I wanted to write a death scene. It didn't go well. I decided to tack it onto this oneshot.
The last Insecticon fell to the ground, its wings giving a final twitch before it ceased all movement. Arcee retracted her blasters and dusted her servos off. "All in a day's work, right, Knock Out?" She turned to face him, hand on her hip.
He was just gaping. She frowned. "It's not like you've never seen me fight before." She watched his face, followed his optics as they tilted downwards. Then she saw it.
His servos shaking, energon dripping down his frame, his entire face contorted in agony. A long, metallic, pointed object protruding from his chest.
"Oh, Primus, no." She grabbed one of his arms as he slumped forward. "Knock Out, Knock Out, listen to me. Tell me how to fix this."
His head rolled lazily to look at her. He was quiet. Trying to get power to his vocalizer seemed like a very taxing thing. "Breakdown," he finally spat out.
"What?"
"Have..." He went quiet again, grimacing, optics offlining. "Have Bulkhead say something. He... he knew him. Sort of."
"Knock Out. Shut up. Tell me how to fix this."
"Can't." He seemed to be attempting to grin at her. "Spark chamber's been... grazed... my spark energy's leaking out. Nothing... to do about it."
Arcee steeled herself and looked- really looked- at the object buried in Knock Out.
It was a leg.
Airachnid's leg.
Arcee's optics snapped back up to look at the mech. "Where is she."
He attempted to gesture, to show Arcee where to go, but his servo only raised an inch or so before dropping again. "Ah... she's over there somewhere... in pieces. She won't bother you... anymore."
"Knock Out, how?"
"Buzzsaw... works wonders. I didn't realize... why she wasn't running... until I saw... well, this." He weakly raised his servo again, and Arcee noticed he was referring to the appendage embedded in his torso. "Didn't feel it... 'till the combat protocols... shut off."
Arcee, at this point, decided the best thing to do was ease him through his final moments. She had only done this a few other times. Once the war ended, she thought she'd never have to watch the spark leave another Cybertronian's eyes again.
"...You should've saved some of her, Knock Out. I wanted her dead just as much as you."
"Ah, I did! I saved... a little for you..." He seemed to be trying to smile again as he gestured to the piece of metal that was slowly killing him.
Arcee laughed. Laughed at this sick, twisted humor he was attempting, and she idly thought that maybe he too was attempting to ease himself through the pain.
Then he spoke. All the humor had left his voice. "Arcee."
"Yes?"
"The Pit. Am I... going to the Pit?"
"Nobody goes to the Pit. You'll become one with the Allspark."
"But... I've done things..."
"No, Knock Out, you aren't going to the Pit."
"But if I do... and I see..." his vocalizer spat static. "Ah... if I see Breakdown again... in the Pit... that would be good."
"Knock Out, you'll become one with the Allspark. Breakdown will be there."
He finally managed a smile at that thought. "Have my frame... repaired... I don't want to be buried with a... ruined finish."
"Alright. I'll make sure."
"Thank you." And his entire frame went limp, optics and vocalizer offlining.