Author's Notes: Time for the next chapter! I am so happy a lot of you are enjoying this, especially those who leave comments, I love hearing what y'all have to say :)
Without further ado...Enjoy!
Chapter 6 - Ever-changing
'Confined to base'
Knock Out hated the term, now so more than ever before.
As soon as the words had left his superior's mouth, he had wanted to scream obscenities. How could he not go stir crazy in this small place?! He wasn't even allowed to go outside for a quick change of scenery!
When not being studied for the millionth time by Ratchet or refueling, he was to remain in his room.
The others claimed the situation didn't change anything, but it did. They all feared him. When he was near, they seemed tense and more reserved, even though the only sign of anything was his now acquired fangs.
Smokescreen was the worst. He seemed convinced he could spread it by mere presence alone, and refused to stay within two foot of the red mech.
Loneliness was spreading quickly through his spark. He was not happy. In fact, he'd dub himself the opposite of happy.
He was depressed again.
He had felt so much better when he was with the predacons, and he no longer gave a slag whether that was the venom speaking or himself...he wanted out of the base.
The problem was that someone was constantly guarding his door, making him essentially a prisoner. They claimed it was a precaution, but he knew otherwise. They thought he was becoming a danger to all of them, that he would just turn into a full predacon at any moment and attack.
It wasn't that simple...
They didn't really know WHAT the venom was doing! He had fangs...that was all. There was no sign of other changes, not even on read-outs, which made Knock Out hate them all even more for confining him.
Rolling onto his front with a huff, he sourly looked at his berth. He wanted...no, scratch that...NEEDED to go for a drive. He didn't care if his strut was still sensitive, he felt like he'd go crazy if they didn't allow him that simple pleasure.
"Knock Out..."
When Ratchet entered with that vague greeting, he didn't turn, he didn't move at all, just continued his glare upon the berth.
"You need to refuel" Ratchet spoke a little louder in an attempt to gain the other's attention. "I know you've been skipping rations again"
He refused to respond. What was the point? When he left, everyone freaked out. They'd treat him like a beast, even though little had changed. They seemed to treat him more like an insentient being, forgetting he too had thoughts and feelings they were crushing upon each action and comment.
The other medic was the only one who seemed to treat him no different. He knew that the hurtful comments and detached attitude towards Knock Out was only making him upset, and this time he knew it wasn't the neurotoxins upsetting the red mech...it was actually his own feelings being trampled over.
"You don't need to shut me out" Ratchet insisted, moving into Knock Out's line of view, a worried look on his features.
Growling as he glanced up, Knock Out could feel light trembles run through his frame as more hurt invaded. "Why don't you tell that to the others? They don't give a scrap about me either!"
"Come on" Ratchet merely stated, hefting the red mech up who didn't exactly resist.
He was used to Knock Out's tantrums...this had been going on for a week now, and as much as it pained him to see the red mech so negative after everything they had all accomplished, he knew there was little he could do.
As Knock Out stood, he glared downwards, still pouting. "I don't want any of them looking at me"
Normally, this would be considered uncharacteristic for Knock Out, but at present...Ratchet knew why. He felt dejected whenever one of his so called teammates watched him with any form of fear, or worse when they saw him and chose to leave.
"I know" Ratchet sighed, goading the red mech out of the room.
The first thing Knock Out noticed was lack of guard, indicating it had been Smokescreen, who would have quickly fled when he found out Knock Out was exiting his domain. This only made him more upset...Smokescreen was one of the closer mechs to him here, so for all the petty actions...it hurt him more than he'd wish to say.
There was also Bumblebee, who desperately attempted to mask his fear...by remaining silent. The once muted autobot was known to chatter more now he had his voice back, so for him to remain silent in the presence of one he considered a friend...it wasn't a good sign.
"I'm sick of all this slag" Knock Out grumbled lowly as they walked, balling his servos into fists.
Ratchet shook his helm, "Aren't we all? But I cannot change how the others feel, only reassure them that you are still you"
"Well scrap load of good that does!" the red mech snapped back, "None of them care...I don't feel like part of this faction anymore, I feel like a prisoner!"
Pausing, the older mech frowned. He knew Knock Out was being honest right now...he was expressing his upset, which meant it was getting to him a lot more than he thought. Unfortunately, that meant the base confinement was more than needed right now...if they let him go, there was no guarantee he'd return.
The silence lingered, right up until they made it to the rec room. Knock Out entered, happier to find less of the autobots present, but annoyed to find a few watching him cautiously as he went to get his energon.
Sitting in his seat dejectedly, he merely swirled the contents in his cube, unwilling to drink it once more.
His thoughts merely drifted. He didn't want to be here, he wanted out.
He wanted Predaking...
Surprisingly, this didn't make him feel like refueling. His tanks would churn at the thought of being trapped here indefinitely, so he would merely stare at the liquid he should be consuming. He knew it wasn't healthy, and certainly wouldn't be helping his mood, but he didn't care.
He wasn't really sure how long he was left there, but the next thing he knew, a lither form sat beside him and rested a small servo on his shoulder plating. "Knock Out, is everything okay?"
Glancing round at the femme now looking worriedly at him, he shook his helm huffing a small "Not really" as he glared back at his untouched cube.
Arcee. He hadn't really interacted with her since his return, but he had to admit, he hadn't really seen her around. Before this, it was rare for them to speak on any personal level, but not necessarily for any special reason. Arcee was just more wary of who she spoke to about such matters.
"I can see that..." the blue femme sighed, "But what's bothering you?"
"Everything" he growled lightly, "I just don't see why everyone treats me so differently now"
She too frowned, not removing her servo from it's place on his shoulder. "They're just scared" she assured, "I can see nothings changed..."
He looked back to her, optics locking on the intense blue ones for a moment before he averted his gaze. He was unsure of why the femme was even trying, but it did warm his spark a little to know some of the base were above petty emotions.
"Look, Knock Out" Arcee began carefully, "Why wouldn't you let Ratchet remove the venom? I know it may not change much, seeing as he admitted it would be hard to remove and may well multiply again, but why would you resist it?"
Shaking his helm, Knock Out wanted to sneer. He didn't allow it to show though, smoothing his facial plates into a neutral stare aimed at his energon instead. "I...didn't think it would help" he slowly spoke, "I've already been attacked by those beasts before, and now, well...it may be the only thing stopping them from outright attacking me once more" When he received no answer, he looked back to the femme.
Recognition shone in Arcee's optics, as if she understood his words. "I see" was all she stated though. He then noticed her optics drift to the mark on his neck, making him flinch.
"What are you looking at?!" he demanded, turning away and attempting to cover it with his servo, still disgusted by the imperfection on his chassis.
She chuckled, "I can see you do not like that thing" she spoke gently, "But I was merely curious...Ratchet told us about it, but I hadn't seen it myself"
He didn't move, still covering the scar. "I've tried to remove it, to buff it out, but it never goes" he grouched, "I do not appreciate attention drawn to it"
"Sorry" she smirked, "I was not aware you were so sensitive to attention"
"You know what I meant!" he grumbled back, finally taking a swig of his energon.
This seemed to please Arcee, who stood to leave. "I'll see you around Knock Out"
He mumbled a goodbye as she left the room, merely sighing to himself as he looked at his ration once more. He had drunk maybe a quarter of it, but he still didn't feel like drinking it.
He wasn't even sure why he'd drunk any of it at this point. He'd lapsed for a moment and done so automatically, but the hurtful feelings still at war within him only made him sick to his tanks. And what was worse was he knew Ratchet wouldn't allow him to leave until he'd drunk ALL of it.
So he merely remained in place, uncovering the marking on his neck by removing his servo and readjusting his position in the chair.
What he didn't expect was for someone else to approach...one who had been avoiding him like the plague.
"Hey Knocks"
Looking to the rookie distastefully, Knock Out didn't respond.
"Look...I'm sorry if I've been acting immature lately" the rookie began, only to get interrupted by a sarcastic laugh.
"Lately? Puh-lease" Knock Out placed his energon down and folded his arms, frowning to himself as he overlooked the blue and yellow mech.
Shaking his helm, Smokescreen smirked lightly, "Fine...if I've just been acting plain immature...but I was scared about what this could do to you Knock Out...I don't want to see you hurt"
The frown had not left the red mech, even as he spoke it remained. "So in not wanting to see me hurt, you neglected to remember that I had feelings?"
Sighing, Smokescreen sat next to the red mech, dipping his helm sorrily. "I'm a slagging idiot"
"No argument here"
"HEY!" the rookie playfully complained, but soon became serious once more, "Please...Knock Out...I don't want to be the reason we're not friends anymore"
Cocking an optic ridge, Knock Out spoke with a hint of amusement in his vocals, "I never said anything about no longer being friends"
What he hadn't anticipated on was the rookie suddenly hugging him, making him groan and feebly attempt to escape. After a long moment, Smokescreen let go and smirked, "So, when do you reckon we can race again?"
"At this rate...never" Knock Out wiped at his finish lightly, acting as if Smokecreen had made him dirty. "I don't see them letting me out anytime soon"
"Awwww..." the blue and yellow mech groaned, "I know! I'll talk to them! Maybe I can get them to let you out!"
Smirking once more, Knock Out shook his helm "I doubt that"
Another few days had passed, but now Knock Out was agitated by being trapped. It was starting to make him feel like a prisoner of war...even if the others were starting to relax around his presence once more.
Their kindness did not ease the torture they themselves had caused. He had forgiven them, but it did not help the pain. He still felt hurt at the idea of being trapped for no real reason other than he could become dangerous.
By that logic, any of them could be confined to base in case they turn on the cause. But nobody listened to him...
Perhaps he was right before he switched sides. None of these autobots understood him...trusted him.
Moving over to the small window in his berthroom, he inspected it with a growl, wishing it was bigger so he could merely smash it and escape.
But then again...they had been putting less guards on duty lately, Ultra Magnus happier with how everyone felt over the situation and believing Knock Out wouldn't do anything...he could only leave with a code though.
A devious smirk crossed the red mech's visage as he moved to the door, carefully typing in an old medical override code he remembered from so long ago, one from before the war. As he typed he held his ventilations, hope filling his spark.
He didn't care at this point.
He needed to get out of the base...even if it was just to drive. Nothing felt right here anymore, being confined only made him want to offline for the freedom alone.
A light beep and the pad lit up green, indicating it had worked.
Grinning darkly, he exited the door as it opened and quickly re-set the lock to avoid suspicion at first glance. He ran down the corridor, keeping all his sensors peeled for signs of any other autobot. Luckily, most were busy restoring the planet, slowly rebuilding a lot of it...that was how it was usually, before all this depression slag had begun.
They weren't going to hold him back...he was going. He didn't care what repercussions this caused later for him, all he knew was he needed the outside world.
Hiding in a tight gap as he sensed a vague presence, he watched as Ratchet went past, probably heading to the medbay to work on the antidote to the venom.
"Fools" he merely mumbled once it was clear, running towards the exit with glee shining in his optics.
Perhaps he had changed...in many ways in fact, but this sort of freedom had never felt so refreshing. His pedes touched down on Cybertron, making him practically purr in delight...he'd missed this so much. He transformed eagerly, growling in slight pain as his wheel strut complained at the action.
Ignoring it, he bolted off, driving as fast as he could from the base.
The rules were broken. He knew if he went back, he'd be more carefully watched and confined, but again, he didn't give a slag.
Freedom was the right of all sentient beings, as their late Prime had always taught...so he had claimed his freedom.
It wasn't long until the Aston Martin was out of sight of the base, and in even less time, completely untraceable.
More Notes: Naughty Knock Out ran away...heeheehee XD
Right, I would just like to say the Autobots weren't deliberately being jerks or anything, they were just worried. They have come to care for Knock Out, as he is now one of their own, and don't want anything bad to happen to him.