Chapter 11: Striking Back
Cyclonus' mansion was one of the biggest mansions around the city. He socialized mainly with higher class mechs and femmes. The mansion was three stories tall with a large pool in the back and a large gate entrance in the front. Inside...everything was large and clean. The living room had 3 couches, a 50 inch TV, several video game systems, and large windows. The kitchen and dining room were massive and roomy. All high class mechs were given the freshest energon and oil on the whole planet. There were six bedrooms which five were guest rooms for when massive parties were held there. The beds were big and had 6 pillows each. Not a lot of things were in his main bedroom since he mostly sat in the living room. The rich mech was currently pouring a glass of warm oil into a cup while listening to the news.
"Our top story today, after the recent news of the Iacon Military Base being destroyed and the commander and his soilders killed, the second commander has been killed last night after Commander Thunderwing was chasing an unknown silver jet. The identity of this seeker has yet to be named but it is now determined that he was one of the rebels trying to destroy the military. The base is heavily guarded and are waiting for the slowly advancing rebels." The new reporter explained as different photos of last night appeared.
Cyclonus curiously walked into the living room and sat down to see the photos. His claws tapped the glass with interest.
"We've just recieved word that this mech is named...Starscream. A friend of the legendary Soundwave who is expected to be invading the base and helping to take it down. Along with deciding Cybertron's fate soon. This photo was one of the first pictures of Soundwave, Starscream and their deceased friend Bumblebee." The reporter showed the "Funny Face" picture on the screen.
Cyclonus took a good look at the photo before sipping more oil. He actually wanted to meet Soundwave himself but knew he probably never would. His large horns twitched a bit when he heard a buzz. Cyclonus didn't get many visitors but he was fine with that. He loved to get out and fly anyways. He walked over to his security screen and gasped. There at the gate was Starscream shuffling his feet.
"Why is he here?" Cyclonus wondered. "Ugh...guess I'll find out."
Starscream stepped back at the gate opened towards him. Of course only enough to fit him. As Starscream walked in, he couldn't help but be a little scared of getting closer to the mansion. He walked closer and closer to the door before stepping right up to it. He was going to knock but the door opened quickly to show Cyclonus. Starscream was only up to his shoulder height.
"You were on the news just now." Cyclonus said sternly.
"I was? Well, I kinda figured since what I did was pretty big." Starscream nervously rubbed the back of his head.
"What are you doing here?" Cyclonus sneered.
"May I come in and explain?"
"Fine..."
Starscream stepped in and was amazed at everything. He had to resist the urge to go sprinting around the mansion. The doors slammed shut behind him making him jump.
"Now...what is it?" Cyclonus asked.
"Okay well, I'm sure you're aware of Thunderwing's main goal right?" Starscream asked.
"Yes..."
"Well...how come you never tried to stop him?"
"I expect Thunderwing to realize his mistakes. I can't babysit him my own life."
"But he's made too many. Last night I learned that he had planned to kill those other commanders himself. We did his work for him, then when he found out I was one of the rebels, he chased me all over the city and beat the scrap out of me before telling me to leave. I reminded him of his childhood. Apparently...his childhood with you. When you moved away, Shockwave tormented him to the brink of insanity. His mind is corrupted and only you can save him. I thought he was your best friend." Starscream said as they sat on one of the couches.
"We had to move on, I'm not even sure if we are friends. We stopped communicating years ago and I moved on with my life." Cyclonus said. "What can I do to stop him from starting these wars with other planets."
"Just talk to him! If he sees you, he has to stop. My friends are in trouble because of him and Shockwave." Starscream said but got worried when Cyclonus' eyes grew at the mentioning of Shockwave.
"Shockwave is still around?" Cyclonus growled.
"Yeah, me, Shockwave, Soundwave and Goldbug were going to Tyger Pax to stop him. It's only a matter of time before Soundwave decides our fate."
"Who's Goldbug?"
"Bumblebee's code-name."
"Bumblebee is alive?"
"Yeah...it was just a cover-up story so Thunderwing wouldn't recognize him. By the way, Soundwave and Bumblebee went to get Whirl on board. You two still enemies?"
"Well, more like rivals. I mean we talk every now and then but...just don't trust each other. Why do you need his help?"
"Well, we planned on forcing him to apologize to Thunderwing and mabye they can come to some understanding. Plus...our team could use more members."
Cyclonus needed a moment to let all this info sink in. He sighed and rubbed his face. Apparently he was needed a lot more than he thought. Starscream felt sorry for him. All Cyclonus wanted was some peace and quiet...but no...he had to save his best friend once more. If he still was his best friend. Starscream patted Cyclonus on the back determining this to be an awkward moment.
"I'm sorry to make you upset..." Starscream muttered sadly.
"No...I'm not upset with you...I'm just upset at Thunderwing." Cyclonus said clenching his claws.
"So...can you help?"
"Count me in kid..."
Meanwhile, at the tarn police station, Soundwave and Bumblebee walked inside much to the shock of the enforcers. Some scrambled away, others hid. Soundwave didn't like to show off, but he couldn't help bucking at some of them. Bumblebee stayed close to Soundwave as they came to the front desk. The worker at the desk seemed very nervous.
"Uh...S-S-Soundwave sir...what can I do for you?" The worker asked.
Soundwave knew this was serious so he acted serious. He placed crossed his arms on the counter and stared at the mech. Bumblebee just stayed behind him.
"I'm looking for a mech named Whirl. Seen him around?" Soundwave asked.
"Yeah, I think he's in the officer lounge. I'll go get him." The workers said running to the back.
Soundwave drummed his claws on the counter while looking around. Some of the enforcers were talking with each other while nervously glancing at Soundwave. Bumblebee began to whistle and shuffle his feet. Finally, Whirl arrived with the worker surprised that Soundwave had called him out. He started to think he was in trouble...after all he did watch the news.
"Ah, the decider himself." Whirl said looking at Soundwave up and down.
Bumblebee was starting to not like the way he was doing that. That's when Whirl turned to him.
"Who are you?" Whirl asked.
Bumblebee whispered to Soundwave.
"Real or codename?"
"Eh, real."
"Bumblebee!" Bee told Whirl.
Everyone in the station was shocked and so was Whirl.
"You're Bumblebee? But he's dead!"
"No...I just got upgraded. I had to be hidden." Bee said.
"Why are you two here?" Whirl asked.
"We need more people to help with taking down Thunderwing. Our friend Starscream is convincing Cyclonus to come." Soundwave said.
"Oh, I'm actually hoping Cyclonus does come. He needs to stop lazing around and do something for a change besides partying. Fine I'll come...besides...I need to speak with Thuderwing if I get a chance." Whirl said snapping his pincer claws.
"Good...let's go!" Bumblebee said.
Whirl sighed before walking out the station with them. He was over picking on Thunderwing way before Shockwave was and kinda felt bad after awhile. Though, he knew speaking to Shockwave again may be hard to do. Eventually, the five regroup at the center of town.
"Cyclonus..."
"Whirl..."
"Alright let's head back to Metroplex to get the others so we can get to Tyger Pax and finish this." Soundwave said.
Everyone agreed and entered the groundbridge back to Metroplex. Upon exiting the portal, they find themselves back in Shockwave and Jazz's warehouse. Shockwave was surprised to see them after so many years.
"Whirl? Cyclonus?" Shockwave said.
"Shockwave, it's been awhile." Whirl said patting his old friend's back.
"Never thought I'd see you again." Cyclonus smirked.
"Likewise." Shockwave said as they came face to face.
Whirl suddenly jumped in between and embraced them all in a hug.
"Aw look at us, 3 out of 4 is not bad." Whirl said cheerfully.
Starscream walked past nudging Shockwave who sighed.
"Starscream look I'm really sorry about everything. Me and Whirl were complete jerks as kids alright. Big...one-eyed creeps." Shockwave turned to Cyclonus who smiled slightly.
"There...now was that so hard?" Starscream smirked.
Shockwave bent his head down embarrassed. Tonight was going to be the night that it all goes down. Shockwave ordered for everyone to move out and made sure Optimus' group was ready to blow up the entrance to the base. By now, Warpath's gang and the other allies were ready to take on the many bounty hunters that covered the streets of the city. The military were expecting a fight to start tonight and Thunderwing was going to make sure it happened. Rampage, Razorclaw, Ransack and Chop Shop went on ahead knowing they weren't wanted. Starscream was to stay close to Cyclonus and Whirl in the sky. Soundwave, Jazz, Bumblebee and Shockwave also stayed close. Finally, in Tyger Pax...all the soilders were ready for battle. Tanks and seeker soilders were ready to fire and guns were fully loaded. Thunderwing had decided to stay inside until Soundwave arrived. Once Soundwave's power was his...he will begin the invasion of other planets.
"Hey Shockwave, Jazz, can you go ahead on...me and Bumblebee need to talk alone." Soundwave said.
"No problem." Jazz said as they sped up.
"Bumblebee, you're still going to trust me?" Soundwave asked.
"Always Soundwave, I promise." Bumblebee said. "And I'm going to help you beat him."
"Bee, I don't think-"
"No...no excuses. I don't care if he wants just you. We're sticking together no matter what."
"You would die for me like I would for you?"
"Exactly."
Soundwave couldn't argue, Bumblebee always stuck by him the way Soundwave always stuck by him. Nothing could tear them apart, not even Thunderwing. Looks it was going to two against one. That should throw Thunderwing off.
"Think we can return to Kaon after this?" Bumblebee asked.
"Yeah...we better. Like I said, I really don't want to be running a military base. I just want to go back to a normal life." Soundwave said.
"Tell me about it...besides us being together, another thing good to come out of this is my new form."
"Oh yeah Bee." Soundwave purred. "But, now we need to focus on the task at hand."
"Let's do it!"
On the way however, there were more bounty hunters out to get them and they all had to blast their way through. The numbers of bounty hunters was starting to decrease. Heck, most of them just ran away instead. Shockwave radioed to everyone.
"Okay everyone...we need to make a path for Soundwave, Goldbug, Cyclonus and Whirl to get through. We need to destroy every soilder there. Anyone who gets away must be found and taken out. Starscream remember to stay hidden. Everyone got it?" Shockwave made sure.
"Yes sir!" They all agreed.
Optimus and the vehicons had already found a safe spot near the base and were getting ready. Thomas was the most excited and he started twitching.
"I'm so excited right now guys. I've never been this excited!" Thomas bounced around Kenny and Bloodbath.
"Wanna bet?" Kenny muttered.
"Hey Blueshot, I've been working on my energy blasts. They should be more powerful." Trapper said.
"Good, and hopefully the extra firepower to my cannon gives these soilders a real scare." Blueshot chuckled.
Thunderwing was surprised that none of the rebels have even tried to attack yet. No sneak attacks or nothing. Mabye they really were waiting till nighttime. Of course that meant he couldn't leave the base. He couldn't help but think back about what Starscream had asked him. Mabye he should've told him before telling him to leave. But the thought of Soundwave's power overtook his mind and he evilly chuckled.
"Finally it's almost here." He laughed.
By nighttime, there was still no commotion. Thunderwing sat in his office waiting for the sounds of gunfire. He had mapped out where the nearest planets he was going to attack were and the order of doing it. Just the thought of how much power he was going to have made him lick his lips. Though he was expecting gunfire, instead he heard...
KA-BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
The base rocked when Trapper had unleashed his new and improved energy blast blowing up and killing dozens of soilders and the entrance. Blueshot, Shockwave, Jazz and Optimus starting shooting at the soilders on the ground. Trips and Sonny blasted at seekers in the skies. Starscream, Cyclonus and Whirl hid behind buildings and killed soilders that were nearbye. Kenny, Bloodbath, Thomas and the four troublemakers started to punch and claw remaining ones. Warpath and all the other allies started to kill bounty hunters around the town. Thunderwing watched from a window as many of his soilders were taken out. Suddenly, he jumps when he sees a groundbridge open up behind him.
"What is this?" Thunderwing asked.
He had never seen a groundbridge before. He walked closer and closer to it but then some tentacles came out and grabbed him. Thunderwing struggled against the tentacles but they were pulling him in. He tried to transform but the tentacles were too strong around his waist and arms and he was forced inside before the portal closed. When it opened, he was tossed out and realized he was outside in the middle of the base. When he looked back at the portal...Soundwave and Bumblebee exited. Many soilders were dead or were in the process of dying. They had all turned to see Soundwave.
"YOU!" Thunderwing snarled standing straight up.
"YOU'RE FINISHED THUNDERWING! I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS!" Sooundwave snarled.
"And I see that's Bumblebee." Thunderwing smirked.
Everyone who didn't know gasped when they realize Bumblebee was alive. Some news reporter mechs and helicopters arrived to film everything and even they were shocked. Everyone on Cybertron was watching as Soundwave and Thunderwing were about to fight. Bumblebee turned to the others and threw off his eye-patch.
"YEAH I'M ALIVE DAMN IT! I NEVER DIED!" Bumblebee yelled.
"BUT NOW YOU ARE!" Thunderwing snarled.
"YOU'RE ANNOYING ME!"
Then, Bumblebee leaped up into the air and unleashed a yellow orb that covered himself and formed multiple orbs that aimed for the remaining soilders in the base and consumed them. Inside the orbs, the soilder's bodies were broken down and explode with the orb creating shockwaves all around the base. Some buildings fell and made some mechs fall. Bumblebee landed on his feet exhausted.
"I didn't know you could do that!" Soundwave said.
"Me neither...I was just mad." Bumblebee said.
But they were too busy talking to see Thunderwing come up and punch Bumblebee hard to the ground knocking him out. Soundwave gasped and ran over to him.
"BUMBLEBEE!" Soundwave yelled.
"HAHAHA! NOW THIS SHOULD BE FAIR!" Thunderwing sneered.
Soundwave's head shook and he began to feel rage build up in his spark. His claws slowly made fists as energy began to build up. While this was happening, Thunderwing charged ready to punch him when Soundwave blocked it with an arm blade.
"DON'T. YOU. EVER. TOUCH! ME!" Soundwave screamed jumping and uppercutting Thunderwing to the ground.
Soundwave stood up and got in a fighting position and so did Thunderwing. This was the moment he had been waiting for and Soundwave was going down. Thunderwing charged him again but Soundwave blocked and dodged all his attacks. Soundwave was extremely fast and smart. He knew all of Thunderwing's moves before he made them. His arms blades clashed against Thunderwing's fists, claws and feet. Thunderwing didn't understand why he hadn't hit him yet. Then it was Soundwave's turn to lash out. He successfully punched, kicked and clawed Thunderwing everywhere. He sliced Thunderwing's sides with his arm blades and smacked him around with his tentacles. Lazerbeak knew Soundwave could handle himself without help but chirped happily. Soundwave then teleported away and Thunderwing couldn't figure out where he was going to come out.
"COME ON OUT SOUNDWAVE!" Thunderwing roared.
Suddenly, he turns one way and gets jabbed in the face with a fist before it's gone. Then he turned again getting a kick to the chest and that's gone. After a few more random punches and kicks, tentacles come out and pull Thunderwing in again. Every few seconds a portal would appear in the sky and Thunderwing would be smacked onto the ground before being pulled back in. This went on for another minute before the final portal opened and Thunderwing is punched out and down to the ground making cracks. He is heavily dented, his armor was tearing off, he had a black optic, missing teeth and ripped wings. Soundwave didn't have a scratch on him when he landed on his feet.
"HAD ENOUGH?" Soundwave snarled.
"Yes..." Thunderwing groaned.
"NOT EVEN CLOSE!" Soundwave yelled.
He was so mad that he threw down his mask revealing his face to the whole world. But he didn't care. Thunderwing gasped before Soundwvae pounced on him and continued to pummel him. Thunderwing screamed in agony. Cyclonus and Whirl went to pull him away.
"DON'T YOU EVER MESS WITH ME OR MY FRIENDS AGAIN! NEVER! YOU'RE THE REASON I SHOULD DESTROY THIS PLANET!" Soundwave growled.
He released himself from Cyclonus and Whirl and went back to Bumblebee who had finally woken up. Thunderwing looked up from the ground and could see Cyclonus, Whirl and a just coming over Shockwave looking at him. He was mainly surprised to see his old friend.
"Cyclonus?" Thunderwing said in shock.
To be continued..