I have a poll on my profile page asking a question I really want to have answered. I'm trying to get as many answers as I can, and very few people visit my profile. I've gotten literally one answer in a week, and that's sad. Please answer, and be honest about it.


I only own my OC's!


Explanations

August 17, 2016, 2:00 PM

I slide out of the bed and head off to find Denny and Russell, wanting to see if they have any questions about how the minicons were treated before the war. I was pretty vague earlier because I was worried about Fixit, but now that he's recharging soundly in our room, I can take the time to go into more detail with the humans.

"Mari!" I start, and turn to find my brother just outside the command center. "How's Fixit?"

I run down the ramp to him, shifting to my normal form halfway down. "Recharging, thank the All Spark." I sigh heavily. "He thinks he's junk, Bumbee. I don't know how to help him…"

"Well…how did I help you?"

"You didn't." I sigh heavily. "I felt worthless until the day that ship showed up, Bumbee. Getting to Cybertron made everything better—getting away from my abuser made me feel worthwhile."

"Maybe you just need to get Fixit back to Cybertron. I'm sure Carrier could help him."

"I don't want to lose him though, Bee! I just found him!"

"We could try comming home…see if Carrier could come for a few weeks…"

"We'd have to have quarters for her. We don't even have quarters for you."

"We'll manage." He shrugs. "We could set something up with the pieces of the Alchemor if it comes down to it, and she could stay with you until then, if you really think she needs her own quarters."

"Bumbee, she's the bonded to the Prime—that's like the First Lady in America, or the Queen in England!"

"And she was the femme division commander, Flutterby. She's stayed in worse places than a scrapyard, I promise you." He sighs softly. "I'll go up and see if I can get her on the comms. It might take a while. You can do whatever you want until I can get her."

"Yes, Sir!" I giggle. "I was going to explain the minicons' situation better to Denny and Russell—then, I'M calling a meeting."

"What for?"

"To talk with the team about how they've been treating the "Littles" on the team. They're small, but they're not—Fixit's breakdown and crash were because of how they've been treated, both here and on Cybertron!"

Bumblebee rubs the back of his neck, one of the many habits he picked up from me. "I didn't…I'm sorry, Mari. I—"

"You're forgiven." I hug him before glancing back to the command center. "The lecture's more for the animalformer and the two younglings. You know how I feel about minnies, and you had to put up with me for vorns because of them."

"If you're going to slip back into your old thinking…"

"I'm not. I just know how hard it is to recharge when you've got someone crying beside you in the bed."

"Mari…"

"Fixit had an emotional breakdown last night, too, over the sparklings' sire. I wound up holding him all night. Then Russell had to ask if minicons were inherently evil, and that pushed him over the edge. Now he's feeling worthless, and I've got to do a lecture on abuse and neglect for the three bots on this team who don't know what I've been through."

"Mari? Mari!" I turn toward the command center. "She's gone… She-she left me…"

"Oh, Primus! Bee, I gotta go!" I run up the ramp, barely remembering to activate my pretender form on the way in. "Fix!" My feet slide on the metal floor as I reach our room. "Fix, it's okay." I kneel beside the bed and pull him in for a hug. "I'm here, Baby. I'm right here. It's okay…"

He gives me a teary look. "Wh-where did you go?"

"I was going to go explain things more clearly to Denny and Russell, and Bumbee stopped me. That's all. Just to make sure no one hurt you like that again…"

"Y-you d-don't h-have t-to d-do th-that f-for m-me…"

"Shhhhh… You're getting all worked up again, Sweetspark." I rub his back gently. "I want to. I can't handle seeing you suffer, Sweets… You can come with me if you want to, Sweetspark, but I don't want you having another breakdown like this morning… I don't think either of us could handle another one today…" I sigh heavily. "I still have to find the rest of the team and give them a talk about treating you right, too."


Fixit and I walk over to where Denny and Russell are talking quietly near the diner. "Hey guys…"

Denny looks up before grinning. "Hey, Fixit! How are you feeling?"

The minicon's slight cringe isn't lost on me, and I motion for Denny to turn down the volume. "I-I've b-been b-better…"

I turn to the minicon and lay a hand on his shoulder. "Fix? What's wrong, Sweetspark?"

"H-helm h-hurts… D-dizzy…"

I quickly shift to my normal form from my pretender mode, and gently scoop the minicon into my arms. "Easy, Little One… Just try to relax. I'll get you back to berth in a little bit…"

"D-don' wanna go…"

'Awww…' I glance down to him with a gentle smile. "You need to rest if you don't feel good, Little One…"

"'m fine. You c-can p-put me d-down." The words are barely out of his mouth before he purges on my chest plates. I look down, completely shocked and slightly horrified (I'm a bit like Sunstreaker when it comes to my pink finish, after all). I can tell Fixit's embarrassed, but with little time to react, I simply set him back on the ground, just in time for another rather violent round of purging—thankfully on the ground this time, and not on me.

Denny gives me a weak smile before holding up what looks like a baby blanket, causing me to shake my head. "I think Fix and I'll head out to that car wash Strongarm found, then we'll be back." I transform—which moves the mess to my roof—then open the passenger door toward the still-purging minicon. "Russ, think you could help Fixit?"

"S-sure… Um…" Russell looks around. "You may want something in case he—"

"It doesn't matter, Russ. I'm already a mess. It'll get worse before it gets better. Might as well just accept that before this goes much further."

"Mari…"

I turn my attention to the newly-arrived red mech. "Hi. Not in a good mood. Fix—"

"You reminded me of Sunny…"

"I'm aware of that. He wasn't the only one on the ARK that hated being dirty. Tell Bee I'm heading down to the car wash with Fixit." I gasp. "Oh, and meeting, half an hour, in front of the command center. Let the others know."

"Why are you calling a meeting?"

"Because you and Strongarm had a part in Fixit's emotional breakdown and crash this morning!" I huff and turn to Russell. "All right, Russ. Slowly, now. I don't want you making him sicker…"

"I-I'm okay now…"

"I'm just making sure, Sweets." I turn my attention to Denny. "Think you could toss a few rags and a bucket into the back? They'll help a lot with Fixit."

"B-but—y-you're the one I p-purged on…"

"I know, Sweets… Easy Russ. You almost bumped his chest."

Russell jerks his arm back from where he had been helping Fixit into the passenger seat. "S-sorry. I—"

"Don't worry, Russ. It's okay." I sigh heavily, wishing I had hands available to comfort the preteen. "The sparklings are forming there right now, though, and you could hurt them if you're not careful…" I sigh before turning my attention back to Fixit now that he's inside. "I'm hoping that getting you cleaned up will help you feel just a little bit better." I sigh softly as we pull out. "I'm worried sick right now, Little One…"


I let Fixit out and transform before quickly washing my chest plates off, then turn to the small mech leaning face-first on the wall. "Fix… Come here, Sweets…" I watch as he creeps over before putting an arm around him. I pull off the jeggings and T-shirt I usually use with my pretender form, revealing a pink and orange one-piece swimsuit.

"Wh-what—"

"Shhh…" I motion for the minicon to follow me inside the building before detaching a hose and filling the small metal bucket Denny had included with the rags. I heat the bucket gently with my fire until it's comfortably warm, then add a hint of soap before turning to Fixit with a gentle smile. "Come on, Sweetspark…"

He rolls over and leans on the inside wall before sitting on the ground, causing me to give him a worried look. "I can st-stand back up i-if y-you need me t-to…"

I blink at him, surprised. 'Oh… Poor little thing took my concern as—aww…' I smile down at him. "You're fine, Little One." I dip one of the rags into the water before ringing it out, then start with the little mech's wheels and frame, which have both mud and purged energon splattered on them. "I'm not mad, okay? You couldn't help it."

"I'm humiliated though…"

"I know…but it's not worth stressing over, Sweets. You've had one hell of a day already, and it's barely noon…" I turn to rinse the rag before turning back to him with a gentle smile. "Besides, everyone at the 'yard knows you're carrying, so they're not going to do more than worry about you—and if they even try tormenting you, they'll have to face the tornado I become when I'm angry."

"Y-you really mean it?"

I run my free hand over his head before smiling at him. "Of course, Little One." I step back slightly, and pick up the hose. "Now, I need you to stand up, but I'll help you if you need me to." He shakes head slightly before easing back onto his wheels. I heat the water in the hose near the nozzle before running it over my hand. Once it's warm enough, I turn to Fixit and rinse him off, then grab the T-shirt I'd worn from outside and dry him off. Once he's done, I pull my jeggings back on, then return to my normal form and toss the now-dirty T-shirt into subspace with the bucket and rags, then transform before opening the passenger door. "Come on. We need to get you home… You need to lie down before you purge again…"


I quickly get Fixit settled in on my bed before heading out to find the others gathered outside the command center. "No minnies." I sigh at the angry looks from Jetstorm and Slipstream. "Hey. I'm doing this for the three of you, so scat, before I accidently offend someone." I smile. "You two can go visit Fixit, and…" I sigh softly before handing each one a different gamepad. "These are mine and Bumbee's, so be careful with them, but you can play them if Fixit's recharging."

"What is this meeting about?"

I sigh heavily. "The way everyone but Bumbee and I have been treating the minnies. It's appauling, especially to me, and you're guilty of it too, Drift, so don't give me that look." I shake my head. "Fixit had an emotional breakdown this morning because of the way minicons were treated back on Cybertron, and you guys haven't given him any reason to feel wanted here on earth either! The only people here who give him the time of day besides me are Denny and Russell, and that's sad. The little guy only wants to have a place, and it's no different with Storm and Stream. I mean, Storm ran away because of how you treated him, Drift, and even Stream needs gentle treatment. Yours are still only kids!" I sigh heavily. "Sideswipe, no more teasing them, or I'm sending you back to Prowl. I mean it. Strongarm, there's no duty stations here on Earth, so that "law" means nothing now. Stay off Fixit's back. Grimlock, watch where you step. Next time, you could kill him or the sparklings. Drift, they're not drones, and they're not slaves. That means treat them right. Bumbee… You've been doing pretty good so far, but keep it up. I can't have my brother forgetting about or mistreating my minicon." I sigh and look around the semi-circle. "Everyone got that?"

"Yes." (Drift)

"Yeah…" (Grimlock)

"Yes, Ma'am." (Strongarm)

I glare down at Sideswipe. "I guess…"

"Sideswipe…"

"Fine, I got it!"

"That's better." I turn toward mine and Fixit's room. "I'll go let the minnies know we're done." I glare down at Sideswipe. "Trust me, this would have been worse if they had stayed out here, especially with Storm's sensitivity and Fixit's mood swings." I sigh softly. "On another note, Drift: Stop treating Jetstorm like he's not good enough just because he's not perfect. Dick Grayson spoke out of turn all the time, and he's still considered the best Robin ever seen in Gotham!"


I step into the bedroom and smile when I find the trio on my bed, Drift's two sitting on either side of Fixit. "Hey, guys!"

"Why couldn't we stay out there?"

"Jetstorm."

I sit on the side of the bed and motion for the two to join me. "I'd have let you if it was an actual meeting, instead of a trick to get the larger bots together for a lecture on treating you three right. Fixit had an emotional breakdown this morning because of it, and I just couldn't let it keep going like that."

"You lectured Master Drift?"

"Yep. And Sides. And Strongarm. And Grimlock." Fixit cringes behind us at the memory of being stepped on. "Bumbee knows how hard-set I am about you guys getting treated right, and he made sure to do it as well as he could. The rest of them, though…" I growl softly. "Were long overdue for a lecture. I threatened to comm Prowl for Sides, yelled at Strongarm for her comment about duty stations a few weeks ago, scolded Drift for how he treats you two like his servants, and told Grim to watch his feet before another minicon goes squish." The two give me horrified looks. "He got Fixit stuck in his foot because he didn't watch where he was going. Not something I really want to see happen again—especially not while he's sparked." I sigh softly. "Now, Drift's waiting for the two of you, so you'd better get going."

"Mari?"

I crouch to Jetstorm. "Yes?"

"Sideswipe was not telling the truth over "dibs", was he?"

I sigh softly. "Yes and no."

"What?"

"Yes, calling dibs means you chose that particular item before anyone else could. No, it's not dishonorable to contest if someone calls dibs on something, it just rarely happens." I shrug. "For example, before we got to Cybertron when I was about your size, I called "dibs" on the side of our berth closest to the wall, but Bee got there first, so he got it." I shrug. "I was more excited to follow the rescue workers around anyway, and I got to choose the blamed thing's design."

"Why was that side more favorable?"

I shrug. "Better view." I laugh before motioning for him to leave.

"Better view?"

I nod and turn to Fixit with a smile. "View of the stars while everyone was trying to recharge, view of the sky when we were on Earth… honestly, anything was better than "gray metal ceiling"."