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The ground bridge fizzed out behind Encore. Primus, why would no one listen to him? He was fine, save a few superficial wounds, he could still fight! He didn’t need to be sent out of battle like that, it ruined his reputation. His sensors were still buzzing from the sudden change from the chaos of battle to the quiet serenity of the Autobot base.
He lifted his visor, peering around to see if there was anyone else. Perhaps he could sneak back out and avoid the tedious medical exam he knew awaited him. For five months he had narrowly avoided the keen eye of the notorious autobot medic. Encore knew if Ratchet found out the truth the Autobots would throw him out- or at least that’s what he imagined would happen.
Unbeknownst to the Autobots, save for the sneaking suspicion of his good friend Dissonance, Encore had been taking circuit speeders long before he joined their cause. He needed them, not that any other bot would understand, but they helped him keep up. Encore was known for his speed, outrunning the Decepticons was what he was good at, it was his thing . Everyone on the team had a thing, a role, a spot to fill. What would Encore be without his? Nothing.
He had been taking them ever since he started fighting in the war. The face of the bot who had introduced the drug to him had long faded, but that feeling of using the speeders for the first time would forever be permanently etched in his memory. The rush. Time speeding up. The surge of power to his spark. He hadn’t been able to slow down since.
Circuit speeders were strictly regulated even before the war. The process to obtain them was at times not worth the risk, but Encore found a way. He had found a sizable stash of them on an exoplanet during his space travels, and made frequent use of them while leaving Decepticon scouts in his dust. That’s just the way it had always been for him.
However, Earth had no such stash, and his was quickly running out. The battle he had just shuffled in from was his first without using circuit speeders. He only had one left. One singular dose to last him his entire stay on Earth- at least until he could find another source. His plans to, as the humans say “go cold turkey,” had left him miserable. His entire body down to his sensors felt heavy and sluggish. It definitely showed in battle, which is why the Decepticon lackey was able to get a good shot on him. He would’ve driven circles around him if felt right.
A sharp pain behind his optics became increasingly apparent as he snuck through the seemingly empty base. Tonight was his lucky night, he’d once again be able to give the old medic the slip. That last dose seemed heavenly in the moment. Encore was too busy with his own racing thoughts to hear the loud, “Ahem,” behind him until a heavy hand landed on shoulder. Frag.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Ratchet said.
Great… How was he going to get out of this one?
Encore whirled around to flash a widetoothed grin, “Well if it isn’t my favorite bot!”
Ratchet huffed in response and stared down at the wound on Encore’s side that was starting to trickle energon onto the floor. So much for superficial wounds.
“Listen listen! I know you’re super swamped with… whatever it is you do,” He started to inch backwards away from Ratchet’s intense gaze, “I will totally take it upon myself to see to my own care!”
Still nothing from Ratchet.
“Plus the rest of the team will be back soon, I’d hate to have the wait on me and my tiny scratch. Y’know I can barely feel it? I mean what’s the point of wasting all those resources on me when I’m barely hurt. I gotta learn how to take care of myself somehow! This would be a perfect moment for me to learn a lesson about… self preservation?” Words kept pouring out Encore’s mouth until his headache stopped him.
“Are you quite finished?” Ratchet said exasperatedly, “You know I have never met another bot able to continue on like you.”
He put an arm around Encore’s shoulders to lead him back to his exam table, “You’re coming with me.”
Ratchet practically dragged the young racer to his exam table. As soon as he could get Encore top stop fidgeting he started his routine scans, the little machine giving off a high pitched whirring noise.
“You need to chillax old man, I’m totally fine,” Even his words seem to drag out.
“Excuse me?” Ratchet looked up from his scanner, “Tch- you and Bumblebee have been speeding too much time with the humans… ‘chillax’ I’ve never heard such a stupid word…”
He turned towards his computer, logging the scanner’s data into a new file.
“I can’t believe I don’t have a medical file on you yet,” Ratchet said, shaking his head.
“I’m just good like that, those ‘con losers can’t even touch me,” A sharp pain at Encore’s side reminded him of the truth, “Except now, I guess.”
“Sure, and I can make energon fall from the sky,” Ratchet answered sarcastically, Encore’s antics were beginning to get on his nerves.
Encore rolled his eyes, beginning to push himself off the table when the computer began to flash. The data populated onto the screen casting a green glow into the space. His stomach dropped when he noted the flagged notes stating, “Unknown substance”. Maybe he could play it off as Earth material? Something he picked up while racing through town?
“Odd. Very odd,” The older bot looked at the warnings with a puzzled look.
He shook his head, he would just have to continue with the more pressing issue first. He would find out more about the alerts after Encore stopped leaking energon all over his floor. Ratchet gathered his tools, sparing no time or warning and began to work on the racer’s wound.
“Hey!” Encore flinched back, “Watch the paint, a scratch will scare away the chicks!”
Ratchet huffed, “If you don’t stop moving I will scratch you.” What did chicks even mean? He swore sometimes Encore just came up with words to say.
The wound was small, but deep enough to cause serious issues if it was left alone, which Encore seemed to be so keen on doing. Did he always shake this much? Ratchet took note of how noticeably Encore’s entire body seemed to tremble. Could it be after battle nerves? A busted sensor? A list of possible diagnoses ran through the medic’s mind. It was probably nothing too serious, but he would scan again just to make sure.
“Why don’t you just take a picture of me instead? It’ll last longer than your scans,” Encore chimed in as the medic once again started the scanning process.
Ratchet’s response was interrupted by a flashing alert on the screen. They both stared silently at the bolded letters.
Controlled Substance Detected
Classification: system enhancing stimulant
“Well your biosigns are off to say the least,” Ratchet said quietly, not turning from the screen.
A quiet understanding settled in the air. The medic slowly came to the realization of what was truly wrong with Encore. This was Decepticon behavior, only a con could stoop to such low. Circuit speeders and their related substances were reserved for their sick experiments and enhanced warriors. There was no honor in this.
Ratchet snapped to face Encore. His anger was quickly extinguished when he saw the racer’s expression. He was scared. There was no deranged warrior in front of him, rather a scared bot who was sick. This is what the war had made.
“Please don’t tell Optimus,” Encore said, his voice barely above a whisper. His entire loud and obnoxious persona was gone.
“I don’t- I can’t,” Ratchet stammered through his words, not sure what to do he sighed heavily, “I need to know exactly what you are taking.”
He would just have to decide whether or not to tell Optimus when he didn’t have a withdrawing patient in front of him.
“Just circuit speeders,” Encore admitted, his gaze fixed firmly on the ground.
“Just circuit speeders?!” Ratchet couldn’t believe this, no wonder the racer was never able to shut up.
“Sorry I- nevermind that, how long have you been off of them?”
“Two days,” Truthfully it wasn’t even 48 hours yet.
“How long have you been taking them? You wouldn’t normally be showing symptoms this early.”
Encore looked up, his normally smiling face was grave. This was a reality he hadn’t wanted to face.
“Since the war.”
Neither spoke for a long time. Since the war. Encore hadn’t lived a day down since he started fighting. Ratchet couldn’t begin to imagine the repercussions.
“I only have one dose left. I need… I need help”
Ratchet could not deny a patient the help he needed, but to not immediately tell Optimus one of his Autobots was taking controlled substances? He could not betray his oldest friend like that.
“Do not worry Encore, you’re in good hands,” Of course he would help him. Without a doubt. Everything else would just be dealt with later.
A familiar commanding voice sounded over the comms channel, requesting another ground bridge. Encore’s face lit up with pure terror. The ground bridge fizzed back into existence, illuminating the entire space. Four forms began to take shape as they passed through. Encore whipped his head over to Ratchet, ready to beg one last time, only to see that warnings on the screen were gone. His vitals were clear, healthy even.
The medic did not turn back to face Encore. He had new patients, new wounds to tend to. Though he would not forget this favor. Encore was no longer just the new fast loudmouth, Ratchet saw him now. The product of a harsh war. But weren’t they all.