Transformers ( Bayverse ) - I Bleed A Blue Inferno

15 - Calling Card

"Where are you, FarLust?" Malakai stood nearby, and Fay struggled to breathe properly. Even though she'd been out for Primus-knows-how-long, she still felt like she was running a marathon. Her dreams offered no reprieve from her body struggling to stabilize itself.

"I don't, I don't know," she answered, leaning against a tree. "I just, just ran."

That answer was made clearly unsatisfactory when Malakai pinned her to the tree by her shoulder. "Figure it out, FarLust. You may be in danger."

Fay laughed harshly, the action hurting her ribs, bark digging into her back. "Danger? From, what-? You? I know better, than to believe, you." Shaking as she tried to breathe again, Fay stared at him for a moment. "You have, the same energy, as that asshole, from rehab."

Malakai scowled for a moment before attempting to soften his expression. "You need me, FarLust."

"I, do not, need, you!" With what strength she could muster, Fay pushed back against his grip, but she was weak, and she barely moved an inch before he shoved her back into the tree, his other hand gripping her second shoulder.

"Stop fighting me, FarLust." The words left him in a low growl. "Come back to your master." Malakai stared intently into Fay's eyes, but he didn't seem to be focusing on her, not really. He was searching for any small change that would signify the return of his servant and warrior, his ultimate weapon come to life. "Return to serve your Lord."

Closing her eyes tightly, Fay tried to block out the way his words echoed in her skull.

No. No. Not this sensation again. The last time she'd felt this odd tingling, she'd . . . She'd violated Optimus . . . She'd raped him and she couldn't remember any of it. She'd been trapped inside her own mind. If she lost control again, she might give up the Autobots, her location . . . She might never return.

Screaming, Fay jerked her head forward, and it hurt like Pit when she collided with Malakai. The man stumbled backward, shouting at the pain as he gripped his mouth. It took only a moment before blood and . . . energon began seeping through his hands. When he pulled it away, a few white chunks were mixed into the fluids.

Fay stared for a moment. She'd knocked out his teeth. Blinking, she was suddenly afraid. Malakai was like her. Malakai was like the Autobots . . . This man was either another sibling, which seemed unlikely, or . . . A holoform.

"Get, get out," she muttered breathlessly. This wasn't just a coma dream that kept following her, this was a real presence.

One that referred to himself as her Lord and Master.

One that invoked a reaction inside her subconscious.

Malakai glared at her, stalking towards her again, this time full of menacing intent. Fear seizing her, Fay's eyes widened as she tried again. "Get out!" He began reaching for her, and Fay squeezed her eyes shut, actually afraid. "GET OUT!" The sound echoed through the forest, spooking the previously silent birds as Fay gripped the bark of the tree she was against, terrified of the hand that would grip her skin any second, probably her neck in an attempt to bring out the inner beast. Fay stood frozen, her breath coming in heaving motions for what felt like hours, and it very well may have been.

Despite the hand being softer than she expected, Fay still jerked away when it grazed against her face, tensing further under the terror that gripped her. "No-!"

A second hand quickly came to cover Fay's mouth, and even though Fay tried to pull away, she couldn't. Malkai was locked onto her, one hand behind her head, one over her mouth, and Fay couldn't scream in her next attempt to make Malakai leave.

Tears began to well up in Fay's eyes. She was powerless, she was trapped. Fay genuinely couldn't remember a time she felt more afraid . . . Until the images of the accident flashed in front of her again and the flames and metal still haunted her. Even though her family was okay . . . It didn't take away the pain of that memory.

In the background, Fay could hear someone's voice. Her mother was calling for her as she ran towards the wreckage.

"Fay!"

"Fay come back here!"

"Fay!"

"FAY!"

"Fay. Fay. Come back. It's okay. It's okay."

Still afraid, Fay opened her eyes to see if she had any hope of escape. She didn't even look at Malakai as she jerked, slipping out of his grip and starting to run, even though she stumbled over a tree root not ten feet away. Footsteps were quick behind her, and Fay stood again, trying to run only to have a hand grab onto her wrist tightly.

"No!" She shouted, trying to pull away.

"Fay. Fay it's okay. It's okay. It's me."

Still struggling to breathe, Fay finally turned to look at her captor.

"Ch-Charlie?" She asked in disbelief, the fear still coursing through her as she looked her friend up and down, searching for any sign of deception. Eyes wavering, Fay broke down after a moment, finding nothing of suspicion, and hugged Charlie so tightly that the blonde girl struggled to breathe now, too. "Oh my g-od," Fay stammered, tears flowing from her eyes freely. "I've never been so scared, Charlie! He had control over me, you don't understand, I, I almost lost control, like, like when I, I . . . Hurt Optimus . . ."

"It's okay, it's okay," Charlie reassured, sitting down on the soft ground with Fay, holding her close as she ran a hand through Fay's hair. "It's not your fault. It's only natural to be scared by these things. He can influence you, but he will never have control, Fay. I promise."

"H-How do you know? How do you know, what I'm talking about?" Fay asked, dread rushing through her again that Charlie might not be real, only an illusion by someone who meant her harm. As she tensed, Charlie held her closer still.

"It's okay, Fay," she murmured. "It's alright. It's me." Sighing deeply, Charlie simply said. "We need to talk about something you should've known a long time ago."