I only own Mari!


Diagnosis

6:00 am

"Mari, i's time ta wake up."

"Sire? Wh-where Carrier?"

"He's in the shower. Ah'm gonna get ya packed and dressed."

"Packed?"

"Jus' some toys, Sweetspark."

"An' Flutter!"

He nods. "An' ya blanke', jus' in case ya ge' tired. Ya Carrier's already go' somethin' for ya ta 'charge on waitin' a' the base." He helps me into a lavender tank top with blue butterfly print ruffles and lavender bows, with a white butterfly graphic, a sky blue butterfly print tutu with lavender trim and a lavender bow, lavender cropped leggings, and lavender strappy flats. He then pulls my hair up into two pigtails and twists two purple hair ties around them, then braids them and wraps blue ties around the bottoms, and finally slips my butterfly tiara in. He turns to pack a dark pink butterfly backpack with some things from his subspace, and my hoodie. "I'll ge' ya breakfas'. Ya need ta be ready. Prowler's gonna be in a hurry." I hand him Blankie, keeping Flutter out. I'm carrying her. "Don' ya wanna bring one o' ya dolls?" I hand him Lily and the doll diaper bag they had gotten me. Lily gets tucked into the bag, with Blankie rolled up and set on top of a drawstring. He then clips a green flap over the top and hands it to me before leading me down, carrying the diaper bag.

It takes him ten minutes to have a butterfly pancake, a scrambled egg, hashbrowns, and two sausage links on my favorite lavender butterfly plate, and sets a pink plastic butterfly cup of strawberry milk beside it.

"Ea' good, Sweetspark."

I'd giggle at his accent like I do every morning, but… something doesn't feel right today. I know I gotta get tested by Ratchet today, but that's not what feels off…

Carrier walks in and kisses Sire on the head.

"Hey, Prowler." This time, I have to cover my mouth so I don't spit my strawberry milk across the kitchen. Carrier hates being called that, and the glare he's giving Sire looks funny. "There's energon goodies an' suckers in the cabinet, on the top shelf so Mari won' be able to get them on her own. Ah also have some 'gon popsicles in the freezer if she behaves for Ratch." I can feel him looking at me. "There's a lis' on the counter of wha' food Mari likes, and wha' we need a' the store, as well as the school's supply lis' for both Blue an' Mari. Ya still need ta ge' their uniforms, an' a booster for Blue ta use when 'e takes 'er in." It sounds like he's leaving us. "Ah haven' had time ta do the shoppin' ye', so it's up ta you. Mari's lunch, 'gon, and snacks are in the butterfly lunchbox in the fridge, an' ah tossed a few other drinks in her backpack. Don' le' 'er drink the water from the taps on base, 'cause 'er frame can' tolerate the chemicals they have in i'."

"Chemicals?"

"Fluoride. Will tol' meh, she tol' 'im i' makes 'er stomach hur'. We don' have the chemical in the water 'ere, an' ah managed ta fin' a brand o' bottled water tha' don' have i'. 'Member ta use butter when ya cook, an' don' ge' yogurt 'less she asks for i'." He turns and shifts into holoform before kissing my head, then returns to his normal form before continuing. "The mission shoul' only take a week at mos', and ah'll have Hide with meh, so—"

"I plan to keep an optic on the Lennox family as well, and I am capable of caring for our daughter, Jazz. I carried her, after all."

"Righ'." He rubs the back of his neck. "Ah guess ah'm jus' nervous 'bou' leavin' the two of ya."

"Why!?" I slide out of my chair and run to him before hugging his leg. "Don' go, Sire, don' go!"

He kneels to me. "Ah have ta, Sweetspark. Prime needs me ta help Hide in LA. We're the easies' ta hide, with Bee watchin' the boy and Blue's trauma, and Prime hates ta separate carriers and sparklin's, so ya Carrier's stickin' with 'is desk job 'til ya'r older." He sighs heavily before setting me back in my chair. "Sweetspark, have we tol' ya wha' we do for the Autobots?" I shake my head, my mouth being full at the moment. "Ah'm the leader of the Special Ops team, and a saboteur—that's someone who sneaks in, hacks computers for info, and gets out without being seen—"

"You're a spy!"

"Yep!" He grins. "Ya Carrier's the SiC—second in command—that means he answers to Prime, and only Prime. 'E's real good in the field too, bu' Prime wan's him off the fiel' till ya're a li'l older."

"What does Carrier do then, if Opt won' let him ina field?"

"Tactics."

I look up at Carrier. "What?"

"I am a tactician and an enforcer."

"A what?"

He slides into the chair beside me with a cube. I can tell from the blue glow that it's almost full of energon. Sire doesn't have one, but I can see an empty one in the sink. "A tactician plans the battle or mission before it happens, and an enforcer, on Cybertron, is the same as a police officer here."

"You're a cop."

"Yes."

"An' he wan's ta ge' a job with the police ta bring in some money so the prez don' hafta pay for us."

I tilt my head to the side. "Huh?"

"I want to get a job at the Tranquility Police Station so we can keep you from being taken by the government."

"Why…why would they take me from you?"

"'Cause ya're an alien child, and ya'll have powers when ya ge' a li'l older."

"Really?"

Carrier nods. "They should be developing soon."

Sire kisses my head again before turning for the door. "Be good, Girly. Ah'll see if ah can' brin' ya somethin' from the city when ah come back."

"Be careful, Jazz." Sire salutes him with a grin before leaving. I whimper softly. I hate goodbyes, especially when I almost lost him a week ago. Carrier runs a hand over my head gently. "We will survive this, Sweetspark." He stands and walks over to the sink with his energon cube and starts to wash it out, then starting on Sire's. "Finish eating. We have to leave soon." I nod and shove the last bite in my mouth before standing to take him my plate. "Milk."

I swallow and hand him my plate, then turn and finish off my glass. I know Carrier and Sire wouldn't be so hard-pressed to have me finish my milk in the morning if they didn't mix it with my energon, so I make sure to finish it. It's the only time they do that, because I don't like plain low grade energon with my breakfast, and Carrier doesn't like adding anything that could be considered extra to my energon, because it'd be like adding sugar to my juice.


Carrier helps me into my booster before handing me my backpack, the diaper bag for my doll, and my lunch box. "Buckle." I do, quickly. I know Carrier's in a hurry. "Bluestreak will be by the base sometime today to see the twins. I might let him watch you, so long as you stay out of the twins' pranks."

"Okay."

"Remember what your Sire said."

"I be good for Ratch, I getta popsicle tonight!"

"Yes."


We pull into the base. Carrier waits for me to get out with my stuff before transforming as I pull my backpack on. Once I have everything together, he lifts me to his shoulder. "Hold on."

We have to go around the long way to get to his office, but it doesn't bother me. I can see some bots with pointy wings, while Carrier's are more boxy. "Hello, Silverbolt."

"Morning, Prowl." He looks right at me. "That's Mari?"

Carrier smiles. "Yes."

"Want to come flying with us?"

"Fireflight…"

"No, she does not." Carrier crosses his arms. "She is not to leave the base without my permission, unless she is with Bluestreak."

One of them crosses his arms and glares at Carrier. "Spoilsport."

"Air Raid!" Silverbolt sighs. "Sorry…"

Carrier starts walking again. I glance back and wave to the one Silverbolt called Fireflight. He sounds nice. I turn back to find Carrier tapping in a code on the door. It slides open moments later, revealing a plain looking room, except for one corner, which is set up for me with a large square of pink carpet, a light pink butterfly print bean bag chair, and a small roll in one corner the same color as my backpack. "Try to stay quiet until your appointment."

I drop the doll diaper bag on the edge of the carpet and toss Flutter toward the bean bag chair, then lift the flap on my bag and lay Blankie on the other side. "What time is it?"

"Six thirty in the morning. I will take you to Ratchet at eight, so you may do as you wish, within reason, until then. Jazz did get you a few activities, so you should be able to entertain yourself while I get to work."

I nod before plopping into the bean bag chair and setting my bag on my lap, then look up to see Carrier at his desk. I shrug before turning back to my bag and pulling on the drawstring. I pull Lily out and set her aside, then reach inside again, finding the drinks Sire said he put in there: a box of apple juice—my favorite, a box of strawberry milk, and a bottle of spring water. I set my bag aside and carry the three over to Carrier before tapping his leg. When he looks down, I hold them up to him. He nods before taking them. I turn to go back to my corner when I remember something. "Carrier…"

"Yes?"

I trace an invisible line on the floor. "When you said I'd have powers… was one of them fire?"

He turns completely away from his desk before kneeling to me. "Mariposa…" He sighs. "Yes. When did you notice it?"

I rub the back of my neck. When he brought up powers earlier, I felt bad—sickish, but not sick—because I hadn't told him about saving Sire. "I-it happen' 'fore you got here. I hadda save' Sire." I whimper softly before burying my face into his leg. "I don' wanna lose Sire 'gain!"

He picks me up before getting back in his chair, then sets me on his desk. "Is that why you were so quiet this morning?"

I nod as tears come to my eyes, because it's a traumatizing, as well as stressful, memory. "Megs rip' 'im in half, an' Ratch pu' 'im back a-gether, bu' he wasn' 'live. I hadda use a fire. I' wa' scary, bu' I' been bad and hi' 'im when 'e 'bandoned Bee in LA, and di-didn' ge-getta s-say sowwy, an' I no w-wanna be a orphan!" I run my arm over my eyes. "Sowwy… I didn' mean a cwy 'gain."

He simply sighs and runs a finger over my head. "At least you did not purge this time." He pulls out a cleaning cloth before wiping my face off, then stores the cloth and sets me on the floor. "Go get one of your toys, and you may stay with me for now." I nod and start to run over to my toys. "Mariposa, don't—" I trip over my feet and fall, hitting my hands and knees. "Run…" He sighs heavily before crossing the short distance and kneeling to me as I sit up. "Sweetspark…"

Tears come to my eyes as I cup my hands over my knee. "I h-hate bein' clumsy."

"May I see?"

"N-no needles."

He shakes his head. "We will not need one for a scrape." He sighs as I move my hands, revealing my bleeding knee. "I need to comm Ratchet."

"Bu—"

"Easy, Sweetspark. I do not have any bandages on me."

"We needa buy ban'aids too."

He nods. "Along with a first aid kit for my vehicle mode." He reaches up to his comm while I slip my fingers back into my mouth. "Ratchet?"

"What is it this time, Prowl?"

"Ratchet, I have not contacted you before now."

"I found the required human tests easily. Now I am trying to find the required psychological tests in your brother's administrative files, but he never labeled them."

"I need you to bring a bandage for Mariposa. I have yet to get a first aid kit, and she scraped her knee."

"Why is she off the carpet anyway?"

Carrier sighs. "Does it matter?"

I can hear Ratchet sigh over the comm. "No. I'm on my way."

"Thank you." Carrier slips my fingers out of my mouth, then wipes the new tears off my face, and cleans off my fingers, before tucking the cloth away again.

"Prowl." The door slides open, revealing the neon yellow medic. He crosses the room before kneeling to where I've cupped my hands over my knee again. He nudges my hands lightly with one finger. "Let me see, Little One." I move my hands timidly, again revealing my bleeding knee, though it's not bleeding as bad. "It does not look too bad."

He grabs a damp cloth before washing it off. Even as gentle as he's trying to be, it stings really bad, and makes me feel really woozy. I reach up and rest a hand on my head.

"Ratchet."

"Prowl, I—" He glances down to where I'm close to passing out, and quickly uses his hand to keep me upright. "Oh…" He points to Flutter. "I need to lay her down. Use that as a pillow." The second Carrier lays it behind me, Ratchet lies me back. "At least she is a lot easier to maneuver than you are." He finishes cleaning my knee before sticking on a plain-looking band aid.

"R-Ratch?"

"Easy, Little One."

I nod before looking up at Carrier. He looks freaked out. "Carrier?" I hadn't passed out, but I came close. I usually do, when I hurt like that. "I'm 'kay now."

He runs a finger over my head. "What happened?"

"I ge' dizzy when I hur' like that. I can' help it, and it's scary."

He nods. "I will have to remember that for future reference." He turns to Ratchet. "Thank you. I apologize for interrupting you."

Ratchet brushes him off. "Don't. I doubt you could have handled that on your own, without knowing how she reacts to certain stimuli."

Once Ratchet leaves, Carrier returns to his desk, and I limp over to finish going through my backpack. There's three packages of coloring pages—the kind where the color only shows up on the paper—and a Leapster game system and games. I take the game system and the games, as well as one of the coloring sets, and walk back over to Carrier. "Carrier?"

He glances down to me before lowering a hand, never looking away from his datapad. Once his hand is level with the desk, I climb off and lay on my tummy before setting up my new game with the Pet Pals game. I only play for a short period of time before drifting off on his desktop.


7:50 am

"Mariposa."

My eyes flutter open to find Blankie draped over me, and my new game system acting as a pillow. "Carrier? Wha…"

"We have ten minutes before we have to meet Ratchet."

"Milk pwease?"

"As soon as you get your toys picked up."

I nod and turn off the game system, then wait for Carrier to set me and my armful of stuff on the floor. Once I'm down, I stack everything beside my backpack. He kneels and lowers a hand, which I climb into, then sets me on his shoulder with the promised box of milk.


Medical Bay

Carrier sets me on the berth before sitting down beside me. I look up at Ratchet as he starts explaining things to Carrier. I'm confused, and kinda scared.

Ratchet sighs before handing Carrier a datapad and stylus. "I was unable to find anything to actively test her, but this should be enough for the psychologist."

"I doubt someone her age would be capable of writing well enough to do so."

"I can!"

"Mariposa, please…" Carrier looks at me before looking back to the datapad. "I need to fill this out."

"I need you to come over here, Mariposa."

"W-why? N-no needles, right?"

"No needles, just like I promised." He lifts me onto the big metal bed before pulling out a scanner. I watch curiously as he runs it over me, then turns toward a larger computer with it. "How are you doing on that questionnaire, Prowl?"

"It is far more difficult than you think, Ratchet. I have only known her for a week." He leans forward and rests his head on a hand, still holding onto the datapad.

"Prowl?"

He shakes his head before turning back to what I think is a test of some sort. "I am not going to crash over a few difficult questions, Ratchet."

'Right. Blue told me 'bout that…'

"When is Bluestreak getting here?"

Carrier glances at the time. It's digital, so I can read it. I learned my letters and numbers in Kindergarten. It's 8:45. "He did not say, but he insisted he would be here soon after he comes out of recharge."

"And Jazz?"

"He left for Las Angeles with Ironhide this morning." Carrier sighs as he hands the datapad to Ratchet. "Have you found anything out yet?"

"No. I will as soon as I finish with this."


9:30 am

We look up when we hear a knock. "Ratch? Is Prowl in there? He wasn't in his office."

"Yeah." Ratchet lets him in before turning back to the computer.

Bluestreak kneels to where I'm lying on my tummy, coloring on my new paper. It's Hello Kitty—not my favorite, but I love to color, so I don't care. "What are you doing?"

"Coloring."

"Want me to color with you?"

I nod, and hand him a picture before waving toward the markers.

"Prowl?"

Carrier looks up from the report he'd grabbed when he got my coloring pages. "Yes, Ratchet?"

He motions for Carrier to come to him.


Third POV

"What is it?"

"I have her results…" Ratchet sighs heavily. "Prowl…" He looks down. "The scan revealed that she has your glitch, and that, combined with the results of the survey…" He lays a hand on Prowl's shoulder. "She is autistic, but on the higher end. There is no way she cannot be just as successful as you are once she grows up."

Prowl glances to the two younglings near the medical berth. "Ratchet, I—" He sighs. "I can—she—"

"Prowl!"


Normal POV

I look up at the sudden sound of metal on metal, and find Carrier on the floor. "CARRIER!" I scramble to my feet and start to run to him. Bluestreak cups a hand around me. "Blue, no! Le' go! CARRIER!" Tears start rolling down my cheeks. "CARRIER!"

"Mari!" Bluestreak picks me up and holds me against his spark. "Ratchet knows what he's doing. He'll be okay. It's just a crash."

I whimper before looking up at him. "Jus' a cwash? Bu' 'e's…"

"He'll be fine, Mari." He glances to where my coloring pages are. "Where's Flutter?"

"In Carrier's office. He tol' me ta pu' my toys 'way."

"Well, then let's go get her." He looks up to the medic. "I'm taking Mari to Prowl's office, then we'll be with the twins."


Carrier's Office

I whimper in Bluestreak's arms, watching the closed door behind us as I ride on his shoulder. "Blue? We gonna stay in Carrier' office?"

He shakes his head. "Nope. I'm taking you to see the twins, remember?"

"Twins?"

"Sideswipe and Sunstreaker. They're my friends."

I stick my thumb in my mouth. I don' care if my old Dad thinks only babies do it, I need something in my mouth, and he thinks I'm too big for binkies. Sometimes, I wind up chewing on them. Carrier doesn't like it, but I can't help it. "Wha' they like?"

"Sides likes to prank people, which means Prowl doesn't like him much, and Sunstreaker likes to paint, but he's not as excitable as Sides."

"Sunny le' me pain'?"

Bluestreak laughs softly as he keys in Carrier's code. "Not if you call him Sunny."

"So I gotta say Sunst'eaker?"

"Right." He sets me down in the corner. "Now, get Flutter, and pack up your toys."

"Bu'…"

"He's getting off in half an hour anyway. We've got to get our uniforms, and he's got errands to run." He shrugs. "Besides, you've got another appointment today."

I stomp my foot. "No needles. Carrier pwomised!" I cross my arms. "'Sides, I already go' vacci-nations."

"It's not that kind of appointment." He glances at Carrier's desk before grabbing several datapads, including one small enough for his holoform to use. I know it's Sire's lists. I saw it on the counter this morning. He quickly tucks them into his subspace before helping me with my backpack, then picking me back up again. "Let's go find the twins. Ratch'll call when Prowl's okay."

"Carrier be okay?"

"He will."

"Okay then."


Rec Room

He sets me down on a large gray couch that looks like a larger version of our blue one. "Now, just stay here for a minute." He checks in his subspace, and quickly pulls out my lunchbox. "Did Jazz send you a sippy?"

I nod. "Hungry too."

He digs around in my lunchbox before pulling out two containers and my water bottle. "Let's see… You've got goldfish crackers, or strawberries."

"Wha' 'bou' en'gon gummies?"

"Prowl won't be happy if I give you candy right before lunch."

I pout. "Fine." I look back up at him. "Strawberries then?"

He smiles and hands me one of the silver and pink butterfly containers before putting the other one back, then hands me the water bottle. "Let me know when you drink it all, and I'll fill it up again."

"'Kay."

"Blue?"

"Ya babysitting?"

Bluestreak sighs. "You could say that." He hands me Lily and her clothes. "You can play, but try not to make a mess. We have to leave in twenty minutes."

"Why—" Sideswipe sighs. "You're being as specific as Prowl!"

I glance up at the red mech before changing Lily into a long sleeved dress with white sleeves and a blue jumper with red daisies. I want her to be pretty when we go to the store.

"I can't say it around Mari, Sides." He sighs. "Prowl's in the med bay, so I'm watching her until he's fixed."

"And you're doing it because of Mari? She's—"

I slide off the couch carefully and tap the yellow twin with my finger, then huff and grab my water bottle before tapping him with it.

The three look down at a tapping sound. "Sunny-st'eaker?"

He glances to the now-empty snack container with a grimace. "She better not have messed up my paint job."

"Sunny-st'eaker?"

He sighs and kneels to me. "What?"

"Wanna color wif me?" Bluestreak moves to scoop me up, so I duck under the red mech. "Blue, stop i'! Wanna color wif Sunny!" The yellow mech scowls. "Oopsies… I forgotted. No call 'im Sunny." I run over to the closest corner and try to hide behind their giant TV as Sunstreaker runs after me. "Blue! Help! Scary mech's gonna hurt me!"

"Sunstreaker!"

I peek out as the mech backs away.

"Bluestreak, pick up her things and fill her bottle. We are leaving as soon as I finish talking with my youngling." I hear another set of footsteps—these slower and lighter than Sunstreaker had been. "Mariposa."

"C-Carrier?" I crawl out slowly, my fingers in my mouth again. "You 'kay?"

"Yes, Sweetspark, but we have to talk." He carries me to the couch before sitting down with me on his lap. "Are you okay?"

I look up at him. "I scared, but I 'kay." I look down before looking back up at him. "Why you cwash?"

"It is…difficult to explain."

"I can unners'and."

He sighs heavily before glancing at me. "Most of the time, it is because something does not follow logic—"

"What logic?"

"Something that makes sense."

"Like it no make sense when I say you was a angel?"

He nods. "Right. At other times, my emotional state—my feelings—can push me too far." He sighs. "Do you know why Ratchet wanted to see you today?" I shake my head. "He wanted to test you for a human condition similar to my glitch."

"Glitch?"

"The problem in my processor that makes me crash, Sweetspark."

"Oh…" I look up at him. "I no' normal?"

He runs a finger over my head. "You are not, but it does not matter to any of us. You have the same problem I do, in addition to autism."

"What' that?"

He sighs softly. He doesn't sound mad, just…tired. "It is a disorder that affects the brain, or processor, and development. That would be why you had so much trouble with Annabelle's friends at her party yesterday, and it may be why you have your hands in your mouth again."

"Cause I's—I'm—different?" I glance down before pulling my hand out of my mouth. "Sorry."

"Don't be. Ratchet has explained the condition to me, and given me information for your Sire. I will help you settle into a schedule as soon as I can. You can still have a normal life." He stands and sets me on his shoulder. "But right now, we need to get started on our errands."

"Blue gots your datapads."

"Excuse me?"

"Blue has your work, so you can finish i' later."

He smiles slightly. "Thank you, Sweetspark."