Accelpoint screeched to a stop, as the heroes – well, one hero and a vigilante from Polyhex – bore down on him. As the wall came up ahead, he realized it all too late. They’d herded him into a freaking dead end! “Oh, sweet Primary Program, I’m screwed…” He took a big gulp as he transformed, then turned to face them. The Shifter knew hazily about one of his pursuers, an Adrestia Di Kolkular. Nasty customer. “You wouldn’t be averse to a bribe…would you?” “You really aren’t the brightest, are you?” Arcrunner answered the Decepticon mockingly. She gripped her staff tight. “Come on, babe, lemme at him.” “I can handle this myself; your help isn’t needed for now.” Adrestia cracked her knuckles. A smirk crossed her face, as she advanced. “He’s definitely no Euzeth Gozzo.” “Well, how about…him? Not sure what his deal is, but he sure looks like a ‘Con!” AccelPoint pointed upwards, towards a nearby rooftop. “He looks like a villain!” Adrestia followed his index finger, to see a lone figure, his arms folded. Black and purple plating shone in the twilight of Kaon. Two purple horns scraped the skyline. Piercing red, a visor-type optic shone in the dim scene. “R-right?” “That’s…” Adrestia paused, still looming over the ‘Con. “I’m pretty sure it is…no, definitely.” She knew of this ‘mech. “You’re Sideways. What are you doing here, student?” “Studying.” The dispassionate tones of the AA sophomore echoed off the walls. He was faceless, a blank slate. “You’ve got a lot wound up in that cool girl act. But inside, you’re – “ “The psych visit can wait!” Arcrunner cried, whipping about. “Accelpoint is getting away!” The Shifter had dashed for freedom, and was making a good distance away. His talent blended him in with the crowd, the only sign of his presence being the actual shifting itself. “Right.” Adrestia transformed into her fighter alt mode, with Sideways leaping off of the building and following suit. “Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold up there.” She said to him, brusquely. “You aren’t coming along, student.” She flat-out told him. “It’s your fault the ‘Con got away.” “I’m coming, whether you like it or not. You’re an…interesting subject, Di Kolkular. Daughter of the Rijk, scion of Septimus. So much history in a short lifetime, or should I say lifetimes? And besides, this might be something bigger than it seems.” “How do you know that!?” She asked, incredulous. Outside of Arc and her family, only the League and Guild knew of her heritage, not to mention her complicated ontology. “You’re just some trainee from Acadeimos! You shouldn’t know that.” “This city tells you things. You just have to listen…” He cryptically answered. Sighing, Adrestia blasted into the skies, with Arcrunner and Sideways rolling out into the street. Together, they were in hot pursuit. --- --- --- “That utter, incompetent, useless buffoon!” Thunderwing cried, slamming his armored fist into the armrest of his makeshift junk throne. Here in the grand Kaon Junk Flats, he was not amused in the least. “A simple smash and grab, he tells me. That imbecile!” For the would-be Emperor of Decepticons, it had not been a good couple of orbital cycles. First that business with Wayland, now this. “He led them to us!” “Relax, milord.” Direwulf was first to try and calm the flaming temper. Ever since Thunderwing had encountered the matrix-fiend, something had been off. It was as if the creature had flensed something from the mighty ‘mech who would be Emperor. Namely, his sanity. “We can easily defeat any hero, o great Thunderwing.” “And we will do so, Direwulf. This, I command!” Thunderwing cried. He stepped out of the throne and over to the air-chariot he had thrown together from scrap. With a flip of a switch on one of its handlebars, its engine turned over. Transforming was still painful for him, ever since the incident. “The very presence of heroes in our great Decepticon homeland, Kaon, offends me. We will destroy them - decimate them!” His minions - Direwulf, Ser-Ket, Chiller - transformed and followed as he took to the skies. See how easy it is, Megatron? He thought to himself. Not even Arch Convoy could boast such loyal henchmen! I command and they obey! — — — “The Junk Flats?” Adrestia asked as they converged on AccelPoint’s last known location. Vast heaps of trash and garbage met their eyes, silent reminders of Kaon’s waste. Transforming back into her robot mode, she landed on her feet. “Awfully convenient. It’s an obvious hideout.” “You would know the obvious.” Sideways commented offhandedly. He was giving her the creeps, Adrestia thought to herself. Something about the kid unsettled her; something was off. It was like he didn’t have a personality of his own. “What’s the plan?” Arc asked Addy. “Go in there and smash the place up?” “No - well, it seems we don’t have to make that decision! Look!” Up in the sky, rolling across the junk, Thunderwing’s gang was barreling towards them. “Thunderwing? I thought Speeder put him in prison!” “He escaped. Let me handle this.” Adrestia watched skeptically, then her eyes widened as a familiar halo of light appeared about the sophomore. The Lon Laith. His hands arced with electricity, as well. Raising his hand, Sideways unleashed a bolt of lightning, blasting Direwulf to the ground. “As you can see, my talent is a bit…shocking!” Next, the hero candidate leapt into the air, intending to do battle with Thunderwing. “You think yourself worthy to challenge the Emperor?!” The villain cried, his air chariot speeding towards him. His fist was clenched; his optics were wild. “Then we will rebuke you for your arrogance! Chiller! Ser-Ket! Teach him the errors of his ways! This, I command!” “He’s screwed.” Adrestia plainly noted of the resulting scrap. “He’s got no chance.” Sideways’ movements became jerky, uncoordinated. Chiller froze his leg, causing him to slip. Ser-Ket leapt upon him, sending the two of them crashing into a heap of junk electronics. “He copied my shape-strength, alright. But he doesn’t have the training to use it.” “What do you mean?” Arcrunner asked, racing forth to meet Direwulf. In turn, Adrestia moved to assist the student. “He’s got both our talents right now. It should be a cinch!” “The Lon Laith is no ordinary enhancement Talent. Even using it taxes me; I had training to manage it. But Sideways doesn’t. He’s ripping himself - “ Adrestia walloped Chiller, pirouetting into a savage roundhouse kick to the side of the ‘mech’s head. That was one down. “Apart.” “So shall all my enemies fall, by destroying themselves!” Thunderwing cried from the sidelines, braggadocio incarnate. Arc swung her staff at him, only for the Decepticon Emperor to jink quickly out of the way. “Insolent woman! You cannot defeat your Emperor!” “Somebody shut him up!” Adrestia cried, throwing herself at Ser-Ket. The two femmes went at each other, claw against claw. Their fists flew, each spewing insults at the other. “Useless piece of scrap-metal! No-good defect!” She winced as a blow got through her defenses, causing the Kaoner to double over. Ser-Ket had the upper hand now… Until she turned into a living popsicle. “Ice to meet you.” Sideways quipped. He was clearly laughing at his own joke. “That talent of yours, di Kolkular. It’s something.” “You don’t know the half of it. One left. We do this together, kid, or not at all. Everyone needs backup…” Adrestia paused mid-sentence. Thunderwing had turned tail and ran. “Oh, come on.” She sighed. “He’s going to be a handful for the Tor Kolkular Guard. Ah, well. Sideways, I see you trying to slip away! Hold up a minute!” The young ‘mech halted mid-escape, turning back to face Adrestia. “Listen, I know your type, because I was you an anocycle or two ago. I was one of those mysterious loners, too. But like I said, everyone needs backup. You can’t go it alone anymore; you need to find strength in numbers.” “Yeah!” Arcrunner chimed in. “Battle buddies, and all that!” “I see.” Sideways replied. He thought of Whisper, of his fellow students. Of all the good - and bad - memories he’d made with them. “I’ll take it to spark. Until next time, Di Kolkular.” Transforming, the youngster sped off. “Y’know.” Adrestia said to Arc as he faded into the distance. “He isn’t a bad kid deep down. Just moody, is all.”
