//------------------------------// // Chapter 3: Rumble’s Transformation // Story: The Inner Conflict // by TheClownPrinceofCrime //------------------------------// IN LOCKDOWN’S SHIP “So... where do we begin, Soundwave?” Rumble asked. “First operation: swearing loyalty to the Decepticon cause,” Soundwave replied. They both walked into the room where there was a large grey chamber. Rumble then started to feel very nervous as he thought about the consequences that would follow. “Swearing loyalty to the guys who tried to destroy my friends? Following Megatron’s path?! No... no... NO, I CAN’T!!” Rumble stressed with drops of sweat falling from his head. He stomped his hoof on the ground. “No! I will not follow Megatron’s path!” Rumble refused. “You know I can’t do that!” Soundwave slowly turned around to face Rumble; this made the colt slightly uneasy as he could not bear to look at the Decepticon’s piercing gaze/visor. “You misunderstood my instruction. You are not required to walk in Megatron’s path. Rather, you will walk in my path.” “Huh? It’s just yours I’m following?” Rumble asked, confused. “Correct. Wherefore, by following my guidance, you will be able to grasp your full potential in becoming greater than what you are now,” Soundwave clarified. Then he faced the chamber again. “I repeat my initial instruction: swear your loyalty to the Decepticon cause—the cause of Soundwave.” Rumble once again thought about this very hard. “I don’t think it will hurt to at least help out someone who is fighting for a... good cause. Maybe he’s right about those humans... whatever they are,” he considered. “(Sigh)... at least he won’t hurt my friends... right?” Rumble then faced Soundwave while he placed his right hoof over his heart. “I swear my allegiance to you, Soundwave. May your cause live... and succeed.” Rumble swore. At that moment, Laserbeak flew over him and landed on top of the chamber. Soundwave’s visor glowed brightly once he heard his new apprentice declare his vow. “Excellent, Rumble. Second operation: transformation.” he announced. On cue, Laserbeak activated the door to be open before Rumble. Once it was open, Soundwave motioned to the colt to enter there. “Uh, what’s that thing for? You’re not gonna—?” “This is where you will experience a whole new life,” said Soundwave. “Only with the new power I shall give you will you be able to conquer your enemies.” Again, he motioned him to enter inside the strange chamber. Although he was hesitant at first, Rumble eventually entered inside the chamber. “I really hope it’s something... epic,” Rumble wished. Laserbeak then closed the door. Soundwave then structured a form on the computer which Rumble would be taking. After several minutes of adding the meticulous details of the design, he injected one energon cube within the chamber’s fuel tank. Finally, he pressed the ‘commence’ button. “Let the transformation commence!” Soundwave declared. Then the machine got to work according to all the instructions he provided. The chamber glowed bright purple at first until it turned dim. A few seconds later, the chamber started to ferociously electrify... with Rumble’s screams heard inside thereof. Laserbeak landed on Soundwave’s right arm with beaming red eyes. It screeched with delighted satisfaction. Suddenly, Lockdown entered the chamber room with a surprised look on his face. “Soundwave, what’s going on here?” “The creation of my first... minicon.” Soundwave replied. “A minicon, huh?” Lockdown asked before he smirked. “Hmm, fascinating idea. I just hope that little organic survives that painful process. It would be a shame if he didn’t make it... all that planning of yours going to waste.” “SILENCE,” Soundwave snapped. “He will survive the process. The revolution will not perish; it will persevere in my name.” Rumble continued to scream in pain until his screams ceased. After about a few minutes, the chamber opened up with gas coming out of it. Soundwave, Lockdown, and Laserbeak saw his movements and gazed at his new features, new design, and new face. IN SPACE “Spittor getting so dizzy!!” the Decepticon frog whined. “Ughhh... so am I. It’s been like two mega cycles since that thing unexpectedly blasted us all the way here!” Blackout added. Team Chaar were still flying in the midst of space albeit very slowly. As they contemplated their failure in securing Athena’s space bridge, they sulked in their unfortunate predicament. “This is complete madness!” Strika angrily bellowed. “We were so close to getting that space bridge until that amalgamated abomination waylaid us!” “Where did that thing come from?! Who was that guy?!” Oil Slick exclaimed. “Beats me. Oh, and what was that thing he summoned? That huge stick?” Blackout asked. “He somehow made it appear out of thin air... but how?” Strika wondered. “He must be possessing some sort of power to be able to summon such an object!” “There’s one more thing you all are forgetting,” Cyclonus spoke. “Something equally important.” “What would that be, Cyclonus?” Strika asked with an arched optic brow. “That creature had the audacity to save the Autobots from our grasp. He is clearly on their side,” he replied with deep conviction. “I also noticed how he teleported them all with an unknown power to some place else. That tells me that this strange being will assist the Autobots to win the war. With him on their side, we Decepticons... will be doomed.” The rest of the ‘Cons took a full minute to digest all those thoughts their comrade shared with them. They realized he was right in regards to the creature’s intentions. After contemplating his words, Strika spoke up again, “I see it now! If we don’t do something about it, the Autobots will have all the powerful assistance in the universe to terminate us all! We must create a plan to stop him!” The team uttered their war cries until a large red ship appeared in front of them. They saw that it was coming towards them with great speed. “I recognize that ship! It belongs to Lockdown the bounty hunter!” Blackout noticed, pointing at it. “That piece of scrap metal? I dealt with the likes of him before; I really hate bounty hunters!” Oil Slick growled. “Remember the time you got your afterburner kicked by his twin brother Axor? Hahahahaha, Spittor find that funny!” Spittor hysterically laughed. “I’ll show you funny, ya bland piece of filth!” Oil Slick yelled, grabbing his chains. “SILENCE, YOU TWO!!” Strika commanded. “We will interrogate the bounty hunter and force him to take us to Cybertron.” The team agreed with her plan. Once the ship was close to them, they grabbed hold of the main door and tried to tear it open. But before they could do that, five large arms appeared from the bottom of the ship and seized Team Chaar; receiving little resistance from the team, the arms took them inside the ship. There, they were tossed to the main room where Lockdown was at the control center. “Well, well, well, if it isn’t the persistent ‘Cons of Chaar. Nice to see you guys still online,” Lockdown mockingly greeted with his trademark smirk. “Are you here to surrender your mods and upgrades to me?” “Spare us your taunts, Lockdown!” Strika shouted. “Where are you heading? To Cybertron?” “Not exactly,” Lockdown replied. “If you’re looking for a negotiation with me, I’m not available for that kind of stuff. I’m already collaborating with someone else.” “Is that so? And who exactly would that be?” Cyclonus asked. At that moment, Soundwave entered the room with his burning red visor glowing in the darkness. The Decepticons widened their optics in trembling fear as they never saw that Decepticon ever in their lives. They all took a step backwards while they gazed at the emotionless villain whereas Lockdown stood there nonchalantly. “W-who are you?!” Strika demanded. “I am Soundwave, the Master Revolutionary. I am Decepticon, and I introduce to you... my greatest weapon I have achieved.” Soundwave introduced. He stepped aside to reveal a new menacing figure. As they beheld him, Team Chaar widened their optics in amazement. The minicon was mainly purple with white spots on his chest, red and yellow portions on his legs, and two white blasters on his back. His arms turned to pile drivers and then turned back to his robotic arms within seconds. He also had a Decepticon insignia on his chest. “GET READY TO CRUMBLE BEFORE RUMBLE!!” the minicon spoke.