16.Sept.06
BEAST WARS REKINDLED
Chapter Five: Blossoming Attraction
Twinbrush walked through Knothole City,
looking around at the woodland metropolis. In the few days since she had come
online, her friends among the Freedom Fighters and Chaotix had told her that the
machinations of their enemy, Dr. Robotnik, had forced them to abandon their
original home in favor of this refuge. In the process, it had evolved into a
thriving capital for the Kingdom of Acorn, of which Freedom Fighter Sally Acorn
was princess.
Knowing that they couldn't keep the Maximals a secret forever, the Freedom
Fighters had introduced their friends to Knothole a few days ago. Because of
their large size but friendly nature, the two were very popular with children.
In fact, members of all age groups liked the two Maximals. The only ones who had
anything against them were possessed of anti-robot sentiment induced by
Robotnik's tyranny. Still, at least those few didn't speak up.
Twinbrush put these thoughts out her mind as she focused on her current
objective: finding Knucklehead. He was the only entity she felt entirely
comfortable around, and she wanted to get to know him better. However, he was
nowhere to be found in the city.
Approaching the recently repaired gate into the Great Forest that the Predacon
Deathstreak had smashed, Twinbrush spotted a Freedom Fighter. It was Antoine,
the coyote who spoke with a French accent. Following the Deathstreak incident,
he had resolved to improve his vigilance.
"Antoine?" Twinbrush enquired.
Unfortunately, all of Antoine's focus was outward. Upon hearing a voice not
immediately identifiable, he yelped in panic and toppled backward off the wall.
Acting quickly, Twinbrush used the speed granted by her twin tails to get
beneath the falling Freedom Fighter and catch him.
After regaining his composure, Antoine spoke. "T'ank you, lady Twinbrush. I
guess I was a little too focused on my work. Is there something I can help you
with?"
Twinbrush stifled a smile, not wanting to offend the proud coyote by taking
amusement from his odd speech. "No, Antoine, I'm just looking for
Knucklehead. I wanted to spend some time with him today, but I can't find him
anywhere. Do you know where he is?"
Bunnie Rabbot, Antoine's cyborg watch partner and girlfriend, walked out of the
guard post. "Knucklehead? He went into Great Forest an hour and a half ago,
sugah."
Thanking the two, Twinbrush spun her tails like a propeller. She flew over the
wall, landed and then headed deeper into the forest.
Unbeknownst to Twinbrush, a secret monitoring device had been planted to watch
Knothole and keep an eye on its resident Transformers. Upon seeing Twinbrush
leave, it sent out a small transmission. It then went back to work, spying on
the Freedom Fighter capital.
Dimitri smiled as the communication from his spy probe reached Dark Legion HQ.
He summoned his advisors, Kommisar and Moritori Rex, to discuss the situation.
"My spy probe has reported that both Maximals are outside Knothole right
now, alone and without protection."
"Why tell us? Why not just send out that overgrown Hedgehog?" Kommisar
said haughtily.
Dimitri shook his head. "Deathstreak has already proven that he cannot
defeat Knucklehead, let alone both of them. No, for this we will need to
dispatch an agent with superior strength and endurance."
Moritori smiled as the answer to Dimitri's train of thought came to him.
"Guardian's Bane?"
Dimitri nodded, smiling wickedly. "Guardian's Bane."
As she made her way through the undergrowth, Twinbrush scanned for Knucklehead's
trail. It would have been impossible for an ordinary Mobian, as Knucklehead was
a cunning traveler, always taking routes that few could follow. However, with
her enhanced senses, Twinbrush found the trail with little difficulty.
Suddenly, a sound reached her sensitive ears. It was high-pitched and seemed to
follow a pattern. Realizing that it was music, she hurried in the direction of
the sound, wondering what could be making it. As she came to the edge of a
clearing, her eyes widened as she caught sight of the source of the music.
At the center of the clearing was a tree, identical to those around her except
for one unique feature: Knucklehead was seated in its branches. Held in his
hands and to his lips was a beautifully crafted wooden flute. Eyes closed, he
blew into it, moving his fingers across the holes skillfully to produce notes
and change pitches. Twinbrush watched, transfixed by the beautiful sounds.
Finally, Knucklehead ended his song. Opening his eyes, he smiled at his
instrument. Leaping down from the tree, he turned toward Knothole. Too late,
Twinbrush realized that she was clearly visible. She wondered how he would
react, knowing that she had been listening in to his private musical.
Her question was answered as he caught sight of her, eyes widening in surprise.
"Twinbrush?"
She nodded, looking down in embarrassment. Knucklehead, still confused, asked
nervously, "How long have you been there?"
"Long enough to hear you play," she replied. "How long have you
been doing that?"
He shuffled his feet awkwardly. "A few days. I was walking through the
forest when I found a piece of wood. Next thing I knew, I'd carved it and begun
playing."
Twinbrush could see that he was uncomfortable. He was clearly one of those
artists who didn't think their work would be appreciated by anyone else. Seeking
to reassure him, she said, "You play beautifully."
Knucklehead blushed at her compliment. Seeking to change the subject, he
enquired, "What are you doing out here?"
"I wanted to spend some time with you. You and I are the only ones of our
kind around here, and I feel kind of uncomfortable around Mobians."
"Well then, my lady, allow me to escort you on a tour of Great
Forest," he said, offering her his arm. She smiled at his chivalrous
manner, looping her arm through his. She then allowed him to lead her off into
the forest.
Dark Legion elite warrior Xenin complained to himself as he flew an aircraft
towards Great Forest. He had once been the Dark Legion's mightiest warrior, the
only being who could compete with the Guardian Knuckles. However, he was
rendered obsolete by Knuckles' unlocking of his Chaos powers. Now the only
beings he could compete with were the Guardian's idiot friends.
He had been further reduced by the arrival of Deathstreak. The Predacon so
surpassed him that Xenin was reduced to a common soldier, forced to perform such
menial tasks as this to stay in the favor of the Dark Legion leadership. He was
further incensed by Deathstreak's arrogance. When he'd left HQ, the overgrown
Hedgehog had been practicing on the Dark Legion shooting range with his pistols,
driving off all the real Legionnaires.
Xenin shook his head, any rebellious thoughts dying. If he defected, the Dark
Legion would hunt him down, and he knew that the penalty was torture, then
execution. He had no doubt that Deathstreak would be all too happy to oblige. So
instead, he set down his aircraft and opened the door to allow his passenger to
exit.
Passenger... as if it could be called that. The entity in question was a gold
colored Mechanaut, one of the Dark Legion's robot drone soldiers. However, this
Mechanaut had been created as part of Project Guardian's Bane. The goal had been
to create a being that could defeat Knuckles in battle. As a result, the
Mechanaut was incredibly strong, surprisingly fast, and covered head to toe in
armor that could not be damaged by any force on Mobius. However, the project had
been scrapped after Knuckles attained his Chaos powers. Still, this one
prototype had been built, and was now being put to use.
As Xenin watched it stalk off into the forest, he could think of no better
answer to the Dark Legion's problem of Knucklehead.
The two hours spent with Knucklehead touring the forest was the best time
Twinbrush had so far in her short life. He showed her many things, from fields
full of flowers to massive trees. Knucklehead also taught her how to get close
to animal life without scaring it. As time went on, Twinbrush's respect and
admiration for him grew.
On the flip side, Knucklehead was happy to spend time with Twinbrush. She was
very receptive to his knowledge, willing to learn everything he had to teach
her. He chuckled at her shy manner, comparing her out loud to a deer they found
grazing. As if to prove his point, the deer had been very fond of Twinbrush,
even allowing itself to be petted by the female Maximal.
Finally, they arrived at the final destination of the tour. Knucklehead smiled
at Twinbrush's awestruck look. They stood on a small overhang above a river
flowing through the forest. Nearby was a huge waterfall, and its moisture
interacted with the sunlight to create a breath-taking rainbow effect. Smiling,
Knucklehead took Twinbrush's hand. This prompted a short look from her, but she
didn't mind at all, and the two stood there, watching the scene.
Their reverie was interrupted by a snapping noise. Knucklehead released
Twinbrush's hand and whirled around just in time to see a golden blur lunge out
of the trees. Seeking to protect Twinbrush, he hurled himself at the aggressor,
grabbing it in a bear hug and sending them both falling to the river below.
Twinbrush, concerned, hovered down.
Knucklehead got up and jumped back from his adversary, getting into a fighter's
crouch. From the descriptions of the Chaotix, he knew it to be a Dark Legion
Mechanaut. However, the Mechanauts they had told him about were all grey, not
gold. Shrugging, he leaped forward, planning to pummel his enemy with punches.
However, he only got in one punch— which had no effect whatsoever— before it
retaliated, landing a solid blow to his chest. Knucklehead, much lighter than
the Mechanaut, went flying backward. Recovering, he lunged at the Mechanaut,
wrapping the fingers of his left hand around its right claw. He made a fist of
his right hand, pulling it back as the Mechanaut did the same with its left
claw. The punches met with a crashing sound, and Knucklehead gave an agonized
scream.
The Mechanaut stared at him blankly as he backed away, clutching his right hand
with his left. Gritting his teeth, the Maximal kicked out. His left kick struck
the Mechanaut's head, smashing the eyepiece. His right slammed into the torso,
sending the robotic assailant flying into the rock wall behind the falls. It
fell to the ground, the impact shaking loose a hail of boulders from the wall,
which buried the Mechanaut.
After making sure the Mechanaut wasn't coming out, Twinbrush ran to Knucklehead.
She saw that his feet had been hurt from hitting the strong armor, and that he
was clutching his right hand. She helped him sit against a rock, and asked,
"What happened to your hand?"
The sight of the appendage emphasized his pained answer. It hung limply, and the
spurs and fingers were set in strange angles "When my hand slammed against
its fist, it damaged my skeletal structure. With this injury I can't transform,
and it'll take forever to heal on its own. We need to get back to
Knothole."
Twinbrush nodded, then set to work. Gathering materials, she made a sling for
Knucklehead's right arm. This prevented him from moving it and from aggravating
his hand any longer. She then took his left arm and draped it across her
shoulders, supporting him as they slowly made their way back towards Knothole.
It was only after they were out of sight of the falls that the pile of boulders
began to shift.
Sally Acorn stood with Sonic, Knuckles, and Julie-Su on Knothole's wall, looking
out into the woodlands. Knucklehead and Twinbrush had been gone for hours, and
no one had seen them since Antoine and Bunnie were questioned by Twinbrush.
Sally knew Knucklehead was planning to go sight seeing, and Twinbrush had
probably joined him, but he had promised to be back before sunset. It was that
time now, and the two were still missing. Sally had sent out a search party, but
their had been no results.
Sonic, sensing her distress, squeezed her hand. "Don't worry Sal, they'll
be alright. They're Maximals, aren't they?"
Sally smiled at her Hedgehog boyfriend, who could always find a way to make her
feel better. "Thanks Sonic. I'm just worried because they've been gone so
long."
Julie-Su shivered, wrapping her arms around herself. Knuckles, knowing she was
uncomfortable with Knothole's cool nights, pulled her in close, allowing her to
share his body heat. She smiled up at him, saying, "Thanks."
"Anytime," he replied with a smile of his own.
Suddenly, an orange-yellow blur came shooting out of the trees. For a moment
Sally thought it was Twinbrush, then sighed as it resolved into Tails. After
taking a moment to catch his breath, Tails reported. "No sign of them yet,
but we'll find them!"
Knucklehead and Twinbrush walked slowly through the night-shrouded forest. Their
pace was dictated by Knucklehead's injuries, and the fact that they were
confident no one was pursuing them. As they walked they conversed about various
subjects. Currently, they were talking about their dwelling situation. The
citizens of Knothole had kindly erected a house for Twinbrush, which was large
scale to suit her size. Her old stasis pod, stripped of systems and modified
slightly, made a comfortable bed. By contrast, Knucklehead slept outside of
Knothole, sleeping under the stars.
"Why do you prefer the outdoors?" Twinbrush asked.
Knucklehead shrugged. "It's not so much that I prefer them, it's just that
I feel more comfortable out here. Nothing in the village is really suited to my
size, and I don't want them going to trouble over me."
Before she could reply, a familiar snapping sound reached their ears. Reacting
quickly, Knucklehead shoved her away and turned just in time to receive a punch
from the battered but still functional Mechanaut. Unable to fight, the Maximal
leader went flying, slamming into a nearby tree. He slumped to the ground,
fighting to stay conscious.
Twinbrush, enraged by the attack on her friend, roared. "Twinbrush,
Maximize!"
Her form quickly shifted to robot mode. The two tails of her Beast Mode became
mounted on her right forearm. Concentrating, she willed them to spin. A buzzing
noise filled the air as they moved at high speed. She leaped at the Mechanaut,
using her powerful saw with no mercy. Knucklehead was able to watch in
astonishment as she dismembered the drone before unconsciousness claimed him.
Her anger expended, Twinbrush returned to Beast Mode. Walking over, she knelt
down next to Knucklehead. She gently picked him up, cradling him. Tears came to
her eyes at the sight of his injuries. A snapping noise caused her to look up,
fearful that the Mechanaut was somehow still functional. To her relief, she
found herself looking at the awestruck Knothole search party.
Rotor stood up straight and wiped the sweat from his forehead as he looked down
at his latest invention. Using components from Twinbrush’s stasis pod, he had
rigged up a device to help Knucklehead’s hand heal. All his other injuries
needed no treatment, but the hand would need months to heal without this device.
“Well, the good news is, it’s working and your hand’ll be fine in a week
or so. The bad news is that the unit can’t be moved if we want it to work
properly, and you can’t take your hand out until it heals, so you’re gonna
be stuck in here until it heals.”
Knucklehead scowled from where he lay across three hospital beds, being too tall
to lie vertically in one. “You mean I’m gonna be stuck here for a week?”
Twinbrush, sensing his dismay, sought to comfort him. “Don’t worry,
Knucklehead, you’ll be up and about in no time. And I promise to visit you all
the time so you don’t get bored.”
Knucklehead smiled up at her affectionately. As she returned it in full force,
Rotor coughed to excuse himself and left the room. Not noticing him, Twinbrush
sat down next to the beds. The two resumed their conversation from before, still
staring and smiling at each other as if they never wanted to look away.
“Are you sure about this, Rotor?” Sonic asked. He was having a hard time
believing what the walrus had just told him and the other Freedom Fighters and
Chaotix.
“Sonic, I saw how they looked at each other, and I am telling you, they are
smitten,” the scientist replied. His tone was insistent, and would brook no
argument.
“I didn’t think Transformers could fall in love,” Sally mused.
“There’s no reason they couldn’t, Sally. According to my research,
they’re just like other life forms except for the fact that they’re
technological. They have all our other emotions, so it makes sense that they
could fall in love,” Tails explained.
“That sounds perfect to me. They’re been cooped up in those pods so long,
they deserve a chance to live life to its fullest,” Knuckles said.
“I’m happy for them, and they’re perfect for each other,” Julie-Su
added.
The group nodded, then went off to get some sleep.
Dimitri’s meditation was disrupted as Deathstreak barged into his private
chamber. Walking up to the Dark Legion Grand Master, he glared. “You sent a
mission to get rid of the Maximals and didn’t tell me!” It was a statement,
not a question.
“I saw no reason to interrupt your training, and besides, the mission was a
failure,” Dimitri replied coolly.
Deathstreak’s angry scowl became a mocking sneer. “I could have told you
that; no technology on Mobius can hope to oppose that which is
Cybertron-developed.” With that, he stalked out.
Dimitri returned to his meditations, thinking. Deathstreak was a dangerous ally,
just as liable to attack Dark Legionnaires as he was to attack Freedom Fighters,
Chaotix, and Maximals. He was a necessary evil, as the Dark Legion could not
beat the Maximals without their own Transformers. However, once the Legion had
more Predacons to do its bidding, Deathstreak would find himself expendable.
To be continued...