Mindgames by Suzanne Ferree (first posted Dec. 31 '97) This is a little parody that I've been thinking of off and on lately. However, unlike most parodies around here, don't assume you know the ending just because you know the ending of the *original* story. >:) I'm not going to make it *that* simple. The timeline for this is right after Twins and Tales--BUT since I haven't *finished* Twins and Tales, I'll only reveal the crucial elements to understanding this Fanfic. #1, Starscream is a member of an old Cybertronian organization known as the Scientists. This consists of both 'cons and 'bots. Edge is a defacto leader, although he doesn't normally order anyone around. The base is on Thane, a sandy windblown planet. #2, The members of the Scientists rescue Starscream from deep space (Hense, Twins and Tales takes place after "Ghost in the Machine," BUT this also takes place much after "The Rebirth."). #3, The Decepticons of Charr learn Starscream is alive and he rejoins the Decepticon ranks. #4, Starscream's sister (Cloudscape) and "twin" sister (Rosestar) return--they're "twins" because at one time they were both once the same "being," but their Quintesson creator (Mitzi Al Rind) wanted one more guard, so he split the "mind" into 2 bodies. He used these siblings (Thundercracker & Cloudscape, Starscream & Rosestar, and Skywarp) to pretend they were museum pieces, in order to spy on a Quintesson meeting that he wasn't trusted to attend. Starscream and Rosestar share a bond: at a whim, either one can mentally choose to start or stop the self-destruct countdown on the other. Although they sometimes use it as a method for ending fights, they also often use it as a test to see if the other is unconscious (if, for example, Starscream uses it on Rosestar & she's conscious, she'll take revenge by doing the same thing to him. Then both can stop their countdown). #5, Megs, Thundercracker, & Skywarp return (but I'm not revealing how). During a 3 way battle between Galvatron's 'cons, Megs' 'cons, & the 'bots on Cybertron, Megatron and Optimus Prime agree on a truce. Soundwave sees and joins Megatron, causing Galvatron's forces to retreat. #6, Starscream, Rosestar, and others signal Mitzi Al Rind to return. Mitzi reconstructs Thundercracker and Skywarp's bodies. However, Mitzi also tries to regain the 5 seekers, but they break free. Mitzi escapes. Eventually, Shockwave is found. Due to Megatron & Optimus Prime & Soundwave, Galvatron loses the overall fight. As Megatron starts to leave Cybertron w/ his forces, Optimus Prime regretfully asks, "So the time has come. The peace has ended again already?" Megatron replies, "For now, we walk away friends. This fight w/ Galvatron has drained us all. It's no time to discuss a total peace. Let's not do anything that either of us might regret. As far as how long *this* peace will last, we shall see." #6, the tech specs for all my major made-up characters are at my main WWW page at http://www.cyberspace.org/~suz/beta.html #7, the assorted micromasters that appear in this Fanfic are supposed to be very low intellect, almost to the point of being drones (similar to the attitude of the aliens of Toy Story). #8, two quotes from "The God Gambit" "There is the church, there is the steeple, open it up and where are the people?"-- Starscream "Going already?"--Ramjet "We wouldn't hear of it."--Starscream #9, most of the character names (except Rosestar, Edge, Flamethrower, Mitzi Al Rind, and Cloudscape) and characters are owned by Hasbro/Kenner/Takara/etc. This is done purely for fun & not meant to insult their cannon. "The Wizard of Oz" plot obviously isn't mine either--that's only for parody purposes & goes a lot further than "The God Gambit" went. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Narrator: Somewhere on Charr a mysterious plan has begun. The lights on the Decepticon bases of Charr suddenly extinguish. From within Decepticon headquarters, Megatron, Shockwave, and Soundwave try to determine the cause. Megatron: Shockwave, report. What's going on? Shockwave: The energy has drained from all our systems and an ominous smoke spreads across the planet. Megatron: I can *see* that. It's rising every microsecond. What's causing it? Shockwave: Judging by the poor quality of the computers on Charr, it's probably a level 1 system malfunction. Megatron: Blast! Galvatron and Cyclonus should have kept better maintenance of these systems. Soundwave: Megatron! Intruder report, area 4 section 5! Megatron: Starscream's quarters? Who'd... (Suddenly, an exterior explosion destroys the door to headquarters, filling the entire room w/ the smoke. The silhouette of a figure carrying a huge gun emerges.) Soundwave: Intruder. Megatron: Blast it! Soundwave: Ravage, Laserbeak, Rumble, Frenzy: eject. Operation: guerrilla warfare. (As Megatron and the others blast at the crumbling shadow, another explosion occurs at the rear of the base. However, no background light exposes the shape of this enemy.) (*BOOM* *THUD*) (Megatron turns around.) Megatron: Who's been hit? Soundwave? Soundwave: Must be Shockwave. (*BOOM* *THUD*) Megatron: Blast! How could they know so much about our base layout! (*BOOM* *THUD*) Soundwave: Frenzy and Rumble are unconscience. There must be a traitor. (*BOOM* *THUD*) Megatron: Laserbeak, follow my voice and come to my arm. Laserbeak: Squawk! (*BOOM* *THUD*) Megatron: Soundwave? Soundwave! (*BOOM* *THUD*) Laserbeak: Squawk! (*BOOM* *THUD*) (All motion within the room stops. Soon a figure takes the shadowed dummy from the first blast hole and the power returns.) -------- (Meanwhile, Rosestar and Thundercracker enter Starscream's quarters as the smoke starts to clear.) Thundercracker: Looks like the report was right--there *was* a break into Starscream's quarters. Rosestar: Starscream! Thundercracker: No, don't do the "self-destruct" test! There's some weird chip attached to his head. It might be trouble. Any idea what it is? Rosestar: It's some kind of mind chip. It's a good thing you stopped me--if I'd tried the self-destruct test, I might have been controlled by it as well. We've got to contact Soundwave. He's probably had some experience w/ disarming these devices. (into communicator) "Soundwave." No response. We'd better get to headquarters. Soundwave is probably down as well. It looks as if the Autobot-Decepticon alliance has been shattered. Thundercracker: For some reason I have a hard time believing that Autobots would do something like this. (Rosestar's communicator jumps to life.) (from comm) Edge: Rosestar! There's been a break-in at the Autobot base on Earth. Ultra Magnus, Optimus Prime, Grimlock, and a few other Autobots have been affected. The unknown invaders strike at night and create a smoke cloud to hide their acti... (into comm) Rosestar: If you'd warned us *earlier*, we could have prevented them from hitting here! (from comm) Edge: Fine. From now on I'll keep you better up to date. (into comm) Rosestar: That's good for a *start*. Any idea on how to undo this? (from comm) Edge: Who's been affected on Charr? (into comm) Rosestar: I'm not sure about a complete total, but Starscream and Soundwave are down for sure. (from comm) Edge: That's just *great*... *now* what are we supposed to do? Thane hasn't been hit yet, but you can bet that if they know about us, this will be their next target. (into comm) Rosestar: What about Flamethrower and Perceptor? (from comm) Edge: Flamethrower arrived here safely. Luckily, Perceptor was visiting Thane, so he wasn't on Earth when that raid went down. Everyone is taking guard duty just in case. We'll beat this chip yet--just don't try your self-destruct test. Who knows what it might do to you or Starscream. Also, don't try moving the bodies with your hands or you'll get an electric shock. (into comm) Rosestar: Enough already! I get the point! I'm not stupid. If you can't help, then shut up! Thundercracker: Sounds like *someone's* in a bad mood. Rosestar: Watch it or I'll push you into Starscream. (into comm) Skywarp, can you give me an update on who's been affected by this chip epidemic? (from comm) Skywarp: As far as I know, they hit Soundwave, Laserbeak, Ravage, Rumble, Frenzy, Shockwave, and Megatron. (into comm) Rosestar: What about Cyclonus and Galvatron? (from comm) Skywarp: They were in area 7 section 3 with me before I left to check out headquarters. They're definitely unharmed. (into comm) Rosestar: In other words, the chain of command is Galvatron and myself as the only remaining "seconds," followed by Cyclonus and Flamethrower as "thirds"? I don't like those odds. (from comm) Skywarp: Live with it! Until we can get Megatron and the others back online, you and Galvatron are in charge. -------- (Meanwhile, Megatron and Laserbeak "wake up" within a house-like structure that is about to plummet to the ground.) Megatron: Laserbeak, report. Where are we? Laserbeak: Squawk (*crash*) Megatron: Nevermind. I'll find out for myself. Come. (Megatron steps out the door w/ Laserbeak on his shoulder. Suddenly, he's surrounded by Micromasters of all colors and insignias.) Megatron: You're no Autobots or Decepticons that *I* know. What are you things? Micromaster: Oooo look! It's Glindlock! Another Micromaster: Glindlock! (Grimlock arrives in a red bubble, which suddenly pops and crashes due to his heavy weight.) Megatron: Grimlock! What are you Autobots up to? What do you want w/ me? Grimlock: Grimlock? No, me not Grimlock. Who he? Me Glindlock, good witch. Them Micromasters and happy that house land on Ultra Magnus, bad witch. Megatron: Has your programming totally degraded?!? I destroyed Ultra Magnus???--and you're happy about it?!? Grimlock: Me Glindlock and Micromasters happy, but there other bad witch, Optimus Prime, left to destroy. Megatron: I don't know why you can't remember anything, but you don't have to convince me to destroy Prime. -------- (Meanwhile, back on Charr...) (from comm) Edge: Rosestar, good news. Ultra Magnus has broken through the chip's programming. (into comm) Rosestar: Ultra Magnus? Why him? Did he say what it was like? (from comm) Edge: Yeah, he said that he dreamed he came across a rocket pack, strapped it on, started flying and all of a sudden, a falling object crushed him. The death in his dream caused him to wake up. (into comm) Rosestar: Wait a minute. Ultra Magnus w/ a rocket pack??? Do any of the unconscious Autobots have rocket packs? (from comm) Edge: Yeah, Sideswipe and I think there might be another one. Why? (into comm) Rosestar: Almost everyone affected was a high ranking officer. The chips are obviously causing weird dreams. W/ Optimus Prime & Grimlock out of the way, who's left in charge? (from comm) Edge: Ultra Magnus needs to rest, so he won't be commanding anything in the near future. I'd assume that Hot Rod would be in charge, followed by Springer. (into comm) Rosestar: I was hoping that it would be someone vindictive. They obviously don't have a grudge against Grimlock and probably not Optimus either. Keep me informed, especially if he remembers anything further. -------- Megatron: What an interesting predicament! The Autobots have lost their memory and don't care who I kill. How do I find Optimus Prime? Grimlock: Follow yellow path. Micromasters: We'll help. Megatron: Bah, don't bother. I can find the way myself. Come, Laserbeak. Laserbeak: Squawk. Megatron: Yes, we're going to follow this path, but keep a lookout for any more of my Decepticons. -------- Thundercracker: Do you think Galvatron and Cyclonus have anything to do w/ this? Rosestar: I don't know *who* to accuse, but when I find out they're really going to pay for this. Thundercracker: What if Megatron and the rest can't make it out on their own? Rosestar: Then we'll find the traitors and destroy them. I can't accept the fact that the invaders just *happened* to know exactly where Starscream's quarters are. -------- Laserbeak: Squawk! Squawk! (Laserbeak takes off, flying full speed.) Megatron: Laserbeak! Where are you going? I gave you no orders to leave. (Megatron catches up and sees Laserbeak land on a blue perch of some sort near the side of a cornfield. The "perch" raises its head.) Megatron: Soundwave? Soundwave: I don't know, because I can't remember. Untie me. (Megatron unties Soundwave from the stake and Soundwave stands up. Ravage ejects involuntarily from Soundwave's chest.) Ravage: Growl. Megatron: Ah! Ravage, you *also* recognize me. Whatever this is, the animal tapes seem unaffected. Soundwave: You've freed me and Ravage knows you. You can be trusted so I will follow. -------- (Meanwhile, back in Micromaster Land, Optimus Prime finally arrives in a puff of smoke w/ his back turned to the house.) Optimus Prime: Who killed my brother? Grimlock/"Glindlock": You say him Ultra Magnus was your brother? Optimus Prime: Uh, I mean who killed my friend? Who killed Ultra Magnus? Was it you? Grimlock: Killer him Megatron. Him Megatron crashed the house on Magnus and left about half an hour ago. Optimus Prime: I had trouble with the magic transportation device. Grimlock: Me Glindlock thought so. Optimus Prime: How could a tiny house destroy Ultra Magnus? (Optimus Prime turns to face the house.) Optimus Prime: It looked so much smaller in the crystal ball. I'll need back up for this one. (Optimus *poofs* away and returns w/ Sideswipe, Warpath, Jazz, and Tracks.) Optimus Prime: All together now, push! (They push the house just far enough out of the way to expose the entire body of Ultra Magnus.) -------- (Meanwhile, once again on Charr...) (from Rosestar's comm) Edge: Rosestar! Ultra Magnus has fallen under the trance again! (into comm) Rosestar: Why didn't someone take that stupid thing off of him? (from comm) Edge: I didn't think you cared about Ultra Magnus. (into comm) Rosestar: I don't. He can rust for all I care--but only *after* we find out what he experienced. -------- (Meanwhile, in Micromaster Land... Ultra Magnus barely sparks back to life.) Ultra Magnus (slowly): Optimus, it is to you...I pass the Ruby Matrix of Leadership to you... Optimus Prime: Sorry, old friend, but you can't pass on what you don't own. The Ruby Matrix of Leadership is here in my chest as it's always been. Ultra Magnus (slowly): Oh...I forgot. Farewell, we shall meet again... (Ultra Magnus dies again. Optimus rises.) Optimus Prime: What did you say his name was again? Micromasters: Megatron, Megatron, Megatron, Megatron. Grimlock: You leave or someone might drop a... Optimus Prime: I get the point. We're leaving. Sideswipe: But Optimus, what about his body? Optimus Prime: I said we're *leaving*! (Optimus & the four Autobots huddle close and disappear in a puff of smoke.) -------- (Megatron, Soundwave, and company continue their journey down the path.) Megatron: Each one of us was then shot by the intruder, and that's when we wound up here. Does any of that seem familiar? Soundwave: Only vaguely. Megatron: Bah! Starscream must be the one behind this. This is one of his plots to take over. (A glimmer from something shiny and white gleams from behind a patch of trees.) Megatron: The growth is probably too dense for Laserbeak to pass. Soundwave, can you get some reading to determine if those are a pile of energon cubes over there? Soundwave: Energon cubes? Megatron: Never mind. Just eject Ratbat--he'll remember. Soundwave: Eject? Megatron, my memories have returned. Megatron: Excellent. Can you scan the area to see if there are energy readings? Soundwave: The distance is too far for proper analysis. Megatron: Then it's about time we find out if you still remember how to shoot straight. (Megatron transforms into gun mode. Soundwave catches him and blasts several apple trees out of the way. Megatron returns to robot mode.) Apple Tree 1: They've destroyed our friends! Apple Tree 2: We can't let them get away w/ that. (The apple trees throw apples at Soundwave and Megatron. Laserbeak barely flies high enough to dodge a stray apple.) Laserbeak: Squawk! (The apples that do hit their mark bounce harmlessly off their intended targets.) Soundwave: Talking trees? This isn't Earth. (The duo approaches the cubes as the apples continue to fly. Suddenly, the cubes "grow" arms and eyes appear.) Megatron: What manner of trickery is this?!? Energon cubes (in unison): You've destroyed our covering. You shall pay. (The energon cube hands pick up some of the stray apples.) Megatron: Fall back. (The Decepticons back up a sufficient distance. Megatron transforms into gun mode. Soundwave fires Megatron at the energon cubes, the explosion from which decimates the remaining section of apple trees.) Megatron: I'm beginning to hate this world. Quickly, let's find the rest of my Decepticons and get out of here. (A purple body blocks the road ahead.) Megatron: Shockwave? Shockwave: You know my name, but do you know anything else about me? Megatron: I know *everything* about you. Come, we must follow this road. Shockwave: You say all we have to do is follow this road? Your emotions obviously cloud your reasoning. *I'll* lead. Megatron: Don't be a fool! Soundwave refuses to lead & *I'm* the only other one of us who has all his memories intact. Besides, I'm your commanding officer, so I order you to come. If you still want to challenge my authority after you regain your memory, *then* we'll talk. Shockwave: As you wish. I'll follow you for now. Megatron: Starscream will pay doubly for this insult. -------- (from comm) Edge: Rosestar, once again Ultra Magnus broke out of his trace a little while ago. It caused him to remember a tiny detail from the first time: he heard a bird squaking from within the "big thing that fell on him." (into comm) Rosestar: Bird squaking? Laserbeak perhaps? Maybe all the dreams are interlinked, like a modem connection. That gives us some more options. (from comm) Edge: Yeah, but if we jam the signal they may all be destroyed. (into comm) Rosestar: I have something better in mind. Do you still have the chip from Ultra Magnus? (from comm) Edge: Yeah, I had it sent here to the base for Perceptor to study. Why? (into comm) Rosestar: I'm going to pay you a little visit. Rosestar out. -------- (They continue walking, when they see some red and grey on the horizon.) Megatron: Now we'll get to the bottom of this! What game do you think you're trying to pull w/ us?!? Starscream: Game? Why would I want to pull a prank on someone I've never met? Megatron: Someone else must be behind this then. Come, Starscream. Starscream: Come? You expect *me* to walk w/ *you*, a complete stranger, just because you claim to know what my name is?!? What makes you think I'd do *that*? Megatron: Because you're too much of a *coward* to stay here by yourself. Starscream: Coward... I'm no coward! Megatron...is that you? (Megatron stands dumbfounded). Starscream: No! Don't shoot me, Megatron. I didn't really mean to throw you out. I... I was just keeping the Decepticon empire together while you were gone. Here, you can take over and everything will be like it was before. Don't shoot! Ah!!! (Starscream collapses.) Soundwave: Starscream is experiencing Level 3 optronic hypnotism. Megatron: Can you jam the system? Soundwave: Negative. Megatron: Starscream! Do you function? Starscream: Where... where are we? Am I deactivated? No! What's happened to my hands! I can see through them! I've lost my body! How could he *do* this to me! (Megatron grips Starscream's shoulders.) Megatron: Snap out of it! Someone is messing w/ our minds. You've got to fight it! You're not a ghost, you fool! (Megatron lets go.) Starscream: It... it was so real. Megatron, please forgive me. Megatron: Stop sniveling. At least you've regained your memory; that's more than Shockwave has done. Do you have any idea what this place is? Starscream: It's some Earth movie that I think I saw once. It was a long time ago and I really wasn't paying that much attention. Megatron: Think Starscream. Any detail might help. Starscream: I remember that this road leads to a city, where someone can help us find the way out. Megatron: That's all we need to know. Come. -------- Rosestar: Thundercracker, we still have the personal shuttle, right? Thundercracker: Yeah, but what are you planning. Rosestar: If they don't get out soon, I'm prepared to enter the dream. -------- (A glint of green appears on the horizon.) Megatron: Starscream, is that the city? Starscream: Already? I guess so. In the movie, the characters had such a harder time of things. Why is it so easy for us? It bothers me. Megatron: Nonsense. We don't need any more problems. Having Shockwave's memories blocked is enough of a problem in itself. Starscream (under his breath): It seems like an *improvement* to me. (They come to the door of the city.) Starscream: Wait, for some reason, I remember that you can't ring the bell on this door. Megatron: Then we'll just have to make our own key. (Megatron transforms into gun mode and Starscream fires him at the door, exploding it to shards. Megatron then returns to robot mode and the party passes the door rim.) Shockwave: A gun? That seems familiar. (Shockwave transforms into gun mode and returns.) Shockwave: Megatron, I remember everything now. -------- (Meanwhile, on the other end of this dream world in a castle...) Optimus Prime: Lackey, I've got to borrow your rocket pack. Sideswipe: My rocket pack? But why? Optimus Prime: Someone calling himself "Megatron" killed Ultra Magnus. He must face punishment for the crime he has committed. Besides, you are a lackey. You shouldn't be questioning my orders. (Optimus Prime puts on the rocket pack and zooms out the window. The glass crashes leaving only a skeletal window pane.) Sideswipe: Great. Now who's going to clean up this mess? Warpath: Well *blam* don't *kaplowee* look at *blip* me. -------- Frenzy: Hey, you guys aren't allowed in here! The big "W" would kick my optics out if I let you pass. Starscream (sarcastically): Then remind me not to ask permission. Frenzy: Hey, what's that up in the sky? Starscream: Don't think that you can fool me *that* easily. Megatron: No, he's not imagining it. Look. (In the sky, the smoky words "Surendur Megaton" appear.) Starscream: Optimus Prime never *could* fly straight or spell for that matter. Megatron: Bah! Prime's a fool. Shockwave: Fool or not, he might get his memory back. We'd better act quickly. Megatron: Agreed. Let us through Frenzy or we'll blow you AND the door away. Frenzy: I don't care if you *are* the witch's Megaton, I'm not... did you say blow down the door? I'd better warn the big "W." Megatron: Shockwave, transform. We'll both shoot this one down. (Shockwave transforms and Megatron falls as a gun into Starscream's hands. The door crumbles.) Wizard: You weren't invited, but I know your request to return home. Bring me Optimus Prime's rocket pack and I'll grant your request. Soundwave: Optimus Prime doesn't own a rocket pack. Wizard: Then, uh, bring me the one he's borrowing. Starscream: Megatron, I remember now. It's the curtain--we've got to move it. Megatron: Ravage, stealth mode. You heard him. Move. Wizard: Hey, no, wait. You're not playing fair. You're supposed to get the rocket pack. (Ravage tears back the curtain with his teeth to reveal Rumble.) Megatron: You? *You're* behind this? Rumble: No, Frenzy and I found the machine, so we thought we'd fool around a bit and... Megatron: No! No more games! I'm sick of this stupid story! Starscream, how does it end? Starscream: There are two ways. Rumble, did you come across a hot air balloon? Rumble: No way! You think I'd hold back information like that? Megatron: What's the other way? Starscream: You should have received something red for destroying Ultra Magnus. Red shoes, a red watch, something. Megatron: No! Now what? Starscream: Perhaps we have to destroy Optimus Prime? That *is* a major part of the story after all. His rocket pack was red--maybe we can use that. Megatron: And what if *that* won't work. "Wizard" face: Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha... Megatron: Rumble! Rumble: It's not my fault. Nothing's touching the controls. "Wizard" face: No matter what you do, you're trapped. There's no escape except through death. With all of you out of the way, that leaves Rosestar and ha, ha, ha, ha, *Galvatron* in charge! Regaining Rosestar, Cloudscape, Skywarp, and Thundercracker will be a snap now that I have all of you imprisoned. Starscream: Mitzi Al Rind. You won't get *me* though--and their powers are useless w/o me. Mitzi Al Rind: Don't flatter yourself. I can snatch your limp body and revive you any time I want--and there's nothing any of you can do to stop me! Imagine the irony: I have a *human* story to thank for all this. I snatched the memory of the movie from your mind and fed it into my computer. You have caused your own destruction! Prepare to be loyal to me again. -------- (Rosestar arrives at Thane and goes through the password process.) Rosestar: Edge, I want you to install the chip onto my mind. Edge: But Rosestar, then you'll be trapped in there too! Rosestar: Don't you see? Then I can tell everyone to destroy themselves w/in the dream and they'll all wake up. Edge: What if that doesn't work? You'd be stuck in there forever. Rosestar: That's a chance I'll have to take. (Edge attaches the chip to Rosestar's head). -------- Computer Voice: Component Rosestar joins the group. Computer error. Roster too full. Eminent crash in 2 microcycles. Mitzi: Impossible. I left 3 extra slots just in case this would happen. The cat takes up the first, the little red robot the next... Starscream: And *you* are using the third slot! Mitzi: No!!!! -------- (from comm) Skywarp: Rosestar, whatever you did worked! They're waking up! Rosestar: What? Did I do something? I didn't get anywhere. Edge: It doesn't matter; whatever that did, it fixed things. (into comm) Rosestar: Starscream! What happened? (from comm) Starscream: Mitzi trapped us, but you overloaded his computer's circuits when you entered. (into comm) Rosestar: But how could it just be Mitzi? No one ever let him wander around Charr, much less told him where your quarters are. How did he know? There must be a Decepticon collaborator. (from comm) Starscream: If there is one, he can't hide for long. (into comm) Rosestar: I'll be waiting for him to appear again and next time he won't be as lucky. -------- The End. (at least of *this* story...)