Smokey
August 25, 12:59 AM
I'm about two, and I'm being beaten by the man who took me in. He goes a little too far, and winds up snapping my leg. While I'm screaming in pain, he changes me and dresses me, then sets me somewhere to stage an accident before grabbing his phone. A piece of wood is poking in right where he broke my leg.
I sit up and scream.
Quick footsteps come across the hall before stopping in the doorway. "Mariposa!" Carrier runs over and sits beside me. "What happened?"
"Old daddy hurted me, an' I no talk yet…" I whimper when I notice the bed's wet… "I'm sorry!"
"Do not be, Little One."
"But—"
He shakes his head and picks me up. "Sparklings and younglings are known to wet the berth when they have a nightmare. You have nothing to be embarrassed about."
"But… You're not mad?"
"Of course not, Sweetspark." He sets me down before helping me get changed, then takes some clean sheets out of a cabinet, and grabs a towel. "We need to clean it up, then you can come stay with us."
"Really?"
"Of course."
I stand back and watch as Carrier takes off the old sheets, then lays the towel down before putting the clean sheets on the bed—my pink butterfly princess ones—then puts a solid pink sheet over the four posts, making it into a canopy. He then smiles and crouches to me. "Come on. You need to recharge. We have to be at the base early tomorrow."
"Okay…"
6:00 AM
"Mari, wake up, Sweetspark."
"Sire?"
"Mornin', Sweetspark!"
"Morning." I look around. "Where's Carrier?"
"Downstairs. 'E's gettin' ya breakfast ready."
"Okay…" I climb out of their bed. "Time get dressed."
"Yep. Ah'll help ya."
Sire pulls out my clothes and helps me into a dark pink cap sleeved t-shirt with a horse graphic surrounded by silver stars, blue jeans with hearts embroidered on the left hip, a silver belt, white socks, and my dark pink butterfly twinkle toes. "Thanks, Sire."
"Now, head on downstairs. Ah've got a few things ah need ta ge' done 'fore we go ta the base."
"Okay."
"That's my good femmeling."
I jump up and hug him before running down the stairs. "Morning, Carrier!"
"Good morning, Mariposa." He sets a plate with a butterfly made out of fruit and pancakes at the table, then moves to help me into my chair. I climb up before he can, and smile at the plate as he sets a glass of milk by my plate. "Your energon and minerals are in the milk this morning. We need to hurry."
"'Cause Unca Smokey's supposed to come today!"
"Yes. Can you hurry?"
"Uh-huh." I start to eat as quickly as I can.
Carrier looks around, and sighs heavily. "Where's your sire?"
"Upstairs. 'E said he had stuff to do."
Carrier shakes his head. "I hope he's actually doing what I asked, and not goofing off."
"What you ask?"
"I told him to get your coloring pad and a few toys in the duffel, and to grab the skates Hot Spot had made for you."
"Oh… Yay!" I go back to eating.
"There might be some younglings arriving today, and we want you prepared if they want to play."
"Cool…" I finish my breakfast and set my cup down. Carrier hands me a human vitamin, and I chew it up before smiling up at him.
"Come. We need to polish your armor before we leave."
"Coming!" I run after him to my bathroom, and take my little pink polish cloth and start on my chest with my strawberry polish as Carrier takes one of the larger purple ones and starts on my back and doorwings.
He lays the cloth on the side of the tub at the same time I do. "I need to see if Jazz is done gathering your things, then we need to leave."
"Okay. I take stimmy?"
"Pick one out, quickly."
"Okay." I run down the stairs and over to the box before pulling out one of my tangles. "I'm ready!"
"We still need to wait for Jazz, Sweetspark."
"I know."
It's not long before we're pulling out of the house. Rather than go straight to the base, we pull up to the same empty meadow that Carrier and Bluestreak arrived in. Carrier lets me out, and we transform before turning to face the sky. Sire's in the same scary pose as before, while Bluestreak's got his sniper rifle out and ready, and Carrier's got some weird looking gun in a relaxed hold.
It's not long before Optimus pulls up with a convoy of military vehicles, Ratchet, and Ironhide.
I grin up at Optimus, and salute the soldiers before turning back to the sky as something flares in the clear sky. It's not the sun—that's behind us. I shriek and duck behind Carrier's leg as he shifts to a protective stance to shield me from the debris.
After about twenty minutes, the pods have finished falling, and we're surrounded by gray metal frames. Carrier, Sire, and Bluestreak put their weapons away and grin at the newcomers.
"Prowl!"
Carrier nods as I shift, trying to hide better behind Carrier's legs. "Smokescreen."
"Now don't be like that." The new winged mech hugs him before turning to hug Bluestreak. "It's good to see you guys."
"It has only been twenty days since we left the ship."
"Still…" He peeks around Carrier's legs. "I assume this is my niece?" He crouches to me. "Come on, Mari. It's okay. I won't hurt you."
Bluestreak sighs heavily. "She's been through a lot, Smokey…"
I inch out and smile at him nervously. "H-hi…"
"Hey, Sweetspark. I'm your uncle Smokescreen."
"Unca… Smokey?" I grin and run over before jumping in his arms. "Unca Smokey!"
"That's my little niece!" He spins several times, making me squeal and giggle like mad, before settling me on his hip. "What's she been through, Prowl?"
Carrier sighs heavily. "The better question is: What has she not been through."
Sire crosses his arms angrily and glares somewhere past us. "Mari's human family—the ones tha' took 'er in—they 'bused her—ya know, beatin' an' starvin'…Ah foun' 'er the day we lande' on this rock, an' took 'er with meh so she wouldn' be 'bused anymore."
Carrier crosses his arms too, though he seems to be trying to protect himself from some unknown threat. "Then, once I arrived, we discovered she had not only inherited my glitch, but that humanity has a condition similar to it. She was diagnosed with both by Ratchet the weekend before she started school, and a human psychologist reaffirmed his diagnosis of Autism."
Bluestreak sighs heavily, shaking his head sadly as he, too, crosses his arms. "She's also mentioned that she was traumatized over the abuse, like I am over Praxus…" He shifts and rests an arm on my shoulder. "All that, and now she's dealing with bullying in school, her skating class, and church."
"Not to mention that Jazz had her in the battlefield last month."
I blink up at Smokescreen's face. "I hadda save Siwe… He die…in LA…"
Lennox sighs from their feet. "We've got to get back to the base so you can scan your new vehicle modes."
Ratchet crosses his arms from behind Lennox. "Then we have to do your yearly medical exams before you can go anywhere."
I try to push Smokescreen away before struggling in his arms. "Mariposa." I turn to Carrier. "Use your words, Sweetspark."
"I. Wan'. Down!"
Smokescreen gives Carrier a look before putting me down. Carrier crouches to me and lays a hand on my shoulder. "That was not a very nice thing to say to your Uncle, Mariposa. How are you supposed to say it?"
"Down pwease?" Carrier nods, and points up to Smokescreen. "I sowwy, Unca Smokey. I no mean be wude…"
"It's okay, Sweetspark." He runs a hand over my head before turning to follow Optimus on the—thankfully private—walk toward the base.
I turn to Lennox. "Annie at base?"
"Yes, Mari. Annabelle is at the base."
"Yay!" I look up at Carrier. "Carry me!"
I run to Annie the second Carrier sets me down. "Annie!"
"Mari!" She squeals and hugs me. "There other kids yet?"
"Ratch hasta see 'em first."
"Awh… Well…" She sighs heavily. "What do you want to do?"
I shrug. "Don' know. I's jus' waitin' for Unca Smokey get dones wif Ratch."
"Why?"
"Wanna getta knows him, Annie."
"Oh… So you no wanna pways?"
"I tan still pways, I jus' wanna see him for littles, den we can pway."
"Ok. I'll go find Daddy for now." She hugs me before running off.
"Mari?" I look up to see Unca Smokey in a holoform similar to Carrier's. "I've got a couple tickets to the circus, if ya want to sneak off this base."
"But… Wha' 'bout Carrier?"
"You'll be with me, Mari. I'll talk with him once we get back."
"Otay. Wet's go!"
Smokescreen pulls up to a parking lot outside a fence. Inside the fence are several tents, a train, and I can hear animal sounds from inside. Uncle Smokescreen had taken me to get a new outfit from the skin out, and I'm now wearing a sundress with purple, red, yellow, orange, and teal circles spaced close together with a green belt, white sweater, white tights, and new white Mary Jane shoes with light blue, light pink, purple, orange, and green polka-dots. "Now, remember. My human name is Dustin."
"Unca Dusty." He nods, then climbs out of the car and takes my hand before leading me up to the train that's just inside the fence. I can read "Haly's Circus" on the side of the engine as we walk past. "I's weally at'a circus…"
"Yep." He smiles down at me. "How's about you and I find a seat before the shows start?" He glances down when I don't respond. "Mari?"
"Hi." I wave to a little boy wearing a red and gold tank top with navy blue tights and black shoes.
He waves back. "Hi." He runs over. "What's your name?"
"I'm Mari."
"I'm Dick. Who's this?"
I smile up at Smokescreen. "He's my uncle. He just got here this morning."
He glances toward the tent. "I have to go. My family's first-on."
"You're a circus kid!"
"Yep. Flying Graysons! We're on the trapeze!"
"Cool!"
"Why don't we look around for a few minutes, so we don't catch their last practice?"
"M'kay."
Flashback, base, Third POV
"Prowl?"
The black and white Praxian looks up to find his brother standing in the doorway. "Yes?"
"I just won a couple tickets to the circus in the next town over, and I was wondering if I could take Mari?"
"Won?"
"Bet with one of the soldiers."
"You are not here for one day, and you are already gambling." He sighs heavily. "You may take her, but try not to let your gambling habit affect her too much. She is innocent of the dangers, and very impressionable for her age."
"I'll be careful, Prowl. Sheesh." He shakes his head. "I know how to take care of a disabled youngling, Prowl. I was an adult when you came to us."
"I remember. Just be careful with her." He sighs. "Oh…and Smokescreen?"
"Yeah?"
"Jazz mentioned that some humans believe that a timid human child with a male adult is either in the process of being kidnapped or in danger of being molested. Make sure they know you are her uncle, or she may be taken away from us."
"I'll remember." He smiles. "She's safe with me, Prowl. Trust me."
Circus, Normal POV
"I want a monkey!"
Smokescreen looks around before spotting a couple small carnival games. "Why don't we see if I can't win you a stuffed one?"
"Win?" I look up at him. "But Grammy said that games like that are "fixed", and that "gambling's wrong"."
He smiles down at me. "You're not as innocent as your Carrier thinks, huh?"
"Huh?"
"He said…never mind." He starts over to a ring toss game, with a large stuffed monkey hanging from the top of the tent. He lays down a five dollar bill, and takes the rings the carnie hands him. "These are different from what I'm used to, but let's see what I can do."
I watch as, one by one, all but one ring falls over a bottle. "Wow! Unca Dusty, you're good!"
"I know." He smiles before taking the large monkey from the carnie and carrying it under one arm. "I've had practice, Kid." He looks around. "Anything else you want before we find our seats?"
I look around before my eyes land on a small stand with music boxes and other trinkets arranged on it. "Music-y box? Daddy an' Papa gotted me somes before, an' I wanna cowects dem."
"Then I'd better make my contribution, huh?" He steps over before studying them.
Big Top Tent
A puff of smoke appears in the center ring, before fading away to reveal a man in a red, white, and black suit and top hat. "Ladies and Gentlemen, and children of all ages, welcome to the grandest show on earth. And now, direct your attention to high above the center ring, for a dazzling display of aerial artistry: performing death defying stunts without the aid of a net, the fearless Flying Grayson's!"
I look up to find a family of six preparing for a trapeze act. The men swing out first, followed by first the older boy, then the younger. Finally, after the youngest is returned to the platform, the women head out. It's a beautiful sight, watching the dancers' swing.
"Wow…"
"Amazing, isn't it?" I nod, speechless. After the trapeze act, we see clowns, tigers, elephants, horses with ladies dancing on their backs, and even a lion tamer—before the ring master ends the performances.
Smokescreen leads me outside, to find the boy from before by one of the elephants. "Mari!" I run over. "This is Zitka."
"I can touch?"
"Of course." We turn to find a woman and little girl that's a few years older than Dick and I. "Just be careful with the cats. They're still kind of keyed up after the show."
I reach up and rub the rough skin on the elephant's leg, only for her to tap me on the shoulder with her trunk. The girl smiles at me. "She wants a peanut." I look down to the bag of said treat in my hand before reaching up to put one in the waiting trunk.
I giggle as she puts it into her mouth. I've seen elephants do that before, just not this up-close. "I love el-phants!" I hug her leg before moving on to look at the other animals. "I can touch tiger pease?"
"You've got to be very careful." Dick steps over beside me. "She's still worked up from her act, and she might bite."
"Maybe you shouldn't—"
I reach through the bars and run a hand over the closest paw. "Wow… It's so soft…"
"Sasha's still a baby." I give the girl a look. "She's only about six months old. Her parents aren't as consumer-friendly, so we don't have them out here with her."
7:00 PM
Smokescreen leads me back to his vehicle mode before helping me inside. "Well?" He smiles at me after climbing in himself. "I'd say that was a nice first outing together, Sweetspark." He sighs. "Your Carrier said you were having trouble talking to strangers, though…"
"No' when dey's my age." I sigh softly. "Bu' sometimes I ge' "formal"…or so Carrier says."
"I did notice you weren't talking like you do around us, but that's not as severe as your Carrier made things sound earlier."
"He worries."
"Yes, but I can't blame him, after what he went through." He shrugs. "I've still got more observing to do, though. This could just be a good day with your glitch, too. We can't know yet." He sighs heavily. "I will tell you that your Carrier wants me to start seeing you as a patient."
"Patient? You's a doc wikes Ratch?"
"Not exactly." He smiles. "I'm a psychologist."
"What that?"
"I help with people's minds after trauma—especially if it haunts them—while Ratchet treats their bodies."
"Oh…" I look up at him. "So you tan helps wif nigh'mawes?"
"Yep!" He sighs as we pull back into the base. "But we've got a few things to do before then. Prowl said I'll be right down the hall if you need me."
"Otay."
