Summer, 1987.
A beautiful sunny morning, clear blue skies and cool air to balance things out. On a white and blue barn roof laid a young woman adorned in a white and red mechanic jumpsuit, long flowing dark auburn hair and half-lidded green eyes. She dialled on a large cellphone and brought it to her ear.
"Hey, honey. How're you holdin' up?"
"Oh, just fine. I'm stuck here on my own while my family's gone to have fun for a couple days." the woman sing-songed. "It's what I get for agreeing to war emergencies."
"I'll be sure to take a lot of photos before we get back, Lisbeth. There's a lot of hot sand here but we're keeping our feet safe."
"How's little Judy doing?"
"She's doing fine. Judy's collecting shells—Ooh, that's a lovely one, Judy Pi—YAAIIEE! THERE'S A CRAB IN THERE! D'AHH! IT'S ATTACKING MY PICNIC BASKET! AAAHHH!"
A little girl's voice cheered over the phone while Lisbeth snickered.
"I'll call you later tonight." she hung up and put her hands behind her head, staring up at the blue sky.
Suddenly, an explosion was heard and Lisbeth shot up to see smoke coming from just beyond the trees. She climbed down the barn and rushed towards the smoke until she stumbled upon a robot adorning the symbol of the enemy. A Decepticon.
Thankfully, it was around her size but if someone as small as him is suitable to serve under a giant like Megatron, there's a high chance he might be dangerous. On another note, while he wasn't emitting smoke, he seemed to be limping away from the smoke.
He stumbled over as his transformed arms toppled off his torso, and one of his legs was suffering a short circuit.
"Jeez, this war…" Lisbeth rolled her eyes up before taking a closer look at the 'con. She waved a hand over his face, the 'con displaying no response. "Hmm, out cold." She stroked her chin, observing her surroundings. "I know this one's the enemy, but I can't just leave him here. Any Decepticon who stumbles upon him will think I did it, and my family might suffer from the misunderstanding."
The woman gave out a sigh of defeat. "Consider this your lucky day, Decepticon scum."
Lisbeth stretched her arms and pulled on the Decepticon's shoulder, but he wouldn't budge. "Gonna need something stronger."
The woman escorted the tiny 'con with a tow truck and placed him by the barn wall.
"Hmm…" She examined his wounds before tying her hair up into a ponytail. "Nothing too fatal, but it's best I start with the legs."
As she made her repairs, the cassetticon let out a groan and raised his head. He found himself next to a wooden wall while he heard buzzing noises emanating right below.
"What in the…?" He lowered his head and saw a person around his size working on his injured leg.
"Oh, you're awake!" The woman raised her head, her yellow goggles shined under the sun rays.
"D'AAAAHHH!" Rumble jumped at the creepy sight, his legs kicking frantically. "Get away! Don't make me blast ya!"
"What? Hey! Quit your squirming!" Lisbeth pulled her tools away from his legs. "I'm not gonna hurt you."
"Do ya take me for a putts?!" Rumble looked to his sides and saw his arms were missing. "I KNEW IT! YA TRYIN' TO TAKE ME APART! HELP! SOUNDWAVE!"
"Will you keep it down?!" Lisbeth stuffed a thick wad of cleaning cloth into the 'con's mouth, shutting him up. "I never took your arms apart. They're right there!" She pointed to the disassembled arms near the entrance of the barn. "They came off you when I found you. I assume you were attacked by some Autobot."
"Who wants to know?" Rumble spat out the cloth and growled in distrust.
"Fine, don't tell me." Lisbeth raised her head. "But like it or not, I'm here to fix you."
"Like a fleshy could do a good job at that." Rumble snickered. "How do I know ya won't call up any of the Autobots?"
"If I did, you'd be surrounded by them right now." She folded her arms, eyes half-lidded. "And if you try anything that may endanger my home, I always have the Autobots on speed dial. Now, whether you like it or not, I'm gonna be fixing you."
Rumble stretched the side of his lip.
"Ya promise ya won't turn me in?" He questioned.
"As long as you don't try anything, okay? Then I promise not to breathe a word about you being here." She smiled, putting her hands out in front of Rumble. "Now can I get back to work?"
Rumble turned his head away and nodded.
Lisbeth spent the whole hour fixing up the injured Decepticon, and though his silence left an awkward tension between the two, it didn't stop her from finally fixing his leg.
"There ya go." She patted his leg. "Now try moving it."
Rumble obliged and lifted his leg, astonished by the human's handiwork. He could even bend the joint and place pressure on it without any pain.
"I gotta admit. You're pretty good for a fleshy." Rumble confessed with a smug smile.
"As in I'm pretty good in general." She arrogantly remarked, folding her arms with her chest held out.
"I wouldn't push it, fleshy." Rumble chuckled.
"Lisbeth." She corrected.
"Uh, what?"
"My name is Lisbeth, tinhead."
"Hey! I ain't no tinhead!"
"Then stop calling me fleshy."
"Make me!"
"Oh, those aren't very wise words, tinhead." Lisbeth put down her tools and turned away with her arms crossed.
"Wha… ya can't just leave me like dis!" Rumble cried out.
"No, no. I'm not a monster." Lisbeth snickered. "But the more you insult me, the longer I'll take to fix you up."
"Are you being serious now?!" The cassetticon went agape. "Ya just gonna throw a hissy fit over a few insults?!"
"Yup." She flipped her ponytail. "If you're not gonna be polite, then neither am I."
The tiny Decepticon grumbled in defeat.
"S-sorry…" he said under his voice, turning his head away.
"What was that?" She put a hand over her ear.
"Sorry." Rumble slightly raised his voice, staring at the human with the sides of his mouth stretched.
"Whazzat?"
"I'm SORRY! Jeez!" Rumble sighed in frustration as the woman turned with that smug smile on her face.
"Thank you." She nodded. "Now let's get back to work."
While repairing Rumble's arms, Lisbeth had a radio across that started playing a Jem song titled "She's Got The Power".
Like a crystal gleaming bright
Like a prism bending light
She can turn the day into night
She's got the power
"Ecch, what the heck is this?" Rumble turned to the radio in disdain.
"On Earth, we call it music." The woman smart mouthed.
"I know what music is!" Rumble growled. "It's the song I don't like!"
"Well, I'm not changing the station." Lisbeth grinned. "Besides, I love this song."
See the way the candles gleam
Feel the sun throw off its beam
She can turn life into a dream
She's got the power
She's got the power (power), power, she's got the power
Power (power), power, she's got the power
"Yech! You fleshies got terrible taste in music, if you can even call it that." Rumble complained. "I'd be coverin' mah ears if my arms were still attached."
"Everybody's entitled to their own opinion." Lisbeth flatly remarked, focusing on fixing the Cassetticon's arm.
She's got the power to create confusion
Her mastery is no illusion
She's got the power (power), power, she's got the power
Power (power), power, she's got the power
She's got the power (power), power, she's got the power
Power (power), power, she's got the power
"Ugh, finally." Rumble sighed with relief.
"Oh, lighten up." Lisbeth teased. "If you don't like Jem, you could always give other Earth songs a listen."
"Coming up next, a plot twist occurs on this station as the rivals of Jem crash up the party with their hit single, 'Outta My Way'!" The radio announced before a more grounded and swingin' song started to play.
Outta my way,
keep outta my way
Outta my way,
I ain't playing around
Outta my way,
keep outta my way
Outta my way,
I've got to cover ground
"Aw, jeez." Lisbeth shuddered. "The Misfits. Talk about a bad influence."
"Heheh, hey! This one ain't so bad!" Rumble bobbed his head to the beat.
"Of course you'd like it." The woman gave an unimpressed look. "Anybody as rebellious as the Decepticons would like songs by the Misfits."
"Hey, now. What was it you just said?" Rumble made a mock thinking look. "Oh, yeah. Everyone's entitled to their own opinion?"
Outta my way,
keep outta my way
Outta my way,
or you're gonna pay
Outta my way,
keep outta my way
Outta my way,
don't you get in my way
"And to think us fleshies have got terrible taste in music." She rolled her eyes.
"These ones are the exception." Rumble smirked. "The Misfits, eh? Now that's what I call music."
I've got what it takes
And I'm on the attack
Going after the prize
And nothing's gonna hold me back!
Hoo!
Rumble thoroughly enjoyed the menacing song, and though Lisbeth was anything but a Misfits fan, she couldn't help but smile by the Decepticon's endearing enjoyment of human music, even if said song came from a band that's as power hungry as the Decepticons.
Outta my way,
keep outta my way
Outta my way,
don't you get in my way
Outta my way, keep out of my way
"That was super!" Rumble let out a laugh. "Way better than that sugar-coated Jem!"
"At least there's one thing you Decepticons might like about Earth." Lisbeth twisted her wrench against Rumble's arm. "Well, asides from the Energon."
"Speaking of which..." Rumble released a big exhale. "I think I could use some right about now."
"Normally I wouldn't think about handing a Decepticon a pint of Energon." Lisbeth stroked her chin. "But since you're injured and unable to fight back, I'll fetch you some." she got up and headed inside the barn, returning in an instant with a small cube of pink glowing liquid.
"That's all ya got?" Rumble whined.
"I said you could trust me." she put a hand on her hip. "I never said I trusted you. Deception's in the name, after all."
"Wow, you're the first human to ever realize that." Rumble tilted his head.
"It's not something I'm exactly proud of." the woman scowled as she brought the glass to the cassetticon's mouth. "How they managed to fall for that stunt you guys pulled years ago still eludes me. It's why I moved out here in the first place."
"Uh..." Rumble was confused but couldn't continue due to the Energon being poured down his mouth.
"The time the Decepticons had everybody believe the Autobots were the bad guys." Lisbeth explained. "I didn't buy that for a second and when more people started to fall for it, my husband and I moved out here in case things got ugly. And boy, did it really get ugly. We were lucky to raise our baby in safety, and even luckier that the Autobots saved us in time."
Lisbeth took the empty glass from Rumble's mouth and pinched the bridge of her nose.
"I... excuse my harshness." the woman sighed. "I just hate this stupid war."
The cassetticon went silent as the woman went back to work. He could see that she was less enthusiastic about fixing him than she was at the beginning, even as the radio plays another Jem song.
When I take the floor
As I've often done before
I feel a change come over me (over me)
I get such a thrill
It feels like…
"I didn't know ya had a family." Rumble started a new conversation.
"I still do." Lisbeth replied bluntly. "They're just on vacation right now. I wanted to come but I have to wait for a shipment." She furrowed her brow.
"Er… what kinda shipment?" Rumble tilted his head.
"It's for little Judy." She covered her smile.
When it's only me and the music
I leave the world behind (only me and the music)
When it's only me and the music
I am free
"She's turning 3 this year, and I feel so bad for not coming because I had a lot of work to do." Lisbeth whined, jutting her lower lip. "'My little girl's collecting shells and ugh! I wanna see her waddle around on the beach like a little penguin!"
"You are one strange fleshy, ya know that?" Rumble scoffed.
"Why, thank you." Lisbeth pridefully grinned. "Anything strange to you is unique to us. Anyways, just finished up on your arm. Can you transform it?"
Rumble focused on his limb and transformed it back into his arm without any problem.
"Say… that's really impressive." A smile crept on his face. "Ya even got the transformin' stuff down. How'd ya learn to do that?"
"You got the Autobots to thank for my talents." Lisbeth gloated. "I used to be a car mechanic before the Cybertronians came to Earth. One time I fixed an Autobot in alt mode and I had no idea until he transformed in front of me!" she let out a light-hearted laugh. "He even tried to ask me out on a date and I said I was married!"
"Okay, that part's funny!" Rumble laughed along.
"He still told the Autobots of what I did..." she wiped a tear from her eye as her laughing calmed. "...and now more and more human mechanics are interested in helping Autobots."
"Guess I could thank the Autobots for one thing, at least." Rumble turned his head away in disdain.
"I'll be giving my thanks to the Autobots once this entire war's over." Lisbeth rolled her eyes and started on his other arm. "And I hope to finish patching you up before my family gets home. If Jules ever found out I helped heal a Decepticon, he'll be panicking for days. As for li'l Judy... well, I have to make sure she doesn't see you or else..."
"Or else what?" Rumble smirked. "What can a toddler ever do to me?"
"... hug you." Lisbeth snickered. "And I doubt you'd ever let that happen."
"Not a chance." Rumble sneered. "Hugs are for sissies."
After 24 hours, the cassetticon's arm was finally fully functional and he was whole again.
"Alright!" Rumble jumped in celebration. "Now I can go back without a single scratch! I owe ya one, Fleshy!"
"I told you. It's not 'fleshy'." Lisbeth groaned. "Anyways, best get a move on. The shipment should be coming in anytime soon."
"Why are ya in such a hurry to get ridda me?" Rumble taunted. "It's just some junk for your kid's birthday party!"
"Yeah, about that..." Lisbeth shifted her eyes and bit her lip as a yellow car drove up near Lisbeth's house and the sound of transforming was heard in the distance.
"Heya, Lisbeth!" A cheerful male voice spoke, Rumble jolting upon recognizing who it was.
"Ah, frag! It's that Autobot Bumblebee!" Rumble gasped.
"He's coming this way!" Lisbeth saw the cute yellow Autobot looking around the front of the house. "Quick, hide!"
In a panic, Rumble transformed into a cassette and dropped into Lisbeth's hands, placing it into her pocket before Bumblebee finally arrived.
"Ah, there you are!" Bumblebee cheerfully ran up to the woman. "Where's the birthday girl?"
"She's on her way from the beach, Bee!" Lisbeth giggled. "I'll let you know when she..."
Another car was heard driving up and Lisbeth gasped at the sight of her husband and child just coming home.
"Quick, get inside!" she pointed into the barn and Bumblebee rushed inside, the woman closing the barn doors over the adorable Autobot. "And don't come out until I give the say so."
"What's the say so?"
"Um..." Lisbeth scowled in thought. "Here comes the wobot."
"Gotcha." Bumblebee whispered back and Lisbeth headed inside the house.
"We're home, Lizzie!" Jules cheered, holding his little girl in his arm.
"Hey, you're early!" Lisbeth chuckled and pulled her family into a hug. "How was the beach?"
"Well, I made sure to put sunscreen on me and Judy here." Jules laughed nervously. "Except I forgot to put some on my nose..."
"Hah! You look like a clown!" she poked his nose, causing him to wince.
"Ow! It's still sensitive!" he pouted, covering his burn with a hand.
"And how's little Judith doing?" Lisbeth gave a big goofy smile at her happy child.
"A bit of a tan and pickin' up a little chub from the ice cream." Jules poked the giggling toddler's belly.
"Wow, it's even done the same to you, too." Lisbeth poked Jules' belly. "Oh, wait. It's always been like this."
"Hahahahaha." he gave a sarcastic laugh and set his baby girl down, who tried to waddle away before two hands picked her up and she was circled in the air by her mother.
"Oh, no ya don't!" Lisbeth spoke in a squeakier voice to the laughing toddler. "My little baby's not escaping that easily!" The woman blew raspberries against Judith's soft cheek before setting her down. "Now, you wait here while I go get daddy's sunscreen." While Lisbeth and Jules headed to the backdoor, a small cassette flew out of Lisbeth's pocket and landed onto the table. Judith got on her tiptoes and got a closer look at this mysterious little square.
"Hehehe, almost free!" Rumble cheered. "Eh… wait a sec. Why can't I…?"
Baby Judith grabbed the cassette and observed it, uncertain of what exactly it is.
"Uh, oh." Rumble realised another human had caught him. "I can't transform like 'dis. The other fleshy might see and call dat Autobot for help!"
After a short while of staring at the cassette, the curious Judith started hitting it against the wooden chair.
"Ay! Hey! Hey! Cut it out!" The cassette cried out in anger before it hopped out of the toddler's hand and flew right into the front door's mail slot. Judith ran up to the door, doe eyed and surprised by what she had witnessed. She knocked on the door, but got no response.
"Heya, lil Judy." Lisbeth came into the room. "Whatcha doin' there?" The toddler turned to her mommy and pointed to the door.
"Purpo square flew out window!" Judith replied. "Where go now?"
Lisbeth stood with green eyes wide as dishes before letting out a nervous laugh.
"I'll go check." She looked behind herself before opening the front door, where she and Judith witnessed a human sized purple robot trying to sneak off.
"Uh…" Rumble froze, greeted by an unimpressed Lisbeth and a joyful little Judith. "Eheh… happy birthday?"
"Wobot!" Judith raised her little arms and trotted over to the cassetticon, only to be stopped by her mother clinging onto her shirt collar. The toddler didn't stop her excited trotting, though. "Give wobot hug!"
"Ah, no ya don't!" Rumble took a step back. "I ain't the huggin' type, kiddo! Trust me on that!"
"Leaving already?" Lisbeth gave a knowing smirk.
"Aww, looks like the purpo wobot has to go home. His fwiends might be waiting for him, Judy." Judith still tried to reach her arms towards the reluctant Decepticon.
"She's persistent, I'll give her dat." Rumble grumbled, shielding himself with an arm. "I just hope I don't have to get fixed up by another fleshy ever again!"
"I'll miss you, too." Lisbeth gave a cocky grin and waved goodbye at the annoyed cassetticon, watching him run off into the woods.
"Will purpo wobot come back, mama?" The worried Judith asked her mother.
"Who knows?" Lisbeth frowned in disappointment before smiling down at her daughter and taking her little hand. "But I do know that this will be the happiest day of your life!"
Rumble grinned slyly as he escaped into the forests, but then he stopped in his tracks when he heard that familiar Autobot's voice from the distance.
"Oh, no! It's a Decepticon attack!"
Rumble let out an alerted gasp and circled around to see that yellow Autobot from afar, but he hadn't noticed the cassetticon.
"What in the…?" Rumble stood straight and leaned closer to see Bumblebee holding the toddler in his hand, the two of them laughing as Lisbeth pointed her screwdriver at the two.
"Fear me, Autobot!" Lisbeth spoke in a comically nasal voice. "My blaster shall make short work of you and your little vermin!"
"Not if I've got somethin' to say about it!"
A rogue voice surprised both Judith and Lisbeth as loud music started playing, and from that source came a white, grey and black Autobot sporting blue shades and a friendly smile.
"Uhh, agh! Noooo!" Lisbeth returned character and dropped her screwdriver to cover her ears. "I have been thwarted by those miserable Autobots once again!"
"We're saved! Way to go, Jazz!" Bumblebee cheered and Judith clapped excitedly.
"Aw, well it ain't every day I come to save a birthday girl." Jazz leaned down and smiled at the baby Judith.
Lisbeth rushed over to her happy husband.
"Oh my gosh, it's Jazz!" The woman whispered as she covered her excited smile.
"You think you're the only one who had a surprise?" Jules smirked with a wink.
"How'd you even get him?" Lisbeth stared with wide eyes.
"Well, I was out walking when I saw Jazz building this bar and…"
While Jules conversed with his wife, Bumblebee gave Judith a hug while Jazz whipped out a small, colorful present. "Got ya a little somethin'." Jazz chuckled and handed the present to Judith, the little girl opening it up to find a series of cassettes, each varying in colors of blue, red, pink and purple.
"She held up the purple cassette in excitement, and the two Autobots beamed from the child's contagious joy. Jules let out a jolly laugh while Lisbeth gave a proud smile, though her eyes wandered elsewhere. Judith held up the cassette to Jazz.
"Want me to play you a track?" Jazz asked, and Judith nodded rapidly. The funky Autobot took the tape and transformed into his alt mode, large speakers emerging from the sides as Jazz played the first track.
When I take the floor
As I've often done before
Lisbeth's eyes brightened from the familiar track.
"I didn't know you were a Jem fan." The woman said to the black and white car.
"Can't deny their flashy tones." Jazz cheerfully replied. "I've heard their music everywhere I go, and I never get tired of it."
Rumble continued watching from afar, taking in the music as he witnessed the birthday party.
"I'm outta here." Rumble bluntly remarked and turned to leave, only to stop in his tracks and glanced over his shoulder. He saw Lisbeth dancing with Jules, the two circling in each other's arms to the melancholic tunes.
When it's only me and the music
I leave the world behind (only me and the music)
When it's only me and the music
I am free
I am poetry in motion
When it's only me and the music
The Decepticon turned his head back in thought, then ventured forth into the forests and never looked back. After a long while trudging through the trees, he finally found a path free of trees and nothing but rocky plains. Then he heard a familiar growl, raising his sights to see his fellow cassetticon Ravage jump down from a hill.
Ravage approached the purple Decepticon with caution, and Rumble just let out a sigh.
"It's me, Ravage." Rumble flatly remarked. "Who were ya expectin'? Blitzwing?"
Ravage let out the usual growl, and Rumble smiled in return.
"I missed ya too, ya overgrown pair o' fangs." Rumble chuckled, and the two silently headed on back to base.
"I wuv you, wobot." Judith hugged the happy Jazz.
"I love ya too, birthday girl." Jazz patted her tiny head before handing her over to her proud mother. "You're a good mother, Mrs Rivera."
"We know it's not really easy being a parent." Bumblebee sympathised. "Optimus has to deal with the lot of us on a daily basis."
"Thanks." Lisbeth gave a sad smile. "That means a lot from you."
"Does it also mean a lot coming from me?" Jules gave a jolly smile.
"It would mean even more if you gave me some cheesecake in return." Lisbeth smirked.
"You know I don't share." Jules pouted.
"I thought I was the exception." Lisbeth dropped her jaw and let out a surprised laugh.
"When it's a special occasion." Jules turned his head and grinned goofily.
The Autobots and the Rivera family all laughed together as the golden sunset bathed in the ruby red sky and shined upon the family house. Memories like this can only last a lifetime, but life itself cannot.