I'm on fire!

Beta'ed by Lohis, thank you!

Will of Fire and Hearts of Steel

Chapter Twenty

Kakashi woke up early.

He did a short morning workout (out of habit) and, after showering and dressing into his familiar ninja outfit, he stood in front of the steel table again, the hitai-ate gleaming on it in the dim lighting of the room. Naruto, still asleep in his sleeping bag, was facing the wall and snoring quietly.

Kakashi stared at the headband on the table. It was an anchor of sorts, keeping him in place in the strong currents of the strange world around him. It was that one thing that strongly reminded him of home, of the place they were about to return to, the place they needed to return to. Two weeks wasn't a long time, but here, in a different world, it was nothing short of eternity.

So, Obito, he thought, not wanting to wake Naruto up by speaking aloud. And he didn't want his student eavesdropping on him in case the boy had gotten surprisingly good at feigning sleep.

I haven't visited you properly in a long time. You already know the reason, as I have told it to you multiple times. But soon I will be doing this in front of the Memorial Stone once more. It will feel good to do this properly again. For some reason, I feel like you cannot hear me from all the way here. Don't ask – I mean, it's not like your body is really buried in Konoha. But still, you loved our Village, so I should believe your soul would enjoy staying around there after death too.

Kakashi rolled his shoulders. He had slept surprisingly well – considering the situation – but was already feeling fidgety.

It will feel good to get some action. We have been sitting here for far too long, and now it is time to actually do something. We will fight our way out of here, and luckily our new friends will be our allies in that fight.

I am nervous, Obito. I am afraid of failing. This is something no one has ever attempted before, or at least if they had, they hadn't lived to tell the tales, or had chosen to stay silent about it.

He could easily picture Obito now, scowling at him and shouting that he should stop worrying, that Kakashi should just do his best and that would be enough because he believed it would be enough.

I know I should just trust myself. It isn't like this is totally new. It is a teleportation jutsu to another dimension, and I can easily do that with my Kamui. It's just the magnitude. This is a slightly bigger leap, isn't it?

Anyway, I'll stop bothering you now. I will soon tell you about our final adventure here, when we get back to Konoha.

I'll talk to you then. Wish us luck. Wish us all luck.

He could nearly hear Obito's voice in his head, doing just that.

Thanks Obito. See you soon.

He took the hitai-ate from the table and put it on, carefully tilting it so it covered the Sharingan eye. Now would be a bad time to accidentally drain his reserves.

It was an ordinary Sunday, so the kids should be here soon. Miko had made them swear on their lives that they would bring them to the base well before the ninjas left, and he knew the Autobots would honor that promise (like probably every promise). He wondered if Bulkhead or Bumblebee had already left for the town.

He checked his pockets, making sure he had everything with. His remaining weapons, the explosion tags he had prepared, as well as other equipment. Then he headed for the main area in the base.

When he stepped into the large room he first saw Ratchet, once more tapping away at his computers like that was all he ever did. He didn't see anyone else around. Where did the Autobots go during nighttime? What did they do? Kakashi wasn't sure if they needed to sleep or… what was it… recharge? Or maybe Ratchet just spent every night at those computers, doing whatever he did with them.

He was just about to make his way to the medic when he heard footsteps behind him: Heavy, but not as heavy as they could have been.

"Good morning Arcee," he said. The blue Autobot came to a halt beside him.

"Morning Hatake. Slept well?"

Kakashi's lips quirked under the mask. "How kind of you to ask, Arcee. It might be a little surprising, considering the situation, but I actually did sleep well."

"Good then. It would be awkward if you fell asleep just when things were about to turn interesting."

"I will make sure that won't happen then," he replied, amused. He glanced at Arcee and saw that the 'Bot was also smiling a bit.

They stepped away from the doorway and started to slowly make their way across the floor and towards the medic who seemed to be truly engrossed with whatever work he was doing right now.

"I didn't actually think this day would come so soon," Arcee admitted. "It seemed like a rather big problem, to find a way to get across dimensions themselves. Yet here we are, about to start our final mission."

"Ah Arcee, are you going to miss me?" Kakashi blinked innocently as Arcee let out a bark of laughter.

"Hardly," she answered. "I still think you are an annoying human, Hatake. But maybe you have grown on me a little during these weeks."

"Fighting together and saving someone from an enemy warship sometimes tends to do that," he said, amused. "But it is good to hear you have learned to at least tolerate me in the end."

"Well, maybe there were valid reasons for your secrecy," she said grudgingly. "And I probably would have done the same, mostly. So I cannot really fault you for your actions."

Kakashi smiled behind the mask. "There are no hard feelings, Arcee, so do not worry."

"I don't 'worry' about it. I wouldn't care even if there were any hard feelings," the Autobot insisted in indignation, a small huff escaping her vents.

"Sure you wouldn't."

She huffed again. "This is going nowhere. Anyway, I just wanted to say, before the mission starts and we will all be much too busy to have sappy conversations and goodbyes, that it has been… interesting when you have been here. And I hope you a safe journey home."

Kakashi stopped to face Arcee. The Autobot did the same.

"Thank you," he said simply, with almost clear sincerety. "It will be a bumpy ride, so, let's see how it goes."

Arcee smiled wryly at him. "Now is not the time to be modest, Hatake."

He rolled his eye. "Fine, with my amazing and reality-bending ninja abilities I will take myself and my student across the worlds and universes and their boundaries with no harm to either of us."

"That's more like it," Arcee said. "Go kick some dimension ass."

Kakashi snorted. "I think cooperation would score me more points."

"Now where's the fun in that?" Arcee nodded towards the medic. "The rest will be here soon and we will go over the plan once more. And then, well, let's roll. "

There were tears in Miko's eyes.

Oh no, Naruto thought, panicked. He hadn't thought there would be any crying today. Some amount of sadness, of course, because he was leaving three friends who he probably would not to see ever again. But he hadn't prepared for having anyone crying on him, like Miko was currently doing, having thrown her arms around his neck in a suffocating hold and sobbing against his ninja outfit.

Naruto stood frozen for a moment before slowly raising his arms and wrapping them around the girl.

After a moment Miko let go (and Naruto drew in a breath that was long overdue) and took a step back, sniffling and rubbing the back of her palm over her eyes.

"It's so stupid that you have to leave," she said sullenly. "Do you think cell phones work over dimensions?"

"I don't know. I don't think so."

"Well they should," Miko said, folding her arms and huffing out a breath that made her bangs jump.

Jack said something, but although Naruto could catch a couple of words here and there the overall meaning was still lost to him. Why couldn't I be like Kakashi-sensei who learned all this stuff without even trying?

"He asks how many of the 'Bots will be coming with you?" Miko passed on.

"I'm not sure yet," Naruto admitted. "At least Arcee and Wheeljack and 'Bee. They're still arguing whether it will be more suspicious when more of them accompany us or not." A quick grin spread on his face. "It would be cool if they all came – well, except Ratchet, of course. We need him to power up the ground bridge after all."

Raf had a worried frown on his face as he too said something to Miko.

"And Raf tells you to be careful," Miko said, smiling. "And I'll tell you the same! No getting maimed this time, okay?"

"I didn't get maimed the last time either!"

"Your arm was a mess! They told us!"

"Well it healed," Naruto huffed. "And the 'Con managed to surprise me then. I won't make the same mistake twice," he declared, lifting his chin up in challenge.

Miko's smile widened. "If you say so."

They fell silent for a moment. Naruto looked over his shoulder at the computers, were Wheeljack was currently explaining something to a dubious-looking Ratchet. Kakashi-sensei was standing on the upper level of the base, leaning against the railing and looking serious and determined and all sensei-like. They were waiting for the rest of the Autobots to appear so they could have the last briefing without setting on to the mission.

It all seemed suddenly very real. They had been trying to find out a way to return for a long time, and now they were about to get back home.

Home, Naruto thought. It all seemed a little distant now. When they would get back home, would this world start to seem more and more unreal? Like a dream? Would he forget everything too soon?

No, he thought determinedly. This adventure was never going to leave him. It would stay with him for the rest of his life. No matter how long or short it was going to be.

It was still unfair that there was no way for them to keep contact with this world. Soon they would just leave, step through the portal and never come back.

There was a sudden sting in his eyes, and he had to blink rapidly to keep the sudden wave of tears at bay.

He turned back to the three teenagers (well, two and a half). Raf was staring at him with shining eyes but seemed determined not to really cry. Jack didn't look quite so sorrowful but he too seemed unhappy, his mouth a tight straight line with eyes downcast, his brow furrowed. Miko looked absolutely miserable.

A roar of engines came from the entrance tunnel and the rest of the Autobot crew sped in. Soon they well all in their robot forms and walking towards where Kakashi, Ratchet and Wheeljack were standing. Mrs. Darby had work today so she was nowhere to be seen in the base. Pity, Naruto would have wanted to say goodbye to her too.

"Well," Naruto said and Miko started to translate with a quiet voice. "I guess I'll have to go now."

Miko sniffed and hugged him again with no less force than the first time. "Don't do anything stupid!" She stepped back again, eyes shining. "And kick some 'Cons' ass!"

"Kakashi-sensei and Ratchet would say the two are mutually exclusive," Naruto said with a small smile.

They slowly made their way to the computers and the ground bridge control. Sensei sent him a long look filled with silent understanding. Naruto came to a stop beside him and furiously rubbed a sleeve over his face. Thankfully no one commented on that.

The plan was relatively simple.

They would open the ground bridge into a smallish Decepticon Energon mine (and wouldn't that be cool to see!). Wheeljack knew the layout expertly so they wouldn't accidentally open a portal into, well, a solid stone for example. Instead, they would open it into a small alcove of rock so they wouldn't immediately be in the middle of enemies. Then the 'Bots would go in guns blazing and Naruto and Kakashi-sensei would be on their heels, keeping out of sight.

Naruto felt jittery all over, like he was about to tremble from all of the energy trapped inside him. Though, the mission wouldn't demand too much from them, to Naruto's utter disappointment. The 'Bots would do most of the fighting and Sensei and he just had to keep a low profile and perhaps use chakra to stay out of sight an sneak after them. Of course on the other hand it would be counterproductive to just go throwing their chakra around when they would need it all just a moment later.

"The timing is essential," Ratchet was saying, his face utterly devoid of humor or amusement. "The moment you see the ground bridge opening, you go for it. It will take them a moment to walk through and then to close it, but that moment won't be long."

"We'll manage," Kakashi-sensei said with conviction. Naruto nodded eagerly at his words. Ratchet still seemed a little dubious, but the medic hadn't seen them in action and didn't know about the great speed they could reach with chakra if they just wanted to.

"If you say so," Ratchet said, although he was frowning. There was a sudden silence between the seven Autobots, the two ninjas and the three civilian kids. The air was filled with something unnamed.

Prime gave them a small bow. "It has been an honor to have you here, my friends."

Kakashi-sensei returned the bow with a rueful smile (of course Naruto couldn't actually see it, but he knew it from the look in his teacher's visible eye). "I believe we have brought you nothing but trouble. But thank you, for saving us and helping us return."

Arcee rolled her eyes, though she too was smiling a bit. "It's not yet over, Hatake. We still have the final push to do."

Sensei shrugged. "I believe there won't be much time to express our thanks once we're in the mine, so better to say them now. So thank you for fighting for us today."

Optimus Prime seemed to smile ever-so-slightly. "We have been fighting the Decepticons for a very long time. This is nothing we haven't done before."

Ratchet was already working on the bridge. Naruto felt a strange sensation unfold in his stomach.

Miko was once more throwing herself at Naruto and attempting to crush his ribs. Naruto hugged back just as fiercely.

Raf stepped forward and, in Japanese, said. "Goodbye." The boy was blinking furiously, his eyes watery and shining behind the glasses. A lone teardrop made its way down his cheek.

Naruto smiled and replied in English. "Bye."

Jack had a deep frown on his face, but his lips twitched into a small, quick smile as Naruto exchanged similar goodbyes with him.

Naruto heard a grunt and turned to see Miko hug Kakashi-sensei. The girl was clearly attempting to do the same rib-crushing hug she had give to Naruto, and Sensei's eyebrow twitched, though he still gave her hair a short ruffle. Naruto couldn't help but laugh.

"The bridge is about to open," Ratchet said urgently. "You need to go through immediately: it is not like the drones on the other side won't notice it."

"Right," Smokescreen said.

"Let us roll," Prime said somberly.

The vortex opened and the Autobots (save Ratchet) were all running through, and Naruto barely had the time to wave at Miko, Jack and Raf and shout out a quick. "Bye!"

"Safe journey," he heard Ratchet call after them when he ran into the portal and left the base behind.

When Kakashi stepped out from the portal, the first thing he heard was gunfire.

He immediately took in his surroundings: a cave, rather large with a high ceiling. There was a formation of rocks just to his right so he ducked and rolled and disappeared safely behind the boulders.

Just seconds after Naruto came through the bridge. They boy immediately saw Kakashi and dashed to dodge beside him.

The cave got much darker a moment later when the green vortex disappeared, taking it's glowing light with it.

Kakashi climbed up a bit to peer over the rocks, taking a good look at the mine.

It was large cave, the rock ceiling hanging high above them. There was a wide tunnel of sorts in front of them, and the Autobots were currently in the middle of it, covering each others' backs as they swiftly and efficiently took down the surprised Decepticons. Here and there around the mine, large crystal-like formations of what could only be Energon stood up from amongst the stone.

"You think we could take a small rock of that with us?" Naruto whispered to him, eyes trained to the Energon. Kakashi turned his head to send an unimpressed look at his student.

Naruto shrugged. "What? It would have been a cool souvenir."

"We are not here to collect keepsakes, Naruto," Kakashi said with a clipped tone, ignoring Naruto's eyeroll and returning his gaze to follow the movements of the Autobots. They had already cleared this part of the tunnel and were advancing.

"Let's go," Kakashi said and they rushed after them, carefully keeping to the shadows.

So far their surprise attack seemed to be working well. The Vehicons were stronger in numbers but they were unprepared and battling against highly skilled fighters. From the shadows cast by another large formation of sharp rocks Kakashi watched as Arcee fired another blast of blue laser at one of the Vehicons, hitting it squarely in the chest. The Decepticon fell heavily onto the rocky floor and did not get up.

Behind the Copy Nin, Naruto let out a frustrated huff. "It's stupid to lurk here while they are doing all the fighting."

Kakashi didn't bother to respond. They had had that conversion enough times already. "Keep your voice down," he said instead. He took a careful look around the cave. To his relief, there were no safety cameras in sight, at least not that he could see. That made their job much easier.

Although he did have a feeling that job was about to get more complicated. The element of surprise would not last forever, and the reinforcements would arrive soon. Hopefully they would actually be done by then.

The rocks they were hiding behind suddenly shook threateningly as a Vehicon collapsed heavily against it. Small debris flew on them and the ninjas hunkered down and swiftly covered their heads from the sharp shards of stone that rained upon them.

Kakashi raised his head and dared to peek over the rocks. The 'Bots were about to move forwards, and Kakashi caught Arcee's gaze as the blue Autobot's eyes swept around the mine. She didn't react much, only narrowed her eyes minutely, and then she was already moving forwards, where more gunfire and explosions could be heard.

"Whoa," Naruto said, staring at the dead Decepticon with wide eyes. Dulled blue Energon was already dripping from its cracked chest plate. "That was close. It would have been really embarrassing if that would have fallen on top of us."

"It would have been," Kakashi murmured. "Now let's go."

When there was no one in sight they dashed from behind the rocks, circling around and leaping over the dead Vehicons lying on the cave floor. Bits and pieces of scrap metal and body parts dotted the cave, some still flickering sparks and smoldering.

"Hurry up," the Copy Nin urged his student on picking up his own speed as well. The 'Bots had already disappeared behind yet another corner of the snaking mine. The sounds of laser shots ricocheted back to the two ninjas and the bright flashes casted momentary shadows of the fight on the ragged walls.

Suddenly the small female stumbled into view, motioning feverishly for them to hide and take cover.

Kakashi twisted his step mid-run and tackled the blonde boy behind a large contraption, most likely used for mining purposes. Not sooner than they had hit the dark ground a thunderous boom echoed and an air blast pressed its way through the passages, whipping up dust and small debris in its wake.

"What was THAT?!" Naruto coughed out, rolling to his side and sneezing slightly as the visibility cleared.

Kakashi rose to one knee and glanced over his shoulder, frowning. "Pressure wave, from an explosion, most likely."

The younger boy gave him a furrowed look. He too, rose to a crouch, hunching behind the drilling machine next to his teacher. A few running pede steps sounded and the blue 'Bot came to view, dropping down quickly and studying the two.

"Are you alright?" She finally asked, eyes skimming between the humans and the way she had come, blaster ready.

The Copy Nin nodded, before arching his visible eyebrow in a silent question.

Arcee's mouth was a thin line. "One of Wheeljack's grenades." Her tone dripped with disappointment.

The older ninja nodded again. "Not the best course of action, I take?"

"No. We are in a cave, after all, but that idiot doesn't seem to remember it."

Kakashi snorted slightly, fully aware of the dangers of combustions in closed spaces. Still, a part of him couldn't but revel on the effectiveness of it. Besides, they were low on time anyway.

"Let's go," Arcee commanded and dashed after her comrades, the ninjas in tow.

By the time they reached the rest of the Autobots, they could see the glow of the forenoon sun shining through the entrance and smell the fresh air. A warm, gentle gust of wind blew against the shinobis' faces.

'Time for phase two', Kakashi thought.

He saw Prime firing one more shot at the last one of the Vehicon guards at the entrance. The unfortunate Decepticon drone got a blast of laser right to its helm and collapsed to the ground and into a heap of scrap metal.

They emerged from the darkness of the cave into the bright sunlight. Kakashi let his eye sweep over the vast pit-like clearing that the mine opened into, surrounded by tricky, quickly rising terrain.

Wheeljack let out a short bark of laughter. "So far so good."

Kakashi rolled his eye. "Yes, because fortunately the roof did not collapse on us even though you tried to blow it all up and down on us."

"Hey, it was a much-needed maneuver at the time."

"I can believe."

Arcee stood beside them, eyes watchful and alert.

Prime's hand rose to touch the side of his helm. "Ratchet, be ready," he said. "It's almost time."

Kakashi met Arcee's eyes. The female nodded at him, a small smile on her face. "Be ready. They'll try to come through any minute now."

"I know." Then it would be over so quickly. In seconds, actually. Kakashi felt like he was about to throw open a door, and when that door would be open the surrounding world would disappear along with all its characters.

But there were no time for many words here. No time to let his attention slip for long.

Beside him, Naruto let out a shaky breath filled with pent-up energy.

The seconds dragged on.

"Where are they?" Smokescreen murmured from behind the ninjas. "Shouldn't they already be here?"

Bumblebee let out a chirp. "He's right," Arcee said. "They are probably suspicious: it's not long ago when we last attacked a mine, and that was a ruse."

"Well it's not like they can just ignore it!" Smokescreen argued. "For all they know we could be right now snatching up as many Energon cubes as we could and be off with them!"

"I didn't say that!" she snapped. "But it's not that surprising they don't just dash here."

A silence fell then, but not because of a normal lull in the conversation. No, it was because of the distant rumble of engines that suddenly filled the skies.

"What –"

It was just seconds later, when more than a dozen flyers dived from the sky, landing on the edges of the clearing and swiftly surrounding them. The Autobots raised their weapons and fell into battle stances, forming a loose circle with Naruto and Kakashi pretty much in the middle.

That was rather insulting, actually, Kakashi thought with a quick flash of exasperation. The feeling was, however, quickly run over by a wave of unease spreading across his heart. This doesn't look good.

"Where is that damn bridge?" Naruto hissed from beside him. Kakashi shushed him with a quick movement of his gloved hand.

Then there was one more flyer diving from the sky, landing on the opposite edge of the clearing, facing the Autobots. On the way it transformed into the tall grey form of the Decepticon leader.

Megatron stared down at them, eyes flashing red. "Well, this is a bit surprising," he said. "I didn't expect you fools to try such an obvious plot twice in a week."

Kakashi stared up at the Decepticon leader, his mind blank with shock. He felt Naruto grip his sleeve and the boy whispered in his ear urgently: "Where the hell is that bridge, Sensei?"

Kakashi had no answer. Without a bridge, there was no way home. From beside him he heard Arcee's rushed words spoken into the commlink: "Ratchet, we got a big problem."

Megatron was speaking again. "And once it came to my knowledge that you had at least one of your new human pets with you, it was quite clear you were plotting something else than a mere raid on an Energon mine."

"How does he know about that?" Smokescreen hissed.

"There is still time to end this madness of yours, Megatron," Prime demanded, taking a step forwards and facing the Decepticon Lord. "This feud is between you and I, between the Decepticons and the Autobots. These humans have nothing to do with it. Leave them be. "

"Maybe not," Megatron said silkily. "But that doesn't mean they don't have their uses."

There was the roar of an engine and pede steps from the forest behind Megatron, and then Knock Out emerged, shaking off dried leaves that had somehow ended up on his shoulders. "I hate nature." Kakashi heard him mutter. "And the blasted bugs are in my grill again." In his hand there was an object Kakashi didn't recognize, the 'Cons claw-like fingers wrapped loosely around it.

Optimus didn't avert his eyes from Megatron. "Then you know we will stand by them. We will not let you take them again."

"Yes," Kakashi said, stepping forwards and joining into the conversation. He refused to stand aside when his fate was being discussed. "You might have gotten us unguarded the first time." He narrowed his eye. "I assure that will not be the case now. We are not some ordinary humans you can just swat aside."

"Yes, yes," Megatron said dismissively. "That became quite clear when you wiped out whole groups of my flyers." The red eyes flashed menacingly. "But do not delude yourself, pest. Emerging victorious against mere drones does not mean you could survive against any Decepticon of higher rank."

The flyers glanced at each other nervously.

Kakashi snorted. "You can keep telling yourself that. But I still don't see you coming down here and trying."

"I do not need to," Megatron said.

The Decepticon leader turned his head minutely towards Knock Out. "Doctor, if you please."

"With pleasure, my liege," the red Decepticon purred. And then he was doing something with the small device in his hand. It almost looked like a detonator of sorts. Explosives?

Kakashi narrowed his eye.

Or he would have, if there hadn't been a thump inside him, as if something had just hit him in the chest with a sledgehammer, straight through his lungs and spine and solar plexus.

Then there was a flaring, roaring pain in his veins that was burning him from within.

The world blurred.

Naruto saw it all as in slow motion.

There was Megatron, staring down at them from the edge of the pit-like clearing, taunting them with his gaze and smirk. Naruto squeezed his hands into tight fists as he stared up at the Decepticon leader with boiling hatred rolling in waves inside him. That monster had dared to capture his mentor, to torture him, and now he had the gall to taunt him! But Sensei wasn't low on chakra anymore, wasn't unconscious, and this time, they weren't outnumbered.

There was Sensei, stepping up and taunting back. Naruto saw his fingers flex as he prepared for a fight that would surely soon break out. And now they would give the best they got. And the 'Cons would be sorry.

And then the red Decepticon standing beside Megatron did something, and Sensei collapsed.

Dropped to the ground as if he was a puppet and someone had just cut his strings.

He didn't get up.

Naruto stood there feeling like his mind had somehow disconnected from his body. Immediately, he fell into that silent world of chakra signals. It was so easy here, this world so deserted, and it was really no work at all to find that right chakra signal, because it was the only one around.

Or it should have been there. But now, that signal too was gone, flaring down into nothingness.

And it had all happened before his eyes in no less than five seconds, and the Decepticons had done practically nothing.

He had done nothing.

He took a shaky step forwards, then another, until he was staring down at his teacher. Kakashi-sensei was lying on his front on the cold ground, his head turned to the side. His eye was closed. He wasn't moving. Wind ruffled his hair, a couple of strands of silver swaying in the breeze. Suddenly Arcee was there by his side, her hands hovering uncertainly over the still form lying on the ground. She was saying something. He didn't know what, and he didn't care. It wouldn't make any difference anyway.

Naruto walked forwards, stepping over his fallen mentor in one smooth stride, kept on going until he alone was facing the Decepticons, the Autobots mere shadows behind him. There were heavy thumps shaking the ground, and three of the fliers jumped down to the clearing.

Naruto looked past them, ignoring them and up to the eyes of the Decepticon warlord. Megatron looked down at him with disdain and triumph in his gaze and a victorious smirk grew on his face.

After that, Naruto didn't feel much of anything anymore.

Only rage.

AN: I try to update these as fast as I get them ready to get this story back on track again. I of course cannot keep this up for long, but at least the next chapter should be posted soon enough.

Thank you for your reviews and feedback!

- Shatter