The battered white mech stood in front of the bars. The same bars that separated him from the 'Battlefield' as it was called. The area of the enclosed cage in which he and many others were forced to fight each other in. Up on the higher grounds, he could see the audience pumped to see a splattering fight. His mismatched optics narrowed. It disgusted him, how all these bots come to see an originated murder. All for the pleasure of a good show. And at the same time he envied it. Because when that show was over they could go home and continued living their lives. He couldn't. He was trapped. Like all the other bots in this dungeon, he was trapped.

"Rapidshock this is a bad idea." Vimira muttered as she followed her dark colored friend into an old building, which was meant to look uninhabited, but the inside was built into some sort of sports arena. She wasn't sure what it was for as Rapidshock hadn't bothered to explain, but she didn't like where this was going. "My Dad is going to kill me if he finds out I’m here..." She continued as she followed the larger mech into an area near the arena, which held some sort of large cage, "Don't worry about it. I got it covered, Vi’." Vimira frowned as she stood beside him, looking around the area. It wasn't just that she was worried about what her father would do. It was about what was going on here, and she had a feeling it wasn't anything good.

A large dark grey mech suddenly walked out on a balcony that rose above the crowd and the cage below. He made his loud semi-speech of an announcement about the enjoyment of the Cages and soon after called to the two guards below to release the first participants. On one side, three minibot combiners came scurrying out and on the other, Upsurge nudged harshly through the lifted bars and into the Battlefield. He looked up at the crowds above and behind their own protection of bars. He rolled his shoulders, the refraining inhibitor claw in his back adding its weight to him. Of course, in the years it was clamped on--to disable any internal weapons-- he had grown used to it. The announcerbot introduced the combiners accordingly to the crowd as he did Upsurge. And as a now automatic routine in his mind, he prepared himself for battle.

Vimira watched at first uninterested until something was mentioned about fighting, and looked up as the mech speaking called for the participants to be released. "Wha- Fight? Rapidshock, what’s going on?" She looked over at her friend as he leaned over the railing in anticipation, "Rapidshock!" "What!? It's obvious it's a cage fight, Vi'! Stop overreacting!" He yelled above the cheering, as Vimira recoiled a bit at this. A cage fight? As in two bots trying to murder each other? "How can you watch this!? OR even bring me here for that matter?!" She cried, but the black mech didn't seem to hear her over the cheering. She looked back to the arena, covering her mouth in silent shock and sadness as the announcerbot introduced a white framed mech, as he made his way into the cage. Primus she wasn't sure she could watch this, and somewhere in the back of her processor the thought of helping one of these bots get out crossed her mind.

The roaring cheers and hollering overcame the sounds of the impact of punches and hits. Upsurge had dealt with combiners before. He had learned--very much the hard way-- that bots such as these fed off each other's moves. With that in mind, Upsurge rearranged his plan if attack, going for one of the bots then switching off to confuse them. But what he didn't realize this time was that one of the three minibots was a Spitter. A thin stream of purple acid sprayed from its mouth, and though Upsurge was able to dodge the attack in the most, a few drops came into a sizzling contact with his shoulder. Upsurge roared at the pain, clutching his shoulder. But he moved swiftly, releasing his own shoulder and running the Spitter. In a few false attacks he was able to kick the bot to the wall hard before grabbing it and tossing it to its two fellow combiners before they tried to form together on him.

Vimira's optics widen when the white mech was hit with acid, before she watched in shock as the larger bot kicked one of the minibots into the wall hard, then grabbing it and tossed it at the other two minibots, before they could combine. The white femme looked over at her friend who seemed to be thoroughly enjoying this, and was cheering along with the crowd. Vimira didn't know if she could watch this anymore, she had never seen someone get killed and didn't plan on standing here while the mechs in the pit fought to do just that. She highly doubted these mechs wanted to fight each other, and she was positive they had been forced to do so. She just prayed to Primus that it would be over quick for the looser, so he would not suffer.

Upsurge's shoulder burned as he advanced on the trio. He kicked and punched and threw the combiners until they were out of commission in a pile. Well, almost. There was always that last deed the Master of the Cages had the bot that was going to win do. The grey mech stood up from watching the fight in his balcony seat. He grabbed a weapon that was propped by him and threw it down through the open top of the cage. Upsurge looked up as the Master did so and watched the weapon fly down, sticking its blade into the ground when it landed. It was a thick and rigid sword. Perfect for giving that one finishing blow. "Go on then lad!" The Master bellowed cheekily, "Proclaim yourself a winner!" The crowds gave deafening roars of agreement. Upsurge released the blade from the ground, and looked at it. He hated this. He didn't want this. He didn't want to be a winner. A winner with the energon of dozens on his hands. His grip on the hilt of the blade tightened and he looked up at the grey mech. He glowered down at Upsurge before nodding. With a hesitant growl of a sigh, upsurge twisted the hilt in his hand walking up to three downed minibots. He frowned sadly before lifting the blade, the action sending the crowds ablaze, before lowering it in a quick swoop. The blade cut through the three sparkchambers; the spilt energon splattering all over Upsurge's front and the ground. The audience cheered loudly in approval.

Vimira looked up at the Master of the Cages as he threw a weapon into the battlefield, telling the white mech to finish it and make himself the winner. And she watched horrified as the mech took the sword and killing the three minibots, energon splattering across the ground and onto the mech. Primus no! She could take it anymore. She turned and ran, pushing her way through the crowd leaving her friend behind; After all he seemed quite happy to be here. She made her way to the dark hallways, and though she had no idea where she was going she was determined to get out and get home. She looked down both ends of the hallway before picking one and sprinting down the empty corridor, turning the corner expecting to find a doorway or another hallway, but instead ran into the large dark mechs. The one she had physically run into grabbed her arm before she could get away, "Well look at this! Looks like we found the perfect prize for our champ tonight." Vimira's optics widened slightly, realizing they were talking about the mech that had just killed the minibots, and she tried to pull away from the darker mech, "No! Please, I was just trying to leave!" The mechs chuckled quietly, before pulling her along as they head down a flight of stairs into the holding cells for the fighters, and Vimira prayed the Primus the white mech would have mercy on her.

After a bot won a certain amount of battles, they were allowed some repair; which Upsurge got after the fight. But of course he only got the repairs, not the cleanup. He would have to get rid of the energon himself. The white mech was given the most basic of solvent and a dingy rag, which he carried both in a rusted bucket, to clean himself with. The two large black mechs that caught Vimira and later put her in one of the cells escorted Upsurge to his cell. 'Because being the champ makes your worthy of an escort' the Master had said, but Upsurge knew it so he wouldn't try and escape. He was put off when the mech opened the cell door and he saw a scared looking femme on the ground in his cell. In his cell. The frag? "What's this?" He asked rather disinterested at the mechs, turning his dried energon streaked face at them. One of them laughed harshly, "We found you a prize. Don't be too rough with it. It's a fragile little thing." He said cruelly. Upsurge was locked in his cell and the guards walked away. He turned and looked at the femme before walking past her and sat on the floor across the small cell. He glanced at Vimira as he took the rag and solvent, beginning to rid his arm of the dried up energon. "The guards don't pick randomly from the crowds." He said after a very long moment of silence. "Why are you here?" He asked in a rather harsh demanding tone.

Vimira sat with her back against the wall in what she guessed was the mech’s cell for the longest of times, having no idea if Rapidshock even knew she was gone or more likely botnapped... She was terrified. Primus was she terrified. She didn't what this mech would do to her, and she eventually feared the worst. The white femme looked up when she heard someone approaching, hoping for a moment Rapidshock had come to free her only to have that hope dashed away when the door opened and she saw the two mechs that had grabbed her along with the white one who had won the match. She instantly looked down, trying not to make optic contact with him, as he asked the guards what she was doing here. She tensed at one of the guard's words, knowing what he meant by them, before he locked the cell back up leaving her with the possibly insane murderer. She hugged her knees to her chest, keeping her optics on the floor as the mech walked past her and it was silent for a moment before the mech spoke, making Vimira tense even more at the harshness of his tone. "I- I was just trying to leave... I was trying to go home and I got lost..." She dared to glance up at the mech as he washed the dried energon off his frame, "I ran into them and they brought me here..." She continued, trying to hold her fear in, afraid that any wrong move could get her killed.

Upsurge glanced his optics up at the femme as she nervously explained how she ended up in his cell. He didn't say anything when she was done though, only continuing in his cleanup. He moved on to wiping the streaks if his face. It was a rough cleaning, not properly done; there were still specks and small stained from where he missed, but he honestly didn't care about such trivial things anymore. After all, a new splash of fresh energon would replace the old. Be it another bot's or ending up to be his own. He looked up at Vimira for brief moment and aw that she was shaking in fear. Upsurge rolled his optics, "Look. I'm pretty sure I know what those mechs intended on me to do to you. But I'm not going to waste my energy killing you, so relax already." He said irritably. The mech slapped the rag into the bucket before trying to engage his shoulder. Though he had the repairs, the shoulder still stung when touched. He hissed when he placed the rag on his shoulder only to quickly retract his hand away from it.

Vimira glanced up once she had finished explaining, watching as he continued to clean the energon from his chassis. She looked down again when he looked at her, and winced at his harsh words, "Sorry..." She murmured quietly, she just wanted to go home, and part of her even wondered if she'd ever go home again. She looked up again watching the mech go to clean his shoulder, only to hiss in pain and removed his hand from it. She was silent, remembering how one of the minibots had hit him with acid on that shoulder. Vimira bit her lip, before quietly standing and making her way over to the mech cautiously, stepping to the side of his injured shoulder, "I, um, I work at a medical clinic, and if you'll let me I could help you with that..." She asked cautiously, crouching down beside him and hesitantly holding out her hand for the rag. Primus she had no idea why she was attempting to help him, but she figured that maybe this would be the mech she would try and save.

Upsurge looked up at the femme as she stood up at walked towards him. He tensed when she crouched next to him. It had been a great while since anybody came near him in way as to not get a close shot at him. His optic ridges furrowed skeptically when she offered to help on his shoulder. Why would she help him? After all, it seemed to her she was at his mercy. Though he still didn't plan on killing her, but still. He was hesitant at first, but eventually plopped the rag into her open hand before looking away frontward. Frag, it didn't matter, it was going to hurt anyway.

Vimira gave a hesitant but soft smile when he dropped the rag into her hand, before looking away. She was a little on edge though, having noticed him tense when she crouched next to him, and she was still afraid he may hurt her in some way. She dipped the rag into the bucket of water, ringing it out, before running the rag over his shoulder as gently as she could, cleaning the dried energon off the white armor. She frowned slightly when she saw the patch work done to the wound he received, it was obvious the medic here didn't really care about the fighter’s wounds. She hummed quietly as she finished cleaning the dried energon from his shoulder, and dropped the rag in the bucket. She then reached into her sub-space and pulled out a small jar of wax like substance, it was medicine that was meant to be put over the wound to help numb the pain. "I'm sorry this is all I have... It'll numb the pain a little." She said quietly as she opened the jar and began applying the medication to his shoulder. She would've been able to do better, but this was the only thing she carried around when not at the clinic.

Upsurge tensed and hissed when Vimira carefully ran the rag over the acid wounds. He glanced back when she began going over and cleaning the entire shoulder. He watched as she took something out if her subspace. He looked at dubiously as she explained what the jar of wax would do. He huffed and raised his shoulder and quickly lowered it in a shrug, as if it wasn't worth the effort to give a genuine shrug. He looked forward silently as she applied the wax onto his shoulder. "What's your name?" He asked lowly in the long silence.

Vimira was quiet again as she applied the medication to the wound, being extremely gentle. Not only because she could hurt him more, but she still held onto the fear that he would kill her, even though he said he wouldn't. She blinked, pausing in her actions when he asked what her name was, before continuing. She was surprised to say the least, not expecting him to want to know at all, "My name's Vimira." She said quietly, as she finished applying the wax and put the jar back in her subspace, before cleaning her hand off with the water and rag, "What about you? What's your name?"

Upsurge looked his shoulder when it seemed the femme was finished in what she was doing. The musty surface was glossy from the wax, and the pain was already beginning to dull as the medication sunk in. Vimira. He had never heard that name before. But then again he hadn’t been out much recently so of course he wouldn't have. He gave a quick glance at Vimira as she washed her hands before looking ahead at the cell door, "They call me Upsurge."  The Master had named him that, because apparently he 'surged' through the battles and ranking higher each time he won. Well, he would be dead if he didn't win, so there'd be no 'surging' through the ranks there, Upsurge thought sourly.

Vimira was surprised at this, "They?" She asked quietly, from what she understood, it was the people who ran this sick game that named him. Did that mean he had no creators or family at all? She wanted to ask, she really did but she was still afraid of stepping over the boundary with this mech. So instead she gave a soft smile, as she finished washing her hands. "Upsurge. That's a nice name. It fits you in a way..." She spoke quietly looking up at him, to see him starring ahead at the cell door. She became silent, as she sat down, keeping him in her line of sight, just in case he made an attempt to kill her; which she probably wouldn't be able to avoid. "If I may... can I ask why your here?" She honestly highly doubted he was here because he wanted to be.

Upsurge raised an optic ridge at Vimira when she complimented on his name. It was a nice name? He shook his head as he continued to stare at the cell door he only glanced at her when she spoke up again. He scoffed but kept a frown, "Well, it isn't 'cause I want to fraggin' be here." He said gruffly, his stare at the door turning into more of a glare. A few moments later another one of the guards passed by, quite rudely dropping off a cube of energon. Upsurge sighed before getting up, fetching the cube, and sat back in the same spot he was. He drank down the slime of an energon cube he had grown accustomed to, before looking at Vimira. There was no way that guard was coming back with another cube for her. He looked down at the cube in his hand; it was just over half a cube now. He huffed, deciding to just give to her. Her systems weren't probably used to the terrible stuff but energon was energon. He placed the cube on the floor and slid it towards her with a hand, "Here. Drink it."

Vimira flinched at his words as he answered her question. She honestly didn't expect him to reply like that, she was just asking a question after all. "I know that..." She murmured quietly, lowering her gaze just a bit; Before her she looked up at the cell door when a guard passed by leaving a cube of energon. She blinked watching the white mech get up, grab the cube before sitting in the same spot he had before, and she politely looked away so he could drink it in peace. She blinked looking back over at the mech when he spoke again, watching as he slid the cube of energon over to her, and she carefully caught it in her hands so it wouldn't spill. She didn't understand, it was his energon, and Primus knows he could use it, so why was he giving it to her? She looked down at the cube in her hands thoughtfully before looking back up at Upsurge, "I... thank you." She smiled gently, before drinking some of the energon, nearly recoiling at the taste, but sucked it up and drank what she could. She knew she was going to be sick later on but she wasn't going to complain about it, after all the mech had just given her the only energon he may receive for a while. When she finished drinking what she could she looked back up at Upsurge, silent for a moment before speaking, "Upsurge? Do- Do you think they'll let me go?" She asked hesitantly, she was almost afraid of the answer, and was pretty sure they didn't just give her to Upsurge so he could kill her; If that were so why couldn't they have just killed her themselves?

Upsurges nodded once at Vimira's thanks before going back to looking at the door. He glanced back at the white femme when she asked if the guards would let her go. The battered mech huffed softly and shrugged, "Most likely. Those guards were just being idiots when they put you here as a 'prize'." He responded, shaking his head. He took another glance at her to see the fear that was still in her optics. Wait, why should he care? She was from the outside, where the people gather and smile their stupid smiles as they watched bots kill each other. Bots like that, they deserved to have a little taste of what he and so many other underlings had to endeavor just to survive another day. He sighed heavily, "Look. Tomorrow those guards will come back and open the door for me when it's my time to fight. When that happens, you can go home." His voice was still a bit rough but he tried to sound reassuring.

Vimira smiled gratefully, feeling a bit relieved at his words, she could tell he was trying to be reassuring, but she wasn't sure if he truly meant it in a reassuring way. But all that mattered was that she had a chance to go home! But she felt really bothered her by his last few words. He mentioned something about fighting again tomorrow, and somehow she felt he deserved to rest or get out of here for Primus' sake. And she realized she may have judged him on an act he had to do, because he was forced by the mechs in charge to do so, but also to survive. "I... I'm sorry about all of this," She spoke quietly setting the cube on the ground, "No mech should have to go through this." She murmured.

Upsurge didn't miss the amile Vimira gave when he answered her. He rested the back of his head against the wall, only to give another dismissive shrug at Vimira's next words. "Don't be. S'not your fault. 'Sides, somebody’s gotta do it. Might as well be us gutterbots." Because, really, who'd ever heard of some Towerling or high class bot going through the Pits or Cages because they felt like it? He sighed as he rubbed an optic with the back of his hand. He gazed at the uncomfortable, rickety berth next to him, and was reminded his tired he had become. But...there was the matter with the femme. Ah Primus, why was he doing this? "Hey, it’s probably really late and all. Just...just take the berth, alright?" He said rubbing his face with his hands.

"But it's not right..." She said quietly, a bit surprised that he was -as he called it- a 'gutterbot'. It just made it all the worse that these bots in charge just took random mechs like him off the streets and forced them to fight for their lives. His words brought her out of her thoughts and she looked up at him as he told her to take the berth. She frowned slightly, this mech was so confusing; first he was snapping at her, then he's offering her his energon and berth? She shook her helm quickly, "N-No, I mean. Thank you for the offer, but you need the rest far more than I do..." She said indicating to his shoulder, before wrapping her arms around herself and leaning against the wall. She may be an upper class bot, but she was not vain, this mech was injured and definitely needed the berth more than she did. "I'll be fine here..."

Upsurge looked at Vimira unbelieving. She won't take the berth? But she looked like an upperclass bot...Upsurge shook his head before standing up. "Alright. Suit yourself." Just as he said that, a booming voice echoed through the halls, "Lights out!" Before the hallways and cells became almost pitch black from the deactivated lights. Upsurge growled, "I hate that mech." The white mech didn't have to feel much for his berth since he already knew where it was. Once he felt his hands on it, he climbed into it, the berth groaning under his weight. He was quiet, trying to get into recharge. But something kept nagging in his mind. Primus, Primus, Primus. "Um, thanks. For...y'know, the shoulder." He said, his voice sounded a bit awkward, like he didn't know how to say thank you.

Vimira nodded to his words, before jumping a bit when a mech from somewhere in the halls shouted that it was 'lights out' before the area around them became nearly pitch black. She blinked trying to let her optics adjust to the sudden darkness, as Upsurge growled his hate out for the mech that had yelled. She glanced over at the white mech, his frame only just visible in the darkness as he climbed onto the berth. She sighed, leaning back against the wall again wrapping her arms around herself to keep herself warm. She glanced back over at the white mech on the berth and smiled at his words, finding it a bit funny at how awkward he sounded. She gave a soft quiet laugh as she replied, "Your welcome, Upsurge." She leaned her head back, closing her optics for recharge, she knew she was going to be stiff tomorrow, but it was worth it if the mech got a better recharge than her. "Good night, Upsurge." She murmured, before falling into a light recharge.

Upsurge looked back at the femme when she said good night to him. In his mind, he should've said something back but that would have been more awkward sounding that before, so he just let his he'd fall on the berth and into recharge for the night. The next morning, Upsurge arose in his regular time. Well, regular time for since his internal chronometer had malfunctioned Avery long time ago and no one bothered to fix it. He turned and got up. He was surprised to see Vimira sleeping on the floor before the memories of the day before replayed in his mind. He sighed and walked up in front of her. "Hey. 'Sleepy-time'. Time to get up, the guards will be here soon." He announced with a couple pokes to her helm that were harsher than he intended.

Vimira yawned quietly and curled in on herself when she faintly heard someone walking towards her, before said person spoke with a couple of harsh pokes to her helm, "Ow!" She tiredly grabbed the offending hand as she opened her optics sleepily, "Can't a femme recharge in peace...?" She trailed off when her optics landed on a white mech, and at first she panicked, before relaxing when she remembered the events of the night before, and she immediately let go of the mech’s hand, "S-Sorry..." She murmured quickly, as she sat up, hoping she didn't offend the mech in anyway by touching him. She then stood, when she remembered that he said the guards would be here soon, and she could only hope they would let her go home.

Upsurge was a bit surprised when Vimira groggily spoke about sleeping in peace. But he was more surprised when the femme grabbed his hand. He took a step back when she murmured a quick apology and stood back up. He shook his head as he crossed his arms and leaned back against the opposite wall. He listened in through the bars of the cell door. He could already hear the two guards talk loudly from the other side of the hallway. "Get ready. Their coming." He said. And true enough a few minutes later, the two guards from yesterday appeared by the door. One laughed harshly, "Aw, didn't enjoy your prize, champ." Upsurge scowled at them, "Didn't bother to waste my energy." He responded flatly.

Vimira sighed when it seemed the mech wasn't bothered by her, glad she didn't upset him in anyway. She leaned against the wall opposite of him, wrapping her arms around herself as she heard the guards approaching from down the hall and tensed when they came up to the cell door opening it. She flinched slightly when one of the mech’s laughed harshly, wondering aloud about Upsurge not enjoying his 'prize'. She glanced at Upsurge when he responded flatly, with a scowl on his face, obviously disliking their presences as much as he hated this place. And she suddenly felt very guilty for leaving him in this place, her thoughts from yesterday returning, remembering she had wanted to 'save' him; but how could she do that if she left him to die here? She couldn't. She would get him out, whether he wanted help or not, she was going to find a way to free him. She gave him one last contemplating look before moving away from the way towards the open cell door, when the second guard called for her.

Upsurge looked at Vimira as she did him when the second guard called for her. The first one motioned the white mech out after Vimira did. Upsurge turned to give the femme one last look before the second guard ushered one direction, and the first muffled him in the opposite. He looked frontward again. That was it. He would probably never see her again. He rolled his shoulders out of the thought, the inhibitor class clamped on his back moving along with it. "What's that stuff on your shoulder?" The guard asked roughly. Upsurge looked at what he was talking about and saw a thin layer of the shimmering wax still on his damaged shoulder. Upsurge remembered how the femme helped him, though he still didn't really know why she did. "It's nothing." He said, which got another laugh from the guard, "Aw, so you were enjoying your prize." Sick fragger, Upsurge thought before he was brought into a room with six other mechs. The guard left, locking the room behind him. Well, time for the show to start: it was a grave thought.

Vimira looked back at Upsurge as the first guard took him down the hall, while the one behind her nudged her forward roughly. She turned back frontward and continued walking, her processor reeling. He was going to fight she knew, and she could only hope he'd survive so she could free him. How she was going to do that she wasn't sure of, but Primus she was going to try, she just had to. The guard stopped her where they first picked her up pointing in the direction of the visitor’s area, "You go back and say nothing about what you saw or may have heard. Understand?" He asked tightening his grip on her arm, to show there would be consequences if she dared to tell anyone about what had happened. She winced and nodded vigorously, as he let go of her arm and she hurried away. Only when she got out of his view did she slow, and glance at her arm seeing the small dents he had caused. She frowned and looked up when she heard the cheering crowd and immediately ran towards the arena. She knew she should head home, or at least go find Rapidshock but she had to see the white mech again; she was honestly afraid she wouldn't get the chance to save him, and even if she didn't, at least she may have brightened his last night of life with just her simple kindness.