[Robots and Magic] The First Transformation ✓

18. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺'𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘳𝘵

A light emerged through the darkness of the already starry night sky. The Autobot team hopped off the bridge and came to a stop as they realized they were in the middle of an unfamiliar mountain forest. The Prime took a few paces ahead, the squad carefully following him. As he walked and observed their surroundings, Optimus saw a distant entrance of a large deep cave, big enough for tall robots like them to go inside.

"That's probably it." Arcee whispered. Optimus nodded, the five cautiously began to watch their movements as they went in. All of them, except Grimlock, activated their weapons in case of an ambush. Soon, they heard echoing voices. The old leader signed them to take cover, they hid themselves behind several giant boulders and stalagmites and took a peek. They saw a group of Vehicon guards standing in their way as if they were protecting something.

Something that probably should not be discovered.

Grimlock growled as he stepped forward. Optimus put his servo in front of the dinobot to prevent him from going any further, "At ease, Grimlock." he ordered silently, "We must be stealthy."

"How are we even going to pass through those 'Cons without getting caught?" asked Smokescreen as he kept his optics on the soldiers.

Strongarm glanced at the Decepticons and then at the steady dinobot who was staring at the drones, the cadet had a slight smirk expressed on her face-plate as soon as an idea came into her processor, "By distracting them."

Grimlock raised his optical ridge in confusion and questioned, "Distracting them? With what?" he noticed that the gazes of his allies had landed on him, subsequently, he came to a realization, "Ohhh..."

As the Vehicons continued to keep guard and talk to each other, they heard heavy upcoming steps. All of the soldiers froze in place and rapidly transformed their arms into blasters, aiming at the direction where they overheard the unexpected noises, "Who goes there?!" one of them asked with full confidence.

Upon catching his bold question, Grimlock peeped his helm from the place he was hiding and formed an awkward toothy grin as he waved his clawed servo, "Heyyy, how's it goin' guys?" he asked, acting completely unbothered by the charged handguns at him, afterwards, he showed up to them in his normal robot mode, "Nice hidey-hole you have here."

"Stay right there!" the same drone alerted, making Grimlock halt on the spot, "Keep your servos in the air! Do not come any closer!"

"Okay, okay!" he lifted his arms, "No need to be so pushy about it."

"What do you think you are doing here?!"

"Uhh-- I got... lost?"

Before they could approach him more, one of the soldiers' heads got shot by a sudden blast, the rest got sliced apart from their backs and fell on the ground, revealing Arcee with her blade arms, the last three got blown up by Smokescreen and Optimus through their chest-plates and crashed down motionless. Strongarm came out from her hiding spot as her Decepticon Hunter cooled down. Smokescreen put away his armaments, "Can't believe that actually worked!"

Grimlock smiled at his comment, "What can I say? My acting is good!"

"I think we will have to put more work on that later." Strongarm added unamused. Out of the blue, running pedes were heard from another deep path of the wide cave.

"We must go." declared Optimus, "We do not have much time." as the whole team followed the trail, more Vehicon drones came their way. The Autobots stopped and glanced to the other side, only to see their way back being blocked as well by more troops. Grimlock transformed back into his T-Rex mode and let out a powerful roar, shaking the entire place, the others drew back their defences and prepared for a fight.