Transmute

Chapter Two: Plaything

"What one thinks is right is not always the same as what others think is right; no one can be always right."

- Roy T. Bennett

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Rafael woke to a horrid noise, ringing in his ears. Metal scraping against metal. Metal scraping against other surfaces. It was like dragging your nails over a chalkboard, but 100 times worse.

The boy grit his teeth in a reflex, making an attempt to cover his ears. Only then did he realize what had happened to him.

Sitting up with a start, he looked around. He had never actually been inside the Nemesis' lab before, but he recognized the design of the walls. Add the fact that it looked like a lab and that made it easy to figure out.

Examining his surroundings more closely, he found out that he was about 10 feet from the ground, stuck on a huge surface that was most likely a table or a desk.

So no apparent way to get out of here without breaking his entire body.

The room was dimly lit, perhaps because there was nobody there but him. Or was there?

When Rafael's eyes adjusted to the darkness, he saw a form standing in the corner. Red optics stared back at him.

The Decepticon CMO stepped into what little light there was, observing the tiny fleshling closely.

"So you're awake, huh," he commented. It wasn't a question, merely an observation. Knockout could care less what happened to the human. He already found it preposterous that he of all mechs had to watch the creature.

Raf stared up at the Decepticon medic towering over him. He was suddenly very aware of his size, making him flinch before the Con.

Knockout chuckled. "Curious little thing, are you not?" He lowered one of his servos, jutting a digit out to poke Raf on his chest. He barely used any force at all, but the immense size difference caused the boy to trip anyway.

"You'd make a great plaything. Too bad that Shockwave has already claimed you."

Raf couldn't tell if Knockout actually found that a shame, or if he was just messing. Nonetheless, he scrambled back to get away from the CMO's sharp, slender digits.

"Oh, it does move. Do you want to play cat and mouse, little thing?" Knockout's derma curled into a sly grin as he jotted his servo out again, attempting to grab Raf.

This time, the boy was slightly more prepared. Jumping to his feet, he stayed as far away from the red mech as the table allowed.

Unfortunately, that meant he cornered himself. The medic's servo easily reached him again, the long digits wrapping around his waist.

A moment later, he was lifted into the air.

With a yelp, Rafael tried to wiggle himself free. Which, considering his current position, wasn't incredibly smart. Luckily, Knockout held onto him tightly.

He tilted his helm from side to side, watching the squirming human with amusement. He had spent quite some time among humans, partaking in various street racing events. But never had he seen one so small.

Perhaps he was considered a sparkling, or whatever the humans would call their young.

"Now, the next question is, can it talk?" Knockout mocked, lifting the boy to be on equal height with his own faceplate.

"I... uhm..." Raf muttered. It felt like the words stuck to the inside of his throat. The Decepticon was even more terrifying up close.

He saw that Knockout brought his other servo up to the boy's face, before he saw nothing at all. The medic had taken his glasses.