An Unexpected Rival

A few weeks later, two alien ships from Cybertron, Decepticons to be exact, entered the solar system, traveling light years to reach the new battlefield, planet Earth.

The two ships crashed in different parts of the planet, one in the western United States and the other in southern Europe, right in the country of Greece.

The Decepticon who crashed in the U.S.A, named Breakdown, an exterminator and assassin of Autobots, had taken an armored truck as vehicle mode. His companion who crashed in Europe, Knouck Out, a physician skilled in many aspects of medicine, was a bit more subtle in his choice of new vehicle form.

"I have to admit, humans have good taste," Knouck Out said, admiring the luxury cars at a dealership. "I need to find something to match my beauty and grandeur as a Decepticon. It's a shame I'm the only one with a refined sense of fashion."

Knouck Out is an extremely narcissistic Decepticon, a doctor specializing in plastic medicine, but mostly with a passion for medical experimentation outside the legal realm and for racing, having been a big fan of Cybertron racing when he was younger.

The Decepticon spent a few minutes examining each car in the dealership until he found one that reflected his greatness, scanning a luxurious red Aston Martin. Satisfied with his new vehicle mode, he decided to put his skills as a speed enthusiast to the test.

Knouck Out didn't hesitate to commit numerous traffic violations just for the fun of it. His speed was too much even for the police, making for a very fun night for him without worrying about the war he was in.

In that short time, Knock Out learned some human customs and the rules of the road. He knew that he would soon be summoned by the new temporary leader of the Decepticons, the infamous and questionable Starscream, who had replaced Megatron after being seriously injured in his last battle against Optimus Prime and his Autobots while trying to stop him from destroying Earth with an army of zombie Cybertronians.

Unbeknownst to everyone, Megatron survived the space bridge explosion only by sheer luck and an external factor of a mystical nature, Dark Energon. Had Megatron not been affected by the power of Dark Energon and lost himself to Unicron's influence in that battle, he might not have found himself in a deep coma, on the verge of death, fighting Optimus Prime, whom he once called his brother, in a loop. Forever in your dreams.

Knock Out was waiting for a traffic light to turn green so he could enjoy his night, but his curiosity was piqued when he saw a gray Dodge Viper with black stripes pull up next to him, waiting for the traffic light to change to green.

Knock Out was completely stunned by the wild beauty of the car, along with the sound of the engine, which was imposing on his ears. He couldn't help but look at the person driving it, and saw that it was a young teenager in his 20s, drinking a soda through a straw while listening to music.

Lux turned his head and admired the beauty of the car next to him for a few seconds, making him feel respect for the good taste of the driver next to him.

"Not bad, I must say you have good taste." I complimented as I sipped my soda.

Knock Out was surprised for a moment, but quickly became pleased that the insignificant human was indirectly acknowledging his good taste.

"I have to say, your car impressed me as well." Knock Out decided to return the compliment, not denying that the car next to him was quite impressive. He kept the windows of his vehicle mode closed and dark, preventing Lux from seeing that the car was driverless.

I raised an eyebrow and smiled. "So you're that kind of enthusiast? I guess you're not just a conventional fan."

"I'm a huge fan." Knock Out understood Lux's intentions. "Do you think you can keep up with me?"

"I've never lost a race in my life." I continued to tease, putting my soda in the cup holder and then gripping the steering wheel with both hands.

"What a coincidence, me too." Knock Out let his engine roar louder. It could be heard over an area of more than 6 blocks.

"Let's race to the city limits, first one out of the city wins." I stepped on the pedal of the car, making the engine roar in response.

Lux and Knock Out waited for the light to change, both excited for the challenge. When the light turned green, they both accelerated at the same time, causing their tires to skid for a moment, creating smoke from the friction on the ground.

The two lined up side by side, taking no advantage, studying their opponent's skill before picking up the pace of the competition. As the corner approached, they both began to drift at the same time, in complete synchrony. They both did this for several turns, increasing their speed at each opportune moment.

[This human knows how to have fun,] thought Knock Out, genuinely enjoying the unexpected challenge he had encountered on his first day on Earth.

The competition became even more intense as both were only a few miles from the finish line. Knock Out was on adrenaline, he had never been under so much pressure in his life. The human slowly gained the upper hand, taking an even greater lead in the competition.

[Damn, what kind of engine is under that hood!] Knock Out was stunned that he couldn't pass his opponent, but all his efforts to push the limits of his vehicle mode were for naught when the race finally ended. The spark of Knock Out throbbed with emotion and adrenaline from the speed, even after the defeat.

The two cars skidded and finally braked in the middle of the track, both feeling satisfied and a little tired. If Knock Out could sweat through his skin, he would, as would Lux, who sighed tiredly from the concentration of winning. It was the first time in years that he actually felt challenged.

"Well...that was intense, no one could ever keep up with me." I praised, grabbing my soda that was stuck in the carrier and drinking it to catch my breath.

Knock Out was recovering from the shock of losing a race, unlike his narcissistic attitude, he just smiled secretly, accepting this defeat for the moment. "Next time I'll win." He promised, making it clear that he would be the winner of the next race.

"I'm looking forward to next time." I got out of my car and handed him a piece of paper with a phone number on it. "This is my phone number, if you want to race again, just give me a call."

The Decepticon was incredulous at the attitude of the human he had just defeated. He created what appeared to be a solid hologram at first glance, but was known as a protoform, a liquid metal that molds a Cybertronian's spark and stores the genetic information to enable one of the steps of transformation. Knock Out's protoform assumed human form from his vehicle mode and opened his glass window, only to grab the paper and quickly close it.

"Be prepared, next time you'll be the one eating dust." Knock Out quickly accelerated and took off, disappearing into the horizon.

"What a weird guy, but he's funny." I said, putting my hands on my hips. "It's a cold night tonight... that means it's pizza time."

***

Decepticon ship:

"You took your time Knock Out, I don't like to be kept waiting." Starscream said, dramatically admiring the sight of a storm.

"It's been a long journey, I confess I was distracted by a certain unforeseen event." Knock Out concealed the real reason for his delay in joining the Decepticons on Earth. "Not to mention I had to take care of my painting."

Starscream made a face of disgust at the newcomer's words. "I forgot you were that kind of person, but tell me, why has such a renowned Decepticon not acquired an airborne mode?"

"With all due respect, I feel an automobile is more suited to my style, I look more elegant." Knock Out put his hands on his hips with some hidden mockery. "Now tell me, where is my patient?"

Starscream led Knock Out to the medical wing of the Decepticon warship, under the watchful eye of the other robots allied to the cause that united them all. When the automatic doors opened, Knock Out opened his eyes in surprise to see the legendary Megatron in a completely destroyed state, with a huge hole in his chest.

"Wow, it's amazing that Master Megatron is still alive." Knock Out analyzed the medical condition of the legendary Decepticon leader in a single second, presenting results and ways to help repair the damage in your mind.

"Unfortunately, Grand Master Megatron has been in this deplorable condition for some time, so we thought it wise to call in an expert like you to help him." Starscream said, feigning sadness at Megatron's condition with an Oscar-worthy performance.

"I have seen hundreds of types of injuries over the millennia of war, but this type of injury is surely fatal, but if Megatron is alive, I will do my best to help him." Knock Out walked over to a table with a holographic screen and began to study what the other Decepticon doctors had done to help Megatron recover.

Starscream turned away, not wanting to show his disgust. "Let us pray to the Allspark for Megatron's return." He stormed out of the medical bay, angry and hoping that Megatron's death would officially put him in command of the Decepticons.