DEFECTED. (ap)

Listening carefully, it was then Smokescreen realized Knockout made a valid point. The very same trail that lead him to Knockout had started this whole thing was proof enough. And given how he’d caught the other off guard, he reacted just as anyone would when caught doing something they weren’t suppose to do. Not to mention Knockout didn’t relax until they were underground and even now the Medic had yet to made a move to attack nor had he reverted back to his usual narcissistic nature.

Smokescreen was no tactician and was neither trained to pick out lies nor knew how to properly interrogate a mech, but even he could see how neatly everything lined up with Knockout’s claims, but that wasn’t enough to fully convince him.

Knockout may have just explained his reasons for wanting to defect, and it didn’t take a genius to figure out why Knockout hadn’t left right off the bat; it was too dangerous of a task for one mech alone, especially since he was valuable to the ‘Cons. And there was no doubt that Megatron would not let the Medic go that easily.

Still that brought up another round of questions, “alright but you know you’re going to have to elaborate further. What is your current criteria? What do the Autobots have that the ‘Cons don’t that you want? I know we’re make for better company,” he paused raising a servo to tick off his digits as he spoke, “we’re loyal, not gonna kill ya for simple mistakes. You can actually have a civil conversation with our leader. But even you know we don’t have even half the materials and supplies as the ‘Cons do. You’d have to forgo your comfortable life. So help me understand how switching sides is beneficial to you.”

     ━━  and so the questioning continued.  knock out sighed, optics directing their gaze to his pedes, clawed digits still tapping against his leg in thought.  sure, he had an answer to all of smokescreen’s questions;  his criteria now, what he wanted from the autobots, why he’d give up such a comfortable life aboard the nemesis for less than pleasant conditions.

or, perhaps if he looked at it another way, they were technically ideal.  more ideal than what he has to go through currently.

          ❛  my current criteria is actually doing GOOD and not killing everyone i see just because their methods to peace is different.  that, and what kind of peace IS there with a tyrannical ruler that has NO care for his own?  ❜  there’s a pause, as knock out paced slowly, trying his best to calmly explain.  ❛  yes, i am WELL aware of your current situation involving materials and supplies.  it is one of the many things i have been trying to help you obtain.  in fact, i was GOING to leave you a lead to a decepticon energon mine.  limited guards, enough energon to last you for a FEW weeks at most.  but, that’s besides the point.  ❜

knock out stopped his pacing, crimson optics redirecting their gaze to the other mech with a hint of uncertainty.  as if he was worried that smokescreen wasn’t believing what he said.  sure, his current posture demanded otherwise, but his overall emotion residing in his optics gave away any hidden emotions and intentions.

╰ ✾ ✧ * º • fields intertwined as though continuing the dance for them. the femme was overwhelmed by his emotions, feeling all too inexperienced once he returned the kiss.

          he was better – definitely better – && she stood on the tips of her pedes to get a better angle. knock out pulled her closer, plump lips curling into a small smile as she reached to hold the back of his neck. 

          carnelian parted for a klik, pale hues cycling just a tad wider. 

❝ i don’t think i’ve ever really had a perfect date until now. ❞

     ━━  knock out had to let the words  ━  and the moment  ━  sink in for a little bit, crimson optics shifting his gaze from her own optics down to where his digits were carefully holding onto her frame.  as if he was afraid of hurting her.

and perhaps, he was;  this date was nice, and perfect, and he couldn’t have asked for anything more from it nor her, but...

Pedes firmly planted on the ground, Smokescreen watched Knockout with obvious amusement as the other checked to make sure nothing was partly sticking out of a wall. Once his servo was free, Smokescreen was quick to cross his arms over his chassis, not that holding the other’s servo was unpleasant, it was just that it help to keep him from fidgeting while he waited for Knockout to get settled. 

Raising an optic ridge, Smokescreen gave a nod in reply, “yeah, yeah. I get it. Keep an open processor about it.” And to reserve his judgement for the end. As skeptical as he was about this whole thing, he was willing to trust that Knockout didn’t let him drag him all the way out here for nothing.

Partially distracted by his own thoughts running rampant, Smokescreen had to replay what the red mech had said, and even then he still had to take a moment to process it all. “…What?” He blurted out before he could stop himself. Uncrossing his arms, Smokescreen shook his helm and waved his servos in disbelief. “Hold up. Hold. Up. Are you serious? Like completely serious? Why?” Sure, he could think of a variety of reasons why anyone would want to defect, but as far as he knew Knockout liked being a ‘Con or at least Smokescreen thought he did. And to add another question to the slowly growing pile, wouldn’t defecting as Neutral suit the other better? Knockout never struck him as the type to be a team player sort, and if he had learned anything since landing on Earth, it’s that Autobots worked with each other, not against.

     ━━  and there it was.

knock out knew this was bound to happen and now he had to answer the most difficult question to answer;  why.  he had every reason why!  narrowing it down to key turning points was going to prove difficult, but whatever it took for smokescreen to know he was definitely being serious about it, he was going to try.  there were a few other key points that he had up his sleeve, to prove his case further.  it was a matter of making sure smokescreen listened.

          ❛  YES, i’m being serious.  very much so.  would i REALLY be so paranoid if i wasn’t being serious about this ordeal?  believe me when i say, i do not appreciate my current position, but it’s been...  BENEFICIAL, for the most part.  ❜  there was a slight pause in his speech, clawed digits nervously tapping his leg.  ❛  how do you think the autobots have been tracking the decepticons so well, hmm?  SABOTAGE, that’s how.  i’ve been working behind their backs and getting information to the autobots...  anonymously.  ❜

and now to explain why.  so sure, he’s explained a little bit about what he’s done to prove his point, but smokescreen had asked him why.  why he had switched sides, to the autobots no less, and why he hadn’t said a word of it.  even on the field, and when he was supposedly working for the ‘cons, when he acted oh-so-well.

Knock Out: Height is overrated.

     ━━  ❛  it is a very uncommon feature among cybertronians, but YES, there have been a few occasions and some of which have been past me.  i knew a bot that had this condition, but i cannot disclose ANY information of him since that breaches confidentiality.  ❜

Did they have to use a laser to cut him out? Were the Vehicons forced to help or was that honor given to Starscream? Or did Megatron just use his cannon to simply blast Knockout out. The possibilities were almost endless, and yet he would never know which one of his guess proved to be right.

He wanted so badly ask for further details, but now was not the time. They were on a time crunch, not to mention he doubted Knockout would want to spill such embarrassing details on the event. Oh well. “What do you know, the big guy actually does have a spark.” And all this time Smokescreen thought Megatron was all about revenge and a harsh sense of discipline.

“Don’t tell him I said that,” he chuckled, knowing that Knockout wouldn’t dare breathe a word of this whole encounter to the warlord or any other ‘Con for that matter. That was just asking to be sent straight for the Well.

With more patience then he normally had, Smokescreen waited for the medic to take his offered servo, tensing only slightly once the clawed digits grazed his palm as he hadn’t been expecting such a gentle touch. Gentle was not a word he would normally associate with ‘Con, careful maybe, but not gentle.

“Sure thing, Doc.” That was the only warning he gave before using their joined servos, to activate the Phase Shifter, dropping them down to the caverns below. As many times as he used the relic to phase through walls and the like, the sensation of harmlessly falling through the ground below him never failed to get his spark racing. It was a sense of trill he could never get tired of.

     ━━  knock out was amused by smokescreen’s comment before, but he was definitely going to make no mention of it whatsoever to anyone.  the last thing he needed to do was to slip up and spill that he had been talking with the enemy in the first place.  if he had made one simple mistake, one little mistake that brought suspicions to a whole new level, he was dead.

the feeling of travelling through to the caverns was both thrilling and mildly terrifying.  knock out was mostly worried that he was going to be stuck in a wall yet again, but he figured that as long as he didn’t let go of the other mech’s servo, everything would go down smoothly and he wouldn’t be stuck in a wall.  in which it did happen and everything worked out, and now he was standing in a cavern with no way out except with smokescreen.  and he just had to hope smokescreen was going to know he was speaking the truth.

after a moment of silence, knock out hesitantly pulled his servo away, double checking to make sure that nothing was going to be stuck in some sort of surface or wall.  when he was sure, he carefully brushed off a bit of dirt.  it was expected, of course, but it didn’t mean he was going to like it.

          ❛  alright, i promised you answers.  and i’m going to PROVIDE them to you.  the last thing i need you to do is to not believe me, and i can understand why you wouldn’t, but...  ❜

knock out tapped his digits against his arms, optic ridges furrowing out of nerves and anticipation and concern.  what if smokescreen wouldn’t believe him?  he was going to tell the other mech everything he had done, sure, but what if that wasn’t enough?  could he trust that maybe smokescreen would be at least understanding of the situation beforehand?  so many questions circled his processor, but for now, he needed to get the main fact out...

“Um…” Knockout was right to think this wasn’t going to be positive, and Chloe very nearly backed out of saying it. But she had to tell him; she couldn’t keep hiding this. It had been a nice period of being treated just like a normal human though. “Okay, there’s no easy way to say this. I’m- I’m not fully human. I’m part Cybertronian, or… a techno-organic,” she said quietly, swallowing nervously. Her mouth was suddenly very dry. 

“I… found out when I was fourteen, and these humans… they, uh…” Chloe took a deep, shaky breath, closing her eyes for a moment. Her chest tightened at the memories, but the girl was determined not to start panicking. She wasn’t there anymore, she was okay.

 “They took me away, and… experimented on me. I’d just had my world turned upside-down, and I didn’t get chance to let it sink in because of them.” She paused, blinking a few times to hold back the tears starting to form. “I’m sorry. I’m not trying to make you feel bad.”

     ━━  knock out intently listened as the poor human  ━  techno-organic?  he didn’t really know  ━  told her story, explaining her status.  knock out felt the weight of the world on his shoulders as she explained how she had been experimented on previously, and how she practically didn’t have a childhood.  in a way, knock out could empathize, but he was bad enough at emotions.  he’d just try to instead understand the situation.

but, despite her not wanting to make him feel bad, he felt worse.  one of the things he had striven to achieve, despite the cruelty of it all, and she was standing right in front of him.  a techno-organic.  as if it was magic.  though, instead of asking questions about her past, knock out just tried to help the situation in any sort of way.

     ━━  knock out had a bad feeling about this situation from the beginning, but he was only just starting to adjust to the little sparkling’s presence when he had decided to quickly analyse the frame and to determine what it was.  upon realizing it was a femme, the cherry mech was a little confused and a little concerned.  he thought of femmes to be more fragile in nature, perhaps due to their frame  ━  never by personality, because he knew some who were more dangerous than some mechs he knew.

but he was mostly confused about where the sparkling came from.  he was planning to avoid questioning it, but now the question was occupying his processor just a little bit more than he would’ve liked.  still, if he could just ensure this little sparkling’s safety with the autobots…

but he was just a little too exhausted right now.