DMK: Ah, the LAST CHAPTER!! Guess you're all happy about that, huh? Weeeeeel, maybe I'll do another one, this time focusing on Optimus' past, where Scavenger supposedly 'taught' him how to fight. Depends on the feedback I get from this one.

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Chapter Four

When Red opened his optics, he found the bright fluroscent operating lights shining down on him. Then, a hazy figure came into view. It was Ratchet.

"Hey bro... you okay?"

He wanted to speak, but his vocal modulator was shot. He tried nodding, but the numbness he had been feeling left his body quickly. Pain washed over him like a suffocating blanket. He shut his optics, squinting them until the pain had passed.

"I'm taking that as a 'no'?"

"... good to see you too... smart-ass..." he choked weakly.

Ratchet grinned. "You've got the devil's luck, you know that? I SWEAR I thought you were as good as scrap after I came to and was briefed about the battle's outcome."

"How many casualties...?"

Ratchet gave a half-laugh. "Not as many as there could have been, dude. Seein' you take on the leader of the Decepticons so selflessly... everyone thinks you're a hero."

"Now THAT'S funny... What the slag happened to me?"

"Look at your arm."

Against the surging pain, Red-Alert turned his head to the left. In place of his arm, there was a weapon. "Ah slagging hell..." he said absently. "...lost my arm."

"Eh, you know it could have been worse. And get this, that thing on your arm is pretty darn powerful with NO recoil. Now you'll have two guns when ya fight."

Red smirked. "Twice the damage... but this thing is only a weapon?"

Ratchet looked at him strangely. "...not really... it can double as a repair tool. If you ever need it, I mean. Knowing how much you hate medicine I doubt that makes any difference..."

"Sure it does... soon as I'm healed, I'm ditchin' this joint... and heading back to the academy."

"What gives?" Ratchet asked him, a quizzical look on his face.

"I should be doin' something important with my life... I sure as hell ain't a good fighter, sooo, I take it medicine is a better choice."

His brother stared. "Ooookay, who are you, and what have you done with my little brother?"

"I'm serious, man!"

Ratchet chuckled. "Well, about slagging time that you came to your senses... Better than throwin' your life away like it was trash, that's for sure. But man, aren't you freaked about your arm?"

"A bit, yeah, but there's something way more important that I've learned today."

"What?"

"All life is precious."

END

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DMK: *throws confetti* YAAAAYYY!! I actually FINISHED a STORY!!! I FEEL ALL SPECIAL!!! ^____^ I honestly hope you liked this, I did it off of the top of my head at about 6:30 pm. It's now, what, 7:30? Whew, and I FINISHED IT!!! Well, tell me whatcha think, k? And by the way, the last thing Red-Alert says before the end is his supposed quote. Thought putting that in would be a cool way to end it, you know? Okay, now I'm off to work on my other stories, so uh, bye... yeah. PS: REVIEW!!! (wait... I said that already... ^^')