Transformers Regenerated Comic: Issue 17 - Spotlight: Dead End

     Date: 10/15/2013

    This is the last completed issue I wrote for this series.

HORRORCONS RISING PART 2: EVE OF TERROR

    DEAD END: (narration) *sigh* Just what is the point? I mean, we go about fighting and killing each other... but we're all gonna die anyway.

    DRAG STRIP: Ya' gonna make a move already? (They're playing Battleship)

    DEAD END: *Sigh* (He makes a move)

    (Drag Strip makes his move)

    DRAG STRIP: Ha! I sunk your battleship! Go me! Go me!

    MOTORMASTER: What... are you doing? Nevermind, don't care. Get to your stations, boys... we're expecting an Autobot attack.

    BREAKDOWN: So... we're really are at war?

    MOTORMASTER: Yes, Breakdown. Megatron has spoken... we're back at war!

    (Meanwhile)

    SILVERBOLT: All right, guys, this mission should be fairly easy... We fly in, take down their defenses, get their experiment, and then fly off. Sounds good?

    AIR RAID & FIREFLIGHT: Yes, sir!

    SILVERBOLT: Then let's move...

    (Battle breaks out)

    MOTORMASTER: Move it, Decepticons! We must ensure Oil Slick's protection! Not that I give a darn about his survival.... Breakdown, Dead End, keep an eye on the scientist!

    DEAD END: As if I had anything better to do. Oil Slick? Oil Slick! Yo, canister-head! Where are you?!

    BREAKDOWN: They've taken him.

    DEAD END: Who?

    BREAKDOWN: The Horrorcons. They always come around this time, on the eve of this orbital cycle. They come, they seize... and they never see you again.

    DEAD END: Uh-huh. What's this?

    BREAKDOWN: Synthetic Energon. It's what Oil Slick's been working on.

    DEAD END: Hmm... (He starts injecting it into himself)

    BREAKDOWN: What are you doing?! Don't--

    DEAD END: I have nothing to lose, Breakdown.

    BREAKDOWN: Oh, Primus, I can't watch...

    DEAD END: What's wrong with you? I feel fine--! Hrk! What the--? My... module. Ah, I knew this would happen... sooner or... later... (His eyes turn green)

    BREAKDOWN: Dead End...? You okay?

    DEAD END: Hm? Oh, I'm fine... just feelin' a little thirsty.

    (Beat)

    VEHICON: Hey, Motormaster needs--

    (Breakdown shoves him in as he leaves the room, slamming the door behind him)

    VEHICON: What the--? (He sees Dead End) Mommy....

    (Later)

    MOTORMASTER: Well done, Decepticons. We've won.

    VEHICON: Um, sir? We have a situation.

    MOTORMASTER: Dead End? Are you-- Oh, Mortilus...

    (Dead End has dismembered his Vehicon victim)

    DEAD END: Energon... I need energon! RAAG! (He lunges at Motormaster only to be shot down)

    MOTORMASTER: Vehicons, take him to the medbay. Breakdown, Drag Strip, start looking for Oil Slick. Unless he's already dead!

    (Elsewhere)

    NIGHTSCREAM: Hmm... It seems the experiment was successful.

    OIL SLICK: It better be. The dangers of Synthetic Energon are numerous. I must ask... why do you require a... vampire? What good does it do for the Decepticons?

    NIGHTSCREAM: Ah, you shall find out in due time, Oil Slick. I promise you.

    (Later)

    MINDWIPE: Wake up... Wake up! Ah, good. I was afraid that-- Never mind. Come, we are needed.

    DEAD END: Wh-who are you? What's going...?

    MINDWIPE: There's no time. Come!

    (Dead End takes his hand and they teleport away. A Vehicon enters the room)

    VEHICON: Time for your medi-- cine. Scrap, I'm fired.

    (Mindwipe and Dead End arrive to a new place)

    DEAD END: Where the heck are... we?

    NIGHTSCREAM: You're home, Dead End... you'll fit right in!

    (The other Horrorcons are based on various horror icons. Most notable is a bot based on Crossovers Ghost Rider)

    DEAD END: Uh... what's--?

    NIGHTSCREAM: We are the Horrorcons. I am Nightscream, your humble host.

    DEAD END: I... don't understand--?

    NIGHTSCREAM: We are, how shall we say, a splinter group of Decepticons. After the knowledge of Dark Energon became widespread, I, like many others, became intrigued. Through my researches, I discovered that Dark Energon could not only power the living... but bring back the dead. Naturally, I kept my knowledge away from the likes of Megatron and eventually gathered my own group of followers.

    DEAD END: So, what's your objective?

    NIGHTSCREAM: Simple. We raise an army of Terrorcons, destroy both the Autobots and the Decepticons, and rule the world!

    DEAD END: ...Lame.

    NIGHTSCREAM: Yes, you may think so. But you need only do one thing.

    DEAD END: What do I get in return?

    NIGHTSCREAM: Eternal gratitude.

    DEAD END: Name it.

    (Later)

    VEHICONS: *Sigh*

    VEHICON 1: I wish something would happen.

    VEHICON 2: Yeah.

    (Dead End appears behind them)

    VEHICONS: SHEEAGH!

    MINDWIPE: They're distracted, Nightscream.

    NIGHTSCREAM: Excellent, Mindwipe. Thunderblast, Bomb-Burst, you know what to do.

    BOMB-BURST: Certainly. (They break in) Jackpot. Thunderblast, get the controls.

    COMPUTER: Systems offline. Subject activated.

    BOMB-BURST: Welcome to the party... Toxitron!

    TO BE CONTINUED [Never because I stopped making these... and started writing the current iteration of Regenerated!]

CHARACTERS

    Autobots: Air Raid, Fireflight, Silverbolt

    Decepticons: Breakdown, Dead End, Drag Strip, Motormaster, Oil Slick, Vehicons

    Horrorcons: Bomb-Burst, "Ghost Rider," Mindwipe, Nightscream, Terrorcons, Thunderblast, Toxitron

Transformers Regenerated Comic: Issue 16 - Spotlight: Punch

     Date: 10/13/2013

HORRORCONS RISING PART 1:

THE STRANGE CASE OF PUNCH AND COUNTERPUNCH

    PUNCH: (narration) My life has never been an easy one. When I got recruited by Autobot Intelligence, I thought it would take a better turn. I was wrong.

    PUNCH: Will this hurt?

    PERCEPTOR: At first, yes. But don't worry... the effects will wear off eventually. (He attaches something to the side of Punch's head)

    PUNCH: Couldn't you have gotten a Shifter or something?

    ULTRA MAGNUS: You're the only person we can trust, Punch. I'm sorry.

    PUNCH: (narration) I slumber. And he awakens.

    COUNTERPUNCH: (narration) My life has been a glorious one. When I was awakened by my Autobot foes, I thought it could not get any better. I was wrong.

    AUTOBOT: Team Sigma-12 to Cybertron! We need reinforcements, I repeat--!

    COUNTERPUNCH: Such a pathetic way to die. You really should've planned out your life better.

    AUTOBOT: No, please don't--

    COUNTERPUNCH: I'm sorry.

    SFX: BLAM!

    COUNTERPUNCH: (narration) I slumber. And he reawakens.

    HIGHBROW: This is good information, agent. We could use this. Does anyone suspect you?

    PUNCH: No, thankfully. However... I think I'm going insane, sir. This dual personality thing is--

    HIGHBROW: Hold together, agent. This is very important. When this war is over... you will be relieved of duty.

    PUNCH: I... Thank you, sir. *Sigh*

    SFX: Knock knock

    COUNTERPUNCH: Coming... What?

    STEAMHAMMER: Megadeath requires our presence.

    COUNTERPUNCH: (narration) Megadeath. If anyone could outdo me in paranoia and psychotic levels... it was him.

    MEGADEATH: My fellow Decepticons, it is time to break free of our restraints and rebel against Megatron!

    SWITCHBLADE: And just what are the odds of that working? I'm sure several 'Cons have attempted that and--

    MEGADEATH: You underestimate me, Switchblade. Megatron will be no match for us!

    COUNTERPUNCH: (narration) Though he was prone to hyperbole, Megadeath truly was a force to be reckoned with. If Megadeath were to overthrow Megatron, the war would take a sharp turn in the 'Cons' favor. It was time to play my part.

    COUNTERPUNCH: Lord Megatron, I have something of interest for you.

    (Soon; Lugnut is dismembering Megadeath)

    LUGNUT: Foul traitor! You shall pay for daring to defy the glorious Megatron!

    MEGADEATH: No! Please, don't--!

    SFX: SKRTCH

    MEGATRON: I suppose I owe you my thanks, Counterpunch... it was only a matter of time before someone like Megadeath turned against me.

    COUNTERPUNCH: Don't mention it, Lord Megatron. I was simply protecting the Decepticon cause.

    MEGATRON: Ah, but you've done far more than that.

    COUNTERPUNCH: Pardon?

    MEGATRON: Bots like Megadeath are formidable assets. I require elite warriors that I can both use and trust. Congratulations, Counterpunch. I have an idea on how to win the war.

    COUNTERPUNCH: (narration) Slag.

    (Later into the war)

    PUNCH: Director? This is Agent 111. Come in. Uh, where's the director?

    LONGARM: Heh, I am the director. I am Longarm, the new head of Intelligence. Is this channel safe?

    PUNCH: Yes. For now.

    LONGARM: Then report.

    PUNCH: I don't have much time. I've gained Megatron's trust a few years ago, but... I think my "teammates" are growing suspicions. I have to make my reports less frequent.

    LONGARM: Hmm. I might have an idea...

    (In battle; Steve the Vehicon perishes. RIP. Less importantly, Counterpunch shoots an Autobot in the shoulder with a bullet)

    SANDSTORM: Aggh!

    FIRST AID: Sandstorm! He's still alive. Turborun, call for Evac!

    TURBORUN: Right!

    COUNTERPUNCH: (narration) I could get used to this...

    PUNCH: (narration) Too used to this. Each day, I feel more and more... comfortable as Counterpunch. But I can't stop. I have a mission to accomplish. All I can do is hope...

    COUNTERPUNCH: (narration) ...that this war comes to an end soon.

    (Millions of years later; present era)

    RUNG: Gently... (he is arranging his model ships) Just one last budge. (KNOCK KNOCK!) Ah! Coming!

    PUNCH: I need help, doctor...

    RUNG: Punch? By Primus, it's been ages! Where have you been? What's wrong?

    PUNCH/COUNTERPUNCH: I. Need. Help. (He constantly fluctuates between the two forms)

    (Later)

    RUNG: I really don't know how to help you, Punch.

    PUNCH: What do you mean?!

    RUNG: I've never really dealt with split personalities. Well, once I did... [in Spotlight: Blitzwing] but it wasn't quite your case.

    PUNCH: So, what am I supposed to do?

    RUNG: You could go see Froid (as much as it pains me to say that). But I somehow doubt that even he has had patients with--

    COUNTERPUNCH: RAAAGH!

    RUNG: No! Please, Punch! You know better than to--

    COUNTERPUNCH: Punch does. But I don't. (He gets zapped in the back)

    RUNG: ...Punch?

    BLURR: He's in stasis lock, doctor... he'll be all right.

    RUNG: Blurr? I... I don't--

    BLURR: Magnus knew that if Punch survived the war, he'd be visiting you. I was tasked with keeping an eye on him.

    RUNG: I see. What will happen to him now?

    BLURR: He'll be taken to the Stockade where he can recover... hopefully.

    (Now)

    PUNCH/COUNTERPUNCH: (narration) My life has never been easy. I often consider just ending it. But he insists on stopping me; like a conscious, but with a bad influence. They left me with my gun, no doubt hoping that I would end my misery. (Then why not do it themselves?) Anyway, whenever I try to shoot myself... he stops me.

    [Geez, I really was an edgelord in 2013, wasn't it?]

    PUNCH/COUNTERPUNCH: (narration) I'm in a body that I cannot control. It's only a matter of time before Punch dies... and Counterpunch reigns supreme.

    (An explosion takes out the wall and causes the energy bars of his cell to disappear)

    PUNCH/COUNTERPUNCH: (narration) Eh? An opportunity has appeared. Do I take it and become free to form my own destiny?

    (Through the wall, we see someone - maybe Wasp - escape through the space bridge)

    PUNCH/COUNTERPUNCH: (narration) Why the heck not? After all, for as long as I live... I will never be free!

    TO BE CONTINUED

CHARACTERS

    Autobots: Blurr, Checkpoint, First Aid, Highbrow, Longarm, Mainframe, Perceptor, Punch/Counterpunch, Rung, Sandstorm, Turborun, Ultra Magnus

    Decepticons: Backfire, Demolishor, Lugnut, Megadeath, Megatron, Quake, Skywarp, Soundwave, Steamhammer, Switchblade, Vehicons (Steve)