Okami: Yaayzers, chapter 3! Finally! We're not dead yet! I only have cancer, that's all.
Optimus: WHAAAAAAAAAAAT?!
Okami: Not really, just wanted to see you freak out.
Foxx::sweatdrops:: Ooookay then. ANYWAY...sorry it's been so long since last post!! I haven't had a free weekend in like forever::cries:: Transformers the movie came out! WOOT::both girls do happy dances:: Yay!
Okami: Opti-kun has a mouth! It's weirdness but I wuvvles it! I saw the movie three times in theatres and was at Wal-Mart exactly on the 16th in order to buy the special edition! Beat that, swarms of Iowa Transformer fans, mwuahaha!
Jetfire: ...I wasn't in the movie... SNUFF
Ironhide: I wuz! In your FACE, Jetfire!!
Foxx: It's okay, Jeffy! We still love you:: hugs Jetfire's leg::
Okami: We may own the kick-ass new movie, action figures, keychains, half of armada on DVD (damn best buy, only having the second half...!), but we do not own Transformers. Unfortunately. If we did, Jazz would not have died. And Optimus would actually be in my driveway right now... ::Shifty eyes::
Foxx::nods vigorously:: YEP! Anyway, on with the Chapter Intro! Um...what are we gonna call it::looks around at the other Transformers for ideas but they all just shrug:: You're a hell'va lotta help there, guys. - -'
Sideswipe::barrels into the room:: I wanna introduce it!! Please, please, please, please, pleeeeeeeeeeeeease?!!
Foxx: 00...okay...
Okami: Be aware of some kinky little sexual references Not appropriate for prudes and sensitive feelings. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. NO SUING! Or we will sick our ninja armies of squirrels on you!
Fluffy-Kakashi-sama: HIYAAAAH::Does karate kick::
Okami: Fluffy-Kakashi-sama, that's Judo, not ninjitsu, you moron!
Fluffy-Kakashi-sama: Oops. My bad. ::Does bow to a gong, then throws down a smoke pack and disappears..only to be found dead down the hall from the vapors, little foot twitching in the air as his tongue is hanging out, paws in the air::
Optimus: ... ... ... ... ... Okay.
Foxx: Nobody ever said they were smart...
Sideswipe: YAAAY::Holds up a sign:: Chapter 3--Pickles and Cheese and Pickles and Cheese and Pickles...::Looks blandly at them::
Okami::Shrugs:: We couldn't think of anything better, so we just wrote the first thing that came to mind.
Sideswipe: ...Okay. ::Shrugs and grins:: Enjoy!
"So I'm some kind've living battery or somethin'? Is that what you're saying?" Jade asked, a stick of Pocky (AN: Yay pocky!) in her mouth as she looked up at Red Alert. "A rather blunt way to put it, but, yes, in a way you are." He replied. "...Optimus, plug me into something! I wanna see if it works!" Jade looked over and he deadpanned. "I am not 'plugging' you into something. It's unorthodox." He said. "...Sour-ass." was the dry reply.
Trish sprawled gracelessly on one of the many ledges, face down and unmoving. Adrian dinked around with Hotshot's leg, trying to unscrew something with little success. "Here, try touching this!" he called, tossing a battery operated vibrator at her. (A/N: Adrian's a bit weird sometimes and at others...well, you can see...- -').
"...Oooh!" She grabbed it and it immediately started going off in her hands. Her eyes went shifty and when nobody was looking, she shoved it into her back pocket and smiled innocently to herself. "NOW, pay attention. We need to find some way to let you control your--" Optimus began, but noticed that she was staring off with a satisfied grin. He was silent, confused, then he seemed to growl to himself. He snapped his fingers in front of her face. "Oh, what? No--I couldn't, no, no!" She blurted, yanking out of some kind of fantasy and holding out her arms as if pushing someone back. "...What are you thinking in that head of yours?" Jetfire asked. "...Nothing to do with you. TRUST ME." She said dryly, reaching into her back pocket and turning it off--pretending to scratch her aft in the meantime.
"Nggghhh..." Trish grumbled quietly. Getting up begrudgedly, she kicked off her sandals. Blue jeans with belled bottoms fit snuggly to her frame, she tugging at her green halter top. The mechanics rag still stuck out of her back pocket, dirty and worn from use. "So why exactly are we here again?" she asked.
"Well, back-up support from friends is always good." Sideswipe said. "He's right--if you can't expect your friends to back you up when you need them, you're in trouble." Jetfire said. "Anyway... Enough with the fluffiness... Can I just try to play around with this stuff and see if it works? Practice makes perfect, right?" Jade asked. "On Cybertron, usually a younger transformer with the ability would practice to link with their mentor. But, seeing as you're not a transformer, it can't be done. We'll have to find a way to skirt around that." Red Alert said. "...Are you saying that they like go inside their teacher? Are all robots yaoi or something?" She blinked. "What's 'yaoi'...?" Jetfire asked. "Uh... Nothing! Don't look it up, it's just a nonsense word!" Jade lied quickly, hands waving.
"Hm..." Trish barely heard a word of what was being said. She'd been up almost all night tinkering with Genesis, trying to get him to work again. Unfortunately, it wouldn't. She'd had to bum a ride with Hotshot and Adrian, who'd come to pick them up that morning. "Here," said the brunette, Alexis, said, holding out a cup of coffee. Trish nodded, "Thanks," and gulped down the steaming hot caffeinated beverage. "Mmm...coffee..." she said with a sigh and a content smile. "Uh...Mouse, I think you might wanna come see this..." Adrian called from the ledge not far from her facing the entrance. He'd stopped dinking with Hotshot's leg when he heard a weird sound like an engine running. Trish had no more than turned when something like a grappling hook blew through the ledge near where she stood and caught on the wall near Optimus's head. All of the Autobots went into alert mode but Adrian tried to stop them. "No! No! It's okay! It's--" a blue and black colored transformer appeared before them, seeming to cock an optic at Optimus and the others before standing a little ahead of Adrian and Trish. "Who are you and what do you want with these humans?" he growled at them. Trish looked up at him, blinking in sheer amazement. He was fairly small for a transformer, only standing about a head shorter than Sideswipe, but he had a fiercely determined look on his face.
"DAAH! Grappling hook! Waaah!" Jade grabbed onto the back of Optimus's palm and hid behind it, then she shuddered. "I am Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots. And these are my men. We merely seek to help this child and protect them from the Decepticons. And you are?" The Autobot leader saw no insignia as of yet that would reveal whether this strange new transformer was Autobot or Decepticon. A rogue, probably, he thought to himself, if he didn't know Prime. Something was oddly familiar--and how did he get in here, to begin with...?
"My name is Genesis," the transformer said, wary of the other Transformers. "I protect Trisha Allen and her brother Adrian from any and all harm. Optimus Prime...hmm...I don't recall that name. Decepticons..." Genesis seemed to harden at the prospective. "You're...Genesis?" Trish asked in utter astonishment. She looked up at him with complete shock and awe then promptly passed out. Adrian too looked up at the transformer in awe, looking over in time to catch his sister as she fell unconscious to the floor.
"Genesis is a transformer...!?" Jade peeked out. Then she walked to the edge of the transformer's-sized table and looked at him in shock, "...Wow--that's interesting. Then why haven't you, y'know, acted up earlier or something by now?" She asked in confusion. "Good question. Tell me, are you a rogue Transformer? And how long have you been away from Cybertron, soldier?" Optimus questioned, his optics going to the smaller Transformer. So--Trisha's motorcycle had been a transformer all along...
"He did act up earlier," Adrian said quietly, "A lot earlier. Before we met you guys, actually. Ya see, Genesis used to be our father's motorcycle that he never repaired. I helped Trish fix him up years later. He transformed in front of me once when Trish was at school a long time ago, that's why she doesn't know about it. I thought I was drunk or something and didn't think anything of it until now. I suspected at the beginning but he never changed back." The transformer looked down at Trish and Adrian then back at Optimus. "My spark was knocked loose and for a long while, I was quite listless. I have not been to Cybertron in several Earth years--I would venture to guess around 30 human years. Yes, I was and still am a rogue, as you would call it. I dare not align myself with the Decepticon scum," he growled in an angry tone.
"Wow... I'm just gonna go take a nap, now, and play with the vi--I mean, sleep off all this annoying stuff." Jade punched Optimus's hand, "HEY!! Brute! Lemme down!" She said, and he sighed, gingerly putting her onto the ground. Suddenly Jade sneezed and all the lights went out. "...Whoops."
Genesis looked around then his eyes narrowed. "Decepticons..." he growled. "No, no, that's just Jade's dandy power!" Adrian tried to quickly assure him. "Huh...?" Trish opened her eyes to complete blackness. "Um...what happened to the lights...?" she asked, sitting up and trying to feel around. She caught hold of Genesis's leg, the transformer looking down to see it was only her. He didn't move for fear of startling her. She gave a small cough and the lights came back on again. "That's weird..." she looked up at what it was she'd grabbed onto and almost screamed had it not been for Adrian's quick thinking and tackling her, covering her mouth with a hand. "It's okay! It's just Genesis! He's a good guy, okay? A good guy! Calm down!"
"Ugh... I suddenly don't feel so great..." Jade noted, covering her mouth and leaning on Prime's leg for support. Then she coughed into her hand, the lights going berserk, and he looked at Red Alert. "Yes, I was afraid this might happen. Humans are very unstable creatures--they absorb Energon at such a fast rate their insufficient bodies have no time to safely convert the energy. She just needs some time to filter, I'll make sure she'll be fine--and... Trish, would you mind coming with me? I want to check on something." Red Alert had noticed the little cough and such, and pieced a few things together as he picked up a shivering Jade.
Trish nodded vaguely, sitting up and absently following after him. She was still in a little bit of shock from Genesis turning out to be a Transformer. Adrian stood and looked up at Genesis, who was looking down at Adrian to ask 'what the hell happened here?'. "Long story, big guy. Long story."
"Yes... This could be a challenge. We have to find a way to slow down these powers. They're coming along too quickly..." Prime suddenly remembered something, "Adrian... When you fixed Hotshot, did you touch his spark?" He asked the young man, turning his direction down. If Adrian did, then why wasn't he showing any symptoms of the abilities? Perhaps he didn't have the ability, either, or... His immunity to electricity. That was a symptom...! "Red Alert! Take Adrian as well!" Optimus called, and nodded at the young man. "It might not be true--but I just want to be sure." He said. "Right--if all three humans are affected, we'll have a lot of work on our hands." Jetfire said, arms crossing as he watched Trish walk off quietly. "Exactly. We'll help them as best as we can, right, Bro?" Sideswipe asked Hotshot. "Yeah, of course! We have to protect all humans--especially since the Decepticons have shown so much interest in Jade's abilities--if the other two have similar powers, we're in a tough spot..." The yellow bots arms crossed.
Genesis looked a little wary of letting them go off so he followed Adrian and Hotshot, perching crosslegged on one of the platforms as he watched silently. Trish adopted a strangely similar position but faced away from him, not realizing he had followed them. Adrian looked between the two with a questioning gaze then shook his head, forgetting the eccentric idea that the two might be connected. They'd just been around one another too long.
Red Alert settled Jade in a space and directed the machine around her so a small sphere of energon formed around her. "This should block off any more from reaching her so it doesn't get worse--it should give her time to filter." He said at Sideswipe's confused look, then he turned to the siblings, "I'm going to do a scan on you two--I'm sorry, but we have to make sure that nothing's wrong." He said, directing the little wires and tubes and attatching them. "This will take a while, kids. Sorry." He added.
"Okay..." Trish laid back, staring at the ceiling for a while then falling asleep. Adrian frowned but did the same. He stared at the ceiling, his hands behind his head and thought about all sorts of random things.
"It's just as we feared--Adrian and Trish have Energon levels similar to Jade's." Red Alert said as the other Autobots gathered around the results. "Their Energon's all different... So it really does form to the user, just as the rumors said." Blurr noted. "Right... No human or transformer is the same, after all. So why should Energon be?" Scavenger snorted. "Hey, don't be an ass!" Was the angry retort. "Shut up! My head hurts!" Jade argued, covering her ears and wincing. "Why are Adrian's powers not acting up, though? About the only things spectacular about him so far is that he can take electricity and he can burp classical music." Hotshot noted.
Trish groaned, pulling a pillow over her eyes. Genesis hadn't moved, it would seem, from his post. Adrian was contently burping away 'The Nutcracker Suite', wiggling his fingers in time to the beat.
"...I must admit that is impressive, on some level." Jetfire noted, and Optimus gave him a dry look. "Would you children like to go home and rest for a while?" Optimus offered soothingly. "Uh-huh..." Jade nodded, and stood, stumbling but doing better than she was. "I'll take you home today." He said, transforming and his door popping open for her. "Thank you, Optimus..." She crawled in, settling in the seat and sighing. "All right--I'll take you guys home, then." Hotshot said, then saw Genesis's glare. "...All right, Trish, why don't you ride ahead of me on Genesis?" He added quickly, sensing that he was a little overprotective of her.
Trish blinked, then nodded. Genesis transformed back and she clambered on tiredly. "I can't guarantee that I won't fall asleep," she warned him ahead of time. He revved the engine in reply, she grabbing hold of the handle bars and picking up her feet. "See ya, Jade, guys!" she called tiredly, the two taking off to be followed by Hotshot.
Optimus had taken Jade home, and she walked in as he pulled out and drove off. She turned as her little siblings ran into the room, faces white. "What is it, twerps?" She asked. "Mama's really cold and she's not moving! Sissy, do something!" Talc grabbed her coat, eyes wide and alarmed. "She won't answer us! Sissy--she just started shaking really bad, and then she went still!" Ruby said--and Jade Neveah ran into the other room and paused in alarm. Elena was rigid in her La-Z boy, eyes staring at the ceiling, dull and glazed over. Her wine glass was shattered on the floor and Jade went still, realizing what had happened. She ran to the phone and dialed 911. "Hello? My name is Jade Neveah," She quickly gave her address. "What's wrong? I came home to find my mother dead in a chair! I think her liver gave out or something or alcohol poisoning or something--get someone out here, damn it!" She hissed into the phone, then hung up and turned to her confused siblings. "Ruby, Talc, why don't we go sit outside and wait for the nice men in the ambulance to get out here?" She asked shakily, taking her cell phone and leading them outside. "Why is the ambulance coming? Is Mama sick?" Ruby asked. "...Mama is gonna go to the hospital, you two. And she's... not going to come home this time." Elena's weak liver had already given out before, but Jade had been home at the time and had been able to apply CPR. But this time... This time... She speed-dialed, taking the phone silently to her ear. "...Mr. Burnside? You're my lawyer. I'm about to file a lawsuit like you've never seen in your lifetime."
Trish plodded up the numerous steps to their apartment, Genesis parked in the garage not far from their building. Adrian was already almost a flight of steps ahead of her, he stopping and waiting for her. She plodded past him, he opening the door and throwing his jacket into the chair in the entryway. "How's Ramen sound, sis?" he called, she plodding tiredly back to the bathroom. "Fine," she called back. "I'm gonna go take a bath." she shut the door behind her and sighed, feeling drained. You're tired...why not rest? came a strange new voice in her head. She was too tired to reply, drawing a bath. Sliding into the warm water, she let herself sink, unaware of her own actions. Slowly, her head sank beneath the surface of the water, her eyes slipping closed and she surrendered to the voices talking to her in her mind. End it all...let it all go...let your power come to us...give in to your dark side...
"You're too young to take legal custody of your siblings, even if you do win legal independence--the court won't even begin to listen to your testimony! Unless you can offer up a better legal guardian of the proper age, you and the children will be sent to foster homes." Burnside argued. "I don't care--take this to court, damn it! I will NOT lose Talc and Ruby, too, damn it! I refuse to lose anybody else, you hear me?! I will do whatever it takes--blackmail the hell out of the judge, the court, the jury, whatever--I don't care! Just make sure I get legal custody of them, damn it!!" She yelled, eyes clenching shut as she punched the table again. WHY--WHY--WHY WAS EVERYONE DYING?! Then her eyes softened. "...I would like to call a possible candidate for legal guardian."
The old man winced from his prison, curled up in the corner. His concentration over the girl named Trisha was difficult--the girl had an extremely strong will. "Have you cursed the mother to death like I told you to?" Sideswipe asked smoothly. "Yes... you monster... My darling Elena... You made me kill my Elena...! Now to take over that poor girl's body--you're truly evil!!" He yelled. "If you don't take over her body... Your two youngest children shall be cursed to death by your hand. Their powers aren't active. They're spares for all I care. So do it." Sideswipe's optics narrowed and he walked out, leaving the old man in tears.
The phone rang, Adrian looking up from the cooking to the phone. He hastily picked it up, "Hello?"
In the bathroom, Trish opened her eyes to see the top of the water. What's going on? she wondered to herself why am I underwater...? Lack of air made her lungs burn but she couldn't pull enough energy to force herself up out of the water. What's happening to me? Why can't I move?! Her arms flailed about futilely, she gripping the side of the bathtub and trying to pull but her body wouldn't obey. Adrian...got to get Adrian...! she kicked and thrashed about, fighting to move but her body wouldn't comply. Submit to your dark side. Let yourself drown. Let me take over... she heard. NO! she thought screamed. ADRIAN! SOMEBODY!! she felt the burning intensify sharply, dizziness sweeping over her in waves. She was drowning and there was nothing she could do about it.
"Adrian? Adrian--I'm so glad you answered. My mom... just died and... if I don't find a legal guardian, they're going to send us to foster homes... Adrian... I need your help so bad right now... I need you to come to my lawyer's office tomorrow at noon. It's a lot to ask, I know, but I'll help pay the bills and I'll take care of them so you don't have to worry about it..." Jade said, leaning on the desk. Tears filled her eyes.
The old man winced as he sat in the corner. "Let yourself drown. Let me take over... It's no use struggling. You will only lose oxygen sooner if you struggle, child. Let me take over. Let your darkness consume you. Destroy the Autobots. Destroy the Decepticons. Destroy your brother... Destroy all life!" He said, his will hardening against her mental strikes and defense blows, but then in the back of his mind he did something so subtle that Sideways or even Unicron would never be able to detect it. He made the radio in the bathroom start blaring. I will not submit to you so easily, you evil bastard...! He thought to himself.
"Jade, Jade, honey, it's all right. Sure, I'll be there, okay? Trish and I both will be. Do you need someone over there now?" he paused when he heard the radio blaring in the bathroom. "Trish, are you all right?" he called. Something didn't seem right. He heard the splashing of water on the floor and knew something was wrong. "TRISH!" he cried, the phone falling to the ground as he raced back to the bathroom. Flinging open the door, he saw Trish flailing about in the water, trying to get up to breathe but unable to do so. It seemed something was holding her down. He raced forward, attempting to yank her up out of the water. However, this attempt didn't help-despite how much he tried, she couldn't get up.
Feeling Adrian's hands on her shoulders and seeing his face above her, trying to pull her up, Trish gripped the sides of the bathtub and screamed in her mind. I'M NOT GOING TO DIE! she yanked up and the spell seemed broken, she lurching forward into the air, gasping for breath. She clambered to get out of the tub, sending more water all over the floor as she fell onto the hard marble surface. Adrian hugged her close, wrapping her tightly in a towel. "Trish, what the hell happened here?" he asked, she unable to reply as she gasped for breath, tears filling her eyes.
"Adrian--ADRIAN!?" She shouted into the phone, then she hung up and ran towards the door. "Ruby, Talc, COME!!" She yelled, and they immediately were at her heels obediently. "But--" Burnside began. "Shut your useless lawyer ass up! I'll be back!" She slammed the door shut behind her. She grabbed both of her siblings and took off at a run as fast as she could towards their apartment, not too far off. By the time she reached the scene, she left Ruby and Talc in the living room and walked in to see Adrian protectively holding his sister. "What happened?! What's wrong?" She asked.
"Their willpower is too strong. They are young and I am old. I may be strong, but they are more so. Power rises with every generation..." The old man's eyes closed as Sideways confronted him. "This is an outrage. That's it--kill Ruby and Talc Neveah. NOW." He said. "I am... too exhausted from battling the girl's will." was the reply. Sideways calculated the old man silently, then he reached out and collared him. "Nevermind... I've thought of a better use you can be for me... But you can't do it, not looking old and crippled like that... I'll just have to return your age to normal." Sideways said.
Trish fell into a coughing fit, clutching the towel protectively around her. "I'm cough okay, really. I'm okay..." her words lapsed into another coughing fit, the lights flickering brighter every time she coughed. Adrian looked at the bathtub in contempt then helped his sister stand. "Let's get you dressed then you can tell us what happened," he said, steering her gently toward her room. Her knees buckled and she shook but nodded, making her way to the room. Throwing on the first outfit she found, she grabbed up a sweatshirt and tugged it on, wrapping her arms around herself before going out to face the group of them. "Why don't you guys go play in the other room? There's some toys in my closet if you want to play with them," she said in a sisterly way to Ruby and Talc. "I need to talk to your sis for a few minutes, okay?" she asked.
"Okay, Sissy-Two!" The two ran out, giggling, and Jade drained the water and turned to the other girl. "Something feels unnatural about this... I don't like this... It feels too weird..." She noted, hugging herself with a shudder, then she walked into the other room where Adrian had turned off the kitchen utilities and was sitting his sister down, making sure she was all right.
"I'm okay, Adrian." Trish looked up when Jade walked in. "Hi. Um...why exactly are you here?" she asked, a tad confused.
"Adrian dropped the phone so I ran here like a bat-outta-hell. Duh." was the dry reply, "Ditched my lawyer and everything--not that I mind. I'm gonna find a new lawyer pretty soon, anyway. Incompetent bastard..." Jade said dryly, arms crossing.
"Long story," Adrian replied when Trish looked up at him questioningly. "Mind telling us why I found you drowning in the bathtub?" he asked. She let out a small sigh. "I don't know what came over me," she said, hugging herself tighter. "It was like someone wanted me to drown myself. Then when I came around, I couldn't move. I couldn't pull myself up out of the water." She shuddered involuntarily.
"...I thought something felt weird. The voices that assaulted my mind... must've come after yours, too. That's it--I'm going to go tell Optimus. It's not like he can do much, but it may be better that we're not stuck alone. I nearly went homicidal, Trish was nearly suicidal..." Jade's arms crossed and her eyes went to the door where the kids' laughter was ringing through. "...I don't want to endanger anybody else. Maybe it's time we... vanished, so to speak." She said.
Trish looked up at her friend then down at the table. "Yes. I think it's time." Adrian's comforting hand on her shoulder made her look back at him, she reaching up and gripping it tightly. "I'll go get packed," she whispered. She stood, walking back to her bedroom where Ruby and Talc were playing. They had her collection of childhood toys she'd not gotten rid of spread across her floor, Ruby having a mini tea party with the old blue teddy bear Trish had when she was younger. Talc was playing with the cars among the numerous piles of Legos spread across the carpet, running them into the piles and making crashing noises. She smiled faintly then stepped lightly around them to her closet, pulling out the black duffle bag she used on trips. "Hey, you two hungry? Want some ramen?" Adrian called, setting two bowls out on the table for them.
"RAMEN! YAAAY!!" The two ran out--Jade's favorite food was ramen, and her favorite was their favorite--and climbed up onto the books he'd stacked for them, and picked up chopsticks (as said before, Damien taught his children as much as he could) and beamed. "Tank yoo, Budda!" Ruby grinned--she had some missing teeth. Talc, however, was simply a four-year old and didn't quite get the whole speech thing yet. "Buddha, yay!" He said.
Trish picked up the Legos quietly, memories of her father playing with her and building towers of Legos around her, 'trapping' her in then laughing as she plowed through them, Legos flying everywhere. Pushing the thoughts aside, she threw the toys back in the bucket she'd kept them in and stashed it back in her closet, turning to her dresser and emptying out the drawer's contents into her bag. I'll have to go out and tell Genesis...he'll probably worry... she thought to herself. She'd gotten used to the idea of him being a transformer--odd as an idea as it was. Closing the bag, she folded up her blankets and stacked them beside the bag, leaving them on her bed as she walked out the door. "I'm going to see to Genesis--I'll be right back," she told Adrian when she passed his door. He looked up and nodded, she slipping out the front door.
"Right--I'll go and get their stuff ready. Adrian, thanks for keeping an eye on them... Buddha-sama." She did a Buddhist bow and ran out, laughing. She ignored his indignant protest after but knew Talc and Ruby were in good hands--despite the fact he was a clueless moron--sometimes--with issues, the guy was a class A person when it came to kids. Maybe it had something to do with the similar IQ...
"We're going to disappear for a while," Trish said, sitting cross-legged on the work table she'd cleared of the tools. "Why?" he asked, the idea of a talking motorcycle still a little weird but Trish getting used to it. "I'll tell you later...I don't want to talk about it right now," she whispered. "We just need to disappear for a little while." Genesis didn't like her answer but didn't push the matter. She was shaken, he noticed, and looking a little pale. "I just wanted to let you know." She turned and walked out quietly, leaving him wondering what exactly had happened to her.
"We can try to live by ourselves, but that's too complicated for us, considering that we'll have Talc and Ruby." Jade said upon returning a little while later, shouldering a huge hiking bag full of all three of their stuff, "Rad said something about the Autobots returning home to Cybertron in the next few days to chase after the Decepticons, and that he and the others are going with them. Perhaps our best bet is to go with them, too. It means dealing with Billy--but I'd like to see the government try to find us then." She said.
Trish and Adrian nodded, Adrian having both kids on his back begging him for a piggy back ride. Trish carried her duffle bag and his bags. "Should we call Optimus?" she asked. "I agree that's a good idea but how are we going to get all this stuff out there? Adrian's car is staying here and Genesis can't carry all these bags-he's a motorcycle, not a family car."
"...We don't need everything we own, I don't think--we can take his car to walking distance of the base and take it from there." Jade noted. "Sissy--where's Cabatoon?" Talc tugged on her shirt. "Ahh... Well, it's... in outer space! You're going to be a spaceman, my bro!" She said--his eyes glittered and she turned away, eyebrow twitching. Optimus is gonna kill me...
Adrian nodded, Trish piling everything in the back. "Everyone got everything?" he called, looking back at Talc and Ruby, stationed in the back seat with pans on their heads. He'd managed to convince them they were space helmets to go along with the whole 'adventure to outerspace' theme. Trish followed behind on Genesis, Jade in the front next to Adrian--who was driving. "Space Cadet Ruby, Space Cadet Talc! Blast off in 5...4...3...2...1!" Adrian cried, the kids going berserk in the backseat. Trish gave a small laugh as they took off, casting one last glance at her apartment before turning her back to it and concentrating on the road.
Optimus was indeed in for a nasty surprise. He was overseeing the ship as everything was getting prepared for take-off--when a little sandy blond boy with green eyes was suddenly staring up at him. He was silent for a moment, then he wondered if his mind was playing tricks on him. He double-checked--the kid was still there, but... A brown-haired little girl was now besides him too. Optimus groaned--apparently he was working too hard. He was seeing things--and worse, they were multiplying. "...AH!! He's big!" The girl noted, pointing. "Giganormous!" Talc exploded, arms flying out as he beamed. "Ah--Talc, Ruby, come back!" Jade ran over and laughed nervously. "Hi, Optimus--I see you've met my siblings. Sorry--they escaped from me after when I was talking to Genesis about coming." She said. "Why are your siblings and..." His optics caught the bag on her shoulders. He pieced two and two together. "...NO. NO. I refuse to take you on this journey--it's bad enough that the others are coming--and those children are too small--" He began to rant, but Jade silently reached into her back pocket, turned on the vibrator, smiled and nodded.
Trish laughed, shaking her head as she and Genesis walked up the ramp to the ship. "You're coming with us?" Jetfire asked, looking down at Trish. She looked up at him. "Yes, we're coming. Gotta problem with it?" she asked. Before he could reply, she was past him and walking after Alexis and Rad, who were settling in their own rooms. Genesis gave a sympathetic shrug to Jetfire, who looked a tad confused at the turn of events, then walked past him after Trish.
"Optimus, you need to chill. Here--try this." Jade walked over to him, reached into her back pocket, and smacked something into the gap of his armor. The sound of something vibrating against metal rang out and she whistled, turning and steering the two children away, "All right, kiddies, let's find you a room by Sissy, okay? Good!" She said cheerfully. "Uh, hey... I looked up 'yaoi', and all I got were pictures of human males doing strange things..." Sideswipe said. "...You must've spelled it wrong." Jade said quickly, and rushed the two off quicker. "But, Sissy, you say Yaoi's sexy and then you go into your room with that strange toy that shakes--" Talc began. "DO NOT DISPENSE SISSY'S PRIVATE LIFE IN PUBLIC, TALC, DAMMIT!! ...But, I do feel like my shoulders are much lighter without that secret... Huh..." She took her chin thoughtfully, then turned to Optimus, "When you're done with that--I want it back."
Adrian settled into the room next to Trish, Trish in the room next to Alexis. "Optimus, when you've got a minute, Jade and I need to talk to you...privately," Trish added, passing the robot and hearing the vibrator and getting a guilty smile on her face. "When you're done, of course." Adrian entertained Talc and Ruby, Genesis following Trish.
"...What?" Optimus was absolutely lost as to why there was a small violently shaking plastic device in his armor, so he removed it and turned it off, confused. "...Why do I get the feeling that something extremely inappropriate just happened...?" He asked. "Yo, Optimus, why do you have a vibrator?" Billy asked. "What...?" He asked, turning to the human, who prepared a breath to explain...
"OPTIMUS, MEETING. NOW!" Trish snapped, sneezing and the lights flickering. "Damn it..." she growled. She sneezed again, this followed by a cough and the lightbulb above her shattered. She flat eyed and glowered. "Pah."
Optimus came in, then he cleared his throat and looked dryly at Jade. "...You just couldn't let yourself be patient, could you?" He said dryly. "Where's my vibrator?" She asked after a moment. "I destroyed it--you should not possess something like that." He argued. "...Not my poor Yureru! He was... How could... YOU MONSTER!!" She yelled, pointing accusingly at him, "You owe me a lotta money now!! You know how much you have to PAY for a good vibrator these days?! DAMN YOUUU!!" She yelled, then regained her composure dryly, "ANYWAY, onto business..." She coughed into her fist.
Trish sat on the table, bickering back and forth with Genesis. "Your vibrator breaking isn't the problem here," he growled. "Yes it is!" she squeaked. "No it's not!" Trish glowered, "my lovely little toy broke and that's why I was the way I was earlier now out! Shoo! I'll be fine on my own!" she protested. "That isn't the problem!" he grumbled. "Yes it was!" "No it wasn't!!" they had been obviously bickering back and forth like this for a while now. "YES IT WAS!" they both looked up when Optimus and Jade walked in.
"All right, what did you two want to talk to me about?" Optimus asked, and the two girls suddenly went quiet. Jade looked over at him after a moment. "We... can't stay here... We're... getting too dangerous for this planet..." Her eyes fell, "The voice that tried to get me to kill everyone... it... It..." She faded.
"It tried to get me to commit suicide in my bathtub last night," Trish said with a sigh. She hadn't wanted to worry Genesis about it but it was too late now. He looked at her in astonishment then sat, bewildered. "I knew you'd have that reaction," Trish grumbled quietly to herself. She sighed and turned away from the two transformers and her best friend. "I didn't want to worry you but if it's the same voice going after both of us, there's a problem. We just thought you might like to know," she whispered.
"If this keeps up, then who knows what will happen next. That's why we have to come with you guys..." Jade's eyes turned up. "But the children--" Optimus began. "...I can't leave them here with strangers! They're the only family I have left!" Jade screamed, losing her composure, as tears flooded down her face, "If I go, they go! You shut up, you shut up! You don't tell me what's best for them...! My mother just died, dammit! My father's dead! I have no other family...! " She screamed, and he was silent. "...All right." He gave in at her heartbroken sobs. "Thank you, Optimus..." She choked, wiping at her face.
Trish turned and looked at Jade in astonishment. This was the first she'd heard of her mother's death. She knew her father had died a while before they'd moved but she hadn't heard of Jade's mother. She kept quiet, however, and walked towards the door. "So it's settled," she said faintly at the door then walked out.
In outer space, suddenly Sideswipe caught their attention at the scanner. "There's something drifting in space! Something with a high energon count, and it seems to be in statis!" He said. "You mean like--a stray space-pod, maybe?" Blurr asked. "Seems that way! Sir, permission to go retrieve it?" Jetfire asked. "If some poor living creature is trapped in space, we'd best save them." Optimus nodded. "Be back in a jiffy!" In moments, Jetfire was back with a pod, about roughly nine feet in height, and set it down. In moments, Red Alert rigged it open, and it hissed and steamed as the lid opened. Inside was a mid-aged man with a smooth-shaved face, brown hair, and fast asleep, in a... military uniform... Having glanced over curiously, Jade suddenly froze and her hand covered her mouth in alarm. Her eyes widened and she collapsed backwards onto her aft as the man groaned, his emerald eyes opening as he sat up. "Where am...? How did..." He looked over and Ruby and Talc both gasped. They screamed, running over to him and bawling. "R-Ruby...? T-Talc...?" He realized in shock, then tears filled his eyes as he threw out his arms and caught them, "You've both gotten so big since I've last seen you! Where's your big sister?" He asked, standing and hefting a child on each hip. Then he saw Jade, and smiled. "Hey, squirt?" He said, sliding out an arm some more without worrying about dropping. "D... D... DAAAAADDY!!" She wailed, running over and glomping him, sending him back onto his aft, laughing sadly.
Trish smiled, watching the happy reunion. Adrian hugged her sideways, Genesis growling as he stepped between the two and aimed his gun at the man. "Who are you and what are you doing here?" he growled. "Genesis..." Trish started but he wouldn't have listened to her anyway. She tried anyway. "You don't think there's something funny that this man shows up in a pod in the middle of outer space?" he asked, not taking his optics off the man. "He just happened to get lost in a pod in outer space? That's a little too convenient. Children, step away from the man, now," he told the kids hugging their father.
"He's right--it's TOO convenient." Blurr noted. "I was on a mission at a military base hidden in the North Pole, when suddenly a giant robot like yourselves attacked the base. I only survived because I managed to remove a light from its chest, but I fell unconscious. When I woke up, it was as if I was twenty years older and captive to more of its kind, and they forced me to master strange powers that I suddenly had... It was like hell..." Damien shuddered and looked up, "But I finally managed to escape. I knew going into a pod was suicide--but anything was better than that hell... If you wish to, you may lock me up to prove my innocence." He said. "Sir--" Jetfire was clearly on Genesis's side. "...He is Jade, Talc, and Ruby's father. But we cannot simply trust him because of that... Forgive us, sir, but we will take your offer, and we will lock you up until you are proven worthy of trust." Optimus replied. "OPTIMUS!" Jade argued angrily. "Jade, please understand. I cannot trust everyone and anyone who comes along." He replied sadly. Jade, infuriated, pointed at Genesis, "If you're going to be untrusting of someone, make it him! He just happens to be a rogue who happens to find Adrian and Trish, who have similar powers to me and he happens to just recently wake up! The Decepticons were interested in our powers! Lock him up, dammit!" She screamed angrily, several lights and screens shattering as the room began to shake with force. Damien reached out and embraced his daughter suddenly, his body drawing her energy away and the lights slowly repaired themselves as his light flared out and the shaking stilled, "Calm down, squirt. It seems this robot is a wise man... I will do as he says... Don't lose control, okay?" He stroked her hair soothingly. "Dad--" She began brokenly, then she glared at Genesis, obviously telling him that she couldn't trust him any further than she could throw him.
Genesis didn't respond to the glare; he was still trained on the man. Trish averted her gaze. It was true--they shouldn't be so trusting of Genesis. For all she knew, a Decepticon could have destroyed her old bike and taken its place. She stepped back, away from the rogue, and turned around. "I know the problems with the stories--they both have their flaws. Why did Genesis wake up now? But why did your dad suddenly happen to fall into our path? It seems a little too convenient that he crossed our path now. For all we know, the transformers--I'm assuming Decepticons--that kidnapped him could be using his powers to go against us. For all we know, Genesis could be putting on a guise that he's our friend and the bike that I've known since I can remember. For all we know, we both could be instruments--pawns--to kill off all the Autobots but we don't know that Jade! We don't know!" She dropped her gaze to the floor then stalked out of the room. "Trish..." Adrian called but she was already gone.
"...My father would never allow himself to be used." Jade seethed to herself as her father let go of her and went with Scavenger, who was going to lock him up. "...Jade, I'm sorry, but--" Optimus began. She whirled on him, eyes narrowing, "...I hope your happy. You just locked up my father, damn you!! You claim to be a good, righteous person, but where is the justice in this, damn it!?" She shrieked, and grabbed her siblings and dashed out.
Just because he's her father doesn't mean anything, Trish thought to herself, bitter memories coming back to her. It doesn't mean a damn thing. She thought of her father, a supposedly good guy that loved his wife and children, who supposedly loved her and would never leave her, but he did. He left her for some blonde bimbo in the front seat of his car, her mother screaming foul words at him as he backed down the driveway. She remembered crying, running after him, screaming 'Daddy!' through her tears. She remembered Adrian catching her before she could follow him. She remembered how he never looked back, never once waved, or said goodbye. She slammed the door of her room, hearing it shut with a satisfying 'bang!' but it didn't seem satisfying. Leaning against it, she flipped the lock then pushed off it, walking to the window. He's a male. He's like all the others--they exist to hurt people.
"My father's alive... he's alive... He's alive..." Jade told herself, tears in her eyes. A thought suddenly hit her and her eyes widened, then she slid down the door and broke into tears. "I'm sorry...! I love you... I love you so much...!" She sobbed, covering her eyes.
Okami: Oooh... Quite the plot twist, eh? Mwuahahaha...
Optimus: Family issues clashing. Intriguing development.
Hoist: Is Damien truly free of Sideway's rule, or is he still just a pawn? Is Genesis really what he says he is?
Okami: I dunno. We haven't written that far yet. ::Shrugs::
Hoist: ...T.T ...Does the term 'rhetorical question' mean anything to you?
Okami: Why, yes, I believe it means that--
Hoist: THAT WAS A RHETORICAL QUESTION::Runs off, frustrated::
Okami: Hehehehehe... I love doing that...
Foxx::laughing in the background:: Yay! And, and GUESS WHAT! Someone answered the quiz question from...um...a chapter!!! It wasblood shifter and the question was
What is the bumper sticker on Hotshot's bumper and who gave it to him?
and they only got it part right–the bumper sticker WAS "My other car is your mama" but Trish didn't give it to Hotshot. She had nothing to do with it. It was Adria, the weirdo. It was kinda a tricky question so we're gonna give it to um anyway cuz they're the first one that answered! Anyone that has an answer for the question from the 2nd chapter better answer it quick cuz we have a time limit! If it's not answered by the time the next chapter (4) is posted, it will go POOF! No, it just won't be answerable anyway. So get to answering people!!
Okami: This chapter's new question is from the NEW AWESOME KICK-ASS MOVIE!! Bumblebee's original form from G1 is shown in the movie. What kind of car is it, and where is it shown? Mwuahaha... G1 geeks, RISE UP AND STRIKETH THE QUESTION DOWN WITH YOUR MIGHT!! ...I haven't had too many Rolos today, no... ::Twitchy eyes::
Optimus: ...You are limited on caffeine now. I am reinforcing that.
Okami::shoves an entire Reeses Klondike bar into her mouth and sticks her tongue out through the ice-creamy goodness:: Whavadathjuicena? Translation: What was that just now?
Optimus: TT CHILDREN. ::Snorts in disgust::
Foxx: O.o...No more caffeine...::gets pathetic puppy dog eyes and quivering lips:: NOOOOOOO::bawls uncontrollably::
Jetfire: Here ya go::hands Foxx a thing of Oreos 0.0 (be VERY afraid) and runs FAR FAR AWAY as FAST as he can::
Okami: OO NOOOOOO!! Haven't you read our unpublished Kingdom Hearts fanfiction that states the very DEADLY reaction that happens to Foxx on too much Oreoooooooos!?
Jetfire::Looks at the story on her computer, then screams like a little girl and runs for the wind::
Sideswipe: It can't be that bad--
::Foxx's pupils dilate as she begins to shake uncontrollably, Oreo-froth coming from her mouth::
Okami: RUN FOR YOUR WORTHLESS METAL LIVES::Jumps onto Optimus's shoulder:: RUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUN!!
Optimus::WISELY flees::
::Foxx flies towards the screen, claws and teeth like fangs bared, and the screen turns to static and a crashing sound is heard:: OREEEEOOOOOOOOOOOOS!!!
::Riku's voice in background:: Oh dear god.- -' Not again...
