-Considering the dead af state of Transformers it really makes me glad to see this Shockwave fic~ Plus for those peeps who haven't seen RWBY at all, it's real easy for them to follow and understand what's going on. You don't really have to stop and google before continuing the story, well except if you want to get a better look and see what the canon characters look like!
Synopsis: Shockwave pursued the Autobots into the collapsing space bridge, but ended up blinded. His fate should have been clear. What he found to be completely illogical was how he ended up on another world teeming with organic life, him being one of them; despite the irrationality of his situation, he adapted, joining the ranks of Beacon as a teacher of science. Primus, give him strength!Rated: M
Words: 116K
Posted on: fanfiction.net/s/12392921/1/Professor-Shockwave (KtyouVsWriting)
PS: If you're not able to copy/paste the link, you have everything in here to find it, by simply searching the author and the story title. It sucks that you can't copy links on mobile (´ー｀)
-I'll be putting the chapter ones of all the fanfics mentioned, to give you guys a sample if you wan't more please do go to the website and support the author! (And maybe even convince them to start uploading chapters in here as well!)
Chapter 1-3 (exceptional)
Shattered Moons are Illogical
Cybertron
A wise bot once said that one can never truly elevate themselves until he had control of his emotions.
Shockwave believed this, though he took that to quite the extreme by emptying himself of emotion as best as he could. He could perform his work for the Decepticons with the maximum efficiency possible for him. Never did ever want to be hampered by the shortcomings that the likes of Starscream possessed.
However, the scientist did have to admit that the second in-command of the Decepticons had his good points in spite of his apparent cowardice and emotional instability.
But regardless of his good or bad points, the seeker would have to account for his failure once Shockwave disposed of the Autobots that had dared to sabotage the only work space bridge on Cybertron in eons. Did they not see that to destroy this technology would be most illogical?
No matter. He would destroy them, and use their remains as spare parts.
He fired his Hyperflux cannon at the pair of fleeing Autobots. They would not get away so easily and he would make sure that they were put down so that they could never again cause any more trouble for the Decepticon forces.
It was only logical.
He fired again, and their attention was focused on him as they fired their weapons in the hope of downing him. If he cared to respond emotionally, he might laugh at their fruitless efforts. Their blasters wouldn't penetrate his armor.
Shockwave unleashed another blast, this time downing both of them. The one called Arcee rose again to meet him. Her choice was illogical for her, but logical for him. One good shot and she would be destroyed for good.
Taking perfect aim, he fired again.
Only to see her narrowly dodge his shot and respond with her own. Before he could evade himself, he found himself struck right in the single optic he had.
He growled in pain, but also in anger. How could he have not predicted that? It was only a matter of time before the Autobots would exploit his weaknesses. Ignoring his hampered sight, he continued to fire at the fleeing pair, even knowing that he could not guarantee his shots would actually hit them.
Now they had added Tox-En to his wounds, something he wasn't going to take lightly.
Judging from the sounds, they were long gone, and by that conclusion, it was time for him to retreat.
His wound catching up to him, he began to collapse in more pain. There might be a slight chance that he would not survive.
It was regrettable.
The space bridge portal began to feel unstable. Even without sight, Shockwave knew the bridge was on the verge of collapse. If he didn't end up on the planet where the Autobots were going, he would return to Cybertron, back to Kaon most likely.
Either outcome had its ups and downs.
Shockwave suddenly lost his footing and he found himself tumbling through a seemingly never-ending spiral. The space bridge must be more unstable than he had originally thought. He would have to work on fixing these problems.
That is, if he lived long enough to rectify the errors in the technology.
His consciousness faded.
This was illogical.
(X)(X)(X)(X)
Shockwave awoke.
Consciousness, however, did not treat him well from the get-go. Rising from his place on the ground, he took the time to observe his surroundings.
All around him, his scanners picked up massive amounts of… organic life. All of the life forms that surrounded him were not Cybertronian in nature at all. They were all different, composed entirely of a different basis. He could detect no form of cyber nucleic acid from any of the creatures.
These were all carbon-based life forms, not metal-based. It was strange to see these sort of life forms after having only seen them a few times in his entire life, and that was millions of years ago.
Standing to his full height, he realized immediately that something was wrong. He felt unusually shorter, as if he had lost height. In fact, his entire body felt entirely wrong, like he was in the wrong body.
He needed to assess himself immediately. Perhaps there was place where he could see his reflection. From there, a proper course of action would be determined and acted upon.
Shockwave took off in a run, once again noticing something out of the ordinary. Cybertronians were more than capable of feeling and processing things against their own metal skins. This feeling, however, was different from what he was use to.
He didn't have to wait long to find a source of reflection. He emerged from the forest to see a small pool of liquid. In his previous experiences, he had learned that this liquid was known as water, a sort of pool that could breed life.
From the reflection, he could see nothing but forest for as far as the optic could see. Staring down at his reflection, Shockwave wished that he hadn't.
His entire body was no longer robotic, but organic, save for a metallic left arm. His armor was gone, replaced only by simple attire to cover himself, mostly purple with some shades of black. He had one optic on the left side of his face, but the right side featured a single organic eye, red as his optic. There were two appendages sticking out from the sides of his head, presumably some sort of hearing mechanism for him see as they appeared mechanical as well and in the shape of his former head gear. His head was now covered in a strange fiber-like substance, and seemed to serve no purpose. This, like his outer appearance, was also purple.
Shockwave made sure that this figure before him was indeed himself by testing his reflexes, moving his arms, legs, body, and head. He even moved to touch the fibers on his head. It was him in the… he didn't really know what to call his new form.
It was some kind of skin.
Now that he had confirmed that he was indeed this… life form, he needed to find the nearest form of civilization.
Maybe once he discovered where he was, he could figure out further what to do. If he was permanently within this form, then he would have to adapt to a new life. If he could revert back to his original, he would do so as soon as possible.
"There must be someone on this planet that can assist me." Shockwave registered the voice as his own, though it wasn't robotic-sounding. "I must find someone to help me."
His mind made up, he began the long trek forward, taking note that he would have to find proper forms of nourishment to sustain himself. As of right now, he felt at his best, but a self-scan showed that he would require liquids and a form of sustenance to maintain his energy levels. That would require some research first.
Something he would not be doing until he first made sure he was in no more immediate danger.
As he ventured deeper into the forest, he began to see what else his new form provided him with. It would seem that he had not been fully transformed into an organic life form. He still had access to a communications device, though it had to be internal seeing as he saw nothing on his outer body that resembled such a device.
He could also use his previous scanner technology to assess any object he chose, something he intended to make full use of.
While initially dismayed at the seeming loss of his Hyperflux cannon, he discovered quickly that like other Cybertronians, his robotic arm housed his weapon. He had tested it out on a single tree to see its lethality, and was more than pleased that it still retained its power. His ammunition belt was gone, and he wondered what it was that powered the cannon now.
It certainly wasn't energon, because he could detect no readings of the live-giving substance. It had to be an external power source.
No, he dismissed that logic. If it were external, he would know.
So perhaps there was something inside of him powering it?
If so, what form of power could a mere organic provide to power his Hyperflux cannon?
He added this on his list of things to research.
The sky had begun to darken, and the sight set him on edge. It was said that when things were beginning to look grim, it was best to to air on the side of caution. He recalled his previous combat experience to remind himself of what to do.
Shockwave felt something else around him. It was… something heavy, something alien to him.
If this was the reason the atmosphere around him had changed, he intended to find out what it was. It would certainly make for an interesting discovery.
His footsteps moving slowly so as to minimize the noise he was making, he began to climb a mountain. Although he was no acrobat and certainly not the adventurous type, he was more than capable physically. The fact that he now possessed two hands simply hastened his climb up.
While climbing up another sub-cliff section, he was instantly alerted to the sound of a screech, not unlike the Predacons that he had cloned in his time during the Great War. That told him that he needed to be cautious. Any creature that could make such noise should be treated as a potential threat. Few creatures screamed with such a radius.
Shockwave gripped another stable point with his metallic hand, noting the sound that the metal made when scratching the rock. It was easy to grip the cliff with his metal hand. His organic hand found it more difficult. The soft skin was very sensitive to the jagged edges of the rock, though not enough to pierce the skin.
He made it to the top of the cliff in seven cycles. What greeted him was something that didn't make sense to him.
All around him were strange creatures not unlike Predacons and Insecticons. They possessed arms, legs, heads, and tails. Some stood on two legs and possessed two arms. Others were four-legged. They came in various sizes.
The only real features that they shared were colors: white and black with red eyes that glowed. It made them stand apart from the otherwise stark environment.
What were these life forms?
Shockwave brandished his Hyperflux Cannon and carefully advanced forward. Although he had no facts or evidence to know how to proceed logically, something in him was telling him to move with caution. Whatever these life forms were, they were out of place.
As if sensing his presence, many of them turned to look at him. He stared back, with not a trace of fear. If any other Decepticon were in his position, he had no doubt that they would be reeling back in anxiety or fear.
He was not any other Decepticon.
The black monstrosities, when they first laid eyes on him, regarded him like a stranger, but no hostile moves were made. It was a game to see who possessed a greater stare. If intimidation was the game that the black and white creatures were playing at, Shockwave wouldn't be affected.
By his own calculations, a cycle had passed, and still nothing had happened. Deciding that nothing would be accomplished by him standing there, Shockwave took a risk, one that could be measured as logical and illogical.
The response was immediate as red eyes watched him carefully. Step after step, he approached the cl.u.s.tered group.
It wasn't until he had taken ten eleven steps that a roar sounded again, this time sounding like an aggressive one.
One with four legs charged at him, intent on ending his life. Shockwave anticipated the charge and simply shifted his body to move out of the way before firing his weapon, burning a hole through the creature.
He only had a moment to stare at it as it fell to the ground, and then quickly disintegrated into a black mist.
It was illogical. No living thing would deteriorate that fast. Even organic matter didn't just disappear like that.
These things were not organic.
Shockwave quickly had to do away with his scientific questions as he prepared himself for battle. Although not at the level of Megatron in terms of combat prowess, he was still a formidable opponent in battle, and most of the time, if needed, he could overpower autobots with relative ease. After all, a war that lasted for centuries taught him more than a few tricks.
His battle instincts taking over again, he quickly dropped to the ground, allowing another to soar over him, and he moved his arm, took quick aim, and destroyed the black critter.
A third came at him. This time, wanting to test his strength, he used his metal arm to intercept a paw intended for his head. He only took a moment to process that his strength was superior to this specimen.
He grabbed the enemy and quickly slammed them into the ground before stomping on its head, shattering it.
The fourth, this one a creature with a far bulkier build and far larger than Shockwave himself, lumbered towards Shockwave, roaring a challenge. The former mech only remained where he was, content to let this one make the first move.
The creature swiped, and Shockwave got out of the way, and fired back. The shot took a chunk off of its side, but this only seemed to spur it on. It lunged forward, trying to take a bite out of him with its jaw.
A most illogical move.
Shockwave rolled away again, and fired his Hyperflux cannon, this time, his target on its back, where a collection of jagged spikes protruding from its back rested. The result was a shattered back defense and a more enraged monster.
He was wasting energy firing like this. A good shot to the head would destroy it for good, he surmised.
The behemoth tried for a final time to kill him; Shockwave smoothly allowed the appendage that tried to squash him to squash the ground that he once occupied, and then he blasted its head off.
The body was almost gone by the time it collapsed.
Shockwave stared at the ashes that remain on the ground, contemplating his brief but informative battle.
These things were mindless, processing only the most rudimentary of intelligence, enough to move, to fight back, and to act as a wild animal. Essentially, it was like the Combaticons combined as Bruticus: a single directive to destroy the enemy.
But who was the enemy here? Or was he not really the enemy in the eyes of these black beasts?
There were no other creatures here, but there were scattered collection of buildings, all of them abandoned and partially destroyed to some degree. Since no one likely claimed ownership of anything in this place, it would be a good idea to salvage any equipment that could help him.
Shockwave took his time, carefully surveying each building and scrounging around for anything that had potential use.
His first stop was a shop with a strange language. He couldn't make heads or tailpipes with it, but he would remember it. He would probably have to once he reached some civilization. More importantly, it was confirmed that there was civilization to be found.
The first thing that he saw that would prove useful was a worn buy fully functional backpack, black, with some more letters of the alien language attached to it.
Shockwave grabbed it and swung it over his shoulders, securing it snuggly in place and then continuing on. The next useful item was a small lighter with a decent amount of fuel left in the compartment. A third item that he found under a table was a combat blade, no longer than his own hand, but a test quickly proved that it was durable and lethal.
Once he had picked the location clean, he made his way out, but before he could, something caught his eye and optic.
It was an image, but not like ones that were on holograms, but one rendered on a physical surface. A closer look had him staring on in question. There were three figures there. One had a distinctly bulky features, one had a more curvaceous figure, and the third was a smaller version of the first one.
It didn't take long for Shockwave to piece together what he was looking at: a sire, a carrier, and their offspring.
It was then that his comms were picking up static, normally not a thing to be focused on, but static indicated that he was beginning to intercept channels.
He tapped a hand to the side of his head. "Is anyone reading my on this frequency? Respond immediately."
"I read you. Who is this?" A distinctly femme voice, authoritative as well. "How did you get this frequency?"
A better question was how was he able to understand this language and speak it? He knew that it certainly wasn't Cybertronian.
He recovered quickly.
"Is this frequency restricted?" Shockwave treaded very carefully, going with a truthful answer. "I found it by accident."
"Yes, and quite frankly, I should have you arrested." Whoever she was, she was displeased. "But right now, I've got more pressing concerns. I've been requesting help, but no one's answering."
"What do you need help with?" Shockwave ventured, knowing that he potentially could have something to gain. "I may be nearby."
"You are nearby." The voice deadpanned. "I downgraded this frequency to short-range, no more than five-kilometers in all directions. If you can hear this, than you can help."
Now he was being volunteered. Shockwave disliked being commanded by anyone other than Megatron, but this situation was unique. He needed to adapt to survive, and that meant playing by someone else's rules.
"Understood." He said. "I will need a way to locate you."
"Look for a flare." The person on the other end replied. "Firing now."
Shockwave heard the sound of a dull explosion, so he moved outside to locate what he had heard; he looked into the sky, and saw a bright yellow glow in the sky. He tracked the trail of smoke left behind to triangulate its point of origin.
"I am moving." He reported. "I will be there shortly."
"Make it fast." The voice snapped. "Incoming Grimm. Suppressive fire!"
Grimm? What was that term? Who were they fighting?
Shockwave made his own final preparations before taking off as fast as he could. He felt himself running, and it didn't feel any different than in his Cybertronian body. This body, however, tired more quickly.
A flaw in organic bodies as he drew more breaths, a necessity to be certain. To require a specific atmosphere in order to survive made things… limited.
The sounds of gunfire unique to his audio receptors, for lack of a better term, were getting closer, and there were lot of them.
Were the enemies that numerous, or were they expended ammo trying to fight a few foes? Or maybe they were simply wasting ammunition?
If these people were a military of some sort, than they would be easy to deal with. Shockwave was a high-ranking officer in the Decepticon army, and a valued asset right alongside Soundwave and Starscream.
A bright flash caught his attention, and he carefully weaved through the thick of plant growth.
From his viewpoint, he watched as a multitude of figures cut down those black beasts. One was femme, dressed in attire of all white, as was her hair. The two blades she carried were thin, but still deadly enough to kill.
Flanking her were several figures. At first, they appeared too robotic in nature to be anything living, and upon closer inspection, Shockwave could see that these were indeed some form of mechs, though as to how intelligent or advanced they were he wouldn't be able to tell from watching.
Deciding to take matters into his own hands, he fired, taking down one of the smaller ones, and he continued to rain shots down upon the mutual enemy.
It wasn't until they were cleared out that he even gave his new query a glance.
"You must be our help." The femme held her blade, but not in a hostile manner. "I expected someone… much older."
Why would that matter to this femme?
"That is inconsequential." Shockwave reverted his weapon back into a hand. "What's the current situation?"
"Firstly," she crossed her arms, clearly trying to assess him, "I need to know how you can help us."
She acted like that he was incapable of doing things, and even with the vast control of his emotions, it irked him when he was treated like this. Starscream had done this on more than one occasion.
He wanted to be agitated, but seeing as he didn't know this being, and knowing that he was in a delicate place, he ignored his pride.
"I am a scientist," Shockwave cooly responded, "If that means anything to you."
"What is your field?" She questioned, this time intrigued.
"Biotechnology and engineering." Shockwave decided to narrow to his most-used fields, although he knew a great deal more. "Which is more useful to you?"
"The latter." The femme replied immediately. "We took a hit while fighting off a Nevermore. Our ship has sustained damage. We were attempting to radio for help. We got you."
She motioned for him to follow, and he followed her, easily keeping pace with her, her robotic guards following her, no doubt watching him for any sign of him being a danger.
Her entire posture, the way she moved, it was definitely military-like, and she seemed to be reluctant to be sharing information. Classified information was knowledge that the Decepticon scientist was privy to. Now to have that taken away from him, it certainly changed his perspective.
When he first laid eyes on the ship, he could see the problem immediately. For starters, some large object was embedded into its side. For another, smoke was pouring out of the engines on the sides. The overall design suggested a craft clearly of military design. It was shaped in a way that no civilian craft would be made. Even if it wasn't a Cybertronian craft, he could see what this craft was meant for.
Shockwave's initial calculations put this vessel as 39% compromised, which mean significant damage, but not enough to permanently ground the ship.
"I will need to inspect the inner damage to assess the full status of the craft," Shockwave conveyed, "But you will not require reinforcements."
"Understood. I will let the crew know and allow you access."
Without her guidance, Shockwave moved forward. He was greeted by another soldier, this one armed with a rifle, and some armor. He seemed a bit intimidated by his presence, and that was not a new thing.
"Show me to the main engine compartment." Shockwave requested.
"This way." The male soldier led the way.
When they arrived at the engine room, Shockwave found it to be in disarray. Parts were scattered, both old and new. It looks like someone here had tried to begin fixing it, but then didn't finish.
"As far as I can tell," the soldier said, "The dust tanks leaked just enough dust to superheat the engine, causing the thing to shut down for cool-off."
"Leading the ship to falling." Shockwave concluded. "And the hull integrity?"
"Fine for the most part." The man commented. "But I'm more worried about the wiring and the other internal components."
"Understandable." Shockwave did a moment of thinking. "What were you hoping to accomplish?"
"I was checking for obvious damage, but that's about all I can do." A sigh came from the soldier. "I don't have the tools or the expertise to diagnose thoroughly."
"I will see what I can do." Shockwave picked up a part. "What is your name so that I can call you for help if need be?"
"The name's Hunter. I'll let you get back to work, mister…"
Hunter was asking for his name, and Shockwave wasn't sure what to tell him. He couldn't say his Cybertronian name without making himself look suspicious. He needed to get out of this question.
"I need to accomplish this task." The former mech explained. "Perhaps after I can converse."
"Alright." The organic shrugged his shoulders. "I'll be around."
Left in relative silence and solitude, Shockwave could now begin his work in earnest. The first thing he did, once alone, was access the ship's systems. He needed a better grasp on the language, and this ship was the best bet for obtaining a means to translate the lettering into something he could read.
However unlikely, it would seem that he still possessed a few functions of a Cybertronian, as he was able to immediately read and understand the system, and found it unsurprisingly easy to access. It was even more fortuitous that the ship possessed more than enough data for him to read the language.
Now equipped to read, he began to work on the ship systems. As Hunter had explained, the substance called dust had leaked out, and due to the nature of the dust used, a fire-based dust, some of the components suffered heat damage, and in an attempt to cool itself down, the engine system immediately shut down, thus forcing the landing. Judging by the fact that the ship wasn't buried in the ground, there was enough control to glide down safely, or some form of emergency landing was used.
Shockwave first priority was to find the leak, which was difficult considering that he was working with some simplistic tools, not at all suited for intensive repairs. He was having to resort to his own hands more and more to simply get into the innards after having thoroughly analyzing the assembly.
The leak, when he did find it, wasn't as severe as it was made to sound, but if this was enough to shut off the engines, then he needed to fix it. He needed some form of metal to patch up the breaches, or some sealant.
If he had access to his tools, he could easily make the repairs. That thought lasted moments as he went back to work. Thinking up "what if" scenarios and wishing for things to be convenient was illogical.
The present was all that mattered right now.
Deciding that it wouldn't harm the ship, Shockwave stripped away some non-critical metal plating with his strength and began to make incisions, cutting precisely-shaped pieces in order to cover the leaks and then used the torch to weld the metal, but careful not to disturb the dust contents within.
The patchwork for the tanks took approximately thirty cycles, a fast time given his lack of equipment.
The presence of one familiar... female didn't stop him from working, but he still tilted his head slightly in her direction and nodded.
"I see you're making progress." She said, her tone controlled, but still curious. "You seem to know exactly what you are doing."
"My entire life has revolved around this sort of work." Shockwave wasn't one for idle chatter, yet he could do so if he chose to. "It is second nature to me."
"I see." A slightly softer tone had entered her voice.
It would seem that she was more grateful than she cared to let on, something that he took note of.
"I may need another 60… " Shockwave stopped himself from saying the wrong unit of measurement. "Minutes."
"The damage is that extensive?" She asked.
"The damage is not as severe as it might seem," Shockwave began, "But in order to guarantee that the ship does not sustain further damage from simply doing it's intended purpose, I must be sure."
"Understood." She turned to leave. "By the way, I don't believe we've properly introduced each other."
For the first time in their brief conversation, Shockwave turned to face her. What took him slightly by surprise was when she reached out with a familiar gesture that all Cybertronians knew all too well.
A servo shake, or rather a handshake for these, what was the species name again, Humans, was it?
"My name is Winter Schnee." The woman appeared to have become less stiff, but she was still professional. "And you are?"
Shockwave only had moments to think of a name, and with only access to this ship's data, he was limited. So with that, he began to run a scenario through his systems to come up with a name.
So he quickly put together a name.
"I am Shael Watson." Shockwave spoke robotically, and took her hand.
"A pleasure." Winter responded, though she seemed… intrigued.
Shockwave also noted the way the shaking of hands was exactly like that on Cybertron. This might just be a coincidence, yet it didn't seem so.
No matter, it was a trivial observation.
"I should let you work." Winter turned and left without another word.
Shockwave returned to his current task; with the tank leaks sealed, there was less risk of components being damaged. These circuit boards had been tested, but they looked to be functional.
That was fortunate.
The only other real problem was now to wait for the engines to cool down. Of course, that would take time, considering all engine systems were shut down until temperatures lowered to more acceptable levels.
"It would appear I can only reassemble the engine and wait." Shockwave mumbled to himself. "Perhaps a software analysis and communications diagnostics would be a productive use of my time."
The reassembly of the engine took an additional 20 cycles, and he was checked on during that time. He informed Hunter of the situation and was given permission to access the ship systems for further recalibration.
At the front of the craft, Shockwave pulled up holographic screens and began to work his programming know-hows.
He had been so consumed in his work that he hadn't noticed that nightfall had begun to descend upon this world.
It was the first time that he gazed upon the sky, and it was for the first time that he noticed something truly new to him.
The moon that gave some light to the night was shattered.
Shattered moons are illogical, Shockwave thought.
This story was more for my own amus.e.m.e.nt more than anything else. Shockwave has always been one of my favorite Transformers character, though mostly because of the potential in his character. Despite being seemingly only logical, the mad scientist actually has the capacity for more than just rationality.
I intend for this story to be a sort of humorous one that puts Shockwave into conflict with things that are illogical to him and seeing how he copes with them. I'm not particularly good with being funny, at least not intentionally, but I will do my best to make situations at least something entertaining.
I'm not looking for a large following for this story, but feedback would be appreciated, especially with regards to Shockwave's characterization.
I hope you guys enjoyed reading, and remember:
"Everything is funny, as long as it's happening to someone else."
Will Rogers
I take my leave.
Chapter 2
Escaping Winter Schnee is Logical
Somewhere unknown to Shockwave…
As night took full effect, the sound of a screen beeping all around filled the otherwise serene atmosphere.
Shockwave, while trying to break through radio interference, kept monitoring the engine status. He would say that some twenty minutes of time was needed before the engines were ready for use, and that was if the cooling process was miraculously sped up, though the scientist could find no logical factor that would do that.
Despite being able to work on communications, he knew that Soundwave was a far more adept in this field than he was. His position as the spy and communications chief of the Decepticon forces was a position well-earned and vital to the cause. Without him, the Decepticons might've fallen apart centuries ago.
He could sure use that expertise, and he could sure stop thinking about what he wanted to have, but did not possess at this time.
The reality was that he was here, stranded, partially converted into a new life form, though how much he knew not, and with no idea where he really was. To simplify, a really unfavorable predicament.
Nevertheless, as he tried to work on communications and the ship, Shockwave devoted some of his energy into his own personal body too. Even in his limited physical form, his mental processes seemed unchanged more or less. He appreciated this immensely; if he was unable to multitask or interpret knowledge at a brisk pace, then his work progress would be cut by Primus knew how many cycles, and lost efficiency on his part, was simply something he could not accept.
The purple-clad Decepticon stared at the screen in front of him, watching it carefully for any signs of strange readings or activity. So far, he couldn't see any problems in the communications hardware itself, which meant that either the software in the ship was malfunctioning or some other source was actively interfering with signals.
The latter was slowly becoming the more plausible in the former bot's opinion. Despite the primitive nature of the software, it was operating at it's peak point, with no lag, bugs, or other problems that he could detect.
He had surfed through the channels and hailed each one to see if there was someone, anyone listening.
Nobody answered, either unable to answer or not hearing him at all.
"Scrap." Shockwave cursed under his breath. "This is a wasteful endeavor."
"Nothing at all?" Winter Schnee stood over his shoulder. She had just walked into the c.o.c.kpit.
"No one is responding." Shockwave reported to her. "The engines will require another seventeen minutes before flight is possible."
"And with the Grimm closing in, that could be trouble." The woman rubbed her temples. "How well can you fight?"
"Well enough to take down the beasts." Shockwave stated. "Though I am a scientist firstly, I am more than capable in combat."
"If you've been out here alone, then I suppose I can take your words seriously." Winter glanced out the window, at the moon. "I believe that with the Grimm soon to be gathering in numbers, we'll need your help."
"Acknowledged." Shockwave affirmed, pushing himself from the seat. "Where do you require me?"
"Here, guarding the ship." Winter informed him. "Should any Grimm break through our lines, you are our last line of defense."
The sound of a collective roar caught both their attention. The battle was about to begin, whether they were ready or not.
"Is that not too much trust to place in a mere stranger?" Shockwave couldn't help but voice his question. "Would it not be logical to be here yourself?"
"Now that I've seen your work, your value to the mission has just increased." Winter now said her piece. "We've no reinforcements and it's too far to the nearest village by foot. If we lose you… the mission could be lost too… as well as us."
Shockwave couldn't possibly miss how much this woman spoke of how important he was, especially when some hours ago, she had spoken to him like a potential hostile. Either she was hiding her disliking of him or her desperation had reached a zenith. A third, albeit less likely possibility was that she had gotten past her initial reaction and had formed a different opinion about him.
She was calm and reserved, sure, but she wasn't emotionless, and thus, Shockwave concluded that she was merely putting on a display in order to survive, a choice that was both logical and illogical.
That was quite a switch from the usual choices that were either logical or illogical.
The former Cybertronian merely nodded his head, not intending to pry further, only accepting what she chose to give him. His compliance had earned him a place of influence, something he intended to use to its fullest.
"I… understand." A moment of hesitation followed as Shockwave came up with a response.
"If we survive this and return to Atlas, then we'll talk later." Winter offered to him with a gesture of her hand. "My superior, General Ironwood will want to speak with you."
A superior officer for him to talk to. That made the gears in Shockwave's mind turn a bit. Meeting someone like a leader within the military was not only an opportune time, but also a dangerous one.
If said leader was anything like Megatron, then getting on his or her good side would be anything but easy. That might be enough to dissuade any normal bot.
Shockwave didn't deal in easy things, and he most certainly wasn't to be called a part of the norm.
Left alone once again, Shockwave decided to check the engine status once more to see how much more time was needed. He had done so already six times since his last update with Winter. His ability to read these systems quickly and adapt to the primitive technology left him with quite some time on his servos.
Sixteen more minutes were needed. Shockwave wasn't concerned about his odds against the Grimm, but the way Winter spoke of them had him wondering. Were the Grimm truly that much of a threat?
Just how widespread were the Grimm? Where did they come from? What other types existed? How did they come to be? How long did they exist? What was their purpose, and most important to Shockwave, who controlled them?
Those were all questions that would no doubt be answered all in good time, if he survived this little… detour.
Shockwave could hear the sounds of weapons discharging their dust rounds. Such a primitive form of firearm, using actual physical projectiles. Those sort of weapons had never really been deployed in mass numbers, as they were seen as nothing more than the weapon of a brute, with the exception of classified railgun plans, which never came to fruition.
Maybe that could be his next project, if he could gain access to resources.
The scientist decided to exit the ship and take a look around to make sure that there was nothing threatening the ship. He took one lap around the ship, finding no threats to put down. So he took his second lap, which took half a cycle once again. He soon fell into a rhythm of patrolling the ship, his guard up for the entire time. The only difference as he made each successive lap was the sounds of battle coming closer to him.
Shockwave saw a large rock come from the forest, and he shot it into fragments, the pieces falling at his feet. He didn't even look at his own handiwork as he readied his cannon to fire, but toning down its power so that only intended targets would actually be the victims of its power.
Watching Winter fight was something that had him in wonder. She fought with a thin blade, yet it was more than a simple blade. It projected dust energy, but not fire. It was ice, and in quite an effective way, freezing targets in place, making them easy targets for the drones.
However, interesting as that was, what his focus held onto most was the power that she displayed. It was a symbol of sorts, though he had no idea what it meant. What it did was provide her with a wide range of powers. It looked like she was summoning version of other creatures to fight the Grimm. Small birds, animals that he had never seen before, and one image of a Grimm itself, all of them white.
It was… impossible. What sort of power could do that? Certainly nothing in this world or Cybertron granted that sort of power.
Those thoughts lasted seconds and then he returned to his fighting mind, blasting any and all enemies that came too close to the ship.
He checked the status of the engines. Six more minutes remained.
He fired several shots in succession, each of them burning holes through the Grimm. Even before this, he had realized just how many surrounded them all. There had to be dozens, and quite possibly hundreds.
The engines wouldn't cool fast enough for them to escape.
Shockwave needed to force the engines to cool down, but he didn't have anything which to cool it down with.
Then he spotted Winter again, and as she unleashed another gush of ice dust, something came to mind.
"Miss Schnee." Shockwave called out to her. "I require your help with the ship."
She only hesitated a moment, looking between him and the Grimm horde. She then called upon multiple summoned creatures, then dashed over to him.
"Specialist Schnee would be better." She spoke to him. "But what do you need?"
"If we wait for the engines to cool down, we will not survive." Shockwave explained. "But I believe that if we apply ice dust carefully-"
"The engines will cool." Winter nodded her head in understanding. "What do I need to do?"
"Disperse the ice dust evenly throughout the ship systems." Shockwave made sure to make his words simple to understand. "Enough that the temperature is affected, but not the systems."
"Does that not risk the systems being non-operational?" Winter did bring up a good point. "A sudden drop in temperature could have the systems being physically damaged."
"Not if the systems are cooled a pace that can keep them intact while accelerating the cooling process." Shockwave attempted to explain further. "Even small changes in temperature can help us. Metal conducts heat quite well."
She seemed to accept this logic and nodded her head. "Very well. I will do my best, but because I'm not fighting outside, you will need to take my place."
"The system should notify you when the temperature is at an acceptable range." Shockwave informed her. "I will hold them off."
With a sense of urgency, but not panic, Shockwave returned to the outside world to see that Grimm numbers were swelling. It looked like for every fallen beast two more took its place. Most of the simple mechs remained standing as well as the Hunter human, but numbers were pushing them all back.
It was time to add his own metal to the mix.
Shockwave fired in rapid succession, each shot never missing. He chose his targets based on their danger levels. Those who appeared to be flanking either the ship, himself, or his allies, all of them were killed quickly. Most of these creatures seemed to know only to launch themselves into battle with reckless abandon, which made countering them all the more easier.
The scientist grabbed one by the throat and crushed it, then threw it at another before firing his cannon, burning a hole through both. His next move was to use the weight of his cannon to knock another to the side, then bringing the barrel down hard.
Shockwave wasn't using his most sophisticated battle moves, not that it was necessary given the sort of enemy that he was facing. He had faced down Autobot foot soldiers that employed far more superior battle tactics.
A moment passed, and Shockwave was able to get a reading on the battlefield. No, it wasn't looking good for any of them. Even if the possessed the more skill on their side, it ultimately would be for naught as number would eventually sap them of the energy to fight.
Perhaps now would be a good time to pray to Primus for salvation.
Not that the Cybertronian God would be able to help him.
"Winter." Shockwave keyed into his com channel. "What is the status of the engines?"
"The temperatures are in acceptable range." Winter's voice was mixed with static. "Powering up main turbines."
The sound of engines powering up was quite satisfactory to Shockwave's audio receptors. In truth, he had made a gamble when using Winter and her ability to control dust. He didn't have an in-depth knowledge of these systems, and he didn't really know the full properties of dust itself. It was risky, but one didn't achieve much when one wasn't willing to take risks, even risks that could result in the loss of life.
"Hunter." He called out to the man. "Retreat to the ship. We are preparing to take off."
"Got it!" The man shot his rifle a few more times before slowly making his way back, the drones following his lead. "And stay down!"
Shockwave heard something different, something that sounded akin to a loud screech, like something that a creature that flew. It didn't concern him more because he couldn't see anything. The threat, whatever it was, hadn't presented itself.
Shockwave continued to cover his fellow organic and his robotic guards as they fired away. The roar of the engines grew louder with each passing moment.
"Everyone aboard." Shockwave reported.
"Acknowledged." Winter took control of the ship. "Make sure no stragglers are latching onto us."
Shockwave stood at the lowered ramp, even as it began to closer. Grimm tried to get through, but with such a narrow pathway, destroying them was a simple task. The black dust blew away as the aircraft lifted off the ground
The moment the ramp fully closed, the purple-haired man took a moment to revel in the quiet moment. Solitude was, more often than not, one of his best friends if not his very best, even the the smallest slivers of it. The moment had him leaning his back against a nearby wall. He felt strangely exhausted, sapped of energy.
Had all of this taken so much out of him? Surely, even with his limitation, he would not be this hampered.
With so many questions and wonders about this new world he had found himself on, his list of things he needed to do was growing longer by the second.
His optic and organic eye gazed at his prosthetic hand. This part of him was the only physical reminder that he could see without a mirror that told himself not to forget that he had once been a different sort of lifeform.
He felt strangely nostalgic, something that unsettled him to a degree. He thought himself in greater control of his emotions than this. He had repeated to himself so many times how dwelling on the past was dangerous, leaving one blind to present and future going-ons.
It was time to put an end to this… unnecessary perpetual nonsense thinking.
"Are you… alright?" Hunter's voice came to Shockwave's attention, though it was not surprising. "You looked really intense there for a second."
"Apologies." Shockwave stood straight, removing any trace of his previous mood from every part of himself. "I was merely contemplating some things."
"I… understand." Hunter intoned, and looked at the ground. "Your aim is impeccable. I haven't seen someone that accurate in years."
"It comes with practice." Shockwave didn't feel the need to explain further. "You combative skills are… effective enough."
"I appreciate the praise, but I'm no huntsman." Hunter scoffed lightly. "They're the real warriors on Remnant."
"Right." Shockwave simply agreed, though he had no idea what he was agreeing to. "You both are military, yet this seems… atypical for a military mission."
"I'm not supposed to say anything about our mission." Hunter's immediate response. "It's classified, but you seem to be acquainted with military types."
"My work has had me working with their type." Shockwave tried to remain vague. "I would be very remiss in my observation if I could not recognize military personnel."
"And those others you worked with-" Hunter began.
"Classified." Shockwave shut down the topic. He would not be talking about top-secret Decepticon projects. "As you can understand."
"Yes." Hunter didn't seem disappointed. "But regardless, your help was most appreciated."
"And I thank you and Winter Schnee for allowing me on this ship." Shockwave acknowledged. "I lacked a map, and that could have had me wandering for days on end."
"Speaking of which, why were you in the wilds?" Hunter questioned. "I don't mean to sound suspicious, but our unintentional crash-landing wasn't too far off from your first communications with us."
Shockwave only took a microsecond to process these words, and the only idea that came to mind that was logical was that perhaps his insertion into this world had maybe caused some energy to run wild in the atmosphere. Space bridges required immense amounts of energon to power, and if not assembled and tested correctly, they could cause severe damage to anything and anyone in close proximity.
Trying to explain where he came from and what he truly and also trying to find someone who believed him would be next to impossible, and frankly, Shockwave wasn't going to give much thought to his chances.
If nobody believed him, then Cybertron would face no further dangers. He didn't know this world, and that unpredictable factor alone was more than ample reason to not reveal all that he knew about.
"I… honestly could not tell you why I am out within these wilds." Shockwave shrugged, a rarity with him, but he needed something to say. "One moment, I was doing research, the next, I black out."
"You mean someone kidnapped you?" Hunter puzzled over this. "For what reason?"
"To destroy my research." Shockwave could at least honestly answer that question. "And to make sure that it couldn't be replicated. They left me for dead just for extra measures."
"Could you describe who they are?" Hunter probed further. "Or is this something classified as well?"
"It is not important." Shockwave dismissed with a wave of his hands. "If I am believed dead, then I have less things to worry about."
The former bot decided that he was finished with talking. He was never good at it on Cybertron and he doubted he would be good at it now. He did, however, wish to disrespect one of the two who had assisted him in a time of need.
"I will be in the c.o.c.kpit." His footsteps echoed against the walls. "If the ship experiences further complications, call to me swiftly."
Hopefully, that served well enough as words of assurance.
Shockwave made his way to the head of the ship, expecting Winter to be there seeing as at least one pilot needed to be front and center, unless she the ship was on auto-pilot mode.
The door to the c.o.c.kpit opened, and as he predicted, the woman was there, her eyes concentrating on their pathway.
"Are we expecting any airborne Grimm?" Shockwave wondered, knowing that look on her face, one that was searching for a threat.
"Grimm could be anywhere." Winter spared only a sideways glance as she talked. "But none so far."
"I see."
"Now that you are here, there is another matter to discuss, one relating to your interference in our mission."
That subject was to be expected sooner or later.
"Are you going to arrest me and bring me before your superiors?" Shockwave knew military protocol well.
"As I have orders to follows and rules and regulations to uphold, yes." Winter stated firmly. "However, you may have saved our lives. For that, I won't be restraining you in any way."
So there was some modic.u.m of trust.
"And when will this happen?" Shockwave asked.
"When we reach Atlas." Winter said as if he should know where they were going. "Which will be at least another fifteen hours assuming we experience no further delays."
"Understood." His robotic tone carried.
Shockwave crossed his arms and closed his eyes slightly, feeling like he needed to enter into recharge, or sleep, as these humans would call it. Thankfully, he had enough information to at least appear not quite as alien as his outer appearance would have him seem, but he was still woefully unprepared should he engage in an in-depth conversation.
It wasn't in his interest to engage and have many people to call friend, but like it or not, he needed to be culturally aware.
His survival might hinge on him blending in with his surroundings.
Add that to the list too.
For now though, some rest would clear his mind and allow him more mental productivity. If anyone were to talk to him now, he would simply tune them out.
Nap times were quite logical given his energy levels. Leaving himself exposed was illogical.
(X)(X)(X)(X)
Shockwave awoke when someone tapped him lightly on the shoulder. A white glove momentarily came within his sight.
"Where are we?" Shockwave muttered lightly.
"We'vc arrived in the Kingdom of Mistral." Winter turned to leave the c.o.c.kpit. "The ship will repaired by a crew. Meanwhile, Hunter and I will be seeking supplies."
"And what am I to do?" He ventured.
"Remain here." She ordered lightly. "Until we return. The journey from here will taken an additional three hours."
There it was, the unspoken truth of their relationship. He might've earned some form of trust, but like it or not, he was still an unknown to her, and thus, he couldn't be left to go free.
Shockwave waited for another few minutes. From his view at the c.o.c.kpit, he could see that he was within a docking bay, and various crew as well as other personnel worked, no doubt assessing the damage.
Then he realized something. If they were in the heart of civilization, he could find more information, assuming that this planet possessed a digital network of some kind that he could directly interface with.
To his luck and relief, there was one. He was initially blocked and required a password to enter into the system, but all it took was a few hacking tricks and he was inside.
The information he was taking in, it was massive.
This planet, it was called Remnant. Currently, he was on the Continent called Anima, and as Winter had stated, he was within the Kingdom of Mistral, one of the four major kingdoms on this world. The others were Atlas, Vacuo, and Vale. He didn't require access to classified data and secret files in order to download and study a detailed map of Remnant.
The next thing he researched were the intelligent lifeforms. There were two species that dominated this world: Humans and Faunus. The former was quite racist towards the latter for a multitude of reasons, none of the logical in any sense. If anything, the Faunus should be the ones looking down on the Humans. The Faunus possessed traits that virtually no Humans had, and they displayed much diversity.
Shockwave took an interest in Humans and Faunus was because he wanted to know which one he was. Although it stated that Faunus had an animal trait, some were hidden while others were obvious. Blood tests could also confirm which species he was as well. He couldn't test himself due to the fact that his information database had no way to differentiate, not until he had analyzed a strain of Deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA.
This world, it had a basis for life that didn't sound too unlike Cyber Nucleic Acid. Again, it was another similar thing that only further made the former bot wonder. Coincidences existed, he did believe so, but if there were too many similar things in this world compared to Cybertron, he might have to reevaluate his stance.
In any event, Shockwave research Atlas, the kingdom where Winter Schnee hailed, and immediately, some of the most popular searches that came to his attention were Atlas Academy, Atlas Military, and The Schnee Dust Company.
The Kingdom of Atlas hailed on the continent of Solitus, the northern-most continent on this world. It was known for harsh weather conditions for Humans and Faunus alike. Thus, it made logical sense that due to such an environment, Atlas possessed the greatest technological advances as well as the strongest military.
Then the term huntsman came up in his search, and that prompted an investigation by the Decepticon. What he found confounded him.
Huntsmen and huntresses were trained warriors meant to fight the Creatures of Grimm, and they were trained at four academies, one in each kingdom. Vale had Beacon Academy, Atlas had dubbed their school Atlas Academy, Mistral housed Haven Academy, and Vacuo was where Shade Academy was located.
Shockwave decided to specify his search parameters to see just what kind of power and skills that these warriors had.
What he saw evoked different reactions.
Huntsman and huntresses possessed weapons, both melee and ranged. From simple swords to the absurd and impractical scythes, simple pistol firearms to mini-guns. Spears to great swords.
Swords? Logical.
Scythe? Highly illogical and frankly, idiotic.
Spears? Difficult to wield, but still usable.
Great swords? Only practical to those who could use it.
Firearms? Mostly logical.
Those only scratched the surface.
Most of the videos that he found these displays came from what was called the Vytal Festival, a tournament that was hosted every two years.
Shockwave reigned in the information, and returned to his current situation. As important as this information was, the bottom was was this: from what he had read alone, Atlas was a nation that was strict and disciplined, which meant predictable. If he was detained in Atlas, there was a chance he wouldn't be allowed to leave.
His previous logic said that he was more than capable of talking his way out of his situation, but why talk out of it when he could cut out the problem entirely by taking control of his own fate?
He would not be detained like a common thug.
He needed to leave now, but he needed to know where he would go.
Also, he would need a source of income, lien, he believed it was called. A handheld scroll would also be integral.
He could get those things easily, but he first needed to look at the other kingdoms.
Atlas was already an absolute no-go.
Vacuo, to his displeasure, wasn't what he sought. It was a desert environment, not known for anything other than tough living and its people, who were hardy, stubborn, and sometimes a bit boneheaded. It wasn't an innovative place.
Mistral was known for culture, art, architecture, more civilian things. It's darker side features an underground black market, full of things ranging from illegal goods and services to hired guns. It was tempting at first, but Shockwave dismissed Mistral too. It was just the kind of place where someone gained fame, and he preferred to remain quiet, illusive.
Vale, the kingdom that seemed to have the least unique qualities out of all the kingdoms. It's survival was due to natural barriers protecting it. Other than the city of Vale itself along with a few other coastal cities, there was nothing special about it.
That was probably his best bet for now. He need to acquire more information before he made a serious power play. Vale would provide him the reticent he needed.
Now there was only one two things he had to worry about.
The crew outside and the cameras…
(X)(X)(X)(X)
"Remind me why we're working on an Atlas military ship." Dwayne asked. "I mean, not to hate on Atlas, but isn't this something they should be doing themselves?"
"Ah, you know how it is." Gemma grunted, placing the crate in her hands on top of another. "Keep the peace with the guys who've got the badass military."
"Yeah, that's the official story." Dwayne nagged, shaking his head in the process. "Only an idiot believes that."
"You're really paranoid, you know that?" Gemma declared, wiping some sweat off of her forehead. "C'mon, there are better enemies to fight."
"Yeah, yeah, like the Grimm." Dwayne complained with a wave of his hands. "Tell it to someone who cares, like a huntsman."
"Or huntress." Gemma scolded her friend. "Don't make me remind you of that time you tried your luck."
"Of course you'd bring that up." The darker-skinned man grumbled. "How was I supposed to know that she was a huntress?"
"Have you ever seen a normal person carry a weapon like that?" Gemma drawled.
"I thought it was a… can we just drop it?" Dwayne didn't want to talk about the day that his pride was hurt. "We've got work to do."
"C'mon, if you're gonna flirt with a woman, at least try for one that won't kick your ass upon hearing a pickup attempt."
"Like who?" Dwayne murmured, walking away. "I've got no one."
"Are you really that dense?" Gemma seethed under her breath. "I'm right here!"
In spite of her best friend's behavior, she went to tail him when her scroll buzzed to life. She grabbed the small device and opened it to see who had messaged her.
She had gotten twenty messages in the past few minutes.
Wierd. She didn't recall getting these messages anytime a few minutes ago. Was it a bug? A glitch? Someone sending to the wrong person?
Someone passed her by, a flash of purple, but she paid no mind to them as she tried to see what the messages contained.
There were… symbols she had never seen in her life. They looked quiet tasteful and kind of exotic, but nothing struck a chord of familiarity.
She deleted the messages after only seconds of glancing. Whoever had sent them to her had the wrong number.
She was going to get back to work when she looked around and the lights began to dim all around, as if the power was being siphoned. Everyone seemed to take notice.
"What on Remnant-" She began to wonder.
"Hey, Gemma, what's with these glyphs you sent me?" The sound of Dwayne's voice came to her ears. "Are you trying to screw with me? It's working."
Sometimes, I wish that were the case. Gemma wanted to smack whatever perverted voce said that.
Whoever had sent those symbols to her had ruined her day.
Screw them.
(X)(X)(X)(X)
Shockwave made sure that he could mask his presence using a software program. Because of his his highly advanced inner technologies, he wasn't willing to chance any sort of equipment that could track him.
He had initially come upon some guard drones, placed obviously at the head of the landing ramp to deter him from leaving. The easiest thing to do was hack them and play a loop within their cameras so that they saw only workers at the bottom of their vision.
His escape also hinged on everyone working on the ship not seeing him. In the momentary disorientation, he slipped out, his footsteps reduced to whispers. Now using his recently-downloaded map of the Kingdom of Mistral, he was now on his way to find an alternate transport to Vale.
Escaping Winter Schnee was logical.
But risky.
Then again, creating the Dinobots and the Combaticons was too.
I consider this chapter to be necessary, though boring. In order to actually get to the summary which the story describes, a few more things will need to happen.
The response from the previous chapter was surprising to say the least, so for now, until I'm given a reason or that I run out of time, I will continue with this story.
As I go along, don't hesitate to give me ideas and feedback. I'll try to get back as soon as I am able.
Apologies for potential grammar issues. I will fix them as I see them.
I hope you all had fun with this chapter, and remember:
"Education must not simply teach work - it must teach life."
W. E. B. Du Bois
Long live Primus!
Chapter 3
Adapting is Logical
Planet of Remnant
Kingdom of Mistral
City of Windpath
Shockwave had taken to the streets of Mistral following his escape from the docks. He found quite a treasure trove of things going on within the city.
Although Mistral's superfluous civilian culture was not to his liking or caring, he could understand where it would entrance others. There were so many things to discover, so many new things to learn, so many new things to experience. Cultural investigators on Cybertron would be more than willing to invest time into learning about the Kingdom of Mistral and all that it had to offer. They would probably be like sparklings feeding on red energon.
The art that surrounded him was in all things, be it the building architecture, the statues that line the streets, the clothing that people wore, both simple and complex, both elegant, or the music vendors that were sounding all around. All of it was an expression of art, an expression of the inner soul.
None of it mattered to him.
Shockwave was on a mission that his freedom depended on. He had no illusions to the fact that Winter Schnee would be on his tail the moment she discovered that he had left without warning. As far as she was concerned, he was a breach in military protocol, and was to be held in captivity until the threat he posed was neutralized.
He was not to be neutralized like a threat. He neutralized threats himself.
His best chance to evade her was to wait her out. Eventually, her mission would take precedence and she would be recalled back to Atlas. Dealing with a wanted "criminal" would be the least of her superior's problems. The military stopped for no one, not even a specialist's mission.
That is what his logic told him, but without any insightful information on General James Ironwood, he could not know for sure. The man's public image was spotless to say the least, and that only served to make the former Decepticon more wary. Anyone who claimed to be flawless was a liar, and not a good one at that. Every single being in the universe was flawed in some way, even Shockwave himself. Official public records might disagree with him, but civilians could be showered with lies easily.
That being said, flawed or not, Winter Schnee was a tenacious one, and he needed to find some way to change himself so that he looked different than what he looked like now. She had to have memorized his appearance by now.
So a clothing shop was probably the best place to start.
Shockwave was no thief by any measure; he did not possess the ability to pickpocket, not like some tricky Decepticons. He would have to work another angle in order to gather the necessary lien. It would do him no good if he gained infamy without any sort of socially-accepted qualities and accomplishments to go along with it.
The second thing to get was a scroll.
Even if he did not possess such a device, he was more than capable of accessing the worldwide network that Remnant used, and having briefly read about the kingdoms, he knew that there existed the rich, the poor, and everyone in-between, especially in Atlas and Mistral. A rich class meant that they had funds that he could appropriate and utilize for something far more productive than simple luxury and indulgence.
But even if he did take from the rich, he would need to be discrete about it. Taking large amounts would only arouse suspicion, which presented him with a much larger problem. Because the rich constituted only a fraction of the overall population on Remnant, he would not gain much funding for his needs and wants, not if he wanted to remain hidden.
So rather than take from just the rich, he expanded his pool and began to hack into the accounts of other classes of people. In his time on Cybertron, Shockwave had come up with numerous viruses that interacted with the virtual world. He just had to adapt one of his pre-existing virus programs.
He then proceeded to create a personal, anonymous collective account. Nobody short of a genius would be able to find it. He then watched as his fundings went from zero lien to a hundred to a thousand to ten thousand to a hundred a thousand.
Upon reaching a million, he stopped. For now, this would more than suffice. It would serve his basic needs as well as allow him to procure any additional equipment he might need for travel. Maybe he could even get a vehicle.
Essentials first.
Shockwave casually walked the streets, watching the people of Remnant. He knew he was different, and he could see this as many people reacted to his appearance. It seemed that the Humans were especially wary of him. The Faunus, on the other hand, seemed more curious and, to his eye and optic, friendlier.
Noting this, the former mech pondered on whether or not he was a Faunus and not a Human as he saw no visible Faunus features on himself. One didn't have to have visible animal characteristics to be a Faunus, so how was he to distinguish himself as Human or Faunus?
More importantly, if he really was seen as a Faunus, then his options were going to be limited in a great deal of things. Faunus were discriminated in this world plainly for being offbeat from Mankind. That would work against him.
Regardless, he had lien, but now he needed to find somewhere to spend them; before he could do so, he needed to find a way to to dispense the cash. He would stand out if he chose to electronically pay without a scroll. Besides, electronic payments left a larger trail that could be traced.
He believed the machine needed to do such a thing was called an Automated Teller Machine. Finding one in the city was not hard. He did not even have to actively use his map. He just stumbled upon one.
Before he could do what he needed to do, he took a good look around, trying to spot if there was any sort of surveillance. Any device that had to do with currency had to be monitored at all times so fraud and thievery could be detected. It was only logical.
He immediately found a video camera, and fortunately, he wasn't within visual sight of it yet. Not even his shadow was in its sight. Trying to remain unnoticed, he mentally tapped into the camera, then made it play a loop. It would last five minutes, but he only needed two minutes at most to get what he needed.
He grabbed only the lien he would need to purchase some new clothing as well as a new scroll. From there, he would be able to interact with technology without having to resort to hacking or tampering. The more he did those two, the greater the chances of his detection.
His attire right now was basic, and if not for his outstanding physical features, he might actually be normal and blend right in. Alas, fortune did not favor him in this instance.
Ignoring anyone that stared at him, Shockwave eventually found what he was seeking. It to be a simple store, small in size, and stark in its inventory.
There was nobody overlooking the store, but the sign did say that this place was open. The quiet was still appreciated nonetheless as he went through isle by isle.
As he moved through the store, it began to dawn on Shockwave just how lacking he was in the knowledge of fashion. He had merely planned to grab clothing, though he assumed it would be a straightforward thing, and so he gave little thought to details. Now, being presented with choices and with so many items for sale, he began to question what would be appropriate for him. This place had quite a selection, and it was not even a mainstream store either.
The logical thing to do was to search online for current fashion trends; understanding what was considered to be the norm would allow him to blend in, but then an idea occurred to him. To be normal was to make his chances lesser. Normality, in the most simple of terms, meant neither promising or disappointing.
He wanted to remain unnoticed, but sooner or later, he was going to have to interact with society, and he would need resources in order to assess whether or not he was permanently synthetic or not, and if Cybertron was truly lost to him. To do those things, he needed resources, and to do that, he needed connections, and to get those, he needed to work his way up the social ladder, so to speak. He could choose to go out on his own without allies and remain undetected or he could reach out and gain greater knowledge, resources, and maybe power, but at the expense of losing privacy.
Perhaps there was a way he could do both, remain quiet all the while gain access to what he wanted and needed. As many millennia in the numerous fields of science had taught him, true accomplishments were never easy.
"Can I help you?" Someone's voice registered in his audio receptors.
Shockwave, or Shael, as he remembered calling himself, turned to look at who had spoken to him.
It was a woman, or more specifically, a female human. Maturity-wise, she appeared a young a.d.u.l.t, twenty-five Remnant years or so. Her eyes were a dark brown, which contrasted her bright blonde hair. She stood about half a head than he did.
When he turned to her, Shockwave looks her up and down. Her physical stature suggested that she was not particularly strong, but that was based on her physical proportions alone. If she was a huntress, then her strength could be magnitudes stronger than himself. Of course, that was just a "what if" scenario.
Also, the fact that there was no trace of fear in her eyes, only curiosity and a tint of wonder, made him believe that she was not quite what she seemed at at glance.
"I was searching for something new to wear, but I honestly have no idea where to begin." Shockwave outwardly relaxed his posture to appear as non-threatening as possible. "Do you work here?"
She stared at him for a while longer, and then she cleared her throat. "Yeah, I work here, I also own the place too. So anyways, you do not have any sort of idea where to start?"
"None at all." Shockwave admitted, albeit with some effort. "I feel as if I am stumbling around blind."
"Hmm." She looked him up and down. "I think I have just the thing that will suit you. Come with me."
He followed her to another section of the store, one filled with more… stylistic costumes, not the sort of outfits that Shockwave viewed as functional and utilitarian, but visuals could have an affect, he reasoned. Sometimes, a visual appearance could win a battle before it even came to blows. Megatron, on more than one occasion, had used visual fear as a tactic against the Autobots, and visually, the Decepticon leader did not disappoint.
Shockwave watched as the woman began to sort various outfits hanging on coat hangers. There were so many, each with differing colors, designs, details, and much more. The variety was actually quite staggering. Why these designs weren't placed out in front befuddled him. Surely most people would come here if it was visually appealing.
"Here." Her voice caught his attention again. "This one looks good."
It was purple-colored, just like his old scheme, with some black and grey trimmings that dotted the entire coat. There was two kite-shaped tails that almost touched the ground. A single zipper lined the front along with buttons, all of which ended at an adjustable collar that could probably cover the entire neck. The sleeves were purple with black and grey stripes going down the entire length to the cuffs.
"Are you… certain about this?" Shockwave questioned without hesitation, having an opinion already. "This hardly seems… appropriate."
"Trust me when I say this." Her voice spoke with confidence and assurance. "You'll look grand in this. You'll be able to make quite a dramatic entrance in this."
"Dramatic entrance?" He tilted his head slightly to the left. "Why would I want that?""Because you're a huntsman." She looked at him like the answer should have be clear as water. "Why else?"
"Of course." He felt slight offense, though far from enough to warrant an emotional response.
"Also, put these on." She handed him a pair of heavy boots as well as a pair of pants. "This should be everything."
"Where would there be a…" Shockwave searched for the term he was looking for, "… a changing room."
"Right over there." She pointed a finger. "Take all the time you need."
With a nod, he moved to where she had pointed out, closing the door, but not using the lock.
This part, he felt dubious about. As a bot of science, he should look at this as another learning opportunity. He knew everything there was to know about Cybertronian biology; he knew how to fix all injuries, and he knew how to kill with minimal effort. This was another learning opportunity, or so he told himself.
With some tentativeness, he carefully removed his plain shirt , feel the sensation of the air against his skin. A nearby mirror afforded him a view at his upper body, and his eyes narrowed in thought. His build was somewhat akin to his physical proportions. Compared to the average person, his entire physical proportions and likely his own attributes were superior. He seemed to possess no fat or otherwise unwanted or unneeded mass.
Well, almost.
The only new addition that he was dismayed to have was… genitalia. He recalled that Humans and Faunus recreated more of their own kind via s.e.x.u.a.l reproduction, and while the concept wasn't alien, Shockwave never considered that he would ever know it fully. It also signified another weakness he needed to learn how to guard. Fortunately, despite his transformation, his mind remained sharp and he was not distracted by the opposite gender as much as other males seemed to be, if his sources could be trusted.
Shockwave cataloged his musings as he swapped clothing, making sure to stuff these clothes into his backpack along with his scavenged goods.
This coat had a lot of pockets, some obvious, but most hidden, no doubt something that would allow him to conceal different devices and weapons.
That was just the sort of function that a huntsman or a huntress would require.
The coat looked much heavier than he expected, enough so that his overall body movement and coordination would be altered. He could adjust with time and training, things he could do.
The pants fit him fine with a bit of slack, and his boots were the same.
Even though it was merely a change of look, Shockwave couldn't help but look at himself and see how much different he looked now. No longer dressed in casual clothes and looking more akin to a professional-looking man, his presence commanded respect and perhaps intimidation. The coat did nothing to hide his features, more like accentuated them.
Checking that his cuffs were snug in place as well as his collar, he exited the changing room and was greeted to the woman who was waiting outside for him.
"Well don't you look like a fine gentleman." She smiled and cooed. "That suits you perfectly."
She circled around him, taking the time to examine him from head to toe, and the once-Cybertronian.
"Yes, this will work nicely." She finished her fifth lap around him, then faced him. "This is your look. I can't imagine anything else."
This one, she had a knack for detail, he had to concede. While he still wasn't in full agreement with its design, he would still live. He just had to be a bit illogical, if that could be called logical.
"Thank you." Shockwave felt gratitude was called for. "I believe this will do just fine. How much would you like for it?"
"Well, considering that one's been hanging on my racks for quite some time," She said, putting a finger, "And considering that I'm in a good mood, I'll give it to you for… 400 lien."
All he did was count up the lien and hand it to her, and she took swiftly, and didn't even bother to count it."Alright, just let me get you a receipt." She rushed to a nearby register. "Anything else you want?"
Did he want anything else? Normally, he would be satisfied with this, but clothing was not a product bought once and then never again.
"Do you do customizable outfits?" The picture of the Decepticon insignia came to mind. He want another outfit with this on it. "I might just come back for more."
"Sure thing," she grinned, "Just give me a call and I'll get you hooked up. Here's my card."
She handed him a small rectangular card with information, and he took it, but didn't read it, simply placing it in a pocket.
"Alright, that just about does it." She gave him a receipt. "Thanks for coming in… sorry I didn't get your name."
"Shael Watson." He held his hand out. "It is nice to meet you."
"Autumn Kelly." She took his hand. "Likewise."
He let go. "You seem extraordinarily friendly to me, even though we do not know each other at all."
That sentence made Autumn's mood change. "… I don't have to know my fellow Faunus to be able to help them out."
… I am a Faunus?
For the first time since his arrival on this world, he was at a loss, but that lasted seconds, and then he reigned himself in. Looking shocked would only make her question him.
"In any case, thank you." He nodded to her. "I should go."
"You're welcome back anytime." She smiled genuinely. "We Faunus gotta look out for one another."
Leaving that place, Shockwave took his time to process this new revelation. A Faunus, as he understood it, could detect other Faunus, but he couldn't see any Faunus features on Autumn's face, so unless she was lying, which he didn't believe she was, then he too was one.
But what type was he?
A very loud sound entered his ears, and for a moment, he almost thought that his receptors were playing tricks on him. As it turned out, it was nothing more than a loud vehicle passing by, so he decided to continue on his way. His next thing to get would be a scroll. A technology store would probably be the place to go.
That was as easy to find as a clothing store.
Now this was his element, and here, he felt completely at-ease and comfortable. Models old, current, and new were being showcased. Dust scrolls came in all different sizes, shapes, and models, and each was suited for certain situations.
Shockwave wasn't looking for what purposes they could serve. What he wanted was the most powerful model right now. Once he read up the literature that detailed scrolls and how they worked, he could make his own modifications, probably even build his own custom model based on the specifications of a premade scroll.
"Can I help you… sir?" The man in glasses seemed a bit intimidated by him, even though they were of similar height.
"What is the most powerful model you have here?" Shockwave voiced his question.
"Ah, that would be the Generation X, Model L." The man looked like he had recovered and moved to present the model. "This model uses some of the most refined dust courtesy of the SDC. It's got a pristine camera that takes HD pictures and film."
"That is useful." Shockwave agreed, but that was not the answer he sought. "But I am more interested in the specifications."
"Ah, of course." The man pulled up his own device and tapped the screen a few times and displayed its contents. "It uses a dust-refining technique courtesy of the SDC. All the latest technologies have been added. Trust me when I say it, you won't find a better model on the market right now."
Unless you go the black market. Shockwave mused internally. They are often ahead of public products.
"Then this will suffice." Shockwave determined that this would do. "How much for it?"
"Since this is the current model and given that it has maximum storage," a pause ensued, "About 969 lien, but if you want more time to browse, I can-"
Shockwave counted lien in his hand, then just shoved it in the man's hands. "That should suffice." He was not planning on sticking around.
"Uh, sure, hold on a moment." A moment of counting, and the man quickly ran to the back of the store. "I'll be right back."
It was a busy place, this store was, and nobody was paying much attention to him. Certainly, people gave him odd looks, but in no way did they stare, not like he expected them too. Whether they were too busy to care or not affected by his appearance, it worked just fine with him.
"Here you are." The man returned with a small box. "Could I interest you in any-"
Shockwave was more than finished with talking to people for today, thus not bothering with social norms and simply grabbed the box and left. Now all he needed to do was charge this scroll and he could use it.
The device was light, and lightly built, and in his opinion, it was fragile, which left it vulnerable to even the smallest of drops.
There were some other odds and ends that would help him in the long run, but he had gotten the things he deemed most important right now.
His plan was to go to Vale and lay low there.
Dust planes were faster, but considering how he wished to remain incognito, perhaps not being seen by society for some time might do him some good. A short disappearance would permit him to start fresh, as the phrase was coined.
It was his musings and his relative lack of attention to his overall direction that brought him to a place where he didn't expect to find himself: a shipyard. Many were already leaving for the sea, some were docked and awaiting passengers or cargo or both, and others were just arriving.
It was his solution, he surmised.
It was most likely too late to get a ticket right this moment. These sort of things had to pre-purchased some time before the actual voyage was to take place, lest he lose his guarantee of a seat.
Pulling up his newly-purchased scroll, he began to search for tickets that could be bought in the next day.
There were none.
He shut off his scroll, attempting to conceive of another plan. It was then that he felt something tapping on his shoulder.
"Can I help you?" Shockwave knew it was a person, and he was tired of talking to people.
"No, but I think I might be able to help you." A woman's voice. "You were looking for sea passage to Vale, correct?"It would seem that this person happened to notice the contents on his scroll.
"Yes, I was." Shockwave turned to face his newest acquaintance, temporarily abandoning his loathing for conversation. "What of it?"
The woman about a head shorter than he was, but she looked fearless. She wore what looked to be nothing that a civilian would wear, which led the half-Cybertronian to believe that she was a worker of some kind.
"Well, you see, I'm actually a first mate on a vessel right over there." She gestured to a specific ship on the dock. "Right over there. We take passengers and some cargo. Our next trip is to Vale, one of the coastal cities."
"Why are you not on this ship now?"
"I had get a few things before we took off." She kicked a stray pebble off the path. "Kind of last minute, but captain didn't mind. Oh, sorry, where are my manners? My name's Matte Skye."
She held her hand out, and she didn't look scared when he looked at her strange before accepting the greeting.
"Shael Watson." The Faunus-Cybertronian felt himself becoming more and more accustomed to his self-formed organic name. "Well-met."
"To you as well." Matte looked back out to the sea. "So how about this: I get you onto the ship, and you owe me a favor."
"What sort of favor?" Shockwave treaded carefully, not wanting to end up in a deal that was unfavorable for him.
"Nothing life-changing or mind-boggling." It was like Matte didn't even have any real concrete idea about what he was to owe her. "But something equal to a one-way passage from Mistral to Vale, and trust me when I say this: you won't find a better deal anywhere else."
Shockwave doubted that statement, but he did think that he would not find a better legitimate deal. She was relatively easy to read in terms of emotions.
"So how about it?" Matte tilted her h.i.p.s to one side. "It's not an offer that'll last."
There was really nothing to debate about in his mind, but just the same, this was not a decision he could just make lightly. He mentally reviewed everything that he had done since coming to this world.
He had arrived on this world in this new form. He had travelled and discovered a new wilderness. He had fought and allied himself with Atlas military personnel. He had travelled with said military personnel. He had evaded them to take control. He had gained a foothold in the civilized world of Remnant.
His future plans? To find a way to Cybertron, if at all possible, and to recover his original form, if at all possible.
Going to Vale? He was to remain elusive until he had more details in place.
Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw something that caused his blood-energon spike ever-so slightly. An Atlas mech was patrolling, and if he had to guess by the faces it was being given, it was not welcome here. Its purpose wasn't too hard to determine.
"I accept your terms." He nodded his head quickly. "Was there anything else?"
"Nah, just follow me." She informed him. "We'll be dusting off soon. Just gotta explain this to the captain."
A final nod to Matte and Shockwave went to follow her
Only for them to walk meet face-to-face with the Atlas mech. Silence ensued as they both stared at each other eye and optic to visor.
Then the half-Cybertronian hacked into the mech's mainframe in an instant, which followed by him dumping junk data into its systems. The mech remained frozen, giving no signs that it was alerted to his presence.
"Atlas mechs," Matte scoffed, "What's one doing here anyways?"
"Who knows why?" Shockwave knew, of course. "On your lead."
He sidestepped the mechanical android, only sparing it a final look. By the time the primitive mech sorted through the useless data in its systems, he would be long-gone. At best, it had gotten a sparing glance of him, and Winter Schnee would not have the time or resources to track every ship and came and left the city.
"So what's your story?" Matte started off another conversation. "You don't look the type to be just wandering around for no reason."
"I have… business in Vale." Shockwave thought about his response for a moment, then added some more. "Unexpected business."
"Sounds super important and secretive." She sounded like she didn't know what to say. "So are you gonna tell me what that means?"
"It is as you said." He confirmed her words. "Secretive and important."
"Ah, well, everyone's got one of those." She shrugged her shoulders. "So are you into tech or something. Those prosthetics don't look cheap."
"There were custom-made." Shockwave made something up. "They replace what I once had."
"Ouch, sounds painful." She shivered slightly as she no doubt tried to comprehend the mental image. "You can spare me the details."
And he was more than willing to do so. The less she asked, the less he had to make up. Lying was illogical in this case, but still necessary.
"Well here we are." She gazed at the ship as if seeing it for the first time. "Ain't she a beauty?"
"I suppose so." How people viewed their sh.i.p.s as people was beyond Shockwave. "There is nothing else that I need to do?"
"Just get on-board and relax." She began to take off in a different directions. "I'm gonna check on the other crew members."
(X)(X)(X)(X)
Winter Schnee's day went from exhausting to angering.
She shouldn't have left Shael Watson to his own devices. This was bound to happen and she scolded herself numerous times for doing something that someone of her positions shouldn't have ever done.
How was she going to explain this loss to General Ironwood. He had already be informed about the details of the mission. Her mission was mostly a success, but a mission that was mostly complete might just be counted as a failure in her superior's eyes.
One of her screens flashed and then suddenly went into a static frenzy. She focused her eyes on this anomaly. Very few people had the ability to hack into Atlesian soldier mechs, and she doubted that it was someone she did not known.
"Where are you?" She began to type some commands into the console.
With mechs spread out into the city, she couldn't afford to get out there herself. She'd never get to the offline mech fast enough.
"Dammit." She muttered under her breath.
She had an idea where to start with this useless data, and she tried to get through all of it and fix the problem.
That's when her console controls shut off and the screen darkened, but didn't blink out completely.
Instead, there was a single message displayed on her screen.
Pursuing me is illogical. Cease now.
"Curses." Winter slammed her fist onto the metal console.
Eh, this is another boring chapter, but one or two more chapters similar in tone to this one and the previous chapter will be needed to set up Shockwave as the summary of the story tells.
As some may have noticed, exploring Shockwave's mind is very complicated. Shockwave's mentality in life is easy: pursue what is most logical, though what he considers logical can shift and change given the right perspective. Remember that as I go forward. Also, I've spent some time reading about Shockwave via Transformers Wiki's and looking at the cartoons. All of them. I expect some very unusual results.
So I made Shockwave a Faunus. It seemed to make sense. Even compared to Cybertronians, he's not like an ordinary Cybertronian. Like Soundwave, he can be quite a wild card. Also, what's not to like about a partly-synthetic Faunus badass?
What did you guys think of this chapter? Please let me know so that I can make adjustments and fine-tune as I go. I may have the story outlined, but you can still affect the details when you speak out.
Also, if it interests you, go check out my poll on my profile page for future RWBY stories, both normal and crossover.
I hope you goys enjoyed this chapter, and remember:
"Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently."
Henry Ford
Primus be with you!
Continue to FF.net for more~!
*2nd fic of this author that I recommended
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