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!
Kaiju Attack
4:00 PM
I look up when I hear the alarms. "Shit." I reach up to my comm, knowing the two gestalts had gone out to the woods to spar. "Defensor, Superion, get ready."
"What's wrong?"
"Kaiju alert. We're all going down to the bays."
"On our way!"
"The Aerials will get there faster, I'm sending Blades on ahead."
"Thank you, Hot Spot. Starlight out." I wander outside to watch for the Aerials and Blades.
"Are we using the new plan?"
"Yes, Streets. Implementing the plan. Gipsy and Star on deck with Cherno and Coyote. Striker holding the coast with Superion. Defensor and Crimson backup."
~Is that because we won't get back in time, or—~
~Because the five of you are mostly defensive, and I can't lose you again.~
~So it's for all of us.~
~It's for everyone involved. You're sparked, so it's not really safe.~
~You're carrying AND going out on the front lines! Don't give me that!~
~Blades… Whelp…~
~Used to this. Don't worry about me, Spot. Blades, Star's on the front lines because—and only because—I have to be out there to see if the plan works. Not to mention, I'm protected.~
~So am I… More than you are…~
~It's not going to work, Mari…~
'"The Jaegers… The Breach… The plan…" "It's not going to work."' I flinch and reach up to tap my comm. "Mako?"
"Yes?"
"Have the Marshal flip us with Crim."
"What is wrong?"
"You mean besides the bond-argument I just had with Blades?" I sigh heavily. "Mako, I'm chasing the RABIT and we're not even linked yet. It's not safe."
"So we'll back up the town with Defensor?"
"We back up the town with Defensor." I change the frequency. "Crimson, on deck. Star Warrior, backup."
"But Mommy!"
"No buts."
"But we're never backup…"
I hear Blades chuckle over the comm. "Never backup. Reminds me of someone…"
"I went Blood Knight after we lost you guys, I'm still a little—" I feel a jab through the bond, and laugh. "Okay, a lot trigger happy. Star, Sweetspark, I'm already chasing the RABIT about something that happened after I found this place…and I don't need to be in a jaeger if I can't control my memories right now—getting ready for combat is the best time to know that for me, Blades."
He lands in front of me and crouches down. "Like when we were dealing with Humungado and Ravenous?"
"Yeah…" I lean into his leg. "Primus, Blades…"
"Talk to me, Little Sis."
"Sheyenne?"
"Star?"
"Hold on." I straighten up and turn to Stacker, who's suited up and waiting to get into Coyote for his first mission in a long time. "All right—"
"Why aren't you suited up? You're still guarding the town."
"Got some business first. Silverbolt?"
"We're holding the coast, right?"
"Wait for Striker and follow his lead. It's your first mission with us, and only Defensor's second before you comment about that."
"All right." He turns to his brothers. "Aerialbots, form Superion!"
I turn back to Blades with a sigh. "Okay…what did you want to know?"
"What's got you so upset? This obviously happened BEFORE you met us or you would have had a stronger reaction…"
"Spot said something…it was a trigger…end of story…"
"Mari…" I look up to the blue fire-bot with a sigh. "Not your fault, you didn't know… I don't know why I remembered it, I wasn't even THERE!"
"Gipsy was." I turn to Mako. "I got the flashback from the link."
"Oh. Right." I huff and sit back on Blades' foot as Silverwing runs over to me, then look up to Superion. "All right. Striker should be ready soon. Stay safe, Superion. Be careful."
"Of course."
I turn to Hot Spot. "All right, I'm going to get suited up, then we're rolling."
"Meaning it's time to form up." I nod. "Protectobots, form Defensor!"
I turn away with tears in my eyes, causing Mako to put an arm around me. "You okay?" I shrug. "Everything is happening too soon?" I nod. "It will be all right. Time to suit up."
Usually, when we're starting the drift, I try to stay out of the memories, but this time, since we're backup, I get the time to show her one, so long as I stay stoic through it. 'Mako? I want to show you something, before we go.'
'Will this keep us from being able to work?'
'As long as I stay focused on the drift, no.'
'Show me.'
MEMORY
We land on the shore behind the mountains, and I climb out before Blades transforms. Between the cliffs and the ocean—the side of the island facing the Laurentian Abyss—are four—formerly five—piles of rocks and boulders, each painted a different color. One pile is blue, the next is red, then black, and finally silver. Scattered around us are the rocks from a fifth pile, colored orange.
"So this is where you've been going all this time?" He nudges the pile of blue rocks.
"I made a memorial for them, Blades. I…I thought you'd want to see, but…on a good day, like today." I sit on one of the larger orange rocks before picking up another orange rock, this one much smaller. "I'd come here when I couldn't sleep…you know, back before—" I sigh, and hold up the orange rock in my hand. "Before I knew who you really were… You had one too, back then…"
"And now…"
"Now it's my chair." I motion to the rock underneath me. "I tore it down, the very next day." I close my eyes, remembering how good it felt to destroy that pile of rocks. "You were still out cold, and Heatwave was with you, so it wasn't like I'd left you alone…"
"You don't have one for Ratchet."
I lay a hand over my chest. "Yeah… Because I still have his spark, Blades…"
"Oh…" He sits on the dirt beside me. "Sorry about bringing it up."
I shake my head. "This place is for that kind of thing, Blades." I stand up and lay a hand on the light blue one in the center—the others are arranged around it where they'd go if they had been formed up—the red on the left, the black on the same side, and the silver, and formerly the orange, on the right. "For remembering…" I look up when I feel a hand on my shoulder. "I'm okay, Blades…"
"You had to come because of me…"
"I always come here because of you, Silly. That's why I built it in the first place—so I wouldn't bring it up—I was so sure you were some other Blades…but yet you reminded me of them all the time, so I came out here one night, in bot form, and made this…I made sure I was home before anyone was up…so they wouldn't know."
"I knew." I give him a look. "I knew you'd been up all night. You were exhausted."
"That was my baseline at the time."
"Then you were more rested after that."
"Good point." I nod. "I was, but there were a lot of midnight treks to this place…when I wasn't overseas."
He nods, smiling slightly. "I'm glad you made this, Star. It's… It helps, to know they're still being honored…" He looks me over. "You're not wearing as much black, either."
"Like I told Heatwave months ago, there's just…not as much to mourn, now…"
"Not as much to—you mean me."
I nod. "I mean you, Blades. I was mourning an entire cause, but…Bee was still out there…Optimus was in space, but he was still alive…and then Gipsy reminded me of Sigma, and…and I came out here, but I couldn't be sure—even seeing the symbols, and getting to know you all…I couldn't know you were here…"
He smiles, almost bordering on a smirk. "You thought the cause had died with me?"
"I…I thought the cause had died with all the bots fighting it, actually, but…with you alive, we have hope, and rebellions are built on hope."
"You're…" He looks closer at the outfit. "Star…you wore that the first day…"
"It's new, actually, but…I did, wear something identical that day."
He sighs softly. "You're getting better."
"Blades…" I lay a hand on his, where it's still on my shoulder. "I won't let you fall. I promise, I won't let you fall."
REALITY
'You knew…before you all got here…'
'Yeah… I'd found out facing Humungado and Ravenous—he reminded me so much of himself, and…'
'Easy.' She sighs. 'You're all together again, though…' She turns to the command center. 'Can we still jockey?'
I nod. 'Let's roll.' I smile over at her. 'Said that a lot more back then, too…'
'Let's roll?'
'Yep.' We step out, and I lay the hand I control (or I would if she wasn't alive) on Defensor's shoulder. 'It's my battle cry.'
~Everything okay? You took a while…~
~Showing her a memory…~
~Didn't chase the RABIT this time, right?~
~Nope. We're good. Let's roll.~
~Let's roll…~
~Blades?~
~'M okay, Spot…it's just…~
~Memories…good and not-so-good… This one was good, but I'm sure he knows which one I showed Mako, with what I just said…~
~Yeah… The memorial…~
~Memorial?~
~It's still on Griffin Rock. I used to go all the time when Mari was here…~
~Oh, Blades…~ I move the arm down to take the hand of the arm he turns into, and squeeze it lightly. ~I'm right here/and I ain't going anywhere/love's too tough/it won't give up/no, not on us/baby love don't run…~
~Thanks, Mari…~
~Ready to roll?~
"Let's roll." I reach up to tap the comm link. "Star Warrior and Defensor getting into position."
"Coyote Tango in position."
"Crimson Typhoon in position."
"Gipsy Danger, in position."
"Chemo Alpha in position. Chemo is upset."
"Cherno, it's okay. You're okay."
"Striker Eureka, holding the coast."
"Superion in position."
"Starlight Prime, you are command. Be sure to report back to LOCCENT."
"Will do, Marshal. Star Warrior, out." I turn to Mako and take a deep breath before we start for Hong Kong.
'Nervous?'
'Extremely, but I got this.'
'Don't get cocky.'
~Cocky's a bad idea right now.~
~She already knows, she's the one who told you.~ Defensor chuckles before running a little ahead, causing us to run a little faster to keep up with him, but being a little taller, we overcome him pretty quickly. "We're still at least 60 feet taller, Defensor."
"So is Superion. Doesn't bother us." He pats Silverwing's back lightly, since her doorwings are present in this form. "Just kind of funny that an 8-year-old gets taller than we do…"
"Ha. Ha."
Mako and I share a look inside our—as mentioned—8-year-old jaeger before starting to laugh too. After a moment, I calm down, and pat the inside of our jaeger lovingly. "Easy, Baby. We're still on-duty right now."
"Right. Sorry, Mom."
"Don't be." I smirk. "Defensor's goofing off too."
~Now that was uncalled for!~
~Says the mech who's goofing off on duty…~
He knows I'm teasing, and Defensor himself laughs. ~All right, calming down now.~
~Blades okay?~
~Better than okay, I'm back in combat.~
"Typical Blades." I laugh—I'm not annoyed, after all.
"Typical Blades?"
"Combat-hungry." I look down, fighting to stay in the drift until we feel Defensor's hand on Silverwing's shoulder.
"Hey…" Slingshot was right, years ago, when he told me that Defensor sounds like Hot Spot, just deeper and more cautious. "It's okay."
"How did he—"
"The gestalt bond. I'm literally using it to stay in the drift right now."
"We should not be in the field today." She reaches up to the comm. "LOCCENT—"
I put my gloved hand on hers before locking eyes with her. "This is natural for a gestalt. I may be haunted by losing them right now, and all the memories of what we had to go through to get here, but with them I don't have to worry. We are together." I close my eyes, smiling gently at the "complete" feeling in the center of my chest. "We are one." I look up when I feel an electric current in the air.
"Star Warrior, EMP. Striker and Crimson down."
I sigh heavily, and focus on the distant—and human—bonds. ~I hear you loud and clear, Yance. Hot Spot, can Blades air-lift them to base?~
~If we detach, yes, but we'll be out-of-commission.~
~Do it. Last time this happened Crim died and Herc got hurt.~ I turn toward the shore and wave to Superion, grinning when he sees us even though he can't see the grin, and wave him over to us.
"What's going on?"
'Silverwing?'
'Got it, Mama.' She turns her head to face them. "Defensor's out-of-commission for rescue efforts. I need backup. Mom's carrying."
"Got it. We're here. Gipsy should be back soon. Hot Spot?" The blue fire-bot looks up to us. "You'll need to form up to help Blades get to Cherno and Crimson. They're in the center of the ocean, and Cherno's in a full-blown panic. I already got Striker back to shore and his pilots made a run for the Shatterdome, but…"
"Get Striker inside, get the other two to shore. Got it. Blades? We're getting Striker first. Are any of the helicopters working?"
"Nope. Got that from Tendo at the 'Dome not two minutes ago."
"All right, we got this. Protectobots, form Defensor!"
"Superion?" He turns back to us. "Gipsy and Coyote?"
"Holding their own for now, but Coyote's a little out-of-practice and Gipsy's…"
"Gipsy is what, Superion?"
"Mako?"
"Yes. Gipsy is what?"
"She's…" Superion trails off.
~Raleigh?~
'Stuck in a memory, but not a bad one I don't think… We're getting it and…'
~Oh…~
~What's wrong?~
~Gips is having a flashback, but I think we got this, Rals and Yance are okay.~
'Starlight, tell me how Gipsy is doing.'
'Remember the boat-bat? And Otachi? And Leatherback?'
'Oh. OH!' She sighs. ~Gipsy, it's all right. I'm right here.~
'Mako. For a moment I thought—'
'I got her, Gips. We're still in the drift and ready for a fight.' I sigh in relief. ~Raleigh, are you able to back us up? We've got Superion if you want to get her back to base.~
'Think we're good, but thanks. On our way.'
"Thank God."
~Everything handled?~
~Three-part team-up, you're good to go.~ I smile. "We got this, Defensor. Go on. Do your duty."
"Rolling out."
I giggle, but keep the "Heatwave" comment to myself and Mako. "Roll to the rescue, Defensor."
We finally get to the Shatterdome. Once we're out of the gestalt-sized jaeger, I set the four-year-old Mako had held while we got Silverwing back on the medical berth for Ratchet to check out, then turn to the red fire-bot that had been following me since we got back. "What happened out there?"
"First off, Blades is fine. He's with his brothers."
"Good." He sighs. "Did your plan work?"
"Yep. Worked out really well, actually, even with things we couldn't have expected…" I sigh softly. "The EMP…Superion having to break ranks to help Gips and I…Coyote needing to go back for medical…Cherno's chasing the RABIT again…Crim, and Striker being down from the EMP…"
"Busy day?"
"Got a kid, same way that Mako got to Stacker. I think it's been an eventful day."
"You got a kid? What about Mako?"
"I was the one that did what Stacker did, I got the kid." I sigh heavily as I run down a mental list, out loud. "Okay…Gipsy's with Rals and Yance… Mako's clinging to her adoptive parents because of what happened… Defensor's in the showers with Superion—they're helping them wash up because of Superion's wings, 'Wave…" I lean back into my secondary guardian with a huff. "And it's been a very busy day and I think I'll be spending the night with Hot Spot."
"Why—"
"Sibling connection, and Mako's rooming with Raleigh and Yancy. Gipsy's going to be with them, probably cuddling with Yancy if she gets upset. All I'll have besides Star is them, and I want her comforting her little-sister-to-be tonight."
Heatwave actually smiles. "You're officially gestalt, then?"
"Yep. And it feels so good." I straighten up and look up at his optics. "Today wouldn't have gone so well if we didn't have the bonds, 'Wave. I had to give orders through them because the comms were down."
"Right. The others were down, weren't they?"
"Sheyenne."
I turn to find Stacker. "Marshal?"
He pats my shoulder. "Good work out there."
"It wasn't all that, Marshal."
"Everyone came back. That's a major success in my book."
I smile. "Well, then… Thank you, Marshal."
I watch him walk away before positively wilting and leaning back into Heatwave's leg. "Starlight?" I look up. "What was that about?"
Heatwave nudges me with his foot. "Go on, Little One."
I straighten up before running to where Hot Spot is crouching and clinging to his hand. "Spot!"
"Easy, it's okay. Where's the girl?"
"Superion told you…"
"Silverbolt. Where is she?"
"Ratchet's checking her out with the backup medic and Dani. I didn't want her to see…"
"That you break down right after a bad mission…" He sighs. "Oh, Little One…"
"She's had so much happen, Spot. I couldn't let her see that so soon after losing her parents."
"Still planning to stay with us tonight?"
"She'll be with Star, so…yeah. I'll have Blue and Graham on watch-duty with orders to get me if she wakes up, and I'll stay with you."
"And your gestalt?"
"Mako's going to be with Raleigh, Yancy and Gipsy will be with them—same room, but I doubt same bed because Mako and Rals are dating."
"Her name?"
"Corrinna, her parents were American…"
"Primus…" He cups a hand around my back. "It'll be all right, we're still together."
I let out a shuddery breath. I can't cry now—later. "First bad mission since we got you all back…where's Blades?"
"Back at the room, curled up with the others. He's all right. I actually came to find Heatwave, because Silver still needs to talk about what he saw—he's not usually on the "rescue" end of things, after all, so he's not used to seeing dead organics…"
"No one should be "used to" death, Hot Spot…" I lean into his hand. "Primus, it's been a hard day."
"Wouldn't doubt it." He sighs. "Better than before?"
"Yeah…" I straighten up and turn to the medbay door with a sigh. "Glad this happened after we got you guys back, Spot…I couldn't have survived it alone…"
"Oh, Star…"
I hug his hand, then step back. "Go. Silver needs you."
"All right. See you tonight?"
"Supper, same table. Silva's going to want to see you too."
"We'll be there."
