Mental image: Shrapnel being treated to a nice treat. Like how those instagram stag beetles get containers of beetle jelly cut in half.
YES
Imagine giving him jelly energon but instead of eating it slowly and politely like those beetles do, he devours it whole or, if the jelly is big enough, he plunges his whole face in it and starts eating.
Shrapnel would plunge his face in anything. As long as he has something tasty in his intake, he's the happiest mech alive.
And, he'll love you if you give him treats. You get the Friend of the Hive achievement, hooray!
FASHIONABLE BUGS. INSTAGRAMMABLE BUGS. Look how they even have their own can cooler with energon drinks. They are the moment and they know it. Probably made the entire beach goers run away screaming, but at least they're looking good
Have you heard the news about the insecticon three pack they’re coming out with for the apology tour? So many energon cubes included for the greedy bugs.
THE BEBES
I'm glad to see that they're getting more love, and I think the recolorations suit them. I've seen many people compare them to the legacy versions (ok, they're basically recolor versions).
I will admit, I still prefer the legacy versions for a number of reasons:
Shrapnel and Kickback's transparent chest plates, which in these models are fully opaque. The transparency gives the toy a bigger depth, and as a 2000's kid I am a fan of transparent plastic in general.
Same thing with Kickback's wings! Though, I will say in this case it's more of a stylistic choice. The new line Kickback has wings that look sleeker and more robotic, whereas the Legacy Kickback has a more insect-like appearance. Depending on which context you want your Kickback, one or the other goes. Though, even in this case, they're fully opaque and the wing depth is lost.
Also what did they do to his cool-ass flames/whatevers? They were purple before! And looked super cool! At least, they got repurposed into fully-fledged wing extensions.
Bombshell got an almost full recolor! Now he's gray, much more serious and way meaner. The gray fits him very well (does he feel bonita?) but also kinda separates him from the group. Still, I really enjoy the toy.
Some details, too, are lost between the two versions. This is better if you like a simpler, more organic design. But I am extra and like my little plating deco
oNE THING I'M MISSING THO
THEEESEEEE
I want my little bugs to be able to snack on some noice energon cubes. But my darlings don't have any. I shall 3D print some for them maybe. Or, even better, craft some
Life's been fucking me and the 1600-pages cardio-endo exam is still pushing it against my bare aft. I'm literally fighting for my life craving bugs. I miss my wives Tails, I miss them so much. So yea, next thing I'll write is going to be something about the bugs.
I had envisioned intermissions for Hive For A Wolfpack, some one-shots that take place here and there and function as Missing Moments for the fic. One of @transformers-spike's moots fueled my will to live so now, I have a decision to make.
Once the exam is done raw-dogging me, what should I write first?
Note: this is ONLY about the insecticons! I miss them and I wanna write about them first.
🪲?
HFAW chapter 7
Some nsfw about Kickback specifically (set between ch 5 and 6)
"how the G1 insecticons would be as boyfriends" post
Might be late on this but in regards to your comment about wire play, I feel like that was the majority of NSFW TF fics back in the late 2000s-2010s, around the time of the bayverse movies. Im glad the style has moved on but its so funny to think about looking back lol
I write it occasionally when folks ask, but I didn’t know that was a thing until people asked. ⚠️ blood mention
You (Don’t) Know Me Pt 25
Insecticons x Reader
• He holds you until you fall asleep again, your brow creased. Adjusting the furs around you, Bombshell slowly stands and finds his brothers. Clearing his vents, he thinks about your pitiful mewling complaints. Had said you wanted your home. Looking around the cave, he remembers looking in windows of houses he’d found as he’d hunted for easy prey. Humans like stuff. Their homes full of strange objects. If you had your human things, maybe you’d feel more at home. Maybe you’d be pleased.
• Trying to salvage some of his kill from Shrapnel as the other Insecticon keeps tearing off chunks, digging his servos into the deer’s belly to open it and get at the best parts, Kickback rumbles. Hissing in aggravation, antenna back, Kickback lashes out at Shrapnel’s hand and the other mech stills, rumbling. Before lunging at him, the food forgotten in his fit of temper. Back pedaling when Shrapnel charges him, he chirps when Bombshell seizes the other Insecticon by an arm and Shrapnel rounds on him, plating lifting.
• Hissing at Bombshell, Shrapnel sparks in warning as Bombshell’s head tips. Plating crawling as he’s studied, the cold calculation in the other Insecticon’s stare makes him want to back down. To drop his head in surrender. Snarling instead, he bares his denta. “We have work to do,” Bombshell growls, clawed servos tightening on his arm until his grip hurts. It’s a gentle rebuke compared to what he’d expected and he clears his vents, falling into a sullen silence as he glances over at you. Realizing Bombshell’s only holding back because he doesn’t want to wake you.
• Letting go of Shrapnel only when he’s sure that the mech won’t lash out and force him to put him in his place, Bombshell looks over at Kickback when the mech chirps softly. “Work, work?” Shrapnel asks, tone still angry. Maybe there’s something to help with your illness in your home. Human medicines. Striding past them, he doesn’t wait to see if they’ll follow. Knows they will. You’re too ill to try and get away. Doubts you’d try to run again, anyway. You’re afraid of them and it bothers him. Makes you easier to control, but he’d wanted an equal. A queen. Someone to help keep the other two in line. To make demands and expect obedience. Not cower and watch them with frightened eyes.
• Groaning as you wake up, your head lifts. Dimly aware that you’re still sweating, but at least you’re not being spooned by an alien space heater. Pushing up as your head pounds, you’d give anything for some advil. And it’s so stupid. Something you’d always taken for granted. That you could just go get whatever you need when you need it. Looking around the dim cave, the fire makes the shadows dance against the rough stone walls and you realize you’re alone. Shakily standing, you’re coughing and sniffling as you move around the space. Wrapping a fur around yourself, you grimace when you step in something wet and you cringe away from the puddle of blood and the deer they just left on a rock, shiny viscera spilling out of it. Finding a branch in the pile of wood they’ve dragged in, you stick one end into the fire and wait for it to catch before you explore the cave in the hopes that there’s another way out. There’s a hole high overhead above the fire and you guess that’s where the smoke is going so you’re not suffocating. There’s no getting up there to try and squirm through the gap, though. And the cave is much deeper than you’d thought, the rough stone carved away by sharp claws, deep gouges obvious in the walls. Making you realize they’ve been digging it out. Making a bigger den. You find crude rooms branching off from the main area now, the floor slowly slanting down. Becoming dirt instead of rock and at the lowest point, you find a pool of water, the bottom lined with rocks to form a basin. But there’s no way out. Except through the deep, dark water of the waterfall hidden entrance. Coughing, you drop the branch when the flame gets too close to your fingers. And you shuffle slowly back to the fire, a hand against the rough walls to find your way.
Have you seen the WFC insecticon trio? Bombshell and Shrapnel have different names (Hardshell and Sharpshot) but I’m kind of in love with their designs tbh. Also Kickback kills me a little, they really said “Well. His name *is* Kickback.” and gave him massive bug feet
Ohhhhh Yeeeeeeeeeeesssssss
Most of my knowledge in that regard comes from this video here:
But oh my god, the Prime design was my first ever encounter with the insecticons and I was hooked on them since then.
I haven't played the games yet (anyone recommend a good PS3 emulator?) but I've seen the designs and they're simply superb. Much more insectoid, sharp and uncanny than the G1 boxy silhouettes (WHICH WE STILL LOVE NONETHELESS). Look at how well-designed they are:
They're oozing appeal. Can't deny I'd love to get my grabby paws on the toys too
