As sunlight streaked into the room the next morning, Perceptor was the first to wake from their late-night recharges, glancing around the room in confusion. He'd nearly forgotten he'd been taken home the day before, and was partially glad he hadn't moved; Prowl recharging soundly against his shoulder. The scientist managed a faint smile, glancing down over the shelf edge to see if anyone else was up. Skylar remained asleep; Jazz curled up beside her, most likely nursing his injuries. Blaster's absence didn't seem to bother the scientist, so he calmly sat atop the shelf, waiting for the others to get up. A thud outside the bedroom door alerted the plushies in that instant; Prowl being so startled he'd toppled off the shelf, much to Perceptor's dismay.

"Guys, did any of ya hear that?" Blaster questioned, finally coming out of hiding from behind a low-cupboard by the wall. Prowl wandered over to him, rubbing his helm after tumbling the height onto Skylar's bed then down to the floor.

"It could be anything…" he admitted, shuddering when the thud came again. Jazz perked up from his spot by Skylar, cautiously crawling over the girl's pillow in curiosity; whatever it was, it seemed interesting.

"Wait… I think I know what it is…" Blaster said as a matter-of-factly, jogging over to the door. "Prowl, gimme a servo up, would ya?"

The police-plushie nodded and ran over, wobbling a little as Blaster climbed up on his shoulders to reach the door-handle. Perceptor found the chance to slip down from the shelf after Skylar had rolled onto her side; the scientist cautiously proceeding down the bed-side when the others managed to get the door open.

"N-No Sparkplug… No!"

The plushieformers couldn't stop the over-excited puppy; Sparkplug charging straight into the room and running for the Autobot scientist.

"H-Help!" Perceptor cried, cowering under the bed as Sparkplug began snuffling about for him. Prowl looked exhausted as he inhaled deeply then dropped from where he hung on the puppy's tail, walking around him to push him away from Perceptor's hiding spot.

"No Sparkplug; you leave poor Perceptor alone," the police-plushie scolded. "He's no toy for you."

Sparkplug whimpered and backed out from under the bed, going over and lying by the cupboard Blaster had hidden behind. Perceptor cautiously came out from under the bed, watching Sparkplug curiously.

"He wasn't like that yesterday…" he pointed out, straightening his microscope-lens. "I wonder what's gotten into him."

Blaster chuckled and petted Sparkplug's head after calling the puppy over; said-dog happily licking the boom-box's back and knocking him over.

"Oof!" he groaned, not looking at all amused. "If you're afraid of Sparky, he won't hurt ya, Percy. He just doesn't know our definition of play."

"Primus, of course he doesn't…" Jazz admitted meekly, watching them from his perch on the bed. "I still have those stitches from when he pulled my arm off, you know!"

Perceptor winced; Prowl facepalming.

"Didn't need it, Jazz…"

At a low groan from their owner, the plushieformers fell silent; Jazz looking back as Skylar rolled over to face him and slowly opened her eyes, giving the sports-car a tired smile as she yawned.

"Oh hi…" she muttered. Jazz grinned.

"Mornin' sunshine."

"You guys are noisy on a morning…" Skylar admitted, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. Without notice, she'd pulled the covers up with her; Jazz panicking as he toppled over the bed-side.

"W-Whoa!"

"Oops, sorry Jazzy," the girl apologised; Skylar acting fast to catch Jazz's arm. Said-plushieformer cringed in pain once she grabbed him. Skylar set him before her in confusion, wondering why he'd cried out in pain. "Did I hurt you?"

"B-Bad arm…" he winced, rubbing the spot where he'd been grabbed. Skylar gently poked his shoulder stitching, drawing back when he cringed once more.

"No wonder it still hurts; Mum's done the stitching too tight," she pointed out, gently picking him up. "Would you like me to loosen it for you?"

"Please?"

Skylar giggled and got up, heading up the hall to the sewing room. She didn't hear the usual 'good morning' from her mother, so she must have still been asleep. She heard a soft grunt in frustration and glanced down at Jazz; the plushie playing with a piece of stuffing that had slipped out of his seems.

"It'll get worse if you keep playing with it," she reminded him, opening the door to the sewing room and flicking on the light. Jazz only shrugged when she set him down on the bench and went to look for a needle.

"It comes out eventually; ya know, when we gotta be re-stuffed."

"That sounds so weird," Skylar laughed, gently pushing him to lie down under the magnifying glass so she could start her work. "Stop."

"Okay, okay… Ow!" Jazz briefly yelped, finding it hard to keep quiet as his owner drove the needle into his side. It was a struggle, but there were a lot of things you had to watch out for when only one person knew your secret…

"Skylar?"

Said-girl had just moved to loosening the stitching in Jazz's shoulder when she heard her name being called; Skylar gasping when she saw Prowl sprint over to her from the sewing room door.

"Prowl, what are you doing!? My mum could have seen you!" she warned, lifting the police-plushie up onto the bench. Prowl shook his helm as he straightened out his door-wings.

"She didn't see me; she's in recharge still... right?"

Skylar and Jazz exchanged an uneasy glance, but the girl shook it off none-the-less.

"Okay, but why you'd come find me?"

Prowl twisted around and indicated to his left door-wing; the tear he'd received from Jake larger than it had been the night before.

"C-Could you fix it?" he asked. Skylar sighed.

"Once I'm done with Jazz; yes, then I'm going out to buy another Autobot," she declared; the two plushies brightening up a little. "To admit it, if there are five of you; when I go out, you can keep a better eye on each other."

"Why not get Bluestreak and Smokescreen?" Jazz suggested, running his digits over the now-loose stitching. "Prowler will favor the company."

"Jazz…" Prowl groaned, sitting back as Skylar gently tugged his door-wing. "I'd rather them not be here… Besides, Skylar only buys one of us at a time, right?"

"Yeah, that's true," said-girl insisted softly, carefully weaving the needle through the Second-In-Command's door-wing a few times before tying off the end of the thread. "I'll think about who I'll get and, make it a surprise for the rest of you."

"Cool," Jazz and Prowl said in sync, exchanging a glance. Skylar only shook her head, packed up the sewing materials and got up, heading back to her bedroom; the two plushies running along after her and climbing up onto the bed beside Perceptor and Blaster once she had gathered her things.

"Now, you guys be good, okay? No leaving my bedroom with my mum around and, don't let your curiosity get the better of you and leave the house," Skylar pleaded, briefly stroking their helms individually before running out the door. "Be back soon!"

And I'll leave it there!
Whoo, nearly 20 pages already? Whoa… I'm good! XD

So, Skylar's going out to get a 'mystery plushie' while the plushieformers stay home and (take over her house) keep out of trouble… heheh ^^;

What Skylar doesn't know is she brings an unexpected guest home with her… How will the Autobots cope with this new arrival?
… Yes, Acia joins Skylar on her plushie hunt, but that girl's more into finding more Dinobots. xD

Anyway, next chapter; away! *runs* Energon-cookie's for those who can guess who our mystery plushieformer is! XD