Not exactly PROUD of this chapter, but I guess it works... Please review with any ideas!
A few months passed. Ratchet hadn't managed to make mush process with Optimus' vocalizer. It was still in so many pieces. Once a week, Optimus would be back in Ratchet's care to make sure the temporary one wouldn't cut out on him. Optimus got stronger as time passed. The girls could now use their powers without Optimus collapsing right away. He practised often, and the Autobots learned how to fight with Optimus being unable to give them verbal commands. Trying to talk hurt, so he tried to keep from it.
The girls had gotten used to the men on base. Lennox and Epps were the ones they had the easiest time with. They had set up a system. The girls had to spend an hour a day with men. The rest of the day they could do what they wanted. Most of the time they were with Optimus. From just following him aroung base, to sitting outside. The girls recieved an apartment not far from the base. It had been brought up that the girls had no where to go that was off base. Lennox made sure that they were close to base for two reasons. One, the girls needed to be kept away from other normal humans because of the experiments that had been done on them, and two, Optimus was their "guardian". There was no way that each girl could have their own Autobot guardian, and they didn't feel comfortable with all of the Autobots, so the decision had been made for Optimus alone to watch over them. Both Optimus and Tear Drop had agreed.
Flame's wrists had healed enough that she mearly had scars on them. She and Ironhide had been spending time together where he taught her to fight without using her powers. She was best at close combat. With Ironhide watching, she taught Tear Drop how to fight. The other girls were taught once every other day for an hour. Flame enjoyed the thrill of fighting, though she didn't believe that she'd enjoy her life being on the line in a real fight with real enemies. She just wanted to help protect her sisters. And her father figure or older brother. She hadn't noticed right away, but she became just as protective of Optimus as she was with Tear or Robo. Just like each of the girls, Flame had started to love him like he was a true family member. In a way, he was.
Optimus, for once, stood beside Ironhide as the two girls practised their fighting skills. Flame and Tear fought at close range. Flame had a sword with a red handle and the pommel was shaped like a flame. Steel had given them each a sword where as soon as one of the girls, or Optimus, touch one of the swords, the blade would become superheated with out melting the blade. Tear's sword had a blue handle and a tear drop shaped pommel. "Higher. Aim higher. If you catch me in the leg, you'll make me go down, but I can still use my sword," Flame ordered. Tear rolled her eyes as she swung the piece of wood that was shaped like their swords high enough that it caught Flame in the gut. The younger sister smiled as she ran her hands over that area. "Nice. Ow..."
"Sorry, Flame. You wanted to teach me rather than letting one of the Autobots," Tear apologized as she set the wood down. She looked to the two males in the room who were talking in Cybertronian. Or... Ironhide was talking, with Optimus saying a few things. He rubbed his neck as she turned her eyes back to Flame. "I think we should stop now."
"Okay. I want ta spend some time with Op anyways," Flame agreed. Tear nodded. She walked away, and left Flame with Optimus and Ironhide.
Kat, Blossom, and Infinity were outside together. Just enjoying nature around them. "Don't you love being outside?" Blossom asked. The flowers were bright and lively. She took a deep breath, and sighed happily.
"Yeah, it's nice. No men, no fighting. Perfect," Kat replied. She was laying on her back in the grass. Infinity was laying the same way beside her, and Blossom was laying on her stomach.
"The Autobots are nice though," Infinity mumbled. She closed her eyes, and let the sun shine on her.
"We haven't said more than what was required to them," Blossom said. Infinity nodded slightly.
"I'm afraid they'll do testing on us. I know it's foolish..."
"But it's hard to change your opinion," Blossom finished for Kat. Both of the other girls nodded. "Flame seems to like Optimus, and I've seen Phantom spending more time with Ratchet than with Puppet. Puppet is upset, and Robo has taken to spending all of her time in her room at the house they provided. I don't even know where Tear Drop disappears to. Vision and Steel are always in the rec room now."
"At least those two are getting better with men being around," Infinity said. Blossom and Kat smiled. Some things never changed.
Steel stared at Vision. Vision stared back. "I have the upper hand. I can read you like a book. You know that. Then, why come spend time with me? You're not able to find your feelings from a person who can read your mind," Vision asked. She stood, and Steel followed as she walked from the room. "Here's something to think about. Is my power a blessing, or a curse?"
"Blessing, since you get rid of all the guessing," Steel replied. Vision grinned.
"Nice rhyme. Before you come talk to me again, try and think of the down side to being able to read people's minds and pasts," Vision said. Steel nodded, and walked away. Vision ran off towards where Epps and Lennox were talking.
She stopped running, when she was able to hear their thoughts. It was a constant stream, coming from every direction. Each of the girls remembered when Vision had been unable to control it at all, and was constantly in pain. Her screams haunted them, even to this day. Epps and Lennox stopped talking when Vision got close. "Hey, Vis," Epps greeted.
"Vision."
"Epps. Lennox, sirs," Vision greeted back. Her tone light and cheery.
"I thought you'd be with Steel," Lennox commented.
"I normally would be, but I thought I'd get away," Vision replied. Epps smiled, and Lennox gave him a funny look. "May I remind you, you're an open book to me. I can skip your pages, or read into you. Just a friendly warning." Both looked to her, before looking away. She grinned. Men were so easy to scare.
Puppet's blood was boiling. She never thought she could be so angry. How dare that medic steal her sister's attention! When someone walked by her, it took everything she had not to use her powers. People did avoid her though when she growled at them. Her hands were so tight in fists that the skin around her knuckles had gone white. She spotted Optimus Prime with Flame outside. She made her way over. Flame was happily sitting on Optimus' shoulder. Puppet raised a hand and gained control of Flame. She reached down, and saw Flame's hand wrapped around the wires in the Autobot leader's throat. She pulled hard, and Flame had no choice but do the same. Optimus' servo went up to his throat in reaction to the pain that had flared up there. Due to the movement, Flame was thrown from his shoulder, and Optimus had to practically dive to keep her from going splat on the ground. Sideswipe, the only other Autobot outside, commed Ratchet instantly. Puppet smiled. That should keep Ratchet busy for a while.
"What happened?" Tear Drop asked. All of the girls were gathered to find out what happened. Flame was at the back since she was currently the one being blamed. Tear looked at Flame alone. She needed to talk to her sister.
"I hurt him. That's what," Flame snapped. She was sure that her friends and family blamed her even though she knew it wasn't her fault.
"I do not believe that. Vision, would you please find out what truely happened?" Tear asked. Vision nodded. She stood and walked over to Flame. Flame flinched when Vision reached out, but didn't move away.
Vision's eyes and hair had been white since touching Optimus and reading his past. The difference was, she seemed to have more control over reading people's mind now. She could still just as easily read them, but now she could change how much she heard when not directly focusing on that person. It eased the pain quite a bit. Her eyes closed as visions filled her mind.
The capture came first. The pain of the restraints stabbed at her wrists. She always hated the fact she could feel any injury that person had gotten. Her throat felt raw from screaming. Tyler entered the room. As clear as day she heard what he said, yet at the same time it sounded muffled. The restraints were removed, and she felt a little more blood dribble down her arms. She followed Tyler down the painfully familiar halls. He opened a door and she slipped inside. Then the jars. The weight of them in her arms. For a second she wondered how Tyler was able to even carry them. Ironhide slammed on his brakes and Tear Drop jumped from his cab. After the weight of the jars was lifted, Tear embraced her. The image changed as she managed to move to when Optimus was with Flame outside. She felt a strain on her arms as she was forced to reach down. There was a sense of panic that filled her as her hands wrapped around the wires. Optimus sifted beneath her. A scream threatened to leave her lips as she pulled and was thrown towards the ground.
Her eyes snapped shut as a real scream filled her ears. Her hand was instantly removed from Flame's arm. She looked around to notice that Steel, Tear Drop, and Robo had moved closer to her and Flame with worry filling their eyes. "What happened? What did you see?" Steel questioned. Vision realized that the scream had come from both herself and Flame. The white fled Flame's eyes as soon as Vision moved away.
"Puppet," Vision started. Her voice was shakey. "C-come here." Puppet stood and walked over. She took the seat that Vision pointed to while Vision sat across from her. Puppet held out a hand. The other girls watched as Puppet's eyes lost colour and became as white as snow when Vision touched her hand. A minute passed before Vision pulled her hand back and stood. "There is the person behind Optimus' newest injury. Done out of jealosy. Puppet, you know better. I-I need to talk with someone," Vision said. With that she walked from the room.
"How dare you!" Was heard through the halls. Vision ignored them as she ran. She didn't stop until she reached Med bay. Timidly she opened the human sized door and stepped inside. Optimus was sitting while Ratchet worked to reattach the cables. Again. Optimus pushed Ratchet's servos away and motioned towards where Vision stood.
"Hello, Vision. Do you need something?" Ratchet asked. He went back to work on Optimus.
"What do you know about our powers? Ever since I touched Optimus, my powers have been changed. I want to know what's happening to me," Vision asked. Ratchet finished with the last wire and moved away to wash his servos.
"Not a lot. What I do know is that your powers are unstable. I've noticed that the more you interact with Optimus, the more stable they become. It might have to do some thing to do with the part of his spark that you each have getting stronger when you're around the main spark. I'm worried about you though, Optimus. The part of your spark that you still have is becoming more like theirs. It can't support your frame the same way any more, and I fear that it will fail. I've never seen some one survive any thing like this. The Decepticons did try and experiment with splitting up a spark like this. Each time, the subject died taking all those who received a part with them. I have some of the notes that were recovered, but I doubt that the Decepticons really stopped. I don't know how, but for now we can say that the humans have succeeded with their experiment. Let's just hope it stays that way."