Hi, guys! I decided to re-write this, so please don't get mad at me. I didn't like the way it had originally turned out, so yeah. Uh, let's see…. Warnings will come in chapters that need it, no smut, I don't do that. Anyways, thank you! I'll leave the original on my profile.
Warning for a mention of abuse.
xXEpic Line BreakXx
It all started with a walk. It was amazing, really, how such a small thing could change a life, but for the better or worse, that was debatable.
A mocha skinned girl picked up a bag, digging through its contents, before pulling out her target- a blue phone. Picking it up, she dialed a number, flopping on the couch and staring at the ceiling. The voice that answered the call was gruff, and strained. "Agent Fowler."
"Dad?" The girl hesitated, her oddly colored blue eyes tracing a pattern in the roof. "I'm going for a walk, and might not be home when you get here."
"Okay. Call me if you do get home before I do. Love you, Skylar."
"Love you too, Dad."
The man hung up, and Skylar sighed, putting her phone in her pocket. Having a father in the military wasn't exactly the easiest thing. There were nights when he didn't even come home, or when he did, it was at midnight after she had already gone to bed. The fact that her mother had died when she was seven didn't help either.
She left the house, locking the door behind her. Turning, she began to walk toward the canal, walking just by the side of it.
Suddenly, a blue motorcycle drove past her, followed by two purple and black cars. Ever so slightly, one swerved toward her, and Skylar flinched, diving away.
When she landed, she began to roll, landing in the canal. She landed with a grunt, pushing herself up, and brushing off her shirt. "Dad's gonna kill me." she muttered. While her father was okay with her being near the canal, he didn't want her going inside, because it could fill up at any moment, possibly drowning her. She doubted that her father would believe that she had been pushed into a canal by road-raging maniacs, let alone right by one of the kids in her school.
The boy continued to play with his toy car, as engine noises grew closer. Without warning, the blue motorcycle came flying into the canal, and Skylar flinched, ducking as it went over her head. When the motorcycle stopped, Skylar narrowed her eyes at the boy on it- Jack Darby, one of her classmates.
The boy who had been playing with the remote control car gasped. "Woah!"
Darby sighed. "You have no idea." He stood, and Skylar looked up sharply as tires squealed above them. The two purple cars that had been following Jack drove into the canal, but before they hit the ground, they began to… transform. When they did hit the ground, two robots towered over the children, prompting a gasp from Skylar as she stepped back.
Behind them, the motorcycle joined the robots, growling. "This ends here, 'Cons!" The smaller robot began running toward the other two, dodging a few shots that were aimed in her direction. Gracefully, she jumped, kicking both 'Cons squarely.
"What are they?" the short kid demanded, turning to the older children. His voice held only slight traces of fear, his eyes wide.
"Talking cars that turn into robots," Jack began, "Or the other way around."
As the humans watched, the motorcycle fought the other two, moving almost too quickly to be seen. "What… is going on?" Skylar wondered aloud.
As the robots fought, a misguided shot suddenly came flying toward the children. Skylar turned, before shoving the other two out of the way.
And taking the blast herself.
The girl was thrown, her short frame sliding to the ground. Closing her eyes, she tensed, anticipating pain. But there was none. "Wha-" she mumbled, opening her eyes. Oh God, that was blood. Yes, yep that was her blood. But beneath it, metal shined in the light, and Skylar stared. Metal. In her body.
The gory sight became too much, and she flopped back, her eyes shut. Something was happening to her, and she had a feeling that it wouldn't be good. When she opened her eyes again, the sunlight seemed to be reflecting off of her body in ways that it shouldn't, shining into her eyes.
The metal now covered her body, colored much like the 'Cons that the motorcycle was fighting. On the center of her chest lay the same symbol that also adorned the 'Cons, which flashed slightly as she stood shakily. Now, in the light, it was easier to see what she looked like- audial horns were on each side of her head, and displayed her emotions- held up high at the moment, as she gazed at the robots.
The motorcycle, who appeared to be a female, was flipping away backwards from the duo, but a shot hit her in the stomach regardless. A soft cry came from her, and Skylar began to move toward her. Something in her said that the female was better to trust, regardless of her looking like a miniature version of the 'Cons.
Another engine approached, and Skylar looked up in time to see a yellow sports car transform. He- it was pretty clearly a male- landed on one of the 'Cons, punching the other in the face. Stepping back, his foot landed with a crunch on the child's car. He beeped something, to which the kid replied with, "No problem. Really."
A shot hit the yellow male in the chest, and Skylar turned to him. Both of the ones defending the other humans were down. Skylar was the only one left.
A gun was pressed to the yellow 'bot's head, and the kid yelled. "Leave him alone!" The 'Cons turned toward him, and the child shrank back. "Please?"
"Bad call." Jack muttered, as Skylar moved in front of the boys, assuming a defensive position. Her dark paint shined, and when she spoke, it was quiet.
"Run." With that one word, she began to sprint toward the 'Con, lunging at its leg with uncoordinated movements. The 'Con was silent, as its hand snapped out, throwing her to the side. When she landed, her leg twisted under her, and she fell again, watching helplessly as the humans were chased.
But the yellow bot attacked it, punching the 'Con away from where the two were hiding. She couldn't hear what exactly was said, but the 'Cons attacked the bot, ganging up in him. A punch, and he slid back, stopping by the female. She knelt to check on him, as the purple cars got closer. "Watch out!" Skylar cried, pushing herself up.
Both 'bots got ready to fight, but a car horn sounded behind them. Skylar looked up, just as a green all-terrain truck transformed behind them. When it spoke, his voice was rough. "Who's ready to rumble?"
The 'Cons glanced at each other, before transforming and driving away. "What took you so long?" the female demanded, looking up at the newcomer, who shrugged.
"Traffic."
Attempting to stand, a soft cry came from Skylar as she fell. "Help." she whispered, looking up at them pleadingly. Pain filled her mind, and as the three approached, she closed her eyes, feeling herself be picked up. The darkness overcame her, and and Skylar gratefully sank into oblivion.
xXEpic Line BreakXx
"Wha…" Blearily, Skylar blinked, seeing just fuzziness above her. She blinked once more, and the image came into focus- a ceiling, high above her.
"Optimus, she's awake." The voice was feminine, and had a growl beneath it.
Skylar rolled over, facing the voice, only to freeze. A gun was pointed at her, and humming softly. The female that had been fighting the 'Cons was behind it, before a large hand was placed on her shoulder.
"Stand down, Arcee." a voice rumbled. Skylar looked up, and up and up, straining to see the giant. Arcee growled at her, before lowering her… arms? The guns seemed to come from her limbs, and as Skylar watched, the disappeared, her hands replacing them.
The large male knelt down, using his clenched fists to balance himself. His face was hard, and Skylar shrank back. His voice was cold, icy with distrust. "Who are you?"
Her voice trembled as she spoke. "S-Skylar Fowler."
The male seemed to freeze, looking down at her. "Any relation to William Fowler?"
"He's my father."
With that sentence, the room went silent. The red-and blue male that was questioning her stared down at her intimidatingly.
A new voice spoke, this one clear but harsh. "That already makes her a target. Joining us will get her killed."
Optimus turned to the bot. "Even so, Ratchet, we may be able to use her."
The one that Optimus had called Arcee spoke. "But she's a Decepticon. The symbol is right there."
Ratchet spoke, looking at Skylar. "Technoorganics were created by the Decepticons to use to infiltrate bases. At creation they were given Decepticon shields, before being launched off planet."
Skylar's eyes narrowed, as she went to sit up. "I'm right here! At least talk to me! I have no idea what you are talking about, I'm kinda freaking out right now, and why do you say I'm a Decepticon?"
Arcee glared at her. "Listen-"
"No, you listen. I defended the two humans, or at least tried to, when you were getting your asses beat!" Skylar growled softly, from where she was restrained. :Can you please tell me what the hell is going on right now?"
Optimus sighed, as the metal restraints slid back. Skylar sat up, wincing as she saw her leg. It was practically crushed, pieces of it missing, on a table close by. They were near flawless, as Ratchet moved to them. As she watched, he began benging the dents out of it, fixing it the rest of they way.
"We are autonomous robotic organisms from the planet Cybertron, also known as Autobots." His eyes never left Skylar. "We are locked in war with the Decepticons, which started over control of the life blood of our race; Energon. We came to Earth after our planet was made uninhabitable by centuries of civil war."
Skylar was silent for a moment. "But if you continue your war here, you could destroy this planet."
"We are vastly outnumbered." Optimus looked down at her, standing. "Skylar, if we are to have any hope of winning this war, we will need all of the help we can get. I ask you this; will you join the Autobots and help to defeat the Decepticons?"
The audial horns on her head moved slightly backwards as she thought. It would be dangerous, but what was life without a few risks? "I'll do it."
"Ratchet will need to finish repairing your injuries before you can leave. Do you have any way to contact your father?" Optimus crouched by her again.
"Do you have a phone?"
Ten minutes and a quick lie later, Ratchet was standing over the small female, before handing her something. "Read this; it'll help you understand more." It was a small tablet, and Skylar turned it on.
She read as Ratchet worked on her leg, realizing it was about Cybertronian biology and history. Suddenly, she gagged, setting the tablet down. "Why did you make me read that? I do not want to know about how you guys… Ew!"
Ratchet sighed. "You can skip that part."
The girl nodded, picking up the tablet and continuing to read. Some of the history was actually quite interesting, once she had gotten past the biology.
When Ratchet tapped on her shoulder, she jumped., looking up at him. "I need you to transform back to human and go… sleep."
Skylar nodded, before searching for the command. To her surprise, a menu-like image appeared in front of her, but it was behind her 'optics.' Finding the command, she transformed, and mocha-colored skin replaced the metal. All at once, pain throbbed in her leg, and she looked down to see the scabbed-over wound. Ratchet lifted her up, setting her back on the couch that she had been on. Skylar pulled the blanket around her, falling asleep quickly.
xXEpic Line BreakXx
The next time she talked to Jack, it was after school the next day. She was standing hear Raf, the boy who had been in the canal. "Raf, Sky, hey. Look, let's just keep this between us and forget anything ever happened, okay?"
Skylar narrowed her eyes. Yeah, because she could forget turning into a robot.
A car honked, and the three teens turned, seeing a black and yellow sports car. Skylar smiled a little. Bumblebee had given her a ride this morning, dropping her off at school.
Raf gasped. "Jack!" The door opened, and Skylar climbed in.
"Oh, not again!" Jack groaned. Skylar glared out at him, before turning away.
Bumblebee gave a small chirp, which Skylar didn't understand. This morning, when Ratchet was checking her injuries in her Cybertronian form, she had understood him, but in human form, she didn't. Ratchet had said something about it being a language modification that few technoorganics possessed, so that they could easily understand the native language of the Cybertronians from cities such as Praxus and Iacon, but it also worked for 'bots that couldn't speak normally.
"He… wants us to get in." Jack said slowly.
"No, just Skylar and I. Your is over there." The small child pointed to a motorcycle, Arcee. Skylar flinched internally, remembering how harsh the femme had been to her. Raf climbed in, smiling. "How's it going?"
Bumblebee chirped back, delighted that someone understood him. Raf answered eagerly, leaning forward. The techno organic, however, shrunk back into her own seat, before sitting forward, and finally sitting still when her seat vibrated a little. She had never been comfortable touching people, and to be sitting inside of a living being, was just… awkward.
"Skylar? Are you okay?" Raf's voice was concerned, as he looked at the girl.
"What?" She jumped, before a forced smile came across her features. "Yeah, I'm fine. I just… don't do well with touching people." Her smile faltered, and she looked away. "Uhm, I don't want to say why."
Agent Fowler wasn't her biological father, instead, she had been adopted when she was five. For years earlier, she had been abused, being hit daily by the man who had the audacity to call himself her father. Finally, a government agent had come to investigate her father, on charges of drug trafficking. Upon seeing the state of the young girl, he took her from the man, eventually adopting the girl and caring for her as his own.
Skylar hated lying to her dad. This thing with the Autobots was killing her, having to lie to the man who had saved her. Fowler had saved her life, stopping her from the life that no child deserved.
Bumblebee leaned her seat back, and Sylar leaned against it uncomfortably. While the seat itself was comfortable, the contact itself made her want to cringe. But they were almost there, and so, she would endure.
The base was now coming into sight, and Skylar sat forward eagerly. She had missed coming in last time, and now, she was really looking forward to it.
The rock wall ahead of them split in two, as Bumblebee drove inside. After passing through the brightly lit tunnel, the rest of the Autobots came into view. Although she had seen them before, Skylar was still awed at the sight of the Cybertronians. Once again, it struck her that she was one of them. While she would never be as impressive as Optimus Prime, she was one of them! A Cybertronian!
Skylar climbed out of Bumblebee, moving enough away for the mech to transform. Almost immediately, she was scooped up by Ratchet, and set on a table alongside several tools. "Transform," he ordered, before looking at Arcee, who had brought two humans. "I thought there were two."
Skylar did so, looking over at the additional human. It was a girl, maybe fourteen or fifteen. She spoke with a slight accent, maybe Japanese, and her hair was black, dyed with pink streaks toward the front, as well as on the pigtails that adorned her head.
"Haven't you heard?" Arce said sulkily, not pleased about the situation at all. "Humans multiply."
Meanwhile, the girl had approached Bulkhead, and began bombarding the Autobot with questions. Skylar tuned her out, turning her attention to Ratchet as he inspected her leg. Gingerly, he pushed at a spot, prompting a hiss from Skylar, her blue optics squeezing shut. It felt like something sharp was pressing against her, and Ratchet quickly removed the piece of armor, taking out a small rock and setting it aside, before re-attaching the plate.
It was surprising, how something so little could cause so much pain. Skylar stood, walking around the table.
Raf spoke now, looking up at Ratchet. "So if you guys are robots, who made you?" he asked.
Ratchet huffed in response. "Puh-lease."
The small audial horns on Skylar's helm folded back, a soft growl coming from her. It had been a legitimate question, and Ratchet had no excuse to act like he was any better than the small human.
The Prime now entered, and Skylar sat on the stairs, listening to him. Her blue optics focused on Optimus with a quiet intensity, as he gave the other children essentially the same speech that she had received yesterday. Toward the end of it, he glanced at Skylar, who perked up slightly. Once he had her attention, he said his last sentence, which struck fear into SKylar. "But if Megatron's return is imminent, as I fear, it could be catastrophic."
Skylar looked up, optics wide. "Megatron's coming back?"
"I fear he soon will be."
xXEpic Line BreakXx
Chapter Inspiration- Famous Last Words by My Chemical Romance