MTMTE: sweet voice
Maria stared up at Cyclonus, eyes wide with wonder and amazement. He had Whirl pinned up against a wall hard, his hand pressing against his head keeping him in place. Whirl had this habit of picking on Maria when ever he could, today he cornered her and was tugging at her little apron. Tailgate had recently discovered the joy of dressing and primping Maria. Her outfit was a blue dress with red flower prints all around like polka dots, white bloomers and a white apron to put it all together. Maria like this outfit in particular cause it made Tailgate smile a lot even though his mouth was hidden behind a mask.
"What's your problem, I'm just having a little fun with the little shortie."
"Tugging and lifting her skirt to see her bloomers isn't having a little fun, I said it before and I'll say it again keep your greasy, grimy claws away from Maria. Less you want me to gouge out that optic of yours and make you permanently blind." Growled Cyclonus, Whirl growled and shoved the ex-con off him and stormed out, Cyclonus looked down at maria with an unhappy look.
"Are you ever going to talk?" He questioned, Maria looked away
He let a small sigh and picked up the tiny child, carrying her in one hand he looked around the base for Tailgate. That or any of the other humans wandering around the base, he wouldn't admit it but he hated the fact of leaving Maria alone. He felt better when he knew she was either with Tailgate, Rewind or any of the other humans. Tailgate was in Swerves bar enjoying a small drink before going out to work again, Swerve was already bugging him about something.
"Hey I think I know how you can get Maria to talk just-"
"Won't work."
"You haven't even heard my idea." Whined Swerve.
"You were going to suggest I bribe her with a cookie, weren't you?"
For the first time Swerve didn't say anything, he sat for a whole two minutes without saying a word. To other bots that knew Swerve that was a new world record for being quiet for him, Tailgate recalled trying this little idea only to be outsmarted by the little girl. Snatching the cookie when he wasn't looking, using various tactics to distract him. It ended when Cyclonus walked in and when Tailgate turned to greet him Maria snatched the seventh cookie from Tailgate's hand.
"Cyclonus said no more using bribes to get her to talk now, I don't know if he wants to do it on his own way or let Maria speak on her own. Frankly I just hope she starts talking soon, if love to hear that sweet little voice of hers." Said Tailgate with a sigh.
"You know I heard a rumor that a room near your guys's room is haunted." Said Swerve.
"Yeah right who told you that?" Asked Tailgate a little skeptical.
"Skids did, he said he passed by that old storage room where you and Cyclonus sleep and he swore he heard singing from it, good singing that sounded beautiful." Said Swerve finishing cleaning one glass.
"Well count Maria out, it's not Cyclonus cause if it was him Drift would have told him to stop already. Besides he and I go to bed around the same to me and he doesn't leave my side." Said Tailgate.
"Yeah and besides Skids said "beautiful" Cyclonus when he sings makes me want to rip out my audio receptors."
"Shut up, anyway I got nothing." Said Tailgate.
"I say we go on a stake out tomorrow night to see exactly what's going on, I'll invite a few more guys and you invite Maria too-"
"Sorry Swerve, if its passed 8'o clock then Maria can't join us."
"Oh come on that's stupid." Said Swerve.
"No it's not Cyclonus and I both agree she goes to bed at 8, besides she doesn't mind at all." Said Tailgate with a pert nod.
With that Tailgate left, Swerve somehow managed to get a few more bots on board with him to see if this room was really haunted, Whirl, Chromedome, Rewind and Cyclonus were all joining in. Since they had a night to wait they all decided to just get as much sleep as possible, Cyclonus and Tailgate prepared for bed around eight with Maria.
"Ok Maria, teeth are now nice and clean and your in your pretty pajamas." Said Tailgate as he helped Maria into a white lace flannel nightgown something Victorian girls would wear.
"Ok let's get you to bed, but first..." Tailgate picked up the little girl and took her to Cyclonus laying on the berth he shared with Tailgate.
Holding the little girl to him she kissed his cheek, Cyclonus simply looked at her and nodded. Tailgate wished he'd acknowledge the child but seeing Maria smile when he nodded made feel better for the most part.
"Alright bed time." Said Tailgate tucking the little girl in, giving her a kiss he turned the lamp she had off and left. He climbed next to Cyclonus and turned off the light, cuddling close to the ex-con he could feel his arm wrap around him.
Cyclonus sighed softly as he recalled earlier, when he confronted Whirl he wished Maria would have said something. But he began to think it was a loosing battle, he thought Maria would never speak. But he had to give it time me supposed, he'd let Tailgate work with Maria and with luck she'd speak. He never noticed Maria sliding out of her bed and through a small hole in the wall, the next morning Cyclonus awoke with two warm tiny hands on his face.
Maria smiled at him when he opened his optics, her little blue eyes looking right in to his. He couldn't help but smile at her, taking a single claw he brushed a lock of hair out of her face. She smiled back and pointed to the clock, her way of saying "it's time to get up". He sighed and set Maria to the side and woke up Tailgate, they proceeded with their jobs for the day. Later in the evening the bots investigating the haunted room met up, all hid behind some crates and waited.
"I hope Maria isn't to upset." Muttered Rewind.
"Upset about what?" Asked Tailgate.
"Well tonight was movie night but we canceled it for this and Maria wanted to watch that Monster in Paris movie with us-"
"Come off it she's seen it like five times." Said Whirl.
"Yeah but she's always watched it by herself, she wants to watch it with us sometime." Hissed Chromedome.
"Wait...do you hear that?"
All the bots went silent, the room was dark the only light was from the moon shinning in from the window. They all looked only to see a familiar little girl in a white nightgown, it was clearly passed her bed time of course. But the bots where confused on the reason why she was up so late, Whirl nudged Rewind and motioned him to record what she was doing mostly to try and capture her doing something silly.
They watched her take some things out of a box, she pulled out a white chapeau hat with a light blue ribbon tied on it with a bow and a make shift red scarf. Her little eyes glittered with tears clearly sad about something, placing the hat on her head and the scarf around her neck she stepped into the moon light. It shined like a spotlight upon her, she sat there and stared at the moon...until she unknowingly shocked the friends she knew in that room...she began to sing.
"I.. I hide my light inside a cloak of night
Beneath the red scarf and a chapeau
The pearl of my heart locked within a shell
too afraid to let it go, to let it show
and all the headlines read
for the whole world to see
A Monster in Paris
I fall apart, I fall apart, apparently
I did appear beneath the light
yes it was me
A Monster in Paris"
Tailgate was so shocked, her voice was the most sweetest thing he had ever heard since he heard Cyclonus singing to him in the mother tongue. Cyclonus was at a loss for words just like Swerve and the others, they watched her pull out a picture. They could see it was a picture of the entire lost light crew, her fingers draping across the photo sadly.
"I hide my pain inside a melody
it's as if notes I sing will set me free
I keep all my dreams under a lock and key
I'm so afraid that they will fly, away from me
A Monster in Paris
A Monster in Paris
A Monster in Paris"
Maria held the photo close to herself and sniffled softly as tears fell from her eyes and on the photo, she used the scarf to dry her tears. She let out a sigh and set the picture to try side.
"Why...am I such a coward...why am I such a burden on them?" Maria was talking to herself.
"I want to talk to them but...what if they laugh at me...make fun of my voice...what if...if..." Maria trailed off and simply sat there, a depressed look in her face. She never saw the figure standing behind her, his blue eyes looking at her.
"Maria..."
Maria jumped and turned around, there standing behind her was Tailgate. She quickly took off her hat and scarf hiding it behind her back, she prepared herself to be scolded for staying up late but instead she was lifted into his arms. He smiled sweetly at her, taking the hat and scarf he put them back on her head and neck.
"Can you sing that song again for us again please, your voice is really pretty." Requested Tailgate.
Maria's face turned red, she turned to see the others standing in the room. She buried her face in Tailgates armor so embarrassed, she felt Cyclonus's fingers on her back gently rubbing in small circles coaxing the little girl to show her face.
"It's nice to finally hear your voice." Said Cyclonus with a warm smile.
Whirl shrugged as Chromedome, Rewind and Swerve came out and applauded the small performance by the little girl. Maria blushed more but smiled, apparently she started this a while back, the singing was recent. She loved the songs from her Monster in Paris movie and started singing them, it wasn't long before Maria started talking to everyone.
"She's gotten so much better since she started talking." Said Tailgate watching Maria play a game with Rewind.
"Yes and at least she'll call out for help of Whirl starts picking on her again." Said Cyclonus.
Cyclonus smiled happily when no one was looking, he was the happiest out of everyone for Maria. He finally could hear his darling little angels voice, her sweet beautiful voice.
End