The Night Within
By Starath
Chapter 2
Part 2
Blitzwing could hardly look at the mangled wreckage the arena medics hauled away. What had been a formidable warrior had been reduced to a whimpering, sparking mess. The mech's voice box popped and squealed; wavering inside a gaping hole in what was his neck.
"N-n-no! Keee--eep it away! I'll n-n-never f-f-iiiiight again!"
One of the medics moved Wrencher's arm and rested it on his chest. Like his comrade, he did not make eye-contact with Blitzwing.
"Easy now. We'll fix you up."
The medics left.
The heat of the arena floodlights had already started to harden the mech fluid on Blitzwing's armor. He flexed his hands and watched the silver stuff flake off. It fluttered to the floor like tiny feathers from an astrobird. He had beaten Wrencher. But how? I… I don't remember! He tried replaying the match in his head and found he didn't remember anything past his third fight. Astrotrain vas hauled away after being defeated… but den vot? Panic raced through his internal systems. Vaguely he recalled an odd punch, a fired shot… fire instead of ice? A… decapitation? Vit my bare hands? And a voice. Not his. The same one—
"Hey Blitzwing? Wake up and smell the energon brew!"
"Vot?" His head came up. The roar of the arena crowd flooded through his audios. Rusty's microphone wiggled in front of him.
"I said, you just defeated your last opponent! What will you do now?"
"Huh?"
Rusty covered the microphone and leaned in, whispering in an urgent undertone. "C'mon, work with me here!"
"Oh." Blitzwing rubbed his monocle and smeared a drop of mech fluid before removing it. "I'll, ah, gladly collect de prize and go home."
Rusty stared at him. "Really?"
When the audience lapsed into a dangerous silence, he laughed with exaggeration. "Ho Blitzwing, you kidder! You still have that random sense of humor!"
Luckily, the audience laughed with him. Blitzwing began to protest. In the back of his mind, a rough voice interrupted.
"You think ve are done here? Think again!"
He felt all fluid drain into his feet. "Vot—"
This time Rusty interrupted. "Onwards to the final match!" He threw a hand up to the hologram that materialized above them. "But first, a word from our sponsor!"
The floodlights dimmed. Megatron's image instantly silenced the Grand Arena Dome again.
"You have fought well, warrior. I have enjoyed watching your matches."
Blitzwing stared up, fumbling for words. "Ah… I'm glad."
"How do you feel?"
"Weary," he blurted. "I vould like to go home." He blinked his optics off and gritted his teeth. Oh, DOT sounded goot!
"Maybe you should let me do the fighting AND talking," grumbled the voice.
Shut up! He mentally cried.
Megatron chuckled. The crowd obediently laughed with him.
"Your humor shows again. Stand fast warrior, you are not through yet. Lugnut, GO!"
Beside him, Rusty yelped and dashed off the platform. "Good luck mate!"
Blitzwing stood there, alone. He could have shot himself for forgetting. Slag! I must claim de championship title from de current champion!
Megatron's hologram vanished. The floodlights lit up and filled Blitzwing's vision with white. He focused on the floor, waiting for his optics to adjust. Somewhere high above he heard glass shattering. A black shadow hovered just in front of him. He watched it grow and grow until he realized—
"Get out of de vay!" His mind shouted.
Blitzwing hurried backward scant seconds before Lugnut landed on the arena platform. The impact shook the Dome like a thunderclap. The tile imploded under Lugnut's weight and Blitzwing was knocked off his feet by the shockwave. Falling glass rained on them like shards of crystal.
The hulking purple and green mech slowly straightened his knees and fixed his opponent with one red optic.
"It's the moment you've all been waiting fooooor!" cried Rusty. "Our reigning champion has arrived! You love him or you hate him, but all beware the siren heralding ultimate destruction! He has been top dog in the ring for five stellarcycles, can he make that streak six? Now with a striking new Decepticon logo and fighting for his Mightiness Lord Megatron, welcome Lugnut, the Kaaaaaoooooon Krusher!"
By all previous comparison, the crowd went absolutely wild. Blitzwing stood up and attempted to dust himself off. Chips of tile and glass stuck to the semi-dried mech fluid. He gave up after making more of a mess on himself than he already had. Like it mattered if he looked clean right now? He glanced up and found the red optic staring at him.
"Fighters, let's have a shake before you two tear each other apart!"
Blitzwing stepped up to the title-holding fighter and offered his hand first.
"Nice to meet you, Lugnut." What else could he say?
Lugnut's pincher claw dwarfed his hand. He shook it with surprising delicacy. "Good to know I am fighting one worthy, former champion."
"Fighters, to your corners!"
They parted ways.
Blitzwing crouched down into fighting position. His knees wobbled from fatigue. Across the platform, Lugnut lumbered into place. Rusty followed him on the ground floor.
"Hey champ, be sure to give us warning before you poke him, okay?" He laughed, and nervous laughter ran through the crowd.
Lugnut ground his jaw. "That is what the siren is for."
Rusty coughed and pulled at an invisible shirt collar. "Right. Just sayin'. Fighters!" He stepped back and swept his arm with practiced flair. "Let's burn it to the ground! BeeeeeGIN!"
Again Blitzwing caught the red optic gazing at him. He could see his reflection in it.
"You should know," Lugnut said, his low voice carrying across the distance, "your annihilation is unavoidable."
The bluntness of the statement took Blitzwing off-guard. He cracked his knuckles. His face remained stoic. Inside, fury raged.
"Ve shall see, my friend."
Glass crunched under his boot when he shifted his weight. The platform tile was showered with it; miniature obstacles that could make a hard fall deadly. He chanced a glance upwards, wondering where the broken glass had come from. He spotted the VIP box. Megatron stood framed by a jagged hole in the window in front of him. Blitzwing returned his focus on Lugnut. So he's been up there all this time, vatching. Uneasiness seeped through his armor to the core of his spark. Lugnut must know how he fought by now, but he didn't have a clue what Lugnut was capable of. A bitter smile tugged at his lips. This fight is set up vell…
"Are you another who is all talk?" asked Lugut.
"I do not see you moving either," replied Blitzwing.
Despite the impatient booing of the crowd, he took time to study his opponent. Lugnut was probably used to fighters coming at him first. The key would be to strike without getting hit in return. A blow from those pinchers would be devastating. Blitzwing's strength in fighting was largely hand-to-hand combat. He doubted he could make the brute move.
"Are you afraid?"
Lugnut's gravelly voice reached his audios again. He clenched a fist. No, he silently answered, I just do not know how to fight you!
A disgusted growl grumbled in his mind. "You alvays did think too much."
He started and resisted the urge to grasp his head in both hands. No, not NOW!
"Vot are you waiting for?" The voice demanded. "Don't make me do it for you!"
Every muscle cable in his body seized, forbidding movement. Vot… did you say?
"I am who fights FOR you, coward!"
"I thought you would be more exciting than this, Berserker." said Lugnut.
He was not listening. You? But vot ARE you?
"I am vot you keep hidden and restrained. And if you do not MOVE, I vill fight Lugnut MYSELF!"
"Lugnut!" Megatron's voice cut through everything. The behemoth Decepticon automatically drew himself up to attention.
"Yes, my glorious leader?"
"Attack him."
The order silenced Blitzwing's mental argument. He watched Lugnut salute to the VIP box above.
"As you command!"
The spectators cheered in approval when he charged across the platform where Blitzwing awaited. The impact of each footfall sent vibrations through his already weak knees. I can't—there is no vay—
"MOVE!"
Blitzwing dodged to one side, narrowly escaping a punch meant for his chestplate. He circled around behind, backpedaling as fast as he could without falling. Lugnut turned.
"You run? What kind of berserker are you?"
"A live one!" he responded, and briefly wondered where the retort came from.
Lugnut pivoted on his right foot and came at him again. "Let us see how long that lasts!"
He is— he is far too big! He thought in panic. One blow and I'll be thrown from de ring!
"He is nothing! Stop thinking and ACT!"
Both cannons fell onto his shoulders and whined with contained energy. He ducked under Lugnut's outstretched arm and stepped aside. He let the ice pellets fly as quickly as they could come.
"Argh! COLD!" roared Lugnut, bending his arms to shatter the sheet of ice.
"That is—de idea!" snapped Blitzwing, still firing his cannons. Ice struck and spread out; coating limbs and armor faster than Lugnut could break free. In his visual display Blitzwing's internal computer displayed an urgent warning: Chemical ice components 91% depleted.
When it told him for the fourth time, he ceased his weapons. A fog of cold vapor washed over him and parted: Before him stood Lugnut, encased in a small glacier of ice.
"Isn't that a sight?" shouted Rusty. The crowd responded with mixed cheers and boos.
A strange giddiness overtook Blitzwing. "Like my sculpture?" He called down to Rusty, grinning. "I think I vill call it 'Mount Lug'!"
Rusty grinned back uneasily, putting distance between himself and the arena as if Blitzwing might dismember him at any moment. Normally overconfident, his voice shook. "W-whatever you say!"
He admired his handiwork. "Perhaps you should start count—"
A loud CRACK cut him off. The ice groaned and shifted. Deep fissures raced around the massive ice block from the ground up. Blitzwing stared in disbelief.
"No! No one can break through—"
"HoooooAAAAAARRRR!" Lugnut bellowed, ripping apart his temporary prison. Chunks of ice flew in all directions. Blitzwing blocked a piece from striking him in the face with his forearm.
"FOOL!" Lugnut shouted, his breath coming out as white steam. He lifted his legs to break free of the ice holding him to the floor. "You think that is enough to stop ME?"
"Vell, I vas hoping so—"
"This is no time for silliness!" scolded the voice in his mind. Blitzwing laughed aloud, almost hysterically.
"I can't help it!"
"No one can help you here!" said Lugnut, closing the distance between them in two giant steps.
"FOCUS!" His mind screamed.
Blitzwing felt the wind of the deadly pincher whizzing past his side. Shifting his weight to the right, he wrapped himself around Lugnut's barrel-like forearm. Despite his internal computer's incessant warnings, he cocked his cannons and fired.
Lugnut flailed to get him off while swallowing rounds of ice. Pellets ricocheted off his armor at such close range and pinged to the floor. Blitzwing attempted to regain his footing and slipped on an ice patch. Lugnut snatched his legs. Yanking him off his arm, his other pincher clamped onto his wrists.
Distantly, he heard Rusty's voice. "—you know what's coming—"
Blitzwing's vision suddenly consisted of the floodlights above. He saw the roof supports that held them in place. He could have counted the screws. Lugnut leaned back. He saw the crowd over the mech's enormous shoulders.
Lugnut rammed his knee into Blitzwing's back. Mech fluid surged into his throat.
Suddenly, he hit the floor. Glass shards punctured his armor in hundreds of places. He coughed. The ground wouldn't stay level. He willed his legs to pick him up. They wouldn't.
"Get up, get UP!" urged the voice, the demon, whatever it was that would give him no peace.
Lugnut's shadow fell over him. I… I can't…
"You vill be defeated!"
I cannot fight anymore! He cried, and would have wept from the agony of severe pain.
The voice growled. "Then I VILL."
For the first time he felt his mentality slip, as if he had fallen into a deep well backward. The world as he knew it dimmed to a faded, dull place of unrecognizable sights and sounds. He grasped for the last threads of light with invisible hands. No—no—no—NO! Far off, as if through a metal tunnel, he heard Rusty's theatrical counting.
"Four! –Five! –SIX!"
He opened his mouth to scream. It was no longer his to control. His jaw clamped itself shut.
"GIVE ME MY BODY BACK!" He screeched, unheard by anyone on the outside. His words came back as haunting echo and surrounded him. "I do not understand—"
One word, louder than anything, commanded: Watch.
Through a curtain of grey film Blitzwing saw his hands move on their own. His legs, traitors before, shifted and the toes of his boots pressed against the tile.
Lugnut jumped back in surprise when Blitzwing leapt up. Rusty cheered with the Grand Arena spectators.
"Heeee's UP! Hold onto your hats, folks, this match isn't done yet!"
The new owner of Blitzwing's body tilted his head side to side, straightening his neck, and pushed on the small of his back. Crackling pops of rearranging spinal supports sounded like energon bubbles bursting from behind the grey film. Fragments of glass came loose when he flexed his arms, testing the joints.
"You got him goot, Lugnut!" The voice that spoke wasn't his, but the gruff one that had always been internal until now. "But it's different now. I'M here."
The large red optic blinked. "As opposed to—"
"Prepare to be CRUSHED, you pathetic pile of purple armor! You may be big, but you're not indestructible! No one defeats ME!"
"Hah," snorted Lugnut. "You are all talk."
Emotions churned inside his mind— anger, arrogance, hatred— everything he rarely felt came raging to the forefront. Watching this go on, realization dawned on Blitzwing: This must be why he couldn't remember the fights! He did become someone else!
He could almost see the trigger that changed something inside him. He tried focusing on his visual scanner display. The chemical ice warning was gone, now replaced with—
"You took de ice, now let's see how you like de taste of FIRE!"
Cannons already in place, red pellets came in a tremendous volley of explosions. Although he longed to know where the latent ability came from, he couldn't help urging his mental counterpart on. "Yes! Get him!"
Lugnut tried blocking the rounds, but the explosions began forcing him backward to the edge of the platform. Letting out a roar, he charged his opponent, intent on taking him down with a right hook.
Blitzwing felt all the sensations of muscle cables preparing for action before his body's controller made a move. He watched his hands clench Lugnut's forearm. With strength he would have believed impossible, he jerked Lugnut off his feet.
"RAAAAAH!"
Lugnut hit the ground on his back. Glass fragments made tiny musical clinks as they scattered from the impact crater. From his vantage point, there but so far away, the BOOM sounded hollow and echoed to the outer corners of his consciousness.
"Yes!" He cried, triumphant.
See vot I mean? Although aggressive, the voice was smug.
His hands went to his hips as he cocked his head and spoke aloud, rough with a thicker accent than normal.
"Zo it IZ true, vot dey zay— De bigger dey are, de harder dey fall."
Lugnut hauled himself up without warning. Blitzwing's body fell back several steps in reaction. He settled into fighting position.
"You vant more, komm and get it!"
The Decepticon raised his right fist. "Enough of this! Your defeat comes NOW!"
On the arena floor, the Junkion announcer shouted. "Uh oh, is he going to—?"
Flames rocketed out the rear of his barrel-like forearm. The harsh wail of a siren began. Lights around the perimeter of the arena changed from white to red. Blitzwing would have swallowed nervously if he had the ability.
"Uh oh. I do not like this…"
Hah! The angry voice said. Flashing lights and sounds. Big deal. Means nothing.
Lugnut's clawed hand trembled. The flames from his elbow joint doubled in ferocity. His pincher suddenly transformed, and in its place was a blinking red button.
"Here it COMES!" yelled Rusty, and dove under a nearby set of stairs. The crowd members, although riveted, also sought some sort of protection.
Blitzwing began tearing to get at the front of his mind. "You can't defeat dot! RUN!"
COWARD! I can defeat anything! The hot-headed mentality resisted his attempts to reclaim ownership of his body. Just VATCH ME!
He ran towards Lugnut.
"No! IDIOT!"
Lugnut grunted from the strain of holding back so much power, then grinned as Blitzwing charged him.
"Meeting your destruction head-on? Admirable. But FUTILE!"
Blitzwing's fist stretched out to meet the herald of death. Desperate, his mentality struggled and swam up to the grey film and forced himself through. Like stepping from night into day, he emerged into the real world, in control of his body again.
In time to see the blinking red missile descend on him.
Lugnut's fist connected with his chestplate.
The explosion shattered his audio receivers. He left the ground in a dozen pieces. His head and torso flew the farthest into the crowd seating on the right side of the Grand Arena.
When his optics flickered online, Octane's panicked face hovered over him. His mouth moved. Blitzwing heard only fragments—and the siren.
"Bl-ZZTwing? C-ZZT you ZZTear mZZT? You're bl-ZZT Oh Prim-ZZT yo-ZZT head! Med-ZZT— MEDIC!"
--
To be continued…