Queen's note: Woot, been working on this for a long while. Have some, or rather a tiny mecha! And some drama. Someone hug Sideswipe
Thank You For Helping
Chapter One:
Tiny Terror
The parking lot seemed to be oddly shaped before one made a right turn around a craft store. Only then did the other stores become visible to the driver, and she made a face at how many cars were in front of the thrift store in the corner.
The driver gave a low raspberry sound as she found a parking spot relatively near both stores that the woman had to go to. She didn't get out right away, sitting back with the Oldsmobile off and turning the music down on her phone. Just enough to still hear the rain. Soon though she took her headphones out to listen to the rain and people watch.
Maybe also to just sit and mentally prepare for the walk in the rain, but to just face people in general. As there was a surprising amount of people coming out of the thrift store, not a whole lot really, but the woman worked retail and saw many, many people in a day, let alone in a week. She had just gotten off shift not fifteen minutes ago from a busy day, not having time to decompress yet.
The woman got out of her blue car, she made another face as she belatedly remembered to pull her hood up. The woman looked up at the hazy sky that was colored in shades of grays with some darker streaks to the east where the harbor was. Those were becoming thicker even as she watched and walked to the thrift store first. She really needed some new pants for work... and shoes...
More than anything she needed a few days off. Three in a row would be just amazing, though it was unlikely. At least in a few days she would be free for two days in a row. The woman rolled her shoulder as she entered the store, shook a little of the water off herself and waved at a casher. As the woman headed to the clothing racks she past a clump of people. Two or three smaller groups near each other really, but a young piercing voice whined, almost screeched about wanting something. She glared to the side, a flash of exasperated distaste showing on her face. The woman turned back to her mission, so not to be drawn into the noisy groups.
People now a days seemed so...sensitive to what felt like the wrong things to her. Maybe it was just things she didn't understand. Her nieces and nephews never seemed to screech when they wanted something, maybe turn into a noodle to plop down and pout. Biases or not, she just wanted peace in her life, and those around.
Not screaming kids.
Shaking her head, Tallen pushed those thoughts aside as her headphones were placed back in, to block out the general noise and screaming child. That was better, the first strings and music of a Halo game soundtrack keeping her company as she searched for some new work cloths in her size.
The thrift store was warehouse like, if only because there was any overly dramatic or too colorful displays and clutter. One sign in the men's shirt section was crooked on the end of a row of cloths. To the right and east a painted boxy-shape of plywood made up the changed rooms. They were a darker brown color. A pleasant counterpart that worked well with the warm take shade of the general paint of the store. As well as matching the dark browns of old book shelves on the other side of the store. In the back was the organized chaos of appliances, furniture and kitchen wares.
It was a large location, though not the largest that Tallen had seen, and she knew this store at least. Hell she had come here as a child with her mother enough times to have clear memories, and remembering the book shelves being in a different location. Even earlier memories of seeing old VHS tapes left over on one shelf from years ago.
Something red caught her attention, a flash of movement from the corner of her eye, it was lower to the ground and toddler related. The woman turned partly, pausing her soft humming with the halo soundtrack. She blinked, Tallen frowned and looked around, but there wasn't anyone too near her. By habit she peered between the cloths racks, with more than ten years of experience in retail and general public Tallen couldn't help checking for a run away or lost child. It couldn't be that one girl that had been yelling at the front of the store, for that child was still being loud.
Tallen shifted her left leg, careful of her brace wrapping that knee she eased into kneeling down. If she was completely wrong and going crazy or having seen a flash of a spirit or something, she wasn't afraid to re-tie her shoe.
Bright blue optics widen as the woman blinked back at seeing the small mech hiding in the so many pairs of pants.
"Oh..." It took a second of staring before Tallen realized what she was seeing. The woman shifted and smiled as she took an earphone out, "Hello. You should watch out, there's at least one bratty, grabby sounding kid in the front." She told the small mecha.
The red mech- Tallen instantly recognized him as a Sideswipe model, a verdant of some kind though. The red paint and armor like panels were smooth and had car light bits of kibble on him that looked oddly functional. The blank helm turned to glance towards the front and then the blue optics looked back at Tallen. He gave a soft chirp like sound, the tone and silver-white face seemed worried as the small mech gripped two things. A tiny yellow hot wheels car in his left hand and a bracelet wrapped around his right wrist with the tag dangled to be gripped in his right hand. It looked like a price tag like those on the bigger appliances in the back the last time Tallen had come to the thrift store.
"Where you donated?" Tallen asked softly, smiling as she shifted, "Given up? I'm sorry sweetie, that must be hard on your imprinting." She felt oddly sympathetic to the mecha.
The small mecha gave a soft chirp like sound, keeping it low though there was still a confused-worried tone as he watched the woman struggle to get back up. She was favoring her left leg, it was a little awkward to get back upright without something to grab. The mech came a little closer, leaning out between the line of cloths to watch.
"I have a bad knee," The woman told the Sideswipe module, smiling despite herself, shifting to let him look at the brace wrapped around the joint. "So I need a brace to help keep it from bulking under me." That nearly happened today. Tallen sighed and picked up two pairs of jeans that seemed they would fit, she wanted to try them on and possible grab a toy car for her nephews...and just get home.
There was a nervous meep and the sensation of a small hand grasping her other pants' leg made the woman blink and look down. "I'm sorry, I have to go try these on sweet-spark." She said, the term happening on a reflex, without really realizing that she said it. Tallen had snuck in a few posts in a written roll playing story on her phone at work when it was slow.
The small Sideswipe paused, looking shocked on his small face, before he gripped her leg again, chirping again. He sounded a little more determined though struggling to stay quiet as he held up his right hand, showing the appliance tag.
Tallen felt her heart sink a bit, "I don't think I can afford you..." she said softly, maybe a little wistfully as she stooped to look at the tag. She blinked, surprised at what she saw printed and the added stickers. Tallen hesitated, glancing up at the sale signs over near the back of the store and back down.
Marked down, 50.00
As Is.
–Imprinting program faulty, unable to reset.
The Sideswipe waved the tag at her with a hopeful sounded chirp, then showed that he had his own charging cored hidden away under a chest panel.
"Are you trying to sell yourself?" Tallen asked, twitching at another high pitched child scream, a little closer this time. The woman glanced up and back down at the tag now being pushed in her free right hand. She did a quick mental calculation, then reached for her phone, taking out both her headphones all the way.
50.00 at 30 percent off... that would make the mech 35.-ish plus tax?
The sideswipe model tugged on her again, his hand grasping hers, glancing to where he heard the moving group of noisy people.
"...okay," Tallen said, giving in as she shifting her hand to hold the mech's back, the tag hidden between both of their hands. "Come on little one. I can't remember what you do, but you're a favorite..." She trailed off, keeping more actively aware now of her surroundings and other people on the way to the changing room box. Mentally she was rearranging and sorting her budget, she had enough food for the month, as long as she didn't buy more than milk and small things, or go out for lunches... this could work.
Wasn't a Sideswipe a gaming or protective related mecha?
What was the As-Is about?
"You're not going to spazz out at home are you?" Tallen asked, not quite able to think of the tiny mecha AI as an 'appliance' though she knew they were made as that. Different models based to look like the transformer characters for different things. From gaming consoles, to assistants, to financial aid computers and cleaning help to name a few things she could think of off the top of her head.
It understandable took off in popularity, to the point that the little AIs were no rarer than an X-Box or PlayStation, but not nearly everyone could afford one.
The little red mecha was shaking his head, meeping softly again as he glanced back over a shoulder. His grip tightened a surprising amount, but didn't really hurt.
"Don't encourage her by looking back so much," Tallen said softly as she stepped up to the changing room. She held her arm out and the pants folded over her left forearm to the attendant, "Three pants, and... um..." she held her captured right hand up a bit, "A cling on?"
"Ohh, Sideswipe, you found someone you like?" The older, brown haired woman said peering down, and getting a very sweet sounding chirp-beep from the mech. "Normally he hides all day watching people." The woman said unlocking the door and setting the jeans inside, "Go ahead in."
"Even with him?" Tallen asked, looking down at back up.
The other woman adjusted her purple blouse, "You're fine darling." She chuckled, "He's been a marvel at spotting shoplifting, and if he doesn't like you- you just turn and he's gone. He must like you."
A trill came from the little mech, Sideswipe losing some of his nervousness from before to be replaced by some pride at the praise he was given.
Tallen smiled, now being dragged into the changing room, "Okay then…oy, this isn't a date you know young man." She added in a dry tone, getting a small laughing fit from behind as the door was closed.
There was a sound of taring velcro after a moment as Tallen started taking her knee brace off. Sitting down now that the little two and half foot tall mech had let her go, Sideswipe was starting to peer into the larger pockets of the jacket that had been dropped on the floor. "Erip?" he asked looking up, his tag dangling free for now.
"Just, don't hurt my phone," The woman said as she started to try on the first pair of pants. "I can't afford another." Tallen said stretching and testing, surprised that one of the jeans fit first time. She was still going to wash it again before spending a whole day in it though. As she was getting ready to try the second pair of jeans, the woman was stopped.
Sideswipe had looked up, giving a surprised whistle and reached out to touch a spot just above Tallen's left ankle, and the tattoo there. It had thicker black lines of a Decepticon emblem, with a light dusting or high lights of purple around the inside corners. Sideswipe looked down at his chest and the pale off-white emblem that was on the thick plate.
"Yeah... you're Autobot," Tallen said, shifting to stand carefully again, and showed Sideswipe her other ankle, "I have that too, it's not colored yet though." She smiled as the mini mech chirped at seeing the Autobot emblem on her other leg. "When I can afford it, I'll get some red. Pretty cool huh?"
Sidesipe nodded, chittering something the woman couldn't guess this time, looking at the older tattoo and newer one.
"I need my legs back," Tallen pointed out, "You can look at my tattoo again later once home, but I need my ankles to try pants on." She heard a snort from outside the thin wall and door of the changing room, but didn't feel upset at the inadvertent ease dropping from the older woman.
It wasn't like she hadn't done the exact same thing at work, listening to costumers while working in case she needed to step in. Or direct them to the right area. Sometimes to correct a misconception about pet fish or foods. Regardless, Tallen knew it was just a part of retail, and it wasn't like this changing room was solidly private or sound proof.
As she coaxed Sideswipe to let her ankle go, assuming his fascination was from never seeing a tattoo before, she could hear someone asking the woman outside some questions. The voices drifted off with instructions of how to find things, and Tallen turned her attention to trying on the second pair of pants. The small mech sat back down, investigating her jacket's pockets again, that thoughtful look was back as he snooped. Maybe trying to learn about her?
The woman smiled despite herself, reaching for her own pants.
There was an out of place sound of a huff and then a cringing-loud wail of an alarm blared from Sideswipe, making Tallen jump as her heart visited her spine and stomach. She yelped as a young voice screamed out at floor level. Whipping around she gaped at the scene in her changing room, "What the bloody hell do you think you're doing?!"
"Mine!" A little girl demanded, screamed as she grabbed Sideswipe's foot with two hands as the AI struggled to pull himself the opposite direction, one of his own hands grabbing the leg of the bench. Trying not to be pulled out under the gape under the door the scowling girl crawled under.
Dropping what was in her hands, Tallen took a deep breath and then reached down to grasp Sideswipe's now free hand, the little yellow toy car dropped in his panic. Voice lowering a little she used a firmer voice, "Young lady, let go right now. You are not supposed to be doing this- Someone help me!"
Tallen knew better then to touch the child, even as she felt strain on her bad knee.
"I want the thing!" The child demanded, twisting in the door gap, disturbing her hat as she tugged on the AI. "I saw it first!"
Sideswipe buzzed and then screeched another alarm, that had employees of the thrift store running over as he started kicking at the smaller hands. Both of his own hands were now locked onto the adult woman's wrist tightly. The AIs hissed and screamed that piercing alarm- determined to get free.
"Don't hurt her- I know it's scary- No. Young lady, no. Let go of him this instant. No." Tallen growled, trying to stop a bigger disaster from happening as the child screamed herself, then louder as someone was pulling her back out of the closed changing room.
"Corey! What do you think you're doing?!" Another woman's voice demanded, Tallen and Sideswipe could just see hands with pink and purple nailpolish and-
"No!" Tallen barked at the child, deepening her voice to get a better response as the girl was starting to reach for the cell phone now on the ground as the child lost her grip on Sideswipe. "Don't you dare grab my cell young lady."
All at once Sideswipe was free, and Tallen stumbled back, hitting the other side of the changing room as she cursed finally. The Ai was still screaming himself in a mix of anger and fear, kicking a moment before Tallen pulled him up and shifted into the corner to sit heavily on the bench before her leg could give out. She winced as the mecha wrapped around her, clinging almost too tight to her chest, shoulders and the side of her neck. There was a scramble outside the changing room as Tallen reflexively hugged the mecha, scowling herself now as she noticed her cellphone was missing.
"Sideswipe, stay in here." Tallen said, running one hand over the small black helm as she shifted to sit up, wincing at the ache in her knee. She added in a softer voice that only Sideswipe could hear as he looked up, still making an unnerving sound but it was lower like a cat half growling. "Keep a hold of my wallet, and I'll make sure this shit doesn't happen again. You can come home with me."
The woman picked up the black object that had been in her jacket before she had reflexively put in on the bench where it would be safer. She put the calanderbook/wallet into Sideswipe's hands as male voices joined the chaos outside the thin wood. The red mech grasped the wallet tightly, growling now at the door as Tallen pried him off and put him on the bench. Just managing to grab her pants as a heavey ponding started on the door.
"What the hell did you do to my daughter?!" A man's voice bellowed, making Sideswipe yell an alarm sound back at him, though there was an indignant tone in it.
"Rob stop-" the woman who had pulled the child out started.
"What's going on?" A new voice cut in, as others spoke over each other.
Tallen took a shaky breath, fighting back the fear response she knew she had at yelling voices before standing up. Pulling her own pants back on as if that was a shield before stepping over to the changing room door, flipped the flimsy lock and wrenched the door open.
"Enough!" She yelled as loud as she could, using that I-am-a-Manager, slash aunty-Tallen-is-mad-and-Disappointed-in-you. It took all she had to face the sudden crowd of people, and manage to glare as she pulled up one side of her pants. "Everyone calm down. You young lady, will return my cell phone you stole. You sir, I did nothing to the girl that was crawling under my changing room door to steel from me."
Tallen had dropped her voice back down to normal levels, looking at the taller man before turning to the woman who held the anger child, just in time to see her throw the black rectangle. There was no diving after the phone that smacked against the wood of the changing room, Tallen flexed her hands and slowly clenched them. Anger warred with fear and she clenched her jaw before taking a deep, slow breath.
"Corey!"
"I saw it first! It's mine momma! Daddy take it back!" The child was insisting pointing the changing room, answered by a clear scolding in buzz-warbling from Sideswipe, and a hiss.
Not your family, not your job. Don't do anything, be professional, Tallen thought as she stared straight into the horrified eyes of the girl's mother. She was semi humming in time with the mental chant of, Be professional, before speaking up as the shocked man moved closer, pointing at her phone that was in three pieces, battery on the floor and screen now shattered. "I need that for work tomorrow."
"I'm so sorry," the dark hair woman said standing up, cringing before standing up and picking up her daughter, adding in an angry sending order, "Corisa! Be quiet- You do not do this! Mark, here hold her, do not let her down, I'm so sorry miss."
The reality of all that happened seemed to hit, some of the group trying to fade out as the man that yelled before moved forward as Tallen finnaly started to pick up her broken phone, "Miss, I'm so sorry, this isn't normally how she acts- I heard screaming and thought-"
"I can understand the reflex to protect your child." Tallen said taking another deep breath as she struggled to contain her own anger at this sudden chaos. She stood and took the battery from the man, holding the broken screen up and the new large dent on the side where it hand hit the door. "But your daughter just crawled in under a locked changing room door to grab at my things- then stoll my my phone, and as you see..."
"We'll replace your phone," The mother appeared, having ordered an uncle or something to take the screaming child out of the store. She glanced at the open changing room, where Sideswipe was hissing holding the black wallet and rubbing at his leg where he had be yanked, "And take care of your things, I'm so sorry, she's not normally like this."
Tallen hesitated as she looked at the two before nodding, taking one more breath, held it and let it out slowly before leveling a frown at the man and woman. "I'll except that, but you need to get that girl some help. Anger aside I understand that behaver can be changed with some professional aid, I've seen it happen."
"We will," The man, Rob said, looking upside now as he grasped the whole situation. "Jane is right, we'll replace your phone, and get your things."
Sideswipe hissed again, looking around as one of the store employees peered in, only to warble a warning at the older woman. The small mech was glaring at everyone but Tallen at the moment, realizing that she was the first human in some time that had defended him. Stood up for him and... and treated him like more than a slandered AI. Sideswipe wanted to yell, to really yell at the other humans, even at the store employees because of the mood he was now in.
He clutched at the wallet when anyone came near, treated it like it was his only lifeline. It was in a way his ticket to getting free of the wire locks on his arm and leg, and if he had it then Tallen must take him away, right?
Sideswipe hissed at the father of the child that grabbed him, more than once, whenever the man moved. He stood up on the bench as Tallen came back in, pulling on her shoes and strapping her knee brace back on. Hesitating a moment he murmured a softer note to her, trying to say thank you without speaking up. Even now Sideswipe would not speak outside of what he was doing, not again, not without really knowing who he was with. He let Tallen pick him up, Sideswipe settling on her side, more hip and held on as the woman walked to the front- after offering him the little toy car she had remembered to grab.
This helped Sideswipe slowly start to settle down, not just the toy, but the fact that someone was making an effort for him. Sideswipe watched everyone he could, lifting his legs to wrap around the woman to protect himself- though he trilled as the price tage and the wire wrapped around the same wrist was removed. Then the 'theft prevention' cords on his other arm, and left leg were taken off, leaving him free to cling to Tallen outside the store.
He was outside the store.
Now things could start to happen again!
"I'm going to put you in the car, and deal with the drama," Tallen muttered, glancing at blue optics, raising an eyebrow. "You okay with that?"
Sideswipe nodded, staring back at the woman before chirping an agreement. He could do cars, cars had locks...and that was an old car. It was Sideswipe's turn to arch an optic ridge, staring at the faded dark blue paint, a few odd scrapes and one large dent in the driver's side front panel. He watched as the woman unlocked only the driver's door, tossing the pile of cloths to the passenger seat, as well as her headphones, then set Sideswipe down on her seat.
"Stay in here okay?" Tallen half asked, pointing to the door after putting her broken phone on the dash. "And keep this locked until I'm back, I'm going with the woman Jane to an ATM in the complex."
Sideswipe nodded, looking around the large inside of the Oldsmoble, leaning away as the door was closed. He doubled checked all four doors were closed and locked before watching out of the windows as Tallen walked to meet the woman with the pink nail polish, talking in the rain before walking to the center of the shopping complex. He glanced around to see where the other woman came from, cruching slowly as he saw the group before sliding out of sight to sit in the seat.
The small mech gripped the little yellow toy that reminded him of his brother, muttering in Cybertronian, "I'll find you."