The hidden vault beneath Nevada's scorched crust had no name, no listed location, and no Autobot dared mention it without necessity. It was an exile—not a sanctuary. And inside it waited a legend most thought lost.
Zayden stood at the edge of the underground hangar, his green eyes reflecting the flickering lights as cold winds hissed from the ventilation shafts above. Metal walls were engraved with faded Autobot sigils and warning glyphs in old Cybertronian.
"Welcome to the Echo Hold," Arcee whispered. "This place hasn't seen life in years."
Ahead, massive doors creaked open, revealing a narrow chamber. Inside stood a single stasis pod glowing with pale blue light. Sparks occasionally danced around its base like fireflies. Mikaela, arms crossed, walked beside Zayden, her expression half-curious, half-wary.
"I still don't get why we're here," she said.
Zayden stepped forward. "Because I can't keep winging every battle. If I want to survive Airachnid… I need to train under someone who knows how to be untouchable."
From the shadows, a low, modulated voice answered him.
"Untouchable… but not forgotten."
The light from the stasis pod dimmed. Something blurred across the room—so fast it was more sound than sight. Mikaela flinched.
Zayden didn't.
He smiled instead. "Blurr."
The blue-and-silver Autobot materialized in the corner, his form flickering like an image caught between frames. His optics glowed dimly, his armor slightly transparent in places.
"You are… the Omnitrix bearer," Blurr said, his voice echoing like a whisper chased by wind. "I've heard the frequencies. Felt the data streams ripple."
"I need your help," Zayden said. "To move faster. Hit harder. Stay ahead of what's coming."
Blurr didn't reply at first. Instead, he circled Zayden with such speed that even Arcee lost visual contact.
"You're not ready," he said.
"I wasn't ready yesterday either," Zayden shot back. "But I fought anyway. And I won."
That made Blurr pause.
"Good," he said softly. "Then you'll survive the next five minutes."
---
Blurr didn't teach in the traditional sense.
He attacked.
Zayden found himself in a combat arena beneath the vault, surrounded by holographic terrain mimicking a ruined city. The Omnitrix flared as Zayden activated his form—XLR8—the speedster alien with wheels for feet and reflexes that danced on photons.
He'd barely blinked before Blurr struck him from the left.
"Rule one," Blurr said, his voice now coming from behind. "You're never the fastest. Only the least predictable."
Zayden groaned, rolling out of the rubble. "Thanks for the life lesson, Obi-Wan."
Another hit—this time from the right. Zayden hit a wall hard enough to crack it.
He exhaled, shaking off the daze. "Okay, fine. No cocky banter."
He darted forward, legs spinning like turbines, dodging a barrage of high-speed feints and throwing himself into a barrel roll that caught Blurr off guard.
Zayden struck his shoulder.
"Tag," he said breathlessly.
Blurr froze, his optics narrowing. Then, a small smile formed. "Better."
---
Back in his human form, drenched in sweat, Zayden slumped against a crate as Mikaela handed him a bottle of water.
"Getting your circuits fried?" she teased.
"Nah," he said, grinning. "Just learning to bend time."
Blurr sat nearby, phased halfway into the wall. "You're adaptable. I thought your power would make you reckless. Instead, you're learning to use it with intention."
"Yeah, well," Zayden muttered, sipping. "Running fast's easy. Running smart? That's the trick."
"You'll need more than speed soon," Blurr warned. "Airachnid's not chasing you to win. She's chasing you to consume. She sees the Omnitrix as her key to evolve past dimensions."
Mikaela paled. "Wait… past dimensions?"
Zayden frowned. "You're saying she wants multiversal access?"
"She wants to rewrite the rules," Blurr said, gaze distant. "You may be the only one who can stop her—but not because of your strength. Because your soul is aligned with this reality in a way nothing else is."
Zayden glanced down at the Omnitrix. "Unseen and unbroken," he whispered. "That's how I'll stay."
Blurr stepped forward. "Then let me give you a gift."
He extended his hand, placing a glowing data module into Zayden's palm. The Omnitrix blinked—once, twice—then absorbed it with a surge of green fire.
"New form unlocked," the Omnitrix's voice rang.
Velocity Spark.
Mikaela raised an eyebrow. "What's that one?"
Blurr answered, voice barely audible. "A fusion of human instincts and Cybertronian speed. My own spark code… re-imagined. Use it well."
Zayden bowed his head, deeply respectful. "Thank you, Blurr."
The ancient speedster began to phase back into his resting field. "If you survive long enough… come back. There's more to teach."
---
That night, back in Tranquility, Zayden stood on the rooftop of the garage once more, overlooking the quiet town. Streetlamps flickered. Crickets hummed.
Mikaela leaned beside him, hands in her pockets. "You okay?"
"Yeah," he said. "For the first time since I got here… I think I might actually be ready."
She smiled faintly. "Not to be cheesy, but… you don't have to be perfect. Just don't give up."
Zayden looked at her, smiling. "You sound like someone I'd fall for."
She smirked. "Who says you haven't?"
He didn't respond. Just leaned against her shoulder as the sky above shimmered with distant stars.
Below them, the world turned slowly.
And above, in orbit, something new entered the system—a Decepticon warship silently watching.
The next threat had already arrived.