This play is based off one of Cybertron's oldest and most enduring stories: Red Rider. This production is being directed by Springer, and features a cast of mostly newcomers to the stage. Funds for this production have been generously donated by The Rubbernecker Oil Refinery, Heart of The Demons, Guest, and Tocko Bell Curve Bombs and Energon. When you feel like eating and exploding, choose Tocko Bell Curve. And now, on with the show :)
Chapter 3
Red Rider
(Little Red Riding Hood)
Red Rider: Firestar
Mother: Elita One
Grandsire: Alpha Trion
Cyberwolf: Ravage
Huntsmech: Hound
Once upon a time there was a lovely young femme who went by the name of Red Rider. She was designated such because of her vibrant red paint and her truck alt mode, which could carry much cargo for a femme her size.
One orn her mother received a transmission from her grandsire. He had fallen ill and was not able to visit them, so Red Rider wanted to do something special to make him feel better. With this in mind, Red Rider and her mother worked together to fill a basket with high grade energon and a get well card for the old mech. Red Rider also volunteered to be the one to deliver the basket to her grandsire.
"Be careful while traveling through the crystal forest," Her mother warned, "It is a place of great beauty, but there is also much danger. Be on your guard."
"I will, Mother," Red Rider assured her.
"Stay on the thru-traffic path, and do not stray into the unpaved forest," Her mother advised.
"Of course, Mother. I know what I'm doing," Red Rider replied confidently.
With these words of caution in mind Red Rider transformed into her alt mode, waited for her mother to secure the basket of energon into her truck bed, and then took off toward the crystal forest where her grandsire lived.
As the young femme drove languidly down the back road deep in the forest, there was a Cyberwolf that noticed the sound of her engine and smelled the fresh energon in her frame. He smacked his lips in anticipation, knowing that this naive creature would be easy prey. He ran further down the path and laid down in the road, knowing she would have to stop, and then he would take the moment to strike.
Red Rider meanwhile was casually driving along the path when she suddenly noticed an animal lying on the road. The creature was black, and looked to be a cassette-former. She worried it might be a Cyberwolf, but it was hurt and helpless, so she had to do something for the poor creature.
She went over to where the injured beast's prone form was, and when the creature opened its optics it froze under her scrutiny.
"Scrap," The Cyberwolf whispered to itself, "She's a lot bigger in person."
"Oh, you poor thing!" Red Rider wailed sympathetically, "Drink some of this energon. I cannot spare much because I am delivering it to my grandsire, but I hope it will help you get well."
"Your grandsire, you say?" The Cyberwolf purred, "Tell me, is it very far to your grandsire's house from here? It would be such a shame if you got lost in this forest all alone."
"Oh, it's not far," Red Rider replied; oblivious to the danger she was in, "Just beyond the great crystals of the forest, and past the jagged steel barriers. His house sits under a cliff beside a great cavern. It's really quite beautiful."
"You want to see beauty, dear femmeling? Why, it is right here!" The Cyberwolf exclaimed, "This forest is full of many mysteries and wonders. Crystals that change colors, petro rabbits that will eat right out of your hand, and so many more miracles await you along the unpaved yonder."
"Mother says not to wander into the forest," Red Rider told him, "She says it is very dangerous."
"I've lived in the forest my entire life, and nothing bad has ever happened to me," The Cyberwolf pointed out, "Besides, it's a shorter path to the great cavern where you grandsire lives. Isn't a shortcut with great wonders worth your time, my dear?"
"Well...when you put it like that..."
With those words Red Rider transformed back into truck mode and drove off into the unpaved forest, ready for an adventure.
The Cyberwolf meanwhile was mentally congratulating himself on coming up with such a cunning plan on the fly. The forest was not a shortcut, but in fact would take longer than the thru-way. The Cyberwolf would use the time he bought to incapacitate the grandsire, and then lie in wait for Red Rider. Then when her guard was down he would attack her and eat her up. It was a perfect plan.
A couple joors later the Cyberwolf made it to Grandsire's house. It was a quaint cottage, but there was a lot of junk in the front yard. The Cyberwolf had to be careful where he stepped, since some of the rubbish was rusted and leaking.
"This set wasn't in the script," Ravage noted, "Seriously, Alpha Trion? You've only been here for ten minutes and you somehow managed to hoard this much junk?!"
"Stop breaking character!" The director shouted off-stage.
"I will when the Autobots' resident pack rat starts behaving like a professional!" Ravage griped.
"One moment, ladies and gentlemechs," The director whispered to the audience.
[Technical Difficulties]
*Ahem*. Anyway, The Cyberwolf stalked into Grandsire's house, now free of debris. His paws were as quiet as the night while he searched the house for the grandsire. He searched the kitchen, the living room, and the waste disposal room. Nothing. Then, finally, the Cyberwolf went into the bedroom and...
"Wait!" The director shouted, "Where's the Grandsire?"
"Alpha Trion left," Someone shouted backstage, "He said Ravage hurt his feelings."
"Oh, come on!" The director shouted in frustration.
[Technical Difficulties]
The Cyberwolf went into the bedroom, and there lay the grandsire, definitely not sulking like a sparkling. The Cyberwolf carefully approached the old mech, but then his paw tapped against a loose sheet of metal and caused a light clanking sound. This did not go unnoticed.
"Who's there?" The grandsire asked in alarm, "Oh no! It's the big bad cyberbully!'
"Cyberwolf!" The Cyberwolf barked defensively, "Prepare to be eaten alive, old mech!"
"Good luck, tiny!" The grandsire taunted.
The director facepalmed. This was not in the script, but at this point he was too exhausted to call Alpha Trion out on his primadonna behavior. Next time he was casting Ironhide.
Red Rider had spent more time than she meant to in the forest. There was no road, so she got lost rather easily. Nonetheless she made it to her grandsire's house, and she couldn't wait to show him the photos she had taken of the oil river, the crystal blooms, and this adorable petro rabbit she had seen.
She strolled up to the house with the cube of energon and other gifts for her grandsire. She knocked on the door, and a very shaky voice invited her in. She entered the house and walked straight to the bedroom where her grandsire was recovering from his illness. What she saw took her a bit by surprise.
"Why Grandsire, how short you have gotten!" Red Rider exclaimed.
"All because of my sickness, my dear," The 'grandsire' explained.
Of course this was actually the Cyberwolf. He had eaten the grandsire, all except his mustache and beard, which he was currently wearing to disguise himself and fool the femme. Once she was completely relaxed around him, he would attack.
"You certainly have changed since I last saw you, Grandsire," Red Rider commented, "Why, what red optics you have!"
"All the better to see in infra-red, my dear," The Cyberwolf replied.
"And Grandsire, what big audials you have!"
"All the better to hear you insult me, you brat," The Cyberwolf replied in offense.
"My apologies, Grandsire," Red Rider replied contritely, "But I'm just worried about you. For instance, what oddly sharp denta you have."
"All the better to eat you with, you hater!" The Cyberwolf snapped as he leapt from the bed and toward Red Rider.
"The Cyberwolf!" Red Rider gasped, "What have you done with my grandsire?"
"I ate him," The Cyberwolf bragged, "Also, I spoke to him first, and I see where you get your bad manners from."
The Cyberwolf then snarled and lunged for Red Rider, but she dodged just in time. She ran from the house with the Cyberwolf chasing her and nipping at her heel struts. She transformed into truck mode, but she wasn't very fast. The Cyberwolf kept up with her easily, and she feared that she would be killed for sure.
Just as all hope seemed lost, she drove past a huntsman laying out traps for scraplets. She screeched to a halt and kicked it in reverse, and the Cyberwolf had to jump out of the way to avoid being run over. She then stopped in front of the huntsman.
"Sir, please help me!" Red Rider screamed, "A Cyberwolf ate my grandsire, intends to eat me, and I'm unarmed!"
"Don't worry, miss. I'm on it," the huntsman replied heroically.
The huntsman then activated a hologram of a tree he and Red Rider could hide within. The Cyberwolf caught up quickly, but not quickly enough to find them. As the Cyberwolf stalked around for his prey, the huntsman suddenly ambushed the creature and cut it open with his axe!
The grandsire, who was still alive inside the Cyberwolf, came out and thanked the huntsman profusely. Then the huntsman, Red Rider, and the grandsire went back to his house to drink the energon Red Rider had brought for him.
Everyone that mattered lived happily ever after, and the grandsire never complained about being sick again, because after getting eaten by a Cyberwolf everything else looked kind of small.
The End
Author's Notes: It's been a while since I've written one of these, but I do enjoy them. With these stories I can be as comedic or dramatic as I want, and I don't have to worry about heavy continuity since even in-universe it's all make believe. I hope you are enjoying this anthology series, and hopefully I can get to the next story soon :)
