Chapter 1

Years later….

"Uncle Breakdown? What was my daddy like?"

Arcee had alerted Breakdown in Cliffjumper's sudden interest in his father's identity. Thinking ahead, Breakdown had arranged to take his spark-student to the memorial on their Saturday together.

Knockout may have lived as a Decepticon, but he was widely recognized as one of the unsung heroes of the Cybertronian war; one of the few who battled in the initial onslaught of the dark energon warriors. Before Knockout fell, he'd managed to take a good few with him. Breakdown would've killed anyone who disagreed.

"Your dad…" Breakdown struggled to find the right words, wanting Cliff-Jumper to see only the best of his father. "He was my best friend. He liked himself a little too much and was obsessed with Optimus' rims. But at the same time, he really loved your mommy and was always there for me."

As he rambled, Breakdown found himself walking on memory lane...

They'd grown up in the same district and lived as street-bots, Breakdown fighting and stealing parts while Knockout performed the occasional medical emergency until Megatron found them. He saw their talents and quickly added them into his inner circle, or whatever title you'd give to his top 100 bots. They were recognized as double-threats; top medics with fierce fighting abilities.

Breakdown first dueled with Bulkhead around this time, finally finding a worthy rival. Knockout was recognized for his loyalty to Megatron and was even offered the position of luiteant, which he lost to Starscream. Still, it seems that Megatron would hold Knockout in a sort of deep respect for the rest of his life.

When called to earth, the two expected little trouble. Breakdown was giddy his rival was there and Knockout delighted in torumenting Optimus and the 'fleshies', as he called them. He also devolped a love for racing.

And then Arcee had come along. Knockout suddenly had another someone to give a screw about, other than himself and Breakdown.

Breakdown's explanation was cut short by a message from his spark-student's mother.

"Arcee to Breakdown! Look out! Meltdown broke out and he's in your area!"

Meltdown, aka Prometheus Black, was a founding member of M.E.C.H, but he left after creating an acid that could melt even transformer alloy. He'd intended to sell it to the military, but Arcee and Ratchet had interrupted the deal. In the skirmish, Arcee accidently dumped the acid onto Black and turned him into something less than human. Suffice to say, Meltdown, as he now called himself, blamed Arcee for what happened and this made Cliff-jumper a target.

"Uncle Breakdown?" Cliff-Jumper asked. "What's that sound?"

Breakdown turned his head and saw a blacking outline. He growled in anger.

"Speak of the devil and in he rides!" Breakdown hollered. "Cliff-Jumper! Stay back!"

"But I can fight!"

"THAT'S AN ORDER!" Breakdown roared as Meltdown entered the scene. "Look at me, not at him!"

"Out of my way." Meltdown said as he fired acid at Cliff-Jumper. Breakdown used his arm to shiled teh young bot.

"I said..." Breakdown roared. "You're fighting me!"

The two charged.

Meltdown smirked in Breakdown's bear hug and released his acid. Breakdown lasted three minutes before the pain was too much. Meltdown then tore open his chest-piece.

"Leave my uncle alone!" Cliff jumper roared, getting the mutant's attention.

"Ready to feel the burn, little bot?" Meltdown smirked evilly as he cornered the little transformer.

"Cliff-jumper…" Breakdown weakly whispered as he lost conscious. I'm so sorry, Knockout. I let you down….

"Back off, slime-ball."

Meltdown was sent reeling by a european race car that pushed him back at least a mile before shifting into a transformer he wasn't familiar with it.

"Who're you?"

"Mein?" The intruder asked. "Why do you care? You're goanna be dead in a few minutes."

Meltdown charged, spraying his enemy. The transformer went alt mode and narrowly avoided a deadly wound. However….

"Hey! Did I mess up your costume? Watch the paintjob, I just had it done!"

"Then move out of the way!" Meltdown screamed. "I need that young transformer! He's the perfect test subject! The fact he's Arcee's son is just icing on the cake."

The transformer stopped. The atmosphere became tense enough to cut with a knife.

"That tears it."

An engeron prod buzzed to life. The battle instantly became 10 times intense. Nothing in the vicinity of the two fighters was safe; cars where thrown and reduced to ash, the pavement became rubble and light-posts where discarded. Luckily, there were no humans around.

Meltdown attempted to fight the transformer in direct combat, kicking and punching with all his might. Usually, not even Optimus was safe from his fists and feet. The transformer smirked at the burns before punching the mutant square in chest, sending him reeling to the floor.

Meltdown had never been so scared. This was an enraged transformer in front of him and his acid wasn't working nearly as effective as it usually did. Any that did land on his foe barely nicked him. Desperately, he sprayed the transformer again, only to miss.

Meltdown suddenly found himself lifted up the air before he gazed into red optics, even redder with rage. Meltdown was certain he could feel himself wet his pants.

"I usually can handle more than a punch or two and a few scratches, but if you ever come near the kid again…" the transformer growled as he brought Meltdown to his face, teeth gritting. "I'll make you wish I had killed you."

Meltdown was then thrown into the air and struck by the energon prod at an intensity that would kill even someone of Optimus or Megatron's caliber. Thankfully, his semi-liquid state saved him from death and he fell to the ground, weakened.

The transformer's anger hadn't shifted or lowered. He marched forward, his goal obvious.

"Why are you defending that autobot?" Meltdown asked as he tried to get up and concentrate his acid as much as he could, desperate to kill his foe. He stopped at hearing the transformer's answer.

"Fuehrer's fury."

Everything fell into place in Meltdown's mind. He realized who this was just as the prod sent him flying yet again.

"Get back here!"

Around this time, the Autobots and kids finally showed up. Arcee quickly scooped her son, checking if he was hurt in the slightest way as Ratchet checked Breakdown's condition. She was in such a panic Jack nearly fell off her as she transformed.

"I'm okay, mommy!" Cliff-jumper told his worried mother. "But what about Uncle Breakdown? Or that guy who's fighting Meltdown?"

Meltdown was then thrown in front of the group, passing through several building as he landed. Through the smoke, everyone could see two glowing red servos and a familiar silhouette, although no one could place who it was. They could also feel the fury emanating from this transformer, all of it directed to Meltdown.

"Well, Meltdown," Jack smiled. "You got 2 options: Prison or we leave you to our new friend here. What's going to be?"

The unknown transformer cracked his knuckles and smiled in a way that made everyone think he was channeling Megatron.

"No!" Meltdown begged screaming. "Keep him away from me! I'll go to prison! I'll never touch the kid again! Just don't let him come near me!"

"Knockout?" Breakdown hesitantly asked.

The smoke cleared, revealing Breakdown's partner, Arcee's lover and Cliff-Jumper's father.

"Before you ask…" Knockout said. "It's a long story."