#why do I keep making shockwave smaller than Soundwave you ask?

[absoluteminimum]

Soundwave and Shockwave simp for each other so hard

[cloudraker]

heyo! I saw ur post and wanted to ask for tfp decepticons with a winged! S/o

preferably with megatron, soundwave or shockwave and knockout! Like how they would react and act around them, or like how they would use reader to their advantage? (Not in a bad way)

Reader has a long wingspan (18 ft) and is bigger than a normal human? Like smaller than Arcee but bigger than average.

Please tell me if that’s too much for you! And ty! <3 stay safe

Ofc!! And no worries, it's not too much at all :) Thank you sm for requesting <3

TFP Megatron, Soundwave, Shockwave, and Knock Out with a Winged S/o

Under the cut :)

Megatron

Honestly probably doesn't even notice you're any different at first until you start zipping around

I would say that of the four he's the one that cares the least

That isn't to say he doesn't care at all, far from it! He's got more than a handful of schemes, plots, ploys, etc ready to use when the need should arise

Depending on how you fly and such, he might take your movements into consideration when it comes to his own flight or when training troops. The information gets passed on to Starscream for the latter, but he's still aware of it

He doesn't expect you to be able to keep up with him when he's flying, but he will commend the effort

He does expect your wings to be in peak condition; they're one of your defining features and something that he see as putting you above the rest of your species

If you're at all self conscious about your wings, he scoffs and tells you to take pride in what sets you apart. It's not great advice, but it's something

Soundwave

Enjoys running his fingers through your feathers if you'll let him

Despite being in a relationship, he's still got a job to do. If you're up for it, he'll ask you to do recon or survey areas that need to be scouted in a more subtle way

He's not above using your humanity for the benefit of the Decepticons, but he wouldn't knowingly put you in harms way

Of the four, he's got the easiest time helping you groom your wings due to how thin his digits are

He draws comparisons between you and Laserbeak at times, though he does keep those thoughts to himself

Shockwave

Dude has got plans and ploys in place to test things and ideas

At times it might feel like you're more an experiment than a partner

He's always more than happy to run tests on how far you can fly and how fast, how much weight you can carry and for how long/far

He's also rather interested in your biology, pulling up diagrams of a typical human body and comparing it to yours, trying to figure out why you're different

It might be hard to notice, but he's more careful when it comes to tests. It's one of the few ways he has to show he does actually care about you, and doesn't want to see you hurt if it can be avoided

If there's something you want to train towards physically, you can count on him to come up with the most optimal training program possible

He finds it helpful to have you in the lab and having you zip around and collecting tools for him so he doesn't have to step away from his work

He understands the concept of keeping muscles strong, and makes sure you exercise enough if you're keeping him company in the lab

Knock Out

Dude makes sure you know how pretty your wings are

Makes sure you've got every product you'd ever need to keep them in top condition. Don't ask where he got them from tho

Schedules regular sessions where the two of you just preen and gossip

Also finds it super helpful that you can just fly up and reach the spots he can't and buff them out for him

Absolutely admires the strength you have in your wings. The idea that you have to actually flap them and have enough strength to get yourself off the ground is foreign to him as it's super different for Cybertronians

Not a fan of molting tbh. There's feathers everywhere and guh they're everywhere

Will still (reluctantly) help you deal with it tho

Knock Out makes sure you know he thinks that your wings make you much cooler than other people, and is not above making fun of the Autobots for having 'inferior' humans on their side

[piermanwalter]

Megatron’s Weed Dispensary: An Awful Fanfic I am Morally Obligated to Write

Because I noticed my grades weren’t good enough to get into my major, I issued myself an ultimatum: For every percent I get less than 80 for every class by the end of the school year, I will write one thousand words of terrible fanfiction over the summer, as suggested by random people online. You can send me your own unwritable prompts if you want, but bear in mind that the more requests I get, the shorter the stories, because I have 8000 words to get through all of them. (Total combined word count: 1889)

As promised:

Just as the first brittle rays of light shone over the horizon, the alarm went off. Megatron hauled himself out of the chair he shut down in last night while dealing with tax forms for too long.  Pouring himself a cube of energon, Megatron made his way downstairs to the storefront. His past self would probably hate him. Shrieking like a predacon and promising to tear the entire planet apart just so everyone could suffer as he had, Megatron knew it was his own weakness and incompetence had led to their defeat, and was prepared for death. The Autobots, in all their soft and cowardly ways, had let them live in their new society, making sure he was protected from anyone seeking vengeance for the war, albeit with a few restrictions. Some mercy. He would prefer to be rotting in prison, exiled to some tiny asteroid, publicly executed, or even be forced to become a gladiator again. Instead, the great leader of the Decepticons is reduced to managing microeconomics in a tiny narcotics shop surrounded by too many gawking idiots too frightened to enter his shop and actually buy something.

The few Decepticons that had survived the last battle were also doing about as well as he did. Not destitute, but not allowed any amount of power, which he supposed they deserved.  Soundwave works as a building electrician, granted the privilege of internal com reactivation for good behavior. Astrotrain joined one of the newly formed shipping companies. Knock Out became a broadcast host, getting all the attention he wants at the expense of reading out prewritten propaganda drivel. At least they weren't nearly as badly off as Starscream, who was last seen going to Earth to become a stripper or something and never spoke to them again. In the early days of their integration with society, the Decepticons constantly planned secret meetings and vandalized government property, but now, it had seemed that everyone got caught up in their mundane routines and completely forgot about their past lives.

Speaking of which, a seeker who had been nervously pacing through the crowd finally worked up enough courage to enter the shop. What was his name again? Nacelle. A low ranking grunt soldier who managed to survive the war by being overlooked. Now that the best fliers were dead, he finally had a chance to shine as a professional racer. Looking proudly down upon the Decepticon logo the flyer chose to keep, Megatron said, "Still have the mark? Good. What are you here for?" Nacelle cleared his throat in a long burst of static. "It's my fault. We had a chance and I blew it for all of you. I thought I could weave through without getting stuck and-" "What happened happened. It's all ancient history now. Don't let it bother you." The last battle was fought in a series of deep tunnels below Cybertron. The cramped spaces were barely enough to stand in, let alone transform and fly. There was nothing a seeker jet like him could do. "Hey. Um… Boss. I'm sorry, okay? If I wasn't-" "You could have gone to the big pharmacy, but you came here, and my life has gone to slag so hard that this action matters. Ha! You did good."

Nacelle started nervously chuckling, so Megatron had to throw his head back and guffaw as hard as he could in order to get the nervous flyer to laugh with him. Now significantly more cheered up, he said, "Hey! Because I got hurt in my last race, I just got my Level 3 insurance voucher approved! No more weak stuff for me." Nacelle peered greedily into the display cases. "I'll have two centagrams of crystal tetrathyllead, a bottle of uravorite-infused high grade, two octane-cookies, half a kilo-" "You idiot. Don't get yourself killed. You'd be better off following the doctor's orders. I recommend 85 kilograms of the good anticorrosives, not the diluted trash they pipe into you in hospitals, taken over the next six weeks. Pick the brand yourself."

Torn between extreme curiosity towards hard drugs and wanting to obey his leader, Nacelle anxiously shuffled around and took so long to decide on a bottle of Velocitron-synthesized DCI-4A that Megatron started to pity him. "You know what, I'll throw in one of these for free." He took out a case from under a desk and opened it to reveal tiny jars of even tinier gems ranging from ice blue to deep green. "A racer like you should know what these are." Nacelle was shaken from his panicky mood the instant he laid eyes on the little jewels. "Wow! Steamlights! I didn't know there were any of them left in the city! Most of us racers got scared off using them after Fireflight popped two in a row and crashed into the ground at Mach 3." Megatron carefully tweezed out one of the smaller steamlights, a tiny blue cylinder barely bigger than a basketball and dropped it in a vial. "This is amazing. But…wow. These things are super intense." Handing the vial to Nacelle, Megatron replied, "That's fine. If you can't deal with the boost and your turbines detonate midair, consider it the price of failing me in the tunnels. Don't use it until you have fully recovered." His plan of rebuilding Cybertronian society may have died valiantly, but Megatron was still going to look after his troops the best he could.

Megatron's good mood was almost immediately ruined by his next customer. Out of all the mecha to come through the doors, it had to be the Autobot poster boy himself, Ultra Magnus. Glitch. "Hello! I've been making rounds, checking up on the other Decepticons. I really am glad that you are all doing so well. It is a bit suspicious for a mech of my standing to be here, but here I am." After the war, Ultra Magnus, the ever-faithful soldier, had much less to do and had let himself go a little bit. His protoform increased in non-subspacable mass enough that gaps appeared in his armor, but not nearly enough to warrant Megatron's spark crushing insults.

"You morbidly obese son of a Yugo. The only reason I let you in my shop is to marvel at the medical miracle of your sustained existence." Ultra Magnus cracked a sickeningly genuine smile and said, "I'm sorry. I didn't catch what you were saying." The store made so much money off valuable goods that it could stay running from a single sale per day, so Megatron legitimately didn’t care about losing a potential customer. "I'll say it again in a way your idiot prototype cyberbrain can understand. You're a chunk and I hate you." Ultra Magnus was mildly shocked. "Well! I didn't expect you to overcome our mutual grievances this soon, so whatever you say is entirely forgivable. Also I met Shockwave today, and I'm glad to say he was very courteous. Do you want to know how he's doing?" "I can ask him myself. Go eat Optimus Prime's tailpipe. Maybe that's why you're so slagging fat."

"Don't act as though you are different from me." For a second, Megatron thought they were actually about to start fighting right there, then Ultra Magnus winked. "To be fully honest, being here to check on you gives me an excuse to gather a few treats for myself without being caught. You won't judge, right? I'll take half a kilo of hypervisco and three bottles of the ferroin Engex. Ooh. Baltic amber oil from Earth. I'll have fifteen liters of that too, thanks." Deciding that Ultra Magnus wasn't worth the effort to continue yelling at, Megatron measured out the orders and accepted the credits in silence.

Megatron briefly entertained the idea of contaminating all of his product with acid crystals and astatine, but decided against it. He might kill or sicken the slagger before he got caught, and then he'd spend a few centuries in prison, then Prime would argue to put him through another course of rehabilitation, then he'd be stuck in another dead end job under much higher supervision. Like it or not, this Primus-damned stall was all he had, and it mattered greatly to Megatron that he got to be his own boss, make his own decisions, and yell at as many customers as he wanted.

After Ultra Magnus left, the crowd outside thinned. It was getting dark. Nearly time to close. Megatron debated shutting the shop early before deciding to stay open in case a few late night partiers wanted to pick up something fun. Megatron was shaken from his daydream about what his legal consequences would be if he ate forty kilos of steamlights and went on a uncontrollable nitro-fuelled rampage when a minibot burst through the doors, vaulted over the counter, and grabbed a case containing sealed vials of concentrated Berserker Button. As bad as it was for the mighty Megatron to be robbed by a random mech, at least this meant he had something to do.

Leaping from behind the counter to the door in two massive steps, barely remembering to trigger the hard light door shield, Megatron unsheathed the energon blade from his wrist and turned to pursue the target. A pathetic weapon compared to his massive fusion cannon, but he was able to get it installed as a necessary tool of his profession. After all, it's not as if he was lying.  With his massive stride compared the minibot's short steps, the thief barely made it one block before Megatron knocked him to the ground with a flying kick, a bit of overkill for such a tiny opponent. The bot pulled out a beam pistol. Caught up in the thrill of the chase, Megatron nearly decapitated the little bot out of instinct. The blade stabbed into the ground a single meter away from his neck. Interrupted by a regular police patrol, Megatron was more than happy to surrender the thief to them. The little bot had been so terrified the random drugstore he robbed was staffed by none other than Megatron himself that he confessed everything. The Berserker Button was confiscated as evidence, and Megatron was allowed to return home to await further legal procedures the next morning.

Even after the leisurely walk back, his coolant lines still pumped hard, preparing for a death battle that will never happen. Megatron laid face down on the ground for a few minutes, waiting for the feeling to pass. Able to think clearly, Megatron figured that the legal procedures tomorrow would be formality more than anything else, considering the overwhelming evidence in his favor. He'd likely get reimbursed for the Berserker Button, then things would go back to normal. The case was at most going to take three days, barring some stupid Autobot-Decepticon rivalry showing up. Looking back, this was probably not the best day to spew horrible insults at one of the most influential figures of society. Either way, there was nothing Megatron could do about it. He felt a pang of guilt. In the past, he and his army would have bulldozed anyone who dared inconvenience him, and now he was acting like a regular civilian. Just in a day in the life of an ordinary mech. At this point, what did the last six million years mean to him or anyone else?                                          

[stan-the-fic-man]

Brink - Chapter 3: Combaticons Combine!

Chapter 3: Combaticons Combine!

Although the two parties had tried to keep things as abridged as possible, it was still a pretty lengthy explanation from both of them. While Steven was used to knowing about beings other than humans, he still had only ever met the gems in terms of otherworldly beings. To get the chance to meet a different species was truly something amazing, especially considering that they were nothing like he would have ever expected.

On the other side of the conversation, the Autobots were also intrigued to hear about a new species and it's lifestyle. Yes, they had seen many others during their time exploring the cosmos, but they were always instructed to leave them be. Rarely if ever did they actually get a chance to communicate with them.

Hot Rod especially was eager to learn as much as he could. Between him and Steven, the two were asking enough questions to write a book on the others species.

"So do all of you humans have different markings and colors like us?" Hot Rod asked Steven, "I mean you and your friend are different or is it just that way with your… genders I think you called it?"

"Hehe, not quite." Steven answered, "Peridot isn't a human, she's what's known as a gem. A completely different species."

"Wait a minute, are you saying that there are two different dominant species on this planet?" Cliffjumper asked.

"Well no, not really." Peridot answered, "It's a bit of a long story but I'll do my best to explain. Gem kind came here a long time ago and tried to establish this planet as our colony to help with making more of ourselves. For certain reasons, it was abandoned and humankind took over once more. You see, we procreate differently, hence this place you see before you. We are grown in the ground and then we come out fully formed."

"Well, that isn't nearly as complicated as the way he explained how his species does it, and it does explain all these weird holes in the cliff walls." Jazz said, before remembering something, "Wait a minute, if your species comes out of the ground and this was one of your old producing areas, does this have anything to do with it?"

Jazz got down on one knee to show the two that he was still holding the clump in his hand. Most of it was dirt, but there were a few fragments of what looked like a crystal in there. Looking it over, the two immediately knew what it was.

"These are gem shards." Steven said, picking up one of the pieces, "This gem must not have made it. You see, gems usually form from these things, making their own bodies. If a gem gets shattered, then they can't come back."

"Man sounds like what happens when one of our sparks go out." Hot Rod said.

"Well, those things are the reason that we're here in the first place." Cliff said, "We came here looking for energy, and these things have a very similar energy signature to energon."

"Energon?" Peridot asked.

"It's our life's energy." Jazz said, "While it does have a form, it can also be refined from other energy sources. Like Cliff said, it's the reason that we're here. We were just looking to get more energy for our planet."

While that was definitely not the full story of things, Jazz wasn't about to tell these two the real reason behind them being here. The last thing they needed to know about was that they were at war with a deity of destruction and, if the other two had sense, they would keep their mouths shut about it. The last thing they needed to be doing was get a different world involved with their problems.

Though he didn't realize that it was also being done by their new friends as well.

"Well this isn't an energy source," Steven told them, "these are living things. Even if they have been reduced to shards, they still were once alive like us. Usually, when we find things like this, we try to honor them and give them a proper way to rest."

"Like this." Peridot said, gathering up the shards in her hands. With one quick motion of her hands, a green bubble formed around the shards. Then, with a small tap of her hand, the bubble was sent away almost instantaneously.

The Autobots all watched as Peridot showed them what they did, and were somewhat amazed by it. True, it fit with just about everything else that they were told about them, but it was still something to behold. It almost seemed mystical.

Yet all of this was still something incredibly important. The things that they thought were energy were actually living beings at one point, and may still be in some cases. They couldn't take these for their own use, as it would be the same as them using their dead as a source of fuel. Not to mention, any other energy source was already being used by the humans of this planet.

"Well, it looks like our readings were really off." Hot Rod said, "Not only were Shockwave's reports dated, but everything that we did find is something that we can't-" Hot Rod stopped himself mid-sentence, remembering something very important. "Wait, have you done this with a lot of these things?"

"Uh, yeah." Steven answered.

"Is there a place where you keep them all?" Hot Rod asked again.

"Yeah, why?" Steven inquired.

"And you said that there were more like you. Would that location be on a peninsula not too far from here and, if so, are they there?" Hot Rod finished.

"Okay, how do you know all of this?" Steven asked, getting weirded out by the specifics of the questions.

Jazz and Cliffjumper finally caught on with just what it was that Hot Rod was getting at, and both of their optics went wide.

"Oh no." they both said.

While Hot Rod and the Autobots had been having a relatively civil and informative conversation with their newfound acquaintances, the same could not be said about Onslaught and his Combaticons.

While the place that they were sent to did look like it had been unused for a long time, they failed to think about whether or not there would still be anyone or thing living in there, especially considering the condition of the house in comparison to the statue behind it.

That hardly mattered to them though. They needed to get comms set up and call back to Cybertron. This planet was either going to be something they could use, or simply another rock that could be left alone. Regardless of which, Soundwave was only concerned with getting his instructions, and the Autobots were likely wanting the same thing.

So, they got to work with trying to move the building out of the way. It was here that they found out that the house was not unoccupied.

Inside of the house, the gems were busying themselves to keep their minds off of Steven being out in the wild by himself. While that wasn't completely true that he was alone, they knew that Peridot was more likely to need to protect from Steven than her protect him. Yet, it was better than letting him go out there by himself.

Ever since the involvement of homeworld died down for the past few weeks, Steven had been expressing concern on how things didn't feel right. Yes, things were at peace for the time being and they were taking this as a brief respite before what would eventually happen. They were sure that something was going to happen soon, but all they could do in the meanwhile was prepare.

Yet that didn't seem to be enough for Steven. He felt that there was something greater going on. While Garnet had tried to assure him by saying that there were no visions of gems in future, it did little to ease the boy's mind. After what he had been through, he was understandably a little paranoid.

While the others didn't fully agree with him that things could be happening here on earth, they did allow for him to pull his little recon mission. They were all but certain that he would find nothing but, if it helped put him at a slight bit of ease, then why not.

It was fortunate that they stayed too because not long after he left, they heard noises outside of the house. Exiting the temple, the three heard loud thuds accompanied with the ground rumbling. There were never any earthquakes in Beach City, so something was clearly up. Could Steven have perhaps been right?

Heading outside to see what all of the commotion was, they came face to face with five very large bodies that appeared to be trying to destroy their home. While they were definitely like nothing they had ever seen before, it was clear that, whatever these things were, they were of hostile intent.

No words were exchanged by anyone before the gems started attacking the Decepticons, trying to keep the house from being destroyed. Caught off guard by their sudden appearance, Onslaught didn't get a chance do or say anything before he was hit in the face what looked like to him to be a very big fist.

That was all it took for the rest of the Combaticons to know that things were fully escalated. While they did have orders to leave indigenous life forms be, they also had a right to defend themselves when they were engaged. While none of them thought this was going to be an actual fight, no one took them off guard like that.

After Onslaught fell to the ground, Brawl was quick to react and swatted his smaller assailant away. Onslaught, known for being better with thinking than fighting, allowed for the heavy hitter of their squad to take over for him. While this was not at all an even match, Onslaught knew Brawl was always itching for a fight.

"There's a fine line between bravery and stupidity," Onslaught said to the smaller being, "and you have crossed it."

"Talk is cheap." Garnet said, getting up after being smacked aside, "Especially when you were the ones to start all of this, not even bothering to see if anyone was here."

"I agree." Brawl said, punching his fist into his hand, "but considering you threw the first punch, I say we continue and hammer out the details later."

With that, Brawl reared his fist back and went to throw a punch at the gem, only to be met with one of equal power from someone much smaller than him. There was a brief moment of confusion but he threw another punch, only to again have it be met by one from Garnet.

"Hmm, seems like he isn't as tough as he thinks." Pearl remarked on the situation.

"Yes, it seems that your mouth is nearly as big as that thing on your face." Swindle said, not taking kindly to what she said.

The moment that Pearl heard what the big robot said, he mouth immediately went agape. Too many times in the past had she gotten remarks about the size of her nose, and she had never once taken kindly to it. It was one thing to have Amethyst say something about it, but to hear it from a complete stranger, and one that was openly hostile towards them? Well, let's just say that she didn't need much more of a reason to begin her assault on him.

As the spear was pulled from her forehead, Pearl made a leap for Swindle. Although slightly caught off guard by the sudden appearance of the weapon, Swindle was quick to react and sidestepped to get out of the way. Pearl landed pretty gracefully on the ground and quickly turned to face their attacker once again, only to be immediately booted in the face and sent flying back.

Not wanting this to go on any longer than it needed to, Swindle brought his blaster out and took aim at the now disoriented Pearl, fully intent on ending it. However, before a blast could be fired, he felt something wrap around his arm and start pulling back to keep him from taking aim. Looking over, he saw the shortest of the trio had some sort of whip that she was using. Though what really surprised him was how she was able to keep him from moving.

"You know, for giant robots, you guys can move pretty quick." Amethyst commented, only for her whip to be cut by another of the robots.

"Thanks." Vortex said, showing his blade that he used to cut her whip, "and you're pretty strong for a midget."

"What'd you call me!?" Amethyst shouted, reaching to her gem to pull out two more whips.

Rolling up so that she could do a spin dash at the Decepticon, she had every intention of ripping him limb from limb. However, she soon found that there was nothing there for her to hit. Coming out of her ball form, Amethyst looked around for her opponent, only to look up after hearing a very peculiar sound from above.

At first, it looked like a helicopter, but there were some very big differences. The shape was completely off, and it didn't look like anyone could fit in that thing. She didn't have time to ponder over this though since the thing took off and turned back to start coming her way. Was that the same thing that she had been ready to attack?

She got her answer when the thing started firing at her. Quick to react, Amethyst brought her whips up and started to do a spin them like fans. Doing this was able to deflect the shots that were fired at her, but that wasn't the only thing that was sent her way. When his energy shots weren't working, Vortex was quick to switch to his missiles. Seeing them coming, Amethyst dropped her defense and got into another spin dash to get out of the way, narrowly avoiding the missiles.

Swindle, who had been transfixed on what was happening with Vortex, had completely forgotten that he was in a fight of his own. While he was distracted, Pearl was quick to get and attempt the same attack again, this time being far more successful, delivering a kick to Swindle's face.

"Always pay attention when you're in battle." Pearl remarked, spinning her spear as she watched the robot stumble backward.

"And never bring a spear to a gunfight." Swindle remarked after he regained himself, pulling out his blaster once more.

Pearl's eyes went wide for a moment, but she quickly got herself together and started moving, only just barely avoiding the shots. Thankfully, she was incredibly nimble and able to outmaneuver anything that Swindle shot at her.

While all this was happening, Garnet and Brawl were still exchanging blows. While the two were matching each other one for one, they did occasionally get a hit on the other. The entire time, Brawl was growing ever more furious about the fact that he was being so easily matched by someone not even half his size, while Garnet simple remained aloof.

"Do you think we should help them?" Blastoff asked Onslaught, the two of them watching the whole thing play out.

"Not yet." Onslaught said, "It seems these lifeforms pack more of a punch than I thought. I'm interested to see how far they can get."

"Oh, this is not good!" Steven exclaimed, pacing out nervousness, "and you say there's five of them?"

"Yeah, and they are nowhere near as agreeable as us." Cliffjumper answered.

"Then we need to get back there right now, come on!" Steven said, trying to lead them over to the teleporter pad, only to be stopped by Peridot.

"Steven wait. We don't even know if the teleporter will work with them." Peridot said, "and even if it did, they're too big to fit on it."

"Well, I think I might have a way." Hot Rod said, putting his finger to the side of his head, "Perceptor we need an immediate pickup, we have an emergency… Perceptor?... Perceptor can you hear me?!... Scrap, he's not answering."

"Then it looks like we're gonna have to get there the old fashion way." Jazz said, "I still got the coordinates for where the Combaticons were dropped. It's a ways, but we can get there. You two, grab them and let's get headed."

Both Cliffjumper and Hot Rod nodded, bending down to carefully pick them. Steven was being carried by Hot Rod while Peridot went with Cliffjumper. While both of them had been in hands his big before, it strange having it be done by robots.

"Let's go, there's no time to lose." Hot Rod said, immediately sprinting out of the canyon with the other three in tow. Hopefully, they could get there before things got too bad.

All three of the gems were sent flying back from their assailants. While they were able to put a good fight, the Decepticons were just something that they were not used to fighting. They were able to hit them, but it never seemed like they were actually doing any damage. Not mention, with that strange ability to change, they were also outmaneuvered.

After watching the entire battle play out, Onslaught knew that the outcome was never in doubt. Not only were these creatures nowhere near as big as them, but their power could only match theirs for so long. Yes, they put up a decent fight, but there was no way they could keep it up for long.

"Well, that was certainly interesting," Onslaught said to his crew, "but we can't keep playing with the locals. Let's finish this up, we got work to do."

"On it." Brawl said, getting his club out and making his way over to the three.

The crystal gems managed to get themselves up and were met with the sight of their opponents approaching them. While things did look bleak for them, they knew that there was still one thing that they could do. One last chance to keep these five from taking them down.

"Gems, let's show them what we're really made of." Garnet said, the other two nodding at her.

Getting up, the three took their positions and began to dance. Upon seeing this, Brawl, Swindle and Vortex all stopped, confused as to what it was these three were doing. While they had seen strange customs before, this was entirely different. Yet, before any questions could be asked, everything was answered when the three came together.

In a flash of light, the Crystal Gems vanished, leaving behind something much bigger in its wake. The being before the combaticons was twice their size and had six arms. It looked down at them, giving the faintest of smirks to them as the three stared upward at her.

"Something wrong?" Alexandrite asked, before opening her second mouth to let out a blast of fire.

Immediately, the three combaticons transformed to get out of the way. While they were not at all certain about what just happened, they knew that the tables had just been turned.

"Combiners?" Onslaught thought out loud.

"Now do we intervene?" Blastoff asked.

"Yes." Onslaught answered, getting his blaster out, "Blastoff and Vortex, take to the sky and keep it busy. Brawl and Swindle, you're with me. Let's take this thing down."

The combaticons said nothing and simply did as they were told. Vortex and Blastoff took to their vehicle forms and went to try and give the ones on the ground a bit of help by distracting whatever it was they now had to face.

Alexandrite watched as the two took to the air. They went out a ways before returning to try and hit her with both rockets and energy shots. A whip was quickly brought out, and the same tactic that Amethyst had employed earlier was used, deflecting the shots. However, once the two got close enough, a large ball appeared on the end of the whip.

Using the momentum of the swinging, Alexandrite swung the flail and hit both of the airborne Decepticons in on blow, sending them flying into the cliff side. With those two dealt with, Alexandrite could now take care of the ones that were left on the ground. Looking down, she saw the three now in their alternate forms, seeming to get in place for something.

Whatever it was, they wouldn't get a chance to do it. Bringing out a giant hammer, she swung and hit Brawl, send him careening into the same wall that Blastoff and Vortex hit. Onslaught and Swindle, knowing that things were going downhill fast, tried to get away from the giant, but unsuccessful and quickly grabbed by her.

"Seems the tables have turned," she said to the two, tossing them into the same wall to join their comrades. "Still feel like this is a good idea?"

Onslaught was the first to raise himself up, placing his hand on his head from the disorientation. Looking over at their foe, he started to think about the futility of trying to take this thing on in their current forms. If they were going to beat whatever this thing was, they were going to have to resort to their ultimate tactic.

"We need to take control of this situation." Onslaught said, getting up from the ground, "Combaticons, combine into Bruticus!"

Again, no words came from the Combaticons and simply got to work with their practiced formation. Blastoff and Vortex took to the sky once again, while Brawl and Swindle took their vehicle forms to get into the right place. Behind them, Onslaught walked forward with an angered stance. Things were about to get far more heated than he ever thought they would.

When Alexandrite heard the command be given, there was a momentary surprise. Seeing the two airborne robots take flight once more, she thought that they were trying to distract her, yet was proven wrong when she saw what the other three were up to.

Swindle and Brawl came to the front, changing form once more to take up the bottom half of the transformation and becoming the legs. With that taken care of, Onslaught jumped up, taking another new form and landing on top of the two, becoming the body and head. Then, coming in from the skies, Vortex and Blastoff flew in and became the arms of the giant.

With the combination complete, the behemoth slammed his fist into the ground, cause a minor quake to resonate through the earth.

"Bruticus online. Ready for action!" he shouted, his tone sounded much simpler and vicious.

Alexandrite could hardly believe what she was seeing. So these creatures could fuse together just like them? It may not be the exact same thing, but it more than likely meant that this thing just as, if not more powerful than she was.

Now the playing field was completely even. One against one, both of equal size and strength.

Meanwhile, Steven and the rest were busy trying to make their way to Beach City. It was far slower going than using the teleporter, but they didn't have much of a choice. They would need their new friends to help sort this out, but they also needed to move quickly before anything major happened.

At the moment, they were not too far from an old gas station off of a pretty empty highway. All the while, the Autobots had been trying to contact the ship, but to avail. Perceptor and Soundwave must have been on the other side of the planet for this to be happening.

"Alright hold on." Peridot said from Cliffjumper's hands, getting everyone to stop, "This is taking way too long. If we keep going at this pace, there's likely to be nothing left by the time we get there."

"She's right." Cliff said, "We could transform. That would help pick up the pace."

"Transform?" Steven asked, only to be ignored.

"Cliff, we can't. Even if you excuse the fact that our alternate forms would cause unwanted attention, we wouldn't have anywhere to keep these two." Jazz said.

Hot Rod was fully inclined to agree with Jazz. Even if it would be faster, they couldn't really take Steven and Peridot with them. Not unless they had an iron grip and could hold to them while they sped along. Yet still, they needed to get there quick. There had to be a way.

Looking over at the gas station that they were close to, Hot Rod noticed that there were a couple of vehicles that were parked there, and he got an idea.

"Hey Jazz," Hot Rod said, getting everyone's attention, "what if we were to go in disguise?"

Looking over to what it was that Hot Rod was talking about, Jazz and Cliffjumper already knew what he was talking about, and they both gave knowing smiles. Meanwhile, Steven and Peridot were both left wondering what it was they were talking about.

"What are you guys talking about?" Steven asked as he and Peridot were put down.

"You'll find out in a second, Steven." Hot Rod said, he and the other Autobots approaching the vehicles.

Peridot and Steven looked at each other, wonder what the aliens could be doing. Looking back, they saw the three going up to a different vehicle, and then do some sort of scanning with their eyes. They were about to ask but got their answer when all three of them transformed into the cars that they scanned.

"Woah." was all Steven could muster. It was one thing to see giant robots, but to see giant robots that could turn into vehicles? It was like everything his six-year-old self could have ever wanted.

"Hop in Steven." Hot Rod said, opening his doors, "We have a long way to go and a short time to get there."

"You too Peridot." Cliffjumper said, doing the same.

While both of them were still in awe over what they had just seen, they were both aware that time was not on their side. Steven hopped in Hot Rod and Peridot did the same with Cliffjumper. Once in, the doors closed by themselves.

"Autobots, roll out." Hot Rod said, revving his engine before pulling onto the road with the other two close behind.

"What, you stealing Prime's line's now?" Jazz joked as the three sped down the road.

"Just seemed fitting." Hot Rod said.

Although their situation was indeed dire, Steven could hardly believe what was happening. He was currently sitting in a car that was able to transform into a robot. If he wasn't so hung up on what might be happening back home, he might be enjoying himself more. Meanwhile, Peridot was not enjoying the sudden accelerations as they sped down the road.

"Uh, Hot Rod." Steven said, "I know we're in a hurry, but I don't think we should be going this fast. We could get stopped."

"Sorry Steven." Hot Rod said, "There's no time to lose. I'll take care of everything from here, so just sit back and relax. Here, why not listen to this frequency I'm picking up."

The dials of the radio suddenly started turning on their own, the radio turning on to some very loud rock music.

Sometimes when your hopes have all but shattered

And there's nowhere to turn

You wonder how you keep going

Think of all the things that really mattered

And the chances you've earned

The fire in your heart is growing!

As the music kept playing, Steven couldn't help but wondered what was waiting for them in Beach City. If anything, he really hoped that the gems would take the civil route. Even if the ones they met weren't as nice as Hot Rod and the others, that didn't mean something couldn't get worked out, right?

Over in Beach City, a true clash of the Titans was happening. While she had been doing their best to keep things away from the city itself, that meant that Alexandrite had to move the battle to the water to keep everyone safe. Though, it didn't mean that their new opponent was something to be written off.

Although Bruticus was significantly slower than Alexandrite, he more than made up for it with being more durable than a mountain. Every time that Alexandrite tried to hit him, he would hit her back three times as hard. WIth how much he was pushing back, they wound up on the shoreline once more.

"You're finished." Bruticus said, getting closer to Alexandrite.

"Not yet." Alexandrite said, pulling out a bow and drawing the string back. An arrow of energy appeared and was quickly shot at the approaching monster. Several arrows came from the shot, but Bruticus kept coming closer.

Putting his left arm in front of himself, Bruticus activated the blades and let the spin. Doing this created a shield that was able to block the arrows, leaving no damage to him at all. Alexandrite tried to fire another shot, but it was met with the same results as last, and Bruticus was just getting close with that spinning blade shield.

Bringing out the hammer once again, Alexandrite attempted to keep him from getting any closer but attempting to hit his head to disorient him. Thankfully, the big brute was not fast enough to black her, and subsequently lost control of his shield.

Seeing the opportunity to hit him hard, Alexandrite opened her second mouth and let out a blast of fire. Unfortunately, it was met with an equally powerful blast of flames from Bruticus' right arm. Letting out a hearty laugh, Bruticus countered with a powerful punch to the fusion, sending her flying back onto the beach.

"I'll crush you." Bruticus said, lumbering back onto the beach.

As their battle continued to rage onward, there were three vehicles that were quickly approaching the city itself. Even with having to lose several patrol cars along the way, the Autobots had managed to make it to Beach City far quicker than they could have hoped to on foot. While their passengers may have been a little worse for wear after the ordeal, they were at least here now.

"Man, look at this place." Jazz said, "We sure ain't in Iacon anymore."

"No kidding, but we gotta focus. Hopefully, Onslaught and his crew haven't gotten into-" Cliff stopped momentarily as they came over the crest of the hill, only to be met with the sight Bruticus fighting with an equally large creature "too much trouble."

"Oh come one, really?" Hot Rod said in disdain.

Steven couldn't help but feel in awe at the sight before him. If it wasn't for the fact that he knew that the gems were in a fight for their life right now, he would have wanted to let the fight continue. A giant robot fighting a giant woman was something that he could only ever think would happen in a movie.

"Come on Hot Rod, we gotta stop them." Steven said.

"We're on it." Hot Rod said as the three made their way onto the beach that the battle was happening. After making it close enough, the trio stopped to allow for Steven and Peridot to get out before transforming back into their robot forms.

"We'll take care of Bruticus, you stop your friend." Hot Rod told Steven, who simply nodded back at him before both took off to stop the fighting.

"Guys stop!" Steven shouted at Alexandrite, running in front of her, "They're not here to hurt us, it's just a big misunderstanding."

"Steven, get away from here, it's dangerous." she said back, before looking up to see yet another robot come up and approach Bruticus.

"Bruticus, stand down!" Hot Rod called up to the combiner, "There's no reason for this!"

"Get lost!" Bruticus shouted, attempting to backhand Hot Rod, who manage to step out of the way. He tried to do it again but was interrupted when his arm was being held where it was when Jazz came in and used his energy grapple to keep him from rearing his arm back again.

"Easy there big boy. We just want this resolved as easily as possible." Jazz said, only angering the giant even more. Pulling his hand hard, Bruticus managed to pull Jazz into the air and send him flying behind him.

However, as Jazz went flying, he managed to use his energy grapple to hook on to the back of Bruticus' head, causing him to stumble. After Jazz managed to land safely on the ground, he gave one hard tug, causing Bruticus to lose his footing and fall flat on his back.

Seeing this, Alexandrite was quick to realize that Steven may not have been too off with what he said. The one that had just shown up seemed to want this stopped if the way they handled Bruticus was any indication.

"Steven, what's going on here?" she asked the boy.

After managing to get Bruticus subdued, Jazz went to join his fellow Autobots. It was gonna be a good minute before Bruticus cooled off enough, so they might as well make their first impression on Steven's new friend.

"Hey there, I'm Jazz." he said up to the large woman, "I was wondering if we might be able to talk about a few things."

[verdigrisprowl]

Jan 2 Lost Light Stream - Transformers Prime 37-40

Prowl is slowly working to overcome his fear reaction to the appearance of Insecticons, by focusing on Knock Out instead when they show up. Chromedome didn’t come, which made things easier.

He theorized on why the Nemesis’s reaction to dark energon was different than other bots’, winced repeatedly at Knock Out’s pain, played along when half the room attempted to convince Wheeljack that Prowl is a ghost, and agreed to get pictures for Soundwave of Earth’s progress rebuilding New York City.

Soundwave suggested that Prowl might be able to win a phase shifter in their proposed testing-Soundwave’s-security game.

Welcome to the 'lostlightstream' room. Shockwave II changed their nickname to Shockbox. Shockbox changed their nickname to Shockbox. Rodimus: *music so emo* Shockbox: (( oh boy you guys.)) Shockbox: (( today's the day.)) Airachnid: [sneaks in] ItsyBitsySpyers: ((OH BOY OH BOY MY BOY)) Shockbox: (( the day we get to see **the best character** make his first appearance.)) Rodimus: *points at the spide* Rodimus: You been mising! ItsyBitsySpyers: *Soundwave trudges in, nods to the others already there, and settles into his usual couch in the back. It's going to be an... interesting night.* Rodimus: We been seeing you be a better Starscream Airachnid: I was otherwise engaged. Whirl: *trots in and immediately stakes his claim of the Whirl Couch* Airachnid: aka mun was playing Moon)) FakeProwl: *appears. today, he's doing a far more thorough check of the room than usual before looking for a seat* ItsyBitsySpyers: *Zori sees Airachnid and shoots RIGHT for Whirl* Rodimus: *rubs chin then smirks* Hey Soundwave I heard this rumour recently... Does you Skywarp push others down stairs? ItsyBitsySpyers: *Soundwave pings Prowl hello - no mnemosurgeons that he can see now - and looks to Rodimus* Whirl: *perks up!* Hey, Professor! ItsyBitsySpyers: [[Our Skywarp is missing. Again.]] FakeProwl: ((check the rafters)) Rodimus: Huh--- welll when he is unmissing ItsyBitsySpyers: ((lmao)) ItsyBitsySpyers: [[Sometimes.]] ItsyBitsySpyers: ((hope you had fun with moon airachnid mun!!)) Shockbox: *He enters and makes his way towards the couch closest to the front.* Windchill: *APPEARS.* Whirl: ((YE 8) )) ItsyBitsySpyers: *Buzzsaw settles near his new Intellectual Friend.* FakeProwl: *well. it looks clear. for now.* Whirl: *he will graciously make room for Zori and swivel his head around for the usual crowd* Whirl: *let's jam everyone on the couch tonight. COUCH PARTY* Airachnid: it was! I loved it)) ItsyBitsySpyers: *Also, you know that whole time marker and description thing? For the Insecticons? Prowl's getting them again.* FakeProwl: *sits with Soundwave between himself and the door* Rodimus: You ever hear stories of -who- he pushed down some stairs? Windchill: *Make room for his butt, Whirl. It's coming.* FakeProwl: *MORE tonight? oh, fantastic. he'll probably walk out into the hall by himself and run into chromedome.* Shockbox: *Nods at buzzsaw.* ItsyBitsySpyers: *Just turn your optics off. He can notify you.* Windchill: (( I might be slow to respond to things, my net is being RATHER UNFORGIVING tonight. )) FakeProwl: *that's what he plans on doing* ItsyBitsySpyers: *Knows Prowl is an avatar but will keep the avatar 'safe' anyway. Rumble and Frenzy join Whirl, Windchill, and Zori* ItsyBitsySpyers: [[It'd be easier to ask who he -didn't- mess with, Rodimus.]] Whirl: Hey, Rodders, you taking requests? ItsyBitsySpyers: [[And not every trick was so lightsparked.]] Whirl: *eexcellent. There's probably going to be some piling up since there's so many people on the couch bbut Whirl is prepared to be a seat if need be.* Whirl: ...*for rumbble and/or Frenzy. And Zori. Sorry Windchill, he'll die if you sit on him* Rodimus: Oh? *snickers* Sounds like you got stories! I been slumming it for new ones myself! FakeProwl: @Soundwave «I'll leave my avatar idle while those scenes are on. If he comes in while I'm unalert, warn me.» Windchill: *Many people can be piled on Windchill as well.* Windchill: *Are you calling his butt big, bro?* Whirl: *No. I'm calling it gargantuan and also deadly* Rodimus: *looks over to whirl* Ueah I can play one for you, whatcha want? Windchill: *He will accept this as a compliment.* ItsyBitsySpyers: @Prowl: (txt): Understood. If departure not wanted, comfort given during Unicron session returned. ItsyBitsySpyers: *He doesn't know whether Prowl values appearance over distance* Bruin: *has arrived, and remembered his giant cushion so over to the far wall they all go* Whirl: This Magic Moment--the Drifter's version. Whirl: But Lou Reed's ain't half bad, either. Rodimus: ...Really? Rodimus: ok ItsyBitsySpyers: [[There was the time he found Tracks comatose after a battle and replaced his wheels with much, much smaller ones.]] Whirl: Yeah, it's different, but all right. ItsyBitsySpyers: [[He was scolded for allowing Tracks to live, but the footage of Tracks' return trip to base -was- entertaining.]] Whirl: He's got a really unusual voice. Haven't listened to a lot of Lou, though. Rodimus: Its so sappy silentsoundy: --heh-- Whirl: ...OH. You mean the song--well, yeah. *deadpan look* A lot of good songs ARE love songs. Just works out that way. ItsyBitsySpyers: *Laserbeak zooms over to Bruin. Not to his helm though, no. She remembers better.* ItsyBitsySpyers: *Nods a greeting to his alternate.* FakeProwl: @Soundwave «No comfort. If I stay, I don't want to give him any indication that we're close.» Whirl: *he will not sing over it, though; the room is spared* Rodimus: *crinkles nose* Erth does mostly write those silentsoundy: --Alternate-- ItsyBitsySpyers: @Prowl: (txt): Understood. Shockbox: *3/4 waves present.* Bruin: *good Spotter is fine with the company so long as no helm perchihng is attempted* Whirl: *shrugs* I mean, yeah, it's sappy, but d'you hear that harmony? Those STRINGS? Whirl: *Whirl doesn't mind sap, either, but he is not gonna ADVERTISE that* ItsyBitsySpyers: *Pleased Whirl can appreciate these things* Whirl: *everyone should appreciate the Drifters* Windchill: *He's crossing his legs. Anyone with a mind to sit on him, which is no-one, is losing their opening.* Whirl: *will lean back and prop his feet up on that lap, as per usual* Once again, I offer all denizens of my couch the use of my lovely footstool. ItsyBitsySpyers: *Sounds like a Velocitronian song.* Rodimus: I like music that more in time with me I hate slow ones! Windchill: Really? Windchill: I thought you were rather slow. ItsyBitsySpyers: //Heheheh.// Whirl: I like multi-layered songs, myself. Once that have a whle lot of moving components, when they all come together, it's pretty cool. Whirl: ...*SNICKERS; OHH WINDCHILL, U DONE DID IT* Rodimus: *sideeyes WC* What? Windchill: *Banned from the Lost Light forever.* Windchill: I said, I thought you were slow. Whirl: You two should race. Rodimus: Obviously you must be then~ silentsoundy: --oh, this tune he rather enjoys-- Windchill: It wouldn't be much of a race. Rodimus: What is even your alt mode Chill? ItsyBitsySpyers: *Ravage decides to go sit with the alternate. It's been some time and, well. His own carrier unit is occupied.* Windchill: I'm a seeker, can't you tell? FakeProwl: *for the record, Prowl is currently about 85% convinced that Whirl and Windchill have an ongoing Dom/sub relationship of some kind* FakeProwl: *it's the whole living furniture thing they've got going on* Rodimus: That... that isnt an alt mode thats a job ItsyBitsySpyers: *Prowl's not the only one.* Windchill: It's a frame type, means my alternate mode is a jet. Rodimus: Even I can say "Ima seeker" big deal Windchill: Not where I'm from, you can't. Rules might be different here. Rodimus: I race wheels not wings Windchill: *You people keep your thoughts to yourself, WEIRDOS.* Windchill: Why, because you know you'll lose? FakeProwl: *says whirl's footrest* Rodimus: Heh so you are a jet ItsyBitsySpyers: *Soundwave's already shaking his helm. This was one of his former Lord's stupidest moments.* Airachnid: Oh I missed my alternate failing miserably. ItsyBitsySpyers: [[Be thankful.]] Whirl: *OMFG PROWL LMAO* Rodimus: *that explains some things* Airachnid: I like to laugh at her. Whirl: He's a Blackbird, presently. Windchill: I already said that I was. Rodimus: Megs dont frag your ship Shockbox: *Tilts his head at the screen.* Whirl: Really goddamned fast. ItsyBitsySpyers: [[In that case, he will send you the relevant clips before you leave.]] ItsyBitsySpyers: [[A question, Shockwave?]] Airachnid: Very well. Windchill: *He'S NOT WEIRD HE'S NORMAl. YOU PERVS.* Whirl: *he'll also swivel his helm around to bob it at Airachnid; her absence was noted* Airachnid: ..hello Whirl. Whirl: *(BE QUIET FOOTSTOOL* Windchill: *NO* Windchill: *NOBODY IS THE BOSS OF HIM.* Whirl: Hey, Legs. Highgloss: Oh! Look what I walked in on! FakeProwl: *don't worry, prowl is accepting of your kinky lifestyle* ItsyBitsySpyers: [[Greetings, Knock Out.]] Highgloss: Lovely. Always a pleasure to remember. Shockbox: Negative. I am merely interesed in this 'dark energon'. FakeProwl: *hECK. it's the hot doctor.* Shockbox: ((*interested )) Airachnid: [cringes] Highgloss: And to you, Soundwave. Windchill: *You walked in on Windchill not being embarassed when he ought, congratulations.* Rodimus: *hops up on the back of his couch and perches* agooddistraction: what's happenin ItsyBitsySpyers: [[The literal fuel of Unicron, Shockwave. A corrupting, enslaving force never to be touched.]] Windchill: Anyway, my point still stands. Whirl: Is. Windchill: Rodimus...is slow. Whirl: Wait, Whirl: Is he... did I miss something. Is he--*antenna pins back* Whirl: *IS HE FUCCIN THAT SHIP U GUYS* ItsyBitsySpyers: *Of all the nights for Knock Out to visit, it's the one with - well. They'll see.* Rodimus: I am not race me on wheels FakeProwl: *side glance at Soundwave. did you hear the thing shockwave just said. obviously you did but Did You Hear That* Windchill: Why should I stoop to your level?

Missed some.

ItsyBitsySpyers: [[He foolishly believed the power he gained was worth losing ownership of his spark and his reason.]] Airachnid: Megatron. Rodimus: Come in a hang out we are watching a case bad choices! Windchill: *Please calm yourself.* Airachnid: Why. Whirl: ...This ship is awesome. Windchill: *Snorts.* agoodidstraction: zapped Bruin: Ouch Rodimus: OH YEAH THAT REMINDS ME! agoodidstraction: yapped his zap Windchill: You say that, but you haven't seen 'im in root mode. Whirl: *snickers* I didn't know you guys' ship was alive. ItsyBitsySpyers: [[If only your mouth could be.]] FakeProwl: *idle mode* ItsyBitsySpyers: [[Our ship was not alive. It was Trypticon. Deceased. In an alternate form.]] ItsyBitsySpyers: [[...What was your ship, Knock Out?]] FakeProwl: *annnd back* Shockbox: As impressive as this iteration of Lord Megatron is, it does seem he is less...hinged. Highgloss: It was. Shockbox: *muttering.* Highgloss: Regrettably. agoodidstraction: zap the yaps agoodidstraction: oh frag red zapped Whirl: Ohh. Highgloss: Hmm. I always wondered how it got me. Highgloss: One of life's little mysteries solved. Whirl: Hmm. Interesting. When you use dark energon to resurrect a ormal-sized Cybertronian, they're just. ravenous. Dumb. Windchill: *Snorts.* Whirl: But the ship wasn't. I wonder why that is. ItsyBitsySpyers: [[He believes it was possessed.]] Whirl: By Unicron himself? Rodimus: Or blow the ship up? Whirl: Seems to have its own agenda, though. Wouldn;t Unicron have immediately just attacked Megatron? *taps the underside of his helm thoughtfully* Whirl: AND THERE, that--Unicron KNEW about humans. Seemed to be able to perceive them. FakeProwl: What would Unicron want with the Iaconian relics? Airachnid: Unicron was most likely still in some form of stasis. FakeProwl: Perhaps those infected with dark energon are reduced to their base instincts. agoodidstraction: doc knock Highgloss: Ugh. Ughhhh. Windchill: *Crosses his fingers.* ItsyBitsySpyers: *Hmm. These are good points.* agoodidstraction: i'm sorry red Highgloss: UGH. FakeProwl: A Cybertronian's base instincts would be to feed. FakeProwl: A ship's base instincts would be... whatever task it was last programmed for. agoodidstraction: and frag ItsyBitsySpyers: *Oh, listen to that reasoning. It's good reasoning.* agoodidstraction: anyone here ever fragged a ship before Airachnid: No. Rodimus: *raise hand* FakeProwl: *... he's not raising his hand. it would just encourage wheeljack.* Windchill: *Shakes his head.* FakeProwl: But you said your ship was a Cybertronian? Was his brain module removed or reprogrammed? ItsyBitsySpyers: [[Reprogrammed.]] agoodidstraction: fragging a ship would probably just kill you though wouldn't it FakeProwl: *nods* Perhaps that would do it. agoodidstraction: why are humans always toast? ItsyBitsySpyers: //Cuz they burn easy.// Whirl: Well, yeah, but your points, Prowl, would make sense if it was reanimated, like I suggested. Highgloss: I imagine ours would be bad in berth. ItsyBitsySpyers: //Pffft.// Rodimus: Your ship seems liek a dom! Whirl: If it was POSSESSED, then it wouldn't have a ship's instincts; it wouldn't have any instincts except for those of the possessor. Highgloss: Clumsy, clammy hands, then he'd go around telling all his friends you loved it. ItsyBitsySpyers: \\SO WHEELJACK.\\ FakeProwl: If it was possessed, then it would be doing its possessor's will. Windchill: *the what* agoodidstraction: but is fragging while possessed any good agoodidstraction: yeah? FakeProwl: Unicron, so far as we know, has no need for the Iaconian relics; and he WOULD know to keep an optic out for humans. FakeProwl: Reanimation appears more likely. Highgloss: Apologies, Wheeljack, for how hard I laughed at that. ItsyBitsySpyers: *No, no, Frenzy was insulting you WJ.* ItsyBitsySpyers: [[Reanimation then. It is still vile.]] agoodidstraction: bj agoodidstraction: no keep laughing Airachnid: Indeed. Rodimus: I dont think i'd analog frag a ship... I PnP'd him agoodidstraction: hey airachnid ya old *** Whirl: *nods slowly; Whirl finds it more interesting than anything else* agoodidstraction: ever spider *** a possessed ship before Whirl: *and he likes the ship's attitude, what can he say* Airachnid: ..... what is it Wheeljack? Whirl: ((THE BUTT)) Whirl: *LAUGHS* Airachnid: I have not. Jitterbun: ((Butt butt) Jitterbun: (And There goes Trypticon)) Whirl: *he is also no gonna join in on this fragging  aship convo* agoodidstraction: would you? Airachnid: No. agoodidstraction: lame Airachnid: I don't exist to amuse you. Whirl: *snickers* agoodidstraction: okay *** ItsyBitsySpyers: [[He must know. Had you already woken?]] Jitterbun: What exactly was it that froze 'em all? Jitterbun: -ah! agoodidstraction: hahhfe hasdbla agoodidstraction: doc Whirl: *LAUGHS AGAIN* agoodidstraction: what just happened Rodimus: Hey KO's got some handy hand holds for humans *smirks* Whirl: Everybody getting their afts handed to em tonight! Windchill: Beautiful. Rodimus: *laughs Ratchet plz* Airachnid: [that amused her a lot] Shockbox: *And the aesop for this episode? Do not feed nonsentient machines with dark energon and make sure your security systems know to check for organics.* Shockbox: *Shockbox feels educated.* Highgloss: Those handy hand holds are *not* for humans. Those were not consensual handy-holds. Jitterbun: Geeze, always with the violence and arms race's with ya'll ItsyBitsySpyers: *Shockbox is a quick learner.* Windchill: *Also, maybe, killing someone and using their corpse as your space boat is a bad idea as a matter of principle.* Shockbox: *Naturally.* Rodimus: *looks Knockout over and then grins* Fair enough FakeProwl: *... that begs the question of who the hand holds are for. sideways glance at the hot doctor.* ItsyBitsySpyers: *...Now, look. Nobody thought he was going to be doing that.* Whirl: Yep. That's what we're best at, Jitter. *zoops his neck up over the couch to try and locate Jitter* Rodimus: *engine purrs at he other speedster* agoodidstraction: oh boy FakeProwl: *he is, unfortunately, even more attractive in person.* Windchill: RUDE. Windchill: *It's true though, he's never met a personable Insecticon.* Shockbox: *Lost Light Stream: otherwise known as Everybody Wants to Frag Knockout* Windchill: *WRONG.* Jitterbun: *Unphased he nods jovially towards the outstreched neck.* .... agoodidstraction: face man Shockbox: *Correction: The Majority Would Frag Knockout* Jitterbun: Sorry t' speak for all ya, but the Doc's got some high standards. Airachnid: [thank you] Rodimus: ...Even our has subways ItsyBitsySpyers: *"Face man": exactly what Soundwave isn't.* FakeProwl: ((you can't read everyone's minds, jitter)) Airachnid: [then again, she doesn't want to frag anyone] Jitterbun: ((Whopse didn't see the * there) Highgloss: Ugh. I can smell that awful city through the screen. Windchill: *Nods.* agoodidstraction: zap ItsyBitsySpyers: [[What -did- it smell of?]] Windchill: Big feet problems. Jitterbun: ((Purple Eradicons~) Whirl: *also looks over, curious; he's never sniffed a human city* Rodimus: I never been to New York it was trashed before I got the chance! *huffs* Airachnid: [it's not that great] Windchill: That's almost fortunate. Highgloss: Hot dog water, among other things. ItsyBitsySpyers: =Ugh.= Whirl: *LAUGHS* Listen to her! FakeProwl: ((vogel is the best human in the show)) Whirl: Right off the bat, just lying her face blue! What a little trooper. Whirl: ((Fowler tho..................... but yeah Vogel is great 8) )) ItsyBitsySpyers: @Rodimus: [[Your Decepticons managed to destroy the city?]] Windchill: Everything is from outer space. Rodimus: *laughing* Windchill: Even I'm from outer space. Whirl: Not me. Whirl: I'm from Polyhex. FakeProwl: *is attempting to power it through the insecticon screens by focusing on knock out. he's gotta desensitize himself to insecticons somehow.* Jitterbun: What's all this tech doin' on the planet anyway? Whirl: That's cool, the crawling on the ceiling thing. FakeProwl: *it's helping a little.* Airachnid: Who knows. Shockbox: *Everything is technically from space, because everything is technicaly /in/ space.* Windchill: Yeah, it's...something. Jitterbun: *Obviously not watching the pervious epsides leaves him out of hte loop.* Whirl: ((omg careful prowl. You're gonna Pavlov yourself and every time you hear a WALALLA you gonna get honry)) Airachnid: Why Cybertron and this mudball are connected so much who knows. ItsyBitsySpyers: ((OMG)) Highgloss: Dear Unicron, I look good. Windchill: Thanks, Shockwave. FakeProwl: ((better a boner than a panic attack)) Windchill: ** agoodidstraction: yeah you do Whirl: They explained it a lot of episodes ago, Jitter. Long story. Windchill: *Forgot those ItsyBitsySpyers: }}A fine choice of weaponry, Doctor.{{ Whirl: Yeah, gotta give credit where it's due. *swivels his helm around and flips KO a lazy salute* Highgloss: Thank you, thank you! silentsoundy: --motions a farewell towards his Alternate before taking his leave-- Jitterbun: //DELTA// *He'll settle down behind good company now. Those are some vicious mechaoids* ItsyBitsySpyers: *Bobs his helm to his alternate. Do come again.* Windchill: *Rubs his eyebrows* Rodimus: *hmm? oh!* @SW ::Let's just said our kinda was very not welcome there! I'll see if I can get pic lata:: Shockbox: *we're back to half of our maximum wave-age* ItsyBitsySpyers: *Acknowledging ping. Thank you, Rodimus.* Whirl: *if you can find room here on the couch Whirl won't kick you off, Jitter. Granted, he's using Windchill as furniture at two minicons are probably using HIM as furniture. And there's a giant scorpion* Windchill: *There's totally room.* agoodidstraction: oh Rodimus: Doc you are pretty sleek--- but seems you may need *winces* agoodidstraction: ouch Airachnid: [LAUGHS] Jitterbun: *WINCES* Windchill: *Curls his upper lip* FakeProwl: *wince. partially at the paint. mostly at the sound it made.* ItsyBitsySpyers: //Oof.// Jitterbun: ..y'know, I'm thinkin' iI'm not real fond of the documentary type films. Rodimus: ---Some hand-tohand work. ItsyBitsySpyers: *Glances at Prowl. Inquisitive ping.* ItsyBitsySpyers: \\HOW COME?\\ FakeProwl: *?* FakeProwl: *counter-inquisitiveness* ItsyBitsySpyers: @Prowl: (txt): Prowl winced. Unexpected. Knock Out: Decepticon. Whirl: (9YES)) Whirl: You've got some pretty good moves with that polearm, though. FakeProwl: @Soundwave «It looked painful.» Whirl: *Whirl is not perhaps as attracted toKO as Prowl & Others but he has his merits* Jitterbun: *There is some releif in watching a fellow twowheeler tearin' up the dirt* Windchill: You gotta admit, Trouble would be a pretty good name. Rodimus: Knock Out whats your earth alt? Or it a costum? ItsyBitsySpyers: *Nod. This security tape comes with some serious sympathy cringe feelings.* FakeProwl: ((i like how it's Prowl & Others. like everyone else's attraction is a footnote compared to this thirst.)) Whirl: Yeah! I named my Flobster Trouble. Whirl: ((It is. DO YOU REMEMBER LAST NIGHT)) FakeProwl: ((I REMEMBER LAST NIGHT.)) FakeProwl: ((dem seatbelts)) Rodimus: ((roddi's was hte metal on metal noise Windchill: *He's not just saying that because naming things, Insecticons specifically, is something he'll be doing in the near future. Shockbox: (( sounds like prowl needs to take a sip. )) Whirl: ((Highgloss, last night during a stream of mine I put a still of KO's neck on the screen and played "Let's Get it On" in the background,)) Whirl: ((for reference)) FakeProwl: ((and made hearts around it with the cursor)) Whirl: *GRUBCHILD. SOON* ItsyBitsySpyers: *Brief moment of admiration for Arcee.* Airachnid: [gives a quiet hiss at the screen] Highgloss: Beautiful. Well done. Whirl: *CAN'T WAIT TO TEACH NEICE GRUBCHILD BAD HABITS* Airachnid: [why did it have to be Arcee] Whirl: ((yes i did that too. and also did that with Soundwave and his pivot)) Windchill: *WHY DO YOU KEEP STEALING ALL THE GOOD NAMES THOUGH, WHIRL.* Whirl: *BECAUSE I'M EXCELLENT AT NAMING THINGS* Jitterbun: ...do mecha in this universe make a habbit of ejectin' anythign in their cockpits durring transformation, or is it just him? Whirl: Yeah, you guys' Arcee is a badass, too. Windchill: *CURSE YOOOOOOU.* agoodidstraction: kjsdf FakeProwl: @Soundwave «I want one of those.» Jitterbun: *And that's a fairily anDY TOOL dangit poor mecha* FakeProwl: *also: another cringe for knock out.* Windchill: Ow. Windchill: ((HELP.)) Jitterbun: He's lucky thats all that happened. ItsyBitsySpyers: @Prowl: (txt): Perhaps if Prowl wins security game. Whirl: ((VOGEL'S FACE WHEN HE SAYS THAT)) Highgloss: And that one eventually landed me in the operating room. Windchill: (( I think we were all Vogel in that moment tho )) Highgloss: Thank you for that one, Autobots. FakeProwl: *oh well now he's Incentivized* Whirl: You're lucky you were going up against THOSE softies, Doc. Whirl: I don't LET my enemies retreat. Highgloss: And how's that worked out for you so far? Whirl: *this statement would probably seem more badass if Wghirl wasn't buried under a bunch of ex-Decepticons* Rodimus: Alot less enemies Whirl: I'm still here, they're not. So, pretty good, I'd say. Airachnid: [rolls optics] I hate suckups. Whirl: Ugh, I know, right? Windchill: Oh my god, he's back. Whirl: ...also, question. *swivels is helm around* How come he never considered YOU for the job, Chatterbox? FakeProwl: *well, he's got guts.* Highgloss: Oh, you absolute aft...*why?* Windchill: *All good things must come to an end.* Airachnid: What a coward. FakeProwl: *... never mind. no he doesn't.* ItsyBitsySpyers: *Soundwave's plating ripples in a shiver. The antarctic.* Airachnid: I've operated on myself plenty of times. ItsyBitsySpyers: [[For which job?]] Shockbox: *Shakes his head. Of course starscream wouldn't be able to do it.* Whirl: Second in Command. agoodidstraction: who is she Whirl: You obviously were loyal. You seemed pretty competent, too. Ship-related mishaps aside. *that was spoken with faint amusement* agoodidstraction: ydd agoodidstraction: yeehaww!!! agoodidstraction: yeah! Windchill: *Spits.* agoodidstraction: i'm cpabal agoodidstraction: ??? Whirl: Let's see your moves, then, Wheeljack. Rodimus: Megs apparently needs his secound to not be as nuts as him Shockbox: (( oh boy one of the best parts. )) Windchill: *Steeples his claws before his pursed lips.* Windchill: *What is he seeing?* agoodidstraction: i'll show youmy moves Whirl: For the record, I still find the fact that you're a Wrecker the most hilarious thing about your dimension. You know what OUR Wheeljack is like? A nerd. A total nerd. Rodimus: But only slightly FakeProwl: ((his fricking scooter)) agoodidstraction: i used to be a nerd Whirl: ...well, I meant in regards to the documentary, but if you wanna fight, then hell yeah, I'll fight ya. Airachnid: Do you not realize that you went AWOL? ItsyBitsySpyers: [[Primarily because he didn't want it.]] Windchill: *It's almost hard to believe these two are the same frametype.* Windchill: *Much less the same as HIMSELF.* Whirl: *he definitely noticed THAT* Whirl: *tilts his head* ... fair. And, y'know. It's pretty obvious that you only listened to the SIC when you felt like it. Whirl: *it;'s one of your better qualities* ItsyBitsySpyers: [[It was also not a position for a mech like him. His skills were best utilized elsewhere, and... he was not always worthy of being watched as closely as the SICs.]] Whirl: ((...what he noticed what Soundwave listening when he felt like it. Thanks LS)) Windchill: (( Dreadwing's flipping OWL FEET. )) Whirl: *nods again* Gotcha. Rodimus: *pew pew* Whirl: *man it's a shame that Dreadwing's such a disgusting syncophant because otherwise. Wgirl could Properly Appreciate someone firing a weapon like that* Whirl: *alas, his attitude is so UNattractive* Windchill: Why. Whirl: This must be fight night or something. Rodimus: Ha! Whirl: Not that I'm complaining, mind you. ItsyBitsySpyers: [[Something like that.]] Windchill: Did he forget he could fly? Windchill: Or is he just slow? Windchill: *Everyone is slow, what is he talking about.* Rodimus: Hawt Whirl: ha. Whirl: ((ALL CAPS REQUIRED)) Whirl: *HA Whirl: Nice, Airachnid: Even Prime hates Starscream's groveling. agoodidstraction: bixx agoodidstraction: soundwave ItsyBitsySpyers: [[What.]] agoodidstraction: who is she ItsyBitsySpyers: [[Who is who?]] FakeProwl: *did Optimus forget that a few weeks ago they were trying to take Starscream in as an ally?* agoodidstraction: reALLy ItsyBitsySpyers: *Evidently. He never understood why they didn't try again.* FakeProwl: *and that the only reason they didn't was because his own subordinate ruined their chances?* Whirl: Ah, what a lovely sound. Airachnid: I think it was a much longer time period. FakeProwl: *it's inconsistent and it's foolish.* Windchill: You would think so. Whirl: Their human guy isn't too shabby, either. Airachnid: Also, Starscream would have just stabbed them in the back eventually. ItsyBitsySpyers: *It is a Prime.* Rodimus: I wish our whip was that cold again.... Rodimus: *EXCUSE YOU* agoodidstraction: whoa Rodimus: ((ship* omg ItsyBitsySpyers: //So they drain him of info 'n terminate 'im before he does the stabby stabby.// agoodidstraction: soundwave you got inhibitors ItsyBitsySpyers: //Ain't that how it's done?// ItsyBitsySpyers: [[Not with him. Why?]] agoodidstraction: i'm gonna die Whirl: Huh. Whirl: *eyes this armor skepitcally* Whirl: Looks awful stiff. ItsyBitsySpyers: [[He will be sure to play something appropriate at your funeral.]] Windchill: Great, now he looks like a doughboy. Windchill: I'd say it's an improvement. agoodidstraction: if i die you can't kill me ItsyBitsySpyers: [[The Doctor is still here, he thinks. Ask him.]] Airachnid: I imagine it isn't that maneuverable. Whirl: Yeah, ad maneuverability, as you can no doubt tell, is my forte. Airachnid: We get it. You killed Cliffjumper. Airachnid: I don't even brag about my kills that much in front of Acee. Windchill: His lone achievement. *Hand over boob.* agoodidstraction: he's grabbin him like a doll FakeProwl: @Soundwave «The Decepticons invented Apex Armor?» Whirl: I can't even remember all the kills I've made. I didn't get all of their names, either. Whirl: *shakes his head* Must be a sad existence. Being Starscream. Airachnid: I imagine it is. Rodimus: IMa speed and grace guy myself too Windchill: Sure you are. agoodidstraction: hdgkaf agoodidstraction: good one ItsyBitsySpyers: @Prowl: (txt): Unclear. Early records damaged. Two stories: Solus Prime invented, Decepticons invented. Airachnid: And there are mecha that think his voice is attractive. Airachnid: I pity them. Whirl: Agreed, Legs. Whirl: I will admit--the ship had a nice voice though. agoodidstraction: oh agoodidstraction: wow agoodidstraction: i never fragged up that hard FakeProwl: @Soundwave «Does the armor have any weak point?» agoodidstraction: and my friends are all dead ItsyBitsySpyers: @Prowl: (txt): User. FakeProwl: *snorts* ItsyBitsySpyers: *Soundwave trembles slightly. He's amused by Wheeljack's comment* Windchill: Good grief. Windchill: Swords, man. Windchill: Ridiculous. agoodidstraction: soundwave if you're cold i'll cuddle ya ItsyBitsySpyers: //Man, what's wit' all the-// Rumble flails his arm around. //Can't he jus' sheathe the fraggin' thing?// Whirl: *sighs; it's such a damn shame that his personality is so terrible, because wow. Those moves. THE GUN. THE SWORD* ItsyBitsySpyers: [[You will NOT.]] Whirl: *SUCH A DISAPPOINTMENT* Windchill: *THE SWORD IS DUMB.* Whirl: Yeah, honestly, like... swords are cool, but all the fancy twirling doesn't impress me. ItsyBitsySpyers: *Soundwave sits up and glows just a teensy bit brighter.* Windchill: It's some kind of contest, I think. Whirl: Hack someone clean in half. Then I'll be impressed. agoodidstraction: fineb itch Windchill: "My sword is bigger," you know. Whirl: ((AT LAST))

Missed some.

ItsyBitsySpyers: *PLEASED* Whirl: *snickers at the constant nicknaming* Whirl: Oh, hey, it's you, Chatterbox! ItsyBitsySpyers: *Nods his helm at Rodimus. Yes, it will. Mostly* ItsyBitsySpyers: {{Peh. Bird sleeping.}} ItsyBitsySpyers: *She drops down and docks on his back.* Whirl: 8AN AERIAL BATTLE? AT LAST* Windchill: *Only took over a season.* Rodimus: *grins @ SW* FakeProwl: *respectable maneuverability* Whirl: *it's passable* FakeProwl: ... "Surveillance drone"? agoodidstraction: heyyy Whirl: *AWW GO LASERBEAK GO* FakeProwl: Ignorance or disrespect? agoodidstraction: it's always time to be hotdogging ItsyBitsySpyers: [[Both.]] ItsyBitsySpyers: *Soundwave sees that grin.* Windchill: *He suspects his definition of "hotdogging" is vastly different than what is suggested here.* Whirl: To be honest, I'm not surprised that y'all can outmaneuver that ship. ugh, just LOOK at it. Whirl: It's dreadful. I'm surprised it can even keep UP. Airachnid: [chinhands at Ratchet] agoodidstraction: first time he screamed in the jackhammer FakeProwl: ... *covers mouth. ratchet's scream tho.* Whirl: *flips a mournful salute* Well fought, Bird. Whirl: ...*wow did he just commend a Con. He did. Well.* Whirl: *Stranger things have happened* ItsyBitsySpyers: *Soundwave tilts his helm, passes the message on, and... Laserbeak's voice comes out of his speakers.* Windchill: If that's all it takes to down that thing, colour me unimpressed. ItsyBitsySpyers: {{...Thanking.}} Windchill: Also, pink. Whirl: Aaand yeah. Not surprised it crashed. No offence Wheeljack, but your aircraft is garbage. agoodidstraction: i miss my swords agoodidstraction: frag you ItsyBitsySpyers: *Quietly reassures her. She did very well.* Whirl: Not likely, mech. *sly look* Windchill: *Puts up his middle finger.* Whirl: You've yet to impress me. Rodimus: *glances at Laserbeak and thinks a moment then back to the screen* agoodidstraction: oh i'll impress ya agoodidstraction: i'm sexy Whirl: I'll believe it when I see it. ItsyBitsySpyers: =We are not PETS.= Bruin: *angry hissing, leave her alone* ItsyBitsySpyers: *Annoyed growl from Ravage.* Airachnid: Ratchet's so brilliant. Windchill: It's not that grand an idea. FakeProwl: *eugh.* agoodidstraction: noodles agoodidstraction: loud noodles ItsyBitsySpyers: *Appreciates Bruin's hiss. Pings him so.* ItsyBitsySpyers: [[Feelers.]] agoodidstraction: NOODLES Shockbox: (( i find it a little personally ridiculous this virus thing actually worked. )) FakeProwl: *it's a perfectly pragmatic plan, but eugh.* ItsyBitsySpyers: ((it IS ridiculous but i have to go with it)) Airachnid: because humans have to be "winners")) Whirl: *SNICKERS* Airachnid: and be better than the bad ol Decepticons)) Whirl: *LET'S STUFF A CHICKEN IN SOUNDWABE* ItsyBitsySpyers: *Long stare at Wheeljack. This one isn't responsible for doing this to her, but - such resentment fades slowly.* Whirl: *OPEN WIDE CHATTERBOX* Whirl: Dang, those feelers are versatile, mech. agoodidstraction: *stares back* Shockbox: (( because somehow a script kiddie is just as good at computers as a cybertronian master spy. )) agoodidstraction: *sticks glossa out* ItsyBitsySpyers: *Ahh. Here we are.* Windchill: Oh good, time to fight. Whirl: *OHO A FIGHT. BETWEEN THESE TWO?* agoodidstraction: yeah!!! agoodidstraction: *** ItsyBitsySpyers: *Pleased bob.* Whirl: *sits ALL THE WAY UP* agoodidstraction: let's fight Airachnid: [perks up slightly] FakeProwl: *... ooh.* Highgloss: You two couldn't have picked a better setting for it. ItsyBitsySpyers: [[We really couldn't.]] Whirl: Wicked. agoodidstraction: ohhhhh Shockbox: */Very/ impressive fighting from soundwave.* ItsyBitsySpyers: [["Be aware of your surroundings" comes to mind.]] Whirl: *snickers* FakeProwl: *shudders at the noise that thing makes.* Rodimus: I wanta spar you Noddles!! Windchill: *Crosses his arms* Whirl: *well, hot damn. Soundwave, you just went from a 6 to a solid 8 my mech* ItsyBitsySpyers: [[You will be a long time waiting.]] Rodimus: *wines* Whyyyyy ItsyBitsySpyers: *Note to self: if he ever recovers another Resonance Blaster, keep it away from Prowl.* Whirl: *WELL HOT DAMN AGAIN HOW CAN HE NOT APPRECIATE THAT PROTECTIVE INSTINCT* FakeProwl: @Soundwave «I'm beginning to get the distinct impression you were going easy on me when you let me land on you.» Whirl: *he will acknowledge it 0% though* ItsyBitsySpyers: [[He has plenty of actual fights to keep his skills honed. He does not need to spar.]] Rodimus: *pouts* Whirl: ((i have yet to hear this owl)) ItsyBitsySpyers: @Prowl: (txt): Not -easy-. Shockbox: (( soundwave's biolights are so gorgeous in this scene. )) Whirl: ........................ Whirl: *(CAMERA PLEASE NOT WITH THE WIGGLIES* Whirl: *PLEASE* Rodimus: Lewd~ Whirl: Well. ...er-hem. Sorry, Wheeljack. You did not impress me at all. Whirl: Better luck next time. agoodidstraction: oh whatever Whirl: Hey, I calls em as I sees em. Whirl: And I know what I'm about. Windchill: *Rolls his eyes.* Windchill: *SNORTS* Rodimus: *snorts* agoodidstraction: wow Airachnid: [LAUGHS] Rodimus: *inmature snickering* ItsyBitsySpyers: *Stare.* ItsyBitsySpyers: [[What.]] Rodimus: *hand waves* Whirl: *blinks* Shockbox: (( hackers are most usually damn good at security. still can't believe that nonsense.)). Rodimus: Now thats it for the night! Whirl: These documentaries sure love their cliffhangers. ItsyBitsySpyers: [[Thank you. He enjoyed the majority of the last one.]] Highgloss: Thank you for the jaunt down memory lane! ItsyBitsySpyers: [[Do come again, Knock Out.]] Whirl: And, credit where it's due. Whirl: You kicked some skidplate, Chatterbox. *nods* Rodimus: Your both welcome! Yeah nice to see you back anytime~ *winks* ItsyBitsySpyers: @Wheeljack: [[2-0.]] ItsyBitsySpyers: *Bobs his helm.* agoodidstraction: rematch agoodidstraction: let's rematch Windchill: Sometimes... Airachnid: I do not think that will bode well for you. Whirl: I'll sell tickets! agoodidstraction: REMATCH Rodimus: Nowai! If he isnt going to give me a spar certinally not getting one! Airachnid: But, it'll be amusing. Windchill: One has to accept when they SUCKED the first time. ItsyBitsySpyers: [[And destroy his own investment? Please.]] Windchill: And move on. agoodidstraction: i don't wanna spar, i want a rematch Windchill: *Except, nobody's going to let anyone move on, ever.* FakeProwl: @Soundwave «You could probably open a space bridge straight under his feet and instantly win.» FakeProwl: @Soundwave «And—added bonus—he'd be out of the room.» Whirl: Well, if he won't, I'll fight ya, Wheeljack. Whirl: *will fight anyone, really* Shockbox: (( now you're thinking with portals. )) Whirl: *he'll fight himself if he can find another Whirl* Windchill: WHAT. ItsyBitsySpyers: @Prowl: (txt): Prowl, devious. Soundwave appreciates. agoodidstraction: Okay i"l fight you Windchill: You never seem to get around to fighting ME, *he points at himself.* Whirl: *perks up considerably* Hell yeah! Windchill: But you'll go fight that moron? Whirl: I'll fight you, too. Whirl: Both of you. At the same time. Windchill: I'm offended. FakeProwl: @Soundwave «I prefer "practical."» *but there's a thin smirk* Whirl: Anyone else want some? *clicks his claws aggressively* Airachnid: [she needs to find a way to watch this and now] Whirl: You were asking for a sparring partner, Rodders, I'll fight YOU. Rodimus: I can spar you anytime... *bored flop* Windchill: I'm not teaming up with him. ItsyBitsySpyers: \\NAH. TOO EASY.\\ Rodimus: I want NEW ones! Windchill: A three-way, MAYBE. agoodidstraction: did you call me a moron Windchill: I did, moron. Whirl: Pfft, you talk a big game, Frenzy. agoodidstraction: i know you are but what am i Windchill: A loser. Whirl: ((oh *** that reminds me they DID have a fighting thrad)) FakeProwl: @Soundwave «Maybe wait until they dogpile each other and bridge them all out at once.» Whirl: ((appropriately it was right after whirl said "yeah i'd boink Frenzy")) agoodidstraction: i'm not a loser Whirl: ((I will get to hat)) ItsyBitsySpyers: ((yes they do)) Windchill: Are you certain? ItsyBitsySpyers: *Be still his beating spark. Prowl, he can't headbump you here. Stop saying delightful things.* Windchill: I believe we all just witnessed you LOSING. Whirl: I'll fight this entire room! Airachnid: No thank you. Rodimus: *sprawling speedster ozzing onto the floor* agoodidstraction: okay i lost this one but Windchill: We know, Whirl, we know. *Pats his foot, reassuringly. We know.* Whirl: Aww, really legs? *swivels his helm over* You look like you'd be a fun fight. Whirl: You've got some moves, yourself. FakeProwl: *politely lifts his feet out of the way of the Rodimus ooze* ItsyBitsySpyers: [[Join them, Rodimus.]] Windchill: There's no buts. ItsyBitsySpyers: [[It could be amusing.]] agoodidstraction: red agoodidstraction: is he still in here Airachnid: I would rather not. Shockbox: *Clasps his hands and observes the ruckus.* Rodimus: Meh--- just sounds like Swerve's rn and I can get that tommorrow agoodidstraction: knock out Whirl: *also SW we all know what'd happen if you interrupted whirl's fight with a bridge. Doing that means you Join the Fight* Whirl: Suit yourself. Airachnid: Maybe another time. Windchill: Pfft! agoodidstraction: ffrag Whirl: *optic flickers* Hey, just lemme know, mech! Whirl: I'd like that. Windchill: DISGUSTING. Whirl: ...are you talking to me, Windchill? Windchill: Naturally. Rodimus: *so bored and huffy now sitting on the floor* Whirl: *hey, you were given an offer and you turned it down* Windchill: *HE'S NOT TEAMING UP WITH AN AUTOBOT TO FIGHT YOU.* Rodimus: *he can fight whirl whenever! he wanted new ppl!* Whirl: *SUIT YOURSELF* Windchill: Do I not get first dibs? ItsyBitsySpyers: *Why not fight the Wheeljack?* Whirl: And what about you, Chatterbox? I'd take you AND your team on. *swivels his helm again* ItsyBitsySpyers: *Soundwave would looooove to see that.* Rodimus: *cause he already saw him loss!* Windchill: I will fight. Windchill: If I have to. Windchill: EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM. Windchill: And PROVE TO YOU. agoodidstraction: GO ItsyBitsySpyers: [[You would lose. We -earned- second place in the Pits.]] Windchill: It's me you should be fighting. FakeProwl: *flatly* Pass. agoodidstraction: fight fight fight fight fight agoodidstraction: no prowl fight me agoodidstraction: fight ifght Whirl: You think I'd walk away from a fight like that? Pfft. Whirl: That's all the more reason to DO it. ItsyBitsySpyers: \\SOMEBODY JUS' PUNCH -SOMETHIN'-, PRIMUS.\\ agoodidstraction: FIGHT Rodimus: *great now it does sound like swerves* Airachnid: [she's gonna back away, just in case] Windchill: *PUNCHES HIS OWN FIST, HAPPY?* ItsyBitsySpyers: *YEAH SORTA?* FakeProwl: ... *sighs* Soundwave, may I use you for a demonstration? You don't have to move. agoodidstraction: *NO PUNCH HIM* Windchill: *GOOD ENOUGH.* Rodimus: Take it to the training halls first I dont have the pits set up here Windchill: Consider me Windchill: MORTALLY OFFENDED. ItsyBitsySpyers: *Soundwave glances to Prowl. What's this then...?* agoodidstraction: punch me ItsyBitsySpyers: *He'll trust his ally. A nod.* Whirl: I might never have fought in the pits, Chatterbox, but I survived the Dead End. I wouldn't count me out. ItsyBitsySpyers: //Wait, you got a Pit in the hall?// Windchill: *Groans loudly and flops back in his seat, DRAMATICALLY.* FakeProwl: *looks straight at Wheeljack. lifts up one hand. observe.* Rodimus: We got a small one at Swerve's FakeProwl: *sticks hand through Soundwave's arm. waves it around a little.* FakeProwl: You can't fight me. ItsyBitsySpyers: *OH well okay that was. Unexpected.* Whirl: Oh, yeah. We forgot to tell you, Wheeljack. Our ship is haunted. FakeProwl: *withdraws hand.* Rodimus: Porwl ghost Whirl: By the ghost of Prowl, may Heqet rest his spark. Windchill: Yeah, by a big baby who won't fight us. ItsyBitsySpyers: [[It would be a fight, Whirl, not a survival game.]] Shockbox: *but will wheeljack presume prowl is using a phase shifter?* FakeProwl: *opens mouth.* ... *shuts mouth. he's not going to argue.* Rodimus: He is really dead--- *shakes helm( So tragic ItsyBitsySpyers: //I wanna see this Swerve Pit. Ain't nobody told me ya got one.// Whirl: Same difference, in the Dead End, mech. agoodidstraction: what Windchill: What what, in the butt. agoodidstraction: ? agoodidstraction: ?? Whirl: If you don't WANT to, you can just say so. But your intimidation talk is having the opposite effect you think it does. Whirl: Sometimes, I think I can still hear his voice... Rodimus: Check the screen ItsyBitsySpyers: //Pfff! Ya call that a PIT?// FakeProwl: *flatly* It was a traumatic end. Windchill: Looks like any old bar, BORING. agoodidstraction: ??? Windchill: Though, granted. Whirl: It was a freak peanut butter accident. Windchill: It's not so boring once you start fighting in it. ItsyBitsySpyers: //Where's all the spires? The flamin' trash piles? The giant spikes?// Rodimus: That middle table collapses in a small pit for wrestling mostly ItsyBitsySpyers: *Soundwave invents an obituary for Prowl on the spot and places it on his screen.* Windchill: You couldn't even fit ME in that thing. FakeProwl: *oh, leans forward to read it.* agoodidstraction: but he's right there????? Rodimus: Guess we didnt get the Koan package mech. *shrugs with a grin* ItsyBitsySpyers: *It's mostly a serious tale of overheating due to peanut butter clogged vents and exploding. There are a few flattering details though.* FakeProwl: *... sits back. covers mouth.* Rodimus: @SW ::May story for his death was better* Whirl: *hand over spark* We're so fortunate to still have his ghost with us. To... share his. Ghostly wisdom. Whirl: And perform humorous parlor tricks. ItsyBitsySpyers: \\WHAT, AIN'T NOBODY TOLJA 'BOUT GHOSTS? AIN'T YOU FRAGGIN' THE BEE WITH THE FLOATIN' SPARKSCREAM?\\ Rodimus: Yeah Jackie--- didn't you know the matrix can make ghosts appear? FakeProwl: Don't lie to them, Whirl. agoodidstraction: what agoodidstraction: yeah but Airachnid: ...what? ItsyBitsySpyers: @Rodimus: [[What story?]] Whirl: *sighs* Okay. Okay. FakeProwl: Everyone knows I'm only good for rattling chains and waking people up at three in the morning. Whirl: He doesn't ACTUALLY--yes, that. agoodidstraction: i mean the prime was always talkin to ghost agoodidstraction: iwhatg Windchill: You're definitely no good for fighting. Whirl: But, you know, if you're already up at three in the morning, he's good for a conversation. ItsyBitsySpyers: @Prowl: (txt): Prowl's story, disregardable berth activity rumor mentioned? Whirl: Chains and moaning aside. agoodidstraction: i'mabut how are you schlurpin that spike if he's dead ItsyBitsySpyers: *You know what's great about visors? You can make any face you want behind them and nobody can see.* agoodidstraction: i know all about chains and moaning ItsyBitsySpyers: *...Which is especially vital after comments like Wheeljack's.* Windchill: *Palm, meet face.* Airachnid: [disgust] FakeProwl: ... Pffft. @Soundwave «No, the rumor of my death is completely novel.» Whirl: *tilts his head and stares at Wheeljack with the blankest expression ever* I don't follow. FakeProwl: @Soundwave «Any /living/ rumors about me keeping people up at three in the morning with chains are probably true.» agoodidstraction: what don't ya follow Whirl: Any of that. Rodimus: *snickering* ItsyBitsySpyers: @Prowl: (txt): Soundwave will believe rumor when experienced. Whirl: *just blinks slowly; the fact that his expression is just his eye means Whirl can pull off the best poker face imaginable* FakeProwl: @Soundwave «... Except perhaps the three a.m. part. I prefer to have concluded any activities by then.» ItsyBitsySpyers: *Ravage is as disgusted as Airachnid. He can go over to her and keep her company during their nonsense.* agoodidstraction: so anyway oral is amazing Airachnid: Why are you like this? Whirl: Oral? Whirl: *blank. stare* Rodimus: PFT! agoodidstraction: yeah ORAL agoodidstraction: O R A L Whirl: Oral what? ItsyBitsySpyers: [[The world needs -someone- to be its fool, Airachnid.]] agoodidstraction: SEX ItsyBitsySpyers: @Prowl: (txt): Noted. FakeProwl: @Soundwave «Well. He's not attempting to fight me anymore. I'm not certain this is an improvement.» Airachnid: I thought that was Smokescreen. Whirl: ...*peers* That's not where sex happens, Wheeljack. Airachnid: Do we need any more? Whirl: I dunno who told you that, but they were yaking your chain. agoodidstraction: ??? Rodimus: *glances at the door thinking a moment of all the slag he still has left* Whirl: *POKER. FACE* ItsyBitsySpyers: [[Smokescreen is the unfortunate sap. Different role.]] Shockbox: *This scene has been...extremely amusing.* Airachnid: Hmm. Touche. Shockbox: *But it's snack table time, now.* agoodidstraction: okay tell that to bumblebee Whirl: I don't know any Bumblebees. Airachnid: Be thankful. agoodidstraction: you don't even know mine? Airachnid: They are annoying. Whirl: But, you know. Okay. I'll relebt. *drapes a claw over his chest* I'm being very narrow minded, here. Comes with the lack of peripheral vision. Whirl: Maybe other mecha have their sex organs in their mouths, in different dimensions. ItsyBitsySpyers: *WHIRL* Whirl: That's not where I keep mind. Obviously. Whirl: *WAIT *** OKAY HE FORGOT AGAIN BUT POKER FACE POKER FACE* agoodidstraction: airachnid i'll kick your *** face in *** Whirl: How rude. agoodidstraction: whirl what the frfag did you smoke Whirl: Hey now, no cutting in line. I get to fight her first. Whirl: Smoke? Windchill: Not until you fight me, bro. Airachnid: I would like to see you try. agoodidstraction: why would someone's array be in their mouth Whirl: Well, apparently yours are. Whirl: Since you frag with your mouth. agoodidstraction: i USED my mouth though Windchill: *Raises hand* agoodidstraction: what Bruin: *plating very ruffled up, he's thoroughly pissed about the eppisode still * Bruin: *the normal rediculousness is a nice distraction though* Whirl: I don't get it. Whirl: *continues to blankly stare* How? Rodimus: *face drops into hands* Windchill: Does that mean my giggity bits are in my armpits, because- ItsyBitsySpyers: @Shockbox: [[Leaving? This time he will not send Frenzy.]] Airachnid: [at this point she isn't surprised by this coversation] Windchill: *he'll just lower his hand, now.* agoodidstraction: whirl what the frag Windchill: *The damage has been done.* FakeProwl: *... okay, this is sad, prowl feels like he has to help out* agoodidstraction: okay whirl do you have uh agoodidstraction: what kind of stuff ya got? ItsyBitsySpyers: @Prowl: (txt): "Improvement" impossible near Wheeljack. "Status quo" best option. Whirl: Claspers, actually, but they;re in the usual place. *gestures to his groin* agoodidstraction: okay but what do you have down there agoodidstraction: like Rodimus: *checks to room to see if any mechs look bothered with the current chatter* Whirl: I just told you. agoodidstraction: ????? FakeProwl: Whirl, are you familiar with the concept of applying tactile stimulation to a partner's interstate array with parts OTHER than one's own interface array. Shockbox: @Soundwave: Not yet, but soon. May as well add to my stores while the others are distracted. agoodidstraction: no like agoodidstraction: you know how i don't have a spike but bee does FakeProwl: **interface FakeProwl: ((INTERSTATE ARRAY)) Whirl: I didn't know that, actually. Shockbox: *ngl he doesn't get like 60% of this sex talk because that's not how his universe works* agoodidstraction: okay well now ya know Airachnid: I wheezed when I read that)) Whirl: @Prowl: Yes. I one hundred percent am, But I am also one hundred pecent winding him up. agoodidstraction: are you a spike mech or a not spike mech Windchill: You learn something new, every day. *Said as flatly as possible, which is quite a lot.* Bruin: ((interstate? thats a really big spike)) Whirl: *now looks to Prowl* I mean, in theory. Rodimus: We are all no spike mechs ItsyBitsySpyers: @Shockbox: [[Understood. He will see this continue if he can.]] Whirl: Well, yeah, I've got claspers. Same thing. Rodimus: *stands up to start putting the fuel away* FakeProwl: @Whirl «... You fooled me too. Carry on.» Whirl: I'm sure I'm not the only one in the room who does, either. *snoirts; that bit is genuine* ItsyBitsySpyers: *Or not. Rodimus, what timing you have.* agoodidstraction: CLASPERS? Rodimus: *snickers spike is such a stupid name for the dongle* Whirl: @Prowl: Don't worry. We can pretend you were in on it. FakeProwl: *he did not think Whirl was capable of that patiently messing with someone.* Whirl: Yes! Shockbox: *He's able to finish taking what he needs before rodimus starts cleaning.* Whirl: Congratulations, you have basic listening comprehension! ItsyBitsySpyers: *Learn something new every day, Prowl.* agoodidstraction: okay agoodidstraction: ya ever let anyone put their mouth on your claspers? Rodimus: *you steal rodimus's fuel again?* FakeProwl: *well then. he'll sit back and let this play out.* Whirl: No. Shockbox: *stealing! haha, no, no. shockwave? never.* Whirl: That seems like a stupid thing to do, with all those TEETH. FakeProwl: *... and now prowl is wondering if he actually has claspers or if that's just messing with wheeljack too* Whirl: Why would anyone even do that. Rodimus: *he will stop you unless you agree to his terms*

Missed a very tiny bit. Maybe none at all. hard to tell.

agoodidstraction: it's not made up ItsyBitsySpyers: *Soundwave knows if Whirl does or not but a) he doesn't know Prowl is wondering and b) he's not sure he wants to admit he knows.* Whirl: *maybe not but his feet feel ALL OF IT* Whirl: *DON'T SAY IT LIKE THAT SOUNDWAVE GDI YOU MAKE IT SOUND WORSE THAN IT IS* Whirl: Yeah, yeah. Nice try. I'm ot falling for THAT one. Pfft. ItsyBitsySpyers: *PAYBACK ASTERISKS FOR THE MOUTH ORGAN BIT* agoodidstraction: whirl you're high FakeProwl: *prowl is used to people comparing their mods in bars. he'd just assume whirl went over to soundwave's club while it was open* agoodidstraction: knock out told me how to do it Windchill: Oh, well I'm sure he'd know all about it. Whirl: Anyoine could just CHOMP them right off! agoodidstraction: yeah that's why i asked him FakeProwl: *whoa hello there now prowl is thinking about knock out's mouth. okay. all right. okay.* Whirl: Why would you DO that? Shockbox: *after barely making off with a relatively small bit of fuel, he walks briskly over to soundwave, mostly because soundwave seems to be the safest option at the moment.* Whirl: *GDI WHAT HAVE I DONE* ItsyBitsySpyers: *Could be worse. He could be thinking about Soundwave's mouth.* Whirl: ((rodders will u please play Let's Get it On)) ItsyBitsySpyers: *Nods to Shockwave. There's room where Rodimus was.* Rodimus: *yep its a ... pretty open panel policy* agoodidstraction: because it *** feels good what the *** is wrong with you wht *** kind of sad universe do you *** come from that doesn't have *** *** oral mech Rodimus: ((pretend its ic lmao ItsyBitsySpyers: [[Not everyone has the luxury of possessing a face, you know.]] Shockbox: *he considers the seat, and then takes it.* Whirl: *stares at Wheeljack. Blank. Optic giving no emotion away* Whirl: *deep, deep breath* Whirl: *BURSTS OUT LAUGING* Shockbox: ........*nods in agreement with slendy's statement.* agoodidstraction: hdkljishf agoodidstraction: what!!!! Rodimus: *silly smirk to himself* agoodidstraction: what agoodidstraction: what mech Airachnid: [she's just going to snicker to herself] Whirl: I DON'T know how I managed to keep a straight face for so long. ItsyBitsySpyers: *Soundwave looks up and over at the speakers. HA.* Whirl: Of COURSE we have blowjobs here, mech. Whirl: I mean, I wasn't lying when I said I'd never done it but, I was messing with you. You're VERY gullible. Whirl: Thank you, Rodders. agoodidstraction: i hat eyour *** stupid *** face Whirl: *cheeky salute* Whirl: Everything else was true, though. agoodidstraction: *squints* Whirl: Honest truth. agoodidstraction: you don't really have claspers ItsyBitsySpyers: *Oh, why not.* ItsyBitsySpyers: //Yeah he does.// Whirl: Oh no, I do, and I'm also sure I'm not the only person here who does. Whirl: Not that all uncommon, in my dimension. agoodidstraction: prove it agoodidstraction: ?? Rodimus: Woah! You do WHirl?! I havnt seen that mod in ages Whirl: Mod? *now he looks genuinely nonplussed* Windchill: This really isn't the place, I think. ItsyBitsySpyers: @Shockbox: [[...He does not know what greater educational value these moments have, but they do amuse.]] agoodidstraction: prove it *** Rodimus: Earth organic is pretty invouge still here Whirl: See? Rumble knows. Proof enough. Whirl: No mods here. *shrugs* agoodidstraction: no i wanna see with my own two optics Whirl: Oh. Well. I was born with 'em. Rodimus: Sweet--- really?! Whirl: *nods* Rodimus: Arn't you Cold Construct? Shockbox: *he leans back on the couch.* Rodimus: *RODDIMUS* Whirl: And--sorry, Wheeljack, but like I said--*sly look* You've yet to impress me. FakeProwl: *is rather glad the clasper fad died out, personally. they don't work well with his array.* Shockbox: @Soundwave: Amusing is /one/ way to put it. Whirl: ...what the frag kinda question is THAT? ItsyBitsySpyers: @Shockbox: [[Your suggested term?]] Rodimus: Ours didnt have those arrays mostly til the war. agoodidstraction: show me your claspers Windchill: *Gently, ever SO gently, picks up Whirl's feet and relocates them to HIS side of the couch.* agoodidstraction: i'll show you my thing Whirl: ((i'm so sorry everyone. the dickcapades got out of control)) Whirl: *ever so gently puts them back* Windchill: What the heck. Rodimus: ((meanwhile casual racism rodimus geeze Whirl: Well, impress me, and maybe you'll get your chance. Windchill: *Can't believe this. How did this happen.* Windchill: *Moves them again.* Whirl: *moves them back* agoodidstraction: i'll impress you come on just agoodidstraction: i'll give you lots of drugs ItsyBitsySpyers: //First off, ain't nobody poppin' their stuff out while I'm sittin' on 'em. B, I ain't watchin' Wheeljack show off nothin'.// Shockbox: (( admittedly i have not been paying close attention to the conversation. )) ItsyBitsySpyers: *He hops off Whirl and trots over to squeeze himself between Soundwave and Shockwave.* Shockbox: ((i have been building a gundam. )) Whirl: Well, obviously, our dimension is different. FakeProwl: Most pre-war cold constructed mechs who were interested in getting arrays did so long before the war. Whirl: Pfft, don;t worry Rumble, I'm not gonna do that. Windchill: Excuse me, sir. Shockbox: *nods at rumble.* Whirl: Not unless YOU asked, of course. *salutes* Rodimus: Yeah no dongles out in the rec room Magnus made it a rule agoodidstraction: okay anyone ELSE got weird arrays? Windchill: Your feet are IN MY WAY. Whirl: What? *looks to Windchill* agoodidstraction: how do you even frag with claspers Windchill: *Raises hand. He's just being honest.* Windchill: I said. Rodimus: *raises hand* FakeProwl: *... again, decides not to raise his hand. does not want wheeljack's attention* ItsyBitsySpyers: \\YA CLASP 'EM. DUH.\\ Whirl: Tiime to go? *lifts his feet into the air* Windchill: Seems so. Whirl: *and while they're there, looks to Wheeljack* The usual way. Shockbox: *he takes a moment to think* agoodidstraction: HOW? Windchill: If we're not gonna fight, I'm gonna go. Airachnid: I can only say I do not have any. agoodidstraction: look i'm still learning how spikes and valves work agoodidstraction: i have no idea what i'm doin Whirl: Seeya, mech. Also--I haven't forgotten. next week, you better give me a doctor's note, yeah? Whirl: *sits up* Does ANYONE else in this room have a set of claspers? Whirl: ...wait. Whirl: ((swap the order there)) Rodimus: Ha! Windchill: You're not the boss of me. Rodimus: I think a few in the engine team has some still ItsyBitsySpyers: //They ain't in the room though.// Whirl: I mean it. I'll take executive action if I har you haven't seen a doc. Windchill: What's THAT supposed to mean? agoodidstraction: whirl Whirl: Wheeljack. Whirl: it means I'll kick your ***, Windchill. Windchill: *He stands up, putting him in a better position to deflect any "executive actions."* Windchill: PFFT. Rodimus: !!! WHirl! Do I need to send Volicity down here?! Whirl: *sets his feet down* agoodidstraction: whirl just show me the *** claspers Windchill: I've been trying to get you to do that for years. Windchill: I'm not even convinced that you CAN. Whirl: Look, to get them out, I need to be in a particular mood. And that's not just something I can DO. Whirl: Also, no. Like I said--I'm not attracted to you. Whirl: I'll take a picture or something, and send it, if you want. agoodidstraction: okay let me give ya a lap dance then agoodidstraction: you'll send me a pic??? Whirl: I'll pass, but yeah. In the event, that I get them out sometime soon, I'll send you  a picture. Whirl: But fair warning--last time I got em our was, like, four million years ago. ItsyBitsySpyers: *Soundwave just shakes his helm. Be proud of him, Prowl. He risked his life to rescue this.* Whirl: So you're gonna be in for quite a wait. ItsyBitsySpyers: *That's a huge sacrifice.* agoodidstraction: ???????? FakeProwl: *enormous* Whirl: ((truly)) FakeProwl: *also: why* agoodidstraction: why do you hate your claspers Shockbox: @Soundwave: I do not believe any single term would do. It is merely another kind of common exchange. agoodidstraction: get 'em sucked or whatever agoodidstraction: give 'em some air Rodimus: Geeze Wheeljack, I guess you aare new to this interfacing thing cause you got less class than Swerve at this. ItsyBitsySpyers: *Ask.* ItsyBitsySpyers: @Shockbox: [[A reasonable viewpoint.]] Whirl: *holds up his huge claws* Rodimus: Whirl told you no let it drop. agoodidstraction: look i'm good in berth okay Rodimus: And? Whirl: Thanks, Rodders, but I've got this. *nods* Whirl: *that was a genuine thank you* Whirl: I've got huge c;laws. They';re not good for that sort of thing. Rodimus: *thumbs at WHirl* You can take it then. agoodidstraction: *lighting another cyg* *** Windchill: *Time for a goodnight eye roll.* Windchill: Bye, guys. Whirl: Catcha later, 'Chill. Rodimus: See ya. ItsyBitsySpyers: //Seeya.// ItsyBitsySpyers: *Ah. An audio hint.* Whirl: Anyway, there you have it. 've told you just about everything I can about my junk. I hope you're happy. Rodimus: *passive agressive music choices* Windchill: *Leaves.* Shockbox: @Soundwave: In such a relatively relaxed atmostphere, such discussions are an eventuality. agoodidstraction: you're full of *** whirl Whirl: And YOU can't fight. agoodidstraction: i'm out Whirl: *getly untangles himself from Frenzy and Zori and stands up, streeetching* ItsyBitsySpyers: *Now that is a good reason for appreciating a lonely post out on Cybertron* agoodidstraction: prowl, lmk when ya finally schlurp it agoodidstraction: I CAN FIHT *** Rodimus: @Soundwave ::About lessons.... those still on the table?:: FakeProwl: Never. agoodidstraction: zap yaps responsibly agoodidstraction: bye fraggers ItsyBitsySpyers: *Frenzy rolls off and bounces to his pedes. Zori pats Whirl goodbye* ItsyBitsySpyers: ((byeeee)) Whirl: *examines a claw with a mock-bored air* Didn't look like it to me. *now turns his attention to Zori and beeps a farewell* ItsyBitsySpyers: @Rodimus: [[Which?]] Rodimus: @Sound ::I did already pay for one of thtem~:: Shockbox: Hm....*Can feel himself beginning to drift.* ItsyBitsySpyers: @Rodimus: [[Ah. Yes. Those are still available, if you wish.]] Airachnid: [quietly gets up to try and sneak out] ItsyBitsySpyers: *Ravage rumbles a goodbye* FakeProwl: *why is this song playing twice?* Whirl: *bosb his head* Seeya, Legs! FakeProwl: *............... oh.* Whirl: Get back to me on the fighting, yeah? Bruin: *time to call it a night, the wolves are all snoring in unison* ItsyBitsySpyers: @Shockbox: [[Perhaps you should return and rest.]] Airachnid: [nods to a few before disappearing] Shockbox: *Snaps his head up, then nods.* FakeProwl: *stands and looks at Bruin. at least a couple of his team appear to be asleep.* @Bruin «Can you get to the bridge by yourself?» ItsyBitsySpyers: *Gets calling his group to himself as well.* Whirl: Anyway! Well. ...what an interesting conversation this turned out to be. But, later, losers. Whirl: *waves adnd turns to trot for the door* Bruin: @Prowl ::Yeah, Sotters' still up, just these lazy bums  asleep:: Shockbox: @Soundwave: Yes. But....If it is not too much, I need to contact you at a later date. FakeProwl: @Bruin «Very well.» ItsyBitsySpyers: @Shockbox: [[It is not too much.]] Here: a frequency. Bruin: *picks up all three wolves, one over a shoulder and two under arms and heads out* Night ya'll Rodimus: See ya mech! ItsyBitsySpyers: [[Goodnight.]] Shockbox: *pings a thanks.* @Soundwave: Do you have a preferred time range? Rodimus: Ah SOundwave. ItsyBitsySpyers: @Shockbox: [[Any. He will answer the message when he can.]] ItsyBitsySpyers: [[Yes, Rodimus?]] Rodimus: YOu asked about New york ItsyBitsySpyers: [[Yes. He did.]] Shockbox: *he nods one last time before making his way out.* ItsyBitsySpyers: *Goodbye nod.* Shockbox: (( g'night. )) Rodimus: It's short I dont have your skills ItsyBitsySpyers: *Oh no.* FakeProwl: *... remembers this from the other side. rubs optics* ItsyBitsySpyers: *Ping. Prowl need to leave?* ItsyBitsySpyers: *Still watching though.* FakeProwl: *no. but he's sitting down again.* Rodimus: Such burns ItsyBitsySpyers: [[He sees.]] ItsyBitsySpyers: [[Thank you.]] Rodimus: That's it for footage but you get it our scale to earth-- and welll--- much less in disguse FakeProwl: We /were/ in disguise before then, for years. Rodimus wasn't on Earth then, so he wouldn't have known. Rodimus: ((that clip seemed the most likely to be easily salavaged lol ItsyBitsySpyers: *On the one hand, part of him wonders why his faction never managed to wreak as much damage as other timelines. On the other, given how much MORE things fell apart when they tried...* Rodimus: *optic rolls* FakeProwl: ((yeah, I figure a few dozen humans with cameras out recording the carnage)) Rodimus: You dont even know what we were talking about FakeProwl: And we went back into hiding afterwords, as much as we could. ItsyBitsySpyers: [[He appreciates both viewpoints.]] Rodimus: Yeah they didnt mange to wipe earth's populations due to us! FakeProwl: Then you may enlighten me. Rodimus: Made a pretty good dent thou Rodimus: *hand waves* So anyways I never got to see New York! ItsyBitsySpyers: [[And he is given to understand this was worldwide?]] ItsyBitsySpyers: [[Or nearly?]] Rodimus: The fighting wa--- yeah Rodimus: skirmishes mostly FakeProwl: They hit major metropolitan areas all over the planet. New York City was the first and worst. ItsyBitsySpyers: [[Have the f... the humans rebuilt?]] Rodimus: Some I guess. Certinally not rolling the welcome mat out to us I here. Prowl know that better Rodimus: He did have a dance with one of their towns... I hear ItsyBitsySpyers: *Looks over.* FakeProwl: After the Decepticons were forced out, the New Yorkers were moved to refugee camps nearby. FakeProwl: Over the next few years they began moving back in and rebuilding, but last I was there much of the city remained in ruins. ItsyBitsySpyers: @Prowl: [[Earth's coordinates?]] ItsyBitsySpyers: *He's curious. Wants to see this damage for himself, for comparison purposes.* FakeProwl: @Soundwave «... Why?» ItsyBitsySpyers: @Prowl: [[Recording. Data addition. Examples needed.]] Rodimus: ((my wife is crying over killing something in her game ItsyBitsySpyers: ((oh nooooo)) Rodimus: ((I am laughing at her FakeProwl: @Soundwave «Earth is armed and prepared in case of a new Cybertronian invasion, and there's an ongoing conflict between small Autobot and Decepticon forces. I recommend against it.» ItsyBitsySpyers: *They LEFT SOME THERE?* ItsyBitsySpyers: *Looks from one bot to the other* FakeProwl: *they WENT BACK* Rodimus: ((omg she cant even retell it without voice breaking FakeProwl: @Soundwave «They've had Cybertronian corpses, prisoners, and collaborators to help them prepare. I don't recommend a tourist trip.» ItsyBitsySpyers: ((give her a hundred hugs)) ItsyBitsySpyers: *Oh, there you go. NOW he doesn't want to go.* Rodimus: *helm tilt as he looks between them* ItsyBitsySpyers: [[He does not know which of you has access to the Earth, if either.]] Rodimus: *feels like the convo stopped suddenly cause he got left out. frowns* Rodimus: Huh? ItsyBitsySpyers: [[If you regain it and go, he wishes to be sent footage of what Earth looks like now.]] ItsyBitsySpyers: *"Now" meaning whenever they see it again, if they do.* FakeProwl: I was last on earth a little under a year and a half ago. I didn't bring footage back, but I can see if the Constructicons did. Jazz was there more recently. FakeProwl: *... and there might be others he can call.* ItsyBitsySpyers: *Nod. Even if he doesn't like Jazz.* Rodimus: *huffs now he is sure he was left out cause he isnt following this jump* ItsyBitsySpyers: @Rodimus: [[He would like to know more of what -you- witnessed when your lessons begin.]] Rodimus: @Spund ::Your vectorsigma peek wasnt enough?:: Rodimus: ((wtf fingers ItsyBitsySpyers: @Rodimus: [[You promised him multiple questions.]] Rodimus: *facepalms* ItsyBitsySpyers: *There, there, Rodimus. Prowl is holding one over on him too.* FakeProwl: *he's saving it for a special occasion* ItsyBitsySpyers: *And so he should.* Rodimus: Anyways I got my hands awesome footage of a parraell universe close to ours! ItsyBitsySpyers: *Did they have anything else they wanted to tell him, or should he take the original music cue and head toward the bridge...? Oh! Hmm.* ItsyBitsySpyers: [[What is it?]] Rodimus: *wiggles fingers* You'll see i am not going to watch it til i share it more fun that way! Rodimus: I mean I lived it! FakeProwl: *should head out himself. pings a farewell to Soundwave, and disappears.* ItsyBitsySpyers: *Pings farewell back.* ItsyBitsySpyers: *Rude, Rodimus. Getting his hopes up like that. Hmph* ItsyBitsySpyers: [[Then he will look forward to it.]] Rodimus: *blicks at hte other just *** off oh ok* Rodimus: *gota keep alluring!* Rodimus: So Waveers... I tihnk I need the control lessons first ItsyBitsySpyers: [[Of course you do. You can't do anything else without them.]] Rodimus: I seen some in the shows... how is your decoding abilites? ItsyBitsySpyers: [[Sufficient, for one who is not a warship with nothing to do except float and decode.]] Rodimus: *holds his hand up a sec* Just so you know this is a Captainy request ItsyBitsySpyers: *Tilts his helm.* ItsyBitsySpyers: [[Meaning?]] ItsyBitsySpyers: *You're not his Captain, after all.* Rodimus: YOu know... no repeating my words out of context and wrecking ***? Rodimus: *brow raise* ItsyBitsySpyers: [[As long as you do not ask him to do something that will harm his allies.]] Rodimus: Professionial request. *magnus voice* Rodimus: I got some uhm charts...? and designs that look like the stuff on some of those relics in the show Rodimus: Can you read -that- stuff? ItsyBitsySpyers: *Nods. With Laserbeak's help for the little he does not recognize.* Rodimus: ((its ok if you dont know if he can Rodimus: ((ok! ItsyBitsySpyers: ((if it's primal vernacular i have it set that he's not Great at it but the bird twins are old enough to cover)) ItsyBitsySpyers: ((if it's something even older he knows bits and pieces and/or can get help from their timeline's REALLY old bot)) Rodimus: Ok then! I may got some stuff for you to help on I am putting a team to try to decode them! Rodimus: Ok then you are free! ItsyBitsySpyers: *Now THAT'S a task worthy of him.* ItsyBitsySpyers: [[He will do his best to assist.]] ItsyBitsySpyers: *Rises and nods* ItsyBitsySpyers: *And unless he's stopped, will head out with everyone docked and Zori tagging behind* Rodimus: ((see ya! ItsyBitsySpyers: ((bye! thanks for hosting :D ))

[stan-the-fic-man]

Brink - Chapter 4: Phone Home

Chapter 4: Phone Home

Once the three Autobots had intervened with Bruticus, and Steven had stopped his guardians from pressing further, things started to simmer down with the groups. The gems unfused back to their three original forms and Combaticons separated back to the five individual selves as well.

To make a point about them not being here to harm anyone, Hot Rod and Jazz told them everything that they needed to know about them. It wasn’t any different from what they had told Steven, and they even left out the same details that they had before. Steven already knew more about them then these three, and they didn’t intend on letting on anymore than that.

Likewise, the gems gave some information of their own. It wasn’t a lot considering that Steven had already taken care of most of it, though they did assume that he hadn’t told them about his being only half human. Since it wasn’t brought up, they left it at letting them think that he was still only human.

While the Combaticons never actually said anything, they had been listening the entire time, wanting to know everything that they could about the creatures that had been able to match their combined forces. It was always wise to learn about your enemies.

“Well, it’s nice to see that some of you can be civil.” Pearl said to Jazz, before tossing a dirty look at Swindle, “but would you or your friends kindly explain why it was that you were trying to destroy our home?”

“Woah, hold on there. First off, we are not friends.” Onslaught said, finally speaking up, “The day that any of us befriend an Autobot is the day I meet the Allspark.”

“That could certainly be arranged.” Cliff Jumper said, clear disdain in his voice.

“You wanna pick up where we left off Auto-trash?” Brawl said, “Because I have no problem with giving you that lesson in manners I promised.”

“Enough, both of you.” Hot Rod interrupted, “None of this matters, especially to the natives.”

“Wait, you mean you guys aren’t on the same side?” Steven asked.

“That’s hardly the point right now.” Onslaught said, getting back on track, “To answer your question, it was because we were trying to get at that stockpile of energy that seems to be buried behind that thing. With the state of the outside, we thought it was abandoned.”

“Excuse me!?” Pearl said, “I will have you know that I have spent many hours making sure that-” Pearl was interrupted when Garnet put her hand up, letting her know that she would take care of things from this point.

“Look, the state of the house is hardly a topic of concern right now.” Garnet said, “What I want to know is what you mean by stockpile of energy.”

“It’s the reason that we’re here in the first place.” Onslaught went on, “We were sent to find energy, and there was a signature here that is nearly identical to that of energon.”

“To what now?” Amethyst asked.

“It’s essentially their life’s blood.” Steven answered, “They and everything that they use run off of it.”

“Though, what you are picking up is not what you think. Allow me to explain.” Peridot said, having finally recovered from the breakneck speed they had been traveling at. She then projected an image from her gem, showing the robots just what it was she was talking about.

“The energy source that you claim to have picked up, is not actually an energy, but rather is the signature of our own life source. That being our gems.” Peridot explained, pointing to her own gem, “It is through these stones that we are able to project ourselves as physical beings. While I’m not at all sure why our gems give off the same signature as this energon you speak of, I can assure that it isn’t the same thing.”

After the brief explanation, Onslaught was very skeptical as to if this was true or not. Though, this wouldn't be the first time that something was mistaken for energon. Looking over at Blastoff, Onslaught cocked his head in the small gems direction. Knowing what he meant, Blastoff opened up the holographic projector in his arm. Looking at the projection that Peridot was showing him, and the image provided by Perceptor, he could see that she was correct.

“It’s true. The same signature that we saw before in the ship is also present in these gems the creatures have.” Blastoff told everyone, “but the real question is; where does this leave us?”

“Living rocks or not, we have to get communications up and report back to Cybertron.” Onslaught said, “Once we report our finding, we’ll let home base decide what we do from here.”

“Hold up there, Onslaught.” Jazz said, “You really think it’s a good idea to be bringing that thing down here? I mean, the secrets out with them, sure, but so we really need to expose ourselves more?”

“Look, radioing back to our leader takes priority. We’ll keep it cloaked, but we are setting up that commlink.” Onslaught said, before switching his communications to the ship. “Ground team to scout ship, we need you at our location. We have a place ready for the setup.”

“Good luck, I was trying to get Perceptor and he didn’t answer.” Hot Rod said.

“You were trying to contact a scientist who was probably over engrossed in some sort of experiment. Soundwave is our comms officer, and he always answers.” Onslaught said, before going to trying to hail the ship again, “Soundwave, this is Onslaught, do you read me?”

High above the planet, the scouting ship had taken up a holding position over a different part of the planet that. After the drop off of their scouting parties, Perceptor went to work with trying to figure out why it was that things had changed so much since the last time Shockwave had taken any notes from this planet.

It is to be expected that, with so much time passing, things are going to change. Yet how was it that such a large quantity of energy that had a similar molecular structure to that of energon could just go unnoticed? Did Shockwave really investigate the planet as thoroughly as he claimed?

“It will all be so much easier when I get a sample.” Perceptor said to himself, logging down notes into the data files. This planet was going to be invaluable to them once they actually were able to get to that energy source.

Meanwhile, Soundwave had busied himself with preparing the communications relay. Once they got the okay to start, he didn’t want any time wasted. Megatron wasn’t known for his patience, and it would be wise of all of them to get things done quickly. Even excluding Megatron, the need for energy on their home planet was all too prevalent.

While looking over the antenna’s one last time, Soundwave’s heard Onslaught coming over the shortwave frequency.

“Soundwave acknowledges. Report.” he said, listening to Onslaught, “Confirmed. Locking onto coordinates. Have the area prepped for arrival.”

Looking to where Perceptor was, he finally realized how engrossed the scientist was with research and logs. Was it any wonder why he and Shockwave were able to get along so easily when they worked together? While to two had different views on things, they always got the best results. If he were allowed to continue, Soundwave knew that Perceptor would stay there all day.

“Ground team one has reported in. Prepare for landing and relay set up.” Soundwave said to him, getting Perceptor out of his stupor.

“Huh? Oh right, yes.” Perceptor said, finally coming back to reality, “Setting course for the first drop point.”

“Understood, waiting for arrival.” Onslaught said, turning back to the group, “See, Soundwave always has communication down to a T.”

“Geez Perceptor, what are you doing up there?” Hot Rod questioned, looking up at the sky.

“Hold it right there.” Pearl said, “You can’t just go set up a huge satellite here. There are people around and-”

“We have our orders.” Onslaught interrupted, “Besides, this cliff face will do a good enough job masking the tower. Not to mention, it’s not even that large. Once we know what’s happening, we’ll more than likely have to take the thing down anyway. If everything you're saying is true, there’s no sense in us staying here.”

Pearl was about to continue on with her argument, but she really couldn’t. Everything that Onslaught had just said did make a lot of sense. Even if she wasn’t a fan of having them here, this was likely going to be the quickest solution to getting them out of here. She just hoped that this wouldn’t take too long.

Thankfully, it was hardly a wait at all. Although cloaked, the ship that the robots had spoken of could be heard coming from quite a distance away. When it got in close enough, a distorted, faint outline could be seen of it. Almost looking like the image of the sky was being warped and bent.

Upon the ship's landing, the cloak was lost. No longer needed with it being thoroughly concealed by the hillside. To Steven and the gems, the sheer size of the ship was a sight to behold. If this was just one of their scouting ships, then they could only wonder how big some of their other vessels could be.

Not long after its landing, the ship opened up and revealed the other robots that had been referred to. Both of them were carrying large boxes of what Steven assumed was part of the setup they were going to have here.

“Combaticons, retrieve the remaining assembly parts.” Soundwave said after placing the box down, the gems noting that his voice highly synthesized compared to all the other bots. “Laserbeak, Rumble eject. Operation; Communication.”

As the Combaticons went off into the ship to fetch the rest of the parts, the gems all watched in amazement as two much smaller robots were ejected from Soundwave’s chest. The first was what looked like a bird, while the second was a humanoid looking one with large fists and piston-like devices on its arms.

As those two started getting to work with the equipment set up, the second bot came down to join with his fellow Autobots. At least, if the symbols on their bodies were anything to go by.

“Hot Rod, while I must say that this is a decent location for the array to be set up, I must ask why it is that you moved from your previous scouting location. Did you not find any anything that is of use for our mission, or was it-” Perceptor stopped, finally realizing that they were not alone on the beach, “Wh-what is this? What are they doing here? You know protocol; no contact with indigenous life forms. What were you thinking when you-”

“Easy Perceptor.” Jazz said, interrupting the scientists' rant, “We all know how things are supposed to go, but this was pretty unavoidable. Especially when Brute-brain decided to get involved with it. But we’ve kept contact to a minimum. It’s only these five that know about us, and we plan on keeping it that way.”

“Mission must remain covert. Any and all sightings must be dealt with. Laserbeak, Rumble; terminate.” Soundwave said, ordering his minicons.

“Woah there, hold up!” Jazz said before the smaller cons could actually do anything, “I know your boss doesn’t care about any other form of life, but we have our orders as well. No other life forms are to be harmed. Now if you want this mission completely botched and have to report back with a mission failure, you’re gonna have to go through us first if you wanna get to them.”

There was a long pause from Soundwave while his minicons waited for their next orders. As always, the communication officer was meticulous with everything that he did. Considering every possibility before actually acting on it.

“Autobots will be held accountable for all interactions.” Soundwave said.

“Fair enough, but you boys are taking responsibility for starting that fight.” Jazz said.

“Self defense is basic protocol for all missions. They were not the aggressors.” Soundwave responded.

“Not the aggressors?” Pearl said incredulously, “They tried to destroy our house. If we hadn’t acted there would have been nothing left and- What are you doing?” Pearl was stopped from her anger fueled speech when Perceptor bent down to get a closer look at her.

“Hmm, so these are the inhabitants of this planet?” Perceptor asked, “Interesting how the body structure is somewhat- wait a moment.” Perceptor said, using the tube-shaped piece that was on his shoulder to scan over pearl, who simply stood there flabbergasted by everything happening.

“I’m picking up the same energy signature as what we saw in the initial scan of this planet. How is this possible?” Perceptor asked.

“Well, that’s a bit of a story, but I think they’ll be better at explaining it than us. Frankly, I still don’t think I get it.” Hot Rod said, gesturing to Steven.

As the communication array was set up, Steven gave Perceptor the same long-winded overview of everything about this planet and just what it was that they had found. Everything from the real native population of this world, humans, to what it was they were actually seeing on their scans. Perceptor was absolutely fascinated by everything he was hearing, nearly forgetting about the real reason that they were here.

“This is absolutely remarkable.” Perceptor said, going into full crazy scientist mode, “An entire species that is derived from projected bodies made from stones of the planet. The sheer leap in evolution that it must have taken for this to be possible is like nothing I have ever studied before. Please, if I may, how is it that your kind came to be? Is there more to your stones then just being minerals? How is it that-”

“I hate to interrupt you there Doc, but they finished with the communication setup.” Cliffjumper said, getting Perceptor to back off with the questions.

“Hmm? Oh yes, of course. The entire reason that we’re here.” Perceptor said, going to join Hot Rod and the others to give their briefing.

“Thanks, he was starting to get as bad as Peridot.” Amethyst said, receiving a dirty look from Peri.

“He has a tendency to start speaking in terms no understands except for himself when he gets into things.” Cliffjumper explained, “Well, maybe himself and Shockwave, but that’s really about it.”

“Who’s that?” Garnet asked.

“Not important. All that matters right now is getting this report into Optimus. He’s gonna have a few things to say, I already know.” Jazz said, ing over to the communication array.

The gems were all very confused by everything that was happening. They had been hearing so many different names and things that they didn’t understand, and none of it was getting explained to them. The vague and dismissive answers were just leaving them scratching their heads, wanting to know more. They understood the importance of keeping secrets, but what was so important that their visitors couldn't tell them anything solid?

Wanting to get in on the information that was likely going to be passed out, Steven managed to get close enough to the robots that he could see what was happening but managed to stay out of their line of sight. Hopefully, this would provide some answers.

While the gems might have normally told him not to do this, they were just as equally curious as he was. After having to fight these creatures, they needed to know if they truly were friend or foe. They had a duty to this planet, and they weren’t about to just let these new aliens come in and act like they owned this world.

“Scouting party to Cybertron, this is Soundwave.” the comms officer said, trying to get in contact with their home planet, “To any that are receiving this, response.”

“This is commander Starscream.” A voice said through the speaking of the instrument, “I see that communication has been established. What’s your report?”

“Requesting holo-comm with Lord Megatron to report findings of the scouted planet.” Soundwave responded.

“I’m afraid that our leader is currently occupied. He is speaking with Optimus Prime on certain matters. With that said, feel free to give your report to me and I will ensure that Megatron hears them.” Starscream said.

“We must have direct communication with both leaders. It is an urgent matter and one that can only be heard by them. Retrieve them.” Soundwave responded.

“You dare to give me orders, Soundwave.” Starscream said, clearly irritated, “As second in command, I am more than capable of-”

“You do not have clearance.” Soundwave said, cutting off the commander, “This is priority one, only our leaders are to hear this. Retrieve Megatron and the Autobot leader.”

There was a short pause after Soundwave’s response. The comms officer and the second in command had always butted heads, especially when it came to things such as the chain of command. Yet, after a grunt of dissatisfaction, Starscream did yield.

“Very well.” Starscream said, the speaker going silent once again. After a very short wait, there was a button that lit up on the control panel of the antenna tower, indicating a request for holographic communication. After hitting the button, Soundwave and all the others moved back so that they could see and speak to who it was on the other end.

Two holographic images appeared in front of the scouting teams. While both of the figures were certainly large, the holographic images did shrink them down a bit.They were the two de facto leaders of both factions of Cybertron. Optimus Prime and Megatron.

“I see that long-range communications have been set up. I do hope that you have pulled me away from my meeting with good reason Soundwave. What is your report?” the Decepticon leader demanded.

“I ask for your report as well, Hot Rod.” the Autobot leader said.

“Lord Megatron, initial readings of this planet showed strange results.” Soundwave said, “Old records given by Shockwave were no longer accurate. The planet is now populated and is showing strange signs of energy signatures similar to that of energon.”

“It is true Optimus, the planet is no longer like the old reports.” Hot Rod said, “Though, after an investigation, we have confirmed that the readings were not actually a fuel source.”

“I see.” Optimus said, “Then what was this strange reading?”

“I admit to my own curiosity as well.” Megatron said, “If not a viable energy source, then what was it that your scanners picked up?”

“If I may, Lord Megatron, it was not as we thought.” Onslaught said to his master, “Upon arriving on this planet, he attempted to gather a piece of the substance. Unfortunately, after we encountered some of the local populace, we couldn’t-”

“Locals? Are you saying that you had contact with the species of the planet?” Megatron interrupted.

“It wasn’t intentional at all.” Hot Rod said, speaking for both parties, “The places that we explored had no signs of life forms upon initial scanning, but we made contact nonetheless. It was really unavoidable.”

“How many know of your presence?” Optimus asked.

“Five currently.” Jazz answered.

“And why is it that they have not been dealt with, as per my orders?” Megatron asked, anger clear in his tone.

“The Autobots stopped us from carrying out your order, my liege.” Onslaught said, “Even going so far as to say that they would re-escalate the war.”

“As they should have.” Optimus said, “There is no reason for us to be interfering with alien life forms. Nor is there any reason for us to terminate them.”

“Optimus, do you not see the folly in keeping those that know about us alive?” Megatron questioned the Autobot leader. “The more that know about us, the more likely chance that he will find out about what is truly happening. The lower the profile we keep, the better off we will be.”

“While that is true, we can’t just eliminate them.” Optimus argued, “We are the ones at fault for letting this happen. Yet, in that same regard, I feel that we now have an opportunity before us.”

“And what, pray tell, is that?” Megatron asked.

“While this may not have been what we were looking for, it could lead to something of great use.” Optimus said, “While I don’t know what you found there, it may be worth investigating. With something that nearly fully resembles energon, it may be the key to figuring out the formula for something synthetic. Something that we greatly need. I believe that if we learn more about this, it could help us with our energon problem.”

Megatron said nothing at first, simply mulling over what Optimus said. While the two of them rarely, if ever got along, they did have their moments where even they could agree without issue.

“What do you propose, Optimus?” Megatron asked.

“For now? We leave behind a small team to not only keep track of the ones that know of us, but to also put further research into this matter.” Optimus said, “We will each leave behind one member, but then send more qualified people to further research this. What say you Megatron?”

“Hmm… an interesting proposal.” Megatron said, “but one that does make sense. Very well Optimus, we will go further into this when our team reports back in person. Soundwave, you will remain behind to maintain communications. Someone will return later to properly relieve you.”

“Yes, Lord Megatron.” Soundwave said, making no argument to his leader.

“Cliffjumper, you will remain behind with the natives of the world.” Optimus said, “Hot Rod, I wish to speak with you when you return.”

“Yes Optimus.” both said. Hot Rod sounding slightly down with his response, knowing that he had disappointed their leader.

While this entire conversation had taken place, Steven and the gems and been closely listening. Things were definitely not as they seemed. Their new friends had not been giving them the full story, and now they were going to be watched by them. What was going on here?