After that, Scythe decided to go on a journey to learn about the other clans of fleshlings in the area. Leech was not too happy about it but had no choice but to go along. Especially when Scythe transformed. Leech's independent motor functions were overwritten, leaving Scythe in complete control. Leech was beginning to understand how Scythe felt every time they had done it to her.
This is payback, isn't it? Leech grumbled as Scythe moved through a thick forest in her newly acquired fleshling guise. It was shorter than the hunter they had before and had lumps of extra flesh on the chest that were apparently used for suckling their young, according to this one's memories. Of course, scanning the neural processor meant killing the host. So they made the death look like an accident, should the other fleshlings find out.
Whatever do you mean? Scythe replied, sounding very much like she was enjoying herself. She stopped at the base of a particularly large tree and looked up. It seemed to tower over all the other trees around it and would offer a good vantage point.
Payback for all the times I took over your frame and forced you to do things you didn't want to do. Leech explained as Scythe started climbing the tree. She stopped once she was above the forest. Luckily, the branches there were still sturdy enough to hold her weight.
Are you saying you're not having fun, Leech? Scythe mused as she took in the surroundings. Mountains rose to the East. They did not seem as tall as the ones back West that she had to cross to get here, but they were still impressive. It seemed like there was nothing but trees to the North. Oh, there was a gap in the trees to the South. It looked like a river. And a river often meant fleshlings.
No! I'm not! This organic planet is fragging awful and disgusting and gross! And wet! I can't believe you like it here! Leech cried. Why the scrap did the AllSpark choose to come to this Primus forsaken planet anyway!? The outburst caused a split-second struggle for control of the left hand just as Scythe was trying to climb down. She missed the branch she was meaning to grab and her footing slipped.
"DAMMIT, LEECH!" she yelled as she fell out of the tree. The impact with the ground was surprisingly softer than she expected thanks to the buildup of leaves that littered the forest floor. But she still just laid there for a while watching the trees. Their leaves were changing from green to shades of yellow, orange, and red. It was rather beautiful. However, it apparently meant that the trees were dying and that the cold was coming. From what she had learned from the fleshlings, the cold would last a few orbital cycles and then the trees would grow new leaves again when the weather got warm.
To their credit, Leech did not say another word. They knew better than anyone what Scythe was like when she got angry and they had no pity for the poor fools who engaged her temper on purpose. She tended to get violent when pushed too far. Not that she could actually hurt Leech since they were part of her, but their surroundings would definitely suffer.
Scythe continued to lay there until the sun started to set. Leech hesitantly nudged her processor. Are you… better now?
I still want to rip your fragging optic stems off your stupid body, she replied as she sat up, causing Leech to inwardly flinch. But, yes. I suppose I am… 'better now'.
Could we, perhaps, go see what Bolthex and Char are up to? Leech ventured, essentially admitting that they were lonely without actually saying it. Sure, there had been times when it was just Scythe back on Cybertron but that was when they were on missions and those never lasted very long, maybe a few solar cycles at most. But after spending nine long millennia in space practically glued to Megatron's side, just two short orbital cycles without any other Cybertronian contact were starting to wear at the secondary processor.
Scythe, on the other hand, was having the time of her life, moving free without restrictions. And she would have gladly kept going if it were not for the fact that Leech was literally integrated into her frame and their mental state would eventually start affecting her too. She sighed. Very well.
When Scythe arrived outside the cave, Bolthex appeared to be sparring with a new bot. A smaller, boxier mech of red and white who seemed surprisingly strong for his size. Char was off to the side, watching them. Scythe came up beside her.
"Who's the new guy?" she asked.
Char visibly jerked, startled. "For Primus' sake, Scythe!" she exclaimed, servo over her spark. "Don't scare me like that."
"What's the matter, Char?" asked a voice from inside the cave. It was another new bot that Scythe had not noticed until now. "I heard you shout-" Then he saw Scythe. "Whatinthefraggingscrapheap! What is that doing here?" They reached for their weapon.
"Delta, wait-!" Char started, only to be interrupted by Delta abruptly toppling over onto his back and Scythe appearing on his chestplates with her blade out. "Scythe, don't!"
"I'm not going to kill him, Char. But if he's looking for a fight…" She brought the blade closer to his faceplates.
"No. No! I'm fine!" Delta cried, lifting his servos to show that they were open and empty.
Bolthex and the other new mech came running.
"Char, Delta! What happened-?" Then Bolthex saw Scythe. "Oh…"
"Is that what I think it is?" the new guy asked. Scythe whipped around and her blade extended out to graze his neck. "Gah!"
"Scythe! Stop it!" Char demanded, stepping forward but not quite reaching for Scythe, afraid she might cut her too.
"I see you guys didn't bother to tell them about me," Scythe said, looking from Char to Bolthex.
"Well, you hadn't been around for a while so…" Bolthex trailed off.
"We forgot?" Char offered.
"Wow, thanks." Scythe looked down at Delta. "Refer to me as 'that' again and you might actually lose something." The edge of her blade just barely touched his armor but it was enough to leave a permanent mark, making him grimace. "Got it?"
"Yes!" Delta exclaimed hastily.
She looked up at the other mech for an answer too. He nodded, servo pressed against his neck where she nicked him.
"Good." Scythe put away her blade and jumped off Delta. "My name is Scythe, in case you didn't know. And this is Leech." She gestured to the cyberleech who waved at them. "And you two are?"
"Delta," said the mech who was sitting up.
"Fritz," replied the other. "The ship's medic."
"That explains a few things," she muttered. Scythe looked up at Bolthex and Char. "You said your ship broke apart. You didn't mention you were missing crew."
"Would it have made a difference?" Bolthex replied.
"I could have helped you locate them."
"Considering your reputation…" Char trailed off.
Scythe rolled her optics. "Yeah, yeah, yeah."
"Wait, hold up," Leech suddenly interjected. "If you guys crashed here 167 stellar cycles ago, then why are you just now finding each other?"
"Oh, it talks," said Fritz, in surprise. He got down on his knees and leaned closer for a better look. "Fascinating."
"Yeah. And it bites and will suck you dry if you're not careful. So don't touch." She looked up at the others. "Leech has a good point though… Why did it take you guys so long to find each other?"
"Unfortunately, we spent most of that time locked in stasis to recover from the crash," explained Delta since Fritz was busy having a staring contest with Leech. "Fritz took the worst of the damage too. And then when we finally woke up, the native flora had pretty much buried the ship. Also the humidity in the atmosphere did a real rust number on the hull. We're lucky it didn't reach the stasis pods."
"Where did you land?"
"South of here. At these coordinates." He sent the coordinates to everyone.
"Hey, Char. How long would it take you to fly there?" Scythe asked, since Char was the only one among them with a flight type alt-mode. Both Delta and Fritz were grounders.
"From here?" Char answered. "Not long."
"Then shall we go at first light tomorrow?"
"Me… and you?"
"Yeah. Is something wrong?"
"Well, I mean…"
"It's you," Bolthex said.
"Ah… I understand. Then can you hover?" Scythe asked. She looked up at Bolthex. "And will our comms reach that far?"
Bolthex nodded. "Yes, the comms should reach that far."
"And yes, I can hover for a little while." Char replied. "Why do you ask?"