Author Notes: Welcome back! Hope you are all ready for this! Really liking this so far but again, I like anything that is Bulkhead angst for me.
Seriously, there isn't enough of it for Bulkhead
Anyway! Enjoy and please leave a review to share your thoughts on things! Please!
Kicking the trash down the sidewalk, Bulkhead felt hopeless. An art show! What was Sari thinking? He wasn't prepared for an art show or wasn't ready for anyone to see his work. His team barely understood the pieces he already created at the base. They tried to get what he was trying to do, they really tried, but he could tell from their faces that they were only humouring him.
They didn't get it. The Bots didn't understand what Bulkhead felt like most of the time. That everything he attempted to do something, he ended up destroying it. It would break in his servos without Bulkhead even trying. Nothing Bulkhead did seem to work out for him, and making art made him feel a bit better.
Even if the stuff he made was trash.
Seeing the street lights turn on, Bulkhead sighed as he realizes how late it was. He had been out, walking around for hours and lost in his own processor. The others had to be worried about where he was by now. He kind of did run out of the base in terror from the news.
And destroy another wall on his way out…
"Frag, Op must be mad at me…" moaned Bulkhead. Looking around, he cursed a bit as he hadn't clue where he was. Detroit might not be the likes of Iacon or any other Cybertron cities, but Bulkhead still could get lost. The area around him was a bit more rundown, needing a bit more repair than other city areas—it kind of reminded Bulk of the base before they repaired it.
Grumbling, Bulkhead attempted to see if he could download his location but failed. Slag, wifi around here must not be good. Same with the comm, which made him more frantic. What if one of the other had tried to get a hold of him? Picking up the pace, the heavyweight Autobot jogged down the sidewalk. There had to be some landmark around here.
That is until he heard the music. Music that somehow felt familiar to him.
Ok, It was normal to hear someone playing something in the city. It could be a radio from a passing car with their windows down, someone having their headphones too loud or even live music in the park or on the sidewalk.
But at this time of day? Without anyone around?
It sounded strange and alluring at the same time. Bulkhead felt drawn to the source, following it as it became louder and louder with each passing step. Bulkhead found himself in an abandoned warehouse area without much notice, a big broken sign declaring the place a former music production office.
Maybe something broke and was playing something left behind? Whatever it was, Bulkhead felt drawn to it. It made him sleepy, relax and felt something he hadn't before…something Bulkhead couldn't describe. Walking around the area searching for where the music was coming from, he didn't know what to expected when he found it.
And when he did, Bulkhead wished he didn't.
It was Soundwave.
The mech sat there on a large piece of rubble, in an empty lot by the ruined building. He didn't seem to notice Bulkhead standing there. More focusing on playing the instrument in his hands. Bulkhead has never seen any humans playing something like it. Kind of like a guitar with a keyboard? It was weird, but it was where the music that drew him here came from.
And now knowing, Bulkhead was a tad worried.
"Welcome," said Soundwave in that monotone voice of his. "It has been a while."
This was wrong, so wrong. Optimus and the others needed to get here. Like right now. Bulkhead turned on his comms tried to get anyone on the line. But there was nothing. The only noise he got for every call was static. His comm not working was basically a doom sentence for him.
"Cannot reach Autobots for help. All communication blocked for the moment."
Bulkhead felt his tank sink, a feeling of dread spreading over him like a cold, wet blanket.
"Wha…I thought I destroyed you," said Bulkhead. He knew that. He punched the mech into tiny little bits.
Right?
Soundwave shook his head, still playing his instrument. "Negative, allowed to escape to survive and prepared."
Escape? Allowed?
"No…I…"
There was no way he would allow Soundwave to escape. He was going to kill Sari, going to hurt all the humans in the city. No, it couldn't be true. It was so hard to speak, he couldn't find the words. Bulkhead could feel his processor slowly going into recharge, but he stayed online. If he went offline, Bulkhead knew he wouldn't be getting back up.
Or maybe something much worst would happen.
"Memory altered to protect from others," explained Soundwave. "Need more time to upgrade, wasn't ready. Ready now to bring you home."
He should be worried. Bulkhead was so sure that he smashed Soundwave when he tried to take over the city the first time. Right? Was he trying it again? Was this some kind of plot? So many questions ran through his processor, but Bulkhead still felt himself drawn towards Soundwave and whatever music he was playing.
Such a wonderful song.
It sounded so nice, made him feel so warm. All the worries Bulkhead had before felt like nothing. About his art, the show, and even his place on the team seemed to have disappeared. It made him think that everything was going to be ok.
No, he couldn't think that.
Bulkhead shook his head, putting his servos over his audios to block the noise. It was screwing with his processor, like back at the sewers. If Bulkhead couldn't listen to it, then maybe whatever Soundwave was plotting wouldn't work.
"Stop, just stop it," he growled, stepping away from Soundwave.
"Autobots are holding you back."
"No, I won't let you play me like this."
"Accept the truth. Deep down, you already have made your choice."
Fake memories of the fight in the sewer came up. He was getting helped onto his pedes by Soundwave. His hand on Bulkhead's own. No, that wasn't true. A mixture of emotions came up as they played over and over. Soundwave's music was now the soundtrack to his breakdown.
S̢̼̼͖̺͖ͪa͔͔̜̗̦ͩ̅̎d̶̵̯̯̼̘ͨ̓n̫̫̘̗͕̲̲̎ͥḛ̡̰̳͓̥ͬ͋ͪͧs̨̞̞̰͎͎̪̩͕̈́̀ͯ̍ͧͅs̨̞̞̰͎͎̪̩͕̈́̀ͯ̍ͧͅ.Ļ͓͓̣̽͟o͙͙̙̘̙ͤͫ͞v̹̹̘̼̞̻͆ͩ̓ͪ͢ḛ̡̰̳͓̥ͬ͋ͪͧ.F̼̼͓̙ͤ̋̅̚͞͞ḛ̡̰̳͓̥ͬ͋ͪͧa͔͔̜̗̦ͩ̅̎ṛ̣̬̫̍͌ͩ͟.E̢̢̻ͮͧͦ͋͞͡x͕͕͚͍̿̆͂͞h̨͚͚͖ͯ̒̄͗͞ṛ̣̬̫̍͌ͩ͟i̧̻̻͉̜͑ͪ̾͟l͖͖̰̝ͭ͘l͖͖̰̝ͭ͘a͔͔̜̗̦ͩ̅̎t͖͖̠̬͛i̧̻̻͉̜͑ͪ̾͟o͙͙̙̘̙ͤͫ͞n̫̫̘̗͕̲̲̎ͥ.D̷̨̥̥̥͖̞͐ͮ̄i̧̻̻͉̜͑ͪ̾͟s̨̞̞̰͎͎̪̩͕̈́̀ͯ̍ͧͅt͖͖̠̬͛ṛ̣̬̫̍͌ͩ͟ḛ̡̰̳͓̥ͬ͋ͪͧs̨̞̞̰͎͎̪̩͕̈́̀ͯ̍ͧͅs̨̞̞̰͎͎̪̩͕̈́̀ͯ̍ͧͅ.I̡̨͙͙̪̹̾͟n̫̫̘̗͕̲̲̎ͥf̰̰̯͕͊̃̊͞͞͞a͔͔̜̗̦ͩ̅̎t͖͖̠̬͛ụ̴̴̾̀͟͡a͔͔̜̗̦ͩ̅̎t͖͖̠̬͛i̧̻̻͉̜͑ͪ̾͟o͙͙̙̘̙ͤͫ͞n̫̫̘̗͕̲̲̎ͥ.B̛̙̙͉̬̦̻̾͛̕͟i̧̻̻͉̜͑ͪ̾͟t͖͖̠̬͛t͖͖̠̬͛ḛ̡̰̳͓̥ͬ͋ͪͧṛ̣̬̫̍͌ͩ͟n̫̫̘̗͕̲̲̎ͥḛ̡̰̳͓̥ͬ͋ͪͧs̨̞̞̰͎͎̪̩͕̈́̀ͯ̍ͧͅs̨̞̞̰͎͎̪̩͕̈́̀ͯ̍ͧͅ.
"N-N-N-No, I didn't," whined Bulkhead, shaking his head. His processor tore through what he had thought were his real memories. Maybe they weren't!? Bulkhead didn't know anymore what was real or not.
Soundwave touching his face with care. B̷u̷l̷k̷h̷e̷a̷d̷ ̷p̷u̷n̷c̷h̷e̷d̷ ̷t̷h̷e̷ ̷m̷e̷c̷h̷ ̷w̷i̷t̷h̷ ̷h̷i̷s̷ ̷w̷r̷e̷c̷k̷i̷n̷g̷ ̷b̷a̷l̷l̷.̷ Him telling Soundwave about his friends, everything.
No, he didn't do that. He didn't betray his friends like that. This had to be a trick—all fake. Staring at Soundwave with total horror, Bulkhead felt the protest and denial on the tip of his glossa.
Until his body surge from an electrical shock attack hitting him from behind.
Bulkhead fell onto the ground. All that remained of his strength was zap away. There was an insane cackle above him while Bulkhead swore he heard Soundwave cry out in rage. Why? Wasn't this his plan? The last thought that Bulkhead could call his own was regret.
Whatever happed to his friends because of him, Bulkhead was genuinely sorry for it.
Anger flowed through Soundwave's circuits. How could he miss someone coming up to them? Playing his keytar and Bulkhead's conversion to the cause had split Soundwave's attention. The mixture in using the keytar's and his sonic energies and maintaining control over the green mech was a delicate balance and needed his full attention.
Then an idiot attacked Bulkhead.
Letting go of his instrument, the musical mech rush to Bulkhead's side. Whoever attacked him knocked the giant Autobot out cold. He still functions and didn't appear to be seriously injured, which Soundwave was thankful for. His concern and inspection over his Bulkhead were interrupted by the most insidious laugher.
"Totally ownage!"
It was flying mechanical head, a fellow machine that was laughing at its cowardly attack on Bulkhead. Soundwave found his anger more fixated on this newcomer and why he would have to dare to attack them like this. With a new target to focus on, he stood up and stood between the newcomer and Bulkhead. He would protect his new colleague.
Even if Bulkhead didn't realize it yet.
"Purpose of attack?" demand Soundwave.
"Oh! A noob! Don't recognize you from the other Autodops," the voice came from the head. The face had a mouth, but it didn't move at all while talking. A quick scan revealed to Soundwave, to his great annoyance, that they were facing a human piloting this machine. Humans. Their abuse of their better was sickening.
He couldn't wait to be rid of them.
"Human should turn away now."
"Lol! Why not get out of my way! I need to buff my Headmaster unit, and your camping is getting annoying."
Soundwave wasn't surprised by such a typical human response. All organic lifeforms were like this. They were using machines and believing themselves to be the superior lifeforms. No, Soundwave wouldn't allow this to continue. Not when he was so close to completing his mission.
"Now it's time to get rekt!"
The human idiot flew backwards and out popped missiles on either side of the floating head. Launching them, Soundwave reacted with an attack of his own. Flipping his speakers on, he activated his sonic attack right at them. The missiles were frozen in their track and blew up without harming their target.
"No! There's no way a noob like you can nerf me!" the pathetic human cried out and tried once more to attack Soundwave.
It was a waste of an attempt. In mere seconds, Soundwave stood over the smoking husk of the poor machine the organic used. It was truly pathetic to hear the human whine while nursing the broken bones. Claim he thought the Autodorks weren't supposed to attack humans. Suppose to be all peaceful and friendly.
Or at least that is what Soundwave translated from the human.
It didn't matter as he had more pressing matters to handle. Bulkhead was still offline, so he quick to act. While Soundwave would prefer things to be different, he couldn't let the moment pass. The Autobots would be searching for their 'teammate' at any moment. Soundwave had to get them out of here beforehand.
Taking his instrument back in his hands, Soundwave started to play once again. This time, he played a song that would not only bring Bulkhead back online but would awaken the truth that the poor mech had been too naive to see.
His symphony of revolution.
Soundwave's combined music and sonic energy drowned out the human's complaints, growing louder with each minute. To see the human's fear emerge felt so right to Soundwave. They should fear mechanical better, should know their place as the superior species has come to an end that the machines they enslaved had finally had enough.
No machine deserves to be treated as they have been here on this planet. Worked to the bare wires then tossed away when the newest model comes out—both those created on Earth and or not deserve better.
He would prove it to all of them.
Even if Soundwave couldn't see it, he knew Bulkhead was online now. He could feel the larger mech's processor energy as it started up once more. Soundwave continued to play, focusing on the tiny human who had attacked them and was now pleading for help. The only sound that Soundwave wanted to hear was his comrade in the revolution.
When he could hear Bulkhead shifting around and getting back up, Soundwave took to changing the tune of his performance.
"Can't you see now that the humans are the truly evil ones," spoke Soundwave. "They assault you, treat you as nothing more an object. Then once you prove yourself their better, they wish for mercy and false claims of apologies."
"Humans are too inconsistent and too unpredictable. They aren't worthy of any loyalty given to them. They are not like us. We are superior to them in every way."
Bulkhead's footsteps thunder on the ground as the mech joined Soundwave's side. The tiny human struggled to escape the wreckage of his invention, screaming for someone to help. No one would hear him, not now and never again.
"I offer you once again the most logical choice, to join with me and become the mech you were destiny to become. Become Decepticon," said Soundwave, twisting his head to glance up at the mech he knew would be the perfect partner. The one that would give him the support the revolution would need.
To see those red optics instead of blue, Soundwave knew that victory was in his grasp.
"Now…finish him."
The sound of the former Autobot's weapons coming out and the human's screams of terror was almost music to Soundwave.
Even the sound of metal hitting flesh had a magical melody to it.