Soon, Luke and Doggo returned to the helicarrier.
At first, Doggo didn't seem much different, still the same big, fluffy husky with sharp eyes and a wagging tail. But within minutes, his behavior shifted in a way that was impossible to ignore.
He lay flat on the ground, listless, his tail limp instead of wagging. His usual spark of energy was gone, replaced by a heavy, almost sulky stillness. Then, with a low groan in his throat, he began to retch as if something inside was clawing to get out.
The sound was enough to draw attention. Wanda, who had been sitting not far away, immediately dropped what she was doing and rushed over. Sharon, equally alarmed, followed right behind her. Even Bumblebee, who usually remained upbeat no matter what, dimmed his optics and crouched low, his massive frame radiating unease.
"Doggo, what happened?" Wanda asked hurriedly, kneeling at his side. Her fingers threaded through his fur in a gentle, worried stroke.
Although Wanda and Sharon had kept some distance from Doggo ever since witnessing his terrifying appetite for human flesh, their concern for him now was genuine.
Sharon squatted down as well, her brows furrowed. "What did you eat this time?" she asked, half-pleading, half-scolding.
Luke opened his mouth, ready to reassure them, but before he could say a word, Bumblebee's deep, mechanical voice filled the air.
"Doggo just ate an alien," Bumblebee explained. "And it seems to have upset his stomach."
The words hit harder than a thunderclap.
The women, who a heartbeat earlier were full of compassion, suddenly recoiled in horror.
"What?!" Wanda gasped, jerking back so fast she nearly tripped.
Sharon's eyes widened, her concern instantly vanishing, replaced by sheer disgust.
Without hesitation, Wanda raised her hand. A scarlet glow rippled at her fingertips as she pulled water from the nearby pool and splashed it across her palms. She scrubbed furiously, as if touching Doggo had contaminated her.
"Ugh, that's disgusting!" Wanda muttered.
Sharon copied her immediately, stretching her hands toward the floating water even though she hadn't touched the husky at all. The two women exchanged a glance of shared revulsion, their faces pale.
Luke couldn't help but stare at them in disbelief. "Seriously?" he muttered under his breath. Their ability to switch from tenderness to revulsion in a single second was almost comical.
Doggo, however, looked utterly heartbroken. He blinked his now red eyes up at Wanda and Sharon, his ears drooping pitifully. No one was scratching behind his ears anymore, no soft voices coaxing him. Instead, there was only distance, and disdain.
But rather than bearing a grudge against them, Doggo turned his gaze toward Bumblebee with a glint of reproach. If a husky could sulk at someone, Doggo was definitely sulking at the autobot.
And then, before anyone could say more, Doggo's body tensed. He gagged, his sides heaving, his whole chest shuddering violently. The sound went on and on, his tongue lolling as his throat convulsed.
Finally, with a wet hack, he spat something onto the ground.
It was small, not much bigger than a fingernail, but it pulsed faintly, glowing with a sinister dark-red light that seemed to shift and writhe like liquid flame.
Luke's eyes widened instantly. His breath caught.
"The Reality Stone…" he whispered.
He had expected Doggo to cough up the Aether's liquid form, but this… this was the solidified Infinity Stone itself, glimmering with raw, terrifying energy.
His hand twitched, as though to reach for it, but he stopped himself just in time. He knew the danger better than most.
Each Infinity Stone was a force of creation, boundless and merciless. And among them, the Reality Stone was arguably the most volatile. It could reshape rules, bend matter and thought alike, and grant form to any wish, at a devastating cost. Even Thanos had never dared wield it without the Gauntlet.
No, rashly touching it would be suicide.
Bumblebee, however, crouched low, his optics flaring. "What is this…?" he murmured, the hum in his voice carrying uncharacteristic awe.
Dark-blue lights rippled across his eyes as he initiated a scan. His sensors buzzed, whirring audibly in the quiet surroundings.
Luke, meanwhile, tugged Doggo back a few steps, his hand gripping the scruff of the husky's neck. The dog's tail was already wagging again, his strength restored the moment he rid himself of the Stone.
After several tense minutes, Bumblebee straightened. His optics flickered with a strange light.
"Boss," he said gravely, "this thing radiates an energy source unlike anything I've ever encountered. It's… practically endless. Almost like the Spark that gives life to transformers, only stronger. More stable."
Luke narrowed his eyes. "You're saying… you could use this?"
Bumblebee hesitated, then gave a slow, solemn nod.
The Stone's glow reflected in his polished armor, its crimson light painting him in a warlike hue.
Luke tilted his head. "Would it even be useful to you?" he asked cautiously. "If it is, then by all means, just take it."
For Bumblebee, Luke's trust was absolute.
But the autobot shook his head. His voice was firm. "Not for me, Boss. For you."
Luke blinked in surprise. "Me?"
"Yes," Bumblebee continued. "With this… I could forge a real army of Transformers. Machines with true life. Not a squad, not a battalion, an actual endless army."
Luke's eyes widened as the weight of the statement sank in.
An army of orcs already stood behind him. And now? Another potential army, this one mechanical and tireless.
"Seriously?" he muttered, half in disbelief. Was the universe conspiring to hand him armies until he had no choice but to become a conqueror?
Fortunately, Luke had no interest in domination. But still, armies had their uses. He couldn't help but imagine it, standing against Thanos with the orcs on his right flank and the Transformers on his left. The aura farming alone would be worth it.
He gave a small smile. "Alright. Take care of it. If you need anything, let me know. When that army's built, you'll be their leader."
For a long second, Bumblebee didn't move. His optics glowed with something almost human, excitement and pride. He had always envied Doggo's place at Luke's side. But now, he finally had something no one could overlook.
Without hesitation, Bumblebee reached for the Stone. His huge fingers carefully pinched the tiny shard of power, and with a soft click, he opened a compartment in his chest.
The Reality Stone slid inside and the effect was immediate.
Bumblebee convulsed violently, his armor rattling as if every bolt were trying to shake loose. Dark-red lines spiderwebbed across his body, glowing like molten veins. His metal plating shifted and rearranged, reinforcing itself, becoming denser, heavier, sharper.
The transformation lasted five long minutes.
When it ended, Bumblebee no longer looked the same. His entire form radiated strength and refinement, as though he had been reforged by the universe itself.
A familiar ding echoed in Luke's mind.
[Bumblebee has been transformed by the Reality Stone. His strength has greatly increased. He has advanced from Level 3 to Level 5. He has also acquired the ability to give life to other machines.]
Luke's chest tightened with excitement. Doggo was already powerful enough and he was just level 4, and now Bumblebee stood shoulder to shoulder with Gul'dan who was even stronger.
And as if to prove the change, Bumblebee's frame shifted once again. Plates folded, wheels spun into place, and his entire body compressed into car form.
Only now, he wasn't a yellow Camaro.
Before their astonished eyes, Bumblebee gleamed in a brand-new shape; sleek, aerodynamic, and blazing red. A sports car, stunningly beautiful, polished to perfection.
…