Noise & Smoke

The Transformers: Masterpiece backstory
"Noise & Smoke" ノイズ&スモーク
First published	June 11, 2016
Writer	Hirofumi Ichikawa
Packaged with	Masterpiece MP-25L Loudpedal

Malboor operative Exhaust makes a deal with the musician Loudpedal.

Synopsis

Loudpedal was once an incredibly unsuccessful Decepticon grunt. Due to his intercranial autocomposition disorder, his brain suddenly generates whole pieces of music, leaving him irritable and unable to focus. However, he eventually settled on a solution: free up space in his brain by exporting the audio data to GalacShare, a popular file-sharing service. Encouraged by initial positive responses, he soon uploaded his entire body of work, whipping the galaxy into a frenzy under the stage identity of C Shadow. Now famous across space, Loudpedal nonetheless stayed dismissive of his music. Though both the Galactic Olympics and the Interplanetary Royal Family both thought him worthy of working for them, he turned down all summons, considering the music nothing more than buzzing in his head.

One day, Loudpedal is visited by the Decepticon spy, Exhaust. Loudpedal is initially confused as Exhaust works under Soundwave, so what could he want from him? Exhaust casually corrects him: when Soundwave died and was rebuilt as Soundblaster, the chain of command within Decepticon espionage changed, leaving Exhaust as an independent agent in the space megacorp Marlboor Dynamic. GalacShare's parent company, he explains, is a subsidiary of Marlboor, and C Shadow's identity is obvious from the account data. Loudpedal is still confused as to what he has to do with Marlboor, and Exhaust heaps praise on his musical talents. Finally experiencing recognition from a fellow Decepticon instead of lowly organics, Loudpedal gets worked up and begins to rant about showing his true power.

Bemused, Exhaust asks him to calm down before revealing that he's got a business proposal for Loudpedal, having come to the conclusion that his music and the joy it brings to the galaxy is somehow useful to Marlboor Dynamic. In exchange for submitting to examination at Marlboor's Cyber-Psychology Research Division, Marlboor offers support to both of Loudpedal's identities, in the form of experimental abilities and weapons for the Decepticon soldier, and a capable manager/producer for C Shadow: Exhaust himself.

Loudpedal becomes increasingly confused and now suspicious. The offer is incredibly lopsided in his favour, and Exhaust only justifies it with vague promises that, somehow, he is useful to the Decepticons. Though happy to get some respect for once, Loudpedal begins to decline, but stops himself when something occurs to him. Could a super-cool guy like Exhaust be a fan of his? There's no way... right?

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Decepticons
Loudpedal (1) Exhaust (2)

Notes

Continuity notes

• This story appears to take place shortly after Soundwave's reconstruction into Soundblaster in "The Great Cassette Operation"; Loudpedal only ever refers to him by his older name, implying that neither his death nor return is yet common knowledge among the rank-and-file Decepticons.
• Though the story ends before Loudpedal is shown giving an answer, his toy's pack-in bio states that he has both advanced sonic weaponry and connections with Exhaust and Marlboor Dynamic, which should make the outcome of this story very obvious.

Transformers references

• Loudpedal receives a request to compose the theme for the next Galactic Olympics.

References

• Noise & Smoke translation by Mohair Translations