3rd Perspn POV

Slag is trying to sneak back to the dorm late one night, he's limping a little but manages to stifle any grunts and walks into the dorm but before he can get into bed, a lamp turns on and he glances to see Yang waiting in a chair with her arms crossed.

Slag: You don't have to wait up for me.

Yang: Yes, I do.

Slag doesn't say anything and doesn't turn around to face his mother.

Yang: Look at me. *Slag doesn't comply* *raised voice* Take off the damn hood, now.

Slag finally gives in and turns around while taking off the hood on his sweatshirt. Yang is horrified by what she sees, Slag's face alone is heavily bruised on one side and his right eye is swollen as well as having a cut going down the middle of his face.

Yang: Honey, where do you go? Who does this to you?

Slag: Go to sleep, Mom.

Yang: Please, talk to me.

Slag: Please, go to sleep!

Yang: I can't sleep! Don't you get it, your antics are keeping me up because if you get hurt I can't be there to help you!

Slag: .. Good. *walks out*

Yang: *follows* Good?! How is that good?!

Slag and Yang continue to argue all the way down to the Autobot base where everyone is actually still up with late night training and waiting for the Decepticons to make their next move.

Yang: So you expect me to just wait and watch helplessly from the sidelines?! I don't think so!

Slag: Yes, I am asking that of you!

Yang: And I'm telling you, not a chance. *Slag starts to turn away* You're my son, I'm with you. *makes Slag look at her* For better or worse.

Slag: *takes Yang's hands off him* I have to do this alone!

Yang: What is this to you? Playtime?

Slag: No, I'm just not-

Yang: Not what?!

Slag: I'm not strong enough!

Yang: Strong enough, and this will make stronger?!

Slag: Yes. No. I don't know!

Yang: That's what this is?! Some sort of workout?!

Slag suddenly transforms into his Dinobot form and lifts Yang with his brow horns underneath her arms and yells.

Slag: I CAN'T LOSE YOU AGAIN!

Slag gently sets down Yang as everyone in the base looks on in surprise, even Optimus is a bit shook. Grimlock stood to approach, but Ruby stopped him and shook her head no. Slag doesn't make eye comtact with Yang as he says..

Slag: *somber tone* I can't. Not again. I'm not s- *glances uo then down again* strong enough.

Yang sits on Slag's snout then hugs her scared son tightly for several minutes. Yang finally pulls away and says....

Yang: If we work together, you won't have to be.

Slag: I don't know what'll happen. *transforms into human form*

Yang: It's like Blake told me a while back, "You're not protectimg me, and I'm not protecting you. We're protecting each other." And we will no matter the consequences, because you are my son and I love you more than anything in the world.

Slag: *sniffles* I.... I love you too, Ma.

The two stare and smile at each other, until Slag saw everyone staring at them.

Slag: *sniffles* Uhm, *recomposes himself* What are you dorks looking at?!

Everyone very quickly turned away and some tried to stifle their laughter at Slag's outburst towards them. Suddenly, though, Slag felt a vibration im his pocket and grabbed the scroll and Yang was surpsrised.

Yang: Where'd you get a scroll?

Slag: They called it a burner? Whatever that means.

Yang: From the cage fighting people?

Slag: Yeah.

Yang: Well, what's it say?

Slag: .... *sighs in defeat* They want me back ASAP for another loss against their champion.

Swoop: Wait, what?!

Sludge: Slag no lose to anyone!

Slag: I have to, if I want to stay on as the champion's rival.

Yang: That's ridiculous. Who is this champion punk?!

Slag: I think he's a guy in a robotic fighting suit, but he's really good.

Ratchet: Hmm, that sounds suspicious.

Optimus: Ratchet?

Bulkhead: Where do these fights take place?

Slag: I don't know they blindfold me before they take me to it's location.

Yang: Then we'll have to do this the old fashioned way.

Over the next hour, Yang came up with a plan to at least get herself into the secret fighting arena as a spectator. Ratchet fitted her with a camera so the other Bots could see what was happening and keep in communication with her and Slag. Slag then goes out to the specified coordinates and waits while Yang sits in Bumblebee a short distance away.

Yang: Remember kiddo, stay calm and act normal. We'll be a short distamce away.

Slag: Okay. *deep breath*

A few minutes later, and a black SUV rolls up and three men blindfold Slag and get him into the car, Bumblebee sets off after them keeping a distance to not arouse suspicion. After about 20 minutes Bumblebee pulls into a parking lot and Yang watches as Slag is taken inside an abandoned warehouse.

Yang: He's in.

Bumblebee: *series of beeps*

Yang: I'll figure out a way in, wait here and keep watch.

Ruby: Are you sure, Sis?

Yang: I've got this Ruby. I'll be in touch, activating camera.

Yang makes her way inside and manages to get past the guard at the door and walks down to the sound of loud rock music, bright lights, and people smelling of smoke and alcohol.

Ruby: I thought there wasn't any cage fighting in Atlas?

Weiss: Well, their not supposed to, but if there's a demand, someone is willing to supply.

Yang: Yeah, and I think I see the supplier, though I don't think it's who we expected. Anyone recognize that symbol?

Winter: The Happy Huntresses?

Nora: I thought they were purely a freedom fighting cause?

Yang: These guys may not be acting under orders, maybe a splinter group.

Winter: Whatever the reason, this just got-

Yang: We're here to get my son out of this hellhole I'm not here for anything else.

Yang finds a seat as the man on the P.A. starts announcing...

Announcer: Ladies and Gentlemen! Are we having fun so far?!

Crowd: *CHEERS*

Announcer: Excellent, because now, comes the rematch you've all been waiting for! Time to reintroduce our challenger, a terrifying monster from a bygone era made robotic flesh. The battering ram from the ancient past, The Mighty Headbanger!

Slag smashes out of the gate in his Dinobot form and roars as the stadium cheers very excitedly, Yang was cheering the loudest.

Weiss: Yang focus.

Yang: R-Right. Sorry, couldn't help it.

Announcer: And now! The return of your reigning champion, the strong, the terrifying, Ground Pounder!

Ground Pounder appears from the gate and flaunts to the fans as they cheer even louder. Yang, however, is not cheering, because she sees a worrying symbol.

Yang: Um, Ratchet, that's not a human piloted machine.

Ratchet: *sees symbol* He's a Decepticon.

Slag: *growls* How did I miss that?

Yang: Stay focused, kid. We're here to pummel this 'Con, so don't hold anything back.

Slag then slams his right foot on the ground and roars loudly at Ground Pounder.

Ground Pounder: Back for another beat down, tiny?!

Ratchet: Keep in mind, Ground Pounder is a highly trained and very aggressive fighter.

Yang: Yeah, well, so are we. Okay Slag, to beat Ground Pounder, fight smart. Try-

Slag: It's on like Cybertron! RAHHH!

Arcee: *deadpanned* Really?

Bulkhead: I liked it.

Slag charges forward and jumps up in the air-

Slag: Diving Head Smash!

Ground Pounder was able to grab Slag in midair and slam him on the ground then stands over Slag like he's already won.

Miko: Oh, that's gotta hurt.

Back in the arena...

Ground Pounder: You're an embarrassment to all your Dinobot brethren.

Slag: *starts to push up* I'm gonna make you swallow those words, and your teeth!

Slag uses his tail and latches it onto Ground Pounder's arm and throws him off.

Ground Pounder: *lands on feet* Decent escape.

The two giants circle each other waiting for the other to make a move. Ground Pounder then drops his left guard...

Miko: Oh, oh, oh, look out! He's gonna use-

Ground Pounder/Miko: The Gygax Gouger!

Yang: How do you know that?!

Slag doesn't know what that means and is hit in the eyes temporarily blinding him and making him stumble a bit. Ground Pounder then charges in and reels back his right fist.

Miko: Look out! Here comes-

Ground Pounder/Miko: The Hydrax Hammerfist!

Slag turns around too late and is hit in the nose by the fist and is sent flying back several meters.

Announcer: Oh, that's gotta hurt!

Yang: Miko! You are not helping!

Miko: Ground Pounder always uses the Praxus Pildriver next.

Slag/Yang: The what?

Ground Pounder then grabs Slag's back feet lifts him over his shoulder, jumps into the air and just as he comes down, he yells out-

Ground Pounder: Praxus Piledriver!

Slag is slammed into the arena creating a huge cloud of dust, Ground Pounder then stands and flaunts agaim for the crowd as the crowd cheers loud.

Yang: Come on, Slag! Get up! I'm right here with you!

Slag manages to get to his feet, much to the joy of the crowd. Slag breathed heavily as he looked at his opponent, he then looked at a part of the arena and growled as he looked back at Ground Pounder.

Slag: Mom, I think I have an idea.

Yang: And that is?

Slag: *Roars*

Slag simply charges forward at Ground Pounder, but when Ground Pounder swings his left arm like a clothesline, Slag ducked and slid to a stop behind Ground Pounder then spun right and smacked him with his tail. Ground Pounder skidded to a halt on his feet but couldn't stop Slag from rammimg into him like a freight train, this sends Ground Pounder flying into the arena wall, making the whole place shake.

Announcer: Whoa! Hey there! Careful, we don't want the roof to come down on our heads.

Slag: *to himself* That's the idea, asshole.

Ground Pounder: *recovers* Heheh. That's more like it.

Slag: Bring it on!

The two giants once again charge at each other, Ground Pounder stops and grabs Slag, then spins and throws him into the arena wall. Slag falls out of the wall and onto his feet, he recovers in time to dodge backwards and then jab Ground Pounder with his horns, sending Ground Pounder several feet stumbling back. Slag then tries another tail swipe, but is grabbed and spun around in circles then thrown at the opposite wall.

Yang: Bounce off the wall!

Slag: Yeah!

Slag's feet land on the wall and he pushes off with all his might and spins to pull off a drilling head smash. The move lands and Ground Pounder is once again sent flying into the wall exactly where he hit last time. This time though the whole place shook with enough force to start making steel beams fall from the ceiling. This freaked the crowd out and everyone except Yang evacuated the place. Yang tries to make her way down to the arena against the sea of terrified spectators. Slag meanwhile has climbed a piece of steel roofing and when Ground Pounder looks up, he jumps down and slams his head onto Ground Pounder's, then tail swiped him to send him stumbling back.

Ratchet: Wow. Slag's actually doing it.

Yang: Of course he is!

Slag is then seen not letting up his assualt on Ground Pounder as he desperately tries to defend himself, until the announcer hops down and starts tasering Slag.

Yang: Hey! That's not fair!

Announcer: You two freaks have just destroyed my buisness! How is that fair?!

Yang simply yells as she tears off a metal gate and charges the Announcer who was wielding an electrified katana. The Announcer swings left, but Yang ducks under the strike and uppercuts the man with her left fist, then delivers a right cross. Slag was now being pummeled by Ground Pounder who got the upper hand thanks to the Announcer's interference. Yang punched the Announcer again then as he swung his sword to counter, she leaned back, then ran, jumped off the nearby wall and delivered a roundhouse kick to the guys face. When the man turned back to Yang without his sword in hand, Yang was already in the middle of a drop kick and sent the guy several feet away. Yang then saw Slag get hit several meters and lands next to her.

Ruby: As tough as Slag is, he can't take much more of that!

Ground Pounder: Time to bring the heat! *lights right fist on fire*

Yang: Slag! Defend yourself!

Slag: I don't know how!

Yang looks and see the announcer getting back on his feet and charges at her.

Yang: Watch me.

Yamg waits then counters by grabbing the man's arm and flinging him over her shoulder, she then jumped after him and slammed both her fists onto his head and the man crashes to the ground, knocked out. Slag then looked back at his opponent and waited for Ground Pounder to run at him, and whem he did, Slag grabbed Ground Pounder's fist with his mouth and did the same flinging manuever Yang did, he then jumped up and slammed his head into Ground Pounder's, sending him crashing to the ground.

Slag: To quote a brother of mine. *jumps into the air* CANNONBALL!

(A/N): End music here.

Slag lands with all his body weight onto Ground Pounder's head, finishing him for good.

Slag: The crowd goes wild!

Yang: *laughs and playfully cheers for Slag*

After the two calmed down, they cuffed the man running the show and left him for Winter to pick up and returned to the Autobot base. After much praise given to Slag by the other Dinobots, he finally heads back to the dorm where Yang is already asleep exhausted on the couch, instead of going to his own bed, he snuck under his mother's arm and snuggled close to her and fell asleep almost immediately. Yang felt the movement and smiled in her sleep them embraced Slag closer to her.

Slag: *in his sleep* Love you, Ma.

Yang only smiles more and continues to sleep, happy that she has her boy back.

(A/N): And Cut! Great work everyone.

Sorry that this one is a little long but I couldn't find a way to shorten it. Still hoped you still enjoyed this one. I know I did.

Have a great day/night and I'll see you in the next one. PEACE OUT!!!