One of Twelve grabbed Shockwave’s neck and threw her out of the manor house. He then lifted the others with his new powers and threw them out. They all landed on the battlefield where Optimus and his forces were still fighting the Constructicons. They had long de-combined from Devastator and Shockwave had to disentangle herself from them after landing on them. Sonic and Amy helped Shadow and Maria up as One of Twelve floated towards the assembled fighters. Sonic gulped. “Um, has he always been gold?”
“Nope,” replied Shadow.
“…Is he using the Chaos Emeralds somehow?” asked Amy.
“The only Emeralds here,” answered Maria, “are Shadow’s green and my blue one. No, that’s from the jewel in the center of his chest.”
“The Heart of Cybertron!” breathed Optimus.
“He’s got a super form from just one jewel?!” yelped Sonic.
“My dear Sonic,” replied Megatron, “that tiny energy maximizer is all the Chaos AND Master Emeralds combined! It can power a starship all the way from Cybertron to your miserable planet. …Come to think of it-”
“Speculations MUST come after we beat him!” called Shockwave.
“AUTOBOTS, GET HIM!” called Optimus.
“DECEPTICONS, ATTACK!” shouted Megatron. Everyone opened fire, but the shots simply bounced off One of Twelve.
“Pathetic,” he scoffed. He then performed a move similar to Chaos Blast, knocking everyone to the ground. “What hope do you lot have against me? I have the Heart of Cybertron, the greatest power source the universe has ever known. And why do you side with organic life-forms? They have no place in the Grand Taxonomy. Any that cannot be classified…shall be deleted!” He raised a hand to Eggman and Morgaine. In a surprising turn, Shockwave got between them. “…You can’t be serious,” muttered One of Twelve.
“There’s no logic in dismissing them out of hand!” hissed Shockwave.
“Shockwave, I gave you a chance at mercy, I even went so far as to offer you a position on my new council, yet you still brushed it aside. You WON’T survive this.”
“I don’t care! You’ve lived for too long! Functionism has no place in this world! That’s what my time among the Decepticons has taught me! Even if I die, someone’s going to know of what happened here and make it their mission to kill you!”
“No one will know what’s happened until I’ve finished my work. Those who follow Functionism will be the authors of history.”
“No, those who manage to pursue dreams outside the norms will!” called Override.
“She’s right!” agreed Quickmix. “We’re going to build a brighter future than anything you and your evil philosophy can come up with!”
“Evil?! NO!” denied One of Twelve. “No, I will NOT accept that! Functionism, putting things in a proper place, that is GOOD! That is what Primus wants!”
“So why did Xitra die and the rest of us survive?!” challenged Kong.
“…What?”
“The Maximal is right,” continued Shockwave. “If Primus wants us to adhere to the Grand Taxonomy, why did our people and culture die?”
“…We’re not dead! Functionism still lives! As long as there’s ONE survivor, then Functionism is supreme!”
“Then I will see to it that the last adherent of Functionism dies!” It was then that something happened, something that skewed Shockwave’s sense of logic! Four orbs of light surrounded her, Kong, Override, and Quickmix. The orbs then formed solid shapes! They were all giant, gold-trimmed Cyber Keys, one with a sun rising over everything, one with a pair of gears locked together, one with a beast’s paw with the claws exposed, and one with a speedometer!
“…The Omega Keys?” muttered Megatron. “I know at least two of them are here, but I thought Animatros and Velocitron’s were still on their respective planets.” The Keys then fired two streams of light, one into each respective bots’ heads, the other straight into the air. As the streams died, four strange machines appeared in front of each bot. Shockwave’s looked like a giant gun with wings on the back, Kong’s looked like a manticore-shaped jet, Override got a small jet, roughly Seeker-sized, and Quickmix got an excavator with two drills. The strange machines then beamed data into their respective bots. They all realized what they were and began a new transformation!
“Shockwave, VALKYRIE MODE!” The gun’s barrel covered her old gun-arm as the handle became bigger feet that folded themselves onto her normal feet, and the rest became a winged backpack that deployed a winged helmet.
“Kong Primal, SAVAGE CLAW MODE!” The manticore front swung to the right side of the jet and deployed a beefy arm. The rear of the jet unfolded into feet as the canopy became the chest and Kong folded his limbs into sockets. As he inserted himself into the new body from the back, it closed and deployed a new helmet.
“Override, SONIC WING MODE!” The rear of the jet became new boots for her and the rest of it attached to her back while deploying chest armor.
“Quickmix, ATLAS MODE!” His arms became shoulder pads as the excavator unfolded into a new suit with the drills as arms. He inserted himself into the new suit and everyone charged at One of Twelve. Megatron and Optimus looked at each other, then shrugged.
“Megatron, CONQUEST MODE!”
“Optimus Prime, SUPER MODE!” They joined in the charge and decked One of Twelve. The Councilor gasped in pain, then realized he felt pain.
“NO! THIS CANNOT BE! I AM INVINCIBLE WITH THE HEART OF CYBERTRON!”
“Further proof,” snarked Shockwave, “that my world was once ruled by twelve two-dimensional villains.” She then flicked her Cyber Key into the air. “CYBER KEY POWER!” The Cyber Key inserted itself into her gun-arm and twisted itself. The gun sprouted two more barrels, making it into a three-barreled gatling gun. “VULCAN FURY!” The barrels rotated and fired streams of energy that twisted around each other, aimed right at One of Twelve’s head. The head exploded under the barrage, causing the body to fade from gold to gunmetal gray. “…After millions of years,” panted Shockwave as she allowed a satisfied grin to form, “my life is finally mine. …All the horrid ghosts of my past are gone.” For once, Shockwave let tears fall from her optics as a great weight came off her shoulders. “That was for you, Dad.” Optimus then put a sympathetic hand on her shoulder.
“It’s finally over,” he remarked. “Let’s just collect the Heart and-” Shockwave then grabbed his hand.
“The Decepticons will take it,” she hissed.
“Now, just a cycle!” protested Optimus. “There’s no way you bots can handle its power! We need to have it locked away!”
“You heard her!” shouted Megatron. “Don’t touch that!”
“Says who?!”
“Decepticons, hold them off!” The Decepticons then fired on the Autobots. Megatron snapped his fingers and held out his hand. “Hook, your cyber-forceps!” Hook handed him a silver wand and Megatron set it at each point of the star on One of Twelve’s chest. He then pulled it out of the body and held it in his hand. “Decepticons, to me!” The Decepticons then gathered around him. “Oh, Shadow,” called the Decepticon Lord with a sickening grin, “tell me if I’m doing this wrong!” He then raised the Heart above his head. “Chaos Control!” The Decepticons then vanished!
“Shadow, get us to Fortress! NOW!” shouted Optimus. Everyone then gathered around Shadow as he thrust his Chaos Emerald into the air.
“Chaos Control!” Everyone then vanished.
The Decepticons teleported directly onto the bridge. Mole Dive whistled in approval. “I’m gonna like it here,” he remarked.
“Shockwave, hurry!” Megatron urged. “We must install this into the main star drive!” He handed the Heart to Shockwave.
“Understood, my Lord.” Shockwave then dashed off as her battle-frame disconnected from her. Thundercracker approached the group.
“I take it you were successful?” he asked.
“Highly successful,” replied Megatron. “We must lift off at once! Raise the ship and set course for Cybertron!”
“Lord Megatron,” called Shockwave over the comms, “the Heart’s installed.”
“Excellent!” Ravage then arrived.
“Lord Megatron, the Autobots have reclaimed Metroplex’s city mode. He’s joining them and they’re lifting off!”
“We must do the same! Inform me when we leave the atmosphere!” Megatron dashed off to the engine room and found where Shockwave installed the Heart into the star drive. He placed his hand on it, then waited a few minutes.
“We’re outside the atmosphere now!” Ravage called over the comms.
“Chaos Control!”
“All weapons, fire on my command!” Optimus called over the comms between Fortress and Metroplex. “Three! Two!” He didn’t even reach one when the Decepticon ship vanished. “…No!” realized Optimus.
“Chaos Control!” confirmed Shadow. “They’re probably over Cybertron right now!”
“Metroplex, Fortress, do you have enough Energon to go into transwarp?!” asked Optimus.
“I do,” replied Fortress.
“So do I,” confirmed Metroplex, “but we’ll still be behind the Cons, no matter what speed!”
“It’s all we have! Everyone, go to transwarp! We MUST get to Cybertron NOW!”
“Setting course for Cybertron!” called Cliffjumper. “Engaging transwarp! Hold on to your seats!” The two Metrotitans then entered transwarp to Cybertron.
The Decepticon ship arrived above a metal world, marked with massive chasms one could see from space, with a yellow light emanating from them, tall spires, protruding like antennae, and a twisted gash on the southern hemisphere that looked like a flat-topped mushroom. Megatron arrived on the bridge as the planet appeared on the main screen. He grinned as he looked on. “Novacons, Predacons, Vehicons, and Olympicons, look!” he chuckled. “Feast your optics on my home, the ancestral seat of ALL Transformer life! Doctor Eggman, look upon the land of the metal moons; Cybertron!”
“Megatron! Look! Over Iacon!” The viewscreen changed to a golden city surrounded by domed walls and a transparent canopy. Usually, a holographic Autobot symbol would hover proudly over the dome, this time, the Decepticon symbol hung menacingly over it, just like the one over the mushroom-shaped city of Kaon. Megatron laughed at the twisted irony of it.
“Oh, when Optimus sees his beloved home flying the Decepticon banner!” he cackled.
“Speaking of which, the enemy Metrotitans are exiting transwarp now,” reported Ravage.
On Fortress’ bridge, Cybertron appeared on the screen. “There it is!” called Cliffjumper. “Cyber…tron…no!” Everyone saw the Decepticon Symbol over Iacon. Optimus slumped to his knees.
“…We’re too late,” he mumbled.
“What’s wrong?” asked Amy.
“See that dome near the northern pole? That’s my home, the Autobot capital of Iacon.”
“…But that’s the…oh no! The Decepticons conquered it!”
“And thus, Cybertron.”
“Optimus, we’ve got weapons-lock coming from Trypticon City!” warned Goldbug. “It looks like they’re targeting…all three ships?”
“Wait, what? The Cons too?” asked Optimus.
“Weapons-lock?! On us?!” demanded Megatron. “HOW DARE THEY!”
“They’re hailing us!” called Ravage. “One-way only!”
“Put it through!” Ravage obeyed and the caller…didn’t need a face for anyone to recognize his nasally voice.
“Well, well, well!” cackled the caller. “I do believe I have a trio of Scraplet hives hovering above my planet!” A Seeker then popped up, colored in white with dark reddish-orange trim.
“STARSCREAM!” roared Megatron.
“So good of you lot to offer me a trio of Metrotitans,” continued Starscream, “but I have one of my own. Ever wonder why the city of Tripedeon rechristened itself to Trypticon? Pondered on why they would name a city after that particular Metrotitan? Well, you lot are gonna die in ignorance for that! But I DO thank you for bringing me the Heart of Cybertron! I’ll be sure to pry it from the wreckage myself!” His image then held a hand to his ear. “What’s that? You say you still function?” He then grinned evilly. “Wanna bet?! OPEN FIRE!” No one could raise the shields in time as the weapons from Trypticon smashed through the star drives, cutting power. Both teams ordered all hands to abandon ship and evacuate in the smaller ships.
“They’ve left the Metrotitans,” reported Deathsaurus to Starscream.
“Is that the Nemesis?” asked Skywarp.
“And the Ark, as well,” mused Starscream. “It doesn’t matter. They’re too small for Trypticon to shoot down. Power down weapons and deploy search parties once the Metrotitans crash. We need to find the Heart of Cybertron. After it’s located, prepare me for surgery. I intend to make this the most glorious of coronations!”