Here's the next chapter. The reason I was able to put things up so fast was that I'd already written most of it out. But we're getting to the end of what I'd already written. So my updates may start to come less frequently.
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Chapter 23: Aftermath
Paying them no more mind, all humor and mischief immediately forgotten in favor of intense concern, she dashed over to where Megatron lay and knelt beside him, gently helping him to move onto his back. “…Sarah?” Smiling reassuringly, her only response was a silent nod. “…Sarah, how did you…” She cut him off. “Don’t try to talk right now. You’re hurt very badly. I’ll get you to Ratchet just as fast as I can, all right?” Through all of this she had yet to notice how she had changed, so it only seemed a little odd to her that she was able to help him to stand up. It was then that she revealed that she wasn’t wholly like Megatron. Rather than take the long route down the mountain, she stepped off the cliff and revealed that her normal form was flight-capable, just like Starscream.
Moments later the two of them alit on the dusty ground as lightly as a falling leaf. All the same, Sarah staggered, almost falling to her knees before quickly recovering and marching resolutely to where Ratchet stood, helping Megatron to lie down comfortably before backing off and walking over to the others. It was only then that she realized something was different. “Hey Optimus… Is it just me or did you guys all shrink?” The response he gave was the only one he could think of. “Sarah… Look at yourself.” Doing so, she gasped in shock when she caught sight of her hands. Stepping backward, she looked herself over with increasing panic. “I… How did I…
What did I…” Optimus had a theory, and he voiced it. “The All Spark, Sarah. I don’t know how, but… You were so desperate to get up there and help Megatron that you unconsciously called forth the power of the All Spark… upon yourself.” Badly shaken, she said nothing as she quietly walked over to the Ark’s entrance. Rumble came up to her as she sat down by the door, thoroughly confused. “Human girl no-no-
not human girl?” She sighed. “I don’t get it either, Rumble.”
Megatron was barely conscious as he lay on the ground and submitted to Ratchet’s scans. The beating he’d taken showed up clear as day, but what else he saw… Several coolant lines had ruptured, and the surrounding area was badly damaged. And their
location… His eyes went wide. “Megatron…” This was unprecedented brutality, beyond anything the Decepticons had shown for the longest time.
“Megatron, did Starscream…” There was a soft groan as hazy crimson eyes met his. “…Ratchet…” The sheer pain in those soft, whispered syllables answered his unspoken question. He was about to get up, to go tell Optimus what those despicable excuses for mechanisms had done to his brother, when he felt a feather-light touch on his arm. Looking down, he saw that Megatron held his wrist in a feeble grip. “…Ratchet… Don’t… tell…” Immediately settling back down, he decided that he would still tell Optimus, but not right away, and not in the open. He’d do it secretly. For now, he had a job to do. He couldn’t do anything about what the other Decepticons had put Megatron through, but he
could do something about the damage they had left behind. That was what he did best, after all.
Even though the battle was over, Sarah was still practically beside herself with worry. She still wasn’t sure what she had done, but had she done it in time? All she could do was watch Ratchet as he worked, since she had a feeling that she currently couldn’t access any of her other powers. Somehow, some way, she just knew. “Say you’ll be all right,” she murmured as she stared at Megatron’s unmoving form. She didn’t know what she would do if he didn’t make it out of this one. It was an illogical thought; the memories given her by the All Spark showed her that he’d been through similar situations in the past, but she couldn’t shake her worries no matter what she tried. Rumble could sense her agitation, and he knew why, since he could tell where she was looking. “Silver one hurt?” She nodded. “He is. Oh, I hope he’ll be all right…” He surprised her by climbing up to sit on her shoulder like a parrot and keep her company that way. “Rumble ho-ho-hope so too.”
It seemed like forever and a half before Ratchet leaned back and looked to her. He didn’t have to say anything. The look of satisfaction on his face said it all. Megatron was going to be all right. She could feel the tension and worry draining from her body as she sighed in relief. But it wasn’t just the tension and worry that were leaving her in that moment. Her strength was following it out, and consciousness wasn’t too far behind…
Rumble found himself having to hop down from his perch as she rapidly shrank, returning to her much smaller human form even as she slumped to the ground, out cold. She lay there in the dust, stretched out as if she were sleeping, but he knew she wasn’t. “Human girl?” Not sure what to do, he reached out and poked her arm. “Wa-wa-wake up…” No response came. Rumble had always been high-strung, but now he outright panicked. Shaking, he looked around at the Autobots who were in the process of regrouping, and picked out the one he wanted, the one he thought could help.
“Fixer!” Squealing, he ran over to Ratchet and practically jumped on him. “Human girl no-no-not wake up!”
A glance down at where Megatron lay told him that the Decepticon wouldn’t so much as twitch for the next few hours. He could afford to leave for a moment. Quickly standing, the larger Autobot walked over to where Sarah lay, Rumble skittering at his heels. A quick scan told him all he needed to know, and he summarily passed the information on. “She’s all right. She just drained all her energy… I think it was from that transformation. She’ll be just fine.” Rumble smiled. “Rumble thank you for help…” Ratchet paused. “Oh, and one more thing… Could you ask Bumblebee to get her to the repair bay? Optimus, Ironhide and I have to do the same for Megatron.” He barely managed to finish his sentence before Rumble was off and running, looking for Bumblebee as he had been asked.
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Yay for Rumble being cute! And poor Megatron. I wonder what happened to him...?
Well, what occurred came between Chapter 20 and Chapter 21, and would have bumped this up to an M rating had I put it up here. Just know THIS... Starscream is *EVIL* and would do ANYTHING to utterly humiliate his prey.
InjuinTekka, thank you very much for the idea. I think I'll use that.
Life can be pretty sweet when your alt-mode is a B-2 Stealth Bomber.
And for those of you who are wondering... I'M A GIRL!
I'm not prejudiced; I hate everyone equally.