| abstract
| - Academe Intended to be a storehouse of knowledge and the basis of research, the Academe district is structured along the lines of a university campus. The indigo steel/titanium outbuildings are of a consistent, midrange height, bejeweled with sparkling crystals in intricate patterns and linked by a complex array of interconnecting, multi-level sky and walkways. Inside, the buildings extend several stories underground as well as aboveground and are organized into lecture halls, laboratories, and workshops. In the library, what's left of the original city records are neatly indexed and available for access. However, though there is room for many, many students and instructors, the classrooms and halls are usually empty, open doors waiting to welcome students. Everybody screws up sometimes. But when you work in Intelligence, specifically, *Counter*-Intelligence, screwing up can get you killed... or worse. On the other hand, some people don't mind the consequences! Case in point: After being lured into a trap with the promise of slaughtering a lone Decepticon, a recent recruit from Crystal City, and in accordance with Galvatron's orders, the Monsterbot Repugnus was ambushed, beaten within an inch of his life, and thrown in here, into a repurposed Acadame classroom. He's currently strapped to a Variable Voltage Harness, one of the cruelest forms of torture that can be inflicted upon a machine, and it's just shy of life-threatening levels of power. Most mechs would be screaming. Repugnus, however, is *singing.* "o/~ Torture a Monsterbot, burn all his circuits out! Go ahead and try it, he'll never talk to you! He, has, done this whole torture dance, before. o/~" He looks pretty happy. Could it be he... doesn't mind? Or is even enjoying himself? Meanwhile, a gumby scientist Decepticon, Hatch, another recent recruit to the Decepticons, watches pensively. "The Variable Voltage Harness is having no measurable, desirable effect on the subject," Shockwave decides, examining the readouts and dials on the fiendish machine's control console. Over a ream of greenstripe paper lies in a heap under the printout slot, and as he reads through the most recent printouts, running them over his cannon arm with his single hand, he comes to a further conclusion. "We need to go deeper." Slugfest is practically dancing around the torture subject, at least as close as he can come without getting completely in the way. "Me saw arm off! Me saw leg off! Me saw him wide open! Maybe that make him talk." Sinnertwin stands amongst the other Decepticons with his arms crossed; his gaze intense and unwavering as he watches the Monsterbot sing. "What a freak," he mumbles, the irony of that statement lost on him. The news of Repugnus being caught was a surefire way to lure the insecticon here, Scorn meandering in the corner of the room and trying to stay out of the way while keeping herself in check from just pouncing the Monsterbot. "This is useless." The femme hisses in a feral hunger, lower jaw splitting apart just a bit to chitter and click together in Repugnus' direction, poison yellow optics watching him. "Let's just be done with it and kill him. I've been waiting a long time to eat this particular Bot." Talons extend and wings shift to reveal Divebomb's robot mode. With feet clacking on the floortile, Fusillade struts in, incandescent drink cocked in her hand. "Ehn, he'll do everything to take the fun out of it. Althouh, Scorn" she raises the glass to hide her smile, "S'interesting to see Shockwave involved." Divebomb stands in the 'back' of the repurposed classroom, arms folded, his expression black. He had heard rumors of this particular Bot before, but never had the... fortune of meeting him in combat. 'Hnn. He seems to find this all amusing." he says flatly. He didn't like torture. If you wanted to kill, kill cleanly. "What use is he anyway?" "Soundwave is currently indisposed," Shockwave says cryptically. Fusillade sidles over to drape herself over one of the desks, "Entertainment, at the moment." "o/~ Your interrogators all suck, make them ride the pony, too." Repugnus sings, "I could do this all day--" Something inside his chest goes POP! "Crap, maybe I spoke too soon. o/~" The Decepticon gumby, Hatch, clears his throat and asks aloud, "Ahem, pardon me, Commander Shockwave, but if you wish to go deeper, we... do have equipment here that might be suitable for that purpose. There are certain devices here at this Academe, once used by psychiatrists prior to the outbreak of violence in this city, that are used to monitor a patient's mind. I wonder if it would be possible to... hm, no, it's never been tried before, as far as I know." Scorn simply twitches her antennas at Fusillade's entrance, mandibles at the side of her head wiggling a little before gaze turns back to Repugnus, listening to the gumby's words. "Hmmf.. if it gets us away from this annoying singing, thenI say we go for it." "Hnn. Always a first for everything." Divebomb mutters, staring at the captured Autobot. He feels a slight twinge of... Sympathy? Worry? Maybe. But not like he's gonna let that show. He turns to Fusillade, looking her over once without speaking. He wasn't sure if she was still angry at him for getting her shot up. "A thing not having been done before does not necessarily contraindicate its possibility," Shockwave replies. "Bring it immediately and make the patient ready." Fusillade glances out one of the plate glass windows, and ahhhs blissfully at a particularly well-demolished ruin. "Ah, memories. So many UG-lee pieces of art got edited for the better on that day, haw." She catches the gaze from Divebomb. "What?" Knocking back the last of the drink, she rises smoothly and meanders over to Repugnus for a closer look. "Kind of a shame really." "Mm, yes. Go deeper," Sinnertwin says nodding. He has no idea what that means but Shockwave is all for it so he should be too. "We'll go deeper than anyone has ever gone before!" Hatch looks like he's about to say something else, then simply bows his head. "At once, Commander." He departs, and minutes later he and several other gumbies are rolling in carts full of highly advanced equipment. "o/~ What can I say, I've always been a ladies' mech," Repugnus sings, winking at Fusillade. "Not sure why, maybe it's my handsome face. Or, maybe, it's my beautiful sing-ing voice. o/~" Hatch walks over to Repugnus, holding a vibrosyringe. "Ahem, Commander, he should be sedated for this procedure. I find that's generally when the device works the best. Shall I?..." "Proceed," Shockwave agrees. Not out of mercy, or anything. Mercy is famously not dispensed here. But if it works better, that's a good reason. Divebomb looks away from Fusillade, and turns back to looking at Repugnus. "...Nothing." He frwons at something; probably just the stupid Autobot's stupid song. Slugfest is still running around in a Bart-Simpsonesque Hey-everybody-please-pay-attention-to-me manner. "Me want saw him up! Me want do it now! Can please do it now? Not morrow not after energons, now?" Hatch bows again, sticks the needle in. Moments later, Repugnus's head slumps. "o/~ Don't ruin my fuuu..." Then he's out like a light. Hatch flips a switch on the back of the Variable Voltage Harness, and its ominous humming ceases. "No point in that being on anymore." Fusillade snorts derisively, and balances the mini energon cube empty on Repugnus's chest plating. "Not hardly." As Hatch begins the procedure, she wriggles fingers at him. "Bye-ye..." Turning to the tech, she shrugs, so what's your plan? How many Decepticons are allowed?" Scorn's fingers fiddle with one another eagerly as Repugnus slumps forward in forced sedation, primal instincts telling her now is a good time to strike. But she forces it back, clenching her jaw a moment before giving a defiant puff and stepping forward next to Fusillade to examine the mech. "If there's room I'd like to join the expedition... always curious what this mech had in his head." Despite the big frown on Sinnertwin's face, he's quite pleased that the singing is over. It was starting to get catchy and the last thing the Terrorcon needs is an earworm. Divebomb steps forward as well, not exactly sure /why/ he wants to enter an Autobot's head. "I'll go." he says gruffly. Shockwave does not look up from examining the after-the-fact technical manual one of the new Decepticons has hurriedly written up about the device. "Although this was intended to be used by one 'guide' or 'mentor,' I believe I can splice in up to two hundred and fifty-five riders as necessary by making small modifications to the data bus. Perhaps the mass invasion of his mental environment by Decepticons of strong and agile intellect may overcome his mental barriers and force him to reveal the secrets of the Autobots inadvertently." "Hatch, bring a direct connect cable, a sensory override dongle, and a interlock breaching unit for each of the volunteers present. Also bring me a path interlacer bus modification kit," Shockwave adds. The little stegosaur peers up at Repugnus, headtilting a little. "No are hurtings? Or hurtings feel good?" Fusillade says, "Hatch? Just what sort of risks would the participants face? Are we talking something more or less permanent than beng atomized by a planet buster? I have plenty of air routes I need to cover if I don't like what I hear." Hatch directs the other gumbies to grab several tables and scoot them next to Repugnus, then bows to Shockwave. "Yes, Commander," he says, and then begins gathering up the various parts requested and putting them into a tray. "Ah, if you wish to volunteer for his operation, please lie back on one of those tables and we will begin the procedure shortly... Yes, yes, perhaps we could do some sort of timesharing technique? Hm, yes, not tried, considered risky, but *maybe...*" He hands the tray with the requested parts to Shockwave. "Now, there is one thing I should mention to everyone. Once you're in the dream, you have to do what we call 'actualizing.' That is to say, you have to make yourself a logical part of the dream. It's hard to describe just what you'll have to do, but let's see that he's dreaming of being in a turbo-wolf pack. You, to be part of the dream, might have to 'actualize' yourself as a turbo-wolf as well. Another thing--his mind will likely have several layers, explorable through the dreams. To get to his inner core, where all his secrets are laid bare, you must accomplish some objective within the layer you are currently in." Hatch smiles at Fusillade. "Risks? Oh, don't worry, you're in no physical danger whatsoever. This isn't like in some Terran film where if you die in the dream, you die for real. No, if you die, you'll just wake up again, safe and sound." Fusillade juts her lower lip out in an uncertain pout. "Decepticons lie." Scorn ponders maybe nibbling a finger. Just a bite. He wouldn't mind, right? But.. Shockwave is right there. The femme straightens up, smirking to Fusillade and nudging her a little, "C'mon, Fusillade. I'm sure it'll be interesting." With a shift of her wings she moves to a table, swinging her legs up and laying back comfortably. "I will monitor your physical states and readings," Shockwave says, making quick and deft alterations to the machine's interface and kludging up the octopus-like new network architecture. "Your team may connect the volunteers when ready, Hatch." Fusillade jostles a bit with Scorn, but looks visibly relieved to know that Shockwave was not participating in the same direct way as the volunteers. "I'm sure it'll be a scream," she jests. "I will not be able to communicate directly with you while you are in the shared mental space," Shockwave explains to the others. "I may be able to pass messages by influencing incidental portions of the surroundings. I will not however be able to experience what you experience. Take thorough and accurate observations. We must bypass your sensory buffers so my normal method of data retrival via buffer dumps will be unusable." Slugfest ooohs! "Can go chase him with chainsaw in there!" Hatch blinks, almost if he's surprised by the accusation. "Now, my lady, even before being recruited by the Decepticons I was known as something of an... how shall we say... "evil genius," but I assure you, it is *impossible* for you to be killed through interacting with this device. In fact, the only potential harm--that of a power surge through the connecting lines--is mitigated by surge suppressors and fuses. You are quite safe! And yes, as Shockwave stated, you will be monitored." Bowing to Shockwave again, Hatch now directs his assistants to begin attaching various electronic doodads to all of the volunteers. "Now, if everyone is ready, we will begin the procedure in three, two...." Slugfest says, "Me are ready!" Scorn just settles as the plugs and cables are hooked up, preparing herself when he begins the countdown. Sinnertwin coughs and leans against a nearby table. "I have ZERO creativity so, uh, it's probably best I stay here. Don't want to slow down the team." He's not scared or anything, he's just...intimdated? Sure. Plus he's best used as a sentry. That's what he keeps repeating to himself anyway. Fusillade situates herself on the table, lacing together her fingers, and clicking her toes together as she awaits the fantastic voyage. "Knowing this guy, I don't think we have to worry about any of US being too strange!" "...one!" After a Stargate-esque 'traveling through some sort of energy tunnel' effect, the Decepticons find themselves in a world beyond the worst nightmares of men and machines... High School?!?! Or rather, it looks like some kind of highly cartoony version of a high-school classroom. All the students appear to be super-deformed robots of various types and just *adorable.* The Instructor, Ironhide, is at the front of the class scratching things onto it with a stick of chalk. He's a bit taller than the students, but not by much. Super-deformed Repugnus is sitting somewhere in the middle, sticking his tongue out of his mouth and upwards as he furiously scratches notes into his notebook. He's wearing a baseball cap, the bill pointed off to the right. However, somewhere in the back, what looks like a tiny version of Sentinel Prime and some of his friends and snickering to each other and smirking at the Monsterbot's back, like they're planning something. Fusillade hunkers down over her own desk, feignin shyness as she gets her bearings. She folds astropaper into an airplane, her cable pigtail braids bobbling a bit before letting it sail toward the front of the class. Slugfest perches in his desk, still confused as to how he got there. And when he tries to squirm out of it, he appears to be stuck! Angrily he starts up his chainsaw plates, sawing through the seatback! After the trip Scorn looks a little surprised to find herself among a bunch of much smaller, oddly shaped versions of enemies and allies. The femme eventually looks at herself, seeing her 'actualized' self. Pieces are larger in areas, but otherwise she still looks relatively slender compared to most, and all dolled up in what appears to be a.. cheerleading outfit? Hm, well the popular girls /are/ the cheerleaders, at least in human culture. So she simply goes with it, smiling and waving to a few mechs as she passes them, taking a seat at a desk. Divebomb seems surpised at his surrounding but then attempts this 'actuallizing' thing. When he 'forms' into the dream. He finds himself looking out the window, chin in his hand, not paying attention to the teacher at all. "...Rather be ouside..." he finds himself murmuring. Fusillade stares at the back of Repugnus's head, the beanie in particular. She then scribbles x Ironhide turns around, pointing at the chalkboard. "So, let's ruhview." He points at several of the words he wrote down. "Cat, Pop Tart, Nyan. Remember ull that, it's gonna be on tha test. HEY, KEEP IT DOWN OVER THAR!" he yells as paper airplanes get tossed around and chairs are sawed through. He also gives Scorn a scowl. "Late again, huh, missy? Look, kids. If ya don' wanna learn, I'll send ya to the Principal. Nah, let's watch this here film. Pay attention cuz that's gonna be on tha test, too." He dims the lights, turns on a projector, and it begins playing a film. And... it appears to be Nyan-Cat, flying through space to the Nyan-Cat theme. Regardless, Repugnus watches, enrapt, that is, until he takes a spit-wad to the back of the head, right on the x. "Ah!" he grunts, and turns around to scowl at who did it. Sentinel Prime and co. put on innocent looks, but in that sort of douchey way so that Repugnus would know for certain that they were behind it. "Stupid bullies. Why do they always pick on me?" "Need bigger desk!" Slugfest pipes up, completely forgetting why he's there. ...down 'I like your propellor'. And then her jaw drops at the phantasm of light and sound at the front of the room. "Fhwheww..." she attempts to whistle in awe through gap-teeth. Fusillade stage-whispers to Repugnus, "They're jealous cause you have the answers to the pop-qz." Divebomb hears the commotion behind him, and turns, noting the chibi forms of.... Sentinel Prime?! Isn't that guy too old for this grade? "Dude, chill. You're over-reacting. Again." His voice comes out droning and bored-sounding. "Besides; you're cooler then those posers." Meanwhile, in the real world, Hatch reviews the feedback from the system so far. "Hm, they appear to be in good condition so far, sir. I feared that their minds would collapse instantly journeying inside that lunatic's dreams!" he laughs. "In some cases that would be undetectible," Shockwave replies. Scorn smiles at the teacher when he calls her out, flipping an antenna back like it's hair. "Sorry, Mr. Ironhide." But while the film rolls she takes out a little compact from somewhere, looking herself over in the little mirror, using what light remains in the room. When the spitball makes contact with Repugnus she blinks, turning to look over her shoulder at the scene before leaning over, giving Repugnus a little smile. "I agree with her. Jocks like them are always jealous of the smart mech." Repugnus looks pouty. "Yeah, I always do. I get straight A's on every test because I'm a GENIUS but Sentinel Prime just says I'm a nerd and I'm not good for anything. Well, you're right, Bird-guy, I'm cooler than them! I'll show them! One of these days I'm gonna beat them up!" He smiles sheepishly back at Scorn. "Yeah, it's because I'm smart, that's why!" The film comes to an end, and Ironhide turns back on the lights. "Arright class, dat's all. Be sure to study for the test tamarra." Everyone gets up and walks out of the classroom, but as Repugnus begins to stand up, Sentinel Prime comes up to him and knocks his books out of his hands. "See you after class, like usual, DWEEB!" And he and his friends laugh evilly to each other as they step out. "Ooh!" Repugnus says, looking angry. "He's only tough because he has all his friends with him. I bet if I had friends I could beat him up!" Divebomb stands up and heads for the door, but stops when Sentienl Prime shoves Repugnus down. "...Dude, lame!" he calls after Sentiel, looking irritated. He crouches and helps pick up the books. "...Hey, I'll help beat those wanna-bes up, if that's cool with you? Those guys are a total drag, anyway." Slugfest leans over to Divebomb. "Um, what we doing here again?" After he asks, he loses his balance leaning over so far, and both he and the desk fall sideways! Scorn stands when class is dismissed, perking up as a few mechs in football jackets wave her over. She shakes her head, motioning for them to go on without her. She can't exactly bail on the mission and get lost in this weird little dream. Sentinel knocking the books out of Repugnus' hands makes her frown a little though, about to help, though Divebomb covers it. Stepping up she smiles again, own books clutched to her chest with both arms. "We could be your friends, Repugnus. And hey, I'll be sure to cheer you on when you fight those guys!" She grins, leaning over to give him a little peck on the cheek. Fusillade squirms in her seat. "Ooooh, a test," she says mock-uncomfortably. "I don't know if I will do okay. Can you help?" She fixes Repugnus with wibbly golden optics. Repugnus sniffles, joining in on the collecting of books. "Yeah, we can beat them up together! You're a great guy, Bird-guy! Nobody's ever helped me with the bullies before. Even the teachers just don't care." Then he gets a lot of attention from the girls in the class. "Oh, wowie!" he says at the peck. "Uh, sure, I'd love that! Oh, and I'd love to help you with your test, Bomber-Girl!" He grins, little hearts appearing over his optics as he imagines the beginning of his own personal harem. But then it's gone. "Ah... but first I have to get home *alive.*" He shuffles out of class, and... you don't recall completely how you got into the playground outside the school, but here you are. And there's Sentinel Prime and his friends, standing across from Repugnus. Sentinel is punching one hand into the palm of his other hand, grinning evilly. "You're dead, you stupid little bug!" he yells. Divebomb grumbles, walking to stand next to Repugnus, his wings tucked in, his shoulders hunched. "Man, this is a drag~!" he grumbles, giving Sentinel a glare. "Don't you even think 'bout hurting my pal, or I'll knock you flat on your aftplate!" He rolls his shoulder sockets, getting loosened up. "....You are, so lame." "Hey! Why do you always have to be such a bully, Sentinel! Why can't you go pick on someone your own size?" Scorn moves up to stand beside Repugnus, yellow optics glaring at the mech while looking a little bristley. Slugfest has somehow extricated himself from the desk, either by dream hand-waving or sawing through the whole thing. When he is in the playground, he goes immediately to the jungle gym and starts climbing all over it. Once he gets to the top, he yells, "ME ARE KING OF CASTLES AND YOU ALL DIRTY RASCALS!" Sentinel just laughs at the Decepticons backing up Repugnus. "What, you got friends now, bug? Please, I'll still beat you up, AND them. And oh, look, you got GIRLS protecting you, too. If they want someone their own size, well... I got GIRLS, too, and mine are hotter!" He gestures two girlbots forward, and they look like total robo-skanks. Repugnus glances side-to-side at his 'friends.' "Ooh, I'm sorry I got you involved in this! Now you're gonna get beat up, too!" he says. "Man, I don't know if I can do this. He's too big!" Sentinel Prime laughs. "Okay, girls, take care of those two sluts over there." The two skank-bots advance menacingly on Scorn and Fusillade. "You," he glances at one truck-bot. "Beat up bird brains, and you--" He turns to a car-bot. "Knock that stupid dino off of MY jungle gym. I got bug boy." And the bullies charge, and as soon as Sentinel gets close he knocks Repugnus down onto his aft. "Hahah, wimp!" Meanwhile, it appears that someone left behind on the playground a glass jar full of scorpions. More specifically, it looks like a glass jar of little Scorponoks! Is that a metaphor for something? "No is your jungle gym. IS MINE!" Slugfest counters. Fusillade scowls in disatisfaction. "What, GIRLS? But they fight like... girls. Lemme at the real challenge!" She lunges toward her assigned partner - and then proceeds to bite her. Divebomb simply shrugs as the truck-bot charges. "...Lame. Fight your own battles, poser!" He grapples the truck-bot, tossing him easily into the car-bot that's after Slugfest. "C'mon Prime, suck exhaust fumes." He notices the strange jar, but shrugs, unable to figure how to use it in this situation. "...That's it, Sentinel! You're gonna be a grease-stain when I'm done, punk!" He charges the punk, hoping to shield Repugnus. Plus, he gets to pound on Sentinel Prime. Even if it's a weird dream, still awesome. Slugfest revs his chainsaw-backplates threateningly. "No come up here! Me make you into lil bitty pieces wif saw! No think me won't do it!" "S-Sluts?!" Scorn looks like a severely pissed off cat at this point, ready to pounce upon Sentinel himself until he sics his skank-bots upon her and Fusillade. She doesn't wanna drop her cover, but she still has to fight, dropping her things and hissing threateningly at the opposing femme. With a small, feral skree she leaps at the girl, knocking them both down and into a match of punching, scratching, and biting. The girl that's bitten by Fusillade shrieks shrilly, flails around manically, and scrambles away, crying enormous tears as she runs away from her assailant. The other girl seemed to be more bark than bite, as well, and is easily pinned down and straddled so Scorn can have her way with her--wait, no, this is a family show, you sicko! Shame on you. Meanwhile, Sentinel laughs uproariously as he stomps down on Repugnus. "Man, I could do this all day! In fact, I will! HAW HAW HAW!" Divebomb intercedes, punching away at him, but the big, brutish bot simply shoves the Predacon aside sneering. "I'll deal with YOU in a second, bird brains." And he roughly shoves Divebomb aside... where he should land coincidentally rather close to the jar full of tiny Scorponoks. "WARNING: FRAGILE" states a little sticker on the jar's side. Divebomb lets out a bird-shriek as he gets shoved by the big mean Bot, landing on his aft. "How bothersome..." He notices the jar again, and FINALLY gets what he's supposed to do. He scoops up the jar, grinning. "Hey Sentinel, I got something for you, punk-aft!" He lunges at the bully-bot, chucking the jar at his head! Fusillade bristles triumphantly as the other girl retreats, before whirling around to see the guys duking it out. Well, one of the anyway. "Awwww," she sighs as Divebomb gets to it before she does. "ha ha, take that!" The jar of Scorponoks bursts open, and the little monsters begin crawling all over Sentinel Prime! "Ah, ah, get them off, get them off, AHHHHH!" he screams, trying to shake them off, but there's too many of them, all stinging him viciously all over his body, and before long Sentinel Prime is on his back, shuddering. The Scorponoks converge on his neck, furiously stabbing at it with their stingers, and before long his head comes off. The Scorponoks get under it, and, much like a colony of ants working together, they haul away the decapitated head. As Fusillade revels in her triumph, someone puts a hand on her shoulder. Oh, look, it's Super-Deformed Optimus Prime! "What is WRONG with you?" Optimus asks, his enraged. He pulls back a fist, and punches it clean through Fusillade's head. Oh damn! "No hit, daddy!" Fusillade squeaks and tilts over stiffly, the gap in her cranium a matte black abyss. Back in Crystal City, Fusillade acks, and leaps up from her berth. "Oh, dear," Hatch says. "Well, that's one down. I don't know what killed you, madame, but, as you can plainly see, you haven't died for real!" He smiles. "That's something, right?" Fusillade shudders. "Something, alright. Gonna go secure the perimeter." "Yes! Thanks guys!" Repugnus says, standing up, bruised, but grinning. "Now I can do my homework and get straight A's all the time! I'm gonna be the best Autobot ever, you'll see!" But then, the dream becomes hazy, distorted... slowly collapsing... Back in the real world, Hatch proclaims, "Sir, I think they're going to transition to the next layer. Hm. That's... odd. I was expecting more signs of instability in the various dream layers. I'm... not sure that's a good sign." Scorn hisses with clacking jaws at the girl beneath her, but when the skank femme starts to cry Scorn just ends up letting her go. "Hmph, ho." The insecticon snorts and stands, brushing herself off before looking to see the tiny Scorponoks start to stab at Sentinel and even manage to get his head off. She's... very tempted to follow and snatch the head, Scorn licking her lips a little before looking back and smirking a bit at the happy little Repugnus. But then the dream starts to get all strange and Scorn quirks a brow, looking around, "What's going on?" Divebomb looks around, confused. "I... don't like this." He shakes his head, as if trying to clear his vision. "Repugnus, what are you doing?!" Slugfest panics and jumps down from the rapidly collapsing Jungle Gym, running towards the others. "What are going on? Why everything look so mushy?" Repugnus turns, as if to reply to the Decepticons, but then, rather abruptly, the super-deformed world is gone, and now the entire world has changed. It appears to be the inside of a house with three walls. The fourth wall is missing, and beyond... it's dark, and it's hard to tell what's there, but it seems impossibly distant, and yet, at the same time, there appears to be something... watching you. Sitting on a couch, as if watching TV, is Repugnus, now in normal, realistic proportions. He has his hand shoved half-way into his "pants," and is scowling in the bitter way of a man who just realized he's past his prime. "And now back to Married with Protoforms!" declares an unseen voice. Slugfest whines and toddles up to Repugnus, putting his head on Repugnus' knee. Scorn is back to her normal proportions thankfully, though when she walks out of one of the fake doors leading into the room, presumabely from the kitchen, she's sporting some sort of large red wig. The femme blatently walks in front of Repugnus on the couch, blocking his view a moment before she parks herself on the couch, snatching up the remote. "Four o' clock. Oprah time." She smirks, suddenly switching the channel. "Aww maaaaan, I -hate- Oprah, Mom!" Divebomb comes down from the staircase, looking... rumpled. His wings are folded down, and he walks while dragging his feet. "Dad, change the channel, I wanna watch wrestling! Not this femme-crap!" Repugnus takes a wad of cash out of his pocket and hands it to the dog. "Go buy yourself something nice, Buck," Repugnus says, not even looking at Slugfest. The audience laughs. But he's still distracted enough that he doesn't notice Scorn stealing the remote from him. "Aw, Peg! I was watching the game! It's the fourth down and the Torkulons are one point behind the Quintessons!" He tries grabbing the remote back from Scorn. "Come on, come on... see? Bud doesn't wanna watch this, either, and can you blame him? Oprah is where men go to *die.*" More canned laughter. The doorbell sounds. "Awww... It's probably the neighbors. Someone answer the door." Slugfest yays, takes the money in his mouth and runs off, the door shutting behind him! Divebomb grumbles. "I got it! HOLD ON!" he yells at the door, as it rings again. "I SAID I'M COMING!" More canned laughter. He shuffles to the door, and opens it up a crack. "Oh... Hi, Mr. Prime. Hello Miss Elita..." He turns to his 'dad'. "Dad it's the next door neighbors! They brought dinner!!" Slugfest reappears, decked out in gold chains, sunglasses, and a cowboy hat! Scorn tries to hold the remote away from Repugnus, smirking, "You don't get to watch your shows until you do those things around the house that you've /yet/ to do." But the announcement of the neighbors at the door makes her smile and stand, taking a moment to check her hair in a mirror before coming up behind Divebomb. "Elita! Good to see you." Fusillade has left. Repugnus looks up from his couch, then rolls his optics. "Oh, man, the D'Arcys." Optimus Prime and Elita-One march in regardless, with Prime stopping in front of Divebomb to growl, "What is WRONG with you?" and throwing a punch at him. Fortunately this punch doesn't have the head-crushing impact that "killed" Fusillade, but it should rattle him all the same. But the audience just laughs and Repugnus doesn't even acknowledge what just happened. "Oh, thank you, good to see you too," Elita-One says, though her tone is not quite as courteous. "Yes, I saw a rare bald turboeagle flying above my house, when suddenly a green cloud floated up to it and killed it instantly! We made a casserole out of it." She holds up a ceramic pot of food. "But I'm getting tired of what's going back there in your yard, Al! What have you been doing? Toxic gas, traps, explosions... what's going on?" "Gopher in my garden," Repugnus says, shifting in his seat. He peers over at Buck. "What? How much money did I give you?" He pulls out his wallet, opens it and turns it upside down. Nothing comes out. "Aw, man!" More canned laughter ensues! "Don't try to change the subject!" Elita snaps. "You stop trying to kill that gopher..." "Or we'll kill YOU," Optimus Prime finishes. "Aww, Mr. D'Arcy!, don't get mad at Dad! That gopher's been ruinin' the yard!" Divebomb intercedes, stepping up to Elita and Optimus. "Ms. D'Arcy, may I take your coat?" he asks, perfectly polite, with a glance to his 'mom'. Slugfest barks! "Why would you even give a dog money? /I/ could have spent it better. ...Maybe on that new male stripper." Scorn chuckles, taking the pot of food from Elita, glancing back at Divebomb, her 'son'. This was getting a ltitle weird, but she tries to stay in character. Slugfest growls at 'Peg'. That was his moneys! Elita-One smiles. "Oh, your son's so polite. Not like his FATHER," she snaps. And then, well, she doesn't quite take her coat off as she removes the top half of her armor plating, leaving her internal mechanisms and circuitry exposed to the air, like she was skinned alive! Despite the horrid sight, though, the audience goes "WOOOO!" like something really sexy happened. "Hey, that's exactly why I gave it to the dog," Al says. "If I can't get any strippers, no one will!" The men in the audience hoot, holler, and cheer. "Now, uh, let's eat, huh? And don't worry about that gopher, I've forgiven him..." Then the dream suddenly shifts again, and now everyone is in the backyard... though it really looks more like a set. The sinister "fourth wall" now includes the ceiling, and may leave one with the impression of being watched from all angles... "Damn that gopher!" Repugnus cries. "I'll kill him if it's the last thing I do! Quick, someone set off the charges, I think I hear Optimus coming!" Hidden behind a plexiglass screen is a TNT plunger. Divebomb looks around wildly for a moment. "Dad, no! That's a bad idea! Mom's not gonna like it!" But of course, no one listens to him. "....Da-aad!" He trundles himself over to the plunger. "FIRE IN THE HOLE!" His voice is loud, but he sounds really bored... Like they've done this scene too many times. Scorn seems to be trying her best to impersonate Peg, now in some sort of unseamly leopard print top and black spandex pants, peeking her head out the back door when Repugnus yells, "Al! Don't go blowing up out yard!" But of course he doesm and Divebomb is the one to actually push the plunger. Was the plunger like the jar of Scorponoks? Would it send them no another level? Slugfest starts digging into the soil with his little not-doggy feets. And sure enough, Optimus is coming, stomping across the garden with a clear murderous intent in his blazing red optics. He clenches his knuckles until the steel audibly strains and his knuckles pop. "Uhoh!" Repugnus says, and the audience chuckles. "That's Optimus now! Quick, Bud, do it, hurry!" And once the plunger is depressed, the entire world--that is, the set--explodes, and everyone is cast adrift into nothingness... The dream goes wobbly again... Divebomb is sent drifting as the dream world dissolves and reassembles itself. "This had better be worth it." He mumbles. Scorn raises arms above her face when the explosion goes off, though she doesn't feel it. ...But what she does feel is weightlessness, the femme floating around now as everything goes hazey and starts to change once more. She does breathe a sigh of relief when she looks at herself, no longer in those ugly clothes or horrid wig. "My thoughts exactly, Divebomb. How deep does this mech's mind even go?" Slugfest tries to cling to all the bling but it swirls around him like a child's finger painting. When the dream resolves itself, it's now set in a fancy restaurant. Repugnus is sitting down at a table, dressed in a business suit, and wearing sunglasses. Across him is a familiar looking mech, who... is bald, somehow, and has a moustache and a thin goatee. Wait a minute, is that... Hatch? "You know, I've been thinking about my time in the Decepticons so far," Hatch says, his knife cutting into a steak. "And you know what I've realized? My life sucks now. I was a respected scientist before I became a Decepticon. But now? Look at me. I'm just another henchman, somebody for the grunts to kick around. And I'm tired of it." "So it's a deal, then, Mr. Hatch?" Repugnus says. "Yeah. You'll let yourself get captured," Hatch noisily chews on his steak. "We'll take some 'volunteers,' or suckers, whatever, then you'll lure them into that sick head of yours. Time passes more slowly the deeper you go in the dream world, so, they're going to be in there for a VERY long time, and you can do whatever you want with them. And then..." "And then I'll arrange for my contacts to get you off-world. Torkulon, right?" Repugnus steeples his fingers. "I'm sure they'll take you." He smiles evilly. Divebomb looks around, somewhat panicked. "Scorn... Slugfest?" He didn't know what was going on, only that this 'dream' was just as strange. Then, something clicks. "Wait... Maybe... This is what he WANTS to believe. He wants to belive that he's in control!" Divebomb smirks, still intangile because he's not aware of what 'role' he's meant to play. "Repugnus... you just lost the game." Slugfest jumps in the air! He turns sideways, then moves straight forward with no obvious means of propulsion! "What are this place?" Scorn finds herself in a new area now, sipping daintily at a cocktail while sitting at a small table meant for two, rather close to Repugnus' table. For the evening the femme is dressed in a floor length, slimming gown, metal sequins shining gold to compliment her jade green armor. She also appears to be wearing a sapphire necklace. Fancy. An antenna twitches as she stealthily listens in on the conversation. Was this just another dream.. or some sort of warped memory? Repugnus pushes himself away from the table. "No, no, this isn't just what I 'want' you to believe.... Divebomb. You see, I planned this out from the beginning. In fact, I've been in the dream world before. I've been practicing, see. And I've trained myself to control my dreams. Here we are, in the deepest part of my mind, with 'real' time slowed down to a trickle. And you guys helped me get here. Thanks, I appreciate it." He smiles, and stands. "Now to show you what you've been looking for. My terrible *secrets." And it seems that the entire world peels away, all the guests instantly rusting or rotting away to nothingness." You're not sure when exactly Repugnus stood up, but Scorn should feel his hands on her shoulders, with the Monsterbot whispering into her antenna, "It's not just a dream. It's far, far worse than that." And that seems to be the case, as you suddenly find yourself in a world of repulsive insanity. All around you, everything everywhere is composed of nothing but one atrocity against decency and sanity after the other, the world of a madman. Everything is so vile and foul and moving in such a disgusting way that it cannot even be described. Slugfest squeals in terror and tucks his tail underneath his body! Meanwhile, in the real world, Hatch raises a brow as the dreamers enter the next level. The various meters should show a steady rise in the dream's instability, but Hatch brushes it off. "Hm, a little instability, but I'm sure that's because of the transition." And in the time it took to say that, five times that much passed by in the dream world... Scorn stiffens a little when Repugnus addresses Divebomb, looking over to see him not in his seat anymore, and everything starting to disappear. Even her dress, jewels, and drink rusts and cracks before turning to dust. It's rare for the femme to seem scared, but this is completely unknown territory, and Repugnus seems well aware of their precense. She shudders a little when he grabs her and speaks, optics wider as the insecticon watches the world melt into a.. chaotic and highly disturbing scene. Scorn has seen things. Many vile things. But this Monsterbot just took it to an entirely other level. Divebomb steps back, a bit unnerved. And then... Well, yeah. That. But Divebomb remembered what the scientist said... "Scorn, it works both ways!" he saids suddenly, straghtening. He tries, desperately, to ignore the horrible images around him. It sickens him to the lasercore, but, he has to fight! "Autobot... Why?" he asks softly, thinking hard on a singular sensation; the feeling of a free breeze. "Why fight us?" The vileness gives way to several objects rising up from the "floor," for a lack of a better term. They are several Variable Volatage Harnesses, one for each remaining Decepticon. "Let's get started with something mild," Repugnus says, now suddenly wearing a green and red striped sweater, hat, and a glove with claws poking out the fingers. "Yes, some mild stuff, then maybe spend the next few hours with some REALLY nasty tortures that *I* came up with. Oh, I'll do things to you people that you'll never be able to forget." The vileness begins trying to herd the Decepticons towards the harnesses. Repugnus peers at Divebomb, scraping his lip with a claw. "Why fight you? Because I hate you. Do you know why I do what I do? Why I'm not a Decepticon? It's because I don't like being told what to do. And... that's all you guys do. Is tell people what to do. I. Freaking. HATE THAT!" He becomes extremely angry. "Nobody tells me what to do! Not you, not Optimus, not Rodimus, not Galvatron, NOT ANYBODY!!!" Scorn erks softly at the sight of the harnesses emerging from the depths of the floor, her senses snapping back as she suddenly backs a little away from Repugnus. She forces a bit of a smile, wings shifting a little in mild anxiousness. "Come now, Repugnus.. you could just let us go, then we let you go... or just let /me/ go. I'm the one you like, remember? Eheh?" Slugfest squeals and runs around. He rushes at the vileness with his chainsaw plates whirring! "ME CUT YOU!" he cries. Slugfest's tail is still tucked firmly under his body! Divebomb tries to ignore the disqusting things this supposed Autobot's mind has conjured. "...Scorn, don't let him scare you, none of this is real! Even if we die here, he can't really hurt us!" He grins triphantly, stalking TOWARDS the Monsterbot. "You think I'm scared? This is only a dream... And as long as I know that, You. Have. No. POWER!!" Yes, Divebomb's overacting. He's probably scared, and disgusted. But, he won't lose. He can't let himself lose. "I win...." He smirks. "Because no one, not even you, can tell me what to do." Repugnus bares his dentals a little. "Ennnh. Yeah, I guess I'm kinda fond of you. Fellow psychopaths and all. But you're a Decepticon, and I hate Decepticons. Tough luck. And besides, maybe with my help you can become just as crazy as me? Wouldn't you like that, sweetie?" He giggles a little, then it becomes uproarious laughter. The vileness seems to shriek as the chainsaw cuts into it, retreating under the blades... but even as Slugfest forces part of it back, the stuff he's standing on tries to snare him. There's seemingly no way to escape it! "I have all the power I need, Divebomb," Repugnus snarls back. "I control this place, I can do whatever I want to you in it. This is hell, as far as you're concerned, and it's going to be a long time before Shockwave realizes something's wrong! Now get in the damn harness, or I'll skip to the really NASTY stuff right now..." He raises his clawed hand up as if to strike Divebomb. Slugfest kicks his little feets as the vileness climbs up around them and tries to hold onto him. "Nonononono!" he shouts, "No hold me!" Scorn glares at Divebomb, "I'm not scared.. just perturbed..." But her small plea to Repugnus seems to fail when he refuses, the femme's lower jaw seperating and spreading wide as she hisses, "Fine then, I'll just /make/ you let us go!" The mantis skrees ferally, lunging at the Monsterbot, trying to dig her nails in, and if successful, clamp her jaws onto his shoulder. Divebomb simply smirks, realizing he's hit a nerve on the Monsterbot. "No one tells me what to do." he repeats, crossing his arms in defiance. "Isn't that what you said? That's the thing you hate the most? You and I... we share that." His wings spread out as far as they can. "So, I refuse to lose, as do you. How about a bargain." He gestures towards Scorn and Slugfest. "Let them go... And you can keep me here. And we'll play, as long as you want." Repugnus hisses at Divebomb. "No. None of you are leaving. Why should I let you go? No reason to. And you haven't anything to bargain with, anyway, haha--URFFF!" He's slammed into by Scorn, teeth sinking into his shoulder. "GET OFF ME YOU WITCH," Repugnus roars, trying to grab her by the back of her head and fling her away. Divebomb lets out a predatory growl, tackling Repugnus while Scorn is on the Monsterbot's back, but it's just a ruse so he can whisper something in the creepy Bot's audial receptors. Drawing back, he looks at Scorn intently. < he growls over a tight line-of-sight band. Divebomb mutters to Repugnus, ""If... let... won't... let... you..." Divebomb whispers ""If you let them go... I won't resist. I'll let you do what you want to do... You win."" Scorn winces a little as Repugnus tries to pull her off, but she holds fast with vice-like jaws, optics glowing hazardous, bright yellow. Repugnus would soon feel a sharp sting where her teeth penetrate the armor as Scorn drools acidic saliva on him, glowing green spit dribbling past. Scorn hisses at Divebomb's suggestion, optics shifting up at the Con and grimacing. She let's Repugnus go through, springing away before diving for Slugfest, snatching him away from the vile things trying to grab the stego. "Sorry about this, Slugfest." She doesn't even wait for the tape to respond, arm shifting into a scythe and promptly lopping the cassette's head off. She then looks up to Divebomb, giving him a nod, "Good luck. I'll inform Shockwave." She then, with a bit of hesitation, decapitates herself. Slugfest shudders violently as his head inside the dream is lopped off. He awakens in the real world, uttering the most unearthly squealing imaginable, ten times shriller than Hinder at her most startled. And for some strange reason his tail is tucked so firmly and impossibly under his body that one wonders what happened in there. Slugfest is also kicking little feets! Repugnus is tackled down to the floor, and lets out a cry of ungodly rage when he watches Scorn decapitate Slugfest and then herself. "NOOOOOO! They were MINE! MIIIIIINE!" He grabs Divebomb by the head, beginning to crush it, and the vileness sweeps up to them and begins to swallow them up. Something absolutely horrible is no doubt about to happen to the poor Predacon... "...no. Your offer's EVER so tempting, Divebomb, but I know that, even here, with time slowed down, I have to wake up soon or I won't be able to escape." He flings Divebomb aside, and grins deliriously at him. "Don't worry, though. I can always torture you in the real world. Just wait. It'll be horrible. You've already had a taste of what I'm capable of. It's coming. Heheheh! HAHAHAHAHA!" He whips out... is that Optimus Prime's rifle? "HAHAHAHAHA!" He aims the barrel at his own skull. "SEE YOU SOOOOOOOON! HAHAHAHAHAAAAAA--" KATHOOOM! His head explodes in a spray of metal and fire, and you hear, off in the distance as the dream begins to collapse, Optimus Prime growling, "What is WRONG with you?" Shortly afterwards, in the real world, Repugnus snaps back to life with a gasp, and yells, "HATCH! They're onto you! Release the clamps, hurry!" Hatch blubbers, "What!? Um, yeah, hold on--" and presses a button on the Variable Voltage Harness, and the clamps come loose, freeing the Monsterbot. Scorn's optics snap back online when she exits the dream, entering the real world finally. She sits up in an instant, yanking the cables from her and shakily standing. "You traitor!" She snarls at Hatch, "Slugfest, sic him!" She points the stego at the gumby mech before turning her gaze to the now free Repugnus. "Heh, funny how you decieved the decievers. I'd give you a proper congratulations, but unfortunately I have to kill you now!" Scorn is still a little off, trying to adjust from the dream world, but lunges for Repugnus anyway just as she had in his mind, her jaws gaping. Divebomb's is still, and appearantly still offline; but shouldn't he have woken up with Repugnus? That's not good... Repugnus rolls off the table on the side opposite from where Scorn is lunging at him. "Oh, it was easy. Provoke someone enough, and it makes them angry. Angry people are easy to predict. You wanna know something? I knew you guys were trying to ambush me." He picks up a tray and flings it at her to slow her down. "I smelled the ambushers the first time you tried it. Backed off. Then I came up with this little plan, and the NEXT time I took the bait, and I just KNEW you people wouldn't just settle for putting a round through my laser core and calling it a day. Like I said, angry people are easy to predict!" Hatch stumbles away from Slugfest and towards Repugnus. "Oh, Primus, we... we have to escape! Shockwave was called away but he could be back at any moment!" "Escape?" Repugnus mutters. "Yeah, good luck with that, all the best to you." And he shoves the scientist right into Slugfest and Scorn, and runs out the door, laughing all the while. "AHHHH! Wait, no!" Hatch shouts. "He... he threatened me, I had no choice! I beg of you, spare me!" Slugfest snorts and stomps a little foot, after righting himself. "No go brainmeats swimming again!" he says, "No is fun! No got anywhere! And robots no has hairs!" Divebomb's optics flicker dimly, as his mind struggles to reattach itself to the 'real world'. Being abandoned in Repugnus's mindscape when the creepy-as-the-Pits supposed Bot woke himself up had left him floating in a nightmarish realm, a sea of illusion and false perceptions. "Nnnnrrrgg,..." he rasps, still disconnected. Scorn's optics are bright with fury while Repugnus speaks and dodges her, the femme hissing while buffeting the thrown tray away. When Hatch is tossed to her she simply skrees at the gumby, shifting an arm back into a scythe and stabbing it through him cleanly, ripping it back out and leaving him there. Whether he dies from the wound or not is unknown to her, or even in her thoughts as she tries to chase Repugnus. But once she's through the door he's gone. "Aauugh!" She yells in frustration, slamming a fist on the doorframe before glancing back at the others. "..Slugfest, contact Shockwave with the news." She huffs, moving over to Divebomb, left to wait. Slugfest runs out of the room, his tail still tucked firmly between his legs! Slugfest has left. Slugfest has entered The Steel Balloon. Divebomb finally snaps awake, very, VERY pissed off. His optics focus on the injured traitor. "...Only a coward begs for mercy. If you believed in what you did... you wouldn't be afraid of what you have earned." He stomps over to the injured mech, and swiftly rips his lasercore out, putting him out of his misery. Hatch yelps, "Wait, n--hurrkkk--" And then he is silenced.=========================== Decepticon ===========================
Message: 2/58 Posted Author Re: Captured Autobot. Thu Nov 10 Divebomb "As per Galvatron's orders, the Autobot known as 'Repugnus' was ambushed and captured in Crystal City, and...'interrogated', as instructed." The Predacon's optics flare. "What we were -not- aware of was that there was a traitor aiding the Autobot." He gestures to the corpse behind him. "That has been dealt with. However, the Autobot has escaped." "If anyone finds him, I want him. Alive. Disabled, but alive." "And under no circumstances should any more 'mind dives' be attempted." "Divebomb, OUT."=========================== Decepticon ===========================
Message: 2/59 Posted Author Crazy Autobot head Thu Nov 10 Slugfest Slugfest relays a message, audio-only: "No go in crazy bug Autobot's head! No is fun place! No can get him do anything want. And him can do bad things! Like put hairs on robots. Or-" ========================================================================================================== Autobot =============================
Message: 3/96 Posted Author Captured!... and escaped Sat Nov 12 Repugnus Repugnus is sitting back in a chair for a moment, reading a datapad before his head perks up. "Oh, hi there, didn't see you come in. Yes, yes, come in, I have a report to share with you. You see, I got myself captured." He throws his hands up in a big shrug. "Woopsie do! Yeah, was a pretty rough experience. First they strapped me to a Variable Voltage Harness for a while, that stung like a bastich. Then, when that didn't work, they invaded my freaking mind! No, really. "Think it was Fusillade, Scorn, Divebomb, and Slugfest that took a trip into my head, with Shockwave monitoring, and they tromped around in various, eh, 'dream-layers' or something like that, memory's fuzzy. Point is, when they got to the inner dream layer, I managed to reassert control over my dreams and boot them out. Then, I managed to free myself and escape while they were still woozy from the experience. Dunno where Shockwave went off to, but he wasn't there when I woke up, fortunately. I think some gumby 'con might have been killed when they tried to swipe at me, but they got him instead, or something. Anyway, I'm safe, I'm okay, and I did not intentionally or unintentionally divulge any precious Autobot secrets. And the day is saved!" He smiles. "Now get the hell out of my house." The video ends. ==============================================================================
|
![[RDF Data]](/fct/images/sw-rdf-blue.png)