Disclaimer: 'Transformers' does not belong to me. It belongs to ye olde Hasbro

Summary: Well, this bunch of madness was something that just randomly came to me. I guess I just wondered what would happen if Roadbuster and Sixshot came face to face, what with Roadbuster loving his weapons and combat, Sixshot being a living weapon…this probably isn't what most people would imagine, and wasn't what I'd imagined at first either, but it just happened. The story actually changed a lot whilst I was writing it. As we learnt from IDW's 'Transformers Spotlight: Sixshot', Sixshot does have a bit more depth to him beyond all the destruction. I think there's a lot more to him than meets the eye (excuse the terrible pun!), which is partly what I've tried to portray here.

Planet Kestra. One of many ravaged, dead planets hovering in the solar system, displaying no reason whatsoever to entice visitors. However, it did have visitors. Decepticons. Clearly not drawn to it for its aesthetic qualities, nor tactical value, the Decepticons were without a doubt there for a purpose. What purpose though, the Autobots were, as Springer put it, "Fraggin' clueless" to.

Roaming part of the lifeless planet was a lone Autobot. Not particularly a fan of touring dead, empty planets, he was in this situation mainly due to unfortunate circumstances. Roadbuster was a seasoned warrior and it showed. He had not panicked or lost his head when he lost all communication with his team. He persevered and improvised, like he'd been trained, Whilst The Wreckers worked best as part of a team, they also had to be capable of sustaining themselves individually when the situation arose. Now was one of those situations. He had eventually tried to make his way back to their ship, but could not locate it. Either the planets atmosphere was playing havoc with his guidance and coordinates systems, like it was his comms, or the ship had left. Knowing choice two was out of the question, by The Wreckers shared ethic of , "Leave no one behind, even if they're a pile of smoking circuits", Roadbuster had concluded to distance himself from the apparent Decepticon stronghold and soon set up a beacon. If the Decepticons detected it first, tough slag. He had little other options and didn't plan on dying on this dreaded planet alone through Energon depletion. At least if he died in battle, he went out with honour, he believed.

'Big, lean, fighting machine with enough toys to arm the entire galaxy', was how Springer had described him. It was true that Roadbuster practically lived and breathed combat; it was his reason for existence. Of that he was certain, and so were his friends. They had witnessed Roadbuster become detached and quiet, sometimes depressed when not thrown into the chaos of combat. It left him with too much time on his hands to think and contemplate, and he didn't like doing that. Thinking often lead to questions, questions which he didn't desire to know the answers to. Though he would never admit it, he was afraid to know the answers to most of those questions. Ignorance was more denial then it was bliss in this case. Roadbuster firmly stuck to the belief that some mechs were just made for fighting; it's all they were good for, himself included. Just like some mechs were ridiculously intelligent and made for great scientists, such as Perceptor. He would tell himself he was doing what was right for him. He couldn't do anything else; it was just in his programming.

Walking at a steady pace, Roadbuster thought about how much he detested the planet, despite how short a time he had been there. It was just barren and dull. Even listening to Perceptor wasn't this boring. Dangling his weapon down at his side and looking at the broken ground momentarily as he walked, Roadbuster wondered how the rest of The Wreckers were doing. His thoughts were sharply interrupted by something thudding to the ground hard, meters to his front. It took him a few nano-kliks to make out the mass on the floor- and horrified him when he did. It was his team mate Twintwist. He was lying motionless on the ground, in an awkward position. Offline. Roadbuster had little more time to access the situation, as he was alerted to something plummeting down from the air above. Something green, white and purple. Ah, wonderful. He knew exactly who this was, even though he had never seen him before. It was difficult not to know about him, being something of a legend among both Autobots and Decepticons alike. Roadbuster particularly knew a lot about him. He'd never dare admit it, and felt it was wrong, but Roadbuster had looked upon him in awe. From all the stories he had heard, he really was a one-robot army.

Transforming in mid-air from laser mode to his robot form, the mech landed hard beside Twintwist with a 'whoom', shaking the ruined ground. Straightening up, his narrowed optics locked with Roadbuster's. Roadbuster had automatically raised his rifle with lightning speed. He stood still, not taking his optics off of the enemy. The mech kept his menacing optics on Roadbuster, raising a large finger to the side of his helmet,

"Megatron, I have located one of the enemy."

Roadbuster then heard that voice, the voice all the Autobots, and probably Decepticons too, despised.

"Good. Destroy him Sixshot."

"Understood," Sixshot replied before Megatron terminated the transmission.

Raising an empty hand and gesturing it to look like a gun, he pointed his hand at Roadbuster's head,

"Boom, your dead. Now let's get on with this."

Roadbuster was so baffled about what had just happened that he found it almost funny. Funny and incredibly creepy. Keeping his optics on Roadbuster, Sixshot pointed down at Twintwist on the floor,

"Your friend there is just...a bargaining chip of sorts. He'll be fine; all I ask is that you listen to what I have to say. By the way, is your friend suicidal? You should have seen what he did back there..." Sixshot smirked.

Roadbuster didn't laugh at what he figured Sixshot had intended as a joke. He was relieved to hear about his friend, but could he really trust Sixshot? Could he really believe that Sixshot just wanted a little chat with him, and then would be on his merry way? No. He snorted at the thought of it.

"Twintwists a Wrecker. I think being suicidal is probably a requirement for joining The Wreckers," Roadbuster chuckled lightly.

Sixshot just nodded his head, crossing his arms. He carried on talking,

"Autobot...Roadbuster...I've watched you fight. Seen how you conduct yourself. We share some...similarities," Sixshot had an authoritative and slightly intimidating voice.

Roadbuster frowned in confusion.

"What's the deal? Why aren't you trying to destroy me? You don't seem like the type to tread carefully around things."

Roadbuster was tough, but he wasn't stupid. He also knew his limits. He wouldn't go down without a fight, ever, but he knew his chances against Sixshot were...slim.

Very weary, he was still looking at Sixshot through the sights of his weapon. Sixshot laughed as if laughing at a silly sparkling.

"You know, sometimes I grow tiresome of destruction. Without it, however, I am nothing. Useless," His face was dead serious again. Roadbuster noticed a depth to his optics that he hadn't before. He frowned a little at the cryptic answers, still not moving a circuit,

"The living weapon gets sick of destruction, eh? Who'd have thought it," Roadbuster couldn't resist sticking a jibe in. Sixshot ignored it, carrying on,

"We warriors live for combat. It's all we are good for. Some of us have trouble functioning outside of it. This is what you believe, isn't it? I used to be the same."

Roadbuster was beginning to feel even more confused and nervous by the nano-klik. The eerie quietness of the devastated planet was starting to grate on him. Roadbuster avoided the real question,

"What makes you think I'm like you? Why are we even exchanging words right now? Let's just do this," Roadbuster growled, feeling the Energon pumping around him.

Sixshot laughed that mechanical, creepy laugh of his, tilting his head back. He knew exactly what Roadbuster was trying to do, could almost read his processors. He became serious again,

"I used to be just like you," Sixshot turned his head to the side, looking into the nothingness ahead, "Before they did this, made me into the only six changer. I was once a normal mech just like you."

Still cautious, Roadbuster was also intrigued,

"Why you? Why did they choose to experiment on you?" Roadbuster asked, relaxing his weapon very slightly.

Sixshot turned to face him again,

"Because I was a natural warrior. One that functioned completely at ease in combat, and was useless and lost outside of it. They knew it, they'd witnessed it. Who else would have made a better candidate for the project, the project to create a living weapon? I willfully went along with it, not that it would have made any difference what I wanted either way…I wanted to be that one-robot army, that S.T.A.G., wanted that power at my hands- in my hands."

Roadbuster found himself listening more eagerly, though he wasn't exactly sure why. Roadbuster never let himself get distracted from his job, it could be a matter of life and death, but some of the things Sixshot was saying…they were hitting home with Roadbuster.

Roadbuster uncharacteristically found himself opening up a little,

"You think you can become stronger and more powerful. You always want more. When combats all you live for, it's only natural I guess…" Roadbuster said feeling awkward. He didn't usually get so…philosophical.

"That's exactly how I felt," Sixshot's optics glowed, "If only I hadn't been too afraid to search deeper within my processors, find the answers to the questions that I always suppressed and ignored," Sixshot brought a hand to his head in annoyance with himself.

Roadbuster frowned, not sure where this conversation was heading.

"You feel isolated, yes? You only feel good when you are fighting. But when the rifles barrel has stopped smoking and the armour has come off, it's just back to the yawning emptiness, isn't it?"

Roadbuster looked away feeling awkward. It was as if his processors were on display to be read like data pads,

"Yeah…" He answered slowly.

"You have the power to change that. And you know you should. Within you, you know how to do it, but you're too afraid to delve that far for a fear of what you might come across. Perhaps memories you'd rather leave forgotten or answers to things you'd rather not know."

Roadbuster felt anger rising in him now. Maybe because he didn't appreciate the enemy telling him about himself, or maybe because he knew there was some truth to it…

"Are you trying to mess with my mind? Because let me tell you, I've been in enough situations to know when they start playing mind games. They don't work on me," Roadbuster snarled, shaking a little. If Roadbuster had one vulnerability, it was his mind. Feelings and thoughts could not be fought with weapons and brute force.

Sixshot smirked faintly, ignoring the question. He begun to pace,

"You know, ever since I became the only six changer, those things, the isolation and emptiness, have grown ten fold."

Roadbuster looked on in silence.

"I see less combat than I ever did," He stopped, leaning forward, "Do you know why? Because I'm only used in exceptional circumstances now. Because of the power I possess, Megatron only uses me as his trump card. When they experimented on me, they promised limitless action and possibilities, just what I thought I needed to keep the emptiness within at bay. Instead, I spend most of my time doing frag all on a ship. Everyone's too afraid to even talk to me, with the exception of the Terracons sometimes," Sixshot laughed bitterly. There was something despairing in that laugh…

Roadbuster turned over some of what he had just heard in his head. He looked at the large figure to his front, who almost looked as though he was on the verge of falling apart.

After some silence, Roadbuster spoke up,

"Look Sixshot…I think I understand you…but I don't understand why you're asking meto change. Why didn't you change? It's all well telling me to, but-"

"Because it's too late for me," Sixshot cut in, raising his voice slightly. He recomposed himself, "I never realized…until it was too late. Until," He held his arms out, "I was this. I want you to change, because I see part of myself in you…"

Roadbuster sighed in frustration, feeling like his cerebro circuits were stuck in a loop. He still didn't fully grasp what Sixshot was really trying to tell him.

"What are you…really trying to get across? I'm one of those mechs that needs to be told directly, otherwise you'll just get a blank stare…"

Sixshot smirked lightly at Roadbuster's directness,

"Okay, listen good. The Autobots will inevitably make their own six changer or something similar one day, yes? They'll say no doubt it's purely to deal with me," Sixshot snickered, "Who do you think they'll want as their candidate? You. Believe me. You're more than capable of undergoing the process. I should know."

Roadbuster was somewhat shocked, but also, somewhere very deep down, he felt a spark of excitement,

"Me?" He pointed at himself, "Why me? There are lots of other Autobots better suited than me."

"Really? Like who?" Sixshot asked plainly, a large hand grasping his chin.

"Well, Springer for one."

Sixshot straightened up, "And risk losing the leader of their top crack team? Heh, I don't think so."

Roadbuster was lost for words, unconsciously gripping his rifle tightly. Things were slowly starting to sink in.

Sixshot took a few steps forward, still stood at a reasonable distance from Roadbuster,

"You will be the next six changer if you don't change and see that combat is not the one and only thing to live for. Answer those questions within yourself, as hard as it may be, and you'll understand. There is more to live for. Do you want to end up like me, after what I've told you? It's too late for me now; there was no one to warn me. Not a cycle goes by where I don't regret being untrue to myself. I'm stuck as someone I and everyone else hates. I'm used for terrible purposes, and I have no one to blame but myself. I've come to accept that now."

Roadbuster was exasperated,

"But, you can change now, leave the Decepticons! I'm sure they won't be too eager to hassle you, it's not like you can't protect yourself."

Was he actually beginning to feel sympathy for the enemy?

Sixshot shook his head, his face deadly serious,

"No, I can't leave. I took an oath of allegiance. That actually means something to me. I'm a warrior, not a deserter. I cannot change. The reasons I had for changing are long since lost. I am essentially a shell of what I once was."

"But what you've told me-"

Sixshot interrupted,

"I'm going to simply tell you one thing: change. If you don't want to end up like me, and ultimately face me in battle, where I will destroy you, change. I've accepted my fate now, I have no choice. You do," Sixshot stretched his arms above him and rotated his neck, popping and cracking some circuits, "Besides," He paused and transformed into his Star Fighter mode, "There is only room for one six changer in this universe, and your looking at him."

And with that, Sixshot took off at lightning speed, disappearing into space. Silence fell almost immediately after.

Roadbuster stared up into the still darkness, speechless. Had that really just happened? The whole situation just seemed completely odd and…unreal. More importantly, was he going to heed what Sixshot had just told him?

Remembering his injured friend lying not so far from him, he ran over and kneeled beside Twintwist to help him.

Flying above Planet Kestra, Sixshot received a sudden transmission from Megatron,

"Sixshot, did you destroy the target?"

"…Yes, Lord Megatron."

"Why the hesitation to answer me, Sixshot? Did you destroy the target?"

"Yes, Lord Megatron."

"Good. We are leaving this pathetic floating rock soon. Return to the ship at once."

"Yes…Lord Megatron."

A/N: Without meaning to sound all deep and pretentious, I think a fair bit of the stuff I wanted to come across in this story is more 'read between the lines' kind of thing. I hope that makes sense. I've got to be honest, I had a bit of a weird time writing this story, it changed a lot. I still don't know if I'm completely satisfied with the way it came out, despite reading and editing it lots. On a completely random note, I can't WAIT to read the Arcee Spotlight that comes out in February, I'm dying to see what Simon Furman is going to do with her in the IDW verse. I really want to do an Arcee one shot.

Anyways, thank you for reading and reviews are always very much appreciated!