…
"But you're the only one I want."
"Leon, you…"
Leon's sincerity caught Arcee completely off guard. Flustered and self-conscious, she fell silent again.
Right then, Tony's voice cut in at the worst possible moment, shattering the budding atmosphere.
"Uh… guys?"
"Now's not exactly the time for flirting. We're almost there."
Far ahead, barely visible on the horizon, Gulmira emerged beneath a haze of smoke. War clouds loomed above the village like a distorted mushroom cloud.
"Tony," Leon asked with a faint smile, "when's your next cover model date?"
"…Why?"
Tony immediately grew suspicious.
"Just wondering," Leon replied casually.
Then he revealed his true intent:
"So I can kick your ass in front of her."
Before Tony could respond, Leon pushed Arcee into a second-stage acceleration burst, leaving Tony momentarily engulfed in exhaust trails.
"By the way, Arcee," Leon asked mid-flight.
"Yes?"
"Do you know why the Anti-Inertial Field failed earlier? That shouldn't happen. Tony wouldn't make such a basic design mistake."
"…."
What Leon really wanted to ask was what the Anti-Inertial Field represented for her now—but he restrained himself.
Arcee gave a faint hum… then went silent again.
"Alright. Forget I asked."
Leon shrugged.
In truth, Arcee's silence wasn't due to malfunction.
It was embarrassment.
The Anti-Inertial Field, in a way, was an extension of her emotional state toward her rider.
Not necessarily romantic love—
But care. Protection. Attachment.
For Leon and Arcee, who had barely known each other, that level of emotional projection felt… fast.
But how could someone who had endured ages of loneliness—and carried the scars of war—remain calm?
As for what kind of "love" it was—
Only Arcee knew.
After all, love rarely follows logic.
[Notification: Arcee's Partner Mode unlocked.]
"Woo!"
Leon's grin widened.
"Leon, why are you smiling?"
"Just remembered something happy."
He leaned forward slightly.
"Arcee. Partner Mode."
"What?"
Before Arcee consciously processed it, her body responded instinctively.
This time, the transformation compressed inward.
Within seconds—
The car-sized Jet Glider vanished.
In its place, held in Leon's arms midair, stood a humanoid Cybertronian figure roughly his height.
Silver-gray-black armor plating. Purple accents at the knees, waist, chest, shoulders, and cheek panels.
Sleek. Refined. Striking.
"Arcee… you're beautiful."
Leon meant it.
"—!"
Arcee reacted instantly.
She crossed her arms defensively over her chest and shot him an indignant glare before immediately transforming back into motorcycle mode.
"Leon. If you ever activate Partner Mode in front of others again, I will never speak to you."
She was genuinely furious.
Her Partner Mode, after all, was essentially the Cybertronian equivalent of the Emperor's New Clothes.
Why a robot would even conceptualize modesty was a mystery.
Cybertronians were complicated.
"…Noted."
Leon hadn't expected such a strong reaction.
Mental note: major boundary.
With J.A.R.V.I.S. no longer monitoring Arcee's systems, Leon would have to keep track himself.
Preferably not digitally.
Maybe handwritten.
Preferably in Cybertronian script.
Good incentive to learn.
After that brief detour—
Gulmira lay directly beneath them.
"Woohoo—!"
From nearly ten thousand meters up, Leon leapt off Arcee in a full trust-fall dive.
Since she had seen him fly before, Arcee didn't panic immediately.
But as his descent speed increased—with zero signs of deceleration—
She panicked.
"Leon!!!"
She dove after him at maximum speed.
Too late—
Leon slammed into the ground in a textbook superhero landing, embedding himself half a meter deep into the earth like a steel spike.
Dust erupted outward.
He rose from the crater unharmed.
Hero entrance.
Moments later, Tony descended with a controlled repulsor-assisted landing beside him.
Finally—
Arcee arrived.
The moment she touched ground, metallic transformation sounds rang out.
She shifted into full Combat Mode—nearly five meters tall.
Clang! Clang!
Two sharp metallic impacts echoed.
Arcee smacked both brothers down mid-pose.
"What the—!"
"Why am I getting hit too?!" Tony protested.
But when he saw Arcee grab Leon by the collar and lift him one-handed into the air, demanding answers—
He wisely shut up.
"Never do that again, Leon!"
Arcee's voice vibrated with lingering fear.
In the short time she'd known him, her emotional turbulence had surpassed centuries' worth.
Nearby, Ten Rings militants froze in disbelief.
Were they hallucinating?
Did that motorcycle just turn into a giant woman?
After Leon swore repeatedly not to repeat the stunt, Arcee finally set him down.
Tony stepped forward, pointing at the towering Cybertronian.
"Leon… I think I deserve an explanation about Miss Arcee."
"Nothing to explain," Leon replied, summoning his Tungsten-Alloy Shield with Vibranium overlay from the System Storage Space.
"J.A.R.V.I.S. already told you. Found her."
He drew the Infinite Desert Eagle with his other hand, entering full combat stance.
Tony sighed.
Fine.
Repulsors charged as he aimed at the stunned terrorists.
"Hey, Tony. How about this?"
"What?"
"You handle their weapons stockpile."
"Arcee and I will take care of the personnel."
"…Deal."
Tony powered down his palms and looked up at Arcee.
"I don't know where you came from. But Leon's in your hands."
Arcee nodded.
Her forearms shifted, transforming into dual plasma beam cannons.
"You don't need to tell me."
"I will protect him."
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