Please... stop this madness... can't you see it's hurting them? Can't you see it's hurting me? Leave them alone and sent us free.... we won't say anything.... can't you hear me? Listen to me... please listen to our pain...

Tick tock...

Please...

Tick tock...

Don't reset the clock... stop...

Tick tock...

Please... listen...  how many times have you done this? Stop... I'm begging you...

Tick tock...

Please!

Ti-

The birds chirped happily and the trees swayed with the gently breeze. Prowl slowly opened his eyes and simply stared into the tree branches and leaves above him. He didn't remember starting again.

Every time was different though, and he wasn't sure what was going on anymore. He watched everyone die different ways and times from when they started. He had seen many win and tried to be friends with others, but they always ended up dead.

How many times had he been through this? How many times had he watched others die? How many times did they murder him?

Prowl sighed shakily and closed his eyes again as he tried to remember, but he couldn't focus right now. The worst part about remembering, was just that. Remembering.

Every cry of pain, every plead for mercy, every wicked laugh, and every struggle to survive the horrible outcome. Why couldn't anyone else remember? Why did he have to be the only one? His mind slowly reminded him how many times he had done this and how many times they had started again.

One hundred and forty-nine. Every outcome different, every single one.

He had managed to be friends with a few and managed to save others, yet in the end they all died. Including him. Prowl knew everyone's name, nature, intent and hidden purpose. Who wanted to win, who wanted to survive, and on the rare occasion, who wanted to protect. He had them all sorted out in categories in his mind, because that was all he had. His mind. Though he was starting to even question that.

Prowl sighed shakily and got up then went over to the cliff that was a ways away. He had started going to the borders of every arena to try and find away out, but he never did. He had tried jumping off a cliff into the water below, but just got flung back, and seriously injured himself. Megatron later came by and killed him.

Prowl shuddered at the memory and stared off the cliff as he thought. Every place had some kind of block or barrier at the edges, which confused him and he knew it was an arena. He frowned deeply as he kicked a rock off the cliff, only for it to fly back after it hit some kind of field. He dodged it and glanced around again as he sighed forcefully. How was this going to end? Would it ever end?

He walked off and stared blankly as he listened to the noises around him. He didn't see the point of this anymore but knew he had to keep fighting. He had won ten times and still nothing happened to indicate they would be done soon.

He entered a heavily wooded area and furrowed his brow as he glanced around again. He counted the previous cannons and realized they were almost done with this round. There were six people left, including himself.

His guard suddenly came up and he glanced around before he heard another cannon. He quickly ducked down and gripped the dirt, trying to remember who was left. He couldn't though. His mind hurt from everything else he had to constantly remember.

He sighed again as he tried to calm himself but stopped when he heard crying. He slowly looked up and towards the sound as he listened intently, he then slowly walked towards the noise. He ducked down again as he got close then moved towards the person as he gripped his knife. He peaked out of the bushes to see the small boy kneeling by a young man's side. The man was staring at the sky and he looked as if he fell from somewhere. He was dying and the boy was quietly begging him to get up. They could hear fighting in the distance from the other two.

"Please get up... please...." he whispered quietly and gripped his shirt tightly. His knuckles turning white as he sobbed, and the young man closed his eyes for a moment.

Prowl watched quietly then glanced around as another cannon sounded. Four more. The boy jumped in surprise and looked at his friend as he sobbed silently. Trying not to give away their position.

"Bumblebee... please... just a little longer... please..." the boy whispered quietly and looked around with fear. Prowl slowly came out of hiding to help the child, but only scared him. The boy whimpered quietly and buried his face in the injured man's shirt.

"Please... don't kill him... if you have to hurt someone... hurt me... but don't kill him..." he sobbed silently. Prowl watched him them slowly knelt by his side.

"I won't... I'm here to help you..." he whispered quietly and looked through his backpack. He grabbed the aid kit and pulled it out, but the sound of a cannon told him he was too late. He waited too long. "Three..." he whispered. The boy ignored him and couldn't contain his sadness.

He sobbed uncontrollably as he kept his face buried in the young man's shirt. He was devastated that his only friend had died. He continued to cry and Prowl heard the last person coming towards them. He stood as he held his dagger. Determined to protect the child. He recognized the person as Starscream and Prowl narrowed his eyes.

"How did the coward survive this long?" He asked and stood in front of the two as they lay there.

"I could ask the same thing." Starscream sneered as he watched the other man. "So... the boy is the only one left." He smirked darkly.

"You have to get passed me." Prowl growled lowly and clenched his fists as he held the knife.

"Shouldn't be too difficult." The other scoffed and ran at him. Prowl charged him and tackled him to the ground. He punched him hard in the face then went to stab him.

Starscream quickly knocked the blade away and growled as he hit him. The two fought and wrestled a little as they rolled down the hill. They punched and kicked each other then stopped at the bottom of the slope. Starscream growled threateningly and stabbed him in the side. Prowl gasped and stumbled back as he gripped the knife that was in him.

"Ha! I win. You're a stupid and foolish Autobot." He spat. Prowl furrowed his brow as he looked at him.

"What did you just say?" He asked in confusion. "What's an Autobot?" He said and glared darkly.

"What? I didn't say that. What are you talking about?" He seethed angrily as he pulled out a hatchet.

The ground suddenly gave way and he cried out as he fell down the cliff into the river far below. Prowl blinked in surprise as he watched then looked around. There wasn't a cliff there a few minutes ago.

"What in Primus? Wait.... what's Primus?" He asked himself then blinked a couple times as the ground gave way under his feet. He cried out and grabbed the edge as he also held on to his side.

He winced in pain and held on as tightly as he could. He glanced down to the river then gasped as the sharp pain filled his body. He felt himself slipping and grunted as he tried to hold on, but he couldn't.

He suddenly felt two hands grab his and he looked up to see the boy. He remembered his name was Rafael. The child had tears falling down his face as he tried to pull Prowl up and save him.

"Let go. It's okay." He said as he winced and gripped the knife still in his side. "You've won." He smiled sadly, grateful the boy hadn't been killed.

"I don't want to win." he choked. "I want to go home." he sobbed and tried again to pull him up, but he was too heavy. "Please... I just lost my friend..." he whispered and cried more. This was a traumatizing experience for him.

"Let me go." Prowl said sternly and the boy shook his head. The man grunted and brought his other hand up, he smacked him in the chest and pushed him back.

Raf cried out in surprise and let go of the man. He screamed and looked away quickly, not wanting to see him fall. Prowl closed his eyes as he felt himself falling to another death.

How many times did he have to die, before this ended? Before his death became permanent?

Pain racked his body and filled him as he hit the water and slowly sank. He felt darkness consume him and knew it would start again. The endless cycle of death would continue once the clock started to sound, and reset everything. He felt himself floating in the darkness as everything went silent for a moment.

Tick tock...

Tick tock...

Tick tock....

Tic-

The clock... it stopped...