A Transformers: Armada fanfiction

Thank you @WolfODonnellTheFurry for permission to use your character Hellfire to experiment with my own rockstar!

Picture above is drawn by me.

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         "No-way!" Hellfire was strumming his three-tiered guitar as Carlos marveled at his knowledge of human songs.

         "Yes-way." The orange and purple colored mech grinned, chains on his helm clicking and glittering. "What's next? Some Guns'N'Roses, Pink Floyd? I could try for Slash Monkey, but the three amigos here can only take so much punishment."

         "I bet he just downloaded them." Billy shrugged; arms crossed. "No way does a guy who just arrived at Earth know that many songs already!"

         "For your information, party crasher." Hellfire let the three Minicons, disguised as his guitar, transform and land on the floor. All four mimicked the boy's stance in defiance. "I'm not only a fast learner, but a good researcher when it comes to music I find rocks my gears."

         "Well, what else do you know, then?" Rad offered to boost the new bot's ego and prevent an argument.

     Meanwhile, while the carefree group listened and danced (or head-banged) to different rock songs, Alexis remained serious with the other Autobots. Hellfire wasn't in the know, but with his arrival came another Decepticon. 

        A very well-known Decepticon.

His profile was shown on the screen of their well maintenanced ship. Small enough to not be noticed by the rockstar, but large enough to recognize the mech.

         "He's bad news." Blurr's frown could be heard behind his masked faceplate. 

         "Any 'Con is bad news." Smokescreen gave a hefty huff, looking over his shoulder to peer at their newly arrived rockstar. "I don't get why you called the kid here, Optimus."

         "Yeah, he peaked eons ago." Hot Rod earned several pointed glares, to which he shrugged with a muttered 'I'm not wrong'. 

     Optimus sighed, shaking his mighty helm before explaining why he wanted the musician on his team while they were on Earth. Despite his ruckus ways, the mech was well versed in Minicon care, as he was likely the only to have his team remain with him after the exodus the tiny species took off Cybertron. Not many knew his guitar had been a trio of happy helpers, even in his earlier career, but the four were inseparable. Having someone with a deeper understanding of Minicons would be beneficial to the Autobot team. Someone who understood and worked with them almost 24/7.

     It made sense to the others, but not even the more patient Smokescreen was fond of the newly arrived Autobot. He was known for making his own way. He worked well with his Minicons but with other bots? The rumors stated Hellfire had relieved several "handlers" (as the joke continued about his character on Cybertron) from their jobs of keeping shows in line and watching over budgets, making sure everyone was on time and what-not. The mech simply wanted to do everything himself in his own way. It seemed to work, at least, to the audience, but a one-man band can only do so much without help. Rumors weren't always the whole truth, however. 

     Hellfire, having met the five children, and knowing the Autobots already present, had begun to eavesdrop on their conversation. The group of kids in front of him were already talking animatedly about something else, so he didn't think it would be rude to ignore them for a moment. He wished he hadn't, knowing what the other titans were complaining and gossiping about.

     Sure, being a rockstar meant very little peace, but this was supposed to be an opportunity he was able to find an escape from it all. Clearly it wasn't to be as Hot Rod popped another incredulous comment about his apparent lack of people skills. As well as his need to find a proper band.

         "Hellfire?" His blue optics blinked, turning his helm to point his attention toward the only girl of the group. "Something wrong?" Alexis was the only one to notice his sudden somber mood from across the room, so decided to investigate.

     The mech only smiled in return.

         "Just using my thinking face." He assured. "You'll get to see my game face soon enough, I bet."

     Alexis giggled at his finger-guns, her attention snaping to the darker skinned boy pushing her with a wink in his eye after telling some joke. Hellfire only shook his helm at the antics. 

         Humans were weird.

     Elsewhere, Starscream, Sideways, Demolisher and Cyclonus waited in the destroyed throne room of their moon base. Megatron had received an 'honored guest', as he so graciously put it, and refused to let the three 'Cons see the newly arrived mech until after he had spoken with him. It grinded Starscream's gears that someone was apparently important enough to earn, not only their leader's undivided attention, but a private meeting as well. The three 'Cons behind the jet were just as miffed, Sideways more so as this new mech wasn't even called by Megatron.

         "How long is this going to take?" Demolisher whined, shifting from pede to pede like a human toddler waiting for its mother to stop talking to a friend in the grocery store.

         "However long Megatron thinks this newcomer is worthy for." Sideways noted sourly.

         "He must be pretty desperate if he's been yak-n for this long!" Cyclonus cackled. Whether he was aware that he had insulted their rag-tag team or not, Starscream was going to point it out regardless.

         "Megatron will know no desperation as long as he has us." The red and white mech stated flatly, using a plural term in order to make sure those behind him would be on his side if they became jealous enough to gang up on the newcomer if he became too cocky around them. "Are you suggesting we're not enough, not even Megatron himself, to defeat the Autobots, Cyclonus?"

     The orange faceplate shook side to side in an adamant and surprisingly silent 'no' as Starscream stared at Cyclonus from the corner of his optic. It was the last words said as they continued to wait for Megatron and the honored guest to reveal themselves from the hallways they had escaped to. In truth they only had to wait a whole 15 Earth minutes, but it was long enough to make the group antsy. 

     When heavy steps finally greeted their audio, all helms snapped up, hoping to see the mech who gained the honor of Megatron's full attention. A disappointed suspense filled their sparks as they were greeted by the proud grin of their leader. Megatron stepped to the side of the hallway entrance as he spoke.

         "Decepticons-" he announced to earn their already pointed attention, "today marks the turning of the tides for us. I present to you a well-known Cybertronian: Retrograde."

     A toxic green, black and silver mech appeared before them, mohawk-like, pointed pieces on his helm flaring like a cockatiel as the low light from the sun illuminated his frame. blue optics stared at the group, paired with a confident smirk as a blackened servo rested on his Roman Gladiator-esc tunic. The mech licked his derma, giving a glimpse of his glinting fangs as he lifted his massive instrument over his shoulder with the other arm.

     The four Decepticons knew very well who the newcomer was. Retrograde wasn't just a well-known mech, but one of the best rockstars on Cybertron. Known for his performances in the gladiatorial ring, he and Megatron had become fast friends after the musically inclined mech opened for one of his fights. From then on Retrograde would only open for Megatron (then known as Megatronus) and earned the Decepticon badge during the early years of the war despite never having pledged allegiance. Retrograde never actually fought either, as far as Sideways knew, which resulted in some suspicion.

         "Heard you 'er have'n fun without me." His accent was strangely similar to those of the Celtic line on Earth. "Had ta' find out for me-self what's happen'n aft-ar Hellfire dipped out."

         "Hellfire?" Demolisher cocked his helm to the side, Cyclonus giggling beside him.

         "You-you mean you're here because of the band-less rockstar?" The crazed 'copter cackled. "Even Demolisher could handle a dead-beat, tune-less punk like him!"

     Retrograde frowned at the insults, daring the other three to stop him as he approached the other mech. Cyclonus stopped his cackling as he was backed into a wall, the edge of a surprisingly sharp, guitar-like instrument being pressed against his neck cables. Despite appearing heavy, Retrograde's strength kept the silver piece steady, gliding side-to-side like a pendulum over his prey's exposed weak point. His serious stare unnerved the admittedly scared mech.

         "Don' think y'll find mah favor by insult'n the competition." His blue optics held a strange, protective rivalry over the other singer. "I'll make one thing clear." Retrograde turned to look at the other Decepticons, steady arm as still as stone against Cyclonus's neck cables. "Hellfire's my target, and if anyone lays a single digit on 'im-" he turned his attention back to Cyclonus, "they'll be find'n 'emselves two notes shy of a symph'ny."

     His point having reached the group, Retrograde swung his guitar away from the smaller mech, the silver glinting as it transformed down to a more manageable size. It wasn't a secret, but it amazed the public regardless as the rockstar plucked the strings of a Cybertronian sized fiddle. The instrument was likely the most famous part of him, and Retrograde knew it, so he kept it in good condition, constantly.

     Megatron was the first to say something after Retrograde's confrontation with Cyclonus. He explained that their guest only planned on staying as long as Hellfire remained on Earth. Starscream challenged the motive, glaring at the still plucking Retrograde who had leaned against a wall. The green and black mech didn't have to answer, smirking as Megatron continued in saying that "Retrograde's business was his own", and was just as important on Cybertron as he was off.

         "What does he do other than put on a show?" Demolisher was the more clueless of the bunch, per the norm. "I mean- they're good concerts but-"

     Retrograde laughed. Mostly at Megatron's unamused expression as he sat on his thrown, but the innocence of Demolisher was quite adorable. He swung the fiddle again and it transformed into a guitar as he sighed.

         "You're quite the riot." He stated with as little accent as possible to ensure the dumber 'Con could understand him. "Do 'ya know who comes to the concerts, Demolish'a?"

     The heavy hitter was silent, frozen for a minute as he watched the carefree mech pluck his guitar and tune it. He finally shrugged his shoulders once everyone else had started staring at him.

         "Decepticons," was the obvious answer, "and Aut'a'bots."

     That news made even Starscream and Cyclonus's intakes go slack. The smirking mech looked up from his guitar, twisting the stringed end forward and setting the now cello, on the ground to further his tuning.

         "Strange, yeah?" He pointed his attention back to his transformed instrument. "H'wats a 'Con-aligned mech like me doi'n with a 'Bot audience? I'll tell 'ya what." He strummed a low note for dramatic effect. "Entrapment."

         "Entrapment?" Sideways questioned, to which Megatron answered.

         "Retrograde has been abducting Autobots for eons." The Decepticon leader boasted. "Long before the war even started. He'd attract them to the Gladiatorial pits, lure them in for a meeting with the Musical Gladiator himself, only for them to be stripped of their parts and used to repair his own competition. Me included."

         "You actually fought?" Starscream drawled, doubtful of the idea. As far as anyone else knew, Retrograde only performed his music.

     The green and black mech merely shrugged with a false humility, not actually answering the question.

         "Why not entrap your rival before he left Cybertron, then?" The jet questioned further. 

         "Because 'e never came." Retrograde glared at the second in command, though no hostility was actually aimed at him. "The glitch is not as openly jealous as mah' other opponents. I don't even 'ave to meet the fans anymore. My cohorts pick 'em out of the crowd like scraplets. Not once was the fragger there."

     Hellfire was the only one to have never attempted to even spy on any of Retrograde's shows. Either the mech was too embarrassed to go, or he was a true musician, as his rival had decided to label the Autobot. It took a lot to earn Retrograde's respect, but Hellfire had managed to do just that. Even after his fans dwindled, stolen by the Decepticon rocker, and his multiple agents abducted (those the gossipers would call "handlers"), the annoying twerp continued to persevere. 

     Hellfire was younger, and had a unique sound, but he didn't have a band. Any attempt to get in touch with other musicians ultimately failed as they disappeared, were mysteriously killed or were simply just Decepticons. Not a single Autobot musician made it above Retrograde, a one-man band with the sound of entire symphonies and a background that dated before the war. Hellfire was the only one to come close, and held the number 2 spot for years, but anyone could tell that the mech was becoming burnt out. Burnt out and exhausted.

         Having to compete with both Decepticons and Autobots alike didn't help. Retrograde's sabotage only made the situation worse for the mech. 

         'Yet 'e still a thorn in my side.'

     Hellfire was later briefed about his rival joining the Decepticons. He questioned as to how the Autobots knew about it, not informing them that he had been eavesdropping about the subject. Optimus admitted that Retrograde had sent the signal himself, guessing it was a taunt to lure the younger musician out. The Autobot leader doubted Megatron would pass an opportunity to invite a new member to his team, especially one who had been part of his cause before the war began. 

     It wouldn't be until days later that Hellfire would see the other rockstar in battle.

         "He's insane!" Retrograde guffawed as he watched Cyclonus essentially dive-bomb the Autobots, despite his bulky helicopter form. "I like it!"

     The mech was fighting off Blurr, back-to-back with Megatron who was fighting Optimus.

         "He's a good distraction, is what I think-" Megatron kicked his rival away just as Cyclonus made another swoop at the startled Hot Rod, forcing the three to collide harshly as the 'copter 'Con failed to calculate how close he was to Optimus Prime's height. The totalitarian gave his own guffaw at the sight. He hummed as a flash of orange and purple crossed the corner of his optic. "Is that a battle of the bands I hear?"

     Retrograde perked at the question, grinning evilly as he caught sight of the rushing Hellfire. With a well-placed swing, he guided Blurr into Megatron's fist, deviating to run after his rival instead. The motorcycle swerved to trip his opponent, but Retrograde was quick to jump. Both came to a screeching halt on the dirt, pedes making deep grooves in the Earth as the Autobot transformed.

         "You don' come to mah' shows!" Retrograde hummed, straightening his posture to rest his guitar-shaped instrument over his shoulder lazily. "It hurts."

         "I'm not desperate enough to plagiarize someone else's work." The Autobot grit his denta, glaring at the mech.

     Retrograde only nodded, knowing his rival wasn't talking about him. If there was one thing he was honest about, it was his music.

         "Ah, well, 'is to bad your last cohort was so dishonest, wasn't he? Come on, a little crosso'va, you and me? A whole band in one mech, you won't need anoth'a!"

     Hellfire raised a sharpened, metallic brow, straightening his hunched and battle-ready posture. Decepticons weren't supposed to seem this nice.

         "Are you offering to be in my band?" 

     As predicted, the other mech laughed. A horrendous noise that matched the screeching of his strings as he tore the silver instrument from his shoulder.

        "So desperate!" He finally attacked, forcing the unsteady musician to dodge a swing sloppily. "Yet so independent! I admire 'yer perseverance, but you've begun to annoy me."

         "Annoy you?" Hellfire curled into himself as he rolled out of the way of the bladed guitar. "You're the one ruining my shows! Who else has the time and devoted fans to tear down my fragging posters!"

     Hellfire was backed up into a tree when Retrograde swung down, the sun hitting his guitar and blinding the orange and purple mech. It was then that the three Minicons on his back protected their friend. An orange forcefield stopped the Decepticon's fatal attack from reaching the younger rockstar. It didn't stop him from leaning on it, however, like forcing two magnets of the same polarity together.

         "Hah! I 'ave noth'n ta' do with your posters." Retrograde's out-of-place optics burned with amused, blue fire as he leaned on his lethal guitar. "I'll be sure ta' praise the fans f'er their patriotism next show."

     Hellfire rolled to the side before his Minicon's strength gave out, narrowly missed by the grinning Retrograde as the forcefield disappeared. The Autobot gently touched the guitar on his back plates as a silent 'thank you' before bolting back to fight in an attempt to lose the gladiator turned musician. He was nearly successful until Starscream blocked his path after being thrown by Smokescreen. Retrograde grabbed his opponent by the neck cables and forced him into a tree again.

         "Y'er not gett'n away that easily-"

         "Can't you fight?" Hot Rod made a flying leap at the trapped Hellfire, forcing the older musician to back off and deal with a furious Blurr.

         "Ever heard of stage fright?" Hellfire attempted to let the matter slide with a very poor excuse.

         "No time for an intermission now." Hot Rod told him. "Get your aft in gear!"

     The taller mech only nodded before helping Hotrod with the crazed Cyclonus. The battle didn't last long before the Decepticon lifted himself back up into the skies, being replaced by Sideways who had abandoned an unconscious Red Alert. The mech convinced Starscream to leave Smokescreen and battle Hot Rod, separating the two Autobots completely. 

     Sideways had conjured a plan with Demolisher, knowing he was gullible, and plotted to offline the Autobot musician whether Retrograde wanted it or not. The Decepticon rockstar was too much of a wild card in his plans, and therefore had to leave one way or another. Killing him wasn't an option considering Megatron's friendship with the mech, so making Retrograde's mission null and void was his best bet.

     The horned mech pushed his opponent passed a set of trees where Demolisher was waiting for his signal. The simple minded Cybertronian was under the impression that he was helping their guest by aiming at Hellfire's guitar. Unknowing of the fact that they were Minicons, Demolisher wasn't expecting Hellfire to immediately turn after he had fired, exposing his more vulnerable front in favor of saving his loyal friends. It looked like a victory to Sideways until the smoke cleared.

     Retrograde glared over the edge of his Cello-like instrument. It's wide base functioned as a perfect shield, protecting both him and the surprised mech who had fallen on his aft behind him. The green and black musician stood in a painfully slow manner, still glaring at Demolisher. The guilty 'Con subconsciously shuffled closer to a tree as if it could hide him from the livid rockstar. 

         "Are they hurt?" 

     Hellfire blinked, trying to make out what his rival had said over the din of battle and the ringing of his audio. The mech above him didn't even glance his way to check.

         "No-" he cleared his voice box so it didn't sound as small and timid the second time. "No. They- I'm fine." He wondered how Retrograde knew about the Minicons.

     The mech only nodded, turning his torso to offer the downed mech a servo to grab hold of. His helm still remained staring at Demolisher. It unnerved the other musician as he took the servo, surprised by the Decepticon's strength as he was pulled up like a sack of flour and promptly set on solid ground.

         "Yer team is leav'n." Retrograde told the other mech. "I suggest going with 'em."

     Looking back toward the battle, Hellfire noticed Optimus Prime waving for everyone to join him. Blurr had attained the Minicon, and was already being warped back to base. He looked back to his savior, who remained staring at the nervous Demolisher, transformed cello soot covered but still intact. 

         "Hellfire!" Optimus called, making the musician's helm twitch his way. 

     The soft sparked mech placed a servo on his rival's shoulder, daring to thank him. 

         "Don' make me regret it." Retrograde snapped, making Hellfire take his servo away from his shoulder.

         "Just- just don't kill him." He requested.

         "Hellfire, now!" Optimus ordered.

         "Why not?" The slightly taller mech's helm twitched toward Hellfire, though his optics remained locked on the heavy hitter.

     Hellfire wasn't sure if it was treason to ask a Decepticon to refrain from killing another Decepticon, but he felt that it wasn't right if he remained silent on the matter.

         "It wasn't just him. Sideways was the one to bait me over here."

     Retrograde thought for a moment. He knew Demolisher was rather naive and gullible, so more than likely Sideways had convinced the bigger mech to plot against his clear warning. Nodding, the older rockstar swung his instrument, which returned to a fiddle state as he closed his optics. Retrograde finally looked at his rival, a lazy confidence in his expression. He smirked before pushing the smaller musician toward Optimus's direction.

         "Don' think I'm go'n soft. I'm not called eh' rockstar fer noth'n."

         "Catch you next show." Hellfire winked with a set of finger guns before transforming into his Harley alt. form and racing off toward Optimus.

     The older mech watched as the two finally left. He shook his helm, digging his pede into the charred dirt.

         "Young'ns." He mused to himself before being warped to the Decepticon moon base where he stalked away, ignored by Megatron who berated his four lackeys about their poor work on the battlefield. 

     Giving one last thoughtful huff, Retrograde plucked the strings of his fiddle, skipping down the halls of the crashed ship with a witty air as he hummed along.

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     Welp, that's my rockstar! He's an absolute heathen that borders between Chaotic Evil and Chaotic Neutral. I'm tempted to do more with him, but I want to draw him more first. 

Hope you all enjoyed! And thanks again to Wolf for letting me borrow Hellfire!