Alright here's chapter 7. Sorry if there's any mistakes, gramatical or spelling, I was in a rush to get it posted. It's a bit shorter than the others, but I hope you like it.

I don't own Transformers.

"And there went yet another rest stop." Zig-zag grumbled, staring out of the passenger side window.

It was late morning the following day. We'd been traveling all night long, Ziggy, Lola, and I dozing off but never actually falling asleep. Orion seemed as eager as we were to put as much distance between us and the Nemesis as possible. But tensions were starting to run high.

Another hour passed.

"Next rest stop in five miles." Ziggy read the sign as we passed. "It has a convenience store and a fast food restaurant—"

"THAT'S IT, I'VE HAD ENOUGH!" Lola yelled suddenly, causing Orion to swerve a bit. "We are going to that rest stop."

"That would be unwise." Orion said. I don't think he saw me shaking my head furiously.

"No, what would be unwise is you not pulling over." Lola snarled. "We're out of snack food, we're nearly out of water, my legs are so badly cramped from sitting this long that I'm not sure I can feel them, I want to be able to pee in a toilet and not in the bushes on the side of the road, and I want a hot, greasy cheeseburger. So pull over damn it." Lola could tough out a lot of things, but every girl has her breaking point, and this was Lola's.

"No." Orion said. I smacked my forehead.

"Listen you ten-ton tin-head." Lola growled menacingly. I swear the air got colder. "You're going to pull over, or so help me I'll go Carrie Underwood on your metal ass and take a Louisville Slugger to your headlights and slash your tires."

"Val, Lola's scaring me." Ziggy whimpered.

"Orion it wouldn't hurt to stop for about a half-hour." I reasoned "We're ready to go at each other's throats here. Please, let's just stop for a bit."

He deliberated for a moment then sighed. "Very well, but you have thirty minutes, no more."

Lola and Ziggy cheered.

Orion pulled off at the exit and parked near the back of the tractor trailer lot. He hadn't even come to a complete stop before Zig-zag and Lola jumped out and sprinted across the parking lot.

I clamber out of the driver door. "We'll be back in a little while. Don't pick a fight with any of the other rigs while we're gone."

"It would be impossible to fight with them, they are non-sentient." He said.

I sighed and shook my head. "Sarcasm, you really need to learn it."

As I walked into the rest stop I was immediately assailed by the scents of greasy fried food.

My god, I've found Nirvana.

I made a quick stop at the bathrooms then hopped in line. I ordered the largest meal combo they had, complete with a large milkshake, and then high-tailed it over to sitting area to look for Lola and Ziggy. I found them sitting by the windows. Ziggy had two burgers in his hands, alternating bites between them. Lola had the straws to both her milkshake and soda stuck in her mouth, sucking them both down at once. I sat down beside them and tore into my own artery-clogging meal.

I'd been chowing down for about five minutes when I noticed the spirit enter the restaurant.

And I knew she was a spirit because one: she walked right through everybody, and two: her outfit hadn't been in fashion since I'd say the mid eighteen-hundreds.

The girl scanned the room before zeroing in on me. She made her way to the table.

I wasn't surprised that she'd found me. One thing I'd learned is that a Spiritus Potens gives off this vibe that acts like a homing beacon to all spirits. If they were within only few miles from me they'd be able to find me.

The girl, she looked to be about twelve, walked up to our table. Ziggy and Lola kept on eating, oblivious.

"Please Miss, can you help me?" She asked. "I've been waiting so long for someone to be able to see me and help me move on. Oh, please will you help?"

I sighed. "Can it wait until I'm done eating?"

She shook her head. "No, not at all. I need you to come right away."

The dead had trouble waiting.

Then again, I didn't exactly have room to talk.

I looked regretfully at the rest of my meal and groaned. "Alright."

At least I'd get to stretch my legs some more.

I stood up. "Can you guys watch my bag? I need to go outside for a bit."

"Why?" Ziggy asked with a mouthful of food.

"Someone needs to talk to me." I said with a pointed look.

Understanding dawned on their faces. "Sure go ahead."

I followed the girl out across the parking lot. We walked back to the trailer lot. For a second I thought she was going to walk up to Orion, but she walked past him and through the trees lining the lot.

"Where are you going?" Orion asked as I passed.

"A spirit needs a little assistance. I'm going to hear her out; it should only be a few minutes."

"Be careful." He said.

"Duh."

I pushed my way through the trees then down a small hill. The girl led me through a small field with tall grass. She came to a stop in front of a pond.

"Alright kid, what do you need?" I asked.

She pointed to the pond. "Please Miss; I dropped my Momma's favorite broach in that pond. I tried to get it back but I drowned. Can you get it for me?"

"Uh, kiddo I think your mom has passed away already." I said.

She shook her head. "Please can you get it? I won't be able to rest peacefully until you do."

I eyed the murky grey-brown water. "Sorry, but it's like fifty degrees out and I'm not swimming through a mucky pond to look for a—"

"I insist!" the girl cried disappearing then reappearing right in front of me.

I jumped back as step. Ok, my Spiritus senses were tingling. Something was definitely not right here. I glanced back at the rest stop. It was maybe a quarter mile away, hidden behind the trees.

"Miss, I must insist that you get into the pond." the girl's voice eerily hard.

"No." I said backing up a few feet.

She sighed, "Must you make it so difficult?" She reached behind a rock and drew out a long knife.

Yep, something was definitely wrong. I didn't care if the knife was real or not, I turned and took off. The girl appeared in front of me slashing the knife. It cut the sleeve of my jacket.

Ok, knife real. Knife very, very real.

I backed up slowly. "I like this jacket you know."

"Well you shouldn't have run." The girl said holding the knife out in front of her.

"What do you want?" I asked.

"You. Dead." The girl stated simply.

At least she was to the point.

"And what have I done to you exactly?"

She shrugged. "Oh, it's nothing personal, just business."

"Well that's a relief."

"Now please, go into the pond."

"Why? You've got a knife. Why not just run me through?"

It might not be the smartest thing to point that out to Psycho Pioneer Girl, but I was stalling, trying to think of a way out of this.

"Drowning is much more fun." The girl stated.

"Really? I didn't know that. I had always heard that strangling was the way to go."

The girl shook her head. "No, I like drowning. I used to drown puppies and cats in this pond. Then I drowned my little sister, and then my little brother."

There was no punishment, parental or eternal, harsh enough for this kid.

"Fascinating." I croaked. I had backed up so far that I was about knee deep in the freezing cold water.

"Yes, it may not look it, but this pond is rather deep. It was very easy to hold my sister under. Unfortunately when I tried to drown my brother, he dragged me down with him and I perished at the bottom."

"How sad for you." Come on Val, think. You have a brain don't you?

"Yes," the girl sighed. "I've had such a miserable time stuck at the bottom of that pond. But then this wonderful purple rock appeared and a voice spoke from it."

I jolted for a moment. Purple rock? Did she mean dark energon? Alpha Trion had said that dark spirits were using it to gain a physical foothold in this realm.

"What did this voice say?" I asked glancing around trying to find where the dark energon might've been stashed.

"It said that it would set me free from this pond and give me the power to hold things again. But it said that I had to kill any spirit seers that I came across. And you're my first one!" She sounded like a girl who'd just one a goldfish at a fair, not someone plotting a murder.

"Yippy for me." I glanced at the pond.

Could it be there? There was nowhere else close by that the dark energon could've been hidden. But if I went in after it, I'd be easier to drown. I stared at the girl. If she was using dark energon then I doubt if I could get rid of her using Expulsion, but it might slow her down.

I imagined there was a brick wall between me and the girl. Then motioning with my hands, I imagined shoving it at her.

She stumbled backwards. "Stop that."

I shoved again, yelling as loudly as I could.

The girl flew back several feet, dropping the knife.

I turned, took a deep breath, and dove into the waters.

The temperature nearly knocked the air out of my lungs. I kicked to the bottom, eyes searching through the murky depths. Something purple glinted in the dim light. I swam over and pulled out a thin purple crystal that was about the length of a football. The dark energon. I was about to kick off when something hit my side, sending me spinning. The girl appeared out of the gloom, her face nothing more than a grinning skull now.

My lungs were beginning to ache. I tried to swim to the surface but the girl held me down. I lashed out at her but my legs and arms went right through.

She could grab me, but I couldn't hurt her.

Not fair.

I thrashed frantically, the dark energon crystal still clutched in my hand, but nothing could loosen this girl's hold.

My lungs felt like they were about to burst when something shoved into the girl, knocking her off me. It was a young boy and girl. The drowned brother and sister. They were struggling to hold down the older girl.

I swam up quickly, coughing up water as broke the surface.

"Val!" It was Orion, roaring up in rig form. He transformed and started running towards me.

I felt a jerk on my leg. I tossed the dark energon to the shore.

"Orion," I cried. "Orion quick you have to destroy the dark—"

I was yanked back down again.

The girl clawed at me, as I struggled to get away.

Then the girl jerked in pain, losing her grip. A large hand reached into the water and plucked me out.

I gasped and coughed for a minute, clutching Orion's hand like it was a life vest. I looked around; there was a small smoking crater where the crystal had been.

"I-I think blowing it u-up m-might have been overkill, b-but th-thanks." I chattered.

"All you alright?" he asked.

I laughed then coughed "S-sure, besides b-being nearly drowned to d-death by a psycho prairie g-girl I'm just spectacular."

"You are using sarcasm aren't you?"

I smiled shakily. "You're catching on quick."

Just then the girl staggered out of the pond, her image flickering.

"Put me down." I told Orion. He placed me warily on the ground.

I walked up to the girl.

"You're supposed to die!" she cried.

"And you're supposed to be spending time in hell." I replied. I formed a metal bat in my mind again and swung at her with all my might.

She disappeared with a shriek.

"The spirit is gone?" Orion asked.

"Yeah she's gone." I sighed. "And hopefully never coming back."

A soft whispering sighed echoed behind me. I turned and saw the two children. The girl was around six and the boy didn't look much older than nine.

It was heart-wrenching to know that they had perished at such a young age. It was so unfair.

"Thank you." I whispered. "She's gone now. Be at peace."

They smiled at me and faded away.

I turned to Orion. "Come on; let's go before I catch pneumonia."

He transformed back into a rig and I climbed in. We drove back to the truck stop through a hole in the trees. There were also tire ruts going down the hill.

"Looks like you made a bit of a mess." I noted.

"I did not think of finding another way, I heard you scream and rushed to your aid." Orion replied.

"Aw, that's so sweet." I said.

"I am simply following the orders of my teacher." He said.

"You just had to go and ruin it for me."

We rolled back up to the truck stop and I hopped out.

There was a trucker who'd just pulled up. He was looking from the hole in the tree line, to the branches sticking out of Orion's grille, to me soaked and shivering.

"What the hell happened?" he asked.

I yanked off my jacket and wrung it out. "Problems with the parking brakes." I said.

I marched over to the rest stop just as Lola and Ziggy were walking out.

Ziggy waved. "Hey Val, hope you don't mind but we filled you bag with some water and sn—why are you wet?"

"Turns out the spirit wanted to drown me in ten feet of pond water." I said.

"What? But how could it do that?" Lola asked.

"It had some dark energon." I said.

"I'm guessing that since you're standing here you managed to beat it?" Ziggy asked.

I nodded. "With some help from Orion."

"So let me get this straight," Lola said holding up her hands. "While we were busy buying Dasani water and Slim-jims, you were fighting a homicidal spirit and trying not to be drowned?"

"Yep." I nodded. "Does that make you feel guilty for not coming to my rescue?"

"Very much so."

"Good, because you're buying me a change of clothes."

All joking aside, I now knew firsthand what that dark energon could do. And I had a feeling that the pond-spirit was going to seem like Girl Scout compared to what we would have to face in the future.

So, reviews?