with several creatures around him. They were terrifying yet oddly adorable if it weren't for the razor-sharp teeth and the energon drool. "Do you like them Y/D? I sure hope you do." I wanted to try and say something, but Starscream lifted his hand and stopped me. "I know you can't speak anymore thanks to Sideways, but who needs a voice when you can have freedom? To be liberated from your mortal shell?"

'He's truly lost it.' I thought to myself all while keeping a stoic and strong expression. One of the creatures approached me, and I stiffened with a slight twitch of my wings.

"Oh, don't be afraid, Y/D, they are my children and won't harm you unless I tell them to."

*I assume you want them to do so at some point?* I signed, not expecting Starscream to understand.

"Oh Y/D, you are to be the last one to rejoin the Allspark." Starscream cooed as he stood and approached me, his 'children' shrinking back. "As I know yours will be... difficult to achieve. And what better person to be my reaper than you?"

'Okay, I definitely lost his mind.' I thought.

"So, if you take my offer, you will be the last to fall, and if you don't, my children will devour you right now."

*and if I were to destroy them?*

"Not even you can resist my creations. And I know how resilient you are." Starscream said with a cruel smirk. "Decide Y/D. Now? Or later?"

"How about neither, Starscream." Windblade's voice said from behind me as she and Optimus arrived to the control bridge.

"Excuse me! I was having a chat!" Starscream snapped. I stood between him and the Autobots and stared him down. "I do not fear you, Y/D! It is you who should fear me!"

'I wouldn't count on that.' I said in Starscream's mind, the crazed seeker backing away. He watched as white lettering surfaced on my reds as I stepped closer to him. I knew what I had to do, and Windblade was terrified of it.

"Y/D, don't!" She said. But I ignored her. I forced myself into Starscream's mind and took control while using my telekinetic abilities to force him to his knee plates.

"You... cannot.... win!" He strained as he tried to fight my control. "Children... ATTACK!" The abominations that he called his children then swarmed us, and I split my focus and forced them to stop. "What are you doing?!"

"Y/D, stop! You'll hurt yourself!" Windblade begged as she tried to reach me. I felt myself slip the more I fought to keep the swarm and Starscream under control. By this point, Cheetor had managed to catch up and was terrified at the scene.

"What does he think he's doing?!" Cheetor exclaimed.

"Get... out... of my HEAD!" Starscream then broke my control, and I fell back as a result, the creatures swarming me and sinking their teeth into my armor as they drained me of my energon. When I thought I was about to be completely drained, I felt myself slip into the void once again.

'This is getting ridiculous!' I yelled at the void. 'Why do I keep ending up here?! I have to go back!' An idea formed when I remembered that each time I left this void, I felt like I was falling. So I leaned back and allowed myself to fall. I fell and fell what seemed like ages before I snapped back awake to see Cheetor struggling against Starscream while Windblade and Optimus were both down. I jumped up and drew my glaive before charging the mad seeker and slicing a chunk of his modified armor clean off.

"What?! How are you alive?!" He shrieked.

"Y/D! The Allspark!" Cheetor exclaimed as he pointed to where it was hidden on Starscream. I plunged my hand into his body and ripped it out of Starscream, the mad seeker crying out as the rest of his modified body fell to pieces. I tossed the Allspark to Cheetor  and took a step to finish off Starscream only to fall over and pass out.

---
"He's coming around." I heard Hot Rod say. I slowly opened my optics and sawn the Autobots all surrounding me on the Nemesis floor.

"Y/D, you are going to get an audial full when we get back." Windblade scolded. I shrugged and stood like nothing had happened when internally everything hurt like crazy. I then spotted Megatron and gave him a sad look when he glared at me.

"In return for your... assistance. I am permitting you to leave." He snarled. And we did just that.