Author's Note: This (short) chapter is dedicated to my lone reviewer, KimTheKat! *applause is heard* Whoo! Thanks Kim! If it weren't for you, this chapter would have probably taken longer, and it has already take a while.
Oh, and I've edited the first chapter. It's nothing you need to go back and read or anything, but I've moved Ratchet and Ironhide into Hoover Dam instead of some random patch of land.
Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers or any of its characters, iPods, Gamecubes, etc. I do own, hey, cool, a music store! A nameless music store! As well as our Gamecube buddy, who does, by the way, have a name, Stacey, and Marcee.
Marcee had almost forgotten about the little robot at her house while at work. She was just about to close up shop when she remembered, and decided to take a present home to the newest addition to her household.
The store sold just about everything musical: instruments, CD players, CDs, iPods, posters, music-related magazines, shirts, jackets, DVDs of concerts or just plain music in general, even lunch boxes. They also had music lessons in a back room, and it was here that Marcee had learned to play the piano. Just before she left, she purchased a keyboard (which made her wonder why she didn't already have one), a random classical CD that was mainly piano music, and a book of sheet music. As she drove home, she pondered on how to teach a three-fingered robot how to play the piano, but simply gave up and hoped that she would somehow figure it out when she actually gave it a shot. She parked her car in the driveway and, gifts in hand, opened the front door with one hand. As she slid through the door, she mentally chastised herself for not locking it. Not that she didn't think a thief would go running if it saw a robot in her house, but trusting a Gamecube to keep her house safe wasn't the best idea.
She looked over to see said Gamecube surfing the web. As she set down her junk, it looked over, and even seemed to perk up a bit. It hopped down off the computer desk onto the chair, and then onto the floor as it came trotting up to her. Marcee noticed it could already walk much better than a toddler could, and it was still only a couple hours old. It pointed to the electronic keyboard in a silent question.
"That's a keyboard," she answered, setting it down on the ground for it. The robot pressed one of the keys and lurched back slightly as the machine answered with a noise. "You can use it to make music," Marcee explained, sliding it up on her lap and playing "Jingle Bells." The robot was immediately fascinated. "You just have to learn how to play it."
She set the keyboard back down and watched as it stepped forward and pressed each of the keys experimentally. After a few failed attempts, the robot managed to successfully, if slowly, play "Jingle Bells." Marcee was amazed at its progress. So much for teaching it how to play.
She glanced over at the clock hanging in the kitchen. It was a little after 11:30, and Marcee didn't know if she was going to have school tomorrow or not. She looked back down at the happy robot. "Do you sleep?" she asked it. It cocked its helmeted head at her in what she swore was a quizzical expression. "Recharge? Shut down for the night? You know, sleep?"
It blinked once before nodding and saying, "Yes," in its little metallic voice.
Marcee scooped it up and put the robot on her hip like she'd seen many moms do with their children. "It's time to sleep, then. Do you want to sleep with me, in my bed?"
She watched as confusion passed over its facial features, then slow realization. Again it replied, "Yes."
Marcee grinned and set it down on her bed. "I'll be right back." She grabbed her night clothes and headed to the bathroom.
She changed quickly before using brushing her teeth and using the bathroom. She was debating a shower before she heard an odd electronic chirping noise, and peeked around the corner to see her robot sitting up on the bed, looking at her. She decided she would take her shower in the morning, and headed into her room.
Marcee's bed was a full size, and had plenty of room for both robot and human. As she slid under the covers, she offered the robot the other side of the bed. After a moments hesitation, it crawled under the sheets and copied her position of one-arm-under-her-head-on-the-pillow-while-the-other-remained-underneath-the-sheets. This brought a soft smile to her face before she closed her eyes and let the darkness of sleep wash over her.
"Prime, what happened? I've never felt anything like that before."
Ratchet took the two remaining steps forward to be by the yellow 'bot's side and put a hand on his shoulder. His expression was almost weary, all of them, with the possible exception of their youngest, knew what was coming next. "That," Ratchet answered, his tone just as tired, but nowhere near impatient, "was what it feels like for there to be a sudden transfer of energy from one source to another, creating, in short, life."
Bumblebee raised an eye ridge. "You mean…?"
"Yes, Bumblebee," Prime answered, his deep voice both comforting and sad at the same time, "we believe that was the feeling of a new spark being formed."
"But we don't know for sure," Ratchet added.
Ironhide crossed his arms and looked over from his place beside Optimus Prime. Though he had been at the meeting the whole time, this was the first he deigned to speak. "It is unlikely it is anything else, though. In all this time, I've never felt something quite like it. That was a new sparkling."
Prime sighed, or at least made the closest sound to a sigh that a robot could make. Ironhide was in was of his moods, he and his soldiers hadn't had much, if any, time to recharge, and they already had something else they needed to look for and reach before the Decepticons. Their only advantage at this point, it seemed, was that the Decepticons were without a leader, but no one knew how long that would last. The Autobots had also promised to help in the Mission City cleanup, which made matters even harder. Though Prime didn't like the idea, they were going to have to separate and take shifts.
Prime blinked his optics before giving his announcement. "This won't be any easy task. We're going to have to split the work between us. Two of us will be working in the Mission City cleanup. Another will search for the sparkling, or whatever else it may be. The last of us will remain at base in recharge. All of us will have to keep our radar on high alert. We don't want any Decepticons sneaking up behind us. Bumblebee, you will be the first to search, starting tonight." The yellow scout blinked before nodding his acceptance. "Ironhide and I will go to Mission City." The weapons specialist made a loud grunt, but the 'bots could all tell he was happy with the choice. "Ratchet, you will stay here for tonight."
"But Prime," he immediantly argued. Optimus had known it was coming, though, and was prepared. "You need the rest more than I do. I'll go with Ironhide-"
"No, Ratchet, you need it more. I can take it one more night. Go. Rest."
The medic looked ready to argue further, but it was obvious such attempts would get him nowhere. Shoulders drooping, he headed turned to walk into another room.
"Autobots, roll out."
Author's Note: Yeah yeah, you're probably going, "So, what, she has a really short chapter and even more A/Ns than usual?!" The answer is yes. Since my decision to start dedicating every chapter to something (be it a reviewer, a song, or my mother because I ran out of other things to dedicate it to), I've also decided to be taking suggestions. Possibly. If I like the idea (but just because I don't use it doesn't mean I don't like it. It could mean it interferes with the plot I have planned, or something.) But that also requires reviewing, so…. ;D
