Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers. If I did, many fangirls and fanboys would be very happy people.
Man and Machine
"Mask"
Amy/Bluestreak.
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Despite circumstances and my actual talents, I haven't ever been one of the most talented of mechs in the Autobot Army. I wasn't even recruited at first because of my questionable age. The only talents I could ever boast about were my precision with a plasma rifle and my speed. I pride myself in being fourth on the list of Prime's speediest soldiers, and it's normally the only thing I care to pride myself on. This leaves me vulnerable in so many other aspects of being an Autobot I have to keep reassuring myself that I do, indeed, deserve to keep that title.
But that's not me, not really. It's a mask.. A clever one I've produced to keep everyone out, and the truth in. I don't think I could bear their ridicule...
I'm not an innocent mech. I'm anything but. Granted, I wasn't known for the gladiatorial rings like the twins, nor being a big shot in the academy (I never attended it), but I have a past that haunts me still. I may not have been a gladiator, but that didn't mean I couldn't defend myself properly. It was a skill I learned early on.
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I was in one of Praxus's more docile syndicates, known only as CELL. I was never in a high enough position to understand what it stood for, so I never let it bother me. All I was to know was that CELL was the main controller of Praxus. The council and the elders had no real hold over the city.. Not like CELL's leaders did. I was part of CELL's middle class insurgents in a branch called the Takers. We weren't high enough to control our own portions of the syndicate, but we were high enough to have the CELL emblem branded on our armor with out Taker number. I was one of the gunners, naturally. No one could out shoot me, so I was normally the one called for an assassination job.
Like any other thing, betrayal was common among the syndicate. CELL was loyal to the Autobots and dealt with Optimus more commonly than anyone knew. They provided weapons for his men, and willing soldiers who had no qualms about following Prime. I wasn't one of them, at first. I was happy knowing that I had my friends and those I considered family... that is, until Praxus fell. The Commanding Taker, a femme who had a soft spot for us younger bots, had told us to hide and run. Decepticons were pouring into the city at an alarming rate, and she didn't want us harmed. We did run.. Only...
Not everyone was as fast as I was.
I was able to make it into a safe hiding place.. Assuming that the others had followed. I didn't know that THEY were the ones selling us to the Decepticons. I didn't know that my fellow Takers were the ones that I should be running from, not running with.
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Needless to say.. I don't care to remember the following events, only that.. By some Primus given miracle.. I was the survivor. I was the one that walked out of the rubble. I was the one in shock, with someone's energon drying on my armor... and I was the one that collapsed against Ratchet... and became an Autobot.
To this day, I don't think anyone but Wheeljack knows.. Though, there are times when I'm positive Prowl does.. He grew up in Praxus... he knew what went on there.. He won't say anything.. He has a past too... So.. To keep the others from finding out that I was a mercenary for higher before becoming an Autobot... I keep my clever mask up and they never guess the difference.
This is probably why I feel so hypocritical concerning Amy's situation. She's sitting on my hood lazily, eyes closed and face contorted in a frown. She's not happy. I know this because she's tense and quiet. It disturbs me. She doesn't deserve to be unhappy. I know the problem... Which is why I'm such a hypocrite. My little human is intelligent. She's an excellent author and a brilliant analyst when it comes to information concerning whatever she's working on. Her wit is sharp and her prose is something that would impress even un-impressible Prowl. This is perfect for the college she wants to attend!
Which is why I don't understand why she has that application empty, and a State university one filled. I won't stand for it though... not if it makes her unhappy.
"Amy."
"Mmm?"
"Why are you doing this to yourself?" I made it as innocent as possible. She, like any other, gets defensive on topics that upset her. This is one of them.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Which is Amy-ese for 'I don't want to talk about it.'
"Tell me Amy, " She knows I'm serious when I decide the mask has to slip a little, "Don't hide it from me, tell me." She sighed.
"Because my dad went to that college... and he wants me to go there too. I'm supposed to follow in his footsteps and become the perfect little totalitarian daughter." she said even more quietly, head down.
"Amy–."
"– and Mom really doesn't care either way. She never went to college, so she just agrees with dad... which is not normal in any sense of the word." I wanted to laugh.
"You've been around me so much my own moody ramblings are rubbing off on you."
At last, a little smile. It was better than nothing. It eased the tension before I spoke again.
"Amy... You have to have some confidence in yourself. You have to choose what YOU want to do, not what is expected of you from your father. If you don't want to go to the University, don't, not if you're going to be depressed." she looked into my windshield, her equivalent of looking me in the optics.
"But Blue, I can't just go up to him and... refuse it."
"Yes you can. It's simple. Ames, you're brilliant. I've told you, your step dad told you... What more do you need? I know you're scared, and there's always a chance of rejection.. But still, don't hide it away." Behind that mask...
"How can you tell? How do you know–."
"Because I do it too." she looked surprised at this. I'm not.
"You? Blue, you're one of the most sincere and trustworthy and... and... pure personalities I've ever met." Oh how wrong she was...
"That's because I've gotten so good at hiding behind my own mask no one knows the difference." Because I'm just that good, and I hope these confessions don't harm us.
"I'm not pure, I haven't been for a long time. I've done things that would be frowned upon by my comrades. I've killed people I had no right killing. I'm not innocent, so I hide it away where no one can see it."
"Wheeljack has." Perceptive little human, she listened.
"Of course. He's... We're bonded. There isn't anything he or I don't know about each other. But Amy, point is... that it will eventually hurt too much to hide it behind that mask."
She sighed and leaned back down on my hood, face down so that her forehead was touching my windshield. It was warm.
"I know, It's just uncomfortable, dealing with being in his shadow and doing what he wants. I'm afraid he won't like my differences."
"And you're hiding that behind your mask, correct?"
"Yes..."
"Then please drop it." she was startled and confused. Good.
"I like MY Amy, not the Amy your father or any one else wants. Don't put up that mask."
She seemed to consider it, and I felt proud that I even had any persuasive skill at all. A rambling idiot, I am not... okay.. No more Star Wars marathons with her... ever...
"Can... Can I make you a deal?" This was new. Not what I expected at all.
"Shoot."
"I won't hide behind my mask, if you start breaking yours." Oh frag, I was hoping she wouldn't say anything about it. My mask was a necessity.
"Amy–."
"You never know, maybe the others might like dangerous Blue. Maybe you'll have more respect for acting yourself, than acting like the clown in the mask. Maybe a little bit of your intimidation might do them some good?"
I pondered that. It had potential. I could really do without the twins' nagging about my instability. And well, there was no denying that I wasn't ashamed of myself as much as I should be. And I had learned a lot from being on my own, from being a lone survivor.
"I'll try, if you will." I finally said and she gave me the brightest of her "Amy smiles" and I was warmed.
"Love you Blue."
"You too."
"I think.. I think I'll go fill out this application and seal it in an envelope." And send your mask with it... both of them.
I thought I'd elaborate a little on the history I gave Blue. I like my little OC Bluestreak I've created. It makes him a more dynamic character and gives him the opposite effect I want. While Jason is an outgoing confident individual, who had Wheeljack, a headstrong Scientist as his guardian, I needed to have Amy being the more insecure one. She needed to be pulled out of her box and fly on her own wings.
As for Bluestreak. I like thinking of him as a Mercenary gunner-for-higher. Makes him more interesting and gives me more to work off of in his battle to help Amy and himself. Hope you like. Reviews are nice