Night of the Beasts

by Captain of Nothing

Predacons and other Decepticons with beast-forms have come to rebel against their vehicular brethren, seeking to assert dominance over all of Cybertron. Desperate to avoid death at their hands, a Decepticon scientist has no choice but to turn to the Autobots for help, but even this uneasy alliance may not be enough to stop the coming onslaught.

Author's Note: Hello, readers (if you exist). I devised this fic from clicking on random pages on until I came up with something vaguely resembling a story in a somewhat botched attempt to overcome my writer's block. As such, this story does not clearly fall into any one previously existing continuity. So, here you go. I hope you enjoy.

Night of the Beasts

Chapter One

A monstrous roar echoed through the halls of the Decepticon laboratory, accompanied moments later by a bloodcurdling scream. Loudpedal crouched hidden beneath the table, covering audio receptors in an attempt to shut out the horrifying turn of events that had transpired. He heard a sickening crunch, and Oil Slick's horribly mangled severed arm hit the floor in front of him with a clang. If Loudpedal had a mouth, he would have vomited. It was all he could do to suppress a shriek when the beast pounced off the table, slowly turning its head as it scanned the room for its next prey.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are, pathetic standard-former", Judora hissed in a grating, venomous voice, "Surrender and yours will be a quick and painless death". The irony of the statement was not lost on Loudpedal, who, having made the same promise to countless Autobots, began to question why he and his fellow Decepticons had ever thought it to be a particularly enticing one.

"Continue to try to elude me, however", he continued, running his talons slowly through his servo as he looked down and contemplated the alternative, "and, well, I cannot say that I will not enjoy what comes next." He slowly scraped the talons along the floor as he turned towards the scientist's hiding place.

Unable to hold it together any longer, Loudpedal dove out from beneath the table, narrowly avoiding a swipe from the dragon's claws. He changed shape as he flew through the air, assuming his alternate form. No sooner had his wheels hit the floor than he was accelerating out of the room as quickly as they could carry him, before the beast could process what had happened. Darting down the halls, he could picture the twisted pleasure this had given Judora, and shuddered at the mental image of the horrifying grin on that draconic face. He began to consider his options. So long as he remained in the compound, Loudpedal reasoned as he rounded a corner, the beast would have to give chase on foot, as the halls were too narrow for him to unfold his wings, but at the same time, he would be trapped in there with him, and there were only so many places he could hide in. If he fled, however, he might have time to put some distance between him and the predatory bot. He made up his mind, and headed towards the exit.

As he raced out the door and fled into the night, it seemed to Loudpedal that he might live to see another solar cycle. Unfortunately for the Decepticon scientist, who had adopted a vintage Corvette as his alternate mode, Judora could fly far faster than a comparably paltry 123 miles per hour. He could hear the flap of metallic wings in the distance, and, a moment later, a pallid green blur shot out of the now-abandoned laboratory and across the barren landscape. Loudpedal spun around, turning to face the approaching dragon as he attempted to outrun it. The grill of his vehicle form split open as a blaster emerged from within, and opened fire. Judora twisted and twirled through the air, effortlessly evading the scientist's volleys.

"Pathetic fool, did you honestly expect that to work?", Judora mocked.

Loudpedal spun around, turning to face the dragon, while driving backwards to avoid a grisly fate. He deployed his grill-gun and opened fire on Judora, who skillfully evaded the scientist's volleys. Running out of options, Loudpedal reasoned that he was in no way too proud to beg for his life, and attempted to reason with his foe.

"We're both Decepticons, aren't we?!" he whimpered, "You don't have to do this!"

Judora let out a raspy howl that could be charitably considered a laugh.

"Your kind have mistreated us for far too long", he retorted, "and now the time has come for we beasts to claim our rightful place as rulers of Cybertron".

"Ah, scrap", Loudpedal sighed, as the dragon began charging a massive beam of fire. He made a final cursory glance at his surroundings, seeking anything that might allow him to prolong his life, and in the distance spotted an outpost.

'Help! I'm saved!', he thought excitedly. Judora unleashed a blast of flame, and in the same instant the black Corvette lifted off the ground. Loudpedal leapt into the air as he transformed into his bot-form, narrowly evading the beam. He took hold of his blaster and fired at the dragon, who again dodged effortlessly. The scientist reassumed vehicle mode as he fell back to the ground.

"Your marksmanship is worse than your futile escape attempts!" Judora exclaimed in disbelief.

"Wasn't aiming at you", Loudpedal replied cheerfully, as the flare he had shot off exploded in a brilliant flash of color.

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