Alana grew to be a young girl of the age of five. She had curly locks of brown hair which seemed to fly all over when she ran. Underneath that hair and pretty smile was an extremely smart mind. She had been living with the Autobots and had to distinguish between what was right and wrong and what could be life threatening, that little thing which most children didn't have to deal with made Alana aware of her surroundings. She had to be able to know that she was not allowed to touch that or she could do that, but seeing that she was a young girl she was hardly perfect with all of her assumptions. That's what got her in front of the TV.
The Autobots had listened to Sam's TV experiences and decided to not let Alana go near theirs. They wanted her to be an intellectual child not some child who lived only for TV. There came to be a rule that who ever used the TV last had to hide the remote away so that Alana could not find it.
Bumblebee happened to be watching some NASCAR when Optimus called him over, he switched off the TV and put the Remote on the floor, forgetting the rule entirely. Alana happened to walk into the room at the same time Bumblebee left; she got a soft pat on the head and was told to be good. She assured him with a laugh.
Alana walked into the room and spotted something that looked like box, she liked boxes, they were fun to climb in. with a smile she ran over to it. She was disappointed to see that the box was closed, but the buttons on top intrigued her. She crouched down low to look at it, and natural curiosity made her touch the button that stood out the most. That happened to be the bright red power button. Alana gasped as the sound of cars filled the room, she looked around and saw that a bunch of really fast cars were on the wall in front of her. She tilted her head to the side, this was so cool! Laughing she trotted over to the big screen and touched it. She touched glass, Wait then this was a window. Alana thought, she had not seen a TV before, wanting to see the cars up close she searched for a door that would take her out side so that she could see the cars.
There happened to be no door, so Alana went to the mysterious black box which had started this all maybe that held the answer to her problems. Once again she studied it and then pressed a button, the screen changed; now there was a man talking. That was no fun, talking was boring, unless she was the one doing it. She pressed the button again, this time a bunch of brightly colored dancers leaped across the stage. Alana laughed and pointed to them. One was making funny movements with his arms and was dancing around some girl. Alana tried to imitate him but only ended up on the floor. But she wasn't deterred, music was playing and she liked the beat, getting up once again she began to jump around.
After a bit of jumping Alana found that the music wasn't loud enough, she wanted every one to hear! So looking once more at the box that controlled all of her fun she pressed another button, the sound went up. The button was pressed until the walls were pounding with the music. Alana was laughing the whole time.
Optimus walked in hands over his audio receptors, once he saw Alana laughing on the ground he slumped his shoulders. Then walking over to the remote he turned off the TV. Alana stopped laughing she got up and looked up at him very seriously.
"no fun" she told him with a shake of her head.
"Alana, you need to be careful, this is a no "Optimus said, he offered her his hand. She got up on it and looked up at him listening fully. Optimus had the ability to grab her full attention. He could lecture her and she would listen to every single word he said. "this is bad for you" Optimus told her, walking out of the room.
"fun" she said. "I want fun" she protested.
"but you have fun, what about that dump truck?" Optimus asked.
"no fun. Like you" Alana hadn't meant any harm by that and Optimus understood that.
"its time for lunch" Optimus said changing the subject. Alana cheered.
Later that night Optimus called a meeting.
"She's found the TV" he told them.
"I knew this day would come" Ironhide said smiling "she's a smart girl; we can't get anything past her any more"
Ratchet shrugged "maybe we should let her watch a few kid shows, you know some are educational"
"It would be better" Bumblebee said "Im finding it difficult to find hiding places for that stupid remote"
Ratchet slapped Bumblebee on the shoulder "but that 'stupid' remote controls most of your entertainment"
Optimus decided that it was time to step in "we need to figure out what shows she can watch"
It was later decided that she could watch three shows a day of a certain type, the Autobots were taking no chances.
The Autobots later walked in the TV room to see Alana, she had taken possession of the remote. It sat next to her as she sat, finger in her nose, watching the history channel. She watched it mostly because of the helicopter shots. When one of them would happen she would get up and move with the way that the helicopter was turning, she found it amazing.
Sam happened to be over one day, he saw Alana with her dump truck and remote and smiled as she ran by the room making all sorts on noises.
"hey Ratchet, how old is Alana?
Ratchet turned to look at him "five, why?"
"she should be going to school" Sam said. "she needs that education that you keep wanting to give her"
"school?" Ratchet said leaning down "I suppose it is a possibility"
"what's a possibility?" Ironhide walked in carrying Alana.
"school for Alana" Ratchet said getting up to look at him.
"school, no way. Im keeping her with me. She aint ever going to a school"
Alana was enrolled the very next day. She was set to start at the beginning of the school year along with every one else. Alana was at first sad that she had to be separated from her beloved Autobots but she grew later excited.
The first day of school came to fast for the Autobots, they liked having a young child around them. She was fun to look out for. She brought a sort of life that the Autobots never had before.
Ironhide volunteered himself to bring Alana to school. Alana talked endlessly on the way. The drive to school was a half hour away, and so Ironhide was forced to drive and listen to a girl had something to say all the time.
"will you be there when school is done, Ironhide?" she asked peering at the steering wheel.
"of course, I'll be there" Ironhide said taking the turn into school. "I have to take you to your class" Ironhide said turning on his holoform. Alana had seen the holoform on many occasions so she was not surprised. Both got out "take my hand" Ironhide said. Alana did as she was told; her eyes scanned the surrounding area. School was bigger than she imagined.
"there are so many kids here "she told him.
"you don't have to go if you don't want to" Ironhide said gripping her hand, he stopped her and moved in front of her. Then kneeling down in front of her he took a shoulder with one hand "im not forcing you to do this"
"I'll do it, I don't want to end up the scum bag some other kids will be, 'cos they watch TV" Alana told him.
Ironhide laughed and with a smile asked her "who told you that?"
"Ratchet, he says TV brain washes people. What does that mean?" she took his shoulder in the same fashion that he was holding her.
Ironhide smiled "you will know when your older. Shall we go inside?"
"OK" Alana smiled, she then skipped inside, all the while holding Ironhide's hand.
Alana was dropped off in her class, Ironhide gave her a quick squeeze and told her to be good, and then left. Alana turned to face the class. Older men and women were hugging a child, telling them that the loved them and would be there to pick them up as soon as school was over. Alana hung up her coat on a hook and went to sit on the floor. She was disappointed; there were no good sized dump trucks there. She wanted to sit in one. Suddenly she saw a pair of legs, looking up she saw a nice looking woman.
"and who are you?" the lady had a nice voice, it was sweet and musical.
"im Alana" Alana stood up, she still had to crane her neck to see the woman though, "who are you?" Alana asked.
The woman smiled "im your teacher"
"oh" Alana tilted her head to the side.
"my name is Mrs. Winkel"
"your name is Winkel?" Alana asked surprised.
Mrs. Winkel laughed "no that's my last name, do you have one?"
Alana shook her head "no"
"no last name?" her teacher frowned. She then moved over to grab a booklet, she looked at it and then at Alana. Her frown intensified. "Who are your parents?" she asked kneeling down to look at Alana better.
Alana could tell that something was wrong but she had to ask a question "what is parents?"
"Oh um, never mind" Mrs. Winkel got up and moved to see the other children.
The school day ended with the bell, Alana was ready to go, she rushed out of the room along with the others. In all honesty she didn't mind school, but she missed home more. One girl whose name she couldn't remember told her,
"I was having so much fun I forgot to miss my mommy and daddy" she left before Alana could ask what a mommy and daddy were.
Ironhide was waiting for her just like he promised, she smiled and got in, the door closed after her. the seatbelt snaked around her waist and pulled tight as Ironhide took off.
"how did it go?" he asked.
"it was ok, I don't think Mrs. Winkel likes me though."
"oh why?"
" 'cos I don't have a last name" Alana said.
Ironhide shook his head mentally "what's a last name?" he asked.
"I don't know" Alana said.
The rest of the trip was made as both were left to contemplate what a last name was.
Once back at the base Ironhide and Alana went over to Ratchet they were very eager to hear what a last name was.
"hey Ratchet" Alana called out.
Ratchet looked up at his name and when he saw who it was he smiled "how was school today" Alana repeated what she had told Ironhide. Ratchet frowned "why is she mad at you?"
Ironhide answered for Alana "she doesn't have a last name, what ever that is"
"what is it?" Alana asked, she perked up, waiting to hear.
Ratchet's metallic brow furrowed "well its when a family-"
He was cut off "what's a family?" Alana asked.
"it's a group of people who live together"
"are we a family?" Alana tilted her head.
"in a way" Ratchet said slowly taking his time to think about what he was going to say. Now back to your first question a last name, its when a family all have different names but their second name the one after their first is all the same and that joins them together as a family"
Ironhide then "ah'd"
Alana looked at him hard "what is our last name?"
Ratchet paused "I don't think we have one"
"so were not a family" Alana said confused.
"no we are" Ratchet said.
"then what is our last name?" Alana argued "we cant be a family with out one"
Ironhide shuffled his feet "oh great another name, those things are so hard to find"
Ratchet smiled "I got this one" he took Alana from Ironhide's hand and brought her up to his face so he could look at her straight in the eye "your last name is Autobot, Alana Autobot. You were always and Autobot you shall always be one"
Alana smiled up at him "thank you" she went to move off his hand when she paused , she turned to look at him. "what's a mommy and what's a daddy"