Chapter 11: Sunstreaker and Sideswipe part 2

(Sides)

“Wh – What?!” It was all I could get out, given the sheer absurdness of the statement.

“I stated my mission simply,” the Marut said, calmly. “I am here to deal with the one who calls himself Sunstreaker, of the faction 'Autobot,' currently residing on Earth Variant 42. He has cheated death too many times and now he must face the Inevitable.” The Marut boldly advanced towards us, and reached a hand out to Sunny.

Pit. No.

I lunged and stood in the way.

“You're not taking my brother!” I growled, readying my pile drivers and bracing. The Marut paused for a moment, then sighed.

“I had hoped that it would not come to violence. I must return to Mechanus after my current mission is over, and I wished to make it quick. I have been away too long already. Please, do not make this harder than is has to be.”

“I'll show you 'hard.'” I lunched at him, flew at him really, and hammered into him with both weapons at once. Now, normally that would have staggered even the toughest Decepticon, but this guy barely stepped back. He clenched both fists.

“I gave you due warning.” He slammed into me with (and even I'll admit this) a sweet left hook. It connected with the force of Devastator, and I felt electricity surge through my body. I tumbled with a yelp.

“Sides!” I heard Sunny cry, and I heard him fire off his gun. There was a grunt that signified impact, but somehow I figured that wouldn't be enough to take this guy out. I struggled to bring my scrambled sensors back to full functionality in time to save my brother.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

(Sunny)

For a moment I had been stunned. Cheated death? Me? That didn't make sense. But then he'd made a move towards me, and Sides had attacked him. I saw the punch, heard Sides cry out, and that snapped me back to my senses.

No One hurt My brother and got away with it.

Quickly I tried to unsubspace my gun, but to my surprise, nothing.

“I know of your weaponry and 'subspace pockets,'” the Marut said as he slowly straightened from striking Sides to turn to me, “so I have placed a Dimensional Anchor on this entire room. You can summon nothing that is not already here.”

Scowling, I attempted to use my 'big guns' (something I'd held off on mostly because I didn't want to accidentally hurt anyone else more squishy than I was), namely my shoulder-mounted missile launcher. But it wouldn't work either.

“What the frag?! What did you do to my weapons?”

“I have jammed them with an electric frequency, generated from within my helmet. It is standard practice for a Marut to learn of his enemy before engaging. Now, do not be difficult - “ That was as far as he got before I rushed him, slamming a rapid one-two-one right into his gut. Sides by now was up again, and came in from the side with a flying kick that sent the Marut skidding away.

“Now leave! Us! Alone!” he growled as we stood side by side in what could be truly out last stand. Amazingly, the Marut got up, shaking his head but otherwise unphased.

“I will give you credit for persistence, but what is Inevitable cannot be stopped, by you or anyone.” And the battle was joined.

Stripped of my explosive weapons, I was forced to go hand-to-hand with him. Not that I minded. In some circumstances there was a need to feel the pounding that was being dealt out, and this was one of those times. Not only had he threatened me personally with death, but he'd hurt Sides! I had to make him pay.

Back and forth we went, all three of us slamming into each other two-on-one style. I was amazed that he was even holding his feet with what we did to him. Not only did he stay standing against us, but he was delivering back to both of us hit-for-hit. No one I'd ever faced in battle had been able to stand up to the both of us at the same time like this before, no one! I lost count of all the times he decked me with his left electrifying fist, or his right, which caused a deafening clap of thunder each time it connected. Within moments it all sounded like one Primus-forsaken thunderstorm to end the world!

After a few moments, an eternity, I didn't know how long, it was all over. Sides and I lay sprawled against one wall, the Marut against the other. I knew I was hurt bad. My right optic was dead, just black, and I knew my legs were busted up bad. I wasn't even sure I could stand up if my life depended on it. Looking over at Sides – thank Primus he was to my left – I saw he was as bad off as I was. Energon oozed from his head, and his right arm... Primus! His right arm was broken, literally! Any more broken and it would have fallen off! He looked banged up from head to toe, and for one panicked moment I thought he was dead. But then he stirred.

“Did we... ngh... get 'em?” he asked quietly, wincing with each word. I looked over at out opponent. All of his golden armor was cracked, and he was sparking from several places on his ebony body. I honestly couldn't tell if he was alive or dead.

“Don't know, Sides,” I groaned. Much to my amazement, the Marut stirred.

“Primus!” Sides gasped, trying to stand for a moment before falling back. I felt him start to tremble - maybe it was me, I don't know – as right before our eyes the Inevitable... stood... back... up!

“I'll admit...” he said haltingly, “your conviction... to defeat me was... valiant. Never before... has anyone come so close.... to besting me. However... your attempt was in vain.” He slowly walked towards us, each step making the floor shake and the both of us feel more and more fearful. “Neither of you can stand, and I am healing faster.” Indeed, the smaller wounds covering his body were already gone. He healed faster than I did! Near panicking, I mentally tried to speed up my own self-repair systems, but he was on us.

Reaching down, he rather gently pulled me up onto my knees.

“It's time, Sunstreaker. Say your farewells, and come with me.”

“Wait!”

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

(Sides)

Wait.

It was all I could think so say. My mind was shorting out. It wasn't supposed to end like this! a part of me screamed. We were supposed to go out in a blaze of glory, fighting Decepticons! Not like this, not like this....

“Yes, Sideswipe?” the Marut said. His voice seemed more gentle than it had earlier, I noticed. Almost like he felt sorry for us.

“I... Take me too.” I saw him pull back in surprise.

“What?”

“If you're gonna take Sunny away, then at least don't separate us, please! We're twins. We're supposed to do everything together... even die.” I looked boldly at his face, at those glowing eyes within the helmet set in a face I couldn't see. “Let us die together, as we were sparked together.”

“Please.” Sunny added his plea to mine. “We almost lost each other once, and vowed the next time I walked that road it would be with Sides beside me.”

For a long moment, he stood there, holding Sunny up, looking between the both of us. Then, he nodded once, up then down.

“Very well. My mission does not prohibit taking both of you.” I felt myself sag in relief, then shudder against the sudden ache at knowing what was to come. We were about to die.

“Well,” I said to Sunny as he pulled me up too, with his other hand, “I guess this is it.”

“Yeah,” he replied. “Too bad we couldn't get one more crack at Megatron -”

“Or annoy Prowl again -”

“Or make Ratchet swear to turn us into toaster ovens again.” I gave a wane smile. I was sure gonna miss all the 'Bots, but I knew I'd miss Sunny more.

Bye, guys, I thought, as the three of us vanished.