Simply Fiction

by Neko no Dreama

The Decepticons return to face the Autobots twenty years after they lose at Mission City, yet they are not fighting alone. They are joined by a new race of humans that have been infused with their technology. It is no longer just their war...

3. Chapter Two

C h a p t e r - T w o

There, still in the stadium, each of them stood, though, it seemed as if time had halted, because, for the longest time, the only sound was the gentle rushing of wind against the ruin of the football field. Until, both Optimus and Bumblebee began to approach them once again, seeming unfazed by the horrendous battle they had previously endured.
El watched, wanting to simply run at that point after what she had seen. Each robot trying rip the other apart limb by limb. And yet, she could not move her feet as her throat suddenly dried and her body went numb from both the vision before her and the chill of the air.

Jay stood in her spot and glanced up at the giant robots that overshadowed her. "Hey, uh, giant robot that is not a giant bunny and used to be my truck...." she paused slightly to laugh at her statement, "How do I turn back into... well, me?"

For a moment, Optimus was not sure what to say, though, he knelt down so that he was a bit closer to Jay's face. He first corrected her by saying in his deep robotic voice, "My name is Optimus Prime...As for you resuming human form..." he paused to think over the matter for a moment, "I am overall, unfamiliar with the technology you're willing at this point, however, it is similar to our own species," he stopped and leaned up a bit, debating over the matter still on how to accomplish the challenge he'd been placed with.

A small whimper was pronounced from Jay's lips. "So... I'm stuck like this?" She asked as she looked at herself in the reflection of Optimus's armor.

Bumblebee then spoke up now, turning his head from El to Jay, "He didn't say that," he retorted simply, "We' are just...unsure of the matter of organic organisms bearing machinery, meaning 'Mechas'. You and El are part of a new species that's just recently been developed on your planet, so we don't know much about it yet."

Jay looked to El and arched an eyebrow. "Didn't your car just say the same thing my truck did? They don't know about this" (she held her arm up and examined it) "so they don't know how to get to turn back. So that means I'm stuck right? Or am I just imagining it all?" Jay asked her white eyes focused on El.

El returned Jay's gaze, and shrugged smiling uneasily, "I'm more concerned with the fact that he said I was the same thing as you..." she muttered, looking at her palm as if expecting for a mass of wires to ease out of her pores.

"Is no one concerned that I'm a freakin' half-metal freak now? And that I 'm AM STUCK LIKE THIS?" Jay muttered irritably as she crossed her metal arms, the touch on the substance send chills throughout the skin that was visible.

At her words, Optimus released a sigh (could robots sigh? apparently so). With this exhale his metal formed back into a truck before Jay, sliding his door open, while the radio pronounced Optimus's voice, "Get in. I'll explain everything to you on our way to your home."

Jay stood her ground and glared at her truck. "I will NOT go home looking like this!" she demanded with a childish pout. "You have seen how that family" (she said this word with a roll of her eyes and a distasteful sneer) "treats me already. They will have a damn field day with this."

There was a pause for a moment, before Optimus spoke again, "Then we will not go to your home. Where would you rather I drive you...?"

Jay looked to El a pleading look in her eyes. "Please tell me I am not going crazy and that my truck is asking where to take me without me having to drive..." she said in an almost whine. The information of the night seemed to have been taking a toll on her, making her confused as to what was reality and what was not.

El watched Jay for a moment, before looking up to Bumblebee, remembering how he had driven her here without even the slightest consent, "Right now...It doesn't seem entirely impossible. I mean, he did drive you here in the first place, right?"

"Um... I think so. I honestly was asleep the whole time. Last thing I remember was thinking about..." Jay trailed off and looked to Optimus. "Optimus, who where those... 'Mechas' that attacked the city earlier? Do you know?" she asked her confusion only growing.

"Omegas," Optimus answered swiftly, tuning the radio for a moment before speaking again, "The attack on the city was performed by their leader, Claire. As for the city's 'saviors', they're known as Alphas. Ironhide, our weapons specialist, has been monitoring them for some time. There are three of them. Claudia, their leader, Felicia, the medical officer, and Jacob, second in command."

"So... that was his name, huh? Jacob," Jay muttered calmly. "So that girl TK the one that left with the other giant robot. She was an Omega right?" she asked as she processed all the new knowledge.

This time, Bumblebee had answered. He nodded and began to explain, "Yes, there are four of the Omegas in total. Claire, TK, Anabella, and Afansy, but, they have joined for forces with the Decepticons, doubling their numbers."

Jay head bobbed in a nod and she looked to El who had been oddly quite. "You okay? You look a little pale," she muttered as she took a step toward El.

El lifted her head, and smiled uneasily, "One is the obvious fact that there's giant alien robots...Two, I'm apparently some sort of half machine half human...thing. And three...It's friggin freezing," she moaned in complaint.

Jay tilted her head. "I honestly didn't realize it was cold," she said simply and then smiled to El. "You should head home, I think you've had a little too much of an adventure for a high school student."

"And what about you?" El then asked, while during her statement Bumblebee went Camaro once again in agreement to Jay's request of returning home, "You're just going to stay here?"

"It won't be any different than what I've done before," Jay said, simply shrugging. "I just won't be actually going home until I can figure out how to be... me again."

El made a sigh and took one step toward Bumblebee, before halting once more and looking back to Jay, "Then...how about at my home?"

"I wouldn't want to bother you," Jay said meekly as she began to walk toward Optimus. "I'm sure Optimus won't mind me sleeping in here again. It hasn't bothered him before."

"But you can't just be on the run," muttered El as she now walked toward Jay, and grabbed her arm, but then recoiled back for a moment at the sudden singe of cold metal. She shook it off and began to speak again, looking up to Jay, "It won't be bother, I swear, and if you leave I'll feel guilty."

"You sure it wouldn't bother you to have me, a complete stranger, stay in your house?" Jay asked laughing slightly.

"Well...We're not much of strangers anymore, really, but if you want an introduction," El held out her hand and smiled, "Gabriella Dellon, former Witwicky, but I prefer 'El'."

Jay smiled slightly and hesitantly took El's hand. "Jay. If you couldn't tell, don't really like my name so I'm just Jay," she said meekly. Jay had never been much of a 'people person' so this simple experience was much like if she had gone to a new country.

El's smile broadened slightly, satisfied with this introduction, "All right, Jay," she said simply, before releasing Jay's chilled hand, "Now, would you like to have a nice warm bed to sleep in? Or do you prefer your truck?" she joked, smiling uneasily to Optimus, "No offense intended," she said softly.

"Well, it has actually been a while since I've actually slept in a bed," Jay muttered looking to the ground with a heavy sigh. She then glanced to Optimus, "And it must be rather annoying having to keep me warm all night. So I suppose I'll take you up on your offer."

"Thought so," El declared, her smile light and sincere, however, her pleasure was interrupted by the sudden impatient revving of Bumblebee's engine.

Jay looked over to Bumblebee and arched an eyebrow. "He always so impatient?" she asked shivering as the metal that covered her arms touched her tanned skin.

"I'm not exactly sure. Until tonight, I never knew he was even 'alive'," El laughed uneasily at this thought, taking a few steps toward Bumblebee.

"I always had a strange feeling that there was something odd about my truck. Guess I was right, huh?" Jay said jokingly as a smile crossed her lips. It soon faded as she looked back to the metal that covered her, and soon a sigh escaped her lips.

At this, El had turned her head back to Jay, and leaned against the side of the Camaro. Her expression fell for a moment, though, she regained her composure and stated hopefully, "Don't worry. It can't possibly be permanent."

"It's not that I'm worried it's permanent. I'm already a loner and considered a freak by my 'parents' and this would just give them more reason to pay attention to their real kids and shun me," Jay muttered as she stood next to the open door to Optimus's truck form.

"So...you're adopted too," El muttered, rather quietly, lifting her chin up a bit to her, before staring off to the ground.

"Too? So I'm guessing you don't fit in with your family either." Jay laughed slightly, "We're more alike than I thought."

El looked up to her and smiled then leaned her head against the yellow metal of the Camaro, "Well, my parents...They're okay, but...sometimes I feel they're more intrigued in their work then with me. They're scientists who work for the government. As for my original parents, well, I'm not really sure. They died in some sort of accident, is all I really know."

"I have no clue about my real parents, not even how they died. Just that I had them and now I don't," Jay said climbing into the cab of the truck before her after he revved his engine in a way to tell her to hurry.

El laughed gently, "...What is it with these alien cars being in such a rush?" At this, Bumblebee revved his engine in irritation, as he shoved his car door open.

"Maybe in space there is no such thing as patience," Jay muttered and rolled her eyes. "But I need to go and sneak into my house and get a few things that I cannot live without. I suppose Optimus already knows where you live seeing as his comrade it your car. So I'll get there somehow."

El nodded, "Sure. Just, when you come in, try to avoid my parents. Come on my balcony on the second floor," she stated simply.

"Got'cha," Jay muttered before her door slammed and Optimus's wheels spun sending the two forward into the night.

At this El, made a small laugh, before turning to look back at Bumblebee, debating whether or not she should go in, and so she asked as she leaned down before him, clutching onto the car door, "You aren't going to shove me in and lock the doors again, are you?"

Bumblebee simply revved his engine again and jerked forward an inch or so. "Only if you don't hurry and get in," he said through his radio speakers.

El shook her and stifled a small laugh, before sliding herself onto the leather seats with a sigh, as the door slammed shut behind her. The Camaro revved its engine and raced off to El's home, where she would wait for Jay to arrive and take refuge at her house.

- - -

Jay sat wide-awake on the upper corner of El's bed leaned against the wall. She clutched onto a blanket around her as she stared into space. He mind was whizzing with thoughts of what had happened the night before. These thoughts resulted in Jay not being able to sleep comfortably. She still hadn't learned how to regain her human self so the metal that plagued her skin was still glistening in the pale light. Jay let out a heavy sigh and leaned her head against the wall careful not to puncture it as she had almost done before due to a strange new bout of immense strength that filled her.

Along the bed a gentle breathing was pronounced, with the blankets kicked off most of her tiny figure, El's body was sprawled along the bed, her short black hair brushed against her cheeks in an unkempt manner. She still kept her same clothes from last night with her green fluffy robe draped loosely along her frame. For a moment, she did not stir, though at sudden shift of her body the light of the sun crept through her gentle white drapes, the luminosity gleaming onto her face. Her eyes squinted and a moan escaped her lips. She yawned gently, her eyes shut for a moment as she muttered, "...crazy dream..." She lifted her head up, glowering at the sun. Again, she yawned and lifted her body up, rubbing her eyes, then set her hands down to her side, opening her eyes. Her heart jumped a beat and she squealed quietly at the sight of Jay, not quite expecting her to be at the end of her bed, as she backed up to the edge of her bed, "...a-all right...So maybe it wasn't a dream," she whispered to herself, before looking back to Jay, "Er...Not that I really care, but what are you doing in here? You're room across the hall, remember...?"

"I couldn't sleep. So I was just trying to take the little kid approach and stay in here. But it didn't help much either," Jay said as she hid the metal on her body the best she could. "I honestly didn't get a wink of sleep last night..."

El repositioned herself upon the bed, closing her robe across her soft breasts. She rubbed her eyes, "Oh, all right..." she muttered, a bit uneasy still, "...Y'know, you don't have to cover up that armor in front of me."

"I know... But it makes me feel better about it," murmured Jay. She sighed heavily and relaxed a little as she let out a long yawn.

"Maybe you should try to sleep again," El suggested, a bit concerned after she had heard the yawn emitted from Jay's lips, "I can fix you up something to eat that'll put you to bed easily, if you want."

"I've tried countless times, but I just can't. There're too many things going through my head right now for me to be able to relax and sleep," Jay muttered pulling her knees up to her chest hugging them.

El let out a sigh and then approached Jay at the edge of the bed, leaning over a bit, staring at the metal that embedded her skin, before looking to Jay directly, "This...may seem bizarre, but what temperature do you normally run?"

"Around 91.2 degrees, why?" asked Jay looking at El tilting her head slightly.

El smiled lightly, "...Because, that's the exact temperature I run," she laughed gently, "I've had appointments with doctors and once they figure out my temperature, they always think I'm going to die a week later, but I guess this whole 'Mecha' thing finally explains it, huh?"

"I suppose, but y'know it's finally nice to meet someone who actually has stuff in common with me," Jay said smiling at El. "I've always wanted a little sister."

At this, El's face brightened like a small child, and she nodded with an honest innocence about her smile, "That makes two of us...er, 'big sis'," she muttered, laughing gently at the term.

Jay's smile brightened as she watched El. She then lifted her hand and stared at it. "I wonder what the other Mechas, the good ones, are like," she muttered looking up to the ceiling her white eyes filled with wonder.

El sighed a bit at this and crossed her legs, and with bewilderment, she trailed her finger down the side of Jay's metal arm as she muttered softly, "Well, I'd think we'd find out eventually. Now that we're one of them, well, you are anyway, but I'm apparently bound to follow."

Jay laughed slightly as El said this. "I suppose. I'm rather eager to find out more about this Jacob..." she said resting her chin on her knee.

At the name El cringed and shook her head faintly, her finger running along the wire about Jay's upper arm, "...He's probably just an ordinary guy. He doesn't seem so special."

Jay shrugged slightly and closed her eyes. "Who knows. But those Mechas, yesterday in the city. They were amazing. I'd never seen anything more powerful, or at least until last night with the 'giant robots that weren't giant bunnies'."

A small laugh was emitted El's lips and she stared at the armor still that engulfed Jay's body, the shimmering pink, glossy against her hair, "and now you're one of them..."

"Yeah, but I'm nowhere near as strong yet. They were in complete control of everything. Every aspect of their power. I can't even turn back," Jay said, muttering the last part irritably.

"Maybe Optimus and Bumblebee can help," El suggested softly, "Mechas are part of their own technology, just with a human touch."

"But, maybe I can't turn back until something special happens," Jay said simply thinking out loud. "Maybe when we meet the other Mechas they can help."

El tilted her head now, "Where would they be, though?"

"How should I know? I'm just trying to make myself feel better about this whole half metal freak thing." Jay let out a heavy sigh. She then laughed slightly, "I don't think I've ever talked with anyone this much before in my entire life."

El laughed timidly at this matter, her strokes of black hair dancing at her cheeks, "Neither have I. I'm sort of considered the school nerd...'nuff said..."

"Well... I never actually got to finish school, and so I've been pretty much a loner ever since I went to stay with my family," Jay said meekly. She laughed slightly uneasily, "I haven't had much social interaction at all so I'm surprised I'm even able to talk so comfortably now."

El grinned, "You're surprisingly easy to talk to you, yourself..." she muttered, and after a pause she looked back up to Jay, "So, how'd you manage to own a large semi truck like Optimus, anyway?"

"It's for my job. My 'parents' forced me to get one and I'm stuck delivering food for a catering business," said Jay with a shrug. "I guess I should call in. I can't really go to work like this. And I was supposed to train the new guy and show him the ropes."

A small chortle was produced from El's lips, "Feel free to use my phone over there," she said simply as she now got herself off the bed and wandered to the closed glass doors leading to the balcony. She clutched the drapes and pulled them back slightly to see the usual golden Camaro in its usual stance in the driveway supposedly sleeping. She laughed gently and looked back to Jay, "catering, huh?" she muttered softly, in an attempt to make conversation, "I got Bumblebee through inheritance." (she laughed), "Instead of money for school they give me a giant alien robot..."

"Hey that works I guess," Jay said as she laid out on El's bed, exhaustion filling her.

El sighed and smiled a bit, turning around entirely now, as she shut the drapes behind her to block the sunlight, "I suppose," she muttered, but then took a breath and smiled, "Whaddya say we search for these Alph's today...?"

Jay held no answer to this question as this conversation had served as just enough of a distraction from her hectic thoughts to let her lose consciousness momentarily. As Jay slept her body subtly changed into its original state. All the metal and visible skin returning to the clothes and scarred skin that it once held.

At this, El had stared, watching from across the room. For a moment, she could not breath, merely entranced by the transformation. Bits of illumination fell from the drapes and upon Jay's body, where the metal no longer shined and instead the complexion of her exotic skin. El straightened her body and smiled, whispering gently to the sleeping Jay, "...I guess there really is no need now..."

---

Jacob sat lounged out in a reclining chair. The metal on his body was gone and replaced with simple flesh and clothing. His white eyes gazed at the ceiling as his short hair, now tipped in a deep pink that was almost red, brushed his forehead. His mind was swimming with thoughts of the previous days. With the visions of the girl that stared so intently at him. The thoughts of the one and only Jasmine Alyssa Young.

Strolling into the room with a small PDA in her hand, Claudia's face was one of a serious tone as she punched letters and numbers into the small device in her hand. As she walked casually through the room, her now human body was douse in usual clothing and her currently pitch black hair swaying behind her in loose curls. She then lifted her head as her eyes caught sight of Jacob, "...Shouldn't you be tracking the Omegas?"

"Nah. We have nothing to worry about now," Jacob said simply as he shrugged. A playful smirk was spread across his lips as he looked to Claudia.

Claudia groaned gently at this and punched a few more numbers into her PDA, "How you ever got a higher ranking then Felicia I'll never know..." she shuddered and shook her head, irritated.

"Because I can actually fight; though she has her uses too, I guess," Jacob said smugly, his smirk never fading.

"You are hopeless," murmured Claudia as she took a seat upon the scarlet couch opposite from Jacob, "I honestly don't understand you, sometimes, Jacob and what is this sudden fascination you have, lately? I'm assuming it's something...You seem more conserved since that meeting with Claire yesterday."

"A new Mecha that's what," Jacob said clearly his smirk growing.

Claudia lifted her head at the word. She stared intently at Jacob and she lifted an eyebrow, "Felicia's been picking up similar readings as well. Do you have any information on them? Name? Gender? Blood type?"

"Jasmine Alyssa Young. Female. O," Jacob said simply as if these bits of information had been known for years. "She's eighteen almost nineteen. Birthday May twenty-fifth. Height 5'4". Weight 115 lbs. Do I need to tell you her hair and eye color too?" he asked with a smirk.

Claudia shook her head at this, her black hair swaying, "We'll be able to find her by her molecular compilation. This Jasmine shouldn't be too hard to find, especially in this city. So, did you manage to find her location?"

"No. She was staying with a family just outside of the city, but she's left there for some reason," Jacob said his eyes fixed on the ceiling.

"You mean like you ditched your family?" Claudia then brought up, looking back to her PDA as she dialed in the information she had been given for this new Mecha.

Jacob cringed and glared at Claudia. "Now, there was no reason to bring that up," he muttered grumbling.

Claudia looked up to him and shook her head, "Fine. I'll keep quiet, but I'd like you to stop daydreaming about this girl and let Felicia and I handle it, while you continue to track down Claire."

"Hey, I'm not daydreaming about her," Jacob said defensively. "You make it sound like she's a long lost lover or something, damn."

A small laugh was emitted from her lips, "That's because you are making it seem like that..."

"Well it's not like that, sheesh," Jacob muttered rolling his eyes. He then muttered something under his breath about family or something along those lines.

"Then how is it like?" Claudia then asked, leaning over as she cross her legs.

"That is for me to know and you not to find out," Jacob said smirking at Claudia.

At this, Claudia grimaced and stood, clutching her PDA, "You know...You're not worth my energy. I have to go and find this Jasmine."

Jacob stood as well and smirked brightly at Claudia stepping closer to her. "You know you don't mean that," he said in a smooth, melodic tone.

Claudia rolled her eyes and stretched out her arm, placing her hand on his face, "Just stop it, Jacob...I don't want to deal with you, today. I have a Mecha to find."

Jacob just smirked and brought his hand up to her arm gently running his fingers down her arm. "But, Claudia, you have no choice but to deal with me. Second in Command, remember?" he muttered and then took Claudia's hand from his face and gently held it smirking.

A groan of detest and loathing was pronounced from her lips as Claudia's arm (the one in which Jacob held) formed into a cannon of one sort. It started at her elbow and ran to where the nibs of her fingers used to be, while the remainder of her body was still set as 'human'. Beams of illumination began to be loaded at the edge of her limb/gun as she looked to Jacob seriously, "I've already shot you twice this week, Jacob...Do I honestly have to do it again?"

"Well, third times a charm," Jacob said cockily, as he grinned at Claudia.

Claudia scowled gently at him and groaned, pulling back her arm to her side as it resumed its usual human physique. She then lifted her head at the sound of footsteps. Felicia had entered. There she stood, rather confused for a moment (and rather human as well) before speaking, as her short chestnut hair swayed at the sighed of her face, "I hope I'm not intruding."

Jacob's grin widened as he pranced over to Felicia and seized both her hands into his. "Felicia! You aren't interrupting anything," he said in a melodic, yet seductive tone, as he leaned in his face less than a foot away form the petite Felicia's.

Felicia blinked and stared at him strangely, raising both her eyebrows in silence, though, her attention was then thrown to the PDA that smashed suddenly against the back of Jacob's head.

Jacob instantly let go of Felicia and grabbed the back of his head. "What the hell was that for Claudia?!" he asked his head throbbing.

Claudia could not help but smile lightly at this, "For giving me some amusement...First in command, remember?" she mocked simply as she now straightened herself.

Jacob growled slightly and stalked back to his chair and sat down. "Fine... be that way," he murmured and glared at the wall.

At this, Claudia felt a tone of satisfaction fill her body, as she then turned to Felicia and answered her earlier question, "No, you are not intruding. What is it, Felicia?"
Felicia strolled across the room to a small computer positioned on the desk and took a seat, pulling a cord from her pocket and connecting it the machine before her, while pulling the other hand in her palm, "I've found the precise location of the Mecha we've been sensing. I heard Jacob title her as 'Jasmine', I believe."

"You've found her?" Jacob asked his mood lighting up slightly, as his usual cocky grin returned to him lips.

Felicia nodded, her eyes focused upon the monitor that now sprung to life as Felicia clutched the end of the cord now in her fist. She closed her eyes for a moment then reopened them the same moment the screen went to a small map of the state they resided in. It began to zoom in to a particular location as Felicia began to speak, "Yes, she resides with an inactive Mecha twenty miles from here."
"Who is the inactivated Mecha?" Claudia questioned, now standing over Felicia and watching the screen as it now narrowed in on a particularly large house (or possibly a mansion would be a better term), and area began to blink red.
"The inactive Mecha is known as Gabriella Dellon; though, I did not find much on her until I discovered her former family name before she was adopted. At birth, her name had been Gabriella Witwicky," Felicia explained, the words flowing swiftly from her lips.

"Witwicky? Wasn't that the name of the boy that saved the world from the evil robots?" Jacob asked, as he took a spot behind Claudia resting his head on her shoulder as he looked at the screen.

Felicia nodded once more, "Yes. His daughter apparently, but he and his wife passed away over five years ago, now. Gabriella was put up for adoption and is now with the Dellon family and, surprisingly, she received one of these robots through inheritance. It is, of course, disguised as a human automobile, but, I was able to recognize the technology for more then just a car."
"What do the two of you suggest we do with these two, then?" Claudia now spoke, her voice soft, as she ignored Jacob along her shoulder.

"I say we go get them and have them join us before the Omegas do," Jacob said sneaking his hands onto Claudia's waist. "We could use a few more pretty faces around here." Jacob smirked widely as he spoke these words.

At the touch, Claudia grimaced and quickly jabbed her elbow against Jacob's rigid stomach, "Keep your tongue in your mouth, Jacob..."

Jacob instantly recoiled and clutched his stomach. "Why are you so abusive? And it really hurts when you hit...." he said in a small pout.

"Like I said...tongue in mouth, please," Claudia responded coolly. She now straightened her frame again and began to stroll from the room, though stopped short before she had left, "We leave in an hour and Jacob...please - for me - behave yourself."

An 'innocent' grin crossed Jacob's lips. "When do I ever not behave?" he asked with a small wink in Claudia's direction.

Claudia shuddered at the action, and hurriedly, at this point, left the room.
At this, Felicia looked from the monitor to Jacob before muttering, "...I'm leaving, too..." she unplugged the small cord (the monitor going blank) and stuffed into her pocket and stood, motioning to exit as well. She did not once wish to be alone with Jacob, dreading the consequences were they the only two left.

Jacob blinked and let out a small pout. "No one loves me anymore... They're all going to leave me," he muttered but then smirked. "Jay and El will surely give me a little attention when we find them."

---

Along the city, the tracking had been set along the city for this one particular Mecha; sensors going haywire due to the particular focusing. Still, this did not interfere with ordinary life, or how ordinary it could possibly be with the new technology that had been discovered. The illumination of the sun rose into the sky, pacing slowly till it hit the afternoon as the rays of heat blanketed the city and people within it. The golden Camaro came to halt upon the driveway, a small squeal emitted from underneath its rigid tires as its engine purred to silence. With the door opening without need of human assistance, El exited as she positioned her bag along her shoulder and shut the door behind her in silence. She looked up to her balcony, perched high against the building as the radiance of the sun shone along the white stone. Lifting her chin up a bit, El strolled casually into her house with no interaction with her parents as she continued to her bedroom to find Jay still sprawled along her bed in slumber. El laughed gently and chunked her bag upon the floor and positioned herself at her desk to begin this evening's homework assignments.

Jay stirred slightly as she rolled over to her side so she was facing away from El. She let out a small groan as her peaceful sleep began to break and consciousness began to resurface; yet Jay wasn't quite ready to let it fade completely just yet.

At this, El looked over her shoulder from the laptop she worked upon. She gave a small sigh and stood, strolling over to Jay simply. She leaned over and poked her shoulder with curiosity, staring at Jay and tilting her head, "You awake in there...?"

"Unwillingly...." Jay stated simply as she grabbed a pillow and pulled in over her eyes, letting out a tired groan.

El smiled and laughed gently, "I'm guessing you haven't looked at the mirror yet, huh?"

"How could I? I've been dead since... Wait when did I fall asleep?" Jay asked as she sat up rubbing her eyes and yawning gently.

"Long enough for me to go to school and back," El retorted, sitting now at the edge of the bed and she messed with her undone tie around her neck.

"Oh... Wow. I must have been tired. But... Why do I need to look in a mirror? Did I drool or something?" Jay asked as she stood up stretching out as she did so.

El merely grinned at her words, her expression brightening, "No, no - nothing like that," she began and stood from the bed hurrying to her dresser and rummaging through its belongings until she pulled out a scarlet mirror. She then resumed her spot upon the bed and held up the mirror to Jay with a smile.

Jay arched an eyebrow and took the mirror looking intently at her reflection. "I'm me again!" she exclaimed happily, but then she pouted softly. "That means I have to go home now that I'm human again."

El pulled the mirror back now into her lap and nodded faintly, "Er...yah. I guess you can go home. I mean, if you want," she muttered awkwardly, not taking this part into consideration as she ran a hand timidly through her hair.

"Do you not want me to go home or something? Cause I would gladly stay here," Jay said smiling at El. "I'm eighteen. I mean I'm old enough to leave my family legally."

El looked to the side for a moment, but then back to Jay, a smile creeping to her lips, "Well, I wasn't suggesting that, but it is a bit lonely around here. So, you prefer to stay with someone you've known for barely a day?"

"El, I feel like I know you better than I know that thing I'm forced to call a brother just because my 'parents' actually had him," Jay said smiling. "So I really would rather stay here than go there."

El's expression once more brightened, and she would have gone out for an embrace, but she preferred not to let Jay feel awkward. Instead she simply said, with a wide grin, "Thank you, Jay."

Jay grinned as well and held her middle and index finger in the shape of a 'v'. "Any time, El."

A sudden whirring was then pronounced in a high squeal just outside El's balcony window. El grimaced at the sound, now staring at the glass doors that separated her room for the outside, "...Do you hear that?"

Jay blinked and tilted her head as she stood and walked over to the balcony, moving the drapes aside to give her easier access to view the balcony. Jay's eyes widened and she let out a small yelp as she shot from the balcony and behind El as a large boom sounded from outside.

At the sudden pronouncement that echoed against the walls, waving against the room as a small vibration was felt at the same moment of this 'boom'. Within the same moment it was punctuated along the atmosphere, it had vanished. At this El stood speechless her hands loose and shaking at her sides. Her throat was dry as she watched the drifting white drapes as the wind brushed against the material, "...what...was that?" she stammered, in an almost inaudible manner, quivering upon the matter.

"I'm not sure. It looked kinda like a bomb. Sounded like it too," Jay murmured her breathing heavy as she stared at the once perfect balcony.

El debated whether to step forward or not, but, she soon ceased her movement as a voice was pronounced through the dancing drapes, "Jacob...I said inconspicuously! Not blow up her house!"

"That was inconspicuous, Claudia," answered another, yet cocky, voice.
Jay blinked and stepped toward the balcony. "Um... Don't think it was a bomb..."

El, however, had stayed put by her bed, clutching the end of her bed as she stood, the gentle wood still not calming her stature as she watched a small Mecha emerge from behind the drapes. One, based upon a computer mouse - Felicia. Looking up with her large lavender eyes, her eyelashes fluttering from the sun that peaked from the now exposed outdoors and balcony, which was now presented as a small 'cliff' of rigid stone, rather then a balcony at this point. Felicia clutched the fabric of the drapery and looked from Jay to El, then over her shoulder to two other figures just beyond sight, "On a positive note...both Mechas have been located - active and non."
Claudia followed behind Felicia at this point, taking her place beside her. She looked to both Jay and El, her armor shining in the illumination of the sparkling sun. She then bowed deeply, her hair sliding off her back and shoulders. Claudia then lifted her head partially, her body still arched toward the ground, "I apologize for the destruction of your balcony. I am Claudia, leader of the Alphas." she then motioned her head toward Felicia, "And this is our medical officer, Felicia." (Felicia curtseyed slightly), "And the destroyer of your balcony would be Jacob, second in command. Again, I am sorry for the inconvenience. We'll fix it as soon as possible."

"Claudia, I didn't mean to destroy the balcony so just drop it," Jacob muttered as he walked into the room grinning cockily his armor a bit scuffed from the collision, yet still shimmering. He looked to Jay and El his grin growing.
Jay tensed as she saw Jacob, a sense of familiarity about him. "Whoa, dude, no need to be thinking things like that about El," she muttered glaring at Jacob, not realizing her own words.

At this, they each stared at Jay for a moment, analyzing her words. However, Jacob seemed amused upon this matter and leaned against the wall, crossing his arms, and brought a finger to his temple, "Figures...Twin telepathy, of all things. That's just not fair... and you can think of better ways to torment me then that, Jasmine."

Jay cringed as she heard her name. "Don't call me that," she threatened her eyes narrowing. "And what do you mean 'twin telepathy'?" Jay asked in confusion as she started at Jacob.

Jacob laughed gently and muttered firmly, "Oh nothing, nothing at all."
Felicia then looked from Jacob to Jay, "...Jacob Alex Young...Jasmine Alyssa Young," she muttered gently as she put together the words, "...of course...I should've been able to match the DNA analysis, as well."

Jay looked to Felicia and arched an eyebrow. She then shook her head and returned to glaring at Jacob.

However, Claudia was piecing together then information. She too now glowered upon Jacob, motioning toward Jay, "Jacob...Is this the sister you've always told everyone was dead?"

"Yeah. Guess she's not dead, after all," Jacob said grinning at Jay. He then looked to Claudia and smirked. "Didn't you even begin to wonder how I knew so much about her?"

Claudia simply raised her eyebrows and looked back to Jay as if to analyze her every feature, "I actually thought you were doing your research for once..." she muttered, but then groaned.

"And I would've thought you would think it was odd she had my birthday and age, as well. You're slipping Claudia," Jacob said as he slinked over to Claudia gently sneaking his arm around her waist.

At this motion, Claudia glowered upon him, "Don't make me shoot you again..." she muttered.

Jay glared at Jacob as he did this. "Oh please let me. That mind of his is driving me up the wall. Is there anyway to turn it off? Permanently?" she said as her glare grew, the tidbit of information she'd received not sinking in yet.

Claudia then shoved Jacob's body from her, her hand set dangerously close to Jacob's neck, "Believe me, many have tried," she said, taking a step away from Jacob.
As this incident continued, El stood by her bed still, the death grip upon her the wood of her bed dangerously close to snapping the material, as she looked to Jacob as her heart sank in a hush.

Jacob looked to El and flashed her a cocky grin. "Long time no see, El, huh?" he asked as he stepped closer to her, only to have Jay step in between the two.

Both Claudia and Felicia stared intently to this action, wondering when Jacob's little reunions would end. El, however, now cowered behind Jay, moving her hands so they were now set against Jay's back, entangled in the long pink hair. Her heart sank a bit at the very sound of Jacob's voice, as she rested her head against Jay, secreting herself.

"Stay away from her, Jacob," Jay threatened. "You may be my brother, but I'm gonna let you near her again." Jay growled slightly her white eyes seeming to flicker with rage as memories of her past returned to her.

At this, both Claudia and Felicia shifted their eyes from the cowering El to Jacob. Specifically Claudia as she narrowed her eyes firmly upon Jacob, " 'again'...?"
Jacob looked back and merely shrugged with a small grin plastered to his lips.

"Jacob don't you dare play it off like nothing happened," Jay said threateningly as she glared at Jacob just daring him to come closer to the two.

"Would you stop invading my mind, already?" muttered Jacob, raising his eyebrows, looking back to Jay, "Damn telepathy...And I didn't say 'nothing' happened."

"And I'm not invading your mind. You're the one thinking loud enough for the whole damn world to hear," Jay muttered her hands clenched into fists.

"Not the 'whole damn world', Jasmine. Only you, apparently, so quite the eavesdropping," Jacob stated simply, now looking down at her from under his strands of black and startling reddish pink hair.

"Don't call me 'Jasmine' you of all people should know that I don't like being called that," Jay muttered cringing at the name. "And you're one to talk, I'm sure you've heard every thought I've had since you walked into this room."

"But I haven't yelled them out to the world, have I?" retorted Jacob, tilting his head a bit as his hair swayed against his cheeks at the action.

"I'm sure you would if you could," Jay muttered, her eyes locked with her brother's.

"But I'm not," Jacob declared then, taking a step toward Jay so that he now had to tilted his head down a bit more to match Jay's piercing gaze.

Jay growled slightly and raised her hand to Jacob's neck, yet instead of her long slender fingers, there was a shimmering cannon that began to glow as it touched Jacob's chin. "I don't know how I managed that, but I can work with it. Back down or I will blow your head off, brother dearest."

Jacob merely grinned upon this matter as the cold metal caressed his skin. A moment later, Jacob's hand was pressed against Jay's stomach as it formed into his own form of cannon, as he said playfully "Cool it, huh? How about a truce?"

Jay let out a frustrated growl and reluctantly pulled her hand from Jacob's chin, but kept her cannon pointed toward him. "Just keep those thoughts of yours as thoughts and we have a truce," she muttered her eyes still locked with Jacob's.

Jacob paused for a moment before answering, pulling his arm to his side as his arm formed back into its usual human limb. He then looked from El, grinning partially, before looking back to Jay, "Isn't that up to El?"
At this manner, El cringed, still resting her head against Jay's back; however, she clutched her hand nervously around a few strands of Jay's hair, being careful not to pull at it with her timid hands.

"I'd think her actions would be good enough," Jay said simply as she reached behind her with her arm, which too was back to its normal state, and gently clutched onto El's arm. "I thought all those memories before the fire were gone, but thanks to you" (she glared at her brother) "they came back."

At this point Claudia had her hand clutched about the back of Jacob's head as her eyes were narrowed in a scowl, "What, in the world, have you done this time, Jacob...?"

Jacob winced slightly and glanced back to Claudia, grinning still. "This was all in the past and it should be kept like that."

"It's not 'past' anymore, once its been brought up and argued about," Claudia responded simply, "Now what have you done?"
Before Jacob could respond, El spoke up quietly from behind Jay, her voice shaking a bit as the words were presented through the tensed atmosphere, "Jacob and I...Before his 'accident', back when he wasn't part of your team...We used to be an item," she muttered, though, grimaced at the word 'item', "But once he was a...'Mecha', he had left me, because I was merely 'human'..."

"And now I'm assuming that he knows she a Mecha, so he's going to try and get back with her," Jay muttered glaring at Jacob. "If I know my brother like I hope I do. But then again, why should I know him since he's ditched me for the past few years."

Jacob took this to offense at this point, "What? I honestly thought that fire killed you off!" he defended himself.

"You didn't even think to try and see if I really was dead?" Jay asked offended herself.

"No one survived that fire, Jasmine! Why would I even think you did as well?" Jacob instantly retorted.

"Because of that little assumption I've had to live with a family that made it seem like I didn't exist or matter," Jay muttered her voice cracking slightly. "You need to learn what the say about assumptions."

"Yah, I'm sure," muttered Jacob a bit too quickly, though, his voice was low as it was more of a comment to someone unseen, he then lifted his head and smirked, "But asses aside..." he then trailed off to the sound of a revving engine just outside, positioned under the ruined balcony along the lawn.

"El, I think your car came to the rescue," Jay muttered her voice now clear once more. She looked from Jacob to the ruined balcony as Bumblebee appeared in full robot form, peering into the window.

At this El made a small groan, having nearly forgotten her alien Camaro that had been parked along her driveway during all the commotion. Hesitantly, she released her body from Jay and quickly shoved her way passed Jacob, being careful to not even take a glance upon him. She reached the window and opened it, leaning forward out of it and upon Bumblebee, "What...what are you doing?" she stammered, still a bit shaken from the entire Jacob incident, as she rubbed her eye with one hand, "Someone can see you."

"What destroyed your balcony?" Bumblebee asked ignoring El's statement. He glanced past her and at the group with in the room, tilting his head slightly.

El was in a hush as she then looked toward the direction Bumblebee glanced at. At the sight of Jacob and his cocky grin, she shuddered, "No one that's even worth mentioning," she muttered quietly, then looking back to Bumblebee as she crossed her arms upon the windowsill and rested her head there.

"El, are you okay?" Bumblebee asked, talking note of her odd behavior.
A nod was declared from El's actions, as she shifted her vision to the side being able to spot Jacob from the corner of her eye, "Yah, just had an inconvenient blast from the past."

Jay shot Jacob as glare she pushed past him as well. "There is no need to worry, Bumblebee, the people who caused all the commotion are friends. One of them just got a little careless," she muttered glancing back to her brother.

El then looked back and forth from Jacob to Bumblebee, and a devilish idea crossed her mind. After all, how well could a small Mecha be able to manage against a seventeen-foot robot? El, then spoke up, her eyesight along Bumblebee, as she smiled lightly, "Hey, Bumble.… can you-"
She was then cut off by Felicia's sudden words, "I've just detected a Mecha in the distance and she, I believe, is not on our side."

Jacob grinned, "Where's she at? I could use a little stress relief after this wonderful little reunion."

"The south side of the city. Not an Omega, but she is in a class of her own and possibly just as dangerous," Felicia remarked coolly.

Jay thought for a minute over the possibilities of where the Mecha could be. "Where exactly is she at?" she asked tilting her head and looking to Felicia.

Felicia concentrated along this matter for a moment before answering, "South part of the city, running down Jade Avenue to the corner of Eastway and Broak."

"That's around where I work..." Jay muttered to herself and then side heavily. "I can't very well have my source of money destroyed. So, uh, since I'm new at this how do I willingly turn into a Mecha?"

At this, Claudia was first to respond, taking a step toward Jay and began to explain, her voice smooth as silk as the words were pronounced, "You have to visualize it in your mind. The Mecha gene is linked to the visual part of the mind. To activate the gene, you must imagine your body changing and picture it clearly in your head," she held up her hand to demonstrate, it formed into a cannon and glowed at the edges, and then returned it back to its usual human like limb.

Jay nodded and closed her eyes to make visualizing what she wanted to do much easier. With in a few moments Jay's body began to change until she was once more in her Nintendo DS based armor. Jay opened her eyes and grinned. "This is so cool," she muttered looking herself over.

Upon this remark, both Claudia and Felicia smiled with a gentle laugh, however, Jacob held a cocky grin once again as he looked at the dazzling pink armor that was adorned along Jay's skin, "Figures it'd be so revealing," he noted as he leaned again El's dresser, "Don't you feel a bit of draft?"

Jay looked to Jacob and glared at him. "You better watch your mouth, Jacob," she murmured pointing her arm at Jacob forming it into a cannon. "You seem to forget I'm a fast learner."

"Yah, yah. Now put that thing away before you shoot your eye out," Jacob remarked with a shrug, now straightening his body.

Jay rolled her eyes and looked to Claudia and Felicia. "Can we just hurry and leave before you end up with one less member?" Jay asked shooting her brother a glare.

Claudia instantly nodded upon this, "Yes, we should be on our way. This, Jay, will be quite a good practice for you," she smiled now and made her way outside to the edge of the balcony, Felicia at her side.
El now looked up at Jay, sitting at the window's edge, "So, I guess I'm stuck here alone, huh?" she remarked softly, with an uneasy laugh.

"Well, you'd kinda be in the way, but don't worry I'll come back when we're through," Jay said smiling at El.

"Figured as much. I'd say 'don't kill yourself', but I wouldn't think there'd be need to worry," El retorted with a mutter and slunk down so she sitting with her head rested against the windowsill. She sighed lightly and looked to Bumblebee from over her shoulder and out the window, "Guess it's just you and me, Bumble."

"Actually," Bumblebee began, "Optimus ordered me to investigate these Mechas, so I have to go too."

At this El's expression fell and she stood once again and leaned out the window to look at Bumblebee with her clearly offended expression, "You're leaving me, too?" a moan then escaped her lips as she slunk back to her knees with one of her arms bent along the window sill, while the other dangled out the side into the outside air. She tilted her head and lied it upon the windowsill, with disappointment written along her chocolate eyes, "Why's everyone have to just go and leave me behind today...?""

Jay looked to El and laughed slightly. "El, don't worry. I'll finish off this Mecha soon and be back," Jay said playfully.

"Yah, you better," El muttered as she looked back to Jay, still slinked by the windowsill.

Claudia then looked back to the two, "Please, hurry up, Jay. The Mecha just tore down a street light in the middle of a four way intersection..."

Jay looked to Claudia and nodded. She bowed slightly and grinned. "Lead the way, then," she muttered and straightened up.

Claudia retorted with a smile and nodded, she leaned down a bit over the edge of the cliff of white rubble, and then jumped. Her hair danced behind her as she came to the ground in a ridiculously graceful manner; her armor was illuminated in the precious light as she touched the sea of green blades below. Then, Claudia jutted herself forward, pressing her foot against the house and took off with incredible speed. Only a faint silhouette was discovered as her body was pushed through the force of the wind that was declared about her frame. Felicia did the same action. Jumping and then racing like a ghost into the distance beside Claudia. Then, Jacob did the same, though, not before he flashed El a smile to reveal his sparkling teeth and, he as well, soon faded into the distance.

Jay watched the trio run for a while and then stood on the edge of the rubble cliff. After a few moments of deliberation she simply lunged from the cliff and landed in a run on the ground, and despite her lagging behind she quickly caught up to her new team in less than a few seconds.

Within the city, a billow of smoke was presented just at the corner of Eastway and Broak Street, just as Felicia had predicted. The gentle gray clouds swam up within the air, from the source of a massacred tour bus. It sat in rubbles, the flames crackling along the edges of the material. At the tip of the bus, a girl sat, her legs crossed casually as she leaned back, one arm upon the burning bus, and another out and forward, presented as a glistening cannon. The Mecha that had been detected. Her long scarlet and golden hair shimmered in the reflection of the dancing flames, as her liquid gold eyes glanced around the destruction she had caused. Her armor was designed after a black laptop, though, it was surprising how dangerous a simple computer could be. She lifted her head to look at her work and shot another set of flares from her cannon to the corner of a building and laughed gently to her self, "This is just too easy..."

Another set of flares was fired from somewhere beyond the Mecha, mixing with the shots she had produced, neutralizing them. "Can't you people learn... things aren't ever easy," muttered Jacob as he smirked toward the newly appeared Mecha.

The Mecha groaned and leaned over, and set her head in her hand as her limb formed back into an arm, "Oi...Alpha, right? Omega's told me about you guys...So, are you really as tough as they say?" she responded coolly, as though Jacob did not threaten her in the least.

A sudden spark of dancing scarlet neon flares were shot against the Mecha's back, shoving her off the edge of the bus (though, she landed easily along the ground). She looked behind her with a snarl, as her eyes caught Claudia now standing where she had once sat. Her cannon pointed at her, "Yes. We are."

Jay appeared next to Jacob and looked at the Mecha, tilting her head slightly. "So, finding a bit of pleasure in blowing things up, aren't we?" she asked as she looked around to the chaotic scene. "I promise you there are better ways of stress relief."

The Mecha simply laughed and shrugged, "None that suite my interest...So tell me, before you send me back to the asylum that I came from, a bit of an introduction. Here, I'll start," she bowed teasingly, smirking as her ruby lips glistened, "My name is Ivana Anastasiya Elena..." (She then paused and quickly straightened herself up as both her arms formed into cannons as she pointed one in each direction) "And I'm going to put you all through hell and back!" at the end of her words, intimidating flames were shot from the pits of the cannons toward both Claudia as well as Jacob and Jay.

Claudia easily sidestepped to the side, and jumping onto the rubble positioned just beside the bus. She shot duel flares from both her arms now. They spiraled toward Ivana, however, she too had jerked herself from harms way, ducking onto the ground and arching her back so that she looked similar to a pouncing feline.

Jay watched this scene enfold before her, and when she turned back to face before her she let out a small yelp as she realized that the other blast Ivana had fired was headed toward her. Jay froze; the reaction needed buried deep within this rookie. She simply stood in her place staring as the dazzling flare neared her.

The damage had never come however, instead there was a small wince emitted from the human shield presented before Jay. Jacob stood, leaning over partially, as his stomach was gouged deeply from the shot, the armor and flesh singed and burned around the edges. His muscles were tense now as he looked over his shoulder to Jay, "Dammit, Jasmine! I realize this is your first time in battle, but you can at least stay focused!"

Jay was brought back to reality as this occurred. "Oh! I'm sorry, Jacob," she muttered as she looked to her brother then to Ivana. "If this is what her weapon can do to you, then... let us see what it can to do her." Jay held up her hand and duplicated the cannon that Ivana had used just moments before. She aimed carefully and waited for her target to pause slightly in her movement and fired.

The flare darted forward spiraling in a magnificent form as the sparks of gold flew off from its core. Ivana moved partially, bringing her body back up from the ground and straightening her form, just as the sheer energy skimmed her shoulder. She cringed at the touch, however, it at only taken the upper most layer of flesh along her shoulder. Lifting her head and looking back to Jay, she hissed, very much like a cat, and shot another flare toward her once more.
Jacob watched the flare, his cannon out and ready, but did not once shoot, but nearly tutored Jay in her actions, "Shoot something at it! It'll neutralize the shot and make it fizzle out!"

"I think I could have figured that out my self, thank you," she muttered and aimed her duplicated cannon at the flare that spiraled toward her and fired at it causing it to make a small explosion as the blasts simply evaporated without causing any damage.

Jacob scoffed upon this matter, "Just trying to be helpful," he shrugged, and then darted forward, as if the large wound in his frame was no longer there.
A few small glowing spheres the size of golf balls were then chugged at Ivana's feet. They whistled wildly as though it were a teakettle, and then snapped into large explosions just about Ivana. She snarled upon the action and choked at the sudden appearance of spoke and flames as the substance entered her lungs. Felicia analyzed the movements, watching intently, from the side. Her large eyes were intent upon every action that was pursued.
Claudia, at the sight of the sudden sparkles of smoke and fire, smiled lightly, "Felicia...smart thinking as always..." she muttered before darting forward with Jacob, her cannons armed and ready as she shot up into the air was one large jump, shooting a number of shots like a machine gun at Ivana, who was too distracted by the sudden smoke to respond.

Jay stood back for a while watching the three taking in the differences of their cannons. "Let's see... Jacob's cannon as a good bit of punch behind it, but Claudia's will cause more lasting wounds, and Ivana's gives the blasts just sheer speed to make them lethal," she muttered her eyes fixed on the fight before her. She raised her arm and pointed it to the sky just as an enraged Ivana - clad in a few wounds and scuffs on her armor - burst from the smoke and jumped toward her. Jay waited for and few moments time slowing as she processed the movements of Ivana, and then when she was close enough she shot a large flare from the duplicate cannon on her arm. "I see your games, sneak up on the rookie..."

At the blast, Ivana had, in defense, shot two more flares her cannons, one from each. She recoiled at the singed touch of the firework-like flames that throbbed against her body, however, as she stumbled to the ground, her hair askew and falling over one of her eyes, she looked up to Jay with a grin. There was no possible solution for Jay to miss the two large blasts of energy that had been protruded from the midst of Ivana's cannons.

Jay's eyes widened as the blasts drew near her. She shot a blast from her cannon and neutralized one blast, only to have the other whiz toward her and collide roughly with Jay. She cringed and she stumbled back a few feet from the force of the blast. Jay looked up and glared at Ivana as her cannon turned back to her arm and she wrapped her arms around herself pain searing through her. "Okay, that hurt, a lot."

Ivana's grin then broadened, as she raised her eyebrows upon Jay's actions, "Rookie, huh?" she retorted, with a small snicker. She stood now, but as she did so, she whined as her chest began to throb. The entire portion around her shoulder neck and collarbone, trailing down just above her breast, was utterly massacred. The armor had been smoldered into a brittle ash, falling away to reveal the scarlet and black skin, pieces of flesh hung about the neck as scarlet spiraled down the skin. Her eyes widened and she stumbled back a bit, looking back to Claudia, Jacob, and even Felicia. Each had come into her path, narrowing the distance so that they were only a yard or so apart from her now crumbling body. Through this, however, Ivana still held a smirk along her lips, even as she discovered blood trailing down her chin. She now spoke, with such a firm and certain voice, it was as though she were perfectly healthy at this point as she snarled, "Beginner's luck, but, luck or no, there's no way you're getting me back in that mental institution!"

"Why don't you just give up," (Jay winced as she straightened up, wounds covering her body as well.) "You can barely move," she muttered and held her arm up, now in the form of its usual cannon. "Or do I have to shoot you again? Or maybe Claudia or Jacob would like to shoot you as well, take your pick."

As their names were announced, both Claudia and Jacob had pressed their cannons to Ivana's back (Jacob putting an arm around her ruined neck to keep her still). Claudia then looked to Felicia and nodded as she motioned her head toward Ivana. Felicia nodded in return, her arm then formed into a cannon, however, unlike the others, hers was smaller and more defined as a tube filled with pale liquid jutted out around her elbow, and where the barrel would be was a long slender needle. With silence, she approached Ivana, who shouted and declared some unsanitary words as she struggled, and in one fluid motion she pressed the needle into her exposed abdomen, injecting the liquid from the tube near her elbow. For a moment, Ivana's eyes dilated and shook partially at the sudden detection of the substance entering her body, then, she fell limp to the ground as Felicia pulled the needle from her body.

Jay smiled weakly at this and took a deep breath wincing slightly. "So, did I do okay for my first time in battle?" she asked as she clutched onto her stomach, which throbbed with pain.

Upon her words, Jacob looked her over, his eyes immediately drawn to the gaping wound upon her body, "Well, you're not dead are you?" he suggested simply, as the blood trailed down his rigid and toned stomach, however, he took no notice and stood as though he were in perfect health.

"No, but it feels like I should be," Jay muttered wincing as she smiled weakly once more at her brother.

Felicia then approached Jay with a small sigh, "Here," she muttered and pressed her hands along the injury, her eyes focused along the gaping wound. There was a gentle wince that fell from her lips. Her body tensed and she recoiled her hands away from the injury, to reveal the flesh, somehow, once more in its perfect complexion, as if Jay had never been fractured.

Jay blinked and straightened up feeling no pain at all. "Wow. Thanks Felicia," Jay muttered but she began to sway slightly as her head pounded. Perhaps she overexerted herself a little.

A nod was presented to Jay, "I may not be able to fight, but I can be of use for support..." she muttered gently, as she now went to Jacob and did the same with his wound as Claudia now began to speak, "Felicia can heal others if she can feel the pain of the injury. Useful, as she says, but sometimes I'm not that comfortable with her taking that pain for herself."
Felicia now lifted her head, now finishing with Jacob, cringing partially, "No, no...Not this again. We have other matters to deal with. Ivana has planted an explosive in the basement of one of the buildings. I'm sorry Jay, but I believe it's your employment building that's due to burst in flames."

Jay blinked and tensed slightly. "What was that?" she asked as she looked to Felicia, not comprehending the matter due to the throbbing in her temples.

Felicia opened her mouth to speak, but her eyes widened a bit as she now jerked her head back to a tall slender building just around the corner, its red bricks suddenly bursting into a blaze of dancing fire. Smoke trailed from the now shattered windows as sparks flailed from its in interior. Felicia cringed at this, staring at the blaze, "I believe...that answers your question."

Jay followed Felicia's gaze and gasp. "Oh shit. That can't be good for business," she murmured snapping from her daze. "Do you know if there's anyone still inside? I'd hate if my employers died so tragically."

Felicia head lowered a bit and cringed, staring upon the flares, "...I can only detect one...A male, age twenty...On the third floor."

"I guess I can't leave him either. And I know the building better than any of you, so I'll go get him and bring him back," Jay muttered as she strolled toward the building. "Besides staying in burning buildings is my specialty."

Claudia looked from Ivana to the fire, seeming to debate along the manner, but she then nodded to Jay, "Very well, but please just hurry!"

"Don't worry I will," Jay muttered and hurriedly took off into the flaming building. Soon she was amidst the flames and thanking the heavens that she was so naturally cold. Jay quickly ran through the raging flames and up a few flights of stairs. "Okay well... if I was a twenty-year-old guy trapped in a burning building, where would I be hiding?" she asked herself, though her voice was muffled due to a metal mask that covered her mouth and nose.

Billows of smoke clouded through the building, fire abroad along the walls and trailing to the windows as rivers of smoke flew to the outside air. A gentle cough was then exerted through the atmosphere, strained through the dense heat and gray clouds that flooded the area.

Jay laughed slightly as she darted toward the origin of the cough. "That answers that question," she murmured and burst through a door her eyes set on a figure in the midst of the smoke.

There, hunched over and grasping a smoldering desk for support, was the young man in question. The substance smoke entered his endangered lungs and he produced another cough from his lips. He was tall and slender, though his body still revealed obvious muscle. He loomed over the desk as his long blonde hair, almost touching his shoulders, brushed against his face and swooping over his eyes. One of his eyelids was closed, but the other was open peering forward to reveal irresistible sea green. The color shone brightly even in the midst of the fire, and it was odd how beautiful the shade was; the perfect mixture of green as it caressed the ocean blue. His body was adorned in the catering uniform; though, it was strange how he could pull it off so easily even with the smudges of ash that were presented against skin and clothes.

Jay stood in awe of this young man for a few short moments, until another cough from him was expelled. She quickly walked toward him and smiled - though it was unable to be seen because of the mask that covered it. "You know, a burning building is nowhere to be hanging out," she murmured standing before the man.

The man then opened both his eyes to look upon the speaker before him. He stared at the armor for a moment and slumped over slightly, coughing once again, "...Am I dead?" he muttered, his words were obviously tense and throbbed with each syllable, "...because...if I am...I'm gonna go haunt my boss's ass for sending me up here to pick up some damned package...only to have the building friggin' explode..." he then offered a smile and laughed the best he could, though, it was difficult with the amount of smoke that was clouded about him.

"No, you're not dead, yet. But if we don't get you out of here soon you may be," Jay muttered as she glanced around looking for possible exits.

He looked her over, his body still tensed as he was leaned over, "...and...you are?" he muttered, squinting his eyes to stare through the thick gray smoke.

"I'll introduce myself later, I have to get you out of here first," Jay muttered as she formed her hand into a cannon and blew out one of the windows as she held her other out to motion for the man to get closer. "So grab a hold of me and hang on."

For a moment, he had hesitated, though, as he figured he'd be better off taking a chance then dying, he took hold of her hand and waited for what was to come next. Surprisingly, he did not recoil at the touch of cold metal, only finding it satisfying against the intense heat.

Jay grinned slightly and pulled him toward her with ease, and she then picked him up as if he was merely a feather and put him over her shoulder. Jay backed up a little and ran from the center of the room jumping from the blown out window and landing gracefully on the ground. She set the young man down a few yards away from the flaming building and stepped back to allow him to breathe.

He was still slumped over a bit, wiping away the ashes from his cheek. Running a hand through his hair, taking away the black bits of particles scattered about it, he began to speak, his words still strained as he was still getting over the massive amount of smoke he had just experience, "You still haven't answered my question...Who are you?"

Jay paused for a few moments before answering. "Jasmine," she murmured as she smiled at him, the mask that covered her face gone.

His face brightened at the name a bit, and he straightened himself up partially, "Jasmine...I like that name," he then smiled uneasily, "It's better then mine - Michael."

"Well, Michael, you need to take it easy and not overexert yourself. That smoke can't be good for you," Jay said as she glanced over her shoulder as the large mass of fire trucks and ambulances arrived. "I have to go now, you go get help. It would be a shame if you died after I worked so hard to save you."

Michael smiled lightly upon this and nodded, but then muttered gently to himself as he looked to the building that was due to fall to ashes any moment, "...I should've known this would be a bad day, when my mentor never showed up..."

Jay arched an eyebrow and sighed slightly. "I'm sure she had a good reason not to show up, maybe she had a rough night and ended up sleeping all day," she murmured as she began to walk away.

Michael had looked up to say something, his eyes glimmering and showing specks of fire in its liquid reflection, however, she had already vanished from his vision. He let out a heavy sigh along this matter; in fact, one would think he was rather disappointed.
Back and out of sight from any newscasters or ambulances, the Alphas waited. Jacob held the sleeping Ivana in his arms as he watched Jay approach. However, it was Felicia's turn to speak, quickly approaching Jay, "You may want to hurry home to El."

"Why? What's wrong with her?" Jay asked concern building up in her already exhausted frame.

"I think, that she is to be activated very, very soon."

El sat slumped along her bed, along her stomach. Her head was placed neatly in her palm as she laid, her ash colored hair falling elegantly against her cheek as she flipped through the channels of her TV. Her fingers were pressed gently along the buttons, her eyes flickering against the light of the TV as it switched. She then paused upon one channel, lifting her head from her hand; as the newscaster began to report live from the destruction of the city. Listening intently, she waited to see clips of the battle that had commenced and, sure enough, she saw Jay's figure along the screen, her cannon outstretched and shooting a large beam to the dangerous Mecha. At this, El had smile softly, though uneasily at this, as she continued to listen to the words presented to her from the television. However, the screen flickered, for a moment, and El watched in curiosity messing with the buttons on her remote in an attempt to cease the flickering. Instead, the TV went entirely black, only whispers now emerging from the audio; though, it was nothing like the once rigid voice of the newscaster, but someone entirely different.
"Attention to all listening to this vital broadcast...Humans and Mechas, alike. I wish to send a simple message to each of you. First of all...humans..." (The word was hissed), "You will not be safe, much longer. You're blood will be spilled and you will live no more. Only your rotting corpses will remain hung over our doors. Every one of you. Children, adults. You will all die." (They then paused and spoke again), "As for Mechas. Come to our side and join our cause. The humans have plagued our planet and they do not deserve to live. They've dominated our home for far too long, bringing pollution, war, and the eventual destruction of our home. Do not allow this. We can stop this all before it is all too late to save...As for those Mechas who are inactive...We welcome you to your new life..."
The voice was suddenly broken by a vibrant hum that was exerted through the television. Piercing the once calm atmosphere with its too-high frequencies. It whispered through the air and reached El. Her eyes dilated and she immediately brought her hands to her ears, whimpering at the sound. It gnawed at her body, her head throbbing viciously from the noise. Small amounts of cries were emitted from her mouth as she now stumbled off her bed and upon the ground, still holding her hands to her head. El grinded her teeth together as the sound stabbed at her head, as though knifes were stitching her body. She then lifted her eyelids, to scare across to the TV that still emitted the vicious noise to her. Her expression was pained and ached as she lifted herself off the ground, shaking. Her feet dug into the floor as the sound reached higher and louder lengths. She very nearly screamed, her hands clutching tighter at her head as her nails dug into her skin and hair. The heart in her chest raced tremendously, as she struggled to grasp her hands about the shrieking TV. Her hands clutched at its sides, as she winced and groaned at the noise. She then, with great force threw the television across the room so that it shattered against the most opposite wall in silence. El panted and fell to her knees, the TV crackling faintly in rubbles just below the large and immense hole that now plagued the wall. She took another gulp and was now curled along the ground in a ball; though, this could not secrete the now glimmering armor that embedded her body. Its black surface smooth as it shone in the illumination that flooded through the window.