Vince decides to take a walk in the woods to get some alone time and to blow off some steam after getting scolded by his parents for street racing and getting into trouble and Knock Out goes outside of the Nemesis to not go street racing among the humans in his race-car vehicle mode since he decided to find out what makes the humans so special to the Autobots and why they would be their friends or pets. So, when he finds the same human, he kidnapped and mistook as one of Team Prime's human friends, he decides to interact with Vince in his robot mode while they're both alone in the forest. But before he could do that, he had to use his vehicle mode as shiny bait to lure the human closer to him.

Vince kicks a small rock while cursing and making a fuss over being scolded by his parents. "Stupid mom and dad always yelling at me and making me feel like crap! Ugh!" He grumbled angrily. "GOD!!" he cussed and huffed and puffed angrily before he suddenly stopped to find a flashy cherry red car. "Huh?"

"Well, hello beautiful." Vince said to the cherry red car with admiration. "Whoever owns you must be lucky. I wish I had a car as good as you." he continued.

"Why thank you for your compliments." the car spoke, surprising Vince.

"Aah! What? It can talk!?! Is someone in there??!" Vince exclaimed.

The red sports car in front of Vince transformed to reveal its true form. Knock Out looked down at the human who was now scared shitless at what he just discovered. "So, what do we have here?" Knock Out asked no one as he looked down at the teenage human. "Sweet mother of God!" Vince thought as he was frozen in fear.

Knock Out bent down on his knees to Vince's level and he looked at the frightened young man as he started talking to him. "Don't worry. I'm not going to hurt you or anything. I just want to talk to a human." the medic said carefully as he gave Vince a look that says, 'it's okay, I won't hurt you'. Vince however was not convinced that this giant red, white, black and yellow robot could be trusted as he started to panic and shout.

"AAAH!! Oh, my god! A giant robot! Right in front of me!! You were just a car! What are you?!? Please, don't hurt me!!" Vince yelled.

"Easy! I'm not here to hurt you. I've come in peace." Knock Out told Vince.

"Are you some kind of alien robot?!" Vince asked, in a frightened tone of voice. "You are partially correct, human. Though, I'm more of a Transformer. A Cybertronian if you will from the planet Cybertron." Knock Out replied. "You mean there's more of you??" Vince asked.

Knock Out took a deep breath and sighed, "Barely. But I'm not just a Cybertronian. I'm also a Decepticon medical officer. Now please, close your mouth. Otherwise, some insects will crawl in and make a nest to lay eggs." Knock Out told Vince while joking.

Knock Out closes Vince's mouth for him as he gently lifts his dropped jaw before the young man begins to make a run for it while screaming like a little girl. "ALIEN ROBOT!!!! AAAAAAAAHH!!!" Knock Out rolled his optics in annoyance and disappointment and then he began chasing after Vince through the woods. The school bully ran for his life while jumping over logs and looking back to make sure that giant robot isn't gaining on him. Vince saw Knock Out perusing him for one minute before a branch hit him in the face, causing him to fall onto his back. Vince tried not to lose consciousness as Knock Out's shadow loomed over him.

"I didn't want to do this, but you left me no choice, human." Knock Out said to Vince as he looked at his nose bleeding before the school bully fell unconscious.

"Scrap." Knock Out thought before he lifted up the unconscious ginger haired young man with his hand servos before taking him over to where he wiped out the blood off Vince's nose before making sure that he's still alive.

Meanwhile, Smokescreen was at the Nemesis training with Dreadwing who was ordered by his lord and master Megatron to teach his new adopted son how to properly master swordsmanship. Smokescreen was still learning how to sword fight and how to get use to carrying and swinging his heavy weapon. "Concentrate, Smokescreen!" Dreadwing told his apprentice. "I'm trying, but this sword is so heavy." Smokescreen whined. "You'll get used to it. Try lifting your sword in a pose like this." Dreadwing told Smokescreen as he continued to mentor him on swordsmanship. He made a pose while holding his katana and Smokescreen tried to copy what he was seeing, but he made a poor stance. "That's not good enough. Try again." Dreadwing told Smokescreen. The rookie groaned, but he tried again as he attempted to make the same pose as Dreadwing did while holding the sword. He closed his eyes hoping that he did it right this time. Dreadwing looked at Smokescreen's version of his pose and he told his apprentice, "Much better. I see that you're improving." Smokescreen opened his optics and smiled. "Yeah. Well, I try my hardest and best to do better." he told Dreadwing.

"You're beginning to remind me of someone else whom I've taught how to fight." Dreadwing began. "Who?" Smokescreen asked. Dreadwing was about to answer when Megatron entered the training room. "Dreadwing. I see that you're teaching my son new fighting techniques?" Megatron asked. "Yes, Master. I was just teaching your new son how to properly pose with the sword." Dreadwing explained. "Really?" Megatron asked. "Uh, is there something you want, Sire?" Smokescreen asked his adopted father. "Why yes, Smokescreen. Do you happen to know where our medic is?" Megatron asked.

"You mean Knock Out?" Smokescreen said. "Yes. Where is Knock Out?" Megatron asked his adopted son.

Smokescreen made an expression on his faceplate that says 'Uh, oh'. He knew that his adopted father would be wanting to know where the medic went off to. Worse, Soundwave might have recording of Smokescreen speaking to Knock Out that day. Soundwave enters the room and he made Smokescreen feel uncomfortable and afraid.

"Son? Do you know where Knock Out is?" Megatron asked.

"I, uh...I...I don't know." Smokescreen said. "Are you sure?" Megatron asked. Smokescreen was now having a dilemma. Should he lie? Or should he tell the truth? If he told Megatron the truth about Knock Out's whereabouts, he would hunt him down and bring him back to the Nemesis to punish him. If he lied to Megatron, then he would grow suspicious. Smokescreen chose not to say anything, however Dreadwing insisted that he tell the truth.

"Go on. Just tell us where Knock Out is." Dreadwing told his pupil.

Smokescreen gulped and he was afraid and Megatron could feel that his adopted son was hiding something. "I don't know where he is." he said. "When was the last time you saw him?" Megatron asked. Smokescreen nodded, "I don't remember." he said. "He'd better not be street racing among the humans again." It was Starscream who was with Megatron the whole time. "Starscream. Do you happen to know of this?" the warlord asked the seeker. "Not that I know of. Ask Smokescreen. He's friends with our medic now, apparently." Starscream said as he pointed at the young Ex-Autobot. Smokescreen was flabbergasted by how Starscream considered him a friend of Knock Out's. Megatron growled at Starscream for pointing at his surrogate son and the seeker groveled before him. "I'll find him." Smokescreen said. "That won't be necessary." Megatron replied. "Soundwave. Report." he ordered the faceless Decepticon.

Soundwave showed no signs of Knock Out aboard the Nemesis and that made Megatron angry as he looked at Starscream and he wondered if he did something to the medic. "What?!" Starscream raised his voice. "What have you done with our one medic?" Megatron demanded as he gave his second-in-command a threatening look. "Me?! I have nothing to do with his disappearance! He obviously left without our permission!" Starscream said. "He's lying." Smokescreen told Megatron. "He obviously doesn't know where Knock Out is either." he said. Megatron left Starscream alone before he gave the order to Soundwave. "Search for him." Soundwave nodded at Megatron's order before he and Starscream left the training room.

Meanwhile, at the forest, Vince regained consciousness as he opened his eyes and awakened to find himself lying on a nest made of grass, bushes, sticks, and twigs. Knock Out was just waiting for the young human to wake up and he had to wash his servos with river water after cleaning the blood off Vince's nose.

"Ah, you're awake finally." Knock Out said.

"What's going on?!" Vince raised his voice as he woke up. "Calm down, kid. You humans really need to keep your processors from going fast or else you'll wound up becoming as crazy as a turbo fox." Knock Out told Vince. "YOU!! Wha--Where am I?!" Vince said. "We're in the same forest, you weirdo. I took the time to clean the blood off your nose before I had to wash my servos at that stream over there. You humans really are disgusting!" Knock Out shuttered in disgust. "Why didn't you just take me to your alien ship?" Vince demanded to know.

"Because I felt like I didn't want to. Also, because I don't want Starscream or Lord Megatron to find me and then catch me speaking to a human and blowing my cover." Knock Out told Vince. "How come? Wait, who's Starscream and Lord Megatron?" the school bully asked. "They're my bosses at our Decepticon warship called The Nemesis. Starscream is my master's second-in-command and Lord Megatron is the Leader of our kind, the Decepticons. We're at a civil war with our enemies called, the Autobots...and we've been fighting among you humans for quite some time now." Knock Out explained to the young school bully.

"What are Decepticons and Autobots?" Vince asked. "Oh, that's right. You're one of those humans who do not yet know of us yet. Before you ask, yes there are some humans who know of us like the Autobots' pet humans like Agent Fowler, his military force, the three children, the nurse, and the human terrorist organization that dissected my late partner, Breakdown, M.E.C.H. founded by that human scum, Silas." Knock Out said as he began to explain himself and the others to Vince. "Why were you robots fighting in a civil war?" the school bully asked. "Good question, boy. I wish I had a short amount of answer. Let's just say that our home planet, Cybertron, had a Caste System. Our founder and leader, Megatron, decided to start a revolution to take down a corrupt system. After we, the Decepticons who were founded by our leader, have fought against the Autobots who have oppressed our kind for centuries. We're fighting because Cybertron was running low on our supply and reserves of lifeblood known as Energon--blue crystals which contain energy that fuels us like gas, blood, food, medicine, and electricity. We've been fighting our oppressors for eons until we wound up here on your planet to look for more Energon and to find some ancient Cybertronian relics so that we may use them to help restore our planet Cybertron since it's been shut down due to the Dark Energon which our lord and master used to try to conquer our world for himself. But Megatron is not evil, he just does what's wrong for the right reasons. He has good intentions. We Decepticons fight for order, equality, freedom, justice, and for revenge against our enemies."

"I'm sorry, but what's Dark Energon?" Vince asked. "It's the opposite of Energon. It reanimates the dead, and it is evil, and destruction incarnate. Apparently, my master is addicted to that dark stuff. Because he wanted to use Dark Energon as a performance enhancer to keep himself alive and to give him the power to control undead armies and conquer worlds. However, I'm afraid that the Dark Energon has driven Lord Megatron to some state of madness. Though I dare not say it because my master has the tendency to punish those who defy or disrespect him." Knock Out told Vince. "Sounds like your boss is a drug addict." Vince commented. "I guess you could say that. But I'm only going outside of our Decepticon warship only for a drive and to find out what makes you humans so special to our enemies so that we may understand you better. But if you tell anyone, ANYONE, about our little encounter, then I will be looking for you. Understand?" Knock Out warned Vince as he gave him a threatening tone. "Alright! Alright, I won't tell anyone about our meeting! I promise!" Vince said in a frightened tone.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. It's just that I had a really, really tough day. I wish I could go back to Velocitron if that planet is still alive and untouched by Cosmic Rust. It's a plague that poisons us and kills us and it can also disintegrate us." Knock Out said as he took a deep, frustrated breath and sigh.

"You don't need to take your anger out on me! I just had a bad day too!" Vince yelled at Knock Out. "I just got a C- at high school, I got scolded by my parents for getting into trouble with street racing again and what's worse is that that Darby dweeb won Sierra's affections by sick chance!"

"Aw, boo-hoo! You have it worse than--wait, who won who's affections?" Knock Out asked. "That dork, Jack Darby! I hate that punk for how lucky he is now! He stole my favorite girl, Sierra, and I especially hate that ugly motorcycle of his!" Vince ranted. "I think I know who you're talking about." Knock Out said as he made a mischievous smirk. "Wait, you know that nerd and his motorcycle?!?" Vince asked. "You have no idea. You see that motorcycle of that nerd is actually a female Autobot in disguise!" Knock Out told the school bully who was now shocked with this discovery. "Yes. You've been duped. But don't tell Jack that I told you that. But don't worry, not all automobiles, jets, and technologies are Cybertronian or even robots in disguise." the red medic promised.

Meanwhile, Arcee picked up Jack Darby from school and she drove him over to his neighborhood when he told his Autobot fembot guardian the good news. "Hey, Arcee." Jack said to Arcee. "What is it, Jack?" the two-wheeler asked. "Something good happened at school. There's this girl I like named, Sierra, and today she just invited me to ask her out on a date for this upcoming school dance coming out soon this weekend." Jack told Arcee excitedly. "That's good. I'm proud of you. But what about that jerk who bullies you at school?" she asked. "Who cares about him? I haven't seen him all day!" Jack replied. "Well, that's a relief. Never liked that guy. However, I only wished that Smokescreen would come back to us. But most of all, I just hope that he's okay and unharmed." Arcee said to her human junior partner. Jack felt sympathy for Arcee who felt like she lost a third partner, but this time her third partner joined the evil side because of her to which Jack reminds the two-wheeler that it wasn't her fault, that she only treated Smokescreen as if he were a Decepticon disguised as an Elite Guard Autobot.

Once Arcee drove Jack back home, she told him goodbye before she decided to drive back to the Autobot base to recharge. "Goodbye, Jack." Arcee told her junior partner. "Congratulations on winning the girl. Hope your date goes well." she said before she drove off into the night. Later that night, Knock Out drove Vince back to his house after he got a phone call from his angry parents and the school bully finally remembered that this was the same car that abducted him, the night he challenged Jack Darby to a race, and he wanted to have a fight with him over Sierra. Knock Out got to befriend Vince and once he dropped him off to where he can walk home, he realized that he had to go, but Vince wanted to ask KO when he can see him again.

"I must go now." Knock Out told Vince. "Wait, when can I see you again?" Vince asked. "Don't know and don't care." Knock Out replied. "I better return to the Nemesis or else my master will have my head. Think of him as my school principal." he told Vince. "I...I understand." Vince said. "Good! Now get back home and don't tell anyone about our little encounter, okay?" Knock Out reminded Vince. The school bully nodded, "Okay." before Knock Out loudly steered around and left the school bully in the dark on the sidewalk.

"VINCE!!!" Vince's dad called. Vince knew he was in serious trouble now. "Shit. Coming, dad!!"

Later that night, Knock Out was driving as fast as he could back to where he left Smokescreen at the Nemesis while humming the Transformers G1 theme song as an Easter Egg for this fanfic and he knew he had to return to the Nemesis on time or else he'll be in trouble like Vince. Knock Out had rather hoped that Smokescreen would convince Megatron and the others that he wasn't outside the Nemesis and the red medic was driving fast while alone at the desert when he suddenly ran into a deep blue motorcycle with pink accents. It was Arcee!

"AAGH! HEY! Watch the paint!!" Knock Out shouted. "WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING, DECEPTICON!!!" Arcee yelled as she transformed into her robot mode. "Scrap!" Knock Out cussed before he transformed back into his robot mode, and he drew out his buzzsaw in self-defense. "What are you doing out here, Knock Out?!" Arcee said in a harsh tone. "What are YOU doing out here, two-wheeler?!" Knock Out deflected. "The name is Arcee!" The fembot replied before she aimed her blasters at the red medic. "Now tell me where Smokescreen is!" Arcee demanded. "Why should I do that? Smokey is one of us now, so accept that!" Knock Out told Arcee in an annoyed tone. "Never! Now I won't ask you again. Where. Is. Smokescreen?!" Arcee demanded again. "You're so rude. Megatron won't allow you to go near him since he's part of the family now." Knock Out replied. "That's not true! I won't allow him to accept a fate worse than death!" Arcee cried. "Don't be a sore loser!" Knock Out yelled before he charged at Arcee with his buzzsaw. A fight between Arcee and Knock Out ensues at the road near the Nevada desert.

Back at the Nemesis, Smokescreen realized how long it's taken Knock Out to return to the warship, and he felt as if he's in trouble with either M.E.C.H or even his former Autobot team. He realizes that he can't hide the truth anymore as he heads over to tell Megatron the truth that Knock Out has left the Nemesis. "Mega--I mean, Father?" Smokescreen spoke to Megatron. Megatron turned around with his arms behind his back as he gives his adopted son attention. "Yes, Smokescreen?" Megatron asked. "There's something I should've told you a few cycles ago..." Smokescreen began. "What is it?" Megatron asked. "It's about Knock Out...He convinced me to help him sneak out of the Nemesis and now he's out there all by himself without any backup!" Smokescreen confessed as he quickly spoke. "He WHAT?!??" Megatron raised his voice. "I'm sorry! I should've told you the truth earlier! But he made me do it!" Smokescreen apologized. "Don't beat yourself up, my son. It's Knock Out who needs to learn a valuable lesson on what will happen to those who leave my ship without my permission." Megatron looked to Soundwave and gave him the order, "Soundwave! Find Knock Out and bring him back immediately! We need our medic." Soundwave nodded and he soon travelled outside the Nemesis to look for Knock Out.

Back at the desert at night, Arcee was fighting Knock Out until at first it seemed like he was gaining the upper hand when he grabbed the fembot and locked his arm with the buzzsaw around her chest before Knock Out began to tease and flirt with the two-wheeler. "You're good for a two-wheeler. I hope you won't mind if I rev out your motorcycle when I'm done with you." Arcee kicked Knock Out hard on his foot, forcing him to let go and then making him grunt in pain. "Keep your smooth talking to yourself, Knock Out!" Arcee scolded the red medic.

Knock Out hissed in pain when he made an evil grin as he looked at Arcee. "Tough girl. I like you already, Arcee." Knock Out said before he continued to taunt her. "Very well! If you sooo wanna see Smokescreen again...well then maybe you should consider joining us as well." Arcee made a threatening pose as she sheaves out her blades. "Forget it!" Arcee was about to charge and attack Knock Out when Soundwave appeared from the sky and shot sound waves at Arcee, knocking her out cold. When Knock Out saw Soundwave, he knew that he was in trouble now despite being grateful that his life was saved. Soundwave's viser showed Megatron as he looked at Knock Out with an angry look on his face.

"Knock Out! Get back to our ship at once!" the warlord barked at the medic. "Yes, Lord Megatron." Knock Out agreed before Soundwave opened the ground bridge portal and the two Decepticons decided to leave the unconscious fembot Autobot in the desert while they return to the Nemesis. Arcee regained consciousness as the portal closed and she wondered where Knock Out went. When Arcee got up, she let out an enraged yell.

"RRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!!!!!"

At the Nemesis, Knock Out returned with Soundwave and he saw Megatron looking down on him with anger and disappointment. "M-Master! I..." Knock Out tried to make an excuse but it was too late. "You have violated my orders yet again, Knock Out! You are not allowed to leave or go anywhere unless I tell you to!" Megatron yelled at the medic who was now groveling before the warlord himself. "Forgive me, Lord Megatron! I just wanted to..." Knock Out's dialogue was cut off when Megatron bitch slapped him, causing sparks to fly across his metal face.

"Not only did you manipulate my son into letting you outside my ship, but you also could've been captured or killed, and we would've lost our one medic!" Megatron told Knock Out with an angry look in his red eyes. "I'm sorry! Please, give me a chance!" Knock Out begged. "Silence, Knock Out! You will respect our master's wishes and remember your place! Now you will be punished for your..." Starscream was about to finish when Smokescreen intervened. "Stop! Wait! It wasn't his fault!" Megatron and Starscream looked to Smokescreen.

"What did you say?" Starscream asked. "I said it wasn't his fault. It was my fault! I'm the one who let him leave the Nemesis. I told him to...go out for a drive. I wanted him to have a good time and he asked me to cover for him. So please, father. Don't punish Knock Out. Punish me instead." Smokescreen told Megatron as he defended Knock Out.

Megatron paused as he looked at Smokescreen and Knock Out and Starscream awaited his master's decision to punish them both. But then, all of a sudden, Megatron took a deep sigh as if he was going to do the one thing he promised never to do again. Give a second chance.

"You and Knock Out are hereby pardoned for your actions and mistakes." Megatron declared.

"WHAT?!? But, but Master, they-" Starscream tried to object but Megatron glares at the seeker. "Smokescreen is young and Knock Out is our only medic. It would be unwise of me to punish them without mercy. They only made a mistake. But now I don't want Knock Out and Smokescreen to repeat this little mishap again." the warlord explained.

Megatron looks to Knock Out and offers him a hand to pull him up. "You are forgiven." Knock Out, still confused, sad, and scared reluctantly takes his master's hand as he pulls him up and Smokescreen came to apologize along with Knock Out. "We're sorry." they both said.

"What's past is past. Just make sure that you learn from your mistakes and try to improve yourselves." Megatron told Smokescreen and Knock Out. Knock Out bowed, "Thank you, Master." he then looked to Smokescreen. "Thank you, Smokescreen."

Once the medic went back to work, Megatron looked to Smokescreen with disappointment. "I'm disappointed in you, Smokescreen. I expect you to learn and to be faithful with me. I may have forgiven you and Knock Out, but that won't stop me from giving you two a fair punishment. From now on, Soundwave will not let anyone on my ship out of his sight and out of my sight. Have I made myself clear, Smokescreen?" Megatron asked.

Smokescreen lowered his head regretfully, "Yes, Sire." he said. "Good. Now go to your room. It's time for you to recharge. But tomorrow, when we go to an Energon Mine, I won't let you out of my sight again. Understood?" Megatron asked. Smokescreen nodded. "Understood." he said.

TO BE CONTINUED...