Irregularity

CHAPTER 7

The black and gray bot didn't answer to Bumblebee calling their name, simply staring at him from the darkness. Powerstorm's Energon gave off a faint glow, both on the knife they wielded and on the ground. Bumblebee hesitated to fire, but Starscream spoke up.

"Why did you murder an innocent bot? She did nothing to you." The flier growled.

"She was in our way." Doomstreaker answered emotionlessly, "And you are too."

"'Our way'?" Bumblebee asked, "Who you are you working with?"

Pedesteps came down the hall behind them. Starscream and Bumblebee spun around to see who was approaching. A slender bot padded towards them, their armor having many spikes on it. They seemed to only have one optic, and it glowed through the darkness. Orange lines on their body also glowed through the dark, showing their power. Starscream cocked his Null-rays and pointed them at the unknown bot, while Bumblebee kept his pistol trained on them. They laughed, then revealing a sickeningly familiar voice.

"You think those weapons will do anything?" They mocked, "Go ahead, try."

Smoke curled off the bot's body as they came within clear view of Starscream and Bumblebee. Long, pointed dentae poked out of their intake in a menacing snarl, a red optic glaring at them. Their armor was red-orange, while their face and servos were dark gray. The right side of their face was blackened, as if burnt to a crisp, right optic nonfunctional.

Bumblebee's optics widened, and his stance faltered. The bot slowly turned their helm to stare at the yellow bot.

"Oh, so the ugly one does remember me." They said.

Deseeus.

"How..." Bumblebee paused, "how are you alive? Your ship exploded!"

Deseeus laughed again, lifting their servo. The Quintesson-turned-bot only had four digits, all of them razor-sharp and longer than usual. They examined their digits, as if the paint of them were peeling.

"You could say that I was... reforged." They said.

Then, Deseeus suddenly lunged at him. Starscream tackled Bumblebee to the ground, avoiding the red-orange bot's attack. They rolled over their shoulder, and now stood next to Doomstreaker. The flier and smallest bot staggered back to their pedes. Bumblebee raised his pistol and began rapid-firing at the two. Starscream followed with his Null-rays.

Deseeus felt the barrage of gunfire, but didn't seem affected. In fact, they seemed annoyed, shielding their face and growling. Meanwhile, Doomstreaker hid behind the Quintesson-turned-bot, effectively safe from the gunfire. Deseeus eventually laughed, even as Bumblebee and Starscream kept firing.

"You cannot harm me!" They yelled, "This new form was granted to me by the most powerful cosmic force in the universe!"

Starscream's assault ceased, his optics wide. Deseeus rushed forward, Doomstreaker right behind them, avoiding the smaller bot's shots. They kicked the smaller bot's pedes out, then grabbed Starscream's neck. Bumblebee, dazed, barely managed to see Doomstreaker jump on top of him and hold their knife up. The yellow bot quickly raised his servos and stopped the knife from stabbing his face, arms shaking. Starscream saw this happen, struggling more against Deseeus. Unfortunately, the reforged Quintesson didn't budge. He was pinned against the wall, and he groaned in pain. Deseeus leaned in close, smiling at his pain.

"Well, I don't have any use for you." They hissed, "Your deactivation will be merciful."

Before either bot could react, they both felt a searing pain. Deseeus' optic widened, and they released Starscream. The flier fell to his knees, servo hovering over his scar, groaning in pain. Meanwhile, Deseeus stumbled back, servos clutching their helm, screeching. Doomstreaker and Bumblebee watched the scene play out, and the larger bot let the smaller go. They rushed over to Deseeus, trying to help them, while the yellow bot ran over to Starscream.