The Autobots followed the scanners beeping through the mountain pass. "We are getting closer" Arcee informed them as she had taken the lead, holding the scanner out in front of her as the others tailed close behind. Arcee stopped suddenly, causing the team to almost run into her. "Arcee!" Bulkhead bellowed, Arcee paid him no attention. "Optimus the signal is coming from that cave up head." Arcee pointed to a cavern that was a few yards ahead of them. Optimus walked in front of her as she turned the scanner off, approaching the cave Optimus held up his hand ordering the team to stop. "Proceed with utmost caution. We do not know what this relic is or what it is capable of doing." Everyone nodded in agreement as they continued forward. Optimus taking the lead with Arcee falling directly behind him, Bulkhead and Bumblebee made up the center while SilverStorm brought up the rear. The cave network grew narrower as the team walked through, it seemed to bend and curve every few feet then grew smaller. Eventually the cave grew too narrow for their bot forms, forcing them to transform as they drove carefully through the network. After a while the bots found the relic, it appeared to have been unearth in an earthquake and it lay covered in rock dust with rocks spread around it. The cavern was still to narrow for transformation, "Arcee" Optimus spoke to her, his voice bouncing off the walls of the cave, "Are you able to reach the relic?" Arcee's bike form fell to its side as Arcee transformed, keeping herself close to the ground she was able to snake her way to the relic and push it across the floor back to the team. "Excellent work, Arcee." Optimus praised as Arcee reached up from her position on the ground and put the relic inside of the semis cab. "Let's get out of here." She smiled transforming back into her bike form.
Once the bots had made it back outside, they all were relieved to stand up and breathe. "Woo, don't know about the rest of you but claustrophobia is all to real!" SilverStorm stretched her wings out as Optimus studied the relic in his hands. It was s spherical space, lined with what appeared to be gold lettering. "Can you read it?" Bumblebee chirped, Optimus shook his head, "This appears to be the language of the ancients." Everyone was gathered around the Prime as he looked over the relic. "Maybe Ratch will be able to figure it out?" Bulkhead offered as Optimus called for a ground bridge.
Back at the base the bots had to leave shortly after to go and pick up the children from school, SilverStorm and Optimus hovered around Ratchet as he studied the artifact. Ratchet sighed audibly hoping to get its frustration across to the two hovering him, though they seemed unphased by his attempts. "I can't concentrate with you two peering over my shoulder every five minutes! Now go find something to do!" Optimus and SilverStorm looked each other before Optimus asked, "What do you make of it?" Ratchet chuckled, "Well as far as I can tell, nothing. It seems to be a golden ball. But then again, I can't concentrate…" SilverStorm held up her hands. "I know, I know with use hovering." SilverStorm head back toward her and Optimus's shared chambers as Optimus made himself comfortable at the computer, working on reports.
A few hours later, the children were there with their partners watching tv and playing games. SilverStorm had emerged from her chambers having taken herself a long nap, Optimus was still at the computers. Ratchet walked over with the relic in hand, "This relic is as I surmised, useless." He toss it to Bulkhead, "Whoa!" he caught it and held it gently. Ratchet smirked, "Break it, its useless. Just a hollowed-out glass shell. Surprised its even still together." Bulkhead turned the relic over in his hands, "Its gotta do something." Ratchet shrugged, "Nothing I could find." Bumblebee jumped, "Throw here Bulk!" he chirped, Bulkhead laughed throwing the ball to the scout, "Here next!" Arcee hollered at the relic was now involved in a game of catch. Optimus smirked, at least it was good for something. The three threw the ball around in a circle for a few more minutes before the game became boring. "Should we break it open?" Bulkhead mulled the ball around in his hands. Arcee shrugged, "Why not." SilverStorm clapped her hands, "Throw it here." Bulkhead lunged the ball for her, SilverStorm went to grab it missing it as it flew behind her landing next to Optimus and shattering into a million pieces. The team cheered as the now broken ball shattered. SilverStorm laughed, "Whoops." Optimus looked at the relic on the ground, it was unrecognizable now, a gold mist rose off the broken pieces as Optimus bent down to scoop them into a pile. Unaware of the mist Optimus located a dust pan and brushed the contents into it, then threw the broken glass pieces into a trash can. Optimus coughed slightly as the movement caused the remaining mist to rise up to his face.
"At least it was good for something." Arcee quipped as Optimus came back into the main room. Miko was playing a slow-motion video of the relic crashing to the floor and splintering. Optimus grabbed the railing with a moan, causing the team to look at him. "Optimus you ok?" SilverStorm approached him, Optimus shook his head, his head pounded, and his balance felt off, blinking he looked up at SilverStorm. Her form came toward him, but it was blurry, and her voice was muffled, "Optimus you ok?" Optimus went to step forward, losing his balance he plummeted to the ground unconscious.
SilverStorm was mortified by what had just happened, the whole team was in utter bewilderment. The scene played over in her head, Optimus crashing to the floor, a swirling vortex of gold mist, and then…this. She stared at the slim, feminine form of her brother. Part of her wanted to laugh, the other part wanted to cry. Ratchet just stood with his arms hanging at his sides, "I have no idea what to do." He almost whispered. No one had a clue, here laid their leader, the mighty Optimus Prime…a femme.
Optimus woke up a few hours later, he sat up slowly rubbing his head. He was precisely where he had fallen earlier, right near the ground bridge control. Pushing himself to standing position something didn't feel right. He looked around, he felt... short. Optimus noticed his team in the med bay talking with Ratchet, he slowly made his way over to them, conscious that his steps seemed quieter, perhaps he had bumped his head harder then what he thought. As Optimus approached the team, he was aware of their sudden odd looks. Arcee and Bulkhead looked dumbstruck, while Bumblebee just looked plain confused. What really got Optimus was SilverStorm, she stood with a stupid look on her face, one of both horror and humor. "Is something wrong?" Optimus tilted his head, was that his voice? SilverStorm giggled, "I always wanted a sister!" she shrugged. Optimus spoke again, "Ratchet what is…" he stopped himself. What was wrong with his voice? Why did SilverStorm say that? Optimus turned quickly from the team and ran back to the bathrooms, looking in the mirror he was now the one to be mortified. "I'm a femme." He whispered into the mirror looking over his body. His normally muscular form had been replaced by sleek curves. His helm as narrower, and his chest, Optimus stared at his chest. Gently he touched his chest scaring himself as he did. "No." he whispered.
SilverStorm waited outside of the bathroom for Optimus, he eventually emerged, totally confused. "They are called boobs." Optimus shook his head, coming out of his thinking. "I'm sorry?" SilverStorm pointed to his chest, "Boobs, get used to them, they can be cumbersome." Optimus nodded, already feeling that. SilverStorm draped her arm over Optimus's shoulders, "You got a lot to learn about being a femme." Optimus shook his head, "I do not understand how this happened." SilverStorm shrugged, "Ratchet is looking into it." The two walked back to their chambers, SilverStorm plopped down crossed legged on her bed, "I always wanted a sister!" She threw her pillow at him, Optimus caught the pillow. "This is temporary." Optimus stated flatly. SilverStorm was enjoying herself, "Oh come on, Ratchet will get you changed back but for now enjoy it!"
Bulkhead turned to Arcee, "If SilverStorm didn't have wings, you wouldn't be able to tell the difference between them." Arcee nodded, "This is all to weird, you can fix him right Ratchet?" Ratchet was deep in thought, "I hope so" was all he managed to say. BumbleBee chirped, "We have to get him back to normal, what if the cons attack?" Everyone went silent. "That could be a problem" Arcee hissed. Miko looked at Jack, "Imagine if you got turned into a girl." Jacks face went white, "I would be mortified" he shivered. Ratchet scoffed, "I can imagine that is what Optimus is feeling."
SilverStorm kept talking, Optimus was siting on his bed with his back against the wall. His arms were limp at his sides. He was afraid to move. SilverStorm on the other hand continued to just talk, she talked about so much Optimus had blocked her out in favor of his own thoughts. How long would this dreadful thing last? He prayed that the decepticons would remain quiet until they figured this out. A knock came at their chamber door. SilverStorm hopped of her bed and answered the door, Ratchet was on the other side. "How is he?" SilverStorm sighed, "Been talking to him forever and can't get a word out." She turned to look at the Prime. Ratchet walked over to the Prime. "optimus?" Optimus was staring down at the bed, "Optimus?" Ratchet shook him. Optimus shook his head snapping back into reality, "Ratchet." Ratchet blinked, hearing the femmes voice was odd indeed. "Optimus, I believe I know what caused this." Ratchet handed the Prime a datapad with a video on the screen. Optimus watched the relic break and shatter. "Miko's video?" Ratchet shook his head and pointed, "Watch the pile of broken glass." Optimus studied the video as the pile of broken glass began to form a golden mist. Optimus sat wide-eyed. "You believe this mist to be responsible for…this?" He asked. Ratchet nodded, "I do, furthermore I believe that mist is simply the relic disintegrating. Where did you throw the remainder?" Optimus jumped up running for the trash can he had thrown the pieces in. "In here." Optimus pointed staying far back from the can. Ratchet nodded strapping on a mask and gloves as he reached into the can pulling out a hand full of golden dust. Placing it into a container he sealed it and walked back to his lab. "I'll let you know what I find."
That night Optimus tossed and turned, he couldn't get comfortable, his favorite sleeping position just wasn't working. He flipped on his back staring at the ceiling, no wonder SilverStorm always seemed to sleep on her side or her back. With these…things on her chest how could she sleep comfortable on her stomach. Optimus leaned up looking over to SilverStorm, she was on her side, wings dangling over the bed. Optimus copied her laying on his side, with his knees slightly curled up toward his chest. Surprisingly comfortable he thought as sleep slowly took him over.
