OK people, in case some of you are confused as off the timeline of everything that is happening, for your clarification, this chapter takes place five days after the rise of Megatron, or three days since he attacked Chengdu military base. By the way, I'll amend Chapter 20 later to change Sichuan military base into Chengdu. Essentially, Sichuan is the entire state (like State of New York) while Chengdu is the state capital. Sorry, my bad.
Musichowler, Elconquistador, you two are some of my most valued reviewers, before you read this chapter make sure you review the previous one as I value your opinions. Thanks.
Chapter 23: Siege of the Nerima Wrecking CrewThe city of Beijing, the ancient capital of China for many centuries and current seat of power for the People's Republic of China, was being devastated by its own war machines. In the air, the combined air forces of Shenyang and Beijing military regions fought a furious dogfight against jets of their own air force from Xinjiang and Lanzhou military regions. Initially, the friendly Chinese Air Force had the numerical advantage, but that advantage was now gone due to the technologically superior Cybertronian converted drones. Moreover, nobody could detect Blitzwing via radar and he could attack with impunity with little or no obstruction due to his stealth system. This was in addition to the five new sentient Decepticons whose flying skills far outmatched the Chinese pilots.
As for the city itself, the Chinese government had manage to evacuate most of it and now their forces were also locked in an epic scale urban battle with the Decepticons and their drones. Chinese infantry and vehicles clashed violently with vehicle drones which also had the ability to transform into humanoid forms and therefore had an advantage over their Chinese counterparts. Their robot forms meant increased mobility in the urban areas, enabling them to overcome terrain that could not be crossed by Chinese tanks and vehicles or move faster to dodge incoming fire. In two separate directions, the Combaticons and the Contructicons merged spearheaded their main forces towards the centre of the city; the Forbidden City of China and also the PRC military command centre.
For Hound and Team Ranma, it was fast becoming the day of Armageddon for them.
Hound cried in pain as Megatron's claws gripped his throat and lifted him into the air. Megatron then flew into the air then dropped Hound on the nearest tall building. Before Houndn fell o the building's roof, the full weight of Megatron smashed into Hound as the Decepticon tyrant stepped on Hound. The green Autobot's body was now virtually smashed, and he could hardly feel his hands and legs. Around him, the city lay in ruins, fire and smoke clouding the city. The sounds of battle and screaming of Chinese soldiers and civilians could be heard loudly from all around. In the midst of it, was the occasional booming laugh of Megatron and the Decepticons as they overcame the Chinese defenders.
'So this is how it ends. In fire and darkness. Dear sweet Kasumi, I'm sorry I failed you,' Hound thought. Nevertheless, the Autobot still had the will to fight and decided only hours ago to die defending humanity, no matter the cost. Those were his last orders from both Prime and Prowl and he would damn well die by them.
"That all you got Megatron? Arcee hits harder than you," Hound hissed beneath Megatron's huge feet.
"You know, the week I gave you isn't up yet. Swear fealty to me, and I'll let you live as our slave. Do not think I'm unmerciful. I really meant it when I said I didn't want any more Cybertronians to fall when necessary," Megatron growled from above him.
Hound's response was his right arm transforming into a small cannon and shooting between Megatron's legs. Unfortunately, the cannon's power was too small and it was Hound's last remaining weapon. His left hand sniper rifle along with its scope had been ripped off by Megatron since the Decepticon leader found him sniping away at the air drones and swooped in on Hound to torture him. It had been half an hour since he started beating Hound up the same way he did to Bumblebee only three days earlier.
"I wouldn't join you if you were the last Cybertronian in the galaxy, you flea bitten, termite riddled pile of reject parts!" Hound shouted.
Megatron's eyes narrowed and he did not seem to feel any pain from being fired at his crotch. "Ah, so unwise Hound. Oh well I guess I can now absolve my conscious of not resolving this conflict peacefully. Now, like Prime, you will face the same fate of obliteration for your treason. Come here you." He stepped off of Hound and gripped his chest to lift him up. All the while, Hound kept on firing his pitifully underpowered cannon at Megatron's body who did not react at all.
"Come on, you want a piece of me, you cowardly snake? You want a piece of me!" Hound furiously cried.
Megatron grabbed Hound's waist with one hand and his upper chest with the other. "NO, I WANT TWO…"
"SHI SHI HOKODAN/MOKO TAKABISHA!"
Three massive blasts of chi energy along with dozens of RPG rounds and countless small arms fire slammed into Megatron's back, powerful enough to push him off the building, still gripping Hound. From three nearby buildings, Ranma, Cologne and Ryoga consumed nearly all their chi to produce the biggest chi blast each had ever managed to do in their lives to save Hound. At the same time, their Chinese infantry support also fired every anti-armour weapon they had against Megatron, all of which were focused on Megatron's back. Hound had known that Megatron would likely torture him sadistically and had silently guided the Amazons, NWC and Chinese troops to their optimum position to take their shot at Megatron.
The three best chi-users were shocked as Megatron fell off the building still gripping Hound though. Quickly, Ryoga, Ranma and Cologne roof hopped to that building where Megatron previously was then leaped off the building towards the falling Autobot and Decepticon.
"ALRIGHT P-CHAN, OLD GHOUL. THIS IS IT. GET HIM!" Ranma shouted as he gripped Colgone and Ryoga with both arms and then with all of his might, threw them at the exposed back of Megatron who was falling face down into the street below. Cologne and Ryoga gritted their teeth as they shot to the ground at their greatest enemy, calming their hearts and minds as they searched for the weak spot of Megatron.
"BAKUSAI…" they started to say when both discerned the separate weak points and prepared to shatter it.
Before they could complete the technique, Megatron suddenly turned midair to face them. Gripping Hound's legs, he used the Autobot's body as a makeshift club and violently batted Ryoga and Cologne away. The two hit the road and skidded some distance away. Ranma cried as he saw blood sprout from their bodies and then suddenly found himself gripped in the colossal claw of Megatron. The Decepticon leader than floated into the air and landed on the ground, still stepping on Hound who was still gripped by his clawed feet.
"Nice try, insect. Hound, I really have to give it to you. What I would give to have you on my side."
Hound spat some of his inner workings out of his mouth. "How about your complete and unconditional surrender?"
Megatron smiled and shook his head. "Now that is too much. Say goodbye to your insect friend," with that last remark, he threw Ranma into the air and then used Hound to bat him in the same direction as Ryoga and Cologne almost like a tennis player. Hound cried as Ranma impacted violently on his hull but could do nothing as even his other arm cannon was destroyed at this point. Ranma flew and then hit Cologne and Ryoga just as they were struggling to stand up from the vicious bash they just received. The three fell to the ground together some distance away.
"Damn you Ranma…. you and your… hare brained ideas……" Ryoga hissed as several internal injuries finally registered themselves on his abnormally strong constitution. Ranma wasn't listening though. His attention was focused on Cologne.
She was not moving.
"Old ghoul, OLD GHOUL!" Ranma screamed as he crawled towards the Amazon Elder who was lying on the floor, miraculously still in one piece. The pig-tailed martial artist painfully laid his head on her chest and to his shock, found no heartbeat. Desperately in spite of his condition, he began to administer emergency CPR, disregarding his own broken ribs and internal injuries. He even tried to resuscitate Cologne.
"Come on old ghoul, don't die on me yet! I haven't even defeated you without using the neko-ken yet! Besides, you still have to absolve the Kiss of Marriage and Death Shampoo gave to me! You can't die! We need you! I need you! You've got a grand daughter that needs you!" Ranma's desperation fuelled his efforts as he furiously pumped Cologne's chest and resuscitated her repeatedly.
"Please old ghoul…. Elder Cologne….. don't die," Ranma cried, tears now flowing. His heart sang when he finally heard a heartbeat in the old Amazon's chest and she started breathing faintly. "Cologne? Elder Cologne?"
"After all this time, only now you decide to respect your elders," Cologne cackled.
Ranma could only cry tears of happiness and never thought he would be glad to see one of his greatest rivals alive. "You can't die yet. I want to choose Akane as my fiancée and you are going to help me."
Cologne snorted. "Fat chance Ranma, you will still marry…." Their hearts froze when they heard screams from three familiar girls. Then another girl came flying towards them and Ryoga managed to muster enough strength to catch the girl before she impacted the ground. She still gripped the broken handle of a giant spatula and Ranma cried when he saw the brutally abused body of Kuonji Ukyo.
"MEGATRON!" he screamed into the distance towards Megatron.
He saw the Decepticon leader leap into the air a city block away and landed in front of them, Hound once again crushed beneath his feet. Their hearts froze as they saw the squirming bodies of Shampoo and Akane gripped in each hand. In his own jaws, Mousse's leg poked out and Megatron spat him out of his mouth. The Amazon boy had been impaled by several of Megatron's teeth but the Decepticon leader stopped short of actually biting him in half. Mousse dropped on top of a Voxwagen car and remained motionless.
"MU TZU!" Shampoo cried, with far more concern than one would expect her to give her stalker.
Megatron made a face. "Ewwww, disgusting. I can't understand why Ravage likes eating flesh and drinking blood so much. Oh well, at least his skill in torment is exquisite and draws the most enthralling screams one can hear. I think you will all have the honour of being the source of my entertainment for years to come in return for the welcome you've given since I came to your wretched planet."
To everyone's astonishment, Cologne stood up, weakly clutching the broken half of her staff. "You think you have won? Even if you conquer China, every other superpower will use their nuclear weapons on you. You may have won the battle but you will lose the war, Megatron."
"I don't think so my little Amazon bitch. After today, every machine you see here will be converted into my army. Then when your American and Russian reinforcements arrive, I too will convert them. Oh don't look so surprised Cologne, do you think I did not anticipate that your government would be desperate enough to ask THEM for help?" he patted the Key to Vector Sigma cannon on his right arm. "Even now, my forces in Jinan are converting your Guangzhou and Nanjing military into my slaves drones. The Constructicons have already annihilated the Chinese forces on their side of the city and is in the process of restoring and reprogramming your broken military vessels into our mighty Cybertronian war machine. Already a hundred tanks and fallen aircraft have been restored. Your pathetic air force up there will soon be wiped out. After that, defending ourselves from nuclear attacks will be child's play. You have lost Cologne, look at the symbol of power of your nation for the last time for I will soon level it."
It was then that Cologne, Ranma and Ryoga finally realised where they were. They had been thrown to the edge of the Tiannanmen Square. And beyond that was the Chinese command HQ, deep within the Forbidden Palace.
"How ironic. Your own people slaughtered hundreds of innocents on this very ground. The human capacity for cruelty is truly remarkable; in this respect I confess that humanity may well exceed that of Cybertronians. Now, once again, hope and freedom will be crushed and a new order shall arise and spread over the very foundations of this world," Megatron started laughing maniacally. "Come humans, rejoice with me! Glorify me with your screams!" he shouted as he squeezed Akane and Shampoo again, prompting further cries of pain.
"YOU'LL NEVER GET AWAY WITH THIS! NEVER!" Akane screamed.
"INSOLENT MALE! MALE TOO MUCH TESTERONE IF THINK SO STUPID THOUGHTS!" Shampoo shouted.
Megatron laughter subsided a little and then he stared at Ranma who would have charged at Megatron if he wasn't so injured. As of the moment, none of the NWC were in fighting shape anymore.
"Do you love your fianceé?" Megatron asked.
"Give her back! Let them both go!" Ranma croaked as he struggled to muster his chi.
"Ah ah ah, I intend to solve this question once and for all. Your exploits were quite entertaining if what Soundwave reports is correct and believe me, Soundwave never reports flawed information. Actually he could never draw a logical conclusion on which you would choose so for the sake of my most loyal servant, I will find out for him. Do you love Tendo Akane? Do you find her attractive? Do you want to mate with her? Do you want to her to be yours only?"
In the midst of worldwide Armageddon, Ranma was annoyed that God still found time to torment him with his fiancée problem again. "What's it to you? Let them go you son of a …. NOOOOOOOOOOO!"
Ranma screamed and his heart was torn apart as Megatron's claw at the end of his pinky sliced off Akane's leg. The pig-tailed boy screamed as the leg fell and blood started flowing out of Akane's bloody stump. Then to his horror, the pinky pointed upwards, ready to stab upwards into Akane. If that wasn't enough, Megatron's other pinky also got ready to stab upwards at Shampoo.
"One last chance Ranma. Otherwise I will… how do you humans put it? Screw them nice and slow?" Megatron's face showed no lust, only a sadistic fascination and love of torment.
Ranma wildly looked for a way to save the two girls but saw none. His body was broken. His chi reserves were all but empty. His mind was about to be torn apart by the various honour bound agreements that bound his choice to the fate of many girls.
"Say goodbye to their pussies," Megatron said as his pinkies was about to move…
"YES! YES! I LOVE AKANE! I LOVED HER THEN, I LOVED HER NOW! I LOVE HER WITH ALL MY HEART! FROM THE DAY HER HAIR WAS CUT BY RYOGA! I WANT HER TO LOVE ME! I WANT TO BE HERS! PLEASE! LET HER GO! LET THEM GO! IF YOU WANT TO TORTURE ANYONE, DO ME! YOU WANT A GIRL?! YOU GOT ONE AS WELL!" Ranma weakly reached towards a puddle of water nearby and splashed himself into it, becoming a she. "PLEASE, I'LL DO ANYTHING, JUST DON'T HURT HER!" Ranma-chan begged Megatron as she fell to her knees.
And so in the midst of humanity's greatest battle, one of the most baffling mysteries was finally solved by the most diabolical tyrant in the galaxy. Cologne sighed as she heard Ranma's declaration and Shampoo's face also fell. Somehow, despite the coercion Megatron had administered to Ranma, no one could mistake the fear and desperation that Ranma displayed for Akane, not Shampoo even though Ranma also begged for Shampoo's life.
For Akane, despite the terrible pain of having her leg severed, she found joy in Ranma's words. It would have been the happiest moment of her life if it weren't for the fact that it would most likely be the last moment of her life.
The Decepticon was amused. "Strange that you picked the most unattractive woman of the horde of fiancées, and the most violent one as well. No wonder Soundwave nearly blew his circuits trying to figure out why you constantly stuck up to her. Oh well, my loyal soldier was created without an emotion circuit to began with so he could never understand them."
To Ranma's horror, Megatron knocked Shampoo and Akane together by clapping his hands and then dropping them on Ranma. The poor girl barely mustered enough strength to catch both girls in each arm. Ranma was about to try and get out of the way but hope died in his heart as behind Megatron, the hulking forms of the Constructicons and Combaticons appeared from two directions of the city. Accompanying them, were hundreds of robots, drones made via the Key from devices ranging from tiny electronic appliances to massive tanks, trucks and cars, all of which bristled with alien weaponry. It was a bizarre army of robot zombies. The eyes of the drones were lifeless but did nothing to diminish the terror of their weaponry and size. From the air a wing of thirty aircraft, headed by Blitzwing and the five new Seeker Decepticons, transformed and perched on the nearby buildings, dramatically grouping themselves as they prepared to attack the Forbidden City at Megatron's command.
"Slaves you shall be but at least you will be alive. Dead is dead. Nobody can reverse that. Your Autobots are destroyed, gone in the wind. This city will fall, then we will move on to the next, converting, transforming, destroying all resistance from one country to the next until Earth, is MINE!"
Ryoga and Cologne limped to Ranma's side, the latter holding Ukyo while Cologne had managed to drag Mousse's broken body to them. Somehow, they all knew they had lost, even Ranma who never ceased to think of new ridiculous ways of defeating his enemies. But now this was a being from their darkest dreams made manifest, a merciless tyrant who did not care about honour nor life, whose only goal was domination and conquest. Moreover Ranma could not do anything with Akane in his arms, bleeding to death from her severed leg as well as the massive internal injuries within. Even Ryoga's tough constitution had reached his limit. His depression would not help him anymore: he simply had no more chi left and could barely keep himself from fainting.
Grimly he looked at Ranma. "You know what? I can't believe for once, this isn't your fault."
Ranma sighed. "It is nobody's fault Ryoga. Only that big freaking cowardly motherless son of a dog in front of us."
Megatron frowned and aimed his Key Cannon at the NWC. "GROVEL FOR MY AMUSEMENT SLAVE!"
The females of the NWC tried to run but as before, found their bodies too battered to even move. Futilely, Ryoga and Ranma tried to put themselves in front of the females as though they could block Megatron's blast.
vrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrooooooooooooommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
A distant rumble was heard from another part of the city. The sound froze everyone, including the Decepticons. Megatron's eyes became wide as did the NWC as they saw a huge cloud of dust appear in the other direction. At first their minds could not comprehend what the sound was but as the rumbling became louder and the dustcloud became nearer to the edge of Tiannanmen Square, the sound of powerful engines could not be mistaken.
"Did you hear that?" Akane whispered.
"It sounds like……" Ukyo mouthed.
POOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNN! POOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNN!
"AUTOBOTS!" the NWC cried.
For the second time since he stared into the eyes of Tendo Kasumi, the Decepticon leader felt a very mortal fear crawling up his spine. Then a voice that he never thought he would hear again shouted so loud that the entire city rang with the sound of its voice. Whoever it belonged to, there was no mistaking of it was very very very pissed off.
"MEGATRON!"
To be continued………
Author's notes
OK everybody, its time to dig into your cellars and attics for all those mouldy VHS or PAL video tapes to watch the Transformers G1 episodes and make sure you get the music and sound effects into your heads. Alternatively you can try digging into your hard drives and see if you've managed to download it sometime ago. When you read my next chapter, I want you to use the old sound effects and music, not the new 2007 ones unless I explicitly say so.
Anyway from now on, imagine the old battle music used in the eighties. Actually the 2007 movie works fine as well but I believe the hardcore fans among us will prefer the eighties version.
Take care and God bless. As always, long reviews are appreciated.