Pain raked my body when I came to. A large amount of weight bared down on me, trapping me under whatever was holding me. I frailly attempted to push up to get on my elbows but a hand on my shoulder stopped me. Who was there?!
Someone spoke but their voice barely heard over the ringing in my ears. I struggled under the debris to get away from whoever was there. Yet, there was no feeling of danger. My mind was scramble so there could be danger and I wouldn't know.
The buzz grew nearly to be overwhelming as my senses were swamped, trying to figure out what was happening. I pushed it away to the best of my abilities and felt some of the weight on my backside disappear. It continued to lessen until it completely vanished.
Two pair of hands wrapped around my biceps and lifted me out of where I was trapped. My mind wanted to fight against the humans handling me but my body refused to move anymore. Those hands gently set me down on my back.
My wings were more than sore, one possibly out of socket. While lying there, another voice spoke, sounding a little more worried and hastily. I groggily open my eyes and noticed the sky was darkening. How long has it been?
A familiar face moved into my line of sight. William's tensed expression relaxed slightly when he saw me and he kneeled down next to me. His mouth moved but what he said was hard to hear. "-safe…fallen-dead-gone." It sounded like he was talking with cotton in his mouth.
When he noticed I wasn't responding, he grew worried again and turned to speak with someone else. I tilted my head in the same direction and saw Ironhide and the twins standing there. The latter met their gaze with mine, the tingling reacted; the only other thing I could feel in my body. Lennox's voice carried over the area to Ironhide.
I refused to lie there, helpless among humans, and struggled to get on my hands and knees. Robert moved to my side and pushed gently against me for me to lie back down. He spoke to me but just like William, it was muffled and hard to hear.
With some stumbling, I got to my feet and leaned heavily against a pole. The surrounding area was completely destroyed and burned terribly. None of William's soldiers seemed to be burned, thankfully or else said man wouldn't be very happy with me. There was no sign of the juggernaut, did it work? It better have because I'm not doing that again.
William rested a hand on my shoulder, catching my attention. "Azar? Are… are you okay? What happened?"
Randomly, I remembered the tablet stuck under all of this rubble. I made a point to ignore William and felt around for the icebox.
Down at the bottom, off to my left. I sense a small amount of my 'magic' and summoned it. Pain echoed in my hand from the call. The rubble above it shock slightly before moving out of the way. A small box made of ice floated over to William and dropped at his feet. "Tablet," I slurred and withdrew the ice protecting the device.
The major picked up the tablet and glanced over to me. "Thank you but you didn't answer my questions." I met his gaze, looking a little drunk.
"Does anything… look broken?" His brows furrowed and he scanned my body.
He gently took hold of my right hand and looked over the many cuts littering that arm. "Well, I only see cuts but Ratchet needs to see you. What happened? Why did the base blow up and how did it not burn any of us?"
I pushed him away and stumbled through the debris, following my internally instinct. One of the twins, I didn't care who, scooped me off of the ground. With the feeling of safety surrounding me, I gently drifted off into peaceful sleep.
Darkness swallowed me, holding me its grasp. It slowly suffocated me the longer I stayed and forced me to fight. This nearly same scenario only happened two or so weeks ago. I knew what had to be done and swam through the inky blackness.
It clung onto me like gum and tried to keep me in this weird place. I fought against it, light bleeding through above me until it engulfed my ghost like body.
My eyes snapped open and pain flooded my senses. Whatever I was lying on felt soft and allowed my body to sink into. I pulled myself up to sit up and gazed around a familiar sight: the Med. Bay. Ratchet stood off to my right, messing around with something on the table in front of him. My hand randomly flew up to the center of my chest.
All of my thoughts were scrambled, unable to form any coherent sentences internally. I slipped off of the cot someone set me on, needing to get on my feet, and tripped over my talons. The muscles in my legs ached at the sudden weight and refused to stand.
A yelp of pain alerted Ratchet of my awakening. The neon bot turned around and rushed over to me, helping me to my feet. "What are you doing?! You shouldn't be up and walking around," Ratchet grounded and forced me to sit on the cot.
But he didn't have my full attention. I raised my hands and stared at the wrappings protect possible injuring. Ratchet relaxed and gently petted the top of my head. "Do… do you remember what happened two days ago?" he questioned timidly and place his finger on the underside of my chin. The bot changed my gaze up on him, concern evident in his blue orbs.
"Y-yeah," I answered with a croak. "I just… freaked out. Where's William? Is he okay? And his soldiers?" I threw back and unfurled my wings for them to rest on the cot.
Bewilderment washed over his face. "You need to focus on yourself more than him," his voice hardened at the statement. He received an eye roll from me. Little did he know, I could survive worse than I did this time.
"I'm fine, a few cuts and bruises won't kill me. I need to go talk with him. The informa-" I started but Ratchet interrupted me.
"Is the least of your worries. If you won't worry about yourself, I'll make you worry myself because femme. I swear next time you come in here after pulling a stunt like that, I'll keep you in here until this damn thing is over, alright?" The concern his voice only grew the more he talked. Why was he fretting over me? Was he caring about me in a different manner?... Like a father?
I slipped off of the bed once more and moved away from him. Not for long though. Ratchet picked me off of the table he had me on and dropped me down on the cot, again. "Stay or I'll weld your aft down." He pointed a threatening finger at me and gave me a stern look. "I've contacted Optimus that you have awakened. He'll alert William and then you can talk to him but you stay on this berth or I swear." I rolled my eyes for the second time and crossed my arms in a pout.
He scoffed at my actions and moved over to his original spot. "Pout all you want. You're staying here until I deem you are well enough to leave." Under his breath, he muttered, "sparkling's." I may not know what that is but I take offence to that.
Our conversation ended on that note. Ratchet worked on whatever was in his grasp and I continued to pout, unable to move. Who did he think he was? My dad? Sorry bucko, that spot is clearly taken. But what was he wanting in return is my question? Anyone who does a favor for you or acts kindly towards you always needs something.
So what did the big, neon yellow bot wanted me do while I'm on medical leave, again. Play cards with him? Answer his boring questions? If he's going to keep me here, he needs to keep me entertained because I bore easily.
It didn't help my fire powers were nearly empty, so that was off the table. For my water/ice powers, they were under control and I didn't want to waste any energy. My healing abilities were more focused on mending any large injuries like my ribs or wings. Which in return made me tired and hungry; I'm surprised that Ratchet hasn't force feed me more food.
Don't get me wrong, I like the food he gives me but consuming five thousand calories a day is hard. I'm use to going weeks without eating anything. That does come with a repercussion where I fall into a small hibernation. Heh, Zayden was surprised when we first sat down after he rescued me. To this day, I still remember the face he made as I went for fifths.
Good memories of my three years with Zayden and Aztec flashed in my mind. A sorrowful smile grew on my face and tears pooled in my eyes. Once all this is over, I will finally be able to go back to my family. Or, at least, the ones that cared for me like Zayden and Jeremy. Well, actually, probably only Zayden.
Jeremy… he believes I'm dead. He has his own family to take care of: his girlfriend and one kid on the way. To come and think about it, it's for the best he continues to believe I was gone.
What has my family come to? Fighting over one of their children who has the power to devastate a major city with the flick of her wrist.
While stuck in my thoughts, someone interrupted me. "Thirteen hundred confirmed kills?! Thirteen!" William's voice rang throughout the hangar. I snapped my gaze over to him and noticed the fear and anger in his eyes. Oh, he found out.
Ratchet came to my rescue and stepped in front of him before he could take another step. "Will, it's nice to see you but what are you yelling about?" The human peered up at the bot towering over him, a scowl washing over his face.
He pointed firmly over at me, clearly fuming over the newfound information. Did I accidently grab those files? Yeah, I saw them but I didn't realize that I downloaded them too. "That thing-" I flinched, hurt at the word he used- "has over thirteen hundred confirmed kills. I knew from the get-go she belongs in the brig. She's a serial killer."
I hid behind my shoulders in a pathetic way to protect myself from the truth. Why didn't I see this coming? It was only a matter of time before someone on this base, whether it be human or robot, found out how bloody my claws are.
Of course William didn't look close enough to know that Jasper made me do those things. Anytime someone hears how many I have killed, they always give me disgusted or frightful looks. What's Ratchet going to think about this? Is he going to sedate me? Use one of wrenches on me? Squash me?
None of those things. "Will, you do remember she was under control when she was at Jasper. What information we have gathered from them and her is they create soldiers from innocent people," Ratchet argued back, defending me. Why though? What was he gaining from that?... My respect for one but that doesn't benefit him one bit.
His words silenced the major. Lennox opened and closed his mouth like a fish out of water as he tried to find his voice. "W-well, I-I didn't lo-look at it t-that way." Again with ignorance! I slid off of the cot, my ribs protesting, and glided down to the human. We needed a talk, once more.
William stumbled back a couple of steps, fear evident in his stance. I furled my wings timidly to not scare him off. Ratchet opened his mouth to speak but I stopped him by holding up my hand. "William, I never wanted you to know of… that part of me. As I have stated me before, that's not me anymore. Well, besides killing Jasper soldiers. But we all know in war, causalities are inevitable."
"My past has shaped me into the person I am today. That's why I'm here, risking my hide to keep your soldiers safe. I've changed. I'm here to help, to take any bullet fired at your team. I know that no matter the good I do until I die will right all the wrongs in my life. That doesn't stop me though. I also know that anything I do won't bring back all the lives I've taken. All I want to do from now on is save people… Be someone my father can be proud of." That last sentence wasn't meant to slip out but it was the truth.
Tears rolled down my cheeks uncontrollable. I stared straight in William's eyes, mixed emotions swirling inside of me. He made no comment after all that I had to say. But to me, I knew his next action and held my arms out to him, hands curled. "But that doesn't matter. I've killed people and have to punished. Slap them on, I guess," I said, exhausted.
William did grab my wrist but only to push them away. "No, you don't deserve to be put in prison,-" I was shocked from hearing his words-" though I doubt any of them could house you. That's beside the point. I have judged your… different features since you first arrived unconscious. When you told me about the things that Rue and Cyrus have done to you, I realized to not judge a book by its cover."
"When I looked through your file, I will admit I was disgusted and acted first on that. I… I'm sorry." He placed his hand on my shoulder and gazed slightly up at me. "You are saving people, you did two days ago. That explosion was the perfect distraction. There were a few more Decepticons there than we predicted. Thank you."
Ratchet came back into our conversation, continuing to defend me. "William, I hope this is a learning experience for you and your kind. And for you femme, get back to your berth, or Primus help me."
Before I could turn and fly back up to the cot, Lennox stopped me. "When you're well enough, we need to debrief you on what happened. So come by the Main Hangar when you have the chance."
"Alright, it all depends on-" I motioned with my head towards the giant robot next to me. Most of William's tension had passed and allowed for him to laugh. He took his leave and exited the Med. Bay. I unfurled to take off and pulled at my sore ribs.
"Ep-ep-ep. You aren't flying, young lady," Ratchet declared and scooped me off of the ground. "You really like to irritate me." There was a playful tone under his voice, meaning he wasn't completely serious. He carried me over to the table I was originally on.
A mischievous smirk graced my lips. "I'm a very stubborn draconic. You should know this by know. You tell me to do something; I just have an urge to do the opposite."
The bot gently sets me down on the cot, but not leaving me to my own devices. "Well you and the Terror Twins are going to get along just fine then." I tilted my head like a lost puppy. Who were they? Wait… Is he talking about Sides and Sunstreaker? They are twins and like to cause trouble.
"Who are the Terror Twins?" Randomly, the buzz sprung to life, catching a little of my attention. Sides or Sunstreaker must be nearby. I sat up a bit higher and gazed over to the hangar doors, on the lookout for them. What was I doing?! Don't get attached, they'll only leave you once they know what William knows.
"Sideswipe and Sunstreaker. They have surely earned the name Terror Twins from both on the field or on base ." Aw that reminds me, I never got to see them fight while I broke into the Jasper data center. Dang.
After answering my question, Ratchet turned and returned to his work station. I sat in the calm silence and couldn't help my gaze retuning to the hangar entrance. My hand grazed over the center of my chest, feeling electricity zap my fingers. It didn't hurt me though. Ugh, what has my life turned to?
Two alien robots as my soulmates, yeah that wouldn't happen. And if it did, I feel bad for them, having me as their other half. They've been fighting a war for however long and now they learn that I'm their soulmate.
Well once they hear the amount of lives I've taken, they'll want nothing to do with me. They're just like everyone else… not including Ratchet who defended me. He just learned that I've killed over thirteen hundred humans and didn't even bat an eye. Why? Why does he care? Why did he step up and tell William off?
Maybe one I day, I'll learn of the answer but not today.