I only own Mariposa!
My True Form
Home
We pull in the drive, and Carrier opens the door to let me out. I unbuckle and slide out, clinging to my new ambulance and fire truck blanket, as well as Flutter and Blankie, leaving my dark pink butterfly backpack for Carrier to get.
Carrier transforms before picking me up, then starts inside with me. He carries me up the stairs and lays me on my bed before turning to put my uniform in the hamper in my bathroom, then walks back in before sitting beside me. "I need to finish Optimus' reports. I will be in my office across the hall if you need me."
I look up at him with a pouty face. "I gotsta stay in bed?"
"No, Sweetspark. Just try not to be too loud." I slide off my bed to the floor before looking up to Carrier. "I will see if your Sire or Bluestreak will be able to help you with your homework once they return."
"Why back hurts? It no' usually hurts 'less something hits, bu' something no' hits this time."
Carrier smiles down at me. "You will be able to return to your true form within the next few days."
"I's gonna be bot soon? Who I looks like?" I pause to think about something for a moment. "Wanna looks like you. Likes you wings."
"Yes, you will transform soon." He sighs before standing. "I need to get to work. You can play if you wish, but you must stay quiet."
"Yes, Sir." I walk over and hug his leg before looking around my room. He never told me who I look like! I pull off my dirty black socks, then pull out my yellow girls coloring book and the huge box of crayons Carrier bought, then lay on my tummy on the floor and start to color. It's not easy, with my body feeling all twitchy, but I do the best I can. Once my picture's done, I set the book and crayons on my desk, then glance toward my door. The twitchies are getting really annoying, but I don't want to bother Carrier while he's working. 'I just need to put up with it till Sire gets home… Carrier said I might transform soon…'
I sigh, then sit on my desk chair before trying to think of ways to make myself transform.
Evening, Third POV, with Amy
Elizabeth Altheimer, a Major with NEST, turns to her daughter, Amelia, with a soft sigh. It's only been the two of them for several years now—since her daughter was ten—but the two of them have been able to handle the chaos well. Amy stayed with the Miller family while her mother was deployed, and Elizabeth finally got a position stateside, working with Captain Lennox and Optimus Prime as they start a new life in America. Hell, she's even helped come up with some of their holoform cover names!
The two of them are sitting at the table, eating Chinese takeout. Normally, Elizabeth prefers to cook when she's home, but the morning's battle left much to be desired. "How was school?"
Amy sighs softly. "My class was chosen as the rotating teacher's helpers this year. It was my turn today."
"Oh?"
Amy nods. "One of the first grade girls got sick…" She looks down at her plate for a minute. "Mom, is there a medic named Rick on your base?"
Elizabeth looks up to her daughter. "Mia, I can't—"
Amy sighs. "Mom, Mari's Uncle had to take her there this morning because her family takes her to a Field Medic on your base—he said her Dad was going to meet them in the medbay, and—" Amy sighs softly. "And she's got two Dads. None of the other kids have that story. I didn't think—"
"Mari?"
"Mari Tranquilli. Her uncle Blake's in my class at school."
"Amy…" Elizabeth sighs heavily. "You can't tell anyone what I say here…"
"I thought—"
"Immediate family is allowed to know a little bit—Will brings his wife and daughter by the base on occasion—but you can't tell anyone. It stays between us."
"I won't. I promise."
She nods. "Amy… NEST is formed of humans and aliens working side by side to protect Earth. Mari's one of them, as is Blake. Their real names are Mariposa and Bluestreak."
"Blue…"
Elizabeth raises an eyebrow, but continues. "Her parents are Jazz and Prowl—they're officers under Optimus. Will and I work alongside him—he's their leader."
"But Mari's…"
"They have something called a holoform, which they use to blend in with the rest of humanity. Mariposa is stuck in hers."
"And Rick?"
"Rick is Ratchet, their medic." She sighs. "Mari's Carrier—her mother-figure—has what they call a glitch."
"Oh, God. Is she—wait, I thought—"
"Both genders can carry, her Carrier is the SiC, and he's had it all his life. Mari inherited it."
"But she's okay?"
"She's fine. Prowl took her home early—took his work too, I heard—and she'll be back to school within a couple days at the most."
"Thank God. She's really a sweetheart."
Elizabeth smiles. "I know."
That Evening, Supper
Sire sets a plate with a cut up pork chop, mashed potatoes, and green beans all covered in gravy in front of me before starting for the stairs with a cube in his hand, leaving me with Bluestreak. I start eating slowly before looking up to Bluestreak worriedly. "Where Sire go?"
"He's taking a cube up to Prowl."
"Carrier too busy to eat?"
"Yep."
"Carrier need a break from work, Blue… No wan' him be tiwed all time."
"He'll be fine, Sweetspark. He's been working like this for eons."
"Eons?"
"Years and years." Bluestreak smiles. "He worked like this before the war."
"'Fore war? That long time 'go, wight?"
"Really long ago—before I was sparked."
"You's fifteen t'ough."
"Fifteen vorns is over a thousand years here."
"But I's—"
"You have been growing at a human rate." I look up to see Carrier and Sire. "Ratchet suspects it will continue until you are an adult."
"Carrier? I thought…"
Bluestreak leans over to me. "Jazz made him come down. He hates it when Prowl's in his office all the time. He'll go back after supper."
"Oh…"
"So… Wha' ya done since ya go' home, Mari?"
I look down at my plate. I don't wanna tell him I've been twitchy all day. "I colors some… Blue helps me wif homeworks… Plays dollies… Play Leapster…" I smile up at him. "Carrier say no chores today cause I getted sick at school, so I getta play lots!"
"I'm sure ya did, Girly."
After Supper
I sigh before sitting on my berth. I've been trying all day to transform, and I still haven't been able to.
I look up when Sire walks in. "What's wrong, Girly?"
"I can't t'ansform, Siwe."
"You'll figure it out, Sweetspark."
"I twied all day, ever since Carrier an' I gotted home, bu' nothing evew happens!"
"Ya jus' gotta be patient." Sire runs a hand over my head. "Trus' meh, i'll happen, ya jus' gotta give i' time."
I glare up at him. "Carrier say it s'posed ta happen now! I jus' don' know what I's s'posed ta do!" I groan when he doesn't react. "Siwe, I's s'posed ta be bot now, bu' I can'ts twansform!"
Carrier suddenly appears in the doorway with his arms crossed. "Jazz, what are you doing?"
"She's upse' 'cause she hasn' been able ta transform ye'. Ah was tryin' ta comfor' 'er, bu' she won' le' meh!"
Carrier sighs heavily. "Go downstairs and help Bluestreak finish the kitchen. I will take over with Mariposa."
"Fine…" He stomps out the door and down the stairs.
I look up at Carrier. "I makes Sire mad?"
Carrier shakes his head slightly before smiling gently at me. "He is simply frustrated."
"F'ust'ated?"
"He is frustrated that he cannot comfort you about reaching your true form. You are frustrated, as well. Can you tell me why you are frustrated?"
I look down. I don't like to keep things from them. "I's been twi'chy all day, since I waked up at base, an' back ouchie, an—" I look up at him with tears in my eyes. "An' you say I gonna twansforms soon, bu' I no' know hows! I no likes be' twi'chy, an' i' hards ta pay 'tention ta homeworks, or colors, or games…no' even on dollies! An' I twy an' twy, bu' nofin' happen, an' Siwe tell me i' happen, bu' I no' know hows!" I reach up and rub my eyes with my sleeve. "Sowwy…"
Carrier runs a finger over my head. "It is fine. You could not help it." He sighs softly before smiling slightly down at me. "Do not be afraid to ask one of us to show you."
"You knows how?"
"Yes. Would you like me to explain it to you?"
I beam up at him. "Yes pease!" I slide off the bed and stand in front of him, trying not to bounce. I don't want Carrier getting mad. "Tells me?"
He stands before crouching to me. "Close your eyes, Mariposa." I close them quickly, causing Carrier to continue. "Now, simply tense your muscles."
"It's that easy?"
"Yes. It is that easy."
"Oh…" I follow the last step before looking up at Carrier. "I do right?"
Carrier smiles down at me. "Yes, Sweetspark." He picks me up. "Would you like to see?"
"Yay!" He carries me into my bathroom, then sets me down in front of my giant mirror. "Wow… I's big now…" I'm mostly a pale yet sparkly yellow, with a light blue star on my chest, pink and red butterflies on my shoulders, and a light pink…thingy…on my head. I don't have symbols yet, though… I wonder why not, if they're on my birthmarks?
Carrier steps up behind me. I can see his black and white plating in the mirror, with his red symbols and thingy. His wings are pointing up, which is strange, because they're usually mostly hidden by the rest of him. "What do you think?"
Tiny yellow wings perk up behind me, causing me to gasp. They, too, have light blue stars on them. "Wings…" I look up at him, the wings fluttering slightly. "Carrier, I gots wings!"
"Yes, you do. You are Praxian, after all."
"What thingy?" He gives me a confused look, and his eyes look really weird again—like the day I met him. I blink before pointing to the thingy on my head. "This thingy, Carrier. What this thingy? Bwue has, an' you has…"
He nods before kneeling in front of me. "It is called a chevron."
"Chevron?" He nods. "I go show Siwe an' Bwue now?"
"I will take you down in a few minutes."
"Why no' go now?"
Carrier turns to me with a container and a wrag. "I am going to polish your armor."
"Make shiny?" I blink. "No car smell, right?"
He nods and takes off the lid. "Your Sire explained your sensory issues, and, with Wheeljack's help, we created a scented polish for you."
He holds it down in front of me, and lets me sniff it. "St'awbewy."
"Would you like to help?"
I nod and take a wrag, and help him as much as I can before setting it on the side of the tub. "Why I so little still?"
"Sweetspark…" He sighs, and, when I look up, he looks like he's about to laugh—something I've never seen Carrier do before. "You are currently twice the size you are in holoform—close to the same height as Captain Lennox."
"Bu' you so big…"
"You are barely a youngling, Mariposa. You will grow with time." He sets his wrag on the side of the tub before capping the jar. "Are you ready to show your Sire?"
"Yep!"
Carrier picks me up before carrying me carefully down the stairs.
Carrier sets me down at the foot of the stairs, then nods to me, causing me to run into the kitchen. My doorwings start fluttering again once I can't see Carrier anymore. "Sire! Sire!"
Sire's got his head in the freezer, probably putting a new batch of popsicles in. I eat one every night before bed, so we run out of different kinds fast. "Wha' ya need, Mari?" He turns to me before gasping softly. "Holy…" He kneels to me. "Mari… Come here, Girly. Let meh see ya."
I run over to him. "I 'formed, Sire!"
He smiles, and pats my head before standing, then hands me an energon popsicle before turning back to the counter, and a bowl. "Ya gonna 'charge like tha', or ya goin' back ta holoform?"
I look up to Carrier. "I go school 'morrow?"
He shakes his head slightly. "I am taking you to the base tomorrow, so Ratchet can finish his yearly exam on you, and check your processor."
I cross my arms and glare up at him. "No needles."
He sighs before giving Sire a patient-yet-annoyed look. "This time, I am afraid you will need vaccinations."
"NO! NO NEEDLES! NO OUCHIES, CARRIER! NO!"
"Mariposa…" He kneels to me. "I understand that you are afraid, but Ratchet will make sure you do not feel a thing."
"Prowl? What's going on? Why is Mari yelling?"
"I mentioned that I am taking her to see Ratchet for her first set of youngling vaccinations tomorrow. She does not like needles."
"Needles hurt, Blue. No wants hurts." He turns to me before freezing with his eyes really wide and a startled look on his face, causing me to giggle. "I 'formed Bwue. No cwash like Cawiew!" Carrier gives me a look with one eyebrow raised as Sire and Bluestreak start laughing. I giggle up at Carrier. "Blue look' like you 'fore you cwash."
Bluestreak, now grinning, steps over and picks me up before spinning me around. "You did it! Holy Primus, I thought I'd never see you like this again, Sweetspark! You're so big now!"
"Bluestreak." He stops and turns to Carrier. "Please put her down before she purges again. I do not have the time to care for a sick youngling tonight, and neither does Jazz."
I cross my arms and stomp my foot. "Wanna spins!"
"Prowl…"
"Prowler…"
"She can spin on her own, and preferably not within half an hour of eating." Carrier turns to me. "Mariposa?" I look up to him. "I have a pacifier for this form, if you wish to recharge in it tonight."
"I cans s'eep in bot form? What do 'bout breakfast?"
"Low grade energon with minerals."
"Bu' you no likes adding…"
"The minerals are from Ratchet, Sweetspark. They are like vitamins for human younglings."
I make a face. "Yucky med'cine." I smile up at him. "Lunch better?"
"Ya don' need minerals after breakfas', an' ah'm sure mos' o' the 'bots on base'll have some goodies for ya, too."
"Aid keeps suckers… Ratch has 'gon suckers, like he has strawberry suckers?"
"We have energon candy here."
"Ah thin' she mean' 'n case she ge's hurt 'gain." Sire turns to me. "Yes, Ratch'll have suckers in case ya ge' hurt. Don' ge' hurt on purpose, though."
"I won'…"
"Come, Mariposa. It is time for you to recharge."
I reach up and hand the now-empty popsicle base to Sire, then turn to Carrier. "I still hasta get jamies on?"
"No. However, you will still have to get dressed before we leave tomorrow." I give him a confused look, causing him to kneel to me, and lay a hand on my shoulder. "Human vehicles are not large enough to comfortably fit a youngling, Sweetspark. You will have to ride in holoform. I cannot allow you to be seen wearing the same outfit as before, when several of the human soldiers on base doubt that I am capable of caring for a child."
"They WHA'!?" I start and look up at Sire. "Prowler, why didn' you tell meh they was treatin' ya like ya was a' unfi' carrier!?"
"I can handle a few humans, Jazz." He kneels to pick me up, and I lay my head on his shoulder. "I have to get Mariposa washed up and put to berth. We will continue this once I return."
Carrier helps me wash my hands and face, then tucks me into my bed with a new, round, pink binky. He sets Flutter and Blankie beside me on the bed, then hands me my new ambulance and the fire truck blankie before sitting beside me on the bed. "Carrier, why humans think you not good Carrier?"
He sighs heavily. "They believe, because I do not show emotion well, that I am unable to care for the emotional needs of a young child. While I would be the first to admit that I have made mistakes in the past—"
"Ya mean when we had ta send 'er here ta keep 'er safe?"
He looks up to find Sire in the doorway. "Yes, Jazz."
Sire sighs before walking over to us. "Prowler… We did wha' we hadta do. She wasn' safe in the Artemis. Ya 'member wha' happened when Bee was growin' up?"
"Yes, but the humans are not aware of the trials of protecting a sparkling from the Decepticons."
"They'll learn soon 'nough."
I look between them. "Carrier…make 'stakes?"
"I apologize, Mariposa." Carrier turns back to me. "While I have made mistakes in the past, I am still capable of raising my youngling."
"How you make 'stakes?"
Sire sighs heavily. "Ya Carrier blames 'imself for ya bein' 'bused by the humans 'fore ah foun' ya."
"You no make him hur' me, Carrier. He do that 'lones. You no makes him be mean. Not you faul'. He bads, no' you…" I sit up and hug him before snuggling into my covers, on my side because of the wings. "Nights. Loves you."
Sire kisses my forehead. "Nigh' nigh', Mari. Ah love ya too." He starts for the door. "Ya comin', Prowler?"
"In a minute." He turns to me. "I will see you in the morning, Sweetspark. Recharge well. I love you." I watch as he follows Sire out, turning off my light as he does, then reach around to pull Flutter and Blankie around. They're still big enough to sleep with right now, but maybe not as I get older. Either way, I wanna cuddle them with my new stuffs tonight.
