Die Alone Die Together

Ch. 1 Living Metal

It had been a dream. A memory. A reminder.  Song's body jolted her awake as the gruesome nightmare faded from her mind. She groaned of a headache and put a hand to her face. It was wet, she'd been crying in her sleep again. She sighed and slipped out from her bed.

Four years ago she had graduated from college, and became a professional dog trainer and breeder. She also happened to "inherit" a countryside barn house and trailer courtesy of some friends from what was once known as NEST. She and several other teenagers at the time had been secretly gratified somewhat as "heroes" from their past deeds of working with the Autobots, and ultimately assisting in the preservation of Earth. Granted with a place to stay and a primarily stay-at-home job, Song almost thrived in her first year of adult life.
Though there was one thing that made all the difference...

NEST was a place for soldiers. She knew that as well as anybody, but boy did she want to be a part of it. Not because she wanted to serve her country, but rather to stay close to the Autobots, who she considered to be family. Also, the chance to fight, to do something more than remain a mere insect--she wanted that chance.

However, though she was a force to be reckoned with in a fight, her lack of proper military training yielded no success in joining NEST. Then a day came, when everything seemed to flip around in her favor.

Sneaking, trespassing, and the otherwise violating a number of laws was ground firmly into Song Westorp's childhood. Her parents neglect allowed her to get away cleanly with just about everything. In her young adult years, she knew how to sneak her way into some of the most air tight facilities, and with the right help, knew how to weasel her way in and out of NEST Headquarters as well.

One particular afternoon, Autobot scientist and intelligent inventor, Que, offered to have her assist him in his latest project.

"It's something we've been working on for a while now," Que explained plainly, heading for what looked to be a white sheet covered a series of objects on an operation table.

Lifting the sheet, he revealed what looked to be pieces of chain mail armor. Curiously, Song stepped closer to examine them, and found that it was not chain mail at all, rather a very soft and flexible metal foil. Yet, it didn't tear when you pulled at it.

Most notably was a shiny silver corset among several pairs of large arm and ankle braces, and a rather wide necklace. Each piece was covered in Cybertronian symbols.

"What is it?" The young woman inquired.

"You'll see, if you're willing to put them on?" Que responded hesitantly.

"Why," Song laughed, "is it going to kill me?"

"That--remains--a distinct--possibility," Bumblebee, a mute Autobot who spoke through his radio, piped up from across the large research room.

"Heya Bee!" Song greeted him, "You in on this too?"

"You could--say that," the yellow Autobot shrugged.

Song was allowed a dressing room where she fitted the flexible metal materials over her body, then returned to the main room awaiting her next instructions. "I'm slightly concerned here guys," she smiled jokingly, "what's this going to do to me?"

"Hopefully--something--you won't regret," Bumblebee stationed through his radio.

"Now just hold still, did you see that violet stone button on that necklace there? Whenever you're ready, just press it," Que explained.

Sure enough, Song found the button, more like a knob, in the center of the silver necklace, tracing over it with her fingers. She took in an anxious breath before pressing down on it.

Immediately, she felt a sharp stinging pain all over her body, like she was being stabbed by hundreds of needles all at once. She clenched her teeth to keep from screaming, but cried out in agony dispite her efforts.

Then, as soon as the pain was there, it vanished. Sounds of shifting metal sounded in her ears. Immediately, Song's vision began to fade, her organs seemed to twist inside of her, and then for a moment, everything was black. The next time she opened her eyes, the floor was much further away than she expected it to be. She had to be at least three times her normal height! Her skin was... metal. Her entire being felt all around... different.

"Aha! It worked!" Que exclaimed with the upmost excitement, "How do you feel, Song?"

Song wavered uneasily for a moment, but was steadied straight by Bumblebee. She turned to look at the Autobot scout with uncertainty. He was now perhaps a couple feet or so taller than her, still a vast difference from what seemed to have been just a few minutes ago.

"H-how did? Wha- how?" Song tried to wrap her mind around the circumstances, but found herself unable to come up with a logical conclusion.

"The sheets of "metal" I had you equipt are made from a sort of technomatter, very similar to what Bumblebee and I are made from. It's living metal! The compacted materials in those Accessories are so powerful that they can expand and rework themselves to become a full fledged cybertronian protoform! All through mass displacement!"

"In human language please, Que."

"The Accessories you put on attached themselves to your body. Now normally, Energon does not mix well with human biology, but the Accessories do the job of filtering energy into your bloodstream, keeping you alive inside what is now YOUR protoform."

"I... I can feel everything," Song realized, touching her metal hand to her opposite arm in astonishment, "impossible..."

"Now, now, nothing's impossible! Just think, maybe now you'll be able to join us in our operations. Still working out some kinks though. You won't be able to have a vehicle mode, but you'll still be able to participate in battles no doubt."

"Will... will I be able to change back?"

"Yes, yes," Que waved his hand in the air dismissively, "there should be no problem changing back, just push the violet stone on your chest again. Just... don't do it too much at once. Take breaks in between transitions, it may be hard on your body at first. After you get used to it all, I'll shut off the button mechanism so it doesn't get pressed in battle--because that wouldn't be good! Instead we'll teach you how to transform using your mind!"

"Right... so, could I theoretically stay like this... forever?"

"Theoretically speaking, yes you should, not that you would want to, I don't think. Either way, your body is locked in a stasis state, so as long as you keep your protoform charged with Energon, it will keep your real body alive... Just one thing, that violet stone marks what is now your Spark, a hard hit to that and the protoform's safety mechanism will kick in, sending it back into its Accessory form and leave you in your human state."

Song tightly shut what were now blue optics instead of eyes. She tried her best to concentrate on the current events, but her tired mind gave up trying to make sense of it all. "And Optimus? I assume he and NEST know about all this?"

"NEST? Not yet, but they will. As for Prime, nothing gets past him. Even if I had wanted to conduct this expirement secretly it hardly would've worked out in my favor. No, no, it took a bit of convincing but eventually I got the permission to go ahead with my idea."

"Well I'm glad it did! This is incredable! I still have so many questions-"

"Now, now, you can ask them in time.  Let's complete some basic walking exercises first."
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