17.Dec.06
Contest of Wills
Emerald optics looked into crimson as Rampage looked up at Depth Charge. Looming
over his enemy, the Maximal held a shard of raw Energon in his hands, ready to
stab it down into the Spark of his hated nemesis. Countless stellarcycles had
passed since their first battle, and now it had come down to a struggle on
prehistoric Earth that would never be recorded in the histories of Cybertron.
Rampage stared into Depth Charge's eyes, seeing no mercy and no evidence of
anything but bitter hatred for the Predacon that he held pinned. For some
reason, the sight was incredibly humorous to the mad Transformer. Rampage began
to laugh, chuckling maniacally without pause. Daring his nemesis to strike, he
took away the hands that he had clamped around the crude weapon. Without
hesitation, Depth Charge plunged it home.
Depth Charge's scream was only faintly audible to Rampage as his world was
consumed in an explosion of light. His body fragmented, he felt himself moving,
and wondered if his Spark was on its way to the Matrix. The thought of that made
him laugh; only the Pit would welcome him, and that only reluctantly. Sighing,
he closed whatever passed for eyes in his current state and waited.
Pain beyond imagining filled the clone known as Dinobot. Impossible energy shot
through him, and he couldn't withstand the fury any longer. With a scream, he
fell into merciful unconsciousness.
Light fell upon Rampage's eyelids, and he opened them to find himself standing
in a brightly lit realm that seemed to stretch on forever. His brows lifting in
curiosity, he looked around and found himself staring at a strange sight.
Floating above the "floor" of his surroundings was his hated
half-brother, the Transmetal 2 clone of the Maximal Dinobot. With a start,
Rampage realized that the half of his Spark that was contained within the raptor
must have drawn him here.
To his surprise, his Spark felt whole once again. Looking down, he found that
his body was solid, but his Spark was somehow visible from the outside without
any evident opening. Grinning, Rampage moved forward, intending to take
possession of Dinobot's body. With a Transmetal 2 form, he would finally have
vengeance on Megatron, and with Nemesis, he would wreak havoc across the galaxy.
Before he could reach his goal, a huge hole opened up in midair. Out of it
stepped a tall figure, obscured by the light radiating from the portal behind
him. All that Rampage could make out was that the newcomer also had a
Spark, visible in a manner similar to his own. Once the portal closed, the
intruder could be seen. Rampage recognized him, though he had only looked upon
this particular being once before.
Red eyes stared out of a face of blue metal, protected by a golden brown helmet.
In his right hand, he gripped a drill bit-like sword, its shining blade rotating
slowly. In the other, he held a shield with two triangular plates that rotated
around a circular base. Brown scales covered his muscular form, and though this
Maximal had been dead for some time, he looked as alive as ever.
Dinobot's glare made Depth Charge's look like a gaze of mild contempt. "So,
we meet again, Protoform X. I seem to recall that I defeated you at the
protohuman valley; feel like trying your luck again?"
Chuckling, Rampage drew his missile guns. "Because of me, you were half
dead once our confrontation was over. And as I recall, you did not survive,
while I did. How did you come to be here, anyway?"
"I have come to claim that which is rightfully mine: the body of this clone
Megatron gave my name to. Your destruction and the restoration of your
Spark opened a portal to the Matrix. Second chances are not to be missed, and I
have no intention of giving up now."
Green lasers shot from Dinobot's eyes to strike Rampage in the torso. Gasping,
Rampage glared, responding with a missile from one of his guns. Catching the
blast on his shield, Dinobot rushed forward, slicing across Rampage's torso. To
the supposedly immortal Predacon, it was a shock to feel great pain. Dinobot's
smile was one of satisfaction as his opponent staggered back.
Snarling, Rampage opened fire, unleashing a volley of missiles at Dinobot.
Unable to counterattack, Dinobot held his shield in front of him. Each attack
forced him back further, and a second shining tear opened up behind him.
Recognizing that the opening must be a passageway to the afterlife of Cybertron,
Rampage pressed his attack. Part of him realized that if he could only shove
Dinobot through that portal, he would be victorious.
Transforming, Dinobot leaped over Rampage in Beast Mode. Turning, the raptor
snarled at his enemy. With his trademark chuckle, Rampage assumed crab mode,
scuttling toward the Maximal. Slicing talons on Dinobot's feet were met by the
crushing claws of Rampage.
Pouncing on his adversary, Dinobot attacked with claws, teeth, and tail.
Unfazed, Rampage shook him off. Switching to vehicle mode, he trundled towards
Dinobot, unleashing missiles again and again. Forced back into Robot Mode,
Dinobot threw up his shield. It proved too weak, and the mechanism shattered.
Returning to Robot Mode, Rampage walked towards Dinobot, towering over the
fallen warrior. Lifting his weapon, he took aim at point blank, the barrel stuck
in Dinobot's face. "Any last words, hero?"
Quite contrary to Rampage's opinion, Dinobot was not finished. Gripping his
sword tightly, he gave a slight smile. Light filled his empty hand, and the
hammer he had created during his final battle appeared in his grasp. "When
all else fails...improvise!"
Wielding both weapons with all the skill of a master warrior, Dinobot hurled
himself at Rampage. Knocking the missile launchers from the Transmetal's hands,
he struck repeatedly with sword and hammer. Scratches and dents appeared in the
projections of armor that had never before received permanent damage, and
Rampage found himself being maneuvered by the smaller Cybertronian.
Unable to resist, Rampage found himself with his back to the opened portal.
Dinobot stood before him, weapons held ready. Looking into the eyes of his
better, Rampage saw triumph. Dinobot's own glimpse of Rampage's inner feelings
revealed something that no Transformer had ever seen before: fear.
Blades spinning, Dinobot's sword plunged into Rampage's Spark. The giant howled,
toppling backward into the light. As he fell, he once again heard the voice of
Depth Charge, his most hated nemesis. However, this time, instead of a scream,
the sound was deep, joyous laughter. Words came to Rampage, spoken by his sworn
foe:
"I'll be seeing you soon, X."
Victory achieved, Dinobot turned slowly to face the floating form of his clone.
For a moment, he hesitated, wondering if he could still do anything for his
former comrades. Remembering what he had said before rushing to the defense of
proto-humanity, he lunged forward again. "I am a warrior...let the battle
be joined."
When Dinobot's eyes opened, they were those of a Transmetal 2. Looking down, he
marveled at his powerful new form. Once he had satisfied himself, he looked
around. A short distance away, Megatron sat in the Nemesis command chair,
laughing as the warship rained fire on Earth. With a snarl, Dinobot prepared
himself for what he would have to do.
The End