Sorry about the delay updating. The story muse keeps insisting the fic change from Cracky Bad!fic into Serious Business. Not happening.

Also. People. I'm trying to write a badfic. I'm trying to write a badfic so bad they spork it on the badfic livejournal. Stop faving it! *growly face*

Chapter 2

Lockdown grumbled and snarled as he slogged through the red Rust Sea, Swindle scampering ahead. When Megatron had first appeared before the bars of his cell, he had thought he was slagged for sure. He'd been surprised when the Vizier had said he would be willing to pardon Lockdown's crimes, if only Lockdown would retrieve an item from the central cavern of the Cave of Wonders. Lockdown had agreed, though he now regretted it. His paint was ruined!

At least he should soon be at the cave, if the directions he had been given were right. Triangulated dead centre between the Hydrax Plateau, Tyrest, and Polyhex.

He crested a rust dune, and there it was. A dark red ruststone ruin peeked out from the rust sea surrounding it. Lockdown slid down the dune towards the ruin. He moved cautiously through the ruin, keeping a lookout for traps of any kind. After a while, he found a staircase, almost obscured by a drift of rust, leading down to the next level.

Cautiously, Lockdown walked down the stairs, keeping an optic out for any traps. The ruststone was scarred and pitted with age, the steps broken and crumbling in places. He watched his step, in case he stood on one of the crumbling pieces and fell.

The flight of stairs seemed to go on forever. As it got deeper, the only light was from his and Swindle's optics. Lockdown was glad he had gotten that night-vision mod. A sudden screech in Lockdown's audio caused him to jerk and step wrong. He tumbled awkwardly down the rest of the stairs, head spinning, and with a great racket of metal-on-metal. Thankfully, the ride did not last long, and he soon face-planted to a stop at the bottom of the staircase.

Head still spinning, Lockdown heard the muffled sounds of multiple twangs and thuds. Swindle scampered nonchalantly by Lockdown's head, looking as though energon goodies wouldn't melt in his mouth. The large, spiky mech glared at his pet, before dragging himself up. He looked behind him, and winced at what he saw. Dozens of large steel shafts stood quivering in one of the walls of the staircase. In the other wall, he could see the faint imprint of the holes from which the arrows had come from.

Venting in disgust, Lockdown swatted Swindle away, and turned to trundle down the corridor, the only way to go. He couldn't wait to get this done and over with.