Yeah yeah yeah... I know it's been absolutely forever, but that's not just on me.
and no, I'm not dead. It's partly on you guys, I've been writing this story, but as no one reviews I lost my motivation to update, you can even check Isaacplayz account, where the entire story is posted and is being revised a second time. I personally don't have the patience for that, (or the brains, you will constantly see punctuation errors I blatantly missed.) anyway, Reviews are my motivation! please please please, Motivate me to continue!
anyway, for those of you who bothered to click on this story and read it. enjoy!
Chapter 19- "The Brood" (Widowmaker's perspective)
Everyone is rushing around the core, whether it's the workers connecting Symphony to the hive, Shockwave typing into the console at the speed of light, or Kickback and Hardshell sprinting across the room moving things to the hive in sheer anxiety. I help connect Symphony to the hive while Sharpshot collects energon with Ransack as a bodyguard. Queen Venom attempts to direct Hardshell and Kickback in an orderly fashion but fails miserably. I then feel a faint shudder in Symphony.
"You alright?" I ask.
"Yes, I'm just a little nervous."
"Don't worry, everything will be ok." I comfort.
"I know, it's just the fact that our chance of defeating Megatron lives and dies with this act alone."
"What do you mean?"
"If this attempt is interrupted like last time, we won't have enough time to do it again. Which means the odds would be three to one."
"What are the odds if this call is a success?" I ask.
"The estimate is two to one."
"Who's the two?"
"Us."
"Then focus on that. Not on what could be lost, but what could be gained." I reassure.
"That is… reasonable." Symphony mumbled as she entered into her trance.
I look to Shockwave and he nods to indicate that the process is about to begin.
The others approached including Alpha Trion. Once Hardshell and Kickback got close to the hive again Sharpshot EMPed them so they would finally stop.
Shockwave reads his console and orders Sharpshot and Ransack to continue retrieving energon. Then Razerhorn rushes in with two pods under his arms.
"Not risking that again." He grunted giving the pods to Sharpshot.
Sharpshot opens the pods and syphons out the energon from the Decepticon drones.
Then Razerhorn threw the pods out of the core when they were drained.
Then Symphony started to levitate, still unconscious. I think.
Then the song started, but we weren't pulled in like before. That was probably Shockwave's doing.
"The process has begun." Shockwave informed.
Then Alpha Trion fell into a trance as well, the core started to glow brighter.
Then suddenly the core started to dimm. There's resistance in Symphony's hum. There are sparks flying out of the wires in the walls.
"There's not enough energon…" Sharpshot realized.
"We can't interrupt the process, it could kill Symphony." Shockwave replied.
"Yes but when we run out of energon it will ultimately interrupt the process, with Symphony dying anyway!" Sharpshot exclaimed.
"Sharpshot, you can't get more energon, it will take too long."
Razerhorn rushed out of the room.
Sharpshot then took out his syphon, flicked a couple switches on it and inserted into the transfusion pipe at the core.
"What are you doing?" Shockwave asked in a somewhat worried tone.
"What needs to be done."
Then Sharpshot started to drain his own energon into the core.
He grunted and shrank down, but kept the syphon in position.
Shockwave didn't stop him though, it really was the only logical solution.
Once the syphon filled and was drained into the core, its glow became brighter almost instantly.
Symphony's hum became stable again.
Alpha Trion then started to speak through his com to Optimus out of earshot.
Symphony's eyes opened suddenly and glowed a bright blue.
Sharpshot was getting weaker every astro-cycle. I got closer to him to get a better look.
"Are you alright?" I ask.
"Other than draining my life force into the core of a planet, I'm fine." He replied in almost a whisper.
"How long until the process is complete?" I ask Shockwave.
"If all Insecticons and Autobots are to find their way to the hive I would estimate about 180 Astro-cycles."
"I can't last that long…" Sharpshot mumbled to himself.
"Don't speak, use the least amount of your energy as possible." I direct.
Suddenly Sharpshot passed out, I caught the syphon and kept it in position.
I tried to talk to him, speak to him through the hive mind, anything. No response.
"I'm losing him." I say aloud.
I quickly get up, grab an extraction pipe from Shockwave's lab and connect it to my back.
Then Ransack stops me.
"Get out of my way." I say seriously.
"No, I'm not losing two Insecticons today."
"Ransack, get out of my way."
"I can't do that."
"Sharpshot is dying!"
"And you will be too if I don't stop you!"
We both watch our friend, our brother, slowly die.
Then suddenly Razerhorn bursts through the doorway with two more pods.
I gasp in surprise and instantly connect the extraction pipe to one of the drones.
I connect the other side directly to Sharpshot. As soon as I activate the extraction Sharpshot wakes suddenly. I calm him down and connect the other drone to another transfusion pipe with the extraction pipe. Razerhorn then says to Antagony and Hardshell, "Need help."
They run out of the room with the components of Infestor following, while I tend to Sharpshot.
"Please don't do that to me again." I say jokingly.
"No promises." He says with a smile.
Then Symphony says in an echo, "The first wave is almost here." her voice reverberates around the chamber bouncing off everything and sending shivers down our spines.
Alpha Trion then comes to our area, "The autobots have been awakened, now they are being called by Symphony." He explains.
"Wait, what happens when the Insecticons and Autobots see each other? Won't they start fighting?" Terrormite asks.
"Those being called by Symphony are in a sort of trance like state, all they think about is getting to the source of the call." Alpha explains.
"What about when the call stops?" Terrormite clarifies.
"They will be recovering for about an Astro-cycle, in that time Symphony will replay her memories with us and the Autobots to show that we will be fighting together."
Terrormite nods in acknowledgement and joins back with the other workers.
Once I make sure Sharpshot is alright, I run outside to receive the newcomers. All I see is a cloud of black and purple heading toward me.
There's at least 200 in this wave alone. I then use the hive mind to notify them that the hive is located in the well of sparks. As soon as I said that they all dove into the well of sparks. I go inside to greet them. There are spiders, moths, beetles, every Insect you can think of. I went outside a few astro-cycles later to then see about 15 Autobots at the edge of the well, staring at the hive. I got a closer look and noticed they were still being attracted by Symphony. I left them and entered the core.
"How many waves will there be?" I ask Shockwave.
"Including the one that just arrived, there are three." He replied.
Then Razerhorn, Antagony, Hardshell and the components of Infestor arrived. They brought 15 pods for transfusion.
"How are there this many pods close to the hive hive hive?" Kickback asked.
"There aren't." Hardshell muttered annoyedly.
Sharpshot rolled the pods over to the core and syphoned the energon out of them.
Ransack took the pods and threw them out like before.
"The second wave is almost here." Symphony echoed.
The workers started to expand the hive with the spare metal Kickback and Hardshell brought before.
"Infestor, we need metal." I direct.
One of the components nods and runs outside with the other components following.
"Terrormite, how's it going up there?" Sharpshot asks.
"We are able to work faster now, the first wave had almost half of our workforce!"
"Good, keep me posted." Sharpshot directs.
"So let me get this straight." Ransack starts, "There are three waves and each of them have roughly 200 Insecticons."
"Right." Antagony replied.
"There used to be thousands of us, why are we only getting 600?"
"Ransack, the hive was destroyed. Be happy there are any Insecticons left at all." Sharpshot stated.
Then Infestor entered with a heap of metal. The workers engulfed it and re-entered the hive to expand it.
After a while, the other two waves arrived including the Autobots from the pods.
Once they were all in the hive or at the well of sparks Symphony collapsed from the hive.
"She seems to be experiencing a migraine." Shockwave explains.
"You ok?" I ask as I help her up.
She just pushes me away and relays her memories of our meeting from a while ago through our minds.
Then she tiredly says, "It is done." And she blacks out.
The new Autobots enter the core to find Hound and the other autobots greeting them, Hound was particularly happy to see someone named Trailbreaker.
Shockwave and myself tending to Symphony and Sharpshot, and the others organizing metal and decepticon pods.
Thankfully none of the new autobots were a problem. The same could not be said for the new insecticons, we had to constantly keep reminding them via hive mind that the autobots and us have a ceasefire.
I kept getting distracted from helping tend to Sharpshot and Symphony because of it. So much so that I asked Ransack to 'distract' them.
Once they were both back to normal, I stepped outside. I then saw in the distance three figures.
Two about the same size and one slightly shorter. I recognized the smaller one as Warpath, and one of the larger ones as Optimus Prime. They must've brought back the Autobot Alpha Trion sent them to retrieve!
This new bot looked very similar to Optimus, same build, same height, they even walked the same. The only difference was the newcomers lighter blue paint job, his head and massive shoulders.
Once they saw me the newcomer took out his blaster, but Optimus stopped him.
"Is this our new recruit?" I ask.
"Widowmaker, this is Ultra Magnus, my brother." Optimus introduced.
"You're brother?"
"Indeed, we were both created by Alpha Trion."
"I thought us insecticons were the only ones that considered ourselves as having familial relations?"
"No. we just don't make it known to many, in fact megatron is my brother as well."
"Really?" I asked
"That would explain a lot actually." Warpath commented
"Megatron is my brother of war, not through creation." Optimus reiterated
"...or it wouldn't." Warpath corrected himself.
"Where is our settlement?" Ultra Magnus finally spoke.
Below your peds." I answered with a smirk.
He looked down to see nothing but the sandy clay
"Buried beneath debris?" He clarified.
"Follow me." I say bluntly.
We walk through the tunnel to enter the central room.
His optics went wide as he took in the room. Insecticons crawled all over the chamber; along the walls, scuttling across the floor, some clung to the circular ceiling and a few even perched on the core itself. The Autobots had clustered around the entrance, while Optimus and us had come to a truce they didn't quite trust us fully.
Then Bumblebee and the search party came in, Ultra Magnus turned and checked on them while I followed.
"Was your mission a success soldier?" He asked.
Bumblebee just stared at Magnus for a few seconds and started to buzz and beep in what seemed to be some sort of communication process.
"Optimus briefed me on everything, now was your mission a success?" He clarified.
Bumblebee continued to make those noises until Shockwave perked up.
"You seem to have sustained severe damage to your voice box soldier, why don't I fix that for you."
Bumble bee just looked at Shockwave in confusion and started to speak again.
"Let me put this in the most modest way possible," Shockwave started, "I am not Ratchet."
Then he guided him into his lab.
Magnus then looked at me expecting something.
"Why don't I introduce you to our soldiers?" I offered.
He just nodded as I started to guide him to each of the main insecticons. We decided earlier to call the main family the brood.
"This is Ransack. Ransack this is Ultra Magnus"
'Optimus' brother.' I added through the hive mind to remind him to behave.
"Hello broad Shoulders." Ransack greeted.
Ultra Magnus looked over at him and said, "What was that, smart mouth?"
"You heard me." Ransack said boldly.
"Listen here son, where I'm from we beat the smart outa people that disrespect the authority."
"Three things." Ransack started, "One, we are not where you're from. Two, you are not the authority here. And three, if you are beating the smart out of people then I doubt they ever beat you."
Ultra Magnus just glared at him for a few nano-cycles and stomped off. Ransack was right, he's not the authority here.
I quickly raced to catch up.
"Ok so maybe Ransack wasn't the best person to introduce first. How about Hardshell? Hardshell this is Ultra Magnus, Magnus Hardshell." I introduced.
Hardshell stuck his hand out in a hand shake. Ultra Magnus just looked at it as if he didn't know what to do, or just didn't want to do it.
Hardshell slowly dropped his hand.
"Anyway let's carry on with the tour. This is Terrormite, our chief builder." I introduced.
"There's no room for a builder in a war." Ultra Magnus commented.
"I'm pretty good with an acid cannon as well, sir." He said in confidence.
"We can all attest to that, anyway this here is Kickback." I continue
"Greetings ings ings."
"You alright son?"
"I'm fine ine ine."
"Hi, how are you?" Hardshell interrupted to continue the conversation.
I grab Razor to interrupt the awkwardness.
"This here is Razorhorn."
Ultra Magnus started at his peds and looked up till he got to his helm, they were almost the same height with Razor being slightly taller.
Both just stared at each other, neither backing down.
"Ummm… ok, this here is Flashback."
Flashback was running around the room in laps.
Every time he came to us he would say a word in a sentence.
"HI… I'M… FLASH… BACK..."
Magnus just said, "he needs to calm down."
"Is all of your team random misfits?" He continued as we walked away.
"Aren't we all?"
"Is there anyone else?"
"Yeah, there's still Barrage, Scythe, Venom, Pestilence, Tremor and Infestor. Sharpshot and Symphony too, but they aren't available at the moment."
"Scythe I'd like to introduce you to Ultra Magnus."
Scythe just turned and glanced at Magnus before turning to sharpening his claws again.
"You will face your commanding officer." Magnus demanded.
In a flash a blade was scratching Magnus's neck.
"I doubt you want to face me, I will show no mercy." he advised coldly.
Magnus stepped back before looking at me.
I then guided him to Barrage who was doing weapon checks.
"Barrage." I said to get her attention.
She looked up and handed the gun off to an autobot soldier who seemed to have enough courage to brave the gun crazed insecticon.
"This here is Ultra Magnus"
"So?"
"I suggest you show some respect." Magnus replied.
"I don't see any war medals on those shoulders of yours." Barrage snarked back.
Suddenly massive rocket pods popped out of said shoulder pads and aimed at Barrage.
"These 'war medals' enough for you?" he sneered.
There was a click and two grenade launchers accompanied by two rocket launchers appeared over her shoulders supported by her tails.
"You're not the only one with flashy 'war medals'." she snarked back.
"I see." he nodded. He then turned and once again looked at me to continue the tour.
"Unless Sharpshot or Symphony wake up, Venom will be the last… minimally intimidating member."
"You belittle one of your own team?" he inquired.
"No, but you wouldn't compare a combiner with a normal sized bot." I explained.
"You have a combiner?" he asked.
"Yes."
We continued wandering through the hive trying to find Venom; she was surprisingly evasive even if she didn't mean to be.
"Wait. That means four of the members you named off would be missing?" he asked.
"Yeah our unofficial leader and our Insecticon scientist are out of commission at the moment. The other two are intimidating so I thought it'd be best to save them till last." I explained.
"They're scary ok?!" an autobot soldier shouted from above us.
"Yeah? I could be plenty scary before my insecticon form. My name isn't an empty threat." I could hear Venom rebuking the soldier.
I quickly transformed before grappling up to the layer above us using my webs.
Once up there I grappled Magnus and pulled him up with me.
He wasn't exactly happy with the lack of a warning.
Once we were both up I saw Venom leering over an autobot soldier.
Sneering at him, presumably for being somewhat racist towards someone, and from the screaming before and her response I assume it was towards us as Insecticons.
To prevent her sense of justice from going any further I grappled her and pulled her away from the frightened soldier. She spun around and found me and a recovering Magnus.
"Before this gets out of hand, I'd like to introduce you to Ultra Magnus."
"Greetings Ultra Magnus, I'm sorry you had to witness my outburst." she greeted.
He seemed shocked by what she said.
"You are actually somewhat formal," he said surprised.
She smirked and cocked a hip to one side and placed one servo on it.
"I wasn't always an insecticon, I used to be a Cybertronian rights activist." she explained
"What rights?"
"Anything having to do with inequality among races..." she answered.
"Which would explain your outburst." he finished for her.
Surprisingly they actually seemed to get along, which was probably because they both actually respected each other.
Then Sharpshot and Symphony walked by.
"Ah, I see you're doing well." I observed.
"After an experience like that, I don't think I'll ever be the same again, but Shockwave says I've fully recovered so I guess I'm fine." Sharpshot said.
"That's cute." Symphony sneers jokingly.
"Hey, you try draining your blood into a giant sphere and see how you feel." He shot back.
"As I said, cute." She repeated as she walked away. 'I'd like the Brood to meet me and Ultra Magnus at the surface, Tremor and Infestor you too.' I invited.
"Well, now that your 'unofficial leader' is recovered, I would like to see this Pestilence of yours."
"Alright, just promise not to scream and run when you see him." Ransack mused as he walked by toward the exit at the top of the hive.
Ultra Magnus growled and climbed the wall, following him.
I called the other components to our destination outside the hive. There were Autobot outposts all around us with the Templar hovering nearby.
Once they each individually came outside Magnus asked, "How many components are in Pestilence?"
"At the moment, twelve." I responded.
"At the moment? Are you saying there could be more?" Magnus asked.
"Yes, but it does put stress on us, Shockwave and myself are trying to find a way to fix this." Symphony explained.
"I see. Well? Are you waiting for an order?" Magnus exclaimed to us.
We all jump into each other and shift around in unison. We finally rose above Ultra Magnus with the final parts connecting in their designated areas.
He gazed upon us in awe.
"Hello, Ultra Magnus." We say in our twelve voices.
"I've never seen anything like this…" He mused aloud.
Then he slowly looked over to Symphony behind him, typing on a holopad. I received varying forms of confirmation before me, Magnus and Venom made our way to the surface.
"Why aren't you part of them?" He asked.
"Not all Insecticons need to be connected to him, I have the ability to, I just don't feel the need to associate myself with combat. I prefer to stick to my post as assistant scientist to Shockwave."
Then we feel a slight... tremor. Ha, what a perfect name for her.
Tremor then bursts forth from the sand in front of us, causing Magnus to arm his shoulder rockets in surprise.
"Hold your fire, this is Tremor. Our tunneler."
She bellowed at Magnus loud enough for him to fall back.
"Correction, our attack dog." Infestor said as he stomped over.
Magnus slowly turned his gaze toward the titan.
"Remarkable." He muttered to himself.
"I wonder what he's thinking right now." Infestor whispers to us.
"He probably can't even comprehend what's going on." We reply in the same joking manner.
Symphony helps him get up and leads him to one of the settlements.
We decombined and returned to what we were doing before, myself, Venom Symphony and Ransack remained.
We then led Magnus to a small chamber. We had some of the workers build small chambers for the insecticons, and some were left over so we gave one to Magnus.
"Probably not as fancy as your old autobot chambers, but we aren't meticulous." Ransack sneered
I smacked his arm to get him to shut up.
Ultra Magnus just looked at him strangely before entering his chamber.
Then Warpath walked in. "Ultra Magnus? May I speak with you for a moment?"
"Of course, soldier." He responded.
They walked away from us but I sneakily moved closer to hear their conversation.
"I thought it would be best to talk to you now before the battle begins." Warpath started. "While on Earth, I have taken up the role of general in your absence. Now that you have returned that role belongs to you."
"Thank you for bringing this to my attention Warpath." Magnus started, "Please know that your service to the Autobot resistance will not go unnoted. Which is why I want you as my sergeant."
"But, that's Hound's role." Warpath replied
"Yes but Hound is Optimus' sergeant, I'm asking you to be mine."
"Wow.. um, thank you sir." He replied excitedly.
Then they both walked off to go tend to the barracks.
Optimus walked in to notice another Autobot performing diagnostics on the circuit board.
"Perceptor?" He asked in surprise.
"Greetings Optimus." Perceptor replied.
"It's been too long, old friend." He replied by taking Perceptors servo.
Perceptor looked questionably at what Optimus was doing.
"Apologies, there have been several traditions we have learned from the humans that stuck, for instance, the hand shake."
"I see…" He replied.
"Will you come with me please? I have something to show you." Optimus suggested.
Perceptor walked toward him without a word.
I then followed them into the core.
"Alpha Trion?" I called out.
"How may I be of service." He asked as he appeared in front of me.
"Pestilence has had some increased amount of difficulty staying combined and functioning at full capacity. Is there any way we can fix this… other than Shockwave's previous idea?" I ask.
"Yes, yes there is." He replied with a smile.
(Optimus Prime's perspective)
I took Perceptor into the main chamber of the core, near Shockwave's lab.
Before we entered I started to brief him on our situation. "Now Perceptor, please remember that everyone in this room is on our side, there is no need to be alarmed."
"I am aware of our situation Optimus, all Insecticons are our allies for now."
We then walked in to see Shockwave. "Greetings, Shockwave."
Perceptor was taken aback by the fact that there is a Decepticon in our ranks.
"Remember what I said before." I reminded in a low register.
Shockwave turned around and said, "Greetings, Optimus Prime."
"Shockwave, this is Perceptor. I would like the both of you to share a workspace, with both of you working on the same experiments, your work will be completed faster."
"With all due respect Optimus, I am perfectly comfortable working with Symphony."
"Understood, however with Perceptor your work will be more efficient. He was our lead scientist before the war."
"Very well." Shockwave sighed.
"Perceptor, we are currently working on refuelling the core, and stabilizing a dodeca-component combiner, I myself also have my own personal combiner related project, but I'll be working on that." Shockwave stated, "Which project would you feel more comfortable working on?"
"What exactly is the issue with the dodeca combiner?"
"They are experiencing difficulty performing at their maximum efficiency because of a recent event which involved a member being forcibly disconnected from the mental link, creating what we shall describe as phantom pains."
"Wouldn't that kill said member that was disconnected?"
"Unfortunately, yes that is correct."
"My condolences."
Shockwave nodded in acknowledgement.
Perceptor took a moment to think it over and finally said, "I am intrigued by this dilemma, I would like to investigate more thoroughly and find a solution."
"Very well, this is your station which I will clear for you." Shockwave directed to a slightly smaller desk with several consoles and experiment beakers.
"Thank you." Perceptor replied hesitantly.
Once everything was settled I exited the lab and the chamber to the outdoor outposts.
I went to see the other new Autobot arrivals which included Trailbreaker, Hoist, Prowl and Smokescreen.
"Welcome back soldiers." I say to the four.
"It's good to see you again Optimus." Prowl says with a smile.
"And it is good to see you t-" suddenly we hear cars driving very fast nearby.
I then walked away from the outpost to see piles of scrap lined flat across a part of the sand in a vertical line ahead of me. I then looked to my left and saw two cars flying across the sand right beside each other, one silver and one yellow. They flew down their sand track toward the line and ended up making a perfect tie. As soon as they crossed the line they both transformed, the silver one laughed and said, "We haven't raced in too long man, it feels so good to beat you again!"
"What are you talking about? I won that!"
"Oh please, you were practically miles behind me."
"You two always acted like brothers." I mused as I walked toward them.
Sideswipe then turned around very fast. "Optimus! I didn't see you there."
"I see you have already gotten to racing." I observed.
"Heh, it's been so long, we just had to do one race." The yellow bot mused.
"I see, it's good to see you again Sunstreaker."
"Optimus, I just wanted to say... " Sideswipe starts, "It's a privilege to fight alongside you again. It was rough when I was in hidin' with Dino, most days we didn't think we would last 'til morning. Now that all of us are here, I feel privileged to call myself an Autobot."
"Here here!" A scottish voice from behind us cried.
"Great speech lad!" Roadbuster cried with Dino and Topspin at his side.
"Roadbuster." I started, "Good to see you are alive and well."
"You thought I kicked the cybertronian bucket didn'tcha? Well I got news for you laddy, nobody is gonna put a scratch this paint job without me blowin' their bloody brains out!"
"Your right, I should've known better." I replied jokingly.
The others chuckled silently while Roadbuster started to rant over it.
Suddenly, Bumblebee ran out of the core chamber toward me.
"Optimus! Optimus! Megatron is moving his ranks toward us quickly! We need to get ready now or-" He stopped himself when he read my shocked expression.
"Shockwave fixed my pipes." He explained.
"I see." I replied.
"Optimus, Megatron is coming. Now."
"Understood, get our forces ready, brief the Insecticons." I direct,
"It's time to go to war."
Descrepency time!
hmm... what part of transformers should I absoloutly shatter this time?
why not the concept of Shattered glass?
so, in Shattered Glass, all the characters are flipped with their opposite counterparts. Optimus=Megatron Starscream=Bumblebee (i've seen grimlock once) Soundwave=Blaster etcetera. now, what happens for characters like Doubledealer, Lockdown and Impactor, characters who don't really have one side? or here's a prime example (pun fully intended) Punch/CounterPunch? the sabotaging double/triple agent? is he good, is he bad, is he autobot, is he decepticon? like how...?