A/N Oh, hello there :D
Loaded, Stable, United
Brook continued to tail Strongarm, Grimlock and Bee on the back of Ellen's bike; she followed along a public path that ran atop of a hill, making it easier to keep track of them from a distance. Then they all suddenly stopped. They seemed to have a tense conversation and then split up.
Bee followed one path; the other two followed the other.
Brook narrowed her eyes; it was too obvious a wrong direction Grim and Strongarm were going...yes, obvious as the trail they were taking would lead to most likely humans. Even from her distance she could tell the trail was barely disturbed enough to be anything else, plus a freshly left empty bag of chips was a dead giveaway. Bee carried on his own, she started to move again to catch up to him.
Bee was on edge; this con made his spark flare and thump like he was overheating, the things he did and how he thought he could be trusted, in truth only used his 'charm' and what he called acting to trick Bee. He used him. Since then, similar incidents have happened, from similar cons with the same intentions.
Metres away Brook was knelt low in the thicket, looking like an extremely suspicious and intimidating character, ironically thinking what the best approach would be, "If communication fails, the basic of entering an estranged group is to trade or offer something...or because of how untrusting yellow is, to willingly give up something of value to establish trust." she thought, looking herself over, patting her empty pockets, looking under her beanie. "Oh right. I don't carry anything pfft." she continued thinking, struggling for a solution. "When surviving you have to keep up or get left behind...Come on Brook, this isn't like being hung up by your ankles for three weeks, this is a pissy young adult alien robot..." she looked over her 'borrowed' vehicle, "so why am I feeling so guilty? Conscience I guess? Empathy more likely."
Bee heard rustling behind him. Weapons bared, He grit his teeth ready; Brook emerged casually out of the grass, putting up slow hands of surrender. He put his down, "What are...what are you doing here?" he demanded.
She lifted her chin, tapping an exaggerated finger against it. "Hmm, I don't know, maybe it's a perfect time for me to point out your contradictions? Some petty shit like that?" she replied grinning.
"I don't have time for this." Bee bluntly put it, turning swiftly and going on ahead.
Brook hummed a frustrated sound as she sprinted between his legs to face him, "Listen baby-face, I'm not here to poke, beg or talk you down. If you want revenge on this ass-scrotum, by all means split his head open if it stops this toddler tantrum, one less dick-hole in the world right?" she lowered her voice and as though a completely different person was speaking and spoke softly. "You're freaking your friends out, their just kids." Bee stopped walking, "They rely on you and you being all out of character and shit, with your-" an idea crept into her mind as she went back to her regular tone, "how did you tell me? Aggressive methods?"
He frowned, seeing through her like wet paper, "You're manipulating me by lecturing me?" He frowned. "'Split his head open'? You say it so easily." He added disgusted.
Brook scoffed, "Pfft! Like I'm being serious? Are you that pissed off you can't remember a joke? It's just an expression bud."
"Not an expression I've ever heard, to be honest I can't tell if you're serious or not when you say things like that. It makes me a little uncomfortable...your hard to read."
Brook looked uninterested, scratching the dead skin off her cheeks, "'Overload is mine.'" She obnoxiously impersonated Bumblebee, "Was your salty tone an expression too? You sure didn't look like a cool demeanour type when you were in Strongarms face like that." Bee pulled a suspicious look. "Yeah that's right I saw from up there, that 'low' profile thing just aint working out is it? Calling dibs on the Z list actor like a hunt? Nope no revenging here. Jee-whizz mister, you sure are a much better person than an ol' street rat like me." She joked.
"I know what you're trying to do, It won't work." Bee wavered off.
Brook smugly grinned, "Pointing out when you're wrong, when you tell me how I act is wrong? Or maybe I am trying to guilt you?" She shrugged, "I'm just trying to get into the group who cares how I do it. There's no greater plan to this, I can't go anywhere at the moment so might as well try to conform."
He watched her for a reaction, "Autobots value a diplomatic approach, and other methods are only used if there's no other way-"
She laughed pointing at his Decepticon hunter, "Ha! Diplomatic, you going to use that glowing stick for diplomacy as well? Your foundations are already fucked."
He groaned frustrated, "It's for defence and apprehending the suspect. If you let me finish what I was saying-" He defended with eyes shut.
Brook grinned as his patience was clearly at the brink, she pushed and pushed...then uttered as she braced herself. "You're no different than him." She mocked going in for the kill.
Bee's optics flashed an intense blue, thrusting the upper half of his body downward so that his optics were parallel with her eyes. "How dare you. I wouldn't deceive people who I thought were friends, trick a fellow autobots than cause him that much damage to the point your left ashamed! And feeling like a failure! To your team, to your...your leader." he held his forehead like he had a headache, his simple minded thought of revenge out of control, "I was over confident."
Brook tilted her head, flashing eyelashes and holding her heart in a swooning motion. "Aww, poor baby." She said, she was nervously chuckling to herself...because she thought that might have been a bit too much, but kept a flat demeanour. "Let's be realistic here, you just don't look or sound like the "dark brooding avenging' type."
Bee warned quietly. "You don't know anything. Move before Overload hurts or even kills someone else."
She rubbed her hands and took a seat on a dead log. "Sit on down bro, let's talk."
He blinked and frowned in a random pattern, "Did you...not hear what I just said? The more time I waste here debating with you-"
She arrogantly waved him off, "Your man is ten minutes away doing dick-diddly. His obnoxiousness is so loud I can hear his monologue from here." She stood, "but, if you insist lets walk and talk yeah? I'm a certified psychiatrist after all...kinda, may have stolen someone else's certificate...eh fuck it anyone can be a psychiatrist, wasn't too hard to set you off afterall."
She winked smugly at him, Bee scolded himself with a curse under his breath, "You wanted me to blow up." He realised. "I got tricked...again." he added disheartened.
"Not tricked, more like...y-eah tricked but not the way you think." She argued.
"It's still...sneaky."
She blinked, "Yeah, I guess it is. But it's all I know."
As normal as she made it sound, how comfortable, Bee felt a little remorseful...he was too kind not to feel something. It was a little sad that she had the tendencies to only use manipulation because she didn't know what other option there was.
She thought carefully about her next words, "People...come clean when their emotions are raw, when their not thinking straight. You know, like drunk folk?" She told him, her tone serious, genuine. "I'm sorry...what's happened to you, but I wouldn't trick in that way, not to a person like you or cause permanent damage to someone like that just for kicks." Her eyes narrowed, "But I feel like you're keeping me on the sides because I got a similar attitude to that...what they called? Cons? My morals aren't near enough the same as them...or maybe I'm just paranoid. Or tired..." she held her forehead, "So tired...I don't know. I'm confusing myself with my own words here...do I even make sense?"
He watched her carefully. "Well...no. I caught about maybe two words?"
She poked a finger against her forehead, trying to form sentences that made sense but feeling frustrated to try and utter a normal sentence made her want to punch herself in the face. "I heard...you're a pretty decent guy. Who wouldn't judge a group of people by one individual, or am I wrong?"
He gave a slight look. "I have a reputation?"
"El speaks highly of you." She scoffed rolling her eyes, "Your one to talk about not knowing anything...you know some people have a difficult time just going into a nice place without being stared at. Or people feel uneasy by their presence. Or even being told by security the moment their foot hits the floor, 'we don't want any trouble' or 'maybe its best you leave'."
"I'm judging you based on your recent actions and what I do know, is that you escalate situations that get out of control." He pointed to her hip, "Is your plan to always get wounded like that?"
"No one's perfect. Are you going to hold that against me forever? I have a thousand others like it." she started pacing. "Look, if we can't come to a compromise, I guess I'm just not a part of this team, correct?" She rubbed her chin, not caring how obvious a tactic she was using. "You know something? That also means you can't tell me to do jack and I can go wherever the fuck I like, so if I want to follow you, I can. You would only 'advice against it' right?"
Turning sharply, he frustrated. "Do what you want, I have other priorities."
She shrugged, "Please. Don't let me distract you." she put her hands behind her back and walked like she were going for leisurely stroll in the forest. She hummed quietly to herself watching his footing, "Wait." She called making him flinch. "You don't want to go that way."
Bee sighed, "What now?"
She carefully placed her feet around the area, careful to not damage any tracks, she placed her hand gently on the ground, "You won't find your con if you follow that way." She stated, focused.
"You know that for sure?" Bee asked with a doubtful tone.
"I wouldn't say it otherwise." She softly hissed. "This path is older, too old to be your guy." She looked around, sizing up the area. "Looks like he paced up here, the trees are denser that way so for vanity sake he changed his mind and took this path I think...hold on." She inhaled sharply, and then checked for smells in the air. She then pointed in a direction. "Yeah, your guy went that way." She coughed.
"You're sure?" he asked trying not to sound remotely interested.
"Positive. His smell is alien, like you." She solemnly replied.
Bee started chuckling to such a weird statement. "You can...smell me?" he said awkwardly, proceeding to smell himself.
"Yes? It's as strong as a burning fire or when rain hits a warm sidewalk." she said confused. "Same situation here, It's like a copper smell...earthy, burning rubber, different types of metallic smells, but there's a different metallic smell in there that stands out, that's why I say alien." She looked to her side, "Is that...weird? I mean-do I-does it make you uncomfortable?"
He stared for a long while, the wheels turning in his head , "Um...n-no its not weird, it's interesting?"
"Patronizing much?" Brook flatly replied to his awkward pose.
Bee nodded, "It's weird. But so long as you don't start licking the track as well-"
Brook puffed out a chuckled, bearing a small smile on her lips, "Well shit. I got nothing to fire back."
Bee chuckled, "Finally." He joked then tried to remain stoic, after remembering his objective. But looked at his guided path ahead, she did...help, kinda? "You-I will...just try to keep up alright?" he lightly added as though the past few minutes didn't occur.
Brook raised an eyebrow and scoffed satisfied, "Still kind of a little kid aren'-" She had a keen look in her eyes suddenly, "Your guys on the move." She went on ahead.
"Whoa! Hold on!" Bee sprinted after her. "Can you warn me when you do these unpredictable actions? You're hard enough to figure out."
"Well, why don't you ask?" she said.
"Ask?"
"About me? Isn't that what people do? Ask one another questions to figure out each other?"
"I just figured, you wouldn't want to."
She scoffed impatiently, "Just ask me something. I'll answer or I'll not. It's that simple."
"O-kay, um...let's see, Where did you learn to track?...let alone smell like that? You're not some animal hybrid right?"
"Whoa. Not even a 'what's your favorite color?' to break the ice?" She waved it off. "Nah, my friend taught me when I was growing up, 'keep your nose to the wind, then you won't be home when the hunter comes to call' is what he'd say, fucking metal right? I'd get it tattooed but, not a fan."
Bee shook his head, "Hunter? You hunt? Animals?"
She halted, "That's disgusting! No I don't hunt animals! Did I refer to hunters in the first person? No."
"Easy. Easy." He calmed, "I thought I was highly strung right now."
"Short tempered and tired as you probably figured, where I come from hunters are just a slang term, what we'd call the people who would hurt you and do the shittiest of things to you because they could and would if it was profitable...hunt animals...disgusting."
Bee frowned confused, "I, thought humans lived more civilised now-I know everywhere isn't perfect but why would you need to worry about trying to be alive?
"Pfft, I'm guessing all that time you've been on earth you only went to the tourist spot? Bet you think slavery doesn't exist on this planet anymore as well huh? Like homelessness, either people try to ignore it or don't see it." She looked ahead, pointing to a specific spot. "Past that forest, you'll have your closure."
"Stay close." He said walking on ahead.
"Quit your coddlin'." She huffed, walking by his side.
Bee debated for five minutes before he decided to break the silent air, "So...what about your senses? Don't know many humans with heightened sense of smell, except for the ones on TV shows...and video games...and comic books."
She glanced at him with a disgruntled look, "You read comic books? How?"
Bee, if possible, would be blushing, "W-Well, you know these days everything is viewable online." ...cue a flashback to Bee, many a year ago lying on the ground, on his stomach. His chin resting in his hands, his elbows supporting them and his leg kicking back and forth like a small kid colouring, but instead of a colouring book, it was a stack pile of comics. "A-And I was more into graphic novels-anyway my question?"
She stopped. "Right. The smelling thing."
He scratched his helm, "So, you fell in a cage of radioactive wolverines?"
"This isn't some weak hero origin story, it's just weak pfft. You know that thing when you lose one sense, your others improve? Well when you're in a constant state of fear and focus on nothing but wanting to live you'll find out that all your senses do that on their own over time. I guess you could say the same in my situation, Nothing grand, just how it is."
"But those would have to be some conditions." Bee surmised.
"Yep."
"You're not going to explain those conditions?"
"Nope." She then winked sniggering, "Now that, you'll have to keep guessing...plot twist, I'm actually a plumber pfft."
Bee looked on, unsure if his question was answered or if he was even more confused, "But then, your senses should be like any average human right now...you said, 'in a state of constant fear and focus' right?" He lifted is arms to take in the environment. "It's calm right now."
She looked ahead, in truth she was always scared...her response to him, was a usual shrug.
Bee made an unsatisfied sound, "Well anyway, when I take in my surroundings, I didn't realise how big the area was, I'd be running in circles if you didn't point this path out." Bee looked her up and down, "Thanks." He started running, being careful to not make such long strides.
"Eh." She hummed sprinting after him. "So I want a question now. Might be a bit too personal, seeing how you had a mental breakdown admitting your vulnerabilities and whatever-weak by the way, aren't you supposed to be mentally disciplined?"
Bee continued to try and endure this round of critical bullets, "My obvious reveal that this scrap head put me down in the past?"
"Eh I didn't want to, less drama that way Pfft. But I guess you're not great at keeping secrets, or lying, if you can have hissy fits like a teenage girl, so might as well clear the air."
He frowned, "I'm not usually so simpleminded, that's not my style."
"You don't say? A sudden change in persona at a certain arrival of some douche sets you off? You're not exactly a layered cake buddo."
"Neither are you...meathead." Bee joked.
"Ha. Weak. Again." She narrowed her eyes, "honestly its behaviour I can understand better then the orderly boring one. But you're normally supposed to be the clean fun one, so I hear."
Bee looked offended, "I still am-"
"Hush." She signaled him, "You hear that?"
Bee listened. The sounds of cries, distressful cries were heard faintly. "humans!" They ran ahead, parting past trees as they reached the target, who was practicing his punches on a trailer as muffled pleading voices from humans cried inside. Brook crouched, Bee face turned to thunder again at the sight of Overload.
"Well? Go kick his teeth in already. I can handle the little ones." Brook said crouching with quivering shoulders like a hunting tiger.
"Whoa there." Bee said putting a hand out on front of her path, "I appreciate you pointing me in the right direction; it's a start and a step in the right direction. For now just wait here."
"Don't block my path." She said dangerously, her hands started shaking like she had withdrawal symptoms, "Yellow...It's one and two halves against you."
"Brook. You're slowly regaining my confidence, slowly...very very slowly. Don't ruin that." He argued back. "I said I'd handle this, do as I say as your team leader." He lightly added.
"You're the fun one?" she raised an eyebrow.
"I am." He said running out.
She shrugged, sat and crossed her legs, "fine. I could do with a good laugh; tag me in whenever that pride of yours starts humbling itself!"
Bee charged with his Decepticon hunter without a doubt in his mind, "Back away from the trailer Overload."
"What is this? No Optimus? A plot twist?" Overload said intrigued.
"Just a cop bringing in a perp-Ahh!" Bee charged at him.
Brook yawned as she watched, "Pfft, trust is hard work, but easy to lose? What crappy standards... I got a compliment at least." She watched on as Bee was losing almost immediately, his throws on Overload being wasted. The mini cons on the side chuckled to themselves to the entertainment, paying no mind to Brook. "motherfuckers just yucking it up over there and I could have them strung up without their...whatever they call skin, off..." she yawned again as Bees body was tossed around, "Wonder how Ellen's doing...You better not be dead and leave me with these care bears."
Ellen at this time walked down a mostly straight path, It was still however difficult to move through with the wind picking up the higher she went; coming up to the cave, the bear con was throwing ice rocks down upon the team below. Being distracted Ellen slipped past the animalistic con, going behind his legs and into his cave. "I doubt he would use his Sonics on me I am but a lowly fleshing after all." Inside she shook herself off like a dog, "better check if this cave is a dead end or not, perfect-ah!" she felt the ground shake as she held onto the cave walls, her ears feeling sudden high pressure which caused her enormous discomfort. "Avalanche? The others! Ellen to away team what's your status?"
"We're alright...Polar Claw...caused the avalanche with his sonics, but we're okay." Windblade answered sounding lethargic.
"You're all functional? How's the big guy?"
"I am fine, you do not need to show concern Ellen." Optimus answered.
She bit her lip; the comm link was open to the whole group. "I-I know but, it's just you need to be more cautious for your- you can't- - I'm waiting up top in the cave are you able to make it up here?"
"We will be delayed, but we will reach you eventually." He continued.
"Delayed?"
"We are going to re-evaluate our plan."
She sighed, "I'll wait it out up here."
"What about the drop in temperature?" he said in a commanding tone.
"It feels like a light breeze, my equipment's holding fine. Ellen out" She cut off communications and started scouting, mumbling to herself, tapped her fingers against her arm as she had time on her hands, "I can't just say, you can't do certain things at moment. It would be like exactly everything he said to me." She shuddered. "Scary thought." She started checking the caves stability, the tunnels, using ice stalagmites as cover "Still, he has a moral obligation to know when to step aside; we must be able to adapt to change and not let pride cloud his judgement." She pulled a face, "goodg-rief I'm starting to sound old and boring now as well...And hypocritical...next thing you know I'll wake up with an intolerance to knock-knock jokes or any form of ironic humor!, no! This will not stand!" she shook her head, "Quick, think light hearted thoughts; fart jokes are still humorous and not low brow at all, as long as its cleverly executed with clever writing it can still be funny!" she spun around. "Just breathe El, nice and slow...with a sarcastic chuckle...h-heh-heh."
"Phew, better. Now focus." She took her things out of her bag, something rolled up like a burrito, small hooks, small motion sensors and a failsafe. "Might as well get to work on this electrified net. It's worked before on previous cons, but seeing how Polar reacted, he is really jumpy. So he'll have to be coaxed in. I can wait for the others to do that, I'm not exactly intimidating."
Ellen placed numerous tiny devices to certain parts of the wall, then in a pocket of space, she stayed in and waited it out undetected. She pressed something that looked like a wristwatch on her arm, then the devices synced with each other forming an invisible crisscrossed net that had electricity running through it, the voltage was high enough to knock out a Predacon. She knelt keeping a close eye on polar, "What's taking them? When he said delayed I didn't mean like an unfinished game." she had watched him start to 'nest' for what seemed hours, "he's nowhere near the trap, typical. It's a 50/50 chance that I catch a con. Was kind of hoping this one would be a hit, if Dad saw...I always thought when he wasn't around he might be proud of what I was doing if he was here, but so far I feel like he still sees me as a hindrance, a safety risk." she frowned, "Wait. Why am I trying to prove anything anyway? I'm a grown ass woman and I'm still trying to get him to stick pictures on the refrigerator, I-I've shown him I'm capable in the past...Haven't I? Urgh, Is it just the standard for girls to have dad issues?! Maybe I should just grunt at everything like Brook."
"Optimus Prime to Ellen. What is your status?"
She shuddered to being surprised, nearly stumbling forward and smacking her face. "Gah!-I-I mean Good grief finally."
"Do you read?"
She sighed, "You're coming in clear, my situation is fine, what's your position? And while I have you, no update in twenty minutes?"
"We are outside the Decepticons lair." He explained ignoring her second question.
"Heh. 'lair." She chuckled to herself. "I'm inside, twenty feet north; I'm taking a readied position from a small confined space. I've also set up a cloaked electrified net, surrounding the inner tunnel."
Optimus frowned, "A net? You intended to do this on your own?" he said disapprovingly.
Ellen inhaled patiently, her stress lines showing how much she has frowned over the years, "Of course not; I waited for your assistance, we might not even need it I just thought to include all resources involved." She said just to please him.
Sideswipe quietly said to Windblade, "All this worrying, do you think she fragged up somehow when Optimus had his old team? Why else is he dishing out all these belittling questions?"
"Belittling? Big word for you slick." Windblade replied.
Optimus caught what he said. "Old team. Belittling? No, that was not my intention. I only wish to make sure she does not-" he thought hard into his previous words, on an open channel...in front of a highly suggestive team. "Ellen. Stand by-" He turned to the team, temporarily halting communications.
*Static* "Uh. Big guy? Hello? Oh, okay he cut me off..."
He revaluated what he was saying to her. He was questioning her, belittling her, made her out to be a burden and vulnerable the same way Sideswipe was convinced the same way about his status, despite it only being temporal. He shook his head as he looked at the team, "It would certainly give us an advantage." he said to them calmly.
"I've not been in the field with her before, but If you recommend it." Windblade said.
"I approve of a 'just in case' option." Drift said.
"Eh. Not a fan. It's too, sneaky." Sideswipe aloofly said with folded arms.
"We are the 'stealth' team slick." Windblade reminded.
Optimus nodded opening his communications again, "Your asset has been approved by the team." he said to her.
"H-uh? Oh A-Alright then...could have warned me that you were putting me on hold-" *static* Her face froze as he cut her off abruptly again. "I...can't...take this."
The team came up behind the cons position waiting to strike; Polar claw was more occupied with scratching at the icy wall "Hey." Ellen whispered at their feet, Optimus nodded to her as she pointed a finger. "There's only one tunnel. But the structure gets thinner the further you go."
"Then we must proceed with caution. Good work." He told her.
She turned her head away from them after giving a firm nod, "I still blush with the slightest of praise, curse you insecurities." she thought trying to cover her face with her fluffy hood.
"Optimus. We should wait to apprehend polar claw until he is asleep. If any error were to occur the net will be our back up plan to fall back on." Drift advised.
"Forget that." Sideswipe argued, "There are four of us and one of him lets wrap this up already."
"N-No." Ellen called as quietly as she could, fortunately she was waiting for the con to get tangled up before turning on the voltage, Polar claw got startled and he retreated down a different path, Sideswipe had slid and crashed into her trap. Drift followed after the con as did Windblade. "Oh that's wonderful; we're turning into a three stooges sketch as every minute passes." She face palmed.
"If it helps, at least we know it would have worked in theory." Optimus said hovering a hand by her arm.
"Yeah...Hmm? What are you doing with your hand?" she asked.
"Ah. Forgive me. An old habit." The floor then rumbled and the cave crumbled, icicles dropping like plunging knives.
Optimus pulled the net off Sideswipe, "Come, before the cave takes us." He ran ahead, Ellen followed, Sideswipe being last. "Ellen, are you staying close? Any one of these rocks would-"
"Watch where you're running!" she pointed as he stopped running and was carried the rest of the way by the icy flooring beneath his feet, nearly crashing into Drift and Windblade, who were waiting at the caves exit, on the cliff edge, looking down to the icy ocean below.
"Do you see Polar claw?" Optimus said.
"There." Drift said pointing at said con using the sheets of ice as stepping stones.
"Hey! No making the winning catch without me!" Sideswipe called as he started sliding on his feet and came at full speed towards them. Optimus gave a gentle push to Ellen, sliding her to the side of him to avoid Sideswipe, who crashed into Optimus. He tried slowing Sideswipe down, Drift and Windblade pushed back against Optimus to help as they slowly came to a stop teetering on the icy edge, they all breathed out a sigh of relief...
*C-rea-...*
*CRACK!*
"AHHH!" they all cried, the icy ledge cracked under their feet as they plummeted to the icy waters. Ellen pulled out her axe and dug it into the wall, she might of pulled or popped her shoulder but it beat icy water.
She looked below her, to see a massive ripple of water, "Away team are you alright? Away team respond!"
"We're all functioning...despite the cold." Windblade replied.
"Where are you?" Optimus said.
"Stuck to the wall." She squinted looking on ahead to a retreating Polar, "Our grizzlies getting further and further away."
"He is still within visual range? Excellent." Optimus said. Ellen was cut off again and a few moments later Windblade came out of the water in jet mode, then a channel opened again as Optimus continued, "Ellen. Are you able to get across the icy sheets? If not, Windblade can you-"
Ellen had already leapt onto one using the axe as a swing, "Way ahead of ya." She looked on ahead, then to Windblade formalising her own idea, "If Windblade is doing what I assume she's doing, I can...I can-" she stated before sighing, "I'm just going to hang back alright? I'm clearly distracting to you big guy and I don't want you getting hurt b ecause you were focused on me."
"I...perhaps that would be for the-" he looked at Sideswipe who raised an eyebrow at him, then to his leg. Making huge uncouth hints at him.
"The best right? She would just slow us down." Sideswipe finished for him.
He furrowed his brow; looking at his leg...it was fine to him...rusty perhaps, but Sideswipe all this time. "Actually...I may need you to act as a distraction, If you are fully prepared to put yourself in that position?"
"I-o-of course, ha." She smiled nodding, "Where do you want me?"
"Windblade will brief you."
...
On a sheet of ice, far from the cliff. A human foot stepped down with insulated boots, her legs stood parted, her hands on her hips with a confident gleam in her eye. She put two fingers between her teeth and whistled, the polar bear turned with a panicked expression but it quickly faded into a snarling growl. "Lo-Oh shit I forgot my lines er!..." she pulled out a small notebook and starting reading lines off, "Look out! Global warming! You're gonna be dead in ten years tops! Seriously? That's a terrible line Ellen you can do better that this-ahem!" she flipped through her book, "D-Did you know uh...sorry! This is my third time as a stand in diversion! Uh...Elsa, give me your other hand honey, I can't hold you! Wait that's from last crusade...just, just turn around dude!"
Polar claw tilted his head making a sound a dog would make confused, "Ar-f?"
He was suddenly shot into the air, Windblade in her jet form flew upwards, transformed then kicked him back down straight into the ocean, "Look out, Global warming?" She daintily landed softly onto the ice, raising an eyebrow at Ellen.
"Okay so I'm not a confident badass." She spun her index fingers over each other, "L-Lets not mention what I was trying to do back there 'kay?"
Windblade chuckled.
Back with Bee as he continued his struggle with Overload, "Wait, I remember you now." Overload said.
"You do?" Bee replied hopeful.
"You once called me shameless and overdramatic! How dare you sir."
"that. Wasn't. me!"
Brook had her face in her hands, her mouth hanging on one side, "This is some slow ass closure." she watched the mini cons rally to Overload, they rolled up into ballistics and attached themselves as projectiles to Overloads arms. He fired them at Bee, he was knocked back. Unfocused and distracted, She saw Overload charge at him, "Bee! Defence! De-fence for fucks sake!" He overpowered him and started wailing on his face, "Shit me, he might actually die." She looked from side to side conflicted, "God dammit."
...for a while she had watched Bee get his aft handed to him by a terrible performing actor, he was chipped and slightly dented in places.
Bee using his infamous unconventional wits, figured out that the mini cons Overload had 'hired' were drawn to 'pretty noise' as he started whacking Overloads shoulder with a frying pan. Brook looked on deadpanned. "Ah yes the beating fat robot with pots and pans strategy, I should of known...what the fuck is happening?" She shot up. "No strategy, no perfect aim, not even an elbow drop...a frying pan...AFUCKINGFRYINGPAN?!"
"For so long, I wanted the perfect wrap up." Bee said to Overload (Whilst Brook had a tantrum in the background). "When you remember me and I punch your lights out. But you know what? I'll be happy with this."
Overload suddenly cried out as he left his face exposed to Bee, "Not the face! Not the face!" Bee punched him in that exact spot.
"A-nd scene" Bee said looking over to Brook who was deadpanned and red in the face, but heated with unbridled rage on the inside. "What?" he said in his usual goofy tone, all that bitterness washed away. "Were you not entertained!" he quoted posing.
"Please. Stop. Now." Brook begged, sounding as though she wished for death to take her at that moment.
"Come on, you've never seen 'gladiator'?" He said in a spontaneous cheery mood.
Still deadpanned, "Heard of it and that line. I've rarely seen any movies or series, nor do I rarely care." The thought of Ellen's disgustingly huge collection, from props, to figures, to costumes to a chair an actor signed...in terms only she could describe it was like a stalkers basement full of pictures of the one being stalked...actually, she couldn't find an appropriate comparison, It was just dorky as shit and personally didn't see the point.
Bee nodded slowly to the blunt response, "R-ight. Speaking to the wrong bot then, I love the entertainment on Earth. Lighten up everything's alright now. I can move on."
She looked him over, Lighten up...Lighten up?! Says him?! "You, really let go of that grudge all a sudden, weird. Revenge can be satisfying, you just don't seem the type to get that...unless you're suffering with bi-polar?" She frowned staring at him, "So, moving on from your unhealthy way of dealing with your self-pity. I stayed, I listened to you..." she looked over his injuries, "but it didn't sit well, seeing you get your face beat in, you know how frustrating it is just to watch that? I was clawing the floor."
He grinned, "Did my performance leave your heart bleeding?" he said obnoxiously imitating Overload.
She narrowed her eyes, "Please stop."
"In all seriousness, you listened and obeyed my orders, but you can still feel that it was wrong not to help, I think I understand you a little more." He nodded. "You were right I needed assistance, from a bot." She started groaning irritated, "N-Now let me finish. It's nothing personal, I just have to consider your safety above all else, it comes before mine."
She scowled, "That's stupid. So you'd rather die than let me help?"
"No." He disagreed sharply. "I'd rather die than to put a human in harms way."
Her face relaxed, "What? You'd do that? You don't even know me."
He smiled, "I would save any human from the dangers our planet has brought here. Pit, I'd try to save any human if I could, villain or not. " He argued.
"He's brave, stupid, but brave." Her sincerity didn't last, "That's still stupid."
He shrugged it off. "If you say so, but like it or not humans and blasters don't mix. You're not a disposable asset."
"How...touching." she said aloofly. "But I'm also a team member, that means taking the same risks."
Bee sniggered teasingly, annoying Brook to a joke she was clearly not in on. "I thought you said you weren't? That I couldn't tell you to do jack?"
She frustrated, "Look. Quite fuckin' with my head, you're too nice for being the 'devious' type and too forgiving to be ruled by vengeance because of how damn jolly you are after knuckle kissing this fat fuck in the face!" she exhaled. "Am I in or not?"
He looked her over again, she was a danger to others...but more so herself. She did earn credit, but the slight drips of blood seeping through her clothing said otherwise, he lightly nodded, "Well, we'll need to become more attune to each others movement, if we're going to be partnered in the field...at least until the others return."
"Partners? Pfft. You're fucking with me." She chortled.
"I might have been judging you a little harshly, based on my history. Your attitude still stinks, your aggressive, short tempered, violent and just plain...rude." she nodded in agreement, looking pretty proud as well. "But I think you intend good...I think. You just need to know how not to do it the wrong way." He pondered, "I...think. I've never really been a teacher or anything." He awkwardly chuckled.
"Pfft you're just a kid anyway." She sighed. "Shit. Let's do this spiritual journey crap together, I'll be the first to admit I aint exactly stable enough to be around...well, anything." she thought, thinking something Optimus said to her. "But...I'm not broke, I got a big ass crack."
Bee looked at her oddly. "Uh...okay."
"Did I say it wrong?" Brook looked embarrassed, "...or some shit. Prime said something about busted cracks...I was half-listening!"
"Oh. I think I've heard that one." he said knowing what was supposed to be said. "I think he's right, cracked but not broken."
"Sure, but just so this is out there, if you die out there I will rob your corpse." She exaggerated. Bee looked uncomfortable but she tried to give him a reassuring smile, "Recycling is important and waste is a crime in itself. If I died, I would want you to make sure my organs are donated."
"I, see what you mean." He rubbed the back of his head.
She walked up to Overloads unconscious body, "Not the face huh." She looked at Bee, "I know you don't agree with excessive force, but he is unconscious and these mini cons are using pans."
"Alright, you did something for me. Just, don't go overboard on Overload..." his optics widened, "Ha! Did you hear-"
"-Yeah, I heard." She walked up his torso and to his face as she gestured to the mini-con. "Can I play base?" she asked as they gave her a pan "Thank you." She then angrily started wailing on his face, "respect-our-natural-forests-you-dick! Don't you know! That there are many endangered species living there! Only you can prevent forest fires! By burning down the lumbering mills!"
Bee looked on uncomfortably, "How in Primus name am I going to teach her anything." He uttered quietly.
"Wow, as an expert on punches I see that one was downright grim-locking." Came Grim's voice from behind him as well as Strongarm.
Bee looked to 'poor' Overloads dented face, gesturing with his head to the feral human. "And this one is downright grim overall."
"Ha-ha...Y-eah." Grim snickered.
"Well done Lieutenant." Strongarm praised.
"Actually, I needed some help just as you predicted Strongarm. You were also right about our team, we're gonna be light on stealth and speed, so we're gonna have to come up with more creative ways to win."
"We'll make you proud sir." Strongarm added.
"I have no doubt, we'll just need to practice and –"
"Speaking of practice." Grimlock said clasping his hands together as he looked over Overload.
"Stand down Grim." Bee said "No need to engage if we don't have to"
"Um...Sir? I think we may need to engage." Strongarm said pointing.
Bee turned to see where she pointed, his jaw dropped a small gasp escaping him. "No!" he yelled throwing his arms up. "That's enough Brook!"
Strongarm lent over to Grim, as Bee leapt at Brook, "What was she doing to his face?"
Grim hesitated at first, then whispered to her an inaudible explanation, her optics widened, "W-What? I-I didn't even know plating could be removed like that?! W-Why? Why?!
Bee and Brook both walked back to the other two in mid-argument. "No one is doing that!" Bee barked.
"And that's why your planet was fighting over resources, your wasters!" She argued back. "Your being dramatic anyway, I wasn't going to do anything drastic...just to be sure here, unless this is all you got to offer here but, you're the fun one?"
"I've been on Earth the longest compared to most Autobots, I observed your culture, your music, movies." He shuffled, "I'm the fun one."
Her lips twitched, "So-ooo, on your planet this is considered-" she gestured to his whole form very doubtful.
"Universally I'm the fun one, oh what you don't believe me?" he looked at some pots and started banging them together, the mini cons smiled in interest, "That's right! Here we go, we'll march right back to the scrap yard and your stasis pods. Come on everyone! Join the band!"
They all shrugged as Grim picked up the unconscious Overload and followed as Strongarm marched, "U-hh." Brook droned.
"There. See?" Bee said confidently, "You might want to stay in character to keep them interested."
"I want to die." She replied flatly.
"Come o-n." He encouraged.
"Fine." She started singing. "I really want to die! Do-do-do-wap! I'd rather gouge my eyes! With a rusty shit covered-" she inhaled to perform the final note, "-Spooooooon!"
Bee noticed, despite the terrible lyrics, she hit the notes well. "Huh. So you're not just a one trick entertainer?"
She looked him up and down with a hard nod of her head, "Pfft, funny you look like a cheese grater after the drama student was done with you, Is that what's qualified for 'warrior' class?"
"Yeah? Well, you're covered in mud." He shot back immaturely.
She looked herself over, "And? Natures free de-flea-er dude. Your banters weak, you best come at me strong next time." She hit a fist against her open palm.
"Sure thing, temporal-partner." He said it loud enough for the others to hear.
"Shh. Don't declare it, you make it sound desperate." She glared harshly at him, "And only temporal, I keep a very small circle It's called the 'I lived longer than five years' circle and no offense...but you look like a 'season finale' death."
Bee let his mouth hang a little in confusion, "What in the deepest pits of Kaon are you talking about?"
Ellen exchanged glances with Windblade after the others, sub merged under them had subdued polar claw due to him being incapable of withstanding the oceans temperatures. Optimus had told Windblade that they could walk along the sea bed until they reached the shore, Windblade can meet them there. "Looks like you're riding with me."
"Mmm." She mumbled with vacant eyes.
Windblade shook her head to her words falling on deaf ears, she pointed upward, "Look at that, fireballs raining from the sky."
"Good. Good." Ellen nodded. Windblade stood still counting down in her head the long pregnant pause. "Wait...what?"
"You look like you need a power down." She noted.
"Maybe it was a bad idea coming along." she rubbed her face.
Windblade stared, her face trying to show sympathy. "Maybe it was a bad idea, having too personal conflictions during missions can sometime have fatal consequences." She put it realistically.
Ellen nodded solemnly, "Hmmm."
Windblade bit her lip, she was admittedly worried about Optimus, he was a brilliant strategist, leader, soldier, to name a few. But he was physically weak right now, and had already a few close calls, (nearly falling off a mountain for example) "There's nothing we can do about it now. The ground bridge is down after all." She looked around, then knelt, "I'm worried about him too, don't think you're the only one."
Ellen's head shot up, "I'm not sure what to do, because If I worry about him, then he has the right to worry for me, since I'm, let's face it the most vulnerable one here."
She put a finger to her chin, "How about this, I'll look out for him so you don't need to? It relieves you of some of the stress...so you can be more patient when he shows his concern for you."
She slapped a hand on her head, "This is embarrassing."
Windblade chuckled awkwardly, "Maybe a little, but I thought It was best to say it now before Sideswipe put it in his own words."
"I doubt he would have said anything, he did run into my net." She chuckled. "It would relieve some stress...Then I can put up with the...demolishing of my dignity." She sighed.
"I'll spare us both." She chuckled, "Sideswipe was quite the dancer huh?"
"Heh. I don't think he'll be back chatting for a little while at least." She grinned.
Windblade transformed.
Ellen bit her lip, containing her excitement, "I-I've never rode with a flyer before...w-willingly I mean."
"Let's catch up to the others."
A/N with episodes being loosely tied in, I'm going to combine the episodes with Bee and his team into one part and then Optimus' in another, before they all meet up again in Decepticon Island part 1.
Yo random thing The Sims 4 was free this month so I made Brook and Ellen on, under the same name crashrox92 if you wanna get an idea of what Brook looks like, or download them to burn down many a kitchen XD
Oh and don't want to be a downer but, anyone wanna send me a message or a comment on here? Just a hey or smiley face. Just feeling a bit low it happens, comes and goes with the good times and bad, I need a boost XD