Chapter 10: Names
The conversation started out very harmless. Then it became very nasty. The arguing between the children and Ironhide was loud, continuous and harsh. They couldn't seem to agree on anything. Not a name, not where to go, not even where they were going to next. Perceptor simply wished his headache would leave faster than the arguing ending.
"How about we move onto a different subject," groaned Perceptor.
"We need to come up with some names," hissed Sam, giving a heavy glare at Ironhide.
"Fine, we'll let Ironhide go last then," offered Prowl.
After a moment of grumbling, the three humans agreed on Prowl's offer. Then it became silent as the three thought hard on the names of their new friends. Perceptor smiled at the silence he had been awaiting a long while. Then the children smiled brightly, giving each Autobot a worried look.
"Who's first?" Freddie smirked.
"Not me!" gasped Prowl.
"Don't look at me!" Perceptor shrieked.
"Fine," groaned Bumblebee.
"Bumblebee…hmmm," Carly hummed. "How 'bout Brandon?"
"Whatever," mumbled Bumblebee, only looking forward.
"That was too easy…" mumbled Carly.
"No fun…" Freddie sighed.
"Prowl's next!" Sam shouted.
"What! No!" gaped Prowl, but soon realized his loss.
"I think he's kinda like a Noah," Sam offered. "Or a Jason."
"I think Noah means Rest or Peace," Freddie added.
"Rest in peace!" bellowed Sam, laughing halfheartedly.
"And Jason means healer," finished Freddie.
"I like Jason," mumbled Prowl.
"Jason it is!" cheered Sam.
"So we've got a Jason and a Brandon," Carly stated quietly. "Perceptor I think it's your turn."
"Oh joy…" Perceptor sighed. "This should be fun."
"Xavier," offered Freddie.
"Alex," countered Sam.
"I think we should come back to me," Perceptor groaned after a moment of the two bickering.
"Agreed," Prowl nodded.
"That means it's Hide's turn," whispered Carly, glancing back.
"Barrett," hissed Freddie.
"Why?" Sam argued.
"It means strength of a bear," answered Freddie, rolling his eyes back at the angry Autobot.
"Agreed," nodded Sam and Carly.
"Hey!" hissed Ironhide.
"Can we get back to Perceptor? I like Alex," grumbled Sam.
"Xavier!" countered Freddie.
"Alexander Xavier," hummed Carly.
"I like that one," gasped Perceptor.
"Fine," the two grumbled.
"Can we have quiet time until we reach the apartments," groaned Perceptor, rubbing his forehead.
"Got a headache?" Bumblebee chuckled.
"Yes…" whispered Perceptor. "I don't even know where we're going anymore."
"To our apartments where we left Carly's brother," Freddie explained.
"Spencer," Sam added.
"We're going to see if he's okay," Carly whispered.
"Something you're not telling us, Ceptor ol' pal?" grumbled Ironhide.
"I…we got attacked by the Decepticons at the apartment when I first arrived," Perceptor explained softly.
"We're bringing too many humans into this battle. We can't risk it," mumbled Prowl.
"We don't have much of a choice," hissed Perceptor. "We need them to figure this out."
"How do we get home…and back to normal?" Bumblebee whispered.
"I have only one theory and I'm sure no one will like it," Perceptor sighed, stopping.
The Autobots stopped and looked at him as the three humans marched ahead. Perceptor thought the idea over once more, for what seemed like the millionth time. It was simple in his head but things fall apart after you say them aloud.
"What is it?" Bumblebee asked eagerly.
"After finding the laptop, it is possible to open another rift in space. That's what brought us here, it is possible that it could take up back," nodded Perceptor.
"But wasn't it you who said it was highly unstable!" Ironhide growled.
"It is. It could teleport us somewhere else, transform us into something different, or…"
"Or?" hissed Ironhide.
"Time travel is also an option," nodded Perceptor slowly.
"You are not helping our odds here!" shouted Prowl.
"Do we have any other choice…?" Perceptor whispered. "Can we risk anything else?"
"Guys!" Freddie called from up ahead.
"Get your butts up here!" Sam howled after.
The Autobots hurried after the waiting humans. Perceptor went over the odds of all the possibilities once entering another unstable portal. The highest possibility was the transporting to somewhere new, someone that's not home.
"If we've got no other choice," Bumblebee whispered.
"We're going to have to," Prowl sighed.
"We'll…get home eventually?" Ironhide mumbled.