1159/DEFC: Double Trouble

**Darkstar has posed:**
    The Dead End Fight Club was in full swing the moment that Darkstar and Vortex arrived. While Goth had opted to remain in the shadows and observe from the rooftops in some unseen fashion, the Spacer lead his Rotary comrade through the alleyway where the sound of cheers and the hard smack, crack, and pop of chassis on chassis combat heralded the presence of the combat club ahead...

    "You're gonna love this, mech... No weapons. Just raw power, unassisted... You versus your opponent, the roar of the crowd behind ya'. This ain't just a little group... This is a blasted family. 'Long as you're at a meeting anyway. Heroic Decepticons, villainous Autobots, passive Neutrals alike...all equal, all welcome, all fightin' together for fun and glory. This is the vision of Cybertron that most only dream about," he laughs at the irony given the state of the war torn planet.

    The crowd was larger than it has ever been this evening. Over three dozen mechs were gathered around, having formed a ring for the two combatants currently knocking each other around like it was their calling from creation. Scrap Bash and Killcore were missing yet again... The second time in as many meetups, but it didn't seem to diminish the enthusiasm of the regulars or the initiates alike.

    Odd to the spacer's optics was one sight though... A femme he'd heard rumors of recently. She was supposed to be scrap, having been slain by some rival crime syndicate or something when her boss Hackjob met his end in the warehouse district less than a week past. "Huh..." he sounded to himself, watching Silhouette as he passed her by only to shake his head and dismiss any thoughts he might've had on the issue. She was alive, and at the DEFC. Good enough for him...

**Goth has posed:**
     Goth was indeed skulking in the shadows, cloaked upon the rooftops, raising a ridge just how much this little event of Darkstar's had grown since his last hunting, and scavenging trips through the dead end. He'd make himself comfortable on the near rooftop, flopping down on his chassis to watch, much like a cat as he remained cloaked, knowing he'd /very/ much be dragged into this if caught, after all, that's what Darkstar told him last time.

**Koinonia (12) has posed:**
Maybe Darkstar won't notice since there's such a large crowd tonight, but watching sullenly from the back of the crowd is a newcomer. However, from where Goth is perched, he'll be able to see this new mech wander up with his arms folded and his expression blank. The way he carries himself, his armor, demeanor and even the weapons he's carrying don't seem indicative of a neutral, but he isn't wearing any kind of badge. Also, perhaps he didn't get the memo about DEFC being purely about the use of one's fists - he's definitely got ranged weaponry on him.

**Darkstar has posed:**
    Darkstar would notice the mech with the weaponry, but for the moment he wouldn't pay him much attention...outwardly anyway. Inwardly, Darkstar was certainly annoyed. He had just been talking about how annoying it was to have Rodion's DA venting down his neck about the Dead End Fight Club, and now it seemed as if she may have sent one of her underlings to spy on them. His hands balled into fists at his sides, but relaxed after a moment. He'd keep his cool...especially here of all places. Deciding to do something with his hands he would go on to cross his arms over his chest, venting deeply as he rolled his pauldrons to force down his aggrivation.

    The two in the ring were just about to finish up it looked like... The larger mech with the tail was getting the upper hand on the one with the broad chest and massive hands. The two beat each other back and forth going tit for tat with their hits, though the tailed mech was certainly looking better for wear. "So... You're gonna fight tonight then, eh?" he'd aside to Vortex. "Maybe go a round with me just ta' introduce ya' to the...'experience'," he'd add with a smirk.

**Vortex has posed:**
Vortex finally comes in with the others, looking around He stays near Darkstar and nods "Well yeah, I think I should. Been too long since I had a good fight." he says with a smirk under his facemask.

**Goth has posed:**
     Goth would take note of this figure, quirking a brow, so ether there was about to be bloodshed that Darkstar didn't intend, or just someone that didn't get the memo about no weapons, all and all though.. This brought a question though, should Goth alert Darkstar of him? Or perhaps the spacer had already noticed, for now, he was to keep silence, and watch the scene play out.

**Koinonia (12) has posed:**
The new mech meets Darkstar's optics with a narrow gaze. He notices Darkstar's visible aggravation and smirks, but doesn't otherwise address the spacer. After watching from the back for a bit, he pushes his way to the front, observing the two in the ring. He looks over at Goth and grins, appearing amused, but why will remain a mystery for now.

 "Violence is so .. mindless," he says to the mechabat offhandedly. "How'd you find out about this .. little meetup? Are you close with the shuttle?"

**Blast Off has posed:**
Blast Off enters the scene looking down at a datapad, frowning under his faceplate but still minding where he's going- as this \*is\* the Dead End, after all. He tenses when he spots the crowd but continues striding forward. "<< Vortex... where are you? I know you're... ah! There you are. >>" Tsk, this rotary had him a bit worried the other night when they spoke with Onslaught over the radio.

The shuttleformer works his way through the crowd fairly gracefully for a space shuttle, having lots of practice seeking personal \*space\* and all. He doesn't really pay much attention to the others, focusing solely on his teammate. "Vortex, what nonsense have you gotten yourself tied up into now. I swear to Primus, if you're buying circuit speeders here I'll... " He stops as he finally notices Darkstar.

**Vortex has posed:**
Vortex pauses. "Hey, Blast Off. Im out in the dead end, getting ready to do the fight club thing. But you just reminded me, I havent' seen Hush all week for my speeders. I shoudl give him a visit." He says as he seees the shuttleformer approaching. He stays close to the other Combaticon.

**Darkstar has posed:**
    Darkstar chuckles and swats Vortex on the pauldron. "That sounds like the Vortex I actually like! Hopefully nobody's challenged anybody else for the following round... Could end up bein' here for awhile now that I think about it. Might be we get lucky tonight though." Another glance is spared the unfamiliar mech who seems to have wandered closer to the match, and suddenly the spacer wasn't so sure that he was actually a constible after all. "Huh... False alarm, perhaps," he mused to himself before shrugging.

    The fight did indeed begin to die down, as 'big hands' took a foot to the face and finally went down. He wasn't out however, as an uppercut staggered his opponent. It wasn't enough though, and soon enough 'tails' was sending a roundhouse followed by a tail lash into 'big hands' face for a quick one-two shock that finally delivered the mech into dreamland proper.

    The crowd cheered for the victor and the defeated alike, and medics quickly moved to drag 'big hands' out of the ring and tend to his wounds but not before they congratulated the winner. Darkstar for his part chuckled and clapped his hands a few times, impressed with 'tails' and his fancy footwork. "Who's next?" the spacer finally asked one of the femmes who'd been there longer than he and his company.

    "If you're asking... I'd wager that'd be you, handsome."

    "I reckon you're right," Darkstar replies only to quickly turn his helm as Blast Off made himself known. "Hah! You actually showed up!" he barks, unable to contain his amusement. "Guess you've got yourself a different partner for this rodeo, Heli-Bot... Assuming this is the L.T.'s first time." A grin spreads broadly across his metallic face, as he meets Blast Off's gaze. "First time here, you gotta fight after all."

**Goth has posed:**
     Goth takes note of the look given his way, and his ears fall back and looks.. Well, taken aback, his faux fur standing on end, and he pushes himself up to all fours, and stepping back. He was never comfortable when there where those that could spot him, and Swivel was more than enough for him... This Mech had quickly jumped to the top end of his 'silence' list if things got out of hand.

      He'd optic up the other mech and hemmed, speaking softly, not to draw much more attention to himself, and scoffs. "I was flying over head one lunar-cycle and happened upon it." He'd reply, not mentioning if was close with Darkstar because.. Welll... He himself wasn't even sure, despite knowing the Shuttle didn't do.. Attachments. "As for... relations, I would not say he does 'close'" He'd inform.

      He'd then raise a ridge at Blast Off, oh this should be good.

**Vortex has posed:**
Vortex looks to Blast Off. "What him?" he asks. "Naa, it'd be better if we took someone else out together. Whatcha say bro?" he asks. "You and me. Tkae down one of these lowlives. Then get drunk or some speeders and have a night of pure..sensation." he chuckles a bit darkly.

**Blast Off has posed:**
Blast Off gets closer to his teammate, clucking in disapproval like a reproachful turbo-hen. "No you should \*not\*. Stay away from such hooligans. I'll tell Onslaught if I see you on those while working. Now, if you want to relax, I'd simply prescribe a nice red rose quartz enerwine or something." He nods to himself, yes. Then he looks over to Darkstar. The shuttle looks confused a moment, then as a loud \*thud\* is heard from the two fighters during their general beating the stuffing out of each other, he finally looks that way and... blinks.

"Wait, ...what?" He blinks again, violet optics flickering. It looks like he finally takes the time to really \*look\* at the crowd. He scans the area, then an elevon on his wing twitches. "I... 'gotta' \*what\*?"

**Koinonia (12) has posed:**
The newcomer doesn't dignify Goth with a response. As soon as Blast Off enters, his attention is diverted, and he heads straight for the Decepticon sniper, a smirk growing on his features. "Ha," he says, as Vortex suggests that they take someone out together. "How /timely/. I just thinking, I'd like to challenge the handsome space shuttle. But if his brother is going to be in on the fun too, well, the more the merrier." His expression darkens, and he chuckles in a way that might make Blast Off uncomfortable. "I hear you have quite the time pinning down that fast blue Autobot bastard," he says.

 "Don't worry, darling," he says, "I'll make this a walk in the park for you. Surely, you wouldn't be so cowardly as to refuse?"

**Darkstar has posed:**
    Darkstar stares at Vortex. STARE. "Uh... That's not how this works." A glance around at the other members of the DEFC, and Darkstar was grinning again. "Well, not yet anyway... Why not? Might as well mix it up a little bit," he concedes before nodding toward the ring. "Guess the two of ya can go up against m-..." Optics flash when the newcomer steps up and offers to take on both Blast Off and Vortex by himself, and the spacer rolls his optics. "You could partner up with me if you want, newbie. Or get your aft handed to ya' by a couple of Decepticon elites if that's what you REALLY want," he offers with a laugh. This guy, eh?

**Goth has posed:**
     Goth stares, something about this bot did not sit right with Goth.. He'd shift uncomfortably, knowing his position was compromised. He'd sit there, debating, weather or not to reveal himself... Considering the presence of the vampire would likely spook more than a few meches.

      He'd ope another route, he'd keep himself to the shadows, but would slowly start lowing his cloaking to appear as a black shadow with only a pair of slanted green optics glowing from the darkness of the rooftops as he watched.. A pair of wing silhouettes partly peeking out into the light.

**Vortex has posed:**
Vortex looks the newcommer "So, whats your name? You here to fight?" he asks. "You want me an' Blasty or Blasty? YOu new too? Cause we coudl have new versus new.."

**Blast Off has posed:**
The space shuttle's violet optics narrow as this newcomer walks up to him. Blast Off stands straight and proud, hands clenching to black fists at his side, then loosening in a slow deliberate motion. His nose goes up in thw air, though there's still a wing elevon twitch at the mention of Blurr. "I'm one of the few to consistantly \*hit\* him, you mean..." he says, his own cultured voice dipping to a tight near-growl.

Then Darkstar steps forward. Blast Off glances to him, then to the crowd... suddenly feeling a lot more claustrophobic for some reason. "I..." He huffs at this newcomer suggesting he'd be cowardly to refuse, "...I-I have better things to do than emulate some...some..." He lifts a hand to wave off the fighters, "...heavyhanded street rabble and common guttersnipes! \*Real\* fighting involves clever aerial tactics and long-distance sniping, if you ask me..." There goes that wing elevon twitch again. He glances from the newcomer, to Tex, back to Darkstar. Errr...

**Koinonia (12) has posed:**
The new comer either doesn't give a slag about the rest of what Blast Off just said, or he didn't hear him at all. "Oh please," he says, "/nothing's/ too difficult for me. He glances briefly over at Darkstar and Vortex, and then reaches forward to grab Blast Off by his twitching elevon and throw him to the ground.

**Darkstar has posed:**
    "WHAT?" Darkstar begins, unable to contain himself when Blast Off turns down the opportunity to fight the newcomer. "You're a blasted Decepticon ELITE!" he shouts, as if saying that said absolutely everything that needed to be said. The DEFC wasn't about winning every fight after all! More important than anything was taking on any and all challenges regardless of what could happen even if that meant certain defeat. Darkstar would be slagged if he was going to let BO make the Decepticons look bad... "Blast Off! Vortex! Kick his aft already!"

    Darkstar could have saved his breath perhaps... Looks like the newcomer was so 'all in' that he didn't care about an actual agreement to fight. Still, striking a mech without their consent wasn't exactly how things were supposed to work at the DEFC either... "HEY!" the spacer snaps at the newcomer. "You watch yourself, Newb... Surprise attacks ain't how we do it around here." That said, Darkstar's optics quickly shift to stare expectantly at Blast Off in particular. << Bats... Keep an optic on this new mech. >>

    "Stand up for The Cause... It's more than just YOUR reputation on the line here, L.T. I'll step in if you turn aft, but I'm never gonna let you live it down..."

**Goth has posed:**
     "<<Hmph... Suppose I should be glad you can recognize my form, even when it's greatly obscured.>>" He'd tightbeam back to Darkstar, doing just that, reading himself to strike, should anything happen, his scouter zooming in on the other mech as he watched from his shadowy perch.

**Vortex has posed:**
Vortex just seems eager to fight anyone "Come on, Blast Off. It'll be fun." He says. "I mean. I dont know who you are but that makes it all the better doesnt it?"

**Blast Off has posed:**
Blast Off wasn't exactly sure what to expect, but he sure didn't expect \*that\*! This stranger lunges forward and grabs the wing on his leg, yanking the elevon hinge as he throws the shuttle onto the ground with an undignified thud. "OW!" The Combaticon yelps in surprise as he finds himself flat on his back, staring up at Vortex and Darkstar- and this newcomer. The delicate elevon hinge is obviously twisted to the side on his wing in a strange manner. "Frag it all, that's going to be a \*glitch\* to repair!" He protests, internal engine rumbling up into a growl.

He blinks at Darkstar, optics pale and wide, then narrowing to a darker purple as he looks at Vortex. "FINE! If I \*MUST\*!" The shuttle is suddenly pushing up and kicking out with his uninjured leg, aiming to knock this newcomer's legs out from under him and have HIM experience the same indignity!

**Vortex has posed:**
Vortex throws his hands up in the air. "Score! Maybe...Blast Off wont need my help. Think you can take this guy down alone?" he asks.

**Koinonia (12) has posed:**
This newcomer doesn't really seem to give a damn about rules, consent, or the fact that Blast Off's elevon hinge will be a pain to repair. When Blast Off knocks him over by dealing a swift sideswipe with his uninjured leg, he's knocked onto his back.

 "..."

 A nanosecond later, he transforms and cloaks, disappearing from view.

 Blast Off will still be able to hear him, though, as he addresses him, "You know, I didn't really come here to fight, actually. But given nature of this meet up, well, I had to cave. No, I came here because I saw your brother wander in and figured you would be close behind him. What I really want to know, is about the few times you actually hit Blurr. How did you pull that off, hmm? And why haven't you made a habit of it?"

 Then, a nanosecond later, Darkstar will notice that Killcore, who had been missing earlier, is standing in the back of the crowd, smirking and watching Blast Off, arms folded. Or.. is that really him? Half a breem ago, he hadn't been present...

**Darkstar has posed:**
    The crowd wasn't qutie sure how this thing was going to play out... Several members of the Club were already cracking their knuckles, preparing to get involved on either Vortex or Darkstar's team if the other spacer decided this fight was too mechly for him to handle. When Blast Off gave back as good as he'd gotten the tone quickly shifted, and the crowd was cheering. For no one in particular they were cheering, but cheering none the less.

"Yeah, show that fragger what the ground looks like up close and personal!"

"Put 'im on his aft! He ain't that tough lookin'!"

"Where's Swindle? I wanna place a bet on Snooty Mc'Snooters over here- AHAHAHAH!"

    Darkstar appeared to be just as satisfied as the rest of the mechs now that they had a real fight in accorance with the rules on their hands. "Alright, alright... Much better. Put this rando in his place, Elite Guardsmech," the spacer says softly, optics flashing as he observed the bout. "Vortex... Hang back. He'll be fine. We're a one on one kinda party 'round here...unless you've really got the itch. If so... I'll look the other way since this was supposed ta' be YOUR party tonight. That and this new mech did openly challenge ya' both..."

    Darkstar hadn't noticed Killcore's presence yet, his own optics transfixed on the fight in the ring of equals. Still... That is what Killcore typically did. He lurked, silently, watching and studying the fighters like a true nearly undefeated champion of the Dead End Fight Club.

    "Oh what the frag is this!?" Darkstar barks at seeing the newcomer vanish. "Get your aft outta the shadows and get on with a stand-up fight, Newbie!"

Echoing Darkstar's sentiments, the whole of the Dead End Fight Club begins to BOO and HISS loudly as they commenced throwing various trash items toward the sound of the cloaked hovercraft.

**Goth has posed:**
     Goth would frown, taking note of the fact the hovercraft had vanished.. WEll, to most, he could see them, he also took note of Killcore, the /other/ lurker... Goth would take this chance to step a bit more into the light, observing this whole situation. "<<...Hmph, I suspect this is about to get /very/ out of hand, Darkstar.>>" He'd state, wrapping his wings around himself.

**Blast Off has posed:**
Ha! It is satisfying to see this mech land flat on his back, too. TAKE THAT. The shuttleformer gets back on his purple rocket feet, arms out, torso hunched and ready to spring either forward- or away. He blinks as the newcomer disappears- what?! Blast Off's hand instinctively goes down to where he could bring his weapon from subspace, but at the last moment he realizes that may not suit the mood of the (rather large( crowd. His hand twitches, then balls to a fist.

"What the frag..." He scans the area warily, still braced for fight or flee. "What does \*that\* have to do with anything?!" He huffs again, "...And it wasn't just a \*few\* times!" HUFF. Frowning as the crowd boos, he glances to Vortex, then Darkstar. "I can handle myself!" He huffs, pride flaring up, then glowers in the direction of the voice. "Besides, I'm not explaining \*anything\* to a mech who is \*hiding\* from me!"

**Vortex has posed:**
Vortex hangs back watching for a while "Handle them then, Blast Off. It's their funeral." he chuckles.

**Whirl has posed:**
Whirl is in the Dead End looking to do a little damage. To himself or to someone else, preferably both. He's heard rumors of a Fight Club, though getting anyone to \*talk\* about the damn thing has been difficult. Something about the first rule or something. Still, he's managed to track it down or so it appears. And it's full of 'Cons. Acceptable targets, including Kissyface HotRotors. Sweet Primus, someone up there \*does\* love him...

**Koinonia (12) has posed:**
Goth is probably right.

 'Killcore' steps over to Vortex, a smirk growing on his features. "Hey. Your circuit speeder friend is just a block over. The guy had a surplus and is practically giving them away for free." And then before Vortex can respond, 'Killcore' disappears into the crowd.

 The newcomer doesn't respond to Blast Off's insults, and he or nor Darkstar will be able to find him in the crowd. Had he really just.. ghosted?

**Vortex has posed:**
Vortex knows this is a setup. "Hush?" he asks. "He's always stingy, you know. Doesn't share his stash for free. But! If somone's giving away speeeders, who am I to turn them down?" he loses his fight to stay still to his love of circuit speeders and heas over to where Killcore pointed him out to.

**Darkstar has posed:**
    Darkstar chuckles as he hears Goth's voice over his internal comm system, and the spacer shrugs his pauldrons. << Maybe... Maybe not. In any case we at the DEFC have our own way of dealin' with those who don't know how to follow the rules. If they don't follow the weapons policy, or try and permanently offline their opponent you have our blessing to take them out... Avoid a killshot though. Last thing we need is to look 'uncivilized'. >> With that he smirks, his chin lifting slightly as he continues to scan the area for the 'newcomer'. "Huh... Fragger ain't listenin'. That's problematic..."

    Leaping into the air, Darkstar transforms into his Arrowship mode and begins a swift ascent toward the rooftops in order to scan the immediate area with his superior tracking systems. Toggling his loudspeaker to the 'on' setting, the space-alt's voice booms through the alley. "If the newbie ran off then we'll commence the next fight... That happens to be the case and he shows up here again you all know how to greet 'im."

    The crowd roared with approval of the message. None here took kindly to those who decided to crash their party and then shirk the rules.

"Come out, new guy! Finish your blasted fight!"

"Coward!"

"Follow the rules or don't ya' dare show your face around these parts again, ya mangy piece o' pit bait!"

    Whirl's arrival is met with a few curious glances, and a couple of seated mechs rise to their feet as they begin sizing up the Autobot.

"Ain't seen this one before..."

"First time, first fight!"

"Lotta new members all of a sudden... Hopefully at least SOME of them are the real thing."

**Goth has posed:**
     Goth squints as she notices Killcore talking to Vortex, and then vanishing, a optic ridge lifting upwards, but he keeps his optics focused on the new comer (Mimic) and Blast off. "<<Is Killcore capable of cloaking?>>" He'd ask, before scoffing. "<<Please, Killshots are the most satisfactory of them all, even more so when you've hunted them down to exhaustion and desperate pleas... Those who fight back are even more fun.>>" He'd chuckle.

      He'd then noticing Vortex starting to move away, and frowned, debating turning his tightbeams to Vortex, but instead, he pulls from his subspace a drone, shaped like a ball, but upon hucking it in vortex's direction it unfurl in the shape of.. Well, a bat, and red optics flick on, and follow after Vortex.

**Blast Off has posed:**
Blast Off huffs as there's no answer, straightening up while still scanning the crowd. "WELL." The shuttleformer's snoot is up, expression haughty. "If he ran away I'd say that means I WON, then!" He starts brushing dust from his broad, sweeping shoulders, irritated to have been flung on the dirty, filthy ground. Ew.

However, he probably looks a lot better to the crowd by at least sticking around- and anything that makes him look better boosts the old ego. He glances over as Darkstar transforms to a ship. "Just pronounce me the winner and we can \*all\* get on with this... tomfoolery..." He waves at the crowd, stepping towards Vortex- wait, where'd he go?

**Whirl has posed:**
Whirl moves with caution, but to a trained observer, he seems less anxious than he usually does in social settings. His head is bobbing as usual, but the sweeps he's making are slower, more deliberate as he pans and scans the crowd. His head raises as Darkstar announces the rules. "Innnteresting..." he murmurs as his claws clack, likewise in a slower, more deliberate fashion, as if he's trying to show off how potentially dangerous they might be in a fight. "First time, first fight?" he says, almost cheerfully. "Bring it on, glitches! I'm single and ready to mingle!"

**Koinonia (12) has posed:**
Blast Off won't have to look for Vortex for very long though. All of a sudden, his Combaticon brother will appear in front of him, quite abruptly and spontaneously. "It's time to go, Blast Off," he says. The shuttle former might feel like something's a bit off, and Goth will definitely realize that there's something very, very wrong about the "Tex" that's standing in front of Blast Off - in fact, he might be reminded of the time he was in Dead End chasing some feral Insecticons...

Unfortunately, it might end up being too late for either of them to react. Because shortly after he tells Blast Off it's time to go, he picks up a crowbar laying to the side (obviously something the members of the DEFC /never/ use) and swings it heftily at the Combaticon!

**Vortex has posed:**
Vortex checks the alley for said person with circuit speeders. He looks around a bit. "They better be here. I'd hate to be bamboozled." he chuckles. "Bamboozled." then he hears the sound of combat and RUNS back to where the fight is "Blast Off! Keep away from that handsome rotor that looks like me. Hes not me. I can prove Im me!" he points to whirl> "ROTOR ROTOR ROTOR hoooooot rotors."

**Darkstar has posed:**
    << Yeah, yeah, yeah... We decide what ta' do with rule breakers as a group. Ain't no single actor callin' the shots as judge, jury, an' executioner. Remember that, Bats... If you wanna maintain yer' welcome. >> Darkstar replies to the mechabat as he hovered above the rooftops, continuing to search for the elusive and mysterious cloak capable hovercraft.

    That's when everything went to slag in a hand basket. The sudden attack by a 'not quite right' Vortex arouses the crowd in a way that would be much to the Rotary's disliking. One by one those who were seated begin to stand, and those who were standing begin brandishing their personal firearms, laser weapons, blades, knives, and sharp sticks...

"RUUUUUULE BREAKERRRRRS!"

    The shout heard 'round the world sends the Dead End Fight Club into a frenzy, and they were coming for the poor combaticon in force. Like a pack of carnivorous animals they began to encircle their prey, moving as if the maneuver was well practiced and choreographed despite none of that being the case they made way to descend upon the offender.

"Drop it! Drop it now!"

"I'm gonna tear your limbs off an' beat ya' like a drum!"

"You must be some kinda idiot!"

    Poor Whirl is ignored by the masses on the day of his would-be debut. Talk about bad timing. That doesn't stop at least one of the crowd from calling out to the Autobot as he brushed past, "Hey you! You're new, right? This mech's a rule breaker! Help us bring 'im down!"

    The arrival of Vortex number one and used-to-be only has many of the locals doing double-takes, their confusion evident as a loud rumbling begins to spread through the crowd. Which one of the twins was the one they were supposed to curb stomp? Most of them knew, as they'd been watching Blast Off for a majority of the time, but a handful move to corner the real Vortex as the Decepticon comes running down the alley.

**Whirl has posed:**
Whirl blinks as another version of the Combaticon Kissing Bandit comes into the area. "Oh, slag, he's twins?!" he says. "That is so ho...that is just so damn conflicting! I mean...I do not know how to feel about this! Sweet Solus Prime...hey, watch it! Quit shoving! Hey! Ow! What...beat up a Combaticon? Where've you been all my life? Let's do this!"

And that's how Whirl ends up joining a murderous mob, bent on doing violence unto one or more Vortexes. Vortices? Vorti? Vortexeseses? Whatever, it's punching time!

**Goth has posed:**
     Goth's optics narrow, as he see's Fake-Vortex pick up the crowbar and strike Blast Off, something /very/ un-Vortex like in this situation, and how /dare/ someone try to imposter such. His ridge twitches and fis face twitches upwards, specially as the real Vortex is being cornered, and something just.. snaps.

      Goth would leap down from his skulking spot and charges the fake Vortex's bringing forward his calw to strike the faker. "Well now Falsarium! It seems I am not the only lusus naturae of this planet, and you've done more to draw /my/ ire." He'd snarl, there seems to be quite the anger behind his swing, so if he misses, he likely takes a nice chunk of wall behind the Faker.

**Blast Off has posed:**
Blast Off turns as he hears Whirl speaking, violet optics widening with a bit of surprise to see an Autobot striding in. "And who let this \*Autobot\* in here, anyway?" He turns to look for Darkstar, when suddenly there's Vortex standing in front of him. Wait, how did he-? He just watches as the rotary picks up the crowbar. Normally, the shuttleformer might be agile enough to dodge out of the way in time but one- the fact it looks like Vortex delays suspicions just a /second/ too long, and two- he suddenly hears Vortex yelling... somewhere else? He turns to look at the other Vortex when WHAM!!! The crowbar smashes into the sniper's relatively fragile armor, knocking him back with a sickening crunch of metal. Blast Off staggers, trying to stay on his feet, but he's struggling now. Energon flows from new wounds as his vents wheeze in shock.

Gasping, his hand reaches down to grab for his weapon out of subspace, halted only when he sees the crowd react even faster. Well then. For his part, Blast Off remains ready to take his gun from subspace if need be, but for now simply watches as a riot seems eminent. That isn't Vortex, but...wait, is THAT Vortex over there?! Now Blast Off's confusion is joined with worry as he staggers towards what he thinks is the real Vortex- the one who didn't just blindside him with massive damage. "Vortex!" He finds himself waving at the people trying to corral-or beat up- the real Tex. "Wait!"

**Vortex has posed:**
Vortex sees the crowd surging on him. Better him than Blast off. He takes a rotor in each hand and motions them forward "Bring it, you slaggers!" he notices Whirl joining in. "Hey, hot rotors. Help me take out these lowlives then we can fight one on one, just the way you like it?" he purrs.

**Koinonia (12) has posed:**
Wow, seems like the "Tex" hit Blast Off so hard, some of his armor pieces have shattered, flown into the air, and embedded themselves into "Tex's" armor. Sad for Blast Off, but apparently amusing for the Vortex doppelganger, who giggles much like how Vortex does when he self mutilates. Well, that's disturbing.

However, there won't be much time for Blast Off to do any ruminating on .. well, any of what's just happened because the crowd of DEFC members suddenly surges all around them yelling loudly and now brandishing their weapons. Looks like this meeting has just turned into a mob.

Sadly for the mechabat, he's rather unlucky (as usual), or the newcomer is rather slippery, or both.

Either way, Goth will find his talons only carving a big chunk out of the alleyway wall. Bummer.

As for the newcomer, he's disappeared into the giant mob that's now surrounding the 'real' Vortex...

 'Killcore' is also now nowhere to be found. What an uncanny concidence...

**Whirl has posed:**
Whirl blinks his optic as Vortex offers him the chance to take on a crazed mob -- and then fight with Vortex. On the other hand, the mob is offering him the chance to be a part of something bigger than himself. Then again, he's an Autobot now...and Autobots are suckers for hopeless causes. "...slaggit," he says, moving to take up position with Vortex. "C'mon, slaggers, step aside, let a mech through, I gotta go do something stupid an' maybe kinda noble."

**Darkstar has posed:**
    The rush of movement below and the yells from the crowd alert Darkstar of the unfolding chaos brought on by a bot who'd decided that the rules didn't apply to them. The spacer already knew the result of such foolishness, and he didn't even have to guess to know that the DEFC was taking care of things in the proper manner. So far he saw that they were rushing toward two mechs... Two Decepticons... "Two Vortex?"

    The crowd, Goth included, was all over one of the dopplegangers while the other had drawn only a small group of 'peace keepers'. Between the two it was clear which one Darkstar would move in to intercept, and move he did! The whine of his engines overhead would alert Vortex (the real one) and Whirl first and foremost, and in the next moment he was dropping from the skies to land behind the combaticon and his Autobot ally to cut off their escape route. "Drop your weapons Mimics (real Vortex and Whirl) and MAYBE we won't pull ya' apart piece by piece all slow like before we off ya'..."

**Vortex has posed:**
Vortex blinks as Whirl fights..side by side with him. "What the..are you rescuing me, Autobot?! Are you slaggin rescuing me? Oh slag on." He takes out his glue gun an fires on the crowd coming at him. "Im not in danger. Im havin fun. Rotor to rotor. This is.." he blinks. "Confusing!" he says "Whirl, lets do what these groundpounders cant. To the air in three, to.." He hovers. "Now!" he transforms and flies. "See you later you groundpounding glitches!" he cackles.

**Blast Off has posed:**
Blast Off :is getting lost in the crowd, unable to reach his teammate and nobody is listening to him. "Wait! That's not the one who- Fraggit all!" The shuttleformer realizes he's getting nowhere fast and, injured and swept into the crowd, there's little he can do. So, obviously, it's time to get airborne. Shoving some people aside, he transforms right then and there, his larger shape shoving even more people aside, then covering a large portion of the crowd with smoke as he blasts skyward. But he doesn't keep going up. He veers towards Vortex and starts basicly divebombing the crowd near them. "<< He's not the one that attacked you! Get away or I'll start shooting! Vortex, hurry! >>" Vrooom, vrooom.

**Goth has posed:**
     Goth snarls as he misses, only getting a claw, and handful of building metals, and looks around in a clear frenzie as the faker vanishes. "<<Tsk, The faker has vanished.>>" He'd snarl to Darkstar over the communlink, and starts stomping his way over to the other mob that had the real vortex.

      Dragging his claws across the metal of the near building to cause a painful screech as he walked along, partly hunched over, unlike his normal proper posture, looking more like one of the monster bots. "Darkstar you Stultus! call them off, those are the /real/ ones." He'd snarl. "We've been duped by that blasted Insecticon shape-changer!" He'd call loudly, able to raise his voice over the crowd.

**Whirl has posed:**
Whirl snorts. "Rescuing you? Hell no! I'ma beat you like a bad habit once we take care of these fragged up Empties, y'handsy null-sig!" He clacks his claws and prepares to leap into the air and transform to his rotory mode, following Vortex into the air. "Hey! Don't think you're gettin' away that easy, Combaticon! Your aft is mine! Er...in a purely non-entendre kinda way, of course."

**Koinonia (12) has posed:**
Has he, though? Goth might have lost track of him in the mob, but it's not like it's easy to keep an optic on one particular individual when a violent mob is thronging all around you.

 A dark colored hovercraft suddenly comes up behind Blast Off, and says to him, "We'll talk again soon. Surely you'd love to brag more about having struck Blurr."

 And then his attention is drawn to Darkstar confronting Whirl and Vortex and calling them 'Mimics.' For whatever reason, this seems to bother the newcomer greatly. He zips past Blast Off and maneuvers into a dark alleyway perpendicular to where Darkstar is standing. Oh, he's got a clear shot and he's going for it. Should Blast Off warn him? Maybe, maybe not - this whole stupid fight club thing was his idea after all.

 Either way, the shuttle former won't have much time to decide, because as soon as the newcomer has Darkstar in his crosshairs, he shoots. And regardless of whether the missiles he's released strike the other spacer or not, the newcomer does a 180 and slinks into the shadows...

**Darkstar has posed:**
    Darkstar takes a missile hit from an adjacent alley, and tumbles several meters before quickly rising to one knee while watching the two Mimics (Real Vortex and Whirl) take flight and attempt to flee from Dead End. He crouched then slightly, fully prepared to leap into the air, transform and follow the fleeing mechs only to pause when the ground rumbles beneath the combined weight of three new arrivals.

WHAM. Scrap Bash, a massive hulk of a mech landed first after a loud VROOM of his engine preceded a horsepower-fueld leap over Darkstar's helm dropped him right in front of the crowd.

WHAM. The lithe and deadly Killcore was next to land, this mech coming down beside Scrap Bash with much more finesse than the hulk beside him.

WHAM. Finally there was Silhouette, a femme who looked to be the perfect balance of the other two in terms of agility and strength.

    "Can't even take a little vacation without things going off the rails, can we?" Scrap Bash booms, his optics flashing at the crowd. "They're gone... Let 'em go. We're here for one thing and one thing only. FIGHT CLUB!"

    The crowd seems to finally start to listen now, as the presence of the DEFC's founder in addition to several other voices including Blast Off and Goth would finally douse the flames of their rage. The topic at hand was still not forgotten, as heavy murmurs washed over the crowd as they tried to make sense of what had just happened while cursing the newcomers who had made a mockery of their back alley sport.

    Darkstar for his part folded his arms while straightening to look to the backs of the trio. "Mimics..." he offered simply at first, venting a hiss. "We might have a problem on our hands goin' forward..." That said, the Decepticon Spacer took to searching the crowd for his comrades, as smoke rises from his left pauldron.

**Goth has posed:**
     "No Scrap." Goth hisses, as he finally brings his claw up form the wall he'd damaged, tossing aside the metal he'd carved off the building, his optics a rather familiar red color... He wasn't fleeing though, the large bat stood in the light there, glaring at Darkstar, with a bit of a unhinged clicking of his claws and teeth, chuffing out.

      The monster bat would saunter over to a clearing, and signal for Blast Off to approach him, and he would transform into his bot mode, read to attend to Blast Off's injuries after things had calmed, still twitchy.

**Blast Off has posed:**
Blast Off's engines rumble as he hears that voice behind him, arcing around to try and get the speaker in his sights... but he's off towards Darkstar. He does warn him, actually, since there's something very \*off\* about all this. "<< Watch out! >>" Too late, though, for the other spacer is struck, then the attacker vanishes. Blast Off is left to wonder what the heck just happened... and also to go find his brother. He continues flying above the crowds- no way he's going back down there right now. "<< Vortex! >>" Receiving Goth's signal, he radios back, "<< Just a moment, have a rotary to collect. >>"

**Vortex has posed:**
Vortex catches up to Blast Off as quickly as he can, reacting to the order <<Coming, I just have to say goodbye to my rotary admirer. He can't keep his dirty empurata claws off me you know.>> he says out loud "Play with you later, hot rotors. We'll meet up, shoot each other, stab each other, get some circuit speeders and wonder what bad decisions we made to end up puking outside Maccs on another rotary's shoulder. Its a date for later, Whirl! Blast Off needs my help now! he tightbeams <<Blast Off! I'm coverin ya!>> with that, he flies close to his brother, preparing to fire. <<Where'd he go?!>>

**Whirl has posed:**
Whirl veers off, heading in his own direction. "You're on, Vortex!" he says. "See if Onslaught'll let you bring a big boy gun instead of that craft closet reject you carry!"

**Darkstar has posed:**
    Killcore and Silhouette watch as the crowd files back to the corner of the alley and the ring slowly begins to reform, albeit slowly. Silhouette looks to Killcore for a moment before the mech starts to make his way toward the gathering, and the femme is soon to follow while Scrap Bash lingers behind to offer a word to Darkstar. "Squishy Insecticon nothings... Wouldn't worry about 'em. Ain't much to look at after ya' scrape 'em off yer' boot, are they?" Then Scrap Bash was off too, heading toward the ring to make sure that the festivities continued.

    Smirking as he watched the trio dismiss what had happened so easily, Darkstar shakes his head and vents a sigh before retrieving an e-cig from his subspace compartment. A spark and puff later his red optics remained focused on the crowd though he spoke to Goth. "Know what this means now don'tcha? Our security is...heavily compromised. Could be these things'll be crawlin' all over HQ one day." Next time he saw Vortex there'd definitely need to be some interrogation... Oh the irony.

**Goth has posed:**
     Goth glares at Darkstar with black slants from his red optics, his hands are still shaking form where he's keeping a very tight control over himself, despite being being still attempting to come off what battle high he had, he was trying to hide it. He then scoffs.

      "I believe it is only one... And not a 'true' Insecticon at that... Might of just got a glimpse at the fools true appearance, as I do not suspect he is capable of mimicking alt-modes and their capabilities." He'd muse.

**Blast Off has posed:**
Blast Off isn't quite sure what to make of what Vortex calls out to Whirl... especially given how hard HE has to try hiding his own friendships with two particular Autobots. Frenemies. Friendships. What ever it is! "<< Vortex, remember that that is an Autobot... >>" As for their attacker, "<< They seem to have disappeared. Attacked me looking like \*you\* and then fled, the coward! ...Come on, Goth wants to see us, I'm going to land somewhere away from this ugly crowd. >>" He does just that, radioing Goth his location. He'll need a patch, for sure.

**Darkstar has posed:**
    "You think it matters if there's only one of 'em? One enemy can do a lot of damage if they know what they're doin' an' dedicated to achieving their ends..." Darkstar replies with a chortle. "'Sides, you said it yourself... You THINK there is only one of them. Just makes it worse." Taking another long drag from his e-cig, Darkstar flicks the remainder aside and starts on his way back to the DEFC group. After all, he still had a combat urge to indulge.

**Goth has posed:**
     Goth rolls his optics, and makes his way to meet up with Blast Off and Vortex, holding onto his wrist tightly as his finger spasm, attempting to force their way back into their natural form, which was his elongated ones form his bat mode. "On is better then meny, one can be hunted, meny cannot." He'd huff. "I've already accounted for such things, Dustoff and Vortex would know how to tell the real me form a fake."

      Now weather they realized it or not was another factor. "...Tsk, I will see to your presence at a later time." he'd grumble at Darkstar, before getting to Blast Off and Vortex, he'd tend to their wounds for the trip back, and order them home, before reverting back to his bat mode at long last. Now he just needed to get back.

**Darkstar has posed:**
<< If you think that... No wonder you're not in the spy division. >>

    If Darkstar knew anything about moles it was this... One mole with doppleganger abilities was enough, and the few were even more difficult to hunt than the many because they knew they had to be on their A-game at all times without the complacence that an assurance of assistance may render.

    Wading through the crowd Darkstar would make his way to the front in time to see something interesting as Silhouette engaged another mech in glorious combat. That left arm of hers was quite a bit newer than her right arm, which meant that she was indeed the lone survivor of the Hackjob murder. Furthermore... What was she doing with Scrap Bash and Killcore out of nowhere when she'd begun the evening at the DEFC with the rest of them? Shaking his head, the spacer shrugged and continued to wait his turn.