Author's notes: Yet more reviews! Ahh, yeess... Here is Havoc to, once again, respond (and this'll be a long one; just skip down if'n you're not interested).
Havoc: ~Being pushed on-stage~ No, no! I don't want to! Don't you understand?! Out there are Mary Sue hating people! You can't do this! ~Freezes, blinking at the audience~ Oh. Aheh, hi...
(She nervously looks through the reviews)
Havoc: To Maelstrom Neffy would like to extend her gratitude, and the same to Talec. Thank you both for the nice reviews.
(Changes page, nervous)
Havoc: To Albedo, she would like to also say thank you. And, er... as a personal request, could you please not say talk about killing Mary Sues? ~Ducks thrown tomato~ Guess not... ~Gulp~
(Next page)
Havoc: To Crazomatic, Megatron I would like to extend his gratitudes, and Neffy does the same reluctantly. She accuses you of having no taste, but again, she refused to say it with Megatron I's fusion cannon at her head. She does say, though, "Seriously, m'glad you liked it."
(Switches pages again)
Havoc: To Tremor she would like to say thank you and also, and I quote, "Heheh, I know that..." She refers to Megatron I's muttering after Megatron II named it the Nemesis.
(Changes scripts)
Havoc: To Ashes, Neffy says, again, thank you muchly, and she informs me that your original character is bordering on Mary Sue-ness, from what little she knows, but can very easily be saved.
(Flips sides)
Havoc: To MJ, she tells me to tell you that it's 'you' not 'u', and she won't pay anything because she's quite broke. Also, that she thinks Megatron II is much, much cooler than Megatron I for the simple fact that one of Megatron I's masterplans involved building a giant blue griffin, and that he never managed to kill Optimus Prime without being dumb enough to get thrown out of Astrotrain by Starscream. ~Cowers~ Her words! Hate the message, not the messenger!
(New script)
Havoc: And finally, to Lynx, she says thank you and that you're quite welcome to lead the hunt on Mary Sues. ~Whimper~ Though I, personally, plead that you do not. Please? ~Blink~ Wait; I can do 'cho momma' comments? Hah! I can! I am powerfu-- ~Gets pelted in vegetables~ I hate you all...
(Sulks off stage)
Chapter III: In Which the Mary Sue is First Confronted
It was but a quick romp through the base, and a run-in with a very traumatised Thundercracker trying to dry off a very soaked Skywarp, later that they came across the clearest trail of the Mary Sue yet.
Megatron II wrinkled his tyrannosaurus snout and transformed, disdainfully picking up a long, shimmering hair. "I hoped it had just been thin wires, but it both looks and smells organic."
"So she did go through here," grumbled Megatron I, vaguely disgruntled for the simple fact that he had insisted she'd taken the right hallway, while the others thought the left, including--
"I told you so, leader," Starscream informed him gleefully, arms crossed, "but you never listen to me, after all, even when I'm obviously right."
"The only thing obvious about you is your incompetance," Megatron I shot back, glaring.
"Look who's talking, mr. I'll-build-a-gun-on-a-hill-and-kill-everything-in-a-fifty-feet-radius-hoping-it'll-make-me-cool. You couldn't even--"
"You know, if you just shut up, maybe--"
Antlers and Megatron III were watching the two in silent awe.
"That's the twentieth time in thirteen minutes," Megatron III said numbly, shaking his head and looking even more dumbfounded than usual.
Said Antlers thoughtfully, "I think they enjoy it."
"Yes, yes, it is all most impressive," sulked Megatron II, perturbed that his spotlight had been stolen. "However, we're doing a job here." He held up the silvery hair to remind them.
"Ah, yes, of course," Antlers conceded smoothly, stepping between the Seeker and the gun-bot--
"Gun-bot," giggles the authoress childlishly.
--and giving them both a stern look. "Listen, I know this is what you two do for fun, but really, we have more important concerns. We still need to find and catch the Mary Sue." He recieved two poisonous glares, but they stopped.
"Now which way do we go?" asked Starscream, planting his hands on his hips petulantly.
"Think like the Mary Sue for a moment," murmured Megatron II, wandering about, uncharacteristically oblivious to the attention the much-larger robots turned on him, "and so far she's been annoying only the most prominent persons."
"I wouldn't call Thundercracker and Skywarp prominent," chuckled Starscream coldly.
Megatron I, catching on properly for once, said, "But they're prominent through their connection with you. So we need to find high-ranking or special Decepticons in order to find her."
Megatron III looked very impressed by this massive show of intellect and blinked. "Reflector?"
As the six-changing robot cowered from the disgusted look of the others, Megatron II continued mumbling to himself. "I'm at an advantage since the most prominent Decepticons are the most told-about legends of my time, which means..."
Antlers' awe at the silent glaring fight that had spontaniously errupted between Megatron I and Starscream was interrupted by a triumphant, "Eureka! Soundwave!"
"Soundwave? Huh?" Megatron I asked, looking around confused.
"That's where we'll find her!" claimed the smallest Megatron, beginning a climb up Antlers. "She seeks out those of importance, I think, simply because she doesn't know the minor Decepticons well enough, due to lack of research." He settled on Antlers' shoulder, leaning slightly against the large tread there. "Either of you fossils lead the way. Tally-ho!"
Megatron I gave him a Glare of Death(TM) while Starscream merely looked heavenwards and started off. "He's probably in his laboratory or something. This way."
They made their way through several more scenes of chaos, including Dirge in a state of severe shock, Hook looking oddly blue and muttering about lunatic Seekers, Dead End trying to pry Wildrider off a waterpipe and Ravage mewling and slashing at the pink bows adorning him. After laughing for a few minutes, the Megatrons, Antlers and Starscream finally deigned to help him free. Then they moved on to Soundwave's lab where the found...
"Can I see what that does? Huh? Huh? Can I? Please?" This was followed by a sickingly sugary smile which the Mary Sue actually seemed to believe would work.
"No," answered Soundwave levelly with more patience than anyone else would've been able to muster in a normal situation, let alone with a creature of pure horror.
"Oh, c'mon, don't be such a geek," sighed AmbyrDestiny in a wording so different from before that Starscream boggled.
The five mechs at the door snapped out of the frightened stupour and stepped inside.
"Mary Sue!" roared Megatron I, causing everyone else to jump and Soundwave to drop a vial of acid. They watched silently as it ate through the floor.
"Good going, leader," informed Starscream smugly.
Megatron I glared, then winced as a yelp of pain sounded up through the hole. "Sorry, Vortex," he called sheepishly.
"Bastard!" sounded back in a pained wail.
Megatron I tried to regain what little dignity he had and glared at the Mary Sue once more. "As I was saying, we're here to stop you!"
The beautiful Seeker struck a dramatic pose, flicking her hair artistically; then pouted when it was obvious that this behavior was totally lost on the six other robots in the room. "So you think you can just take me? I think not, fiend! For truly, Starscream, my studmuffin will protect me!"
Said studmuffin gagged, "The Pit I will!"
"And besides, you should be able to defend yourself," mused Antlers, keen for a strategic advantage. "Shouldn't you?"
She ignored him and wailed heartbrokenly. "Oh, horror! Megatron has brainwashed you, my love, so that you turn from me!"
"No! He's too thick," exclaimed Megatron I.
"Besides, I don't know how to brainwash," Megatron III informed her politely.
Megatron II muttered something under his synthesized breath and took off to hover at eye-level with AmbyrDestiny. "Listen, you, I'm in no mood for these silly theatrics, noo. Now you come back quietly, or you come back in pieces!" He looked blissfully unaware of the fact that this threat held little ground from a ten-foot purple robot to a ca. thirty-foot pastel Seeker.
... Well. Maybe it did. Pastel, after all, does little in the way of intimidation.
The Mary Sue glared and swatted at him. "Go away, little thing! I've no time to-- Aigh!" she screeched, trying to loosen the suddenly beast moded Megatron II's jaws on her hand. "Pest!"
"Get her!" called Antlers, and in a flash the other robots piled on AmbyrDestiny and her small tormentor.
There was general chaos and hair-pulling - which, might I add, they all took a little too much pleasure in - Megatron II managing to slip out of the pile, winded.
"Primus all mighty..." He watched as the two Megatrons, one Antlers, one Starscream and one Soundwave all fought to keep the silver haired creature subdued, but she fought like... well, a girl. Megatron II sighed. "How can she even get into this universe? She can't even fight properly."
"Ow!" cried Megatron I.
"Oh, sorry about that, leader," came the response, sounding not at all sorry.
"The Mary Sue, you idiot; hit the Mary Sue!"
"How are we supposed to restrain her?" sounded Megatron III's panicked voice.
"Just knock her out!" growled Antlers, reasonable as always.
"You fiends!" counted AmbyrDestiny, kicking Soundwave in the face mask.
"Of course we are! We're Decepticons, for crying out loud!" Starscream hissed at her, trying to keep her still.
Megatron II snorted, "Speak for yourself," and leant back against the wall to watch.
"O, great powers above!" cried the Mary Sue suddenly, reaching one straining and trembling arm to the skies. "Save me and hold me, transport me to the nearest safe harbour in thee name!"
"Thy name, thy! Why the hokiness, anyway?" growled Megatron II, suddenly vigilant. "And it's not a clever thing to call those greater than..." He trailed off, spotting the swirling vortex suddenly appearing in the ceiling. "Watch out! She's--"
FWOOM!
There was a long pause. "She... She's gone," Megatron III said, blinking.
"Grargh!" Megatron I swung around his gun arm, sending Starscream sprawling by instinct, and blasted a hole in the wall. "Where did she go?!"
Confused answers greeted him as they all looked around in desperation.
"She's more powerful than I could have imagined," a strangely distorted voice said.
They all spun to face the shimmering, ethereal image of the Gatekeeper.
"She has traversed time, space and dimension," Sagacicous informed them. "I did not think she'd have such power."
Antlers suddenly blinked out of his stupour and grinned. "Oh, well, we lost her. I think that means we're off the hook!" The other Megatrons cheered, for once looking all pleased.
Sagacicous scowled. "Not so fast, antler boy." Antlers sulked at the nickname. "I'll give you the power to follow her. You will not stop until you find her and catch her. Good luck." And in the blink of and eye, the three Megatron, Antlers and the apparition disappeared, leaving Starscream and Soundwave behind in a rather dishevelled laboratory.
They stared at each other. "We didn't see this," Starscream informed the communications officer.
"See what?" asked Soundwave innocently, then turned back to his vials.
To be continued in Chapter IV: In Which Our Heroes Trek to Ancient Earth.