A/N: Sorry for the long delay in updating, but in my defence I have mentioned that my exams have started, and I don't want to write chapters if my mind isn't concentrating on the story. I hope you can understand, but I want these chapters to be perfect.
Another excuse is that a 24 hour anime channel has started in South Africa… so between studying and watching anime in the breaks I haven't had much time to write…
An updated list of cameo characters can be found at the end of this chapter.
Please read and review!
Chapter Twenty-one: The Party Begins
The cloaked Cobra Cruiser floated unseen above the hotel, watching as the guests arrived for the party.
"Urg," snarled the Baroness, "dere's dat despicable Covergirl! I hope she trips on her high heels!"
"No such luck," Firefly said to her, "Covergirl has catwalk experience."
"Darn," Baroness muttered, and continued to insult each guest as they arrived.
"Is Zartan in position?" Cobra Commander asked Destro, who was standing next to him.
"Yes Sir, Zartan has assumed the disguise of one of the waiters," replied Destro.
"Good, we'll wait for everyone to arrive before we launch our attack," Cobra Commander tightened his grip on his sceptre and grinned evilly beneath his mask.
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"Hey Scott," Zephyr was standing on the hotel steps looking out at the parking lot, "doesn't that police car look familiar to you?"
Scott and S.P.U.D.D paused and looked back at the police car Zephyr was pointing out.
"Well, it does have a Cobra logo on it," agreed Scott.
"Do you think we should do anything about it?" Asked Zephyr.
"Nah, let's just leave it alone," Scott replied and continued walking into the hotel.
After a moments hesitation, Zephyr followed.
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Arcee parked next to Barricade, turning off her hologram, "so, are you going to Ratchet?" She asked.
"Yes, will you cover for me?" He replied.
"Sure, I'll make up a suitable excuse when they discover you to be missing," said Arcee.
"Wwhy Bbbaricade going to Aaautobot?" A angry snarl came from inside Barricade.
"I need to have your head checked out!" Barricade growled in reply.
"Fffrenzy not going!" Frenzy screamed, and began ripping up Barricade's upholstery in protest.
"Stop that - or that Autobot medic will have a patient to put back together!" Barricade revved his engine and took off out of the parking lot.
Arcee could hear Frenzy's screams fading away as they disappeared over the horizon.
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"Hey, what's this?" Wheeljack held up a large bag he had found lying around the base.
"That's Rockets," Red Alert replied, "it's her possessions that she left here when she visited."
"Why did she leave her stuff here?" Wheeljack asked as he poked the bag with one finger.
"So she didn't lose it when she leaves Cobra, that's why," Red Alert said, as he watched a fluffy teddy bear fall out of the bag onto the ground.
"What kind of spy has a teddy bear?" Asked Hot Shot, who was listening it, and picked up the bear.
Bumblebee remained silent, but made a note to himself to hide Mr. Floppy before Hot Shot found out about him.
"Leave that alone," barked Ironhide as he walked into the room, "Rocket asked us to look after it for her - not scratch around in her stuff."
"Sorry," apologised Wheeljack, and he carefully replaced the bag.
Optimus strolled into the room followed by the rest of the Autobots who weren't already there.
"We are leaving now," Optimus commanded, "Bumblebee, when are you leaving to pick up the humans?"
"In half an hour," replied Bumblebee.
"We'll see you later then," nodded Optimus.
He and the Autobots minus Bumblebee left the base for their mission.
Bumblebee waved them goodbye, before hurrying inside to hide his teddy bear from Hot Shot.
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"I wonder why no one has come to check up on us yet?" Rumble wondered aloud, as he rolled a pair of die.
"Starscream has probably convinced Soundwave that we have killed each other off," Skywarp remarked as he watched Rumble move his counter along the board.
"Either that or they don't care anymore about what we are doing," added Laserbeak, as she picked up the die.
"Give me 200 credits Ravage, I've passed Go!" Rumble yelled back at Ravage, who was acting as the banker - the only one they trusted to do so.
"Coming right up," Ravage yelled and moments later the credits hit the back of Rumble's head.
"Thanks!" Rumble yelled.
"You landed on one of my hotels!" Skywarp pointed out to Laserbeak, "that's 50 credits you owe me!"
Laserbeak grumbled, but handed over the credits.
"Are you sure you don't want to join the game Buzzsaw?" Asked Rumble.
The cassette in question shook his head and continued on painting faces on Thundercracker and Ratbat.
"You landed on Chance!" Laserbeak said to Skywarp.
"Hopefully it says I've won a competition and I get money!" Skywarp said gleefully as he picked up a Chance card.
The other two players watched his face fall as he read the card.
"What is it? What is it?" Rumble demanded.
Silently, Skywarp showed them the card.
"Go straight to the Autobot brig, do not pass Go, do not collect 200 credits!" Read out Laserbeak, while the other cassettes sniggered at the seeker's misfortune.
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"All right then old chap, we are heading off now," Stone said to Duke as he sat down in the Dragonhawk.
"Don't you think you lot are leaving a little late?" Asked Scarlett.
"We are arriving fashionably late," replied Stone with a grin.
"To Lady Jaye, there is no such thing as fashionably late - just late!" Warned Scarlett.
"Relax," Duke said, "arriving late helps with the excuse that we are all on a mission."
"I suppose so," agreed Scarlett.
She and Duke waited for the Dragonhawk, as they continued to hide.
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Ratchet stood on top of the hill, where he was supposed to be meeting Barricade.
A faint screaming floated towards his auditory receptors, it was coming steadily closer towards his location.
He sighed, it looked like would be dealing with an unhappy patient on his hands.
He spotted Barricade coming racing down the dirt road towards the hill.
Ratchet waited for Barricade to drive up towards him, the Decepticon making slow progress up as his vehicle body was not built for this type of terrain.
Finally he made it to the top and drove warily towards the Autobot medic.
"So you came!" Ratchet yelled over Frenzy's screaming.
"What's that? I can't hear you!" Yelled back Barricade.
"Do you want me to check out your auditory receptors after I've done with Frenzy?" Ratchet yelled his question.
"I said I can't hear! I think this little slagger has damage my hearing! Can you check out my auditory receptors?" Barricade yelled.
Ratchet sighed again, it was going to be a long night.
"Hold still!" He yelled, while waving his hands in a sign he hoped Barricade would understand.
Scanning Barricade, Ratchet found out there was nothing wrong with the Decepticon's hearing other than the fact that Barricade's auditory receptors had shut themselves down automatically.
It took a few minutes for the medic to bring them online again.
"I can hear!" Yelled Barricade happily, "I'm going to open my door so be ready to grab Frenzy!"
Ratchet nodded and positioned his hands to grab Frenzy when he tried to escape out of Barricade.
Frenzy flattened himself against the opposite door and hissed as Ratchet stuck his hand into Barricade to grab him.
"Ow!" Snarled Ratchet as he withdraw a struggling Frenzy out of Barricade, "he bit me!"
Barricade chuckled evilly and transformed.
"I think I might have messed up his wiring when I…" Barricade was cut short as Ironhide slammed into him.
The two mechs rolled down the hill, kicking and punching each other.
Ratchet and Frenzy watched them silently for a moment before turning to look at each other.
"No more biting and I might not permanently remove your vocal processor," Ratchet threatened the little Decepticon.
Frenzy glared in reply.
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Rocket's daydreams were interrupted by a squeal from Baroness.
She looked up from where she was sitting with Stormshadow to see what the commotion was about.
Firefly answered her unspoken question, "the Dragonhawk has just arrived Cobra Commander!"
"The Dragonhawk?" Repeated Cobra Commander, "but that isn't big enough to carry all the Sigmas!"
"Maybe the others will be following in the R.O.C.C?" Stormshadow spoke up.
"It still doesn't explain why they are late," Destro commented.
"Get Zartan to follow them and find out what is going on!" Ordered Cobra Commander.
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"Entering Earth's atmosphere, preparing engines for landing," Soundwave said as the temperature outside the shuttle begun to heat up.
"Soundwave, the balance is off," Starscream indicated towards one of the dials.
"A minor problem, nothing to fear," replied Soundwave.
"Nothing to fear?" Shrieked Starscream, "if the balance is off we can't land properly! Soundwave - we are going to crash!"
"In all the training simulations that I have done, the damage from the crash is minor," Soundwave stated calmly as the shuttle began to spin wildly towards the ground.
"Training simulations?" Asked Starscream blankly, "Soundwave - have you ever landed a shuttle before?"
"No, I am a communications officer, not a pilot," Answered Soundwave.
"We are all going to die!" Starscream screamed in panic.
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"Arcee, Barricade - report!" Destro's voice came over the radio frequency.
"All quiet by me," replied Arcee.
There was silence for a few minutes.
"Barricade report, Barricade come in!" Ordered Destro.
Static was the only reply.
"Arcee, where is Barricade?" Questioned Destro angrily.
"Beats me, I'm not his baby-sitter," Arcee replied casually.
"I beg your pardon!" Destro snarled.
"You heard me, Barricade probably thinks this mission is beneath him. In case you haven't noticed - he doesn't exactly like taking orders from 'flesh-bags'," Arcee stated.
Arcee heard Destro yell a few curses before he switched off the radio.
'I hope everything is going all right with the others,' Arcee thought.
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Bumblebee sighed, he was so bored - he wanted to be with the others on the mission.
He became aware that someone was tapping on his window, it was Mikaela.
"Yes?" He asked.
"Finally, I thought you had slipped into recharge out of boredom!" Mikaela said as she got into him.
"Why have you left the dance?" Bumblebee asked her.
"Sam and I decided to take turns to keep you company - so you didn't get bored all by yourself in the parking lot!" Mikaela replied.
"Thanks," Bumblebee said happily.
"Hey, can't you use your holoform to come join us?" Mikaela suggested.
"I wish, but my holoform can't go too far from my body," Bumblebee sighed.
"Park closer to the school then," said Mikaela.
"I'll try, but I don't think it'll work," Bumblebee started his engine and drove as close as he could to the school building.
Mikaela got out and waited for Bumblebee's holoform to appear beside her.
"Hold thumbs!" Mikaela smiled as they went in.
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Thundercracker became aware of screams as his body came back online.
He switched on his optics and saw that the shuttle was spinning around - due to the fact that those who weren't held down by their seat belts or welded to the floor were flying around inside the shuttle screaming their heads off.
He corrected his observation, those welded to the floor were also screaming their heads off.
He watched the scene for a few more minutes before realising that those screaming probably had a very good reason to do so.
He joined in with the screaming.
TBC…
A/N: Please read and review! Please - if you do get to become a cameo TF! Sorry, but it is no longer possible to become a cameo GI: Joe.
Transformers:Alternative name:
GrimlockX4: as Dino BotX
Tigerprime
Khareesa
Elita One: please supply an alternative name if you wish for your cameo character
HotShot14: as Jetstream
Morncreek
RustCheck
A new dreamer: as Falsestart
Twi Silvermoon
ZodiacKitten: as Turnpike
GI: Joes:
NoaWhan: Covert Ops
Whitefang4ever: Dog Trainer (for explosives)
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