The S.H.I.E.L.D. airfield stretched wide and gray under the overcast sky, lined with aircrafts gleaming in the faint light. Their metallic bodies reflected a cold sheen, the faint hum of standby engines filling the air with a low vibration.
Nick Fury and the Avengers were about to embark on one of the planes when a hand shot out, barring their path.
Luke stood there, calm as ever, a faint smile playing at his lips.
"Wait a moment," he said, his voice casual yet carrying a weight that made everyone stop. "Your plane is too slow. I'll have my car remodel it for you."
He spoke with such ease, as if asking for someone to fetch a glass of water, yet his words made everyone glance at him in disbelief.
Luke, however, was already entertaining a brilliant idea. Leaving all these aircraft to collect dust here was a waste. They could serve a greater purpose, one that would leave S.H.I.E.L.D. and Fury's accountants gasping.
Why not have Bumblebee transform them all?
If they became Transformers, they would no longer be just machines but living weapons, fully loyal to Bumblebee. They'd gain autonomy, willpower, and the ability to soar wherever they pleased. Not even Nick Fury's iron grip could leash them then.
The others, though, were completely thrown off by his words.
Even Tony Stark blinked, tilting his head as if he hadn't heard correctly.
"This plane is too slow?" Tony muttered under his breath, incredulous. "Are you kidding me?"
He looked at Luke as if the man had insulted his entire legacy. These S.H.I.E.L.D. aircraft were developed with Stark tech, after all. Each one cost hundreds of millions, equipped with engines designed years ahead of civilian aerospace standards. Their speed was nothing short of cutting-edge.
How could anyone call them slow?
Then there was the second part of Luke's claim, letting his car remodel the planes. That sounded even stranger.
Natasha Romanoff folded her arms, eyes narrowing. "Your car is going to modify these?" Her voice was edged with both skepticism and curiosity.
Steve Rogers glanced between Luke and the jets, clearly confused but too polite to voice it aloud. Thor merely raised a brow, his hand resting idly on Stormbreaker's handle as if waiting for the next surprise this strange Midgardian would conjure.
Tony, however, said nothing more. He remembered seeing Luke's Camaro transform firsthand. He knew the machine was… unusual. Still, he firmly believed no further modifications could be made to his aircraft designs. Unless the energy source itself was swapped out, which was practically impossible, these planes were already at peak performance.
So, Tony folded his arms, leaned back slightly, and decided to watch Luke make a fool of himself.
At that exact moment, the ground beneath their feet trembled ever so slightly.
A shadow fell over them as Bumblebee arrived, his sleek figure casting a long silhouette across the tarmac. His body gleamed in black and deep red, glowing stripes pulsing faintly like veins of molten metal.
The Avengers instinctively stiffened. Natasha's hand brushed the holster at her thigh, while Steve straightened, readying himself. Even Fury's one good eye widened slightly.
They only calmed down when it landed and realized it was just a car.
Then Bumblebee transformed.
His body unfolded and shifted in a seamless cascade of gears and plates, a symphony of mechanical precision. The sound was metallic yet strangely fluid, like an orchestra of steel. Limbs extended, armor snapped into place, and in moments, a towering robot stood before them.
Even Thor's lips parted in astonishment. "By Odin's beard…" he whispered. "What manner of sorcery is this?"
Tony, meanwhile, couldn't tear his eyes away. His heart raced, his brain spinning with equations and schematics. The Camaro transformation he'd studied so many times seemed crude compared to this. This version of Bumblebee was sleeker, more advanced, the engineering bordering on artistry.
His fingers itched as though he wanted to sketch the design right there on the tarmac. "This… this is…" Tony stammered, uncharacteristically lost for words.
Bumblebee strode toward one of the aircraft and extended his hand. A red glow surged from his arm, flowing into the fuselage like liquid fire.
The plane shuddered.
Metal groaned, bolts rattled, and then, impossibly, the aircraft began to move on its own. Wings flexed like muscles, the hull expanding and twisting. The screech of transformation filled the air as the machine reshaped itself, armor plating sliding into place, jet engines twisting into legs and arms.
Before their eyes, the aircraft became a giant robot.
It towered above Bumblebee, four or five times his size, its massive wings folded like the cape of a steel giant. The ground trembled under its weight, and the air seemed to vibrate with raw power.
And then, to the utter shock of everyone present, it spoke.
The massive robot lowered its head toward Bumblebee and, in a voice like grinding thunder, declared: "Master, Megatron is reporting for duty!"
The name struck like a lightning bolt.
Luke blinked, stunned. "Megatron…?" he muttered, his brow furrowing.
He looked up at the towering figure again, and yes, there were undeniable similarities to the infamous Decepticon leader. The sharp contours, the predatory design, the imposing stature.
For a brief moment, Luke's mind raced with both amusement and alarm. Of all the possible forms, did it really have to be Megatron?
The Avengers were speechless, their jaws practically on the floor. Even Fury, who prided himself on keeping composure, was left utterly silent.
Tony's mouth opened, then shut again, like he'd run out of witty one-liners for the first time in his life. He jabbed a finger toward the towering robot that had just emerged from the shapeshifting plane.
"Okay… that, no. No way. That's not possible. I designed those planes, I know every wire inside them. You don't just turn them into… into that!" He made a vague gesture toward the massive, winged figure looming over them.
Thor, on the other hand, stepped forward, his axe resting lightly on his shoulder, eyes gleaming with fascination.
"By Odin's beard, this is glorious!" he declared, grinning broadly. "A weapon forged of machine and sorcery together. Midgard never ceases to surprise me."
Natasha stayed silent, though her sharp gaze never left the giant robot. Her hand hovered near the holster on her thigh, body tense. "Weapons that can think," she murmured under her breath, too low for anyone but Clint to hear. "That's a nightmare waiting to happen."
Clint raised his brows at her and let out a low whistle as he tilted his head back to take in the sheer size of the new arrival. "Yeah, well… at least when one of your rides talks back, you know you're in trouble." He smirked half-heartedly, but the awe didn't leave his face.
Luke caught Bumblebee's eye and gave him a subtle wink.
The Autobot understood immediately. Without hesitation, he moved to another aircraft and repeated the process.
Within minutes, the quiet tarmac had transformed into something out of a fever dream: eight colossal robots, each born from once-ordinary S.H.I.E.L.D. quinjets, stood in formation like an army awaiting orders. Their glowing eyes all turned toward Bumblebee, radiating loyalty and purpose.
The sight left Fury's chest tight. He knew instantly what this meant.
"Luke, they… they" Fury began, then stopped himself. His throat went dry. What he wanted to ask was simple: are these still S.H.I.E.L.D. property?
But he already knew the answer.
The grim truth hit him hard. These machines had gained autonomy and consciousness. They belonged to Luke and his car now, not to S.H.I.E.L.D., no matter who had paid the billions for their construction.
A rare flicker of regret crossed his face. Once again, he had underestimated the cost of letting Luke step in.
Luke, of course, noticed the hesitation. He stepped closer and gently patted Fury's shoulder.
"Relax," he said with a small smile. "I'll leave you one plane. After all, that's what friends are for, right?"
Fury exhaled slowly, lips curving into a wry, bitter smile.
Luke leaned closer, his tone more serious. "Don't underestimate it. Even one of these planes, after transformation, has more power than all your current fleet combined."
It wasn't an exaggeration. Empowered by the Reality Stone, these aircraft-turned-Transformers were beyond anything Fury could've imagined.
The director gave a single nod. One was better than none, and that was the best outcome he could hope for now.
Luke gave a signal, and the towering robots shifted back, folding and compressing until they once again appeared as ordinary aircraft lined neatly on the tarmac.
Luke pointed at the one that had called itself Megatron. "We'll take this one," he said lightly, as though choosing a car rental.
The massive plane obediently opened its rear hatch. Without hesitation, Luke strode forward and boarded, while the rest of the group stood behind, still wide-eyed and stunned by what they had just witnessed.
…