It's raining again…. I pull my jacket tighter as the cold wind hits me. The rain seeps through my clothing. I look up into the dark, cold night. No stars are shining through the grey clouds. I curl up to myself on the hard ground. The rain drenches my short blonde hair. I tuck my head within my blue jacket.
I think every cold winter night; I could just end it here right now. I wish I did. I have had enough of spending these cold nights alone in the dark. I lean against the wall for more warmth. The rain falls down harder. I shiver in the cold. Again I attempt to wait the night out before moving on to find a better shelter. I hope that this night is… the night.
I feel warmth….. For a long time have I felt that. I open my eyes…. The sun shines bright. I have to quickly close my eyes; they almost burn in the sun. I rub my eyes before opening them again. To my luck they don't hurt so much. As I look around in the alley, the ground is still quite wet and with the position of the sun, I'd say it's around afternoon sometime.
I slowly climb to my feet and slowly start walking to the streets. It's hard living on the streets.
I pick a black bandana out of my pocket and shook it. I opened it out and flatten it on the top of my head and tying it at the back of my head; pulling it tight over my head. I shake my dark blue jacket over my shoulders; shaking the water off; like it would help anyway, but it is a habit.
As I reach the side walk two men walk up to me, both look quite tough, but neither of them could match my strength and power anyway. They are wearing leather and denim jackets, like my worn and torn denim jacket. The taller one has the appearance of a bikie than the other. He looks quite scrawny.
"Hello pretty lady…. What are you doing wondering the streets by yourself?" The tougher guy spoke.
I ignore the two and continue to walk.
"Hey we're talking to you!" This voice sounds weaker than the other.
Suddenly a hand grabs my shoulder.
"Pretty Lady." He spoke.
"Didn't your mummy tell you not to talk to strangers?" I question.
"Huh?" They mumble.
I smirk and swing my arm around slicing the taller guys face. He drops to the floor holding his face and mumbling something I don't understand. I just continue walking; smiling to myself; knowing that even being alone I can at lease defend for myself.
Finally I reach my favourite bar. I open the doors. Everyone looks at me. I rustle my jacket and walk inside. Soon everyone turns their faces away, finally not being amused with what just has walked in. I sit at the bar. A bartender looks at me like I'm from a different planet. I realize it's a woman underneath all the tattoos and clothing. She walks over to me.
"I'll have the special." I smile to her.
"You're a bit young to be in here aren't you?" She asks.
The smile is completely wiped off my face. I stand up.
"Do I look underage?" I get in her face.
"Yes… yes, you do." She speaks calmly.
"I'M BLOODY 24!" I yell in her face.
She doesn't move. "May I see some form of ID?" She asks as she swings her handtowel over her shoulder.
"Fine…. If you don't believe me." I say angrily.
I reach into my pocket and bring out a card and slam it onto the table. A proof of age card; claiming I am the age of a twenty-four year old.
She looks down at it and turns away and starts pouring a beer.
I spend hours at this bar; talking to no one, like the usual. I always sit alone. I don't bother anyone, and no one bothers me…. Just how I like it.
"It's closing time." The same woman speaks to me.
I look at her. She leans on the counter in front of me.
"What?" I question.
"I'm sorry about before… where I accused you to be underage." She apologizes.
I look at her shoulders. I notice faint bruises covering her skin. You have to be this close to spot them.
"Don't wanna hear it." I place the glass down and stand up.
I begin to walk outside. I open the doors and I feel the sudden brush of the dark, cold air. I shake suddenly and clutch my jacket, remembering the cold, wet nights alone.
I take a deep sigh before moving on again…. In search of shelter.
I finally come to rest behind a dumpster; deep within the alley, far away from civilization.
It's when I close my eyes that I notice I started to cough.
"Son-of-a-bitch." I mumble.
I know that I've caught another bloody cold. I feel the light rain beginning again… warning that the rain is only going to get heavier. I pull my bandana off and place it into my jeans pocket. I feel the rain getting harder as I attempt to fall asleep; listening to the sounds to the city.
I feel something on my shoulder…. Probably just rain. I feel it again, harder this time. Rain isn't that hard…. Is it? I open my eyes; darkness I see in front of me.
"What are you doing out here?" I look to my left…..
It's that woman that served me in the bar. She looks a little different. Her bright blonde hair is down.
"Did you follow me here?" I question, going into hibernation.
I hear her sigh.
"You're odd. You come out of nowhere. So—" She starts.
"I haven't come out of nowhere." I look at her. "I've been a regular customer there." I say, standing my ground.
"I've worked there for a while and I haven't seen you before." She kneels down.
"Well now you have….. go away." I rest my head on the wall.
"No… I can't leave you here, knowing that you're homeless." She hesitates.
Homeless…..
I sigh…
"Come on." She pulls at my arm.
"I'll be fine…." And answer coughing; like my body disagrees with me.
"No you won't, you've caught a cold." She pulls hard.
"Leave me be… you don't know what I am. I can defend myself." I pull away viciously.
"I don't care what you say; you're going to spend the night at my house." She stands up; pulling me with her.
How? How did she manage to pull me up? I'm so much stronger than her. I look her straight in the eyes.
"Don't make me force you to leave me." I say deeply.
"What are you gonna do? No offence but you happen to be homeless, you can't quite call the Marines." She smiles.
"That's not what I'm talking about." I continue to stare at her.
I feel rage building up.
"Alright, just please spend the night at my house, I have a huge couch you can sleep on and trust me, it'll be comforter than the floor." She points at the ground. "After that you can leave and I won't bother you again." She smiles.
I look up the alley. I look back at her.
"You don't even know why I roam the streets. You know nothing about me." I say.
"True but I cannot leave you here, not tonight; I'm not that cold hearted." She answers.
I take a deep sigh.
"Fine, when the sun rises I'll be gone." I say as I begin to walk towards the street.
It took about an hour….. I think, that's what it felt like, to drive to her apartment. She turns the headlights off and climbs out the car.
"You coming." She pops her head back in.
I look at her. I open the door, hoping out of her car. I start coughing again.
"Follow me." She starts towards the door.
I follow in pursuit. She leads me up towards a lift after we enter inside. I feel all the warmth rush inside me as I breathe in. I see her head turn to look at me and she smiles. I don't smile back. The lift only took a few minutes, and she leads me towards a door. She uses her keys and unlocks the door.
"I'll go get a few rugs for ya." She smiles before taking off into a door.
Her place is quite big. It's seems a little empty. Everything has been placed neatly.
"Alright look. You'll have to be quiet, during the night. Okay?" She walks back in.
I jump at the sudden voice.
"Haha, sorry." She speaks again.
I look at her.
"Here." And she passes me rugs and a pillow. "That's the couch over there." She points towards a really big couch.
I look over there and begin to walk over there. I throw the pillow down and the rugs. I untie my shoes and climb under the rugs.
The sun is shining through the windows… windows? I open my eyes. I look around…. Inside a house…
"Morning sunshine."
I look to the hallway and notice the woman from the bar standing there with a plate of good-looking, steaming food. Suddenly I remember where I am.
"I got up and you were still here so I decided that I could at least make you breakfast before you leave." She smiles as she walks towards me.
"You didn't have too." I say taking the plate from her.
"I had too." She smiles.
Bacon and scrambled eggs. It's been a long time since I've eaten something like this.
"So….. My name's Sydni….." She says.
I continue to stuff my face with this really good food. I don't answer her.
"You've never mentioned your name." She says as she sits next to me.
I finish within seconds, handing the plate over to her, and I look at her.
"Thanks." I say as I stand up.
"Your name?" She questions.
I look over my shoulder. I sigh. "Alicia…. Alicia Novak." I answer.
I hear a smash. I don't move… I notice that the plate she was holding was released and dropped to the floor with the mention of my name.
"Like I said you know nothing about me." I say as I head to the door.
"….. Wait!"
I stop. "What?" I say as I turn around.
"Are you really her?" She asks.
"Yes, okay? Now like you promised… leave me alone." I say as I open the door and leave.
I walk the streets once again….. really? Why can't people leave me alone….
"Freeze!" A yell from behind.
I look over my shoulder….. Marines….. Great.
"Stop right there!" The Marine, that's stands out from the rest with his green scarf he has around his neck, yells.
I turn around and face the five of them. I almost forgot I'm a wanted person. I reach into my pocket and tie my bandana to my head.
"Can't I ever get peace?" I question as blades form from my hands.
"Drop your weapons!" He yells again….
They're all holding a sword apart from the Captain, who's holding a gun.
"Hahaha ahhhhhh…. That ain't happening anytime soon." I laugh.
They rush towards me. They all attempt to slash at me; I dodge them all and slash at them with my blades. Blood pisses everywhere, blood all over my hands, not even a scratch on me. They all drop dead.
"Are you really sure you want to take me on?" I stand straight.
He pulls the trigger and bam! He shot at me. It hit's me in the left shoulder. The blast spins me to the ground.
"Yes… I'm sure…" He smirks.
"A gun ain't going to stop me." I laugh.
I struggle to climb to my feet. I lie a little too much for my own good, sometimes. The pain is so great; it feels like someone ripped it off.
I stare directly to the Marine.
"Somehow I don't really believe that." He smiles underneath his hat as he pulls the trigger again.
I get hit again; in my leg. I fall to the ground again, groaning.
"Hahaha you're very weak." I hear him laugh.
I lift up my arm, swinging little cross blades towards the Marine. One hits him in the chest, one to the head and the other to his throat; suddenly he falls backwards.
I clutch my leg, my blood is all through my clothes,
"Damn! I really love this Jacket." I say as I look at my left shoulder, the denim torn.
"Alicia!"
I look up… it's the bar tender.
"I thought you were going to leave me alone?" I yell.
"What happened here?" She asks as she walks closer to me.
"Leave me alone." I say as I climb to my feet, only to fall over again, in pain.
"Shit! Are you alright?" She's suddenly at my side.
"I'm fine." I say as I crawl away.
"No you're not….. You've been shot; I can stitch it up for ya." She says as her hand rests on my right shoulder.
"I'll be fine." I complain.
"No…. no you won't…." She looks at my leg. "I can fix it for you." She suggests.
"No… it'll heal." I say as I try to stand up.
"Yeah but the bullets might still be in there…. It can get infected." She sounds serious.
"Hahahaha, you think lady. But look all you know is, is my name and nothing else." I laugh.
"I know you're nearly the most wanted criminal." She crosses her arm.
"Don't say that….. I'm not a criminal… I've never done anything like that…." I attempt to walk away, stumbling away.
She suddenly grips my shoulders.
"Arghh!" She screams, meanwhile I fall to the ground in more pain.
"Look lady! Leave me alone!" I look at her.
"Get it off! Get it off!" She screams.
I look at her hand; it's burning… great…
"Wipe your hand on your clothes." I say as a sigh.
She jumps up and down, waving her hand everywhere, the hand that touched my wound. Soon she wipes it on her jeans, she goes wiping crazy.
"Better?" I ask, still sitting on the ground.
"Yeah, but my hand burns when I touched your shoulder…" She looks at me.
"Have I ever mentioned you know nothing about me?" I question.
"Wait….." She kneels next to me.
"Your shoulder, I didn't notice it before." She goes to poke it.
"Back off!" I yell, hitting her hand away.
Confusion forms on her face.
I sigh. "Sure you know my name, but do you know what I am?" I ask.
"No…. no I don't, all I know is what I said before." She shakes her head.
"Well…" I laugh. "I'm sure you've heard rumours about Decepticons?" I ask, laughing.
"Wait! You're a Decepticon!?" She yells.
I face palm. "Well nah shit…. Okay lady you happy?" I look at her.
Her jaw has dropped open.
"Look, when you humans touch my blood you burn…. It's acid to you." I tell her, climbing to my feet.
"I've heard that…." She hesitates. "You are supposed to take over the world… a big monster." She looks me directly in the eye.
I give her a straight, blank face.
"But you're different…" She says…. Finally.
"Of course I am…. I'm no monster… the only reason why the Marines want me is because that's what they believe… we're all monsters!" I yell in her face. "Now leave me alone." I tell her as I walk away.
I stop and sigh. I look over my shoulder… she hasn't moved. "My body burns off infections… I'll be fine." I say as I continue to walk away.
"At least let me help you then." She says confidently.
"You can't. The second you touch my blood you burn." I tell her.
"That's where gloves come in." She smiles.
I look at the ground before answering her.
"Fine then." I walk towards her.
She ain't afraid of me I'll tell ya that. Apparently the gunshot in my shoulder has gone straight through, apparently I'm lucky. She's stitch that up and plays with the wound on my leg… going on about how her boyfriend bashes her…. I don't understand humans… why don't they just leave them? At least that's how she had those bruises I saw the other night. She finally has pulled the bullet out and now is onto stitching it.
"Have you had a boyfriend before?" She asks.
"No…" I grit my teeth when she pulls the string tighter on my leg.
"Are you ever interested in having one?" She looks at me.
"No. Look lady—"
"Sydni." She smiles. "Please stop calling me Lady, I do have a name."
"Well most people call me this and no one knows my name. I guess I got a hold of it." I tell her. "Sydni… why are you helping me anyway? If you get caught helping me you'll be wanted as well? You know that right?" I ask her.
"Yes I know that…" She sighs.
"Well? Why are you helping me?" I question again.
"Somebody's got too." She smiles.
"No… no one helps me. I don't like to be bothered." I tell her, crossing my arms.
"Well that's too bad then." She smiles.
"If you hang with me for too long, not only you'll be attached to me someone else will want you as well…. If word gets out about you, you'll…..-"
"What? I'll be on the wanted list? I honestly don't care what other people think of me." She says quite quickly.
"No, not people, Shiedo; if you think I'm bad? Then wait till you meet him, he is the last thing you want at your doorstep." I tell her.
"Shiedo? Who is he exactly?" She looks at me.
"He's a Decepticon… he was the one who was sent to find me. To take me back to Megatron." I explain to her as she finishes tying the bandage on my leg.
I hop off the table.
"Megatron? I've heard that name somewhere." She scratches her head.
"Maybe. But the last thing you want is to be on their wanted list." I say as I walk towards the door.
"Alicia?" She almost whispers.
I look over my shoulder.
"Please stay here. There's a perfectly good couch here yet you'll spend your life on the streets." She almost cries.
"It's for your own good." I tell her walking out the door.
It's been days since I've seen that girl…... to my luck I haven't come across any Decepticons or Marines. It's a bit odd, by now I would have come across at least two Decepticons…
I shake my head at the thought and continue walking. My wounds healed faster than normal, maybe next time I should go to this girl again, Sydni, so I wouldn't have put up with the pain that I normal do.
I continue to walk down the street, looking for a new place to sleep; getting prepared for tonight.
Suddenly an explosion goes off down the street. There's debris flying everywhere. I stop dead in my tracks. I know what can cause an explosion like that…..
Smoke and flames continue to climb the skies. I walk slowly towards the blast. People run away screaming for their lives…. This is not good. I cannot be sure if it's who I think it is. I wouldn't expect him to come out here…. Usually he gets his minions to do his dirty work. Megatron wouldn't want to get a bad name for himself… I know him all too well…..
But there it is….. When I see I was wrong. A massive, near hundred feet tall, being slowly forms as the dust and smoke clears. I am quickly pulled away to the side, behind a dumpster.
"Shhhhh….."
I turn around only to find the bar tender…. AGAIN!
"Why!? Why is it when I'm in trouble you're always to my rescue?" I shake my head as I attempt to get up.
"NO." She pulls me back down.
"This isn't a battle for you…." I say as I shove her and climb to my feet.
I know for a fact that she was only trying to hide me from them… but I'm sick of hiding… I walk out into the middle of the street. Megatron notices me before walking towards me….. I'm sick…. Of…. running…
I begin to run towards him. Closing the distance between us….. It was when there is only 50 metres till I would reach him…. I leap forwards. My skin changes, my skin becomes metal. A wolf like tail forms in the material of metal as well. My head changes into a long snout, long ears transforming and plates of steel taking places all over me. My body forms into a huge metal, wolf like, Decepticon. All this in time for my front paws hit the ground. I sprint towards him. My form is twice the size of what the size of a Great Dane would be. Megatron lifts his arm up, his hand forming into a gun. He shoots it. I dodge it, leaping to a side. I consume the distance and attack. He shoots again, but he misses. I jump up at him, he leans to one side but I still grab him. I hold onto his left shoulder. He swings around, yet I do not fall off. My left hand transforms into a weapon; I aim at his face and fire it. The bullet explodes in his face, taking bits of his face with it. He flinches and I wasn't quite expecting it and I am thrown aside.
I fly through the air only to realise I am heading straight for a group of humans, if I land on them…. I know I'll kill them all. I straighten myself out and spread my arms out, suddenly little feather like blades take form on the outside of my arms and the sides of my body. The humans begin to scream as I become closer and closer. I then rapidly take flight and go straight over the top of them as I steer my way around them. I turn my body around and unexpectedly I am hit. I get sent flying again, but too fast for me to realise anything. I smash into a pile of something. Debris flies everywhere. I painfully climb to my feet; I notice that I was thrown into the dumpster that Sydni was hiding behind before I took off. I search around only to find her standing in front of me, unharmed. I take a deep sigh of relief.
"Alicia?" She mumbles.
I quickly look back towards Megatron. He is walking closer; by the looks of it he hasn't seen Sydni yet. I look back to the human, she is walking towards me. I shake my head as I walk back out into the street. I look down at Megatron.
"Well aren't you the very feisty one I still know." Megatron laughs in a very deep static voice.
"I'm not joining back up with you!" I yell in the almost same deep static voice.
He snickers.
"So you think." He smiles. "You of all things should know what I am capable of." He smiles wider.
"ARRRGHH!" A girl screams.
I turn around, horrified to see what is the cause of the scream was.
"Sydni!" I yell.
Shiedo has grabbed her by her hair and has dragged her out into the open.
I turn around to face Megatron.
"Let her go!" I yell louder.
"Hahaha, now why would I do that?" He continues to laugh.
I look down at my front paws and close my eyes. I hunch my shoulders and tighten my paws on the ground; compressing them.
"Why is it, everyone you know or love dies around you? First your friends, even the ones that didn't know who you are, or what you are. Then…" He walks even closer. "Your relatives, hahaha they didn't even see it coming. Then your parents saw it….. and BAM!" I flinch at his sudden tone. "They're dead too." Megatron crawls down level with me. "And now you're killing just an innocent girl…. HAVEN'T YOU LEARNED YET!?" He climbs up and raises his arm towards the girl.
I hear her scream for me…. I don't move; everything he said is true. I'm the cause they're all dead…
I don't notice that I'm moving towards Megatron. I snap back into focus. I'm right in front of him. I raise my arm and it transforms into a weapon, one I haven't used for a long time. I jump up climbing on Megatron, he attempts to shake me off but it doesn't work. I scramble up to his face.
"Not today." I whisper before pulling my gun out and a bright blue light shines deep within the weapon. It makes an eerie noise. I fire it. The bright blue light fades and becomes orange as an orange ball of fire is spat out of it. It explodes in Megatron's face. This time it sends him backwards, I fall down unexpectedly. He crashes into the building behind him. Meanwhile I crash into the ground.
I look up to find that the building has swallowed up the Decepticon. I turn around to catch Shiedo still holding the human hostage.
"Let her go now!" I growl.
A wicked grin forms on the other Decepticons face.
"You think you're so tough. Don't you?" Shiedo laughs.
"Well, I've lived a lot longer than you ever have!" I snap as I walk closer.
Sydni continues to squirm in the dog-like-Decepticons grip. Shiedo holds her down.
He lowers his head to laugh and shakes it.
"Well, you seemed to have forgotten that you died…. Then you were reborn. Between that it was nearly a million years." He laughs.
"You were only created to catch and bring me back." I still walk closer, nearly a few metres in front of the two. "In other words, if you succeed or fail, you'll become a piece of trash to Megatron." I lower my head in front of the Decepticon and the human. "He'll have no need for you." I growl.
He doesn't say anything, nor does he move.
I look at Sydni in her eyes. I see fear and pain. I close my eyes briefly before opening them with determination. I leap into the air; pulling cross blades out of my arms and fling them; throwing my arms towards the two. With my perfect aiming they hit Shiedo in his face. He stumbles backwards and lets his hold go of the girl. When I land I catch Sydni falling onto my back and leap again. It is like the scenes in movies where everything is slowed down. It felt like it took forever for it to all happen. I can feel Sydni scramble and attempt to grasp me tight and hold on. I sprint down the street; not looking back to see if Shiedo is following. I turn around a corner; almost running into shocked humans. I dodge them and continue to run further.
After I've turned down many allies, side streets and ended back up on the main roads again I begin to slow down.
"Are you alright?" I ask when I regain my breath again.
I don't hear her answer… I stop and practically throw her off before changing back into my human form; blonde hair forming and skin, my clothing's come to be; luckily. I turn around to look at Sydni.
"Sydni?" I'm by her side quickly.
"I'm okay, apart from being thrown to the ground." She laughs and looks up at me.
I smile back at her.
"I need to leave… we need to leave." I tell her.
"What?!" She answers quickly and hastily.
"The Decepticons will have you on their hit list. The only way you'll be safe is to be with me." I stand up. "I'm your only source of protection against them now." I hand my hand out for her.
She takes a deep sigh before taking my hand.
"But the… Megatron? Said that everyone you know dies." Sydni says slowly.
I take an even deeper sigh.
"Sydni…." I look down before looking back up. "I ain't going to let that happen." I answer in a soft tone. "I was always caught off guard; when I was little. I never saw anything coming. Besides one person is still alive." I say with a smile. "Well from what I last heard he is." I begin to walk towards the seaside shore; down the street.
I hear the footsteps and Sydni appears at my side.
"Who is he?" She questions.
"Mike. Michael Shinoda." I look at her.
"Isn't he a famous artist?" She asks.
I look at her; confused. "I've never known him as one. He just liked to rap, but he did a few paintings here and there. But not famously." I answer shaking my head.
"Oh." Is all Sydni says.
"Well at least he took my advice." I smile again.
"What was that?"
"He got caught up in my life; like you are now, and I told him to run; to run as far away from me and start a new life." I answer.
"Oh ok, so anyways, where are we going?" Sydni changes the subject.
We come across an intersection. I look up and down the street; not only looking for cars.
"Alicia? What are you looking for?" Sydni gets into my face.
I stand back. "Shiedo. In case he's following us. I cannot smell him but it doesn't mean he's far away. We need to hurry and get out of this town." I look at her in the eyes.
"Well I have a car back at the apartment." She speaks as we cross the road.
"Whatever you do you cannot go back to the apartment. They'll be there." I turn to look at her.
"How would you know for sure?" She asks as we reach the other side.
"They're Decepticons. They can and will do anything to track you down."
"What about you? Won't they track you down too?"
"Yeah, but you'll be my weak spot. If they have you I'll come running home to rescue you—"
"But it will be a trap." Sydni finishes my sentence. She didn't say it like a question but like she knew that would happen, or has had happened.
I don't question her about it. There's so much I don't know about her.
"If we can make it to the water's edge in time we can catch a boat that leaves in half an hour." Sydni speaks.
She interrupts my train of thought.
"Yeah okay." I hear myself saying.