Ruby - Transformers: Age of Extinction fanfic

The Legend is Real

And out burst the biggest transformer Ruby had ever seen. The mountain behind it suddenly seemed nothing more than a mud mound. It towered over Optimus.

"The Legend is real," he said in disbelief.

The Legend looked at him with glowing red eyes. Not sinister, like a decepticon's, but ancient.

It had a horn like a rhino's for a forehead; huge shoulders, dripping in spikes, and a terrifying mace for a right hand. The layered pattern of metal down its torso, arms and legs reminded Ruby of fossils.

It turned to stare at Ruby. She became caught in its knowing gaze. It felt oddly familiar as her feet left the ground. She floated like in her dream, unable to move, feeling hot and cold. Alien.

Optimus had his back to her, still regarding the Legend in awe.

She heard his voice as if through a wall;

"We must join forces," he said to the Legend, his voice booming around the valley, "Or forever be slaves."

The spell was broken as the Legend tore its eyes from Ruby. No longer immune to gravity, she fell through the air. Her long hair shimmered in the Asian sun. Her mind felt disconnected; what was happening? She squeezed her eyes shut.

Drift caught her before she could scream, her legs becoming tangled in his solid fingers. She opened her eyes to a very strange sight indeed. Her head hung upside down over the edge of Drift's palm, and she could see Optimus, facing up to the Legend;

"Stand with us!" he said, "Or against me!"

The Legend bellowed like a beast. Its breath clouded into Optimus' face.

Optimus drew his sword.

The Legend transformed.

Ruby's jaw dropped.

"Whoa..." Crosshairs whispered.

She'd expected a giant truck, or maybe even a plane. But not this, a monster, a beast, with a humongous set of teeth; rows and rows of glinting swords, each one bigger than her entire body, and fangs, deadly enough to make her shiver.

Ruby righted herself and jumped up to Drift's shoulder to get a better look.

It was a dinosaur. A silver T-Rex with a thorny hide. Big and bulky enough to flatten Hong Kong.

"We'll let the boss figure this one out," said Crosshairs.

Ruby ground her teeth and bunched up her muscles, ready to propel herself to Optimus' side. But something stopped her. She'd brushed minds with this creature. It did not want to hurt them. Nor did it want to take orders. Maybe Crosshairs was right.

Blue and red flames flashed as Optimus avoided the Legend's great snapping jaws. Ruby's ears rang with the sound of metal clashing on metal. It echoed round the valley as they collided with immense force.

The Legend spun around. It caught Optimus with its tail, smacking him into the waterfall. The spectacular splash sent water everywhere, stinging Ruby's cheeks.

"Only together can we survive," cried Optimus, "Let me lead you!"

The Legend roared, and charged. The ground trembled under its mammoth footsteps. Ruby hid behind her hands, watching between her fingers. It was going to run Optimus down! He'd be crushed!

At the last second he jumped into the air, avoiding the teeth and grabbing it by the ear.

"We're giving you freedom!" Optimus screamed, pulling it over.

The creature fell on its face, tearing up the ground and shaking the mountains. It tried to get up, but Optimus held his sword to its throat, "Defend my family, or die!"

It lay still, red eyes blinking in submission.

"Grim. Lock," it choked out, in a rumbling voice older than time.

"Now that's what you call leadership," Drift said proudly,

"Or brainwashing," mumbled Crosshairs.

Ruby left them behind, jogging towards Optimus and the Legend. She stopped a few paces away. It wouldn't hurt her, yet she felt wary. The smell of burning reached her nose. She swallowed, avoiding its eyes. Despite the warm sun, goose bumps arose on her skin.

Optimus stepped back, and the Legend, Grimlock, lifted its huge head. He turned to Ruby. She felt like a deer in the headlights. The world faded. The ground fell away and the sun turned black.

"How to mend your fracturesss?" whispered the voice, "They are not of metal, nor of bone, but of the heart."

She couldn't breathe. Did she need to breathe?

Something moved around her body, a coldness, like a ghost, applying pressure here and there. It started in her chest. She anticipated pain, but none came.

It hesitated inside her wrist, beneath the bracelet.

"But power," it said, "that isss an easy riddle..."

A barrier she hadn't even known was there, cracked. That did hurt. But she couldn't scream. One piece of the barrier fell, then another. Energy flooded into her body, more than ever before. Feeling came back to her and she opened her eyes to the blue sky. She lay on her back, supported by nothing but the air. She didn't know how high she was.

The bracelet vibrated, shaking around her wrist. It became hot, white light, spitting sparks.

"AH!"

Power erupted from her palms. Raw, white power. She shot it into the sky, releasing years of energy that had built up during her imprisonment. Beneath her, she heard a beast roar.

Ruby slowly descended back to the earth, her palms still pulsing with power. The Autobots stared at her in disbelief.

She looked to Grimlock. He bowed his giant head to her. Ruby confidently placed her palm on the side of his snout.

"Thank you," she said, "You freed me."

Her energy was restored. And now she felt ready to take on Galvatron, to retrieve the Seed and help her friends. 

Ready for war.