The Child Within

Prologue: The Reveal

Optimus Prime's POV

I slowly opened my optics to find a blinding light meeting me at full force. I was having trouble remembering where I was or who I was or even if I was alive. The last thing that I remember was a flash of blue light coming my way and I was too slow to step out of the way of the blast so I was hit. I then was thrown into stasis by someone flipping a switch on my back. After that I remember nothing of the events that possibly transpired around me.

I struggled to pull myself up onto my elbows as I tried to get my bearings on where I was. I craned my neck to find that I was in a dark grey room filled with vials and medical supplies.

"Strange," I thought to myself as I began to figure out why I was in a medical bay. It was then that I realized that from my waist down, I was strapped to the table I was laying on. With this new revelation, it sent my mind into overdrive so I began to try and break free from my bonds.

I was a captive of the Decepticons for the first time in my life.

"Don't struggle, it will make things worse," a voice entered my head. I stopped for a brief second only to find a red robot standing in front of me with a syringe in his right hand. I once again began to struggle against the bonds as he injects the serum into me. Soon I couldn't struggle anymore as I felt a tired sensation flow across my body as the effects of the serum began to take effect. I fell back onto the table that I was strapped to physically exhausted and only from moving against the shackles.

"My lord, our young friend has awakened," the person said through something that was out of my sight. I couldn't make out the voice on the other end of the line for he was speaking rather softly.

Five minutes expired before the door that stood in front of me hissed open to reveal the bot that I figured was the voice on the other end of the line.

"Well Knockout, can he communicate with us?" the bot asked with a hint of amusement in his voice.

"Most certainly Lord Megatron," the other bot I now knew as Knockout answered.

"Well, my friend, what a predicament you got yourself into," Megatron added through a chuckle.

"What predicament have I gotten myself into this time?" I said not getting at all the amusement at my expense.

"One that I fear may take you a lifetime to reverse," the bot in front of me added.

I remained silent while I waited for him to continue.

"I wasn't intending on hitting you with this new piece of tech that Knockout so graciously made for the Decepticon cause, but I am quite amazed that you agreed to be our test subject,"

"Beam? Test subject?" were all the words that ran through my head as I continued to listen to what Megatron has to say.

"This has to be my finest moment. Not only have I managed to try out a new invention, but I also have captured my arch enemy as well!" he said and after, an evil laugh emanated from with in his massive body.

"What do you mean test subject?" I finally asked. I jumped at my own voice though. It seemed younger than I was and not as deep as I remember my voice being.

"Knockout, why don't you help our guest stand up?"

"It would be my pleasure Lord Megatron," the red bot exclaimed.

I could feel the table rise to where my body was now perpendicular to the floor beneath me. The straps on my legs came smoothly off and I collapsed to the ground with a loud crash for whatever Knockout injected into me had made me very weak. I then found Knockout helping me up off of the ground. But what made fear run through my body was that I found myself a litter taller than my helper. Megatron slowly walked up to me to show that I was no longer as tall as he was, but now I was in fact a few feet shorter than I once was.

He must have seen the look of realization on my face as I began to take in all of what was going on.

"You see Optimus, you are no longer the elder bot everyone knows, but now you are nothing more than a youngling teen. That is what our new technology is!" Another evil laugh met my auditory sensors and at the same time, a mirror was revealed near me.

All I could do was stare in horror at my own reflection. I had been de-aged all at the hand of my enemy. I didn't know what to do or what to say and that scared me even more.

"Knockout, place our friend back on the table and induce stasis until he is needed further," Megatron commanded his partner in crime.

"It gives me satisfaction to do so Lord Megatron."

I tried with all my might to stop what was coming to me. I pulled myself from Knockout's grip and I began to wearily run to the nearest door, but as soon as I neared it, I felt a fist meet the back of my head.

"You are not going anywhere, young Prime," I could faintly hear Megatron's voice. I was already weak from the serum but the blow to the head took the last fight I had in me. Megatron dragged my almost limp body to the table and strapped me down, but this time he did more than from my waist down. He cuffed my arms at three different points, across my shoulders, across the chest and finally across my midsection.

"Knockout, its time!" Megatron stated in an almost eerily happy voice.

"Yes, sir," Knockout agreed with the same eerie tone to his voice. I felt a tube being attached to the middle of my chest. I could see off the corner of my eye Knockout messing with a computer that were obviously the controls to the stasis machine and finally finished what he set out to do.

I could feel my optic lids getting heavier and heavier with each blink of my eyes

"Sweet dreams Optimus," Megatron crooned as I finally closed my eyes and entered into an endless sleep.

Here is a new story! Sorry I deleted my other story. I was just getting no where with it at all so I decided to write this one instead! I hope that you gus like it and PLEASE review to tell me what you think of the idea and the story so far!