Dare
Hitchhiking across the country to team up with the other Slayer was a great idea. When she had it. Turned out that there was a whole lot of road between Boston and LA.
Faith was beginning to think maybe she should have known that. It was probably covered in a class someplace. Making her think for perhaps the first time it might have been a good idea to actually do the whole go to class part of school.
She still had her wits, street smarts and cool Slayer powers. Which made it a little easier. After her Watcher was killed by that monster Faith had lifted everything she could. Cash, jewellery, pretty much every thing that wasn't nailed down. Her Mother, prize that she was, probably hadn't even noticed she was. Last time Faith moved out she hadn't and nothing had really changed since then.
There were a couple of pawn shops Faith knew that didn't ask too many questions. It wasn't a fortune, but at the time she thought it would be enough. It wasn't. It wasn't going to stop her either, with nothing to lose she set off.
Not knowing who to trust on the road made it harder, but her instincts had helped keep her clear of the more grabby pervs that tried to make a move. There were still some that thought the whole cash, grass, or ass thing was gospel but surprisingly few. Turned out most truck drivers were decent hard working joe's that weren't into under age tail.
Who knew.
That didn't mean there weren't a few creeps and after one tried to push it Faith was on foot with more than a few miles to go before civilisation. Her biggest problem at the moment though was water. She'd been so eager to get out of the cab she had forgotten to pick up her bottle and the guy had already blown past her.
It wasn't long before Faith realised just how big a problem that was and after an hour or so she was parched. It was the middle of the afternoon and there wasn't even a gas station in sight. That left her with two options; head off the roadside, find higher ground and try to see somewhere, or keep going and hope she found someplace that way.
Faith didn't like either idea, and was grateful when she heard something coming up the road. As long at it wasn't the last guy chances were she'd get a lift. She half turned, stuck her thumb out and stopped.
'Whoa!' She half jumped back. The rig coming her way was big, a lot bigger than the last one. It was huge, all blue and white with a dash of red. It was the sort of thing used to carry other cars around and man was it big. She was only just taller than the wheels. The whole thing was just ginormous and it just sort of glided past her.
Faith was used to these things smelling of old oil, dirty petrol and all sorts of funky fumes. Instead it was clean, almost gleaming in the early afternoon sun. The light shining off the chrome hubcaps. She almost wasn't surprised they didn't stop. Someone who spent that much time on keeping their monster that clean wasn't going to stop for some sweat drenched girl on the side of the highway.
Then, to her surprise, it did stop. Pulling up a few yards ahead of where she stood. Blaring it's horn to get her attention.
Picking up her bag Faith half ran towards them. Not wanting to put her full Slayer speed into it and tip off the driver. The door opened as she got close. 'Hi, thanks for stop…ing.' She trailed off. The cab was empty. 'Hello?'
'Hello.' A voice came out of the empty cab.
Faith looked closer, there was nothing. 'Okay, what is this?'
'You look like you need some help.' As whoever it was spoke a light flashed on the steering wheel. 'You're dehydrated, the temperature is rising and there isn't a re-supply point for miles.'
'Well I do need a lift, but usually someone has to, you know, drive.' She pointed out, looking for the hidden camera.
'I'm perfectly capable of driving myself.' The cab told her. 'My name is Ultra Magnus, I'm an Autobot, here on Earth under the Command of Optimus Prime himself. It's my duty to help, so that's what I'm doing.'
Faith tried to wrap her head around it. 'So you're supposed to be a robot, that just happens to look like a giant truck?' She couldn't keep her face straight. 'Right.'
There was a moment before the door shut and then all hell broke lose. Parts of the cab and trailer opened up. Plates slid into and over each other. Layering up. As they did new parts came out from behind them. They looked like hands, then a head.
The robot stood up straight, it had two arms and two legs as well as the head. It looked like a man, only mega-tall and made out of metal. 'Right,' She swallowed nervously. 'Robot man, other planet. And I thought I'd seen the weirdest things.'
He nodded and changed again, back into the transport truck. The door opened. 'Urm, I'm heading out west.' Faith admitted, climbing in.
End Dare
Disclaimer:-
I don't own the character of Faith (Buffy The Vampire Slayer, owner Mutant Enemy/20th Century Fox) or that of Ultra Magnus (Transformers, owner Hasbro) and make no profit from their use.
Authors postscript:-
This is an idea (loosely) connected to another story I started sometime ago and just haven't gotten around to finishing off. I'm not sure what to do with this bit though, part of me wants to go further here. A young Faith teamed up with the straight laced Commander of Autobot City? Could be fun. Another part wants to have Faith make it to Sunnydale and then have her meet up with the Autobots again after her trials through the series. Which could be fun as well.
Depending on what I decide I might come back. Until then, enjoy!
Also, quick badly kept secret; Most of my story titles come from songs which (supposedly) have a connection to my intended theme. Dare, Stan Bush, is from the Transformers Soundtrack (but not Weird Al's Dare to Be Stupid, I'm going to use that one later…)