TFA: Youngling

Ch.2~ Praxus Princess

I laid down on the berth, this felt softer than the ones back at base, I felt a pat on my helm. Looking up I saw Prowl smiling down at me, it feels so weird being around him again. He sat down the berth, was he gonna tell me a story? I really hope he does, I always wanted to hear a story told by him.

"Alright, little one time to sleep." He said I frowned, no story, I guess.

"Can I have a story?" I asked shyly.

"A story, hmm let me see, how about I tell you about the Jazz of this world." He stated, I sat up grabbing his servo.

"Ja is in this world too! I wanna hear all the stories!" I cheered, he chuckled rubbing my head nudging me to lay down.

"Don't get too worked up now, how about I tell you how Jazz and I met."

"Yes please!"

"Alright, now snuggle up there. I was a young mech racing around stealing what I needed to survive, one day I robbed the wrong mech. His name was Master Yoketron, he caught me with his cyber ninja skills. He made me explain my situation and then brought me into his dojo. There he gave me some fuel and told me if I became a student of his I could live with him at the dojo. So, I decided to join, he was a fair mentor and taught me a lot. Then one day I walked to watch one of his lessons, I saw this mech around my age. He had a cool blue visor and bright stripes. He noticed me and waved a servo to me and continued training. From then on, we waved to each other often, then we began to talk…"

(Prowl's POV)

I smiled as she laid in the berth soft vents as she curled up. Such a cute little feme, I had to admit she did remind me of Jazz, she had a visor, she smiled like him. Yes, she was a picture of my mate, well I guess slightly estranged mate. After Master passed, I needed time to reflect and collect myself. Jazz told me to do what I must, I do hope he is doing well.

"Ja…" she murmured.

"So cute…" I whispered, reaching over I patted her helm. "Until we can get you home, I will be here."

I went to get up and leave but I felt a strong grip on my wings, I turned to see her half-awake holding it. I smiled and scooped her up into my arms then I laid in the bed, she soon was asleep again clinging to me. So young and lost so much, just like me as a youngling, but she is so much stronger. I hope her real creators are proud of how she turned out.

(Star's POV)

"Wait I can play a game?" I questioned Sari, she nodded pointing to a large controller.

"Yep, my Dad built a controller so me and Bee could play. You never played a video game before in your world."

"I watched the humans at my base play them a lot, we had this cool racing game."

"Cool, I got racing games, fighting games, oh I know the perfect first game, it is Harvest Time."

"What do you do?"

"You tend to a farm and make friends, a great beginners game, plus it can be pretty interesting, I must have made seven files and maxed out all I could."

"Sure, I wanna play that, it sounds nice."

"Alright, I will set it up."

(Later)

I felt my optics flicker as I fought off sleep, I turned to see Sari, weird there were two of her? I felt a servo on my shoulder, looking up I saw a very blurry Optimus. I closed my optics checking my internal systems, seemed a was gonna need sleep, not enough energon. Setting aside the controller I let myself succumb to my tiredness.

(Optimus's POV)

I looked at her, was she asleep? I poked her cheekplate gaining no response. I turned to Sari who slapping her leg plating, she really was out like a light. I held a finger to my mouth shushing Sari, I picked Star to place her in Prowl's berth.

Walking into the cyber-ninja's room I set down Star on the berth, she murmured but stayed asleep. I smiled at her and patted her helm before heading back out to Sari who looked sad. I held my hand out to Sari who quickly jumped on.

"Is Star okay?" Sari asked.

"She must be tired, were you two horsing around earlier?" I replied.

"No, we've just been playing this game then she began to zone out."

"Maybe the trip here made her pretty tired, I don't think younglings her age need naps…"

"Maybe she does, she is younger than me, right?"

"Yes, I guess so, did she refuel?"

"I don't think so, or at least not while I've been here."

"Well, we'll fix that once she wakes up."

(Stargazer's POV)

I awoke and stretched, sitting up I realized I was back in Prowl's room, I turned to see him sitting silently under the tree. Was he sleeping? With that thought I walked over to him and went to nudge his shoulderplate when his visor onlined. I stumbled back in surprise losing my footing, but he grabbed my servo and pulled me into his lap.

"How was your nap?" he asked.

"Good, man I forgot how tired I get when I get low on fuel," I answered, he stood up and carried me.

"Time for fuel then." He stated I bit my lipplate.

"Are you sure you have enough to share, back home I know we ration ours tightly…" I mumbled, he stopped.

"Does your Earth not have fuel?" he questioned.

"Not really, I mean the Decepticon have most of the mines under their control," I answered.

"Mines?"

"Yes, you know big caves with Energon crystals."

"Why would Energon be on Earth, besides I meant oil fuel."

"Oil? Oh, that stuff humans put in cars... if fuel was that easy Rache wouldn't work so hard trying to make synthetic Energon…"

"Seems our dimensions are quite different, seems refuelling may involve some harder work."

"I can last at least a megacycle like this, don't worry."

"We can't have that, now let's go talk to Ratchet about this."

"Oh okay…"

(Ratchet's POV)

"You what!?" I hollered, I looked at Prowl and his small charge in shock.

"In my world the only fuel for Cybertronians in Energon, the you in my world has been trying hard to make a synthetic version… I can't fuel on oil." She stated again, I sighed guess we do have some on the ship.

"You will have to brush me up on medicine in your world, now we do energon down in the ship. I will go pick that up, you two wait here for me, and you little bratling don't move too much until I return." I ordered, she nodded and sat down.

"Of course, Rache!" she chimed, I turned before I could smile and marched out of the base.

(Prowl's POV)

I looked to Star as she sat patiently for the old war medic to return, she was very obedient. But I guess in her world she has to be, or she could be targeted or in grave danger. Reaching over I rubbed her helm, she turned to me and smiled, it was eerie how close it was to Jazz's smile.

"You want to know something; you smile just like the Jazz of this world," I stated, she beamed at that and leaned into me more.

"I do, people say that about me back home, but now, I can actually see that smile on him, maybe, heh, probably not." She stated.

"Who knows he may come here; we have been trying to contact Cybertron and let them know about what has happened," I explained.

"And Ja would come?" she queried.

"Yes, he works right under a mech named Sentinel, he is a Prime, so he would probably lead a mission here," I replied.

"Sentinel, huh for once I don't recognise the name," she muttered.

"From what I've heard about him here, I am glad you don't know him."

"That bad huh?"

"As far as I understand he is the reason why Optimus is not considered a normal Prime."

"Optimus isn't a normal Prime?"

"A Prime would never lead a repair crew, they lead troops or train them."
"They made a mistake, he is probably the best Prime there is."

"Remember he isn't your Optimus."

"I know, but I can see the similarities, he acts just like Orion Pax, who then became Optimus Prime. A little young but he was made for leadership I can tell that."

"What about everyone else?"

"Different yet familiar, kinda funny especially since you all look so different than my world."

"Who is the most different?"

"Um probably Bulkhead, he wasn't as soft or cute, he also couldn't care about painting."

"Oh?"

"He was a tough wrecker sure he was kind and gentle, but he was also fierce and almost fearless. Hotheaded and a bit reckless but was reliable and loyal."

"Interesting."

"Yeah, hehe, I think for the most familiar would go to Rache, not much difference, well my Rache had a bigger soft spot for younglings. Meanwhile, my Bee is a sweetheart, loves to help, he is kinda rash, but he is loyal. He was my hero a big brother who was always willing to help and comfort, silly but mature."

"I see, anyone else?"

"Sari reminds me of a mix of my human friends in my world, reckless like Miko, silly like Raf and mature for her age like Jack. Then well you are so different, no glitch, no monotone tone, smiling, you don't just talk in logic."

"Glitch?"

"Uhuh, it was really bad, Ja said sometimes he'd crash a few times a day…"

"Crash?"

"Yeah, you know freeze up and drop. Ja said it was from him working too hard. He would reset his own systems and then he'd be better. Ja said it was really hard on him though…"

"I have never heard of that."

"It's rare, usually found in royal lines like in Powler's case."

"Royal?!"

(Star's POV)

I turned to look at him he seemed in shock, oh yeah in this world Cybertron is still in control of Senate and probably still had royalty. Smiling I thought back to all the stories of my city-state, it was a utopia. I always wanted to see it, even just it's ruins. I know I was born near Iacon I just wanna see Praxus. A place my Sire ruled, how interesting.

"I am the first Princess of a city-state called Praxus, well I would if the Decepticons hadn't destroyed the city in the war. My Sire was ruling when the war hit so technically, he was ruler till he passed then it went to my Carrier and now me. Kinda got the nickname Princess from that."

"You're a Princess!" Ratchet hollered, I turned to look at the medic who was in shock.

"Well yeah, it's not a big deal," I stated, he got silent as he handed me a mug of energon. "Oh, thanks."

"Optimus you gotta hear this!" Ratchet called, I smiled as I sipped at the energon, it tasted slightly different here.

"Why is it such a big deal...?" I muttered, I peered and saw Prowl looking confused and still in shock.

"You two look like a Decepticon slapped you," Optimus stated.

"Tell him, kid." Ratchet insisted, I set aside my mug.

"Back in my world, I am the last Princess of Praxus a city-state on Cybertron that was destroyed in the war," I explained, Optimus froze then got down to bow.

In embarrassment, I raced and pulled on his shoulderplate and he slowly rose looking confused. Maybe this was why my creators hide this fact from most others. Note to self no need to say I am a Princess, why couldn't Sire just been an enforcer.

"Stargazer why did you not tell us sooner?" Optimus asked I looked at him sighing.

"I am a Princess, but my kingdom was destroyed long before I was born. It's not a big deal, I may be half royal, but I am also half slave." I stated, he looked confused.

"A slave?" Ratchet questioned looking worried.

"My Sire was indeed King of Praxus, but my Carrier had been a slave for his youth," I explained.

"You do know what slave means right?" Ratchet asked I nodded.

"My Carrier was property to be sold and used as needed, my grand-sire actually bought him and brought him to be free in Praxus at my Sire's pleading."

"So, Jazz was a slave…" Prowl muttered I turned to look at him.

"Yeah, most in Kaon were, slaves to mines, slaves to the ring, my Cybertron was a corrupt place," I explained, I smiled weakly. "In a way, Megatron could have been the hero of my planet if he went about it another way."

"Did you bump your helm?" Ratchet asked inspecting me and I giggled.

"I am not joking, he was trying to rid slavery at the beginning, then he went down a dark path," I added.

"Star please introduce yourself to any other Autobots as a Princess," Optimus stated, I looked at him confused.

"What? Why?" I asked he smiled weakly.

"If you do, they will listen to you, they won't take you away or ignore your story." He explained, I nodded.

"Okay, I will…" I answered I think I know why my creators kept it hidden now…

"Wait, Star you have nubs?" Ratchet stated, and he touched one and I squeaked in shock and pain. "Oh sorry, you okay?"

"Don't touch my wing nubs," I stated and turned to him.

"Wings?" He repeated.

"Doorwings, you know um, kinda like…" I began and raced to point to Prowl's wing-like things. "This but bigger they move and can indicate things, there is actually basic speech with them."

"Where are yours?" Ratchet asked, I bit my lip.

"They were damaged when I was young, and they had to be removed," I muttered, I felt Prowl's hand on my shoulder.

"What's wrong?" he asked, I sighed.

"It is an integral part of a native Praxian, without them we miss out of one our unique senses. Even though I haven't had them in many stellarcycles it still is upsetting and I miss that sense. Kinda like if a seeker couldn't fly or a triple changer was bound to one mode." I answered.

"Ah, what was this sense?" Ratchet asked looking interested.

"Detecting fields, like if I was blindfolded, I could tell who was behind me from their unique field. That made it hard to sleep, kinda why I cuddle close I cannot feel a field unless I am really close now." I explained.

"I see, oh that reminds I need to see what medical knowledge I need for you?" he asked, I nodded as Optimus nodded at us and left.

"Ask away."

(Later)

I stretched my cables as I left eh make-shift med-bay, I was able to get all of his questions answered. Guess all my medical training was paying off yet again. I stopped; I wonder if I will ever get to learn more? Will I ever get to see my Rache again or the others? Maybe I will be all alone again…

"Stargazer you look troubled?" Prowl asked, I looked up at him as he walked over to me.

"I'm okay," I stated rubbing my optics under my visor. "Is Sari here?"

"No here and Bumblebee left to do something, not too sure what." He informed, I nodded and looked to the living area.

"I'm gonna play a game, wanna join?" I asked, he smiled and nodded.

"Sure." He replied, I don't have to cry I have Prowl here.