Rule of Madness

A Strange Encounter

(A/N: So this chapter DOES have a bit of rape. It skips before it gets in too far, but it's made clear afterwards that it did happen. Just a warning for those of you that would be uncomfortable with that!!

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Honestly, it was beginning to annoy Ratchet in all the wrong ways. Why was Titanium, a powerful figure in the Decepticons, an officer and daughter of Megatron, the one who arguably ended the great Optimus Prime's life, avoid him? Seemingly fear him? A lowly Autobot that, if he was told, would be expected to lie down, spread his legs and graciously accept a rape from her? It was confusing, to say in the best way.

Ratchet vented as he examined the datapad that had been left in his room alongside his daily ration. He had ceased hiding a portion beneath the berth, since his "mistress" seemed to have little interest in cutting him off from energon.

Shaking his helm as he read the list of supplies again, Ratchet headed out the door and down the long staircase before hesitating at the door. He hadn't been outside in so long, he was honestly a little put off by the idea... But Titanium obviously wanted him to retrieve these items for her, so who was he to defy her? Especially when he had been able to live a mostly normal life in isolation?

Mumbling to himself, the red and white medic finally stepped out into the sunlight, pausing for a moment to bask in the sensation of warm, fresh air cycling through his vents. The window in his room only let in the dust of Titanium's daily renovations.

Ratchet remembered his task and hurriedly began to make his way down the long, winding path that led from the Towers out into the main street, mentally repeating the rules he had heard before being dumped into his "prison". No autobot was allowed to transform to alt mode without the direct supervision of their owner. No speaking without being spoken too. All autobots must be outfitted with collars, and, if one was discovered without one, their previous owner's rights to them would be revoked, the Autobot being put up for auction again. Never disobey a superior, which, in this case, would be any Decepticon.

Shaking his helm, Ratchet finally made it out to the main street, stopping for a moment and looking around, a flicker of uncertainty and, though he'd deny it, fear, passed through his spark at the sight. Decepticons... Decepticons everywhere. Some he wasn't even familiar with! And... And Autobots. Most followed behind a Decepticon, either on leashes or freely. Very few were alone like Ratchet was, but even those had their optics fixed on the ground and a slump to their shoulders. Mirage passed nearby but made no indication of seeing the medic, his paint lacking it lustre, the paint around his hips striped with a combination of colours that Ratchet didn't even want to guess who they belonged to.

Worrying the inside of his lip with his denta, Ratchet quickly averted his optics as well, locking onto the ground at his pedes as he made his way down the street. Streets now mostly repaired, buildings shining and new, cities mostly repopulated, restored... But not the way Ratchet had dreamed it would be.

The medic hurried along, not wanting to attract too much attention to himself, or take too long that Titanium come looking for him. No. He couldn't risk the chance of angering her.

Ratchet finally found a spare parts department and entered quickly, taking a deep vent before walking up to the counter, keeping his optics averted from the massive mech sitting behind the counter in deference.

"What do you want shareware?" The mech's voice rumbled, and Ratchet hurriedly pushed the datapad across the counter, the unknown Decepticon snatching it up with a chuff of his vents. "Where's the creds?" He demanded, and the medic quickly passed those over as well, snatching his servos away before the Decepticon could even reach for the credits.