DMK: Hey everybody! I actually updated this little fic because I'm bored. Regents Exams are finally over for me (YAY!), so as long as my fossil of a computer stays intact, I should be okay. Well, actually until my report card comes out… ::whimpers::

Red-Alert: You didn't study for those exams, did you?

DMK: Uh… maybe for about five minutes, but you know I have the attention span of a fruit fly! I can't cram like everybody else!

Red-Alert: …

DMK: ((to the readers)) Oh, BTW, the events of this story won't necessarily follow the show. And one more warning: THE NEXT THREE CHAPTERS WILL SUCK BIGTIME!!! Sooo, if you're into reading my nonsense, go right ahead and do so. I will not be held responsible for any type of mental side effects this story will cause.

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CHAPTER 4

It felt rather weird riding in a giant robot, but Sideswipe kept telling me not to worry. I did stay relatively quiet during the ride, but my ride had other plans.

"So what were ya doin' hangin' out with the Decepticons, huh?"

"You're asking me? I had no idea that they were after Sideswipe, they found me."

"Sideswipe, so that's you're friend's name?"

"Yup."

"And what's yours?"

"It's Caitlin." I cringed, if only internally, when I said that. For some reason introductions aren't my forte', don't ask me why.

"Caitlin, huh? Well, it's nice t' meetcha. You can call me Hotshot."

"Nice to meet you too."

Just then we caught up with the tail end of the other Autobots.

"Where have you been?" The orange one I had learned was called Smokescreen asked.

"Would you give me a break? We're not in any hurry y'know."

"I'm just messin' with ya! Jeez, kids these days…"

Eventually, our little convoy stopped in the middle of the gorge, in front of a huge cave.

"So this is your base?" I asked Hotshot.

"Not quite. It's hidden in here, but it just looks like an old cave from the outside." And with that, he opened his door. "Sorry, but I can't move as easily in there while I'm in vehicle mode."

"That's cool." So Sideswipe and I got out.

As the other Autobots transformed, I felt the natural urge to run. I still wasn't used to the notion of giant robots, but unfortunately, I really didn't have a say in the matter.

When they set off into the cave, the three kids had their Minicons transform into their vehicle modes, allowing them to keep up with them. I asked Sideswipe to do the same, and he did. I stayed completely silent, and listened to the bots ahead of me: cajoling, talking, but nothing about what they were going to do about my situation. We drew deeper into the cavern, and I guess the kids wanted me to feel at ease, so they hung back and rode with me.

The only other girl in the group came to me first. Obviously I looked scared to her, because she told me, "Don't be afraid of these guys. They're not that bad."

"Yeah!" The darker colored boy riding his skateboard Minicon on my far right added. "Once you get to know 'em they're great to hang with."

I smiled. These middle schoolers weren't too bad either, despite the fact I was in high school. "Well, they're definitely better than those Decepticons. At least these guys don't want to blow my head off."

The three kids laughed.

"I'm Alexis," The girl introduced herself.

The blond boy next to her added, "And I'm Rad."

"Oh, and my name's Carlos." The kid on my right added.

"I'm Caitlin. And this is my friend Sideswipe."

"Nice to meet you Caitlin," Rad said. "And you too, Sideswipe."

We were in the process of beginning a conversation when we came to a dead end. For a moment I thought we would turn around, but then I saw the lead Autobot place his huge hand on the wall. A straight crack ran its way down the rock face, and then split open.

It was a door.

"Suh-weet," I said to myself. At first, the illuminated base blinded me, but once my eyes adjusted, I saw a room that would put the Roman Cathedral to shame.

"So, what do ya think of the Autobot's cozy base?" Carlos asked me.

"Dude... It's huge." And I was just about to ask Carlos something (what it was escaped my mind) when the leader finally spoke to me.

"I'm sorry we had to take you without an explanation. It was too much of a risk to leave you there."

"I'm sort of glad that you did," I answered, finally gathering up enough courage to speak to one of them again. "For some reason I don't relish the thought of being the hostage of a demented tank with antlers."

He chuckled. And it was strange; even though he was a machine, I felt warmth behind it. "My name is Optimus Prime."

The stocky orange one smiled and nodded down to me as a sign of acknowledgement. "You can call me Smokescreen."

"And I am Red-Alert," The navy and white one standing beside him said.

Hotshot just grinned and winked one of his blue optics at me. I already knew him, after all.

"It's nice to meet all of you," I responded. Sideswipe nodded as well. "My name is Caitlin, and this guy's Sideswipe."

"It's nice to meet you both. Now, if you want an explanation of what's going on I'll be more than happy to give it to you." Optimus said kindly.

"Well, all I know is, the Decepticons are bad, you guys are good, and you want to save the Minicons from them. That's all that Sideswipe told me, that is. Anything I left out?"

Hotshot folded his arms over his chest. "Nope. Ya pretty much summed it all up."

The Autobot leader seemed a bit surprised by the amount of knowledge I possessed on this conflict. "Yes. Hotshot's right."

"But what now?" I asked. "Is it safe for me to go back, or not?"

"I wouldn't advise it," Red-Alert stated. "Before we entered the cave, I noticed Cyclonus was sniffing around the edge of our base. If you were to return to the city now, they would more than likely capture you."

"Does that mean she has to stay here?" Carlos questioned them.

"It sure looks that way." Smokescreen added.

And, so it was. I stayed overnight at the Autobot's base. At first, I thought that I would never get to sleep; the whole place was made of metal and I was using my backpack for a pillow. But one would be amazed at how soft metal can feel when you're exhausted. Sideswipe and I stayed up on one of the catwalks that are about waist high for an Autobot, which I didn't mind. Within moments of laying down, I was asleep.

***

Until, that is, a few hours later...

I awoke with a start, after hearing some sort of a beastly noise. It had echoed around the base, when the sound was repeated. Following it to its source, across the room, I saw Hotshot, splayed out on his back, snoring like nobody's business.

Then- whump!

I mid-snore, I saw the half-awake Smokescreen, who had been sleeping against the far wall, kick Hotshot (and not very gently either), who rolled onto his back and stopped snoring instantly. {{((A/N: I know they have different quarters, but I thought this would be a little more funny. Flame me if you must…))}}

I nearly busted out laughing. Every so often, Hotshot would roll over again, and someone would have to plant their foot into his back- either Smokescreen, Optimus, or Red-Alert-- whichever one was more awake would do the honors.

Dude... with the way they act, they're almost human!

Between one of those cycles of snore, kick, silence, I managed to fall asleep again.

***

It was early in the morning when I woke up. Sideswipe was also awake, but the three Autobots were still out.

Three?!

"Weren't there four?" I asked myself.

Optimus was missing.

"Hm... he's probably doing official leader stuff," I noted, clearing the sleep from my eyes.

Once onto my feet, Sideswipe led me to a secret door. Come here, I've got a great place for ya to go visit.

"Wait... how do you know where you're going?"

This was our old Minicon spaceship. I was a member of the crew that piloted the ship, so I still remember a lot about it.

"Oh."

The passageway opened, and I saw natural light on the end of the tunnel. Go, Sideswipe told me. There should be a great view of the sunrise outside.

"Won't you come?"

I want to see the rest of this base. Plus, I would like to hang out with others of my own kind. It's been so long.

"Okay. I'll see you."

I left Sideswipe to explore the rest of the base, and stepped out into the waxing sunlight. To get a better view, I walked up the natural pathway to the top of the little mesa. I came around a corner, and saw Optimus, leaning up against the biggest boulder, watching the sun rise.

Instantly I withdrew back behind the cornerstone, but I heard "I know you're here. There's no reason to hide."

Sheepishly, I stepped out from behind the rock. That's when I realized I had been doing quite an amount of hiding over the past two days, and I was getting a little tired of it.

"I'm sorry to disturb you," I said as soon as I came into his line of vision.

"There's no need to apologize. Sights like these are best shared, I suppose. "

I looked out toward the sun. It was just beginning to clear the horizon, painting the earth in a dazzling array of vermilion and rose. The sun was backed by dark thunder clouds, but strangely seemed less ominous and more welcoming. I had been standing in that same spot, deep in frenzied thought, when I was interrupted.

"Are you alright?"

I looked up at the massive Transformer. Even seated, he eclipsed my small body, giving me the impression of what a mouse might feel like when next to a lion. "I guess. Yesterday I never would have thought I'd be thrown into something like this."

Optimus sighed. Without another word, he outstretched his hand to me, beckoning for me to step onto it. I did, and he lifted me up, and rested his hand on his knee. "I'm sorry. I never wanted to get anyone of you humans involved. You don't have to be a part of this war if you don't want to, but I would request you leave Sideswipe with us."

For a while, I had thought that these Transformers were fighting machines, but this sentimentality proved the Autobots were almost human.

"Sorry, but I can't do that," I answered. "Sideswipe is a friend of mine, and I can't stand to sit idly by while a war like this is fought."

He seemed taken aback by my willingness to fight.

"Besides, the Earth is our planet anyway. What kind of person would I be if I didn't fight to protect it?"

The wise Autobot leader nodded sagely. "I respect your decision. But if you are to join us, wouldn't it be wise to at least see your family? They're probably worried about you."

I shook my head. "I don't have a family. There's no need for it."

"I'm sorry," he said softly.

"It's alright. I've been living on my own since I was young."

The sun had long ago cleared the horizon, and the peaceful mood was soon interrupted when I heard footsteps. Not the light padding of a human, but the loud, booming noises that could only belong to a Transformer.

"Optimus sir!"

Hearing the voice, he gently set me down and stood up to his full height. Coming around the bend of the trail, Hotshot appeared.

"What is it, Hotshot?"

"We've detected a new Minicon signal."

"Another Minicon, eh?" Optimus repeated.

"That's right."

"Well, we can't waste any time. Let's get moving."

Within moments it seemed, we were back inside the base. I followed the two bots to what seemed like a control room, where Red-Alert and Smokescreen were already waiting. Sideswipe came running into the room with several of the other Minicons.

"What's the situation, Red-Alert?" Optimus asked, resuming the role of leader.

"I've just now locked on to its coordinates. We should be getting the feedback anytime now."

He was right. In a matter of seconds, a huge display of what seemed like the North Pole came up on screen.

"Ah great," Hotshot lamented. "We have to go back there again."

"Quit your whining," Smokescreen responded. "Would you rather have the Decepticons get that Minicon?"

"No!" Hotshot said childishly. "I just wish it could have been a little closer to the equator or something."

Optimus rolled his optics. "Come on, both of you, we're wasting valuable time."

The two bots' feud ended there, and then they all started to head towards the "warp gate" (whatever that was). When the other three had left, Optimus turned back to me. "Caitlin?"

I straightened up at the sound of my name. "Y- yes?"

"You can accompany us on this mission if you so desire."

I looked quickly at Sideswipe, who nodded vigorously. Let's go! This should be fun! he answered energetically.

"Why not?"

Alllllllrighty then!

Optimus chuckled at my Minicon's display of fervor. "I suppose we should get going then."

I followed Optimus and Sideswipe to the warp gate where Red-Alert, Hotshot, and Smokescreen had already transformed and were waiting.

"Hmm. Eeeney, meeney, miney..."

MOE!!! Sideswipe shouted happily as he pulled me towards Red-Alert.

"Jeez, Sideswipe, are you hyper or what?"

Nope. I just wanna get to that Minicon! Hey, Longarm, can we ride with your partner?

The crane Minicon spoke to Red-Alert, who almost instantly opened his door, chuckling. "Come on in," he said kindly.

"Thank you," I responded gratefully.

"You're quite welcome. Though I do suggest you strap yourself in."

Take his advice, Sideswipe said. This warping stuff is crazy!

I did as was told, and then asked, "Is warping like what we would call teleporting or something?"

"You could say that. The first few times can be a 'rush' as Carlos phrases it."

"Sweet."

"Okay Optimus, we're all set!" Hotshot called out.

"Launch!" The leader shouted.

And, in the blink of an eye, we had left the base.

TBC

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DMK: Dude… I know that really sucked. But, hey! Maybe the next two chapters will make up for that. (Not bloody likely… -_-;;) Please, have pity on me and review.