The Glanthelantir and Ark flew towards a remote spot near Suddery, Sodor’s capital. No one below looked up as they flew silently and with cloaking devices on. Glanthel radioed Teletraan. “I hate flying with a cloaking device,” he grumbled.
“Why?” asked Teletraan.
“Well, on top of it being illegal, it’s undignified!”
“I’m sorry, Glanthel, but we can’t afford to panic the people with two flying objects over their island nation’s capital. We’re already testing it with having Kong step into Suddery in beast mode.”
“Perhaps you can explain something to me. Kong’s the leader of an alien world, yes?”
“That’s right. So why does he look like a beast you would recognize?”
“…His people get asked that a lot?”
“Yeah. It’s just how evolution made the Animatronians. They all turn into a different animal.” The ships landed, ending the conversation. Blackarachnia led everyone out. As they patrolled Suddery, they noticed something off.
“Guys, I’m gonna be the first to tempt fate here,” Blackarachnia remarked over the comms. “It’s quiet, TOO quiet.”
“Where IS everyone?” asked Thundercracker.
“I’m not getting any inhabitants either,” said Goldbug.
“Something’s wrong,” muttered Kong as he looked through the empty city.
“Split up,” ordered Blackarachnia. “I don’t want any surprises.”
“Oh, but a surprise is what you need,” chuckled a voice. Everyone turned to Blackarachnia as the voice sounded like hers.
“…That wasn’t me!” she gulped. The voice then giggled like a lunatic before launching into a song.
“Little Miss Muffet
Sat on her tuffet
Eating her curds and whey.
Along came a spider
Who stuck her fangs inside her
And slaughtered Miss Muffet that day!” A white and pink version of Blackarachnia then tackled the black and gold one and jabbed her with a venom cocktail. Blackarachnia spasmed, then stopped and panted as she was helped to her feet. She then saw her attacker and her optics widened.
“Crystal Widow?!” she yelped.
“Hello, sister!” cackled Crystal Widow, Blackarachnia’s twin from a mirror universe.
“So, there IS a resurrected Terrorcon here!”
“Yeah, gotta thank your boyfriend for that!”
“Husband, now.”
“Husband? You married that immature walking American Flag?”
“Hardly immature now.”
“And you’re working with a Decepticon again.”
“And this time,” said Thundercracker, “we’re working as peacetime allies instead of wartime ones.”
“Hold on,” interjected Crystal Widow. “You’re teaming up with them, Thundercracker? You DO realize the Autobots ghettoized you guys after the first war?”
“…Under Optimus and Megatron’s leadership after defeating both Primus and Unicron, we’re equal.”
“…WHAT?! You mean you’re friends now?! You guys are no fun at all! What happened to snuffing each other’s Embers? I mean Sparks. Look at you! You obviously want to kill each other, so do it!”
“Unicron’s dead, so we’re not playing your sick games anymore,” growled Goldbug.
“Really?” asked Crystal Widow. “And what about YOUR sick games, Autobot?”
“What sick games?”
“You know you people love makin one another suffer. Why else would you be at war with each other?”
“I think you’ve said enough!” bellowed Kong. “Where is everyone?!”
“Cowering in a hole, I’d wager,” chuckled Crystal Widow. “They don’t exactly like talking machines of our caliber.”
“If you’re vying for Bounty-!”
“Already got her last night!” That sentence stunned everyone.
“…What?” asked Teletraan.
“Bounty’s already in our grasp!” repeated Crystal Widow. “If you don’t surrender by tomorrow morning, this island is toast and Bounty will be tortured until she surrenders her Source!”
“Not happening! You’re gonna be surrendering her to us!” challenged Goldbug as he readied the Magnus Hammer. Everyone else steeled themselves for battle.
“Oh please, like I’m supposed to be scared of you?” scoffed Crystal Widow.
“Well, if Igura’s hired a bimbo who thinks she’s acting like one, we’ll be on easy street!” Crystal Widow then drew her gun and snarled.
“And just who are you calling a bimbo, pipsqueak?!”
“PIPSQUEAK?! GET HER!” Everyone leapt at Crystal Widow. Crystal Widow fired her gun at everyone.
“FORCE CHIP IGNITION!” Crystal Widow flicked her universe’s equivalent of a Cyber Key into the air, then it inserted itself into her back and the pipes on her upper arms rotated and leveled at her opponents.
“CYBER KEY POWER!” Blackarachnia’s process was the same. The two spider-themed car ladies then opened fire with their Cyber Key weapons. Goldbug then swung the Magnus Hammer at the ground and channeled lightning to Crystal Widow.
“Pathetic,” scoffed Crystal Widow as she twirled out of the way. Kong transformed and grabbed her leg. “…Optimus Primal?”
“It’s KONG Primal!” bellowed the gorilla bot. He then threw her into the air as Thundercracker drew his sword and slashed across her back. Blackarachnia then grabbed her and jabbed her with a cyber-venom cocktail. Crystal Widow recovered after a few seconds, then smirked.
“My threat still stands,” she said, then she opened a Ground Bridge and went through it. The portal shut behind her before anyone could get through.
“Bounty was taken?!” asked the Fat Controller once everyone met at the Works at Crovan’s Gate.
“I’m afraid so,” sighed Blackarachnia. “Various members of the Sodor Council confirmed her being kidnapped right before their eyes.”
“Igura’s team left a note at Wellsworth,” continued Richard. “They said we had to surrender and the way we would signal our surrender is to be pushed along in an empty goods train by the team leader’s favorite engine.”
“That’s Daddy,” remarked Kaitlyn, “and he just told us that his favorite’s Percy.”
“Absolutely out of the question!” boomed the Fat Controller. “Every single engine in my fleet is a member of my family! I will NOT be sacrificing any of them to that madwoman!”
“Sir,” came Percy’s voice, “I may have an idea where no one has to be sacrificed.”
“Percy, no! No engine of mine is meeting that madwoman and that is that!”
“…I’m sorry, Sir, but I HAVE to disobey.”
“Percy, no!”
“I have to side with Sir Topham Hatt here,” supplied Richard.
“Like I said, I have a plan and it involves the trucks,” insisted Percy. “Don’t worry, Sir. You WON’T lose me. I won’t disgrace your father and grandfather like that.”
“…You’re absolutely sure about this?” asked the Fat Controller.
“I’m positive.”
“…Very well. But come back to the sheds alive, please.”
“I will, Sir. I promise.” As the Fat Controller left, fatherly worry furrowing his brow, Percy outlined a plan.