Gahh! This took me so much longer than I thought it would! I apologize deeply for all of you who have waited for my awful updating time! I also wanted to thank everyone who fav'd and/or reviewed The Voice. Your guys' awesomeness and love inspired me to write another Twins fic for y'all. That's right, Sunny and Siders are back! My first multi-chap fic, woohoo! *fist pumps* The rating shouldn't go above anything than T for violence in later chapters and some Cybertronian swearing. Oh, and our dearest Sunshine will be OOC for most of this fic, but it has to be done or the plot would be useless. This is unbeta-ed, so any mistakes are my own. Alrighty, on to the story!
NOTE
::Indicates communication (comm) lines and intercom::
~Indicates speech over the twins' bond~
Indicates thoughts and emphasis
*Edit June 12, 2012* Reworded a bunch of awkward stuff and fixed some horrible grammar
Overemotional
Chapter 1
"Frag him, the pit-spawned slagger!"
Sunstreaker muttered furiously to himself as he stomped towards the rec room. He was exhausted, starving, and so filthy it hurt.
His normally pristine finish was hidden under layers of rancid, greenish-brown mud. Any gold showing was peeled, flaked, scratched or a horrid combination of all three. He huffed heavily, trying to clear some of the thick goo from his head vents. Unfortunately, this sprayed even more mud across his faceplates.
"I'm gonna kill him!"
Oh yes, he was going to pay.
Bots scrambled to get out of his way. No one wanted to mess with Sunstreaker while he was in this sort of mood. For the most part, the enraged warrior ignored them all, acknowledging only the slower ones with a rough shove and a dangerous growl. He completely disregarded the angry whispers left behind. As long as no one was stupid enough to say anything to his face, they would live.
Mentally shaking himself, Sunstreaker again focused his thoughts on the double doors near the end of the hallway. Behind them - hopefully - would be the object of his ire; Sideswipe. This was his fault. His 'dear brother' had filled the washrack showers with paint...again. There had been more than a few mechs walking around covered in a horrific neon green, stuck like that because the Arks' paint had 'mysteriously' disappeared, hidden somewhere by Sideswipe.
It had been hilarious, until the paints were found. Prowl had gotten Prime's permission to search their room and had found the missing paints in plain sight: with Sunstreaker's art supplies. Aware of the yellow twin's artistic inclinations, Prowl wasn't too shocked at the discovery, but was led to believe both twins were responsible. The SIC gave a deaf audio to the golden frontliner's vehement protests and punished them both. Sunstreaker didn't know what happened to Sideswipe as he himself had been immediately sent out for a double patrol shift in the foulest sector Prowl could assign.
Fourteen earth hours and miles of swamp later, Sunstreaker stood before the rec room doors, seething with rage. It definitely didn't help improve his mood searching like this. Sideswipe blocked his side of the bond once he'd been caught. The coward.
With a predator's patience, Sunstreaker watched the orange metal silently cycle open. Calmly, he stepped into the room, fists clenched at his sides, glare taking in everything.
It was a quiet afternoon, most mechs still on duty. Seated around one of the central, circular tables, Smokescreen was entertaining a group with a game of cards. It was obvious the yellow-chevroned Datsun was winning, but Blaster, Trailbreaker and Mirage were putting up a fair fight respectively. Huffer was losing drastically, and he made sure everyone else knew his displeasure. Sunstreaker had to dial down his audios quickly so they wouldn't fritz from the minibot's high-pitched vocals.
To the left, in a booth along the wall, Jazz and Bluestreak were chatting over half-empty cubes of energon. The saboteur was one of the only bots on base who could actually follow, and actively participate in, a conversation with the young gunner.
The only others in sight were Bumblebee and Spike, who ignored the rest in favor of watching an Earth movie.
Sunstreaker snarled wordlessly. There wasn't a sign of his crimson counterpart. Minutely releasing the tension in his frame, scowl firmly in place; he stalked towards the energon dispenser, gracefully moving around the scattering of empty chairs and tables. Quickly filling a pink cube, Sunstreaker turned to make his exit, only to collide with Bluestreak.
Catching himself before he fell, Bluestreak smiled up at the taller bot. "Oh, sorry Sunstreaker, I didn't see you there! I was going to fill up another cube, but I guess I got distracted by thinking about what Jazz just told me. Did you know there are a lot of famous human singers who can't actually sing?! Seriously! He showed me some of their recordings, and they sound awful! But get this, everyone loves them anyways! They use some sort of modifier when they perform or officially record. It makes their voice sound all funny. I think Jazz said it was called using 'auto tune'." He dragged the word out, as if tasting it for the first time. "Apparently a lot of humans love it when celebrities sing with it." Bluestreak suddenly giggled, doorwings fluttering in excitement. "I wonder if I could get Wheeljack to invent something like that for us! Wouldn't it be cool? I'm not too sure what it sounds like to be auto tuned, but it has to be awesome if Jazz thinks it's cool, right? I mean he's -"
"Bluestreak. Shut. Up."
Startled by the other mech's voice, Bluestreak halted his ramblings. His optics widened comically as he finally took in Sunstreakers ragged appearance.
"Wow what happened?! You look awful! And that's saying something, 'cause usually you look so perfect!"
Suntreaker revved his engine angrily.
"Frag off, Bluestreak." the frontliner snarled. Pushing past the stunned sniper, he almost made it to the doors before a smaller, black and white body blocked his path.
"Hey mech, Ah know yer upset with Siders right now, but there's no need to take it out on Blue."
Jazz's words were light, but his visor flashed briefly in warning. Sunstreaker matched the stare, his own optics darkening with the promise of a fight. He growled low when Jazz didn't move, tightening his grip on the glowing cube until it shattered. Energon not his own erupted from his clenched fist like swiftly flowing magma, pooling on the floor near his usually immaculate pedes.
Jazz's optic band darkened slightly as he fell back into a ready stance; knees marginally bent and arms held in front of his face, hands curled into loose fists.
Time froze. Everyone stared openly at the duo.
Nobody moved.
The only sound came from the forgotten movie still playing in the background.
Sunstreaker narrowed his optics, preparing to launch himself at the smaller bot, when the doors to the rec room opened. A group of mechs, recently come off shift, walked in talking loudly to one another. The interruption effectively distracted Sunstreaker, who shook himself slightly. Optics brightening back to their piercing cerulean, he stared at Jazz a moment longer before continuing out of the room. "Frag you too!" he snapped, without looking back.
Jazz, who had quickly stepped aside so as to not be run over by the frontliner, now turned to face the rest of the room. He met the optics - eyes, in Spike's case - of everybot who witnessed the ordeal. One by one, they nodded to his silent reassurance, slowly returning to their previous activities. Stepping closer to Bluestreak, Jazz studied the younger mech.
"Y'alright, Blue?"
"Yeah, I'm good."
Jazz quirked an optic ridge at the subdued tone and slung an arm around Bluestreak's shoulders, mindful of his doorwings.
"Now Ah don' watchya lettin' Sunny's bad mood ruin yer day, OK? Ya did nothing wrong, so perk up." Nodding slowly, Bluestreak smiled.
"So can you tell me more about auto tune now?"
"Ah'd love to, but Ah gotta go for monitor duty soon. How 'bout we meet up after and Ah'll tell ya more 'bout it?"
"OK! See ya later Jazz!"
The mech merely chuckled as he waved the younger off before taking his own leave.
xXxXxXxXxXx
The gears in Sunstreaker's tanks clanked together loudly as he neared his and Sideswipe's shared quarters. He hadn't grabbed another cube after crushing the first. Grumbling at the added mess to his paint, he punched in the entrance code.
Entering the room, the golden twin marched past the empty berth. A quick scan had shown the rest of the room to be in the same state.
Skillfully stepping over piles of Sideswipe's junk, Sunstreaker all but threw himself into their private washracks. He was partway through his final polish when the alarm sounded and Prowl's voice rang over the intercom.
::All available Autobots report to the command deck. Be prepared to roll out::
xXxXxXxXxXx
Sideswipe was whispering to Hound near the rear of the gathered crowd when a smack to the back of his helm sent him sprawling.
He looked up from his place on the ground to see Sunstreaker standing above him, arms crossed and hips tilted slightly to one side.
"Hey Sunny!"
"Don't call me that, you aft-head!"
"Awwhe, you know you love me Sunshine."
Sunstreaker just snorted and glared at Hound, who was trying valiantly not to openly snicker at the nicknames.
The forest green scout was a long time friend of the twins, for many reasons they kept private from general knowledge. He was also one of the few who could escape Sunstreaker's moods unscathed.
The golden twin proved this point by merely turning back to his brother.
"Fragger. I love Soundwave more than I love you right now. Because of you, Prowl sent me through a swamp! And I've told you a thousand times to stop with the nicknames!"
The last part was snarled with a solid kick to Sideswipe's aft. The crimson warrior picked himself up, touching the abused plating tenderly and faking a wince.
"Yupp. Definitely feeling that lack of love over here."
Sunstreaker was about to retort with another insult, when Jazz sauntered up. He was followed closely by Mirage, Bluestreak, Brawn, and Cliffjumper.
"C'mon you three, enough fun'n games. Everyone's leavin' ahlready."
Sideswipe nudged his twin, smiling wide.
"Let's go, oh brother of mine. We mustn't keep the Decepticreeps waiting!"
With a half-crazed cackle, he transformed and sped towards the moving dust cloud of Autobots.
Sunstreaker shook his helm, muttering something about 'idiot twin brothers you couldn't get rid of', before racing to catch up to his other half.
xXxXxXxXxXx
The drive to the S.O.S. location was relatively short, but felt like an eternity to some of the officers - namely Prowl and Ironhide - thanks to the twins' usual reckless driving. The two were speeding up and slowing down in a haphazard manner, literally doing circle around the main group of bots.
As soon as the Decepticons were within scanner range, however, they fell back into formation behind Jazz. Their ETA was about two minutes when sudden laser fire rained from above, scattering the Autobots.
Prowl transformed and took cover behind a gathering of boulders with Bluestreak - his younger brother was reliable back-up to have nearby while he analyzed the battle. Peering over the slightly charred rock, Prowl quickly scanned the area.
The power plant the Decepticons had targeted was backed against a cliff twice its height, miles of barren desert sprawled before it. The sun beat down with a savage heat, draining the will to do anything from surrounding organics. In the distance, he could make out the humans' retreating vehicles.
Glancing back, Prowl noted the Contructicons were present, along with the Seeker trine and Soundwave. Megatron was nowhere in sight, but it wouldn't be long before he sought out Optimus Prime.
Battle computer running over multiple scenarios, Prowl settled on a plan with an 80% success rate and the lowest possible number of casualties. Quickly comm'ing the Autobots into position, Prowl watched as the Decepticons eagerly met the challenge head on.
Two certain hellions ignored the orders in favor of racing to the top of the cliff. ~You can have him, as long as you don't touch Screecher. I want to get back at that fragger for ruining my new wax in the last battle!~ ~Some idiots never learn, do they Sunshine?~ ~You're one to talk!~
~I call Skywarp this time! I have some new moves I want to try out on him!~
Throwing themselves into empty space, the twins transformed in mid-air, and landed heavily on their predetermined rides.
Gripping Starscream's red and white wings tightly, Sunstreaker yelled over the roar of the wind. "Slagger! This is for my paint!" He dug slender artist's fingers into delicate seems and tore the sensitive wires beneath the plating. He smirked, simply enjoying the beauty of the Seeker's agonized screams.
Sunstreaker's gaze was drawn to the side by a frustrated whine and a loud whoop of triumph. He sent a pulse of amusement to his twin when he spotted Sideswipe's antics.
The crimson twin was lying flat on his abdominal plating on Skywarp's back. Without warning, he would bring a knee down sharply on one wing, causing the purple Seeker to go into a series of barrel rolls. As he pulled straight again, Sideswipe would - and Sunstreaker hadn't a clue how - make the disorientated teleporter fire on his own comrades. Some of the ground based Decepticons even fired back before they realized what was happening.
Satisfied his brother was alright, Sunstreaker brought his attentions back to a very unfortunate Starscream.
As the battle raged on below them, a stray shot struck the cliff, and a thunderous avalanche rumbled down the mountain side. 'Bots and 'Cons alike diverged in an instinct of self preservation, retreating a safe distance away from the monstrous sized boulders.
When the sound of falling rocks silenced, both factions turned to face each other, only to be confronted with a thick, blinding wall of dust.
Without their sight, Sideswipe and Sunstreaker found themselves with their lives in the hands . . . wings . . . of the Seekers they had been tormenting.
~Sunny, what do we do?~ Sideswipe sent a pulse of apprehension with his words.
Sunstreaker returned a strong pulse of confidence and determination. ~Just hang on tight. We gotta wait for the dust to pass.~
So focused were they with this task that they stopped terrorizing Starscream and Skywarp. They never noticed said Seekers coordinating their movements and flying closer to one another. Once the two Decepticons were a few meters apart, they prepared themselves and shut off their audio receptors.
Out of the haze before them, Thundercracker appeared. As he passed between his trine mates, he released a deafening sonic boom that echoed throughout the battlefield.
The blast effectively dispersed the remainder of the airborne debris. Everybot on the ground froze mid-punch, taunt, or shot to stare upwards when they heard twin screams - one of shock, the other of agony. The Autobots now had a clear view of the twins and could only watch in horror.
Sideswipe had been the one who cried out in panic and had unintentionally loosened his grip on Skywarp's wings. Taking advantage of this, the Seeker turned sharply, dislodging the red warrior's excess weight from his back.
Sideswipe was only in free fall a few moments before his twin's pain shot through their bond and kick started his processors again. Initializing his jet pack, he brought his rapid decent to a halt a few Cybertronian feet from the ground. His jet pack sputtered a few times and shut off completely from a lack of fuel. Sideswipe collapsed, shaken but relatively unharmed, in the dirt.
Sunstreaker was not so lucky.
The resounding roar from Thundercracker's thrusters had severely damaged golden mech's dual purpose head fins. Not many bots knew they doubled as both air vents and sensory appendages. Much the same as doorwings, they were extremely sensitive to changes in his environment - especially air pressure.
The shockwave from the blue Seeker's sonic blast had torn through refined panels and ripped apart the delicate relays connected to his central processor.
The pain was excruciating.
He felt his vocals stutter with static as he howled is suffering to the world.
Releasing Starscream, Sunstreaker grasped both head fins, energon bleeding out between his fingers, as he fell towards the Earth.
Starscream, seeking revenge, transformed and fired both null rays point blank. The shots struck the golden frontliner in the center of his back and propelled him face first into the cliff wall. Still partially conscious, Sunstreaker rebounded and dropped like a dead weight. Gravity forced him to fall back down, lanky limbs fluttering limply above him.
He hit the ground shoulders, neck, and helm first. The rest of his body folded out eagle spread around him, buried slightly in the miniature crater he had created.
The last thing Suntreaker registered was Sideswipe shouting his name - over the bond and out loud - and screaming for Ratchet. The darkness took over, and he knew no more.