Chapter 188: Arc 5: Chapter 31: Farewell and Promise

A few hours later, under the shine of the dim lights in this warehouse near Hell's Kitchen's harbor, Cliffjumper moves its shoulder and raises its right arm, and moves its five metal fingers skillfully.

This new right arm didn't quite match its overall style.

The giant robot stood up and looked rather odd.

Cybertronian Rebels' style was not as ferocious and powerful as Decepticons, thus their sizes were usually much smaller than the Decepticons, but what they gained were heightened reflexes and faster speed.

And right now, there was a Decepticon-style right arm on Cliffjumper's body.

The right arm was bigger than its left arm, the blue mixed with gray spray paint added with the ferocious spikes and heavy armor gave it an odd sense of power.

This was the right arm from Dropkick's wreckage.

It was also Merlin's farewell gift to Cliffjumper.

It spent several hours reforming this arm to be compatible with its system. With Dropkick dead, the program in this right arm could be alternated at will.

Merlin also witnessed how a Cybertronian repairs its body.

To be honest, it was a fascinating process.

It was like scattered parts being reassembled automatically, the excess parts are removed, the complex wiring and board systems are rearranged, then after a short restart to ensure its compatibility with the system, Cliffjumper's body becomes complete once again.

But it still kept the right arm's Decepticon-style spray paint as a memoir.

This was a gift given to him by his first Earthling friend, and to a warrior, it was a memorable gift.

"Bang"

As Merlin watched, Cliffjumper moves its new arm and easily grabs the container in its hand. As it poured more strength into it, the heavy container is then slowly squeezed into a pile of metal scrap.

This fully proves the powerful capabilities of this new arm.

"Shwa"

Cliffjumper flings its right arm, the components on that new arm quickly transform into a large cannon with six-packs, and the internal turbine rifling gave it a menacing look.

"Good, I have become a warrior once again."

Cliffjumper strokes its new arm with its left hand and says:

"After escaping death and coming to Earth, I have never thought that I would become complete again."

It looks back at Merlin, sincere gratitude appears on its human-like face.

It sits down on the ground, places its hands on its knees, and tells Merlin:

"I've not forgotten my promise, Merlin, you helped me find B-127, even helped us find proof of Megatron and the Allspark's existence, you helped us conceal ourselves as to help us through danger...you saved me, more than once."

It says with a deep tone:

"You may not admire a Cybertronian's oath, but as a warrior, I cannot forget your help. I promise to you, Merlin, that if you need help, me and my friends will come to assist you in the fastest time possible."

"You, are now a friend of the Cybertronian Rebels."

"We can talk about these later."

Merlin did not mind much about this, he waves his hand, raises his head, and tells Cliffjumper:

"With the confirmation that the Decepticons will arrive on Earth one day, we will also need help from the Rebels. But that will be something for the future, I'll contact you if I really need help."

"I'm more concerned about how you and Bumblebee are planning to search for Megatron and the Allspark?"

Facing Merlin's question, Cliffjumper says softly:

"We cannot expose ourselves, thus we have to search for it in the most primitive way. We will walk across every inch of this continent, and though this may take a lot of time, we will find the Allspark eventually."

"Mmm, a clumsy yet effective method."

Merlin nods and tells Cliffjumper:

"I'll try to look for news in the DoD as well, I'll contact you if I find anything."

Merlin looks down at his watch and tells Cliffjumper:

"It's getting late so I won't keep you here any longer, Bumblebee's still waiting for you...be safe, Cliffjumper, contact me should you need help."

As he finishes, Merlin turns and tries to leave the warehouse, but Cliffjumper stops him.

"Wait, Merlin."

"Mmm?"

Merlin looks back at Cliffjumper and asks confusedly:

"Anything else?"

"This."

Cliffjumper places a small blue cube in front of Merlin and says:

"The Decepticons are a group of vengeful Cybertronians, you may have infuriated them by helping us. You're capable of protecting yourself, but am lacking firepower, you gifted to me what I needed most, so I'm gifting you what you need."

"This is?"

Merlin looks at the blue metal cube by his feet and asks Cliffjumper:

"Is this some kind of weapon?"

"It's a weapons module on Dropkick's arm."

Cliffjumper explains:

"This is the technology of the Decepticons that I cannot use, but I changed it so you can use it. Put your hand on the surface of the module, it'll then record your fingerprint and you'll be the only one who can ever use it."

Merlin squats down, takes off the glove on his left hand, and places that hand on the blue cube. As a fingerprint is stored in it, the blue cube begins to transform.

A second later, the blue cube becomes a somewhat large hand cannon.

It was square with a handle and a trigger, on top of the hand cannon was a blue energy halo, in front of it was a gun muzzle as thick as one's arm, and in it was a vortex-like launcher that was spiraling as it was charging.

This thing seemed to be something from science fiction and looked like the energy weapons used by the Kree.

THough from a technological level, this weapon was far more advanced than the Kree's energy weapons.

"This type of weapons module has multiple firing frequencies, Merlin."

CLiffjumper extends a finger and moves the muzzle Merlin pointed at it outward, it then says:

"It's intelligent and can change into different attack patterns following the will of the user. But the more destructive you want it to be, the lesser the chances of its usage, it can easily penetrate a Cybertronian's armor when at max power."

"Really?"

Merlin feels the somewhat heavy mechanical hand cannon in his hand, and as his thoughts change, the hand cannon quickly begins to transform, and a sniper rifle-like blue metal weapon appears in his hand a second later, it even had an intelligent aiming system that unfortunately was of no use to Merlin.

"Mmm, this is the sniping mode."

Cliffjumper nods to Merlin and says:

"Long recharge, long-range and powerful blast, but high energy consumption."

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"Nice gift."

Merlin flings the weapons module in his hand with satisfaction, the module quickly begins to transform into a grayish-blue metal baton.

He raises his head, looks at Cliffjumper, and says:

"I have only one question, what should I do with this when it runs out of energy? Do I charge it with a battery?"

"Solar energy."

Cliffjumper points upward and says:

"After it runs out of energy, put it under the sun and it'll recharge over a few hours. This is an energy weapon and it can be charged using energy."

"Energy? Any energy?"

Merlin purses his lips and begins to inject mana into the metal baton in his hand, a layer of crimson red glow begins to appear on the surface of the baton as mana is injected into it.

"Mana works too."

Merlin flings the baton in his hand, the whistling wind-breaking sound added with the glow flickering on the baton made the weapons module look like a crimson red light blade.

"Eh, mana, energy I'm unfamiliar with."

Cliffjumper looks like the odd glowing baton and says uncertainly:

"Perhaps it can achieve the charging of the weapons module. I have a question I've been meaning to ask you, Merlin, are there many mana users like you on Earth?"

"Not many, but more than you think."

Merlin holds the baton and tells Cliffjumper:

"So you and Bumblebee will have to keep a low profile since other wizards aren't as sociable as me."

---

A dozen minutes later, at the edge of the harbor in Hell's Kitchen, Merlin and Charlie see Bumblebee and Cliffjumper off as they leave by the road front and back.

And whilst Merlin was calm, the young girl standing next to him was more depressed.

Tears stain on Charlie's face as she waved goodbye to her friend until she could no longer see them.

Far in the distance was Bumblebee's honking, that was how Cybertronians bid their best friends farewell. It was a secret agent with a mission and thus it had to put its mission first before all others.

"Alright, stop crying."

Merlin gives the crying Charlie a handkerchief, the latter glares at Merlin menacingly and says while crying:

"You're quite stone-hearted, that's my friend, the first friend who would quietly support me in this miserable life of mine. It's left just like that, and I may not ever get to see it ever again."

"Don't be so sadistic, girl."

Merlin shrugs and tells Charlie:

"They're destined to live a long time on Earth, and when the Decepticons come to this world, their feud and conflict are bound to follow them."

"You're already in this mess, Charlie."

Merlin says to the ignorant girl:

"Be it your contact with B-127 or Dropkick's death, you won't be able to cut ties from it. Once the Decepticons arrive on this planet, their first target will be you...I heard that those mechanical bullies are quite vengeful."

"Then what should I do?"

Charlie says to Merlin worriedly:

"I'm different from you, I can't protect anyone with Bumblebee gone, I still have my mom, my younger brother, and...my stepfather; I don't like them, but I don't want them to get hurt either."

"So this will be the choice you'll have to make."

Merlin takes out a document and black ladies watch from his handbag and hands them to Charlie, saying:

"This is your transfer application, all you have to do is sign it and within a week, you'll be transferred to study at the Empire State University in New York. This watch here is a locator, we can track and protect you with this, so never take it off."

Merlin looks at the hesitant Charlie and says:

"With your current situation, the further away you are from your parents, the safer they'll be. And with you studying in New York, you'll be within range of SDOLD's influence, and we can go help you when necessary."

"I know you kids value your freedom and privacy, but trust me, Charlie, those things are nothing compared to your life. We're not madmen who'll monitor you 24/7."

"This is...mmm, a type of protection."

"I don't care about that."

As Merlin watched, Charlie quickly puts on the watch; this young girl who'd personally participated in the war between mechanical giants was much more mature than her peers and knew what choice was best for her.

She looks at the document in her hand and says worriedly:

"I don't want to stay in California, my relationship with my family has been terrible ever since my dad died, maybe leaving will be my best choice...but the problem is that I'm unfamiliar with New York, where would I live when I go there? Surely not in school?"

"Relax."

Merlin smiles, he takes out his phone and tells Charlie:

"I've already arranged for a perfect living space for you, the people there will take good care of you, but you'll have to keep some things a secret."

"Trust me, you'll get along well with my sister."

Charlie shrugs, Merlin was someone trustworthy so she did not hesitate and signed the document.

She returns the document to Merlin and looks in the direction where Bumblebee disappeared, she then asks:

"Merlin...do you think that in the future, maybe I can become a Cybertronian knight like you?"

"Mmm? What do you mean?"

Merlin looks at Charlie confusedly, the latter then says:

"Bumblebee told me, it said that Cliffjumper was grateful for your help and is willing to become your vassal knight. It means to pledge loyalty in the Cybertronian civilization, you're already Cliffjumper's knight, did you not know that?"

"They're still into these kinds of things, I wonder why such an advanced civilization would have such a primitive system."

Merlin shakes his head:

"I don't know, nor do I care, they're free and not anyone's vassal. As for you...do you really want to become a Bumblebee knight?"

"Mmm!"

Charlie nods and says:

"Bumblebee's my best friend, I won't let anyone else become its knight."

"Then you'll have to work hard."

Merlin dials a number while saying:

"The current you is far from enough to earn the respect of a Cybertronian warrior."

 

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