DMK: Woo-hoo! Since I named Energon Inferno as my new muse, I've gotten an idea! XD
Inferno: that's good, right?
DMK: yes! It means you're doing your muse-y duties! Which also means you readers are going to get chapter 11! So yay! But a note: I don't rightly think I'm going to have Hotshot be taken hostage. I WILL, however, have the 'Cons come ungodly close to capturing him which further endangers his health. And. Stuff. So yeah. Have fun, and don't kill me for not using the most dramatic scenario! I was going to have Megs stalk Wheeljack later on and almost-
Inferno: DON'T RUIN IT!
DMK: ... ::cough cough:: oh. Yeah. Right. Sorry about that. Read on!
Chapter 11
"It's easier to run
Replacing this pain with something numb
It's so much easier to go
Than face all this pain here all alone..."
The pain was blinding. Hotshot awoke slowly, only to fade in and out again. After what seemed like forever, he managed to stay conscious long enough to look around. The sky was dark, thunder rumbled off in the distance. He could almost smell the rain that came to him on tiny gusts of air. Up above him, the mouth of the ravine hung out of reach. That was when the memories of what had happened earlier came flooding back to him...
"Something has been taken
From deep inside of me
A secret I've kept locked away
No one can ever see
Wounds so deep they never show
They never go away
Like moving pictures in my head
For years and years they've played..."
Hotshot almost wanted to cry. Was Windracer dead? Would she recover? Would the Autobots even think about looking for him? He hardly cared about himself, so long as she was fine. Maybe he'd die right here and now and wouldn't have to ever face up to what he'd done... If only he were so lucky.
"If I could change I would
Take back the pain I would
Retrace every wrong move that I made I would
If I could stand up and take the blame I would
If I could take all the shame to the grave I would
If I could change I would
Take back the pain I would
Retrace every wrong move that I made I would
If I could stand up and take the blame I would
I would take all my shame to the grave..."
He knew what he was feeling was wrong. Wheeljack probably deserved her, right? He'd had such a rough past that he had a hand in... But he cared about Windracer so much... Hotshot didn't want to let her go! Then again... there was Raider. Wheeljack and Windracer cared about him, probably even loved the little thing like he was their own kid. He couldn't break that up, even if he wanted to.
Laying his head back down slowly, he exhaled and let his optics gradually close. He didn't bother to hear the roar of jets above him...
"It's easier to run
Replacing this pain with something numb
It's so much easier to go
Than face all this pain here all alone..."
"Look at what I've found!" Above the ravine circled not Jetfire, but Starscream. He cackled a little, and comlinked Megatron. "Sir, we've got one. He's in poor shape and isn't mobile. Do you want us to capture him?"
"Yes..." Came the Lead Decepticon's voice. "Do it, before the Autobots get here."
"Yes, sir!" Starscream transformed and hovered above the deep hole, looking down at Hotshot. "Tidal Wave, Cyclonus, let's go, we've got a hostage to collect."
Cye reverted to his robot mode and hovered using his rotor. "Gotcha, c'mon ya big lug, get down there and grab 'im!" He motioned to Tidal Wave and then pointed to the ravine.
The silent giant gave a grumble and landed at the ravine's mouth, and peered down. He couldn't fit through it himself, but his arm was more than long enough to reach the semi-conscious Autobot inside. Extending it, he gripped onto the limp figure and pulled him up.
"Sometimes I remember
The darkness of my past
Bringing back these memories I wish I didn't have
Sometimes I think of letting go
And never looking back
And never moving forward so
There would never be a past..."
Hotshot snapped awake, looking about in panic as a hand closed around his torso tightly and began to pull him up. Was that Jetfire picking him up? He noticed the purple coloration, and became somewhat scared. Tidal Wave had him in his grip. Slowly, unceremoniously, he found himself being lifted clear out of the ravine. Starscream and Cyclonus were standing in front of him, grinning almost sadistically.
"Perfect," Starscream said evilly. "He's helpless. This Autobot should make the perfect hostage..."
'Hostage'? dread began to well up inside Hotshot at that word. So he was going to be held prisonner? Used to barter for the other Autobots' Minicons? They wouldn't trade them for him, not after what he did to Windy, he thought in his mind. Maybe he'd be better off captured anyways. No having to face up to this...
'Windy...' Hotshot thought weakly, remembering the first time he'd met her, when she was still just a normal human. Remembering he'd been the one to save her. Remembering when he came to her to talk out his problems. Remembering the day she died as a human. Remembering when he first met her in her new body. 'I'm so sorry for doing this to you... please, forgive me...' He couldn't move, not even to defend himself. He might not have even wanted to. He shut down his optics again as Starscream commanded the other two to retreat back to base with their cargo.
"If I could change I would
Take back the pain I would
Retrace every wrong move that I made I would
If I could stand up and take the blame I would
If I could take all the shame to the grave I would
If I could change I would
Take back the pain I would
Retrace every wrong move that I made I would
If I could stand up and take the blame I would
I would take all my shame to the grave..."
"Hotshot!" Came a voice through his veil of half-consciousness. "I'll save ya!" The sound of laser rounds followed not long after.
"Agh! It's that stupid shuttle!" Starscream growled. "Run him into the ground! Before he calls for backup!"
Cyclonus cackled and took to the air. "Gladly! Eehehehehehehe! Come n' get it, Autoscum!"
Jetfire transformed as well, pulling out his plasma blaster and firing off. "I don't THINK so! You're not getting Hotshot!"
Tidal Wave, angered at the annoyance that came in the form of an Autobot, began to close his hands around Hotshot, who groaned in pain as he felt his body start to crack and bend under the strain. 'Primus... I'm going to die like this...? Crumpled like a tin can?' Deep down, he felt like he was getting what he deserved...
"Just washing it aside
All of the helplessness inside
Pretending I don't feel misplaced
Is so much simpler than change..."
"Drop him, NOW!" Jetfire rushed at the battleship, shooting his plasma blaster off some more. Firing off the jets in his feet, he managed to hover long enough to hit the giant square in the optic with a round. Tidal Wave shouted in pain, and decided it was better off to leave him be. He opened his hands, and the half-crushed form of Hotshot fell to the ground with a dull thud.
Cyclonus scowled. They'd lost their hostage! "You're going to pay for that, Autobot!"
"You slagging wish!" With a battle cry, Jetfire connected with Cyclonus in midair, slamming his clenched fist right into his face. He rocked back, holding his cheek, and felt the Autobot Vice Commander grab him by the foot and swing him over his head. "Go...back... to the pit... you Decepticreeps came from!" Shouting again, Jetfire hurled the helicopter 'Con down towards the approaching Starscream.
"Gaaaaiiieee!" Cyclonus went flying and slammed hard into the seeker, who fell from the sky and proceeded to land on top of Tidal Wave. The three, shouting, cursing, tangled in each other's limbs, got up just in time to be blanketed by more Plasma rounds. Cye was struck hard in the chest with one and fell back over, having been knocked for quite a loop.
Hotshot watched all of this in a daze. He was going to be saved? Why, so he could be punished later? Or did the Autobots really care about him? Well, it wasn't like he could flee. Everything from his hips down had no feeling, and his arms felt like they'd been shattered from the second fall.
"It's easier to run
Replacing this pain with something numb
It's so much easier to go
Than face all this pain here all alone..."
"Argh, retreat!" Starscream shouted, covering his face with one of his hands protectively. "This isn't worth it!"
Tidal Wave grumbled. He could take him! But, an order was an order. Picking Cyclonus up by the leg, he took to the air and followed Starscream upward and away from the berserking Autobot. Their warp gate activated, and soon it was just Jetfire and Hotshot. He knelt down by the crumpled mech worriedly.
"Hotshot! C'mon buddy, speak to me!" Jetfire seemed to be miles away from him, his voice was faint and hard to make out. "Hang on, I'll getcha outta here!"
The mech's optics flickered to life for just a moment, and he used the remains of his strength to look up at him. "Jet...fire...?"
"It's me buddy, just rest, you're safe." He took his advice. Hotshot put his head back down to the ground and groaned softly as the pain became numbing. He hardly felt Jetfire pick him up.
"It's easier to run
If I could change I would
Take back the pain I would
Retrace every wrong move that I made
It's so much easier to go
If I could change I would
Take back the pain I would
Retrace every wrong move that I made I would
If I could stand up and take the blame I would
I would take all my shame, to the grave..."
"W-Windy...is...she alright...?" His strength was starting to fade again, but he had to get that question out.
"She's fine, 'Shot, you'll be seein' her back at the base real soon."
It felt like a weight was lifted from his shoulders, but at that point it was too late. Hotshot gave a shuddering sigh, then, and blacked out once more. His friend looked down at the crumpled form of his teammate forlornly, cracks and dents covering his body, and activated his jet thrusters. They roared to life as he took off into the waning night, and soon the Autobot's second in command was heading back to the base in hopes of being able to save his friend.
TBC
DMK: dang, I never knew how hard songfics were... .;; eck. That sucked. Plus it's the second one I've done so yeah, I need to get the hang of them... ::sigh:: forgive that, it was mainly a filler and junk... A bad filler but whahey. Review pleeze???