Upon getting back to the hotel at Velocitron Knock Out had some energon before turning in for the night, since both Smokescreen and Bumblebee had already gone to their rooms to recharge to be ready for the next race.
But woke up again around 4am feeling sick.
"Oh scrap I think I had some bad energon." Knock Out groaned as he got up having to lean against the wall for support as he slowly made his way out the door of his room heading down the hallway.
He somehow made it outside and was heading to the medbay that had been set up near the track for the racers to use wanting to get treatment for what he guessed was energon poisoning, But it was strange because he wasn't feeling nauseous just weak.
Just as he was about to approach the medbay he was suddenly yanked from behind and dragged into an alley where he was slammed against a wall.
"Why?!" Knock Out yelped feeling startled as whoever jumped him continued to beat him into the wall.
"Because you let Breakdown die!" Hissed a voice that he recognized as Offroad.
"Yeah we were gonna leave the war and all settle down here on Velocitron but Breakdown decided to stay with the Decepticons to stay with you!" Growled Wild Rider. "If it wasn't for you he would still be here."
"I didn't know he never told me that." Knock Out said in shock as he attempted to get back to his peds since Offroad had let him slump to the ground.
"Yeah then Motor Mater and Dragstrip both left us to pursue the Decepticon cause as well and found three other bots to form Menasure with." Deadend added.
"But that sounds like it was their choice I didn't force Breakdown to go to Earth with me and I didn't tell Motor Mater and Dragstrip to stay Decepticons!" Knock Out whimper he still felt sick and now after the beat down he also felt sore and scared and just wanted to get to the medbay.
But the three Stunticons weren't done with him yet, Knock Out tried to crawl away only for one of them he didn't see which one to pull him back by the ankle struts and the other two forced him to his feet then started beating him again.
"PLEASE STOP!" The red medic pleaded, But they didn't listen and poor Knock Out just knew they were going to kill him.
"Wait stop!" Yelled a voice making the three Stunticons look to where it had come from, And there stood Black Jack who was still recovering from being pretty much blown up at the race the day before.
"Knock Out tried to help me yesterday on the track even after I literally tried to wreck him so if any of you lay another servo on him you have to answer to me!" Black Jack practically screamed at them.
They all listened and backed off knowing Black Jack had a temper and not wanting to deal with him when he was mad, Black Jack then made the others help bring Knock Out to the medbay, The Austin Martin thanked Black Jack with his optics before passing out from how sick and beat up he was.
The next morning Knock Out woke up in the medbay having been treated for his injuries and was feeling better.
"Knock Out thank goodness your ok!" Smokescreen said as he and Bumblebee walked in.
"What happened?" Asked Bumblebee.
"Well long story short I had a rough night." Knock Out told them before explaining what happened.
"Good news you should be fine and healed in time for the main race just take it easy today and tomorrow." A nurse working at the medbay told Knock Out.
"Well that's good since I already won the first qualifier race I don't even need to compete until the main one." He replied glad he would still be able to help with the mission.
"You had a mild sedative in your system but it should have already worn off now." The nurse added as she left so they could talk.
"That's probably why I felt sick last night." Knock Out explained. "But why drug me now when I didn't have to compete in the race anyway?"
"I think it may have been meant for me." Smokescreen explained.
"When you went to check on Starscream last night I accidentally spilled the energon cube that was left in the cafeteria for you so I gave you mine and took a space bridge to Macadam's." Smokescreen told him. "I'm sorry it turned out to be spiked."
"It's ok you didn't know and it was a kind jester." Knock Out reassured him. "So how long was I out in the medbay and how much did I miss?"
"You were out for most of the day and some good new Smokescreen won the second qualifier race." Bumblebee explained.
"That's good now you just need to win the one tomorrow and we'll all three be in the race." Knock Out told Bee and then congratulated Smokescreen.
Just then Black Jack came in both Smokescreen and Bumblebee got ready to defend Knock Out.
"It's ok guys he helped me last night." Knock Out assured them.
"I just wanna apologize for trying to wreck you in the race and for the other Stunticons attacking you, And I know what happened to Breakdown wasn't your fault and that if he was here he wouldn't want his team attacking his best friend." Black Jack said to the red spots car.
"And I also wanna thank you for trying to help me in the race." He added.
"Well I am a medic and you saved me last night so I think we're even." Knock Out told the Stunticon as they shook hands having now made peace with each other.
"The other Stunticons have agreed not to attack you anymore but also don't want to talk to you, I hope they'll come around eventually." Black Jack explained.
"It's fine I'm just glad I don't have to worry about being jumped again." Knock Out replied then they said goodbye as Black Jack left to join the other Stunticons.
And Knock Out was able to leave the medbay but told to take it easy till the main race.
The current leader of Velocitron Ransack then came to see them saying he wanted to make sure Knock Out was ok after hearing about the spiked energon situation.
"Hey isn't there also a Ransack in the race?" Asked Smokescreen.
"Yeah we have the same name and yes it does get confusing." Ransack explained.
"Have you heard from Override or Moonracer?" Knock Out asked. "I know you and Override were rivals back in the day so might not be on the best of terms but I haven't seen her or Moonracer since we got here and I'm worried about them."
"They were two of the winners who went missing." Ransack replied. "I would like to know what became of them myself, make you a deal if I hear from them I'll let you know if you hear from them let me know."
"Ok I just hope their alright." Knock Out agreed feeling his spark sink very worried about his friends.
Then Ransack had to leave to take care of some leadership duties since Override was missing it was keeping him busy.
Bumblebee and Smokescreen were glad to see that Ransack had turned himself around but all Knock Out could think about was Override and Moonracer hoping they were ok.
Meanwhile Starscream was still scouting out Kaon trying to learn if any of the Decepticons were involved in what was happening to the racers on Velocitron and was in a night club.
He had Blue Jay inside his subspace after discovering the bumble puppy liked it there and cried anytime he left him alone, Starscream had been punched out three more times over things he didn't remember from the high grade incident and each time bumble puppy Blue Jay had come out of his subspace and ran up and licked his faceplates.
Then Starscream saw the last bot he wanted to run into Megatron.
"Hi?" The seeker said wonder what his former master was doing here.
"I've come here to keep you in check." Megatron hissed coldly giving his former second in command a death glare. "To make sure you don't mess up."
"Ok." Starscream said letting his wings drop this was going to be a long night, obviously the old warlord didn't trust him and just wouldn't leave him alone, But Starscream was doing his best not to let it get to him.
Then Megatron grabbed Starscream by the wrist and started dragging him around like a human five year old and Blue Jay was growing at the warlord from inside Starscream's subspace the whole time and the seeker made sure to keep it locked so the bumble puppy wouldn't try to attack the former gladiator.
Megatron keep looking around with his optics trying to figure out where the growling was coming from.
Starscream was surprised because it was the first time he had ever heard a bumble puppy growl he didn't even know they were capable of hostility, one thing was for sure Blue Jay didn't like Megatron.
Starscream explained that he had a bumble puppy and showed Blue Jay to Megatron only for said bumble puppy to bite Megatron on the digit then leaked transmission fuel all over his servo before Starscream took Blue Jay back and returned him to his subspace.
Megatron just hissed and rolled his optics.
Starscream had been hoping that by introducing Blue Jay to the warlord it would get him to stop growling but he continued to growl from the seeker's subspace which Megatron actually seemed to find amusing.
Then Megatron started dragging Starscream by the servo again gripping it so hard that it was causing it to bend and the seeker tried to pull away because it was causing him pain.
"Let go your hurting me!" Starscream shouted.
"Hurting you is the only way to get through to you and make you do anything right!" Megatron growled.
Then Starscream managed to free his arm from Megatron's vice like grip and started to leave, Only for the gladiator to grab one of his wings.
"Your a worthless excuse for a seeker and I know your going to betray the Autobots sooner or later and I'm going to make sure you remember not to turn on them because it's in your nature to lie and backstab and pain is the only.." Megatron was cut off by Starscream turning around and slashing his chestplats with his claws.
"Thing I understand!" Starscream finished for him giving him a death glare. "You really think I can't understand anything else well here's what I understand ever since day one all you've ever done is tare me down and try to break me both physically and mentally!"
"Well maybe I'm not good enough and never will be and maybe no one will ever trust, forgive or take me seriously but I'm here trying to make up for the wrong I did and now I realize no one will ever accept me except maybe Knock Out and Blue Jay but I'm going to try to do the right thing and I'm not letting you or anything you say or do to me stop me, Just leave me alone Megatron!" And with that Starscream stormed out of the night club.
And several bots at the club who had listened in on what had just went down clapped and cheered then booed after Megatron when he left.
Megatron didn't see which way Starscream took off in so headed back to where he'd been staying.
Starscream kept going till he was a good distance away from the club and took a seat on a bench as soon as he was sure Megatron hadn't followed him.
Then the seeker broke down sobbing.
Blue Jay suddenly came out of his master's subspace and started licking him and cuddling to him to comfort him.
"Good boy." Starscream said as he wiped away his coolant tears and petted the bumble puppy.
To Be Continued.
Hope this chapter turned out ok, Some of the dialog was tricky to come up with, I'll try to get the next chapter up soon in the meantime feel free to send feedback.