One In A Billion | TFP

𝟎𝟎𝟐𝟓

The blast exploded as I flipped out of the way of the attack, and struck a landing pose, taking in the charred grass and smelting pit of ashes that would've been me had I stood still. I looked up and saw that the dragon was lowering itself to grab me again, diving down with its claws at the ready. 

"Ember, run!" Arcee yelled. 

Immediately, I set foot on the ground and bolted for refuge. Nearly all the boulders I had hidden behind got blasted to dust by the Predacon. I've been running away and hiding from it for the past several minutes, the continuous running away and blasting the boulder hideaways becoming tiresome. My energy was already sapping, and I didn't know how much longer I could outrun this beast. 

Nevertheless, I continued to run, feet pounding into the ground. I pumped my arms harder and harder as I forced myself to gain more speed. The Predacon was hot on my heels; its high-pitched roar made me run even faster. 

Out of the corner of my eye, Smokescreen, Arcee, Bumblebee, Bulkhead, and Wheeljack formed a defensive line, unleashing a barrage of laser fire on the predacon, peppering its armored scales. The Predacon responded by opening its massive jaws, literal fireballs erupted from its mouth. The Autobots swiftly scattered, each finding cover behind boulders and rocky outcrops. 

Bumblebee transformed into his sleek vehicle mode, speeding away from danger, while Bulkhead and Wheeljack leaped to higher ground, firing from elevated positions.

Meanwhile, I slid on the ground and hid behind a niche. Arcee and Smokescreen, positioned on the frontlines, rolled out of the way with precision timing, quickly returning fire. 

And I wish I could say their combined efforts in shooting down the beast were helping us on our end, but the continuous blasts only irritated the predacon, not weakened it. The gunfire shot some scales off, but it wasn't merely enough for the predacon to feel any pain. 

"Optimus, we need a new strategy. We can't be shooting at the Predacon forever when all we're doing is wasting our Energon!" Wheeljack groused over the comms. 

"He's right. We need to find a more effective approach," Arcee agreed while dodging a hail of fire. 

Optimus, who was busy shooting at the beast, momentarily stopped. "Autobots, fall back and regroup!"

"I'll be on the lookout for the dragon while you regroup," I nodded my head, even though I knew he couldn't see me. 

"Thank you, Ember," 

The bots disengaged from the direct line of fire, seeking cover behind large rock formations and debris. Meanwhile, I concentrated on the sky, tracking the Predacon's every move. 

"Wheeljack, elaborate on your suggestion," Optimus requested.

Wheeljack's visage appeared on the viewscreen, and he began outlining his idea. "We're wasting too much firepower on Predaking's scales. We need to focus on exploiting his vulnerabilities. My scans indicate a weak spot near his ventral plates. If we concentrate our fire there, we might have a chance."

Arcee chimed in, "I've noticed a pattern in his attacks. He leaves himself momentarily exposed after his breath attack. That could be our opening,"

Bumblebee beeped using a series of gestures, Smokescreen following along to what he was saying. "I agree. If we coordinate our attacks during that window, we might catch him off guard,"

"Sounds like a plan. I can draw his attention while you guys target that weak spot." Bulkhead agreed.

"Permission to speak?"