Fall From Grace 3/8
Quick post, and then I get to wander off to be sick and do schoolwork. yay. can you feel the enthusiasm?
Left cheek, Dania!
Title: Fall From Grace
Chapter: Chapter III : All Fall Down
Rating: T
Warnings: Twin angst. Seriously. Angst. By the Constructicon-load. Also, twin OOC.
Setting: Begginning of the war, G1
Pairings/Characters: Sideswipe/OC, Sunstreaker, OC
Summary: They never wanted to become what they were now. But when all other options were closed to them, they had no choice...but to fall from grace.
Notes: Set in the same universe as 'Prowl and Sideswipe's Excellent Adventure', but it really has nothing to do with that fic, since not only is it definitely NOT crack, but it's written to be a prequel to 'Once More With Feeling', expanding on part of Sideswipe and Perceptor's conversation.
- Chapter III : All Fall Down -
Orns passed for Sideswipe in a blur of fighting, recharging, and hiding from Sunstreaker. He eventually asked Darkdagger to put him in the cell across from his brother - separate, but still within sight. Sunstreaker, who had at first left him in peace, had then begun to bother him, then rant at him, but now...now he just watched his twin with sadness. Through the choked-off bond, Sideswipe could feel his brother's anguish over his distance. Over the fact that they hadn't spoken more than a few words to each other since Darkdagger first took him. Sideswipe might have felt just as miserable, but he was sustained by the fact that his distance, his fights, kept Sunstreaker from having to experience the same thing. From having his world shattered. The fact that he was doing this to protect Sunstreaker kept Sideswipe going.
Unfortunately, even Sideswipe had limits, and Darkdagger seemed intent on pushing them. It wasn't until almost three orns after Sideswipe's first fight that she found the bitter end of his abilities, however. Sideswipe knew from the moment the large triple-changer stepped into the ring and cycled through his two other forms - a tank and a bulkier version of a tetrajet - that he was slagged. This was it, this was the fight he couldn't win. At the back of his mind, he was already panicking as the fight began. His only chance was to stay out of the reach of the triple-changer, to out-maneuver them - but with that jet form, it was hard to keep ahead. He had to stay at just the right distance - too far and his opponent would transform into his jet mode and catch up in seconds, too close and he'd be blasted by the tank or grabbed and hauled into melee. Worse was the triple-changer's greater energy stores - he could fight for a lot longer than Sideswipe, even transforming as often as he did, simply because his energon storage units were larger.
Still, Sideswipe did his best, dodging this way and that, and was actually amazed when he managed to trick the triple-changer into smashing into a wall, where some of his armor managed to wedge itself into the metal. Disbelief swept through Sideswipe as he stared incredulously at the triple-changer growling as he tried to pry himself out of the wall. His back was left open, and there was a good chance Sideswipe could get in there and mess something up badly - maybe even kill the other mech - before he could free himself.
Unfortunately, in his elation, he let the block on his bond with Sunstreaker weaken...and his brother made use of it, forcing his way in. Sunstreaker's presence suddenly engulfed Sideswipe, and he staggered, falling to his knees in shock, only able to stare unseeingly at the triple-changer as Sunstreaker tore through his CPU. It wasn't painful, but it was demanding and insistent - Sunstreaker had had enough. He wanted his brother back, and was going to see just what was keeping him away. Sideswipe fought against him, trying to keep Sunstreaker from seeing, but he was brushed aside....and then Sunstreaker found his memories.
It felt like he lived the last three orns all over again in his mind as Sunstreaker went through each and every pit fight, saw what Sideswipe had to do, and heard Darkdagger's whispering voice explaining why. He watched himself become a brutal killer, merciless and efficient. Listened to the praise from Darkdagger - and felt the pain of separating himself from Sunstreaker all over again. As his brother finally drew back, Sideswipe didn't know what to expect - horror, sympathy, understanding maybe. Maybe an apology, and a withdrawal from his mind. Unlikely. Or the bond closed off completely, Sunstreaker declaring that Sideswipe was no brother of his.
He didn't expect the rage, building steadily and seemingly unstoppable. A thought, a memory flashed through Sideswipe's mind, and for a moment, he was being hauled away for the first time to the pits.
::At least she can't really separate us.:: Sunstreaker said, his voice echoing as his image appeared beside Sideswipe.
::Can't separate twins. Not even for an instant.:: Sideswipe's voice echoed back.
And then the rage boiling within Sunstreaker let loose, and Sideswipe's head snapped in the direction he knew his twin was in.
::No, Sunny, don't!:: he cried out, both in his mind and out loud, but his twin ignored him, and before Sideswipe could press further, a large hand grabbed his arm and threw him against the wall. An even larger fist came in his direction, but Sideswipe managed to duck, and then scramble out of the way as the triple-changer reached for him again. He tried to put distance between himself and the larger mech so he could try and talk to Sunstreaker again, but the triple-changer followed him doggedly, not giving him a moment's rest - until the door through which Sideswipe entered the pit exploded outwards. Both fighters stopped, turning to look, and Sideswipe felt his spark growing cold at the sight of the mech stepping out of the doorway.
Covered in energon and coolant, barely any of which appeared to be his, and yet not carrying a single weapon, Sunstreaker looked like a psychopathic Decepticon soldier after a battle. The look he gave the triple-changer was cold and menacing, and Sideswipe knew without a doubt that he had to stop his twin, or lose him forever. As Sunstreaker charged, Sideswipe threw himself at his brother - and was brushed off.
By the time Sideswipe had gotten to his feet, Sunstreaker was already on the triple-changer, fists smashing into armored plating and ripping at anything they could. The triple-changer tried to fight back, but Sunstreaker was too agile, dodging out of the way, avoiding the grasping hands. Eventually the mech tried to transform, but Sunstreaker used that as an opportunity to mess up sensitive internals. The triple-changer screamed in pain, stuck between two forms, and Sideswipe started forward to stop his brother as he saw where Sunstreaker was heading next.
"Sunny, don't!" Sideswipe said, grabbing his twin from behind and pulling him away as the golden twin spotted what he'd been looking for - the triple-changer's spark chamber.
"Don't try and stop me, Sideswipe!" the golden twin snarled. "Or am I not allowed to do what you've been doing for the past few orns? Am I not allowed to become a killer like my brother?"
"No, you're not!" Sideswipe replied emphatically. "I have to be - you don't. So let him be."
"No." Sunstreaker said, then with a flurry of movement which ended with Sideswipe on the ground, Sunstreaker freed himself. Time seemed to slow as Sideswipe watched his twin stalk over to the triple-changer, climbing up onto the mech to be able to get to the spark-chamber, and then his fist smashed down, and time sped up to its normal pace. Sunstreaker looked up and grinned as the mech he was standing on began fading to grey, and Sideswipe became aware of the roaring cheer of the crowds above.
Glancing up, Sideswipe could see images being projected on the ceiling, and he felt sick as he recognized the corridors between their holding cells and the gladiator ring, now dripping with mech fluids, with bits and pieces of bodies strewn throughout. He couldn't even feel the slightest bit of satisfaction as one shot focused on Darkdagger's grey helm, her body nowhere in sight. He could only look over to his brother with sadness, feeling nothing but deadness through their bond, and knowing that it wasn't because the bond was closed. Two mechs had died in this arena today - and one of them was his brother.
---
Sideswipe had expected whoever replaced Darkdagger to keep him and his brother caged up, locked away, especially after the carnage Sunstreaker had done, and how easily he'd gotten out. But they didn't even return to the same cell block, instead being escorted out the other door of the pit by two guards that certainly weren't drones, judging by the laughing congratulations and comments they sent Sunstreaker's way. They seemed convinced that he'd make a perfect Decepticon, but Sunstreaker, fortunately, ignored them. As twins, Sunstreaker and Sideswipe followed each other everywhere - it was pretty much a given that Sideswipe wouldn't go on a business trip unless Sunstreaker was free to come with him or had an art show, and vice versa. And if Sunstreaker joined the Decepticons, Sideswipe would have to follow, no matter how much he didn't want to, if only in the hopes that he'd someday be able to convince his brother to leave them.
The room through the other door was much different than the one Sideswipe was used to seeing. He'd thought both entrances to be much the same, but apparently they weren't. This one sported a neater collection of weapons, each with a lock on them, obviously reserved for specific mechs. One closed door presumably led out to the rest of the building, and two other doors, these ones open, led to a wash rack and what looked like a med bay. Three mechs waited for them in the main room, standing in front of the closed door, and the guards, unlike usual, backed off, leaving the twins to talk with the new mechs.
"I am Highblock." the mech in the middle, a hulking red and brown one that Sideswipe would've bet could've taken out everyone in the room without a problem, introduced himself, then motioned to the one on the right, who was just as big, and a deep crimson red with an orange medic's cross on his chest. "This is Triage, our medic." A casual glance to the one on the left, who was small and black with blue highlights, "And Rivet, our weapons trainer." All three of them had red optics, despite the lack of Decepticon symbols.
"I'd say it's nice to meet you, but I try not to lie." Sideswipe grumbled in reply, and Highblock smiled faintly.
"You'll be grateful for our meeting soon enough. You see, mechs only meet me when they've performed exceptionally in the gladiator pits." he said. "Which you most certainly have done today. I must say, I questioned Darkdagger's wisdom in having only one of you fight, but when I saw her dismembered corpse, I understood her reasoning. I wonder how she knew which of you to pick." the red and brown mech mused thoughtfully. "No matter. It worked."
"Today. It won't work again." Sideswipe snarled.
"No?" Highblock asked, amusement clear in his voice as he glanced between the two twins. "We'll see about that. For now, however, I'm sure you'd like to get washed up, and then Triage can see to your injuries before you're shown to your new quarters."
"You mean cells, don't you?" Sideswipe asked bitterly.
"No, I mean quarters." Highblock said with a chuckle, nodded briefly to them and then headed out. Rivet gave them a long, unreadable look before following Highblock, but Triage stayed.
"I'll be in the repair bay while you clean yourselves." he said coolly, then turned without another word and headed for the bay. His bearing seemed to indicate that he expected them to be sparkling before he even thought about repairing them. Not that Sunstreaker would mind, since as soon as Triage turned and left, the golden twin headed straight for the wash racks. Sideswipe hesitated, then hurried after his brother.
As they cleaned the dust and mech fluids off themselves, Sideswipe kept glancing over at Sunstreaker. He wanted to say something, anything, but he couldn't think what. Their bond was choked off in a way he'd never felt before, and he didn't know what to do about it. He didn't know how to close the sudden distance between them.
---
Highblock's use of the term 'quarters' had, in fact, been accurate, Sideswipe discovered later. He'd expected some sort of fancy cell, and in a way it was, but he was surprised at the freedom the 'better' gladiators were allowed. There was a large complex on the other side of the Gladiator Pit, and though there were locked gates and doors preventing any of the gladiators from leaving said complex, they had pretty much absolute freedom inside. There were practice rings - with spectator stands above, Sideswipe noticed, though Triage informed him curtly that there were rarely any observers. The Decepticons liked to see energon flowing, and since Triage would only repair damage from official fights, most gladiators took care not to injure themselves outside the Pit. The way Triage stressed 'official' made Sideswipe wonder how often unofficial fights happened, anyways.
Besides the practice rings, there were weapons ranges, engineering workshops, a mess hall, several large rec rooms with various types of entertainment - even a library - and the rest was mostly quarters, with a few offices for those running the show. Triage pointed out his own, Highblock's, and Rivet's offices, and informed them that asking for any other official before being approached by them was a very bad idea. Finally, Triage led the twins to their new quarters, which he curtly informed them had been specially altered for them. His tone of voice implied that this was a special privilege that they should be grateful for. The quarters consisted of one common room, obviously a place where they could relax in private, and two smaller rooms with large recharge berths, and then a joint wash rack.
Oddly, they had one of the few windows Sideswipe had seen, and when he looked out, he saw a rather scenic view of what was evidently the new Decepticon headquarters, much more recognizable beneath all the construction now that it was a few more orns along from when Sideswipe had last seen it. With a sinking suspicion at that view, the red twin turned and saw that one corner of the common room had been well stocked with arts supplies - someone had done their research. Sunstreaker didn't even glance at the supplies, though, instead going straight to one of the smaller rooms with a grunt. Even as Triage was stepping out the door, Sideswipe could feel his twin powering down into recharge.
Quietly, though he doubted Sunstreaker would hear it, Sideswipe stepped over to the doorway his brother had disappeared through, and watched silently for a few moments as Sunstreaker recharged on the overly-large berth. Whether they were expected to entertain femme gladiators or sleep on the same berth, or if they just didn't have berths to right size for them, Sideswipe didn't know, but he doubted either or the first two would be happening. It might have actually been a good idea, for their mental state, for them to regress to their youngling years enough to sleep on the same berth again, but Sideswipe suspected he wouldn't be welcome.
Suspected. Not knew. That was painful. Even when he'd blocked the bond while he'd been fighting, Sideswipe had left the smallest part of it open, so that he could feel his brother's mood, and vice versa. Granted, that was what had scared Sunstreaker sometimes, feeling Sideswipe's mood as he was fighting, but Sideswipe couldn't block his twin out all the way. It just didn't feel right. But now he had no choice. He was blocked out, nothing from Sunstreaker reached him, and nothing from him reached Sunstreaker. He could try all he wanted, but his brother had always been better at blocking their bond, stronger at resisting his brother breaking through the block. Or maybe Sideswipe just wasn't as strong as Sunstreaker when he tried to break through. Either way, there was no way he'd force Sunstreaker to open up to him again. He'd have to convince him. Somehow. And not lose himself or his brother in the process.
---
Sideswipe woke the next morning to find Sunstreaker gone, and quickly set out in search of his brother. If anyone who knew them had been there, he would have felt like an idiot, searching for his own twin, but nobody was, so he strolled through the corridors acting as if it was perfectly normal to be searching high and low for the mech that held the other half of your twinned spark. Triage gave him an appraising look, obviously knowing the truth of the matter, but the stuck-up medic said nothing, simply gliding past with his olfactory sensor in the air, carefully avoiding touching anything more than the floor.
Finally, Sideswipe found Sunstreaker in one of the practice arenas. Destroyed practice dummies littered the floor around him, but the golden twin himself wasn't actually fighting right now, just standing there, scowling as he buffed out a scratch on his plating. Sideswipe's optics drifted upwards, to the spectator stands, and he found a mech actually sitting up there. He scowled faintly as he saw Rivet. The weapons trainer would be interested in what his newest trainees could do, obviously. And his presence made Sideswipe reluctant to approach his brother. Sideswipe grimaced as he realized that - what was his life coming to when he was reluctant to approach his own twin? It wasn't as if Sunstreaker would hurt him.
Steadfastly ignoring the mech above them, Sideswipe stepped into the ring, carefully stepping over the destroyed dummies. Sunstreaker looked up at the movement, paused in the middle of still trying to buff out the scratch.
"Sunny." Sideswipe said neutrally, almost warily.
"Don't call me that." Sunstreaker replied flatly.
"Sunstreaker then." Sideswipe said, trying not to wince as his brother objected to the sparkling nickname.
"We're going to need better armor." Sunstreaker said, turning back to his buffing. "Our plating isn't nearly thick enough."
"Darkdagger seemed to take amusement in it." Sideswipe offered. "Apparently found my dodging about trying not to be hit entertaining."
"I know." Sunstreaker replied. "But we're not built for agility, we're built for power and speed. If we're going to keep fighting, we're going to need better armor."
"I'd rather we didn't keep fighting." Sideswipe replied flatly, and Sunstreaker considered him coldly for a few moments.
"You really think we have a choice in fighting, brother?" Sunstreaker asked, and 'brother' sounded almost mocking. "If we don't fight, they'll take us back to the other side, back to the cells. Or they may just decide we're more trouble than we're worth and kill us. In the arena, of course. Let some other mech rip us apart. And I don't want to die quite yet, thank you."
"You're already halfway there." the words were out before Sideswipe realized what he was saying. He immediately grimaced, and out of habit, tried to reach over the bond to explain in thoughts and feelings what he meant, but he barely had time to recoil from the block before Sunstreaker replied - in a way just as unexpected as Sideswipe's words. For the first time that Sideswipe could remember, his brother, his twin, actually took a swing at him. It missed horribly, but Sideswipe staggered back in surprise anyways, staring in shock at his brother.
"And who's slagging fault is that?" Sunstreaker snarled, then leaped at Sideswipe. Sideswipe, in shock from what Sunstreaker had just implied, did nothing to defend himself at first, but as warnings began popping up, he wisely began blocking - but he refused to hit back. He would not hurt his brother, even if it meant getting turned into scrap himself.
Fortunately, it didn't come to that - unfortunately, it didn't come to that because a furious Highblock showed up with a few drones and Rivet in tow. Clearly, the weapons trainer had seen the fight start and gone to get 'help'. Sideswipe glared furiously at the smaller mech as two drones held back a now-calm Sunstreaker. Highblock was ranting at one or both of them, Sideswipe wasn't sure, and he didn't really care. He didn't care about anything, in fact, Sideswipe realized suddenly. Nothing mattered now except for getting Sunstreaker back - though as he saw the glare his brother sent his way as the drones hauled him off to wherever Highblock had ordered them to, the thought crossed his processor that that might be impossible, though it was just as quickly dismissed. Highblock followed Sunstreaker and the drones out, and Sideswipe found himself alone with Rivet. The red twin scowled furiously down at the other mech.
"I didn't need your interference." he snarled.
"You'll excuse me if I don't believe ya." Rivet replied, the reached forward and poked a tear in Sideswipe's shoulder. He gasped, his optics shorting out for a moment as the pain overwhelmed his processor momentarily. "C'mon, let's get ya fixed up." Sideswipe grunted, eyeing the other mech with hostility.
"It's nothing lethal." he said. "Triage said he only fixed damage from official fights, anyways."
"Triage is only the official medic. Most'a th'rest of us that have been around here awhile have learned how to fix a fair bit ourselves." Rivet replied, and motioned towards the door. Sideswipe eyed the other mech, and seriously considered turning him down, just heading back to his and Sunstreaker's quarters and repairing what he could before letting his repair systems do the rest. But then he realized that he was probably going to end up taking more beatings before he could get Sunstreaker back, and Highblock's parting shot had been something about him still having to fight tomorrow. So he might as well make use of Rivet's offer while he could - he still didn't have to like the mech, after all.
At his quick nod, Rivet actually grinned - the aft - and then practically sauntered out of the arena, and Sideswipe stalked after him, putting all his excess energy into trying to glare a hole in Rivet's helm. Fortunately for the weapons trainer, no one yet had been able to build a functioning optic that could also emit a laser strong enough to cut into Cybertronian metals.
Rivet ended up leading Sideswipe to his office, where he promptly closed and locked the door behind the twin. Sideswipe was only more suspicious at that, but Rivet just pulled out a med-kit and gave Sideswipe an expectant look. Sideswipe got the hint and sat in the nearest chair. Once he was settled, Rivet dragged a sidetable over and propped the med-kit up on it, then set to work fixing Sideswipe. It was somewhat uncomfortable for the first breem or so, since Sideswipe wanted to continue glaring at the mech, but his programming was telling him to be nice to the mech repairing him. In the end, he settled for sulking in the general direction of the wall and ignoring anything Rivet said that wasn't a request for movement so he could get at an injury better. Rivet, fortunately, didn't seem inclined to press Sideswipe. The only thing he said that wasn't related to fixing Sideswipe, in fact, was as the red twin was leaving.
"Highblock'll put Sunstreaker in a cell for a day or two, but after the way he fought yesterday, he won't take him out of the arena. And after this mornin', Highblock won't risk havin' the two of you in th'arena together. Having you two fight each other would be good sport, but he knows if he loses one'a ya, the other'll be right behind, whether they want to be or not." Rivet said without looking up from where he was packing away his tools. Sideswipe frowned, pausing in the doorway to Rivet's office, and the other mech looked up."Just thought y'might want t'know that he'll be fightin' without ya." Sideswipe just growled in response and stalked the rest of the way out of the room, heading back to his and Sunstreaker's quarters.
- TBC -
Left cheek, Dania!
Title: Fall From Grace
Chapter: Chapter III : All Fall Down
Rating: T
Warnings: Twin angst. Seriously. Angst. By the Constructicon-load. Also, twin OOC.
Setting: Begginning of the war, G1
Pairings/Characters: Sideswipe/OC, Sunstreaker, OC
Summary: They never wanted to become what they were now. But when all other options were closed to them, they had no choice...but to fall from grace.
Notes: Set in the same universe as 'Prowl and Sideswipe's Excellent Adventure', but it really has nothing to do with that fic, since not only is it definitely NOT crack, but it's written to be a prequel to 'Once More With Feeling', expanding on part of Sideswipe and Perceptor's conversation.
- Chapter III : All Fall Down -
Orns passed for Sideswipe in a blur of fighting, recharging, and hiding from Sunstreaker. He eventually asked Darkdagger to put him in the cell across from his brother - separate, but still within sight. Sunstreaker, who had at first left him in peace, had then begun to bother him, then rant at him, but now...now he just watched his twin with sadness. Through the choked-off bond, Sideswipe could feel his brother's anguish over his distance. Over the fact that they hadn't spoken more than a few words to each other since Darkdagger first took him. Sideswipe might have felt just as miserable, but he was sustained by the fact that his distance, his fights, kept Sunstreaker from having to experience the same thing. From having his world shattered. The fact that he was doing this to protect Sunstreaker kept Sideswipe going.
Unfortunately, even Sideswipe had limits, and Darkdagger seemed intent on pushing them. It wasn't until almost three orns after Sideswipe's first fight that she found the bitter end of his abilities, however. Sideswipe knew from the moment the large triple-changer stepped into the ring and cycled through his two other forms - a tank and a bulkier version of a tetrajet - that he was slagged. This was it, this was the fight he couldn't win. At the back of his mind, he was already panicking as the fight began. His only chance was to stay out of the reach of the triple-changer, to out-maneuver them - but with that jet form, it was hard to keep ahead. He had to stay at just the right distance - too far and his opponent would transform into his jet mode and catch up in seconds, too close and he'd be blasted by the tank or grabbed and hauled into melee. Worse was the triple-changer's greater energy stores - he could fight for a lot longer than Sideswipe, even transforming as often as he did, simply because his energon storage units were larger.
Still, Sideswipe did his best, dodging this way and that, and was actually amazed when he managed to trick the triple-changer into smashing into a wall, where some of his armor managed to wedge itself into the metal. Disbelief swept through Sideswipe as he stared incredulously at the triple-changer growling as he tried to pry himself out of the wall. His back was left open, and there was a good chance Sideswipe could get in there and mess something up badly - maybe even kill the other mech - before he could free himself.
Unfortunately, in his elation, he let the block on his bond with Sunstreaker weaken...and his brother made use of it, forcing his way in. Sunstreaker's presence suddenly engulfed Sideswipe, and he staggered, falling to his knees in shock, only able to stare unseeingly at the triple-changer as Sunstreaker tore through his CPU. It wasn't painful, but it was demanding and insistent - Sunstreaker had had enough. He wanted his brother back, and was going to see just what was keeping him away. Sideswipe fought against him, trying to keep Sunstreaker from seeing, but he was brushed aside....and then Sunstreaker found his memories.
It felt like he lived the last three orns all over again in his mind as Sunstreaker went through each and every pit fight, saw what Sideswipe had to do, and heard Darkdagger's whispering voice explaining why. He watched himself become a brutal killer, merciless and efficient. Listened to the praise from Darkdagger - and felt the pain of separating himself from Sunstreaker all over again. As his brother finally drew back, Sideswipe didn't know what to expect - horror, sympathy, understanding maybe. Maybe an apology, and a withdrawal from his mind. Unlikely. Or the bond closed off completely, Sunstreaker declaring that Sideswipe was no brother of his.
He didn't expect the rage, building steadily and seemingly unstoppable. A thought, a memory flashed through Sideswipe's mind, and for a moment, he was being hauled away for the first time to the pits.
::At least she can't really separate us.:: Sunstreaker said, his voice echoing as his image appeared beside Sideswipe.
::Can't separate twins. Not even for an instant.:: Sideswipe's voice echoed back.
And then the rage boiling within Sunstreaker let loose, and Sideswipe's head snapped in the direction he knew his twin was in.
::No, Sunny, don't!:: he cried out, both in his mind and out loud, but his twin ignored him, and before Sideswipe could press further, a large hand grabbed his arm and threw him against the wall. An even larger fist came in his direction, but Sideswipe managed to duck, and then scramble out of the way as the triple-changer reached for him again. He tried to put distance between himself and the larger mech so he could try and talk to Sunstreaker again, but the triple-changer followed him doggedly, not giving him a moment's rest - until the door through which Sideswipe entered the pit exploded outwards. Both fighters stopped, turning to look, and Sideswipe felt his spark growing cold at the sight of the mech stepping out of the doorway.
Covered in energon and coolant, barely any of which appeared to be his, and yet not carrying a single weapon, Sunstreaker looked like a psychopathic Decepticon soldier after a battle. The look he gave the triple-changer was cold and menacing, and Sideswipe knew without a doubt that he had to stop his twin, or lose him forever. As Sunstreaker charged, Sideswipe threw himself at his brother - and was brushed off.
By the time Sideswipe had gotten to his feet, Sunstreaker was already on the triple-changer, fists smashing into armored plating and ripping at anything they could. The triple-changer tried to fight back, but Sunstreaker was too agile, dodging out of the way, avoiding the grasping hands. Eventually the mech tried to transform, but Sunstreaker used that as an opportunity to mess up sensitive internals. The triple-changer screamed in pain, stuck between two forms, and Sideswipe started forward to stop his brother as he saw where Sunstreaker was heading next.
"Sunny, don't!" Sideswipe said, grabbing his twin from behind and pulling him away as the golden twin spotted what he'd been looking for - the triple-changer's spark chamber.
"Don't try and stop me, Sideswipe!" the golden twin snarled. "Or am I not allowed to do what you've been doing for the past few orns? Am I not allowed to become a killer like my brother?"
"No, you're not!" Sideswipe replied emphatically. "I have to be - you don't. So let him be."
"No." Sunstreaker said, then with a flurry of movement which ended with Sideswipe on the ground, Sunstreaker freed himself. Time seemed to slow as Sideswipe watched his twin stalk over to the triple-changer, climbing up onto the mech to be able to get to the spark-chamber, and then his fist smashed down, and time sped up to its normal pace. Sunstreaker looked up and grinned as the mech he was standing on began fading to grey, and Sideswipe became aware of the roaring cheer of the crowds above.
Glancing up, Sideswipe could see images being projected on the ceiling, and he felt sick as he recognized the corridors between their holding cells and the gladiator ring, now dripping with mech fluids, with bits and pieces of bodies strewn throughout. He couldn't even feel the slightest bit of satisfaction as one shot focused on Darkdagger's grey helm, her body nowhere in sight. He could only look over to his brother with sadness, feeling nothing but deadness through their bond, and knowing that it wasn't because the bond was closed. Two mechs had died in this arena today - and one of them was his brother.
---
Sideswipe had expected whoever replaced Darkdagger to keep him and his brother caged up, locked away, especially after the carnage Sunstreaker had done, and how easily he'd gotten out. But they didn't even return to the same cell block, instead being escorted out the other door of the pit by two guards that certainly weren't drones, judging by the laughing congratulations and comments they sent Sunstreaker's way. They seemed convinced that he'd make a perfect Decepticon, but Sunstreaker, fortunately, ignored them. As twins, Sunstreaker and Sideswipe followed each other everywhere - it was pretty much a given that Sideswipe wouldn't go on a business trip unless Sunstreaker was free to come with him or had an art show, and vice versa. And if Sunstreaker joined the Decepticons, Sideswipe would have to follow, no matter how much he didn't want to, if only in the hopes that he'd someday be able to convince his brother to leave them.
The room through the other door was much different than the one Sideswipe was used to seeing. He'd thought both entrances to be much the same, but apparently they weren't. This one sported a neater collection of weapons, each with a lock on them, obviously reserved for specific mechs. One closed door presumably led out to the rest of the building, and two other doors, these ones open, led to a wash rack and what looked like a med bay. Three mechs waited for them in the main room, standing in front of the closed door, and the guards, unlike usual, backed off, leaving the twins to talk with the new mechs.
"I am Highblock." the mech in the middle, a hulking red and brown one that Sideswipe would've bet could've taken out everyone in the room without a problem, introduced himself, then motioned to the one on the right, who was just as big, and a deep crimson red with an orange medic's cross on his chest. "This is Triage, our medic." A casual glance to the one on the left, who was small and black with blue highlights, "And Rivet, our weapons trainer." All three of them had red optics, despite the lack of Decepticon symbols.
"I'd say it's nice to meet you, but I try not to lie." Sideswipe grumbled in reply, and Highblock smiled faintly.
"You'll be grateful for our meeting soon enough. You see, mechs only meet me when they've performed exceptionally in the gladiator pits." he said. "Which you most certainly have done today. I must say, I questioned Darkdagger's wisdom in having only one of you fight, but when I saw her dismembered corpse, I understood her reasoning. I wonder how she knew which of you to pick." the red and brown mech mused thoughtfully. "No matter. It worked."
"Today. It won't work again." Sideswipe snarled.
"No?" Highblock asked, amusement clear in his voice as he glanced between the two twins. "We'll see about that. For now, however, I'm sure you'd like to get washed up, and then Triage can see to your injuries before you're shown to your new quarters."
"You mean cells, don't you?" Sideswipe asked bitterly.
"No, I mean quarters." Highblock said with a chuckle, nodded briefly to them and then headed out. Rivet gave them a long, unreadable look before following Highblock, but Triage stayed.
"I'll be in the repair bay while you clean yourselves." he said coolly, then turned without another word and headed for the bay. His bearing seemed to indicate that he expected them to be sparkling before he even thought about repairing them. Not that Sunstreaker would mind, since as soon as Triage turned and left, the golden twin headed straight for the wash racks. Sideswipe hesitated, then hurried after his brother.
As they cleaned the dust and mech fluids off themselves, Sideswipe kept glancing over at Sunstreaker. He wanted to say something, anything, but he couldn't think what. Their bond was choked off in a way he'd never felt before, and he didn't know what to do about it. He didn't know how to close the sudden distance between them.
---
Highblock's use of the term 'quarters' had, in fact, been accurate, Sideswipe discovered later. He'd expected some sort of fancy cell, and in a way it was, but he was surprised at the freedom the 'better' gladiators were allowed. There was a large complex on the other side of the Gladiator Pit, and though there were locked gates and doors preventing any of the gladiators from leaving said complex, they had pretty much absolute freedom inside. There were practice rings - with spectator stands above, Sideswipe noticed, though Triage informed him curtly that there were rarely any observers. The Decepticons liked to see energon flowing, and since Triage would only repair damage from official fights, most gladiators took care not to injure themselves outside the Pit. The way Triage stressed 'official' made Sideswipe wonder how often unofficial fights happened, anyways.
Besides the practice rings, there were weapons ranges, engineering workshops, a mess hall, several large rec rooms with various types of entertainment - even a library - and the rest was mostly quarters, with a few offices for those running the show. Triage pointed out his own, Highblock's, and Rivet's offices, and informed them that asking for any other official before being approached by them was a very bad idea. Finally, Triage led the twins to their new quarters, which he curtly informed them had been specially altered for them. His tone of voice implied that this was a special privilege that they should be grateful for. The quarters consisted of one common room, obviously a place where they could relax in private, and two smaller rooms with large recharge berths, and then a joint wash rack.
Oddly, they had one of the few windows Sideswipe had seen, and when he looked out, he saw a rather scenic view of what was evidently the new Decepticon headquarters, much more recognizable beneath all the construction now that it was a few more orns along from when Sideswipe had last seen it. With a sinking suspicion at that view, the red twin turned and saw that one corner of the common room had been well stocked with arts supplies - someone had done their research. Sunstreaker didn't even glance at the supplies, though, instead going straight to one of the smaller rooms with a grunt. Even as Triage was stepping out the door, Sideswipe could feel his twin powering down into recharge.
Quietly, though he doubted Sunstreaker would hear it, Sideswipe stepped over to the doorway his brother had disappeared through, and watched silently for a few moments as Sunstreaker recharged on the overly-large berth. Whether they were expected to entertain femme gladiators or sleep on the same berth, or if they just didn't have berths to right size for them, Sideswipe didn't know, but he doubted either or the first two would be happening. It might have actually been a good idea, for their mental state, for them to regress to their youngling years enough to sleep on the same berth again, but Sideswipe suspected he wouldn't be welcome.
Suspected. Not knew. That was painful. Even when he'd blocked the bond while he'd been fighting, Sideswipe had left the smallest part of it open, so that he could feel his brother's mood, and vice versa. Granted, that was what had scared Sunstreaker sometimes, feeling Sideswipe's mood as he was fighting, but Sideswipe couldn't block his twin out all the way. It just didn't feel right. But now he had no choice. He was blocked out, nothing from Sunstreaker reached him, and nothing from him reached Sunstreaker. He could try all he wanted, but his brother had always been better at blocking their bond, stronger at resisting his brother breaking through the block. Or maybe Sideswipe just wasn't as strong as Sunstreaker when he tried to break through. Either way, there was no way he'd force Sunstreaker to open up to him again. He'd have to convince him. Somehow. And not lose himself or his brother in the process.
---
Sideswipe woke the next morning to find Sunstreaker gone, and quickly set out in search of his brother. If anyone who knew them had been there, he would have felt like an idiot, searching for his own twin, but nobody was, so he strolled through the corridors acting as if it was perfectly normal to be searching high and low for the mech that held the other half of your twinned spark. Triage gave him an appraising look, obviously knowing the truth of the matter, but the stuck-up medic said nothing, simply gliding past with his olfactory sensor in the air, carefully avoiding touching anything more than the floor.
Finally, Sideswipe found Sunstreaker in one of the practice arenas. Destroyed practice dummies littered the floor around him, but the golden twin himself wasn't actually fighting right now, just standing there, scowling as he buffed out a scratch on his plating. Sideswipe's optics drifted upwards, to the spectator stands, and he found a mech actually sitting up there. He scowled faintly as he saw Rivet. The weapons trainer would be interested in what his newest trainees could do, obviously. And his presence made Sideswipe reluctant to approach his brother. Sideswipe grimaced as he realized that - what was his life coming to when he was reluctant to approach his own twin? It wasn't as if Sunstreaker would hurt him.
Steadfastly ignoring the mech above them, Sideswipe stepped into the ring, carefully stepping over the destroyed dummies. Sunstreaker looked up at the movement, paused in the middle of still trying to buff out the scratch.
"Sunny." Sideswipe said neutrally, almost warily.
"Don't call me that." Sunstreaker replied flatly.
"Sunstreaker then." Sideswipe said, trying not to wince as his brother objected to the sparkling nickname.
"We're going to need better armor." Sunstreaker said, turning back to his buffing. "Our plating isn't nearly thick enough."
"Darkdagger seemed to take amusement in it." Sideswipe offered. "Apparently found my dodging about trying not to be hit entertaining."
"I know." Sunstreaker replied. "But we're not built for agility, we're built for power and speed. If we're going to keep fighting, we're going to need better armor."
"I'd rather we didn't keep fighting." Sideswipe replied flatly, and Sunstreaker considered him coldly for a few moments.
"You really think we have a choice in fighting, brother?" Sunstreaker asked, and 'brother' sounded almost mocking. "If we don't fight, they'll take us back to the other side, back to the cells. Or they may just decide we're more trouble than we're worth and kill us. In the arena, of course. Let some other mech rip us apart. And I don't want to die quite yet, thank you."
"You're already halfway there." the words were out before Sideswipe realized what he was saying. He immediately grimaced, and out of habit, tried to reach over the bond to explain in thoughts and feelings what he meant, but he barely had time to recoil from the block before Sunstreaker replied - in a way just as unexpected as Sideswipe's words. For the first time that Sideswipe could remember, his brother, his twin, actually took a swing at him. It missed horribly, but Sideswipe staggered back in surprise anyways, staring in shock at his brother.
"And who's slagging fault is that?" Sunstreaker snarled, then leaped at Sideswipe. Sideswipe, in shock from what Sunstreaker had just implied, did nothing to defend himself at first, but as warnings began popping up, he wisely began blocking - but he refused to hit back. He would not hurt his brother, even if it meant getting turned into scrap himself.
Fortunately, it didn't come to that - unfortunately, it didn't come to that because a furious Highblock showed up with a few drones and Rivet in tow. Clearly, the weapons trainer had seen the fight start and gone to get 'help'. Sideswipe glared furiously at the smaller mech as two drones held back a now-calm Sunstreaker. Highblock was ranting at one or both of them, Sideswipe wasn't sure, and he didn't really care. He didn't care about anything, in fact, Sideswipe realized suddenly. Nothing mattered now except for getting Sunstreaker back - though as he saw the glare his brother sent his way as the drones hauled him off to wherever Highblock had ordered them to, the thought crossed his processor that that might be impossible, though it was just as quickly dismissed. Highblock followed Sunstreaker and the drones out, and Sideswipe found himself alone with Rivet. The red twin scowled furiously down at the other mech.
"I didn't need your interference." he snarled.
"You'll excuse me if I don't believe ya." Rivet replied, the reached forward and poked a tear in Sideswipe's shoulder. He gasped, his optics shorting out for a moment as the pain overwhelmed his processor momentarily. "C'mon, let's get ya fixed up." Sideswipe grunted, eyeing the other mech with hostility.
"It's nothing lethal." he said. "Triage said he only fixed damage from official fights, anyways."
"Triage is only the official medic. Most'a th'rest of us that have been around here awhile have learned how to fix a fair bit ourselves." Rivet replied, and motioned towards the door. Sideswipe eyed the other mech, and seriously considered turning him down, just heading back to his and Sunstreaker's quarters and repairing what he could before letting his repair systems do the rest. But then he realized that he was probably going to end up taking more beatings before he could get Sunstreaker back, and Highblock's parting shot had been something about him still having to fight tomorrow. So he might as well make use of Rivet's offer while he could - he still didn't have to like the mech, after all.
At his quick nod, Rivet actually grinned - the aft - and then practically sauntered out of the arena, and Sideswipe stalked after him, putting all his excess energy into trying to glare a hole in Rivet's helm. Fortunately for the weapons trainer, no one yet had been able to build a functioning optic that could also emit a laser strong enough to cut into Cybertronian metals.
Rivet ended up leading Sideswipe to his office, where he promptly closed and locked the door behind the twin. Sideswipe was only more suspicious at that, but Rivet just pulled out a med-kit and gave Sideswipe an expectant look. Sideswipe got the hint and sat in the nearest chair. Once he was settled, Rivet dragged a sidetable over and propped the med-kit up on it, then set to work fixing Sideswipe. It was somewhat uncomfortable for the first breem or so, since Sideswipe wanted to continue glaring at the mech, but his programming was telling him to be nice to the mech repairing him. In the end, he settled for sulking in the general direction of the wall and ignoring anything Rivet said that wasn't a request for movement so he could get at an injury better. Rivet, fortunately, didn't seem inclined to press Sideswipe. The only thing he said that wasn't related to fixing Sideswipe, in fact, was as the red twin was leaving.
"Highblock'll put Sunstreaker in a cell for a day or two, but after the way he fought yesterday, he won't take him out of the arena. And after this mornin', Highblock won't risk havin' the two of you in th'arena together. Having you two fight each other would be good sport, but he knows if he loses one'a ya, the other'll be right behind, whether they want to be or not." Rivet said without looking up from where he was packing away his tools. Sideswipe frowned, pausing in the doorway to Rivet's office, and the other mech looked up."Just thought y'might want t'know that he'll be fightin' without ya." Sideswipe just growled in response and stalked the rest of the way out of the room, heading back to his and Sunstreaker's quarters.
- TBC -