I don't own transformers, but I do have this movie on DVD. Dialogue as exact as it could be to the introduction scene. I only own Mari.

…Guess I should have known a Jazz/Prowl story would go over well with readers, if I love the pairing myself…

I can't remember who's story I got the Star Healer idea from, but (1) I'll credit it to them when I remember, and (2) I built it up from there.

Song is End of Time, by The Band Perry


Meeting Optimus

August 2nd

It takes us two days to reach the meeting place in a private alleyway. I'm holding a necklace Sire gave me the first night of our trip. It's shaped like a star.

A yellow Camaro pulls off to the side, and soon there's a Hummer and a GMC too. Two humans climb out of the Camaro, prompting Sire to let me out too.

We stare in shock as Optimus pulls through the fog and transforms. Sam and Mikaela staring up in shock, while I watch in awe.

The Camaro backs up instinctively. They all transform after that, and Optimus crouches in front of Sam, Mikaela, and I. Mikaela backs up nervously.

"Are you Samuel James Witwicky, descendent of Archibald Witwicky?"

"They know your name."

"Yeah."

"My name is Optimus Prime."

I look up at him in awe. This is Optimus. I smile as I whisper his name. "Optimus Prime."

"We are autonomous robotic organisms from the planet Cybertron."

I look up to Ratchet. "But you can call us Autobots for short."

"Autobots."

"Autobots." I glance at my necklace.

Sire sits back on a car. "What's cracking, little bitches?"

I turn to Sire. "You sai' a bad word."

"My first lieutenant. Designation, Jazz."

"This looks like a cool place to kick i'."

Sam looks confused. "What is that? How did he learn to talk like that?"

"We've learned Earth's languages through the World Wide Web." Optimus motions to Ironhide.

"My weapons specialist, Ironhide."

Ironhide's hands turn into cannons. "You feeling lucky, punk?" Ironhide aims his cannons at the three of us.

"Eek!" I duck behind Sam like a fool. God knows a human can't protect anyone from a Cybertronian cannon. Ironhide is scary.

Thankfully Optimus comes through for me. "Easy, Ironhide."

"Just kidding. I just wanted to show him my cannons."

Sam sighs with relief and looks back at me.

I smile sheepishly. "I've had 'nough threats in my life. I don' wanna die 'cause of Hide."

"Our medical officer, Ratchet."

"The boy's pheromone level suggests he wants to mate with the female."

Sam whistles nervously, while Mikaela scratches her head.

I glare up at him and stomp my foot. "TMI, Doc!"

Optimus suddenly turns to me. "Are you Mariposa?"

I look up, completely unafraid, unlike Sam, who is barely resisting an impulse to pull me away from Optimus. "Yes, Sir."

"Has your Sire explained your position and duties?"

"Yes, Sir."

He turns back to Sam. "You already know your guardian, Bumblebee."

Bumblebee is standing a little bit behind us, dancing around to a song he's playing with his radio. "Check on the rep Yep, second to none."

I facepalm, causing Sire to turn to me. "Sometimes Bee ge's a little silly, 'cause 'e's still jus' a kid 'imself."

"So you're my guardian, huh?"

Bumblebee nods.

"His vocal processors were damaged in battle. I'm still working on them." Ratchet sends a laser at Bumblebee's throat. Bumblebee coughs and raises a hand to his throat.

"Poor Bee." I start gently patting his leg. "I' here, Bee."

Sam raises an eyebrow. "Bumblebee?"

Mikaela cuts to the chase. "Why are you here?"

"We are here looking for the All Spark. And we must find it before Megatron."

"Mega-what?"

I roll my eyes. "King Con, leader of the 'Cepticons?" Sire had explained everything to me on the way.

Optimus smiles slightly at my words, and touches the side of his head, activating a hologram of Cybertron in the past. "Our planet was once a powerful empire, peaceful and just, until we were betrayed by Megatron, leader of the Decepticons. All who defied them were destroyed."

I look out over the holographic image and spot a tall red, silver, gold, and blue feminine robot with the Autobot symbol in the center of her chest plate. Her helmet made it look like she was wearing a long high ponytail where the tip reached the bottom of her back. She kind of looks like me.

Sam looks between her and I. "Mari, I think you have a robotic twin sister."

"That's Shining Star, the one known as the star healer. A controller of the blue inferno."

"What's the blue inferno?"

"It is the essence from the purest form of energon, the life blood of our race, from the brightest star that had died. It is pure both physically and spiritually. It can heal the most serious of injuries and might even revive those who have recently died within a day and burns those with great evil in their hearts or sparks in our case."

"Shining Star sounds like one tough cookie you don't want to mess with."

I nod, and smirk. "Even as a kid, so look out, Mis'er!"

Optimus returns to his tale, unfazed by our questions. "Our war finally consumed the planet, and the All Spark was lost to the stars." The three of us watch as Megatron throws a Cybertronian spear right into her chest plates. I cringe and cover my eyes. "Megatron followed it to Earth, where Captain Witwicky found him."

"My grandfather."

"It was an accident that intertwined our fates. Megatron crash-landed before he could retrieve the Cube. He accidentally activated his navigation system. The coordinates to the Cube's location on Earth were imprinted on his glasses."

"How'd you know about his glasses?"

"eBay."

"eBay."

"If the Decepticons find the All Spark, they will use its power to transform Earth's machines and build a new army. And the human race will be extinguished. Sam Witwicky, Mariposa Prime, you hold the key to Earth's survival."

Mikaela steps between Sam and I. "Please tell me that you have those glasses. And please don't lose that necklace." I reach up nervously and clip the necklace on before looking up at the Autobots.

The Autobots transform. Bumblebee takes off toward Sam's house, the other Autobots in pursuit. I'm once again sitting inside Sire.

"Ya seem a bi' nervous, Sweetspark."

"Yeah, well, would you want to be the key in an endless war before you're even ten?"

"Can we not talk about i'? I don' like my younglin' goin' into the field any more than ya like havin' to." He sighs. "How 'bout some tunes?"

He starts a song, one very fitting for the moment. I start to sing softly, still very nervous about the whole I'm-the-world's-only-hope thing. I'm only six, after all.

Here I am standing firm

As the ground shakes beneath me

I send you away with my own hand

I try and try to remember that for now it's for the better

But there's a southern kind of tragic blowing in

And it feels like the beginning of the end

Well the Alabama moon fell from the sky

And the sweet tea wells ran dry

Somewhere out there you're finding yourself

But back home it's the end of time

I'm scared to death

Pick up your phone

Outside I hear the bells ringing

Bringing ruin to all that we have ever known

Pick up your phone

I need an answer

Come home and call off disaster

Cause I fear tonight our Cotton Land might fall

Oh I'm cracking like the plaster on the wall

Well the Alabama moon fell from the sky

And the sweet tea wells ran dry

Somewhere out there you're finding yourself

But back home it's the end of time

It's the end of time

Is it the end of all time

Or just the end of mine

Well all of the cotton died in the fields

The little babies cried the blue from their eyes

Somewhere I'll bet you're living it up

But come home before the end

The Alabama moon fell from the sky

And the sweet tea wells ran dry

Somewhere out there you're finding yourself

But back home it's the end of time

Come home and be mine

Come home

Come home

Sire sighs. "You definitely go' my gif' of singin'."

"Sire… you sing?"

"Ah used to be an entertainer before the war. They called meh Meister." I can tell he'd smile if he were in robot form. "Prowler would be so happy to hear ya sing."