#cybervore tf fic

[sketchy-galaxy]

Cybervore I - Dissection

Mandroid Cannibalism fic is complete! Happy Early Halloween!

I - II - III

Triggers include descriptions of human organs, dissection, and corpse desecration. Takes places after Episode 10 of ES

Word Count: 3044 words

Dr. Meridian could not believe his eyes. His arachnamechs, which had been tasked with finding and capturing any Cybertronian in the immediate area, had finally returned after a long day. He didn’t care if they brought him an Autobot or Decepticon, it didn't matter. So long as they brought him new specimens for his work he didn't care what badge they wore.

But tonight, they had brought him a dead Cybertronian.

The mech laid on its back, its arms at its side. It was silent. He smiled as he admired the new specimen. Yes, he thought, this would do nicely.

"Excellent work, though I would prefer they be brought in alive." He turned to his creations, disappointment clear in his tone. The large mechanical spiders glared at each other, clicking and whirling. One stepped forward and attached itself to the computer. The drone played a video from its perspective and the man watched with interest.

"How odd…" He said to himself.

According to the feed the Cybertronian had been found like this. It had been laying on the ground, its body was still. The arachnamechs had thoroughly investigated and when the creature failed to respond they brought it back here.

The fair doctor raised an eyebrow. His gaze shifted from the video to the specimen on his dissection table.

He stared at its light green metal plating. It was silver and shined like a brand new car, contrasting the dark metal table it lay on. The face was thin, the hollow cheeks made it appear like a skull.

The optics were dark.

Dr. Meridian hummed, realizing that it had no insignia.

His lips curled into a smile. Perhaps this was another Terran. The new breed of Cybertronian had only just emerged on Earth but the population only continued to grow.

"Well then," He said aloud, the mechs behind him standing to attention," If you truly are a Terran then perhaps it is time to learn what separates you from your Cybertronian kin."

He waved a hand," Arachnamechs, activate the sawblade. Perform a modified Y-shaped incision down the chest and prepare it for a dissection."

The mechs got to work and Meridian smiled. One thing he preferred about his mechs over humans: They never shy away from a dissection.

As the machines whirled above and the arachnamechs scuttled away Meridian searched for what limited information about Cybertronians and their anatomy he had.

During the war, the Autobots kept their anatomy a close knit secret. Only the most important organs, the processor, spark chamber, and fuel pump were known by GHOST. Even the dissection of dead Decepticons was forbidden by Optimus Prime, who howled that it was a desecration of a Cybertronian’s basic anatomy. That their 'funeral rites' forbade it.

Meridian scoffed at the idea then and he scoffed at the idea now.

He adjusted his goggles just as the razor blade touched the sparked metal. The light reflected in the glass but dimmed it from his sight. The grinding sound echoed through the building. The thousands of other robots inched closer and peered down from the shadows. A million red eyes stared. 

Sparks flew up from the metal, the light that was made was blinding. It illuminated the dark laboratory. Meridian watched with a smile. There was no struggle, no fight. This was too easy, he thought to himself. With how much he had lost recently, what with his previous lab now at the bottom of the ocean in pieces and his research left to rot, this was surely a step forward.

The metal blade made quick work of the metal chest plate. It cut through the outer layer but was careful enough not to damage the mechanical parts within. It cut down the chest, sawing through the abdomen, allowing access to the internals of what once was a grand machine.

Once the incisions were made and the body was still, Meridian gripped the controls to the claws above. Each metal claw gripped the edge of the metal plating and pulled back. It was a delicate procedure, the sparked metal was peeled away slowly and the human watched from behind his goggles. The metal cracked as it bended back. The noise echoed in the building but fell upon deaf ears.

Dr. Meridian smiled as the chest was opened further. Finally a step towards learning how these extraterrestrials worked. The man expected to see a spark chamber, whatever it might have looked like.

Instead, as he gazed forward his eyes went wide and he ripped his goggles off his face. He couldn't believe what he saw! His jaw fell open as he stared in abject horror at what lay before him.

No mechanical parts sat in the chest cavity of the specimen.

Within the cavity were a collection of organs. Organic organs. They were a dull pink color in some parts while other organs were red or dark brown. With soft curves rather than sharp angles and edges, they were both foreign and familiar. There were no tubes or wires or circuits that might have been used in processing crystalized fuel.

Realization of what he had been looking at terrified him. He was too stunned to speak. Meridian knew the human body and what organs sat where. He was not an expert on it but he knew the human body intimately.

And, as he looked down at the Cybertronian laying bare before him, Meridian saw human organs. It was undeniable.

Large bright pink intestines that twisted and turned in the abdomen. 

Thick and heavy lungs in the chest with a heart in the center.

He recognized a liver and a stomach and spleen and a pancreas and-

The doctor backed away from the sight. His metal hand briefly touched his face before he reeled away in terror. His own stomach churned at the sight, simply looking at the disgusting mess made him sick. 

He wanted to speak but no words fell from his mouth. In his own chest his heart raced. What was this! What did this mean? He huffed, his eyes looking away from the horrific thing on his table.

It teetered on the edge of uncanny.

Through the pain in his head and shock Dr. Meridian shouted," Enough!" His voice carried through the building and echoed through the walls. His arachnamechs stopped. They watched.

He turned his gaze back to the Cybertronian. Despite the pain in his head he did not flinch from it. He only scowled. Teeth still grinding together, he adjusted his coat and stepped closer.

"No." He sighed, composing himself. He frowned," No, you are not a Cybertronian. And you are not a Terran." He'd seen the scans of their systems and internals. The new species were mechanoids, mechanicals. Advanced robots with trace elements of organic matter. But nothing like this.

The body was silent and did not move. The helm, which had fallen to its side during the dissection, looked ahead with its dark empty eyes.

Meridian picked up his goggles, gently lifting them to his face. Above him, his arachnamechs chirped and scuttled on the ceiling and shelves. They watched, eager to see their master's next action.

"I will know what you are," He gripped the metal railing," Even if that means I will have to tear you limb from limb."

As a scientist by trade Meridian was not one to step away from a challenge.

Finding, understanding, and using information was something he had done for his entire career. It would be no different with this creature here. He typed along the computer, goggles set upon his face to protect his eyes from the bright light of the screen.

It lessened the headache somewhat.

"Arachnamechs," He said absently and his robots scuttled closer," Patrol the area. Ensure no one disturbs my work."

He didn't bother to watch as his machines left the facility. Without them he heard the whirl of his computers and machines echo in the room.

A scan of the creature was… ineffective in determining its origin and revealed some conflicting information.

It was indeed made of sparked metal. It had some evidence of energon within its body. That much was evident as it let off a steady pulse of energy. It was Cybertronian.

But it lacked Cybertronian organs. It had no spark. Instead all of its internals were replaced and set in a way that was obviously meant to mimic the human body. It was organic.

Dr. Meridian leaned away from his computer. The data that he had obtained was useless.

He sneered at the results, frustration taking hold.

His eyes flickered back to the corpse. The building ache in his head had become a slight nuisance if nothing else. Slowly he took the controls of the claws above. They descended, clicking as Meridian thought.

Maybe this creature was neither? Perhaps GHOST in all of their ambition had attempted to make a Cybertronian and human hybrid. An abomination that rivaled Frankenstein's beast by comparison.

Perhaps that is why it was left to rot in the woods.

Meridian peered down at the organs below, humming to himself. Slowly the claws picked at the organs. One pinched at a clump before lifting it into the air.

No sinew or muscle clung to the organ. It wriggled and twitched as it was lifted higher and higher. The long organ spasmed, lurching and shifting in the air. Biologically, it was not so dissimilar in shape to a human small intestine.

It was larger, fit for the frame it had come from but had the same light pink hue. 

Meridian didn't realize it but he had been holding his breath.

He exhaled, long and hard as he watched the squirming organ. It was a disgusting sight, watching the organ twist like an eel.

What compelled it to move? Dr. Meridian thought. Cybertronians lacked muscle, the way the organ shifted without assistance implied it was an involuntary response.

It twisted in the claw and Meridian tapped the keyboard and allowed the claw to shift towards the railing. The long organ trailed out of the still body. He left the side of his computer, stepping forward as the claw stopped right in front of him.

Meridian peered at the organs. Standing so close to the massive entrails he felt overwhelmed by the smell. It smelled like energon, the oily substance reeked of the earth and ground. It made him sick. Despite this, his eyes peered closer until he saw what appeared to be minute veins stretch just underneath the skin.

Meridian's eyes narrowed. They were bright pink as he assumed energon flowed through them.

Surely it was artificial.

He reached out to it with his right hand.

He hesitated. The dark green plating reflected the bright light above. He frowned and, after a moment, Dr. Meridian switched to his left hand.

His fingertips brushed the material. It was undoubtedly made of an organic material. The ‘skin’ was smooth, the veins underneath it were pink with energon. His thumb brushed over the skin as he lifted the organ in his palm. It was heavy and warm, thick with whatever flesh lay within. A fine layer of slime coated the organ, reflecting the light in the room.

The organ pulsed in his palm, wriggling like a worm. When squeezed the organ's skin dipped under the pressure. Whatever was inside of it, whether it was muscle or something else, it was firm. It shifted again. It felt real.

Dr. Meridian frowned.

He let the organ fall back. As it swung back and forth it moved as if alive, almost reaching out to him. He opened his mouth to whisper. On the tip of his tongue he tasted the stale air.

"Fascinating…" Was the sole word to escape his lips.

And it truly was. Whatever this strange creature was, it somehow had organs identical to that of a human. All the while, it had energon coursing through its body. The swinging organ slowed. It hung still but the muscle continued to contort and twist. Dr. Meridian turned away from it, walking swiftly back to his computers.

This would require a much closer analysis.

The rest of the dissection was a delicate and clinical process. Meridian watched the computers as data filtered through the screen.

It was going to be a long night.

The man's eyes narrowed at the screen. Another scan revealed that the organs were indeed connected. The small intestine to the stomach to a throat that stretched up the neck of the creature. Where the trachea separated he saw it connect to the lungs. Arteries and veins connected from the lungs to the heart, spreading throughout the body. It was impressive how well this creature had been able to replicate the human body. 

His gaze flickered to the corpse before focusing back onto the computer. The body was still, a sharp contrast to the shifting organs within.

Meridian absently rubbed his fingers on his palm as he watched the simulation. His metal digits were warm as they traced the lines on his palm. The slime was thin and wet within the grooves.

His gaze focused on the information. He did not look at his palm.

The ghost of the heavy organ remained. The soft curves, the tight skin, the warmth of it. His fingertips brushed over it. He wanted to reach out to hold it again, to feel it’s warmth in the palm of his-

He jumped, shaking himself from his thoughts. He had to remain focused. 

Meridian pushed a button on the keyboard and allowed the computer to run a simulation of the organs if they were to truly work. Watching silently, Meridian traced his palm again. His mind sank into itself. Attempting to make sense of what this thing was.

Perhaps GHOST had not made this creature. Yes, he considered the possibility of the Cybertronians being responsible for this abomination. After all, they had many disguises at their disposal. Vehicles, objects, animals, as far as he had seen. What was stopping them from using a human form?

Was this the Cybertronians desperate attempt to infiltrate human society? Had they not done enough damage, bringing their violence and war to this planet?

Meridian looked at the body and glared at it. Renewed hatred boiled inside of him. Was their invasion of the planet no longer a physical but a societal goal? Was this abomination simply a prototype?

What other organs would it develop, he wondered with this new information. 

Would the metal plating slough and turn to muscle? Would the processor in the head turn into a brain, would the eyes curl and grow cones and rods? Would skin grow over the frame?

Would this half-breed worm its way into human society, furthering the future of Cybertronians living among humans not as warmongering extraterrestrials but as faux humans?

Dr. Meridian took a chair and sat down with a scowl. He leaned forward and watched the completed simulation as his hands folded in front of his face.

Everything perfectly mimicked humans' biological systems. The stomach, intestinal tract, and colon broke down material and expelled it. The lungs take in oxygen and through aerobic respiration converted it to water, carbon dioxide, and ATP for the body.

The only difference was the heart.

Instead of pumping blood through the body the heart pulsed and sent energon through the veins and arteries. Despite the fact that the body did not require four chambers, the heart still behaved as though it needed to oxidize blood.

The simulation of the body's functions played on the screen. The light reflected off the green plating of his hand. Behind his goggles Meridian tracked the flow of energon into the body. How the body would break it down, how the energon would flow into the 'bloodstream' and the energon would be delivered throughout the body.

There were still many questions to be asked of this creature. How long would it take for it to become a human? Why was it dead in the woods, alone? His head tilted and his gaze fixed back onto the body.

That was of very little concern to him. No matter what it was or why it was here, Meridian refused to allow these beings to slip into a society they did not belong in. He would find these creatures and purge them from his planet. He would protect humanity from these extraterrestrials and the world would be at peace.

He would rid the world of all Cybertronian-kind.

Something tapped his leg and Meridian leapt to his feet. His chair was pushed to the ground, clattering loudly against the metal floor. The man shouted, a brief bout of terror shocking him to his senses.

Standing still beside him was an arachnamech. It watched him with red eyes, tilting its head to the side. His shoulders relaxed, his expression softened. The mech tilted its head back and beeped once. He exhaled. 

The spider droid lowered the claw it had used to tap his leg. It hissed and then turned and walked away. He watched it. The click of its claws was gentle. It, like its brothers, had returned from their patrol. They must not have found anything, their behavior was quite lax.

Meridian huffed, straightening his shoulders and coat. Very rarely did he miss the sound of his approaching mechs. How much time had passed since he began, he wondered while ignoring the growing pressure behind his eyes. He turned his gaze back to the computer. The simulations continued to play over and over.

He removed the goggles, the band was squeezing his head and making his headache even worse. Unfortunately this did nothing to stop the pain in his eyes caused by the light.

With shaky hands Meridian stopped the simulation. It froze and he covered his eyes with his metallic right hand. It was quiet for a moment but the sigh that escaped his lips was one of pure exhaustion.

Meridian dragged his palm down his exhausted face. His eyes were worn, his hands was shaky and useless, and his headache grew worse by the minute. He was exhausted and a familiar sharp pain in his abdomen only pushed him to the brink of collapse.

Dr. Meridian was starving.

And unfortunately he had nothing to eat.

[sketchy-galaxy]

Cybervore II - Starvation

Where Meridian is very, very hungry

I - II - III

Triggers include descriptions of human organs, some body horror, cannibalism. Takes places after Episode 10 of ES

Word Count: 3423

In all of his brilliance Dr. Meridian had forgotten to eat. Tonight was not the first. In the past, he would often forget to eat during his research. It was a bad habit, he hated to admit. However, the brief moment of starvation was always well worth the data he collected.

He was starving.

Unfortunately tonight was unlike any other. After the loss of his research facility the idea of buying groceries had been the least of his concerns. Over everything, food had been pushed to the far corners of his mind. Nevermind the hassle of buying groceries in secrecy. He had very little to eat and even less that would provide something to push the ache away. He cursed himself for his neglect.

Meridian considered ignoring the pain in his stomach in favor of going to sleep. The night was too long and exhaustion wore down on his body.

But just the idea had hunger clawing at his stomach like a beast wanting escape. He almost doubled over from the pain. That was not an option.

He had to eat something.

But there was nothing to eat! Frustrated, Meridian leaned onto the table, his hands gripped the cool metal. His eyes squeezed shut. His stomach ached.

The good doctor glanced up. His eyes glared at the computer. Maybe he could have the arachnamechs rob some poor delivery fool-

His eyes looked past his computer. The body lay still. Meridian's gaze softened. His stomach growled loudly, the pit in his gut opened even larger. Perhaps…

He blinked and snapped out of his daze. No! He reeled back in disgust. This was- this was not a solution.

Another stab of pain in his gut. Meridian grunted before the pain faded briefly. He stood up straight, walking closer to the side of the railing.  Looking down at the creature, Meridian sneered. It was disgusting, revolting. It was a dead extraterrestrial with human organs.

His right hand gripped the metal railing. He wanted nothing to do with this creature.

His stomach twisted and snarled. The man grit his teeth and considered. Maybe it wouldn't be too bad.

It's not like he would be eating a real human. This reassurance did not settle his nerves. This was an unknown alien creature. The thing might not even be edible.

 He let go of the railing, noting the way it bent under his grip.

Meridian was starving and had nothing else. His stomach whined. His limbs were shaking.

Swiftly turning, he rushed to his computer. Before he could change his mind he began to prepare the tools he would need. He took hold of the controls. The metal claws lowered again and he hesitated

Which organ to pick?

He considered the intestines. But the idea of eating the wriggling organ made him sick. Maybe a lung or kidney- 

His growling stomach told him not to be so picky.

Eventually, he settled on the liver. The claws picked at the soft and flat organ. Carefully it was lifted out. Dr. Meridian watched it.

The sawblade descended from the ceiling with the push of a button. The bright pink artery that connected the liver to the body extended. The blade whirled to life and drew ever closer. The organ was pulled taut.

The blade cut through it easily. The body dropped a small distance, clattering against the table. The liver was severed from the body and Meridian glared at it.

He would regret this. He could feel it.

The claw lowered the large organ to the platform and Meridian turned to his droids.

"Carry this and follow me," He said out loud, before coughing into his hand. His voice was rough, his throat hoarse. A mech dropped from the ceiling and the claw dropped the organ onto its head.

Meridian tried to keep a slow pace but he betrayed himself. The idea of food urged him forward.

He slipped through the warehouse hallways until he found the room the arachnamechs had converted into a living quarters of sorts. The kitchen was tiny, with only a gas stove and a few pans.

He grabbed a pan and tossed it onto the stovetop where it clattered loudly. The drone placed the liver on the countertop, the organ twitching involuntarily.

The stovetop click, click, clicked before the flame began to burn.

From a pile of dirty dishes Meridian picked up a blunt knife. He glared at the organ. The arachnamech watched him step closer. Meridian sighed deeply and waved it away.

He pressed a hand on the skin. It was cool to the touch. The blade was pressed onto the top of the left lobe. He would only cut a small piece. That's all he needed.

He cut down.

The texture inside was identical to raw liver. It was soft and jelly-like. The piece was as large as his hand and was about an inch thick. Meridian’s stomach churned at the sight.

He picked it up, the organ squished between his metal fingertips as he tossed it into the pan.

Immediately it began to sizzle against the metal. Meridian's mouth watered.

He hated it.

His stomach cramps only got worse as the tender piece of flesh cooked. He hated that the sound of the meat cooking was making him salivate. He hated that the smell was so similar to a real piece of meat. It permeated the air and flooded his nostrils like the tide. It smelled delicious. 

If he closed his eyes perhaps he could ignore that the meat was from a Cybertronian. When he did, however, all he saw was the corpse laid out with its chest open wide. It's dark eyes staring directly at him.

He opened his eyes and watched as the piece of meat cooked. It lost its color, the sides that came in contact with the hot metal became a dull, unappetizing gray. The smell was pleasant but simultaneously made the man’s nose curl in disgust

He cooked it for a long while, despite his stomach's demands. It clawed and snarled but he would not risk eating it raw. Meridian did not want to eat this piece of meat at all but his body demanded nutrition.

He was starving.

When the meat was thoroughly cooked Meridian dumped it onto an empty plate.

He grabbed a small container of salt and pepper. It didn't make the food look any better. Maybe it was going to add some flavor to an otherwise disgusting piece of meat. Maybe it was to add something familiar to the unknown.

His fork tapped the plate gently. The noise echoed across the walls of the room. He exhaled deeply and cut a section off with the fork. The meat inside had grown pink. It made him sick.

He jabbed a piece with his fork.

He lifted it to his face and peered at it for a minute.

He closed his eyes, opened his mouth and bit down onto the fork and organ.

The moment the piece of meat touched his tongue he tasted it. The salt, the pepper, the flesh.The idea of what he was doing hit him full force. He was going to eat the flesh of a Cybertronian that had developed human organs. He was going to eat a human liver.

His eyes shot open in a moment. His stomach, that had once demanded so much, was now threatening to empty itself across the floor.

Meridian gagged and dropped his fork.

"Urgh!" He choked out and raced for the trash. He gripped the bin, leaned over it, and spat the flesh out of his mouth. His stomach churned once more as saliva pooled in his mouth. His chest tightened, his jaw cramped as he heaved. 

It took a moment but when he was sure his nausea had passed he spit into the bin. To rid his mouth of the taste of that horrid piece of flesh.

As the back of his hand wiped away the spit from his mouth he leaned back. He took in the putrid air. His eyes, red from exhaustion, glared at the plate where the rest of his 'meal' sat.

With clenched fists he stormed over to it. He grabbed the plate and threw it into the trash. The plate shattered when it hit the bin and settled to the bottom.

He couldn't bear to look at the rest of it on the counter. 

Dr. Meridian left the kitchen. His face was hot. His stomach ached for something but his appetite had been lost.

He found his makeshift bedroom. The firm mattress covered with a thin blanket had never looked more inviting. He wrestled with his lab coat for only a moment. Once it was torn off he collapsed into the bed. His metal arm hung off the edge and Meridian swallowed a lump in his throat.

He was starving, yes. But he was more than willing to go another long night without food.

Alas, Dr. Meridian could not escape his hunger even in sleep. Deep in his subconscious he found his stomach aching, begging for something to satisfy it. His arms hugged his midsection, an attempt to ease the pain that boiled there. His eyes squeezed tight, his teeth grinding hard against each other. The pain felt as though it would last forever.

When the pain faded briefly, Meridian groaned and sat up. In the fleeting moment of freedom the man opened his eyes.

It was dark. Black space surrounded him, void of any material. Meridian stepped forward. His metal hand reached out and felt a solid surface. It was smooth and when his fingertips brushed over it a light emerged from the darkness.

He leapt back in shock. The light did not burn him but it did illuminate the darkness. Behind the glass the light shifted. It contorted and the ground followed with the light. As if made of water, the floor swirled like a whirlpool.

Meridian watched as a creature was built up from the light surrounding him. The green light formed a thin lattice work which became solid in a matter of moments. It towered over him and despite its shape and frame blurring with the darkness around it Meridian recognized what it was.

The Terran that stood before him opened its eyes. Instead of a blue light, its eyes shined bright pink. Its gaze was piercing and trained onto the human before it.

Meridian was frozen. They stared at one another. Both eyes and optics traced each other. It didn't move. The Terran blinked once, optics glowing brightly. Both figures stepped back briefly.

The man felt a pressure building in his chest. His eyes scanned the figure. Their movements were identical to his own. Meridian's eyes glanced to the creature's left and he froze.

Its left arm was human. The blackened and charred skin was a stark contrast to the gray robotic frame and the sight of it filled Meridian with dread. He raised his right arm, the stolen limb was heavy on his shoulder. He stared at each digit, the dark green palm, the wrist, and the metal that formed it. It trembled slightly. His eyes looked back at the figure.

In the exact same way, the Terran raised its own arm. The human arm moved in tandem to his own. The man's shock and disbelief echoed on the Terran's face. Its face was identical to his own. It had the same eyes, the same nose, the same shape. The Terran was Meridian.

The two stepped further away from each other.

Meridian could not believe what he was seeing. This Cybertronian was him!

No! He wanted to shout! However, when his mouth moved no words escaped, as if the void itself had swallowed them whole. The Terran's mouth mimicked his words, but there was silence between them. The creature's expression was knit tight with anger as it attempted to shout at the human before it. Its pink eyes glared ahead, narrowing onto the metal limb on his shoulder. 

Meridian's heart raced as he tried to shout to the mirror image standing before him. He wanted to shout, no! It was impossible for them to be the same! This creature was made of metal and gears! He was made of flesh and bones! He was human and it; a Cybertronian.

In the corner of his mind, the image of the dead mech with its organs pulsating in its chest surfaced for a moment.

No! He didn't dare to consider the thought any longer. This was no mirror. This being before him was an illusion. 

The man's blood boiled as the creature mocked him. It clenched its fist in anger.

Meridian's own anger came forth in only a moment as he raised his arm and slammed his closed fist into the glass. The Terran did the same, the burned human fist was held tight. When their fists connected the glass shattered, the invisible wall collapsed in shards of glass.

Meridian was alone. The Terran was gone. When he looked at his clenched fist he saw blood painted on his knuckles. They ached but the pain was dull. The man took quick and shallow breaths. He felt his heart in his chest. It raced, beating faster and faster. The noise pulsed in his ears.

Cybertronians and humans. Mechanical beings and organic beings. They could not be further from each other.

The dull pain grew quickly. What was once an unassuming pain became a crackling, burning sensation. Meridian hissed, his hand gripping his wrist as the pain spread up his arm. The man fell to his knees, the pain too great to handle. With each passing second his energy sapped away. He watched as tendrils of the same green light shot up his arm and connected at his shoulder. He felt the mechanical frame as if it were his own tendons and muscle.

The light seared into his arm. The light burned brighter and brighter. It sapped his strength, each second it felt as though something were digging into his neck. Meridian gasped as the light burned up his neck and over his chest. He whimpered and gasped in pain, tears welling up in his eyes.

In the pain and confusion he hadn't noticed the area swirling with green light. The light reached up into the sky and when Meridian followed it he saw a massive Cybertronian figure.

Their silver plating was bathed in the green light. They seemed to emit it themself, like a beacon in the darkness. Maybe that was why they appeared so clear to him.

The Cybertronian watched him. The green optics looked directly at him. This being was nothing compared to Optimus Prime or Megatron.

Their face was thin and their cheeks were hollow. Their expression was one of utter indifference. To this being, Meridian was nothing more than another human.

The pain that spread through his body was no longer a thought in his mind. The agony was replaced by a daunting horror.

He had seen this Cybertronian before. He had seen their organs spilling from their chest. He had seen their still heart and twisting entrails. The man's jaw dropped. This was not a Cybertronian nor was it a Terran.

At the mere thought of the new species the bot above him frowned. Its optics narrowed.

Meridian felt its gaze on him, it felt as though this being was picking through his brain. As if it was dissecting him. He shuddered, the Cybertronian did not look away. Something minute changed in its expression, a flicker of disgust maybe? Meridian felt nothing even as the light clawed at his chest. He felt numb to the pain, the sight of the mech's optics had his skin crawl.

The mech opened its mouth. Then, it spoke.

There were no words. The noise was discordant. It was as if sheets of metal were dragged against each other. It echoed throughout the space, leaving Meridian surrounded by the horrendous sound. He threw his hands over his ears, eyes shut tight in pain. His arm burned but the sound was excruciating. He curled forward and attempted to hide from the every growing noise. Unfortunately, there was no escaping the sound.

The echoing noise, the burning pain in his body, the sound of his heart in his chest, all of it combined was something no human should ever experience. It all reached its peak and Meridian screamed, his fingernails digging into his scalp.

His eyes shot open. Meridian sat up, taking a deep breath.

The air was cool but despite it, he felt sweat drip down his forehead. In a panic, he looked around the dark room before his shoulders relaxed briefly as he made out the moonlight filtering in. He took in a breath of fresh air. His ears continued to ring, almost as if the sound were real.

But it was a dream. A horrible nightmare that was swiftly fading. He desperately scrambled to remember the face of the Cybertronian above him but it slipped from his memory. All he could recall was the hazy visage that had looked down at him with indifference and disappointment. His heart still raced at the thought though he did not remember why.

Unfortunately, he could remember the Terran with his face clearly. It was uncanny, the way its optics flashed in anger and how it seemed to share his sneer. The Terran was a simulacrum of himself, an illusion caused by his subconscious.

Were Cybertronians and humans truly so dissimilar? He thought. Of course they were, he scoffed to himself. Nothing would change that.

In his collection of racing thoughts a single one was louder than the rest. The faces of Cybertronians are all very similar to humans. Most Cybertronians and humans had two eyes or optics, a nose, and a mouth. He tried to shake off the thought. 

It persisted despite his best efforts. A heart and a fuel pump perform the same task, it considered. Both pump energon and blood throughout the body and frame.

The longer he considered it the faster his heart raced. He grit his teeth and curled closer into himself, unable to make the thought stop.

Cybertronians and humans both had souls. His mind considered, they both could feel emotions, such as grief, pain, and hate. The Terran had looked at him with the same look of disgust he had.

"No…" He croaked out loud," Cybertronians and humans were nothing alike-" He repeated to himself. Something stirred within him. His mind ran wild.

Meridian's thoughts were interrupted by the familiar growl of his stomach. He'd nearly forgotten how his stomach ached. It hurt how hungry he was, but the intruding thought was quickly extinguished. Meridian hesitated, holding his breath as he considered.

Cybertronians and humans could both process material for fuel, that much was true. 

However, humans had to consume organic material. That was their defining trait.

His stomach growled again.

Meridian ripped the blanket off and rushed out of the room. His legs nearly tripped underneath him as he stumbled through his laboratory. He pushed through his weakness, he felt light headed as he moved through the halls. Yes, he thought, his hunger was the defining factor.

He shoved open the room to the kitchen. The smell of his last attempt to cook still wafted through the air. His eyes scanned the room until they landed on the bin in the corner. In desperation, he threw himself at it. He reached into the deep black bin and grabbed the palm sized piece of meat. It was cold in his metal hand.

Before he would have hesitated and stopped himself. But now, Meridian didn't have a reason to hesitate. The memories of his previous attempt were pushed away and ignored. His mouth opened and he bit into the cold gray piece of human liver. He tore the organ to pieces. The moment the cooked flesh had touched his tongue he craved more. Within a few quick bites he swallowed the entire piece.

The taste was far greater than anything he'd ever eaten. It was savory and rich. The texture was soft as it melted in his mouth.

As he licked the cold grease from his fingertips Meridian's stomach growled even louder. That morsel barely satisfied it. The man's gaze turned to the large organ on the countertop. 

He rushed towards it, gripping the knife he'd used before. He cut them into smaller pieces and turned to the pan. To satiate his growling stomach and to silence the thought in his head.

[sketchy-galaxy]

Cybervore III - Vivisection

Finale

I - II - III

Triggers include descriptions of human organs and cannibalism. Takes places after Episode 10 of ES

Word Count: 2060

The laboratory was quiet in the late night. On the ceiling, hundreds if not thousands of arachnamechs scuttled around each other. The little drones hissed and screeched quietly, as if whispering to each other. Their pink eyes turned to the ground, ever vigilant of someone or something interrupting their master's work.

Below them, their human creator set to complete his dissection. The platform with the scavenged corpse had been lowered. It was still, having not moved besides the head rolling to its right side. Its right arm had been pushed off the table.

Beside it, illuminated in the harsh red light above, was Dr. Meridian. His face was covered with shadow. He hunched over the metal frame, his eyes focused on the task at hand. His energon stained hand pushed his fallen hair out of his face.

 His Cybertronian arm dug half way into the massive creature beneath him. The organs were warm and shifted in place. In one hand, he grabbed the twisting small intestine and pulled it closer. He opened his mouth and bit down, tearing into the organ. It was tough but the energon was sweet on his tongue. The liver had not been enough.

He swallowed the chunk and took another bite. The meat was heavy as it sank to his stomach. His gut still whined, begging for food no matter how much he provided. The energon and gore painted his jaw. He licked his lips and reached in deeper, plucking out a large kidney that fit in his hands.

Originally the man had used the large dull knife to cut his choice cuts into smaller pieces. However he found that when separated from the body the organs cooled too quickly.

He bit into the kidney, savoring the warmth. The taste was tangy, the meat was chewy and tough. Meridian hummed, eyes shut as he tasted the meat and energon. It was delicious. He could feel the way the meat twitched in his mouth, the soft flesh was satisfying to touch and taste. Once he’d swallowed his mouthful he bit down again, tearing another mouthful. The small intestine in his other hand twisted, soft yet firm in his grip.

Meridian froze in his feasting as an arachnamech stepped closer to him. It hissed quietly. The man grit his teeth and turned to the little machine. His bloodshot eyes focused onto it as he spat," Get out of my sight!"

The drone jumped back, the sight of the gore that clung to his black shirt and jaw was a frightening sight. His eyes seemed to flare, the red light seemed to reflect within them. The drone scrambled away, claws clicking against the metal floor. The man huffed, patience worn thin. He leaned on the corpse, his arm held his stomach, his tired eyes glared ahead. He had told them he wanted nothing to interrupt him.

Meridian heard his stomach growling in his ears and bit down onto the thrashing intestine. His teeth dug into the soft flesh and tore the organ apart. 

Piece by piece the man ate. The energon infused organs were his ambrosia. He ripped into the stomach with his nails, tearing it into long slivers. The pancreas was rich, he ignored the gamey texture and savored the flavor. It was new to his taste buds. Energon leaked onto his hands which he quickly licked off his fingers as he ate. Nothing seemed to satisfy him. When he looked away from one organ he would be distracted by another. Halfway through the pancreas he abandoned it for the other kidney.

Another growl from his stomach and Meridian groaned. He leaned over the side of the corpse, almost out of breath. His stomach complained when he stopped. A moment passed as he attempted to catch his breath.

Above, his arachnamechs hissed to one another. If he listened close enough he thought he would have heard voices. Little voices that questioned what he was doing.

Meridian huffed and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, smearing the Cybertronian’s blood across his face. 

“You’d never understand…” he mumbled to himself. Of course they wouldn’t. They were machines. They wouldn’t understand why humans needed to eat, why they required organic sustenance. They had a battery to recharge, they required electricity to function. They wouldn't understand what it meant to be human.

The human swallowed a lump in his throat and looked up. His eyes seemed to glow red for a moment as he licked his lips. The taste of energon was sweet. His rumbling stomach continued loudly before he set himself upon his meal.

His eyes landed on the heart. In his frenzy he hadn't yet gotten to the chest cavity. The lungs and the heart were settled neatly in the center.

Meridian reached for them. He grinned, baring his pink stained teeth. He stood over the corpse and ripped at the large lungs. It took some effort before the meat was torn off and he bit into it.

This meat was tender compared to the intestines. It was soft in his hands and mouth. He pulled the organ out further, which was difficult on its own with how large it was. Thankfully, most of the other organs that would have been in the way were ripped apart.

He bit down on the flesh and tore it away. He ate quickly, tearing the right lung to pieces. He swallowed another mouthful before setting his sights on the heart.

The man dropped the lung and turned to his abandoned knife. Unfortunately he would have to cut it out. The man sneered in disgust at the idea of eating the organ cold. He gripped the cold handle of the knife.

He almost crawled into the chest cavity, his metal hand grabbed the heart and pulled it up. His left hand fumbled with the knife before he sawed at the tendon holding it in place. Slowly, the heart was cut away from its owner until Meridian took it upon himself to rip it out himself. Energon spilled onto the soft lungs as the arteries were severed.

Dr. Meridian threw the knife to the floor. He lifted the heart to his mouth and bit into it. It was sweet like an apple. The energon that leaked from the arteries left static on his skin. His left hand tingled with charge. Inside, the four chambers were empty. His hands cradled the heavy organ, he bit down again, chewing on the tough meat.

Compared to everything else, Meridian ate slowly. He did not eat the heart like a starved man. He bit into it carefully. He chewed slowly. He savored the meat and how it felt on his tongue and the way the energon dripped down his chin. He savored the smell. Unlike oil, it smelled clean and fresh.

He swallowed slowly, feeling the way the meat fell into his stomach. For once, it was quiet.

The human went to take another bite. He barely realized that the heart was still warm. He didn't give pause, as he was too preoccupied with his meal. Maybe it was due to the amount of energon within it, he hardly cared.

His teeth sank into the side and he felt the organ pulse in his hand. Meridian reeled back and watched the organ as it began to beat, twice at a time. Despite being severed from its body and with its chambers exposed to the air, it beat like a real heart would. He stared, entranced by it.

His mind shifted away from the need to fill his now aching stomach to the organ in his hand. He hadn't stopped to ever wonder why the intestines twisted the way they did, why would he stop now? He had simply assumed it was an involuntary response or an effect of Cybertronian rigor mortis. 

The heart in his hands beat in time with the one in his chest. The man glanced at the still twisting organs. The half eaten intestines pulsed too, twisting in place. The lungs had also begun to expand and contract despite one being ripped apart. As if the being it was connected to was breathing.

Meridian felt his chest tighten as he held his breath.

He recognized the patterns from the simulations he had run in the beginning of the night. The torn open organs were acting as if the being were alive.

Dread settled in his full stomach.

He had assumed the Cybertronian was dead when the now silent arachnamechs had brought it back. He had never thought to check how it had died. He was not conducting an autopsy after all. He was performing a dissection.

When the heart pulsed again in his hands Dr. Meridian froze, eyes locked onto the organ.

He had not considered that he might have been performing a vivisection instead.

Meridian turned his head. His wide eyes locked onto the face of the being on his dinner table.

The dark face with hollow cheeks laid on the side. Like a deer in the headlights, Meridian stood still as the dark eyes illuminated his frame in green light. The light focused on him as he cradled its heart in his hands. The human and the Cybertronian watched each other in silence.

Meridian's thoughts had gone silent. His stomach did not rumble. His heart beat was loud in his ears- or was that the heart in his hands?

The mech opened its mouth.

Meridian flinched.

The words that fell from the Cybertronian's lips were soft. It hummed," Dr. Meridian." It said his name without any hate. Even at the sight of this organic eating its own heart the mech did not not look at him in disgust. It only frowned," Look at where you have fallen."

The human standing before the mech swallowed a lump in his throat.

The mech continued, expression shifting from indifference to disappointment.

"Where else will you go from here?" It asked," What else will you consume in your obsession? Who else are you hungry for?" It asked him curiously. It grew quiet, as if waiting for an answer.

Meridian glanced at the heart in his hands. He opened his mouth but words failed him. It wanted to hear his response. It wanted to know what he had to say for himself. He couldn’t find the words. There he stood, covered in the gore and lifeblood of his enemy, Meridian stood with nothing to say.

But his stomach growled.

Dr. Meridian's stunned expression grew neutral. He closed his mouth and tasted the meat between his teeth. He considered the being’s words. His expression shifted to disgust and then contempt. His nails dug into the pulsating heart. His brow creased in anger. 

He snapped at the mechanical being before him. He snarled," Did you ask that to your kind when they came to this planet! All you violent, warmongering aliens have done is spread your disgusting war to this planet. I will wipe out you and anyone that attempts to stop me from destroying your kind!" He raised the heart to the being's face," No matter if they have a heart or a spark! I will eliminate your kind and will undo the damage you've done!" He spat at them.

The Cybertronian god nodded, its joints creaked and its metal face scraped against the table.

"Then you will destroy yourself." It hummed in finality and the heart's beating ceased.

The green light vanished from the being's eyes and the red light above took its place. Without the light he should have felt at ease. Instead, Meridian felt watched. Not by the arachnamechs as they scurried but by something else. His blood boiled. He huffed, the noise of his arachnamechs filled the air again.

He felt the sticky energon on his face. He reached up and brushed his stained fingertips against it. He looked at the pink stains on his hands. He should have felt disgusted. Instead he was furious. He was sick. He was starving.

He raised the heart to his lips and tore another chunk off the raw meat. He chewed it slowly. The sharp taste of raw meat was delicious. He turned his back to the body and sneered. Whoever that Cybertronian was, he did not care.

He had promised to tear the being limb from limb and he intended to fulfill that promise.