Many of you are expressing dislike at her situation and at me, but don't despair, it's not permanent. Things will turn around for the little trouble-magnet/fraglet. Speaking of, I used my first f-bomb in the fic (I think the first, anyway) and guess who has the great pleasure of dropping it? You'll see!
My first volunteer guard for time outside was Sunstreaker, four days after Ratchet and Jolt decided I should start getting some sun. It was surprising, especially after I'd managed to offend him so quickly. I hadn't seen the yellow mech since, but he didn't mention it when he came to Hot Rod's room to pick me up. My brother was already up and taking care of business, so I had to force myself to get up and running on my own.
Sunstreaker was standing there, a slight and not entirely serious scowl on his face.
"Ready for a little sunshine, fraglet?"
"More than ready," I said with a smile. "How long do we get?"
"Three agonizing hours."
I stepped from my room, a little relieved when the slick yellow mech didn't offer to help me walk. I was confused enough about my relationships with the others, I didn't need Sunny getting too friendly on top of the mix.
We came to the gates of the City without exchanging anything more. Sunstreaker took care of getting us out and we started up the long passageway. The City was either very deep or not directly underneath the mesa, which would explain the ridiculously long passages whenever one tried to get aboveground.
A little more than what felt like halfway I couldn't go any further. The uphill walk and my own poor energy management left me feeling exhausted and I stopped, bending over my knees to try to regain my stamina.
"You ok?" Sunstreaker asked, stopping and turning back when he realized I'd taken a break.
"Just tired. I'm fine."
He crossed his arms. "Do I have to carry you?"
"No! I can do it," I hissed, straightening up. "Just go a little slower. Please."
He nodded with obvious approval, and from there he did slow down quite a bit. I had to stop again a little further on, but then the sunlight from the hidden entrance was filtering down, easing my exhaustion. I actually managed a fairly normal walking speed once we broke through the hologram and came into the open air.
This was the first time I'd had fresh air in my vents and Sol on my exoskin, felt the wind whistle around me… I just stood there, optics offlined and my face tilted upwards, for what must have been a few minutes. Sunstreaker eventually sighed noisily and I snapped out of it, starting up the dirt road for the mesa with the Autobot behind me.
The two of us ended up in companionable silence for an hour. We both stretched out on our backs on the dusty rock and just soaked in the warm sun. I thought about Skywarp.
Well, I'd never really stopped thinking about him. I had a dilemma. I was still upset that he never came back to Tricora… but he must have a reason. Even if I couldn't know or understand why, he'd been doing something important. But… what if he wasn't? Then there was the fact that he'd saved me. He'd gotten his brothers to come to Predaca somehow and he'd saved me. He'd taken me all the way back to Earth.
But he was serving Megatron again. Granted he was the least aggressive of the Seekers now, but he was still helping the Decepticon leader.
Slag it all, I still loved him. Now that I knew I'd been wrong, or at least not entirely right, about being abandoned… I couldn't make myself stop loving him, and I deeply hoped that he still loved me. Even if the war would keep us apart, I wished I could at least know.
We had been outside for the better part of two hours when a familiar sound met my audials. It was a jet, and one I'd come to know intimately. An F-35 Lightning was approaching the mesa.
I sat up, though Sunstreaker didn't move, his arms up and his head pillowed on his hands. I watched the jet get closer, closer, and when Sunstreaker still didn't move I realized the jet probably belonged here. It was splotchy brown, a color I'd seen on someone already. Who?
He came in and landed on the mesa with the easy confidence of a practiced flyer, a confidence I'd once shared. His transformation was quick and smooth, resulting in the typical bird-legged top heavy build of a fully functional flyer. His shoulders were huge and his wings were prominent. After a moments reflection I finally realized I seen this mech in the rec. hall before.
"Hey," he said simply with a smile.
"Hi," I answered.
"Bravura, right? I'm Breakaway."
Breakaway. "Nice alt mode," I said with a smile. "Did it come in brown?" Mine had been flat gray.
"No, I reformatted the prints."
It was strange seeing the alt mode on a mech it actually fit. He looked bulky, though that was a combination of his already large frame and his weaponry. My own bulk in the mode was almost purely extra plating. Not that it mattered. I might never fly again.
"Looks good."
He tilted his head slightly, adding to his avian appearance, then laughed. "Thanks, miss. Hey Sunny, your paint is fading."
"It's Sunstreaker, and shut the fuck up."
I burst out laughing at the icy tone the yellow mech took with Breakaway. I'd definitely been lucky getting on the good side of the fighter.
The F-35 laughed too, completely unabashed. "I'm heading down. See you two later."
Sunstreaker still hadn't moved, but his expression had gone from peaceful to agitated.
"Why don't you like him?"
"I don't like anyone."
"You're nice to me."
He snorted. "That doesn't mean I like you."
"What about Sideswipe?" I still hadn't seen my current guard's twin.
"That goes without saying."
"Why are you nice to me, if you don't like me?"
He onlined his optics and looked over at me. "Because you understood back when I couldn't get anybody else to. Because you've had enough shit in the last few years to last a lifetime. Because you saved that femme and her sparkling. Because you're the Prime's sister. A lot of reasons, ok?"
"Oh."
He stared hard at me, then lowered his head and offlined his optics with a tired sigh. I decided to mimic him and relaxed back down to the rock to make the most of our last hour outside. I came out of my daze again some time later when a car engine came to the mesa from far away. Instead of disappearing into the mesa the car continued up the road to the top of the mesa. I looked up just as the mech, a red one, transformed and stood up.
He was familiar but I couldn't put my finger on it. He stood on wheels like Sunny, and he had the same cocky confidence… The same good looks, too… It had to be Sideswipe.
"Wake up," the red bot said casually to his brother.
"No," Sunny growled.
"Come on, bro, get up. I've got something for you…"
Sunny sighed and forced himself to sit up. "What?"
"An ass-kicking!" The red mech launched at his brother with a whooping battle cry. Sunstreaker scrambled to his wheeled feet just before his brother connected with him. They rolled back together and began the business of becoming one big condiment colored blur. I could make out Sunstreaker's furious protests and Sideswipe's joyful cackle as they rolled across the mesa. I watched in bewildered silence, completely left out, until their thrashings suddenly took a turn and nearly landed on me.
"Whoa!" I yelped, scrambling away.
Sunstreaker immediately flipped his brother away from me, giving me a quick appraisal before standing up, crossing his arms.
"What's wrong, Sunny? Afraid I'd mess up the paintjob?"
"No, we almost hurt the fraglet."
Sideswipe frowned, squinted his optics then looked past Sunny to me. "Oh. I didn't even see her. Nice silencing."
I nodded in acceptance of the praise. Mirage had mentioned my signature, and I'd realized with a start that I'd completely stopped the defensive practice that I'd grown so good at in space. I'd returned to my old habits immediately.
"I'm Bravura," I said quietly.
"Oh, I know. I know a lot about you," said the red mech. "Sunny told me about the interfacing, ah… issues. I still say you two should have interfaced when Hot Rod and I did. Would've been fantastic."
I was stunned. I'd just met this mech and he was talking about how he'd been with my brother? And suggesting that I get with his?
"Shut up, Sides..."
Sideswipe looked from me to his twin. "Come on, you know I'm kidding. You take everything so seriously anymore."
"Try getting saddled with Bluestreak and Tracks for a few vorns and see how you turn out!" Sunny snapped.
Sideswipe physically jerked back as if stricken. When he spoke his voice was pleading. "I wouldn't have left if I had a choice, Sunny… I had to go."
"Doesn't change anything though."
"I thought we'd gotten over this," Sideswipe muttered. "Can't we just pick up where we left off?"
I watched the two stare each other down, Sideswipe's expression penitent while Sunny was accusatory. I had apparently gone invisible.
"I never once tried to replace you when you were gone," Sunstreaker growled after several agonizingly tense moments. "Not once."
"Oh. That. I wasn't trying to replace you with Hot Rod…" It was interesting to hear that Sideswipe still referred to Hot Rod with his old name, not Rodimus.
"Certainly came off that way! I know how you felt, dumbass!"
"Don't get started on feelings, Sunny. Just don't. Why do we have to even fight about this? We're together now!"
Sunstreaker scowled and looked away at me, or through me. "Because things aren't the same."
In that moment I realized that Sunstreaker understood me more than I'd thought. Things weren't the way we wanted them to be, the way we'd imagined. And neither of us was happy about it.
Sideswipe sighed and rolled to his brother smoothly, putting one hand on his brother's shoulder and tilting Sunny's chin up with the other, making Sunny look at him. He leaned close to his yellow twin, a situation that would have made watching uncomfortable under normal circumstances, but I knew what Sides was doing. He was appealing to Sunny's spark with his own.
"The one thing that hasn't changed is that I will always be a part of you," I heard Sideswipe whisper to the still resistant Sunstreaker. "Even if you think you hate me now, I will never leave you. When you're ready to remember that, I'll be here."
With that Sideswipe let his brother go and turned back to the road leading from the mesa, not even acknowledging my existence before he transformed and left.
Sunstreaker stood there, shoulders drooping, for a long time before he looked up and his optics met mine.
"Well… I…" He tried to speak, but apparently couldn't finish. The confidence had drained from him and for once his attitude didn't repel me. I reached towards him and he came to me, sliding gracefully to his knees and dropping his head down against my shoulder. I didn't judge him or his sudden weakness, just let him try to find in me the comfort he could've found in his brother.
I didn't even bother feeling awkward when his arms slipped loosely around me. It wasn't a sexual move at all, more like a child going to his mother than anything. Before long the idea of the mother/son dynamic actually rooted itself somewhere in me and my spark sang softly to him for a time.
"It's pretty," he said abruptly, after he'd been listening to me for a while.
"Thanks," I said softly. "I still don't know how it works, but it apparently comes in handy."
Sunstreaker groaned miserably against my shoulder. "I've been blocking Sides," he abruptly admitted. "I started after I met you. Just got so sick of it, after I saw you suffering… Realized that's what I was like… And now that I have a chance to talk it out… I dunno. I just can't."
"Too proud," I said, reaching up and stroking his gleaming helm.
"Maybe."
"He still cares about you," I said. "I could see it. And you care too. Just give it a chance, Sunstreaker."
"Call me Sunny, he muttered gruffly against me.
I smiled, touched that he'd let me call him something so intimate as a nickname. I supposed I deserved it, after all. He'd nicknamed me 'fraglet' since the start.
I quickly adjusted to my new schedule. The same few mechs would go with me outside. Hot Rod, Mirage, Sunstreaker, Jolt, sometimes Prowl. Once the big red mech who'd taken me to the repair bay, Inferno, had come, but he'd been silent the entire time. Sideswipe only appeared on the mesa if Sunstreaker was on duty there. They didn't fight again. I was grateful for the constant companionship, but one bot was conspicuously absent.
Once, when Mirage and I were sitting on the mesa, I asked him about the Autobot Arcee.
"Why haven't I seen her? It's not that big of a base."
Mirage was quiet for some time while he thought about it. We were lying down in opposite directions with our heads side by side, his helm just resting on my shoulder. If I turned my head my optics would be level with his upside down chin.
"I think she's avoiding you. Now, not in a bad way… She's just having a tough time, as far as I know. She's like you, her spark's not fertile, but it was once. She was with Springer from what I gather, but she's been avoiding him when he comes to see Rodimus. She just needs time."
"Huh. You'd think she'd wanna… I don't know, make friends with somebody who knows what it's like."
"I can't speak for her, little lady. I'm just glad you're not pulling the same thing on me."
I did turn my head at that, and he angled his slightly to look at me.
"What do you mean?"
"Just… after all the horrible things you went through, you didn't shut down, or run away from the ones who care about you."
I frowned as I considered that, then smiled brightly. "Never even occurred to me, Raj. I missed you almost the minute I left Earth. I'd never avoid you."
He started to turn his head slightly, tilting it in a way that gave me a bit of alarm as his lips came closer to mine, but then our comms crackled sharply.
Mirage, you've been up there four hours. Time to bring her back in, Ratchet's voice groused.
Once upon a time we hadn't been able to make communications from underground, relying on more primitive human methods, but Blaster had come by and rectified the problem with an above ground transmitter and receiver.
Mirage jerked his head away and stared up at the sky. I was still frozen, stunned by what almost happened, but I responded when he got up and gave me a nudge.
Was Hot Rod right? Did I have something to worry about?
Out of nervousness I cast about for something to make it clear to Mirage that I didn't want the attention without calling him out.
"Uh… Have you heard anything about Skywarp? Any chance I could… talk to him?"
Mirage's easy posture stiffened. "Why would you want to talk to him?"
"I love him, Mirage."
He looked at me, his expression so carefully blank that I actually had to look away.
"Will you never learn, Bravura?" He asked softly. I dragged my optics back up to his. He looked wistful now, an expression that suited his Aristocratic features. "You can't trust them. You can't trust him. You can trust us. You can trust me."
I reached up to rub the back of my helm. Slag it all, I didn't want things to get muddied up like this!
"I do, Mirage. You're my best friend." I emphasized the word heavily.
Mirage, respond. Get Bravura down here or I'll get you down here.
We're on our way, Ratchet, he sent back, his tone subdued.
"Come on." He held out his hand to me, and I took it for a moment, looking up at the Elite, then let it go and walked ahead of him down the mesa.
"You were right," I whispered against Hot Rod's chest. I was wedged between him and the wall, our sleeping arrangement having slowly working itself out as the days and nights passed.
"Course I was right. What about?" He was already practically half recharging, rubbing my shoulder in slow circles while I fiddled with one of the lights on his chest. I was aware that to anyone else we'd look like lovers, but to both of us we were just soaking up the comfort of being near to one another.
"Mirage. He almost kissed me today. He didn't, but I swear he was about to."
"Ah… that was why you were so embarrassed earlier." I looked up at the cocky grin on his face and reached up to punch his chin ever so lightly.
"Not funny, bro. It's Mirage… I don't know how to nip it in the bud without making things awkward between us. You know? I don't want to stop being his friend."
"You'll just have to quit being so cute and helpless," Hot Rod poked playfully.
"Ha, ha." I grumbled, resting my chin on his chest. "That doesn't help."
"What do you want me to do, baby? Tell him to leave you alone? You know how that will go."
"Yeah," I sighed. "I just wish things could be the same. When I was too small for him to see anything in."
"He always saw something in you, Bravura. It's just that now Skywarp's more or less out of the picture… You spend most of his free time together, honey."
I groaned and squirmed up until I could rest my head on Hot Rod's shoulder. "You're right… this is my fault."
"I wouldn't go that far," Hot Rod said comfortingly. "It's just that you were gone for so long, we all kind of got our own ideas of you in our processors. Mirage has got the idea that you've seen Skywarp's 'true colors' and now you'll need someone to pick up the pieces."
"I'm not broken," I said sharply.
"Don't be so sensitive honey, you know what I meant."
I sighed, trying to calm myself down. "Yeah, I know."
Skywarp listened with barely concealed panic as Megatron detailed the latest plan to Starscream. They'd known where Autobot City was for years, but they'd never made a direct attack on the city before. The single entrance was too well guarded, and built to make an attack difficult.
But Ravage had detected signatures within the mesa on multiples occasions, meaning the rock was thin enough to break through, and it would give them easy access to the compound. That was just what Megatron wanted to do. The Autobots were hiding something in that miserable hidey-hole of a city, and Megatron wanted to know what.
Skywarp exchanged a look with Thundercracker. If they broke into the city they would find the femmes and Bravura.
We protect the femmes, Skywarp sent on the trine line they exclusively shared. We won't allow them to be harmed.
Agreed, Thundercracker said calmly.
You're both idiots, Starscream snapped. They'll want the femmes alive.
They don't know there are femmes down there. They don't know what they're after, Thundercracker pointed out. They could get caught in the crossfire.
So why don't we tell them? Starscream asked.
If we're lucky Megatron will get distracted by some energy raid and cancel the attack. Thundercracker didn't sound very hopeful.
We could warn the Autobots, Skywarp offered.
Both his brothers looked at him sharply. Megatron cut himself off, looking between the two Seekers and Skywarp.
"What?" He asked sharply.
"Skywarp's a moron," Starscream mumbled dismissively.
Megatron growled. "Stop gossiping amongst yourselves and pay attention, you fools. The vacation is over."
"Yes, Lord Megatron," The three Seekers intoned.
No matter what happens, Skywarp said firmly, we don't let the others hurt the femmes.
Right.
Ugh… fine.
"Hey, Bravura!"
I looked up to see Breakaway coming into the training room. I gave up my walking kata and straightened to meet him. My balance was returning and my twitches were less and less severe. My shivering was still more or less constant and my optic still wasn't any better, but Ratchet said my progress was promising.
"What's up, Breaker?"
"I have a present for you," he said with a grin. "Don't tell Ratchet, but Jolt thinks you can handle an alt mode. A real alt mode."
I crossed my arms. "I don't want a car. I'd rather go without."
"Oh, I understand, believe me. That's why I went looking for a plane that would fit your specs."
I froze, then let my hands drop limp to my sides. "You found a jet to fit me?"
"Well… not a jet. A plane the humans use to train for jets. But it's your size and it's not a bad plane at all."
"What kind of plane?" I asked suspiciously.
"It's called a T-37."
"Never heard of it."
"It flies. You want it or not?"
It was easy to be jealous Breakaway's incredible alt-mode, but I finally gave in and nodded. The big mech grinned and held out his wrist. I held mine up, expecting the flyer to just plug in, send the file and nothing more. He had to be aware of the trust involved.
I accepted the file as he streamed it, and within moments it was finished. I saw the title and winced. "It's called a Tweet, Breaker."
"Yeah, because it's so little. Like a bird. Tweet!"
I groaned. "Don't tell the others… I'll never hear the end of it."
"Well… no promises. Come on, put it on. If you can't manage it I'll just run you to the repair bay and pretend you had a short out."
After a moment I took a look around to be sure nobody was watching. The human soldiers weren't paying any attention and there were no others Cybertronians in the training room. Before I could let my logic processor talk me out of it I took a deep intake and started creating the alt mode.
I came to my senses in Breakaway's arms. He was just lifting me from the floor and I could hear some of the humans asking what happened.
"Hey, put me down, I'm ok," I said weakly. My energon level had been seriously depleted, enough that I would need to either get outside or get some energon quick. "I just need a cube," I told the bigger mech.
"I don't know," he said doubtfully. "You just collapsed."
"I'm ok," I repeated. "How do I look? What color?"
"White, mostly," the bigger mech said, holding onto my arm while I tried to look at myself. "Dark blue here and there. Your wings are down your back."
I sighed, relieved. "It worked, then…"
"Yep. Let's just see how long you keep those wings, though. When Ratchet hears he'll be out for blood, huh?" Breakaway laughed despite the fact that he'd be under the chopping block as much as I would for supplying the blueprints… not that I'd give him away. Still, Ratchet had ways of getting the information he wanted that would've put James Bond to shame. Especially when it meant he got to hit somebody.
He found out faster than I could've expected. Breakaway and I had been sitting in the rec. hall for maybe twenty minutes when Ratchet appeared in the doorway. Breakaway noticed him first, but I was too preoccupied with finishing my second cube of energon to catch the imposing figure approaching us.
Breakaway got the brunt of the punishment. Ratchet smacked the much larger mech up the head several times, snarling about protocol and direct disobedience and "Prime will hear about this!" before turning an icy glare on me
"What do you have to say for yourself, young lady?" He asked, hands on his hips.
I stared down at my lap, feeling very childish. "Um… I'm alive, aren't I?"
"And what if you'd gone into energon shock? I wasn't there to help and Jolt isn't even on base! Do you know what could've happened if you-"
My metal chair scraped as I stood up. Thank Primus, I didn't get dizzy. I managed to hold Ratchet's glare. "I trained at Tricora for coming up on a year, Ratchet. I trained with you at the very start. I know how quickly a bot can die of energon shock. I know my own limits, too. And finally, I know that no matter how much you talk about 'your roof, your rules' that if I am truly unhappy Optimus would remember that I am not a soldier and at least let me have the alt mode for consolation!"
"You won't stop at the alt mode! I gave you your upgrade myself, and within the day you were flying half the time you were awake! You won't stop with just the alt mode," he repeated emphatically.
The soldiers in the rec. hall had gone silent long ago. A few left, others watched nervously, some with amusement.
"Look at me!" Ratchet snapped. I looked up from the rec. hall, half expecting to see a wrench about to bounce off of my helm.
"I'm looking," I said weakly. He was mad. My resolve weakened. "Ratchet," I mumbled, aware that my voice was shaking, "I just want to be normal again." I looked down before my face gave away how upset I was. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done it, but I'm just ready to try to be me again."
"You behaved irresponsibly. Maybe Devcon let you get away with everything under the sun, but now that you're back things have got to change, Bravura." Ratchet's tone softened. "We are doing our best to keep you safe and happy, but we can't keep up with your old ways now. Your world's safety is hinging on us keeping things under control and we simply can't be worrying about one femme!"
"I'm sorry," I whispered, hugging myself. "I'm sorry, Ratchet."
He sighed and in my peripheral I saw him raise him arm to run a scan on me, then motion to Breakaway.
"Take her outside for a bit. After she's had about an hour of sun get her in the air. Monitor her carefully. No more than thirty minutes. You hear me, Bravura? Thirty minutes."
I looked up at the medical officer in shock. "You…"
"Don't make me regret going easy on you," he sighed, turning away and heading for the door.
"I don't know about this," I said nervously to Breakaway. "I haven't done this in a while… And never with this kind of alt mode… And…"
"Come on, I know you're not as shy as your wings say you are. Just don't think. Look up at the sky, Bravura." He looked up, and I did too. Blue. Endless blue.
"It's calling to you," he said quietly. "Your name. Mine. Every bot who's ever flown and ever will. It's in your spark."
"Yeah," I said quietly.
"The gift of flight is a legacy that's been handed down since our kind began. It's become rare as the ages passed, but the sky will always be a part of you and me. Listen to the wind."
The wind wasn't strong today, but it curled around me all the same. I listened, let it whisper wordlessly to me until it lured me to the edge of the mesa. Before I had time to second-guess myself I leapt off the mesa and transformed.
The moment of flight was both euphoric and disappointing. Sure, I was flying, but the Tweet just couldn't accelerate like a tetrajet or the Lightning. Still, I was FLYING!
Yeah! I whooped on the Autobot frequency. I'm back, boys!
I was instantly bombarded with queries and congratulations from the Autobots in range and a snide remark from Sunstreaker.
How exactly are you back? Devcon asked on our shared comm. It was nice to see he still remembered.
I'm flying! Ratchet let me keep my alt mode!
Oh, hey. Great, kid. You're not flying alone, are you?
Breakaway already was high above me, more or less doing circles around me as I made a wide loop around the mesa.
Nope, I've got an escort. Things are under control.
Why is it that when you say that I get nervous?
Come on, pops, we're in Autobot territory. The worst that could happen is I crash. Ooo.
Yeah… right.
Starscream watched with a mixture of relief and uneasiness as Ravage played back the video of the small plane and F-35 coming down to the Autobot mesa and landing. Soundwave's spy had been keeping surveillance from a distance, but the sudden and unexplained appearance of a strange plane had forced the small cat-bot to move in for a closer examination.
The video feed revealed that the new small plane was in fact a femme. There was no mistaking it. The Aerial Commander cursed to himself as he watched his brother's lover bend over with her hands on her knees, apparently tired out by the short flight. The video froze, focused in on her.
Megatron, unlike Starscream, was delighted.
"I see… not only are they guarding the Allspark, but a femme as well. A flyer… Good breeding stock, wouldn't you say, Starscream?"
"No," Starscream grumbled. "It's malfunctioning. Ravage, return to the moment after she lands. Watch her closely, my Lord."
They reviewed the video again, and this time Megatron saw the shaking, the twitch in her neck.
"An imperfection possibly produced by hardship during the war," Soundwave said blandly. "The femme is likely a genetically valuable specimen."
"There's only one way to find out," Megatron said thoughtfully.
Starscream scowled but didn't say anything, just opened his trine's comm.
They know about Bravura. Ravage saw her flying over their mesa.
She was flying? Skywarp said vapidly. The idiot mech was so obsessed with his femme that he didn't see the implications. Thundercracker did, however.
Things are going to move quick now, the biggest member of the trine sent thoughtfully. How are you going to get us in there? Megatron knows we're more useful covering them from the air.
I'm going to send Dirge in, Starscream said firmly.
WHAT? No. You can't, Starscream. He wants her! Skywarp's deep voice grated on Starscream's processors. He much preferred Thundercracker's John Wayne style of English to whatever Skywarp had picked up.
He's subordinate to us, so he'd be more likely to be put under fire than any of us. His ability makes him a prime candidate for creating chaos and confusion when we break in. He can find her in the base just by feeling her out. He's scared of us, and if he's so enamored with your abominable little scrap heap he'll find her before anyone else does.
There was silence on the comm. until Thundercracker quietly agreed with Starscream.
Send me in, Starscream, Skywarp insisted.
No.
I said send me in! Who else will protect her?
If I send you in you'll get even more stupid than you already are. You'll expose yourself and your femme. I'm protecting you both, you moron.
Thundercracker, tell him he's wrong!
The blue-detailed Raptor was silent for a long time, to the point where Starscream thought he wasn't going to get himself involved anymore. Finally, his brother sighed.
I think Starscream's right, Skywarp. You're too involved with this. If anybody sees you trying to help her they'll have you for treason.
But Dirge? Why not Barricade? Frenzy would make him help.
Barricade's going to stay in DC unless we're short-handed. The Allspark is a priority too, Skywarp, whether you care about it or not, Starscream snapped. He was getting tired of all of this whining very quickly.
Skywarp made a deep, frustrated snarl before cutting out on the comm.
Think she'll make it? Thundercracker asked Starscream.
She survived long enough to get herself trapped on Predaca.
She's hurt now, though.
I don't care, Thundercracker. I've been putting up with Skywarp's obsession for too long already. Don't make me pretend to give a slag with you too.
The biggest of the Command Trine withdrew from the link too, leaving Starscream alone with Megatron, Soundwave and Ravage once again.
"Bravura?"
I was sitting behind the couch in front of the biggest TV watching American Gladiators with a few human soldiers when Curia came up to us.
"Yeah, what's up?" I said, tearing my optics away from the woman trying to scale a wall covered in yarn while the other team shot her with paintballs. Curia was standing there with Devcon, Artemis in her arms.
"Devcon and I were thinking about going out, spending some time together today." I felt my head tilt sideways in surprise. Devcon and Curia were going to spend time together. My curiosity was followed by a sly grin. Ohhh. "Would you mind watching Curia until we get back? She likes you so much better than Forcia."
My grin widened. Curia knew I had issues with Forcia, and she was playing on that. Not that she needed to, I liked Artemis. The little girl wasn't very talkative, but she was expressive and sweet.
"I'd love to, Curia. Are you going now?"
The two grown bots nodded. Devcon had the tiniest smile at the corners of his mouth, so I knew he was happy. Good for him.
"If that's alright with you. Are you busy?"
"Nah, just watching the tube with the boys." I stood up and held my hands up for Artemis, who looked like she'd just gotten up from a nap. She leaned towards me, waving her arms and giggling, until Curia gave her to me. The sparkling immediately scrambled up my chest to drape her arms around my neck and kiss me on the cheek.
"Aww," someone said behind me. I turned to find Mirage standing there, smiling.
"Admit it, you wish she liked you this much," I said playfully.
"She's just too young to have any taste. Don't worry, she'll come to her senses."
"Are you off, Mirage?" Devcon asked.
Mirage looked at the other dark blue Autobot, still more or less a stranger to the Autobots of the City, then nodded. "Yes."
"Oh! Maybe you could help Bravura with Artemis? You know how wild she gets after her naps." Curia exchanged a look with Devcon, and he gave her the slightest nod. What was that supposed to mean?
"I think Bravura can handle her," Mirage began, then looked down at me. "But I'd be happy to spend some time with the girls, just for fun."
"Wonderful," Curia said with maybe a little too much pleasure. "You three have fun."
"You too, Curia. If you see any Cons shoot 'em a few times for me, Devcon."
"Will do, kid." He nodded to us and put a hand at the small of Curia's back, leading her to the door of the rec. hall.
Artemis had been looking at Mirage, but when she realized her mother was leaving she gave a little whimper. She tried to scramble from my arms, but I managed to hang onto her. Her anxiety increased until she was outright wailing, though she still wasn't speaking.
She was old enough to, apparently. Not a lot of words, but Ratchet said most sparklings could say at least the names of their creators by now. Artemis was just shy… But not about her crying.
"Oh, hush, shh… It's ok, Missy, Auntie Bravura and Uncle Mirage are staying with you." I tried to bounce her gently, but it only made her crying stilted. "She'll come back later, honey, don't worry! Don't you want to play?" I looked up at Mirage helplessly. Help me! I mouthed.
He smiled at some private joke, then put his hand on my back much the same way Devcon had Curia's. He led me to a corner of the rec. hall and sat down, patting the ground next to him. I sank down, still trying to shush the bawling little bot in my arms when he pulled a hologram generator from his chest and set it on the ground.
It flickered, then jumped into the air before disappearing inside a hologram. A bluish silver creature stood there and I gasped. A turbofox.
The turbofox looked up at me and came up to me bravely with none of the shy cautiousness that the turbofox Mercury had exhibited. I looked to Mirage, who was already watching me.
"It's a turbofox," he said. "I used to hunt them, before the war. They weren't endangered, then… For all I know, they could be extinct now."
"They're not," I said, reaching down to touch the hologram. It rubbed against my hand like a cat, and I was suddenly struck with the thought that Mirage was controlling it. He was the turbofox. I withdrew my hand quickly and eased the crying Artemis to the floor. At first she didn't see the Mirage fox, but he came in close and poked his nose against hers.
Her optics focused and she gasped, almost falling back. I caught her and withdrew quickly, not wanting to ruin the moment.
Mirage the fox sat down and tilted his shiny head, waiting for Artemis to make the next move. She clicked through a few more sobs, then leaned forward, grabbing at Mirage's fox face. He let her, supporting her weight as she examined him. She poked his optics, his audials, lifted his delicate sled-runner feet, in awe of the pretty creature.
I looked at Mirage. He was still watching me, though his fox form was totally focused on Artemis.
"Is it hard to do that?" I asked.
"Do what?"
"Split your attention like that."
"No. Comes pretty naturally." He was watching me so intensely, I was beginning to feel self-conscious. I looked away, back to the fox and sparkling on the floor.
"Is she still really a sparkling?" I asked Mirage to hide how awkward I felt.
He finally looked down at her. "She's getting to where she could be considered a youngling, but she hasn't had the actual youngling upgrade yet. She's behind, but she'll catch up."
Artemis suddenly laughed excitedly when Mirage the fox shook his head quickly. He leaned forward and licked her face, earning a joyful shriek. Some humans who were watching laughed with her.
"You're good with her," I said after they played for a bit.
"I'm surprised myself," the Elite admitted. "I never was any good with sparklings."
"The turbofox was a good idea. Girls love animals."
"Thanks," he said quietly. He didn't sound as happy as the turbofox was acting.
Looking up at him, I saw that he was watching his hologram and Artemis with a sad sort of expression.
Reaching out to touch his hand where it rested on his thigh, I curled my fingers around his palm. Hey.
He looked at my hand then twisted his hand over to twine his fingers through mine. Hi.
What's wrong?
Nothing. Just thinking.
What about?
He looked up at me with a serious air that totally clashed with the turbofox gamboling around the giggling sparkling.
Curia's lucky to have a family, he finally said. It's not something most of us were able to keep. You're lucky too, you have Rodimus.
The sadness in his tone made me lean towards him, letting my shoulder rest against his arm. I'm pretty lucky to have him. But I did ok picking my friends, too.
He smiled faintly and nodded. I smiled back then looked down to watch him play with Artemis.
As usual, review lovelies! Even if it's just to yell at me :3