"I am the rising darkness which will fall upon this world; find the pests, and bring them to me!"

~~|||~~

Iris:

"WHAT!?" Praxina screamed, grabbing the railing in front tight. Iris only walked on the slippy sand of the arena ring, hesitantly watching her opponent this time. The ex-Gladiator.

"Say that again-- they're able to what!?" Ann asked shocked also.

"Praxina and Iris are strongest in mere strenght, not in order to loose their control in anger. While Optimus is the best choice fighting you Praxina I see the best Megatron is to fight the Leader of your team." Siri said, Iris watched Megatron knuckling up his digits.

"When you put it like that--" Megatron begun, now moving for his neck knuckling, and finally he shaked his pedes and arms a bit. "I hardly can hold back."

"So you're only testing how I will go against different person than my Gurdian?" Iris required, transforming already. "How clever..."

"Indeed, since I must calculate your inner strenght also. How much that is, and is there a possibility for you to upgrade."

"I'd have Link... but it certainly doesn't come handy in this situation." Iris growled. Her eyes shifted towards the other Bots, where Optimus kept intense eye on her. His arms were firmly crossed, as if he was against the whole fight.

At the moment I got no clue how to go on from this.

"This ain't fair--!" Praxina said through gritted teeth, Chris could barely keep her out of the ring. "I want to fight him! He's my Guardian!"

"You'll have your time, girl." Megatron purposely tempted now everyone, nextly his red optics fell on Iris. The girl felt unknown adrenaline fill her up, as she narrowed her eyes and got ready. "Come."

Iris drawned her spear once in the air as ran fastly towards Megatron, swinging her weapon there so if she could hit him. But like rumors said Megatron was quite good once he stepped into the arena, his inner-Gladiator took full control as he almost had Iris in his grasp. But the girl came closer and blasted his gut, only to be thrown away by a fist. Now they circled each other, no words to be speaken.

"This is worser watching than seeing Unicron been hanged up..." Iris heard Alex say, so they were watching. The Leader also looked up to see Zoe keep an eye onto her, as Elita looked kind of mocking again. Maybe it was just her resting bitch-face.

Or she's really angry to me of something.

"Further nod--"

Hit. Iris was send back rolling in the sand, till she skipped to stop with her legs and holded her side which suddenly stinged in pain. Megatron managed to get advantage this time, which really turned out good for him. You usually couldn't hit Iris since she almost predicted movements. And when you did; you knew she was vulnerable and able to be defeated.

"Keep your eyes on me." Megatron grinned, seeing Iris spit to the ground and stand weakly. Small glare in her eyes.

I bet none of the Bots has gone easy on us.

"Megs, I will hang you later!" Praxina's voice echoed throughout the arena, causing the ex-Warlord turn for her Charge. Iris shifted, going forward with quiet speed.

"We will see about that--" Megatron wasn't expecting the sudden pain in his gut then, all he saw was Iris switch for her another fist which she hit to the same spot, cracking Megatron's frame a bit. "You." He growled and howevered to stand, Iris taking some distance while looking up.

"Obey the same order." Iris cocked, now both of their sides were injured. Megatron was impressed by the human's courage and threatening-side, but now it was time for real business.

"You know, being the best Gladiator ever in Cybetron's history should give you some tips already." Megatron no longer showed any pain for his injury, but only moved his waist to show his flexiness. "Tolerance for the pain."

Iris narrowed her brows, really wondering how would she go on after this.

Don't lose.

"It's only luck that I didn't hit your nerve." Iris reassured, noticing Megatron's sharp teeth show once he grinned. "But we will see about that."

Iris launched again, knowing Megatron wasn't going to be the one starting.

"Go Iris!" Andrea squealed.

"Best one to win!" Jack shouted out loud also, the ones who had already fought remained as the cheering people beside the ring.

This time the young Leader used plasmas to get some movement for the ex-Gladiator, but when Megatron's expectation proved him wrong and he thought that Iris was joking: she wasn't. The girl jumped fast of Megatron's coming palm while she took speed of it, then was eye-level with him at last. She readied her fist, going for the ultimate goal in order to get Megatron punched unconscious and win this round.

But it seemed that her expectation proved her wrong also.

Megatron's other palm got her this time, taking the tightest grib of her so she couldn't get her arms free. Iris felt locked; really in trouble this time.

"Nah, ah, ah." Megatron warned when the girl struggled, he showed off his victory for the other Cybetronians and humans. Optimus didn't look happy at all. Iris did keep her plan of getting free, but felt like choking if she kept going. "You should be able to free yourself out of this." But the ex-Decepticon started giving lecture also, turning Iris so she faced him. "Do I need to remind you that I may not be there for you next time?"

Iris froze, suddenly felt like been sucked back into the past. Back in the cave, when Unicron had her and almost went through the bridge taking her with, if Megatron wouldn't pushed Unicron from behind and for others to cover up for her. That was a nightmare for her, suddenly building pressure on Iris' chest. For the first time in the whole mission; Iris felt fear. Of the fact that if Unicron gets her or one of her team-mates, she would never forgive herself.

"... No." Iris replied, looking down at her defendless mode. "Then allow me to practice." The girl looked up, seeing Megatron give thought for it as he simply nodded. However, didn't much of give any mercy as he crushed tighter. "Agh...." Iris gritted her teeth; clearly not liking the idea she proposed.

"Stop it!" Praxina growled.

They must've not heard our conversation...

I'll show them how it's done without crushing any of Megatron's digits.

" 'Use the weakest chance you've got in the deadliest fight ever fought'..." Iris begun, smally managing to move her fingers. Megatron looked dumbfounded. "That's what my Trainor always said."

Iris started to tickle the former Warlord. She couldn't tell was that the best choice but probably her only one. The sensation was odd for Megatron, and even he released Iris for not being able to control his frame. Was his palm giving up for such small weak work of art?

'Cause it started to be challenging.

"And how do you plan going out?" Megatron tightened his grib; only to witness something shocking. Iris in nick of time pulled her Cyber-arm off, transformed her spear up to it as she pointed it straight towards his face.

"Like this." She hit the plasma on Megatron's faceplate, so that the Cybetronian covered up his faceplate and groaned in pain. He released Iris, and backed away of his blinded-sight. This gave the Leader some more time to recover but she didn't use it much. What others saw were an air draft which Iris created to tackle Megatron down, then the girl jumped right on his chest and was so ready to get him say his lost.

.

.

.

But that never happened.

Iris remembers the fact that she looked above towards the ceiling of loud explosion rang through her ears, and remembered falling parts of metal coming right at her and Megatron. But then again she had been snatched and took into safety under the arena's hall. Megatron holded her, and looked up at something with wide optics.

"Unicron." What was left for him to say scared the shit out of Iris, but the girl struggled again. "You need to stop that."

"But others--!"

"They will be safe." Megatron watched Unicron's all too familiar 'antibodies' fly across the arena, now searching something. There were dead corpses also; Terrorcons. "But we must get going."

Megatron ran the halls of the Ark now, holding Iris. The fact that they were under attack was still blurry and not enough understandable to be true. Iris had hard time to believe it. While Megatron did ran end of one hall; he almost shot Cyclonus to death who had his blade directed in exchange above his spark.

"Guys...!" Iris sighed in relief, seeing the Bots which were waiting their turn to fight form out from the corner. Optimus did step up forward, Megatron gladly handing the girl for him.

"Thank you." Optimus nodded, the others replied as continued their run on the ship.

"Where is Will?" Crusher growled, Iris currently the only human with the 7 Cybetronians. (Drift, Cyclonus, the Trio).

"With Praxina, I bet they're searching for us too." Iris said, frozing when Cyclonus rose his servo up once after peeking from another corner. He showed forward, so they didn't go where were antibodies or the corps. "Praxe?" Iris pressed her comm down, quietly trying to contact her team-mates.

:.... Where are you!?:

They're alive.

Megatron and others stopped, gathering now to hear Iris and them also.

"More likely where are you all?" Iris groaned back, her voice husky and little shaky.

:We're on Third floor... here seems to be no Unicron's creepers yet.: Jack said, Iris saw they were on seconth floor. :Have you seen Zoe or Elita?:

"No." Optimus sadly admitted.

"I hope Predaking and others are there, right?" Iris asked, looking once around her for any possible threat.

:Yeah, we are!: Savannah sounded way excited.

"We will meet you all in Control-room, make sure you do not make any loud noices." Megatron growled, starting to jump long looong stairs up with his big pedes. Others soon followed, Optimus jumped so he left two stairs in between every time.

:What's that supposed to mean!?: Praxina snapped, Iris curled up a smile.

"Auntieee."

-- Above.

Iris left Optimus' warm palm; only to be inches away of very familiar face. She did it only to not harm her mech. Iris this time hit her fist for her opponent's face, which send her and Zero now through the third floor's metallic surface.

"IRIS!"

The Leader rolled down the slippy floor-state, only then seeing the Ark was unbalanced of the explosion. Zero was coming right behind, evil smile on his face while Iris noticed that he had growed... strenghted. Now the girl looked down, seeing a perfect catch of a wire which she grabbed. Then swung up for her enemy.

Don't doubt my muscles, baby.

"Did you miss me?" Zero asked bluntly, now ducking down Iris' spear coming at him. Iris was fast. But so was Zero also. These two stood now on bare rusty energon fuels which were to go down probably soon. The ship shaked again rapidly, making these two unbalanced again but not for them to fall. "Because our fight was interrupted back then."

"Now it's about to begin." Iris snarled, hearing Zero deeply chuckle and find her threatening amusing.

"Not yet, my dearest." Zero said, confusing the Leader. She saw her friend Cybetronians coming down fast, he giving no thought for it. "There are obeys I must follow, and that includes no further resources spend on you nor your team."

"You little--!" Megatron couldn't get his digits on Zero who disapppeared as he went pass Iris, while Optimus grabbed his Charge with. "We need to leave!"

What that means!?

Megatron suddenly grabbed a pipe coming down ahead and swung himself through some doors, Cyclonus, Drift, Crusher, Stormwave and Solar following behind. It was the Control-room they came inside while coming onto the ship for the first time. Optimus quickly settled Iris on his shoulder and did the same, now trying to walk in the oblique room.

"Finally!" Ann rasped out, she was unbalancingly sitting on one of the controls Causeway right near. The whole gang was there except Zoe and Elita.

... I hope they're okay.

"What are we gonna do?" Alex questioned panickingly, watching each screen of surveillance cameras been filled with Unicron's army. "They'll get us!"

"And kill like bugs!" Savannah...

"We need a bridge-- Siri!" Chromia called out, but nothing was left to reply back. That seriosly left everyone start greatly panicking and be scared to death.

"We will be taken..." Praxina begun.

"And be forced to make war-babies!" Andrea cried for Christ's sake out loud. The Cybetronians remained stern, but you could tell they exactly didn't have a plan of their own.

"While the rest of us will be killed." Will replied, turning for Iris then. "Is there any way to leave this ship?"

"... The only way would be leaving through C-wing which is filled with dead femmes and Cybonig plague... I know." Iris saw Solar growl a bit of that, but she looked up then. "And for outside--"

"Is waiting a dead cold atmostphere." Katie said for her, arms folded. "There's no way out of this, is it?"

"Don't tell me we must fight here and now?" Perceptor snarled, suddenly bounding was heard through the halls near them.

"No." Praxina snapped. "Now's not the time!"

"Do you really think we can make out of this...?" Chris whined, usually this warrior showed no emotions.

"You all must stop it again." Cyclonus turned to hear the humans again, why was they again been doubting themselves? "You can make this, you are strong."

"So we fight." Ann turned for the door, drawning her blade out. The footsteps were closing up. "It's bad that I didn't take my--"

She...

Ann-- wasn't there.

She--!

Ann disappeared.

Within seconds, there was only small light of fragments seen of her. Hell;

Was on the loose.

"Ann--!" Katie was gone. Of her was small blue light of fragments; as Drift widened his optics in deep fear.

"What the fuck!?" When Chris disappeared everyone knew that wasn't normal. It wasn't Unicron who was doing this. Next went Andrea who screamed for Perceptor's name, and the Trio-humans were long gone.

Like; puff.

"I don't feel good!" Praxina whined, looking down at her hands. They were glowing!

"What's going on!?" Megatron knelt down, until Praxina was gone also with single look for her Guardian. "NO!"

"Don't leave me--!" Predaking couldn't reach his Charge crying for help. Savannah was gone, only lights on his palm were left. That roar what left him... was full of pain and anger.

"Iris!" Jack pleaded, these two were the last ones. Like... in the beginning. The Cybetronians turned to look down in shocked modes, but Iris couldn't do else but panick of the light surrounding her also. Optimus knelt down quickly, then Jack was gone.

"Jack!" Chromia gasped, energon tears streamed down this warrior femme's faceplate.

"Op-Optimus!" Iris was extremely hyped up and had inhaled so much that she was ready to pass out after not remembering to breath. She couldn't understand. None of this. Or the fact that why was this happening. Why now!? Optimus didn't know what to do, but only caress her hair one last time. "Are we-- are we leaving!?"

Iris didn't know why she said that.

Optimus opened his mouth to speak. But he was silenced forever. Right in front of his loved one. The horroriced scene of sharp tip with energon filled by it was going to burn down into Iris' memories. A tip of a blade; flashed right through Optimus' spark.

Iris was gone.

But not after crying out for the unbearable pain her heart, mind, nor soul could handle.

Optimus; was gone too.

"OPTIMUS!"

《~~|||~~》

.... Hey.

~keep reading.