Inside The Beast Wars Bed and Breakfast
This fic is for all my friends at the BWB&B here on Thank you for making it such a success, and for becoming my bot family.
Airrizzon opened the blinds in the upstairs bedroom she claimed as her own. It was dawn, and it was time to open shop. She climbed downstairs, and felt a slight swooping sensation in her stomach as she heard Darktide snorring in one of the rooms.
She picked a broom up from the corner, and began sweeping up the sugar packets, sweet wrapers, and energon pizza crumbs from the day before.
As she swept them all into a dustpan, and tossed them into the garbage, she looked around the cave she'd made into her home. It's stone walls, and upstairs level had been meticulously carved out, to make the most stunning Bed and Breakfast of any age. Energon crystals hung from the celing like shandelires. Airrizzon was proud of her little home.
She unbolted the front door, and began cooking some dodo eggs. At least I know small comforts like this will never disapear. She thought to herself with a smile.
There was a loud grunt from upstairs, and a loud curse, then more snoring. Airrizzon shook her head. Ah Darktide... She thought smiling and blushing, that sensation returning again.
She had just transformed into her snow leopard/falcon beast mode, and laid down on the couch to devour the eggs when a buzzing sound could be heard outside, getting louder every moment. She looked at her eggs for a moment. "Oh no..." She transformed, jumping up, and carried her plate of eggs to behind the counter. She just slid them behind a shelf when the door burst open. A large paper wasp flew in the room.
"Hiya Airrizzon! Man Megs is thick. He actualy bought my story of scouting the Maxi's out today. I'll pop by there later if I got the time." Suddenly the wasp froze, and sniffed the air. Airrizzon walked in front of the shelf behind the desk. "OMG DODO EGGS!!!"
"Shock, no please, OUFF!" Airrizzon gasped as the wasp bowled her over, landing on her chest.
"ALL FOR THE BOX!" Shockbox yelled as she spotted the plate of eggs on the shelf, and dove at them. She'd inhaled the whole batch before Airrizzon could sit back up.
"Aw Shock, that was my breakfast! Now what am I supposed to do?" Airrizzon said, pulling herself up off the ground.
Shock let out a mighty belch, and wiped her face. "That wasn't nearly enough for a breakfast. Why don't you cook up some more?"
Airrizzon laughed. Dispite Shock's habbit of eating everything in site, and being a Predicon, she was one of Airrizzon's best customer's, and a good friend. "Alright. I'll make up some more. Make yourself at home." She grinned as Shockbox transformed, and flopped down on Airrizzon's vacated couch.
"Don't mind if I do! Got a pick me up?" She asked, and Airrizzon tossed her a beer.
Airrizzon busied herself at the stove behind the counter, making a large quantity of eggs for the two of them. A loud grunt could be heard from upstairs, and Airrizzon began to blush again, glad her back was turned to Shock. It didn't matter. "So when you gonna ask him out?"
Airrizzon dropped the plate she was about to spoon scrambled egg onto. "What are you talking about Shock? Ask who out?"
As if in respoce, another loud snore echoed from upstairs. Shock shook her head. "Come on Airrizzon it's obvious you like him. He likes you too you know. I've seen him looking at you when your back's turned."
Airrizzon continued to blush, and tried to ignore that swooping, tingling feeling inside her. She was spared making a coment by the door opening again. A twelve tailed fox walked in followed by a pink panther. "Morning Shock. Morning Air. I could smell those eggs two sectors away. Got any bacon?" the fox said.
Airrizzon smiled, and poured the eggs on four plates. "Morning Soul, PP. How's your head? I know you drank a little more than you should have last night." She asked the fox.
Soultail Omega-Light was a Maximal who specialised in nearly everything; thievery, alchemy, explosives. She could shift from calm and solemn, to humorous and random from one moment to the next, which was one of her most endearing qualities. The three women were inseparable friends despite their backgrounds.
Soultail rubbed her head absentmindedly. "Oh I'm alright now. PP got me home safely."
"After about three cycles. It's not easy trying to support her weight when she's trying to dance, and sing 'can you do the can can.'" The Panther said. Pink Panther was a hyperactive, ADHD fembot, with aspergers syndrome. Despite the fact she was as loyal to her friends, and the Maximals as a dog to it's owner. She was just as friendly, and easygoing too.
"Just glad the ape didn't figure out you weren't on patrol." Shock said moving over on the couch to let the other two sit. One of the things the three had agreed on, was they never discussed meeting at the B&B with their leaders, or other faction members. It was suspected they knew about it, but ignored the B&B's existence, and the interactions their members had there. "Now Airrizzon, you never answered me. When you gonna ask him out?"
Soul looked over enquiringly and smiled. "Still haven't gotten up enough nerve to ask him? Not even after how long you two have known each other."
"It hasn't been that long." Airrizzon muttered.
"Bull. You two met just before you opened the B&B. He helped you build it. He told me a few days ago." Pink said grabbing a beer, and sipping on it matter of factly.
Airrizzon put some bacon on the frying pan, and ignored her eggs for the moment. "Well you know how he likes to tell stories. Said he hurt his ankle in a fight with some aliens, and we later found out he just got a few ants that crawled into his circuits, and fried them up a bit."
Soul shook her head. "Your making excuses Airrizzon. Look, when he comes down here, just tell him how you feel."
Airrizzon shook her head. "It's not that easy Soul. He and I..." Suddenly Soul jumped up, aimed her gun at the window, and fired.
A cyber bee fell, and lay sparking on the ground. Shock moved over to it, her eyes wide. "Scorpinok!" She picked up the bee, opened a panel on it's head. "Please don't be..." Her face turned pail. "It's already sent out a broadcast to the Darkside. I gotta get outta here, and try to stop Megatron before he arrives."
Soultail and Pink stood up, and Pink put her hand on Shockbox's shoulder. "Shock, he'll blast you for hanging out with us here! You can't face him."
Shock pulled her arm away. "I'm not gonna let him blast the B&B! I'll put up with whatever he does."
Soul nodded with a sick look on her face. "Then we're gonna take off for the Axalon, and alert the Maximals." She turned to Airrizzon. "Looks like our secret is out. If we're gonna protect the B&B, we gotta tell the Maximals. You built this place to promote peace, so I'm sure Optamis will agree to defend it."
Airrizzon looked at her friends with tears in her optics, and grasped their hands. "Come back here safely, and soon. Darktide and I will hold out as long as we can against Megatron." She looked at Shock. "Please be really careful. I dunno what I'd do if you got hurt on my account."
Shock smiled and did a little salute. "No problem Air. I'll cya soon." With that she went to beast mode, and took off out the window, after banging into the wall next to it, and ricocheting off it with a resounding thud.
Soul gave Airrizzon's hand a little squeeze, and Pink nodded gravely, before going to beast mode as well, and jumping through the window with more grace than Shock.
Airrizzon twisted her hands nervously. As a pacifist fighting was the last thing she ever wanted to do, but she had to defend her home, and Darktide...
Shockbox turned on her scanners. "Computer locate Megatron." the computer chimed immediately Unit Megatron is two sectors north east from current location. "Is he alone?" She asked. Negative. All Predicon units are detected at same location. "Primus no..." she said, transforming to utilize her top speed in robot mode.
She quickly came within site of the Predicon fleet. Waspinator and Terrorsour rushed forward to meet her. "Wazbinator hears Shock bot iz a traitor now. Iz that true?" Waspinator said to Shock in a hurt voice.
Outside the B&B Waspinator and Terrorsour were her two best friends in the Predicon Fleet. "It's not true Waspy. I'd never betray you guys! Your my pals." She said defiantly.
Terrorsour transformed and looked at her sadly. "We saw Scorpinok's tape. You were talking to some Maximals. You were sitting right next to them!"
Shock laughed. "You mean Soul and Pink? They're pals of mine, just like you guys. We met up at the B&B, and the owner won't allow fighting there. We became friends."
Megatron approached. "Well Shockbox, they've obviously brainwashed you into thinking you can just abandon your duties to go boozing, and having fun with Maximal scum. Fortunately for you, I know one good way to cure you of that problem." Megatron raised his dino head laser. "By eliminating any thoughts of yours whatsoever. Any final words?"
Shock had to think fast. "I did it for you Megatron! I... wanted to find out about this place, so we could take it over! I mean if it's got comfortable beds, and access to great food and booze, may...maybe we could use it for ourselves!"
The other Predicons looked egger at this news, and Megatron paused. "Why didn't you give me this information sooner?"
"Well I had to get enough info to give you something to work with. Get them on my good side you know?" She said a little more confidently now that Megatron didn't look as keen on shooting her.
Megatron smiled and lowered his dino cannon. "Verywell Shock. You did a good job infiltrating that Maximal hideout. I'll take down your report later. For now, we have to exterminate the pests that reside in our new secondary base. Yeeeessss."
Shock felt a sickening sensation deep in her stomach, but went back into beast mode, and followed as Megatron continued toward the B&B. What choice did she have? She didn't want to kill her friends, but being slagged wouldn't help them either. Terrorsour looked at her concerned. "You bull slag about as good as Tarantulus. You really care about them don't you?" Shock looked at her longtime friend and nodded.
Terrorsour and Waspinator looked at each other, then nodded. They flew up on either side of her. "If Shock bot wantz to save friends, Wazbinator and Terrorsour will help!"
Terrorsour nodded, smiling. "We'll get anyone inside out, and to safety. You can't afford for Megatron to see you leaving the fight. Just aim above their heads."
Shock smiled, tears threatening. She hugged each of her friends. Both looked a little unsettled, but were used to her friendly outbursts. "Thank you so much guys!"
Soultail Omega-Light and Pink Panther ran pell-mell toward the Axalon. It finally came into view, and to Soul's dismay it was the yellow and black spotted cheetah who first saw her approaching. "Hey Lights, how was your trip to sector twenty one?"
Soultail hated the feline since the end of a very short romance. She wished he'd just fall down a ditch, and never bother her again. "Where's Optamis spots?"
"I think he's inside, reviewing some new experiment of Rinox's." Soultail took off toward the lift, but Cheetor continued. "You know Light, I've been thinking maybe we...OUFF!"
Pink ran headlong into Cheetor, head butting him in the gut, and landing on top of him. "Sorry spots, forgot to break." She winked at Soul, who smiled gratefully back. Before he could get his bearings, the two friends took off up the lift.
Optamis was standing over the main console, looking at a holographic display Rinox was showing him. They transformed and he turned around. "What's your report Soultail Omega-Light, Pink Panther?"
"Optamis, I need your help. There's this place I go to... A bed and breakfast..." Pink started.
"Are we finally gonna find out where you keep taking off to, when your supposed to be on scouting duty?" He said with a small smile.
Soul sighed. "Yes sir. It's a bed and breakfast like Pink said, and the owner built it to promote peace. But now the Predicons want to demolish it, along with everyone inside. They're probably on their way there now." Optamis raised his eyebrow at her. "Please sir. My friends are there. I don't want them killed."
Optamis gave them a long look. Come on you big ape, there's no time for this! Soul thought impatiently. "Are there Maximals, or Predicons there?"
"Both. I have a friend from the Predicon fleet who goes there frequently. She's gone to try and stop Megatron from attacking, but I don't know if she'll be able to pull it off. We have to go help them!" Pink shouted.
Optamis gave them a long look. "We'll go, but I need your word your no longer going to shirk your duties to go to this place. From now on your both going to do your best to be efficient members of the crew."
Soultail looked at him solemnly. "You have my word sir! Anything to save Airrizzon, Darktide, and Shockbox." She said immediately. Pink saluted, her face solemn. Both crossed their fingers behind their backs.
Optamis nodded, and raised his wrist to his face. "All units, meet in the command room immediately for an emergency rescue mission."
Airrizzon ran into Darktide's room. He'd always told her not to come in, and now she knew why. He sat up immediately at the sound of the door opening. His armor was lying on the floor, and the blankets were sprawled on the ground. "Primus Darktide, cover up!" She screamed covering her optic sensors.
He grabbed the blanket, and tossed it over his lower half. "Airrizzon, I told you never to come in here. You come busting into my room for huh?"
Airrizzon restrained a sob at the thought of what was happening. "Darktide, the Predicons are coming here. Shock says they'll probably try to destroy the B&B!"
Darktide jumped out of bed, and Airrizzon yelled again, averting her eyes. Darktide ignored her reaction, and quickly got dressed. "Over my dead body they will! I won't let them touch this place." Airrizzon felt his hand on her shoulder. She chanced a look behind her hands. He was giving her a compassionate look. "You've put your spark into this place, and keeping it going. I won't let them take that away from you."
Airrizzon gave a small hiccough. "Oh thank you Darktide. If there's ever any way I can repay you.."
"Well for starters, you can get rid of my tab, and give me half off room and board... free booze wouldn't hurt either."
Airrizzon tossed a vase at him, and hit him square in the face. "You wish! You have any idea how big your tab is?!?" She stomped downstairs to prepare fo the siege. Darktide rubbed his mech covered face, and smiled. "Oh if she's this wild on her feet..." He didn't bother to finish his sentence, but transformed into a large black wolf, and took off downstairs.
Airrizzon had taken off into the back room. Darktide had stored his stasis pod here, and for once she was glad of it's bulky presence. She opened a side compartment, and several quasar guns, machine guns similar to Rinox's, and even a few mount cannons popped out.
She tried to lift one of the cannons, but nearly topped over. Well she did really, right into Darktide. He caught her, and sighed. "You want a hand with that, little sweet thing?"
She raised her head a little higher. He could be so arrogant toward her, especially when nobody was around. She hoisted the cannon up onto her shoulder with some difficulty, but held it there. "I can manage it Darktide. If you wanna help, grab another one, and get it to the roof. This one's going near the door."
He smiled and lifted another cannon with ease. "By the way Air, feel free to use my weapons to defend this place." He said smirking.
She continued to walk away from him, as though she hadn't heard him. By the time he managed to climb the rocky surface of the roof, Airrizzon had her's fully installed on the ground. He grunted, setting the cannon down, and kneeling beside it to secure it to the ground. "Sure, give the tough job to the guy." He snorted under his breath.
He had just finished securing it, and Airrizzon was about to turn inside when he heard it. A cannon blast. He looked to the north, and saw a missile heading straight at Airrizzon. "Look out!" He dove off the roof at an angle, and shoved the two of them away from the front door, where the missile exploded moments later.
He crouched behind a rock, looking for the enemy, but they kept themselves hidden. He started to open fire, and pressed a button on his wrist to activate the cannons. "Get inside! I don't want you getting hurt!"
Airrizzon ran back inside, and Darktide felt a moment of concern for her. What if the place caved in on her? Moments later he heard laser fire right next to him. He looked up, and Airrizzon had two quasar guns in her hands. "What are you doing?!? I told you to get inside!"
"Like I'd listen to you." She said defiantly. "I'm going to defend my home, even if it goes against everything I believe in. I'm not gonna hide inside like a coward." She blasted a large rock at the base, and the Predicon fleet were exposed.
Darktide was impressed, and a little turned on by her battle rage. He smiled to himself, and continued to shoot at the Predicons. He suddenly did a double take. Shock was with them. "Air, look!" He pointed to her.
Airrizzon looked for a few moments, then smiled. "She's aiming around us. None of her's have even come close."
Darktide growled. "I don't' trust Predicons." But he made sure not to aim anywhere near Shock.
"And I don't trust mercenaries for hire! They don't fight for any real cause." Airrizzon shot back at him. He glowered, but remained silent. It was an old argument, but now wasn't the time.
Suddenly the Predicons scattered, and the next moment more missiles landed right where they were moments before. Airrizzon and Darktide looked up, smiling. Optamis and the other Maximals were on the top of the B&B, looking down at them. "Maximals, form a perimeter!"
Pink and Soul jumped down on either side of Airrizzon. "Glad we dropped by again?" Pink said with a grin.
"Always love return customers." Airrizzon smiled, not taking her guns off the Predicons.
"What about Shock?" Soul asked quietly to Airrizzon, and Pink looked over concerned.
"She's over there." Airrizzon pointed. "She can't fight with us, or she'll be killed. She's been aiming over our heads the whole time."
Rattrap moved in front of the three of them and opened fire on the Predicons. "Yeah, can't expect much from a Predicon 'cept being a little coward. Why'd you even bother serving them snowy? They're just stinking..."
Pink and Soul both shot him in the back, and he flew head first into the rock they were crouched behind. "Pink! Soul!" Optamis shouted.
Pink shrugged without looking away from the fight, and yelled over her shoulder, "Sorry boss kong, he was right in our line of fire. It was an accident, I assure you!" She gave Soul a little wink. "Really was. I was aiming for his head."
Darktide looked over the rock angrily. "Ah slag this!" He drew his laser sword and ran yelling right toward Megatron. Everyone stopped shooting in surprise. "Die you prehistoric pile of slag!" He jumped on top of Megatron, who in his surprise hadn't bothered to defend himself. Darktide managed to get in several good swipes, taking off Megatron's arm, and stabbing him in the groin before the Predicons opened fire on him.
He flew twenty feet to the right of the battlefield. Airrizzon screamed and ran toward him, ignoring the cry's from her friends to come back. The Predicons ignored her and continued to fire on the Maximals. She knelt down next to him, and held his head in her lap. He looked up at her, his chest sparking. "Looks like I won't be asking you on a date any time soon sweet thing."
Airrizzon sobbed, and forced a smile. "Who said I'd accept anyway?"
He snorted with laughter, mech fluid pouring out his nose at the act. "Ah you know you want it." He gasped and grabbed his chest. She held him up against her gently.
Suddenly she was being torn away from him, and carried into the air. "Get off me!" She screamed in panic.
"Wazbinator iz helping friend of friend like he promized!" She looked up to see him carrying her further away from the battlefield, holding her under the armpits. She looked down, and Terrorsour was carrying Darktide in his arms close behind.
They set down a bit of a distance from the B&B, but still well in sight of it. She could see Rinox running toward them, and Terrorsour and Waspinator raised their guns. "NO! Airrizzon cried. "He's just coming to help Darktide."
They lowered their weapons, but stayed protectively close to the two of them as Rinox approached. He fingered his chain guns, but after a look from Airrizzon decided to ignore the two. "He's not as bad as he looks. Mostly he's suffering from mech loss, and a concussion from the landing, but none of the bullets went too deep. He's gotta be made of some tough metal."
Airrizzon nodded, but they all turned their heads when a loud rumble filled the air. The B&B had caved in, and was no more than a pile of rubble. "NOOOOO!!!" Airrizzon screamed. She tried to run toward it, but Waspinator and Rinox held her arms. She sobbed wildly.
Her home, everything she'd worked so hard to build, and had based her whole life on earth for was gone. She fell to the ground, and lay there sobbing. She felt the grass under her hands, and it seemed the grass wound itself around her fingers. There was a bright flash of light. Both factions covered their optics. When the light faded away, the small group near Darktide had disappeared, along with Shock, Pink, and Soul.
Airrizzon floated in darkness. She could feel several other sparks nearby, all confused and lost. She knew what to do. The landscape of the planet soared by them, and stopped in the middle of a moss carpeted forest.
Some of the trees uprooted themselves, and moved up against one another. An old one with large thick roots remained uprooted, and a 6 foot high opening formed like a door in the wall of trees.
Then the ground began shifting, and some of it raised up, forming moss covered couches, tables, and even a counter. Then the branches on the trees began shifting, and moving. Some came together like a ceiling above them, with a small opening left, while others stacked on top of each other to make a staircase into the opening.
Several objects appeared in the main room that had been in the B&B. Airrizzon's stove, fridge, and all her plates and cutlery. Even her food and booze. They could still hear sounds coming from upstairs, and several insects suddenly scurried out of the enclosure through the door (Pink and Soul shuddered at the swarm, but Shock smiled, and even waved genially at them as they left.)
Finally there was silence in the copse. Darktide had appeared on a couch when they first arrived, and he sat up now. "Man in all my years, I've never seen anything like this place!"
Rinox pulled out a scanner, and began looking around. "The scanner shows we're three parsecs into neutral ground, just five sectors south of both bases."
Soul looked at Airrizzon. "How did you do that?" She said with a note of awe in her voice, looking at the branch made ceiling.
Airrizzon smiled. "I did it from all of your desires to keep this place going. I told you all before I can control plants, but it was your will that helped me find a new place for the B&B."
They all smiled, and in a few minutes they could all be seen raising bottles of beer in cheers. "To the B&B, and our friendship everyone." Darktide said, and all eight of them yelled out their approval.
Darktide put his hand around Airrizzon's waist, and she screamed, bashing him over the head with her beer. "You sick perverted spawn of Smelt! Get back here!" She yelled as he took off.
"It's only perverted if I do it when you don't like it. You like it and you know it!" He yelled back laughing.
"Do I look like I like it?!?" She screamed at the top of her lungs as she picked up her frying pan and chased him around the B&B, to the laughter of all present.
The end!
