Disclaimer; I own Shadow Stalker and the plot. That's it.
Warning: Due to language and violence, this series is rated PG.
Of Shadow And Light
Chapter 7
Rage
by Switchblade X
Everyone that was present in the command center looked up when the elevator hissed to a stop.
Shadow Stalker stood in the center of the platform, badly damaged. Her right arm was barely attached by a few wires, there was a softball-sized hole in her stomach, her left knee had been blown almost completely out, and she was covered from head to toe in other smaller wounds. She held something by two cords in her left hand.
"What happened ta you?" Rattrap asked.
Without a word, she tossed the thing that she had been holding to Optimus, who caught it. It was Tarantulas' head.
Optimus, Rhinox, and Rattrap looked at the decapitated head, then at Shadow Stalker. It appeared that she had just ripped the spider's head off, windpipe, spinal cord, and all.
Still silent, she limped over to the nearest CR chamber, programmed it with her functioning hand, and stepped inside.
Rhinox sighed, "Whelp, looks like we need to call Dinobot in from the perimeter."
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"What happened out there?" Optimus asked as soon as Shadow Stalker emerged from the CR chamber.
"I had a run-in with Tarantulas." she answered, testing her arm as Dinobot walked over to her.
"What was he doin' dat far inta our territory?" Rattrap asked.
"Trying to get me to defect." She leaned against the raptor without really even thinking about it.
Optimus raised one eyebrow, "I see he failed."
"I told him I wasn't interested unless D could come."
"So, what yer sayin' is; if da Preds'll take Dinobutt back, you're gone?" Rattrap demanded.
"If D wants to go, yes."
"I don't want to go." Dinobot quietly said. "This is where I belong, now."
She shrugged, "I didn't think you'd want to go. I don't either, really; Tarantulas gives me the creeps."
"Of course you realize, this doesn't exactly fuel our trust in you, Shadow Stalker." Optimus said.
"Hey, I could care less if you trust me or not." She took a few steps toward him, "Frankly, I don't trust any of you Maximals, with the exception of D, of course."
"Knowing that you'd betray us at any given second doesn't make my job any easier. What I don't get is this; after Megatron abandoned you and kicked Dinobot off of the team, how can you even think of defecting?"
She pointed to herself, "Hel-lo! Decepticon! Deception's kinda in the title an' job description!"
Optimus shrugged, "So? Dinobot's a Decepticon. I don't see him defecting. Plus, he's a full-blooded Decepticon; you're a half-breed."
The growl that followed that remark put everyone on guard.
The Maximal leader knew that he was treading on thin ice, but decided to say one more thing. "Why don't you claim the Autobots?"
"Because the Autobots have always oppressed the Decepticons, just as the Maximals have always oppressed the Predacons. Contrary to popular belief, not all of us are evil. But, unfortunately, the actions of a few have only worsened the oppression. However, the actions of those few were very much justified. Wouldn't you get fed up with millennia of unjustified oppression?"
"The Autobots and Maximals have never oppressed anyone!"
She looked at him for a moment, pity in her optics. "You poor creature. You poor, uneducated creature. They have brainwashed you. …Look through the history archives of both the Autobots and Decepticons. Look back to the earliest recorded history. You'll see what I mean." She turned, and headed down the hallway toward her quarters.
After he was sure that she was out of earshot, Dinobot approached Optimus, "Don't mind her, Optimus. As you know, Shadow has some…issues. In all actuality, she means you neither harm nor any ill will. Just look over her as much as you can."
Optimus nodded, "I'll try."
"She'll get better." he continued, "Just give her time."
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Shadow Stalker lay on her side on her bed, staring at the wall. Her door hissed open, and someone entered. She knew who it was; he never knocked. "I blew it again, didn't I?"
"Just a little bit, yes."
She sighed, "What's wrong with me, D? I used to be able to control my anger better than this."
He sat down on the edge of her bed, and put a hand on her shoulder, "You just have a lot on your mind right now, that's all. I was like you when I first came here and joined the Maximals." He chuckled a bit at the memories, "Impulsive, rude, sharp-tongued, aggressive, arrogant… Actually, I was a lot worse than you."
She rolled onto her back, moving closer to him, "I don't see how."
"I was. I really was. …But, like you, I had a lot of anger and hatred that I had to learn to deal with all over again."
"If you go into one of those 'you must calm your body, clear your mind, and harness your chi' speeches like those weirdoes who meditate every ten seconds, I swear, I'll jerk a knot in your tail."
He grinned, "No, no, I'm not into that slag either."
"Good. …How did you deal with your crap?"
"Sometimes, you just have to learn to stop and take a few deep breaths to calm yourself and get your mind working right again. It's hard, believe me. I haven't mastered it yet, and look at how long I've been here. …It's just something you have to work at, that's all."
She nodded, "Thanks, D."
"No problem. And remember, if all else fails, hitting something always helps."
This made her smile, "True that."
Gently, he stroked her cheek, "It'll get better, Shadow. I promise."
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Cheetor dodged another blast, pressing himself farther into the rock that was the only thing separating him from Waspinator, Megatron, and Inferno. Silverbolt lay beside him in beast mode, barely alive; the Preds had taken him out first when he had answered Cheetor's call for help.
Where are they? the young Maximal wondered. He had again called for backup almost ten minutes ago!
Suddenly, a black wolf appeared in the distance, followed closely by a velociraptor.
Cheetor couldn't help but sigh in relief; the cavalry had arrived.
Shadow Stalker didn't slow down as she neared the rock. Instead, she leaped over the rock, transforming as she went, and let out a roar that chilled Cheetor's mech-fluid. Her claws came out, and she sliced through Inferno as she landed.
Dinobot skidded to a halt beside Cheetor and transformed. "Are you all right?"
"I'm a little worse for wear, but I'm still functional." He pointed to his comrade, "It's Silverbolt I'm worried about."
The raptor nodded, "Shadow can handle the Predacons. Right now, we need to see what we can do for Silverbolt."
"Ah, Shadow Stalker!" Megatron said with mock cheerfulness as the black-and-red-armored femme stood at the ready before him. "So good to see you again!"
"Kiss my ass!" she snapped, attacking.
He blocked her claws, but barely. Her strength surprised him. "Still as strong and smart-mouthed as ever, I see."
"Again, kiss my ass." She pulled away, retracted her claws, grabbed her pistol, and opened fire.
Megatron managed to dodge the first three shots, but the forth hit him, knocking him backward a few steps.
Shadow Stalker took advantage of this moment. Holstering her pistol, she came at him with her fist clenched.
He grunted when her fist connected with his chest, and for a brief moment, he wondered what she was doing. He screamed when her claws extended to their full length, piercing his armor and slicing through his internal circuits.
"Incase you haven't noticed," she said, a wicked smile on her face, "I am very much going to enjoy this."
Again, he screamed as she slowly turned her fist a full 180 degrees. He could feel her claws tearing through his vital circuitry as though it were tissue paper.
She pulled him down just enough for her to be able to look him straight in the optics, "Next time, think long and hard about your decision to scratch someone from the team."
He screamed yet again, as she twisted her fist back another 180 degrees. A stream of oil and mech-fluid began to trickle from one corner of his mouth.
"Remember me, Megatron, for I am your worst nightmare." And with that, she yanked her fist from his chest, and shoved him backward.
Megatron fell, his optics dark, already in stasis.
As she cleaned the wad of circuits, wires, tubes, and various bodily fluids from her claws, Shadow Stalker saw the final Predacon: Waspinator.
At first, he had been stunned into absolute stillness, but now Waspinator began to tremble as he watched Shadow Stalker rise to her full height. "P-pleazze, d-don't hurt Wazzpinator." he begged.
She retracted her claws, sighed, and cocked her head to the right just a bit. "You know I'd never hurt you, Waspy."
"I would!" Cheetor said, popping up from behind the rock and snapping off a shot at the wasp.
"NO!" Shadow Stalker exclaimed, tackling Waspinator in hopes of dodging the laser.
Waspinator grunted when he hit the ground with Shadow Stalker on top of him. "NOOO!" he cried, seeing the smoking hole in her back as he gently laid her onto the dusty ground.
"Shadow!" Dinobot screamed, scrambling around the rock and rushing to where she lay. He hit the ground hard on his knees beside her prone form, "Shadow, say something!"
She grunted, reaching back to inspect her wound.
"Don't." Dinobot said, grabbing her hand before she could touch her back. "You'll make it worse."
"Is Waspy okay?" she asked, struggling to her knees.
"Wazzpinator izzz okay." he answered, cautiously putting a hand on her shoulder. "Thankzzz to you."
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Cheetor exclaimed, rushing toward the trio. As soon as he had knelt down, Dinobot gave the cheetah a hard smack in the back of the head. He hit the dirt face first.
"What the hell were you thinking?!" Dinobot demanded. "You could've killed someone!"
"I didn't mean to-" Cheetor started.
"Don't ever shoot unless you know you're going to hit your target!"
"I'm sorry! I really am!"
Dinobot growled, "Get Silverbolt. We're going back to the base."
"Wazzpinator izz coming, too." Waspinator said firmly.
"Ooooh no. He is not coming with us." Cheetor decided.
"Thizz izz partially Wazzpinator'zz fault. Wazzpinator izz coming, too."
"But-"
He held up a hand, silencing the cheetah, "Wazzpinator doezz not leave hizz friendzz behind when they are hurt. Wazzpinator doezz not leave hizz friendzz period."
Dinobot stood, and gently picked up Shadow Stalker. Waspinator also stood.
Reluctantly, Cheetor stood.
"Well?" Dinobot demanded.
"Well what?"
"Get your ass over there and get Silverbolt! What the hell are you doing just standing around? We need to move! Now!"
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It took a lot of explaining on both his and Dinobot's part, but Waspinator was permitted to stay. At least until Shadow Stalker was repaired.
As she staggered out of the CR chamber, Shadow Stalker was swept up into a tight hug from Dinobot.
"Are you okay?" he whispered just loud enough for her to hear.
She nodded, "Yeah."
"Good." After a few more moment, he pulled away. "There's someone here to see you."
Curious, she peeked around his shoulder, and smiled when she saw Waspinator standing beside the table.
"Izz Zzhadow okay?" he asked, as she hugged him.
"Yeah, I'm okay."
"Good. Wazzpinator wazz worried; thizz wazz hizz fault."
"No it wasn't."
"Uh-huh. Wazzpinator owezz Zzhadow hizz life."
"You don't owe me anything, Waspy."
Waspinator was about to say something else, but Rattrap cleared his throat. He sighed, "Maximalzz zzay that Wazzpinator could zztay only until Zzhadow came out of CR chamber. Now, Wazzpinator muzzt go."
"Are you sure? You can stay here with us."
"Azz much azz Wazzpinator would like to, Wazzpinator needzz to get back to hizz bazze. But, maybe Wazzpinator will drop by zzome time. And, who knowzz? Maybe Wazzpinator will join Maximalzz one day."
She smiled, "Okay. The door's always open."
He hugged her, "No be zzad, Zzhadow. Wazzpinator izz always only a few clickzz away."
"I'll remember that."
He smiled, waved goodbye, transformed, and flew out of the roof hatch.
"Friend of yours?" Rattrap asked.
"Yes, as a matter of fact." Shadow Stalker answered, the lightness of the moment gone. "Do you have a problem with it?"
"Yeah, actually, I do. Several, in fact. Most of which involve him bein' a Predacon! What are you, nuts?"
"Oh, blow it out your ass!" She headed down a hallway.
Dinobot sighed, "Call us when Silverbolt wakes up, okay?"
"All right." He turned his attention back to his poker game.
"Rattrap…"
"Yeah?"
"Don't pay any attention to Shadow. She's…got some issues."
"Ah, don't worry 'bout it. Jus' go talk some sense inta 'er okay?"
"That's exactly what I was going to do." He turned, and headed down the same hallway that Shadow Stalker had moments before.
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"Shadow, what's wrong?"
She turned to face him, "Too much."
"Such as?"
"This war. Knowing that I'm fighting against the faction I used to be a part of. Knowing that I'm fighting with the faction that I hate. Knowing that I might have killed my former commander as well as two of my former comrades." She sighed, turning away from him, "Knowing that for one horrible moment, Waspinator was afraid of me. I'm the only friend he's ever had, and he was afraid of me."
He walked up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. "I know how you feel. …But, these things happen during times of war. You do and think and say things that you later regret. Unfortunately, many of them can't be helped."
She shuddered, " Did you see me out there? Did you see what I did to Megatron?"
"Yes."
"I enjoyed that, D. I enjoyed ripping out everything that I did. I…I let myself go, let the rage consume me. ……I'm scared, D. Scared of myself and scared for everyone around me. I've never felt like this before. I don't want to go off at every little thing. I don't want to have to rein in my anger every time something comes up. I'm a danger to myself and everyone around me. …I'm really scared. What if I hurt someone? Or worse?"
"You won't."
"How do you know? D, I'm so scared." She turned in his arms, and buried her face in his neck, "I don't want to be like this. I don't want to be a monster."
Dinobot tightened his hold on her, feeling her tears began to slide down his neck after falling from her cheeks. "Shhh, shhh. Don't cry, love. You're not a monster."
"Yes, I am."
Slowly, he began to rock from side to side, trying to calm her down. "You're not a monster, Shadow. You've just got a lot of things that you need to get off of your chest, that's all."
She didn't reply as she tried to control her emotions.
"Let it out, baby…let it out." he murmured, running one hand up and down her back. "I'm here. You're going to be okay." He darkened his optics and leaned his head against hers, "Shhh, it's okay. Everything's going to be okay, baby girl, I promise."
Author's Note: The sugar high continues!!!! (Bear with me, people; I don't get like this very often.) More to come!