Chapter 9: Alive
Dead?
"Why would you think that?" I ask, pulling away from the hug.
"Smokescreen came back a mess, saying that some Con had killed you. It came onto the battlefield bragging about it." She said.
"That's not what happened. I was pursued by one Decepticon, but I jumped off a cliff into some water so that he couldn't get me. He must've thought I drown." I say.
"Don't scare us like that again," Miko said.
"I'll try." I kiss her forehead and I look around for my guardian.
"Where's Smokescreen?" I ask.
"He went topside for some alone time." Ratchet said.
"I'm gonna go see him. He's probably beating himself up over this." I say, heading up the stairs.
"Don't you wanna put something on? I can kinda see your boobs through your shirt." Miko said. I look down and shiver. My shirt was still a little damp, not to mention it was a crop top. It was a little chilly and my boobs weren't my main concern.
"Not unless you're gonna give me your shirt," I say.
"Nevermind." Miko walked back to the couch. I can see how much I've been missed.
I go to the elevator and I press the button. The doors slid open and I step in, pressing the button to go up. I seemed to take an hour for just those measly few minutes that it took to go to the top.
When the elevator finally opened, it was equivalent to a smack to the face when the cold air hit me. I started to shiver terribly. I stepped out into the moonlight and I see the reflection of Smokescreen's armor. His back was to me and his door wings brushed the ground, hanging low in sadness. As I approach him, I see that he has his head in his hands.
"Smokescreen?" I say. He drops his hands and he glances over to me.
"Ren? Wha-How is this possible?" He asks.
"I'm alive," I say.
"I can see that!" He let out a small laugh, smiling. He reached a servo out and I hugged his fingers tightly, shivering against the cool metal. "Primus you are alive. We-I left you!" He realized. "You must hate me." He sighed.
"Nonsense. Now I have a cool story to tell you." I say. He gave me a sideways glance and then he smiled, shaking his head and laughing breathily.
"Go on and tell it." Smokescreen said. I started with when he told me to leave and how I ran as hard as I could. I got to the part where the Con was chasing me and I told him of my courage when jumping off the cliff.
By the end of my story we were both smiling and I knew that my partner was in better spirits. It was cold out and my body was shaking violently.
"Let's get you inside partner. I don't want you to freeze to death after all you had been through." He joked, picking me up and holding me next to his chest, which was radiating a warmth that was oddly soothing and making me drowsy.
We found ourselves downstairs and I noticed that Jack and Raf were gone. Smokescreen put me on the platform next to my sister, who handed me my phone.
"Raf texted Kim that you were spending the night at my house. That was after you left on the mission and we thought you weren't coming back. We didn't know what to tell them about you being dead." Miko said. "And I told my host parents that I was staying with you, cause I didn't wanna go home." She sighed.
"Looks like we're spending the night," I say.
"Awesome! I can show you my room." Smoke fist pumped. I smile and shake my head.
"Here's your phone by the way." She pulled my phone out of her back pocket and handed it to me. "And you should really look at your new screensaver.
I flip open my phone and I start laughing. I raise it up and turn the screen toward Smokescreen, who that started laughing hysterically.
"Can you keep it down?! Some of us are trying to work here." He snarled.
"You got it Ratch." Smoke snickered, still looking at the picture of Ratchet's butt my screensaver. Miko had snapped a picture of him as he was bent down and got the perfect shot. I high fived Miko, not bothering to remove the photo. But, so the same mistake would not be made twice, I'd put a password on my phone to keep anyone from looking at my pictures.
"Is there anywhere I could get cleaned up and get some fresh clothes?" I ask.
"This missile silo used to be inhabited by humans. I'm sure there is a wash rack somewhere with some clothes." Ratchet sighed.
"I think I know where that is. Come on." Miko grabbed my hand and led me downstairs.
"See ya in a bit Smoke." I wave as Miko drags me down the hall.
Ratchet was right. There were leftover clothes from the soldiers and showers. It was relaxing to rise all that dirt and grime from my body. It washed away the day's stress and struggles. It was cleansing to my very soul.
When I finally emerged from the shower it was near midnight and my mind started going a million miles an hour. I had Math, Chemistry, and History homework. I had to get it done.
I quickly got dressed in a shirt and some boxers I'd be using as PJ's that were way too big. I had to roll up the waistband so that they'd hang on my hips at least. Miko laughed at me and the way at had to pull them up every few seconds. I couldn't imagine what they'd be like on her.
I was bigger than Miko. I was all 'filled out'. Miko had always been a late bloomer whereas I had it all. I got everything early. The period, the boobs, the hips, the rear... It was shocking how different my sister and I really were.
We found ourselves in the main room again where Smokescreen was waiting for us.
"Haha! You look so funny in those clothes." Smokescreen laughed.
"Well, they're way too big on me." I sighed.
"I can see that." Smokescreen said teasingly. I rolled my eyes at him. "Hey come look at my room. It's kinda awesome." He said.
"Alright then. I expect to be impressed to the point of muteness." I say.
"Well, you better take a sign language class cause it's just that cool." He smirked.
He picked me up and held me in his hand, walking down a hall. He stopped in front of a door and pushed it open. It was four walls, windowless, a bed, and a couple of storage lockers.
"This is pretty amazing." I tip my head up, seeing his face upside down. He rolled his eyes and set me on the bed, which was probably too small for him.
"It's good enough, but hey, this isn't the best part." He said, moving to the lockers. He turned his back to me for a moment and then I let out a yelp as his fist came barreling toward me. I squeezed my eyes shut just before impact, but there was nothing. I crack an eye open and see nothing but blackness. Was I dead?
Then, it's like someone switched the lights on. I can see everything. Especially Smokescreen's cocky grin.
"It's called a phase shifter. It allows me to pass through solid objects, or them through me." He shrugged. He demonstrated again using the lockers, waving a hand through them.
"That's awesome." I beam.
"I know right! The team let me have it cause I was so good with it. You should see me in battle when I've got this baby strapped to my wrist." He gives me a lopsided grin.
"I've had enough battle for today." I hum with a tired smile.
"Right." He sobers. "I'm sorry Ren. I shouldn't have taken you out there." He apologized.
"There's no need for you to be sorry. I'm alive and you're alive and I have something amazing I can tell my great grandkids and they'll think I'm senile." I say, making him smile a little.
"Okay partner." Smokescreen smiled.