Okay guys,
I didn't want to admit it, but the Predaking has managed to claw his way into my creative mind cabinet and now I can't get him out. I suppose it couldn't hurt to do a short story about the beast and give him a bit of lime light. After all, he's a very interesting character in the Prime universe and I'm finding myself more and more infatuated with him. This short story is taking place directly after the episode "Synthesis".

Alright then, here we go! Hope you all don't mind my break from OP-E1 stories and are fascinated with this new idea! By the way, I don't own Transformers Prime! Obviously... XP

Forever Alone

Body battered...metal mangled...senses slurred...

The Predaking lay motionless with optics closed, his denta opened partly in paralyzed stupor. A faint whiff of cold, night fog floated eerily through the silent woods, blanketing the forest floor. Twisted tree branches rubbed together and creaked occasionally with the prompting of a steady breeze that rustled their leaves. A sudden crack of thunder rumbled angrily from somewhere in the distant sky, echoing off of the near mountains.

He was surrounded by darkness.

It was the next loud series of thunder claps that welcomed the Predacon out of unconsciousness. The first thought that occurred to the beast was that he was alive. Above all else, the drive to survive was the strongest of his primal instincts. However, right now, the whole world around him seemed to bellow in protest at his awakening. Even his own body rebuked him for daring to continue functioning. Sharp spikes of pain raced through various places of armor, the worst of all being the back of his head and the intense aching which made it nearly impossible to think strait.

Still, Predaking would not give up.

Memories of a critical fight with the Decepticon Lord called Megatron were first to enter into his mind's eye. But why fight Megatron? Wait... Ahh yes... It all came back to him. The Autobot medic... He had spoken truthfully of Megatron's brutal betrayal. The Decepticon Lord himself had admitted of his treachery! The death of his fellow kin... All hope of the Predacon race being restored, destroyed because of that Decepticon filth! Anger burned within Predaking's spark chamber, kindling what little spark power was left within him to a full blaze. Sitting up, the Predaking let out a feirce roar of fury to the sky.

"MEGATRON!"

It was doubtful that the mech in question actually heard Predaking's desperate shout of rage, but it made the Predacon feel slightly better once he'd done it. Then... from the clouds above broke forth cold drops of rain. It was as if the universe had responded to his cry by spitting down in mockery at the Predacon's patheitc exhistance. Predaking blinked away the rain from his sensitive optics and took in his surroundings. The dirt beneath him was slowly liquidizing into mud. It was in that moment, the Predaking realized how lowly he really was. With no chance of his species ever returning, what kind of king was he?

He had failed them!

He had had his chance to become a great ruler and lead his kind to great glory, and he'd lost it! The rain was falling steadily now, tinking off his armor and peppering the ground until it became little more than sloppy muck. Predaking stayed still where he was, body too tired and his mind too tortured to leave the spot he'd fallen. He felt his whole world sinking around him and after the flames of anger died down, sick depression consumed him. His dreams were shattered once and for all, he was considered an enemy of both transformer factions, and now also thought dead. No one cared for his exhistance, no one wanted it.

He was solely and utterly alone.

What purpose in this world could he possibly have to serve if it meant being utterly alone for the rest of his life? His bright future had been stripped cruely from him and there was nothing he could do about it... except... exact revenge. Yes. REVENGE. One day, perhaps soon, Predaking would hear Megatron's dying screams, and watch as the great Decepticon leader fell pitifully to his death. The Pit would no doubt welcome the evil mech's soul eagerly. Megatron had destroyed the Predacon project because of one pidly emotion: fear. It was his weakness that caused the Predacons' extermination and now he would pay dearly for it.

Megatron would die.

But not today. Predaking knew he could not sit in the middle of the woods forever, no matter how much pain his body was undergoing. Slowly, tentatively, with a grit denta and clenched optics, the large, beastly mech began to hoist himself onto his knees. His joints cracked in protest, his head spun dizzily, and his optics dimmed with the effort, but he successfully made it to his feet, and took his first stumbling step forward. A cave wasn't far. He could see it on his frazzled holo map. If he could just get out of the rain and keep himself hidden away, he could nurse his wounds properly and begin a long recovery.

Still, he would be lonely.

Would avenging his fallen kin sooth all of the Predaking's torment? Would it truly appease his hungry desire to have beings to call family? To interact and to be fully understood by another of his kind? No. Nothing could ever slake that passion. But revenge would coddle his agony for a time. Perhaps, just maybe, there would come a time where his former father and master Shockwave, would prove useful. If the brilliant scientist had managed to duplicate the Predacon gene once... surely he could do it again! Yes! That would be Predaking's next move, after exterminating Megatron!

Then, perhaps, it was possible he would not have to live forever alone... ?

END

Sooooo? What'd all yall think?!

I make a note here that it is quite possible that they will show the true fate of Predaking within the next Transformers Prime episode, and that it will be very different than what I've just written. If that turns out to be the case, I shall let you all decide whether or not I should alter this short story's events to become canon, or leave them be.

For now, I bid you goodbye!

-StokinDembers