Chapter 9: Playing with the Big Boys
TheLunchKing
Heed my words... Egg.
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Chapter 9: Playing with the Big Boys
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Chapter 9: Playing with the Big Boys
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When one is in trouble, one must find the most optimal solution that will result in the least amount of harm to oneself possible. That is just common sense, and that is just a no brainer. So knowing now that Bulkhead isn't alone in hunting this Relic and is in fact partnered up with WHEELJACK of all bots, means that something has changed a lot back with the autobots. I doubt Optimus would let Ratchet go find a relic alone, whatever is happening back there, I can only assume that the Autobots got an increase in numbers.
[ Emotional Processor Levels Rising ]
[ Raising Emotional Dampeners ]
[ Dampener Output raised to 70% ]
But anyway, back to my solution. After raising my dampeners so I don't panic, I decided to do the smart thing... and throw the relic container at Wheeljack like it was a football sized explosive and turned around to run away like hell. Turns out it was the correct thing to do as the exchange behind me explained everything.
"It threw a bomb!" I heard Wheeljack say followed by the sound of a sword being drawn.
"Jackie wait no that's the RELIC!" Pure panic emanated from the green wrecker as Bulkhead warned Wheeljack from destroying the container that held nothing inside it.
Before they realize the ruse, I need to get clear YESTERDAY. I may have Silas' fighting styles saved into my data drives, but I am nowhere near as experienced as he is yet. I don't think I can reliably take on a single autobot, much less two at the same time, and hell of a lot less with one of the two autobots being fragging WHEELJACK.
So I ran to a nearby rock and used it as a stepping stone to jump from it. Transforming into my alt-form the Hind in mid-air, all the while I make sure the box was held close to the underside of my helicopter mode. Thankfully I don't see any insecticons nearby- aaand just as I thought that I heard that buzzing noise. Turning my chin mounted camera around wildly, I attempted to find the insecticon squad I- OH COME ON!
My camera found them, and I initially thought it would just be three insecticons including Hardshell. But nope, there was six insecticons, and guess what? Four of them split off to attack the Autobots who were turning to look at me, ah, they must have figured out that I had the Tox-En in my servos. But two insecticons decided to head STRAIGHT for me, is this karma for taking the insecticon corpses and one stasis fried insecticon? I can't help but feel this is karma of some kind.
Regardless, I have a new objective. Before I can escape, I'll need to fight these two insecticons. If I can surprise them with my firepower, then I think I can get the drop on one like I did with that insecticon earlier. But I'd have to fight the other one. Though before I do so, I should get as far away as possible from the autobots lest my cover gets blown. I don't want any surviving insecticon to report back to Megatron on an Optimus look alike after all.
Taking stock on their distance from me, I figured I can fly for a little while longer before I need to turn to face them. In the meantime, I began descending, picking up speed as I did so to get into a group of rock formations. My goal for the first part is to see if I can lose them, if I can and get away far enough I can then open up my own groundbridge and get the hell out. But I'm not betting on escaping just yet.
I dove through the rock formations and made a few sharp angled turns, it is probably just a perk of being a cybertronian but I have a lot more agility than I thought despite being a Hind. Those things are most famous for being more like boats with rotors and a lot of guns. Regardless, I could still hear the noise of those mechanical bug wings vibrating behind me and by the steady rising it means they are getting closer.
Humming to myself, I think this is far enough from the autobots and the other insecticons. So I just turned my camera to look behind me, I see the insecticons were still there and it looks like they are preparing to fire. With that in mind, I'm taking my shot first!
In my hind form I swerved left before turning to face the insecticons, I don't know if they are surprised by my actions but I hope they hesitate once I fire THESE! Thermo Rocket pods locked on and firing from their pods on my wings, I fired a total of four for each of them and I can tell by their sudden break off that they decided to try and take care of the incoming homing rockets. Yeah, you think I'm gonna let you have an easy time doing so?
Choosing the beetle to my right, I gave chase and followed behind my rockets while firing my chin mounted blaster repeater turret, yellow blaster bolts flew through the air in rapid fire as I attempted to shoot down the insecticon while he was busy dodging my rockets. However with the combination of weapons fire from me and my four active rockets chasing the insecticon, he was too distracted to dodge well and was struck by two rockets after dodging the first two. That's checkmate for you buddy, I thought to myself as I watch the insecticon make a crash landing and followed after it.
Taking it out is my top priority so I'll just fight the other one by itself, so no hard feelings bug boy. I fired all my weapons at the still crashing insecticon and was rewarded with seeing it screech as holes were blown into it, dying as it crashed into the ground in near pieces. Though just before I could turn around, a red blaster bolt flew past me and I immediately swerved around as fast as I could, seeing the insecticon with what seems to be scratches over his form. He must have let the rockets crash into a rock beside him or something if the faint scorch and scratches were any indicator.
However luck wasn't on my side this time, I got hit by one of its blaster bolts to my tail rotors, so now I was spinning out of control and I had to make a crash landing of my own. This is terrifying! Words cannot express how scary it is spinning like this without any control of your flight path. All I can do now is focus and attempt to at least fire off another salvo of thermo rockets in order to distract the bug.
Targeting isn't great as a spinning weapons platform but I fired anyway, hoping to any higher power that the rockets will distract the insecticon from finishing me off while I'm still in the air. I used my camera and spun it the opposite way I was spinning in order to get an idea of where I was landing. It surprisingly worked and I was about to crash onto a relatively flat land and just before I landed, I quickly transformed as I didn't forget about the Tox-En I was carrying. I did NOT want to break the container while it is attached to me.
So I transformed and cradled the box before crashing into ground back first. Thank the higher powers for my currently offline pain receptors, my HUD though in return seemed to pull up a window showcasing the damages to my body. I'm surprised I didn't take more damage, I got away from that with light damages to my left arm and my right leg. Cybertronian durability for the win I guess?
Quickly remembering I wasn't alone right now, I looked up just as blaster fire started peppering my location. Though when I looked up, the insecticon stopped firing for a brief moment as it stared at my faceplate which was undoubtedly 'Optimus Prime' of all bots with a flying alt mode.
I took ruthless advantage of the lull in blaster fire in order to put the box on my back and transformed my servos into my yellow path blasters firing back as I retreated backwards a few steps. The thermo rocket pods were on my hip skirts and I fired two more homing rockets at the insecticon who decided to dive down while taking potshots at me. Now is the time for the true test I suppose, Silas boasted that this chassis possesses all of Optimus' Strengths, Speed, and Firepower. I've tested the firepower and I've tested the speed, now it's time for the strength.
Regardless, I continued laying down fire towards the insecticon who pulled up before hitting the ground, charging towards me firing his own blaster at me. In a bout of stupidity, and in the heat of the moment, I charged forwards switching my right path blaster for my regular servo while continuing to fire my left and only path blaster at the rapidly approaching bug.
He decided to transform midway and let out a screech before throwing a fist forward, in response I pulled back my own right servo and threw it forward into his own fist. Silas you may be an ass but I dearly hope your comment rings true.
Metal met metal as our fists collided, creating a small shockwave that cracked the ground beneath us and disturbed some rocks nearby. Neither of us moved an inch, and I can't believe I'm saying this. But thank you Silas you bastard.
With that confirmation and mental thank you to the megalomaniac, I saw the the insecticon screech at me before raising his other servo up to try and hammer fist me. Alright big boy, let's dance!
I jump back and let the bug's servo slam into the ground, he looked up just as I spun around to give him a particularly fierce kick right into his mouth. Launching his head back and making him fly off his pedes for a few meters, I slammed my foot down and charged the insecticon as he recovered before screeching at me again.
We met fist for fist a few times, my HUD gave me updates on damages to my armor plating while I wailed on this bug. I however noticed the smaller claws getting ready to slash at me, so I ducked under one of the insecticon's punches and gave him an uppercut to his torso with my right and slashed his smaller claws with my transformed left. He retaliated by grappling my waist and giving me a bear hug that caused my HUD to pull up a warning on the crushing force behind it.
Thankfully though my arms were free and I raised them above my helm and slammed them down onto his helm, causing him to let go of me and reel back with a pained screech holding his helm in his servos. This gave me my opportunity, I lunged forwards and grasped his left shoulder with my left servo and harshly pulled, which with his current distraction caused him to uncontrollably fall forward as I spun around him.
The insecticon instinctively threw his servos forward to stop his fall just as I got behind him with my right servo turning into my blade that I raised up to my optics before thrusting it violently at that little bit of space I can see connecting his arm to his torso. He let out a screech as his left shoulder was impaled, and let out angered hisses and shrieks as I pulled my blade out to pierce that shoulder again. Not good, I intended to rip his arm off.
So in order to prevent him from recovering, I quickly shifted my right back into a servo before I slugged the insecticon across his faceplate with the following fist. Actually sending him back to the floor, I took advantage of this by letting go with my left, changing it into a blade before stabbing the bug through his shoulder again. Except this time I violently pulled him up and got up close and personal to stab my left blade under his shoulder.
Shrieking in what I can only assume is pain and anger, the insecticon's right servo landed on top of my helm and I could actually feel him trying to get a grip. Not so fast big boy, I ripped out my left blade and stabbed that shoulder area again, except this time I twisted my body and shoulder checked with my right side. In that movement I slid the blade out of the insecticon's shoulder and out of his grasp. I watched as the bug staggered back looking a lot more sluggish and figured that I can end him now.
Running up to the decepticon, I identified the weakest point I could reach and stabbed my left blade forwards and into the open maw of the insecticon. Oh? It still seems to be fighting back as it tried to reach me with his right servo, in retaliation I pulled back my blade from his now hanging jaw and changed it into a servo that proceeded to grapple with his hand. Only this time I decided to cut out the middle bot entirely. I raised a pede to the torso of the insecticon before raising my newly formed right blade and then swung it down, violently dismembering the insecticon.
Energon dripped onto the floor as I threw away the limb before ending it by stabbing the insecticon in the neck and spinning around to decapitate the decepticon. The bug con's helm landed a few meters away with the visor slowly dimming in light.
...
I look down at my work, that of a dismembered and decapitated insecticon before I turned away and checked my alt-form's availability. Which, thankfully during that fight it had regenerated enough that I could safely transform. I checked my back to see if the box was dislodged or if it was damaged, though judging by me not feeling any weakness right now, and that I can feel the box. I think it is safe to say that the Tox-En is still there.
Turning away I looked towards the direction of where I knew Bulkhead, Wheeljack, and Hardshell was and just before I opened a groundbridge and stepped through to return to the Harbinger.
Quickly shutting the groundbridge behind me, I let up on the dampener and nearly lurched at the feeling of revulsion that followed when I thought of how I took care of those three insecticons. Those weren't just fights, those were executions. Like... like squashing a bug. Especially with how I took down the third one.
Standing up straight I looked up into the sky and thought about how my feelings about this will not do me well here. Especially since I'm still considered a hostile with the Autobots and Decepticons, if anything I'll have to continue on being so... ruthless when it comes to combat to ensure my own safety.
After all, I don't really have anyone to back me up.
I vent out a sigh as I checked the nearby console to see if I can take a look at what the Decepticons were do-ing? They sent six parties. They sent SIX instead of FOUR, are there MORE relics?! I quickly checked the locations to see if I am familiar with any of them.
Four out of Six are familiar, the Apex Armor in the Antarctic, the Phase Shifter in New York, the Resonance Blaster somewhere in Oregon apparently, and the Tox-En which I just got from somewhere in Brazil. Two of them I clearly don't know, one is smackdab in the center of Australia, and the other is up north in Russia.
Knowing this however, an uncomfortable feeling started to weigh on me. Do I make an attempt for one of those two as well? Essentially announcing to the Autobots that I got myself a groundbridge, or do I pass them up and potentially hand over those relics to the Decepticons?
I quickly think as I blasted myself with the energon repair ray. There is merit to keeping my capabilities secret, but with Bulkhead and Wheeljack seeing me in Brazil, they may start to suspect that I am getting around to other countries far too quickly for being by myself.
Bah! I think I've already announced my mobility to them already, and the Decepticons still think I'm Optimus so they'd not bat an optic over me having a groundbridge. Right, I place the Tox-En on top of a nearby table and made it look inconspicuous. Before grabbing a metal disc with the decepticon logo on one side and an autobot logo on the other, I decided to make it out of boredom during my time trying to get this ship's systems running.
"Autobot for Australia, Decepticon for Russia." I say out loud in my soft femme voice, I'm still getting used to that and flipped the coin. Catching it mid air and slapping it onto the table I looked and saw... Decepticon.
"Welp, Russia it is then. I'll be right at home with my Hind form." I comment with a bit of a laugh before turning to walk out while opening a groundbridge a short flight away from the location. I can only hope that if the relic is still there, then the bots and cons were still fighting for it.
Entering the bridge and exiting out, I was bombarded with the cold winds. Ok so that's how cybertronians feel when they feel cold huh? It's almost like when humans feel cold. Ah wait focus me, don't get distracted. Now, where's the location again?
My HUD pulled up a map of the surrounding area and the location the decepticons sent their force to was... ah ok, East. I nodded at that and transformed into my hind form before taking to the skies, heading straight for where hopefully conflict was. Judging by the explosions I see in the distance, they were still fightiiiing- that's the power couple.
If my optics are not deceiving me then that is Ironhide and Chromia, and they are fighting- Oh what the, that's Blackout and- hold on, is that Blitzwing?! Damn those two look good. Oh wait, hell nah am I fighting them! I'm thinking of heading to Australia instead. I'm not fighting four seasoned fighters at once... then again I could just sneak in and find the relic while they are distracted with each other?
I'll have to abuse Chromatic Engine to blend in with the environment, thankfully the snowy winds only help me here. Going up high I change colors to match with the clouds and start to survey the area, paying attention to the 2v2 fight going on and, oh. That's oddly lucky, I can see the container half buried on top of the cliff.
They seem to be relatively far, I think I can open the container and swipe what is inside real fast before hauling aft. Right that's what I'll do, but I'll have to do this as fast as I can before they decide to race on over there. I made sure to go around, flying in through the opposite side at a low altitude, last thing I need is for them to hear me coming after all.
Flying under the cover of the snowy winds and clouds while using the chromatic engine actually was actually easier than it sounds. Though I can think on that later, I transform and land onto the cliff, no one was here and I still hear fighting going on in the distance. This was good, I walk over to the container of the relic and saw it was kind of identical to the one that held the Tox-En except with blue markings instead of green.
Shrugging I pop open the lid and... what is this? I pick up what seems to be some sort of visor? Is this like an X-Ray visor or something? I instinctively turn it over and out of idiotic spontaneity, decided to put it on my faceplate. What I saw surprised me, I see energon. In fact, I can SEE energon, like I can see the energon coursing through the sparks of the two autobots and decepticons.
Hell I can even see the energon in myself and in the spark right... behind... me. Scrap.
"Autobot, I will request only once, that you surrender the relic." Turning around I could only mentally curse as I take off the visor for a brief moment.
Of all cons. Why did it have to be you? Why didn't Megatron decide to throw a mook instead of a named character? I thought he'd be in Antarctica searching for the Apex Armor!
Blue with accents of Gold scattered over his wide form. Red optics, a horned helm, and wielding his blade pointed in my direction. Dreadwing. Twin of Skyquake. You know, I was hoping my first fight with a named con would be someone easier, someone like Knockout but nooooo. I had to get the skilled combatant capable of fighting Optimus.
This is going to be rough.
NemeSIs Prime, has't thou ever heard. That Greed is NOT good? (I know I'm talking to myself just roll with it.)
You didn't think I'd give just the Autobots more named characters, yes? Might also give them OCs tho and not just for the cons.
Also pics. <:3
Edit: Replaced Blackout pic with [Objectively] better one. (I'm a sucker for robotic facial hair)
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