The Past Always Comes Back to Bite (RID2015 Fanfiction)

5. Extraction

It was only a matter of time.

His claws dug into the rock as he scrambled up to the top of the cavern, finding a ledge and setting Transmutate down on it. "Stay here..." He whispered.

"You are going to...get hurt." Transmutate whispered, putting her hand to his cheek. "...Let me help."

"No, not unless absolutely necessary. You don't have training, I do."

"Just because I can't fight...Doesn't mean I can't help."

The dinobot sighed, taking her hand. "I will be fine... Stay here. Please."

Transmutate's expression hinted at thoughts of rebellion, but she finally gave a nod. "Fine."

He nodded and then hopped down, leaving the cover of the cave and climbing out into the small clearing that was outside of it. The entrance was a tiny hole in the ground, not above-ground, and hidden by bushes. As long as he kept their attention off of the bushes, she could be safe inside.

And that meant he didn't need to worry about her. That meant he didn't need to hold back.

The pair of hunters came crashing through the trees like a rampaging buffaloid in traffic, knocking entire branches off and flinging them to the sides. One of them was the guard he'd torn up on the ship. His injuries were still quite fresh, but it was obvious his dedication to his work overruled his need for medical attention and rest. "I am impressed... You still stand on your peds."

"You underestimated the damage you inflicted, Kid...! Where's the other one?"

"The femme? In a much better position than you, I'm afraid."

The other hunter chuckled. "It's always the processor-damaged ones that are the bravest... Isn't that right, Pterosword?"

Pterosword, the name they called him, the name that was on his record, but not his spark. He hated it like he hated them...But in all honesty, he hated them more.

"You can't run forever..."

The dinobot's optics narrowed. "Nor can you stay in Shockwave's good graces forever..." He pulled out the sword he carried and held it out, "I'll go offline before I let that maniac near my circuits...!"

"So be it...!"

___________________________________________________________________________________________

The rainstorm that was falling down on the landscape had lessened to a light drizzle as the west-sent team wandered through the trees. With the townspeople knowing their presence, they weren't worried about running into humans in the woods anymore, which made it easier to check the denser portions where their vehicle modes would become stuck.

Sideswipe took point, Grimlock guarding the rear as they searched for any signs of the missing prisoners.

"Everything okay, Sideswipe?" Grimlock asked softly. "You haven't said anything since we left."

"I don't really wanna talk about it, Grim..." Sideswipe paused, and then gave a sigh. "Ever since Bee told us that our sparks are recycled heroes from the war, I can't help but feel like I need to act more mature, more like a soldier and not...Me. Do you feel like that?"

"I'm pretty sure my previous self liked punching stuff too, so...No."

Sideswipe sighed. "But Strongarm won't let me prove to her that I'm trying to be different. She thinks it's all an act."

"Change isn't immediately seen, Sideswipe. Remember when Minitron was controlling me, and Strongarm thought I'd been faking it all along? She was wrong then, and soon, she'll realize she's wrong about you too."