Next chapter! Warning: It'll probably seem a bit weird in this chapter.
Disclaimer: Transformers belongs to Hasbro, and Katie belongs to Starlight837. I own Alyssa and Katie's father. (Name ideas for him?)
Katie sighed as she came out of Jasper Middle School with her bag full of homework. It was going to be another long night. She looked across the street, trying to spot her brother coming from Jasper High. Instead, she saw Rafael Esquivel standing on the street corner. Remembering the eventful story Jack had shared with her about the previous night, she decided to go talk to the boy.
"Hey Raf," she said when she reached the other side of the street.
"Hey," said Raf. "Katie, right?"
Katie nodded. "Last night was pretty crazy, huh?"
"Tell me about it." Raf adjusted his glasses. "Weren't you out the whole time?" The blush that spread across Katie's pale skin was all the answer he needed. The two pre-teens turned towards the entrance to the high school, where Jack was coming out. He spotted them and quickly walked over.
"Hey Jackie!" said Katie.
"R-Raf, Katie," stuttered Jack. "Hey. Uh, a-about yesterday… Let's just keep it between us, okay?" They never replied. A black and yellow muscle car pulled up to the curve. Raf's eyes widened. Meanwhile, Katie slowly walked towards to the car. She placed a hand on the hood. A feeling of calm shot through her body. The car beeped.
"I-It want us to get in?" said Jack.
Raf shook his head. "No, just me." He pointed to the blue and pink motorcycle parked a few yards away. "Yours is over there." After that he stepped into the car. Katie zoned out of the world around her and started walking to the motorcycle. To anyone passing by, it would seem as if she was just another student walking across the campus grounds. In Katie's mind, she was being drawn to the motorcycle, feeling a connection. A memory made its way into her mind.
A five-year-old Katie giggled as she climbed up Arcee's arm. When she finally made it to her shoulder plating, she waved to Cliffjumper, who was next to Arcee.
"Hey there, tyke," said Cliff.
"Will you and 'Cee ever stop calling me that?" asked Katie.
"Never," said Arcee. "Not even when we're all old and gray."
She was jolted out of that one happy time when Jack grabbed her hand. A scowl was on his face. Katie began to protest, but was cut off by an annoyed glare from her brother. They began to walk the familiar route home, taking various back streets and cutting through alleys. When they turned a corner into an alleyway, the motorcycle sped up from behind them. Jack scowled, obviously annoyed. He tried to go around the 'cycle, to no avail."
"Look, I just want to talk," said the 'cycle.
Jack motioned to the person who seemed to be the driver. "You mean you and your new friend."
The person disappeared, obviously being a holograph. "There's a lot you don't understand."
"No, I think we get it!" Jack's voice rose an octave higher. "The first rule of robot fight club is that you don't talk about robot fight club. What you need to understand is that we don't need a ton of talking vehicles following us around trying to get us killed!"
Arcee transformed, revealing herself to be a tall, female robot. "Look, Jack, is it? Your personal safety is exactly why Optimus Prime has requested your presence, as well as hers!"
"Optimus who?" said Jack in a high-pitched voice. He turned to see Katie walking closer to the robot. "Katie!" She ignored her brother and continued to walk forward. Only when her face was mere inches from the robot's did she stop.
"Hey, 'Cee," she said, her voice barely a whisper. Arcee carefully ran a digit through the young girl's hair.
"Hey there, tyke," replied Arcee, her voice as quiet as Katie's.
"Will you ever stop calling me that?"
"Never. Not even when we're all old and gray." Arcee looked up to Jack. Slowly, she raised from her position on one knee to stand. "You two may be in danger because you're one of the few-one of the only-who has ever seen us."
Katie crossed her arms and turned to her brother. "So, what d'you say?"
Jack opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off by a Japanese girl popping out from behind a corner. "What are you waiting for?" the teen said. "Go with!"
"Scrap," said Katie and Arcee flatly.
Curious, Katie looked out the window to the motorcycle behind the Autobot she was riding in, Bumblebee. Raf turned to look with her. Jack and the girl, Miko, were riding on Arcee. They could hear Miko's loud whoop of excitement. The two looked to each other and shook their heads. Sighing, they sat back down into their seats.
"So," said Raf. It was obvious he was uncomfortable in social situations. "What do you have for homework?"
Katie pretended to scowl. "Algebra, an essay for language arts, science fair project ideas, social studies chapter…" Raf smiled over to her, which Katie returned. "The usual." The two were laughing when they finally got to the base. Neither realized what had happened until Bumblebee stopped. A force seemed to nudge them out of his alternative mode. When they had exited, 'Bee transformed into his large bipedal mode.
A seemingly annoyed robot turned to them. He was red and white, and seemed to have lines similar to a heart rate along his forearms. Next to him was a bulky, green robot, who seemed to be a bit confused as to their presence. Arcee-now in her bipedal mode-moved to stand next to him. 'Bee whirred something before moving next to his comrades.
"I thought there were three," said the red-and-white 'Bot.
"Haven't you heard?" said Arcee. "Humans multiply."
"I guess we should introduce ourselves," said Katie to no one in particular. "I'm Katherine Grace Darby, but everyone just calls me Katie. That's my older brother, Jack." She jerked her thumb in the direction of the raven-haired teen.
"I-I'm Raf," stuttered Rafael.
"I'm Miko!" the girl exclaimed excitedly. She walked up to the green bot. "Who're you?"
"Bulkhead," said the bot. Uncertainty was laced through his voice.
"Are you a car? I bet you're a truck! A monster truck!" Miko jumped into the air slightly and threw her hands up. Bulkhead said nothing, obviously confused by her actions.
"So," said Raf. All eyes and optics turned to him. "if you guys are robots, who made you?"
"Puh-lease," said the red-and-white bot. With a huff, he turned back to his computer. Katie opened her mouth to snarkily reply. However, she was cut off by loud footsteps that bounced off the rock walls and shook the ground. All four humans turned to look at a one of the robots. He was taller than the rest, with a mainly blue and red paintjob. He had silver faceplates, along with silver servos and peddes. Two audial fins sat on either side of his helm. Slowly, he lowered himself onto one knee joint to make himself level with the humans.
"We are autonomous robotic organisms from the planet Cybertron," said the robot. "Commonly known as Autobots."
Jack bravely took a few steps forward, so he was only a few feet away from the "man". "Why are you here?"
"To protect your planet from the Decepticons."
Arcee slightly raised a servo. "The jokers who tried to bump us off last night?" she offered.
"Okay... Why are they here?"
"A fair question, Jack," said the large robot. "Partly because our planet is uninhabitable, ravaged by centuries of civil war."
Raf stepped forward to stand next to Jack. "Why were you guys fighting a war?" he asked.
"Foremost, over their world's supply of Energon." Katie's soft voice startled everyone, bot and human. Optimus turned his helm slightly to find her standing barely a foot away from him. "It's the lifeblood of Autobots and Decepticons alike. The combat was harsh, and went on for human centuries. Optimus Prime-" Katie motioned up to said bot. "-you fought with one whom you considered a brother. But in war, ideals are almost always corrupted, and Megatron lost his way." The Autobots were in a shocked silence. On the other servo, the humans were terrified, slowly backing away from Katie. Her eyes were glowing a bright blue, and that glow seemed to surround her body.
"By the AllSpark, it is Katherine Grace!" exclaimed Ratchet. "Bulkhead, I had hoped you were wrong in your assumption."
Slowly, the glow around Katie spread through the base. Sparks flew from Ratchet's computer, causing the bots to move away from it. If the Autobots couldn't get anymore shocked, they were anyways. Optimus cautiously stood to his full height and picked up Katie. She squirmed in his grip.
"No!" she exclaimed. "It'll happen again!" The Prime soothed the girl by placing a digit on her shoulder.
"Katherine," he said. "it will be alright." Tears streamed down Katie's cheeks as she looked up to him.
"I remember, Optimus. I remember it all." Optimus said nothing and only stroked Katie's hair. He looked up to Arcee. An unspoken agreement passed between them, and the Prime handed Katie over to his second in command.
"Hey there, tyke," said 'Cee.
"Will you ever stop calling me that?" The glow around Katie started to fade.
"Never. Not even when we're all old and gray." After a few more seconds, the Autobot base didn't seem as if it was lit with a blue fire. Optimus cleared his throat cables, causing all eyes and optics to land on him.
"Megatron has not been seen or heard from in some time. However, if his return is imminent, as I fear, it could be catastrophic. And if you know of our existence, I fear that as of last night, they know of yours as well. Not only would he try to destroy your world to defeat us Autobots, but will try to capture Katherine, and remove the AllSpark energy which she protects, without hesitating to kill her in the process."
A heavy, thought-filled silence filled the air as the humans tried to process Optimus' words. Jack seemed to be hit with it the hardest, with Raf a close second. Miko seemed slightly confused, but tried her best to comfort her soon-to-be best friends. It was no secret that Raf had a crush on Katie. Or that Jack loved his adopted sister with all his heart.
"Well," said Jack. "guess we gotta help with this war, huh?" A collective chuckle spread through the room. What they didn't expect was Fowler appearing from the elevator.
"Prime!" he yelled. The humans winced. "Seven wrecks, thirty-four fender benders, and a particular note-" He turned to glare at Arcee and 'Bee. "-about a speeding motorcycle of unknown make and a custom-made muscle car. So, anything you care to get off your in chest, Prime?" The special agents gave him to time to reply as he noticed the humans. "Contact with civilians! Team Prime has really gone off-book this time! Wait! Don't tell me! You're running a daycare!" He turned to the humans, obviously exasperated. "I'm taking all four of you into federal custody. It's for your own protection."
Finally, Optimus was able to reply to Agent Fowler's rant. "We are protecting them, Agent Fowler, and it is important that we protect young Katherine Grace more than ever. And as for the incident last night, you may be able to condone human casualties. I, however, cannot."
As if their day couldn't get any crazier, Ratchet's computer beeped online, showing another Autobot signal. Swiftly, the medic attended to the problem. He pounded his servo against the keyboard. "Blasted Earth tech!" he said. "Cliffjumper's signal just popped back online!"
"How is that possible?" Optimus and Fowler asked.
"It isn't!" said Ratchet. "It's another bug! The system is chock full of them!"
"Cliffjumper?" said Katie, cutting into the conversation. "What happened to him?" No one replied. A heavy silence filled the air. "Oh, I think I know now…" The pre-teen sat down in Arcee's servo and curled into a small ball.
"If there's any chance that Cliff's alive…" said Arcee.
"Ratchet, prepare the medical bay," ordered Optimus. "We may need it." Ratchet typed the coordinates into the GroundBridge controls. He pulled the lever, opening the gateway to wherever Cliffjumper was.
"I think I'll stick around to see how this turns out," said Fowler cautiously. He sat down on the worn, green couch near the elevator. If only everyone knew the crazy adventure that was ahead of them.
That was one crazy chapter, combining a TON of stuff! Please, fave, follow, review, and whatever else! If there's any grammar or spelling errors please tell me so I can change them! Things are SUPER busy in my house so I have no idea when I can update. This took me a few hours to get this all out. Well, I've got to go. See you at the next update!