The first section is in a diary format in Chloe Burton's POV...
"The first thing I could taste in my mouth was blood, warm and metallic. I remembered nothing from that 'session' with the Cons' deluded doctor. But my body remembered. Pain. That was all it could."
"The voices in my head are getting louder. I don't what they've done to me, but it's worse than before."
"They come at night, when Alexis is asleep, and take me from my cell. Pressing a cloth with crude and strong-smelling stuff on it, enough for me to pass out. When I wake, there's a form of... machinery... suspended above me. I open my mouth to scream but nothing comes. It's like they remove my vocaliser from my throat, leaving me with nothing but thrashing around trying desperately to escape."
"The hunger has set it. I'm starving to death. All they give me is raw Energon. I can't eat that! My thoughts are always on Alexis, freaking out whenever a Con goes by her cell. I hope she's ok."
"I heard a scream in the night. For once, they've let me be. I'm stood here in my cell, writing on the walls in my own blood. I broke the pencil I had found and filled both sides of the papers. I've resorted now to the walls. I pray the Autobots will find us."
"I saw Alexis being dragged from her cell. I don't know where she's gone. But I saw Megatron leading the Decepticons dragging her away. I'm too weak now to even shout the usual insults at the guards."
"Time. Time. Time. That's what I've lost track of. I don't know how long we've been gone. When it's been day, or night. When the sun sets or rises. I don't even know if they're looking for us. There's been nothing. I saw Alexis being dragged back to her cell tonight. They haven't stopped bothering with me, for they still come for the torture 'sessions' but they've turned their attention to Alexis. I wish it was me, not her, going through whatever it is they are putting her through."
"I've almost filled my cell with my words. My entries. My last hopes. My hair is matted and dry, soaked always with blood. Black Charade's armour covers half my face and chest but only there. When will they come for us? I want Jazz. I'm so lonely.
Till all are one..."
That was the last Chloe could write before her hand fell to her side, her strength giving out at last. She had no breath for words as she collapsed to the floor, energy spent. She just wanted to sleep.
There was a grinding screech of metal that always came before she or Alexis were removed from their cells. Chloe could hardly move, even just to look up, as a shadow fell across her. Distorted speech reached both girls' ears.
"Take... to... -on..."
The next thing Chloe knew was sunlight hitting her face as she was moved to another place within the jail she was wasting away in. She felt stronger than before. Lifting her head ever so slightly, she saw a shadow moving away from her. Or towards her? Chloe was still too weak to tell. Voices blurred together as those present moved and spoke. She was sure she heard Megatron's somewhere in the mix.
"So... Can you see...? I hope... -erstand... recklessness... done..." Was all she could pick out from the cacophony of voices. No doubt he was talking to someone... Then came a familiar reply.
"Let... go... -tron! Or so help... I'll... -ow up...! So... right now!"
"Calm... -self... Jazz..." Chloe's ears pricked. Jazz? Jazz was here? No, impossible. He was an Autobot. If he was here, he'd have rescued them both by now. But he was talking? And that deep voice. That was... that... was... was...?
Chloe blinked. She had forgotten again.
Suddenly, a new voice broke through the noise, causing a startling silence in its wake. For the first time, Chloe could hear every word as clear as day. And she wished she hadn't. For Alexis spoke up, her voice strong and sharp, filled with hate and rage as she said, "All hail Megatron! And death to the last Prime!"
Weakly, Chloe kick-started her voice, being the first to break the silence that had settled.
"A... Alexis? W... What... are y... you d.. doing?" Her voice, though it was weak, was full of hurt and anger.
There was a slow chuckle from Megatron as he approached Chloe. "So... My creation as decided to awaken... Alexis answers to me now. She's not the weakling follower you knew before. Now... she's perfect," he snarled. Chloe could just see Alexis' outline nearby.
The very last things Chloe heard was the outrage from the Autobots watching and the taste of a gag being tied around her mouth in haste to shut her up before she fell unconscious again.
Optimus could only blink and stare at his bondmate as her words resounded crudely around his head.
'Death to the last Prime...'
"Silence!" Optimus shouted, ordering his Autobots to fall silent and quiet their bickering. Instantly, all other voices shut off. The other Autobots looked to Optimus for both a reaction to Alexis' harsh words and for what to do next. It was possible, and likely, that if they managed to rescue her she would be a risk to Optimus' safety. That wasn't something they were ready to death with. But the idea of losing her again, or facing her in battle, was painful.
"Optimus, what do we do?" Ratchet said quietly, muting their conversation from the Decepticons. A long pause followed the medic's question.
"I don't know."
"We've got ta save 'em," Ironhide said. On the screen in front of them, they saw what was once their good friend narrow her now blood red optics, and put her hands on her hips. Her blue hair was coloured black and tied up out of the way. She wore a tight red and black dress that she never would have worn before. "What've they done to her?"
"What else? Made her perfect as Megatron said." Optimus replied, losing all hope he had left for her.
"But how, Prime? What did he do to her?" Ironhide asked, his voice rising in volume slightly. "She loved you. How'd he get rid of that? You know she doesn't like death. So why'd she wish it on you?" He aimed his words at both Optimus and Ratchet, trying to get them both to think. "There's gotta be a way to change her back."
"It's most likely they removed one of her personality chips, by trial and error. Seeing how each removal affected her emotions." Ratchet put forward. Ironhide nodded his optics still on the screen. His own optics narrowed as he studied her.
Alexis bore a few scratches on her blue Xyleon skin, much less compared to Chloe's frail human skin; a few bruises scattered her arms, no doubt through the aforementioned trial and error method.
"What did he do to you?" Ironhide mumbled. He watched her look away and speak to someone, but the sound was absent as it was for the Decepticons watching the Autobots.
Optimus gave a slight sigh before switching off the monitor, cutting off the live stream. He couldn't bear to see Alexis like that, so twisted and bitter towards him. Instead of staying to contemplate the situation more, he turned and walked away. Leaving it entirely to his Autobots for once. The Autobots watched their leader leave, feeling the hopeless of the situation. It looked as if the girls were beyond saving. Both girls.
"So now what?" Jazz said, feeling the tense atmosphere grow.
"We need to find them. Can the call be traced?" Ratchet responded, looking to the others for an answer. Prowl stepped forward, with two game-changers.
"I can trace it but... Well, we all can see that they are beyond saving, so should we even bother in wasting valuable lives and ammo?"
"We wouldn't be wastin' anything!" Ironhide snapped, rounding on Prowl.
"Are you sure? I know exactly how 'trigger-happy' you are Ironhide!" Prowl retorted angrily.
"If we do save them, it's possible that whatever the Decepticon have actually done to them both could be reversed. We won't know if we don't try," Ratchet said, trying to keep a full-blown argument from occurring. That was the last thing they needed. Both mechs nodded slowly, agreeing with Ratchet.
"I'm willing to work with both of them if we get them back from the Decepticons," Ratchet continued. "I can't say whether or not anything will work on either of them, but trying is better than not. If it doesn't work... we would be faced with a choice. Especially with Alexis. We could keep her as a prisoner or..."
"Or what?" Ironhide prompted. Ratchet sighed and looked away, his voice pained when he finally spoke.
"Or we could eliminate her ourselves... Quickly. Painlessly. To protect our Prime..."
"No! Absolutely not!" An uproar of voices attacked Ratchet's audios. The medic backed away, raising his hands in surrender.
"I said if it doesn't work... I'd try my best to save both girls. I'm just worried about Alexis' mental state and whether or not she would be able to recover... I don't mean right away."
"We still aren't doing that!"
"We can't do that!"
"Prime wouldn't allow it!"
"Whether she was insane or not!" Every Autobot in the room put forward their statement, each of them just as disgusted at the idea as the last.
"I know that!" Ratchet snapped. "But would you make her and Optimus suffer if she's beyond saving?"
The room fell silent.
Ratchet sighed and crossed his arms, looking back at the monitor which was still off. He nodded after a moment and glanced over at Prowl. "I would suggest starting to trace it now, in case the Decepticons decide to move their location to throw us off. We have two girls to save," Ratchet stated. Prowl nodded, standing at the monitors and quickly tapping in to all sorts of databases. The Autobots then began to move off, heading back to their posts.
Chloe was returned to her cell, alive but unconscious. The room cleared out until only Alexis and Megatron remained. The Xyleon stood watching the black screen, her optics wide and her spark racing.
"Something the matter, my princess?" Megatron said, almost slyly as he turned to face his second creation, his second prize. Alexis glanced back at Megatron but shook her head.
"Of course not, my Lord. Nothing could be more perfect..." she replied.
Megatron smiled as he shut off the monitor properly before walking over to the Xyleon. "Good..." She looked up at him, a twisted smile crossing her face as she put a hand on Megatron's arm. Megatron's smile widened, leading her from the room and back to her quarters. Alexis allowed him to lead, her optics closing and her hands curled into loose fists. She could feel the sharp tips of her nails, which were much longer than before, dig into her palm and her optics brightened somewhat.
"What do you have planned, Lord Megatron, now that the Autobots know of the girl's fate?" she asked. Megatron gave a soft cruel croon.
"Why, my precious, she will be a gift. For you to do whatever you wish to her... After all, she won't go amiss. Plenty of humans for the Autobots to... befriend..." Alexis grinned, her mouth opening slightly to reveal sharp fangs that Megatron had requested.
"So generous..."
Megatron, too, grinned.
"Anything for you, my precious..."
"What if the Autobots come? To rescue her..." Alexis' voice became hard and harsh as she looked up at Megatron, a sick glee in her optics at the idea of seeing the Autobots crushed. Megatron merely replied softly, a cruel smile plastering his metal face.
"They won't be able to stomach it... They couldn't handle it... Not after I've finished improving upon her so she is a suitable gift for you..."
"I'd like it... if she could be left alone... It's easier to play that way, my Lord," she said, her head dipping to show her respect. Megatron gave a slow nod, quick to oblige.
"Of course, anything for my precious queen..."
"Thank you," she responded. Her grin had grown along with the joy in her optics.
Megatron nodded. "If you have no trouble with it, my queen, I have work to attend to..."
"I understand. May I see the girl?"
Megatron nodded again. "Of course, but don't interfere with her... 'sessions'..."
Alexis merely smiled. "I won't."
"Good... She's in the west-wing with Starscream and Soundwave. It's hard to miss..." Megatron said before turning and continuing down the corridor.
Alexis waited until Megatron was out of sight before starting to where Chloe was. She shifted her shape to a pitch black raven and flew there, knowing it was much faster. The wind on her wings reminded her of her new freedom and she cackled in delight. The few Decepticons she came across ignored her, already informed of her presence by Megatron as well as what would happen if they harmed her.
Screams reached the Xyleon, drawing her beady red eyes to the room from which they came from. No doubt Starscream and Soundwave were there with the child. She changed back to her true form with a deadly smirk before using the override on the door and strode inside.
The screams tapered off into a stinging silence, the two mechs' audios still stinging a little bit before turning their attention to Alexis.
"What do you want?" Starscream said, almost snarling, as he pulled the machinery suspended from the ceiling away from the girl. Blood streaked down her skin from her chest where, through her clothes, crude cuts were above her spark. Undoubtedly they were improving the strain her spark and body could take.
"Simply to watch. To be a Decepticon I must study a Decepticon. Don't mind me..." Alexis replied coolly. Starscream gave a soft strangled snarl before turning back and giving Soundwave the signal to continue. Once again, screams pierced everyone's audios as the human girl cried out in pain, begging for it to stop. Begging for it to be over. But the agony was unrelenting against her.
Alexis stayed near the door, watching Chloe's face as she screamed. The Xyleon felt her spark twist within her chest and once again, the first being when she saw Optimus Prime's expression at her new appearance, she was confused. This felt... wrong. As if her spark knew something she didn't. She dug her nails into her palms as she watched to assure herself that this wasn't wrong.
Chloe's eyes snapped shut in almost relief as the 'session' was over, panting as tears and blood ran down her body, strips of skin hanging from her chest where they cut at her violently. A soft whimper escaped her throat, enough to make Starscream, drive a small needle into her chest to shut her up. Every nerve was on fire, making her scream again as the needle was jabbed harshly into her chest. Nothing was said, and when Chloe's screams tapered off to nothing, a silence fell over the room.
"A... A... l... Al..." Broken speech softly worked its way through the silence, going ignored by the two mechs who left the room upon Alexis' orders. Slowly, Alexis approached the broken girl. She looked down at Chloe, and the harshness of her optics softened for a moment. "Al... e... Ale..." Chloe whimpered, her broken speech tapering off again into silence as she tried to hide the pain.
"Chloe, is it?" Alexis asked quietly. She knew the girl's name. Knew it well. But she wanted to start over and forget the foggy past. A slow, weakened nod answered her question, ragged breathing following it. "A child... A mere child... And yet they torture you here as if you were a villain. You won't grow to be one," Alexis said, gently pressing a single claw to Chloe's stomach.
The girl flinched, pain tearing through each of her nerves again as if she were being stabbed repeatedly. But no noise left her throat; she was determined to stay silent. Alexis moved away again, walking around the table Chloe was on.
Tears leaked ever so slowly from the Xyleon's optics, unnoticed by her own self, as she paced. Tears as a sign that she had forgotten. Something important.
"You belong to me now... So you know," she said softly.
"W... Wh... y...?" A weakened question came.
"You're a gift to me... from my Lord Megatron. To play with. To torture," she replied. She raised Chloe's chin gently with a claw. "A smart little creature... You do understand that I could kill you so easily, don't you?"
"W.. Wasn't... a... ask.. ing... t... th... at..."
"Then what were you asking?" Alexis snarled, her optics flashing in her anger. But she didn't press harder on Chloe's soft flesh. A soft whine left the girl's lips.
"W.. Why... a...re... you... c... cr... cry.. ing...?"
"What?" Alexis snapped her hand away from Chloe, bringing it up to her face to find that she was actually crying. She hissed in anger and wiped the tears away. "What are you doing to me?"
"I.. d... did... n... nothing... M.. Megatron... d... did it... M.. Made y... you... forget..."
"I've forgotten nothing!" Alexis roared in anger. Once again, she didn't touch Chloe to harm her. A flinch passed through the already trembling girl, feeling the Xyleon's, who used to be her best friend, anger. Alexis moved to the door, leaning against the wall to regain her balance. Her mind was coated in a thick fog, and she choked out a sob. "He'll see me as weak... thanks to you. Everything was perfect," Alexis said but her voice was drained of anger completely.
"I... did... n... nothing... He... h... hurt... y... you..." Chloe said weakly, the last of her strength leaving her as her optics fluttered shut.
"No... He fixed me," Alexis stated. She took up pacing near the door and was tempted to call Soundwave back to have him teach her how to properly torture a victim. Or at the very least change her again to make it so she couldn't stray from perfection.
"So why do.. you.. cry? Why.. do you... hesitate.. to call.. them back in... to hurt... me..?"
"Do you want me to? I sent them away to play with you myself. It would ruin my fun to just call them back."
"No... I don't... I'm just asking... if you're so... perfect... why do... you let me... talk to you.. this way?"
Alexis just growled and kept her distance.
"Tell me... why?"
"What do you fear?" Alexis asked suddenly.
"W... What?" Chloe said, not understanding.
"I already know the answer... But tell me. What are you afraid of most?"
"L... Losing... you... forever... A... Alexis..."
"You already have. You see... when the Autobots come, and they will at some point, we'll be waiting. As certain as my Lord is, I know just as strongly that they will come. We'll slaughter them all. Including those that won't die. Optimus Prime and Jazz."
"S... Shut up..."
"No. When they're gone, the Decepticons will rule. With me by Megatron's side. You'll lose everything. And I'll toss you aside. Forgotten," Alexis said with a cruel grin, her sharp white fangs catching the dim light of the room. A weak laugh came from Chloe's lips.
"No really... s... shut up..." A weak smile painted its way onto her face as she continued to laugh quietly. Alexis' face contorted in confusion at Chloe's laughter and she approached, unstrapping the human and holding her in one hand.
"Tell me why you're laughing or I'll crush you like a bug," she snapped. But Chloe just continued to laugh.
"Y... You're v... voice... Just... you altogether... You c... couldn't do it..."
"What?"
"You couldn't... do it... You're i... impossible... C... Caught between... two... personalities... I know... you... Alexis... And I know... you wouldn't... and can't... do.. that..." Alexis' optics went wide and flashed, going between blood red and soft blue as she began to tremble. Her hand tightened around Chloe just enough to cause the human to gasp in pain and Alexis growled in anger. Chloe cried out, her wounds from before still fresh and bleeding, "S... Stop! A... Alexis! P... Please!"
She could feel how torn Alexis was from the way the grip around her would loosen and tightened. The Xyleon's breathing was heavy and she was growling slightly still even as she put Chloe down.
"I know you can't do it... But you aren't weak either..." Chloe said, ragged breathing replacing her words as she sank to her knees and clutched her bleeding chest. Alexis only hissed as she kneeled and changed a hand into a blade. She used it to tear a strip from her dress and turned it back into a hand before moving to Chloe. She gently wrapped the long thin strip around Chloe's chest then wiped the blood off her hands on the skirt of her dress.
"W... Wha...?" The girl was confused. While the pain in her chest eased slightly, she still was no clearer than before. The Xyleon's actions making her even more confused.
"You tell any Decepticon and I will kill you myself. You're just a human. A tiny bug. I'm a Decepticon. You should remember that," Alexis said standing. She frowned down at Chloe and sighed. A weak nod was the child's answer. Alexis looked down at her blood stained hands and hissed in disgust. She walked to the door before looking back at Chloe. "I'll order them to leave you alone." A soft whine was all the Xyleon heard before she left the weakened human alone, slamming the door shut behind her.