Chapter 4, Salt and Sugar
Hot Rod groaned as his system's snapped online. He found, to his suprise, that he had gone from being 32 percent functional to almost 60. The second thing he notices was that his sensors and communications systems, where missing. Not broken. Gone. The third thing he noticed, was why. Lifting his head, he realized his armour was gone. He lay there, held to the table by steel shackles, in protoform. A sickeningly familiar face plunged his spark into a pool of ice water.
Starscream "Hello Hot Rod. Welcome to the pit."
Hot Rod, snarling "Suck Scrap Starslag."
The decepticon grinned. "Oh, you'll regret those words." He held up something that looked like a cattle prod. "I've brought my favorite toy, just for you."
Hot Rod, sounding snarky "Oh goody."
Starscream jabbed the prod through Hot Rod's protoform and it was all he could do not to scream as his body jerked and twisted, forced into random and uncontrollable transformation by the surge of electromagnetic waves coursing from it into his unarmoured form. Finally, just as Hot Rod thought he would rip apart from the inside out, Starscream removed the prod. Hot Rod flopped limply against the table, too exhausted to move as the last waves of red hot agony shimmered through him and disapated.
Starscream, grinning "See? Wasnt that fun?"
Hot Rod, gasping, struggled to keep his voice steady. "Slagtastic. Can we do it again?"
Starscream "Suuuuuuuuure. But first, lets play twenty questions. Question one. Where is the new Allspark?"
Hot Rod, sneering inspite of his pain. "Up your exhaust pipe."
This time Hot Rod couldnt hold back his scream when Starscream jabbed the prod into him.
-Meanwhile, at the Mission City Mall-
At the same time Hot Rod was bravely telling Starscream just where to shove his head, the new Allspark, Annie "Sparkplug" Prime, was laughing. The source of her amusement was the fact that her best friend Katie, had just pointed out the "totally hot guy" that had been following them from a distance since they entered the mall. The man she was googling over was tall and slender, with a mop of curly golden hair and intense sky blue eyes. He wore stone washed jeans that hugged his perfect butt far too well, white converse sneakers and a dark green Abercrombie and Fitch teeshirt that showed the traces of a six pack underneath. He was grinning like a cheshire cat.
Katie "Ooooh my god, he has to be gay! No guy can be that hot and not be gay."
Sparkplug, still laughing "He isnt gay. He's a friend of mine. Wanna meet him?"
Katie "No fricken way!"
Sparkplug "Yes way!"
Katie "I so totally have dibs."
Grabbing her friend and trying to hide her totally wicked grin, she headed towards him. He raised an eyebrow, still grinning.
Sparkplug "Katie Mack, this is my god father."
The guy, flashing a smile that melted Katie's heart into a puddle of goo and holding out a hand "Name's Sunny. Nice to meet you. Sparks, somethin came up. Yer dad asked me to make sure you got a ride home."
Katie, stuttering as she looked into those bright blue eyes "Pl...Pleasure...To meet you."
Sparkplug, looking worried "Is everyone ok?"
Sunny. "Should be."
Sparkplug "Where's Sides?"
Sunny grinned "With Gramps and your dad. I'm spose to remind you that your curfew is... Hmm, thats funny. I forgot. You girls wanna go catch a movie? "
Sparkplug "Your the best Sunny. Whadda you say Katie? The House On Black Row is playing, I hear it's totally scary."
Katie, sounding dazed "Sure..."
-15 minutes later-
Sunstreaker, looking peeved "HEY! OFF THE CAR!"
The three guys that had been looking oogling over the bright yellow 2007 Lamborghini Gallardo looked up.
Guy number 1 "Sweet, this is yours?"
Sunstreaker, narrowing his eyes "Yeah and the paint job is worth more then your life."
Katie, sounding dazed. "Annie...Your god father drives a Lamborghini"
Sparplug, loving this "Yeah, nice isnt it? Hey Sunny, can I drive?"
Sunny, tossing her the keys "Sure"
Katie "Oh no way!"
Sparkplug grinned as the doors slid open. Sparks grabbed the arm of her dazed best friend, pulling the front seat up so Katie could climb in the back, then sliding into the driver's seat.
Katie "Dude, and I thought your dad's camaro was cool. This rocks so hard"
Sparkplug couldnt help but laugh at the look of pride on the face of Sunstreaker's hologram.
Sunstreaker "Your friend has good taste Sparks."