Alpha whimpered softly as she turned in her berth after waking up from a deep recharge, which had been plagued with nightmares of the Decepticons, and finally sat up after a few more moments of breathing heavily. She put a hand to her spark as it gave off a dull, throbbing pain, as if still sensing the feel of Orcus' clawed, energon stained paws wrapped around it, squeezing it. She shook her head and stood, but was pushed back down gently by her brother.
"O?" She asked.
"Easy, sis. Just lay there for a moment." Omega gave her a grin that resembled Jazz's a lot. "Okay? Now-" Alpha tried to interrupt him, but Omega shook his head, "Shut up and listen to me. I'm no medic, but ya need your rest. So rest." He instructed.
"It's been a month. I've had all the slaggin' rest I can take!" Alpha said, standing. She shoved him back. "Now you shut up and sit back down. I need some energon."
When the femme started to leave, Omega grabbed her shoulders, plopped her but down and put his foot on his chest once he had pushed her so she was laying down. "I'm sick of being woken up at two in the morning because I feel your fear, your hatred. So, you're going to rest, you hear me?!" He yelled.
"...Fine!" Alpha spat.
Suddenly, before either could say or do anything more, Prime's voice cut through the silence over the intercom, requesting that all Autobots report to the control room. Alpha and Omega gave each other a look, but Omega only pressed harder down onto the femme's chest, "You're staying here, understand me? When I get back, I'm going to tell you what's going on. Okay?"
"Fine." Alpha answered in a defeated voice, looking away. She heard Omega sigh as his foot moved from her chest and grinned as soon as the door had been shut. The femme stood and followed him quietly to the control room, where Prime, Omega, Ironhide, Prowl and Jazz were.
"This is the fifth time this week this...monster has struck!" Ironhide said.
"This time, it got Red." Prowl said softly. "So far it's gotten Wheeljack, Cliffjumper, First Aid, Inferno and now Red..."
Jazz hit the wall of the room. "What is it?! Do we have any video of it?" He asked, looking at the group of mechs.
"No," Prime shook his head, "I'm afraid it cannot be recorded...whatever it is." He informed them, sighing slightly, "And none of the victims have awoken yet, so they cannot tell us what it is..."
I know... Alpha thought sadly as she leaned against the wall. She wrapped her arms around herself, I know exactly what it is...but if I tell...you'll all hate me...every single one of you...I thought I could stop it...but I can't. It's too powerful...it's hurting you all... Tears rose up, but she forced them down as she stood back up strait, I can't stay here...I gotta go...it follows me...it'll come with me...it'll leave all of you alone...
With that, the femme stood and started to head through the dark hallways towards the exit of the Ark, trying to get away and protect her friends.
"Grrr. Lemme guess, there was a rat in the security office... It's two in the stinking morning." A voice echoed down the corridor. A grumpy mauve and blue green opticed jet plodded down the hall towards the control room.
"Yeah well if it is a con attack I can put you out of your misery by shoving you into their line of fire." A deeper voice sounded from behind her. The jet glanced around, seeing a 'floating' pair of red optics behind her and jumped, eeping, and took off down the corridor.
Omega glanced up as the two entered as well as everyone else. Prime shook his head at the tank and jet as he sat down. "I'm afraid that...thing has attacked again." He said, giving the two a look that, quiet plainly, said 'you're late'.
"It got Red Alert dis time." Ironhide grunted out as he and Prowl tried to find a picture, a sound, anything on the security tapes.
"That makes five attacks this week." Omega sighed.
Jade and Hammertread both cocked an optic ridge, glancing at each other with identical expressions of 'serves him right' and 'Ha-ha. Paranoid but not enough' and a smirk. "So... what is it?" Jade finally asked.
"We don't know." Prime said, "It has not been recorded, no sound or video at all." He shook his head and then sighed.
"I've heard it!" Bumblebee said, running in. "It's got a howl...made my energon freeze! It's creepy..." He shivered slightly.
"Did you see it?" Prowl raised an optic ridge.
"...No."
Prime resisted the urge to sigh. "Then the question is how we are going to find it and stop it. If it's not the Decepticons, then what is it, and why does it keep appearing and disappearing so mysteriously?"
Wheeljack added "And what is it after?"
Everyone glanced over at Wheeljack. "When'd you get here?" Omega asked.
"Never mind that." Prowl said. He looked at Wheeljack, "You were attacked by that thing as well..." He started, "Did you get a good look at it?"
Ironhide turned from the screen to peer at Wheeljack.
The mechanic ignored the vehement glare Ratchet gave him." I...it…kinda.. It looked like an outline. Like a... I don't know how to describe it." He leaned against the nearby wall. He continued, in a slightly quieter voice. "It made this noise... like a... screaming. Only echoed. And reversed." he shivered.
Ratchet came over. "I thought I told you to stay in repairbay and get some rest."
Wheeljack looked at his bondmate. "But... I knew you guys wanted to know what this thing was..." he trailed off, looking down the hall, but not really looking at anything, just... remembering.
Omega shivered as Wheeljack described it. "...Wait." He said, something FINALLY clicking in the black seeker's head. He pulled out a piece of paper that had a crude drawing on it of a mech.
It was a large mech and had a bunch of different colors and parts, no one piece matching another. It had long, ugly claws that were dripping with some kind of liquid and a tail...the tail of some kind of animal. Its optics were the only thing that appeared somewhat normal; green and with a mixture of fear and hatred in them. Its face had a snarling expression on it.
"This it?" He asked.
Wheeljack took the peice of paper and stared at it for a long moment before looking back up. He simply nodded. "I didn't get a good look at it, but it has the same shape. And... It was kind of... sort of clear... or sometrhing." he finally added.
"I thought so." Omega sighed.
"You know what this thing is?!" Ironhide asked, looking up at him with suprise. When Omega nodded, he added, "Well tell us!"
"'S Fluffy." He said, shrugging, as he showed everybody the picture.
Sure enough, under the picture, there was the word "Fluffy" written in neat, crisp handwriting.
"It ain't fluffy, that's for sure. Whoever did dis certainly couldn't name deir pets right." Ironhide muttered.
"Hey! She was young!" Omega snapped. He then covered his mouth and his optics widened. "Oh no..."
"Who!" Prime asked, almost accusingly. All optics turned to regard Omega.
Hammertread looked at the picture and chuckled. "Fluffy? Cute name." He did try to say it where nobody could hear, but still got a glare from jade, because she was standing so close to hear him.
"N-No one..." Omega waved his hands in front of himself, backing up. "I-I mean...she-she was young...her-" He gulped when he backed into Ironhide, who grabbed his arms.
"Who?" The mech asked, narrowing his optics.
"Fluffy's a figment of Alpha's overactive imagination!" Omega blurted out. "She, uh, needed him when she was little to fight away the nightmares after the bastard of a vampire bit both of us...he wasn't supposed to be real! She drew him and he protected her in her nightmares!" He added after a moment of looking at all of the others, "I mean it! He was just a security blanket, as the humans say, for her! I guess...after all this...he's come back, thinking that she still needs him..."
Ironhide let go of Omega's arms and looked at Prime. Said Autobot leader sighed, "Does she know what he's doing?" He asked, looking the seeker in the optics.
Omega gave a reluctant, slow nod. "She hasn't been sleeping because of it. That's why she's so tired…he only comes and appears when she's asleep. She can't stop him, Prime. She's been trying." He tried to tell the elder.
"We've got to find her and get the full story from her." Prowl said, though he hated to. For some reason, he thought it might bring bad memories back into her mind. "Then we'll figure out what to do."
"No! Don't you get it? If you upset her or scare her, he comes after you! Just like he went after Cliffjumper!"
"What did Red Alert do? Or Wheeljack?" Ratchet growled slightly. He narrowed his optics.
"I-I don't know…I'm just telling you what she said."
"Omega, I'm sorry…but we have to get the information from her personally." Prime voiced, clearing his vocalizer. "Where is she?" He asked, crossing his large arms over his chest.
Omega was hesitant, but then he sighed. "She's in our room…"
"Not anymore." Ironhide said as he walked back into the control room. Apparently, he had gone to check on the femme, quickly, when he figured out who had done it. "She's gone."
"…She's trying to keep Fluffy from attacking us…she's left the Ark…"
Alpha glanced up upon feeling the strong, horrible auras of the Decepticons near her person. She could feel their anticipation and their lust for battle…but also…their need to be quiet. That, to put it simply, confused the young femme. Why would they bother to be sneaky? They were never sneaky.
Ever.
Unless…
The thought clicked in Alpha's head half past too late. She tried to jump out of the way, but someone leaped out of their hiding spot and tackled her to the ground like they were a professional football player. She couldn't help but let out an 'oof' as the mech's crushing weight knocked all of the breath from her body. As she squirmed and wiggled under the larger mech, two more mechs walked over and pinned her shoulders down, keeping her from moving.
Fear bubbled its way to the surface of the young femme's spark. She tried to scream and call for help, but a hand slapped itself over her mouth before she could. Without thinking, Alpha let out a burst of psychic energon, crying out as she did, that knocked all of the mechs off and away from her body. She scrambled to her feet and looked around with fear.
The seekers.
Oh that was NOT her day…not her day at all. Before she could blink, Skywarp disappeared and then reappeared behind her, wrapping his arms around hers so they were pinned behind her. Starscream walked a bit closer, an evil grin on his face as he pulled out a pair of handcuffs and twirled them where the frightened femme could see. She started to struggle more, but eventually gave up, seeing as the way her arms were pinned, not only behind her back, but also around her truck bed, which was pretty bulky. Her arms were stretched as far as they would go and were twisted in such a way, she felt that they would break.
Alpha forced a sob that had made its way to her throat down as she tried to toss her shoulders again. "Please…no…" The plead was nothing more than a whisper, but it betrayed every single wall she had tried to put up. She was weak, tired and in their grasp.
At their mercy, and everyone knew the seekers all had none.
"Ooh…hear that, Screamer?" Thundercracker cackled from where he was behind their leader, "She's begging! Already! And we haven't even done anything to her!"
"Yet." Starscream corrected, and stepped in front of Alpha. He rotated a finger, telling Skywarp to turn so he could cuff the restraints on her thin wrists. Once Skywarp had warped so that Alpha's back was to the king of the seekers, the Decepticon Air Commander slapped the handcuffs onto her, tightening them an extra click so that there was no way she could escape.
Tears welled up in the truck femme's optics and she struggled weakly again, looking up at them. "Please…" Her voice was hoarse and weak, but she still had to try! She couldn't take another session with the Decepticons, even if it was only one. They had taken nearly everything from her…why couldn't they leave her alone? "Please…don't do this…I beg of you…"
Starscream snorted, "It's not us who want you, Auto-Brat, though we get a turn after Megatron and Soundwave finish with you, it's them." A slow, evil grin spread over his face as Alpha's, which looked like she was about to cry, instantly twisted into an expression of horror. "You see…well, why don't they explain it?"
Skywarp let go of Alpha and then pushed her left shoulder so she fell forwards. Once she had flipped herself over onto her back, she saw Megatron and Soundwave standing over her. A whimper escaped her as she tried to get away, but Skywarp and Thundercracker held her down, preventing that. A grin crept over Megatron's face, "It appears it's your fault the Autobots have been struck down, one-by-one, by that monster…"
"How-How do you know about Fluffy?" Alpha whimpered, looking up at him. It struck her like a ton of bricks when Megatron chuckled, "You-You really did get into Teletraan…" Her voice was a gasp now as disbelief shot through her.
She had betrayed the Autobots!
"Fluffy, eh? So that's the thing's name…" Thundercracker cackled, "Cute."
"Affirmative." Soundwave answered Alpha, ignoring Thundercracker. He looked over at Megatron and the Decepticon tyrant continued for the communications officer.
"Yes…and we know all about your 'pet' and who it has attacked…so…tell me, Autobot…" Megatron bent down and got in Alpha's personal space. She could feel his horribly hot breath on her face and neck as he lowered his voice, "How do you control it?"
"He…he protects me…Fluffy, he-he…that's all he does. He protects me! I swear…he-he listens to me…he's pure psychic energy anyways, Megatron." She started to get brave; "You couldn't control him if you wanted to."
"I can't…" Megatron stood and gave Soundwave a pointed look, "But I know someone who can…"
"No…no!" Alpha started to struggle again and she screamed, but Thundercracker simply covered her mouth gruffly, frowning. Why were Autobots so noisy?
Soundwave walked over and looked down at her. She squirmed and whimpered in fear, but before Soundwave could do anything, Orcus stepped into view. Megatron and Soundwave both turned. The werewolf asked if he could, seeing as he knew magic while they didn't. Maybe he could get farther than Soundwave could alone. Megatron thought about this for a moment. "Very well." He nodded.
Alpha's optics widened to their limit and screamed as loud as she could behind the seeker's hand as Soundwave stepped away and Orcus neared. The femme licked Thundercracker's hand, as much as it disgusted her to do so, so she could scream or yell or something, and then looked up at the Decepticons with pleading optics once her mouth was free. "Please…please don't do this! Please! You-You already got the codes to the ship from me…why do you want Fluffy too?!"
"She licked me!" Thundercracker cried out in shock.
Megatron ignored the seeker, "Because this creature can't be harmed. He cannot be killed unless you are. He cannot be injured unless you are. He can harm others without even caring who or what they are. He can kill without mercy and in cold slag." An evil grin spread across his gray face, "He's the perfect Decepticon."
"No! Megatron, please!" Alpha cried out as Orcus plopped himself down on her and straddled her waist, "Megatron, please! Fluffy…he won't! He wouldn't! You can't control him!" Finally, she gave up and sobbed, her already unstable mind crashing, "Don't do this! Don't let him! Please!! I'm begging you!"
"Quiet, femme!" Orcus backhanded her and the femme's head snapped to the side. Quiet sobs were the only sounds the broken Autobot made as the werewolf started his assault.
Alpha closed her optics and turned her head from him as his aura completely took over hers…that scared her completely. Psychic's auras were a delicate thing; if taken over, one could control either the psychic or their powers, depending on the person. Sometimes both, if the attacker's power was strong enough to control both their aura and the psychic's.
Tears ran down her cheeks and she tried to retreat into her mind, but realized it was far too late for that. Orcus already had control over her and her powers. He and Soundwave, seeing as how the werewolf had put a spell on her. She could no longer cry out or psychic-ly reach out for help. She was completely at their mercy again...and that thought scared her completely.
They had none whatsoever.
Fluffy snarled as he stalked through the dense jungle on orders, which were to find the Autobots and terminate them. Or at least the ones that were closest to him considering he could only go so far from his mistress's body. He poked his animal-like nose in the air and sniffed. His hatred and fear filled optics narrowed; the Autobots were near. Or rather, at least four of them were. He snuck towards the scents and peered out, emerald optics spotting them.
Omega, Hammertread, Prime and Ratchet were all walking through. That confused the small part of Fluffy's mind that he shared with Alpha. Why was Ratchet there? Did he expect to find his mistress injured? Probably so. With a growl, he lunged…
…And tackled Hammertread to the ground. He snapped and snarled at the mech, but then paused upon looking into his optics. Without thinking, he barked like a newborn puppy and licked his cheek, wagging his tail happily. He bounded off of the tank and yipped, running in circles. He spotted Omega and did the same with the seeker, but then barked and snarled at Prime and Ratchet when they came to close, ears flattened against the back of his head.
He took a swipe at the two mechs, his huge claws nearly cutting them in two. Fluffy's tail straightened out and he let out a low, pain filled howl that resembled a cry out pain and fear all mixed into one, spine shivering sound.
Hammertread eyed the giant supposed-to-be-dangerous monster, running around in circles with one optic ridge slightly quirked in a 'you're-weird' look. "O-kay." He glanced at Ratchet and Prime, who shrugged. Ratchet pulled out a scanner. "If I can get close enough, maybe I can scan it." He took another step forward, but the creature reacted by snarling and hissing, flattening his ears against hid head. Prime put up both of his hands in a surrender-like gesture. "It's all right, we're not going to hurt you."
Ratchet snorted a gave Prime a glance that said 'No, but it can hurt us, in case you haven't noticed.'
The creature looked back and forth from one mech to the other confusedly. Hammertread swept the back of one palm across his cheek. "Ewww... it licked me!" He frowned.
Fluffy suddenly sniffed in the air and let out another howl. He took off and returned a minute later, walking slowly, as Alpha limped in behind him. The young femme's armor was cracked, dented and covered with mud and dirt. Her chest, which was covered with freshly wet mud, was oozing energon from a deep slash in it that went all the way to her spark. She looked up at them, no, through them. There was no emotion, no recognition in her optics as she followed Fluffy, hands still bound tightly, quite uncomfortably and awkwardly, behind her back; her optics were completely glassy...like a doll's.
Correction. Like a broken doll's.
Her bleeding wrists left a trail of energon behind her as she walked. Her face, which was stained with dirt and covered with scratches, had two trails of freshly wet mud going down her cheeks where optical fluid had ran in rivers down them. She stumbled and fell, but Fluffy was right there. He helped his young mistress to her feet and snarled at Ratchet, Prime, and even at Hammertread and Omega.
Fluffy licked his mistress' hand comfortingly as he stuck near her side, tail tucked between his legs. He wined pitifully, ears pushed back slightly, looking like a dog whose master had just been attacked and there was nothing he could do about it. Oddly, that was pretty much what he was.
…Except for the dog part.
"Alpha?" Hammertread blinked upon seeing the femme.
What had happened to her after she left the Ark? Prime and Ratchet started forward again, Ratchet pulled a scanner from subspace, and Hammertread glanced at Omega, not sure whether to go comfort his wounded girlfriend (and look like a big mush-ball) or stand their in case Fluffy decided he didn't like what they were doing.
Alpha glanced back up at them, but she wasn't really 'seeing' them...she had just heard voices. The injured femme stumbled past Ratchet and Prime, Fluffy hissing and growling at them when they got to close, but tripped back over her own two feet again. This time, when Prime reached to help, Fluffy allowed him. He wined and paced as Ratchet scanned.
His optics widened. "We've gotta get her back to the Ark..."
"Alpha?" Omega asked, reaching towards her. He locked his optics with her empty ones and stumbled slightly. "Sis?"
She just stared as Prime attempted to get the cuffs off of her wrists. She was completely and totally broken. There was no life, no hope, in her optics…and Omega saw that now. He lowered his hand and looked away.
"I'm sorry, sis…I should-a been there…"
Alpha didn't say anything, just continued to stare at the mech that was her brother. As soon as her wrists were free, the bleeding limbs went limp by her side and Omega gave Ratchet a look; the CMO nodded and moved out of the way so the seeker could pick Alpha up and move her onto his back. One arm was resting over one of Omega's shoulders and the other did the same, Omega boosted her up a bit so that her legs were sticking out from between his arms as he gave her what looked like a piggyback ride.
"It'll be okay, sis…I promise." He whispered into the non-responsive femme's audios as he walked back towards the Ark with her in tow.
Back at the Ark, Omega growled as he paced the entire length of the med bay's waiting room, hands clasped behind his back and around his wings. He did a 180 spin for the hundredth time that day and repeated the track again. He was starting to make a path in the metal from where he was walking so much.
He growled again. When he got his hands on those Decepticons, he would waste no time in ripping them all to shreds! Well, he would waste some time on the werewolf. Him, oh, him he would slowly tear to pieces, first that tail of his…then his arms…then he would smash his muzzle in so far it would come out the other side of his head! Once he had done that, he would take his sister's sword and slice off those 'delicate' ears the white wolf had planted on the top of his head. Once that was done, he would-
"Omega?" Ratchet's voice interrupted his angry plotting.
Omega's head snapped up and he spotted the tired CMO standing in the doorway to the med bay. When the medic motioned for him to follow him, the black seeker could only comply, turning his head slightly to check on his sister as they made their way across the med bay into Ratchet's office. Alpha was still sitting exactly where Omega had placed her, exactly the same way and staring at the, well, exact same spot. Her optics were still glassy and empty.
The younger twin let out a shaking sigh as he walked into Ratchet's office. Once the medic had closed the door behind him, he turned to the much younger mech. "Omega…" He trailed off. He really wasn't sure what to begin with. Ratchet placed the report down. He sighed slightly.
"What did they do to her?" Omega asked gruffly, glaring. He knew he shouldn't have been mad at Ratchet, and he wasn't, it was just…he couldn't take no knowing what all they had done to his big sister. Even if it was better sometimes just to let your curiosity go unfed. "Tell me, Ratchet."
Ratchet cleared his throat and sat down at his desk. He had a feeling that if he stayed standing, the infuriated mech would reach out and strangle him when he heard everything he had found on the femme. "Where to start?" He asked, then paused. He hadn't meant to say it aloud, for it only made Omega madder. "I won't lie to you, Omega…the way she's acting…I think that whatever happened to her in those four, five hours had more impact on her mental being than the week and a half she spent with the Decepticons…
"The more pressing of her psychical injuries," He stressed that to make sure that Omega understood there were wounds that weren't on the surface, "Was the large cut in her chest…you saw that one though…I found traces of fur on her spark." He paused to let that sink in.
Once it had, he wished he had never said anything. Omega snarled and kicked over a chair, sending it flying into the wall. That was one chair that would never work properly in this world again. After a moment of clenching his fists, the seeker looked at the elder and nodded, telling him to continue. He didn't want to, but now…now, he needed to hear the rest of it. The flame was lit…time to feed the fire.
Ratchet paused. He wasn't sure whether he should or not, but he had told Omega that he wouldn't lie to him. And the medic always kept those kinds of promises. "Alright." He sighed, "She had dents, scratches and cuts all over her, as you saw, but there was also a deep one in her side that had been hidden by the mud…her throat itself was dented as well and one of her optics were cracked…you saw the way her wrists and arms were so there's nothing I can say about that…" He trailed off.
"You said there had been some mental injuries too." Omega told him sternly as he narrowed his optics. He wanted the full story and the full story was what he was going to get, even if he had to go to the Decepticon base and beat it out of them.
"Yes…although…this one may be a mix of both." Ratchet sighed. "I'm gonna be direct and frank with you, Omega." He paused and then looked him in the optics. "I found traces of spark energy in hers that, well…weren't hers…"
That news hit Omega like a ton of bricks. He instantly stumbled back and set his aft down in the closest chair he could reach. He knew that that news didn't mean his sister was bonded, no; it was nearly impossible for spark twins to bond. They had to be life mates or meant for each other…or simply stubborn enough to go through with it in order or be bonded. However, that news did mean one thing…
"Which 'Con, Ratchet?" Omega finally got out after sitting there, contemplating everything the mech had said. He gave the medic a smoldering look as his visor burned like a vivid wildfire.
Ratchet looked down at the report on his desk. "The wolf, Omega. He's the only one we have spark data on besides Starscream and the seekers." He informed the younger, looking up and meeting his optics. "Don't do anything rash, you hear me?"
"Give me one good reason, Ratch! Just…one! Why shouldn't I go up there, break down the door and KILL EVERY ONE OF THOSE STINKIN' 'CONS!?!" Omega yelled at the top of his lungs. He panted for a second before Ratchet took his arm and dragged him towards the door. "Huh?"
Ratchet opened the door and forced Omega to look at his sister. "There's your reason." He growled before shoving him out of his office. "Now, visiting hours are over." He was returning back to his normal, grumpy self, "Don't come back until at least tomorrow afternoon. I may have more news for you then. Go!" He slammed the office door.
Omega walked over to his sister after standing there for a moment and took her hand in his. He leaned up and kissed her cheek, stroking her helm gently. "Sis…I dunno what the fiery pit you're thinking right now…our link's broken for the time being, but listen to me. I'm gonna get those 'Cons back, okay? I promise…they're not gonna get away with this. They're not gonna get away with what they did to you…" Anger darkened his blood red visor as he clutched her hand like a lifeline. "And you can hold me to that, okay?"
He flew and then landed so he was sitting behind his sister and buried his head in the crook of her neck. For the first time in a long time, the younger held his sister like he had when they were sparklings. The last time he had held her, he had caused her to drop her knife and the tool was buried in her leg, her sobbing, until Vector Prime came and pulled it out. Omega sniffed and took in her scent: freshly wet, rich dirt with a hint of river water and the summer breeze. It was a lot better than his, which was the smell of the polluted air…maybe some forest mixed in if he had gotten enough time to fly near it.
"Sis…I'll figure out a way to get you back. I promise."
"You're worse than Prowl and Jazz…" Ratchet growled as he came out of his office. He had a feeling the mech wouldn't leave that quickly. Not without telling his sister he'd be back. However, he had been sitting there for a good thirty minutes, though Omega probably didn't know that. After all, the two could sit in their rooms quiet and doing nothing for a whole three hours and only think that five minutes had passed. They were odd that way. As long as they were around each other, he guessed, time didn't matter.
"Sorry, Ratch." Omega said quietly as he released his sister. He moved around her and slid off of the berth. He gave his sister's hand another squeeze and the proceeded to head to the rec. room to beat the living slag out of the walls. Hey, he had to do something to calm his anger…well, calm it the best he could.
By the time Ratchet had taken a break, he found out that Omega had done just as he had sat out to do, completely denting the entire north rec. room wall with his punches and kicks in the process. He was now sitting down on a table, high grade in hand, while an unconscious Cliffjumper lay next to him on the ground. Ratchet frowned.
The mini-spy's face was smashed in, as if hit by something. Or, rather, someone. However, Ratchet didn't say anything to the angry seeker, just gave him a look, a mix between frustration and compassion. "I'm gonna have to fix all of this…" He grumbled to himself, stomping out of the med bay.
"Yeah…sorry, Ratch." Omega sighed, "I got angry."
"Understandable." He gave the younger a look. "But next time, don't take it out on something I have to fix."
Omega smiled slightly, softly. "Got it." He agreed.
About a week later, Alpha still wasn't responding to anyone or anything, she hadn't said a word, her optics hadn't regained any emotion or any brightness back into them and she wasn't eating. Actually, Ratchet was pretty sure she hadn't moved at all since Omega placed her down on the med bay berth. All she did was sit there and stare at the wall day in and day out. She had gotten so low on energon that Ratchet had to drag out the IV and stick it in her arm just to keep her alive.
However, since Omega had brought her back, Fluffy had been running amuck even more and more. He attacked usually three or four times a night, though he rarely got anyone now. Now, it was more of 'attack-and-protect' then 'attack-and-kill-to-get-revenge' for the spectral pet. However, he had gotten a decent slash in on Prime's chest and Prowl's doorwings. Even Sunstreaker had taken a claw to his back, but, fortunately, it wasn't bad so the Autobots didn't have to hear about his 'ruined paintjob' for long…thank Primus.
Ratchet sighed as he put down his report and walked out of his office. He needed some energon…Swoop and Firstaid could take care of the med bay for a while. Just long enough for him to eat. He locked the door to his office and headed off, but a small, frightened voice caught his audio.
"I didn't mean to hurt anyone."
"Huh?" Ratchet turned. There was no one in the room save him and Alpha…he glanced up at her. "Alpha?"
The femme's optics were still glassy and empty, but she moved her head and looked at the medic. "I didn't mean to cause anyone harm…it's all my fault." She said again. Her voice was hoarse and quiet, it sounded like she was going to cry, but it, unlike her optics, held emotion. Fear, pain…maybe some hatred were all mixed into it. Her hand clenched slightly. "I can't stop him…Fluffy's being controlled…the part of his mind that is mine is the only thing stopping him from killing those he attacks…"
"Alpha…who's controlling him?" Ratchet asked as he commed Prime and Prowl. "The Decepticons?"
Alpha didn't appear to hear his question. "Our auras…there what keep our powers from being someone else's. Our aura's are stronger, allowing us to connect with the power around us…and other's auras…" She paused and let out a shaking breath, "When a psychic aura is taken over…the powers belong to the psychic and the psychic themselves become their captor's…whether the invader knows it or not. Fluffy's a part of me and my powers…he's theirs…"
"Who's 'they', Alpha?" Ratchet tried again.
"…Orcus and Soundwave…due to a spell…" She whispered finally after a long pause. "My aura is no longer my own…my powers…aren't mine anymore…I didn't mean to hurt anyone…"
"We know." Prime stepped into the med bay, "We know, Alpha."
But she didn't seem to hear him. Her voice and optics suddenly became frightened. Her breathing quickened as she tried not to cry. "Please don't have me deactivated! I didn't mean to attack anyone! I can't stop him!"
"Deactiv-Alpha, what are you talking about?" Prowl asked as he, too, entered.
"I didn't mean it! Please don't!" She clenched the side of the berth so hard her knuckles were turning a light blue, "Please!" The words the Decepticons has hissed and yelled at her were wracking her CPU as she sat there, crying softly. "Please, please. I didn't do it…It wasn't me! The Decepticons made him!"
"Alpha, calm down!" Ratchet yelled; he didn't want the femme to have another 'episode' so soon. "We're not going to deactivate you!"
Alpha's hands went up and she grasped the side of her helmet, "Please…" She sobbed as she tried to block them all out. Her fingers clutched the sides of her helmet so hard the metal dented as she tried to back away, but ended up falling off of the berth. "Leave me alone! I didn't mean to!"
"Stop it! You're going to hurt yourself!" Ratchet snapped as Alpha struggled to try to sneak away from them. All of the emotion that had been bottled up inside her for so long was finally busting out…and the young femme couldn't handle it anymore.
As if on cue, Prowl and Prime gripped the femme's arms tightly and picked her up. Alpha screamed and tried to fight them, but they forced her arms, gently, behind her back just long enough for them to place her back down on the berth, where she proceeded to cry. Prime gave her a sympathetic look, blue optics softening, and then looked at Ratchet before rubbing his chest where Alpha had kicked him, nearly breaking a window.
Ratchet sighed and shook his head, "I preferred it when she wasn't talking." He grunted out, but didn't mean it. After all, she was his 'apprentice'. He couldn't help but care about her…even if it was only a little.
Prowl shook his head. "So how do we stop it?" He asked, "Did she tell you anything?"
"The Decepticons, the werewolf and Soundwave, have control over Fluff…the beast." Ratchet grunted out as he walked over to the sobbing femme. He gently pulled her arm so it was straight and pulled the needle from the IV out, earning a weak cry of pain from the femme before she wrapped her arms back around her head. "We either have to destroy it or get control back from the Decepticons…"
"NO!" Alpha suddenly sobbed, "You're not going to hurt Fluffy! It's-It's not his fault! Don't hurt him! Don't!" She looked up at them and tears continued to roll down her cheeks. It wasn't until Ratchet stomped over and looked her in the optics that she whimpered and shut up.
"You hit any of us again and I will restrain you, scream again and I'll disconnect your vocalizer, understand me?" He growled softly.
Alpha nodded weakly, frightened.
"Good."
"How?" Prowl asked Prime now that the femme was quiet.
"I have an idea." Prime grunted as he glanced at the femme, "This was first caused by her nightmares, correct?" When Prowl and Ratchet nodded, he continued, "If we can get those to stop, he should go back into her mind. And with the Decepticons loosing control of him, they'll loose control of her powers as well."
"How-?"
Prime held up a disk. "I found this on my desk this morning. I believe…" He glanced at Alpha, and then away, "I believe Omega put it there, but I could be wrong." He sighed and slid it back into sub space.
"Actually…I did…" Wheeljack slid out of Ratchet's office. He smiled slightly behind his facemask, "Al told me something about that and, well…I put two and two together…she said something about if this ever happened to get what the Decepticons wanted away from them and then they would have no other choice but to release her psychic energy…seeing as how they would no longer have what they wanted…"
"Makes sense." Prowl stated.
Prime nodded. A plan was formulating in his head…but the question was, would it work? He gave Alpha a glance; the femme was now watching them with fear, her arms wrapped around her legs, which had been brought up to her chest. He hoped, for her sake, that it would.
YP: Ya read, now review...or else...
(dramtic pause)
YP: No new chappies!! ...
YP: AHEM!!
Alpha: Sorry...Yoda's Padawan is grateful for the reviews you all have given so far, but that doesn't mean she doesn't wany any reviews for this chappie. She does, however, offer her greatest thanks, and a box of cookies, to Lady Starscream for helping her. ...Happy?!
YP: Yes, thank you.
Alpha: -.-; I hate you.