Sparring buddies

[Starscream]

Alas, they do not. Starscream's boot thrusters have sent him skyward once more, where he's free to evade the blasts from Shockwave. Though it was difficult--he's not in a good way. Starscream might be down an arm rifle, but he's still got his blaster that he carries. He draws that. "You still have a few spots where your pretty pastel colours are showing through all the singe. Here, let me do some touch-up work!" He fires once more on Shockwave.

This leaves his arm rifle free to charge.

[Victoria Raines]

"Damn!"

He had hoped the Seeker was grounded for good. Shockwave is no fool; if he cannot end this very soon, Starscream will. That null ray of his is no toy, and while Shockwave probably ought to allow such a knock out merely to gauge the weapons strength and effect on him, the thought of doing so rankles. To lose to Starscream, of all mechanisms, even in a "practice" setting is simply not an option to the gunformer.

Shockwave takes off after Starscream, trying to close again. As he does so, he fires laser blasts not so much at the Seeker but around him in a random pattern, hoping to limit Starscream's options. When close enough, Shockwave reaches out to try and grasp one of Starscream's damaged wings.

[Starscream]

Damn? Did Shockwave just say, 'Damn'??

Starscream tries to evade, but fails, and in fact catches a couple of the shots on extremities. Shockwave successfully pins him in the sky.

And then he has the good decency to close the distance, making aiming for Shockwave all the more easier.

He lets Shockwave close the distance, he lets him grab the wing. And then, point blank, he fires a full-charge null-ray.

And all it is going to cost him is a wing.

[Victoria Raines]

Shockwave had hoped to reach Starscream before the null ray could fully charge. He had hoped to be able to use his grasp on the Seeker's wing to twist Starscream about and get behind him. He just needs a moment more....

Only he does not get that moment.

It is a near thing. Shockwave manages to twist, take the blow on one side instead of full on, but even then, it is still a null ray on full power. It does not quite knock him out, but it might as well. Systems blare warnings in his head and across his vision as they go redline suddenly, then abruptly cut off. It might actually be a kill shot, if this were real, and in the few seconds he has before total system disruption Shockwave finds himself automatically trying- and failing- to reach for that unending well of power with which he was once so connected.

He still has a grip on that wing though, one that reflexively tightens as he goes stiff. Gravity drags Shockwave down, and Starscream with him. The two smash hard into the training room floor, and in the aftershocks of the impact the scenario is automatically cut off, registering death and/or stasis lock and kicking them both out.

It will hopefully have cost more than a wing. Though it is perhaps too much to hope that Shockwave crushed the annoying Seeker in the fall.

---

OOC: manhandling/posing of Starscream done with permission.

[Starscream]

Ow. Ow ow ow. Starscream wasn't expecting Shockwave to do that.

He gets himself up from the fall as the damaged cityscape flickers and fades, reverting back to a sterile training room. At the same time, his damage shudders and vanishes, the fading pain is all that remains of the battle.

Of course, the same thing happens to Shockwave too, and once again his amazing technicolour paintjob is visible. Starscream cannot help himself, and bursts out into laughter again.

[Victoria Raines]

Shockwave gingerly pushes himself up from the floor. He aches in ways and in places he has not for an exceedingly long time. It really has been too long since the gunformer has let loose in such a manner. He is not overly pleased at having done so, but at least Starscream should now be as wary of Shockwave as Shockwave is now wary of the jet.

This is the thought consoling Shockwave as he straightens- and as Starscream's laughter rings through the training room once more.

In almost one fluid motion, Shockwave rounds on the laughing Seeker and punches him full force in the face, then spins on his heel and makes to stalk out of the training room.

---

Exit Pissed Off Shockwave, stage left.

[Starscream]

The punch hurts, and leaves a dent on Starscream's face that will require attention later. But it barely stops him laughing.

As Shockwave storms off, the mocking cackle of Starscream follows him until he's well out of earshot.