//------------------------------// // Part 3: ...So you want to stage a prison break? (AKA Rarity irritates the Pit out of the Cons) // Story: Grimlock, Dinobot... and father? // by The Bricklayer //------------------------------// High above the mountains of Equestria and in the clouds the gigantic Decepticon warship known only as the Nemesis loomed. Were anypony or any Autobot ever to see it, it would send a chill down their spines. This was the flagship and pride and joy of the Decepticon war machine and whenever it entered battle it's crew wouldn't let anyone forget it. If you were ever unlucky enough to end up here, you would never leave it's halls alive, and even if you did you would be a Decepticon test subject or suffer some far worse fate that would make you wish they'd just killed you. Nemesis Prison Block, Aft Section Deep within the bowels of the Nemesis in it's prison cells was Rarity and her two fellow element bearers. Right now, they'd just been left in the cell and not bothered as Megatron wanted them in the best of conditions for whatever he had planned. Rarity held no delusions that whatever it was, it would be pleasant. "Well, isn't this just grand?" Rarity muttered sarcastically. "Here we are, and they don't even care about giving us comfortable beds to sleep on!" Rainbow scoffed while Applejack rolled her eyes. "Sugarcube, Ah don't think bedding is the first thing on these fellows' minds don't you?" She deadpanned. Rarity huffed in annoyance and held her head high. "Well, it would at least liven this place up a bit. Right now it's just... drab. Not at all fit for a lady!" Rarity grumbled, with the inklings of a plan forming in the back of her mind... Outside the cell, besides a bunch of Vehicon troopers to give help if needed were three Decepticon warriors. One was red and covered in smooth curves with a gray face and cold calculating eyes. The second was dark blue with a red visor, blue faceplate and a black chevron on his face. He had wheels on his shoulder pads which had red rims. The third and final Decepticon was again different. He was magenta, and had two small wings on his back and a cockpit window could be seen in that area also. In order, these were Knock-Out, Counterpunch and Misfire. "Man, why do we get guard duty?" Misfire complained. "This isn't even worth the paygrade. Knock-Out how do you put up with this?" He asked to his companion. "Well, I just think of what'll happen to those equines once I get my claws on them and shove them in my lab. I'm very interested on how this... magic works." Knock-Out mused to himself. "Hey, did I ever tell you about the time I had these two filthy ponies in my car seats?" Misfire and Counterpunch both groaned in unison, while Knock-Out crossed his arms and looked annoyed. "You always tell us this story, every time!" Misfire grumbled. "Well, I just want someone to share my pain with." Knock-Out replied. "You too would want to share your pain if you'd had them in your seats. I had to get them replaced! Replaced I tell you! Did you know how much that cost?" Counterpunch said nothing and keep his wits about him, a careful Decepticon was a breathing Decepticon in his book. "You two keep quiet. I wouldn't put it past the Autobots to try and rescue the lifeforms. In fact, I heard some rumors that my Autobot counterpart is nearby somewhere... Real nearby." Counterpunch warned. Then there came Rarity's voice from behind the cell door along with her banging on it. "Yoo-Hoo, hello? Can I make a complaint?" She yelled and Knock-Out rolled his eyes but came in anyway along with Misfire. "What is it, you fleshbag? I have things to do, and none of them involve you in the slightest!" He replied, very annoyed. "Well, I'd like to complain about the quality of this cell. There are no curtains, and the floor is just dirty. What is this, oil?" Rarity complained only to get Knock-Out's Energon Prod pointed in her face as it's owner gained a angry look on his face. Unknown to him, Rarity's plan was beginning to work as Applejack and Rainbow creeped by unnoticed. "Quit your whining!" Knock-Out snarled but that only amused Rarity and she smirked as she pulled the exact same tactic she had with the Diamond Dogs. "You want whining?" Rarity commented. "Fine, I'll give you whining!" She retorted before doing just exactly that. Here is what she said. "It's too hot, and I'm hungry and tired! Oh, I'm sooooo bored!" Rarity whined as Applejack and Rainbow snickered even as they went out the door. "This place is the worst possible thing!" Knock-Out and Misfire covered their audio receptors even as Rarity's whines began to wreak havoc with them. Rarity smirked, gave a little wave and ran under Knock-Out through a gap between his legs. However, she, Applejack and Rainbow did not think about the possibility of Counterpunch and the Vehicons. "Ah... I think I might have made a slight err in judgement." Rarity muttered as the Vehicons pointed their cannons at them. Oddly, Counterpunch did nothing. "You think?" Rainbow drawled before she looked confident and sized up the group of drones before her. "C'mon, we can take these guys. Let's send them to the scrapheap!" With that, Rainbow flew towards a drone and kicked to the floor as Applejack pulled out her lasso and pulled down another drone even as Rarity demolished the last two with magic blasts. "Even a lady must know how to defend herself." Rarity commented at the sight before her. It was then Knock-Out and Misfire reappeared. "Don't worry, I'm a surgeon. This won't hurt a bit." Knock-Out said as he exchanged his hands for twin mean looking blades of pure Energon. The three Element Bearers took a step back, but it was then Counterpunch finally acted and changed to his true identity and kicked Knock-Out to the floor and punched Misfire. "See? Told you I was nearby." Punch one-linered with a smirk under his faceplate before he transformed to his alternate mode, a Pontiac Fiero and opened his door to let Rarity and co in. "We need to get moving, it won't be long before they figure something's wrong." Punch said in a tone that left no room for argument. Bridge In the Nemesis's Bridge, Punch's words were already proving true. From a computer console's screen, the light blue Decepticon Deployer known as Rumble saw what was going on. "Hey, the ponies are making a break for it!" He yelled, getting Starscream's attention at once. "WHAT!?" He roared. "I want them recaptured!" Starscream ordered as he grumbled something rude under his breath. He knew he shouldn't have left Knock-Out and Misfire in charge as they always managed to mess things up somehow. Still grumbling, Starscream turned to the ship's crew. "Will someone remind me who's fault this is? Because it surely can't be mine, I never make mistakes! I'm Starscream!" The Air Commander yelled in fury. In the back of the room, a tall slender blue Decepticon with long arms and a head that seemingly didn't even have a face repeated some of Starscream's words from earlier that day. "Put them in the cell blocks, and keep Counterpunch, Misfire and Knock-Out to watch them. They'll do the job nicely." The recording repeated, and everyone began snickering at Starscream's outraged expression. "Guess this means it really is your fault huh?" Rumble laughed. "Guess the boss will have you melted down for spare parts when he gets back!" Another Decepticon, and Rumble's counterpart Frenzy joined in. Starscream was unable to form a complete sentence for a few brief moments due to his rage and embarrassment. "That is... I... GAH! Just shut up and have them recaptured!" He roared before shooting a Vehicon drone with his Null Ray to let off some steam. "Anyone else care to make fun?" Starscream growled, and no one dared say a word. A corridor somewhere in the Nemesis... "They're gaining on us!" Rainbow yelled. "Believe me, Ah noticed!" Applejack retorted. Behind them, a squad of Vehicon troopers were in pursuit with their cannons firing blast after blast. Punch rounded a corner but came face to face with a gigantic blue Decepticon with a red face and a hammer in place of one of his hands. "Oh boy..." Punch muttered as he barely managed to avoid being hit by a downward swing from Breakdown. Rainbow flew out Punch's window with a determined expression on her face. "Rainbow, what the hay are you doing?" Applejack yelled in shock. "Don't worry guys, I got this. I can take this dude." Rainbow replied before ramming Breakdown knocking him to the floor. "See? What'd I tell you? The bigger they are the harder they fall!" Rainbow smirked before the smirk faded as the Decepticon began to get back up, and to make matters worse the Vehicon squad from before had caught up to them. Rarity and Applejack got out of Punch so he could transform to bot mode. TSCH-TSCH-TSCHK! "So now what? Please tell me we're not giving up just so we can be thrown back into that horrible cell." Rarity commented. "Oh don't you worry little lady..." Breakdown began. "You're not going back in that cell, I'm going to squash you flat first!" "That's not going to happen." Punch replied before he pulled out a orange double barreled rifle which he then used to blast a large hole in the bulkheads exposing them to the elements and letting the clouds in the sky be seen and sunlight to come in. "In fact... We'll be taking our leave now." Punch said before he grabbed all three Element Bearers in his free hand and clutched them to his chest. Applejack's jaw dropped along with her two friends as they quickly figured out what was going on. "Please tell me you're not thinking what Ah think you're thinking." Applejack said nervously. "Oh, I'm thinking exactly that." Punch replied before he jumped right out the hole and let gravity take it's course. Rarity, Applejack and Rainbow all let out loud screams as they fell down towards the ground below. "Jetfire, you better have been tracking us all this way and are ready to pick us up like we planned otherwise we're all going to be looking like robots infected by GPS, only without the Syndrome!" Punch yelled into his commlink before a voice answered it. "Relax, I'm just about there. Just get ready for pick up in five... four... three... two... ONE!" Jetfire yelled as he flew right below them just in time for Punch to land on his wing. "Cutting it a bit close were we?" Punch asked sarcastically. "Oh, I was just waiting for the chance for a dramatic entrance." Jetfire retorted as he flew off into the setting sun. The mission was a success, and now Rarity and company could be reunited with their sisters. And that, might have just been the greatest victory of all. Meanwhile, onboard the Nemesis... "STAAAAAARRRRSCREAMMMMM!" Starscream whimpered, it seemed Megatron had just learned what had happened. END