Hysteria had remained hidden for far longer than she had intended as she kept watch on the Maximals that were on a reconnaissance mission on the grounds below.  She has been tasked with a little recon of her own.  Megatron wanted her to spy on them, but had given clear orders not to engage.  What cruel fate was it that she had been sent to spy on Dinobot with orders not to attack him?

He was down there, along with the one that Scorponok had mentioned as Cheetor and a white tiger that she had not seen approaching or departing from the Maximals’ base.  While she could see from where she was hiding, she was getting a lot of interference and couldn’t listen in very well.  She decided to creep a little closer to get a better idea of what was happening down there.  Once Dinobot’s voice was clear enough for her liking, she decided to make herself comfortable and observe.

As the afternoon progressed, she learned a few things about these Maximals from the comfort of her vantage point.  Cheetor was by far the most enthusiastic of the group.  He seemed to treat their task like it was more of a game than a mission, and regarded the other cat like an older brother.  The one named Tigatron was reserved, but was clearly the most comfortable with the terrain.  And Dinobot… She couldn’t help but feel all warm inside when she watched him.  It was apparent he had been placed in charge of the mission by the way he so confidently gave out commands.  Every move he made was calculated and deliberate.  There were a few jokes tossed around at his expense, ribbing on him for how seriously he took his duties.  Hysteria found this just as amusing as she did admirable.  She tried to imagine him among Megatron’s ranks, but just couldn’t picture it.  It led her to wonder about how he came to be with the Maximals in the first place.  All she had heard was that Megatron referred to him as “deceitful,” though that meant little coming from him.  Was he ejected?  Or did he leave on his own accord?  From the few missions she had worked on with her new comrades, the Predacon troops left much to be desired.  Megatron may have been an imbecile, but she found it difficult to believe that he would willingly send away what must have been his best man.

While the group had remained in the same general area for most of the day, Hysteria still wasn’t positive what they were up to down there.  She knew she had to give a convincing report when she returned, or else what she had been doing for hours on end would raise suspicions.  She had maintained a safe distance up until this point, but now it was time to get to business.  Rising from her cozy little hideout, she crept silently through the greenery closer to where the Maximals’ position.  She stopped near the trunk of a tree, still concealed by ferns and other foliage.  Dinobot was in the middle of speaking, but he paused mid-sentence, sniffing the air.  This sudden distraction grabbed the attention of Cheetor.

“Hear something?”

He shushed the other Maximal while lifting his head and tilting it to the side.  Hysteria crouched closer to the ground, beginning to consider that she had pushed her luck by stalking so close to the Maximals.  She stayed perfectly still as she felt the raptor’s gaze settle in her direction.  His eyes narrowed and he lowered his head.

“What is it?” whispered Cheetor.

“It’s… just some local wildlife,” he said as he continued staring at her position.  “Perhaps it is time we disband for the evening…”

Cheetor laughed.

“If you were hungry, all you had to do was say so,” he joked, causing Dinobot to humor him.

“I did not realize I had an… appetite until I caught its scent.”

The way those words were spoken left Hysteria’s fur standing on edge.

“Well, you have fun with that,” Cheetor said.  “I think I prefer good old fashioned energon back on base.”

“I, too, feel like it is time we return to recharge,” said Tigatron. 

“Thanks for your help today, Big Cat!”

“Until next time, Little Cat…  Dinobot.”

Tigatron nodded, then headed north.  After he was gone, Dinobot looked at Cheetor.

“Tell Optimus I will be returning to base shortly.”

“Will do!  Try not to make too big of a mess!”

With that, the cheetah headed south.  Dinobot remained in place, watching Cheetor until he was out of sight.  He then looked back in Hysteria’s direction.

“How long were you there?”

Upon being addressed, Hysteria stepped forward out of the greenery.

“In this specific spot?” she asked with a grin as she stopped before him.  “… Or watching you?”

“How long were you watching?  For I sensed the exact moment you drew… uncomfortably close.”

“Better part of the afternoon.  You know, you’re kind of cute when you’re barking commands.”

Her teasing appeared to fall on deaf audials as he instead questioned her further.

“Do you keep watch for yourself?” asked Dinobot.  “Or are you under orders?”

“This time?  I was under orders…”

A displeased grunt was his response as he turned away.  “Well, there is nothing more for you to see.”

“Aww…”  She couldn’t help but laugh as she circled him to regain his focus.  “Would it make you feel better if I say I just wanted to see you again?”

A low growl came from deep within when she stopped right in front of him.  She looked up at him, waiting for some kind of reaction, some slight shift of expression.  When he didn’t give her anything to work with, she continued to press him.

“So, do you really have an appetite?” she said.  “Because I’ve got a taste for a rematch.”

“I will not indulge your antics a second time, Hysteria.  I should not have even permitted myself to entertain you before.”

There was a twinge of disappointment in her spark at his callous response.

“I suppose you have been hard at work today, and I do have orders not to engage,” she said with a sigh.  “But there’s no harm in talking, is there?  There’s something I’ve been curious about…”

“You do know what curiosity does to cats, correct?”

“So I’ve heard, but your cats already left for the cradle.”

Dinobot huffed, once again looking off in the direction where Cheetor had left.  After scanning the horizon, he looked at her again.

“What is on your mind?” he asked, his voice noticeably softer.  “Make it quick.”

“Well, the rumor is that you were once a Predacon.”

“I was not once a Predacon.  I… am a Predacon,” he snapped.  “… A Predacon who has merely decided to align with the Maximals because we share a common goal.”

She tilted her head and her ears perked up.

“And what might that goal be?”

“To see to it that Megatron is defeated.”

“Really?  Well, that makes two of us,” she replied.  “Care to share the juicy details?”

Dinobot looked at her with disdain after the question.  But after a moment of gazing down at her, the tense posture that Dinobot had maintained until this point eased. 

“If you truly wish to know more, I will see you here at dawn.”

He turned from her once more and left to return to base.  Though she didn’t speak, her gaze remained on him as he walked out of her line of vision.  Tomorrow at dawn, she told herself as she decided to return to base.  She could wait until then to learn his secret.

Before the sun was in the sky, Dinobot had already arrived at the spot where he told Hysteria to meet him.  It was little earlier than anticipated, but he had been restless and could remain confined to the base no longer.  It had been difficult to recharge the night prior, a trend he had noticed recently.  When he did manage to get some rest, he found himself assaulted by visions that he’d rather not acknowledge.  It was getting more difficult to ignore these all-consuming thoughts of Hysteria.

Hysteria…  What a fitting name, he thought to himself as he paced back and forth.  Though he was certain she picked her designation in response to her beast form, the way she made him feel was nothing short of hysterical.  For the first time in his long existence, he faced an excess of unwarranted emotions that he had great difficultly controlling.  He wanted to be irritated by her, by her provocative and irreverent behavior, but her animal magnetism was unrivaled.  Her charisma was a dangerous weapon, and he’d managed to fall victim to it time and again.  He was not one to share his business, especially not with the enemy.  Yet for some reason he was convinced that it would benefit her to know the truth, especially if she had already had her fill of Megatron.  If his story could in any way convince her to defect as well, he would not mind telling it to her.

As he paced back and forth, he began to question this motive.  Was this truly an attempt to get her to defect like he had reasoned to himself previously?  Or was it part of some greater desire that he refused to admit?  Was this his way of keeping track of her to make certain that she was not too far gone?  Or was her presence that compelling that he would drag himself out before daybreak just to enjoy a few moments of solitude with her?

It was not like him to grow frustrated and second-guess himself.  Yet here he was, wondering if he was making the right decision by agreeing to meet with her.  The first rays of the sun had yet to peek over the horizon, and she was nowhere in sight.  It was not too late to return to base and avoid this.  He had no obligation to meet with her, but unfortunately, he gave her his word.  There was no turning back for him.

Before he saw her, before he heard or picked up her scent, Dinobot knew she was approaching.  However foolish it sounded, his spark reacted to her very presence.  When the dull ache he had gotten used to spiked in intensity, he knew it would be a matter of time before she was standing before him.  Like clockwork, shortly after feeling this surge, he heard a rustling from behind.

“Hysteria…”

Her name was uttered before he turned around to confirm, but his intuition had indeed been correct.

“Dinobot,” she said.  “And I thought I had left early.  That eager to see me?”

“I would advise you not to flatter yourself, but I fear it is too late,” said Dinobot.  This brought a laugh out of her.  No matter how many times he heard it, he knew not why the sound of it made him feel like he would overheat.  He did not think he found it that annoying that it would cause a fluctuation in his internal temperature, but it was as though he knew little about his own system these days.  Rather than dwell on the meaning, he continued like he did not notice this.  “I trust you arrived without raising suspicion.”

“Don’t worry.  Your ex is still curled up on the berth clutching his teddy bear and as visions of galactic domination dance in his head.”

A long sigh left Dinobot.

“So, you are like this all hours of the day,” he mumbled.

“Only when I’m around you, big guy.”

“How honored am I to be the fuel for your incessant coquetry.”  His voice dripped with sarcasm, but it did little to wipe the smug look off her face.  He didn’t know what he could say to frustrate her the way she frustrated him, and he was beginning to believe it was not possible.  “Then, I’ll get right to it.  Are you aware of the golden disk?”

The look of mirth left Hysteria’s face and was replaced with one of business.  She shook her helm.  “That… sounds familiar, but no.”

Dinobot was surprised she had been around the Predacons this long and had not heard of it, but perhaps they still did not yet fully trust her.

“The golden disk was one of Cybertron’s most heavily guarded artifacts,” he said to her.  “It was said to hold the location of a major source of energon— Earth.”

“Wait, wait,” Hysteria interrupted.  “So, we are on Earth?”

Dinobot let out a low growl of irritation, not at her interjection, but frustration at Megatron rising again at the mere memory of the incident.  “That is precisely the problem.  We went through the effort of stealing this disk, hoping to gain a tactical advantage that would free us from Maximal rule.  But Megatron valued theatrics more than practical actions, and his incompetence led us to this primitive planet instead.  When I challenged him on this and proclaimed that I would be a better suited leader, he was cowardly and commanded one of the others to blindside me instead of facing me himself…  Thus, I intended to join the Maximals as leader.”

She was silent for a moment as she processed his words, then a new grin formed.  “But you—”

“You need not state the obvious,” he grumbled, knowing exactly what she intended to say.  “I quickly learned there is more than meets the eye when it comes to Optimus Primal.  He was willing to allow me to join, but not lead, and still I challenged him.”

“Aww, you try to fight everyone you meet?” she asked.  “Here I was thinking what we had was special.”

For the very first time since knowing her, Dinobot swore that was the sound of genuine disappointment masked behind her raillery.  It gave him some sort of satisfaction to hear those words, to know she believed there was something special, as well as a pang of guilt.  He considered telling her that he only challenges those he deems worthy, but did not want her head to swell further.

“I warned you not to flatter yourself,” Dinobot said instead.  Though his words were aloof, his tone betrayed him and he was unable to stop his smirk from spreading.  Before he could let her notice it, he continued, “Yes, I challenged Primal.  Before either of us could emerge victorious, there were complications.  We were ambushed, and he saved my life, though he had no obligation to do so.  Though at times it is an… uneasy alliance, it is ultimately in my best interest.”

“Let me get this straight,” said Hysteria.  “On Cybertron, you wished to be free from Maximal rule, to the point you assisted in larceny, yet you serve under Primal willingly?”

“Believe me.  I, too, have seen the irony in my actions, as have I contemplated if my decisions have been sound.  While I cannot agree with some of their… passive ideals, these Maximals are for the most part tolerable, and much more commendable than those under Megatron’s rule.  Though I take great pride in my heritage, the ideals of those I once fought beside no longer align with my own.  Who can say what will become of me once Megatron is defeated, but it is my duty to see to it that it happens.  Does that explanation satisfy you?”

She hummed in acknowledgement.  Dinobot studied her face, reading her thoughtful expression while wishing he could read her thoughts instead.  Her optics met his again, and he was provided a glimpse of vulnerability that he hadn’t expected.  In that moment, he dared to believe that his words had the desired effect, but knowing her, she would need time to come to the conclusion he was nudging her towards herself.

“It seems you have much to think about,” he said, to which she nodded.  “I will allow you the time to sort these thoughts.”

Dinobot turned to leave, wagering at this point he could make it back to base before any noticed he had been gone.  Yet the sound of her voice behind him convinced him otherwise.

“Wait.”

Hysteria transformed when he looked back at her, and turned towards the east, where the first glimmer of daybreak had finally approached the horizon.

“Won’t you stay to watch it with me?” she asked, gesturing at the budding sunrise.  “I mean, what is a few moments more?”

Her tone took on an uncharacteristic softness, one that surprised Dinobot to hear.  It stirred something in him, and though he told himself it would be wiser to deny her, he couldn’t allow himself to do that.  He answered silently, transforming himself before stepping closer to stand by her side as he too turned to face the rising sun.

“Is this the first one you are seeing?” he asked her.

“The first one on this planet, yes,” she replied.  “I don’t think I’ve seen anything like it.  Certainly different from the ones I remember on Cybertron.”

A small grunt of agreement rose from Dinobot before silence fell between them.

Light gradually claimed the darkness and cast the strange world around them in warm hues.  As the sun climbed higher in the sky, Dinobot’s attention drifted from the horizon to the one at his side.  He could not deny the beauty of nature, nor could he deny this odd pulse of his spark as he took notice of the way the sunlight reflected off the sleek metallic surfaces of her frame while simultaneously weaving through her fur, giving it a gentle glow that made it look irresistibly soft to the touch.  He couldn’t comprehend his compulsion to reach over and pull her close, and tore his optics away in an attempt to fight it.

“Can we do this again?” Dinobot eventually heard her ask, and was reluctant to answer.  While he could not deny that by some odd twist of fate he enjoyed her company, he knew it was risky to convene with the enemy like this.  Each interaction was another opportunity that the two of them could be discovered; the consequences of being caught with her could be dire.  His allegiance to the Maximals was under constant scrutiny, and he did not particularly want to draw more negative attention to himself.  Even if his intentions aligned with the Maximals’ ideals, it was certain the majority would not be so quick to see these encounters for what they truly were.  Yet in spite of all logic, he still could not find it in himself to tell her no.  He then transformed, knowing that he could spare her no more time, but he answered her in a word.

“Perhaps.”

The hope that this one word brought was evident in her smile.  One of her servos rested on the top of the head of his beast mode.

“I’ll hold you to that,” she said, patting him before transforming herself.

With their words lingering in the air, they turned from each other, both prepared to carry on about their duties to their respective factions as if this moment had never been shared.