Ariel Pax
Everyone hides something
Ariel began to fidget, much to the enragement of the already annoyed RedAlert, "Will you hold still? I'm trying to fix your injuries!"
"What's the point?" She asked sorrowfully, "When you're done Optimus' just going to slag me anyway…" She fidgeted again, she had never had a mech fix her before, and it was a bit nerve-wracking.
Red shook his head, "Optimus wouldn't hurt you. He is merely concerned for your safety."
"Maybe…"
"Oh, and I re-calibrated your vehicle mode to an earth vehicle."
"Thanks."
RedAlert was puzzled at some of the scars he found on her head and back, they showed signs of a near-death injury somehow recovering on its own, and they looked as if to have happened when she was extremely young. Another scar on her shoulder was obviously cut into her, spelling the letters DACAW, he had no idea what that meant, but thought it best not to say anything.
The door was slightly ajar and they could here the kids' pestering the others, "When do we get to meet her? Is she going to be alright? Is she fatally injured?"
Red chuckled; he knew the kids would worry pointlessly about someone they hadn't even met yet, "Those are our human friends, they're just kids, but they've helped us a lot."
"They sound nice enough… but if they're willing to hang out with you people there must be something wrong with them…"
It took RedAlert a moment to realize she was joking, "Good to see that nearly dying didn't kill your sense of humor."
She smiled a sweet, innocent little smile, "Thanks."
A gentle tap was heard at the door, without looking at Ariel, Optimus muttered, "How's she doing RedAlert?"
Out of the corner of his optic, Red could've sworn her saw Ariel stick out her oral probe, but he dismissed it, "She's going to be fine Prime, once she's fixed she's going to be a little stiff but…"
"May I have a privet word with her Red?"
"Uh… yes sir, but Optimus?" He lowered his voice, "Go easy on her."
As soon as Red was out of the room Optimus let out an exasperated sigh, Ariel was positive he was going to lecture her. But she received a pleasant surprise; he chuckled. He then turned to her, smiling beneath his mask, "Elita and I had always hoped you wouldn't have my ambitious and somewhat rebellious behavior."
She gave him a look of pure bafflement, and then timidly whispered, "You had a wild side when you were younger? I find that hard to believe Optimus."
"Well I was. Within my first month of combat I wound up in med-bay 12 times. Elita was the one who knocked some sense into me, quiet literally as a mater of fact."
Ariel giggled, "Yeah, I can see her smacking you upside the head for pure stupidity."
They both laughed at the truthful analogy, but then he whispered, "Once you're better, you will train for a minimum of five earth-weeks to check your reflexes, and if all goes well…"
"Are you saying what I think you're saying?"
"Yes, you may join the fights, if you prove you can handle it."
"Thank-you so much Optimus!"
He chuckled, "No one's around you know."
"Thanks Demority." She tried to get up to hug him, but received a jolt of pain from her abdomen that stopped her.Demority- sort of like calling a male creator Daddy
Optimus bent down to her and gave her a light hug, then said, "Take it easy for a wile sweetie, you might hurt yourself."
"I know…"
-Many days later-
Ariel Pax sat perfectly still; RedAlert was making sure all her systems were well enough to begin training. She was getting use to him being her doctor, and was beginning to talk with him about simple things, like how stupid their school mascot was, and how it was amazing that any of the sports teams ever won a game.
Suddenly, she asked him, "Hey Reddy?" in her now trademark chipper and teasing voice, "Do ya think it'd be okay if ya taught me a few simple medical things just in case of an emergency?"
He stared at her for a moment unsure of what she was trying to do, then said, "I suppose I could… but only if you promise not to use any of what I teach you except for in dire circumstances."
"Cross my spark, and if I lie, it will go out."
"Are your fingers crossed too? I remember that from school."
"Honest to Primus! Why don't you believe me?" her optics welled and her face held a pout.
He knew she was faking to make him say okay, so he gave her a frown, "I was going to say yes, but now that you're pouting like a sparkling, maybe you're far too immature for this…"
Her face immediately returned to normal, "Gee, thanks for bursting my bubble, I thought I had you fooled!"
He gave a real frown this time, "Ariel, what's the DACAW?"
"The-the what?"
"Don't play dumb, I saw it engraved on your arm, what is it?"
"Something I joined when I was younger, much younger."
"What does it stand for?"
"D-Decepticon and Autobot Children Against War…" her face was red, and her optics darkened.
For a long wile, he was silent then said, "Well I bet there weren't too many Decepticons in the group."
"Actually Red, there were more Decepticons."
"Wha? Well then… why'd you join?"
"Because I thought it was a good organization, an underground one, but a good one." She began to frown, "But some of us became suspicious of the organizer, and some Autobots and Decepticons searched the data bases for his records and found that he was listed in both, when he claimed to be a Neutral all his life. And in all references he was listed as a traitor… by both sides."
"What?"
"All we really know is that his name was…" She fell silent.
"Ariel? Are you alright?"
"Yes… well he was… he was Sideways."
"What!"
"Yeah, I know Reddy."
--
After talking with Red alert for about half an hour, he showed her a few simple medical tricks, then let her go, "Thanks Reddy! See ya later!" She playfully ran out of med-bay and down the hall toward the control room. Halfway there, she ran into HotShot, quite literally as a matter of fact, "Hi-ya Hots! Sorry!"
"Sup Aerie? What's the rush?"
"Red said I'm back in tip-top shape! So that means I can start training soon!" she couldn't suppress her glee.
"Cool, ya gonna go tell Optimus?"
She nodded vigorously, "Yep!"
He mockingly saluted her, "I wish you the best of luck on this mission and hope you return in one piece and alive."
"Shut-up Sir Dorksalot." She teased, gently punching his arm.
"Hey…"
The two parted ways and she finally reached the control room. Optimus had been waiting for her for about two hours, and had begun to become concerned; so the moment she entered, he, in a calm voice, muttered, "What took you?"
"Well, after Red checked my systems, he and I talked for a bit, and then I convinced him to teach me a few med-stuff. No big… right?"
"Yes sweetie, and?"
"I'm back in tip-top shape! And you promised so don't think-"
"Alright Ariel; but it's late, so you'll start in the morning."
"Yes!" she headed for the door, "Thank you Primus!" she teased, in a way saying that she had celestial help convincing him.
"Just go." Optimus muttered, waving one hand and covering his optics with the other.
She gladly bolted from the room, beginning to carelessly spin in circles in the hall. For a brief moment she lost balance and began to fall backwards. Her arms almost hugging her chest, and one leg outstretched, she was sure she was going to hit the ground, but she bumped into someone behind her instead.
She hesitantly looked up, to see a rather unhappy Blurr glairing down at her, "Hi Blurr-err, what's up?"
"Will you get off me you stupid-little-?"
"I- wouldn't do that Blurr." Jetfire warned, approaching them.
"What's she gonna do, she's just a stupid little femme-warrior wanna be who couldn't kill a Decepticon if he was already moments from death."
Ariel leapt away from him and, quite gracefully, tripped him, "You realize Blurr that I have impeccable balance… when I pay attention…"
"Ha-ha, nice one Ariel, gimmie a hug!" Jetfire insisted.
"Oh fine Jets." She gave him a hug then continued down the hall.
She stopped herself from nearly smacking into Smokescreen and HotShot again, "Hey Guys! Smokes, Hots, Prime said yes!"
"Way to go, so when do you start training?"
"Tomorrow morning, Smoky!"
"Grr… don't call me that!" Smokescreen growled.
"Neat-o. Hey, by the way Ariel… Scavenger wanted to talk with you." HotShot said wile yawning, whether he was actually tired or he was mocking Scavenger was hard to tell.
"Cool, see you guys latter then."
--
RedAlert began walking toward his quarters; he was tiered, and a bit frazzled. He saw Scavenger sitting patiently outside the hall to the quarters, "Hello Scavenger, what's going on?"
"I'm waiting for Ariel, figure I might wanna give her one last chance to back off and quit. She is really like a niece to me Red, and I want her to be safe."
"I don't think she's going to back down, but I do think that she's willing to listen to advice, and try to be safe in battle."
"Make no mistake Red; I'm going to do that too but…"
"You just want her to be safe; I know. She's already become a good friend of mine, and I don't want to have to fix the poor girl again."
"Girl? She's not that much younger than you Red. Only about… seven Cybertronian years or so…"
"True, but she still has the body of an upperclassman in school. She hasn't had her body upgraded and somehow avoided natural advancement."
"But she is actually much older."
"Heck, she looks like she's the same age as HotShot, and he's well… he was a first year when she was a senior. (Yawn) Well, good-night Scavenger." (First year translates to kindergartener)
Scavenger chuckled, "Good-night RedAlert."
-The next morning-Outside Autobot headquarters-
Ariel Pax, RedAlert, Scavenger, and Optimus Prime were preparing for her first training exercise; Rad, Carlos, Alexis, Fred, Billy and Spit-fire were watching the scene from a safe distance. Spit-fire was with the kids because Ariel would not be learning how to use a Minicon any time soon.
"Ready Ariel?" Scavenger asked.
"Yep!"
She began to move, when a shot from a nearby hillside hit just an inch away from her feet. A bright yellow Autobot (they could tell by his symbol) with blue edges jumped from the spot and landed a good 25 meters from her, "Hey Air-head, now what do you think you're doing'?"
Her face turned bitter and hate-filled, "Lightning." She hissed.
To be continued…