Disclaimer: Transformers Prime © Hasbro

Prologue 2: Transform

When Robin awoke, she didn't know where she was, and began to panic. Until she remembered the previous night, and realized that she was still on the chest of the sleeping robot that she'd fixed who knows how many hours ago. The sun was low in the West, making it more than likely already evening.

Robin sighed; she knew that eventually, she aught to get going, so she could make it to Jasper before dark, but she was averse to moving for two reasons. One, because her bruises were beginning to throb painfully, as well as an odd itch on her chest, where her heart was. Two, because she didn't want to leave the robot. There was just this air about him that drove off the rather...unpleasant feelings threatening to overtake her Psyche, and toss her into the throughs of depression.

Chief among these thoughts was the fact that her father had raped her. Again. She shivered, curling into a ball on her side. The robot stirred at the small movement, his eyes -or optics- slowly flickering on.

"Hey." Robin greeted quietly as me looked to her.

"Have you contacted your family unit?" he asked. Somehow, she knew he was talking about her Aunt June. She shook her head.

"I should probably do that, and I would, but my phone is broken. HE threw it against the wall when I tried calling the police." she muttered. The robot frowned.

"And how far away is this Jasper you spoke of last night?" he asked. Robin shrugged.

"Maybe, two hours of a walk, headed North. From there, I can just ask around. Though, I don't know how long it would take YOU to get there. I mean, you're huge, so it would be a little less time for you, I'd guess." she rambled a little bit. The robot chuckled as she smacked her hands over her mouth to quiet herself.

"I suppose that will be the last thing I do on this planet." he thought aloud. He was going to take her to Jasper. Robin gave him a curious look.

"What? What do you mean?" she asked. He looked back down to her.

"I am departing from the planet soon, and I do not know when I will return." he said honestly. Robin looked sad at this bit of news.

"Oh.. I hope it's soon. I don't think I'd live long enough to see you again." she replied, tracing a hand over the purple insignia on his chest. The robot seemed confused by the sadness in her tone.

"Are you not supposed to find a compatible mate of your own kind?" he inquired. Robin shrugged again.

"Well, yeah, but I don't think there's anybody here that's worth it." she answered. Something about the sadness in her tone lit a fire inside the robot, something he'd never felt before, and he didn't know where it came from. It was urging him to help her, make her happier. He got an idea.

"There is one way, if you wish it." he said quietly. Robin's head snapped up, and she met the gaze of his red optics.

"What is it?" she asked eagerly.

'If she knew who I really was, and what I do, she may not be so eager.' the robot thought to himself.

"There is a technology, that would allow you to become an...android. You would far outlive the rest of your humankind, though, were you to accept." he added the last part as a warning. Robin didn't hesitate.

"I want to be an android. There's nothing left here to hold me to the planet, other than my aunt and her son." she said instantly. The robot was surprised at the sheer determination this youngling had. Then she grimaced, scratching at the spot where her organic heart was located. As soon as the robot scanned the area, he understood why, and it shocked him.

There was a glyph of his people there, imprinted in her skin. It translated to 'Promised Mate' in his language. Well, he really didn't have a choice any longer. He had involuntarily imprinted on her, so if he ever wished to be with her, he would have to turn her into an android.

"It will not be pleasant," he said, as a last warning.

"Unpleasant isn't exactly a new experience for me." she commented dryly. "Just do it."

The robot sighed, before nodding. He lifted her off of his chest, settling her in his left hand. He put his right hand over top of it, and began the process. One of his scientists had developed a special type of nanotechnology specifically for incidences like this, and now it was being put to good use.

He heard a groan of discomfort from Robin, as the nanobots entered her body.

"That feels...strange.." she said, before falling unconscious. It didn't surprise the robot, though. During the experiments, the test subject was known to fall into a state of unconsciousness, to ensure minimal discomfort during the transformation. By nightfall, which was in little more than two hours, the transformation from organic to cybernetic would be complete.

Robin awoke once more when the transformation was complete. She felt much, much different than before. She could still see the bruises that had freshly formed the night before, but they didn't hurt any longer. The strange itch where her heart was, was still there, but it was muted.

Then she took in the minute cosmetic changes. Her skin, once mottled and tanned, was a perfect white, and smooth as silk, without a trace of hair. Her hands, once rough from hard work on her family farm, were also smooth, as though she'd never worked a day in her life. One of the more surprising things she noticed was that all the traces of her unappealing baby fat she could never get rid of were completely gone, leaving a slender and toned figure behind. And the last thing that caught her attention was her face.

No longer was it acne-riddled, or scarred. It looked as smooth as though she'd only been born that day. Her once blue-lavender irises were now violet. Then came the hair. The curls were slightly less pronounced, and they were the same violet as her eyes, maybe a shade or two lighter. Her eyebrows were black, though, instead of violet.

Yes, the comparison seemed fitting; it was as though she'd been born that very day. Reborn.

"What do you think?"

Robin was jolted from her reverie by the sound of the robot's voice. She smiled up at him.

"I love it. Thank you." she said. Then a thought occurred to her. "Now that I'm an android, what happens?"

The robot seemed confused by the question, so she elaborated.

"What does being an android entail, other than living longer?"

"You no longer have to eat or drink, unless you wish it. The nanobots will break down any human foods you consume. You will no longer have to void waste," in other words, use the bathroom, "and your fuel cell will keep you energized, so you will not have to sleep unless you wish to do so, which my kind calls recharge." the robot explained. Robin nodded, taking it all in.

"What about mentally? I mean, like my brain?" she then asked.

"Your brain is now what I would call a processor, and it runs many times faster than even the strongest human supercomputer."

Robin grinned. "Cool. Wait, what's a fuel cell? I mean, I know what it is, but.."

The robot understood. "The fuel cell is similar to a supercharged battery. One of your human years will only use 0.01% of the cell's energy. And currently, you have two fuel cells in your frame."

The next hour or so was occupied with the robot explaining the particulars of being an android, and how to function. Though, Robin didn't notice that while they were talking, he was walking.

"Okay, so now that's all stored in my memory, and I can just draw it all up if I get confused about any of it?"

"Yes. Now, you would like to go to Jasper?" the robot asked.

"Yes please, but you don't have to take me, unless..you want to?" she turned her statement into a question, sounding hopeful. The robot chuckled.

"We are already within one mile of the town, it would be redundant to leave you to walk yourself now." he said. Robin, after much inner confusion and difficulty, checked her Global Positioning System, and realized the robot was right. She giggled.

"It would be kind of silly." she agreed. Then a thought came to her. "I still don't know your name..." she murmured. The robot tensed minutely. Honestly, he'd have preferred she never find out his name. Should she ever meet his enemies, she may be brought to the knowledge of the things he's done, thereby driving her away from him. She seemed to notice his discomfort.

"Again, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I just wanted to know the name of my Knight in Shining Armor." she said, the smallest of smiles on her face. The robot was once again confused, and he doubted that even if he integrated himself with the humans, that he'd ever understand their lingo.

"It's a figure of speech. In all the fairy-tales, the charming prince, or the knight in shining armor, saves the princess, or the beautiful maiden."

The robot had no reply to that, and they had just come to the edge of the town. It was well after dark now, and there were no cars along the road.

"Well, I guess this is it. I'll find a payphone somewhere, call my Aunt." Robin murmured as the robot set her on the ground. Then he had a thought.

"Robin." He didn't speak again until she turned to face him. "Though I may be absent, my soldiers will still be on the planet. Should you encounter any of them, show them this insignia." he said, and put a single finger to the skin at the base of her spine. The same insignia that he wore on his chassis was now on her lower back, with small designs on either side. It looked like a tattoo.

"Why?" she asked, confused.

"So they do not attack you, in belief that you are allied with our enemy." he explained, standing to his full height. Robin nodded, and opened her mouth to speak.

"So...will I ever see you again, in the near-future?" she asked, her voice slightly thick.

"I do not know. I will return when I find what I am looking for. Goodbye, Robin. 'Til all are one." he said, before leaping into the air and transforming into a large alien jet, shooting off into space. A single blue-tinted tear slid down Robin's pale face.

June Darby was just getting off her night-shift at work when she heard her phone ring.

'Unknown Number.. who could it be?' she wondered, answering.

"Hello?"

'Aunt June?' a female voice whimpered, thick with tears.

"Who is this?" she asked, worried.

'It's Robin! Robin Summers!'

"What's wrong, sweetie? Are you okay?" she asked softly, hearing her niece's whispering sobs.

'D-dad...raped me..' Robin stuttered out. June froze.

"Where are you?" she asked, her voice serious, with an undertone of anger.

'I'm at the payphone by KO drive-in.' she answered.

"I'm on my way to pick you up now, sweetheart. Just hang in there, alright?" she said, pulling out of the parking lot of the hospital and speeding towards the aforementioned payphone.

'O-okay. I'll see you soon.'

Then the line went dead.

Robin had broken into a sprint the moment she could no longer see the silver jet, and when she'd reached the payphone, it took her several tries with shaking hands to dial her aunt's number. Now, she was sitting on the curb, shaking and hyperventilating as the panic and fear that the robot had driven away for the past two days came onto her quickly and strongly. She saw her aunt's car pull up, and moments later she emerged from it, enveloping her in a hug.

"Robin... are you okay?" she asked quietly. In the night, all June could see that was different about her niece was her skin tone, and that her hair was darker, but she couldn't see any distinct colours.

"I-I'm fine, Aunt June. Just tired, and sore.." Robin whispered. June nodded, and helped her up, though she didn't need it, and led her to the car.

"Do you want to go to the hospital?" she asked as she started the car up. Robin hid her fear well as she shook her head.

"I'm fine, just tired, and sore from walking here." she repeated, though that wasn't why she was sore. The robot had explained that there would be slight soreness from the transformation, at least for a little while.

"Jack, can you get the spare bedroom ready? We have a surprise guest." June said into her cell-phone.

'Okay mom. Who is it?' her son asked on the other end of the line.

"You'll see. We'll see you when we get there. I love you."

'Love you too, mom. Bye.'

Then the call ended.

Jack was waiting on the front steps when June pulled into the garage, chuckling slightly at the excitement he was practically radiating.

"Jack, this is your cousin, Robin Summers. I don't think you two have met before." he said, and only then did she notice her niece's hair and eyes. She gave her aunt a sheepish look.

"Don't ask, because I don't know." she lied convincingly.

"I like it. It looks cool." Jack said, grinning as he tugged lightly on one of the curls. Robin grinned, smacking his hand away playfully.

"Nice to meet you, Jack." she said, shaking her cousin's hand.

That night, after Robin had a shower, she sat in the spare bedroom, and stared out her window at the stars. The memory of the silver robot was still fresh in her mind, and she missed him already.

'I hope I'll see you soon..' she thought.

A/N: I give total credit for the idea of the 'Promised Mate' thing to Indigo Ninja and Link's Rose, and their fanfiction Transformers Prime: Together Again. And the idea of turning a mortal into an android goes to Mistress Megatron and her fanfiction Begging for Mercy.