When All Are One

(c) Sabrina 'Steele' Ditto, 1999

xsteelefoxx@aol.com



CHAPTER ONE

Silence. The eerie multitude of nothingness...Of blackness. Like a plague, the world was dark, the moon was hidden...Nary a light penetrated the red clouds hanging in the sky. Steele sat alone on a small hill, her gaze cast into the onyx cover. It seemed as though the world was dead; it's life past, in the silence of the night.

But, of course, it wasn't...

Armageddon was only a thing of imagination, right? She tilted her head downward, allowing a single drop of moisture to slide down her nose and fall to the soft Akasha soil.

When she regained her strait stance, a slight luminescence could be seen in the distance. Two small eclipses, red in color. Bright crimson, seeming almost blood spots against a montage of ebony.

What could create such brilliant highlights?, Steele wondered. After standing up, she began to walk towards the light...

Feeling no fear, secure in her abilities to out-fox whatever came her way...

But what was that?

The eyes of flame faded into blackness as an even darker figure stepped towards her. It was no more than a shadow, a darker piece in the puzzle of ebony that surrounded them. Yet the eyes remained the same shining red...

It was as if the timespan in which they dissipated, was only a blink in the continuous travel of time.

As if by magic, fate or curse, the skies parted, letting a lone sliver of moonlight trickle from the heavens. It's silver ray engulfed the figure, shedding a light on it's presense...Yet it's glow was an eerie one.

The figure was as black as the sky...

The soft light cast by the moon only made for more ponderings on Steele's part. He was large; almost twice her foxen size.

Yet he seemed to retain that canine look...

Not a fox, no; nor a hound, or a coyote.

He was a wolf, and a fine one at that! But what was he doing eyeing her like that? With a smirk planted upon her crimson-hued muzzle, she stepped closer to him, her tail lashing behind her. If he was a spy, or a reporter, she would most definately make him pay...

Was her existance a thing to be studied?

Was she to be forced into the limelight at every waking moment? It had gone too far: they had invaded her special place!

Her last refuge from publicity...

"Who are you, and what the hell are you doing here!?", she snarled at the figure.

He looked down upon her, a brow quirked and a slight grin pulling at the corners of his further taut mouth. His eyes were cold...

yet they sparkled slightly, as if they held secrets...

Secrets that Steele was sure she'd never know.

He brought his right hand to his chin, tapping it slightly, in a perhaps feigned state of deep thought. He shifted the weight of his muscular body back on one leg, the other heel out in front of him in a gesture the fox understood not.

He brought his gaze to parallel to her own, the slight smirk still upon his lips.

"What's in a name? A rose by any other would still be crushed..."

His voice was a smooth baritone, with tenor stressing upon some syllables. It was quite mocking in it's tone...

Which did nothing to tame the spicy fox's attitude.

She rolled her teal eyes back into her head in a gesture of sarcasm...

Who did he think he was? She clenched her hands into two tight trembling fists, and gave him a menacing look.

"Answer me or pay the price, pup!"

Then he went and really made her mad.

He laughed.

The irritating sound took her off guard for a moment, but that was a state soon fleeting. After drawing her right fist back somewhat, she drove it straight into his gut. After he had he doubled forward, she brought both hands clenched down on the back of his head, throwing him to the ground.

But the wolf was no dummy. Swift as a lightning strike, he reached a clawed hand to her leg, pulling her to the ground a few feet away.

Steele countered with a swift kick to the jaw with her other leg, forcing the wolf to release his grip on her. She pulled her leg away quickly, twisting her body before flipping to her feet. Her swift manoeuvre bought her mere milliseconds, before the wolf had regained his stance in much the same way, and barreled at her.

She dove to the left, smoothly transgressing into a roll, leaving the wolf to passing through not but thin air.

Spinning on one foot, the wolf gave her no time to react, diving at her yet again. His body landed on hers with a thump.

"Looks like your little game is up..."

"Not by a longshot," she muttered in retortment, through clenched teeth.

Focusing her strength in her hind legs, she mightily kicked upwards, thrusting the larger one into the air and over her head, seemingly giving her the upperhand once more. As he flew through the air, however, he managed to lock his hands on her shoulders.

What a peculiar move!Steele thought to herself.Very pecuier indeed!

After she had landed on him, she was greeted by his smirk once more. He reeled to the right, pushing her off; and held her planted against the soil with potent hands.

The wolf had out-foxed the fox.

Steele put up a struggle, but quickly realized how truly futile it had been to fight in the first place. Speed and agility were nothing against his wit and brute strength, and so she was caught, plain and simple.

He bared his fangs in an awkward smile down at her, those crimson eyes alight with self-centered mock.

"Damn you!" Steele screeched up in his face.

"You do not seem to be in a position to say that, young lady," He growled at her. "Now that you are...unable... to attempt /another/ attack, may I ask why you did so in the first place?"

"Stupid wolf! I asked what you were doing here! You...You tabloid scum! This is /my/ place! The only area I can have any peace! How dare you invade it!"

"Quite simple...I walked."

His charm was, to her, unnoticeable now, for the fox was blind with fury.

"Why I oughta...You'll pay for this!"

"Perhaps," He retorted, pulling her head closer to, his before hissing: "Or perhaps not..."

Steele gulped...So he was going to kill her...

That must've been his plan all along. Her anxiety grew, yet her gaze was hard as stone when she looked up at her asassin.

"I refuse to beg for my life to you...You know as well as I do that /my/ death will in turn bring your own."

"You have no need to plead for mercy, child; I will not harm you; I only trespassed, on a mere whim. I know not who you are."

He rose, and held a hand out to Steele, in an offer to help her to her feet.

Steele blinked at the hand offered, then turned her gaze back to his face. The smirk was gone now, allowing her to fully examine his features.

His muzzle was long and slim, with a large black nose gracing it's tip. His eyes were not so cold as she first assumed, yet still retained the annoying hint of omniscience. His jaw sloped downward delicately, and his chin was rather pointy. The picture of perfection.

"You...don't know who I am?"

He gave her a slight grin, and kneeled down beside her.

"Nope, new in town... Well, new to the planet, more like..."

"So you're an alien?"

"One could say that...but I prefer being called Megatron...Megs for short."

Steele pulled her back from the ground, gathering her legs beneath her, in an 'indian-style' sitting position.

"Steele...I'm Steele."

"It's nice to meet you, Steele. Yeess. Perhaps you can show me around this place? I feel so awkward."

"Let me get this straight: you try to kill me, and /then/ you want me to introduce you to everyone?"

"You seem to have forgotten rather quickly whom attacked whom," he reminded her. As much as Steele hated to admit it: he had a damn good point.

"Well I..er..I suppose I could. But my family is asleep now, and will not wake until dawn's break. I'm the black sheep, I guess one could say. I sleep during the day, and awake at night."

"Ah, yes, the typical, nocturnal, vulpine sleeping pattern. I am much the same way. Perhaps we can provide some mutual company to each other until then?"

"Uhm...sure; There's nothing wrong with that."

"Very well," he said, standing.

He held out the large hand once more, beckoning her to grasp it, providing aid to stand. "Would it be possible for you to show me around the forest here?; I will need to find a 'home'..."

This time, Steele took his hand, raising herself onto her feet.

"I'd enjoy that."

Her words shocked her, for Steele was always one showing serious 'loner' tendencies. She didn't take well to others, especially those who she had just met... But this wolf, this Megatron; he seemed...different...somehow, and she surprisingly felt as though she could /trust/ him. It was like she had known him for her entire life. Little did she know, when she began her decent into the woods, that the night would change the direction of her life, of her dreams and goals... That soon, Steele would be gone...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~``

"Where are we?" Megatron asked with his soothing voice. A slight shiver fluttered down Steele's spine as he spoke, getting an odd glimps of premenition.

"We're in the woods," She said flatly, jumping onto a boulder. Her agile feet landed softly, and she sat to rest. Her feet dangled over the side of the large rock, her hands laid behind for support.

"Really now..." Megatron said with a slight chuckle. The sound was eerie against the silence surrounding. Steele looked at him again, her eyes full of awe...Someone twice her size, who could easily kidnap her, and hold her for ransom...Though her mother most definately would not pay. Yet, he was being nice...No farther mention of her little squabble, not any questions of her life...It was a odd sense.

She pulled the corners of her mouth up into a slight smile, her eyes wary yet comfortable at his presense.

"Where'd you learn o fight like that? You nearly had me."

"Nearly?!" Steele said with a laugh. "Had you not flipped me sideways, I would have had you!"

"Nonono...You were much too cocky. Never underestimate your opponent. That was where you messed up. You were too busy pondering what I was doind to react sportingly."

"But the move was so unusual...I just didn't expec-"

"Exactly. And that's why I was able to conquer this round."

"You say that like there will be more..."

"Yeess. Yes indeed, there will be, Steele. After all, you are so kind as to show me around, why shoudn't I repay the favor?"

"By kicking my ass?"

"Noo...By teaching you my moves...By training you into a fighter. 'Twould be a fun project, don't you say? You have great potential, m'lady."

The words rolled around in her brain...Steele? Potential? Besides to be a model for society and everything everyone 'should' be? Perhaps that would draw attention away from her rich family! She hopes so...Fame would be much better earned, and not given out in mass quantity.

Though most would tremble in the wake of such fortune, Steele would much rather keep her profile low...It was somthing she inherited from her father.

Steele's father was kind, gentle and ever loving...He raised Steele better than anyone else could, and most everyone agreed.

Most.

For Steele's mother and sister hated the life they led, would rather have glamour and fame over the basic simplicity that drove Steele and her father each day. The three room bungalow in the woods was replaced with a mansion of luxury when her father passed away. It seemed as if her entire wold was ripped from under her at that time...

But did she have time to mourn? Nay...For the newsies were down her throat the moment her identity was released.

She simply despised the fact her face was plastered in magazines, sometimes with her sibling and mother, sometimes a sneaked portrait. Steele was royalty on Akasha...Royalty born to a throne they didn't want and could not escape.

As if snapped out of her trance like a smack to the face, she smiled warmly at him.

"That would be great. I need to strengthen my muscles anyway."

"You seem strong enough to me. After all, look how close you came! You almsot had me."

"Megs...Almsot dosen't count."

"But it does...You see, in this game of life, nothing is set in stone...Almosts can lead to futur victories...I'm sure you'll beat me one day."

"It's not in the near future..."

"Not with that attitude..."

"What exactly is that supposed to mean?"

"Only that if you belive you can't...Then you will wallow in guilt and self-pity so much that you fool yourself into not even trying. The key to sucess lies only in your hands...Learn it, use it well."

"You talk in circles..."

"Better than squares."

"You're confusing me."

"Don't I always?

"You were a stranger until tonight!"

"A stranger is merely a friend one hasn't met."

"Okay, now you're just pissing me off.."

"Better off than on."

"Stop it!"

"Give me a legitimate reason why?"

"Because if you don't I'm gonna jump down and kick your black ass!"

"Point proved."

"What are you saying now?!"

"That you can kick my ass if you say you will."

"Damn spiffy!"

"Then why'd you say you couldn't?"

"It wasa figure of speech!"

"Very well," Megatron ended. A slight grin was on his lips as he turned back to Steele, the crimson pools showing no emotion. "It was never my intention to get you riled up. I've already came close to a slag once tonight, I don't think I can handle another."

"Slag?" Steele asked. What was that? A word foreign to her ears, it was strange to hear and even stranger to say.

"Yes, Slag. It is another term for getting beaten in a fight. It's only native to my planet and specie, I belive..."

"Strange...Where did you come from?" Steele hated to pry, but her curiosity was much like that of a feline. Things she had to know she would ask about. Things she didn't have to know she asked about. Anything that interested her in the least was asked about. And so she ventured deeper into the wolf's psyche, in search of answers that may intrigue her.

Megatron searched his mind for the right wording. Should he tell the truth? Did he ever? Why would he even think to speak of his past to an insolent little fox...Especially one who...Interested him so.

"I come from a planet far away. A place called...Cybertron. I doubt that you have heard of it, though, for it is small and sparsley inhabited."

In all actuality, Steele didn't know of the place he spoke. She was more interested in how he arrived than where he departed.

Though marred with humble beginnings, she had always held a facination with electronics. It seemed that she could take a piece of metal and a lone wire and create a magnificant toy, one that talked, one that walked, one that did dishes...She could do practically anything with the right material.

"And?" She urged, waiting for the right moment to pop the questions of his 'ship'.

"And look. The sun is rising."

True, it was...And Steele's eyelids were drooping much like the moon going down on the other side of the world.

Could she possibly venture out in the slumbered state? To go on a wild goose-chase for a pod she didn't even know existed? The wolf answered her thoughts by holding a hand out to her.

"Let's crash in that cave for the day," he said, pointing to an opening in the rocks. The jagged stalagmite's hung from the ceiling, and the dampness in the air drew her away from the burning ball now rising overead.

"Sure," she muttered. Reaching her own hand out to meet his, she slid off of her perch, stepping in the direction of the cave.

Once entered, she found a nice, cozy spot in the corner, laying down upon the mossy stone. Her eyes finally closed, the picture of the wolf the last thing her mind saw before drifting into a deep sleep...But was that a touch of metal beneath his eye?

No...Nonsense...

Silence.

CHAPTER TWO

The fire was bright. It burnt her eyes. Smoke singed her lungs. Her throat was ablaze as the world bunt down.

Yet she kept running.

Faster and faster, her heart beat like the pounding of a drum...A drum whos head would burts from the quick strike of the stick, beating at it relentlessly.

Throbbing. Nomatter how hard it pained...She had to keep running...

Keep going...

The flames! They were gaining on her!

A limb on the ground, invisible to her watering eyes.

Her feet made impact, then her body lie helpless on the ground.

She screams, the fires licking at her fur, singeing her skin to the tird degree.

Through the bright red and orange...A face?

Familiar...Yet so much different...Eyes burning like red coals...A toothy grin tearing at the sides of his lips...

Why didn't he burn! He was standin in the fire!

She choked...Cough...Hack...

Air...Air was a precious commodity to her now...

The pain of flesh hardly equaled that of her lungs, getting scoured inside out as if by acid.

A laugh. One so hideous and forboding...An evil sound, sinking into her ears...

Darkness.

The world turned black.

Silence.

Not a word...

No breathing...

Peace...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

"AHHHH!" Steele woke with a start. Sweat was pouring from her body, her hands wrapped around her throat decreasing the oxygen flow.

"A dream..."She muttered. "It was a damn dream..."

She sat from her position, leaning against the cold stone walls. Her body rackde with each breath entering her lungs. A dream that had so much impact...It was...

Horrifying. Especially to a seer.

What had sparred the nightmare? Her dreams were usually pleasent ones...Why, she hadn't had a nightmare since...

Since her father's death.

The thought made her shudder, and she turned her head as if to escape it.

Two crimson balls stare at her, almost mockingly.

"What the hell re you looking at?!"

"I was merely wandering what caused that sudden outburst..."

"Outburst? Wolf, you are crazy. I just woke up."

"Yeess, but you were talking in your sleep"

"And you didn't wake me because?"

"Because it was...Interesting...Yeess. I've been wandering what had been traveling in that mind of yours."

"Since when has it been your business?" Steele snapped...She never was a morning person...And the nightmare just increased her bitchy attitude.

"Temper temper," Megatron said with his cold voice. A voice like ice. Ice that could withstand the flames...

No! Ridiculous thoughts of a deranged fox! That nightmare had really effected the crimson beast...You could see it in her eyes...You could smell the fear circulateing in the atmosphere...

And it was fear that Megaron fed most off.

He twithces slightly, the fur covering his body making him itch...

The metal had loosened from his face durning their fight, but he replaced it while Steele was asleep...

Such a foolish girl, he thought to himself...Quite foolish indeed...But that is all the better for my plan...She has proven that the skills of the warriors here hold quite some profits...If only one knows how to use them.

His agenda...A thing of true confusion, left in a world of chaos and erraticy. Noone but he himself held the key.

As long as Steele did not betray him...As long as she went along...

The sky was his limit...

"What did you just say?" bellowed Steele.

"Huh?!"

"You said my name, and I wanna know why!"

"I said nothing!"

"You accuse me of being deaf or dumb?"

"I..Well I was merely...Speaking a name of beauty, yeess..."

"Flattery dosen't work with me...I have no use for it."

"Nor I, what I spoke was from my heart."

"My taialfur."

"Well, it is quite nice too..."

As much as she wanted to throw somthing in his face...Not a word entered her mind. She, in fact, enjoyed his words. From one so handsome...

Ugh! The thoughts must leave her head! Never would it be accepted...

And yet...He was so...

"Now, maybe you can take me to meet the townspeople. It's grown quite dark, yet not enough to hinder our path..."

True...And she had just missed her chance at discovering his pod. But perhaps they could discuss it on the way? The walk was long but inevitable, so she gained her feet in the small cave.

"Sure...Only a few miles away..."

"Would you like a ride?" Megatron asked with much sincerity.

Steele quirked a brow at his comment, wandering how he could...

"No thank you...I know these grounds better than you, my luck you'd trip and land on me..."

"Fine," hesaid haughtily, stepping out into the sdecaying light. "We shall be off now, then."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The town where Steele resided was rather small...But the house was the envy of all.

Long violet laced curtains hung low, brushing the muave carpet with each delicate breeze through the sittingroom window.

The high domed ceiling was of pure ivory, much like a newborn's skin...It was as if you could reach out and stroke the velvety substance, though it was far overhead.

Steele and her new 'friend' entered into this romm from the outside world, and Megatrons mouth gaped in wonderment...

The place was huge! Though his initial thought overwheled him, his fleeting attitude caused him to stiffen quickly. Yet not so fast that cool azure orbs did not detect.

"Amazing, huh?" Steele said, somewhat sarcastically.

The nonchalantness re-entered Megatron's voice, and he shrugged. "I've seen better."

"Why do I doubt that?"

Before the large wolf could develop a snappy answer, a medium sized cat waled in.

Eyes of midnight blue sparkled as she neared the two, her long ebony sequined gown sliding along behind her Her face held a look of dignity and refinement, and in her hand she held a martini, a small olive floating inside.

"My daughter! Oh, I'm so proud of you! You have finally realized the importance of publicity!".

"She examined the wolf with interest, poking around him like a nosey child in a toy store.

"Where's his camra?"

Steele rolled her eyes, a slight smirk returnign to her features.

"In hell...Why don't you visit?"

The cat jerked strait, turning drunkenly to the fox.

"Now listen...daughter...I will hve none of that foul language in this house..."

"Oh yay, she used a word larger than her IQ..."

The remark was reprimanded with a smackon the face, sending the martini into Steele's eyes.

Megatron sat back amusedly as the fox and cat both screamed in unison, one from pain, the other from a liquor headache.

"You imbosilic moron! Get out of this house!"

"Go to hell...mother..."

With a swift spin, the cat lunged at her daughter, only for the even faster fox to whirl away, letting her hit the wall.

"Ungreatful-"

SMACK! The glass fell upon her mother's head, adn she slunk to the floor, unconcious.

"That oughta hold her for awhile," said the confident Steele, the one whom held the broken shards of glass in one hand.

"You are really somthing..." Megatron said quietly, turning back to the door. "I belive it best to depart from here...It seems there is too much troub-"

"OOOoohh Steeeeeeeeeeeeeleeeeeeeee!"

A voice high of pitch echoed through the house, and from behind a curtain emerged a fox who's beauty could equal that of Steele's.

"Now who's this big, handsome hunk of canine flesh you've brought me, hmmm?"

Megatron stares bluntly.

"You know her?" He said to Steele, a look of paranoia creasing his features.

"Unfortunately..." The red fox mumbled, trying to usher Megatron to the door. "Let's get outta here before she comes any closer.."

"Nonsense!" The grey beauty said, slinking seductively twards the ebony wolf.

"Uh...Um..Steele, I think it...Is..Uh...best...to..."

"Why, a little shy one, aren't we? I'm..Silver..But you can call me Silvy..." The silver fox replied, wrapping her tail gently around Megatron's right leg.

"Stop it!" Snarled an enraged Steele...This was /not/ the impression she wanted her family to show! Couldn't they be civilized for one day in their lives?!

Unlikely.

Silver chuckles dryly, giving the other crimson-yed east a wink before slinking back into her room, leaving him a clear view of her 'AcSSeries'. "Jealousy...Steele, you'll never learn..." She spoke, as the curtains closed behind and her form disappeared.

"That was...Odd..." Megatron said disgustedly, turning his face back to Steele.

"Wait till you meet the rest of the town..."



Part Deux