Chapter 19: An Experiment of Extreme Change

CONTENT WARNING: Nothing really, but the way I'm writing it will probably make it feel a bit disturbing.

WRITER NOTE: Also probably the seeds of a crackship start to form that Sly fans may or may not like.

Shockwave is ready to begin his experiment and has trapped his organic mouse assistant, Penelope in her robot body head.

Penelope: Shockwave! What's happening!? What are you doing!?

Shockwave: I have neglected to mention this experiment….. you are a big component of it. Don't be frightened, I guarantee you will not be substantially injured.

He fires up the machine. Electricity starts to flow through the wires and into the Baronite body. Despite his words, Penelope is terrified for her life.

Penelope: SHOCKWAVE! PLEASE GET ME OUT! PLEASE! THIS ISN'T WHAT I WANT!

The machine gets stronger by the minute. 10%. 25%. 47%. 64%. All of this is happening while Penelope is trapped, screaming and pleading for her life. Shockwave just watches. As the machine gets more stronger, her organic body inside the Baronite head starts to feel weaker, but she still screams and yells as loud as she can.

Penelope: (weakening) Shock…..wave…I beg of you…(cries)...please let me out…..!

Slight Lavender color accents start to appear on the robot body. Then what looks like a mouse tail, ears and nose begin to form on it. In what she thinks are her final moments as she keeps weakening, she says something she knows nobody will hear.

Penelope: (cries) Bentley…I am so…sorry…

Her organic body faints in the robot head. Back out, the machine is at 92%. Shockwave has been watching. Hearing Penelope scream and cry for help. He's slowly been realizing that….. she never wanted this. The Decepticon scientist then does everything in his power to prevent the completion.

Shockwave: PENELOPE! I PROMISE I WILL GET YOU OUT!

He removes the Allspark fragment from the machine, but suddenly remembers that the fragment wasn't POWERING the machine, it was CHARGING the machine and it's still going. Now at 95%. He keeps trying rapidly to blast and shoot at the machine with his gun hand, but it doesn't work and remembers building it with very tough steel. The process is now at 98%.

Shockwave: DAMMIT! WHY DO I ALWAYS BUILD WITH THE BEST MATERIALS!?

Shockwave throws everything and everything he can at his invention in hopes it'll stop. Alas, it reaches 100% completion and bursts of energy flow through the wires to the body, causing a blast, knocking Shockwave back a little. The changed Baronite body is sizzling. The process has been completed. The body slowly starts movement and quickly speaks. It moans then looks at itself.

?: (Screams) Wha-wha-WHAT AM I!?

Shockwave: Penelope…I am so sorry….. It was too late for me to realize that this was not what you wanted.

Penelope, once an organic mouse, is now a fully formed mechanical transformer. Completely merged with her Headmaster Baronite body. She gets up off the bed and almost immediately transforms into her toy RC Car she scanned earlier, only this time it is WAY bigger and transforms back.

Shockwave: I have observed….. since you were brought here….that you were so fascinated with what I taught you and Cybertronian culture….. you even built yourself a body to pilot. I had a strong feeling…..like you wanted to be one of us.

Penelope: (sighs) Maybe in a way….. I did.

Shockwave: No. I should not have forced this on you! You can leave! Go join the Autobots! They would want someone like you.

Penelope: No. If Megatron found out, he would terminate you! Also I have the suspicion my Ex is currently working with them so….yeah.

Shockwave: You should not worry about what happens to me.

Penelope: Yes I will! I….have made some bad choices… been manipulated by bad people… lost someone who I thought would be cool with what I had planned for us…..got sent to prison…I am ready to start a new life.

Shockwave: You have to understand…. It is likely you will never be organic again.

Penelope: I am fine with that. I'll get used to it. Tell me, is Cybertron peaceful and beautiful?

Shockwave: Right now, that's debatable. There's our way of peace through tyranny and the Autobots' inferior ideas of peace.

Penelope: I think I would want peace either way.

She hugs Shockwave. He feels a bit flustered, as nobody has probably ever been this passionate towards him. Megatron walks in.

Megatron: Shockwave. Have you completed the Experiment?

He sees Penelope and observes her.

Megatron: It seems you have. Excellent work, as usual Shockwave! This organic to Decepticon process will be very useful to us in the future. Lovely Lady you made here, but she could use what Knock Out calls a "Makeover". Be back in a minute.

The Leader walks out and comes back a minute later with the Seekers Skywarp and Thundercracker, as well as Knock Out holding a stick with a burning Decepticon insignia on the end. The Seekers hold Penelope down.

Penelope: Hey! What are you doing!?

Shockwave: Megatron, can we talk about this?

Megatron: Silence, Shockwave! (To Penelope) Baronite-

Penelope: It's Penelope!

Megatron: You will now be known by all of us as Baronite! "Penelope" is a name for a weakling that strikes fear into nobody. Anyways, we usually have a ceremony for this type of thing, but since you have been with us for a while…. we will just get this over with.

Shockwave: Megatron, Please!

Megatron: SILENCE! (To Penelope) Now, do you pledge allegiance to your leader and no one else and would lay your life down for him?!

She looks around to see nasty looks from the other 'cons.

Penelope: (Nervously) Uhhhh…..yeah.

Megatron: Do you want to achieve peace through tyranny by assisting in eventually vanquishing the Autobots once and for all!

Penelope: (Still nervous) Ummmm…yes.

Megatron: Then prove that you are Decepticon worthy and speak the Oath! All. Hail. Megatron.

Penelope: (On the verge of tears) All… hail…..Megatron.

Megatron: I now declare you, Baronite, a new member of our Decepticon cause.

Knock Out pushes the end of his stick with the burning insignia on Penelope's shoulder, imprinting a Decepticon symbol on it. The Seekers let go of her and leave the room.

Megatron: Baronite, I suggest you get rid of the pinks and lavenders on you. Black, Gray, Red or Purple are primary colors for us Decepticons.

Everyone walks out of the lab. Carmelita overheard most of what happened and doesn't know what to think of the now Decepticon Penelope. She then sees Shockwave and from what the best she can tell, he is really guilty for what he's done. This makes her wonder if all Decepticons are complete villains or if some like Starscream or Shockwave were manipulated or indebted into joining the group lead by the Maniacal Metal Monster known as Megatron and they partially feel mentally enslaved. She almost asks Starscream about her thoughts but decides not to. Carmelita glares at Megatron from her cell. He turns his head and glares back at her and a devilish grin appears on his face.

Megatron: Say, Shockwave? I'm not pressuring you, but if you want to try another organic-to-Decepticon experiment, Ms. Fox over there would be the perfect test subject.

Shockwave: (Sad and apathetic) I will ponder it, Megatron.

Megatron: (Walking out of the room) Has anyone heard from or have been communicated by Soundwave? It's been a while.

Carmelita feels terrified of the thought of being turned into a Decepticon Transformer against her will. She fights justice with criminals. She does not battle in wars on the wrong side as a robot. Her cellmate in the corner notices her anxiety and in a rarity for him, comforts her.

Starscream: It's going to be alright. I have the feeling that he will be here to save you soon.