Empties everywhere…

 willnotgogently:

Tacitus was busy with ripping out the wings of one of the ones that was getting too close to Rung. In addition to the audial breaking sounds that the undead made, Tacitus was making snarling and snapping sounds. There was an odd cheer to his tone, the occasional coo interspersing churring and angry growls.

Seeing that Megatron had trouble at his back (or rather, on it), Rung hurried to pull it off. He had no idea, of course, that the damage was already done and Megatron had the virus in him from the start. So when he saw claws pushing past plating the little mech grit his dentae and let minor transformations start along his frame. Agile fingers shifted at the tips, blunt edges folding aside to make way for claws that he shoved in where sensitive wiring met and then twisted and yanked backwards, pulling the flier with him and shoving to the side to get him out of the way.

“Megatron? Are you alright?” He looked down, offering a hand, aware that there were starting to be small changes across his frame. Small spikes and hooks at his elbows, shoulders and knees.

Ok, this was still alright, he could… Megatron wrenched his arm over his helm, firing backwards, but the creature was too close to his broad back, focusing on peeling his thick armor plates apart. Energon began to well from the wound, its color an unnatural violet. The warrior thrashed once more, ready to fire again before it dug deeper-

He had nearly forgotten that he wasn’t on his own anymore. The shriek and sudden absence of a weight on his back was a surprise that took Megatron a moment to react to. He looked up to Rung, such surprise evident on his face, both at the small mech’s strength, and at his… changes. His optics flicked from the jagged edges of Rung’s frame to his optics. It would seem that they’d both been laid bare. Somehow, it set Megatron at ease, and it was with confidence that he took the delicate claws in his own, pulling himself upright again.

“I can still fight. That’s what matters.” The flier that had been on him twitched, trying to crawl toward them again. It didn’t get far after Megatron’s sword relieved it of its helm. “…Thank you for saving me. Help your friend, then head to the downed shuttle at the end of the road, that’s the entrance!”

Empties everywhere…

 willnotgogently:

mightymegatron:

“Think nothing of it. It’s honorable of him, and understandable to be so defensive.” He still wasn’t going to be disarming himself, at least not until they had returned to home base. “I don’t believe such a problem will arise within my group, but if it does, come to me. I will put an end to it, myself.” The only mech he could think that might cause trouble for the new arrivals was Starscream… but then, didn’t he cause trouble for everyone? The silver warrior grinned, a servo on the door. “It’s always inspiring to know that we aren’t alone.”

Time was ticking. He had to return. “Alright. Our holdout is to the east, about a mile. There is decent cover along the way, but leaving this block will be difficult if there are Swoopers. It will be a joy to fight alongside you, Rung. Tacitus. Stay close.” 

Megatron motioned for the two of them to stay quiet now as they moved, before pushing through the door. Fliers were something that he would rather avoid fighting if he could. They were fast, and hid atop their perches so that they couldn’t be seen unless swooping in to attack… like now. “Get down!” he bellowed, charging and leaping into the air to meet the incoming creature with his blade.

Rung wished that he had more time to use a gun but he usually needed to sit and focus if he was going to try to shoot something.  Decent for sniping but not so much for if they were going to be on the run.  Taking a deep vent, he let his hand drop to his side and took a cylindrical object from his thigh and gave it a shake to have it enlarge to a proper staff.

When the door opened, Rung swallowed and nodded, waiting to get a bit of room so he could start out.  The door was shut after them in hopes that it would keep the Empties out and they could come back to the store on another day and raid it for the supplies that were still left there.  Taking a deep breath, he followed Megatron, his nerves practically on fire.

When the Swoopers showed up, he braced himself, gritting his dentae.  With the pack on he wouldn’t be able to jump up like that, but once they got down to his level he could deal with them.  Tacitus let out a delighted shriek when he saw Megatron jump and his shell parted, wings buzzing underneath it as he lifted up off the ground and went to meet the Empties in the air.

There were four of the accursed creatures, former Seekers whose limbs and wings had twisted and grown into strange shapes, allowing them to flap and glide in root mode. It looked painful, and sounded even worse. Megatron hadn’t commented on Starscream’s screeching ever since he’d heard these scream. 

One such horrific shriek left the flier he made contact with as he wrenched his sword through its shoulder, cleaving off an arm and wing in one swing. He crashed with it to the ground, crushing it with his weight. Covered now in rust and grime, he stood up only to be tackled from behind by another.

Slagging creatures. Even if it bit him there was little chance anything would happen, but these things spread their disease accidentally. Their drive was to devour. Unfortunately, this one seemed to know exactly where to sit at his back to keep him down, out of reach of his sword and cannon. It began to crow triumphantly, claws digging into the thick armor of his back to get at the feast inside. Megatron snarled, trying and failing to roll and get it off of him on his own.