Cyber Stories

Chapter 10: Welcome to Hell

-Phoenix POV-

The familiar rocky formation appeared in my vision. It was odd, almost like a helicopter pad in front of a huge cave opening. The cave opening had a huge metal door that when I touched down, the camera at the top left scanned me. "Welcome home, Phoenix." The computer voice announced as I walked in.

"Father?" I called out. "I'm home!" I looked around the empty halls in our entryway.

No response came, as I expected. As I passed by the dining room I found my Father sat at the table, looking over his datapad.

I turned into the room, sitting down at the table. "Father?" I tried again, using a different one. It was useless. He wasn't going to acknowledge me.

Legend walked in the room though. My older brother. He was strong and a skilled fighter, heading up the squadron my father had in his control. "Oh Nixxie, you've returned." He smiled and rubbed his paw on my helm. "I am headed to the main facility, father."

"Oh! Can I go? Pleeeeeaaase." I begged, looking at my father for any sort of recognition.

He narrowed his optics, not moving his vision from his data pad. Only after a few minutes did he glance up at Legend, briefly, then finally speak up, "Take her with you, Legend. Remember the new training schedules we went over."

My instant reaction was to jump up with a small squeal, the chair being pushed out from under me. "Thank you Dad!" I squealed, pausing when I saw the chair not pushed in. "Oh, sorry." An embarrassed chuckle left my pipes as I slowly pushed in the chair and bolted to the door.

Legend was amused by my excited reaction. "More and more she acts and looks like Mom." He says, looking back at our father. "Of course. Please don't forget either, we have the predacon team meeting and dinner coming up soon as well." He says as he left the room, ushering me along.

The main facility! I've never been! It's where my father and brother spent a majority of their time together.

My Father didn't speak another word, silently consumed by his data pad.

Legend led me through the halls, each connecting corridor as long and empty as the one we were traveling down. The tunnels in the mountainside were a maze. If you didn't know where you were going, you would get lost.

"So, Father has been letting you out more recently. What have you been doing?" He asked, his voice calm. I always liked my big brother. He was the one who practically raised me.

"There's a lake near the mountain that has a lot of sand. I've been going there and building sand castles."I presented proudly, making my brother chuckle.

"And the missing armor metal?" He teased slightly. Shit... he found out. If he found out then did Dad-, "Don't worry, Father hasn't noticed." His words interrupted my thought process.

"Oh... well, I made a violin. A human musical instrument and I learned how to play it." I replied, a bit nervous of what he might say.

"You're sometimes too smart for your own good. That's good though, very resourceful. I'd love to hear sometime." He offered a small smile, making me beam. He wanted to hear it. First Rumble liked it, now my brother might too.

As we got closer to the main area, the noise started getting louder and louder. Voices, hustle and bustle.

It's when we entered the main facility, however, that I saw the sheer amount of predacons walking around. It shocked me. "There's so many people here..." my optics were shifting from bot to bot, amazed.

Legend chuckled a bit and pat my helm again before whistling. "We have guests! Everyone on your best behavior."

Several different reactions came from the huge crowd of bots. Predacons and bipeds alike, some muttering a 'yes sir', some grumbling curses or rude comments.