Transformers: A Matter of Fate

FASCINATION AND BONDS

CHAPTER 13

Fascination and Bonds

"Holy CRAP!"

That was the first thing that came out of Mark's mouth as he stepped out into the main room one morning several weeks later. It wasn't every day that one stepped out to see five, gigantic robotic dinosaurs, to say the least. But Mark could now definitely see why the Autobots and their allies had named these "legendary warriors" as "Dinobots" now. The gigantic T-Rex breathed fire into the air as a couple of Autobots tried to hold him off, but Mark none-the-less showed no fear and approached it quickly.

Almost at once, Hound was stepping in front of Mark. "Stay back, Mark. They're having a bit of a temper tantrum." Hound commented "If you come any closer, you may end up barbecued." Mark none-the-less tried to get around his guardian "Markus Franklin Savoy, listen to me!"

"Is Sideswipe trying to climb him?" Mark asked "Oh man, I bet riding one of them would be awesome! Can I get a ride, Hound? I want to ride one too!"

As Mark finally managed to get around him, Hound yanked the boy up by his waist and pulled him back. Mark noticed it was just in time as the out-of-control T-Rex had shot a straight line of fire at the floor where he'd been moments later. Sideswipe didn't fare much better as he was thrown violently from Grimlock's back. "That is so sick!" Mark shouted.

Hound rolled his optics, clearly not amused by Mark acting the way he was. For the first time since Mark had come to live with him, his optics looked down at his foster son with a stern look in them. "You see what I mean, now?" Hound asked "You may be the foster son of an Autobot, Mark. But you gotta remember you aren't one. So when I say something is dangerous, I mean it." He explained.

"When did you get so strict?" Mark asked.

"I'm not strict. But I'm not about to let any son of mine anywhere near an angry, one-hundred foot fire breathing t-rex." Hound looked at him with a raised optic ridge "I like to think of myself as a good parent, not a stupid one." He added "Lest your social worker and the rest of social services be given a reason to take ye away from me." He added bluntly.

Mark knew that Hound had a point, it was probably not only stupid, but dangerous. So as Hound set him back on the ground, Mark stood at his caretaker's side, and didn't move from the spot. "Grimlock!" Hound shouted as loud as he could to get the t-rex's attention "I'd appreciate it if you kept your fire breathing away from the kid. He's under our protection, allAutobot's protection."

"Not me Grimlock's fault him human get in me Grimlock's way!"

Mark jumped back at the gravely voice that almost sounded like a growl. If he hadn't seen Grimlock's mouth move, he might not have actually believed that the giant behemoth of a robot had talked. "They talk?" Mark gasped, grinning from ear-to-ear "Talking, giant, robotic dinosaurs." He managed to say "This is even cooler than..."

"Nothing "cooler" than me Grimlock." Grimlock growled "Me Grimlock, coolest!"

"Yeah, they're obviously the best things ever discovered." Hound joked to Mark, then looked at Grimlock and stepped forward cautiously "What seems to be the issue now, Grimlock? You and your team have your own slagging quarters. We've let you join our ranks." Grimlock's long optics narrowed "What in Primus's good name could you want now?"

"Me Grimlock no want to be Au-To-Bot no more." Grimlock fumed slightly "Me Grimlock no like sitting and waiting. Me Grimlock want crush them Decepticons now." The way he said that last part made Mark wonder what Grimlock must have been like in battle "No want to wait for useless new Au-To-Bot's to fight." He added with a flick of his tail.