Big Red had gone on a rampage immediately after being freed from the Skib's. However a week later he had still not returned to base to receive repairs or maintenance and steadfastly refused to. Not even Blue could convince him to.
In a private conference room off the Main Hanger shouting was heard.
"Let me go to him and I'm sure I can get him back here. Get Polycephaly to take me, or Crystal! Dammit guys! Both of you know the only thing that hasn't been tried is me! I'm sure I could get him to come back without you guys using Blue to force him to return for fucks sake. The big guys traumatised and needs a willing ear, not more violence, trust me on this. I've seen humans go through something like this before, it's called PTSD and if we don't help his mental state and quickly we might lose him. We still don't know if he's the same as Blue is on the inside, but if he is... then we need me inside of his core and it needed to have been yesterday!" Banging your fists on the table you glare at both Lumin and Bayer in fury. They both look at each other and you get up and stalk out of the room, shoving the door violently open as you leave so it bangs against the wall. Muttering death threats under your breath you spot Darq and Shade talking to some of the engineers nearby. They see you and leave the engineers, walking up to you.
Vex, Darq has a theory and....
"If it's to do with Big Red, go talk to the 2 fuckwits back in there. I'm not allowed to do fuck all in this place. Not allowed to leave the damn base even though I KNOW I could help out there. GOD!" You interrupt Shade as you continue walking past them in a rage. Yup, you were seriously angry even though you knew deep down that all of them were only doing it to protect you, the lone human in the Alliance.
Looks like we need to just instigate Project Drakkhen now Shade. Better to ask for forgiveness after the fact. Shade nodded at her male counterpart and they both split ways, Darq to go get certain equipment ready and Shade to intercept you before you did anything stupid.
An hour later Lumin is searching for you to apologise but you were nowhere to be found, neither were Shade, Darq or Crystal. Rubbing his head casing he knows just what has happened. I hope you know what you're doing Vex, you need to come back to me in 1 piece...
Walking with Shade she steers you towards the armoury. Got a surprise for you Vex, and a favour to ask. You can say no but if your mood is anything to go by, I don't think you'll deny my request. Especially when you see what we have for you. C'mon, Darq's waiting.
"What on earth are you planning Shade? I was about to go ask Crystal if she...."
We're meeting up with Crystal shortly. You need to get your gear on first. Pushing the door to the armoury open Shade points toward the rear of the room where Darq is waiting. He is holding a small jetpack but pointing to a dark pile of clothing.
Get that on first Vex, we're going to get Big Red to come home today. I heard what you were saying to those idiots in that conference room and you are right. He won't come back without a good reason to and if he continues like this he will kill himself through exhaustion. Not sure what you meant about being inside his core but I do know you will be the one to convince him to come home. We need him. What else do you think you'll need? Darq was pretty quiet usually, so for him to say all this was a speech and a half.
Cocking your head you take note of the all black clothing. It seemed the top and pants were reinforced with bullet proof fibres, it was also lined with material to stop you burning if you got caught in any sort of flames. The top also had a hood with built in headphones that fit snugly round your head to protect it. It also had a better receiver system for comms than what you currently had in your ear, and it had a mic so you could speak to others directly over the long range comms instead of just short range. A face plate that could attach to the hood, so you could hide the fact you weren't a Techfolk as it made you look like Shade albeit with a green cone as a face. A tool belt with various gadgets that you could use in doing repairs and maintenance in the field. Sturdier boots then what you were currently wearing, they also had steel toe caps so that would come in handy if you needed to kick a Skib. There was also a long trench coat and black leather gloves that would complete the look. All in all, the outfit was very similar to what Blue looked like with a couple of elements from the other Titans in it. Getting it all on, you realised that it all fit you perfectly. Someone had been doing their research on your sizing.
Helping you put the jet pack on, Darq looked you up and down. Something is missing.
Nitwit, you forgot the wakizashi's. Where'd you put then? Shade rummaged round in a chest. Found em. Taking off the jet pack, you then put the back scabbard on for the twin wakizashi's that Shade handed you. Then you put the jet pack back on and Darq made sure everything was lined up right for your ease of use. A ray gun was also clipped to your belt. Do a twirl now, let me see. Oooooh, If I didn't know any better I wouldn't know it was you. Shade jumped up and down excitedly at the new look. I think that's about all of it. Did you ping the rest of the squad Darq? Let them know that Project Drakkhen was going ahead?
I am not stupid Shade, yes it was done and we are expected shortly. Crystal will be here in 5 so we can begin.
"Project Drakkhen? Oh gawd Shade, don't tell me you actually remembered what I'd told you the other night?" You facepalm and both Shade and Darq laugh at you as you recall with horror some really crazy ideas you'd had, when you had been drinking of course, for trying to cheer up the Soundfolk. Before the Skib's had turned the world upside down, you'd been a part time DJ called Drakkhen in your spare time. You'd also been able to recover your laptop with the help of some bright engineers so you'd been trying to come up with some tunes and dance moves to try and help the normally vibrant and cheery guys.
Well some of your ideas WERE sound, if slightly crazy. It's something that really could snap Big Red's mind back to us, your idea of using music. We both think if anyone could get through to him it would be you. So please, for Big Red, if not for us Soundfolk, please help him.
"Don't have to ask me twice. I'd do it gladly. I assume you guys will be close by, just in case? And you'll make sure Blue won't interfere like I'm sure he'll try to?" Feeling slightly nervous, even though you'd been raring to get out to help, you also realised it was your first time out since you'd arrived here months ago and you didn't know quite what to expect out there nowadays.
You'll be fine Vex. It's time to go bring Big Red home. Crystal says as she appears in a cloud of black smoke. She looks you up and down and nods, then grabs all 3 of you and teleports.
You arrive on the roof of a tall building in the middle of devastation. Looks like Big Red had just done a spinning blaster attack and killed a lot of Skib's. There wasn't a live Skib that you could see anywhere right then. Polycephaly arrived in a cloud of black smoke bringing with him 2 of the larger Soundkind. Cracking your knuckles you activate your jet pack and fly towards Big Red, closely followed by both Darq and Shade. Crystal teleporting over to Blue to tell him to hang back and let you guys do your jobs, though she didn't mention that one of the people was you. She did however tell him to start live recording for those back at the Base.
They both activate a certain song off a list that you had indicated that you wanted to use, the 2 larger Soundkind mirroring to make sure it was heard by their Titan, that was why they were there after all. Pretending like you didn't see the big guy, you and the 2 Soundfolk start singing and dancing up in the air there to try and see if it would do anything. You saw that he paused in leaving the area when he heard the different music and you knew you had hooked him. You got Darq to start up the next track () and you all started to belt it out over wideband comms trying to get through to the Sound Titan. After a few tracks, you get the Soundfolk to play the last one, the one where you'd actually reel in the big guy ().
Knowing you didn't have a whole lot of fuel left in the jet pack you really hoped this would work. Seeing Big Red start bouncing his head to the track, you saw your opportunity, he left his core wide open. Rising higher up in the air you then turn off the jets and dive towards that glowing red beacon in his chest. Luckily for you the trench coat had a small flight suit capability built in so you some small control on where you were headed. Blue was watching you all with interest the whole time and you heard him stutter in confusion as he realised it was you, surely no-one else would be mad enough to free dive at a Titan. V-vex?! What the fuck? Shit!
Big Red snapped his head at Blue's outburst to see you just as you land right inside the entrance to his core, sliding and hitting the back wall. Quickly finding the hatch to his insides you force open it and dive down the ladder. Finding his core chamber fairly easily thanks to it being nearly the same as the inside of Blue. Taking off the jet pack so you could enter, you spot the red hued plasma being that is Big Red. Taking off the gloves and face plate you tuck them away into a pocket and you gently touch the plasma.
Like with Blue when you first met him, everything shuts down and the red plasma core yawned when he opened his eyes. "Morning sunshine. How are you feeling today?" You say knowing that very shortly you would probably be dealing with another beings scared panic attack like when Blue first awoke, so you started explaining things very quickly to try and head it off.
It's ok Vex. Blue had already sort of warned me something like this might happen. But why here? Why are you outside of the base? He was looking himself over with some interest as you proceed to sit on the floor.
"Why here? Because your dumb ass won't come home. Everyone is worried sick about you right now, you need repairs and maintenance and yet you are still out here killing Skib's. I KNOW you want to do more to right the wrongs you feel you did, but that wasn't you, that was the damn Skib parasite doing it. No-one blames you for anything BUT you need to come HOME and get looked at. Make sure the Skib's can't get to you again. Please, just come home Red. Then we can do this properly and meet like we should have." Hanging your head down, you feel a couple of tears fall from your eyes. Red comes closer and looks at you.
I've been a bit of an idiot haven't I? I'll do as you ask Vex, but only because it's you asking. Just promise me you'll be there, at the base, when they shut me down? He had rolled closer to you, just shy of touching you. You scoop him up to cuddle him with a few head pets as well.
"I promise. They won't shut you down till I'm there ok? I won't let them shut you down till I'm sitting right here in this very chamber ok? The first thing you'll see when you open those lovely eyes of yours will be me. Now however, you need to get back into this thing bud and get yourself back home as soon as you can, it's too dangerous for you to be shut down like this out here." Petting him one last time you deposit him on his platform. As he started powering back up again you could hear some gunshots outside. Grabbing up your jet pack as you leave and putting it back on, you shut the hatch and look outside. Seeing nothing alarming in the immediate vicinity you hop out and activate the jet pack, aiming for the roof where Crystal had first brought you.
Blue had just destroyed a Skib that had arrived in the area and suddenly a lot of Soundfolk started appearing. Looks like having their Titan back brought them out of hiding. The 2 titans looked at each other and Blue put out his hand. They clapped their hands together and both flew off towards base for repairs. Crystal appeared next to you and teleported you back to outside your quarters. Thanking her, you asked her to make sure you were in the hangar when the 2 Titans returned. You walked into your quarters and collapsed face down onto the bed after removing the jet pack, weapons and the outer layers of your clothing. Time for a little snooze before the boys got back.
An hour and power nap later, you were woken up by the feel of someone massaging your shoulders and back. Groaning you try to move but the hands won't let you get up. Easing out every knot, every tense muscle in your back, slowly sliding across your sides, just by how the hands were moving you knew exactly who it was and you hoped he wasn't too mad at you for leaving the base like you did. Then the hands went lower, starting to tug on your pants, peeling them off slowly with soft touches across your thighs and up into your privates making you whine. The hands then pull at your hips making you kneel with your ass in the air and your face buried in the pillow. Feeling him roughly thrusting into you, you can't stop the loud moan coming from your lips begging for more. Every thrust, every touch, getting rougher the louder you get, seemingly punishing you. You try to use your hands but find them immediately being pinned. Feeling yourself getting closer to the edge, you scream as you cum, going limp. Instead of it stopping however you can feel yourself being held up and fucked even harder. All you can do is whimper and whine in protest. Then it happens, you feel that familiar build up and you cum a 2nd time, shuddering violently when you do, though you were still being thrust into. Now you are begging for it to please stop, you can't take it anymore, you were sorry for what you did, you didn't mean to make them angry.
Immediately the roughness turned soft. Gentle rocking, those feather light touches. Everything slowing down, letting you breathe again. Letting you collapse into the bed and their body following you down, pulling you into them for cuddles. I didn't hurt you, did I?
Shaking your head, you turn in Lumin's arms and bury your face into his chest. He starts gently stroking your hair as you begin to doze off again.
A couple of hours after that you woke up again feeling sore but refreshed and still in Lumin's arms. Then you hear it. Loud bass rumbling through the base like a wild beast in distress. Sitting up you let your receiver go into wide band mode and you hear it, Big Red was back but not letting anyone near enough to do anything to him, shouting for you. Looking at Lumin he nods at you. Go sort him out, he needs you now. We'll talk later.
Putting your pants back on and snagging a protein bar to chow down on while you run to the hangar, you rush there wondering why Crystal hadn't come for you as you'd asked.
As you enter the hangar a shock wave passes through you with a boom. Blue was holding Red down trying to get him to calm down but it was having the opposite effect. Bayer and the other engineers were trying to shut Big Red down as well which was making him even more frantic, especially after the promise you'd made to him earlier in the day. More booms coming from his speakers the more he was pressed, the shock waves starting to hurt your ears. You whistle loudly when there was a pause in the noise.
"OI! You lot can stop that right this bloody instant! And you! Let him go! You know better than this!" Shouting and pointing first at the group of engineers then Blue, getting rather heated. "You lot can piss off for now and let me sort this crap fest out. Why on earth did no-one come to get me?! Red, gimme a hand up will ya." Quickly taking charge, you find yourself being scooped up rather quickly and held to Red's face as he started trying to back out of the hanger.
Where were you? They wouldn't tell me, they wanted to shut me down like I told you they would. I don't want to be shut down. I want to go back out to fight the Skib's. Why are they doing this to me? Why can't they see I'm fine? Yup Big Red was in a full blown panic attack and ranting away, his speakers still booming. Putting your hand out and placing it on his head casing you start apologising for not being there when he arrived.
"Red, I am so, so sorry. This idiot of an organic passed out for a couple of hours. I came as soon as I knew you were here though. Now, I need you to calm yourself down just a little hon, those sound blasts of yours will pop my eardrums if they get any louder. Let me get inside your core and we'll have a proper chat face to face alright?" He nods at this and brings you down to his core entrance where you enter and make your way into the chamber where his plasma form resided. As you wake his smaller self, you send a brief message telling Bayer to get on with what they needed to do and quickly, you weren't sure how long they had which Bayer acknowledged.
Picking up and cuddling the red plasma being to try to relax him, you start trying to gauge just how much work he needed on his psyche. As it turned out, he was so mentally broken by the images of what he had done while under the Skib's control. The pain, the suffering, the death he had caused. Hurting his family the Soundkind, all of his friends in the Alliance. Hurting Piston by crushing half of his body and throwing him, though you reassured him that Piston was fine and getting repaired rapidly. He had seen himself do all of it without being able to stop himself. Holding him to you, you let him cry it all out til he passed out from exhaustion, this was only a temporary fix however as you knew that trying to fix this type of damage would take a long time. As you were still tired yourself, you close your eyes and rest your chin on the top of his head, slowly drifting off with him.
A few hours later you wake up hearing static then Bayer shouting on the comms. BLUE! NO! We don't know what will happen if you do that! And everyone will know about you!
Bayer, I do not care. They are both my friends and I ILL be finding out if they are ok. If I have to do that by using my other self then so be it, let everyone find out what and who I really am. Vex has not responded in hours and you cannot enter where they are. I can. I am doing this right now. Initiating Core Expulsion, XRM-0001 shutting down in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
Welp, there's a snag you hadn't thought of. Hearing shouts of alarm from the Cam Men in the hangar, then shortly after some banging from where Red's core entrance was. You watched the entrance to the chamber with interest. Blue light starts coming through and suddenly Blue was there bouncing around. Seeing that Red was asleep and you looking at him, he kept his voice low and settled himself down. Vex? Everything ok in here?
"Hey bud, we fell asleep. Sorry if I made you panic any. You shouting at Bayer just now woke me up heh. Good on you for standing up for yourself though. Big Red's been through hell and what you guys were trying to do earlier just made it so much worse for him. When I see Bayer, he's getting a slap for it. Anywho, lemme wake this fella up so you two can meet each other properly as you're here, try and make friends in this form, how about it?" With a nod from Blue you start poking Red gently to wake him up.
As he opens his eyes he spots Blue sitting there patiently waiting but goes into a panic thinking Blue was there to hurt him. Hushing him you carry on petting the top of his head. Blue reached out a hand to start apologising and Red let him touch him. Sparks flew between the 2, literally, and you noticed things in the chamber were starting to vibrate and spark with an electrical charge. Fearing the worst you stand up and tell them to get out quick cause it looked like something bad was going to happen, all 3 of you rushing out towards the core entrance. You push the 2 out of Red's chest together, their colours mixing and melding together on the way down, bouncing off the floor then the walls like a wild rubber ball being thrown. As you stand inside of Red's chest looking out, something goes BOOM above you and you see one of his shoulder speakers explode and fall off. Feeling the massive frame swaying from the explosion you wonder how in hell you were gonna get out of this mess. Neither of the lads were able to help as their core selves, there were no TV men around, no nearby gantries as Big Red had walked too far from them and you'd forgotten in your anger to snag one of the small jet packs on your way into the hangar. Another BOOMBOOMBOOM then rocks the frame, you feel Red's inert Titan body falling backwards and you do the only thing you could to try and mitigate the damage that you would inevitably take. You back up against the rear of the core entrance and cover your head with your arms and let yourself fall backwards with the Titan.
EVERYBODY TO THE HANGAR! CATEGORY ONE EMERGENCY! I REPEAT, EVERYBODY TO THE HANGAR! VEX IS INSIDE THAT TITAN!