Wow. O.0 It's like my reviewers disappeared on me… Oh well. I can deal with that…
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Red Alert turned slowly, optics scanning the room. The snake was easy to spot, standing out like a cat in a group of dogs. Red Alert wondered what he was going to do, when he spotted the small kit he had used to fix Inferno. Carefully he edged towards it, keeping one optic on the snake. It tensed as it stared back, both utterly silent.
Red Alert picked it up, rifling through the items. Other then a couple of sedatives that would probably be ineffectual, there was nothing of use.
Red Alert scowled darkly at the kit. Then, his CPU came up with a desperate idea. It probably wouldn't work, but he was determined to live. And every second that passed by decreased that possibility as the snake grew more accustomed to its body and would soon be able to move faster.
Red Alert unwrapped the sedative, as his hand closed on a small wrench. It would do no damage, but hopefully it would distract the snake—
Bam! The hollow clinging of the wrench ricocheting off of the snake echoed around the room as the snake twisted in the sudden pain. Red Alert sprang foreword, clearing the small pool of acid in a single bound. He pressed the sedative against the snakes skin, and found himself flying.
The snakes tail lashed agitatedly as Red Alert landed heavily by the pool. Red Alert sat up slowly, feeling the snake-shaped dent. "This is going to be tough." He murmured.
0o0o0o0o0o0
The group of special combat mechs had been assembled hastily. "Apparently, this snake was created by the scientists of this city in order to destroy the decepticons. It has two skin layers. The outer layer, which is virtually impenetrable. It can take blasts from Megatron's plasma cannon and not be affected. Then, as a last resort, they built a second layer."
The debriefer paused, pointing to the diagram. "The second layer is less impressive than the bigger layer, but they hoped to make up the strength with speed. Because at the point where it got bad enough that it had to shed its first layer, then it would be very bad indeed. All of you are the best fighters. You will be going into the sewers to eradicate the monster if it still surviving after all of the acid."
One of the mechs spoke up. "Sir, what about Inferno? He was insisting upon joining the us in our search-"
"He is to stay on base. He will merely be an impediment to the search." The mech said softly, optics looking out of the window to where Inferno scowled darkly.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Inferno knew very well that the chances of him being in the group were slim to none. So, as he waited for the acid to subside, and schemed. He slowly came up with a plan. It was one of his first, since he usually rushed in, but he didn't want to disturb Ghost if he was busy.
Inferno realized that he had never gotten the Ghost's real name, and resolved to ask. Ratchet strode up behind him, and he asked, "Are you planning on going on down there?"
"Of course! One of my buddies is down there." Inferno replied, frowning. "I can't just leave him there." Worry made his accent thick enough to be near unintelligible.
Ratchet made a slight noise, and remarked almost off-handedly, "It's unlikely he survived."
Inferno chuckled. "No, he survived the acid. There's no way a little acid could destroy him after all he's done."
0o0o0o0o0o0
Red Alert sat up slowly, seesawing between his glitch or his logic processor taking over. Electricity ran across his body, unnoticed by the youngling, whose attention was focused on the snake. The snake hissed softly, coiling up in preparation to strike. Red Alert ripped the second sedative out of the sterilized cellophane, and got ready to charge.
A large dent was across his chest from where he had been struck by the snake. It made it difficult for Red Alert to breath, further deteriorating his control on his glitch. Red Alert charged, dodging the tail. He pressed the sedative straight into the main energon tube that ran down the back of the snakes' body.
It jerked, slowing slightly. Red Alert grabbed the abandoned kit, dumping all of the items out. He scooped up a kit full of acid from the pool, and flung it at the snake.
It screamed in pain as the acid ate away at the metal amour, rolling around in an attempt to get it off.
When it was clear that it couldn't get off, it turned furious optics towards Red Alert. For a brief, clear second Red Alert saw fear. Fear that it was going to die. "You attacked everyone." Red Alert whispered. "I can't allow you to do that."
The snake hissed, and attacked, its fangs glinting in the weak light.
0o0o0o0o0o0
The acid slowly subsided, as the victor of the battle staggered out. It was shaking from exhaustion, but they were alive. "I have to get out of here." Red Alert murmured, looking back at the scene of devastation.
The snake, after leaping foreword, had managed to wrap around Red Alert, trying to squeeze the spark right out of him. Red Alert had pitched himself foreword, dipping both of them in the acid. Or at least the snake. The snake was so tight around Red Alert; it made an almost second layer.
He staggered in exhaustion, and looked back at the snake. It laid half in half out of the pool of acid, the head badly damaged except for the optics. Red Alert could have sworn he saw a slight flash. "Are you glad to be going?" Red Alert wondered out loud.
The snake stirred weakly, and seemed to sigh, giving up its life. Red Alert moved out of the room. He didn't look back. He had won, and that was all he was going to concentrate on.
He didn't realize that the spark still pulsed.
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OHHHHH! The spark, see it beat… Poor Red, after all he went through, he still didn't kill it.