LJ's Author's Notes: ME own nothing! blinks well ...me co-own Rhythm...but that it! ...me channel swoop. me sorry.
DesCat's Author Notes: What she said. We only own Rhythm the rest goes to someone else. Just want to say thanks to everyone for the reviews as well, Much appreciated:D
Semi-Charmed Life
Chapter 3
Shots rang over Jazz's head as the Decepticons defended their stolen goods with fervor. He tried hard to keep his mind on the fact that he needed to keep alive. He dodged a shot from some new Decepticon recruit and took cover behind a rock, finding that he was sharing it with Bluestreak.
"Ya' alright there 'Blue?" he asked. The normally talkative young mech simply nodded and placed his rifle to his forehead, his optics shut off. Jazz frowned and put a supporting hand on his shoulder before turning around and returning fire from his hiding place.
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Rhythm watched carefully from a rocky outcrop above the action. His scanners were on high alert, seeking out his big cash reward. Locking onto his target he smirked and hefted his rifle. Starscream was firing from a fairly stationary point about two miles above the action. He felt his fuel pump quicken as it always did when he was close to the end of a long hunt. Rhythm kept it in check and slowed his air circulation to keep him from becoming jittery with excitement. Shots rang around the target and Rhythm detached the name Starscream from the mech he was aiming at. 'Never become attached to a target'; that was the golden rule of Hunting. Your target has no identity, your target is simply that. The words ran through Rhythm's head as he calmed down
Com'n, Rhythm needs a new space ship, the black seeker thought as he finally locked on the seeker as he gloated. Starscream was as good as cash. It was easy, too easy. Rhythm grinned and slowly squeezed the trigger.
"What th' pit...?" Rhythm looked up suddenly as a strange small robotic insect flew at him. He glared and swung his rifle back into his back and dodged as the bug landed on the rock.
"Well, well. What have we here, here?" The strange black and purple bug transformed and grinned, two antlers coming off his shoulders.
"They call me th' Grim Reaper, an' your time is up," Rhythm pulled a small shot gun and suddenly screamed as lightning and raw energy coursed through his body. His voice fell quiet as he fell from his perch, smoke trailing from the vents on his helmet.
"So sad, sad. A hunter that's become the hunted, the hunted." Shrapnel dove down after the seeker and landed on his smoking form transforming back to his insect mode. "At least I get a meal, meal! GAAACK!" Rhythm grabbed the insect from his armor with his last amount of energy and threw him aside, watching as the bug collided with a light blue seeker above.
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"Decepticons! Fall Back! We came for what we wanted!" Megatron's chain smoker voice called out as he flew away. The Autobots pushed after them as far as the edge of the plant making sure they got the hint not to return. Cliffjumper snorted and smirked to himself as he hit a seeker, probably Skywarp, in the aft end. He turned and saw a rather odd black lump in the ground. Heading over cautiously, Cliffjumper realized it wasn't a lump, it was a mech.
"Hey! Prowl! We got a mech down here!" Cliffjumper's voice called. Prowl looked up and saw that the minibot was standing over a large black mech. Prowl went over and looked at the mech, an obvious seeker, with a hunter's mark on his left wing. So this was the mech responsible for knocking Hound out of commission. Electric arcs ran over the coal black paint job and Prowl quickly scanned for life.
"He's alive, but he needs medical attention," Prowl said looking up as Optimus Prime came over.
"Then let's get him back to base. If we leave him here, the Insecticons will strip him clean."
"Demir..." came a cracking and harsh voice. Prime frowned behind his mask and knelt down next to the mech.
"What is it?" Prime frowned and kept his distance as the mech's green optics flashed on for a moment.
"Demircon..." the mech said again before passing out into blissful unconsciousness.
"Demircon? That's a city-state on Cybertron. It was raided at the beginning of the war. Now it's just a black market for thieves," Cliffjumper informed placing his free hand on his hip in curiosity. "Why would a hunter say that?" Prime frowned and nodded.
"Because that's home. I've had some run in with Hunters before. If anything is to happen to them, they always request to be put back home, usually where they were sparked. Ashes to ashes, you see. Well he's not going to give up yet. Let's get him back. Autobots, Roll out!" With the order given, Prowl and Bluestreak lifted the heavy seeker and placed him in the back of Prime's trailer. Jazz overheard the conversation and frowned.
'Nother survivor from Demircon? Weird... shaking it off, Jazz transformed and followed the pack back to base.
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Ratchet was stumped. He was definitely a seeker- but not a Decepitcon. His face wasn't the traditional Decepticon seeker either, in fact this one had not only green optics but a "goatee" or at least a Cybertronian version of it. Charcoal black paint covered his entire body, along with scorch marks left from Shrapnel- marks Ratchet had seen much too often on Autobots.
"Ratchet?" Prime called out, the door to repair bay swinging open. "Any ID yet?"
"Not yet." Ratchet sighed, "Most of the documents on Demircon were destroyed in the raid."
"I figured that. Hunters don't usually have ID on record anyway." Prime frowned, watching the unconscious seeker. He looked amazing familiar but Prime knew this wasn't any of the Hunters he had encountered before- no this one was different. But there was something in his face that was so… hauntingly familiar.
Then suddenly, the seeker began to stir, groaning and twitching. His optics finally reactivated, glowing a brighter green as his hands came up to his face. A gesture Prime had seen before as well. Where, he wasn't sure but still…
"What the slag jus' happened?" His voice was strained, "Where 'm I?"
"Autobot Headquarters. Who are you?" Prime helped the struggling flier to better sit up.
"Name's Rhythm." He grunted, ripping off the various monitors Ratchet had installed, itching at them once removed. "Who th' slag are you?"
Prime raised an eyebrow ridge. "Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots."
Rhythm blanched. Autobots? He got his tailfin saved by Autobots? Autobots that were usually firing at him, hated him for his line of work despite the fact they were the ones who usually hired him. Unlike Decepticons, Autobots didn't like to outright assassinate Decepticon leaders, and therefore hiring a Hunter was a much easier way to do it. Or at least the really desperate Autobot would.
Silence emanated for a moment or two before Rhythm decided to speak up. "So…wha' do I owe ya?"
"Owe?" Ratchet asked.
"Well, as much as I hate th' fact tha' you helped me, I owe ya fer it. Part of the whole Hunter's Pact."
Prime looked over to Ratchet, expecting the medic to answer the question. After all, it was Ratchet who had pieced him back together.
Ratchet's optics narrowed slightly, "You can answer a few questions."
Rhythm 's optics narrowed to match the medic. "I'll answer wha' I can. Can't promise anything'."
"Fine. Then if you are neutral, then why do you have Decepticon manufactured internals? You are obviously a seeker construct but-"
Rhythm smirked, "But not th' face o' one? Whatch yer point, medic?"
"My point is, that if you were a neutral then you wouldn't have a trace of Decepticon technology. They purge their technology. If you were neutral you'd have neutral technology." Ratchet picked up a data pad next to him. "So what are you?"
Rhythm slowly dragged himself to his feet, stretching out the kinks in his back. He teetered on his feet slightly and clenched his teeth in pain. Slagging Con did a number on him after all. Maybe he'd have to get him as well- maybe they'll pay for an extra for another 'Con. "What does it matter to ya, medic? I'll be out of here in a hour and bac' on my way."
"And your Pact?" Prime interjected, only to receive a glare from the flier.
"Fine. Name it but make it quick. I have a bounty to collect."
Prime shook his head, "Good try but I know I have all the time I need to name the return. You'll stay here for now, you're in no shape to go anywhere either way."
Judging by the way he really couldn't see straight… perhaps it would be better to stay for a while. He didn't need Starscream to slag him instead of the other way around.
"Fine. I'll stay, but tha' don' mean it's because I can't handle m'self."