Author's Note: Okay, this one's a little trickier than others. I'm writing in both Autobot's POV in the same chapter. I'll separate their passages with dashes and changes between italics and normal typing, and put (Sunny) or (Sides) as well. The next chapter will be both of them too. Oh, and the creature they will face is pictured here Also, the scenes I reference (lines in bold) in this chapter are not mine, but are the creations of PuraJazzBot, who graciously gave permission for me to use them.

Disclaimer: I do not own Sunstreaker nor Sideswipe, nor any of the 'imaged' scenes (see above for that), nor do I own any Autobots presented. I also do not own the Marut Inevitable; that is a creation of the DnD world.

Chapter 10: Sunstreaker and Sideswipe

(Sunny)

For a moment my optics blurred, and I thought “'Bout fraggin' time this guy did something!'” But when I could see, there was no one else there but Sides standing next to me.

“What - “ He looked around, confused. “Where's everyone else?”

“I don't know.” Every inch of me was screaming out in warning. Something wasn't right. Sides shifted as well, and I knew he felt it too.

We were standing in a long, dark, gray metal hallway. If I didn't know better, I'd say it could've been a government building back on Cybertron, or at least as I always imagined them. Artists and merchants weren't the types to get into those places. Carefully, we began moving forward. Ahead of us, the hallway opened into a larger room, and silently we each flattened to opposite sides of the opening and braced. As usual, I was to go in first, my tougher armor taking whatever awaited us, while my slightly more agile brother darted in behind. It was a tactic we'd used thousands of times before.

Nodding my head, I counted one, two, three, and burst in, Sides right on my aft behind me, pile drivers at the ready.

But nothing happened.

The room was completely empty

“This is getting on my nerves,” I growled. Sides gave me that casual smile.

“Well, it could be worse.” I didn't know if I wanted to ask, but I did anyways.

“How?”

“Could've been Prowl waiting for us!” I couldn't help but laugh with him. Although I'm in no way afraid of Prowl, nor the brig where I so often ended up, his lectures still grated on me.

“Okay, I'll agree with ya there.” Suddenly, a metal plate slammed closed behind us, blocking us in. One wall lit up like some sort of human movie theater.

“What tha pit?” Sides gasped, as a voice flickered in.

“Pretty out here at this time, isn’t it Sunny?”

It was Sides' voice!! Curious, surprised to say the lease, we watched as a scene unfolded on the wall.

“Hmm,” was all Sunstreaker said in response, his optics not moving from the

landscape below him.

“There’s Hound, Skids and Beachcomber coming back from their expedition.” He

pointed to the three Autobots who had just rounded the corner and passed below

them on their way back to the Ark.

“Delightful,” Sunstreaker dead-panned.

Sideswipe ticked his glance sideways to look at his brother.

“Are you alright Sunny?” he asked.

“Never better,” was the sullen reply.

“Alright Mr. Sourpuss, be like that. Nevermind that I’m your brother and the

only one you can trust and-.”

“Oh will you just shut up,”

oooooooooooooooooooooooo

(Sides)

I couldn't help but laugh a bit.

“I remember that day.” Beside me, Sunny nodded in agreement. It wasn't often that what some of the other Autobots said about him really stung, but this had been an exception. I'd really had to 'badger' it out of him, too, to use a human idiom.

“What did they say?” Sideswipe asked again.

“Nothing I haven't already heard.”

“Primus fraggit Sunny, why cant you just tell me!”

“Because I don’t need you fighting my battles.”

“We’re supposed to fight together remember?”

“Well maybe this time I don’t want to fight.”

“Then why cant you just tell me?”

“Why do you want to know so badly.”

“Because I’m your brother, and I care about you, and I don’t want to see you get

hurt.”

“Likewise.”

They stared each other down for a moment before Sunstreaker turned back around

in time to see the sun dip behind the horizon.

“They called you a murderer again, didn’t they?” Sideswipe asked quietly.

“No. Today I was the one who’s going to switch factions because I’m too violent

to ever be an Autobot,” Sunstreaker replied, just as quietly.

“Oh.”

I felt a small smile come to my face, one of sadness, but not for me or Sunny. It was more for those slaggers who said those kinda things about him. They just didn't know him, not like I did. They were really missing out on a great friend.

“Words come and go,” I said, paraphrasing what had been said that evening, “but you'll always be my twin.” Sunny smiled at me, as the image faded and we walked through the next open passage into the next room.

We entered the nearly identical room together,figuring we were in for the same thing as before. Sure enough, the metal barrier dropped, and the wall lit up.

“Must be a pretty tough game.”

“Oh, Primus, this memory...” I groaned.

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

(Sunny)

“We had collateral damage today didn’t we? Those humans?”

Sunstreaker ticked his glance over to Sideswipe. “Yeah, we did. Not the first

time its happened though.”

“First time its happened to me, up-close and personal. Before, we’ve always

watched from a distance.” He shuddered. “Humans sure do bleed a lot.”

“So do we,” Sunstreaker reminded him.

“Well yeah… but we’re kinda used to it, that kid isn’t,” Sideswipe replied,

looking at his fingers.

Kid huh, Sunstreaker thought. This was starting to make a lot of sense now. He

turned his full attention to his brother, but didn’t push. Sideswipe hated being

badgered with questions – though oddly he didn’t mind badgering someone else –

so the yellow mech waited. The red one would talk on his own, he just needed a

few careful prompts.

“There was a kid?” Sunstreaker asked.

“You didn’t know? Oh wait, that’s right, you were fighting on the other side of

the town, you wouldn’t know.” Sideswipe sighed and half-turned to look at his

twin. “I pulled a kid out of a car that got overturned during the fight. A

little female, probably about 6 human years old. Ratchet and I took her to the

hospital, but the human medics wouldn’t tell us anything about her condition.

“Some humans are stronger than they look. She’s not dead.”

“I don’t know. Ratchet said he’d help me check later.”

I remembered that pretty good. The kid getting hurt had really messed with Sides' mind. The way he'd been... it wasn't a mood that I usually see my twin in. He was just so depressed. I remember it hurt me to see him like that. He was the cheerful one of us, not the sulky one. Then, the rest of the memory hit me, and I felt myself grin:

“I don’t think you’re crazy bro,” he said. “I think you did what you had to do,

and the rest of it is out of your hands, so you’re sure as hell not going to

wallow in self-pity.”

Sideswipe looked at him indignantly. “I’m not wallowing!”

“I think you are.”

“I am not.”

“Smile for me then.” Sunstreaker poked him in a particularly sensitive spot.

“Stop it Sunny,” Sideswipe warned.

“Or what?” Sunstreaker poked him again.

“I mean it bro.”

“Yeah, so?” The yellow mech poked him a third time.

Sideswipe bolted out of the chair. Sunstreaker leapt back.

“Too slow,” he said.

“I’ll show you slow,” Sideswipe growled.

He darted for Sunstreaker, but the yellow mech had already run out the door and

into the hallway. The red mech gave chase, narrowly stampeding over a few

unsuspecting Minibots.

I glanced over to see Sides grinning. In between fighting the 'Cons, fighting with the 'Bots that said slag about us, and fighting each other, we usually didn't get the chance to play. But we did that day.

Sunstreaker finally made it out of the Ark and fled to

the back of the volcano where he slowed for a moment to put a hand to his audio,

which was when Sideswipe ploughed into him.

Sunstreaker staggered backwards but didn’t fall, and Sideswipe braced himself

for a blow… which never came. The red mech released his hold and looked up, only

to be tackled in return and… tickled?

Astonishing as it was, Sunstreaker was indeed tickling him – something he hadn't

done in a couple of millennia – and that fact, along with the light, uneven

pressure of the tickles themselves, was enough to make Sideswipe throw his head

back and laugh.

Sideswipe reached for his brother, and even though he knew Sunstreaker wasn’t as

ticklish as he was, he knew a few areas on Sunstreaker’s armor that could have

him chuckling in minutes. Guessing his intentions, the yellow mech released him

and quickly moved back.

“Don’t even think about it,” he said.

The red mech smiled wolfishly. “About what?”

“You know slagging well what.”

Sideswipe took a step towards him, and Sunstreaker turned to run again which was

when Sideswipe jumped him from behind and wrestled him face-first into the

grass. His fingers found the seams in his brother’s armor that were most

sensitive and began to teasingly stroke them. Sunstreaker did indeed laugh at

that.

“Surrender?” Sideswipe whispered into his audio.

“Alright,” Sunstreaker chuckled. “I’ll let you win this time.”

“As I remember, that girl did just fine, and we stopped in to say hi when she was released,” I commented. “Her family was quite thankful to you for saving her.”

“They were,” Sides agreed, smiling over at me. “And you're still the best brother ever.”

“You too, Sides.” Feeling rather relaxed, we strolled into the next chamber. Privately I wondered what little trip down memory lane we were going to take this time.

The interior of this room was dimly lit, and had a foreboding feeling to it. Unconsciously I realized we had stepped a little closer to each other upon entering, as if needing to be reminded of each other's presence. Then, we heard it begin.

“Get out of my room”, the red mech growled.

“Now you wait just a slagging minute”, Sunstreaker replied with an equally dark

look. “This is my room too”.

“Not anymore. The last I remembered, I shared a room with a brother, not a

jealous, back-stabbing, ego-maniac.”

It was my turn to groan. “Primus! Not this memory!” Sides looked as ill as I felt. This was one event we both wanted dearly to forget!

oooooooooooooooooooo

(Sides)

I remembered it. I remembered the battle with the 'Cons, and how I'd jetted after Starscream, how he'd been about to turn and fry me when Sunny had leapt at me in car mode, switching to robot mode mid-leap to tackle me out of the way, in the process giving me a knee injury that put me out of the fight for several days. He'd saved my skidplate, but instead of gratitude all I'd felt was anger. And I'd said things to him that I vowed to never say again. I cringed as I heard my own voice shout at him:

“No, what I really wish is for you to go away, far away”, Sideswipe replied, not

in the least bit intimidated. “And sometimes I wish you weren’t my brother.”

“Primus,” I moaned, “lets get outta here, Sunny.” We turned to go, but all the doors in and out had completely vanished. Trapped, I buried my face in my hands and just wished I was anywhere but there. Sunny put his hand on my shoulder, his face steady and, to me, comforting. Unable to do anything else, we watched as the scenes progressed, though we were now viewing things that we hadn't seen before, things that involved only one of us: Jazz taking some target practice with Sunny and referring to me as a 'wild, red rose,' the battle that soon followed – both of us cringed when Bruticus kicked Sunny in the chest – and Prime sending Powerglinde back to the Ark for Ratchet and Wheejack. I was there, getting my injured knee seen to, when he'd arrived. And what he'd said had thrown me into a panic.

ooooooooooooooooooooooo

(Sunny)

“Come… come quickly… emergency on… the battlefield”, he panted as he hurried to

take in air to cool his systems.

“Easy ‘Glide. Take a few deep breaths”, said Wheeljack.

“No time… Code One emergency… Prime said to get you there on the double!”

“Who is it this time?” Ratchet asked as the three of them followed the little

Minibot out of the bay. “Ironhide, Brawn or Slingshot?”

“You’ll find out when we get there, lets go!”

“Hold it!” Ratchet turned to Sideswipe. “Where do you think you’re going? Back

to your quarters mister”.

“But I can help”, he replied.

“Yes, very likely help me lose my sanity”, Ratchet said. “No, you are going to

help me by staying back here like a good little ‘Bot”.

“Will you guys quit bitching and hurry up!” Powerglide said urgently.

“Sunstreaker’s dying out there!”

Just hearing that cut me deep.

I was dying out there, I thought to myself, as I wanted Sides transform and rush to my side, then shake me hard. They pulled him away, and it eventually took Prime and Ironhide to finally restrain him.

“You took that hard, huh?” I asked softly.

“Yeah,” he answered, straightening as the scenes continued. “After saying all those horrible things, I almost lost you.”

“ – wake up Sunny”, Sideswipe said. “There’s so much I’ve got to tell you: the

most important being that I am so so sorry for all those nasty things I said to

you that day. I was angry and I wasn’t listening to what was coming out of my

mouth. But I didn’t mean them”.

“I’m trying dammit!” Sunstreaker’s mind shouted. “I’m trying! Slaggit! Its not

your fault, and I know you didn’t mean all that stuff. I know”. Part of his mind

told him he still had the rose in his hand. “You’re my brother Sideswipe”. He

moved his fingers and tightened them around what he thought was the flower. “I

love you”.

Sunstreaker’s voice echoed in the med bay. “I love you”. His fingers were

clasped around Sideswipe’s hand.

“Sunny?” Sideswipe called. “Sunny! Sunny you’re alive. You’re okay, open your

optics. Look at me bro!”

The protective lids came up and underneath them Sunstreaker’s optics glowed

bright blue.

“Sides”, he said.

“Best sound I'd ever heard,” Sides said. Something in his voice struck me as odd, and when I looked at him his expression matched it.

“Bro, is that still bothering you?” I asked. He sighed, and nodded.

“I... I just never thought I could say something so hurtful to you, of all 'Bots.”

“We both said – and have said – some hurtful things. But what counts is that in the end, we're still together and on the same side. And we are.” He smiled at me.

“Yeah, I know.” To one side, a door opened up. “Ah, finally! Lets go.” Not wanting to linger any more, we hurried out.

This room was much larger, perfectly square, and only half lit. The instant we entered the door behind vanished, and a figure seemed to materialize out of thin air in the shadowy half. Whatever it was, it was tall, even perhaps a few inches taller than us!

“Ah, Sunstreaker and Sideswipe, the Lamborghini Twins,” a male voice said. This one, unlike the Voice, was deep and commanding, and had a trace hint of mechanical undertone to it. Instantly we braced, ready for a fight. “There need not be conflict. If you two will simply cooperate, I will leave with what I came for, and that will be that.”

“Who are you?” I asked. The figure stepped forward, revealing someone the likes of which we'd never seen before.

He was tall, and broad, easily matching either of us build for build. Honestly, he looked like an onyx humanoid in golden armor, with a helmet topped by a large shape like a Mayan bird. Although his eyes were glowing from within the blackness of the visor, it was hard not to look at the eyes of the 'bird' when he spoke.

“I am an a Marut, the Inevitable of Death. And quite simply - “ He pointed at me. “ - I have come for the one who has cheated death once too often. I have come for you.”

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Author's Post Note: Wow! Long one. Again, thanks to PuraJazzBot for permission to use Comfort in You, Touch of Laughter, and Sunshine and Roses. If you are a Transformers fan, you really should read all three of these; they are awsome (Touch of Laughter was actually the one that hooked me on Sunny and Sides)