Vaughan took the others to the Starbucks cafe across the street from her apartment. It was no Tim Hortons, but it was better than nothing.
They gathered at a booth; Vaughan, Daphine, and Spike sitting on the leather sofa while Josh walked towards the group, carrying the trays of drinks for everyone. Jazz, Andrew, Raoul, and Blaster all sat on chairs around the table.
Blaster and Jazz were explaining their findings to the others, and it wasn't until Josh sat down, passed everyone their drinks, and took a sip of his own frappicino did he realize what they said.
His eyes widened, and he spit ticked. "They're Decepticons?!"
"So you're saying three Decepticons are making the entire school act all cray-cray?" Raoul asked for clarification.
"But, they look like humans." Andrew reminded.
"They might be something similar to you guys. Techno-organic. Meaning half Cybertronian and half Human." Jazz explained.
"But now that we're all back together again, we can use our power against them." Spike stated.
Raoul stood up in his chair, fist pumping the air. "They'll never even know what hit'em!"
"Yeah!" Josh cheered in agreement as the two of them performed some martial art moves. Their fists soared, Jazz and Blaster's holoforms catching them in their hands, forcing them back into their seats.
"Spike's right. We got nothing to worry about." Jazz agreed.
"I'm pretty sure I can find something to worry about... But it won't be the Mesmerizers!" Daphine beamed.
"Hold your horse power everyone. The Mesmerizers being Decepticons is only a possibility. Since it wasn't live footage, only a video taken from Spike's video, Teletraan-1 wasn't able to get an exact scan of them." Blaster explained.
"Then we'll have to check them out up close and personal, and—" Before Vaughan continued, she looked over at Josh and Andrew, shooting them a glare. "No, not in THAT kind of way!"
The two boys looked taken back, waving the idea off. "What? Please Vaughan, we're adults!" Andrew defended.
"So any idea where the Mesmerizer's might be?" Jazz asked.
Josh raised his hand, waving it at him as he took a big gulp of his drink. "The opening ceremony for the Showcase, er, Battle Of The Bands is tomorrow night. All of the bands will be attending, which means The Mesmerizer's will definitely be there."
******
Josh was right.
At the opening ceremony of the Battle of The Bands, all of the bands that signed up were present. Including the Mesmerizers.
All of the bands were huddled in their groups, not interacting with any other band, only their own. If someone from a different band walked by, they'd watch them, glare at them.
It seemed odd. Before hand, everyone seemed so, happy and excited about the showcase.
Did the Mesmerizer's did something to them with their brainwashing?
The Opening Ceremony was only open to the staff off the school and the parents of the students, so not a huge crowd. The final round of the Battle of The Bands is supposed to be a huge deal. It would be broadcasting on live television for not just the whole country, but the whole world!
Vaughan had no idea this was so popular.
How the opening ceremony worked, as that two bands would perform a song together, each assigned to different sections. There are two stages, the stage on the auditorium, and a home-made stage built up on the balcony.
Since it's the Opening Ceremony, nobody will be getting eliminated. It's just introducing this years contestants.
A few bands had already gone, and soon Vaughan and her friends were up next. They were setting up their stage on the auditorium, behind the curtain when someone tapped Vaughan's shoulder. She looked behind her to see Raoul.
"Hey Vaughan, could you get me a new plug for the amp. This one isn't working quite well."
"Sure thing." Vaughan smiled.
Vaughan stood up, walking across the stage and stepped in the back where a few of the bands were hanging out. She walked by them, looking for the amp plugs when she didn't notice bumping into something.
Well, that something reached an arm out, wrapping the hand around her waist as he caught her from falling back on the floor.
His eyes grew with shock. "Vaughan?"
She gasped. "O-Oto! I'm sorry... I'm always bumping... into... you..." She laughed nervously.
The boy propped her back to her feet, releasing her. "So you're band entered the competition after all."
"Uh, yeah. We're up next." Vaughan nodded, hands behind her back.
"Well, not that there's going to be any real competition. No one here wants this more than my bands does." He boasted.
"You're band?" Vaughan asked with surprise.
"Yeah. Me, Rocksteady and Poplock." Oto answered as he pointed over at the two boys, hanging around near the stage doors. "You don't think Raoul minds do you? I mean, since he joined your band and all."
"Oh, no I think that should be fine. Although he thinks it's his band, but—" She shrugged. "What'cha gonna do."
"Need anything?" Oto asked.
"You wouldn't happen to know where I can find amp plugs do you?" She asked him.
"Oh, here!" He bent down, picking up one from the floor next to him, handing it to her. "You can borrow mine."
"Thanks." She beamed, taking it. "You know, I think you're the only nice person I've talked to in this competition. Besides my friends of course."
"How so?" Oto asked with curiosity.
"Well, it just seems that ever since the Mesmerizer's showed up, everyone has been acting, unusual." Vaughan answered.
"Interesting..." Oto spoke, taking a look around.
"Something... wrong?" Vaughan asked, raising a brow.
"Hmm?" Oto snapped out of his thought, looking back at her. "No, it's just, since this is a competition now, everyone can't help but feel a little tense, ya know?"
Vaughan sighed. "I suppose you're right. Well, I have to get back."
"Break a leg." Oto waved as he walked back to his band.
Vaughan waved back at the blue haired boy, smiling. Once he was gone, Vaughan turned around and walked back to her band, and she noticed three figures chatting with them.
"Hey guys, what's going on?" Vaughan spoke up, joining the circle.
"Dagio's the name." The blonde Mesmerizer said. "We just popped by to tell you that we're looking forward to performing with you tonight."
"You are?" Vaughan asked.
"Oh sure! We heard you guys were good." Sanato beamed.
"So let's see if it's true or not. We'll see you on stage." Mistso smirked as the three of them walked off.
"Well that was... interesting." Andrew spoke.
"Blaster, did you get to scan them?" Spike asked the holoform.
"No, they took me by surprise. But I'll be able to scan them during our performance." Blaster answered.
"Then lets finish setting up." said Vaughan.
*******
After a few minutes, the band was ready to play. They stood behind the curtain, standing their positions with their assigned instruments as Headmaster Roger and Mr. Smith introduced them.
"The next set, performing their rendition of Katy Perry's Dark Horse, Music Nation and The Mesmerizers."
"Music Nation?" Vaughan thought a loud.
"Don't you remember Vaughan? It was the name of your band back on Cybertron." said Jazz.
"Really?" Vaughan asked.
Jazz and Blaster nodded in reply.
Vaughan smiled a little as she turned her head forward, the curtain opening as the lights dimmed and the strobelights turned on.
Daphine started the song with her keytar, the audience clapping and cheering.
Jazz raised his fist in the air. "Yeah! Ya'll know what it is! Vaughan Witwickey! Music Nation! Aha, let's rage!"
Vaughan grabbed the microphone in her hand, her voice booming as Daphine continued to play the keytar, while Josh slammed the drum pedal to the beat of the song, following along with Jazz and Blaster.
"I knew you were
You were gonna come to me
And here you are
But you better choose carefully
Cause I, I'm capable of anything
Of anything, and everything."
As Vaughan finished the last phrase, Daphine and Spike stepped up to their mics, singing the next verse with the brunette.
"Make me your Aphrodite
Make me your one and only
But don't, make me your enemy, your enemy, your enemy."
As Vaughan sang the last word, the spotlight moved from them and flashed onto the balcony stage where the certains opened, revealing the Mesmerizers in their positions. They didn't play any instruments, all they had was their singing voices. Dagio was up front, obviously the main singer while Mitso and Sanato sang back up.
"So you wanna play with magic?
Girl, you should know what you're falling for.
Baby do you dare to do this?
Cause we're coming at you like a Dark Horse."
Mitso and Sanato raised their fists into the air, yelling. "Hey!"
Dagio clutched his hands into fists, raising his lower arms as he smiled evilly, looking down at Music Nation.
"Are you ready for, ready for
A perfect storm, a perfect storm!
Cause once you're mine, you're mine
There's no going back!"
Vaughan and the other glared back at them as they snapped their fingers along with the beat of the song. With the spotlight still on the Mesmerizers, it was their turn to sing a verse.
"Mark my words
This love will make you levitate
Like a bird
Like a bird without a cage
But down to Earth..."
Vaughan tried to move to the side, watching them ever so closely for them to try anything. Dagio spotted her, and he extending the palm of his hand out towards her.
"If you choose to walk away..."
All of a sudden it felt like Vaughan rammed into a wall. She staggered back, shaking her head as she spotted a strange glowing wall appearing out of thin air, blocking her path. That's when she realized.
"Don't walk away."
She turned around, shooting a nasty glare at Dagio. This was his doing. And he didn't shame on hiding it either. He smirked at her as he lowered his hand, snapping his fingers along with the beat of the music.
"It's in the palm of your hand now baby
It's a yes or a no, no maybe
So just be sure
Before you give it all to me..."
All of a sudden it felt like Vaughan was being slapped in the face. She took a step back, her hair flying in her face. And then again. It felt like something was draining the life out of her.
"All to me
Give it all to me!"
"Oh no... not this time." Vaughan thought.
She looked up, watching as a strange, spooky green smoke beam shot out of Dagio's hand and it soared straight for her. She waited for the right moment to strike, and when the spotlight returned to her band. She clutched her hand into a fist, raising her arm in front of her face, blocking the green smoke attack as she caught in in her fist and crushed it.
She slowly turned her head to face them, singing into the microphone as everyone sang backup.
"So you wanna play with magic?
Boys, you should know what you're falling for
Baby do you dare to do this?
Cause we're coming at you like a Dark Horse."
Everyone raised their fists into the air, yelling. "Hey!"
"Are you ready for, ready for..."
"Hey!"
"A perfect storm, perfect storm!"
"Hey, hey!"
"Cause once you're mine, once you're mine!"
Both bands finished the song with a bang as the music from the stereo played the last verse. Vaughan didn't need to see Blaster's scan to know what was going on.
She knew without a doubt, that those three were Decepticons.
No doubt about it.
******
"Boys, I think we may have found what we're looking for." said Dagio.
The three of them were together out in a back alley just behind the school. It was no late at night, the opening ceremony over and done with. Dagio held a video com-link device in his hand, the faces of Megatron and Soundwave present.
"Or rather, it found you?" Megatron replied.
"Everyone in this school is trapped under our little, spell if you will. But not those humans. Those ones are special. Especially their leader, the girl." Dagio chuckled.
"Her name is Vaughan Witwickey. She is a friend of the Autobots." Megatron explained. He looked over at his communications officer. "Soundwave, I'd like for you to do a little bit more research. Study the video feed of when their strange transformations occurred. Their armour plating... those colour schemes... they didn't feel right to me."
"Me, Lord Megatron?" Soundwave asked.
"What's wrong Soundwave? Cat got your tounge?" Sanato teased with a laugh.
"Soundwave, are you questioning my orders?" Megatron asked the mech.
"No Lord Megatron, I am not." Soundwave answered quickly and nervously.
"Good. Mesmerizers, continue your mission. Soundwave, I suggest you get to work." Megatron ordered.
"Yes Lord Megatron." The four of them answered, ending the call.