AN: A disclaimer. The following story will contain snuggling, lots of drama, violence, and more drama. Shadowave (AKA Shadowblitz) is a creation of my own demented mind and is used here to play around with Characters that were originally made by Hasbro.
Keep in mind I like to dabble in the sandbox, so in the end, everything is all fun and games and not intended to be copyrighting a franchise. So just have fun!
"Femmes and Mechs, welcome all and any to the annual tournament!" the announcer called over an echoing PA system. The voice of a Cybertronian was followed by the plethora of blood thirsty cheers. The Annual Tournament wasn't as yearly as it should have been, but only because finding enough cutthroat gladiators all over Cybertron was harder than trying to find a living in equality. Whatever the time span, citizens of the Grand Coliseum, located just outside Iacon, were thrilled for the fights that ensued. Perhaps it made them forget that their lives weren't as miserable where all stood as equals.
"Tonight, we will start the tournament with Single mech rounds and end the night with team championships!" The crowd cheered regardless. The announcer could have told them he was sipping high grade energon and they still would have cheered, so long as they got to see some fighting. "So without further ado, let's begin! First match is Brawl VS Wheeeeeeeeeeljack!"
The match barely needed an announcement to begin. The two contestants were already running towards each other with weapons drawn and firing. Everyone cheered as Brawl landed the first brutalizing punch. But Wheeljack stood undeterred and landed a punishing roundhouse, sending the large construction mech flying against the wall.
Inside, an on looking contestant jumped back as the window he peered out was quickly filled by a blue and green Mech. He was quite obviously nervous and bringing timid servos close to his body to wring at them nervously. He nearly jumped twenty feet out of his hull when a hand slapped against his shoulder.
"Don't worry Sound! We don't compete with the big dogs" a cheerful and young voice tried to assure. Of course Soundwave didn't need to see who it was, he already knew just based on the voice.
"You're sure?" Sound retorted, his voice just as childish and with barely a hint of masculinity in it. He caught the silver friendly optics looking at his facial screen; and of course his brother was smiling.
"Come on!" another voice interjected, though he sounded much older. The mech on the other side of the room was much larger and thicker than the other two, but he shared similar facial structure, long body specs, and even a screen with a blue glowing orb that represented his eye. Despite his towering stature and much more matured voice, he was actually the youngest of the trio. "Papa trained us well, so we can't possibly lose!"
"Shock has a point." The leaner and more bestial mech concurred, with his arm still latched around Soundwave's broad shoulders. "With the Best Gladiator on the whole fraggin' planet teraining us, who could beat us?" that coy smile was back and only after a quick pat to his back plating did the other mech leave Soundwave.
"I know…but something just doesn't seem…well right." The dark blue-gray and purple marked mech responded as he turned and joined his companions. But he was only met with silver optics again that smiled at him, but the bearer was shaking his head calmly. "We'll be fine. Besides, the two of us are tiny compared to some of those brutes." The bestial one chuckled lightly and put on a reassuring grin, flashing slightly predatory teeth "I have strategies to fight even them if it comes to that."
Soundwave was more confident with that. He already suspected his brother had a strategy to combat just about anything they faced, but hearing it was more of a boost than just hoping it was true. In any case, he was more eager to grab hold of the black piece of cloth and tie it around his neck. Their team was marked only by what they could get a hold of in the last minute preparations. Though it was nothing more than a black bandanna with a crudely drawn white symbol, it still meant something to Soundwave.
- — - — - — - — -
The next few hours of the evening consisted of listening to the uproarious crowd outside and mental prep. Team fights were just right after this next match, and the youngest trio there had already been informed they were on deck alongside another team simply called "Destructors." When their oldest member had heard the name, Shadow scoffed and called it uncreative. Though this was the first year team matches were allowed.
Not much to expect.
"Team Spook, you're up." A femme bot called from near the entrance of the lonely locker rooms. She looked up from her information panel and nearly burst into laughter right there "Medical is already on standby." She giggled. The group ignored her and brushed past, stepping onto the poorly constructed elevator and being brought up about one level and thrown straight into the arena.
"Femmes and Mechs, for the first time in eons, we present to you team matches!" The crowd went nuts as always. "Rules are simple; teams of 3 will face each other in a show of brute strength. Only physical attacks here folks!" the announcer paused as the contestants worked their way onto the field. Team Destructors looked around for a moment before seeing their opponents were nothing more than a group of kids and once they started laughing, the whole crowd did. "Looks like we have some Sparklings fresh out of Diapers! This can't possibly last long!" another announcer joined in as part of the commentary.
"No grownups huh, Shadow?" Shockwave snarled as he pounded his fist against his other hand. But their leader was silent; as was Soundwave. The two had their game face on and both were analyzing their opponents.
"All right gents, I'll go over the rules one more time." A referee said as he approached, looking down at the half sized kids, trying his best to keep a straight face. "First team to have all three members fall and stay down is the winner. This is a KO match, but termination won't be held as a foul." The black and white mech eyed the younglings warily, but all three were too focused on their targets, which at best were twice the size of Shockwave.
"Leaders step forth and shake hands!" the Ref bellowed as he announced it to the whole crowd. One bruiser stepped forward and waited for Shockwave to move, but instead found the smallest of the group to move. The giant black and pale green mech couldn't help but burst out laughing, even as he was met with dead seriousness by the silver optic. "Fine pipsqueaks. But we won't hold back, so let this be a lesson that you're out of your league." The giant boasted. He offered the opposing leader a pinky to shake and Shadow accepted, never taking his steely optics off his opponent.
Once the leaders had stepped back, the crowd gradually grew to a hush as the teams turned and moved back to opposite sides of the arena. Only when the ref had made his way out of the battle zone of rocks and dirt did he sound an alarm. The Destructors immediately ran forward with a mace, axe, and sword drawn and readied. But the younglings stood absolutely still, waiting for their target to close in.
"S-three, distract on my order. S-two to sector 5 beta and I'll move to beat 10. Converge at the apex and hit pressure points." Shadow commanded. The other two acknowledged with silent HUD winks. They all had one advantage working for them. And while their enemy drew closer and closer, the three spooks only scanned their enemies and found weak points to strike.
The most agile of the three Destructors bolted forward with sword raised. He grinned as he prepared to slash downward, but the two kids suddenly vanished into thin air, leaving behind Shockwave who caught the sword in mid swing. The red and gold mech only held a face of astonishment as his weapon was forced back and he was pushed off balance, colliding with the other two.
"Would you watch it?" the Femme of the team barked out as her comrade bumped into her. She looked up and saw the tiny figure of Soundwave outlined by the stadium lights. Instinctively she blocked, but she was slow to react and the mech barreled down at her, squarely kicking a crack in her left optic. She screeched and lashed her ax around in hopes to hit something, but only hit their leader in the arm.
"Careful!" he growled, but something struck the back of his right knee. He tried to grab whatever struck him before falling to one knee, but missed. A second later, Shadow appeared before him, now at optic level, and smacked the brute upside the jaw with a long staff. Only when the youngling's swing had been completed did he turn and used the weapon to vault himself in the air. He landed on the red and gold Destructor and jabbed the pole right between the junction of the neck and shoulder. Down went that giant as he too tried to grab the tiny leader; only able to grab the air left behind.
Now the three younglings met up in their original spots. Shockwave supported a ball and chain like weapon while Soundwave bore twin blades. All three were ready to strike again as they watch the giant's try to regain their fighting postures.
"Switch targets, same maneuver!" Shadow called out and once again he and Soundwave bolted forward, moving so swiftly, they were nearly invisible. Shockwave this time eyed the leader, and charged forth more sluggishly. But once he swung downward with the momentum based weapon, the black and green brute was clutching at his gut, winded more than anything as a well aimed high kick knocked his chin back and brought him crashing to the ground. Shockwave stood atop his conquest and swung his weapon around, daring his opponent to even try and get up.
Soundwave lashed out at the mech with a long sword, slicing the brute along the sides of his arms and the insides of his legs. Only when the red and gold Destructor fell to clench at his Energon oozing wounds did Soundwave stab both swords into his optics. The bruiser let out a horrifying cry and fell back to clench at his face, writhing in agony.
The Femme mech now caught sight of the one who took her optic and charged forth to terminate him, but tripped over the staff of Shadow. Once she fell forward, he jumped up and cracked the back of her head with the weapon to knock her unconscious. The three looked to one another, seeing if any one of them were harmed; not a scratch anywhere.
The crowd had been utterly silent, horrified at what they had just witnessed. "I-I…don't believe it. Team Spook…won? And under 5 minutes!" One announcer was in utter disbelief, but it didn't last very long as the entire crowd, suddenly enthused by the underdog victory, cheered for the younglings.
"I think they liked us." Shockwave commented as he transformed his right servo back from holding a weapon of destruction. Soundwave sheathed his blades delicately, turning them into wings, while the staff Shadow wielded became segmented and latched back to the base of his spine. "That's good right?" the leader asked as he looked at his teammates. Both shrugged and looked around the stadium as their audios were filled with the continuous sounds of victory.
"Against all odds folks, Team Spook, consisting of Shadowave, Soundwave, and Shockwave; all won their first match without a flaw!" The announcer applauded, but then everything grew hushed in a spark beat and murmurs filled the stands. "Wait. Did I read that right?"
"Shadow, what's going on?" Soundwave asked as he looked over to his leader and brother. The dark indigo and white youngling sniffed the air and took a moment to look around and listen. He hacked into the speakers inside the Announcer box and overheard the frantic conversation of the two commentators trying to come to grips of the situation. "It seems that our names are recognized." Shadow relayed a moment before the announcers came back to the mikes.
"Well folks, it doesn't take a genius to know what happened here." One commentator spoke up as the medical crew started to move onto the battlefield. The three brothers stepped aside from their opponents before being checked out themselves.
"That's right folks, apparently, normal Cybertronians are too good for the Wave brothers" the other commentary announcer chuckled sinisterly. It brought all three brothers to look to one another and then to the announcer's booth. With little warning, Soundwave suddenly clasped his fingers into a right ball. "Something big is coming." He announced which brought Shadow and Shock to look over in the direction their brother gazed in.
The audience fell deathly silent as a horrid screeching sound was unleashed from an opening gate. The arena itself transformed too, bringing a huge metal shield to enclose the battlefield around them. The medics looked around as they saw the once open arena close off and they knew better than to stick around for long. They all were left to drag their patients out of the arena as one medic turned around, older and more seasoned than the rest. He overlooked the group of kids with worry before calling out to them.
"Be careful you three. I'd hate to have to bring you back to your trainer on a stretcher." The medic advised before turning away and evacuating the arena. The fearsome call emitted again as the metal gate from the other side was completely opened and a silhouette, of whatever the trio had to face, slowly approached. The three mechs grabbed their weapons of choice before taking a fighting stance and staring down their new opponent.
"Please don't tell me what I think that is." Shockwave grumbled as he fidgeted anxiously. Shadow nodded, lowering his head to where the frontal screen seemed like a face. His silver optics disappeared and view and activated a different type of vision. Shockwave dimmed the orb of light emanating from his eye and soon all three only held black emotionless faces.
"I hate Basilisks" Shadow growled angrily as they prepared themselves for the monster to come.