Author's Note: Been real busy as I have a deadline this week, but here! Only a day off of being a week XD

As usual, enjoy! :D


Chapter 7 - Refined Selection

Driving was always a thrill for Knock Out, but normally, he didn't push himself this much. He knew the moment he stopped, his strut would complain in agony and render him unable to drive onwards, so he refused to even slow down.

He was close to his destination, he just knew it.

Something inside him made him want to laugh...the Autobots might as well have opened the doors for him. They should have guessed leaving someone indefinitely trapped would cause desperate actions such as this.

But he suspected Ratchet had told the others about Predaking...

The way some of them looked at him...placed carefully worded questions before him...he knew they knew. But he brushed it off, knowing they probably worried Predaking could offer more for him then they could.

To be honest, he wondered why they hadn't attempted to persuade him to stay...they tried to act normal, but it was still awkward.

Seeing the entrance to Shockwave's lab, Knock Out internally grinned. He was the only one who knew where the predacons resided...the lab that had created Darksteel and Skylynx.

No one knew the whereabouts of Shockwave, but even if he lived, he would not return here knowing the beasts knew of the location.

As he pulled up, he quickly transformed, groaning as his strut began burning in pain. Giving it a moment to settle down, he slowly entered in silence.

He came to the main lab, finding no signs of any of them...Darksteel and Skylynx often left for flights...but he suspected Predaking was in his own area once again.

Continuing down the walkway, he quietly followed the side path to Predaking's domain. One small part of him thought he shouldn't be here and that he should have remained at the autobot base, but most of him had hated the treatment so much he immediately overruled the thought.

He entered the darkened room almost nervously, not spotting anyone. "Predaking?" he asked carefully, turning in a slow circle.

Clawed servos suddenly grabbed him from behind, making him yelp in surprise. Before he could make any further noises, the large claws muted him, covering his mouth gently.

"My desirable Knock Out" the beast purred, scooping the smaller mech up easily, "I am surprised they let you go"

Batting the claws away from his face, Knock Out frowned up at the king of predacons. "One, I escaped, they didn't want me to leave base...and two..." he glared angrily up at Predaking, folding his arms tightly. "WHY THE FRAG DIDN'T YOU TELL ME THAT VENOM WOULD CHANGE ME?!"

"What do you...?"

"JUST LOOK!" Knock Out screeched, baring his fangs, making the predacon chirp in surprise.

Optics widened in wonder, Predaking gently lifted a claw and felt at the new appendages carefully. "I did not know" he simply stated, "Perhaps a lot is still unknown about predacons..."

"Great..." Knock Out sighed, "I'm going to turn into an abomination, and everyone will think I'm a slagging idiot for not attempting to stop it"

"Unfortunately" Predaking nuzzled at the still irritated mech lightly, "It is most probable it had been affecting you since the first bite"

"Ugh...so even if we miraculously got rid of all the venom...I'd still be like this" he moaned. "Smelling sexy to all predacons and fanged like a demon"

Predaking churred lightly, pulling Knock Out higher into his arms, "I do not mind the change...I believe they suit your sharp personality"

A small smirk revealed itself on Knock Out's features, his face plates heating up in pleasure.

Predaking grumbled happily, pulling the red mech into a kiss quickly. Knock Out keened lightly, hugging around the beast's neck and pressing his chassis as close as he could to Predaking's.

Moving over to his nesting area, Predaking gently placed Knock Out down before continuing his assault, kissing the red mech desperately as he loomed over the small cybertronian.

"You are ready?" he rumbled lightly, nipping at Knock Out's audio affectionately.

Shuddering lightly, half in fear, half in anticipation, Knock Out shook his helm. "But...how can we?" he felt his cooling fan kick in so suddenly, moaning lightly as Predaking continued the ministrations on his audio finial. "We're not exactly...proportioned"

A grin crossed the predacon's facial plates, his own fangs in view as he overlooked the beautiful mech in his keep. "We will merely have to be...careful" he growled lightly, moving back to kiss Knock Out and deepening it more so than before.

More heat assaulted the red mech, making him groan lightly into the kiss, especially as he felt the predacon's glossa probe his mouth suddenly.

A light trill escaped the beast as he felt at Knock Out's newly acquired fangs, his own form heating equally as quickly, only goaded on by the mere smell Knock Out produced.

"Let your fears go" Predaking mumbled as he kissed the red mech gently, "You know I only wish to pleasure you, my precious Knock Out"

"Just do so before I get second thoughts"

(AN: If you have a dirty mind and wanted smut/to see where this went, go here: doomiscool. livejournal(dotcom)/ 8049. html (obviously change word in brackets and delete spaces to make work) because I can't post it here due to the rules)


"He's GONE?!" Ratchet demanded the rookie who had come to bear the bad news to the medic.

"Yeah. I went to check on him, put the code in and BAM...empty room" Smokescreen shook his helm, "He must of guessed the code or something"

Sighing in agitation, Ratchet attempted to track the mech but came up blank once again. "Slag it all!" he cursed, hitting the console in agitation, "He ran off without a trace!"

"What chance is there he will return?" Smokescreen asked nervously, "He wouldn't leave...forever, would he?"

Shaking his helm, Ratchet sighed. "I doubt that, but I can not answer your query youngling"

"But why did he even leave?" Smokescreen moaned, "I thought he was happy now"

"Far from it actually" Ratchet pointed out dryly. "Though everyone's attitudes towards him improved, the damage was done...he was depressed and felt like a prisoner due to the confinement. It is likely that is why he escaped"

"Oh man...I tried really hard to make it up to him!" Smokescreen complained, "This is all my fault!"

Ratchet looked sternly at the rookie, "No, it wasn't...a lot of the others were as unfair in their judgements over him, but you and Bumblebee were the ones that hit him hardest"

"But how can we get him back?" Smokescreen asked desperately, clearly upset by the idea his friend had willingly left.

"I don't know, I just don't know"


"Knock Out?"

The red mech shifted lightly, groaning a little in discomfort, his tyre strut once again reminding him of it's discontent over his long fast drive earlier that day. "Yes?"

A long purr was his response, being nuzzled suddenly and nothing more said. His plating tingled slightly making him rub at it slowly only to freeze, stiffening in Predaking's grasp.

"What is wrong? Were you hurt?" Predaking asked, worried he'd damaged his mate during interface.

Crying out suddenly, Knock Out lightly punched Predaking's chest. "YOU SLAGGER! YOU FRAGGING BEAST!"

Sitting up and cradling Knock Out, Predaking carefully inspected the red mech, not really seeing anything wrong, making him frown in contemplation, unworried by the aggressive behavior. He was always delighted to see his mate angry...it was not only more natural to his species, but it showed he was stronger than he looked. He always liked it when Knock Out was annoyed, it was very arousing...but right now, he wanted to know what upset the mech so.

"You must tell me, or I will not know"

"YOU AND YOUR SLAGGING VENOM! I'M HIDEOUS!" Knock Out shrieked.

Carefully leaning down and inspecting where Knock Out had been rubbing, Predaking sighed. His plating was spiking out a tiny bit more than before at the bottom outside edge of his chest plates. The change was little, and actually did not effect how he looked, but it clearly upset the mech. He chose not to respond, knowing nothing he could say at this point would appease the mech.

Knock Out cried harder, burying his facial plates as he did so. "You monster!" was all the red mech sobbed out, shaking with sorrow as he remained in the predacon's embrace.

"My desirable Knock Out" Predaking began softly, using his claws to get him to look up again, "I still believe you to be the most beautiful mech in this existence...and most definitely the most desirable predacon of them all"

Scoffing lightly once again, Knock Out shook his helm, tears still leaking from his optics as he spoke quietly. "But I'm not a predacon"

"You are" Predaking purred lightly, "You are mine, and I say you are. Do not let your supposed friends tell you otherwise"

A light chirp escaped Knock Out's vocalizer as he nuzzled into Predaking's chest plates. "You always know how to make me happy...you're the only one who has ever understood me properly"

Lifting the red mech higher, Predaking placed a kiss upon the waiting lips. "I made it my business to understand you...after all, how else would I acquire the perfect mate if I didn't understand the only perfect mech"

"Oh Predaking" Knock Out cried happily, latching onto him.

He no longer cared.

Perhaps if Predaking thought he was perfect, he could believe it himself. He was beginning to understand the predacon slowly, and it wasn't as bothersome as he originally thought. There was a slight savage beauty to the creatures that interested him.

As for the minor alterations to his chassis...he hated them. He would stop them in an instant if there was the slightest chance, but from what he knew, he couldn't keep the protective venom AND fix it. He had been proud of his form for eons, and he could continue to be equally proud of it once he smoothed out the slightly spiked plating...right?