Drifting Sunset

Chapters

Ch. 1: Trouble Sleeping
Ch. 2: Friendly Advice
Ch. 3: The Knight vs. The Dragon

Ch. 1: Trouble Sleeping

"Did you grow or did I shrink?" Drift asked as he looked deep into the young girl's eyes. Their green color reminded him of emeralds he once saw on a distant planet.

“Does it matter?” she asked, flashing him a smile that seemed to warm his very spark. "We are finally able to be close. To be together."

He didn't question it. This was what wanted. To be with her, to hold her in his arms, and express the love he had for her physically.

“I love you Sunset," Drift whispered as he slowly started to lift her closer to him.

"I love you too," Sunset replied as she leaned forward and brought her lips ever closer to his.

***

It was just as they were about to kiss when the alert buzzed in Drifts sensors reminding him it was time to get up.

As he slowly became aware of his surrounding he realized something. One, he had energized his holomatter avatar while his was sleeping. Two, he had materialized it in Sunset Shimmer's house. Three, he had picked up the young girl and the energy construct was now holding her in his arms as she slept soundly. With the light of the rising sun peaking through her window and outlining her sleeping frame clad in her purple pajamas she seemed look more radiant and beautiful. Part of him never want to set her down.

The fear of her waking up any moment and being startled shook him from his daydream and he gently placed the girl back on her bed and covered her up with a blanket before disengaging the avatar entirely. His consciousness once again whole he began to wonder what had just happened.

It has been five months since he had been since he had been assigned to Earth to help with the Unit E project. The project was a coalition between the government to try and make Optimus Prime’s induction of Earth into Cybertron’s Council of Worlds (see Transformers: Robots in Disguise #49 for this event) actually work. A few select Autobots would work with recruits to try and keep the world safe from any alien threats.

Drift had been paired with Sunset Shimmer, one of the seven girls who had been put under observation by the government after display bizarre powers on several occasions. Sunset had admitted the group didn’t know what to make of the situation after they were picked up by the government. She briefly feared they would be dissected. Instead they sworn in as agents under the Unit E project and paired with the Autobots to work to guard the planet.

In the months since he had become her partner and taken up residency in her garage, the two of them had spent a lot of time together. They had bonded over their checkered pasts. He a former Decepticon and she a person who had become obsessed with power to the point it turned her into a demon. The two had long talks about the regrets from their past and how they would do all they could to work harder in the future not to make the same mistakes.

Drift had not become close to another being in a very long time. It was different from bonding with Rodimus, Pipes, or even Ratchet. His feelings for her were much stronger and deeper. The more he thought about her the more his very spark would strain from these foreign feelings.

Despite whatever he was feeling the fact his holomatter avatar had activated when he hadn't meant to was disconcerting. He would have to talk with Ratchet about it and see if the good doctor had a way of making sure it didn't happen again. His initial thought would normally be to use some spiritual aids like a healing crystal to solve his medical concerns but If he didn't fix this problem soon it could happen again. He had no guarantee she wouldn't wake up next time and he dared not do anything to jeopardize his friendship with her.

Still his feelings for her were getting stronger and stronger. Why did he have to feel this way? Why did the idea of being close to her make his spark core glow with happiness? He knew it couldn’t work. She was a human and he was a Cybertronian. They were literally from two different worlds.

Realizing there was no way he could deal with the malfunction at the moment he decided it was time for his morning routine. After transmitting the signal to the garage and opening the door he shifted into reverse and backed out. Transforming into his robot mode, he walked into the lot next to Sunset’s house.

One of the reasons she had been able to afford her house so cheap was because it was located next to an abandoned construction site. No investors had come in since leaving an abandoned building with an unfinished roof. This made it the perfect place for him to train. Unsheathing the twin swords at his side he began his training routine. A bit of Shim Gum Do, some Tai Chi, and finally finishing with meditation. He succeeded in finding his center. He pulled up a display and saw it was time for Sunset to head to school.

He transformed into his alt mode, opened the garage, and drove in. He didn't have to wait long before Sunset came out with her book bag over her shoulder. She was dressed in a blue blouse, blue jeans, black boots, and her black leather jacket with orange on the sleeves. She looked as beautiful.

Flashing Drift a smile she said, "Good morning partner. Sleep well?"

"Yeah," Drift replied, deciding not to talk about the incident earlier right now. He wanted to discuss it with Ratchet first and make sure it hadn't happen because of something major. "I may have to head back to the base today though."

"Really?" Sunset asked with concern. "Everything alright?"

“Yes,” Drift said, trying to not go into the reasons for the trip to the base. “I just want to talk with him about some things. You know bonding and all.”

“Ah, guy time. I gotcha,” Sunset said as she opened the driver’s door, threw her backpack in his backseat, and got into her robot partner. “I’d better drive this time. You dropped us off last week and Trixie wouldn't stop asking if you were my boyfriend.”

“She did?” Drift asked, a surge of glee at the idea of being accused of being her boyfriend. “What did you tell her?”

“I told her to mind her own business,” Sunset shrugged. “Trixie can be a pain in the butt on a regular basis. The last thing we need is for her to know I have an alien living in my garage. She would probably try to extort me.”

“Right, good idea,” Drift tried his best to mask the disappointment in his voice. He was getting his hopes up for nothing. He knew there was no way a relationship would work. He needed to accept the truth and move on.

Shifting Drift into reverse the two made their way to to pick up the first guest on the journey to school. Like most mornings as they drove, the pair listened to a national news channel Drift was able to pick up through satellite radio. This helped them to be aware of what was going on in the world and be up to date on any major catastrophes which might be on the horizon. The discussion this time was between a commentator and his guest. The guest was insisting if he was elected he would find a way to solve the Autobot problem.

“Sometimes I can’t help but question if Optimus made the right choice,” Drift sighed as he cut the broadcast and started talking through the speakers. “We saved the Earth but people still hate our kind.”

“Hey, no getting down on yourself,” Sunset replied with a smile. “If you hadn’t come back we would never would have met. Now that all of us are together in Unit E, we’ll show the world the good human and Autobots can do working together.”

Again Drift felt his spark warm with Sunset’s compliment. He was about to say “I’m glad I met you too” when he was interrupted by Sunset applying the brake and shifting him into park. A second later the door opened and a familiar voice was heard.

“Good morning darling,” The fashionista said as she slid into the car. “You will not believe the outfit I designed last night. You will look wonderful in it. Good morning to you too Drift.”

“Good morning Miss Rarity,” Drift replied politely. He had always tried his best to reflect proper etiquette wherever he went and refer to all of the girls as ‘Miss’ when he first met them. Rarity was the only one who didn’t tell him to stop as she thought he sounded like a proper gentleman when he said it.

The rest of the drive was uneventful as Drift allowed the girls to talk about different things going on in their lives. School, social media, and what they were going to do for the weekend. Within minutes they were at the Canterlot High parking lot and Drift was parked in his usual spot by an old oak tree. Rarity and Sunset got out of Drift and stood by the tree as they waited for the rest to arrive. A moment later a bright red Pontiac Firebird Trans Am pulled next to Drift. He immediately recognized it as Windcharger. His doors opened and Rainbow Dash and Applejack got out of the car and joined their friends.

“Three minutes and fifteen seconds,” Rainbow dash announced proudly. “A new record!”

“We don’t have to race to school everyday after you pick me up you know,” Applejack grumbled. “You are going to get a speeding ticket one of these days.”

“A speeding ticket,” Windcharger announced through his speakers. “I welcome one. It's the perfect reminder to let you know how fast I was going.”

“Exactly partner,” Rainbow Dash replied as she patted Windcharger’s hood. “Besides if we have a problem, we can always ask the brass at Unit E to take care of it.”

Before any of the other girls could tell Rainbow Dash she shouldn't abuse their privileges, they were interrupted by a blue Jeep Wrangler pulling into the other parking spot next to Drift. Again,he recognized it as the alt form of Beachcomber who was the last Autobot of the Unite E team outside of Ratchet who preferred to stay near their base. The remaining three girls, Pinkie Pie, Twilight Sparkle, and Fluttershy, Beachcomber`s partner got out and walked to where the other girls were standing.

“Good morning,” Pinkie Pie sang as she ran up and hugged Sunset Shimmer. As always the young girl was always full of energy. “Everyone ready for another super duper day at school?”

“Good to see you too Pinkie,” Sunset replied as she returned Pinkie`s hug before prying her off. Before any more plans and discussion could be done their was cut short by the ringing of the bell. Realizing they had five minutes to get to class, the girls headed towards the building while saying goodbyes to the three vehicles. Some may think this strange but with Flash Sentry’s daily routine of giving the hood of his car a long hug before leaving it alone the school didn't really make any comments about how people treated their cars.

“We’ll go check on Mr. Browntail after class today,” Fluttershy said as she gently stroked Beachcomber’s hood before walking in.

“Sure thing baby doll,” Beachcomber said cheerfully. Of all three of the Autobots, it often seemed like he was the most flirtatious with his human partner. Everyone wondered if it was just Beachcomber being cute or if a relationship was actually happening between the two of them. Unfortunately, when questioned about it Beachcomber’s response was to joke about the “hot passionate nights they shared” and Fluttershy’s reaction was to blush bright red.

Rainbow Dash patted Windcharger and Sunset Shimmer looked back and waved at Drift before all the girls disappeared into the school. Once the parking lot was empty of students and the three Cybertronians were alone, Drift took the time to get a hold of the team’s medic. “Ratchet, do you read me?”

“I read you loud and clear,” Ratchet answered. From the video feed it was easy to see he was at his workbench as usual running different experiments. “Any activity at the school?”

“No, I just have an odd question for you,” Drift said as he did his best not to reveal what happened earlier in the day. “Have you ever known a hollow matter avatar to come online and walk around while someone was in sleep mode?”

“Yes I have actually,” Ratchet replied as he pulled up some files on the subject. “Usually it occurs when someone hasn't been getting a proper recharge at night. You should probably think about coming back to the base and sleeping in your quarters for a change instead of at your partner's residence.”

“Yeah, sounds like a plan,” Drift agreed. He had made it a point to know there were times when he needed to do what the Doctor ordered. This was one of those occasions. “I'll let Sunset to find another way home and I'll just drive to the base.”

“Do you want me to activate the ground bridge and bring you here easier?” Ratchet offered.

If Drift were in his robot mode he would have shook his head. “No. Actually I could use the drive to clear my head.”

“Everything alright?” Despite how much of a grouch Ratchet was known for he still cared deeply for his friends.

“Yeah,” Drift replied trying his best to deflect the the conversation away from what was really bothering him. “I've just been debating something something I probably should just forget about.”

“If you need someone to talk to I'm always here,” Ratchet commented. ”You know that right?”

“I appreciate it,” Drift chucked before cutting the communication.

The rest of the day was uneventful as the trio waited for the girls to be done with school. Windcharger challenged Drift to a few games of electronic Go over their display screens but he was not nearly as good an opponent as Blurr was. Beachcomber would often note some of the birds flying in the air. Drift found it fascinating how he had memorized so many animals on the planet so effectively.

Finally the day was over and the girls met up with their Cybertronian Guardians.

“So how about we finally see who's fastest,” Dash asked she leaned against Windcharger’s hood. “I'm pretty sure red here has all of you beat.”

“Actually,” Drift interrupted. “Before any plans are made, I have to go back to base and talk with Ratchet.”

“Are you sure nothing is wrong,” Sunset asked with a distinct look of concern in her eyes.

“Yes. I just need to talk with him about something,” Drift replied. “He thinks I should stay at the base overnight to make sure nothing's wrong with me.”

“Why does he want you to stay over,” Sunset prodded. The idea of him not being around was starting to make her feel uneasy.

“I'm fine,” Drift chuckled, trying his best to deflect Sunset’s concerns. “He's just worried about me that's all.”

“Is that all it is?” Rarity asked as she threw her hair behind her shoulders. “Here we thought you two would make a cute couple.”

“Really?” Drift asked. Relationships between Cybertronians were not like they were on Earth. Two beings with similar interests and attractions often gravitated towards each other. Still, if the girls had already been planning and discussing this for a while it meant Sunset didn't carry any feelings for him. “You all thought me and Ratchet should get together?”

“Yeah,” Sunset replied as looked away and started to play with her hair. “You deserve to have someone in your life.”

“Right someone,” Drift did his best to mask the disappointment in his voice but it was hard. He needed to get out so he could process what had just happened. Activating his holomatter avatar so it appeared in the passenger seat, he rolled down the window, and waved. “Have a good night.”

Shifting into reverse he maneuvered out of the parking lot and away from the school. As she watched her partner drive away, Sunset felt an emptiness start to form in her stomach. It reminder of how she had felt when the girls had been suggesting they make a move towards setting Ratchet and Drift up but now it was back and made her stomach turn so bad she felt nauseous. She was only brought back to reality by Rarity touching her shoulder and suggesting they go to Sugarcube Corner for dinner.

***

The drive back to the base felt like an eternity. Drift considered calling Ratchet and having him open the Ground Bridge but decided to shoulder through. He knew if he let the feeling of despair wash over him more it would finally cement the bitter reality into his brain of what had just happened. Sunset didn't care for him as more than a friend and had been working towards setting him up with Ratchet. Though the good doctor was his best friend and had been the one who came after him after leaving the Lost Light (See IDW’s Drift: Empire of Stone series) they were nothing more than good friends. He never thought once about asking Ratchet to be his sparkmate.

The events of the day weighed on him and he looked forward to making it to his quarters and finding the peace only sleep could offer.

***

Driving into the disguised mesa which was actually an old military missile silo, Drift transformed and walked down the hall until he came to Ratchet’s laboratory. Opening the door Drift found the doctor seated behind a series of monitors going over data files. Several empty energon containers were piled within reach of where he was sitting. Typical sight involving Ratchet.

“Your late,” Ratchet grumbled as he continued to tap information into the computers. “I told you I could have opened a Ground Bridge.”

“Sorry,” Drifft sighed. “For some reason I just couldn't get up to speed today”

“You're exhausted.I can hear it in your voice,” Ratchet snarled as he stopped typing to turn towards his guest. “You should be sleeping in a proper recharge slab instead of being at your partner’s place so often.”

“What about Windcharger and Beachcomber,” Drift asked, realizing he hadn't taken the time to ask his teammates if they were having similar problems. “Are they here every night?”

“Windcharger is,” Ratchet said as he got up from his seat and stretched. He grabbed one of the unopened energon containers and took a big swig. “He makes it a point to see if he can’t increase his record on his way to Rainbow Dash’s every morning. Apparently she always waits with a stopwatch every morning for him to pull up. Meanwhile, Beachcomber has the ability to survive in any environment for weeks without needing as proper recharge page station. You on the other hand continuously push yourself past the breaking point and then I have to twist your arm before you will let me treat you.”

“What can I say, I’m a machine,” Drift laughed, hoping the joke would cause Ratchet to relax. Ratchet’s way of showing he cared was by giving others a hard time. Still, a joke usually caused him to crack a smile.

“Good point,” Ratchet chuckled dryly. “Well hopefully in this case all you need is a good night's sleep. I'd hate to think you were coming down with some type of cyber flu.”

“You and me both,” Drift replied as he looked at Ratchet's workstation. He always kept so many files open it was hard to follow what he was doing at any given time. “What are you working on?”

“Finally taking the time to look over the information we were given about the girls and their “phenomenons,”” Ratchet said as he took another swig of his drink. “The information is pretty detailed, even by Earth standards. The special forces apparently didn't have proper energy scanning devices in the area but have instead provided me with a mixture of video, environmental reports, and some satellite imagery hoping I can figure out this magic stuff. I barely have time to keep up with Cybertronian medicine and now I'm suppose to understand the Anatomy and Physiology of humans and when they are displaying powers associated with another dimensional plane of existence. Makes me wish Wheeljack and Brainstorm were available to help.”

“Just do what you can Ratchet. It's all we ever ask of you,” Drift was going to mention how Sunset Shimmer had tried herself to experiment on the girls to figure out how magic worked in this world but found himself stopping short. The thought of her and what had happened earlier was fresh in his mind and made him feel exhausted. He knew he needed to head to his quarters. “I better turn in Ratchet. I need to get back at my best as soon as possible.”

“If you notice any other symptoms let me know right away’” Ratchet said as he finished his energon and put it with the pile of empties.

Nodding to his friend, Drift made his way out of the lab and towards his quarter. In the distance he could hear the sound of tapping as Ratchet returned to the work station and continued his research.

***

Entering into his quarters Drift placed his swords on the racks and laid down on the recharging slab. He intertwined his fingers and began to enter standby mode and get some much needed rest. He closed his optics but opened them again an instant later. Pressing his fingers to the side of his head he activated his communication system, selected a frequent contact, and called it.

"Hey stranger," Sunset answered cheerfully. "How's the slumber party at the base?"

"Boring," Drift chuckled. "Ratchet is absorbed in his work and Windcharger is out on patrol. I was just about to power down but I thought I'd make sure everything is fine."

"Everything is fine," Sunset replied. "The girls and I grabbed dinner at Sugarcube Corner and then I just came home after. It felt weird riding the bus again after so long."

"Sorry. I'll make sure to be back in the garage by morning to take you to school," Drift said, doing his best to restrain the excitement of seeing her again. "To tell you the truth I actually prefer sleeping there."

"Really," Sunset asked. "Sleeping in the chilly garage is fun?"

Drift mouthed, It allows me to be closer to you but instead said, "I have slept in worst."

"We'll I'm going to write to Princess Twilight Sparkle and the go to bed," Sunset announced as she yawned. "Don't stay up too late partner."

"I won't. Good night Sunset," Drift replied with a smile as he ended the call. He attacked the supply unit to his chest, folded his hands again and prepared for sleep mode. The sooner he had a good night's recharge, the sooner he would be able to see Sunset.

1 hour later

"Damn it," Drift grunted as he shifted to his side. Despite his wish for sleep to overtake him, his mind wouldn't let him find peace. He briefly tried meditating again but thoughts of Sunset kept disrupting him from being able to obtain any type of enlightenment or peace. Just as it seemed he had got her out of his head, a vivid image of a former enemy like Tarn busting into Sunset’s bedroom and kidnapping her would cause him to lose of any sense of nirvana.

Laying on his side he decided to try a different route. He would break his delusions with cold hard reality.

"I'm a Cybertronian and she's a human," Drifted muttered to himself. "It would never workout."

As he tried his best to use cold hard facts to convince him a relationship would be impossible, the gentle whisper of his conscious, voiced by an angelic Sunset corrected him. "Love will find a way."

"The entire world hates my kind," Drift grunted as kept trying to hold onto the bitter thoughts.

The cheerful conscious didn't let up. "An entire faction of bots still looked at you as an enemy but noble ones like Kup spoke up and accepted you. The same thing will happen here on Earth.”

"I don't love her," Drift shouted to the empty room.

"Yes you do,” The conscious sang.

Unable to take anymore Drift got up, disconnect the charging cord from his chest, and left the room, not even taking the time to grab his weapons on the way out. He made his way into the energon storage area of the base. He ignored the standard rations and energon goodies as he knew he needed something much stronger. He briefly considered going all the way for the bottle of Nightmare Fuel Trailbreaker had given him long ago but instead opted for a container of Engex. Opening it, he took several large gulps, enjoying it's intoxicating effect. The mixture didn't taste nearly as good as what Swerve served in his bar but it wasn't watered-down as much either.

Grabbing another he slowly walked through the base towards Ratchet's lab. The good doctor was always one to work late into the night.

“You need an assistant,” Drift said as he walked into the lab and caused Ratchet to jump. He was so immersed in his work he didn't even hear Drift coming. “Someone who can make sure you actually remember to take breaks.”

“I take breaks when I'm not onto something important,” Ratchet grunted as he returned to the screens in front of him. “Check this out.”

Drift looked at the Ratchet’s workstation. Seven of the screens each had a picture of one of the girls, each with different numerical displays next to them. He couldn't tell what it meant but the information next to Sunset showed particularly high numbers. “What am I looking at?”

“Well turns out when I combined what I thought was going to be nothing, mainly the environmental research footage, and scanned it using a basic Cybertronians Energy scanner I found something interesting,” Ratchet replied as he stroked his chin and tapped a monitor not containing one of the girls. A picture came up of a environmental satellite, time stamped from the incident where the girls battled the Dazzlings in concert (See Equestrian Girls: Rainbow Rocks for this scene). “The temperature spiked to an intense degree in the area about them during this period.”

“What exactly are you saying? Drift asked, trying to grasp the significance of Ratchet’s discovery. He extended his hand with the other container of Engex and offered it to his weary comrade. “You found out what the girls magic is scientifically?”

“Scientifically? Not at all,” Ratchet commented as he shook his head and took the drink. “But by comparing the temperature in the air at the time of the incident with the scanner I was able to get a figure of just how much energy is produced even during one of these occurrences.”

“How much energy are we talking about?” Drift asked nervously, he took a swing of the Engex, not liking where the conversation was heading.

“If my calculations are correct and I they should be since I ran through them three times before I even thought about telling another soul,” Ratchet said as he put down the Engex and pointed to screen containing Sunset Shimmer and the values which were by her picture. “Your partner alone could power a Titan like Metroplex for 100 stellar cycles.”

“Delete this information now,” Drift insisted without skipping a beat. The idea of one girl, no, any organic being powering a Titan for the equivalent of 62 human years, an amount of energy which would come from draining the ecological power of a small planet was unthinkable. Many cybertronians had used a process known as Pink Alchemy to drain organics into fuel but they never yielded such an amount. Still, given the bizarre powers he had seen her display in the past he knew it wasn't impossible to consider. He knew what would occur though if anyone did attempt to obtain the energy from her. It would involve a process which would leave her depleted and on death’s door. “If this got into the wrong hands the girls would be in danger.”

“I understand your sentiment,” Ratchet replied stoically. “But this information came from a simple scan and a few simulations I conducted. It won't be hard to recreate these findings. Even if we delete it this someone will discover it again.”

“We have to do something we can't let them be used as pawns” Drift’s eyes locked on the readings for Sunset.

“I sympathize with where you're coming from. I don't want harm to come to them either.”

“No you don't understand,” Drift stated. He gaze hadn't left the scientific data for the girls. He was half tempted to smash his container of Engex into the console. “There's more to it than you know.”

“What are you talking about?” Ratchet asked.

Drift paused for a moment before continuing. It was time to come clean to somebody about how he felt. “I'm in love with Sunset Shimmer.”

Author's Note

A/N: Here is is. My first fanfiction in over a decade. I tried my best not to return to this genre and work on other projects but this story just wouldn't leave me alone. It's a combination of the IDW Transformer comics and Equestrian Girls universes. If you're wondering why Drift doesn't have a his Minicons, again it's the one from the comics. Personally I still like this version more than how he was portrayed in the Transformers: Robots in Disguise show or the Age of Extinction movie. Neither one captured his former Decepticon trying to be a better bot storyline properly.

According to Teletrain I (The transformers Wikipedia), a Deca-Cycle is 7.5 months in the IDW canon. Take this amount, times it by 100 and divide by 12 months in a year, you get about 62.5 years. Just in case you were wondering where I got the numbers from.

Stories picture was done by Hakdurbin. Check out their work and let them know I sent you.

Ch. 2: Friendly Advice

Ratchet stared at his friend for a long time. He wasn't sure what to make of the claim he had just made. “You're in love with her?”

Drift nodded. “Yes. I think I am.”

“Are you sick?” Ratchet asked as his hand reached towards a bio-scanner on his workbench hoping to find some anomaly in Drift. “Please tell me you are experiencing some sort of viral effect which is scrambling your neural processor and making you believe you are in love with her.”

“I'm not sick,” Drift said, finally handing Ratchet the extra container of Engex hoping it would stop him from conducting a full physical examination. “I've been wrestling with these feeling for a while.”

“I know you're not but as a medical professional I have to ask,” Ratchet sighed as he put down the scanner, took the beverage, and drank several large gulps of it. “The relationship between Earth and Cybertron is shaky at best. They are only tolerating our involvement because of the fact they hope our technology can somehow explain the incidents with the girls. Now you are insisting you're in love with one of them.”

“I know. I know it doesn't make sense,” Drift replied as he took his own sip of his drink. “But I can't stop thinking about her. I want to be with her so bad, my spark hurts when she's not around.”

“I don't really know what to say,” Ratchet said as he looked back at the data screens. “Of course I'm not one to really advise people on relationships. It took me millions of years to finally say a proper goodbye to my friends. Still you're so your own. I wish you luck but I can't really help with this. You'll have to figure out what to do on your own.“

“Thanks,” Drift chuckled. This was a better reaction than he was hoping for when he imagined telling others his feelings for Sunset. Still, his new emotions would have to wait as there were now more pressing matters to attend with. “What should we do about your findings?”

“Delete them,” A voice called from behind. Ratchet and Drift turned to see Windcharger walking into the laboratory. The Autobot warrior had a very annoyed look on his face.

“How much of the conversation did you hear?” Drift asked calmly. Windcharger’s comment about Ratchet’s discovery made it seem like he wasn’t happy either to hear about the girls being used as an energy source.

“Enough,” Windcharger sneered as he looked at the data on the screen. “First off, good luck with your love life. You're gonna need it. Second, we can’t tell anyone else about this. I've seen too many worlds destroyed by our war over resources which weren’t half as good as the girls could be. I’m not going to let Dash be used by someone for some sick experiment.”

“I see,” Ratchet sighed. He finished the can of Engex with a large swallow before crushing it and throwing it at the wall in frustration. “Looks like I have no choice. I’ll have to do my best to falsify information to make it look like the girls don’t have abilities which could be useful to anyone.”

“Will you really be able to?” Windcharger asked, his rage slowly subside as it appeared Rainbow Dash wasn’t in any type of danger. “Can we really keep them safe?”

“Well, we can try our best at the very least,” Ratchet said as he sat back down at his workstation. “You two get some rest, it's going to be another long night for me.”

Deciding it was best to leave the medic to his work, Drift and Windcharger left his lab. Once they were farther enough away, Drift decided to ask a question to change the subject. “So, what about you and Dash? Are you in love with her?”

“She’s my partner. I want to protect her. End of story,” Windcharger grunted as they started walking towards their quarters. Drift could tell from the tone in his comrade's voice this was not the time to press the issue. “Unlike you and Beachcomber, I’m not about to get over one enormous detail. We are robots. They are humans. And I don’t see it changing in the foreseeable future.”

“Actually she's a magical pony from another dimension,” Drift replied trying to implore the same manner of humor he did with Ratchet. This time he was met with a cold shoulder as Windcharger seemed to ignore the comment entirely. “What about our avatars? Our holomatter can walk with them, talk with them, and even engage with them physically. Isn’t it enough?”

“You tell me,” Windcharger shrugged. “All I know is if I were you I’d get a second opinion before you blow the working relationship you have with your partner.”

“Yeah maybe I should,” Drift said as he thought about who else he could talk to about his situation. Just as they made it to his quarters and Drift was about to part ways with his teammate, he realized he had one more question to ask. “Wait! Beachcomber’s in love with Fluttershy?”

“I don’t know,” Windcharger replied as he opened the door to his quarters but looked back long enough to answer Drift’s question. “It just seems like all he talks about is his research missions with her. If he’s not in love, he’s enjoying himself more than I’ve seen him on any other survey job he’s ever done.”

Walking inside, the door shut behind Windcharger leaving Drift alone in the doorway of his quarters with lots to think on. He and his fellow Autobots were going to keep dangerous information from others in hopes of keeping the girls alive. They would have to keep this a secret to ensure their safety. The girls had abilities which made them some of the most formidable beings in the universe. These pressing issues seemed far away as one thought was front and center in his mind. He was in love with Sunset Shimmer and he had to tell her about it.

Realizing he was still running low from a long day, Drift decided to address all his concerns in the morning. He closed himself in his room, returned to his recharging slab, and connected the energization cord. He shut his eyes and fell into sleep mode in record time.

***

“Drift!” Sunset shouted as she made her way through the fog. She had no idea how she had gotten so lost. All she knew was she couldn't survive long if she didn't find her partner. “Drift, where are you?”

Slowly a glow in the distance the fog started to disperse the fog. The glow intensified until it burned away the fog completely and revealed where she was. The glow was from Drifts spark and she was standing on his body near his stomach.

“Looks tasty,” A voice called from above. Sunset looked up and a chill ran down her spine. It was her demon form hovering high in the sky. Smiling down menacingly, the winged form dropped from the sky and stood near the glowing spark. “This will give me the power I need.”

“No!” Sunset screamed as ran towards her evil form. Before she could make it close enough to stop her the demonic Sunset waved her hand and chains burst from the Drift’s body, wrapped around Sunset’s arms and legs and dragged her time the ground. She struggles violently against the bonds but they kept her tight in place. “Don't touch him!”

“I'm not going to,” The Demon Sunset laughed wickedly before erupting into a burst of flame. Her form distorted and changed before the fire went out and her transformation was complete. “You are.”

The Sunset on the ground was speechless. Her Demon's self looked just like she did back when she was torturing Princess Twilight Sparkle when she came to this world (see My Little Pony: Equestria Girls). It looked identical to the way she looked today but had a distinct look in her eye of malice and discontent. It was a version of her who didn't care about friendship or others and only wanted power. The evil twin turned towards Drift’s spark and reached for it.

“No,” Sunset screamed and struggled against her bonds. It did not good. As soon as the evil Sunset touched the spark it turned to ice instantly. The cold spread through Drift’s body to where Sunset was and the intense cold bit into her skin. This meant nothing to her as she was too devastated by what had happened. She could feel it, the life of her partner was gone and she had been the one who killed him.Tears fell from her eyes and onto the frosted metal lifeless body which was her trusted partner.

***

Sunset woke up in a cold sweat with a feeling like her heart would explode out of her chest. The nightmare was more vivid than she had in the past. It was the first time in a while she dreamt about becoming her demonic form in almost a year. Between helping the girls to conquer the Dazzlings (watch Equestria Girls: Rainbow Rocks), achieving her Daydream Shimmer form (Equestria Girls: The Friendship Games) and becoming Drift’s partner, she had not had a dream about becoming evil and hurting her friends for a long time. She hoped to never those dreams ever again but now she had broken her track record.

Panting as her heart pounded in her chest, still overcome by the fear brought on by her realistic dream, Sunset threw off the covers and got out of bed. Making her way through the dark to her bathroom, she grabbed a cup, filled it, and took large gulps of water in an effort to calm down. Once her heart stopped racing, she turned on the sink again and splashed cold water on her face.

Making her way through her house, she found the door leading to the garage, opened it, and turned on the light. It was empty, just as it was before Drift had made his space. She had never had enough possessions to use the area as storage and instead had use left it empty. Drift’s arrival had not only filled a voice in her home but also her heart.

“I'm such an idiot,” Sunset sighed as she leaned against the cold door and hugged herself tight. She wasn't feeling sadness so no tears were forming in her eyes. Instead all she felt was a feeling of regret which seemed to cling to her stomach and made her wish she had been honest with herself.

Her friends had suggested they push for Drift and Ratchet to get together for a while and for the most part she had thought it was a good idea and went among with it. When they finally said it and he drove off, she felt something start to churn in her stomach and she recognized it as the intense feeling of loneliness. A feeling she hadn't felt in a while. Drift had been there for her, had been someone she could talk openly with. She wanted him to feel contentment but it was starting to feel more like she wanted to be the one to make him happy. “Why can't I just be honest?”

The question was rhetorical because she knew exactly why she hadn't allowed herself to be honest with the feelings she was starting to have for Drift. The answer was Flash Century the boy she had used to become popular. Despite the fact she was just playing the part of being a girlfriend, Flash had actually been putting effort into it. He had surprised her with flowers, gifts, and even heartfelt letters and notes. Almost all of these items were thrown into a nearby trash the moment she was out of sights, saving only some candies she got when she felt hungry.

This aspect of herself, the heartless ice queen was nearly as bad as her demonic form. Flash had been the only person she had ever been in a relationship with and it had purely been purely to use him as a status symbol. The fear of being an ice queen girlfriend was what had caused her to hesitant about having a relationship with anyone else since. She had been able to make peace with becoming a demon but this aspect of her personality still needed attention. It had taken a lot of work to finally find herself on the road to harmony. Connecting with someone intimately had the last thing on her mind.

These personal scars from her past were bad enough but the undeniable logic of the difficulty of starting a relationship with Drift was written on the wall. She was a magical pony from another world who had been transformed into a human and been so lost in her lust for power she had become a demon. He was a robot from another planet who could change into a car and practiced a code of ethics. How could they make it work?

Sighing heavily as she started to shiver from the cold, she shut the door to the garage. She walked to a mirror and found her hair was a mess from tossing and turning all night. Deciding she had no choice she got in the shower and spent the time to fix her hair. Once she was dressed, she decided to do some reading for a bit instead of going back to sleep. The book made her feel a bit better it it was still and time did pass faster. She still couldn't help looking up from her book every five minutes to check the time.

Finally it was 6:30 and time to head to school. She put the book into her bag and made her way to the garage knowing Drift would pull in any moment. She open the door to the garage and waited for her partner to pull in. After a while she was getting sick of waiting. She pulled out her phone and saw it was 6:45. This was odd. Drift was never usually late, especially since he could be transported anywhere thanks to the Ground Bridge.

She was just about to text him and ask what was holding him up when she got a message. It was from Ratchet.

RATCHET: Drift still resting. We had a late night last night.

The text message was less than comforting. The lack of sleep and her active imagination made her come to the worst possible conclusion. She began to think of Drift and Ratchet confessing their feelings for each other and having sex. The vivid images were too much and she screamed loudly I to the empty garage.

She now felt exhausted and wanted nothing more than to go back to bed and sleep but she knew she had to go to school. Swallowing her frustration, she made her way to the bus stop down the street and hoped she could grab a cup of coffee before class.

***

Drift stretched as he woke up. A wide smile spread across his face. Between the full recharging process and being honest with his feelings for Sunset he finally was able to get a proper night's rest. He pulled up the display on his arm and saw it was 7:00. In the confusion last night he hasn't remembered to set his alarm.

Nearly ripping the recharge cable from his chest, he jumped to his feet, grabbed his swords, and made his way to Ratchet's lab.

“Ratchet! You let me sleep in,” Drift said as he rush in to find the Autobot Medic still tapping away at his workstation. “I have to take the girls to school.”

“Oh I'm sorry,” Ratchet replied bitterly. “I forgot you asked for the full continental breakfast and turndown service. I haven't walked away from this station for more than a cycle now for two days!”

“Sorry, I do appreciate all you are doing,” Drift winced as it dawned on him just how hard Ratchet was working. “I have to go though. I need to get Sunset to school.”

“No need,” Ratchet grumbled. “I took the time to send her a message and let her know you wouldn't make it. Windcharger left early to get the other girls there in time.”

“Wow, you really do think of everything Ratchet,” Drift complimented the Medic in an effort to show how genuinely appreciative he was of his work. Realizing he didn't have to rush out, Drift decided to see if there was anyway he could assist Ratchet. “How is it going? Did you find a way to keep the girls out of danger?”

“Yeah, I did,” Ratchet yawned. His late night work session had caught up to him. “Deleting my findings was easy enough. The problem was figuring out how to make the girls be less appealing as a source of energy. Then as I got a late night text from Pinkie Pie with another of her random Memes and it hit me. I need to make them appear as unstable as possible. Creating a fake energy pattern which in no way could be utilized was easy enough. Individually incorporating the pattern into every incident report, case file, and biological scan of the girls is taking some time. Still, I should be done sometime today.”

“Excellent work, Ratchet!” Drift proclaimed as he patted his friend on the back. The idea of Sunset and the rest of the girls being out of danger put a large smile on his face. “Anything I can do to help?”

“Yes, take over for me today and do monitor duty,” Ratchet replied as he took the time to save all of his work and get up from his seat. “If your girlfriend made it to school there is no point in rushing there to tell her how your feel until the day is over.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Drift agreed as he watched his exhausted friend head towards his quarters. “I'll do monitor duty. You go rest.”

The doors to the lab closed behind Ratchet as he left leaving Drift alone with the monitors set to scan for any Cybertronian activity across the planet. He did his best to focus on the task at hand and not think about Sunset or have any weird daydreams about the two of them as a couple. This lasted for about eight minutes before he thought about what gift he would give her for their Conjunx Ritus ceremony.

***

Ratchet awoke hours later but still had his same chipper attitude. After taking over his workstation, he opened a Ground Bridge, and wished Drift the best of luck. Thanking him for the help, Drift transformed into his alt mode and drove through the portal which instantly transported him back into the city.

Drift made his way through town and arrived at the Canterlot High parking lot in record time. The school day was over but he knew the person who could give him a second opinion. She often liked to stay after to get work done. His holomatter avatar had been on since he exited the ground bridge so no one would be suspicious of a car driving down the street without a driver. Getting out of his body, his avatar walked into the school, hoping to not be stopped by any of the teachers of staff. The last time he was here Vice Principal Luna stopped him and asked him for his student ID. Luckily, the girls were close and Applejack and Sunset were able to run interference by distracting her.

He knew he needed to get more advice on how to talk with Sunset about how he felt. It had been the main focus of his attention while he was sitting at the monitor station all day. He needed to know if he did extend his feelings Sunset would return them. This meant he need to go to the member of the group who he knew would best source of this information. He made his way through the hallway and was sure not to be cornered by anybody who might ask him what he was doing on campus. He eventually arrived at the empty classroom Rarity used regularly as her personal workshop. He knocked on the door remembering the time Beachcomber forgotten to on a previous visit only to walk in on a half nude Fluttershy who was trying on an outfit and have Rarity through several handfuls of thread at his Avatar’s head. Looking back on it, Drift wondered if it really was an accident.

“Who is it?” She sang through the door.

“It's Drift.”

The purple haired girl opened the door wearing the trademark glasses she wore when she was working. She gazed at him curiously. “Drift? What are you doing here? Something I can help you with?”

“Actually yeah,” Drift replied sheepishly. “Can we talk?”

“I suppose. Come in,” she said as she motioned him into the room and towards a padded stool. “Have a seat. I need a break anyways.”

“Well there's something I need to ask you about,” The autobot swordsman was having difficulty figuring out what to say next. “I just I've never done this before.”

“Done what exactly?: Rarity asked.

Drift steadied himself and remembered how he felt only a brief while ago while talking to Ratchet. He gathered his courage and knew there was no turning back. “I...I'm in love with Sunset.”

He didn’t how to gauge human reactions yet but from what he did know he was sure what he said had resonated with Rarity. She did not jump up in joy or gasp in shock which he thought were was going to be her initial reactions to his declaration. Instead she looked expressionless as if taking a moment to process what he had said.

Taking a deep breath, she took off her glasses, folded them, and put them on a table. She grabbed her bottle of raspberry lime water and took a seat adjacent to him. She drank a few sips of the beverage like she was getting herself for her reply. “Can you guys love a human?”

“Well yeah,” Drift replied, a bit taken back by the question. “We can feel a lot of things especially love.”

“I didn't mean any disrespect,” Rarity apologized as she realized she was too forward. “It's just...see, I don't think I'm the one that can really give you any advice.”

Drift wasn't sure what she meant by this statement. “Because you disagree?”

“No,” Rarity sighed bitterly. “Because I'm kind of in the same boat.”

“What do you mean,” Drift asked, still not sure what Rarity was talking about.

“Something...happened...about a month ago. It was the last time Tracks was in town,” Rarity said as she looked down at the floor. Tracks had designated himself essentially a reserve member of the unit. His first priority was to help Optimus with his efforts to act on the goodwill missions to help the Autobot’s relationship with humans on Earth. When he was in town he often hung out with Rarity. The two of them got along because they often talked of fashion and looking good together.

“What happened exactly?”

“I don't want to talk about it really. Let's just say he was there for me when I needed him and leave it there,” Rarity sighed as she took another drink of her water. “Now I don't know how I feel towards him. I keep texting him every day and he replies back. But I haven’t told him my feelings. Maybe because I might be denying how I feel.”

“Wow,” Drift whispered. He didn't want to dig into the conversation any further as he didn't want to upset Rarity but it seems like the two had fallen for one another. “So what do I do about Sunset?”

“I've known Sunset for a long time,” Rarity replied, trying to be encouraging. “Ever since she realized the error of your ways and tried to stay on the up-and-up she hasn't made any mention of connecting with anyone on a intimate level. I think she still feels bad about using Flash to become more popular.”

“She mentioned him a bit,” Drift admitted. Flash had come up in conversation when Sunset and Drift had decided to share a bit about his time with Wing, the noble Transformer from Crystal City who helped him to realize the error of his ways. It was a conversation focusing on how both felt bad about treating a good person wrong. “So…what should I do?

“Be honest with her,” Rarity smiled, finally shrugging off her own doubt. "If she rejects you then at least you tried. After all if things don't work out you have an entire universe you can escape into to forget about her. I think you need to sit down and talk with her. Tell her how you feel. Woman hate it when men aren't truthful with them.”

“I suppose,” Drift said, his doubts slowly breaking down.” But what about the fact I'm from Cybertron and she's a human. Do you think she'll be able to overlook it?

“Darling she's a magical pony from another dimension,” Rarity chuckled. “What I've seen her do with magic is astonishing. I’m sure if necessary she’ll find the magic necessary to make the two of you work.”

“That's comforting I guess,” Drift grinned. “What about you and Tracks? What are you two going to do?”

Taking another long sip of her water, Rarity replied, “I don't know right now.”

“Well personally,” Drift said with a chuckle. “You should be honest with him. Right?”

“Touche! Now go out there and tell her how you feel. If you don't," Rarity glared at him as she stood up and grabbed a pair of scissors and menacingly opened and closed them several times. "The next time you give me a ride your interior will get shredded."

"Alright, alright," Drift replied throwing his hands up in protest. "I'll go. Where is she?"

"She went with Fluttershy and Beachcomber to the woods north of town to help release a bunny those two nursed back to health."

"I'll head there now," Drift said as he started to dissolve his Avatar. "Thanks for everything Rarity."

"Anytime darling," Rarity smiled as the light construct faded away until she was once again alone in the classroom. Reaching into her bag she pulled out a puke green plush monkey. Her smile faded as she looked at the ugly stuffed toy and hugged it close to his chest. "Tracks...if I ran after you would you stay this time?"

***

“This spot looks perfect," Fluttershy announced as she shifted Beachcomber into park. The two girls got out of the giant robot, got the cage containing the bunny out of the back, and allowed Beachcomber the opportunity to transform into his robot form. "Are you ready to go back home Mr. Cottontail?"

The brown bunny didn't say anything and instead simply twitched its nose and shook with fear.

"He still doesn't like me does he?" Beachcomber asked as he noticed how much the creature was trembling. The blue robot started to walk away from the two girls and the rabbit. "Guess I'll make myself scarce for a bit. Maybe take some time to check the local foliage."

"We'll join you in a second," Fluttershy called to her partner as he journeyed into the woods. An unmistakable huge smile was on her face as she watched the Cybertronian disappear. One which didn't go unnoticed by her friend.

"You two really get along well," Sunset commented as she and Fluttershy looked for a good place to release the rabbit.

"Yes," Fluttershy admitted. "He has a great passion for learning more about our ecosystem. He also really listens to me when I talk about animals.”

“That’s nice,” Sunset smiled. She wanted to ask a more direct question but worried how Fluttershy would react to it. “Do you guys...I mean...What I mean is, are you guys more than partners?

Fluttershy blushed. Her entire face and ears became as red as a traffic signal before she muttered an answer. “We...I mean…”

“I'm sorry,” Sunset replied in almost a panic. She worried Fluttershy was going to pass out from embarrassment. “I just. I’m curious is all. I...I question what kinds of feels we are supposed to have for our partners. What’s appropriate? You know?”

A long awkward pause held in the air for a few seconds as the normal color returned to Fluttershy’s face. She picked up the bunny’s cage, looked at Sunset, and gave a very content smile. “I don't want him to have to leave. Ever. I like him being around too much.”

Sunset smiled. Whatever type of relationship Fluttershy and Beachcomber had, the truth was obvious. The pair were inseparable and shared a deep bond of trust. She knew she and Drift possessed the same thing. Only now she needed to know if what she was feeling wasn’t something more than just a friendship. If it wasn’t stronger.

Continuing on their mission, the pair found a nice calm meadow of flowers. It was closer to where Fluttershy had said she found the bunny a month ago. After a long goodbye from the pink haired girl, where she told the creature to behavior and not pick fights with bigger animals anymore, she opened the door and the animal hopped away back into the tall grass.

“Well, we had better go find where Beachcomber went,” Fluttershy said as she picked up the cage and started walking towards the woods they had seen him wonder into minutes before. “Beachcomber! Where are you?

The girls slowly made their way deeper and deeper into the forest to try and find the wayward Cybertronian geologist. They soon found him crouched behind a rock, looking over it. Fluttershy put a finger to her lips to let Sunset know to be quiet. She knew this probably meant her partner was looking at some animal and was doing his best not to scare it off.

The two quietly crept next to Beachcomber. Gently tapping him and getting his attention. He looked down, held out his large hand, and the pair stepped into it. He raised them up to so they would be able to see over the rock. The pair were shocked by what they saw. In a clearing not more than a few feet from where they were hiding was a large spinning ring of energy. It looked looked incredibly familiar to all of them.

“Is that a Ground Bridge?” Sunset asked.

“I don't believe so. I think it's something else. From the readings I'm getting it could be a Space Bridge,” Beachcomber replied as he looked at his scanner. “How a Space Bridge could have open here in the middle of nowhere is beyond me. It could be some kind random event. I should probably call Ratchet and have him…”

“Look,” Fluttershy gasp, interrupting Beachcomber. “Something is coming out of it.”

The trio remain quiet as they looked at the portal in front of them. Sure enough a figure was starting to emerge from the portal. A large black head with horns and a long neck exposed itself before four sharp claws walked the rest of the massive body out of the portal and onto the the dirt floor of the forest. Seconds later the portal slowly shrunk behind him until it was gone.

“What is it?” Fluttershy whimpered as she did her best to keep from shaking in fear.

“It looks like a dragon.” Sunset said as she gazed at the beast in front of her. It indeed looks like something she remembered from back on Equestria. Black dragon with spots on its body of red and gold. Its eyes were a distinct menacing color of purple. It doesn't look friendly at all.

“He's not,” Beachcomber replied through gritted teeth as he looked at the creature and pulled out his weapon. “He's Scourge. He's notorious for being a scavenger who was sent into mop up different campaigns and worlds during the war. Some called him the lost Phase Sixer.”

“By Celestia,” Sunset whispered as she stared out at the beast in front of her. She had read enough of the files Ratchet had given her to know the Phase Sixers were those Megatron had sent in to completely decimate any remaining forces a planet may have in the last part of the invasion process. “What are we gonna do?”

Before Beachcomber could reply, Scourge started to move. He sniffed at the air, turned towards where the trio was hiding, and let out a malicious roar which caused the area to tremble. Unable to retain their balance, Sunset and Fluttershy fell to ground, Fluttershy was able pull herself up after landing harshly on rear. She turned to Sunset and found her friend’s fall wasn’t as easy and found her unconscious on her side.

“Run!” Beachcomber shouted as he jumped to his feet and fired off several shots at the large black metal dragon. Unfortunately, the blasts only bounced off his hide and only caused Scourge to become enraged. Charging at the Autobot, he tackled him to the ground, and held him down all four of his claws. The dragon roared into the air before craning his neck down, biting into Beachcomber’s shoulder, and tearing off his arm with one swift motion.

“No!” Fluttershy cried in terror at a volume she wasn't even aware was capable obtaining. After she had been able to take Sunset’s jacket off and use it to proper up her friend’s head, she had turned back in time to see her partner’s arm become unattached from his body. She jumped to her feet and ran towards her partner’s head.

The large black dragon looked down at his opponent. Beachcomber was doing his best not to go into stasis lock but the overwhelming surge of pain was making this difficult. The dragon threw appendage away like it was trash and began to scan the area. It sniffed at the air again like it did after exiting the portal and looked at where Sunset Shimmer was laying, still out cold.

“Energy,” the large black dragon hissed before stepping back and transforming into his robot mode. “You are full of energy.”

Walking towards her in two of his monstrous steps, the Decepticon looked down at the small creature which he could sense great energy emanating from. Scooping her up, with his long thumb and index finger, Scourge looked at her carefully. Her small form was a curiosity to him.

Realizing this was the only thing of worth in the area, Scourge began to walk away from the wounded Autobot and his human partner. Fluttershy could only watch in disbelief as the Decepticon monster walked off with one of her best friends like he was a trophy form a hunt. She turned back towards Beachcomber, hoping he would be able to get to his feet and defeat Scourge with a well placed blast. Unfortunately, the pain was too overwhelming and he had slipped into stasis lock to be able to preserve his spark from dying out as the forest floor became covered with the different life sustaining fluids which were leaking out of his gaping wound.

Fluttershy reached into her pocket to try and retrieve her cellphone to call for help only to find it broken. She needed to find a way to get help but she dared not leave Beachcomber’s side. She would be too afraid of him disappearing someway or his life going out completely if she left. Panic was getting the better of her. She didn’t know what to do. She began to scream as loud as she could for help, hoping someone would hear her.

After fifteen minutes, she heard the sound of a car approaching. Though it hadn’t been so longer, for Fluttershy it felt like an eternity. She pulled herself away from her fallen comrade and ran toward the sound of the engine. Running to the edge of the forest, she waved her arms desperately at the car pulling up.

“Help me!” Fluttershy screamed, her voice now raspy and tired from calling for help. “I need a phone, my friend…”

Fluttershy stopped as she watched the car changed into Drift. The swordsman bent down on one knee and saw the young girl was clearly upset. “Fluttershy what’s wrong? What happened?”

“Beachcomber!” Fluttershy cried, running towards Drift, who scooped her up in his hand and held her close to his face. She pointed desperately into the woods. “Sunset! Something came and and took her...his name was Scourge! Beachcomber got hurt trying to save us!”

“Scourge, no,” Drift gasped as the legends of the lost Phase Sixer danced in his mind. The ruthless creature had Sunset. He wanted to go after him immediately and make him pay for taking Sunset, but by the sound of it he couldn’t leave Beachcomber in the condition he was in. “Point the way. I have to get Beach to Ratchet ASAP.”

Fluttershy guided Drift through the forest until they came upon the unmoving form of Beachcomber. Seeing the terrible condition his friend was in, Drift immediately opened a communication channel to the base. “Drift to Ratchet! Code X! Open a Ground Bridge at my location, Beachcomber requires immediate medical attention.”

Within seconds, a Ground Bridge had opened close by and Ratchet stepped through, pushing a long metal hover dolly. Together, the two of them lifted Beachcomber onto the dolly and made their way back through the portal which teleported them safely back to base.

To be continued…

Author's Note

A/N: I should probably take this time to tell you what I was thinking while writing this piece. I was trying my best to keep it in the line with the current run of IDW comics but found that to be a bit tricky. I knew I wanted to tell my story about Drift and Sunset but at the same time I knew I needed to have a bit more of a supporting cast. I tried my best to pick some of the characters who weren't being used in the storyline such as Windcharger and Beachcomber but unfortunately this comics reintroduced Tracks, Ratchet, and Drift back into the story despite them being gone for a bit. Still, I like the characters I chose and I think I was able to have them compliments the girls I paired them with very well.

Some terms to know:
Conjunx Ritus is the ceremony which bonds two Transformers as significant others. It has four acts:
1. Act of Intimacy (not all the way to sexy, just lovingly embracing)
2. Act of Confession (where you tell something deep and personal to your partner)
3. Act of gifts (you give them something meaningful)
4. Act of Devotion (where you find a way prove just how much you love means to the other person)

If you curious about if I'll follow up with the whole Rarity and Tracks side plot, look for my other story, Radiant Tracks.

Ch. 3: The Knight vs. The Dragon

A/N: Welcome to the last part of this trilogy. I thank you for taking the time to read this series so far. The Tyrest Accord is mentioned in this chapter is an old law from Cybertron forbidding other culture from possessing Cybertron technology. Just an FYI.

***

"Hold his arm higher," Ratchet barked at Windcharger. After bringing Beachcomber in he set to work repairing him. Windcharger had been called in to his magnets to help with the surgery. Drift had been tasked with monitoring vitals. The trio had been in surgery for close to an hour.

"I'm trying," Windcharger replied. "Usually when I move things they stay in motion. Holding something in place is tricky."

"Internal Energon pressure dropped another degree," Drift called out as the instruments showed a distinct change in Beachcomber’s condition. "It just won't stabilize."

"By the pit!" Ratchet cursed. He looked up from his attempts to cauterize the wounds on Beachcomber’s sides and went to Drift’s monitor to confirm. "This is bad. He'll need a transfusion."

“A transfusion,” Windcharger grunted as he continued to stabilize his comrade's arm. “What are the odds any of us have the same type of internal energon?”

“Given I've memorized every single one of your medical specifications: Good,” Ratchet replied as he finished closing up one the major leaks. “You and him have the same type of internal energon. You'll have to give a transfusion.”

“I have to give him my internal energon," Windcharger chuckled dryly. "Can't he at least buy me dinner first?"

“Hilarious,” Ratchet said, obviously not finding the joke humorous at all. "You'll need to go down some energon rations first.”

“So I can let his arm down?” Windcharger asked, not wanting to make a move which would result in damaging Beachcomber.

“Two more microcycles,” Ratchet replied, not looking up from his work.

“Will you be needing my assistance anymore?” Drift asked as he stood from the monitor station.

“No,” Ratchet grunted. “That doesn't mean you should go out and get yourself killed.”

“I have to find her,” Drift protested. He had been able to keep himself composed while helping with the operation. Yet all the sitting had only made his anxiety rise. “You were right you know, when you called me out on Theophany (See Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye Annual 2012). My entire life I've been looking for absolution. Trying to find a way to make up for all the wrongs in my past. But, being with Sunset. Someone who has a similar past and had to shoulder the same amount type of sins. Makes me want to try for something else and with her. I need to bring her back no matter what.”

“I didn't say don't look for her,” Ratchet replied sharply. “I'm saying don't try to fight Scourge head on. Find Sunset and get out of there. We'll have to coordinate a proper attack against him later. If I find you on this slab later because you didn't listen to me, I will let you expire for not following my orders.”

“I understand,” Drift acknowledged, a feeling of gratitude in his voice. “And thanks.”

Once Ratchet had finished his work, Windcharger and Drift walked out of the lab. The two made their way to the meeting room near the front entrance. It had become a gathering area for not only the Autobots but their human allies as well. The girls had decorated the area with a few bits of furniture and posters to make it look more friendly. It also housed a few Cybertronian sized chairs for the Autobot to sit.

"How is he?" Applejack asked as she saw the pair come into the meeting space. It had been over an hour since they had brought Beachcomber back. The girls had never seen a Cybertronian so badly damaged before and both Applejack and Rainbow Dash had to physically hold back Fluttershy who kept trying to rush in to be by his side.

“He got his arm ripped off,” Windcharger snapped. “How do you think he is?”

Hearing this Fluttershy burst into tears. Rarity pulled her close and tried to console her.

“Smooth,” Rainbow commented with a distinct annoyed tone in her voice.

“Sorry,” Windcharger grimaced with regret for not having more tact. “I'm just a little annoyed. I just held up his arm for a megacycle and now I have give him a transfusion. Not to mention we have a Decepticon warrior on the loose.”

“One problem at a time,” Applejack chimed in, trying her best to keep the room calm. “First things first, how is Beachcomber? And don't be snide.”

“He'll be fine,” Drift replied, trying to not to let on how worried he was about Sunset.”What about you girls did you have any luck?”

“Not really,” Twilight Sparkle piped up as she kept tapping away at her laptop. The device had been upgraded with Cybertronian technology despite the Tyrest Accord. It allowed them to communicate with not only the government contacts but also Autobot City and Cybertron. “Everyone is busy. Optimus is off world at a conference. The rest of the Autobots are on mission or unreachable. We even called Cybertron.”

“Who picked up?” Windcharger asked.

“Starscream,” Applejack sighed.

Drift winced at the answer. The Decepticon turned ruler of Cybertron was adamant about finding the concept of humans and Transformers working together to be an atrocity. “What did he say?”

Rainbow Dash shrugged. “He said Scourge had died a long time ago, called us “filthy organics,” and hung up.”

“Then I have no choice,” Drift announced. “I’ll have to go alone.”

“What do you mean alone? What about you?” Rainbow questioned Windcharger, shooting him an angry glance. “Aren’t you going with him?”

“No can do,” Windcharger shook his head. “I’m gonna need to donate some of my inner energon if Ratchet has any hope to stabilize his spark core.”

“What?’ Rainbow gasped. She didn’t understand most of what Wincharger had just said but she knew a Cybertronian’s inner energon was sacred and not something anyone would give away. “That sounds serious.”

“It is,” Windcharger agreed. “I have to go under for a bit and give Beachcomber some of my fluids to keep him alive. It leaves me out of helping Drift find Sunset.”

“I didn’t know Beachcomber was your type,” Rainbow chuckled, trying to not show her concern.

“Funny,” Windcharger replied before extended his fist and bringing it close to where Rainbow was standing. “Give me a bump. For luck.”

Rainbow Dash smiled up at her partner before fist bumping the giant robot’s fist. "You die and I'll kill you.”

“Noted,” Windcharger nodded. He turned his attention towards Drift, who had opened the closest weapon closet and was grabbing supplies. Seeing Drift arm himself, Windcharger walked to the closet, grabbed the largest weapon there, and tried to hand it to Drift. “Take the gun.”

“I don't want the gun,” Drift replied.

“Take the gun.”

“I don't want the gun.”

“Take the gun you're going to need it,” Wincharger insisted.

“I don't use guns anymore,” Drift stated firmly. Since he had adopted the Autobot badge he had promised himself he would never use a gun again as it reflected too much of his previous life as a Decepticon. “Besides from what Fluttershy said, guns don’t seem to work on Scourge very well.”

“Fine,” Windcharger spat as he placed the gun back on the shelf and turning back towards Ratchet’s lab. “Go fight to the death against Megatron’s lost phase sixer for all I care. Don’t blame me if you end up dead. Can two of you go with him and make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid?”

“Okie Dokie Loki,” Pinkie Pie chimed in as she grabbed Applejack by the arm and pulled her towards where Drift was standing. Applejack wouldn’t have need to be dragged along but still she wasn’t quick enough to react to Pinkie Pie’s action. “We are ready to go.”

“Alright,” Drift announced as he made sure he had enough explosive kunais and shurikens. “Let's go.”

“Where are we going to start our search,” Applejack asked.

“Send me back to where the ground bridge was opened last time. We’ll start there,” Drift told Twilight before transformed into his alt mode and opening both of his doors for the two young girls to get in. Following directions, Twilight used her computer to open a glowing green portal at the far end of the room. Drift shifted into drive, accelerated, and drove through the ground bridge. The trio was back in the woods before they knew it.

“Where do we start looking?” Applejack inquired as she started to scan the forest.

“We’ll follow the tracks and work from there,” Drift explained as he made his way through the forest in an effort to find his lost partner.

***

As Sunset slowly awoke she realized two things. One, her head was still sore, obviously from the fall which had knocked her out. Two, the large black form of Scourge was clearly visible in the limited light and sitting on the other side of the room. The sight of the Decepticon warrior caused her to recoil in fear until she realized his eyes were closed. She knew she was momentarily out of immediate danger so she got to her feet and surveyed her situation.

She was in a cave. From where she was she couldn’t tell which way would led her out. She reached into her pocket to see if her phone could help, only to discover it had broken in the fall. She had left her bag with her magical journal in Beachcomber’s storage compartment. With limited options, Sunset realized she wouldn’t be able to escape anytime soon, she decided to hide and get more information about her kidnapper.

Hiding behind a rock, Sunset found she had a pen and pad in her her jacket. She pulled it out and started taking notes on Scourge. The Decepticon destroyer sat with his legs crossed, with a long club like weapon clutched in his hand. It appeared as if he was deep meditation yet seemed to be muttering to himself. Despite being several feet away, his words resonated through the empty cave in a very clear echo.

“I have a creature of light. What is she?" Scourge grumbled without opening his optics. "Why is she so important? Why did you send me to this dirt filled pit?”

Sunset made several notes. Creature of Light. Me? Scourge was Sent by Someone. It was a mystery but it appeared as if the Decepticon was under someone’s orders. She would need the help of the computer with the Cybertron files. To be able to access them she would have to stay alive if she had to properly following up on the leads.

“What is she?” Scourge continued his conversation with his unknown advisor. “She smells of power!”

A chill ran down Sunset’s spine as she thought of how Scourge could smell her. She made another note, He can detect my magic. They had never known any other Cybertronian who had been able to detect her or her friends powers. This is probably why he was sent.

“What should I do with her?” Scourge inquired to the voice only he could hear. “Can I eat her? Really?”

A feeling of panic ran through Sunset as Scourge mentioned eating her. She decided it was best not to stick around for an answer to the question. She began to scan the area for any exit which was tiny and make it hard for the large Decepticon to follow.

“Insect,” Scourge called, as he got to his feet. The conversation with the mysterious being was over and he wanted to know where Sunset was. “You reek of energy. Why? I’d like to know the answer before I crush you.”

Sunset felt as if her heart was going to burst out of her chest. She briefly considered using her powers to temporary overload his circuits. The technique had been effective previously while fighting some Decepticons on a previous mission. Unfortunately, her powers were tactile in nature. She had succeeded only because Drift and the other Autobots were able to distract their opponents long enough for her to get close. There was no way she would be able to sneak up on a being which was able to locate her by smell. She would have to improvise.

“I can show you,” Sunset replied as she summoned her courage. She stepped out from behind the rock she had used for cover and waved to get Scourge's attention. “But my power requires I touch someone for them to experience it.”

“Being touched by an insect?” Scourge spat at the vile idea. “Fine. As long as I get the answer to why I was sent to this backwater planet.”

Sunset slowly made her way over to where Scourge stood. She attempted not to look at him but could feel his cold stare as she walked. Once she was in positioned, she took a deep breath, and placed both of her hands on the Decepticon warrior. Instead of the usual sensation of being surrounded by a white light, Sunset found herself falling into cold darkness. As she struggled to gain footing she found the darkness had a life of its own and was wrapping around her, constraining her movement. As Sunset tried to break free she watched as two giant blood red eyes stared at her through the darkness and stared into her soul. Unable to deal with this mysterious surge of power, Sunset was thrown to the ground, severing the connection between her and Scourge.

As Sunset tried to get to her feet, she was overwhelmed by the sensation of fear she had just experienced from looking into Scourge’s soul. “What...what was that?”

“I felt nothing,” Scourge grunted as he looked down at Sunset as she lay on the cavern floor. It was apparent the warrior had very little patience for something he didn’t understand. “No matter. If I can't find our what you are, I will just consume you!”

Sunset looked up and watched as Scourge raised his club, ready to use it to crush her beneath it. She tried to get to her feet but found her body was still exhausted from the rush of power she had connected with.

Just as the club was about to fall and crush Sunset, Drift stepped in front and blocked the bulking weapon between his twin sabers. The impact caused him to sink into the floor. Every balance system in his body seem to erupt in pain just trying to keep him on his feet. He didn’t care though as he had managed to save Sunset.

"What?" Scourge bellowed as he looked at the new arrival. "Who dares?"

"Me?" Drift replied, doing his best to mask the pain in his voice. His mind was focused on only two thoughts. Fight as hard as he could and make sure not to crush the girls. Every other petty idea was unnecessary for the battle at hand. "I'm her partner."

With all his strength, Drift pushed the club away and threw Scourge off balance. Jumping into the air, Drift spun for momentum before delivering a roundhouse kick to Scourge's face. Landing on his feet, he slashed across his opponent's chest over and over again before planting a high kick into his chest. Scourge stumbled back, surprised by the Drift’s attacks.

“Sunset!” Applejack yelled as she ran over to her friend. She and Pinkie Pie helped her to her feet and checked to make sure she was safe. “Are you okay sugarcube? It took us a while to find you but looks like we arrived just in time.”

“Applejack...Pinkie…,” Sunset murmured as she tried to take in the situation. Her head throbbed but she tried to work through it. “Drift...is he?”

“Kicking butt and taking names!” Pinkie Pie cheered as she watched Drift continue his assault on Scourge. The Autobot warrior kept attacking with a lightning quick strategy. He knew he couldn’t defeat his opponent but he hoped if he fought hard enough he would be able to create enough of opening to grab the girls and escape. He succeeded in landing another double slash of his sword across Scourge’s chest, before delivering a swift kick to his chest. Just as he was about to connect with another double slash, Scourge blocked with his club and pushed Drift away. He now stood between Scourge and the trio of girls.

“Impressive,” Scourge chuckled as he brushed at the scratches on the surface of his exterior which Drift had caused. The strength Drift had put behind his strikes was enough to efficerate a sharkticon but against Scourge it was barely affected him. “Unfortunately, it will not be enough to stop me.”

“Girls! Run!” Drift yelled as he pulled three shurikens from his back and threw them at the Scourge. The projectiles hit the Decepticon in the face who didn’t move, hoping to show how invincible he was. Unaware the weapons were softly beeping. A second later, the shurikens exploded and caused Scourge to stumble back in pain and drop his club. Drift seized the opportunity and went back on the offensive. Using his twin swords, he slashed again and again, desperately trying to get Scourge onto his back. He needed to make absolutely sure he was getting enough of window to escape before breaking off his attack, transforming, and speeding away with the girls in tow.

"Enough," Scourge roared before back handing Drift and knocking him to the ground. As the smoke cleared around his head, the girls were able to see much more pronounced visual damage on the Decepticon’s face, and a stream of energon running down his mouth. “You will not get the best of me!”

“Get up Drift!” Applejack shouted as she ran to Drift’s face, leaving the groggy Sunset with Pinkie Pie. “This bronco is more than you can handle. We have to get out of here!”

“I told you girls to run,” Drift groaned as he tried to get to his feet. As he tried to find where his swords had gone, he noticed Scourge had recovered his club and slowly walking towards him. It was more than apparent the Decepticon was toying with his prey and still didn’t view Drift as a major threat. “I’ll give you the opportunity to escape!”

“We aren’t leaving without you,” Sunset replied as Pinkie helped her to get closer to Drift. “You are too important to us.”

“There is no easy way out of this,” Drift commented as he unsheathed his remaining sword. This was a Great Sword, a Cybertronian weapon which was powered by the user’s own spark energy. Drift made it a point only to use it as a last option when it came to combat. “I’m going to to have to go all out on this one.”

“It’s too dangerous,” Sunset insisted, remembering the side of effects of Drift using the Great Sword. She stopped relying on Pinkie for support and looked up at Drift with determination. “What if I gave you my power too? I could help to give you the power you need to beat him.”

Drift offered his low open hand, allowing Sunset to climb onto it. The Cybertronian looked down at the teen girl and whispered softly. “You may not survive.”

“I’ll gladly give it a shot if you are with me,” Sunset smiled up at him. It was a look of joy which would made his spark surge in joy.

Drift placed Sunset onto his shoulder and prepared to strike. Sunset closed her eyes and activated her empathic power. As the two were connected, Sunset began to channel her magic towards Drift’s spark, which was then syphoned off by the Great Sword. Unlike previous experiences of using the weapon, the blade did not pulse with a blue light. Instead the energy surrounding it was much brighter and a deep shade of red, much like Sunset’s hair.

“What is this?” Scourge commented as he looked at the weapon. He had faced opponents who wielded Great Sword before and defeat them. Yet he had never seen one summon forth such powerful energy. No longer deciding to toy with his prey, Scourge lifted his club high and charged at the duo. “Burn in the pit!”

“You first,” Drift commented before slicing the air with his sword. The action sent out a wave of the red energy from their combined power which connected with Scourge’s club, shattered it, and slammed into the Decepticon’s chest. The force propelled Scourge off his feet and into the wall on the opposite side of the cave creating a large indentation on impact.

“What in tarnation?” Applejack commented as she watched as Scourge fell face first onto the floor. Though she didn’t have as much experience with magic as Sunset, she still had seen enough not to be totally shocked. Unfortunately, this was beyond anything she could have prepared herself for. “You two are incredible.”

“Thanks,” Drift replied as he fell to his knees, exhausted from the attack. He turned his head to look at Sunset on his shoulder. “Are you okay partner?”

Sunset was panting and sweating like she had just finished running a marathon. After a few deep breaths she looked a drift and smile. “I’ll be okay.”

Just as seemed like they all could breath a sigh of relief, Scourge started to move. The Decepticon got to his knees and looked as if he was about to try to stand when he froze. “Raze...is...coming.” With these last words, Scourge fell to the ground and entered stasis lock.

“Is he?” Pinkie asked softly, her jovial mood momentarily gone as she looked at the unmoving Scourge.

Drift pulled himself up, walked to where Scourge lay, and began to check him. “He’s in stasis. He won’t bother us the rest of the day.”

“So what now? Can we get some cake? Maybe even celebrate kicking some dragon breathed bad guy?” Pinkie rambled as she looked at the downed Decepticon. “That's a good idea for a band name. “Dragon Breathed Bad Guy?” What do you think?”

“Anyways...what do you think he meant by Raze coming. "Applejack inquired as ignored Pinkie and watched Drift pull out a pair of stasis cuffs. He secured them to Scourge to make sure the warrior wasn’t going anymore. “Who is Raze?”

“Never heard of him before,” Drift replied once he knew Scourge wasn’t going anywhere. “It’s something we’ll have to check with Ratchet when we get back. Speaking of which could you two make your way back to the entrance and see if you can get a hold of him? My comm doesn’t seem to work in this cave.”

“Sure thing,” Applejack chuckled as she realized there was another reason why Drift wanted to be alone with Sunset. “Come on Pinkie. We need to give these two some time.”

“Give them time?” Pinkie commented as she followed Applejack out of the cave. “Time is an indefinite continued process of existence where events of the past, present, and future are regarded as a whole. You can’t just GIVE someone time.”

As the two girls walked outside, Drift looked at his partner and gave a soft smile. “This is it,” he thought. “Now or never.”

“Something on your mind?” Sunset asked as she realized her partner seemed to be staring at her for a long time.”

“I've been doing some thinking,” Drift admitted. “I don't think things can go on the way they have been.”

Sunset paused, scared of where this comment was going. “What are you talking about?”

“I think things need to change and I have to tell you something that's been on my mind for a while,” Drift continued, feeling his courage being sucked away as he kept talking. “ If I don't then I don't know how I'll ever be able to tell you the truth.”

“What are you talking about,” Sunset asked as she felt her heart start to beat harder in her chest. By the way he was talking she wondered if Drift was considering leaving the team and making his time on the Lost Light a more permanent deal. “Drift...I know I'm not good with connecting with people sometimes. If I've made you feel like you weren't important anymore I'm sorry. I should have told you so many times before how much you meant to me and how glad I am you are in my life. I just..."

“Sunset...I love you,” Drift admitted with a firm committed tone.

“What?” Sunset was stunned.

“I know, I know, I’m stupid,” Drift rambled. “I mean you're a girl, well a pony from another world. I’m a robot alien, this is never going to work...but I just wanted you to know…”

Drift’s babbling speech was stopped as he felt Sunset lean over and plant a kiss on his large cheek. She stayed there for a while before finally pulled back. Sunset looked up at Drift with a smile and said, “I love you too.”

A smile formed on the Autobot warrior’s face as he looked down at his young partner.

***

It was hours later as Drift rested in his alt-mode when he got a call from Ratchet. He was sitting at the edge of the mountain which housed the cave he had fought Scourge early. Opening his communication channels, Drift answered, “Hey Doc. How’s the prisoner?”

“Still in stasis,” Ratchet replied in a joyful tone which made it glad Drift was okay. “You really did a number on him. You took off too fast after I showed up to take him in. How are your injuries.”

“I’m fine,” Drift insisted with a chuckle. “You have enough patients to deal with. How’s Cliffjumper and Beachcomber?”

“Cliff is resting after the transfusion,” Ratchet commented, his usual annoyed tone of voice returning. “He asked about you, making sure you were alive but told me not to tell you about it.”

“Tell him I’m glad he made it to,” Drift smiled. “What about Beach? Did he survive?”

“Who are you talking to,” Ratchet snapped, a bit insulted Drift would doubt his skills as a surgeon. “He’ll make it. He came out of his stasis lock long enough to ask Fluttershy if she would give him a wash in a bikini.”

“Did she agree?” Drift inquired, curious how the young girl would react.

Ratchet shrugged on his end. “Hard to make out from her mumbling and blushing what she said.”

“I figured as much,” Drift laughed before deciding to turn his attention more serious matters. “Ratchet, about the data you found. I think there is something to it. The girls are more powerful than we know.”

“I’ll see what I can do about making sure no one else finds out,” Ratchet assured him. “It may not be easy though.”

“If anyone can do it you can. Drift out,” The Autobot Warrior commented before cutting off his communication channels. He took a moment to appreciate where he was and the beauty in front of him. “How much longer do you want to stay,”

“Until the sun goes down,” Sunset replied as she snuggled closer Drift’s avatar. The pair lay on the hood of Drift’s alt-mode, having decided to start their relationship by watching the sun slowly sink behind the horizon. For now, it was the start of beautiful relationship.

The End

Author's Note

Well this should just about wrap up my return to Fanfiction. Unfortunately, this will be the last one I post for an extended period of time. Frankly, it was fun but I have MANY other projects which require my time and attention. I would love to keep writing more, in fact I planned on expanded more on Sunset and Drift’s relationship but sadly I have other things which I must handle instead. If anyone has any interest in continuing the series let me know and we can bounce some ideas off one another. Anyways, for now I’ll leave the pair here with a bright future ahead of them. Peace and Love, People...Til all are one.