Author's notes
While I'm not using any characters from the anime/erotic visual novel Fate/Stay Night, parts of this chapter is influenced by that anime so I will put a disclaimer saying I don't own Fate/Stay Night.
Sorry guys, quite a big chunk of this chapter is pretty dark. And I mean it in the non-sexual context for once. Look for the light at the end of this chapter though. It's a big bright one.
As always, long reviews are welcome. I'm wondering at the drastic decrease in number of reviews lately though, normally I get about ten on average but for the last two chapters, only got about five. Oh well, maybe I'm updating too fast. I appreciate your views on every chapter though so if you haven't reviewed the previous chapters, I would like to hear them.
Updated 1 hour after posting
Sorry guys, my memory screwed up when remembering Psalm 63. To those who noticed something wrong with the Psalm after reading it, I've amended it. Sorry, my bad. :P
Without further ado……..
Chapter 27: Wrath of the Grey MistBumblebee looked at Soundwave with an expression born of pure rage. Despite only knowing Omega for a short while, everyone in Optimus' team as well as Kasumi had been touched by the colossal robot's gentleness and humility. The eighty-foot giant still even managed to lift up Kasumi, who nervously stood on his claw and ever so gently carried her all the way up until he was face to face with her. She and Omega had exchanged pleasantries with each other and was even allowed to explore Omega's inner workings with Wheeljack. Having Omega on the receiving end of all the flying Decepticons and their drones when he was only supposed to combat the gestalts just screamed injustice to the yellow Autobot.
If Soundwave were a good judge of character, he would have noticed Bumblebee's anger and changed strategy accordingly. Bumblebee's energy sword in his left hand had transformed back into a hand. Soundwave wrote it off as an emotional outburst of irrationality.
He attempted to whip Bumblebee again, anticipating the direction Bumblebee would dodge so that he would shoot at that direction the moment Bumblebee moved. But the yellow Autobot did not move in the direction Soundwave predicted, in fact he didn't move at all. Bumblebee caught the electro whip with his left hand bare handed. The electro-whip was enveloped in an anti-matter disrupting field, which had the effect of burning Bumblebee's hand but he merely gripped it tighter, holding Soundwave in place even as his hand began to melt.
"Illogical move. Soundwave does not compute," Soundwave said stupidly.
"Compute this!" Bumblebee growled as he fired his solar cannon at Soundwave's right shoulder. The energy discharge was enough to destroy the joint between Soundwave's whip arm with his shoulder, literally disarming the Decepticon with one blow. He then shot off Soundwave's head, forcing the Decepticon to go into stasis lock, the Cybertronain version of a comma. The electro whip lost its power and stopped damaging his arm and he released his arm, wincing at the pain that now announced itself to him now that his moment of rage was gone. The Decepticon comically stood there without his head, not moving anymore as its head processors, essentially its motherboard, was gone.
"Bumblebee, do you read me? We've got to help Omega Supreme! Are you done with Soundwave yet?" Kasumi's voice was heard in Bumblebee's communicator. The yellow Autobot took a moment to calm himself before replying to her.
"I'm done but I don't know how we can stop Megatron. He's taken a beating from all of us and isn't even scratched! He's indestructible with the Key to Vector Sigma," Bumblebee said exasperatedly.
"We'll think of something. For the moment, we can't leave Omega and Wheeljack to die like that. Let's help Ratchet now then get over to Optimus Prime. He is going to need all the help he can get," Kasumi said.
"Alright Kasumi. I'll see you there," Bumblebee said grimly before he transformed into a Toyota Cellica and raced towards Ratchet's location.
Xxxxxxxxxxxx
Prowl, Arcee and Jazz immediately stopped their fighting, transformed into their vehicle modes and raced to Omega's position. Their Decepticon counterparts let them go; Blast Off actually shook his head and said, "Poor fools. They go to their deaths fighting an enemy far beyond their expectations. I'm going to miss them. They were truly worthy foes in spite of what Starscream may say."
xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Megatron stood with one leg on top of Omega Supreme and roared for all to hear his victory. The Decepticon leader was now eighty-foot tall. Every time he was damaged, he took a little more of the Key's power to boost his own in addition to healing his body. This meant that every damaging shot had the effect of further boosting his strength until he was the size and strength of a gestalt. The power of the Key to Vector Sigma was truly limitless and showed no sign of running out of energy. He was practically on top of the world and paid little heed to the seven vehicles driving towards him.
Optimus Prime transformed from his vehicle mode while Elita One, who had briefly scanned a Volvo XC90 did the same. Ironhide, Chromia (who had scanned a Nissan Frontier), Prowl, Jazz and Arcee also transformed and surrounded Megatron with death written all over their faces.
"Why do you all look so sad? He would have turned on you sooner or later. He was made a Dark Guardian and will forever be a Dark Guardian, destined to fight and destroy Cybertronians," Megatron said as he finally stopped roaring.
Arcee actually trembled with rage. "He was more Cybertronian than you could ever hope to be! He saved our lives countless times! You monster! How many lives do you have to take before you're satisfied?! How much more must you destroy before your lust for destruction is fulfilled?!" she screamed in rage.
"Watch your tongue woman. You speak of matters far beyond your puny understanding. Meddle not in politics and just fulfil your function as a slayer of your lord's enemies," Megatron growled at the pink Autobot.
The twin falchions appeared in each hand. "You are not my lord," Arcee said and would have charged at Megatron if Jazz didn't hold her back. "Let me go Jazz! I can handle that monster, he will pay for what he did to Omega!" the female Autobot was actually crying tears of rage now.
Optimus snarled, "You crossed the line again Megatron. Even when the evidence in your face, still you do not reject your fanaticism. Omega changed his nature for the better. Why the HELL CAN'T YOU DO THE SAME! AUTOBOTS ATTACK!" for the first time, there was no mercy in Optimus Prime's voice or on any of the Autobots' expression.
There was only rage and the promise of death. As one they charged at Megatron who only grinned and transformed the Key to Vector Sigma back into a flail again. "At long last, you discover what it is to hate, brother," he said as he swung the flail's head at Arcee.
The female Autobot dodged the attack then threw the falchion in her right hand at Megatron's head. The thrown falchion struck Megatron's ear but instead of returning to Arcee's hand, it stuck there like a feather in Megatron's silver helmet. She then tried to cut the flail's chain but instead cried in pain as an energy bolt coursed through the chain and zapped her as the falchion made contact with it. When Jazz tried to pull her away from it, he too was zapped and the two were unable to break contact as the destructive energy coursed through their bodies from the Key.
Elita and Optimus gave a huge war cry then threw themselves at Megatron's body, each using their close combat weapon; Elita's long blade and Optimus' axe pierced the armour at the centre of Megatron's chest. At the same time, Chromia and Ironhide each threw themselves at Megatron to grab one arm each in order to prevent Megatron from using his arms to remove Optimus and Elita as they tried to destroy Megatron's spark. Prowl took out his pistols and his shoulder mounted cannons then fired at both of Megatron's legs to topple him.
Megatron laughed grimly then kicked Jazz and Arcee away before falling forward to the ground, on top of Optimus and Elita. The Autobot female leader noticed it at the last minute and aligned her long blade so that the end of the staff was vertical to the ground as Megatron fell, hoping that the fall would result in the blade piercing the Decepticon monster.
The two leaders winced in pain as the monstrous weight of Megatron squashed them. To Elita's horror, the staff, instead of being driven up and penetrating Megatron, had been driven into the ground instead. Megatron then rolled over to his back and smashed his arm with Chromia attached to it on the ground, making the older Autobot female grunt in pain but refusing to let go. Ironhide let go one arm and managed to get one good shot with his lascannon at Megatron's chest but it was already healing from Optimus and Elita's attacks. He then pressed his palm against Ironhide and out of it, a huge spike sprouted and pierced the Autobot's abdomen. His claws then enveloped around the veteran Autobot then forcibly pried off Ironhide.
"Ironhide!" Chromia cried then she jumped on to Megatron's head, took out a thermonuclear device from her hip and shoved it into Megatron's mouth to the Decepticon leader's astonishment. She then jumped off as the bomb exploded inside Megatron's head. For a moment, it looked like that Decepticon's head would be destroyed and explode into every direction. But right before their eyes, the Key Flail once again emitted energy that quickly travelled to Megatron's head and then held it together.
"Which part of 'immortal' and 'indestructible' do you all not understand?" Megatron asked as he grabbed Chromia with his other hand then smashed her and Ironhide together. He then threw the two Autobots into two buildings on each of his side. The force of the throw drove both Autobots deep into the foundation of the buildings and destabilised them, causing the entire building to collapse on them. Optimus and Elita watched in horror as two of their warriors were buried under tons of rubble. Both of them stood up to face the towering Megatron. The Decepticon leader growled then charged at them swinging his flail.
Optimus took out his rifle and praying to God that he would listen, fired one shot after the other at Megatron's chest. The Almighty wasn't kind to him at the moment though as Megatron didn't even bother to shield his chest as every time Prime hit him, the wound would close up almost immediately. The Autobot leader was not depressed but was getting increasingly frustrated at Megatron's invulnerability.
Elita let out a ferocious war cry then stabbed the blunt edge of her staff into the ground. As Megatron stepped to the ground about 10 meters from them, he sank into a huge sinkhole that appeared in front of them. The sinkhole was deep enough to trip him and he fell forward, shoving his arms to the ground in time to prevent from falling on his face. This gave the Prime the opportunity to step on the Key Flail's chain. "ELITA, PROWL, NOW! WE'VE GOT TO SEVER THE KEY OFF MEGATRON!"
Before Megatron could react, the three Autobots had gathered at the part where the chain joined with his arm's stump. As one, Optimus' axe, Elita's long blade and Prowl's claws sliced downwards at the arm's stump. The three blade weapons cutting through the stump in one spot but to their disappointment, the weapons stopped short of actually cutting the entire stump off in one blow. A tiny part still connected the Key to Megatron and from it, the Key's energy flowed and regenerated the arm again. Instead of pushing the weapons out of the wound, to the three Autobots' horror, their weapons actually became embedded to the side of Megatron's stump; Prowl's right hand, Optimus' axe head as well as Elita's blade were effectively stuck in Megatron's arm.
Megatron grinned then stood up, carrying all three Autobots into the air. Elita released her staff and fell to the ground while Optimus detached the axe from his arm. However, Prowl cursed himself as he couldn't detach his own claws let alone his hands. Too late Optimus realised this when he dropped down and saw Prowl still hanging by his arm attached to Megatron's arm. The Decepticon leader then took hold of Prowl's body then ripped him from his arm. The dour Autobot still wasted no time in shooting Megatron with his shoulder cannons but Megatron didn't even bother to notice it
"Nice try Prime. But nothing can separate me from the Key and my destiny. NOTHING YOU HEAR!" Megatron shouted. The Key Flail transformed back into a cannon and from that hand, Elita's long blade appeared in his arm. With a speed vast disproportionate to his size, Megatron rushed forward and stabbed at Prime before he could react.
"PRIME!" a dark red figure paused Optimus out of the way. Optimus screamed "NOOOOOOOO!" as the blade intended for him stabbed into Elita's body, just below her chest. His previously axe-arm transformed into a beam sabre again and he used it to chop of the shaft of the long blade but before he could remove Elita, he grunted as he found his own axe embedded in his shoulder. Nevertheless, he gritted his teeth and pulled Elita out of the other end of the long blade and started running while carrying her over his shoulder.
"NOW LOOK WHAT YOU MADE ME DO! I NEVER INTENDED TO KILL HER" Megatron screamed as he chased the Autobot leader. "YOU CAN RUN BROTHER BUT YOU CAN'T HIDE!"
Optimus briefly analysed Elita as he ran. The long blade did not directly pierce her spark but it still manage to hit a part of it, along with a lot of vital internal systems surrounding it. Elita was in danger of going into stasis lock but she was struggling to remain awake and keep on fighting.
"Optimus…. Leave me…. continue….. the fight….," she painfully coughed out.
The Autobot leader went around a corner. "No, I won't leave you alone again. We have to stick…"
Megatron exploded out of the building to Optimus right as he went right through it as a shortcut. With a maddening roar, he gripped Elita and Optimus in each hand and separated the two. He glared at Elita and said, "I will save you later," before he dropped Elita to the ground. He then took Optimus and flew to the top of a building, dropped him and stomped on him with one foot. The Autobot leader groaned and tried to reach for his rifle but Megatron's foot talon pinned his other arm to the ground.
"You have one last thing that belongs to me, brother!" Megatron snarled as his claws gripped Optimus' chest and attempted to open it. "The future of the Cybertronian race, the legacy of our father, belongs to ME!" he roared as he forcibly opened Optimus' chest to access the Matrix chamber. Once Optimus' chest armour was torn apart, he then ripped open the Matrix inner chamber.
It was empty.
Megatron looked disbelievingly at the empty chamber then gripped Optimus' neck. "What have you done brother! Where is the Matrix?!"
The Autobot leader groaned. "Kiss my sleek shiny ass brother. You are on a need to know basis. And right now, you definitely don't need to know."
Megatron's eyes narrowed. "Still playing games even now? Don't tell me you gave our most sacred artefact to the humans for safekeeping?! Blasphemy! That does it, enough toying brother. This time YOU DIE!" Megatron roared as the Key Cannon transformed itself into a massive battle axe. He lifted the axe into the air and prepared to strike Optimus right in his Spark.
"Kasumi…… Primus…. forgive me…. for failing…." Optimus prayed as Megatron swung the axe downwards.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"a small green figure suddenly flew towards the axe just as it was a few meters from Optimus' chest and blocked it in mid swing. Megatron was astonished to see the figure being Kasumi. She had joined the arm's energy shield together as one large kite shield and was blocking the axe. Green tendrils of energy seemed to emerge from her backpack and helped to reinforce her shield as well as her armour strength. Then her armour's circuitry burst as every circuit and mechanical component that enhanced Kasumi's strength was fried with the strain of not only maintaining the energy shield to withhold the Key Axe but also to counter the impact its impact. Then the shield generators on Kasumi's arms exploded and she was thrown her back on Optimus chest. Megatron also backed away in surprise.
Kasumi coughed as smoke filled the inside of her helmet and everything in the HUD went black. With some effort, she mentally voiced a command into the suit and with its last reserve power, the entire outer plate armour with the exception of her backpack detached as well as a great deal of her inner power-suit which was disabled or destroyed. In the end, her arms and legs were bare but the suit covering her body was still intact and clung to her like a silver swimsuit. She pulled off her helmet and quickly looked to Optimus.
"Optimus…..," she cried, tears welling in her eyes as she surveyed the huge amount of damage the Autobot leader had sustained.
"Kasumi… what are you doing? You have to get away, Megatron musn't….."
Kasumi crawled to Optimus' head and placed a finger on his lips. "Enough Optimus Prime. You've done enough. Now it's my turn," she said quietly.
"YOU! HOW MANY TIMES DO YOU HAVE TO INTERFERE?!" Megatron scowled. He was momentarily distracted when Bumblebee, Ratchet, Hound as well as the chi-users of the NWC; Cologne, Ryoga and Ranma, surrounded him and fired everything they had at Megatron at point blank range. The Decepticon leader sighed and then proceeded to neutralise everyone in his way. To Cologne's and Ryoga's horror, they could not find any weak spot on Megatron at all, preventing them from using the Breaking Point technique. Not that it mattered as Megatron would have instantly regenerated, as he was doing now with all the chi-blasts and weaponsfire being thrown at him.
He swiftly beat them down, batting Ranma, Ryoga and Cologne aside like insects than grabbing hold of Ratchet and throwing him at Hound. Both of them fell of forty stories to the ground. The last to remain fighting was Bubmlebee, the smallest and most agile of them all.
"Optimus! Get Kasumi out of here! I will cover you!" Bumblebee shouted as he persistently dodged Megatron's blows.
"No! Bumblebee, we won't leave you…" Kasumi was silenced when Optimus' hand wrapped itself gently but firmly around her person.
"You have to stay alive Kasumi. If all else fails, you will be the last hope we have Kasumi," the Autobot leader said grimly as he rolled himself off the edge and fell towards the ground.
Megatron roared and then ignored Bumblebee even as Bumblebee fired a powerful blast that nearly destroyed his foot. He also jumped off the building and due to his heavier weight, fell faster than Optimus and grappled with him as they fell toward the ground. Kasumi cried as Optimus desperately tried to fight off the Decepticon leader as well as preventing Kasumi from falling, as she no longer had any flying capabilities. The fight was further confused when Bumblebee also dropped behind Megatron and tried to use his energy sword to repeatedly pierce into Megatron's chest.
Just before they reached the ground, Megatron reached at his back, plucked Bumblebee and threw him away. Optimus saw this and reacted by throwing Kasumi at Bumblebee, who barely managed to catch her. The three huge robots slammed into the ground, creating a shockwave that shattered all of the nearby building glasses and scattering them all over the street. Kasumi winced as several shards pierced her body before Bumblebee protectively covered Kasumi. And then the streets were quiet as all four combatants lay on the ground, panting with exhaustion, even Megatron.
The Autobot leader's head moved towards Kasumi and she looked into the blue eyes of Prime. "Kasumi, run. Find Kup. He will handle the rest….." he said. He then cried in pain as Megatron's claw slammed into his chest. Bumblebee and Kasumi became weary as the Decepticon leader once again stood up, practically undamaged.
As if that wasn't enough, all of the Decepticons, along with the Constructicons who had disassembled from Devastator after Omega fell, now appeared, some of them carrying the injured Autobots. Each Combaticon as well as Blitzwing and three Constructicons, held an Autobot each then dropped them to the ground. Elita, Jazz, Arcee, Ironhide, Chromia, Prowl, Ratchet and Hound groaned as they lay injured beneath the feet of their enemies. To be fair, most of the Decepticons including the air Seekers suffered no small amount of damage but none of them had to deal with a rampaging Megatron. They then glared at Bumblebee and Kasumi. The yellow Autobot's Spark sank but still he backed into a building with an arm hugging Kasumi to his chest while his right arm cannon aimed at the nearest Decepticon, which happened to be Blast Off. On top of the buildings, Starscream and the five Seekers perched like vultures along with a large number of their air drones.
Megatron looked amusingly at Kasumi and Bumblebee. "Tell you what Bumblebee. I'm going to tear your leader apart piece by piece. I'll even name the parts before I tear it out. If you can stop me with that little toy gun of yours from tearing one piece, I'll let you all live," he said spitefully. He then gripped Optimus' hand but not his entire arm. "First we start with his hand. You have ten seconds," he said then pretended to be in a thinking mode.
"You sick asshole!" Bumblebee shouted and futilely shot at Megatron's claw which gripped Optimus' hand.
"That's LORD asshole to you!" Megatron sneered then his claws pinched and Optimus' hand came off resulting in a cry of pain and anguish from Optimus and Kasumi respectively.
Is this how it's suppose to end again? With me just being an unimportant bystander? After all the hope we've been given, it is still not enough to save the world? Kasumi silently cried as she watched Megatron mangle Optimus Prime. Then her heart hardened. NO! THIS WON'T BE THE END! WE WON'T DIE TODAY! WE WILL HAVE DINNER TOGETHER!
To Bumblebee's astonishment, Kasumi managed to slip from his fingers then she climbed unto his right arm cannon. "Kasumi, what are you ….." he started then his eyes went wide as she reached into her backpack. "NO, DON'T REVEAL THE…."
It was too late. Kasumi reached into her backpack and took out the now human size Matrix.
Despite its now small size, it still managed to give out a blazing green light that enveloped everyone. Megatron paused in astonishment as the Autobot artefact appeared in Tendo Kasumi's hands and dropped Optimus' head, which he was about to decapitate. "The Matrix…. you gave Kasumi the Matrix? You're a greater fool than I thought Prime." Then he released Optimus and began to move towards Kasumi. "I'm going to ask you nicely one last time. Give me the Matrix, Kasumi," Megatron growled as the Key to Vector Sigma transformed into a flail again.
Kasumi ignored Megatron and looked at Bumblebee. "This time, I'm going to be your gun Bumblebee. Make this shot count. For all our sakes," she said quietly.
The Matrix started to glow even brighter as Kasumi placed it closer to Bumblebee's cannon. Bumblebee then understood what Kasumi was trying to do. "Will you ever stop indebting us to you?" he said softly.
Kasumi smiled. "We can discuss who's indebted deeper to the other later. For now, let's kick Megatron's butt."
"WHY YOU LITTLE…. THAT'S IT! DIE!" Megatron roared as he begins to swing the Key Flail.
Bumblebee placed his other hand to steady his arm cannon as well as for Kasumi to stand on. Kasumi firmly pressed the Matrix against the cannon. She desperately searched for a prayer than remembered the one her mother had taught her so long ago when she was being bullied at school….
Oh Lord, you are my God,
Earnestly I seek you,
My soul thirsts for you,
My body longs for you,
In this dry and weary land,
Where there is no water.
Green laces of energy began to shoot out of the Matrix and travel into Bumblebee's cannon. The Matrix itself started to merge with the cannon.
I have seen you in the sanctuary
And beheld your power and your glory,
Because your love is better than life,
My lips will glorify you,
I will praise you as long as I live,
And in your name, I will lift up my hands,
My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods
With singing lips my mouth will praise you.
The cannon's design began to change, elongating to a slightly longer and broader barrel while the main body also became more intricately advanced. Kasumi's hand still gripped the Matrix' handle but as it sunk itself into Bumblebee's cannon, the merging still happened in a way that room was made for Kasumi's hand into the cannon.
On my bed I remember you,
I think of you throughout the watches of the night,
Because you are my help,
I will sing in the shadow of your wings,
My soul clings to you.
Your right hand upholds me,
"THERE IS NO GOD, NO PRIMUS! I AM A GOD!" Megatron screamed as he swung the Key Flail around faster. At the same time, inside the barrel of Bumblebee's still morphing cannon, a green energy ball began to form. At the same time, the smog filled air and clouds parted to let a glorious ray of sunlight shower on Bumblebee. To the Decepticon's astonishment, his previous wounds vanished and his yellow armour shone bright gold as it absorbed the rays of sunlight.
They who seek my life will be destroyed
They will go down to the depths of the Earth
They will be given over to the sword
and become food for the jackals
But the king will rejoice in God
All who swear by God's name will praise him
While the mouth of liars will be silenced.
At the end of Kasumi's reading, the cannon stopped changing. To Kasumi's astonishment, she seemed to have grown in size as she was now holding Bumblebee's arm cannon with him. The yellow Autobot was similarly shocked as he was now face to face with a same sized Kasumi. They looked at the modified cannon and were in awe of the beautiful new cannon noting the Matrix, which was now embedded at the side of the cannon. Both looked at each other lovingly before grimly turning to face Megatron.
"JOIN THEM IN EXTINCTION, AUTOBOTS!" Megatron then finally swung the flail at Bumblebee and Kasumi.
Kasumi and Bumblebee quickly took aimed. Blast Off suddenly found his tongue and shouted, "MY LORD MEGATRON! WATCH OUT! THEY'RE AIMING FOR…."
"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!" both Autobot and human cried as they shot the cannon. A huge green fireball emerged from the barrel and everyone including its shooter and Megatron was blinded as everything turned to green……..
To be continued ……
He he, haven't done this since Chapter 21.
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Evil Cliffhangar! Well, perhaps not so evil. :P
If you guys have watched Fate/Stay Night and recognise where this scene comes from and are crying "copy-cat" or "unoriginal", well, I never claimed for this storyline to be purely original except maybe in the way I weave crossovers together.
The above verse is an excerpt from Psalm 63.
In case some of you ask, sorry for cutting the NWC screen time a little short. I'll admit I'm impatient to getting to the end now. I won't predict how many more chapters but it IS getting near the end.