A/N Taking place before and during overloaded. I'm doing a little back and forth between OC's hope you enjoy where I take this.
Phew I'm so nervous O_o;
A few weeks past, everyone was adjusting, Optimus mostly. Ellen was suspicious whether she was in a simulation, it hadn't quite set in, she wasn't sure if it ever would, after all seeing someone who was presumably dead and then isn't is traumatic in itself. especially with how casual everyone acted to it. She was also confused whether she should act and talk to him in a normal manner or speak to him as though he could do no wrong.
She was able to be patient with him, but he started to be, 'too' involved with her safety.
"Are you sure that is wise?" he would say when going on a mini-con hunt.
"You cannot put yourself in that position." He said at close range to a twenty foot con hunt.
And the most used word of all to most of her strategies, ideas or active duty. "No."
No.
No.
NO.
NO!
The word was uttered so much, she heard his voice echo in her head like a ringing in her ear. But, she continued to be patient with him, despite having to repeat herself over and over to him.
"This is part of my job." She calmly said for the hundredth time.
Optimus sighed, "I still find it questionable to put yourself in unnecessary risk, when there are already enough at our disposal."
"I know, but I have to act as a witness to as many missions as possible, my superiors demand it. To act as communications between our two planets. So no miscommunications are passed on by mistake, deeming you hostile or unneeded. You know how untrusting and unwelcoming allot of us are." She explained.
"Hmm." He murmured. "Still, I do not feel comfortable with this situation."
"You're worried, I get it." She lightly said rolling her eyes playfully.
He knelt, "I understand you have responsibilities, as do I. But If I lost you to a simple shot of a blaster, or a fall from a great height." He shook his head with a shudder. "Whatever become of that avatar Ratchet created for you?"
Ellen made a frustrated sound, "The government wanted to repossess my plot armor under the law of 'we can'...Ratchet had to get rid of it before they could study it."
Optimus' optics darted from left to right, thinking of a desperate solution, "Please consider resignation, there is no need to pursue us when we are right here."
"Look, maybe when all cons are put away, I can pursue my interests and you can catch up on your reading. Until then, my track record is clean and the most injuries I've had was a burn about an inch long on my finger." She lifted her pinkie, "Its healing pretty nicely." She jested.
He frowned at her, "No. That is not satisfactory."
Ellen smirked, "Yeah your right, it's going to leave an ugly scar-" Optimus was about to correct her, "-I know what you referred to. My resignation has to be handed a year in advance, no exceptions. Please stop worrying, this isn't something you can command and control anymore because you say so."
He looked to the side, "Times are changing." He placed a finger under his chin, "That recorded footage I saw of you and Bumblebee, was a quite impressive operation admittedly. In fact I have been observing most of the hunts you have been recording."
"Going through my stuff huh? Shame on you, you should know better." She joked. "So, if all you've seen is good, can you stop voicing your opinion on what I should and shouldn't be doing?" she asked hopeful.
"No."
Mean while, Brook was having her own struggles. To try and adapt to the social norm of city folk and alien folk alike. The common rule for her; 'Small folk being pushed around by bigger asshole deserved their head kicked in, its fair game as soon as the first punch is thrown'. But no-ooo, this group has something called 'limits' and working under the radar.
But, she couldn't turn down the request made by the 'nice guy' known as Optimus, to try and work with the team as she stayed to be Ellen's moral support. So, the other bots were overlooking her training and teaching her their rules. As though she was in a program aimed at toddlers.
It wasn't going well...so far she had broken two young bots, mentally. So Bumblebee decided perhaps someone who used to be on the wrong side and had the experience, would be more appropriate.
That plan, also failed.
Drift came walking into the scrap yard grumbling under his breath loudly, putting his sword away as his mini-cons followed nervously, "What's going on here?" Bee asked.
Drift had a cold glare, "She has absolutely no respect or restraint! I cannot keep training her anymore as you have ordered Bumblebee. She belittles our formations and our etiquette." He walked away as he hissed, "Such, rudeness!"
"No Drift-don't be-you're the last one-arrgh." Bee pleaded before pinching his forehead, he heard light footsteps as he looked blankly down at an unmoved Brook.
"What?" She responded, scratching her nose.
Bee's face twitched as he tried to keep his cool, "You confuse Strongarm with your argument on 'Nature vs Nurture of a serial killer', you made Sideswipe leak from his optics because you slashed his 'carbon footprint' tyres-"
"I wasn't crying! Bots don't cry!" Sideswipe yelled from the over side of the scrap yard, his voice echoing.
"We all saw your optics leaking!" Strongarm called back.
Bee shook his head to their typical behavior, "I'm not even going to risk Grimlock, he's too easily persuaded and Windblade has refused, her reason being that she believes you're a minion of the pit itself."
"If she thinks that, she's going to love Earths history." Brook scoffed, "So despite your complaints, technically only one of those was a bit shitty on my part, that's on me, sometimes my passions can get a little out of hand. The rest however, just sounds like you have a problem with me."
"You're going to replace my tyre!" They heard Sideswipe yell.
"Regardless, you're not focusing on our mission, your focusing on your own agenda. Now, there's no one left to train you." Bee motioned around them.
"No one. Except you Bumblebee."Came Optimus' voice from behind him, making Bee cringe to the suggestion and to Optimus hearing the conversation.
"Me?" He replied with dread.
"You are young and vigorous. Someone who can keep up with an individual such as Brook and you have life experience, have seen and done things that she could benefit to learn and understand from." He argued.
He cocked an eyebrow, looking back and forth between Brook and Optimus. "I'm more of a racer kind of vigor, not monster truck rally. Besides, you have the patience." Bee argued.
Optimus shook his head, "I Listen, I council; my time unfortunately has to be spread between missions, now that I am no longer a leader for Cybertron, I have more time to focus on other priorities." He looked at Ellen and smiled at her, she waved back a little embarrassed. "Brook is, as you are aware, quite tiring. Perhaps if this were a couple decades ago, but my training under the Primes has, as the humans say taken cycles off my life."
Bee pulled a face thinking, "In other words, no." He went to look down at Brook again, but she was gone. "Are. You. Scrapping me!?"
"Sir. Please keep your composure, it's not worth the energon." Strongarm said watching from a corner with Sideswipe who was shoving her to get a better look.
"S-Sorry Bee." Ellen bit off a nail nervously, "I'll go find her."
Optimus held a hand up, "It's alright. You have appointments with your superiors, I will go."
Ellen looked at her phone, "I can't miss another call...but she is-"
"I shall go." He persisted. "I will return with her shortly."
Ellen bit off another nail as her teeth chattered, "W-Well just, wear some gloves or something. She bites...seriously."
He nodded, "I am fully aware." He said showing her his index finger with the slightest of teeth dents at the tips, then went on his way, exiting the scrap yard to the forest that occupied right outside.
"Optimus seems to waiting on you allot." Bee teased.
"U-huh." she replied concerned, she hoped this wasn't going to be a habit of his.
Optimus slowly started treading lightly through the forest, it grew thicker with trees, he tried all directions before finding any sign of her. When he did she was knelt down, with her back facing him and was tracing her fingers along the dirt.
He hovered over her, blinking curiously as his shadow enveloped her. "May I ask what you are doing?"
"Tracking. Go away your big feet will destroy the trail." She bluntly put it with a rough tone of voice. "This isn't a morning stroll, this is a bad time."
"I enjoy our walks as well Brook." He lightly added.
"Shh! Dude, shut up." She huffed looking around. "You don't know who might be listening and you, force me on those stupid walks ever since I decided to stay! Who walks in thick ass fog at 5am anyway?"
Optimus raised an eyebrow, "Ah yes, you are much too proud and stubborn to the idea of friendship. You are correct, how shameful of me." He bowed in an apologetic manner. He admit, he seemed to be improving everyday with the art of sarcasm. Ellen would be proud.
Brook squinted her eyes at him like a square picture of hypnotic colors that had one of those hidden pictures in the middle, "God, how can you sound so mocking and uninterested at the same time?"
His expression fell suddenly, "Brook. Your training, you told me you wou-"
"Yeah-yeah, you want me to be a boy scout. Better. But better people get fucked over and boy scouts get their assess kicked. You can't change people because you say they should."
He shook his head solemnly. "I am well aware. However you must understand, we do not wish to change who you are-"
"Pfft. Yeah because they all love me for me, flaws and all. Bumblebee especially has a special place for me in his heart, dude looks like I took a piss on his new car seats."
"I only wish to detour you down a better path from your current one. You do not need to change as a person, just your outlook on life and how to approach certain situations. I believe from training under us and observation can help...but you have to give as much as you take."
Her voice lowered, "I don't think I can go further than just taking." She admitted. "I just can't let myself be told what to do, not again."
He tilted his head to how pained she sounded. "Again? In what sense?"
She rubbed her face, "Look I'm sorry, I am way too broke from years of this shit."
He smiled sympathetically, "There are a few cracks but you are not broken."
She scoffed, "How do you know? We hung out a few times in the past few weeks, given me a shitty trivial question every morning and we're suddenly soul mates? You don't know dog shit if it flew in your eyes, barked, grew eyes, spoke and said 'hey dude I'm fucking dog shit!'."
He lightly said. "You are twenty four, barely an aged human."
She snorted, "Well, shit. Got me there." she then saw something that caught her eye as she suddenly ducked low. "The fuck?" She walked off.
"What is it?" Optimus inquired.
She knelt looking at the floor and touched the ground, "You like seeing nature and shit right?"
"Earth is a beautiful planet." He said gesturing to the environment around them, the sky, the birds, the plants.
Her eyes raised to the sky, "U-huh and Fish shit in the sea, otters are assholes and we're a virus to our own planet, just try to follow me as low and as quiet as possible hippy."
He merely nodded and followed.
She stopped so many steps ahead of him, made eye contact with him then carefully pointed, "Look through those trees there." At the edge of the forest, a meadow lay in its center. "Check out this diabetic fairytale coma." She whispered.
A herd of curious, but very flighty, cautious deer started to emerge from the thicket, "I have never seen so many." He hummed.
"El hasn't either." she added lightly. "I've tried to get her to go out more, I get it though, shes been busy."
Optimus frowned, "So was I. I was unable to show her much of her world, she was restricted. I had hoped she would pursue something else, not tether herself." he finished solemnly.
Brook rolled her eyes, realizing her mistake of mentioning her. "I know. She told me allot of shit remember?" she shrugged, "But look Mr Happypills, at least you two were lucky enough to have company. chin up bucko, you and El feel bad for the most stupidest shit." she lectured as Optimus bizarrely was able to figure what she was trying to say. "Now, if you don't mind? the deer? I'm not your Councillor dude." she started silently counting the deer. "It's a pretty big herd, food must be plentiful and predators must be lacking." She shook her head, "But that's not the focus, check out the odd one out."
A young stag stood out from the herd, he seemed to be distanced from the rest of the herd, his eyes were red and his coat a bright clean white. "A white deer?" Optimus concluded was the answer.
"Rare as rocking horse shit. Some would say it's rare, some would say it's a product of inbreeding. But ones thing's for sure...It's a god. damn. deer. Its hotshit who gives a shit if it's purple?!"
"A rare and pleasing sight for my optics nonetheless." He looked down at her, her hardened features relaxed briefly as though in a content sleep, just long enough for her guard to be down. Or maybe she was just too tired to keep up appearances...It was more likely the second.
Then catching his gaze in a mid yawn, "the hell you lookin' at personality?!"
"You. Was that not obvious?" He shot back calmly.
She grinned widely at his quick comeback but hating it at the same time, "You keep staring; I'm going to be the last thing you see."
He raised an eyebrow, "Is your hostility really necessary?"
"No. Your hostile!" she barked immaturely making the deer scatter and birds fly out in a flock from the trees.
Optimus rubbed his forehead tiredly, indicating his defeat.
Brook shrugged about to spout off more one liner empty threats, before she heard a groan, squinting her eyes to the direction of the sound she held a finger to her lips, "Same rule as before."
He frowned, "Be careful, It may be something not of Earth." he warned.
She stepped carefully, her footing silent and on the defense, she parted a bush and thrust forward in a defensive pose, her expression softened upon seeing a body lying weak on its side. "For fucks sake. Poor thing." She looked back at Optimus, "Get over here, nice and slow." Looking it over, it was a doe with a bit of shrapnel in its leg. "Can you hold her still without crushing all her bones?"
"I can." He said bearing a sympathetic look for the poor creature. He placed a careful flat palm over the doe as it let out a sound of distress, "Do you know what you're doing?" he asked her.
"Kinda? I've seen plenty of shotgun injuries on people and animals alike. Not a deer though, it was a lizard...and it was already dead." she started picking it out, using her fingers as tweezers, the doe cried out. "Its okay sweet thing. You'll be okay." Brook then abruptly stuck her mouth on the shrapnel clear wound, sucking out blood then spitting it out, she repeated this three times. "Okay got all the infected shit out, so hopefully this should be enough.
"You are certain?" he asked.
She shrugged, "I don't know. Speaking from experience, most people didn't die or lose a limb. You can let her go now."
"Most?" He slowly lifted his hand up, the deer wobbly in a panic tried to run back to its herd, but could only managed a slow walk, gaining its balance more and more as it progressed.
"I hope she survives, it's slim and highly unlikely she'll make it through to tomorrow, but Christ you have to hope something helped." She said frustrated.
"You did what you could, you were very cal-" He stopped and looked blankly at the lower half of her face drenched in blood as he gestured to her, stroking a hand around his face, "You have-" his optics darted to the side. "Have...lifeblood on-"
"Oh." She said rubbing a sleeve to her dripping face, "Holy shit, can you imagine? Going back looking like this? To those sheltered babbies? Pfft. You think I'm nuts for doing that aren't you?"
He tried to hold back a twisted expression, "While it was certainly unsanitary, you thought it was necessary to save the deer, you just did it in an unconventional, illogical and health hazardous way." Optimus murmured to himself, looking over her stance, her behavior. He thought that this was going well, so while she was not agitated at the moment, "You can track?"
She fake gasped, "Oh wow, you really are one of the greatest minds of a generation."
Suddenly, he vented air through his grill as a very low rumble of his engines were heard, the vibrations felt under her feet. "Brook, that will be enough hostility." He firmly said as she pulled an 'ooohhh' face. "Now, we are returning to the scrap yard and will face and accept the consequences of your actions, is that understood?"
Her face blank...until it slowly darkened, her frown intensified, she dug her feet harder into the earth, her head set on not moving. "Um...No." she said folding her arms, glaring at him.
He locked his gaze as well. Matching her stance, "You cannot prevail; I have broken many a gaze."
"Maybe not...but I can at least waste your time." She boasted.
30 minutes later...
Both came walking back to the scrap yard, Brooks arms were crossed over her torso with her eyes shut. "That's minutes you'll never get back, ever. I stole time from you, think on that for a moment." she boasted.
He lightly smiled at her.
"What you smiling at? You lost. Weirdo."
"If I said, you would most likely deny it defensively...or violently." He twinkled his fingers, "I would prefer all my digits intact."
"Just say it. I won't pop off." She gruffly said.
"You had a general regard for that deer. A compelling trait you have. Reminds me of an old friend."
Her numbed expression remained unmoved. "I told you, I'm not a complete asshole. Did you expect me to start chomping on its leg? I think a regard for the ease of suffering is supposed to be a common thing in beings buddo, if you only have one friend that thinks that, then I'm wondering whose more nuts between the two of us."
Optimus' optics dimmed, the human equivalent would be half closed eyes, "Receive the compliment Brook." He said with a slight glare, getting a little tired with her attitude.
"Compliment accepted. Whatever the fuck it was." She rubbed her hands together chortling, "I'm wearing you down big rig."
Optimus hummed amused, "I would recommend aiming for more practical dreams." He saw Bumblebee move towards their position, "Bumblebee is considering to resume your training."
She frowned, "so you thought to follow up a compliment was with bad news?"
"Bumblebee is the only one left. Without him, you will have no choice but to move on, due to your own self rule of restricting movement."
"It's as much a rule as a contradiction." Brook was met with Bee as they both stared each other out. She glared between both of them, biting her lip until she broke the skin. "I'll replace Sideswipes tyres." She flatly, but painfully said to Optimus before briskly moving past Bee.
"You make it look easy." Bee said to him.
"Easy? Two hours have passed." he thought. "It merely takes a certain level of experience and patience, something that can only be gained through time."
"Relatable." Bee thought.
A couple days had passed. Things still hadn't improved, even with Bee. "No. I've told you before, it needs to be avoided as minimal as possible." He said. They were practicing on an obstacle course built by Bee himself.
"Oh what now? I did avoid it." Brook argued.
He pointed to a scarecrow dummy on fire and in pieces the size of shredded paper, "At the expense of 'hypothetical me'."
"Well if hypothetical-you didn't stand in that spot, he wouldn't have been caught in the gas trail that blew up that truck full of antique samurai swords." She fired back.
"You set it ablaze because it was the easiest solution for you to stop that Con." Bee slowly and patiently said.
"Exactly!" she boasted.
"But that's the problem, you found a solution but at the expense of others!" He pointed to the dummy. "That inanimate object could have been any one of us, Strongarm, Sideswipe."
She looked at the blaze, looking confused as the scarecrows were merely inanimate objects. "This isn't real, I wouldn't have- couldn't do something like that."
"You're not showing me otherwise. This obstacle represents every action you do." He grabbed an extinguisher as he put of the fire and sighed. "I'm responsible for everyone's life here, until you show me that you understand that, you'll have to remain here." Brook took note about this weird hard stare he gave her, as though he had a personal grudge against her. "Let's take a break. We'll try again tomorrow."
"Again?"
"You're excused." He flatly ordered.
Strongarm was quizzing herself, marching back and forth between the diner, "Oh shoot." she scolded herself, "Possible asteroid, I should have got that one." She flipped through different questions, "Let's see, list three signs of disturbance, pfft easy. Loud unusual noises-" *SLAM* "-Huh?"
On cue she heard loud slamming sound of metal against the ground, she pressed her back against a wall of cars as she kept her drawn weapon to her chest, she peaked around the corner and saw Brook flipping cars on their back, muttering angrily to herself as she started 'gutting' the undercarriage.
"Brook?" She said putting her weapon away.
"Fu-Huh?! Oh! Um-" She casually lent up against her pile of car victims folding her arms and trying to look casual.
"Guess the Lieutenant has more willpower than me after all...and you lost?" Strongarm said, knowing that during this scheduled time of day, Bee would have been training her.
"Did my tantrum give it away?" She said, throwing herself into a sitting position on the hood of a car, "He cleared me on everything, except working with others. He still thinks I'd jeopardize someone's safety."
"You know why surely?" She lectured with a wagging finger.
"Don't mock me." she mumbled warning.
She frowned, "Your problem is; that you don't take things seriously at the appropriate time or the complete opposite and take things too seriously. FYI, I wasn't trying to mock you. I'm trying to help you."
Brook stared at her, "I'm miserable enough; too serious? Not serious enough? Sounds like the perfect balance to me" She thought laying her head back, "He has a lot to lose, I can understand that. We all have people we want to make sure make it in the end."
Strongarm rolled her optics to Brook ignoring her, it dripped of an attitude she couldn't stand. "You know, these exercises usually take years to complete. A few weeks are pretty good for...an undisciplined civilian."
"Hmm. Right..." she looked around. "But the most I've been doing is help compact Denny's scrap metal. And I've run out, you could build your own empire with the sheet of metal we made." She noted the spick and span sparkling organized sheets that practically twinkled in the right light.
"Being patient is also training." Strongarm argued. "Maybe you can work on that next."
Brook ran her palms down her face, rolling her skin that she straightened out the slightest of blemishes, "I'm trying, god knows I'm trying. But shit me cabin fever is getting to me. I'm a very outgoing type person, can't stay within walls for long."
Strongarm looked confused, "Then why do you stay?" she asked.
"Good fucking question." Brook mumbled pulling her beanie over her eyes, deciding maybe if she was lucky enough she'd find herself napping.
Strongarm suddenly got excited at a certain bot passing by, "Oh! There's Optimus! Brook come with me to ask him about the rise of Unicron!"
Brook shrugged, grunting to her high shrill of excitement. "Why? So he can drag out the obvious? Has he never heard of the apostrophe?"
"Don't disrespect him like that! You should be thanking him; he convinced us you had potential."
"Potential what?" She scrunched her face up, "Why so serious? I thought I was complimenting him. Besides I didn't ask him to speak on my behalf, so why do you want to drag me into this? You can't stand me anyway."
"I don't-"
"Don't lie, come on don't act like you don't, allot of others do. No need to be polite because your an 'Autobot'." she said.
Strongarm scratched her head, "I-I don't want him to think I'm, I mean I'm not a-Its a little unprofessional to-" she tapped her fingertips together nervously.
Brook chuckled, "You're shitting me right? You're shy? Of him?"
She clasped her hands together in admiration, "I'm in awe, not shy. He's a living legend! Plus you could do with a few good examples of wisdom."
"Pfft, wisdom...he's kind of nice I guess! The kind of nice where you're like 'look at this nerd you just wanna smack him but you can't because he's too adorable! Like a puppy that pissed on your shoes and didn't mean it'." she started thinking into what kind of things he might of seen. "Then again its interesting to see a dude like that go through hell and still come out decent." she spoke the next few words in a sore whisper, "lose friends, young ones too, so I hear." She held her head up to an excitable Femme, "Maybe you shouldn't."
"Hm? Sorry, can you repeat the last part?" Strongarm said half listening to her anyway.
Brook slid slowly off the car, "Come on then, let's get you his autograph."
"Yes!" Strongarm said finding it hard to keep up with her flip flopping change of tone, voice or subject.
A few steps away, Bumblebee was discussing his issues with Ellen. "I don't know. I like to hope so, but if she sees something of interest, she gets distracted and makes a beeline for it." Ellen said.
"I'm sorry Ellen but you know I can't risk that kind of distraction. She's done it four times now."
She sighed holding praying hands to her mouth, "I know. But its training, I think in a more serious situation-"
"Training or not." He interrupted. "She's not ready, not even recon. During observation, my impression of her is...worsening by every action and every word she makes."
"Oh? Because us children made every right action or were scholar diplomats right? The stakes couldn't be even higher, but us human kids with no skills were part of the danger almost every day."
"The big difference between you and the others is that you weren't mentally unstable."
Ellen sharply turned her back on him afraid of what she might snap at him, "Don't say it like that." She quietly said. "I told you, basic mental health care is next to zero where she comes from. Or medicine. She's dealing with trauma, she's afraid to sleep, among other things." She pointed a stern finger at him, "She's under the impression that she's staying for me, which in some part is true but, honestly I'm afraid to leave her alone."
Bees face relaxed, "I know she's your friend, but you don't expect me to trust her on those grounds alone?" Bee argued.
"She has to earn it I get it. She will, you'll see."
Bee looked unconvinced, "I don't know. I've been fooled before." He clenched a fist, "I've mouthed off too many times as well and paid the price for it too." He tapped his throat.
"There shouldn't have been a price to pay." Ellen sadly said.
"Even still, I learned a few things over the years." He added cautiously.
"I understand Bee." She nodded her head slowly. He walked on, she looked over to Brook seemingly at a distance from Optimus as he spoke of his stories to Strongarm, and she was never that subtle when it came to looking like she didn't care. Ellen walked up besides her smiling lightly then stared off into space as she thought about her position here.
"Yo! DJ OP over here!" Brook started calling to him, interrupting his story.
"You have another question Brook?" he sighed.
"So, where did Megatron fuck off to anyway? Did he want to seek the path of enlightenment? Meditate on a sun for years? Mind over matter? Some bullshit despite starting this entire shit in the first place? Like seriously he's not going to finish what he started? Everyone's dead I guess my work here is done? What a cop out."
"I can only answer one of those questions. Megatrons whereabouts are still to this day unknown." He replied matter of fact like.
Brook let her head hang, "Is that it? Well that was pointless build up. You could have stopped me."
"Unfortunately, you do not seem to take breaths between sentences." Optimus added.
"Yeah and you shouldn't interrupt so much ya big idiot." Ellen interrupted chuckling.
"Ellen." Optimus lightly scolded.
She continued chuckling. "Friend banter Dad, nothing is meant with malice."
"I should hope not." He replied lightly.
"Bitch please. My hearts in pieces." Brook scoffed back.
Strongarm tapped her feet and finger against her arm impatiently, "Do you guys mind? I'm trying to listen to Optimus' story."
Optimus nodded, "I shall continue Strongarm, although Cybertron was able to support-"
"So what up buttercup?" Brook whispered nudging her fist into her stomach.
"..."
"El?"
"Huh?"
Brook turned to look at Bee, where Ellen's line of sight ended. "What did he say now? Did I get an F in magical friendship?" she mocked obnoxiously.
"Something like that." Ellen said disheartened.
She frowned concerned, "Hey now, you're really upset, I didn't think he'd be that offended by a straw arm in the face, by accident I swear."
"Brook If this was real!" she snapped. Getting some turned heads. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap."
"Hey, did I really do that bad?" She said genuinely.
"Well lets see, only the branch hitting Bees face, you went ahead of the team at one point, you defied a few orders and hypothetically got hypothetical Sideswipe, Bee and Drift terminated...mostly with fire." She listed off from her phone. "We're running out of retro collectables to build new courses Brook." She sighed.
"That was training El, c'mon."
"Bee doesn't see it that way. From his view, this is his first impression of you. He doesn't know that you'd take it more seriously."
"Why what did he say? Did he say something, is that why you're upset? If we elbowed him in the throat would it stop him jabbering on?"
Ellen grabbed her arm, "Don't say things like that. Not even as a joke."
"Elbows?" She grinned.
She lent in closer, "I mean it, please try to listen and do as he says. At least a little while longer, for impression sake okay? I-I know that's hypocritical of me to say, since I like you for you-"
"El, it's okay. I know what you meant." she looked at Bee, "When he tests me again I'll be a perfect little school girl, apple for the teacher and all, I promise." She presented her fist to her, "seal the deal, so you know I'm being real." She sung.
"Hmm." Ellen murmured lightly tapping her knuckles.
Brook winked, "Okay so, random thought, we may need to give out name tags for these guys or I'm just going to go by number."
"I thought you didn't like name tags? Or how you named them 'corporate slave tags.'"
She sighed, "You just don't get it El, I don't like things depending on the situation. Now hush up, I'm trying to listen."
Brook lay on her front listening as she kicked her legs up and down like a giddy teenager, "You know. We have chairs." Ellen said to her.
"Shh." She hissed.
"Stoic story time is a thing now?" Ellen looked back and forth. "You're actually listening to Dads stories?"
"Did you not hear my question before?"
"Right, okay." Ellen listened to what Optimus was saying, "Oh this one. Has he got to the spark extractor part?"
She scoffed half listening, "Pfft no, only that they are- hold up, spark extractor? Shit man, has he been holding out? That's fucked up."
"He's gave it a G rating huh?" Ellen concluded, "He's being mindful."
"Pfft, censorship." Brook moaned.
Ellen gave her a gentle kick in the side, "Hey?"
"What?" she growled, due to the annoying kick.
"Don't take this as some guilt thing and I've said this before, but I'm glad you're here, a friendly human face...well maybe not friendly but a-a face. It's a little overwhelming here sometimes, I feel so awkward."
"No problem." Brook lightly replied. "Socializing pfft. Am I right? Who needs that shit." She playfully joked.
Ellen dipped her head, "Not just that." She looked at Optimus, "It still feels weird, Dads here and I don't know how to handle it. I-I mean I'm extremely happy, but- I don't know maybe my human mind can't handle the concept still, I feel like I'm going to freak out every time I think too deeply into it."
"Well there's your problem, Just don't think too much about it." She snorted. "I'd have been driven insane and eating my shit if I thought about everything." She shook her head as certain said things crept into her mind. "You'll get used to it, eventually." she whispered fearfully.
Ellen nodded and they both turned their heads to the front, as Optimus had been continuing his story,"-And the flanking action allowed us to route the Decepticon forces." He finished, gesturing his fingers to the ground to explain his maneuveri.
Strongarm clasped her hands together, "A-mazing. Tell us another."
"Directors cut this time." Brook joked.
"And without the interruptions this time." Strongarm scowled at Brook and Ellen, both shrugged...but they both equally talked too much.
"Give it a rest will you Strongarm?" Sideswipe intervened, "You bugging pops' for war stories are getting older than, well, pops'."
Bumblebee stepped in speaking firmly, "Sideswipe you better watch your-"
"Young bot." Optimus interrupted. "You may call me Optimus Prime or Optimus. Those are your only options, understood?"
"Yes sir." Sideswipe quietly replied, taken down a notch by Optimus' voice of authority.
"And I'm not bugging Optimus, I'm leaving, you should try it sometime, soon." Strongarm argued.
Sideswipe lent in defensively, "You're not the boss of me!"
Strongarm jabbed a finger into his chest, leaning equally as close, "Someone has to be." ...they both started fighting, locking each others heads.
Bee looked slightly embarrassed and uncomfortable as he looked to Optimus overseeing this. Brook looked at Ellen who was knelt down, then with a suspicious grin shoved her. "Wh-yyy?" Ellen whined as she slumped onto her side like a tipped cow.
Brook shrugged, "Sorry force of habit." She sniggered before getting to her feet and started encouraging and hollering at the two of them. "Yeah! Kick his ass! Curb stomp his teeth! Get the little piggy! Sooo-ie! She clapped.
Everyone watched on not going near in case they got caught in the crossfire, keeping a safe distance. Windblade attempted vocabulary reasoning, Fixit cried in concern to the damage they could cause or pods they could and nearly released.
Bee felt Optimus' overbearing presence behind him as he sighed, "Grimlock, would you please break them up."
Grimlock came up between them as he roared, forcing the two apart from a sound wave.
"Grim!" Bee suddenly cried in surprise.
Grim looked on confused as all eyes seemed to be on the side of his body, he turned to reveal a holographic face on his armour, just where Russell had been buffering him a little while ago. Everyone awed in shock and or terror to a teal colored Mech. "Micronus." Optimus announced.
"Ah! Force ghost!" Ellen barked.
Brook blinked, "Micronus?" she said quietly before inhaling about to roar with laughter before Ellen slapped a hand on her mouth.
"Yeah, no, sorry I beat you to it." She nudged, "seriously though, how is he even- oh right reflection...it's still weird."
"Good thing Russ didn't buffer his ass." Brook added.
"Enough with the lower region jokes!"
"Micronus?" Grim said spinning around, "Ah! Get him of me! Get him off me! Ah!"
When Grim eventually stopped squirming, Micronus spoke, "Optimus Prime. Now that your battle with Megatronus is over, you must return those portions of the sparks your fellow primes lent you."
"I understand." Optimus simply said.
Ellen leaned into Brook uttering sarcastically, "how can a bunch of dead guys give you something they don't have any more?"
Brook face palmed, "El, for fucks sake, don't give logic to ghost shit. There is a face on a dinosaur's ass!"
"Wait!" Bee interjected. "Optimus told us the first transfer almost destroyed him, how do we know the reversal wo-"
"This isn't a Q and A session bot. Commence reversal." Micronus stated.
Then a blue misty, electrified cloud formed and surrounded Optimus as it lifted him off the ground, A surge of energy started spitting static as Optimus groaned which built into a pained cry. The blue energy that was lent to him was being sucked out at an immense speed and ferocity.
"Stop. You're tearing him apart!" Bee cried.
Then an impulse wave built up from the cloud threw them back as Brook pulled Ellen to the side before the bots landed on them. "Fuck me! Who's the enemy here? You alright?" she asked Ellen.
She gently brushed her hand off her shoulder, "No." She breathed, but not in Brooks direction, Ellen ran towards Optimus as he was on his hands and knees, "Dad?" she questioned as she looked up at Bee, "Bee? Is he-"
"Micronus wouldn't go that far...I hope." Bee tried to reassure, he knelt down to help him. "Optimus? Are you alright?"
"Urgh...I am...argh. Alive, Bumblebee." He groaned.
"Barely, you took too much of his power!" Bee argued to Micronus.
Ellen felt a slight chill, Brook looked her over worried, worry that turned to frustration. "Not to mention...almost killed him!" Brook cried.
Micronus scanned him with his optics, "My scan indicates Optimus will recover."
Fixit in a concerned tone uttered, "My scan indicates Optimus' levels are dangerously low."
"When will Optimus recover?" Strongarm demanded. "Weeks? Months?"
"Only time knows the answer." Micronus replied.
"That isn't helpful" Russell said.
"He don't know jack shit." Brook added.
"Just because you have an extensive vocabulary doesn't mean it makes you sound intelligent, you just sound like an ass. That is an example." Ellen frustrated.
Brook patted her shoulder, "Aw shit! Look at you making a comeback sound like a school day."
Ellen ignored her, her gaze fixated on Micronus and seeing red."What is wrong with you? Is that how you treat your 'saviour'? Get your hobbit ass over here I'll-!" she stomped forward as Brook put her hands under her arms, lifting her off the ground.
"Ellen no! Your hands are too weak!" she said restraining her as Ellen struggled.
But Ellen's stamina wasn't the best, as she quickly gave up. "Your right."
"Yes I am." Brook said patting her arm. "I'll handle this..." she calmly reassured, turned her head to the Prime and- "get out of here you midget fuck!" started throwing bricks at the face hitting Grimlock.
"Ow!" Grim said.
"Ah crap, sorry Grim! Damn you physics!" Brook shook a fist, then continued to throw rocks as Micronus disappeared "Yeah you better disappear into time and space!"
"Ow! Again!?" Grim put his hands over his head.
"Yeah, that one was on purpose Pfft." Brook snickered continuing to throw rocks.
"Ha-ha! Okay!" Grim laughed, before looking himself over. "Is he gone?! Please tell me he's gone!" Russell gave him the all clear thumbs up. "Well, Optimus might not feel better, but I sure do."
"Just goes back to his crappy dimension being useless until it's convenient." She turned to her dad. "You should sit down. Fixit, is there any change in his levels?"
"My physical condition is of no consequence, let us continue our mission." He turned walking off.
"Optimus you should take it easy." Bee advised.
"Thank you." Ellen said in an obvious tone.
"I am functional and if I am functional, then I am capable of assisting as I heal." Optimus responded.
Ellen tried to grab her hat and throw it down on the ground, but then realized she didn't wear a hat, instead she grabbed Brook's beanie and threw it on the ground instead. "Really?! You'd be a pile of ash and somehow downplay it." She called to him, "Are you listening to me?"
Optimus' movements were very sluggish and his body creaked, "He's about as weak as a frayed fan belt." Sideswipe said out of pity.
"I'll snap you in two if you don't stop that kind of talk." Windblade threatened dangerously.
"If Optimus says he can help, he can help." Bee said.
"Denial." Brook said to Ellen.
"Regardless, it's been weeks since we defeated Megatronus, we need to get back to capturing Decepticons and stop fighting with each other." He added.
Brook punched Ellen in the arm, though she didn't react in a over-top manner per usual, she didn't react at all. She was watching Optimus all this time, the way he walked, the smallest groan of lethargy and discomfort now and then.
"Dude, you can't feel anything in the left arm anymore, give attention to my anti social behavior." Brook joked, following her line of sight. "Hey, He'll be a'right. Don't nanny him; it's the last thing he'll want."
"But he can nanny me?" Ellen fired back with an annoyed look.
Brook shrugged, "He is your old man, that's kind of what they do...I-Isnt it?"
She sighed, "to a certain degree sure."
"Now the Alchemor fugitives have been center red near the scrap yard, but Windblade told us there are others scattered all over the world. " Bee explained
"On which region do we focus?" Drift inquired.
"All of them. Drift, you and your mini-cons along with Windblade will concentrate on distant Decepticons, your stealth and speed allows you to cover substantial ground." Bee said.
"Then I'm going with them, with me on board we'll have any cons we find rounded up before Russell's lunchtime." Sideswipe boasted.
"You just want to be wherever Windblade is." Strongarm condescended.
"Don't put me in the middle of your little psycho drama." Windblade grimaced.
"You've got it all wrong I just want to be wherever you aren't." Sideswipe fired back.
"Enough!" Bee voiced.
Brook leaned towards Ellen, "Well this is thrilling. I'd rather pluck out the hair on my ass."
"Thank you for that image Brook. Can you not go two minutes without mentioning butts?"
"Heres a question. These lot have been on vacation for the past weeks, you've had some fabulous time with your old man, he's been trying to be best acquaintances with me, so why is it only now Bee decides to get back to work when Optimus gets his McGuffin taken away?" she stared uncomfortably long at Ellen.
"Maybe Micronus will come back and explain who-"
"Were not getting an explanation are we?"
"Probably not, trust me its hard getting a straight answer out of any of them."
"Strongarm, Grimlock and I will continue to operate from the scrap yard with Denny, Russell and Brooks's assistance."
"What?" Brook looked behind her, "P-lease tell me there's another much shorter and not so handsome figured Brook around here."
"Brook. We talked about this." Ellen mumbled quietly so not to disturb Bee's briefing.
"I've seen what 'human' work is around here." Brook then abruptly yelled in a mocking tone, "WHOSE THAT POKE-CON?!...ITS- Who the fuck cares, it breathes fire and was a pimp on Cybertron is that enough info for you mister Bumblebee sir?! Was I a good human? Can I go outside and play now?!"
A pin could be heard dropped as all other conversations were forced to be silent to Brooks overbearing voice.
"Is there a problem?" Bee inquired as the other bots stared at her with a mixture of confusion and unsettling expressions.
"Maybe a small one." Brook calmly and quietly uttered, again switching so easily between moods, she made a pinching motion with her thumb and index finger at him.
"Can we do this later?" Ellen nervously pleaded.
"Let her speak Ellen." Bee said as though he was inviting the chance for her to argue with him.
"Good grief." Ellen muttered.
Brook stepped forward to the 'floor' he had given her. "Look, it's been so enlightening, for the past couple weeks but I'm starting to get cabin fever, I need to go further that over the bridge, ya get me?"
"Brook, I know it's frustrating for you but I promise you'll have your chance on the field. But only after I have given you clearance."
She grits her teeth, "So now you're my parole officer?"
"Brook." Ellen said. "I'm sure Bee didn't mean that as a th-"
"Ellen, stop undermining my decisions." Bee shut her down, Ellen blinked slightly taken aback. "Brook you can help Optimus and Fixit track and coordinate all of our missions from the command sat-"
"No Bumblebee, I believe I would be most helpful leading your field team."Optimus then interrupted.
Brook folded her arms, "Oh sure, tiny Tim gets to appoint himself." Ellen glared at her.
"With all due respect sir, your-"Strongarm started.
"Kind of gonna slow us down."Sideswipe added.
"You were built for neither speed nor stealth." Drift added.
"And we don't want to see you get hurt." Windblade finished.
"Your concern is appreciated but unwarranted." Optimus assured.
"Unwarranted?" Ellen said.
"Optimus Prime will lead the away team." Bumblebee finally said, he couldn't exactly say no, he wanted to preserve his dignity.
"Then I'm going too." Ellen said, "I apparently undermine your decision, but Dad can? What has gotten into you Bee?" she thought.
"Am I a joke to you?" Brook looked back and forth, "This is a bunch of bullshit."
"Ellen. I do not think it wise-"Optimus started.
Ellen shut her eyes tightly, frustrated to this constant way of being talked down to. "I've said before, I've been on plenty of hunts way before Megatronus." She said to him, for the hundredth and one time.
Optimus looked concerned, but took a step back into rank and dropped the issue.
"Fixit, resume scanning and widen the vectors, lets see if we can pick up a remote Decepticon signal somewhere and rig up a portable tracker for the away team to use." Bee ordered.
"Yes sir." Fixit saluted before rolling away.
"I shall assist with the construction of the tracker." Optimus announced.
As he walked away, everyone had a look of concern and most didn't know what to say...well except Sideswipe. "You've had some wacky ideas Bee but putting Optimus in charge of us its-"
"None of us is gonna be able to make Optimus change his mind. Let him lead as best he can and try to position him where his condition can't jeopardize your missions, at least until his strength returns." Bee lightly said.
"How?" Drift said unconvinced.
"Suggest he hang back, to coordinate communications or formulate strategy, you know something like that." Bee advised.
Ellen groaned, "I don't know. He's a good listener sometimes and gives good advice, but he's not well at taking any. He's as stubborn as he is huge."
Sideswipe sighed, "Okay. We'll try but only if I get to come up with a cooler name for us than the away team."
"'The away team' is fine, it's a timeless term." Ellen argued, somewhat pouting .
"Let's be real here, it's a little dated." Sideswipe persisted.
"Lieutenant!" Fixit called. "Decepticon signal located at the arctic circle."
"The arctic circle." Drift repeated, "The cold will impede our systems; we must capture our quarry quickly."
"I'll program the coordinates into the ground bridge." Fixit said.
"Looks like you're up away team." Bee said to the group.
"You mean, bad bot bashers!" Sideswipe announced self assured. Everyone stared awkwardly. "Huh! right? C'mon!? ...I'm just warming up." He folded his arms pleased, regardless of opinions.
"Sounds like a one season knock off show of robot wars." Ellen commented.
"Bad bot bashers sounds like something you need I.D to view." Brook added mockingly.
Ellen sniggered, "Okay yours trumped mine." The ground bridge powered up as she turned meek, "Sorry I announced that I would go as well, you going to be okay here?"
Brook looked half annoyed, "You're going because you're worried about the big guy, but you don't like him worrying about you?"
Ellen difficulty tried to get her words out but as though she was being choked, she sounded slightly croaky. "My!...worry right now-I mean-look its justified okay? I didn't just get the health sucked out of me."
Brook shrugged, yawned and stretched. "If you say so." She mumbled. "You don't have to worry about me, I don't like folk, but I'm not petrified of them either. Worry about yourself, your gonna be as cold as a white dog turf. If it was in the arctic circle Pfft."
"In a manner of speaking, Brook is correct." Optimus interrupted, hearing most of the conversation, he didn't mean to eaves drop, but his audio receptors were still sharp. Including that he picked up on neither one of them wanting concern from the other. But, if he's sees something wrong he cannot simply ignore it. "Are you sure you are dressed appropriately?" he asked her.
She gave a patience smile and started pinching at her cloths, "It looks light but again, new technology. I'm sweltering right now. We doing this thing?" she aloofly said.
He again looked on concerned but decided to stop preening, "'Greatest mind of your generation' pfft." Brook snickered at him.
The appropriate formation positions were made by the away team members as Optimus stood to the side, upright and still.
"Oh no." Ellen lightly said.
"What?" Brook asked, becoming easily frustrated when not in on the 'joke'.
Ellen tapped her nose, the 'I know, but I'm not telling gesture'...Brook repeated what she did puzzled by it..."The fuck does that mean?" she thought.
Optimus made a noise to signal all of their attention, "My friends, let us venture forth on this new mission and let us claim victory for Cybertron and for Earth." He uttered in his infamous 'speech mode'.
Brook started copying the slow clapping the others did, "I-Is this right? What's going on? I'm so confused. Is he going to cut the ribbon to a new bridge? I'll just play along."
Ellen watched her awkward out of place clapping, "You don't have to copy them if you don't know why." She teased.
"Oh thank fuck." Brook sighed leaning back on her heels. The group started shifting, she slapped a hand on Ellen's shoulder, "Stay safe bud, remember deep breaths and don't think about it."
"And you-...just be good okay? And try to get to know Bee; he's a great bot really, he's just-"
"Has a lot to lose, I know." She lightly replied.
"He's also been through a lot, violent dangerous beings have taken things from him, harmed a friend who he was to protect and now he's allot more careful, you can understand right?" Ellen patted her arm.
Brook nodded.
"And um, try to get some sleep, there's no shame in night terrors." She looked at Bee, "Most bots I know have the same trouble."
Brook stared at Bee, before he noticed her fixed gaze and she snorted mockingly, turning her gaze sharply. "Okay Bee, you got this. you're the bot who can get along with most...when you were a scout." He pinched his forehead looking at Ellen and Optimus, "The only two beings that have the patience to set her straight and of course their leaving!" he produced a wobbly smile at them.
"Forward." Optimus then ordered as they followed one by one through the Groundbridge .
"Is this really a good idea sir?" Strongarm said towards Bee with the final bot going through the portal.
"He'll be fine." he replied.
*BOOM!*
The Ground Bridge erupted in flames faster than dry leaves in a volcano. Everyone got to putting the fires out, stamping on them, extinguishers...Grimlock dumping a water fountain...mostly on Russell, but it still put the fire out."
Fixit in a panic went up to the control panel, "Command centre to await team, do you read? Away team can you read me?" No answer as Fixit starting tapping away anxiously, "For all I know their molecules could have been scattered from here to Caracas 4 or they could have been materialized inside a meteor or-"
"Fixit. Stay calm. Keep trying." Bee said.
"Right."
"He better be exaggerating." Brook muttered.
"You may have noticed, Fixit tends to get the jitters, the chances are very slim." Strongarm said hearing her.
"Away team this is-" Fixit started again.
"This is Optimus Prime command center; we have reached the arctic circle. We are at the base of an ice mountain, near some manner of research installation."
Brook rubbed her face, "Tits galore." She hissed relived.
"Is everything okay back there? We heard strange noises as we came through the portal." Windblade asked.
"We had a slight malfunction, of the Ground bridge." Bee explained.
Fixit added, "My theory is that something in the Primes reversal process altered your basic chemistry Optimus, when you went through the portal, you affected the ground bridge the same way a magnet damages a large jive-card five-*whack* hard drive."
"In other words, you're not taking a shortcut home until we get the ground bridge fixed." Bee said.
"Understood. Optimus out."
Brook looked to the Ground bridge, "Stuck on my own, with the type of crowd that usually avoid me...perfect."
Strongarm put her hands on her hips, "Now's your chance to show the lieutenant your willingness to help."
"..." Was the response of a silent, staring Brook.
Strongarm lent in a little to appear more assertive, "Go on. You were preaching before about wanting to do more."
"And?"
Strongarm rolled her optics, "Well, isn't this a little contradicting if you don't put in the effort?"
Brook tutted, "That is something I like to call, 'The rule of Brook', Strongarm. I'm never consistent but I'm also thoroughly consistent."
Strongarm attempted to figure that statement out but was met with a spinning processor. "What?" she uttered.
"I spout shit." Brook lazily replied.
"Come on, come on." Grim then encouraged. "We all make it a rule to look after new team members too."
She felt restricted by their presence, an uncomfortable shudder ran down her spine to how openly 'friendly' they were. She wondered if they were going to break into song about teamwork next. "Give me some space happy campers fuck me." She grit her teeth, breathed in and out, then bared an over the top happy smile as she walked up to Bee. "Phew, oh boy my jaws going to hurt in the morning." she looked back at Grimlock giving a thumbs up "Anything...I can do...to...help?" she struggled to say through clamped teeth.
"Not presently no." Bee bluntly replied, not even acknowledging her.
Her face dropped as she raised a middle finger, though Strongarm made a sound to catch her attention, "Persist. Be more 'positive'." She said.
She groaned looking around, "How about salvaging? Finding parts? Clean up?"
Grimlock then went up to Fixit and gave him a slight nudge with his foot as though giving him his cue. "Grimlock? What are you-"
"You need Brook to help right?" he said in a friendly and somehow threatening tone.
Fixit looked around, then to Grim who kept persisting, "U-Uh, Lieutenant Bumblebee? I...I could use the assistance, since Denny will be helping me."
"I can help too. I know what it's like to be the destructive one" Grim said sympathetically.
Bee looked at her, then to his team, If they wanted to give this another shot... "Alright then. You and Grim can help clear the ground bridge of hazards parts."
Brook breathed our sigh of relief, "finally, we're moving forward." Grim produced thumbs up. "I told myself I'd never have to start from the bottom of the ladder again."
Strongarm raised a finger. "Actually If you take an example from someone like Ultra Magnus he-"
"No more. Origin stories." She growled.
"There is no shame in starting new humble beginnings." She continued.
"Wow...I just threw up a whole piece of broccoli from that line." Brook fake gagged.
Strongarm tapped a foot, exhaling a frustrated sound. "For your information, Optimus told me that."
"Oh, excuse me where are my manners." Brook started gagging again, "That's worth at least a whole carrot."
"Brook, I appreciate you showing me your brutal tactical methods of restraining someone." She calmly thanked, attempting to try a friendly approach...for five seconds. "But your attitude stinks! It's almost as bad as Sideswipes!"
"It sure does, like putrid sewer water." Brook slurred. "Look, I'm just going to get started on being the human janitor a'right? Grim." She signalled him. "Let me know of any away team health updates yeah?" she walked off, leaving Strongarm dumbfounded.
Meanwhile in the Arctic, the winds were high adding to the harsh temperatures, "I shall scan for our quarry. Remain here and prepare yourselves for battle, should there be one." Optimus said with said scanner in hand.
"Did I call it?" Sideswipe started, "Optimus is already messing us up. It'll take us forever to drive back to the scrapyard from here."
"Sideswipe, you owe him your very existence. But putting that aside, quit putting him down he hasn't said or done anything to you to warrant it." Ellen sternly addressed. "Anymore back chats like that and you'll answer to me, understand?"
Sideswipe exhaled "Truth hurts I guess."
"What did I just say?" Ellen quick turned.
"I heard! I heard! I understand!" Sideswipe put up his hands above his head. He turned to Windblade who was staring at him, "What? It's true."
"Cut him some cable slick, it wasn't his fault the ground bridge frizzed." Windblade said.
"If anything, blame the lucky charms ghost." Ellen muttered.
"According to the scanner that Decepticons signal is emanating from that cave." Optimus pointed upwards to a steep icy bank. "Travel up the mountain will not be easy but-argh!" his leg jerked, he moved it around in a circular pattern as it squeaked and creaked.
"Are you injured Optimus Prime?" Drift asked swiftly coming to his aid.
"I am fine Drift." He assured.
Ellen frowned then pulled out her climbing gear from her backpack, "I can get up to that cave faster if I scale the ice wall here."
Windblade nodded, "Then you can scout out the area. Its structure." She knelt and quietly said. "We need to ensure it's suitable for Optimus."
Ellen looked at her suspiciously, "You too?"
"Of course not, I'm not slick...but I'm genuinely concerned for his safety." She reassured.
"Windblade, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have assumed." She said meekly.
"Forget about it." Windblade waved it off. "Why did you think I suggested checking the structure? We all don't want to see him get hurt."
Ellen dug her boots into the wall, "I'll contact you if I find any weak spots."
As soon as she hit her axe into the wall, Optimus turned, "Ellen?" he questioned making her cringe and shut her eyes tight. "What are you doing?"
By his tone alone Ellen sighed deeply, "S-Scaling this wall? For scouting purposes?" she replied meekly as she felt optics on her and Sideswipe mockingly mimicking her.
"No. I do not think it wise with this questionable strength of the wall." Optimus stated.
She looked at the rest of the team as this felt like a drama could ensure, "It's perfectly stable enough to support me and far from his range if I can sneak into the cave he wouldn't be expecting m-"
"Ellen no, It is too greater risk for you to-."
She let out a patient sigh, "Dad, we've talked about this. I'm going because it's my job and I'd appreciate it if you didn't...y'know...in front of the team?"
Optimus turned to see Sideswipe freeze in place, his pose included 'chatting hand gestures'. "Very well." He nodded, "But it goes against formation."
"Can we save the domestics for later?" Sideswipe interrupted. "Remember the part when Drift said that we'd freeze if we stayed too long? We're not the slow but steady team."
She looked at his worried optics, felt bad and tried to reassure him. "I'm going on ahead. I'll...wait for you at the top."
"That is more acceptable." He agreed lightly.
She looked at his leg, it was slightly bent at an angle as though he were struggling to put weight on it. "Be careful." She said to him.
"That is my line." He added lightly.
Her face looked conflicted, trying her best to put on a smile, despite her protests at Sideswipe she saw his movements, his reaction times; the environment itself is just not suited for him. "Sure." As she continued upwards, "he's just a little wobbly. His strength will comeback...I hope."
Back at the scrapyard...
Denny approached Bumblebee, the whole group helping out with the damaged Groundbridge. "Bee, are you sure it was wise to split your team like this?" he said.
"Specifically sir, was it wise to separate those of us who wield Decepticon hunters?" Strongarm added.
"Fair point. And I do worry about jeopardizing the chemistry we built since we've been here, but I can't send Grimlock on an extended field mission." Grimlock with Brook ran past with Fixit closely behind as they sniggered throwing parts of the Groundbridge back and forth. "He's too hard to disguise and we can't just fight Decepticon activity here, when we have every reason to believe there are fugitives all over the globe."
"Solid reasoning sir, I just hope neither team encounters anything that will make you regret your decision." Strongarm said.
"Enemy attack test!"
Strongarm pulled out her blaster, Bee turned his head as a sheet of metal planted him in the face in the same fashion as a cream pie, Grim held his hands over his mouth to hold back the sniggering, Strongarms mouth hung open, as did the rest of them.
Brook laughed loudly, disturbingly too long as Bee groaned. "Good job idiot, you're dead."
Bee raised a finger, wiping shrapnel from his face, "Crying wolf, is a dangerous prank to pull Brook."
"Good thing I said test, you deaf?" she said aloofly.
His groan turned to a frustrated growl, stepping forward about too-...
...before a presence was made known, a loud noise was swiftly approaching as a form leaping from sky landed abruptly into the scrap yard, causing a cloud of dust to blind their vision.
When the dust settled, a mech stood proudly, bearing the Decepticon symbol. "Please, please, keep your seats and bring Optimus Prime to me, now." He announced in a theatrical manner like an announcer for the next play before the curtains drew open.
Bee looked shocked, then bitterly confused. "Overload?"
The security system went off and tiny turrets started firing upon the Con, who took it like a light rain splashing against his armour, "Den, Russell, Brook, get to safety." Bee ordered.
"Way ahead of you Bee!" Denny called running in the opposite direction of danger .
"Shutdown the scrap yards defence systems!" Russell cried.
"You don't have to tell me twice!" Fixit cried back.
Overload approached Bee, looking him over, "You look almost familiar but I perform before so many." Bee gritted his teeth, letting out a deep growl. "When I overcome stasis, I sensed Optimus' energy signature here. He stole my spotlight so long ago, in our first encounter. But the sequel shall be very different."
Without warning, Bee suddenly tackled the Con letting out an angry cry; Overload easily flipped him over to knock into a couple of stasis pods. Brook pondered calmly in the chaos, somehow finding a deck chair and drank spring water from an empty bag of chips. No opportunity to be able to help was in her sights just yet, so she figured she'd might as well watch from a safe distance. "Hmm. Interesting. So this is one of those guys that hurt you huh?" She stared at the intensity in Bees optics, suddenly she could see many emotions behind those wounded optics, mostly the ones she could relate to, humiliation, anger, among other things. "Now this, I can understand."
"Oh you're looking to take centre stage, well you're not a star, and you're not even an extra." Overload boasted blocking Bumblebees attacks again with ease. Even when Bee finally got a good hit in, he merely wavered it off with a smug look. "Watch the face, the face is an actor's fortune, you know."
"Let's go!" Strongarm said to Grimlock. Though almost immediately Bee got thrown into her, Grimlock leapt from the ground and made a beeline for Overload.
Brook lent her chin in her hand as debris flew over her head, "Oh gee, with all the acting puns I'm going to say that this guys a Gardener." She yawned.
"Hi, I'm Grimlock, the Dinobot that gonna rearrange your pistons." He introduced to Overload.
"Is that right? Exit Grimlock stage left." His gun charged shooting Grim upwards and landing right in front of the Ground bridge.
Overload bowed to his 'audience', Brook stood up from her seat walking up Grim, who lay flat on his front. "You're doing fine matey." She dusted him off, a glint from the sun reflecting from metal caught her eye, looking over to a particular piece of heavy machinery, a slow growing wide grin grew on her face, "Hey Grim? How much do you know about knock knock jokes?"
Grim tilted his head. "Er..."
Overload approached an injured Bee, lying on his back. "Let me give me your cue one more time." He cupped a large hand around his shoulder and picked him up with it too, "Where is Optimus?"
"He's gone." Bee replied weakly through tightly shut optics. Overload dropped him abruptly.
Overload rolled his optics, "Urgh amateurs."
"Knock...knock." Grimlock said weakly from his grounded position.
Overload looked him over amusingly, "Lying helpless on the floor ad yet you want a second audition?"
"Knock, knock." Grim repeated quietly.
"Excuse me?"
"Just say 'whose there?'!" Grim growled lifting his head and flashing his teeth.
"Oh alright, I shall play along for a wannabe Dinobot. Who is THE-RRRE!?" *SCRE-EEEEECH!*
"A bulldozer! Ha-ha!" Brook cried colliding said bulldozer into the side of him as he lost balance and was forced into a pyramid stack of vintage library book cases that piled on top of him. She hopped out of the drivers seat, performing a bow herself. "Fuck that guy."
"Are you even trained to operate that?" Strongarm groaned holding her sore shoulder.
She shrugged. "Who needs training when you have 'how to' videos. I once stole one from a lumbering company that was going to knock down a small forest, which held an endangered sub species of millipede."
Overload stood to his feet, brushing himself down, even checking his precious face. "Why am I troubling myself with mere understudies? Optimus is who I want." He looked towards the city. "Optimus always felt protective of innocent bit players and this world is full of them. If I crush those bit players, Optimus will come running and I'll be waiting." He laughed...it was a terribly fake, over the top laugh.
He ran off, jumping over shelves of scrap and two mini cons, who had escaped their stasis pods caused by Overload throwing Bumblebee into them, followed after, stepping on Grimlocks nose on the way. "The mustard shit was that?" Brook sneered.
"Mini-cons." Grim said weakly getting himself to his feet. "Look a little different and not as nice as Drifts, but it's what they are."
"Hate to say it lieutenant, but Overload seems to have the armour to stand up to our entire team." Strongarm said, her shoulder still sore.
"Didn't look like he had as much armour on his face." Russell said.
"He thinks has an actor, probably doesn't want to hide his 'good looks'. Denny added.
"I can relate." Brook winked grinning.
"Maybe if we had Sideswipe, Drift and-"
"Maybe doesn't matter, I'm taking that Decepticon down." He said bitterly, cutting off Strongarm.
"With our help" Grim argued.
"Before he hurts anyone else." Bee turned. "Fixit, continue Ground bridge repairs, while I go after Overload."
"We have another concern." Fixit said. "Ransack and Backtrack are moose-goose *whack* loose!"
"Stopping Overload is my priority right now. We'll add the mini-cons to our to do list." Bee said.
"Why not split the work?" Brook suggested at his feet, "I can go after those Mini-cons, I ca-"
"Absolutely not." Bee firmly rejected, Your methods are too destructive and you still need my clearance to show that you understand how we do things."
Brooks lip twitched. "We? or you?"
"Lieutenant, were going too right?" Strongarm said.
"Oh...of course." He replied, forgetting his own teammates. "Come on team, let's rev up and roll out." He transformed, immediately going ahead of them at a high speed.
"Bee is taking this way too personal." Russell noted.
"You noticed huh?" Denny said. Brook stood in frustrated silence, clenching her fists and breathing heavily. "guess someone else is taking things personally?"
Brook inhaled, and held it there. "Russell. Fixit. can you go to the control panel for a moment please?" they both backed away cautiously.
She lifted her head up to the sky and screamed "C-"*HONK* The arrival of a delivery truck muffled her yelling.
"Oh look, that must be my delivery of a Chinese bootleg arcade game." Denny clapped excitably, patting Brook on the back. "Better?"
"No." She growled. "I don't have military discipline so I can't take this in my strive like a tool, It just fucks me off. Too destructive? I tried to be helpful, willing. I could trap those splurge stains, like that. But he still! Knocks me down!" she paced back and forth. "What's he want me to do? Beg on my knees?!"
"Brook. Calm down." He pointed to Fixit and Russell, who looked uncomfortable. "You need to simmer that temper."
Brook inhaled.
"Not used to taking orders huh?"
"No. Got told what to do all the time, I didn't get used to it. I just got so sick of it-" She looked at Ellen's bike, that was leant up against the wall, she smirked "He-llo opportunity."
Denny looked worried to her idea. "Brook, this will just make your position with Bee worse, if you keep treading on his feet...or just taking Ellen's motorcycle "
"I've only been here a few weeks, but I haven't seen him be that aggressive before." She cocked her leg over the bike. "You don't think when you see a person who has hurt you, you just see red. He talks about how I could jeopardise the team? He briefly forgot about them because he was too preoccupied on revenge." She grabbed a helmet and put it on. Denny gave her a surprised look. "What?"
"I mean from touching dead critters, to falling out of trees to having a car roll onto you, all willingly. Wearing a helmet is where the line is drawed?" he said.
She glanced at Russell, "Gotta set a good example about safety when kids are present Pfft."
Denny threw her a phone, "You can reach the bots through that if you have to."
"Thanks Den...Den-? Fuck it, no nickname for you."
"I can't convince you from going?"
"Nope. I'm tired of waiting." She turned the engine on, "If Yellow-fellow don't want me, I'll just force myself on him...-
...-
-That came out wrong...I'm off to get to know the shit out of him! That sounds not as bad! I'm running with it!" She drove off, tearing up the tread...on Ellen's brand new tyres.
A/N oh and happy an hour after halloween :) XD
Sorry If some dialog is confusing to follow, It is intentional, with Brook at least XD
Please R+R and as always be gentle :3