[Robots and Magic] New Memories, Old Enemies

9. 𝘉𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘪𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘮𝘢𝘴𝘬𝘴

While the fierce battle between the two females raged on, Applejack moved with precision and agility as she dodged the siren's relentless strikes. Aria's blade flashed, cutting through the room but every time she swung, the cowgirl managed to evade.

Aria, however, was no novice. With a gleam of annoyance, she raised her weapon high, preparing another vicious attack. The element of honesty's instincts kicked in as she swiftly ducked, her body reacting before her mind could fully process the danger. She spotted an old, weathered chair, its wood splintered but sturdy enough to serve as a makeshift shield. She grabbed it and hoisted it in front of her as her enemy brought her weapon down with savage force. The armament pierced through the seat, stopping mere inches from Applejack's face. 

Thinking fast, she grunted and swung it sideways, using the embedded knife as leverage to hurl Aria off balance. The siren was dragged along with it and thrown across the room, crashing into a pile of old furniture. She quickly scrambled to her feet, her face twisted in complete anger, her pride clearly wounded, "You're really starting to get on my nerves!"

"Yeah? It ain't exactly a pleasure dealin' with ya either." Applejack shot back, her Southern drawl steady despite the adrenaline rushing through her veins. Her foe lunged forward again, faster and more precise. The siren was stronger than Applejack had anticipated and it took every ounce of the farm girl's strength to catch her attack. Their hands collided, gripping Aria's wrists. The siren pressed down, her muscles straining as she forced the weapon closer but the cowgirl planted her boots firmly on the flooring, refusing to give an inch.

Applejack swung her body sideways in a flash, releasing her from the grip with a sharp shove. Caught off balance, Aria stumbled but quickly recovered, snarling as she charged. The country teen sidestepped rapidly and the purple female's weapon sank deep into the fallen wooden table beside them with a loud thud, splintering the wood. She cursed under her breath, furiously pulling her arm but it was lodged too tightly.

Seizing the opportunity, Applejack lunged onwards, her hand inches away from grabbing her. Right then, with a violent yank, Aria freed her weapon. The force of the release sent her swinging wildly, her armament cutting through the atmosphere with reckless abandon.

Time seemed to slow down as the sharp edge barely missed Applejack's face. She instinctively leaned back, her gaze wide as she dodged. But then, to her horror, she felt a sharp tug around her neck. The movement of her body had caused her geode to lift up— and in the an instant, the blade sliced cleanly through the chain, sending the necklace flying.

Applejack's breath hitched as she stumbled backward and in one swift motion, Aria snatched the jewel, her fingers curling around it with a triumphant grin. She straightened up, regaining her composure and turned to face her rival, holding the glowing pendant delicately between her fingers, "Looking for this?" Aria taunted with a smirk, twirling it lazily between her fingers as if it were a mere trinket. The country girl stood frozen, trying to process what had just happened. Losing the geode wasn't only a personal loss; it was dangerous. In a flash, she ran to her to grab it but Aria swiftly rolled down away from her and headed to the open door.

The country female quickly sprinted after her, boots pounding against the old floor. The siren bolted for the stairs, her legs pumping as she vaulted over the railing and slid down the handrail with dangerous speed. Without hesitation, Applejack did the same. By the time her shoes hit the bottom, Aria was already charging through the building's exit.

Outside, chaos reigned.

The battle between the Cybertronians raged on with fierce intensity. Grimlock towered over the battlefield as he watched Bulkhead struggle against Underbite. The wrecker fired several rounds from his blasters but the relentless Chompazoid managed to charge through them. His powerful head slammed into the green mech's chassis, sending him crashing into the brick wall of a nearby dilapidated building with a sickening thud. The wall buckled under the impact and the Autobot groaned, trying to push himself free as debris rained down on him.