[b]Pre Slam [/b] [b] UC:0084[/b] Away from the other students Asuna was off in the lounge with her notebook. Silently she was looking for something to draw but nothing seemed to catch her eye. The robotic structures were unappealing and barely any birds were in sight. She sighed hopelessly at the lack of inspiration the city provided and picked up her things. She was about to look to find Emilu but came across a scuffle in the progress. “Stop it you jerks!” said a timid sounding midteen boy “Ha does babby want his toy?” said an arrogant sounding boy. The younger boy had brown hair and uncombed hair, the older boy no a young man had a Titans uniform and blond hair. “What kind of shitty name is Finn anyways? What did your mommy get oxygen deprivation before she had you?” said the Blond boy “Shut the hell up you dick!” the brown haired boy Finn shouted and charged at the older Titan officer. Quickly the young man jabs him in the stomach and ends his advance and he falls over crying. “I was just trying to see what you were making shithead, it’s your own fault for being a baby about it” the Blond man said as he tossed the object he had on his face. Asuna was disgusted at this pointless brutality but before she could do or say anything a mechanical voice could be heard. “Hey guys what’s the problem here ?” The voice belonged to the Autobot named Hot Rod, one of the guards assigned to the city. “He started it, he shouldn't be so defensive when someone takes an interest in whatever he’s making” said the Titan. Hot Rod gave the young man an exhausted look and said “Look Jerid I don’t know how you do things in the Titans but this is Autobot city, is this how you wanna represent yourselves to other sentient beings?”. Jerid scoffed and gave a unconcerned look and said “Look Autobot the only reason we’re in these stupid games are to show you aliens we Titans are the best and brightest the Federation have to offer! And it’s Ensign Jerid to you!” Hot Rod confused responded “Last time I checked aren't we all allies here? I thought these games were just supposed to be for fun? I mean they even have a professional basketball team coming over for fans and food and Energon cubes. Can’t you Titans guys just calm down and enjoy party?” Jerid looking annoyed replied “Please if I was content with being some slacker guard like you I’d never would have gotten into the Titans to begin with. I’m going to be somebody someday, I made it this far with a single aptitude test, someday I’ll be as big as Bask with my own fleet at my command.” After finishing his boast Jerid walked off, knocking Finn over as he began picking himself up from the ground. “Yeesh that guy really has an idea of where he headed in life set in stone doesn't he?” Asuna was somewhat startled at the large mechanical figure addressing her, she had a dislike of robots even though she was at a school for piloting mobile suits and a fear of Cybertronians long before she joined Ecole. Hot Rod noticing her uneasiness said “Oh I’m not gonna bite or anything, see” Hot rod transformed into his car mode and spoke again” I heard Human teenagers like to start driving around your age or so wanna go on a ride and help me watch Daniel? He could use some new Human friends.” Asuna was slightly calmed by Hot Rod’s actions. He was very friendly and kind not unlike Shin in some ways, which was a total departure from her initial encounter with the Transformers. Shockwave was terrifying to her; Every action he told was as cold as the metal he was made of, and every word he spoke was carefully calculated for a desired result. Beings to him were either assets or deterrents. There were no friends, allies or enemies to him just numbers and variables that can serve to his own benefit. He and her father were both unforgivable for treating her as if she was some test subject Asuna complied and asked “Can you also stop at the forest for a second? I’d like to find something there to sketch.” Hot Rod responded “Sure hop in” unnoticed to Hot Rod and Asuna a student was watching them from a distance. He possessed a comm. The device and spoke into it “One hatchling and one Swan have left the nest. Repeat one hatchling and one Swan have left.” A response came in saying “Roger birdwatcher 1 sending in 2 foxes.” [b]Chapter 1: Los Betas[/b] Back inside the City many of the Students were being assembled by the staff from an announcement by the Principal of the most prestigious Federation Training schools Brian Aeno. During the One Year War Aeno oversaw Zeon’s surrender on Side 3 and forced its surrender. He was a decorated veteran but was made the head of the Elite Officer School to appease the more dovish elements of the Federation. Ultra Magnus the City Commander noted he was more pleasant to cooperate then his Titan colleagues. Bask Om and Jamaican grated on his wiring, despite it being his city they strolled around as if they owned the place. Their condescending attitudes didn't help either, on a training run of one of their Hizaks crashed into one of the adjacent buildings. Thankfully no one was occupying it but someone could have been injured or damaged and Bask was merely nonchalant. He didn't care about Autobot lives hell; he possibly didn't care about Federation lives. It wouldn't tarnish his public image after the roar of support he obtained after the Delaz incident. Magnus disliked Bask not only for his cold attitude towards potential lives being lost but as well as his blind eye to his fellow thugs in the Titans. Barely two hours had passed and Magnus was barraged by reports of Titan trainees marking areas with graffiti and general roughhousing and not a single thing done to punish the perpetrators aside from a half hearted apology from Jamacan. [i]It’s almost as if you want to start trouble and know we won’t lift a finger [/i] he thought. [i]Not only that but he received a report Hot Rod deserted his post….again. Just my luck, he had to mess around just when the Titans are ready to grab us by the ball bearings for the slightest misstep.[/i] Ultra Magnus was having a very bad day and it wasn't bound to get better. Yahagi Franziback was as equally troubled as Ultra Magnus. He left his fellow instructor Forma and Lenny to the students while he personally left to seek out Asuna for the assembly. [i]I can’t believe that idiot ran off with one of the guards to do god knows what. She’s odd but never struck me as some kind of robophile, but regardless didn't her parents teach her not to run off with strange kitchen appliances? [/i] Despite her greatly improved MS piloting performance Asuna was still very much the same clumsy oddball that entered Ecole. He wouldn't dare let himself be humiliated in front of the most prestigious Piloting and Officer Schools in the Federation, and have him put at the Autobots scrutiny . During the One Year war Yahagi never really knew much about Cybertronians aside from what he saw from the Decepticons. Back when he was still piloting for Zeon’s experimental newtype units he often encountered the Air Commander Starscream. He was a vain and arrogant bot who made openly bragged to his comrades that he would someday replace Megatron and the Zabi’s with his own regimes. The more fanatical members of the Zeonic pilots became irritated by his boasts but said nothing, seeing how he could merely crush or drop them and make it look like an accident. The Decepticons seemed to have just as much infighting as the Zabi family and twice the ego and megalomania. He was somewhat cautious of the Autobots because of this, and really had no idea what to expect from them. Suddenly Yahagi felt his phone go off and he quickly answers. “Hello?” he says “Instructor Franziback right? This is Blaster here the main bot in charge of communications in this city brining you an important message.” said the voice. “How’d you get this line?” Yahagi asked. “ Man did you not hear me? I’m head of communications meaning getting your number out of the database is practically a snap. But back to the main deal Ultra Magnus told me to tell you where your student and Hot Rod sped off to in case you don’t already know. They mentioned something about going to the Forest and coming back to introduce her to Daniel in the camera recordings” Yahagi was relieved, as soon as he caught up with Asuna he was going to chew her out until his vocal cords begin bleeding . His relief was interrupted as the ground began rocking and the sound of explosions came with it. “Shit! We’re under attack?” Yahagi said angrily. Hovering over the blast was a mech with Hair and a Human looking face. Autobot city was possibly under attack by terrorists in strange Mechs that look like girls. This was by far the most ridiculous sight of Yahagi’s entire life. Hot Rod was having similar sentiments as soon as he left the city he began being trailed by two Giant female figures. “What were those things?” Asuna asked. “No idea but they look like trouble, friends of yours?” Hot Rod quipped. “I've never seen a Robot like those before, it’s kind of freaky how they look so human. I think I even saw it blink, who makes that a robot?” She responded. Hot Rod heard a distress beacon go off and smoke in the horizon. “Oh no” said Asuna. “Great mess I've got us both into now” Hot Rod mused. Asuna became worried for her friends and wondered if going back would be a wise choice or not, Hot Rod was more focused on evading the mechs shadowing the two of them or if he should fight and let Asuna run to safety somewhere. Hot Rod took a different option altogether and headed back to the city. [i]She should at least have a fighting chance in an MS[/i] he thought. Ultra Magnus was extremely confused by his situation, he was being held at gunpoint by a ridiculously girly mech. “Ultra Magnus stay where you are!” A male voice came out from it making the situation even more jarring. Not wanting to risk the Humans lives Magnus complied “Um okay, what exactly do you want from us?” Magus asked curious for his aggressor’s motives. “I want you to bring me Asuna Elmarit!” The Mech spoke. Magnus remembered this name as the one belonging to the student who left the city with Hot Rod and became worried. Not for his own safety of course as he doubted that thing could even dent his armor but they could easily kill members of the audience or speakers gathered at this assembly. Magnus decided he could buy some time with some questions or distract them hopefully. “Why do you want her? Why is one teenage girl so important?” Magnus asked. The Humanlike Mech responded with tears somehow welling from its eyes “She…she…BROKE MY HEART!” Magnus was taken aback by the sheer stupidity of his declaration. [i]What in Primus’s name is happening today? I’m being held hostage by strange Humanoid mechs possibly being led by a guy who came straight out of an Earthlings soap drama. This can’t be happening, this cannot be real. Please Primus let this just be a dream and I’m in sleep mode. Please![/i] Art Right was among those in the audience and was also totally confused by these turn of events. "Why do those mechs look like girls?" an adjacent EF student with blond pigtails asked. "Dunno maybe they're some kind of perverts who get off to it or something" Said another student in glasses. Instantly he knew their names, Erisia Nocton and Emilu Voigtlander Art could feel their confusion and worry about some missing friend of theirs and became annoyed by the subsequent wash of emotions the Audience gave him. He had to get the hell out of here and get to his MS. Unfortunately one of the girls caught him as he prepared to leave. "Hey Mr. Titan, Er I mean sir can you help us find our friend Asuna? The terrorists announced they were looking for her? Pleeeese?" begged Emilu, the odd energetic girl with the glasses. The girl in the Pigtails Erisia disliked asking for help directly. Ego of course he thought, she has to be miss perfect at everything even in a situation like this he thought still reading her mood. Art became irked. The last thing he wanted to do is babysit two brats in the middle of a terrorist attack but they could help keep their friend out of her pursuers hands. "Fine alright, just stay the fuck out of my way." Said Art. Erisia was annoyed at Arts rudeness while Emilu was overjoyed at being able to find her friend. Quickly Art made his way covertly out of the assembly and raced in the hangers direction with the two girls in tow. Art followed by Emilu and Erisia ran across several armed students wearing Valsione masks. Art easily dealt with one terrorist with a quick punch in the face and the other one he dodged his fire and grabbed his mask. Momentarily confused the Los beta grunt began helplessly flailing about wildly until Art took the weapon out of his grip and knocked him out. [i]These guys are rank amateurs. How the hell did they get past security?[/i] he thought as he commenced taking off once more. Emilu's thoughts were insufferable, she would constantly compare Art to a bunch of action movie heroes after seeing how swiftly he incapacitated the terrorists. Erisia just kept a grudging appreciation for Arts competence in this situation. Art couldn't care less about their opinions, to him these guys were too damn easy and he couldn't be satisfied besting weaklings like these. Something was off, he knew it but he needed to find more pieces to put together. Art continued pondering until he reached the Hanger where his Gundam was stored. He realized his opponents were as weak as shit but he could always use a good warm up to keep sharp. "What should we do?" Erisia asked. "Find your friend and distract these guys long enough I can take out these things surrounding the assembly" responded Art, "We're just students though we've never been in a real combat situation!" Emilu chirped. Art looked at her in the eye and said "look I'm not telling you to fight them I'm telling you to make them pursue you so they can be open to my fire, Your not the only ones with your lives on the line and doing this can provide an opportunity to focus the Terrorists attentions away from the hostages. So either suit up or get the hell out of the way and be toasterboy's captive audience." Art lectured. "Yeesh, no need to be so harsh about it" Emilu said. "I am a member of the Titans, we are harsh for a even harsher world." He said while donning his helmet. Quickly the Titans Gundam flanked by two GM canards rushed out of the hanger. [i]I am a Titan and there is no way I would loose to inferiors of the likes of Los Betas[/i] .