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Chapter Twenty-Three: Quickshift
I awoke with a jolt again.
I sat up, ignoring the head rush as black marks clouded my vision before fading away. It was sometime at night, I could tell from the glistening stars, and then I noticed that Sunstreaker wasn't here.
I vaguely wondered where he went off to, before deciding it wasn't important and examined the white bandages on my arms and legs. I didn't wake up with excruciating pain, so I guess that was a good sign. Slowly, I unwrapped one of the bandages, readying myself for a possible gruesome gash. I was surprised when it was only a scar, a long scar, with purple and red markings along the burned areas.
How did they heal so fast? It was practically impossible.
Unless...I was out for longer than a day.
It would be something I had to ask Sunstreaker when he came back. I clenched my hand with the open wound, and unclenched it, watching the veins in my wrist for a second. Then I used the wall beside me to slowly, rise to my feet. My legs throbbed, and shook a little, but I had managed to stand up, even if I was slightly hunching. I looked around the dark warehouse, my hopes rising when I noticed the workbench across the room. A bunch of tools were scattered across the bench, along with some pens, business cards, and a landline.
I couldn't even get one step off the wall before cringing in pain and having to lean back against it. I cursed lowly, latching on to the wall like a life line. Too bad my freaky healing didn't come with pain relievers. Sunstreaker threw some at me earlier, but I somehow managed to misplace the bottle while I was re-arranging the pillows and the withered blanket. I was too embarrassed to ask for another set...that or he might be aggravated enough to squish me.
Pushing the thoughts to the back of my head, I started to slowly limp, leaning heavily on the wall. It shouldn't be that hard, right? Just about forty steps or so and I should be there. I could totally do this.
Wrong.
I was on my eighty-ninth step, and my calves were killing me. My legs shook like I was an elder, and an annoying throbbing sensation kept running up my arms. This was completely ridiculous! I've had to outrun and survive a fair share of gigantic Cybetronians, and I couldn't even walk across the warehouse to reach a workbench? What was wrong with me?
By the time I was on the same wall as the workbench, the sun was visible, bringing bright orange and yellow streaks towards to edges of the dark sky. A bunch of steps, swears, whines, and limping later, I finally managed to make it to the workbench. The first thing I did was plop myself down on the seat, propping my sore and shaky legs up as I drew in deep breaths. Who knew recovering from Energon poisoning could be this exhausting?
I grabbed the phone, dialing my family's house number and putting it up to my ear.
I waited...and waited...and waited some more.
The line was then quickly cut off, leaving that staticky sound and I grimaced, pulling the phone away from my ear. I turned the phone off, slamming it on the table in frustration before the cold truth sank into me. Someone had cut the line.
Dread filled inside me, turning my veins cold and had my chest constricting in rising paranoia. Maybe I was being irrational, but I swore I heard the sounds of something moving. In the far corner of the warehouse, something moved again, causing one of the saw hanging above to fall to the floor with a loud crash. My heart leapt in my throat, and I snatched the sharpest tool off the table, gripping the tool so hard that my knuckles turned white. Something flew out of the stacked up rusty car parts, emitting a short shriek out of me as it spun across the room.
It was a small race car, with a large antenna sticking out of the top, the tiny light flashing red as it spun around in multiple donuts, emitting a low whirring sound as it sped by. It seemed like it was being controlled by something, since the lights on the antenna kept flashing, but I was wary so I didn't move from my spot on the bench. Finally, the tiny race car skidded to a stop right in front of me, and my heart slowed as I waited for the tiny toy car to do something.
It just stood there quietly for a moment, before splitting apart and shifted, going through the usual transformers sequence, minus the loud noise of metal grinding against metal and hydraulics hissing. The tiny robot stood just barely to the top of the workbench, and I just stared at it, gripping the tool in my hand even harder.
The robot was clearly small, with red as the main scheme color but hints of silver and black. It's head was shaped quite...strangely, like someone pinched him, and caved in the plating...almost resembling a peanut. He had wide, big silver eyes. Like Sideswipe, he had tiny little wheels instead of feet too. I tried not to think about the lurch in my chest at the mention of Sideswipe, and pulled the sharp tool in front of me, aiming at him.
He seemed to be surprised by my sudden hostility, and wheeled back a few inches. His silver eyes seemed to get even bigger...if that was even possible. The silver definitely threw me off, I wasn't sure if he was a 'Con or 'Bot. I wasn't aware they had any other eye-color than red or blue.
"Who's side are you on?" I asked sternly, swinging my legs over, and standing up, even though it hurt.
The little robot responded in a series of clicks, beeps, and whirrs. Oh great, he doesn't know English.
"Um..." I trailed off, trying to think of a different way to question his motives.
Suddenly, a voice crackled, before he responded in a much more clear tone, "Halt! I mean no harm!"
The voice wasn't his, it was a replay of audio he'd had gotten somehow. I knew that because it was the same thing with the Autobot Bumblebee. Still, my chary stance didn't diminish as I looked him up and down. "That doesn't answer my question...what side are you on?"
"What side are you on?" The tiny robot countered, and I was taken aback by it. He was using his actual voice, which means he must've downloaded the English language.
"The Autobots."
He rolled his wide silver eyes, "I'm on neither. I'm a Neutral."
"A Neutral?" I repeated, raising an eyebrow.
He nodded with his chin, "Yup. I don't fight for them, and I sure as pit don't support them."
I shot him a skeptical look, "How come I've never heard about 'Neutrals' before?"
He just shrugged, "Probably cuz you never asked. But I doubt they'll answer, both factions aren't very fond of us."
I let my arm fall back to my side, still watching him warily, "Why not?"
"Because we refuse to fight. I dunno about you, but I'm not dyin' because some glorified tin can wanted control over Cybertron. They called us cowards and traitors, because we wouldn't 'fight for what's right'." The little bot rolled his eyes, "If ya ask me, neither side's pretty righteous. Both blew up cities, both terrorized Neutral camps, and both let that slaggin' war go on until it consumed Cybertron and destroyed life for everybot."
I frowned. I never knew that the Autobots terrorized a group of their own, "But that's not entirely true, at least for the Autobots. They do care, and now they protect humans."
The little bot scoffed, wheeling around the table to inspect as he spoke, "Please. This war wouldn't even be on your planet if they didn't screw up on Cybertron."
He stopped near my feet, and looked up at me with his wide silver eyes. It was just something about those eyes, how big and innocent they seem, it made me want to hug him, and care for him like he was a child. Even though from the way he spoke, he wasn't a child.
"Well, why are you here on Earth?" I asked, deeming that he wasn't a threat and sunk back down on the workbench.
He hopped up on the bench too, struggling a little as his wheeled feet wriggled in the air, before he got his knee up and sat down next to me, "Well, last thing I 'member is being on an Neutral ship that had escaped Cybetron 'fore it went dark. We were good for a couple of orns, till some 'Cons showed up and blast it to smithereens. I escaped on an escape pod, but the coordinates must've glitched and sent me here instead of to galaxy quadrant four."
"What's galaxy quadrant four?" I wondered.
" 'Nother galaxy, waaay beyond this one. It was our ship's original coordinates." The little bot answered, emphasizing "way", with his tiny hands. It was actually quite amusing.
"Oh. Well, I'm sorry your ship got shot down." I said, a moment later.
The little bot just shrugged, before hopping down again and examined the stack of small pillows and blankets that made up my current living arrangement, "Why do ya stay in this tacky place, anyway? Don't humans live in..." He paused, searching up the word, "...how-sees?"
"Houses." I corrected with a tiny smile, before sighing, "Yeah, I typically do, but I've been under Autobot protection ever since the Cons kidnapped me once."
The little robot scoffed, "Some protection they're doin'! I can protect you way better than they can!"
I snorted, "Are you sure?"
"Of course!" He said, throwing his hands up, "Back on Cybertron, I was the top security guard!"
An amused smirk came to my lips, "Were you?"
"Yup," he said, nodding arrogantly with his chin, "Could disassemble motor relays faster than a crook could say 'Scrap!' It's one of the advantages of bein' small, y'know?" I noticed the more comfortable he got using the language, the more a New Jersey accent was developing.
"Oh really, do you have a name little bot?" I asked.
He grinned, and his silver optics twinkled, "Quickshift."
I gave him a thoughtful look, "Hmm...I think I like Peanut better."
"Peanut?" He asked, confusion laced in his features.
"Your head," I clarified, making the shape of a peanut, "It looks like a peanut."
He frowned, "No it doesn't!"
"Kinda does."
"Does not!"
"Yeah, it does."
"No, it-"
Quickshift was interrupted by the familiar, loud screeching metal sounds of the warehouse doors being forced open by a strong Transformer. I knew it was Sunstreaker, and immediately looked down at Quickshift worriedly.
"You need to transform! He's an Autobot!"
Quickshift crossed his arms defiantly, "No way! I ain't afraid of no Autobot!"
"Just do it." I snapped, as half of Sunstreaker's frame appeared through the large door. With a grumble, Quickshift transformed back into his tiny red race car form and sped under the workbench, just as Sunny got through and shut the warehouse door. He scrutinize me for a long moment, before his large arms crossed over his golden chest.
"What are you doing up so early?"
I decided to go with the truth, "I...I can't sleep."
Sunny snorted as he walked my way, and still with a noticeable limp. Without a warning, he swooped me off the ground, gripping me tightly around the waist as he kicked the workbench over, glaring at the tiny race car, "If your friend's going to hide here, the least he can do is dampen his spark signature."
"Sunstreaker, wait!" I tried to explain, while also trying to squeeze myself out of his vice-like grip.
"Hey!" Quickshift exclaimed transforming and aiming a tiny cannon at him, "Let her go, Autoscum!"
"Autoscum?" Sunstreaker growled, his chest rumbled out a low warning.
"Yeah, let her go! I maybe tiny, but I'ma sharp shooter." Quickshift warned, with a little smirk.
Sunstreaker's hand rose even farther, placing me on a high shelf at least fifteen feet off the ground. Making everything look about five times smaller.
He sneered as a blade sheathed from his wrist, "I'd like to see you try, runt."
"Stop!" I screeched, getting the attention of both of the robots. Silver and blue eyes snapped up to me, "Look Quickshift, it's okay, he's not gonna hurt me. He saved me from getting killed, and has been tending to my injuries ever since. Please," I said softly, "put your weapon down."
With reluctance, Quickshift put his little cannon away, and instead settled on glaring at the large Autobot with his arms crossed. Sunstreaker just snorted again, retracting his deadly blade, and turned to grab me again, putting me back on the ground.
"Now that the urge to kill each other is over," I said with a relieved sigh, "Sunstreaker, this is Quickshift. Quickshift, this is Sunstreaker."
A silent glare from Quickshift.
A low grunt from Sunstreaker.
I was beginning to wonder if Sunstreaker ever got a long with anybody other than his brother. I thought he was only being hostile to me because he hated humans, and me in general. But it's starting to seem like he just doesn't like anyone in general. Even though the circumstances are unfortunate, this seems like it would be the only time to get on Sunstreaker's good side...or at least stop making him hate me.
My eyes glanced down at his hip, "You have a dislocated hip. Do you want me to fix it?"
"No." He snapped coldly.
"Can you transform correctly?" I asked, ignoring his snippy response.
Sunstreaker sneered at me, "Why do you care?"
A growl rumbled from Quickshift as he skidded over to stand directly in front of me, as if he could protect me from Sunstreaker's wrath. Highly doubted it.
But I stayed persistent, "But I fixed Sideswipe when he first landed on Earth. I'm sure I could fix you too. Besides, if I fix you up, then we can get out of this warehouse."
"You're going to have to cut all the wires to the part out, align them again and then put my joint back into place. You know how to do that, human?" He asked incredulously.
I nodded, "Doesn't seem that complicated."
He stared down at me, with burning cobalt eyes that made a shiver run up my spine again. Before finally, he slowly crouched down until he was sitting on the floor, carefully to lean his weight off of his damaged hip.
"You mess up anything, and I'll kill you." He growled darkly.
"Got it." I said, hiding my triumphant feelings as I used to the wall to slowly walk over to him.
Once I got there, I observed the wound carefully. Wires were sparking and the hip joint was at an odd, crooked angle. This was definitely going to take some time to repair, luckily my arms didn't catch the worst of the Energon poisoning.
"Quickshift," I called to the tiny robot I knew was standing only a few feet away, too wary to go any closer to the large Autobot.
"Huh?" He asked.
"I'm gonna need you to get me tools, starting with a scalpel."
So, what do you guys think about Quickshift, huh? Definitely going to become more prominent throughout the story! And yes to all the people who guessed right, Charlie and Sunny will begin the process of "bonding", yay!
Also, if I hadn't made it clear enough: THANK YOU FOR 300 REVIEWS! I love you guys so much and thank you for supporting this story, even though I've hit a few bumps in the road! Seeing this amount of favs, follows, and reviews when we're only about 23 chapters in means the WORLD to me. Because it tells me that people out there enjoy my writing, even when I doubt myself sometimes.
So again, *in Elvis' voice* Thank you, thank you very much ;)
