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Battle Beasts
Death Comes To Us All
Part
II
"I'm afraid we can't stay, " Rodimus began, "The Destrons have been defeated, but they're probably hatching another plan as we speak."
"Understood." White Leo replied. "I think we can handle the Destron Beasts ourselves." He sheathed his sword. "We won't be having anymore rebellions on Planet Beast."
From afar, three Cybertronians watched the celebration. A purple and blue creature with black wings, a black and white two headed dragon, and a maroon and white insectile creature. They were the Monsterbots, Grotesque, Doublecross, and Repugnus. Rodimus had requested they come to help, and, seeing it as a chance to get away the other Cybertronians, they agreed. Though the other Cybertronians were nice to them, they still felt uneasy around 'regular' Transformers. Even in robot form, the Monsterbots knew they were regarded as odd by them. In creature form they were complete outcasts. As strange as some of the Cybertronian transformations were, most of them were accepted because they resembled something when they were done. Even the Dinobots, who caused more harm than good, were widely accepted by the others. The Dinobots looked like something. Destrons ran from them out of fear and respect, not fear and loathing.
But Planet Beast was different. The Battle Beasts had befriended them immediately, without question. They seemed not to notice or care about the Monsterbots' appearance. After being here, could they really go back to being outcasts on Cybertron? Grotesque looked at his fellow Monsterbots. Both shared his thoughts.
"I'm staying."
Repugnus and Doublecross nodded in complete agreement. Together, they made their way towards the others.
**********
As Rodimus turned from the Beasts, he almost walked right into Grotesque. Startled, he stepped back.
"Oh, there you are. We were wondering where you three had gone."
"I bet you were," Grotesque thought bitterly, "like we're hard to spot."
Rodimus continued. "Are you ready to go?"
"Actually," Grotesque looked up at Rodimus, and looked away. Even Rodimus, his own leader, couldn't disguise the pity in his eyes when he looked at them. Grotesque felt a flash of hatred that scared him. He immediately felt bad because of it. After all, it wasn't Rodimus' fault, just about all the Cybertronians felt unnecessarily sorry for them. As much as they may have tried, the Cybertrons would never be able to accept the Monsterbots. Grotesque couldn't continue.
"We think it would be best if we remained here on Planet Beast." Doublecross spoke up, sensing his friend's dilemma. Repugnus chimed in, a little too quickly.
"In case the Destrons show up again, you know?"
Rodimus looked at the Monsterbots a moment, and for the first time began to fully understand. The Monsterbots returned his stare, and realized that he did indeed understand their plight.
"Well," Rodimus began to smile. "It's alright with me...if it's okay with White Leo." He and the Monsterbots looked towards White Leo, who also felt a smile creeping onto his face.
"We would be honored to have you three stay with us." White Leo proclaimed. The other Beasts voiced their approval as well. The Monsterbots exchanged glances, joy in their eyes. At last they were free of the Cybertronians' agonizing niceness and pity. The Battle Beasts had accepted them as their own.
"Th-thank you..." Repugnus began, unable to find the right words to express what he was feeling. He lowered his head and faced the ground.
Rodimus placed a hand on his shoulder.
"We'll miss you, friends." He emphasized the last word, "friends."
The Monsterbots knew he meant it.
**********
"How dare they betray me!"
Gruesome Gator's ax dug into the rocks with a loud ~SKINK!~ and drew a flurry of sparks as he wretched it out. He swung again in the darkness, connecting with the opposite wall . ~SKINK!~ Sparks. He was growling before, but no longer.
"How dare they betray me!"
Enraged howls pierced the silent cave. Gruesome screamed, the sound unmercilessly primal, and swung his ax over his head, striking the helpless ground beneath his feet. The ax sparked yet again on the hard stone, and had Gruesome been in a more stable state of mind, he would have noticed a soft odor had begun to permeate the cave, becoming stronger each time he lashed out. Gruesome howled and quivered with rage. He struck the ground again. This time, his ax buried itself so deeply into the rocky surface it became impossible to remove.
"How dare they betray me!"
Eyes wide with fury, Gruesome grabbed the wretched thing by the handle and yanked, almost tearing a ligament, without a thought. It wouldn't budge. He tried again, harder, his breath tearing in and out of his lungs, being pushed harshly out of his mouth. Spittle became foam and sprayed from his snout. Gruesome was beyond thought.
"How dare they betray me!"
His animal instincts were completely in control now, allowing only the most primitive of thoughts to enter Gruesome's mind. This was subconscious defense against thoughts of suicide, which surely would have entered Gruesome's mind if he lingered too much on what had just happened.
"How dare they betray me!"
But it only had a limited effect. Right now...
"How dare they betray me!"
all Gruesome Gator
"How dare they betray me!"
the warrior supreme
"How dare they betray me!"
leader of the Great Rebellion
"How dare they betray me!"
could feel was
"Such anger..."
confusion?
"Such hatred..."
Gruesome whipped around to face the dry whispered words. The odor he had ignored earlier now stung his nostrils, pungent with the scent of death. Had one of his traitors come back to torment him? He saw no one. The voice spoke again, Gruesome felt his leathery skin crawl with each word.
"It's enough to wake the dead."
**********
As the Cybertronian ship took off, Doublecross began to feel guilt creeping in. He felt no remorse in seeing the Cybertrons go, in fact, he was rather glad. Turning to Grotesque he whispered "You feel as guilty as we do?" Grotesque nodded. Repugnus watched as the ship disappeared into space. To no one in particular he said "Now what?"
White Leo answered his question. "Now I take step one towards unity."
He looked towards the other Beasts, and saw a spotted feline clad in maroon armor approaching. Judging from his casual walk, White Leo knew it had to be Power Jaguar and hailed him.
"Good battle, warrior!"
Power Jaguar, spinning his spear absently, responded "You don't say. Well, you're the Beast of the hour, what's the plan?"
"Unification." White Leo paused, then "But first..." he motioned to Power Jaguar to remain where he was and hailed Violet Horn.
"Oh great..." Jaguar grumbled, crossing his arms.
Violet Horn, a tremendous brown Bison, left the two Beasts he was conversing with and strode over to White Leo. His purple armor shone like his broad smile.
Doublecross eyed the other Monsterbots. "We'll leave you three to talk." He nodded towards the other Beasts, who had started a small celebration right there in the woods. The three left to join in the celebration.
"A hero's greeting is in order!" Violet Horn boomed, smiling broadly at White Leo. Jaguar rolled his eyes and noted Violet Horn's smile faded after realizing he was present. Violet Horn walked past him, and the two exchanged glares.
"White Leo!" Violet Horn continued, "Tis truly a joyous occasion wouldn't you say? To what do I owe the honor?"
White Leo addressed the two of them. "I've been thinking, we Beasts have been at war on this planet long before the Destrons showed up." He began to pace back and forth in front of the two. "For as long as I can remember, we've been scattered about Planet Beast, at each others' throats over things as trivial as territorial disputes. And although the Rebellion was a terrible occurrence, it was also the first time in a long time that we Beasts have banned together and actually worked together for the common good of all."
Jaguar stopped spinning his spear and stuck the point in the ground, leaning on the staff end.
"True. I never thought I'd actually see some teamwork develop with these guys."
White Leo nodded. "Which brings me to my next point," he made eye contact with Violet Horn, then Power Jaguar, "You two displayed exceptional leadership qualities throughout this whole ordeal."
"Nonsense," Violet Horn waved his hand dramatically "we simply did what needed to be-"
"Shut up." Jaguar snapped. Then with mock enthusiasm "You were saying White Leo?"
Violet Horn folded his arms and inhaled deeply, puffing up as a frog would, a natural reaction when he felt threatened. He glowered at Jaguar. He did not like being mocked, especially by a ragged alley cat.
White Leo stifled a chuckle and continued. "All the Beasts under your command didn't seem to have any trouble carrying out your orders, and seemed pretty comfortable with you in control. I think we should come together under three camps, each of us a leader."
"Wait a minute.."Jaguar interrupted, "You want us to be leaders?"
He pointed to himself and, then Violet Horn, to himself again, and waggled his finger back and forth rapidly.
"HoooNo..." Jaguar backed up a step. "Appreciate the offer, but no way. I'm no leader." White Leo regarded him a moment, as if expecting this.
"That's not the impression I got after seeing your performance in battle."
"Yeah well...I just got lucky, that's all. I'm just glad I didn't get any of my friends killed out there. Most of the performance you saw out there was me trying to fix my screw ups."
White Leo was undeterred by this. He advanced on Jaguar step by step. "I've seen luck. What you exhibited was skill. There's a difference."
Violet Horn interjected "Perhaps he fears the responsibility a position of leadership demands."
Jaguar turned on him, furious "Shut your grass chewing trap, prey! Unlike you, I care if my friends die in battle!"
"Prey?" Violet Horn took a bold step forward, eyes narrowed. "You really are asking for it, you mangy feline..."
White Leo got between the two. "That's enough!" They remained that way a moment, then Violet Horn stepped back, still glaring at Jaguar. White Leo continued "Jaguar, I'm not saying you have to do anything you don't want to. But I do want you to think about it. These Beasts need direction, or they'll fall right back into disorder. This is a very pivotal moment in our history. Right now what we need are leaders, and like it or not, you and Violet Horn are the best suited for that position." He said nothing else. A moment of silence passed between them.
Jaguar's arms flopped to his sides. "Alright, all right. I'll help them get organized, help out with a village construction, if they want, but after that, no promises."
White Leo sighed, then nodded. "That's all I'm asking. Just help give them some direction." His eyes went from Jaguar to Violet Horn. "Think the two of you can do that without killing each other?"
Jaguar reached over and pulled his spear out of the ground, testing the tip. "No problem, as long as Buffalo Bill here stays away from me."
Violet Horn shot back "That is a condition I will happily oblige, since it will keep me upwind of you."
"Enough you two!" White Leo pointed to the other Beasts. "We've got work to do."
**********
"We've got some serious thinking to do." Scout Mouse ran in front of Badshark. "I mean, who are we kidding, the other Beasts aren't going to take us back..."
Badshark had been leading the way back from the mine. The lot of them had been walking for awhile now, and the entire time this very problem had plagued his mind. Every Beast that shared his company right now were indeed traitors to their own kind. There were no excuses to be made, each of them had left of their own free will. Badshark stopped, as did the others. Scout Mouse was silent, not really happy with what she'd just said, but what else was there?
Badshark wasn't good at speaking in front of others, but attempted to do so now. "We don't have a choice." He began to realize how true Gruesome Gator's words were. He felt sick again.
"S-sure we do!" Scout Mouse wasn't quite sure what to say next. "We could go set up camp somewhere else, and, uh, just live there! Just the bunch of us." Her enthusiasm came and went quickly.
"You know we can't do that. Right now orders are probably to kill us on site."
"K-kill us...?" Scout Mouse looked as if she were going to be ill. She sank to the ground and folded her arms over her knees. "I don't wanna d-die.." Tears began to form. Her voice got higher, more frantic. "We're not following Gruesome a-anymore, th-they can't still be m-mad at us. I don't wanna die!" She buried her head in her arms and sobbed.
Had she been anyone else, Badshark probably would have reprimanded her, but she was sixteen at the most, still a child. She had no place in an army to begin with. Of course, this hadn't mattered to Gruesome. He needed a spy and she wanted some excitement in her life. Talking the naive youth into joining his army was simple. She never once thought her very life would be in danger.
Crowmax approached and knelt beside her, placing a hand on her shoulder. She leaned into him and he folded a wing over her. Badshark couldn't help but feel sorry for the two. The rest of the Beasts remained silent.
The defeat by the Cybertron allied Beasts, combined with the Destron Beasts' sudden desertion of Gruesome Gator had left them all dazed. As distance between them and the mine grew, the severity of the situation began to sink into each and every one of them. There were about twenty five of them in all: Gruesome Gator, of course, had been Leader. Badshark, Gruesome's ex-second in command, Lieutenants Cobrander, and Devilbat. Their soldiers, Killer Fish, Snakebomb, Drillfrog, Black Turtle, Death Spider, Crab Hit, Iguanamons, Red Octo, Junior Dragon, Knight Owl, Ultra Gas, Shield Dragon, Demonkey, and Pangol. Technical engineers were Cutledeep and Power Nozzle. Crowmax and Scout Mouse had served as scouts, Brown Gyro and Green Chameles as spies, sometimes Scout Mouse as well. Then there was Black Panther. A rouge if there ever was one. He'd been sent on a special mission by the Destron leader Galvatron the day after they'd arrived on Planet Beast. No one had heard from him since. In Badshark's opinion, they were better off that way.
All the Beasts had their reasons for joining. Some wanted the glory, others power, many simply wanted the thrill of the battle. But whatever their reasons, they were traitors now. They had but one option next to suicide, and Badshark wasn't sure if it was much better.
"We have to turn ourselves in. Ask them to forgive us."
"Forgive us?" Crowmax almost laughed. "What are the chances of that happenin'?" Badshark shifted and crossed his arms. The Beasts knew the answer.
"None." He turned from them and started to once again make his way back to the other Beasts.
**********
Gruesome saw nothing. He continued to growl. He had calmed down enough to manage a word.
"Who...?"
The smell was almost too much for his nostrils. The air seemed thicker, heavy even. It reminded Gruesome of rotting corpses. He knew the scent well. Something spoke.
"I know your pain. It echoes the very torment of this planet..."
Gruesome said nothing. The voice spoke again.
"I can help you."
Gruesome had had enough of this. "Who are you?"
"I have many names."
"What?"
"Unspeakable by your tongue." with a trace of humor, it continued, "The scent bothers you?"
"It reeks in here."
"The scent of a planet yearning to die."
"Enough!" Gruesome bellowed. "Enough of your riddles. Show yourself!"
In an instant the stench that plagued Gruesome vanished. He could see. He blinked, unbelieving, but there was no disputing it. He could see everything as clear as day. The mine was charcoal gray, ashy in some areas from where the Destrons had looted energon. A few crystals remained, and had there been any light source, they would surely twinkle. Gruesome turned around, enjoying his newfound sight, taking in the details of the mine which, until now, had remained a visual mystery to him. He was on the verge of smiling when his eyes informed him of a most disturbing fact:
He was standing beside himself.
For a moment, Gruesome simply stood motionless, not comprehending the situation. He stared wildly at this other him, who was kneeling head down, next to his weapon. It was still sticking out of the ground. The other him had a single hand on it, eyes closed, drawing unnaturally deep breathes.
"What-?" Gruesome began. He reached out and was shocked to see his hand disappear into the other him, passing completely through. He jerked his hand back as if scolded.
"Impossible," he thought to himself, "It's an image, a projection or something..."
He stepped back and brought his hand up to inspect. He could see through it, as if it was made of glass.
"This can't be. What's happened to me?" his voice was a low whisper, "Am I dead?" He looked at both hands, turning them over repeatedly. He could still see through them. A deep echoing voice drew his attention.
"You are not dead."
It was the same voice that spoke to Gruesome before. But it was clearer now. Louder. It echoed throughout the mine and rung in his ears. He turned about rapidly, trying to locate the source.
"What have you done to me?!" he exclaimed.
"I have improved you. You are on a higher plane of existence now. The flesh must be left behind."
"What do you mean?"
"Welcome to the Spirit World, Gruesome Gator."
Though Gruesome could see in the darkness of the mine, he still could not locate the origin of the voice. "Spirit World?" he sneered at the idea. There were explanations for this kind of thing, and they didn't involve 'Spirit Worlds.' "Sorry to disappoint you, but I don't believe in ghosts."
"The voice responded, obviously amused by Gruesome's disbelief, "Then how do you suppose I exist?"
Gruesome looked over his shoulder and beheld a sight that made his jaw drop. A plethora of skulls carpeted the ground. They seemed to leer back at him, some deteriorating, others gleaming fresh. Stark white contrasted with the decrepit yellow of older skulls, both kind standing out greatly against the darkness. Gruesome once again looked about this new setting. For miles it seemed, skulls had been piled upon one another. Some beast like, some humanoid, others...completely unrecognizable. He heard nothing except a deep, dry laugh.
"Greetings, warrior."
Gruesome whipped around and finally found the creature that had brought him here, and for a moment, his mind numbed, refusing to fully comprehend the being before him.
Upon a throne of skulls there rested a creature that surely originated from the depths of a child's nightmare. It's head was a skull, and Gruesome failed to imagine what kind of creature it was when, or if, it had flesh. Two vertical horns jutted from its forehead, one above the other. Its mouth had the maniacal smile of every skull in the area, lined with jagged, uneven, interlocking teeth. They glistened, as if bathed in saliva. It wore armor as well, two tremendous skulls adorned its shoulders, smooth bone structures wrapped around its forearms and lower legs. A solid mass resembling a rib cage covered its upper torso. And there was something else. Gruesome could feel the icy stare from the nightmare creature's empty sockets as he looked at the center of its chest armor. A large black sphere was nestled in the center, as if it were a part of the creature. It bubbled occasionally, as if there was fluid inside. Seeming to know the object was of great interest to Gruesome, the being raised a bony, taloned finger from the skull it rested on and tapped the sphere. The fluid(?) inside began to swirl, revealing a small white skull that stared directly at Gruesome from within the dark liquid. The creature spoke.
"I am Necrom."
Gruesome cocked his head slightly, daring a few steps forward. "What are you? You're not a Battle Beast."
Necrom laughed. The chilling sound echoed sharply in Gruesome's ears. He tried not to shudder, but failed.
"No. I am far superior."
As Necrom spoke, the skull within his dark orb began to rotate on a number of axis, content in its confinement. Gruesome tried not to look at it.
"Superior..." Gruesome had never cared for the term himself. He tried to cross his arms and they passed through each other. He gave up and continued. "I've never heard of you, or this place for that matter."
Necrom was silent a moment. Gruesome didn't like it. He couldn't read the expression of a skull, so he had no idea what was on the creature's mind until it spoke.
"I have summoned you here to offer assistance."
Summoned? Assistance? Gruesome had heard these empty words before from Galvatron. What reason had he to think this...thing was any different. He felt a growl rising in his throat. "First of all, Creature, no one summons me. Second of all, I didn't ask for your 'assistance."
He couldn't tell what Necrom thought of his comments, the wretched thing. Who was he to summon Gruesome? Still, it would probably be best if he didn't anger the creature, as he still didn't know what its powers were, if it had any. Necrom remained motionless, the maniacal grin never wavering.
"You have lost your army."
Gruesome didn't quite know what to make of that. He stuttered "Th-that's not-"
Necrom continued. "They abandoned you."
Gruesome was silenced by this. Immediately, the burning rage that had fueled his berserk thrashing began to return.
"They left you to die."
Gruesome still said nothing. His eyes narrowed as he recalled the events only hours past.
"Yes..." Gruesome sneered. "The cowards..."
Necrom raised his head slightly, enjoying the hatred that radiated from Gruesome. It was most pleasant. The Beast was like no other. Ambitious, Power-hungry, a leader. A worthy leader. He should have little trouble manipulating him. Only one thing was left to secure his hold...
"How dare they betray you..."
That did it. Gruesome's eyes glazed over, and in them Necrom saw nothing but an abyss of pure, unadulterated hatred. It was marvelous, like nothing he'd ever encountered. There had been others before this Beast, but none possessed the capacity for such vile contempt that Gruesome Gator displayed before him. The Beast could barely whisper.
"I'll kill them." he looked directly at Necrom for the first time. "I'll kill them all."
"Yes..." Necrom nodded slowly. "You will kill them all. And I will help you."
Necrom laughed in triumph. A deep, powerful laugh that echoed throughout the nightmarish realm. Had any living creature head it, they would surely lose their mind. Gruesome Gator stood before Necrom. This time, he did not shudder.
To be continued...
