[Robots and Magic] Between Claws

16. 𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳

"Are we there yet?" Sweetie Belle asked curiously, climbing onto Wheeljack's shoulder-pad to get a better view.

The wrecker ex-vented, his patience wearing thin, "Can't you zip your intake for five clicks?" he grumbled, gently picking her up by the back of her shirt. He settled her down on the passenger seat next to the other two girls and refocused on piloting the ship, "How am I supposed to focus when ya ask me the same question all the time?"

Scootaloo rolled her eyes and scoffed, resting her chin in her hand. Bored, she got up on her tiptoes and peered over the dashboard, her interest piqued by the approaching landscape. As they descended slowly to the ground, she spotted something in the far distance, "What's that over there?" she pointed.

Wheeljack followed her gaze and spotted three distant figures engaged in what looked like an intense fight. Perched on top of a high and perilous rocky outcrop, he recognized his old friend Bulkhead and Applejack battling against a furious Buffaloid, "Those are our guys." he said, lowering the Jackhammer to the ground and parking a bit further away from the skirmish. He turned to the girls, his expression serious, "Stay put." he instructed them firmly before getting up.

As he grabbed a grenade and prepared to head out, Apple Bloom pleaded, "We wanna come too!"

"Already told ya, no." he replied curtly, not even pausing as he side-eyed her and opened the gate to step outside.

"But we can't just sit here! I want to see some action!" Scootaloo protested afterwards in desperation.

He stopped and glared at them, his expression stern. The intensity of his gaze made them fall silent, "I'll be back in a click. No touching." he warned, pointing a digit at them for emphasis before heading out.

Once the gate closed behind him, Scootaloo threw her hands up in frustration and flopped onto a seat, "Ugh, this is so unfair!"

Sweetie, however, was drawn to the front window by the ongoing commotion outside, "Hey, girls! Come here and see!" she shouted and gestured for them to come closer.

Her friends joined her at the window, pressing their noses against the glass. From their vantage point, they could see the battle more clearly now. The green bulky giant was engaged in a fierce struggle with the enraged Buffaloid. Nearby, a familiar-looking, cowboy-themed female robot was standing right beside him. Apple Bloom narrowed her eyes, a thoughtful expression crossing her face, "That robot lady looks familiar..." she murmured, trying to place where she had seen the femme before.

The Buffaloid shoved Bulkhead against a rocky wall, sending a cascade of boulders tumbling down. The Autobot managed to dodge most of them, but a particularly large rock pinned him beneath its weight.

"Bulk!" the blonde country girl shouted, recognizing his dire situation and sprinted to him.

Apple Bloom's eyes widened in shock, her body freezing as she recognized the voice, "APPLEJACK?!"

"That's your sister?!" Scootaloo asked in utter disbelief. The three girls gaped in awe at the intense battle unfolding before them.

Wasting no time, the element of honesty let out a loud whistle to grab the Buffaloid's attention. The enraged Decepticon charged at her, and Applejack met him head-on, gripping his horns as he tried to push her back. The struggle brought her dangerously close to the edge of a steep hill.

At that critical moment, while Bulkhead struggled to free himself, Wheeljack appeared, his presence a welcome sight, "I got you, pal." he said through his mask, quickly assessing the situation.

"I can handle it. Go help her!" the green wrecker urged, directing to Applejack, who was wrestling with the wild criminal. Wheeljack nodded and dashed to the female. Without hesitation, he unsheathed his katana and hurled it with precision. The blade embedded itself into the Buffaloid's side plating, causing him to stumble and lose his grip on Applejack. Despite the sudden turn, the femme found herself teetering on the edge, losing balance as she was pushed over. In a desperate move, she managed to grab the ledge with one servo, dangling precariously.