Clenching her fist tightly, Anna stormed her way towards the set replicated to resemble the Nemesis's medbay. Whether they were human or Cybertronian, cast and crew members quickly stepped aside, while others paused what they were doing to watch her storm past. No one said anything nor attempted to stop her, having never seen such a look of frustration on her face before. Not since Knock Out had stranded her on a high beam a few weeks previous.

"I can't believe that jerk. Wasn't our names enough?" the young woman grumbled under her breath and tightened her grip on the script trapped in her tight fist. Really, the absolute idiocy of the director. Or perhaps she should say audacity.

Fortunately, as she stormed into the fake medbay, she spotted the very person she had been wanting to speak to. She figured this was where she'd find him. He normally was here, especially when there was an upcoming scene. He had to make the replica as accurate as possible. Not that any human watching the film would know the difference. Who cared if the medical tools or monitors were only centimetres off? Oh, right, Knock Out did. Speaking of which, thanks to her walking heavier than intended, he was able to hear her the moment she entered.

"Well," he smirked and turned himself away from the pristine scapulae he had been shining. "Don't you look scary today. What's wrong, Annabelle? Did you happen to find a nasty surprise in your trailer or something of the like?"

"I haven't had time to visit my trailer yet." The young woman responded briskly, making her way to a hidden ladder attached to one of the fake consoles. She rolled her eyes and let out a small scoff. "I just finished talking to the director."

Knock Out's expression faltered, mouth forming a small frown as he turned himself around to face her fully. Crossing his arms against himself, he leaned up against the tool tray. "Ouch. And I take it that didn't go well?"

"Not really, no." Relaxing her grip on the script, though still not letting it go, she made her way up the ladder. Upon reaching her destination, however, and now slightly more eye level with the Decepticon medic, she tossed it in front of her. "Ugh, I want to smack him!"

"Don't we all." Knock Out snorted with a roll of his optics, between amused and wistful. "Trust me, if it weren't beneath me to do so, I would have done something about it by now." Well, as long as Megatron allowed him to anyway. And that was if the Warlord didn't call dibs either. That said, there was still a part of him that wanted a little payback for making him some kind of reluctant hero of sorts.

"So," the mech shrugged, lifting an arm and elegantly flicking his claws. "What did the oh so great director decide on this time, hmm? Switch you out for someone else? Make it so you so graciously fall in love with me?"

"Ugh, don't even joke about that last one." Anna shuddered and a small smirk reappeared on Knock Out upon watching her. She shook her head and sighed, moving both hands through her hair. "No. It deals with our 'characters' untold past together. And why yours is so torn about saving mine."

That once more wiped the grin off the medic's face, though he raised an optic ridge in turn. Oh? Well, that certainly got his attention. Standing himself a little straighter, he held out the same servo he used to flick his claws with. Gesturing it towards the young woman and urging her to continue.

"And why would that be?"

Anna rolled her eyes and exaggeratedly turned her gaze away from the Decepticon with a heavy huff. When she spoke next, her voice dripped heavily with sarcasm. "He thought it would be such a great idea to use our real-life past as a backstory."

"... Come again?" If his smirk hadn't fully vanished before, it certainly did now, replaced with an expression that could only be described as unamused confusion. Uttering something mixed between a scoff and a laugh, Anna briskly crossed her arms and paced across the fake console.

"Yeah, that was my first reaction too. And want to know the best part about it?" Anna asked, her voice still dripping with annoyed sarcasm. She didn't wait for Knock Out to respond before she stopped moving and spun her gaze back onto him, throwing her arms out next to her. "He has no plans to explain this in the movie itself. No flashbacks, no additional lines referencing it, nothing. But who knows how long that will last."

"Oh for the love of the All Spark." Lifting a servo to his face, Knock Out bowed his head and pinched the middle of his face. "Of all the convoluted things he could have decided on... I honestly don't know why it surprises me at this point."

"Oh, it doesn't really surprise me at all." Anna scoffed and took a moment to stare down at her script. The pages had become rather wrinkled thanks to her relatively tight grip, and a few edges were even ripped. Aside from that, it still appeared perfectly readable but the urge to rip it into pieces was getting harder to ignore.

"But that still doesn't change the fact I want to punch that arrogant ass in his arrogant face. I mean... why the hell bring up our past at all?" Her voice rose to a bit of a yell and Anna stomped her foot with a heavy huff. "Sure, it could help explain things in the movie but... for crying out loud, wasn't using our real names enough?"

"Apparently not." Knock Out rolled his optics, once more leaning against the tool tray as he removed his servo from his face. He blinked, studying the human for a moment before a thin smile formed on his face. "Although, I must admit, anger is a good look on you."

Anna's expression dropped and she crossed her arms with a roll of her eyes. "Gee, Shiny, thanks so much. That's real helpful right now."

"I do do my best." Knock Out smirked, his frame subtly vibrating as he otherwise restrained his laughter. Well, for the most part. Either way, his expression faltered a moment later and he mirrored Anna's arm cross with one of his own.

"So," he started, his tone more serious as he tilted back his helm, the overhead lights of the studio being the only thing that looked back down, "the director wants to use our past as to why my 'character' feels sympathetic. And yet... has no intentions of actually explaining this in the movie itself."

Yeah... that sounds about right for that delusional human. The fact it hadn't been brought up before though made Knock Out wonder if it was a last-minute decision. He was getting rather... famous for those. Or perhaps the doctor should say infamous. It was already rather strange how seriously he was taking a movie like this in the first place.

Well... at least it better explains the whole 'hero' aspect of it. Not that it made him any happier though. Honestly, the idea Knock Out would still risk his frame by betraying Megatron over a single human was still insulting. Fiction or not.

"Yep, that's pretty much what he told me." Sighing heavy once again, Anna's shoulders sagged and she kicked exaggeratedly at her script. To her dissatisfaction it remained intact and she lifted her head back to Knock Out with a small huff. "Probably knew we'd retaliate if we knew earlier."

"And if we did retaliate, he probably would have made it so much worse for us." Knock Out pointed out and couldn't stop his mouth from pulling into a small smirk as his eyes narrowed at the human woman. "Such as developing a romantic subplot for my gallant efforts in saving your life."

Anna bristled and quickly uncrossed her arms to jab a finger in his direction. "My character's life and I told you not to joke about that. Especially in places crew members might hear and report back to the directors. Or," her gaze lifted to the nearest camera. This one meant for security rather than to film scenes. "where the director might be watching. The last thing we want is to give him more ideas."

"Really?" Manoeuvring himself slightly, Knock Out shifted one of his servos under his chin in fake thoughtfulness, his smirk stretching a little further. "Personally, I think it would be an interesting twist for the so-called sequel. Your character, forever in debt to mine for helping save her life." He chuckled, his frame more visibly shaking as he moved his servo to his chest. "How couldn't she fall helplessly in love?"

"I mean it, Shiny," Anna snarled, both hands balling into fists as she snapped her gaze back to the Decepticon, her cheeks turning a slight pink color. "Stop now or I will make the next take very awkward for you."

"More awkward than you, declaring your undying love, for me?" Knock Out pushed and his crimson optics flashed challengingly as he leaned closer towards her. His smirk stretched and his next words were silky and smooth. "And in front of the entire set crew, no less?"

"You do that, and I will make you regret it." Anna, not one to be pushed around, especially by Knock Out, didn't back down. Though, she did have the strongest urge to throw her discarded script in his face. Knock Out's frame rumbled as he chuckled and leaned back with a smug smirk.

"I don't doubt you would." He responded, his tone just as annoyingly smug as his face. Fortunately, said smugness slipped back into a neutral expression as he pulled away before Anna could enact her desire to assault his face with a wad of paper. Courtesy of the script still lying within arm's length by her feet.

"In any matter, I do believe the subject of our past being used as a backstory for why our characters know each other must be addressed with the director. Not that I think it will end up doing much." he added that last part more so to himself. Anna simply rolled her eyes and snatched her script off the ground before making her way back to the ladder again.

"I doubt it." She bit back and, despite the urge to just drop it, began to climb down while still holding the script. "I already tried. He insists it's perfect. And the fact that only we really know what went on makes it better for our characters on an emotional level."

Yeah, perfect her fleshy butt! It was downright insulting! To both them and the poor audience who'd be watching this movie. Sure, it's not as if she couldn't understand some secrecy. It helps with tension and keeps you guessing what happened. But no explanation at all? Forget just confusing; if it was her watching the movie, or one like this, Anna would probably find herself disappointed.

And how couldn't she feel insulted? It was her past with Knock Out. How they met. How they got involved with each other. How he was the reason she got involved with the Autobots in the first place. All because he couldn't resist kidnapping her when he spotted her and her uncle at a car show. That was it! Nothing special! Certainly nothing to write home about; let alone turn into a movie backstory.

Knock Out's smirk widened as he watched the human descend the ladder, returning to leaning against the tool cart with an air of confident arrogance. "Oh, I'm sure if anyone can come up with some clever ideas to make him regret suggesting such a preposterous idea, it's you."

Though that touch of pink never left her face, a growing smile quickly replaced the girl's irritation, quickly followed by a chuckle. "Oh, you better believe I have a few ideas up my sleeve, and I know I can count on you to play along when it happens."

And with that, feeling better now that she was able to let off some steam, Anna began to walk off. Her steps much lighter and, though it was already wrinkled and ripped, her script held with a more normal grip. She only made it a few steps before she stopped, a look of realization dawning on her face. She blinked, staring forwards for what felt like minutes though in reality was a few seconds before turning her head to look over her shoulder.

"... What did you say about my trailer earlier?"

For context please read both the GPT generated story Anna's Adventure in Megatron's Stomach as well as Anna's bio in the list of Prime One shots to which her 'history' with Knock Out is briefly mentioned. I also created a few short bios on this Universe's Decepticons. I may post them later