((Okay, so I felt the need to update, since I kinda left all of you with a cliffhanger in the last one. I will go ahead and mention that I am having writer's block when it comes to this story and some of the later chapters may not be up to par with the first few. I'm trying to fix some things so don't go crazy Blitzwing on my butt cause I'm not doing as good. This chapter will have a major Arcee/Airachnid fight scene for those of you who like it and there will be some awesome Optimus too.
WARNING!: This chapter has suggestive material that may not be suitable for certain people. If you are one of these certain people, bewarned.
DISCLAIMER:I don't own Transformers Prime or any of the characters, or the song titles/songs used.))
Chapter 3- Keep Your Hands to Yourself
My honey, my baby, don't put my love upon on no shelf
She said don't give me no lines and keep your hands to yourself- Keep your Hands to yourself, George Satellites
Optimus's POV
The pod's walls slid down and the femme literally stumbled out. She was darkly painted, purple-ish optics segmented like an insect's, long spidery rod like legs sticking out of her back. She blinked several times trying to regain her composure.
"Where-Where am I?" she muttered. "Blasted Arcee. How long have I been in stasis?"
I couldn't help but wolf-whistle. "Hello gorgeous," I packed every bit of charisma I had into those two words.
She looked up and her optics narrowed immediately. "Optimus Prime," she hissed, legs extending.
I ignored it. "Did it hurt when you fell from heaven?"
Before I could realize it, she'd pinned me roughly to a nearby wall with one of her spider legs. "How did I get here?" she demanded. "Where is here?"
"Oh, so you're that kind of girl," I said. "I've gotta warn you, I'm probably not that good for a hottie like you. Although, if you'd give me a chance, I'd be willing to try it, sweetspark."
Her look was a mixture of astonishment and confusion. "I'll ask again," one of her arms shot out a blade and the tip of it swung a bit too close to my face. "Where am I?"
"The Autobot base," I was feeling nervous now. "At least that's what I know. So, what's your name? Or would you prefer I continue to call you sweetspark? Because I don't mind."
"Don't play games with me!" her bladed arm punctured the wall next to my head and I winced. "Don't try to get into my head; I can assure you it won't work." She looked past me. "The Autobots will no doubt be rushing in to save their precious leader. Which means I don't have enough time." She slid back onto two normal legs, the other legs folding up behind her back. Then she wrapped me up very rapidly in white sticky webbing. A knife was put to my throat. "You're coming with me."
From this angle I was highly aware of her body being pressed against mine. "You know, this is a bit awkward and perverted in a certain light," I informed her. "And yet, I'm oddly compelled."
The femme shoved me forward and walked me along. I got a good view of her in general, her posture, the way she walked. She looked like a natural fighter.
"Nice aft," I complimented. She turned on me, smacking me over the head hard.
"I don't know what kind of game you're trying to play with me, Prime," she snapped, "but I'm tired of it."
"It's not a game," I shook my head. "You really do have a nice aft. Is that a bad thing?"
She pushed me out into the hall, still keeping hte knife at my throat, when Arcee turned a corner. The Autobot femme noticed my predicament, the femme behind me, and her optics narrowed. "Airachnid."
"Wow. Even her name is sexy," I couldn't help but remark. Both femmes shot me glares. "What did I say?"
"I've been waiting a long time for this Arcee," the spider femme smirked, pushing the blade closer to me. "You don't seem to have a good track record with those you love. First Tailgate, then Cliffjumper. And now Optimus Prime. And you won't be able to do a thing. Unless you want to see him die right now."
The word 'die' made me a little nervous. Suddenly Airachnid didn't seem so sexy. Sadistic maybe, sociopathic definitely, but not sexy.
Arcee popped out her knives, face grim. Airachnid met her gaze, a hungry look in her eyes. Almost as though she were toying with the other femme. She held all the cards. Arcee wouldn't, couldn't attack while I was in harm's way. And the binding made it almost impossible to do anything. Move my head, but that was it.
That was it. Without warning and certainly shocking Airachnid, I hauled off and headbutted her backwards, my head connecting with her face hard. She stumbled back and, without hesitation, I kicked the knife out of her hand, sending it flying.
"So I'm guessing she's the crazy kind, huh?" I swiftly moved to Arcee's side.
"Yes," Arcee's tone indicated we'd discuss this later. I gulped.
The blue and pink femme rushed her dazed opponent, who quickly recovered. Airachnid released her spider legs, walking around on them, real legs compacted back. She nimbly dodged Arcee's frantic swings, socking Arcee hard in the jaw with one of her legs. Arcee fell back and shot at Airachnid, cutting right through her shoulder. The spider hissed and pinned one of Arcee's legs to the floor with her webbing, using the time to slash her talons across Arcee's chest. Arcee cut the webbing and slashed off one of Airachnid's spider legs, the femme wobbling when one of her supports was crippled. She reverted to two legs but kept the spider legs out, swinging them in a slashing manner. Arcee was clipped on the shoulder and in the side, but still managed to tackle Airachnid to the ground. The spider femme had her legs pinned, the two going onto all out melee fighting, Arcee incorporating her knives into the fight.
Me? I was trying hard not to fall on my aft and even harder to pull out my sword. Footfalls grew closer and the four other Autobots appeared, weapons drawn.
I hopped around to face them. "This isn't what this looks like," I blurted out, right as Airachnid punched Arcee in the face. She kicked the Autobot femme off her, bringing out her spider legs, only for Arcee to shoot her repetitively. "I mean, yeah, it is probably what it looks like, but I have a good explanation. Actually, I really don't."
Arcee tried to stab down at Airachnid but the femme caught her blades, and tore them off with ease. She pushed Arcee off her, back onto her aft (which, I have to say, is really nice too), and pointed her weapon at Arcee's throat.
"I should've killed you instead of Tailgate," the spider femme hissed. "I won't make the same mistake again."
"Good," that was when she was hit hard by a mace. "Neither will we."
Bumblebee helped Arcee up and Airachnid seemed to realize she was outnumbered, 4 to 1. "It's been fun," she started to back up, "but I don't think I'll stick around. We'll meet again, Arcee." That was when she scuttled off at an alarming rate.
"No!" Arcee roared. She transformed into a motorcycle and revved after the fleeing spider femme.
"Arcee, wait!" Bulkhead yelled but she was already gone.
"Slag she moves fast," I commented.
It wasn't long before Arcee had returned, looking utterly crushed. "She's gone," she hit her fist against the wall in irritation. "Just like her, to crawl into a hole and hide."
"Uh, hello?" I would've waved if I could've. "I'm still stuck here. Does anyone mind, gee I don't know, cutting me loose?"
Arcee's look was venomous. "If you hadn't been so stupid, you wouldn't be in this mess," she snapped. "What were you thinking?"
"How was I supposed to know what Airachnid looked like?" I complained as Ratchet started to cut the webbing. "You didn't exactly specify her down to the last detail."
"And now you're off limits from this part of the base too," Ratchet told me, slicing the last off the webbing off. I moved my arms, good as new. "No touching anything. Arcee, you and the others might want to take the kids home. It's no longer safe for them here."
"Already on it," Arcee and the others started for the main part of the base.
"Uh, so, was that bad?" I rubbed the back of my head.
Ratchet's look almost rivaled Arcee's. "Extremely. Not only does Airachnid love to torment Arcee, but she's unpredictable, and will do anything she can to make us suffer. We were lucky to have had her in stasis, brief as it was." He started for the main hub too. And now they'd succeeded in their job of making me feel like scrap.
I picked up and tilted one of the cut off spider legs in my hand, before continuing at a slow pace to the main hub.
~.~.~.~.~.
General POV
Arcee stormed back into her berthroom, intent on calming her irritated mind. She'd taken Jack home and, while June had been frantic over the fact that Airachnid was now loose, considering her own past experiences with the ex-'Con, Arcee assured her Jack would be fine. Now she had to push down anger at both Airachnid and Optimus.
And who should be loitering in her room but the red and blue mech himself, holding a long thin rod in his hand.
"I thought I made it clear earlier I didn't want you in my room," Arcee said as calmly as possible.
"Yeah, you did," he nodded in agreement. "I, um, just came to say that I'm sorry. I honestly didn't know about Airachnid."
"It's okay," Arcee grudgingly told him. "She's bothered me too much in the past. I shouldn't have taken my anger out on you."
"What did she do to you?" Optimus asked, intrigued. "She mentioned someone called Tailgate. Who was he?"
Arcee vented heavily. "Tailgate was my first partner, back on Cybertron," she explained. "Airachnid, she-she kidnapped me. Kidnapped Tailgate. And killed him right before my eyes. I was restrained, powerless to stop her, to save Tailgate."
"So you blame yourself for that," Optimus understood by his tone.
"I guess I do. And since she's come to Earth, Jack and June seem to be her new playthings. I try to keep them safe as best I can, but-"
"You're afraid that it will be Tailgate all over again," his voice softened. "You can't keep beating yourself up over Tailgate's death like this. Honor his memory, let his spirit live on in you, sure. But don't keep pondering the 'what-if's?'. That'll only hurt you more. You've got to keep moving forward, sweetspark."
"Yeah, you're probably-" she paused. "Did-Did you just call me sweetspark?"
Optimus nodded, grinning. "Of course I did. You are one sexy femme, you know that? I've got someplace to be, though," he moved past her, stopping briefly to whisper in her audio. "Stay pretty, sweetspark." Then he left.
Arcee couldn't help but look back at him and gape. He'd called her sexy. And sweetspark. And sexy. Something that was especially new to her.
Optimus had definitely changed. Whether this was for better or worse, she had no clue.
~.~.~.~.~.
Airachnid had no idea how to get out of the Pit-hole the Autobots called a base. She was leaking and the exit was no doubt blocked by their forces. So she was forced to hide in the inner workings of the base, trying to stop the Energon that was coming out, cursing all the Autobots and even the Decepticons mentally.
Whatever had happened to Optimus Prime, it was certainly a good thing in her opinion. It made things easier for her to attack when she was less expected, especially if they were having to fawn and take care of their precious leader. And no doubt the children would be returning soon. A perfect weak point.
Oh yes, Airachnid would have revenge. Soon.
And it would be sweet.
~.~.~.~.~.
Optimus's POV-
Ratchet had to fix Arcee and decided to leave me in Bulkhead and Bumblebee's capable hands. They had the oddest definition of relaxing.
"So I basically have to take the ball and drool it across the court and put it in that basket," I summed it up, holding the ball of twisted metal.
"It's dribbling," Bulkhead corrected. "And yeah, but me and 'Bee will try to stop you from doing it. If you put it in the basket, you get two points."
/We're trying to see who can get the most points,/ Bumblebee added. /So far Arcee's got us all beat, with 18 in one game./
"Maybe I can top it. Err, what's the game called again?"
"It's basketball," Bulk laughed. "And, not to be mean, but I really don't think you can."
I smiled. "Wanna bet on it? 2 Energon cubes says you're wrong."
Bulkhead blinked. "Uh, sure. I'll take that bet."
/I say 5 Energon cubes you can't do it,/ Bumblebee challenged.
"Bring it," I smirked. Then the game commenced.
I found it to be easier than expected. Ducking under Bulkhead, I dodged to the left of Bumblebee, the ball bouncing against the floor with a thud and clank. A single toss and it spun on the rim before swishing in.
"Two points!" I cheered. "In your face!"
"Lucky shot," Bulkhead scowled.
I took the ball back and was able to repeat my 'lucky shot' two more times. In fact, by the time Arcee and Ratchet came into the room, Bulk and 'Bee looked about ready to quit. The ball sailed into the basket easily, thudding against the floor. I fist-pumped.
"Ha!" I crowed. "You both owe me 5 Energon cubes!"
"What's the occasion?" Arcee raised an eyebrow.
"I kicked their afts in basketball," I replied.
"22 points," Bulkhead groaned. "I wouldn't have seen it coming."
"Great," Ratchet muttered. "Another thing to keep me up at night."
/We could teach him baseball next,/ 'Bee suggested.
"No!" Ratchet protested quickly. "I don't need another tool destroyed by the wanton sports you play. I've had enough trashed on a daily basis already."
"Baseball sounds fun," I agreed. "Where'd the kids go anyway?"
"Home," Bulkhead shrugged. "It's getting late and they've got school tomorrow." He yawned. "Speaking of getting late, I think I'll hit the sack."
/Me too,/ Bumblebee agreed, following him out.
"Optimus, you'd better get some recharge too," Ratchet didn't even look up. "You've had a lot happen today."
"But I don't want to go to berth yet," I complained. "I'm not even tired."
"Stop whining like a sparkling," he scolded.
"Fine," I went toward the berthroom. "Night sweetspark, grumpy."
"Did he-" I managed to make out Ratchet saying right before I turned the bend. I snickered.
The berthroom was hard to adjust to. I laid there for a while, thinking, wondering. Images flashed by, blurry, of fiery places, unfamiliar mechs, a metal world torn to bits. I felt a twinge of sorrow in my spark at the thought of Cybertron. I couldn't even remember half of what had happened on my home world. All because of Megatron. I shared Arcee's sentiments; the ex-gladiator would pay if I ever crossed paths with him again.
After some time, I managed to drift into recharge.
~.~.~.~.~.
My sweet dream of 'quality time' with Arcee was rudely interrupted, however, much later, by a loud slamming outside. Blearily I onlined my optics. Good Primus, it was 1 in the morning, did they have to make so much fragging noise?
I sat up and pulled out my blaster, ready to go fry whoever decided to bug me. Before I could move, however, a blast of something white struck me quickly. Yelping, I slid back, only to find my blaster was clogged up with white. Webs.
That was when the door shook on it's hinges and flew open, banging against the wall. I tried to yell for help but a web caused me to gag, connecting with my mouth and firmly pinning me to the wall by my head. Several more webs accomplished the apparent goal, my arms bound to either side, unable to so much as flinch.
And she crawled in, as intimidating as it gets with her spider legs out. The smirk was positively evil.
"Optimus Prime," she came closer, fingers brushing my face. "Nice to see you again. I'm surprised you didn't post better security knowing I was still in the building. It was so easy it was boring. And I hate to be bored." She raised a taloned hand. "Arcee can wait. I'll have a lot of fun hearing you scream."
It's official. I hate spiders.
((Dun dun dun! Another cliffhanger! Sorry, I felt like doing it to you. And has anyone else noticed that, if you look close enough at Airachnid's eyes, they have different either pentagon or octagon shaped segments to them. Just look at them in "Crisscross" and you'll see what I mean. Oh, and am I making Optimus too Gary Stu-ish? I'm not really sure but I might be, so give me feedback on whether I am or not.
Oh, and if you want a purely humor/parody story, please feel free to check out my other story, the Internet Wars, which I am working so diligently on as well. Another chapter will be up soon, provided I have enough...incentives *cough*reviews*cough*.))
