Changes, Big and Small
It was a normal Tuesday afternoon on the Nemesis, Skywarp was pranking, Soundwave was surveying, Hook was dissembling, and Starscream was scheming. Yes, all was well and normal on the Nemesis, that is until Starscream decided it was time to act on said scheme. He had finally found a way to get rid of Megatron for good, and it was all due to the fleshlings. Who knew they would actually be useful? He pushed a button on the computer he was currently monitoring and a small red light flashed in response. He smirked. Just then, a claxon began to go off within the Nemesis. He opened a communications channel to Megatron and his face appeared on the screen.
"A new energy source has been located mighty Megatron, shall I assemble a scouting party?" Megatron scowled. Just several days before, Starscream had humiliated him in front of his troops by questioning his authority for the umpteenth time. No, he would get no glory.
"Negative Starscream, I shall assemble a scouting party and go myself. Stay here and….guard the base." Starscream feigned anger.
"But Megatron-"
"No buts Starscream! You will stay here and that is an order!" His face disappeared and Starscream sat back in the monitor chair and smirked.
"As you command, mighty Megatron." He brought up a new view screen. "Your turn's up doctor."
Less than an hour later saw Megatron and several decepticons flying high over the clouds, avoiding human detection. Soundwave, Skywarp, and Ravage flanked Megatron and followed his lead as he landed on a deserted plain. Soundwave would form energon cubes, Ravage would be the look-out, and Skywarp was along as muscle. Just in case the autobots decided to attack, besides, Starscream had been acting unusual, and when that occurred it was usually a good idea to separate the seekers.
"I see no energy source here. Soundwave are these the correct coordinates?"
"Affirmative, coordinates provided by Starscream are correct."
"Then Starscream has failed again." But at that moment, Skywarp spotted a small metallic device on the ground. He went and picked it up, it was so small it easily fit in the palm of his hand.
"What's this?" He brought it over to the others, and Megatron snatched it out of his hand. As soon as he touched it, it began to whistle. The device expanded, metal plates swinging up from the sides.
"Danger, unknown device emitting unusual energy." Skywarp peered over Soundwave's shoulder.
"Is that the energy source Screamer found?"
"Unknown." But at that moment, the device began flashing.
"Suggestion: Leave device." Megatron scoffed.
"Don't be ridiculous Soundwave, we can-" Just then, the device exploded in a flash of light. The transformers were thrown back and scattered across the area, and were knocked out on impact.
"Well Doctor?" Dr. Arkeville came out from behind a rock and surveyed the fallen decepticons with barely contained glee.
"A success Starscream."
"Wonderful, I'll be right there." He raised the tower of the nemesis and left Thundercracker in charge before flying toward his fallen comrades.
Skywarp opened his optics and tried dimming them once the blinding light from the sun hit him. He was slightly confused when his optics didn't respond. He tried running a systems check and panicked when nothing responded. He was dead! But wait, he couldn't be dead, he was still on earth. What was going on? He sat up and groaned when his systems protested at the movement. Well, he had to be alive, otherwise he wouldn't feel pain. He looked around blearily and was surprised to see several humans sprawled on the ground. They hadn't shot any humans, had they? No, no they had been alone. So where did they come from? He tried getting to his feet and fell as soon as he stood up. He was able to catch himself but started screaming when he saw his hands. He was human! He started pawing at his skin. He felt his back and let out a frantic cry when he found his wings missing.
"No! No this isn't happening! This isn't happening!" He scratched his shoulder, digging his nails in and drawing blood. He continued mauling his shoulders hoping that his wings would magically appear. He was suddenly thrown to the ground, his arms held behind his back. He thrashed under the weight.
"Let me go!"
"Get a hold of yourself you useless seeker!" He stilled as he recognized his commander's voice.
"M-Megatron?" Indeed, as the arms holding him down pulled away, he turned his head to see a human male larger than himself, with silvery hair and red eyes. Not wearing a stitch of clothing. Skywarp burst into hysterical laughter.
"You're naked! Humans look ridiculous without outer coverings!" Megatron growled and crossed his arms.
"So are you, you imbecile!" Skywarp stopped laughing and looked down at himself.
"Oh slag. We're human!" Megatron released his seeker, relatively convinced he would stop mutilating himself now that he was distracted.
"Yes it would appear so." Megatron examined his human hand with a mixture of fascination and disgust. Movement out of the corner of his eye distracted him, and he turned to see Soundwave rise slowly from the ground. His communications officer put a hand to his head in pain, then turned to the left.
"You have been discovered." For a moment Megatron thought Soundwave was going crazy from the shock, until a familiar form came shuffling into view from behind a rock.
"Dr. Arkeville, I thought you had offlined." The old man laughed, picking up the forgotten device on the ground.
"Brilliant, is it not? At last, my revenge against you is almost complete Megatron." Megatron clenched his fists and regretted not killing the doctor when he had the chance.
"You will pay for this with your pitiful life doctor, I guarantee it." Suddenly, a crash sent the uncoordinated newly made humans to the ground as a pair of large metal feet came into view.
"I don't think so mighty Megatron." Starscream loomed over the group of humans, casting a shadow. Megatron looked up at his second command with anger, and a twinge of fear. He had never realized just how large they appeared to humans before.
"Starscream, I should have known you had a hand in this."
"Indeed. I may not have been able to defeat you when you were a transformer but I doubt I'll have any trouble now, and once you're gone I can take my rightful place as the leader of the decepticons."
"That will never happen Starscream, you will pay for this treachery!" He backed away from the seeker, almost tripping as he backpedaled, he couldn't let Starscream beat him!
"It is you who will pay, Megatron." Starscream raised his foot and Megatron dove to the side. He quickly rolled and stood up in shock as Starscream cackled, then frowned, counting the humans on the ground. He turned to Dr. Arkeville.
"Where is Skywarp? I told you not to do anything to him!" Skywarp stood up shakily from the ground.
"I'm right here you idiot! Your stupid squishy turned me into a human." Starscream grimaced. This wasn't part of the plan. Megatron was supposed to be the only one turned into a fleshling. He would just have to have the good doctor turn his wing mate back once he disposed of Megatron.
"I'll deal with that later, but right now I have a pest control problem I need to take care of." Megatron narrowed his eyes at his second in command. When he got his body back he was going to dissemble Starscream and have Hook reformate him into a paperweight. Starscream stomped toward him again, and Megatron found himself frozen, looking up at the large form of Starscream. Just before he was about to step on him, another body collided with him, pushing him out of the way at the last second. Megatron stared in shock at the shaggy black haired man crouched over him, and realized in shock that it was Ravage, the only decepticon that had not been accounted for. He snarled at Starscream, who laughed at their predicament. Soundwave hurried over to them.
"Query: Are you injured?"
"No, Skywarp!" Skywarp stumbled over to them.
"What?" Megatron winced at a pang in his side, the stomping footsteps of Starscream drawing closer.
"Get us out of here!" Skywarp shook his hands nervously. How the hell did he teleport as a human?
"But I don't know-" Starscream's foot appeared above them and Megatron shook Skywarp.
"NOW!" And with a flash of light, Starscream's foot hit empty ground.
"No!" Starscream hit the ground with a curse and turned his anger on Dr. Arkeville. "How did he do that?"
"I don't know! He shouldn't have been able to…"
"Well obviously he can. And now I've lost Megatron thanks to your incompetence!"
"Don't blame me Starscream. You had your chance to eliminate him and you wasted it." Starscream let out a frustrated growl and shot the ground next to Dr. Arkeville.
"You're going to help me get him back Doctor, or you will pay for this!"
"Fine Starscream, I will help you, but this is not my mistake." Starscream growled, as soon as this mistake was corrected, he would rid the world of Dr. Arkeville once and for all.
Ten miles away four men lay sprawled on the ground.
"Skywarp you imbecile, what was that?"
"Hey, I got us out of there, didn't I?" Skywarp mentally slapped himself on the back. Oh yeah, human, and he could still teleport. Megatron sat up and glared at his former seeker. "Soundwave, explain."
"Abilities from our bodies are retained in weakened condition. Skywarp's warping ability is skewed by a smaller power source and unavailable GPS." Megatron groaned.
"Great, warp again, we need to get farther away from Starscream." Skywarp nodded and with a flash, they landed in an alleyway. Skywarp and Megatron landed in a dumpster, while Ravage landed on all fours, and Soundwave ended up sprawled next to him. Megatron shoved Skywarp down and gingerly stepped out of the dumpster.
"Stupid disgusting fleshlings and their habits!" Skywarp fell out of the dumpster headfirst, his short black hair plastered to his head. Megatron sighed.
"Soundwave, report." Soundwave looked around and closed his eyes.
"Location: human establishment called Rush, population 70,000." They other decepticons stared at him, surprised.
"How do you know that?" Soundwave looked over at Skywarp, who was still on the ground.
"I still retain some of my telepathic abilities, though they are greatly diminished." Megatron nodded and rubbed his chin.
"We must get our bodies back before Starscream makes a mess of the decepticons, Soundwave, find a way to change us back!" Soundwave straightened.
"I must have access to resources, Dr. Arkeville created the device that changed us, therefore it stands to reason that human technology changed us, with the help of Starscream."
"You're right, we will find the nearest human scientific establishment and raid it for resources!"
"Negative, current appearances will attract too much attention. Human authorities will be altered before a raid can be successfully completed." Megatron surveyed his troops, Soundwave was right they would attract too much attention. All four of them were currently naked and covered in dirt and trash. They would need to find a secure location to regroup and come up with battle plans. Megatron shivered as a gust of cold wind hit him. Outer coverings would be needed as well.
"Agreed, we must first acquire human coverings, Ravage!" The shaggy black haired man tried to stand up, and promptly fell over. Soundwave hoisted him up and he stood to attention.
"Recon! Try not to be seen, you must find us human coverings!" Before Soundwave could protest, Ravage bounded out of the alley.
"Megatron, Ravage is ill-suited for this mission. He is-" But at that moment a high-pitched scream was heard, and all the decepticons rushed to the mouth of the alley to see Ravage crouched over a human female….purring.
Rhianna Avolos walked down the street after her afternoon classes at the University ended. It was only about six blocks away from her apartment, and the sun was shining. She stopped and breathed in the fresh air, when she was suddenly tackled from the side. She hit the sidewalk hard and stars appeared in front of her, her head throbbing from the impact. She blinked blearily and looked straight into the red eyes of a shaggy black haired man. A shiver went up her spine as his gaze seared through her. It was then she looked down. And screamed. The man promptly began nuzzling her head. Purring. She felt a panic attack coming on when the man lifted his head and grabbed her arm, pulling her off the ground. Her vision went black and she felt herself being drug by the man that accosted her, his hand having a firm grip on her upper arm.
The world darkened slightly and she realized he pulled her into an alley. Oh god, this was it, she was going to die in an alleyway after a lifetime of school. All she had done in her life was go to school! She had accomplished nothing! When the man didn't touch or strangle her, she looked around to see she was surrounded by not one, but four naked men. She promptly retreated back into herself and continued to think of her miserable existence of nothing but education. Meanwhile, the decepticons around her had a furious conversation.
"Ravage, what have you done?" Soundwave looked to his creation and attempted to read his thoughts. He was confused by the results.
"Transformation has damaged Ravage's central processor; he is in need of repairs." Megatron slapped a hand to his face and winced. It never hurt when he did that normally.
"Great, our spy is damaged, and has brought us a female human. Slaggit all!" He kicked the brick wall and swore in pain. Skywarp looked at the indent his leader's foot made in the brick with wide eyes.
"Pretty sure humans can't do that." Soundwave nodded.
"A fraction of our strength has remained, we are still stronger than normal flesh creatures." Rhianna swallowed a scream in her throat as the silver haired man kicked a hole in a brick all. All four of them stood over six feet tall and all were well built, and the shaggy black haired one was still cuddling up next to her. She tried crawling away and ended up kicking a rock. It rolled away from her and the man next to her looked up and zeroed in on the rock. He tensed and before she knew what happened he pounced on the rock. Rhianna momentarily wondered why this odd naked man was behaving like a cat, but thought better of it and used this chance to escape.
She took off running and was almost out of the alley when the decepticons noticed what was happening.
"Stop it!" Soundwave caught her and dragged her back to the others.
"Let go!" She started thrashing and kicking. Megatron studied the human in front of him. He couldn't let it go; it would alert the human authorities. He smirked when he came to a decision.
"Congratulations human you have been given the honor of helping the decepticons." She stopped and stared. What the hell?