*NOTE TO READERS: IF YOU DON'T READ MY AUTHOR'S NOTES AT THE BEGINNING AND END OF MY CHAPTERS, PLEASE START DOING THAT. I HAVE THESE HERE FOR A REASON.*

Yay! New update! We get more action next chapter, people, trust me. I just thought it would be good to see some of the domestic life at the base. Couldn't help myself from sneaking some tension in there with Luna. And I all hope you laugh at Hunter's training session scene—I know I did!

AllSpark Princess—I guess we'll find out.

WolfAssassin369—We most certainly do!

Alice Gone Madd—I know right? Even I didn't know until I started typing that chapter! It was like, "Wait, what?! The Hybrids have a guard post set up on Mars? Oh, my Primus—that is so cool!"

SunnySides—Thank you so much! I might have to go back and type one of those in. As for where I get the quotes before each chapter? Most of them are song lyrics. I've basically grown up on music—all kinds: Christian, Metal, Pop, Hip Hop, Country, Classical, old stuff, new stuff, everything. A lot of the lyrics I use are from songs that I know, but sometimes I do go Google searching for a good song to use. It's rather entertaining.

Gabby M (a.k.a. Shadescribe)—I'll never tell. ;P

Also, guys, I could use some help. I'm planning on writing a guide about Hybrids—sort of a Hybrid 101. I'm using it for me as a tool to completely figure Hybrids out and I also plan on posting it up later because I think some people would find it interesting to read. I already have some ideas for topics that should be covered, but I would LOVE it if you guys submitted me questions about Hybrids that you would like answers to, this way I know exactly what to answer. You can submit these questions via comments or PMs. Thanks, guys!

I do not own Transformers or anything in relation. I only own Hunter, the Hybrid race, and any other character that you may not recognize.

"This is the life! Hold on tight. And this is the dream—it's all I need! You never know where you'll find it. And I'm gonna take my time—yeah! I'm just gettin' it right. This is the life…" Hannah Montana; This is the Life

3

Ω A Dies in Vita Ω

(A Day in the Life)

"Mmmm, gummy bears!" Hunter exclaimed as the grabbed the huge, economy sized pack and held it, staring at the package as though she'd just discovered a chest of gold. In many ways, this was way better. You couldn't eat gold! Well, technically speaking, you probably could, but you would be seriously stupid to do so and get sick from it. You couldn't do that with gummy bears. Well… okay, you could if you ate too many, but that fact remains that when comparing gold and gummy bears—gummy bears: way better! Pirouetting around, Hunter lovingly placed the chewy, fruity, juicy candy bears into the cart and skipped off further down the aisle.

Optimus, in his holoform, reached down into the cart and pulled out the bag of gummy bears, turning it over he examined the label carefully and sighed heavily. He looked up to see Hunter crouched down, examining products on the lower shelves. "Hunter," he said, "Sweet-spark, when you said that the refrigerator at the base needed to be restocked, I was not under the impression you meant for it to be restocked with… junk food."

Hunter looked up at him with a teasing smirk and cocked eyebrow. "Well, what did you think I meant, Dad?" she laughed. "Broccoli and cauliflower?"

"No," the Prime answered with a shake of his head, "but I thought you would be picking out foods that are essential for a well-balanced diet as well as the sweets and snacks. But so far all you have acquired are," he looked down into the cart and listed of the objects there, "chocolate bars, M&Ms, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, several kinds of licorice," Prime shivered at the thought of the licorice—he was not all that fond of the smell, "several different kinds of chips, a variety of Little Debbie snacks, and now the gummy bears among other things." He looked back up at his daughter in time to see her placing yet another item in the basket. He reached in right after she'd set it down and presented with the quizzical expression. "Cookies?" he questioned with a tone that translated as "really?".

Hunter shrugged and smiled innocently, batting her eyes.

Her spark-father gave her a look and handed the cookies back to her. "Put them away," he ordered.

As if she had been deflated, Hunter slumped and gave him a look of disbelief. "Aw! What? Why?"

"Because I am your father and I said so," Optimus answered simply. He pushed the cart on past her down the aisle.

Hunter looked after him with an exasperated expression. "Okay, seriously?" she asked, coming after him. She hurried around in front of the cart and braced her hands against the basket, using just enough of her superstrength to immobilize the cart without damaging it. "Dad, I am sixteen-years-old, not six. The ever faithful tactic of "because I said so" doesn't work on me anymore."

"All right," Optimus shrugged, looking completely unfazed. "Put it back, because if you don't you have an extra training session early in the morning as well as a double patrol for a week."

Again with the look of shock. "You gotta be joking! Just for buying a package of Oreos?"

"No, not just for that, but because you are loading up on snacks that are nothing but pure salt and sugar when you should be balancing that out with more healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables and protein. Sweet-spark, I am not at all averse to you and your friends having candy and chips around the base, but it is my job as your father to make sure that you eat healthfully. I do not need you becoming sick." He gave the child a tender smile and reached out to brush some hair out of her beautiful face. "I do this because I love you, Hunter," he assured her. "I only want what is best for you."

Hunter gazed into his eyes for a moment—the eyes that always seemed to be able to see straight through her and into her very spark. How could she possibly say 'no' when he looked at her like that? This must be like what it was like for him when she used her puppy-eyes on him. Finally the redhead sighed and caved. "All right," she conceded, looking down at the floor. "I'll cut back on the junk food and get some healthy stuff too."

Optimus smiled and patted her cheek. "Good girl," he praised her lovingly.

"How about… 50/50?" the teen suggested, trying to work out a compromise. "Fifty percent health food, fifty percent junk food."

"Mm-mm," Optimus hummed disapprovingly. "I would say would 25/75."

"75 percent junk food?" Hunter asked hopefully.

Smirking, Optimus shook his head with a chuckle. "No," he stated. "75 percent healthy foods."

Once again, Hunter slumped in defeat. "Aw, man!"

Still chuckling the Autobot commander squeezed her shoulder. "Trust me, my love," he purred, "you will thank me for this later."

"Yeah, well, you're gonna be the one to explain to the gang why there's, like, virtually no snacks at the base," Hunter warned him deviously. She put the Oreos into the cart and started sifting through the items to see what could stay and what had to be put back. The gummy bears would stay. That was a must!

"May I ask why earthling teenagers have such…" he tried to find the right word—he was thinking "obsession" but that seemed a bit extreme, "… a passion for these types of foods?" Optimus watched on as his daughter sorted through the treats and was greatly relieved when he saw her taking the licorice out of the cart and putting it back.

Hunter scoffed and grinned at him. "Why wouldn't we?" she said by way of answer. "There's nothing better that stuffing yourself on yummy-nummy, gooey, creamy goodies and getting sugar-rush!"

"Ah, yes, the sugar-rush," Optimus sighed with a roll of his eyes. He knew the concept well. He'd seen the children—particularly Miko—on a sugar-high on more than one occasion. But as frightening as that had been, human sugar-rushes turned out to be nothing when compared to those of a Hybrid, particularly an "uber-Hyrbid" (as the children had taken to describing her) such as Hunter. Needless to say that was the last time Optimus allowed his daughter to mix her energon and pop together.

"In fact," Hunter went on, "the only thing better than that is gorging yourself on chips that are so dry they sap the very moisture right out of your mouth."

"How is that pleasant, exactly?"

"You get to wash them down with a fizzy soft-drink!"

"That does not sound at all healthy."

"Who cares? It tastes fantastic!"

Optimus smiled as he shook his head at the girl. Hunter was usually so responsible and ate healthy, but the way she went on about junk food would make anyone who didn't know her think her entire diet consisted of chocolate, Cheetos, Twinkies, and root beer. "This is exactly why we need to buy more healthy food and less junk food from now on." With the cart mostly emptied of the sugar and salt laden goodies, the Prime made an approving nod at his daughter and pushed the cart on.

Sighing heavily and looking wistfully at the tasty treats lining the shelves that taunted her as they marched past them, Hunter weaved her arm through one of her father's and laid her head on his holoform shoulder. She looked up at him accusingly as she kept pace with him. "You realize it is criminally inhumane to deny a girl her chocolate, right?"

Optimus laughed. "You still have your package of chocolate bars," he reminded her as they rounded the corner of the next aisle.

"But you made me put back the Reese's and M&Ms and Snickers and Twix."

"I did not make you put back anything. You decided what to keep and what to put back on your own."

"You used "Jedi mind tricks" on me to make me think that."

"Believe me when I tell you that you are much too stubborn and strong-minded to be influenced in that way."

"Yeah, but you're my dad. You have stronger mind tricks."

Optimus chuckled, pulled his arm out of her grip and wrapped it around her shoulders. "Well, I am sorry to deprive you, my shooting star," he murmured as he kissed the crown of her head. "But when Halloween comes around this year I will allow you to keep all of your candy and eat as much as you want… within reason of course."

Hunter's pout suddenly transformed into a beaming grin. That's right! This would be her first year really trick-or-treating! The last time she'd trick-or-treated had been when she was with her first foster family and had been so long ago she hardly remembered it—didn't even remember the costume she'd worn or if she'd even had one. Every Halloween since then she was usually back in the orphanage and the orphanage didn't celebrate Halloween. The few times in between when she had been with a family year she was old enough to out with other rough-cut kids tricking rather than treating. And last year she hadn't been in the mood for it. In short, to say that she was excited to actually get to trick-or-treat this year would be an understatement. Who cared if she was sixteen?! Then the excitement came crashing down as Hunter remembered what the current date was. "But it's still, like two months away!" she groaned, pouting again.

Optimus squeezed her against his side reassuringly. "It will be here before you know it."

"That's easy for you to say," Hunter mumbled. "You're an adult. You're not looking forward to it like I am."

Optimus smiled and nuzzled her temple lovingly. "My dearest spark," he purred, "of course I am looking forward to it. I always look forward to what you look forward to because I know you will enjoy yourself. It lifts my spark to see you happy."

Hunter couldn't help but smile at that. Lifting her head she Eskimo kissed him.

The Autobot commander chuckled warmly and returned the kiss before unwrapping her from his arm and pushing her off down the aisle. "Come now," he said. "We still have shopping to do."

Hunter smirked over her shoulder. "It is so weird to hear you say that," she declared.

Optimus smiled sheepishly and shook his head. "Not as strange as it is to say," he admitted. He began pushing the cart again.

Hands folded behind her back, Hunter half-skipped on down the aisle, looking for the bread she and the kids usually used at the base to make sandwiches. She knew her father was right and she had to get healthier foods, but she still wished she'd been able to keep all of those tasty treats she'd had before. A devious idea came to her and she smirked. Spinning around, the sixteen-year-old skipped backwards and smiled at her spark-father who in turn smiled at her. "Hey, Daad-dy," she said, dragging out the 'Daddy' so that she sounded much younger than she was.

"Yes, sweet-spark?"

"D'ya know what would make me really happy?"

Already realizing what she was getting at the Prime smirked back and shook his head with a chuckle. "No."

Hunter pouted. Dang it! "You're really no fun sometimes, ya know that?" she remarked.

Optimus simply beamed. "I must be doing my job then," he commented.

"How do you mean?"

"Well, what kind of father would I be if I was fun all of the time?"

"A seriously cool one?"

The holoform chuckled once again. "Hunter, this may come as a disappointment to you, but I would much rather be a good father to you than a "seriously cool" one."

The girl stuck her tongue out at him. Turning back around to found the brand of bread she wanted, pulled two bags off the shelf and brought them back to the cart, gently plopping them into the basket. Perching a hand on a cocked hip, she gave her commander and father a look. "You're a fuddy-duddy," she stated flatly.

Optimus raised an eyebrow and gave her a disapproving look. He didn't much like being called a "fuddy-duddy"… whatever that actually was. He had never been able to find mention of it in any form of the earthling dictionary, but taking it from the context earthlings usually used it, particularly his daughter, he knew it wasn't flattering. The mech was about to reprimand her when he came up with a much better idea. He smirked. "Well," he chuckled a bit ominously, bowing his head down to her height, "perhaps you would like to try your chances at finding another father who is "seriously cool"."

Hunter smirked and shook her head. "Nah," she replied. "Nobody else would want me—you know that." Chuckling, the teen turned around and started to walk away again as she said, "Honestly I'm still trying to figure out why you want me, Dad. Other than being the Fuser I'm nothing special—whoa!" The girl's wrist was suddenly snagged in a solid but tender grip and she was spun around to face the stern eyes of her father as they all but glared into hers.

Keeping her gaze, Optimus shook his head adamantly. "No," he stated, his voice firm, "you're wrong, Hunter—you are most undoubtedly special. I honestly cannot see why no one else has been able to see that when it is so abundantly clear. I am not simply saying that because of your title either."

His daughter stared at him in startled surprise for a moment before giving him a knowing smirk. She snorted. "Of course you're gonna say that," she said. "You're my father."

Optimus shook his head just as firmly, his gaze hardening and his lips drawing into a thin, straight line. "No," he repeated, "I say it because it is true. And anyone who doesn't see that truth, anyone who disagrees with or challenges it is a damned fool who will have to answer to me."

Hunter's eyes slightly widened. Whoa! Optimus rarely ever talked like that—he really did mean business! Touched by his words, a small smiled curled the teen's lips and she felt the slightest hint of tears pricking at her eyes. She really did have the greatest Dad ever! Who cared if it was only by spark-link? Hunt lunged forward and embraced the holoform tightly, nuzzling into its chest. She knew the figure was only made of super-charged hard-light particles and—while it seemed so completely lifelike—was 99.9% synthetic. She also knew that the arms that held her, the warm body she could snuggle up to for love and protection were simply a proportionate recreation of an actual adult human male. But the voice and the words the holoform spoke, the loving warmth it showered her with, the very consciousness it possessed when it was functioning—those were all Optimus himself. Those were all her father. "My father," Hunter thought to herself, warmth flooding throughout her entire being. She never got tired of that phrase. "You're the greatest, Dad."

Optimus smiled and hugged her in return. He planted an adoring kiss to the crown of her head and rubbed her back. "You're my little femmling, Hunter," he murmured lovingly. "You will always be my little femmling."

Hunter giggled and looked up at him, bumping her nose against his and nuzzling him. "And you'll always be my fuddy-duddy Dad," she teased.

Optimus chuckled. If it meant having a beautiful, affectionate, loyal daughter like Hunter, maybe being a fuddy-duddy wasn't so bad after all. "And I will always be proud to be so."

Grinning from ear to ear, Hunter kissed his cheek, popping her foot up as she did so. It was a Hallmark moment. "I love you, Daddy," she chirped happily.

The Prime squeezed affectionately. He would never tire of hearing those words! "I love you too, Hunter," he returned. He would never grow tired of saying them either.

A chuckle drew the duo's attention from each other over to a man who was coming down the aisle towards them. He looked to be somewhere in his late twenties, early thirties and was very obviously a father, considering he had a child of toddler age in the seat of the cart and was carrying an infant papoose style in one of those baby slings. "Fatherhood," he said to Optimus with a grin, "the best job in the world, huh?"

Optimus smiled back at the man and nodded his wise head. "Yes," he agreed with him before turning back to gaze devotedly at his own child. The light of his life. The absolute best thing that had ever happened to him. "The very best."

Hunter blushed and ducked her head as she hugged the mech again.

Optimus couldn't help but smile and chuckle quietly at his two passengers. After they'd finished shopping, the Prime and Hunter had stopped by Jasper's elementary school to pick up Annabelle Lennox as they had promised Sarah and Will. (They were tired up with a doctor's appointment—Hunter was almost positive she knew what it was about.) And, as so often happened when the two picked up the seven-year-old after school, Optimus was being introduced to some more of the "tweeny-bop" music as Hunter called it.

Annabelle usually carried around a small CD case in her backpack so that she would be able to take her favorite music wherever she went. The case held several Kidz Bop CDs, as well as all the High School Musical soundtracks, Hannah Montana albums, and the albums from different Disney animated movies. Each time she rode with them, the seven-year-old would pop a new CD into the Prime's player. "I'm helping Hunter make your music plate bigger," Annabelle always chirped happily. Optimus didn't mind. He wouldn't say any of it was his favorite form of Earth music, bit it would definitely be worse. There was a certain, bouncy, happily infectious feel to most of the songs. Besides, Annabelle and Hunter both had a good time with them. (Hunter would never admit to anyone else that she jammed out with a first grader to Kidz Bop, and she'd sworn the Prime to secrecy as well.)

As it was, Hunter and Annabelle were both jamming out to a Hannah Montana CD and singing along to the music at the top of their lungs. "I got everything I always wanted! Livin' the dream. So yeah, everything I always wanted—isn't always what is seems. I'm a lucky girl whose dreams came true. But underneath it all I'm just like you."

"I think this song is about you, Hunter," Annabelle suddenly proclaimed, as she continued to "dance" to the music.

A bit caught off guard by the statement, Hunter stopped "dancing" and looked over at the child with an amused look. "What makes you say that?" she asked. The teen wasn't all that sure she wanted to be compared to Miley Cyrus. Of course, when Miley had been Hannah Montana she hadn't been all that bad, so maybe that's the line Annabelle was going along.

"Well, Miley Stuart is Hannah Montana," Annabelle began to explain, "and in this song she's singing about how she's both a rock star and how she's still like everyone else."

"And?" Hunter prodded, leaning back in her father's driver's seat.

Optimus waited, listening intently.

"Well, you're the Fuser," Annabelle continued. "Isn't the Fuser kind of like a rock star?"

Hunter couldn't help but smirk and chuckle. Primus, if only Annabelle knew what had happened on her first day and Olympus High and what still continued to go on now. "A lotta the time it feels that way, 'Belle," she answered.

"But even though you're the Fuser, you're still Hunter. You have a normal life, too… kinda. So you have a double life, too—you're the Fuser but at the same time you're just like everyone else."

Optimus chuckled and nodded to himself. "You may have a point there, Annabelle," he agreed.

"Yeah, except pretty much everyone who knows me knows I'm the Fuser," Hunter commented. "Maybe I should've taken on a secret identity like Miley, too."

"I could be like Lily when she's Lola!" Annabelle offered excitedly. "I want the pink wig!"

Both Hunter and Optimus laughed.

Optimus came to a stop in the central room of the Autobot base and opened his doors to let his passengers out. Annabelle emerged carrying two shopping bags and Hunter came out with three times as many dangling from her hands. "Okay, all human inhabitants of Autobot Outpost Omega One," she called out, "if you want to lay claim to any of this food at some point in the future I suggest you help unload and put it away. Otherwise I claim it all as mine and none of you get any!"

"Ugh!" a female groan came from the couch up on the living room area of the catwalk. "Whatever you say, Mom." Miko and Raf both stood up from the couch and made their way towards the stairs and down to the main floor. They came over and grabbed the few bags that were left.

Hunter smiled. "Thank you," she said in a sweet voice.

The kids all made their way out of the room and down the hall towards the mess hall.

"So does Jack not get any of this then?" Miko asked.

"Of course he does," Hunter answered. "He's working—he can't help that he's not here to help out."

"That hardly seems fair," Miko grumbled.

"Whoever said life was fair, Miko?" Hunter challenged with a smirk.

The Japanese foreign exchange student growled.

"Don't mind Miko, Hunter," Raf snickered. "She's just mad because I beat her at Redline Race twice today."

"Twice?" Hunter asked in surprise, looking down at the thirteen-year-old. When Raf nodded his confirmation she grinned from ear to ear and nudged him with her arm. "Way to go, bud!"

"Yay, Raffie!" Annabelle cheered as well.

"I still say you cheated," Miko snarled.

"How could I have cheated?" Raf demanded to know with a smirk.

"I don't know how," the girl replied, "but you must've, because I don't get beat!"

"Yeah, but you did today," Raf taunted.

Hunter laughed. "Come on, Miko, give Raf some credit. He's been training hard with 'Bee at the videogames."

"I still say he cheated."

Hunter rolled her eyes and they all mounted the steps of the mess hall catwalk where the human eating area was. "So, anything exciting happening at school?" Hunter asked as they all started to put food away. "Or am I being too optimistic?"

"Actually, you did miss a little tidbit the other day," Raf replied over his shoulder.

"Really? What was that?"

"You know Sierra, right?" Miko asked.

Hunter turned around and leaned up against the counter, arms crossed over her chest. "The head cheerleader?" she questioned. "Yeah, I know her. She tried to recruit me to the cheer squad after that first day in math class when I fought Vince and his gang." The redhead snorted. "She had a prayer. Why, what about her?"

"She made a complete idiot out of her herself," Miko snickered.

"Ah," Hunter said with a devilish smile. "I like the sound of this, so far. What happened?"

"The other day at lunch someone at the table she was sitting at must have said something really funny," Raf went on, "because milk came flying out her nose."

"Say what?!" Hunter laughed in disbelief.

"Yeah!" Miko exclaimed. "Aw, dude, you shoulda seen it. The two cheerleaders sitting across from her just got drenched with milk and snot and boogers—it was hilarious!"

"I can pull it up on Facebook if you wanna see it," Raf offered.

"Please?" Hunter practically begged. "Laughed so hard milk came flying out her nose—ha,ha!—classic!"

"What about Hy-school?" Raf asked. "Anything exciting going on there?"

The Hybrid's smile suddenly faded and she looked down at the floor, sighing tediously. "I wish. I mean, other than getting mobbed by my fangirls and fanboys practically every day I show up, it's pretty boring. Nothing exciting ever happens when I'm there."

"All the more incentive to not go more than twice a week," Miko commented.

"'Bout sums it up," Hunter nodded.

All of a sudden, Optimus came through the door into the room and walked over to them. "Good afternoon, Miko, Raf," he addressed the humans with a friendly smile and nod.

"Hey, Optimus," Raf greeted back.

"What's shakin', Bacon?" Miko asked at the same time.

Hunter's eyes widened in horror and she shook her hand frantically, waving her arms around, trying to get Miko to stop. But it was too late. The words had already left her friend's mouth, and the damage had been done.

"Nothing much, Double Dutch," Optimus quickly replied. He smiled, utterly proud of himself for using a "humanism".

Raf and Miko stare at the Autobot commander for a long moment before looking over at Hunter. The girl's face—which was now as red as her hair—was buried in her hands in mortification. She shook her head. "I swear upon the AllSpark I did not teach him that," she moaned in embarrassment. "That was Epps. That was all Epps!"

Optimus chuckled and shook his head at his daughter. More and more often he was discovering just how much fun it could be to gently embarrass your children in front of their friends. The Prime then turned his attention towards the youngest of the group. "Annabelle, you left this in my cab." He held up a Frozen backpack and handed it back to the child. "I thought you might like to have it back."

"Thanks, Optimus!" the little girl chirped, jumping up to snag it out of his hand. She hugged it to her lovingly with a happy smile on her face. Ever since she'd gotten it for her birthday from Hunter, that backpack was one of her most prized possessions. She would even going around bragging about how she got it from "her big adopted sister Hunter" to the other kids she was so proud of it. All at once, Annabelle's face lit up. "Ooh! I almost forgot. Hunter, Optimus, I made you two a present today at school."

"You did?" Hunter asked with a smile.

"That is very thoughtful of you, Annabelle," Optimus remarked.

Annabelle opened up her pack and began to rummage through the clutter in it. After a minute or two she pulled out a Hello Kitty folder and opened it, leafing through the paper that was inside. "Here we go!" she chirruped, having found what she was looking for. She pulled out a large piece of construction paper that was folded in half that had the words 'From Annabelle' on the front and turned to Hunter. "Here you go," she beamed, handing the paper over.

Grinning at the child, Hunter opened the paper up. An immediate sensation of love and warmth flooded over her and touched the very center of her being.

Scrawled across the white page in colorful crayon was a scribbled, horizontal image that could only be considered as acceptable art from a small child or from a famous artist of abstract. A little less than a fourth of the page had been colored in green, obviously to display grass, and the rest of it was colored blue with a few puffy clouds and a smiling sun in the top right corner. Amidst the sky and grass were two people. Both were rather tall, their heads only about a centimeter or two short of the top of the page, and were drawn so that they appeared to be hugging. The shorter of the two was obviously female, judging from her very long red hair, big red lips, and eyelashes, and looked rather content with her smile and closed eyes as the second figure seemed to be kissing her forehead. The second figure was a bit taller and was male with short black hair, a thick black beard, and looked just as happy as the girl he held in his arms.

Around the figures was drawn a big red heart. Pointing to the figures on their corresponding sides of the paper were big black arrows at the ends of the arrows were words. 'Hunter' was printed on the girl's. On the man's side there was an 'Op' with a big 'X' through it to cross it out since Annabelle probably hadn't been sure how to spell Optimus' name and didn't want to offend him by spelling it wrong, and below that was the label she'd settled for: 'Her daddy'.

Still smiling, Hunter walked across the catwalk and over to her father to show him. After he'd seen it Optimus shared a loving gaze with spark-daughter before she leaned her head against her father's chin and he ever so slightly leaned into her touch. As disproportionate and embellished as the drawing was—Hunter's hair only reached her waist and not her ankles, nor did she have big red lips, and Optimus' holoform possessed only a mustache and slight stubble instead of a full blown beard—it was an extremely sweet present for the two. In the simplest way possible it clearly described the love they had for each other and the bond that they shared. No better description was needed. They were also thankful that Annabelle had been clever enough to draw Optimus in his holoform and Hunter in her organic form instead of their Cybertronian ones. That could only have led to unwanted questions.

"Do you like it?" Annabelle asked of Optimus and Hunter, sounding and looking a little bit nervous.

Both the girl and the 'bot smiled at the child.

"Of course we do, little one," Prime answered warmly.

"We love it," Hunter responded at the same time. "In fact…." The teen walked back over to the refrigerator and hung up the picture there before standing back with her hands on her hips. She motioned to the picture and smiled at Annabelle. "There. Now everyone will be able to see it."

Grinning a mile wide, Annabelle jumped up and down in the air, whooping with excitement. Her picture was hanging on the refrigerator! That was the biggest honor ever! The blonde-haired child then lunged forward and jumped up to hug her sister figure, barely even managing to snag the tall teen around the waist.

Laughing, Hunter hugged the little girl back. To think a little over a year ago she'd hardly ever received hugs from anyone and now she was under constant bombardment with them from almost everyone she knew! Not that the redhead minded. She'd always been something of a hugger.

"Awww!" Miko teased, looking at the two girls as if they were the cutest things she'd ever seen.

"Hallmark moment," Raf laughed.

Hunter looked up at them with a playful glare. "Take it and shove it," she growled, though it was plain to see she was smiling.

Her friends laughed.

Optimus chuckled and shook his head at the children. "Hunter," he said, gaining her attention, "I have a meeting with Agent Fowler this afternoon, so I will be unable to supervise your training. However, Bulkhead and Bumblebee are free this afternoon, so they will take my place."

Hunter groaned. She hated it when Bulkhead and Bumblebee watched her train. They were the epitome of older brothers, always teasing and making fun of her whenever she missed a target or got trounced. The Hybrid already knew she had terrible aim with her guns and she knew her defensive combat was less than desirable—she didn't need constant outside reminders of it. "Dad, we've got the simulator now," she pointed out, hoping beyond hope that she wouldn't have to the boys in the training room with her. "All I need to really do now is turn on the switch and fight. Do I really need Bulk and 'Bee with me?"

"They may not be the ones training you," Optimus conceded with a nod, "but the simulator is still rather new and we don't fully know how it works or what it will do. I would feel much more comfortable to have them in there with you in case something were to go wrong with it."

Hunter wanted to retort, but she couldn't find anything to say to that. Just as always, her spark-father was right, and she couldn't see anyway of proving him wrong. And, to be frank, she really didn't like the idea of being all alone with that simulator in case it did go haywire. Sighing in defeat, the girl hung her head and nodded.

"Can we watch, too?" Miko asked eagerly.

"No," Hunter answered flatly without hesitation.

"Aw, come on!" Miko whined.

"No, Miko."

"But, Hunter…" Raf chimed in.

"I said no," the teen interrupted him adamantly. "And that's final." It was then the sixteen-year-old felt arms wrap around her leg and she looked down to see Annabelle hugging her leg, cheek pressed against her outer thigh, and looking up at her with her face puppy eyes.

"Please, Hunter?" the little girl begged in a small voice. "Please?" She stuck out her bottom lip and made her puppy eyes even sadder. She even went so far as to whimper.

Hunter bit her lip, feeling her resolve starting to crumble. Those eyes! Those damned, baby-blue, puppy eyes! How could she say 'no' to that? The teen let go a groan.

The New Moon;

Luna sat on her throne in the bridge of her spaceship, raspberry eyes trained on the window and out into the deep dark space beyond. Though she couldn't see it yet, she knew that Earth was growing ever closer. Only a few more days and they would arrive. Then she would put her plan into motion, and nothing would be able to stop it.

"My Lady," a voice drew the Hybrid out of her thoughts.

Luna looked down to see one of her subjects kneeling at her feet in their organic form. She made a motion with her hand. "Rise," she ordered, "and transform. You know very well that whatever form I am in will be the form you take as well."

The Acolyte rose and quickly transformed, fear in his eyes. "Yes, my Lady, of course."

"Speak. What do you have to tell me?"

"We have been able to contact a coven of your disciples on Earth. They are celebrating and look forward to your glorious return. They are also awaiting your intructions."

The femme was quiet for a minute, pondering what actions, if any, she wanted them to take. "I do not want too much activity right away," she declared after a moment. "That could raise suspicion. However, I would like one of them—preferably one who knows something about stealth—to take up post and watch the girl. I want to see just exactly how strong and capable she has become. The more I know, the better."

"Yes, Mistress," the Acolyte replied with a bow. "But, if I may ask, how will they know where she is and if she is the one?"

"Simple," Luna replied. "Before we were banished, the last time I saw the child I cast a spell upon her so that I would be able to find her again. There is a blue, glowing aura around her that can only be seen by my eyes or the eyes of those loyal to me. Find the glow, and you will know."

The Acolyte stared at his Mistress in sheer awe. "Yes, my Lady." With that he bowed again and exited the room, the door closing behind him.

Luna turned her attention back to the cosmos, hands clasped under her chin. "I know you're out there, my child," she murmured to herself. "I can sense you. You will be mine again, all in due time. All in due time."

Autobot Outpost Omega One;

"So, uh, what is this thing exactly?" Bulkhead asked as he, Bumblebee, and the kids stood off to the side, watching as Hunter was crouched down on the floor beside a metal disk.

"It's an HBS—Hybrid Battle Simulator," Hunter answered as she read the instruction data pad for the device. "They have them at Olympus High."

"What do they use them for?" Raf questioned.

"Training—help kids with their powers mostly. They'll use to help kids learn combat too."

"So what does it do?" Miko asked.

"Well, I've only seen them used once," Hunter admitted as she continued to read, "but the HBS is supposed to scan you, level up to the range of your powers and cabilities, and then spars you."

/So how exactly did we end up with one?\\ 'Bee inquired.

"Greasy convinced the school to let us buy one from them. As the Fuser finding an opponent that is on all the same levels of power as I am isn't exactly easy. Greasy figured that an HBS would give me that opportunity and Dad agreed." Hunter continued to read through the instructions. "Hmm," she hummed with intrigue after a moment. "According to this, the HBS has different settings, one of them being a full offensive mode."

"What's that?" everyone else asked.

"It's when the HBS does nothing but attack you. It can touch you but you can't touch it, so you can't fight back. It helps with defensive tactics."

/That sounds like your setting,\\ 'Bee replied with a teasing lilt in his voice. He fist-bumped a snickering Bulkhead.

Back turned towards them, Hunter rolled her eyes to the ceiling and growled softly. So they were gonna start now, huh? Real mature. But 'Bee had a point. Her defensive combat really did need a lot of work and if the HBS had a setting that would help her with that, why not use it? "All right then," Hunter sighed. She set the data pad down and pressed the button that would power the HBS up then pressed the button meant to set up the offensive mode before stepping back and transforming to her Cybertronian mode. They all waited.

After a moment a small cylindrical cone rose up out of the top of the disc. It sent out a red laser light beam and circled around the room scanning everything. When the beam finally fell on Hunter it stopped and remained there, widening out to a band of red light that completely illuminated her, and started scanning. A few seconds later there was a beep and the light went off, the scanner sinking back into the disc. Then the disc began to hum and vibrate. Without warning the disc started to transform. It wasn't long before there was an android standing before them. The android was about Hunter's height and was essentially featureless in terms of gender, though it was about as slimly built as Hunter was. It had no armor and was gold in color. There really wasn't a face to the thing, but the one thing it did have was a blue scanner that swayed back and forth in the position were the optics would have been located. All in all it appeared to be a pretty slick machine.

"Whoa!" everyone quietly marveled.

"It's so pretty!" Annabelle exclaimed with a delighted smile and clap of her hands.

"I can see myself," Miko stated, waving at the android to see her reflection waving back in its gold finish.

"Me too," Raf agreed, doing the same.

"But it looks so solid," Bulkhead remarked, raising an optic ridge. "I thought you set it on offensive mode, Hunter."

"I did," Hunter replied, walking towards the android. "At least… I think so." She held a hand out to touch the android, only to find that her fingers past right through the thing as if it were just a hologram. "Okay, that is really cool!" she laughed.

"Offensive mode sequence set," a voice that was a robotic form of Hunter's came from the android. "Let battle commence." Almost without any warning at all the droid clenched a fist, drew back and threw its arm forward, striking at Hunter with a right jab across the jaw.

Completely caught off guard, Hunter spun around twice with the force of the blow before face-planting into the floor. She groaned the world around her reeling.

"Hunter!" both Bulkhead and Bumblebee exclaimed, rushing to her side. The gently rolled her onto her backplate and helped her sit up.

/You okay?\\ 'Bee asked.

The world still spinning, Hunter closed her sapphire optics and shook her head. She rubbed at her jaw. "That hurts a lot more than I thought," she declared. Grabbing the mech's shoulders for support, the scarlet and black-and-silver striped femmling pulled herself back up to her feet. She wiped her mouth and glared at the HBS. "All right then," she sighed, getting into a ready position. "Let's do this. Give me everything you got!"

"Request acknowledged," the voice left the android again. It quickly pivoted around into a split-second roundhouse kick.

"Whhhoooaaahhh!" Hunter went flying across the room to crash into the wall upside-down.

Bulkhead and Bumblebee exchanged looks. "This is gonna be a looong training session," Bulk stated.

/But from the looks of it, very enjoyable to watch,\\ 'Bee added.

"Can't argue with that," Bulk conceded with a grin.

Confession #4:

I have actually laughed so hard that milk came out of my nose before. It was a long time ago in lower elementary school and it happened because one of the boys said something funny. It was so embarrassing.

Confession #5:

I shamelessly admit that I love writing domestic, loving, Daddy Optimus as much as I love writing him as kick-aft, Decepticon crushing, Autobot commander Optimus! Who loves reading it?!

Confession #6:

I'm not a Miley Cyrus fan anymore, but I do like some of her songs, and most of her older songs, including the ones from when she was Hannah Montana. Good music is good music. Besides, some of those Hannah Montana songs have good messages to them. Screw anybody who thinks I'm immature because of that!

Confession #7:

Optimus' holoform I imagine to actually look like Tom Selleck.

Confession #8:

Wow. I have a lot of confessions for this chapter.

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