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lets-try-some-writing · 2 months ago

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Pursued

It's Halloween night, and Rafael is more than ready to settle in for the night at base with his friends. Unfortunately, Rafael is not so lucky as to rest peacefully. Instead, something darker has plans for him.

(In honor of Halloween, enjoy a little horror story I have composed for you lovely lot. Might not be for you if you can't handle suspense.)

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“Lights off.” Arcee cut the power with a firm but not unkind declaration. Rafael snuggled up in his sleeping bag, smiling as the smallest of the Autobots trecked further into the base, leaving him and his friends to rest after their night of running from door to door. There had been discussions about going home for the night, but after a lot of pleading from Miko, Optimus had seen fit to let them stay, for which Rafael was more than a little grateful. He’d rather not wake up to find half his goods from the night’s rampage around town gone and likely hidden away in his siblings dressers and lunch boxes.

Being the youngest was the worst sometimes.

“Goodnight guys.” He called out softly, earning a series of murmured replies from Miko and Jack, who both seemed far too exhausted to mutter anything coherent. Rafael smiled, contented at the sound of their breathing as it eased and slowed.

His mind calmed, his heart slowed in its previously nervous fluttering, and before long, Rafael found himself yawning. The dark void of the base’s roof was comforting enough that the pull of sleep didn’t feel far off. He was safe, in a base filled with his friends and guarded by some of the universe’s most powerful bots. Everything was fine.

He was fine.

His eyes started to close, and as they did, a faint murmur echoed in his mind. He couldn’t make out the words, not entirely. But just before he drifted off, a single sentence rang out crystal clear, almost as if spoken by someone right by his ears.

‘I will make you regret helping them.’

Fear shot through every part of his body in one jarring sensation that sent him all but careening to his feet. The floor was cold as he stepped out of his sleeping bag, and the darkness of the base felt all the more ominous. He wasn��t tired anymore, not in the slightest. Something was wrong. He couldn’t pinpoint quite what it was, not at first.

And then he looked around.

Miko and Jack were gone. Their shoes were undisturbed, and when Rafael hurried over to touch their discarded sleeping arrangements, he found that their sleeping bags were stone cold, as if they’d not been in them for some time, if at all. He couldn’t help but clutch one of Miko’s stuffed animals, the blue bear that normally hung from her belt. As he stood and looked around, the only light that he could see came from the dim glow of Ratchet’s console. There was no sound aside from his breathing, and it only served to make Rafael clutch the bear even tighter.

“Hello? Guys?” His voice rang out eerily, only serving to have his hair stand on end rather than comfort him. There was no reply to his plea. Not a sound or a whisper. It was all… silent.

His heart raced as he looked around, double checking to be sure he was seeing things right. Was he dreaming? It didn’t feel much like a dream. The air was too chilly, and the floor was far too cold against his feet. He was no stranger to nightmares, but none of them had ever felt quite like this. Not nearly so real.

"This... this is fine. I just need to find one of the bots.” He attempted to reassure himself, pitching his voice up a notch with faux cheerfulness even as he fumbled to grab his glasses. Once they were firmly in place, he strapped on his shoes, socks forgotten in his relative haste, and made his way to the ground.

He did not let go of Miko’s bear.

“Ratchet? Bee?” His voice rang out in the empty base as he moved, his small feet pattering as if in mockery of his own existence. The base had always felt like a second home, but given light only from the far off console, it felt as though he were intruding on the home of giants, or perhaps things not meant to be disturbed.

He tried not to acknowledge the way his eyes threatened to well with panic induced tears as he passed the console and made his way toward the long hall leading toward the bots and their personal rooms. He’d never been in any of them, but maybe if he wandered that way, someone would hear him.

“Guys? What’s going on?” Again and again he called out as he walked. He received no response, not even once. And yet, the farther into the base he moved, the more uneasy he became. Where silence once reigned, there were now faint sounds, pattering in the dark that felt so much heavier than his own steps. For brief moments, he thought he saw the outline of Miko or Jack behind him, but travelling in the increasing darkness made him doubt his own eyes, poor as they were.

Louder and louder, the noises rang out. Rafael clutched the bear even tighter as he recognized the heavy marching of one of the bots. Eyes blazed in the dark, cycling and viewing the world like spotlights. He didn’t know who it was, but as bright blue eyes gazed down on him, Rafael felt nothing but fear.

“You should not be here. It is far past your bedtime.” Arcee’s voice echoed in the hall, but Rafael found no comfort in it as the spotlights grew nearer, her voice even louder.

“Let me take you back to your bed. You are up far too late.” Her shadowy form drew nearer, and as it did, her shining eyes let Rafael view small portions of her frame. As a clawed hand reached out for him, Rafael’s eyes widened in horror as he caught sight of so much red splattered across her fingers.

“Come now. Don’t be afraid.” Her voice was sweet, but Rafael didn’t hesitate to run. He dropped the bear in his haste, and in the brief moment he took to look back, he saw Arcee’s claws digging into the concrete where he once stood, the bear shredded between her talon like fingers.

“Rafael.” Her voice rang in warning, but he merely bit back a scream of terror as he darted around a corner, frantically searching for an escape. Her heavy steps thundered behind him, increasing in loudness and speed as he frantically searched.

“Rafael.” Another voice joined the chorus, another set of heavy steps getting in line with the march. Rafael’s breath came heavy and labored as he ran as fast as his legs could carry him, trying not to trip over anything in the void that spread out before him. What was going on? What was happening?

Why was Arcee covered in blood?

He shook his head, fighting back tears and sobs in equal measure as he felt along the wall, searching for a door, a vent, anything he could shove himself into to avoid his fate.

“RAFAEL!” He heard Ratchet and Bulkhead, and somewhere amidst their near-shrieking voices was the unmistakable binary of Bumblebee’s voice. They were all so close he could practically feel them, their feet so loud in hitting the ground that all else was deafening. Their glowing eyes lit the world around him, but as they did, he could sense them closing in. Why wasn’t he faster? He had to be faster!

He screamed and sobbed as Ratchet’s foot came about an inch away from squishing him into paste. He threw his arms up over his head, despite knowing it would do nothing as he ran. His glasses were barely staying on and his vision was blurry from tears. Their steps were so loud and their eyes so bright that everything was a mess of sensation. His lungs burned, his legs ached as his feet pounded against the ground, trying in vain to gain some sort of distance.

As their eyes all focused on him, Rafael could feel cold and cruel realization sink in.

He was going to die here unless he acted and did so fast.

Adrenaline coursed through his veins, leading Rafael to frantically use the lights of his prusuers to scan the walls.

There, a vent. It looked small, perfect for him.

He readied himself, taking in as much air as he could before he threw himself to the side, just in time to avoid Bumblebee’s foot colliding with his body. He skidded across the ground, watching as the spotlights started to scatter, searching for him once more. Rafael didn’t take more than a second to recompose himself, uncaring of his bruised knees and side as he crawled to the vent. He silently thanked Miko for undoing most of the bolts in order to get around as he tugged on the thin metal covering, forcing it open.

He just about threw up in sheer terror as every single one of the bots focused in on the source of the sound, watching as Rafael shoved his body into the small tunnel to escape their gaze.

“Come back out here, you little-!” He didn’t know who was talking; all he knew was that it was deafening as he crawled deeper into the vent, desperate to get away. Everything hurt, and his head pounded from the constant noise. He could hear the bots chattering behind him, one of them screeching in outrage. His body shook in primal terror as one of their eyes glared into the vent, lighting up the entire space for a brief moment before what he could only assume was a curse escaped their mouth.

He didn’t stop. No matter how much his body ached, he forced himself to crawl ever deeper. He was cold, his knees were bleeding from his brush with death, and his head rang from the screeching of his pursuers. But on he went, not stopping until he’d gone through enough twists and turns to feel even somewhat safe. He paused by a vent cover, not sitting too close for fear of being grabbed but still near enough to wait for light that didn’t come from watching eyes.

Something was obviously wrong with the bots. Mind control, maybe? Or perhaps it was another Makeshift incident. It wasn’t them. It couldn’t be them.

It couldn’t have been real blood.

"Jack, Miko, please be okay.” Rafael shivered, his teeth chattering as he brought his knees up to his chest. He sniffled, wiping away mucus and snot that threatened to run down his face. He tried not to think about how much it hurt.

He just had to wait. Once morning came, he’d be safe.

“Rafael.” He heard his name again, this time softer, less cruel. But that fact hardly registered as he frantically threw his hands up to his ears, praying to every higher power out there that he wouldn’t be found.

He had no such luck.

“Rafael, it’s Optimus. I know you are scared, but you must listen to me.” No no no no no. He wasn’t dying here.

“Leave me alone!” Rafael screamed, trying to drag himself further into the vent. But before he could, the nearest vent cover was torn off, and the blazing light stopped him in his tracks. He turned to look, drawn in by the glow against his will. It was Optimus’s eye; that much was certain. But instead of glowing blue, it glowed white.

“I am here to help you, Rafael. I wish to assist you in escaping this nightmare, but I cannot do so unless you let me. Without your consent, the grip he holds over you is too strong for me to tamper with.” Most of the words flew right over Rafael’s head, but the sheer calming presence of the Prime eased him enough that for a brief moment, he felt safe again. Hesitantly, he moved closer to the opening, and as he did so, Optimus moved back.

As he stuck his head out of the opening, he looked down to see the Prime watching him quietly. The vent was right next to where he and his friends had been sleeping less than an hour ago. To him, it seemed more like a mockery than a relief.

“You will be safe with me, at least for a time.” Optimus held up a hand, but he did not smile. It was unnerving, but far less dangerous than the rest. Quietly, he slid from his safe haven and onto Optimus’s hand, watching the Prime fearfully as he carried them both toward the console. The faint glow of the device was a welcome comfort as it drove back the darkness.

“Listen to me, child.” Optimus’s voice was deep and almost guttering as he set Rafael down on the edge of the console. Their eyes met as Optimus stared down at him, blinding white, both a comfort and a deadly warning.

“On nights such as these, the Unmaker stirs. His essence runs with more fluidity, and those who have been touched by him are more susceptible to his designs.” Optimus’s eyes shifted, the delicate mechanisms turning like the facets to some grand key that Rafael could not comprehend. Still, he nodded as he tried not to focus too much on the noises of the bots slowly working their way back to the main part of the base.

“You were touched by his essence, and because of that, he has gained a degree of influence over your mind.” Optimus raised a finger, gently touching the top of Rafael’s head. It was soothing, but there was a lingering weight that left him itching to move as the Prime continued.

“I have used my influence to reach you in this place, but there is little else I can do.” The steps of the bots grew louder, and Rafael started to shrink in fear. He looked around, frantically searching for his pursuers. But Optimus’s words drew him back.

“Listen to me. Unicron feeds off torment. To escape this place, you must take a leap of faith.” The sounds grew closer. Rafael shook so much he could hardly process what Optimus was saying. What was he supposed to do?

“He will keep you here, trapped until you fight back. Face the doom that awaits you with honor, and he shall have no satisfaction.” He wanted to scream as Optimus stepped away from the console, the comforting light of his eyes fading as the Prime moved to stand at the far end of the space, observinging in silence.

“Wait!” He wailed in fear as the bots entered, their eyes all falling on Rafael like he was some sort of prey animal. Every single fiber of his being demanded he run, but as he looked over to the Prime, he saw Optimus mouthing the words over and over again, as if forcefully silenced.

‘Face the doom that awaits you with honor.’

He stood on the edge of the console, watching with tears blurring his vision as the bots gathered around. They stood like judges, staring into Rafael’s very soul as their towering frames crowded above him. The fear was overwhelming. He could already feel his heart pounding like a drum in his chest, threatening to burst from the stress of it all.

“No more running, little mouse.” Ratchet spoke up, and as he raised his hand above Rafael’s head, he saw blood staining his digits too. His legs shook, his body chilled. Time seemed to slow, and as it did, Rafael found himself presented with two choices.

The console behind him was clear. If he bolted, he could hide and run back toward another vent, hopefully escaping in time. He’d done so once; he could do so again. But if he ran... would it really change anything? Optimus said this was Unicron’s work. Could he really escape the power of a godlike entity?

Looking past his pursuers, Rafael saw Optimus watching, still as stone. And yet as he observed, his mouth continued to form silent words.

‘Face the doom that awaits you.’

Tears gathered in his eyes again. The urge to run felt like it was drowning him. But against every instinct, Rafael stayed still. He wiped the tears from his eyes and stared up at Ratchet’s hand as it began to lower. What if this was real? What if Optimus was wrong? What if this was where he died?

‘Face the doom that awaits you.’

The hand lowered. Eyes glowed brighter as laughter echoed all around him. And yet, whenever Rafael looked at Optimus, the words continued on endlessly.

‘Face the doom-’

“Face the doom.” He murmured the words that ran on repeat in his head. They drowned out the laughter as Ratchet’s bloodied hand drew ever nearer.

“Face the doom.” He closed his eyes and rubbed his arms, trying not to focus on the dampness of his clothes that came from exertion.

“Face it with honor.” His voice was barely a squeak, his entire body shaking like a leaf. But with all the will he had left in his soul, Rafael forced himself to stand still.

“Face it with honor!" In a burst of courage, he opened his eyes and glared just as the hand came down on his head. There was momentary pain, then blackness. For a brief moment, there was nothing except his screaming thoughts, telling him again and again that he’d failed and that this was his end.

Then he woke up.

He shot up with a gasp, clutching at the plush surface of his sleeping bag. His entire body was drenched in sweat, his breathing fast and erratic. And yet, as Rafael looked around in a daze, he saw that Miko and Jack were sound asleep next to him, both perfectly safe and at ease.

“You did well, Rafael.” Optimus’s voice washed over him like a soothing tide, and before he knew it, comforting white eyes let their gentle glow grace him once more.

“The Unmaker shall trouble you no more. You have broken free of his grasp, at least for this night.” Optimus leaned closer, his face coming up near to the bars separating the platform Rafael was on from the rest of the base.

“Rest now. We shall ward off his foul machinations.” Optimus’s eyes flashed, a surge of colors and hues shifting into place before it returned to that chilling, and yet oh so calming, white. Despite the terror, Rafael found himself relaxing back into his sleeping bag, unusual exhaustion washing over him as the Prime sang a song he couldn’t understand.

“We have fought him once, and we will do so again. Be at ease, child of Earth. Your duty is done.” With those final words, Rafael again found his eyes closing.

And this time, there were no whispers.

#transformers #maccadam #transformers prime #team prime #optimus prime #ratchet #bumblebee #arcee #bulkhead #rafael esquivel #miko nakadai #jack darby #unicron #slight horror #halloween oneshot

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