Wazup y'all!
New chapter for ya! Please enjoy.
(Widowmaker's perspective)
We did end up finding one working pod with a willing bot. He was short and squat and was orange, yellow and black. The only designation he had was '8u22' we were given permission to simply call him '22' since it was easier to remember and was quicker to say. I was still quite shocked by Ransacks 'performance' when we got to the tunnel and found everyone inside, I immediately approached my green companion and started blabbering.
"Giant robot and even bigger giant robot" I gestured at the rest of the team "and… and… Leg" I gestured at Hardshell and Ransack "and...and huge robot!..."
She grabbed my shoulders to stop me from freaking out.
Shockwave approached hearing my panic.
"Is something the matter?" he asked.
"Umm… Ransacks giant robot…" I said quietly in shame.
"Ah Pestilence… it isn't quite his," Shockwave said.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"He neither has full ownership nor control over the massive Gestalt. They all share control over it, while at the same time Pestilence is his own person, he owns himself. Pestilence is a combination of the minds, personalities, thoughts, and feelings of each component that makes up the Gestalt form."
"What's a Gestalt? and who's Pestilence?" I asked.
"A Gestalt is a combination of several bots that can become one much larger and much stronger. They are also called combiners, the giant robot that you observed the team becoming is one such Gestalt named Pestilence. It is similar to how Sharpshot is an insecticon but his designation is Sharpshot, the same goes for Pestilence; he is a Gestalt or Combiner but his actual designation is Pestilence." Shockwave explained.
"Oh," I said.
"Interesting." my companion mused.
I looked to my right to see her looking at me and then glancing at the rest of the crew that were listening to 22 talking animatedly.
"Oh no you aren't thinking of adding me and 22 into that are you."
"On the contrary, that is exactly what we are both thinking," she responded.
I turned around and saw Shockwave with the same thoughtful expression in his optic.
"Oh no…"
The rest of that day was spent with Shockwave and my companion poking and prodding me to turn me into part of the giant combiner. In that time we did find a name for my companion; Symphony! Dubbed for her annoying habit of playing music from her legs at a volume that was just low enough that no one asked her to stop but just loud enough that it would invade your thoughts and make it very hard to concentrate. Because of this, the testing lasted longer than it should have. We eventually discovered that since I had yet to choose an alternate mode I was unable to become part of Pestilence, then the poking and prodding and testing stopped. The only thing that didn't stop was Symphony's music and Shockwave's pestering about choosing an alt-form. I purposefully procrastinated in choosing because honestly, I was afraid of the massive bot, of course, I'd never admit that to the team even if Ransack wasn't present.
Speaking of the team I looked around the small cavern we were in.
Sharpshot was talking with Alpha Trion, Ransack and Kickback were sparring, Shockwave and Symphony were nerding out over the core, Razorhorn was making a crude-looking ax out of plates of metal and 22 was telling the same story for the 6th time to Hardshell who looked as excited as the first time he told it. I smiled at my family even if they infuriated me beyond belief!
I will admit I was curious about the alt modes I could choose from the chip Shockwave gave me. It would be more efficient to move faster at some times. I think I would look good with a motorcycle alt mode which would compliment my build. I decided to look through the chip in one of the consoles by the core. There were ants, beetles, grasshoppers, bees, centipedes, a praying mantis, there was also a cricket but it was blurred out. I assume Symphony took that one. But why aren't there any vehicles?
I approached Shockwave about it and he said, "I specifically made you and Symphony to have insect alt modes to replicate the Insecticons attributes. Having an insect alt mode not only gives you more strength and abilities, but it also allows you to connect with the hive once it is built. That is how Pestilence moves so much faster and more coordinated than other combiners. Because they are connected, it makes them stronger."
"That makes sense…" I return my attention to scrolling through the options.
"I'll let you decide," Shockwave says as he walks away.
As I continue scrolling I see worms, roaches, a tarantula hawk, spiders, hmm spiders.
Those interest me. I read through the bio of a spider called the black widow. It is extremely venomous, has a red hourglass symbol on its back to warn other creatures. The female is much more powerful than the male. I actually laugh at that last part.
I continue to look through the bio before Shockwave calls us over. I take the chip from the console and gather with the others staying as far away as I can from Ransack.
"Everyone," Shockwave starts, "Symphony has something to show us."
Then Symphony walks forward and transforms into the cricket that was blurred out on the list of alt modes!
All of us clap except for Ransack who doesn't seem to care. I want to pester him for that but I have more important things on my mind. I quickly go back to the console and plug in the chip and upload one of the files. I then come back just as people start to disperse.
"Everyone!" I say to get their attention. "I hate to steal Symphony's thunder but I have a surprise of my own." Ransack scoffs quietly while everyone else is trained on me.
I then transform into the black widow spider. Everyone oohs and aahs at my new alt mode.
I shuffle around on my new 8 legs. I do a slow turn to show them the entire form.
Even Ransack seems slightly impressed. I then transform again and walk over to Ransack and say, "you're not the only one with tricks up their sleeve."
He smirks in reply.
22 attracts the most attention because he is smiling and hopping around giddily.
The others are a bit more reserved.
"Well done!" Shockwave commends, "the black widow spider is a very good alt mode for combat, especially with the extra appendages. Now you just need to choose a designation."
"Oh, I already did," I say with confidence.
"And?" Shockwave inquires.
"Call me, Widowmaker."