The Next Generation

C3: Not Much Benefit

Optimus didn't know the limits of his body, not entirely. Principal Nezu had made him do several jumping exercises to test how far he could jump, and then described Optimus's physical fitness as above average. So, yes, he could jump relatively far.

But not as far as he just tried to.

The quickest path to the zero pointer was across the rooftops, so Optimus figured, why not jump across them? Bad idea. He got a running start, waited until the ledge of the building, and then leapt. He almost made it, he did, but then the top of the second roof went up and Optimus went down. He realized his mistake quickly and went for his sword, but instead, a hand grabbed his jacket, and then his armpit, and Optimus looked up to see someone else on the roof, pulling him up.

Optimus grabbed the ledge and pulled, sliding over the lip and rolling onto the ground. The other student let go and fell on his butt. Optimus looked at him; he was tall, lean, and muscular, with about six sets of appendages extending from his body. There was a mask over the lower half of his face and white hair pushed to the side.

"Thank you," Optimus stood up and offered him a servo. "I didn't realize I couldn't jump that far."

"I thought you would die," the white-haired kid told him. "What are you doing, coming this direction? That's the zero pointer."

"I know," Optimus assured him. "I'm going to defeat it so it does not cause any problems."

The ground beneath them shook as the robot crashed through a building, now heading in their direction, but at a very slow pace. Optimus and the student glanced at it before the white-haired student shook his head. "That's insane. What's your quirk?"

"I do not have one," Optimus replied. "I should be on my way now. Good luck with your exam!"

Optimus turned around and ran across the rooftop once more, this time aiming for the next roof, but with his sword ready in his servo. The student stared at him in horror, but Optimus jumped and aimed for a window, diving through the glass without much hinderance. He ran through the empty, dark halls, headed for the light, and emerged on the other side.

Another loud crashing sound shook the building he was in. The robot was getting closer. Optimus looked out the closest window and spotted it. Only one building separated Optimus from the robot, and it seemed the robot was coming closer. Optimus turned away from the window and found a set of stairs. He went up them and came out on the roof just as the robot was plundering the building between them.

At the edge of the roof, Optimus waited. He looked down into the streets below, nodding when he saw that they were empty. Present Mic advised them to avoid the zero-pointer, so it was understandable that they did as much. If Optimus could force the massive robot to fall back on it's own path of destruction, that would be helpful.

The robot was slow enough that Optimus had enough time to predict how the robot would act, based on his previous encounters with other robots and the way it was moving now. It would swing and he would jump. There is a joint at the elbow that Optimus could reach, given his newfound knowledge of jumping, and the robot would destroy the building behind him. Then he would need to move quickly, up and out of the joint before it closed, and head for the weak point on the neck.

The time came and Optimus readied himself. The robot swung his arm out and Optimus jumped, landing on it's elbow and jabbing his sword into the joint to get a better grip. He crouched down. He didn't want the collision with the building to knock him loose.

But the robot stopped moving.

Optimus looked up and around, from the robot's servo to it's helm. The head turned slowly, away from the building and down to Optimus.