A/N *Whistle blows*Alright summers over, back to work.
Ellen sat in a diner with Optimus in his holoform, using napkins, salt and pepper shakers as puppets.
She had a constant smile on her face, was speaking faster and louder than usual in an effort to get out the past six years in one sitting. Her arms waved frantically around her,
Optimus sat and listened patiently. Smiling whenever she smiled in a particular moment of her stories, following her contagious movement, and nodding at certain parts of her sentences.
"So then the chains ended up wrapping round him eventually halting his movement all together. He started yelling and screaming, eventually he tired himself out."
"How very resourceful, I do not however agree with the risk you took by placing yourself in a confined space. It lowered your survival rate."
"I'm aware of that." She said patiently but with a fake smile. "That was the first encounter for a long time, not much to say after that." She looked him over, she had done this several times since they arrived, still thinking how insane this was and if she had lost her mind.
"What of before? Those two years with Ratchet?" Optimus continued, noticing her switch between expressions.
"Well, Ratchet spent his time studying human medicine; he's a walking pharmacist for any human now. He can perform surgery on one too; I was one of those 'dummies' that he would practice on, since everyone else had the sense to flee. I'll save you the gruesome details but I finally got my tonsils taken out!" She stirred her milkshake slowly, staring into the froth. "We traveled, we binged watched documentaries, tried allot of new things." She tapped the glass with her spoon, "He's been good to me those couple of years, very good. He's such a softy now it's so weird." She laughed, then sighed. "I hope we find him."
Optimus gripped the top of her hand, "We will. I swear on the Allspark."
She chuckled, "So dramatic." In saying that however, she put her other hand on his, direly. "S-So, anyway. That's my job."
He smiled, but frowned. "How insightful. Although I feel as though your career is more of a reflection of obsession?"
"Really? I thought it was pretty good for me to push myself towards a goal instead of loathing in self pity? No? Unless this was a form of self harm coming out as a falsehoods? Oh gods don't let me start over thinking again."
"Do not take in everything I say as the absolute truth, it is merely an opinion." He looked at her food, "You have barely consumed any familiarly shaped chicken flesh."
"You sound like Brook whenever she sees me eating animals." She chuckled looking out the window. "I'm not going to admit to her that she's right, how disturbing it sounds as a normalised statement. I'd never hear the end of it heh."
Optimus followed her gaze and her anxious tapping on the table. "You are worried about your friend?"
She grinned awkwardly, "No, I-I mean yes, not so much Brook sometimes. She goes off for hours then comes back, and whatever state she's in is a roll of the dice." She rubbed her temple, "Then the complaints come rolling in shortly after."
"Hmm. You are saying, her behaviour seems to produce unpredictable results? Sometimes with consequences?" He noted. "She has no plan, no purpose. Boredom perhaps? Or something more sinister?" his expression darkened.
Ellen slowly started to snigger, "She's not Galactus, Dad! She's just a...a (bit of a dick!) troubled individual. Having no plan is not particularly a bad thing. She just doesn't specify much...um she's a bit vague!- uh but she's also loud an- she hunted a couple of orangutan poachers...who were never foun- she threw a bucket of pepper spray at a crooked co-um- she burnt down a slaughterhouse or two-This isn't a good argument is it!?" she dabbed the sweat off her forehead.
He put out flat palms in front of him, moving them up and down; 'calm down'. "Ellen. I was being humorous." He reassured, "You are not on trial for who you converse with. But, no your argument falls flat."
"O-Oh. R-Right, I knew that, maybe. "
Suddenly a look of realisation appeared on his face, "She was the girl that was throwing projectiles at you."
"How can you remember seconds like that? From just one encounter?"
"I do not recall any other situation similar to it since, she smashed one of my taillights. I also simply ran a scan through any previous encounters since you mentioned her, she was a match." He looked outside, "I remember the conditions of that place and the people living there. I believe I understand more about her."
"Just from that?"
"Yes. Only slightly. After all one should not be judged by environmental conditioning alone."
"Good because I didn't want to explain an entire origin story here." She looked at him, "speaking of which...you want me to-?"
His optics brightened, "Yes, please continue, I believe you were in South America? After this encounter did you have any time to explore the culture? The rainforests? I was always intrigued to learn of the human ancestry there."
"Um, no. I had to go back, write up a report, standard procedure you understand." She fake smiled again, the corner of her lip twitching.
"But you were unable to-"
"I know!" she whined in agreement, dropping her forehead onto the table, "Seeing the milky way from Lake Titicaca! The Amazon River! The world's most dangerous road in Bolivia! Aw! Machu Picchu! Can you imagine the history to discover behind that urban creation? It holds mystery; it's a symbol of the Incan empire. And I missed it! Why? Because I was working." She finished in an obnoxious voice.
"You were disappointed; you will have another opportunity however."
She chuckled awkwardly, "Dad, Earth still runs on cash, on my pay check. It would take me seven years to save up." She flopped her head down. "I'm glad you can see my perspective though, none of my colleagues have an interest in that kind of thing and you know what my friends are like, their either polite about it and listen or call me a huge nerd."
"Yes, it is sometimes difficult to find someone who shares in ones, particular interests."
"You do." Ellen added.
He nodded, "Yes. I have taught you to have a certain respect and admiration for all cultures."
"Heh." She leaned closer, resting her elbows, with her chin in her hands, "Maybe then, you were trying to convince someone to share one of your interests?"
He raised an eyebrow knowingly, "Most likely." He put a hand under his chin, "If you lack the efficient funding, then we shall drive there." He stated seriously.
"Drive there? What a road trip that would be, as in there would be no road heh. Some places are unreachable by vehicles." She humoured.
He sat back in his chair with folded arms, "Then I shall take you the rest of the way on foot."
She laughed, "How stubborn. Well, I hope you don't freak out a load of Llamas."
"I'm serious." He argued bluntly.
"I know. It's sweet how far you'll go to normalise my expected human life." She smiled with a slight blush to her cheeks.
"Of course." He nodded.
Her smile simmered, "You don't have to try so hard."
"Is it that transparent?" he asked.
"You're good at hiding most things, but not regrets." She said lightly. She leant back tapping her fingers on the table. "Do you think, you'll be going back to Cybertron?" She then inquired.
His expression faded. "It is likely, however until suitable transport is provided, I shall remain here." He reassured.
She rubbed the back of her neck, "I'm not sure what Cybertrons policy is on humans." She pondered shyly, "I want to see Cybertron. I-I mean I want to see it, the way it was before-not before now-I mean before the-urgh!"
He shook his head amused to her behaviour, "I understand what you were trying to vocalize." He nodded, "And you will, of course. This is how I would have wanted you to see my home. Earth is our ally and part of our history. We should consider both to be two halves of the other."
"Ever the poet, heh." She started grinning, "Do you think the structure is the same as before?"
"I am uncertain; I do hope the park is in the same place. I assume that was your first implication?" He said recollecting a moment of nostalgia.
She laughed.
"What?"
"Its just weird, planning a trip, talking about parks. It's just so...average, you know? No Decepticons, no curfews, no unnecessary fear. I'm half expecting this to be some kind of simulation, besides this 'guy' in front of me." She put her hand on his holoform hand, "Dare I say, I'm very content right now."
"I am glad." He smiled, "despite everything, you have done well for yourself."
She scrunched her face up, "I doubt that, I'm still not exactl-"
"Your self-criticism is irrelevant." He cut her off defensively, "Any further criticism is an insult to your growth, you will not do this anymore, is that understood?" He sternly finished.
She stiffened and straightened up, "ve-very per-persuasively." She rubbed her face, "I just, want it last." She begged to no one in particular. She then picked up a napkin and started dapping sweat off her forehead. "I forgot how scary you can be." She shuddered, noting to take a quick pit stop before leaving.
"It saddens me that you still have little perspective of yourself." He then reached a hand towards her face as she shut her eyes briefly having no prediction of what he was doing. It was anti climatic as he simply poked her on the bridge of her nose.
She turned a dark shade of red, then covered her nose with two hands, letting out muffled loud sounds. "Ellen? Have I harmed you? Let me see." He reached out again, she turned her head sharply.
"I'm fine, I'm fine! D-Did you just 'boop' my snoot?!"
"...Yes? Have I offe-"
"N-No-No. It's okay. Just surprised me is all." She folded her arms.
He tilted his head, "I shall take note to not perform that again. I happened upon this human broadcasting system, I saw a particular scene, a moment of human socialisation, I thought to try it mys-"
"N-No." She mumbled, "Its fine, wait you're talking about a show or movie? What was it calle-N-Nevermind, you can be spontaneous sometimes if you want, that's your choice, a-and it's not that I have abandonment issues or anything! B-But I would keep the 'snoot-booping', its okay...in small doses."
Optimus looked as though he had been looking up something, as text was seen in the iris of his holoform. "Ah, I understand, you are blushing because of the attention." He announced loudly.
"Oh hey! looks what I brought!" She threw her back pack onto the table.
"Very subtle." Optimus commented.
"La-La-La, changing the subject!" She sung, pulling out a board game. "I thought I was going to get bored, ha! Puns! I thought maybe one of them might play but I got too nervous to ask didn't want to-You remember how to play?"
Optimus thought, "Bored...board game. Ah." He realised.
"Oh you're on the ball today." She praised, "A little too on the ball."
"My mind was preoccupied before, you have to prioritise certain thoughts." He watched her set up. "Do you recall how I am still undefeated?"
"Ooh so humble, I'm taking that crown. I see it slipping off that ego sized head of yours- I mean the head out there, disguised as a truck..." She slowly started moving forward with a pawn piece. "Boom! Awkward sneak attack, here we go."
Then he moved a piece.
Then her.
A quiet game, which can take hours to finish sometimes, however Ellen's moves started to slow down, ten minutes had past before she finally moved and before something was said.
"Hmmm. That was too obvious a mistake." He said.
"I'm just a little rusty. I've not had a chess buddy for ages." She argued frustratingly.
"You placed your knight in direct alignment of my pawn." He added. "Ellen, what is it? You're not telling me everything."
"Why didn't you try to contact me sooner?" she came out with, lacking hesitation.
He nodded knowingly, "The Primes wouldn't allow it. Believe me; I tried to reason with them."
She slapped a hand on the table, "Why the-! Why wouldn't they? What right do they have? The more I hear about them, the more I think what a bunch of assholes they really are. I guess we're no different in that aspect huh?" she frustrated, her leg started shaking, "Using you like, how your pawn took my knight-wait that metaphor only works if it's the over way around..."
"I believe they thought it best, so it not distracts me."
Her eyes flared, "You're guessing this or did they tell you? Seems to me you just followed them and were just some tool to save their own afts."
"Ellen."
She shot a glare that rivaled his own, "Do not speak to me like a child. They only wanted to save their own, nothing else mattered. Only the greater good seems to matter to these, has beans and they're the worst kind of people, everyone is expendable except for them." She inhaled deep. "I don't mean to snap at you, I'm just angry, at them." She sat down. "I'm a pawn, you're a pawn. Do our choices not matter? We're just tools to toyed around with, yet again?"
"Of course we have a choice, please mind your language."
She rubbed her forehead. "Mm." She mumbled, half listening.
"You are right to an explanation, I was not so favorable with the situation myself."
"Really." She said unconvinced.
"Do not; look at me in such a manner. It's true."
"Why didn't you tell them to do it? Why couldn't they just let you return to our realm? Return to m-me-"she put a sleeve to her mouth, to stop it quivering. "Ratchet, he was always close by. In the same room, he'd message me frequently. Made sure I was studying, what I was eating, he performed numerous scans with the slightest bruising, a gust of wind, a paper cut. I think, like me, he didn't want to lose anyone else."
Optimus lowered his head, bearing a look of sympathy, "Among us, my old friend has endured the most. Now, hear me. I was just as frustrated being in that realm of space, they offered no explanation, averted my questions, performed questionable training methods, without any context, without any knowledge of my autobots, my friends, my home, my family? I could only do what they asked of me until I was able to do something. Having no access to anything outside that realm. I felt...helpless. I truly had no control."
She suddenly slapped a palm onto the table in victory, "Thank you! Its messed up right? " She dipped her head, "If I was there, I could have been your card cues, been all like 'um no, you guys fudged up when there was that weird love triangle with Solas Prime, peace out sort your own shit out.' And then we rode off into the solar flares on the back of the universe turtle." She didn't realise she had stood up on her chair at that point.
"That sounds...cool?" Optimus unsurely said.
"Cool? You wash your mouth of that filth, mister." She sat down.
"Unfortunately I cannot change what was, but I always can listen. As I always have before."
She cracked her fingers, "Good because, disclaimer, my words are about to get graphic." She warned him as she shook her head. "**** those Primes! ******** mystique bull**** *** *****! Oh wow you're so great, so awesome! So powerful with godlike powers, just as useless and ***** as any other council, we'll just sit on our *****, nod, lecture the **** out of everyone but not do **** all about it! **** them and **** Micronus and his stupid name a five year old came up with! Buy him now for $49.99! Expectations not included!" she panted trying to breathe. "...*puff*...*puff*..."
"Are you-"
"No...Not yet...I have more."
Optimus patiently sat listening.
Time passes...
"Then my other work colleague, let's call her Karen because we all know a fudging Karen, she was all 'Oh the trainings easy I could do it no problem, If I had to I could go out on the field, I would perform flawlessly.', so I was like oh nice way to insult us, training takes a long time by the way, so I was all, fine then you do it you patronising ass! W-Well I didn't say it like that, more like calling her out on it without it sounding funny, So somehow because I challenged her, I got a letter of warning for 'threatening behaviour?' The trainings easy?! Who does she think she is? She's been here two months talks to you like-"
One hour passes,
"I get all excited and then I find myself talking to, kids are the only way to describe it, these kids that came after the war. I mean it's no fault of theirs and there is definitely better communication but, you can't really relate with the things they say, maybe because it's a different point of view or is it a sign of aging? Am I getting old?! Bee was no help either to start with; he was like the Dad that doesn't know how to break up a fight, so he had to get the oldest kid to do it? He doubted everything he did; he's such a stick in the mud like he was trying to be you or something, no offense. And I'm all like, er hello Bees personality? Are you home? Don't get me started on the 'finding the catchphrase' thing, granted it was funny. Yeah I know he felt allot of pressure and burden-"
Another hour passes,
"Then she shows up, like I'm not stressed enough she thinks this will help? Or was this all really so she can see you guys? Oh and hundreds of chickens by the way, granted liberated chickens now, but on top of that her personality and presence makes the others uncomfortable, Bee is super suspicious because he's been tricked so many times before that and did I mention the Bear? Well-"
One last half of an hour passed,
Optimus has his eyes closed murmuring to himself, "Hmm, I believe I understand."
Ellen looked as though she had just ran a marathon, her cloths unkempt, she had six empty milkshake glasses and put an ice cube on her forehead. "Am I acting a little flustered?"
He slowly patted her on the head, she pulled an annoyed look to being made to feel like a pet hamster. "You have faced challenging situations, But not everyone is meant to combatable; it makes for more, 'interesting' experiences and conversation. It would be best that you let go of the idea of trying to control certain situations, unless it causes irritable damage or harm of course."
"I guess. I try to 'not care' but when I see things like boxes teetering on the edge and no one cares themselves? I'm all, ahhhh!"
"Well, Ellen, that is just normal."
"Oh."
"In some cases it can be positive, as it is a way of predicting what could happen in the future. You should attempt to re-teach yourself."
"Re-teach?"
"Yes, for example, from mistakes you have learned how to prevent certain occurrences, then passing that onto others correct?"
"I guess I tried to do that with Jack, Raf and Miko...especially Miko, because of the stupid stuff I did. But sometimes things simply can't be explained to people, because human curiosity will urge someone to see for themselves."
"But you worry despite knowing how to prevent the outcome."
"O-h, so I re-teach myself to stop being excessively concerned?"
He nodded, "After the war, in the realm of the Primes I was always ready as though a Decepticon attack was imminent, I had to teach myself that this was a new age for Cybertron. Relearn things before I was made a Prime, to remain vigilant but not to the point it damages my status with those familiar to me."
Ellen snapped her fingers, "The snoot-booping! You're trying to socialize better, right?"
He smiled, "I have been given another chance at life." He looked outside to his true form. "I am no longer the leader of the Autobots or a leader of Cybertron. I have responsibilities, but not to the point where I cannot engage in other interests. For now at least."
Ellen lent back in her chair, "To have your own life. You forget, that despite everything you're like everyone else, you have free will, other pursuits. If you can adapt..." she pondered, "I'll try as well. I'm young enough at least."
He smiled. "Shall we start over?" he gestured to the chessboard.
"You don't mind?" she grinned. "You have an advantage."
"I will have plenty of opportunity for a tactical victory."
"Ooh, savage comeback." She snickered. "I could do this all day."
"As can I. If we both agree, we shall do exactly that."
"Live in the now. We have the time now." She smiled. "I er, d-didn't mean for that to rhyme, w-with the same word."
A little while later, the diner was closing so they had no choice but to leave, Ellen stretched her arms and legs from sitting in a chair for hours.
"That was a very engaging challenge, however I believe the overall score was 3-2 on my part." Optimus was quick to point out.
"You were looking pretty worried when I got ahead of you in the third game."
"Or perhaps that was enough to let your guard down."
"Admit it. I know better." She smugly defended.
"Hmm. In any case, 3-2. My 'crown' remains firmly intact."
She chuckled. "Alright keep your party hat, your 'majesty'." she bowed.
"I am impressed with how much you have improved since we last played, despite the lack of an opponent. Particularly those last few moves. Very tactical."
She blushed slightly. "Why is it, no matter how old I get, I still get all flushed when you compliment me?"
"It's very encouraging."
"Is it?"
"Yes. It is a sign of humbleness."
"Aw t-thats so nic-a-ah stop! I'm flushing up a storm! I feel like hellboy!" she turned her back to him. "Oh gosh is it really that time? Have we been playing for eight hours? No wonder the waitress was glaring! Oh great! More blushing! We better head back." She turned to see his holoform gone as she heard his voice come from his original form. "Or I'll just talk to myself."
"I will see you back at base."
"W-Whoa, slow down. You're going somewhere?" She cocked an eyebrow confused.
"I wish to familiarize myself with Earth again, I thought it best I start here."
"I can come with."
"I am not going to vanish."
"I guess not...unless you went behind the moon, then reappear moments later."
"An eclipse?" He sighed knowingly at her 'fat jokes'.
She grinned widely, "I don't have any original material yet, give me a few days." She patted his hood. "See you back there yeah? Stay safe?"
"I will be wary." He looked at how dark it had become, "Ah unless- the visibility is quite low."
"That's why I have my bike, so I can outrun it heh." She hopped onto said bike. "Remember the speed limit."
"Remember your helmet."
She scoffed, pulling it out of storage, "I was gunna' anyway jeez." She started the engine up as she sped off.
Optimus chuckled to himself as he checked for points of interest on the map, in the section of tourism. "Hmm. Now, which of these places is the least desired by the public?"
Every place had there not so bright areas, the secluded places. In particular a bar that looked more like a warehouse on the outside, hid behind the highway, next to a parking lot. No nearby buildings or homes. The music blared and no one would be disturbed for miles. Or any other form of 'disturbances'.
Brook, in her city adventures, sat at the bar. She had been there for a while as various kinds of drinks surrounded her. "Anything?" the bar man opposite her said. One of few types of people not to move her along were usually the bartenders, due to the fact that they see their fair share of oddities more than anyone.
"Nope. Told-ya." Brook said, without a trace of slurred speech or unsteady balance.
"That was 67%." The barman, his name badge reads Mr Nopè. "And you can't remember the brand name?" .
"Last time I was swimming, it was something Russian combined with this really dodgy moonshine; I was blind for a week."
"Blind?"
She scratched her chin, "I think I was blind, I slept for a week, was such a good sleep, folk thought I'd died pfft. That's why I assumed I lost my sight for that long, because I passed out. You know what, it makes for a good story I'll run with the blind thing, might add a few mountain lions in for dramatic flair."
"Just to get some sleep huh? You ex army or something"
"Worse. Civilian." She grinned a toothy smile.
"Preach." He tapped the bar. "Hold on, let me find something out back."
"You're persistent, I like that. But don't worry so much, I'll just whack my head on a cement brick again, that's usually good for forgetting stuff, because it's permanent." She said looking around, the smell of moisture, the tacky decor that was forever stuck in the 70's. Then, a rowdy group of men and woman gathered two stools down from her, a mixture of boasts and quiet spoken threats. Brook looked with the corner of her eyes, she could feel the tension and uneasiness that projected from them, she rubbed her hands fidgeting.
"That's what I thought." One said, followed by numerous other voices.
"Shame that."
"It's still early."
"My kidneys are floating."
"Mine aint, if we got some god damn service already!"
A hard thud from a fist belonging to one of them, hit the countertop, making very full glasses spill or froth over.
Brook looked at the men and woman, a very impatient, intoxicated bunch. Brook sneered at the mans bad manners as the barman came back to again finish serving her. "Sorry about the wait, It comes with a security code. Try this."
She picked it up, briskly spinning it around, "Dragons bile...what a kickass name." She turned the bottle looking up the daily intake. "Shut up, this isn't 100%? What is it anti freeze? Bleach?"
"It's real. It's also legal so long as we don't advertise it; you have to ask for it." He then pulled out a form, "speaking of legal issues, liability covers, you understand." He clicked a pen.
"Christ you can't breathe air without being potentially sued." She thought,"N-eh, I guess I can let this slide, seeing how you're a local business." She looked it over, "I signed one of these once for having a chilli. Shit man. If this won't do it. Oh um, by the way be free to call emergency services If I start causing trouble or trouble starts and I try to finish yeah?"
"You're not the first to say that." he replied casually leaning over the bar.
She looked extremely disappointed. "Really? Well shit I wanted to make an impression, fuck, I'm actually really upset now." She scoffed awkwardly. "You technically called me a drunken wannabe."
"Sorry. If it's any concept, I was nearly reaching for my gun when you stepped through that door."
She waved his gesture off, "You're just saying that, flatterer. Besides, it's nice to know I'm not alone in this world pfft. But enough about me, wh-"
"Bar man! You fucking deaf! You know the drill."
Brook waved at them in an exaggerated manner, "Pardon me my man, he's serving me? Unless you're blind to fit his deafness?" She leant in closer to speak to Mr Nope, "Listen. Are these regulars?"
"Yeah. Twice a week at least. One barely leaves the 'herd', massive pricks. Usually interrupting me when serving another customer. Would have your ass on the curb just now for speaking up." He looked her over, "Before he realised that you look like you could eat his ass."
She shrugged.
"It's hard enough keeping this place afloat." He went over to them, "Sorry. I'm coming now."
The other 'customer' glared at her, she noticed he was sizing her up, when finished, Mr Nope went back to her, "Nothing a little stranger in a strange city drunk off her tits wouldn't solve, like a neutral party aye?" she said to him.
"You want trouble with them?" He frowned, "I will be calling the police, cant risk any more damage to my business."
"Of course, shopping local is important." She looked at her bottle, "Lets try some of this dragon shit then." He looked over at them. "Have your fingers at the dial, I'm getting intense stares and it's making me a little on edge."
"You got a problem college jock?" The man finally said.
She scoffed a laugh, "Oh wow, kind of a one sided compliment, I mean how rude is it to assume I'm educated pfft." Brook mentally rolled her eyes merely toasting her drink at the other man smiling with a big grin.
Mr Nope, slowly went for his phone.
She shot her head back, downing her drink. "No sir I don't have a problem, hmm well maybe your rudeness shifted me a bit. Why do you ask? You want to be one?"
Optimus was making his way around the city, any kind of disruption would call for investigation. Even if it was merely a cat knocking over some trash cans. He did this on purpose and as he neared the next destination, he was greeted by a smashed bottle against his grille. A group of humans, one standing out for obvious reasons. "Woo! Fifteen! This poisons, the tits! Alright till number three please! Someone for the love of shit knock me out! I'm desperate for sleep! I'm seeing demons, clowns and dead people yo!"
Someone charged at her, planning on tackling her, she lifted a leg and like an obstacle the man smacked his face on it, she kicked them back, in the chin, "I said knock me out! That means the face not the stomach and definitely not a tackle, I aint wasting this intoxication by throwing up!" In her excitement she swung her arm around indivertibly knocking a person out cold. "Oops sorry! My reflexes do that sometimes! Come on try aga-oh he's knocked out. For fucks sake! Ah well least I can focus on you now." She pointed at the agitator. "Of course you're the last one."
"Fuck off freak!" He yelled.
She stumbled back, pretending to have a heart attack. "Well you don't have to get nast-ee. You're the one who struck the barman, I was just going to heckle you but after that? I can't be dealing with rude customers, but when you strike a non hostile man? What? Did he give me more attention? Is that it? I'm here if you wanna talk about it." She reached into her pocket, "Here's a twenty. Get yourself a cab bucko-whoa...no?" He had suddenly ran at her, tackling her to the ground.
"Mind your own business asshole! If I wanna smack someone for not getting me a drink fast enough, I will!"
She was on her back, the man started throwing punches, she lay there idle, taking his aggression like a pillow fight. Then grabbed one of his arms, then the other trying to free it. "See that's an interesting statement, mind your business. Bit of a grey area, sometimes it can mean just let bad shit happen to that person, don't do shit." She and the man were now at a deadlock tug of war. "Now, next time you're out, don't forget to tip, mind your manners then fuck off back home yeah?" She pushed him back, stood up and brushed herself down, looking very offended in doing so. As the man stood staring, seething and gritting his teeth. Despite having the least injuries.
Brook looked around for some kind of purpose for him, "You still here? Most of your cheerleading squad is out cold, that one over there? Purely an accident, just leave."
Again in a drunken pattern, he ran at her, this time planted considerable force to her face.
She moved her jaw around to assess the damage, she looked "Nice, that was a good swing." She then planted a hit to his guts, hitting the air out of him as he wheezed, falling to his knees, gasping for breath. She gave him a friendly slap to his back. "You'll be like that for at least twenty minutes, how's that for perspective?" she sleazily said as she knelt beside him, "I hate people like you, convincing others to get their hands dirty, when really it should be you."
She touched her nose with a finger, then stood on one leg, then tutted. "Now I'm more sober than ever, you ruined that nice barman's nose and my night." she raised a hand, "Yep, people like you, are the reason I can't sleep at night!"
"HONK!"
Brook winced, as did the man. Blaring headlights blinded her with the sound of deafening and prolonging horns.
"Ah! Christ!" She hissed with a hand shielding her eyes. The man scurried off, leaving whimpered squeaks behind him.
"HONK!"
Again came the persistent sound, the purpose of prolonging her distraction.
Brook squinted her eyes, looking through a crack between her fingers, "That's not a car horn, It can't be the local-" The headlights turned off as she the recognised colour scheme, immediately thinking this was no coincidence. "Oh fuck me. Not the police, but a red and blue truck, like the one Ellen would describe as her old man. Ellen! I've told you not to wo-" She spotted the empty seats of the cab, turned and walked off calmly. "Worry?"
Optimus slowly started to tail her, "what is happening right now? No Ellen, just him. Why? I have no affiliation with this truck, why is he following me? Is he a vigilante? Is this a hitman job?" she heard sirens, then saw the faint light emanating from them at her feet, "Good timing, for once." She upped her walking speed.
He easily caught up, driving beside her, "I advise you to come aboard."
"Last time someone said that to me...Um, well I just said no pfft." she said calmly. "In case you didn't understand, this is a very firm decline of your offer. By the way, hello stalker!"
He drifted to the left, so that he blocked her path, "What, do you think you were doing?"
"To contradict before, 'none of your business'. Aren't you supposed to be with El, and those other guys? You know a group I have no affiliation with? Get out of my way." She side stepped around him, "Or I could do that, it's not like you take up the entire road."
"You struck that human. Then planned to perform further damage." He called sternly.
She put her hands in her pockets, shrugging. "Right. And? You never seen that before or something?" she pinched her forehead, "Ah right, your basically a Buddhist priest, when it suits you anyway. I mean you can't have gone through a centuries old war and not have blood on your hands right? Pfft."
"Such luxuries of holding prisoners and reasoning on the battlefield with ones opponent was next to none." He calmly argued.
"'The luxury of not killing someone', fair enough I can see your point. But let me ask you this. did you see how he treated the barman? Or how he struck him on the nose because he didn't get a drink right at that moment? But don't consider that there are several sides to a story."
"Be that as it may, but the answer to violence should not be violence."
She tipped her hat, "In an ideal 'currently no war' world maybe, how long you think that dude was going to carry on acting like that until he ended up killing someone because no one did anything to stop him?" she dusted herself off. "Thanks for the fairy tale quotations shiny Jesus but it just doesn't work. By the way if we're talking about righteous bull rap. Why were you stalking me? If you could call it that."
He transformed abruptly, Brook stepped back slightly surprised and feeling a little threatened.
A passion burning in his optics, "There are other ways, when people are willing to find the courage to. I'm speaking of balance, sometimes force is needed, sometimes diplomacy is needed."
Brooks eyes were equally as passionate, "Courage is an easy thing to preach to those who live in crippling fear." She continued to walk on.
"I hear hesitation in your voice, you know that was wrong, even now."
She spun around, "Of course it was wrong, only psychopaths can justify some kind of satisfaction out of beating the shit out of someone. Is that what the issue is here? That I love inflicting this shit like some nut job? By the way, we seem to be having a very long winded conversation for two folk that haven't even introduced each other."
"You are Brook."
"Optimus Prime?"
He nodded slowly.
"Well alright then, don't stalk me ever again thank you and goodbye." She waved.
"Ellen has only told me so little about you. I do have a keen mind for piecing information together to make it whole however." He called to her, fishing for a reaction. "Through circumstance you believe this world is only cruel, but you know what is right. Living in your conditions made it difficult to have those morals."
Brook snorted, "Pfft, it's not exactly Sherlock shit is it? Are we done with whatever this is?" she started to walk off, but stopped, since he was fishing, she did it back. "Ellen told me about you too, and I also have a keen mind for this kind of thing, you never lost anything until much later in life, some naive librarian. Who couldn't even tell when he was being punk'd." She shrugged.
He took note of how abrupt and sharp her words could turn...not to mention personal. "Yet, here I am. I have grown but my values remain the same. We stopped Megatron and his influence."
She hesitated, "Good for you." She said walking away.
"Ellen was worried about you."
Brook, once again stopped, expressing her frustrating, "Why? Did you say something to panic her?"
He shook his head, "No."
She calmed down immensely, then shrugged, playing it off. "So? It's what she does. Worry, worry-worry-worry. She shakes when people glance in her direction, she sweats when her shoes untied."
"I know, that's why I came out here." She looked her over, certain parts of her face were showing many shades of colour, she had scratches on her neck and the slightest speckles of blood on her shirt and face. "Is this a typical habit of yours?"
"I like to speed things along, you ask for help and the local lawman tells you all the hundred things that need to be done before then, no one cares anymore. Its either you never hear about it, or it's just so common that everyone's used to it. And when someone calls it out, you're whiny or a deviant."
"I see. I'm sorry your society has failed you and many others. If it's of any comfort, our planet experienced similar injustices."
"Failed me?" she questioned.
"Clearly, you emphasize with victims of violence and poverty, because you have been in their place." She was silent for once, "You seem surprised, do you have no comeback for me?"
She bit her lip grinning, "Nosey, busybody."
"I shall take that as a negative." He lightly smiled.
"Oh wow, I just want to smack you." She said through gritted teeth.
His expression faded, "I am not talking down to you, I assure you. I too know, that no system is perfect, I'm sure Ellen has told you how Cybertron used to be a caste system. If something's wrong you point it out." He looked behind him to blaring sirens, "Not like this however."
She sighed chuckling awkwardly, "Are we doing this? Really? Get off my back, seriously. I'm guessing you mean well but, no one asked you to come out here, that was all you. You're preaching and that's what's not grabbing me, try talking to me like a person instead of some personal mission, maybe we can try this again, now I'm off to continue my city adventures." She stretched, "You should go back to Ellen, at least we can both agree, she worries. We both lead dangerous lives after all pfft."
Optimus looked confused. "For me the war is over."
"Whatever you say dude." She shrugged, "Life is a war."
He tilted his head intrigued in her wording, "Interesting metaphor."
She bore a small smile, "You like it? Just one of few tattoo ideas."
"It seems at times, you can be philosophical. Unless of course, it was accidental?" he said in a purposely provoking tone.
"Sorry, you were expecting a one trick, biting, swearing pony? Pfft." Brook turned up her nose to him, "See ya."
"Dangerous lives." He pondered watching her become engulfed in the unlit areas.
Pacing up and down with her arms around her back, Ellen waited. With a dimmed flashlight from her phone as she attempted not to trip too many times in the dark. "Maybe he got lost? No that's stupid. He didn't give me a time, he might be all night." She sighed saying softly to herself. "Re-teach myself. I'm going to head back to the hotel I'll see him in the morni-oh thats him!" she cried, running to the gate to confirm. She popped her up over the gate, "Your back, find anything of interest?" she asked opening the gate. "And do you realise the time young man?!"
"Yes." he simply said, transforming. "To the first question."
She raised a very slow eyebrow, "O-kay? Do you wanna elaborate?"
"I bring good news."
"Yeah?"
He knelt, all ceremony like and presented her a candy bar, "They still produce these in this part of the country."
"Oh wow." She awed. "Now that's nostalgic. I was so upset when our store stopped selling them." She looked at him suspiciously. "There's more isn't there? Is this a trap? What have I fallen into?"
"That was only a small part of the news yes, I also found your friend."
With a mouthful of chocolate, "Bl-rook? ShWait. On prurpose?" she stopped eating, "Is this distraction chocolate!?"
He shook his head. "She is well."
"She is? Then you went out to-how did she take it? In what sense was she well? What did she do?"
"Hm. She appeared to be slightly intoxicated, quick tempered, not very open minded to advice."
Ellen rolled her eyes, "People who don't know you usually are right?" she laughed, "Oh scrap, you were feeling pretty sure of yourself huh? That she would listen?"
"Are you suggesting I was acting arrogant?"
"Primus forbid." She joked.
"Indeed." He humoured.
"Brook isn't like my other friends you've met. Not a little bad tempered, or a little stubborn, a little excitable, a little loud. There's no little anything about her, if she's something, its constant. She doesn't listen well anyway, especially suggestions about her behaviour or approach; she becomes stubborn and refuses to budge even more, just to be petty or if she's in a good humour about it, she'll just screw around with you and act dumb about it."
"I got the impression."
"I think it's because she taught herself most things. She had no, boundaries."
He lightly smiled, "I can be rather persistent."
"I'm aware. Why you so chill about this? You'd make a big deal usually." Her head made hesitating movements, "Right?"
"She has, good qualities."
"That's it? No hard rooted evidence? No record? Oh she's fine? I mean I'm relieved but, your mister super cautious." She then thought, "Why are you trying to help me when it comes to a friend? You never were this persistent with say Eve, Sky or Jess for example. They weren't Brook but even still."
"Should there be a reason?"
"It's just you were always busy with other things."
"I assist where and when I can."
"R-Right. When you can. What sort of trouble was she causing this time?"
"Not causing per say, more, trying to put out a fire but instead, fed it something extremely flammable."
"Good grief, hey listen she-"
"I know. She intends good, just approaches it in a questionable manner. A manner I am strongly against, but I believe she merely needs to be shown a better path."
Ellen sighed, "I thought I was going to have to fight you here. Not that you had any authority over it anyway, but I'm glad you see what I see. The others, not so much...well maybe Grimlock, as he is accident prone, but that's it. I think that's why she doesn't stick around long, like being that person at a party and you don't know anyone." She thought. "If I could persuade her to stay for once."
"Perhaps I could assist in that field?"
"Dad, if Brook was on fire and you told her to drop and roll she would probably just let herself burn to death. She's that stubborn."
Optimus placed a finger under his chin while she explained, "To best an opponent you must first, think like your opponent." He concluded, after thought.
"What are you getting at?"
"She came to see you. She travelled for miles on foot, for the primary purpose of checking your wellbeing. Second to seeing us, in a pursuit for thrills."
"Right?"
"Leave this in my hands."
It was about two in the morning, Brook lent up against the outside walls of the scrap yard, thinking, going in and out of napping. Mostly staring off into space for hours. "Eleven days is the most a person can go without sleep, but those night terrors...just one night without them is all I ask. If those cowboys had just sat down and shut up, I would be passed out on the curb, holding an empty bottle by now." She thought agitated.
Her eyes darted suddenly to the left hearing the slightest of sound, "Am I intruding?" Optimus said barely emerging from the entrance.
Brook stood steadfast, "shit me!-I mean no. I don't own this spot so it's not intruding." She went back to leaning on her heels. "Are you going to make another speech?" She awkwardly commented. "What you going to force onto me now? Dinosaurs weren't real? The earth is flat? Vaccinations are evil?"
"I did not intend to make you uncomfortable or make it an interrogation. Perhaps It would be best I come another time, I apologize for my forced views on you." He stepped back.
"Wait." She called in a desperate tone before clearing her throat, "Its fine. Just say your thing I'm being a dick when you're trying to be nice. Um, concerned for me or whatever. El told me you're like that, trying to save and help people. Didn't save all of them though did you? Not the dead ones I mean. Your shitty friend, Megatron was it? What a dick. Good call on your end, even if he says he dumped your ass, you don't need that kind of negativity" She gestured her head towards a rock. "Only six hours till daylight, might as well pass the time."
"You are very blunt." He noted.
"I'm not trying to be malicious or personal. I'm-"
He put a hand up I front of him, "It is alright, you do not need to explain." He looked at her shaky legs. "You do not sleep?"
"Its not that I don't want too. Can't see a doctor, I don't have a citizenship."
"Citizen-?" he looked up the term. "I see. Why is that?"
"I was never registered."
He had a thought, "I know a medic. He is quite efficient."
"So I hear, If this is the same medic I've heard about. He's missing now right? Do you think he'd know what to give me? Pfft or even help? I have a few issues I'd like to address." she joked.
"He's vastly improved in human medicine, when we locate him, he could help you."
Her joking smile dropped to its lowest, "I don't know. Not a fan of risking my life to strangers. I have a thing for knowing exactly what goes into anything and where it's sourced, food, cosmetics, you get me?"
"Allergens?"
She scratched her chin, "Eh something like that. More like ethical reasons."
He thought for a moment, "Ah, I understand." he carefully stepped forward, "I hear you have been a form of support for my daughter. Especially during mine and Ratchets absence."
She suddenly felt strange, uncomfortable. She couldn't explain it. "Yeah well. She doesn't adapt well with new change...or being alone. I don't know anyone who can. Some days she was in a dark place. I've known those days, I couldn't do much but, I contacted everyone who could help." She noted his curious look. "I'm not exactly the leader of scientology, but I have connections. To people In NASA who I thought might be able to get shots of Cybertron under the radar to people who, if you called, ended you up in jail for life or worse." She laughed, "They never traced me, see there was this one time on the dark w-"she laughed louder, then forgot who she was talking to, "E-Er, so yeah it's been hard for her." She sat down crossing her legs and twiddled her fingers grinning 'innocently'.
"How difficult?"
"Oh! Don't worry my metal brother, not that difficult. I kept careful eyes on her. Even when she didn't know I was watching her...Oh fuck, I just realized how creepy that sounds. Is that creepy?" She looked herself over, "The hell kinda pose am I doing?"
"Hmm, we are getting off the subject."
"Smooth counter." She joked. "You know, when she ever managed to tell me about you, it was kind of bitter sweet. It was a moment of a-" she started getting frustrated when her words became jumbled. "Wg-Ign-idi-Grr-What's the saying!? You're happy when you don't know shit or something? My stupid fucking head! I swear if I could concentrate better!" she held her head.
"Ignorance is bliss?"
She blinked at him, then twitched a smile, "Yes! Fuck! Thank you!"
"You are welcome." He smiled.
Brook cleared her throat, "Anyway that look in her face, when she remembers you're not here, she just looks numb, the life drained from her face like a juice box. It could have turned out fine, she was nearly at a point that she would learn to live with it. But then that Ratchet dude disappeared as well and everything just went to shit. Just wanted to say that, because I know she wouldn't want to tell you."
His optics deemed, "I appreciate, you telling me this."
She paced around him, "decent people are hard to come by, happiness is even harder, plus she's my friend I'm kind of obligated to take sides. You're the 'shitty dad who hasn't paid child support, or promised to make it to a birthday party only to call last minute saying you can't.' Only except, you know, she thought you were fucking dead, rusted to shit, shed-"
"-Thank you, for being a good friend to her Brook." He said sincerely.
"Thank...you?" Her hardened expression relaxed. "I heard you had a silver tongue; metaphorically speaking." She joked. "No problem..." She then mumbled.
"Do you have people just as rare to go home to Brook?" he said noting the change of pitch in her voice.
"I have...someone, I guess he would be kind of like my old man in a sense; he kept me alive does that count? He also has more of an emotional diversity than 'Grr' it's the best socialization I got Pfft."
"Anyone before him?"
She puffed out a laugh, "I have parents if that's what you're getting at. Moms out there somewhere in a penthouse with some rich European guy, my dad, devoted father that he was, devoted to getting rid of me that is, I'll not bore you by going into details. I guess he fucked off somewhere else, back to his profession."
"I am sorry."
"Can you stop with the apologize? Every race has their massive dicks it's just how it is Imma right? Moms a gold digger, Dads a whored up CEO, Nice to know we're not alone out there in the section of dickery."
"Your choice of words are 'interesting'."
"You patronizing me? Or are you just that polite?"
"No one living being is superior to another, if that is what you are suggesting by 'patronising'."
"Sorry...Earth is too sensitive imma' right?"
"It is after all a matter of trial and error. You have not caused me offense."
Brook had a quivered smile, trying hard not to laugh at him but trying hard to just smile. He was very, in a word, 'too honorable'. "For real? Wow you're just a huge dork huh? Don't think I've met someone like you before. It's hard to believe you've had to terminate anyone...and so you'll forgive my skepticism. For now, you're the mastermind behind all this and you drink the blood of children." She threw her head back to laugh but winced like she had been bit. "Oh! I immediately regret that! That's what I get for yucking it up at someone's expense Pfft."
He looked at her hip, the source of her discomfort and frowned intently. "You are injured." He informed.
She shrugged and sighed hard. "You're the fourth person to tell me this. Everyone gets hurt right? Or am I missing something?"
"I advice you seek medical attention, lest you develop something potentially worse."
Tired of the same lecture and in a emotional outburst, She suddenly pulled her collar down to just past her collar bone, It looked as though a chunk of her muscle and skin were missing and what was left behind was an indented scar about twelve inches long in every direction. "There's plenty more like this one, I'm a fucking train wreck under here. I know illness; I know what happens to injuries that don't get the proper treatment. I also don't care If I have it or not." She let go of her shirt as it rubber banded back into place. "It's not that bad, it's closed up again. Keep to your own shit dude seriously."
He naturally felt uncomfortable with that answer, seeing any human harmed never sat well with him, but- "Very well. Only you can choose to help yourself." He didn't want to keep pushing.
"Hey, so since you're clearly not leaving because fuck knows?"
He looked ahead of him, squinting in suspicion, "If you do not mind the company, I would like to stay on the perimeter. A habit I have developed since the War."
"You're guilty of regimented behavior too huh?" She mocked, then looked his plating over, from helm to peds, noting thousands upon thousands of battle scars, she stared at his optics, they looked tired. She then scoffed lightly. "Its fine I guess, I do mind but, can't put you anywhere else."
As the silence crept in, she tapped her fingers against the ground, she shuddered now and then feeling his constant presence, she grumbled now and then to hearing his gears and joints whirling and squeaking, she exhaled loudly, scratching the back of her neck, "H-ey so, not that anyone gives a shit, I don't whatever but, do you like ethical riddles?"
His head turned, "A favoured pass time." He lightened up, "I have enjoyed some debate in the past on Cybertron, and I also taught Ellen to enjoy a few topical debates."
Brook groaned, "Pfft. Of course it was you. Well shit, guess she passed it on to me too. Now I kinda don't wanna do this now just to spite you."
"Would you prefer that we simply state it as pure coincidence?"
"Sure whatever, I know for sure that I aint sleeping today."
He tried to appear more laid back leaning against the scrap yard walls, "May I ask the topic of debate for today?" he asked lightly.
Going from a resting face into a grin, "Hm. Let's go to a very controversial subject, might help me get a better insight to your way of thinking. Let's start with capital punishment."
He narrowed his optics, curious to her strategy, "Ah and who shall be for and who the against I wonder?" he asked intrigued, admit ably he had the same idea for analysing her.
"I'll be the for, it'll be more interesting. See if you can guess my moral compass hm? Since you're in the habit of 'getting me'." She winked at him.
Optimus stood impressed that she figured out his intentions so quickly. "Very well."
"Shit, you really talk like this Pfft." Brook snickered.
"Since you have a keen mind, enough to predict my thoughts, I wish to discuss the possibility of you being a permanent occupant." He dropped this proposition onto her.
Her face dropped into a dirty glare, "Ex-cuse me?"
The next morning Ellen sat in a deck chair, chewing on her nails as she eyed up the entrance gate, she made herself a cold drink, complete with ice. In her other free hand, a national geographic. "He hasn't come back yet, neither of them have-"
"Morning El!" Bee greeted.
She cringed, dropping her book. "Nnngh! Bee don't do that!"
"Ah scrap, sorry El. It's just the day looks nice today on Earth, don't you think? Makes want to go for a long drive through the mountains." He watched her body tense up. "Didn't realize you were in concentration mode."
"When am I not? Oh! Look the gates opening." She shot up from her chair and ran behind a blind spot.
"Er, what are you doing?" Bee questioned.
"I don't want to make it too obvious do I?" She hissed in a whisper.
Bee squinted his optics, "Wait...you've lost me." He then looked to another part of the scrapyard, noticing smoke. "Hey Ellen? Did you buy a barbeque at some point?"
"No...W-hyy?"
"Scrap!" Bee then ran off as Ellen followed him, glancing back at the entrance in frustration.
Both Optimus and Brook stepped into the scrap yard, their body language was calm, Brook was making gestures with her hands signifying an engaging conversation, now and then she kick dirt up however. Optimus would in turn shake his head or shake a finger at her, which merely agitated her more.
"These are still my people, so as long as you stay at this scrap yard you are a member of this team, as such you must follow our rules." Optimus told her.
Brook laughed mockingly, "What makes you think I'll agree to this and not just leave?"
Then like clockwork Ellen ran past in a frantic stake, as paperwork fell from her arms. She held a fire extinguisher in her free hand. "I just finished these! Why do we still use paper!? Everything destroys it! Where's my receipts, they won't cover me if I don't have those receipts-oh god! Grimlock not my desk! I need it for leaning! NO! Sideswipe! Gas won't put the fire out are you crazy!? Where's Bee gone?! What do you mean he's under toaster mountain?! Whys Fixit stuck in a ditch!?" she then collapsed on the floor, "Oh god my heart hurts! I'm getting cramps! I'm breaking out in hives! My asthmas coming back! What is the purpose of existence?!" she then spotted two familiars, stood up, straightened her hair and cloths and ran up to Optimus. "Oh hey! You guys been talking? t-thats cool, because things are great here. S—so much so, I'm sweating intensely! And in no way am I questioning the reason for being! Ha-ha!" she laughed manically.
Optimus slowly turned his head to Brook.
Brook pulled a flat expression, "Alright. I'll fucking stay, you got a deal, for now." She looked Ellen over, "The fuck were you doing with her?"
"She has always had trouble dealing with stressful situations." Optimus informed quietly.
"It's probably your fault for bringing your work home, you should keep work and family separate dude, everyone knows that, you just end up putt-" She looked over at Ellen, as it dawned on her, "You sneaky fucker. You're using my guilt in not being able to leave Ellen, to force me to stay!"
"My primary intention is to encourage you to stay." He reassured.
"It's the exact same definition, except you've worded it differently!"
"Please don't be mad at him Brook, I asked him for help." Ellen cut in, dropping her non-salvageable paperwork.
"You were collaborating? You hustled me?" Brook snapped.
Ellen rubbed her hands together, "I-I needed help. Dad offered to relieve some of that weight of my shoulders. I had no hope that I was able to get you to stay."
"You could have asked El." Brook said in a hushed voice.
"Can you honestly say you would've stayed under someone else's rules?"
Brook grumbled, "The expression, hell no comes to mind. Point taken, but I'm still rightfully pissed!" She sighed. "Come on then commander and chief lay it on me. Your 'rules'.
He nodded. "Rule number one. No form of excessive violence is to be used, only if it is absolutely necessary."
"Define necessary?" Brook started looking over the back of her hand as though she was half paying attention.
"Self defense. I will emphasize on no excessive force."
She raised a hand, "What if-"
"You cannot twist it, nor be 'technical' or bend, or find a loophole in that statement." He narrowed his optics, "I am fully aware of twisted truths."
"Burgh, you're boring."
"Rule two, the language, lower the vulgarity. Especially with children present." He lay optics on Russell.
"Urgh. You know It's a nervous thing right? I get frustrated easily, I swear that's all it is, it's just words. You're limiting my freedom of expression here! If anything I should be swearing more you hypocrite!"
"You can use better terms."
"'better' is a controversial term." She argued, folding her arms.
"Are we debating now?" Optimus inquired in a no nonsense manner.
"Fine. Continue."Brook flatly replied.
"Rule three. All team members must return to the scrap yard before 11pm. No exceptions."
She narrowed her eyes, "what a coincidence that's usually around the same I go out on the town. Funny, you just come up with these rules, but isn't insect boy the one running the show here? This is a racist thing right? It's because I'm human isn't? You forcing a regimented curfew?! Xenophobe!"
Optimus pulled a glared expression but patiently continued, as Brook started clawing at his audio receptors...that wasn't a metaphor either, she was literally scratching on his audio receptors, she climbed up him like a mildly steep hilltop and scratched at his mesh like she was digging a burrow.
"Dad do you want me to-"
He raised a 'wait' hand at her, "No matter how much the winds of the sea of rust howls, the Manganese Mountains cannot bow to it."
"No, but it can slowly chip away at it." She said pointing at Brook scratching the paint off him. "Y-You're losing your shiny finish!"
Optimus shut his optics. "You remember our agreement?" he quietly uttered in Brooks direction.
Brook stopped looking down at Ellen who was chewing her nails, "Is using you to express my frustration because you're a massive tool a part of that?"
"It contradicts with rule number one; if you must do it choose an inanimate object...Not myself or any o-"
"You are an inanimate object! Trees are more expressive! M-an fuck you!" Brook started yanking on her hair, "Garr!"
"You said you would try. Despite yourself, I gave you the benefit of the doubt." Optimus sternly reminded.
"And you took me seriously? I say allot of shit. Maybe, I was lying."
"I believe you would honour the agreement." He stated confidently.
"Pfft. How do you know what I'd do? A scum sucker, a murderer, Larceny, soliciting, breach of peace, I could be none or all of those things." She tapped her feet impatiently to this constant look of sympathy he had been displaying, it was subtle, but every time she would run her mouth or frustrate, this slight change in his features and optics were very present to her. "And just because, by chance you're actually right in that I do honour any agreement don't think your some fucking wizard! And if you keep giving me those sad fucking eyes like I'm dying on the side of the road, your gonna lose them!"
His optics blinked as he averted them to the ground beside him, he couldn't help it or stop it. "So you will fol-"
"Yes I'm following your fucking rules! The basic necessities of a stable orderly society ha-ha! I'm going to follow the shit out of your basic rules! So much that I'll eventually lose any kind of personality and become as dull and repetitive as you! And then! Ha-ha! I'll be a respectable citizen, well mannered, conflict avoiding, twitchy curtain cop calling, 'wanna hit the bar after work bob? Nah I have so much paperwork to finish for tomorrow in my no end in sight or soul satisfying job' c-iv-I-i-an."
Optimus, again as calm as ever, let her continue her ramble. She seemed to like a reaction, so he wouldn't give her the slightest satisfaction. "Very good. Then it is decided. Now please stop inflicting damage on my audio receptors."
She stopped, rolling her eyes as she grew bored. She slid down his back and forward rolling as she came in contact with the ground. She yawned and stretched as she met with Ellens disapproving look. "What? I wasn't actually going to do anything that seriously, I'm just tired and hate the lack of control over myself here. Thanks to this communist fucker!"
He frowned, "We must find you help. We once knew a human nurse, perhaps-"
"Hard no. You going to get me spayed and micro chipped as well?"
"Your stubbornness and pride will be irrelevant when your body reaches its limit and begins to breakdown."
"Stubborn? Of course, Pride? Pfft, I once ate a French fire that was in direct contact of a used- well to save your soft little angel ears it was unsanitary and a huge risk of disease." She huffed. "Now hypothetically, even if I did have citizenship, a fucking prescription right now and one doctor signatures away from the road to a kinda fixed road? I don't do doctors. Not even our first aiders back home."
"Brook-" Ellen started.
Optimus wavered a hand at her, "Your list of 'do's' becomes forever shorter."
Brook ignored him, "Okay! I'm bored with all this talk. I'm going to fuck around with the junk, since I'm quarantined here now." She walked off, "Don't think I know what you're doing." She mumbled.
Ellen walked up beside him sighing, "Straight to the point huh? I told you she wouldn't ease up."
"She seems to translate my intentions as suspicious."
"She thinks everything is suspicious, If someone is trying to help her, just because they want to, she wonders why. The only answer she comes to is, she's being tricked, used or mocked." She bit her lip looking up at him, "And well..."
"Yes?"
"Sometimes you, do sound like an interrogation. And that's how most talk to Brook, like a suspicious character."
His optics widened slightly, "I hadn't considered."
"Hmm maybe you came on a little strong, how did you talk to bots before the war?"
"Not strong enough."
She started to ponder, "Okay, this time, follow my lead."
"An idea?" he asked.
"In a way. More like ego boosting." She went up to her, in a short while she had found some thrown out chalk and was using a slab of slate as a canvas, "Hey Brook."
"What now?" she snapped.
"Don't be like that, we shouldn't have overwhelmed you with so much context at once." She looked past her to her piece of work, she noticed Optimus was also intrigued a little more so. "Another art project?"
"Yup." She flatly replied.
Optimus looked down at Ellen, "I find it fascinating how humans can form just about any kind of materials into intriguing imagery." He cupped a hand around his chin, finding his own perspective of the piece.
Brooks ears pricked up, "You like it?"
He tilted his head, "I...believe I do. There is something very, captivating about it."
Ellen smiled at her as though signalling approval, Brook quivered a smile back, "It's a little piece I like to call; 'what's mine is mine, what's yours is also mine, plus free child slave labour. A little forced I know."
Optimus tilted his head at the piece, nodding as he understood. Ellen however, saw the definition of a fiery hell. "How, brutally realistic." Optimus commented.
"Isn't it? I think it's better than Romancing it. We live in a time where no one likes the truth, we bury our heads and wear ruby tinted glasses."
"You enjoy art Brook?" Optimus asked.
"I do. Well I've grown to, it's one of the other ways I try to express myself without, you know breaking shit. I started scribbling, someone said I was really good at realism, I moved onto painting and metal sculpting."
"You should have seen her before the drawing." Ellen snickered. "Imagine every angsty stereotype teen who wants attention an-"
Brook glared at her, "Let's not discuss teenage Brook; she was going through some stuff, stupid teenage shit. It was a phase it's over, let's move on."
"Perhaps she should have seen your perspective of the world." Optimus said to Ellen. Making her look vacant and confused.
"Ellen, did art stuff?"
He nodded, "In a way." He chuckled, "Some days it was rather difficult to transcribe. I was once able to crack the most difficult and ancient of coding, but my perspective of a 'rabbit' clearly failed me." Ellen's eyes widened to what he meant.
"Dad? What are you doing? Why are you making me the focus?"
Brook scoffed. "Oh you're talking about when she was smaller." She looked at his optics that seemed to dart from side to side, "what's that about?" A little freaked out by the spastic movement of his optics.
"My apologize I was accessing certain memories."
"I thought you were crashing or something pfft. So...what were you, accessing?"
"Pre-recorded clips and photos that I can easily project." He tapped his helm.
She glanced at Ellen, "Ohh, 'smaller Ellen', Sounds interesting. You don't happen to know of any embarrassing knowledge? A sixth toe? Any stupid shit that she got up to?"
Optimus thoughtfully mused, "Hmm If I recollect, no oddities that I can think of, Ellen was average for her age, she had undeveloped height however, a possible side effect from a premature birth If I am correct. I think that's where her underlining complex for feeling helpless originates from-"
"D-ad." Ellen hissed through her teeth.
"Yes?" he looked at her dangerous flaring eyes, "Is something wrong?"
Brook snickered, "Aw poor midge-thing, poor thing. Please continue." She grinned.
"Please don't."
"Anything else? Any weird birth defects? Did she ever piss her pants at school? Did she call the teacher mommy? How about some darker habits? Drug use? Gang fights?"
"Stop."
He raised an eyebrow to her odd enthusiasm. "She was still going through undesirable phases due to stress, her stuttering was very present, she had socialisation difficulties, and every night until she was 15 I'd find her trying to hide her leake-"
"STOP!" She screeched to the highest pitch she could muster, tearing her vocal chords, "STOP. NOW."
Brook tutted, wagging a finger at her, "Don't be rude. I'm trying to talk to your old man here."
"Everything alright?" Bee said, hearing the commotion, meanwhile in the foreground, Brook led Optimus away.
"Dads telling her everything- wait where'd they go?" Ellen breathed out with a white sheet of an expression.
"What do you mean everything?" Bee grimly asked.
"Every-thing. The exploding toilet. The sinkhole incident. That one Halloween with the Darth Vader mask. Those thousands of times I was crying for stupid reasons, O-Or so I assum-leverage Bee, leverage! And Dad thinks she wants to literally know for genuine reasons. He fell into the most obvious of traps!"
Ellen placed her hands over her face in an effort to hide her existence, "Oh, everything. It's not that bad right? She's your friend? Besides, Optimus would see right through her and tell her that he respects your privacy." He looked over at Brook who was already on the floor laughing. "N-Now. I bet he's dismissing her questions right now."
"I can hear her laughing Bee." She said through her hands.
"She's pretty loud huh? No biggie though right?"
Her hands slowly slid down her face, "Oh okay, so your saying I can walk up to those guys right now and tell them that time you stomped on some jerks car and didn't understand how far you went when pranking someone at the time, or that time you drank gasoline and your grill caught on fire and when he saved you, Ratchet chased your aft around base with a metal pole for two weeks? Or maybe we can mention that time with that human official when you took a p-"
"Alright! I get it. Why do you have to remember these things!? This was your plan all along wasn't it?"
"Let's just, move on before we're even more emotionally scarred." She folded her arms, "So...Dads part of the team now huh?"
"Looks that way, we're pretty fortunate to have him."
"Of course! Pretty damn thankful myself! Even now, looking at him talking to Brook, I've only ever thought up scenarios of 'what ifs' like this one. To see it now is indescribable." She looked up at Bee. "But, he's a soldier Bee. That's all he's known for many years."
"He leads, others follow. That's the formula." Bee sighed.
"You've been thinking the same thing?"
Bee looked unsettled, conflicted. "It's been playing in the back of my mind. Mostly because I didn't want to...guilt reasons, selfish reasons." Bee started, "The last time I saw him, it wasn't long before he promoted me to warrior. But I had been his scout for what felt like a lifetime, It might as well of been." He looked at her with a small smile. "In some cases, he's also been like a father to me. Looked out for me, taught me things, we had long talks, he would always ask of my wellbeing even if he was the one in more need of a medic."
"He was always different with you Bee, kind of like with us humans."
"Not humans, children. But that's the problem now isn't it? I'm not a young scout anymore and you're a young woman." He sighed. "What if he still sees us as children?"
Ellen looked at Optimus, now in what looked like a full blown argument with Brook. "Would he still treat us as such...That's the question. We're young, inexperienced."
Bee lightly scoffed, "He said to me, 'he's no longer my leader, but my equal'."
"Yeah, I got that memo."
He nodded to her. "You still good to go on any con hunting missions?"
"Have I broken my legs? No? Then yes, of course." She curled her lips, "Would you be open minded in taking Brook sometime?"
Bee sharply turned his head to her, "Are you being funn-"
"She's a good tracker." Bee chuckled to the absurdity. "I'm serious. I bet she'd love to help, its right up her alley."
"For real?" Bee said no longer thinking this was a joke. "You're serious?"
"Bee. Look at me." She said pointing at her eyes, "Would I suggest willingly, to send a human out there with you? Ever? I'm not asking you to let her off like some attack guard, just as a tracker or reconnaissance. I think you'll be impressed."
He glared suspiciously, "The pit did this come from? Sounds like you're selling her to me."
Her lip quivered. "I have to keep her busy, you don't keep her busy, she complains that she's getting fat and then moves on."
"So what you're saying is...yes, that's exactly what you're doing." He lightly sighed, then nodded, "If a scenario calls for it, be it tracking, or something similar. Without any risk, I'll consider asking if she would like to accompany us as a spectator...but it's a very slim chance." He then lowered his voice. "No offense, but she might disrupt our formation, my team are mostly young minds and she's already given them bad habits."
Ellen rolled her eyes, "Are you worried that all your 'team building' will be for nought?"
Bee turned his head quick paced, "Of cours-were you just not here up until this point!?"
"Only fooling." She snickered, "If you consider Brook a part of this team and allow her on some missions, could I do the talking?"
"Why you?"
"Oh you know...you're a stranger and um..." she turned her gaze away.
"What?"
"She, doesn't like you." She smiled awkwardly. "Well, actually replace what I said with 'okay I guess, but a bit of a tool.'"
"Charming." He looked over at Optimus, "Here's to the future tool I guess."
A/N okay, we're going into season 2, starting with Overloaded, naturally, so yeah it will include the dialog. But I hear some of you prefer that. But I only do it if there's something to work with. :)