Madalyn's P.O.V.

Madalyn: Uh oh...

Laserbeak: Let's have some fun! Everybody ready?

Jolt: I am!

Emanuel stepped forward, standing beside me and leaned in to whisper to me.

Emanuel: They say they don't know Megatron, but they still could be trouble.

I nodded in reply as I focused my attention on the two Minicons.

Madalyn: Look it sounds like you guys know how to have a good time, but we have to go. Honestly!

Jolt: Where do you have to go so bad?

Madalyn: We're going to see Primus, Cybertron's core.

Laserbeak: Primus? Well why didn't you say so!

Najat: Yes! Thank you for finally understanding!

Laserbeak: We'll let you go, if you beat us in a race first.

Madalyn: Huh?

Laserbeak: And if you lose, you all have to stay here forever!

The area around us began to shake as boulders tumbled down to the ground. The area shifted around us, transforming into a giant open space.

Emanuel: What's going on?

Najat: I have no clue!

The ground was turned into a race track, stretching for miles and miles that we could barely see the finish line, let alone the half way check point.

Laserbeak: The race will start here, and the first person to reach the end of the cave is the winner!

Emanuel: What do we win?

Najat: Yeah!

Jolt: You win freedom silly!

Laserbeak: If you can reach the end of the cave faster than us, then you can leave and move on to the next Faction Zone. But if you lose the race, you have to stay here forever!

Jolt: Then we'll play lots of games!

Madalyn:..... Alright, we'll do it.

Emanuel: Aw come on, no way!

Madalyn: We have to. We gotta win to get out of here, so big whoop.

Emanuel: I guess it won't be a problem.

Predaking nodded to his human partner in agreement.

Najat: Okay, we're in!

Optimus: I don't like the sound of this, but I'll do it.

Laserbeak: Hurray! The race is on!

Jolt: Check out what I can make!

Jolt ripped off a piece of energon from an energon crystal and crushed it and morphed it with his servos. Once he was finished he showed it to me to see that he changed the shape of the energon into a heart.

Jolt: This is for you.

I had to admit, I was actually really impressed with what he did. I took it and it shrank down to a smaller size for me to hold it.

Madalyn: Wow, that's really cool. Thanks.

Jolt: Keep it as a good luck charm for the race. 

Madalyn: Um... sure.

Emanuel: Hey Maddie, this this mean that you and Jolt are an item now?

Madalyn: What?! No it doesn't!

********

Laserbeak: The race is about to begin!

Everyone was at the starting line, getting ready. Predaking was in his beast mode with Emanuel riding on his back. Optimus was in his vehicle mode with me riding in the front seat, and Najat decided to tag along with Ravage, riding him like a horse. 

Laserbeak: On your marks!--

Optimus: This should be interesting.

Laserbeak: Sorry to say but you guys don't stand a chance.

Jolt: Yeah, when you lose we win! 

Emanuel: Do whatever you guys need to do, but don't let them beat us okay? Let's not forget about Megatron alright? Once this is over, we still have to get to Cybertron's Core and face him.

Najat: No problem! We'll win this race for sure, then we're on our way out of here!

Laserbeak: Get set!--

Predaking and Ravage both exhaled a roar as Optimus revved his engine.

Laserbeak: Go!

Evreone raced forward, Predaking and Ravage charging down the path with their metallic paws, Jolt and Laserbeak flying over head, and Optimus racing down with his wheels. 

Optimus: We're in the lead Madalyn!

Laserbeak: But not for long! I have a few tricks that will slow you down. 

Emanuel & Najat: What?!

Laserbeak: Energy Cell!

Laserbeak fired laser beams from his optics and mouth and fired them at Ravage and Predaking. The beams struck the ground around them and energon crystals spawned out, surrounding the two Transformers like they were trapped in a cage. 

Laserbeak: Ha, ha, ha! Just relax and hang around here for a while. 

Jolt: See ya!

I looked back out the driver side window of Optimus's vehicle mode to see my friends trapped around the crystrals.

Madalyn: Hey what's going on over there?!

Optimus: They're trapped!

Madalyn: Let's go back for them O.P. 

Optimus came to a screeching halt as he transformed into his robot mode, holding me in the palm of his servo.

Emanuel: No you guys need to keep moving! 

Optimus: What?!

Najat: You two need to win this thing so we can get out of here! 

Madalyn: But you guys need our help!

Emanuel: Just forget about us for now, Optimus is the strongest one of us here. He's the only chance we have of winning this race. 

Madalyn: But no--

Emanuel: Now get going!

Najat: We'll be rooting for you guys! 

Madalyn: But, I can't just leave you guys here.....

Optimus: Madalyn you know better than to argue with them. 

Emanuel: Go now!

Najat: Go for it!

Predaking: Win this race and don't look back, we're counting on you!

Ravage: We'll be fine. It's in your hands now.

Optimus: Very well. Madalyn, lets roll.

Madalyn: Right Optimus.

Optimus turned around as he transformed back into his vehicle mode. I found myself back in the drivers seat with the seat belt protectively over me and buckled up. Optimus punched the accelerator and drove down the track, leaving the others behind.

Optimus: We'll see you at the finish line!

**********

Emanuel's P.O.V.

Jolt and Laserbeak spotted Optimus making a run for it with Madalyn, so the two of them decided to go after them. They swiftly left me and the others to ourselves.

Emanuel: There's got to be something we can do to get out of this.

Najat: I got an idea! Just leave this one to me Eman'! Ability card activate! Heat Missiles!

Ravage's optics flashed with a bright red as his hip mounted missile cannons charged up and open fired on the energon crystals around them. One by one, each of them were destroyed with a blue blaze of fury. Once he and Najat were free, he moved on with Predaking's cage and destroyed those crystals as well. A few of the missiles even flew off and nearly hit the two opposing Minicons as they were running off.

Jolt: Hey watch it!

But Jolt spoke too soon because the missile knocked Laserbeak back straight towards us. He crashed to the ground and quickly scampered back up, hovering low in the air. Now it looked like there was going to be a showdown between Laserbeak and Ravage, and I could already tell from the evil look in Ravage's optics, this battle was not going to be pretty.

Ravage: Sorry if we are stuck here, then so are you.

Najat: Yeah, why don't you stick around for a while?

Emanuel: You did it Najat, we're free!

Najat: Just taking care of the team!

*********

Madalyn's P.O.V.

Optimus quickly continued to drive down the race track. We were pretty far from the others now, it was starting to get a bit lonely. I mean, it's no fun being all by yourself, especially when your on another planet trying to save the universe and all.

Madalyn: Optimus?...

Optimus: Don't worry Madalyn, our friends will be fine. They are strong, we'll be with them soon enough.

Madalyn: Yeah, I guess you're right.

I smiled at my partner. That's one of the great things I liked about Optimus. He always knows the right things to say at the right times.

*********

Emanuel's P.O.V.

Predaking: My apologizes for taking off on all of you but I need to get back into the race.

Jolt: Oh no you don't!

Out of nowhere a giant energon crystal ball landed right in front of me and Predaking. Jolt's strange reflection could be seen through the crystal as he stood so innocent with his arms crossed behind his back.

Jolt: Try and get through that.

Predaking: Oh yeah?

Predaking took a hold of me with his servo for safety, as he jumped up onto the energon ball then front flipped over Jolt. He landed on his pedes at the other side, then transformed into his dragon mode, placing me on his neck as he charged forward.

Jolt: No fair!

Jolt transformed into his mini helicopter mode and flew after the two of us.

Jolt: Acid Sludge!

A strange green substance was fired from Jolt and it got all over me and Predaking. When he couldn't move in dragon mode he transformed back into robot mode and tried that. He still couldn't move. Then Jolt came over and wrapped the substance all around us, trapping us inside an energon ball.

Jolt: Now just try and get out of this one. Go on I dare you!

Predaking growled as he punched a hole through the ball, scaring the crap out of Jolt.

*********

Najat's P.O.V.

Laserbeak: I miss the good old days when we fought side by side. What happened to that old Decepticon part of you Ravage? Don't tell me you have cold servos and switch sides to the Autobots.

Laserbeak fired a laser at Ravage but thanks to his new evolved form, it didn't even make a dent on the metallic mountain lion. 

Ravage: Perhaps I did, but I can tell you now that it was worth it.

Laserbeak: Oh yeah?

Laserbeak kept firing at Ravage but none of his attacks were working. He shot a nasty glare at the both of us, thinking that it was my fault for putting him in this weakened situation.

Laserbeak: That does it! Counter Ability!

Laserbeak fired a yellow laserbeam at the floor of the track and the three of us were sent back to our original positions.

Najat: Aw crap, her counter ability card cancelled my Heat Missiles ability. At least it gave Madalyn and Optimus more time to reach the finish line.

Ravage leapt forward away from Laserbeak as me and him headed down the track, only to find Jolt messing around with a giant energon crystal ball. I took a closer look at the object, noting a metallic claw poking out.

Najat: Is that?.... Hey my friends are in there!

Predaking's other servo punched another hole through the ball, allowing Emanuel to fall out of the ball and be set free. He face planted to the floor and looked up Jolt with anger.

Emanuel: You miniaturized creep!

Jolt: Now that wasn't very nice now was it?

Emaneul: Ability card activate! Ember Wings!

The ability card glowed with a bright, orange light as he tossed it into the air. It flew right through one of the holes that were made inside the ball and it began glowing a bright orange. Soon giant orange and black wings spawned out of the ball, erupting the round object into a million pieces as Predaking, seen in his dragon mode, was set free.

Emanuel: Are you okay Predaking?

Predaking transformed back into his robot mode, knelling down on one knee and rubbing his helm, oozing the pain from being tossed about while inside the energon ball.

Predaking: I'm fine. But I shouldn't have underestimated this Minicon.

Ravage: I guess this would be the wrong time to say this, but you got energon in your optics.

Laserbeak: Jolt what happened?!

Laserbeak flew down, swooping in and hovered beside his Minicon friend.

Jolt: They were mean to me Laserbeak.

**********

Madalyn's P.O.V.

Optimus had been driving this race track for a few minutes now, and it seemed that nobody friend or foe would be able to catch up to us. We had a big lead so I figured we had this race in the bag.

Optimus: Look Madalyn, there it is!

I looked up straight a head to see another ground bridge portal at the end of the race track, along with the finish line and a holographic map of the race track.

Madalyn: Yes! We're going to make it! You got this big guy, win this thing!

Although I may have spoken too soon, cause right after I said that a giant metallic wall appeared from below the race track and completely covered our path.

Optimus: A wall?!

Madalyn: Aw snap! We can't get to the other side now. We almost made it too!

*********

Emanuel's P.O.V.

Me, Najat and the others watched as a giant metal wall appeared before Madalyn and Optimus, blocking their path to the finish line and the ground bridge. 

Emanuel: Hey! Where the heck did that come from?! At this rate they're stuck and won't make it to the finish line.

Ravage: Leave it to me.

Ravage's red blood optics flashed as he fired numerous missles and lasers, heading in the direction of the wall.

*********

Madalyn's P.O.V.

Madalyn: What is that?!

I spotted some missles and lasers heading straight for us. Optimus transformed into his robot mode, and placed me on his shoulder as he quickly moved out of the way of the attack. The fire power struck the wall and a huge chunk of it came tumbling down, revealing the end of the track with the ground bridge waiting for us. 

A video screen appeared beside us as Emanuel and Najats faces appeared on the screen.

Najat: Optimus you're all clear!

Emanuel: We'll be right behind you guys. Go for it Maddie!

Madalyn: Thanks you guys. 

*********

Emanuel's P.O.V.

Laserbeak: There's still time to stop them. Jolt! See if you can catch up with them.

Jolt: Yes sir!

Jolt gave his Minicon companion a salute before transforming into his helicopter mode and flew after Optimus and Madalyn. 

Laserbeak: Now to deal with you. Energon Freeze!

Laserbeak fired a laser into the air, right out of his optics, but instead of firing it at me, Najat, and the others out in the open, he turned around and fired it in the opposite direction. Right near the finish line. He fired it straight at the Autobot leader.

**********

Madalyn's P.O.V.

All of a sudden Optimus was hit with this painful electric shock. He got down on one knee, using his servos and arms to keep his upper body off the floor of the track. Some of the eletric shock got on me and I was forced to fall of of my partners shoulder. I crashed to the ground, slowly recovering from the impact and the shock.

Jolt: Here I come!

Jolt hovered right over Optimus as he transformed into his robot mode, landing on top of him.

Jolt: Ha! I got you!

Madalyn: You again?!

Once Jolt landed on top of Optimus, the electric shock grew stronger. If this kept up, Optimus would be fried. I knew I had to do something to save my friend. Just as I was about to activate one of my ability cards, a scream could be heard from faraway.

Laserbeak: I GIVE UP!

The eletric shock vanished as Jolt fell off the Autobot leader. Optimus stood back up to his two pedes, the three of us looked down to see that Laserbeak was defeated, and in pain.

Jolt: Oh no!

Madalyn: Go to him now Jolt. 

Jolt: Huh?

Madalyn: He's like a brother to you isn't he? You know we have to get out of here, but you'll always have your sister. 

Jolt: Hm....

Madalyn: Maybe we'll meet again someday. Then we'll have a chance to hang out if you want to. But until then--

I reached into my jacket pocket and pulled out the small energon crystal heart Jolt made me, and showed it to him.

Madalyn: I'll hold on to this to remember you by.

Jolt: You kept it the whole time?

Madalyn: Of course I did. It's one of a kind isn't it?

Jolt: Yeah, you must use it. It will help you leave this Faction Zone. 

Jolt waved good bye as he transformed into his helicopter mode and flew after his brother Laserbeak. I watched him leave, then looked down at the energon heart in my hand.

Optimus: So, shall we go Madalyn?

Madalyn: Yeah.

Optimus picked me up in his servo and made his way over to the ground bridge. For now, it seemed like it was deactivated. 

Madalyn: How do we open this thing?

The energon heart in my hand began glowing as it morphed and took a new shape. A key card.

Laserbeak: Hurry! Use the key and go!

Madalyn: What?

Laserbeak: You won! As promised, you may now leave! You better hurry before I change my mind!

Madalyn: Jolt, Laserbeak, thanks a lot.

Optimus lowered me down to the control center and I inserted the key card into the controls. Once I did, the ground bridge came to life as the green and blue portal opened up before us. Optimus transformed back into his vehicle mode, with me in the drivers seat and he made his way through the portal, moving on to the next Faction Zone.

***********

Jolt: The cute girl is gone now.

Laserbeak: Yeah, that's sad. But at least we slowed her down like Megatron asked us to. And we had some fun for a while.