Jazz was on monitor duty the next day. Looking for Rodimus’ friend was going to take a tremendous effort and needed all Autobots to give it their all. Prowl was communicating with Jazz while he was on patrol. “So far,” he reported, “it’s just a few petty crooks that needed to be taught a lesson.”
“All right, you’re due in, according to Ultra Magnus’ timetable,” remarked Jazz. “Head on back and…”
“Hold that thought,” interrupted Prowl.
“What is it?” asked Jazz.
“It looks like a trio of bots are setting up cameras outside Cream’s school,” explained Prowl.
“Can you give me a visual?” requested Jazz.
“On it,” replied Prowl. One of his headlights pulled its cover back and revealed a camera with a connection to the base. “Oh, Primus,” moaned Prowl once he got a better look. One of the bots was Hot Rod, the second bot was a green femme with a red helmet, and the third bot was a mech with wings.
“Hey! It’s the Alien Hunt! crew!” called Jazz.
“They’re setting up for another episode,” deduced Prowl.
“…At Cream’s school?” asked Jazz.
“Well, this IS an alien world,” reminded Prowl. “Maybe there’s some members of their audience that want to see more peaceful worlds.” Once it was determined everything was set up, the mech with wings started speaking.
“G’Day, all you secret hunters!” he began. “I’m Meteorfire!”
“I’m Cosmos!” introduced the green femme.
“I’m Hot Rod!” continued Hot Rod.
“And it’s time for Alien Hunt!” all three finished.
“And today, by popular demand,” Meteorfire went on, “we’re taking a look at an Earth Educational Facility!”
“All right, everyone,” called the principal, a female Mobian pig, “let’s get to class. Giant, shape-shifting, alien robots aren’t anything new nowadays.”
“Excuse me, Mrs. Hammly,” replied Cream, “but these robots are new.”
“I’m sure your Autobot friends can take of this, Ms. Cream,” assured Mrs. Hammly.
“Although,” Cosmos continued from Meteorfire’s previous sentence, “this planet’s no longer called ‘Earth’ anymore. Because of increased diversity and an awareness of other dimensions, the planet was renamed ‘Mobius’. A good thing, in my opinion. Can you imagine calling your planet ‘Dirt’?”
“This world’s been attacked by the Xordas’ mutation wave,” Hot Rod went on, “but it didn’t go as the Xorda wanted. The animals attacked the Xorda and made new civilizations!”
“Just like their past,” continued Meteorfire, “Mobian schools are a rich epicenter of diversity and culture! However, me and my mates figure that it’s more than that.”
“Thanks to this Solstar Neutralizer,” called Cosmos as she pulled out a fancy-looking gun, “we’ll find out how much more.”
“Wait, SOLSTAR?!” yelped Jazz over Prowl’s radio.
“And the serial number says that it’s Rom’s Neutralizer,” growled Prowl. “That’s it, I’m moving in!” Prowl transformed and stormed up to the Alien Hunt! crew. “HEY!” he barked. “I’m placing you three under arrest for theft of Solstar…!” He didn’t get far as Cosmos used the gun to fire a ray of light at the school! As the inhabitants of the school were bathed in the light, several staff members and students changed into unearthly body shapes!
“I don’t believe it!” cheered Hot Rod. “The rumors are true!”
“Oh, when the stars align!” cheered Meteorfire.
“Ladies and gentlemen, your means of viewing do not need adjustment!” assured Cosmos. “So many races supposedly went extinct during the Great War! But, as you can plainly see, that’s not true! They’ve just been relocated to Mobius!”
“Look at them all!” sighed Meteorfire happily. “The Ancient Energon Masters, Clorans, the Nibarians, the…Skuxxoids?” The School bully was an alien that looked like a cross between a pig and a lizard. “Wait, you’re an adult. Why are you among children? Pit, why are you even on this planet? Your species is thriving.”
“Er, I’m on the run from a horrible marriage,” explained the Skuxxoid.
“It doesn’t matter!” dismissed Hot Rod. He then turned to Prowl whose mouth was wide open in stark surprise. “Well, Prowlio?” chuckled Hot Rod. “Amazed that there are so many species?”
“…So…many…” squeaked Prowl. “So many…so many rules broken!”
“…Huh?” asked Cosmos.
“You IDIOTS broke too many rules!” shouted Prowl.
“Wha…there’s gratitude for you!” snapped Meteorfire. “We rediscover so many species and you’re angry about broken rules?!”
“Hold on, did you know that the species that were declared extinct,” interjected Cosmos, “were still alive?!”
“Every Autobot law enforcer and their bosses, and that includes the Prime,” replied Prowl, “knew they were still alive!”
“So why hide it from the rest of us?!” demanded Hot Rod. Just then, the school’s trees grabbed the Alien Hunt! crew.
“Oh, for Primus’ sake,” growled Meteorfire, “if this is the result of a Majip…!”
“Watch the slurs!” snarled a woman’s voice. Cosmo and Trema then stormed up.
“A Seedrian?!” yelped Cosmos.
“One who shares a name with you,” growled Cosmo.
“Cosmo?” quizzed Meteorfire. “Did you regenerate or something?”
“Never mind the distant past, let’s focus on the more recent past!” snarled Cosmo. “I thought you and Cosmos learned your lesson after the Alovan Meteor incident! Looks like I was wrong since you’re dragging a kid into all this!”
“First off, I’m 3,000, a fully-functioning adult…!” interjected Hot Rod.
“Whatever,” dismissed Cosmo as she returned to ripping into Meteorfire. “Thanks to your big broadcast of 4020, the Galactic Council and the Black Block Consortia are harassing me to get answers! Also, Rom wants his gun back!” She commanded the trees to release the content creators, then she picked Meteorfire up by the shoulder. “Aren’t you an Autobot?!” she continued as she jabbed at the symbol on Meteorfire’s chest. “You’re supposed to keep the peace, not shatter it to pieces!” Meteorfire swatted her hand aside and got nose to nose with her.
“I’m a content creator first and foremost!” he snarled. “Besides, are you really the one to lecture me on priorities? Why are you with a Nebulan?! Last I checked, your species hated each other!”
“That’s changed once we entered the Autobot Alliance,” replied Trema. “And I’d say she IS the one to lecture you on priorities! The Galactic Council intercepted your transmission and noticed you were on all pan-galactic frequencies! Even Decepticonversations picked it up! You know, Decepticon social media?!”
“Oaky, so, maybe we can do without Decepticon subscribers,” muttered Meteorfire. Hot Rod and Cosmos then looked at him as if he had two heads!
“So, you’re taking responsibility for this?” asked Cosmo.
“Pit no!” snapped Meteorfire. “You ruined Alien Hunt!’s big comeback, you Majip!”
“This planet has plenty to offer, so we’ll be looking for a new angle!” declared Cosmos.
“And if any bad guys come our way, we’ll beat them up for you!” finished Hot Rod. “HOT ROD, TRANSFORM!” Hot Rod’s chest flipped up as his shoulders joined the sides of the chest so it became a car’s hood. His feet folded outwards, then his lower legs folded at the knee joints and came together to become a car’s rear. The wings he had rotated 180⁰ to become tailfins, completing his alt-mode’s sports car look.
“COSMOS, TRANSFORM!” Cosmos’ head swung back on an assembly while the arms and legs swung out and attached themselves to one another, making her a green fighter craft with a red dome.
“METEORFIRE, TRANSFORM!” Meteorfire’s legs swung to his back and formed a jet’s rear while his arms tucked themselves into his chest and his chest swung up to become a jet’s fuselage. The three bots then activated their holo-forms. Hot Rod’s was a Mobian Cheetah, Cosmos was a Mobian Hare, and Meteorfire was a Mobian Peregrine Falcon. The camera followed the three bots as they escaped their accusers. “So, despite this setback, we still proved that some of the ancient ‘extinct’ races aren’t so dead after all!” Meteorfire said to the camera.
“We’ll be back after things have cooled down,” continued Cosmos.
“And, like we promised the downer patrol,” Hot Rod went on, “we’ll beat up anyone that wants to take advantage of them. But, for now…”
“THANKS FOR HUNTING WITH US!” called all three.
“Remember to smash that Like button!” called Hot Rod.
“Obliterate the Share button!” cheered Cosmos.
“And conquer that Subscribe button like a Hunter!” finished Meteorfire. “Thanks for tuning in, all you ripper mates, and we’ll see you all…” he then made the “Devil” sign “ON THE NEXT ALIEN HUNT!”
Back at Cream’s school, Cosmo, Trema, and Prowl looked at the smoke trails the three streamers left in their escape. Prowl then looked down and saw the Solstar Neutralizer on the ground. “Well,” he sighed as he picked it up, “at least Rom’s getting his gun back.”
“Yeah, but the Galactic Council’s gonna have a stroke over this!” groaned Cosmo.
“The Autobots will assist in cleaning up this mess,” assured Prowl.
“If the Council gives you people the chance,” muttered Trema.
“If I know Optimus,” remarked Prowl, “We’ll still assist whether it meets Council Approval or not.”
“Councilors, I promise you…!” Optimus tried to explain to the Galactic Council over an audio-only call in his office. “…Yes, I AM aware of how many…no, no, this is not nor…I understand. Don’t worry, we WILL fix this. …Very well. Good day.” Once the call ended, Optimus shouted in frustration.
“May I come in?” asked Rodimus’ voice.
“As a matter of fact, yes!” snapped Optimus. Rodimus stepped in and Optimus jabbed an accusing finger at him. “Your past self is an immature brat who works with anti-mage idiots!”
“Ah, so you DID hear about Meteorfire using ‘Majip’ earlier today,” remarked Rodimus.
“How he becomes YOU is beyond me!” snarled Optimus. “As I understand it, Kup put the brakes on you a few times.”
“He did,” replied Rodimus. “I take it you’re calling him here?”
“I am!” declared Optimus. “And YOU’RE going to help Kup get Hot Rod under control! If he fails to do ANYTHING that isn’t self-serving, I’m holding you two personally responsible, is that clear?!”
“Crystal clear, Sir,” confirmed Rodimus. “I’ll call Kup, if you wish.”
“No, you need to do some preliminary work in getting Hot Rod to slow down,” directed Optimus. “I’ll call Kup after I talk with Prowl. Dismissed.” Rodimus saluted and left Optimus’ office.