Transformers: Beginnings

Part 9: Grudge Match

Brimstone winds up crashing into a few parked cars and is knocked out for the moment.

Hubcap: "What are you doing? Don't you know it's dangerous to go alone?"

Spike: "We're sorry Hubcap, we won't do it again."

Carly: "Where did you learn to fight like that?"

Hubcap: "Who do you think taught Optimus how to fight when he was a young lad."

Spike: (amazed) "Whoa, you taught Optimus?"

Hubcap: "Indeed, now we gotta get out of here now. Hubcap to Wheeljack, we need a ground bridge immediately.... hello?"

At the Ark Wheeljack notices that the insides of Teletran-1 and the groundbridge wiring seems to be messed up. Out pops Cliffjumper with a smug look on his face.

Wheel: "What did you do to the equipment Cliffjumper?"

Cliff: "I was looking for traitors."

Wheel: "Inside the wires?"

Cliff: "Yep."

Wheel: "Do you know how long it's going to take to get the ground bridge running again?

Cliff: "Yep."

Wheeljack then grabs a nearby wrench to teach Cliffjumper a lesson about respect.

Cliff: (while running) "It was so worth it!"

While Wheeljack chases Cliffjumper saying words that Chip and Ron have never heard before, Bumblebee and Longarm realize that something's wrong.

Bee: "Hey Longarm, have you seen Spike and Carly?"

Longarm: "No, I asked Optimus and he hasn't seem either."

Bee: "Hubcap is missing too, I wonder why."

Longarm: "This isn't good. We need to go look for them, and fast."

Bee: "I'm sure everything's fine."

Longarm: "Last time I thought that I got a hole in my chest, let's go."

Hubcap gets frustrated when he gets no response from his team.

Hubcap: "It looks like we're going to have to drive back, so-"

There are then shots fired as we see it was Brimstone, who has now recovered from the previous attack.

Brim: "Hubcap is that you? It's been far too long."

Hubcap: "You've hurt too many people Brimstone, and you aren't going to be hurting them."

Brim: "Really? I beg to differ. Your time is up old man. I'll be merciful and give you a swift death."

Hubcap: "Not happening Brimstone."

Brim: "Then share their fate you miserable old fool!"

Brimstone turns on his saws and the two clash for battle. Hubcap dodges his enemy's attacks with impressive finesse, and counters with a well timed kick to the chest. Brimstone reels back and regains his balance. He does not relent and despite not damaging his foe he does pin him against the side of a building. His saws draw nearer and nearer to his nemesis's face, he gets shot by Hubcap's rib lasers. The understandably upset Brimstone slashes at his enemy in a feral manner, and successfully cuts off one of the lasers off of his foe. The fight continues and Hubcap clocks Brimstone with a right hook followed by an uppercut. Brimstone blocks one of his attacks and swats the old man aside, falling over a parked car.

At this point Dropkick and Blastwave wake up and fight becomes a three on one deathmatch. Blastwave is first to try and punch the old warrior, but he is to slow and is met with a kangaroo style kick the chest, which sends him flying back. Dropkick deploys his pincer claw and makes a small stab into his side. He then hits him with his strange tubular fingers, but Hubcaps answers by punching him straight in the face. Brimstone then tackles his foe and the wrestle for control of the fight, and Hubcap frees himself and reveals a giant buzzsaw on his arm. The two interlock their saws and struggle for about a minute. Hubcap's larger buzzsaw beats Brimstone's two smaller saws, and he gets a left cut to his chest followed by a right cut. Brimstone turns to his side and does a side kick to knock Hubcap down. Dropkick recovers and pelts Hubcap with a few minor shots of his photon blasters. Hubcap then gets out the giant spear staff to cause some major damage on his enemies. His first order of business is twirling his weapon like a windmill in an extremely fast manner to deflect the shots. He gets closer and closer to Dropkick and finally hits him really hard on the right side of his face with the blunt end of the spear. There is a quick pause as he hits him with it on the other side of his face. He then stabs him in the rib and then knocks him down.

Blastwave then tackles him from behind and starts to kick him while he's holding on to him from behind. Hubcap tries to shake him off but to no avail. He then slams into a building to get him off, but he still holds on. Brimstone then approaches his foe, but is kicked away. Next he jabs Blastwave in the eye three times with his elbow, and picks him up, and swings him Mario style which slams him into Dropkick.

Brimstone has had enough and cuts him on the back of the leg. He pick him up and throws him across the street. He then cuts Hubcap across the shoulder which makes him drop his spear. Hubcap shoots him up repeatedly with his remaining laser pistol, and the Decepticon falls on his back apparently dead. Dropkick tries to shoot him some more, but Hubcap shoots a street light, which falls over his head and knocks him out. Blastwave is the only one remaining and he tears the remaining laser pistol off and hits him in the face with it. Hubcap gets out his spear again and swings it like a baseball bat, which sends Blastwave crashing into a building. Hubcap then throws a car at him, and we see the pupil of Blastwave's eye go small right before the front of the car collides with his stomach. The battle is over as Hubcap goes over to the kids to get them out of here.

Hubcap: (clutching his shoulder) "Now you see I'm more than just an old boy."

Spike: "That was awesome!"

Carly: "Yeah totally!"

Hubcap: "Let's go before we-"

They all failed to hear the sound of something charging as a red laser goes straight through Hubcap's chest. It turns out Brimstone wasn't dead after all, only really injured. Dropkick and Blastwave recover and approach him.

Brim: "No, leave him to me."

Hubcap gets out his staff again and slices the left side of Brimstones face and then goes into staff form to pin him to a wall. Brimstone headbutts him and kicks him off to continue his attack. He then slams down with both his saws to break Hubcap's spear in half. He knocks away the first half, but Hubcap throws the second one into his left shoulder. Hubcap takes out his buzzsaw, and the two interlock saws again. But this time, Hubcap's has his saw break, and he gets punched in the face, knocking out one of his teeth. Brimstone then pins his enemy down and reactivates his saws.

Brim: "For so long I've waited for this, and now it's finally here."

Brimstone then begins to cut into his enemies chest, and the next 15 seconds are pure torture as the screams of pain and suffering echo throughout the street. He is about to land the final blow when he is shot by a missile. It is Bumblebee and Longarm, who are here to stop Brimstone and his friends from hurting their friends.

Dropkick: "Longarm, is that you buddy?"

Longarm: "I wouldn't call us that considering you put a giant hole through my chest."

Dropkick: "It sounds like you need another one, let me help you with that." 

Blast: "Let's get them!"

So another but smaller battle happens between the two pairs. Longarm proves to be quite the fighter when his uranium beam sword cuts Dropkick across the chest. Bumblebee and Blastwave trade punches with each other until Blastwave picks him up and throws him into longarm. Dropkick uses a fully charged blast to send Longarm flying away a good distance.

Brim: "Our work here is done boys, Brimstone to base, we need a ground bridge now. (to the humans) We will meets again fleshbags, and next time he won't be there to save you."

 The trio then drive away into the ground bridge and disappear. The two Autobots get up and run to their wounded friend.

Longarm: "It's going to be ok Hubcap, Ratchet will fix you up really good."

Hubcap: (weakly) "No lad, this is it for me."

Longarm: "Don't start talking like that to us, you have so much to live for."

Hubcap; "I've had my life, I've watched you all grow from wee lads to dashing young men, and I couldn't be prouder of any of you."

Bee: (emotional) "But you can't die now!"

Hubcap: "I knew this day would come, but don't be too hard on yourselves, I would have only slowed you down."

Longarm: "We've seen you in action, you are far from slow."

Hubcap: "Its for the best, goodbye everyone (faintly) and tell Optimus....to always...have...hope."

Hubcaps eyes fade as he goes offline. There is a pause before Longarm smashes a car in anger. Everyone else then cries loud and hard for the whole world to hear the loss of their old friend Hubcap.