Chapter 9-The New Year Brings Change
He returned to that wood close to the end of the year, almost a New Year upon Humans. Optimus had been waiting for a time perfect time to come back to this place, but had little of it. Only during this seemingly quiet respite was it proper.
It had been a long time since he came here, now the fridge air whisk around his metallic frame making shuddering involuntary.
But soon he came to where this place had peak his interest in the first place, the clearing where he encountered Megatron on that Fall day.
Looking around at the somewhat still clearing all seemed untouched and calm, the snow blanket the ground covering up the blue flowers that were once visible, the trees lay barren and only faint sounds of wildlife could be heard mist his peds crunching the snow beneath him.
The sun was shining down but gave little to no warmth to the landscape and clouds lazily past by unaware of the wood below.
There was nothing here.
Until he heard a faint sound, distinct from the animals.
Music, far off into the wood beyond his gaze but not his audios. With a more kick in his step he made his way to the source through the trees and snow till he came upon another clearing.
This one had a simple home in the middle with a barn off the side, he could hear faint noises of animals in said barn but what truly caught his attention was the source of the music.
A human women stood in the clearing a little ways from the home, she held in her hand a strange device that she rested on her shoulder and chin with stings on it and holding a stick with what seemed a bunch of strings on it.
She moved the stick over the device, back and forth rubbing the two sets of strings together to create sound, music, as Humans called it.
The women who played this tune was clad in a red cloak with fur on the edges wearing a black dress with boots and gloves, strands of red hair came out of the hood she wore and her eyes were closed, focused on the music.
He believed he remember what that device was called, a Violin.
The Violin seemed to speak a thousand words and he could see that those were her own. The sound seemed sorrowful yet calm and patient, she moved with the sound and as it ended, Optimus froze, as emerald green eyes stared right at him.
She held the instrument to her side, her face neutral as she stared at him.
"You...are Optimus Prime, correct?" She asked, her voice polite and curious to the ear.
A compulsion washed over him as he said, "Yes."
She narrowed her eyes, "Why are you here?"
"To find what Megatron was hiding." He blurted out, he didn't mean to say that.
"Come closer, Prime." He obeyed the command, kneeling down before her, then the compulsion faded.
"I will only say this once, if you try to take me or alert anyone of my existence I will not hesitate to use my power over you. Understood?" She said with narrowing eyes.
"W-What was that?" She rolled her eyes.
"My power, now do you understand?" He nodded his head, the tension then melted from her lithe form and a kinder smile came across her freckled face.
"Good, now, my name is Eleanor Bella." She bowed slightly.
Questions raced through his mind, he started with the obvious.
"How did you know my name?" She laughed slightly.
"I have heard many a tale from my Love about you, he seemed jealous of you if I'm honest." That confused him more, more questioned bubbled at the surface of his mind.
"Your love?" She stared back at him with smirk.
"Megatron, that is his name." Optimus froze once more, "He's very protective of me, so I suggest not pissing him off."
"And, he feels the same with you?" She nodded, before beginning to walk to the barn dropping of her Violin on the porch.
"But, he is currently away," She sighed, a sadness hung over her, "The Decepticons were becoming suspicious of him, so he had to secure his position back on the Nemesis, he won't return till March."
"Seems...lonely." He commented on her sadness, she laughed dryly.
"I hate being alone, always have. Which is why I wanted to speak with you, yes I threatened you but, I wanted you to stay so that I could speak with at least someone."
Her methods seemed quite off putting but he saw where she lived, in the middle of nowhere and he knew humans were social creatures.
"Then, perhaps, we can start over and become friends." She looked up at him with a gentle smile.
"Alright then, but don't take me for a damsel in distress. I am more than capable of handling myself." He smiled and nodded as the both headed into the warmer interior of the barn.
And thus, was the beginning of a friendship to last a lifetime.