#verbent

Far away from the public, Elbent exhaled and inhaled quickly, panic welling up in her spark. Drillburst stood in front of her, trying to ensure she was okay.

“What the hell was that!?” Elbent gritted out through her denta.

Drillburst looked unsure, “I’m not quite sure, but everyone is talking about us now, like we are villains.” That set a whole new round of emotions for Elbent. She began shaking, spark pounding, joints stiffening, falling to her knees, and tears falling from her optics.

Primus, those two were alive, HE was alive.... Weren’t they? They were trying to damage the lives they built for themselves. If her past is coming back to haunt her, what about her friend that stands in front of her?

Elbent noticed Drillburst’s face come into view, oh, and he was holding her face. He must have knelt down a little to make sure she was okay. He was moving his intake, was he talking? That’s when Elbent noticed she couldn’t hear, her audials ringing. The fear finally settled in her, realization of the situation hitting. Her fans stilled and everything became hot, panic spreading to every fiber, tears pouring down her face.

What was Drillburst saying? He was making motions, almost like up and down. Oh, breath in and out. Slowly.

Minutes passed by, finally should could hear. “El, how are you feeling?”

“Like I just got banged up on a wall by a freakishly huge amalgamation and died.” Elbent replied.

“Elbent. Be serious.” A stern look crossed Drillburst’s face.

“Like I haven’t gone through the most traumatizing moments of my life all over again? Are you seriously asking me how I’m feeling after that?” Elbent snapped, not meaning to. She was just frustrated, how someone was able to embarrass her like that in front of the public. This interview was to acknowledge bots that have risen from their designated function, to prove any bot could become any occupation. Now, people new more than they should about their past, rumors were probably being proven today.

“Shouldn’t I be asking you how you’re feeling, Drill? I mean you witnessed my simulated death and faced a ghost of your past. How the hell are you so composed right now? Should I call Max?” Elbent’s worries outweighed her frustration, realization of what her friend went through coming to a front.

“As much as I want to crumble, I’ll be fine. I might have been too scared to hit him back then, but I’d hit him in a sparkbeat now. Now stop changing the subject. If we are throwing threats of summoning someone we care for, should I call Verglaust?” Drillburst gave her a stern face.

Elbent’s eyes widened, “No, Ver is watching over Ferrous right now. They don’t need to be here, Ferrous doesn’t need to be here.”

Drillburst sighed, giving a sympathetic look, “Max and I could take him for a bit, have Verglaust take you to calm down.”

“You keep forgetting that you relived your past, I would be handing off my sparkling to someone who needs just as much help as me.” Elbent gave him a look that said not to bring up the idea again. She could give looks that could scare the largest of bots.

“Okay, then how about we talk? Like the mature Cybertronians we are?” Drillburst asked.

“Are you saying mature Cybertronians get stupidly drunk and sing karaoke? Like us?” Elbent gave a grin.

Drillburst grew annoyed, he will just have to rip the metaphorical bandage off, “Elbent, so help me. Answer the damn question.”

Rolling her eyes, Elbent scoffed, “Fine.”

“Do you want me to talk first?” Drillburst asked. He didn’t want to talk about this, but him and Elbent shared so much about each other’s past, what else could he hide from her?

Elbent nodded, earning a sigh from Drillburst, “Great. I’m not fairing too well. I want to tell you to leave our friendship while you still can, it’s instinct at this point. How am I supposed to feel when I see my friend die one moment and then alive the next? That’s messed up. I saw your helm bashed into the wall. I was afraid how I would explain to Verglaust how his Conjunx was gone.” Elbent teared up, she knew his reply wouldn’t be long, but it still hit emotions for her, “I’m only glad that it wasn’t real.”

Elbent hummed, “Who was in charge of this interview anyways? What name were we told?”

Confusion crossed Drillburst and then you could tell he was thinking of the name, “I believe it was, Koiyote. You know that big reporter, the one who thinks he is the shit.”

A growl erupted from Elbent, “Of course, this was up his ally.”

“I’m not following, Elbent.” Drillburst stated.

“Back on Solphospha 7b, you know my colony, we had a mnemosurgeon to visit every once in awhile.” Elbent started off.

Drillburst gave a type of glare, “Don’t tell me that was their name?”

Elbent shook her head, “They dreamed of ways of making technology show your secrets and memories.” Growing disgusted at the thought, “Guess they found a way and we were the first public test subjects.”

Walking around a nearby area, Drillburst and Elbent looked for the proclaimed reporter that was the root cause of this whole fiasco. Maybe they would be near backstage, leaving. “Any sign of the slagger?” Elbent questioned, her optics scanned the crowd of people passing.

As he too observed the face of each bot, he sighed, “I’ve only seen him on the news once or twice. I’m sure I’d recognize him if I saw him, Elbent. I really don’t see the hype about him.”

“Really? Surprised you’re not one of those bots that fawn over him. He is rather flashy, so he attracts a lot of attention. Talk about if Starscream and Sund- THAT mech had a sparkling.” Elbent shuddered at the thought.

Drillburst laughed, “Okay, first off: Do I look like I’m attracted to flashy? Second off: don’t make me imagine that.”

As the two walked by a long partition from another walkway, Elbent smirked, “Oh that’s right, you like a mech with some issues. How’s that one human audio go? “You’ve got issues that I like”? Has Max said that before? And you can’t deny that THAT is exactly what he is like: crazed and fancy. All the worst things combined into one spark.”

Drillburst doubled over laughing, “NO. Nope, that audio is all you over Verglaust. Max and I might bond over some similarities, but that audio is all YOU, El. Mehh, you’re not wrong about Koiyote seeming to be the mix of the two though.”

A third voice spoke out, “And what might I be a mix of, dear?”

The two bots turned their heads, there stood Koiyote. Did he look for them while they looked for him? Elbent scowled, “Oh, just how you’re a mix of Starscream and Sund- sun- THE CRAZED AUTOBOT.” Elbent hated how she couldn’t say the bots name.

Koiyote smirked, “Well, you must know I take that as a compliment. Sunder was truly one to inspire me in my works, although Screamer is more of an inspiration on dramatics.” The mech looked at the two that stood before him, “I must say, I’ve met Elbent a few times in our past when I visited her colony, but this is the first time I’m meeting Drillburst in person. It’s nice to meet a tall, strong mech like yourself.”

Elbent gagged while Drillburst looked uncomfortable, “Uh, thank you. Can’t say I feel the same.”

“Fair enough, afterall I’m a stranger and no telling what that little mine helper told you. She can stretch the truth a bit.” Koiyote whispered, “Always the dramatic one of the bunch that I saw.”

Elbent stood angrily, fists balled up, and gritting her denta, “Dramatic? Have you looked in a mirror? Also, I never stretched the truth, my friends were being harmed by the mines and all you, and anyone of higher function, just scoffed at their misfortune!”

Drillburst really didn’t like how this conversation was going, he saw how connected the two’s past were. He had to interrupt, “Koiyote, we just want to know why our interview turned into a horror film for us? Was it intentional?”

An evil smirk manifested on the flashy mech’s face, “Oh, the simulation? That was my idea. A project that took years to accomplish.”

Elbent looked at Drillburst that said “I told you.” Drillburst sighed, “May I ask why?”

Koiyote gave a small laugh, “Oh love, i frankly hate both of you and wanted to watch your minds crumple at the revisit of your traumatic pasts and what others thought of it. Which was gold by the way.”

Elbent growled, her fingers glowed and her mouth , “YOU DAMN BASTARD! YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO RUIN THOSE WHO DONE BETTER THAN YOU, BITCH!”

Drillburst grabbed onto Elbent’s shoulder, “El, he isn’t worth it. I don’t agree with what he did, I’d love to hit him,” he paused for a second, “but that is exactly what he wants.”

Koiyote squinted their optics, “Quite the observant one, I see. Always a pain in my ass. You KRAN models were always that way and on my shit list. Got to take out a few of your ‘siblings’ before I became a reporter.”

Elbent shook while Drillburst went still, both said in unison, “You what!?”

Koiyote kept their smirk, “Yeah, enough about me though. How did you love my simulation and the reveals of your past? I gave them a little twist for more dramatics, still got the point across. You two will be the talk across space. I’m sure your loved one will love it, and what was the little one’s name? Ferrous? He gets to see his carrier on live television! How exciting for a young one.”

Drillburst knew not to fall into the trap, but he felt Elbent shaking, “I am going to snuff his spark. That fu- ERGH DON’T EVEN MENTION MY SON’S NAME!” He felt the heat radiate off of Elbent, looking down Drillburst saw her defense mechanism was 100% active.

Drillburst grabbed onto Elbent and lifted her up, “Elbent, no!” He caught her in time before her lunge.

Koiyote laughed, “Oh dearie, going feral already? What would your peers and those that admire your work think?” He started to slow strut away, “Have a lovely day, dearies!”

Elbent struggled in Drillburst’s grasp, as Koiyote was out of their line of sight, Drillburst noticed she started to calm down. Once cooled down, the mech pulled his friend into a hug. “You want me to go beat their ass?”

Elbent sighed into the hug, “No, you were right. Koiyote isn’t worth the loss of all my accomplishments.”

Drillburst hummed, “Want a drink?”

Elbent shook her head, “No, I just want to go home to my Conjunx and son.”

Pulling away from the hug, Drillburst looked down to his friend, “I’ll escort you there. Max will have to wait, he’ll understand.”