I'm surprised there hasn't been more Transformers 4 fics!
Ten-year-old Tessa stepped off the school bus with sagging bookbag and onto the dirt driveway. She squinted into the late afternoon sun before shielding her eyes with her hand. Tessa heard the familiar squeaking of the bus doors and rumbling engine and knew the bus was kicking up a cloud of dust as it roared away. Practically skipping, Tessa made her way over to the row of mailboxes that lined the edge of the drive. It had been a good day at school Tessa decided as she ran her hand over the dirty boxes. First, Bobby Fige, the fastest boy in her class, told her she looked cute with braids. Then Sarah had traded her chicken nuggets for Tessa's ketchup and cold meat sandwich. Finally, Ms. Ryan, her favorite (and the prettiest) librarian, allowed her to borrow the latest Harry Potter book before anyone else. That was why her blue bookbag sagged lower than normal on her back.
Tessa readjusted her shoulder straps as she stopped in front of the mailbox with several stickers including one that said Yaeger Robotics. One of the stickers was peeling so she ran her index finger over it to smooth it out. The box looked a little out of place when compared to her neighbors, but it served its purpose. Tessa traced the raised letters before grabbing the handle and pulling. The box creaked slightly but did not open. Tessa tugged several more times before kicking the wooden post on which the metal box was perched with a sneaker clad foot. She saw a warning wobble and jumped out of the way as the metal box tumbled down with a crash. The noise scared several birds out of the nearby field and Tessa watched as they took off with a unified cry.
"Crud," Tessa grimaced and picked up the box, debating what to do with it before carrying it over to her red wagon that sat nearby a rusted table.
Her father had decided an easy way to make cash would be to fix things for their neighbors. Tessa had to admit it wasn't the worst idea her dad had had. The only problem was that she had to drag everything on the table back and forth before and after school. Some of the stuff was heavy for a small girl.
Today there was a computer and some dangerous looking pointy object. Glaring at both, Tessa finally picked up the pointy thing with two fingers and dropped it unceremoniously in the wagon with a clunk. The computer was going to be a little more complicated to maneuver. Tessa stood on her tiptoes and wrapped the computer in a bear hug, grimacing as her hands rested in something wet.
"Ew, ew, ew," she muttered. Tessa waddled awkwardly with the large piece of technology before setting it carefully in the wagon beside the mystery item. Her hands felt grimy and gross. Tessa held them up to inspect and was disgusted to find that her hands were now coated in a thin layer of grease. She grimaced and wiped her hands onto her pants.
Her eyes glanced over the rusted table once more before confirming that she hadn't missed anything. With that, Tessa hefted her bag into the cart, lifted the handle of the wagon, and began tugging it down the lane.
The wagon axle squeaked and rattled loudly as it passed over the odd patch of stones. Tessa actually enjoyed the long walk to the mailbox from the house. It gave her time to be by herself, without her father hovering over her shoulder. Tessa liked to think, sometimes out loud, with only the occasional bird to hear her. Other timesshe sang to herself, mainly Disney songs, but sometimes she belted out Carrie Underwood, scaring any living thing that happened to be nearby.
Today, however she squinted straight ahead. A giant shadow of a moving truck sped down the lane towards her. Tessa stepped out of the way and allowed it to pass. The driver, a friendly looking, rather round man, honked and waved as he passed by. Tessa smiled briefly then let it fall from her face as she wondered what her dad had boughten this time. She didn't recognize the truck or the man- her dad only shopped for scrap from certain places- so it had to be something completely new. To be honest, Tessa was a bit concerned.
She picked up her pace to a steady trot, her shoes pounding against the dirt, sending up little puffs of sediment. The wagon creaked and protested at the sudden strain. Machinery rattled against metal creating an sort of rhythm that Tessa hummed along to.
Tessa quickly covered the distance that remained between her and the house. She tugged the wagon past the house, not even bothering to look inside. Instead, she made her way to the old barn on the edge of the property. It was her dad's own shop, at least that was what he called it. To Tessa it seemed more like a giant death trap. As she pulled open the heavy doors Tessa was reminded again why she hated being inside of the barn. For starters the barn permanently smelled like oil, a heavy scent that clung to Tessa's clothes for days. She could never find anything either, once spending hours looking for her notebook before realizing it was being used as a platform. The barn was also filled with what most polite people would simply call junk. Nails and screws (which were sorted by size thanks to Tessa) were stored inside old tin cans. An old engine lay off to the side, orange rust gathering on it. Her father's latest project, a robot guard dog, from Tessa's understanding, was scattered on the work table, taking up every inch of room available.
Tessa sighed when she realized there was no where to put the items she had lugged up the driveway. After debating as to what she should do, Tessa grabbed her bookbag and the mailbox and headed out of the barn, shutting the door behind her.
Where was her dad? Tessa realized that he wasn't in his shop like he normally was. That was concerning. The last time her dad wasn't in his shop he was trying to cook dinner. And then he had set fire to the stove.
Worried, Tessa took off at a dead sprint to the house, braids flying out behind her. Up the stairs, skipping the top one, heels pounding on the wood. She pushed through the screen doors with her free hand, already half way down the hall before the it banged against the wall. This was bad, very–
Tessa stopped in the kitchen. Empty. Her brow furrowed and she dropped her bookbag and the mailbox on the counter. Where was her dad? She had seen his truck in the yard, he had to be home. Unless Lucas had taken him somewhere. But as that would require her dad riding around in a Bug- he had sworn off anything smaller than a Chevy- the idea was highly unlikely.
"Tessa?" She heard her name echo down the halls.
"Dad? You here?" Tessa perked up slightly. So he was home. She put her hand on the wall and listened for her father's reply.
She didn't wait for long. "Family room, quickly, I have something to show you," the answer sparked something like fear into Tessa.
Cautiously, she made her way down the hallway to what should have been the entrance into the family room. Instead a thick black tarp was blocking the archway. The occasional flash of light was visible from the cracks in between the wall and tarp. What was he doing! Tessa worried her hands before rapping awkwardly against the sheet. There was no sound, but the flashes of light stopped.
The curtain slid open slightly and Cade Yeager's head poked out at Tessa. "You can come in, but close your eyes first."
Tessa hesitatingly obliged, squeezing her eyes shut. She felt a hand gently grab her wrist and she was pulled through the curtain.
"Ok, ok, open them... now!
Tessa slowly opened her eyes, nervous to what she would see- and stumbled backwards with a surprised shriek.
Standing in front of her was a gigantic, furry thing dressed in a purple shirt and hat. It's gaze bored into her as she scrambled backwards in a mad dash to get away from the beast that had seemingly taken over her family room.
"What is that?" Tessa lifted a shaking finger to point at the creature as she questioned her father.
He clasped his hands together with a grin. "That is what's going to lift my business off the ground. A certain mouse with an arcade."
"Chuc-"
Her father cut her off. "The computer inside is broken. A buddy of mine happened to be walking by- it was all very coincidental."
Tessa was shocked. No, not shocked, intensely weirded out. There was a giant robotic rat in between her tv and couch. She swallowed, her throat suddenly constricted.
"For how long, exactly, is it going to be here?" Her voice sounded awkwardly forced.
Her father seemed not to notice and shrugged, "Ah, who knows, a month." He clapped the animatronic mouse on the shoulder. A groaning noise came from the creature and Cade Yaeger jumped back as the giant head crashed to the floor.
Tessa stared in shock.
"Maybe more."
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