The blue dragoness was unarmoured, on her own. She looked upon a civilisation of Mechanisms. The robotic giants were oblivious to her presence. She slowly stepped forward and disturbed a small mound of stones. "Did you hear that?" One of the giants asked. She was invisible. But for how long she could hold the spell, she didn't know.
One of the giants put down his helm and could see her heat signature. He did not say a word. He just gazed at the dragoness. She froze; after all, she was to make first contact once she had a clear understanding of them. She panicked and jumped to get away, the giant who could see her had caught her. She squirmed in his grasp. Grown tired and helpless she fell limp, using the remainder of her energy to sustain the now useless spell. She then realised that the giant's hold of her was gentle yet firm. Another giant looked at him. "Optimus, what is it?" It asked in a prominently male voice.
The giant, given the identity of Optimus, spoke to address the dragoness in his grasp. "It is okay," he said, stroking the dragoness with the back of a finger. Shannon dropped the spell and stared at the ground. She felt the firm grasp relax, which allowed her to lean against the servo. She then realised that the giants weren't as 'giant' as she thought they were. She was around 3/4 of the one that held her. A younger yellow and black one came over and stroked under the dragoness' chin. Only she was the same size of this one and the other two. His blue optics stared at her. "Are you okay?" He asked.
"I'm exhausted" she replied. The larger one named Optimus placed her on the ground. "Bumblebee, look after this femme while the rest of us are elsewhere" he said. The younger one beeped in acknowledged. He stroked a servo down the sleeping dragoness. "I'll look after you," he said whirring his engine in excitement of given the duty to protect this mesmerising creature. He had never seen anything like her. He searched for 'large winged lizard' on Google and found many accounts of the creatures.
"Dragons, a race of large winged lizards that are depicted in mythology" he said to himself. He found the Oxford dictionary website and searched for 'mythology'. He glanced at the dragoness, who was now laid on her side. "Mythology: a story or folklore that is rumoured but does not exist" he continued. The dragoness stretched and woke up, and immediately bolted upright. She walked very close to him, inspecting the engineering behind this robot. Bumblebee shifted slightly. "Who controls you, manoeuvres you?" She asked eyeing a servo.
"I control myself, and Dragon Femme, you're not real," he said. She chuckled and he described the likeness to that of humans. She then realised that she had made him feel uncomfortable, as she had looked him over as a machine. She transformed into a human and walked back over to him.
"You have more than one form?" He asked.
"Yes, I am not a dragon, even though they exist. I am much more advanced than them, I am a Sorcerer" she replied, "I have two forms." She looked at him in wonder.
"-I have an alternative form" Bumblebee said. Shannon gave him a look of genuine interest. He transformed into his alternate form: a yellow Camaro. She looked him over accidentally and he reverted to his bipedal form.
Bumblebee then proceeded to give her a short summary of his race.
A/N sorry for butting in ._. Nevertheless, I thought that you guys would want me to get straight to the story instead of rambling on about the back-story. About 90% of you guys wouldn't be reading a transformers crossover otherwise :)
"I will now allow you to bask in my story"
~ Me
He glanced at her expectantly. She took the hint. "I am from Sacor, the Sorcerer home world, but born on Avalaria. I am the Empress of the Rebellion Empire, after taking over from our former leader. My Dragon form goes by the name of Shannon, my human form by the same name followed by Higgins. Most civilians of the Empire refer to me as Empress Shannon" she told him the most dulled and fluffy version of the Rebellion's long history. She then proceeded to look around before staring at Bumblebee in confusion as he held his servo in front of her. He smiled at her confusion. "Climb on" he said. She did so and he assisted onto his right shoulder. She sat, subconsciously eyeing the engineering behind this Autobot. She heard the subtle sounds of engines before noticing that some vehicles arrived. They each took their bipedal form and looked around. "Where's the femme?" A black bot asked. I saluted them.
"Hello" I greeted. He was stunned and pointed an arm at her, no not an arm, but a loaded gun integrated into his arm. I smiled. "I was going to thank you for not killing me" Shannon continued. He put his arm down when Optimus shot a glance at him. "I thought that you'd take to it better. You know, transforming and switching forms. Bumblebee did" she said as she felt the Autobot shiver slightly underneath her.
Optimus held out a servo for her to step on. She stepped on and found it surprisingly easy to balance; she was much smaller in Human form. "Optimus, I'm presuming. I shall repeat the story that I gave your companion" she said before repeating the back-story of herself to the leader of the Autobots.
"Very well, we've got no missions as of yet. I think you'd call it free time, you ought to integrate yourself here as you wish to stay. Although Ratchet will want to speak with you at some point" he said. Shannon nodded and she jumped off his hand, using her wings to steady the landing. The Autobots watched in awe before resuming their own duties. The Sorceress then became restless.
She walked over to the black Autobot that had freaked out on her earlier. He glanced at her and he gestured for her to sit down on his pede. She did and looked up at him. "Hi" she said simply.
"The name's Ironhide and I was kinda spooked earlier. I am a weapons specialist if that interests you" he said. I took out by azure blade.
"Part of my life essence is integrated into the steel" I said showing it to him. He looked deeply interested until someone shouted. "Shannon I would appreciate it if 'at one point' meant now" a green Autobot said at a doorway. I saluted to Ironhide and walked away, putting the sword away. The Autobot watched me as I walked into a room; it had a large table in the middle with an opened curtain around it. "I'm assuming that you're Ratchet" she said.
"Yes, a medic" he replied. I glanced at Bumblebee who had walked in. He stayed to the side while she explained the similarities between human anatomy and Sorcerer Anatomy. Ratchet then proceeded to give her a medical check. Bumblebee watched as Shannon transformed into a dragon for Ratchet to observe and check the second form. He sat next to her. "I'm bored" she muttered.
Ratchet grumbled about how the check had to be done. Shannon looked into Bumblebee's blue optics and found herself staring, as the mech had also found him doing. Ratchet was examining her wings, opening and closing the fingers. He also measured the wingspan and her tail for his records. He realised that the younger mech and the dragoness were currently unavailable and left them alone. "Can I call you 'Bee'?" she asked. He nodded. The dragoness had thought that a friendship with any of them was impossible. She thought wrong.
The next day she was presented the concept of 'holoforms' a device that was used to make said 'holoforms' of the Autobot that possessed the device. Each Autobot had one; Shannon had to get used to the Autobots being present, in alt form or bipedal form, while a holoform (as a human) represented the same bot.
The days that followed built together a routine. Shannon would teach Ironhide's holoform the art of fencing, while he taught her about the creation of various weapons. Her time with Ratchet consisted of learning about Autobot anatomy whist she told him of the Sorcerer biology.
Then she would sit outside of the warehouse on Optimus Prime's shoulder, as a human. They would tell each other about the history of their races. A few leadership tactics would be shared. "I was meant to become a Guardian" she said smiling, "but instead I got myself caught up with the Rebellion, successed their leader, and ended up as their Empress".
"Bumblebee was a Guardian, a protector" the Prime said.
"I'd never get to be that sort of Guardian; I was to represent all the elemental abilities. Thanks to the fact that I am one of very few who wield them all except Darkness, I even created my own element; Blue Fire" she said, "why isn't Bee a protector anymore". The prime smiled at her use of Bumblebee's new pet name.
"The human he protected decided to move on with his own life" Optimus said. Shannon looked back to the warehouse and saw Bee walk over to them. She looked at Optimus who nodded. She flew to the ground and turned into a dragon. Unexpectedly, the prime watched the younger Autobot and dragoness greet each other. "You're getting on well. I'm glad that you get along, out of curiosity Shannon, how old are you?" The prime asked.
"26 Earth years" she replied.
"Same as Bumblebee, no wonder that you get along so well" he said. The Sorceress glanced at the road, Bee transformed. "Be back before sundown" Optimus called as Bee sped off with the dragoness in close pursuit. Ironhide stood next to the prime. "Sparklings" he said, referring to the young bot and dragon that had taken off. The black mech watched until the two were out of sight. "They're a handful. Bumblebee matured before the femme arrived, now he acts like the sparkling that he should be" he continued. Optimus looked at his friend.
"Ironhide, I've found out that they're the same age" the prime said.
"-oh" was Ironhide's response before Ratchet came to see what had brought the weapons specialist outside.
"What brings you all out here, it's kind of lonely inside-" he started.
"Bumblebee and Shannon have gone out. Racing by the looks of it" Optimus said.
"And we've been informed that they're the same age" Ironhide added. Ratchet sighed.
"They're young. Let them be for now. The Sorceress confides in me and I'll talk to her later" the medic replied before the three Autobots walked into the building.
Meanwhile Shannon was racing Bee in alt form. They made and sustained a telepathic connection, well half telepathy and half-electronic signal. "Let's stop down there" she suggested. He came to a stop and the dragoness landed, resting her head on his bonnet. His engine hummed, tickling her jaw. She transformed into a human and lay on the bonnet, looking at the sunset. She got bored and ghosted patterns on the sleek metal beneath her. She felt Bee's engine hum again. "It's about to get dark, we should go" he suggested. She stretched out over the metal and it came warm to the touch. "Optimus won't mind if we're a bit late" she whispered. Bee's holoform got out of his alt mode.
"No, he won't mind. But Ironhide will have your hide and Ratchet will use me as a spare parts exchange" he explained, "now get in." Shannon slid off the bonnet slowly.
She stretched her arms, "You're a bit forceful today" she said sarcastically. His holoform dissipated, and then Bee's driver side door opened. She got in and watched the dashboard. She noticed a pair of holes that glowed between the tachometer and the speedometer; she assumed that they were his way of monitoring inside.
"We're nearly back, sun's down. And equals certain telling off" he said through the radio. The Sorceress put her hand on the wheel gently.
"You worry too much, we're not sparklings" she said. Bee's steady drive became hesitant for a moment, and then passed. "Out of interest what are young Sorcerers called?" He asked, Shannon realised that he had involuntarily chuckled, causing the hesitation.
"Hatchlings" she said. He slowed, knowing that their arrival would trigger a telling off.
"Do Sorcerers hatch from eggs then?" He asked.
"Yes. They hatch in either form, dragon or human" she replied. Bee slowly pulled into the warehouse and Shannon got out. Shannon crept towards her room, with Bee's alt form in tow.
"Where do you think you're going" Optimus said, scaring both youngsters. The Sorceress turned herself invisible while Bee froze in place. The elder Autobot sighed. "Shannon, show yourself" he said, as the Sorceress allowed herself to be seen. The young Autobot transformed into his bipedal form. "I said clearly that you were to be back before sundown" the prime said. The younger ones knew that they were in trouble when Ironhide and Ratchet came in. Bee looked a bit scared, "frag" he said to himself.
"Mind your language" Optimus shot at him. To their surprise, Ironhide wasn't too mad at them. Shannon turned into a dragon to compensate for the size difference. Instead of being enraged, he seemed to be calm. Ratchet decided to step forward. "If anything happened to you two... Shannon do you realise that I don't know enough about Sorcerers to treat you" he said, frustrated.
"The Sorceress is more than capable of defending herself" Ironhide said, the reason for calmness was the fact that he knew that she could fight. Ratchet calmed. He pointed to Shannon, "you, come with me" he said. She complained and grumbled off followed by Ratchet to the med bay. The prime looked at Bee.
"You're lucky no 'cons snuck up on you" he said. Bee decided to go to his room, and recharge.
Shannon lay on the medical table, and then her stomach rumbled. Ratchet sat on the table in the half circle made by the dragoness. "Any preferences?" He asked.
"Pardon?" She asked.
"Food preferences, I'll take you out to get some. Cybertronians take in energy by the means of Energon" he said.
A/N sorry for the minor edit. I will make it up to you. Just assume that Ratchet upgraded himself. Oh and no innuendo intended :)
Shannon trotted outside with Ratchet behind. He transformed into his alternate form; a sleek green car, previously a similarly coloured ambulance responder. The passenger door opened, Shannon got in and noticed Ratchet's holoform behind the wheel. "We ought to look as natural as possible" he said, he started to drive off.
"Why, I can graze as a dragon" she said. The medic shot her a warning glance.
"That won't do your health any good, I've got some money and you're going to get a meal" he said. He left his alternate form in the restaurant car park and the two walked in. Shannon read the menu.
"Can you not" she said. He looked at her as if he had been wrongly accused.
She held her head down, looking at him with a raised eyebrow. "You may be involuntarily intimidating me to choose a meal that's the best for my health" she explained, he smiled. After five minutes of debating, the meal came to the table. Ratchet looked out of the window while she ate. "Shannon, there is something that I should talk to you about" he said. The tension rose. She thought hard about the possibility of another telling off. Then something in his voice hinted at something that would be personal. Either that or the medic clearly couldn't hide his 'doctor-patient' confidentiality voice. She stared into his emerald eyes in acknowledgement.
A waiter came over, "can I get something for you and your partner? Flowers or a candle perhaps" he offered.
"You must be mistaken my good sir. This is a friend of mine" Ratchet replied. The waiter leaned between us.
"You're here at the last orders, and have a table for two" he replied, then leaning closer to me, "I've seen this a million times. It's blatantly obvious that he likes you." The waiter left and Ratchet looked stunned. Shannon decided to test the theory.
"Ratchet..." she said, letting his name roll of her tongue. She had finished the meal. His gaze met hers. "Surely I'm not that bad" she said smiling, she had a chance to play a game.
"No it's not that- it's- just his attitude that stunned me" he said. They stood and left.
Ratchet dissipated his holoform as soon as they left the city. Inside Ratchet was warm, almost so that the Sorceress was struggling to stay awake. They reached their destination and it was their turn to sneak in. They walked down a corridor, their dorms only next to each other. "Ratchet, what did you want to talk to me about?" She asked. The Autobot looked at the Sorceress, now in dragon form.
"You seem to be good friends with Bumblebee" he said, ushering her in his dorm. They sat on his berth. "Well more than close, I wanted to prove my theory" he said, servo nervously pressed against the back of his neck. The dragoness looked at the floor before returning her gaze at the Autobot. "You are asking for whom I am interested in. Am I correct?" She said. He nodded swiftly. She inhaled deeply.
"I am close friends with him. That is all" she said; glad to get it off her chest. The silence was loud and thick. She became troubled. "Are you okay Sorceress, you look like there is something big on your mind. You may sleep here if you wish" he said, a nervous tone caught his voice. She agreed and curled up on the floor next to the berth.
The Sorceress woke and saw Ratchet, still in recharge. She took it as an opportunity to have some time to herself. Smothering herself in Shadow Fire, she began to leap through the outside wall. She yelped when she was dragged back in by her tail. She lay in a heap on the floor, her wings draped over her. "Morning" she said painfully. The doctor observed the heap of Sorcerer on the floor.
"Get up, I'm sure you like being in trouble" Ratchet said. She groaned, standing up.
"Ironhide said that I am more than capable of defending myself" she whined.
"You sound more like a sparkling everyday" he said smiling.