Rampage sat silently in front of the lava pit deep within the Darkside, his mind a turbulent storm. His throat tight, he slammed his fist down on the ground. Why did this have to happen? Why did I have to be found at all? Why didn't the Maximals find me first, then at least I would have died without waking up! He looked angrily into the lava pit, a small smile breaking across his face. Back on Cybertron, when I was loaded into my pod just after destroying colony Omicron, I didn't want to die, but now I wish for it? His face turned grim again. Slag that Megatron, even death is more attractive to me than living as his slave.
Megatron had been furious about his transmetal two raptors being so easily overcome a few days before, and had been spending a lot of time away from the base with Waspinator and Tarantulus. Rampage smiled, able to guess why he was away so much with those idiots. Even so, whatever made Megatron unhappy inevitably made him very happy. It was still early, the sky was only beginning to lighten. Rampage liked that time of day. He didn't sleep, after all he was the indestructible Rampage. He could work without sleeping, though if he had his spark in his body he would have to sleep... but he didn't, thanks to Megatron. Only at this time of day was he really at peace.
He was brought out of his musing by a set of heavy footsteps. A scowl on his face, he turned to see Megatron. "Ah Rampage, how are you this morning? Did you sleep well?"
Rampage's scowl turned to a look of pure loathing. Megatron asked him the same question every morning, already knowing the answer. It was as though it wasn't enough for the tyrannosaurus to hold his spark captive, he had to taunt Rampage with that fact every day. "You know damn well I don't sleep thanks to you, you cum sucking slime bag!"
Megatron put on an expression of mock surprise. "Really? Well we're going to have to fix that aren't we?" Rampage looked puzzled. "I've decided to allow you to carry your spark in your body."
Rampage jumped up, too stunned to be suspicious. "Really? You mean no more energon shocks? No more sleepless nights?"
"That's right Rampage." Megatron said smiling. Rampage jumped up, punching the air, laughing. "Oh I almost forgot to tell you, there is a small catch." Rampage looked back at him, his hand still raised partially in the air. "You'll be getting only half your spark back. The other half will go to my new clone."
"You're cutting my spark in half?!" He yelled. Rage suddenly built up in him. "NEVER!" He went to leap at Megatron, but found himself bound with webbing. He looked behind him to see Tarantulus laughing at him wickedly, holding the end of the web rope.
"You see Rampage I thought I'd show you a courtesy, by telling you what I intend before chaining you up, so you don't strike at me while I preform the necessary incisions on your spark. I could have done it in another room, and let you suffer without knowing why, but this way is more... fun. I get to watch you suffer!" He yelled the last sentence, his face going from friendly to furious in an instant. He pulled out Rampage's spark, still in it's small energon prison, and removed a scalpel from his subspace pocket.
"I'll get you for this Megatron, I swear it!" He yelled desperately.
"I think not." He said cruelly, then plunged the knife into Rampage's spark. Unimaginable shocks of pain coursed through his body. He cried out though he couldn't even hear himself through the pain that washed over him. After what felt like hours, though it had only taken a few seconds, the pain stopped, and he fell to the ground, barely conscious. As his world faded to black, he saw Megatron standing over him smirking, holding the two halves of his spark still in the iron maiden like box. "Until tonight, I'd best keep this with me, in case you get any ideas." And then his world went dark.
There was nothing. No sense of time, no sense of pain. There was a small sense of separation, as though something was missing, but whatever it was, it remained nearby for a while. Eventually it disappeared, and there was a sense of longing. Suddenly it felt something new, something it recognized, a body. Deep within it's being, the corrupted, half spark knew that the body was for it. "And carved into this lofty peak where tempest dwells, a noble birthplace. It is time." A voice said from nearby. The body called, beckoning desperately. The spark felt a pull. It HAD to get into that body, it HAD to live!
"And now I bequeath you half a spark, the very core of a nightmare." The body reached out for it, it felt a hand made of something that was between energy and liquid rap gently, but briskly around it, and could feel a sense of desperation. They needed each other, one would not live without the other, while the other one was desperately alone without it's other half. "Ah hungry for life, yeees."
The voice nearby grew louder. It was alive now, it could hear and feel, but as yet the body still was a near shapeless mass of that strange substance. "From the tempest fury the spark ignites to sire new life, transmetal life."
A bright light grew around it, and as it dulled he stepped off a platform, and he knew his name was Dinobot. He took a look at himself, and was very pleased with what he saw. He was powerful! He was the embodiment of power itself, and he thirsted for death and destruction. He no longer cared that he was but half himself, that a part of him was missing, this alone was enough, wasn't it?
Rampage slowly opened his optics. Something was different. He felt warmer, more comfortable, and yet... somehow not complete. He looked around and saw Tarantulus leaning over him grinning. He sat up quickly, and ignored the dots that swam before his optics. "My spark! I have my spark back!"
"You have half your spark back yes. The other half is with Megatron in the recovery area." He said with a twisted grin. Rampage sat up. "Where are you going?"
"Isn't it obvious web crawler? I'm going to get the rest of my spark!" He said, standing up and running out of the room.
Tarantulus smiled even wider. "Heh. You can try."
Rampage didn't hear him as he ran through the corridors of the ship. Even if he's just taking one of his baths, I can just ambush him, and take back my spark! He won't win this time. He ran into the medical area, and skidded to a halt. He could feel the presence of the rest of his spark, but there was something wrong. Another bot, a new bot was standing next to Megatron's tank. Rage filled him.
Dinobot turned around, able to feel the other half of his spark approaching. He felt excited. He wanted it, he wanted to be reunited with it, become whole. He frowned as he saw the host of it walk into the room. So it still lives in another. I couldn't take his spark, and leave him a shell just for my own happiness, it wouldn't be honorable. At least I know my other half is here. We will still be together, closer than ever! He opened his mouth to speak, but Rampage beat him to it. "You gave this the core of my spark?! I shall rip it from his chest and restore it in me!"
Happiness turned to rage. Honor? Who cares about honor, he won't get my spark from me. I'll kill him first, then take it back! They glared at one another, growling, then an image popped into Dinobot's head, and he smiled. He opened his spark chamber, and crushed it slightly. Rampage howled and fell to the floor. I don't care if I hurt you. Doing this doesn't hurt my spark, or yours. I can get my spark back any time I want. I'll just make you suffer a little first.
"As you see that will not be easy. Besides only I have the technical knowledge to accomplish such a fusion. For now you must share." Megatron said calmly, as though someone hadn't just been shocked into submission right in front of him. "I need your new half brother for a mission. Dinobot, the transmetal driver, Depthcharge has it yeees, get it back."
Dinobot transformed, and walked away just as calmly. Rampage watched him go, only able to sputter through his rage, and the desperate feelings of loss that flooded through him.
A few hours later Rampage, Dinobot, Quickstrike and Megatron stood in front of a bound Depthcharge. He had denied having the transmetal driver, and they were discussing how to dispose of him. "Lemme gut um for ya boss." Quickstrike said.
Dinobot felt a sudden surge of emotions not his own. He looked at Rampage, and saw the rage build up inside him. Something must have happened between these two a long time ago. It's as though he's drawn to him, though only through hatred. He desperately wants to kill him. Some kind of vendetta? "No, he is mine! I shall feast upon his still pulsating spark!" Rampage said, growling and drooling slightly.
Suddenly a loud roar sounded from around them. They looked around fearfully. It wasn't a natural sound. In a flash, a strange yellow beast knocked both Megatron and Rampage to the side, with Quickstrike jumping away in just the nick of time. Rampage looked around, his chest sparking slightly, though not really hurt. Dinobot looked curiously from next to Quickstrike, slightly fearful. "What is that thing?" Megatron said, holding his own chest, which was sparking worse than Rampage's.
"I dunno boss, some kinda ghost maybe, or it will be once I'm done with it!" Quickstrike yelled, and jumped behind the rock where the monster was hiding. The three Predicons stared in stunned fear as the beast ripped Quickstrike apart, tossing his serpent tail across the ground, halfway between them, and it.
Letting anger replace fear, both Dinobot and Rampage turned their lights, Dinobot his targeting optic, and Rampage his gun flashlight, toward the rock the beast was behind. They saw quick flashes of it dashing to other hidden areas, and tried to follow it. From between some rocks, and some stunted trees, it ran toward them as their beams met. Illuminated by the light, Megatron yelled "Fire!" They did, repeatedly missing as it ran toward them. It ran right between them, pouncing on Megatron, and continuing on. Still firing, trying to hit it, both bots turned, and at the last moment, realized what was about to happen. They accidentally fired on one another, sending them both flying through the air. Rampage landed with a thud, but he was knocked unconscious by the blow from Dinobot's optic beam.
Dinobot wasn't so lucky. He fell right down a canyon, and landed painfully, but he was still awake. For a while he lay there, able to feel the beating of his own spark, and from a distance, the spark of Rampage. He looked up at the stars, and somehow it seemed that each one was a spark that was in the matrix. "Please... don't take them yet... not mine... not his..." He lay there, still feeling Rampage's spark beating. It was slow, and weak, but steady. He began to let himself relax, but a thought crossed his mind. Why should I care if he dies? When he does I'll be complete, even if my spark is just a half, it becomes whole at the moment of his death! He shook his head, and ignored how it made him dizzy. I want to have the rest of it, that's why. That's the only reason why! I don't care about that half anymore...
His thoughts were interrupted by a second thud, as Megatron landed next to him. He lifted his head, and everything began spinning horribly. "Retreat..." Megatron said weakly, then his world went dark.
Rampage opened his optics. He was beneath the cool liquid of the CR tank. Slaggit, I wish that thing had killed me. First Megatron imprisons my spark, now he puts it in a creature that I can never hope to get it back from. What's the point of staying alive anymore? He made a wry grin. Perhaps with him ripping my spark in two I stand a chance of dying now. He sat up, even though his repair cycle hadn't completed yet, and climbed out of the tank. "And where do you think you're going?"
He turned around. Dinobot was staring at him from the other side of the tank. "What are you, my shadow? Beat it!"
Dinobot snorted. "I'm not your shadow crab, but I am your other half, and I'd think your better half too."
Rampage waved his hand in a dismissive way, and turned his back on Dinobot. "I don't care, you're not my friend, and soon there won't be a half." He'd said this, hoping Dinobot would think it a threat.
"You're wrong Rampage, there'll always be two halves, because neither of us is going anywhere, as long as I can help it." Rampage stopped and gasped. How did he know? Dinobot grinned. "I can feel your emotions Rampage, just like your name, your emotions are always on a rampage. It's not as hopeless as you'd think."
Rampage turned around slowly, anger and something else, filling him, something he tried to ignore. "You wouldn't know a thing fossil. You wouldn't know what it's like to be bred for something, then just tossed aside when someone says that they had failed, and the project had to be terminated! You don't know what I felt lying in that pod, knowing my only fate was to die! You can never know the shame of having a tyrant like Megatron rip your spark from your body while you lie helpless, and then force you to work for him because he can crush it in a cage made entirely out of energon!" He moved up to him, so his face was inches from Dinobot's. "And you sure as hell don't know what it's like to have your spark torn in half after feeling the exhilarating joy of hearing that you would finally be complete!"
Dinobot grabbed Rampage behind the head, and kissed him fiercely. Rampage struggled, so he wrapped an arm around him, and pushed him against the edge of the tank. He slowly reached down the back of Rampage's lower plate, and ran his finger gently across his ass crack. Rampage stopped fighting Dinobot, and instead fought the shivers of pleasure coursing through his body. Dinobot pulled back, still holding him. He stared at him gently for a few moments. "I don't remember what it's like, but every word you spoke of tears at me, as though I do know it, and I just can't remember. We are one Rampage, we were meant to be one, the same body, same spark, but we are now individuals, and must learn to find a different way to be together."
Rampage stared back at Dinobot, his half spark pounding in his chest, and he knew Dinobot's was too. He could feel it. He swallowed heavily. "And you want to be together how? As lovers?"
Dinobot smiled, and kissed him again. Rampage let himself go to the sensations coursing through him. He put an arm around Dinobot's shoulders, feelings his knees weaken, and held himself up. They parted, and Dinobot touched his cheek gently. "Perhaps, however..." He suddenly punched Rampage in the stomach. He doubled over in pain, still not fully repaired. "Don't ever lose yourself like that again. If anyone were to find out, I would have to kill you."
Rampage snorted, holding his stomach. "And if anyone ever found out because you slipped up, I'd still be the one to die right?"
A tender look crossed Dinobot's face, and he helped Rampage up. "No. If anyone were to find out because I made a mistake, then I would expect you to kill me."
Rampage felt fear tear at his spark, even more than he had felt at the thought of Dinobot killing him. He couldn't kill his other half, the one who just a few moments before had awoken such tender feelings in him, that he thought were impossible. "No. I won't kill you Dinobot. I don't care what they do to us for being lovers, I won't kill you!"
Dinobot kissed him again, so slowly, so tenderly, that his spark melted. He felt Dinobot's hand slowly reach down below his lower plate, taking hold of his hard, throbbing penis. He gently rubbed the head of it, sending spasms of pleasure coursing through Rampage's body. He slowly stroked him, kissing him with a little more vigor. Suddenly, before he found release, Dinobot pulled his hand away, and their lips parted. Rampage let out a moan of despair. "If they find out, it won't just be death. Megatron will take pleasure in slowly torturing us. I can't bear the thought of seeing your beautiful body lying prone for him, while he uses you to torture me."
Rampage's optics widened as he pictured this. His throat went dry. "How do you know what he'd do?"
Dinobot made a grimace. "I'm not sure, perhaps it's the DNA of the man who I am made from, his mind is mine now. Perhaps in his life he knew such things. Either way I will not allow him to do that to you. If we are found by my error, I want to die by your hands. He will consider any accusation against us unfounded if you were to kill me. It would be the same if you were to cause us to be discovered."
Rampage heaved a great sigh, and smiled. "You know I was ready to die back there."
"I know."
"Well the only thing that's changed my mind is you. If I lost my chance to be with you, I'd rather be dead."
"And if I bring shame to us? If I reveal our relationship to the Predicons? Will you restore my honor, and let me die by the hands of the man I love?" Dinobot said, his optics pleading.
Rampage looked deep within them, and felt into his spark, their spark, and saw the love Dinobot had for him, and became aware of his own. He took his hand. "I promise I will kill you, and honorably if they ever find out, not because I'm afraid of what they'll do to me, but because I'm afraid of what they'll do to the man I love." Hand in hand they headed for Rampage's quarters, to unite their sparks in a completely different manner.
