I only own my OC's!


Optimus Returns


February 15, 2016

I inch my way out of the pile and check the time. "Five AM!? Seriously!?" I shrug and start downstairs. "Eh. Guess I can get a few chores done before Prime gets here." I freeze in my tracks about half-way down the stairs. "Optimus is coming home! Oh, my God! I have to make this house presentable!" I pause and blink. "Primus if I don't sound like Blades off Rescue Bots right now…" I giggle. "Primus, that mech…half the time I'm wondering if he's actually the blood knight…then again, he did lose Aid for a while…" I walk over to the dispenser and get me a cube before starting to drink it as I look around the mildly cluttered room. "Still… It's strange, seeing him act like Blades." I blink. "It's strange seeing Blades act like Blades. O~kay… I'm losing my mind."

"Mari?"

I blink and look up. "Streets? What are you doing up?"

"You're up. I figured I'd make sure you weren't hiding from us again."

I shake my head. "My brain decided I needed to be up at five this morning. Then I remembered Optimus was coming today, and…well, I got a little too excited…now I've got to keep myself semi-sane until tonight, so I don't fangirl over Optimus when I'm in front of him."

"Like you did with us the first time we met?"

"Guilty as charged." I shrug. "Why are you up?"

"I just got back. I was called in to assist on a police chase."

"Strange, I didn't hear the front door…"

"Right before you came down. I was trying not to wake you guys up…"

"You didn't wake me up, Streets." I smile up at him. "I woke myself up, and I wasn't happy about it, either."

"Spot know you're down here?"

"Um…I didn't wanna wake him up…"

"I'll let him know when he gets up. You and Aid may want to check up on Ratchet before you open the med-bay."

"Bad night?"

"Heard him purging when I left, and he was again when I got back…"

"Oh…" I look down at my hands.

Streetwise lays a hand on my shoulder. "It wasn't your fault, Mari. Things happened, and—"

"It was my hands thatdid it."

"I don't think she wants to be comforted right now, Street."

"What's wrong?"

"Hey, Blades, Aid…" I sigh heavily. "Ratchet's sick…" I whimper and run to First Aid. "And it's my fault!"

I start crying, causing the medic to wrap his arms around me. "Street, go tell Spot Mari's upset. I'll do what I can until you get back. Blades…"

"I get it. Don't hurt anyone."

"N-no one to h-hurt… I-it's m-my f-fault… If I hadn't been so desperate to revive him—"

"He told you yesterday that he was glad to be back, and grateful you had the strength to do so."

"Thanks, Streets…"

"Doesn't help?"

"Nope." I shrug off Aid's arms and slump onto the couch as Hot Spot walks in.

"What's wrong, Mari? Was it a nightmare?"

I shake my head. "Something Streets said."

"Streetwise…"

"No…"

"Mari…"

"Spot, Streets said Ratch was sick, an' it's all my fault because I used too much power yesterday, an' I'm worried about him, an' I don' wan' him be sicks, an—" I give up and just cry on him.

"Ah…" He sighs. "Aid, you need to check on Ratchet before you open the med bay." He starts for the door. "After you have some energon. Streetwise—"

"I got called in for a police chase. The rest of you may have gotten in the way. Chief only asked for me."

"Okay. How did you know Ratchet's sick?"

"I could hear him." He says like it's obvious.

"Primus." He sighs. "Mari, it'll be okay. Ratchet's going to get through this. He's strong." He looks up. "Groove, where's the kitten?"

"With Blades. I can—"

"I got it!"

"Be careful, Blades! She's fragile!"

I blink, and giggle softly at the conversation. "Aidie, he's not gonna break the kitty. He's more careful than that!"

"Aidie?"

Blades steps over and hands me the kitten and her bottle. "Here you go, my Lady."

I giggle. "Fanks, Bwades."

"Regressed?"

I nod before holding the bottle for the tiny kitten. "Num-nums time, Little One. Open up for nummy nums…" I make a face at the kitten, who won't open her mouth. "Gwove! Make her ea' num-num! She no do for me, an' she always do for you!"

Blades chuckles as Groove takes the kitten and bottle, earning three glares and a really disappointed look. "What? She sounds cute when she's regressed and angry."

"She kind of does, now that you mention it…"

I giggle. "Stweets missded somefing!"

"Well, we'll have to snap her out of this before Optimus gets here this afternoon."

"Op'mus coming!"

"Preferably before she starts acting like an overcharged sparkling."

"Spot would be the only one who could keep up with her then…"

"Yikes…" Blades shakes his head. "I don't even want to imagine her like that."

"Thankfully you won't have to." Hot Spot smiles down at me. "I don't think she'll want to do that in front of Optimus."

"No-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-no!"

"Calm down, Mari. It's all right."

"Don' wanna be 'gressed roun' Op'mus."

"We'll help you if we have to. Just calm down. You're getting too excited."

"I twy…"

"Good girl."


Noon

I slip into a new, long sleeved pink lace dress that goes down to my knees before glancing in the mirror. "Almost perfect…" I reach down for the two pink scrunchies I have, and put them on my wrists before undoing my usual braids and brushing my hair. After re-braiding it, I pull them together with another hair tie, then start twisting until the braids that had reached my butt are up in the bun, then use the scrunchies to hold it, slipping in bobby pins where it threatens to fall. "Now, for my shoes…" I sit on my bed—which is unused at this moment, and is solely there in the event I get sick—and pull on a pair of seamless socks before zipping my feet into black knee-high boots.

I glance at my dress coat, hanging on the back of the door, before reaching for my phone. I go onto my YouTube app and select a song before starting to sing along, hoping the music will calm my nerves—mainly because I don't want to meet the Prime in a wrinkled dress.

I have often dreamed of a far off place
Where a hero's welcome would be waiting for me
Where the crowds would cheer, when they see my face
And a voice keeps saying this is where I'm meant to be

I'll be there someday, I can go the distance
I will find my way if I can be strong
I know every mile would be worth my while
When I go the distance, I'll be right where I belong

Down an unknown road to embrace my fate
Though that road may wander, it will lead me to you
And a thousand years would be worth the wait
It might take a lifetime but somehow I'll see it through

And I won't look back, I can go the distance
And I'll stay on track, no I won't accept defeat
It's an uphill slope
But I won't lose hope, 'till I go the distance
And my journey is complete, oh yeah

But to look beyond the glory is the hardest part
For a hero's strength is measured by his heart, oh

Like a shooting star, I will go the distance
I will search the world, I will face its harms
I don't care how far, I can go the distance
'Till I find my hero's welcome waiting in your arms

I will search the world, I will face its harms
'Till I find my hero's welcome waiting in your arms

I stand and stare at my reflection in the mirror. 'But to look beyond the glory is the hardest part, for a hero's strength is measured by his heart.'

A knock on my door snaps me out of my thoughts. "Mariposa? The ship is about to make landfall."

I take a deep breath and let it out slowly. 'I can do this. This is where I'm meant to be. I can go the distance.' I pull on my dress coat and button it before tying the belt. "I'm on my way, Drift." I pull the door open and step out before giving the samurai a nervous-yet-excited smile. "Let's go."


We pull up into an empty field. I slide out of the Camaro—first time not riding with my brothers—and watch as the small team transforms and turns to watch the skies.

I shift to my Cybertronian form and look up to the sky as what looks like a large, black teardrop descends from space. Before I have the chance to voice my nervousness, Hot Spot steps up behind me and lays a hand on my shoulders. ~It's okay. You'll do fine. We're right behind you.~

~Thanks, Spot…~

The ship finally lands, and the door opens slowly to reveal Optimus with a bot on either side, slightly behind him. The one on the right has pointed wings, telling me it's a jet of some sort, with silver armor and a red chest. The one on the left has doorwings, and is black and white—this one, I recognize, and immediately salute the mech at attention.

The three step down the ramp, revealing the others Optimus has found—four other jet-mechs, two Praxians, and Red Alert and Inferno. I can feel my brothers' joy and relief while I stare straight at the red and gray Praxian mech in front of me.

I snap out of it after a minute, and take a deep breath to steel myself before walking over to the three at the bottom of the ramp. "Welcome back, Optimus Sir. I hope the journey was a pleasant one."

"It was…" He gives me a confused look.

"Oh!" I barely refrain from facepalming. "I'm Mariposa Prime, Star Healer." The jet-mech gapes, while the black and white mech gives me a confused look before dropping like a stone. I dive for the Praxian mech—whom I've now, without a doubt, determined is Prowl—while Ratchet runs forward with a swear. I hit my knees—hard—with the mech's head cradled in my arms, and his wings braced by my knees. "Thank Primus…" I look up at my brother-in-arms sheepishly. "Guess I should have broken that more gently…"

"Prowl does this all the time, Mari. It is not your fault."

"Mariposa…Prime? I believed I was the last…"

I look up at him, wishing I could be on level ground with him, while wanting to keep Prowl's wings off the frozen ground at the same time. "I just learned who I was a week ago myself, Sir."

He kneels to me. "You don't need to call me Sir. You are my sister."

Prowl stirs, and I help him sit up. "Are you okay, Sir?"

"Yes, Mariposa." He glances back to me. "I apologize, Miss."

I shake my head. "Don't. I understand." I stand and help him to his feet. "Welcome to Earth, Commander."

Hot Spot turns like he's about to run to me. ~You okay?~

Streetwise cocks his head to one side. ~You fell really hard…~

Aid steps toward me quickly. ~You'd better sit down so I can—~

~I'm fine, guys. I just…couldn't let him fall…~

The jet-mech raises an eyebrow ridge before glancing between my brothers and I. 'Silverbolt…I should have known…' I smirk to the jet-mech beside my brother-in-arms. "Silverbolt, I presume?" He nods. "Mariposa Prime, newest Protectobot. It's nice to finally meet you."

"Mari?" I glance back to Hot Spot. "We'd better get them back home before…"

"Cemetery Wind. Right…" I turn back to the new arrivals. "All right, we're moving this reunion back home! We'll lead you there so you won't get lost, but stay close. There's enemies afoot." I turn to Red Alert. "Don't worry. We're safe. They won't dare come back to our property."

"Back?"

Blades smirks. "She shot their leader for attacking us."

"They know we'll fight back if they dare try to hurt us." I shift down to human form and climb into the Camaro after motioning for them to follow me.


'He lives in me… He lives in me. Primus, he lives in me!' I slide out of the Camaro and step back to let him transform. Once we step inside, I slip off my coat and hand it to the first hand that appears—Spot's, as usual. I smile up at him before walking through the base we've set up. "We've got two offices to the left, Red and Inferno's quarters on the right… Optimus, yours are on the left by the offices, we've got the next one on the right set up for a revival I have yet to complete…Ratchet is on the left by you, Optimus…Mirage is set to be on the right once he's back-to-life, same for Wheeljack and 'Hide on the left…Prowl, you're on the right—Jazz will be back within the month—Blue, you're on the other side of Prowl's…Then there's a washrack on the right, a movie room on the left, and—" I wave toward the hall to my left. "Smokey, you're in the back, then we've got a psychology office straight ahead for you…then Drift, Crosshairs, Hound…" I stop at the end and wave toward the door. "And the Aerialbots in here."

"How did you manage to plan that out?"

I shrug. "Same way I planned out the 'Raid-KSI-for-Frames' plan, Blades."

"You mean when you weren't contemplating if we were in "Aligned"?"

I shrug. "Actually, I had this planned before I pulled that one back out." I turn back to the others. "Med-bay is the other building in the yard. You'll be able to find Ratchet, Aid, and I there any time during the day, and there's a small training space behind it. You can find the six of us at any time if you come up to the house."