TF: Ghost in the Buggy

A Filmation Ghostbusters/Transformers G1 crossover

Thunder crashed and lit up the side of Hauntquarters, the dwelling of Prime Evil.
“Those Ghost-bunglers –skkkct- have beaten me for the last time!” Prime Evil snarled, his speech as usual peppered with static-like noises, to his minions.  “But this time, I have a plan that will fix them for good!”

“Heh, heh, heh, well, what is it?” Brat-A-Rat wondered.

Prime Evil stepped up to his massive pipe organ.  He pressed a few of the keys, which caused them to glow as the music swelled from the pipes.  An image faded into view on the viewscreen mounted on the organ.  

“You see that,” Prime Evil said, as the image came in more clearly.  It showed the Autobots and the Decepticons, on one of their many battles on Earth.  “If I could take control of those robots, I could get rid of the Ghost-skkktzzzt-Busters very easily!”

“So how are you going to do that, boss?” Brat-A-Rat wanted to know.

“Haunter!  Apparitia!  Go to earth and capture some Decepticons!” Prime Evil shouted.

Two mist trails appeared and coalesced into the ghosts that Prime Evil had summoned.  One was a green-skinned woman in a red dress, and the other was a purple-skinned man with an orange mustache and a monocle, dressed as if he were going on Safari.

“Well, then, old boy, how many do you want?” Haunter asked.

“DON’T CALL ME ‘OLD BOY'!” Prime Evil snapped, “Grab a few, at first.  I want to see how well I can control them.”

“Oh of course, you can count on us, Prime Evil,” Apparitia gloated.  The two ghosts dissolved into mist and headed for Earth.

***

“Give it up, Megatron!” Optimus Prime said firmly.

“NEVER!” Megatron retorted.  He lunged at his foe, but Optimus sidestepped him neatly.

Several Autobots converged on Soundwave, who had been making energon cube shells.  

“Rumble, Ravage, Lazerbeak, EJECT!  Operation, combat!”  The Decepticon Communications specialist pressed his eject button, and his tapedeck-door popped open.  The three cassettes flew out, transforming into their alternate modes.

Ravage snarled and pounced at Sideswipe.  Laserbeak circled around, only to get shot down by Sunstreaker.  Meanwhile, Rumble faced Prowl and Jazz.

“Oh, so you wanna rumble with Rumble, do ya?” the little punk cassetticon stated.  He transformed his arms into piledrivers and began pounding.  A crack opened in the ground, and Jazz managed to jump out of the way just in time.  Prowl was caught in the crack and fell.

“Prowl, my man, CATCH!” Jazz shouted.  He retracted his hand, and a grappling hook took its place.  He threw the line down and moments later, pulled Prowl back out of the hole.

Skywarp was fighting Ironhide and Ratchet.  The two Autobots took a shot at him, but he teleported out of the way, only to reappear behind them, in an attempt to shoot them in the back.  Suddenly an invisible force grabbed him around the waist.  

“Oh no, you don’t!” came the voice of Mirage.  He reappeared, still clinging tightly to Skywarp.

“How vewy intewesting,” Haunter said, as he and Apparitia watched the battle.  “I think I have an idea.  Take the ones that have shown they have special powers, agweed?”

“Naturally,” Apparitia replied.  “Now stand back.”  She produced a crystal orb.  A beam emanated from it as she held it in her hand.  The beam struck Jazz, and he vanished.  In turn, the beam also hit Rumble, Skywarp, and Mirage.

This did not go unnoticed by the rest of the Transformers.

“HEY!  What do you think you’re doing?!” Ironhide exclaimed.

“Oh, wouldn’t YOU like to know?” Apparitia taunted.

“RUMBLE!” Soundwave emitted, in the loudest harmonic anyone had ever heard him utter.

“Skywarp just disappeared!” Thundercracker shouted nervously.

“I noticed that!” Starscream retorted, “He’s probably just fooling around.”

“Then how do you explain Rumble?” Thundercracker protested.

“SILENCE!” Megatron ordered.

“Let them go!” Optimus Prime demanded.

“I’m afwaid you’re in no position to make demands, old boy,” Haunter said, “Ta-ta!”  There was a brilliant flash of light, and both Apparitia and Haunter vanished.

“Decepticons, RETREAT!” Megatron ordered.  He found this turn of events rather disturbing.  

“Well how do ya like that?” Ironhide said, “And we didn’t even get to find out who they were.”

***

Eddie and Tracy were watching Skellevision, while Jake was reading a book at his desk.

“Hey, Jake, come quick!” Eddie said, just as he saw Jessica on the screen.  

“This is Jessica Wray reporting live, from what was a battle between the Autobots and the Decepticons at the local power plant.  The battle was interrupted when two ghosts appeared and kidnapped four Transformers.”

“Ghosts?” Jake exclaimed, “What would they want with Transformers?”

“Well, Prime Evil is a robot ghost,” Eddie replied, shrugging.

“Well, we’d better do something.  Time to get into uniform!” said Jake, “LET’S GO, GHOSTBUSTERS!”

Eddie, Jake, and Tracy did a leaping high-five, then Jake and Eddy rushed for the Skelevator, which would take them to the Transformation Chamber.  Jake punched in the code on the teeth of the skeleton-head controls in the elevator, and a hand appeared underneath the bottom of the elevator itself.  With an otherworldly whooping giggle, it was launched into the upstairs, opening to reveal an other-worldly open space, with monstrous faces decorating the walls.  When the doors to the elevator opened, a bony hand grabbed Jake and threw him against an orange spiderweb made of energy.  A bolt of white electricity removed all his clothes except his boxer shorts.  He was then placed on a chair on a conveyor belt--made entirely of bones--that led to a large contraption.  He whistled nonchalantly all the while.  Eddie was grabbed a little more roughly by the hand that had taken Jake, and was thrown hard into the spiderweb.  “Wah ha, yeowwww!” Eddie yelped, as his clothes got zapped off.  He bashfully covered his Ghostbuster-emblem print boxer shorts with his hands for a moment, then a skeletal foot literally booted him directly into the same machine that Jake had gone into earlier.  “WHOAAAAAAAAAA!” Eddie screamed while he was airborne.  Jake had already come out on the other side, dressed in his Ghostbuster uniform.  A smaller skeletal hand gently lifted Jake up by the head, and his belt shot out of a slot on a device near the conveyor belt, attaching neatly to his waist.  A jack-in-the-box like skull head on a spring popped up and placed a camera-like device around Jake’s neck.  And his round Ghostbusters backpack, with the emblem on it, was slapped gently onto his back and stayed there.  

Eddie had the same equipment put on him as Jake, but the ghostly devices were a lot more careless about it.  Jake grabbed a bony trapeze that swung towards him, so he could get off the conveyor belt.  Eddie had his hat-and-goggles applied to him with a plunger, which coincidentally pulled him up enough for him to be caught by a second trapeze.  Jake’s trapeze stopped and he dismounted with a graceful flip-and-dive.  Eddie did a very clumsy involuntary midair somersault, and they both slid down a slide, right to an opening where Tracy was waiting.  The ape pulled a blue curtain, which lowered a Murphy-style bed which was merely a plain white mattress on a frame, from its place in the wall.  Jake and Eddie took turns bouncing on the mattress, while Tracy grunted excitedly.  He followed after, pulling the bed back up behind him.

Down in the garage, Ghost Buggy was sleeping.  The minute Tracy, Eddie, and Jake landed into his seats, he awoke and automatically fastened their seatbelts for them.
“Awww, come on!  Couldn’t you have let me sleep for five more minutes?” Ghost Buggy complained.

“Flight mode, Ghost Buggy!” Jake said, “We’re making a trip to Autobot Headquarters.  They need our help!”

***

The two Autobots and two Decepticons found themselves inside Hauntquarters, standing before Prime Evil.  Haunter and Apparitia had placed each of them in spectral energy bonds, so they couldn’t move.

“Hey man, what do you want with us?” Jazz demanded.

“I’m going to use you to destroy the –ghhhhkkkt- Ghost-bunglers,” Prime Evil stated.

“And just how are you planning on doing that?  I’ll never help you, and neither will Jazz,” Mirage said.

“Hey, wait a minute.  What are you?” Rumble wanted to know, “You look like some kinda robot!”

“The only one that tells me what to do is Megatron,” Skywarp snapped, “I’m outta here!”  The black Seeker teleported, but then faded back in, right where he had been standing.

“What happened?” Rumble asked.

“I-I can’t teleport!” Skywarp exclaimed.

“Of course you can’t,” Prime Evil said, “Those chains prevent you from using your powers.  And as to who I am, I am Prime Evil, master of all ghosts.”

“Prime and the others will come and get us!” Jazz said, “Then you’re going to be sorry, man!”

“I don’t think so, -snniiiiich-,” Prime Evil gloated, “They don’t even know where you are!  Nor do they have the power to reach this place if they did!  You will be here for a very, very long time, ah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha –snnnnnch-!”

***

“So, you’re saying that ghosts have captured our friends?” Optimus Prime asked Jake.

“Yes,” Jake replied, “Their leader is Prime Evil, and from what you told me, the abductors were Haunter and Apparitia.  We’ve dealt with them before.”

“Prime Evil?  What kind of stupid name is that?” Ironhide snorted.

“So how do we get back Jazz and Mirage?” Spike wondered.

“Eddie and Tracy and I will take the Ghost Buggy to Hauntquarters,” Jake said.

“And we’re coming, too!” Ironhide insisted.

“You can’t get to Hauntquarters by driving there,” Jake said, shaking his head, “It requires passage through an interdimensional vortex into the Fifth Dimension.  Ghost Buggy is able to enter the vortex, but I don’t think you guys can.”

Tracy made an excited grunt, the kind that indicates he has an idea.  He rushed over to where there were some parts lying around on a low countertop.  He swung up to it and started fiddling, and soon he made a square contraption with a big red button on it and hooted at it, pointing.

“What’s that?” Jake asked.

Tracy handed the device to Optimus Prime.  “No problem,” he said.

“Tracy made something so you can follow us to Hauntquarters!” Eddie exclaimed.

“Right.  And we’ll need it to bring your friends back,” Jake added.

“Then let’s go!  Autobots, transform and roll out!” Optimus ordered.  He transformed and Spike got in.

“Push the button as soon as Ghost Buggy takes to the air,” Jake said.  He and the other two piled into Ghost Buggy.  “To Hauntquarters!  On the double!”

“R-r-r, okay,” Ghost Buggy mumbled, “The things I do for my fellow cars.”
Optimus, Ironhide, Prowl, and Trailbreaker followed Ghost Buggy out, and when the button was pushed, a forcefield enveloped the four Autobots, pulling them along with the Ghost Buggy into the air.  The vortex appeared and they made it inside.  As Ghost Buggy appeared to tumble end-over-end, so did the Autobots.  Once they were out of the vortex, the Autobots saw a large, long rectangular structure, with a huge clocktower sticking up out of the middle of it.  There were large windows all around the building, letting out an eerie orange light.  A swirling mass of mists and spirits encircled the top of the tower.

“We’re here.  Autobots, transform,” Optimus Prime ordered, and he and the other three converted back to their robot modes.

“Wow, unreal,” Spike said, having gotten out of Prime before the Autobot leader had transformed.

“Got the dematerializer, Tracy?” Jake asked.

“Right,” Tracy replied, pulling the device, which looked like a military mortar with two large handles, out of his backpack.

“Do we have to go in there?” Eddie whimpered, as he shook visibly in fear.

“Yes, we do,” Jake said, “The Autobots need our help.  Let’s go.”

They went up to one of the windows, which had no panes of glass.  The Autobots found they could slip inside, and boosted up the humans.  Tracy easily scaled the wall to get through the window on his own.

“Now where do you suppose Prime Evil’s keeping them?” Spike wanted to know.

“Probably in the dungeon,” Jake said, “Follow me.”  He led the party down the corridor.  Soon they came upon a staircase leading down.

“Awww, we won’t fit,” Ironhide complained.

Optimus Prime backed up, and fired, making a large hole in the floor near the staircase.  “Now we can!”

***

Down in the dungeon, Jazz, Mirage, Rumble, and Skywarp were chained to the wall.  Mysteria was attempting to control the captives with her mist magic, but wasn’t having much success.  Apparitia snorted at her.  “I see you’re not making any more progress than I did.”  She heard a noise upstairs.  “What was that?”

“Never mind, I’ve almost got it,” Mysteria snapped at her fellow sorceress.

“No you don’t!” Jake shouted, as the rescuers appeared.  Tracy quickly fired the dematerializer, striking both Apparitia and Mysteria.  They vanished with a scream.

“Now to get these chains off,” Jake said, walking up to Jazz and Mirage.

“About time!” Jazz cheered.

“How did you get here?” Mirage wondered.

“I’ll explain later,” Optimus Prime said.

“Hey, what about us?” Rumble demanded.

“I think we should leave ‘em here,” Ironhide stated.

“No,” Jake said, “We can’t let Prime Evil get control of them.  We have to take them back with us.”

“Good point,” Trailbreaker conceded.

“Agreed.  And I know where to put them until we return to our world,” Optimus Prime stated.  He transformed.  Rumble and Skywarp were taken down, but still left bound, and stuffed into Prime’s trailer.  Jake used the dematerializer to dissolve the energy shackles, and Mirage and Jazz were free.  “Now let’s get out of here!”  He transformed again, just in time to see an enraged Prime Evil appear before them.  

“Uh-oh,” Spike said, “What are we going to do about him?”

“WHAT?!  Intruders!  Ghost –snnniiiiiiiiiiiiiikt- bunglers!  You will not escape me!  I am Prime Evil!” Prime Evil snapped, his normally blue-and-grey head now turning a bright shade of red.  He raised a hand and directed an energy bolt at the Autobots.

“Trailbreaker!  Your forcefield!” Optimus exclaimed.

“On it!” Trailbreaker replied, and he put the forcefield up just in time for Prime Evil’s own beam to reflect back at him.  It struck him and knocked him backwards.

“Now, how about a little sound and light show?” Jazz shouted, transforming and unfolding gigantic speakers from the back of his car mode.  The resulting soundwaves and flashing strobe lights incapacitated Prime Evil.

“ARGH!  Cut that out!  Stop this at once!” Prime Evil complained.

“You look a little hot under the collar,” Ironhide drawled, “I think you’d better cool off!”  He fired a blast of liquid nitrogen at Prime Evil.  It froze him in a solid chunk of ice.

“I am Optimus Prime,” the Autobot Leader stated, “And you’re a disgrace to the name of Prime.”

“I don’t know how long that ice will hold him, so we should get out of here now!” Jake exclaimed.

“While we still can!” Eddie added.

“No!  Wait!  Stop!  You can’t get away!  I’ll get you for this!” Prime Evil snarled from inside his ice cube, which was slowly melting at his head from the heat emanating from it.

“Let’s make ourselves an exit, acid pellet style,” Prowl said, firing at a wall.  A hole big enough for Prime to drive through was quickly made, and everybody made their escape.

“Oh there you are!” Ghost Buggy said, “I was beginning to w-r-r-worry.”  Jake, Eddie, and Tracy piled in, and the Autobots followed them back through the vortex.

Once they’d returned from Prime Evil’s dimension, Prime’s trailer was opened and Rumble and Skywarp were released.  They quickly flew off without a word, given that they were outnumbered.

“How come we’re letting them go?” Mirage wondered.

“Someone needs to tell Megatron that there’s one more thing he has to worry about,” Optimus Prime said, chuckling, “If he believes them.”  He turned to Eddie, Jake, and Tracy.  “Thanks for your help,” he said.

“Anytime,” Jake said, “If you have more trouble with Prime Evil in the future, don’t hesitate to call.”

The End!