Now this was a nice little one-shot. Megatronus' brief conversation with the Combaticons amusing, both with Blast-Off boasting of how respectful he is and how they muse that if Megatron wants their heads, he WILL have their heads The Combaticons versus the Autobots was pretty sick and darn one-sided; poor suckers got their bumpers whopped, particularly the turret that ended up firing at its own troops. Bruticus demolished everything. Hardcore. Nice descriptions, my friend, both of the Combaticon's battle and particularly the image of Bruticus obscured by the fire and smoke. It was a good one-shot, fun to read and certainly lived up to the title of Combatants!
Many thanks Meta, I appreciate it! I've got another chapter here, with everyone's favourite dynamic duo. Enjoy! The Loyalist When Megatronus had first started the Decepticons, civilians and soldiers alike had flocked to join him. Though his forces grew into the millions, Megatronus kept the same inner circle throughout the course of the War. The circle was mostly comprised of old friends from their soldier days, such as Soundwave and Shockwave, but there were others who had become so fanatically captivated by the Decepticon cause, that Megatronus had little choice in keeping them away. The most prevalent of these followers was the gargantuan Lugnut. Lugnut was once a member of the Early Seekers, when speed and manoeuvrability weren’t as important as they were in the present. He transformed into a bomber, with a vast wingspan and seemingly-limitless ammunition. Lugnut had become infamous among the Decepticons and Autobots alike for his “bring the rain” approach to battle. He would simply fly low over the battlefield, and drop his entire payload down on the enemy forces. Few lived to tell the tale. Along with his incredible power, Lugnut was also fiercely devoted to the Decepticons, and in particular Megatronus himself. He revelled in their cause, and gave his entire being to making it come to pass. This made Lugnut an extremely dangerous adversary to the Autobots, and an extremely useful warrior to Megatronus, who knew that Lugnut could be trusted with the more delicate and “behind-the-scenes” missions. So after the Decagon fell to the Combaticons, Megatronus approached Lugnut for the next step in his plan. Despite his loyalty, Lugnut rarely stayed for long in Kaon. He preferred to spend most of his time in a former Autobot military base that he had single-handedly captured early in the Great War. So it was there that Megatronus flew first in his search of Lugnut. The base was not an altogether large one, especially by Cybertronian standards, with only five hangars and two buildings for training and administration. Megatronus knew from his previous visits that Lugnut had taken up residence in the largest of the hangars, the one that was in the centre of the whole base. Megatronus drifted down to the main runway at around midday, when the sun was high in the sky. The Decepticon leader transformed and landed heavily on the runway, then knocked on the hangar door. With a great hiss, the doors split apart, folding into themselves. Megatronus entered the moment there was enough space between the closing doors. Inside the hangar, several rows of lights hung from the ceiling for luminance. Storage crates were messily pushed up against the walls, and several computers lay dormant on their sides. In the centre of it all was a giant purple and teal bomber that was almost Megatronus’s height before it transformed. The bomber started to spin and shift violently for several seconds, until the towering form of Lugnut stood before Megatronus. Lugnut was just as wide as he was tall, and he was at least ten feet taller than Megatronus. He looked incredibly thick and powerful, with big round forearms that ended in claws. Lugnut’s legs were short, but they seemed to give him balance just fine. He had a hunched look, for his head was lower than the top of his back. Lugnut had one main red eye, with two much smaller ones on each of the sides of his head. “Glory to Lord Megatronus, invincible leader of the Decepticons!” Lugnut roared in a deep and primal voice, then bowed low. “Rise, Lugnut!” Megatronus said quietly. “I come with a mission for you, and failure to complete it will make me most displeased…” “Consider it done already, O gracious leader!” Lugnut stood up quickly, eager to hear of his new task. “Your confidence is pleasing, but sycophancy and promises mean nothing to me right now.” Megatronus replied coldly. He had learned long ago not to humour Lugnut’s worship of him. “My apologies, my Lord!” Lugnut bowed once again. “Stand up you idiot!” Megatron snapped. “Now listen closely, because I will not be repeating myself!” Lugnut rose once again, and didn’t say another word. “Good. Now, are you familiar with the recent destruction of the Decagon?” Megatronus asked. Lugnut nodded, so he went on. “That was the first step in my siege of Iacon. Without their primary defensive coordination, they will be unable to retaliate to anymore surprise assaults. The Combaticons performed well, but there is still much that must be done before we can properly stage a full attack on the Autobots. The task I have for you is simple, Lugnut. I want all walls, gates, fences, barriers and blockades within Iacon’s perimeter gone. That way, our forces can simply walk into Iacon.” “I will be honoured to carry out this task for you, O Lord!” Lugnut accepted without hesitation. “The Combaticons accomplished their seemingly-impossible mission through the use of combiner technology. What I haven’t yet explained to you is that since that day one week ago, the Autobots have deployed their own combiner team in their desperation. I have heard reports of it from the Decepticon outposts near Iacon.” Megatronus explained. “I have no doubts that this combiner will be used in the defence of Iacon, so you must be ready for a foe that has not yet been matched.” Megatronus knew full well that he could use the Combaticons for the mission and exploit Bruticus’s power once more, but they were defending the equatorial regions. Additionally, Lugnut had a rare quality in that once he was given a task by his Lord, he would stop at nothing to accomplish it. “I understand, and I will go prepared!” Lugnut assured Megatronus. “The Iacon Walls will fall, and the taking of the great city will begin!” “Good.” Megatronus said quietly. “Do not fail me Lugnut, you and I both know what awaits you should that come to pass.” Without waiting for Lugnut’s response, Megatronus turned and transformed, then flew out of the hangar and back out in the direction of Kaon. Lugnut immediately activated the com-link in his left audio sensor. “This is Lugnut. Meet me at the borders of Iacon territory as soon as possible. Yes, I know about the combiner! Megatronus wants this done, and we will make sure that it is!” Lugnut shouted to whomever was on the other end. “Lugnut out!” Lugnut switched off the com-link, then ran outside. The ground quaked with his every step, and small cracks appeared in the metal surface. Once he was clear of the hangar, he remotely closed the doors, then transformed into his bomber mode. He was not built for speed or elegance, but Lugnut was still perfectly capable of reaching the necessary speeds. He banked around to face the direction of Iacon, then accelerated. His base was in the North-West when compared to Iacon’s North and Kaon’s South, so the journey was short. Lugnut touched down just inside the borders of Decepticon territory, then transformed. He could see smoke rising in the distance, but knew it to be a simple battle in the fields and not Iacon itself. Lugnut stood and waited near the border for several minutes until a fighter jet came screaming through the afternoon sky. It headed straight for Lugnut, who didn’t move a servo. The fighter jet suddenly flipped forward and shifted smoothly into a tall robot with high shoulders. The robot was tan and purple in colour, and had tank treads for legs. However, thin wings jutted out from the robot’s shoulders. Two cannons jutted out from behind the robot’s back. Its head looked like an old German army helmet worn over a cool blue face with a red monocle. The robot stood in front of Lugnut, and though he was several feet shorter, the robot was likely around Megatronus’s height. “This is a suicide mission, Lugnut, but I suppose we can attempt it at least.” The robot stated coolly. “If it means we bring glory to our Lord Megatronus, Blitzwing, then of course it is worth attempting!” Lugnut shouted. “Now come, we must strike swiftly!” Lugnut jumped into the air and transformed into his bomber mode, and Blitzwing did the same with his fighter jet. They set off together towards Iacon, heading for the rising smoke. As they drew nearer to it, the Decepticons quickly realised that it was a battle in progress. Legions of Decepticon soldiers were desperately firing on a massive silhouetted shape, obscured by the smoke. “Perhaps we should assist them?” Blitzwing asked over the com-link. “No, the longer they delay the combiner, the longer we have to complete our goals!” Lugnut answered. They continued flying until Iacon was in their sights. Its great golden walls stood high, but the main gate was still a wreck from Bruticus’s rampage the week before. There were no more than twenty Autobot guards in front of the gate, so the Decepticons didn’t even bother transforming. Lugnut let loose at least ten missiles from his undercarriage that shot straight at the Autobots. They noticed them too late, and the resulting explosion incinerated them all. Lugnut laughed evilly. The two Decepticons transformed just before the golden walls and landed in front of the gates. “So how do you propose we take out this entire fortifying wall, Lugnut?” Blitzwing said as he inspected the walls himself. “Easily, Blitzwing, we blow it sky-high!” Lugnut yelled back in response, before opening panels in his shoulders. The panels revealed dozens of dozens of small warheads, which Lugnut fired. They all streamed off towards different sections of the walls. On impact, the combined power of the warheads created an explosion so fierce that Lugnut and Blitzwing were both blown off their feet. After a blinding white light and a searing heat, they could look at what Lugnut had accomplished. The result was more than both had expected. At minimum, two thirds of the whole wall was reduced to smouldering ruins. Ash drifted slowly down to the ground, and smoke rose to meet it. Lugnut laughed once again, but Blitzwing was less pleased. His face suddenly spun around inside his head very fast, and when it stopped, it was replaced with a red one with a single red visor. “Why did you bother inviting me on this mission, if you were going to finish it without me?” He demanded in a much angrier voice than before. Lugnut ignored the question, instead he looked behind Blitzwing. His eye widened, and he pointed grimly. Blitzwing turned to see the Autobot combiner flying to meet them. It was at least twice Lugnut’s height, and predominantly white with red and black sections. Its head was black with blue eyes. The combiner landed surprisingly softly on the ground a couple dozen metres away from Lugnut and Blitzwing. “SCRAP!” Blitzwing exclaimed. “Stand and fight you coward, we will defeat this mockery to the Decepticons!” Lugnut shouted. “ALL HAIL MEGATRON!” Lugnut rushed up to the combiner with his fists ready, but the Autobot simply swatted him aside. Blitzwing looked extremely apprehensive, but he charged as well. His back cannons folded onto his shoulders and spat streams of orange flame at the combiner. The Autobot shrugged it off as if nothing had happened. Blitzwing’s face spun once again, and landed on a third face. It was black with red Jack-o-Lantern-style eyes and mouth. “AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!” Blitzwing waved his hands in the air and ran around, dodging the Autobot’s fists. The Autobot focused on Blitzwing’s movements, then lifted its fist to pound him into the ground. Before it could, however, Lugnut came flying at it in bomber mode. He let his entire arsenal fly at the combiner. The explosion was even grander than before, sending Lugnut spiralling out of control and Blitzwing tumbling uncontrollably along the surface. When the smoke cleared and the burning light flickered out, to the Decepticons’ astonishment, the combiner was barely fazed. Bits of its armour were scorched and falling off, but it renewed its attack with just as much vigour as before. “LUGNUT! NOW WOULD BE A VERY GOOD TIME!” Blitzwing screamed. Lugnut flew over the combiner’s head, then transformed. He fell straight down for the Autobot’s chest, and as he did so he transformed his right arm. His claws folded away and a square button took their place. The button blinked red, and Lugnut slammed it with all his might into the combiner’s torso. The previous explosions were nothing compared to that one. The heat was unbearable as it burnt everything around it, the light blinded and the sound deafened. The combiner erupted in flames and it began to scream in agony. Lugnut dropped down to the ground beside Blitzwing, who had taken shelter behind a piece of rubble. Luckily for the former, he could not be injured by his own blast. The Decepticons watched as the combiner fell apart into its five components. The Autobots all transformed into jets and flew off back to Iacon, some with fires still burning on their chassis. Lugnut turned to Blitzwing and clapped him on the back. Blitzwing fell face-first onto the ground. “Lord Megatronus will be most pleased with us!” Lugnut remarked. Blitzwing picked himself off the ground and smiled widely. “Maybe we’ll get stickers and ribbons and a party just for us! OOOO I CAN’T WAIT!” He squealed.
The Punch of Kill Everything. WIN! Now that was a fun one! Lugnut's sycophancy, Blitzwing's BLITZWINGNESS and explosions is wonderful
