10. Amicitia

It was nighttime, the time when the Autobots recharged and their allies slept. Rain pounded outside of the base while the flash of lightning brought in the thunder. And like any young human, one particular Maximal was frightened of this storm.

Arcee awoke to something poking her. As she opened her optics she saw Nightscream whispering, "Wake up!"

"What is it?" she muttered tiredly.

"The storm. I'm scared," Nightscream whispered, his blue optics huge and glowing.

Arcee chuckled. "It's not going to get you," she responded. "What kind of warrior is afraid of a storm anyways?"

A loud clap of thunder sent the young bot jumping at lease a few yards in the air and landing on her lap. "This one is!"

"What do you usually do when this happens?" Arcee yawned.

"Well, Transmute is usually there and…" Nightscream looked up at the female warrior. "Well, tonight she's not."

Arcee knew what he meant. "Okay, you can stay here for the night."

Nightscream grinned as he pushed himself against her chassis when another boom of thunder came from outside. Arcee sighed and wrapped her fingers around the young Maximal. He settled into a fitful recharge. The storm drew to a close, but Nightscream remained asleep and Arcee didn't even bother to disturb him. She tried to recharge herself with the small Maximal on her lap, and somehow succeeded.

It was somewhere in the middle of the night when Jack decided to get up and sneak into the central room. It had been three days since then and things were starting to look less like a battle cruise and more like a base. He had gotten up to watch a little bit of TV. Or at least his favorite show.

As he stepped into the command center, he had noticed Sari had already stolen it. "Hi!"

Sari looked up and smiled. "Hi."

"Sari, it's four in the morning," Jack yawned. "I didn't expect you to be this much of an early bird."

"Sorry, there's this Bill Cosby thing on in a few minutes that I wanted to watch," Sari said.

"Oh my gosh! That's why I got up too!" Jack said excitedly.

"You're kidding!" Sari squealed. "Oh, I love him. My dad used to make me stay up late and watch reruns with him."

"Mine too!" Jack exclaimed. "Hey, listen, I'm sorry about this afternoon, y'know, if I would've known..."

"It's no big deal," Sari said. "I was always a bit of a loner anyways."

"Oh. So ah, Nightscream tells me your dad found them somewhere in the regions of West Virginia."

"Yeah, they were looking for some things before my dad came across them. After that, it was chaotic, though I was a baby at the time."

"Hey, is it on yet?"

"Oh, gosh it is."

Jack felt like a little kid again as he sat down next to her. Sari laughed at Jack's reaction, but kept silent as the show started.

"Surely you can't believe that they have survived that attack! And don't you dare try to apologize for them, Optimus!"

It was the Autobot medic's yelling that caught their attention, and as she sat in silence, Sari turned her gaze to Jack, who was staring at the door.

"What's he yelling about?" Sari wondered.

"Beats me," Jack shrugged.

It was then that Optimus walked into the central room, caught surprised by the two curious faces.

"Cosby Show," Sari explained to him.

"What was that about?" Jack asked.

"Ratchet thinks we're making the wrong decision about giving our hopes up and go searching for them."

Sari heeded him in silence, her eyes seeming suddenly distant as her thoughts drifted elsewhere.

"I will be back in no time," Optimus said. "But while I am gone, please make sure Dreadwing has time to roam around a little bit and to have something to refuel himself."

"Okay. See you later," Sari called out as he exited the Harbinger. Then said, "Say, Jack, how about renaming this ship to the Con Assassin?"

When dawn shone on the Harbinger, things were lazier than before. Especially Ratchet, the medical officer who was always busy. But today was a day he got off.

Jack, Raf, and Sari were in the human quarters when Miko came rushing in before closing the door. "You gotta hide me."

All three kids looked up at her.

"Why?" Raf asked.

"MIKO!"

Ratchet's booming voice caused all three of them to jump.

"Miko, what did you do?" Sari demanded.

"Um, I might have pulled a little prank on him," Miko admitted weakly. "One that might have involved a song."

Sari stared at her long and hard. "Miko, you're—"

"Awesome?" Miko finished. "I know."

"Suicidal," Sari corrected.

"What?" Miko asked.

"That's what we all say," Raf grumbled at the same time.

"You are the biggest idiot I have ever met in my entire life, you know that?" Jack pointed out.

"Is he gonna get mad at her?" Sari asked.

"You think?" Jack snapped.

"Does the Maximal medic get mad?" Raf wondered.

"What? Rhinox doesn't get mad," Sari said.

Miko looked relieved.

"He gets even."

Miko looked terrified.

"You're incredibly dense, aren't you?" Jack glared at Miko. "I mean, we always you were, but holy cow! He's probably gonna kill you now! What were you thinking?"

"It was just his voice," Miko defended herself. "I just...autotuned him."

Jack gaped at her, shocked. "You did what?!"

Sari snickered.

"Idiot! What if Optimus find out about this?"

"Uh, he won't," Miko sneered. She paused. "Well, I might have let him hear a little bit of it…"

Raf stared at her. "Who?"

"Um, Nightscream mainly."

Sari burst out laughing maniacally, falling on the floor, kicking the air and punching the ground as tears came from her eyes. They grew frightened; she looked like a madman. Well, a madwoman.

"Are you crazy? You're asking for a death wish when it comes to sharing things like this to the bat," Jack hissed.

Raf frowned. "Define 'a little'."

"All of it?"

"What!" Jack yelped.

Raf looked at Sari, who had instantly calmed down. "Just to assure you, this is normal if she gets almost everyone annoyed and/or mad." He turned to Miko. "Any chance he didn't share this, did he?"

Miko vented a sigh. "Not sure."

"You haven't been ignoring the warnings, have you?" Raf asked.

"No, but I have been talking to Windy."

"Who?"

"The dragon."

"Oh."

"And?" Sari prodded.

"She said that I have about two more minutes left to live."

They suddenly jumped as they heard pounding on the door. "Jackson Darby, open up and turn that brat over before I break down the door!"

Miko squeaked.

"And when I said that Rhinox gets even, I mean there is no one who will stop him from doing so," Sari warned her.

"Please help me?" Miko whined.

"Oh, I'll help you," Jack growled as he dragged Miko towards a small vent. He ripped it off and glared at her. "It's a passage way to any room. Find Bulkhead and he can help sort this out."

"'Kay," Miko whimpered as she crawled in.

"Wait."

"What?" Miko snapped.

"What song did you use?" Sari wondered.

"Um, Sail by AWOLnation."

Sari laughed as Miko crawled to safety. When Sari managed to get the vent close, the door was torn off. The kids whipped their heads to find an infuriated Ratchet standing there.

"Where's. That. BRAT?!" he demanded angrily.

Raf shrieked before fainting.

"Look what you did," Jack scolded before kneeling next to him.

"Sari," Ratchet hissed.

"Well, she's obviously not here," Sari answered in a matter-of-fact tone.

Ratchet frowned. "I know she's still around here somewhere," he snarled. "And don't think I'll go that easy on her just like I hadn't with you."

Jack shuddered at the memory. "I'll note her that if I do see her."

"Good." He walked away.

Sari cringed. "I'll go find her and have this sorted out before someone gets hurt." She got up and dashed out of the room.

Sari was stopped by Wheeljack and Bulkhead as she entered the command center.

"Hey, where's Miko?" Bulkhead questioned.

"Hiding from the doctor," she answered.

Bulkhead frowned. This sounded familiar.

"Why?" Wheeljack inquired.

"You don't want to know."

Bulkhead's 'She-did-something-stupid' senses went off. "What did she do?"

"She autotuned his voice for a song for who knows what reason," Sari explained. "And now she's hiding for her life."

"Sweet! Bulk, we can go and play rescue. Whoever gets to her gets to kiss her," Wheeljack explained.

"Okay," Bulkhead smiled.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait. What? What's going on here?" Sari wondered.

"We are going to conquer Miko's heart because we are bored and...well, have nothing else to do, really," explains Bulkhead.

"It's not a smart idea to mess with a gal's heart," Sari warned.

"Who says anything about doing that?" exclaims Wheeljack. "Now, Bulkhead and I must go rescue a maid from the evil king who stole her away and wishes to take her hand in matrimony and do Primus knows what it is that helps humans reproduce."

Sari just frowned at him.

"Come, Sir Jackie, the lady awaits us!" Bulkhead stated and both Wreckers ran down the hall.

"Oh, this I got to see," Sari remarked and ran after them.

Miko ducked into the first room she came across. She hid behind a crate, trying to catch her breath. She waited a few seconds before she sat down and checked her phone. She had a dozen messages left from her host parents, no surprise there. She was about to read a text when suddenly the doors burst open.

"Ratchet, calm down," Transmute's voice spoke. "This can be fixed."

"Fixed?!" Ratchet shouted. "It shouldn't have happened in the beginning."

Miko peeked over the crate to find Ratchet and Transmute.

"Ratchet, you and I have walked this planet far longer than that girl had," the dragon said. "Surely one small prank wouldn't have killed you?"

"Don't try your talk with me, Transmute," Ratchet snapped.

"Oh, you poor thing," Transmute teased before holding out her hand. "Want me to hold your hand?"

Ratchet growled before storming over to the other side of the room. He stopped before he yelped, "What the pit?"

Miko cringed.

"Who's rubber ducky is this?" the medic asked, holding a yellow rubber duck in his hand. He glared at Transmute. "Is this Nightscream's?"

"I think it would have been chewed up," Transmute pointed out. "Where's my brother?"

Miko frowned. Brother?

"He's busy with Lady Uhn," Ratchet teased.

"He's busy with Lady Uhn," Transmute mocked.

It took all of Miko willpower to burst out laughing, but a snort escaped. Both Autobots looked up.

"You heard that?" Transmute asked.

"Yeah," Ratchet frowned before he walked over to the of crates. He suddenly stopped halfway there.

"Wait," he said. "Is your pistol loaded?"

"I don't have a pistol," Transmute said. "But I do have my blades."

"That's what I was afraid of," Ratchet mumbled. "You go first."

"You are such a baby," Transmute exclaimed before she kicked the crate...to reveal Miko.

"Oh," the Maximal said uneasily. She took a peek at Ratchet and found him grinning. Oops.

Sari caught up with the Wreckers. She could only wonder how this would end as they paused outside the storage room that contained the sudden scream they heard.

"Miko sounds like she's in trouble," Sari confirmed.

Bulkhead's body began to shake.

"Um, Bulk?" Wheeljack wondered.

"Attack!" shouts Bulkhead and he burst into the room surprising all of them. He was lying on the floor on top of the mess.

"Wow," said Sari.

Wheeljack cautiously went over to his friend. "Bulk?"

Bulkhead immediately jumped onto his feet and exclaimed triumphantly, "Tis I, Sir Bulkhead, and I command thee to free thy fair maiden immediately!"

Ratchet gaped at him. "What in Primus' name are you two doing?"

"You heard him! Release her and we'll be on our way," explains Wheeljack.

"If this is how you guys have fun, I just want to know one thing: Where have you dorks been for the past seventeen years?" Transmute piped up.

Sari stared at her.

"What?"

"We will not let you wed her, King Ratchet, and do Primus knows what!" Bulkhead continued.

Transmute's raised a ridge. What?

Ratchet's optics narrowed in bewilderment. "Is that suppose to mean something?"

"No, but we will rescue the maiden and win true love's first kiss!" Wheeljack said, stepping forward.

Bulkhead stomped in between them. "Back off, buddy! If someone should get a kiss from Miko, it should be me."

"What?! Why do you get to?"

"Because I'm her guardian."

"I barely know her, so I should get to do this."

While they were arguing, Sari went over to Miko saying, "Are they always this stupid?"

"Not really," Miko replied, enjoying herself.

"Oh, good grief!" Ratchet exclaimed. "Knock it off!"

"No thanks, dude. Now if you'll excuse us, I have a lady to kiss," Bulkhead stated, lifting Miko in his hand.

Both he and Wheeljack ran back to their section where both Miko and Sari laughed.

"You realize you made yourselves look like huge dorks back there, right?" Sari questioned.

"Wouldn't think of it, ma'am," Wheeljack replied.

"And Miko owes me," Bulkhead stated.

Miko shook her head and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

Later that afternoon, Sari dashed down the hall and let Dreadwing out of the small cell. He just glared at her before he slowly stood up and wobbled out of there.

"Are you okay?" Sari asked, concerned, as she shut the door.

Dreadwing didn't say anything as he made his way for the energon storage room.

"Dreadwing?"

She sighed as she went after them, passing the command center.

"You know, I like Sari."

Sari stopped and peered through the doorway with all three of the Autobots' allies and Ratchet in the room.

"Oh yeah, me too," Jack said. "She's so cool and smart and fun, y'know? We were up all last night talking, she said the funniest thing about—what?" he asked when he noticed the other two staring at him.

"You love her," Miko said.

"No, I don't," Jack said.

"Yes, you do."

"Miko, lay off of him," Raf scolded Miko.

"Thank you," Jack sighed.

"He's just a bit weary because he's in love!" Raf teased.

Jack groaned and rested his head in his hands. Sari just rolled her eyes and marched after Dreadwing.

There was a soft sliding sound when they looked up. Optimus was trying to sneak past them, but Ratchet clearly saw he wasn't doing a very good job at it.

"Prime, what are you doing out of recharge!" Ratchet shouted, causing the Prime to stop in his tracks.

"I know what you're going to say, Ratchet, and I know I shouldn't have done it; but there was no one else to take the shift." The Autobot left his slouched position and stood back to his full height.

"Under normal circumstances I wouldn't, but I know you haven't been recharging properly, and don't you give me that slag that you have been. So here's what's going to happen: you are going to recharge, and you're going to stay there until you're fully energized. Got it?"

"Yes Ratchet." Optimus went back to walking towards his room when Ratchet called out to him.

"See you!" Miko called out, waving her hand with a smile.

Megatron didn't feel well. He hadn't been since the impact created by Tigerhawk. The ache in his neural processor bothered him all day and he knew it wouldn't leave. He would have to go see Knock Out to see what was causing it. Medication certainly wouldn't help. Rubbing the temples wasn't doing much either.

Just then, Megatron hunched over in pain. His knees gave way and he found himself kneeling on the ground, something that he swore never to do in eternity. But, the worse of it was the fact that he was growing by a few feet, his claws sharpening, and changing.

"You are wasting your time," Lockdown told Starscream as he paced back and forth. "These bandits you speak of are probably not on Earth. Maybe this human child just got an idea for this suit she has. It could have been a coincidence."

"Don't tell me what could and what couldn't have been!" Starscream snapped. "I know what I saw and I will prove that I'm right."

"I'd be careful if I were you, Screamer," warned Airachnid. "You keep this up and Megatron will crush your neck."

"I do not trust that newcomer," said Lockdown. "What did he call himself? Tigerhawk, was it? He may be one of them, but there seems to be something he's hiding from all of us."

"What did you expect?" Knock Out sneered. He paused before saying, "Hey, you don't think..."

There was a mighty howl and they looked down the hall.

"What was that?" Lockdown asked.

"I have no idea," Starscream said before he headed down the hall with the others following.

"Boy, maybe Shockwave's torturing him," Airachnid snickered.

"Back off!" Starscream barked, causing her to jump back. He stopped in front of Megatron's quarters and tried to open it, but the doors were jammed. "It's jammed!"

Inferno gave out a battle cry, grabbed Soundwave, and charged forward, knocking the doors down. Soundwave glared at him, his optics narrowed behind his dark mask.

"Uh, I have no clue either why," Inferno said.

The others peered inside as the other two looked up at Megatron. Or at least what they thought was Megatron. Given to the fact that it stood on four legs, spread its enormous wings, and gave out a mighty roar.

Done! Finally done! I thought I would never get this done. Haha!