Regality (A TFP Predacon story)

Four

Note: italics will be used to show the predacons speaking.

———

Hours had passed and now the ice was very thin. Shockwave could now use his scanners to see each predacon's vitals. He studied the form of the two, making observations and recording what he found. The femme's energon tanks were very low, but the mech's were the opposite, giving him more of an advantage in a fight.

Predaking also studied the predacons, looking at them in wonder. He was looking at his great ancestors. He wondered what they were like. Were they intelligent like him, or were they true beasts?

Many more hours passed.

Shockwave had left for his lab to record his observations in the Nemesis' database. Predaking had also left to refuel in case he got involved in the fight as well. Though, he would do his best not to.

—

No bot was around when it happened.

The little femme had broken free from her frozen predicament first, the mech still unaware of the ice issue. The femme did little to acknowledge that she had been trapped and instead took the unaware mech's situation as an advantage and she came up with a plan.

—

An unholy screech caught Predaking's attention and he glanced over at Shockwave who had heard it as well. Without a word, the two hurried to where the predacons were left to thaw out and they spotted only one: the mech.

The mech was angry and looked around furiously, presumably for the femme.

"Where are you, you little wench?!" He snarled.

Behind the two watchers, Megatron as well as Starscream, Soundwave, and Knockout had arrived at the commotion.

"Wonderful." Starscream muttered to himself, "more beasts."

"Quiet a beautiful creature." Knockout added, "err... but I thought there were two? Where's the fe-"

A shriek cut the medic off. It was higher pitched than the mech's screech; more feminine. The sound was even softer sounding, yet assertive.

A black mass darted from the clouds, hitting the mech in the helm and gliding up and around, striking the back of his helm. It was the femme.

She flew around and landed on a small outcropping of rocks and shrieked once more, spreading out her wings to look bigger.

The mech turned around and snarled, sounding a challenge to her, daring her to strike once more. He lowered himself closer to the ground and bared his teeth.

The femme lowered her wings and moved them in front of her like a shield. But instead of using them to block any attacks, she used them to make her look like a bigger, more intimidating threat with the optic-like circles on their ends. Then, she brought them back up, shrieked once more, and flapped her wings, rising into the air.

The mech rose up as well, and the two charged, crashing into each other, snapping and clawing to afflict any kind of damage possible.

"Interesting. Their fighting has little strategy, little thought, only raw, primitive power." Shockwave noted.

The mech managed to grab the femme's tail in his jaws at some point and he tore off one of the fin-like parts at the very end of the tail that gave her balance and control over her flying. He tossed the part aside.

The femme roared in pain. She backed up several steps and whined, turning her head to check the damage. She couldn't fly without both fins.

Now the femme was getting desperate to win. Losing meant either becoming his mate unwillingly or simply death. She preferred the latter of the two, but she would fight until her end.

The heat was forming in her chest. The mech noticed and his optics widened. This wasn't any ordinary heat. The femme wasn't a fire-breathing dragon. He realized all too late.

The heat traveled into her mouth and it crackled.

Electricity.

The femme shot it out, hitting the mech right in his spark chamber. The overwhelming amount of power caused his spark to burst, causing a great explosion, which destroyed him entirely.

The femme spread her wings and shrieked once more, this time in victory. Then, she collapsed onto the ground. Her tanks were running on fumes. She was so, so tired.

Meanwhile, the watchers were all quiet until Predaking spoke up.

"She is a more electricity-based dragon rather than a fire-breather." He said.

"She will make a perfect addition to our cause." Megatron smirked, "Predaking, gain her trust and have her tell you anything Shockwave wishes to know and teach her to be a true Decepticon."

"Yes, Lord Megatron." Predaking nodded and transformed into his beast mode.

Together, he and Shockwave cautiously approached the femme.

She sensed their approach and growled lowly, as they were behind her and she could not see them. However, once Predaking came into her view, she relaxed a bit, but gave a warning growl.

Predaking returned the growl with a friendly hum of sorts, to show he was not going to harm her.

"Hello." He greeted, "my designation is Predaking."

"Designation?" The femme asked, confused.

"Yes. You may refer to it as a name. It's what others call or address you as." He explained. He wondered if maybe old predacons didn't have designations.

"Oh...right, those..." the femme trailed off.

"Here. Allow me and my comrade to assist you. You are damaged and you are suffering from an energon deficiency."

"No."

"Why not? I can assure you that we have no ill intentions. No harm will come to you."

The femme thought for a moment.

"I suppose I can trust you..." she said, "but if you make one wrong move-"

"I understand."

Predaking helped her up onto her feet and slowly guided her to the lift going up to the Nemesis. The femme wobbled and in her delirious state, allowed herself to lean against the nice mech she had just met. He led her to Shockwave's laboratory.

Once inside, she finally slipped into emergency stasis. Shockwave then began working on her injuries while Predaking stood back and watched.