She ran as fast as her legs would take her. Weaving back and forth from the shots sent by Kup. He doesn't need to run to keep up with her. His large steps make up for the distance between them. Running wasn't hard for her, she has the endurance for it. Though she isn't as fast as she used to be. Not being able to train or work out has done a number on her body. Then when she was captured by Megatron, she has yet to recover enough. But running from shots, is more of adrenaline than from actually wanting to run. Kup is getting closer. Each shot getting a little closer than the last. The twins were not wrong about him. He knows how to shoot. Now he is just toying with her as she weaves. She is not going to give in to him. So, she pushed herself to go faster.

"I don't know why your running. You're only making it easier for me." A throaty chuckle escaped from his vocal cords. She makes no attempt to look behind her. It doesn't matter, she knows he's there. His footsteps shake the ground as he goes after her. Dust flies around her as she runs on the gravel road. There is nothing for miles, just trees and fields. She grits her teeth together, her hands clench into tighter fists as she pushed herself even harder. Through the blasts going off around her, she noticed something in the distance. As it got closer, the more of them she saw. "Please be real." She whispered as she ran. They started to form shapes, cars, fancy cars, Autobots. She noticed one leading the pack. "He's back!" She let tears of joy leave her eyes and fly off her face. Before she can continue to celebrate, she tumbles to the ground. Kup finally get a shot in, just before the Autobots get to her.

*-----------------------*

A light shines through the fog, shining down on her. She lets out a low groan, rubbing her head. On her hand and knees, she looks around her. The fog distorting the area round her.

"Nichole" A disembodied voice calls out from above. She looks around, trying to find whoever said her name. "What the fuck? Where am I?" Her voice low, speaking to herself. "You are in between worlds." The same voice calls out again. Nichole's head whips around, trying to find it, but still sees nothing. "What do you want with me?" Nichole shouts through the fog. "You want answers, I can give you them." Everything seemed to go silent. The fog began to recede and a large cybertronian stood in front of her, light shining off his armor. "Who are you?" "That does not matter. We are not here for me. We are here for you." Nichole gave a huff at the mechs answer, she stood, brushing dust off her pants, then crosses her arms, looks up at the mech, eyebrows waiting for him to continue.

"You're an ancient wonder. There used to be millions of your kind. Before the great war, Cybertron used your kind to keep enemy's in line. Many different planets and species used your kind. To fight their battles. Your kind was born for war. To kill and destroy. You listened to orders without question and are very loyal. Once you find your place, nothing can stop you. You will fight for what's right in your eyes. Kill without mercy. Your skills are beyond your years. When one of you dies, their skills are transferred to new born child. Now that child has skills of the past generations and will learn its own along the way. At least that is how it used to be. Any born now are lucky to get that kind of knowledge. As your ancestors began to die out, it became harder and harder for transfers to be completed. Your kind was created in war, when war becomes a distant memory, there is no need for you anymore. Slowly less and less were around. Now every once in a millennium one is born. Very rare to say the least."

"But there is war now?"

"Yes, but that doesn't mean your kind can just spring back to life. You're an endangered species. How can you make another one of you if there isn't a male to copulate with?"

"I'm a female. If I get pregnant isn't there a good chance my child would turn out to be like me?"

"You get pregnant, you die. That is how most skills are transferred. From mothers dying during child birth. The fathers would carry on raising the child. Other ways are from dying of old age and a baby is born from the ashes."

"Like a phoenix?"

"What is a phoenix?"

"It's a mythical bird. It regenerates itself by going up in flames and rising as a baby from the ashes."

"You're not a bird! So how could that happen?"

"That's what a phoenix does to reproduce. Idiot!"

"Oh well then yes, but your kind can reproduce in many different ways."

"So, if we can reproduce in different ways, how did we die out?"

"Because it's not always certain that a baby will be born from ashes when the time of war is over. From pregnancy the baby's may not always survive."

"How did I make it? How did I get here?"

"That is an answer I do not know. Like I said there are different way's your kind can reproduce. I do not know them all. I am going to assume your predecessor died and you raised from the ashes. You are one of the few lucky ones to rise and survive."

"But I had parents. No one told me I was adopted. I didn't think there was anything different about me. I was the same as any child. Except for the fact that my parents tortured me and any others."

"That is because they are not your real parents. You don't have real parents. Many of your kind were without parents or families. Because of your instinct to fight, you all stayed away from each other. Only coming together to reproduce. Until it came a fight to survive, then a child was lucky if born with parents. Even if it meant only being raised by the father. Your 'parents' found you and took you in. At first with good intentions, until they found out who you were."

"How did they find out?"

"Upon realizing how much you were to handle and your urge to destroy anything in your path. They attempted to get help. Though help isn't what they got."

"What did they get?"

"They same thing that happened to Kup and the others."

"Others?"

"Kup isn't the only one to have his mind changed."

"So, there are others who were once good and got turned bad?"

"Yes, they got their minds changed."

"How?"

"The machine is called an Opposium Cylinder. When shot at someone, it makes the person think opposite of what they believe in. Turns them into something they told themselves they would never become."

"Can it be reversed? Maybe if we get it back and someone shoots it at Kup, he will go back to normal."

"It can be reversed, but only you can wield it to reverse what has been done."

"Why only me? if someone can cause the damage with it in the first place, why can't they change it as well? Why would anyone make such a machine anyway?"

"It is an old Cybertronian relic. Forged to turn the tides of war. Make peace among those fighting against them. When it was being forged, your kind was helping and when the reverse was added, the 13 primes wanted a way for it to be nearly un reversable. Your kind was in the beginning of dying out, so knowing that if the machine was used for good, other traitorous beings couldn't use you to undo what was done."

"But Megatron was able to get ahold of it and he is using it against us."

"You never knew this, but your partner is older than he looks. He is keeper of the relic. Ordered to guard it with his life, but once he met you and learned what you are, his orders changed. He has been guarding it since the last of the thirteen primes became deceased. It had been powered down and the only to power it back up again is for one like you to touch it. That is why Megatron needed you. Diesel is kept in charge of making sure you are safe and not used. Unfortunately, with what has happened, it became very difficult for him. After the battle he lost track of it. Keeping you safe became a larger priority."

"So that's why he is always trying to keep me away from battle. But Megatron told me I was supposed to die the day he ambushed us overseas. If he needed me, why was he trying to kill me?"

"He had no idea then, until he was able to find more information. Your use to him is finished, so he has no need for you anymore and he doesn't want you interfering with his plan."

"I need to get that cylinder. I need to change Kup back and any others that have been effected."

"For a war species, you sure care about others." The smirk from the mech could be heard when he spoke this.

"I could care less. I just know it will make the twins happy and Diesel, if I do the right thing." Nichole shrugged, looking into the distance.

"You have found your place. Good luck, Nichole." The voice slowly disappeared and the world around her began to fade away.

*------------------------*

Nichole lays on a medical table not to far away from Sunstreaker. Both have yet to wake from the blast they have endured from Kup. Sideswipe and Diesel haven't been able to do anything properly since getting back to base with Nichole. Sideswipe carried her limp body into the medical bay, praying to Primus, Ratchet can fix them both. Knowing that Megatron has the cylinder, makes it harder for Diesel to rest. "I've failed you, Nichole." Diesel's head hung low, face covered with his servos. "I let Megatron get the cylinder and let Megatron get you. What kind of guardian am I." Small energon tears dripped to the floor. "I'm so sorry."

Sideswipe sat in between his two healing loves. Feeling just as bad as Diesel. He could stop himself from watching the older guardian cry his optics out. Feeling the same kind of weight on his shoulders. His optics went to Nichole to Sunstreaker, back to Nichole. He then wen to his holoform, standing close to her, caressing her cheek. He leans down and leaves a gently kiss on her forehead.

Hereyes snap open, connecting with Sideswipes. She pants heavily, clutching her chest.Her eyes wide as she sits up, inspecting her body. "I'm alive." She whispers.