I own nothing but Mariposa!

New Home

Carrier turns to me before reaching into the large drawers against the wall. He turns to me with a new outfit in his hands. I'm a little hurt. I like my tutu. "You need to change. We are going to meet your Sire." He sighs. "If we were to stay on base, I would allow you to stay in your current outfit, but it is filthy, and I will not have my Princess seen in such a way."

"Oh… okay." I change into a white short sleeved T-shirt, a denim jumper with an embroidered butterfly on the chest and white trim, white tights, and white canvas Mary Jane shoes, then take the white cardigan when Carrier hands it to me. He kneels and slips my butterfly tiara back in, but not before re-braiding my hair into two French braids, all the time muttering about "that fragging Polyhexian never remembers about sensitive doorwings".

"Now, come on. We have to go. Jazz is very impatient."

"Can I bring Flutter?"

"Flutter?"

"My butterfly." I hold her up to him.

"Of course."

"Wha' 'bout Blankie?"

He sighs heavily. "Fine, but hurry." He transforms at the entrance before activating something and helping me into a booster seat. "This is my holoform. Your Sire and I made our own after creating yours."

I climb out of the cruiser with Flutter and Blankie after Carrier opens the door. He walks around in what he calls a holoform, then takes my free hand. He's got brown hair and blue eyes. "Stay close, and try to be quiet. I am unsure as to what Jazz needs us for."

I nod before following him up to what looks like an old farmhouse, except it looks huge. "Wow. How did Sire find something big enough to fit you?"

"I do not know, Little One."

A woman walks over to us. "It's nice to meet you. You must be Peter. I'm Gabriela Nolan. Jazz has told me a lot about you."

I look up to the woman and Carrier, and hide my face in Carrier's leg when the woman kneels to me. "You must be Marianne. I'm glad to meet you, Sweetheart."

Carrier looks down to me. "Say hello, Marianne."

"H-hi."

She leads us inside, then sits in a chair across from us. "This has obviously been a tough house to sell. No one wants a house built for giants."

After about half an hour, I start to get bored, and almost wander off. Lennox sighs. "I'm taking Marianne next door."

Sire looks up. He's white too, but has lighter hair, almost like mine. "Why?"

Lennox looks from them to where I've almost got my white canvas shoes off. "She's bored, and Annie's home with Sarah. I figure they could get to know each other while you two close the deal."

"Thank ya, Will."

"I will pick her up once we are finished."

As we walk out, Gabriela speaks up. "I'm just…I'm kind of curious. Which one of you has the maternal role?"

Sire smirks and points a thumb toward Carrier. "Tha' woul' be 'im."

"The officer? I'd think it would be you, with how you talk about her."

Lennox House

"Hi. I'm Annie."

"I'm Mari." I hold out my blankie and butterfly. "And this is Flutter, and Blankie."

"I can take you to my room!"

Sarah follows us with her eyes. "Keep it down, you two!"

"Wanna draw?"

I nod, and wait for her to get some paper and crayons out of her desk. Once she sets some down in front of me, I start drawing a picture of a police car. I can tell she's drawing something similar, but I don't really care. I'm drawing Carrier.

"A police car?"

"My…" I sigh softly. "Does your Daddy tell you about where he works?"

"His truck's a robot alien!" She claps a hand over her mouth. "Oops! I'm no' s'posed to tell!"

"That's 'kay!" I giggle. "My family's robot aliens!"

"Really? Who?"

"Carrier's Prowl, Sire's Jazz." I hold up my paper. "I drawed Carrier!"

"I drawed Hide."

I look at her picture of the truck. "It good!" I smile. "They're trying to buy the house next door. I was gettin' bored. I almos' started sliding 'round in my tights!"

Annie looks at my now-stocking feet before looking at me with a grin. "Wanna go see 'Hide?"

I shrug. "Sure!"

"Does he know you?"

I nod. "He hadda watch me for a while…" I look down. "We almost lost Sire…"

"Mommy and I were afraid we were going to lose Daddy while he was fighting."

I slip on my shoes and grab Flutter and Blankie, then we walk downstairs. Annie opens the door for us, then we run out the back door. "Hide!"

I lay a hand on the back of the pickup. "Hi, Hide."

"Do your creators know you're here, Mari?"

"Daddy brought her, Hide!"

I nod. "They're tryin' to buy the house next door. 'Parently no one wants ta buy it cause it's too big." I turn to Annie. "It's tall enough for Carrier to walk around inside without getting hurt. He's taller than Sire, but not as tall as Hide."

"So you're gonna be our new neighbors?"

I nod. "Yeah. I can' wait!"

3 Hours Later, Third POV

Sarah lets Prowl and Jazz in. "Lennox?"

"How did it go?"

Sire smiles. "Real good. We bough' i' on the spo'."

"How was our Mariposa?"

Sarah smiles. "She was good. The two fell asleep an hour ago, and Annie was up early this morning."

Jazz shrugs. "Ah hadta ge' 'er up early this mornin', after a late nigh' because of Mission City."

"Your daughter was in the middle of a battle!?"

Prowl glares at Jazz as the latter tries to justify his actions. "Ah didn' have anyone ta watch 'er, and we were all in the middle of the battle!"

Prowl sighs. "Why was she with you to begin with?"

Jazz sighs. "Because ah saved 'er from the abusers who had found 'er escape pod before we me' Optimus in the alley." He turns to Sarah. "We couldn' raise 'er 'cause of the war."

Prowl sighs. "I will go wake her. We have to get back to the base. With any luck, we can move in by the end of the week."

Sarah turns to the two. "What about furniture?"

Jazz shrugs before turning from watching the retreating holoform. "We've go' more than enough ta furnish the house."

Base

"Mariposa…"

"Ah'll ge' 'er."

He activates his holoform and shakes her gently. "Mariposa, Sweetspark, you need to wake up."

"Whe'e we a'?" I can hear Sire snicker, but ignore him. I'm sleepy.

"Back a' base, Girly."

I stumble out of the car, and almost fall over the seat Sire leaned forward before reaching up. I don't want to fall. "Carry me."

Sire picks me up before turning to Carrier. "It'll wai', Prowler."

He sighs heavily at the nickname, but nods. "She would more than likely drop it."

"I dwop wha'?"

"It will keep. Recharge."