The acid rain poured down as the femme hurried through the abandoned streets with only a mesh cloak to shield her from both the rain and prying optics. She was in Decepticon territory by now, and although there were not any Autobots the cons still wanted her for various reasons as well.
She didn't dare run or would draw attention, but the cloak around her wouldn't last forever. So she hurriedly walked hoping to find shelter in the neutral zone.
Turning a corner she stiffened and ducked her helm, drawing the mesh closer to her faceplate. Not far from her position, three cons huddled together under a small overhang attempting to stay dry and whole. One with creamy yellow armor, the second dark grey almost black, and the last a fiery pyro. They were obviously supposed to guard this sector, but due to the rain the blue femme had a chance to slip by.
No such luck. "Hey, you!" The yellowish con pointed at her accusingly.
She immediately stopped lest she be mistaken for a hostile and shot at, but perhaps she was a hostile to both sides... sure her first target was an Autobot but who was to say that the next one wouldn't be a Decepticon or even Megatron himself. She kept her face away from their sight waiting for them to continue.
"What's your affiliation? Show us your badge.
"Do I need one just to pass through?" She raised an optic ridge.
"You do if you're an Autobot." The pyro con glared, spitting out the words with hate.
"I'm no Autobot." She frowned, lowering her gaze more. "So I can pass through."
"Ya have to show us yer badge." The dark grey con piped up with a grunt.
She could feel the tension rise as these mehs grew less friendly and more triggerhappy. But if she let her guard down somebot would try to hurt her, and if she opened up at all the monster inside would... she'd rather not think about
"I can't."
"What do you mean you can't?" The yellow one balled his servos. "If you can't show us your badge then you're an Autobot!"
"No." The femme sighed, growing impatent herself. "I can't because I don't have one."
"So, you're a neutral, huh." The pyro con crossed his arms.
"But we still can't let you pass, cause you might become an Autobot somecycle and try to scrap us." The yellow one gave a rough nod, as if pleased with his reasoning.
She rolled her optics, her cloak wouldn't last much longer under the steady acid and these clowns wouldn't let her pass until she became a Decepticon, which wouldn't ever happen. "Hate to break it to you, but I'm not joining a side." She clenched her denta. "It's your war and I want no part in it."
"Well then, ye can just turn 'round and see if the Autobots will let ya pass." The dark grey one waved his servo.
The femme at this point was ready to snap a few helms, but she knew if she did there was a high chance that the creature within would escape.
"I just want to get to the neutral sector," she said in a strained, quiet voice. "Just let me by, then we can move on with our livecycles."
"I don't think so, femme." The yellow con shook his helm. "No Decepticon badge, no passage."
The dark grey con stepped out from under their shelter and moved toward her with a nasty scowl on his faceplate. "You say that yer a neutral, but ya haven't proved it."
The pyro con nodded. "Yeah, all you've been doing is stand there all suspiciously."
"Turn 'round and face me like a real cybertronian!" The grey mech snarled as he reached out and grabbed her shoulder plate, whirling her around.
The blue femme quickly ducked her helm so all that was visible to him was her neck cables and the tip of her chin. She could feel herself losing control, as her anger flared up to dangerous levels. "Don't touch me!" She hissed, jerking her shoulder out of the cons grasp.
"Oh, a tough femme, huh." He snorted. "Being 'tough' ain't gonna help ya. Look me in the optic and tell me yer a neutral."
She clamped her optics closed and shook her helm, trying desperately to keep him out.
"Alright, ye won't do it, so I'll have to do it for ya." The mech grabbed her arm and jerked her forward causing the hood on her helm to slip off. His optics immediately widened with horror when he saw the familiar admiral blue armor that he had seen on wanted posters within both the Autobot and Decepticon territories. He swiftly stepped back, letting go of her arm.
She glared at him with empty black optics surrounded by an ominous purple glow. Her chassis moving up and down with her deep breaths, as her denta clenched tighter. "Let... Me... Pass." She warned with a throaty, raucous edge.
"Ya... ya got it!" The grey one stumbled away, hurrying to his buddies who were staring at her with the same sense of fear. "Jus', jus' don't hurt us!"
The femme rushed past, pulling the mesh hood back over her helm as the darkness drained out of her yellow optics.
Hearing a clanking noise, she spied over shoulder to be sure none of the mechs were pursuing her. She sighed with relief when the pyro con stumbled away in the opposite direction. She turned her helm back and continued a fast pace, unaware of a camera that had spotted her and followed her path until she turned a corner and disappeared from its sights.
A black Decepticon with purple bio lights along his torso tilted his helm at the monitor he had been observing.
Another mech, large and a silver approached the black one from behind, he had long curved spikes on his shoulder plates and a fusion cannon on his right arm. "Soundwave, do you have anything to report?" He asked in a deep slightly raspy voice.
The black con turned and glanced up, for the grey mech was much taller than himself. Soundwave nodded then proceeded to display the fuzzy image of a medium blue femme on the triangular screen that acted as a mask over his faceplate.
The grey mech raised an optic ridge at the image. "Is it her?"
Soundwave gave another nod, and displayed the coordinates of the femmes last known location.
"Hmm..." The mech rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "What direction was she headed?"
"Was who headed?" A slim lighter grey, young seeker spoke up, entering the large dimly lit room.
"Ah, Starscream." The tall silver con acknowledged. "Soundwave was just reporting the findings of the mysterious blue femme, who has managed to evade both sides of this war."
Starscream crossed his arms. "And you're planning on recruiting her, aren't you, Lord Megatron?"
"I would be a fool not to bring in such a powerful cybertronian."
Starscream smirked and gave a low bow. "In that case, it would be my pleasure to assemble a small squad and retrieve her."
"No need, Starscream." Megatron waved his servo, dismissing the idea.
"But, my liege, surely you don't expect her to just walk in and join us." The seeker twiddled his digits nervously.
Megatron ignored the young mech and turned back to the black Decepticon. "Soundwave, I believe you would be able to move around better than a few seekers."
Starscream let out a soft chuckle. "Lord Megatron, send me. I'm sure I can handle one little femme."
"I'm sure that would be true if this were a younger, ordinary femme." The warlord raised an optic ridge. "But we are dealing with a professional who took out more than three dozen Autobot Elite Guard warriors as well as a Prime."
"And what makes you think Soundwave would stand a better chance than myself?" Starscream crossed his arms, irritated.
Megatron smirked. "He is my most loyal follower, and has been since the beginning of this war. Besides, he is aware of the femmes current location and can keep her in his sights until she agrees to join our cause."
The warlord turned once again to the black mech with one optic ridge above the other. It was a silent command or question asking if he was willing to go.
Soundwave, being the surveillance chief, had lots of responsibilities to the Decepticon cause, he could understand why Megatron wanted him to go instead of four or five troopers, or even the young seeker next to him. He could move around more covertly and it wouldn't scare the femme more than she probably already was, what with the Autobots after her for the assignation of Sentinel Prime.
Soundwave finally nodded in agreement, the absolute last thing he wanted was to disappoint Megatron on this important matter.
"Excellent, Soundwave." Megatron grinned eagerly. "Then if you're ready, I would prefer that you leave immediately.
The mech gave a low bow then turned and took his leave of the two Decepticons in the large main room. His thoughts wandered as he walked through the dark hallways of Dark Mount. He didn't have the slightest idea of how to convince this legendary femme to officially join the Decepticon cause. How does one convince a femme to do anything anyway? The mech pushed the thoughts to the back of his processor when he reached the flight deck.
He stared at the horizon a moment before transforming into a large black jet and taking off to complete his mission.
The blue femme hurriedly ducked into a building as the acid rain began to pour more mercilessly. Thankfully she had passed the border before the worst of the acid. She turned slowly upon hearing loud laughter and stared in surprise, she was in a bar, the famous Macadam's oil house that accepted all sides of the war.
It was like a small safe haven where everyone forgot they were on opposing sides and laughed and chatted together. Music blared, and lights flashed all around the large room, one could only assume that the other three levels had the same features.
She took a deep breath. This was both the best place to lay low and the worst place. She could blend in fairly well, but there could be some Elite Guard troops at any of the tables, who would jump at the chance to arrest her.
She kept what remained of her cloak on and hurried over to a small table in the corner, avoiding optic contact with everyone in the crowded building. Before she had a chance to sit down, an orange and beige femme with wheels on her peds zipped up, blocking her path.
"Hi! Welcome to Macadam's." The youngling beamed. "I'm Lickity-split, what can I get for you on this fine, but rainy cycle?"
"I'm only looking for a place to sit and wait out the storm." She spoke quietly, keeping her helm low.
"Well you'll probably be waiting a long time, cause that storm shows no sign of stopping." Lickity tilted her helm trying to get a better view of the femme's faceplate. "Tell you what, I'll bring over a couple of samples and you can tell me which you like best."
"That's really not-"
Lickily-split waved a servo dismissively, cutting her off. "Pfft, it's the least I can do for a new arrival." She quickly grabbed her by the arm. "There's a couple of seats at the bar, I'm sure you'll be more comfortable sitting there than standing here."
"But I don't need-"
"Here! See, an open seat just for you." The youngling giggled, gesturing to one of ten seats at the long bar.
She pushed the blue femme down onto the stool farthest to the right. "There, all nice and cozy!" Lickity grinned, stepping around the bar to face her. "I'll be right back with those samples I promised."
She kept her helm low until she heard the squeak of Lickity-Split's wheeled peds turn a corner and fade away. Glancing up she quickly took in her surroundings to see she had her back to everyone in the large building except the bartender, who was for certain not one of the Elite Guard.
"Rather pushy, ain't she." The mech on the stool next to her took a big gulp of the energon in front of him.
The femme let out a sigh. "Yeah." She peaked at him out of the corner of her optic. He was bright red with a few black accents, tall, and had a fairly strong build. Upon seeing his badge she had to do a double take, not only was he an Autobot but a higher ranking officer for the Elite /She took in a sharp breath and swiftly moved her gaze back to the counter, pulling the cloak tighter around her. How was she supposed to get out of this one?
The mech brought the empty container down on the counter hard enough for her to feel it vibrate. "Heh, yup, Lickity can be like that sometimes." He let out a low chuckle. "But she means well, an' it's always nice to see a bot in good spirits at a time like this."
The youngling returned with a tray of six or seven small glasses filled up with different grades of energon, as well as flavors. "Alright, now I've brought some of my personal favorites, so I'll let you try them and come back in a little while to see how you're doing. Cool?"
"Uh, yeah... sure." She nodded slowly, not daring to glance up.
"Say, Lickity." The red mech spoke up catching the younglings attention. "Would ya mind gettin' me a refill?"
"Course not." She giggled. "Be right back with it, Ironhide."
"You're the best." He grinned at her, then elbowed the clocked femme's side. "Gotta love a kid like that. Always taken good care a others. Nothin' like that fugitive out there, she's got no respect I tell ya! Assignatin' the great Sentinel Prime, an' showin' his guards all the mercy a scraplet would, makes me sick!"
She shifted and turned her helm toward the wall. "Yeah, she's a monster..."
"Got your refill!" Lickity-Split chimed, coming through the doorway from the back room. "Have you found one you like yet?" She asked turning to the femme.
"I'm sorry, Lickity." Ironhide let out a low chuckle. "I've been distractin' her with political problems."
The youngling shook her helm. "Still talking about the assignation of Sentinel Prime? I bet that femme's on one of the moons by now."
The red mech took a big gulp and shook his helm in protest. "Nope, she's still on cybertron, probably hangin' low in a place like this."
"Well, you're the expert." She giggled, before zipping away to help another customer.
A wave of panic swept over the femme, if Ironhide got suspicious or paranoid she'd be the first suspect under investigation, and if her cloak fell off in the slightest... there went her cover and the little freedom she had left.
"Hope I ain't borin' you." Ironhide chuckled. "Or creepin' you out with all the tragic information. Most femmes I've met would faint at the picture, or even the thought of such a horrible thin'."
"I'm not like most femmes."
"I kinda figured that one out." He nodded taking another large gulp. "You're still wearin' that disheveled old cloak, whereas most would get rid of it as fast as possible."
"I've got nothing else to shield me from the acid."
"Yeah... yeah, guess that makes sense, except there ain't any rain in here." Ironhide set his empty cup down on the counter and leaned over on his elbow pads. "So, here's what I'm thinking: you're hiding from the rain an' pryin' optics." He turned and looked straight at her with an angry expression. "Look me in the optics an' tell me I'm wrong."
Her spark beat pounded faster than Blurr talked. She'd been found, there was no possible way of getting out of this. But should she try? Should she fight and make a scene and risk the lives of all the cybertronians in the building, innocent or not? Or should she go quietly, let this mech cuff her and lock her away until the voice decided that she was of use again and break her out by killing everyone around?
The femme closed her optics and sighed deeply, then turned to Ironhide and opened them once more. "I don't deny it." She kept her tone flat and expression blank.
Ironhide's optics opened wide in surprise. "Well I'll be, I was right. Though I wasn't expectin' ya ta be so young."
"Surprise." She frowned coldly.
"I suggest ya come along with me quietly." The mech spoke softly. "We'll walk out nicely to one of the alleys nearby, then I'll take ya to be tried and jailed." He placed a firm servo around her wrist, and started pulling her toward the exit.
She shook her helm vigorously when a sharp pain entered her processor, and her optics flickered from yellow to the ominous purple she dreaded. "Get your servos off me!" She hissed deeply, yanking away from Ironhide's grip. "And dare not touch me again!"
Unfortunately, Ironhide had managed to pull her halfway to the door, so her outburst had occurred in the center of the busy room and all optics were trained on the mysterious femme in the cloak and the red mech from the Elite Guard.
"Look, I offered to take ya quietly for yer sake, not mine." Ironhide frowned. "But if ya want to do this the hard way, that's fine with me." He transformed his servo into a blaster and aimed it for her helm.
The femme swiftly spun around and kicked his gun away, causing it to fire at one of the tables resulting in a full building panic and large mob making a break for the door. She then proceeded to lay a couple of blows to Ironhide's engine.
The mech only grunted, and fisted his servo before sending it up and connecting with her jaw plating, sending her flying back to the bar with a loud crash.
She groaned and tried to sit up.
"Ya deserve every ounce of pain yer feeling right now!" Ironhide spat, walking towards her.
She tried backing away but the throbbing pain she felt practically everywhere kept her from moving anywhere fast. Before she new it the red mech was standing above her, deep scowl on his faceplate, he reached down and wrapped a servo around her neck cables then lifted her from the rubble and off the ground.
Instantly her servos flew to the one around her neck and she tried pulling, pushing, prying, scratching, anything to get him to let her go. She could feel the weight of her body straining her neck. An excruciating pain in her helm had developed most likely due to the fact that she was a few feet off the ground.
"Not so tough anymore, are ya?" Ironhide grinned, beginning to tighten his grip on the femme causing her to struggle even more. "I suppose there's nothing left after ya dismantled several dozen Elite Guard troops and a Prime!"
The femme clenched her denta and kicked with little strength she had left but she was fading fast, she could feel at any moment she would black out and fall into a forced stasis. The world was already flickering out of focus, she blinked but Ironhide's face began to fade into a blurry blob of smeared reds and greys.
Just as she was about to slip from consciousness, Ironhide let out a grunt, releasing his hold. She slumped to the floor, optics closed, gasping for air, as she rubbed her sore neck.
"Get out'a here Deceptabum!" Ironhide snarled, before a loud crash and several bangs met the femme's audio receptors.
She tried to open her optics when all the sounds of the struggle had ceased, but found them still offline. So instead she began to sit up but felt a gentle but strong servo restrain her. Surely it wasn't Ironhide, the gesture would indicate that the mysterious person was concerned and cared for her. Had Primus sent a guardian angel to look after her? Of course not, no bot would ever care about her again, not after all she had done, and most definitely not with a being of chaos residing inside her.
She tried once more to open her optics, and was rewarded with a successful attempt. However upon seeing the mech above her, her optics widened to the size of one of the moons and she let out a gasp. "You?!"
The black mech flinched as if he'd been slapped and proceeded to display an exclamation point and a question mark on his black visor.
She broke optic contact for only a moment to scan the room, which was completely vacant except for the two of them near the back. In other words there was no sign of Ironhide.
"If you're expecting a 'thank you' or an 'I owe you', forget it." She frowned, pulling herself up.
The mech continued to stare at her, his helm tilted slightly to one side. He slowly stood to his peds and extended a servo to assist her up.
The blue femme eyed the servo uncertain, as well as the Decepticon badges on his broad shoulders, before she finally placed her servo in his and allowed him to help her to her own stabilizers.
A moment passed before her faceplate scrunched with disgust at finding her servo still trapped in his and she quickly recoiled it, she turned away rubbing her servo. "So..." She began, turning back to face him with an optic ridge raised. "What do you want? I'm sure you didn't suddenly appear because your 'endangered femme' sensors started beeping like crazy."
Soundwave tilted his helm slightly in confusion and remained quiet, just watching her.
She drew her helm back and sighed loudly. "Oh, I forgot, you're the quiet type. Or more accurately the silent type." She threw her servos up and made air quotes to emphasize her point.
Soundwave stiffened but said nothing, though now he pulled his arms up and crossed them in front of his chassis, looking at her in what appeared to be a disappointed way.
The femme rolled her optics. "Well, as fun as this reunion has been..." She gave the mech a mocking salute before picking up her cloak and draping it over her shoulders. "I've got important stuff to do, so if you don't mind." She quickly pushed him out of the way and headed for the door.
Soundwave, however, didn't let her get far. He swiftly grabbed her arm and whirled her around to face him, much to her surprise.
"What?!" She snapped, irritatedly.
The black mech displayed a Decepticon insignia on his visor followed by a question mark.
She stared at the screen with one ridge cocked. "I don't get it. What, is it a test? Are you asking me what the image was? A Decepticon badge, like the ones on your shoulders. Happy? Can you let me go now?"
Soundwave shook his helm slowly and repeated the images.
The femme watched the two pictures repeat a couple of times before he ceased presenting them. She simply shook her helm and gave a shrug. "Sorry, I don't understand the language of no words."
The mech sighed quietly, letting his shoulders sag. Then he quickly looked up and displayed a new image, one of a young femme with admiral blue armor and bright yellow optics.
She stared wide opticed at it. "Is-is that me?" She blinked, before smirking. "Nice picture, really caught my good side."
Soundwave stiffened, clearly unamused at the comment, then followed the picture of her with the same images as before.
The femme's smirk dropped and she frowned at the mech. "I'm not a Decepticon."
Soundwave shook his helm again, and repeated the pictures once more.
A look of realization passed overthe femme's faceplate, much to the mechs delight. "Are you asking if I want to be one?" She blinked slowly, hardly believing what was happening.
The black mech nodded gently, and waited for her response.
She stared at the floor a moment, before lifting her helm and glaring at the cybertronian in front of her. "Oh, so you think that just because I was attached by an Autobot then miraculously saved by a Decepticon I met once before that I would just fall into your arms and let you whisk me away to Megatron to join your side in this stupid war?!"
Soundwave moved a step away from her, not exactly knowing how to respond, except that he would never whisk her away at anytime to anywhere.
"No! Absolutely not! I may have obvious reasons for avoiding the Autobots, but you cons aren't any better." She glared, crossing her arms.
The mech stiffened, clenching his servos tightly. He stepped forward, staring down at her intimidatingly, with an angry little face displayed on his visor.
She merely held her helm high and stared indifferently right back at him. Her spark was pounding more than usual however, she knew his reputation all too well. A champion in the gladiatorial pit, Megatron's right servo bot, an expert in out thinking an opponent so as to not lift a digit and defeat them. She couldn't rightly stand a chance against him, but he couldn't make her join either.
"Glare all you want, it won't change my mind!"
He snatched her wrist and pulled her toward the door.
"Hey! Let go, or I'll-" She swallowed her next words when he whirled around, coming within inches of her faceplate. She breathed deeply, trying to keep her sparkrate down. The mech was holding her wrist firmly in a position where he could snap it at any moment.
Just as abruptly as he faced her, he pulled away and raised a digit to his helm. She relaxed slightly, watching him listen to a comm link most likely.
He looked at her for a brief second then gave a nod, as if the bot on the other end could see him.
She let out a grunt. "You seem busy, so I'll just…" She tried pulling her servo from his grip to no avail.
Soundwave turned to look at her, his visor coming to life with a voice tracking wave. "Bring the femme to me." A deep, raspy voice spoke, catching her off guard. She recognized it. As if something from a dream, or a very distant memory.
"Megatronus…?" Her voice sounded small and quivered briefly. She quickly shook her helm, recapturing her thoughts. "I won't join your cause, Soundwave."
He didn't move except for a slight tilt of the helm. She couldn't see it, but he smirked at her stubbornness. Did she really think she had a choice? He tightened his grip around her wrist and began moving toward the door once more, this time she put up less of a struggle. Perhaps she finally realized she belonged with the Decepticons. She certainly wouldn't fit in anywhere else.
Once outside he turned a corner, moving into the shadow of the building. He released her wrist and stood silently, watching her.
She huffed, rubbing her sore wrist. "Some gentlebot you are…"
He cocked his helm.
"Arg! Say something!" She waved a fist in his faceplate.
He smirked once again beneath his visor before shifting his gaze to look above them, where a small ship hovered overhead. It lowered itself slowly, landing a few yards away in the alley.
She eyed the ship with surprise, before a scowl replaced the previous expression.
The bay door opened with a soft hiss, and a dark purple mech stepped out. "Sir, we are ready to depart on your order." He said, standing erect.
Soundwave gave a nod, and turned toward the femme, he extended his servo in the direction of the ship, indicating her to move into it.
"N-no! I've already told you. I'm not-" He grabbed her forearm with a strong grip, cutting her off again. Reluctantly she allowed him to lead her into the small ship. The vehicon quickly stepped in behind them and closed the bay door. He resumed his spot at the controls, and awaited Soundwave's approval to launch.
The black mech forced her into a chair, and snapped on the fasteners before taking his seat across from her.
"Welcome to the Decpticon alliance, Eclipse." The mech spoke in a mix of recorded voices, all with a broken, robotic undertone. He gave a silent nod to the vehicon, signaling the start of their short trip. Yet a long journey for the young femme.
((Auther's note: Finally got a piece uploaded here. I can't say it's my first work, but this is my first to go public. I'm sure there's a lot of things I could work on and/or change. I'm afraid that I will most likely not be continuing this... at least not directly after. I will definitely have more works coming with Eclipse featured. Feedback is greatly appreciated!))