Multi-Con

<Chapter 48>

Time Skip

ShiverTooth's perspective

I was walking out of the back area by the stasis pods, putting Crustacean away. He had said it was probably best if he stepped away for a bit and... other stuff. He didn't want me having to worry for another decepticon either. I started walking back with my head down, wings slightly downward, back to the front of the scrapyard. I heard chirping but just assumed it was birds because I hadn't heard any in awhile. I then heard something that WASNT a bird at all. Cybertronian animal croaking. I looked up and saw a massive Bat Bot and got out my police gun and started shooting. Russel screamed in fear at the sight of the con and my fired shots.

"Russel! Denny! Get to cover!" I yell.

Bumblebee and I get together and fight the female decepticon. The others run over and get out their weapons. Bumblebee says "Wasn't the defense system supposed to be back online!?"

Fixit calls back "I temporarily deactivated it to run diagnostics!l"

Bumblebee held his hand over his eyes to look for her under the burning sun light. The decepticon dives back down, this time releasing a green toxin into the air.

Bumblebee coughs and calls to us "Autobots, seal your face masks!"

I cover my mouth and do the same thing I did at Decepticon island before the stasis bomb went off.

Sideswipe complains "What the zotz is this stuff!?"

Strongarm coughs a lot more as the toxin rises up.

Fixit states "Unidentified nano particles. Data indicates no danger to humans but effects on Cybertronian's unknown."

Strongarm alerts "She's coming around again! Ugh! Where is she!? I can't—- woah—-"

It started getting harder to see and I tried remembering the things my father taught me as the toxic gas around us kept thickening. "Come on, sire. Talk to me." I had started remembering it and then..... I couldn't.... It started fading in and out. It was something he made to kill off Cybertronian insects on our planet. Like bug spray or roach killer.  I saw the bat bot return and she swooped close to the ground and knocked us all to the floor.

She then yelled "Energon!" and I saw Grimlock run at her but she dodged.

Sideswipe tried to run after her but his stabilizers failed him. "Ow! What's the story, knees? I just oiled you!"

The con tried to get more energon but Grimlock pushed her away, throwing stuff in the scrapyard at her from below. Fixit calls out "Uh, rebooting security system!!"

I heard the shots begin to fire and I tried to shoot at her again but my arms didn't want to work. My legs started to hurt and I slowly made my way to the ground to take a break. The toxin cleared, the con left and we all uncovered our mouths.

Sideswipe complains "I feel like Grimlock used me for a punching bag. I ache all over."

Bumblebee orders tiredly "Fight through it! We have a con to catch!"

I tried to stand but it hurt so much. I power through it anyway. Grimlock comes over and assists. I hum in pain, grabbing my head as I stand.

Strongarm dizzily says "Don't worry, sir. I'm in pursuit of—all 3 of them."

I say "What just attacked us?"

Grimlock says "You guys don't look so good."

Strongarm states "Neither do all of you."

I heard a groundbridge and get my guns out slowly, my ejectable ones that was. Grimlock says "Stay back. I'll handle this." I heard the massive pede steps but I couldn't see straight or figure out who it was.

A deep voice calls out "Knock knock! Anybot—- home?" I hold my guns up and charge them.  The bot saw and remarks "Woah! Woah! Hey, pal! It's just me! Bulkhead!"

I cock a ridge and retract them "Friend?"

"Yes! Friend!" He says back, cautiously. I look at him confused. He takes a step forward "Are you okay? Did something happen?"

I hold my helm "I-I don't know...."

Bee says painfully "Bulkhead! Good to see you! This is Strongarm,"

"Hey." Strongarm calls

"Grimlock and Sideswipe." Bee finishes.

"Hey..." sideswipe groans.

"I'd shake your hand but—" Bee starts.

Bulk walks over "Nnnno that's okay. What happened to you guys?"

Fixit answers "We met an unfamiliar decepticon. Oh uh! These are our allies: Denny and Russel Clay, and I am Fixit."

Sideswipe responds "I think she gave us a bad case of.... I don't know what."

Fixit diagnoses "Symptoms appear to include: joint aches, visual disorientation, painful vocal modulation, and forgetfulness."

I call out "I forgot something? What did I forget?"

No one answers and Bee asks his friend "What brings you here, Bulkhead?"

The wrecker responds "Oh, uh. Optimus asked me to meet him. Hoped maybe you'd know why but I guess not. Well anyway here's not here yet and THIS is more important for now. Uh, look, should I....cover my intake or—" 

Fixit replies "None of the infectious nano particles remain in the air and the illness is no longer transmissible, heh. I think."

Grimlock asks "How come everyone's sick but you and me, Fixit?"

"Our different physiologies might make us immune to the malware." Fixit answers.

Sideswipe whines "So when does it go away already!?"

Strongarm worries "It's not fatal, is it?"

Fixit checks "Unknown. But it appears likely."

I raise my ridges in surprise. Grimlock whines "No!!" 

Fixit says "I-I would place you all in stasis pods to arrest the Illness's progress but we used the last of ours on Steeljaw's pack."

"So we need a cure!" Grimlock yells. Bumblebee calms him "We still have ShiverTooth's and.... Crustacean's if he comes back out."

Bulkhead asks "Crustacean?"

"He's a friend of ours. Another con that changed kinda like ShiverTooth." Sideswipe states.

Grimlock runs off to go get him and my stasis pod "Wait. Crustacean's on our side?" I ask.

Bumblebee looks to me "You're the one who changed his mind. How do you not remember him?"

I shrug and Grimlock came back with freed Crustacean and the two stasis pods. Bulkhead asks "Who do we put in? We only got two!"  Crustacean took me into his arms.

Sideswipe asks "Hey, wait, ShiverTooth, you know anything about that con?"

"Which one?" I ask tiredly.

Sideswipe points to the sky "Bat girl?"

I respond "I don't know what you're talking about...."

Fixit coughs awkwardly "I think his *cough* empathy, temporary, MEMORY!! Is getting worse by the minute."

I look to the sky and roll my head back along with my eyes to the back of my head. "Crustacean, please go back in your pod. We'll use mine for when we catch whoever that supposed bot was."

Crustacean nods and goes to get medical berths for all of us. He sets me down first and then helps the others. I watched my friend then go to get back in his pod and I called over "Hey, where are you going?"

He says "Back into my pod. Like you asked matey."

I look up "I did?" He doesn't answer and all I hear is his stasis pod close.