Transformers Prime: Carjack
Title: Carjack
Author: eerian_sadow
Fandom: Transformers: Prime
Characters/Pairings: Cliffjumper, Arcee
Length: 1480
Rating: Mature/R
Spoilers: Series Pilot "Darkness Rising"
Warnings: canon character death
Prompt: 484. Transformers Prime - Cliffjumper - He's still alive in there, somewhere
Notes: Despite my best intentions, this fic skipped merrily off into AU land. (I'm sorry, prompter! Please forgive me!) It works on an expanded-from-canon timeline and certain key events have been tweaked for story telling purposes.
He woke in pain.
His chestplates were a mass of agony, sharp hot spikes of pain where Starscream had stabbed him, and they throbbed with every twitch of movement. His arms were indescribavly heavy and felt ready to drop out of their sockets at any moment. His, legs screamed with pain at the slightest motion. He jaw burned when he opened his mouth to scream.
All that came out was a snarl.
He recoiled internally, and was dismayed when the action was not mirrored by his body. A moment later he realized he was moving, the lunge sending sharp agony through his batered frame. His body gave another snarl without his consent, a demanding sound, as he was blocked by one of the eradicons. A moment later, the same eradicon batted him away and his body snarled again, angry.
Pain flared again, and was wrapped in a layer of need and hunger.
His body shuffle-staggered away, seeking easier prey. Cliffjumper despaired.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
In time, he became accustomed to the invader in his body. He did not accept the eternally hungry presence, but he adapted to the mindless company. Instead of raging at the violation, he began searching for ways to take back control.
It was easiest after the invader had just fed. His body was full of stolen fuel then, and that mindless hunger eased a bit. His intruder didn't rest, precisely, but it was less consumed by need and could maneuvered around.
It was better to focus on that than to give in to the horror of what his hijacker did to survive.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
After Megatron joined the Decepticon forces on Earth, Cliffjumper and his hijacker became, briefly, something of a novelty. It became something of a game to feed expendable troops to them--a game to the 'Cons at least--while Megatron studied whatever it was that Starscream had done to him. Once Megatron was satisfied with what he had learned, something about Dark Energon and mythology that Cliffjumper had barely paid attention to in his youth, the warlord tossed him to the side.
The Decepticons used his hijacker as an instrument of punishment after. The horror and sickness he felt as his body ripped mechs to shreds, chewed their struts like candy and drank the energon from their fuel lines never abated. Sometimes they were still screaming when his hijacker began his macabre feast.
And still Cliffjumper fought to regain control.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
Megatron robbed him of even the illusion of control a few days later. Somehow, the Decepticon leader found a way to maneuver his body like a remote controlled drone, forcing him to obey his commands and attack the mechs the warlord pointed him toward.
Even as they both raged at the loss of autonomy, Cliffjumper's hijacker feasted upon Megatron's victims.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
He saw a way out, finally, when his team assaulted the Decepticon base. His control over his hijacker was barely existant when they weren't being manipulated like drones and he was tired of watching the horrors it--and Megatron--carried out with his body. He was tired of the constant pain and the hunger.
He wanted to just die--and stay dead--like Starscream claimed he already was. It would be a blissful relief.
They burst upon the scene, right into the Decepticon's command center, like vengful angels. Optimus moved with fearsome grace, immediately engaging Megatron to give the others an opening to launch their own offensives. Bumblebee and Bulkhead targeted the vehicons while Arcee sprang toward Starscream with a shriek of fury. In the heat of battle, Cliffjumper went unnoticed in his dark corner.
With a qiet growl, his body lurched toward the conflict.
They were drawn toward Arcee and Sttarscream the moment the Seekker slashed his talons across her arm and drew energon. The smell threw his hijacker into a frenzy and Cliffjumper's body lurched into a staggering run.
They covered the distancefrighteningly quickly. Cliffjumper didn't a even have time to try and wrest control from his hijacker before his hand reached out and wrapped itself around Arcee's damaged arm. He tried to scream as she was yanked around to face them, but all that came out was a hungry snarl.
"Cliff?" Arvee's optic went wide with shock for a moment before collapsing in anger. She ignored him for a moment to look back at Starscream. "You said he was dead!"
"Oh, I assure you he's quite dead." The Decepticon raked his talons across her chest plate as Cliffjumper's body lowered its head toward her arm. "But I'll leave you two to your reunion. Cliffjumper has obviously missed you."
Starscream transformed and jetted off toward Megatron and Optimus as his hijacker bit down into Arcee's damaged arm. Cliffjumper tried to scream with her.
She jerked away, leaving a mess of plating and dripping cables and tubes hanging from his body's mouth. His hijacker chewed slowly, obviously confused by the action but unwilling to give up the bit of food it had acquired. She held the damaged arm over her chest protectively while she leveled her blaster at him with her good arm.
"What. The. Frag. Cliffjumper." Her face was contorted in an angry scowl--the one he knew meant she was terrified and trying not to show it--but her aim didn't waver.
Do it, Arcee. Just do it. There's nothing left of me to save.
His hijacker hissed around the mouthful of parts.
"Damn it, Cliff! Tell me what's wrong so we can go home and Ratchet can fix you."
Wish I could, 'Cee. His hijacker finished chewing its way through the parts and snarled again. It took a step forward, clearly intent on another mouthful.
Arcee stepped back, maintaining the distance between them. "I don't want to hurt you. Just talk to me."
Cliffjumper tried desperately to answer. He wanted to talk, to tell her that it was okay to fire. That he was past saving and it was all right to move on. Nothing moved past his lip plates but another snarl.
His body lunged at her, intent on ripping off her plating to get at the softer vital components inside. Arcee jerked back, but it wasn't enough and his hijacker wrapped his body's hands around her arms and pulled her close. Cliffjumper tried to scream again in rage and horror--he would not allow his body to be the instrument of his partner's murder--and did his best to wrest control from the monster. His hijacker hesitated for a klik, but it was enough.
Arcee brought her blaster up and fired into his chest plates. His hijacker's grip loosned in surprise, as none of his previous prey had fought back like this before and it hurt in a way it wasn't prepared for. Cliffjumper welcomed the burn. She fired again as his hijacker lunged his body's head toward her neck, sending them careening backward.
That's my girl. Don't let it have you. Cliffjumper continued to fight for control as Arcee kept firing. The femme screamed, in rage and pain, but she didn't stop firing until he lay in a burned mess on the ground. His hijacker rasped at her in anger and pain, but was too damaged to do more.
"Why?" She demanded as she stepped closer. "What did they do to you?"
Cliffjumper made one last valiant attempt at wresting control from his hijackef and was shocked when his vocalizer responded to his commands. "Don't know. Starscream made me a monster. Help me..."
"Hang on, Cliff. We'll get you back to Ratchet." There was a hitch in her voice. "He'll fix you."
"Not this time, 'Cee. I'm too far gone, even for him." The red mech felt his highjacker stirring again, preparing to overwhelm him again. "It hurts, living like this. Save me."
"It's not supposed to go this way." Arcee's face crumpled in pain. "We were supposed to bring you home."
His hijacker pushed and Cliffjumper felt his control slip. "You have to hurry, Arcee. It's coming back. I won't be able to stop it again."
"What do you want me to do?"
The remains of his spark ached. She knew what he was asking, but she would never accept it. "End it, 'Cee. Don't let them keep me. Don't let me live as a monster."
"I won't." She reached down with her bad arm and took his hand. Her grip was weak thanks to the damage his hijacker had done, but he was soothed by the action. He sighed softly as she readied her blaster. "You were the best partner I ever had, Cliff. Thanks. For everything."
"You were worth it." He gave her a weak smile. "Goodbye, Arcee."
"Goodbye, Cliffjumper." She squeezed his hand as much as she could and set her blaster against his head.
When his hijacker rushed back into control with an enraged snarl, she pulled the trigger. Cliffjumper didn't even have time to feel relief as everything finally went black.
Author: eerian_sadow
Fandom: Transformers: Prime
Characters/Pairings: Cliffjumper, Arcee
Length: 1480
Rating: Mature/R
Spoilers: Series Pilot "Darkness Rising"
Warnings: canon character death
Prompt: 484. Transformers Prime - Cliffjumper - He's still alive in there, somewhere
Notes: Despite my best intentions, this fic skipped merrily off into AU land. (I'm sorry, prompter! Please forgive me!) It works on an expanded-from-canon timeline and certain key events have been tweaked for story telling purposes.
He woke in pain.
His chestplates were a mass of agony, sharp hot spikes of pain where Starscream had stabbed him, and they throbbed with every twitch of movement. His arms were indescribavly heavy and felt ready to drop out of their sockets at any moment. His, legs screamed with pain at the slightest motion. He jaw burned when he opened his mouth to scream.
All that came out was a snarl.
He recoiled internally, and was dismayed when the action was not mirrored by his body. A moment later he realized he was moving, the lunge sending sharp agony through his batered frame. His body gave another snarl without his consent, a demanding sound, as he was blocked by one of the eradicons. A moment later, the same eradicon batted him away and his body snarled again, angry.
Pain flared again, and was wrapped in a layer of need and hunger.
His body shuffle-staggered away, seeking easier prey. Cliffjumper despaired.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
In time, he became accustomed to the invader in his body. He did not accept the eternally hungry presence, but he adapted to the mindless company. Instead of raging at the violation, he began searching for ways to take back control.
It was easiest after the invader had just fed. His body was full of stolen fuel then, and that mindless hunger eased a bit. His intruder didn't rest, precisely, but it was less consumed by need and could maneuvered around.
It was better to focus on that than to give in to the horror of what his hijacker did to survive.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
After Megatron joined the Decepticon forces on Earth, Cliffjumper and his hijacker became, briefly, something of a novelty. It became something of a game to feed expendable troops to them--a game to the 'Cons at least--while Megatron studied whatever it was that Starscream had done to him. Once Megatron was satisfied with what he had learned, something about Dark Energon and mythology that Cliffjumper had barely paid attention to in his youth, the warlord tossed him to the side.
The Decepticons used his hijacker as an instrument of punishment after. The horror and sickness he felt as his body ripped mechs to shreds, chewed their struts like candy and drank the energon from their fuel lines never abated. Sometimes they were still screaming when his hijacker began his macabre feast.
And still Cliffjumper fought to regain control.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
Megatron robbed him of even the illusion of control a few days later. Somehow, the Decepticon leader found a way to maneuver his body like a remote controlled drone, forcing him to obey his commands and attack the mechs the warlord pointed him toward.
Even as they both raged at the loss of autonomy, Cliffjumper's hijacker feasted upon Megatron's victims.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
He saw a way out, finally, when his team assaulted the Decepticon base. His control over his hijacker was barely existant when they weren't being manipulated like drones and he was tired of watching the horrors it--and Megatron--carried out with his body. He was tired of the constant pain and the hunger.
He wanted to just die--and stay dead--like Starscream claimed he already was. It would be a blissful relief.
They burst upon the scene, right into the Decepticon's command center, like vengful angels. Optimus moved with fearsome grace, immediately engaging Megatron to give the others an opening to launch their own offensives. Bumblebee and Bulkhead targeted the vehicons while Arcee sprang toward Starscream with a shriek of fury. In the heat of battle, Cliffjumper went unnoticed in his dark corner.
With a qiet growl, his body lurched toward the conflict.
They were drawn toward Arcee and Sttarscream the moment the Seekker slashed his talons across her arm and drew energon. The smell threw his hijacker into a frenzy and Cliffjumper's body lurched into a staggering run.
They covered the distancefrighteningly quickly. Cliffjumper didn't a even have time to try and wrest control from his hijacker before his hand reached out and wrapped itself around Arcee's damaged arm. He tried to scream as she was yanked around to face them, but all that came out was a hungry snarl.
"Cliff?" Arvee's optic went wide with shock for a moment before collapsing in anger. She ignored him for a moment to look back at Starscream. "You said he was dead!"
"Oh, I assure you he's quite dead." The Decepticon raked his talons across her chest plate as Cliffjumper's body lowered its head toward her arm. "But I'll leave you two to your reunion. Cliffjumper has obviously missed you."
Starscream transformed and jetted off toward Megatron and Optimus as his hijacker bit down into Arcee's damaged arm. Cliffjumper tried to scream with her.
She jerked away, leaving a mess of plating and dripping cables and tubes hanging from his body's mouth. His hijacker chewed slowly, obviously confused by the action but unwilling to give up the bit of food it had acquired. She held the damaged arm over her chest protectively while she leveled her blaster at him with her good arm.
"What. The. Frag. Cliffjumper." Her face was contorted in an angry scowl--the one he knew meant she was terrified and trying not to show it--but her aim didn't waver.
Do it, Arcee. Just do it. There's nothing left of me to save.
His hijacker hissed around the mouthful of parts.
"Damn it, Cliff! Tell me what's wrong so we can go home and Ratchet can fix you."
Wish I could, 'Cee. His hijacker finished chewing its way through the parts and snarled again. It took a step forward, clearly intent on another mouthful.
Arcee stepped back, maintaining the distance between them. "I don't want to hurt you. Just talk to me."
Cliffjumper tried desperately to answer. He wanted to talk, to tell her that it was okay to fire. That he was past saving and it was all right to move on. Nothing moved past his lip plates but another snarl.
His body lunged at her, intent on ripping off her plating to get at the softer vital components inside. Arcee jerked back, but it wasn't enough and his hijacker wrapped his body's hands around her arms and pulled her close. Cliffjumper tried to scream again in rage and horror--he would not allow his body to be the instrument of his partner's murder--and did his best to wrest control from the monster. His hijacker hesitated for a klik, but it was enough.
Arcee brought her blaster up and fired into his chest plates. His hijacker's grip loosned in surprise, as none of his previous prey had fought back like this before and it hurt in a way it wasn't prepared for. Cliffjumper welcomed the burn. She fired again as his hijacker lunged his body's head toward her neck, sending them careening backward.
That's my girl. Don't let it have you. Cliffjumper continued to fight for control as Arcee kept firing. The femme screamed, in rage and pain, but she didn't stop firing until he lay in a burned mess on the ground. His hijacker rasped at her in anger and pain, but was too damaged to do more.
"Why?" She demanded as she stepped closer. "What did they do to you?"
Cliffjumper made one last valiant attempt at wresting control from his hijackef and was shocked when his vocalizer responded to his commands. "Don't know. Starscream made me a monster. Help me..."
"Hang on, Cliff. We'll get you back to Ratchet." There was a hitch in her voice. "He'll fix you."
"Not this time, 'Cee. I'm too far gone, even for him." The red mech felt his highjacker stirring again, preparing to overwhelm him again. "It hurts, living like this. Save me."
"It's not supposed to go this way." Arcee's face crumpled in pain. "We were supposed to bring you home."
His hijacker pushed and Cliffjumper felt his control slip. "You have to hurry, Arcee. It's coming back. I won't be able to stop it again."
"What do you want me to do?"
The remains of his spark ached. She knew what he was asking, but she would never accept it. "End it, 'Cee. Don't let them keep me. Don't let me live as a monster."
"I won't." She reached down with her bad arm and took his hand. Her grip was weak thanks to the damage his hijacker had done, but he was soothed by the action. He sighed softly as she readied her blaster. "You were the best partner I ever had, Cliff. Thanks. For everything."
"You were worth it." He gave her a weak smile. "Goodbye, Arcee."
"Goodbye, Cliffjumper." She squeezed his hand as much as she could and set her blaster against his head.
When his hijacker rushed back into control with an enraged snarl, she pulled the trigger. Cliffjumper didn't even have time to feel relief as everything finally went black.