Chapter 8: Training and Aiding
All Transformer characters belong to Hasbro. The halfa, Clockwork, and Ghost Zone idea belong to Butch Hartman. Any real life songs, food brands, etc. do NOT belong to me. I only own this fanfic ideas and my OCs. Don't like, don't read. Everyone else, enjoy.
At Sasha's house; Sasha's Perspective
Sasha blended her yogurt, pineapple, orange, and grapefruit smoothie as she waited for her whole grain waffle to stop cooking. She poured her drink into her reusable, purple and cerulean drinking container before going to turn off and unplug the waffle-maker, carefully grabbing the piping hot tan-colored disc.
"Looks like I'm having breakfast on the road Midnight," the raven-haired girl told the female feline who was finishing her own breakfast not a foot away. The Goth was wearing a dark green ruffle neck blouse over a long sleeve berry blue thermal Henley top. She had on dark grey skinny jeans with a teal stitching of a dragonfly on the left pocket. She also had on black and navy blue tennis shoes. Her hair was down as she planned to put it up with a black scrunchie later on and she had on just blueberry lipgloss. "But sometimes it happens when you want to wake up a bit later and start the day with a warm meal."
She spread peanut butter on the waffle before layering it with apples and banana slices. She then added a dash of cinnamon, brown sugar, maple syrup, and some apple cinnamon granola for crunch (and just a bit more flavor) before folding it into a taco shape and taking a bite. She hummed in delight at the different textures and flavors. Sasha then slung her backpack over her shoulder, grabbed her drink and the bag that had her uniform before running towards the garage, Midnight following right behind her.
"Morning Zee, let's go," the nature-lover proclaimed as she grabbed the garage remote before jumping into his passenger seat.
"Morning Sasha, I see you're in a hurry," the mechling joked good-naturedly as he drove out into the road the moment the garage door was opened wide enough and waited for his human friend to close the door before he started driving.
"Yup, I woke a bit later than usual and I wanted a warm breakfast so yeah," the Goth said between bites and sips. She couldn't help but grin herself when she heard her friend's soft laughter before it stopped.
"Hey I've been thinking. Won't it be dangerous for Midnight to go with you to the sanctuary? I mean what if she gets a disease from or gives a disease to one of the animals? Or what if someone finds her in your backpack and thinks your stealing the shelter animals and takes her away?" Zettabyte asks with concern.
Sasha swallowed the last of her waffle hard. She had never considered that before and she was grateful her friend brought it up. She couldn't risk letting her precious feline companion getting sick or getting another animal sick. And she certainly DIDN'T want to lose her to the sanctuary if they thought the feline was a part of the sanctuary and was being stolen or was brought in to be adopted by someone else.
"I didn't think about that. What are we gonna do?" the raven-haired girl asked the neutral youth worriedly.
"If you want, I can take her for the day. I'm sure Nephilus won't mind," the halfa volunteered helpfully with optimism. "It won't be a problem."
"That's a great idea Zee," the nature-lover stated grinning. "You're as great as quick thinker as you are a friend."
"Oh, it's nothing. Midnight is my companion too and it's only right that I take responsibility as well," the Cybertronian teen said modestly as he pulled up to the school curb.
Grabbing her backpack and uniform bag, Sasha got out and turned to Midnight, "Sorry Midnight, not today. You're gonna stay with Zetta for now."
"Mew," the cat mewled from the passenger seat as the Goth grabbed the cans of cat food and two sparkly, fluffy toys she brought with her and put them in her guardian's compartment.
Once she was done, Sasha gave Midnight a quick pet and a kiss before shutting the door and rubbing Zettabyte's hood, "Bye you two. I love you guys."
"We love you too Sasha. We'll see you later," the neutral youth responded before driving off.
In the school; Sasha's Perspective
Upon arriving at her locker, Sasha fiddled with the combination before it finally opened and she put her uniform in so that it would stay safe and she wouldn't have to carry it around all day. Turning around she came face to face with the grinning faces of Adalia and Colette.
"Soooo, how did it go?" Adalia asked eagerly.
"Was it as good as you imagined?" Colette put in though she had a knowing smile.
"It was better than I imagined. The members were really nice and Ms. Kissaryn is a great teacher," the nature-lover said smiling. "And thank you guys for making extra cookies for the club so you can make my first experience at the club even more fun."
Both girls hugged the Goth as they said in unison, "Anytime."
Sasha laughed and hugged them back. Once they pulled apart, the deep auburn-haired girl grabbed a container from inside her backpack and opened it to reveal muffins and croissants.
"We made lemon blueberry muffins and cherry croissants," the French-speaker said cheerfully.
As Sasha breathed in the fresh and tangy scents, she knew it was going to be a good day.
Elsewhere in the Ghost Zone; Zettabyte's Perspective
Zettabyte waited patiently for his mentor and friend to arrive as he held Midnight in one servo. He tapped his right pede to channel out his nervousness, having changed into his halfa mode upon arrival. He looked left to right, checking his internal chronometer. Seventeen minutes had passed since he arrived. He turned his attention to the cat in his servo who was walking circles around in his palm in a bored fashion, meowing listlessly.
"Nephilus will arrive soon, Midnight. Don't you worry," the mechling soothed. "And you'll be back with Sasha tomorrow. I promise."
"Mew," the black feline mewled as if to accept what the metal titan told her. Five more minutes later, the halfa saw the cobalt and silver mech leaping from platform to platform before stopping in front of the two.
"Hi. Sorry I'm late. I was caught up with…something," the soul guider said calmly, but Zettabyte could see that he look flustered. On top of that, his cloak was a bit wrinkled and he had a musky smell on him that had not been there the day before.
"It's okay. I just hope you don't mind that I brought Midnight," the neutral youth stated hopefully.
Nephilus smiled as he scratched the female mammal's chin with one digit as he replied, "I don't mind at all."
"Are we going to start training now?" the Cybertronian teen asked excitedly.
The mech nodded before he began leaping back the way he came, "Follow me."
Zettabyte obliged, making sure that Midnight was safe in his hold before he began leaping from platform to platform as well. He was surprised that he was keeping up with the soul guider who was, to the mechling, faster and more experienced. Twelve minutes passed before they stopped on a rather large platform. He blinked when he saw who else was there. Riversong seemed to be having a conversation with Nephilus. The two spirits were in close proximity, as if they were almost on the verge of embracing each other. The Cybertronian teen's heightened sense of smell and sight allowed him to see that the wolf-like femme's fur looked to be ruffled and unkept and her scent was the same muskiness that the soul guider had. In an attempt to regain their attention, Zettabyte began walking over. The two continued to whisper until the mechling stopped just a few inches away.
"Hello Riversong," the halfa greeted as politely as he could.
Riversong smiled before she responded, "Hello Zetta. It's good to see you again. And I see you brought your little cat friend."
Without warning, Midnight leaped towards the protector who caught her with ease and held her close. The female feline mewled as she rubbed against the femme's chassis. Riversong giggled and petted the small creature. As Zettabyte smiled, he noticed that Nephilus was staring with a serene smile and the neutral youth could have sworn he saw a blush.
"Alright Zetta, let's began," the soul guider immediately claimed as he walked towards the center of the platform, taking off his cloak and tossing it away. Just as the cloak was about to hit the floor, a flash of white caught it, startling Zettabyte.
"Whoa! What was that?!" the Cybertronian teen exclaimed, almost falling back.
"That was Baylina," Riversong answered calmly. The "white flash" returned and perched on Nephilus' shoulder, revealing itself, or rather herself, to be a snowy owl. However, she was a bit bigger than most and her coloring was a strong surprise. She was white like a normal snow owl but had many icy blue and lavender flecks on her wings and head. Her eyes were a paler shade of icy blue and her black beak had a thin vertical silver stripe on it. Her feet were black as well but her claws were a dark blue.
"She's lovely," the neutral youth complimented the owl politely, having gotten over his shock as he came over to inspect the avian. "Hello there."
The owl let out a small, pleased chirp at the compliment. Zettabyte then gave her head a little scratching which she obviously enjoyed by the way hers eyes closed in content. The Cybertronian teen was surprised by how warm the creature's feathers were despite their frosty detail. As soon as he stopped petting her, Baylina flew off Nephilus' shoulder and landed on Riversong's. She took notice of Midnight and vice versa. Much like his human friend had done when the feline saw the mechling, the halfa prepared to jump into action should the two animals strike out at each other. To his surprise, and relief, the cat playfully batted at the owl to which the nocturnal bird responded by fluffing herself up and hooting kindly. Feeling reassured enough to leave the two animals alone with the protector, Zettabyte returned to the middle of the platform where Nephilus was at.
"Alright, you ready?" the soul guider asked as he stood firmly.
"As ready as I'll ever be," the neutral youth replied as calm as he could.
"We'll start with defense and attack moves," the mech stated. "This begins now."
When that last word left the spirit's mouth, the mechling jumped back just as his mentor swung at him. When the soul guider attempted to kick out at him, Zettabyte felt a strange surge within him. His body reacted before his processor could as he grabbed Nephilus' leg and attempted to twist him which would slam him onto the floor. However the soul guider twisted in the air and landed on steadily on his pedes. The mech then tried to kick his legs out from under the Cybertronian teen which he almost succeeded in. Almost. The neutral youth did a barrel roll and hopped back onto his own pedes. The two stood firmly in their positions.
Nephilus was the first to strike, charging at Zettabyte with his fist raised. The halfa dodged out of the way last minute before roundhouse kicking him in the back. The mech caught himself from falling flat onto his faceplate before whipping around. He gave the mechling a sort of grin to say he was impressed. The Cybertronian teen couldn't deny feeling shocked over his newfound reflexes himself.
Dracorra wasn't kidding when she said my reflexes, speed, and strength had been enhanced, neutral youth thought to himself.
"Hmmm, not bad. Not bad at all," Nephilus hummed with a pleased smile before it turned sly. "We'll continue those tomorrow. Let's jump a little into the energy moves."
Zettabyte nodded, readying himself. A large ball of cobalt, ecto-fire appeared in each of the soul guider's palms before he aimed them at the mechling. Not a second later, two flamethrowers of ecto-fire burst from both his palms. The Cybertronian teen dodged and quickly imagined himself with a shield. Almost after he imagined it, a circular disc of energy appeared and attached to his right arm. Getting up, he held his shield close, ready to move. The mech held his friend and student's gaze for a moment before phasing into the ground. Now the halfa was even more alert than he already was. He looked around, expecting the soul guider to come up out of the ground and lunge at him when he felt the very spot beneath him began to heat up. He jumped out of the way just as a large spout of cobalt ecto-fire burst through the ground and flared in the spot Zettabyte once stood in.
He's attacking from beneath. Clever, the neutral youth thought, half impressed half anxious.
He continued to run and jump away as more fire spouts appeared, creating large patches of scorched Earth on the platform. Just as Zettabyte was starting to think that his mentor had lost seriousness about the training, the mech phased up from the middle of the platform and threw a large, swirling orb of ecto-fire at his student. Thinking fast, the Cybertronian teen threw his shield at the orb. As soon as the two energy attacks met, they detonated, creating a large cloud of smoke and ecto-embers. Taking the chance, the mechling launched a barrage of ecto-blasts, slices of ecto energy, and a few small zaps for good measure. As the smoke cleared, he saw his mentor lying on his side, facing away from him. Feeling a sense of dread wash over him, the halfa bolted to his side. Turning the mech onto his back, he saw, in fear, that his friend's indigo optics were closed. Zettabyte was ready to start screaming for help when Nephilus' optics snapped open and, with a smirk, he punched his student off.
The mechling was grateful for the truth the spirit of dragons and phoenixes' had told about his pain tolerance. The punch did indeed hurt, but it felt more like he bit down on something hard. He fell a few feet back and glanced up at the soul guider who got up without complications and smirked at him.
"It's called 'playing possum.' Have you had enough," Nephilus asked, his voice cocky that one would take as a "give it up" tone but his indigo orbs seemed to encourage the mechling to get up. And that's just what Zettabyte did.
"I'm not out yet," the halfa said in a determined, tone wiping the imaginary energon blood from his chin. "It'll take a lot more than a sneak attack to keep me down. Let's go."
As his mentor grinned confidently, the Cybertronian teen knew that there were more suprises in store. And he was ready to face them, no matter what.
A few hours later at school; Sasha's Perspective
"So, where's Midnight, Sasha?" Sawyer asked before taking a bite of his meatball patty melt.
Thinking quickly, the Goth replied, "I didn't want cross contamination between her and the shelter animals so I left her in my bedroom with food, water, toys, and a litter box. I know it's risky but it's only until I get her vaccinations. I just hope my parents don't find the bill. My dad doesn't mind animals but my mom thinks I can't handle the responsibility and that I'll get board."
"Well so far you've proved her wrong," Colette smiled as she dug into her spiced red and black bean soup.
"Thanks Colette," the raven-haired girl said gratefully with a smile as she ate her tofu chicken, strawberry, and spinach burrito.
"If you want, we can help you pay for the vaccinations," Adalia volunteered sincerely with a kind grin as she ate her fajitas enthusiastically.
"Oh I couldn't ask that of you guys," the nature-lover said modestly.
"You don't have to ask us. We wanna do it. You're our friend Sasha. If we want to do something for you, we're gonna do it without hesitation," the African American teen said firmly but with a smile.
Sasha smiled back, feeling a great amount of appreciation for her friends, as she said, "Thanks guys."
The four teens' happy moment was ruined when a certain red-head appeared.
"What do you want Vince?" the Chicana teen asked in an irritated tone.
"Stay out of this Gonzalez," Vince snapped before turning to glare at Sasha. "You owe me."
"Oh, I owe you? What exactly do I owe you?" the Goth asked, her voice dripping with venom.
"Yeah, because of you, I'm no longer allowed to come to my friend's parties!" the bully snarled.
"Oh, you mean the friend who wanted you wanted me to buy beer for but I refused because unlike you I have morals?" the raven-haired girl snarled viciously. "You have no one but yourself to blame. And what right do you have to blame me for something I was never a part of and will never be a part of, hmmm?"
"You could have at least given me the money!" the red-head menace shouted.
"Vince you leave her alone!" Sierra shouted from her seat. Isabella, who sat beside her, looked in disgust and loathing at Vince. Unfortunately, the bully didn't take notice of them and didn't back down.
"Why should I hand over my money to some punk like you just so you can get into some party that would end with cops busting in and arresting everybody?" the nature-lover spat. "You're not the boss of me."
The bully's face now held an absolutely livid expression as he slammed his hands down and got up in her face, screaming, "Why-!"
"Vince!"
Everyone in the room froze and looked to where the voice came from. In front of the cafeteria doors was a woman who looked to be somewhere in her thirties. Her hickory brown hair was tied into a bun and her black cherry lipstick lips were twisted into an angry frown. Her olive skin was slightly illuminated by the lunch room lights. She wore a dark gray dress suit with a navy blue shirt and white tie visible underneath. She strode in her black high heels towards the table, her hard, dark gray-blue eyes fixated on Vince. A few students stared in quiet while a few snickered and gave the bully nasty grins as they could sense the omen coming on to him.
"Oh, hey there Principal Franklin," the red-head try to say coolly but his nervousness would not have it. "What's up?"
"I saw and heard the whole thing young man," the principal growled through her teeth. "And to think I let your parents talk me out of putting your little stunt over the weekend on your permanent record."
"I was just-," Vince tried to speak out but was once again stopped.
"May I remind you that if it wasn't for the Morgans' contributions to the school for the last six years, you and your fellow football players wouldn't have the new uniforms and equipment you have today," the brunette woman said fiercely. "And let's not forget the several weeks of detention you had last fall when you groped their youngest daughter. I think that you should think deeply on that matter before you so much as put a finger on Sasha. Now, please follow me to my office."
The red head gulped and immediately obeyed. As soon as both principal and student left, everybody went back to eating.
"If I didn't dislike Vince so much, I would almost feel sorry for him," the French-speaker said coolly. "He should have seen that coming considering that Principal Franklin has a strict no-bullying policy."
"Not to mention she herself was harassed by male students when she was our age," the soccer player added. "She told us that once when we had that anti-bullying speech in when we were freshmen."
Sasha stared continued staring at the door as she listened to her friends. Moments later, she smiled triumphantly before turning back to her lunch and conversation.
A few hours later; Sasha's Perspective
Sasha stepped out of the girls' bathroom in her sanctuary uniform, smiling at Sawyer as she said, "I'm ready."
"Alright, let's go," the soccer-player said enthusiastically as he turned towards the front of the school, the Goth right behind him. Sawyer had offered to drive Sasha to the Sanctuary which she gladly accepted. Still being new to the town, the raven-haired girl didn't know how to get to the sanctuary. The club wasn't taking any buses in order to conserve bus fuel. As they got into the car, the nature-lover waved good-bye to Colette and Adalia, who were being picked up by their parents, before the three vehicles went their separate ways. The four were happy to finally exchange cell numbers with the Morgan girl and vice versa.
"What's the sanctuary like?" Sasha couldn't help asking.
"Well the people there are very caring. They spare no costs at proving the animals with what they need. And, of course, they take in just about any animal that is brought to them," Sawyer replied smiling as he saw his friend's excited grin. Twelve minutes later, they arrived. The nature-lover gapped at the building that was the animal sanctuary.
It was three stories tall and had a garage beside it, most likely for the sanctuary's vehicles. The building itself was a pale sea green with a white roof. The sign on it read in darker green letters Jasper Animal Sanctuary. The Goth could see a hint of large grassy area behind the building. Suddenly, the white door opened and a familiar face peeked out.
"Sasha, there you are!" Juliet said, opening the door wider. She wore the same uniform as her fellow member but her hair was in a large bun and today she wore black heart earrings. "Come on in! Not everybody's here but we can get started."
"Alright, I'm coming!" Sasha shouted back before turning to Sawyer. "Thank you Sawyer. I'll see you and the girls tomorrow."
"You're welcome but it really was no problem Sasha. I was glad to do it. See you tomorrow," the soccer-player smiled before her drove off.
The raven-haired girl waved until he was out of sight. She then turned and walked up to the door and opened it. She was met with the smell and sound of animals. Once she entered the building, Sasha walked up to the desk where a middle-aged, woman with graying ginger-colored hair and a heavy build was writing into what look like a schedule template.
"Excuse me but where are the Memorial High student volunteers at?" the Goth asked politely. The woman turned her head up to look at Sasha. Her eyes were a greenish hazel color and her lips were painted with a strawberry red lipstick.
"Oh, are you with Ms. Kissaryn's Earth club?" the woman asked kindly with a soft smile. The nature-lover nodded as she watched the woman get up from her seat, revealing that she too had the sanctuary's shirt but had jeans, worn tennis shoes, and a red and white over shirt. She then grabbed a clipboard and handed it to the raven-haired girl. "Just sign here and then I'll take you to them."
Doing as she was instructed, Sasha quickly wrote down her name and handed it to the woman who put it away before making gestures for the Goth to follow her. Sasha followed her through a corridor before they entered a room on the right. When the door opened, the raven-haired girl looked inside. Sure enough, her fellow club members and teacher were tending to the animals; brushing them, petting them, giving them treats, playing with them, and talking to them. The room itself had pale blue tiles and creamy white walls. Pictures of animal anatomies, posters, and photographs were on the walls. The animals ranged that were in the room ranged in species, color, size, and age.
"Sasha, there you are! Come say hello to Ali," the strawberry blonde woman said cheerily as she petted a gorgeous golden retriever that panted excitedly. The Goth eagerly obeyed and came to her teacher's side in less than a minute.
"She's beautiful," the nature-lover murmured softly as she ran her fingers through the canine's biscuit-colored fur and looked into the warm golden eyes. Ali sensed the friendly aura emitting from the raven-haired girl and happily gave Sasha a big wet lick to which neither minded.
"Ali and her puppies are going to the retirement center with a few other animals and some of the other club members who want to take charge of them. The seniors there adore animals and these guys have just the right enthusiasm brighten those seniors' spirits," the strawberry blonde woman chortled.
Sasha couldn't help but bite her lip when she heard the word 'spirit.' The nature-lover then proceeded to help groom the pets and get them into their leashes. The animals going were Ali and her puppies, a tortoiseshell cat named May and her kittens, a monkey named Sebastian, a small litter of baby rabbits, a young fox named Bandit, a blue, red, and yellow parrot named Chuckles, a male piglet named Gabe, and a boisterous German Shepherd named Axle. Out of the corner of her eye, the Goth saw Kenya fiddling with something. Going over to her, the raven-haired girl saw that she was fiddling with an old pillow, a pool noodle, an old brown turtleneck, duct tape, and shoe strings.
"What you doing Kenya?" Sasha asked curiously.
"Oh, I'm just making a bed for Cleo," the dark fawn-haired girl said brightly, gesturing to the young King Charles Spaniel that Alan was playing with. The raven-haired girl watched as her friend fitted the pool noodle through the sleeves before taping and covering them before inserting the pillow and tying up the head and hem holes.
"That's pretty cool," the nature-lover complimented.
"Thank you. It's recycles and saves money. I have other ideas too if you want me to give you a list later today," Kenya offered to which Sasha nodded eagerly.
"Alright boys and girls. It's time we make our way to the retirement home. We can't risk the animals getting away from us so we're gonna have to take them in one of the sanctuary's vans. Those of you who wish to go to keep an eye on the animals, follow me" Ms. Kissaryn called out as she picked up the litter of bunnies and allowed Sebastian to jump onto her shoulder before heading to the garage, the Goth and a few other students following her.
They all walked out of the room and moved to the back of the building and exited it from there. Sasha saw that the back grassy area had a few stables and a large grassy area which was perfectly big enough to house quite a few animals and allow them the space they needed to get exercise. She then saw that a bright green van was parked behind the garage. The door slid open to reveal a man who looked to be the same age as the ginger-haired woman. He too wore the uniform shirt but had worn gray denims and work boots. His hair was a dark brown, almost black. His skin was very tan and his brown eyes were strong but friendly.
"Hey there kids. Hello Ms. Kissaryn. I'm Chet. Are you all ready?" he asked kindly to which they nodded.
After he helped them get the animals into the back of the van and making sure they were all comfortable, he got into the driver seat and started the van. When the van moved, one of May's kittens crawled into Sasha's lap. Laughing, the raven-haired girl picked the kitten up and held her while wondering what the center had in store.
In the Ghost Zone; Zettabyte's Perspective
"That was a good session," Nephilus complimented as he sat down beside his student.
"Yes it was," Zettabyte panted, still a little dazed from the training that had just ended. The mech had taken the halfa and cat (who had fallen to sleep soon after the training ended) to a platform where a Roman-esque structure where they all sat down underneath the marble roof. Riversong had taken Baylina, saying that she was going to get lunch for the group before leaving. During the sparring, the robotic extraterrestrial discovered that along with shields he could make ecto-claws, whips, and temporary swords. No telling what else he could do until he had more training.
He blinked when he saw the soul guider pull out a crystal glass bottle and two glasses, all fitted for their size. The liquid that was poured into the glasses was indigo with a strong hint of a dark violet. It gave off a sweet and tangy smell that the neutral youth couldn't quite put his digit on. He looked skeptically at the drink when it was handed to him until he saw his teacher take a thirsty gulp and give him an encouraging smile. Pushing away his fear, the Cybertronian teen brought the glass up to his mouth and took and sip. He nearly jumped to his feet by how amazing it tasted! It was rich with a sweet and tangy taste just as it had smelled but it had a hint of something that was a cross between a sort of spice and floral essence. He immediately swallowed the rest in one gulp, causing the mech beside him to laugh.
"I see you're enjoying your Power Nectar," Nephilus laughed as he refilled both glasses.
"Power Nectar? That's what it's called?" Zettabyte questioned in surprise and curiosity.
The soul guider nodded as he explained, "Anyone can drink it. It's safe for animals, plants, humans, and other beings. Heck, it energizes them and even cures any minor illnesses. It is especially effective in sentient creatures."
The mechling found himself nodding in agreement. Before he had drank the liquid, the halfa had felt a bit worn out, mentally and physically. But upon sipping the fluid, he had managed to regain the energy he had lost back. As he took a long sip, he saw Riversong approaching them. She carried three black bowls with pale green-blue designs on them. Baylina remained on her shoulder, cleaning her wings calmly.
"I see Nephilus has given you a taste of Power Nectar. And judging by how you're savoring it, I'm guessing you liked it," the protector guessed jokingly, laughing as the Cybertronian nodded. "Well I hope you like this. It's Venomarra's special herbal soup. And don't worry Zetta, it's vegetarian."
As she said that, she handed the soul guider and halfa a bowl. Looking inside, Zettabyte saw dark forest green noodles in a black broth. Despite the ominous look, it gave off a savory smell that the mechling couldn't but find appetizing. The wolf-like femme then handed him a utensil that looked like a cross between a fork and a chopstick. It was long hand, made of some reddish wood, and had a two prong-like tip. Curiously, he used the prong tips to twirl the noodles like he had seen Sasha do. Surprisingly, the skinny prongs managed to firmly pick up a good-sized bundle of noodles.
Opening his mouth, he inserted the noodles in. The noodles were salty with a hint of something that was sweet and earthy while the broth had a mild spicy tone with an underlining taste of something that was somehow faintly sour but not by much. They also had a soft yet chewy texture and had a decadent thickness to it. It was delicious to Zettabyte. He eagerly began consuming the rest, slurping a bit as he sucked the dark forest green noodles off the utensil. It was at this point Midnight decided to wake up. When she saw the mechling ingesting the broth and noodles, she attempted to jump up and get some of the unidentified food but was stopped by Baylina who caught her in her claws and brought her to Riversong's lap. The protector took the crystal bottle and poured a bit of nectar into her palm before holding it out to the two animals. After sniffing the fluid, the feline took a lap, tasting it, before she began lapping more of it up as the snowy owl joined in. The neutral youth finished what was left of the noodles before bringing the bowl to his mouth and swallowed the rest of the broth broth down to the last drop.
"I see you aren't having any objections with Ghost Zone cuisine," Nephilus laughed.
"How can I when your food is this amazing" the Cybertronian teen asked with a wide grin.
"That's not the only amazing thing we have here," Riversong put in with a triumphant smile.
Setting his bowl and utensil down, Zettabyte listened to what his friends had to say.
At Jasper Mellowfields Retirement Home; Sasha's Perspective
Sasha smiled as she watched the elderly residents pet and coo over the animals. The men were enjoying the Sebastian's antics and the friendliness of Ali, her pups, Bandit, and Axle. The women were content with holding, petting and talking to Gabe, May, her kittens, Chuckles, and the young rabbits. The nature-lover took notice of one woman in particular.
This woman looked to be around the same age as the Goth's grandmother. The woman's hair, which was in a braid, was a grayish-white like a storm cloud and had deep green eyes which were like jewels softly upon her wrinkled but elegantly beautiful face. She wore a long sleeve, lilac-colored turtleneck and a long, pale sky blue skirt with the front of two white slippers peeking out from the bottom. Her lips were painted with mulberry purple lipstick and her pearl necklace went wonderfully with her pearl earrings. Although she sat calmly with one of the May's kittens in her lap, she stared in a confused and inquisitive stare. Worriedly, the raven-haired girl approached her.
"Excuse me ma'am, but are you alright?" Sasha asked tentatively.
"Oh, I'm fine," the woman immediately said though never breaking eye contact. "It's just that you look like someone I knew quite a few years ago. What's your name dear?"
"Sasha. Sasha Morgan," the nature-lover said humbly.
The woman's eyes widened in shock and something akin to hope as she asked, "Was your grandmother's name Mabel?"
The Goth stared in utter surprise before stuttering, "Y-yes. How did you know?"
For a moment, the woman looked as though she was caught between laughing or crying before responding with a warm smile, "I'm an old friend of your grandmother's. My name is Ruth Cunnigham and I knew your grandmother since we were little girls. She and I lost contact though when she married your grandfather and went off to have a family. Even though we were happy for each other, it was difficult for us to go our separate ways. How is she? And how is your grandfather, George?"
"She's fine but my grandfather…passed away not too long ago," the raven-haired girl managed to say without letting her voice waver.
Ruth's eyes became sympathetic as she spoke gently, "Oh dear, I'm so sorry for your loss. I assure you that you and your grandmother aren't alone. We've all lost more than our fair share of loved ones. For what it's worth, your grandfather was one of the most unique, kind, and mature man I ever met."
"Thank you Ms. Cunningham. I'm sure he would be flattered by your words if he was still here," Sasha said sincerely with a small smile.
"Please call me Ruth, I insist. And I meant what I said. Your grandfather was something special," the elderly woman spoke in a good-natured tone. "I use to be a high school math teacher back in my home town. At the time, your grandparents were visiting me. One day, I was struggling with encouraging the school's star quarterback, Arnold Bowers, to stay after class for tutoring and take on some extra credit but he wouldn't accept my advice. I vented my frustrations to your grandparents. The next day your grandfather came to school, walked into my classroom, went up to Arnold, looked him dead in the eye and said 'Listen to me young man. You're gonna take your teacher up on her offer, you're gonna start balancing hard studying with your games, and when you graduate, you're gonna come up to her and say thank you.' After that day Arnold stayed after class each day until he graduated and did enough extra credit to give him a passing grade. That day, he came up to me and said those two magical words; thank you."
The Goth couldn't help but gap at her elderly friend's story. The silence was interrupted by an innocent mewl from the kitten who had been resting silently all during their conversation.
"He really said and did that?" Sasha asked incredulously to which Ruth nodded with a proud smile. They both turned to look as Ms. Kissaryn entered the room.
"Snack time," she proclaim with a grin as she held two plates. One had apple slices with a small reddish-orange bowl full of Nutella for dipping the slices and Ritz crackers with a dark blue bowl of soft cheese for dipping the crackers. The other plate had oatmeal raisin and white chocolate chip macadamia nut cookies. Behind the strawberry blonde woman, Amanda held a pitcher full of lemonade.
As the plates and pitcher were set on the table near where the two were talking, the raven-haired girl went to try out the snacks. Grabbing a cracker, she scooped it through the cheese dip before consuming it. It was salty and savory with the sweet hint of something and a crunch besides the cracker which added to how delectable it was. The teacher seemed to take notice of the nature-lover's liking of the snack.
"It's a soft cheese dip I made at home with some pine nuts and a jar of honey I got from Amanda," the strawberry blonde woman chirped. "Do you like it?"
The nature-lover eagerly nodded as she got another cracker and dipped it in the tasty cheese concoction before handing it to Ruth to which the elderly woman gratefully took it and tried it in delight. The two then spent the next half hour talking, eating, and laughing.
"And when my husband, Adam, died in the line of duty, I thought I would never be the same," Ruth explained, closing her eyes for a moment. "But your grandparents got together and made such a lovely painting in his honor. It was the sweetest thing they ever done."
"Wow," Sasha breathed, both amazed and overjoyed as she listened to the stories. "What did you do when you guys went your separate ways?"
"Well I moved here to get away from the noise of the city for one thing," the emerald-eyed woman said. "Then after my children moved out, I started to help around the community. I even helped at the Jasper Willowfern Greenhouse."
"You did?" the nature-lover inquired. "Was it good?"
"It was indeed. It was peaceful, beautiful, and lush," the smile then fell from Ruth's face. "Then I got sent here when the relatives worried that I was getting too old."
"Oh I'm sorry," the raven-haired girl couldn't help but give her condolence.
"It's alright. I suppose I should have seen it coming. What's done is done," the elderly woman said in a 'that's final tone.' A moment later, however, her smile returned. "Perhaps you can offer your services to the greenhouse. I'm sure they would welcome a lovely, kind and smart girl such as yourself."
"You think so?" Sasha asked feeling a bit eager.
"Sweetheart, I know so," Ruth stated in matter-of-fact tone. The two shared a smile when they once again interrupted by Ms. Kissaryn.
"Alright children. It's time we take the animals back now," the strawberry blonde woman called out, getting Ali's puppies on their leashes as the retirement home employees started leading the elderly back to their rooms.
"Already?" the Goth questioned to herself. "Looks like I have to go Ruth. I have to help take the animals back to the shelter."
"Oh it's fine. I enjoyed my talk with you," the emerald-eyed woman said with a calm smile. "But I hope I'll see you again soon."
"I will I promise," the nature-lover stated confidently. "And you know what? Maybe I can bring the laptop here when my grandma's online so you two can talk via Skype."
"I would like that very much," the elderly woman nodded with a smile, her wrinkles creasing as she did so.
"Then it's agreed. I'll see you soon Ruth," the Goth said as she turned to follow her teacher and fellow club members out, waving as she did so.
"And you as well Sasha," Ruth called out with a smile and a wave before a nurse came and led her away.
Back at the house; Third Person Perspective
"Sounds like you made a new friend," Zettabyte stated with a smile as his human charge recounted her story to him. "And this Ruth woman sounds like a nice person."
"She is," Sasha confirmed with a smile. She had been brought home by Juliet and her mother in their car to which the Goth had thanked them. "And I'm gonna visit her again when I get the chance and I'm gonna have my laptop ready so she can talk to her grandma. Plus, I'm gonna take her advice and go volunteer for work at the greenhouse just like I did for the sanctuary."
"Good for you Sasha," the mechling said encouragingly with a grin. "I have something to tell you as well. Riversong asked if you and I would like to visit Terrana's Ever Emerald Garden sometime and I said yes."
"Oh my gosh really?!" the nature-lover asked excitedly to which her guardian nodded. "Zee, that's so freakin' cool!"
"I know, right?" the neutral youth chuckled when Midnight meowed at him from the Goth's arms. "You can come too Midnight."
"I also want to meet this Baylina you told me about," the raven-haired girl put in enthusiastically. "And those herbal noodles sound delicious."
"I'm sure she'll love to meet you too," the halfa nodded with a reassuring smile. "Maybe next time you meet, Riversong will have some ready for you too."
"Awesome!" Sasha exclaimed before handing the feline to her friend. "Can you hold her while I go Skype with my grandma and tell her the news?"
"Sure. It was nice of your friends to offer to help pay for Midnight's vaccinations when you go off to the appointment later next week," the Cybertronian teen commented politely.
"It is, isn't it? And I can't believe what you accomplished in your training today. I'm really proud of you Zee," the Goth complimented him with a sincere tone.
"And I'm proud of your Sasha," Zettabyte smiled softly as he took Midnight.
As Sasha began entering her house, she turned to her partner, smiled and said, "You know Zetta, you really are one of my best friends."
"Well you're one of mine as well," he said with a honest and happy tone.
She smiled at him one last time before she retreated inside her house.
Inside; Sasha's Perspective
Opening her laptop, the raven-haired girl logged onto her Skype. Sure enough, she saw that her grandmother was logged on. Clicking on the picture, the nature-lover waited patiently for her grandmother to answer. Less than fifteen seconds later, a live chat screen opened to show Mabel Morgan.
"Hey sweetie, how was school today?" Mabel asked her granddaughter.
"It was great Grandma. After school I went to help at the animal shelter like I told you yesterday. Then we took some of the animals to the retirement center here in Jasper," Sasha said casually, managing to conceal her giggles. "Hey can I ask you a question?"
"Of course. What is it honey?" the elderly matriarch asked calmly.
"Did you and Grandpa ever know a woman named Ruth Cunningham?" the Goth asked. She nearly laughed out loud when her grandmother's eyes nearly widened into saucers.
"W-Why yes but how did you find that out?" the widow looked at her granddaughter in shock.
Sasha could no longer keep her ear-to-ear grin smile contained as she said, "Well, you'll never believe what happened at the center."
Next up is when Zettabyte meets Team Prime again for the second time;3 So hang in there! Haters will be ignored and flamers will be flamed. Keep an eye out for my holiday fanfic coming soon. And I got the pet bed making idea from Life Hacks. It's on YouTube. You guys should check it out. Until then, Happy Reading!
